tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55744490900036926612024-02-20T00:32:21.701-08:00House of SprangMeaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-74926883780353229252015-01-29T07:38:00.002-08:002015-01-29T10:33:56.575-08:00Seeking the JourneyI was headed to another interview with a recruiter yesterday. Wondering if maybe I would hear something after this one. Maybe she would have some answers, some guidance, some direction about that perfect job opening. <br />
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While I was making the trek from my neck of the woods to downtown Dallas, I was talking to my mom on the phone. We discussed our similar places in life right now: feeling itchy that something is on the horizon yet not knowing what that is or what lies ahead for us, specifically in regards to employment.<br />
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She shared with me that sometimes she finds herself focusing on the end result; looking at all that is happening through the lens of that next event or the goal at the <i>end</i> of the process. And that spoke to me. The planner in me struggles when I don't know where I will land, or even feeling uncertain of where I am heading, and what life will look like for me and my family. <br />
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I find my heart <i>longing for the destination</i>.<br />
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I wrestled with myself again this morning to stop doing laundry...to stop trolling Facebook... to stop and just be still. And quiet. I opened my Bible and continued in the gospels, picking up when John talks with the pharisees, explaining to them that he is not the Messiah but he has seen Him. The next day as Jesus passes by John and two disciples, they follow Him. Jesus asks what they want, and they respond by asking Him where He is going. Jesus does not answer them directly with his destination. No. He says, <i>"Come, and you will see."</i><br />
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Boom. <br />
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I'm beginning to feel like Bruce Almighty, driving down the highway with the signs speaking directly to me:<br />
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"Walk with Me and all of that other stuff will fall into place."<br />
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"Enjoy the journey. I'm with you."<br />
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"I got this, kid. Let's take a stroll."<br />
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God, help my heart not to seek the "what" that lies ahead. But to find life, peace, strength, and hope in the walk with You. Oh, that my heart would <i>long for the journey</i> because that means I am walking side-by-side with You; that means you are holding my hand, walking ever so slightly ahead of me, leading me as I follow. <br />
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<br />Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-89686174843335723852015-01-13T08:08:00.003-08:002015-01-13T08:15:06.656-08:00Finding Favor?In one of our recent Catalyst gatherings, JR. was talking about spending time reading the Bible - not as a checklist of something we have to do to stay in good graces with God, but to really <i>get to know Him</i>. And a great place to do that is with the gospels.<br />
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I admit, this is such a struggle for me. This morning I dropped the boys off at daycare, and I got back home and was all set to start tackling my to-do list for the morning. I remembered JR.'s words and remembered it's all about relationship. Spending time with the Creator, with the One who loves me so completely and thoroughly. I put down the cup I had in my hand and decided the dishwasher could definitely wait.<br />
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So, I cracked opened a new version of the Bible I haven't explored much yet called "The Story." It is set up in novel-form, and, for some odd reason, the layout is just so appealing to me. I found the beginning of the New Testament and began reading. I was reading about the true light that has come into the world - but that the world didn't recognize its true light - its maker. Yes, still so very true for us today! <br />
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But what struck me most was a phrase the angel Gabriel says to Mary when he's telling her the big news that she would become pregnant with the Son of God:<br />
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"Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God."<br />
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Hmm... what would this "favor" look like for Mary's life? Pregnant and unmarried... The center of vicious rumors and gossip... Shouldering the weight of knowing that your precious Son would be sentenced to death. What God was asking of Mary makes sense that she would be afraid - completely and utterly afraid. To say it would be extremely difficult to see the good side of God's favor in Mary's situation would be an extreme understatement. <br />
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But what did she do next? When the angel leaves her, Mary's response is to thank God. <br />
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What?! <br />
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She is rejoicing and praising God: "for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is His name."<br />
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Wow. <br />
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God, help me to realize - and be okay with knowing - that finding favor with You will not mean life is easy or comfortable. As we see in the life of Mary - and in Jesus' time on earth - following You will definitely lead to scary situations and crazy-difficult paths. But You are with us. May I, like Mary, have a spirit that is <i>thankful for Your favor</i>. May I have eyes to see Your goodness and Your light in the midst of every situation, grateful - and humbled - when You choose to use me.Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-78593065429166858872015-01-08T07:49:00.004-08:002015-01-08T08:00:57.810-08:00Kidless and ReflectingMan, this has been an incredible month. <br />
<br />
As I finished up my Master's Program mid-December, I have become reacquainted with the silly, more carefree part of myself. I know Jonathan and the boys are certainly thankful for that. I have enjoyed sitting on the floor playing with the boys and evenings filled with relaxation instead of paper-writing.<br />
<br />
About the same time I turned in my last assignments, we packed up and went to Florida to visit Jonathan's family. That was two weeks slammed full of family, fun, laughs, and incredible memory-making experiences. We had a lot to celebrate with family. Martha, Jonathan's mom, was cancer-free and also celebrating a milestone Birthday! So we headed to Disney to celebrate. We all had so much fun during our day at the Magic Kingdom. Both boys loved every minute - and we even made it through without a single meltdown. What?! <br />
<br />
After Disney, we started on the Grandparents' tour: we visited my grandparents and two sets of Jonathan's grandparents - all living in Florida - in two days. It was so wonderful hugging their necks and spending precious moments together.<br />
<br />
We also got to spend some warm moments together with the Lowrys. What a beautiful place they have - lots of wide open space! And, man, those kiddos have both grown a foot! The boys loved seeing the chickens, and Jacob even got to ride a horse; we tried to get Zeke to ride but he wasn't too sure about that big "puppy"... Sweet moments together.<br />
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Jacob also got to stay in Florida an extra week. They made the most of every moment, visiting the zoo, the beach twice, and the Children's Hands-on Museum. <br />
