Spring Update on Adriah

Our dear sweet Adriah Faith.  She is a month away from turning ONE!  Her mother's day gift to me: she blew me kisses all on her own!  As far as I know, no one taught her.  She is at that point where she is learning new things everyday and becoming more like a little person rather than a cooing baby.  It's crazy, and more amazing to me more with each child.
I imagine this to be true for others that have gone through situations where a life was almost lost, but we are so much more thankful that her life was spared now even more than when she was in the hospital back at 2 months old.  Getting to know her more and experience the joy she has brought has made us love her that much more.  Of course, it may also be possible that we are quicker to love her because of almost losing her.
I'm rambling!
Sometimes you meet those babies that are really happy.  I'm so glad to report that Adriah is (for the most part) one of those babies!  She's fairly content, smiley, and bright eyed.
She took her first steps yesterday, and will certainly walk before long.  She loves going up the stairs... if I get distracted downstairs then go to look for her I might find her up in the twin's room or opening the drawers in my bathroom.  I've gotta keep an eye on her!  At least she's cute to look at.   :)

Spring Update on Selah & Jadah

I've forgotten to write for a few Sundays--- and tonight I'm attempting to write while watching Downton Abbey (after all the hype, we decided to give it a try...just started it a few nights ago).  Needless to say, I may sound a bit disconnected.
Selah and Jadah, two peas in a pod.  It'd be pointless to write separate posts about them, they are identical twins after all.  Blue-eyed beauties, both.  Their hair is different: we cut Selah's last summer due to a horrendous rat-tail.  And thanks to Christian's scissor skills, Jadah now gets to try out some bangs.  It's a nice differentiator.
They turned 3 in March.  They chatter and sing and have silly dance moves.  They are very particular about putting on their own clothes, saying good night (a dozen times), giving kisses on one cheek then the other, and having a kleenex to wipe their eyes after they cry: which seems much more often than necessary!
My mom has been able to spend a few weekends with them recently and has taught them the verses that Christian had learned (they also have been hearing him say them for 2 years).  It's so cute to randomly hear them rattle the verses off, even though they miss a word or phrase and are quite mumbly.

Besides normal church goings, they aren't involved in anything "extracurricular."  However, I have a feeling we are in for a lot of new activities with their growing (and more agile) 3 year old bodies.  I looked in the backyard yesterday and saw Christian teaching Selah how to hit a ball, they were using a tennis racket.  It was pretty adorable.  She was also attempting to pitch to him--- I'm surprised how patient he was with her!
Here they are!

Spring Update on Christian

       

Mr. Smug

Christian is four and a half now.  We have to remind ourselves that he is ONLY four, because we usually feel like we are trying to raise a mini-adult (at least he thinks he is!).
He is still very verbal, social, and full of personality.  He memorizes very easily and loves singing and DRUMS.  He goes to sleep every night listening to a Chris Rice cd.  I think this is the longest he's ever used the same cd without getting sick of it.  Yay Chris Rice. :)  Also, our "family song" for the year is "Let My Life Be The Proof" by King and Country.  We love it.
He attends Cubbies every week (his 2nd year).  It is nice to have something organized to drop him off at.  We can't afford preschool, and he seems to get enough social time through church events.  In the fall I started working on teaching him how to write all the letters and his name and such... it's been going well, but it's hard to keep up with since there's 3 others running/crawling around.  We don't plan on sending him to Kindergarten until he is 6, so I still have one more year to slowly teach him to read.

In two weeks he will start T-ball, and Simon will be the team coach.  I'm very excited to see both of them in their roles as player and coach.  (I haven't seen many other 4 year olds play baseball, but I think he's pretty good.  If I play catch with him using a real ball, it stings my hand to catch his throw... he throws hard and hits harder!  I'll have to try to keep up).

Christian and Adriah (he chose her Orioles shirt that day)

He has been in some acting/modeling classes to try to bring out the best of his natural talents.  He got to go to a photoshoot this past weekend in Chicago.  It was a fun experience and he did a great job waiting and waiting, and then coming alive when it was his turn.

Photoshoot Fun

He's the youngest one in this class... so small!

He's a typical boy: loves sports, balls, being rough, making loud sudden noises, climbing, superheros, hitting things (and people), etc etc etc.  I'm pretty sure he makes his sisters scream or cry 3 times per HOUR... each.  But he also makes us laugh a lot, says some really cute things, and is capable of a lot of love.  I pray for God's wisdom to raise him and direct all these traits in a way that honors God rather than pushing him away.  Parenting is no leisure stroll, that's for sure.

Love This Kid!

