A New House Blessing: Part I

Happy Good Friday! I thought it would be fun to share some pictures and verses from our "house blessing" on this weekend that we remember Christ's resurrection. As some of you may know, we built a house this past summer/fall and decided the best time to move would be when I was 9 months pregnant. Luckily, we somehow survived and baby Lepper didn't make his appearance in the middle of contruction...he decided to wait 2 weeks past my due date, but I digress. I had seen snippets and photos here and there on Pinterest of verses on the framework of a new house, and I loved the idea of the Word being permanently marked in our home, buried under insulation and dry wall. I wanted each verse to correspond to the room where we would write it, so I cracked open my bible, booted up Google and went to work.

  (Please excuse the quality of the pics, I had no idea I would ever be sharing these, so I just snapped a few on my phone.) Finding the verses and writing them down took longer than I expected. I suppose you could just highlight them and save them from a bible app on your phone, but I wanted both Brad and I to be able to take a few note cards and Sharpies and divide and conquer. I brought extra Sharpies because I was a little worried how they would write on the wood and if they would dry out. Turns out, they worked fine and didn't get ruined at all. One piece of advice I would add is to make sure the verses you pick aren't too long, unless you want to get carpal tunnel syndrome. I met Brad at the house site one hot summer night and we started writing as the sun slowly dipped behind the trees.

Entry/Foyer

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua 24:15

Brad wrote this verse above our front door in the foyer as a proclamation to all who enter our home of who we are and what we believe. 

"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of the orphans. Fight for the rights of widows."

Isaiah 1:17

This verse still gives me the chills every time I read it. I thought it would be a perfect commission to go above the door leading into our garage, since we would use it the most. Like an athlete tapping the motivational quote above the locker door as he runs into the game, so too would we be driven by the Word of God to help others every time we stepped out of our house. 

Kitchen/Dining

"Give us this day our daily bread."

Matthew 6:11

So simple, yet such a good reminder of how we should pray for everything. The big things, the little things like the food we eat. This verse is above our pantry.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

I Corinthians 10:31

As I was writing this verse on our kitchen wall, I was reflecting on how soon we would have not just 2 mouths to feed, but 3 as baby Lepper wiggled and kicked every so often from within my belly. I remember growing up with 5 brothers and sisters, all seated at our assigned spots around the table at dinner and starting each meal with grace. I pray that Brad and I can raise our children in this home the same way. 

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."

Psalm 118

The way our house sits on the river, we get to watch every sunset through our dining room window. It still never gets old as we stare in awe of God's creation as He paints the skies with oranges, pinks, and reds. He is good. He is good. He is good when we were living in a one-bedroom apartment. He is good when I was unemployed for a year after graduating. He is good as we were able to design and build this house. If tomorrow a fire burns it to the ground, or a tornado comes and sweeps it away, He is still good and we will give thanks.

Laundry

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

Galations 6:9

Oh the laundry room. It's probably the only room in every house designated solely for work. I struggled to find a verse that would be appropriate, after all, I couldn't think of any laundry references from the Bible. I can't remember how I came across this one, but as soon as I saw it, I knew exactly where it should go. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, and all the daily maintenance that goes into being a homeowner is hard work, and it can feel like we're stuck in a never ending cycle of dirty clothes and dishes. I love this reminder that God keeps His promises, and the monotonous tasks I do as a wife and a mother are not in vain.   

Master Bedroom

"Love is patient. Love is kind."

I Corinthians 13

The beginnings of the popular "love verse" is under our master bedroom window. I've been less than patient with my husband at times. I've been less than kind. But whenever I feel tempted to try and "keep score", or retaliate in anger, the words, "love keeps no record of wrongs" plays over and over in my head. We'll never be able to love each other perfectly in these sinful bodies, but how amazing is it to be loved like this by the Creator of the Universe?

Our wedding vows.

Not only did I want the promises of God written on our house, I wanted the promises we made to each other, as well. Our hands were cramping by the end of it, but there's something so sweet and romantic about re-writing our wedding vows at the head of the bed to each other. I can almost hear our young, trembling voices again when I put my hand on the wall. These words mean so much more to us now than they did the first time they left our lips. Expectations that were broken, picked up and put back together again. We had no idea the trials we would go through when we made that commitment to each other almost 6 years ago. When we were done writing, we read them out loud to each other, this time with a baby between us. Something happened that day that didn't happen at our wedding. I cried. 

