tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-339879632024-03-13T05:39:45.453-05:00EsperanzaSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-48613062774221336212013-04-26T18:17:00.000-05:002013-04-26T18:17:31.110-05:00At 2 years old you....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-N1QAG_BSssTdeNVNWUWst0YaE8u36myIDpxZZzsMy0o_-oEY3Reyfn2N45pIb-iHSMLhx9zY2XqoTQIQQQjheMAWHa2dE-xkUFVcAnTRSWW84U5Q8O_cGycPzOJtxlq1Q/s1600/IMG_3010edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="449" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-N1QAG_BSssTdeNVNWUWst0YaE8u36myIDpxZZzsMy0o_-oEY3Reyfn2N45pIb-iHSMLhx9zY2XqoTQIQQQjheMAWHa2dE-xkUFVcAnTRSWW84U5Q8O_cGycPzOJtxlq1Q/s640/IMG_3010edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
*have crazy, curly hair that grows in all directions, but faster in the back<br />
*have 18 teeth<br />
*sleep about 10.5 hours at night and take one nap for 2-3 hours<br />
*will eat most anything, and lots of it<br />
*are scared of the blender, the mixer, the vacuum, and other things that plug in and make a loud noise<br />
*wear size 3T or 4T clothes<br />
*have tall and wide feet, making it nearly impossible to find you shoes<br />
*are quite feminine in the way you move and the things you like<br />
*get pretty jealous if your mom holds another child or snuggles too close to your dad<br />
*when asked if you want a brother or sister, you say sister every time<br />
*like to play puzzles (especially the tiger puzzle a hundred times a day), read books, chase chickens and cats<br />
*talk non-stop to your parents, but clam up in a crowd<br />
*hop and skip to most places, instead of walking<br />
*know dozens of songs and dance moves<br />
*know how to work your parents' phones to get to the pictures and videos, which are all of you<br />
*are interested in the potty training concept until it comes time to sit on the seatSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-89591032637162444232012-11-04T16:12:00.000-06:002012-11-04T16:12:05.378-06:00"Red Letter Revolution" by Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipJKJBalswQAUHdSlJVN68jhoLi2l6JxNEI8R5gK55bTjjQf8gcC6vibYaC4TXesJIIK26iqQbFhy3fq-GPyp8jM7_0da6iT56N02kt2_ho2gMv9NQYa9UslCQTVVJ5Jk0g/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipJKJBalswQAUHdSlJVN68jhoLi2l6JxNEI8R5gK55bTjjQf8gcC6vibYaC4TXesJIIK26iqQbFhy3fq-GPyp8jM7_0da6iT56N02kt2_ho2gMv9NQYa9UslCQTVVJ5Jk0g/s320/cover.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
In another review of this book, I read the comment "This book doesn't quite know what it wants to be when it grows up." I thought that was a perfect way to express what I felt after reading Red Letter Revolution. No conversation was finished. Very few absolute truths or hard stances were taken. The meandering, conversation style of the book left many questions unanswered and too many gray areas. I have a suspicion what the authors wanted was to more stimulate discussion than to lay out a defined path. But for a mostly left-brain person like me, it is just annoying. Unsatisfying. Foggy. It bothers me when I am talking to someone and they switch subjects too fast and I can't finish my thoughts or hear the fullness of what they are thinking. That is exactly how I felt reading this book.<br />
<br />
Basically, a big chunk of the main points the book conveyed are we need to love everyone, spend less, and live out what the church needs to be rather than relying on politics and government. These I whole-heartedly agree with and struggle with day to day. A number of things in the book I didn't agree with, as I would assume is the case with most. However Shane and Tony agreed every.single.time. Very annoying. I thought surely somewhere in the book they would agree to disagree, but it never happened. An astounding amount of Scriptures were taken completely out of context and used to support arguments they were not intended for, which raised my concern about people reading this who don't have a good grasp of the Bible. I felt there was too much of the same content as Irresistible Revolution to warrant another book, though I didn't break out my old copy to compare. <br />
<br />
I felt Shane dominated many of the conversations, though I didn't really mind this as he is so fun to read. He has a gift of story-telling, and if he is anything, he is consistent in his theology. I also really like the creativity of his way of living out his faith. I admit I browsed the Simple Way (his organization in Philly) website just to see if there were more ideas, but didn't find anything noteworthy I didn't already know about.<br />
<br />
Overall impression: mediocre, flawed theology, but thought-provoking. Gave me some good things to think about regarding the application of my faith to my own life. Would not recommend to new believers. 3 stars.<br />
<br />
<em>I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”</em>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-68688118011647829262012-10-29T19:08:00.001-05:002012-10-29T19:08:27.984-05:00At 18 months you....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpJs0w1Z2Abz5cpoS_HrXsqh6dexMThMx7lBOyIfquEQGggvmVEq_Huhgdw9jZZvi818CO5yCgu9UOsHFWzt-8k38NlUi6in1INiW3zSTNEjyIcOMKjEYJ3KmlqXozdNteQ/s1600/IMG_1349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpJs0w1Z2Abz5cpoS_HrXsqh6dexMThMx7lBOyIfquEQGggvmVEq_Huhgdw9jZZvi818CO5yCgu9UOsHFWzt-8k38NlUi6in1INiW3zSTNEjyIcOMKjEYJ3KmlqXozdNteQ/s640/IMG_1349.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
*sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "ABCs" almost constantly<br />
*can verbally communicate easily with your parents<br />
*sometimes stick your tongue out to signal "yes" (unsure where that came from)<br />
*love to get the mail, looking both ways down the street and saying "no cars!"<br />
*love going to church and Sunday school class more than almost anything in the world<br />
*still take two naps, despite efforts to consolidate into one<br />
*sometimes will announce when your diaper needs to be changed<br />
*appear to be quite tall for your age, though you haven't been measured lately<br />
*wear mostly 24 month clothes, though the shirts and pants are sometimes too short<br />
*eat like a champ<br />
*adore "the girls", Kelsey and McKayla Corder, whom you stay with during the day<br />
*love to color, wrap your puppy up in a blanket and rock it, get your teeth brushed, and look through books<br />
*get all excited about Skyping with Grandma and Grandpa Blanshan, Auntie Anne, and Granddaddy Dill, but become very quiet once they are actually on the screen<br />
*are shy in public<br />
