We have been going back and forth for the last couple of months...trying to decide if we want to schedule another c-section for this baby or if we wanted to try and do it the other way. Finally, after much prayer and research, we agreed to schedule the c-section. So, this week, when we went to see the doctor, we were assigned our date! Assuming all goes smoothly and he doesn't come early on his own, Nolan Robert Smith will be joining us on March 7th (sometime around 12:30pm). It feels so wonderful to know when we will be going in so we can start making plans. We even made a "baby countdown" calendar for Lauren so she can mark off the days until she becomes a big sister.
The other huge relief is that my mom was able to book her ticket to come back and she will be here for the whole month of March! My dad will also be coming for a week at the end of the month to join us for Easter and to fly back to Oregon with my mom. We are so excited to have them come stay with us and I know I am going to be indebted to my mother for all the ways she will be helping me out! :)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Road Trip to SC
Because Ryan didn’t have to work today and Lauren was off from school, we decided to take a little family road trip down south. We left around 8:30am and headed down to South Carolina. The reason for our trip was to stop at the Pottery Barn Outlet (to look for some nursery items) and to have lunch at a world-famous landmark in Spartanburg called the Beacon Drive-In. We had actually heard about the restaurant on a Food Network show called “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”. After learning the history and finding out that it was only an hour and a half drive, we decided we had to check it out.
The Beacon Drive-In is one of the few drive-in restaurant legends remaining that offers curb service. Although, after driving all that way, we decided to eat in the dining room with the locals. This now-famous place was opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1946 following World War II. The founder, John White, began the drive-in using his own recipes and personally manned the cash register, along with his sons, for more than 50 years. He became such a legend, known for his integrity and caring spirit, that Reidville Road (where the drive-in is located) was re-named John B. White, Sr. Blvd. in 1999.
The Beacon ranks as the 2nd largest drive-in restaurant in the US. They use 3 tons of onions, 3 tons of potatoes, 4 tons of beef, chicken and seafood…every week! It is also the largest single seller of iced tea in the US. They go through 3,000 pounds of sugar per week, making 62,500 gallons per year (that’s enough to fill 24 tanker trucks)! The Beacon’s menu is huge, ranging from the usual hot dogs and cheeseburgers to catfish and other traditional southern fare to banana-mayo sandwiches on white bread that Elvis might have loved. Nearly all the specialties are available as A-Plenty plates, which is your main item buried on a plate underneath piles of sweet and oily onion rings and French fried potatoes. (We ordered the cheeseburger A-Plenty…see picture below. Yes, there really is a burger under all that!)
As wonderful as the food is, it’s the atmosphere that makes the Beacon a true southern experience. The moment you enter and approach the serving line, you are virtually accosted by an order-taker (see picture below) who will demand, “CALL IT OUT!” You have to say what you want to eat and say it quickly, or else he will tell you to stand back and allow other, swifter customers to say their piece. Once you manage to convey your order, he will shout it back to the huge open kitchen, then ask you in no uncertain terms to “MOVE ON DOWN THE LINE!” You then grab a tray and by the time you have moved twenty paces forward, there your order will be – miraculously, exactly as you ordered it. A bit farther down the line, you get your tea, lemonade, or soda and pay the cashier, then find a seat. Needless to say, we had a great time and felt so proud of ourselves for venturing outside of our state to enjoy a taste of southern cuisine and culture!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Heaven Bound
So, the other night Lauren asks me, “Daddy, am I going to die for real someday?”
How do you answer that? I decided to go with the truth. I told her she would. I could see her bottom lip quiver and the fear in her eyes. I told her that we all will die someday. She asked me if she was going to die in the morning, and I laughed gently and told her that when she dies it will be many, many years from now. I told her that she still had a lot of life to live. Some people die early, like in a car wreck or something, but most people live a long, long time.
That made her feel better, until she thought to ask the other question. “Daddy, will you come with me? I don’t want to go by myself.”
Again, the truth.
