The year of your birth...2010

Zeke,
I wanted to record some of the events and things that happened during the year of your birth, 2010. Of course, Daddy and my biggest event was your arrival on January 19th! 

Barack Obama is President.  Here are some of the news stories from the year:

Gulf oil spill: On April 20th, an explosion at a BP oil rig caused a leak of over 170 million gallons of oil into the gulf of Mexico.

Haiti earthquake: There was a massive earthquake in Haiti on January 12th that killed over 230,000 people and left millions homeless.

Chile mine rescue: Thirty-three Chilean miners were trapped half a mile under ground for 69 days, but were freed on August 5th (Granddaddy's birthday!)

Iraq: U.S. forces ended combat roles and planned their withdrawl.

Afghanistan: President Obama ordered a troop surge in this almost 10-year old war.

Here are some of the entertainment stories that made headlines:

• Betty White (88 years old) was entertainer of the year
• Mark Zuckerberg was the Time person of the year (he's the creator of Facebook)
• Prince William (future king of England) and Kate Middleton got engaged
• The Florida gators head coach, Urban Meyer, left after a disappointing season (this was big news in our home!)

Technology: This seems to be yet another year full of improvements in technology.  Everything is becoming faster and easier to use.  Mac made the iphone 4, which Wynna and I just got.  It has the capability to do "Facetime," so when we move away, we'll be able to see Wynna face to face through my phone!  Mac also came out with the ipad this year, and Wynna gave it to Grandaddy for Christmas.  I can easily digitally record you (still and motion), then edit it on my computer.  I have a lot of fun catching you in action!  I wonder what new technologies will have been invented when you read this blog.  It's hard to imagine how technology could improve any more! 

Social media seems to consume us all.  We use Facebook to communicate with friends and family.  It is a great way to keep in touch, share pictures, and share ideas.  Daddy doesn't have a Facebook account.  He's so busy with work that he wants to spend his time on the computer reading about Gator football, hunting, and guns!  Daddy and I love to watch The Office and Modern Family together on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  We haven't seen any movies in the theatre this year because we didn't want to leave you, but that's okay...you're worth it!  Glee is a new show I really like about a high school show choir.  I also still enjoy "Dancing With the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance."  Daddy calls them my "dancing shows," and would rather watch football!  Maybe you two boys will enjoy watching football together some day!

Religion: I am so thankful to have grown up going to church and hearing God's truth on a regular basis.  Unfortunately, it seems as though our nation is moving away from being "One Nation Under God."  According to an ARIS (American Religious Identification Survey) study in 2001, "The proportion of the [American] population that can be classified as Christian has declined from 86% in 1990 to 77% in 2001."  It feels to me as though morality in general is declining too.  As Wynna has said, "What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace."  That doesn't mean God is not still reigning on His throne.  He is working all over the world, and that will never change.  When I think about the future of our culture, I sometimes become afraid for you.  However, I must remind myself that God says in His word not to worry, and I know He is in control of all things. Philippians 4:6 says, "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done."

So, as I reflect on the year 2010 and think about your future, I pray you will come to know Jesus one day and be able to thank Him for all He has done.  We are so thankful for you!

I love you!
Mommy

First Christmas

It's hard to believe it is the day after Zeke's first Christmas.  We have been at my parents' house for several days, and have had a wonderful time.  GeeGee (Grandma) and Zeke have enjoyed getting to know each other better.



On December 23rd we went to the Atlanta Athletic Club for their annual Christmas dinner and festivities.  Zeke got to "make" a build-a-bear and see an actual robot (GeeGee danced with it!).  Kariss and Sophia had fun participating in the crafts while Zeke observed all of the new sights and sounds!  He did not like the Santa there, as you'll see below!



Admiring Daddy!



The robot had a crush on Grandma!


On Christmas Eve we went to Perimeter Church's service, then to P.F. Chang's for dinner.  Then Zeke put cookies out for Santa, and went to bed dressed in his reindeer PJ's!



Dinner at P.F. Chang's



Wynna entertaining the boy!




Zeke's Christmas Eve dinner



Cookies for Santa!

 

Four generations!

 

Ready for bed!



Our little elf!

Finally, Christmas day arrived and was topped off with snow!  It was the first white Christmas Atlanta had seen since the 1800's!  We spent the day with Jared, Jami, Kariss, and Sophia at my parents' house.  When Zeke woke up, we brought him downstairs to see his gifts, but he was more interested in pulling up on the coffee table, playing with the bows, and climbing the stairs!  We had a wonderful meal, opened gifts, some of us napped, and we all enjoyed quality time with one another. 



As I look at our precious boy, I can't even imagine how Mary felt as she held baby Jesus in her arms.  As we celebrate His birth, I am reminded of how much God sacrificed to free us from our sins.  It's humbling and overwhelming that He loved me (and us all) that much!  Merry Christmas and God bless!!!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!!!

