Hi...

taken with my blackberry (quality not so great)

Just a little bit of what is going on with the Page family:



Hi, I'm Charlie's mom. Mom of one of the most spectacular kids on this earth. Tonight he was honored at a neighborhood high school game. He was honored for leadership skills and taking care of business so far this year. I'm so proud of him! He was his school's representative. Sometimes, I step back and say two things "Stop growing up please" and "Hey, I am helping raising you? Seriously? Man, you're awesome despite me! woot!". I'm incredibly proud of him and he never ceases to amaze me. I thank God he is our son!

It was a blast seeing him go out on the field and be introduced with his dad. Zoe and maddy didn't like having to sit in the stands where it was cold and Zoe didn't like sitting still. Maddy kept complaining of her butt being cold, loudly! But we stayed for a little bit and watched a bit of the game. Go Rams!

Maddyism: "Feel my rash (instead of wrath)"

Tomorrow is Halloween and we will take the kids trick/treating and then back to the house for scary movies and candy (Maddy will not be watching scary movies). It's become a tradition that Charlie's friends stay the night too. We rented 28 days later, should scare them pretty good. MUHAHAHAH!!!

That is about it, we have tons of things coming up and I hope to write more then! Come back!

Healthy Living Tips #1 & #2

Hey guys! Me and my good friend Jennifer have been teaching turbo kick for about 5 weeks at our church as an outreach. We started to give out a little newsletter that gives a verse and a tip for healthy living and so on Tuesdays (or Wednesdays) i am going to post them here for my other friend's benefit!

Jennifer and Vanessa’s Healthy Living Tip #1:

1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.

Make healthy changes as a family a little bit at a time. Make a plan for the year of healthy changes you want for your family and slowly integrate it into your life. Such as, instead of using white bread change to whole grain or walk as a family after dinner. It is hard to make change on your own, let your family know you care by making positive and healthy changes for them and for yourself!

Jennifer and Vanessa’s Healthy Living Tip #2:
Proverbs 23:1-3 “When you go out to dinner with an influential person, mind your manners: Don't gobble your food, don't talk with your mouth full. And don't stuff yourself; bridle your appetite” (The Message)

Eating out and watching what you eat can make for an interesting challenge. This week’s healthy living tip will give you some ways to be healthy and have fun too!

One thing we always do when eating at a new place is check their nutritional information online and decide what we are going to eat before getting to the restaurant. A good place to check for nutritional information is calorieking.com. We also tend to frequent the same places. The places we eat out at most of the time are, Subway, Snappy Salads and Jason’s Deli.

Try to limit your portions. Restaurants give you outragous sized portions. Ask for a to-go box to be brought out with your meal and pack part of it away to save for later. It is unnecessary to clean your plate, eat until you are full!

Eating out doesn’t have to be stressful, good planning and strategies can help make your eating out experience fun!

Generosity

Psalm 112:5

Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.

A couple of Sundays ago at church we talked about generosity and God's provision. On the heels of my husband being recently laid off I felt God just talking right to my heart. When our associate pastor shared his heart saying that it doesn't come easy him, with a tinge of guilt I realized it doesn't come easy for me too.

Don't get me wrong I love helping people. I love volunteering to make dinners, babysitting kids, cleaning, visiting etc. However I while volunteering my time and efforts when it comes to actually doing it, I tend to feel overwhelmed. Part of this is time management, I know. But a big part of it is, it really isn't my nature to be generous.

While I may be more generous with my time, my money is another matter. We do not have a lot of disposable income but, we do have indulgences that we could cut back on to give more generously. God is really dealing with me on this. I work in fundraising. I know the blessing it is to give to something you believe in.

