Hunter is second from the left-- the letter 'B'! :)
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
This One Time I Graduated...
On May 17, I graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary with a Master's of Arts in Counseling degree. There are days I still feel in shock over this accomplishment! When we came to St. Louis, I had a hope of working on this degree, but assumed I would never be accepted into the program. I am so thankful I was and that I got to spend 3 years soaking up the grace of the gospel and dreaming about serving people through counseling. It was quite a roller coaster and at times it felt completely insurmountable. Doing this intense program while simultaneously learning how to be a mom and then having my second child oftentimes felt overwhelming. But I wouldn't trade it!!
MAC Internship Class of 2013!
The weekend started with a Baccalaureate service. So thankful my mom was able to come!
We had Pi pizza right before graduation. Such a fun outing!
This is my internship group. I spent the year with these amazing men and women, growing, learning, feeling completely vulnerable, and learning how to counsel others. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I am so thankful for each of these people! Especially my supervisor, Suzanne Bates. The Lord used her to grow me and encourage me all year...
CTS Class of 2013.
GETTING HOODED!! Dr. Pfuetze & Dr. Winter gave my my hood.
One of my favorite moments of the evening.... after I came off stage, Hunter came running toward me. I love how excited he was for me... makes me tear up even now to remember how sweet he was!
This is my other favorite moment of the night.... and Josh was right there to capture it! My supervisor was at the bottom of the stage right after I got hooded. She blessed me so much this year...
Pictures after the ceremony.....
The next day I was able to pick up my actual degree! Here I am with all my graduation cards and letters. I felt so celebrated!!!
Now I am a PLPC at CrossRoads Counseling Centers in Saint Louis. Here is my headshot for the web site. So far I am loving this job!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
First Day of Pre K
As I am typing this, Hunter is at his first day of Pre K! I think he was really nervous, but we talked a lot about it on Monday and Tuesday and this morning I saw a hint of excitement in his eyes (along with the nerves!).
On Sunday, we decided to pursue a Pre K that is three times a week and really close to our house. When I began to look into it, I realized that the parent orientation and the open house was THE NEXT DAY! So I got busy filling out the paper work, looking for a carpool, and figuring out our budget.
(closer to how he actually felt!)
Monday morning I opened the computer to show Hunter pictures of his potential new school and he got big tears in his eyes. He said in a nervous voice, "When are you going to pick me up?!?" I just held him and told him it was normal to be nervous and that I get afraid when something new is happening in my life as well. His tears ceased, but his fears did not.
Next thing I knew, we were interviewing at the school and meeting his teacher. Hunter was adamant that this "was not a preschool day" and that I needed to stay with him the whole time. I agreed happily! It is a wonderful place. His classroom has several class pets including a rat, fish, and a snail. Hunter was most excited to see that there were Legos in his classroom. His next big excitement came when he saw the playground! We have another interview next Monday to make it all official, but in the mean time, Hunter is able to attend and get started at the same time as his other classmates.
This morning I think he was very nervous. He didn't make it to the potty on time which is something he RARELY does anymore. He insisted on bringing his brown blankie with him in the car, which is again something he almost never does anymore. And he clung to me as I walked him to his classroom...
I choked back tears until I got to the car, but then they came. I am so happy for him and I think this is a great opportunity for him. But taking him to school today symbolizes how much my baby has grown. My tiny 8 pound baby has grown into an amazing four year old. He has a back pack and a classroom to attend. I realize he is only four and this is just three mornings a week. But it is beginning a new season of life in our family.
So this morning, Adelyn and I have gone grocery shopping, done some laundry, watched elmo, and cuddled. It is so quiet!
In his Pre K class there are 9 kids and we happen to know 5 of them. That is a huge blessing!
Thankful for this opportunity. What a blessing it is to raise children.....
On Sunday, we decided to pursue a Pre K that is three times a week and really close to our house. When I began to look into it, I realized that the parent orientation and the open house was THE NEXT DAY! So I got busy filling out the paper work, looking for a carpool, and figuring out our budget.
(closer to how he actually felt!)
Monday morning I opened the computer to show Hunter pictures of his potential new school and he got big tears in his eyes. He said in a nervous voice, "When are you going to pick me up?!?" I just held him and told him it was normal to be nervous and that I get afraid when something new is happening in my life as well. His tears ceased, but his fears did not.
Next thing I knew, we were interviewing at the school and meeting his teacher. Hunter was adamant that this "was not a preschool day" and that I needed to stay with him the whole time. I agreed happily! It is a wonderful place. His classroom has several class pets including a rat, fish, and a snail. Hunter was most excited to see that there were Legos in his classroom. His next big excitement came when he saw the playground! We have another interview next Monday to make it all official, but in the mean time, Hunter is able to attend and get started at the same time as his other classmates.
