Announcing, Miss Abigail Joy!

Announcing, Miss Abigail Joy!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Praiseworthy Deeds of the LORD

 My beautiful Mama and precious Abigail Joy.


 So, back in the end of January (remember I'm a bit behind as usual) sweet little Titus had a little experience that I want to share about so that Jesus will get a sliver of the glory He is due.  One day Titus had a tiny little cough... like seriously maybe coughed 2 or 3 times.  Thought nothing of it.  The next day Bai and I had the 3 littles in town when I noticed that he seemed to be breathing weird.  He was kind of panting...short little breaths...like he had been running and was trying to catch his breath, only he was sitting still. :(((( I lifted his shirt and his little rib cage was expanding... HE WAS FIGHTING FOR OXYGEN! So, I call our dr (after hours) and decided it would be best to head to the ER.  We had to transfer Joshua to big sis Emily (she and a friend had to leave a movie!) and get them home and Bai, Titus, Abby, and I headed across Austin to Dell Children's - the best hospital ever for kids!  I admit I was a little worried, not only for Titus' health, but also with hauling new healthy Abby into a germ ridden hospital (why does this stuff happen when Daddy's out of town?!) but, I figured it would all be okay.  We got into the waiting room and there are SICK CHILDREN EVERYWHERE...Lots of people wearing masks...A huge waiting room, almost completely full...  probably 50- 60 sick kids waiting to get called back.  We sign in, the nurse takes Titus' temp and it's up a bit now (102) and she looks at his little ribs flaring, takes our details, and tells us to have a seat.  At this point I am pleading with God for protection over both Titus and Abby - wondering how long we'll have to sit and wait.  As soon as I sat down they called his name..................and it's then that I realize............ we just got ushered past all these people waiting......  I looked at Bailey and said, "oh man, he might be in some serious trouble."  After vitals, and checking, and poking, and questions, and fever medicine, etc... We are sent back to wait for a Dr.  I COULD NOT have done this without Bai.  How do you nurse and tend to a baby and at the same time love on a sicky little 2 year old?  YOU BRING BAILEY WITH YOU!!!  She was amazing.  So much so, that every nurse and dr we saw had to ask which one of us was Titus' mama.  :)  Thankfully, she gets that a lot and isn't offended.  Well, finally (hours go by) we saw a Dr (a couple actually), they hear a little spot on one of his lungs that sounds like pneumonia and we wait to do xrays.  All this time I had been texting Troy, Taylor and my parents, asking them to pray for total healing.  The xray taking went smoothly - the tech guys called Titus, "Mighty Tighty" and said he was the best 2 year old they'd ever xrayed.  And then of course it's back to waiting for results.  Well, here's the moment I've been excited about telling you ---  THE SPOT ON HIS LUNG WAS GONE!  :)))  Hallelujah!  Glory to Jesus!!!  HEALED!  Now, of course the Dr's said, 'well, maybe we just heard a little mucous patch and not pneumonia", etc..., but then that really wouldn't explain why he couldn't breathe.  All we had to do was get him a little breathing treatment and head home.  WELL. I know they have to try to come up with medical explanations, but not me.  I KNOW what happened.  God heard our cry for mercy and he answered.  Praise the one true Physician!  He is sooo good!  So I just had to tell you this PRAISEWORTHY DEED...  May your faith be strengthened and may Jesus receive the glory.
This precious boy was sooo funny during the long wait.  He HATED the little thing on his thumb that monitored his blood oxygen levels.  He would get all sleepy... and then silly... and then started throwing a BIG FIT about this thing on his thumb.  It went in cycles.  THANK GOD BAILEY WAS WITH ME! 
Here's his breathing treatment.  I think he looks kind of like a character from Star Wars.  ;)

Here's the sweet Princess.  She was so good through the whole ordeal.  And in case you're wondering - yes, God also spared her any illness from that whole event!  Whew!

Friday, March 8, 2013

Prayer Time

It's an amazing thing that we can pray to the Father.  I mean really, when you think about Jesus dying on the cross and the curtain ripping (Matt. 27:51) so that we have access to the Holy of Holies...  That we, in our dirty sin, can just climb up in God's lap... appeal to Him, "touch" Him, worship Him, rest our head on His chest, sing to Him, cry to Him, thank Him, and ask from Him.  It's amazing.  Really.

I love that we can talk to Him anywhere, anytime.  In the shower, in bed, kneeling, standing, driving, etc...  We have full access to Him 24/7.

But before I became a mom, never did I imagine just how far down into the humanness (maybe not a word ?):) of our everyday life, does God actually go to hear our hearts...  Let me explain.

Troy came home from his work week last night.  Lots going on in life as always... Lots of things on our hearts.  Serious concerns for others, ourselves, our family, our children.  Lots to go to the Father about.  So this morning we need to pray...................  NO, we do not go lock ourselves in a prayer closet.  We don't quietly kneel down in a peaceful room.  We don't privately whisper prayers in a secluded place...  He and I sat cross- legged on the kitchen floor.  Little boys climbing in and out of our laps.  There was snot and smooshed bananas, and a diaper that needed changing.  We were interrupted several times...  and honestly after a while I struggled to even think.  We laughed and Troy reminded me that - they-- these precious little ones, who are beautiful and innocent -- they represent the very presence of the Lord in our home.

It may not be what we always thought prayer should look like (who gets to decide that anyway?) and it may not even be what you'd prefer..............  But I'll take it anyday.  The love of my life, my husband, protecter, and leader and a couple of our most precious gifts -- entering into the Holy of Holies together.  We were heard, healed, answered and blessed.  And I think the Father was blessed a little bit too.  :)))

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Favorite Thing About Jesus

This is Joshua's "king cobra" look.  Wooo, scary!

Look at these beauties... melts my heart!

Another day at the San Antonio Zoo!!!  One of my very favorite places on Earth!  :)

So, this morning at our devotionals (this is a loose term when you have a 4yo, a 2yo, and a baby around the table) we shared some of our favorite things about Jesus.  I have this on my heart a lot lately... maybe with the Easter celebration coming up???  Anyway, I thought it'd be good for us to share this and maybe it would bless Jesus to hear us say aloud some of our favorite things about Him. 
                                   Joshua - "my favorite thing about Jesus is how he talks nice."
                                   Mama - "my favorite thing about Jesus is that he LOVES children!"
                                   Bailey - "my favorite thing about Jesus is that he's funny."
                                   Titus - "no thing bout Jesus!" :(((  He was pouting for having to sit at the table...  He later conceded that it's good that Jesus made elephants.  :)
                                   Emily -"my favorite thing about Jesus is that He likes to hang out with us."

Haha!  Titus always keeps me on my toes.  And I really appreciate toddler honesty.  :)  But for the record:   Jesus, we adore you!  You are beautiful and awesome and SO MUCH MORE THAN WE COULD EVER DESERVE.  We love you!!!