All Those Things

 There was some worry that I had an appendicitis so I was sent to the hospital for a ct scan this week. I couldn't help but think how completely inconvenient it would be if I had to have any kind of surgery. I am a wife, a mom, and a full-time teacher. The funny part is that I said to Tim, " I really hope I don't need surgery because I have my last evaluation at work Monday. I don't want to be in pain while I'm teaching!" Tim told me that I was nuts. Later, I realized how silly I must have sounded. So many other thoughts raced through my mind:  Would I be able to hold MG, give her a bath, feed her, wash the laundry, clean the dishes, play with the dogs, cook dinner for Tim?? Wait a minute...my cooking usually consist of popping something in the oven and I could still do that. Anyhow, I did not have an appendicitis. All those little things that make me tired sometimes are really things I welcome everyday. I love every moment I can do something for someone I care about. I thank God for all the blessings in my life.

p.s.    My CT scan did find cysts on my right ovary and inside my kidney, cervix, and uterus. This could be causing my pain. However, my pcp doesn't think these are a real concern considering all my blood work is okay. The cysts should go away on their own in 1-3 months.

God Bless,
Shawna

Thankful for Good News

A few months ago, I noticed a ridge on Makayla’s forehead. I didn’t think much of it, until it became more visible. I brought it up to her pediatrician who said we would watch it over the next few years. He eventually referred us to a neurosurgeon here in town. So today, Tim and I took Makayla to Children’s Hospital. Makayla has Metopic Synostosis. Metopic Synostosis is a type of craniosynostosis, in which the joints (sutures) between the bones of the skull close prematurely, resulting in abnormal growth of the skull and sometimes the brain. Many children end up having surgery on the skull in order to correct the problem. Thankfully, Makayla has a very mild case and will not need surgery. Of course, it will be monitored over the next 5 years, but the neurosurgeon is pretty sure the problem will correct itself. In other words; her brain will not be affected and the ridge will smooth out. Praise Jesus!!!!

Next week Makayla will be getting an allergy test. There have been two different occasions, during the last two weeks, that she has gotten very sick. At first, we were told she had the stomach flu, but I wasn’t buying it. The second time it happened I knew it wasn’t the stomach flu. Next week we should find out which food she is allergic to. Other than that, Makayla is doing very well! She has started rocking back and forth up in the crawl position. I think she’ll be crawling here in the next few months!  She is a very happy baby, and babbles all the time. Just the other day, it sounded like she said “Dada”…of course you know Tim is eating that up. She absolutely loves our two dogs and two cats! It is so much fun to watch her pet and talk to the animals. I know that I say this all the time, but the days seem too short! I feel super blessed to have such a wonderful husband and daughter. I love being a mom, and feel God has given me so much to be thankful for.

God Bless,

Shawna

The More I Seek You

The days seem to be going by so quickly these days. Some days, I am positive someone hit the fast forward button….and at the wrong time. I am still trying to organize my time. You see, I was so sure of my priorities…God, family, friends, and work. So why did I often not have a quiet time with God?

A QUIET TIME (in my own words):

A time when God is truly first.

A time when I am 100% focused on Him.

A time when all the worries of the world slip away.

A time when everything else is second.

I do strive to seek Him first, yet many days I fail to ask for guidance, for patience, for forgiveness, or for strength. As always, I am reminded that I cannot do this alone. I need to seek God every day. At the end of 2009, I made a commitment to myself to study God’s word on a weekly basis. Tim bought me a wonderful devotional that I began on January 1st. The book is a 52-week devotional, Into the Word. So far it has been a wonderful spiritual study guide for me. I have discovered something so beautiful over the last few weeks: The more I seek Jesus, the more I find Jesus. The more I find Jesus, the more I love Jesus.

My prayer is that we (you and me) always find a quiet place to go; a place to feel God’s presence, to hear Him speak, to open our hearts, to thank Him, to love Him, and to realize we need Him!

Lyrics | The More I Seek You lyrics

I have made this my song for 2010.

2010 Resolutions

As I embark on this continuous journey in 2010 I am embracing God's incredible love. I resolve to be more patient, more loving, more compassionate, less bossy, to cook more, not take things too seriously, to trust better, to listen rather than speak, to devote more time to God and His Word, to worry less, to eat less (lol), to lose weight, to read more, to wash my car, to make more friends, to pray more, to plan better, to spend more quality time with my family, to be a better wife and mom, to laugh more often, and to realize more each day that God is for me.

I haven’t been a blogger for very long, so I still consider myself a newbie to it. Honestly, I’m not even sure if anyone at all reads my blog page, but I still want to write it. I enjoy taking the time to think about special moments and capture them in writing (or typing). This year, 2010, I am resolving to slow down and enjoy every single moment. I am reminded of the most important things in my life; God, Tim & Makayla, family, friends, and my job. Basically in that order. This blog is about my journey in life as a mom, a wife, and a follower of Jesus Christ.

