A New Year?

I'm currently working on Aedyn's 1st year photo album. I'm using iPhoto from the iLife suite and the books turn out so beautifully. Because he was born in Feb, my year's commencement has re-oriented. That's probably the ultimate indicator of the fact that one's life revolves around one's child. I think I was the same with the year of my wedding, too. There's so much preparation and anticipation for a single day that it becomes the time marker for everything else. 

SO today doesn't feel like the last day of the year. It's just the middle of Christmas (the 6th day, half way to Epiphany) and page 22 in Aedyn's 1st year photo album. Eric does start a new rotation tomorrow—OB—days only! He gets 3 weekends off this month and he'll be home over night, but the schedule will probably prevent him from arriving home before Aedyn goes to sleep. (If you are a pray-er, will you pray for opportunities for Eric to spend time with Aedyn?)

Now, Aedyn is taking his morning nap. I'm doing laundry and Eric is at the hospital finishing his 30 hour shift. We are joyful and grateful for the life we enjoy: a peaceful home, kind neighbors, steady work, loving family and friends.  

Be well. If tonight is the start of your new year, may it be a new beginning of hope. If you need help finding hope, just ask.

Vomit Morning

Aedyn was awake at 6:00 exactly but I was hoping he would go back to sleep so I didn't get him out of his crib until 6:15. I always take him back to my bed to nurse him. He was having a very happy morning and played and cuddled while eating. I inturrupted the feeding to burp him and he burped once then emptied his stomach on my pj's, pillow, and sheets. I don't have a safe place to put him down upstairs (other than his crib, someplace he would loudly protest) so I put my robe on over my damp pj's and came downsatirs. He can roam everywhere down here. While he played I started to fold a basket of laundry. Leaving the basket of clean clothes on the floor, I went to the kitchen to make coffee and fix Aedyn's breakfast. Aedyn enjoyed his sweet potatoes in oatmeal. Meanwhile, I began to reek from the spit-up on the pj's and started upstairs to change, but he spit-up on his clothes so I stopped to clean him up Then we played on the floor again. He vomited on his two puzzles. I cleaned him up and began on the puzzle pieces. This wasn't spit-up. Vomit. Stomach acid and all. Finishing the puzzles I look up to see Aedyn throwing-up all over the clean laundry. As you read this you're probably thinking, "poor baby," but rest assured, he wasn't acting as if he felt unwell. He was playing and babbling all the while. But-- my clean laundry. my stinky self. the wooden puzzle pieces that still smell sour. ugh.

Some cute pictures of the rumbly tummy baby.

christmas eve

Pre-Communion

Almighty God,

you make us glad with the yearly remembrance of your son, King Jesus:

grant that, as we joyfully receive him as the one who rescues us from the tyranny of sin,

so we may with sure confidence behold him

when he shall come to be the just judge of all;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the holy Spirit,

one god, now and forever.

Communion

Post-Communion

Eternal God, for who we wait,

you have fed us with the bread of the life of the Age to Come:

keep us ever watchful,

that we may be ready to stand before the "Son of Man,"*

King Jesus, our lord.

see Daniel 7

fourth sunday of advent

I'll be on call, so I need to post this one a little early.

Pre-Communion

God who makes way for our exodus from the slavery of brokeness,

who prepared the young virgin, Mary,

to be the mother of your son:

grant that as she looked for his advent to be the savior of Israel,

so may we be prepared to greet him

when he comes again as the just judge;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the holy Spirit,

one god, now and forever.

Communion

Post-Communion

Heavenly Father,

who chose the young virgin

to be the mother of Israel's promised deliverer:

fill us, your servants, with your grace,

that in all things we may embrace your holy purpose

and with her rejoice in your salvation;

through King Jesus, our lord.

Christmas Missings

As I read the year-end letters of friends and family I find myself missing them acutely. I've lived near many of them for years, others have been some distance away but this year I feel like I've missed much more of people's lives. A friend just had surgery, another was surrounded by friends for prayer for a mission trip, a friend's baby has been very sick. Several friends are expecting babies, growing to love another, or moving. I'm not near them to bring a meal or share some coffee.  

I think about you, my friends. In the night when I'm up feeding Aedyn, I pray for you. I'm sorry I'm missing the good stuff and that I'm not there to comfort you when all is not well. I pray peace in your life. 

third sunday of advent

This is the Sunday the pink candle is lit, representing joy. The lectionary readings are about John the Baptist preparing the way for Israel's true king. It's also often known as the Shepherd candle in the sequence (Prophecy/Hope—Bethlehem—Shepherds—Angels).

