Good Quote

The other night, Josh told me something Randy Stinson said in his Family Ministry class, and I thought it was so good I had to pass it on. I've been thinking about it tonight as Sus and I sat outside in our lounge chair, watching the traffic.

"Quality time has to come out of quantity time".

Holiday Book Traditions

I've decided to begin some holiday book traditions with Susie that will hopefully be continued through her life, and on with our future children (should the Lord bless us with more). We did this at Christmas, and now I did it for Easter too.

Each year she will get a special book for that holiday -- at Christmas I gave her The Special Baby by Christian Focus publishers, and for Easter I gave her The First Easter. We read the books together a lot during that holiday season, and then put the books away for the rest of the year. Both are board books, and I let her hold them and play with them and bite them. . . and also we read them. I like both of these books because they are focused on Jesus (which, ironically, is not always so even with Christian holiday books). I was thinking that if we get out our special Christmas books at Christmas, and Easter books at Easter, then it will help our family to think thoughts toward Christ during these special seasons -- times when it could be really tempting to think about the other "fun" aspects of those holidays. My thinking also was "hey, let's go ahead and DO a Christmas stocking and Easter basket, but put the good book in those, so we are really still pointing to Christ and redeeming those traditions to be truly Christian." Granted, it's easy to do that now that Susie is so young and doesn't GET any chocolate bunnies in her basket along with the Jesus book, but if you can't start at square one, when can you?

Here we are reading The Special Baby during the Christmas season. I was really good about reading that every day during Advent to her. The Easter book I saved for her basket, so I didn't read it in advance, but we'll have it to pull out next year and read. I'm really excited about the challenge of finding a good book each year for each holiday!

Please post here if you have any other great book traditions -- holiday or otherwise -- that you do with your family! I'd love to hear other ways you celebrate learning and reading, and cultivate your children's hearts to value Christ.

Happy Resurrection Day!

Baby's Hug-a-Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

I loooooove Sally Lloyd-Jones's writing. Love it. I have raved in the past about the popular Jesus Storybook Bible, and I've tried to keep up with her latest titles ever since I discovered her. So how could I be happier than when I had the opportunity to review her newest book on my blog? And it was a book specifically for babies!! And I have a baby to read it to!!!

Susie and I were filled with glee when Baby's Hug-a-Bible arrived in the mail. Well, at least I was sure enthusiastic, and generally Sus is happy when I hand her something new that she's allowed to put in her mouth. We've been reading it together at bedtime, and I would like to give this book my resounding stamp of approval!

First of all, this book is incredibly God-centered. Each page spread is one picture and one Bible story. Except that, instead of the typical "Daniel was brave. . . you be brave too. . . Noah played with animals. . . do you like animals" kind of stuff you often see in kid's (especially little kids or baby) Christian books, this book is just amazingly God-centered. I'll give examples at the end.

Second, each page has application. Now, I understand that I am reading this to a baby. But keep in mind -- I am a grown up. I need the application, even if my baby does not completely understand it. How many times have I been getting ready to lay my baby down in her bed for her good night's sleep, and I have to recite a Psalm and spend time in prayer, verbally reminding myself that she belongs to the Lord and I can entrust her to Him as she sleeps. I know I am not alone in this! Parents of small children (and especially babies) continually have to fight that battle of worry or fear. . . and reading excellent Christian books to that babe, such as this one, will help arm you in battle.

Third, it is written in a pleasing, easy-to-read aloud rhyming way. Rhyming books are my favorites for babies!! Each page is like its own little poem, containing a bit about the Bible story, questions about God and concludes with application. Here is an example from my favorite page:

"God helps Baby Moses
Exodus 1-2

Who saved a baby in a boat?
Who kept that baby's boat afloat?
Who loved that baby in the reeds?
Who knows just what a baby needs?

Who cares for you in just that way?
And gives you all you need today?
Yes, God's the one, who, day by day,
Will care for you in every way!"

Can you see how reading something like that would remind you of God's character, and his mighty acts in the past, and help you learn to trust him who "day by day will care (for your baby) in every way!"? I look forward to the day when Susie and I read this book together and I can pause after the first section and have her little voice answer "GOD!!" Oh, how I long for her to love and know Him!

Thank you, Sally, for using your clever writing to create something just for the youngest children whose parents want to bring up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Make me laugh!

