Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Samples

I've gone three days without posting, which has left me with three separate topics to discuss.

1) The massacre at Virginia Tech has been on my mind non-stop. I have a hard time not watching CNN all day long. On Monday I was shocked and numb, but yesterday the tears came when I saw the faces and heard the stories of the victims. I can't get over that Israeli professor, a Holocaust survivor and a genius, who sacrificed his life so that his students would have time to escape through the window. What an amazing man.

I keep imagining the whole thing playing out at A&M. I had all my Spanish classes in the Academic Building and that's where I see it in my mind. I insert all the memories and grief I have from the horrible day Bonfire collapsed. Except that was an accident and this was a mass murder. Oh, Lord, this world is so painful.

2) Completely switching gears. I am about to talk about my appointment with my OB/GYN, so any males or easily embarrassed females should stop reading now. Thanks. On Monday I had my annual appointment that is every woman's privilege. That is just the highlight of my year, let me tell you. I got to have a blood test that my doctor said would check my cholesterol and who knows what else. So he's about to find out how many french fries I've eaten in my lifetime. On top of that, I'm pretty sure I had high blood pressure that morning because I was so dreading my exam, so nervous about whether my son was going to be charming or demanding, and so hoping that my weigh-in would make my doctor proud. The most noteworthy moment of the appointment was when my doctor began the discussion about family planning and, completely unprovoked, proceeded to give me a handful of samples. It's not important that I identify what these samples were. Our moms and grandmas read this blog, you know. But you can imagine how many close calls I had with all these samples behaving like Mexican jumping beans and trying to escape my purse-slash-diaper-bag any time I opened it in public. It was a humbling day.

3) Today BooMama is hosting a love offering on her blog for a young woman named Heather. Heather is a designer at Swank Web Style (they designed my mom's and BooMama's blogs). She has a husband and three children. One of her children, Emma, has autism and mitochondrial myopathy. Heather just got the devastating news that she herself has an inoperable brain tumor. The fundraiser is to love on Heather's family and help ease the burden of the unimaginable costs they are about to incur as they seek treatment in another city. If you feel led to pray or give or both, please stop by their blogs today.

23 comments:

debra parker said...

1.I feel your pain and heartbreak.
2.I hate those appointments.
3.Heather has been amazing. Many will learn from her faith.

Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife said...

Just be glad Jackson isn't old enough yet to 'blow up balloons'..haha...

This was just too funny...A little laugh sandwiched in between two unimaginable griefs...God is good that way isn't He? Sounds like the story of my life..

Have a great day!

Tracy said...

To comment on item #2-
I have my "yearly" tomorrow and I'm wondering what to do with the baby. Did you take Jackson? Did he do okay? I'm back and forth with take him or find a friend... : ) For the most part he is easy- but a yearly appointment would be the perfect place to have a full blown baby fit...or to start pulling things out of the drawers...!

Holly said...

We had a friend named Alex Jones who was in the stacks when Bonfire fell. He tells an amazing story of someone lifting timbers off of his crushed body. He never saw that person again. It is amazing he is alive!

Praying for Heather!! Thanks for passing that along...I know the power of prayer and am truly praying for it to be gone.

Finally, I'm about to post my house pictures part one. It will be a two day post. I'm not too good at posting many pictures at a time....I need a class on this blogging thang.

I've missed you!
Blessings on you and your family today,
Holly

Toknowhim said...

Amanda,

I found your blog through BooMama.. I also am a frequent reader of the LPM blog.

I love the way you came up with the name of your blog. I also have "Baby Bangs", but love them (any hair that stays on my head is good, especially after having 3 boys (8,5,&3).

I love reading your posts about how you feel about Jackson.. it reminds me of the feelings I had when I first became a mother.. you kind of forget when you start to have other children. So blogging your feelings will be a great way to establish a remembrance. By the way, those blue eyes of his are adorable!!

Thank you for sharing your heart about the shootings. It is so easy to become numb to this kind of stuff, but I don't want to become that way. I want my heart to feel the way God does about things. I need to keep praying this prayer.

Lastly, thanks for the reminder about Heather. I have read her posts from the last week, and have been challenged and encouraged in my faith because of her faith.

I look forward to reading your future posts. God Bless, Kim

PS. The illustration on your blog looks like you and Jackson (a little older Jackson) So Cute...

Janelle and Ella said...

Amanda, I did not know your connectino to Heather! It is the saddest thing I have ever heard!! Lord, we beg for your intervention!

Military Mommy said...

I've missed you the last few days friend. :)

1. I can't watch anything related to this right now. I am praying, but watching breaks my heart to the point that I feel I can't function. Thanks for sharing about the professor, I hadn't heard about that story. What a shining moment in the midst of the tragedy.

2. I too hate these appointments. I am doing the happy dance for you that it is gone for another year. I love that feeling as I'm walking out of the office!

3. Heather is a bright light for Jesus. I am brought to my knees and to tears everytime I visit.

Have a fun day!
Love, Michelle

McClure Family said...

