Ready or not, here we go...
That was how I felt as Labor Day weekend approached! My goal was to begin school again after Labor Day. The lack of routine and structure for the older kids especially was really wearing on all of us. After an extended break, I felt as if we were dealing with more squabbles and bickering than usual and general wild (though fairly harmless) behavior especially with the older boys, whose energy really needs more of a release than our house-bound, schedule-less summer allowed for.
On Labor Day itself we wanted to get out of the house and do something different, so we drove to Gaeta to Split Mountain--I'll have to blog about that later with pics. That evening I was a bit in a panic, because I knew our "usual" school schedule needed to be thrown out the window now that we had a newborn in the house! I didn't have time or energy to figure out HOW to do school; I just knew that we HAD to start for my sanity as well as for the kids' education, ha!
God mercifully gave me a brain burst that evening...instead of scheduling every little thing (which really does help us focus and get a lot done as a general rule), we are in a season during which "chunking" our time is going to be the best approach. The older kids are far enough along that they can do a lot more independent work; plus, we need to give them opportunities to practice good time management skills (don't we all need to work on that?!) plus prove they can be responsible.
So our school days generally look something like this:
8:00 - 9:00 Breakfast, devotions, clean-up, morning chores, "hygiene time" (Laugh if you must, but the boys needed "Put on deodorant" and "Brush teeth" ON THEIR CHECKLIST!! They shower at night, but with the heat we were having when school began, they were already smelling ripe by the time mid-morning arrived!)
9:00 - 11:00 While I work with Kenna (reading lesson, math, handwriting) and do some reading aloud with her and the little boys, the older kids work on their quiet time (Bible reading, AWANA review, memory verses) math, language arts, to include their current reader, grammar, vocab, and a writing assignment each week (sometimes I still need to be involved with this--we just juggle), Rosetta Stone (Italian lessons), and independent reading (sometimes history, sometimes science).
11:00 - 1:00 The older kids are supposed to be practicing piano/violin during this time while I get lunch ready, but so far none of them has shown much initiative! They seem to be more interested in free time--it probably doesn't help that I allow them to have free time when they finish their 9-11 block activities, so it's hard for them to keep track of that. I don't really want anyone to begin practicing music until everyone else is finished with their work, since the piano is right in the middle of our work area, so I'm not sure how to work this other than encouraging them to be mindful of the time and take responsibility for their activities...much easier said than done, sigh. Usually it dawns on me in the middle of the afternoon or even later that I never did hear any music, and then I do try to make the kids do their practicing then so they aren't completely getting away with not practicing at all...but there are days when it just doesn't happen. So this needs improvement...
Anyway, we have lunch and clean up during this time as well, plus get Zaden ready for his nap. I try to get some quiet activities ready for Lucan and Zaden (half the time Arden ends up playing with them too, LOL) for the next block of our day.
1:00 - ?? This is the time when we gather to do the rest of the older kids' schedule. We read and discuss a Bible passage, pray for missionaries, sometimes read from a book highlighting 100 cities with prayer points, and go over our history and science. I check any independent work that I didn't get to check during the morning as well. It's a fun time of engaging with Charis, Tobin, and Arden, hearing them process ideas and pray out loud, and discussing things that make me delight in the privilege of being such an integral part of their growth. Some days we don't finish until 3 or 3:30 (usually when our last chunk of time starts later than 1:00 for whatever reason). Other days I hurry us up so that I can attempt to get a nap in while Zaden is still asleep.
We just completed our third week using the "chunked" time schedule, and I have to say that overall, it has been pretty successful. Charis has figured out that she can maximize her free time by getting out of bed earlier instead of dragging down to breakfast at the last minute...also by happily setting about her work instead of moping her way through the less-favored assignments. Her attitude has been positively sparkly! And the boys are s-l-o-w-l-y learning to take more responsibility without me nagging...but this will be a work in progress with all of us!
September 20, 2013
September 12, 2013
Random Notes about Life in Naples
* August 16 marked our one-year-in-Italy anniversary! That was also the day we brought Seanin home from the hospital! If you had told us we'd add another family member a year after we walked off the plane, I wonder what we would have thought then?!
* One funny thing about it being summer and people having windows open...we get a real taste of Italian family life vicariously! Wow, they are loud! Makes me feel better about my boys shouting and thumping and our littles screaming or crying!
* Speaking of loud neighbors, karaoke parties seem to be very popular here. You know they are finally winding down when you hear the fireworks.
* We have recently learned about the dreaded tiger mosquito, determining that these are in fact what we have called "mutant mosquitoes," which are the bane of our existence here in Napoli. Mosquitoes in general are horrific here. Unfortunately, our landlord has only arranged for our yard to be landscaped ONCE in the 11 months we have lived in this house (it was done in April), so the jungle-like quality of our yard has undoubtedly contributed to the problem. We are working with the housing office to get this taken care of, but there are also other house issues that need to be taken care of; I feel bad complaining about a junky-looking yard, but it HAS been frustrating to not feel like we are able to enjoy the beautiful area outside the house. The kids don't want to play outside because of the mosquitoes, and we have kids who wouldn't be able to see over the weeds!!
* While it has been a very hot and humid summer, more noticeable because of the lack of central air in our house (we do have units on the main floor, in our bedroom, and on the third floor--the latter of which is very inefficient because of the large space and tremendous amount of heat up there), we were so relieved and thankful to have the heat break a bit in August. Opening the house up in the early mornings has helped us be able to not use the A/C units much at all during the day, though Ted and I still turn ours on in the evenings to cool our room down so we can sleep comfortably.
* When I'm not too pressed for time, I generally try to hang our laundry out to dry. I love the smell of clothes dried in the sunshine! I figure since we're paying extra for using air conditioning, the least I can do to offset the cost is try not to use the dryer--PLUS it really heats up the 3rd floor even more!
* They weren't kidding when they told us life pretty much stops around here during the month of August. Most Italians take their vacation then. Stores/shops are completely closed. One of our fruit stands closed up shop for at least 2 weeks. Things are dead...unless you're on a road that leads to a beach. Then you get to sit in traffic for upwards of an hour or more. We had just started to figure out better times and routes for our own activities when September arrived and brought about more normalcy!
* An Italian cleaning lady really is a must. I was desperate for Stella to return from her August vacation! I just can't keep up with these tile floors! Of course, having a baby in the middle of the month didn't help, LOL. We were so excited to hear from Stella, not only to learn that we are getting back to our regular cleaning schedule (which involves having her grandson Salvatore over to play and work on English), but also because she told us the news that her daughter, Salvatore's mom, is pregnant with twins!! This was delightful news, as we knew she had been trying to have another child for years. We had actually joined with them in prayer about this...now we need to pray for a healthy pregnancy and healthy babies! So fun!
* One funny thing about it being summer and people having windows open...we get a real taste of Italian family life vicariously! Wow, they are loud! Makes me feel better about my boys shouting and thumping and our littles screaming or crying!
* Speaking of loud neighbors, karaoke parties seem to be very popular here. You know they are finally winding down when you hear the fireworks.