To the Wife of the Momma's Boy

To be fair, I wouldn't label my husband a "momma's boy". The traditional meaning seems to have a negative connotation; clingy, whiny, not masculine, everything my husband is not. But if it means he respects and honors his mother, then momma's boy it is. My husband had a very unique upbringing where he spent most of his childhood and adolescence traveling the country in a bus, singing southern gospel with his family from church to church. He and his sister were both home schooled, so they got to spend a generous amount of time together as a family. Being the 4th of six kids myself, family was always a top priority for me, and it's one of the things that attracted me to Brad in the first place.

Our very first date was a hot day spent at the Iowa State Fair. We walked from attraction to attraction, ever aware of the other attraction that was growing between us. He tried to hold my hand, I giggled and played hard to get...but not too hard to get. After eating our fill of fried food and a skyline ride later, we rested our feet on a bench in the shade. I don't know how we got to the topic of marriage, (Brad likes to close his deals fast!) but soon we were talking about the possibilities of the future with stars in our eyes.

"Are you going to love your kids or your wife more?" I tested the waters.

"My wife, for sure." He passed. "I think if you have a strong marriage, you have a strong family," he added. Question after question we dove into each other, exploring our values and beliefs. How was this man single, I thought. He was everything I wanted. Three months later we were engaged.

A few months before our wedding, his mom was due to have bilateral knee replacement surgery. We were down in Missouri visiting, and it was the last time we would see her before the operation.

"Everything will be fine," I smiled as I hugged her goodbye. Then it was Brad's turn. He wrapped his momma in a bear hug and squeezed her longer than I had ever seen.

"I love you," he whispered as he pulled away. There were tears in his eyes and it was the first time I had ever seen him cry. I felt strange in that moment, my heart went out to this man that I loved, but I also felt like I was intruding on an intimate moment where I didn't belong. The relationship between a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law is a sensitive give and take. You want so badly for her to approve of you, to think you're good enough for her baby boy she's poured her whole life into. At the same time there's an unspoken competition for his heart. I wanted Brad to praise everything I ever cooked him, I wanted to fold his underwear perfectly and vacuum the house everyday and make sure he never ran out of toilet paper. I wanted him to hug me like that, to cry over me because he loved me so much.

Fast forward to just a few months later and we're swimming in the deep end of the newlywed pool. Barely keeping our heads above the water, we lived 3 hours away from my family, 8 hours from his, and surviving in a tiny 1-bedroom apartment. He was working retail and I was a full-time nursing student and part-time waitress. We were trying to find our routine, and stepping on each other's toes. One night before Brad got off work, I was determined to make the best homemade dinner he had ever tasted. I ended up burning the garlic bread until it was black, and somehow managed to use every item of cookware we had in preparing the meal. Our romantic evening turned into washing dishes all night. I felt defeated, embarrassed. What was I doing wrong? I meticulously cleaned the apartment every week, I packed my husband's lunch every day, and I color-coordinated the towels in the bathroom. I mean, isn't this what being a good wife looks like!?

Over the next few years and a lot of grace, we started stepping on toes less, and dancing more. We discovered each other's love languages, and started communicating in a way that respected our relationship. We were finally finding our rhythm, and because God seems to have a sense of humor, we got pregnant. We had our baby boy after a difficult, 48 hour labor. As I was recovering in the hospital, I saw the fruit of our commitment blossom in the way my husband cared for me at my worst. Just as he had embraced and cried over his mother before surgery, he kissed and cried over me after mine.

So here's a lesson I've learned after being married for 6 years and having a son of my own: It's true what they say, a man will treat his wife how he treats his mother. If he disrespects her, belittles her, yells at her, or ignores her, he will eventually do the same to you. However, if a man takes the time to visit his mother, if he hugs her hello and goodbye, if he calls her about exciting news, if he's patient and gentle with her, then he will be the same with his wife.

To the wife of the momma's boy:

Let him call her. Let them talk. Let him tell her what he's excited about and what's troubling him. One day she won't be on the other end of the phone anymore, and she's the woman who raised this man you love so much.

Learn her recipes. I'm still trying to master the cheesy potato casserole myself, but if you learn a few of his favorite meals, it will always give him a taste of home.

Speak kindly of her. It's so tempting to want to commiserate with your husband, no matter who or what he's gossiping about, but if you can encourage each other to tame your tongues, it only benefits your marriage as he will be less inclined to speak about you to other people.

Tell her thank you. Soon enough this woman will become the grandmother to your children, the competition fades away, and you begin to appreciate each other as fellow mothers.

Know that he will cherish you forever. Your husband's mom has a huge influence on how he treats women. My mother-in-law invested her whole life into her children. Raising them in the Word, teaching them respect, and setting an example of love and sacrifice. If you're lucky enough to marry a momma's boy, you will reap the seeds she carefully sewed in his heart.

