Movin' On Up!

So, we signed the lease last night on our shiny new 4 bedroom, 2 bath rental house! Well, it's shiny new to us, anyway. 

Some things I am desperately looking forward to at the new place:

1. My child will have his own room and will not have to live in our living room. 

2. DISHWASHER! Visions of empty sinks dance in my head! And counter space, glorious counter space! And while we're at it...a garbage disposal (no, our current place does not have one...)

3. Washer and dryer that I don't have to put quarters into! 

4. Front yard! Back yard! Covered deck!

5. Fireplace!

6. Not worrying about parking and which day is street sweeping on which side of the street, etc... and hauling my stroller, kid and all my bags up and down three flights of stairs. 

7. Garage with so much storage, and an extra fridge and freezer (good when sharing a place with four adults and a toddler).

Some things that I will actually really miss about this place:

1. Living downtown...right in the heart of it all, two blocks away from my work, easy walking access to pretty much anything I could ever want or need. Close to our downtown church plant. Moving to the suburbs was never really in my plan, but hey...plans change!

2. Living in an old Victorian. Sure, it's quirky and outdated, but it has so much character and charm!

3. My sweet walk-in pantry

4. Claw foot tub

5. Really big bedroom...our bedroom in the new place will literally be for the bed. That's pretty much it.

6. The apartment where we brought home our first born baby boy. There are really good memories here. 

I don't have any photos of the new place to share yet, but I anticipate so many wonderful memories to be made there, too. 

I feel like moving in with friends is one of those things that everyone raises an eyebrow at, putting it on par with discussing religion or politics in mixed company, or co-signing a friend's car loan. However, I feel it is one of those things like when we took our toddler on a cross-country road trip from Nor. Cal. to Denver. People said it couldn't be done! People said it shouldn't be done! People said even if you do it, you won't like it! But you know what?! All those people were wrong! I knew it in my gut then, and I know it now. This is gonna be great. 

And now, to pack!

Musings

Well, I've been neglecting the blog in the New Year again...hard to force myself to come up with witty things to write about, so I just don't. You're welcome, world!

However, there are a few things I've been thinking and musing about. They're a little random.

First on my mind is my poor baby who has a temp of 103.2! Yikes. We've given him meds and I'm trying to get him to hydrate so hopefully that comes down soon.

Secondly, I understand that companies don't want their employees to wear their scary piercings and have visible tattoos and all that, but surely you could let the guy at Michael's keep his giant plugs in his ears. It is WAY more disturbing to see his mangled earlobes swinging around than it would be to see a guy with giant plugs! (I told you this was a random post!)

Lastly and most hugely, I'm thinking about apartments and houses. Specifically, the thought of sharing space with another couple or family. Some people think we're crazy, but I think it could actually work and work well to pool resources and live in community with Christian brothers and sisters.

Also, the thought of being missional and actually living in the community where we have come to do ministry. LUCKILY (ahem, not...) we chose two of the more expensive places in San Jose (downtown and Willow Glen) to do ministry, so that's going well. Ugh.

It's difficult to reconcile being missional and trusting that God will provide with being good stewards of our money that He's already given us and realistic as to what we can actually afford. Balancing faith and reason is always a big struggle.

What about you? Have you ever entertained the thought of communal living? And what do you think about mangled earlobes on Michael's employees? (Just kidding.)

On Being Mother to a Boy.

I've been reading through a collection of essays entitled It's A Boy!, which is a bunch of women writers reflecting on having sons.

It has made me reflect a bit, now that I have been the mother of a son for a whole 18 months (hardly an expert, I know!), on my own feelings on the matter. I was a woman who always wanted sons. I was ecstatic to receive the ultrasound images that revealed I was indeed to bear a son. I don't think I had a lot of hang-ups about bearing a child of the opposite gender to me; on the contrary, I welcomed that otherness!

Truthfully, I have loved pretty much every minute of being the mother of a boy, but probably more rightfully, simply a mother in general. I feel that parenthood has helped me understand who God is more, because I can more truly understand how He loves me as a parent loves their child. Knowing I can never even fathom the greatness of His love for me or for my own son is very humbling, and it inspires in me so much praise and thankfulness and love.

