New Year and New Habits

Yes, it is almost a week into the new year and I'm just now posting! The only time I have to blog is now and most days I would rather be sleeping or reading. However, I have been meaning to post about some of the new habits I have begun this year and pray I can continue.

Personally - The Lord has given me a hunger recently to be in the Word more. It is easy to spend a certain allotted time with the Lord in the morning and then not to even reach for the Word throughout the day. This year I have committed to read the bible through using D.A. Carson's plan For The Love of God, which I commend to anyone. He gives you the Scripture to read each day and it will take you through the OT once and the NT & Psalms twice. Carson has also written a short theological devotion (not fluff that you find in many devotionals) corresponding to one of the passages.

I'm also committing to memorizing more Scripture. Last September, I decided I wanted to memorize Colossians because it is one of my favorite books. Thus far I have memorized chapters 1 & 2, so I'm halfway there! I did slack off some when I had the waves of nausea in the first trimester.

Family - Josh & I have committed to spending more quality time together and not simply sitting down in front of the television when Thomas goes to bed. It is so easy to zone out and let your mind dwell on trivial things. We are considering dropping cable all together, but we really like the news shows! However, we have the Internet and we can get all our news there.

Thomas has just dropped his morning nap and I've realized the need to have a schedule for him. Too often he is just wandering around the house playing with toys, but there is no structure to his routine. I just finished the book Toddlerwise and I'm taking some of the principles mentioned there to create a schedule that works for him. Right now he plays by himself if he wants to, but the goal is for him to play in his room for an allotted time that I set. Also, I want to be more deliberate in "mommy" time. By nature, I'm very task-oriented and it is easy for me to become so engrossed in cleaning or laundry or planning that I don't take the time I need with Thomas.

There is just a smattering of what I'm praying about and thinking through for this new year. Hopefully at the end of the year, by God's grace, I will have a deeper love for my Lord and my family!

My Little Mimick

I can honestly say that I love the toddler years, even if they are very busy and I'm very tired at the end of the day. Thomas is constantly discovering how to do new things and say new words. It is wonderful to be home with him and to teach him words and to watch him "get it." One of his newest feats is mimicking whatever we do. If we put our hands above our head, he does it; if we jump, he (tries) to jump; and whatever activity we are doing, he (tries) to help.

Usually, I vacuum once a week and Thomas has always loved the vacuum. He has never been scared of it and I never have to wonder where he is because he is right under my feet! Sometimes he even turns it off in the middle of vacuuming. I didn't understand just how much he enjoyed the vacuum until I walked into the room the other week and discovered this:

Don't worry - it was unplugged! Now I have to be careful if I leave the vacuum out for just a few minutes, because Thomas will be hard at work. I just hope this eagerness to vacuum continues until he is old enough to really help!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve has arrived and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I love this time of year because not only do we take time to spend with family, but most of all to remember and meditate on the truth of the gospel: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" John 1:14. What a magnificent and beautiful picture of Christmas that Jesus took on flesh and dwelt among us so that we could see the glory of the Father and receive grace and truth! There is no greater reason to celebrate Christmas than Jesus leaving the glory of heaven to live with us and in 33 short years, to die for his people - amazing love!

Our family has the privilege of staying at home this Christmas. We are going to Josh's parents this evening, but they live just across town. My parents are coming here for Christmas day and we are so glad! Since Thomas is a little older now we don't want to travel and we want to begin to make special traditions for our family. We are having Santa as part of our Christmas, and I know many Christians don't, but we both "believed" in Santa as children and enjoyed the experience. However, the emphasis is not on Santa, but on Jesus. Tomorrow morning when Thomas wakes up, we are going to read the Christmas story as a family before we ever open presents. As Thomas gets older, we plan to do the Advent calendar and to place the emphasis on giving to others. Josh and I believe in supporting the Lottie Moon Christmas offering sacrificially and we want to teach our children to give as well.

Something Josh said in a sermon a couple of weeks has resonated with me this year, "Don't have a Charles Dickens Christmas, but have a Christ-centered Christmas." While family, food, and gifts are a wonderful part of Christmas they are not the main thing and my prayer for our family is for our Christmas to focus on our God who came to dwell among sinful people.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Update on Baby

A few people have asked recently how I'm feeling and about the baby. I'm actually feeling great now! Thankfully, the second trimester is upon me, and if it is anything like pregnancy with Thomas, it is the best trimester. The morning sickness lasted the exact weeks and length as with Thomas - 8 to 14 weeks. As you can see on the side ticker, I'm 15 weeks now. I'm reminded once again what a blessing it is to get right out of bed in the morning and spend time with the Lord, and throughout the day feeling energized and not nauseous and tired.