*can count to 13, though you very rarely say the number 5<br />
*have long enough hair to pull into a ponytail<br />
*are the prettiest, most wonderful, fun little girl ever, in the unbiased opinion of your motherSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-25508117569314974442012-09-10T19:01:00.000-05:002012-09-10T19:01:39.891-05:00The MoneySmart Family system by Steve & Annette Economides<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlLL1aYYtO3g_1QmQs7EXgDl7p3KDgg4PacPNtlEqZxDh2bzhwqXBvfJNy1OMPTGe-GSTJPNDbvvKo1-XQCpcwcG_GT-sCYXhDgAFnOobb1osZqs-FVbDy2xsmpGmxovEgQ/s1600/MSF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlLL1aYYtO3g_1QmQs7EXgDl7p3KDgg4PacPNtlEqZxDh2bzhwqXBvfJNy1OMPTGe-GSTJPNDbvvKo1-XQCpcwcG_GT-sCYXhDgAFnOobb1osZqs-FVbDy2xsmpGmxovEgQ/s1600/MSF.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
This book gives an overview of the Economides’ method of
teaching financial independence to children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They give a detailed explanation of the budgeting system they taught
their kids, as well as many helpful ideas and methods in specific situations
and stages of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They really push
home the “5/500/5,000/50,000” rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
that, they mean that if you teach a kid a good financial principle when they
are young, it will cost you $5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
wait till they are a little older, it will cost you $500.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you wait longer yet, $5,000, and if you
wait until they are an adult, it will cost you $50,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It stimulated me to get excited about
thinking of ways to teach financial principles to my kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed taking their ideas and thinking of other
fun things to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agreed with almost
everything they said, though I would have enjoyed if they would have brought
out more Biblical principles about money to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had a pretty secular feel to it, though
they did mention church and giving money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I especially liked the idea of giving children “raises” as they get
older, because more is required of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I would recommend this book to all parents and hope to be parents to
start thinking about making preparations to teach financial independence, even
if you go about it a whole different way than what was presented.</div>
<br />
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the
publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <<a href="http://booksneeze®.com/">http://BookSneeze®.com</a>> book review
bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I
have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal
Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <<a href="http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html">http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html</a>>
: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in
Advertising.”Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-1844263623965419582012-08-29T11:45:00.000-05:002012-08-29T11:45:16.263-05:00No shampoo experimentOver the last few months, something went wrong with my hair. I'm not sure what happened, but it had just become more and more difficult to manage. I consulted hair stylists. I got a new cut. I "invested" in some pricey, salon quality shampoo and conditioner. It seemed the harder I tried to make it look ok, the worse it looked. I just started pulling my hair up in a ponytail every day because I couldn't do anything with it. I am way too cheap and way too low maintenance to put a whole lot of effort into my hair.<br /><br />I should add that most of my life I have had stick straight hair. However, the older I get, the more waves and little curls I get, especially in the back of my hair. Odd. I also should confess that I tend to have dandruff too. Yuck, I know. I've tried most of the anti-dandruff shampoos available, with minimal benefit.<br />
<br />
Anywho, I had been hearing some about this no shampoo method and I was a little interested. I read a few websites about it just to get a sense of what it was. I found this site helpful and interesting.<br />
<a href="http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/">http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/</a><br />
<br />
Then I ran out of my $10 bottle of investment shampoo. So what better time than the present to try it out?<br />
<br />
Here are the supplies:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BrEWSP8Zdd9vN7YdScOadzBDTQO4GpT3duUOloNek9XT_mts1QzhRTRHI_6ZOMBncUDjvg01JaHQ6WLmDBs6kwBL72mev5nP_6B4B86s6Fc9igTJy0UZ64Szi-8qPfJxMg/s1600/IMG_0695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BrEWSP8Zdd9vN7YdScOadzBDTQO4GpT3duUOloNek9XT_mts1QzhRTRHI_6ZOMBncUDjvg01JaHQ6WLmDBs6kwBL72mev5nP_6B4B86s6Fc9igTJy0UZ64Szi-8qPfJxMg/s320/IMG_0695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And here's my method:</div>
1. Use baking soda mixed with a little bit of water to scrub your scalp with your finger tips after your hair is wet. I read a bunch of different ratios online, but the one I tried first was 2 tablespoons of baking soda to 2 tablespoons water. I found this too thin. Now I just eyeball it, putting a little bit of baking soda in a small bowl and sprinkle water on it until it gets like I want it. <br />
2. Rinse hair out.<br />
3. Use a apple cider vinegar and water mixture to "condition" your hair. This ratio I use is 1 part apple cider vinegar to 3 parts water. I put this is a water bottle and squirt it on my hair. You are supposed to stay away from the roots of your hair, as this will make it look greasy.<br />
4. Rinse out.<br />
<br />
