Month 2 Update
- At July 04, 2014
- By Morgan Reid
- In Updates
0
If you saw my last post, you know why I haven’t been able to blog a lot this month. But thankfully, even during Nap-agedon, We were still able to grow as people and reach out in Christ.
Socially
-The amount of playdates lessened while we tried to figure out Autumn’s natural sleep time. But we still managed to make some more friends. : D
-Nate and I to a Baby Wearing Meeting, found out there’s an Attachment Parenting group for Dr Who fans and made some friends there too : ) 
Physically
-The first have of the month, workouts took a total nose dive: all of my spare time was spent reading about infant sleep, trying to get Autumn to sleep, and trying to sleep myself. Ha
-Read Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas and it helped motivate me to get back to it. Along with Dr. Sears’ infant sleep book that was AWESOME and talked about the benefits of working out and sleep for moms that I hadn’t considered.
-Nate took an introductory class on Kung Fu!
-Autumn learned how to crawl! And pull herself up! And take steps while holding our arms! This from the girl who didn’t learn to turn over until she was 6.5 months old! I guess she’s kinda like her mama – nothing and then BAM 😀
{We were (quietly) cheerleading}
Emotionally
-As hard as it was to work on not letting my emotions take over before this month, it was *worlds* harder while struggling with sleep deprivation. I know this will always be a process littlered with ups and downs, but I’m comforted in know that change is happening. And even more comforted knowing that God sees me the way He sees Jesus. (Can we talk about how greatful I am that that’s apart of His plan?)
-My biggest hope right now is to get the point were I don’t become so faint-of-heart while facing a challenge. I’ll never be a “go with the flow” kind of person, but I know as a Believer I have access to Power and victory, and am more than a conqueror.
-The boy in this post y’all.
Spiritually
-Read Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas and it was so good! I love hearing about parenting from the perspective of past Christians during a part of time when they didn’t have as many distractions, but definitely didn’t have more time ( by that I mean, the time that we save by not having to go out and gather eggs, I whittle away on facebook . . . .)
-Looking at Colossians 1:24-29 as if I’m Paul and Autumn is my ministry.
-Digging into how Genesis 3, Matthew 4, and 1 John 2 connect. Seeing how Satan follows a pattern that appeals to our sin nature: Uses our fallen nature to entise us with things we need, but may taken in abudnance or from the wrong places, things we see and strive to taken but aren’t really gifted to us from the Father, and how we use these things or our own ambition to try to impress others.
Kingdom Speaking
-Autumn and I met with the director at a local Pregnancy Crisis Center! I was really worried about how this was going to go (Morgan, are you serious. You can barely see straight some days, why are you adding something else to your plate. You have enough going on right now) – but there’s no harm in trying. And I want to be useful for Him.
Domestic -Alright, I made Juice Kefir (so good and full of probitoics!), Saurkurat (didn’t go well), bone broth in the instant pot for the 1st time (mmmm), and Calendula oil (I am learning so much from this woman’s posts).
Other/Fun
-Have you heard of the store Tree House? We went there on Father’s day and fell in love. Wanted to buy everything, there’s really no point until we have land ; ( But we did pick up some plants for our place : )
And this last one for kicks haha
Happy 4th!
MLTR
Month One
- At May 27, 2014
- By Morgan Reid
- In Changes
- 0
It’s been exactly a month since our plane landed in Austin on April 26th.
In many ways, we’re still settling in but I’m blown away by the ways God has paved our path and provided for us.
Looking back at all I stressed about and worried over, I’m humbled by how He’s shown His faithfulness, even in the smallest ways.
Socially:
I was so lonely in Stow, Oh. Part of that was my fault but I’m learning from that and it’s pushed me to change.
-I’ve gone to meet ups at the park, the movies, out to eat, breastfeeding groups, and a Story Sign (American Sign Language) book reading at the library.
-I posted in different Facebook groups listing the things I was into, how old Autumn was, and asking what things we could get involved in. That lead to 5 moms asking for playdates and the number has increased since then.
-One mom suggested groups and then said if I didn’t like any that I found, I should start my own. – What? Me?! My heart skipped a beat but at the same time, it seemed so refreshing. I haven’t needed to start a group, but I did connect all the moms and try formulating playdates that way. —WAYYY out of my comfort zone, but it’s gone really well! It fills an unreached part of my soul to see Autumn with kids her own age.
-The moms I’ve met up with have been awesome. Like really, really. We talk about hubbys, baby wearing, Austin, breastfeeding, spit-up: the usual. I really wondered when/if this kind of relationships would happen and so far, so good = )
-Some of the mom’s have geeky husbands! yay! Trying to see if Nate’ll go hang out with them.
The Plan: Continue meeting up with other moms (and for Nate, dudes), and not be such a hermit.
Physically:
{“Draining” our legs after a Mother’s Day Hike}
-I’ve gone to each Saturday workout offered by our apartment place (except the last one because of the playdate).
-I’m working on consistently going for walks with Audi, rebounding on the Bellicon, and not overeating.
