Tuning Out and Tuning In

I, like millions of others, am a huge fan of social media.  It has made living in a foreign country and being so far away from what I know a little easier.  It has made raising my son half a world away from my family and little more doable.  I can update people in an instant and I can check in to see what's going on with everyone else.

It's fun to share in the joys of life with those far a near.  I've always been the kind of person who finds it easy to pick up friendships where they left off, no matter how much time or distance has kept us apart.  

(geesh even now I'm finding more pictures I failed to include in my little collage above.  We had a good amount of visitors last year.  Who could forget about Rob coming over too! )

Ok so where was I?  Right -- technology is awesome!  I can text my friends and family for free!

 I can see them live on my computer screen! 

 (Sorry Mom....there's that pic again coming back to haunt you!)  

And I know there are tons of other apps out there I'm not even using!

But with all of this tuning in to everyone else, and checking things way too many times in a day, sometimes it can feel a bit consuming...

I've been feeling it for a while, and somehow I seem to talk myself out of my thoughts I'm having and justify the things that I do.  We're all so good at that aren't we?  But I couldn't ignore it anymore.  It was time for a break.  So Jordan and I talked about it and we came to a conclusion.  We need a day where we just tune it out.  We've deemed Sundays electronic free.  No computers.  No emails looming over us.  No constantly ogling over Instagram.  Yes, our days will be Pin free.

It seemed weird at first.  What on earth were we going to do!?!?  But you know what, we survived our first Sunday just fine.  And it felt good.  And really it's kind of followed me into the week.  We've read aloud to each other.  We've had dance parties.  We've laughed and talked.  And just enjoyed being together.  I think this is going to be a really great thing!  

I just want to be present wherever I am.  I think that can still happen whilst taking an active role in being involved in social media, but for one day a week we're gonna do our best to forget about everyone else and just focus on our ministry, each other, and the goodness around us. 

What about you?  Are you willing to take a break once a week from all things technology and find more ways to be present where you are?  Does is sound impossible?  I promise it's not...and you might find you actually like it.    

Maybe the modern day version of Lennon's song should be:

Life is what happens to you while you're busy ogling Instagram. 

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Things keep coming and going, and my days seem to slip away before I even realize it.  It doesn't help that I usually crash by 8 pm, and try to force myself to stay awake at least until 9:30.  Jordan and I were just laughing at ourselves the other night about what old fuddy duddies we've become. But lets face it...we were never really party animals, but now it's just gotten absurd.  Someone seems to be draining all of the fun right out of us...

And we love him for it!  

Speaking of love...before it gets away from me...I'll just share about our Valentine's Day.  It's seems to be quite the controversial Holiday and some people even choose to boycott it.  I'm all for another day of finding ways to say I love you.  So we celebrated for not one, but two days!

I surprised Jordan with some homemade pizza on the 13th, because I knew he had a plan for the 14th.  

And if you know my husband...you know nothing says I love you better than pizza!  Unless it's pizza with heart shaped pepperonis!  I think it's a love language of his all to its own.  Here's more proof if you don't believe me.  This is evidence from that morning:

  One little conversation about pizza between Jordan and Matt Adrian...and you get this.  It's awesome!

Needless to say...with my pizza making skills, I'll have his heart forever!

The 14th is the one day of the year I can count on not having to be in the kitchen and dinner being made just for me!   

Our first Valentine's together, Jordan got my roommates to let him into our house while I was at work and he got busy making dinner and decorating our living room with candles and roses.  And then the next year it became tradition!  Living in our studio apartment with no dining room table, we had a picnic right in the living room.  I love that this is our thing.  It was always manicotti until we came here to Manila, we have yet to find the proper shells, so it's morphed into lasagna.  And even with my change in diet, Jordan has still done all of the research and shopping to make me the best Vegan Valentine's ever!  He knocked it out of the park this year.  So much so that his recipe for vegan ricotta is going in our family cookbook! 

Ingredients:

600g firm tofu
1 TBS. minced garlic
2 TBS. olive oil
1/2 cup soymilk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 TBS. lemon juice
2 TBS. freshly minced parsley
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup roughly chopped baby bella mushrooms

Directions:
In a food processor combine all ingredients except for the mushrooms and blend until well combined.  Lastly throw in the baby bellas and pulse a few times until well incorporated.

Use this recipe anywhere ricotta is called for, lasagna, manicotti, pizza, the possibilities are endless. 