The Man I Married

Those of you who remember the last 2 years of our lives will know the reason for our somewhat frequent moves was for Simon's quest for the perfect job.  But we all know that finding such a job is a feat few people seem to achieve.
We moved to Indianapolis when Simon joined Truth @ Work, where he had been hired to be the director of a new program for young Christian business-people.  But over the first 3 months working there, it was realized that they had wanted more of a salesman for the new program rather than a director.  Needless to say, they parted ways on good terms, and this event happened the same week that Adriah was born (mid June).  The timing was both good and bad.  Bad because, well, no job.  Good because what mom of 4 wouldn't want another helper around for a few weeks!?
A few odd jobs later, Simon ended up working at Carmax (a nationwide used car dealership) starting in August.  It was good for a time, made ends meet, and was close to home.  But Simon was still searching for more of a long-term job.  He prayed desperately for a new job for the new year, and had been looking at some business opportunities here in Indy.  The same day he realized one job possibility wasn't going to work out, he got a call from his previous boss at Indiana Wesleyan University asking if he was interested in coming back to the admissions office starting January 2?  Oh yes, we've heard it before, God does have a sense of humor!
Simon is enjoying the familiarity of working back in the same office he was in for 4 years.  IWU is a wonderful place to work.  It is a one hour drive, but thankfully there are a few other people in our area with whom he carpools.  He also has a flex-day on Tuesday when he works from home and is also able to watch the kids while I go to IWU to teach my class.  Based on our past, we've learned not to guess at our future, so don't bother asking how long he'll be there or what we want to do next!
Simon is a wonderful father.  He and Christian do a lot together and Christian wants to do everything just like his Daddy.  You can find out what kind of Father he's aspiring to be on the blog he just started writing, Intentional Fatherhood.  I'm glad he's taking the time to write about something that is so important.  He has been very helpful with the children, I don't think I could handle being a single mom--- you're not meant to do it alone!

We love spending our evenings together after the kids are asleep, usually on the sofa catching up on one or two of our favorite shows.  (I'm actually writing this while we are watching The Bible series... what do you think of it? It's like reading the Bible in super fast forward and skipping a whole bunch of stories.  I'm still enjoying it's documentary-type storytelling).
I guess that's the summary of Simon for now.  He's a very supportive and loving husband--- we need each other!

Blog Resurrection

How does a person go about writing a blog in March when the last entry was in August?

Me-oh-my.  I don't want to overwhelm you with an entire life update in one post, so I will take a few entries to recap the lives of each person... not just for your reading, but for my own recording.  I'm afraid with four children, I have all but stopped writing in my journals for them.  The blog is sometimes the easiest way to remember events and special memories in my children's lives.

I'll start by updating about myself:

I love living in Fishers, IN!  I spend most of my time at home with the children--- they provide plenty to keep up with without even leaving the house.  They are lot to keep up with, trying my patience more than I imagined being a mother would.  But I love them so much.  I stay busy with the mundane and never-ending laundry, dishes, toy up-picking, and diaper changing (only one kid though!--- but I'm almost convinced that the time I spend wiping bottoms at the toilet each day takes just as long as diaper changes would.  Thankfully less expensive!).  They are growing fast and learning so much.  I'll tell you about them soon.

In January, I started a new endeavor: I am teaching a college class at Indiana Wesleyan University!  I was thrilled at the opportunity, it is an interior design class called Rendering.  Funny part is, there's only 4 students, but that's perfect for my first time!  I'm hoping it leads to more classes in coming semesters.

I also have about 4 interior design jobs that have come my way, and they are all so different!  God has really opened the doors to some neat opportunities, and I'm putting my faith in Him to help me accomplish what is required.

I enjoy our new church, Trinity (Wesleyan) Church and am starting to get connected by helping out in the nursery and attending Wednesday classes.  I'm also going to transition to the nursery coordinator position over the next few months.  I have been so encouraged and challenged by our pastor's messages that are pulled straight from the Word of God.  I am thankful.

I am quite excited for warmer weather to arrive.  Last spring was a whirlwind of pregnancy and moving, I'm hoping to do a little more yard work and garden prep.  And just to be outside and breath!  Big deep breaths of fresh air!  And SUNSHINE!  All you mommas out there are nodding your heads in agreement, I know.

I can't leave out the fact that I've steadily and slowly been doing house projects!  So far, I've primarily painted the basics to cover what was here when we moved in.  I still have to finish the laundry room, guest bath, and huge 2-story front living room (I'm considering hiring this out?!).  Once all the walls have a nice shade of paint, I will probably start getting a little more creative with embellishing them.  All in time.  I've obviously had to slow down the projects since January (with teaching and designing for others).  But that's okay!  Good things take time.

That's all for now.  Next week, I'll give you the scoop on the man of the house. :)  (and if you feel like reading ahead, check out the blog he just started: www.theintentionaldad.com)!

Blessings!

Hospital Baby: Day 5

It's official: I do NOT like typing on an iPad.

Today's date is 08-10-12. These are the years I've had babies!  (and not planning on another one for year 14, Lord willing).

So are you wondering how my amazing full night of sleep was?  Well, it might have been nice, but at 5am my phone rang.  WHA?!!?  It was a nurse saying to come feed my baby.  Long story short, some new patients had arrived and they changed nurses, and our nurse forgot to pass on the info that Adriah was supposed to get a bottle.  Bah humbug.  I gave the new nurse the instructions, no big deal.  But I really don't like being woken up because it can be hard to go back to sleep.  I was also frustrated because this was the second time I had left instructions to feed her that were not passed on to a new nurse (and the last time she totally missed a feeding because of it).  It took me an hour to fall back to sleep.  Arghhh...that's as long as its would have taken to feed her, but at least I got to lay there instead of getting my 5am workout of 3 stories of stairs.  Going to try again tonight for the full night effect.

