This is the story of our modern day family of seven. Despite our imperfections and the challenges we face, we find joy through lives rooted in the promises of God.
Come spend some time with us as we grow together, living in pursuit of The Happy Ending.
"I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world." ~John 16:33
The Mama Bear of the Johnson Fairy Tale, I am doing my best to follow Jesus and remain madly in love with my Prince, a carpenter of sorts. A Minnesota girl and an Alabama boy, we met as undergraduates at Princeton. Together we are raising our four precious children, G-Bear, E-Bear, Buddy Bear and J-Bear. In my spare time I am a physician in training trying to cultivate a culture of life, a fan of cooking anything fresh and homemade, and a not-so-secret admirer of southern hospitality.
My mission for this week? Homemade meals for dinner.
It sounds mundane enough, but this past week taught me that it will be easier said than done.
The hours at work have been long and tummies are hungry when I get home. Plus I want to play with the Bears when I walk in the door, not run to the stove and cook for most of our brief evening together!
I know it is going to take planning ahead--because otherwise I know we will be tempted to give up and eat out again this week (already happened twice last week and we blew past our food budget in the last few days of the month -- arrrgh!).
Join me for the adventure. I am crafting as we speak. I will share what I find.
In the words of Arthur Ashe:
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
5. "Oh, the pool looks so nice....and no alligators!" ~G-Bear, visiting the pool in Great Grandma's condo building.
4. "Gabi lami glabie bi enami dapee mabi mama mamo bapi papi" ~E-Bear, certain that if he if annunciates more sounds more rapidly he is communicating more effectively. Any day now we are going to know what he is talking about ;)
3. "Daddy, don't go too fast." ~G-Bear, in the Chariot carrier, telling T to take it easy on the bike :)
2. "Ducky! Pttt, Pttt. Ducky! ptt, ptt." ~ E-Bear, delighted with his light up duck bath toy and giving it kisses every time it started to blink.
1. "Papa, here's your present! It's an iPod!" ~G-Bear, carrying in our big present for Papa. She had told me all day that "it is a seeekwet, mommy," but upon seeing Papa with the present, she was so excited she couldn't stand it. Just had to tell him. She's just like her mom. (ps....it wasn't an iPod, but she was close :)
Got home tonight, and once again had no ideas of what to make for dinner (this has been a disconcerting pattern that has developed this week). With nothing short of divine help, I somehow managed to come up with a recipe, had all the ingredients on hand, and was able to play with the kids as I cooked at the stove, all at the same time. It seemed like this would be a personal triumph dinner. But oh, it was so short lived, because as I took my first bite of what was to be a glorious dinner creation I almost had to spit it out. Too much turmeric in the curry?! What was that horrible bitter taste?! I admit I was probably a bit over-invested in the meal, but I wanted to cry. I was sure I was about to have one sobbing momma, two bears spitting out rice and curry and four hungry tummies to contend with all night long.
And then it happened:
"Mmmmmm, mommy, this tastes sooooo good!" said G-Bear from across the table.
My jaw dropped. She had already finished her first bowl. And she was asking for seconds.
E-Bear was quiet. He was too busy shoveling his mouth full of rice and curry with his spoon.
I tried a bite again. I still couldn't stand the stuff on my plate.
When I apologized to T for the taste of the dish, G-Bear piped in again:
"No, Mommy, don't worry, this is really good. Don't worry."
Instead of tears of frustration, my eyes welled up with tears of love. You know, it is funny how far a little encouragement can go, especially when it is from a three year old. Maybe tonight was a turnabout for all the nights that my kiddos won't eat a bite, no matter how amazing the dinner tastes. Whatever it was, my kids blessed me and lifted me up tonight--just by eating a dinner I thought was ruined.
Lord, thanks for teaching me again through G & E-Bear tonight. Help me too to bless others with the small things that mean a lot.
I am on a GYN oncology rotation right now, meeting women facing cancer diagnoses and chemotherapy. There are many challenging aspects of the field. I especially find that it difficult to know how to support a patient through such a sentinel life experience, and I am soaking up every good example and role model I can find among the physicians I am working with.