That's it! I've been doing it almost three weeks, and I love it. My hair looks a lot better than it has in a long time! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIIEJFi8dXczwIC6fcaGT5LXJMeKUKoeRHuTE5s9eGFXBl91O0uZ2UXjqJM-Wd_V92gonW4uI5nfCG0FT-R-D-16X96oaApKlAN1fKvNI-lPCxmBS18u8c7Izf_lYbXmEGQ/s1600/IMG_0691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIIEJFi8dXczwIC6fcaGT5LXJMeKUKoeRHuTE5s9eGFXBl91O0uZ2UXjqJM-Wd_V92gonW4uI5nfCG0FT-R-D-16X96oaApKlAN1fKvNI-lPCxmBS18u8c7Izf_lYbXmEGQ/s320/IMG_0691.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />The dandruff is gone, my hair is less greasy and feels softer, and I haven't needed to wash it every day!! It is super, duper cheap, and gets rid of a few more chemicals in my house.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As far as the ratios are concerned, the general consensus seems to be: do what works for your hair! If your hair is more greasy, use more baking soda. If it is dry, use less. Or if it is greasy, use less vinegar and make sure to stay away from the roots of your hair. Some people dissolve the baking soda in water, some people make it into a paste.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The only real downside is it doesn't feel as "luxurious" to wash your hair. The baking soda/water mixture doesn't bubble or feel smooth over your hair like traditional shampoo. But it's not a big deal to me.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After a few weeks as your scalp adjusts to having less harse stimuli, you are supposed to be able to stretch out times between washing. The lady from the website above only washes her hair about once a week. I'm not there yet, but I could probably go to every third day now. Some people have a "transition period" where their scalp goes into overdrive with oil production in response for a few weeks, but I didn't have that. There is a ton of information on the internet about this method and a million different ways to it, and I encourage you to try it out.</div>
Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-39768025852111847072012-08-25T21:29:00.000-05:002012-08-25T21:29:02.569-05:00Life. Updated.Ok, so it's been 4 months since I updated. Forgive me.<br />
<br />
Sometime back in March, we were reaching a point where we just didn't know what to do next. Time till Bob's graduation was drawing near, and we still had not made a decision about what life direction we were going to go We had options, but none really were sitting well with us. <br />
<br />
Then Bob got an email. "Maybe come to Louisiana" it said. "You could fill a need here." He forwarded it to me. I read the first line or two at work, sitting alone, and closed it out fast, not daring to read the rest because I knew. I knew that was where we were going to go. We had prayed the night before, again, pleading with God to show us what to do, because we were so tired of being in limbo.<br />
<br />
We went and visited. It fit. We said yes. I cried a lot. First for the reality of leaving the family that adopted me, who gave me their name. I had already left my first family and now I had to do it over again. Secondly, I cried for the reality of not being an international missionary. Yes, yes, I know all about "being a missionary where you are" and all that stuff. But I wanted to go to a land I did not know, to travel, eat strange things, learn a language, to walk with those in true poverty, and work with people who do not think like me. Now that did not seem like it was to be.<br />
<br />
(side-note: I will likely have a whole other blog post about life in Louisiana and how maybe this is a country all its own, but that will have to come later.)<br />
<br />
But comfort in God's will prevailed and the tears dried, though they resurface occasionally. We put our little house on the market. We planned another trip back to find a new place to live and get a job for me.<br />
<br />
I truly job-searched for the first time in my life. I marketed myself to where there was no job posting. I came to the conclusion that nurse practitioners barely existed in Louisiana or the market was saturated. I learned later I was right; I was just one of many NPs. And it's all about who you know and I didn't know anybody.<br />
<br />
We came down for our second visit without much of an agenda, which is not what we wanted. I had been unable to find a job. We looked at a bunch of rentals, and saw too many cockroaches for our liking. Someone mentioned maybe teaching nursing, which I had not thought about. I found a job to apply to at a university, but couldn't get the fax machine to work for a few days. Finally, I got it sent off. We found a place to rent we liked, but it was pretty much already taken unless we could rent it that day. We still hadn't sold our house.<br />
<br />
The day came for us to leave. We were feeling quite guilty at this point, because the church had paid for our trip down there and we had not accomplished much. On the way to the airport, we starting thinking it probably would be better just to start paying on the rental house to reserve it. We would say "Yes" to coming though we didn't know how we would with a house to sell. The landlady was pleased we wanted it and picked us over another applicant. We sent a deposit check back with our ride to the airport. Whew, we had a place to live.<br />
<br />
Earlier that morning, I had received a call from the university. They liked my resume. We talked in the airport while I was waiting for my plane. I didn't know much about the job at that point, but they seemed to be offering it to me if I wanted it. We set up a video interview for later.<br />
<br />
We got on the plane. We started down the runway, but then we stopped. The pilot came on, saying there's weather in Houston, folks. He let us turn on cell phones on while we waited for clearance to take off. A few minutes later, my phone rang, and it was our realtor, saying our house had sold. <br />
<br />
Whoa. In a matter of hours, we found a place to live, I seemed to have a job offer, and we sold our house. <em>Praise the Lord! </em>It was as if He was saying, "Come on, take a step in trust, and I will take care of the rest." <br />
<br />
Our flight got cancelled completely, and we got to stay another night, to come home to celebrate with our new church family.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvod0Iyq1aAvZbSEcC_DVZx-on6H0Rm9YKVc1ciUPGye6Ffss-uuHE7CTy4EgahwQmRbSjuZPhKAhVS9nExvkWyykeYk79jDU4YI0qRpSQ7zlw_pPI2rZBdql7xasy_bSf5A/s1600/IMAG0173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvod0Iyq1aAvZbSEcC_DVZx-on6H0Rm9YKVc1ciUPGye6Ffss-uuHE7CTy4EgahwQmRbSjuZPhKAhVS9nExvkWyykeYk79jDU4YI0qRpSQ7zlw_pPI2rZBdql7xasy_bSf5A/s400/IMAG0173.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
We packed up our house, I quit my job, and those that do not believe thought we were crazy. But here we are, learning our way around, picking up a few new words and eating a few strange things. We feel the Lord has led us here, though we do not know His full purposes for us. But for now, this will be our mission field.Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-50859901496820277242012-04-30T19:59:00.000-05:002012-04-30T19:59:28.063-05:00At 12 months you.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4DuRR7mZnSePNtN5abtpAQqSB06U-TVy-G_Hbc25bJZaTuUZ2nYX05wkVI9ytxBg5BQQ1J4JpkQlttZJx6fGS-7oQZLAPi1BNwLZCe7xYKhBnLkb7TI4fgAfOMKXqVYUOQ/s1600/IMG_9556.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4DuRR7mZnSePNtN5abtpAQqSB06U-TVy-G_Hbc25bJZaTuUZ2nYX05wkVI9ytxBg5BQQ1J4JpkQlttZJx6fGS-7oQZLAPi1BNwLZCe7xYKhBnLkb7TI4fgAfOMKXqVYUOQ/s400/IMG_9556.JPGedit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
