ThePortoPost - theportopost

God is omnipresent, right? But as physical beings, we cannot yet see His spiritual body. And so we trust Him when He says, "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Heb 13:5). But what a beautiful thing, yes? to see Him in the words and deeds of His children on earth. God has comforted us, encouraged us, helped us, ministered to us, fed us, uplifted us, taught us, humbled us, convicted us and and loved us through the hands and feet of His body. Praise Him! To the people of Heritage Bible Chapel we are immensely grateful. And to our God and theirs, we give the glory!

May I remember that in my fear for this move. God is good. He is with me. And He will care for us through His people wherever we are. 

Amen and amen

I am a homemaker. If some form has a blank for "Occupation", "homemaker" is what I write. It is a humble title worn proudly by some and meekly by others. The opportunity to "make" my home, is one I take with great joy. At the moment, I am sitting on my bed, and the light from my lamp is showing off an array of smudges and fingerprints on the bottom of our full-length mirror. It is in perfect view from where I sit. And it makes me smile. Naomi gets such a kick out of her own image looking back at her in that mirror. 

It makes me smile because while the thought of a perfect home sounds good in theory, I'm learning to reconsider my priorities about how much time I spend on this home. In our women's Bible study this morning we discussed Matthew 6:19-21. One insightful woman talked about how this can apply in a unique way to women as we all strive to care well for our homes. It is easy to invest our time, energy, and money into creating the perfect house. In fact, I often look around our home and feel shame that I have done so little to make it "homey". We moved in months ago, and people often ask me if we are "getting settled", "making it ours", etc. I must admit, I haven't hung more than 2 pictures on the walls. The furniture arrangement is basically where things landed when we moved in. I try to stay on top of the clutter but each day it seems a new little pile pops up as soon as I take care of another. 

I have felt not a little amount of angst over this. This is the first house we have owned. We are not renting, we have the freedom to change things, paint, put holes in the walls to hang art, whatever we want. I looked forward to doing these things for so, so long. And I have done so little of it. Sure, I have my practical excuses, but they always seem to fall short of justifying my apparent failure. 

As any mom of young ones knows, the days can feel so busy and yet it can feel as though so little is being accomplished. I look back at the past few months and ask myself, what have I done with my time? Where has my energy gone that it hasn't gone into hanging pictures, arranging furniture, and decorating our home? 

The time of meditation on these questions proved fruitful for my soul. Through His Word and a few wise women at today's Bible study, the Lord is teaching me to invest in eternal pursuits. My relationship with God is eternal, so time I spend in His Word and in prayer is always, always, always a worthwhile investment. Humans are eternal beings. Time I spend investing in the lives of my husband and daughter, both in practical care and fun times to grow in intimacy, is time well spent. It has eternal consequences. Time spent ministering to the needs of others be it in prayer, through a meal delivered, or mentoring provided, honors God. When I open my home to a guest, despite the clutter, it honors God. Even the practical, daily necessities of planning meals, grocery shopping, and maintaining a basic (very basic most days) level of cleanliness honors God, as it serves my family. 

So my time hasn't been spent hanging pictures. If you come over, you'll see that our living room furniture doesn't really fit the space, we don't have enough dressers so clothes are in tote boxes, and we have no bookshelves so the books are all in boxes scattered around the house. I haven't organized Naomi's closet and the new baby's room isn't nearly ready. The bathroom shower could really use a good scrubbing, as could the kitchen floor. Sometimes these things aren't done because I've been lazy and selfish with my time. Sometimes it's because I've made the choice to spend my energies on other, more eternal ventures. Tonight, I pray that by God's grace more and more of my choices would be in the latter category. I won't deny that I could probably be more efficient with my time and better with time management. But overall, I pray that my time be spent "laying up treasures in Heaven". Even if it means those dust bunnies on the floor stay there for a few more days :)

Maybe some updates are in order? For those of you who don't know, Michael recently noticed that his body responds poorly to dairy. Not just lactose, but all dairy. So for the past few months I've been adjusting our meals to be dairy free as well as gluten free. I am SO incredibly grateful for other bloggers, mostly other wives/mothers who have done so much of the work for me and I just need to learn from them. www.adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com is a great one that I use a lot. I found that Michael enjoys both soy and coconut yogurts as good substitutes. The only problem? It's $0.90 per serving. So I looked into making your own dairy free yogurt, and turns out it's a lengthy, difficult process that could possibly be made easier with the purchase of an expensive yogurt maker. Not a good solution for us. So, $0.90 yogurt it is!! 

I did find some success with a few new recipes such as gluten-free/dairy-free meatloaf, a modified version of mom's chili soup, same for mom's veggie/beef soup, and later this week, an attempt at Julia Child's Potage Pormentier (a fancy french word for potato soup!). Gluten-free rice krispies make a fantastic coating for chicken breasts, by the way, and soon we'll be enjoying...wow, can I call pregnancy brain? Completely lost that train of thought. Moving on...

I should probably post a belly pic or 2 I suppose. Some of my family members (um, Adrian??) keep bugging me to post those. Funny, with Naomi, I think I faithfully took a pic each month. This time around? None so far. I mean, I may show up in a few pictures here and there, but nothing purposeful. Now that every part of me has started to swell, including my feet, face, and hands, I'm not so excited about having my picture taken. But, as they say, pregnancy is a beautiful thing and I'm supposed to be radiant, right? 

Naomi. Oh, Naomi. I have spent more time trying to soothe her to sleep, listening to her cry herself to sleep, and reading books about how to get her to sleep than just about anything else it seems. Ever since our trip to Iowa in July/August, she has been off-kilter. I pray for wisdom each day to help her with her naps, and yet I can see that my little girl is chronically over-tired. I chatted with a family from church recently who's daughter was a wee bit difficult in her toddler years...lots of crying, wouldn't go to nursery or a sitter for 1 and 1/2 years, etc. They lovingly watch Naomi for me sometimes and she always screams for at least the first 15 minutes. They adore her anyway, and they remind me that this is all just a phase, and their own daughter is now a sweet, lovely, 13-yr old young woman. Ah, there is life after these baby/toddler years!

I know, I think that, and then I realize, I'm just getting started!! Naomi is on the brink of toddlerhood and I'm just adding another baby to the mix. I think things are about to get wild, and I'm praying that God gives me grace for the ride. 

Despite the napping issues and newly acquired separation anxiety, I find myself loving Naomi more and more each day. We both faced colds last week and so we were, for the most part, in isolation here at home for about 5 days. Lots of good momma/baby bonding time :)  She scoots around with fervor now, pulling herself up on furniture up to her knees, not quite getting her feet underneath her yet. She shows a strong desire for independence in many ways, however, and I am in awe of how confident a 1-yr old can be! She shows immense persistence in a single task which is both impressive (when it's a useful and/or fun task) and daunting (when it's persistent disobedience). I seek the Lord's wisdom each day, often several times a day, to know how to begin to train her, for her safety and my sanity! 

That's all the big news for now. I want to say that I deeply miss my family and the prospect that they may come to visit in January is SO exciting. I know that I'll be incredibly eager to share our newest child with them and to feel their presence in our home here in New England. I hope you can all make it!

