We have a TWO year old in the house!

Our sweet John Hudson is two years old. He is a delight in our home. This little boy is compassionate, loving, obedient (mostly), and totally hilarious. Who needs television when you live with a two-year-old?

Using his cell phone to take pictures like Mom and Dad

We celebrated John Hudson's birthday with a small family gathering. It was a blessing to have grandparents, great grand parents, and an aunt join us for the joyous celebration. JH was beside himself with excitement. I decorated his highchair before he woke up in the morning and I wish I had his reaction on video. It went something like this: "Gasp!!!! BALLOONS!!!!".  My mom, who John Hudson has named "WaWa," made his grain-free, dairy-free, dye-free birthday cake (which tasted delicious, by the way!) and decorated it with tiny choo choo trains. Way to go, WaWa! It was a huge hit. Blowing out candles was John's favorite part of the day. He blew them out before we even finished singing and then asked to do it again (which we allowed, of course).

So, what is our two-year-old baby boy up to these days? Busy busy busy.  We are thankful that spring has brought warmer weather with it and we are thoroughly enjoying playing outside. John loves playing in the sand box, coloring with chalk on the sidewalk, blowing bubbles, and running around. He delights in picking up sticks and rocks and collecting them in a neat pile on the front porch.

Lunch on the porch. Enjoying a spring day!

John Hudson still enjoys riding the bike with Daddy. For his birthday, we got him his own seat for Daddy's bike. How fun! Unfortunately, we think he must feel less secure in the bike seat than he did attached to Daddy's back in the ergo carrier. John has seemed less excited about bike rides lately. We're hoping he will get used to the seat and soon be begging for rides again.

Every day when Daddy gets home from work, John Hudson asks to play in his car. He loves to bounce back and forth between the front and back seat, pretend to drive, and listen to music. It has become a sweet routine that both Michael and John look forward to each day. Last night, they had car time in pjs because it was a late work night for Michael. JH didn't mind :)

Another fun thing John Hudson is enjoying is mowing the grass. Omi gave him a lawn mower for his birthday and it has been a huge hit. He pushes that thing around (outdoors and indoors) constantly.. This past weekend, he was delighted to help Daddy mow the grass. He followed Michael around the yard for a long time. He was covered in sweat, pollen, and dirt...and he couldn't have been happier.

Coloring. John loves to color. First, he pours all of his crayons on the floor or couch or wherever he's working. Then he lays on his elbows on the floor and colors away. Its very sweet to watch and is a great form of quiet entertainment. A few weeks ago, he saw my notebook where I had written a to-do list for his birthday party. When he saw his name written he said, "Mama! JOHN!!" I was pretty proud that he recognized his name :)

John also loves playing with the blocks Oma and Opa got him for Christmas. He can entertain himself for quite a while with these blocks. Thankfully, he's finally learned how to build things and not just knock them down. And look! I went into his room the other day and found this perfectly sorted pile on the floor.

One strange thing that JH has become attached to lately is his pretend sandwich. It consists of two pieces of bread, a piece of cheese, a piece of salami (which JH calls "oatmeal"), and a cookie on top. And it has to be in that order. The other day, Michael handed the sandwich to John with the cookie in the middle and he quickly let us know that was not acceptable. John Hudson loves this sandwich. He sleeps with it every single night. He carries it around all day long and knows where it is at all times. Naps are not possible without it. It goes in the car, in the sandbox, in the stroller, on the changing table...it is his constant sidekick. We joke and say that John is so attached to the pretend bread because I won't let him have real bread. This could very well be true! Hah!

You can spot his beloved sandwich in the cup holder of his car seat

Can't go to church without pretend bread, ya know.

Holding bread :)

Snuggles with WaWa (bread in right hand).

Every day, John Hudson is saying new words. He recently began calling Michael "Daddy" instead of "Da-Da." He is starting to put two to three word sentences together such as, "Oh no! Choo choo broke!" or "Daddy apple eat." or "More chicken please!" It is so fun to see his little mind working so hard to figure everything out. He definitely has his own way of communicating and seems to do quite well getting his point across.

Little Hudson boy is one of my best buds. We have so much fun together. I am so thankful to spend my days with him. I pray that our Lord will continue to shape this special little boy after His heart. I pray that he will grow into a strong and gentle man of God.

Happy Birthday John Hudson! We love you so much!