*still have eight teeth<br />
*weigh 21.6 pounds and are 2 feet, 6 inches tall<br />*are walking like crazy<br />
*can stack blocks<br />
*successfully smashed cake all over your face for your birthday<br />
*have tasted formally forbidden foods: cow's milk, honey, chocolate, etc<br />
*spend most of your day wandering around pulling things off shelves<br />*like to be chased<br />
*are scared of the vacuum cleaner and the mixer<br />
*still freeze, drop to the ground, and put your face down whenever you first see Grandpa Blanshan<br />*eventually warm up to Grandpa Blanshan after making him work hard for your attention<br />
*mooch for food<br />
*ask for books all the time<br />
*are growing up way too fast for your mommy and daddySarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-73805105234287564692012-03-27T21:54:00.000-05:002012-03-27T21:54:23.497-05:00At 11 months you....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYR54nch7U6sR2OVYMa7cp1O348wTHUD2NdFG8zmdMx5agAlRpgMxH-YU1aETjc-8XvsFAuM7ZVbGUyiuZoEzxh165ovO-NtQ4gwwBuMiBsVwQaWECeBNkBq3JXiPBr6eOw/s1600/IMG_9355.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYR54nch7U6sR2OVYMa7cp1O348wTHUD2NdFG8zmdMx5agAlRpgMxH-YU1aETjc-8XvsFAuM7ZVbGUyiuZoEzxh165ovO-NtQ4gwwBuMiBsVwQaWECeBNkBq3JXiPBr6eOw/s400/IMG_9355.JPGedit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>*have eight teeth<br />
*imitate lots of words and sounds<br />
*have walked short distances between people<br />
*are sleeping through the night again, mostly<br />
*love the swings at the park and the warmer weather<br />
*can climb up uncarpeted stairs no problem<br />
*enjoy playing with other kids<br />
*have some mild separation anxiety<br />
*like puppies, as long as they're not in your face<br />
*like to strum the guitar and ukulele<br />
*have all sorts of new dance movesSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-28613513014233796912012-02-28T20:29:00.000-06:002012-02-28T20:29:28.541-06:00At 10 months you.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3LYmHznTzcC6I50nMnKTsZTy2bjYcQrvWi4Ve3zbvrrj1WIWHaA_C_z0ivNv68QKsPhRyEBytN298W49POMwrpDxVyhwsIFlLBvOs9GFOLwMTbu4x9vz_FscZE5GLeN1Gw/s1600/IMG_9145.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3LYmHznTzcC6I50nMnKTsZTy2bjYcQrvWi4Ve3zbvrrj1WIWHaA_C_z0ivNv68QKsPhRyEBytN298W49POMwrpDxVyhwsIFlLBvOs9GFOLwMTbu4x9vz_FscZE5GLeN1Gw/s400/IMG_9145.JPGedit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>*scrunch your nose up when you smile<br />
*have started waking up in the night again<br />
*have added tickle, hi, book, and no to your vocabulary<br />
*stand on your own occasionally<br />
*cruise around furniture effortlessly<br />
*crawl up on all fours very quickly<br />
*enjoy all sorts of foods, a few favorites are macaroni and cheese, chicken, bread, cheerios, bananas<br />
*throw your food and/or drink on the floor when you're done<br />
*like to turn the radio off and on, then turn the volume up and down<br />
*can climb up carpeted stairs<br />
*are in constant motionSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-50615934521754852232012-01-28T18:42:00.001-06:002012-01-28T19:54:33.972-06:00At 9 months you....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCirgNcMPAzK5XCSbNNOvkfILfOWZWID7aWB_U83O2bJXvGl9ixqpk7cP-lzuLH1Esz9331pyV-zNKX-v9qSAmiT1cHuIEvISgiMif_KCIBordIHFhxPmw7otSWs0Owgk5Lg/s1600/IMG_8834.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCirgNcMPAzK5XCSbNNOvkfILfOWZWID7aWB_U83O2bJXvGl9ixqpk7cP-lzuLH1Esz9331pyV-zNKX-v9qSAmiT1cHuIEvISgiMif_KCIBordIHFhxPmw7otSWs0Owgk5Lg/s400/IMG_8834.JPGedit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*have six teeth</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*enjoy clapping</div>*can crawl quite quickly, though you still use the army crawl technique<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*love feeding yourself chunks of food</div>*have said momma and daddy for sure, and possibly cookie, yum, and yay<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*often greet us after naps standing in your crib</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*like to play hide and go seek with your parents</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*love music and dancing</div>*got caught eating dirt from a houseplant<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*go for something naughty (i.e. cords, plugs, plants) when your parents leave the room</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*pull yourself to standing whenever you have the chance</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*hold the phone to your ear</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*are acquiring more bumps and bruises from your attempts at independence</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*seem to have a new trick every day</div>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-28280619553507314172011-12-27T20:38:00.000-06:002011-12-27T20:38:52.583-06:00At 8 months you...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-ZKB25opJA/Tvp_EjAlU-I/AAAAAAAAA5s/qa_5JwDoDEk/s1600/IMG_8589.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-ZKB25opJA/Tvp_EjAlU-I/AAAAAAAAA5s/qa_5JwDoDEk/s400/IMG_8589.JPGedit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*have five teeth</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*have just starting "dancing" and moving your head to music<br />
*can move yourself into a sitting position<br />
*can pull yourself to standing </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*enjoyed your first Christmas and got a pig, a sled, a xylophone, and a dress from Mommy and Daddy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*finally got the idea of jumping in the Johnny Jumparoo instead of just swinging<br />