Simon came back up for the weekend.  He brought the kids in this morning ... They have been getting to bed late because of VBS, so they're all a little edgy.  But being away from them for a week gives me a renewed energy and determination at being their mom.

So tonight is the last night of our special hospital vacation!  Adriah and I have had such a lovely time together, considering the circumstances.  The thing I'll miss most is having my food brought to me at every meal.  Speaking of food, I think I'll go have some soup I didn't eat at dinner.  

Peace.

Hospital Baby: Day 4

I am working on getting over a migraine so this will be semi-short and sweet.

I am more comfortable in my surroundings and starting to make friends with the nurses who have been around for more than one shift.  I've discovered they like holding babies... And since Adriah is free to roam, she has become the little helper at the nurse's desk.  They all love her.

When the children visited today, my mom treated us to a special treat from the South Bend Chocolate Company (they have a shop in the hospital lobby.  This is South Bend, after all ).  THe nice lady who was working gave each of the kids an extra little baggy of chocolate covered blueberries and cranberries.  Ahh, the little things in life that can cheer us up.  :)

Another cheery event: rhythmic gymnastics in the olympics today! Had to call my sister and tell her...because that is truly something you don't get to see very often.  It was much more fun to watch than the 2 hour swimming race.   I dont know who would ever want to swim for two hours straight.

I thought it was funny that the Brazilian women's sand volleyball team had the word BRA on the from of their team "uniforms." Thanks, ladies, for labeling your attire, I couldn't remember what that thing was called.

Tonight my plan is to let the nurse give Adriah her night feeding and this mama is going to get a full night sleep!!! (so nobody better call me in th middle of the night!). Three cheers for me.  I can't wait.

Tomorrow is our last full day in the hospital!

Hospital Baby: Day 3

Today I enjoyed my daily morning visit from my dad.  He must keep up his "pastoral" duties to the poor sweet baby in the hospital...whom also happens to be his granddaughter.

I also had a visit from the lovely Andrea Gregory.  It was so refreshing to chat with another mom, to share our struggles and tips and joys.

Lo and behold, I also got visited by my mom and children.  They are a joy to see.  They stayed for dinner at the Ronald McDonald house. Christian enjoyed a special freedom of being able to buy soda out of the machine (it is only 25 cents).  Over the course of dinner he bought 4 drinks... "to save for later." (take note that I didn't straight out give him money for pop.  He originally found a quarter in my room, then after learning how to open the door to my room with the keyless entry card, he let himself in and retrieved a quarter from the dresser for each soda... Quarters left there by his daddy, who also seems to have a fascination with buying soda out of machines.  Ahem...).

Adriah has been sleeping a LOT, but continues to improve. The IV in her groin was starting to leak so they put a new one in her ankle.  The best part about it is that it doesn't require continuous flow, allowing her to be unhooked except for when they give her the antibiotics.  I can walk around the whole room with her now!  She is also smiling a lot more.  So sweet.

The oldest three kids have been going to VBS at my parents' church this week, and they LOVE it.  I've decided that they would probably benefit from having more routine in our daily activities, so I'm working on coming up with a schedule that we can follow each day.  I am also going to make some chore charts so they can benefit from responsibility and rewards. Thanks to Andrea's visit this morning, I now have some great pointers on chore charts!  I am going to use my time in the hospital
this week to plan out the specifics and implement them when we go home.

Tomorrow is Thursday already!  Adriah will be 8 weeks old.  And as of now, we've been in the hospital for 1 week.  You never know what a day may hold, but God holds us no mater what!

Hospital Baby: Day 2

Today I got to take a nice walk outside in the sunshine. Thank you Lord for the sun.

Ever since being here, I've been committed to only using the stairs.  Adriah is on the 6th floor, but my room at the Ronald McDonald house is on the 3rd floor. I didn't realize how out of shape I am. 3 flights of stairs, come on!  It's the hardest when they call me in the middle of the night to come feed her.  I've only tripped on a step once.

Christian got to play at a friends house this morning, so my mom and the girls came to visit for a while. They all love coming here primarily because of they play room that's available for them.  And then there's the nice but strangely awkward volunteer man who seems to try and force my children to do a craft or watch his little puppet act.  He is well intentioned.  :)

Short story: the day Adriah was brought to the hospital, we had all gone swimming earlier in the evening.  So when we came to the ER, I still had my swimsuit on under my clothes, and also didn't have any nursing pads on.  So I'm standing there in the ER watching them poke my little baby with needles, all of a sudden I look down and I have two huge wet streaks on my shirt.  Yikes!  The only available remedy was....gauze. Then I tried drying the spots with some tissues, and intermittently dabbed my tears.  What a night.  Note to self: change into normal clothes when you're done swimming!

Adriah is doing so well.  She's eating so well that she's up to 9 lb 12 oz... She may gain an entire pound during our stay!  She's been smiling at random nurses and cooing occasionally. And we got a new room today that is more private, so we are in our own little sanctuary of sorts. 

