The Chin

Do you see it?

This isn't the best picture of either of my boys but do you see THE chin?  I mean, it's pretty obvious on Jason ;)  but do you spot it on the little mister perched on his shoulders???  It's hard to tell but if you look reeeeaal close you can make it out.

I call it a "soft butt chin".  Jason calls it a "strong chin".
To each his own.

A few weeks ago I looked down at our darling son and lo an behold...someone is developing his very own "soft butt chin".

And I love it!  :)

The Umbrella Stroller

I feel like with as much time as I spent researching umbrella strollers that I need to document/share with you my information...and the one we ended up buying.

So are you READY for this? 
This is valuable info people.
Here we go.

So, first I will start by telling you the things that were important to me in an umbrella stroller

Things that I wanted:
-a recline
-lightweight and compact for going on public transportation
-easy one hand fold and unfold
-affordable (this is a backup travel/public trans stroller...our primary is the BOB Revolution that I LOVE love LoooOOOve.  Did I mention I love it?)
-self locks when you fold it up...as in you just fold it down and pick it up...no fiddling with a lock to keep it together.

Okay, now here are the strollers that were in my "final five" (yeah, it was THAT kind of process)
Joovy Groove Ultralight ($190)
Maclaren Globetrotter ($165)
UppaBaby G-Luxe ($220)
Summer 3D Ultralight ($80)
The First Years Jet ($75)

Joovy Groove Ultralight:
Tons of features, about 14 lbs, great recline, great quality, a little on the pricey side, awesome canopy, adjustable footrest (good for babies), self locking fold but looks like it doesn't fold quite as compactly...like the wheels hang out.


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Maclaren Globetrotter
Has a leash (I think all strollers should have one BUT we actually need one in SF with all these hills), 11 or so lbs, has a recline, self locks when folded, seems to have a more streamline look when folded, the seat back looks a little short which may make it hard for toddlers to use, one handed fold and unfold.

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UppaBaby G-Luxe
Has everything you could want, the lightweight factor, seat recline, great canopy, great size...will hold a toddler no problem.  The two things going against it for me were the price and the fact that it looks difficult to fold one handed (you have to do two different things with your hands at the same time).

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Summer 3D Lite
Has a super easy adjustable recline, 12ish pounds, the price is darn good, the fold is doable one handed, self locking fold, a little clunky folded up (but really there are VERY few umbrella strollers where the wheels don't stick out a bit...that are some what affordable), looks cool for a cheaper stroller (because let's be honest...it kinda matters haha).

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The First Years Ignite
Great price, tried and true, reclines, light, not self locking...you have to flip a little lock thing, looks doable one handed.

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So, can you guess which one we chose???

The Summer 3D Lite

And here is why...
So, in the end it was between the Maclaren one and this one.  I also happened to have a BabiesRus credit that I needed to use and they sold both of these at Babies R Us.  That wasn't the deal breaker though because the credit was like $25...just a bit to off set the price but not enough to make me buy something I didn't really want.  A big part of going for the Summer 3D was the price.  We have a very nice, expensive stroller that we regularly use at home...and this was a backup for traveling and and public transportation.  But I didn't want something super cheap...because we have special needs living here in San Francisco and utilizing public trans...which I usually do by myself. 

So, we have the stroller and have used it...and here is what we think.  :)

Pros:
-Very aesthetically pleasing
-Feels well made and sturdy
-Can fold it and unfold it one handed while holding a baby.
-Self locks into the folding position
-Pretty lightweight
-PRICE
-A really roomy basket.  It wasn't something that was important to me but it's definitely nice.
-Jack seems very happy and comfy in it.  The upright position is very upright which he loves.  He can see the whole world so easily...especially compared to our BOB that tucks him back a bit.
-The recline is so easy to use.  I really like this feature.  And to put it back up you just push it back up with your hand.  I like that there is no cinch to mess with like most reclinable umbrella strollers.
-Handle placement is high and comfortable.

