under construction

I did this thing where I thought I could work on some blog layout.  Then I lived out my reality:  I have 3 kids and I'm not an experienced blogger.  Therefore, I need lots of time to rearrange my blog.  I'll get to it.  :)  Soon.

Faves

A small list of things that I'm appreciating these days:

• music:  Mumford & Sons, Lumineers, All Sons & Daughters, Fun., George Winston, Diana Krall & Hank Jones on Pandora, Astrud Gilberto on Pandora.  This is quite the range from new to old-time jazz, to instrumental I heard throughout my childhood.  
• books:  John.  The past 2 years our church body has read through the book of John.  My servant-hearted husband has poured hundreds if not thousands of hours into sermon prep to share Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and re-appearance with our church goers.  This book has greatly shaped my understanding of Jesus.  The summary sermon Jason preached this past weekend was outstanding by the Lord's doing only.  (Jason gets nervous when complimented.  He's funny like that.)  I'll post the link once it's up on our church site.  Another book I'm appreciating is Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh Demoss.  My quad finished this book a few months ago and it challenged me greatly.  I frequently need a swift kick in the pants.  This book kicked with gusto.
• food:  I love me some honey Greek yogurt mixed with Jif peanut butter.  Dip some apple slices into the dip and voila!  New favorite snack.  And then popcorn.  I use our popper 4 to 5 times a week.  Melted, unsalted, full-fat butter, sea salt sprinkled on top, with highly-processed cheese sprinkles are also a fave.  Coconut oil.  I've been using this to cook, saute veggies, bake bread, and for non-food reasons.  It's a great hair treatment, skin softener, and I'm going to start oil-pulling.  I'll write soon about some of the natural and organic facts that I've been appreciating and implementing at home.  I think this stuff is so neat.  But, back to faves...
• beverages:  do I really need to specify?  I love coffee.  Light roasts in particular because they have far more caffeine than dark roasts.  Plus, dark roasts taste bitter and burnt.  I prefer not to drink something that tastes like cigarettes.  Flavored light roasts are delightful--coconut macaroon from Target, Archer Farms, is currently at the top of the list.
• skin care:  Mary Kay.  Always and forever.
• hygiene:  I'm becoming an earth-lover and anti-chemical chic.  It's more pricey, but research has convinced me that all the chemicals we put on our skin, which soak in, because skin is a living organ, does and will harm us.  So, I've become a fan of sulfate, phthalate, paraben-free products.  (Should I have saved this for my granola-muncher post?)  All the sulfates from my old shampoos were drying me out causing me to be my own winter weather system.  White flakes falling---and it wasn't snow.  This is a weird topic to have on my list of faves.  Moving on, shall we?
• websites:  www.alaskafromscratch.com, whole-foods from scratch.  Skinnytaste.com, Pinterest.com, Etsy.com, Amazon.com.
• my family:  Jesus has given me a beautiful family.  There is no way to express the gratitude and deep appreciation I have for the four other people who live in my house with me.  I'll try to get better at expressing these feelings as I continue blogging.
• first Fridays of the month:  My mom has graciously offered to watch my kids for me on the first Friday of each month so I can have alone time to clean and organize my home as needed.  This is a huge blessing to me!  Today is the first Friday of the month which means I need to get going so I can take advantage of my wonderful mother's sacrificial offer.  I need my mother so much more now that I am a mother.  

Oh, hey. It's been over a year.

It's been over a year since I've posted.  Well over a year.  What got me back to my blog today?  This morning I was talking with Jason and he mentioned that he'd like us to read books together this year.  He had this lofty goal of reading sixty books last year.  He ended up reading twenty.  That's nineteen more than I read.  The only book I read and finished was What to Expect When You're Expecting.  And because anyone reading this probably reads my Facebook status you already know that we added our third child to our family (in March).  Hence the pregnancy book reading and near memorization of said book.  And about our third child, he is awesome; more on that soon.  Back to Jason, he mentioned that reading together would be a great idea and I agreed.  There are four books I'd like to read and have finished by February.  All are relevant and would be helpful to my family and I.  Then I mentioned I'd like to start blogging again.  He supported and said he'd even like to blog again, too.  So while my oldest kiddos played, colored, danced, "imaginationinged", snacked, and fought as my youngest took an unusually long afternoon nap, I tweaked my blog.  And I'm so glad I did.  It's nice to be back.

