urban gardening

So in case you missed the memo- Detroit has a lot of vacant lots. And you can buy a lot for about $300. So we bought one last fall with Micah and Matt and Lisa Fleming. And now we're starting an urban garden. I really can't take any credit for the idea, the labor, or the passion. But I do enjoy walking over there and imagining the great things they are going to do!! Because of this garden we have started composting and now the local coffee stores are going to give us their coffee grinds.... this is all weird to me- but apparently it's good for gardening. We've had some mission teams helping us this week and they were willing to help us dig up the land. Bentley got a walker a week ago from therapy to help him and he had so much fun walking up and down the sidewalk. Clayton spent 2 hours out with us and he didn't even cry!! My boys love to be outside, what can I say!?!!? So anyway, enjoy these pics!

Family photo session

So as an outreach we offered family photo sessions a couple weeks ago to families in the community. We were the "guinea pig" family. It was fun to be able to offer the pics to families. :)
ENJOY!!

Bentley's Baptism video

I don't think I ever put this video up! Oops... :) Enjoy. :)

Clayton!

Bentley!

So when I upload pics it does it in reverse order... lame!



Bentley sleeps booty up!











This last series is all Bentley one morning while eating breakfast... he managed to come out of his seat, wiggle his way out of the belt, eat some cereal, and crawl up on the table. So cute!

Videos!!

Happy One Month!!

Things I have learned about Clayton Matthew:

He cries for the following reasons:
1. Hungry
2. Wet
3. Cold
4. Tired

If you meet those needs you have a happy boy!

He is very tolerant of his older brother pulling out his binky, taking off his hat, pushing up to stand using his belly, kissing (licking) his head, and accidently sitting on him from time to time!

Overall it's been a great first month. He sleeps about 4-5 hours the first stretch of night and then about 2-3 the second... so that is a huge blessing!

Well, here are pics I just took randomly to celebrate his one month!!!

New Year's Resolutions...

1. Eat more vegetables- I haven't come up with a specific amount yet- but I would like to eat significantly more than I currently am. :)

2. Post more often on my blog- hopefully at least once a week.

3. Spend more time reading my Bible- and reading it to the boys

4. Lose my baby weight!

Four simple and doable goals!

the birth story (for those who care:)

I had a doctor's appt. on Thursday in Ann Arbor. I was 3 CM and 80% effaced. We decided with the doctor to "plan" an elective induction for Tuesday if baby had not arrived. David begins his surgery rotation on Jan. 4 and will be extremely busy with 100-120 hour work weeks through April... so we wanted baby to arrive early enough in his break that he could enjoy the baby. So I left the doctor's office feeling pretty discouraged. I was hoping to be more dilated than a 3 and the idea of being induced was terrifying. We went to our church's Christmas Eve service and had a low key meal just the 3 of us...
I woke up Christmas morning around 5:30 AM with some minor contractions. I had been having them during the day and night all the time for weeks... but I knew these were different. So I made us waffles for breakfast and we opened gifts. I had to stop to breathe through the contractions, but wasn't sure if they might still go away. I took a nice long shower and packed up my things. We decided to call the doctor and she suggested we go in. I walked around the house a bit just to make sure the contractions didn't go away before we left. (We have 2 sets of stairs for the second floor so essentially I just did circles up and down the stairs around the house!) We got in the car and started driving to Ann Arbor--- a 45+ minute drive. While in the car the contractions faded away and I looked at David with a very disappointed face, "I think they're going away. We should go home. I am not in labor." The roads were pretty bad though and so we decided to continue on just to see how things progressed. We dropped Bentley off at his aunt and uncle's home and then arrived at the hospital. We took another quick walk around the parking lot and then up to the 3rd floor. So it's about 11:30 AM now. In triage the Resident checked me and said, "I think we'll keep ya, you're about a 6-7." :) I felt so relieved to know that I am not crazy and I do sort of know my body. After we got our room we walked the halls for about an hour trying to bring labor along. When the contractions became too painful to be in the hallway I went into the shower in my room. On one wall was the shower head and the other wall had 3 jets and a place to sit. Well I turned the shower head on as hot as it would go and it just ran next to me and I sat in front of those jets for about 45 min. and did some serious laboring. :) It felt sooooo good to have the water on my back and then when I was contracting I'd turn around to have the water on my belly. After awhile the nurse got me on the bed and put me on the bean bag to help baby keep turning around... oh yeah, the baby was occipital posterior (looking up and not down) just like my first was... we we needed him to turn around. The resident came in and checked me and I was 8 CM so she broke my water with her fingers rather than that awful hook thing and ahhh relief. Well, only for a second... because then the contractions added much more pressure. Within 2 contractions he had descended down and I had the awful urge to push. So I said I was pushing. That's when things got busy! The doctor and resident put on their green gear :), the nurses were all ready and they were encouraging me to get the baby out. I don't remember it hurting so bad to push! I think I pushed for about 15 minutes and they announced, "It's a boy!" and placed him on my belly. It was great to have him out! His time of birth was 2:40 PM. Fortunately I didn't tear much so I only got a little unnecessary stitch... They did all the tests and then he nursed for about an hour. He latched on great... Then I showered and they brought me to the mother baby unit where we stayed for 24 hours before going home.
We are home now and he's doing well. It's been a very long first night, but I am hoping it gets better. :) Bentley slept soooo well and rarely cried. Clayton definitely lets us know he's here with his strong vocals. :) He has really dark hair and beautiful dark eyes.
Overall everything went very smoothly. My recovery has been much easier with him as well. It was such a different hospital experience. With Bentley they took him at birth for a couple hours and by the time I got him back he was in the sleepy newborn stage for a day or 2. I needed lots of help with his latch- there were tests being done on his heart... nurses were constantly checking on me and taking care of everything. This time I rarely saw a medical person- and was pretty much left alone to do my thing... neither experience is "better" or "worse"- it's just been very different.