*pretty much eat anything if it is mashed to your liking </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*are more interested in walking with help than you are in crawling</div>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-87226797863052088622011-11-30T21:47:00.000-06:002011-11-30T21:47:53.553-06:00At seven months you...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5d3FlZd6KWRLzZnYeoxhxxO_P_KfsRKxjWm6jRUjSFJGl58nUhM0iwnNBFEJYURPFieIvsskZz642T0RqZNTs5c4mMi9hyphenhyphenetxusIC5tEuTvGwJlAjbnNirxEOQW2pEM-pw/s1600/IMG_8064.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5d3FlZd6KWRLzZnYeoxhxxO_P_KfsRKxjWm6jRUjSFJGl58nUhM0iwnNBFEJYURPFieIvsskZz642T0RqZNTs5c4mMi9hyphenhyphenetxusIC5tEuTvGwJlAjbnNirxEOQW2pEM-pw/s320/IMG_8064.JPGedit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*have four teeth</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*love to eat solids, if it doesn't include green things</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*chatter and sing constantly</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*can support your standing weight once helped up</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*like to knock down your daddy's block towers as fast as he puts them up</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*can give high fives </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*like animal sounds</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*are mobile around the house in your walker, following people to different rooms and seeing what you can reach</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*enjoy books and toys</div>*understand "no", but don't always choose to follow the instructionSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-87671322764275644992011-11-02T20:31:00.000-05:002011-11-02T20:31:07.687-05:00Book Review: Heaven is for Real<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKrTMPPablceaiTee9rg3HtEJtxUtZMyPjfnJ1EKWzO3WGAZoa-7QwB4R3qiF_7wanoZkB1NDkNajoQmh0ZxSBAkoji2Hk-T0VMa_jrC8cHNVvwcMTMphk5NL7DgEqehCsw/s1600/21KXSAve62L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKrTMPPablceaiTee9rg3HtEJtxUtZMyPjfnJ1EKWzO3WGAZoa-7QwB4R3qiF_7wanoZkB1NDkNajoQmh0ZxSBAkoji2Hk-T0VMa_jrC8cHNVvwcMTMphk5NL7DgEqehCsw/s200/21KXSAve62L.jpg" width="185" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just finished Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo, courtesy of BookSneeze. It is a story about just-shy-of-four-years Colton who was very critically ill and had a crazy experience. After he had recovered from his illness, he began sharing that he had been to heaven briefly while he was in emergency surgery. The story is told by his father, and you get to share in the experience through his eyes. Colton shares things he saw and learned in heaven, meeting his miscarried sister, long dead relatives, getting to know Jesus. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At first, his parents were understandable skeptical. But over time, Colton shared too many things to have been "coincidence". He revealed things in his childlike language that lined right up with what Scripture tells us heaven is going to be like. He seemed so innocent in his descriptions, and it led credibility to his story.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I can't help but admit I was very skeptical myself when I started reading the book. I always have to battle the demons of skepticism in myself, and I'm still not quite sure what I think about Colton's story. But I do know, if this story is true and it is not some guy just trying to make a buck by pulling at people's heartstrings, it is incredible. What a fearful privilege it would be to look into the eyes of Jesus, to meet those gone before us, or to see Satan and the battle that ensues for the souls of men.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall, a really good addicting book. I loved turning the page to hear in the broken language of a child truths about God, Jesus, and heaven. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http: booksneeze®.com="">book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http: 16cfr255_03.html="" cfr="" nara="" waisidx_03="" www.access.gpo.gov="">: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.</http:></http:></em></div>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-11968837166178495042011-10-27T19:56:00.001-05:002011-10-31T20:38:36.266-05:00At six months you....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfquVY-lKTr2e8ddmhLMFSEK2ycKNFXPO8xnekRqdrSgQkDZPhRU8uLCTw6r_DLM7Fhh22VFoenaEbs6Y9w1TTu13nxRWZTofLCrlrxwkYMETZyXTJxtgUDILENQ3U17sOQ/s1600/IMG_7396.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfquVY-lKTr2e8ddmhLMFSEK2ycKNFXPO8xnekRqdrSgQkDZPhRU8uLCTw6r_DLM7Fhh22VFoenaEbs6Y9w1TTu13nxRWZTofLCrlrxwkYMETZyXTJxtgUDILENQ3U17sOQ/s400/IMG_7396.JPGedit.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*are so inquisitive (hence the sideways "I-have-to-see-what-this-is" picture)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*can sit unsupported </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*have tried a handful of different solid foods and like them, though you make lots of funny faces</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*can inch forward to get things</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*have taken your third airplane trip to attend your eighth wedding</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*are very amused by other children running around</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*talk, sing, and shriek just to hear your own voice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*need infant clothes to come in the "tall" variety, measuring in at 26.6 inches and 16.4 pounds</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>*</em>have a little bit of sassiness to you</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*have complete taken over your mom and dad's world</div>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-75774999948740839182011-09-26T19:49:00.000-05:002011-09-26T19:49:34.141-05:00At 5 months you...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E-vWZ7UPMerJgsy0TwzpiJA9OlEYM9rGyHv1LWIjfQwBRUltyZh-f3MpRp5ICsge7-5EMxlACIUNfibaGhz8WPIKUHSefFq1Ze32BzYwMBQJg7wnoLfnFo0-YYTzkWLYZg/s1600/IMG_6962.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E-vWZ7UPMerJgsy0TwzpiJA9OlEYM9rGyHv1LWIjfQwBRUltyZh-f3MpRp5ICsge7-5EMxlACIUNfibaGhz8WPIKUHSefFq1Ze32BzYwMBQJg7wnoLfnFo0-YYTzkWLYZg/s400/IMG_6962.JPGedit.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*have two teeth, and are working on more</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*are a rolling machine</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*are giggly most of the time</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*often hum or moan when you're going to sleep</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*like throwing your arm over your eyes or putting your bear over your face to go to sleep</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*like to play peek-a-boo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*squawk and squeal and talk a lot</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*like being thrown up in the air</div>*have been to seven weddings, and have another one next month<br />