Five Months with our Daniel Boy

Daniel Thomas Schulte is five months old. He is a chunk of joy and giggles. God knew we needed Daniel in our home. He is such a treasure and a delight. Even on the long days of fussiness and sleeplessness, one look at those big blue eyes and that precious mohawk and I'm reminded what a gift I've been given.

Not much has changed since Daniel's four month update. He's still not really into rolling over, but does seem to enjoy lying on his back and looking at toys more.  He's finally discovered his hands and is fascinated by them! I often find him just sucking his pacy and staring at his sweet little hands. What a wonder it must be when the world is so new, fresh, and unknown. He is getting really good at grabbing toys and immediately sticking them in his mouth and can even gnaw on things for a little while without dropping them. Pacy is still Daniel's best friend. Seriously, I'm not sure how we would survive without that thing. He sucks constantly! 

Daniel is a big boy. He's wearing 6-9 month clothes, but mostly 9 month. He wears some outfits that John Hudson was wearing at 8 and 9 months...at five months. I can't wait for summer so I can see his sweet leg rolls every day! Daniel is still wearing size two diapers, although when this box is finished we will need to move to size three. During the day, both boys wear cloth diapers which helps the budget tremendously!

We're still nursing about every two hours, but probably not because he's actually hungry. My theory is: If I'm there and he's there and he'd like to nurse, then why not? Its relaxing for both of us and mutually enjoyable.

D is enjoying his play bouncer! Jumping is so fun!

Sleeping has still been a struggle, although there have been momentary times of improvement. Like last week, he slept a 7 hour stretch two nights in a row, which was amazing. But after that he was back to his usual 4-5 wakes a night. I'm seeing a pattern though. Just when I am so weary and depleted and feel like I absolutely cannot do another night of no sleep, the Lord gives us a good night. He is so kind like that. Its still a struggle to trust Him when I feel so exhausted, but day by day (and night by night) he is teaching me.

I remember your words in the night, O LORD, and keep your law (Psalm 119:55)

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. (Psalm 119:147-148)

Naps have been much better, though. Daniel has been taking a few (up to three!) 1-2 hour naps a day. Some days are not so good (15 min naps), but some days are great. For naps, I just lay him in his bed with his pacy and he usually falls asleep! Sometimes I have to put the pacy in a few times, but it usually works. This is a blessing because rocking him to sleep in a peaceful environment just doesn't happen with a two year old in the home! 

Daniel, we love you sweet boy! Every day, we are so thankful God chose to put you in our lives. We pray that as you grow and learn, you will understand the great, great love that Jesus has for you. We love you, but He always loves you more!

Daniel is Four Months!

Our Daniel boy is four months old now. Where has the time gone? All the cliches about time flying are cliche for a reason...they are so true!

Daniel is becoming more and more interactive every day. He is smiling, giggling, and cooing all the time. One of my favorite things is that he thinks John Hudson is the funniest thing that ever happened. Seriously, John doesn't even have to be doing anything funny.at.all and Daniel is cracking up! Which, of course, makes John laugh and then we're all laughing.

We started using the double stroller this month. So fun!

Daniel boy loves his pacy. He sucks constantly and is even learning to take it in and out by himself! John Hudson also loves to help Daniel put his pacy back in when it comes out.  Daniel has been gnawing his hand and drooling constantly for the last month, but we have yet to see any teeth pop through. He seems pretty uncomfortable with it, so I'm hoping they arrive soon.  In the meantime, he is wearing his teething necklace (which really seems to help the fussiness), and I give him Hyland's teething tablets occasionally.

On January 27th, just five days after his four month birthday, Daniel rolled over from his back to front! We were shocked because its usually front to back first. But, so far Daniel has done everything differently than John Hudson did, so why not this too? He was quite proud of himself. On February 4th, he rolled over front to back. No more leaving this little guy alone! He's still not rolling over on a regular basis (he'd rather lay there and scream), but we now know he's capable!

Almost all the way over!

Daniel still can't tolerate any dairy products or gluten. Talk about accountability with my eating! I feel like I've adapted though and find its much easier not to eat dairy when its not the holidays (all those sweet treats and dinner parties about killed me!). I hope to try a few raw dairy products around 6 months to see if he can tolerate those. If not, we'll continue the no-dairy, no-gluten thing for as long as it takes. But, Daniel is still loving his mommy milk and is growing like a weed. His chunky legs are so fun! Around Christmastime, he weighed 14 lbs.  I can't even say how many times a day we nurse. Since we're home most days, I'm really able to feed Daniel on demand, which is a blessing. I'd say he eats on average every two hours. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. I so enjoy that time because it reminds me to slow down and enjoy. Also great for catching up on reading (when I'm not lassoing the toddler or having to peep in the other room because things are "too quiet" if you know what I mean).

