I haven't written in a little while and today is definetly one of those days. Renee and Eli are in Chicago with family and I'm in SC working and enduring the heat. The plan was to spend the next couple weeks running and resting and looking forward to them coming back with Renee starting her career in nursing... plans have changed.
Back in February Renee was hospitalized due to pain and we found a cyst on her pancrease. In hindsight I don't see any way we would have known about it beside the pain and resulting MRI. Well after talked to a top surgeon the plan is now for Renee to go under the knife and rest up for about a month, me to drive up in two days to be with her and Renee and both of us to trust God's planning in all of this. I am so very glad Renee is a nurse and understands some of the medical stuff but suffice it to say the doc thinks we don't need to worry but we do need to have it removed.
Sitting here typing I am now realizing this will be one of the first stories I will ask the Lord about in heaven. The story will not be over until Renee is back home, but there are three or four parts of this story that have either been ordained by God or as Susan Collins would say, "The odds are ever in our favor," I have faith in the former.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Monday, July 2, 2012
Settle for a slow down
A lot has changed in these past few weeks.
1. Eli is now a month old...and definitely out of newborn clothes. Hello growing boy.
2. My mom came and stayed for a week. She conquered organizing our apartment, cooked and cleaned for us. Huge blessing.
3. Eli laughed for the first time and had huge smiles.
4. I passed my nursing boards!
As Errik mentioned, it has seemed like the world around us continues to go on while we are in our own little worlds. I am completely okay with that. Ever since coming home from the hospital, I have tried spending most of Eli's sleeping moments studying for my nursing boards...completely sleep deprived and really just wanting to stare at my beautiful baby boy. My mom allowed me to put a little more focus into my exam and was a huge help! Those next 2 days after taking it were the most stressful days of my life. Once I learned that I passed, weight was lifted off and I finally felt like I could enjoy being with my baby boy. I didn't have a care in the world. I was able to play, laugh and hold Eli without feeling like I had get back to studying as soon as I could.
Eli seems to be getting the hang of this thing called life. He even sleeps for 4-5 hours through the night! (Thanks Eli!) He absolutely loves being outside although time is limited due to increasing temps. I look forward to heading to Chicago in a few weeks and just continuing to hang out with my little man who seems to bring me so much more joy than I have ever could imagine.
1. Eli is now a month old...and definitely out of newborn clothes. Hello growing boy.
2. My mom came and stayed for a week. She conquered organizing our apartment, cooked and cleaned for us. Huge blessing.
3. Eli laughed for the first time and had huge smiles.
4. I passed my nursing boards!
As Errik mentioned, it has seemed like the world around us continues to go on while we are in our own little worlds. I am completely okay with that. Ever since coming home from the hospital, I have tried spending most of Eli's sleeping moments studying for my nursing boards...completely sleep deprived and really just wanting to stare at my beautiful baby boy. My mom allowed me to put a little more focus into my exam and was a huge help! Those next 2 days after taking it were the most stressful days of my life. Once I learned that I passed, weight was lifted off and I finally felt like I could enjoy being with my baby boy. I didn't have a care in the world. I was able to play, laugh and hold Eli without feeling like I had get back to studying as soon as I could.
Eli seems to be getting the hang of this thing called life. He even sleeps for 4-5 hours through the night! (Thanks Eli!) He absolutely loves being outside although time is limited due to increasing temps. I look forward to heading to Chicago in a few weeks and just continuing to hang out with my little man who seems to bring me so much more joy than I have ever could imagine.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
9 Days Old. I could be wrong from lack of sleep though
Well here we are moving through our 2nd week with Eli. I just brought Aspen home to meet him and so far he doesn't quite know what to think. We shall see how he does once Eli starts making some noise. Probably the hardest part is figuring out how to get Eli to sleep at night. More specifically how to fall back asleep after feeding or a diaper change.
Tomorrow I start back at work and the real fun begins. I'm not sure how that will go, but so far it has all been a lesson on trusting God and being flexible. One of the biggest changes for me is the major slow down of life in general. It feels like the world is still moving but our life is in slow motion a little bit. I hope once work starts and we get a bit more settled in we can rejoin the rest of the world and start introducing Eli to it.
Now I'm off to change another diaper and maybe get a nap in before Eli spends a couple hours tonight being awake.
Tomorrow I start back at work and the real fun begins. I'm not sure how that will go, but so far it has all been a lesson on trusting God and being flexible. One of the biggest changes for me is the major slow down of life in general. It feels like the world is still moving but our life is in slow motion a little bit. I hope once work starts and we get a bit more settled in we can rejoin the rest of the world and start introducing Eli to it.