OUR CHRISTMAS BABY!!!

CLAYTON MATTHEW CRAWFORD
DECEMBER 25, 2009 AT 2:40 PM
6 LBS 11 OZ
19 3/4 INCHES

House Christmas Dinner

We had our house Christmas dinner on Monday, December 14th. It was great! I made "Reindeer Chili" (venison chili), with cornbread, green beans, and salad. Leigh made york peppermint brownies with peppermint ice cream. It was a feast to remember! We had a wonderful time socializing and sharing our hearts with one another. We also did a gift exchange that turned out so great! The only requirement was not to spend more than $6.50 on your gift. The creativity made it so fun!

Anyway, here are some pictures!!! They're a little random.... but I think there are more on Micah's camera... I'll have to get them later.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

Things are well here in downtown Detroit. We've had a little snow this week which makes it feel like Christmas. :) My dad was here from Sunday-Wednesday. We had a great time. Unfortunately I don't have one single picture. Wow, that's horrible. On Sunday I was very sick with a stomach virus, Monday Bentley had the same virus, and Tuesday my dad had it... so needless to say it wasn't the normal visit we would have had.... we laid low and apparently didn't take a single picture. I also must admit that at 38 weeks pregnant I am not keen on having my picture taken. It was good to catch up with my dad and watch him interact with Bentley. I especially enjoyed listening to him read Bentley his night time stories as it reminded me of my childhood.
My mom arrives tomorrow morning, assuming there isn't too much snow in St. Paul and the ice is under control here in Detroit. She will be here until January 17 to help me take care of Bentley and Baby. I am sooo grateful. We are going to have a great time. I will definitely post pictures- I've learned my lesson!!!
Bentley is doing really well. He's cruising on the furniture and doing all sorts of cute new things. :) He turns the pages for me on his books, touches his pointer finger to mine (it can be hard for kids with low muscle tone to isolate their pointer finger), and is all around a very happy and excited little man. It's really hard for me to imagine loving another child the way I love Bentley, but I hear from parents who have multiple children that it is possible. :)
I took on the task recently of photographing several families in the church for their Christmas cards. I really enjoyed it. I didn't charge (although in hindsight I should have!!!) It's nice to have a hobby that I enjoy so much.
It's a little weird not being in Arizona this Christmas. We will still see our parents and a couple of David's siblings, so that's good. I have enjoyed going to Arizona in the past to soak in plenty of sun to see me through the winter.... having the baby will have to be my sun!
Well here's a picture of Bentley from earlier today with a "cutie" he found in my bag. He decided he didn't need to peel it! He has only one snaggly tooth, but I guess it works for him!!

family pics :)

an article...

Will Babies with Down Syndrome Just Disappear?
Posted: Friday, September 18, 2009 at 4:18 am ET
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The development of prenatal diagnostic technologies presents a constellation of moral issues -- with the diagnosis of Down syndrome front and center. Over the past several years, a marked decrease in the number of babies born with Down syndrome has been both observed and widely reported. This decrease can be traced directly to the decision to abort after prenatal diagnosis.

As Science Daily reports, a new leading article to be published in Archives of Disease in Childhood points to developments in the near future that will likely increase the diagnosis of Down syndrome [DS] during pregnancy. "New tests expected to be introduced next year will offer a simple blood test that poses no risk to the fetus and delivers a definitive diagnosis of one of more of the genetic variants of Down syndrome -- trisomy 21, translocation, or mosaicism," the journal reported.

The development of these new tests will almost surely make the practice of prenatal screening for Down syndrome more widespread. At present, the available tests pose some risk to the fetus and are invasive. The new tests expected next year are based on simple blood tests.