~Libby

My Testimony

  How can I begin to write what the Lord has done for me, and how can I contain it to a few paragraphs? The Lord’s faithfulness to me has been great, and began well before I was born.  A long heritage of believers comes before me; as far back as I can see. My family raised me in a structured, Christian community, attending a small Christian school and a very Calvinistic Christian Reformed church. I have trusted that Jesus was my Savior since a quiet moment during my devotionals as a young child.

At age 13, as it is for many, my social life was a challenge. Enduring the bullying and name-calling that is so typical in that age group, I turned to Christ and there found a man who understood how I felt. I clung to Luke 6 as I attempted to love and pray for my enemies. This made my childhood faith a very real part of my life.

  A move to Johnston, Iowa in the summer before my sophomore year brought significant change to my surroundings. I began attending a large, public high school where the worldly influences affected my thoughts and behaviors. This change deepened a pride that had festered in my early years. I believed that clearly, I was above the other students, as I was moral and upright, holding to the truth of God’s Word instead of the myriad of lies that they believed. I failed to see that my godly upbringing was simply a gift, and my knowledge of Christ something to be shared with others in love.

  I returned to Christian education with my freshman year at Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN. I had the blessing of sitting under the preaching of John Piper for that year, and I devoured his book, Desiring God. Although my pride was still a major issue, this book helped to change my thinking. It taught me that the Christian life wasn’t about “doing the right thing,” but about pursuing God and finding all of my satisfaction in Him.

  Michael and I became engaged at the end of my freshman year, and I transferred to Drake University, a private (though very worldly) college in Des Moines. We married one year later. That first year of marriage was filled with frustration and fighting, and God used it to begin humbling my soul. I saw glimpses of the depth of my pride. One night, as Michael and I finished devotions, the weight of my pride and depth of my depravity hit me with full force. For a moment I despaired, aware of the chasm between filthy me and a holy, righteous God. But then everything I had learned of the gospel, everything I had known so well in my mind, came flooding into my heart and I wept with joy and gratitude. I have never been the same since.

  Although my battle with pride and other sins is still a daily reality, the Lord used that night to show me the overwhelming value of the faith I had held to all those years. He let me see the darkness in my heart and that He is the only good in me. Michael and I chuckle when we consider the irony of it, because I grew up in a church where the five points of Calvinism were taught thoroughly. Finally, I could see the truth of the “T” in TULIP, total depravity, as true in my own life. For this I am immensely grateful and pray that I will never forget the lesson. I rejoice that I have a God who loves me enough to continue to teach me these lessons and produce in me a faith that is steadfast.

  The complications of life continue to require more faithfulness on my part, it seems, and thus this afternoon I was praying for exactly that, a steadfast faith- that through these trials, God would make me faithful. I thought of James 1:2-3 which promises just that: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”  And may He continue to make me like Himself, for as I tell my daughter each morning, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness!” Praise God for HIS faithfulness!

I wish that when Michael had a project to work on, he could call his brothers, dad, or my brothers or dad to come over and help. I wish my mom was here to show me how to care for all the lovely flowers in my lawn. I wish that when Naomi and I are both sick, my mom could come over and maybe make our lunch, or just hold Naomi so I could take a nap. 

I'd be lying to myself and others if I didn't say those wishes weren't real. And I don't know if God will keep us here for 1 year or 20. But I do know that God is good, God is faithful, and that He consistently meets our needs. I also know that greater than any of those wishes is my desire to be in His will, wherever that is. 

So far, being in God's will, living and serving here in central Massachusetts, I have learned the following:

*Through God's sustaining grace, I am able to be far more independent than I could ever imagine in my previous life.

*Marriage to Michael is the greatest earthly gift that God has given me.

*When away from all those people and places that I normally turn to for support, I turned to my Savior. And He provided. 

*I never would have drawn so near to Jesus if He had kept my earthly comforts close.

*Living within daily driving distance of ones family is a lovely gift. I pray that given the opportunity, I would never take it for granted.

*The Lord provides new "family members" through the body of Christ to help sustain us.

The list could go on, probably for pages and pages. Some lessons are deep, changing my soul. Others are practical, and affect the way I live each day. I am humbled at how much I had to learn, and how much there is still to change to make me like my Lord, Jesus Christ. Long ago, I asked Him to change me, mold me, to do whatever it took to bring me closer to Him. I vowed to follow wherever He led. To stay when He says to stay, and go when He says to go. How awesome that He heard my prayer, and loves me enough to have molded me, and led me. 

One year later we moved to a townhome in Ankeny. It was near to Faith Baptist Bible College for Michael to attend, and had a garage and allowed dogs. Georgia graced our home and quickly destroyed several things during her puppy years. True to her southern name though, she was a sweet girl. And it was so that we could keep her that we chose this particular townhome. I was grateful for my window in the kitchen, our own door to the outside, and laundry in the apartment. Heaven. What a luxury that was. I was still attending Drake full-time and working at Chili's. Definitely my most difficult job. Michael worked at Urbandale Family Physicians now and that fall started full-time school at FBBC.  I graduated the following May, so this was the year that we overlapped being in school full-time. A compassionate widow lived just below us, and loved to tell us stories of when her husband was a baptist preacher nearby. I wish I remembered her name.

Another year later (always on June 1st), we moved into a duplex in Urbandale. I was working at NCMIC now and the commute from Ankeny had been too stressful. Dear Georgia passed away and we adopted little Bella. We were ready for the puppy months this time around and she was trained more quickly, doing much less damage as she grew. We had 1800 square feet counting the basement here, and that was incredible compared to our previous 2 places. We acquired free furniture for the basement and somehow filled the storage spaces and the 2 car garage. There was an empty lot behind us that Bella loved to run on, and the youth group kids would play frisbee when they stopped by. Life seemed simpler then than it ever had been before. Townsend Ave was a nice street. We lived there nearly 2 years.

At the time, Michael was the youth intern for Johnston Evangelical Free Church. The "Intern House", owned by the church, opened up, and they were hoping to fill it with renters. Upgrading this time to 3 bedrooms, a master bath, 2 walk-in closets in the master, and an attached garage was quite an adventure. We had a nice deck out back for grilling, and the house had an airy, open feel. We hosted many small groups there, both our own and the one Michael led with high school boys. I have many memories of high school boys honking and yelling as they drove in or away, and showing up at my door even when I wasn't expecting them. It was there that I had 13 students in my voice studio, worked full-time at NCMIC, and supported us while Michael finished off his last year at FBBC. He worked diligently at JEFC and even held a few part-time jobs to help make ends meet. We scrambled to save, hoping that our next home would be our own. 

In May of 2010, Michael graduated from Faith. We held a huge surprise party for him. I remember his tear-filled eyes as people poured into the front door, when he was only expecting our siblings. He had been looking for work since February, and a few places looked interesting, but every prospect was far away. Except Glenwood E-Free in western Iowa. I believe it was June when we visited and it looked like it was all set. At the last minute, the Lord led them and us in different directions, and we prayed that work would come soon, since Naomi was quickly growing in my belly. In July, while I was 8 months pregnant, we drove to Wisconsin for Michael's mom's wedding. She married a kind gentlemen named Bill in a short ceremony in their backyard. It was blistering hot and I was swollen all over in my bright pink maternity dress. Surely, pictures to treasure. 

