So, as I shared in my previous post we had a busy Saturday between Christmas on the Square and the Christmas parade. Sunday didn't hold out on the busyness but it was a good thing!! Some dear friends of ours threw Nema Grace and I a baby shower!! We are so blessed by this because we are starting over with all the baby gear we had from Zeke. Well, with the exception of a few small items. We got a lot of great things and are truly thankful for the love that is already felt for our little angel. Here are a few pics...
My mom, Arnett's mom, and me.
My sister and I.
Speaking of our baby girl, we hit 32 weeks last Friday. I had an appointment last Thursday and I am happy to report, all is well. We are measuring right on schedule and everything else looked good. Praise the Lord!!! Here's a pic of Nema and I at 32 weeks 2 days...
We also got our Christmas tree put up. Zeke loved putting on the ornaments and loves looking at the lights. Hopefully, we'll be able to keep his hands off the ornaments now that they are on the tree!! ;~) Here's a pic of Zeke helping with the tree..
This week Arnett and I will head back to Virginia to where we lived at the 8 weeks before we went to Mali. We'll be attending a debriefing conference for workers returning from a 2-3 year mission overseas. We are excited about this opportunity and about seeing a fellow neighbor that we served with in Mali. However, they don't offer childcare at the conference, so we are having to leave Zeke behind. We know he'll be in GREAT hands, as he'll be staying with his Mimi and Papa a few days and then going to his Nana and Papa's. I'm the one who's a little nervous. Zeke's had a hard time lately dealing with transition and has been extra clingy. Please join us in praying for him as we leave him behind for a few days. This will be the longest we have ever been away from him!! Please also pray for safe travels as we make the long drive to Virginia. Pray that the conference will be a sweet time of reflection, refreshment, and renewal. Even though, we've been home 3 months, we are still in a period of transition. Pray that the conference will help us deal with this transition.
Speaking of our transition, one of the areas we are having the hardest time getting back into the swing of is going to Church. This has been a great source of discouragement, frustration, and sadness for me. While living overseas one of the things we desired the most was to be able to go to a worship service in our heart language. We so looked forward to getting back to the States and being able to go to church again. We both have this great desire to go to church and Sunday School but to also get Zeke involved. However, since we got home we have constantly struggled with this area. First, there's the inevitable we are not going to make it on time because we just can't seem to get it together in the morning!! Second, Zeke hates church, well maybe not church per se but he HATES the nursery at church. Pretty much every time we pull into the parking lot he immediately says, "NO! NO! NO!!" I have been going into the nursery with Zeke and he'll do okay. One Sunday I was even able to sneak out for church and Sunday School! I thought, we are getting somewhere!! However, that lasted about 1 week!! Now, he won't let me out of his sight and I have to sit in there the whole time or some poor nursery worker has to walk around with him outside. Yesterday morning, we were determined to go but by the time we go to church Arnett and I were so stressed I think we could have both cried (after church I did cry!!). We decided to just take him into church with us yesterday, but I mean let's face it, our son is 2 1/2 he can't sit quiet and still for 5 minutes let alone 45 minutes (cause you know we are at least 15 minutes late every Sunday!!). So, we sit there for 45 minutes on egg shells trying to keep him quiet and entertained. We may get a piece or two of the message but not what we want. Honestly, I'm at the point I just want to quit going all together but the hard part is I just have this strong desire to go!! Then at the back of my mind is the fact that in less than 2 months we're going to add another child to the mix. How in the world are we ever going to be able to go to church again?? As you can probably tell I'm just beyond frustrated at the moment. Yesterday morning was a rough morning. We really wanted to go to Sunday School but we decided against it and just came on home. Will you please pray for us in this area. Pray that God will show us His desire for our family. Maybe, we are to do home church for a while. Maybe, we're to keep pressing forward, I don't know, I just know that I want what God wants and pray that He'll give us some help in this area. Pray for Zeke that he'll learn to love the nursery and his Sunday School class. Thank you so much for continuing on with us in this journey. Until next time...
4 comments:
We'll be praying for y'all. These transitions are indeed tough, but you WILL get through it. You're missionaries, so look at the situation that God has given you and find a way. I guarantee you that He has one that will honor Him and give you peace.
Relax ... He is in control, loves you, and knows your heart.
Have fun at the ILC!
This might not be encouraging but Jack cried for a whole year before he got comfortable being in church. It was awful!! At first it was both of them but then it just got to be Jack. Thankfully we had great nursery workers who were okay with him crying and they were patience. Each week he cried less and less. And now he doesn't cry at all! So, just know there will be light at the end of the tunnel...it's hard, I think it's harder on the parents than it is on them! Praying for you guys!!
Hey Crystal! Church can be so hard with little ones, eh? I was so looking forward to English services too, then once we were here I remembered/realized that church is typically a pretty formal/quiet setting and not overly conducive to little ones (sadly!). We have been working with Micah to sit with us in church and be quiet. We let him move around a little (look at books, have snacks, colour) but he needs to stay quiet. After about a month of really working with him, he's been able to sit with us most weeks! If he gets really restless we are able to walk around with him at the back.
All that to say that there is hope! Whatever you decide, persevere. God desires for you to be with His body, but it might look different than you expect in this season of life!
I'm just caught up on your blog and am so glad to hear that you and Nema Grace are doing well!! Praise God!
I truly understand, my Jack is the same age as Zeke and I have not been able to attend services since he turned one, however our church does have a cry room / nursing room that pipes in the service message, this has allowed me to go to a room that allows him to be a two year old while allowing me the opportunity to listen to the message, perhaps your church has a room like that?? we will keep you and yours in our prayers..
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