Thursday, September 15, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
10 years ago today...
the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon happened. Our country's never been the same since. I read the cover article in People magazine this week. It interviewed 10 boys and girls who lost their dads in the 9/11 attacks. These children never knew their fathers because their mothers were still pregnant with them when their dads were killed. There was a kind of sobriety in these children's eyes that revealed a sorrowful burden they have born for almost 10 years. They interviewed their mothers, too. To not only have to endure the rest of a pregnancy, give birth to a fatherless child, and then be forced to raise that child with all the courage you can muster day in and day out is unthinkable for me. I don't know what I would do without Joe, but these women had to face the horrible truth of life without daddy.
Sometimes, when I tell people about the brain hemorrhage I experienced several years ago (even sparing them many of the painful details), they are incredulous. "Well, I couldn't go through that. I'd be screaming and kicking if I had to spend two weeks in ICU. I'd loose my mind." I think, "Do you think I had a choice? I had to go through it! I had no choice but to patiently endure." It's amazing to learn what we're really made of and that we are so much stronger than we think. These mothers had to summon their courage and face life without a husband and father of their children. What a life! What a testimony! I wonder how many times they wondered how God could be glorified in the midst of such despair and darkness. I learn the heart of God is so deep at these times because when we feel we cannot despair no longer, God is longer still. There is no limit to how many times we can bang our fists on the chest of God. He is always deeper, longer, wider than our minds can fathom.
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Sometimes, when I tell people about the brain hemorrhage I experienced several years ago (even sparing them many of the painful details), they are incredulous. "Well, I couldn't go through that. I'd be screaming and kicking if I had to spend two weeks in ICU. I'd loose my mind." I think, "Do you think I had a choice? I had to go through it! I had no choice but to patiently endure." It's amazing to learn what we're really made of and that we are so much stronger than we think. These mothers had to summon their courage and face life without a husband and father of their children. What a life! What a testimony! I wonder how many times they wondered how God could be glorified in the midst of such despair and darkness. I learn the heart of God is so deep at these times because when we feel we cannot despair no longer, God is longer still. There is no limit to how many times we can bang our fists on the chest of God. He is always deeper, longer, wider than our minds can fathom.
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Morning coffee, baby, and sunshine
That was the nicest title I could think of. I have the most delicious coffee in hand, the most precious baby propped up on the Boppy, and a sunny morning awaiting me outside.
Yesterday was Labor Day and boy, it was the most glorious Labor Day weekend I could remember in 25 years of living in the Pacific NW. So we took advantage of it. On Saturday, we had dinner at our friends Luke and Jessica Thompson's apt. in downtown Tacoma. We went outside on a terrace that offered a view of Mt. Rainier to BBQ some burgers. How wonderful the company and how blessed we are to call them our friends. Their daughter, Claire, is turning one this month and we are going to celebrate with them this Sunday. It is such a blessing to have friends who also have a child and can relate.
On Sunday, we didn't quite make it to church on time, so we decided to forgo it and go for a family walk instead. We walked to the clubhouse at Chambers Bay Golf Course and back. I grew up in the Pacific NW with all its spectacular scenery, but I still find myself taken aback by its beauty. We are fortunate enough to live a few blocks away from the golf course walking trail with its panoramic views of the Puget Sound, Olympic Mountains, and sunsets. I worked the evening shift at ManorCare from 2 to 10pm.
