Almost 1

I have been lax, yet again, with keeping up with the blog. A combination of being crazy busy at work, Ryley being gone with harvest, and planning Sawyer's birthday party. I've also been trying to work on my fitness a bit for an upcoming beach vacation.

Anyway, let's get to the point. Sawyer is turning 1 year old in 2 days. I can't believe it. Time has gone by so quickly since I've been married, but this year has seemed like days. I must admit, that while it's been fun to watch Sawyer grow and learn, I am feeling very melancholy about the fact that he is growing up.

I am still breastfeeding him. It's been a battle for the last two months because of my low milk supply, which comes from a combination of him sleeping 12 hours at night and my being away from him 3 days/week. I think the people at work think I'm crazy, still heading to the bathroom with my pump bag 3-4 times per day. Not that I would ever care, of course.

But our time as a breastfeeding pair is quickly drawing to a close. About a month ago I sat down to nurse him, and he latched on as usual, but after a few seconds he stopped and pulled back, looking at my breast and then up at me as if to say, "Is this really appropriate?" He then proceed to study my breast, and then even poke at it. Even though he's my baby, I will admit that I was embarassed. Isn't that funny? But it was downright awkward.

Even though I know this time will be over (and in fact, I think he's ready for it to be over), I think I press on because I feel like if I am still breastfeeding him, he is still a baby. Duh, I know that's not true. But still. I really wish he was my baby forever. Cue pause in typing to wipe my tears.

Caught in the Act

I'm still playing catch-up here on some of my favorite photos. These are from September 9th. That morning I was in the living room, folding clothes, when suddenly it was very quiet. I found Sawyer in his cabinet (where I keep all his food-related items).

Oh hi ma.

I'm just eating these here baby puffs I found.

I do what I want.

Mischief at its finest.

A handful is barely enough

Are they in?

So 12 photos on one minor event, but I can't resist. His different expressions are priceless to me!

"Baby Joseph"

This probably isn't very interesting to anyone else but Debi, but I promised to ut these pictures up. So here's the backdrop to this story. Sawyer and I made the journey to Wisconsin one weekend. His Memaw enjoys doing everything with him, including helping out with bath time.

She was snuggling him in his towel, and her purple headband happened to come out of her hair. So she put it on Sawyer's head and called him "Baby Joseph." It was too funny. Then she paraded him around, singing songs. He loved it.

Showing Bumpa

Hamming it up

He thoroughly enjoyed the attention

His wrinkled nose look

LOVE!

Lead Me With Strong Hands - Part 1

Lead me with strong hands

Stand up when I can't

Don't leave me hungry for love

Chasing dreams

But what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight

That I'm still the love of your life

I know we call this our home

But I still feel alone

The first time I heard this song, Sawyer and I had stopped to take a break from driving, en route to my dad's house in Wisconsin. It doesn't happen very often that a song really speaks to my heart. I love that about music... I have a few songs that were themes to different chapters in my life. When I hear an old "soundtrack" to my life, it always brings me back, and often reminds me of how much the good Lord has done in my life.

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot in this season of my life about how fathers and husbands so greatly affect the lives of children and wives (the message of the song). When I feel like Ryley is giving me the attention, affection, and encouragement I desire from him, I feel like I can conquer the world; there is no person on earth that can boost my confidence like he can.

Additionally, I think about the impact he will have on the direction of Sawyer's and our future children's lives. Ryley has such a crucial job to do as a father who loves God. And God lays out a blueprint for doing that job well through His Word and His Spirit. Of course, Ryley will make mistakes, and God's grace will cover those.

Those thoughts lead to how my father affected my life. There are harsh words that still ring in my ears from my childhood... remind me of how my dad could not usually control his anger. And I don't say this to put my dad down; none of us do a perfect job. Though it wasn't until my adult years that I really felt I had a good relationship with my dad, I have watched him surrender his heart to God and begin to change and respond to the needs of those around him. I have so much respect and adoration for how far he's come. He has not had an easy life: a tumultuous childhood, including having only met his father once when he was in his mid-twenties. Losing his high school sweetheart who became his wife at age 41, left with two teenagers. The transformation I have witnessed in his life, especially in the last 10 years, has been amazing, glory to God.

Back to me and my dad. When I was growing up, even though he was hard on my sometimes, I remember how devoted he was. He has always made sacrifices for me; paying for college when the medical bills from my mom's sickness and passing were piled up. Hanging pictures, building a deck, and countless other things he's done since I've been married that Ryley was too busy for. When Sawyer was born he was there to take care of the house while we were in the hospital for 5 days and Ryley was working. When we came home from the hospital, I was still fairly weak and couldn't get around well... he stayed for nearly a week, cooking and cleaning, taking care of me. Without him, I would've been completely on my own.

