Big News!

As many of you know if you've been reading this blog, I was accepted a year ago into a midwife-training program that trains midwives on the mission field. Mercy Maternity Center is the school's charity-based birthing center that serves thousands of impoverished women each year.

We have gone back and forth trying to listen to God's voice and see if this is where He wants our family to go for 2 1/2 years for mission work. After a year of praying, the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit continues to whisper "go." Because our God is all-loving, always faithful and because He holds our future in His hands, we want to follow Him where He is leading and we are beginning this journey of moving to the Philippines to serve the poor in Davao City.

This is so exciting and so scary at the same time! So many thoughts and emotions run through my mind. It is very hard to think about leaving our family and close friends behind for 2.5 years. I am finding many words of comfort from His precious Word and also while reading a biography of Amy Carmichael's life. She was a missionary to India in the late 1800's/early 1900's and her life work was rescuing and caring for children who had been trapped in temple prostitution. When God called her to be a missionary she wrote a long letter to her mother. This is one of my favorite quotes from the letter:

"Many difficulties have risen in my mind; they seem very great, the "crooked places" seem very crooked. But it seems to me that all He asks is that we should take the one step He shows us, and in simplest, most practical trust leave all results to Him."

So, that's what we're trying to do. Just simply take the next step that He shows us and leave all the results to Him. If He is the one calling us to go, then He will make a way for it to happen. :-) We'll keep you updated :-)

Happy New Year!

Making Gingerbread Men

The girls wanted to help me make gingerbread men the other day. Kyla did a great job stirring and then Avery decided to give it a try...

Avery had so much fun and then the spatula went way up in the air along with a ton of flour which landed on Kyla of course, as you can see!


We all had a great laugh... it was so hillarious!

A spring december day

Our girls are just not getting outside enough for free play and time to explore nature. It's really hard to want to bundle two kiddos up when it's very cold outside only have them tell you after 5 minutes that they want to go back inside! I'm such a wimp when it comes to the cold and lately the mornings have been in the lower 30's and the afternoons haven't been much more than 40 degrees....if that.

Yesterday and today we were blessed with some very warm weather for December. Today was kind of rainy and overcast, but it got up to 70 degrees. After the girls woke up from their naps we went down to a little creek in our neighborhood which is behind the playground. There were lots of rocks, sticks, leaves, dirt and mud. The girls had a blast!

The sticks became fishing poles, the leaves became fish swimming in the water, and the big rocks became their house. Avery giggled with delight as she sunk her foot in the mud and then watched it come out all sticky. Kyla spent most of her time gathering different sticks and using them to catch "fish".

I think it's their new favorite place to go...they had so much fun!

Creating an Advent Tradition

Last night Pete and I were talking about what we want our children to remember about Christmas. So, beginning one week late we are going to start celebrating the season of Advent by lighting candles representing hope, peace, joy, love and then finally the Christ candle on Christmas.
On another blog I even read how there are even Advent spirals that you walk around which represents the journey Mary took as she carried baby Jesus inside her womb. Children walk around holding candles and when they get to the center of the spiral, they place their candles on a piece of wood. I thought that sounded so meaningful and something that would definitely leave lasting impression in a child's mind.
The last thing we want is our children to think Christmas is about getting toys. I will be the first to admit it is fun to buy the girls toys. A few good quality toys that spark the imagination can become heirlooms handed down the generations. Handmade toys are great or toys that are made from workers who get paid a fair wage. What saddens my heart about the season is the commercialism. I will never understand how people wait in long lines to save money on gifts on black friday. It is so sad to read the story of the Walmart employee that was trampled to death in Manhattan. And, then another story of someone who was killed at Toys R us on black friday. Someone's life was taken away and all because of a bunch of people wanting to be first and hurrying to buy the latest plasma-screen TV or iPod.
Could you even imagine if everyone just slowed down and spent more time with their family baking Christmas cookies as their gifts for friends and neighbors? What if everyone turned off the television so all of the ads for toys and various gadgets were not being thrown in their faces?

In the mornings we get our little nativity set down and I tell the girls the Christmas story as best as I can so they will understand. I asked Kyla why do we give a gift at Christmas time? And she said "because the wise men brought gifts to Jesus when He was a born baby."

So, that's what it's about.

May you enjoy your family traditions this Christmas, and enjoy creating new ones!

"Look what I made!"

I saw on another mom's homeschool blog some of these very easy button ornaments she made with her kids. So, Kyla made one today and had the best time threading the buttons on the wire!

Then we finished it off with a sparkling bow and ta-da!
A pretty ornament for the tree!

Kyla is a Poet

On our long drive to Richmond, VA for thanksgiving we were listening to Christmas carols on the radio. Both of our girls are loving Christmas carols and are picking up the words very fast!

Kyla told us while we were driving, "Mommy and Daddy?" she asked, "Yes, Kyla?". "When I listen to Christmas songs my heart feels like snow."

Do we have a young poet in our family? :-)

Sister Love

"Mommy, I'm Mary and this is baby Jesus."

I had two Marys in my house today :-)

And this is baby Jesus!

My Utmost for His Highest

Every now and then I read from "My Utmost for His Highest". I wanted to share a quote that spoke to me today about obeying God.

"...God never coerces us. Sometimes we wish He would make us be obedient, and at other times we wish He would leave us alone. Whenever God's will is in complete control, He removes all pressure. And when we deliberately choose to obey Him, He will reach to the remotest star and to the ends of the earth to assist us with all of His almighty power."

