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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

animal mothers

Over the past few weeks Ryan and I have been watching Planet Earth. If you have not seen it, you need to. It is amazingly beautiful and makes you really appreciate how perfect our Earth is. The precision in how everything works together exactly is testiment of God's greatness and perfection.

As I have learned so much from mothers around me, I had no idea that animals in the wild could also teach me so much about being a mother. Last night, Planet Earth featured the humpback whales. Before the mother gives birth, she travels thousands of miles to warm tropical waters to have her calf. While there she uses all of her fat storages to nurse her calf while the total lack of food leads the mother close to starvation. She endures to make sure her baby can grow up in a safe warm place. When grown, the mom leads her calf to the polar seas and her first food in almost a year. Once there, the calf goes out on his own to start his own life. The whales were just one of many examples of how mothers in the animal world will risk everything to protect and raise thier young. No matter how different all the fish, animals, birds, or people in the world, the Lord made all mothers the same. Pretty neat.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Grayson vs. stuff


As of Friday I am now officially a stay at home mom. It is hard to actually believe that the time has finally come when I can spend everyday with my precious baby boy. Believe me, I have grappled with this decision for years ever since we decided we were going to have children. I always thought I wanted to be a working mom, but over the last two years I have done a complete 180. As we struggled with infertility and were unsure if the Lord would bless us with a little one, I had an even greater sense that my place is with my family first and formost. I don't know if it was the struggle to obtain something that is so easy for others, that changed my heart. If so then the Lord clearly knows what He desires for me and will take me through the hardships to open my eyes.

The control freak in me is terrified by my new endevour as I am married to a teacher who gets paid...as a teacher. I constantly, even still, wonder if we can do it. We live in an age where we HAVE to have so much stuff. It seems impossible to live on one income because of the nessesity of cable, internet, cell phones, nice cars...etc. Sadly, already it has been a challenge to always pick Grayson over all this stuff. Thankfully the Lord is good. He, as He always does, gently reminds me that He is in control and will meet every need. For that I am already blessed. The little blessings both monetary and not are more meaningful now as we make a seeminng huge sacrifice.

I thought it was interesting that on my last day of school I was told by four different people at different places and different times that I will never regret staying home with my children. The Lord speaks in amazing ways, I just need to keep listening.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

p90x

Well, I figure I should post about the other big part of our lives right now besides our little Grayson. P90x has taken the Fuderer house by storm...and what a storm it is. For those of you that don't know what it is, it is an EXTREME home fitness workout that lasts for 90 days. Is uses body stacking to trick your muscles...whatever that means. We are about 50 days into it and wow is it crazy hard. It is getting a bit easier with time but, it is kicking my butt! We do hundreds of pushups, crunches, pull ups (Ryan, not me) and lift tons of weight. The results are pretty amazing, although not as much in our house because we don't exactly follow the diet (I'm eating a big bowl of ice cream right now). I do feel great though and it has been wonderful to get the baby weight off.

We just finished Yoga X, which to me (little miss flexible) is a monster. It is so freakin hard that I congratulate myself every time I finish, hence the ice cream. Ryan did great as well (mister NOT flexible). Now I get to relax until tomorrow...an hour of core work. Yikes.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Three months!

Well, its been a while! Grayson is now three months old and doing lots of fun things! He can put his hands together, focus' on faces, yells (he found his voice), and he rolled over in his crib! I can't believe how big he is getting. He is so fun!




Friday, March 6, 2009

Strange feeling...

This is quite the strange feeling. I am sitting in a hospital bed hooked up to all kinds of equipment awaiting the birth of our first child. Ryan is down in the cafeteria and I am alone enjoying a quiet moment before all the crazyness starts. My water broke last night and after confirming it this morning I was sent to the hospital to have the little guy even though I was (and still am not) in labor. I can tell that it's going to be a pretty long night. I think it will be interesting to look back on this entry in days and weeks to come, as so much will change. I am ever grateful for the perfect plan the Lord has laid out to get me (us) to this moment. As I am nervous about how much our lives will change, I am excited to meet my new little guy. Friends and family have been praying for him for two years, and I actually get to hold him in a matter of hours. God is so good.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Dropping....


So, I thought the little guy had dropped a few weeks ago. Ryan just took my 38 week picture and I compared it to my 37 week picture and wow. He dropped this week. At times I feel like he is going to just drop right out of me. Oh, if only it could be that easy...

37 weeks


38 weeks

Sunday, March 1, 2009

School Baby Shower

On Friday my wonderful friends at school threw me my very last baby shower! It was a wonderful time and I felt so loved and cared for by the great people I work with. My first grade team and my mentor Sally lovingly put the entire thing together. I am going to miss all the special people that I spend everyday with when I am out with the little guy. Thanks Anna for taking the pictures with your super awesome camera!

A beautiful blanket made by Diane, a third grade teacher. It came with a matching hat!

A diaper cake made by Tracey!

Melissa and I!

Anna, the awesome photographer

Donna and I. I need to get a bigger picture! This will have to do for now!