* We have recently learned about the dreaded tiger mosquito, determining that these are in fact what we have called "mutant mosquitoes," which are the bane of our existence here in Napoli. Mosquitoes in general are horrific here. Unfortunately, our landlord has only arranged for our yard to be landscaped ONCE in the 11 months we have lived in this house (it was done in April), so the jungle-like quality of our yard has undoubtedly contributed to the problem. We are working with the housing office to get this taken care of, but there are also other house issues that need to be taken care of; I feel bad complaining about a junky-looking yard, but it HAS been frustrating to not feel like we are able to enjoy the beautiful area outside the house. The kids don't want to play outside because of the mosquitoes, and we have kids who wouldn't be able to see over the weeds!!
* While it has been a very hot and humid summer, more noticeable because of the lack of central air in our house (we do have units on the main floor, in our bedroom, and on the third floor--the latter of which is very inefficient because of the large space and tremendous amount of heat up there), we were so relieved and thankful to have the heat break a bit in August. Opening the house up in the early mornings has helped us be able to not use the A/C units much at all during the day, though Ted and I still turn ours on in the evenings to cool our room down so we can sleep comfortably.
* When I'm not too pressed for time, I generally try to hang our laundry out to dry. I love the smell of clothes dried in the sunshine! I figure since we're paying extra for using air conditioning, the least I can do to offset the cost is try not to use the dryer--PLUS it really heats up the 3rd floor even more!
* They weren't kidding when they told us life pretty much stops around here during the month of August. Most Italians take their vacation then. Stores/shops are completely closed. One of our fruit stands closed up shop for at least 2 weeks. Things are dead...unless you're on a road that leads to a beach. Then you get to sit in traffic for upwards of an hour or more. We had just started to figure out better times and routes for our own activities when September arrived and brought about more normalcy!
* An Italian cleaning lady really is a must. I was desperate for Stella to return from her August vacation! I just can't keep up with these tile floors! Of course, having a baby in the middle of the month didn't help, LOL. We were so excited to hear from Stella, not only to learn that we are getting back to our regular cleaning schedule (which involves having her grandson Salvatore over to play and work on English), but also because she told us the news that her daughter, Salvatore's mom, is pregnant with twins!! This was delightful news, as we knew she had been trying to have another child for years. We had actually joined with them in prayer about this...now we need to pray for a healthy pregnancy and healthy babies! So fun!
August 26, 2013
Seanin's Nursing Saga
Those who prayed us through Ted's deployment are undoubtedly familiar with all the nursing/feeding woes we experienced with Zaden--starting with his drastic weight loss in the first two weeks, followed by a supplemental nursing system for 4 weeks, followed by recurring blocks and infections. (For a timeline, view this post, although we had issues probably another 2 months AFTER this was written, culminating with me visiting a specialist in Cincinnati.)
Anyway. After that traumatic year, you can well imagine that throughout this pregnancy I often had to wrestle with some fear demons that reared their ugly head, taunting me that things would be no different with Seanin--I was doomed to nursing failure. I spent much time in prayer combating this, over and over giving my body and our baby to the Lord's hands and reaffirming His strength and power and my trust in Him.
I was delighted when Seanin seemed to nurse so well right off the bat, but our second day in the hospital found me with a very sore blister on my right side (the side with all the troubles during Zaden's nursing days) because his latch wasn't deep enough. At home a couple of days later, the blister had toughened to the point that it was blocking the escape of milk, and I was fighting a rising panic that threatened to totally consume me. Even though this blister was different from what had kicked off all my troubles with Zaden, the results were seemingly similar. Much prayer and an SOS to some fellow nursing moms ensued. I gritted my teeth and sloughed off the blister, hoping and praying for quick healing once the milk was able to flow freely again. And we continued to work on Seanin's latch, which somehow seemed pretty decent on the left side but just wasn't working on the right. (I couldn't even nurse him in the cross-cradle hold until just a few days ago--we had to do the football hold.)
I was in touch with the lactation consultant, who is wonderful, but I hadn't been able to reach her at the early part of this because she wasn't on duty. It was during that time that one of my mom friends sent me some links to check out tongue and lip ties. I had heard of tongue ties before, but never lip ties! I looked at the pictures and checked Seanin's mouth. Lo and behold--a very pronounced lip tie!
Now I was curious. I checked all of my children. Amazingly...and yet not...Kenna and Zaden have major lip ties, too! The two children I had the most nursing difficulties with! Zaden's troubles were epic, but Kenna's story, in a nutshell, involves an almost-total refusal to nurse for about 8 days after my milk came in (I'm not sure to this day how we kept the child alive, because she wouldn't take a bottle either--feeding sessions were total meltdowns for all of us involved), followed by yeast/thrush, followed by her quitting my right side at 8 months and finally pushing me away for good by 10.5 months. She never was a great nurser, and I felt lucky that we even made it that long, honestly.
I am so grateful for this new information! There is such a sense of freedom in knowing that there was a BIG physical contributing factor to the trials I had experienced with nursing these precious souls! I had always assumed stress was the biggest factor in Zaden's troubles, since Ted was in Afghanistan the first 9 months of Zaden's life, and it wasn't until after his return that things finally seemed to resolve. I'm sure stress WAS a factor, but oh! It was so good to know that the lip tie must have heavily influenced things, too!
Check out this list of problems Baby and Mom may have when a lip tie is present (my comments in brackets):
We were at the doctor's for his exam within an hour. At first Dr. O wanted me to see the lactation consultant and see what SHE thought--THEN give me a referral. I asked if there was any reason we couldn't just get a referral right away. I told him the LC and I had been communicating and she was aware of the issue; furthermore, we had observed that my 6-year-old has a gap in her front teeth BECAUSE OF the lip tie--you can see the frenulum connecting her upper lip and where her teeth split! So he did end up giving me the referral to ENT.
Unfortunately, when I walked over to ENT to schedule the appointment, we found out that the referral was a general one, which means they could only give me a "first-available" appointment slot, as opposed to an acute referral which could have gotten us in earlier. As it stands now, we go in on September 9, but that doesn't guarantee us a lip tie snip that day--there is a good chance the ENT doc will examine him and then schedule the procedure for a separate time. Sigh.
Thankfully, Seanin's latch issues all of a sudden seemed to get better...his lower jaw is relaxing more, he is opening wider, and he really must not be taking in extra air, as he isn't gassy or pukey at all. So while I still think we need to deal with the lip tie, it's more for the sake of his future dental health and language skills (lip ties can cause lisps as well) than for nursing, although since I have Zaden's nursing history as a reference, I think it certainly would be beneficial to make sure Seanin can continue a good latch all throughout his nursing career so that I NEVER have to deal with a blocked duct or breast infection again!
It's been so interesting to learn all of this with child number seven! God forbid I would ever think I know it all, LOL! I do have to wonder how many moms who wanted to nurse their babies but felt they couldn't maybe actually COULD have if their doctors/nurses/midwives would have simply checked for tongue and lip ties immediately after birth?! From what I understand, a quick snip at that point is virtually painless and would allow better chances of nursing success right from the start. At least I have the information myself and can share with moms as the opportunity arises.