Now I'm off to change another diaper and maybe get a nap in before Eli spends a couple hours tonight being awake.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Day 5
Welcome to the world, Eli Monroe Goodman! FINALLY!!!
Life here in the Goodman household has drastically changed. All for the good. After 24 hours of labor (why did I expect anything less...he is part Gustafson/Riba), he arrived a beautiful 7 lbs and 15 oz. and 20.5 inches long. He is the most beautiful and perfect gift we could have ever asked for. You really don't understand a mother and father's love for you until you can experience it yourself.
We have been so blessed by everyone...bringing meals, praying for our transition to life at home and asking to help out. We truly feel that we have found our home away from home. We can't wait for him to meet everyone, especially our dog Aspen who has been staying with friends of ours. That too has been a HUGE blessing for us. Thanks so much. We hope to use our blog to keep everyone updated with our life here in South Carolina as we hit milestones, continue to grow and experience different things of the south all together! Love you all.
Life here in the Goodman household has drastically changed. All for the good. After 24 hours of labor (why did I expect anything less...he is part Gustafson/Riba), he arrived a beautiful 7 lbs and 15 oz. and 20.5 inches long. He is the most beautiful and perfect gift we could have ever asked for. You really don't understand a mother and father's love for you until you can experience it yourself.
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| First Family Photo |
We have been so blessed by everyone...bringing meals, praying for our transition to life at home and asking to help out. We truly feel that we have found our home away from home. We can't wait for him to meet everyone, especially our dog Aspen who has been staying with friends of ours. That too has been a HUGE blessing for us. Thanks so much. We hope to use our blog to keep everyone updated with our life here in South Carolina as we hit milestones, continue to grow and experience different things of the south all together! Love you all.
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| No swaddling these arms! |
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Life As We Know It
Nursing School. check. Graduation. Check. Almost 38 Weeks Pregnant. Check. Nursing Boards. In Progress.
One week post graduation and I feel like I am just on spring break. I have been frantically getting the "nursery" ready and the rest of the house organized in preparation for Baby G. It's a tall task that I surely didn't think would be this monstrous. Most people spend 7-9 months preparing...I have spent the past...2-3 weeks. However, my mother and father came down for my graduation. My mother spent 48 hours speed organizing and running a bazillion errands (yes, with her 9 month pregnant daughter in tow but I survived...barely). It was nothing short of amazing. I could not sit here and concentrate more on my boards coming up without her incredible help. He is coming ready or not and I feel content even though everything isn't exactly where I want it to be. Ehhh.
Just like Errik...I am ready for a schedule change. Our lives have been so hectic and busy with studying, church, school, normal life, working. I am ready for a more "normal" schedule. Yes, I understand a baby changes a "normal" schedule but for the first few weeks to months...I completely welcome chilling in my pjs with babe in tow all day long. (I will look back on this in a few weeks and say HA...I can never sit for more than two days in my pjs at home unless im deathly ill). Lots of things about to change around here. New job. New schedule. New little life to take care of.
I have been feeling great the last 2 weeks. Tired at times. Yes. But no worse than what nursing school put me through! There was this quote I saw online that said "nursing school is a lot like birth, once it's over, you forget how painful the process really was." As I graduated...I thought to myself...how the heck did I make it through. The answer is family, friends and some professors that kept pushing me through. Errik was truly a blessing over the last 3 years and just couldn't have made it this far without him. We are so excited to see what the next few weeks, months and year will look like. Still a blank slate but that's ok for now.
But listen Baby G, I would really like to take my nursing boards before you come. That, my love, is one request that I have. Love, Mom
One week post graduation and I feel like I am just on spring break. I have been frantically getting the "nursery" ready and the rest of the house organized in preparation for Baby G. It's a tall task that I surely didn't think would be this monstrous. Most people spend 7-9 months preparing...I have spent the past...2-3 weeks. However, my mother and father came down for my graduation. My mother spent 48 hours speed organizing and running a bazillion errands (yes, with her 9 month pregnant daughter in tow but I survived...barely). It was nothing short of amazing. I could not sit here and concentrate more on my boards coming up without her incredible help. He is coming ready or not and I feel content even though everything isn't exactly where I want it to be. Ehhh.
Just like Errik...I am ready for a schedule change. Our lives have been so hectic and busy with studying, church, school, normal life, working. I am ready for a more "normal" schedule. Yes, I understand a baby changes a "normal" schedule but for the first few weeks to months...I completely welcome chilling in my pjs with babe in tow all day long. (I will look back on this in a few weeks and say HA...I can never sit for more than two days in my pjs at home unless im deathly ill). Lots of things about to change around here. New job. New schedule. New little life to take care of.