Tomorrow is a new day!  Blessings.

Hospital Baby: Day 1

There are good things about staying in the hospital.

Like your food being brought to you.
No dishes.
People change your baby's crib sheets for you.
You don't have to worry about running out of diapers.
And there is an endless supply of burp cloths that I don't have to keep washing.
Being able to sleep in a nice room provided by the Ronald McDonald foundation.
A break from the constant job of mothering the oldest 3 children.
Getting a nap whenever I want.

Then there are the not-so-nice parts.

Not being able to carry your baby more than 2 feet from her crib.
Nursing a baby with wires coming out what seems like her every limb.
Not having baby wipes (ummm, yeah, apparently they're "not in the budget"???  Are you kidding me? Customer service will be getting a sweet comment from me on that topic).
Trying to keep my baby quiet so she doesn't disturb the kid in the adjoining room (we're separated by a sliding glass door and curtains, not exactly sound proof).
Not being able to be with my husband and 3 other children.


But today was a nice day.
I shared a picnic lunch with my mom and kids in the beautiful weather.
I napped.
Between the picnic, my own ordered cafeteria food, and the Ronald McDonald food, I think had 5 meals. (probably shouldn't do that every day). :)
I watched the olympics. 
I read blogs and Facebook and now I'm writing this. 

I'm guessing most days will be similar, so we'll see if anything interesting happens tomorrow!

Hospital Baby: The Beginning

Written by Simon on Friday, August 3:

We do not know where we will be or what we will be doing 48 hours from now. As I’m writing this, 48 hours ago we had no idea that we’d be sitting in a hospital praising and thanking God that our daughter Adriah is still living. 48 hours ago we would have never imagined that hearing the cries of a 7 week old baby would be so beautiful.  48 hours ago we did not know that our faith would be strengthened so much by a little girl of the same name, Adriah Faith. We truly never know what mysteries the day will unfold.

For those of you who have been praying and interceding for us, we can never begin to thank you for what you’ve done. For those of you catching up on what our family has been through, here is the miracle that has been unfolding:

Super-Short Summary Version:

After being found face down during a nap, the doctors are seeing no long-term I'll effects from her lack of oxygen, praise the Lord! While in the hospital they also discovered her body has been harboring group b strep, which at any time could have sent Adriah into shock and killed her before we could have done anything. We are so thankful this incident allowed a discovery that potentially saved her life. So she will be in the ICU for another week getting antibiotics for the strep and rotavirus (another fun discovery). Thank God for His faithfulness and healing!

Story Version:

Rachel and her mom Rhonda were playing outside with the other kids, Christian, Selah, and Jadah, on Wednesday evening at Rhonda and Dwayne’s house in South Bend while Adriah was taking a nap inside. At about 8:15, Rachel finished putting Selah and Jadah to bed when she went to get Adriah, who  had been sleeping completely quietly for over 2 hours. Adriah had been swaddled and laid down slightly on her side on the bed Rachel where had been sleeping on while visiting her parents. When Rachel 
walked into the darkened room she could barely see, but what she saw frightened her. Adriah was 
laying on the bed with her face pressed tightly against the sheets of the bed. Rachel quickly grabbed her and brought her into the light. Rachel looked at a small face that had become distorted and wrinkled by 
the sheets and started praying that she was ok. “Are you alive little baby?” she thought to herself.
*Note from Rachel: this was the worst moment of all. I don't know how I would've reacted if the outcome had been different, but it was the scariest thing ever thinking that your child might really be 
dead in your arms.  The next thought was almost as scary, wondering if she was going to be brain-dead or mentally impaired for the rest of her life.  These are the thoughts that I have to push aside or else they would create fear of "what could have been". We can't dwell on those things, and I'm even more 
grateful for her life today.

Adriah was still breathing, but it was quickly evident that breathing was difficult and she was not acting 
at all like she normally does. Rachel quickly showed her to Rhonda, who decided that they should call 911. Christian, our 4 year old son, was still up and wanted to see his baby sister. Adriah looked bad enough that Rachel did not want him to see her in this state. She told Christian that Adriah wasn’t 
feeling very good and that he should pray for her. Our little boy said he was going to the bedroom to 
pray by himself, and within seconds Rachel could hear him praying out loud for his sister “baby Adriah.” 
We love his child-like faith and have no doubts that he knew God would save his sister.

Around this time, Rachel texted me, I was down in Indianapolis,  saying simply , “Pray for Adriah. Will 
call soon.” What is a father of a 7 week old baby supposed to think when he receives a text like that? 
I immediately called Rachel and she gave me a quick rundown of the situation and that the paramedics 
had just arrived. I began to pray and had to just wait for an update. Rachel soon called and said that all 
of Adriah’s levels seemed ok, but that she was still very lethargic and she was being taken to the 
hospital. I got my things together quickly, and started the 3 hour drive to South Bend.

(There are many differing opinions about the pros and cons of Facebook, but there is a huge consensus 
among Christians about the power of prayer. We immediately posted some information about the situation so we could get the news out quickly and have people praying and interceding on the behalf of our little girl.)

