Coordination challenges

Somebody's growing. He's 2 feet long according to the doctor and 12.5 pounds!! But he's been showing us growth in other ways too. He talks to us and his animals, he loves to feel things with his hands, he is trying to take the bottle from me already and boy does he love kicking his legs. I took this video of him playing on his gym. And while I write this, he's lying beside me patting my arm. Could I love that more? :)

It's spring and Easter is coming...

Just a few things that I've done as warmer weather approaches and daffodils bloom.

Being fruitful and multiplying...while single!

Do I have your attention with that title? Sounds a bit scandalous I admit. But give me a chance to explain. :) In the way that one's brain does, mine was meandering around this morning in the thought department, happily thinking of this and that and for some reason, I started pondering some former students who have become teachers. I'm very proud of all my students in the different professions and studies they are doing. But in the way that parents are deeply pleased when their son or daughter shares their interests and possibly, profession--you know the 'Smith and Sons' sort of pride--I have to admit I deeply love seeing which of my students are teaching and where they are hired. It's lovely to see the second generation of classically educated kids hitting the classrooms once more to build further upon our foundations. 
Are you with me so far? My brain then pondered the way God had placed me in the lives of so many students (I hope for good!!) and the rather scary responsibility I had in affecting their lives through education and also in the way I lived before them. And now that I have my own child, this responsibility has increased 100 fold! It is a great and awesome thing to raise a child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
And THIS thought led me to one that I had many times before getting married: God calls us to be fruitful and multiply, but how do I, as a single woman, achieve such a thing? How do I feel that I am growing the church, when I have no husband or children? It was often a rather depressing thought. I definitely struggled with singleness in my later twenties as a  Christian, watching others lead fulfilled lives with husbands and children. It was so clear cut: they were fulfilling Scripture and I wasn't. Right? I felt like a second class citizen in the church--not really doing what I felt God had for most of us women and yet knowing I couldn't do anything about it. (Unless I became a mail order bride, but that didn't really appeal. :)) Now those of you more mature than I are thinking to yourselves "Carolyn, of course you couldn't do anything since God has it in control. You needed to have faith that He had your story written the best way." You're so right. But that advice can be hard to heed in the midst of struggle (especially from all the well meaning, but married people) and I had some lessons to learn on contentment and faith. And eventually, God gave me the gift of realizing how I could be fruitful and single at the same time.

I was impacting students every day, sometimes successfully, and sometimes not. There were days I had to seek forgiveness from my students. There were days where I was so proud of various students I was moved to tears. There were days that I was so frustrated with some of them I wanted to put a hole in the wall (or desk, or picture, or whatever object was handy). I had days of scintillating conversations surrounding history and literature and I knew my students were all brilliant.

I had days where I wondered if anyone was awake and whether I had the remotest idea of what I was doing. Teaching really is the 'best of times and the worst of times'.
 Lying in bed at night, I would worry about some kids and choices they were making and how I could help them. I enjoyed celebratory hugs over various achievements.

 I prayed with kids whose lives were falling apart. I ate lunch with them. I played with them. I talked with them, argued with them, and saw them almost every day. I tried to keep them accountable in the Lord and I asked for the same from them. I was convicted by them, and humbled by them. In short, I was feeling and experiencing many of the things that a parent would.

I hope this doesn't sound arrogant. I am not claiming that I was on par with their parents. But I was working 'in loco parentis' and supporting them in raising these kids. And if that isn't being fruitful and multiplying, I don't know what is.

Am I saying that all single women should become teachers? No. But they can be fruitful in their churches and communities in the way that they impact the lives of co-workers, friends, other people's kids and more. If you are living faithfully in Christ, seeking ways to serve Him and those He puts in your way, you are fruitful. You may even be multiplying whether you know it or not. You could impact someone who later turns to Christ due to contact with you.
Singleness can be a real challenge; I know. But never believe that you aren't able to be a fruitful member of God's church. (And if I may say, being a teacher is the best profession! :))

What we get up to just about every morning :)

I know it's a bit dark but this had to be filmed as I usually forget to have the camera nearby. Once he's awake (it takes awhile--just like his parents) he's a happy man. He's chatting more and more on a variety of topics and has a love/hate relationship with his stuffed blue octopus. Here he is!! :)

Playtime!

Colin is developing a very strong grip! I enjoy his grip on my hand but he's also starting to grab his toys and talk to himself. So fun!

Grandpa's Painting

My dad is a gifted artist for those of you who aren't aware. It's something that runs in our family and it's fun to see it carried on from generation to generation. One of his favorite topics to portray is Haystack Rock, found at Cannon Beach Oregon. Growing up, our family went there almost every summer to spend a few days in a lovely rented beach house with our dear Grandparents and fabulous cousins. Those are among my favorite memories and I think that my siblings share this love. I'm pleased to say that we still adore this place and have returned to it as adults and are planning a trip once more this summer, with our children. I can't wait to introduce Colin to the Oregon beaches as well as to the joyful hubbub that is our family as we saturate ourselves in salty air, windy days, gorgeous sunsets, and driftwood smoke from our beach fire. Have you ever sat on a log by such a fire, cozy in a sweatshirt, digging into the sand with your toes to find the warmer layers and watching the sky turn brilliant pink and gold?
But I am getting a bit off track singing the praises of the beach. I bring this up because we have two paintings of Haystack Rock by my dad. The larger one hangs over our couch and since we brought Colin home, it has been fascinating to him. Oh sure--the skeptics among you can say he just likes the contrasting frame against the wall, but you know, he looks at it EVERY day and as he gets older, he looks at it and smiles and waves around and gets generally excited.
I tell him that it is Grandpa's painting. I tell him that we will be there in a few months and that he will feel that sand on his little toes and touch the wet ocean. I tell him how happy our family has been there and how special that place is to us. And I repeat that it is Grandpa's painting--one of his best in my opinion. Sometimes I feel like Edmund and Lucy in Dawn Treader. I feel I could just walk into that painting and be on the beach and our family would all be there. If the there was a true Narnia according to Lewis, I like to think that when our 'holidays' begin, they will start with the true Cannon Beach. Thanks Grandpa.

Colin looks at Grandpa's painting

A day at the Zoo!

It's quite complicated to get across England. I could go into reasons why, but it would take far too long. Suffice it to say, that this makes it more difficult to see Brooke and Dan, who live in Cambridge. Thus, we try to meet up in London whenever we can and our visits are always a delight. This time, since Caedmon is much more mobile we went to the London Zoo. It worked quite well for our little ones and we really enjoyed Caedmon's excitement at seeing all the animals. Colin spent most of the time sleeping or being fascinated with whatever was on the ceiling, rather than the animals. :) We'll get there. Despite a huge downpour at the end of the day that left all of us looking like we had waded in a pond, we had a terrific time!

How Colin started the day

The tiger was very cooperative and came right up to the glass. I think Caedmon could have stayed there all day.

This parrot was hilarious. He's hanging in a  mega awkward position and was squawking at the blue parrot in the next enclosure. The blue parrot was ignoring him in favor of looking at the two other parrots in the enclosure on the other side who were necking. Ah animal drama! I needed Natali Monnette there. :)

The Meerkats were great. Caedmon loved these too.

The dads were very patient.

The sloth was hilarious. I missed getting him hanging upside down.

I think chameleons are one of many examples of God's sense of humor. I LOVE the eyeballs and this guy's buzzed expression

Caedmon's little brother was there too, he just didn't have as good of a view. :)

Poisonous, but very cool

How Colin ended the day.

He was amazing.