-I’m definitely getting my upper body strength back. Audi’s getting heavier and holding her is getting easier – yaaaay.
-Signed Nate up for a Shaolin Kung Foo class! Scheduled for Wednesday, gosh I hope he likes it and gets to keep going. = ) He’s also been walking, running, and strength training.
The Plan: Continue working on health (taking supplements more regularly, eating nutrition-packed foods, taking quick naps during the day, strengthening feet, etc.) and jiggling less.
Emotionally:
-I’m working on not reacting based on emotion – Quiet and Gentle Spirit (1 Peter 3)
-Letting Jesus be my anchor, so I’m not so easily swayed, and so I can be flexible when things don’t go how I pictured. (Hebrews 6)
-While I always want to grow in patience and selflessness with Autumn, I’m working on remembering that my goal shouldn’t be Autumn’s happiness, but letting Jesus source me into a “Christlike Mama Shepard” (Thoughts on David’s life and Psalms)
-I’m also working on using sweet words and tones with Nate and trying to respect him like God yearns for me to.
-Nate’s awesome with emotions. Gold stars all around.
The Plan: These will always be works-in-progress and I’m reminding myself to give myself grace and be ok with that, it’s a part of Sanctification and becoming more like Christ. But the plan is to not get discourage when I mess up, and more readily ask for His mercy, forgiveness, and Sourcing in each area.
Spiritually:
-We’ve visited two churches so far, and I feel like we could go to either and make it work, but right now it’s too soon to settle. I really like the second one we visited, but Nate didn’t and it’s important to me that he’s not a hermit fulfilled in this area too so we’re prayerfully continuing the search. Not because being a Christian means you have to go to a church, but because we long for fellowship like we’ve read about in Acts 2 and this amazing book.
– I did some digging and after tracking people down on Facebook and messaging, I’ve found a House Church here in South Austin. Excited to check it out this Friday! = )
-I’m working on coming back to my 1st love. When I 1st started getting to know Jesus, there was just so much delight and effortlessness in our relationship. (I’ll be writing about my testimony soon) There was a “lightness” too it that I feel has gotten choked out in an effort to avoid worshiping a “jesus of my own making”. So instead of beating myself into a box trying to study God the right way, live the right way, do EVERYTHING the right way (which is what? exactly?) I just started avoiding “growing” all together so I wouldn’t “grow” the wrong way. Pssssh. Forget that.
-Nate’s loving his Torah class, and we both enjoy blessing Abba (like Jesus, did by saying “Blessed is He”) and saying Scripture to Autumn.
The Plan: continue learning about 1st century Jewish culture and rekindling that something-special that was between Jesus and I before the cares of this life suffocated it.
Kingdom-Speaking
-We’ve gotten way more into recycling and cutting down on plastic. This was in no small part influenced by the recycling bin right outside our apartment.
-I’m learning to fight my fears by being a voice for victims of things that scare me, like human-trafficking and the 276 girls who are experiencing horror right now.
-Still trying to find/pray about how Jesus wants me to serve, besides just loving on the people He places in my path. I want to intentionally find a way to befriend the “least of these,” seeing His face in theirs.
-Nate’s working on some very exciting stuff.
The Plan: look into serving opportunities
Domestic
-I’ve made mango/pineapple salsa, chopped chicken salad, a ton of smoothies
-All of our bulk spices and foods are in glass jars
The Plan: make yogurt and bone broth in the pressure cooker, kefir water, sauerkraut, and traditional sourdough bread.
Other Fun Stuff:
-Started Autumn on probiotics (important for c-section babes)
-Went to Austin Antique Mall and got a cast iron skillet the size of my hand and this photo that took my breath away.
– &&& joined a co-op!
-&&&& got a car!
{Still working on a name. I’m thinking Cami after Camille Leblanc-Bazinet}
The Plan: Enjoy life and count/praise God for all the gifts He sends each day.
I’m hoping to keep up with this kind of record-keeping so that we can really chronically our days here and make the most of them. = )
All that being said, I want to take a moment to acknowledge my lust to have things go the way I want them to and my need to feel on top of things. Perfectionism and control are gloried in our culture (and in my heart) but they don’t belong in His Kingdom. I don’t want my goal to be to live the right way, and not get to know the Right Person . I don’t want to strive to gain control over my circumstances and environment only to look back in despair realizing that I did all I could and it wasn’t worth it. “Gaining” the world while losing my soul; chained to my accomplishments, but not anchored to Him.
(**Also, while I wanted to keep this light and positive, I don’t want to paint the picture that our life is perfect either. Austin is better than we expected it would be and things are going well, but just like everyone else there are things we’d love to not have to contend with: a fussy baby, not enough time to do the things we’d like, debt, bills we weren’t expecting, loud neighbors, barking dogs, family issues, a dryer that takes 2 rounds to dry, headaches, traffic, etc., – and I got bit by a fire ant. those buggers pack a punch! ; ) **)
Morgan (loves to) Reid