Naomi Elizabeth arrived on August 28th, just a day before her cousin Owen turned 5. I went on maternity leave and Michael and I continued to pray for a ministry job for him. In the meantime, he worked odd jobs for his parents, my parents, and a lawn service company. Alas, my 7 1/2 weeks went by quickly, and still no job for Michael. Naomi was incredibly blessed to have her Daddy stay home with her when I went back to work. She took a bottle like a champ and blossomed under his watchful eye. He often brought her to work so I could nurse her over lunch, giving me a dose of family in the midst of my day. It wasn't ideal, certainly something I could not have foretold, but we made it work and the Lord was faithful.

Six weeks after I returned to work, we moved to Hubbardston, Massachusetts. When Naomi was six weeks old we had flown here to interview, and 2 weeks later visited a second time, receiving the offer. Two or three weeks after that, my memory is fuzzy, we moved. Our stuff moved first, driven by a moving company that requested five days to get here. Our devoted family and friends moved our things one more time, including my heavy piano, loading the truck. As our things went ahead, we moved into transition. We spent one week at my parents house. I bathed in the luxury of being able to take care of Naomi full time. It was made easier with my mother's presence. 

On December 11th, 2010, Curtis, Michael, and Bella drove away. Each driving one of our vehicles. On December 13th, Naomi and I followed, flying. We moved into a temporary rental, one clearly provided by the Lord and just what we needed. But it was still in transition. We weren't settled, we didn't unpack everything, and we were always searching for a home to buy.

Through the clear guiding of the Holy Spirit, we purchased a home on May 26th, 2011. We bought it from a dear family that attends Heritage Bible Chapel. They gave us their dehumidifier, their lawnmower, their air conditioner, their microwave, and so much more. We rented the house to them until they could move into their new home, and last Friday, Michael and I moved into our home. Our home. The previous family had cleaned it, left the sweet hummingbird feeder for us to enjoy, and a vase of wildflowers on the kitchen windowsill. I will always remember their kindness and generosity.

Although we have been here less than a week, this house already feels more like home than any place before. Although it is smaller, doesn't have central air, and lacks any kind of a garage, it is absolutely wonderful. We are grateful for little things that we lacked in our last place: a mirror in the bathroom, a kitchen sink that actually plugs, a dishwasher, finished trim, and carpet. Dear, wonderful carpet. Just in the living room, bedrooms, and basement, but it is wonderful. So soft and comfy. Never will I understand America's obsession with hardwoods. I love my carpet. 

I cannot believe how long I have made this post. For those of you who stuck with me, kudos. And to think that I sat down not knowing what to write. Life is full, and so is my heart.

Congratulations Justin and Nicole on the birth of your BEAUTIFUL little boy! Praise God!

~Libby

Life is getting busy. Between now and late July, Michael goes to Canada for a week, his dad and brother will come for a visit, I should go to Iowa to visit my sister's new baby (should be born soon), we close on and move into our new house, travel to California for Jen's wedding, and have a youth group week at camp here in Hubbardston. We also hope to build a shed or deck sometime in there and somehow be organized in the move and not lose our minds with the craziness of it all. I hope we're all up for it, including Naomi.

Speaking of, Naomi is changing rapidly. A few weeks ago, she decided to sleep through the night. And with just 2 exceptions, she has stuck to that very consistently. To bed at 7pm, up at 7am. WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!  Just under 8 months old and she made it. Now I just hope she doesn't start teething soon, because I hear that could cause her to start waking up again...oh my. She now sits up very well on her own, her hair is getting darker and thicker, and alas, ankles are appearing! Her thighs are still lovely and roly poly, but her neck, wrists, and ankles are starting to appear beneath a thinning layer of chunk. So cute. She eats 3 solid meals a day plus nursing, and can eat cheese and rice krispies with her fingers! She is learning to use her sippy cup and will soon transition to a convertable car seat. When I weighed her the other day she was just at 20 lbs. Woah. We'll find out the exact specs at her 9 month appointment. Can't wait!  She still only rolls over one way and shows no interest in becoming more mobile. I won't complain, it sure makes my life simpler! She'll roll, crawl, and toddle about at her own pace and that's fine with me. "Dada", "mama" and some form of "Bella" come out fairly regularly, although I don't think she's quite figured out when to say what. We're teaching her to clap, wave, and to obey "no". We realize the importance of being purposeful in our parenting, so we're trying to read up on a few different parent philosophies so that we can form our own and not just be completely reactive in our parenting. So far we've read "To Train Up a Child" by Michael and Debi Pearl. I'm not sure I agree with absolutely everything, but we definitely gleaned wisdom from that one. I'm trying to decide which book to read next. If anyone has a suggestion, please let me know!

This mother's day, my first with a child outside of the womb, I received a dozen red roses and a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Both absolutely wonderful gifts :) Along with those, I had a husband who cleaned, did the dishes, and took care of Naomi quite a bit over the weekend Friday, Saturday and today. It was wonderful. Today, I took an hour long nap while Naomi was awake playing with her Daddy. Loved it. 

The last piece of my journal shall be about the black bear. It is big, it is fuzzy, and looks sooo cuddly. Alas, he is a wild animal and I'm really quite freaked out that he's in our neighborhood. Michael set up a motion detector outside the window where he comes to visit. He tips over our trash can and goes through it most mornings and evenings. I'll try to post a few pics...Our neighbor, Pastor Eric and Joan, have hollered at him and even thrown things at him, but he doesn't seem afraid. That's bad news. He should be afraid of people! We're supposed to call animal protection so that perhaps they'll come and move him to a different location. I sure hope they do! We haven't been taking walks lately, and we can't just go sit on the lawn and relax.  Bella has seen the bear, we are sure of it. Both times she barked quite a bit. And Bella never barks! I'm not lying, she has probably only barked 5 times in her entire life! She gets pretty freaked out, too. Hair raised on her back, very alert, and when taken inside, constantly asks to be taken out, walking from door to door. It's all very exciting, really. But creepy!

Last bit of news. Dear Bella had another seizure last night. It's her first since the move, which is really good news that they are not becoming more frequent. Happened about 5 am so I'm glad she was sleeping in our room. It's really so strange to see her have a seizure, and just the next morning be entirely herself again! She reminded me of a child though, afterwards. She was frightened and wanted to be near to us. I placed her bed right next to ours. Then she finally relaxed and laid down. It was so sweet. 

Well, I deeply miss my family and friends in Iowa, so if you are one of them, know that I miss you much, even if I do a poor job of keeping in touch. Goodnight for now...

~Libby

The show was of a young couple, just weeks away from marriage, trying to find a new home to move into after their honeymoon. Even this young couple looked "normal" to me. Funny how I forget how different things are here in New England. 

