Goat Milk Stuff

A few weeks ago I purchased a number of products from Goat Milk Stuff. I posted to that effect on Facebook and I had a number of friends request that I share my experience. So here I go. Our whole family has sensitive dry skin and Ethan can get intense eczema while mine is fairly minor. We have striven for some time to utilize hypoallergenic, simple and natural products whether it be personal care, cleaners, etc...

I have made our laundry detergent, household cleaners, and I even tried my hand and making shampoo...and failed...miserably:). Joel will pretty much never let me live down the shampoo making, even though it was during the deployment, and he never used it. He thinks it's hilarious that I was nuts enough to take that on during deployment, like life wasn't crazy enough...he may have a point...

Even with my efforts some of the ingredients were harsh on our skin (Castile soap to be exact) but I wasn't sure how to replace that ingredient. Enter the wonders of goat's milk! In goat's milk soap products the water is replaced by goat's milk and so the resulting soap is considerably richer and moist. Goat's Milk Stuff has just about every soap I want or need, they are reasonably priced, and they have a lovely story.

We ordered:

1. Purity bar soap

This works great! It's moist, gets everyone clean, lathers nicely, has simple ingredients, and was very reasonably priced. I highly recommend it!

2. Shampoo bar soap

Ethan & Joel love this one. I can't use because I color my hair. It lathers nicely and leaves their hair clean with a more balanced pH. They follow this up with an apple cider vinegar rinse and Joel is AMAZED at his scalp health! Winter is brutal on his scalp and he has little to no dryness with this winning combination:). I highly recommend it, especially for men, and those with severely dry scalps.

3. Laundry bar soap

The laundry soap substituted on our laundry recipe easily. The laundry has fewer issues with static, and it adequately cleans diaper laundry, as well as normal household laundry. We have less time logged with this product than the others because we just ran out of our old detergent solution and switched over. Thus far, it appears to clean clothing more thoroughly, or at least more consistently, than some of our previous homemade concoctions. I highly recommend it, especially if you are trying to remove allergic triggers or irritants from your laundry regimen.

4. Laundry stick

Stain treatment was one of our last laundry hold outs and I'm happy to rid our house off the blue goop. I honestly haven't used this one yet. I'm not a consistent pre-treater. But I look forward to using it soon. Sorry!

5. Unscented lotion

This one has been a bust thus far. I wanted to switch out my lotion because of concerns about petroleum's effects on your thyroid. Although I'm sure there is debate on the issue, my mom & sister have thyroid disorders so I would rather air on the side of caution. Unfortunately, this product has been a bust for me thus far. It may work better once it is warmer. The lotion is a solid at or below 70 degrees and our house really doesn't get that warm these days. I can rub small amounts off at a time but, not enough. I will try again in spring/summer and in the meantime I'm trying coconut oil.

I would love to hear any natural personal and home products you love.

He's Home!!!

Photo by indystar.com

After nearly a week of weather delays, Joel came safely home on Saturday, February 5 at about 5:10am. A sweet friend stayed at our home so I could be at the hangar about 2:30 for the 4:30 flight. It was quite cold and there was misty rain but exciting nonetheless! I waited with a friend from the company who's husband was also on the flight. And we trekked out onto the flight line twice before the plane landed:). This time was a bit different then last time out there only because there were 2 Lifetime crews there following 2 families for a special featuring families experiencing their redeployment. It was hilarious because they were all dressed weather inappropriate and some of them didn't have much of a choice because appropriate attire would have interfered with their job:).

As we watched the guys de-board and walk past the family area (we're fenced in but allowed to watch them...no touching!) Joel again missed me completely but I thought he was playing it cool! The guys dropped their sensitive items (they carry rifles, etc... on their person off the plane to turn into their unit) on a tarp and got ready to form up to make their entrance into the hangar.

