Coming Soon: Big Changes

Since even before we got married, Brett's goal has been to become a pastor of a church. It's not necessarily the reason he went to Seminary, but it became his calling while he was there. It is something we've been praying about the entire length of our marriage. Since music is his background, he's gotten stuck in worship pastor positions (not that we don't believe that was where God wanted us at the time, it just seemed like it wasn't our end goal). We really both wanted to stay in the Raleigh area, because we love it here-- it's where we like to call home, now. But because we're so close to the Seminary, he's had to branch out some and look in surrounding areas. And now, at long last, our prayers have been answered. Last week, after 2 months of waiting, Brett was called as senior pastor at Newton Grove Baptist Church.

For now, he will be working there part-time/ bivocationally, making the one-hour trip (each way) south on Sundays, Wednesdays, and whenever else he's needed and still working at the Credit Union full time, until we can sell our house. We've already contacted the realtor that sold us our house and it will go on the market within a few weeks. Once it's sold, we'll look for a place down there (probably to rent) and move down full time.


We both have a lot of fears, and yet we're also really excited about this new opportunity. I dread the moving process, selling the house, packing up, and especially the kids' adjustment to a new place. I don't really fear that the house won't sell-- we have a lot of confidence in our realtor and he has a great success rate- I just dread all the cleaning & repairing and such that goes along with selling a house-- especially the part where I have to keep it almost like a showroom while still maintaining a sense of normalcy for two small children who don't really understand what's going on. We're praying that the next few months will be a calm and easy transition for us and for the kids.

We're honestly not in a huge hurry for it to sell-- although the hour-long drive will be taxing (not to mention the fact that Brett will essentially be working two full-time jobs), it will be nice to have two full-time incomes for a few months to catch up on debts and bills. We're praying that we can find the extra money to make the necessary improvements our house needs to at least break even on our mortgage, and then that we will be able to find a place there without much overlap in payments.

This house also has a lot of memories for us. We were working on fixing up this place while we were engaged and moved in the day we returned from our honeymoon. We spent our first years of marriage in this house, sometimes barely able to pay the mortgage. We had both our children while living in this house and it's all they've ever known.

I fear moving to a new place, not necessarily because I have a lot of people that I will miss here in Raleigh (although there's that, too), but there are a lot of conviniences here that I've grown accustomed to as a stay-at-home-mom. I like that I can drive just five minutes to get to the nearest Walmart. I like that we are really close to the library, the museum, the mall, the hospital (a biggie seeing as how my babies come fast!) and plenty of other entertainment options for the kids. In Newton Grove, the nearest big city is a thirty-minute drive. I'm sure I'll get used to that, or adjust to being at home more, but I have just enjoyed the big city life. We're praying we make some friends there quickly and find things in which to get involved.

Of course there are also the fears about pastoring a church. As a pastor's kid, I'm no stranger to the "glass house" phenomenon pastors' families experience. I know we will be in the spotlight, but hopefully, it will challenge me to be a godly wife and mother and to keep our family above reproach. Brett will face many other challenges as the leader of a small rural church, but we pray that the congregation is even now opening their hearts to his leadership and preparing themselves to grow in the Word.

We have no idea what the next few months may hold, but it is with mixed emotions that we face them head-on. We do know that God has called us to Newton Grove, and because of that, everything will fall into place.

Sweet, Kind-Hearted Leah Grace

As Leah gets older, I love seeing her personality develop, and as a part of that, I love seeing how kind and tender-hearted she is toward others. I thought about this yesterday when I had to take her to the doctor with me for Andrew's 6-month check-up. Leah always shows great concern for Andrew. She helps him with his paci or his toys if he can't get them, she hugs him if he's crying, saying "It's okay!", she asks me to bring him along when we go upstairs to change her diaper or put her to bed... If we go someplace and other kids are looming over Andrew's carrier, Leah will run over and hold on to it protectively. But yesterday at the doctor, she cried when he was crying because he got his shots.

She is very perceptive about when people are sad or upset. Many times when I ask her if she had fun someplace like Sunday School or AWANAs, she'll tell me "A boy was crying... He was sad..." She can recognize a "mean guy" on TV. And if Brett and I are "discussing things" a little louder than usual, she will usually yell, "Guys! Guys!" In the same manner, she's also very bossy. She knows what she wants people to do, and she has no hesitation in telling them! And she will command that we do something until we do! She especially loves to boss Andrew around, and we're monitoring that to make sure she doesn't become his second mother!

I also love to see how smart she is getting. Now, I'm not around a lot of 2 1/2-year-olds to compare her (which I'm actually grateful for), but I regularly check websites that show what your child should know & how they should be developing at various ages. Leah usually surpasses the milestones. She can recognize all the letters of the alphabet (uppercase only), all the numbers 0-9, and almost all the basic shapes & colors. (In fact she is always telling me what color something is, and is way more observant about the colors people are wearing than I.) She also draws straight lines and circles, and is beginning to learn how to spell her name (although usually she spells everything L-E-A-H-H-H). She speaks in three-to-five-word sentences, although I am beginning to realize that sometimes I am the only one that can understand what she is saying. It is really funny how she gets her pronouns mixed up now, like "She has blue on she's shirt."