Cons:
-While it is possible to fold and unfold one handed I find the unfold a little awkward...in particular the locking part that you do with your foot.  It's almost like the pedal needs to be a bit bigger to get a good grip with your foot.  That being said, it's a new stroller and there is always a learning curve with new strollers...and I've done it successfully...just awkwardly.  :)
-The canopy doesn't do a whole lot.  It's funny because the reviews said this was a GOOD thing on the stroller.  He might just be too short and so he's sorta "under the radar" on it.  The BOB canopy is amazing too...so I've been very spoiled. I just make him wear a hat.  They also make an extender thing for $7 or $8 that we might get on Amazon.
-I found that at the beginning I very occasionally kicked the bottom.  It's basically impossible to kick the bottom of our BOB so part of it is just being half way conscious of how I'm pushing it. 
-I'm not sure if this is actually a "con" because Jack seems really happy in it but I can see the benefit in having an adjustable footrest for infants.  His little legs just hang there and it seems like he MAY be more comfy if they were out and level with his body.  But, he's happy...so I am.
-You can't push it one handed on asphalt with a kid in it...you can on smooth mall type floors.  This in another "spoiled by the BOB" issue.  haha. 

Phew.  And that's it.
Overall I'm pleased with it.  I think that for the price you get a lot of great features.  I think it would be a really awesome stroller for anyone who wants a good quality, umbrella stroller...and uses it like a normal person haha  As for it being good for the needs of big city life...I'm mostly pleased.  The carrying strap isn't super comfy (we are adding an extra foam pad we have lying around) and the unfold isn't as smooth as I would like but I don't think it's worth paying an extra $100 for a different one.  Oh, and the leash.  We will be adding our own.  :)

Our Home: San Francisco

I feel weird being all "our city" because I kinda feel like it's not REALLY our city.

We aren't natives, born here.
And those who ARE San Francisco natives are a little territorial.
Rightly so...for they are a rare breed.
San Francisco is an incredibly transient city.  People don't stick around all that long.
But then...I do have ONE SF native in our house...Mr. Jack.  So, I'm claiming it!  It's OUR city. 
For now.  :)

So, you know how sometimes you are just so used to something that you don't realize that the situation you are in is actually a pretty neat one.  That's how San Francisco is for me.  We have lived here almost 4 years.  Sometimes I forget that.  There is a huge part of me that feels like we just got here.  But nope, we are pretty rooted.  :)

So, I thought that I would do a couple of posts on this here city that we reside in.
So you ready?

Let's start with TEN things that make living in S.F. a unique experience (how's THAT for a title, ha).

1) We almost pay HALF of our income in rent.  Yeah.  Crazy.  This place is unbelievably expensive.  We pay half our income in rent for an incredibly SMALL place.  About 550 sq feet.  How do ya like 'dem apples?  BUT...we have a backyard with a garden...and a washer and dryer...and TWO bedrooms...AND a place to store our things.  So really...it's a pretty great place to live.

Itty bitty kitchen

Our garden at it's best :)

2) I don't drive.  I mean, sometimes I do to buy large loads of groceries.  Otherwise, I strap the baby on to my front and we hop on Muni.  Honestly...I LOVE it.  I can't tell you how many people I have met and how many awesome interactions I've had using public trans.  And the best part...I don't have to find parking!

3) Every part of the city is it's own separate little 'hood.  As in almost everyone has a drug store, library, grocery store, coffee shop and etc. that is pretty much within walking distance.  I love this about city life.

4) The diversity blows my mind.  In my neighborhood alone I know people who are Chinese, Russian, Japanese...and these are just the people who I've interacted with.  It's a BIT different from the town that I'm from haha.  ;)

5) This place is SUCH a hippie-enviro town.  They FORCE you to compost.  Like for real.  As in we got a note on our trash can bin that was a "warning" from the trash police when we first moved here.  Because I thought that composting was gross and didn't want to do it.  Ahem.  Yeah.  They are now on their way to banning the sale of plastic water bottles.  Crazy.

6) It's really funny to me to live in a place with SO many tourists.  I mean...TONS of them.  And they all seem to wear shorts in the summer.  I guess they didn't know that our summer is actually our winter.  :)

 7) There really are endless amounts of things to do here.  Especially if you have endless amounts of money haha.  But really...there is a LOT of good, cheap food.  All the museums have free days.  There are tons of parks, coffee shops, and quaint shops to peruse.  The outdoors isn't all that far away either.  Though we certainly wouldn't mind it being a little bit closer.  :)

8) My husband works in downtown San Francisco, as in the BIG downtown part.  I meet him down there sometimes and this is when it really sets in...we are NOT in our little town anymore.  That place is bustling.  Tons of people, tons of homeless (like legit, sick homeless...not lazy college age hippies who are just choosing not to work), tons of noise.  This is when I look down at Jack and think...is this going to be your norm?  Is this what "home" will be for you?  So strange.

