Thankfulness- Day 4

Today I am thankful that as a family we can go to a church and worship our God without persecution. I am thankful for the true preaching from scriptures. Today we were blessed to witness the public confession of three young people in our church. I pray that our girls too, will one day make this confession, and that they will be able to have communion with the saints and worship in a church under the true preaching of Christ.

Thankfullness-Day 3

The quote says "iron sharpens iron". Last night I was blessed to have my iron sharpened by some amazing women of strength. Ladies leadership was the best yet. It is so great to get together with groups of women on a Friday night that want to improve themselves. We heard talks from 5 amazing ladies on how to improve and grow in our faith, our friendships, our marriages, and ourselves. It is so encouraging to know that all of us that were there last night are working towards the same goals and we can confide in each other on our toughest days, and celebrate with each other on our best days. I am so thankful for these leading ladies that have the desire to not only keep improving themselves, but to have the heart to share with us how we can do the same.

Thankfullness Day 2

We have been blessed with a BEAUTIFUL fall here in Michigan. We have had many, many sunny days and warmer temperatures. There has been some rain and chilly temps too of course. But for the most part it has been beautiful out. I love the change in seasons and would have a really hard time leaving Michigan for that reason. I love watching the leaves turn from their yellowy green to a bright orange and then to scarlet red. I love to walk outside and feel the crispness in the air. To smell the dying leaves all around. The noises too, begin to change. Instead of the high pitched tweets from the birds that awake us in the morning we begin to hear the honks of the geese and the shots from guns that slice the morning air.

I am always reminded of God's creation even more it seems during the fall (and spring). It's amazing to think that God thought out EVERYTHING before the beginning of time. He planned how the leaves would change, how the birds would fly, when the animals would hibernate and so much more. So many things I think of as "that's just how it is" have all been carefully planned according to God's sovereign plans. I am truly thankful we did not have to make these plans.

(pictures to come....)

Jeff

I have finally found a few minutes to type out a post I've been wanting to type. Throughout the month of November I'm going to try to post everyday something I/we are thankful for. Earlier this summer I read a book about finding joy in everything. One of the things required of us to have true joy is to be thankful IN all things. There have been many a days since then that I have had to 'search' for something to give thanks for and I have often been humbled by the attitude of my heart on those days. It is on those 'humbled' days that I have also found myself the most joyful after getting my heart right before God. I thought it would be a good lesson for the girls (and myself) to take the time everyday to think about all that God has blessed us with and to give thanks for that. We will be writing them down and putting them in a jar to review at the end of the month.

So for today. . . I am blessed beyond measure with the husband God has provided for and placed in my life. Jeff celebrated his 33rd birthday Tuesday. As we were getting things ready for his birthday I had some time to reflect on how we got from our first date to his 33rd birthday (by the way..... he robbed the cradle :) ) Jeff has one of the biggest, most caring hearts of anybody I know. Does that mean that he loves everybody he meets? Nope. But for the people that have been gotten to know him, he will truly do anything to help them. Most of you know Jeff and I have a business outside of his job at Wilbur Ellis. In that business I get to see how big Jeff's heart is. He meets sooo many new people and is immediately able to build a relationship with them. And once they get to know each other, Jeff will pour his time into them to help them work through difficulties they are having in their lives and accomplish goals they have set. He is so good at encouraging others. I think it's because he is such a 'good finder'. He is the one that is looking for the good in others and focusing on that instead of their flaws. I'm so thankful for this since my flaws are many!! We have a stack of cards at home that attest to all the people that Jeff has helped in one way or another. I love watching him when he's encouraging other's. He has a very patient way of teaching that I do not always understand. It is very evident his passion is in helping others.

Jeff is also the best dad in the world!! I know that society these days makes jokes of the dads that sit around and watch tv all night, or go out with the guys every week, or play in 3 different leagues a week, or sit back and allow their wives to do all the discipline with the kids. The jokes they crack make it seem that these activities are okay and 'normal' to do. Thankfully God has given Jeff the desire to not just father his children, but to be a dad to them too!! Jeff loves playing with the girls. And while they are playing they are learning soooo much. Jeff is really good at teaching them little lessons, but I think the most valuable thing he is teaching them he doesn't even know. He's teaching them what to look for in a husband. As they grow older they will see the way he treats his wife and look for that in their mates. They will also have a wealth of memories of all the things their dad played with them and look for a mate that will treat their children the same. One of my favorite things to do is sit back and watch the memories Jeff is making with his girls and thank God for making him such an amazing dad.

Jeff is also an amazing husband. Oh we've had our ups and downs over the past almost, 8 years. Some very, very trying times. Looking back, I can see that God used those struggles to strengthen us and our marriage (another reason to be thankful IN all things). While I enjoyed the 'newness' (not the word I'm looking for)of our first years of marriage I would not like to go back there. I know we have grown so much since then and love Jeff more today then 8 years ago even though there may be more baggage now.

Everyday I thank God for placing Jeff in my life and that I won't take him for granted, but that I can be the best wife that I can for him.

(picture to come......)

Year two...and counting

Dad here again. First time in whats felt like a year or so since Ive done this. Nicki asked that I write one for Melanie's birthday, so after a little bit of wincing and negotiation, I thought it might not be such a bad idea.

