One of the best things in life are friends. Old friends. New friends. In-between friends (kidding). I have always enjoyed making new friends, watching my kids make friends, and having friends make friends. One of the most frustrating point in life as an adult, and as a kid, is the obvious "already determined" circles of friends of which you or someone else may never become a part of. It's defeating. I strive to be open to friendships, old and new. I certainly have been the "victim" of the predetermined circles of friendship, especially the circle of couples.
A few years back I attended a MOPS meeting (Mothers of Preschoolers) where the speaker centered her discussion on quality friendships that help you be who you want to be. There is the inner core friendships and relationships that are important to who you are as a person like Jesus, your family, your husband, your best friend. Then the outer cores circles are those who support you and progressively become more less involved in who you are, but nonetheless help you form your being. Get it?
I've had friendships and relationships that I've decidedly let dwindle to a further out circle from the core. I could see that I was not becoming a better person with them in my life. They are still important to me, I still care about them, but I needed to distance myself. I want to fill my core and the circle supporting it with those that make their faith and family most important. In addition to that, honor, morale, humility, honesty and a host of other values are of increasing importance to who I am, and who I want to share my life with. This doesn't make me better than others, above them, but wanting the support for myself to continue to better who I am.
I'm making a fresh start in who I am. Evolving who I was into who I want to be, and choosing to encircle myself with those with the characteristics and values that are center with the way I want to live my life and how I want to raise my family.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
A Cough in the Night
In being a parent, we have those moments where we fear for our children. The other morning, I had one of those moments with our littlest spice
Since birth, Lachlan has been a sweet, rarely fussy baby. Just recently he's been cooing and smiling filling my heart of the joys of motherhood. My cup is teeming with love for these boys, I don't think I have ever loved or could love anyone or thing more than these boys.
Lachlan has these precious squeaks, grunts, and snorts that he shares during the day and night. When I heard more of them the other night/ early morning, I didn't think much of them. He seemed more restless, but it'd been a day or two since his last BM, so I chalked it up to bodily functions and relaxed. At his 5 am feeding, the snorts were joined with a loud, obnoxious barking cough. Croup. How could a 4 week old have croup? We'd experienced it with our oldest, numerous times. I knew to steam him or take him outside in the cold air, but I also knew that this babe shouldn't have croup just yet. I went into "mom" mode, woke up my husband and started the steam in the bathroom.
He held the baby while I called the doc. The triage nurse listened to the little guy breathe through the phone, and told me to promptly call 911. He was struggling to breathe. The paramedics arrived and tested his blood oxygen levels, which were low. He was transported via ambulance on his 1 month birthday.
Upon arrival at a great hospital in the area, Lachlan was x-rayed and given an oral steroid to open his airways, which were restricted. We stayed over night for observation and were given clearance to leave the next morning since his blood oxygen levels were great! Hooray!
Of course no life event is complete without pictures, so I had camera in tow.
Praise God for medicine, great care, and a healthy babe!
Since birth, Lachlan has been a sweet, rarely fussy baby. Just recently he's been cooing and smiling filling my heart of the joys of motherhood. My cup is teeming with love for these boys, I don't think I have ever loved or could love anyone or thing more than these boys.
Lachlan has these precious squeaks, grunts, and snorts that he shares during the day and night. When I heard more of them the other night/ early morning, I didn't think much of them. He seemed more restless, but it'd been a day or two since his last BM, so I chalked it up to bodily functions and relaxed. At his 5 am feeding, the snorts were joined with a loud, obnoxious barking cough. Croup. How could a 4 week old have croup? We'd experienced it with our oldest, numerous times. I knew to steam him or take him outside in the cold air, but I also knew that this babe shouldn't have croup just yet. I went into "mom" mode, woke up my husband and started the steam in the bathroom.
He held the baby while I called the doc. The triage nurse listened to the little guy breathe through the phone, and told me to promptly call 911. He was struggling to breathe. The paramedics arrived and tested his blood oxygen levels, which were low. He was transported via ambulance on his 1 month birthday.
Upon arrival at a great hospital in the area, Lachlan was x-rayed and given an oral steroid to open his airways, which were restricted. We stayed over night for observation and were given clearance to leave the next morning since his blood oxygen levels were great! Hooray!
Of course no life event is complete without pictures, so I had camera in tow.
Praise God for medicine, great care, and a healthy babe!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Our Freshest Spice
Welcome to the the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Lachlan Stephen!
10.1 lbs 22 inches of pure blessing
We Love You!
10.1 lbs 22 inches of pure blessing
We Love You!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
A Year.
Nearly a year ago my husband and I decided it was time for me to find a job opportunity to better supplement our income, give our children some opportunities to play with others and learn, and to give me an out. I
loved being home with our children, caring for others' children, and reaping the benefits of being a stay-at-home mom. Somehow, I felt like I wasn't being "fed". My spirits were low, my mind was stagnant, and my heart thirsted for more. The problem was, I didn't know what that "more" would be.
