It's a...

We found out (for certain) yesterday that the new addition to the Bean family will be a girl! String Bean is warming up to the idea that she's not getting a brother. We asked her yesterday what she thought we should name this baby and after a thoughtful pause she replied, "Oo-Ah-Ah-Ah!"

We considered Oo-Ah-Ah-Ah and suggested that perhaps we should just name this baby "Mildred Gertrude" and did String Bean like that name? Without hesitation, she said, "YES!"

The jury is still out, but we are open to suggestions. After all, this child gets a legal name and a blog name. Oh, the possibilities!

Happy (Day After) Thanksgiving!

Things I'm thankful for this year:

• A husband who loves our family and sacrifices for us.
• The daughter God has blessed us with.
• The child God will be blessing us with in the near future.
• A job that understands my priority of being a Mom first and is okay with that.
• Cars that are paid for and (currently) work.
• A home we can afford to live in.
• The little things like my cupcake pans and trouser socks.
• And many other things I couldn't begin to list!
  

Happy (day after) Thanksgiving!

American Idol

After successfully avoiding the entire show this season, I did sit through the season finale. I enjoyed some of the big names and they did put on a great show. LOVED the Queen appearance at the end with "We are the Champions." Good times.

Does Fox not realize this is a family show? Do they not know that early elementary kids watch this show week after week and would be tuning into the finale? I can't believe they did "If You Want my Body." Glad String Bean is too young to ask what that means.

It was fun to see Steve Martin up there with his banjo and I liked his song except for the lyric about "would you sleep with me if I bought you dinner" or whatever the exact words were.

What happened with the whole Black Eyed Peas/Fergie thing that they cut to a still shot with no sound in the middle of the song? I couldn't understand the lyrics at all (the beat was good!), so I can only assume that something did not go right and what we saw was the censorship of the broadcast.

Congratulations, Kris. I know several Facebook friends who are thrilled at the moment.

Fox: tsk, tsk, tsk. Shame on you.

Train Up a Child

Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.

Today I sat in Bible study with a multi-generational group of women. I am the only one in the group who has a young kid. One mom has a junior high and high school kid. One just graduated her kids from college, and the other two are in the grandma stage. The interesting thread that went throughout the "empty nesters" prayer requests was adult children who have walked away from the Lord.

Of course, we parents have to do our part in training up the child in the way he should go, but ultimately, it is their choice whether or not to follow it. I think many parents claim this verse and then assume they've done something wrong when they've trained up their child. They do the "what if" game. What if I'd been a better example? What if I'd prayed for my child more? What if I'd _________.

We parents forget that our children make a choice about their salvation...and their behavior. We also forget that God has timing that is very different than ours. One of the ladies shared that her uncle (in his late 60s) just gave his life to the Lord because his brother, who had been a living example of a life changed by Christ, passed away and he realized that he needed God in his life since dependable brother was gone. Apparently his parents had been praying for him since he was a teen. They'd died 15 or so years before the brother died and prayed for him all those years. Then, the brother had taken over. Yet it was after both of them had gone home that the Lord answered their prayers.

Take heart! God's timing is an enigma to me for sure, but He's never late!

Meet the Parents

Have you seen the Ben Stiller movie, Meet the Parents? The comical things that happen to this poor guy the first time he goes out to see his girlfriend's parents is just amazing. It doesn't help that his future father-in-law is a former CIA agent and definitely knows how to interrogate a guy.

Well, my sister-in-law brought her new boyfriend over to visit tonight. All day yesterday, I was trying to come up with ways to initiate this guy into our family craziness. I was going over all the uncomfortable questions and scenarios that I could come up with in my mind and just never really settled on anything...well, that and I'm not that mean-hearted that I'd actually go through with it anyway.

The bottom line is...we met him. He's normal and not crazy, and really very likable. My sister-in-law thinks very highly of him (as does my father-in-law) so that translates into the very high probability that he is a very good guy that we will learn to love as time goes by.

We'll see what happens! Exciting times!!

So, This is the New Year

Like most of you, my husband and I rang in the New Year at midnight last night. Then, of course, we slept as late as possible this morning. So, this is the new year. Welcome 2009.

Here are some things I hope to see come to fruition this year:

1. Mr. Bean getting a raise. So, we got a letter from his place of employment letting us know that there would be no raises this year due to the downturn in the economy and a 232 million loss in the investments of the company. Bummer. I'm hoping for an economic turn-around so that raise comes back. We've got until July, people!
   
2. Continued health and wellness for my family. We ended the last 6 weeks of 2008 with String Bean's first illness and her passing it along to me. I hope we remain healthy in 2009 with very little illness and continued growth for String Bean in height, weight, intellect, and awareness of the world around her.
3. Growth in our church family. Of course, I want to see spiritual growth, but I'd also like to see growth of the 20s, 30s, and 40s age group of our church. We are lacking in the "younger adults" (and by extension "younger families")department and could use some new faces. Mr. Bean and I would like to see more of our peers at our place of worship.

