some thoughts on babies

i am 3 weeks into my new job and loving it.  starting over is humbling and refreshing all at the same time.  it's definitely weird to be the new girl.  i have to ask for help no less than 50 times every day.  i can no longer anticipate what the doctor will order for a particular problem, because well i don't know much about babies just yet.  asking where something is kept in the nursery and being told "over there" has quickly become one of my least favorite things to hear because i haven't learned where "over there" is in most cases.  thankfully, my co-workers are helpful and willing to teach.  honestly, the change of pace and environment has been a breath of fresh air.  there is something so sweet about new life coming into the world.  i love getting to be a part of the special time in families lives of welcoming a new baby.  i like to learn and am learning new things each day i am at work.  This has been exciting and fun. 

now i have always been that girl that really just loves babies.  i will oooh and ahhh over any that cross my path.  i've loved holding and rocking them since i was barely big enough to not be held and rocked myself.  let me just say though that there are a few basic things that i never fully got until the past few weeks.  i'm sure many of you mommas out there already know all this, but to this single girl, some of it has been almost mind blowing. 

1.  never under estimate the power of a good swaddle.  baby's love it.  like they will stop crying almost immediately (most of the time) if you wrap them up real tight.  i feel like i can accomplish big things now with just this tiny piece of knowledge. 
2.  breastfeeding is not something moms and babies just naturally know how to do.  i won't elaborate on this too much because frankly i'm not sure most of my bloggy audience wants that kind of information.  let me just say though that i have never in my life considered how important the latch, suck and flanged lips could be.  who knew??! 

3.  babies are resilient.  when holding a baby the phrases "use two hands" "careful" and "be gentle" always came to mind.  while these are important, the ways that we wrap, tuck, poke, prod and lift babies in the nursery is a pretty good reminder that God created them with little bodies that are ready to be handled by the outside world when they are born.      
4.  when you take a diaper off to change it, that will inevitably be the time the baby decides to go again.  with.out.fail.  i am happy to learn though that i have cat-like reflexes i never even knew about in these instances. 

there is still so much that i don't know and i have lots to learn in the coming weeks.  overall, i think this job change has been a really good thing for me.  i hoped and prayed this would be the case before i started.  i am thankful now to be able to say that it was a good decision.

until next time, buh-bye. 

she loves Jesus

the other night a friend and i were texting back and forth.  she was describing a person who i had never met, but will soon work with.  her description about this girl ended with, "she loves Jesus a lot."  in the moment i thought, this girl sounds great, i should be her friend.  but later as i kept thinking about it, i wondered, would people say this of me?  would my friends, family, co-workers and church family describe me to others as someone who really loves Jesus?  sadly, i know from my actions that i am not always worthy of this description.  i am thankful for the grace that He continually shows to a sinner like me who messes up everyday. 
i really do want to be so intentional with my actions though, that people know i love Jesus.  i don't want to do the right thing because i think it is what's expected of me or i'm afraid of who will see me doing the wrong thing.  i want to do what is right because i love the Lord and desire to obediently follow His commands.  i want to love God with my life.  To live in such a way that what i do in my daily life at home, work and church can bring glory to Him.  what a noble compliment for someone to say, "she loves Jesus a lot." 
i pray that i will live in such a way that people could say the same of me.