I'm going to be extremely honest here.
I like people. I like cleaning my house in anticipation of hosting visitors, whether for an afternoon tea or a prolonged stay. I love to prepare food for others to enjoy. I do.
On the other hand, I'm far more of an introvert than not. The peace of my own quiet, empty home is bliss. Nothing could be more ideal than being here, caring for my husband--and, now, my daughter--with only the outside interruptions I choose.
Unfortunately, the two persuasions clash. Though I get excited to entertain, the temporary opening of my quiet haven sometimes erodes my endurance too early. And, though I love our happy home, I sometimes get impatient to open it to others.
It's a ridiculous position, I know.
The best definition of an introvert I've heard (by which of course I mean the one that best describes me), is someone who gets his energy or "recharges," so to speak, by being alone. When I'm around a lot of people--or around people a lot--I just get tired. My mental and emotional endurance wanes. I crave the solace of solitude. That is why Nancy Wilson's recent post on greater hospitality grabbed my attention and why I continue to seek grace for a larger heart.
10/29/2008
10/20/2008
We're Still Here
In case you are going into withdrawals for Carolyn-related blog postings, I'll just let you know that we're still here. Kevin has been working day and night this past week stripping paint from our doorways, window frames, and columns, so we've been staying at a friend's house.
Carolyn is coasting along like a model child, as long as I don't eat much in the way of lactose-loaded sustenance. Then she turns into a fussy baby for a couple hours before she spews everything she's ever eaten out on whoever is holding her. So methinks I'll not be eating much dairy for a while--at least, not much at one time. She does fine if I have a little bit.
We go back to the doctor in 2 weeks, and I fully expect Carolyn to weigh in at 12 or 13 pounds. She's developing a bit of a routine, with the exception of a day here and there, of cat-napping and eating all morning and early afternoon before sleeping 3-6 hour stretches through the evening and night. She's even put herself to sleep a couple times in the past week, without a tear. Currently, however, she's registering her complaint at being left to her own amusement this long, and I am being called to the rescue.
Pictures will come when we get settled back into our house.
Carolyn is coasting along like a model child, as long as I don't eat much in the way of lactose-loaded sustenance. Then she turns into a fussy baby for a couple hours before she spews everything she's ever eaten out on whoever is holding her. So methinks I'll not be eating much dairy for a while--at least, not much at one time. She does fine if I have a little bit.
We go back to the doctor in 2 weeks, and I fully expect Carolyn to weigh in at 12 or 13 pounds. She's developing a bit of a routine, with the exception of a day here and there, of cat-napping and eating all morning and early afternoon before sleeping 3-6 hour stretches through the evening and night. She's even put herself to sleep a couple times in the past week, without a tear. Currently, however, she's registering her complaint at being left to her own amusement this long, and I am being called to the rescue.
Pictures will come when we get settled back into our house.
10/11/2008
A Messy Week
This photo belies the story below. :-)
We've, ummm,enjoyed cleaning up after our little daughter this week. The climax of the week had to be on Thursday. . .
Carolyn only had a tiny bit of diaper rash, but it was evidently extremely sensitive. I hurried to change her diaper when she started screaming like the world was ending in the middle of the afternoon, only to discover there was barely anything there. She wasn't even wet, which is usually what prompts apocalyptic screams. Nevertheless, I changed the diaper and had almost gotten the cover secured when the screaming commenced again. Repeat performance. And again. By this time, I had gotten the message that the rash was sensitive. Hoping to soothe it, I ran a bath of warm water and got in the tub with her.
Evidently, it worked, because we were soon sitting in a tub of water that closely resembled a fish aquarium whose cleaning was overdue.
I decided I needed a shower.
So I emptied and cleaned the tub, still holding and comforting Carolyn, then put the infant tub in the shower, so she could continue to soak in warm water while I took a shower. She was perfectly content. . .until I took her out of the water and wrapped her in a towel, when the world began to end yet again. So, swaddled in blankets, we sat on the bed for a while while she nursed and dozed. . .until she followed her first act by soakeing the blankets, my robe, and the sheets.
Friday followed, when Carolyn expelled the entire contents of her little stomach, soaking her clothes, my clothes, and the couch. And today, as we speak, our bed sheets are in the washer after Carolyn couldn't wait for Kevin to get a diaper back under her when he changed her this morning.
And that, folks, has been the week with our almost-six-week-old angel.
We've, ummm,enjoyed cleaning up after our little daughter this week. The climax of the week had to be on Thursday. . .
Carolyn only had a tiny bit of diaper rash, but it was evidently extremely sensitive. I hurried to change her diaper when she started screaming like the world was ending in the middle of the afternoon, only to discover there was barely anything there. She wasn't even wet, which is usually what prompts apocalyptic screams. Nevertheless, I changed the diaper and had almost gotten the cover secured when the screaming commenced again. Repeat performance. And again. By this time, I had gotten the message that the rash was sensitive. Hoping to soothe it, I ran a bath of warm water and got in the tub with her.
Evidently, it worked, because we were soon sitting in a tub of water that closely resembled a fish aquarium whose cleaning was overdue.
I decided I needed a shower.
So I emptied and cleaned the tub, still holding and comforting Carolyn, then put the infant tub in the shower, so she could continue to soak in warm water while I took a shower. She was perfectly content. . .until I took her out of the water and wrapped her in a towel, when the world began to end yet again. So, swaddled in blankets, we sat on the bed for a while while she nursed and dozed. . .until she followed her first act by soakeing the blankets, my robe, and the sheets.
Friday followed, when Carolyn expelled the entire contents of her little stomach, soaking her clothes, my clothes, and the couch. And today, as we speak, our bed sheets are in the washer after Carolyn couldn't wait for Kevin to get a diaper back under her when he changed her this morning.
And that, folks, has been the week with our almost-six-week-old angel.
10/07/2008
Quote of the Day: Halloween
from Doug Wilson, who offers some worthy thoughts on celebrating Halloween.
". . .I would strongly urge that no one have their kids dress up as members of the other team — witches, ghosts, devils, imps, or congressmen."
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