It is unfortunate that it takes tragedies to form bonds, but it is a fact that once through a valley, we are stronger on the other side. We find personal and spiritual strength; we find the bonds with loved ones, especially a spouse, have become stronger; and we find our relationship with God to be stronger. I have lost two babies within a few short months, and it hurts today like it did the day the first baby was lost; but it dosn't hurt in all the same ways.
I believe that a baby is a true life at conception. I believe that baby has a soul at conception. I believe that there is no difference in that soul from conception to birth. There is not a magical moment that that soul becomes a life as he or she is born; he or she is a soul the moment they come into existance. It is that belief that makes the loss of a child before birth hurt. My children died living souls, not "things."
I do not remember my time in the womb, and I do not know anyone that does, so my speculation about what my children experienced before death will have to remain that, speculation. This speculation is a wonderful thing to most expectant mothers. We speculate that our children can hear our voice and so we talk, read, and sing to them. We imagine that they know us and form a bond that no one else has with them, we are Mommy. This speculation also causes pain when we never see our child. I wonder if there was any pain the moment their heart stopped beating. I wonder if they heard me tell them I loved them before they passed into eternity.
What I do not wonder is where they are. I know my children rest tonight in the arms of God. My husband is singing a song on Sunday, Finally Home. The lyrics to this song have been such a blessing to me as I think of my babies:
"Just think of stepping on shore, and finding it Heaven; of touching a hand, and finding it God's; of breathing new air and finding it celestial; of waking up in glory and finding it home."
My children know this place, they know God face to face. If I am honest, I could not ask for a better place for them, not even here in my arms. They will never know pain and never know sin. I will never spend a sleepless night worrying for them. I am not glad to have lost my babies, but I am happy to have them in Heaven with God.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Saving Money vs Saving Time
I am still relatively new to the couponing game. And the temptation upon first starting is definately to clip every coupon available and to look for all the deals. That isn't always practical. Is it practical to go to every drug store for their deal of the week---especially when some place like Publix accepts competitor coupons? But then, is it the best use of your money to shop at only one place and just take the deals that they have this week and spend a little extra money on the rest?
Additionally, what is actually "organized" when it comes to couponing? Is oraganizing and compiling a notebook full of coupons time efficient? Or is it better to just break them up in catergories and go from there? Either way, aren't you digging through something at the check-out counter to pull out your coupons? What is orgainzed when it comes to hundreds of tiny pieces of paper?
Then, are you willing to "fervantly discuss" a deal with an employee, or do you let it go when they don't ring you up right? Does it depend on the deal? Does it depend on the amount of money you're now having to spend because of their mistake or misunderstanding?
Finally, how does all of this affect your testimony as a Christan? Or does it?
I guess all of this is to say that I am still trying to find a balance. I'm picking a couple stores to hit each week, and I'm trying to plan my menu around what's on sale. I worry about being healthy, but can only do so much within a budget, so I'm picking and choosing the most important things.
As for organization, I'm breaking things down into catergories and then pulling specific coupons for the store I'm visiting before I get there. Anything else gets dug through at the counter. And when someone messes up my bill, if a simple inquiry doesn't improve the situation, I let it go. More often than not, it costs me extra money.
Finally, I do hope that my being a Christian is something they notice. And if they have and I've argued with them, I feel that I've ruined an oportunity. The employees of the stores I visit most often are getting to know me, and I think I may have an opportunity some day to talk to them about church or salvation. I'm always cautious about jeopardizing that.
So what are you doing? What do you think?
Additionally, what is actually "organized" when it comes to couponing? Is oraganizing and compiling a notebook full of coupons time efficient? Or is it better to just break them up in catergories and go from there? Either way, aren't you digging through something at the check-out counter to pull out your coupons? What is orgainzed when it comes to hundreds of tiny pieces of paper?
Then, are you willing to "fervantly discuss" a deal with an employee, or do you let it go when they don't ring you up right? Does it depend on the deal? Does it depend on the amount of money you're now having to spend because of their mistake or misunderstanding?
Finally, how does all of this affect your testimony as a Christan? Or does it?
I guess all of this is to say that I am still trying to find a balance. I'm picking a couple stores to hit each week, and I'm trying to plan my menu around what's on sale. I worry about being healthy, but can only do so much within a budget, so I'm picking and choosing the most important things.
As for organization, I'm breaking things down into catergories and then pulling specific coupons for the store I'm visiting before I get there. Anything else gets dug through at the counter. And when someone messes up my bill, if a simple inquiry doesn't improve the situation, I let it go. More often than not, it costs me extra money.
Finally, I do hope that my being a Christian is something they notice. And if they have and I've argued with them, I feel that I've ruined an oportunity. The employees of the stores I visit most often are getting to know me, and I think I may have an opportunity some day to talk to them about church or salvation. I'm always cautious about jeopardizing that.
