New Mommy Musings

Just some random thoughts from a brand new mommy.

• For the first time in many months I can look down and see my feet, and boy do I need to take a chainsaw to my toenails!
• I have only patted my stomach once referring to Arella then realized she's not in there any more.
• My once little cute innie belly button looks more like a cavernous hideout for bad guys as my belly is shrinking back to normal size.
• I have never had to pre-plan bathroom trips before.
• A shower is now a rare treat instead of a daily necessity.
• I used to plan my life in 4 year blocks of time between Olympiads; now I plan in 3 hour blocks around feedings.
•  Sleeping in spurts leaves me feeling like I'm in a state of eternal jet lag, but no cool new destination. However the view of my baby is breathtaking!
• I'm the kind of person that doesn't sit still very well, but my daughter has trained me to sit and stay for hours on end and just stare at her.
• I always wanted an iPhone because I thought they were really cool and you could check email on them.  Now I have one and the only functions I use are an app to keep track of diaper changes & breastfeeding and texting pictures of Arella to her Daddy while he works.
• I'm pretty smitten with this little girl of mine, and it breaks my heart when she cries and I can't figure out what's wrong.  Sometimes I just cry with her.
• So far she's a very happy baby and her accidental smiles and silly faces absolutely melt me!
• I never thought I would be so entertained by diaper changes.
• I think my wrist surgeries really helped me prepare for parenthood.  I am very efficient at left handed typing and can do almost any domestic chore with my left arm only.  That right arm works very well as a cradle even though my wrist doesn't bend much any more.
• I was worried about how the dogs would react to the baby.  Sam thinks she's a squeaky toy that smells good, and Charlie just wants to be near her most of the time.
• It's amazing how an hour and a half round trip to the doctor's office can be a much needed and exciting outing, and then cause me to sleep most of the afternoon.
• Even though my baby is on the smaller side, I keep looking at her and can't figure out how she was ever inside of me.
• It's amazing how you can go from just another person to Mommy literally overnight.  
• I have been waiting for this for so long, after nearly 2 weeks, I'm still amazed it has already happened.
• I find it a bit funny that we're taking Arella for her 2 week check-up tomorrow, on her due date.
• I knew Eriek was excited to have a baby, too, and he's so good with kids, but he's taken the Daddy thing to a whole new level.  He is the most amazing and supportive Daddy- I love you Honey!
• I could keep writing these little tidbits all day, but I have to go stare at my sweet little angel while she sleeps.

She's Finally Here

The moment we have been waiting for came upon us before we even knew what happened.  Two weeks before her due date, she just couldn't stand it any longer, she had to come meet us.  I'm glad she was as excited to meet us as we were to meet her!

Arella Joy was born on May 11, 2011 at 9:11am weighing in at 6 lbs. 10 oz. and 20 inches long.  She's small but mighty, and (stealing from Mary Poppins) she's practically perfect in every way.  We are absolutely in love with her and captivated by her presence.  I cry pretty much every few hours because I'm so full of joy and awestruck wonder that she's actually here in my arms.

It's just starting to sink in that she's for real and here to stay, and I'm realizing it's already been a week.  Oh time, please stop stealing my daughter from me!  I am thoroughly enjoying every single moment as I'm finally a Mommy.  Thank you Lord for answering my prayers when You didn't have to, You didn't need to, You simply wanted to.  I am so unworthy, and so forever thankful for this most amazing blessing!  Glory to God!

The Race

In sports you have to believe in something before you will ever see it become reality.  In sports you have to discipline yourself, training hard for hours, day in and day out for years to even attempt to accomplish a daring feat. In sports you have to keep your eye on the prize because it's the motivation to keep you persevering through trials and tribulations.  In sports you have to have your head in the game every day at every practice so you continue to build on what you have learned before, so your limits become stretched and your ability grows beyond them.  On the biggest stages in sports, desire, determination and perseverance will always win over talent alone.  In sports, champions are often made after many failed attempts- that means they got back up again after a defeat.  In sports, becoming a champion doesn't happen by standing on the top of the podium.  You become a champion during the pursuit.

Life is really no different.  The biggest problem in life is we have our eyes focused on the wrong prize.  We're usually in pursuit of things we think are worth while like gold medals, diplomas, money, fame... the list goes on.  While none of those things are bad things, they are all only temporary.  Gold medals represent quite an accomplishment, but they will always tarnish and the ribbon will eventually begin to unravel.  Diplomas show you have put a lot of time into studying, but not living. Money can solve many issues, but it also leads to unnecessary spending and distraction from what is truly important.  While sometimes people can use fame to help bring awareness to certain wonderful things, fame in and of itself is basically idol worship.  While there are truly wonderful people in the world, we are people and we all fall short of perfection.  We will all stumble and mess up at times; people were not made to be worshipped but to worship.

There is only One who will never fail us or change or forsake us.  There is only One worthy of our worship and praise.  There is only One who can teach us how to truly live.  And there is only One who can actually save us from ourselves and our final destination.  He is not temporary or a fading icon.  He is Jesus- the One who conquered death to save us.  He is the One we run the race for.  Life eternal with Jesus is the ultimate prize.  That is where our focus in life needs to be so we run the race of life with desire and passion because we know Who we're running for and why we're running. 

Now watch the race below with this in mind.  This is not just any race, but one where a girl in a very important race with a team depending on her falls flat on her face in front of her own home crowd.  But it's what happens after that we need to pay attention to.  This video is not about the race.  It's about Who the race is being run for.  Let us run like this everyday in our lives for Christ.