This morning I think he was very nervous. He didn't make it to the potty on time which is something he RARELY does anymore. He insisted on bringing his brown blankie with him in the car, which is again something he almost never does anymore. And he clung to me as I walked him to his classroom...
I choked back tears until I got to the car, but then they came. I am so happy for him and I think this is a great opportunity for him. But taking him to school today symbolizes how much my baby has grown. My tiny 8 pound baby has grown into an amazing four year old. He has a back pack and a classroom to attend. I realize he is only four and this is just three mornings a week. But it is beginning a new season of life in our family.
So this morning, Adelyn and I have gone grocery shopping, done some laundry, watched elmo, and cuddled. It is so quiet!
In his Pre K class there are 9 kids and we happen to know 5 of them. That is a huge blessing!
Thankful for this opportunity. What a blessing it is to raise children.....
Monday, July 15, 2013
Parenting imperfectly
Parenting is hard. It is an "always" sort of job that at some point in the last four years has started to feel like normal life. Caring for little people is now firmly woven into my daily routines. But it is ever changing. Just when i get comfortable in a pattern, the kids' needs change and we need to re-think how we nurture them. The ever changing part of things is exhausting. The past several weeks I have become more aware of the selfishness that is deeply rooted into me.
I read a blog recently about how it is easier to serve the homeless and go on mission trips than it is to speak nicely to your husband and deeply care for your children. This really got me thinking. Serving people for a few hours one day, or even for a few months, is sustainable. It does cost something, yet you are still able to keep a large part of yourself free from exposure and vulnerability. When you live with people, especially people dependent upon you for their every need, it is much harder to hide the deeper facets of your heart.
I can love my kids well and serve them well for a few hours or even a few weeks. I can be lovingly attentive to their needs. I think there are times I am good at it. But then there are seasons of life, like the one I am currently in, where caring for them feels like a cheese grater on my skin. It doesn't come naturally and I have little desire to sacrifice on their behalf. I am not sure if it is related to their new developmental stages or to just my own sheer exhaustion, but lately, parenting has felt at odds with my own desires. My commitment to my own plans has caused me to look past my kids more than once. And it has shocked me.
It has been upsetting. I am saddened to see my own sin. It has exposed my own need of something greater than myself and that in and of itself can be frustrating, especially in a world that glorifies self-sufficiency. Seeing my own brokenness can, at times, be depressing. In some ways, the depressing feelings are holy, because my heart should break over my sin. At other times, the depression is rooted in a desire to be my own god; to attain perfection and independence that is outside the scope of what is good for me.
My sin, as awful as it is to look at in the face, draws me closer to my Savior. It is exposes the truth. Even though the vulnerability is scary, Christ provides me more than enough when I press through my fears and embrace the Gospel truth: I will never be good enough. And that is okay. Christ was and is good enough for me.
For me, parenting is the route that God uses to expose my great need of Him. It is hard. But it is good.
"Your grace is enough! Your grace is enough! Your grace is enough for me!!"
I read a blog recently about how it is easier to serve the homeless and go on mission trips than it is to speak nicely to your husband and deeply care for your children. This really got me thinking. Serving people for a few hours one day, or even for a few months, is sustainable. It does cost something, yet you are still able to keep a large part of yourself free from exposure and vulnerability. When you live with people, especially people dependent upon you for their every need, it is much harder to hide the deeper facets of your heart.
I can love my kids well and serve them well for a few hours or even a few weeks. I can be lovingly attentive to their needs. I think there are times I am good at it. But then there are seasons of life, like the one I am currently in, where caring for them feels like a cheese grater on my skin. It doesn't come naturally and I have little desire to sacrifice on their behalf. I am not sure if it is related to their new developmental stages or to just my own sheer exhaustion, but lately, parenting has felt at odds with my own desires. My commitment to my own plans has caused me to look past my kids more than once. And it has shocked me.
It has been upsetting. I am saddened to see my own sin. It has exposed my own need of something greater than myself and that in and of itself can be frustrating, especially in a world that glorifies self-sufficiency. Seeing my own brokenness can, at times, be depressing. In some ways, the depressing feelings are holy, because my heart should break over my sin. At other times, the depression is rooted in a desire to be my own god; to attain perfection and independence that is outside the scope of what is good for me.
My sin, as awful as it is to look at in the face, draws me closer to my Savior. It is exposes the truth. Even though the vulnerability is scary, Christ provides me more than enough when I press through my fears and embrace the Gospel truth: I will never be good enough. And that is okay. Christ was and is good enough for me.
For me, parenting is the route that God uses to expose my great need of Him. It is hard. But it is good.
"Your grace is enough! Your grace is enough! Your grace is enough for me!!"
Saturday, June 22, 2013
18 months!
Adelyn is 18 months old! And cute as ever.
