The Blessing of My First-Born

On the road again! Yesterday the boys and I traveled back from Frisco to Austin to be here today for the traditional birthday breakfast where we celebrate another birthday of one we love. It’s the dad’s (my first-born’s) birthday this time. We’ll enjoy the usual: biscuits (plus cream & chocolate gravies), eggs, bacon and fruit. His will be served in the “You are Special” plate and we’ll each go around and tell him why he is so special to us.

This #1 child (in order of birth debuts) – my first-born -- and his birthday, makes me even more nostalgic than I already am daily. That's what happens as the years go by. Our love for them and all the memories, indelibly imprinted on our mind, continue to give us such pride and joy. And, all you mamas and papas out there, you might as well realize you'll never get over the awe of the accomplishments and abilities of your kids, and most of all, that you were in partnership with God in bringing these amazing human beings into this world.

Our Ryan Keith, our first-born was the “test-case” for two inept amateurs. No prep-training classes in those days. All we had was a Dr. Spock book, “Baby and Child Care” to give us “baby” tips. I remember the hospital staff showing me how to nurse this little human being. It occurred to me: “This baby is dependent on ME!" Oh, the responsibility that hit two very novice kids. I remember being shown how to change his diapers, take care of his tummy button, how to bathe him and THAT WAS IT! We were on our own. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? No formal training in baby care? Fortunately, we had our two mothers that “knew the ropes” and they guided us in becoming experts.

The first-born shows us an unconditional love that is beyond explanation. This little first-born gave me the incredible gift of my cherished title – ‘mother’. My first-born and I were partners as we navigated all his first-born challenges like blow out diapers, sleepless nights and keeping him alive when he was so sick. We are still partnering as we navigate MY life. It’s definitely a role reversal. I’m so thankful for my partnership with my first-born. He was the first time I did all of the “mom stuff” and I certainly made a lot of mistakes along the way, and I (and his dad) have been his first time in his opportunity for “son stuff”. He reminds me each Valentine’s Day that I was his first love. His dad, me and God created his first heartbeat and my heartbeat was the first one he heard.

He was my first time I wore maternity clothes, the first time I watched my body change and grow to accommodate a person, the first time I threw up for mornings for three long months and experienced the crazy ride of pregnancy highs and lows. The first time I nursed, the first time I planned a first birthday party. The first-born teaches us so much. My boy gave me the confidence to be a mother. It didn’t happen right away. But over time, through mothering him, I found out who I was and am in this role. My strengths and my weaknesses. My highs and my lows. He even gave us the courage to do this thing again. And, we had his little sister two and a half years later.

Yes, I’m nostalgic, but mostly I’m so grateful God blessed us with a remarkable, talented, compassionate, giving, tender-hearted and loving first-born. Not only am I having memories on this day, but I'm counting my blessings that continue to bring my life so much joy and pleasure. My greatest blessings call me Mom and Nana -- and on this day, I'm especially thankful for that little man that kick-started us into parenthood and continues to make me so grateful when God was handing out “Motherhood” – He picked me to be this man’s mother. He survived our youth and inexperience and he rocked our world and I think to myself.... what a wonderful world it is!

Happy Birthday, my first-born, Ryan Wuerch! What a difference you’ve made in my life!

Happy Birthday Eve! I'm Still Here. I'm Not Done.

It's the eve of my birthday and the fanfare began as soon as we arrived at the Wuerch's entrance and continued for the rest of the night. I felt so embraced and loved. "70" must be a big deal! Check out the crown and sash: 70 and Fabulous! I'm owning it!

Tomorrow is the official day when after God handcrafted me in my mother’s womb, I made my debut into this world. That may sound self-gratifying, but honestly, I’m just following scripture that says “You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as YOU LOVE YOURSELF.” I can’t love you if I don’t love me. I’m thanking God He’s blessed me with a full, blessed and fruitful life, but I think I need to come clean with you today and tell you some of my truths.

I’ve led you to believe that I am a “wonder woman” widow, but the truth is I can sometimes be a whiny, wimpy widow. I may have led you to believe that I’m a “Mary” just sitting at the feet of Jesus. The truth is I am often a “Martha” -- too busy for my own good, AND God’s good. I show you my best photos and the truth is I often use my “touch-up” app to help me look my best. This 70-year-old body still has all its 1948 body parts but some of them creak and ache!