*like to play the piano with your feetSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-2527486087933198712011-08-29T21:02:00.000-05:002011-08-29T21:02:51.187-05:00Love You More-The Divine Surprise of Adopting my Daughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjyD1w11wBjf63soBV_bn7xNKI2iolFp1QTgvcmUHiuL6ytPdEzfX82CoqT23yOHZQvs7h4dRJzXmUqmZ-HOAPnAa9hZSWju5vj6D116jemr_SKUNlLAKdxP7A9rRWbW6VQ/s1600/th_ynavamy5aj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjyD1w11wBjf63soBV_bn7xNKI2iolFp1QTgvcmUHiuL6ytPdEzfX82CoqT23yOHZQvs7h4dRJzXmUqmZ-HOAPnAa9hZSWju5vj6D116jemr_SKUNlLAKdxP7A9rRWbW6VQ/s200/th_ynavamy5aj.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I recently read Love You More-The Divine Surprise of Adopting my Daughter. It chronicled Jennifer Grant's journey in adopting a little girl from Guatemala. She described the emotions of realizing she was being led to adopt, how her older three children adjusted to the new person, the pain of waiting, and lots of other engaging stories.<br />
<br />
Frankly, I loved it. Couldn't put it down. Maybe it is because I'm a new mom, and the feelings she expressed regarding her love for her child are so fresh on my mind. I could completely identify with how she fell in love with this child and wanted to know/feel/hear/see everything about her. Maybe I loved it because I hope to adopt a child someday, and I find the process intriguing, frustrating, ridiculous, and glorious all at the same time.<br />
<br />
Grant delved into some of the misconceptions about adoption, as well as some of the ugliness. She brought to light how adoption is a way to make big money in some countries, and how finding the right agency that does it's homework is key. I cannot imagine the terror of finding out your child, the one you have come to love and call your own, was not really without a family in the first place, but was abducted, sold for money, or some other atrocity.<br />
<br />
Grant includes a list of resources in the back, that I intend to check out and hope to find useful. I liked the way she told her story, though I occassionally got confused because it didn't exactly go in chronological order. Overall, a definite recommendation, particularly for those interested in adopting.<br />
<br />
<em>I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http: booksneeze®.com="">book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http: 16cfr255_03.html="" cfr="" nara="" waisidx_03="" www.access.gpo.gov="">: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.</http:></http:></em>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-32099193115493715982011-08-28T19:55:00.000-05:002011-08-28T19:55:30.799-05:00At four months you.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuM76AcWvb0aVYAerdyYlqi9W2nHWG4GGgPumbPEBABe_zArSTlVdSU7XRpgdgaNk5nly8bo1jnKYwnPtkndFRlInSlTmjagbtbn7M3yQ-wfMFZoIAxlN1C8374OM_7XxNQ/s1600/IMG_6658.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuM76AcWvb0aVYAerdyYlqi9W2nHWG4GGgPumbPEBABe_zArSTlVdSU7XRpgdgaNk5nly8bo1jnKYwnPtkndFRlInSlTmjagbtbn7M3yQ-wfMFZoIAxlN1C8374OM_7XxNQ/s400/IMG_6658.JPGedit.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>*giggle all the time<br />
*like to stand up with someone holding you<br />
*like sitting in the bumbo seat<br />
*are very intrigued by the person in the mirror<br />
* rarely don't have something in your mouth<br />
*love the exersaucer<br />
*wiggle, scoot, and kick yourself into different places<br />
*can reach for and hold objects<br />
*sleep 8-9 hours straight at night<br />
*weigh 14 lbs, 13oz, and are 64.5 cm long<br />
*drool incessantly<br />
*have brought so much joy to my lifeSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-3288833230628887032011-08-05T21:44:00.000-05:002011-08-05T21:44:00.644-05:00Just for funnzies.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzsmwd_ObFsWP1Af-UIGltSorR2zDftZH1EIXNQq2FmN922ggGlNwLrIw18VwhsAeYlfIID91WwQAI' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(She is totally asleep in this video.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-3712760602028556412011-07-30T16:15:00.000-05:002011-07-30T16:15:59.403-05:00At three months you....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmUeDf_45_9Lc0HceQS04gWMzklBg-agNO5kZRvvUeL2V9W3Se_HGlucMkMbU_PWbpK4ADqoPcssUUHz_iTBS769Nn86Yhkd8SWVn9B4hKYtK41aARsFqB-BBPfU6rBynEw/s1600/IMG_6209.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmUeDf_45_9Lc0HceQS04gWMzklBg-agNO5kZRvvUeL2V9W3Se_HGlucMkMbU_PWbpK4ADqoPcssUUHz_iTBS769Nn86Yhkd8SWVn9B4hKYtK41aARsFqB-BBPfU6rBynEw/s400/IMG_6209.JPGedit.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>*love to talk and squeal<br />
*almost always have your hands/thumb in your mouth<br />
*can roll from your tummy to your back<br />
*give giant smiles and giggle<br />
*can grab and pick up some things <br />
*enjoy playing with toys, books, and magazines<br />
*have grown out of another outfit every time I turn around<br />
*are a tad slow to warm up to new peopleSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-5753728031431575792011-07-01T17:19:00.001-05:002011-07-01T17:22:14.098-05:00A Place Called Blessing by John Trent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_gvnSPYLv0CugmlnpitVYbR7eiOOQ8bPpP3LFk_dMMZYuVz334RSQ0bRCXBM73_SRYB-t2NqBkRTWTn3WvBbtVUl6kZk-YYHiqpMw6mgrjCgaUZPq4VuU3u2SuJGdUs2FQ/s1600/946189%255B1%255D.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_gvnSPYLv0CugmlnpitVYbR7eiOOQ8bPpP3LFk_dMMZYuVz334RSQ0bRCXBM73_SRYB-t2NqBkRTWTn3WvBbtVUl6kZk-YYHiqpMw6mgrjCgaUZPq4VuU3u2SuJGdUs2FQ/s200/946189%255B1%255D.gif" width="200" /></a></div>I recently read A Place Called Blessing by John Trent. It is a story about a boy named Josh who became an orphan early in life, bore the guilt of a terrible tragedy and was separated from his two brothers, all within a few years. He "graduates" from the orphanage a bitter, solitary man and tries to live a recluse-type life with little human connection. He has just about hit rock bottom when he ends up renting an apartment from Mike, a co-worker, and his mom, Anna. They completely take him in and love him, and slowly he starts changing in response to their love. He then undergoes several other tragedies that test his new values.<br />
<br />
