birthdays, weddings, doctors, healing, and jobs

wow. i really haven't posted in quite a while!! seth's out of town fixing an emergency leak his mom had in one of her windows at her new house, and the kids are in bed, so i'm feeling like blogging -

been thinking about birthdays again. can't believe it's already been almost a year since seth's 30th and our trip to cory's bed and breakfast -- yummiest food i've EVER tasted!!

James will be turning 4 in just 2 short months! what a cutie, and what a BIG boy! i think his party is going to be extra fun this year because he's finally old enough to help me plan it and get into it more than ever before... what should we do??

exactly one month after james' birthday, josiah will be turning 1. wow. this year has FLOWN by!!!

well, we went to orange county last weekend for a wedding -- a long time family friend of seth's family. it was at a place called rancho las lomas. really pretty and unique. here's their website if you're interested in those types of things.. i mean, if you're weird like me :) www.rancholaslomas.com

anyway, james and i were out of town TWICE this week for doctor appointments. tuesday we saw his allergist in roseville -- a nice guy who really spends the time to build a relationship with james so that he feels comfortable, smiles, relaxes.... all important things for my little man when it comes to doctors!!

on thursday we saw a new GI doc in sacramento - dr. yinka davies. she is WONDERFULLLLL. i can't even say enough about her. i realized that james was pretty sick that morning as we were driving down, so i asked the doctor if she'd look in his ears and see if he had an infection -- after my - um let's just say "negative" - experiences with schmose-mary at dr. ciricillo's office, i thought dr. davies might get all "up-ity" on me and let me know how it's not a "specialist's" job to treat common colds and ear infections --- and how that's really the pediatrician's job - but no, turns out that's just rosemary's high horse. Dr. Davies was sooo compassionate and sweet to us -- no nonsense - just the real deal. she diagnosed a bad ear infection, gave us a prescription for amoxicillin, plus some samples of both amoxicillin and motrin, showed us some pics of HER twin 3-year-old boys (yes, i told you it might just be too good to be true!), asked us some questions about GI related stuff and james' symtoms / history (oh yeah, that's why we were there, right?), and sent us on our way :)

this tuesday we are going to sac AGAIN to see dr. ciricillo, the neuro-surgeon -- maybe rosemary will be on vacation, and this will make for THREE great doctor experiences in a ROW :)

James HAS been doing much, MUCH better in the vomit department! yeeees. turns out after all that confusion that MILK and EGG allergy was the true culprit, and taking those things out of his diet completely is what's finally working! yes! i told him that God is healing his body and that he doesn't need to throw up anymore! there was a time that we both thought this wouldn't happen this side of heaven -- but God does give us His grace in doses greater than just sufficiency SOMETIMES even here on this earth ---- sometimes.

it's not 100% better. we still have bad vomit days. but it's sooo much better. PRAISE JESUS!!

i started a memory verse flash card system with james that i ordered from john piper's ministry, desiring god. it was only 5 bucks, and we loooove it. it teaches verses about who God is, and what He has done FIRST -- before teaching commands, like "children obey your parents" .. so far he has learned 3 verses in 3 days! - Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" -- Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters" -- and Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding" -- i'm sooo proud of him, and he's proud of himself, too! :)

Josiah's been combat crawling -- really just "scooting" -- and pulling up on things to a kneeling position. little love. he's getting stronger sooooo fast every day!! we're not used to this kind of speed!

i've been offered several jobs lately, and it's so odd. a few weeks ago a friend asked if i wanted to do daycare for her 2 kids five days a week. just after that i got an e-mail from the head of carenet (our crisis pregnancy center) asking if i am interested in a part time job as a fund-raising director for the center -- i had been recommended by tom savage - my pastor. then, the other day, i got an e-mail from a friend who is a secretary at an awesome charter school here in town, asking me if i'd like a full time teaching position, teaching middle school language arts and math. woah.

though all of these positions were somewhat tempting in their own ways, i prayerfully said no to all of these propositions. i guess the two conclusions that i have come to are 1) I continue to LOVE being a full time wife and mommy to my priceless family. there are divorces left and right and in front and in back of me! seriously, i think i hear of a new one every stinkin day! i am thankful for the time and energy i have because i'm a stay-at-home wife and mom, to pour into my marriage and impact my kids. i am so thankful for my faithful, selfless, wise, and thoughtful husband, and my joyful, playful, sweet, tender, and gorgeous boys! i have the best job in the world, and i'm living my dream!! and 2) it's just not the right time. someday - in what might be the near or distant future (only God knows) - i might need to take a "real" job, but for now, i am right where i'm supposed to be.

my life doesn't always look the way i imagined, but it is a beautiful tapestry that only God sees the whole design --

in discussing job possibilities with seth, he gently reminded me that it is God's blessing on us that in the almost 6 years that we have been married, i have NEVER had to supplement his income with a job of my own, because GOD is SO faithful to us to give us the desire of our hearts that i would be home with the kids as their number one and full time caregiver and teacher. it is good to be reminded of what a privilege and responsibility it is!! i am soooo glad that we wholeheartedly share this desire. i know that it is not possible for so many families.

THANK YOU JESUS. oh how you give and take away --- our great giver of life, caring physician, endlessly WISE counselor, perfect husband, and faithful sustainer