Life is flying by for me.  All those parents who said, "oh, honey.  Time flies.  Soak up your kiddos and all the time you have with them while you can" were right.  My days go by so fast--so fast that it's usually 1 or 2 before I even have the time to brush my teeth.  I know, gross.  So with life flying by so fast that I can't brush until it's officially post-meridian, I thought life and it's happenings need to be captured via this blog.  A little note about this blog:  I'll be honest about life, my heart, my walk with the Lord, how parenting is going with it's joyous moments and heart-breaking moments, what I'm reading, what is influencing me, even details about the flavored coffee I'm drinking.  I'll share who has inspired me, encouraged me, how Jesus is revealing Himself to me in and through my husband, children, family, and friends.

With all that out there, thanks for reading this.  I'm glad to have friends and family who care about the life of my family.  We have been so deeply blessed.  And as I referenced earlier, we had our third child this past year.  Talk about a blessing!  Jonathan Rock Wing, who we lovingly call Jonny Rock, Jonny Rockerson, Jon Jon, Jonny, punkin', sweetie, sweet baby, etc., is the perfect addition to our Wing clan.  He is 9 months old and he is a joy.  He has his moments of being a total cling-on, a horrible night-sleeper, hard to please, and a very picky eater.  But his two-toothed smile that lights up a room, his white duck-fluff hair that sticks straight up, his cottage cheese-like thighs that are oh-so-squeezable, his mimicking head nods and shakes could melt anyone on contact.  His siblings are over the moon for him, too.  Reagan is 5 and the best big sister this world could as for.  Gideon is almost 4 and he's anxious for Jonny to grow up so he can play trains and Buzz Lightyear with him.  

There are so many blessings to count since my last post.  The birth (VBAC, mind you) of Jonny, my brother and sister in law moving 5 minutes away from us, the addition of their second child, Annie, a 12 week sabbatical for Jason which was only supposed to be 5 weeks (thank you, Lord), Reagan starting pre-school for the second time at Tuesday School, Gideon starting pre-school for his first time at Tuesday School, Ohio Ham Fam reunion this past Summer, Apex Xenia starting up and growing for over a year.  All these blessings didn't come without sadness, however.  My dear Grandpa passed away this past September.  He was a man of honor, integrity, and utmost character.  I miss him.  His passing has been so hard to get over.  But the blessing in Grandpa's passing is my faithful Lord using it to grow me and teach me more about Him and life after death for Christ-followers according to His Word.  

As I finish this long-overdue post, here is the list of the four books I'm anxious to read by the end of February:  One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp; a book about counting blessings in any and all things, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon; a cookbook that challenges the politically correct view of nutrition, Interior Wisdom by Leah Richardson; an interior-design book that teaches you how to make your home comforting and stylish while challenging the reader to make over their heart for Jesus, and Education at Home by Jean Soyke; a guide to help parents who want to homeschool.  Rest assured these books will impact the way I live and fulfill my duties as wife and mother.  So, stay tuned.

Maybe this time

A few things I'm learning about myself, the Gospel, and goals from here on out:

Life.  I don't know how all my young-mom-friends out there do it.  They serve their husbands, kids, make their homes into live-in design show rooms, home school, host house church, have time for reading and hobbies on the side, oh yeah, and are growing by leaps and bounds in their walks with the Lord, too.  They are superwomen.  (Or are they?  Is this what a normal woman and mother is supposed to look like?  If so, yowzas...I need an intervention!)

So, in an attempt to actually be like these fellow mamas and women, I've been striving to do all of the above the last few months.  And simply, I can't do it.  And now that I'm realizing how much I've tried to do it successfully, I'm all the more empty.