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." Hebrews 10:35,36

"See Me Read!!"

Kyla has been reading for a couple months now from a recommended book, "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons." It's a phenomenal book for homeschooling or just to simply help your child to read. I wasn't planning to start until Kindergarten with her, but she kept pointing to words and asking us what they say so this summer we thought it might be time to start slowly.

We probably only do 1 lesson a week with her. But here are her words and sentences that she's reading now.

Am
At
See
Mad
Sad
Sat
Eat
Me
Mat
Hat
...and some others.

Here are the 3 sentences she's been reading:
"See me eat"
"See me read"
"Mad at me"

Quotes for Monday

“God is using all of your experiences, good and bad, to develop your character and to match your calling. After all, dear friend, you will never know how God will use you until you let him.”
- Elizabeth Elliott ( I think!)

"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know" --Jeremiah 33:3

The whole chapter of Isaiah 58

High-fructose corn syrup

High-fructose corn syrup is twenty times sweeter than sucrose, it is cheap to make, and convenient for food manufacturers because it retains moisture. It blends well with other ingredients and extends the shelf life of products. It's no wonder it seems to be in almost everything we eat: from whole grain bread, ketchup and spaghetti sauce to cookies and yogurt.

The Journal of Clinical Nutrition began to link high- fructose corn syrup to the rise in obesity because of the specific way it is metabolized in the body. However, corn syrup manufacturers want more research to be done on this topic.

One for sure fact is that it does absolutely nothing to improve one's overall health and wellness. The "free" fructose in corn syrup can disrupt the heart's use of minerals and it also decreases the ability of white blood cells to fight infections. Furthermore, according to several research studies and also Dr. Neustaedter, OMD, "fructose inhibits the hormones that make us feel full (insulin and leptin), and it triggers the hormone that makes us feel hungry (ghrelin). "

The good news is that it is possible to avoid high-fructose corn syrup. Trader Joe's is where we get about 95% of all of our groceries and none of their products contain this ingredient. (In addition, they also do not sell products that contain artificial colors, preservatives, or hydrogenated oils).

New Pictures

Random thoughts and musings

TODAY

Today is very windy and cold and it feels like winter here in Charlotte. I had a little get-together with some of the students from my childbirth classes and one of my doula clients. Their babies were born in the last several months and I had heard from some of the mothers off and on that they were having a hard time feeling isolated and alone.

So, babies and coffee was born and we met at Dilworth coffee on this windy, autumn day in Charlotte. I don't know if we'll meet at a coffee shop each time (my 2 toddlers were on the wilder side sitting in a coffee shop for 1.5 hours!), but at least everyone got to meet other mommies! It was a good time.

THE PHILIPPINES

I haven't written much on my blog about the Philippines and going to New Life International School of Midwifery next year. Most of the time I think about writing and then I don't. I think I'm in a very "speechless" state right now. Pete and I are just doing a lot of praying and waiting on the Lord. I feel an unusually strong tug on my heart to go. This "tugging" only gets stronger when I go to church and the pastor speaks on Jonah. It gets stronger when I pick up my Bible and read just about any passage. Only stronger when I talk to God about it. It's the same "tug" I felt when Jesus called me to himself and asked me to give my life to Him. I don't know what to do with this very "Holy Spirit" type of tugging. It seems like we just need to obey and go! And then the doubts pop up...one after another..."What if we don't raise all the money?"....."What about vaccines for Avery? She had (mild) allergic reactions to the only 2 shots she's ever had."...."what about her skin?"...."what will life be like as a family in the Philippines?"......"what will our families think?" (...ummmm....let's just say that they aren't exactly thrilled with the idea of us moving across the world...)

AVERY's ECZEMA

Avery is being treated by an acupuncturist with an allergy-elimination technique called NAET. So far, it seems to be working, but only time will tell. Currently, her skin looks almost beautiful. And she is happier and happier every day. And, she's no longer allergic to dairy!!! yippeeeee!!
We just praise God and thank him for each and every day that Avery is happy and not scratching. And yesterday and today were days like that. Slowly and surely we are all getting our sanity back :-)

ME

I love being a doula. I'm excited to one day become a midwife, but there is no other word to describe how much I love helping other moms as a doula right now. Whether it is educating them on childbirth and breastfeeding, encouraging them, supporting them and praying for them. It is a ministry in and of itself. I feel so blessed each time I meet with a new mom-to-be.

I started seeing a chiropractor. I've only been two times and I don't remember the last time my back and neck felt so good. My neck and back have been bothering me a lot since the little ones came along. So, this is a huge blessing. :-)

...and then came Jonah.

We get emails from friends off and on asking us how things are going with our decision about moving to the Philippines for missionary work with New Life International School of Midwifery.

Please visit my husband's blog for the latest updates on our thought process about the Philippines. He has done a wonderful job and conveying how we are feeling and what we are thinking and he has several entries posted about this.

There you will read about why I entitled this entry "...and then came Jonah."

Beautiful Ballerinas

Our girls LOVE to dress up...

Molly and Omar's Wedding

It was a privilage to see our good friend, Molly McLellen, and to meet her husband, Omar and photograph their wedding. We also got to meet their precious daugther, Libby! They had their 2nd wedding in Abingdon, VA this weekend (their first was in Los Angeles) on a gorgeous fall day! The day could not have been more beautiful.