T was telling me that he has worked with a physician who never jokes with his patients. This physician is an amazingly compassionate, gentle-spirited man and has great relationships with his patients. The reason he doesn't joke with patients, however, is that he wants them to always be able to instantly trust what he tells them.
This sounded like a good approach to me, but I wonder what others think. Would this be an approach that you would appreciate in a physician? Help me become a better doctor! Let me know what you would appreciate.
The shower of hugs and kisses that E-Bear had waiting for me when I arrived home from my day on GYN oncology.
G-Bear getting down from her chair after dinner, saying, "Mommy, I am going to go upstairs. I am feeling really tired. It's time for bed." You and me both, sweetie. You and me both.
The kisses E-Bear showered on G-Bear before bedtime. He is doing a great job of loving the girls in his life!
Life is so good around here, even when we are all tired and exhausted.
Happy Pentecost. Today marks the end of the Easter Season with the celebration of the Holy Spirit's descent after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Try explaining THAT to a three-year-old! I tried talking to G-Bear about "celebrating the Holy Spirit at church on Sunday" a bunch of times this week, but I got a lot of funny looks.
The Veni Creator
"Come, Spirit Creator,
come live in our minds
and fill our hearts which you have made
with perfect grace.
We know you as the Paraclete,
the gift of God most high,
our Fire, our Love, the Living Fountain,
and Holy Anointing of our lives.
With seven gifts you act
as the finger of the Father's right hand
you are His promised One,
teaching us heavenly speech and understanding.
Kindle us with fire brought from above,
pour love into our heart,
and give strength to our weakness.
Drive Satan far away from us,
and give us lasting peace
so that, led by your guidance,
no harm will come to us.
Let us know the Father through you.
Let us know the Son through you.
Let us believe forever that you are
the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son.
We went on an adventure this weekend to bike the Root River Trail in southern Minnesota. If you live in Minnesota, and even if you don't, you have got to make a day or weekend trip to bike this trail. It is hailed as one of the most beautiful and person-friendly biking trails in the midwest, and now I know why.
The trail is 60 miles of fully-paved, double-wide trail that runs along the Root River, gorgeous 300 foot bluffs and several adorable, small southern Minnesota towns (Fountain, Harmony, Preston, Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, Rushford, and Houston). Fountain, the western-most city on the trail, is 35 minutes southeast of Rochester.
Since we are newbies at this whole biking thing, and we were hauling our two kiddos in our Chariot carrier, we only did 20 miles of the trail.
We skipped Fountain and started our journey at Isinours Forestry Park (which is about 1/3 of the way along the trail). From there we traveled east to Lanesboro and onto Whalan and then came back. Our first time through Lanesboro we stumbled on their weekly farmer's market, with lots of local farmers' veggies and plants and several Amish families selling homemade jellies, salsa, woven baskets, blankets, breads and farm fresh eggs. I was dying that I didn't have any room to bring anything back with us in the kids' carrier (too many blankies, snacks and toys for the journey :).
There was a beautiful playground and lake there where the kids played while I perused the market.
We made it to Whalan (purchased a pie at the "world famous Aroma's Pie Shop"), then headed back to Lanesboro, where we had lunch at the Lanesboro Pastry Shoppe. I wish I had a picture of the restaurant--it was a perfect european-style bakery/cafe with awesome chicken salad, sandwiches, soups and homemade pastries.
Then of course we had ice cream...
which E-Bear especially enjoyed.
T, my hero and prince, pulled the kids the whole way.
And as we headed back our merry way, we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the birds chirping....
because the kids had fallen asleep in the carrier.
This weekend, we high-tailed it out of town to Rochester, MN, where we stayed with some dear friends and biked the Root River Trail. Get ready for a great post about the joys of biking the Root River Trail--it was an amazing weekend trip for us.
The weekend was phenomenal for many reasons, but I really need to give credit where credit is due--our Sienna minivan.
