The new year so far has been, well.....BUSY!!

This new year started out a lot like last year. Sick. I just recently FINALLY got over an upper respiratory infection and let me tell you, it was NOT fun. I finally went to the doctor and he prescribed the antibiotic, Zpac and it worked wonders. I am starting to wonder why I didn't go to the doctor sooner. Anywho, once I felt like I was finally back to normal we got the most dreaded phone call. Aric's grandfather was dying.
Aric's grandfather, Papa, had been staying at Aric's parents house here in Montgomery the past few months so Aric's mother could care for him. He had not been well for sometime and could no longer care for himself. He lived by himself in Big Rapids, Michigan. (his wife had passed away just two years earlier in 2008) We tried to get over to his parents house to visit with him, but Papa had completely lost his hearing, so the times we did make it over there, it was extremely difficult to communicate with him.
We kind of expected this day to come soon but at the same time still shocked and saddened that it was here. The afternoon Aric's mother called us to let us know he only had a few more hours, we immediately headed that way. Aric's sisters left town as soon as they could and made the trek to Montgomery. Papa passed away on the afternoon of January 13, 2010. All of Aric's immediate family was there by his side. He went peacefully.
The short time I knew Aric's grandfather, I really grew to love him. He had so many neat stories and being born in raised in Brooklyn. NY, he still spoke a strong NY accent, which I thought was pretty cool. He was a WWII fighter pilot and later became very skilled in several areas of trade. Woodworking, automobiles and gardening. He could do ANYTHING, literally. He was extremely smart. I am not even touching the tip of the iceberg here in explaining what a wonderful person he was. He will be missed and I am praising the Lord that he is now with Jesus and no longer in any pain. Rest in peace, PaPa. We love you!

We had planned to go on a ski trip with the Leaders Club the weekend following Papa's death. Aric's mom wasn't going to plan any funeral services that weekend and encouraged us to go on this ski trip, so we did. I am going to spare many details about that weekend but let me just say, it was one thing after another. Anything and everything possible went wrong. It might as well have been a Griswold family vacation times ten!! And to top it off, we didn't even get to go skiing because it was raining almost the whole weekend. But, there is a silver lining, the adults did very well handling everything and the kids were wonderful. They were a little bummed they didn't get to go skiing but kept a good head on their shoulders and made the best of the rest of the weekend. This may, however, be the first, last Leaders' Club ski trip. :)

We got back from the ski trip safe and sound and the following weekend we were back on the road. Papa's funeral services were being held in Carbondale, Illinois, which is also were his final resting place is. We took the long haul up north this past Friday after work and arrived in Carbondale about 2 AM. His funeral service that afternoon was wonderful and memorable and I am so glad I was there. Sunday morning we all got up early and caravaned up to Central Michigan to have a memorial service there on Monday evening. That too, was very memorable. Aric and I decided at the last minute to go ahead and leave Monday evening since we had 14 hour drive ahead of us. We got 2 hours under our belt and had to stop. It was snowing like crazy and conditions were just too dangerous. We got up the next morning and got on the road only to be slowed down by frozen winshield washer fluid. After some nice people at a Chevy dealer helped us out, we were on the road again and made back home by 12 AM Tuesday morning. Now, I have to brag on Savannah. She did wonderful!! From Montgomery to Carbondale, is about 8 hours and she never fussed. When ever we would stop to use the bathroom or get gas, we would get her out and let her "stretch her legs". Once we left Carbondale to go to Michigan, it is another 8 hours. She started to fuss a little towards the end of the trip but it was also close to dinner time. The longest time she was in the car, was on the way home and she didn't get fussy until about Clanton, but poor baby had been in the car for about 12 hours. I was extremly pleased with her and it made the trip much more enjoyable.

I know I have typed a lot and I hope I haven't bored anyone but it has been crazy these past few weeks. I am SO GLAD to be home and am hoping things will be somewhat calm, at least for a little while.

Take care and God Bless!!