I'll soon be posting about a new WONDERFUL children's book, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share some light-hearted tales of my niece. . . who NEEDS to be a character of a children's book. Seriously, she's inspirational. She's 3 years old, and spends a good part of her day with my teenage sister and my dad (Mom used to be her babysitter before she passed away). So the adult world/teenage world is her world. For example:

When she was 2, she picked up my sister's cell phone and said "I'm gonna text. . . this is how old I am. . . " and sure enough, she texted a 2. She could access the pictures on my dads phone, and 2 of my sisters' phones, which was a way she entertained herself.

She's all about letters lately. Today, apparently she said "this starts with 'P'." And posed like she is in the picture here. Pout.

Here is a conversation she had with Abby (my sister) the other day when she found a rattle:

Cede: "You can have this rattle if you have a baby in your house"

Abby: "I don't have a baby in my house"

Cede: "You have a kid-baby. . . Me."

Abby: "Whatever!"

Cede: "That's an impolite retort."

I guess that's what Dad says when one of the girls says "whatever".

Once when she was watching Snow White, she started being frightened of the mirror, but promptly talked herself out of the fear: "Oh, it's not real. . . it's not real, is it? It's just fake, probably a mask. . . and probably squishy".

Here is how she randomly posed one night while we all lounged on the couch. I assure you she was not being coached behind the scenes and we did not know she looked like this until later.

Anyway, I figured we all could use a few more reasons to smile right now!

Elizabeth Prentiss More Love to Thee -- first impressions and quotes

I have not finished reading Sharon James' biography of Elizabeth Prentiss, so this will not be a complete review, but I had so much to share at the half way point, I thought I'd do an early post on this book. For those of you who are not familiar with Elizabeth Prentiss, she was an 19th century Christian and author, who, among other things, penned the hymn "More Love to Thee" and a classic work of fiction Stepping Heavenward. Her biography has been on my "want-to-read" list for a long time, and since I grabbed up the hardcover book at the ETS sale at LifeWay, I've had it suggesting itself to me from the bookshelf.

The book started off a bit slowly, as biographies have a tendency to do, but I was assured that Elizabeth would soon win me over as a heroine. Indeed, as I began the chapter "God Never Makes a Mistake" I also began to identify with her. Here is a quote:

"What a world of new sensations and emotions come with the first child! I was quite unprepared for the rush of strange feelings. I dare say the idea of Lizzy Payson with a baby seems quite funny to you . . . but I assure you it doesn't seem in the least funny to me, but as natural as life."

Elizabeth was 26 when she married and 28 years old when she had her first child. In that era, when girls often married young and bore children early, that is a rather remarkable thing! I didn't have my first child until I was 30 (almost 31), so I felt like I could identify with Elizabeth, a woman "of age" -- at least in those days. (I am not claiming to be a woman of age -- I know many wonderful women who are expecting in their 40's -- and I hope to be one of you one day).

Her sweet recollections of this first child were followed by tragic years where she lost her next two. My eyes burned with tears at the tale. We take it for granted today that babies enjoy much better health than they did 100 years ago, and that back then, mothers were always losing children in childbirth, or to childhood disease, etc. But I had never quite entered that world with a mother, and felt her raw pain. Elizabeth, a poet and writer, was able to express herself so freely and well, and open up her heart to the sovereign God above in prayers that were as honest as they were profound. Here is a short one:

One child and two green graves are mine
This is God's gift to me
A bleeding, fainting, broken heart --
This is my gift to Thee.

I appreciated that she was real about her suffering and sorrow -- but that gift of her sorrowful heart was still extended out to the God who she firmly believed to be in control. It was unbelievable how Elizabeth had premonitions about her children's deaths, and that doctors would not believe her. How agonizing to experience loss regardless of the circumstances, but how much more tortuous to endure poor care from doctors and nursemaids. How easy it would be to blame or dwell on the people whose mistakes were so grave, but Elizabeth believed, as I do, that all suffering is comes to us from God's good and kind hands, and must be for our good, to make us more like Christ. In my doctrine class the other night, Dr. Mohler said something beautiful and profound. I hope you find it to be so as well:

"Because God is in control and infinitely good and loving and merciful, anything other than what He brings would not be better, it would be worse."

I had to roll that around in my mind. It's too much to understand, really. But by faith, I think we can come to see how that is completely true.

Board Book Favorites -- 9 months

My friend and I were discussing how it's an interesting thing that children develop favorites so early in life. As babies, you can tell their favorite people, foods, toys, lovies, etc. I've had so much fun seeing Susie show interest in books, too! I'm sad to say that for right now, the paper-page book collection has to go on hold, or else my paper monster might just chow down on the pages. I recently tried reading a regular picture book, but I just don't want to give the message that books aren't for her to touch just yet, so I've decided not to fight that battle until she can understand a little better. At a younger age, we were reading Madeline, Dr. Seuss, Golden Books, etc., and enjoying them all, but for now we can just discover that wonderful world of board books (side note: board books are not steel, however, in the little mouth of a teething baby! I have found them with entire corners GONE, and telltale bits of white around her little mouthy).

