SIMEON JOSEPH - A Year Gone By

Sunday, March 24th, we celebrated our son, Simeon's 1st birthday. I can't believe it's been a year already! It just doesn't seem possible that the time flew by that quickly! (Although I seem to be the only one who thinks that) :) 

I think I've said this before, but I don't mind saying it again, I am so blessed to have been able to be with him practically every waking moment. I have been here to cherish every little milestone. I love it and am thankful to God for that opportunity and great privilege!

This last month or 2 have been full of little 'milestones' with Simeon, it seems. He now is starting to try to talk alot more. There is hardly a quiet moment around him! He LOVES to talk. He says "ball" "nana" (for banana...one of his favorite foods!) "num-num" (for food) "mama" "dada" "buh" (for bird) and he's said a couple of times what sounded very clearly like "night-night" (for when he's going to bed). So it seems he's mastering the consonants B and N. :)  He also recognizes many words and will point to the objects when you say them. He's a real cutie! He waves hello and goodbye, likes to try to sing sometimes, enjoys music, reading books and as usual, loves bathtime! Chad seems to enjoy Simeon more and more these days...now that Simeon and he can communicate a little and laugh and play together. It's pretty cute!
Simeon isn't walking yet, but that is just fine with me! I think I'm not quite ready for that milestone! He seems to be growing up too fast the way it is...I don't need to see him walking around everywhere too! : /

Simeon has continued to use the potty from time to time and I think he is starting to catch on to what it all means. :) We haven't gone into it extensively yet because it seems we are constantly on the go with Chad's work...and I just don't feel quite ready. I've been reading a little on potty training and was surprised to discover that at least 50% of children worldwide are potty trained by the time they are 12 months. (Simeon's age) In India and China, babies are usually potty trained at an average age of 6 months. Everywhere else in the world (except the U.S.) children are trained by 24 months. It seems that only the United States waits for the children to "be ready and decide when they want to be trained". The result is usually between the ages of 2 and 4 years. Hmm...interesting. I also learned that the age of potty trained children in our country especially extended with the introduction of disposable diapers, since the child can't feel when he/she is wet as well as with cloth. Anyway, enough about potty training for now. :) Back to something more interesting.

At Simeon's birthday, the last present that he opened was a "Big Brother" t-shirt. This is how we announced the coming of our second child! Yes, I am pregnant....about 10 weeks along! We are very excited and thankful for the Lord's good timing. Simeon and baby #2 will be 19 months apart. I think that will be a great spacing! :)  -- Apparently the Lord thought so too. :)
In other news, we are looking to perhaps sell our house this spring/summer and maybe buy a farm in the country. Chad and I are both more than ready to get out of town! :) (Please keep this endeavor in prayer! :))  We both have the same desire of raising our children on a farm where they can learn to work hard and appreciate the real things of value in life. --None of this Nintendo and Ipad stuff! : /  YUCK!

Chad has had a very busy schedule lately with LOTS of traveling. He has been working on a very large project in Michigan that demands most of his time. He was there for a 3 week stretch just recently...that was a long haul! He is home for about a week and off to MI again. Also he has a trip to Chile coming up in a couple weeks, then Brazil. We are hoping that this all settles down in May! Simeon seems to really react when Chad isn't home nowadays. He gets much more clingy to me and more crabby. It's always a welcome thing when Chad comes home...for all of us, in many ways! :)

I have been having a lot of morning sickness again with this baby. Most of the day (especially mornings) I feel nauseous, dizzy and weak. I NEED to be eating something at least every one to two hours or I get sick. I told Chad that if this keeps up much longer I might get quite fat! :) (not just baby fat either!). This ickiness lasted about 4 months with Simeon so, hopefully I am more than half way done with it! :)

Infinity is in South Carolina visiting family. Between her schedules and Chad's traveling all the time, we haven't seen much of her lately. Like I said, hopefully this will all tame down in May. - -  She has started softball practice. The practices are indoors but when it comes time for games, which is supposed to be in a week or so, I'm not sure how they are supposed to play when there is still so much snow on the ground! haha. I guess they are hoping it melts very soon. :) It'll need to or they'll be getting some really good exercise trudging through the snow! :)  -- Infinity will need continued prayer. Please pray for her to make wise choices and that she would desire a real relationship with God!