I have been feeling great the last 2 weeks. Tired at times. Yes. But no worse than what nursing school put me through! There was this quote I saw online that said "nursing school is a lot like birth, once it's over, you forget how painful the process really was." As I graduated...I thought to myself...how the heck did I make it through. The answer is family, friends and some professors that kept pushing me through. Errik was truly a blessing over the last 3 years and just couldn't have made it this far without him. We are so excited to see what the next few weeks, months and year will look like. Still a blank slate but that's ok for now.
But listen Baby G, I would really like to take my nursing boards before you come. That, my love, is one request that I have. Love, Mom
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Times... they are a-changing
So with our little man getting closer and closer to his birthday I am thinking about all the extra time I will have. It seems strange to think this way but there is a reason for it. For whatever reason Renee and I have a penchant for keeping our weekly schedules full to the point where we normally have 1 or 2 evenings free per week. Between serving at Olive Garden, attending our small group, and working with the youth at our church I currently get Friday evening to myself...sort of.
I think one of the things I am looking forward to with the baby is taking a break from all of this. Granted both of us working helps with not having to serve at the OG, but it has been a long time coming since having such an open plate. I'm looking forward to playing with and reading to the little man and learning how to be a good dad.
So what will I do with all this time? I suppose I will do some more reading. I enjoy stories and only wish I spent more time when I was younger in books. I hope I can pass this on to my son as well. Regardless of what my weeks look like, I just know they won't look a lot different.
I think one of the things I am looking forward to with the baby is taking a break from all of this. Granted both of us working helps with not having to serve at the OG, but it has been a long time coming since having such an open plate. I'm looking forward to playing with and reading to the little man and learning how to be a good dad.
So what will I do with all this time? I suppose I will do some more reading. I enjoy stories and only wish I spent more time when I was younger in books. I hope I can pass this on to my son as well. Regardless of what my weeks look like, I just know they won't look a lot different.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Well it looks like I'm averaging a post every two weeks or so. I suppose that isn't too bad although for as much time as I spend thinking about everything under the sun you would think I'd have more to say.
Anyhow, the start of 2012 has been rather stressful. I will never take for granted those times in life when life seems to move past you without a hitch. Renee and I have so very much to be thankful for and I think I need to remember that in the stressful moments. So far this year we will have or have had: 1 baby being born, 1 graduation, 1 changing job situation (Renee being done with school), problems with pet health (aspen is ok), and decisions in living arrangements and future child care arrangement.
There are at least two or three of the most stressfull events people go through in there and we are two months in.
I sure am glad we can trust in the Lord with all these things. We have always had difficulty trying to discern where and what God would have us do and sometimes it seems like He is saying, Don't worry about all that, right now you just have to trust me in the small things.
In other news, here are a few things we've been doing to keep ourselves sane: reading books, trying to exercise, hanging out with friends, talking with family, dabbling in writing, trying to do quality work in our big-kid jobs and eating ice cream (Renee's OB told her to eat more milkshakes haha)
Anyhow, the start of 2012 has been rather stressful. I will never take for granted those times in life when life seems to move past you without a hitch. Renee and I have so very much to be thankful for and I think I need to remember that in the stressful moments. So far this year we will have or have had: 1 baby being born, 1 graduation, 1 changing job situation (Renee being done with school), problems with pet health (aspen is ok), and decisions in living arrangements and future child care arrangement.
There are at least two or three of the most stressfull events people go through in there and we are two months in.
I sure am glad we can trust in the Lord with all these things. We have always had difficulty trying to discern where and what God would have us do and sometimes it seems like He is saying, Don't worry about all that, right now you just have to trust me in the small things.
In other news, here are a few things we've been doing to keep ourselves sane: reading books, trying to exercise, hanging out with friends, talking with family, dabbling in writing, trying to do quality work in our big-kid jobs and eating ice cream (Renee's OB told her to eat more milkshakes haha)
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Thoughts on Life
Most everyone is on Facebook these days. I don't spend a lot of time on Facebook outside of the quick check of the news feed. I don't put many status updates or photos and the like. But I was on it the other day and it was one of those rainy, dreary days when you just want to sit inside and watch a movie. Suddenly I found myself checking up on all kinds of people from the past. People I went to college with, people I went to high school with or people I just knew for a month or two while working at a camp.
What I found myself thinking is how different my life would be with even the slightest change in my decisions. What would have happend if I didn't go to that school, or work at that camp, or stayed in touch with this group of people. I suppose my mind goes places like that on rainy days. I have a feeling that God will have quite a story to share with me when I see him face to face. How many nudges he had to give me to end up where I am today. I am blessed in a hundred ways and yet sometimes I don't quite know how all the chips fell into place.