Here are some favorites:

Babies by Gyo Fujikawa This is absolutely, hands down, Susie's favorite of the favorites. She loves it so much that I took it along when we went to get her portrait taken, so we could get some of her reading it. She smiles at the babies, greets them when she sees the book on the shelf, squeals at the pictures and touches their faces as we look through it. I'd always heard that babies love to look at pictures of REAL babies (and that certainly has been true in my experience), but in this case, Sus loves the illustrations of babies. The sweet simple wording is just so gentle and charming. I usually add on to the end, which goes like this: "But good or bad, all babies like to be hugged, and cuddle and loved." and I add "and kissed, and smooched, and sniggled and snuggled. . . " etc., all while demonstrating the sniggles and snuggles. I also really like the shape and size -- it's tall, so she can hold the bottom and smack the pages, while I hold the top, and it's not overly-heavy. I came across this little gem while shopping at Blue Kangaroo Books in downtown Danville! This book is almost 20 years old, but I'd never seen it before. I'm planning to get Sus some more of Gyo Fujikawa's books -- there are several more out there.

That's Not My Bunny. Part of the Usborne "That's Not My" collection, this touch and feel book has been good for pointing out specific parts of the pictures. I was surprised how early Susie would be able to understand the concept of feeling the texture on a tiny part of the picture. She knows this one well -- she reaches right for the "rough paws" or "wrinkled nose".

God Bless. . . Baby's family photo book. I put pictures in this for Sus for Christmas, and it immediately emerged as one of her favorite toys. There are only 3 openings, so you might find something better out there, but she certainly loves to flip back and forth to the pictures of Daddy, Mama and Grandma and Grandpa. She bends over and gives the pages wide, open mouthed kisses, and flings it around by the handle (it's SO lightweight). I got mine on sale at LifeWay, so I'd suggest looking somewhere other than Amazon (it's a little bit expensive!!)

What are your favorite board books?

Back to blogging. . .

After much thought, I've decided I want to go back to blogging. I've missed writing here so much, and now that I've moved to working part time, I think I can manage to eek out a bit of time to post on my blog. No promises, but my goal is to get back to being a consistent poster.

I absolutely love my life as a mom. Since becoming a wife, I have not experienced any role so wonderful. And while I'm sure motherhood will play into my posts, I'm not looking to mainly post updates about my family life -- that's just not exactly what I want for my blog; I can do that on Facebook. I hope that I can make this blog a good place to interact with readers about Christian life, books, church life, parenting, and maybe a few just for fun posts. I hope to regularly review books, especially children's books -- since I DO have a child now!!

So I guess if you had written me off as a "former blogger", I hope you'll watch my blog in the future for new posts!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from the Neisler family. We can't believe how much our lives have changed this year. This time last year, we couldn't imagine how the Lord's grace would rain down on us. We have loved these past 7 months, growing together as a family. Josh and I love being parents, and we're pretty sure Susie loves us, too!

Hard to Write

So. . .

I have thought of quite a few subjects to write about here on my blog. But I have no time. And I'm having writers block.

And after I work all week, I want to just focus on my baby!

Sigh. . . I remember when I started this blog, I worked at the Blue Kangaroo, where I had lots of extra free hours to read. That's why I named my blog what I did -- "Gretchen Reads 24/7" -- because I did feel like I read that often. Since I had Susie, I started feeling like I was falling asleep every time I got into a book! (Okay, that's an exaggeration -- I have read this summer, just NOTHING compared to how much I have read in the past).

I've been thinking about what all I can scale back on now that I am full time Mom and full time at the bookstore. I am committed to taking care of Josh and Sus as good as I can in the time I have in the evenings and weekend. And I have not been doing a good job writing this blog for a couple months now.

So. . . I think I need to take a hiatus from the blog. I hope I don't have to give it up forever. Susie and I are enjoying some children's books together, and I'd love to write about those in down the line. But for now, I'm going to take a break from the blogosphere. I know there aren't a ton of readers out there waiting to see what I'm going to write about, but for those of you who have faithfully been reading, I am sorry.

But I know it's a good decision -- more time with Suslie. And who knows? Maybe I'll think of something I absolutely have to write about, and I'll do so.

So long, for now!

What I learned from my Mom about Motherhood -- part 3

Here's part 3 -- sorry it took so long! I just hope there is someone still reading.