“When you die, you are going to go be with Jesus, if you accept Him into your heart. And I will be there, too. I promise.”
“But Daddy, I think I want to stay here, because it is fun here.”
“Well, it is a lot more fun up in heaven. What if heaven is better than being here?”
“That would be okay, then.”
“Yes it will.”
She covered her eyes with her hand and started to cry. I thought I had done a good job up to this point soothing her worries. I asked her if she was still concerned about dying. She said that she was.
I took her in my arms and just hugged her because I didn’t know what to say. I called Kimberly into the room because I knew she wouldn’t want to miss the conversation and I needed her wiser-than-my-own advice. Together we talked with Lauren about the process of becoming saved. We told her that there would be a day when she was older when she will know that she is ready to accept Jesus into her heart. She can let us know, we will pray together with her and then she will become saved. And, once that happens, she will always be safe and can know that she is going to heaven to be with Jesus, never to die again. She got really excited and said that she would let us know when she is ready. It was a precious moment.
Last night Lauren asked if she gets to keep her body when she gets to heaven. I told her she would get a new one, like the angels. She informed me that she liked the one that she has now, so she is going to tell Jesus that she wants to keep it. She is also going to tell him she wants to bring her clothes, because she likes them, too. I told her that would be fine. She doesn’t need to know the finer points yet. She then announced that in the morning we needed to grab our biggest suitcase and pack all of our clothes into it because we were going to heaven in the morning (does she know something I don’t?). I reminded her that it is still going to be a long time until we go. She seemed okay with that, but is anxious to get ready.
I hope that when the day comes that she realizes that it isn’t a bag that needs to be packed, but a heart that needs to be cultivated, that she will be just as excited and ready to prepare. I don’t begin to know what heaven will be like, but I earnestly pray that I get to stand in heaven with my daughter and whisper in her ear…
“See, I’m here too…just like I promised! Isn’t it fun?”
How do you answer that? I decided to go with the truth. I told her she would. I could see her bottom lip quiver and the fear in her eyes. I told her that we all will die someday. She asked me if she was going to die in the morning, and I laughed gently and told her that when she dies it will be many, many years from now. I told her that she still had a lot of life to live. Some people die early, like in a car wreck or something, but most people live a long, long time.
That made her feel better, until she thought to ask the other question. “Daddy, will you come with me? I don’t want to go by myself.”
Again, the truth.
“When you die, you are going to go be with Jesus, if you accept Him into your heart. And I will be there, too. I promise.”
“But Daddy, I think I want to stay here, because it is fun here.”
“Well, it is a lot more fun up in heaven. What if heaven is better than being here?”
“That would be okay, then.”
“Yes it will.”
She covered her eyes with her hand and started to cry. I thought I had done a good job up to this point soothing her worries. I asked her if she was still concerned about dying. She said that she was.
I took her in my arms and just hugged her because I didn’t know what to say. I called Kimberly into the room because I knew she wouldn’t want to miss the conversation and I needed her wiser-than-my-own advice. Together we talked with Lauren about the process of becoming saved. We told her that there would be a day when she was older when she will know that she is ready to accept Jesus into her heart. She can let us know, we will pray together with her and then she will become saved. And, once that happens, she will always be safe and can know that she is going to heaven to be with Jesus, never to die again. She got really excited and said that she would let us know when she is ready. It was a precious moment.
Last night Lauren asked if she gets to keep her body when she gets to heaven. I told her she would get a new one, like the angels. She informed me that she liked the one that she has now, so she is going to tell Jesus that she wants to keep it. She is also going to tell him she wants to bring her clothes, because she likes them, too. I told her that would be fine. She doesn’t need to know the finer points yet. She then announced that in the morning we needed to grab our biggest suitcase and pack all of our clothes into it because we were going to heaven in the morning (does she know something I don’t?). I reminded her that it is still going to be a long time until we go. She seemed okay with that, but is anxious to get ready.
