Real quick link... Barbara at Praying for Grace has collected some resources for Palm Sunday (for kids). If you stop by, leave her a comment and say thanks for her work!
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Saturday, April 4, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Baby L's 2nd week home
Today is two weeks since we made it home with Baby L. I actually seems like a lot longer. Here are some progress notes and highlights:
- Got a clean bill of health from our pediatrician.
- Since we had records of her vaccinations with lot numbers, our pediatrician accepted all her vaccinations from Ghana. No repeat shots!
- She has moved from a bassinett beside our bed into her crib in the girls' room! In fact, last night Ella and she slept in there (in the room, not the crib) together and they both did great!
- Speaking of sleeping, she has begun to let us put her down for naps before she has fallen asleep (but still when she is really tired and has been all snuggled up).
- Her bottle-feeding has really improved! She is now regularly taking 4-5 oz, sometimes 6oz and at least once she took 7oz at one time! We've moved up a nipple flow speed which has helped and she's taken to it without being stressed about feeling choked. This is really big news!
- She's begun trying lots of new baby foods. When she is interested in eating solids she does great, but when she isn't forget it!
- The dogs' barks don't make her cry anymore and she tolerates them coming to say "hello" more and more. She is also quite interested in the kitties.
- She still insists on being in Mama's arms at certain times and there is no putting her down or passing her off. We are glad that she is showing a tight bond, but it does make it hard to get things done.
- Nighttimes are improving, but still we wake up with her (or she wakes before we go to bed) around midnight to 1am and then around 4am. Better than waking every hour or so!
So, that is a quick run-down of her adjustment status. We hope to have her at church this Sunday for Palm Sunday. It will be a lot for her and we'll have to watch for signs that she is getting overwhelmed, but I think she'll do pretty well.
7 Quick Takes: April 3rd - What is Normal?
Today marks two weeks since I returned home from Ghana. It took about 10 of those 14 days to start to really feel "back to normal". Not sure whether that is more due to time change, culture reacclimation, or just being away from my own "normal" for a month and a half. How different "normal" can be from one culture to another! How different normal can be from one person to another!
So, what makes my life seem normal? My time away certainly has clarified what makes me feel comfortable and at home...
One
Pajamas. I adore pajamas...in fact my husband might say I have a slight obsession with pjs. After a long, busy day nothing feels better than peeling off the day's clothes and snuggling into a comfortable pair. Of course, you might guess I have quite a collection and it is a sad day when an old, favorite pair has to be retired.
Two
NPR. My daily routine includes quite a lot of NPR. Liberal bias or not, the stories on NPR are good and more often constitute REAL news (or at least REAL human interest) than what I see on local or national news shows, which I stopped watching a couple of years ago. I really watch very little news on TV.
Three
Morning Routine. Quiet house, dim morning light, warm cup of tea or coffee, reading bible and/or devotional, checking email, reading some blogs, looking over my day's schedule and waiting for the first child to descend the stairs, the sign day has truly begun.
Four
My spot on the couch. We have acquired by "hand-me down" a couch and a loveseat to replace our couch with chaise that had its springs sprung by rambunctious children. It didn't take long for me to find "my spot" on the loveseat. Settling in to this spot at the end of a day ready to enjoy a favorite TV show, a little conversation, and a glass of wine - very normal.
Five
My bed with down pillows and down comforter. I love, love, love my bed. Two christmases ago, my mom gave us a gift certificate to Bed, Bath and Beyond which we used to purchase really nice down pillows. Combined with our down comforter (which we've had forever) they make a most cozy, fluffy, snuggly bed!
Six
The menagerie of pets. Ok, we don't really have a menagerie right now, but we do have two dogs and two cats. We used to have two lizards and their feeder crickets (which we also had to feed, so aren't they pets, too?). Normal is watching my cats and dogs do their funny, well-choreographed dance around each other. The cats sneak upstairs to avoid being excessively "loved" by the dogs. The cats sneak downstairs to make their mad dash for the kitty door. The dogs wait for the slightest cat noise or scent and then bolt after the cats. Sometimes one particular cat actually tries to seek out one or the other of the dog, but carefully to avoid attracting the attention of both. (When there is only one they are fairly gentle, but together they get all "pack"-like and a bit rough.)
Seven
Our books. We have a lot of books. Certainly not as many as some but more than most, I suppose. Often I find myself reading a different books in each room of the house - a book on homeschooling in the family room, a food book in the kitchen, a spiritual book in the library room, and a novel in our bedroom.
So, what is "normal" for you? Leave a comment here and then visit Jen at Conversion Diary for more "Quick Takes".