The new research is based on work by Dr. Brian Skotko, a clinical genetics fellow at Children's Hospital Boston. Skotko, who has a sister with Down syndrome, asks this haunting question: "As new tests become available, will babies with Down syndrome slowly disappear?"

His research reveals deeply troubling trends. Between 1989 and 2005, births of babies with Down syndrome decreased by 15 percent. As Science Daily explains, "In the absence of prenatal testing, researchers would have expected the opposite -- a 34 percent increase in births -- due to the trend of women waiting longer to have children; known to increase the chances of having a baby with Down syndrome."

In an article published in 2005, Skotko argued that doctors are often ill-prepared to discuss the diagnosis of Down syndrome with their pregnant patients. Chillingly, he also revealed that a significant percentage of the doctors "reported that they 'emphasize' the negative aspects of DS so that patients would favor a termination."

With the new technologies of prenatal diagnosis so close on the horizon, Skotko now sees a "true collision" on its way. "More women will be going through the testing process, which could lead to a lot of difficult, uncomfortable conversations between physicians and expectant patients."

The reason for the decrease in the number of babies born with Down syndrome comes into clearer focus when The Washington Post cites Skotko's research indicating that 92 percent of women who learn they are carrying a baby with Down syndrome choose to abort the pregnancy. That is more than nine out of ten.

The dimensions of the "collision" Dr. Skotko sees coming now come into view. If these percentages hold, the development of these new tests will almost certainly lead to a vast increase in the number of babies aborted after the diagnosis of Down syndrome.

This presents a grave moral challenge to the medical community -- and to the society at large. Medical care is a social good for which the entire society is responsible. The development of prenatal diagnostic technologies and procedures brings a moral crisis right to our doorsteps -- and our hearts. Will we see people with Down syndrome simply disappear?

In his 2005 article, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Skotko explained that prenatal testing for Down syndrome presents expectant parents with a simple choice -- continue the pregnancy or abort. He continued:

Knowing this, health care providers have historically operated under the assumption that if a woman consents to prenatal screening or diagnosing, she must believe that having a child with DS would be an undesired outcome and wish to terminate her pregnancy if such a diagnosis were made prenatally."

Expectant parents should read that sentence over and over again, and so should those who counsel them.

As Dr. Skotko understands all too well, this moral crisis is not limited to babies with Down syndrome. He asks: "Should expectant parents be able to select out fetuses with an undesired sex? Should fetuses with genes that predispose them to adult breast cancer be prenatally identified? Should couples in the future be supported if they wish to terminate fetuses with genes correlated with sexual preferences?"

The fact that 92 percent of women who are told that their unborn child carries the high risk of Down syndrome choose to abort the baby should shock us all. What does that say about our devaluation of human life and human dignity? This can only mean that these women see a child with Down syndrome as not worth having -- and the baby as a life not worth living.

Dr. Skotko points to the new tests just around the corner and sees a collision coming. Given his important research, we had better see a moral crisis looming. The Culture of Death is gaining momentum before our eyes. Who will be next in line to be considered unworthy of life?

on a remarkable woman...

So it's been a rough week... I found out earlier this week that Marcheta died on Saturday. I was hired as her companion when we first moved to Ann Arbor- and was with her 3 days a week assisting in her home for about a year and a half. Unfortunately my grandparents lived very far away from me and so I have few memories of them, and so Marcheta quickly filled that void and found her way into my heart. We had some really wonderful times together. She lived in an apartment at a retirement center and it had these huge windows that overlooked a large grassy area with several trees. Her table was set up so we would have breakfast and watch the birds fly from tree to tree every morning. Marcheta had an extensive collection of exquisite jewelry and I loved finding the perfect pieces to match both outfit and season. She was a very encouraging and optimistic woman- always looking for the best in people. At her funeral today her daughter, Carol, shared this beautiful story of how a few weeks ago they were sitting at dinner in the retirement center's "restaurant" and there was a man who was coughing very loudly and repulsively... it was keeping Carol from enjoying her time and she wanted so much more for her mother- wanted a more elegant and peaceful place to enjoy a meal together. And so they finished and Carol quickly wheeled Marcheta out of the cafeteria and as they passed this elderly man Marcheta reached out and touched the man's shoulder and said, "It's OK, you're doing a great job..." It moved Carol's heart as she reflected on the kind of mother she has.... and it's a story I wanted to share because it is a true reflection of the kind of woman Marcheta was. I could write story after story of this woman I grew to dearly admire and adore, but I will treasure the stories in my heart and leave you all with a few pictures. Carol's husband, Chuck, talked about how often times when people age and they lose so much of what defined them in their prime you are often left with the essence of a person, and the essence of Marcheta was a woman who was full of optimism, grace, and courage. I genuinely hope that when I age and if I lose my ability to walk or see, am in great pain, or lose my ability to think and remember who people are, that what my loved ones are left with is what I got to experience when I was with Marcheta... and that is great optimism, grace, and joy.