9) Pedestrians don't have the right away...well, they do LEGALLY, but don't in actuality.  Basically you better be on guard because people get hit...and killed far too often in this city.  We are up to 6 pedestrian fatalities already.  It's only March.  I always get thrown off when we go home to SLO and cars stop and wave me on to walk.  haha.

10) Other fun things:  the tap water is seriously delicious, I am now in love with dumplings...if you've never had a legit Chinese dumpling you have not lived, I have gone to Starbucks maybe three times while living in the city these 4 years...WHY ever would we go to Starbucks when we have places like Phils, Blue Bottle, Thorough Bread, Devils Teeth, and the like?  Beware of the spit, our local burrito joint loves our baby quite possibly as much as we do, always ALWAYS bring a jacket, and don't fret if a complete stranger kisses your baby...or sings him to sleep on Muni by singing a Russian lullaby.  :)

We love you San Francisco!!!! 

Next up...Top 10 places you must see/eat at in San Francisco.

This Week through Instagram

Linking up with the ever so lovely Jeannette @ Life Rearranged.

So...what's up guys?

How was the week?  Good and sleepless?  Yeah, mine too.  :)

Is there a 9 month sleep regression?  There MUST be because for the last 3 nights my child has found it necessary to wake up every 1.5-2 hours.  Yeah.  Just when he's FINALLY starting to really sleep through the night.  Sigh.  One day mamas.  One day we WILL sleep.  :)

Anywho.

On to the REST of the week...which basically is a TON of pics of Jacko.  Ah yes, being a stay at home mom of one.  :)

So, this was a bit longer then a week ago but Jacko had his 9 month appt.  We have switched pediatricians to someone a little closer to our house (we were given one by the hospital when Jack was born because I was a slacker and hadn't picked one out haha).  Anyways, I LOVE him.  He's old and so sweet and to me that is EXACTLY what you want.  He's seen it all and Jack was totally fascinated by him.  Anyways, he's maintaining his completely average 50% measurements.  He's 19 pounds now.  Please note his moob grab. :)

I tend to wear a lot of jeans and white tshirts.  This outfit kinda made me feel fun.  :)  It helped that it was 80 degrees out.  Skirts and warm weather.  LOVE.

We like to walk on Sundays to our frozen yogurt joint.  Jack gets his own cup and all...but we only put fruit in it.  We act all excited like...Oh, Jack!  Here's YOUR yogurt haha.  How long do you think we can keep pulling this off?  ;)

The boy is still pretty white but he is showing some "tanning tendencies".  I hope I HOPE he has at least a little bit of his daddy's skin.  :)

I gave Jack a haircut aka I basically buzzed it.  He was getting some long bang things that I kept brushing to the side because...they kinda looked funny haha.  Anyways, his little buzzed head is to die for adorable.  :)

 Big boy shirt (no onesie) and his little diaper and fat legs.  Yum.

I bought these jeans from Gap WAY too big.  They are SO cute though and should last forever.  Even the waist has these little elastic adjustable stretchy things that I can let out.

 I let him play with my stuff if it means I get a little crafting time.  :)

I love me some sleeping baby.  :)

 

Other random updates from the week include:

-My Mom's group at church that I basically LOVE.  Seriously, if you are a mama of littles and haven't already...get involved with some other mamas on a regular basis.  It is so life giving.

-Jason has spring break this week...and I'm not planning on working the whole time to make up for missed income!  Yay!  :)

-Made THIS coffee cake by Ina Garten which is seriously beyond delish...and not dry...because coffee cakes have that tendency for sure.

 

Anyways, happy weekend everyone!!!

 

Jacko: 9 Months

We are 3/4 of the way to ONE YEAR!  I've started thinking about the little man's birthday a bit.  Oh yay.

SO.  What does a 9 month old look like?

A little like this...

As for what's new?

-He's cruising along furniture like no one's biz.  He's also starting to let go and balance standing on his own...without much success...but it will come. It will come.

-Food.  No more purees.  He eats what we eat.  And loves it.  He eats spaghetti, pizza, broccoli, corn, the innards of burritos, cream of wheat, cold cereal, all fruits, couscous, quinoa, most vegetables, and all seasonings, Chinese food...oh and he LOVES water.  Something random that he likes...PLAIN whole fat yogurt.  I was sweetening it with smashed banana and then turns out he digs it plain.  Blak.   There is one thing so far that he is not a fan of...plain avocado.  He'll eat 2 or 3 bites and then purse his lips together.  Not a fan haha. 