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This week the boys both started going to daycare full-time. This has been a piece of my returning-to-work puzzle that fell into place beautifully and effortlessly. Jacob has been going to Mother's Day Out with an in-home care provider for two years (since I started my Master's program). This has been great for him and our family. It has allowed me to have some quiet moments to work, and has been especially nice to steal some special one-on-one moments with Zekers. Jacob has loved going to Ms. Jennifer's! From the moment I met her and walked into her home, I knew I couldn't ask for a more caring and safe learning environment for Jacob. So, as my Master's program was winding down and returning to work was on the horizon, I was hoping she would have availability to start both boys full-time in January. At the time I asked she didn't have any vacancies for full-time care. Wouldn't you know, though, that shortly thereafter, she had an opening - at just the right time - for the boys to start the first week of January. All of this has certainly eased the sting of missing my boys and feels like confirmation that I'm headed in the right direction.<br />
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Monday after dropping the boys off, I sat down with my To-Do List and mapped out a plan of attack. I wanted to get as much done as possible this week in hopes that I can hit the ground running when I find a job. It's amazing how much I can tackle when I have free hands and a quiet house. But, boy, I am ready for 5:00pm when I can squeeze my sweet babies!!<br />
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So, here I am, striving to live in the excitement of change. Not sure what the future will be like; not sure where I will land. Praying that God would be clear so I can be obedient. And resting in peace, knowing that the Maker of the Universe who loves us so much, <i>came for us </i>and<i> </i>is<i> with us. </i><br />
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<br />Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-27254316294319521852014-11-15T11:58:00.000-08:002014-11-15T12:00:17.383-08:00Help my unbeliefUgh. <br />
<br />
I have struggled these past few days with worry. With feeling like so much is out of my control. With feeling as though I am not doing enough... not qualified enough... not good enough...<br />
<br />
While I am seeing the chapter in my life of full-time stay-at-home mom and grad student come to a close, I am trying to focus on the excitement. Typically, I do this fairly well. But not these past few days.<br />
<br />
I'm feeling overwhelmed. And in my head I <i>know</i> I shouldn't worry. But my heart is troubled. The what-ifs are moving in.<br />
<br />
In times like these, I need to remember.<br />
<br />
A few months back, I wrote a message to a dear friend, recounting the many ways that God has provided for my little family. He has taken such amazing care of us...<br />
and I find it fitting that I should review it for my own heart's sake.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">August 5th, 2014</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #3e454c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sprang Texas Saga:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$11:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$12:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that our move from North Carolina to Texas was a "God leading us" time in our lives. We felt a release from our church in NC and an uncontrollable giddiness at this new opportunity to be a part of something new and different.</span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$13:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$15:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$16:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There were a few factors that were still in limbo though... the biggest issue for us was our house. We put our house on the market in March and we moved the first weekend in May to Texas.... with it still on the market. Additionally, I had just graduated with my bachelors (after being in school and working part-time for the past 3 years of our marriage). So because we still had a mortgage and utilities in North Carolina and I had yet to find a job, we decided to find the cheapest, one-bedroom apartment we could, knowing it would be short-term. We crammed our 3-bedrooms worth of furniture and "stuff" into our tiny cave, as we called it. At least we had a walk-in closet! HA!</span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$17:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$19:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$20:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We were in Texas about a week after the move and then were headed to Florida for a few weeks to stay with Jonathan's folks, taking advantage of a little vacation time to recharge. During that week in Texas, I had a few interviews for music teaching positions lined up and felt really good about one interview in particular. As we were heading to the airport, I got a call from the principal of a school 5 minutes away from our apartment - I got the job!!! I was so excited and so thankful for God's provision! While I wouldn't start the job until August (and get my first check until September), something was on the horizon! It seemed almost that <i><b>this</b></i><b style="font-style: italic;"> job found me</b>.</span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$21:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$23:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$24:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The house was STILL on the market...</span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$25:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$27:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$28:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">August finally arrived and I went through all of the teacher orientations, decorated my classroom, met the other music teacher at the school (we hit it off IMMEDIATELY!), and began making preparations for the students to come. One week went by with the kiddos, and I was loving it! But I was also struggling with lesson planning. See, I did my student-teaching with a high school choir which was very different than an elementary classroom. Additionally, I had over 30 students in each class period for 45 minutes, sometimes 3 times a week. To spare calculation, that is a lot of kiddos for one person to handle and a lot of activities to keep them engaged. I had many, many behavior issues with students. Some were extreme. After the 2nd week, I became less excited and more overwhelmed. Was I doing this right? After the 3rd week, my confidence was really shaken and I was really struggling. As each week went by, I became more and more overwhelmed. I felt this was my calling but was feeling so completely overwhelmed and unqualified. I began having panic attacks, both at school and at home. After six weeks, I decided I needed to resign and give my 2 weeks. The next morning I had a panic attack so badly at school that the principal told me to go ahead and pack up my room as quickly as possible and be done. Interestingly, during these six week, I became friends with another teacher who struggled with teaching in this same way. We really connected and she told me about her husband and father-in-law that owned a small business selling commercial playground equipment. They were actually looking for someone to begin a full-time office position. I had my last day teaching on a Tuesday and started working for her family the following Monday. Wow. God's provision!! Again, it seemed that <i><b>this job found me</b></i>.</span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$29:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$31:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$32:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our house was STILL on the market...