A few recommendations

A couple product recommendations to throw out there:

Gumdrop Pacifiers

From Hawaii, and much like the Soothie, these are Clara's favorite. I love how the paci doesn't completely cover their little noses.

Tommee Tippee bottles

These bottles are fabulous for the breastfeeding Mom who occasionally gives a bottle. They are also great for Moms like me who both breast and bottle feed. Clara has never had one bit of confusion with these bottles. They are the best I have ever used!

Some Spurgeon for your Sunday

"God does not violate the human will when He saves men. They are not converted against their will, but their will itself is converted. The Lord has a way of entering the heart―not with a crowbar, like a burglar. But with a master-key, which He gently inserts in the lock, and the bolt flies back, the door opens, and... He enters." - C.H. Spurgeon

Useless Friday Facts

I've been wondering lately: how much of my life do people really care about? In this current age of social media and networking, it is very easy to share almost too many details of your day-to-day with nearly complete strangers.

Just yesterday I came across this book on Amazon and thought to myself: "They don't?" I'm kidding, but it's true. How many times have you seen tweets or status updates along the lines of:

• Steaks on the grill!
• Watching The Office with the hubby.
• Just tied my right shoelace on my pink Converse sneaker.

Ok- I've never seen the last one, but you get my point.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think there is anything wrong with sharing information with our family and friends. I'm just wondering: how much is too much? And who cares? I keep reminding myself of Mary's example in Luke 2:19: "But Mary kept all these things in her heart and pondered them." The Bible doesn't say: "But Mary heard all these great things from the shepherds and repeated them to everyone she knew." I think there is wisdom to be found here.

Another example is the temptation to rant and complain to the entire world wide web. Hear me again: I am guilty. I have recently become convicted, however, that my complaints regarding how slow the Starbucks line was or how rude the cashier at Target was do nothing to cultivate the "gentle and quite spirit" that Peter speaks of in the New Testament. On that same note, I am doing nothing that speaks well of my husband's ability to "manage his household well" when I am loud and boisterous and do not have self-control over the use of my tongue.

Point being, I am working on change. I am very much trying to:

1. be cognizant of what is worth sharing versus what is best left to myself.
2. not waste the time of others.
3. cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit.
4. be a good testimony to my husband's ability to lead our family.

This leads me to today's post: useless Friday facts. I am starting a new series where I get one opportunity to release a week's worth of useless information into one blog post. I'm excited! Are you? I know, I know. Probably not as much as me. Here goes!

1. We love the new show Parenthood.
2. I'm wearing contact lenses for the first time in over a year. (Yes, this was my status earlier today, but I get to use it twice today.)
3. Chicken and dumplings for dinner. Cannot wait! David says they are better than Cracker Barrel's. He is sweet, but very wrong.
4. Clara is smiling. NOTE: I think this qualifies as status update-worthy, but I just thought of it so I'll use it here =)
5. The new season of The Ultimate Fighter recently began. I just can't seem to get into teams Ortiz and Liddell the way I did teams Evans and Jackson.
6. Kaedmon is crying- again. Simon is crying- again. I hate family-wide illnesses. Please let them go back to sleep.
7. I have slept little to nothing this week and I don't feel tired. At least, for now.
8. Noah made Stone Soup for snack at school last week. It has mushrooms, among other vegetables, in it. It was not a hit. Today they made fruit salsa. Noah thought it was fabulous. He told me he had two bowls.
9. Noah and Sammy were both the door holders at school this week. With nearly 15-20 students in each class, what are the odds?
10. I take Clara into school about once a week for the principal, admissions director, and others to love on her. I think they love holding a newborn as much as I love talking to adults for even 10 minutes!
11. I've need to start exercising. Badly. The only time I have motivation is if I can get myself to a gym. Problem is, a gym membership is not in our budget right now. Where is the treadmill fairy that drops a used treadmill off at my door? Any takers?
12. I really have to battle my desire for an iPhone. It ain't gonna happen.
13. I'm still using a space heater in my bedroom. And it's almost May.
14. I just went through a bag of coughdrops in less than 24 hours.
15. Time to watch Flashforward on Hulu before Clara wakes up.

DISCLAIMER: This doesn't mean you're done seeing useless status updates and tweets from me, just so you know. I'm constantly working on and using discernment regarding what aspects of my life people do, in fact, care to know.

In a semi-perfect world...

this would be my stockpile! Wow!

Mommy and Clara

I love my daughter. That's all.

Kaedmon

Kaedmon had to be admitted to UK Children's Hospital late last night. He was having a very difficult time breathing and actually wasn't moving air through his left lung for an hour or two. After 3 breathing treatments and a few doses of steroids, he responded and was sent home. He is using a rescue inhaler now and we are monitoring him to see if he has another episode. It was very frightening.

We are very thankful that he is doing better today. For those of you who were aware of the situation, thank you so much for praying. Please continue to pray!

Clara at 5 weeks