Comparison is a thorn in my side.  I'm learning, once again, how useless and detrimental this tactic of the enemy is.  I feel like I should have this figured out by now.  That I should be confident and have enough self-awareness to combat the little thoughts that come floating by.  Rather than let them pass by, I ponder, give them more attention than they deserve.  Then those floating thoughts land, take root, then grow to affect my outlook on life, family, and the Church.  This is so elementary!  Why is this still an issue?!

For now, I'll stop asking why it's an issue and accept that it is an issue.  And now that it's admitted, I can no longer fool myself and think I can fix it on my own.  Now I have the joy of repenting.  And I'm not being sarcastic--it is a joy for me to repent!  It could be daily for the next few days and weeks.  OK, probably multiple times a day, but it's still repenting.  And I'm learning that all this comparison stuff isn't really as much about wanting to refine myself or do better for my family as it is about wanting to puff myself up.  So, enter pride.  I'm learning that pride is at the root of my heart and I want to look like I have it all together so I can be esteemed as a good wife who practices Proverbs 31.  Good grief if that isn't sin then what is?!  (Didn't think I'd be pouring my heart out on my blog today--I have laundry to do, tons of it, but I think this public confession is laundering my heart.  Which I'll take).  So, there's a bit of an update into my life and how Christ and the Spirit are searching my heart, exposing the disgusting-ness of it, and how I need Him more now than I can ever remember.  I love that I have a Savior who isn't surprised by this.  He's not shaking his head or "tisk-tisk" ing me.  He loves me, He made me, He knew this would be a struggle, and He decided to redeem me anyways.  And He's refining and will use this for His glory, Lord willing.

On a not so serious note, here are some goals and recent updates:

• Jason will be sharing preaching responsibilities at the Apex Xenia campus and the Kettering campus starting in September.  This is a huge step for our family.  We're excited for what's to come!
• I've become a Mary Kay beauty consultant.  I've loved it so far and I'm hoping this venture will bring in extra income for our family, allow me to expand my social circles and reach women who don't know Christ so through our facials, I can share Him with them.  
• Reagan and Gideon are the cutest kids.  They are handfuls most of the time but my heart is also full because of them.  So, I guess they're handfuls and heartfuls.  
• Michael, Maggie, and Jonah-boy are moving back to Dayton in July.  No words could express how much our little family is anticipating their home-coming.  
• Becca boo is home for the Summer and it's been awesome to re-connect and hang out with her.  She's become our weekly babysitter and it's great to see the kids bond with her even more.  
• Ham Fam Reunion 2011 is just around the corner.  It.will.be.fantastic.
• Goals:  Wake up early again to be in the Word.  Exercise.  Get my house in order.  Get pregnant.  Host more Mary Kay parties and facials.  Get a home school curriculum in place for Fall for Miss Reagy Roo.  Learn new ways to encourage my hubby.  Start taking Gideon out for mommy/son dates.  

Now that I've changed my blog background and successfully rearranged some stuff and added a new header and actually blogged, I'm off to accomplish some of the above goals.  Thanks for reading, you'll hear more from me soon.  For real this time.  I'm going to get better at this.  

Nope

My high hopes for Christmas-time blogging were defeated.  Totally by self.  With 2011 less than 11 hours away, here are some things I'm looking forward to beginning tomorrow morning:

• having quality time in God's Word (book of John) and in prayer
• being faithful to healthy menu planning
• being faithful to exercising (p90x)
• setting some moments aside to have quality time with Reagan and Gideon together and individually each day
• de-decorating Christmas stuff
• deep cleaning carpets and washing couch cushions and seat covers

By God's grace, 2011 will be the year we:

• get pregnant with Wing baby #3
• buy a mini van without a loan

By God's grace, Jason and I will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary January 28.  Looking forward to 2011 and all God has in store for us and for those He's divinely placed in our lives.

Quick Catch Up

Man...I'm the WORST at keeping up this blogging thing.

Maybe since I love my new background I'll be better at blogging.  :)  Good news is:  21 days till Mike, Maggie, Jonah, Bubba, and Uncle Chris come to OH for the holidays.  More good news:  15 days till we leave for Michigan Christmas celebration with the Wings.  Even more good news:  date night tomorrow night.  I need some quality time with Jason.  Too much hectic stuff happening and it will be good to connect with the man of my dreams.

