My gerber daisies have started to bloom again! They are so confused by the weather changes that have been occurring so regularly this Autumn. It is just now getting to the point where we can begin to drag out the long sleeves and put away the sandals. I was beginning the think we might consider a picnic for Christmas!
Yesterday, I went shopping and picked up a new toy for Micah.
Well, actually, it was a new toothbrush, but he really liked it! In fact, when I tried to put it away until bedtime, he was very upset. I guess he really enjoys brushing his TWO teefies. Simple pleasures!
DID CHRIST NOT CALL US TO CHALLENGE ONE ANOTHER AND FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE? ARE WE NOT HERE FOR HIS GLORY, TO WORSHIP HIM ONLY AND TO MAKE ALL WE DO BE FOR HIM, ABOUT HIM, AND TO HIM?? I know I am in ranting mode. Somehow the peace I had about current events has been disturbed. Are not ministers called to challenge the congregation to live Christ-centered rather than self-centered lives. What was the first sentence of The Purpose-Driven Life? Okay, that is enough for now….just need to vent for a moment. Say a prayer for me right now, if you will. Pray that I am self-controlled and that my focus is completely on HIM.
I have a list of crafty projects waiting for me on my sewing table. The trouble is, I never seem to be motivated at the right time. When Micah is napping, I never seem to wander that way, but as soon as he’s up, my eyes longingly gaze at those projects I have waiting. Why is that?
I guess I must admit, I am a procrastinator. I have known this for a while, but now I want to clean up my act and the first step is admitting you have a problem, right? So there, I admitted it. What’s the next step? What am I supposed to do? Please tell me soon so I will have time to put it off a bit! 
Does it stop? Well, seriously! Poor Micah had a bad cold that turned into chest congestion that lingered almost a month. Last week, we really saw it slowly go away.
Well, last night my precious one just fell apart. It started with crying all the way home from church (I can count on one hand the amount of times he has cried during a car ride and all other times had to do with a long trip). When we got home, he would not stop crying and refused to eat or nurse. I put him to bed and he slept 20-30 minutes and awoke crying. This went on all night long. I got up between 3:30 and 4 am and stayed with him as he cried. He had a burning fever and you could tell he was miserable. This morning, around 7:30 am he finally fell asleep in my arms on the couch. We slept for a little over an hour then awoke and made an appointment for the doctor.
My poor precious boy has his first ear infection and he is so pitiful. As a mommy, you just want to make it better. He has never been like this before. Any other stuff was always the sniffles. We got our medicines and headed home and he is currently conked out. Pray for my sickly one. I was really looking forward to teaching him all things turkey on Thursday, but he has to be up to it!
God created all things for a purpose. EVERYTHING! Consider the trees. Their glorious beauty in fall is something I look forward to each year. Last week as Jonathan and I drove through the Boston Mountains in Northwest Arkansas (from Springdale to Van Buren), I asked him which tree color was his favorite. He probably thought this was a lame way to get a conversation started, but I was really thinking about it. His favorite are the golden ones (not the yellow). Mine are the ruby reds.
A few days before our trip, I saw a story on the evening news talking about the trees’ reasons for changing to such vibrant colors. It focused on the red leaves and how scientists (with all their knowledge and technology) can’t figure out the real reason these trees produce red in the fall. The color red has to be created in the leaves. It doesn’t just happen. Scientists have two theories as to why trees expend such energy to create red. One theory is the Sunscreen Theory. It says that as the leaves of the tree break down, they are weakened and the red is produced to protect them from the sun’s rays. The other theory is the Death Threat Theory. In this theory, trees turn red to send a message to mommy aphids to steer clear of the tree when laying eggs. In essence, it’s saying, “If I have enough power to produce red in Fall, think of what I could do to those babies in Spring!”