A little about me…

  I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ. He is my joy and inspiration, and the reason I am here. God has blessed me with two incredible gifts; my loving husband, Tim, and our beautiful daughter, Makayla. Tim is a very loving and supportive husband with compassion for others that I wish every man had. He is the love of my life and my very best friend. He gets me and loves me unconditionally…no matter how hard that may be sometimes. Makayla is such a sweet baby, with giggles and grins that always light up the room. She is a gift from God! She has opened my eyes to the tiny miracles and inspirations around me,that I often fail to see. My journey hasn’t always been an easy one, but I am learning so much along the way. Please join me as I continue this journey as a wife, a mom, and a follower of Jesus Christ.

God Bless,

Shawna

Makayla at 6 months old

Makayla Grace at 6 months old… 

Makayla moves around by a combo of rolling, spinning on her belly, and occasionally pushing off with one leg. She gets really frustrated when I place a toy out of reach to encourage her to crawl.  She’s quite a babbler. She enjoys blowing raspberries constantly. And she loves to talk (babble) to people on the phone. She looks for stuff that falls on the floor. Makayla absolutely loves her Bright Starts Pretty In Pink Activity Jumper! She jumps, jumps, jumps with delightful screams of joy and bright blue eyes. She sat up for by herself on November 14th. She is still working on sitting up from the laying down position. She is trying really hard. =) What a joy she is! 

Makayla recently started sleeping on her tummy at night, which has been a big transition for me. She like to sleep face down in the mattress. Now, many of you that truly know me, know that freaks me out. I decided to pinch my pennies and purchased the Angelcare Movement Sensor Monitor. It monitors every movement (breathing). Of course, some nights I lie in bed for hours just listening to the ‘beeps’. I didn’t get much sleep for about a week, but last night she slept pretty good…which means Tim and I slept good as well. Yay!

                                                                                                         Now on with the food conversation! Makayla loves her solids. Somehow I got stuck on making her sweet potatoes and rice cereal, and neglected to move on to anything else. Shame on me for not giving her variety. Per her pediatrician she needs to start meats already. What??? I haven't even gotten to fruit...lol. Makayla is still in the 95th percentile for weight so she is doing great! Yes, I'm still breastfeeding. I've not really decided when I'm going to wean her yet. My goal was 6 months and I did it! Yay for me! Yay for my baby girl! I might try to go for a full year. It would be a lot easier if I was a sahm. We go on January 11^th for Makayla’s 6 month appointment! It’s amazing how time flies when you’re having fun!

Christmas

Christmas 2009

Christmas was so wonderful this year! We went to church on Christmas Eve and enjoyed a wonderful candle light service. It is ever so important to remember that Christ is the reason we celebrate Christmas. Afterwards, we went to Wasabi and ate some very yummy chicken and fried rice. This has been one of my favorite dishes ever since a friend  made it for us after Makayla was born. I spent awhile wrapping presents for our families (moms, dads, sisters, etc..). For some reason, I've made it a tradition to wrap the presents on Christmas Eve. That tradition may soon be changing. I had planned on making a big pancake breakfast on Christmas morning, but we never got a chance to stop by the grocery store. So basically I had a cup of coffee, and we ate nothing. Next year I will do better (maybe)! We happily watched Makayla play with some of her new toys. To our suprise she was quite interested and excited about them. Tim and I were excited watching Makayla see her new toys for the first time. The eyes of a child are so sweet and enthusiastic. A child is a true miracle from God.
Later, we went to my parents house and ate a delicious lunch. Thanks Mom and Summer! They are definitely the "cooks" in the family. (I try) Jazz and Rose came along with us. The poodles get super excited when they go over to their Nana and Papaw's house. That evening, we stopped by Tim's parents house to visit for awhile.
 It was a very long day full of happiness, food, family, love, joy, remembrance, celebration, and a few sarcastic comments (hey, it's gonna happen when you get family together, right?). It was our first Christmas as a family of three! I will have to say that so much has changed in my life since last Christmas. Last Christmas, I was 15 weeks pregnant and so excited to meet our little baby. This year, I am a mom. Being a mom is the best gift I've ever been given. I love Makayla so much more than any words can express. I thank God for this little angel He has entrusted me with and pray that I become a better mom each day.

My sweet baby girl!

Makayla likes Santa!

Makayla with her new toy puppy

Makayla and Daddy

Makayla and Mommy

Merry Christmas from the Finstad family!

Makayla's First Snow!

 Tim and Makayla !

 

Today we woke up to light snow showers! I waited for Tim to wake up and then we took MG outside to see the snow. I made a few pictures that turned out very cute. Though it would have been nice to snow during the week, so that I could have the day off work (lol), I enjoyed looking at the pretty white snowflakes everywhere! Makayla is growing so fast. We are getting Christmas pictures made tomorrow, and I can't wait to mail cards and pictures to friends and family.

Check out the snowball coming right at me!

Our Pretty Little Girl!

Sweet November..a dedication, a birthday, and a wedding!