The average home price in Altoona, according to the show, is $160,000. Aaaah, to be in a place with affordable housing again! This dear young couple purchased a brand new, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, 1400 square foot home for just $165,000. It had a large, FLAT lot and an attached 2-car garage. Out off their backyard deck, their view was of their lovely backyard and then into...a field. It was beautiful. It was open, FLAT, and they could see for miles. It wasn't an expansive, breathtaking view of mountains, the ocean, or even a lake. It was just a field. But it was quintessential Iowa. During the show, the camera showed this young couple talking about the houses with a cute farm in the background. Not at all unusual, of course, for Iowa.  

In the homes they looked at, there was carpet, a large basement, a paved driveway, an attached 2 car garage, and the houses were a ranch, traditional 2-story, and a split level. So NORMAL.  Of the homes we looked at, none had a 2 car garage, nearly all were entirely hardwood, rarely a paved driveway or garage (much less an attached garage) and almost all capes, bungalows, or colonials. We did see a lot of character in the homes we viewed, and many were very unique. This young couple, however, were mostly looking at new homes in a small suburb, and so the homes were very "cookie-cutter". 

It was just fun to be reminded of the differences, and to see something so utterly familiar while sitting in my very untraditional apartment. Out my window I do not see a field. I see trees. Large, tall, numerous trees that go on for acres. They are beautiful. But to me, they are still strange.

Some days, I wake up and wish that I could just pack up Naomi and spend the afternoon at my mom, my sister, or my sister-in-laws house. Hanging out with them and their little ones, sharing life. I know that over time, I will have dear friends here with whom I can share life. It takes time to build relationships though, and so we will keep pursuing friendships and waiting on God. 

Pastor Jason, during Lifeshare a few weeks ago, encouraged us to really study the scriptures for ourselves, not always relying on just the study notes in our Bibles, but using tools like cross-references, commentaries, and our own minds for digging into God's Word. This morning, I started studying First John. I am always encouraged when I read this book. I hope to share bits of my journey in my studies along the way on this blog. I must admit that I usually just rely on others' teaching and the study notes to figure out what the Scriptures are saying. Today, just looking up the cross-references, I was reminded of the immense depth of the Word and I just wanted to keep digging! Three times in 1 John he refers to "Him who was from the beginning" and in the Gospel of John he starts it off saying "In the beginning". He keeps reminding us of Christ's pre-existence. Why? I think one reason is to remind us of Christ's deity, and of course His oneness with God the Father, who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end! Oh man, I got excited about that! 

Then I saw in 1 John 1 a cross reference to Acts 4:20. In 1 John 1, John writes "That which was from the beginning, that which we heard, which we have seen with our eyes..." speaking about Christ and how he witnessed Christ's life, death, and resurrected body. In Acts 4:20 Peter and John are being told they cannot proclaim anything in the name of Jesus. And they say, "....we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard".  Oh God was doing great things and they just had to share it! I prayed that I would have that same excitement to share what I have seen and heard. I am not an eyewitness to the body and work of Christ, but I have seen, with my own eyes, and heard, with my own ears, transformed lives thanks to the power and work of Jesus Christ. 

I must note today that my family is very near to my heart and mind as I write this. They know why. I love you so much and I'm praying for you!

Libby

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness!" Lam 3:22-23

Later that day, I came back that way, only to find that they had filled in...one hole. Out of hundreds on our 2 mile stretch...one hole was filled. Oh dear.

We said goodbye to the Tacoma recently. Michael sold it to a young man here in Massachusetts and we traded up for a Honda Odyssey. Hello, adulthood! As if graduating from college, getting a real job, having a baby, buying a lazy-boy, and officially moving past our lower 20s isn't enough, we add...buying a minivan. At first, I was a bit  against it. It seems so huge for our little family of 3! I reasoned, why  not get a CR-V instead? It's just a 5 passenger and offers more storage than a sedan but has 4 wheel drive! Very useful in our snowy winters, right? 

The practicality, safety, and value of a minivan just couldn't be refuted, however. Now, I find myself enthralled with the dual-side doors that open with just a push of a button! As a kid, I remember having to throw all of my body weight into that sliding door. Now, I simply move my thumb over the button and hold for 2 seconds. Door...open. I must admit, it is pretty snazzy. The Lord has already given us a few opportunities to use it for ministry, too! We love having the extra space to give students rides to church or outside events.

Next week, I look forward to using it to bring my parents back from the airport! That's right, they are coming to visit! If anyone has any fabulous ideas as to what we should do while they are here, let me know!

Hm...updates on Naomi. Well, she can clearly say...."mamamamama" and "dadadada". The other day she even said "nanananana!" I don't think she has a clue what it means yet, but it's exciting to know that she can pronounce the words! She's eating sweet potatoes and carrots and today we'll try peas. She just started scratching her head while eating and finds great joy in grabbing at our faces. She weighs about 20 whopping pounds and has thighs that are a bit big for her 12 month size clothes. She'll be 7 months next week. 

I realize this post is rather boring...so I thought I'd better at least include a cute new pic of Naomi to make it worth your stopping by. I'm missing my dear friends and family back in Iowa today, so if you are one of those, feel free to post a note to say hello. I was sad to miss my nephews 2 year birthday party this past Saturday...hope you had fun, Micah! Loved your Mater cake! Wishing you all the best (yes dad, I just said "all the best"),

~Libby

The Lord has graciously, gently, lovingly taken away many things in which I had placed my feelings of security. I pray that I would use this time to be like the wise man in Jesus' parable who "built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock" Matthew 7. Isn't that an inspiring verse? The rain fell, the floods came and the wind blew but nothing took down that house! Man, Christ is THE rock and I am SO glad to know Him. Praise Him!

You may notice that I posted a few new pics FINALLY. I've been waiting to write a blog until I found my camera. Maybe next time I should just write in the meantime. Well, the pics are finally up. They are a mishmash of the last few months. My sister Nicole had requested that I take a few pics of the area we live in, so you'll see some from our road. I took Bella for a walk after a fresh snowfall and she had tons of fun in the snow. Michael had to clear our driveway several times this winter. We had almost 40 inches of snow in January alone! Thank you, Julie and Bill for the snow blower! Michael would have had an aching back without it! The road we live on is just a dirt road. It's lined with huge trees and is breathtaking after a fresh snow. I also took some pics of what it looks like out our bedroom window after one of those snowfalls. So peaceful.

Then, late in February, I took a surprise trip home to Iowa! Well, it was a surprise to my mom at least, and to Jesse too. I woke up one morning and said, "Michael, I miss my family." He said, "well you should go see them!" So, thanks to the encouragement of my husband and a bit of financial assistance from some loved ones, I was on my way. Naomi and I flew home on a Thursday morning. My dad picked us up from the airport and it was so amazing to see him. Last time I saw him in person he had dropped Naomi and I off at the airport on moving day. Although he was happy for us, it was sad to leave and here it was wonderful to be in my daddy's arms again. I got a great welcome home hug.