We all made our way back inside and waited for the ceremony to begin. No matter how many times you experience it, a Welcome Home ceremony is a really beautiful thing sight to behold. The excitement is palpable. Pretty much anyone you know at all is visibly excited for you and generally makes a point to tell you so. The soldiers pretty much all look exhausted and SO ready to have a break from redeployment drudgery for a few moments BUT, they are also brimming with anticipation.

The guys marched in and the general made some remarks, we sang some Army songs and then we had 15 minutes for, the colloquially termed, Hug-a-thon:). Joel always feels more comfortable to embrace then I remembered, with a deeper voice than I recalled, and a smile that actually makes an audible noise (I promise). Thankfully since our R&R was so recent, he did not appear to be a figment of my imagination! The family time ended quickly and it was time to part.

Soldiers loaded onto buses and families too. I went back to my car and made my way to the hangar where our brigade's soldiers would be transported after their paperwork and sensitive items were taken care of. Thankfully our brigade did a rocking job for this deployment's redeployment! We were in a hangar, not a tent, and our soldiers made it to the hangar lickedy- split! Of course, their bags got mixed with the other brigade on the flight so we waited an extra hour to no avail for bags. But even then, they did an awesome job. Joel finally got his bags 2 days later and his 7 day reintegration has been humming along since Sunday morning.

Joel & I arrived at home just a few minutes after Ethan woke up. As promised, Ethan had breakfast with Daddy:).

A sweet moment captured between my guys. A restaurant burger was amongst one of Joel's requests. It did not disappoint:)

It has not yet sunk in that this deployment is actually over. I'm not sure when it will. Amazingly it has already been a sufficient length of time for me to be thankful for the works the Lord has done in our family throughout this deployment. I'm thankful for the supernatural way in which the Lord of all bound us together regardless of time or distance. I'm thankful that we will have the opportunity to get away as a family and visit family and friends.

I'm just plain thankful.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. -Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Books to read (and a documentary): Childbirth

I am a big believer in normal birth. Ultimately the Lord has a perfect plan for every birth, and that is not always it. But I am a big believer in working towards that goal. To that end I had 2 books that were invaluable in preparing for birth, and 1 documentary.

1. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

The first half of this book is filled with birth stories that take place on the Farm*. The stories are varied and beautiful. The second half of the book discussed birthing techniques in detail. The book also shares fascinating statistics at the Farm and in the U.S. and how our births have changed during the 20th century. Her point is basically that our abilities haven't changed, despite obstetric "common knowledge" to the contrary.

I highly recommend this book!

*The Farm is essentially a commune in Tennessee that was founded in the 1970's and is still in existence today. They do many things themselves there, to include midwifery. They are well known for their collection of midwives that are trained through apprenticeship. It is common within this community to grow up attending the births of others in the community from a young age. Ina May is chief among those midwives and is an extremely respected individual in the field of midwifery. Although our world views differ, they have some valuable insights into what is natural for your body and what is not. I genuinely wanted to have a Farm midwife delivery Ethan but alas, we're about an hour outside of their serviced area.


2. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth

The title is a bit condescending, and the book can be just that at times. However, the information contained within it is invaluable! Henci goes through different elements of birth, mostly focused on interventions, and discusses the statistics associated with those interventions. The intent is to help you make an informed decision about all aspects of your birth. I used this book to sway my OB in Houston to leave Ethan's umbilical cord connected until blood was no longer pulsing through it. Of course, I ended up delivering with a midwife in Tennessee but it was a great nonetheless. I was able to give her bibliographic references from the book on hand that day. And then at our next appointment I had printed off the referenced medical journal article for her perusing.

I highly recommend this book!