Rachel and Adriah arrived at the ER where they tried to find a vein for an IV.  But due to the recent 
experiences, her body had gotten "dehydrated", basically sending all blood flow to the vital organs. 
They must have pricked her over 100 times (even on her scalp) before they decided to do an I.O... Intra-
oscular.  This is when they drill directly into a bone to get fluids into the body. Once that was successful 
and she was stabilized, they took her to the Pediatrics ICU. Just after midnight, I arrived and waited with Rachel for the doctor to give a better description of the situation. He came in and described that they 
did all of their preliminary tests and found that her bicarbonate level was at a 6.  For those of you in the 
medical field you realize the severity of this number, which we are now thankful we did not know at the 
time. The doctor simply told us that a normal level is 24 and they were working to get it up as quickly as 
possible. They were doing some blood cultures and were suspecting some type of infection, but 
wouldn’t get the results for another 48 hours. They put her on some general antibiotics for the time being to fight off whatever type of infection she may have. He also emphasized that her lack of oxygen, as far as they could tell, had caused no neurological damage and was not the cause of any of her other symptoms.

The last 36 hours she has been making improvements at regular intervals. Her levels are almost back
 to normal, the diarrhea has subsided, and she is eating well and keeping it down. The doctor told us this morning (Friday) that she should be able to go home this afternoon, but that quickly changed 
when a urine test came back and showed that she has GBS-Group B streptococcal septicemia. 
GBS is a severe bacterial infection that affects newborns and can only be contracted through the 
birth canal. It slowly festers and sometimes will not show until 6-7 weeks, which is exactly what 
happened with Adriah. We then found out this afternoon that she also has rotavirus, which causes 
diarrhea and vomiting in infants that can lead to dehydration. The doctor’s actual words were, “It was 
kind of a perfect storm that led to these conditions.” The rotavirus is less serious, but must still be 
treated with antibiotics.

We have been asking some very direct questions about her condition, and this morning our nurse laid 
out the answers. In short, their reports are using the word miracle to describe Adriah’s recovery. They 
were seconds away from putting her on a ventilator and were not sure if she would pull through. They 
told us that babies Adriah’s age that come into the hospital with bicarbonate levels that low are not 
supposed to survive. In hindsight, we’re thankful that we did not know the full severity of the situation at 
the time.

We are truly amazed and fascinated at the way the Lord works. From our perspective, Adriah falling 
asleep in that position and lacking oxygen for a period of time may have actually saved her life. It sent 
her little body into shock and allowed the infections to more heavily pronounce their symptoms. The 
doctors have told us that sometimes they do not discover that an infant ever had GBS until they have 
passed away during the night.

We praise and thank God for your prayers and words of encouragement. We truly believe that our little
 Adriah Faith is now living proof of the power of prayer---your prayers. We now have a sense of relief 
that she is alive, but more than that we have a great sense of joy and hope.

We ask that as you continue to pray for her recovery, thank God for the joy He is giving us and the faith 
He is increasing through this experience.

Let us not be overwhelmed by the feelings of nearly losing a precious child of God, but let us be fully 
encouraged by the understanding that every day is a gift.

May we do our best to cherish every day we have been given and live out our faith with joy and 
thankfulness. May we learn to always rejoice in our circumstances and realize that God is always in 
control. 

A few weeks overdue!

Thankfully my title is talking about my blog post, and NOT about the baby in my belly.

I've been wanting to write for weeks, but have honestly always had something else to do (okay, ALMOST always).  I'll give you our life update in bullet format this time.

- We got our house!  We just closed on it this past Tuesday: homeowners again!  It was a HUD home (government owned foreclosure situation), so there were extra hurdles and delays, but it's finally done.  And thanks so much to new friends who offered to watch the children during the closing (we had no choice but to plan on taking them along)(and in retrospect, that probably would have been a disaster!)(also, my parents normally could have watched the kids, but they were in Iowa visiting Josh and Ericka for Malachi's dedication).
The entire house needs painted (started that on Tuesday as soon we closed), and it got new carpet yesterday.  I'm pretty excited to see the carpet, since I had to choose the color/type based on a text message picture from Simon while he looked at samples with the contractor in Indianapolis... while I was still in South Bend.  (yes, the "designer" had to put complete faith in her husband's decision even though I would have totally loved to pick it out myself).  It's a great house with a lot of potential, and I'm sure I'll share details as we complete projects.

We had some amazing people come on the spur of the moment and help us paint and play with the children!  Thank you all so much--- such a blessing.  Then we spent the first night in our house, the kids in pack 'n plays, Simon and I on an airbed (I forgot sheets, pillows, towels... we made due).  I felt like a 90 year old woman when I woke up the next morning!  :)  I was covered in paint (painted a ceiling the day before), but there was no way I was taking a shower because the hot water isn't working yet.  Simon was braver than I, but he had to be because he had to leave for Cincinatti for a work meeting.  I finished packing up the kids and prepping the house for new carpet, then I drove with the kids to Cincinatti to meet up with Simon and drive the rest of the way to Maryland.  Simon's meeting in Cinci was at the NCAA Baseball World Series, and they had some great kid activities (and free ice cream!), not to mention baseball.  It was a great little outing in the midst of a 10 hour driving day.  Our dinner time stop was aided by Cabela's, aka: animal exhibit for the kids.  And we still love Sheetz.