18 month Stats:
Height: 31 inches (12th percentile)
Weight: 20 lbs, 11 oz (4th percentile)
Head: 18.25 inches (42nd percentile)
This little sweetheart is outgoing, friendly, and has the fire in her to stand up for herself. She sweetly says "Hiiiiii" and waves to nearly everyone when we are out, so she quickly wins people over.
Adelyn walks well and runs a little. She can go up stairs nicely, but she is more cautious going down (I think that is a good thing!). Normally going down stairs she will sit down and go down one stair, stand up, turn to me holding out her arms and say, "Hold me!"
She is a still an adventurous eater. Her favorites right now are any fruits, crackers, cheese, and milk. She still likes beans, too. We are working on getting her to eat more meat. Often she will want to eat whatever is on my plate or on Josh's plate-- even when it is the exact same thing as what is on her plate! It just looks better to her if it is offered to someone else! :) She notices everything, so if we do happen to have something she doesn't, she will demand a taste. Because of this, she has tried a lot of different foods-- hot salsa, coke zero, lemons, spicy chips... things I would never offer a toddler, but she seems to enjoy!
She sleeps through the night most nights, unless she is sick or cutting a tooth. When that happens, she can pull all nighters with the best of them. We are down to just one nap a day and that nap is usually about 2 hours, sometimes up to 3.
Here are some of her recent words. She has a cute voice and it is nice that she is able to communicate!
Mine
Cheese
Cookie
Book
Door
Please (Peeeease!)
Bob (as in Bob the Builder)
Milk
Play (paaay!)
Bird
Color
Home
Help
Hot
Amen
Pray
Balloon
Potty
Elmo
Ummm...
Monkey
Adelyn loves her brother and he loves her. That is sweet. He pushes her buttons, though, and she has learned how to "tattle" on him-- and how to take things into her own hands. He has been shocked a few times recently to be pushed down by his little sister. Once she even slapped his bottom after he wouldn't get out of her face. Josh and I were both here and it took everything in us not to laugh! Hunter was completely shocked.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Hunter is 4!
FOUR!!!
Dear Hunter,
You turned four yesterday. You have been talking about this day for months! Your birthday was a very anticipated event this year... you had lots of ideas for presents, cakes, and themes for your party. Since at least March, you have been talking about June 13 (you say it, "June Thir-teen!").
I hope you enjoyed your birthday! We woke up to you sitting next to your presents and admiring the decorations in the apartment, much like last year. You were so cute huddled next to the couch just looking around and soaking it all in. You said, to me, "Mommy, there are ribbons on my room. Is that my present, too?!?" So sweet! I had put crepe paper over your door so when you woke up it would immediately be a celebration. And you thought it was a present.
I think Mommy and Daddy overwhelmed you a little... I hated that we had to put you in time out on your birthday. You were just so excited and interested in the gifts... it was hard to wait and hard to not want everything RIGHT.NOW! I will not set out all the presents next year, just the ones you can open immediately.
We let you open the special gift from mommy first thing in the morning. A Cash Register! Complete with fake dollar bills and coins. You love it. You are playing with it right now! You love to stack the dollars all together and then throw them in the air. Then you pick them all up and in a very orderly fashion put them back in the slots they go into. Mommy forgot to get you a battery for this, and when we went to the store later that day, she got the wrong ones! So we are still waiting to get the right battery in it... but you love it just the same!
We skpyed with both grandmas early in the morning. It was fun for you to open your presents "with" them. You loved the castle from Grancie and Papaw and it has already seen hours of play. And, Grandma and Grandpa bought you 150 more balls for your ball pit! Now you can bury yourself completely! Grandma taught you to say, "Bazinga" when you come out of the balls (Yay for The Big Bang Theory!!! LOL).
We spent some time at the library that morning and got you signed up for the summer reading program. Then we had a quick lunch before rest time. After rest time, you got to go on a special date with mommy! We went and picked out your special birthday cookies. I wanted to get you a small cake, but you did NOT want a cake. You chose cookies. Then we picked out batteries, but that did not go so well on mommy's part.
Then, DADDY was home!!! :) You loved showing daddy all of your new presents, but you were really anxious to open the rest of your gifts!!! You opened a bop it bag, a new math puzzle, 20 new hot wheels cars, and several new books. We played with you for a while then took you to Chick Fil A to celebrate! We had the special birthday cookies for dessert.
What a day! I'm so glad I got to spend it with you!!
You are a precious little boy. I am so thankful to be your mommy and watch you grow. At four, you are learning all kinds of new things! You love to learn. We read a lot, watch Sesame Street, and play outside. There are glimpses of maturity blooming within you! I am happy to say that you are completely potty trained-- even at night! (What a victory for everyone in this household!) You are naturally curious, a sweet older brother, and a joy to share life with.
