Wednesday, April 24, 2013

emmy at five months

Emmy Ellamae is 5 months old now!  And what a month of progression!  It's incredible how fast she is growing up... probably because she is our last?!  She has two teeth that have popped through now and she scoots a little too much for being only 5 months old!  She loves tummy time and her exersaucer.  But most of all, she likes to sit with everyone and play.  She can sit unsupported for quite a while.  I want her to be  dependant for much longer than she seems to want to be.  She loves to be laid down while still awake to fall asleep on her own as opposed to being cuddled.  I know that I wished for that with Natalie especially, but now with my last child, I want her to fall asleep in my arms!  I've started her on some baby food and oatmeal and she loves it.  And since I've started her on some solids, she has been sleeping through the night!

Emmy is just a DOLL!  According to the growth charts, she is short and chubby (we don't need a growth chart to tell us that!)  She is in the 15th percentile for height (24.5in) and the 75th for weight (16.5lbs).  The last time we brought her in to the doctor, we noticed that her bottom eyelashes are inverted and they rest on her eye.  It doesn't seem to bother her except for occasionally her eyes are extra watery.  I'm hoping that they correct themselves or she'll need a simple surgery procedure done.  Sometimes she gets really hyper and she loves to grab my face with both hands and pull my face to hers so she can try to eat it.  She makes the most adorable, high-pitched, baby girl noises.  I cannot get enough of her!  She is such a happy baby.  We just love her to pieces!! 

In March, we dedicated Emma at church.  What this means is that we publically acknowledged in front of witnesses our promise to raise Emmy in a Christian home.  More than ever, my prayer for her is to always love the Lord and committ herself whole-heartedly to Him.  And in these early years, we will be responsible for guiding her into a relationship. 

We love you little Em!





Friday, April 12, 2013

grandpa

What a week.  Jordan's grandpa went into cardiac arrest on Monday morning.  He was revived 15 times in the ambulance.  In just 5 days, he has had surgery twice to put in a stint each time, he got blood clots in the stints which disappeared, and he's been on cpap (a breathing machine) for multiple days.  He was transferred to the Meijer Heart Center on Wednesday night and is still there currently.  He's had fluid in his lungs, inflammation in the tissue around his heart, they have thinned his blood, and he was given plasma to thicken it once more which put him in excruciating pain.  Jordan and I have visited him and it's incredible how at ease he is through this.  He has remained so positive.  I just got the call from Jordan's mom that they were able to successfully remove the cpap and he is once again breathing on his own.  This comes as a much welcomed blessing to us all and a surprise to the doctors.  He has been through so much in just a few days.  We know that he has a long road of recovery in his future but we are just so thankful for another day.  He is 83 years old and has lived a full life.  We know that he is confident in his future whether it be life or death.  He sees it as a win-win situation.  But we aren't ready for him to leave us yet.  So tonight, we just praise the Lord that he is still with us.  And once again, we are reminded to not take a single day, a single breath, or any of our loved ones for granted.

Monday, April 1, 2013

easter

As with every Easter, we spent the holidays with our families.  We enjoyed going to church to celebrate, the sweets and treats, and the Easter egg hunts.  But it was cold!! 






Even though Easter is over, we still get a reminder from the kids (mostly from Charlie with interjections from Ruby, of course) that 'Jesus died'.  And he looks at us with sad, puppy-dog eyes!  And we remind him over and over that Jesus is alive now.  But his reminder stays the same.  I find myself stuck in this same rut.  Often times, usually at the end of the day, I find myself re-hashing everything that I've done wrong, everything I could have done better, everything that I didn't do.  I am a sinner.  And the guilt creeps in.  I have failed again.  It was I who nailed Jesus to that cross.  And yes, it's sad that Jesus had to die... horrific.  But what if I focused on the new life he's given me.  That Jesus arose and now resides in me as the Holy Spirit.  Those regrets and negative feelings are to be laid in the grave.  I am no longer dead in my sin.  Jesus has risen and has given me new life.  I am a new creation and seen as righteous through my Father's eyes.

Ephesians 3:14-21.

'Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us...'

He will accomplish His will through us.  He will do immeasurably more that we can imagine through us.  He has given me His power.

'to Him be glory in the church and our Lord Jesus Christ throughout generations, for ever and ever! Amen.'

Jesus died... but now He is alive and He reigns.  He alone is worthy of my praise.  And I just hope to bring Him glory and that the generations that follow me will also glorify Him.  Forever.

And to glorify my Lord is to raise Him up and to be a new creation instead of keeping Him in the grave, unreceptive of His perfect gift of grace in exchange for my sin.


Happy Easter :)