everyday stuff

...like baby milk puke you don't want where it ends up...washing my hair with olive oil bar soap because we're out of shampoo...having a nap while Andy makes dinner. I so wanted to do dishes for him and then he could make dinner and I explained this to him and also that I was dizzy (which happens when I'm tired). I also explained that since I went to my grandma's b-day lunch today and talked with my mom I didn't get anything done (housework). He said, that's what you did (b-day party etc.), "Go to sleep. I feel pretty good." (meaning he'd clean up and make dinner.) Lovely.

Later after dinner, went to the VRC with mom and it was snowing when we came out. The program they made for me takes longer than they said it would...they always do. That kind of bothers me but I may do some of it at home from now on (abdominal part or something).

Andy was talking to Sarah today and she was talking back. Then he passed her to me (she went from a lying position to an upright one) and she puked on me and it ran down me to hit our footstool and my sock. Moms know to never plan on wearing the same outfit the whole day :).

Out of peanut butter - which I have every day - so I spread cooked red lentils on my bread last night...with jam. Crazy eh? It wasn't that terrible (reminded of this word from our friend Curtis Pauls who was over the other week and used this under-used word) at all.

I feel very thankful right now. For the amazing blessing of living in North America - this weird place with way too much stuff for too few people. We, as North Americans are so unique in this world...especially this whole thing with computers and blogging, no less.

I'm thankful for my family - Andy and Sarah and everyone above that. God is patient, understanding and undertaking for us. Wow.

Did the second part of a scrabble game today with Andy. Fun.

Aimee, hiking

Denise asked where my sister Aimee's blog is - http://www.hummingbirdsong.blogspot.com/
Enjoy. Good to hear from you.
Did get to go outside today! Hiking up part of Elk Mountain with Sarah and Andy. There was snow right from the start...just a bit. Beautiful day.

growth spurt

Had my parents and Andy's parents over for dinner last night in honor of their support of us as we served at Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp and had Sarah and moved back to Abbotsford. Andy fixed some fresh coho salmon and we had salad and rice and banana bread with dates, walnuts and chocolate chips for dessert. It was a fun evening.

Today we had an Abrahams Cmas gathering. Were at Grma's condo for a while, then out to dinner. People handed out Cmas presents. It was fun to interact with some of the little people at the gathering too - Rowen and Carmyn. Carmyn (5 years?) told me that this little ceramic figurine holding a duck above a well was Cinderella. Sarah slept the whole time at the condo and then just as the main dishes were being served I had to feed her. Oh course :) I look forward to decorating for Cmas and sending out a Cmas letter again this year. Andy says we'll decorate once December hits. Three more days...and three more days till we can get more groceries. Good stuff.

I think Sarah's having a growth spurt. Yesterday I was quite tired (read crazily zonkified for parts of the day) and after our parents left Sarah was up till 2:30 am! Before this she'd eaten for the last four hours - once every hour...and she'd been up all evening too. So, this morning Andy took care of her so I could sleep (minus feedings which are quite short now) and boy did I feel much better when I woke up in the afternoon. Wish I could've gotten outside today though. It is very cold this evening. There's word it may snow. Hope it's another clear day tomorrow.

Cara and baby Sarah. 

It's my hand

Now I am positive Sarah is discovering her hands belong to her. On the change table this morning she is staring at her left hand outstretched from her body. Then she slowly brings her hand close to her nose and her eyes follow her hand till they are rolled all the way up cause her hand is so close to her face. Then she stretches out her hand again and rolls her wrist back and forth, watching this new found action too. Wow. As Andy said the other day, it is neat to watch her grow up.

Last night Andy was trying to get her to smile. Then he asked me to come and try. No problem. She smiled and 'talked' (cooed) for me three times. He tried saying the same things...same intonation...no luck. She studies him but smiles at me. Sarah has become unsettled at the idea of sitting in a poopy diaper. She used to not care but now won't stop fidgitting till I change her, which is good I think cause I like to keep her nappy fresh.

While she was feeding this morning I had a 'teachable moment.' Before she gets on my breast she is so squirmy and anxious looking. I layed her on the bed and her head is turning this back and forth trying to find her food source. Her eyebrows are raised, her legs and arms are moving about and she makes these little desperate-type coos. The instant she latches on she goes all relaxed...sometimes her hands will be clenched slightly. I was reminded of St Augustine's quote ‘You stir us up, O Lord, and make us find joy in praising you, since you have made us for yourself; and our hearts find no rest until they rest in you’ (italics mine). Sarah reminded me of this as she would have no 'rest' until she had found the source of her nourishment. When she was "plugged in" she was so relaxed...just knowing that soon she would be satisfied. I desire that rest, that trust, as I interact with and 'plug in' (don't really like that expression) to my source of satisfaction, my heavently Father and Lord.

extremely sticky

Big day today...yes and no. The phrase "I feel special" went through my head when I was bent over Sarah as she lay on the change table staring into my eyes shrugging her shoulders and moving her head and body side to side, almost smiling. It just looked like she was saying 'i feel special.'

Concentrated on relaxing today cause I did too much yesterday. Had two naps and went biking at the VRC. It's absolutely pouring here again. I like it. I want to repair our umbrella so Sarah and I can go for a walk again.

Andy and I, when discussing dinner, discovered that we are both tired of eating. We're both craving more selection. We were going to visit his grandpa Martens this evening, so I said we should fast and "should we go now?" No. We ended up ordering pizza using a $10 off coupon we have from Telus. They left the cheese off my primo veggie and added the sundried tomatoes after it came out of the oven. At home I added tofu.
Spent some time this morning reading and writing and was reminded of the truth that the most important part of who I am is based on being a dearly loved child of God. Areas for growth stood out clearly to me as well this morning as I reflected on things thought of during the last few days.

