Allergic Avery

It looks like we have some answers on sweet Avery.  Her allergy results are in and she is allergic to milk, soy and beef.  The poor girl was not absorbing the proteins we were giving her.  We now have her on a special hypo-allergenic drink called EO 28 Splash.  It has a really high caloric content that hopefully will help her weight catch up.  It’s funny, after 2 weeks she is already looking much rounder.  She feels heavier too.  She has her 15 month appointment and I think we’ll find that she has really gained.  Thank you Jesus.  I’m not thrilled about the allergies… but it certainly is a less severe answer than we could have had so I will count my blessings.

Weight wise Jeff is rocking the diet.  He has lost 15 lbl.  I have lost 8.  I already feel better but have a ways to go.  My goal is 25 lbs to get back into all my old jeans.

In a few weeks I would really like to start the P90X workout with Jeff in the mornings.  Any of you have experience with that.  I hear it is really kick butt.  I’m so ready to get cut again.

I have also nixed Diet Coke from my diet.  It kills me.  I love diet coke and practically took it in my bottle as a baby.  BUT the whole thing about Diet Coke turning to formaldehyde in the body really freaks me out.  I know that aspartame is so horrible for you.  I have known I needed to make this choice for a long time… I think I’m finally ready.  I have to do it for my kids.  I want to live long and be healthy and vibrant for their children and possibly my great grand children someday.

Today I am ill.  I think it is either a bad cold or the flu.  Fun huh?  I think this long week worked one on my immune system.

Airplane Epiphany

I’ll never forget the time that I was flying somewhere and was studying something for a church leadership school I was in.  I was going through the verses of the Bible that were in the lesson and it hit me.  I welled up with tears of joy.  I can’t quite put to words how I felt at that moment.  Thankfulness was pouring out of me.  At that minute I was just so grateful to have been brought up in the Lord.  Which basically means I was brought up knowing about Jesus from a young age.

I can’t tell you I am overcome like that every time I read the Bible.  I have read the Bible most of the days of my adult years (and even before then), yet rarely do I have a moment of revelation like that.  It is like numbness was taken away.  Apathy was gone from me.  My eyes were open to a glimpse of the unbelievable spiritually rich inheritance I had received and been living on.  To this day I can’t tell you where I was flying, what I was doing, or anything.  But I will never forget how overcome I was with gratefulness at that moment.  Had I had a bottle of perfume and Jesus sitting physically beside me I could have easily been the woman washing the feet of her Lord with her hair and perfume as Mary had.  This moment impacted me forever.

Why am I telling you this?  Not in anyway to rub something in your face that I think I have that you may not.  But I tell you because of the back story.  You see my parents had a time in their lives that was pretty dark.  Before they found Jesus they were into drugs and we-gee boards, had “spirit guides” etc.  They almost lost their marriage at one point.  They were desperate, empty, and searching for something to fill them up.  Then my mom enrolled my brother in a local christian preschool.  The teachers (bless those teachers!) reached out to her and invited her to church.  It was there she found Jesus and she was forever changed.  My father followed soon after.  This was all before I was born.  My parents weren’t perfect from that point on.  They had things in their lives they struggled with.  But they had Jesus.  They had my brother, and soon had me and were determined that we grew up always knowing this great peace that only Jesus can bring.  

No matter where you are at as a person or a parent.  There is hope.  No matter what you have come from your children can still recieve a rich inheritance and never have to deal with the things that you may think have branded your life as irrepairable.  All you have to do is bring your crap to his feet.  Give your life to Jesus and know that all the things in life that were done to you, all the things you did, all were nailed on the cross with him and you are made new.  Can you imagine having that to pass on to your children.  As a child of that same inheritance I can tell you that it is amazing.

I now sit here with my children.  I still have things that I really struggle, no war, with.  Its a journey not a destination.  But everyday (that I let him) God is growing me and refining me.  I hope to pass on to my children not the things that entangle me, but freedom, peace, grace, love, zeal,and every other perfect gift that comes only from Jesus.  I pray that I won’t pass on the things that trip me up.  I pray that I will deal with them at this generation so that it won’t go on to the next.  May their futures be written by God alone and not by my failings.  May they always have the peace and hope that I had that moment on the plane.  May they never know a moment without Jesus.

PS- If you have any questons about how to know Jesus please feel free to email me at eejackson (at) mac (dot) com.

Peek-A-SKU

I found this new site courtesy of a Janie and Jack employee and I had to share it with you.  Upon my shirt for the perfect outfits for our family pictures, I was curious what some of the major stores holiday lines were going to look like.  Peekasku.com is the perfect place to find out.  Right now they just have a few stores on there, but a great little hint for those of us that realize these things sell out early!  I’m excited about my kids’ outfits (I know total dork) So I have to share them with you!

For Avery: (from chasing fireflies)

For The Boys: (from Crewcuts)

The inspiration for our shoot can be found here.  And the lovely blonde, Anna Crane, in those photos will be our photographer.  Her work here.

Can you tell I’m excited? To earn $ toward the shoot I’m doing a photo party!!!  There are 3 slots left if you are interested facebook or email me.  It is Saturday the 26th.

September 5, 09- How is that for a creative title?

Aside from the political state right now, things have been pretty great (for us).  Owen is absolutely loving kindergarten which has me that much more relieved that he was ready.  I think we made the right decision in not holding him back.  Lukas loves his school.  His only disappointment is that it is only 2 days a week.  Avery is going to a nanny for 10 hours a week while Lukie is in preschool which has been giving me time to concentrate on work…. and concentrate on them more when they are around.  I am loving being back on a routine…  I function so much better on a schedule.  The wide open time of the summer really gets me down for some reason.  I get confused and don’t know what to do with the day!  I think next summer I’ll have to plan more structured time.  

Jeff and I are going on the HCG diet starting tomorrow so I’ll let you know how that goes.  I’m glad to have support this time around.  I’m also excited to get back into my cute designer jeans :) 

I have been in the middle of some switching of my medication and I feel SO much better.  The actual switch was really tough.  But my energy level now is so much improved.  I stayed up till 10 the other night, which these days has been like staying up all night for me.  I know that sounds nuts, but I really didn’t feel refreshed unless I had 10 hours of sleep- and that is just such a waste of time in life.  I’m glad to be back to feeling more normal. 

On the country….  Seriuosly I won’t go deep into it.  BUT SERIOUSLY!  Propaganda videos in the classroom?  Appointing czars that have claimed that 911 was an inside job? I could go on for awhile.  But I won’t.  And truthfully I don’t want to spar a huge conversation on this.  But really.  Really?  Gosh I can’t wait for 2012.

Jeff’s mom has really been feeling sick for several months now.  No one can quite figure out what is wrong.  She could use the prayer so please be praying for her.  Jeff is going to see her the end of next week.  It’s hard being so far away and feeling like we can’t help very much.  

I started by this post saying things have been pretty great.  And that is true… for our little family things have been good.  However I do feel like so many people I’m surrounded by are in so much pain right now.  So many people are going through such terrible things.  I don’t want to get into the horror of the situations around me.  But it does feel like something is in the air or something.  Many people are heavy on my heart and heavy in my prayers.  It’s seasons like this I just pray I can be of some help to my friends.  Lord knows there have been seasons where I have depended on a  lot of help.  This is one of those seasons I can pay it forward.  God please touch my friends.  Comfort their hearts.  Grant them peace in the midst of their chaos and heartbreak.