Ten months ago, when we were looking to buy a second car, I told T I would never drive a minivan. My mom drove a minivan. I was going to drive an SUV, and that was that.
Nine months ago, after an agonizing month of trying out every 7 passenger SUV sold in the US, I became the proud, and I do mean bragging, owner of a used Sienna minivan.
My great friend D recently sent me a link to Toyota's Swagger Wagon commercial. Have you seen it? This could be my family. D has heard my gushing talk about my car so much that she laughed hysterically when she saw this.
(P.S, G-Bear dances just like the little girl in this video)
I could list all the reasons why I love my Sienna over any 7 passenger SUV, but that would take pages. But this weekend is a great example of why I love it! Here is the list of everything that was INSIDE our minivan driving down to Rochester this weekend:
*Two adults (blessedly, in front seat captain's chairs)
*Two children (blessedly, strapped safely in two captain chair-containing carseats, with automatic sliding doors on either side of them and a large aisle in between to provide adequate spacing for those irritable moments)
*Two adult bikes, fully assembled
*One double-wide Chariot stroller, wheels off, otherwise fully assembled
*One Chariot stroller bike attachment, bike flags, and pair of extra stroller wheels
*Bike pump
*Four helmets
*Four travel bags (one per person for the weekend, please, but they ride for free in the Sienna)
*One cooler with cold food
*One bag with dry food and snacks
*Assorted toys, blankies, dolls
Wow, are you starting to get the idea of this car's awesomeness?! What a lifesaver! Plus the mpg on the highway is precious and we paid sooo much less for it than we would have for an SUV of the same year and milage.
Guess there was something in the koolaid and I drank it. I love that car.
We love homemade bread in our house (hooray for bread machines). This week I found a new favorite bread to make: Grilled Flat Breads from Fine Cooking Magazine. My mom had loaned me her latest copy and I just subscribed to their website because I loved it so much! Plus all of their recipes are online for free. Awesome.
Here is the link to their recipe for the grilled pita bread. The photo was far more compelling in the magazine, but trust me these turned out to be very impressive. I used my stand-up mixer, instant yeast and our pancake griddle (because we don't have a grill) and they turned out to be outstanding. G-Bear loved helping me with the mixer after lunch time, I finished the the rising and rolling part during naptime, and the breads were on and off the griddle in minutes when our guests arrived for dinner. Fortunately, I got about 16 breads out of the recipe (even though it says it only makes 10), which was good because they were gobbled up by toddlers, T and our guests in no time. I will definitely make them again. I haven't tried their recipe for grilled naan yet, but I can't wait to try it too.
Yum. Invite me over for dinner if you make them :)
I have some proud-parent moments to share. Last weekend, G-Bear started pedaling her tricycle and steering on her own for the first time. Yes, she was going down a large hill when she did it. But today she was doing it in our driveway. Call me a sap. I was bursting with pride. Nevermind that according to pediatric gross motor milestones she is late in doing this. Details, details. Did I mention she pedaled on her own?!
Here are some pictures from our bike & playtime last weekend. G-Bear had the bike, E-Bear had the fire engine (yes, it is the same Ficher Price one I used as a child). T would carry him up the hill in the fire engine, set him down, and then let him roll down the hill.
The only thing more hysterical than the smile on his face as he flew down the hill was the screaming and tears that ensued the instant the truck rolled to a halt at the bottom of the hill. Poor E-Bear, already frustrated by physics and he's only 17 months old.
One last detail....just as G-Bear is developing her biking proficiency, E-Bear has fallen in love with her tricycle. I mean, head-over-heels. It is now to the point that whenever we open the garage door he walks over the the tricycle in the corner and tries to get on it. Then he looks up at me with his big brown eyes and says, "duck, sduck, MOMMY! sduuuuuuuck" begging me to get it un-stuck from its corner in the garage. Today I literally had to pry his little fingers off of the handlebar as we went out for a walk with T. Broke my heart. If his first love is green blankie, then the tricycle is a close second. So, do I buy G-Bear a new bike, get E-Bear his own or just make them share all summer?
Like I said, the summer of the bike.....
