"Family"

I have been extremely weepy today.  Blame it on the pregnancy hormones, but Jesus has been wrecking my heart lately.  The last 9 weeks on Tuesday mornings, I have been listening to my friend Kathy Howard teach her study Unshakeable Faith.   

 

It has been so challenging.  This last week we focused on a very important faith trait: be connected to a local church body with love and service.  Kathy talks about Peter's life in this study, how Jesus transforms his life.  

Kathy says, "During a post-resurrection appearance, Jesus specifically emphasized the connection between loving Him and loving those who belong to Him (see John 21:15-17).  Right after breakfast on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asked Peter 3 times if Peter loved Him.  Three times he said, "Yes, Lord."  And all three times Jesus replied with a command for Peter to care for His "sheep."  Jesus made sure Peter got it: to love Jesus is to love and care for His body, the church."

The 5 1/2 years Jared and I have been married we have lived far away from family.  But because of our church, we DO have family here.  Our church is our family.  We have been SO incredibly blessed to be where we are, in the church we are in.  

But, I was also very convicted by the study this week.  What am I doing to care and love on others in our church and our community?  I am not perfect, the church is not perfect, but we should be striving to do what Jesus says, "care for my sheep."  

Kathy says, "Jesus commanded us to love each other like He loves us.  Deeply, unselfishly, with the other's best interests at heart.  In this way, Jesus used His body, the local church, to love His children.  He cares for us, comforts us, provides for us, and encourages us through the hands and feet -- the lives -- of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  In order to give and receive Christ's love like God commands, we must have a vital connection to a local church body."    

This is a picture of our growing family (with our little boy in my tummy)!  But Jared and I feel very called to foster/adopt.  We have NO idea what this means for us, we just know that our family isn't complete.  Jesus was GRACIOUS enough to adopt me into His family, I just feel called to add another member of our family that way too.  I think this is why our family and our church means so much to us.  

If you are reading this and don't have a church home, I encourage you to find one.  If you live in our area, come check out our church - The Woodlands First Baptist Church, Birnham Woods Campus.  We are an imperfect people but we would love to be part of your family!

New Beginnings

Growing up, I always wanted to be a Mom.  Playing house was my favorite thing (if I could talk my sisters into it!)!  If I wasn't playing with them then I was playing with dolls pretending I was their Mom.  The last 5 years I have started off every August walking into the gym at Coulson Tough Elementary.  When I found out I was pregnant with Lucy, I knew I wanted to stay home with her but never saw how that was financially possible.  I cried my first day back to school last year.  Not because I hated my job, but because my heart was torn in 2 places - at school and at home with Lucy.

Sitting at my computer this morning looking at all the back to school pictures, I felt my eyes well up with tears.  I was sad to be missing all of the fun excitement that the first day of school brings.  But then, I saw a little girl standing up in her crib waiting for me to go get her and the tears went away.  I will always love and cherish my memories I had teaching school.  But, there is another job I know I'm supposed to be doing right now - being Lucy's Mom.  The job that has been engraved on my heart since I was born.  

So, here's to new beginnings!  I told Jared this morning that instead of having 1100 students everyday, I only had 1! (And to be honest, she's my favorite!)  I know that God has blessed me immensely with every job that I've had.  I pray for my new job - that I can have the patience and wisdom to run a Godly household.  I hope everyone that is teaching school or sending their kids to school have a great year!

I'll leave you with a picture of my cute "student" this year!

365 Days

In 365 Days . . .

   -I met someone who was a missing part of our family.

    - I have survived on very little sleep.

-I have changed THOUSANDS of diapers

- I have seen our laundry double (maybe triple)!

           

      -I have spent countless hours playing on the floor.

             -I have learned how to be unselfish - that someone else's needs matter more than my own.

-I have earned a new name - Mommy!

-I have seen just a GLIMPSE of the love that God has for his children!

These 365 days have been the most joyous and challenging days of my life.  I will never forget seeing that face and hearing her cry for the first time.  When I was little, I loved baby dolls and dreamed of one day being a mommy.  Some days I feel like my heart could burst because of the love I have for my sweet Lucy.  I thank God everyday for the gift of her life and I pray this over her: 

Lucy Grace,

May I always strive to be your mommy, not your friend.  May I always try to show you Jesus in the way that I live.  May I teach you manners and to respect everyone.  May I always tell you that your beautiful - but that beauty isn't focused outward but inward.  May I have patience - even on the hard days.  May I cherish each and every day with you, because each day is a gift.  

9 Months!

9 Months

(She is almost 10 months, better late than never, right?)

Weighs 21lbs

29.5 in long

She loves to:

-Eat "real" food

She doesn't like much baby food anymore, she wants to feed herself!  She eats LOTS of fruits and vegetables!

-Open and close anything and everything!

She loves drawers, doors, purses, and bags!

-be down on the ground

She used to only want to be held, but now when you are holding her, she only wants to be down!  She is a busy girl!

She is still in a size 3 diaper.  She now has 4 teeth and more are coming VERY soon!  She eats 3 meals a day now with many snacks in between!  She loves to play and has started standing without holding on to anything.  I think the walking will come soon, but we're in NO rush!