She is starting to understand age and size differences ("Andrew's too little. He's a baby. I'm too big. I'm a kid."), as well as the difference between boys and girls (physical appearance, I mean). She has not yet reached the "why" stage, but she is always asking me "what's that?"-- even if she knows what it is, or "What's that sound?" She has always had a love for books and now will sit down in front of Andrew and "read" him a book like she's seen the librarian do at storytime. She enjoys "helping" with household chores and imitates daily activities ("Elmo's sleeping, Mommy." or "my baby's taking a bath"). She opens doors well, climbs stairs well, hops, runs, and can even stand on one foot.

Like I said, I don't know if she's advanced compared to other 2-year-olds or not, but all-in-all it is fun to see her develop and grow and learn. Every day is an adventure and she always makes me laugh.

Sarah, Ben & Sam

We met Sarah & Ben when we first started at Creedmoor Road Church, way back before Leah was even thought of, and I can't remember a time since then that we weren't friends. They are the type of friends that would do anything for you, any time of the day or night. Sarah and Brett bonded over their mutual love for music, while Sarah and I bonded over our love for scrapbooking and thrift shopping.

Once Leah was born, Sarah offered-- no, begged-- to watch her so we could have a night out. This became a regular occurrence and not once did she ask for money. I tried not to take for granted the fact that I had a free babysitter at my disposal, but Sarah always made it seem like we were doing her a favor by letting her watch Leah.

As Leah got older, she was as comfortable at Sarah's house as she was at our own. And Sarah treated her as her own. Last summer when I was still workign, Sarah & Ben kept Leah for half the price I would have had to pay for preschool. Sarah invested in a cheap car seat, high chair, and pack 'n play so I knew when she went over there, she wouldn't lack for anything. A big refrigerator box with all kinds of toys remained a permanent fixture in their living room. And Leah got to know Sarah's co-workers at the school where she teaches, and the people at their church.

And then, of course, there was Sam. Leah loved that dog and Sam made Leah comfortable around all dogs. She always followed Sam around the house, feeding her pieces of dog food or cheese and basically bossing her around like Leah does. And Sam, though slow and old, always seemed to show a special concern for her (and Andrew once he came along), checking on her like her own puppy. Sam recently had to be put to sleep-- we don't really know how to explain this to Leah but we feel her loss.

I'm saying all of this is because Ben recently got a new job in the mountains of NC, and they'll be moving 4 hours away. They will be greatly missed-- not just because of their free babysitting services (which I am already missing, seeing as how I have to take both kids to the doctor for Andrew's appt. on Monday, and I've never had to do that!), but because of their great friendship, their support during the difficult stuff that went on at Creedmor Road, and their willingness to just be there. We've shared many meals and parties, much laughter and joy, and we are so sad to see them go. We're still not sure at all what to tell Leah at this time (everytime she packs up her little purse and pretends to leave the house, she says she's going to Sarah's house), but we're grateful we won't be too far away, and know this is how many friendships work out. We are so grateful to have had them as part of our lives.

Andrew @ 6 months

- He weighs 18 lbs. and is 27 inches tall, which is basically average for a baby his age. It seems his weight is slowing down a little now. He is mostly in 6-9 month clothes, some 3-6 month still. And he is just recently moving up to size 3 diapers. (Technically Leah could wear the same size!)

- He was sleeping through the night for a week or two (until about 4 or 5 am) but the past week or so he's been up once or twice a night again. Something's going to have to give soon-- I'm getting tired of this! (Unfortunately, even if I turn his monitor off, I can hear him crying through the vents in our room, since he is directly above us). His daytime nap schedule is starting to take shape, though-- 45 min. to an hour & a half at 10:30 or 11 and again at 1:30 or 2. He'll still fall asleep if we take a car ride of more than 15 minutes, though, and that can mess up his whole schedule! [I just looked back at Leah's 6 month post and it seems I was saying almost the exact same things about her at this age.]


- He sometimes fights sleep because he doesn't want to miss anything, but a minute or two in my "magic" rocking chair in his room, and a song or two, and he's gone!






- He's still nursing every 2 1/2- 4 hours during the day, and he has 1 or 2 meals of "solids" every day-- usually breakfast & dinner, sometimes just dinner. He has tried almost all the "1st" foods-- peas, squash, carrots, green beans, apples, peaches, and bananas. He actually seems to like the green vegetables best! I was thinking of trying to do some homemade foods like I did with Leah, but I just haven't had the time or motivation yet. The store-bought are just easier!




- He loves to play & sleep on his tummy now. (In fact, I start him at the bottom left side of his crib & when he gets up, he's in the top right-- and his paci is usually on the floor because he's stuck his arm through the crib slats and dropped it down there!) He still doesn't really roll over from his tummy to his back, but I think he could if he tried. He can sit up on his own for a few seconds at a time, but quickly tumbles over. He wants really badly to crawl-- he pushes his butt up in the air and scoots a little, but he just can't go. I can tell he really wants to be able to do much more than he can!






