Weathering the Storm

This afternoon was quite a scary adventure for Parker and me. I went to Sumter to do my usual weekly grocery shopping. I saw on the radar there were some storms in the area, but they were small cells. First stop was CVS. When I left there it was beginning to drop rain. I said a prayer that Parker and I would make it inside Walmart before it started to pour, and I prayed for a good parking place near the buggy return. The Lord answered both of the prayers. While in Walmart, it started pouring and popping lightning. Then I got text alerts for a severe thunderstorm warning and tornado warning. I called my sister to pull up the radar so I could know what to do. She told me that the worst was yet to come and I should get out of Sumter. I emptied my buggy. I hate to just put stuff anywhere in the store, but I made an exception today. I was just outside of Sumter when it started pouring again but this time with wind. My sister called to see where I was because she saw on the radar more stuff developing. At that point, I pulled over at a gas station which was open. I crawled in the back seat, got Parker out, headed through the torential rain and wind, and as I got to to the door the lights went out. I thought the power went out, but no, the store had just closed! So I headed back through the torential rain and wind put Parker back in his seat, who is now scared and crying. Next door is a Chinese restaurant, but I'm was not sure it was open. At this time, I knew from talking to my sister that they were reporting rotation in the area. I was too scared to stay in the car so I took the chance and got Parker back out of his seat and ran through the torential wind and rain again into the safety of the Panda House. When we walked in the door, there were four Chinese adults and one child who immediately went "awwww" and started saying something in Chinese. Then one of them quickly brought paper towels and started drying Parker off. They were so nice and were understanding of why I invaded their store. They even offered Parker a little miniture cup of jello, but I politely declined. Finally it cleared enough to set off for Pinewood. I did get into heavy rain but no wind. I was so grateful to open the door to our house and be safe inside. Now I got to go back to Sumter tomorrow to do my grocery shopping since I only came back with two sticks of deodorant and some peptobismal.

10 Months Recap

• standing a lot more on his own.
• took his first steps, which made him oh-so-proud of himself.
• uses "dada" for both me and Paul.
• understands the word kisses and gives the best open mouth, slobbery kisses.
• eats like a horse. I don't think he would ever stop eating if I didn't stop giving him food.
• loves to push his train and John Deere gator around. In fact he likes to push anything around-laundry baskets, chairs, strollers, toy basket.
• grinds his teeth! This one is very aggrevating.
• still loves to look at books and play with balls.
• is very observant when he is in a new environment. He will sit still and check everything out.
• has become a daddy's boy too.
• likes to be chased.
• likes to climb.
• still the most precious thing ever!

A Few Steps at a Time

For those of you who follow my blog but are not on facebook, I just wanted to let you know that the past couple of days Parker has been taking some steps. He is so thrilled with himself. He can do about five at a time. I'll have to post video later.

