Why my husband is husband of the year

I have been telling my hubby for awhile that I wanted/needed a laptop. Our computer is downstairs in our basement so it makes it challenging for me to get work done for my sling business and the all-important blog-reading in. This week has been Crazy with a capital C around here so hubby said I could open my Christmas present tonight before we leave for Florida tomorrow. Well, he surprised my socks off with the most beautiful HP laptop a girl could hope for!! I LOVE IT!! Now I guess I have to follow through on all my promises to be extra-productive. :) Thank you SO MUCH hubby!! You truly deserve an award for this!

Waiting

Waiting is what Advent is about. Waiting for that glorious day of Christ's birth. Learning how to wait for his second coming. Learning how to be content to wait.
I have said before that I love that about the Advent season. The build-up, the anticipation. Then comes Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and we celebrate the event we have been waiting for. The waiting is exciting because we know what it is we are waiting for. Something good. The One who is the author of all good. Our Saviour. Our King.

But what if we aren't sure what we are waiting for? Is the waiting still exciting?

A few weekends ago, I got a phone call from my mom that my Grandmother was in the hospital and on the ventilator and they thought this was going to be it. After a few days of touch-and-go, she began to recover and is now doing better but they aren't sure for how long. We wait. For what we aren't sure.
My sister, whom I adore, is going through a trial of her own. Circumstances she can't control are getting out of hand and we just want the whole situation to be done. More waiting. Waiting for the clouds to pass so she can again bask in the sunshine.
And me, I am waiting with my family in both these situations. And I am waiting on other things too, some a little more personal. And learning to be quiet in the waiting to see what God may have to say to me during this time. Times of waiting in my past have been powerful. Waiting for my dad to come home from the Persian Gulf war. Waiting for both my children to be born. Waiting as God slowly teaches me about my true identity as His child.

The waiting of Advent is almost done. Christmas Eve is only a few days away. But there is always something we are waiting for. Lord, teach me to be content, excited, and not afraid in the waiting.

I have been praying this prayer to help during my waiting.... If you need a "waiting-prayer," check it out.

Check me out....

...at Steph's blog Adventures inBabywearing. I guest posted for her babywearing tip of the week. It was fun but a little intimidating. Check it out for some cute pics of Lucas wearing his little sling! :)

Babywearing in the news

Babywearing is popping up all over these days. Here is an article about babywearing in a local suburban newspaper. Don't forget to check out your favorite celebrities wearing their babies either here at my photo gallery or here at this celebrity baby blog. You may be surprised where babywearing turns up next! :)

My prayer as he sleeps

Lord, please protect him as he sleeps. Restore his body, his mind, his heart. Let his dreams be filled with trucks and snowplows and other things that bring him joy. Give him the rest he needs to grow healthy and strong and wake up rested and ready to embrace the day. Lord, whisper to his soul. Whisper of your love for him and the plans that you have for him, plans for a hope and a future. Whisper those plans to me too, Lord, so that I can adequately prepare him to serve You and love You with his whole self. Give me eyes to see his strengths and gifts and wisdom in how to cultivate them. Keep me from leading him astray. Keep my faults and shortcomings from stealing his joy or crushing his spirit. Forgive me for losing my temper today and increase my patience for tomorrow. Help me to discipline so that he learns right from wrong but not so much that he loses his independent, fun-loving spirit. Help me to sing with him even when I do not feel like singing so he too will sing during the times of his life when he doesn't feel joyful. Help me to laugh with him and build towers with him and read enthusiastically so that he always retains the joy found in those things. Let the words from my mouth be uplifting and encouraging and never disparaging or out of anger. Lord, hear my prayers for my son and for me as his mother. Protect us, keep us, endear us to each other and to You. Thank you for entrusting this precious child to me. May our days be filled with joy and may I always point him back to You, the creator of all joy.

Touchdown Tim

I wouldn't be a true Gator Fan if I did not at least acknowledge our sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow, or should I say Heisman-Trophy Winner Tim Tebow!!! HOORAY! He is the first sophomore ever to win the coveted prize. He's the youngest of 5 kids, born in the Philippines where his parents were missionaries. He was home schooled his entire life and has the most outstanding character. I would be lucky for Lucas to turn out to be such an amazing young man. An amazing football player and an even more amazing person! Way to go Timmy!! Gator-Nation is so proud!!

First big snow

We had our first big snow of the season two days ago. A good couple inches which has left the ground covered in crisp, white snow making it feel all the more like Christmas is coming! the morning after the snow fell, Lucas looked out the window of our bedroom and said "WOW! Daddy, no!" (no = snow). I took Lucas out to play in the snow for the first time yesterday after nap. He wasn't sure what to do at first but then started getting into it. We made a little snowman and I tried to teach him about snow angels. We may have to save that for the next big snow. For now, we'll just enjoy our little winter wonderland while the snow is fresh and clean and beautiful.



