This boy loves to swing!

I often call Daniel my "mystery baby" because I never really know what he wants and needs. One day I think I've finally figured him out and then the next day he's changed his preferences. This is a good thing for me because it keeps me on my toes and fully dependent on the Lord. He knows Daniel. He created Daniel. He helps me be a mommy to my little guy even when I feel like our entire day is a big match of trial and error. We just try everything. Some days he likes to swing. Some days not. Some days he loves to sit in his bumbo seat. Some days not. Some days laying on the floor looking at toys is really fun. Some days it seems to be torture. Some days we figure out the magic combination early in the day and have a content baby, and some days we do a lot of bouncing, shhh-ing, and praying.

One thing that has been pretty consistent about Daniel is that he doesn't seem to require much sleep, which is very sanctifying for this sleep-loving Mama. During the day, Daniel takes a few very short naps (by short, I mean like 15 minutes!).  Its a rare thing for him to sleep more than an hour during the day. He seems to be so stimulated by everything that its really hard to settle him down for a nap. I try to lay Daniel down for a nap every day as soon as John Hudson goes down just for consistency's sake. Some days he sleeps more than five minutes. Some days not.  Night sleeping has been a roller coaster, too. For about a month after Christmas, we were having really hard nights where he was up sometimes every 30 minutes.  But for the past three weeks or so, he's been doing much better (minus the last three nights where it seems we've digressed again).  A five hour stretch of sleep is golden to me right now. I pray every night that I can praise God for the sleep I do get and trust Him for the sleep I don't get. I want to love Daniel as myself and serve him, even during long nights.  I'm also trying to remember that these sleepless seasons are just that: seasons. They seem oh so long when you're in them, but snuggling and tiny baby in the night is actually such a short (and sweet) time. Lord, help me to have this perspective!

We started swaddling Daniel at 4 months. It seems to be helping him rest.

But don't let all this not-so-fun stuff fool you. We are in love with our Daniel boy. He is a precious gift from God and we wouldn't trade him for all the tea in China. God has great plans for this sweet boy, and we are honored to have a front row seat.

Ordinary

If you had asked me in high school what I wanted to be when I got older, I probably would have said, "I don't know, I want to work in orphan care in some way." I didn't know exactly what it would look like, but I had big dreams. I wanted to live in a foreign country (a huge country in east Asia to be exact) and rescue all the babies I could possibly manage. I was sure God was going to use me as a mouthpiece to break chains of injustice and persuade people to adopt or care for these little ones in other ways. I was convinced that I would never live an ordinary life. Because why else would God have placed these big dreams in my heart and given me this deep burden? Surely He was going to use me for something big.

Everyone who knows me knows that I've always longed to be a mom. It seems like its just part of my DNA and I really believe God made me to mother. But in my dreams as a teenager, my 15 passenger van was always filled with a colorful array of children from many different countries and backgrounds. After all, it just seemed more Godly that way.

So here I am, ten years later and following God's leading is looking very different. I don't live in an exotic foreign country. I'm not a famous missionary. And I happen to be the mother of two very white, very American, and very biological little boys. What happened to my dreams?

During the 2.5 years that Michael and I have been married, God has taken (and is still taking) us on a journey of learning to live by faith. Learning to surrender our "dreams" to Him...even dreams that seem so Godly and so right.  Learning to be content in our circumstances and be faithful followers of Christ wherever He has us. Learning that God's perspective of what is Godly and "Christian" is so different than the pride-filled, flesh-stained lens by which I see the world. Oh, He has so much work to do on my ever wandering heart.

So, today I'm doing the ordinary tasks of folding laundry, changing diapers, and singing silly songs. My husband is a school teacher. And we live a very ordinary day-to-day life. And we are learning that its the condition of our hearts that is truly pleasing to our Lord. Do we really trust Him? Will we allow Him to control our jobs, living arrangements, and family planning even if it looks different than the big, extraordinary things I had planned in my youth? Will we be content with serving Him each day even when the tasks seem so mundane and so normal?  I never thought I'd be able to whole-heartedly answer yes to those questions. But day by day, prayer by prayer, reminder by reminder, He is teaching me.

