I'm Weird!

Is it weird that sometimes my motivation for blogging is because I enjoy looking back through my old posts, and someday I like to think I'll have an online 'diary' of sorts that will recap my thoughts and feelings throughout my life?  Good.  I did not think it was weird either.  I'll continue! :)

Being content is something that I struggle with daily.  It's weird, because mentally I know that I am blessed and I have wonderful family, friends, and even material blessings, but some days it's still tough to be content.  I miss my family and friends in the midwest.  Some days (like today) I wish I could go hang out with my mom and spend the day together playing with and enjoying my baby.  Motherhood is a  difficult thing, and I don't think we were meant to do it alone.  I'm not just taking husbands here; I mean community intentionally being apart of each other's lives for the good of the children and for the good of the mommys and daddys (who are tired!).  We need to raise our children alongside others who can help us.  Who can help us teach our kids things we can't by ourselves.  For their kids to play with our kids, and for moms to say to one another, "yeah, I had a rough night last night too."  To know we are not in it alone.  American culture has become so larger-than life with expectations for oneself.  I feel like someone is always telling us we need to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and 'figure it out', 'do it ourselves.'  Well this momma is saying NO.  I need help.  And I will ask for it.  Because in the end, having help, and real intentional community- people who love me and my kids- having those people around will make me a better mommy, a better wife, and a better Christ follower.

So what I'm saying is- I miss that kind of community.  I have it so easily available to me back 'home' in Indiana.  But in Texas it's different.  It's hard.  I have to fight for it.  I have to try everyday to be intentional and to open myself up and risk being rejected.  But for now, this is where the Lord has called my family.  So I will continue to fight for this community that is a life line to me and my family.  The Lord is using this season for a purpose and I am being sanctified through it.  (But still, can I just say- I miss the easy.  I miss home, family, and friends that love me so well.)

Looking forward to the weekend.  A sweet friend and child of some of our close friends here in TX is getting baptized on Sunday.  Also, I'm going to a baby shower to celebrate another little baby boy in our Home Group.  Love it!  Love celebrating life!

All for now.  Have a great Friday.

Nothing to Write About :)

I haven't blogged in a while, and I haven't really had the time.  Well I haven't made the time.  For the past few weeks Mark has been getting about 5 teeth in all and once and it has been a little rough on him (and mommy!)  Finally, it seems that the teeth have finally broken through and things have gotten better.  I have learned as a momma that everything is a phase.  That if you can just make it through the  "no sleeping phase," the  "teething phase," the "terrible twos phase" that things will get better.  This has worked for me.  Taking life moment by moment and day by day getting through the so called phase is much more bearable then thinking about this parenting thing I'm doing for the next 18+ years of my life.

Enough about mom stuff.  So I wanted to write something today, even though I don't have much to say because I miss that feeling when you create something out of nothing.  When I used to work I had the  responsibility to plan classes, events, and meaningful time for my students to learn.  I miss that.  I also miss high school ceramic class.  Taking a glob of mushy clay and turing it into a vase, cup ,bowl, or funky Christmas ornament.  I miss creating something out of nothing.  I hope that I am doing this parenting thing well, and that someday Mark will be a strong little boy who loves the Lord.  That would be fun to "create."  (He sounds like he is waking up from his nap now.  I hope he goes back to sleep!  Come on give me another hour!)

Well, I'm reading The Signature in the Cell, good stuff.  Complicated, over my head biology and chemistry but really good stuff.  If you are interested in becoming knowledgeable about the DNA enigma (as the author puts it) you should check it out!  The information in DNA had to come from somewhere, but scientists are still trying to figure out the source of the information.  It is awesome how science is pointing to a Creator (if you're willing to open yourself up to the possibility of intelligent design.)  That's all I got for today.  I don't think my baby is going back to sleep; which is a bummer because we will be up late tonight at a church service...oh well!

Glad I at least got to 'create' this small blog post!