My baby’s first illness

After this past week, I just want to thank my mom for going through all sleepless nights my sister and I gave her, all the worry and fear and prayers she must have experienced over the years. Being a mom is scary!
Just this past Monday, my daughter, Karen, woke up from her morning nap, and I realized she felt very warm. After taking her temperature, Dave and I took her to urgent care since it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the pediatrician was closed. They tested her for strep and a bladder infection, and determined the illness was viral and would have to run its course. They gave us some baby Advil and sent us home. Karen was cranky for the afternoon, but really we were not too worried. She went to sleep at 8 p.m.
At 10 p.m. she woke up crying, so I went to her room and picked her up. She was burning up. As I yelled for Dave to get the thermometer, Karen began to vomit on me in a way I’ve never seen before. I didn’t know a little body could hold so much! It was frightening. After 5 minutes of frantically searching for the thermometer, we took her temp at 102.4. We decided quickly to take her to the ER because of how badly she had been throwing up. I ran to my bedroom to change (because I was soaked in vomit) while Dave got Karen packed up and in her car seat.
By 10:30 we were at the hospital. Within 15 minutes they had us in a room and were taking her vitals and getting Tylenol in her. Fifteen minutes later the doctor was in to see her, and in another 5 minutes, we were moved to a room where they took a chest x-ray to check for pnemonia, and hooked her up to an IV to get fluids in her. Her fever was now 104.4 and she was badly dehydrated. Needless to say, I hadn’t stopped crying since we go there.
It was so hard watching her get hooked up to the IV, but after they were done, she settled down in my arms as I fed her 2 oz of Pedialyte, and eventually fell asleep. Dave and I watched some quiet TV for about an hour, praying, watching, and munching on the peanut butter and jelly Smucker’s Uncrustables with milk the nurse brought us.
When Karen woke up, the nurse came back in and looked very relieved as she told us her heart rate had decreased to a normal level, and her fever was virtually gone. I could tell just by looking at Karen that she was feeling 80 percent better. I think the IV fluids really made a huge difference. She began looking around, and got curious about this tube sticking into her arm. I spent the next 10 minutes trying not to let her pull it out! It was wonderful, considering that an hour earlier she looked dazed and disoriented.
They sent us home around 2 a.m. We stopped at Walgreens (thank you for being 24 hours by the way) to pick up baby Motrin and Tylenol, and some coffee for me and Dave. When we got home we put Karen in new jammies, fed her Pedialyte, Motrin, and formula, and rocked her to sleep. I was in bed by 3 a.m. Yay!
The next 3 days were made up of three hour cycles of rotating Motrin and Tylenol doses, more frequent feedings, and grape Pedialyte. Today is Friday, and she has a runny nose, but nothing worse than that. She’s upstairs napping at this very moment.
I’m so thankful that it wasn’t more serious, and also I am very thankful that we live close to a hospital with a pediatric emergency care center. We didn’t wait at all. They took us right back and jumped into action. Dave and I learned a lot through this experience, but this time we just needed a little help getting her fever down.
When I think back on this, the part that stands out most in my mind is when we were waiting for the doctor, I held and rocked Karen while Dave held my hand, and I sang, “Jesus loves me,” to calm our daughter. But really, I think it had more of a calming effect on me. “Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong.” I knew as I sang those words that Karen is and always has been in the hands of Jesus, and no matter what happened, God would be with us. It is in our weakness that he is strongest. I’m sure this won’t be our last night at the emergency room with our kids, but we will get through them one at a time, and God will always have us in his hands.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

January in Arizona is like fall in the rest of North America. Leaves are falling off trees and people are outside with leaf blowers and rakes cleaning up the remnants of a mild season that out here is known as winter. I can’t say I mind, winter is beautiful here. It’s the time of year to go hiking, have picnics, and enjoy the outdoors before sizzling heat reclaims the Valley of the Sun.

But I remember the winter dullness of New Jersey, and sometimes even miss it. When we have a day here with the sky full of soft gray clouds, it makes me think of hot chocolate and fuzzy sweaters. I have a closet full of sweaters that I only get to wear for about one week out of the year, and that’s when I go back east for the holidays.

Early in our marriage life was exciting and new. I got married, moved across the country became a nanny and loved exploring this sprawling city. When things started settling into a routine, I got pregnant and, after a pretty difficult pregnancy and intense birth, had a beautiful baby girl. But six months later, I’m finding myself wishing more and more to be with my family in New Jersey so I can share my daughter’s sweet moments with the people I love.

