An Announcement

A Mom's Weekend Out

Over this past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the True Woman 2014 National Women's Conference: Finding Freedom, Fullness, and Fruitfulness in Christ. As you can see from the picture above, I made the trip to Indianapolis with 7 terrific women from my church.

Why was I so interested in this particular conference? About 2 years ago, our women's group from church studied the book True Woman 101: Divine Design by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh Demoss. It was an excellent book that helped me to finally put the puzzle pieces together of what it means to be a woman from a biblical perspective. When some of the church women announced their plans to attend a conference in which the authors of this book were main speakers, I desperately wanted to go. Ben surprised me last Christmas with a ticket to the conference, and I was so excited!

This weekend was the first time that I had ever been separated from Weston, my 13 month-old, for longer than a few hours. My mother-in-law Kandy flew here to be Weston's main caregiver for the weekend (3 days and 2 nights total). She did an amazing job taking care of him, and I am so thankful. The night before I left on the conference, Kandy showed me the recent movie Moms' Night Out. It was great! I recommend it. It was full of good acting, good laughs, and some good encouragement for moms, especially stay-at-home moms like me. Watching Moms' Night Out was the perfect prelude to my "mom's weekend out!"

The conference was uplifting. My favorite message was by Mary Kassian, on being a woman of the Word instead of a "wimpy woman." My favorite testimony was by Naghmeh Abedini, wife of imprisoned Iranian-American pastor Saeed Abedini, on God's grace during a horrific situation. And my favorite aspect of the conference was the music! I was so thrilled that Keith and Kristyn Getty were the musicians for the conference.

I think that God spoke to my heart more through the songs than through the "sermons." I loved "My Worth is Not in What I Own" and "O for a Closer Walk with God" from the Gettys' CD The Greengrass Session. Through the lyrics of these beautiful songs, God encouraged me that even though I am an imperfect woman who never has it all together, God still loves me and accepts me in Christ. My worth is based on who I am in Christ rather than on how I perform in any given area. God encouraged me that even though long devotions are not an option during this season of my life, He still wants me to press forward in pursuing a closer walk with Him. No matter how busy I am chasing my toddler son, I can still afford to spend at least 5 minutes per day meditating on the Bible and talk to God in prayer as I go about my day. I think that recently I have been feeling like a robot--going through the motions of changing diapers, washing dishes, and trying to tackle my to-do list, but letting guilt and stress keep me from a vibrant, joyful relationship with God.

I also loved hearing the song "A Mother's Prayer." It so gorgeously expresses what my heart feels for Weston. (Of course my favorite Getty songs would be the slow and reflective ones, because I am a slow and reflective person, ha.)

I found YouTube links to 2 of these songs.

My Worth is Not in What I Own
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfFrJHuptUQ

A Mother's Prayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoy74orJu10

So yes...the content of the conference was a blessing. But then another "blessing" was that getting away made me want to come back! My mother-in-law texted me adorable photos of my son, which made me miss him so much! After a little while I started preferring my husband's more logical conversation to the women's more emotional conversation, my own simple little house to the luxurious Hilton, and the school of daily experience to the school of conference session after session! Ha.

And so I had a happy reunion with my husband and son on Saturday night. And now I am back to real life, after a refreshing mom's weekend out!

The Couch to 5K and a Song for the Way

I did it! Yay! This morning--on the last official day of spring--I finally accomplished my spring fitness goal, which was to complete the Couch to 5K running plan! I woke up at 5:45 AM and ran before my husband left for work so that he could watch the baby. It was a beautiful morning and a wonderful run! I feel so empowered to be able to run 3 miles again after having a baby!

I recommend the Couch to 5K running plan as an ideal way to ease into a running regimen. It is a 9 week plan that combines running with walking, gradually transforming the couch-sitter into a 5K-runner. I love it.

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

I would not be able to run without my friend Sarah. We did the Couch to 5K plan for the first time 3 years ago, and we had a blast together! Now she has gone on to bigger and better things (like running half marathons), but I think that I am content with the 5K distance!