Did I mention we are going for a bike ride this weekend? The kids will be in the stroller.
I buy a lot of organic produce for my family. The latest issue of Pediatrics just gave me another reason to justify the extra effort and $ it takes me to buy organic produce.
A study just published in the journal found that children age 8-15 with higher levels of organophosphate metabolites in their urine were significantly more likely to be diagnosed as having ADHD. You can read the study as published in Pediatricshere. What are organophosphates? They are neurotoxic chemicals used as pesticides on many fruits and vegetables sold in the US (also in some residential pesticides). As stated in the intro of the study, the major exposure to pesticides for infants and children is diet, and children are considered to be at greatest risk to these chemicals because their developing brain is more susceptible to neurotoxins and the dose of pesticides per body weight is likely to be larger.
Does this study conclusively say that pesticide exposure causes ADHD? No. More specific studies are needed to establish whether this association is causal and not just an association. However, the findings do suggest that organophosphate exposure, at levels common among kids in the US, may contribute to ADHD prevalence.
So what can we do about this? DON'T STOP FEEDING KIDS FRUITS and VEGGIES! Organic produce is grown without the use of pesticides and is available in many of the grocery stores we buy from anyway. Plus, the more we as consumers DEMAND organic produce, the more grocery stores will carry fruits and veggies grown this way! Also, as summer approaches, farmer's markets are a great place to buy produce because many of local farmers do not use pesticides (just ask!).
Do you have to start buying ALL organic? Probably not. Some fruits and veggies are (on average) more contaminated than others. You can learn more at Foodnews.org, the website of the Environmental Working Group or just click here for their handy shopper's guide (I carry it with me to the grocery store so I know what to splurge on and what to buy regular):
What are the drawbacks of organic produce?
1. It may cost more
2. There may be less of a selection of out-of-season produce at various times during the year
3. You may have to hunt for the good organic produce suppliers in your area.
I have decided these are small prices to pay for healthier food, and I have also found that by doing a little investigating, I can find the organic produce products I need at very good prices at a few trusty stores in the city. My favorite places to buy great quality, cheap(er) organic produce:
*Produce Exchange at Midtown Global Market (they have AWESOME weekly deals)
*Sam's Club! (Who would have guessed--the best prices on organic salad, spinach, and carrots in the city....now if I could just get them to expand their selection!)
*Rainbow Foods (believe it or not, their organic line is great and very inexpensive)
*Trader Joe's
*Minneapolis Farmer's Market (Open everyday now--be sure to ask about pesticides, then, go get those veggies!)
Big producers of baby food are also providing organic pureed foods now that are generally available at big stores, or I would make my own purees for my kids with organic apples, peaches, pears that I bought from the store.
We can make a difference. Remember, we vote 3 times everyday with the food we buy and eat.
"And if anyone gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." ~Mattthew 10:42
There are so many little details to tend to when caring for young children. Sometimes it is hard not to feel like the day has been lost in those little details. Little meals require lots of little preparations, little diapers requiring lots of changes (E-Bear! How did you poop AGAIN?! I just finished changing your third poopy of the day, and it isn't even naptime!), little hands need lots of holding, little games need lots of clean-up, little fights need lots of patience.....so many little details of the day!
I confess there are days when I sigh at the seeming insignificance of what "little" I have accomplished in the day because of the little details I had to attend to. It is interesting that the little details that are so import to my children don't always feel very important to me. Do these things really require my attention? Wouldn't my talents be better spent doing bigger, more "important" things?
Ironically, I find myself asking myself the same questions some days at the hospital. Physicians spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and decades of our lives trying to learn the deepest scientific intricacies about lab tests, drugs, treatments, and procedures to help heal patients. In the midst of trying to provide these healing measures, I have found that many of my patients are most concerned with details that I could have fulfilled for them well even before my pre-med years---feeling cold and needing another blanket, hungry because the hospital food didn't come, thirsty because of the medications they received, lonely because their family is gone for the day, sad because they are in pain. Do these things really require my attention when I am trying to provide more complex treatments my patients need? Sure they do. They matter to my patients. Because mysteriously, the importance of a detail isn't measured in its uniqueness, its complexity or how much we paid to learn it. The simple details are important because that is where we spend most of our lives.
