The Schwamish Life

Many mornings I wake up feeling like I am already behind. I usually hear Adoniram stirring first and then comes Jedidiah and before you know it the two of them are either talking loudly to themselves are chanting mommy in unison. I get them both out of there cribs, take off Jedidiah's diaper and get him dressed, get milk for Jedidiah, nurse Adoniram while trying to cuddle with Jedidiah (the boy needs his morning cuddle time), then change Adoniram and make breakfast (if I don't do this immediately Jedidiah follows me around constantly asking, "pankcake? oatmeal? bread?"). Everything is really thrown off if they both wake up with a poopy diaper and then they are each screaming for their milk while the other is getting his diaper changed. Needless to say not a way to welcome the morning.

I've been greatly challenged lately by the demands of two small children and becoming keenly aware of my need to be renewed by time with Lord in prayer and reading his Word. It's so easy for me to start to get frustrated or feel sorry for myself and not have a heart of thankfulness. I have found that when I do get up before the boys I am much more eager to great them with joy when they wake and prepared to serve them. I was reading a great blog, Girl Talk, and I saw a post about the 5:00 club. I'm thinking of joining. Any takers?

Adoniram is a mover and a shaker. Jedidiah was such a laid back baby, he didn't walk or even try to pull himself up on anything until after he was one. Not so for his little brother, a few weeks ago he figured out he could pull himself up on things and hasn't stopped. A few times he has managed to let go and stand on his own. All of this adventure is making for a lot of bumps and bruises but Adoniram doesn't seem to mind.



Jedidiah is a sorting machine. He has a set of blocks and it never fails when I go to pick up toys I will find something like cubes in one area, triangle pieces stacked neatly in a box and arch pieces in a row under the gate. It's hilarious. He also like to group things like one rectangle block with a triangle piece or in the above picture it's a piece of railroad track, block and train car. Sometimes I get moving so fast that I don't catch these things but I love it when I stumble upon one of his creations. It reminds me to slow down and cherish these sweet moments.

I came across a posting entitled The Fruitfulness of Reading on Passionate Homemaking. Through the years I have noticed a direct correlation between filling my mind with God's word and good books and maintaining a godly perspective and desire for eternal things. I am continually convicted with how I spend my time and I was encouraged and challenged by this article. In this day we have so much great teaching and wisdom available to us. It's a terrible shame if we pass through this life filling most of our time with worthless things.

These were captured by my good friend and fellow lover of all things organic and natural, Liz.

I listened to a group of ladies tonight discuss how horrible their labor and delivery experiences were. There was an over all theme of dislike as they reflected on their collective birth experiences. Some even expressed how they felt no immediate love for their children or joy after delivery. These are moms who deeply care for and love their children but they were giving there honest opinions of their feelings and emotions at the time. Their opinions are not unlike most women I would assume. The entire conversation I kept looking to the one wife in the group who has yet to have children. I was watching her reactions and wondering what she was thinking. How does all this negative talk influence her ideas of birth and child rearing? I couldn't help but think how differently I viewed both of my labor and deliveries. I have sweet memories of laboring with my husband by my side helping me try to relax during intense contractions. How differently a hardship can seem with varying perspectives.

Labor is hard work, there is no doubt about that. But with each labor I knew there was joy on the other end of it. Lord willing with each contraction that passed I was one contraction closer than meeting my sweet child. A child who would entail much work, who would cause me many sleepless night and who would take away many freedoms I enjoyed before having any children. But even though I have lost sleep, sacrificed freedoms and basically given over my body in order to have two boys I have gained so much. I have gained a better ability to put someone else's needs before my own. I have gained the privilege of raising children to hopefully serve the Lord. I am stretched every day to fight my selfishness as I serve my family. I have the chance to with my life display the gospel to my sons in hopes that they will receive it and be transformed.

Labor is hard work. Raising children will be continually difficult and trying. Serving the Lord is a constant battle against our flesh and sinful desires. But there is hope and unspeakable joy on the other end. I pray that I would have the ability to joyfully endure the "pains" of this life knowing the joy I have now in Christ and the great pleasure that awaits when I meet him face to face.

When Jedidiah turned two he moved up into the two and three year old class. Many of the children are out of diapers, some of the older ones stand around and have conversations. It's a whole new world from the infant and toddler class. They also have Bible stories and sing songs. Well apparently Jedidiah is paying attention. He had a little picture that he "colored" from class of Paul and Timothy that was sent home with him. Of course the thing to do with things like these is to put them on the refrigerator. Well every time he sees the picture he points and says "Paul". The first time I didn't realize what he was saying because I hadn't paid that much attention to what the picture said and I looked up and thought why yes, that is supposed to be Paul. He also has been singing "Jesus Loves Me". That isn't a song we sing to him so he knows it now from a few times of being in his class.

Through these instances and many others I am constantly reminded of his absorbent little mind. I feel conviction over my bad examples of acting in frustration towards him. How many times has he seen me snap at Josh and hear me speak unkind and disrespectfully towards his father? All of those little things being embedded in his brain. He picks up on the smallest things and it gives me sorrow to think of how carelessly I have acted at times. I know I can not be perfect and I will fail. But it is my prayer that the Lord will change my heart and that I will deal with any sin that is causing me to act in those ways.

I'm reminded of the importance of praying for my children and teaching them God's word. I will only have a short time when they are listening and watching intently. I pray that the Lord grants me the ability to use that time wisely.

I could kiss these little feet and chunky thighs all day long


On Saturday I took some pictures of my friend Emily's baby, Eisley. She was so petite and lovely. Emily was kind enough to let me experiment on her child. Taking pictures of newborns is a lot more difficult than it seems.



I'm trying to pick up bits and pieces of photography mainly because I want to get great pictures of the boys. Currently there is a stack of books on my dresser with all kinds of information on lighting, aperture, shutter speed and composition. It's a lot to take in so I'm trying to pick up a little at a time. Some elements are starting to make sense and it's really interesting when I can finally get my head around a particular concept. I keep dropping hints to Josh that I would love a Nikon 1.4 50mm lens, since it's best for me not to use my flash it would give me more flexibility with low light and better pictures over all. I'm quickly realizing that photography can be an expensive hobby.