</span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$33:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$35:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$36:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I worked for the playground company for about a year and they were the kindest, best folks to work for. My boss took the 4 of us employees out to lunch once a week and also didn't make us clock out during the lunch hour - so I worked 35 hours but was paid for 40. They were gold and I grew very close to them. I didn't earn nearly what I would've teaching but God was providing, we were happy, and I was healing. Things with Catalyst were really booming, too, and that was a huge source of relief! </span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$37:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$39:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$40:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">18 months after we listed our house... IT SOLD!!!! We ended up taking an offer $15,000 less than our list price. Yuck. But we were free from double living expenses!! Around that same time, we were literally getting kicked out of our apartment... because it was going to be demolished. A huge tollway was coming through and landing right on top of us. Another long story short, they ended up paying us $8,000 to move out of our apartment! With a great realtor-friend's help, we found a home in Rowlett for a killer, steal-of-a-deal. </span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$41:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$43:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$44:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Around that same time, a friend of ours was a band director for Dallas ISD. He was telling me about an all-girls, public high school that was needing a choir director. This school was small and was a magnet school, only selecting motivated students with academic promise. Immediately, my heart started leaning towards this position. Long story short, after 3 interviews, I got the position and was stoked!! Again, it seemed that <b><i>this job found me</i></b>! </span><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$45:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$47:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$48:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">About 6 weeks into teaching I began to struggle again... my students were engaged and motivated. Lesson-planning was much more comfortable and was much easier for me since I'd had experience in this area during my student-teaching. But, still, I was struggling with depression. At this same time, Dallas ISD was having serious financial issues and was actually allowing teachers to voluntarily resign and receive a $1,000 "reward"! Eek! I began to question... should I do it? Maybe I'm just not cut out for this?! I was beginning to have panic episodes again. At the urging of Jonathan and some close friends, I began seeing a counselor. During that time in counseling, I worked through some issues... my fear of failure. My fear of not knowing how to succeed. I needed to stick with it, for my own sake. With the support of my husband, my counselor, close friends, and some little miracle pills (aka Zoloft), I persevered. These two years of teaching held some of the most wonderful moments in my working history. We were also free from our double living expenses and I was now earning more. So, in the two years I taught, we were able to mostly live off of Jonathan's paycheck and use mine to pay off my student loans, refinance our house, pay cash for a used mini-van (because we were having a baby soon!), and re-stock our emergency savings. Thank you, Dave Ramsey and Financial Peace! </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$52:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$52:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I got pregnant we decided I would stay home with the baby. We were used to living off of one income for the most part and I could teach piano lessons to help supplement. We did everything "right"... But... after having Jacob we used nearly all of our savings for hospital bills. Bad idea. Live and learn - and get on a payment plan! Ever since then, we have never had much more than $1,000 of unaccounted for savings in the bank for any length of time. However, we have had NUMEROUS occasions when we were in need (i.e. car repairs, dental issues, washing machine stops working, etc.) and we have always had the means to take care of the situation. Not more than. But always enough.</span><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$53:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$56:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a light on the horizon for us. We have had a very tight four years financially. Never before have we felt quite this strapped. I will be graduating in December and looking to re-enter the workforce. I will do my part to look for a job... but I have an uncanny feeling that a <b><i>job will find me</i></b>. That God's provision will continue for our family. While it has not been easy or fun, I am truly thankful for our story. Without these situations, we would not have experienced God in this way. And I count it as a blessing!</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><br data-reactid=".2r.$mid=11407250310885=2ed126e6e4bd5d15f73.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$57:0" style="color: #3e454c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span></span><br />
God, thank you, once again, for Your great faithfulness. You see us. You love us. You take care of us. Please lead and guide. Please be clear and I will be obedient. Please help me to rest.<br />
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LORD, I believe. Help my unbelief.<br />
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Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-35363407461076492892014-10-23T12:13:00.003-07:002014-10-23T12:13:52.258-07:00WaitingI am increasingly plagued with senioritis as each day passes. This is the last week of my current class on International Accounting; I have found this class interesting on one or two brief occasions. Apart from those collective five minutes, it's been one big snoozefest. I have one last class on Internal Controls and I will be D.O.N.E. with my program mid-December. SWEET!!!<br />
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So, in typical fashion, my mind is looking ahead. As I've previously discussed, I have tinkered with the idea of getting back in the classroom. While looking on Rockwall ISD's employment opportunities (looking for open High School business teaching positions), I saw they had a staff accountant position available. I was stoked!! In <i>my</i> best judgement, this would be ideal for me and my family. I would still be serving teachers, administrators, and ultimately the students, AND I would get to use my newfound set of skills. It would provide many of the additional days off that teachers enjoy and would allow me to leave the office before 5:00pm daily. It paid well, and I seemed to meet the minimum qualifications. You better bet that I knocked out that application, resume, and letter of intent as fast as my little fingers could fill them out. <br />
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And then all that was left to do was wait...<br />
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So, I waited...<br />
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And I stopped by to introduce myself but was too late to speak with anyone for the day.<br />
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I waited...<br />
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And waited...<br />
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And stopped by again and found out I couldn't "drop in" on the office making the decisions. Boo. So I called and left a voicemail.<br />
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And waited...<br />
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And then I got an email back. But it was one of those emails that tells you from the very first line that it isn't the news that you wanted to hear. "Dear Ms. Sprang... thank you... BUT..." <br />
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It would be a lie for me to say I am not disappointed. Or that the tapes in my head aren't cued and ready to start playing the "you weren't qualified"... "you were too late" ... "someone out there is better than you"... mantras that have played like broken records in not-so-long-ago times.<br />