I hope that when the day comes that she realizes that it isn’t a bag that needs to be packed, but a heart that needs to be cultivated, that she will be just as excited and ready to prepare. I don’t begin to know what heaven will be like, but I earnestly pray that I get to stand in heaven with my daughter and whisper in her ear…
“See, I’m here too…just like I promised! Isn’t it fun?”
Monday, January 14, 2008
Longing for Home
Once again I said my goodbyes,
To those I love the most.
My heart feels that familiar pain,
As I long for home.
This road is hard,
When I feel so far.
God I'm crying out tonight,
Because I've given You my life,
But I'm tired and I'm missing what's behind.
On the day that You called my name,
All that I knew changed.
I found when I said yes
That I'd never be the same.
God I'm crying out tonight,
Because I've given You my life,
But I'm tired and I'm missing what's behind.
Even when the tears are falling,
When I find I fear the calling,
You remind me,
Words You've spoken over my life,
Promises I've yet to see,
You comfort me.
To those I love the most.
My heart feels that familiar pain,
As I long for home.
This road is hard,
When I feel so far.
God I'm crying out tonight,
Because I've given You my life,
But I'm tired and I'm missing what's behind.
On the day that You called my name,
All that I knew changed.
I found when I said yes
That I'd never be the same.
God I'm crying out tonight,
Because I've given You my life,
But I'm tired and I'm missing what's behind.
Even when the tears are falling,
When I find I fear the calling,
You remind me,
Words You've spoken over my life,
Promises I've yet to see,
You comfort me.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Our Christmas Vacation
I’m not sure where to begin to tell about the wonderful time we had visiting our friends and family back home in Oregon. We tried as best we could to pack a lot into the 16 days that we were there…maybe even a little too much, because I ended up getting a terrible cold and fever halfway through the trip (probably a result of sleep-deprivation). The best part was walking off the plane and seeing my mom, dad, sister and her two youngest, and my brother’s oldest boy there waiting for us (see pictures below). They had balloons and candy for Lauren and my dad gave me flowers. I was trying my best to hold back the tears, but when Lauren starting crying while hugging her cousins, I lost it. It was so good to see everyone again and as much as we refer to North Carolina as our home, our hearts are still very much in Oregon.
We spent the first few days getting adjusted, going to my nephew’s basketball game, and doing some last minute Christmas shopping & wrapping. Ryan’s mom and step-dad also treated us to a wonderful Christmas concert that first weekend. Because my family has 5 birthdays in the month of December, we celebrated all of them with one big party on Sunday night. My mom offered to watch the little kids so the rest of us could go see “National Treasure: Book of Secrets”. When we got back to my parents house after the movie, she had dinner made, the table beautifully decorated (see below) and everything ready. It was a very fun evening - the best part was when Lauren and Evan (my brother's 4-year-old son) performed for us...she sang "Away in a Manger" and he did the hand motions (see picture below). Too cute!!
The next day, the Christmas festivities began – we spent Christmas Eve with Ryan’s family at his mom’s house and enjoyed a wonderful brunch with his mom, step-dad and grandmother…and then spent about an hour opening presents and visiting. That night, we attended the Christmas Eve service at our church and saw a lot of our old friends there – it was so great to be back. We really love our new church home here, but have missed the smaller, more intimate setting of our old church. After church, we headed over to my brother’s house for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner with my whole family. We all ate dinner and then put the kids to bed so the adults could do the “white elephant” gift exchange. We then played “Catch Phrase” for a while and stuffed stockings before heading to bed.
Christmas morning was a flurry of activity as the kids opened their stockings. The most exciting part was watching my sister’s 16-year-old open the keys to his first car, a 1994 Chevy Z28 Camaro! We spent, literally, the whole rest of the day working through the pile of presents under the tree and assembling the toys the kids opened. The other big gift was the Wii that my sister’s kids got – and my brother and Ryan spent the rest of the day glued to Guitar Hero III, living out their rock star dreams. :) The other absolutely amazing thing was that it snowed – the last time that happened on Christmas Day in Oregon was over 15 years ago! Lauren had been praying that it would snow while we were home visiting, since we heard that North Carolina rarely gets snow. And, even though it wasn’t a lot, the snowfall we got was beautiful, dusting everything in white…just enough to cover the streets and to prove to our little girl the power of prayer.