Ain't love grand!  And it's safe to say the quickest way to our hearts is through our stomachs.  We're quite the foodies.  

But seriously...I'm just so thankful for this man in my life and all God has done in our marriage to make us stronger and more committed to each other.    

The Four Month Rundown

This last month might have been my favorite yet.  Glancing back through pictures I was reminded of all of the little things this guy discovered and learned to do.

He loves to laugh and play with Dad and as you can see I love it too (hence the cheesy heart frame)!  They are just so cute together.

  Hopefully he gets his smarts from his Daddy.

He also discovered his hands and his ability to reach for things and get ahold of them.  I think it's just the funniest little thing to look over and see tiny little hands reaching up out of his bassinet.  But most of the time his hands can be found here...

I have witnessed him get his whole fist in his mouth before.  It's quite a sight.  It also means lots of slobber.  He's still cute though, so I don't really mind.  What's worse is when he latches on to your neck. We call him the leech.  We're trying to break this habit.  It's not pleasant.  And I think if it happened to someone else...they really wouldn't like it.

He's also big enough to stand and play on his own in his exersaucer.  He favorite part about it, is that it sits in front of a wall of mirrors that he can sit and watch himself in.

At the beginning of the month he had learned to roll over onto his belly from his back.  At first he wasn't sure if he was really glad he had made this discovery and would cry until you would help him back over.  But right at the end of the month he learned the fun that is rolling.  And he gets mad when things get in his way.  I'm going to have to blanket the whole living room!

He's also exercising his vocal chords and learning he can make all kinds of noises at various levels.  We have some good conversations he and I in the early mornings while Dad is still sleeping.  So I guess he gets that from me...waking up talking!

He's quite the little thinker, and often he's just quiet...taking it all in.  I wonder all of the time what's going on in that little brain of his.

All I know is...I wouldn't trade this Mom thing for the world.  No matter how hard the day, I'm choosing joy and taking in each and every moment with this little bundle of joy I get to call my son!

I just can't wait to see all that happens in month five!

Doing a Little Housekeeping

While I know it's late to be talking about New Year's resolutions, I'm still stuck on that fresh start that comes with another year turning over in the calendar.  It's energizing.  It makes me pause and think about life and what I want to change and aspire to.  What works and what doesn't. etc. etc...
I feel like this past month has been a bombardment of realizations, challenges, and inspiration.  Maybe that's because while everyone else was writing about it and moving on...I was still contemplating.  So I'm thankful for the continual month of influence.

I'm the kind of person who never has just one thing I want to work on, but at least a million.  I feel like once I start thinking, everything just flows into the next thing.  It's all connected.  All affected.  It's the whole many parts one body thing!  Anyway, my blog fits into that realm as well.  Hopefully this year it will run as a platform for sharing all of those things that are a work in progress in my life.  After-all, there are many facets to this one body.  Several things that make up me and I want to be active in pursuing all of them.  Finding a balance and not getting lost in my sweats taking care of a baby.  Though being Desmond's Mom is probably one of the best things I've experienced in my life.

I can't handle all of the cuteness!  I just love him to pieces.

So here are just a few of the things that have always been here or there on the blog, but hopefully will have a more frequent presence.

First off--My Spiritual life.
What God is doing in me personally, as He is continually teaching me new things.  And the ways in which He is using us (my family) in ministry (currently here in the Philippines).

You've never seen such beautiful kids, or met such kind and happy people until you've been to the Philippines!

My Son and Husband (My Family)
They are my biggest ministry--being a wife and mom.  It's no easy task but worth every minute of it.  God has used Jordan in so many ways to challenge me, encourage me and make me a better woman.  I couldn't imagine life without him.  He is one of the most humble, kind, and gentle spirits you will ever meet!  And Desmond...well he's the best thing.  Our pride and joy.  And just in his four months of life here on this earth I have learned so much more about love and offering it unconditionally than I did in all of my 29 years previous.

 
My Art
I'm forcing myself to be more creative this year.  Yes there are ways I've continued in pursuing creativity, but this year is all about making more art.  I've taken a little over a year off, so it's time to get back to it!!  Though I'm not off to a good start...I'm still pondering just what to do.

Cooking
I'm really excited about this one, because one of my goals this year is to compile all of our family favorites and get them made into a cookbook!  I was so excited when I read about this online.  I knew there were plenty of places to make photobooks, but never did I think about a cookbook!  I've already got so many recipes up my sleeve (thank you Pinterest).