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I had a conversation with a dear friend of mine. And while we were talking - before I found anything out regarding the status of my application - she told me that if this isn't the job for me (as perfect as it seemed), then something out there, even better-suited for me and my family, would come along. <br />
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Waiting is hard. It requires <i>trust</i>. And <i>patience</i>. <br />
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So, God, help me today. Help me in this time of waiting. My humanly desires want to go on the job-hunt...want to search for all the answers...want to <i>make</i> something happen. And my wounded ego wants to each a bowl full of creamy pasta and chase it with a big ole slice of chocolate cake with ice cream to ease the sting of disappointment. But I know that I'll only end up being more disappointed in myself. <br />
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Help me as I wait. <br />
Let me find <i>You</i> in the waiting. <br />
And help my heart grasp what my head knows: You got this.<br />
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<br />Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-5441946167111984622014-10-13T20:31:00.004-07:002014-10-13T20:36:32.219-07:00It won't last foreverI have had moments of sheer and utter weariness while being a mom to both of my boys. <br />
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When Jacob - our oldest - was only months old, he was waking every two hours, round the clock. I was baffled...and exhausted. Frustrated that we couldn't seem to figure out why he wasn't sleeping, we tried a sound machine. We tried a bassinet. We tried putting him down in his crib. We swaddled. We unswaddled. Put him on his back. Put him on his side. We thought it may be acid reflux. We tried so many different things to get that boy to sleep. It was miserable and felt like it would last <b><i>F...O...R...E...V...E...R</i></b>.</div>
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Jacob has always been an extremely busy boy. Curious and bubbly, he is often rambunctious and easily excited. While it is fun to watch him discover, explore, and enjoy the fun of whatever he is experiencing, it was especially tiring when he was in the throws of toddler-hood. He was a barrel of difficult-to-contain (and restrain) energy.</div>
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Eventually, and somewhat accidentally, we figured out that Jacob wasn't sleeping because he was hungry. Initially I felt so guilty and inadequate. I somehow felt that it was my fault that I couldn't provide for him. However, once we got that tummy full, that boy turned into a sleeping machine. I mean like 7:00 p.m. -7:00 a.m. plus two 90-minute naps every day.</div>
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Today I took Jacob in for his 4-year checkup. Jacob wanted me to read him a book while we waited in the patient waiting room. He sat so sweetly and calmly as I read him a riveting installment of Spiderman versus Electro. As we finished up the words of the last page, in movie-perfect timing, they called his name. They weighed him (50 pounds!), measured his height (44 inches!), and we waited in the exam room for the pediatrician. He quietly asked if he could play the "Bible Game" on my phone. And then asked if he could sit in my lap.</div>
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And it occurred to me just how fast my first baby was growing up. How proud of this sweet boy I was. I am. How much we've been through. How much I've not only learned <i>about him</i> but <i>about myself</i> in the process. </div>
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It would be dishonest of me to say that I've never had moments where I wished the difficulty would pass. If we could just fast-forward. <br />
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But I think about what I would have lost in the process.</div>
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In Zeke's first few months, acid reflux and food intolerances brought even more sleeplessness. I prayed many a night in desperation for God to soothe my baby since my attempts were just not working. And while it took some time for the medicine and dietary changes to kick in, Zeke's tummy began to heal and relief spread throughout our house. </div>
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But one thing was different this time: I knew it wouldn't last <i><b>forever</b></i>. </div>
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So, now as Zeke is entering full-blown toddler-hood and proving to be just as active (and feisty and dare-devilish) as Jacob, I again have a comfort that I didn't have the first time: this difficult stage will not last <b><i>forever</i></b>. </div>
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I will blink and my Squeaker Zekers will be a 4-year-old, speaking in full sentences, sitting in my lap for an entire story, and able to dress himself from head to toe. </div>
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It's such a poignant mix of emotions, really. Taking heart that the challenging stages will pass. And savoring those sweet, priceless, precious moments. <br />
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Because they will not last <i><b>forever</b></i>.</div>
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Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-92227205409978930992014-10-09T07:26:00.001-07:002014-10-09T07:26:52.589-07:00A Series of Milestones*Spoiler Alert*<br />
I am getting ready to talk about an ending moment from the movie, "Boyhood." Consider yourself warned.<br />
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Recently Jonathan and I snuck away for a day date. It was fabulous. We ventured to a fun taco joint in Mockingbird Station, had some Pinkberry fro-yo, and caught the movie "Boyhood." I was so taken with the premise of the film: they literally filmed a fictional story over the course of twelve years. So we, the audience, got to watch a 5-year-old little boy over the course of those years <i>literally</i> grow up. What most grabbed my attention, though, was the mother in the film. Near the end of the movie, she is sitting in the kitchen while her son finishes up packing for college. He walks in to find her upset as she relives the big milestones of her life: growing up, falling in love, having children, going back to college, getting a great job, both of her children have graduated high school and are venturing off on their own. She is upset because the only big milestone left is death.<br />
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This morning, I finished listening to "Despair & Hope," one of JR. Forasteros' podcast episodes from his "What's the Big Idea" class. Awesome class, by the way. He chronicles the movie "About Schmidt" and the central character's end-life crisis as he realizes that the American Dream he has spent his whole life seeking, was for naught. Landing a great job. Working hard for countless years to earn a good living. Retiring comfortably. But what difference has this life - his life - made?<br />
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These two scenarios are grabbing me at the gut-level right now because I feel a change is on the horizon. I will graduate with masters in just a few more weeks (hooray!). While I am feeling especially primed and ready to re-enter the "workforce," I am feeling the tension of what to do. Should I take an office job to get some experience in my new field? Is that experience ultimately necessary, though, if my goal is to return to the classroom? <br />
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Even deeper, though, is that I am being reminded of the <i>best way</i> to live.<br />
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I am a task-oriented individual, and I often view life as a series of checklists. Being a stay-at-home mom has helped with this; it is fruitless to check off "changing a dirty diaper" or "picking up toys" when these things will need done before I can find my misplaced list. While I watched "Boyhood," and listened to the mother revisiting her list of checked-off milestones, I saw myself in that mother. <br />