I would not be able to run without the music on my iPod. Thanks to my friend Hye-Won for giving me that iPod--one of the best gifts ever--a few years ago! I created a special playlist that I enjoyed listening to this spring. Here were some of my favorite songs to listen to while running (mostly Christian and country):

The Only Name - Big Daddy Weave
Give Me Jesus - Galkin Evangelistic Team
Every Promise of Your Word - Keith and Kristyn Getty
Good Morning - Mandisa
The One Thing I Know - Sara Groves
O the Deep Deep Love - Sovereign Grace Music
Get Back Up - tobyMac
Oh How the Years Go By - Vanessa Williams
She's Everything - Brad Paisley
Quitter - Carrie Underwood
Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me - Keith Urban
Pioneer - The Band Perry

And I would not be able to run without God's grace in my life! I have always been the girl who likes to sit and read, or sit and play the piano, or sit and talk, or sit and drink tea, or sit and eat chocolate (key word=SIT!). In college I struggled with emotional eating and was about 20 pounds overweight. Running 3 miles may not mean much to some people, but it means something to me. It reminds me that in the strength of Christ, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13)!





 

 

 

 

 

 



 



The Blessing of our Baby's Birth!

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.

I love this old hymn. Today, as I tend to my newborn baby, remembering that one week ago we brought him home from the hospital, I think of this hymn and how blessed we are!

Weston Carl Barnett was born on Wednesday, September 4th at 12:14 AM. He weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces and measured 20 inches long. The birth was difficult because I had back labor and Weston was born "sunny-side-up." God showed His goodness and mercy in so many ways, though. My labor lasted only 9 hours, which I hear is relatively short. My husband was an incredible coach, tirelessly applying counter-pressure on my lower back to help relieve the pain. My doctor happened to be on call that day, so we were privileged to have her deliver our baby. She was the best! She followed our wishes exactly, and we were able to have a natural, drug-free, Bradley birth! Finally being able to meet our baby was amazing! He is absolutely adorable, with thick dark hair and thoughtful, alert eyes. We love him! We are so blessed!   

 

 

 



39 Weeks and Graduates of the Bradley Method!

Today I am 39 weeks pregnant. This afternoon my doctor told me that I am 3 centimeters dilated and 90% effaced. Our baby could come at anytime!

Honestly, childbirth has been a big fear of mine ever since I was a little girl. Perhaps I have heard too many horror stories about birth from other women or seen too many dramatic renditions of birth from Hollywood.

Of course, my greatest encouragement is knowing that God will be with me. And my next greatest encouragement is knowing that my husband will be with me! But I also have to say that taking the Bradley Method comprehensive 12-week childbirth education course has given me a HUGE boost of confidence--along with a wealth of information.

You can read about the Bradley Method here.

http://www.bradleybirth.com/

It is a method based on the principles of Dr. Robert A. Bradley, who lived from 1917-1998. His book Husband-Coached Childbirth, first published in 1965, is one of the most well-known books on natural childbirth. Dr. Bradley advocated two main concepts: that childbirth is safest, most efficient, and most fulfilling without the use of pain medication, and that trained husbands make the best labor coaches.

 

 



I read the book from cover to cover, and I would recommend it. However, the Bradley course itself was even more helpful than the book. Ben and I met at our instructor's home one evening per week for 12 sessions. There were two other couples in our class. We studied everything from proper nutrition and exercise during pregnancy, to how the process of labor works, to the benefits and risks of common hospital procedures, to relaxation techniques and pushing positions to use during labor, to caring for a newborn. Our instructor presented information in class in an interesting way, took time to answer our questions, and then gave us various articles to read at home. Occasionally we had to research a topic and give a presentation in class. We even had to go through a "labor rehearsal" during one of the last classes!

A few evenings ago was our last Bradley class, so Ben and I can now say that we are graduates of the Bradley Method! I am so glad that we took the course together so that we could learn everything together. I truly believe that knowledge is power. I feel so much more confident about the labor and birth now that I know what to expect and what I want!

Still, several questions remain. Will Ben and I be able to remember everything that we have learned? Will I be able to give birth without pain medication as I hope to do? And WHEN will our sweet baby arrive??? We are ready for you, Baby Boo! 