-So we had a fevery baby last week which wouldn't be so bad...except he was pulling on his ears which seemed weird.  Then he broke out in this weird rash.  THEN he had a strange wheeze from a cold he was getting over.  All of it together warranted a visit to the doctor.  No ear infection!  And the wheeze wasn't to be worried because his lungs sounded pretty good.  And the fever and rash were probably a virus.  Yay.  Anyways, I got to see how much he weighed though.  A smidge over 19 lbs!  No wonder I'm getting my guns back.  ;)

Pudgy legs...THE best.

-Sleep.  What's that?  Kidding.  Ok, so he goes down at night with no fight.  We put him in awake and he falls asleep on his own...sometimes immediately...sometimes after playing with his stuffed animals for a while (in the dark haha).  The nap though sometimes worked like this...sometimes not.  Guess what though?!?  He does it for his nap now too.  Sometimes he whines a bit but he falls asleep on his own.  So nice.  As for night wake ups...two still.  He does one right before I go to bed at 11pm (which I don't mind) and then one somewhere between 1am and 2am.  He's also traded in his 8-9am wake ups for 6:30am wake ups.  Oh my poop.  I'm so glad I drink coffee.  I'm trying to decide when to cut his night feedings out.  I don't know.  I'll let you know when I do.  :)

-He's just about grown out of his 6-12 month clothes and is basically in 12-18 month clothes which Gap apparently classifies as "toddler".  I kinda want to slap them and say, "How DARE you call my tiny baby a TODDLER."  :)

-I'm about 90% sure Jack says Mama now.  The 10% doubt comes from the fact that every so often he says Babababa to me instead of Mamamama.  Odd.  Makes me think of my friend who says her baby calls her "Bob" no matter how hard she tries to get him to say Mama.  So sometimes I'm Mama and sometimes I'm Baba.  I'll answer to both.  :)

-We are in the process of cutting what appears to be 4 top teeth.  I can tell that the incisors are going to break through first and then the two front ones.  I feel like once that happens he won't be a baby anymore.  He'll be this kid with a mouth full of teeth...that I'm sorta afraid to nurse.  Yikes!  Anywho.  He's been a bit cranky lately.  He rubs his face and mouth on everything.  I feel bad for the little guy.

-He loves the park.  He crawls around, loves the swing, and likes to stand up next to the slide and pretend that he's playing with the kids.  He squeals and does all that he can to get their attention.  He basically doesn't give adults the time of day outside of Jason and I but he LOVES kids.
-We are starting to talk.  He says Uh Oh allllll the live long day and occasionally Mama.  :)

-Other likes are dogs, birds, these kale Plum Organics teething biscuit things that we call his "cookies", his mini blankie, going on walks, riding on Daddy's shoulders, his wooden rings toy, sticks, leaves, flowers, his train pj's (he points at the train every time), and his Jack and the Dragon book.
-Things he's not a fan of are...sleeping through the night ;), being handed to someone outside of Jason and I (he's getting better though), playing peek-a-boo with the shower curtain...when he's in the tub and we move the shower curtain so he can't see us.  Yeah, he cried.  And I laughed.  I haven't the slightest clue why he didn't like that because he usually LOVES peek-a-boo.  And I guess that's it.  He has really turned into quite the easy going little guy.

And that's 9 Months for you!!!!  We love our growing boy!!!

What I Used, What I Didn't

It's funny.  I can't remember if I've done this post already?  You know it's sad when you can't decipher blog from reality.  :)  Anyways, now that Jack is closer to being a toddler then he is an itty bitty baby (really?  already?) I have been able to kind of look back on what we've bought, been given, and etc.  If God blesses us with another baby eventually I've thought to myself, "What would I do differently in the realm of baby products?"

So here's my take.

#1  The Ergo...and newborn insert
I LOVE my Ergo.  I had no idea just HOW much I would be using this thing.  I still use it and foresee me using it for many more months.  If I could go back and do it again though I would get the khaki color.  I thought, "Hey, black is good and neutral.  Perfect."  I did not foresee the fact that Jack would be a serious spitter-upper though.  If we were out and about and he barfed a few times my Ergo started looking like it was struck by a flock of seagulls.  Blak.  The black shows every speck of lint too.  I'm a little neurotic about lint.  Also, when you wash it it starts to fade.  Also a pet-peeve of mine...faded black material. Ha.  So there you go.  The Newborn Insert really was just plain awkward to me.  I used a rolled up swaddle blanket under his bum and returned the insert the next day.  :)