I do know that God has already shown us ways we can cut back, and we have. Here is what we have done so far:

• We cut out all movie channels which have resulted in a $100.00 savings
• We went from receiving 3 movies on Netflix to 1 and have unlimited viewings online (We use the online service more than anything as we can stream it in through our xbox!) This cut the amount we paid to Netflix in half.
• We are working on refinancing our home, hoping to get a better interest rate.
• I traded in my leased vehicle to a purchased vehicle bringing down my insurance rate and I am hoping to pay it off fast!
• My husband, being the savings rockstar that he is, is shopping sales for our groceries and planning out our meals. He found the lean cuisines that I take to lunch everyday on sale for $1.87 as opposed to $3.87 at another grocery store. He also found deals on meat, buy one package get another free. Our grocery budget has improved so much!
• We have a gym membership as a family and we dropped our son's membership as he is 12 and runs up and down the street and rides his bike everywhere. Gyms are boring to him and we were not getting our money's worth, this was a $29 savings per month.

I'm sure we will be cutting back more and more as God speaks to us and our family. I may do another update to let you know how things are going. I'm praying about being more generous and trying to act out of my comfort zone with the peace that God will bless it and provide for us.

Wild One

Yesterday Dave was sick so we just hung around the house and watched movies. One of the movies we watched was "Into the Wild" (movie website: http://www.intothewild.com/). This movie is written from a book that follows the journey of a college student looking for adventure and working out issues he had regarding his parents. (You can read the synopsis at the above website)

Watching this movie I was struck by the bravery of this kid. I kept thinking what if you get hurt or what if you get sick. But I also thought about how we view life in one way and rarely do we get to view it differently through different lenses or at different angles. I'm pretty black and white. One of the biggest difficulties I have in life is to see it differently.

This movie has challenged the way I see life and the way I live it. Here are some things I learned:

• Share your life - It may be easier to just to be alone without the complications other people bring, but sharing your life with your family in friends makes this very hard and difficult life more livable. It is better to love others than to be alone!
• Possessions are temporary - We put a lot of our worth and security in the things of this world. Being free to give our "things" away or get rid of the clutter makes us freer.
• God in nature - It says in the Bible that we can be still and know that He is God and also that we can know He is God through his creation. Take time to appreciate nature, to be quiet and to be still.

I always admired those who were able to shed the trappings of this world. To rid themselves of possessions and to live a simple life. I desire that kind of life. I'm praying to simplify things and to see our life and raising our kids in a different way.

A friend of ours Bill Holston wrote a great commentary on simple living:

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kera/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1538320/North.Texas/Commentary.Simple.Gifts

Check it out, it is very moving and inspiring as well.

Simply Yours,

Vanessa

In Honor of My Mom

My mom has suffered with chronic back pain for 3+ years. She has been to doctor after doctor who have told her there wasn't hope of the pain ending and could not give her any reasons for the pain. For those who know her this may come as a surprise. The reason this is probably news to you is because she suffers in silence.

Standing, walking, sitting, laying, picking up things, setting down things, things we take for granted have been obstacles for her. But you wouldn't know this. She doesn't complain, she doesn't sigh, she doesn't cry or get angry. She pours love into her kids and her grandkids and husband. She prays with hope that God still hears her prayers while she still suffers and she never once blames Him. She says things like "there is people who have it worse than me" or "this has made me more compassionate to those who have chronic illness and pain".

I think about how my reaction would be. I'm ashamed that it would be the selfish option of wallowing in pity and anger. There has been times when I said to God "you could take this from her" and "why her, God?". Bitter tears and a heavy heart.

As her daughter I have had the great privilege of watching her persevere. I have been lucky enough to pray for her and claim for her God's promises, that His greater good is at work and that He is in control and loves her still. He has shown us His mighty sovereignty by giving her times of no pain and relief from the medications that she has had to take daily just to survive. We never lost hope. We never claimed that there was no hope and we never accepted condemnation to a life of pain for her.

This week she had a surgery that has replaced two of her "leaky" discs and we are praying with the hope that this is the answer. She is in the hospital right now recovering and I am relived that her mind is free from that worry for the moment.