So what are you doing? What do you think?
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Time With Hubby
So things have definately changed since Baby arrived. There are so many wonderful things that come along with his enterance into our lives; but I have found some challenges too!
Mainly, it's spending time with my hubby. Time that we had previously set aside is no longer just the two of us. Most of the time, it's great to have a family outing, but sometimes the two of us are really missing the time baby-free. The communication isn't quite the same any more either. There are times both of us miss what the other is saying because we're caring for Baby at the same time. And by the time the baby is down for the night, one of both of us asleep or fast approaching dream land.
So, what have you done to make sure that you and your hubby are still communicating, and having time together? What are some of the things you are doing to still have that connection time?
Are you saving money to have a big (or not so big depending on your budget) date for just the two of you and paying a sitter? Or are you just taking the family time and talking over the noise?
What keeps things happy between the two of you?
Mainly, it's spending time with my hubby. Time that we had previously set aside is no longer just the two of us. Most of the time, it's great to have a family outing, but sometimes the two of us are really missing the time baby-free. The communication isn't quite the same any more either. There are times both of us miss what the other is saying because we're caring for Baby at the same time. And by the time the baby is down for the night, one of both of us asleep or fast approaching dream land.
So, what have you done to make sure that you and your hubby are still communicating, and having time together? What are some of the things you are doing to still have that connection time?
Are you saving money to have a big (or not so big depending on your budget) date for just the two of you and paying a sitter? Or are you just taking the family time and talking over the noise?
What keeps things happy between the two of you?
Dishwasher Baskets for Baby Things
Have any of you tried these dishwasher baskets? I have absolutely no success with these, despite the multiple types I have tried.
I need to throw all my bottle parts in the dishwasher at one time and get them clean and ready to use again. But with any of the products I have tried, (like this one
http://www.munchkin.com/products/detail.html?section=prodCategories&ID=10019&pID=18)
I have had no success getting the parts clean. If you put more than two or three things in here, they don't get clean! I have only a few bottles a day since I am mainly breastfeeding, but I have pacifiers and teething toys that need clean too. So let's say that I run my dishwasher every other day. If I put in two nipples, two tops, two bases, and two base parts (since I use the Playtex VentAire natural shape bottles http://www.playtexstore.com/cgi-bin/item/PLA05865AD), then I have no room for the pacifier that fell on the floor at the grocery store (despite the fact that I use a clip), the teething toy that my dog picked up after my son left it on the floor, or the spoons that used to give him his fruit at lunch.
Don't even try the ones that have the nipple holder on top. You can only use the small nipples in those, and I don't because I use the larger nipples are more natural. And don't try to put more in there after you've closed the thing, because all the other ones will fall out.
Instead, I have resorted to the old-fashioned handwash and boil method. And while it takes an extra twenty minutes, I can't come up with a better solution. And by the way, this drying rack is the best:
http://www.booninc.com/products/Grass/375. It lets me put all my stuff on there and collects the water at the bottom for me to empty later. No more towells laid out all over my counters taking up space while my things dry for a hour or two.
Any other experiences out there?
I need to throw all my bottle parts in the dishwasher at one time and get them clean and ready to use again. But with any of the products I have tried, (like this one
http://www.munchkin.com/products/detail.html?section=prodCategories&ID=10019&pID=18)
I have had no success getting the parts clean. If you put more than two or three things in here, they don't get clean! I have only a few bottles a day since I am mainly breastfeeding, but I have pacifiers and teething toys that need clean too. So let's say that I run my dishwasher every other day. If I put in two nipples, two tops, two bases, and two base parts (since I use the Playtex VentAire natural shape bottles http://www.playtexstore.com/cgi-bin/item/PLA05865AD), then I have no room for the pacifier that fell on the floor at the grocery store (despite the fact that I use a clip), the teething toy that my dog picked up after my son left it on the floor, or the spoons that used to give him his fruit at lunch.
Don't even try the ones that have the nipple holder on top. You can only use the small nipples in those, and I don't because I use the larger nipples are more natural. And don't try to put more in there after you've closed the thing, because all the other ones will fall out.
Instead, I have resorted to the old-fashioned handwash and boil method. And while it takes an extra twenty minutes, I can't come up with a better solution. And by the way, this drying rack is the best:
http://www.booninc.com/products/Grass/375. It lets me put all my stuff on there and collects the water at the bottom for me to empty later. No more towells laid out all over my counters taking up space while my things dry for a hour or two.
Any other experiences out there?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
A Place For Christian Women
My desire is to set up a place where we can talk about the things that effect of every day, no matter how small, through a Christian world view. This filters out the things that other sites might bring in if we are all looking at things through a Biblical perspective. My goal is to encourage, support, edify, and provide a place for respectful conversation.
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