#2 The Moby
So there was that month at least where Jack didn't fit in the Ergo.  Also with the Ergo he had to get used to having his legs all splayed out.  He wasn't a fan at first.  We used the Moby for the first month or two and he LOVED it.  So baby was a fan...but mama wasn't.  I'm sorry but when you are as sleep deprived as you are...wrapping that crazy long thing around you was just too much.  I'm lazy normally...but "Just popped a baby out Anna" is REALLY lazy.  Also, I really didn't like putting it on while we were out.  The ends always hit the floor and yeah.  So I sold mine on Ebay once Jack was done with it.  I think I'll invest in a sling next time.  You get the closeness that the baby loves but it's waaaay easier to put on.  :)

#3 Changing table
Ok.  Before we had a baby I thought..."Am I really going to use a changing table?  Won't I just change him wherever in the house?"  Nope!  I totally used/use it!!!  I think if you had a big house...where your changing table was like upstairs in the room I could see maybe keeping a stock of diapers downstairs and skipping the changing table most of the time.  Jack's room is off our living room though so yeah...way more convenient to change him there.

#4 Boppy
Another one I wondered about whether I would use.  My lactation consultant encouraged me to not use it...for obvious reasons.  You don't want to become dependent on it if you are out and about without it.  I have never once used it...ever.  It's in a bag...brand new in the garage.  Ebay maybe???  Or do you think I would use it with the next baby?  Maybe I'll need to be more "hands free" since I have a kid running around?  :)

#5 Toys
Jack isn't a huge toy kid.  He roams the house like crazy but doesn't just sit there and play very often.  I will tell you though that there is ONE toy he loves.  I mean...loves.  Every time I get him up in the morning or for nap it's the first thing he goes for.  He even carries a ring in each hand and crawls around the house.  Seriously...the best thing we've bought him...I mean, that Santa gave him. ;)  It's the Plan Toys Wooden Rings.  I'm telling you...if my kid likes it...yours probably will. 

#6 Swaddle Blankets
So there are those uber cute and trendy swaddle blankets that everyone and their mother has.  Soooooo...in my humble opinion...next time I would skip them.  I actually find that we are using the blankets NOW  that his is older more.  They are a perfect light weight blanket for bedtime.  He gets hot really easy so yeah...they are great now.  I found that the Summer Swaddle Me blankets or the Woombie (which I've never used but heard great things about) were so much better/easier.  Jack loved to be swaddled but could break out of the blankets like no one's biz.  Also...back to the whole tired/lazy thing.  Ahhh!  The Swaddle Me's and Woombies...easy as pie (which is a terrible saying because pie is NOT easy to make).  :)


#8 And some random things that Jack didn't like...but we're keeping because maybe future babies will like it?  The Jumperoo, and playmat.  :)  Things that have worked out great for us are our BOB Stroller, getting a double breast pump, opting for a non-diaper diaper bag, not buying ANY toys before he was born (he doesn't use them...though I'm sure he will later).

And there you go.  A few things we would do differently as far as baby products if we could go back.  But we can't so...yeah.  We are happy with what we have none the less.  :)

This Week via Instagram...

Why hello there my lovelies.

How was the week?
Mine was dandy.

Here are some highlights with a  little Instagram thrown in...
I'm linking up with Jeannett at Life Rearranged.  I'm @evangelistaluv. :)

• Well, not exactly a highlight buuuut...Jack is sick AGAIN.  We went from a cold...to a fever virus...to ANOTHER cold.  Bah.  Poor thing.  I'm telling you.  Sunday school is a small room where they tell you about Jesus, give you cheerios...and every germ under the sun.  This is a shot taken after the little man was finally feeling better after the fever.  :)
• We did our bi-monthly Target run.  Sometimes I forget how very different it is to be in San Francisco.  I think we wear our babies WAY longer then the average person (if you use public trans like we do).  Target is downtown and that's kinda nuts if I really think about it.  I'm toting my toilet paper and soap alongside all the tourists, business people, and homeless people.  If we were to stay and raise Jack here what a different life it would be compared to what I grew up with.  One of the odd/sad things is that there are safe needle disposal bins in the stalls of the bathrooms.  This city is beautiful...and also broken. 

• I'm trying to earn my way to Florida!  Yeah yeah!  I have a lovely friend who is finally living in a place I'm willing to visit, ha!  That and her hubby has been deployed AND we have little boys who are three weeks apart that basically need a cross country play date.  Anywho, I'm back at the Etsy shop.  Well, I never quit.  I was just adding a product here and there...selling one here and there.  I have three wet bags that are about to be posted tomorrow AND this one went out a couple of days ago. 