I wanted to relay to you what a strong, powerfully sweet and kind woman my mom is, but I just can't do it justice. Those who know her know this to be true and those who are close to her know her loyalty and passion for life. There are times when parenting is rough for me, where my patience is gone and life just seems really hard. Then I remember how my mom has been good to us and selfless and kind and it brings me back and past my selfish desires. I think to myself "Will I ever be like her?" I can only hope and pray that I touch upon the greatness that is my mom.

Please keep praying for her recovery. Believe with me in God's healing in her life. She deserves to live as the princess to the King that she is. We love you mom "Nana". You are truly the best!

This is the verse we claimed for her as she is entering into a new stage in her life:

Isaiah 41:10 (New International Version)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Maddyism - (Adult Rating)

We all need just plain silly things to read sometimes, so here is something Maddy said yesterday that cracked me up!

Maddy was playing with her little sister Zoe in the back seat of the car. Maddy says "Hey you are playing with my coochie" and I'm like "What did you say?" she replies, "I told Zoe she is playing with my coochie, you know my toy...the worm" relief washes over me and I say "Ok well, lets call it something else this isn't an appropriate name"

What a week! (And it isn't even over yet!)

(Little Charlie)

This week Charlie headed to sleep-away camp with our preteen youth group. I believe this is last year to go. While at camp he turned 12. This was our first birthday apart from him. We were super sad, but thankful he was with a group of people who loved him. He comes home tomorrow (July 10th) and I am so happy! Our life is not meant to be without him. I am aware that college is only 6 little years away but I try not to think about it.

Also this week, Maddy started a little day camp with our city's parks and recreation. She had a rough start. She really has to test the person in charge first before she shows how sweet and fun she can be. Poor thing spent Monday and Tuesday grounded. Wednesday was another story, she was 100% better. Once she realized we were on the teacher's side and that she had to obey the rules, things got better. We are trying to teach her that it takes more effort to behave badly then to actually do right. Praying has helped too, I give God the credit for wisdom.

Side Note: You are probably wondering what the story is with the blog header. One day Maddy said to me "Mom, I have been praying for a DS and some games" (while we don't really encourage praying for items, I thought it was neat that she would tell God the desires of her heart) so I said "That is great Maddy, maybe God will help you will get them someday" to which she replied "Mom, I didn't mean God I meant SANTA!!" I got a good chuckle from that and said "Sweetie we don't pray to Santa." I am thinking we may have to come clean on that. Also, that is Zoe's first taste of cake, yummy yummy!

As far as mommy news is concerned I signed up to become a turbo kickboxing instructor this week. I take the course and the test July 25th. I will blog about my experience. I'm sure it will be humorous. Anyways, I figure I might as well get paid for being at the gym everyday right?!

I also enrolled in college this week! I'm super excited! I never went. Partly because I was a mess in high school and also academics have not come easy to me due to the fact I have two major learning differences (ADDHD and Dyslexia). I have to take a placement test since test scores from 1995 are not valid anymore, where does time go?! Me and Dave will take turns pursuing a degree. I have not decided what mine will be, but I am thinking social work or business. I still have to work full time but I am hoping to take some course work online.

Let me think, anything else exciting going on?....Is that not enough? My goodness God is so good to make life so interesting and fun! I am so glad to have good friends and a great family to share it with! We are blessed.

Eat This...NOT THAT!

Yesterday I left my home to embark a new way of shopping. I left at 9:00 pm and did not get hone until midnight. Two hours of grocery shopping. You are probably wondering why it took so long...

You may not know but Dave (my hot hubby) has lost over 40 lbs and I have lost 30. We did this with a mix of exercise and the South Beach Diet. So, now that we are used to eating small meals and watching not only calories but what we eat we have moved on to a new system.

We are using the Eat This Not That books, written by David Zinczenko (http://eatthis.menshealth.com/). So far we have bought The Supermarket Survival Guide and The No Diet Weight Loss Solution. We plan on buying the one for kids next. We purchased these at Target but can be purchased at http://www.amazon.com as well.