That is all I have to share right now. Scroll down to see pictures of Simeon on his b-day! He's getting so big! :)

We hope you are all well. We love to hear from you about how you and your families are! Drop us a line if you have the time!
Blessings

A Song in the Night

Hello friends! I just wanted to share a song with you today. It's a song by Don Francisco. I was listening to it while washing dishes today and it really spoke to me and met me where I was at. -- The Lord communicates in many different ways! :) -- I'm so thankful for that!

~~HE STILL LOVES YOU~~

 

When the world outside's been closing in around you

And the way from here is more than you can see

When the day's been more than you've had strength to handle

When a man is more than you know how to be

 

When the ones you love are trapped in lies and sorrow

And you just can't lift the weight that holds them there

When your friends have gone and left you empty handed

And the loneliness is just too much to bear

 

He still loves you, He's just waiting

For your struggles and your strategies to end

He's been beside you, every long and weary mile

If you'll just let Him lead the way, He'll be your friend

 

When at last you're tired of trying to be a Christian

And you've seen the end of all that you can do

When you realize how little you're worth without Him

He'll still be reaching out with love to you

 

He still loves you, He's just waiting

For your struggles and your strategies to end

He's been beside you every long and weary mile

If you'll just let Him lead the way, He'll be your friend

 

His love never ends!

_______________________________________________________________

When we get our eyes off of Christ and His power and promises, the world does seem to close in on us--so quickly.

 

I can get so narrow sighted and not be able to see much of anything other than the one problem that my mind is focused on. It's said that women can be great multi-taskers but when we take our eyes off Christ and the prize, our multi-tasking goes out the window. As we cannot serve both God and man...we cannot focus on God and the world and our problems at the same time. So, when we seem to get near/narrow sighted, lets turn our head away from that and look again to Christ. ---I know that this is easier said than done but the more we excercise this, the easier it gets!

 

I like the chorus of this song....so true and simple. I like how it says "He's just waiting for your struggles and your strategies to end." Oh how I strategize! Always trying to ''figure out'' what's wrong and how I can try harder next time to fix it, etc. It reminds me of a phrase that is found in Proverbs several times: "There's a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is destruction" and the well known verse that says "lean not on thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowlege Him and He shall direct thy path." Our ways may seem right and even brilliant or clever, but in the end we are not all wise and all knowing and usually we are wrong about things when WE try to figure and understand things without the wisdom of God. God knows all things, so why not leave the 'fixing' up to Him? --It's so much easier and more plesant when we do! :)

 

I also really liked the part of the chorus that says "He's been beside you every long and weary mile." Today when I heard that, the thought occured to me that it's not only long and weary for us, but I think it must be long and tiresome for God. -To prove Himself time and time again, just to see us fall and struggle again and again. How disheartening, I'd think. When I thought of it that way, instead of thinking its just ME struggling and growing weary, I was more thankful to my Father for being so long-suffering with me! Even though He has to teach me the same things again and again, He never grows too tired. What a Rock to rest upon! What a fortress to be able to run to and hide in! Praise Him - He is so good to us!

 

Thank you for reading my jumbles of thoughts and words. I hope you have found even a small amount of encouragement in this.

 

Carry on friends. Stand steadfast in Him! He is our strength and song!
Please keep us in your prayers, we need them in a few different areas!

Update from the Stewart household : )

Has it really been that long since I've written on here!!? Oh dear! Well then, I should have plenty to say! :) -- But where to begin??

It's hard for me to come to grips with the fact that Simeon is going to be a year old soon! I cannot express how fast that time seems to have gone. It was like the blink of an eye. What a joy it has been to see him grow and develop like he has...by leaps and bounds. I thank God that I have the blessed oppurtunity to stay at home and drink it all in. I heard his first laugh, his first word (mama) :). I got to watch him sit up, scoot, pull himself up on furniture and now crawl...all for the very first time. I got to comfort him in his times of sickness. Every time before bed, whether for naps or night time, I read him books and sing to him while I rock him. I've been able to cherish each moment and thank God for them cause I never know if I'll have another moment. Our lives are so unpredictable...so delicate. We don't know what tomorrow brings, or if it will even come. --- God was right (of course!) Children are a blessing and a heritage from the Lord.
Simeon is now just over 10 months old, he has 5 teeth (almost 6) is crawling EVERYWHERE, walking around with assistance of furniture, walls, toys etc. and getting quite the little sense of humor. He is usually very happy and is usually laughing or squeaking about something. He has gotten over his need to be by mommy all the time and has become rather independent. He likes to crawl around the house looking for new things to discover. He is pretty obedient when he is told 'NO' and knows the consequences of deciding to disobey. He is a sweet boy who grabs the attention of people all the time when in public.