I think it is Andy Stanley who said, "Your greatest contribution to the Kingdom of God may not be something you do, but someone you raise." Wow. What insight. What a refreshing reminder to a Mama's heart. God's idea of greatness is so much greater than ours. I am reminded of David and his burning desire to build God's temple. And yet, God used someone else to do the job. Someone that David spent his life raising, discipling and pouring into...His son, Solomon. Our big things and God's big things are sometimes very different.

Do we still want to adopt? Oh, we would love to bring another child into our family in that way! I often ask Michael."Do you think God will allow us to adopt one day?" And he says, "I hope so, Ab. I hope so."  Would we like to live overseas? We would be so grateful for that opportunity. But for today, today He has asked us to love each other and our babies and to faithfully follow Him. He has called us to recognize the daily opportunities He places before us to be light in a dark, dark world. He has asked us to walk by faith and be radical in our giving, our loving, and our praying. And He has asked us to be content with whatever lot He chooses to entrust us with.  Even if that looks really ordinary.

May it be so, Lord Jesus, may it be so.

What Our Biggest Little Boy is Up To

Our sweet John Hudson is 22 months old.  Two months away from the big 2 years! Time is flying by and I want to take a moment to document all of his cuteness.

 Boy, does John Hudson keep us busy! He's talking a lot. But we can't actually understand most of what he says. Words we can understand include: Mama, Daddy (Da-da), Daniel (also Da-da, but said while pointing at his stomach), Blankie (Da-Da) Oma, Opa, Lana, Banana, Apple, Cheese, Choo Choo, Grammie (Wa-Wa), Dado (Da-Da), Riley (Wa-Wa), Milk, Water (Wa-Wa), Coffee (Ca-Ca), Moon, All Done, More, Thank you, I love you,

Haha, as you can see, many of his words sound exactly the same! Its only by context that we can actually decipher his meaning. He's trying hard though and it seems like he's learning new words every day. Speaking of talking, one of John Hudson's favorite things to do is talk on his pretend phone. He paces around the house talking loudly to the mysterious person on the other end. He laughs and points and uses hand motions. He tells the person about the choo choo, about the banana he had for breakfast, and about how his baby brother is rocking in his swing. Its hilarious and so fun to watch.

Taking an important business call during breakfast

Many people have asked if John Hudson has experienced any jealousy since Daniel has been born. At first, I would have said no! But when Daniel was around two months old, it hit. John Hudson began screaming any time I would nurse Daniel, He wanted me to hold him all the time. He started waking up during the night crying and wanting to be rocked. He began throwing angry temper tantrums about the most trivial things. Of course, this is all a mixture of realizing that baby brother is here to stay forever and simply being a almost-two-year-old. Life is so hard. But thankfully, after much prayer and patient correction (sometimes not so patient correction), JH seems to have adjusted and is doing much better. The temper tantrums do rear their angry heads from time to time, but it doesn't seem to be linked to jealousy anymore.

John Hudson is a wonderful big brother. He kisses Daniel every opportunity he gets. Sometimes I have to ration the kisses, actually. He asks to hold Daniel daily, which can only be done under close supervision because as soon as he's finished, he yells "All done!" and shoves Daniel away. Sometimes I will hear Daniel laughing in the other room while he's in his swing and I look in to find John Hudson leaning over him talking and kissing. Daniel loves his big brother. John Hudson is aware of Daniel's whereabouts at all time and makes sure I know when Daniel is crying. John can even put Daniel's pacy back when he's upset! It might be upside down, but its in his mouth nonetheless. When I get JH out of his bed in the morning, the first thing he wants to know is "Da-Da?" meaning, "Where is Daniel?" Same when I pick him up from the nursery at church. Sweet boy is already looking out for his little brother. I am encouraged and excited to see their relationship grow.

Kissing outside on a cold day

JH entertaining Daniel during a meal

Kissing in their new hats 

Kissing at church

Morning kisses

John Hudson is still loving his hats. He received a lot of new hats for Christmas and is enjoying choosing a new one to wear daily. For some reason, his favorite is still a grimy, avacado-stained cap from his Uncle Bradley.

John also received a new play kitchen for Christmas. He is enjoying serving coffee all day long. When he finishes breakfast each morning, he says, "Mama, ca-ca?" meaning, "Mama, would you like some coffee?" And when he hands me the little mug he always cautions, "Hot!" He's also enjoying making sandwiches with his pretend food. He stacks two pieces of bread, a slice of cheese, a slice of salami and a chocolate chip cookie on top. This sandwich has sadly been the cause of many meltdowns, though, because it always tips onto the floor as he tries to walk across the room. So very frustrating for our little guy! He's never even eaten a sandwich before, but he sure knows how to build one! 