These books are great, they do exactly what I love. They do the work of looking at labels and giving clear direction. In the books they have vibrant pictures of products so that they are easily found at the store or a restaurant and are separated by easy to find sections and categories. Such as, the frozen foods are separated by meatless, chicken and beef. While these are easy to look at and find products if you are not used to shopping this way it does take some time, I anticipate it getting easier as I learn what we can and can not eat.

The other feature I like about these books is that David Zinczenko give you the reasons why certain foods are eat worthy and why others are not. Also, there are lists of the perfect pantry, the perfect freezer and the perfect fridge. These give a clear view of what a healthy kitchen looks like and it just makes it so easy.

The only draw back I found was some products are found only at "specialty" grocery stores such as Whole Foods, Central Market and Sprouts. There were 2 things on my list I couldn't buy at Walmart. That is pretty good!

You also maybe thinking that this a way more expensive way to eat. Really, I spent less than I normally do. The reason being is that when you a less fatty, less carb intensive diet and you generally eat less you need less. Self control is key here and listening to your body. I also have the kids on an eating schedule if we are home. They eat like we do, 6-7 small meals a day. I do not allow them to eat out of boredom or thirst. I make sure they stay hydrated and eat only because they need fuel.

I hope you give these books a try if you are interested in discussing them post a comment. Also, if you do use them let me know some fun tips!

The Bad Tooth Fairy

Our tooth fairy must be very very busy. She really isn't very good at her job. She forgets to collect teeth. She misplaces treats and money. She puts teeth in a drawer in mom's desk in plain view. She offers no explanation for her actions.

She tries to make it right by leaving treats on the kitchen table and money in mom's purse but it just isn't the same. I wonder how we can get a new one. Maybe, if we ask Dad he would have some ideas. Maddy is really at her wits end with this tooth fairy we have been given.

Maddy lost a tooth today and I'm hoping the tooth fairy remembers to do her job.

Worry Wart

Philippians 4:5 (NIV)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

The above verse is something I'm trying to live out right now. When things are going haywire at work, at home or with family I have a hard time being content and not getting anxious. I tend to obsess and worry over what is going to happen and so forth. So instead of being anxious I'm learning to pray and not just pray but pray with thankfulness to the Lord and to present my saviour with my requests.

I received a distressing email this weekend. So instead of letting it ruin my evening I read, I spent time with my husband and kids and I did not check my email again until the morning. I prayed and asked God to help me be content even when something was going wrong. What a blessing it is to have a safe place to run to and to hide when things are out of sorts?!

Cookbook Giveaway!

My friend Jill at Simple Daily Recipies is giving away a free cookbook! Check out this awesome offer and her super website at: http://simpledailyrecipes.com/rachael-ray-365no-repeats-cookbook-giveaway/.

Simple Daily Recipies is exactly what the title says it is and the recipies are yummy yummy! Check it out!

Politics - Random Thoughts

Welfare

I am amazed at how people sit in judgement of those who take part in government programs.

I hear people say "God helps those who help themselves" (not Biblical) all the time. I have a hard time thinking this is a Christian way of thinking.

Side note: "God helps those who help themselves" is probably the most often quoted phrase that is not found in the Bible. This is actually a quote from Ben Franklin and it appeared in Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757. In fact the Bible teaches the opposite. God helps the helpless! Isaiah 25:4 declares, "For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat..." Romans 5:6 tells us, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." (http://www.gotquestions.org/God-help-themselves.html)

When I was a young mom, I had to receive welfare. I took Medicade so that my son could have health care. And that health care sucked. It was bad. We never saw the same Dr. I was treated with disdain. I also took part in WIC in order to get basic staples for us to live on. I was made fun of in a grocery store line by an employee. It was humiliating. It didn't have to be. It could have been a way for God to provide and it was. I wish I could have seen it that way.

