Remember!

So I've come to the conclusion that I'm not a good blogger! I have so many pictures and thoughts that get lost in translation and never make it to be posted. But this morning I had something laid on my heart, so I wanted to post it today so I could share what I am learning. If you didn't know already, I love to write. I've been journaling since I was in middle school and sometimes it comes out in poems and such. I'm not the best writer but it really isn't for anyone else anyways. Normally I just share pictures and updates but I decided to share a little more this morning. I've recently been wrestling with doubt or really just a lack of faith. I think it is a nature response that every Christian battles with through seasons and then we get a fresh breath of faith from the Word and a renewal of our spirit. That was this morning and this is what flowed out that I want to share.  

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Remember, soul remember the darkness. Look back to the height which you fell. Open the eyes of your heart and remember the brokenness. For in the broken darkness you can see the light, the love, the mystery of Christ. The one who stepped out of glory into utter meakness of flesh, took on the brutal weight of your sin, and wrapped you in righteousness. 

Oh soul, remember! 

There is nothing good in you but Christ, who redeemed your life from the pit. He breathed life into your lifeless body. He filled your fragile body of clay with the precious treasure of the Holy Spirit. And allows His very righteousness to shine out of you for the glory of God! 

Oh soul, don't your remember?

Worship Him, the only One who is worthy! Set your heart on heaven. For what does this world have to offer but the grave? Live for the One who resurrects from the grave. Who loved you in your sin so you wouldn't stay there. 

Oh soul, remember! Oh soul, worship! Oh soul, love! 

For He is worthy! For He came & redeemed you! 

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"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with the immortal, then the saying that was written will come true: 

"Death has been swallowed up in victory." 

"He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

Therefore, stand firm...let nothing move you...always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord...

because your labor is not in vain when you labor for the Lord! 

1 Cor 15:51-58

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This scripture in 1 Corinthians really stood out to me this morning and the scriptures again strengthened my faith and my spirit! It is crazy that the Lord can do so much in my heart and yet I have seasons of little faith.  I felt like the Lord was speaking to my heart this morning to call me to "remember." Because it is in remembering where I have been and what he has done that causes me to worship and praise the One who is worthy! That is what this season is for...right? Remembering what Jesus did when he came to the earth and celebrating not only his life but his death and resurrection! I'm so grateful! So honored to be apart of his family and given the privilege to love and serve him with my life. Now I just need his grace and mercy to teach me what that is to look like every day! :) And we have the Word and the Holy Spirit to teach us...our part is to take time to listen. 

Love you all and Merry Christmas! 

I feel like I'm losing it...

SOO...I've been trying to update my blog for awhile and I have been so frustrated because I would log on and my blog wasn't on my dashboard. I was so confused on why this was happening and I almost emailed google to complain about this 'problem' but Garrison started waking from his nap so I never sent them a message. Tonight Garrett asked me to show him what the problem was and as I started to type in the email I naturally typed the RIGHT email!!! I immediately knew what I had done...for some reason I kept typing in a very old email address and was getting so frustrated when it wasn't displaying my blog!

Well, this isn't the first time I've felt like I was losing it! I have called my mom several times crying for her to come and help, which she has been so great about coming to help so I can sleep a little.  But now I'm finally feeling like things are becoming normal and I'm figuring Garrison out.  People kept telling me that things would start to get a lot better around week 5 and 6, and Garrison is 5 weeks and 5 days today. The last couple days I've been knowing what the day is going to look like. We are finally starting to get on some sort of schedule, and it is so much easier to get out and about with him.  I know that new things will continue throw me for a loop, but it is nice to feel like things are coming together at least for a little bit!

I have LOTS to post about and have been really wanting to post all kinds of mom thoughts, things I've been learning, and cute new pictures of Garrison! So get ready, it is coming very soon!! For now, here is a picture of Garrison from this week...He started smiling this week!!! STEAL MY HEART!!!!

5 weeks! First play time with LOTS of smiles...

We were both so tired this day...I'm feel accomplished that this pic got taken! 

Garrison's Birth Story

Garrison’s ‘Birth Story’

Garrison Luke Peters was born on October 6, 2011 at 8:22pm weighing 7 pounds 3 ounces and 21 inches long.  I’ve officially been a mom now for a little over a week and it didn’t take long to realize that ‘my plans’ aren’t always best nor will it always work out the way I plan.  From the very beginning of my pregnancy I set three things in my mind; 1) I will not have a C-Section 2) Garrison won’t sleep in the bed with me 3) My living room won’t be cluttered with baby items. After one week I have broke all three.

            After Garrison was almost a week past his due date, Garrett and I set an induction date of October 6^th and arrived at the hospital at 5:30am that morning planning on being home by Saturday afternoon.  As my labor progressed we ran into a problem, Garrison's left hand was directly on top of his head and it was stuck, which apparently is VERY uncommon.  My doctor tried to have him move it down but it wasn’t budging. Obviously there is not enough room for his head and arm to be delivered together, so after tears, 14 hours of labor and my doctor highly suggesting it we gave the go ahead for the c-section. Garrett and I made this decision around 7:30pm and Garrison was born within the hour. After the c-section my doctor came to me and said that the end result of my delivery would have been in an emergency c-section anyways because his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and his foot.  We had been praying for months that he and I would be healthy after delivery and for the right medical staff to be on duty during the process. I have to say that God has a great way of taking care of the details; I just didn’t think it would be such a small detail of hand placement that protected us both.

            Because of the c-section I was in a good deal of pain and was very limited in how mobile I could be around the room and with Garrison.  The 3^rd night in the hospital Garrison got very fussy around 1am-4am and the nursery nurse was new and struggling with him. So I did what I said I wouldn’t do, I had Garrett swaddle him and put him on my chest to sleep with me. We both passed out quickly and cuddled the rest of the night! I have to say it was WONDERFUL to have that time with him, but I understand why people say don’t start that habit; it is a hard one to break for mom!

            As we are about to leave the hospital we are getting debriefed my limits after the c-section. 1) Don’t climb stairs more than 3xs a day 2) Don’t lift anything heavier than Garrison 3) Limit yourself and rest 4) I learned on my own that I shouldn’t ride in a car unless it’s a MUST because it is painful; for how much I love to go and do this has really made me slow down to a completely different pace of life. I have been learning how to ask for help and allow people to serve me instead of being up and going. Because I can’t climb stairs often I’ve had to set up shop downstairs so Garrison’s stuff and my stuff were all over the living room!  So much for no clutter in the house!!

Needless to say things turned out very different than I had planned, but the end result was priceless!! I have a beautiful healthy little boy because things didn’t go my way! Praise God for His provision and detail!

-PS: we have internet now so let see how good I can be at updating our blog now! 

Look at those feet...

Daddy lovin' on his lil boy!

His eye was swollen from his hand being in his face in the womb