Tender Mercies

Long time no see! I am sure we will be forgiven. Apparently, having a baby takes up a lot of time (who knew)! I guess we have a lot to catch up on over the past 3 months.  

I guess the obvious thing would be with our son, Asher! It is amazing to think that three months ago, he wasn’t with us (if you exclude the womb, which I do because I would rather remember my first time with him as delightful rather than filled with blinding back pain, lol). I understand now why my mother always told me that I may love her, but not like she loved me. It is incredible how much and quickly you can love somebody you have never met, even if they only eat, sleep, poop, and cry. They aren’t even technically cute yet (though I, of course, think Asher was), as they tend to resemble something closer to an old man than an actual baby. But, the Lord instills it in our hearts to love and cherish these tender mercies.

The hardest part to deal with initially was, without question, lack of sleep. I never slept over 3 or 4 hours in a row for over 2 months. Yikes. Ask my husband – he and I valued our 8 hours of undisturbed sleep more than most people we had ever met. If it came down to almost anything, and our 8 hours (like hanging out with friends, movie, date nights) we both usually chose the sleep. Unfortunately, it stops being a choice when you have to nurse a crying baby whose stomach is merely the size of a standard marble (literally). No wonder they are hungry all the time. On more than one occasion, I fell asleep with the baby in my arms in our recliner, only to wake up 30 minutes later with no idea whether or not Asher nursed more than a few minutes (the second biggest challenge of having a baby is keeping a newborn awake long enough to eat! Ha! Ironic how they never let us sleep, yet never stay awake themselves!) The Lord really does give you the grace and patience to do it though – eventually getting up almost stopped bothering me all together!

Now he actually sleeps quite well. He goes down around 8 or 8:30 and doesn’t wake up until about 4:30! I nurse him and put him back to bed within about 20 minutes. Then he will sleep until 7:30 and I just get up with him. He is a super happy baby and rarely fusses for no reason. We have however had a large road block! Around him turning 6 weeks old he started getting really gassy and would scream for up to an hour until he was able to get his farts out because it hurt him so bad! It sounds funny, but was heartbreaking to watch. Watching your baby scream and cry in pain is horrible! This happened several times daily for about a month before we figured out he had a milk sensitivity – so milk, cheese, and butter are out of my diet! He is still gassy sometimes but Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water is a miracle drug!

 

Halloween was great! Braden’s mom and stepdad threw a Halloween bash in their pole barn. We dressed Asher up in a Tigger costume that was far too big for him (especially the head!) and really had a wonderful time. Good food and company! Braden’s cousin, Shanna, just had a baby around a month after me so we were able to see their new little baby, Emma! I wish we had a picture to show you of the pole barn! It looked awesome. Huge spider webs and banners and things like that. Super cute!

Then for Thanksgiving, Braden and I were able to drive to Pennsylvania to see my sisters! I feel lost with them both being so far away from me so it was absolutely wonderful to see them! My older sister Jenny just had her baby, Adali (A-duh-lie), and we were able to meet our newest niece! She was so precious and already smiling at 4 weeks! Although the drive down there was tragically long (and made 3 hours longer by having to nurse Asher all the time), it was well worth the 3 days with Jenny and Melissa. I cannot wait to see them for Christmas!

Family Photo in PA

Asher and Adali

Asher, Joshua, and a fairly upset Adali

Mel, Joshua, and Asher!

Speaking of Christmas! It is only 2 days away! YAY!!! This is my favorite time of the year. Decorations, family, hospitality, gifts to those you love, and most importantly, a special time to celebrate and worship the Lord and Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.

I am more and more awed, the older I get, to think of the birth of this baby, Jesus. Not just because of the miraculous virgin birth, or the great things he would come to do. But of the humility of it all. God, the king of the whole world, who should have abandoned us all upon the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden, brought himself so very low as to become a helpless baby for the sake of hopeless sinners like me. Not only that, but he was not born in a palace, or a hospital, or at the very least on a bed. But on the cold floor with stable animals because no one was willing to make room for him. What a foreshadowing of what his whole life and ministry would be like! In his ministry, he was most often rejected and despised by the people he came to save. It is so easy to look at the manger scene as some happy, cute, Christmas story. And while it is great and it is powerful, no mistake about that – it is also very sad. God had come to earth to save us all, and instead of being proclaimed with trumpets and parades, he was only worshipped by a few wise men and some shepherds in a manger because he did not even have a bed to sleep on.

How God could ever offer such a precious gift, I will never understand. But, I will gratefully and willingly receive the gift he has given us in his son, Jesus. He is my only hope for salvation and my only boast to the Lord for making me worthy for heaven. His blood covers my endless sins and makes me pure as snow. Thank you Lord for your great mercy to me and those who love you and walk in obedience to your word!

May the Lord bless and keep you this Christmas season. Remember as you open your gifts and enjoy your Christmas feasts, we are celebrating the man Jesus Christ! Let us spend this time worshiping him, the true bringer of all good gifts (contrary to what Santa may believe :o) ) Glory to God in the highest! And on earth peace and goodwill to Man!