So, currently, I am pleased to report that Seanin is nursing like a pro now, peeing and pooping like crazy and already growing like a weed. (When we saw the doc on Thursday, he was 8 days old and had grown one inch and was up to 8 pounds, 14 ounces, having left the hospital at 8 pounds, 5 ounces!) Unlike my sleepy Zaden, whom I had to wake through the night to nurse in the early weeks, Seanin will NOT miss a feeding, ha! Every three hours at night he wakes me up! Now and then I wake him during the day, but usually he is ready to feed on his own.
I will never again take for granted the privilege of nursing my baby and thank God for allowing us to leap through these early nursing hurdles so well...aside from a few days of a sore right nipple, this has honestly been the easiest nursing transition I think we've ever had! Praise the Lord!
Anyway. After that traumatic year, you can well imagine that throughout this pregnancy I often had to wrestle with some fear demons that reared their ugly head, taunting me that things would be no different with Seanin--I was doomed to nursing failure. I spent much time in prayer combating this, over and over giving my body and our baby to the Lord's hands and reaffirming His strength and power and my trust in Him.
I was delighted when Seanin seemed to nurse so well right off the bat, but our second day in the hospital found me with a very sore blister on my right side (the side with all the troubles during Zaden's nursing days) because his latch wasn't deep enough. At home a couple of days later, the blister had toughened to the point that it was blocking the escape of milk, and I was fighting a rising panic that threatened to totally consume me. Even though this blister was different from what had kicked off all my troubles with Zaden, the results were seemingly similar. Much prayer and an SOS to some fellow nursing moms ensued. I gritted my teeth and sloughed off the blister, hoping and praying for quick healing once the milk was able to flow freely again. And we continued to work on Seanin's latch, which somehow seemed pretty decent on the left side but just wasn't working on the right. (I couldn't even nurse him in the cross-cradle hold until just a few days ago--we had to do the football hold.)
I was in touch with the lactation consultant, who is wonderful, but I hadn't been able to reach her at the early part of this because she wasn't on duty. It was during that time that one of my mom friends sent me some links to check out tongue and lip ties. I had heard of tongue ties before, but never lip ties! I looked at the pictures and checked Seanin's mouth. Lo and behold--a very pronounced lip tie!
Now I was curious. I checked all of my children. Amazingly...and yet not...Kenna and Zaden have major lip ties, too! The two children I had the most nursing difficulties with! Zaden's troubles were epic, but Kenna's story, in a nutshell, involves an almost-total refusal to nurse for about 8 days after my milk came in (I'm not sure to this day how we kept the child alive, because she wouldn't take a bottle either--feeding sessions were total meltdowns for all of us involved), followed by yeast/thrush, followed by her quitting my right side at 8 months and finally pushing me away for good by 10.5 months. She never was a great nurser, and I felt lucky that we even made it that long, honestly.
I am so grateful for this new information! There is such a sense of freedom in knowing that there was a BIG physical contributing factor to the trials I had experienced with nursing these precious souls! I had always assumed stress was the biggest factor in Zaden's troubles, since Ted was in Afghanistan the first 9 months of Zaden's life, and it wasn't until after his return that things finally seemed to resolve. I'm sure stress WAS a factor, but oh! It was so good to know that the lip tie must have heavily influenced things, too!
Check out this list of problems Baby and Mom may have when a lip tie is present (my comments in brackets):
Baby’s Symptoms:
- Difficulty latching on or falls off the breast easily [Zaden's difficulties led to his weight loss the first two weeks]
- Gumming our chewing the nipple while nursing [I don't remember this specifically]
- Unable to hold a paci or bottle [Zaden never would take a pacifier; he's still a thumb-sucker!]
- Gassy (babies with ties often swallow a lot of air because they cannot maintain suction properly) [CHECK!! This was one of our pukiest kids!]
- Poor weight gain [Referenced above...we had weight check after weight check...]
- Excessive drooling [Hmmm, not really so much on this one.]
- Baby is not able to fully drain breast [YES--that was what led to the blocked duct problems.]
Mama’s Symptoms [I had EVERY SINGLE ONE of these, although the discomfort during nursing tapered off]:
- Creased/flat/blanched nipple after feedings
- Cracked/blistered/bleeding nipples
- Discomfort while nursing
- Plugged ducts
- Thrush/mastitis
We were at the doctor's for his exam within an hour. At first Dr. O wanted me to see the lactation consultant and see what SHE thought--THEN give me a referral. I asked if there was any reason we couldn't just get a referral right away. I told him the LC and I had been communicating and she was aware of the issue; furthermore, we had observed that my 6-year-old has a gap in her front teeth BECAUSE OF the lip tie--you can see the frenulum connecting her upper lip and where her teeth split! So he did end up giving me the referral to ENT.
Unfortunately, when I walked over to ENT to schedule the appointment, we found out that the referral was a general one, which means they could only give me a "first-available" appointment slot, as opposed to an acute referral which could have gotten us in earlier. As it stands now, we go in on September 9, but that doesn't guarantee us a lip tie snip that day--there is a good chance the ENT doc will examine him and then schedule the procedure for a separate time. Sigh.
Thankfully, Seanin's latch issues all of a sudden seemed to get better...his lower jaw is relaxing more, he is opening wider, and he really must not be taking in extra air, as he isn't gassy or pukey at all. So while I still think we need to deal with the lip tie, it's more for the sake of his future dental health and language skills (lip ties can cause lisps as well) than for nursing, although since I have Zaden's nursing history as a reference, I think it certainly would be beneficial to make sure Seanin can continue a good latch all throughout his nursing career so that I NEVER have to deal with a blocked duct or breast infection again!
It's been so interesting to learn all of this with child number seven! God forbid I would ever think I know it all, LOL! I do have to wonder how many moms who wanted to nurse their babies but felt they couldn't maybe actually COULD have if their doctors/nurses/midwives would have simply checked for tongue and lip ties immediately after birth?! From what I understand, a quick snip at that point is virtually painless and would allow better chances of nursing success right from the start. At least I have the information myself and can share with moms as the opportunity arises.
So, currently, I am pleased to report that Seanin is nursing like a pro now, peeing and pooping like crazy and already growing like a weed. (When we saw the doc on Thursday, he was 8 days old and had grown one inch and was up to 8 pounds, 14 ounces, having left the hospital at 8 pounds, 5 ounces!) Unlike my sleepy Zaden, whom I had to wake through the night to nurse in the early weeks, Seanin will NOT miss a feeding, ha! Every three hours at night he wakes me up! Now and then I wake him during the day, but usually he is ready to feed on his own.
I will never again take for granted the privilege of nursing my baby and thank God for allowing us to leap through these early nursing hurdles so well...aside from a few days of a sore right nipple, this has honestly been the easiest nursing transition I think we've ever had! Praise the Lord!