I looked at jobs within schools, looked at jobs from home as to combine my love of being home with the benefits of what we were looking for. I couldn't find that perfect niche. But, as we neared the start of preschool for our oldest, I "found" more than a perfect opportunity. God led me to a place where opportunities abound. Our church has a preschool and daycare that would allow me to fill-in or sub for the teachers who were away AND my kids could come there with me. Could it get any better than this? Now the pay wasn't excellent, and it certainly didn't fill the professional void I was needing to fill, but it filled my cup overflowing with the possibilities I didn't know existed.
Shortly after starting to sub there, I was offered a position in the toddler room with my then 15 month old. It was hard for them and for me. It wasn't an easy transition, it tested me in so many ways each and every day. However, I learned innumerable things about myself, my faith, and how much I shorted myself from learning new things. I learned to be patient with children of very different temperaments, tools for being a more successful mom, and most importantly how blessed I was to be given this opportunity. God is so good and HE knows what plans are needed, HE knows what benefits are to come from each experience. I had to open my heart and mind to all of these experiences HE brought forth.
I didn't have support that I needed to be successful there or keep my thinking positive. It's hard when others have their plan set before them and can make things "work". But I have to say, being steadfast and believing in HIS plan was what got me through. The greatest people that I work with made me believe in the plan, not quit and supported me so that OUR plan, that of God, my husband, and I could be successful. I am more than thankful for those people. They are what makes me know that I am a better person today than the person who walked into that setting a year ago.
loved being home with our children, caring for others' children, and reaping the benefits of being a stay-at-home mom. Somehow, I felt like I wasn't being "fed". My spirits were low, my mind was stagnant, and my heart thirsted for more. The problem was, I didn't know what that "more" would be.
I looked at jobs within schools, looked at jobs from home as to combine my love of being home with the benefits of what we were looking for. I couldn't find that perfect niche. But, as we neared the start of preschool for our oldest, I "found" more than a perfect opportunity. God led me to a place where opportunities abound. Our church has a preschool and daycare that would allow me to fill-in or sub for the teachers who were away AND my kids could come there with me. Could it get any better than this? Now the pay wasn't excellent, and it certainly didn't fill the professional void I was needing to fill, but it filled my cup overflowing with the possibilities I didn't know existed.
Shortly after starting to sub there, I was offered a position in the toddler room with my then 15 month old. It was hard for them and for me. It wasn't an easy transition, it tested me in so many ways each and every day. However, I learned innumerable things about myself, my faith, and how much I shorted myself from learning new things. I learned to be patient with children of very different temperaments, tools for being a more successful mom, and most importantly how blessed I was to be given this opportunity. God is so good and HE knows what plans are needed, HE knows what benefits are to come from each experience. I had to open my heart and mind to all of these experiences HE brought forth.
I didn't have support that I needed to be successful there or keep my thinking positive. It's hard when others have their plan set before them and can make things "work". But I have to say, being steadfast and believing in HIS plan was what got me through. The greatest people that I work with made me believe in the plan, not quit and supported me so that OUR plan, that of God, my husband, and I could be successful. I am more than thankful for those people. They are what makes me know that I am a better person today than the person who walked into that setting a year ago.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
It's Shrektacular!
If you haven't heard the news... Shrek the Final Chapter is out in full force in a theatre near you! General Mills is celebrating the release of this one 'Shrek' of a finale by offering you some fantastic ogre-sized savings on the foods you love!
Our family received a Shrek-tacular prize pack made up of a re-useable Shrek grocery bag, fabulous Big G cereals, Fruit Roll-Ups Minis snacks and Betty Crocker Blueberry Muffin Mix. The prize pack also included a $10 Shrek-tacular Savings coupon book with fun Shrek trivia, a Shrek water squirter, a Shrek highlighter and a $25 gift card that you can use to purchase tickets to see the new Shrek Forever After film! It was awesome the our boys LOVED it! This was all compliments of General Mills through MyBlogSpark.
The best part of this is the awesome savings AND one of you can win one of these great prize packs for yourself! Just become a follower of Mamathyme and leave a comment about how your family saves 'green'. One additional entry if you post this giveaway on your blog (with a link) OR post on your Facebook page with a link to this giveaway. One winner will be chosen on Monday, June 13, 2010. Be sure that your email address is included so I can contact you if you are the winner!
Until then, To save even more green, visit www.everydaysaver.com/shrek to download coupons today. While you’re there you and your little prince or princess can get in the mood to see Shrek Forever After by taking a peek at the movie trailer.
I look forward to hearing about your Shrek-tacular savings and how your family saves 'green'!
~Amber
Thursday, June 3, 2010
What I'm Reading
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