This is it!!!

Finally, the last call of residency!!! (unless there's an emergency)!!! We have been counting down the days until this night. I've got 2 more months of daytime only work, but that hardly even counts. At least I get to be home at night with my sweet lady-wife and baby.

No real big news. Mawmaw made the plunge and purchased a Pack-n-Play for her home, which is dangerous. Now its going to be overly tempting to take advantage of her capabilities (she also has a backup carseat base) and let her babysit very frequently. But she loves her grandson well, and I'm sure he will grow up blessed b/c of her caring. We are so thankful to have people who love him around. Just b/c Sarah is now a homemaker doesn't mean there aren't plenty of times where we need help.

So, I wanted to give a little insight I learned recently. Sometimes, when I blog, I feel like I'm trying, for the reader, to look just a little better than I am, look a little more spiritual, and pretend like I've got my act together and the Holy Spirit is flowing through me at all times. And sometimes it feels fake. I don't always think or act the way I write. But this I know: God has given me a desire to be a city on a hill, a light shining on a lampstand, and I want people to see the glory in me that is Christ alone. My pastor taught me Sunday that occasionally even he doesn't feel like preaching the Word, that he doesn't feel like he is "overflowing" with the Spirit. But he does it anyway, b/c it is his calling, his privilege, his responsibility, and to his benefit when he is obedient.

Therefore, I will continue to praise His name, and give thanks for God's blessings in my posts, even when it may be the first time in several hours of my busy, sinful day that I have thought about Him. No, I am not a superstar of the faith, but with the Lord's help I will be, and His glory will fall like rain on all who take the time to read this. Thanks for listening.

/epod.usra.edu

Friday

I'm on call again. Only one more after this!!! It will be very sweet to be home with my wife and baby every night for the next 3 months.

Not much new. We got some very cute pictures of the Wild Hoglet yesterday, which I will share soon hopefully. He is getting to enjoy his bouncer more and more. He is also sleeping a little more at nighttime, and able to go a little longer at night without a meal. Still got a ways to go, but there are signs of progress for sure. He's still young (although has probably doubled his birthweight already).

This month has been rough for me as far as staying in shape and eating right, although Moses and I did a strong 2.7m run last night. Next month will be better, I'm confident. Sarah has actually started running some as well (not something she ever did for exercise before me), and is seeing some great results, and now is ready to be a bridesmaid in Stacey's wedding in 3 weeks! Yes, we have a long drive ahead of us to Destin, and we hope for peace (and a straight neck in that carseat). Oh boy, this could be interesting!!!

Good checkup

We saw Daniel's orthopedist today. It went fine, although his progress has slowed down (as we were warned it would). Still gonna be continuing with twice weekly therapy for a while longer. Praise the Lord Sarah doesn't have to work a marketplace job. Her full-time job now is much more difficult and important.

We are having a couple down the street over for dinner tonight with their 2 children, who we were introduced to by a mutual friend (ho is probably the first one reading this blog post). We are really trying to get involved in the neighborhood more now, partly b/c Sarah is around more now and friendships are great and necessasry, but also b/c it really feels like this is a site of ministry that the Lord is opening to us.

I signed my contract with the hospital in Orangeburg today. Assuming all goes according to (admittedly) my plan, I'll be starting work there the 3rd week of July. Sweet opportunity.

Ah, a breather

What a sweet thing to finally have had a weekend off! We celebrated the 30th birthday with Sarah's family yesterday. Her niece has a cute new beagle puppy who is full of personality (of course, I'm kind of biased towards our little pup). We put Daniel in the church nursery for the first time yesterday, and he did wonderful, and Sarah got to enjoy some great teaching in SS finally. Sarah also got to see her good friend Heather, visiting from DC, yesterday and spend some sweet time with her.

Now, I'm on call again. Only 2 more to go after this in residency, forever!!!! It's been a busy day and night so far, with GI bleeds and strokes and cancers and blood clots going to lungs. I thrive on this though, this place God has called me to be an agent of grace and peace and caring. I just finished telling a family who is facing a cancer diagnosis to trust the Lord's great plan, and it'll be okay. May the Lord continue to give me strength, and may I be bold and truthful in proclaiming the eternal glory of God.

Pics here and below

Customized shirt, courtesy of Aunt Courtney
Ah, blessed sleep!

Look at those eyes!

Finally some pics!

He's smiling consistently now
Although we really have to work to bring it out of him. Sarah's friend Kelly has a baby girl one day younger than Daniel visiting today, and her natural face is always smiling. Lucky!!!
His cute floppy hat, which he hates
From Pop and Nana's recent visit
Daniel has a hairstyle known as a tonsure (au natural). Refer to clanmacmillan.org for more info, but the gist of it is that originally the clan was a priestly order of Celts that were converted following St. Columbo's arrival on Scotland. The haircut of the priests was that bald on top look, known as a tonsure. MacMillan actually means in Gaelic "son of the tonsured servant". When combined with our clan motto, "Miseris Succerere Disco" (I learn to take of the distressed), it paints a beautiful picture of what I aspire to be, and also what I pray my son will become. Very cool!

Thursday news

Whew, we had quite the scare today! Another resident at work has had a cold for a few days, and then she remembered that she was exposed to pertussis (whooping cough) last month. Wouldn't be that big a deal, except that if she really had it, then I could get it, and then could give it to Daniel. That could be a really big deal, b/c for a non-fully immunized baby it can be life-threatening. So, while we were waiting for the test results, I started taking the antibiotic prophylaxis, and we were figuring out how to protect Daniel best (probably meaning no kissing the Wild Hoglet for a few days. The horror!!!) I also began praying for a specific protection, on top of my usual ones.