July Travels

Whew. After 12 days of traveling, we are finally home! We had wonderful visits, though, both in northeastern Ohio with Ben's family and in Seattle, Washington with my family.

Here are the summaries of our trips with a few snapshots.

Northeastern Ohio

The 4th of July is a big event for Ben's family. Not only do they celebrate Independence Day, but also they celebrate birthdays for five people: Ben's grandmother, Ben's siblings, and two of Ben's cousins! This year the clan added another event--they surprised me with a baby shower! The women in Ben's family are phenomenal party-givers. It was the most creative baby shower that I have ever attended. When I entered the room of the shower, I looked up to see multitudes of hand-decorated onesies hanging from a clothesline!

 

Even the food was creative. The fruit salad was a beautiful baby!

 

 

I wish that I had pictures of the "diaper" games. Ben's cousins microwaved several different candy bars and then deposited each one into its own diaper. We had to pass around the "dirty diapers" and guess the kind of candy bar. It was absolutely disgusting and hilarious at the same time! Then we divided into teams and competed to see which team could design the best diaper out of toilet paper. I had to join the little girls as one of the diaper models! Haha.

 

Other highlights of the weekend were attending a baby shower for Ben's cousin on the other side of the family (whose baby is due one week after mine!) and enjoying a night ride in my father-in-law's pontoon boat. It was a great weekend!

 

Seattle, Washington

 

One day after driving home from Ohio, we flew to Washington! For Ben and me, it was our first visit to the state. I loved the mild climate, as well as the natural beauties of the mountains and the water. We visited my Uncle Dale and Aunt Nancy, who were fabulous hosts. Aunt Nancy is the kind of hostess who leaves a basket of fruit and Ghiradelli chocolate in your bedroom and plans the activities of each day with the finesse of a professional tour guide! We saw my cousin Phil, and I was thrilled to finally meet his wife Heidi and daughter Emi. My parents and brothers came, too, so it was a special family reunion.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ten-year High School Reunion!

Believe it or not, my high school graduation was 10 years ago! In May of 2003, I was one of 13 graduates from the Marion Home School Assistance Program.

Homeschooling would not have been as effective without MHSAP, an amazing home school support group. I remember countless good times, especially the dinner theatres and plays and mock trials.

 

 

 

I became close friends with many of the girls in my graduating class, and I have been blessed to keep in touch with several of them.

This morning I hosted a reunion brunch. Nine girls came. Over chicken salad sandwiches, coffee cake, and muffins, we each shared where God has brought us over the past 10 years. I loved hearing my friends share about their college experiences, career adventures, love stories, babies, life-and-death situations, etc. I think that as 28 year-olds, we are just as excited about the future as when we were 18! God is good.

  

 

 

 

Newest Member of the Family: Our Beloved John Deere

I think that I married a country boy.

 

 

And sometimes I wonder, am I becoming a country girl?

 

 





 

 

Anyway, please join me in welcoming our newest member of the family! He has made our lives much easier.

 



 

 

Kate's Graduation

Last weekend we drove to Tennessee to see Ben's sister graduate with her master's degree in Sport Administration. I thought that I would share a few pictures. Congratulations, Kate! What a huge accomplishment!

Today's Ultrasound

After today's ultrasound, I have not been able to stop smiling. Our baby appears to be perfectly healthy, praise God!

One surprise is that the due date has been moved from September 6th to August 28th. I don't mind at all! :)

And the big announcement is...we are having a BOY!

Can't wait to start shopping for blue things!

Florida Trip

Last week we vacationed in Orlando, Florida with Ben's parents and siblings. We had a great time with them in the sunshine and 80-degree weather! Highlights of the trip were attending a Good Friday service at the church of well-known Bible teacher R.C. Sproul, seeing the animals at the Central Florida Zoo, biking 9 miles on the gorgeous West Orange Trail, swimming at Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon, and shopping at various places from an eclectic flea market to a fancy outlet mall. When we had down time, I enjoyed chatting with my mother-in-law and starting to read a new novel. Ben and I returned home on Friday feeling refreshed and ready to welcome springtime in Iowa!

