Natalie

All of you parents out there were right- time goes so fast when you have kids! Today I was watching Natalie figure so many things out that I ended up texting Zack throughout the day to tell him the latest on what she was up to. It feels like only a few weeks have passed since we carried our little one home from the hospital, and days since she cracked her first smile. At first I lacked the “I don’t know how I ever lived without her” perspective that I had often heard from other moms, largely due to the fact that I was so unprepared to be a mom. But now at 3 1/2 months, I can honestly confess that I have no clue what I would do without my Peanut. She is such a joy and I am so blessed to be her mommy!

Today was especially delightful because Natty had her first really good day in a week. Last Monday brought with it all the emotions you dread as a parent, and for the first time Zack and I got a taste of the gut-wrenching experience of having a sick child. No, it was not the flu. In fact, the flu would have been a welcomed relief compared to the infection our poor little girl had to deal with. The five hours we spent at the hospital last week was enough emotional and physical stress to last us a lifetime!

After watching Natalie develop a weak cry coupled with exhaustion I took her temperature only to discover that she had a fever of 103.5, so off we rushed to get professional help. As new parents with little more experience with sickness than a slight cough, we had no idea what we were in for. Sweet Natalie was subjected to all sorts of tests to discover the root of the issue; one catheter, two tubes down the nose, one vial taken of blood, two chest x-rays, two shots in her legs, and one bottle of antibiotics was more than we could handle, but had to be done. She had a severe urinary tract infection with a high white blood cell count and elevated heart rate.

It was torture for all of us, but especially for her. With each new test, she would stare deep into our eyes and cry harder than we’ve ever heard as if to ask why we weren’t helping her. All the consoling in the world wasn’t fixing the pain for her. Once we finally got her home and in bed, all my pent-up emotion turned to sobs. It made me wonder how the Lord feels each time we’re in pain.

The rest of our week was pretty rough, and Natalie was inconsolable for about five days in a row, but yesterday she turned a corner, and today she all but stood on her head! She taught herself to roll over onto her side from her back, how to take her pacifier out of her mouth and hold it in her hand, even making strides in putting it back in her mouth from time to time without dropping it, how to bend in half in her swing and lift herself back up using only her ab muscles, and has developed her laugh bit by bit. She’s back to her bubble-blowing, nose-wrinkling, wide-eyed self. Thank you to all of you who were praying for us!

I’m so thankful to the Lord for a healthy baby girl and have a renewed zeal to see that this never happens again if I can help it, but now my thought have turned to the many parents who have children with chronic debilitating illnesses, who spend countless hours with doctors and specialists, and my heart aches for them. We only got a tiny temporary glimpse of that side of parenting. If you are one of those parents, I would love to add you and your family to my prayer list.  Please tell me how I can pray for you. Your labors and tears are valued in the courts of heaven, and your Father is God. May the Grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and your family.

 

Voila!

Three days to bake and decorate, two birthdays, twelve cupcakes, and one 3-layer cake later, I am pleased to announce a very successful weekend. Zack took pictures, and I whipped up some creations that surprised even me! Again and again over the span of the three days it took to complete my tasks, Zack would come in the kitchen, survey the projects underway and emphatically state, “Babe, I’m SO proud of you!!! Look at this!” I’m so blessed to have a husband who believes in me as much as he does. As I worked, he diligently made ensured that Natalie was rested, entertained, changed, fed, snuggled, danced with, singed to, and generally taken care of so I had both hands free to fashion and form.

I came away with some battle wounds from this weekend’s experiment- a blister from chopping chocolate, swollen and throbbing feet from standing all weekend long, arms that felt like jell-o after kneading fondant for two hours straight, and an achy back, but it was all worth it! As fun as the projects were, what was shocking to me was that I actually entered into a unique place of prayer as I worked. As funny as it sounds, with an ice cream scoop full of batter and a mouth full of chocolate, I began to quiet my heart, and as I did I began to feel as though I was anointed to do this. I’ve never taken a class for cake decorating, and all I know is based on my own research online and in a book my husband surprised me with, but everything came together as though I’d done it dozens of times before. Now, I ask you, what could be more enjoyable than building a tower of sugar while praying and feeling alive in the presence of the living God? !

I only had one very minor hang up that worked itself out (thanks to Zack’s little late night trip to the

grocery store),

These are the cupcakes I made for one birthday party

which actually taught me some very important points about this particular type of cake decorating, and forced me to problem-solve, as well as relax when I had the option to freak out.  It was when I came to bed on Sunday night with all of my aches and pains only to inform my husband that I had had a really fun weekend, that I realized I ha

And this was the chocolate cake

d stumbled upon something special. Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to spot that, but most of the time I have to see for myself whether or not my ideas are just a whim or something more.

 

 

This time, I think I struck gold and I’m having the time of my life!

The Adventure Begins

The aroma of chocolate hangs in the air in my kitchen today. I keep glancing back at my oven, viewing my creation in disbelief. The project I have dreamed of for the last several weeks is finally officially underway as my first real cake is taking form behind me, and I am clinching my jaw with excitement for the result, typing with 54% cocao-stained fingers, and bated breath.  The “Cake Experiment” is finally becoming a reality. Who knows where it will lead, but I have to agree with Lisa that I have a good feeling about this.

Seeing as Zack always does the updates on this blog, I thought I would mix it up a bit. I’m fortunate to have this experience as a creator of cakes for however long it may last, and my husband has been my greatest cheerleader in the entire project. Though it sounds funny to say, I think this may be a divine set-up from the Lord. My creativity over the past several years has been largely laid aside since most of my time has been given to study and discipleship. However, I feel my teaching skills have suffered for the lack of “right-brainedness”. I happen to be a very artsy type, and now that I have an avenue to express it, I get the impression that the Lord is up to something, not only for a therapeutic hobby to make my heart come alive, but to regain that creative edge in my teaching abilities as well.

I’m loving this new lesson, and with every success and failure thus far in my new venture, Zack has been there to applaud. In the Hensley household when we screw up badly, we celebrate how NOT to do it!! Unless of course our screw-up is sin… obviously we don’t applaud that, but that goes without saying!

So that’s a little blurb from my side of the story. I hope you enjoyed.