Eventful Week 7-7-06

An Eventful Week

New News News!

My neighbor had her baby (the one that I went to the hospital at 33 weeks with). She had her on Wednesday. Lucy Joy was exactly 36 weeks...weighed 6 pounds (has now dropped down to 5lb's 6 ounces), but is perfectly healthy. I have held her a few times and she is just perfect...the smallest little thing I have ever held, but absolutely perfect.

My sister-in-law had her baby boy on Friday. Will Alexander was 7lb's 9 ounces and is perfectly healthy. Landon is no longer the only boy cousin...so they can play together (eventually) at family get togethers. Fun! We are eagerly anticipating getting to see him in a few weeks when they visit from Georgia!

Despite my mood on Monday, we had a wonderful time together on our vacation. Harbor Springs was beautiful, and although the weather was a bit cool, it was sunny the entire time. My favorite three events of the trip: the scenic route we took from Harbor Springs to Mackinaw City (amazing....high above the water...who knew Lake Michigan could be seriously as pretty as the Caribbean?...the water was the same clear, aqua blue...amazing!); The Caribbean style restaurant we ate at on Mackinaw Island...yum!; renting bikes and biking all over the Island (I felt like Anne of Green Gables!). There are no cars on the island...only horses and bikes and pedestrians, and it was so beautiful...it seriously felt like Avonlea! It was so nice to just enjoy being a couple and not have to worry about naps or what to feed Landon. No schedule, no restrictions...just freedom. It was grand!

We found a church...I think. Funny how I came across it. We were to the point of deciding bt 2, both of which we felt like we were having to compromise with. When researching one Sat, I accidentally typed something wrong and it lead me to a new church website (http://wellspringcc.org ) I had never seen before. What I saw, I loved...so we went there Sunday morning....and, I know that it was just one Sunday, but we loved it. We were able to have a long conversation with the pastor, and meet a few couples. There are tons of people our age there...the preaching was VERY solid...the music refreshing, passionate and real...and the people friendly. So, we are desperately hoping that we have finally found a place to call home.

While on our vacation Jonathan and I went to see the movie Click in this tiny little theater. Not really knowing what to expect, I think we were both shocked when we walked out of there in tears. I am cautious about recommending movies, but this one had a really great message to it (EDIT...ok, there is some crudeness and unnecessary sexual comments, but beyond that, the movie was good). Basically (without telling you everything) this guy gets his hands on a remote that will allow him to fast forward through events or situations that he does not like. But then his whole life starts fast forward and before he knows it, his life is out of control and he has lost everything, and is on the verge of death. The whole time I was just hoping with everything in me that he would get a second chance...that he would get to go back around and do things differently. I won't tell you if he does or not, but in this life, OUR life, we don't get second chances. The parallel or the metaphor for the remote is that so many of us live for the future, and not for the present moment. We survive our daily lives on autopilot, and before we know it, our kids are grown, and our lives are nearing the end. How sad would it be if at the end, we looked back and wished so badly that we could have a second chance...to do it over...the right way. But we won't ever get that chance. That is why it is so important to live every day with passion and seize every moment, even the mundane ones. Because all too soon our kids will be quiet teenagers who never want to talk rather than never-ending chatter boxes and they will become too independent to hold our hands or give kisses or cuddle in our laps. How terribly sad it would be to want all of this back, but to have to know the reality that it will never happen. I do not want to live on auto-pilot. I don't want to just exist...but I do it so often. Get through one thing to get to another and end up doing it all over again. Watch the movie...it will bring tears to your eyes, and maybe even some passion back into your soul...it sure did mine!

Landon did great at his Grandparents. He even stayed on track with pottying...telling them when he had to pee or poop! I was so proud of him...although I did realize that this was a big step of independence for him...he did not need me to remind him or help him...he did it all on his own. He is becoming quite the little man. The other night he told me that Jesus lived in his body. It had been a few weeks since we had talked with him about that, so I am assuming he picked that up in sunday school...they probably said something about asking Jesus to live inside of you. It cracked me up though to imagine what his little mind thinks. I think he really believes that someone named Jesus lives in his body...specifically (he told me) in his tummy.