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I could easily be sitting in that chair in 15 more years. <br />
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And it rocked me.<br />
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I want my life to mean something more. And I want to be intentional about enjoying all of life's precious and beautiful moments. Not only the fleeting feeling of accomplishment - or the weight of the self-induced stress - that accompany those checked-off boxes. Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-25901999755383019672014-10-03T13:38:00.004-07:002014-10-03T13:38:49.320-07:00It's Been a Long Time, Old FriendThis is one of my favorite phrases to use when talking about food. If I haven't had a Pappadeaux shrimp po-boy or piece of Oreo delight in some time, it is not uncommon for me to take a bite and follow it up with a deep sigh and, "it's been a long time, old friend." The problem, though, is my friendship with food. While I take great pleasure in food, it was never intended to be my friend. <br />
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It should not be where I turn for comfort.<br />
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It should not be where I look to find the answer to my boredom.<br />
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It should not - because it cannot - ease the sting of disappointment or be the cure for my worry.<br />
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It never satisfies any of those needs. And, in fact, leaves me feeling worse than before.<br />
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I have a long history, though, with emotional eating. And I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the cycle of overindulgence...which leads to shame...which leads to overindulgence...which leads to more shame...<br />
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I jokingly said to a friend the other day that my muffin top has gotten really out of control and has graduated to cupcake top. I have gained and lost the same, stupid five pounds at least 4 or 5 times in the last six months. <br />
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And so I am making a New Years' resolution a bit early this year. Whenever I feel the need to soothe my soul with ice cream or chips or whatever the vittley-vice of the evening may be, I will sit down first. I will write about those feelings, perhaps publicly or maybe just privately. Maybe I will still have a bite of chocolate after reflecting. My hope, though, is that I will be more introspective. More deliberate. And that patterns of unhealthy behavior I have developed over the span of three decades will begin to change.<br />
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I love to write but saw the date of my last blog (2012); I was amazed that I have not written <i>for pleasure </i>in over<i> 2 years. </i>I'm excited about exploring this side of myself again. It's time to create.<br />
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It's been a long time, old friend.Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-43740726943579210222012-06-01T19:31:00.002-07:002012-06-01T19:31:44.421-07:00They're baaaaaaack!Where did this month go? <br />
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[cue recap] <br />
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From about the middle of April to the middle of May, we were grossly preoccupied, emphasis on the syllable GROSS, with potty training. My previous post "The Potty, Conquered" was, indeed, prematurely titled. While Jakey was able to make both liquid and solid deposits in his potty, it was still only with the potty bell's reminding... and even then some days were [cue pun] hit or miss. After a few days filled with accidents in the Chickfila tunnel and puddles on restaurant floors, we decided to bring back our old friends: the diapers [cue rejoicing]. I have no remorse WHATSOEVER. While I am confident successful training will happen, I am positive that now was not the prime time. The list of wonderful things that have returned along with the diapers include but are not limited to household-wide sanity, relaxed multi-hour outings including meet-ups with friends and relatives, LONG naps for Jacob and later mornings for all of us, LESS laundry even though we use cloth diapers, freedom from the 20-minute timer... I could go on but that really seems to encompass all the biggies.<br />
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So I feel like in these last two weeks I have rejoined humanity [cue huge sigh]. <br />
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Other notable May happenings:<br />
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<li>a Ferrer visit! Got to spend some fun times with my sis and her familia along with my parents and grandparents to celebrate an early Mother's Day, my Dad's birthday and Jonathan's belated birthday. Super-thankful and blessed that even though they aren't 15 minutes away any more, they are close enough that we can have long weekends!</li>
<li>an awesome Abacu5 show at the Curtain Club in Dallas. So proud of Jonathan. And special thanks for unexpectedly free childcare from a sweet friend!</li>
<li>my first recital for my piano and voice students. So proud of my kiddos! They all did so well and I feel so blessed for the opportunity to work with each of them and watch them as they grow and progress!</li>
<li>an old friend from North Carolina is traveling the US this summer, and he stayed with us for a week. It was great to catch up and hear how life is going for him. While he was hear we shared some great conversation, ate some good food, visited the McKinney farmers market (fun place!) and went to see Dave Matthews.</li>
<li>Jacob's vocabulary is growing like crazy. I can no longer list out all of the words he is able to say. He continues to bring such delight, laughter and amazement to our house every day. Additionally, he is able to throw overhand, jump, sing familiar songs like "How He Loves" and the Muppets "Mah Na Mah Na," and drum keeping different steady rhythms at the same time. Love that boy so much and am so proud of him!</li>
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In closing, I've started reading the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kisses-Katie-Story-Relentless-Redemption/dp/1451612060/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338299006&sr=1-1"><u>Kisses from Katie</u></a> by Katie Davis. It is challenging me... moving me... making me wonder what action steps I'll feel led to take. Praying I will let its words - and His Word - continue to change me and bring me to a new place. Amazing book. Check it out!Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-82089839352575687412012-04-29T14:17:00.002-07:002012-04-29T19:02:23.111-07:00The Potty, ConqueredSo, about a month ago I finished reading "Toilet Training without Tantrums" by one of my favorite parenting authors, John Rosemond. I take the time to delve much into the book but will say he advises to toilet train between the ages of 18-24 months. Of course in my mind, we had to jump on this since Jacob was already 19 months - gasp! (what is wrong with me??)<br />
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On April 17th, we banished all diapers. And for the past 2 weeks off and on there has been lots of craziness from mommy and plenty of bare-bottom time for Jakey. Last Sunday we started using the potty-bell, a timer that goes off every 15 minutes or so to remind lil j to sit on his potty. Getting him to sit there for more than 2-3 seconds was the first challenge. Getting him to make the connection that he was supposed to deposit something into the potty chair was the next. This past Friday, however, he really started to grasp the potty's purpose and yesterday he showed the potty who was boss!<br />