One-year Wedding Anniversary

Exactly one year ago yesterday, I married Benjamin Barnett. I cherish my memories of that special day. (I also am glad to be done with wedding-planning forever!) Here are some of my favorite wedding photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We celebrated our anniversary by taking a train trip to Galesburg, Illinois just for the day. We had a great time. The Amtrak train ride (made complete by eating supper in the dining car and befriending two old men named Fred and Bert!) was the highlight of the trip. It was our first experience on an Amtrak train, and we liked it so much that we want to do it again! Galesburg, Illinois may not be an extraordinary place, but we enjoyed discovering some of the gift shops and coffee shops in the downtown area. We also had lunch at Hammer's General Feed Store, which was an amazing restaurant! The pizza was excellent....yum, yum. Here are a few photos of our day.

 

  

 

 

I am so thankful for Ben. He is my best friend. I am also thankful for the gift of God's institution of marriage. One man and one woman complement each other so perfectly, and love in the context of a life-long commitment is truly beautiful. Marriage can be hard work sometimes (I have often found myself turning to Ephesians 4:31-32 after a little argument with my husband, and I am sure that he has needed similar encouragement when dealing with me!), but God gives grace when we ask Him. Our first year of marriage has been adjusting to a life of two people instead of one, and it seems that our second year of marriage will be adjusting to a life of three people instead of two! Let the adventures begin!

 

 

 



News Flash: 2013 BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Ben and I are excited to announce that we are expecting our first child! I am 12 weeks pregnant, and the due date is September 6th. At this week's doctor's appointment, I saw our baby on an ultrasound machine jumping up and down like a basketball player! The doctor told me that both the baby and I seem very healthy so far. Praise God for this gift of new life!

Our Valentine's Day Date

Ben and I celebrated Valentine's Day on Sunday instead of Thursday. It was a special day. After church we ate a light lunch at The Blue Strawberry, a coffee shop in downtown Cedar Rapids. Then we walked a few blocks to the Paramount Theatre to see Broadway's Beauty and the Beast! It was an incredible show. I mean, who does not love the heart-warming story of Beauty and the Beast? Seeing it performed live was a fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime experience. For a long time I have adored the music that the Broadway show added to that of the Disney movie. The songs that send the most chills down my spine (besides Mrs. Potts' famous solo of Beauty and the Beast) are Home, If I Can't Love Her, and A Change In Me. Ben and I were impressed with both the voices and the acting of the cast. Our favorite cast members were Belle (Hilary Maiberger), Gaston (Joe Hager), Mrs. Potts (Erin Edelle), and Madame de la Grande Bouche (Shani Hadjian). Wow, what an awesome husband I have to buy me those tickets! We ended our Valentine's Day date by bringing home a Pizza Hut cheese pizza for supper!

Snowstorm, New Job, and Mozart

This morning was not my favorite morning.

A snowstorm dumped several inches of snow into Eastern Iowa, causing treacherous road conditions.

Schools were cancelled. Many events in the community were cancelled. But it happened to be the morning that I was starting a new part-time job at a clothing store.

So I had no choice. I had to drive on the snowy highway, even though I thought that I was going to die. (I have become so accustomed to this year and last year's bizarre, mild winters that I have almost forgotten what it is like to drive in the snow!)

Thankfully I made it to work. Though the first day of a new job is always stressful for me, I was able to endure it and meet some nice people. I had to shovel my car out of a snowdrift before I could leave the parking lot of the store (hurray for the little shovel that I keep in my trunk!), but I was able to make it home.

Ahh, my warm, dry, safe, cozy house! I felt so grateful to be inside, but I still felt traumatized from my morning. I searched for the perfect something to soothe me. And then I saw it: my book of Mozart Piano Sonatas lying on the piano. I sat down to play a sonata. And then another one...

Ahh, Mozart! What a wonderful old friend! I have been listening to more pop and country music than ever since I have been married, and I have neglected Mozart and the other classical composers. I love many elements of Mozart's music. I love his sparkling, precise articulations. For example, his two-note slurs grab your attention like a nurse pricking your finger with a needle, but then they float away like a gentle sigh. I love his beautiful melodies, especially those in the slower second movements of his sonatas. And perhaps what meant the most to me today was the complete confidence that Mozart always resolves his dissonances with tonality. He might use some jarring notes or harsh chords, but he never fails to conclude every sonata on the tonic chord. Everything is always all right in the end. It reminds me of how my sovereign God always works good out of bad. And it comforts me.