• Know your children. I think this is something my sisters and I all agree we miss most about Mom. We all felt understood by her. She was a great listener -- when we were young, she enjoyed listening to our stories, etc., and when we were older she listened to our problems with friends, adults, etc. Emily and I agree that Mom was a good person to tell your issue to because she did not just automatically be on your team and hate on the person you had a problem with (this is typically my response to my sister's issues, thus making me a not-so-great confidant). Mom had 6 kids, and I can truly say she did everything she could to know each one of us individually. I know some people from large families feel like they got lost in the shuffle -- but that really did not happen to us at all. How do I apply this lesson to mothering Susie? Well, so far, it has played out mostly in how I have worked out her schedule. We have been able to ease into a very good schedule where she pretty much always sleeps through the night by combining things I liked from both Babywise and Attachement Parenting. She is a happy girl, and seems well fed and well rested. There are so many opinions out there, and some people might thing I spoil and coddle my baby too much, while others think I am too strict with my routine. But I know my baby! And I continue to work hard to see what works for us!

• Put your best face forward. Okay, I know I've already tread on rocky ground, here is some potentially rockier ground! But I do think this is a lesson I learned from my mom, so I can't leave it out. In no way do I advocate being focused on the outward appearance -- my mom was adamant that we tell my sisters they were clever and special and kind, not just cute all the time. But she DID do her best to always get us out the door in clothes that were clean, hair that was tidy and faces and hands that were washed. I remember being envious of girls who wore their hair free as a bird, while mine was slicked back into Laura Ingalls braids. :) Mom did not want us to have stringy hair! Looking back, I see what wisdom was in that -- especially for large families. When you have a bunch of kids, it is much more noticeable if they look like ragamuffins! It can be a bad testimony to people who frown on large families because they see messy children and assume that their parents do not care for them. People DO look on the outward appearance, no matter what we think. When your children are small, they have no control over their appearances, so it is up to you to keep them and their clothes clean and teach them to care for their appearances. I know I have only 1 child, but it has to start now -- working hard to get the stains out of baby clothes, bathing regularly, washing the little face that can have a milk mustache or neck that can hold spit up. :) Keep in mind -- the goal of a tidy and lovely bunch of kiddos is not so people will complement their appearances, or to turn their hearts to love beauty, but to keep from being a distraction from what is important about you! And if you are a Christian, you want others to see Christ, not dirt!
  

(The picture I put up here is of Sus with her Aunt Abby at a baseball game. Everything she is wearing is a hand-me down from her cousin Cede.)

I miss my Mom so much. Almost every day a question pops into my head to ask her, before I catch myself. I hope that the lessons I remember from her are helpful to you, too.

Free Stuff Week

My birthday was Sunday, so I decided to give myself a week of free stuff. :) Here's what I've got planned.

Monday: free iced mocha from McDonald's. This is available next Monday as well, if you want to grab one! Just ask at the counter!

Tuesday: free Gymboree class for Susie. We got a free pass from the hospital when Susie was born, so we went today and it was really fun. She was falling asleep at the end, but she was good as gold the whole time. Calm and attentive.

Wednesday: free fountain drink from Speedway.

Thursday: free ice cream from Cold Stone. Sign up for their birthday club and they'll send you a coupon in your e-mail.

Friday: free photo session for Susie at Olan Mills. This was another coupon I got when she was born. It's actually free, even the sitting fee, and you get a new baby portrait package of one pose.

Saturday: free Penn Station sub (they're doing a tell a friend free sandwich promotion via e-mail)

Don't you love getting free stuff?

Here's a picture of my darling Susal getting so big and working on holding up her head.

Eating Zucchini and Picnik

I'll finish the posts on motherhood soon -- I just about have it written in my head -- but in the meantime, I wanted to share a couple things I've been up to lately.

1. Picnik.com is my new favorite website! So easy to use and fun to play around with all the effects you can make on your pictures. I have spent way too much time playing around with cute pictures of the Sus. Here are a few of my favorites.





2. Eating Zucchini! It's that wonderful time of year when this versatile veggie is in abundance! Even if you are not personally growing it in your garden, its likely those who are growing it are sharing it! I just LOVE to eat that stuff!! Of course you can whip up some yummy zucchini bread, or slice it up and use it like chips in dips, hummus or cottage cheese. Last night I made this recipe I saw on Food Network. Here's the simple breakdown:

Cut zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms into chunks and roast for 15 minutes at 450 degrees with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Then mix it with cooked penne pasta, a little marinara sauce and cheese (I like lots of cheese). Bake it in a greased casserole dish at 350 for 25 minutes. VERY good!