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Quiverfull Questions
Quiverfull on NPR? Yup! (HT: StandFirm)
But I must say there is a quote that really disturbed me: "'We'll be able to take over both halls of Congress, we'll be able to reclaim sinful cities like San Francisco for the faithful, and we'll be able to wage very effective massive boycotts against companies that are going against God's will.'"
I don't know - since when did this become the ultimate goal for Christian families? What about sharing the gospel? What about caring for widows and orphans? What about the poor, the sick, the oppressed?
Wait, let's back up. Is "quiverfull" a term you are familiar with? It is sort of "jargon" in many Christian circles...but not even all Christians would know what it refers to, I guess. The term "Quiverfull" refers to a verse in Psalm 127 that describes children like the arrows in a mighty warrior's quiver. The idea being that a mighty warrior would have LOTS not just one or two. (Of course, a really good archer might only need one or two to get the job done...but that is a different debate.) So, the Quiverfull Movement is one that encourages Christian families to see children as a blessing and to accept as many "as the Lord sends" - using no birth control of any sort.
Apparently, it has lately been the zinger topic in some liberal circles...you know, easy to "zing" with negative labels and attitudes, and generally writing it off as "nutty", without taking the time to really get to know some of the families who make up the Quiverfull Movement. (Do a google search and see how many negative articles come up on the first two pages.)
I did a lot of reading about the quiverfull movement (also called QF for short) around the time my husband and I decided we were not "done" (even though one of us had surgery to be "done"...which we then had "undone"). I read lots of the books, websites and such and was mostly convinced that this movement was on to something. Of course, this wasn't a huge leap for me. Since I was little, I've thought it odd that people who believe in a good, omnicient, omnipotent God would not trust him more with the size of their families. But there were some aspects to the basic ideas that I couldn't settle in my mind and some influences within the movement that I thought were going so far as to have missed the gospel in the search for "godliness".
Really, I found it hard to come to terms with the movement's emphasis that EVERYONE should be quiverfull (at least every Christian) and if they weren't they were sinning against God. All I'm going to say about that right now is that it strikes me as quite a legalistic approach to Scripture. (And having read the blogs and forums of some of these groups, it wasn't only a legalistic seeming...there was some pretty extreme legalism going on inside the group on all manner of issues.) There almost seemed to be an unspoken contest going on to determine who trusts God more, me or thee. However, legalism can be found in any group (Christian or not, religious or not...shoot, have you ever noticed the legalism in the Green movement...there it is "who is greener, me or thee".)
The quote from the NPR piece displays the attitude prevalent in the QF movement that I think is the most troublesome. There is quite an emphasis on gaining power through political positions in order to "Christianize" the country. (The QF is not the only Christian group today that holds to the belief that Chrisitans should be out to Christianize by conquest...it is also not the first Christian group to desire political influence and power...seems like I remember a Roman church that held political power for quite a few years - but that is a much larger topic!) And this is where I think it veers beyond, or rather, doesn't reach, the Gospel.
Christ eschewed political power as a means of evangelism, instead he chose and instructed us to evangelize by one-on-one interaction. Not only that, He also told us that "true religion" is the care of widows and orphans. This should be what we are filling our quivers with- children who love God and love their fellow human beings. Children who see the frailty and grief around them and want to present Christ to a dying world. And also, children who delight in God's gift of creation!
And while I have criticism for the QF movement, I also think that Christians in America can learn a LOT from the ideas of the quiverfull movement about getting our perspectives toward children and famlies in line with God's perspective. Why do we stop at one or two...because it is culturally acceptable? Because of finances? Our lack of patience? Or because we've invested time in prayer and thought and believe that is the Lord's will for our family? Which definitely sounds more like a people who believe in a God who loves them and their children.
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But I must say there is a quote that really disturbed me: "'We'll be able to take over both halls of Congress, we'll be able to reclaim sinful cities like San Francisco for the faithful, and we'll be able to wage very effective massive boycotts against companies that are going against God's will.'"
I don't know - since when did this become the ultimate goal for Christian families? What about sharing the gospel? What about caring for widows and orphans? What about the poor, the sick, the oppressed?
Wait, let's back up. Is "quiverfull" a term you are familiar with? It is sort of "jargon" in many Christian circles...but not even all Christians would know what it refers to, I guess. The term "Quiverfull" refers to a verse in Psalm 127 that describes children like the arrows in a mighty warrior's quiver. The idea being that a mighty warrior would have LOTS not just one or two. (Of course, a really good archer might only need one or two to get the job done...but that is a different debate.) So, the Quiverfull Movement is one that encourages Christian families to see children as a blessing and to accept as many "as the Lord sends" - using no birth control of any sort.
