Baptism

About 4 weeks ago, I had the blessing to be baptized and share my testimony about how the Lord has worked in my heart. My father-in-law, who baptized me, introduced me as Naomi Girard! :) Here is my testimony for anyone who wasn't able to be there:

Good morning! My name is Naomi Hamline. I have the great privilege this morning to boast in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the work He has done in my heart. I grew up here in this church and in a home that taught me that the Bible is true and that Jesus died for my sins. I prayed with my mom at a young age to accept Jesus into my heart and was shortly after baptized. While I believe the Lord was working in my life, I do not think I understood what salvation meant. I was a good kid who knew all the Sunday school answers and was outwardly obedient to gain the approval of my parents. In junior high, I again had what I thought at the time was a conversion experience and started spending time reading the Bible on my own. However, there was not a true heart change or sorrow over my sin. I did not have assurance and found myself praying often that God would save me. Looking back, this was not salvation, but the Lord was clearly working in my heart as I started reading the Word consistently. Because my sin up to that point from my perspective was internal and hardly ever affected the people around me, I deceived myself into thinking that I was a good person who was right with God. I participated in events at church, going on mission trips and service projects. There was an appearance of godliness but my heart was not right with God. I entered my college years and in 2003 found myself in a situation where I made sinful decisions that hurt my family and friends. I was living for myself and did not care who I hurt in the process. That which was in my heart was coming out in my actions.  I was lovingly confronted by two of the pastors here at the church and left that meeting completely and totally humiliated and humbled. But the Lord used this for my good! He opened my eyes to see my sin for what it was -disobedience against God. My appearance of godliness was really filthy rags in God’s sight. I found myself on my knees weeping over my sin. How could God ever love me or forgive my sins? It was here that God used all those years of teaching in church and reading the Bible to open my eyes to the truth. Jesus Christ had died in my place, for my sins! And because of this, God was offering me forgiveness and eternal life. What a sweet relief to know that my sins were forgiven, that God did love me and that it was not dependent on anything I had done or ever would do.  Titus 3:3-7 “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.  But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,  He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,  whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”  Since that day so many years ago, I have seen great growth in godliness through my relationship with Christ. I am still a sinner, but I’ve been saved by grace! Because I twice thought I was saved before truly coming to know the Lord, I have struggled greatly with assurance, often doubting that I really believed. This has led me to put off getting baptized. But the Holy Spirit has worked to convict my heart that I need to obey and to show me that my heart has truly changed. Today I know that Christ lives in me and I stand before you in obedience to God’s Word to be baptized and proclaim Him as my Savior and Lord.

6 month pictures ...Does it get any cuter?

6 months

I absolutely canNOT believe that it's been half a year since J was born. Time is flying!

What he's up to at 6 months...

• Now wearing size 3 diapers (graduated to size 2 just last month, that size did not last long)
• Ate oatmeal mixed with breastmilk for the first time and seemed to like it
• Tried oatmeal mixed with formula and did NOT like it
• The pants mommy bought for you to wear around this age are all too small, you are wearing the pants that she planned for you to wear around 8-9 months
• Many people are commenting about how much you are starting to look like mommy
• You have crazy hair! It is getting long and sticks straight up in the back. It is much lighter than when you were a newborn
• Had a cold several weeks ago and still have a terrible sounding cough, plus maybe some seasonal allergies that are making it worse
• Favorite toy is your tambourine that is attached to your Johnny jump-up. You always somehow manage to get the Velcro undone and yank it off so you can chew on it. Then you like to play a game with mommy called Pick up my toy!
• Starting to sit at the table with mommy and daddy at mealtimes in your booster seat, playing with spoons
• Take a walk with mommy on most days and no matter what mood you are in when we leave, you become completely content and happy on the ride
• Have almost rolled over from your back to your tummy, but are still trying to figure out how to get your arm out of the way
• You are still as chubby as ever! We won’t know how much you weigh until your check-up in a few weeks
• Decided a few weeks ago that you are not going to take three naps a day anymore. You now usually take one long nap in the morning and one shorter nap in the afternoon
• Still getting up once a night to nurse, but seem to be sleeping better overall
• Now sleep all the time in your crib, for naps and at night. Sometimes you sleep in your pack and play, just to make sure that you’ll like it when we take our trip to Branson this weekend
• You’ll be meeting your aunt/uncle/cousins on the Hamline side for the first time in just a few days. And next week you’ll get to meet your great-grandpa Ralph

I’ll post more after Thanksgiving with pictures!

5 Months Old

• You are wearing 6 month size clothes and size 2 diapers.
• My guess is that you weigh around 17 pounds, maybe a little more.
• Everyone loves your chubby rolls!
• Your two favorite activities during the day: Jumping in your johnny jump-up and taking walks in your stroller around the neighborhood.
• We are trying to transition you to sleep in your crib. So during the day you sleep in your crib for naps and at night you sleep in your bedside sleeper.
• You are still exclusively breastfed but you are starting to show interest in food. You watch mommy and daddy closely while they are eating.
• Before bed, you get a bath. Then we put on lotion and pjs. Then we sing together and say a prayer. Then you get lots of kisses and we say night night. Then you put yourself to sleep.
• As of yesterday, you consistently started rolling over from your tummy to your back.
• You have always hated “tummy time”. You are supposed to play on your tummy for several minutes a couple of times  a day to help you grow strong muscles.  Now that you are rolling over, mommy can’t get you to stay on your tummy. You’ve figured out that rolling over means “No tummy time!”
• You consistently take 3 naps a day and are starting to make them longer than the usual 45 minutes.
• You are very inconsistent at night. Sometimes you get up once, sometimes 3 times or more. Sometimes you want to eat and sometimes you just need to be rocked.
• You wear bibs all day because otherwise you quickly soak your clothes with drool.
• No teeth yet. But with all the drool and chewing on your hands, they may be coming soon.
• You like to be tickled. Mommy’s favorite thing is to hear you giggle.
• You love to sing! Anytime we are doing something you don’t enjoy, like getting in the carseat, if mommy or daddy sing to you, you will stay calm.
• You are so loved! All your grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins want to spend time with you. They all want to hold you and kiss you. They all want to be your favorite!

 

*Thanks to Aunt Bri for taking the pics!

It's been a while...

I’m not going to try to catch up since our last post. Just going to start in on our life now. And hopefully will be diligent to post often. Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day!

Here I am at 38.5 weeks on my first Mother's Day. It was such a great day, even without our little guy here yet. Michael made me breakfast in bed and then gave me a necklace that has two pendants, one with the baby's name and another with a green stone for the month of May. After church, Michael also cooked lunch for me and his mom. He definitely went all out to make today special. I am so thankful for the blessing of such a loving husband!

Michael's work threw a shower for Baby Hamline, Naomi and Michael. Lots of good food which everyone prepared.

There was a Cowboy theme for the shower.

Michael's friends at work were very kind and generous and Baby Hamline did well at this first shower thrown in his honor.

All right!  Thanks Aunt Connie and Uncle Terry for making sure this little boy will be a Royals fan from day one!  These shoes are too cute!

Can't wait to dress him up in these outfits!  Hopefully the Royals will be a lot better in his lifetime than they have been for his dad.

One of the work shower gifts, a round soft baseball blanket!  Can't wait to dress him in his Royals outfits, wrap him up in his blanket, and sit with him on the couch to catch a Saturday afternoon baseball game!