Another simple casserole that I've made for years when I have an abundance of zucchini is this:

Slice zucchini and summer squash in thin rounds and toss together with a can of Rotel. Bake at 350 until the veggies soften, then top with shredded cheese (I like to use cheddar, but you could use whatever you have) and bake until the cheese is all melted. Yum! My mouth is watering!

If you have any simple ways to enjoy this plentiful veggie, please post in the comments section!

What I Learned from My Mom about Motherhood -- Part 2

Here are a couple more lessons in Mommy-hood 101 I attribute to my mother's diligent teaching. If you are a new reader to my blog, I will tell you that my mom, Sue Benzing, passed away in March. She was a beautiful and wonderful woman, and I'd love it if you'd read more about her by clicking on the "My Mom" tag below. That will take you to the other posts I've written about her.

3. Teach your children to love learning by being a learner yourself. When I was little, my dad gave my mom a Christmas ornament that said "Those who love teaching help others love learning". Did that describe my mom or what!? She was a voracious reader -- books, magazines, signs at the zoo or museum -- and was utterly fascinated in just about everything. Well, I've uncovered a whole new delightful world of beauty in baby books and CDs I've been enjoying with Susie. We read books together after she gets changed, and sometimes at naptime (bedtime is a bit more tearful -- most likely she would not be able to hear me!). I have always loved children's books, but I keep discovering new things -- and especially enjoying books of poetry and prayers. There is something about the rhythm of those books that captures Susie's attention, even at this young of an age. To be brutally honest, I thought I might be a little bored with the sorts of things newborns enjoy -- just waiting for her to get older before it's really fun! But actually, there is plenty of fun stuff now! For instance, this poem I found in Poems to Read to the Very Young that my sister gave me:

Susan Blue by Kate Greenaway

"Oh Susan Blue,
How do you do?
Please may I go for a walk with you?
Where shall we go:
Oh, I know --
Down in the meadow where the cowslips grow!"

Mom used to quote little poems to us all the time. For instance, every time we arrived home after an outing, she would say:

"To market, to market, to buy a fat pig
Home again, home again, jiggity jig!"

By the time my sisters were old enough to know the poem, "jiggity jig" was code for time to go home. :) I now say it all the time to Sus when we arrive home. Which brings me to . . .

4. Enjoy being home with your children. So many moms spend all their time with their children running them in all directions so they can be the best at everything. I know we all had designs on taking every sort of lesson under the sun, and playing every sport possible, but Mom was firm on keeping it simple so we could be home more. We started sports in junior high, and took piano, but since we lived so far out in the country, it would have been a huge time commitment to do much more than that. Mom was not concerned about comparing her little achievers with other kids (which is such a temptation, I've realized already!) -- she wanted us all to enjoy the simplicity of a lovely home, and time spent together. So we all learned how to work in the home, cook, clean, help tend the garden/pool/whatever (depending on the house we lived in). And we learned how great it was to just relax together when Dad came home at the end of the day. So for me, I'm cherishing my maternity leave and the days spent with Susie. It's true that I'm just now feeling enough human to do much more during the day than just care for Sus and get a shower, but I've started to make to-do lists so I can care for our home and make it a lovely and enjoyable place for us to be.

Well, the lessons have continued to come to me, so part 3 is coming soon. In the meantime, stay home and read a book with your kiddos.

What I Learned from My Mom about Motherhood -- part 1

Have you ever opened your mouth and been SHOCKED to hear yourself sound exactly like your mom? Sometimes when people hear themselves parroting Mom, they lament the fact that they now sound old, or that they have started turning into someone they didn't want to turn into! I can't tell you how many times I've heard Mom in my words these past 4 weeks. But I don't groan. I do weep, but I don't lament the way I sound. Here's why: I realize I'm now learning about motherhood without her. So her words -- even in my mouth -- are an assurance that some of those lessons are from her, passed on back from when I was growing up and watching her in her role. Here are a few precious motherhood lessons I am now applying from the school of Sue Benzing.