After picking up some diapers (something my dad hasn't done in 24 years!) we drove home. Curtis and Mom were sitting in the kitchen. While Curtis stealthily recorded on his phone, Dad walked in holding Naomi. When Mom saw Naomi, then me, she was almost speechless! She kept saying, "why are you here?" and "How did you get here?".  It was super fun to surprise here and we had a marvelous time over the weekend. I had so missed being near my family, including my adorable nephews. I love the picture of those boys on my lap. Almost makes me cry just looking at it again. I love them so much!

Since coming home, Michael and I are continually working on settling in, making decisions, and overall just getting our life going here. It takes time. so much is happening that I could write for ages. But I'll stop here. It's getting late.

~Libby

How is it possible that she has changed so much, so quickly? Although she still does not scoot, roll over, or crawl, she is more active every day. Gone are the days when I could hold her in one arm and my coffee in the opposite hand-she'll reach for it! This morning she spent five studious minutes carefully untying the laces on Michael's slippers, over and over, grasping one lace, pulling, then grasping the other, pulling again. Currently, she is seriously studying the bright pink hippo given to her by my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Mark. Another recent change is her hair. Since the first time she was in the womb, she is growing fresh wisps of brunette hair. Her little bald spot is slowly filling in, and the hair on her head is looking a bit more lush. The dimples, which are from my mother's side, show themselves with each little smirk and each hearty chuckle. One thing that has not changed, to my mother's delight, are her deep blue eyes. 

Spit bubbles are dripping down her chin as I type this. She has become adept at spitting them out, making raspberries with her lips, and even gargling the spit she produces (which is happening at this moment). I've even had to double up on bibs lately in order to keep her onesies dry. 

I love my little girl. This morning I thanked the Lord for her, as I do every day and have since I've known of her life in my womb. Today, though, I also thanked Him for what He has taught me of Himself since her birth. To know a parent's love for a child must be to know a tiny sliver of God's love to us. And how I love her! It reminds me of a wonderful song by the David Crowder Band:

Michael just left for work and Naomi is down for her first morning nap (although still making some quiet moaning noises). Another long day stretches before me. I know there are plenty of things I could do to be productive. And hopefully I will do many of those things. Just seems long, that's all. I'm sure other mothers at home can relate. It is on days like today that I miss the convenience of having family close by. It would be so nice to pack up Naomi and visit mom, Aunt Adrian, or Aunt Nicole this afternoon. I could share all the cute things Naomi is doing these days and instead of just hearing about it, they could actually see it! I could hear about family news and just rest in a home where I can be myself. 

Oh my dear Naomi, just close those beautiful blue eyes and rest. You are so tired. Mommy is close by and Daddy will be home tonight to play with and love on you. 

What does Scripture say? "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Ps 118:24. No complaining here. Today, I will choose to rejoice in the Lord! Okay, lots to do including catching up on emails, dishes and laundry. Thanks for reading...I'll post some Naomi updates later this week!

~Libby

Her wonderful Daddy has just decided to give up on any return to sleep and gotten her from her crib. She is now propped up next to me, still swaddled from the waste down. She's carefully examining her pretty little blanket...the one my mom lovingly edged with a pink zigzag border. She is SO close to sitting up on her own....just needs some gentle propping still. I'll need to get a bib on her if she's to sit there much longer. Her faucet of drool turned on recently and rarely turns off. Thank goodness for all those bibs!

Bibs makes me think of laundry (and how often I have to wash them to keep up) and the fact that she had a blow out this morning...I put the stain remover on the clothes but I haven't popped them into the washer yet...guess I have several reasons to go. 

Well, looks like I'll have to cut this post short, but just so you know, I added a few new pics to the January 2011 album so enjoy! If you'll notice, we can't resist her cute little chubby rolls lately (in most of the pics she's in just a diaper!). She loves physical play, like dancing, soaring around, and being (carefully, lightly) tossed in the air. :)

Love you all, maybe more later!

~Libby

ps-thanks for all your comments-it reassures me that you are reading this and helps me feel connected!!

1) check out my friends and family's blogs! The links are now posted here. 

2) check out the newest video! It's actually a link to Youtube where the video is posted. Naomi cannot get enough of Bella and her giggles were lovingly captured and uploaded to Youtube this week.

3) check out Michael's blog! He started one a few years ago, just never kept it up. The link is to the side, but here it is again: http://confuseditalian.blogspot.com  There's a great video of Naomi's first meal of rice cereal and the entertaining faces she made along the way.

Next up, today's thoughts. I think that the fun of not having a job outside the home ended today. It's 3:52 and although I've kept busy today, I feel as though I've done nothing. Things like doing the dishes, planning meals, taking out the trash, and changing diapers have been filling the bulk of my day. Calling the insurance company, paying bills, and other administrative duties fill in the cracks. I guess I did spend about 2 hours helping Michael by taking something to church and back...but man, the day went quickly and I feel as though so little has been accomplished. 

At first, the novelty of having time for things around the house was exhilarating. Never before had I had time for laundry, dishes, planning meals, or grocery shopping. Dusting and emptying the trash can were things I did only if I had the utmost time on a weekend. The priorities in my life were 1) spending time with Michael and my family; 2) working at NCMIC and teaching lessons. Before that I was focused on college and excelling there with my music and grades. It felt so purposeful and I had immediate rewards of good grades or even better, a paycheck at the end of the week. 

Now, even with time for cleaning, laundry, and cooking, the house is still in need of more cleaning, there is an endless list of corners to organize, the laundry never stops piling up, and there are just more meals to plan and cook (and then more dishes to be done, etc). My life of instant results is over! I am also enjoying time to spend with Michael and to help him in his ministry. I LOVE this part but again, it's not as if there is a piece of paper at the end of the day that says "Certificate of Loving Wife" for me to hang on the wall :)

I guess these thoughts reveal in me what most of you already know: I thrive on achievement. Why else would I have spent hours practicing piano, studying for exams, or teaching more and more students? Clearly, the life of motherhood does not provide the same worldly praise.

I question, is it really meaningful for me to clean the bathroom floor? What is the benefit of dusting the living room or making a full meal when only 1 or 2 people are eating it? This afternoon I am tempted to feel...purposeless. 

It would be ignorant of me to not notice and thus point out another factor in all of this: I just moved. Inevitably, my time and thus my life will fill up. Hopefully, the things that fill it up will be worthwhile for God's Kingdom. Practically speaking, it takes time to get involved in things, gain students for lessons, and manage a new routine. I realize that. I also entirely realize that my thoughts and feelings today will probably change by tomorrow when a new day will once again bring God's mercies raining (or here more likely snowing) down upon me. 

As for now, let me finish with some other thoughts I've had today. I have had so much time lately with my Savior and my husband. Michael and I's relationships with Christ and with eachother are the only ones in our lives that haven't changed. And so we cling to Christ and to eachother. This past week the Lord gave me the grace to spend time with him each and every day. This should be basic, but in my life it has not been. The result has been a deeper relationship with Christ that grabs my heart and strengthens my soul. I've had time to sit and abide with Him the way He demands in Scripture, and I've had time to read and study His word, renewing my mind. In all the uncertainties of my new life He has me running to Him, moment by moment, day by day. 