Apparently, it has lately been the zinger topic in some liberal circles...you know, easy to "zing" with negative labels and attitudes, and generally writing it off as "nutty", without taking the time to really get to know some of the families who make up the Quiverfull Movement. (Do a google search and see how many negative articles come up on the first two pages.)
I did a lot of reading about the quiverfull movement (also called QF for short) around the time my husband and I decided we were not "done" (even though one of us had surgery to be "done"...which we then had "undone"). I read lots of the books, websites and such and was mostly convinced that this movement was on to something. Of course, this wasn't a huge leap for me. Since I was little, I've thought it odd that people who believe in a good, omnicient, omnipotent God would not trust him more with the size of their families. But there were some aspects to the basic ideas that I couldn't settle in my mind and some influences within the movement that I thought were going so far as to have missed the gospel in the search for "godliness".
Really, I found it hard to come to terms with the movement's emphasis that EVERYONE should be quiverfull (at least every Christian) and if they weren't they were sinning against God. All I'm going to say about that right now is that it strikes me as quite a legalistic approach to Scripture. (And having read the blogs and forums of some of these groups, it wasn't only a legalistic seeming...there was some pretty extreme legalism going on inside the group on all manner of issues.) There almost seemed to be an unspoken contest going on to determine who trusts God more, me or thee. However, legalism can be found in any group (Christian or not, religious or not...shoot, have you ever noticed the legalism in the Green movement...there it is "who is greener, me or thee".)
The quote from the NPR piece displays the attitude prevalent in the QF movement that I think is the most troublesome. There is quite an emphasis on gaining power through political positions in order to "Christianize" the country. (The QF is not the only Christian group today that holds to the belief that Chrisitans should be out to Christianize by conquest...it is also not the first Christian group to desire political influence and power...seems like I remember a Roman church that held political power for quite a few years - but that is a much larger topic!) And this is where I think it veers beyond, or rather, doesn't reach, the Gospel.
Christ eschewed political power as a means of evangelism, instead he chose and instructed us to evangelize by one-on-one interaction. Not only that, He also told us that "true religion" is the care of widows and orphans. This should be what we are filling our quivers with- children who love God and love their fellow human beings. Children who see the frailty and grief around them and want to present Christ to a dying world. And also, children who delight in God's gift of creation!
And while I have criticism for the QF movement, I also think that Christians in America can learn a LOT from the ideas of the quiverfull movement about getting our perspectives toward children and famlies in line with God's perspective. Why do we stop at one or two...because it is culturally acceptable? Because of finances? Our lack of patience? Or because we've invested time in prayer and thought and believe that is the Lord's will for our family? Which definitely sounds more like a people who believe in a God who loves them and their children.
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Saturday, March 28, 2009
monocultured modernism
At this moment especially we should be protecting actual diversity - bio-diversity, financial diversity (i.e., local markets) and educational diversity in the name of local, regional, religious and pedagogical traditions (rather than being blinded by the monoculture-based claims of “multiculturalism”). Yet, at this moment we are apt to cling to our modern faith in the logic of monocultures, even as the news seems to be undeniable that nature hates monocultures, and nature will not be indefinitely denied.
From Patrick Deneen of Front Porch Republic blog, March 26th, 2009
From Patrick Deneen of Front Porch Republic blog, March 26th, 2009
Pacifier Giggly Girl
Here is L playing with Mom and her pacifier. This is still one of her favorite games! Erik and I loved hearing her giggle. It is infectious!
Friday, March 27, 2009
beyond prayer
Sometimes…while prayer remains for its part, the intellect is taken away from it as if into heaven, and tears fall like fountains of waters, involuntarily soaking the whole face. All this time such a person is serene, still and filled with a wonder-filled vision. Very often he will not be allowed even to pray: this in truth is the state of cessation above prayer when he remains continually in amazement at God’s work of creation - like people who are crazed by wine, for this is ‘the wine which causes the person’s heart to rejoice’…. Blessed is the person who has entered this door in the experience of his own soul, for all the power of ink, letters and phrases is too feeble to indicate the delight of this mystery.
Bp. Hilarion Alfeyev in The Spiritual World of Isaac the Syrian from the blog Glory to God for All Things.
Bp. Hilarion Alfeyev in The Spiritual World of Isaac the Syrian from the blog Glory to God for All Things.
First Week Home
As you can probably imagine, time for blogging has become pretty scarce. So, no long-winded posts for now!
It has been nearly one week since L was introduced to her entire family and her new home. Here are some things I've noticed in our first week:
* She has gained 4 lbs since we had her weighed at the health clinic in Accra. FOUR POUNDS! I think I need to post before and after photos, don't you?
* The stare factor at JFK was just as noticeable as it was in Accra. That shocked me a little. The stares weren't quite as obvious, but there were still a lot of head-turning going on.
