Judah is 8 Months

 

Judah Boo, Judah Bear, you are a joy. You are such a happy baby. Everyone who ever meets you calls you "Smiley Boy" or tells us what a delight you are. They are correct, indeed, my love! You are completely, over the top, in love with your mama. You miss me when I'm gone, look for me with determination until you find me, and squeal with delight when you do. You have 2 teeth. The first came in on February 7th. The next one came in the beginning of March. You love your brother so much! You laugh at everything he does. Well, you're not such a fan of him trying to pick you up, but we're working on that one. You take your bath in the big tub next to him now and love it! You have to hold on pretty tightly to your toys, though, as they can get snatched away quickly. You have been waking up only once in the night (thank you, thank you, thank you!) at around 2am to eat. Speaking of eating, you're doing so well with solid foods! We are still mostly just feeding you fruits and veggies and homemade oatmeal cereal, but you've tried beans and rice and love almost everything! You eat 3-4 times a day and nurse about 6 times. You are wearing a size 4 diaper and size 12 month clothes. You weigh 20 pounds. You love to cruise around in your walker and you scoot everywhere, too! You are almost crawling, but scooting will do for now. You smile so big when daddy gets home! He is so good with you. You have the sweetest dimples. You are still swaddled to go down to sleep, but you get yourself out of it quickly. We graduated you to the big boy car seat at the end of February so you will be more comfortable. You babble and say dada all the time. On March 18th, you started saying mama all the time, too! You love it when I sign to you and when I sing to you. You love going on walks! You kick your legs and bounce up and down with excitement. The ladies in the church nursery absolutely love you! You are growing so quickly. I love being your mama. You are such a delight and a joy. God blessed us big time with you!

Trials of Various Kinds

Life has been busy. I never knew what the last few months would hold. When I look back on our lives since November, I am overwhelmed by the struggles, but even more overwhelmed with God's goodness. I am thankful that the struggles we had weren't of life and death, or heartache and emotional pain. Just life. And a whole lot of it at one time.

Randy broke his wrist playing basketball in November. Judah was 4 months old. Randy did all he could around the house and with the kids, but as you can imagine, he wasn't able to do much. We hosted Thanksgiving for 23 people at our house the day after Randy's wrist surgery. I got mastitis. Twice. We got hit very hard with sicknesses for over a month in our home. The kids got croup and ear infections and had breathing treatments and took antibiotics. Then Randy and I were both hit hard with the flu. At the same time. I discovered a spot on my gums that needs to be surgically removed in April. Judah is still up a few times in the night and Levi is getting up at dawn's early light (5 or 6am), so I am not getting much sleep. At all. I am in bed now with the flu. 

Instead of leaving it there; only talking about the difficulty, I want to tell you all of the good that has come out of months of trials.

1) God has sustained us. Supernaturally. He has given us enough. Not only do we have enough because His son Jesus died on the cross for our sins and has saved us for all of eternity, we have enough now. We have all we need in Him.

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.

2) My mom isn't working so she has been here whenever we've needed her. She has served us for months and we couldn't have gotten through this season without her.
3) Randy's parents have also helped us a ton. They've taken Levi overnight more times than I can count. They've picked up medicine for us. Randy's dad met me at the surgery center and helped get Randy home. We are so thankful for them.
4) Our friends have loved us and served us. They've dropped off meals, offered to babysit, picked up groceries, prayed for us and sat with us when we were weary and lonely.
5) Randy and I have grown in our relationship and in our communication. We've had the opportunity to stretch beyond what is comfortable and we are better for it. He is such an incredible servant. I love him more today than ever.
6) I have been humbled as my love of self and sin have been exposed. I have learned that, for me, in the midst of trial, difficulty and little sleep, my "ugly" comes right up to the surface. I never knew I was so impatient, so quick to anger, so selfish. Out of the heart the mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Well, when things are going well and I am sleeping a good amount, I am able to have enough self-control to suppress what is really in my heart. I stuff all of the "ugly" down and pretend it doesn't exist. I am here to tell you, it certainly does exist. And it's not pretty.

I am so thankful that God has refined me through the trials of the past 4 months. Exposing sin is painful, but it is the first step necessary for true change to take place.

Isaiah 48:10

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

 

James 1:2-4

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.