Our Conversation in the Car This Morning

 

Mom: Bailey, are you chewing on your sunglasses?
Bailey: Yeah.
Mom: Why?
Bailey: Cuz.
Mom: Do they taste like strawberries?
Bailey: No........glasses.

So literal. Just like her mom.

Sickie Chickie

Last Friday, Bailey woke up with vomit, a fever and diarrhia. Ugh. We had planned on going to Pendleton to visit family for the entire Memorial Day weekend, but the plans changed. We nursed her through the weekend, feeding her popcicles, and anything her belly could stomach. But in the end, she threw up nearly ALL that went down. So, on Monday morning, we made a call to our paramedic friend, Wayne, and he came up to the house and helped us out. Bailey was just so dehydrated, she needed LOTS of fluids. And so 12 hours after Wayne came up, Bailey Bug was feeling much better. She is now back to her defiant toddler self, with lots of "NO!"'s and "I don't wike it!" Maybe the low grade fever will come back and she will be quiet and snuggly again...I can always dream, right?

 

 

 

 

Sprinklers, Unca Mike and the dreaded four-wheeler

Jeff's brother and family came to visit this past weekend, bringing their four wheeler along. We had a lot of fun! Checking out the back country on the four wheeler, munching on homemade pizza, and playing in the sprinkler with the Bug were just some of the highlights. Bailey made it very clear that she did not want to ride the four wheeler. Daddy was sad, because he hoped to take her for a ride, but oh, well. All in all, we had a lot of fun! Here is a great shot of Mike and Stephanie, Hannah and Coleman.

How did Daddy do it?!?!

If you have been following this blog, I am sure you have seen our smiley baby turn into a cranky toddler, at least for pictures. It seemed that I would never be able to make my kiddo smile again! But somehow, someway, Jeff got her to pose and smile for a few shots, so I thought I would share them with you. He claims that he has a secret weapon to get her to smile and he won't share it with me. That's okay with me. I just love to see her smile.

 

 

 

Book Review

 

Hello friends,

I am taking part in a book review thingy, so here are my thoughts on the book "Helping Those Who Hurt" by Barbara Roberts:

Book Review
Helping Those Who Hurt, by Barbara Roberts

As soon as I had this book in hand, it instantly reminded me of another book by NavPress called, “When I Lay My Isaac Down” by Carol Kent. So I got that book out, and compared the covers…and I am pretty sure that Kent’s book cover inspired Roberts’. The torn pages, the two dried flowers, the block and script lettering. They are nearly identical. Then I looked at the publisher to find that Kent’s book was also NavPress. I found that quite interesting knowing that both books would be used to encourage the hurting. And while they do just that, they are quite different in their approach.

While Kent’s story is her personal story of anguish and what God taught her through it, Roberts’ books is a practical handbook to helping hurting people. It is most certainly not a read-through book, as it is filled with nearly 100 to-do lists for helping those who hurt. But, if your ministry is helping hurting people, it is a very good resource.

The book is separated into different chapters and sections, depending on the type of hurt you are working with. From grief and loss to domestic violence, there is practical information to help any situation. After reading it, there were numerous things I wished I had done differently when ministering to grieving friends of my own.

What I liked most about this book is Roberts’ suggestions to not use “pad answers” and “power scriptures” in times of great emotional pain. She suggests that what they really need is someone to walk their painful journey with them. She says, “Don’t offer any comfort with the words, ‘Well, at least…’ Anything that follows those words serves only one purpose: minimizing their pain.” While we often times try to help with our words, we don’t know the pain we are inflicting on the hurting souls we speak them to.

If you regularly minister to those who are hurting, this is a great book. It is very practical, and obviously rooted in years of experience.

Corners and Babies

Even though she doesn't officially turn two until mid-June, Bailey is so two years old. She has already mastered the fine art of going to the corner and immediately saying "Sor--ry." Can you believe it?

 

Bailey has also found her "motherly instincts" in taking care of her two babies. At home, she is hardly without her baby, or babies, and is constantly looking for their juice bottles of applesauce containers. She often whispers, "Shhh. Baby lay down." And, we hate to admit it, but there are times when she is yelling something that we also say, "Shhh...baby sleeping." just to get to to be quiet. Ah, the joys of 2 year olds.

 

 

Spring in Central Oregon

 

This is a classic shot of spring in Central Oregon. The weather gets all great and the farmers in my neighborhood plant and start to water. And then it gets cold again. The farmers have to keep watering or else their pipes will freeze, so this is the end result. After this cold spell, I saw numerous fences and trees bowed over, some even collapsed, because of the weight of the ice. Makes for a good picture though.

Go Green!

My mom works for a great local bank in Wausau, Wisconsin. I practically grew up there, spending hours at a time in the staff break room watching TV after school and plunking $.40 into their soda machine for a Coke each day. I even know the theme song..."That's why you bank's your bank...Marathon Savings Bank!" My brother, sister and I used to be some of the "children of Marathon Savings Bank", and now it's kids that Grandma is trying to do that with. She sent me this great apron made out of recycled materials (just like a reusable grocery bag) and asked me to take pictures of Bailey in it. So here they are:

The first one...I know she looks naked. She has a diaper on, and I didnt' realize how naked she looked until I took a look at the picture on my computer.

 

So, I decided to clothe the child and came up with this one. A little photo editing, blurring out the background, and focusing on the green and gold (GO PACK!) and this is what we have. Who knows? Maybe it will end up in a marketing brochure or something.