August 2011

Our first summer with two little girls was quite a whirlwind of an adjustment for everyone!  Harry returned to work in early August after 7 weeks off (teaching schedules are exceedingly convenient, especially when a new baby arrives!), and Mama and Susannah were so sad to see him go.  The first week of "going it alone" was a challenge, especially since Eliza still liked to be held most of the time and wanted to nurse for what seemed like eternal blocks of time when one has a three-year-old who wants to eat, drink, play with Mama, go potty with help, swing outside, etc.  I ended up doing a lot of walking around while nursing in order to cover all the bases, which makes for a perfectly functional existence up until your newborn hits the ten-pound mark, at which point this behavior is lethal to one's arms!  Mama Guilt (intentionally capitalized because I believe it's a very real type of "heart condition") set in big-time when the reality of "two against one" was freshly upon me.  I had to learn quickly, with the encouragement of those who have gone before me, that it is HEALTHY for big girls to have to wait for Mama to care for others, and it is PERFECTLY OK for babies to cry for a few minutes until Mama can free herself from the demands of the big girl.  (Still haven't quite figured out how Mama's needs get consistently met, but I'm managing to wedge in a bit of self-care here and there!) 

A major blessing during August was our friend Molly's invitation for Susannah to attend Vacation Bible School at their local church.  This allowed me to have mornings with just the baby, and it was an exceptionally wonderful experience for Susie Joy!  My visions of napping and/or accomplishing something productive in our home were dashed by Tuesday, when I realized that even with Susannah gone from 9-1 each day I still had a needy little 7-week-old requiring my constant care!  Eliza and I spent a great deal of time just sitting and rocking in Susannah's absence, an activity that is a rare treat with the second baby.  In the grand scheme, I believe my choice to savor our precious gift WAS the most productive thing I could do in my whole lifetime!  This little Eliza Hope just gets more beautiful by the second, and I want to make sure I don't miss a moment of her glorious yet fleeting infancy.

August brought a trip to Grammy and Grandpa's house, which was such fun.  Uncle Seth and Aunt Natalie got to meet Eliza Hope for the first time, and Susannah got to swim at the local pool for long hours.  We had a family dinner on the sunporch, and are grateful for the memories made.  Our visit to Grammy and Grandpa's ended with news of the tragic loss of our Rylie-dog.  Oh, I cry as I type just this one sentence three months later...  Not a day goes by when we don't think or talk about that wonderful furry girl who was far more like a child than a dog to us.

Grateful to God for smiles and tears, peaks and valleys...because in this lifetime we cannot have one without the other.  We are called only to trust Him and His ways, even when we do not understand them.  And we are called by Him to be grateful in ALL circumstances, a lesson that is hard learned and will not be completely mastered until Heaven.  Meanwhile, we'll savor the days of loving and learning with these little children who fill our lives and hearts with immeasurable JOY!!!!!