Ahh, December 1.  Welcome--I've been so waiting for your arrival!

Summer 2010

 

Reagan and Gideon have grown up so much these past few months.  I'm amazed by how many small phrases Reagan has learned.  She'll say things like, "Mommy, I just can't clean up the playroom right now.  I have to watch my show."  Or, "Gideon, that's so nice of you!  Thank you for sharing--you love me so much."  She's understanding more than sentence structure.  She's learning everyday things, lies, truths, manipulation, how to serve, etc.  I'm watching the battle between good and evil play out in her.  We are born into sin, until God's grace and salvation is revealed, understood, and accepted by us (as ordained by God).  And since Reagan is yet to be saved or even see or understand her need for a Savior, I'm witnessing her need for the Lord each day (the saved need Him each day, too!).  Anyways, seeing her battle with her own sin is quite revealing.  The days of temper tantrums and selfish behavior she had before she could reason or justify her actions are long gone.  It's interesting to see her battle it out--respect/disrespect, obedience/disobedience, kindness/selfishness.  As her mother I want to be there to correct her (in a non-nagging manner) and I do that often.  I also end up nagging her and end up asking her to forgive me.  Anyways--my point is, I'm not always correcting anymore.  She's learning to self-correct and re-direct her thoughts and motives which in turn produces a changed attitude.  While Christ isn't in her yet, she's learning what is right and wrong and how she can please Jesus in the mean time.  And by "in the mean time" I'm referring to the time between right now and the day she is called into Christ's Kingdom through God's grace and Jesus' salvation.  

Sweet Gideon is a charmer.  His dimples and his cute little run make my heart burst with joy.  He's saying so many words these days.  And as much as I love his words, his tone and inflection are what really get me.  Most heard words lately:  bankie (blankie), vimaminmin (vitamin), dee-dee (candy & cookie), dooce (juice), megan (Reagan), e-uh-nuh (all done), mo (more), deese (cheese), apple, a-nana (banana), gate, potty, ah-ee (paci), and many more!  He's a trooper and a stud.  He falls down so many times a day and he rarely whimpers.  He's climbing, jumping, bouncing, and he's all boy.  I love that I have such an all-terrain little boy and a prim and proper and high-maintenance girl.  They are so different but they love each other dearly.  I've enjoyed watching the sister/brother bond grow stronger this Summer.  Their fighting and lack of sharing has been less than acceptable and, oh, do they hear it from me!  But on the flip side, their growth in love for one another has spoken so much to me.  

Looking forward to Fall and all that the Lord has in store for our family.  :)

These Two

 I love these two.  And God has recently convicted me of a few things.  

1. My time with the Lord has been lacking significantly.
2. This has affected my outlook on life, parenting, marriage, friendships, the Church, and myself.
3. Tunnel vision has taken over.  What I mean by that is my selfish tendencies have skyrocketed in frequency and intensity.  Being without quality time in the Word and in prayer has taken its toll on our family.
4. Thanks to my loving husband, I've been corrected, guided, Biblically encouraged, and gracefully lead back to my first love, Jesus.  
5. These two darling children are gifts from God and it's my duty to make our house the most comfortable, relaxing, peaceful, loving, soul-soothing place on the earth for them.
6. I need to be in the Word before Jason or the kiddos wake up.  I also need to pray prayers of gratitude and pray specifically for the kids' character as they grow and pray for Jason as he leads our family.  
7. Waking up early is tough but once I get in the habit I know it will be the best part of my day.  Just me, the Lord, His Word, and coffee.  

A few blogs have truly inspired me and I know I didn't blog-hop by accident.  God's sovereignty played a huge part.  I encourage you to check these out and take tips, advice, etc. from fellow mothers who don't have it all figured out but who try their hardest.  Why not gain from another's conviction and wisdom?

Check out: 

www.inspiredtoaction.com, www.passionatehomemaking.com, and www.confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com.  

Wasting my time as a mother is not an option.  Living as though Christ truly dwells in our lives and in our home needs to be evident.  It's not something to fake.  So here's to real life.  Here's to conviction, a loving husband's straightforward correction, and two beautiful children who need to see Christ living in their mommy much more than they've ever seen.

