A Purposeful Peek

Today marks the second day of Holy Week, a week in which we observe the greatest tragedy, sorrow, and victory the world has ever known...Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.  This week is book-ended by Palm Sunday and Easter, two joyful days of celebration.  But in the middle, there are somber days in which we reflect on the heaviness of the burden Christ bore for us. This year, Holy Week has already taken on a heaviness in my heart. For me, Holy Week began with a funeral. The funeral of an infant. Today I mourned the tragedy of a sweet baby boy whose life was far too short on this earth. I sat with my physician and nurse colleagues in a packed church, honoring the life of our patient, who we cared for so deeply. My heart ached as I listened to the sobs of his parents and young siblings, a gut-wrenching feeling of helplessness washing over me.  No one should have to say goodbye to their baby like this. My spirit stirred as I listened to the words that were ...

Charlotte Ann, Our little spunky monkey, you are full of life and on the GO! You are now bear crawling - feet on the floor and hands out in front with your little bottom in the air, you scurry across the floor like a little bear cub. It won't be long before you are walking...no, running... at this pace! As much fun as it is to see you learning new things so rapidly, there are many times we wish you would Just. Slow. Down! You are not one to cuddle much anymore (except when you are asleep) because you are always on the go. But the day you turned 7 months, you were forced to slow down temporarily when you got your first stomach bug. It was heartbreaking to see you this way, but we are thankful you made it a whole 7 months before your first illness. And, we did enjoy the extra cuddles for the 48 hours while it lasted...  You had already seen your first snow, but this past month you really took interest in the flaky white stuff that covered our yard, and you wer...

It doesn't take actually having a baby to realize the truth about it: A baby changes everything! Many people are quick to offer reminders of all the ways life will change from the "old days" of freedom and spontaneity once you have a child. How you will never get to roam grocery store aisles alone, taking time to plan home cooked meals. How you will never have "me time," because after all, your time is not your own. How your friends will never see you.  How you will be so wrapped up in your tiny bundle of joy that you risk becoming unraveled from your spouse. A baby does change everything, but change doesn't have to be negative!  In our home, we are finding ways to keep our friendships alive, our healthy lifestyle intact, and our marriage a priority. Here are three big ways my family has found peace in the midst of our new normal... Community. There's a reason for the age-old quote, "It takes a village to raise a child." We are so fortun...

Charlotte Ann, How are you already halfway through your first year?! Our little extrovert, you are such a social butterfly!  In the past month, you have blossomed into the most engaging and interactive baby.  People who have recently held you have said things like, "I feel like she's looking into my soul with those eyes!" and "She is literally just going to start talking...It's like she knows exactly what I'm saying." You are a big fan of getting to know people by touching their face, looking right into their eyes, and examining them up close when they hold you.  You are energized by a room full of people, which makes your energetic cousins, church, and our Wednesday night Lifegroup your favorites. We host a house full of people each week, and it's not unusual for you to protest bedtime and beg to stay up so that you can socialize. Then, you are content to fall asleep to the sounds of conversation and worship music playing in the background...

Charlotte Ann, You are a little lady on the move!  During your fifth month, it became quickly apparent that when we set you down and walked away for even a minute, you would not be in the same spot when we returned. Though you haven't quite mastered the art of crawling, it hasn't stopped you one bit...you are scooting, rolling, and moving any other way you can to reach your destination. Your most favorite activity has been log-rolling on the floor, from one side of the living room to the other. And when you catch a glimpse of us watching you, you get the biggest grin on your face, so pleased with your own performance.  You are trying to sit up unsupported, but you usually topple forward after only a few seconds. Your legs and arms are so strong and in constant motion, and it is hard for you to sit still even in your Bumbo because you just want to be moving! If it is possible to be more vocal than you already were without using actual words, you definitely ...

Two thousand fifteen has been full of abundant blessings, but not without plentiful challenges also.  Right now, my husband and I are working a combined total of 112 hours per week. I won't say which of us is working 70+ hours per week, because that's not important; the main thing is that we haven't been able to ride to and from work together because of it. This may seem insignificant to some, but to us it is huge. Our ride together in the morning is a 30 minute commute, a time that we set aside for morning devotion and worship- whoever is not at the steering wheel is in charge of choosing a worship song, reading a devotion, and praying over our day.  This starts our day on the right note and aligns our hearts and minds.  On our ride home, we typically catch up on the day's happenings, laugh, cry, whatever we need to do before we arrive to pick up our sweet Charlotte. Then, we get home and spend time with her, which usually involves a family run, dinner, playtime, and t...

Some days I have the luxury of curbside service, when my husband drops me off at the front door of The Children's Hospital. I get to spend a few extra minutes with him, and then I have only a few short steps to the front door of the atrium, which is warm and welcoming. It's a great way to begin my workday. Those are the best days. Especially on the cold days. But other days, we have to drive seperately to work due to our schedules. On those days, I park in the employee parking garage about a mile from the hospital. Then, I wait for the employee shuttle to transfer me to the hospital. Some days, that means waiting outside for 5, 10, even 15 minutes. Those are not the best mornings. Especially on cold mornings. Today was one of those mornings. I was scrambling to make it to work on time, and traffic was especially slow. And it was cold. Really cold. But much to my surprise, when I walked out to my usual waiting spot, the employee shuttle was already waiting,...

Two thousand and fourteen was a year of change, above all else. Change is good, but change can be hard.  It often takes us out of our comfort zones, and this year was no different. We were challenged, stretched, and refined more than ever before...and we are most richly blessed because of it.  Here is our "Best of 2014..." year in review! January: We rang in the New Year with our families in Oklahoma. We also surprised them with an important announcement ...and little did we know, this would be the last time we would have to fly across the country to spend the holidays with them! February: We made our exciting news public with a Valentine's Day announcement... and JJ got a clean shave to reveal his "baby face" - for the first time in over a decade - to announce the arrival of our baby. It was so entertaining to see our unsuspecting friends and coworkers' reactions (some didn't even recognize him! Somehow we failed to take any more photos t...