When I first moved here, I hadn’t really believed this is where we would be staying. My husband spent five summers in New Jersey during college, and he also has many close friends there. Deep inside I always assumed we would be heading back east in no time. Once I realized my “adventure” in Arizona is not so much of a short-term trip, I began feeling antsy and sorry for myself. When I talk to Dave about it, he always wins with practicality. He has a great job here, we have a house, and our daughter has five close-in-age cousins that all live in this state. If we took her back to New Jersey, she’d have lots of our friend’s kids to play with, but no relatives her age.

So what do I do? Keep feeling sorry for myself? Nag my husband for change that he has very little control over? The answers to life’s toughest questions always come from scripture, so that is where I turn.

First and foremost, I must take the wisdom of the Proverbs, Chapter 21, verse 9: “It is better to live in the corner of a roof than a house shared with a contentious woman.” (NAS) Since I don’t want to banish Dave to the roof, nagging is out.

One of my greatest comforts in any uncomfortable or worrisome circumstance I find myself in is this verse: “This I know, that God is for me,” Psalm 56:9b. Short and sweet, it reminds me that God is in control. I have wondered at times in my life if I made a cosmic mistake that took the direction of my life somewhere it wasn’t supposed to go. But that is not possible. No matter what I do, there is nothing I could do to ruin God’s plans for me. I’m just not that powerful! It would be incredibly arrogant to think I could mess up God’s plans. That itself is a huge relief! I don’t need to be worried or spend any time on “what if’s?” Even if I do mess up, we are also promised that “All things work together for good of those who love God,” (Romans 8:28).

What about satisfaction? Philippians 4:11 speaks to that when Paul talks about want, saying, “…I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” The big secret: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” It is satisfaction and strength in God I need to rely on. Not myself or my husband, or my location, because all of those things will fail. God’s strength will not fail.

And when all is said and done, we don’t belong on this earth anyway. We will never know true satisfaction wherever we are, until we leave this earth and begin our eternal lives in heaven. In “The Last Battle,” by C.S. Lewis, there is a white unicorn named Jewel who comes into the land of Aslan, and perfectly describes what we may feel when seeing heaven for the first time. “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now.”

I don’t know if I’m going to be living here for the rest of my life, but for now it doesn’t look like we are going anywhere soon. I miss my friends and family, and I miss the places and life I’m familiar with. But I have been blessed in so many ways, and I need to accept where I am now. God does not make mistakes. He put me here on purpose and I can choose to enjoy life exactly where I am. Phoenix is a great place to live and raise a family, and if the time does come for us to move somewhere else, I want to look back on my life here and know I enjoyed every bit of it, and did not waste my time in this blossoming desert wishing I was somewhere else.

~Liz

MADE Shirt Dress Tutorial!

Had to share!! This is one of the cutest projects I”ve seen in a while! When Christmas is over and life takes a breather I’m all over this.

http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/tutorial-shirt-dress.html

 

~amy

The Importance of Being Earnest – On Divorce

There is a courtroom full of people. Two people, formerly united in marriage. Two unhappy sides of a family, arms crossed. Four broken children, in tears. All waiting for a verdict that will halfheartedly satisfy one side of the family, infuriate the other side, and damage the children further.

This is a scene in which I was present not long ago.

I sat with my three present siblings, in the rows separating our mother and her family and our father and his family. As I observed those family members present I flashed back to the last time that they were all gathered together in the same place.

My wedding. Three and a half years ago.

Images from our wedding slide show flashed through my mind, my dad giving me away, my dads father sitting next to my moms mother while proudly watching their oldest granddaughter say her vows, my mom lighting the unity candle with my mother in law, my aunts from both sides dancing around me, my mom flirtatiously smooching my dad on the cheek…BRAIN. STOP ALREADY.

As I sat there I wished my body would shrivel up and die along with my heart. My youngest sister H was laying on my shoulder, wanting to be anywhere but there. My sweet, brave little sister, how I wish I could rescue you! Both of my brothers, acting as if they don’t care, looking so grown up. I remember when I changed your diapers and yelled at you for making too much noise. Their childhood has been much different from mine!