So to say the least my heart goes out to people who have to swallow their pride, sit all day in the welfare office and hope it is enough. That is the face of welfare. Not those who skirt the system. Those people are rare. There are rich people who defraud insurance companies. There are bad people out there and they are the exception not the rule.

Jesus said "Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me."

And I thought I was a crazy mom...

Yesterday was hot, it was close to 100 here in Texas. I truly believe that tempers flare here in Texas when you are hot and kids are home all day.

I was driving in my car yesterday afternoon when Charlie (our 12 year old son) called very upset and crying. Which, by the way, doesn't happen very easily when your 12 and a boy. Anyways, he had just come home from a friends house where the mom had cussed him out and told him to go home.

I immediately got off the phone with him and called the mom. I tried to have a tone of "no big deal, this is probably not true" so that she would tell me the real deal. Well to make a long story short Charlie had done a very minor annoying thing (splashed her 4 year old with water) and she was inside the house. She went outside, cussed Charlie and he left. I made it clear he would never go to her house and that she was abusive. The Lord planned this out right. I had both girls with me. I had to keep my cool and fight off thoughts of driving to her house and having it out with her.

You know what really hurts? I had a feeling about this lady but blew it off. Friends, trust your instincts. The Holy Spirit had prompted me and I didn't head its warning. Never again. If you know Charlie you know his sweet spirit, you know his kindness to small children and you know that he would rather die than to disrespect someone at their house. He got a lesson in how cruel adults can be yesterday and that was a lesson I never intended him to learn. I know the faults of my kids and I am not one to say they are perfect angels that can do no wrong. But he didn't deserve that. No child ever deserves that.

I'm trying to pray for her. Something isn't right. It is hard to feel compassion for her. Honestly.

Moving on...I am taking a half a day today to clean house. Tomorrow is Zoe's birthday party. She turned 1 yesterday. What a sweet sweet baby. (Who incidentally loves her big brother with all her heart). We are having some grandparents over, my sister and her friend. It will be so sweet and fun.

Summer Plans

This year I have the privilege of working from home during the month of June. I have to go into the office when necessary but mostly I will be at home. Maddy (age 6) doesn't start summer day camp until July so I will be with her and Charlie (age 12) as much as possible during June. Zoe (11 months) still goes to daycare.

Maddy has responded great with me being around during the day. She prayed thanking God for us spending time together and she tells her brother things like "Mom makes the best fries" and "Only moms can get out big splinters". To say the least I have been blessed by her response.

There is a downside to working from home as well. One being that when said splinter occurs you have to stop what you are doing and I didn't realize how much I depend on momentum in getting things done. Also, I have to resist the urge to nap or clean. For instance the living room looks like a bomb went off in it. I asked Maddy to clean up the craziness that is our front room. She said "I don't know how to clean." I had to take time to explain to her that she does and that she needs to do it in sections which required me to supervise.

I have to say I did this exercise with patience because, well... we are home all day together and I don't want her to stop telling people I'm good at this mom thing and stop thanking God for me...I know it's selfish.

Milk for Zoe the Beginning!

As you know Zoe is our third little one. With my oldest, Charlie, I was 20 when he was born. I was a baby and the whole idea of dieing to self had not even crossed my mind. I knew we were not rich so I thought I would give the whole breastfeeding thing a whirl. Well, it lasted 2 days until it started to hurt and I was done. Seriously, done. Five years later, I tried to breastfeed Maddy but she didn't want to and I still wasn't there yet. FIVE MORE YEARS LATER...Zoe.

I had to give this nursing business one more shot it was the last I would have. I determined not to give up. Dave was very on board and wanted to help me. We were going to do this together.

From the previous post...http://milkforzoe.blogspot.com/2009/02/little-yellow-zoe.html, you will note that Zoe was very jaundiced and underweight when we came home from the hospital. I was supplementing and trying to get her to latch on desperately trying to get her to latch on and do it right.