August 19, 2013
The Birth Story
It should be no surprise that Seanin's labor & delivery story begins with a series of contractions that kept us wondering whether or not this was the real deal! Tuesday morning, August 13, I had an OB appointment. My regular doc is in the States on vacation, so I saw a shorter, less green and rather nicer version of Shrek instead. (Seriously! Dr. N is very Shrek-like!) When he checked me, I asked him to strip my membranes...but Seanin was so far up that he couldn't get the job done, and I told him not to push it...obviously things just weren't ready. I was still only dilated 3 cm, which was a bit depressing after all the "fake" contractions I had been experiencing.
Well. Maybe the check itself started things in motion, because by lunch time I was feeling DEFINITE pains. They weren't close together...maybe every 15-20 minutes. I tried resting; I walked on the treadmill; I paced the house. I debated about throwing in the last few items into the hospital bag. I alerted Ted and my L&D back-up team (Carla and Joyce, both of whom live close by and were eager and willing to help watch kids when the time FINALLY came).
Not much happened, other than the contractions continuing, sometimes every 10 minutes, sometimes 7-8 minutes apart, sometimes back to 15 minutes apart. Sigh. Ted came home early, but nothing of note was happening. We ate dinner together as a family, and I got back on the treadmill while Ted read aloud from The Fellowship of the Ring. (Which, incidentally, is the book I was reading the night I went into labor with Tobin!)
Finally it seemed that the contractions were coming closer together and feeling more intense--but not horrifically so. Still, I remembered that the contractions with Zaden just never really got that bad at all. Plus, everyone kept telling me that we'd better scoot to the hospital SOON because otherwise I might deliver on the side of an Italian highway. You'd think so, right, after delivering 6 babies already?!
But no! It was indeed getting close to show time, but Seanin proved his mommy right over the doctor (who wanted me to move in across the street from the hospital) and took his sweet time coming. I just don't have quick and speedy deliveries!
At any rate, Carla came over around 8:30ish to stay with the kids. The little boys were already in bed, and the older boys and Kenna followed not too long after, so Carla's job was fairly easy, thank goodness, and we were so glad we didn't have to call her in the middle of the night! Charis, Ted, and I headed out the door, and I called the L&D ward on base to alert them that we were coming in.
Dr. O, the doc who saw me the night I came in with the beginnings of pre-term labor, was on call that night. What a BLESSING! He was a great match for our family! (I found out later that "Dr. Shrek" had been out to dinner and had had too much wine...so he declined to drive in for my delivery. No offense to him, but I'm thankful, ha!) Lt. G, the nurse, also had been on duty that night, and she was there as well. Perfect! It was like having a ready-made cheering section, LOL, as they got to see the end of the story!
I was only dilated 4-5 cm, and he was still at -3. Sigh! Still, at least it was obvious that I was in real labor and didn't have to go home. After a bit of monitoring, they let me get up to walk laps around the nurses' station, which helped bring the contractions' intensity level up enough to make me feel like they were actually doing something.
To this point, the worst part was getting my left hand stuck with the IV needle shortly after we arrived. I didn't really want an IV so soon (I didn't really want one at all), but I didn't have much choice--with the hospital being so small, and with me having had "so many" kids already, they didn't want to take chances with the risk of me bleeding and not being able to stop after delivery (which, remember, was supposed to happen in the blink of an eye according to everyone's predictions!). The tech who did the IV did not have success with it in my hand--poor Charis nearly fainted when she watched the whole ordeal (my hand is still a bit bruised). They moved it farther up my left arm where it was tolerable.
After some walking they wanted to check me again. This time I was at 6 cm, but his head was still high. I was getting pretty exhausted--going on 12 hours of contractions. And while I had hopes for a drug-free delivery, I was honestly getting rather afraid of how much of an ordeal it was going to be to endure not only seemingly endless contractions, but also pushing a large baby out--I didn't know how big he was going to be, but in my head I had the words "9-pounder" stuck and playing like a broken record, just based on the assessments doctors had given during the pre-term labor ordeal. ("Grande bimbo," the Italian doctor informed me, or something like that!) Remembering how difficult I had found it to push 8 pound, 3 ounce Zaden out, I finally opted to get an epidural.
In some ways I felt like a failure. I have so many friends who pop babies (even 9-10 pounders!) out with no pain meds. And I felt proud (justifiably so, I think!) of my two drug-free deliveries. I liked feeling like I could get up and move around more quickly than with the others. Then again...the more I thought about it...Kenna and Zaden were my natural delivery babies, and they were also the ones who gave me the most issues with nursing! Ha! They were also born while Ted was deployed...so, interesting case studies, perhaps!
But then, in the delivery room while I was later relaxing and listening to Ted snore while Charis snoozed in a chair, I spent some time praying, and I clearly felt God's Spirit whispering words of freedom to my heart. In the scheme of things, I felt Him saying, He really didn't mind one way or the other what I chose for this delivery experience. So I let myself quit stewing about it and instead thanked the Lord for the fact that I continued to have contractions and never really felt them!
Every 30 minutes or so the nurses would come in and tilt me to one side or the other. At 3:30am when they did this, my water broke! WOOHOO!!
Sure enough, it was show time! Ted and Charis woke up and things started happening. Not as quickly as they might have if I hadn't been numb though, LOL! It took awhile before I figured out how to push effectively, and I'm quite sure Seanin would have been born before 4:38am if I hadn't had any pain medicine! Still, I must say it was WONDERFUL to push out a 9-pound boy and not feel any pain at all!
There were no problems, so I was able to hold him on my chest right away. I so enjoyed being able to do that while the nurses wiped him down and doc did whatever he needed to do...again, hooray for not feeling any pain and being able to enjoy those precious first moments with our new son! Charis cut the cord, though she offered to let Daddy do it since Ted was gone for Zaden's birth. Ted later cut the cord closer, so they both got to cut it.
Our first nursing session was quite a success. Ted headed home to relieve Carla of kid duty, shower, have breakfast, and get the kids ready to come to the hospital to meet their new baby brother! Charis stayed with me and was quite a help. (Read: She held Seanin pretty much constantly while the nurses poked and prodded and helped me up to the bathroom after I got feeling back in my legs.)
The kids arrived in a whirlwind of excitement! It was so much fun to see their reaction and to announce the name, Seanin Gabriel, which was hailed after months of anticipation and guesswork! Tobin and I were a bit disappointed that Seanin hadn't arrived before midnight, giving him an August 13 birthday--Tobin's birthday is April 13, and we were hoping he would have a birthday buddy! However, we agreed that if Seanin had been born in the USA, he WOULD have been an August 13 baby, since he was born so early in the morning here in Italy! As I mentioned above, there is also the common factor of the reading of a Tolkien work, LOL, plus the fact that both Tobin and Seanin have middle names of biblical angels: Michael and Gabriel, respectively. Ah, well. August 14 is a great birth date, too!
The kids all had a chance to hold Seanin, and then Ted whisked everyone away so I could rest. Seanin and I stayed in the hospital for two full days; I had tested positive for Group B Strep, so they always want to monitor babies 48 hours in that case. There were no problems at all, and I must say I was thankful for the extra time in the hospital, as much as I hated trying to rest in that bed...it helped with having peace and quiet for feeding times (which was a blessing, as I quickly realized that Seanin's shallow latch was going to take some working on--I got a blister almost right away, sigh, and we're still working to overcome that, although I am praising God that Seanin is starting to open wider and do better).