Overall, I liked the book. It was a quick, easry read. There was one twist I totally didn't see coming, but several events in the book were quite predictable. It was encouraging to think about how someone's life might be changed by interaction with mine, if I took the time and effort to offer them the "blessing," a concept of meaningful human interaction that was presented at the end of the book. The overall message was inspiring, and I enjoyed the story. The author outlines what he means by "the blessing" at the end of the book, and he included good thoughts for anyone dealing with other people even if you didn't make a commitment to give someone "the blessing" like the author recommends. It wasn't literary brillance, but I would recommend the book to someone who wanted an easy, feel-good type story.<br />
<br />
<em>I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http: booksneeze®.com="">book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http: 16cfr255_03.html="" cfr="" nara="" waisidx_03="" www.access.gpo.gov="">: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”</em>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-30445891987415983992011-06-26T21:58:00.000-05:002011-06-26T21:58:17.272-05:00At two months you...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMpxxS3Ck9L4e5ksBo2Y-4M78aflhExe_E_Anozmvh35LyI4Zbm3s0iRNFzuTar47OWH86ANTT17w03f50ze_5YD2TMO7_1Tdo4OOq0gXytnmbrV3rH7TmSpPqPOPiRcq6A/s1600/IMG_5930.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMpxxS3Ck9L4e5ksBo2Y-4M78aflhExe_E_Anozmvh35LyI4Zbm3s0iRNFzuTar47OWH86ANTT17w03f50ze_5YD2TMO7_1Tdo4OOq0gXytnmbrV3rH7TmSpPqPOPiRcq6A/s320/IMG_5930.JPGedit.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>*seem more grown up all the time<br />
*give big smiles quite easily and frequently<br />
*are generally really happy in the morning<br />
*are generally cranky in the early evening<br />
*have flown on an airplane twice<br />
*still stretch dramatically all the time<br />
*love to kick<br />
*are waking up one to two times a night to eat<br />
*like to try to "talk", especially with your daddy<br />
*have found your fists are great to suck on<br />
*are wearing mostly 3 month sized clothes<br />
*love bathtime where you splash with your feetSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-59013907084508697932011-05-30T17:51:00.000-05:002011-05-30T17:51:50.775-05:00A word of advice from Bethel......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaJzrkq6eY1sg7LTouuVPiC7F6I5MXa9msHC-V1DTJV0O7Qbl_MKg8xrc8HXBZ5PWrx2P3htFi68PIQdHGKSECKqYH8oRwSyEaAjQfAKfia7F-sHifR1VUxgv9RrjbAEtLw/s1600/IMG_5593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaJzrkq6eY1sg7LTouuVPiC7F6I5MXa9msHC-V1DTJV0O7Qbl_MKg8xrc8HXBZ5PWrx2P3htFi68PIQdHGKSECKqYH8oRwSyEaAjQfAKfia7F-sHifR1VUxgv9RrjbAEtLw/s400/IMG_5593.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH0SwA4fsTHaPoYnBt_qkjFUes4lR1y5qKLLHA8wBwhhnmcMBES-m8eslzP5zbUaPqkzngd0wBkH5cTF35qfl5Z7pZXB5_A2I-4ED8gMqw-IUYKoS1kVuq1Hg3aLG86gYaw/s1600/IMG_5602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH0SwA4fsTHaPoYnBt_qkjFUes4lR1y5qKLLHA8wBwhhnmcMBES-m8eslzP5zbUaPqkzngd0wBkH5cTF35qfl5Z7pZXB5_A2I-4ED8gMqw-IUYKoS1kVuq1Hg3aLG86gYaw/s400/IMG_5602.JPG" t8="true" width="266" /></a></div>(<em>Be careful not to meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crispy and good with ketchup</em>. -from How to Train a Dragon)Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-45326036530962363532011-05-30T10:10:00.000-05:002011-05-30T10:10:44.831-05:00At One Month You...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TlF0hGILNNHdNUgAc09LJ3WktdRDCxIX82KskESmOHAwzUoddoQZhS2KWZbAczyv-GmIcfTBgZm8kUBYml7wsAbMIdVuFoJqWVDHy5J9Yu7J-_oJv5zCH-t1lNcW266Dlw/s1600/IMG_5597.JPGedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TlF0hGILNNHdNUgAc09LJ3WktdRDCxIX82KskESmOHAwzUoddoQZhS2KWZbAczyv-GmIcfTBgZm8kUBYml7wsAbMIdVuFoJqWVDHy5J9Yu7J-_oJv5zCH-t1lNcW266Dlw/s400/IMG_5597.JPGedit.jpg" t8="true" width="285" /></a></div>*babble some<br />
*stick out your lower lip so far when you are unhappy<br />
*like riding in the car<br />
*enjoy your playmat, the swing, and the moby wrap--to a point<br />
*like getting your diaper changed<br />
*have been to your first wedding of four this summer<br />
*have been on two long car trips<br />
*are turning into a chubby kid<br />
*go 3-4 hours between feedings<br />
*are pretty interactive and fun when you are awakeSarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-42116239451829683182011-05-16T10:40:00.000-05:002011-05-16T10:40:18.068-05:00Newborn photosHere's the link to the sneak peek version of our newborn photo session. I am so in love with this girl. I have probably looked at this album 20 times already. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10150177310581415.301783.272549166414">miss bethel</a>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33987963.post-91565815746946839752011-05-09T14:56:00.000-05:002011-05-09T14:56:00.580-05:00Bethel's Birth StoryI figured I would be a little overdue, as a lot of first time moms are. I hadn't quite planned on going long enough that most in the medical community would recommend starting labor artifically. But, alas, that is what happened, and at 41 weeks and 3 days, I went in to the hospital to be induced.<br />
<br />
We got there around 7:30am, and it took about an hour to get checked in, meet with the midwife, and make a plan. I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for days, but nothing sustained or painful in the least. When they checked me that morning, I was 2 centimeters dilated, and 90 percent effaced. A tiny achievement, but not enough to get this baby coming. So first, we tried a dose of cytotec, which takes four hours to see if it works. It made my contractions come more frequently and closer together, but still, nothing sustained or painful. Bob and I just hung out in our room, ate some brunch, watched the movie "I am Sam", and Bob caught a nap as we'd not slept much the night before due to anticipation. I worked on knitting my baby blanket (which may or may not ever get done). Four hours later, the midwife checked me again, and we really hadn't made much progress. Still 2, maybe 3, cm dilated if she was generous. So we went to pitocin next.<br />
<br />
It took a while to get that going as our nurse got busy. The pitocin started infusing around 2pm. Since I was being induced, the general guideline is that you stay hooked up the monitor to make sure the baby is tolerating it. They tried two different portable monitors on me, but couldn't get them to work, so I was relegated to stay in/near the bed. That was one thing that was so different from what I had prepared in my mind for labor to be like. I had planned on walking, getting in the tub, using the birthing ball, etc. But I couldn't. Not that I was really uncomfortable at all at this point.<br />
<br />