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I am proud to announce that in the past 30 hours we have only had 1 accident! (bedtime wetting not included - that will come later) We even ventured to Catalyst today and he rocked that potty! I was so proud. And so relieved that we now have freedom to get out of this house. The next challenge: helping him find a way to communicate to me he has to go. That will come though. I'm not worried.<br />
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In retrospect, I should've waited a few more months. I don't know why I get these crazy ideas in my head and then get so dead-set on doing what I've set out to do. Stubborn. It would've been easier to wait, especially since communication has been such an issue for us in this process. While these 12 days have been some of the longest in my life, they have been worth it. I know it is not necessarily all smooth sailing from here. I'm certain we will have our share of "oops" and "uh-ohs."<br />
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But I am so <i><b>extremely </b></i>proud of my son. He is truly amazing. And, together, we have conquered the potty!Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-58300994215549862342012-03-14T18:57:00.003-07:002012-03-14T19:19:37.839-07:00He ate what??We went to storytime at the library for the first time today. Super fun and we're definitely going to need to add that into our routine! It was fun seeing friends from Catalyst there, too. So we were getting ready to leave and we're saying our goodbyes to the teacher, Kathy, and she mentions that Jacob looks sleepy...which he does...but he shouldn't because he slept from 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 a.m. and it was only 11:15 a.m. <br /><br />We're driving home and I notice he just looks plain delirious! We get home, I handcraft an English muffin pizza on a plate - I'm so excited because he should just love this lunch! - and what does he do? Pushes it away without even taking a bite. What? Weird...I take his plate, brush his face with my hand and he feels warm. Take his temp and it's 101.2... ugh! Grammie & DiDaddy are coming from Florida tomorrow and the last two times they've come to visit we've passed around the yuckies - we can't be doing this again! So I put him to bed and hope that when he wakes up, he will magically be all better.<br /><br />Three hours later...<br /><br />He wakes up crying. Not a good sign. I walk in and he has big, crocodile tears running down his face and is sweating. Maybe the fever has broken? Nope... still a low-grade fever... Maybe he wants a drink. Yep! Drains his cup dry. Maybe he's hungry now? Nope, still not hungry... Ugh. We watch a little Sesame Street and then head to Nana and Poppie's for our farewell Ferrer dinner (sidenote: they close on their house tomorrow! SOOOOO glad for them... so sad for us, but again - so very happy their family will be reunited and living under one roof again!). <br /><br />On our way over, Jacob is miserable. He whimpers a few times along the way. We're almost to their house and he starts full-on crying. If you know this kid, you know what a high pain tolerance he has. He must be feeling AWFUL. So I pull over, give him some ibuprofen and take his temp... still a low-grade fever. <br /><br />We get to their house; Daddy takes him out of the van, and we go inside. I help Mom get things going for dinner and she wonders if perhaps his two-year molars are coming in early? Good point... he's gotten all of his other teeth way ahead of schedule! So I walk over to the couch where Jacob is sitting on Jonathan's lap watching tv (again, if you know this boy, you know sitting still is not the norm for him), take out his paci and stick my finger in his mouth. <br /><br />Oh.<br />My.<br />Goodness. <br /><br />Cue projectile vomiting.<br />And it keeps going<br />and going<br />and going. <br /><br />Along with the multitude of juice came a <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">wet wipe</span>. <br /><br />What? A wet wipe? He <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">ate </span>a wet wipe? <br /><br />How did he not choke on it going down? How did he not choke on it coming back up? When did he eat that? How did he get it? <br /><br />Well, as for answers to any of these questions, I have no clue. But I am super-thankful that this cottony cloth didn't get lodged in his airway or in his intestines!!! Wow. Grateful, shocked, relieved. <br /><br />So one more layer of crazy... our dog, Tiger, also has an affinity for wet wipe consumption. In fact, I awoke to him 2 nights ago heaving, hacking and puking up one of these himself. <br /><br />Jacob, no more lessons from the dog, please!Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-79596412855983844272012-03-01T21:09:00.003-08:002012-03-01T21:31:58.180-08:00Me, a paintbrush & other random thoughtsNot so sure where this week has gone. I can't believe tomorrow is already Friday... and it's March, too! Wow. I remember when I taught in the classroom that this time of year always seemed to crawl by, counting down until Spring Break...and then Summer vacation. But it is truly going so quickly! <br /><br />This week has been wonderfully therapeutic. I've spent quite a few hours in quiet rooms, just me, a paintbrush and the Civil Wars pandora station. You see, my parents recently moved into a different house with a little more land and more space to breathe. Two of the bedrooms in their new home were painted tragic shades of turquoise, blue and pink. So, in preparation for the arrival of my grandparents in late April (and to improve the quality of life for those looking at these two rooms in the meantime), I excitedly offered to help them renovate. This wouldn't have been possible without the help of my AWESOME sister who graciously watched Jacob while I've played in the paint the past two days. While the rooms are not complete, a coat of Kilz has toned down the obnoxious shades so it is now tolerable, at least, to gaze upon these spaces. Hopefully I'll be able to help them get these finished up next week. *Sidenote - I'm SUPER excited that my grandparents are moving to TEXAS!!!<br /><br />Excited about this weekend - headed to Lake Houston COTN for a youth service at which Johnny-boy is speaking and leading worship. We're taking Jakey with us so I'm hoping that his typical good traveling attitude will hold up for the 10+ hours we'll be spending in the van. I'm also excited that we will be going a la caravan with some friends from Catalyst. And we'll get to catch up with Trevecca college buddies! Fun stuff.<br /><br />Other random thoughts:<br /><ul><li>Jacob has started pointing at and discussing anything of interest to him. Yesterday he was pointing to something while on a ride in the van and panting like a dog (his usual dog/animal sound)... but all I saw was a bulldozer. Maybe I missed something. Or maybe they need to get that bulldozer serviced?<br /></li><li>We've been jamming to David Crowder's new CD lately; track #5 on disc 2 is a choral song and the only lyric in the song is "Amen." Jacob has been singing along for the "AH" part of this. Of course I'm tickled pink.</li><li>God's provision for us continues to blow me away. While we don't live in surplus, we always have just enough. I will be up to 9 piano/voice students in April which has helped to offset the rise in health expenses we've had. And rising gas prices. Awesome!</li><li>My heart continues to be heavy for my sister and her family. Praying that God will move and work in ways that are best for them. And praying for deep peace in the meantime.<br /></li></ul>Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-43829115969453000422012-02-28T13:07:00.003-08:002012-02-28T13:14:45.395-08:00A few of my favorite things<ul><li>Jacob's cheeks - I just can't get enough of them lately... It's occurred to me that they probably will not be around in their filled-out fashion forever so I'm kissing the mess out of them while they're here!