So far the month of November has been cram packed, and I've barely had time to relax. But we've had some really special moments too. Makayla Grace was dedicated at church on November 1st, my 30th birthday! On that day, Tim and I publicly promised to do everything within our power to raise Makayla in a godly way, prayerfully until she can make a decision on her own to follow God. I actually made that promise to God when I first found out I was pregnant with her. I remember having a scare when I was about 6 weeks pregnant. I didn't want to lose another baby, but I promised God that I would have peace in whatever happened, but that if He chose to continue my pregnancy that I would raise her up to know Him and all his goodness. God has truly blessed me in a very special way. Being a mom is such a gift...the best ever!

I turned 30 and it's hard to believe. I don't really think 30 is old...it's just older than I was before. Honestly, turning 30 made me think about the many years that have passed too quickly. I've been thinking a lot about my quiet times with God. These days my quiet time is more likely to include singing to God before my work day begins, praying during the 'moment of silence' "silently" at work, and praying before I go to bed at night (that is if I don't fall asleep first). It is time to get back on track...the right track. I am reminded of Matthew 6:33-34 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 


One more update..a pretty important one! My sister, Summer got married to Joe on November 7th. I am so happy for them and hope their marriage is filled with many happy memories and much love. I pray that she will be as happy and in love with Joe as I am with Tim. I will have to say that I have the best husband in the world and I am majorly blessed to be married to him! MG had a very long day meeting so many new people. She got to meet her great grandmother which was really special. I was really proud of Makayla; she didn't cry once for the 8 hours she was out of the house that day. Of course, I felt so bad for messing up her schedule, and by the end of the night she was exhausted (we all were). So that is the update for November so far. It's been very busy, but I am going to slow down, take time to enjoy every moment, trust in God, and make time for Him! I know that doing so will make me a better mommy and a better wife. God Bless.

Makayla's Baby Dedication

My Birthday Cake and MG's Cake (Summer made these!)

Not enough time....

I know, I know....she is the cutest baby ever!

 

 

There are not enough hours in the day, and there are not enough minutes in the hour! At least when it comes to spending time with Tim and Makayla. It has been 4 weeks since I went back to work, and time is flying by. My days seem busy and exhausting. Friday nights seem to be my crash night. I end up falling asleep around 7:00, only waking up to nurse Makayla. Then by Saturday morning, I feel guilty for not spending more time with Tim and MG, for not unloading the dishwasher, for not doing the laundry, for not vacuuming, and so on. I am obviously still adjusting to being this person that can do it all....unfortunately, I'm just not that person.

Nana had to take MG to the doctor this week. She has baby eczema, and it got pretty bad over the last week. It is so hard to watch Makayla cry and scratch until it bleeds :( Fortunately, her pediatrician gave her some medicine that has helped a lot. She is feeling a lot better today. Thank the good Lord!

So, here I am just loving the weekends! I get to spend all day hanging out with my daughter and husband. Usually we reserve one weekend day to just completely relaxing...it's nice! Then we spend a little time tidying up the house...necessary but not so much fun. I use to enjoy cleaning by the way, but now I'd rather spend time cuddling with MG and watching her smile. Makayla is 15 weeks old today. I love watching her grow..she is so amazing! but it also made me a little sad when I packed up her 0-3 month clothing. Time really does fly when you're having fun.

Here are some new pictures I thought I would share!

Nana dressed Makayla Grace up in this cute little animal print outfit. 

Makayla Grace with Daddy all geared up for game day. Go Vols!

Makayla in her jumper for the very first time on 9-26. She was really interested!...for about 10 minutes. We'll try it again in a few weeks.

First Week Back to Work

My first week back to work was how I expected....difficult and exhausting. Each morning as Tim would leave to take MG to Nana's house, I would feel sick to my stomach. Literally, I felt like I was going to vomit, but I never did.  People kept saying, "Don't worry, it will get easier!" That entire statement is just a bit annoying in my opinion. Yes, I will have no choice but to get used to it, but it will never be easy to leave my daughter with someone else. A lady I know went back to work just three weeks after having her baby, some go back in six weeks, and some get the luxury of staying home. Thankfully, I was to able to stay out for 11 weeks with Makayla. It was the most wonderful 11 weeks getting to know my beautiful daughter. She does something new everyday, and she is getting so big so fast. After weeks of staring and smiling at her own feet, she finally found them yesterday! Way to go Makayla! Now, about my week at work. I had more work to catch up on than I had expected. I am a teacher so you can only imagine...well, maybe you can't imagine because most people have no idea the amount of meetings and paperwork that come along with the job. Add that to getting to know my students, giving assessments to find out what they've learned, and smiling at all the other teachers I pass in the hallway, when all I really want to do it catch my breath! Oh and did I mention the fact that I pump  any chance I get? I was super busy and very drained by Friday. In fact, I fell asleep on the couch Friday at 7:30 pm. The fact that I have a job that I enjoy makes this whole transition manageable.  A friend called to check on me and graciously reminded me that God placed me where He wants me. That reminded me once again that it's not all about me. 
I feel so blessed that MG's Nana is taking care of her. You see, if me and Tim have to work, then my mom would be the only other person I would want taking care of my little girl. I sure missed Makayla so much, and I know this week won't be any easier. MG smiled so happily every day when I picked her up. My daughter's smile melts my heart.