At 4 years old, this is how big you are:
Height: 41.75 inches (75%)
Weight: 38.50 lbs (75%)
Happy four years old, Hunter. I love you!!
--Mommy
Dear Hunter,
You turned four yesterday. You have been talking about this day for months! Your birthday was a very anticipated event this year... you had lots of ideas for presents, cakes, and themes for your party. Since at least March, you have been talking about June 13 (you say it, "June Thir-teen!").
I hope you enjoyed your birthday! We woke up to you sitting next to your presents and admiring the decorations in the apartment, much like last year. You were so cute huddled next to the couch just looking around and soaking it all in. You said, to me, "Mommy, there are ribbons on my room. Is that my present, too?!?" So sweet! I had put crepe paper over your door so when you woke up it would immediately be a celebration. And you thought it was a present.
I think Mommy and Daddy overwhelmed you a little... I hated that we had to put you in time out on your birthday. You were just so excited and interested in the gifts... it was hard to wait and hard to not want everything RIGHT.NOW! I will not set out all the presents next year, just the ones you can open immediately.
We let you open the special gift from mommy first thing in the morning. A Cash Register! Complete with fake dollar bills and coins. You love it. You are playing with it right now! You love to stack the dollars all together and then throw them in the air. Then you pick them all up and in a very orderly fashion put them back in the slots they go into. Mommy forgot to get you a battery for this, and when we went to the store later that day, she got the wrong ones! So we are still waiting to get the right battery in it... but you love it just the same!
We skpyed with both grandmas early in the morning. It was fun for you to open your presents "with" them. You loved the castle from Grancie and Papaw and it has already seen hours of play. And, Grandma and Grandpa bought you 150 more balls for your ball pit! Now you can bury yourself completely! Grandma taught you to say, "Bazinga" when you come out of the balls (Yay for The Big Bang Theory!!! LOL).
Then, DADDY was home!!! :) You loved showing daddy all of your new presents, but you were really anxious to open the rest of your gifts!!! You opened a bop it bag, a new math puzzle, 20 new hot wheels cars, and several new books. We played with you for a while then took you to Chick Fil A to celebrate! We had the special birthday cookies for dessert.
What a day! I'm so glad I got to spend it with you!!
At 4 years old, this is how big you are:
Height: 41.75 inches (75%)
Weight: 38.50 lbs (75%)
Happy four years old, Hunter. I love you!!
--Mommy
Saturday, June 15, 2013
4 year old Birthday Questions!
Here are Hunter's responses to a few questions of what his preferences are right now. I got a few on video, too! (We did this last year, here's the link!)
FOUR YEARS OLD
FOUR YEARS OLD
1. How old are you? Four!
2. What is your favorite animal? Penguin!
3. What is your favorite thing to eat? Peanut Butter Toast
4. What is your favorite game? Daddy! Playing with Daddy!
5. What do you like to play with daddy? Swords!!!
5. What do you like to play with daddy? Swords!!!
6. What is your favorite TV show? Bob the Builder!
7. What is your favorite movie? Cars 2
8. What is your favorite color? Silver and white
9. What is your favorite sport? I like more games.
12. What is your favorite book? I'm not going to tell you any more questions.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
4th birthday party pictures!
Disney Pixar Cars Party!!
Hunter is 4!
We invited 15 kids to Hunter's fourth birthday, and 13 of them came! We started the party with time trials with special pull-back cars as well as the job of going around the track "one and a hundred times!" Daddy showed everyone how the track goes, and they spent a good 30 minutes going around and around!
Next, we had a scavenger hunt. The kids were given four cars to look for in Hunter's room and it was great fun. After prizes were handed out, the kids worked together on
After singing happy birthday, the kids all sat in the kitchen to enjoy their snacks. Then we did some more time trials and laps around the track. It was a great party!
This is the best we could do for a group shot! Several guests did not want to stop playing long enough to sit in the picture... but here is the majority of guests.
Daddy organized an amazing track for the cars to race as well as a place for "time trials."
Hunter and his birthday cake!
This was right before the party... he was so excited!
Food Table
Hot Wheels gift from Courtney
Hunter's turn at the time trials!
The girls enjoyed coloring... the boys were a little crazy!
You can see the track took up our entire apartment! The kids LOVED IT!
We did a scavenger hunt in Hunter's room. The kids looked for specific pictures of cars. Here is Hunter and AJ spotting a car!
The winners of the scavenger hunt!
Hunter and his friend Mac!
Sweet Adelyn had a great time!
Working on the Cars puzzle
The candle is lit!!!
Happy Birthday to Hunter!!!!
So fun to sing to my boy....
Blowing out the candles! After many attempts, Daddy helped get the job done!
Party Food time!
I had all the kids sit on my kitchen floor to eat their snacks... just like 2 years ago...
A few gifts.
Hunter loves Angry Birds!
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