What happened? When did the tragedy begin to take place? There are countless lessons to be learned. God be merciful to me, a sinner!

~amy

Quiet Time Noise

Quite time noise
By Liz Haveman

Ephesians 1:
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are probably gonna be coming home early tonight, so I’ll need to get some dinner started before heading to the bank… Ah! Gotta keep focused.
“Grace to you and peace form God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the wonderful friend who lent me all those cloth diapers to try out! I need to get the organic detergent off Amazon before I cancel my subscription. I wonder if that should come out of the grocery budget or the baby budget? Oops! Sorry God, please help me focus on your word.
“…Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us to hurry up and change the cat litter before they start making a mess. We’re almost out, I’ll have to pick some up at the grocery store. I hope the dog doesn’t wake Dave up again, it’s so nice and quiet right now. Quiet.. arg, not again! FOCUS!

Anyone else’s quiet time been looking like that lately? Anyone? Ladies?
I can’t believe how difficult it is to break through my own thoughts enough to quiet down and listen to God. My mind runs so fast in 10 different directions, when all I really want is to sit down and have some time with God. My prayer lately has been that God would help me grow spiritually so I can be a good example for my little daughter. I want her to grow up seeing and hearing her mom and dad reading and praying. Will this ever not be a struggle?
Learning how to quiet our minds and focus on God is a discipline, like running (which I also don’t do). Prayer is a muscle that has to be exercised like any other muscle. Without proper attention and regular use, it will atrophy. Then we have to start by repairing a damaged muscle instead of maintaining a healthy one.
Since being married and now having a baby, I’ve damaged my prayer muscle for sure. All of my mental energy is busy maintaining my household (like a good Christian wife is supposed to, right?) and taking care of my hubby and baby. And let me assure you that reading books on prayer, while maybe having some benefit, will not improve your prayer life unless you actually do what they say, and pray!
Several nights ago my husband and I had a long conversation about prayer, and how we both need to focus on God more. We’ve both let our marriage become a distraction from our spiritual lives, but we also both desire to be a support for each other’s growth, not a detriment. Later, I was having trouble sleeping, and though maybe God was using to time to call me to prayer. I wanted to ignore it and roll over, but I thought if this was God trying to draw me toward Him, ignoring that may not be the best decision. So around midnight I got up and crept downstairs, and kneeled with my forehead on my couch and prayed.
One hour later, I woke up with my forehead on my couch and both my legs completely numb underneath me. As I crawled back up the stairs while the pins and needles crawled back up my legs, I felt that I had made a small turning point. The next morning, my desire to pray had increased, and it became less difficult to focus my mind on God.
Sometime in the next year I hope to watch my daughter take her first shaky steps, perhaps while I’m holding her hands and guiding her, and keeping her from falling. Maybe she and I will be taking baby steps together. She’ll be learning to walk, while I’m learning to grasp God’s hands and hold on so that while I’m getting my wobbly legs under control, He won’t let me fall.

The more coffee, the merrier…

I love coffee. Most of the people that I know who drink it, drink it in the mornings. It’s not often that, upon rolling out of bed, I can make myself drink anything at all, so my coffee drinking time is anywhere from late morning to evening.

I have also recently turned into a coffee snob. For Christmas three years ago my dad gave P and I a bean grinder. Like a good daughter I proceeded to store it out of sight til we would need it. I’m ashamed to admit that it took me over a year to buy beans and pull it out again, and I’ve never been the same since then! I can usually tell fresh ground coffee from pre-ground just by smelling it.

And I can’t forget to give credit where credit is due. I love flavoured creams, this time of year, Peppermint. Bring on the Christmas shopping!

~amy

Pumpkin Bread

INTERNET IS BACK!!!

I kid you not, I was in the middle of typing up this post AN HOUR before the scheduled blog launch and my internet stopped working. Today is the first day that I’ve had it since. SO SORRY!

I use almost double the amount of pumpkin.  It makes it so moist!

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups of sugar

1 cup cooking oil

4 eggs

3 1/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup water

1 15 oz can of pumpkin ( I use a 29 oz can!)

Grease 2 loaf pans and a muffin pan.  In a very large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Alternately add flour mixture and water to sugar mixture, beating on low-speed after each addition. Stir in the pumpkin. Bake the muffins first for about 15-20 minutes, then cool them on a wire cooling rack while the loaves are baking for about an hour.

