McMullan Baby Photos

As of this moment, all four little McMullan babies are in open air cribs, Charlotte with Pallie and Lucy with Duncan!  "It is so incredibly precious to see them  snuggled up together"!  Eventually they will all four be together in one crib; can you imagine all that preciousness in one bed? 

Open air cribs means that the babies have less wires and tubes and look more and more like their beautiful little baby selves.

 It is also just one step in the journey toward going home.:) Thank you again for all of your prayers for my friend Jenny Kate, now mother of six, husband Paul, and big sisters times four, Mollie and Katherine.   You are most appreciated.

"On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers on many."  2 Corinthians 10b,11

We have simplified..... repeatedly.  

I mean it.  

We have made difficult phone calls, explained reasons why we cannot ____. 

And yet, I was miserable for days leading up to last weekend .... all in the name of fun.

And I feel the same noose of stress tightening as I look toward the weekend to come.  

I am conceding the impossibility, physical impossibility, of our family calendar.

I know we agreed to (most of) it.  Frankly, it really isn't overboard in any one area. Each child plays one sport at a time, very little overlap if any.    We are involved with things at school, not everything.  Hannah is in choir, boys guitar and drums.   We are involved in youth group. Everyone has social things to do.  Phil has a job.  But it is not working.  

And when I began to despair.... I resolve to reflect. 

What matters? 

What are we trying to accomplish during the years that our children live at home?

In the midst of the compromises, planning ahead, sharing rides with friends, making choices, what do we want our kids (and ourselves) to practice and to learn?

To ask questions.

Why am I doing what I am doing? 

In what way does it matter, help others, develop the traits I/we am striving for?

Does it have temporary or eternal significance? 

What is my motivation for doing it?  Because others are? Source of pride? Is it a should or a want to?  Or is it something I/we are called to?

Does it develop a God given talent in a balanced way?  and bring Him glory?

In what way does it develop character, teach lessons, grow me/us spiritually?

We have so little time with our children at home.  It is necessary to pinpoint our focus and tailor our choices accordingly.  

Repeatedly.

More about the Amazing McMullan Babies

Thank you so very much for your interest, love and prayers for my friend and her little ones whom many of you do not even know!  This young couple is striving to model their faith before countless medical personal, and their 2 young daughters,  in the most stressful of situations and yet God has sustained them through the prayers of so many!  I received this report from Jenny Kate a day or so after the post below:

"I've just returned from the NICU where our babies, --including Lucy and Duncan -- are looking much better today, Praise the Lord!  The doctors aren't sure what caused the virus like symptoms, and we're getting conflicting reports about the level of risk from here on out; but they are agreed that both babies are improving.  They've started Duncan back on his feedings, though at a greatly reduced rate, and they've taken all four babies off of isolation -- which means we can hold them again without wearing masks, gloves, and gowns.

Paul and I reminded each other over and over yesterday that these children belong to the Lord and not to us, and that His will for them is good.  But our hearts still ached with worry and with desire for their health in the last 36 hours, and your prayers and messages were the greatest gift we could have.  I cannot explain the blessing of knowing that people who love us and people who don't even know us are approaching the throne on grace on behalf of our children.  Thank you."

Thank you again, for your loving prayers for my friend.

The McMullan Quadruplets need of prayer

Psalm 112:6-8

"Surely he will never be shaken;

a righteous man will be remembered forever.

He will have no fear of bad news;

his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

His heart is secure, he will have no fear;

in the end he will look in triumph on his foes."

So many of you have joined me in praying for the safe arrival of the four beautiful little babies belonging to my precious friend Jenny Kate McMullan and her husband Paul, and big sisters Mollie and Katherine.  These four darling little ones were born at 32 weeks gestation, a miracle in itself, on October 7th weighing between 2lb14oz and 3lb14oz.  Three little girls: Lucy Wilder, Elizabeth Pallie, and Charlotte Tindall and one extraordinarily manly little boy, William Duncan are in the NICU at Ochsner's in New Orleans where this family of eight lives.  While the babies have been doing well, and ups and downs are expected, Jenny Kate emailed me this morning with this request:

"Paul and I got a call from the NICU at 3am today because Duncan was having trouble maintaining his body temperature and his heart rate was dropping.  They stopped his feedings and put him on antibiotics, thinking he may have a bacterial infection.  This afternoon, the neonatology section head told us he suspects Duncan may have a viral upper respiratory infection instead.  He fears Lucy may be getting it as well.

We are extremely concerned and ask that you please please pray for these two babies especially.  Please pray that they will be able to get past whatever this episode in the night was.  Please pray that Duncan will not sustain any harm from the antibiotics.  Please pray for the doctors and nurses caring for him and Lucy, that they will have wisdom as they make decisions.  Please pray for Charlotte and Pallie, that they will continue to grow well and that they will not be affected if there is a virus at play.  Please pray for Paul and me, that we will be able to trust all four of these children to the Lord completely and to represent our faith in Jesus well.

From a medical standpoint, there is nothing to be done now except wait, and we don't know when there will be further information.  I will keep you updated as we learn more.

Thank you very much!!"

Jenny Kate

I will try to post of photo or two soon.  Thank you for your prayers for this lovely HUGE family!

Chicago, Fall Break by Cameron Newman

Over Fall Break my Dad went to Africa so we had to go somewhere so we went to Chicago!  We arrived at around noon or 11:30.  We took the train into the city and then walked to our hotel.  The roads were swarming with people in cars and taxis, but not many people walking, surprisingly.  After we checked into our hotel which was 17 floors and we got the 17th floor, we went to eat at the ESPN Zone which is a restaurant, kind of. 