3. The Business of Being Born (Documentary)

This documentary was suggested by the all knowing Netflix;) based on my other viewing interests. I watched it the first time with rapt attention and this was all after our miscarriage a before we were pregnant with Ethan:). I have since watched in probably 5 times with various family members. The intent of the documentary is discuss how birth practices have changed over the 20th century in America and how that effects us as a people. It also shows several birth experiences. I love this movie, it's statistics, it's stories, and I will watch it with you happily if you're interested! It cracks me up but Joel and my brother-in-law Dylan are such big believers in this documentary and the information contained therein, that I have heard both of them spouting off it's information to all kinds of people:). I also had a blast watching Joel sharing his passion with a soldier friend, in the middle of their office! It was quite an amusing scene to hear the back and forth of 2 Infantryman touting the wonders of natural childbirth!

I highly, highly, highly recommend this documentary!

Mooched Mommy Idea: Prayer

4. Prayer

What I'm about to say may sound common sense to you but it was revelatory for me. As Ethan has grown older and more verbal we now give him an opportunity to pray aloud at night in addition to our prayers. He was so excited to talk about Jesus but, a bit shy to decide what to say. I figured this was to be expected and he would have something to share eventually.

A few weeks ago I was reading a post on Baby Bangs and Amanda discussed her nightly prayer with her daughter that is a few months younger than Ethan. Somehow, it really had not occurred to me that I should give him a simple prayer to repeat after me for his own individual prayer...Sad but true. My hope is that the reason is not total ineptitude but rather my lineage as a Butler pray-er:). You see, my family's prayers are characterized by their length and extreme inclusion. I love it!

It's so amazing to see how excited Ethan is every night to pray his prayer. For now we are keeping it short and sweet: "Thank you for loving me, Thank you for dying for my sins, Thank you for Mommy & Daddy, Thank you for Lady, and Thank you for this day. Amen." My favorite part is that we build toward the thank you for Daddy like a crescendo and then Ethan adds in where Daddy is right now:). I finally convinced him last night/this morning that Daddy is in fact, coming home!

"Don't Make Me Count to Three!"

This book rocks my socks off! I started in months ago right after completing Shepherding a Child's Heart but I took a break as I digested all the goodness from Shepherding. I went back and finished the last little bit this past week and wow. Just what I needed! The concepts are not different, both are focused on the heart and how our parenting bends our children toward a need for a Savior. The big difference I experienced was that Ginger Plowman had some very practical means of application from a mom's perspective.

I highly recommend this book!

Mooched Mommy Ideas

Ironically enough I'm mooching the Mommy idea of Mooched Mommy Ideas:) from my friend Sara over at Domestic Goddessing.

Idea #1
Pool noodles as bed bumpers.
It's brilliant! Ethan squirms a lot in his sleep, a trait he inherited from me, so we had been padding the floor with pillows. Now I have a pool noodle on both long edges of the mattress and it works like a charm! They fit nicely under his sheets and he loves to sleep nestled in a spot anyway.

Idea #2
As many tiny potties as it takes to keep potty training moving forward.

I don't know where I read it, or maybe Ashley told me about one of her friends doing it? We only used 2 potties but having one in the car was invaluable when we were still training. Thankfully I think I can safely say that Ethan is trained fully in step 1 and moving into full training of steps 2 & 3. Wahoo!

Idea #3
Homemade yogurt

Ethan loves yogurt! I, on the other hand only like soy yogurt, but I digress. Ethan loves yogurt but buying the whole milk, non sugary stuff is pricey when he's eating 1-2 a day. Plus, when Joel's home, he loves yogurt too. Enter homemade yogurt (duhn dudha duhhhh!) Making homemade yogurt makes you feel like quite the culinary master, a bonus, and even better it's easy! I've tried several different methods but the Crockpot method is, by far, the easiest. My only down fall with this one is cutting off the yogurt supply to take a little bit and start it all over again. This coupled with making sure that our milk supply is sufficient:). When you have plentiful clean, non wonky smelling/tasting yogurt abounding in your house, there are SO many ways you can work it into your cooking! There are certainly recipes that call for it but you can also use it as a substitute. If you don't like the consistency of your yogurt consider straining it for more of a greek yogurt texture.