Well, the Lord has come through. The test was negative, and we are out of the woods. I'll probably finish out the antibiotic course just in case (and embrace the "GI upset" that may come with it).

Sarah's 30th birthday is Sunday. Be sure to call and congratulate, or send texts. We will be celebrating "Sarah day" tomorrow when I'm done with call. I've got a fun surprise planned (still working out the details though; hopefully tonight won't be too busy here at the va spa).

For those of you who know my old friend Ryan Byers, check out his new blog and his baby, over on the corner of this page. He currently lives in Colorado, but will be moving back to Indiana soon, with his growing family.

That's goodboy!!

Pop and Nana came to visit last night. We had an excellent time. They noted how much he has grown and how his facial features have changed. Nana brought a baby picture of me over, and scarily, it has now been confirmed that Daniel does indeed look like me, at least at that age. Oh no!!! I had been hoping for a handsome masculine version of my lovely wife (of course, this all makes her very happy- She's kind of biased towards the husband she loves).

More and more smiles every day, which rock! We've now got some pictures, which I'll post when I can. He's made another formula change though, and this stuff is terrible to mix up. Hopefully it will make a difference in his GI issues (and no rocks).

Peace. God bless.

Time warp

As you know, I'm at the VA this month, and the feds are wacko about security and disable the USB ports on their computers. Consequently, I can't post photographs, unless I happen to go elsewhere to blog. Sorry about that. But rest assured, there's some cute ones that will come down the pipe eventually.

Daniel remains the cutest. Unfortunately, he still hasn't grasped the schedule Mommy and Daddy prefer to keep. He managed to stay awake a large portion of the afternoon yesterday, which was fun for us, but that meant he crashed hard at about 7pm and was a log (except for forced awakening for bath and bottle) until about 3am, at which point he decided to arise and keep Sarah awake for most of the rest of the night. My sweet lady-wife knew that I was on call today, so she bore the brunt of the night work to prepare me adequately for my job.

We've found Daniel's happiest places in the house. They happen to be his changing table, and the bathtub. Its rather fun to have a squealing naked boy, although Sarah was a little too cavalier in allowing him extended times in that state of dress on Friday, and she paid the price (use your imagination).

We did have a sweet time yesterday though, as it was my first day off in 2 weeks. Daniel and I made a trip to the "man-store" first thing in the a.m (Lowe's Hardware)., so Mommy could sleep a bit longer and we could have new toys to play with!!! We rested and exercised and enjoyed the nice day before a thunderstorm hit, and then we had fun times indoors. Praise the Lord for a chance to recharge. May his Sabbath be sweet for all of ya'll. Peace. God bless.

Fun fun fun

It's a beautiful day here in Columbia. Of course, that means I'm not in Augusta at the Masters.

Daniel is doing very well. He had therapy this morning, and I'm told that his session-ending measurements were the best yet. I got to start today with a smile again. I was able to watch him last night while Sarah and a bunch of other women from our church had "Ladies Night Out" and went to see Casting Crowns in concert. I'm told it was a sweet time for them.

Pop and Nana are coming over Monday.

Peace. God bless.

Comments wanted

Thanks Davis family for your recent comments. It makes the blog much more fun to read and update when I see that people are enjoying it. I know there are a lot of people who do read, but I'm simple and need gratification. Some might think you have to have a gmail account to do it, but I don't think that is the case.

Daniel is well. I'm at work on call now overnight (again), but Sarah assures me that he had an excellent day today (there've been a few more trying ones lately with the same old stomach stuff). He went to Bible study with her for the first time, and all of Sarah's old friends got to enjoy him (and Sarah got immersed in the Word, always a sweet thing).

The growth is amazing. He now sometimes sports a pair of cutoff Pooh sleepers when he wants to "let it all hang out". He's got a big floppy hat now for extreme cuteness and sun protection when outdoors. And he is beginning to sleep in his nursery at night!!!! What a blessing, finally!

Peace. God bless.

Smile

He smiled at me! I saw it this morning before I went to work. A big open mouth grin! I'm sure I'll catch one on tape soon and send it to ya'll.

2 month checkup- Passed!

He had his appointment today, and everything went great, per Mommy. Daniel is now a whopping 10#4oz, which puts him at the 25% for weight, and he is 22.5 inches, which is 50th% for height. Wow! He started at the 5-10th% for both of those, so he caught up great (although watching him eat, its not that surprising). Perhaps he has a chance to not be the short kid throughout childhood like his dad? He is meeting his developmental milestones, and braved it out through his vaccines like a big boy. As ya'll know, he's had some "upset stomach" issues, and so we are probably gonna make a few changes in that department, but certainly nothing we're worried about. The Lord has provided thus far, and we trust it to continue. Peace.

Nothing new

The Wild Hoglet grows...and grows...and grows.

The vacation is over

Back at the VA, on call. It was a glorious month in March, having no overnight call and working short weeks, but back to the real world now, at least for a month. Of course, anybody who has ever worked in a VA knows it is a stretch to call it "real world". I trust the Lord to continue to watch over my family even as I am here at work. Daniel has been good, making even more new noises, and holding his head up very strong now. His eyes get so huge when he is rested and sees something interesting, and it is just adorable. He needs to stop pulling Mommy's hair though, cause he is strong enough to hurt now.