That’s my BIG reveal. I feel better about sharing all that with you, because if there’s anything I want my friends and family to know, it’s that “I am a sinner, saved by God’s grace. I make mistakes way too often. I sometimes stumble and fall (literally and spiritually). I often speak up, when I should be silent and listen. I sometimes give advice without being asked. Sometimes I go overboard in my desires to please. I want to be appreciated and be told so. Sometimes I carry a big chip on my shoulder because someone hurt my feelings. And, many times, I wish I could get my “one-way ticket to heaven” sooner than later. But, I don’t let myself stay in any of those negative feelings for very long, because my one determined purpose is to please my Heavenly Father so much, so, I get up, clean up and tell my feelings to shut up and I have a go at it again because this I know with absolute certainty: app to help me look my best.

I am God's daughter and a lover of Jesus. My greatest love story is that of my Lord and me. I can stand up and keep going because He is my strength and He is stronger than my weakness. He is and always will be my constant. He is and always will be my loudest cheerleader. I was designed to speak, write and declare the good news of my Lord. I was designed to confront darkness head-on with a passionate fire of the Holy Spirit. I was designed to be a leader. I was designed to be authentic and real. I was designed to never give up until I'm taken up. I am determined to finish my race strong.

I take a huge amount of comfort from the Apostle Paul. He said, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-11.

And now, I want to pass along a birthday gift to you. I want to let you know, that you, too, will face some disappointments. You will get challenged and even knocked down. But, here’s the good news for you and me. We will not lose. We will win. We are not alone. We are not going to give up. We are going to keep marching on. Not because we are super human – but because all the power of heaven lives and rests inside of us. We’re still here….so we’re not done! Let’s keep marching, skipping, walking, or running on to our Finish Line where we’ll hear our Divine Cheerleader say to us “Well done, good and faithful servants!”

This is NESTING -- Preparing, Waiting, Anticipating

This is NESTING -- Preparing, Waiting, Anticipating
On Saturday, I went outside to water some plants and I was startled by the fluttering away of a mama dove that had laid two eggs in my fireplace vent outside. I quietly left that area because I wanted her to return to her nest. Then yesterday morning, I was about to clean my BBQ grill when I looked up and there, patiently, peacefully and undisturbed was this mama dove sitting on her soon-to-be-hatched babies. How significant to see such a beautiful wonder of creation on Mother’s Day. That adoring and devoted mama was waiting, anticipating and, obviously from the well-built nest in a cozy spot, preparing for her brood. I kept going outside, and Mama had not moved from her spot. She is on a mission to bring life into this world, unconcerned at all by the bird watchers that would check her out throughout the day -- and especially, when my children and grandchildren came over to power wash my porches right near her..

We, women relate to “nesting”, not only in birds, but when we, as expectant mamas, are getting close to that day when our baby will arrive. We wake up one morning feeling energetic and have the distinct urge to clean and organize our entire house. It's that overwhelming desire to get our home ready for our new baby. Sometimes, that urge is from boredom or frustration from still being pregnant, as well as knowing that the baby’s care is going to take lots of time and energy, and we want everything to be ready before the baby arrives. I recall the excitement and anticipation of that bundle of joy AND I knew the hours of love and care that I was about to give. There would be little time for much else, so, like that mama dove, my "little nest" needed to be just right.

On this Mother’s Day, I was pondering about the thoughts I had before my babies arrived. We already had their names picked out long before their arrival day. I worked tirelessly on their nursery, being sure it all set up and ready to go for the tiny, new occupant. All the gifts of clothes, nighties, and underclothes were washed and folded into the little dresser drawers. The hanging diaper holder was filled and all the tiny items were all organized for the imminent arrival of our baby. I would open those drawers and smell that sweet baby aroma.. My house was clean. My bags, with my baby’s "going home" outfit, was packed and ready to go. With our girl's arrival, we had all the plans made for taking her big brother to Granny & Papa's to stay until we came home with her. Everything was ready for her debut. The excitement was building for the BIG day!

Though I am no longer in that “season” (Thanks be to God!) of nesting because a baby is on the way, I still find myself nesting in times of sweet reflection, peace and quiet, and really pondering God’s goodness and mercy to me. Aw, pondering. Mary, the mother of our Lord, perfected that term – she pondered all those angelic messages in her heart.

This little mama dove reminded me about the importance of "being still" nesting in our Lord. It's a given that He abides in us, but when we spend time refreshing and reviving our relationship with Him, to really know Him, His peace (like the dove) comes over us and all the clamor and activity around us is as nothing. That dove really looked like a decoy -- unshakable and unmovable. Her babies were her preeminent responsibility. Nothing else mattered.

Today some of our precious family from Winnipeg, Canada are coming for a visit. I've prepared for them. I baked and cooked and made sure my house is clean. I even ordered the hockey channel on my TV for watching our Winnipeg Jets play their second game in the Stanley Cup Western Conference finals. In essence, I’m nesting and I’m preparing, waiting, anticipating, and preparing for their arrival. Maybe “nesting” is the mindset we should always have with our relationship with Christ. Peacefully, thinking about what He means to us, being still enough to know His indescribable love for us and preparing, waiting and anticipating, with joyful sense of expectation of His return. Oh, what a DEBUT that will be!