The truth is, scientists don’t know. It could be one of these theories, both, or neither one. It tickles me to see scientists baffled by colorful leaves. I may not know why these leaves change, but I think God gave us beauty in the process. So many things serve a greater purpose, but we can see how it had an impact in a completely different way. Maybe those trees create color for their own survival, but God uses those mundane things to bring about great beauty. What about your life? Do you allow God to use you? Do you have gifts that you think are nothing special, but God uses them to bring about such beautiful things in spite of you? Have you realized it isn’t about you? God puts us all here for a purpose! We may not ever discover its meaning in the grand scheme (nor may the scientist), but God is glorified. Our focus has to be to give Him the glory and show His beauty. Look at the trees. They do it naturally!
A couple naps this past week Micah has slept longer than normal, mostly because he has been sick. I would peek in on him to make sure everything is alright (Yep, I did! I’ll admit it!). It is always funny to me that I really enjoy watching him sleep. It feels so good to just see him so content. I am always compelled to get the camera and try to freeze time. I want to always remember that moment. Soon, he won’t be a baby anymore and I will need these photos to gaze at and wonder where the time has gone!
Probably anyone who will read this will already know Micah is small for his age. He was a little baby (6 lbs 7 oz) with tiny hands and feet (in fact, he still wears shoes considered to be the size for a 3-6 month old). As he grew, he was still considered small for his age. He always weighed in at the 25th percentile (75% of children his age weigh more) until his nine month checkup. Then, he dropped to the 5th percentile. I really haven’t worried about it too much. I really only realize his “smallness” when I get around another baby who is close in age or younger. At his one year checkup, he fell off the chart completely weighing 17 lbs 2 oz. We are going to the doctor this week (13 months) for another weighing at the doctor’s request.
Micah has been a bit slower in developing his gross motor skills as well. He is an active boy who found his feet early and could pinch food perfectly very early, but gross motor development has been harder. He has been late with being able to sit independently, sit up on his own, crawl, stand, etc. We started physical therapy at 11 months to help him get a jump start on some of those skills. He has just blossomed in this setting! Since we have begun, he has begun to crawl (commando style), sit up on his own, get up on his knees, and, now today he has figured out how to pull up to a stand. This morning, he was in his room babbling away. I went in to get him up and there he was holding on to the side of the crib. It was such a sight! He did it again for daddy this afternoon after his naptime.
I gave all this information to say that I am blessed to have such a special little boy. Everyone who sees him says he is the happiest, most contented baby they’ve ever seen. Maybe they’re just being nice! He has always been a good sleeper, eater, player, etc. In fact, he was so content that he didn’t seem to be motivated to do those other things as quickly as other kiddos. I know that children develop at their own pace (all those education classes taught me, at least, that) and I really didn’t worry about Micah’s development. Sure, sometimes I wondered if I needed to do more to practice skills with him or feed him more or….or…..or…..parenting can be a funny thing! But, all in all, I knew I had a healthy little boy that God have given me. I also knew that God would use him to teach me some things along the way. Something that has really been ringing in my head today is, “Kimberly, you are not in control! You can’t determine the outcome. Let go of the reins! Let me just do it for once, you silly girl! You are just wasting your time when I am the orchestrator of this life.” I am one of those people who needs to know the plans. I want to know what time things are going to happen, how they will happen, and what will happen next. I am a planner. I know I can’t plan out everything, but sometimes I am afraid to say I try. So today, I am acknowledging that I have no control over some things. My prayer is that I will quit trying to be in control and plan out everything when it’s not mine to plan.
I am sure that this road of parenthood will be a proving ground to see if I will practice that which I’ve committed over and over. Micah will do things along the way that I will wish I had control over (potty training comes to mind, as does dating!), but hopefully I will continue to bring them to the Lord and ask him to protect and handle those things I cannot control and give me peace in doing so, too.
We had so much fun at our church Trunk-or-Treat. We built a cardboard house and put it in the back for our Eeyore to play in. He had such a good time watching the kids come by. He even gave out a few treats himself. Enjoy the photos!