A little story about my baby from today:
Usually at library story time, he will sit in my lap during the songs and stories, transfixed and rarely moving except to clap after a song. Today I asked him if he wanted to get up and dance, and he stood up and started "singing" along, clapping, doing the movements, etc..., all in his little measured, engineer-y way. I was grinning from ear to ear and laugh-crying through it all.

I was trying to understand why my heart was so full in that moment. Maybe because he was doing something that I loved to do (artsy stuff like dancing and singing) and that I value. Perhaps it was that I have seen him go from weeks of carefully observing to have the courage to stand up and do. Or is it just that I adore pretty much every little thing he does? I don't really know.

Who can explain love? It just is. I simply love my sensitive, inquisitive, happy, smart little boy!

A New Year!

Well, hello 2013!

Despite the fact that I was quite ill over New Year's Eve (not alcohol related, I feel compelled to mention), I am, like the good American I am, hopeful and optimistic about this coming year.

I was really happy to come from vacation and find all the Christmas cards in the mail that we missed receiving. I actually really like to read people's "Year in Review" letters that they write! I was a little sad I didn't take the time to do Christmas cards or a letter, so I'm making up for it a bit with this post.

A very quick review of 2012 -

January - We opened the New Year in Colorado. I got to see Shar and Mike! I start to come to grips with being a stay-at-home mother to my beautiful boy.
February - Just when I come to grips with that, I get hired back part-time at Ballet San Jose in the newly minted Education and Outreach Department. I love, love, love Ballet San Jose, so although slightly overwhelmed with even the small workload this brings, I am thrilled. Also, this month our friend Glori Helveston was born, so I was doing a lot of rejoicing.
March - The baby and I take a trip, sans Dad, to Texas to visit my three sisters and a bunch of the cousins. Too much fun, although we missed Dad a lot!
April - Baby's first Easter, his first birthday party invitation (Kayna!), we happily joined the cult of Costco, I finished all three Hunger Games books.
May - I turned 28 without too much freaking out and had my first "official" Mother's Day.
June - The baby got Roseola while also teething (nightmare), we took a family trip to Santa Barbara, and I started creating and selling crocheted cupcakes! Also UEFA 2012 was on, so we watched a lot of soccer.
July - I initiated a "church gals" night out. I led music at my very first VBS. We got to see the Heims for some precious hours at SFO. My baby turned a year old and had the birthday bash to end all bashes with his best friend Sam, plus we went to at least two other birthday parties for Jadon and Abby.
August - A short trip to CO to watch Beth and Tom get married and see the baby's grandparents and Auntie Aims. Willow Glen Baptist Church + City Church + CRC became Dwell Christian Church. The baby starts walking! Chris and I celebrate 4 years of marriage.
September - Football starts again, and I do much rejoicing. The baby gets croup, and I do much mourning. We visit the aquarium, a farm, Savers, the mall. Erin and I go to the opera.
October - Visited the Children's Discovery Museum with our friends Tyler and Keri, the baby drags us through some decidedly un-wonderful "wonder weeks", Baby Lillian (Sam's little sister) makes her way into the world, and Dwell Harvest Carnival with my pirate husband and tiger baby.
I blogged through the month of November, so that's pretty well documented.
December - One of my best friends from high school had her baby Emmy, we found out Tia and JohnE Kim will have a boy next year, we spent a lot of time in the car to and from CO, a wonderful Christmas, great time with family, a rockin' NYE celebration with our wonderful friends, the Levins.

We are truly blessed!

So here we are on New Years Day. I sort of cringe at resolutions, but really, they are a good idea all year 'round. So if I were forced to say, I would assert the following:

- I resolve to read my Bible more and spend more time in prayer. I have been egregiously neglecting alone time with my God. Having a small child is really no excuse.
- I want to become even more organized in terms of baby and house.
- I want to be the best Education and Outreach Assistant I can be at Ballet San Jose.
- Praying throughout this year for the future of God's church at Dwell, possibly thinking about attempting another kiddo, and therefore possibly another place to call home in this big, expensive town.

So much to think about and look forward to. So much to thank God for. So many new reasons to praise Him and new opportunities to trust Him completely.

Bring it on, 2013!