Category: General Family News

Upside Down

Posted on by Becky

Mara is tracing letters in her dry-erase Leap Frog Animals book. She hasn’t done this for a while, so it is especially exciting today.

She was “tracing” (and I use the term loosely–other than when she traced the ‘o,’ saying she was tracing is probably a misnomer) . . .  anyway, she was tracing the “W” for worm, and then she stopped suddenly and said, “Watch this!–Turn it around!” She turned the book upside down. “It is an ‘m’!”

I don’t know where she learned that. But it was funny!

To me. Her mom. At the time. 🙂

One Year Ago Today . . .

Posted on by Becky

. . . at 1:27 p.m. this little guy entered our world!memorialdaymicah1

Not full-term like most babies. He came early, at 32 weeks, 6 days. micah3hrsold

But God’s hand was on him, and when he was born, someone called out, “4-12.” That can’t be his weight, I thought. I would be thrilled with anything over 3-8! But it was. An amazing four pounds, twelve ounces!loveatfirstsight

And I heard the smallest little cry–I heard him cry! I had been warned that I might not hear a cry–but God gave him strong and healthy (tiny) lungs, and he cried. Blessed sound. He didn’t even need oxygen.

For 23 days, he lived in the NICU–too young to suck a bottle or to hold his body temperature; needing stimulation when his heart rate drifted, when he forgot to breathe. micah3daysold

When he came home, he was on caffeine and spent four months on the cardiorespiratory monitor until he grew out of the heart rate drifts and breathing irregularities.lookhowstrongiam

But now? You look at him, and you would never know! He’s already a 20-lb. normal 1-year-old baby boy!micahswing11mo

We named him Micah (“Who is like our God?!“).

So today I pause in humble gratitude for God’s goodness in my little man’s life. And I ask God to work another miracle–to draw Micah to Himself. That God’s glory would be seen throughout Micah’s life, just as clearly as we have seen it during his first year.

Thank you, Father!

micahndaddyshands

I’m Back!

Posted on by Becky

After spending a week in Florida and being out of town for Memorial Day, we are now recovering from colds (Daniel and Mara), ear infections (Micah), and a sinus infection (me). But on the bright side, we are home, so I’m planning to get back into blogging on a more regular basis.

I’m hoping to post a few pictures from our Florida trip and a few Memorial Day pictures, as well as continue remembering Micah’s story and, as always, you can count on my writing some posts with quotes from Mara!

What should we pray about tonight, Mara?

Posted on by Becky

Each night, before Mara goes to sleep, I lay her down on her tummy (for some reason, she always says, ‘on my back’ as I lay her on her tummy) in her crib and cover her with her favorite “pink binkit.”

Then I ask, “What should we pray about tonight, Mara?”

Here is her reply:

“That we got pink bear with hearts at the dozing wap, pray about that, Mommy.” Months ago we got “pink bear with hearts” at the clothing swap, but she wants to thank God for him almost every night. She will pause and wait for me to pray.

“And that Melissa got dress at the dozing wap. Melissa got dresses at the dozing wap.” Melissa found some dresses at the clothing swap and gave them to Mara. Another pause while I pray.

“And that we could go to Melissa’s house.” We went earlier that day. She pauses and listens.

“And that we could get Mommy med-i-nun.” We got medicine for my sinus infection today. Again, a pause.

“And Bob, Mommy, pray for neighbor Bob.”

Thank you, God, for each of Mara’s blessings, and thank you that you welcome little children and that you care about each of their cares. Not one of them is too small for you.

Mara-Speak #2

Posted on by Becky

When the frozen chicken nuggets are on 1/2 price sale at Shoprite, I buy them for nights when Daniel works late and I need something quick and easy to feed Mara. She loves chicken nuggets, and she loves dipping them in ranch dressing. She calls it “chicken and ranch” and often suggests having it for dinner.

Well, tonight was one of those nights. The chicken nuggets were in the toaster oven. But Mara was impatient. “Mommeeeee, I want chicken and rannnnnch!” she whined.

I winced. “Mara, don’t whine.” How many times have I said that today?! But this time, her tone changed instantly.

She smiled her signature super-sweet smile, complete with the head-tilt to the side. “Chicken loves me!” she declared, adding, “and ranch loves me!” with the inflection of a junior higher talking about boys in her class.

“Chicken can’t love you, Mara,” I informed her. “Only people can really love you.”

“Ranches can lovvvvve,” she insisted. “And chickens can love too.”

The only plausible explanation for this statement is that she meant “I love chicken and ranch,” and somehow the communication of that concept was lost in her lack of understanding of English sentence structure. But she’s only 2. So I had a good laugh, despite her protests.

——

“Where is the Kitchen Aid, Mommy?” Mara asked, from her high chair.

“It’s right here.” I pointed to it.

“That is not the Kitchen Aid. That is the MIXer!” Mara argued.

“It is a Kitchen Aid mixer,” I tried to help her understand. “See? Right here it says ‘Kitchen Aid.'” I pointed at each letter: “K-I-T-C-H-E-N A-I-D. So sometimes we just call it the ‘Kitchen Aid.'”

She pointed to the same letters I had just showed her.  “It says ‘mixer’,” she contradicted emphatically. Then, plaguarizing largely from ‘Old MacDonald Had a Farm’ and pointing at each letter just as I had done, she “spelled” it out for me: “P-I-P-I-O. Mixer. P-I-P-I-O. Mixer.”

That’s my girl, for those of you who think my two-year-old is smart.