Emily

I'll call it the "5-30 method"

As most of you know, if you are on Facebook, Savannah has a double ear infection. We went to the doctor and while we were there, I began to discuss with the him my concern about her sleepless nights. I know I probably sound like a broken record, but I went into all the fun details. From the time frame that she decides to wake up during (2 and 5 AM) to how she sounds when she wakes up (screaming bloody murder). The doctor's response was what I expected. Since she has this double ear infection, of course, her ears are probably bothering her, at night more so. She has two top teeth that have broken through and those could also be the reason for her restless nights. So basically we have 2 legit reasons for her sleepless nights. My concern then turned to when she doesn't have ear infections and is still continuing to wake up. In case you haven't noticed, I am seriously worried about this. We CANNOT keep waking up EVERY NIGHT to comfort her. Call me a bad mommy if you want to but we just can't do it. The doctor then began to explain a method we should try. It is a cry it out method but this is how he told me to do it. He said that once Savannah was well (no ear infections, cold, etc.) that if she wakes up crying, wait about 5 minutes then go in and check on her. Now, when I go in to do this, he said I should not immediately pick her up but instead to feel her and make sure she doesn't feel feverish, talk to her in a sweet voice, maybe check and see if she is wet, if so, change her diaper, give her a hug and kiss and leave the room. If she is still crying after 30 minutes, he said to go back in basically do the same thing. Keeping it simple, by just making sure she is ok without holding her and cuddling her. If she is ok, leave the room and if she cries, then just let her cry. Don't go back in no matter how long she cries for. That is the hard part for me. I can let her cry but then she will get so worked up she will start choking and then I feel bad, so Aric or myself will go in and check on her. Another hard part about letting her cry, once we realize she is ok, is going back to sleep. We don't have the biggest house in the world, so when she cries, it is crystal clear and at that point we CANNOT go back to sleep. So if she were to cry for 2 hours, well then, we might as well pop in a movie and hang out. (not funny, but you know what I mean?)
We have tried just letting her cry it out, but I am hoping and praying that by doing it this particular way will truly help Savannah get back to a normal night sleeping pattern.
I am going to have to wait about 2 weeks before we start so I can be sure that her ear infection is completely gone. I will post an update once we get going on this "5-30" method going.
The doctor claimed that he has told other parents to do this and it has worked. Now, only time will tell.

Have a wonderful afternoon and stay warm because, BRRRRR! It's cold outside! :)

God Bless,
Emily

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I still can't believe it is 2010! A lot sure has happened in a decade. I can't wait to see what the next decade will bring!

We spent New Years with some good friends of ours. Savannah spent the night with my parents and had a great time. My parents eat up every minute they get to spend with Savannah and that makes me happy. I don't ever take for granted that we have grandparents in town, it is truly wonderful.New Years morning I woke up not feeling well AT ALL. (head cold/sinuses??) After some doses of Tylenol cold, I felt much better; until Sunday morning when I woke up and felt worse. So the New Year was brought in with me being sick and it seems like last year for the New Year I was sick. My spirits are high, however, and I am looking forward to 2010.

Enough about me and some stuff about Savannah.
Baby girl is STILL waking up at the earliest hours of the morning, between 3-6 AM, screaming her head off. Here's the thing, the few mornings she actually wakes up at decent hour, 7 AM or so, she wakes up happy and talking in her crib. Also, when she wakes up from naps, she wakes up happy. Back to the early morning wake ups. I JUST DON'T GET IT. I have thought maybe she was teething, but she does not fuss any other time of the day as if her teeth are hurting her. We usually just let her cry it out, but for awhile, we went in her room and as soon as we picked her up, she would stop crying, sometimes even go right back to sleep. Oh, but let us put her down and she screams bloody murder. Savannah usually goes to bed between 8-9. I know that is probably later than most babies but when it's bedtime, she let's us know, by either rubbing her eyes or waving when we say "night-night". The 8-9 bedtime has been going on for awhile now, probably since she started sleeping through the night well at just a few months old. Now it's to the point, where I am just frustrated, because, I don't know why she is waking up crying so early. Anyway, hopefully, it is just a phase or something. I feel like I really shouldn't be complaining/frustrated because being a parent is not easy and stuff like this happens so I should just get over it, but for this situation it is just hard.