However, it was WONDERFUL to come HOME!!! Ted has 2 weeks of leave...10 days of paternity leave and some use-or-lose leave days, so we are taking it easy, working on establishing good nursing habits/patterns, and generally getting used to life with a newborn again. I have to confess that one thought I've had over and over is, "I'm SO glad Ted is HERE this time!" He missed all this precious time with Zaden. I can hardly believe that Zaden was 9 months old by the time Daddy was home for good...they had 2 weeks together during Ted's R&R leave. Thank you, Lord, that those days are behind us!
Sure enough, it was show time! Ted and Charis woke up and things started happening. Not as quickly as they might have if I hadn't been numb though, LOL! It took awhile before I figured out how to push effectively, and I'm quite sure Seanin would have been born before 4:38am if I hadn't had any pain medicine! Still, I must say it was WONDERFUL to push out a 9-pound boy and not feel any pain at all!
There were no problems, so I was able to hold him on my chest right away. I so enjoyed being able to do that while the nurses wiped him down and doc did whatever he needed to do...again, hooray for not feeling any pain and being able to enjoy those precious first moments with our new son! Charis cut the cord, though she offered to let Daddy do it since Ted was gone for Zaden's birth. Ted later cut the cord closer, so they both got to cut it.
Our first nursing session was quite a success. Ted headed home to relieve Carla of kid duty, shower, have breakfast, and get the kids ready to come to the hospital to meet their new baby brother! Charis stayed with me and was quite a help. (Read: She held Seanin pretty much constantly while the nurses poked and prodded and helped me up to the bathroom after I got feeling back in my legs.)
The kids arrived in a whirlwind of excitement! It was so much fun to see their reaction and to announce the name, Seanin Gabriel, which was hailed after months of anticipation and guesswork! Tobin and I were a bit disappointed that Seanin hadn't arrived before midnight, giving him an August 13 birthday--Tobin's birthday is April 13, and we were hoping he would have a birthday buddy! However, we agreed that if Seanin had been born in the USA, he WOULD have been an August 13 baby, since he was born so early in the morning here in Italy! As I mentioned above, there is also the common factor of the reading of a Tolkien work, LOL, plus the fact that both Tobin and Seanin have middle names of biblical angels: Michael and Gabriel, respectively. Ah, well. August 14 is a great birth date, too!
The kids all had a chance to hold Seanin, and then Ted whisked everyone away so I could rest. Seanin and I stayed in the hospital for two full days; I had tested positive for Group B Strep, so they always want to monitor babies 48 hours in that case. There were no problems at all, and I must say I was thankful for the extra time in the hospital, as much as I hated trying to rest in that bed...it helped with having peace and quiet for feeding times (which was a blessing, as I quickly realized that Seanin's shallow latch was going to take some working on--I got a blister almost right away, sigh, and we're still working to overcome that, although I am praising God that Seanin is starting to open wider and do better).
However, it was WONDERFUL to come HOME!!! Ted has 2 weeks of leave...10 days of paternity leave and some use-or-lose leave days, so we are taking it easy, working on establishing good nursing habits/patterns, and generally getting used to life with a newborn again. I have to confess that one thought I've had over and over is, "I'm SO glad Ted is HERE this time!" He missed all this precious time with Zaden. I can hardly believe that Zaden was 9 months old by the time Daddy was home for good...they had 2 weeks together during Ted's R&R leave. Thank you, Lord, that those days are behind us!
He's Here!
Introducing Seanin Gabriel...
Seanin (SHANE-in), an Irish form of John, "God is gracious"
Gabriel, Hebrew, "God is mighty"
Born Wednesday, 14 August, 04:38, at the Naval Support Site hospital in Gricignano di Aversa, Italy
9 pounds, 21 inches
August 10, 2013
38 Weeks and Counting
I suppose the "no news is good news" will have to be my excuse for not writing an update sooner. Septimus is still hanging out, and all is well with the pregnancy--aside from the typical close-to-delivery woes like an aching back, swollen legs and ankles, heartburn, and other sundry discomforts. But today I received a reminder to be thankful no matter what my circumstances...two friends are having difficulties with their pregnancies, a sobering reality check that makes me reaffirm God's sovereignty whether or not events coincide with our human expectations.
(If you have a moment, would you please lift up A in your prayers? She is delivering her baby at 34 weeks because of complications. A couple of years ago she gave birth at 36 weeks knowing her little one had just entered God's kingdom. I can't even imagine that heartbreak, but A and her husband K have a beautiful testimony of God's grace and are a strong, godly young couple whom I admire very much, even though I have spent next to no time at all with them in person. And my friend T is experiencing bleeding in her 10th week of pregnancy with her 13th child, so prayers for her would be appreciated as well.)
So with those prayer requests in mind, I'm simply thankful that our little guy is still kicking around inside of me, even though I grow weary of waiting and wondering when he will make his appearance. As happened with Zaden...and with Lucan...I have had several false alarms, with strong contractions coming anywhere from 5-10 minutes apart, getting stronger, preventing sleep, etc., going on for several hours at a time. Any doctor would tell me to get to the hospital, but since this has happened with my previous boys, I've been loathe to run to the delivery ward only to have to be monitored and whatnot and then sent home. It's exhausting mentally and emotionally, not to mention physically. And one day this past week I met with the uncertainty of thinking my water had possibly broken--it hadn't, but it took a trip to the ward to get tested to make sure.
My prayer has been that we would KNOW for sure beyond any doubt when my labor really HAS begun, that God would graciously allow it to happen at a time when we can make necessary arrangements for the children and get to the hospital in a timely manner. Since I had had several false alarms or "practice sessions" with Zaden, by the time labor really WAS progressing, the contractions really were not that bad, and I arrived at the hospital already dilated to almost 9. So I'm slightly concerned that I won't really know when to take things seriously!!
My next appointment is Tuesday, the day before we hit 39 weeks. I'm trying to mentally prepare for 41 weeks of pregnancy because it's too hard to get my hopes up thinking it's time when my body stops a few hours later and laughs at me for getting all worked up!
(If you have a moment, would you please lift up A in your prayers? She is delivering her baby at 34 weeks because of complications. A couple of years ago she gave birth at 36 weeks knowing her little one had just entered God's kingdom. I can't even imagine that heartbreak, but A and her husband K have a beautiful testimony of God's grace and are a strong, godly young couple whom I admire very much, even though I have spent next to no time at all with them in person. And my friend T is experiencing bleeding in her 10th week of pregnancy with her 13th child, so prayers for her would be appreciated as well.)