The nurse would come in and turn the pitocin up every half hour per protocol. It took a while for it to have any noticable effect. But somewhere around 4pm, the contractions really started to intensify. Somewhere around 4:30pm, they were enough to bring tears to my eyes. That was another thing that was so different than what I had planned. I thought I would build up to the labor pains, with them gradually getting stronger and stronger. Oh, no. It felt like one minute I was fine and the next minute I could barely see straight from the pain. At this point, I did sit on the birthing ball next to the bed, still hooked up to the monitor. Then I started vomiting. And shaking. And felt so ridiculously cold it felt like I was outside in Minnesota in January wearing nothing but a swimsuit. I got back into bed because I didn't think I support my own weight anymore, and they covered me up with warm blankets. We thought my water broke around this time, but realized later it didn't fully and was probably more of a slow trickle. Around 5:30pm I was still freezing and having rigors, and they had stopped increasing the pitocin (thank goodness). It became apparent I really wasn't tolerating it. So the midwife stopped it completely, and that allowed me to be off the monitor and get into the tub. My body continued on with labor despite having the medication off.<br />
<br />
The warm water felt excellent. For about 5 minutes. Then I switched from feeling like Minnesota in January to the Sahara desert in full sun. I was <em>so</em> hot. Had to get out of the tub quickly. I don't know how long the contractions were lasting, but they were very close together. Maybe 15-20 seconds of rest before the next one started. At this point, I decided that even though I had hoped to do this without pain medication, I was quickly becoming overwhelmed and it was too much pain too fast and I couldn't keep up. So I asked for an epidural. <br />
<br />
It took a few minutes to get the epidural in place and working appropriately, but when it did, it was glorious. That was around 6:15pm. I could still feel when I was having a contraction, but it wasn't bringing me to my knees like before. And with the pitocin off, my temperature started to regulate itself a little better. I returned to being cold, but I wasn't shaking out of my skin like before. Warm blankets did the trick now. <br />
<br />
The midwife checked me again around this time and I was 6, maybe 7 centimeters dilated. Progress. She discovered my water really hadn't broken and we decided to go ahead and rupture the membranes in hopes of bringing the baby down lower. After she did that, my belly was about half the size it was before. There was some meconium staining in the fluid, so there was a little concern Bethel would have some troubles when she came out if she had aspirated any of it. They would have the pediatric team there when she was delivered just in case. It was shift change for the midwives then, and we changed from Candi to Pat. <br />
<br />
Once the midwives finished report, we decided this could be a while since I was not quite 7 centimeters dilated, and I sent Bob across the street to get a sandwich. He really didn't want to go, but I knew he should eat. While he was gone, I had the undeniable urge to push. I told the nurse, and the midwife checked me again even though it had only been a few minutes. 10 centimeters. Amazing. The nurse and midwife started getting things ready. Bob walked in, and they said, "She's ready to push." His face was priceless. Needless to say, he didn't get to eat his sandwich right away.<br />
<br />
I started pushing right at 8pm. The contractions were very close together, and I just had time to take a few quick breaths between them. Bob was awesome. He was such a supportive, faithful coach. I was still pushing at 10pm. The first hour was good, very satisfying, and I had a nice sense of accomplishment. The second hour started getting tiresome, and though I could tell we were making progress, I was beginning to wear out. The epidural did a great job of covering the contraction pain, but I was able to feel a lot of the pain from pushing. It was not quite as painful as the contractions had been, but it was up there. Around 10pm, I asked if they could give me an idea of where we were and how much longer they would anticipate I would need to push. I had no idea where the baby was. The nurse and midwife looked at each other and said, "Maybe about another hour?" I am sure my face dropped. I was not sure I could keep this up for another hour. <br />
<br />
At some point, some of Bethel's hair became visible. That was fun. Soon after, I was able to reach down and feel her head. She was living up to her pet name "Wiggly", as she was turning her head back and forth when all you could see was the top of her head. Bob, the nurse, and the midwife thought that was cute. I, however, did not find it very cute. Whatever she was doing hurt like crazy.<br />
<br />
At exactly 10:30pm, Bethel Lucille Blanshan fully entered the world. She came out vigorous and crying, so the concern for meconium aspiration became null. She had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck twice, but the midwife quickly reduced it. Bob annouced she was a girl, and they laid my bright-eyed, squirmy, beautiful little daughter on my chest. I was in love. She promptly pooped and peed all over me. My hands were so shaky and weak I had a hard time holding her in place, but the nurse helped me get her to nurse right away. <br />
<br />
I was kind of oblivious to all that happened next. I ended up having a little hemorrhaging, and got some extra IV fluids, a nice bolus of pitocin, and a lot of not-so-comfortable abdominal massage to help my uterus contract. It resolved without much other action. By the time we got back to our postpartum room, it was after 2am and we were so tired. But we had this cute little thing with us that made it really hard to try to sleep.<br />
<br />
Bob was great. So encouraging, attentive, and tireless. He was so proud of me and of his daughter. I love that man. <br />
<br />
Isn't she the cutest?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvwcivFqfnVKJTbHUE8EpYIMDFnzjZcG5ZzkgfX6Nyus_e7MOGtfYUkDVIlsLqxoam4d4Y4ufMSMDAg2rbDTozkkDA6bVpi3u4QUwvauM7P4fUHKL7q3wkW50u-VTRbzU0g/s1600/IMG_4922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvwcivFqfnVKJTbHUE8EpYIMDFnzjZcG5ZzkgfX6Nyus_e7MOGtfYUkDVIlsLqxoam4d4Y4ufMSMDAg2rbDTozkkDA6bVpi3u4QUwvauM7P4fUHKL7q3wkW50u-VTRbzU0g/s400/IMG_4922.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Sarah Blanshanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801659996290708689noreply@blogger.com5