Amazed

I have been completely blown away the past couple weeks by the kindness and love of my friends and family. I can't go into a lot of detail at the moment, but I have to write about what God is teaching me through it all. Two specific lessons stand out:

(1) I read early on in Kailin's little life that "sleep begets sleep." You don't exhaust your child to get them to sleep well; instead, you nap them as needed and put them to bed at a reasonable hour and sleeping will come much easier to them.
So it is in our lives with serving others. My Bible Study group has extended their arms to us and loved us so much lately, in such tangible and practical ways, that I can't help but to want to give it back away. To them, to anybody. It's the exact reaction that Jesus expected from His followers, when He told us to love Him and our neighbors above all other commandments. He loved us so much, and that kind of love begets more love. His kindness led us to repentence--and our kindness will lead others to Him. And sometimes when we see somebody not serving or not loving very well, it's our very natural inclination to not want to serve them or to love them, either. (like trying to keep the kid up late to get them to sleep in). But it doesn't work if you really want things to change. The very people that are least kind or least giving...well, that might just be what they are needing from others to jump start their hearts in the same direction. I am humbled after watching my small group to realize just how poor I can be at serving others in my own life.

(2) God provides. How many times in the past few weeks have I cringed and been unable to see how to get through something. It's like being in a video game trying to get through a castle maze thingy. The animated electronic guy just needs the next treasure to keep going or else his little life is over. If he gets it, he has enough to go find the next part of the maze. That's sort of how I've felt; I just need the next little bit to keep going. But every time I peek my head around the next corner, I can't see a thing--no little treasure. There is NOTHING there. I panic. I'm human. My confidence and perseverance is in critical condition. It's not until I actually walk around that corner and I'm in the room that what I need the most suddenly falls from the sky or materializes where it wasn't before. I thank God for that, knowing He is the giver of all good things. And that treasure has come in a hundred forms--friends visiting, my mother in law, a pick-me-up phone call, meals, an encouraging e-mail, something fun to do, a smile from my kiddos, a couple hours alone, an uninterrupted cup of coffee--always just enough to get to the next room but never lacking. So, thank you small group. Thank you friends. Most of all--thank you GOD.

Priorities

Okay, I'm skipping shower time in order to write this!
Today is Kaitlin's first day of preschool. She was sooo excited and ready to go. And if you know me, you will be most impressed to know that I got her there on time. Poor Carson paid the price. He got halfway through his feeding and I had to cut him off and leave. Ah, the fun of being second-born. But we learned our lesson and will time it better next go round. Kaitlin was so disappointed that Mommy drove her and she didn't get to ride a yellow (fave color) school bus. Whoops, forgot to go over that part with her. Truth be told, Mommy's a little disappointed there's no school bus, too. :)
On the bright side, Carson 'complained' so much on the way home about still being hungry that he has slept the whole time Kaitlin's been at school and oh boy! That means I've had free hands the ability to get some stuff done!
I finally managed to get a semi-smiling picture out of Carson--see the one with the newspaper in the background. He is smiling at the headline over his right shoulder--too bad for OU!
Off to shower; enjoy some pics of Kaitlin on her first day and also just some random updated pics of Carson. 10 lbs 13 oz as of Sept 8th. He weighs at 5 weeks probably what Kaitlin weighed at 5 months. I wonder if I'll ever stop comparing my kids. Makes me awfully glad that God saw fit to make this one a boy. :)

2 Week Check up

In typical Kelly fashion, I'm late on Carson's 2 week check up. But only by two days. At any rate, he weighs 9 lbs (75th %), is 21 inches long (up from 20 inches at birth, between 50-75th %), and his noggin is 14" around (25th %). He's doing great by all accounts and sleeping peacefully as I type. Ah, bliss.

Some Pics

P.S.

P.S. As I look at the blog, I realize you might be thinking I have a red headed little child. I would love that, but I'll set the record straight and tell you his hair is brown, that was just the lighting.

37 weeks and a lot on my mind.

Naming Baby

So we're in the funnest part of pregnancy besides breaking the news to people. And that is...naming baby! We've found naming a boy is considerably more difficult than naming a girl! Especially when your family is like mine--Southern on one half with some, well, interesting names (Virgil anyone?!) and then HUGE on the other half which means little second and third and barely-related cousins already took a big chunk of the current names. THEN, of course, there is the dilemma of finding a name you both agree on, only to remember your brother's friend who threw you in the trash can at your freshman dance. Can't go there with his name. I don't know how teachers ever name their children.
As Christians, we of course considered Bible names, but really, people blow it big and Biblical figures are no different! I can't see naming my baby Adam (and I do love the name Adam) but then he comes to find out that Adam is the way back root of all man's sin. I hate to begin Baby's life on that foot! But then, you hate to go to the other extreme and name him Jesus or something. No pressure. I don't know, maybe we're just too picky and overthinking this. But you know, you read People magazine and other such highly reliable psychiatric sources that talk about how Baby's name really can affect his future so you know, you just gotta get it right.
We're down to three names that we like best, and truly I have no idea which one will win. One week it's name A, another week it's name B "for sure!" and then today pregnancy brain won out and I couldn't even remember name C for a while. Yup, I'm losing it.
So if you're waiting for name hints, sit tight. It might be a while...