Two Blessings on the Same Day

September 16th is ALWAYS one of my favorite days of the year! God blessed this world, and me, with my two girls on this date. And this year is no exception. I'm celebrating these two precious gifts to me.

It was actually September 15th when our son asked us to join him and Shawntel's family for a surprise birthday party for her at her home. Her birthday was September 16th, but the party needed to be on the 15th. We had a wonderful time together celebrating this beautiful woman, but the party went to a whole new level, when Ryan got down on one knee and proposed to her. We rejoiced when she said "YES"! We knew God brought them together.

Larry and Staci were absent from this celebration because of a "surprise" birth-day party that they were at. Just after Ryan proposed, we got the call from Larry....."Staci's contractions are just minutes apart." That meant we had to make a quick exit from this fabulous party.....to be at another fabulous "debut" party.

We rushed to Dallas and though the doctors were telling Staci to "push", she refused to....."My Mom & Dad must be here!" As we were running down the hallway of the hospital our precious little girl started coming. We made it....but not a minute too soon!

Our hearts were full -- our son was engaged to the "love of his life", and Larry and Staci brought another precious treasure to love into this world. And to make it even more special, Ryan and Shawntel drove from Oklahoma to Texas to meet their new little niece on both girls' birth-days. It was a joyous celebration! That's Shawntel and baby girl, Alexia, celebrating their birth-days in this photo.

So, today, September 16th, I get to celebrate two precious girls that have brought so much sunshine and joy to our family. I can't begin to thank God enough for my Shawntel (aka Angel -- always has been to our family) who is the most devoted and loving wife to Ryan, and incredible mother to our boys. She calls me Mom, which is one of the greatest privileges. We're bonded. We've shared so many blessings together. She's my girl and always will be.

And, then there's my hilarious, beautiful, talented, loving, one-and-only granddaughter, Alexia -- who made her debut 15 years ago today. Where has 15 years gone? It seems just a little while ago that we were rushing to meet her, and now she is becoming a young woman of destiny and purpose. With 5 grandsons who are ALL about "guy" stuff....this precious girl provides me with all the "girly" stuff!

Happy Birthday, Shawntel Wuerch & Alexia Wallace -- my two September 16th GIFTS FROM GOD!

The Debut of Two Girls Into Our World

Day 255 of Photo Inspirations -- The Debut of Two Girls Into Our World
On this special day, I'm celebrating two of my girls.

It was actually September 15th when our son asked us to join him and Shawntel's family for a surprise birthday party for her at her home. Her birthday was September 16th, but the party needed to be on the 15th.  We had a wonderful time together celebrating this beautiful woman, but the party went to a whole new level, when Ryan got down on one knee and proposed to her.  We rejoiced when she said "YES"!    We knew God brought them together.   Three months later they were married.

Larry and Staci were absent from this celebration -- but they had a pretty good excuse.  Just after Ryan proposed, we got the call from Larry....."Staci's contractions are just minutes apart."  That meant we had to make a quick exit from this fabulous party.....to be at another fabulous "debut" party. Our little Alexia was coming into the family as well.  

We rushed to Dallas and though the doctors were telling Staci to "push", she refused to....."My Mom & Dad must be here!"    As we were running down the hallway of the hospital our precious little girl started coming.  We made it....but not a minute too soon!  

Our hearts were full -- our son was engaged to the "love of his life", and Larry and Staci brought another precious treasure to love into this world.  And to make it even more special, Ryan and Shawntel drove from Oklahoma to Texas to meet their new little niece on both girls' birth-days.  It was a joyous celebration!

So, today, September 16th, I get to celebrate two precious girls that have brought so much sunshine and joy to our family.  I can't begin to thank God enough for my Shawntel (aka Angel -- always has been to our family) who is the most devoted and loving wife to Ryan, and incredible mother to our boys.  She calls me Mom, which is one of the greatest privileges.  We're bonded.  We've shared so many blessings and though we're physically miles apart -- when we are back together again, it's as though we were never apart.  She's my girl and has always been.

And, then there's my hilarious, beautiful, talented, loving, one-and-only granddaughter, Alexia -- 14 years old today.  Where has 14 years gone?  It seems just a little while ago that we were rushing to meet her, and now she is becoming a young woman of destiny and purpose.  With 5 grandsons who are ALL about "guy" stuff....this precious girl gives me the bows, ruffles, shopping, girly-girl things that I love so much.

Happy Birthday, Shawntel Wuerch​ and Alexia Wallace​ -- my two September 16th GIFTS FROM GOD!