Out of the Funk

I must confess that over the past year I was in, what I call, a spiritual funk. I wasn't in one of those "valleys" or facing one of life's "storms" that resulted in me feeling separated from God. I was being disobedient. I had done what the church in Ephesus had done in Revelation 2:4. I had "left my first love." I was like people who divorce because they have fallen out of love with their spouse. It was a gradual fade. At first, you skip spending time in God's Word one day out of the week in order for you to get a little more house work done or to catch another tv show. Then, it becomes two days, three days, and before you realize it, where once you held a devotion to God's Word, now stood a love for fleshly desires. I was lazy. Yes, every once in a while I thought, "I really should spend some time reading my Bible and talking to the Lord. I'll do it after this tv show goes off." Next thing I knew, I couldn't hold my eyes open, and I would go straight to bed without giving my relationship with the Lord another thought. I continued to go to church and sing songs whose words rang out praises to the Lord, but my heart had been emptied of the joy of my salvation. I'm sure it was noticable. Sometimes when I'm up in the choir loft and look around at people's faces when they are singing, it breaks my heart when the look on people's faces is one of boredom or discontentment. I'm sure that's what I looked like. As I was rolling around in the mud and muck of my sin, I finally came to my senses much like the prodigal son. I was tired of feeling so far away from my Savior. I had wasted too much time. I repented of my sin, and prayed for the Lord's help to get me out of the pit. The Lord is faithful and true to His Word. He says in Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you." Wow, how he has done just that. No, it didn't happened over night. I had to be disciplined to open my Bible and spend time praying rather than turn on the tv. But, the more and more time I spent in God's Word, the more quickly the joy came back. God's Word is good! I have realized how important His Word is. I understand that His Word is life in a whole new way. The very foundation of my relationship with Him is His Word. I'm a far from perfect, but the fact that my fleshly desires are still at war in my heart even though I have turned my heart over to the Lord is no excuse to continue in sin. (You should read Romans 6 sometime.) That's why scripture tells us to die daily to ourselves. I am writing this for several reasons. One is to confess my sin publicly. Another is I hope that this helps someone else who may be in a "spiritual funk." But, most importantly, I want to rejoice in the work of the Lord in my life. My His name be glorified!

9 Months Recap

• celebrated his first Mother's Day.
• was dedicated to the Lord.
• went on our first family vacation.
• ate his first handful of sand.
• continues to cruise around on the furniture.
• can stand by himself for a few seconds.
• loves to push his walker around.
• says "mama" and "dada".
• has separation anxiety.
• finally got his first tooth! Followed by 2 more in the 2 days after.
• chases Isaac around the living room.
• loves to pull all the books off the bookshelves.
• gives lots of hugs and kisses.
• weighed 20 lbs 10oz and 29 3/4 in long at his 9 month checkup.

Baby Dedication and Vacation

Our church traditionally holds Baby Dedication on Mother's Day for all the babies that have been born over the past year. Parker was one of four babies dedicated this year. He did really well waiting for the ceremony. He even helped Paul with the announcements. However, by the time the Baby Dedication ceremony was over he was ready to get down and play. I'm am so proud to have a son to dedicate to the Lord. Really, Paul and I are dedicating ourselves to raising Parker to become like Christ. Our prayer is that he commits his life to the Lord at an early age and with our discipleship, help him to grow deeper in his relationship and to reflect the love of Christ with his life. What a joyous and scary responsibility we have! We are not alone; we have God's Word to guide us along the way.

That afternoon we left for a much needed vacation to Myrtle Beach. This vacation would not have happened if it weren't for the generosity of a couple in our church who allowed to use a week of a timeshare they have. We are very appreciative! Since Paul is working two jobs, we were looking forward to having time together as a family. Parker enjoyed playing in the sand. He even ate some sand! I must admit I like going to the beach, but I just wish the sand wouldn't stick all over you. It doesn't help to have a sand-covered 9 month old crawl all over you.

He got upset when we told him not to eat sand!

8th Month Recap

crawling like crazy!

pulling up on anything and everything.

crusing around on the furniture.

squats down to go from standing to sitting instead of just plopping to his bottom.

gets into things he knows he's not supposed to.

When he gets caught, he flails around like he's trying to get rid of the evidence.

loves to explore.

smiles all the time.

loves playing peek-a-boo.

so so very ticklish and has the cutest giggle ever.

discovered that splashing the water in the bath tub is fun.

went to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time.

say bababababababa and bubuya which sounds like he's saying byebye (I don't think he realizes that he is actually saying something that has meaning yet.)

bounces up and down to music.

loves the Bill Green commercials for some reason.

gets MAD if you take something he really enjoys away from him. (I hope this doesn't mean that he has his daddy's temper.)

still has no teeth.

gets all the attention from shoppers when we are out and about, especially the old ladies.

weighs 20 lbs 14 oz.

continues to be the cutest thing ever!

He loves to pull all of his toys out of the basket. Green peas anyone?