Overall, we had a wonderful visit…but, the goodbyes were no easier than when we moved in June. It was hard knowing that I would miss the birth of my brother’s 3rd baby (due any day now!!) and that they would not all be here for Nolan’s arrival. But, one thing I have learned is to focus on the positive (or I’ll go crazy). So, we are anxiously looking forward to my parents visit in March (and hopefully, my sister too!) and we are praying we can afford for Lauren and Nolan and I to fly back and stay with my family for a month in the summer. The distance certainly makes us appreciate the times we do get to spend and to cherish them all the more.
We spent the first few days getting adjusted, going to my nephew’s basketball game, and doing some last minute Christmas shopping & wrapping. Ryan’s mom and step-dad also treated us to a wonderful Christmas concert that first weekend. Because my family has 5 birthdays in the month of December, we celebrated all of them with one big party on Sunday night. My mom offered to watch the little kids so the rest of us could go see “National Treasure: Book of Secrets”. When we got back to my parents house after the movie, she had dinner made, the table beautifully decorated (see below) and everything ready. It was a very fun evening - the best part was when Lauren and Evan (my brother's 4-year-old son) performed for us...she sang "Away in a Manger" and he did the hand motions (see picture below). Too cute!!
The next day, the Christmas festivities began – we spent Christmas Eve with Ryan’s family at his mom’s house and enjoyed a wonderful brunch with his mom, step-dad and grandmother…and then spent about an hour opening presents and visiting. That night, we attended the Christmas Eve service at our church and saw a lot of our old friends there – it was so great to be back. We really love our new church home here, but have missed the smaller, more intimate setting of our old church. After church, we headed over to my brother’s house for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner with my whole family. We all ate dinner and then put the kids to bed so the adults could do the “white elephant” gift exchange. We then played “Catch Phrase” for a while and stuffed stockings before heading to bed.
Christmas morning was a flurry of activity as the kids opened their stockings. The most exciting part was watching my sister’s 16-year-old open the keys to his first car, a 1994 Chevy Z28 Camaro! We spent, literally, the whole rest of the day working through the pile of presents under the tree and assembling the toys the kids opened. The other big gift was the Wii that my sister’s kids got – and my brother and Ryan spent the rest of the day glued to Guitar Hero III, living out their rock star dreams. :) The other absolutely amazing thing was that it snowed – the last time that happened on Christmas Day in Oregon was over 15 years ago! Lauren had been praying that it would snow while we were home visiting, since we heard that North Carolina rarely gets snow. And, even though it wasn’t a lot, the snowfall we got was beautiful, dusting everything in white…just enough to cover the streets and to prove to our little girl the power of prayer.
We spent a nice quiet New Years’ Eve with my parents at their house, playing games and watching some of my favorite old Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movies. The rest of our trip was spent saying goodbye to Ryan’s family after a lunch at his grandmother’s place and then packing our bags to head over to the beach for 3 days with my family. My brother-in-law had won a beach house at a recent auction and had saved the reservation so we could all go and stay together. It was a beautiful house right on the water and even though it was rainy and stormy the whole time we were there, we had a lot of fun. It was a great chance for Lauren to play with her cousins and for the adults to stay up late playing games and watching movies.
Overall, we had a wonderful visit…but, the goodbyes were no easier than when we moved in June. It was hard knowing that I would miss the birth of my brother’s 3rd baby (due any day now!!) and that they would not all be here for Nolan’s arrival. But, one thing I have learned is to focus on the positive (or I’ll go crazy). So, we are anxiously looking forward to my parents visit in March (and hopefully, my sister too!) and we are praying we can afford for Lauren and Nolan and I to fly back and stay with my family for a month in the summer. The distance certainly makes us appreciate the times we do get to spend and to cherish them all the more.
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