1. Enjoy your children. There was NEVER a question about how Mom felt about her kiddos! She enjoyed them at every age -- for real! Babies, toddlers, school age, teens -- Mom enjoyed the journey, and found pleasure as we grew and changed. Some of the things she'd say to my sisters (these are my strongest memories, since I was so much older as they were growing up) have popped out of my mouth with Sus. "You are a Dollyanna-Pollyanna!" she'd say when a tiny one was all dressed up -- I've said that to Sus. "Do you want to keep all those dirts?" she'd ask when changing a diaper or washing a face and the child fussed at the process. "You like your dirts? You want to keep them?" So good natured! Not frustrated at that menial task or the unhappy recipient. "You are just being a naughty! I will put you in a garbage can. What color garbage can do you want?" This faceteous question was always posed to a non-speaking baby -- and clearly since the baby could not choose her color of garbage can, she would not be going in one. Mom explained that logic to me -- haha! Mom's words to her children reflected her enjoyment of them. Why be so grouchy? Why not enjoy those precious babe -- even the tougher parts? They are only that age once -- don't long for it to pass! I have reminded myself of this so often when I think ahead to how it will be a bit easier when Sus is a bit less fragile and easier to understand. THIS is today -- enjoy her!

2. Spend time with your children. My mom read to us for hours, when we were very small, and continued when we were older and could read ourselves. When we were tiny she sang songs in baby talk. When we got older, the baby talk did not stop -- and it was a CONSTANT source of humor! Nicknames were abundant (that would be the case for Susan! She probably has a couple dozen nicknames already!!), and silly conversations were entirely engaging for her. I remember Mom giving the girls their bath on the counter in the kitchen and spending forever playing with their hair, making funny styles with the wet hair for our viewing pleasure. She certainly could have rushed through the bath, and bundled the baby off to bed as quick as a wink, but instead, she took her time making it more fun for everyone.

I'll finish with part 2 soon. Unless I hear myself teaching new lessons. :)

Thoughts on Motherhood

18 days into my journey as a mother, I'm loving and appreciating this new role more than I ever thought possible. I'm also more overwhelmed than I ever thought possible. It certainly is a learning game -- I would describe it as starting a new career where you have to learn to do everything the job requires without very much (or mixed) instruction. You obviously can't learn a new job all at once -- it takes a while, and you learn things bit by bit. Here are a few things I have learned, or have been surprised to discover:

1. I do not mind late night feedings. My precious Susan is so wonderful to spend that sweet time with! I do love it that she needs me, and that it's just her and me at that time. I do love it when she goes right back to sleep, too. :)

2. God's design for motherhood is amazing. I am continually surprised by the instincts that have kicked in -- in just a matter of days. I have never been a huge baby person, and everyone assured me it would be different when it was MY baby. They were right! I am humbled to see the way God has designed me.

3. We're taking one day at a time. . . well, it's more like one feeding or nap at a time. I think I could describe my parenting these past 2 weeks as a form of Flexible Attachment Scheduling. :) It's really true that each family has to figure out what works for THEIR child, and their lives together! What a joy to discover, though!

4. The Lord answers the prayer of His child when she prays for wisdom. The other night I was afraid that I was not producing enough milk for Susie (she just seemed really hungry all the time for a couple days, and I was feeding her a lot, but had nothing left!), and we had one particularly difficult evening when I was crying harder than she was. :*) Hormones, grieving for my mom, and sleep-deprivation played into these tears, but as I calmed down, I asked the Lord to give me wisdom -- or show me a good source for wisdom. He graciously provided my cousin Corrie to give me some input on nursing, and several other encouraging people (including my kind husband!) to help me navigate those rocky days. James does say that if we lack wisdom, to ask God for it! THANK goodness!

5. Josh and I are like kids at Christmas with that cute baby! I love sharing the fun with him. We both think she is utterly adorable, and that she already has a fun personality. We're grabbing the camera every 2 seconds -- I see now why there are only 2 million MORE pictures of my brother than there are of me. 2 adults with one baby to watch -- that means there is always one set of hands to be snapping away. :)

Grace upon Grace

Yesterday in church we sang this song -- which was new to me -- that just seemed to be the theme song for the past 6 months of my life. It is called "Through the Precious Blood" by Mark Altrogge, and I just wanted to post some of the words here for you along with these precious pictures of Kari, Lukas, Max and Baby Sawyer going home from the hospital! God is so good, and answered the prayers of so many of you. THANK YOU for praying! Kari is now taking full care of her little guy at home, keeping him in a sling so he's close with her all the time (even that is an amazing example of God's goodness! For the 1st 2 weeks of his life, she hasn't been able to touch or hold him nearly as much as she wanted to, and now the doctors are instructing her to wear him in a sling at home! What a precious blessing!).

Here is the song:

"You have ordained every breath we take
In pleasure or pain there is no mistake
Gladness and grief, both are in Your hands,
And sufferings brief carry out Your plan
And our fleeting sorrows will yield an endless prize
When some bright tomorrow we'll see You with our eyes!

And grace upon grace flows down, flows down,
And grace upon grace flows down, flows down
Through the precious blood of Christ."