I cannot remember a time in our past when Michael and I have had so much wonderful time together. Now that I'm not working 40+ hours per week, I'm not nearly so pressed for time. I realize that one of my new roles is to really just be here for him. I suppose that's always been my role, but one that I've never rightly embraced. I have time to focus on him and just be with him. I feel so much more available to him, and I like that. My new life allows me to set my roles straight-Child of God, wife, mother, and friend. 

The result of so much time with my loving God and sweet husband has been delicious fellowship and an overwhelming feeling of love. I know more now how I am loved and how much I love. In the morning, after her first feeding of the day, I bring Naomi into the bed to chat and snuggle with Michael and me. It is a sweet time that we savor. If time together and greater love is one of the results of me staying at home with Naomi, then it is worth everything. 

I really do love being Michael's wife and Naomi's mother. Thanks for following along as I figure out these new roles that the Lord has given me. And as always, I welcome your comments and advice. I know that most stay-at-home mommies must have struggled with feeling worthwhile at some point and so I'd love to hear about your journeys and how the Lord gave you purpose.

Love,

~Libby

As small as it seems, I am grateful for little things like slippers. Sometimes I look around our little rental in-law suite and am filled with negative thoughts about all the things I don't like about it. But how can I complain? God has provided everything from a roof over our heads to cozy slippers to warm our feet and everything in between, including wonderful, fellow believers to lift up our hearts with their prayers and love. Sometimes I forget that Scripture tells us to not complain about anything. That is so difficult for me! Complaining is simply a part of my life...amazing how it eats away at my hope and hinders my ministry to others. It makes me so inward focused instead of looking up towards Christ and out towards others. 

We had a really fun week with Naomi. On Wednesday night, we started solid foods! I'll try to post the pics and videos soon to show you all how it went. Wednesday night she just twisted up her face and looked up at me as if to say, "Mommy...what is this stuff in my mouth that tastes so strange? What am I supposed to do with it?"  Thursday night she managed to ball it up in her mouth a bit...and Friday night she actually ate it! She kept opening up her mouth like a little birdie-we couldn't spoon it in fast enough! We fed her just a few tablespoons and then she still nursed for 30 minutes-what a beast! I tell you, that girls eats SO MUCH. The other night I asked Michael, How can she eat so much? He just looked at me and said, "well, she is your daughter, are you surprised?" He had a good point. 

Anyway, I'm excited about her starting on rice cereal, it's fun to feed her and maybe it means our nighttime nursing sessions won't always be soo long. She's still sensitive in big group situations, although tonight we went to a big get-together and she did okay. She was really only out in the group for about 25 minutes. At the end of that 25 minutes she started to fuss and I instantly reached for her (she was in someone else's arms). I took her upstairs to a quiet room and tried to make her smile. She wasn't having it. She just looked at me with that sad little face she gets when she's overwhelmed. 

Thankfully, she nursed great. about 45 minutes later we went back downstairs, she all tucked into her car seat. Within 10 minutes she was sound asleep. I thanked the Lord that I was able to relax and enjoy the people around me. You see, we were at Dan and Cheryl Irvin's house-he is the elder chair and they had all of the church leadership men and their wives over for dessert and fellowship. At some of our big events like that we have had to leave early, or I've been in a back room trying to calm Naomi. So, when I was able to actually participate, I was really grateful.

I was in a big, beautiful room surrounded my mature, godly Christians and I felt so humbled to be a part of the group. What a blessing! We played telephone pictionary, which was SO much fun, then prayed for eachother. It was a really encouraging evening. 

Tomorrow is another big day. I will go to church in time for Sunday School and put Naomi in Nursery. Hopefully, she will nap and I will be able to go to Sunday School. I'll have to go by myself though because Michael will be visiting the high school Sunday School. Then church, partway through I'll go nurse Naomi. After church we have the youth leaders meeting over lunch. Tomorrow night we have homegroup, just the ladies. I'm going to leave Naomi with Michael and he'll give her a bottle for her nighttime meal. We haven't done that in awhile and I'm nervous that she won't take enough. Lately, when given a bottle, she only takes a few ounces. I know she's still hungry but almost seems to not know what to do with it after those first few ounces. 

So, we'll see what happens tomorrow night. Monday is busy too, we are going to a playdate in the morning (Naomi and I of course) and then youth group Monday night! Hope we can keep up!

It is officially after 11pm so I definitely need to hit the sack. Love you all!

~Libby

Today, Naomi, Bella and I took a walk. I REALLY enjoyed getting outside for a few minutes. Naomi really likes being in her carrier now that she is big enough to face out. I dressed her in a super warm, thick jumper that David and Nicola bought her from Old Navy. It's so soft and cozy! Naomi laughed when she saw Bella running around. I couldn't see her face but I'm pretty sure she watched Bella most of the time.

Michael spent last evening and today at a men's retreat and I'm so glad he had the opportunity to go. That was something he never had at Johnston and it's just so important that while he spends so much time spiritually feeding others that he also be fed. He came home encouraged and felt that he was really starting to build some relationships with men from HBC. Praise God!

This is going to be one of our first "normal weeks".  It will be good to see how it goes and to start getting into a routine. I'm looking forward to walking with Laura on Wednesday morning (before our hubbies go to work at the church), lunch with her and a few other church ladies also on Wednesday, youth group on Monday night, and dinner with an HBC family on Tuesday night. Oh yes, and home group tomorrow night at Austin's. I hope Naomi does okay with both church and home group on Sunday...she continues to have a difficult time being out of the house very much. If anyone has any thoughts or advice on that, I'm very open to hearing them.

I hope to Google Chat with my family tomorrow afternoon as they gather to celebrate my mom's birthday (it was on Friday-Happy Birthday Mom!) I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone at once...the missing is starting to kick in these days. 

Oh yes, and you'll see a few pictures of David and Nicola-they came Saturday through Wednesday last week...it was WONDERFUL to see family! They made Naomi smile and laugh all while they were here, they took Bella out for walks and played with her, and they just overall added fun and laughter to our home for a few days. They are two young Christians who love the Lord and are so excited about their faith. We absolutely rejoice when we think of them and their faith-Praise the Lord! We spent a bit of time in Boston before dropping them off at the airport on Wednesday. They like to take fun, crazy pictures-as you can see! 

Night has fallen, Naomi is asleep, and the end of The Fugitive is on so I think I'll relax with Michael and just enjoy the movie. Goodnight all, and thanks for reading.

~Libby

I hope tonight to get online on our laptop and post some pictures and videos of our last few weeks, especially this past week when David and Nicola were here (Michael's brother and his superfun girlfriend).  Naomi is changing every day and I just want to share that with those who love her. In order for me to get on our laptop though I'll have to go to church and get the power cord, so if it doesn't happen you'll know why :)  

I tried so hard to get the laundry done yesterday but 6 loads into it I gave up. I'm almost done with the last 2 loads and I want to get them done before Naomi wakes up so I'm going to go for now. I'll try to write more later.

Love you all...