- Like I said, we came to Maryland on Wednesday.  Simon's brother Luke is getting married tomorrow!  We are so very excited for Luke and Lauren.  We will be here until Monday.

- We are moving to Indianapolis on Wednesday after we get back from Maryland.  The children will stay with my parents for 2 days to give Simon and me a chance to get the house in some sort of order and do more painting.

- I am 36 weeks pregnant!  Praying that baby waits to make its arrival until at least June 1st.  But based on how much this baby wiggles, I have a feeling it wants to get out and make its debut.  I've been feeling pretty good physically, and have my 36 week appointment on the Tuesday between returning from Maryland and moving to Indy.  I don't have to worry about choosing a new doctor though: none of the doctors in Indianapolis accept the type of insurance I have.  The hospitals, however, DO.  So I basically have to show up at the hospital and use whomever is on call.  I'm cool with that.  Just get the baby out.

- I am so excited that Simon and I won't have to be apart anymore during the week!  That 2 month span in our lives is over and we can be a family again.  Husbands and Fathers are so very important.  Simon is enjoying his new job and still in the learning stage.  It keeps him busy and his mind rolling, and he's meeting a lot of awesome people.  Seems to be a good fit.

- The children: oh. the. children.  They have kept me busier than anything else.  The lack of a daddy, a mommy busy packing and baby-laden, sleeping in multiple strange places, lack of sleep and eating unhealthy "travel" food have all contributed to behaviors I've never seen before.  They are fighting like cats and dogs, being disrespectful, and fussing a fair share.  Of course, there are good times too, and they can be completely sweet and adorable.  I'm ready to get into a new normal and settle down for good.  Oh wait, and then comes baby #4?!?!?!?  Pray for me.  :)

That's life in a nutshell.  Be back again soon, either with a moving update or a baby announcement!

Happy New Year

I hope that you do not mind our lack of gusto recently.  Few blog posts, no Christmas card or greeting, and updates few and far between.  I'll at least make an attempt to say "Happy New Year!"

This is what we've been up to for the last week or so...

Friends from Maryland!

Girl's night out 

Potteiger Family Christmas

Henry Family Christmas

And we have a surprise too....
(well, if you really know us, I guess it's not much of a surprise)

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Bebe Numero Cuatro
Due in early/mid June.
(Christian is obviously happy.  The girls are too...really...you just can't tell in this picture).

(and just a heads up, we aren't planning on finding out the gender.  ...cuz I know you'll ask!).  We're old school like that.  And the fact that we are having so many munchkins.  And we're not even 30 yet.  For now I'm happy raising my children and supporting my hubby, and yes, we know we're crazy.  :)

But we're happy.

And we're hoping you can find happiness with your own family and be revived in your walk with Christ this new year....2012!!!

Blessings!

Running Man

Simon has a story to share.  Sorry for my own lack of blogging since we've moved in September, things have been... well, changing.  Keep reading to get a better understanding.  --Rachel

Let me tell you a story. A story of running and being found. I was the one running, and I have now been found.

My story starts over 10 years ago, when I was merely a high school student enjoying life. I had the honor and privilege of growing up in a fine, Christian home. My parents sent me to a Christian school and provided the needed encouragement to get involved in church and other ministries. It was around 16 years old when I first felt my call to ministry. I never experienced a "Damascus Road" type of call, but through consistent prayer and petition of God I felt this was the direction He was leading me. I then began to experience what some would call the “firstfruits” of ministry. During my late high school and early college years I was greatly involved in ministry at my church and worked the entire summer at a Christian youth camp. It was these experiences that pushed me to study Christian ministry and youth ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University.

The summer after my freshman year of college was when I had my first significant leadership role in ministry. I was the Activities Director at the camp I had been working at for years, and was one of five on the leadership team that led the rest of the staff. This opportunity at ministerial leadership was a great experience that only reaffirmed my passion and calling into ministry.

The following summer I did an internship at a church in South-central Pennsylvania. This internship was good to show me more of the inner-workings of the every day life of a church. It was a great learning experience, and I learned and saw what it meant to actually lead a church. I was again reaffirmed that my calling was to become a full-time pastor.

Fast forward. In the following year my girlfriend and I, who went to high school together and were now at Indiana Wesleyan University together, prayed and talked about our future and decided that it was time to get married even though we were still in college. As any married person knows, with marriage comes a barrage of responsibility. I only had 1 semester left of classes, but my young wife had at least 3 semesters left if not more. God greatly blessed us and provided a full-time job for me at the university in the admissions office.

Over the next four years many things transpired in our lives. I loved my work, spreading the name of Indiana Wesleyan University. I saw this as my area of ministry because of the great impact attending IWU had on my personal spiritual journey. I saw it as my current calling to help prospective students understand how God could work in their lives through attending IWU. During these years even more amazing things happened on the family side of life. The Lord blessed my wife and I first with a son, and then just under 2 years later with the gift of twin girls. At four years of marriage my life was drastically different than the day we said “I do,” and I began to feel a yearning I didn't know what do about.