If you are having a chaotic day, listen to some Mozart. Yes, even if you are not a classical music lover.

   

Piano Recital

A few evenings ago, another piano teacher and I combined our small studios for a Christmas piano recital. It was a special time.

Yes, I am teaching piano again!

I could write volumes about my musical past, but the short story is that I took a one-year sabbatical from teaching piano (May 2011 to May 2012). It was a wonderful break for me. Piano had been my life up until that point. I had suffered some disappointments, though, that had tempted me to give up music.

Disappointments like...

Graduate school: My virtuosic Asian peers intimidated me, and I started having memory slips in performance for the first time.

My first year as a professional musician: I worked morning, afternoon, and evening at 3 different music jobs. I ended up teaching 54 students plus accompanying several others. My life was exhausting. And to put it bluntly, I had no life!

My second year as a professional musician: I dropped one of my 3 music jobs to save my sanity and then struggled to survive financially.

Rejection letters: I applied to a couple of doctoral programs in piano and was rejected. I discovered that I had been playing with an inverted hand position for all of these years and that it might take quite a bit of time and effort to correct it.

So, I did something radical...perhaps foolish. I quit my music jobs and moved home with my parents! I enrolled in some computer courses, thinking that I would train to be a secretary or something. I worked at minumum wage jobs to pay the bills.

And then...well, most of my friends know the rest of the story. God brought Prince Charming into my life right when I needed a hero! My year of sabbatical from piano ended up being my year of falling in love, planning my wedding, and tying the knot.

I love how God works.

And then I found a part-time job teaching piano at a local music school. And I took it. And I am realizing that maybe teaching piano is my destined career after all.

I have a new philosophy of teaching, though. Never will I encourage my students to strive to be better than everyone else. No matter how talented you are, there will always be people who are better than you. My goals are simply to encourage my students to be their own personal best and to share the joy of music.

And that is why I am now a strong believer in recitals. Competitions are good for some, but recitals are good for everybody!

I felt the joy a few evenings ago. I was proud of my 3 little students. For 2 of them, it was their very, very first recital. Even I played a Christmas carol, "O Holy Night." It may not have been the most technically impressive solo, but there was something special in it--a piece of my heart.

   



 

See our Christmas Lights

 

 

December is here, and Christmas is coming! Ben framed the outside of our house with some awesome Christmas lights. We took a few pictures, thinking about using one for a Christmas card. I have to admit that I may not like this picture enough to mail it to all of my relatives, but I like it enough to post it on my blog! Merry Christmas!  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish you a happy Thanksgiving from the Chandler/Barnett clan!

Birthday!

Today I turned 28.

I love birthdays. You could skip the party and the cake and the gifts, and I would still love birthdays. I think that I will still love birthdays when I turn the big 30 or the big 40 and find my first wrinkles and gray hairs. To me, what makes birthdays special is celebrating God's faithfulness. My favorite birthday tradition is writing a long entry in my diary about what I am grateful for from the past year and what I am hoping for in the coming year.

27 was an unforgetable year. It was the year that I said "I do" to my handsome, loving, and all-around amazing husband, Ben. Life was good as a single girl, but it is even better with my best friend beside me.

I am looking forward to seeing what 28 brings. Hopefully I will become a better wife and a better piano instructor and a better cook and a better Sunday School teacher, etc., etc., etc. It will be interesting to see what kinds of adventures God sends my way.

Even though my favorite part of birthdays is reflecting on my many blessings, I have to admit that I enjoy the other stuff, too! Ben surprised me with pizza at "Old Chicago" in Iowa City and ice skating at the Coralridge Mall.

 

 

And I love my birthday present from Ben--word magnets so that we can write love notes to each other every day on our kitchen wall!

Tomorrow the birthday festivities will continue at my parents' house. Tonight I will drift off to sleep, knowing that a homemade Italian cream cake is waiting for me!