Libby

I want to note that I have the best husband ever. It's really no surprise, I know, but I just need to note it in this post. You see, Michael hates coffee. As long as I've known him he's disliked even the SMELL of it! Who hates the smell of coffee?? 

Well, despite his opinion of the caffeinated drink, my beloved provided me with my very own coffee maker for Christmas along with a bag of Dunkin Donuts coffee (which is THE brand of coffee out here!)  I am still getting over the shock and awe, and reveling in the feeling of being so loved by my man :) 

Later today we shall enjoy our traditional surf'n'turf Christmas dinner and some time worshipping our Savior whom we celebrate this day. For the moment, I think I'll enjoy a piece of fudge and a delicious hot drink :)

Love you all and Merry Christmas!

~Libby

This morning I'm spending some long overdue time with my Savior. My dad had told me it would be easy to be a Martha with all the boxes and work surrounding me. He was right. Foolishly, I thought I could be like Mary, knowing the vital importance of spending time at my Redeemer's feet. Pride certainly does come before the fall.

This passage in 1 Peter both challenges and encourages me. It tells me to set my hope fully on the grace brought by Jesus Christ. Fully! How often do I set my hope on other things? In the security of a warm home, the pleasure of good food, the sweetness of friendship. All fine things, but not where my hope should be placed! I long to be obedient, as Peter writes here in verse 14 "as obedient children". I am grateful for this passage because it shows me how to be obedient-by setting my hope fully on the grace brought by Jesus. If my mind and heart are set towards Christ, then it's okay if things don't go my way all the time. If Naomi's crying spell "ruins" our social outing, it's okay...if Michael spends an extra hour at work and I'm left alone with Naomi when all I want is his company, it's okay...if I don't have all the creature comforts that I want...it's okay. Because I have Christ. And my hope is in Him. Our hope in Christ, His life within ours, enables us to be obedient...not perfectly, not all the time, but continually striving towards obedience. Maybe today I can be a bit more obedient than I was yesterday. Thanks to the hope I have in my Lord. 

1 Peter chapter one ends with this quote from Isaiah 40 so I'll leave it here with you:

"All flesh is like grass

and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers,

and the flower falls,

but the Word of the Lord remains forever." 

Amen!

She and Michael had some good daddy-daughter time this morning. He's been gone a lot in the evenings and doesn't come home until she's in bed, so they both really enjoyed it (and I enjoyed a little time off from mommy-duty).  

Michael ran his first "The Commons" youth group night at HBC on Monday. I thought it went SO well. When we got there, one of the youth had drawn a pic of him and his lovely beard on the white board (pic included).  It was so funny and so good to see that they already feel like they can give him a hard time about things. Naomi and I got to church around 5:30 and had supper with Michael, then we were able to join him for most of the night!  The students first had chat/hangout/eat snacks time, then played a fun game and finally had a short lesson. I was really impressed by the students' dedication to youth group. One girl set up the snack table without being asked-and went over and above, decorating it for Christmas, making hot cocoa and lemonade, etc. Another student set up the tables and chairs-without being asked! They also stayed for tear down at the end. It was really encouraging to see how committed they are to their youth group!

Yesterday, Michael, Naomi and I went to look at houses with our real estate agent, John. Please pray for us as we try to navigate these new, stormy waters of buying a home! We're really considering one that we saw, but it's so hard to weigh all the pros and cons and make such a huge decision! 

Today I'm going to have coffee with Laura, the associate pastor's wife and I'm really looking forward to it. More later!

~Libby

I don't know that I've ever missed that party. Steak fondue, cheesy potatoes, homemade bread and delicious salad. Grandma's mushroom sauce for the steak, and mom's hot fruit salad that she and Uncle Mark love so much. My Dad and Aunt Cindy love the herring (yep, you heard me, pickled herring) and of course the always delicious cheeseball that Aunt Cindy makes. I wonder if she brought the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts this year? Oh yumm.....

I hope that Grandma is feeling well and enjoying herself. I'm sure everyone misses Grandpa this year. He's having the best Christmas ever this year! With Jesus Himself! Praise the Lord!

Well, I do feel sad that I am missing the party. My evening consisted of putting the bathroom stuff away (finally another room unpacked, hurray!), doing a load of laundry, nursing Naomi and putting her to bed, sipping hot apple cider with my hubby, and eating delicious gluten-free lasagna at 9:30 at night (we had a really late lunch, so why not a really late supper?).  Overall, a pretty great evening as far as I'm concerned, so I have absolutely no right to feel sorry for myself. And afterall, as I said in an earlier post, God has immensely poured His love out upon us through the people of Heritage Bible Chapel. Here is a listing of all the ways they have blessed us so far (and I'm sure I'll miss some)

John Vedoe-The day after we received the offer for the position here, John Vedoe set aside his plans for the day and instead researched and showed us several houses. He is a real estate agent at the church and he'll be ours as we continue to search.  He also did the legwork in finding us this in-law suite in which we are staying. I think it was actually his contractor that suggested it? But he has been the in-between for us which has been very helpful. This week he emailed Michael to see if I wanted to be in the Christmas choir, even though I'd be joining late-I'm so excited!

Brian Traylor and the other youth leader guys-about 20 of them showed up at the house on Sunday before Michael and Curtis arrived. They unloaded the ENTIRE truck of stuff. When Michael came, it was all done already. Talk about a load off his shoulders!! This blew us away and we can't be grateful enough. 

At 4:30 on Sunday night Michael and Curtis sat in the Heritage parking lot wondering what to do for supper. Just then, Joan (Pastor Eric's wife) called and suggested they come to her house for supper. They had a warm meat and potatoes meal after a long day of driving. I think she even served them turkey with gravy...something even Curtis likes :)

Pastor Eric and Joan offered their house to Curtis and Michael on Sunday night, and then to Michael, Naomi and I when we arrived on Monday. We actually stayed through Wednesday morning which was a tremendous help! Our house was still lined with boxes and we had no food in the refrigerator. Joan even had a loaf of gluten free bread in the house! SO thoughtful!  Their generosity in lending their home to us those few days were God's way of helping us keep our sanity. It was much easier to face a day of unpacking after a good night's rest and a solid breakfast. And I'm sure it was the same for Michael as he faced his first few days in the office.

At Heritage, Michael was provided with furniture in his office and taken out to lunch each day he worked this week. Pastor Eric told us on Wednesday that the benevolence committee is giving us $300 to help us refill our refrigerator and pick up other miscellaneous items that tend to get left behind or thrown out during a move. Today we used that to buy things such as a rug for the front door (we were using the intern house's before), a drying rack for the dishes (only a single sink), and various other similar items. Little things that make a big difference. Another unexpected gift. 

On Sunday night, Michael had commented how beautiful Pastor Eric and Joan's Christmas tree was. It's his favorite, a Frasier fir. They said they are going out of town this weekend and will be away over Christmas, so why don't we take it? On Wednesday afternoon I received a knock on the door. Lo and behold! It's Pastor Eric with the Christmas tree! (they live next door). They had simply undressed the tree and carried it over! Suddenly our home is filled with the lovely fragrance of the tree! (now if only I can find time to decorate it this weekend...)