Please keep Sawyer in your prayers as he continues to recover -- and Kari, too, for strength and endurance as she now keeps up with 2 little guys! Our Lord is mighty to save!

Baby Sawyer

Josh's sister Kari was due one week after me, and ended up going into labor the same day! She didn't have beautiful little Sawyer until 2 days later when they finally induced her, but we still consider Susie and Sawyer to be birthday buddies.

Please pray for Kari's precious baby. He was born with a mass inside his nose that obstructs his breathing. After being moved to the NICU in another city, and multiple cat-scans and MRIs, the doctors still are not certain whether the mass is coming from his brain or nasal cavity. He will have to have surgery to remove it, regardless, and right now, a surgery of some kind is scheduled for Tuesday.

This darling baby has been in the NICU for a week, and Kari, Lukas and their little boy Max, have been staying away from home, by his side in the hospital. Some days have been very scary, when Sawyer's O2 levels have dropped and it seemed possible he'd have to be put on a ventilator (praise the Lord, that hasn't happened yet). Of course, Kari wants nothing more than to be able to hold and care for her baby, and take him home! But God, in His omniscience, knows just what is wrong with his sweet frame, and we are trusting the Great Shepherd to guide the Hafeli family at this time.

Please pray for this precious baby! Pray the doctors will be able to discover the source of the mass so the surgery can be done quickly and effectively. Pray also for Kari and Lukas, and the rest of the family who love this baby so much that their faith will be strengthened, and that they will be able to have peace and endurance through the long days. Pray the Lord will be ever near to Kari as she recovers from giving birth, and goes through all the physical side-effects while enduring so much stress and anxiety.

O God, our Help in ages past! Be our hope for the future. Help us to trust You -- we are so blind. You are mighty to save -- please heal this baby!

We love you, Aunt Abby

My sister Abby has been staying with us this week, to help with the baby. We have had such sweet times together, and I cannot be thankful enough for her help! She is only 16, but showed incredible maturity and flexibility in her willingness to be helpful. She slept on the couch, which meant she couldn't go to sleep until everyone else decided to leave the living room at night, and each night she sleepily told me "I'm not that tired, so let me know if you want me to help." I will never forget how, on the first night, she offered to help get Susie through a stretch until it was time for her to eat again. I stumbled to bed, and that 45 minutes of shut eye were so refreshing. Abby woke me up "sorry, Gret, but she's really ready to eat now." I couldn't believe it! I hadn't heard a peep, because Abby had patiently cuddled Susie and kept her passy in so I could get a little rest. Abby has also been so deferential, always asking me if it was okay if she did something, which was such a kind way to treat a new mom who probably knows less about babies than her teenage sister!

I am so thankful for Abby's help these past few days. She did the job my mom would have done, and she did it sweetly, and happily. Abby is a baby expert. She should be; she learned from the best -- Sue Benzing! I know Mom would be so proud of how we are taking care of each other -- and not just the older kids taking care of younger. Abby has really taken care of me this week by caring for Susie. I will never, EVER forget it! Here are some pictures of Susie with Aunt Abby and some of the things we did together:


She taught Susie to take a passy. I wasn't going to try it yet, but it really has helped sometimes! It hasn't slowed down her eating at all!




Helped give Susie her bath -- which she has loved! There is just nothing cuter than a little wet slickery baby. Abby gave Sus this pink giraffe towel, so we will always think of Auntie Abby at our bathtime.



Took Susie for her first ride in the stroller. I can go for walks, but the doctor told me to wait a couple weeks before pushing the stroller. But Aunt Abby can push it for us, and we had a nice walk around the park (Susie snoozing the whole time) in the gorgeous June sunshine. (I guess this picture hasn't uploaded yet -- but I'll add it later).



And of course -- took a MILLION cute pictures! Sometimes a camera phone can capture those little faces better than a regular camera. So, thanks to Aunt Abby, we have some priceless shots of Susie's gorgeous face.

I love you so much, Aunt Abby. You can come stay any time!

Welcome to this World!

I began this post the day after I had the baby, but just now got to finish the story! I have been a little busy in the past few days. . .

My baby is here! And her name does not start with "J". :) Here's the story of how she came to us. . .

Thursday night (the 28th) I was watching a movie with 2 junior high girls from church. I had a contraction that caught my attention -- it took my breath away! I knew it was the start to something new . Sure enough, I was awake all night that night with contractions 20-30 min apart. Some were more intense than others. By the next morning, they had not increased, so I went to work. After a couple hours there, they slowed to just an hour or more apart. But throughout that day, the intense contractions would pop up every now and then! I was on the floor in the Church History department at one point. That evening, Josh and I went out to celebrate our anniversary (which is actually on Tuesday), and I had more of the same while we were at Cheesecake Factory and the mall (the worst was in Payless shoes, where I was on the floor gasping for breath while the lady shopping nearby tried to get some shoes right where I was crouched!).