An old friend of mine said she loved introducing her friends to other circles of friends. I think heaven will be a lot like that. I am looking forward to hearing God share the story of how all the chips fall into place.
What I found myself thinking is how different my life would be with even the slightest change in my decisions. What would have happend if I didn't go to that school, or work at that camp, or stayed in touch with this group of people. I suppose my mind goes places like that on rainy days. I have a feeling that God will have quite a story to share with me when I see him face to face. How many nudges he had to give me to end up where I am today. I am blessed in a hundred ways and yet sometimes I don't quite know how all the chips fell into place.
An old friend of mine said she loved introducing her friends to other circles of friends. I think heaven will be a lot like that. I am looking forward to hearing God share the story of how all the chips fall into place.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Something Interesting to Say
Another couple weeks has gone by and we are getting closer and closer to our baby boy making his debut. He has been kicking Renee nonstop but I think he knows when someone wants to feel him kick because he seems to stop as soon as I put my hand on her stomache. I'm gonna take that as a sign that I have a soothing effect on him.
We are pretty sure on what we are going to name him, but I think we are keeping it under wraps till the big day. That is if Renee can keep a secret for a few more months (I'm guessing she can't haha).
So with this blog thing I think I should make sure it is not just a bunch of updates on our life but also has some substance. I think there should be stuff on here that I would enjoy reading. I guess that has to do with that fact that I'm a nerd and actually enjoy learning (I hope thats one thing my son gets from me).
This year I'm trying to stay invested in books. I like reading for fun, for growth, or for learning. I'm reading Brave New World right now. It's a cool book and makes you think about a lot of cool stuff. Probably the most interesting idea is that we all need the freedom to experience pain or we are really just numb to everything. It is only through experiencing the storms that we can appreciate the sunshine. The book basically boils down to the idea that it is quite sad to live a life only of happiness. I suppose a lot of lottery winners could attest to that idea. Hopefully I can appreciate this concept in the tougher times.
Thats all for now.
We are pretty sure on what we are going to name him, but I think we are keeping it under wraps till the big day. That is if Renee can keep a secret for a few more months (I'm guessing she can't haha).
So with this blog thing I think I should make sure it is not just a bunch of updates on our life but also has some substance. I think there should be stuff on here that I would enjoy reading. I guess that has to do with that fact that I'm a nerd and actually enjoy learning (I hope thats one thing my son gets from me).
This year I'm trying to stay invested in books. I like reading for fun, for growth, or for learning. I'm reading Brave New World right now. It's a cool book and makes you think about a lot of cool stuff. Probably the most interesting idea is that we all need the freedom to experience pain or we are really just numb to everything. It is only through experiencing the storms that we can appreciate the sunshine. The book basically boils down to the idea that it is quite sad to live a life only of happiness. I suppose a lot of lottery winners could attest to that idea. Hopefully I can appreciate this concept in the tougher times.
Thats all for now.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
New Year, New Life
So neither Renee or myself have put anything up here in a long time and we might as well start this all over with the amount of change we've seen in the past 6 months. Of course if you know either of us you know that at this point Renee is fully 21 weeks along with our baby boy.
All I can say is that I'm super excited about what he will bring to our life and really a little freaked out because we have no idea what to expect. I'm looking forward to reading to him a whole lot and teaching him how to be a good packer/cubs/gamecock fan (a wide assortment I know).
One thing I have been thinking about is how I have given advice to others. I've always that my job was to present both sides to someone so they could make the best decision for themselves... my opinion was not what matters. But now, my opinion will matter. I get to decide what my kid will experience. What he will see. What values we teach him. When to fight the battles and when to let them slide. So much to think about.
Anyway, I'm hoping to put more of my thoughts down so maybe one day my kid (or kids) can look back see what was going through my head when they are having kids of their own.
God bless.
All I can say is that I'm super excited about what he will bring to our life and really a little freaked out because we have no idea what to expect. I'm looking forward to reading to him a whole lot and teaching him how to be a good packer/cubs/gamecock fan (a wide assortment I know).
One thing I have been thinking about is how I have given advice to others. I've always that my job was to present both sides to someone so they could make the best decision for themselves... my opinion was not what matters. But now, my opinion will matter. I get to decide what my kid will experience. What he will see. What values we teach him. When to fight the battles and when to let them slide. So much to think about.
Anyway, I'm hoping to put more of my thoughts down so maybe one day my kid (or kids) can look back see what was going through my head when they are having kids of their own.
God bless.
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