Earlier this week, Allison Graham, a member of HBC (Heritage Bible Chapel), contacted Michael and said she is head of the meals ministry. Many people had expressed a desire to provide us with a meal, so each night this week we had a hot, delicious meal prepared. Hence the gluten free lasagna tonight! We've also enjoyed beef stew, shepherd's pie and barbecue chicken! All have been wonderfully gluten free for Michael to eat. Lucinda, who brought the beef stew, even listed the ingredients in her card to us just to make sure! So sweet!

Tuesday night Allison called me, said that she and 3 other stay-at-home mom's were getting together at Jody's house to chat on Wednesday morning. The kids play (they decorated Christmas cookies) and the mom's get coffee and some adult conversation. They wanted to invite me! She drove by my house the next morning and I followed her to Gardner, where Jody lives. I enjoyed a morning of great conversation and adorable toddlers and babies. I learned more about the women's ministries at HBC and witnessed mom's that I can really look up to. Since I won't be around my sisters so much anymore I was hoping to find other moms to connect with. God is already providing (but Nicole and Adrian, NOBODY can replace you!! I still need you too!!)

The most recent expression of generosity was from Laura, Pastor Jason's wife. She called yesterday and invited us to a Christmas Eve party and also to their immediate family's Christmas dinner. I need to call her back yet, but I think we've decided to spend Christmas day as a family just Michael, Naomi and I. But we'll definitely go to the Christmas Eve party. How extraordinarily kind to invite us to their own family's Christmas dinner! I am blown away.

God, you have showered us with blessings that we cannot even begin to deserve. Your love is humbling and I know that you are immensely glorified by the kindness of your servants at Heritage. Thank you!

~The steadfast love the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is you faithfulness! Lam 3:22-23

Last night Naomi was up at 12:30am and 4:30am...what?? What happened to the lovely 8 hour stretches she did last week at mom and dad's house? Oh...dear. And at 4:30 I thought, she really doesn't NEED to eat  now, so I rocked her first and she was SO CLOSE to sleep when she suddenly remembered that she wanted to eat. So I fed her, she slept and then so did I, finally :)

It has got to be at least 10 degrees difference in temperature between the front of our home (living/kitchen) and the back bedroom. It gets SO warm in the bedroom, despite the thermostate being set at 67. Need to figure something out there...

The Kitchen!! Speaking of which, it is ALMOST finished...yippeee!!!! No dishwasher yet but that should be coming soon. Until then, trying to stay on top of the dishes (as I say this, supper dishes are still in the sink-oops!)  I am however, breathing a sigh of relief now that I can make meals, get a snack, and make tea in my own kitchen. 

Okay, I've got to go do some online Christmas shopping-more later!

This home in Hubbardston is quite interesting...if I were to describe it I would say, it's the big brown house at the end of the cal-de-sac with sea foam green doors. yep! sea foam green...makes me think of my college freshman roommate...she had a seafoam green prom dress. Yum!

Another notable feature: no mirror in the bathroom. When standing at the mirror, you look at a lovely...cupboard. Yep, a cupboard. I need to figure out how to deal with that. At this point I am clueless.

My first shower in the house was Monday after a long day of travel. I looked forward to the soothing warmth of a hot shower. In fact, the shower was hot, but the holes on the showerhead were so small that I felt as though I was being pelted with small needles-youch! First thing on the todo list: ask Michael to put OUR showerhead in there. 

I'll keep up with more later. Tomorrow, I'll try to post all the AMAZING things that the Heritage Bible Chapel family has done for us since even before we arrived. God has been pouring out His love through His body. Praise Him!

Naomi and I's flight was scheduled to leave at 7:10am on Monday morning. We arrived at the airport and made it through security with no commotion. I knew I had to gate-check the car seat so as soon as I arrived at the gate (6:45) I unpacked her from the car seat. She was scheduled to eat at 7am and had been awake since 6:15, so I knew time was tight. It was warm in the waiting room.

We did not board until 7:15, and Naomi was on the verge of serious fussing. I was able to board first, which was great, except for one thing. I needed to nurse Naomi. Soon. And I was given an aisle seat. That meant that when the window seat person came, I'd have to stand up and let him or her in. I couldn't do that while nursing. So I tried in vain to keep Naomi distracted while I waited....and waited.... Eventually a woman came in, gave me the window seat, and took her seat in the aisle. Once she sat down, I had less than a normal seat left...(is that clear enough?) It was tight. 

I finally fed Naomi and the woman next to me was SO kind and understanding. I had hoped that Naomi would fall asleep soon after eating, but my dear daughter is not much of a snuggler and doesn't fall asleep well while being held (I know, weird, right?).  It's nice most of the time, but when we're on a 2 hour flight and she can't sleep, it's not so nice. She's a bit fussy, which puts me on edge. Soon I hear a very familiar sound...my adorable daughter filling her diaper. I cringe...waiting, even saying a prayer that the diaper is enough to hold it all in...soon my hands on her back feel wet, and my shoulders droop. Another blow out. Not here on the plane! I'm stuck in this seat! The woman next to me is sleeping and I cannot get over to the bathroom. What will I do?? I'm agonizing over this thought when I realize that I really have no choice. I need to change her there, in my lap. 

As I am thinking through this, she continues to fill her diaper and beyond. Soon I realize this is the LARGEST DIAPER BLOW OUT OF ALL TIME!!! Nearly all the way up her back and around the sides, going through 2 layers of clothing and onto the blanket I'm holding her in. 

Needless to say, the next 20 minutes were stressful. I didn't want to gross anyone out, or get in trouble with the flight attendants for changing a NASTY diaper right then and there. But I really don't have a choice! So I take a little break whenever the attendant comes by, and try to cover things up when my seat partner wakes up a bit. Oh man, it had to have taken AT LEAST 20 minutes to change that diaper. I used all my wipes except ONE. She's only semi-clean, but it's got to be good enough for now. 

Then I realize, I HAVE NO WHERE TO PUT THE DIRTY CLOTHES, DIAPER, or WIPES. I ask the flight attendant for a trash bag (all while hiding what I need to put in that trash bag) and she says, "sure! I'll get you one from up front!". She goes up front. She stays up front and never brings a big. 10 minutes goes by and I've got a smelly, poopy diaper next to me and a handful of wipes in the pocket in front of me, nasty clothes wrapped up in an oversize burp cloth and NO TRASH BAG. I hit the "call attendant" button (felt so bad, never have done that before but I had to!) The OTHER attendant came by, I continued to hide the nasty diaper and I asked her for a trash bag. FINALLY I get one. Then, it dawns on me that unless I want to throw away the clothes I really should have asked for 2 bags. I get creative. I put the clothes in the bottom of the bag, twisted it several times and then put in the diaper, then twisted it some more to hopefully keep that diaper mess from getting on ANYTHING else. Whew! Crisis averted. 

Good news: Naomi slept for 2 hours straight on the 2nd flight, and another 2 hours on the car ride from the airport to the house. Now that's my girl.