Ode to Vitamin D

Last year my friend Jen told me that most Minnesotans are extremely deficient on vitamin D and that could be the reason for so many people suffering from S.A.D.D. I was a definite sufferer of S.A.D.D. I remember dramatically saying that I wanted to plunge my head into the toilet and leave it there. Not really. But kind of. So I started popping vitamin D religiously. Oh the sweet relief. It has been a world of a difference. I take two each day and on those long stretches when we don't see the sun for DDDDDAAAYYYYYYSSSSS on end, I'm still doing ok. I care not to leave this world just yet. If you find yourself sad in these long winter days... try some vitamin D, it does a body good.

The following pictures really have nothing to do with vitamin D, except maybe that my kids looked really, really cute in their Vikings apparel and that makes me happy.

Jeremiah said to me on Sunday morning, "I'm wearing my Vikings jersey to church." (clearly testing me and my reaction) I said, "Ok." He said, "REALLY?!" I said, "Sure, put the kids' on them too." He was thrilled. And all the guys in church were jealous of him [that he has such a cool wife that lets him wear a Vikings jersey to church].

Too bad Los Vikes couldn't break the curse.

Here's the monthly picuture... even though I took it on time, we're almost due for another. This was at the beginning of January. A February one will come in, well, February.

Just playing outside, since the weather was warm enough- like in the 20's!! Woohoo!

Hear Me Roar

My name is Isaiah and I'm a pretty cute dude.

Up until about 5 days ago, I was really, really good 99.2% of the time. Then on Monday my mom was mean and brought me in for my shots. That night I wasn't feeling super great and I figured out what fussy meant. And since then I've cried like 3 times. THREE! Don't worry though, I'm getting back on track. The last two days I've been pretty much completely back to my old self of not crying. My mom said it was ok that I did cry though because it helps me exert some energy and is good for my lungs to give a little shout once in a while.

My mom doesn't like to brag too much, so I figured I had to let ya'll know that I AM a little stud muffin. I like my sleep, going to bed around 8:00 pm, Mom wakes me up at 10:00 for my last feeding, then I'm down until 7:30 am. I'm a happy camper, talking/cooing, smiling lots and starting to giggle. I love to lay under my play gym or just in the middle of the chaos that is defined by the words "Jonah" and "Aphia". I'm starting to nurse really fast, but I also like to clamp down and PULL HARD. Mom says that when I get teeth we'll be DONE-DEE. Even Dad covered his chest in mock-pain when he saw what I can do last night.

So that's me, Isaiah John. To reiterate: I'm super cute. I'm a good boy. I love food. Hear me roar (which I really never do). Peace out.

Both

I can’t always have both. I want both. But I cannot always have both. There are so many times in life that I would just feel so much better if I had been blessed with the ability to split myself in two and be two places at once. Does that seem like to much to ask? Seriously.

I want to go out sledding with Jeremiah and the kids, but I want to stay home and snuggle in. I want to take a shower, take off my old, grungy toenail polish and re-polish, but I want to be lazy and do nothing. I want to go out with my friends and sing karaoke, but I want to stay with my family because we’ve been busy all day and I just need down time with them. I want to go to all the Christmas and New Year’s festivities with all of our families and friends, but I want to stay home, keeping it low key, like Jeremiah always asks for. I want to go to bed and sleep, because I know that Isaiah will be up like clockwork at 7:00 a.m., but I want to stay up and watch a movie with Jeremiah. I want to cook a yummy homemade meal because I love to cook, but I want to go out for Thai food because it is so yummy!

I can’t have them both, all the time. I need to remember this. I need to be able to make a decision and be satisfied with it. I need to feel no guilt from either side, because in reality, both sides will be fine with or without me. I need to know that sometimes it is ok to say “yes” and sometimes it is ok to say “no”.

It seems that the idea of “balance” is an idea that a lot of people struggle with. There are probably very few people who would say that they always have a nice, even balance in their lives. But it is not something that cannot be strived for. Balance is a good goal. I like happy mediums. In life, I think they seem to rank high... just after relationships. (That was a mantra we always said in my Youth Ministry classes, “It’s all about the relationships.”) That is where the tricky part comes in. For me, I’m very relational, and so I like to be with everyone all the time. But I need the balance of being with those whom I love and care about, but also finding alone, quiet, down time.

Ahhh, the blessing that a new year brings. The chance to ponder these things. The chance to look ahead to the newness and make decisions about what this year will bring and how I will shape and form it. It’s my life. It’s my choice. And I’m going to forge ahead with what I think God wants from me. And that my friends, this year, is a balance of both.