Friday night I was up on the hour, or more frequently, with very intense contractions. I tried writing down the times, because it seemed like something was happening, but I was so out of it during the night -- this was my second night of getting very little sleep. By early morning, I felt like things were shifting big time. Close to 7, when Josh woke up, I told him I thought things were progressing. Little did I know what a long day ahead of me I had! Josh called into work, and I started experiencing strange, heavy contractions that gave me the dry heaves surrounded by less intense more normal contractions. A few times, I threw up, and I had a contraction that lasted 9 minutes! However, the doctor I called told me my body was trying to go into active labor, but I needed to regulate more before I could head to the doctor.

Praise the Lord, at about 4:00 that afternoon, I started having a series of regular contractions! I actually prayed for them to continue. By 6, they'd been 5 minutes apart for an hour so we started packing up to head to the hospital! I was so relieved when they told me I could stay -- after my water broke when I got into the bed. Right away, I had another extreme contraction that lasted 7 minutes and caused me to vomit. The baby's heart rate dropped very low during my contraction. "She doesn't like that," the nurse told me "your contractions should not last that long -- we want them to be shorter and more frequent." As it turned out, it was Providential that I had that contraction, because we knew what to expect as the night went on!

My Aunt Pat arrived shortly before I got my epidural. She was traveling back from Alabama that day, and happened to be just an hour south of Louisville when we were admitted to the hospital. I was so thankful to see her! Around 9ish, the nurse was checking me, and suddenly another nurse was at the door. "She's dropped" the nurse said, and suddenly the room sprang into action. There were more nurses around me than I realized, and they were flipping me from side to side, and putting an oxygen mask on me. I realized that I could hear the baby's heartbeat and that it was still low. Josh and Aunt Pat were in the room, just talking -- they hadn't quite realized that things were getting urgent. The next thing I knew, everything was getting unplugged and the nurses were wheeling me into the hallway, talking about calling the doctor. I was very frightened, but the Lord graciously gave me the words to the William Cowper song:

"Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take
the clouds that you now dread,
are rich with mercy and will break
in blessing on your head.
Oh, God, we trust in You!"

I repeated the chorus softly to myself (inside the oxygen mask) over and over. My heart filled with tears, but the Lord showed me great grace!

In the operating room, I was flat on my back on the operating table when I heard the heartbeat monitor pick up again. A sweet nurse with lots of pink lipstick bent over my face and told me my baby sounded good! I lay there with these words on my lips

"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. . . there's just something about that name,
Master, Savior, Jesus, like a fragrance after the rain."

I don't even think anyone could hear me, but in my heart, I was able to enjoy the sweetness of Christ in that moment. I wanted Josh to be with me so bad so he could know that I was okay, and trusting in Christ, believing that God was good, even though this was scary -- he came very soon. The doctor did, too. She looked at the baby's strip very quickly and told me she wanted to go ahead and do the c-section because there was some reason the baby's heart kept dropping and she didn't want to risk it happening any more. I was so relieved. I hoped she would be very decisive about what course to take -- I trusted that the Lord would use her to show us what to do.

Moments later, a curtain was up, and Josh was talking to me, when the anasthesiologist said "Hey, Dad, get your camera ready!" and I heard a baby cry. I could NOT BELIEVE how fast it was! Was that my baby?

"Here's her trouble!" I heard the doctor say "her chord is wrapped around her wrist!"

My heart was flooded with relief and joy as I heard the baby crying. I just sobbed as they brought her around to show me and didn't stop as Josh followed her around taking pictures as they tended to her. I was SO THANKFUL to hear her precious cry, and I couldn't believe the amazing gift the Lord had given me.

"What's her name?" someone asked.

"Susan!" I answered as loudly as I could -- it was hard to know if anyone could hear me, under that curtain, covered with hot blankets as they stitched me up. Josh explained our name -- Susan after my mom, who had passed away a couple months ago. Her middle name is Faye, after Josh's mom.

Here is the Psalm I prayed for Susie as I lay in the recovery room:

Psalm 20:5

"May we shout for joy over your salvation,

and in the name of our God set up our banners!"
Susan Faye Neisler Born, May 30th, 9:59pm 6lbs, 3oz, 18 1/2 inches long

We just LOVE her.