9.18

10.7

9.29

9.24

So I am so behind on uploading videos of Bentley... so expect many :)

praying for our future...

I can't believe David's well into his 3rd year of medical school. Things have been going really well for him. He loves his rotations and is learning so many things!!! He's had internal medicine, family medicine, and is now doing an elective on infectious disease. We have started thinking more about our future and where we think God wants us... We feel like we'll either stay in Detroit or move back to Tucson. We have no idea what we'll do though. I am feeling torn... I love living in Detroit and being part of Mack Ave. Church.... we are forming great relationships with our neighbors and just getting more involved in the community in general. I do miss Tucson terribly still. And I know that it is a city that needs a lot of love too. The extra pull in returning to Arizona is family. My dad lives in Sedona (an easy 3-4 hour drive-- but a BEAUTIFUL place to be!) and David's parents live in Nogales- a quick hour drive south. I am pretty sure I will be able to convince my mom to come down from Portland too. :) Plus David's siblings are there- minus Steven- but who knows where he'll end up! The other 3 really like being there! We both are very close to our families and want our children to get time with their grandparents now. As we get older often times relationships with grandparents weaken and so it's important to get that time when the kids are young. At this point we really don't know where God is leading us... we're just praying that He'll reveal where He wants us to be... and so that's where you all come in... please join us in praying over the next year as we seek the Lord's will on where we will live. We'd like to settle into a community and be less transient (God willing!) Part of me still really longs to return... for so many reasons... but I know I'd be happy here too.... it's just not as "easy".
Thankfully the Lord has brought me to a place where I am enjoying Michigan and enjoying my friendships. I rejected this state for a very long time and was angry that we had to live here.... I no longer feel that way. I feel extremely peaceful and happy where we are. I love where we are living, our neighbors, neighborhood, and I am liking the city of Detroit more and more everyday. There are some really great places that I get to enjoy in this city. :)
Thanks for reading this really long post and join us in our journey of prayer. :)

Etsy

So I discovered this amazing website today and it's amazing! I know a lot of people who have used it, but I hadn't looked on the site yet, and wow, it's really cool! I browsed around in the children sections, purse section, and art section and I found all kinds of gift ideas. :)

So you should look at this video and learn about what etsy is!

peace

So Micah, David, Bentley, and I went up north this weekend to the family cottage in Interlochen, MI. We had a great time We did the 16 mile bike ride, went to Traverse City, and enjoyed Frankfort as well. It was great to just get away and enjoy the peacefulness of being away. Anyway, here are some pics.

so behind....

I am learning more and more that I have a variety of readers who look to this blog to find out what's going on and see pictures of our family.... so I am feeling convicted to post more!

Things are going well here in Detroit. We are settling into community life and enjoying our church. We have really started connecting with our neighbors as well. Cleo lives across the street- she's a very kind woman. I don't know much about her story yet, but I hope to get to know her more. Next door we have great neighbors. Renee is about 40 and she has 2 young children living with her- she's working on adopting them, and her youngest bio child lives there as well (she's 16). The younger two, Kenyetta and Quintez are very sweet kids who always want to come over- they have relatives over all the time as well- and those kids really enjoy it here too. This has been so encouraging! Some of the "regulars" that you can be praying for are: Robert, Aaliyah, Josh, TJ, and Naydia. All of these children have so much enthusiasm for life and respond so well when given attention. The hope of Detroit lies in the choices of our children and so I find it so important that we are praying for them to be educated (as the graduation rate here is 24% from HS). Also that they would grow to be people of compassion and love. We were really struggling to get to know our neighbors for awhile, but recently had a "break through" moment that has changed a lot.
Two other quick prayer requests on that note: 1. Renee has come to church with us and has been coming to MAMA club here on Wednesdays... so continue to pray for her growth in the Lord. Her "son" Quintez has some serious medical issues- he has to catheterize 6 times a day (he's 8 I think) and so that's a rough place to be as a child. Because he cath's he can't wear underwear and so wears pull ups- when his shirt lifts you can see the top of the pull up which looks like a diaper- and when children see this they tease him. So he is dealing with the pain of being different and also having a body that doesn't work the way it should.

On a lighter note...
Last week I locked my keys in my car and I called our friend Matt to see if he knew of a locksmith in the area- which his neighbor across the street is- so Eli came over and unlocked my car- wouldn't take any money and left saying, "That's what neighbors do." You have no idea how encouraging this was for me.

Here are some recent pics to enjoy:


We celebrated 4 1st birthdays at church on Sunday! And now 3/4 mom's are pregnant with number 2! Sarah and I are due the first week of January and Rebecca is 8 weeks pregnant!



Bentley loves cake!



David and Bentley :)

We rode our bikes with Micah to the Jazz festival.

Happy 1st Birthday, Bentley!