I went up to Melanie's bed, gave her a kiss goodnight, and.....well, that was it! I came downstairs. I didn't have to go to the parking garage to find where I lost my car, and didn't have to drive home and wonder the whole way home about the health of our baby girl. Didn't have to remove the 'healthy' sticker from my shirt or the orange wristband that labeled me as a dad, and didn't need to worry where to put that white rectangle parking pass so I would remember to take all 30 of them out when I cleaned the car out.

I reflected for a few minutes there about how this little fart (we call her Miss Mellers, or trouble, or various other adjectives that refer to her very strong willed personality) two short years ago surprised us with her special, very nerve racking birth. As I kissed her, for a moment, I reflected on the monitors, the breathing machines, the surgeries, the rooms, the uncertainty, the tears, the smiles, the alarms, the phone calls, the doctors and nurses, the "box" she lived in, the families we got to know, and the unbelievable strength that God brought to us during that time.

As I reflect now, I think about the families who's children didn't survive. There are families that left that hospital completely different than we did, and now, as I reflect, I think about how much having this little fighter in our house is such a true blessing. As parents, we go through the typical rolling of the eyes, the frustration of children not listening, the fighting with siblings, the talking back, and the interruptions during all of our conversations. And for now, all those selfish thoughts went away as I reflect. Some of those parents would beg for the opportunity to 'deal with' the typical parenting complaints that we have, and I never gave it a thought since leaving that hospital til now. Not much explanation, just flat out selfishness on my part. I'd like to say that since I just thought of it, I'll do better. But, just as a small child says 'I'll be good, I'll remember", Jeff and my sinful nature will forget this as early as tomorrow...or maybe even tonight if one of them wakes up crying.

I think about all the memories that this young two year old has given us, and praise God for allowing us to go through those long 76 days in that hospital. I pray it is something that we never forget. I also pray that we take none of our children for granted. Yes Miss Melanie is two, and yes, very much still a fighter. We laugh a lot just looking at her personality and how it didn't change even in the slightest since she has been born. Maybe, she'll be our little fighter forever, and she'll remind us through that strong will, that God has richly blessed us with the birth of that 3rd daughter.

And looking at her now, God in His sovereign will, has chosen to have no lasting effects on Melanie, other than maybe her inability to cry or laugh really hard (We wonder if that is because of the tubes she had down in her throat for so long). This, however, doesn't bother us too bad, especially when she cries. I find myself chuckling at times when she gets really mad and her cries aren't any louder than her talk.

But now, all I can think is this:
Melanie....you are two, and someday, maybe you'll know what stress you put on your parents when you decided to come out 14 weeks premature. Someday you'll understand how amazing the lung surgery that the doctors 'tried' was. Someday, you'll understand how that heart surgery was so scary for mom and dad. Someday, you'll know how so many people checked this very website, often several times a day, to get an update on a baby they had never met. And someday, maybe, you'll sit in awe in front of a computer, just like your daddy is, and marvel at how powerful a God we serve. It was only through His grace that you are with us today. And daddy, will try to not take for granted all the blessings that you and your sisters have brought to your mom and my life. I pray that God will continue to keep you in the palm of His hand from now to eternity, just as He did those first handful of scary days of your life. Mom and Dad pray that you too, don't take your life for granted, just as we shouldn't do so with our own. God places each and every one of us on this earth to praise Him in what we say and do, in whatever calling He gives to us. You are a beautiful child and HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY!!

Love Dad

Illuminations: Activities

Illuminations: Activities

Perfect Fall Day

We have had some BEAUTIFUL fall weather these past couple weeks. I have a feeling it has come to an end, but we sure enjoyed it while we could. Wednesday was our last day of temps in the 70's with full sun. The Westra household soaked up every minute possible (outside of doing school for a bit in the morning) ;) It was a perfect day for playing in the leaves. I've never raked leaves as dry as these. It was tons of fun which was a good thing cause we raked a TON of leaves, and then re-raked them, raked them again, and then again. The kids could hardly wait till they were piled up to jump into again. There were LOTS of crumbled leaves left on the ground once we took away the piles. Proof of the fun we had during the day. Jeff surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers....purple ones at that. They are gorgeous!! When he got home from work we hauled the leaves to the pasture. The girls thought this was great since they got to ride in the wheel barrow. Melanie however didn't like riding, she LOVED picking the leaves up (usually one-by-one) and putting them into the wheel barrow or trash can. Picking up is one of her favorite things to do. I now know if she's being trouble in the house just send her outside with a pile of leaves and a bucket and she'll be occupied for hours. Too bad all the leaves blew away this weekend. Once the leaves were off the lawn we went out for a quick supper and then to the park to enjoy the last minutes of daylight (and the first 15min of darkness). The kids had a blast playing rough with Dad, mom had a blast watching everyone laugh and not having to cook, and I'm pretty sure Dad had fun playing with his girly's!! So many precious memories.

Our picture computer cannot connect to the internet so I had to post the pictures through a video. I added a song so you may want to scroll to the bottom of the blog and pause the music or just mute your computer to watch without any sound.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com