Books you should read

I love to read. It's a simple pleasure really, one that I have long enjoyed. In recent years, with lots of moves and not a ton of room to store books, I've gotten more organized in my reading pursuits. Try not to make too much of fun of this...

I keep a running list of books I want to read. I read reviews on the books, a lot of reviews. Then I look for means to procure said book. Is it at the library? Can I get it through Paperbackswap? Or is it one I'll need to buy? As a result, I've still had some lemons but there have been loads of lovely novels and even more nonfiction books that I want everyone I know to read. So, in the spirit of my friends the Pitts, I'm going to start sharing some of my favorites of late.

I'm going to start with some that have come up a number of times in this season of life, ones that I am constantly going back to. Parenting books.

1. Shepherding a Child's Heart, Ted Tripp

If you have not read it, it is a book that very aptly points you as a parent to focus on the heart issue's involved in your child's behavior. And a great deal what that starts with is understanding your own heart issues. I think that for anyone that reads it, it's an eye-opener to your own sin, but in a good way:), and one you could read every year and find great utility each time.

2. Wise Words for Moms, Ginger Plowman

This one isn't really a book but rather a pamphlet or reference sheet. Nonetheless is a great tool for parents. It hold a list of heart issues the heart attitude you desire to produce instead. The root of the heart issue and then multiple verses to address it. It's an easy reference tool and I keep it on our fridge.

There are a few other parenting books that I am in the midst of reading or are in my stack to read, so I'll get to those soon enough.

Homecoming

Welcome Home ceremony 2008 (Ethan was there too!)

Joel should begin his flights back home from Afghanistan at the end of this week and we hope that his Welcome Home ceremony will be sometime next week?!

We are so excited to have Joel home for a long period, and thankfully it hasn't been that long since we last saw him. As we are wrapping up our 11th month of deployment and looking towards a reunion with Joel I've been reflecting on this year. What have I learned? How did the Lord use this time in our lives? Why didn't I post on the blog;)? Am I a better or a poorer parent after this year? Is Ethan better or the poorer as a result of this year? What will life look like as a family of 3, all together, in the same house, possibly for 2+ years?!

November 28, 2008: Just a mere 5 days before Ethan's arrival.

I'm not sure what the answer's to those questions are. But I'm certainly looking forward to finding out! And I'm thankful to know that whatever separations we go through, whatever rottenness there is in our hearts, He never fails.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. -Psalm 73:26

To Ethan, on the occasion of your 2nd Birthday!

**Well I'm nearly 2 months behind on posting this because I have tried in vain to post a darling video of Ethan on his birthday:). Hopefully I will fix the video but, in the meantime I wanted to get this published!

Sweet Ethan, You are 2 years old today. You are such a sweet boy and so helpful around the house. In the last week you've decided that you want to sit at the table in a chair for your meals, you've tried out sleeping in a bed more, you are doing great with potty training, and you are putting your dishes into the dishwasher?! Your daddy is particularly impressed with your dish clean up skills! Your daddy has been gone for 9 months now but he begins his journey home today, on your birthday!!! Your language has exploded over the last few months and it seems at this point that you can say just about any word you set your mind to:). Some of my new favorites: bible, I love you (only for Daddy for now), sewing, giraffe("wrap"), and on and on. We will celebrate your birthday with Daddy, family, and friends next weekend but today you & I had a little celebration for breakfast. Here's a little video from our morning. I love you big boy!

Vivat Veritas $50 Guest Giveaway

Vivat Veritas $50 Guest Giveaway

...One last blouse...for now

This should be final blouse to sew for a good long while. I have had fun participating in Made by Rae's Spring Top Week and the entry period ends tomorrow! I submitted all 3 of my blouses that I've made in the past 2 months, per the rules...plus I had never made a blouse for myself before that:), and I think I'm ready to move on to other sewing projects. I have made other things of course, some I still need to take pictures of, and some need to be completed! This blouse is made from red cotton gauze fabric from Simplicity pattern 2594, view A. I made the matching belt that went with it but it made it look like a cheesy mall top...you know the ones I'm talking about. I sort of liked it with a wide braided brown belt slung around the hips but alas, even after childbirth my hips are a little too narrow to show any waist definition in a drapey blouse belted at the hip area. I like the tunic as is with skinny jeans or leggings.