I raise my caffeine-filled mug, head nod, sip, and sigh with the hope of starting fresh, with intention and conviction.

Cheers.

Boston...from forever ago part 2

Pics from my last day in Boston.

Couldn't resist this cutie.  I'm so glad he accompanied me the whole trip.  :)

Boston, MA from the ferry that took us to the U.S.S. Constitution.

The U.S.S. Constitution.  The Navy's oldest, seaworthy vessel.

I know, so attractive.  Maggie and I downed these footlong dogs.  Delicious!

Jonah boy and I standing outside Paul Revere's home.  Right across the street there's an Italian Catholic church and play yard.  We ate canolis for the second day in a row across from Paul's house.  Talk about surreal!

Mike, Jonah, and I as we head to the top of the "Pru" (not pictured).  We decided to take the T rather than walk it.  Glad we did!

The Boston Library.  It was closed but Mike did an awesome job showing off (in humility) his literary expertise.  It's a beautiful site and I can't wait to visit again!

Berenstain Bears

Today is Independence day!  Happy 4th to us.  As I helped Reagan out of bed this morning, I explained that today is a very special day for our country.

Me:  Reagan, did you know today is a very special day?  We get to celebrate!

Reagan:  Yes, today is Easter.  But I'm not celebrating.

Me:  Well, it's not Easter.  It's the 4th of July!  That means we thank God for our country.  Do you know what country we live in?  We live in America!

Reagan:  Yes.  And the Berenstain bears live here, too.  That's why we have to celebrate.

And there you have it.  Happy 4th to all, and the Berenstain bears, of course. 

Boston...from forever ago

May 11-15 I had the pleasure of going to Boston, MA to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and sweet nephew, Jonah. I have to say it's the most wonderful city I've ever visited. All the history, Italian food, and the granite curbs impressed me the most. Since I am an early American history-lover, Boston has become a treasured city and a place I must visit often. Here are some pics from the trip. Mike and Maggie, your hospitality will never be forgotten--I can't thank you enough for all the good times and for sharing your dear son with me. **Maggie Hamilton is an established tour guide so any and all questions can be directed to her.**

The Hamilton Family

Boston, come and get us!

"Make Way for Ducklings" statues were built just for us to take this picture. Sister, brother, and tired nephew.

To be read before entering the cemetery where Revere, Franklin, and Mother Goose (to name a few) have been laid to rest.

In place of a sidewalk slab, this says no buildings or signs may obstruct the view from this place as the Old North Church is clearly seen from here. Two lanterns were hung to tell Paul Revere that the Brits were coming..."One if by land, two if by sea."

And there she is, the Old North Church (in mega zoom) from the above picture.

The site of the Boston Massacre. The very site! A little overwhelming.

An odd picture, but the ivory colored roof is actually the bottom of the balcony the U.S. Constitution was read from for Bostonians to hear for the very first time after it was signed in Philadelphia.

And we got hungry, so little Italy, also called the North End, took great care of us.

Michael and Jonah boy

(not sure why this is in link type)

Maybe he had some gas?

He's so happy with his mama!

My favorite picture. A statue of Paul Revere in front of the Old North Church where two lanterns were hung to warn of the British coming to invade, where resistance met them at Lexington & Concord, MA.

There are still gatherings held here each week, although it's livlihood for Christ is dull.

For all my Arminian friends with terrible theology, here's your boy, Wesley. :)

We sat in Paul Revere's son's Old North Church booth.

There it is! The actual site of the lanterns. I get chills every time I see this.

And maybe we were tired after all the site-seeing. Maggie doubled up.

He's the cutest little Bostonian.

Nothing could have ended our wonderful day like canolis from Mike's Pastries. They overnight ship their goods, maybe an order needs to be in the works...

More pics to come at a later date--this was just day two of four. It was the greatest get a way. Thanks, J and Mom, for making this trip happen.