And now, I notice how every time he looks at me, I can see how proud he is of me. Of course I don't deserve it, and I feel lucky to have a father who would absolutely go to the ends of the earth for me. I wonder if one ever stops seeking their father's approval... how many actually get it?

You guessed it, take it a step further. How much does our Father in heaven love us? Adore us? Want to do good things for us, take care of us? Even though we are undeserving, even though we fail. And so our earthly fathers must look to the only perfect Father-God, to mirror Him in their relationships with their children and wives.

So I'm praying for dads today, and thanking my Father for my dad.

What's Troubling You?

Do you worry and wonder a lot? About finances? Relationships? Your future?

I tend to be one of those people who, when I get a new idea in my head... (adoption, vacation, house hunting, my marriage, etc.) I tend to focus so much of my time on the particular issue of the moment, whether it be through research, worry, or just thinking about it.

In an attempt to balance my life, I've been really trying to look beyond thoughts that can dominate my mind (whether they are commendable or completely selfish). Of course, it's easy to pick out the thoughts that are completely self-serving... I want a different house, but I certainly don't need one. And really, time spent dreaming of a new home does not change or benefit anything.

But then, I have spent so much time on and off in the past few years on the idea of adoption. Looking at different agencies, programs, etc. While it is good to care about orphans around the world, I'm not sure that spending huge blocks of time on it really benefits me at this point. It certainly hasn't led to anything! While I of course still have a burden on my heart to care for orphans, I certainly want it to be directed in a way that actually helps those abandoned, precious children out there. And I also don't want to neglect my own child in my "obsession" with wondering whether I will have the privilege of adopting one day.

At this season in my life, while my husband toils and worries constantly about harvest, I keep reminding myself to get a new perspective. Back up a bit to harvest... it is raining constantly here, which makes it near impossible to chop silage or combine corn, and also puts the crop in danger of a range of things, including mold on the soybeans which would cause damage that leads to loss. In this farm family, it's hard to escape worry because of farming. Constantly worrying about variables like market prices and weather especially. Right now, as it is raining yet again, I know my husband is out there burdened with frustration and worry. And I have resolved myself to not ask about it, because there's no sense in both of us being in that state of mind.

I've received so many reminders over the past week that check my perspective and challenge me to constantly look at the big picture. 9/11/2001 footage and commentaries. A sweet friend who briefly listened to my frustration about the rain and the affect on the crop, who shared with me that she felt led to pray for Ryley's safety. And think about that - of course I'd rather him live to see another harvest than make any amount of profit from farming.

Most sobering was my conversation yesterday with a friend who is in the process of sending their dossier to Haiti. In the midst of their wait to bring home their two priceless daughters, an infant and a 2 1/2 year old, I asked if she had received an update on her beautiful girls. Among a few other updates, she was happy that her daughters are now receiving 3 meals a day instead of the 1. And the 3 meals they are now receiving are rice.

Whatever is going on in your life right now, is it really worth worrying about it? My goal this week is to look for opportunities to meet the needs of someone else, and to be sensitive and grateful to the many ways which I am blessed.

food

So if you know Sawyer, you know the boy loves his food. We haven't found much he doesn't like. Only 3 things: peas, avocado, and apricot. I've been told that I need to take a video of when we feed him with a spoon; anyone who has witnessed it says "I've never seen a baby eat like that!" Because as soon as you take the spoon out of his mouth, it's wide open again for the next bite. Which is nice, because it's not as messy.

Anyway, we have found that he is much more content when he can feed himself. On Thursday, my day at home, we started the morning with banana buckwheat pancakes (slices of banana dipped in the pancake batter...great finger food!). For lunch, I made him some steamed vegetables (sweet potato, summer squash, broccoli, and carrot) with pasta and cubes of mozzarella cheese. It was the first time he ate a whole meal that didn't include anything pureed. Here's the progression:

Hmmmm...what do we have here?
I will try this.

Thinking...

Perhaps I will scout my next bite...

He likes it!

I think the boy gets his love of food from me. He gets so excited about his meal times that he flaps his arms and looks like he might fly away. But try to give him peas...and a meltdown ensues. It's a letdown for him.

It's August Now

Just a quick update. I am busy being overwhelmed by the demands of life. I am a person who is easily overwhelmed, and so I keep reminding myself that the things that are keeping me busy are good things and I need to rejoice in everything, because the Lord commands it. I think the reason I get frustrated is that I don't like feeling as though I am too busy to really enjoy my time with my baby.

