My Two Lil' Monsters {in Cloth}

About a month ago we switched over to cloth diapers (Rump.a.rooz pocket, one-size diapers that I purchased here) and we...and I mean me!...absolutely love them! Changing diapers is so much more fun now, and I love washing them and getting them ready for my sweet boy to use again. I pretty much love everything about my cloth diapers...the way they contain the mess, the fresh, clean smell they have after the wash and of course the cute prints...so, when I got in a couple more that were matching I couldn't help but to put Johnathan in one too! So, here are my two little dudes sporting their "Lil Monster" cloth diapers.

Aren't these little fluffy butts too cute?!!

Johnathan is now into the silly smile stage where it is almost impossible to get him to give me a nice smile...ugh! And Eli, well he was too intrigued with the little silver box that mommy had up to her face to smile at all! ;)

*Grace*

I'm {Dreaming} of a White Christmas

I have got the Christmas itch...and although I have doubts that I'll wake up to a white Christmas, I am ready for all the fun the holiday season brings...the problem is, I am almost totally clueless as to what gifts I'm going to give this year. Usually I have a rough idea of what I would like to get the people on my list, but this year my creativity is definitely lacking! What's a girl to do? I need ideas, big time.

Last year Christmas came and went, and our sweet, almost 2 year old little Monkey had to have his Christmas morning sweets stuffed in his "Baby's First Christmas" stocking...because, well, I was too lazy and didn't get around to buying him a "real" stocking. This year though I will be ready with this cute stocking for him, courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids, and also with a coordinating one for baby brother Eli! I am in love with these boyish Christmas stockings, and I can't wait to fill them with goodies for our two precious sons.

(Pictures from PB Kids)

If you have any good Christmas gift ideas, feel free to pass them along my way...I have a long list and I am short on creativity! I really need to get my act together!

*Grace*

Feeling Nostaligic & Wanting a {BFF}

This morning was weird. Out of the blue I started aching for someone I've wanted for a long time...a "best friend forever"...or as Anne of Green Gables called it, a "kindred spirit or bosom buddy." Now, don't get me wrong, growing up with 5 sisters I sort of have an instant circle of friends, and I do consider my sweet sisters (and my mom) my best {girl} friends on earth...but sometimes I just want someone to pick me as their "best friend"...I want someone to have a choice in wanting to get to know me and to pursue a friendship with me that would last a lifetime. Is that silly?

Growing up I never had a huge group of friends, and there was a time when it seemed like I didn't really have any friends at all. I remember distinctly feeling so lonely for a comrade, especially after one of my really good friends had moved away. Fairly soon after God brought someone into my life that really helped to fill that good girl friend void. We became fast friends, best friends, and we did everything together. It was great. Then college came, circumstances changed and the person that I thought I could count on forever was gone.

Fast forward to today. I don't know what got me into this nostalgic mood...maybe it was seeing some pics of old childhood friends on facebook and yearning for yesteryear...probably...and probably also from feeling somewhat isolated here in our current "home town"...sad, we've been here 4.5 years, and the friends we've made are so different, for the most part, in their choices of how to live their lives that it really isn't possible to have that forever kind of friendship with them. Generally speaking, the lifestyle of doctors and the circles of friends that surround them are so extremely worldly and so out of touch with any kind of moral standard that becoming close friends is difficult. You really start to feel like an outsider and with residency schedules being so unpredictable it's been hard for us to plug into a Christian community. I miss being able to talk to someone, a friend, who loves Christ.

I know that friendships require give and take...when it's all one way or the other it doesn't make for very good grounds for a deep friendship to grow on. I am not trying to say that I've always been the best friend, no flaws, no faults...but I have often felt that if I don't keep giving and pursuing my friendships that they will just fall apart...and in fact, a lot of them have. I have felt though that if the other party isn't willing to give to the friendship that maybe it really isn't a friendship worth pursuing anyways. Maybe this isn't the right kind of attitude, but sometimes I am just plain tired of keeping up with people who are just as well without me in their life. So, I stop trying and the friendship fizzles out. It stinks.

Every once in a while someone comes along that I get really hopeful about...we come from similar backgrounds, our values line up more or less and I'll try to initiate a friendship. Seems that everyone is already set in their group of "good friends" tho, and I feel like I'm back in high school, wishing to be a part of their "clique"...but feeling like an outsider who doesn't belong. And, I admit, I'm jealous of those people who have had their best friends since they were young. That must be so amazing to have.

Well, this post doesn't need to be a total pity party. I am very grateful for the friends that I do have in my life...my amazing husband, who is truly the best of all best friends...aside from Jesus, of course...my sweet sons who are perfect little companions, my wonderful parents, my precious brother and sisters, and my extended family...seriously, who could really ask for more than that? I am blessed beyond measure, that is for sure. And who says you can't be best friends with your family? Maybe that is how it should be. Whatever the case, I guess the most I can do is keep offering up my friendship and be the kind of friend that I want someone to be to me.