Speaking of food, boy, does this little guy eat a lot! John Hudson has always been a great eater and nothing has changed. Food is the first thing on his mind in the morning and we usually begin our day with a banana, an egg and sometimes some whole milk yogurt. He basically eats the same things we do now, which is much more convenient than the first year. As a family, we try not to eat processed foods or gluten and as many organic choices as possible (as we can afford, actually). JH LOVES his raw milk and actually refuses to drink any other type of milk. I think his favorite food right now is tacos, like his Daddy! 

But sometimes he's just too tired to eat.

Special treat! Banana and Almond Flour cookie for a quick and clean breakfast on the go!

One of our favorite things to do together is sing and dance. John Hudson is obsessed with a DVD called Wee Sing in Sillyville, which is so fun because it was my favorite show as a child. We only watch the DVD about every other week, but he asks to sing the songs every.single.day. We're also really enjoying listening to CDs that teach Scripture in the songs (two of our favorites are Seeds Family Worship and Sing the Word A to Z). JH has a CD player in his room and we ususally have it playing quietly (or loudly) in the background as we play. I pray these seeds Truth and Light will sink into his little heart and bear fruit. He also loves to sing "I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy" and "Jesus loves me".

John Hudson, we love you Buddy. We pray that God will continue to give us wisdom as we raise, discipline, and disciple you. We pray that God's Word will dwell in your richly and that you will love Jesus more than anything else. You are a joy!

Merry Christmas!

Dear Beloved Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas from the Schulte party of four! We hope and pray that you are filled with joy this holiday season as we reflect on the beauty and wonder of the incarnation. God became flesh and dwelt among us. Wonder of all wonders. He is worthy to be praised.

This year has brought many changes to our little family-- including a job change, a move, and most exciting of all, a new precious baby. We have found ourselves  stretched by many minor trials (think 27 sixth graders, momentary homelessness, car problems, and a screaming newborn) but we are grateful to look back and see how the Lord has sustained us and strengthened us for every task.

In August, Michael began his new job as a sixth grade teacher at Atlanta Classical Academy. Teaching has been a desire of Michael's heart for a few years now, so this job is really an answered prayer. He has the opportunity to teach many subjects including math, grammar, literature, history, and science. Please pray for Michael as you think of him. As many of you know, the first year teaching is very difficult. The Lord has been ever faithful to sustain him through early mornings, late nights, and loads of papers that need to be graded.  Michael is doing a wonderful job and I'm proud of him every day!

Along with a new job, we also moved to a new house! We had our plans all worked out to move into an apartment complex in Clarkston, GA, where we thought we would be spending our days building relationships with the many refugee families who live in that community. But the Lord had different plans. Four hours before we were supposed to sign the lease, the apartment fell through entirely. We had to be out of our current apartment in eight days and had nowhere to go. Our gracious Lord parted the Red Sea and provided the perfect little home to rent. Along with the house, we also got a sweet little yard, garden boxes, a swing set, and a nearby road leading directly into the nearby park. It's more than we  could have asked for or imagined. We pray to be faithful stewards of this great gift.

On September 22, we welcomed our precious Daniel Thomas into our arms. Two weeks past his due date, to say we were eagerly awaiting his arrival is an understatement. Daniel has been an agent of great sanctification for us all, as he screamed a lot during the first six weeks of his life. But after cutting dairy from my diet, he is thankfully feeling much better and is a happy little fellow. He's full of squishy rolls and we are just smitten with him. We praise our Father for entrusting us with this great treasure.

John Hudson is as busy as ever! He loves being a big brother and showers Daniel with profuse kisses daily. He is slightly obsessed with hats and can be found most days wearing one, two, or three hats! He also enjoys working with his toolset, watching the choo choo go by, and riding his four wheeler from room to room. John Hudson is a sweet boy and a joy to be around.

As for me, I spend my days wiping noses, chasing little people, folding clothes, and spending lots of time in the rocking chair. Oh, and the weekly trip to the grocery store! This is my dream come true. I pray to glorify the Lord and keep an eternal focus even amidst these seemingly mundane days. It is a true gift to stay at home with our boys and we are grateful that God has provided this opportunity.

May the Lord bless and keep each of you as we enter into a new year. You are all very dear to us! Please come see us if you ever make a trip to Georgia!

.

Longing for His return,

Michael, Abby, John Hudson, and Daniel