I LOVE the gather and back yoke of this blouse!

The wind kept distorting the neckline. It's not assymetrical, but it is meant to drape thanks to the oversized neckline and shoulder pleats.

Now, what should I make next?...

Potty training update

Since my first post Ethan has continued to use the potty! Some days he actually uses the restroom and sometimes not. We usually only have any actual "action" once a day but it has happened multiple times a day, a few times. Of course he's gone days where he sits there but doesn't do anything also. He does LOVE sitting on the potty so that's a victory right there:).

I need to suck it up and let him run around naked (on the bottom half at least) for a day so he'll really get used to recognizing the urges and desiring more distinctly to eliminate in the toilet. We shall see if I buck up the courage. We've tried periods of the naked training, with Ethan barricaded in half of the house without expensive rugs:), and it was fruitful.

This will definitely be a process but hopefully he's learning.

What I've been sewing so far...

I have collected photos to post about all the sewing I've been up to but...well I've been sewing so posting hasn't happened until now:).

My deployment sewing started in Houston. I bought 2 blouse patterns before Joel left and brought them with me and then Mom, Ashley, Katherine & I (those are 2 of my 3 sisters for those of you that are not aware:)) set out to make blouses! We had great fun going to a fabric shop in Cypress and then working on the tops. I finished one top while in Houston, although I remade it a bit once I got home. Ashley & Katherine started their tops while I was there and mom helped and sewed because they didn't have skirt weight fabric, like she wanted, at the store where we shopped.

Top 1:

Please forgive the wear wrinkles. Note the grosgrain ribbon accent at the neck.

After completing this top, Simplicity 2593 by Cynthia Rowley, I have a few conclusions. I make my sewing life difficult often in my fabric choices. My very talented seamstress of a mother thankfully cut out the pattern pieces for this top taking care to match up the fabric pattern. I picked this pattern because it was a simple top to put together and it looked chic. The neck piece was the coolest part of the blouse. But when I made the turned neck piece and attached it, it was WAY too heavy! I am on a kick of making blouses because there is a blog I read that has a bit a top challenge in May and they entries are going on now. Another "contestant" made this blouse but in a Georgette. My conclusion is that I should have made this top in a lighter weight fabric and that I might need to reinvent this top one more time before I'm satisfied.

Top 2:

I LOVE THIS BLOUSE!!!

Isn't the button detail sweet:)?

So this top, Simplicity 2892, turned out beautifully. It had A LOT more volume in the sleeve then I anticipated from the pattern drawings but I love it. I used a quilting weight cotton which is a no no for fashion pieces technically, but I think it gives great drama which works with this girly top. I tend to go for more simple blouses when I'm buying clothes but when making them, I suppose because I can control the lay of the flair, I'm drawn to the girl! The button closure in the back does not appear to have much function but I like it all the same. This top is really made when belted. I took some shots of it sans belt and it looked, well, eh.

I have also made Shortalls for Ethan that I have not photographed, but that he happily wore to church last week:).

I am also finished on 2 projects: Top 3, and a Jedi Robe for my nephew. Now I just need to troubleshoot what the problem is with my serger and the Jedi robe will be all ready! I'll probably wait to post any pictures until it gets to the little Jedi himself:), I don't exactly have the frame of a 4 year old boy for modeling...The 3rd top was almost complete last night. It needs some pressing, armhole hems, bottom hem, and some staystiching to finish.

More to follow...

Oh and, ONE MONTH DOWN, WOOHOO!