Here is a video of Lucas in the snow. Don't feel obliged to watch. It's mostly for the grandparents. He is cute trying to build a snowman though. You also get a glimpse of my naughty little Beagle. So if you want to see my cute baby and my cute puppy, or you just need a taste of beautiful winter snow, proceed! :)

Submission and my true self

I attended a women's Christmas brunch at a local church yesterday morning. It was the culmination of our 3 month Bible study on the book of Proverbs and this morning the author of the study guide we used came to speak to our group of about 200+ women while we ate pastries and fruit. As a friend and I were heading back from the buffet to our table, I commented to her that I felt very out of place. I had my wet hair in pig-tails and was wearing an old pair of brown cords with tennis shoes. A last minute shower and the season's first big snow could be blamed for my lack of style this morning, but really that is how I dress most of the time. Most of the other women there were much more "put-together." A nice sweater, classy clothes, every hair in place. I can sympathize with my bloggy-friend Drea who recently went to an event and felt a little under-dressed. I definitely felt that way yesterday morning.
As I am sitting at my table feeling a little insecure about my ultra-casual look, I hear the speaker make the following statement: "We as women might not have as many issues with the concept of submission if we felt secure about who we really are and what our true self looks like." Hmmmm. Interesting. I have never before connected the topic of submission with how much or how little I am in touch with my true self. I can see how that statement could be true. I don't know that I have "issues" with submission at all, but I guess that depends on how you define the word.
Submission, as in I stay home popping out kids and live only to serve my husband's every whim with no concern for my own needs or desires... I have issues with that. I am all about serving my husband and my son. I think God has called me to do that as wife and mother. But I think I deserve to be served too. I think God meant it to be that way, for us to serve each other. But I digress.
There are other kinds of submission. Submission to God's leading and the events/obstacles/challenges He places in our path for specific purposes. Is that the kind of submission the speaker was referring to? Do I have "issues" with submitting to God's authority over me because I am uncomfortable with my true self. I do struggle with being comfortable with who I am beneath the surface. I often find it hard to be content with who I am and not always be trying to be something else, something better. There is definitely a place for self-improvement. Choosing to change certain things about myself and my life in order to be a better me.
But do I also need to submit to whoever it is that God has created me to be and learn to rest in that? If we talk about submission in those terms, her statement makes perfect sense. Of course I will be happy to submit to the girl God made me to be if I feel secure and confident in who that is. It is feeling secure and confident in that girl when I am still deep in the middle of the journey towards discovering her that is the challenge. So maybe I do have issues with submission. You wouldn't think it would be so difficult to submit to the Creator of all things, to the One who is my protector and my shield through whatever may come my way. I should want to submit to Him. Wouldn't that just be easier? It would be, and I do want to. But I still find myself struggling with how to be comfortable in this skin, content with the person that I am.
What if the people I admire, the people I want to call me friend, my community.... what if those people don't see value in the true me? That is very scary. That is complete rejection. What if submitting to God and finding my true self means that I will not be accepted by the community of people that I have decided are valuable to me? Does that mean I just don't fit in there but I would somewhere else? Would the "somewhere else" be fulfilling?
I am a big fan of the HBO series "Sex in the City." It can be riske' and a little crude at times, but I love the interactions of the four girls and the questions they ask about relationships and love. It is entertaining to me. I love seeing the fashion and watching their stories unfold. Admitting that I like this show does not necessarily fit with the side of myself that I play to others. I have commented to my husband before that I am little too "worldly" for my Christian friends and a little too "Christian" for my non-Christian friends. But somewhere in the middle is the true me- a girl who loves God whole-heartedly but also likes to shop and watch "Sex in the City" and read gossip magazines. Is that scandalous to say?
I love high fashion but I wear jeans and yoga pants. I don't pray as often as I should, I don't brush my teeth everyday, I sneak chips when I am feeling down or tired, I watch "The Hills" on MTV. These are the things that I shouldn't say out loud for fear of... well I don't exactly know what I am afraid of but I know it feels uncomfortable. I know there are things about me that I can and should work on changing. The teeth brushing thing is one of them after my visit to the dentist today. Praying more regularly is high on that list too. But my heart is good and I am slowly discovering who I am at the core and what the outward expression of that girl looks like. Submitting to my true self, to the girl that God created and values as His child - easier said than done.

And the winner is...

Pickel from MyTwoBoys! Hooray!! I hope you enjoy this book as much as we do.

Everyone else... you can go here to get one yourself or just stop in your local Border's Bookstore!
Thanks for entering and giving me an outlet for my Christmas energy. Merry Christmas y'all!