A word about breastfeeding: It hurts. And when lactation consultants tell you it shouldn't...they are wrong because it does. At least it did for me. It was painful. It made me cry, cringe, grit my teeth and hang on for dear life every time it was time for Zoe to eat. I would hang my head while she was latching on and stamp my foot and cry or pray that the Lord would take this pain away. All the while I had to relax to let my milk down. I didn't want to give up. I wanted God to have this glory. Not that if you don't breastfeed you are wrong, it's that I wanted to prove to me, God, my children and my husband that I could do all things through Christ. Like this and our labor experience (see http://milkforzoe.blogspot.com/2009/01/are-you-kidding-me.html) God held my hand and strengthened me and grew me more than I could have possibly imagined.

After a month (AN ENTIRE MONTH) it stopped hurting. It really did. And we would have wonderful moments together and it was good. I still look down at her while we are nursing and wish that we didn't have to stop and that she didn't have to grow up. It gives me time to relax and be with her. It enables me to pray for her. I pray that she will grow up to be a mighty woman of God and that her life will be full of His peace and understanding. Sisters, this is what it is all about. Loving our children in the moment, the way they need to be loved. This is what I have learned.

Philippians 4:13 (Today's New International Version)
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Little Yellow Zoe!

Our time in the hospital was pretty quick. We hadn't quite got the hang of nursing and Zoe was yellow with Jaundice but the pediatrician was willing to let us go provided with check in with our pediatrician the following day.

We escorted our new baby home. Immediately I knew that nursing this baby was going to be hard. But, being I did not nurse the other two, I was determined to experience this with our last baby. She had been given formula at the hospital the first night because I had to recover from getting my tubes tied. I think that is probably why we had a hard time ramping up and my milk was sloooow to come in. Nevertheless, we were going to do it anyways.

The next morning we took Zoe to the Dr. for a check up and some testing for Jaundice. She had lost weight and even the whites of her eyes were yellow. We tested her and went home to wait on the results. They came back high, or at least higher than what she was in the hospital.

Over the next 4 days we went back and forth to the hospital getting her tested and weighed. In the meantime I was trying to get her to nurse and supplement with formula at the same time. Finally on the fourth day, the Dr. called and said "I am going to wait on these last results but if they are not the same or if they are higher we will put Zoe back in the hospital."

Side Note: Our normal pediatrician had been out of town. The Dr. on call was a sweet sweet lady. She was/is a believer and told me she took the names of her patients home with her to pray for them. Oh how this touched my heart.

Well after receiving the phone call from our pediatrician I immediately went to Zoe, took off her little onesie and laid my hands on her. I told our saviour that she was His and that if he would, please heal her from this. I asked Him to help me take care of her. (I'm just crying remembering this tender moment) Not two minutes after my prayer the Dr. called to say that her levels were fine and that we can expect them to start going down more rapidly.

Oh man, how I was relieved, grateful and just in awe of the gift I was given to watch my little one healed by her creator.

Psalm 127:3 (The Message)
Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.

Are you kidding me?

Up until Zoe both of my two kiddos were very late and big babies. Well Maddy was big. She was almost 10 lbs. She was a shock and I was induced about a week after my due date. The picture above? That was the night before Zoe was born. It was a few days before my due date but my doctor didn't induce over the weekend and well, I didn't want another 10 lb baby. Another interesting tid-bit about my prior two labors was I had an epidural with both of them, no problem, despite the fact of having Harrington rods in my back.

So our story begins. I was admitted the night before to do a procedure to that would dialate my cervix. It took all night but at 4am i was dialated enough to start on pitocin. Which starts contractions and then labor starts. The anesthesiologist was busy that morning in a c-section. So, the nurse said I would have to just wait a little while for an epidural. My dad and Dave stayed with me and held my hand through contractions that were pretty intense because of the pitocin. A couple of weeks before I had had a conversation with a sister in law, who has given birth at home, about natural childbirth. She said it wasn't a huge deal you just can't be scared of contractions. So with this great advice I knew that I had to be in control and not be scared. However, my husband's favorite phrase of the day was "Are you kidding me?!". I just couldn't believe I was having to go through this. But, I knew I wasn't alone and that God was not surprised by my situation.