Zeke,
Well, it is December 19th, which means you are 11 months old today!  How is that possible?  It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Christmas 2009 and you were inside my belly!  December has flown by and next week is Christmas.  We took you to see Santa, and you were not afraid...I would say you were peacefully observant!  We sent out our Christmas cards with a collage of pictures from your first year.  It was so fun to go back and look at the pictures from each stage of your life so far.  You have changed and are developing into the little person God created you to be. 


Christmas 2009



Christmas 2010



Your little hand



Your personal nativity scene!



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Our Christmas card 2010

It is our prayer this Christmas that you would come to know the Lord one day.  Our Christmas card said, "As we celebrate the birth of God's son, Jesus, we thank Him for the blessing of our son, Zeke."  We do not take one second for granted, and realize that you are a gift from God.  He loved you enough to send His son to ultimately die for your sins, and the sins of us all.  I hope you will grow to understand the magnitude of that sacrifice.  I certainly look at it differently now that I have you!

GeeGee came to town yesterday and we are going to see her this afternoon.  You don't realize yet how special it is to have a great grandma, especially one like GeeGee.  I am so thankful for her sweet spirit, good health, and love for the Lord.  You're going to love getting to know her!

Well, you are napping right now, so I'm going to go get a few things done before you wake up.  I love you very much and want to wish you a Merry Christmas!

You were so sleepy you didn't bother to lay down!

Love,
Mommy

p.s. - You still love balls, remote controls, shoes, and anything of Daddy's!  You are standing, cruising (side to side) and will be walking before we know it!  No words with any meaning yet, but you say "Dada" and "Mama" a lot!

Perspective

It is hard to believe that today is the first day of December.  Thanksgiving is behind us and we are getting ready to celebrate Zeke's first Christmas.  We had to postpone our Thanksgiving celebration this year because my mom, Jami, Jared, and the kids were all sick.  We had a nice meal at my parents' house on the Sunday following Thanksgiving (scratchy voices and all)!



Zeke was still under the weather...poor thing!



First Thanksgiving!



Lovin' on Wynna

The past few months have been challenging for me.  I've been sick 3 times since August, and can't seem to get a handle on my immune system.  Last week Zeke came down with his first illness...croup.  It started with a deep chest cough and progressed into a cough and congestion.  We sat with him each day in the bathroom with hot water running to create steam.  We purchased a humidifier, which seemed to help him sleep.  Ultimately, croup is a virus, and his body has to learn how to fight it.  He is building his immune system, which is good, but still very hard for us to watch.  He's not completely well, but getting better.

To top it off, he had his first injury in the midst of his first illness!  While he was playing in his play area in the kitchen, we heard a loud bang...then silence, then screaming crying.  We were just steps away, but not close enough.  A little chair had fallen on him, hit his lip, and pushed his teeth into his lip, causing a cut.  He was bleeding profusely from the mouth, so I immediately began to panic.  Gregg was wonderful and calm.  He assessed where the blood was coming from, got some ice, and held Zeke as he cried.  After getting advice from a friend of mine, we knew we needed Arnica gel and tablets to help with the swelling.  I called a local health food store, but they had just closed.  I was amazed by the generosity of the worker.  She met Gregg at a local gas station to bring us the product because she did not live very far from us.  I couldn't believe she would go out of her way like that.  After Zeke was in bed, I sat down to try to assess all that had happened and understand how God was working through it all.



Poor boy!



...still managing to smile!


My first thought was that God could have been protecting Zeke from something much worse.  As a result of this accident, we have removed those little chairs from his play area (he's just not steady enough to pull up on them yet).  We have also taken a survey of the house and decided what safety changes we need to make.  We realize we can't protect him from everything, but there are things we can do to make a safer environment for him.  I think it will lead both of us to be more aware, in general.

Next, I went to a website that has devotions I really like.  I found one called "Opportunity to Praise."  Here is an excerpt that spoke to me:

"There are going to be days when we just don't feel like being thankful - we wake up and don't seem able to praise. We know we should "rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 4:4); we're trying to learn "the secret of being content in any and every situation" (Philippians 4:12); and we want to believe that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28). But sometimes it's just difficult." (Steve Troxel)

I know many Christians struggle at times with being content in every situation as Paul talks about in Philippians.  That is where I was momentarily stuck.  I'm asking God to give me that peace when it comes to being a mommy, and in all things, really.  I guess I naively thought that after he was born and the worries of pregnancy were behind me, I wouldn't worry any more!  I'm realizing it is a constant surrender for me to trust God with this precious gift He has graciously given us to raise.  I know Zeke is not ours, he is God's, but my heart doesn't quite understand that yet!

We have SO many things to be thankful for, and I do not take that for granted.  Although life on this earth is not ever going to be perfect, I know it will be one day in eternity.  That is reason enough to praise!!!

God bless!