Potty training

A few months ago we made the transition to cloth diapers. There were a number of motivations but one of the primary motivations was to make Ethan more aware of his elimination and hopefully prepare him for potty training. We knew we wanted to start early but there wasn't a specific timeline. I have noticed some signs that he is ready of late, he can tell me when he needs his diaper changed, dry diapers, he can hold his stream, etc...

Today Ethan had his 15-18 month Well baby appointment and I discussed potty training with my favorite nurse. She was very encouraging and said if we're ready to give it a go. So while we were getting some items at Walmart we bought a little potty as well. I thought we would just try sitting on it and maybe mimicking would be fun and that would be that. Later today I sat Ethan on it before his bath and encouraged him to urinate in the potty. He sat on it, and was quite pleased with the whole experience, did nothing and then got in the bath. Once his bath was over I asked him if he wanted to sit on the potty again and he said yes so he did.

Ethan urinated in his potty. No. Lie. I'm amazed. We'll see how the process goes but I'm just so proud. And so was he. I don't know how regular of an event this will be but I'm excited nonetheless.

What the walker is doing lately

Ethan decided this weekend that walking should act as his main mode of transportation. We have been enjoying the fruits of that change of events...mostly:). Yesterday he tried to walk out the front door and down the step while Joel and I carried a piece of furniture into the house...yeah.

Below is a sweet video of Ethan walking around and banging his maracas while appropriately wearing his I (Love) Music shirt.

Ethan is walking!!!

Today our sweet Ethan took his 1st, and 50th steps!

He has been slower in warming up to walking then I expected. But of course, his Mimi was right on the money. She gandered that he would be walking by 14 months. Ethan will be 14 months next week:).

I am working on uploading videos and pictures from my camera. I don't think I was able to catch him on it. But, here is a really grainy cell phone video that I did capture. Yes, I'm just that high-pitched...it's not exactly a truth I love to be confronted with:).

I know that this means a whole new level of activity, worries, and abilities. It's an event where we get, "It's all down hill from here!" But I hope we're able to keep in mind that Ethan is growing and changing into the man God has designed him to be. It will mean his life gets more complex, as does mine. But I am just thankful that he can walk today. I'm thankful that he gets to experience the world in a whole new way.

Random cooking discovery

I felt the need to share and I decided the blog was the best place for it:). I have always loved to cook and it's been a skill I have worked to improve upon since we've been married. Along the way I turned into someone that my mom giggles at because I try to conserve food so extremely, a trait of my dad's that I abhorred as a child! I was a picky eater and I was loathe to eat any meal twice, much less three times?! Now, oh now...I save everything. It's mostly the product of adulthood and the realities of food purchases versus our food consumption. But in the last few years it has become a stewardship issue for me. That if I am trying to honor God in the way I utilize the resources He has provided then I need to be keenly aware of the efficient and effective consumption of said resources.

So now to my food discovery. We had friends over on Martin Luther King, Jr. day for ribs and hot dogs and it was a delightful event. I also made guacamole for us to munch on before, during, and after lunch:). After everyone left I neglected to promptly stow away the giant bowl of tortilla chips before they went stale. Fatigue set in and well...cut to the next morning and a bag and 1/2 of chips are seriously stale. I have adjusted to a number of less than desirable states of food in my adulthood but stale chips...gross!

So I hopped on the Internet hoping to find a recipe or some sort of use for stale tortilla chips. I found a wealth of information! I can use it as a layer in a Mexican casserole, as a crumb coating for chicken or fish, etc... The basic premise is to treat them just like homemade bread crumbs. But the most intriguing morsel of information I found out there on the Wide World Web, if you just bake your chips for 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven your chips will come out just as crisp as when you opened the bag?! I was, am, and likely will be, amazed that I have gone 27 years without knowing this nifty little tip. There are countless tortilla chips that could have been consumed if only I had know. Maybe this is old news or maybe this is a revelation to you, nonetheless, I thought it was worth sharing!