One of the hardest things to understand about God is how He can, on the one hand, rule the mighty Universe with infinite power and still keep account of the tiniest of details, like the number of hairs on our heads or what the sparrows will eat tomorrow. Our Lord is, at the same time, capable of the mightiest work, yet cares intimately about my hurt pride, a stubbed toe, or what happened to my neighbor's lost cat. Yet, because of my lack of faith and perspective, I can have trouble seeing the significance of the little details of life--I have trouble believing that I will be rewarded for taking time for seemingly "small" services in caring for my children and patients.
So, today let my perspective be different. Jesus, teach me to delight in the simple things. As I strive to do everything with love, grant me the wisdom to see the significance of the little things and care for them with the same exquisite tenderness that you have for them.
"Do you aspire great things? Begin with little ones. You desire to erect a very high building? Then think first of the foundation of humility."
T found a great new blog for me today: Mothers in Medicine. You can also find it on our "Sites We Like" page.
By far one of the hardest things for me to reconcile in my life right now is my medical path with my life as a mother. Being E-Bear and G-Bear's mom is the most important job I could have ever imagined, and even better, I love it. So, how do I mix my medical path with my love of being present for every bruised knee, cooking every bite of homemade mac n' cheese, and mitigating every tussle that ensues between my babes? I know I am not the only medical mom who struggles with questions like this, but for me, because I am ahead of most of my female peers in terms of family life at this stage of the game, I seem to confront this daily issue head on in a way few of my friends do. So imagine my delight when T sent me this blog today. I am already enjoying the diversity of opinions as well as the similar sentiments that I have read on the blog.
This coming year will be full of decisions for us regarding the future of my final stage of medical training--what I like to call the "whether's, where's and when's" of residency for me. I am sure I will enjoy this blog as I am praying about my decisions. Even more importantly I am asking God for His guidance and peace, knowing that He not only entrusted my precious children to my care but also knows better than I how much work there is to be done in medicine and how many sick and wounded patients around the world are in need of a loving doctor. Stay tuned...
G-Bear finished our walk tonight with an impressive sidewalk belly-flop and a scrape on her knee. One Boo-Boo Bunny and a bandaid later, T had her tucked into bed, ready for her story. Lately, T has been impressing me and G-Bear with his collection of "Princess Stories," which involve herself and any number of family members who she requests be included. Usually the princesses requested in the story are all her girl cousins, but tonight a new kingdom of royalty was requested to visit story-land:
T: "G-Bear, who would you like to be in the princess story tonight?"
G-Bear: "Aunt A and Uncle B."
T: "Oh? Ok, Anyone else?"
G-Bear: "No, just Princess A and Prince B."
T: "Ok. Well, Princess G-Bear invited Princess A and Prince B to her castle for a parade to be thrown in their honor. When will the parade be held, wondered Prince B and Princess A. In two weeks, said Princess G-Bear. Princess A and Prince B said that would be perfect, and they would be able to attend. So, Princess G-Bear started getting ready for the parade by cleaning her castle from top to bottom....."
Aunt A and Uncle B, you better book your tickets for the parade now....
There are great deals on blackberries this week at the store, and I couldn't resist! I surveyed a few cobbler recipes and made up this one based on the time I had and the ingredients that sounded the best...it was fantastic! It was moist like bread pudding with lots of fruit and just the right amount of sweet! Next time I might add some oats. And oh so easy!
Blackberry Spoon Cake 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup milk 1/2 cup butter (melted) 3+ cups of blackberries (or mixed berries) fresh or frozen
Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl with a whisk. Whisk in milk & melted butter. Pour mixture into a 9x9 greased baking pan. Drop berries evenly over the top, taking care to spread them completely to the edges of the pan (so they don't just end up in the middle of the cake!). Bake for 1 hour until golden brown.