I could probably make a long list of things, but these are the top 3 that I am trusting God for. What are you trusting God for this new year?

Un-Merry Christmas

I just found out that some dear friends have chosen to end their marriage. I also know of friends who have lost a parent or grandparent recently. Others I know have a loved one away for Christmas serving our country in the military. I have a friend living overseas that could not swing it, financially speaking, to be home this year.

I can't help but think that this Christmas is not a merry one for many.

If you are experiencing an Un-Merry Christmas, I extend to you my sympathies. Remember the true reason for celebrating this time of year: the birth of the Savior, the promised Messiah. Even though friends and family may not be with you this time of year and you are experiencing heartache-remember that despite what the Christmas movies and songs tell us, it is not family and gifts that make Christmas; it is the celebration of God sending his Son into the world to be our Reedemer that we celebrate.

If you have all the joys of the holiday, but know someone who does not, consider extending an inviation to them to join in your holiday fun. When I was a kid, my parents used to invite bachelors over to our house during the Christmas (and Thanksgiving) holidays who had no one to spend the season with. I can't remember any of their names, but I do remember the lesson of sharing and celebrating with others during the holidays and can imagine what it meant to them to have someone to be with on a day that can be lonely for those without family this time of year.

If you anticipate a lonely Christmas, remember He who is always with you. Remember that Jesus knew what it meant to be alone. He knew heartache. He knew grief. He knows what you are going through and really is a friend to us. May your Un-Merry Christmas become a day where you can find reason to celebrate and worship the King born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago!!

Christmas Traditions

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When I was a kid, one of our Christmas traditions was to put a train around the base of our tree. We also had a birthday party for Jesus every Christmas Eve. When Christmas morning would arrive, we would have to wait upstairs until everyone was dressed, beds made, hair combed, etc. before we could go down. We all went downstairs as a family and opened stockings before breakfast. For breakfast, we would have a bread/cheese/egg/bacon casserole my mom calls "12 for Breakfast." After breakfast, we would open gifts. Besides the trains which haven't been up for years, this is pretty much what I expect this year as we visit my parents.

Mr. Bean's family grew up doing the Advent candles and singing carols every evening of the Christmas season. When we go visit that side of the family, we enjoy this tradition and sing heartily my favorite carol, The Boars Head Carol, which is especially brilliant when sung in the shower at full volume.

This year is String Bean's second Christmas. We haven't yet started any family traditions of our own. One I am considering is the Jesse Tree.

I'm curious what traditions you remember fondly each year or from childhood. Help me explore what's out there as we start our own family traditions in the coming years.

Tips to Help Your Child through Stranger Anxiety

photo by sware

So, Miss String Bean is now in the full-fledged stage of stranger anxiety. We are getting ready to visit family for Thanksgiving and I'm expecting some drama and lots of tears. Here are some tips on how to handle stranger anxiety as you visit relatives this holiday season.

1. Acknowledge your child's fears are real. For most children, going through some sort of stranger anxiety is a normal developmental stage. Others have a completely normal anxiety or fear of new situations for most of their childhood. Acknowledge your child's feelings and do not force your child into a situation where he or she will become more stressed.
2. People who are familiar to you are not always familiar to your child. They are strangers. Don't expect your child to welcome kisses and hugs from people he/she does not know. After all, you probably do not kiss or hug strangers yourself! (Even if your child has met them before, they may not remember them!)
   
3. Warn relatives of your child's stranger anxiety. Great Aunt Sue wants to snuggle with your precious pumpkin. Imagine her shock, surprise, and feelings when your bundle of joy breaks out in tears screaming for Mommy. Give your relatives a heads-up that your child, although very loving and quite entertaining, will need a few minutes to get to know them (perhaps getting to know them again) before wowing them with all his or her charms.
4. Allow your child time to be come familiar with his or her new surroundings. If you give your child a few minutes to become familiar with the people and the situation they are in, many children will warm up and begin to work the crowd just like at home. Give them time.
5. Bring your child's favorite toy and let that new friend play with it first. String Bean has a favorite toy of all time-Curious George. We are bringing that guy with us to be an ambassador to the new family members she'll be seeing. If she sees that familiar toy, she will be more willing to go to that new friend and get to know them since her mind will be on George instead of on who the wacko is with the deep voice and the beard.
6. Remember your first priority is your child, not your guests. Your guests are adults and will understand that your priority is to comfort your child and look out for their well-being.

I'd love to hear your tips for curbing anxiety in little ones!