<br /></li><li>Jonathan's cologne - I'm loving that he has added this step to his daily hygiene ritual. And, wow, does he smell good?! <br /></li><li>Snuggles - Jakey has started becoming more lavish with his love. Previously upon hurting himself, trying to soothe or console him in my arms was like trying to contain a tornado. But lately he wants to rest his head on my shoulder when he's hurt or upset... and while I don't like that he's upset, I love his snuggles. <br /></li><li>Smoothies - an afternoon must. Loving the Ninja I got for Christmas - thanks Mom & Dad! Crammed full of whatever fruit I can throw in them (strawberries, bananas, spinach, milk, peaches, pears, the kitchen sink)<br /></li><li>Belly-laughs and silly faces<br /></li><li>Non-stop gibberish from my little man. I am quite curious what it will be like when these non-sense syllables begin making sense.<br /></li></ul>Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-70640788854893288762012-02-10T11:58:00.001-08:002012-02-10T12:11:41.502-08:00Naked drumming and other anticsNaked Drumming...so little Jakey has become quite the drummer. Last night I was changing his poopy diaper before putting him in the tub, much to his disapproval. I realized that if I layed the drum on its side and gave him his sticks while he was getting cleaned up, he would be much more cooperative. Thus, the task was quickly and cooperatively tackled. Afterward we journeyed into his bathroom to get the water going in the tub (which takes a little bit) and I look back and he was gone. I go to look for him and, low and behold, he was laying on the floor drumming in <span style="font-weight: bold;">all his glory</span>. Was quite a silly site!<br /><br />Other antics... I'm very proud that my kiddo has now conquered the slide at Chick-fil-a and the one at McDonald's, too. He can now climb up the playground on his own and find his way through the maze of tunnels to the slides. It feels silly to be so proud of these little things... but I think that's a Mom's job.Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-82982151567894099752012-02-06T17:06:00.000-08:002012-02-06T18:48:28.852-08:00What's going onWow, so almost a whole year has gone by since I've blogged. That's terrible. I love to write and really don't know why it isn't one of my priorities. So one of my goals is to carve out more time to express myself linguistically.<br /><br />What's going on right now? This should bring us to current state of House of Sprang. So here's the backstory:<br /><ul><li>THE BABY Jacob, Jacob, Jacob - he is so sweet, incredibly fun and everyday is truly an adventure with this boy! Some of the milestones we've enjoyed this year include: 1st tooth @ 4 months (Jan) & cutting approx. 1 tooth/month since, crawling proficiently @ 6 months (March), walking @ 11 months (August). Last year this time he was such a teeny tiny baby! Sleep was coveted and the days and nights were all blurring together. Once we figured out the boy was just hungry (who knew babies needed to eat?? umm, totally kidding), his sleep patterns fell into place and mommy became, well, sane again. And now... he's enormous and quite strong, weighing in at 31 pounds at the age of 16 months. He has been in the 97% for height and weight since 6 months so we all believe he will be of grand stature like his daddy. This boy loves to eat breakfast more than anyone I know, so we keep the eggs coming! He is such a ham and loves to make us laugh with his silliness. His current #1 hobby is drumming, drumming, drumming! And on EVERYTHING! From what we hear from our drummer friends, he just may have a natural knack for whacking! *cue ushy-gushy mommy pride* Other hobbies of Jacob's include playing outside for long stretches of time, pushing buttons on remotes, phones, PS3s, and various other no-no items (this must be a boy thing), turning toys and lights on and off, playing, talking, reading and sleeping. On the cloudier side, we have struggled with ear infections a lot this year. Hoping we are currently well and that we've kicked this last round of them... He sure is a tough booger! And even though he's been sick a good deal, you really can't tell.<br /></li><li>THE HUBBY This past September we celebrated 9 years of wedded bliss. He truly is my better half and I admire him more than words can say. And he's not just good to look at, ladies and gents. His creativity is a-mazing. Musically through his lyrics, melodies and arrangements... Artistically through his graphic design... Spiritually, I love watching his wealth of knowledge unite with his life. This year he has grown as a designer, youth minister, leader, father and husband. Though these weeks and months have been busy ones, he makes time for the important things. The lasting things. The things that truly matter. And I love him for that.<br /></li><li>FAMILY - IMMEDIATE Lots of change here! My sister and her family found out in mid-2011 that they were approaching a move to San Antonio. Waiting for their house here to sell, my BIL worked in SA while she and the kids stayed behind. Very tough! So, just a few weeks ago a contract on their house came through! While one half of me is ecstatic they will be reunited, the other half of me is heartbroken that they are moving in just a matter of days. While topic of moving, my parents just sold their house and have a contract on a beautiful home a little further out in the country with some land and more room to breathe (cause you can take the boy outta the farm but you can't take the farm outta the boy). Will be a super-fun place! We have had lots of fun times all being in the same general vicinity. We will miss the geographic closeness we've had these past few years; it has been such a fun blessing that we thought we'd never really have the luxury to experience being in ministry. While we haven't succeeded in talking Jim and Martha into moving to Texas, we have thoroughly enjoyed many visits from Grammie & DiDaddy (Jonathan's parents)! Words can't express how grateful we are that they have been able to be here with us so much this past year! And we're still working on getting them to make the move... hehe<br /></li><li>FAMILY - EXTENDED In June we got to go to Jonathan's cousin's graduation in Kentucky and catch up with a good deal of his family on Martha's side. In August we returned to Iowa for my Grandpa Frank's funeral. While it was a difficult time to say goodbye, I'm so glad we were able to go to be with my Grandma and we had a great time reconnecting with my aunts, uncles and cousins. I heard so many neat stories about my Grandpa that I never knew. A wonderful man.<br /></li><li>FRIENDS Lots of friends having babies! So fun to go through parenthood together and great to have others to go to with questions and for advice. I've so enjoyed our Cgroup (Catalyst Small Group), my LTG (Life-Transformation Group), jumping back into the Celebrate Recovery material with some close friends and getting to know local moms in the Rowlett MOMS group. Very blessed to have so many wonderful folks to share life with.<br /></li><li>SYNTHESIS This year I've enjoyed becoming more involved in youth pastor wifely things & getting to know our teens better. I love getting to see and connect with them weekly at Synthesis Live on Sunday nights. And the Winter Retreat was just amazing.<br /></li><li>WORK I love, love, love being able to teach my wonderful piano and voice students. They are a joy and keep me on my toes! The music nerd within stays satisfied.<br /></li></ul>If you made it to the end, congratulations! That was a hefty blog. I look forward to keeping them shorter and aim to write much more often about day-to-day moments.Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-23809518422951773502011-02-24T06:51:00.001-08:002011-02-24T07:12:47.468-08:00If Jacob were a girl...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-gvDWKE2AKdK-vRVlOTwEsTOa-siR57sF556OhleR42DQpDU0QMM7mAJzq0tKFCUCD7_tVglgyILk26Gvkm4vMvkZ-vvvUc5vvc06pJb8osy3N3CSgYHEVb0y9wsroh7A6Y3b4jrsakY/s1600/The+Sprangs.