Monday I had a good, but short workout at the Y. (Somebody's diaper needed to be changed halfway through my workout and her mom didn't bother to bring the diaper bag along, so her workout had to be cut short.) Joe went to school during this time to prep for the week. He came home mid-afternoon and we decided the weather was too beautiful to stay home. So I made dinner for us and as soon as it came out of the oven, I put it in a 9 x 13 Pyrex carrying case, and we were off to Kopachuck State Park for a picnic. We got to use our picnic backpack, an engagement present from my parents from way back in 2006. It has little plates, napkins, plastic wine glasses, silverware, a salt-and-pepper shaker, breadboard, and bread knife. Don't tell anybody, but we also brought along a bottle of Semillon which we bought at L'Ecole winery outside of Walla Walla. Our dinner was a kind of zucchini, onion, tomato, Mozzarella cheesy bake with Italian bread chunks over it and it was still warm from the oven. Everybody was perfectly content except for Sonja. Lately, when she's in a new place, she demands to be nursed more often, not necessarily out of hunger as much as comfort. And she only wants to be held by Joe or me. Last night, not even Joe or I could comfort her. We put her in the Infantino baby carrier as we hiked down to the rocky beach and she let all of Kopachuck State Park know how miserable she was. Typically bouncing and moving along soothes her, but not last night. Joe entertained the idea of spreading out the blanket on the beach (albeit rocky) and laying down to relax for a while. Babies change everything. Between nursing and rocking Sonja, there wasn't any lying down on the beach to soak in the rays at sunset to be had. We are attempting to employ a philosophy of childrearing that means we live our lives doing what we need and wish to do, bringing Sonja with us. We don't want to be hindered or prohibited from doing anything because of Sonja. What I mean is, we want what is best for our child, but we do not want to center everything in our life around Sonja. We are sensitive to her needs, but she will grow up being flexible to what we do as a family. It is a fine line to draw, especially for first time parents. Last night, we attempted to do something we wanted to do and our baby did not adapt very well- at first. We tried to make the best of it, polishing off the bottle of wine and snacking on cheese and crackers while bouncing a baby on one knee. She calmed down eventually and were able to enjoy ourselves, although this was a far cry (haha) from our dates back in the day.
Yesterday was Labor Day and boy, it was the most glorious Labor Day weekend I could remember in 25 years of living in the Pacific NW. So we took advantage of it. On Saturday, we had dinner at our friends Luke and Jessica Thompson's apt. in downtown Tacoma. We went outside on a terrace that offered a view of Mt. Rainier to BBQ some burgers. How wonderful the company and how blessed we are to call them our friends. Their daughter, Claire, is turning one this month and we are going to celebrate with them this Sunday. It is such a blessing to have friends who also have a child and can relate.
On Sunday, we didn't quite make it to church on time, so we decided to forgo it and go for a family walk instead. We walked to the clubhouse at Chambers Bay Golf Course and back. I grew up in the Pacific NW with all its spectacular scenery, but I still find myself taken aback by its beauty. We are fortunate enough to live a few blocks away from the golf course walking trail with its panoramic views of the Puget Sound, Olympic Mountains, and sunsets. I worked the evening shift at ManorCare from 2 to 10pm.
Monday I had a good, but short workout at the Y. (Somebody's diaper needed to be changed halfway through my workout and her mom didn't bother to bring the diaper bag along, so her workout had to be cut short.) Joe went to school during this time to prep for the week. He came home mid-afternoon and we decided the weather was too beautiful to stay home. So I made dinner for us and as soon as it came out of the oven, I put it in a 9 x 13 Pyrex carrying case, and we were off to Kopachuck State Park for a picnic. We got to use our picnic backpack, an engagement present from my parents from way back in 2006. It has little plates, napkins, plastic wine glasses, silverware, a salt-and-pepper shaker, breadboard, and bread knife. Don't tell anybody, but we also brought along a bottle of Semillon which we bought at L'Ecole winery outside of Walla Walla. Our dinner was a kind of zucchini, onion, tomato, Mozzarella cheesy bake with Italian bread chunks over it and it was still warm from the oven. Everybody was perfectly content except for Sonja. Lately, when she's in a new place, she demands to be nursed more often, not necessarily out of hunger as much as comfort. And she only wants to be held by Joe or me. Last night, not even Joe or I could comfort her. We put her in the Infantino baby carrier as we hiked down to the rocky beach and she let all of Kopachuck State Park know how miserable she was. Typically bouncing and moving along soothes her, but not last night. Joe entertained the idea of spreading out the blanket on the beach (albeit rocky) and laying down to relax for a while. Babies change everything. Between nursing and rocking Sonja, there wasn't any lying down on the beach to soak in the rays at sunset to be had. We are attempting to employ a philosophy of childrearing that means we live our lives doing what we need and wish to do, bringing Sonja with us. We don't want to be hindered or prohibited from doing anything because of Sonja. What I mean is, we want what is best for our child, but we do not want to center everything in our life around Sonja. We are sensitive to her needs, but she will grow up being flexible to what we do as a family. It is a fine line to draw, especially for first time parents. Last night, we attempted to do something we wanted to do and our baby did not adapt very well- at first. We tried to make the best of it, polishing off the bottle of wine and snacking on cheese and crackers while bouncing a baby on one knee. She calmed down eventually and were able to enjoy ourselves, although this was a far cry (haha) from our dates back in the day.
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