I will usually pop one or both of the loaves in the freezer to pull out the night before a fellowship meal or random get together.

 

~amy

A most excellent, easy, versatile chicken dish!

People ask me all the time for recipes for things and when they do I usually groan, the reason being this; about 70% of the time I don’t use a recipe. Most of my “recipes” are filed away neatly in my brain, to be tweaked and bended and stretched without the actual measurements glaring at me from a hundred year old, failproof cookbook. However, when someone asks me for one that is not written down I write out my most reliable version for them and for myself, to preserve it for posterity. It’s been good for me. This blog is another way for me to get them out of my head and into the world so that my family and friends are not the only ones enjoying them.

At a girlfriends house one evening she made chicken for dinner, and I was amazed by it. It was simply breaded and baked. The end. Her secret…. she used mayonnaise instead of eggs or milk to make the breadcrumbs stick.  It broke my brain a little bit, how could something so good be so simple? But it was, and I’ve never used eggs or milk again.

So, here it is.

Baked Chicken

Chicken breasts

Low-fat mayonnaise

Italian style breadcrumbs

Roll the chicken in the mayo, then the breadcrumbs, place on a greased cookie sheet (I wrap my cookie sheet in foil first, then you won’t have to wash it later!) Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes (depending on thickness of chicken)

The reason I use low-fat mayo is because the regular results in the chicken sitting in a puddle of grease after it bakes, blech. But it you like grease, go for it.

SO EASY RIGHT??? You could cut your chicken into strips or nuggets before breading for convenient ketchup dipping for the kids.

Yum.

~amy

Hobbies

Something that both Amy and I love to do is crochet. I think we were both taught by our moms years ago, which makes it an even more special hobby. My mom was taught by her Aunt Sally, who was taught by her mother, Caroline Elizabeth Dougherty. I like having a skill passed down through several generations.

Amy even has her own crochet business that she runs on line and at craft fairs. And although she’s by far the more talented crochet artist, I was just invited to participate in a small craft fair on December 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. not far from my house in Chandler. It’s going to be run by a woman who wanted to sell her stuff, but didn’t want to put out the money craft fairs usually charge to rent a table. So she is hosting this event on a Saturday in her own front yard and inviting many other women to come be vendors with her. I’m so excited to be part of this, but since I only have a month’s notice, I am crocheting like a maniac to get up a decent supply for the fair. I’m hoping to have about 30 scarves along with some other scarf accessories. That means almost one scarf a day until then! Yikkes! I’m on day two of my one-scarf-a-day marathon, and so far so good. The timing will be perfect, because who in Phoenix would buy a scarf for any reason other than for a Christmas gift? It does get cold here, but only for about six weeks, then the weather is back to sizzling! The high today was 91, and it’s almost Halloween.

Poor Dave is left putting the baby to bed every night while I’m on the couch whip-stitching and chaining away. He’s such an amazing hubby. If anyone has some great crochet patterns to share, please post them! I’ll get up some pictures of my scarves once I get a few more done, and I’ll post some of my favorite patterns too. I can’t wait to share more details about the craft fair once I find them out.

~Liz

All the single ladies..

Put your hands up and praise our heavenly Father, for you are all fearfully and wonderfully made!

What a strange, frustrating, and wonderful time in your life. I know most of you want Mr. Wonderful to come along and sweep you off your feet, give you stability and a house and babies to take care of. Some of you are content with waiting for now, and some of you begin to despair that Mr. Wonderful is a fabled creature, a myth that doesn’t exist.  Every morning that you wake up alone your heart sinks deeper into the hole that marital love has never filled.

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. –Jeremiah 29:11-14

 In these verses Jeremiah is talking to the surviving exiles of Judah. God banished them from their home because of their sin, to humble them and bring them back to Him. He promises to restore them to their home, they first have to pray and seek with all their hearts before He will be found by them, and before He can fulfill His promises.

If you are despairing and bemoaning where God has you right now, that is where you are captive!  God says if you call upon Him, search for Him with all of your heart (including that hole), then you will find Him and He will bring you back from your captivity. That doesn’t mean that you’ll pray and bam, God will give you a husband and game over.  That means..

…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7

And after that….

    ..those who wait on the LORD
      Shall renew their strength;
      They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
      They shall run and not be weary,
      They shall walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31

What wonderful promises!  We know He will never fail us.

~amy