I have a 4 month old son now. I know that I will probably be be a mother-in-law someday, and I pray for my son's future wife. I pray that her parents are raising her to be a godly woman, just as her parents might be praying for us. I hope they're praying for a momma's boy.

*Amazing photos taken by Sweet Little You Photography

The 5 Best Newborn Products that No One Tells You to Register For

You're about to become a new mom. The excitement from seeing those 2 pink lines has died down and your little growing food baby bump is a reminder that it's time to start buying all the "necessary" things that one tiny human apparently needs. If you're anything like me, you'll start scouring the internet, reading reviews, and asking all the moms you know for any advice when it comes to baby products. It's an area of Target you always walked by with longing eyes, but never dared to enter. I've only been a mom for about 3 months, but I thought I would share some products that I've discovered along the way that ended up being my favorites. The stroller, the car seat, the bouncer aside, here are 5 of the best newborn products that no one tells you to register for.

1. The Baby Bum Brush

I put this first on my list because I use this every.single.day. and I'm on a mission to put one into the hands of every mom who changes diapers because I love it that much. Seriously. Basically this is a "butt spatula" (as my husband and I call it) for applying diaper rash cream to your little one's bottom. I know, I know...WHY wouldn't you just use your fingers? Do you really need this in your nursery? Yes. I don't know why it's so amazing, there's something about the way it spreads the cream so smooth and evenly that makes this product so useful. It has a little suction cup on the bottom, so it stands up on its own, then you just wipe it with a baby wipe when you're done. It also keeps your hands clean and dry, which I think makes you use cream more often. My husband and I use it for every diaper change, and our son has never had a diaper rash! (Bonus: We like the Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment). You can get the Baby Bum Brush from Amazon...I have 3.

2. Aden + Anais Burpy Bib

This is another product by the beloved Aden + Anais company that I use almost daily. The Burpy Bib is a soft, muslin cloth that doubles as a burp rag and a bib. It has a nice "C" shape to it, so it fits perfectly over your shoulder, plus it has a button on the back so you can snap it around your baby's neck and it works as a bib. I use it mostly as a bib after I nurse Roman because it's big enough to cover his whole body and arms, and is great for catching any spit up after a feeding. I love all the cute designs they come in, too. You can find these at Target, or online at adenandanais.com or Amazon.

3. Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags

If you use a breast pump, you know what a pain it can be to wash all the little parts that come with it. I was getting frustrated when I first had a baby and started pumping, because it seemed like the parts were never clean when I needed to use them! I bought these Medela micro-steam bags on a whim at Target, and they've really helped me keep my pump parts clean so I can use them more often. The micro-steam bags are basically a way to sanitize your breast pump parts, bottles, and pacifiers in your microwave. You just add a little bit of water, then seal the bag and place it in the microwave for the recommended time, and it steams and sanitizes in just a few minutes. The bags are reusable up to 20 times, and you can find them in Target or on Amazon (are you seeing a pattern here? I love Amazon.)

4. Boppy Water Resistant Protective Cover

I'm sure you've heard of the Boppy Pillow. It's one of the most-registered for items at Target and for good reason. The Boppy Pillow is a helpful aid when it comes to nursing your baby, and for tummy time once they get a little older. When I was shopping for a cover for my Boppy, I was surprised that most of the options were the same cotton covers in various designs. The patterns were cute, but I was looking for function, hello! I came across these water resistant covers in Buy Buy Baby, and I knew I had to have them. They're just plain, white covers that come in a 2-pack, but I love that they are water resistant because, let's face it, babies are messy. You can technically put a cute cover over these, but I just leave it as-is and switch it out with the other one when it gets dirty. Roman has spit up more than once on my Boppy, and I'm glad I've had these to protect it. You can find them at Buy Buy Baby, or Amazon.

5. The Windi

Last, but certainly not least is the Windi. From the makers of the Nosefrida comes another somewhat silly, but oh-so-useful design. I ordered the Windi off of Amazon (duh) when our baby seemed to be having trouble with a gassy tummy. I couldn't believe all the five-star reviews, so I thought I would give it a try. The Windi is a hollow, rubber suppository that you stick up your baby's butt when they're gassy or constipated. I was nervous to use it for the first time, but I massaged his little tummy and inserted the Windi. It was only a few seconds before gas (and eventually poop) came out and relief flooded his face. I couldn't believe it! The design of the Windi makes it so that you can't go too far, and it keeps any unpleasant body fluids off your fingers. They are single use suppositories, and come in a pack of 10. My husband and I use one if Roman is really, really fussy and hasn't had a bowel movement in a few days. It usually does the trick and we have our happy boy again! You can order them off of Amazon.

So there you have it! My 5 favorite newborn products that I've discovered over the past 3 months. What would you add to the list?