Ethan's 1st Birthday!

Today is Ethan's 1st Birthday.

Ethan, in 34 minutes at 9:53pm, you were born. We are so thankful for the opportunity to be your parents. You are sweet, smiley, expressive, boisterous, strong-willed, strong, and oh so fast. You Papa and I are amazed at the way in which the wonders of your life show us the wonder of Christ's creation.

This month you are obsessed with pulling up, cruising, sorting, stacking, matching, pointing, working on more words, and you've started to let go and try independent steps (you need to get a little stronger yet). Your Papa was working away for a while and he was AMAZED at how you advanced in that time.

We love you so much, and we love every new milestone and phase. Although, we pray to hasten the day that your milestone will be salvation. Oh what a joy that will be to witness.

Happy Birthday sweet angel!

Listening to the still quiet voice

It's been a while since I've posted. And, basically since Ethan started crawling I haven't been posting regularly. While Joel's been gone this fall I've had a bit more time to contemplate. For me, too much time to think usually isn't a good thing:), but God is always working.

I'm a big fan of rules, order, keeping everyone safe by following the rules. And yet, God never said that His way for me, or my family would be safe, or orderly. Instead He said it will be just where we're supposed to be, just what we need.

If I've ever talked to you about our life in the Army, you've probably heard me talk about how Army life affords us the unique opportunity to come face to face with our dependency on God's sovereignty in our lives. And I do truly believe that. And I do truly believe, at any given moment that I'm striving to live that out. And then God shows me yet another area of my life, where I've drawn the boundaries and said but I don't have to trust you here because I've got this area covered. It's plenty safe. It doesn't real need to be a God thing.

When Joel leaves for training, I am forced to face the reality that his next deployment is closing in on us. As nutty as it sounds, the combat part isn't what's getting me right now. I suppose the Lord has chosen to keep him safe thus far, and who am I to worry about the inevitable danger he will be in?! But now, I am a scared parent. Scared that I can't be enough for Ethan. Scared that he won't melt in Joel's arms when he comes home. Scared that I'll resent him for missing a year of Ethan's life for a job I know he is called to. Yet, there is a real part of me that wants loving Ethan and I to mean that this job isn't worth it. It's so hard for me to comprehend leaving Ethan for a weekend, so how can he leave for a whole year?! Even beyond that, how can he want to leave.

And yet, the still quiet voice says, "Have I called you to this place?" "Yes Lord." "Then that is all you need know."

Tomorrow is our 6th anniversary. Joel is out of contact for the next 2 weeks+. I am more in love with Joel now, then I have ever been. I am deeply thankful for the Godly husband, and father that he is, and for our sweet Ethan. I know that God has our steps laid out for us, and it's not for me to worry about how inadequate I am as a mother, or how Joel's time away will effect his relationship with Ethan. Ultimately, I make God smaller every time I doubt that He is big as I know He is. He's got this. I'm the one who needs to let it go...yet again.

Pumpkin Patch

Today we had a lovely outing, with Kirsten, to a local pumpkin patch. I believe that the last time I visited a pumpkin patch was on a Butler field trip or preschool field trip, is that right mom?

Yeah, not our best shot. A nice gentleman took this photo of us...without the best results. But, we captured the moment:).

We also ventured into the corn maze, a new experience. While we didn't cheat and cut through the corn rows, we did end up exiting the maze at the entrance. So we made our way around the maze...talking all the way...I'm not ready to admit that our chatting had an effect on our navigation;).

Ethan had a wonderful time sleeping during most of our visit. He woke up just as we were finalizing our pumpkin choices and he LOVED the pumpkins!

At first we were trying to capture him and he kept being distracted by all the bright orange "drums" around him:). So, we decided he needed a pumpkin in front of him to play with if we wanted to get a photo of him! All in all it was an easy, inexpensive outing, and one that will continue to get more fun through the years as Ethan, and subsequent children, grow.