Not Forgotten

Sometimes I forget how blessed I am to be a mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc. God reminds me in simple ways what is so important in my life.

I have gone to school and become a teacher for elementary school. I love teaching. I know it is what I am supposed to do. Last year when I graduated, there were no jobs available. Then I found out I was pregnant. What a surprise! I was shocked, but I knew that God was doing His own thing again. His plans are far better than mine. I was fine with the idea of not getting a teaching job this past year or this new year starting in a few days. Or at least I thought that I was - until I hear about other people getting jobs.

Don't get me wrong. I am so happy for my friends who are finally putting all of their learning and degrees to use. It is about time & I know that they will make excellent teachers. Plus, I am so happy to be a mom. To be a wife. To be the homemaker. It really feels like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing at this moment. Yet, something inside me feels as though all my opportunities are passing me by. I feel as though I will never get a teaching job, especially when I am ready for one.

Then I remember that it is alright to feel doubt. Jesus felt doubt about dying on the cross in the Garden of Gethsemane, hours before he would be crucified. (And he is the Son of God!)

God has many things in store for me. I must remember the big picture.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

God has many things in store for you and me, even though we can't see them yet. Take heart. You are not forgotten.

Love,
Manders

TGIF

TGIF. I love Fridays because it means that Jonathan will be home on the weekend with me, so I can get a break from child care. I just don't think I appreciated them enough when I was working and Jonathan and I were just us, BK (before kids)as my dad would say.

In honor of Fridays, I have decided that each Friday will be a TOP TEN DAY! So, here is my first Top Ten list. I hope you enjoy.

Top Ten Reasons to Be A Mom:

10. I get to wait on someone hand and foot, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 12 months a year, for the next 18 years or more.

9. Changing dirty diapers every single day, at least 7-10 times a day.

8. It creates a new sense of style for myself, each piece of wardrobe serving a double purpose.
- sweat pants & t-shirts (plural because you know that your son will spit up on you eventually)
- ponytails (so my hair doesn't get pulled)
- dirty glasses (fingerprints from my son's grabby hands)

7. Receiving blankets become the newest over-the-shoulder trend.

6. You get to talk in incomprehensible, nonsensical babble all day long.

5. Making a fool out of yourself changes from embarrassment to a way to please and entertain.

4. Each day begins, continues and ends the same way...Feeding, changing, feeding, burping, changing, feeding, changing...

3. Burps become the best thing in the world. Something to strive for and to be praised.

2. Sleep is more valuable than gold, especially after a hard day.

1. You live for those moments where you are rewarded with smiles and giggles, squeals and coos, cuddles and babble all for you.

If this list doesn't make you want to be a mom, I don't know what will! Really it is the greatest thing you could do on earth. The most frustrating and the most rewarding. I love being a mom and wouldn't change it for the world.

Have a good weekend.

Love,
Manders

Much Needed Blessings

Today I need rest. My son has been up at least 3-4 times every night this week except Monday night. We are not sure why, but I think it is because he is teething & constantly wants his soother in his mouth. He has been waking up when he realizes his soother is no longer in his mouth. I know it only takes a second to run down the hall and pop the soother in his mouth, but it takes twice as long to fall back to sleep again. Our son has always been a pretty good sleeper. He started sleeping through the night by the end of 2 months. So, it is hard to get used to his sleep patterns changing. Hopefully this will just be a phase and it will work itself out. It usually does. Until then, I am tired!

Jonathan has been reall good about it though. He got up last night and rocked him for a bit. I usually just let him sleep because he is the one that has to work in the morning. But it was nice of him to get up, especially when I was about to pull my hair out.

Everybody has been talking about their husbands lately, so I thought that I should share something too. When we first got married, I thought that Jonathan and I were completely alike. Well, not completely alike, but at least very similar. As the years have passed, however, I realize just how completely different we are. When you are young, you want someone who is just like you. Fortunately, we are each different: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139: 13-14) But, God has made us as a couple to compliment each other: "The Lord God said, it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (Gen. 2:18) I never knew how much this was true until we both became parents. Our styles of parenting are similar and different in so many ways. It is amazing how God has put us together to compliment each other and to help each other. God is good. He knew exactly what I would need when He made Jonathan for me. I thank Him everyday for His most precious gift to me.

I hope that you find something that blesses your heart today. God is in control.

Love,
Manders

Getting something off my chest

Okay. Here it goes.

I would have blogged earlier today, but it is Tuesday, and I have a new mother's group on Tuesdays. Afterwards we go out for lunch. Usually we talk about things that are babies are doing - brag moments, we call them. Each week is a different topic - something baby like.

Anyway, I have been giving Aidan formula since he was about 6 weeks old. I started breast feeding, but he was feeding all the time, for 1-1 1/2 hrs. at a time. Needless to say, I decided that I wanted a life, so I chose to stop breast feeding and offer a bottle. Since then, he has now started solids (some cereal & some vegetables). He loves it. He was ready for it, even though you are supposed to wait until 6 months. Today, one of the other moms decided to ask some questions about starting solids. She wanted to know when was the best time, what to give, etc. (We already did this topic 3 weeks ago!) Anyway, most of the mothers in our group are breastfeeding. Kudos to them. I couldn't do it for that long. During the discussion today someone said that they didn't want to start giving their son solids because he seemed "pure" to her. Everything he had ever eaten had been from her. She didn't want him to have formula or solids which contain, god forbid, canola oil. She said this as if it was a drug or something. (By the way, most people will eventually have to eat real food, which contains canola oil & other things. She can't breast feed forever.)Anyway, it really annoyed me because it seemed like she was saying that only breast milk was good.

The truth is, I do not care what anyone else does with their baby. In the end, I am happier, Aidan is happier. This is the most important thing. But I feel that the trend is to tell women that they SHOULD breast feed (heavy on the should) and if they don't, they are somehow cheating their baby of the best there is to offer. The truth is that it is up to you. You need to do what is right for you and your baby. Sure, God created the breast for feeding your baby, but God also created your baby & your baby usually knows what it needs. YOU as a mother know best what YOUR baby needs. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!

I am just telling you this because I wish someone else had said this to me before I had had Aidan. But, they mostly told me to breast feed. Mostly, you need to love your baby. He/She will thrive on that love. God will protect them.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Love,
Manders

Rest on the Mountain

Well, this is my first blog. I am sure that everyone says that at the beginning. So much for originality. Oh well.

Being a stay at home mom, with our almost 5 month old, means that I do not get a lot of time to see other adults, talk with them, etc. I guess this is going to become my outlit for venting and feeling like I am a whole person again.

It is funny, but when you become a mom, you begin to look at things in a whole new way. Instead of thinking about yourself and what you want and need, you have to think about another person. Questions change from what am I going to do today, to what is my sons mood going to be; when will he eat; what will he need; etc. It is nice to be needed so much. It is nice to think of another person before yourself. It puts life into perspective.

I guess it is God using my son to teach me to practice Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourseves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. "

This is such an important part of my life right now. I guess each blog will probably bore you with thoughts about my son (Aidan) and what he is doing. I guess I should have called this Aidans brag blog. But, I chose Mountain Peak because I hope that it gives you all a place to come, read and enjoy, just like a mountain peak. I also love the mountains.

My key verses for this blog is Micah 4:1-5 which talk about The Mountain of the Lord. On it we will all be together, getting along with each other, nation with nation, man with man. War will be over. Specifically verse 2: "Many nations will come land say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.'"

May you find rest and restoration today in your walks of life.

Love,
Manders