 The ESPN ZONE was three floors high; it had a store, a restaurant, and a huge arcade room.  When you are eating you can watch tons and tons of sports shows and even a tiny TV in our booth.   After we ate we went to Nike Town which is a huge store with lots of Nike stuff. Again the store was three floors high, but I did not buy anything.
  

Next we went shopping a little more and then we went to eat at the best pizza restaurant I have ever eaten at.  It was amazing!! After that we went back to the hotel and watched the movie in Hulk in our beds. 

 

The next morning we got up and ate a huge breakfast at the hotel. 

Then we walked to Navy Pier and got on the tour boat, but it was really cold. The boat took us through downtown Chicago from Lake Michigan on the Chicago River.  After we got off the boat we went inside the huge pavilions at Navy Pier.  There were lots of tiny stores and restaurants inside. I didn't buy anything but it was cool.   

Next we went to the Field Museum which has the biggest complete T-Rex fossil ever, called Sue. We also ate lunch in the museum. Then we

 took a taxi back to our hotel and took a nap until it was time to go to the theater.

We decided we had to eat at that awesome pizza place again, Giordano's.  

Then one of the best parts of the trip we got to go see 

Wicked the play. It was like telling the Wizard of Oz from the Wicked Which of the West's view.  Once the play was over we walked to a deli and then walked to the hotel and went to bed.

Early the next day we got up and packed to leave, but we didn't actually have to leave until 2:30.  We wanted to be ready.  The first place we went straight to the John Hancock Building.  It was huge.  Some lady said we were going 20 to 30 miles and hour in the elevator.  Once we got to the top I immediately looked out the window. All I could see was huge Lake Michigan, it looked like the ocean.  We stayed up there for about 15 or 20 minutes looking at different parts of the city.  At the top of the John Hancock Building there was a little shop and I got a snow globe and a little key chain bear that says Chicago on it.  (When we went to New 

York I got a snow globe

 when we were in the Empire State Building.)  After we left we went to the Cheesecake Factory in the John Hancock Building.  It was sooo good.  As we were walking back to the hotel to get our luggage we stopped in the Disney Store.  And the last place we went before we left was the.... Nike store... (again).

It was definitely an amazing nonforgetful trip.  The End

Just one more day

Phil is coming home tomorrow from 12 days in Uganda, Praise the Lord! I can't wait to post photos from his trip! Just his text messages have expressed what an amazing experience this has been. 

"just saw a huge pig on the back of a moped"

"I'm seeing my first African sunrise at 5:45 am and many sweet children walking to school up and down hilly pot hole filled roads again.... God Bless them.  Now it's beginning to rain"

"Tons of little smiling faces will swam around you wanting to touch you and hold you hand"

"Peter prayed like I've never heard before, we sang, gave gifts to the teachers, I spoke words of encouragement to them, and needless 2 say I cried.  God was very good."

"I was schooled in worship today.  4 different sermons by 4 Ugandan ministers.  Preaching the likes of which you've never seen and singing as well... all under a big tree on the farm... I've never worshiped/prayed like that in my life..."

"I was asked to speak again twice today to the men.... one of the greatest experiences of my life... all in a ridiculously beautiful setting.  I'm in love with Africans.  And you all.  Love you all more than ever."

"I just stood 5 feet away from a baboon.  Our guide gave him a banana."

"Just got charged at by an elephant .....  we ran obviously.  It was not a full blown charge, 20-30 yards away....  speaking in church tomorrow, please pray"

"met the sweetest child this AM..... Charles.  Orphaned and at church all alone.  12 y.o. but looked  8 or 9..."

"safe in Amsterdam.. can't wait to see you all"

Last night we had dinner together. At home.  We talked about Phil's upcoming trip to Africa, heard his concerns which we can cover in prayer.  We talked about the upcoming basketball season with four teams (parents rotate, we've already mapped out the schedule).  We talked about Hannah's midstate choir audition on Saturday and how we are going to get her to Brentwood,  Phil off to the airport, David to a football game in Goodlettesville, etc...   

Our main challenges as parents have evolved as our kids have gotten older.   At ages 1,2,4,and 5, our challenges were fatigue, time alone EVER, consistency in "mothering", patience to name a few. And stomach virus's.    Ten years later, children ages 11,12,14, and 15, most of my challenges revolve around management of several key areas.  

Managing for everyone to get enough sleep (teens and preteens tend to procrastinate).   

Managing to get everyone where they need to go. Practices and activities are longer, later (or earlier - 6 am before school for example) and more frequent (3-5 times per week rather than 1 or 2).  Even with limits, 1 sport, 1 church, 1 music activity times 4 kids divided by 2 parents equals conflict management. 

Managing to eat dinner together EVER at whatever time is deemed necessary around Phil's ever changing shift and practices/meetings.  

Managing the laundry.  Maybe it is because everyones clothes are bigger?  Or maybe because they wear one thing to school, one to practice/game, and then another after practice? Maybe because we are rarely home?  Whatever the cause, laundry is a challenge I am not winning. 

Managing meaningful conversation with each other.   Phil and I together and with each child. There is sooo much to talk about, to talk through at these ages and when a teenager is ready to talk it is time to listen, sleep or no sleep.  Children this age are amazing to talk to as their family's values and opinions are wrestled through and become their own.  This can be delightful and heart wrenching all within the matter of 10 minutes.  

Some of the best of it happens around the dinner table, when we all can get there.  It may be at 4:30 or we may eat at 9, but when we get to sit down together, table set, candles lit, conversation flowing, oh how sweet it is.