On to more fun stuff, in the New Year Savannah is still doing a bunch of the same old stuff. She is not walking yet, although, she can stand by herself for a minute or two. I feel like her vocabulary is still limited as far as saying actual words, but her "baby talk" is very impressive. She loves to open her books and "read" out loud. Don't know what she is saying but it is so cute! She loves to point at stuff when she wants something and if you say "nose" or "teeth" she will point to them!
She is very headstrong and knows the word "no" but loves to test Aric and I. I feel bad when I have to spank her but, we have to set boundaries, right??

There are a lot of things I would love to improve on in the new year. Here are some personal resolutions I have made:
-Be a better wife to Aric (date nights will be a must in 2010)
-stick to my training schedule to run a 5K in March
-Prioritize my chores better
-make more to-do lists and check things off as I go
-quiet time with God, EVERYDAY, no exceptions!
-set aside time with Savannah and have "school" for at least 30 minutes a day (that will be a challenge because, my child will not sit still for even a minute)

We will see how these resolutions end up through out the year. Now that I have one year of mommyhood under my belt, I feel like I can do anything. Bring it on 2010, I'm ready!!!

God Bless!!

Emily

Good-bye 2009!

Wow! What a year it has been. Not nearly as hectic as 2008 but enough to keep us busy.

Here is a recap of 2009: (these are in no particular order)
-Aric and I have been married for one year! :)
-Savannah turned 1 year on November 20
-Our church home has changed dramatically. From Frazer UMC to Centerpoint Fellowship in Prattville, AL
-Leaders' Club involvement has been huge. I now play an advsiors role alongside Aric with Will and Jennifer Barrett
-We went to the beach for the first time as family of 3 in May. It was WONDERFUL!
-My best friend got married in May
-My sister-in-law got married in October
-Aric's grandfather is now in Alabama so his parents can care for him
-I am part of wonderful playgroup with other stay-at-home mommies
- We faced a huge decision regarding a house in Prattville we fell in love with but decided to stay in Montgomery for another year
-I went to Blue Ridge Leaders School in Black Mountain, NC for the first time ever
-I completed a 4 week, fitness boot camp with the YMCA
-Aric ran his first half marathon in October
-Aric had double hernia surgery in December
(wow, this list is a lot shorter than I thought it would be. '09 was A LOT more calm than '08)

Overall, I feel like I have really grown as a person in 2009 and I am so thankful for that. There have definitely been challenges I have faced being a new mommy and a new wife, but I have learned so much and cannot wait to see what 2010 will bring!

God Bless and Happy New Year!!!