So with those prayer requests in mind, I'm simply thankful that our little guy is still kicking around inside of me, even though I grow weary of waiting and wondering when he will make his appearance. As happened with Zaden...and with Lucan...I have had several false alarms, with strong contractions coming anywhere from 5-10 minutes apart, getting stronger, preventing sleep, etc., going on for several hours at a time. Any doctor would tell me to get to the hospital, but since this has happened with my previous boys, I've been loathe to run to the delivery ward only to have to be monitored and whatnot and then sent home. It's exhausting mentally and emotionally, not to mention physically. And one day this past week I met with the uncertainty of thinking my water had possibly broken--it hadn't, but it took a trip to the ward to get tested to make sure.
My prayer has been that we would KNOW for sure beyond any doubt when my labor really HAS begun, that God would graciously allow it to happen at a time when we can make necessary arrangements for the children and get to the hospital in a timely manner. Since I had had several false alarms or "practice sessions" with Zaden, by the time labor really WAS progressing, the contractions really were not that bad, and I arrived at the hospital already dilated to almost 9. So I'm slightly concerned that I won't really know when to take things seriously!!
My next appointment is Tuesday, the day before we hit 39 weeks. I'm trying to mentally prepare for 41 weeks of pregnancy because it's too hard to get my hopes up thinking it's time when my body stops a few hours later and laughs at me for getting all worked up!
July 23, 2013
Pregnancy/Bed Rest Update
Tomorrow we hit 36 weeks in this pregnancy, which is a wonderful milestone to hit after the threat of pre-term labor! I saw my doctor yesterday, who asked me to maintain bed rest until Friday. He prefers that we at least get to 37 weeks before delivery, but things seem to be going fine for now. Dr. T will be in Germany through Saturday...of course, there are OB docs on call (he works in the family practice clinic), but if he is around, he'd like to be able to deliver Septimus, and I am perfectly fine with that. Even though I had to switch docs when I hit 32 weeks (because the one I started with is PCSing this month), I was impressed with my initial encounter with Dr. T. He is a father of three himself, and he seems to be in favor of a more natural approach to the whole birthing experience, preferring to allow the baby to be with the mother immediately instead of whisked away, etc. So I'd be happy to have him as our delivery doc!
In the meantime, we're looking at 3 1/2 more days of bed rest! Ted had the presence of mind to remember that we are scheduled to see our chiropractor Friday evening and to ask if it was all right for me to keep that appointment. Dr. T said it would be fine, so Ted and I are continuing with the plans we made a month ago when we set up the appointment--we will see Dr. S and then have ourselves a little date night! Woohoo!
So, life in bed continues, LOL. I'm slowly making my way through Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, which I began last fall but only had read one chapter before coming home for bed rest. I finished the book about Sabbath rest. I'm 19% of the way through the unabridged version of Les Miserables. I completed one digital scrapbook album, our American history road trip from the fall of 2010, and I am about halfway through our 2011 family album (also digital).
I've read books about diggers and tractors and cars and airplanes over and over and over to Zaden, who insists that most of these vehicles are, in fact, buses. I've read Dr. Seuss's ABC book to Lucan multiple times and carried on conversations with him and his Doof Dog (who now has next to no stuffing, making it a bit difficult to take Doof seriously, seeing as how his head is caving in). I finished reading Little House in the Big Woods to Kenna, and last night we began Little House on the Prairie. Arden and I are about to enter Mirkwood Forest in The Hobbit, and the older three just found out that Professor Slughorn is not, in fact, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher as they had assumed prior to last night's reading of the 6th Harry Potter book.
Friends have come to spend various parts of the day here with us, helping feed the kids lunch, oversee kid activities, and visit with me during quieter moments. We've enjoyed a variety of meals, from stuffed pasta shells to burritos to roasted chicken with homemade mac-n-cheese. We've been so blessed by the prayers, encouragement, and practical help coming from local friends and church family. While part of me is chafing to get up and MOVING again, another part of me is so grateful for the opportunity to see the Body of Christ at work and to just be still and enjoy the precious gifts God has already given me. I'm eager to meet the new little gift He has been growing inside of me...but I'm praying I can be content and wait for God's perfect timing!
In the meantime, we're looking at 3 1/2 more days of bed rest! Ted had the presence of mind to remember that we are scheduled to see our chiropractor Friday evening and to ask if it was all right for me to keep that appointment. Dr. T said it would be fine, so Ted and I are continuing with the plans we made a month ago when we set up the appointment--we will see Dr. S and then have ourselves a little date night! Woohoo!
So, life in bed continues, LOL. I'm slowly making my way through Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, which I began last fall but only had read one chapter before coming home for bed rest. I finished the book about Sabbath rest. I'm 19% of the way through the unabridged version of Les Miserables. I completed one digital scrapbook album, our American history road trip from the fall of 2010, and I am about halfway through our 2011 family album (also digital).
I've read books about diggers and tractors and cars and airplanes over and over and over to Zaden, who insists that most of these vehicles are, in fact, buses. I've read Dr. Seuss's ABC book to Lucan multiple times and carried on conversations with him and his Doof Dog (who now has next to no stuffing, making it a bit difficult to take Doof seriously, seeing as how his head is caving in). I finished reading Little House in the Big Woods to Kenna, and last night we began Little House on the Prairie. Arden and I are about to enter Mirkwood Forest in The Hobbit, and the older three just found out that Professor Slughorn is not, in fact, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher as they had assumed prior to last night's reading of the 6th Harry Potter book.
Friends have come to spend various parts of the day here with us, helping feed the kids lunch, oversee kid activities, and visit with me during quieter moments. We've enjoyed a variety of meals, from stuffed pasta shells to burritos to roasted chicken with homemade mac-n-cheese. We've been so blessed by the prayers, encouragement, and practical help coming from local friends and church family. While part of me is chafing to get up and MOVING again, another part of me is so grateful for the opportunity to see the Body of Christ at work and to just be still and enjoy the precious gifts God has already given me. I'm eager to meet the new little gift He has been growing inside of me...but I'm praying I can be content and wait for God's perfect timing!
July 16, 2013
Homeschool Recital Performances
Videos for the grandparents! (And other long-distance friends and family who can put up with the shaky video quality because they love our kids, LOL.)
Arden plays "The Entertainer" at warp speed:
Tobin plays "The Pink Panther" theme song:
Charis plays "Minuet in G" on the violin while Arden accompanies her on the piano:
Charis plays "The Midnight Fire Alarm" on the piano (a bit faster than it should be because of nerves, but she kept it together pretty well!):
Arden plays "The Entertainer" at warp speed:
Tobin plays "The Pink Panther" theme song:
Charis plays "Minuet in G" on the violin while Arden accompanies her on the piano:
Charis plays "The Midnight Fire Alarm" on the piano (a bit faster than it should be because of nerves, but she kept it together pretty well!):
July 15, 2013
And Now for Something Completely Different
It's time for an update on LUCAN'S POTTY TRAINING!!
I don't know that I've actually blogged about our efforts; I know it has crossed my Facebook status multiple times, though, as well as been a source of conversational laments with my close mommy friends. So, for those who are uninitiated, here's a rundown...
