by Kimberly | Dec 3, 2013 | Uncategorized
Tuesdays. Tuesdays aren’t very special. Tuesdays aren’t Mondays that get a bad wrap for being the beginning of the work week. Tuesdays aren’t Wednesdays to be known as hump day. Tuesdays aren’t Friday Saturday or Sunday so it can’t be called the weekend.
But, Tuesdays, especially this Tuesday in particular, is good for friends. I drove out to see a friend and spend the day with her and her daughter. As you can see by this picture, we didn’t bring my son’s pacifier so he had to borrow one of her pink ones for him to take a nap. He then managed to hit his head on the coffee table. He wore a pink bib for lunch. He slept in a pink pac and play. I cooked black beans over there that we used for dinner tonight on our breakfast tacos.
We talked about church, kids, hardships for friends, goals for 2014, marriage, running, trips, anniversaries, eating out, etc. We played with our kids. We ate a delicious lunch. I snacked on some Christmas crack (not diet friendly).
It was good just to chill, be real, and sit in a living room other than my own with a friend whom I’ve come to love and just be.
Sit.
Talk.
Eat.
Love.
Play.
(This is linked with Emily Freeman’s Chatting at the Sky Tuesdays Unwrapped for December)
(And I usually don’t let my son have a pink paci – so I can’t believe I’m even posting this!)
by Kimberly | Dec 3, 2013 | parenting
Thought I would tell you the story of how Sebastian came into the world!
I knew he had to be born on a Sunday because I’d already been to L&D twice before and both times were on a Sunday. A little difficult when your husband is a worship pastor. One time was for bladder contractions (due to infection). The other time was because the flu had sent me into labor – but I only progressed to 3cm so they sent me home.
There were only two dates that I told Mister that S couldn’t be born: our anniversary (the 8th) and the night he was gone to Elders retreat (the 11th). Well, we were still able to keep our date to Big Orange (a local burger and salad joint). Although we were both sick all week, it was good to get out of the house. Saturday (after the elder’s retreat), Mister got back about 4pm.
We decided to go take Elijah to Two Rivers for a walk – getting out of the house was a good thing. I was having constant Braxton Hicks and my feet were massively swollen that day (worse than they had been the whole pregnancy). I was telling people as they text that I think this little boy was in there for the long haul because he still hadn’t really dropped and was kicking me all the time.
We got home and had leftovers from a big meal (meatloaf and all the fixings) and put Eli to bed. Sat down on the couch, blogging, reading, playing games. I started contracting about 845 but didn’t tell E because I didn’t want to stress him out on a Saturday night (even though he had a guy ready to go for Sunday morning to lead worship). So, I started researching pressure points in your feet (because I wanted Mister to massage them). So, he happily obliged. One of the last ones I read said it was a sure-fire way to go into labor. Ha, yeah right. He pressed both my pinky toes and held them for a minute, I felt something pop but it didn’t hurt so I didn’t say anything.
We decided to go onto bed, and didn’t think another thing of it – till I stood up….I told Mister to get a towel, I think my water just broke.
Got on the text to a sweet couple here in town that was on Elijah duty if I happened to go into labor at night. Also, I got on the phone with my OBGyn’s wife and good friend to ask her if this was really my water breaking (forebag – long story – just a crack, didn’t really burst until after my epidural). Finally, after there was blood in the water I was dripping (TMI, sorry), we decided to get to the hospital. Elijah was in great hands and we knew it was time.
Started with stadol (sp?) as my pain killer. Nothing really was happening. By then I was only at 5cm and it was about 5am. So we decided to get the epidural. That’s when we found out my water sac was still pretty much intact – it had just been leaking, sorta. So, when the epidural kicked in my water broke, I went to 9 cm in no time, and with 6 sets of pushes Sebastian was in my arms. 830am.
I had a great doctor who was a Gator grad – even though I didn’t know, she was kind and knowledgeable.
I had my husband holding my hand the entire time.
I had a sweet lady photographing the entire thing for me – I will treasure those photos.
I had two sweet women holding my hair, holding my baby (afterwards), and taking care of my husband with food and company.
I did get to pull Sebastian out – just like I did Elijah. This delivery was much easier than Elijah’s was and for that I’m grateful.
Thanking God for the birth of our son: Sebastian Robshaw Campbell. The best thing for our family in 2013!
by Kimberly | Dec 3, 2013 | Books
Parties. Christmas events. Shopping. Mailing packages. Standing in lines. Cooking goodies. Wrapping Presents.
Christmas is so busy.
Love what Kevin DeYoung says: (Crazy Busy, pg 54-55)
(Jesus) was busy, but never in a way that made him frantic, anxious, proud, envious, or distracted by lesser things. Jesus knew the difference between urgent and important. He understood that all the good things he could do were not necessarily the things he ought to do.
by Kimberly | Dec 2, 2013 | food
Thanksgiving is over. I still have some cranberry sauce and green bean casserole in my fridge, but now I can say the turkey has been put to good use. I cooked a turkey breast in the crockpot since there were only 4 of us (and 2 children) for Thanksgiving lunch. I wanted something simple that wouldn’t give me week’s worth of leftovers (and I have no room in my freezer).
I looked at this soup and decided to change it up somewhat, and came up with this: a simple, healthy soup.
Turkey and Vegetable Soup
(serves 4-6)
1 onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
garlic (to your liking)
3 cups homemade turkey stock (I just boiled my turkey carcass with 12 cups of water, carrots, and seasonings for 2 hours on medium).
1 1/2 cup chopped turkey
1 cup frozen corn
1 can diced green chilis (small can)
cumin
chili powder
salt
pepper
cheese or salsa for topping
Heat a stock pot on medium and cook vegetables in evoo for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and green chilis, cook another minute. Add in stock and corn and seasonings. Finally add in turkey and bring to a simmer until heated through. Enjoy with cheese (I liked sharp cheddar on mine with a side of sourdough bread toasted with some unsalted butter on it).
by Kimberly | Dec 2, 2013 | Books, Kids r Readers 2, parenting
We aren’t farmers. I’d love to have an herb garden, but there isn’t enough time in the day. Maybe later!
But, this book is on our sons’ bookshelf. Given to us by a friend, The Carrot Seed is about a little boy who waits patiently, despite much discouragement, for his carrot seed to bloom.
A very simple book but one that can teach many traits to your children:
1. Perseverance. The main character, a child, waits for this carrot seed to sprout. His parents and sibling are not very positive that it will, but he watches every day and never gives up. Our children will need to learn perseverance. We can help our children learn it, but it is also a fruit of the Spirit. Long-suffering. Bearing up under the pressure when the going gets tough.
2. Patience. I have already said this many times to my older son: “Patience is waiting for what you want with a happy heart.” The child in the story has to wait a long time for his carrot to come up. Your children may even think that a week until vacation is a long time, or sitting in timeout is a long time. Carrot growing takes longer. If children learn patience early on (also another Fruit of the Spirit) it will go well with them.
3. Faith. This little boy never gave up on his carrot. He believed that it would sprout. Faith is important for children to have. Not only faith that the sun will come up, his parents will protect him, or that the chair will hold him up when he sits upon it, but more importantly – faith in God. But, what is harder to teach your children is that faith is a gift from God. They can’t muster faith in God. They can’t be saved on their own. Grace and faith both come from God – they are both gifts. God allows us to grow our faith (and help nurture our children’s faith) by reading the Word of God.
Verses:
Ephesians 2:8-10
Galatians 5:22-23
Romans 10.17