* There are times I've avoided going places this week just due to the attention and distraction I'll create with her. She is cute and it is a curiosity to see a very white lady with a very black baby. So, far it has all been positive attention, but for me it is a bit much even so. Something I'll have to get used to.
* I absolutely adore her dark skin. And her hair has really softened up now that I've gotten some good conditioner products for it. I'm saving up for some Carol's Daughter products - I hear these are the best.
* Yesterday, I did school with one child and got to talk "shop" (ie. homeschool stuff) with Dear Neighbor. Wow. Did it feel good to do something normal and have a conversation about something other than visas, the embassy, adoption, Ghana, etc! I feel like life is getting started again after being on hold.
* My upstairs is a WRECK! Luckily, we've managed to keep the downstairs in relatively good shape, but the upstairs (particularly E's room, the playroom, and our master closet) is a disaster. Erik and the kids are going to try to put it to rights this weekend. I'll feel better to have a somewhat organized home...organized chaos, yes, but organized nonetheless!
* As much as I hate to admit it, our six weeks together with no other distractions really seems to have helped her with the transition into family life. She's done great with a new climate, surroundings, dogs/cats, siblings, and even being introduced to new people. I'm really surprised by how quickly she seems to be assimilating. I am trying to keep a close eye on her for any signs of shutting down or getting stressed due to all these changes. She has moments where only Mom will do, but for the most part she seems to be really taking it all in stride.
Please keep praying for our friends, Ben and Aimee, who are still in Ghana. Their DNA has arrived at the Fairfax Identity Lab in Richmond, VA and should be done in a week to ten days. Then it will be sent directly to the US Embassy in Accra. Pray that the processing goes very quickly (maybe even quicker than a week) and has positive and conclusive results. Pray also that the embassy then speedily processes their visa.
It has been nearly one week since L was introduced to her entire family and her new home. Here are some things I've noticed in our first week:
* She has gained 4 lbs since we had her weighed at the health clinic in Accra. FOUR POUNDS! I think I need to post before and after photos, don't you?
* The stare factor at JFK was just as noticeable as it was in Accra. That shocked me a little. The stares weren't quite as obvious, but there were still a lot of head-turning going on.
* There are times I've avoided going places this week just due to the attention and distraction I'll create with her. She is cute and it is a curiosity to see a very white lady with a very black baby. So, far it has all been positive attention, but for me it is a bit much even so. Something I'll have to get used to.
* I absolutely adore her dark skin. And her hair has really softened up now that I've gotten some good conditioner products for it. I'm saving up for some Carol's Daughter products - I hear these are the best.
* Yesterday, I did school with one child and got to talk "shop" (ie. homeschool stuff) with Dear Neighbor. Wow. Did it feel good to do something normal and have a conversation about something other than visas, the embassy, adoption, Ghana, etc! I feel like life is getting started again after being on hold.
* My upstairs is a WRECK! Luckily, we've managed to keep the downstairs in relatively good shape, but the upstairs (particularly E's room, the playroom, and our master closet) is a disaster. Erik and the kids are going to try to put it to rights this weekend. I'll feel better to have a somewhat organized home...organized chaos, yes, but organized nonetheless!
* As much as I hate to admit it, our six weeks together with no other distractions really seems to have helped her with the transition into family life. She's done great with a new climate, surroundings, dogs/cats, siblings, and even being introduced to new people. I'm really surprised by how quickly she seems to be assimilating. I am trying to keep a close eye on her for any signs of shutting down or getting stressed due to all these changes. She has moments where only Mom will do, but for the most part she seems to be really taking it all in stride.
Please keep praying for our friends, Ben and Aimee, who are still in Ghana. Their DNA has arrived at the Fairfax Identity Lab in Richmond, VA and should be done in a week to ten days. Then it will be sent directly to the US Embassy in Accra. Pray that the processing goes very quickly (maybe even quicker than a week) and has positive and conclusive results. Pray also that the embassy then speedily processes their visa.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Family is Whole Again
Yes, we are finally home! Baby L and I arrived home late last Friday night (March 20th) to adoring siblings and relieved hubby. You can check out our homecoming story and photos, as well as some notes and photos from our first week home.
It is good to be home!
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It is good to be home!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
First Week Photos
Some photos from L's first week!
The highchair has a pretty cool view!
Ahh - the "Johnny-Jump-Up" - this is one of her favorite pasttimes right now.
A little family time.
H gets to feed littlest sister.
S shares a snuggle with L.
E, H and L having a little floor playtime.
The highchair has a pretty cool view!
Ahh - the "Johnny-Jump-Up" - this is one of her favorite pasttimes right now.
A little family time.
H gets to feed littlest sister.
S shares a snuggle with L.
E, H and L having a little floor playtime.
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