Living in Texas hasn't been exactly as I thought it would be. I pictured things a bit more country, a little more rustic. Instead, I got the big city of Houston and all its suburbs. There are no cowboys riding horses in wide open fields, no tumbling tumbleweeds, but I have seen quite a few bulls. When I take a different route to church, there they are roaming behind the latest planned community of rich and beautiful houses. People here tell me the "cowboy side" is West Texas. I'm over here in East Texas, the "city side" with Dallas and Austin. This is probably blasphemy to someone born and raised here, but they should have divided up this state -- it's just too big and diverse.
I haven't heard many southern accents either, because most everyone who lives here is from somewhere else. But the funniest phrase I have heard so far is "What the Hee-Haw?" I plan on integrating that into my vocabulary immediately.
Some things I do like about living here: my yuppie master-planned community. It's called Sienna Plantation and it's about the size of my hometown in Ohio. It's got these beautiful flowers and trees as you drive in and some cool sculptures of horses and deer. They have a couple of pools that are a necessity in the Houston heat. One has a big bucket that pours down every few minutes to terrorize small children. The other one has a big frog with a slide going down his mouth that Greggie loves. (Sounds gross now that I wrote it, but it's cute, trust me.)
I also really love our church - Crossbridge Community. I thought I'd never become a part of a church that didn't have Wesleyan on the sign out front, but I'm so glad God has brought us to this group of believers and broadened my brain about denomination, community. I've had my little world rocked upside down and my faith increased tremendously.
On a shallow note, I also love a restaurant called the Saltgrass Steakhouse, and the wide variety of ice cream shops to choose from. This midwestern girl can handle Texas for a little while, I guess.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Thursday, July 21, 2005
My Three Sons
As of July 1st, 4PM, I became the mother of three sons. Jonathan Michael Reid came into the world three weeks ago, weighing 7 lbs, 7 ounces. His delivery happened so quickly, I barely had time to take it all in. I was induced around lunchtime, had an epidural at 3:30, then he was born at 4PM.
Giving birth is really an amazing experience. A small body is placed in your arms and you are immediately in love. Everything else fades around you except this new person who is trying to focus on your face, eager for love and warmth. It's so like God's love -- the way He loves and gives Himself for us as "babies" in Him.
Jonathan has dark hair, dark eyes. We can't really tell what color they are going to turn at this point. His features remind us a bit of Gregory as a baby. I get a kick out of his hair because it's barely there at the tops and sides, but thick and shaggy in the back. He eats and sleeps great, and seems soothed by the rowdy noises of his brothers. I suppose he got used to it from the womb!
The older brothers have done awesome, praise the Lord! Daniel especially loves holding him and kissing him. Greg doesn't have much patience for sitting and holding, but likes to tell me that Jonathan is his favorite brother and says, "I love this little rascal!"
I am feeling...many things. Tired, blessed, frustrated, content...it's a lot of emotions wrapped up at this point. Simple tasks become not so simple. For example, while typing this, I have to keep replacing a pacifier in Jonathan's mouth as he swings here beside me, help Gregory finish a puzzle, put in a video for Daniel, then soothe Gregory when he gets so frustrated at not being able to do the next puzzle. And now both older boys are clamoring for a snack. I think I must bring this post to an end.
Giving birth is really an amazing experience. A small body is placed in your arms and you are immediately in love. Everything else fades around you except this new person who is trying to focus on your face, eager for love and warmth. It's so like God's love -- the way He loves and gives Himself for us as "babies" in Him.
Jonathan has dark hair, dark eyes. We can't really tell what color they are going to turn at this point. His features remind us a bit of Gregory as a baby. I get a kick out of his hair because it's barely there at the tops and sides, but thick and shaggy in the back. He eats and sleeps great, and seems soothed by the rowdy noises of his brothers. I suppose he got used to it from the womb!
The older brothers have done awesome, praise the Lord! Daniel especially loves holding him and kissing him. Greg doesn't have much patience for sitting and holding, but likes to tell me that Jonathan is his favorite brother and says, "I love this little rascal!"
I am feeling...many things. Tired, blessed, frustrated, content...it's a lot of emotions wrapped up at this point. Simple tasks become not so simple. For example, while typing this, I have to keep replacing a pacifier in Jonathan's mouth as he swings here beside me, help Gregory finish a puzzle, put in a video for Daniel, then soothe Gregory when he gets so frustrated at not being able to do the next puzzle. And now both older boys are clamoring for a snack. I think I must bring this post to an end.
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