First, we began to realize that this poor kid just never really had a "prime" potty training window:
I don't know that I've actually blogged about our efforts; I know it has crossed my Facebook status multiple times, though, as well as been a source of conversational laments with my close mommy friends. So, for those who are uninitiated, here's a rundown...
First, we began to realize that this poor kid just never really had a "prime" potty training window:
- He definitely was not ready early as some toddlers are.
- Shortly after he turned 2 years old, his daddy left for 13 months.
- During the time Daddy was away, Baby Zaden was born.
- After Zaden was born, Mommy and Zaden had lots of issues related to nursing.
- By the time Lucan turned 3, Daddy was still gone.
- Two months later, Daddy returned! Yay!
- And then we went on a 30-day road trip.
- And then we returned to Ohio to pack up our house.
- And then we moved overseas.
- And then we lived in a small apartment for two months.
- And then we moved into our house.
- And then, as we were FINALLY feeling at-home, Ted left for a 6-week TDY.
- And THEN Lucan turned FOUR!
Oh, my.
Combine all the transitions and trauma of the last year and a half or so, and it was no wonder Lucan was four years old and still wearing pull-ups. Added to all that, his laid-back yet focused personality weren't conducive to self-motivation...he hated to be torn away from his building projects!
At the same time, it wasn't as if we didn't put forth ANY effort to train him. Before we moved to Italy, he had some potty successes, including a few poops! We were encouraged that maybe it wouldn't be so hard after we got to Italy. Once we felt somewhat "settled" in our apartment, plus having very little that HAD to be done each day, I thought we'd make some focused efforts and really make some headway. Well, we did make focused efforts, and he did make...a small bit of headway...but after finding that he had smeared poop all over the balcony one afternoon, I decided that I was NOT ready to deal with this and maybe it would be better to wait until we got settled in our actual house.
More attempts. More failure. Finally we decided not to worry about it until after Ted returned from his 6 week course in Texas--I was early on in my pregnancy and not feeling up to the potty challenge.
We desperately tried to get Lucan to even approach consistency, but to no avail. Plus, he simply WOULD NOT poop on the potty. He seemed agreeable enough, even sitting on the potty for 10-15 minutes at a time, but with no results. And he was happy enough to run and pee when we asked him to (even graduating to standing up instead of sitting), but it was NEVER his own idea.
We gave up and put him in pull-ups for the duration of our road trip.
After our return, we ditched the pull-ups (except at night) and told him it would be underwear only during the day.
Also, I found a potty training book (how many of those have I browsed over the years?!) at the thrift store during a Bag Sale Day and figured it couldn't hurt!
Well!!
That book gave us the idea that was the TURNING POINT!!
There was a special section on kids who were delayed potty trainers for whatever reason, so I just focused on that. Their solution was to have the child clean up his own mess, and once everything was clean, to have him run from the location of the accident to the nearest toilet and go through the motions of taking down his pants, sitting on the toilet, "finishing," and then doing that whole routine TEN TIMES.
Thankfully, Lucan's first few accidents happened when Ted was home, so we were able to have Ted do this with him instead of me having to figure out how to add this into my regular routines. As you can imagine, the first couple of times of RUNNING TO THE POTTY were like a game!! Oh, so fun! But ten times?! The fun definitely wore off.
Would you believe...I think Ted only did that with him a couple of times, and all of a sudden, poop success!! AND Lucan started making sure he got himself to the potty when he needed to pee instead of waiting for us to prompt him!
We were so excited. I made a new potty chart: yellow stars for the days he has no pee accidents and brown stars for the days he has no poop accidents. (Gross, I know, but it is working for him!)
And then I went into the hospital with pre-term labor. Ugh. I was away for over 5 days.
We were concerned that Lucan would revert to his original potty problems, but I am SO THANKFUL to report that he is doing GREAT! The only poop accident he has had in the last week and a half or so was when someone was using the toilet he was headed to and he had to run upstairs...and didn't quite make it! And only one pee accident that whole time. He is still wearing pull-ups to bed, but he's been dry maybe 50% of the time, and honestly, that's the least of our concerns now. Our big prayer was that he would be completely daytime potty trained before the Baby's arrival, and God has graciously brought us through a very, very frustrating time to some profound success in the last couple of weeks. Thank the Lord!!
It seems like such a minor issue, especially since we really haven't had potty training problems for YEARS! Tobin proved a bit challenging because he thought it was so fun to let fly in...um...unique locations, but Charis took the initiative to train both Arden and Kenna, so it had been awhile since we were actively involved in the process! But this "minor issue" was starting to consume my life, causing me much stress and frustration, and I hated that. I'm so grateful that we seem to be over the hump. Plus, Lucan's new self-confidence and happiness with himself is an added bonus in seeing him graduate to full-time dry/clean underwear!
July 14, 2013
Rest
Is it just me, or does God have a gut-busting sense of humor?!
The book my PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) summer study group is reading is...
Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity, by Keri Wyatt Kent.
Bwahahaha! And here I am on bed rest, which allowed me to catch up on my homework reading, LOL. The session started in May, and we've kind of gone fairly slowly through the book--not everyone had a copy at first, and the chapters were long...and then our family vacation happened, so I didn't feel like I really got in a groove with the whole Bible study book routine like I have the past couple of semesters.
But I was excited about the topic, because it has crossed my radar more than once...the idea of being more intentional in creating a 24-hour period of true REST. In fact, we've even heard sermons (whole series even!) from our previous couple of pastors about this, as well as seen examples in the pastoral staff taking rest days (not Sundays!).
In theory, we absolutely agreed with the idea that "Remember the Sabbath day" was not a command that Christ came to abolish, despite what the Pharisees thought of his healing-at-the-synagogue tendencies.
In practice...well, we never really got around to figuring out just what a "Sabbath day" in the 21st century should look like. And then we moved into an Italian house a considerable drive from the Support Site Chapel, where we spent a good portion of our waking Sunday hours during the school year since the AWANA clubs meet Sunday afternoons. Between making two round trips, attending church, plus being involved in AWANA...well, Sundays began to feel more like work than rest. I gave up and soon began getting our groceries on Sundays as well. Since we were making the trip to SS, we might as well hit up the commissary, right?!
So reading this book has been very timely. For one thing, summer has slowed down drastically because of the break in AWANA, allowing us to focus on Sundays as our actual rest days. We aren't sure what the coming school year will look like as Ted takes over the AWANA Commander position, but for now, we've been purposeful about NOT going grocery shopping on Sundays, preparing meals in advance (or making sure there are enough leftovers!), and spending quality time with each other (and with a pillow, ha!) during the afternoons.
There's more to it than simply resting or avoiding work, though, and that's where this blog post comes in. I wanted to try to capsulize some of the things I've been mulling over as a result of reading this book so that I can share them with Ted (and anyone else who feels they don't have time to read the whole book!). I think the easiest thing is to simply quote some passages that have stood out to me so far...
*****************
"We can be intentional without becoming institutional" (p. 11).
"If we rest from shopping, buying, or even writing a shopping list, we reject the idea, if only for a while, that we are what we buy. If we rest from our work, from endless meetings and tasks, we reject the idea, if only for a day, that our value lies in our accomplishments" (p. 30).