Serves 8
We ate ours with little scoops of ice cream (of course!). Everyone at dinner loved it. G-Bear asked for seconds.
I am up late studying for my gynecological oncology rotation, the next in my medical school line up. Chemotherapy drugs, cancer stages...they all seem to get the best of me right now. And sweet T fell asleep long ago while studying, exhausted from operating most of last night and all of today. Fortunately, in my procrastination I happened upon important encouragement from St. Vincent Ferrer. We will both have to remember this frequently to make sure we stay on track:
"Do you wish to study to your advantage? Let devotion accompany all your studies. Consult God more than your books. Ask Him to make you understand what you read. Never begin or end your study except by prayer. Science is a gift of God. Do not consider it merely the work of your own mind and effort."
Felt like a superwomen today...especially for a Monday!
2 kids were dressed, diaper changed and fed breakfast before 10am
Oil changed in T's car
Car washed
Checks deposited
Kids savings accounts opened x 2
16 shirts and 2 pairs of pants (all T's!) dropped off at the dry cleaners
Lunch with GrandMo
Dropped off a pizza for Uncle C, who missed lunch while slaving away at work
Dropped GrandMo back off at home
Grocery Store Stop
Target return
Pharmacy pick-up
.....All before nap time!!
Then still managed to roast a chicken for dinner (with rosemary, oranges and carrots...mmmm), bathe the kids and get them back in bed by 8pm. Excuse me????
What in the world got into me today?! How can I harness this supernatural power again?!
Today is special for many reasons....its Mother's Day AND each of these aunts in our family is celebrating something extra special today!
1. Aunt K takes the cake today...she is celebrating Mother's Day, PhD graduation and her birthday, all on the same day! Hooray and congratulations, three times over! We miss you, K, and we can't wait to be in NC with you next year!
2. Aunt KT is celebrating her FIRST mother's day with Uncle T and baby Sparky. We miss you too, Auntie KT!
3. Aunt A and Uncle B are celebrating their FIRST wedding anniversary today! One beautiful year of marriage for these two love birds--another couple whose beautiful example of marriage encourages our life together.
And last but not least.....Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there, especially GrandMo and Nana! Thank you for inspiring me and encouraging me in endless ways in my life as a wife and mother.
(My favorite Disney Mom & her song. I sing this to E & G-Bear when I put them to sleep, and this video never fails to make me cry. Alison Krauss sings an amazing version that you can find here.
10. "Stretch and yaaaaawwwn. MoMo, do you know that song? That's what the Wiggles sing." ~G-Bear, sharing her broad musical knowledge with Grandmo.
9. "Wook daddy, The Apple!" (G-Bear, at the mall, seeing the Apple Store)
T, obviously pleased: "That's right! Do you know what is in there?"
G-Bear: "Phones! Can we go play with them?" (Is she a girl after her dad's own heart or what?!!)
8. "Yes!" ~Ethan, amazing us all that he didn't say 'no'.
7. "Hooray, hooray! Hooray for Daddy the hero! He fixed the garage, hooray!" ~G-Bear, delighted that the garage door actually went ALL the way UP, allowing us to park the car inside for the first time in a month. T is my hero too, because he fixed it.
6. "Abbeeee, melmo.....abbeeee, melmo..." ~E-Bear, looking through my bag for his Elmo toy and G-Bear's Abby Cadabby toy.
5. T, enjoying his biscuits at dinner: "Some days I'd give anything for a Cracker Barrel..."
G-Bear: "I'm not a cracker-girl, I'm a CHIP girl!"
3. "'M.' M is for you, Mommy."
"'E.' E is for Ethan, Mommy."
"'B.' B is for Betsy."
"'F.' F is for Firetruck!" ~G-Bear's spontaneous comments this week. She's not giving up on this spelling thing. I am secretly bursting with pride when she gets these right.
2. G-Bear: "But mommy, I want mooooore Miwalax (Miralax) in my drink!"
1. "I am quite sure that there is nothing better than walking around the living room with pants off, sipping juice and riding a firetruck." ~Our friend V, admiring E-Bear's approach to life.