I took this yearning as a sign that I was supposed to do something different, something bigger than working at the university. Over the previous four years I had slowly started to think less and less about my calling, and thought more and more about “providing” for my family. I never really had a desire to be super-rich, but I wanted to be in a place where my family was (very) comfortable financially. Several other factors contributed to my thoughts, but in the end I decided that I was going to look “corporately.” Not corporate as in a large group of people, but corporate as in “I need to work for a big company so I can make better money.” Don't get me wrong, I realized that I could be a light for Christ wherever I ended up working. I believe this is completely possible, but in retrospect, I think I used it more as a rationalization. I don't think God was necessarily calling me towards the corporate missionary lifestyle.

In October of 2010 this prompted me to move my family 500+ miles back to Maryland (where my parents live) to start as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments. I worked very hard over the next 10 months to make this job work. I studied and got the needed licenses, I prospected clients, I made calls, and I was doing well. But something seemed missing and out of place. In July of 2011 I got to the point where I was sure that I was not supposed to be an Advisor with Edward Jones. But my wife and I had no clue where God was leading us. I continued to work hard, but began to look at other areas for possible jobs.

In almost an instant I received a lead from my in-laws who were now living in Mishawaka, Indiana that led to a job. I took a position at Korhorn Financial Group as a Client Services Specialist and was put on the track to become a Certified Financial Planner. The acceptance of this position called for the need to move my family another 500+ miles back to Indiana less than one year after we had moved away.

It started happening a few weeks after I started working for Korhorn Financial. I started hearing a whisper. It wasn't a literal whisper in my ear, but more of a yearning or pulling on my heart. I began to have feelings that I had not felt for many years. This yearning grew and grew until late one night it hit me, I had forsaken my calling. I had turned my back on what God had called me to do with my life. I came to the startling realization that I would much rather provide for my wife and kids an abundance of love, joy, and peace than an abundance of possessions or wants. It took me over 5 years, but I finally realized that God had never stopped calling me into full-time ministry. I had simply turned and started walking and sometimes running in the other direction.

A week after coming to this realization and talking it through thoroughly with my wife, I decided to tell the folks at Korhorn Fianancial that, although I was willing to continue working for now, I would not be there long-term and that God had called me into ministry. While they were very supportive about my call, they decided that they wanted to get somebody into my position who would be there long-term. This decision brought about the reality that I would only be working there another week. My last day at Korhorn was November 3^rd.

While Rachel and I were both surprised at this sudden change in thinking, we both felt confident that telling the company the change in our perspective was the right and ethical thing to do. In the following days I came to the realization that I was a young father of 3 without a job! God certainly works in strange and mysterious ways. Because of our sudden move to Indiana, we had moved in with Rachel's parents until we could find a place of our own. In short, there has been no other time in our adult lives where it was more feasible for me to lose my full-time job. God has richly blessed us with an amazing family, and we are very thankful to Mom and Dad Potteiger for their blessings of love and a roof over our heads!

In 1 week (answer to prayer!) I was able to find a part-time job working at Panera Bread while we do our best to discern God's direction for our lives. I have been working there for several weeks now, and I truly enjoy it. This is my first job where I leave work and I don't really have to think about it until I go back. This aspect is actually quite relaxing.

I don't know what the future holds for my family. I don't know when, if, or how long it will take me to find a full-time position as a pastor. But I do know that God has called me into full-time ministry. I do know that I will not turn my back this time, and I will open my heart to wherever He leads. I'm more excited and scared about the future than I have ever been in my adult life. It is this excitement that encourages me to write this today. Thank you for your time and for listening. We simply ask that you walk beside us and help us pray through this time of transition and discovery. May the Lord bless you and hold you close.

---Simon C. Henry

Tears of a Father

Ron Swanson once said, “I have cried twice in my life. Once when I was seven and I was hit by a school bus. And then again when I heard that Li'l Sebastian had passed.”

In film as in life, no matter how many times we tell our sons that crying is ok, the message still finds it's way to their psyche that crying is a sign of weakness. And showing weakness is entrenched deeper within that psyche as an occurrence that is irreversible. When did it become a symbol of manhood to deny the release of tears?

Courageous:

Recently Rachel and I had the chance to go and see the new Sherwood Pictures film Courageous. In going to see this movie I did not expect their to be Oscar worthy acting or Hollywood explosions, but I did expect a very positive and Christian based message. I will say that I definitely got what I expected, but that is not the only nugget I took away from the theater that night. I came to a moving realization as I sat next to my wife and an older man whom I had never met, in that dark theater. If you have seen the movie you will remember the scenes I am going to reference. If you have not seen it, sorry if I spoil parts of it for you.