*Grace*

Eli Update & Some Pics

First off I want to thank you all for your prayers for our sweet Eli...his little body fought off the RSV, and he is now on the road to recovery! We have a follow-up visit with his doctor in a few days to check how he is doing, but from all appearances he seems to be doing much better and the RSV symptoms are pretty much gone. Good thing too, because now he is in full teething mode, and his little gums are really kicking his booty...and ours too! He is NOT sleeping well at all, always is chewing on his fingers and drooling like crazy, and no matter what we try to do to help calm him down it just is not working! Aah! I am seriously sleep deprived (and poor Dada is too) and can only function once I've had my morning cup (or two) of coffee. Plus, with the time change my lil dudes are back to waking up around 6! Not fun! So, you can now kick your prayers into high gear for Eli's teeth to come in, and to come in quick! Mama needs her rest!

I realize I haven't posted any pics in awhile, so here are some from the past few weeks. Enjoy!

Johnathan enjoying the dolphins at the aquarium.
Eli & Mama
Me and my boys...and the dolphin!
Dolphins are so graceful and playful too!
Hey there, big guy!
Enjoying beautiful South Texas!
Is there a doctorate in Johnathan's future???...looks like it!
Our little doctor, all dressed up for Halloween!
"Yay, I'm a doctor like daddy!"
Having fun at the fall festival.
Our little pianist!
Eli getting a breathing treatment...usually he screamed his head off, but was very calm this time.
Poor, sweet baby!
The boys in our room watching Toy Story 3 while I did laundry!
This movie is priceless!
Hello, Eli! Sweet boy!
Our precious Monkey boy!
Just to prove how much of a puzzle genius Johnathan is...he now likes to do them upside down, just looking at the shapes and trying out different pieces 'til he finds which ones fit where! It is so fun to watch him work his puzzles!
Concentrating!
Ta-da! Good job, buddy!

*Grace*

Keep Eli in Your Prayers

I just wanted to write a quick post to have all of you keep our sweet Eli in your prayers. He got sick last week and got worse as this week progressed. He has RSV (clinically, although he tested negative for it, but he has all the signs), and there is not much we can do besides stay on top of his symptoms since it is a virus. We have to give him oral steroids 4x per day tapering off to once a day over the next 2 weeks to help open his airways. We are also giving levalbuterol breathing treatments through a nebulizer to help his lungs to open as well. He is having a little trouble breathing even with the treatments so far, and of course this has us concerned...but I am trying to NOT freak out. I am still focusing on the truth, and I know that Jesus will be with precious Eli every step of this illness until he gets better. Still, it can take 1-2 weeks to fully recover, and I am hoping for my sweet boy to get well asap. Thanks for your prayers.

*Grace*

And The {Truth} Will Set You Free

..."Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”... -John 8:32

This verse very aptly describes the latter part of last week for me. Both boys ended being sick, seems they share germs as well as love and they both had some upper respiratory issues and double ear infections. The early to mid part of the week I was really struggling with them being sick. Not just from being worn out from sleepless nights, but from an unhealthy fear that I was going to lose them...they were far from being that sick, but my mind had me convinced that things were worse than they really were. I was having a hard time eating, I felt an ache in the pit of my stomach every time they coughed and I was overall just being eaten away by my fear. It wasn't fun.

Then, I think on Wednesday, I called my mom. I was crying, felt totally out of control of the situation (which I was) and just needed some advice and encouragement. I can't remember the exact words that my mom said, but the gist of it was that I needed to focus on truth. I was letting my emotions control me, and I was listening to lies that were leading me down a scary path. I was trying to get my emotions under control, but nothing was working because I still was not focusing on what was true. My mom gave me some practical advice, true things to think of, and asked me what lies I was believing about the situation. Seems so simple, and yet it totally changed my perspective, and once I began to focus on the truth the lies weren't able to permeate my mind.

This "new" revelation of focusing on truth has truly been life changing. I mean, seriously life changing. Once I began to focus on the truth...that Jesus was watching over my babies, that kids do get sick and that it's actually good for them to in order to build up immunities, that we were on top of the situation by addressing their illnesses with prompt medical care and the necessary medications, etc...the lies that had me nearly paralyzed were unable to enter my mind and render me frozen in fear. And, once I was able to focus on truth my emotions began to change. Instead of being fearful and scared I was able to just spend time being compassionate to my two precious boys, I could carry on with our daily activities and not just pace the house feeling all out of control and crazy. The truth has truly set me free, and this principle of focusing on truth has carried over into other areas of my life already as well. When I'm tempted to feel sorry for myself about one situation or another all I have to do is to think about the truth of the situation and poof, those lies that try to wedge their way into my life get squashed...and it's hard to feel sorry for myself when truth is staring me in the face. Truly amazing!

Anyways, I just wanted to share my experience with {Truth}...and of course, just as a reminder to everyone of WHO truth is...Jesus! He IS The Way...The Truth...and The Life. Without Him there is nothing, and we can only know truth because of Him.

Happy Tuesday!

*Grace*