I labored along for quite a while. Then the anesthesiologist came in and attempted to give me an epidural. He tried everything and it just would not take. So, we decided that since I was dialated to an 8 at that time (10 being the most you can dialate) that we would just not keep trying.

Zoe was born at noon that day. And I was left with a since of accomplishment that I had never felt before. I was strong. I was able to give birth without drugs and God had prepared me before without me even knowing about it.

This wasn't the end of God working in me. (He still is!) But what I learned from that and what happened next was that we are made for work. We are made for hard work! We can do things that we didn't think we could do before.

Ps. 139: 13-16 (The Message)

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.

Preface - Pt. 2

Water for Zoe

So we were officially pregnant and things were going great. No problems, no baggage and no out of control emotions (for the most part...but you may want to talk to Dave about that). My OB was a young doctor and very sweet. She was a well meaning person. But, she wasn't the best doctor I ever had. Since I had two children under my belt I thought, what could go wrong? I just have to make it through with her until the baby was born then we were free of a well meaning not so great doctor.

About 8 months the Dr. was doing an in office sonogram to measure the baby (since my last had been 9 lbs!) and to check the fluid. The sonogram she did in office showed that the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby was low. She referred me to a specialist, told me to go home to bed and drink a lot of water. She also told me to pack a bag because if my fluid was as low as she thought it was then the specialist would admit me to the hospital. I can't tell you how scared I felt and how hard that day was. I knew Zoe wasn't ready to be born and I knew I wasn't ready for her just yet. One thing I did know was that the Lord was her keeper not just mine.

The morning of my doctor's appointment one of my very good friends called me saying "this may sound weird but God told me to call you and read you this verse" it was:

Psalm 77:16-19 (New International Version)
16 The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen

She said "God is going to send you water". I cried and she cried and we prayed. I left and went into the doctor and while I was having the sonogram, he just looked at me and said "Well, you have plenty of fluid and there is nothing at all to worry about". I believe God changed that situation and delivered us from having to be hospitalized or Zoe having to be born earlier.

I also know it was nothing we did to cause my fluid to suddenly go back up, it was God He decided, He wanted me to see how He was in control. That He can make things happen or not happen. I also know that had I not had a good report God was still in control and not surprised by our circumstances. He is the God of this world and He is in control.

Preface - Pt.1

Our Family Beginning




Married to Dave at 19; the love of my life we had our first baby, Charlie, July 7, 1997 the first year we were married. The pregnancy was difficult because I was a bundle of nerves and every pain and every emotion was huge. I also carried baggage of guilt from a formerly wild life style and my view of God and who He was was very skewed. I actually thought God would take away something I wanted so much. Boy what a dark time as I reflect on it.

We set the record for the most visits to labor and delivery. I thought that two good things could not happen to me in the same year more or less the same lifetime. But it did and we had a healthy beautiful baby boy. I wish I could say at that time I was turned to God and was able to say my life changed then for the better but it was a much slower process than that. However Charlie was the beginning of seeing myself the way God sees me. (I will save my testimony of coming to the Lord for another post.)

Five years later we had a sweet and lovely baby girl, Maddy (Madeline). Her pregnancy was not as eventful, and she was a precious addition to our family. Full of life and energy, she has been a light in our family.

Five MORE years later...we didn't think we would have anymore children. Not that we didn't want more, we just thought that two was good for us and we had not really considered a third baby. But, you know the old saying "We make plans and God laughs at them". Well, I think God had a good chuckle the day I decided to take a pregnancy test on a whim. I hadn't been feeling quite right, mostly I had been having sciatic nerve pain and I do not get that unless I'm pregnant. To say the least the test was a positive and we couldn't have been more shocked and happier.

Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)
10-11This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.