A Lesson in Helping

I learned a great lesson two weeks ago. I had a really hard week because, in the midst of sleep deprivation and adjusting to caring for two small children simultaneously, Nick caught strep throat. Emmersen was five weeks old and not sleeping well at night. Four hours of sleep was considered a good night. And Bri, well, she was just being a normal 18 month old...rowdy, busy, messy and loud!

Since strep throat is transmitted by contact, Nick could not touch me or either of the girls, which meant he couldn’t help with Emmersen at night. This meant it was up to me to care for both girls (all day and all night) and a hubby who had a fever, body aches and could barely eat. Needless to say, I was stressed out, overwhelmed and exhausted.

One morning mid week, I got a call from my sister. She called to check on us and I gave her a brief rundown of how we were doing. It was a short call, since she was at work and very busy. About ten minutes later, she called back and said, “I’m taking half a day off work and will be at your house in fifteen minutes to help you.” In exactly fifteen minutes, she walked in the door and proceeded to pick up my living room, clean up my kitchen and help me tackle the loads of laundry I hadn’t managed to get to that week. Wow!! After that, she took Bri out for ice cream and to the pet store so I would only have to take care of Emmersen and Nick.

The actions of my sister were a huge blessing in a time of need. She inconvenienced herself and used her resources (vacation time) on us. Her actions were also a stark contrast to the actions of another family member who knew what a difficult time we were having, had no job and could have helped far more easily. This person never took the initiative to help and only gave help one time when it was requested. As a result, we received virtually no help from this individual.

This is the lesson my sister taught me…when someone needs help, just get in there and help them. Be proactive. Instead of sitting around waiting for the person to call and ask for help, take the initiative and do what you can to assist. That is how you help someone.

Emmersen Grace Kerr

Emmersen was born April 2, 2010 at 10:48 am. She weighed 8 pounds even and was 21 inches long. She is a perfect, sweet little doll baby and Nick and I love her to pieces! Brianna wasn't sure what to think of her and got a bit jealous, actually. You could tell she was thinking, "Who is this new little person taking up time with my mommy?" She's gotten much better and has grown more accustomed to sharing me with her sister. She still doesn't seem very interested in Emmie, though. I tried putting the baby in her lap and Bri really didn't like that. Every once in awhile, she'll come up to me while I'm holding Emmie and gently stroke the baby's head like I taught her. She also likes to touch her ears and nose and toes!

Life with two little ones under the age of two is HARD WORK!! I never fully appreciated how difficult it was until I had to do it (as is the case with most situations in life). It has been a learning experience and there are many days when my patience is stretched to the limit. But we're getting through it and I keep reminding myself that this season of life won't last forever. Who knows, I may look back on this time and wish I could do it again. I doubt it, but anything can happen!

The one thing I have enjoyed the most about my new little one is bonding with her by nursing. She makes the most peaceful, contented coos and gurgles while she's nursing and it just melts this momma's heart. I love looking at her tiny face and seeing her little hands all curled up under her chin. So precious. I know without a doubt that I will miss the nursing experience when it ends.

Emmersen's Baby "Sprinkle"

My friend, Hope, put together a lovely baby sprinkle for me and Emmersen at the end of March. (I realize I'm a little late blogging about this, but better late than never!) Susan, Hope's mom, made an amazing brunch and Hope outdid herself on the decorations. They both put so much effort into the event and I felt so special!

The table decorations

All the lovely ladies :)

Hope, Katherine, Carmen and me.

We were all in a newlywed community group together a few years back.





Carmen and me!

Beef: It's What's for Dinner - Again

One of my goals for 2010 is to be more efficient in my kitchen by using up leftovers. Last night was one of those nights when all we had was leftover pot roast and neither of us felt like eating it again. I happened to find a great recipe for chicken and rice burritos over at Mission Menus and thought I’d substitute the chicken with my leftover beef. Here is the recipe:

•8 Mission® 10 inch Large Flour Tortillas warmed
•Mission® Chunky Salsa, Medium
•2 1/2 cups cooked Chicken shredded
•3/4 cups Long Grain White Rice (uncooked)
•1 1 ounce package Taco Spices and Seasonings
•1 3/4 cups Water
•1 8 ounce can Tomato Sauce
•1 large Tomato chopped
•1/3 cup Green Onion chopped
•Guacamole
•Cheddar Cheese shredded

•Recipe Instructions:
1. In a large skillet, place chicken, rice, seasonings, water and tomato sauce. Bring mixture to boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.
2. Add chopped tomato and green onion to combine evenly.
3. Place 1/2 cup of filling in each tortilla, roll burrito style and serve with optional garnishes.

I slathered the inside of my tortillas with refried beans, added the meat and rice filling, topped with shredded cheddar and rolled ‘em up. I garnished with salsa, chopped cilantro and shredded cheddar cheese. They came out great and were definitely a hit with the hubby!

Reading List for 2010

About two weeks ago, I made a reading list for the very first time! I’m a little embarrassed to admit that but I’ve never ADORED reading. I enjoy it but will rarely make time for it. Well, since disconnecting our cable last week, I’ve discovered the perfect time to read…in the evenings after Bri is in bed. So far, it has worked out extremely well, considering I’ve already read one of the books on my list and am working on my second.

Here is what I hope to read in 2010. I’m especially looking forward to reading # 7-9, which I found on Life as Mom.

1. Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom, by Stephanie Nelson
2. Reunion, by Karen Kingsbury
3. The Great Eight: How to Be Happy (Even When You Have Every Reason to be Miserable) by Scott Hamilton
4. The Principle of the Path, by Andy Stanley
5. Stop Acting Rich, by Thomas J. Stanley
6. The Millionaire Next Door, by Thomas J Stanley and William D. Danko
7. The Hidden Art of Homemaking, by Edith Schaeffer
8. The Complete Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn
9. The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, by Susan Wise Bauer, Jessie Wise
10. Raising Kids for True Greatness: Redefine Success for You and Your Child, by Tim Kimmel
11. A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others, by Karen Ehman
12. The New Dare to Discipline, by Dr. James Dobson

By the way, if you have a favorite book or author, let me know because I’d love to either add to this year’s reading list or start 2011’s list! I have a terrible time randomly picking something to read and love suggestions from others.