Baby is doing great! Yesterday, we were able to hear baby's heartbeat again and the doctor could also tell that baby is moving around a lot. I expressed to him that I was a little concerned I hadn't felt any movements yet, but he reassured that baby is moving and I should begin to feel those little movements soon - I can't wait! No weight gain these four weeks, but any weight gain I had was probably lost with the stomach virus! Thus far I have gained 1.7 lbs (from last time) and that means I'm still in my regular clothes. However, I could tell yesterday that my jeans weren't quite as comfortable as before. With Thomas I didn't wear maternity clothes until 21 weeks, but I doubt I'll make it that long with this baby.

I'll try to post a progress picture at some point. Confession - I usually forget to take those pictures until the end and there have been no pictures of me taken yet!

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the most exciting news: January 15th is the ultrasound!

Disney World

Yes, this took two weeks to post instead of two days. I said in my previous post that I would begin blogging regularly again, but I should have made that a new year's resolution! We have been extremely busy. The first week of December, I was busy planning and preparing a meal for our deacons and their wives for Saturday night, the 6th. We had a wonderful time and I'm so glad we were able to show them our appreciation for all of their hard work in our church. Last week, I was planning on doing a couple of blogs on Tuesday, but the stomach virus had another plan. All three of us came down with it in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Needless to say, we were completely wiped out and I'm so thankful for my mother-in-law taking care of Thomas. Unfortunately, she and my father-in-law got it after being exposed to it here! Doesn't family share everything?! Thank you Roger and Vivian for compromising your health to help us - we couldn't have done it without you!

And finally, Josh graduated from Southern Seminary with his Master of Divinity on Friday! We left on Wednesday afternoon to travel to Louisville (and no we didn't feel the best) for the festivities on Thursday and Friday. We had a wonderful time and I'm so proud of my husband. He started seminary single with no responsibilities and left married with one child and another one on the way, and not to mention the pastor of a church! I will do my best, Lord willing, to post pictures of graduation later this week, but I will warn you - this week is very busy too!

Without further ado, here are some pictures from Disney!

Cinderella's Castle at Night!

Me showing Thomas the fish at Animal Kingdom.
He fell asleep on the safari ride!

Josh, Thomas, Grandma, & Poppy at the bird show.

Thomas trying to take off his Mickey ears - isn't he cute?!

Thomas mesmerized by the parade!

Thomas & Josh in a parade at our character breakfast.

Thomas meeting Winnie the Pooh for the first time!

He touched Pooh's nose!

My Long Absence

I usually try to post a couple of times a week, but that hasn't happened since September. Morning sickness is the main reason for not posting and we have just been very busy. I'm hoping the morning sickness will subside soon. Thankfully, I'm not "sick" just very nauseous and it doesn't end until sometime after lunch. When I was pregnant with Thomas I began to feel much better around 14 weeks. As you can see on the sidebar, I'm 13 weeks and 1 day now, so I'm hoping next week will be much better. Plus, we are going on another short trip next week and I would really like to feel normal!

Just a little update -

• We heard the baby's heartbeat on Friday, the 21st. I loved hearing the whoosh-whoosh and remembering why I'm sick and that it is completely worth it! Thomas went with us and he started bobbing his head when he heard the sound. He loves to dance and he thought it was music!
• Last Sunday, the 23rd, we left for a week at Disney World! While it was a fun and exciting trip, it was also very exhausting. Thomas was such a trooper with all the changes and lack of sleep. Poor baby didn't get to bed before 9pm anytime we were there and he only had one nap most days. I thought he might be ready to drop his morning nap, but he definitely isn't. By 11am, in the middle of fun rides, he was yawning. I'll post some pictures in the next few days of Sleepy - I mean Thomas!

Hopefully, my posting will become more regular in the next few weeks, even with the Christmas rush. We already have our tree and decorations up. Thomas loves the tree, but I think he is a little mystified by a tree being inside. Pictures of Disney World coming soon - I promise!

Some Pictures

It has been a long while since I've posted any recent pictures of Thomas. I've picked out a few from Halloween and Election Day because they were too cute not to share. Hopefully, I'll have the energy to update my Facebook account sometime this week with more cute pictures. Enjoy!

Our little pumpkin on Halloween!

He waved a lot, but didn't smile much while wearing the top.
I love my little pumpkin!

Josh being silly - by the way, he thinks this is SO funny. Maybe some of his guy friends would agree - John, Chris, or Jason??

Thomas "voting" for Saxby Chambliss - even though we don't live in GA!

Can you read his shirt? Thank you Chris & Amy!

Yep, here is your future president. Let's just say that Josh and I think Thomas would make a much better president in the future than our current president-elect. Of course, we already have the ticket ready for 2052: President - Joshua Thomas Culbertson, Vice-President - Wyatt Henry Burke. Don't those names sound presidential?