Pre-Communion

King Jesus, our lord,

who at your first advent sent your messenger

to prepare the way before you:

grant that the servants and caretakers of your mysteries

may in the same way prepare and make ready your way

by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of your justice,

that at your second advent to judge the world

we may be found an acceptable people in your sight;

for you are alive, and you reign with the Father

in the unity of the holy Spirit,

one god, now and forever.

Communion

Post-Communion

We give you thanks, O Lord, for these heavenly gifts;

kindle in us the fire of your Spirit

that when your King comes again

we may shine as lights before his face:

who is alive and reigns now and forever!

May the joy of knowing that God has called you to a life of true justice under his kingship and that his already present kingdom will one day be revealed to all at his second advent be with you today!

Cousins

Here are the promised pics of Ethan (6) and Miles (just turned 3,) the most fun cousins in Oregon! The boys have an amazing array of costumes. In the span of about 15 min. Miles was a knight on horseback, batman, Peter Pan, a puppy in cowboy gear, the cowboy without a puppy shirt and after a rest he was a baby jaguar. The green and yellow pj's with a tail is Dorothy the Dinosaur. The "gettin' cool" outfit is just a great combo of doubles.

The boys played really well, Ethan was super-helpful. He even gave up his room so Aedyn and I could have some privacy. 

We'll miss the cousins until we see them at Peggy the Great's 80th birthday party in June. Love you guys!

Babble Boy

Yesterday, Aedyn started to fully babble. Until now he's called out "EEeee" and "Yehh" but few consonant sounds. Today he's chatting up a storm. He even sang "Little Drummer Boy" with me. (His part was mostly dadada and papapa with a few mmmmm's. Very nice arrangement.) 

first words

It is with great pleasure that I bring you this very special moment. Today, at the hour of 0830h, Aedyn's first coherent and intentional word was: Papa.

second sunday of advent

Pre-Communion

O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power

and be present in a fresh way among us,

and with great might rescue us;

that, since through our sins and wickedness

we are grievously hindered

in running the race that is set before us,

your bountiful grace and mercy

may speedily help and deliver us;

through King Jesus, your son, our lord,

to whom, with you and the holy Spirit,

be honor and glory, now and forever.

Communion

Post-Communion

Father in heaven,

who sent your son to rescue the world

and will send him again to be our judge:

give us grace so to imitate him in the humility and purity of his first coming

that, when he comes again,

we may be ready to greet him

with joyful love and firm faith;

through King Jesus our lord.

Back home with Papa

Aedyn is happy to be home. Eric picked us up at the airport with hugs and kisses and I was so glad to see him I almost cried. This morning Aedyn lurched for his music-playing, flashing-light frog and for his bench blocks--I think he missed his toys. He doesn't want me to leave his sight today. If I walk into the kitchen he calls out anxiously, crawls to me and wants to be picked-up and immediately squirms to get down.

Come back for pictures and stories of Ethan and Miles, the cousins who 'showed Aedyn the ropes' with walking help and block tower building and ran interference when Aedyn tried to eat the cat's fur. I was so happy to be with my sister and her family. 

While we were gone, Eric put in the rest of the upstairs windows, built garden cold-frames out of the old ones, and painted Aedyn's room. And worked insanely long hours. He's good to me!

(Aedyn's room color is called grape leaf. It's very intense yet peaceful and so pretty. I want to spend a lot of time in there now!)

Advent day by day

A very dear friend of mine just referred me to this link—an Advent calendar. It has some really cool resources for those who want to do more with Advent throughout the entire week, even if it is a bit too 'reformed' in the negative sense of being overly systematic rather than more naturally narrative. I'll put it to the side bar, as well, under "Advent Calendar".

first sunday of advent

Happy New Year! (tomorrow, that is.) I'll be posting some links that might be helpful for those celebrating Advent over there to the right. Hopefully I'll have time to post some thoughts/reflections as well. In the mean time, here is pre- and post-communion prayer that I've modified from the Anglican Common Worship:

Pre-Communion

Almighty God,

give us grace to cast away the works of darkness

and to put on the armor of light,

which we so desperately need now, in our mortality,

in which your son, King Jesus, came to us in great humility;

that on the last day

when he is present in kingly splendor to judge the living and the dead,

we may be raised in new life with your gift of immortality;

through him who is alive and reigns over all with you,

in the unity of the holy Spirit,

one god, now and forever.

Communion

Post-Communion

O Lord, our god,

make us watchful and keep us faithful

as we await the presence of your son—our lord;

that, when he shall appear,

he may not find us sleeping in our brokeness/sin

but active in the good works you have prepared for us to do

and joyful in a right understanding of your greatness;

through King Jesus, our lord.