Just a little update...

I haven't posted anything in awhile, so I thought I'd give a little update of what has been going on in Austin and my life lately.

Austin is now four months away from his 3rd birthday. Where does the time go? It seems like not that long ago when he was born. Beside the onry spell he has now and then (I wonder who he got that from??), he is such a joy to be around. Some of his favorite things to do include: anything having to do with trains, painting, reading, exploring outside, playing with water, dancing to music, church, and time with his friends Peyton and Sam. He is learning and growing so much. Austin can count to 20, knows his ABC's, sings more than a dozen songs the whole way through, and knows all the colors. His list of songs that are his favorite that he can sing include: ABC's, I Love You, Twinkle Twinkle, The Lord's Prayer, Jambo, A Bushel and a Peck, and There's Room at the Cross for you. It has been a joy watching him grow up and become a big boy.

Also, in regards to Austin is a praise report. Austin is no longer on his previcid and is no longer throwing up. Thank you to all who have prayed for him. It means so much to us. He is now officially a healthy two and a half year old boy.

A quick up-date on me...I'm still working at Tam Communications part time and enjoying it. I am going to school full-time, and also taking on the new project of trying to learn Spanish. I sometimes wonder what I was thinking taking on school, a job, and being a full-time Mom, but I am pushing through. The rest of my time is spent with my family, Austin, and the wonderful friends I have made over the past two years. I also took over as being the Life Group Leader for my group I was attending, and also go to a Beth Moore Bible Study once a week. God has been good to me over the past few months as I have truly seeked to do his will. I am thankful for what he is doing in my life right now and in Austin's; we've come a long way and I thank God for Austin's good health.

Last I will leave you with some pictures of Austin over the past month or so, and a verse I read yesterday that I thought was amazing.

Live in Love, Jess

2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

The Next American Idol

Pro-Life

I have always been Pro-Choice since as far back as I can remember. I never saw an issue with people having an abortion. To be honest, it was the first thought that crossed my mind when I found out I was pregnant with Austin. I remember sitting outside my house, after getting off the phone with Adam, and thinking, "There is no way in hell I am doing this or telling my parents." (Sorry for the Hell, but at the time that was really what I thought. Trying to be honest here.) A small voice inside then said, "You're gonna have this baby with Adam, and it will all work out. You are going to do this." I will equate that now to the first time God was pulling me in His will, and I actually listened. Now, I cannot imagine my life without Austin in it. He has been such a blessing and joy to me, my family, and Adam's family.

After my experience of having Austin, I am no longer Pro-Choice. Not that I really want to get political here, cause that really isn't what I want my blog to be about. This is just one of the many things that God has changed in my heart. Seeing what can happen if you decide to give the life inside you a chance, I just don't understand how anyone could have an abortion anymore. I mean, I get it; it sucks sometimes, it's hard work, a lot of judgement can be cast on you, you feel so alone and shameful at times, but the rewards and benefits that you receive from choosing life outweighs it all in the long run. And I don't really remember those negative feelings so much anymore. It gets better, and there are rich blessings that come. If I didn't take that chance, Austin wouldn't be here, and that is a life I would never want to live.

I do a walk every year for called Walk for Life, and I would like to start getting involved in more things like this. The walk is coming up this next month. I participated in it last year, where my Mom, Austin, and I walked. I desire to help other people like me make good choices, with resources available to them to take the right steps in their choices. One of our friends, Marc Armstrong, calls Austin the "Pro-Life Poster Child." Like we did last year, I will be walking for my Poster Child, in hopes that other women can use the Pregnancy Resource Center to help them make the tough decision that I did.

I read this article in a Christian magazine about Abortion a few months back. I saw this picture in the article and it will be forever ingrained in my mind. It is a photo of Baby Samuel that was taken in 2000 and published first in USA Today. A 21 week old fetus suffering from spina bifida was removed from the womb. During the operation, a photographer took a photograph. This is a fetus age where women do have abortions. Clancy, the gentleman who took the photo said this about it:

Clancy explains that "During a spina bifida corrective procedure at twenty-one weeks in utero, Samuel thrusts his tiny hand out of the surgical opening of his mother's uterus. As the doctor lifts his hand, Samuel reacts to the touch and squeezes the doctor's finger. As if testing for strength, the doctor shakes the tiny fist. Samuel held firm. At that moment, I took this 'Fetal Hand Grasp' photo."