Sarah sucked on her fist more today. Oh, last night Andy went to bed at 10 pm which is just when Sarah woke up...FOR TWO MORE HOURS. I was so tired. She had slept most of the day so I wasn't totally surprised. But boy was she ever bushy-tailed. Finally, around midnight, she yawned and I told her, "now that's what I like to see," and we went to bed. We slept till around 5:30 am.

Made chocolate oatmeal cookies today. The batter was extremely sticky. I had to deviate from the recipe a bit cause we had no margerine - just oil etc. They taste excellent though.

Reading an intriguing book called "Behind the War on Terror" which talks about how since before the cold war the US has made decisions and interacted with countries to suit their own interests and work towards 'global domination.' The author quotes these declassified documents that are very revealing.

Sarah is staring at me as I write. She's lying open bum on the change table and making happy sounds, smiling at me and moving slowly, drooling and licking her lips.

Here's the thesis of the book, "My thesis, ultimately, is that this record of Western policy in teh Middle East, specifically in the Persian Gulf, is unambiguous evidence of a system of surrogate imperialism that has been quite deliverately developed by the Western powers in order to protect and secure their regional interests which have remained fundamentally the same since the colonial era. The significant difference between the new stage of surrogate imperialism and the colonial system from which the former has edeveloped is the more sophisticated and subtle structure of nation-states co-opted, maniputlated and to a high degree effectively controlled by Anglo-American power. When that system of control shows signs of collapsing - for instance, by the rise of indigenous nationalism - the necessity of Western miliary intervention is invoked to protect that system, and brutal military force is utilized to impose Western will."
I wondered why any country would want their fingertips or a firm grasp on the world's resources thereby overlooking other country's needs - and it hit me that it's the root of selfishness and living in a fallen world. It all makes sense. There are no nice guys...just Christ guys :).

How can I explain the feeling of walking around the house with my babe in my arm as she tries to steady her bobbing head with her developing neck muscles and looks as alert as ever. How precious. Thank you God.

Andy, Cara and Sarah (2 days old-born Sept.19, 2004). 

crazy

Well, It looks like I'm back in business with this blog. I'd forgotten my password and it's been crazy trying to get it back. Anyway...don't want to write about that. Went with mom and Sarah today to 10,000 Villages in Langley. It was part of my b-day present. I picked out some wicker baskets. Sarah is dicovering her hands I think. She will stare at one as it is outstretched from her body. She can focus more also on people...she looks into our eyes. So cool. One day we went on a walk and the phrase, "my babe and me" went through my head cause we were walking (Sarah in her stroller) and she was just staring into my eyes. There could have been nothing else in the world. Now she lays looking at her hand and kicking. Put up our picture of Crowsnest Mtn. in our kitchen on the yellow wall. Nice. Andy will pick Dad up from the airport tonight. I'm looking forward to Fri. when we will have a special dinner for our parents who supported us so beautifully this spring, summer and fall as we served at Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp and had Sarah and moved back to Abbotsford.

Sleeping, celebrations

Wow. Sarah slept through the night last night. She’s 8 weeks old now. I put her down at 10:30 pm and she woke at 5:40 am. When I was changing her this morning I was looking at her feet and I thought one looked like a phone…how the toes curled and made the foot look like a cradle phone. But they are as small as a cell phone. Looks like I’m going back to the VRC. I look forward to this. Exercising in a group and going somewhere to do it specifically is really helpful for the motivation factor for me.
Had the grandparents and mom and dad, Steve and Kathryn over last night to celebrate Andy and I’s anniversary, my b-day and grma’s b-day. Felt bad I didn’t get a card made for grma but gave her a certificate for a date with Sarah and I. Went swimming just before this gathering. That was fun. Busy day at the pool. I have much more energy now – I could swim and swim. I hadn’t swam since Cranbrook – about 2 months ago.
Sarah is being more lavish with her smiles. This is really neat. While Dad was talking to Sarah yesterday Grpa said we should have a recorder to record these conversations. Good idea. She is ‘speaking’ more now too. Wow.
Mom Abrahams babysat Sarah this last Fri. and Sat. night. Fri. we went to a play and Sat. out for dinner in Vancouver. We were going to go to the Naam restaurant but ended up going to the Banana Leaf – a very busy Malyasian restarant on East Broadway’s ethnic food strip. Andy got ‘abundance of seafood’ and I some vegetable pot with coconut sauce and also Tofu Goreng (deep-fried tofu). We reminisced about our five years of marriage. Had to pump some milk while we were out too. Had just gotten the pump that day. The first boob went fine…the second one never worked out…couldn’t get a good connection or something. Pumped on a side street near some apartments. Of course I was a little aware of people walking past for peering down from their dwellings but I had my fushia dress top on which made for some good cover.

It's my birthday

It's my birthday, yes...and my anniversary today. Got up and my husband Andy had left me an african violet, 2 mangoes and some mystery butter. Had a mango. Thought it was kind of like heaven, but in heaven you wouldn't get the stringing stuff stuck in your teeth.
I'm excited to have this blog cause since I've become a mother (on Sept.19) I've had a lot of reflections etc. and I think this will be an easy way to record them. My sister has a blog here too and I just checked it out today. I didn' know you could blog for free...I thought she was all signed up because of friends who'd created a webpage for her, and I don't have that know-how.
Anyway, here I am. It's a good day...but time for more sleep while my little Sarah rests.