Motherhood has definatley changed me. Now instead of talking about my latest traveling adventure or my dream of going here and there and doing great things, I talk about cloth diapers, nursing, discipline, what Simeon has been up to lately, schedules, cleaning the house, making meals, etc, etc. Its rather funny to me how such a little guy can make such a huge difference! :) haha  Its great.

So I suppose I should write a little about what we have been doing and how the rest of the family is (other than Simeon) :) 
Chad keeps very busy with work. He shuts himself in the basement all day so that he can concentrate better. -We are working on finishing the basement up and making him an office down there. - If he's not working from home  he's traveling. Most of the travel lately has been to the U.P. of Michigan where he, I and Simeon all go and stay for 1 1/2 to 2 weeks at a time in a small rental cabin. Its cozy and accomadating for the most part but gets kind of lonely when Chad works alot. Simeon and I don't have phone or car so we do our best to occupy ourselves with something else.  --- Other than the Michigan trips there are some Canada, Chile, Brazil and other U.S. travels in the plans for this year. Most of which I don't think Simeon and I will be going on. Air travel is, as always, rather expensive. ----- Otherwise Chad is doing well. He recently has been buying tools for himself and has been having a desire to make things, fix things and finish our basement. Now he just needs to 'buy' himself some time :)
Infinity is growing so fast! Between her and Simeon...yikes! Time flies! Fin will be 14 in just a few days. She is in 8th grade and is now beginning what is commonly known as the 'teen years'; complete with peer pressure, friends as NUMERO UNO, drama, cliques, and if you ask me...downright scarriness!! She doesn't spend much time with us here, but the little time we do have her we do what we can and take advantage of that time to talk to her about important things and share with her truth and love from God's Word. She will need MUCH prayer in the years to come--as all children do. Hearing about the things that go on in school and things that her friends are doing and experiencing at this tender age, is catastrophic. Children in this world need to be better cared for by their parents and other elders. There seems to be such a lack of (as the Bible says) "natural affection". Its so sad. Its nice to know that at least Infinity has that love in her life and most importantly, has godly influence in her life. Too many children are without both.
I keep busy with what I call 'wife life' -- and now I suppose 'mommy life'. :)  Most of the time it seems I am cleaning or playing with Simeon. From time to time I buy and sell on Ebay as well. I try to keep in touch with "the outside world" by calling family and talking on the phone a bit. I go visit folks when I can but sometimes I suddenly remember that other people have lives...they don't all just sit and play with their children and clean. :) haha --- A shocking discovery!
Lately I have been thinking about the need to learn useful skills and the need to teach them to others. Skills such as gardening, canning, knitting/sewing, cloth diapering, making cheese, butter, etc ...skills and knowledge that were so basic not too long ago. This, I think, is essential to a happy, healthy life. I have been desiring these things and would love to start sharing my experiences and little knowledge with others....and learning SO MUCH MORE! -- This cloth diapering journey has been so great! I have loved every moment of it and have not once wished I did disposables. I think more people need to learn about this! And I would love to be the one to teach them!! :) I have been tossing around the idea of having classes/workshops for cloth diapering. A place where folks can come and learn about the ease, health and economics of it. A place to get familiar with the jungle of options and varieties out there for diapering. I know I only have 10+ months of experience, but ya gotta start somewhere, right?? :) I feel equally as passionate about other things such as GOD, natural childbirth, breastfeeding, basic living off the land, etc...but lets not open those cans now. I've done enough typing for now and should sign off. :)

I hope to be more diligent with my ambitions and sharing them with you on here! :)
I do hope you are all doing very well and keeping healthy in these 'sick months'!
Have a wonderful day!!!

~~ A verse for the time ~~

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another." 

 Romans 14:19