 
Fitness:
This one is a little tough for me.  I haven't been an avid runner since the Fall of 2011.  I miss it, and it's been tough to find my rhythm here.  Nor has there been any bike rides.  They were two of my favorite things and it almost seems like a blur that I used to be decent at either one of them.  BUT, I'm working past my opposition somewhat and still finding plenty of ways to incorporate exercise.  It just means a lot of DVDs right now.

  
That might be about it for now.  But who knows...as long as my mind is wandering there's bound to be something else added to the mix.  Though I think that about sums me up.  So here we go 2013--let's do this!

But first sleep...

  

1-2-3...

...months have gone by.  And we're quickly approaching the fourth!

I was just at a baby shower the other night and everyone was going around giving words of advice to the Mom-to-be.  The thing that came up the most -- savor every moment because it all goes so quickly.  Boy is it true.

(1 Month)

I know some of you are probably laughing as you read that with your kids going off to college or having children of their own, and you're thinking, "She really has no idea..."

Which is precisely why I'm doing just that.  Savoring every moment.  At least trying my hardest to.  I still go in his room every night before I go to bed and place my hand gently on his chest just to feel him breathe.  I am just so amazed at the gift of life and this little guy God has given us!

(2 Months)

I, like every Mom, have had my ups and downs, good days and bad days, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I find that with every relationship we have in life we seem to learn more about ourselves, more about God, and the ways in which all of it is so connected.  I've never known such unconditional love until now.  I know I know, it's all so new and exciting.  But seriously, when you have a day where your kid learns to throw his first full fledged temper-tantrum and decides to do it all day long, and then at the end of the day gives you that big gummy smile that just melts your heart, you know that love very well.  

The first few months were definitely blissful, getting to hold this tiny little baby and just stare at him with such awe and wonder, but with each new stage, and each new month he becomes more and more fun.  Discovering the kind of little boy he's gonna be, watching him do things for the first time, and hearing the best sound in the world -- baby giggles, ahh I just can't get enough and I'm so excited for more!

(3 Months)

He is a very determined little boy, I can see that already.  He's strong and loving and is quite the deep thinker.  

So far his favorite things seem to be things dangling above his head, music, and flashing lights.  He loves to talk and wakes up doing it.  He sleeps through the night (I know, I'm blessed) and almost makes it through the grocery store without crying.  It's a very overwhelming place.

He's quite popular every where we go, and all of the kids at church love him.  For most of them, he's the first white baby they've ever seen and they find everything about him fascinating.  Life as a Mom has already taught me many things and I plan on going more in depth in the future.  For now...we're just trying to get up to speed.  Those first few months definitely go by in a blur!   

When Madea & Papa Came to Visit

I would have to say the highlight of Desmond's first month was definitely having my Mom and Dad around for 10 glorious, but all too short, days!

Words cannot express how amazing it was to have them here and see them with their first grandchild.  It's tough even writing this now, so I'm glad there's a little distance from their visit or I'd probably be a blubbering fool typing this.
Desmond was already fast asleep when they got in but we couldn't help but all stare at him for just a little bit with such awe and amazement.  The next morning Desmond and I were up early with the sun, as was my Dad, with great anticipation to finally get to hold him.

It was love from the start.  I think the cycle is that children leave there parents and cleave to their spouse only to then give their parents grandchildren.  Just as Jordan became the new top man in my life,  I can easily see I've been replaced.  My Dad is so excited about being a Papa and Desmond is surely the apple of his eye.    

Soon after, the rest of the house was up and at em and looking forward to all of the time we had together with this sweet little boy!

Our days were filled exactly as they should have been - barely leaving the house and just enjoying each other's company.  Although my Dad and Jordan did do some paling around together as Jordan still had some duties to fulfill.
We had short little windows throughout our day dealing with Desmond's schedule, jetlag, and my Mom trying to get used to the heat.  We were all pretty much on the same schedule eat, sleep, eat, sleep...
But we did get out with just enough time to capture some pics to remember those early days of his life and our time together.

Having a kid has definitely made the distance harder.  But I'm thankful for parents who have assured me that no matter the distance they will always be a part of our lives and that Desmond will grow up knowing who his Madea and Papa are and how much they love him.  Our job is to do what God has called us to do and we will make the most of the time we're given.  I'm continually thankful for technology and the ability to talk to them and send pictures.  But we're all definitely looking forward to a time when we will get to be together again, and there is a lot of family that still needs to meet this guy!