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-gvDWKE2AKdK-vRVlOTwEsTOa-siR57sF556OhleR42DQpDU0QMM7mAJzq0tKFCUCD7_tVglgyILk26Gvkm4vMvkZ-vvvUc5vvc06pJb8osy3N3CSgYHEVb0y9wsroh7A6Y3b4jrsakY/s320/The+Sprangs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577274006250523554" /></a><br />So, I was tired this morning. Jacob is working on those upper teeth and was up for about an hour last night, having a hard time getting back to sleep. This morning I sleepily crawled out of bed, fed him, changed that crazy-dirty diaper. I was sitting down next to him happily playing in his exersaucer, casually scanning Facebook updates while pumping and saw a post of a friend that said "I put a really big bow on my Madison today for this family. They need your prayers." So, I was curious and clicked the link for the following blog: kandjstaats.blogspot.com<div><br /><div>Wow. This couple - she is 27 - just lost their sweet, 4 month old daughter. I read through most of the mother's recent posts and was hit with a flood of emotions. Her honesty, vulnerability, and raw tellings of what she's going through have left me hurting so deeply for her and her husband. I can only imagine what she's going through and it's hit a bit close to home since I am 28...I have a 5 month old... Her daughter was seemingly healthy, smiley, and happy... my son is also healthy, smiley, and - if you know Jacob - he's such a happy boy! She requested that those that have little girls to put big hair bows on them yesterday - the day of Maddie's funeral - in honor of their sweet baby girl who loved her big bows.</div><div><br /></div><div>I want to enjoy every moment. I want to savor every </div><div><br /></div><div>smile, </div><div>hug, </div><div>diaper change,</div><div>cry for Mommy, </div><div>laugh, </div><div>spit-up, </div><div>bath,</div><div>pinching of my face... </div><div><br /></div><div>all of the mundane things that many times make it hard to get out of bed in the morning after a restless night, I want to cherish them. He's already 5 months old! 5 months have come and gone... and there is no guarantee for tomorrow.</div><div><br /></div><div>God, I thank you so much that you have blessed Jonathan and I with the sweetest little boy. </div><div><br /></div><div>And maybe I'll put a bow-tie on him instead.<br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-56170206153326487232010-12-20T19:41:00.000-08:002010-12-20T20:12:35.197-08:00...and countingMe feeling very grateful, outline style*<br /><ol><li>Family: J, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">thank you</span> for making that 6-hr stretch of sleep last night possible...so amazing! For my Christmas wish from last year that I now get to hold in my arms! I can't imagine life without my lil j. For wonderful parents on both sides - looking forward to our trip to Florida and still floating from a great trip to Iowa over Thanksgiving. For an awesome sister and brother and LOVE the time I got to spend with my Abigail, Isaiah, and Isaac today!</li><li>Catrow family: for the generosity we've felt not only in the Christmas gifts we received yesterday, but in the love and support we experience all the time as we live life together.</li><li>Perspective: for seeing life through new lenses as a parent. For feeling a new connection with God, a greater understanding of the unbelievable sacrifice He made in giving His Son, for the humility Christ exuded coming as a baby (dare I say poopy diapers and spit-up?) and a new and utter dependence on the Spirit.</li><li>God's provision: time and time again. For being reminded that if all else crumbles, He is enough (check out www.catrow.tv - yesterday's talk).</li><li>Sweets: i.e. cookies, ice cream, chocolate-dipped pretzels. Quite less important, yes... but I am oh, so thankful :)</li><li>Awesome Memories: both recent (can I say diaper blow-out in Jason's Deli - thanks Mom!) and not-so recent (the year Meme saved Christmas**)</li></ol>*Dear reader: the type A inside of me is very disappointed that I could not create subtopics within my outline. <br />**The condensed version: As a rather inquisitive 6th-grader, I knew where my parents had my presents stowed, ready for the wrapping = in the trunk of our car, begging for me to sneak a peek. Mom and Dad were snoozing in bed. The keys sat on their bedroom chest of drawers, right inside their door. Quietly and stealthily, I snatched the keys, scampered to the garage, popped the trunk, detected the outline to a porcelain doll box, closed the trunk and headed back inside. I opened the bedroom door and placed the keys back on the dresser, not as quietly this time. My ninja card was revoked as Dad's eyes were suddenly open. Fast forward...my Mom is calling her Mom...so upset and ready to return all my gifts. Meme talks her down. Mom doesn't take the presents back, I get to open my doll (and actually see what she looks like), and Christmas is saved. Hence, the year Meme saved Christmas.Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574449090003692661.post-46285933508149328662010-12-10T08:22:00.000-08:002010-12-10T09:05:32.523-08:00Just RestSo many are blogging now... why shouldn't I start? I love to write... always have... but just haven't taken the time to do it or set it as a priority. Now, I'm skeptical that this is something I'll stick with. It's just been a pattern for me in lots of different areas (working out, journaling, eating right, etc.). I start off so gung-ho, and then life happens over time... I have good intentions right now though, so let's go with it! :)<br /><br />Sunday morning I was getting ready to go to Catalyst (short plug...check it out... www.catrow.org) and just felt overwhelmed by the feeling that I haven't been spending much time with God. I can think of many reasons why not... but can't everyone? I don't want this to be one of my patterns of living as previously mentioned. More than ever I need to be tight with God... I need Him to be my life source. So my prayer Sunday morning was, "God, can You make an exception? Can you let your still, small voice be a little louder...I need and want to be reminded when I become blinded by my distractions that You are my life-source."<br /><br />So this week I've been discovering again what it feels like to be up constantly in the middle of the night. Lil J is growing - which is exactly how we want it! - and has had issues with his little digestive system which has made him not able to relax and sleep as well as usual. He used to LOVE being swaddled and would drop right off and stay fast asleep. Not so much lately! He is so restless, kicking and constantly moving and fighting sleep like crazy! And just forget the swaddle It has served to only make him really mad! Last night was one of the especially difficult nights of not getting more than 1 1/2 hours of sleep at one stretch. So this morning I give him a bath - he was nice and relaxed - and goes down for a nap so easily. Huge smiley face! And I'm thinking, "Great! What do I need to hurry and get done while he's sleeping? The laundry strewn all over the living room? Clean my bathroom? Take a shower?" And I walk past the desk where my journal is sitting and hear the a-little-bit-louder, still, small voice telling me to sit down for a minute. "But, God! Do you not see the he puffs of Tiger-hair sitting in the corners of the floor? The shopping I need to get done?" I feel Him reminding me of Sunday and how I cried out to Him. <br /><br />I sit down at the kitchen table and begin journaling. I realize it's been probably close to 3 months since I've written much about my thoughts and where I'm at. I start writing that I worry that I'm not doing enough. I'm not being social enough...not meeting up with enough people like I thought I would and should...not having people in our home enough. I'm not able to stay on top of everything like I would like. And it has really bothered me. When asked last night what was for dinner (at dinnertime) and having nothing for a response, I felt as though I wasn't doing my "job"...I had failed. This way of thinking is a pattern for me. And unfortunately I'm really good at keeping up with! <br /><br />I put my pen down. I close my eyes and visualize my son...<br /><br />kicking...squirming...fighting his exhaustion. <br /><br />He can't relax. And I realize,<br /><br />I am just like him.<br /><br />Then I felt God holding <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">me </span>like a young child. He's so calm. So patient. So quiet. He put His hand to my head so that it would rest <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">His </span>shoulder...to stop my kicking and squirming and fighting. "Shhhh. Just rest. Live life right here," I felt Him say as we rocked back and forth.<br /><br />"Just rest."Meaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17826534208017460419noreply@blogger.com1