Before I forget

Forgetting things is ranked rather high on my 'skills' list these days. So before I can't recall these sweet words from Reagan, I had better type them to remember always. On our way home from my parents' house tonight Reagan said:

"Look at dat star! God made dat star. I like to obey God. And I like to obey Jesus. Jesus is good. I like to give hugs for Him. And, and, and He's alive! He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Yeah. And look at dat star, and dat one, and..."

Truth from her mouth is golden.

Spring 2010

Here are some pics of the kiddos. It's so fun to dress them in non-layered, Winter gear all the time. I love how much time is saved by not having to bundle them up in puffy coats that cause car seat anxt. Or wiggling boots on their little feet, or having to find Reagan's scarf that her brother hid in the bathtub. With my keys. (Can you tell I don't like Winter outerwear?) All that to say, here are some cutie kids that are enjoying Spring:

Up and Running

Do you ever have one of those tasks that you keep avoiding because you know it will only discourage and frustrate you? My task that haunted me for almost 4 months, yes--1/3 of a year, was getting this blog back up and running. And all it took was a little motivation to face my fear and finally do it. Amazingly, it didn't take me 4+ hours to fix, merely 30 minutes. Guess all I really needed to do was read some instructions. Sometimes things can be so easy when you remove yourself from the situation for a time and come back to it. Although stepping back for 4 months is a little extreme. So, I'm glad this is working again. I have so much to share! Reagan and Gideon are my joys and I couldn't be more grateful that the diary of their childhood (via blogging) is back in full swing. Here are some highlights from the past 1/3 of our year:

• Jason and I celebrated 4 years of marriage January 28 **love you, J.Wing!**
• Gideon turned 1 February 25
• Gideon had some health scares and had ear tubes put in March 3
• (He's now been healthy for 4 weeks in a row, progress is before us!)
• My nephew, Jonah Michael Hamilton, was born March 18. He's a stud.
• My old roommate from Cedarville got married and I was reunited with my old "Preddies" March 27
• I turned 27
• Jason turned 33
• Jason completed his extreme P90X workout program and lost 18 lbs.!
• My nephew, Gibson Jude Wing, turned 5. Also a stud.
• My sister, Rebecca Hamilton, starred as Lady Capulet in her High School's Spring play
• Our Hamilton family reunion brought my sis-in-law, Maggie Hamilton, to Dayton with sweet baby Jonah. It was a surprise and it was pulled off wonderfully!
• We enjoyed spending time with Bubba, Uncle Alan, Lydia, Eric, Elijah, Haven, baby in Lyd's belly, Abigail, Joseph, Bella, Miles (in Ab's belly), Michael, Maggie, Jonah, Mom, Dad, & the star of the weekend, Rebecca

And now that this blog-savvy girl is back on track, you'll be seein' more of us! Soon!

under construction

Well I've really done it this time. While trying to copy and paste widgets from an old blog template I deleted lots of things by accident. I'm trying to start all over but I think everything I've blogged about for the past few years is gone. Working on it!

Happenings

This month has been a busy one! But what family's December isn't? I've enjoyed watching Reagan respond to all the Christmas decor, lighting, songs, and stories. We love explaining why we celebrate Christmas and how Jesus' birthday is so special. She gets a little more with each passing week. Here are some pics of our month so far. We're going to Michigan in a few days so we'll have plenty of Wing family pics to share.

Looking forward to: time with some amazing girlfriends this evening, Uncle Chris coming into town tonight, staff/elder Christmas dinner tomorrow night at Bravo, HC multiplication discussion part 2, trip to Michigan (please sleep, children!), great times with Jason's family, Mike, Maggie, and Jonah (in utero) coming to Dayton for a while, and Maggie's baby shower.

Below: Christmas ornaments from Grammy. Reagan's theme is snowflakes, Gideon's is reindeer.

Christmas Time is Here!

Christmas is finally here!

Here are some pics of our pre-decorated tree with my 3 favorites. What a handful and joy my children are these days. For example, here's a random conversation I'll type as I converse with Reagan. I got this idea from my sis in law, Amber. It's been the source of many laughs! Here we go...

Me: Whatca doin'?

Reagan: H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P

Me: Like the Christmas tree?