- He has learned to blow "raspberries" and likes to experiment with different sounds. When he smiles or laughs, he always sticks his little tongue out-- it's quite cute!

- He's in the "grabby" stage, where nothing in his reach is off limits! He will grab hair, plates, food, anything! And of course it all goes straight to the mouth. He has such a fierce determination when it comes to playing with his toys, or books. He examines them with such a gusto -- beating them against things and pushing them or tossing them! What a curious little boy!

- He's such a sweet, easygoing & laid back little boy. Everytime I pick him up from the nursery or wherever, all I hear is "He was such a good boy," and he doesn't require much attention, really-- he just goes with the flow! How blessed I am.

Wordless Wednesday

Because He's the 2nd Child...

Poor little guy doesn't even know that Princesses and pink fuzzy blankets aren't just a way of life...

Looking Backward/ Looking Forward

Since the new year is a time to reflect on what has happened and what you would like to happen in the coming year-- here you go!

Cody Family Year 2010 in Review:

January marked the end of the first trimester of my pregnancy with our second child, and the first big snow of the winter. Leah enjoyed preschool while I was working part-time as an admin. assistant at our church.

In February, we found out we were having a little boy and thus began all the excitement of preparing for a new baby! Brett quit his job as worship pastor at Creedmoor Road Church, witout knowing whether or not he'd have some other place to serve.

In March, Leah was 18 months old, and finally gave up her bottle. We took a weekend trip to visit my parents in the Outer Banks. I went on an Emmaus Walk through a friend's Methodist church. Brett began serving as interim worship pastor at our current church, 45 minutes from our home.

April brought Easter weekend and warmer weather. We did an egg hunt at our former church, where I attend MOPS. We spent lots of time outdoors, and even more time preparing for baby brother.

In May, Brett and I celebrated 4 years of marriage, and I celebrated my 29th birthday. We took our annual family photos at the Seminary. Leah finished her last day of preschool, knowingly the last one forever, because after July, I would no longer be working at the church part-time. We spent Memorial Day weekend, again, in the Outer Banks with my parents.

In June, I took Leah, along with another friend, to visit my best friend Elizabeth 9 hours away in Tennessee for several days. Leah spent most of her summer days with my friend Sarah, since I was still working at the church. We finished making most of the purchases for baby boy, and were given so many clothes, bedding, and other gifts in preparation for his arrival! Brett was accepted as permanent part-time worship pastor at our current church, where he had just been serving as interim.


July was the birth of our perfect little baby boy, Andrew John, all 7 lbs. 2 oz. of him. Of course, he brought the usual adjustments a newborn required, but it didn't take long for him to fit in so perfectly with our family. At the end of the month, Leah gave up her pacifier at long last, and also transitioned to her toddler bed, as we finally finished up Andrew's nursery and moved her crib over there. Brett transfered to a different position with the Credit Union, working for Support Services, rather than as a teller.






In August, amidst all the adjusting to a new little brother, Leah turned 2. She had an incredible Elmo extravaganza birthday party, and Brett's parents were even able to make it for a week-long visit. My friend Elizabeth visited, as well.



In September, Andrew turned two months old and started to sleep in his own crib, rather than the bassinet in our room. He gained weight at an amazing pace, almost twice his birth weight within two months! He started smiling, too, while Leah began talking in entire sentences, carrying on conversations!

In October, we started a usual fall routine, with library story time, trips to the mall play area or the park, AWANAs for Leah on Wednesdays, and me serving on the leadership team for our local MOPS on Fridays. We spent a day at the State Fair, took some family photos in the leaves in our yard, and made a trip to the pumpkin patch to get our jack-o-lantern!

November Andrew turned four months old, and finally took a bottle. Leah started to show signs of being a great big sister as she always loved on him and helped take care of him. We spent Thanksgiving at my parents house-- Andrew's first long trip, and first trip to the beach, as well as his first solid foods.

Of course December brought all the busy-ness of the holidays-- finding & decorating our Christmas tree, celebrating first with my parents, and then as a family. Leah had a scary bout with MRSA in which we realized how short our time is with our children. She really seemed to get Christmas, and we loved seeing her reactions to all the celebrations. Andrew enjoyed his first snow.

We have set up a few goals for each member of the family to accomplish in the year 2011. Hopefully I can look back at this at this time next year and say we have done well.

Leah:

- Be completely potty-trained

- Learn to dress herself

- Learn to clean up her own toys & room

- Recognize all upper and lower-case letters and the sounds they make

- Recognize numbers 1-10 and say them in order

- Learn to cut and paste basic shapes

- Trace shapes and letters

- Recognize & spell her own name

- Recite 2 or 3 Bible verses from memory

Andrew:

- Maintain a regular daily schedule, sleeping at least 10 hours at night, with at least an hour and a half nap.

- Wean to a cup and table food

- Hopefully be able to walk and speak at least 5 or 6 words-- but that's not really a goal that we have a lot of control over

As a family:

- Have regular family devotions each night

- Memorize Scripture on a regular basis

- Read more books

- Eat breakfast together as a family more often

- Eat healthier dinners

- Make a trip to Texas to visit Brett's family