"We are never fully engaged, and we never take time to disengage" (p. 31).
"In resting, you experience the abundant grace of God, a lavish gift never earned, only received. His presence relieves our soul loneliness in a way that no one and no thing ever could" (p. 50).
[Quoting Mark Buchanan from his book The Rest of God]: "The Exodus command, with its call to imitation, plays on a hidden irony: we mimic God in order to remember we're not God. In fact, that is a good definition of Sabbath: imitating God so that we stop trying to be God" (p. 73).
"Keeping Sabbath is not only about ceasing but also about celebrating. How? By taking the time to do simple things you always say you mean to do but never have time for" (p. 79).
[Another quote from Mark Buchanan's book The Rest of God]: "Sabbath is not the break we're allotted at the tail end of completing all our tasks and chores, the fulfillment of all our obligations. It's the rest we take smack-dab in the middle of them, without apology, without guilt, and for no better reason than that God told us we could" (p. 80).
"Our workaholic tendencies are often driven by fear--that we will not have enough; that if we don't accomplish, we don't have value. Sabbath-keeping challenges us to experience the provision of God and the unearned love of God" (p. 104).
"It's not nicer or better to say yes, because every time you say yes, you're saying no. Saying yes to one thing means you've said no to alternatives. Choose your yeses carefully" (p. 127).
[Regarding mothers/women in particular]: "Ironically, because we don't think of what we do as work, we never stop working" (p. 130).
"At each breath, we take only as much as we need for that moment. We breathe in and breathe out....But then we pause. The pause, in a typical breathing pattern, is about as long as the inhalation and exhalation combined" (p. 139).
"The key to endurance and strength is resting--not just once a week but on a regular basis" (p. 139).
"You do not have to be an Olympic-level Sabbath-keeper. The Sabbath was made for people, Jesus said. It's a tool you can use to become healthier spiritually--more connected with the God who loves you, more peaceful, more joyful. Not perfectly any of those things. Just healthier" (p. 167).
*********************
I still have one chapter left in the book. Some things I appreciate about the opportunity to read and learn from Kent's Rest:
The book my PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) summer study group is reading is...
Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity, by Keri Wyatt Kent.
Bwahahaha! And here I am on bed rest, which allowed me to catch up on my homework reading, LOL. The session started in May, and we've kind of gone fairly slowly through the book--not everyone had a copy at first, and the chapters were long...and then our family vacation happened, so I didn't feel like I really got in a groove with the whole Bible study book routine like I have the past couple of semesters.
But I was excited about the topic, because it has crossed my radar more than once...the idea of being more intentional in creating a 24-hour period of true REST. In fact, we've even heard sermons (whole series even!) from our previous couple of pastors about this, as well as seen examples in the pastoral staff taking rest days (not Sundays!).
In theory, we absolutely agreed with the idea that "Remember the Sabbath day" was not a command that Christ came to abolish, despite what the Pharisees thought of his healing-at-the-synagogue tendencies.
In practice...well, we never really got around to figuring out just what a "Sabbath day" in the 21st century should look like. And then we moved into an Italian house a considerable drive from the Support Site Chapel, where we spent a good portion of our waking Sunday hours during the school year since the AWANA clubs meet Sunday afternoons. Between making two round trips, attending church, plus being involved in AWANA...well, Sundays began to feel more like work than rest. I gave up and soon began getting our groceries on Sundays as well. Since we were making the trip to SS, we might as well hit up the commissary, right?!
So reading this book has been very timely. For one thing, summer has slowed down drastically because of the break in AWANA, allowing us to focus on Sundays as our actual rest days. We aren't sure what the coming school year will look like as Ted takes over the AWANA Commander position, but for now, we've been purposeful about NOT going grocery shopping on Sundays, preparing meals in advance (or making sure there are enough leftovers!), and spending quality time with each other (and with a pillow, ha!) during the afternoons.
There's more to it than simply resting or avoiding work, though, and that's where this blog post comes in. I wanted to try to capsulize some of the things I've been mulling over as a result of reading this book so that I can share them with Ted (and anyone else who feels they don't have time to read the whole book!). I think the easiest thing is to simply quote some passages that have stood out to me so far...
*****************
"We can be intentional without becoming institutional" (p. 11).
"If we rest from shopping, buying, or even writing a shopping list, we reject the idea, if only for a while, that we are what we buy. If we rest from our work, from endless meetings and tasks, we reject the idea, if only for a day, that our value lies in our accomplishments" (p. 30).
"We are never fully engaged, and we never take time to disengage" (p. 31).
"In resting, you experience the abundant grace of God, a lavish gift never earned, only received. His presence relieves our soul loneliness in a way that no one and no thing ever could" (p. 50).
[Quoting Mark Buchanan from his book The Rest of God]: "The Exodus command, with its call to imitation, plays on a hidden irony: we mimic God in order to remember we're not God. In fact, that is a good definition of Sabbath: imitating God so that we stop trying to be God" (p. 73).
"Keeping Sabbath is not only about ceasing but also about celebrating. How? By taking the time to do simple things you always say you mean to do but never have time for" (p. 79).
[Another quote from Mark Buchanan's book The Rest of God]: "Sabbath is not the break we're allotted at the tail end of completing all our tasks and chores, the fulfillment of all our obligations. It's the rest we take smack-dab in the middle of them, without apology, without guilt, and for no better reason than that God told us we could" (p. 80).
"Our workaholic tendencies are often driven by fear--that we will not have enough; that if we don't accomplish, we don't have value. Sabbath-keeping challenges us to experience the provision of God and the unearned love of God" (p. 104).
"It's not nicer or better to say yes, because every time you say yes, you're saying no. Saying yes to one thing means you've said no to alternatives. Choose your yeses carefully" (p. 127).
[Regarding mothers/women in particular]: "Ironically, because we don't think of what we do as work, we never stop working" (p. 130).
"At each breath, we take only as much as we need for that moment. We breathe in and breathe out....But then we pause. The pause, in a typical breathing pattern, is about as long as the inhalation and exhalation combined" (p. 139).
"The key to endurance and strength is resting--not just once a week but on a regular basis" (p. 139).
"You do not have to be an Olympic-level Sabbath-keeper. The Sabbath was made for people, Jesus said. It's a tool you can use to become healthier spiritually--more connected with the God who loves you, more peaceful, more joyful. Not perfectly any of those things. Just healthier" (p. 167).
*********************
I still have one chapter left in the book. Some things I appreciate about the opportunity to read and learn from Kent's Rest:
- Learning more cultural information about the hows and whys of Israel's Sabbaths.
- Some in-depth study about Jewish culture in both Old and New Testament time periods.
- Practical ideas from a variety of family types, from people in various seasons of life.
- Continual reassurance that there IS NO FORMULA!!
- A balanced perspective on keeping the Sabbath because it is a command that is given for our good while remembering the GOOD that comes from it, freeing the reader from legalistic burdens.
- Thought-provoking treatise on a variety of reasons for Sabbath-keeping...it's not simply "rest."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)