R: Yeah, it's really high! Daddy bring it. I better see dat. And my kitchen. Thanks, Mom!

Ok, that was a lot shorter than I was hoping. But still fun.

Silas AND Hamlet!!

Yesterday we had the honor and blessing of meeting Silas Yegermal Wing! Jason picked Phil, Amber, and Silas up from the Columbus airport while the rest of the family waited at Phil and Amber's house for their arrival. Phil and Amber requested Gibson and Maya be on the front porch waiting for them to pull up with baby Silas in tow! After the family of five reunited in the front yard, we were able to greet them as they walked into their home with sweet Silas. Phil's parents were there, as well as Amber's parents, sister and her family, and the Zeunes joined us later. It's so neat to see how the Zeunes have walked through this entire process with Phil and Amber as they have a 16 month old son, Mathios, who is recently adopted as well and was only 4 beds away from Silas back in the transition home in Ethiopia. How great is that! Best friends adopting together and their babies growing up together. The cousins played together for a while then we had a fantastic dinner which consisted of my favorite, Marco's pizza, and lots of desserts. The carrot cake and chocolate chip cookie bars were delightful. Silas was tuckered out and went to sleep at 6:30, just before we decided to leave and give the new family of 5 a much needed break and some space.

I'm such a proud aunt of Silas AND....baby Hamilton, too!). Yep-you heard it right...I'm going to be an aunt to Mike and Maggie's baby due April 2! :) Maggie is just over 11 weeks pregnant. Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of babies!!

Good News

We had our meeting with the neurosurgeon today and it was great! Here's what we know: Gideon has a Chiari (kee-AR-ee) malformation near the base of his brain. Basically, his big, smart brain is too big for his skull and his cerebellar tonsils (yes, we have tonsils in the base of our brain) hang into his spinal column. This means there's a potential for blockage of his spinal fluid but right now we're in the clear! He'll need to be seen in three months to do another checkup. He won't need another MRI unless his check up goes poorly. But I was amazed by how well Gideon was doing today with each test the doctor performed. He's such a trooper! After his next appointment, if all goes well, he'll be seen six months after that, then yearly. We are such relieved parents. Thank you, again, for your prayers and encouraging words. We're so thankful for you all. God has heard our many prayers to Him!

(hope you don't mind, I copy and pasted this from an email I sent out earlier)

Praise the Lord for His sovereign hands and great doctors!

The Latest Lesson

Just thought I'd give an update on our sweet Gideon. I've not posted on his health situation so I thought I'd better get to it! Before I get to typing please know that your prayers are needed and appreciated in regards to little Gid.

At Gideon's 6 month check up I asked our pediatrician if his head looked OK to her. She said it looked a little wider and asymmetrical in the back. Deb, our pediatrician, thought it may be best to have it looked at it further. Gideon had an ultrasound done and the results weren't perfect. So we were encouraged to have an MRI set up for Gideon, which was last Wednesday. We got the results on Thursday and it looks like he has enlarged ventricles, which are areas where spinal fluid flows in and out of the brain and spinal column. It looks like there is some sort of blockage, resulting in Gideon's head growing at a much faster rate than the rest of his body. This speedy growth in his head size (from 50th to 90th percentile in 6 months) was the kicker for us thinking there may be a problem. So now we wait and we are scheduled to see a neurosurgeon, Dr. Kleiner, at Children's on Tuesday at 4:00.

Please pray for us as we discuss options for Gideon. Surgery seems to be the most ideal option from all the information we have. But as many of you know, no parent loves the idea of their baby being put under and having surgery.

Our hearts are heavy. The Lord is certainly growing Jason and I as we wait on Him and have to trust in His perfect plan. I was just telling Jason a few weeks ago that I'm so reluctant to confess my fears to the Lord because I know He'll test me (to grow me, not harm me). Sure enough, when I surrendered my fears and areas of worries to the Lord, Gideon's brain/ventricle issue was brought to our attention.

Gideon is a wonderful little boy who can melt any one's heart. Brain problems or not, he's the best son any parent could ask for. I'll keep you updated after Tuesday's appointment.