Just to show how busy she is, if I didn't have my hand on her leg for the pictures, this is what she was doing!  She is so playful and has so much energy!  Her personality is really coming out and she is so much fun.  We love her so much!

My Prayer for Lucy

My little girl is now 9 months old.  To most of you, that still seems little.  And it is.  But to me, I feel like she is grown.  Ok, so I'm exaggerating a bit.  I walked into the sitter's house to get her yesterday and she was standing up playing with a little girl at a lego table.  Ummm, excuse me.  My baby is still supposed to be little enough to be carried around.  She is literally growing like a weed.  The days can seem long and then fly by all at the same time.

I stumbled on this blog the other day written by Ann Voskamp.  She wrote this prayer and when I read it I could barely see it through my tear-soaked eyes.  I know Lucy is still little, but I want to pray this prayer over her sweet little 9 month old life.  Because I know all too soon, my 9 month old will be 19.  And I all want for her is to know Christ the way I know him.  

Ann's original post can be found here.

Father who breathed into this daughter . .

I pray for this girl being formed into eternity . .

May the wind always be in her hair

May the sky always be wide with hope above her

And may all the hills be an exhilaration 

the trials but a trail,

all the stones but stairs to God.

God, clothe this girl in a gown of grace

Grace, the only dress that makes beautiful,

the style of Your spirit.

Nourish her on the comfort food of you Word,

Word, that makes her crave more of Christ,

have hunger pangs for Him.

Enclose her in communion with you

You, love who makes her love, who folds her heart into a roof

that absorbs storms for souls,

that make her tongue speak on the words that make souls stronger.

Make her vocation in this world simply be translation.

Translating every enemy into esteemed guest,

Translating every countenance into the face of Christ,

Translating every burden into blessing.

When it's hard to be patient . . . make her willing to suffer

When it's ridiculous to be thankful . . . make her see all is grace

When it's radical to forgive. .  . make her live the foundation of our faith

And when it's time to work . . . make her a holy wonder.

May she be bread and feed many with her life and her laughter

May be be thread and mend brokenness and knit hearts

May she be dead to all ladders and never go higher, only lower, to the lonely and the least and the longing

Her led of the Spirit to lead many to the Cross

that leads to the tomb wildly empty.

OH, AND RAISE ME, LORD, FROM THE DEADNESS OF MY OWN SINS TO LOVE THIS BEAUTIFUL GIRL LIKE YOU DO . . .

I love you Lucy!

2012

2012 was a year of change for the McCaleb family.  It was exciting, challenging, and and scary all at the same time.  But one things always remains consistent: God loving us and always taking care of us.

2012 brought us PARENTHOOD!  We found out our sweet Lucy was coming in 2011, and she made her appearance on April 23rd, 2012.  It was one of the best days of our lives.  As many people say, parenting is the best job in the world and the hardest job in the world.  

Lucy makes our lives sweeter each and every day.  I think the Lord gave us children so we can catch of glimpse of how much he loves us.  We are loving being parents.  Lucy is now 8 months old and is quite the socialite.  She loves life and every new thing is exciting to her.  Being parents is truly a gift from God and we thank Him for blessing us with such a sweet gift.

In 2012, the Lord also taught us about PROTECTION.  On June 12th we had a bad storm and a tree fell on our house while Lucy and I were inside.  Many attributing factors proved that God was definitely in the room protecting us.  I wrote a detailed post about it HERE.  Every time a storm comes and I get scared again, I think back to this day and how differently things could have turned out and I'm so thankful to God for his protection over our family.

In 2012, God also showed us about His provision.  He provided us a wonderful church family where we dedicated Lucy to Him in August.  It was such a sweet time and I pray that Jared and I will be the parents God called us to be.  I pray that we love Him first and foremost, love each other, and teach Lucy how to do the same.  

He continues to provide for our family and we know He will do the same in 2013.  It's fun to look back at this past year and see all the many changes in our lives and how He works everything out in His time and for His good.  

My prayer for 2013 is that we continue to look to the Lord and follow in obedience!

Lucy Updates!

6 Months

Weighs

18lb 6oz

28in long

She loves to:

-eat (still!)

We started her on vegetables this month and she is loving them!  

-move!  

She gets around anywhere and everywhere!

-bite and chew

She is biting and chewing on everything with her new teeth!!

7 Months

She loves to:

-eat

She loves trying new foods and has liked all of them (carrots, squash, peas)

-play

She is loving getting down in the floor and playing with all her toys!

8 Months

Weighs around 20 pounds

She is very big for her age but also very tall!  We'll see if she stays that way!

She loves to:

-eat!

This is a first for every month because she is such a good eater!  Still loving her vegetables and about to start on fruits!

-stand up!

She is pulling up on everything!  It scares her mommy and daddy and sometimes scares her too when she is standing up and can't figure out what to do after that!

-play

She loves to play more and more each day!

She is in size 3 diapers now.  She still nurses 5 times a day and basically eats 3 times a day.  Pretty soon we'll start giving her a sippy cup and hopefully more and more food.  She takes 2 pretty good naps every day and sleeps through the night.  She still only has 2 teeth but I think more will come very soon!  She is such a happy girl and we love her so much!