• Jason has an interview!  What what!?!  Can I just say that I find it funny that it's the ONE job that he heard about, shot over a quick resume, and that was it.  All the other jobs have been this long application process that we've done.  Anyways, I have no idea where it will go but it's nice to at least see some fruit from all this work we've been putting forth.  So keep praying friends.  I know God has the perfect job for my super talented husband.  :)
• The boy puts himself to sleep at naptime now!  No other explanation needed!  Wahoo!

• One word.  TEETHING.  Oh my golly.  The whinning.  It is NON STOP.  He was a little fussy with the first tooth...and the second came without much notice but it's a different story with this.  I think he has FOUR that are coming in on top.  The incisors are just about to cut through...and the front two will follow.  I find this hilarious that he will have his little incisors first haha.  Anyways, we are going to the park a LOT because fortunately he can be distracted pretty easily from the irritation.  He crawls and climbs and picks up every stick, rock, or piece of anything he can find.  Anyways, the constant whining drove me to indulge in a bit of a treat.  It also drove me to try the amber necklace that was gifted to us.  To be honest...I haven't noticed a difference.  I SO WANTED to notice a difference.  Maybe a bit less drool???

• For lent I am giving up extra spending (ignore the above treat...hey, it's FOOD!).  Basically if it's not a necessary toiletry or food it's not being bought.  I am on a one year fast from buying clothes/anything really for myself.  Not buying for Jack is WAY harder though haha.  I was at Target and there was this amazing Ninja Turtle shirt that I Instagrammed....and then realized I couldn't buy.  I thought about cheating and saying it was for his Easter basket.  But it's DAY TWO of Lent people.  I should at least wait a week before I try to cheat.  :)  So the shirt went back.  Boo.
  
   And that's all!  Have a happy weekend friends!!!  :)

Ash Wednesday Thoughts

I go to a church where there is a service for Ash Wednesday.
You walk up and they put a literal ash cross on your forehead.

I love it.

Ash Wednesday kicks off the season of lent.  The ash cross is supposed to be an outer manifestation on an inner repentance to sin.  It's symbolic...and probably really weird to a very secular city...San Francisco.

Just to worn you, I'm not 100% sure where this post is going.  I've just been thinking a lot about sin and my overall faith journey.

I used to think that I knew exactly what was up with Christianity.
Basically I thought I had the Bible NAILED DOWN.  Bam.  All those debatable issues, yeah, I knew EXACTLY what they meant.  Maybe I'm being a little dramatic but I'm pretty sure I at least acted like I new everything.

So let me preface this by saying that there are some very obvious things in Scripture that are nondebatable...I call these "salvation issues".  Basically if you take these away or leave them up for interpretation then you are breaking down the very principles and foundation of Christianity.

But there are a lot of things that are highly debatable.  That are perplexing.
Definitely not salvation issues.  And unfortunately these are the things that have caused an absurd amount of division within the Church. 

To be honest, I actually like to talk about these issues.  I think it's really fun to "bend the mind" and try to imagine what God was maybe thinking in regard to certain parts of the Bible.  But I also have a very different mind set then I once did.  I think I've realized that I don't know much of anything.  And even if I think I know...I'm a little reticent to voice with affirmation much of anything besides the basic principles of Scripture.  Because really...who am I?  Who am I to think that I have God all figured out?  Who am I to say, "Oh, no you are most definitely wrong on that point?"  Because maybe I AM wrong.

We were talking about this in our Mom's group last Wednesday and then as if to push the point even farther in my mind our pastor preached on it.  He called us as a congregation out.  Who in Scripture was always pointing the finger and saying, "Oh no, you are interpreting that Scripture wrong.  WE know God's will."?  The pharisees.  Boo to the Pharisees.  Yay to Jesus who chose to not focus on those details of Scripture that aren't KEY and instead chose to love those around Him...especially the unlovable, alienated ones.

I think during this Lent season I am choosing to focus a whole lot more on Jesus and His crazy, wild, radical love for others.  I am choosing to embrace the mysteriousness of God.  I'm choosing to just rest and take Him in.  I want to serve others and love others and include others.  I'm not very good at any of those.  I wish I was.

With God though all things are possible.  Which sure is a good thing.  :)

P.S.  I promise the next post will be my normal, nonsense post.  What's up with all this serious stuff Anna?  Simmer on down now.  :)