My moving realization occurred about halfway through the movie and it was prompted by the stranger sitting to my right. During a very emotional scene when the family is dealing with the aftermath of losing a 9 year old girl in a car accident this realization occurred. During this highly emotional scene I could not hold back my tears. I was crying, but it was a controlled, tears slowly rolling down my face type of cry. This was not a part of my realization. The realization came to me as this stranger to my right, who was probably in his early 60's, sat next to me and was practically sobbing. It seemed as if he was doing everything possible to refrain himself from bellowing out an all out wail. This semi-wail began to subside and over a few minutes began to slowly fade into a gentle whimper. As I sat next to this stranger it came to me what type of cry I was hearing and what tears I was seeing. These were the cries and tears of a father. A father of many years with many hours and days invested into the lives of his children and probably grandchildren. My moving realization is that there is no mistaking the cry of a father.

I have vividly seen this cry in several firsthand situations. The most moving experience in which I have encountered the cry of a father came a few weeks ago from my own father. In this occurrence I saw not only the cry of a father, but the cry of a grandfather. As those reading this probably already know, my family and had been living close to my family for the past year. In the middle of August I took a job that would move my family over 500 miles away. My parents knew that we were following the direction we thought God was leading, but that doesn't take away the hurt that still encompasses your grandchildren moving away.

Very few times in my life have I seen my dad cry. I have never viewed him as unemotional or distant, there have simply not been many instances in our lives together where he has felt the need. He has been a great example to me through the years, and I highly respect and admire the way he has conducted himself as a father and grandfather.

On the morning we were leaving to move back to Indiana was the time in my life where I have truly seen the cry of a father in the eyes of my father. As we were gathering up everything to make the drive, I could see that he was getting emotional. I expected this from my mom, but was somewhat taken back when I saw the tears rolling down my dad's cheeks. He kept it pretty controlled until he picked up my son to say goodbye. Christian gave him a hug and kiss, and at that point I wasn't sure if my dad was going to let go. The tears broke out in strong streams and my dad did his best to control the shaking that his body wanted to release. In reaction to this display of emotion, I started to tear up myself. But I made sure to quickly distract myself as I saw that Christian was getting a little scared and confused by the situation. On the drive to Indiana that day Christian asked me on several different occasions, “Why was Pappy crying.” This gave me the opportunity, honor, and privilege to tell him that Pappy was crying because he loved him so much and was going to miss him.

I want to take this time to say 2 things to my dad: 1. I'm sorry that I had to make you go through that. I'm sorry that you had a glimpse of living close to all of your grandchildren and then we took that away. 2. Thank you for showing me your care and love. Thank you for loving my children as much as I do. Thank you for desiring to be a lasting influence on their lives. I know they love you deeply, and I am so thankful they get to call YOU Pappy!**

Learning to be a father:

Over the past 3+ years of my personal journey into fatherhood I have slowly realized that as I watch movies, read books, and hear stories my own propensity to dispense tears has become much more relaxed. It no longer takes a story of an extreme, emotional journey of a boy achieving his dream of becoming a professional baseball player to bring tears to my eyes. It simply takes one short scene, paragraph, or moment of a father losing a child for the tears to roll. Here are some clips or scenes that would not allow me to hold back the tears:


(In Field of Dreams Kevin Costner plays Ray Kinsella, a man who never had closure with his father. He builds a baseball field in his corn field that magically allows past players to appear and play baseball again. Through these events, Ray finally gets to play catch with his dad. This one gets me every time!)

(In The Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith is playing Chris Gardner. He's a father that is doing everything he can to provide for his son and give him a better life than he ever had as a child. In this particular scene, they have no place to sleep and must spend the night in a subway bathroom.)

Our Father in Heaven:

As I have slowly started to understand these emotions that come from being a father and this cry that can only come from a father, it has helped me understand so much better the love that our heavenly Father has for His children. But it doesn't only help me understand His love, it also helps me understand His pain. How many young parents think to themselves, “I am so sorry for what I put my parents through. If I had known that they felt for me what I now feel for my children, I would have never taken their advice for granted. I would have better understood that they were looking out for me because they loved me so much.” How many times has God looked down at the children He loves and let out the cry of a father? How many times has He yearned for us to crawl back to Him, yet had to let us go and make our own mistakes as every parent must one day endure? How many times has He seen young fathers failing to provide the love and leadership that their children need? How many times has He wanted to hold us close and tell us it will be alright, but we turn and run the other direction towards our own indiscretions? 

At this point in life, there is nothing that makes me more emotional than seeing the ineptitude of so many fathers today. With that said to borrow some of the words of the movie Courageous: 


"Where are you men of courage?"  Where are you when you should be playing with your sons and drawing pictures with your daughters? Why are you failing in the most important role you will every play? Why are you not leading your families and showing them the example God has created you to show?

May we as fathers have soft hearts. May we be strong and courageous when needed, and may we be calm and tender when called upon. May we be an example of love and discipline to our children and lead our families as God has designed. As we go through the trials and tribulations of raising children, may we never forget the love that our heavenly Father feels for us. May we never to be too worn or calloused to allow our children to see one of the most touching displays of emotion that God has created, the cry of a father.

**It should be noted that my mom is an outstanding grandmother! I'm not referencing her emotions at this time because this article is titled “Tears of a father.” If it was “Tears of a parent” it would be a different story. Mom, thanks for being a great mom/mammaw! I'm sure sometime in the near future I will write something about mothers.