Amanda, I was exactly the same about the massacre. I couldn't digest it on Monday, but yesterday morning, I cried my eyes out and thought about it happening at Auburn. As a great teacher reminded me on Monday...all of this is just here on earth. Once we get to heaven, none of this pain will exist.

Paige said...

Amanda,

I was also broken over the stories of each of the victims at VT. The professor was the hardest for me. To be 78 and have survived so much...leaves me speechless.

I despise those appointments. Let's just leave it at that.

Heather what a precious woman of faith. Her story brings me to tears and inspires me.

Amy T said...

As the preacher's wife said, your post is a good reflection of life on some days, but thankfully not all days. Sometimes it's more laughs and love than tragedy. I was looking at the pictures earlier of those that were lost, at least to this world. I pray that they knew Jesus so that they are so much better off. I pray for the families left behind dealing with such grief. A grief that our whole nation feels with them.

Check out the update on the funds raised for Heather! Awesome work of God!

On a lighter note, I pictured those "samples" making a run for it! How funny!

Holly said...

Hi Amanda,

Dennis Rainey just sent out an email saying that his daughter Laura wants all campuses and individuals to pray tomorrow night for VA Tech and for college campuses. I have uploaded it to my blog (to the best of my ability..ha ha!). Can you copy it and send it around? I think this is the beginning of something BIG on the kingdom calendar! Revival?
Love you much,
Holly

Jackie said...

Oh the joy of being a woman!! Somedays I wouldn't trade it for the world, other days I'd gladly let a man deal with all these hormone swings and yearly visits!! I am with you on the tragedy- I am glued to the TV and wish I wasn't. Praying for Heather and her family. Thanks for your candid views on life and letting us laugh/cry with you.
love, jackie (by the way... I made it a WHOLE week... freedom in Him is AWESOME!!)

Melissa said...

Amanda,

Again...thanks for the prayers for the VT family. I've been posting my own rambling thoughts on that subject. God really convicted me today about it, and the responsibility believers have to our world. I hope you'll have time to read the post & let me knw what you think.

Blessings, and thanks for all the work you do for the kingdom!

Melissa said...

Amanda,

Thanks for keeping the VT tragedy out there in blogland. My fellow Virginians need prayers! I've been convicted on our responsibility as believers...and posted about it tonight. I hope you get a chance to read it and tell me what you think.

Thanks for all of your work for the Lord.

PandaMom said...

Just wanted to thank you for being so real on your blog. I love "seeing" you as a real girl, just like the rest of us. Have fun with your Samples!

Tracey said...

1.You're right, the pain those families are experiencing is unimaginable.
2. Just had my "yearly" and I can relate, sista!
3. Been praying for Heather and looking to see how God will use all of this for His glory.

Great post! Who is your mom, by the way? Which one is her blog?

Sara at Miller Moments: said...

Amanda, your posts are great! Your samples reminds me of mine own story...I take a daily vitamin pack that is in a gold foil wrapper. As a busy mom of 3, I often have a hard time remembering to take them, but I need to - because they really make me have more energy. So one day, while finishing up some grocery shopping, I found my foil packet in my pocket, so to remind me to take it as soon as we got back to the car, I carried it around in the store with me. I wondered why people were giving me funny looks as I waved that thing around grabbing a can of green beans! It wasn't until I got back to the car that I realized how "questionable" it really must look! :) Have a great day!

Sharon Brumfield said...

Thought you might want to know that Laura Rainey,the daughter of Dennis Rainey of Family Life, has sent out a call for everyone to pray for those at Virginia Tech. She has asked for all to pass the word to pray at 7:00p.m.--today. The Campus Crusade website for Virginia Tech gave a few things that they would like people to keep in mind when praying. I have them listed on my blog or you can go to their site to see them. Holly of Crownlaiddown asked us to pass the word.

Jen said...

Just had my first one of those appointments... I know, I know, I should have gone a few years ago but I just wasn't ready. I'm not sure you ever are :)

Rita Loca said...

OW! I must be naive! It was not until I read the Preacher's Wife's comment that I figured out what the samples were!

AKat said...

Did you ever get one of those bags that some club would pass out at Valentine's Day?...It wasn't candy, as I quickly learned!

Aunt Angie said...

Amanda,
You and your mom are an inspiration to my heart! All of these things that are happening in these "last" days are pointing us closer to "the day". It is heartbreaking and gut-wrenching...but we continue to pray for those lives that have been affected by this tragedy. God knows all, sees all and IS ALL!
I am typing this from SE Alabama, but live in NW Florida and one day can take a trip to TX to sit in on your moms teachings!!! I could eat it with a spoon! She lit a fire in my heart for God's word like nothing in my life ever has....made me see things in me as they really are!Praying for your whole family!!!

Tracey said...

"Well, bless her heart!" That's what we say down here in the south...

Am I the only doofus in Bloggerville that didn't know who Amanda's mom was?!

Thanks for the email Amanda!