The REAL reason for Christmas

The Conception of Jesus Foretold
Mary, a virgin, was living in Galilee of Nazareth and was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. An angel visited her and explained to her that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. She would carry and give birth to this child and she would name him Jesus.
At first Mary was afraid and troubled by the angel's words. Being a virgin, Mary questioned the angel, "How will this be?" The angel explained that the child would be God's own Son and, therefore, "nothing is impossible with God." Humbled and in awe, Mary believed the angel of the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior.
Surely Mary reflected with wonder on the words found in Isaiah 7:14 foretelling this event, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (NIV)
The Birth of Jesus:
While Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant through the Holy Spirit, as foretold to her by the angel. When Mary told Joseph she was pregnant, he had every right to feel disgraced. He knew the child was not his own, and Mary's apparent unfaithfulness carried a grave social stigma. Joseph not only had the right to divorce Mary, under Jewish law she could be put to death by stoning.
Although Joseph's initial reaction was to break the engagement, the appropriate thing for a righteous man to do, he treated Mary with extreme kindness. He did not want to cause her further shame, so he decided to act quietly. But God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to verify Mary's story and reassure him that his marriage to her was God's will. The angel explained that the child within Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that his name would be Jesus and that he was the Messiah, God with us.
When Joseph woke from his dream, he willingly obeyed God and took Mary home to be his wife, in spite of the public humiliation he would face. Perhaps this noble quality is one of the reasons God chose him to be the Messiah's earthly father.
Joseph too must have wondered in awe as he remembered the words found in Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (NIV)
At that time, Caesar Augustus decreed that a census be taken, and every person in the entire Roman world had to go to his own town to register. Joseph, being of the line of David, was required to go to Bethlehem to register with Mary. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Probably due to the census, the inn was too crowded, and Mary gave birth in a crude stable. She wrapped the baby in cloths and placed him in a manger.
The Shepherd's Worship the Savior:
Out in the fields, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds who were tending their flocks of sheep by night. The angel announced that the Savior had been born in the town of David. Suddenly a great host of heavenly beings appeared with the angels and began singing praises to God. As the angelic beings departed, the shepherds decided to travel to Bethlehem and see the Christ-child.
There they found Mary, Joseph and the baby, in the stable. After their visit, they began to spread the word about this amazing child and everything the angel had said about him. They went on their way still praising and glorifying God. But Mary kept quiet, treasuring their words and pondering them in her heart. It must have been beyond her ability to grasp, that sleeping in her arms—the tender child she had just borne—was the Savior of the world.
The Magi Bring Gifts:
After Jesus' birth, Herod was king of Judea. At this time wise men (Magi) from the east saw a star, they came in search, knowing the star signified the birth of the king of the Jews. The wise men came to the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem and asked where the Christ was to be born. The rulers explained, "In Bethlehem in Judea," referring to Micah 5:2. Herod secretly met with the Magi and asked them to report back after they had found the child. Herod told the Magi that he too wanted to go and worship the babe. But secretly Herod was plotting to kill the child.
So the wise men continued to follow the star in search of the new born king and found Jesus with his mother in Bethlehem. (Most likely Jesus was already two years of age by this time.) They bowed and worshipped him, offering treasures of gold, incense and myrrh. When they left, they did not return to Herod. They had been warned in a dream of his plot to destroy the child.

The REAL St. Nicholas

So, I did a little bit of research on the real St. Nick and this is what I found...

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.
Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th (December 19 on the Julian Calendar).
Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need.

Source: http://stnicholascenter.org


I found this to be very interesting and I hope to share this with Savannah very soon. I want her to really understand "selfless love" and be able to help others who are less fortunate.

All of this being said, let us not forget why we really celebrate Christmas...JESUS' BIRTHDAY!!!
What a great reason to celebrate! God loved us SO MUCH, he became flesh and lived on this world so that we may recieve the ultimate gift....The gift of salvation. That actually brings tears to my eyes!!! I cannot wait to be able to share that with Savannah. What wonderful news!

I hope everyone has a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and don't forget, while we are thanking others for their kind gifts, give thanks to God for THE GIFT that he sent to us.

God Bless!!

The new church has a name!!

Good afternoon everyone! What a dreary day out but it is a good day. I have some exciting news to share, the new church we have been attending in Prattville FINALLY has a name.... Centerpoint Fellowship Church. For those of you wondering, yes, this is the church that John Schmidt is preaching at now. This new church truly is God moving and working right before our eyes. There was a lot of stuff going on before John came on board and we really prayed for this new church. We were considering the possibility of becoming a part of this new church, not only for what they want to do and where they want the church to go, but because we know so many of the people who are behind the leadership of this new church. They are people that we look up to and admire because of their selflessness and love for the Lord. Now, this is not to say Frazer does not have those people, because they do, but we are feeling lead here and I feel like for once, since we have been going to church, that we REALLY connect here and feel at home. We will always have a special place in our heart for Frazer because we were able to grow so much there. Now, we are going to grow even more and I cannot wait to see this unfold. We are already getting into some leadership roles and I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am about that! In the mean time we will be continuing to pray for Frazer and pray for this new church. Exciting things are happening and people are going to here and know about Jesus and that is AWESOME!!
All right, well, I just had to share a little bit about that. I think I am becoming addicted to blogging, so I really need to stop but as always..........God bless. :)

Love,
Emily