Ryley has been so very busy working. We have decided to put our house on the market, so that has added to my already full plate of responsibilities. We hope to have it listed this week. Who knows what will happen in this economy, but we are hoping to sell and then find a home to grow into. We are looking to move to the country and possibly to the lake. I am so tired of barking neighbor dogs, neighbors mowing lawn when Sawyer is trying to sleep, and just feeling watched all the time...while we do have good neighbors, after 4 years, we still don't enjoy it. Also, ever since Sawyer was born our doggies have been more confined to either the kennel or the entry way. They do great with him, but I don't have the patience for dog hair anymore since he is crawling now. I would love to have room for us all (dogs included) to be able to stretch out a bit. We are looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

Sawyer is doing great. While I've been at work, he's been enjoying time at his grandma's house since our daycare situation changed. I've been very grateful to not have to find another daycare right away. While he's still a baby, I appreciate being able to take him to someone who loves him and gives him plenty of attention. I really did not want to take him somewhere with a lot of other kids while he's so little. He is so busy exploring his world...pulling himself up, climbing, flirting, "talking," walking around the edge of furniture, and possibly his favorite passtime: eating. Oh, and of course, shaking his head "no." Sometimes, I'm overwhelmed with how cute he is. He has turned into quite a little snuggler, too, which I love. At 9 months old, I am more in love with him every day.

I also have to confess that I have baby fever. I've had it for a good 7 months now. Maybe I've mentioned it already... but I want another child soon. We've been discussing it since December, still having a desire to adopt one day, but I think we are planning to try biological again. I am impatient because while I know it's possible to get pregnant, it's still unlikely since I am nursing Sawyer. And while I would love to be pregnant right now, I am not willing to give up breastfeeding to increase my chances.

What If

We continue to praise God for the rain, the warm weather, health, strength, and everything else that goes into raising a good crop. We have hopes for a bountiful harvest, or whatever type of year the Lord wills it to be. We trust that no matter how this growing season plays out, He has our lives in the palm of His mighty hand.

This year in our garden, we are growing corn, sweet potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, watermelon, strawberries, 5 varieties of peppers, beans, 4 varieties of tomatoes, and squash in the small area we have left that hasn't been overtaken by our raspberries. Side note: if you wish to plant raspberries, DO NOT plant them in your garden! Plant them in an area of your yard where you can mow around them.

Anyway. Raspberries. My favorite fruit. They are plentiful...well, let's be honest...they're overwhelming me right now. I can spend an hour picking raspberries, then go out later to work in the rest of the garden and see another ripe raspberry out of the corner of my eye. No, I cannot leave the one ripe berry. I feel guilty if I waste it. So I go to pick it, and I find another...and another. Happened to me again today. There were so many, I went over to my neighbor's house and told her to help herself to picking some of my raspberries.

And then I was thinking. What if I was like that with people? What if I had eyes to see every person around me...and I did not want to leave one of them behind? What if I had compassion enough for the lost that I was so overwhelmed and had to recruit my neighbor to help with the harvest?

Matthew 9:36-38
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Proverbs 10:4-5
Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

Women and Food

Ryley is out working hard again today, hauling our bales of hay to storage.

On a day when many people are getting together with family and friends in the Midwest, likely at the lake enjoying the 90 degree weather, I find myself indoors and thinking about food. I don't know if it's just me, but a lot of the women I know tend to enjoy cooking or baking, and I think the gratification is to make others happy.

So far, my morning has consisted of breastfeeding the baby in between making batches of baby food. He, of course, is not old enough to appreciate anything I do for him, but somehow it still so fulfilling to make him content through food. So far, I have sweet potato, squash, and blueberry-based combinations in the freezer. Next up is green beans, prunes, carrots, and peaches.

Breastfeeding has probably been the most giving thing I've ever done for another human being. I plan to write about breastfeeding in another post, but if I think about it, it is a very common way to feed an infant that millions of women have experienced. I figure that breastfeeding has consumed between 4-6 hours daily of my life for the past 8 months. And if I'm at work, away from Sawyer, my schedule is planned around pumping milk for him. Women who breastfeed make such a loving sacrifice, but in my experience, it has been a time of bonding, joy, and fulfillment.

A lot of my life revolves around making food for others. A lot of other women around me would tell a similar story. I suppose the easy answer is that it's part of our nurturing nature. I just find it fascinating for some reason, to think about what women do for their families, and how God placed that desire to serve others in the hearts of His daughters.

8 months of joy

Photos never quite seem to translate on the blog like they do on my computer... but I took about 50 shots yesterday of Sawyer and Papa cutting hay. These are the types of photos that will be precious to us someday. More to come soon.

The last 8 months have been so amazing, sweet boy. My heart is overflowing with joy and love for you. You and your papa mean more to me than you'll ever know.