Clancy, who was Pro-Choice, is now a Pro-Life activist after this experience.

Austin's First Wedding

This weekend Austin participated in his first wedding. Josh is the newest addition to the Wilson family, who married Sarah, my cousin, over the weekend. They asked me if Austin could be the ring bear, and I obliged. I was a little worried that he would be freaked out by all the people when he walked down the isle, but he did a great job. A pillow was set up next to me so that he would know where to go, and I put skittles on it so that he would stay next to me. The best part was he talked mostly the entire time during the ceremony, laid down, danced to music during communion, and was your typical two-and-a-half-year old that cannot sit still when he was on stage. Austin really enjoyed the dancing at the reception; this kid is a dancing machine. He looked so cute, and the wedding was beautiful. An overall success! Congrats Sarah and Josh!

A Time of Refelction

A few things have happened to me in the past couple of months that have really made me start to think about my life and where I am going. Because of this I devoted a month to changing things up a bit for myself, and spending some time refelcting on my life. This is the third week of this time of refection.

I have given up going out and doing anything with friends, tried to sleep more, Adam and I have been going to counseling, getting into the word again, and I am being furgal with funds. Also, Adam and I have been asked by our counselor to pray for each other and ask God to help us forgive one another, and we will be participating in further sessions. Needless to say, this has been a real growing period for me, and I see God really pointing out some major things in my life that I need to work on.

I don't ever want to be one of those people "stuck" or being "stagnint" and I thank God for the oppurtunity to be able to reflect on my life and see the changes that I need to make. I have gone through so much these past two years, but sometimes I am unable to deal and process it due to all I have going on currently. It's nice to be able to sit back and reflect, just take some quite time for me.

I ask you to pray for me in this time of refelection, and also for Adam and I, that God will do a work in both of our lives!

Matthew 18: 21-22 NIV
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, " Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? " Jesus answered, " I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

Finally Home

Mercy Me sings a song about the experience they will have when we finally make it home to heaven. When things are hard here for me, and I am feeling discouraged, there is something about this song that just lifts my spirits. It puts things back into perspective for me that there is a much bigger picture, and this is all only temporary. I sing this song a lot, and Austin has picked up on some of the words of one of Mommy's favorite songs. Here's a little video of him and I singing it, and then the lyrics. It's a powerful song and I look forward to the day where we all make it to our real home!



Finally Home, Mercy Me
I’m gonna wrap my arms around my daddy’s neck
And tell him that I’ve missed him.
And tell him all about the man that I became
And hope that it pleased him

There’s so much I want to say
There’s so much I want you to know

When I finally make it home
When I finally make it home

Then I’ll gaze upon the throne of the King
Frozen in my steps
And all the questions that I swore I would ask
Words just won’t come yet

So amazed at what I’ve seen
So much more than this old mind can hold

When I finally make it home
When I finally make it home

And the sweetest sound my ears have yet to hear
Voices of the angels

When I finally make it home
When I finally make it home

This week we have been gearing up for Royal Family Kids Camp. This is a camp that our church became a part of, that helps abused and neglected foster children in the Monterey/Santa Cruz system. Last year I was lucky enough to be apart of it for the first time, and this year I will be as well. Because I have Austin I am not able to do full-time counseling, but I am able to do night relief which allows me to be there to hang out and play with the children for the evening, and put them to bed. I am ecstatic about being apart of it again. Being apart of Royal Family Kids Camp hits two key parts of me: my love for children, and my empathy for children who are troubled and have been abused. Thanks to my Dad who will be babysitting this week so that I can be apart of it in this small way.

This music video is a song that Sarah Goves wrote for children in Rwanda, after a trip she took there. It applies so much to how I felt after last year’s week with these children, and I am sure it will be my theme song once again for this year. Please pray for the children that we will be encountering. We have such an opportunity to make a difference in their lives. And please pray for us as a staff as well; they make such a huge impact on all of our live; at least they do in mine.