Unsinkable Ships

Okay. First things first. Everyone is doing really well now. Cohen has slept through the night for the last THREE NIGHTS - HOORAY! He is being fed through his pump - fill 'er up! - all night long. He whimpers every once in a while, but goes back to sleep - sans screaming fit. The first night I thought it might be a fluke. The next night I was wishful thinking. Now, I'm convinced this might actually become a regular occurrence. So exciting! So yes, getting the tube "installed" was difficult, the hospital stay was no fun, but now that the tube's in place, he's become a different baby. It's like somebody flipped a switch and now he's back on: talking and relying on his thumb A LOT less (which could be why he's talking more) and moving his arms and legs more. So good to see! Now if we can only figure out why oh why he won't eat through his mouth... The beginning of next week we go in for chromosome testing to rule out any genetic syndromes. I will keep you posted!

Jenna and Hannah are doing well also. Hannah is so funny. She knows Cohen likes to pull hair so she leans down and actually offers a handful to him! She even smiles while he's yanking! That's love! :) Jenna is doing well at school, and she's almost done for the year. We just got her school pictures back yesterday and they are so cute. They caught her smiling, which took skills, I'm sure, cuz it's been difficult to catch those pearly whites on film lately. Usually, when you ask her to smile and say cheese!, she looks at you like you've lost your mind. And she almost always has her mouth hanging open the moment you snap the picture. We'll have to work on that! :)

Now onto something else...

I was tagged a while ago. I'm super late responding. I've been a heel about participating in the fun, so I figured better late than never. This one had to do with listing what I consider good songs. Hmmm... well, I have several different categories that I could draw from. I like a little bit of just about everything. Does that make me wishy-washy? Well, if it does, so be it! There's something somewhat... well... personal about sharing the music you love with people. Or maybe it's just me?

First, let me preface this with some background info. I grew up dancing. My mom owned a dance studio and I spent seemingly endless hours dancing around in front of a wall-to-wall mirror with music cranked up much louder than it could ever be at home. Or in the car. At least, not without blowing speakers, that is. I still enjoy music you can dance to, but unfortunately that kind of music is not particularly known for its meaningful messages, if you know what I mean! Some people like listening to quality instrumentals; well, I wouldn't really know the first thing about that, but I do know about music that speaks to me.

Honestly, my faith has been tested a lot in the past few years; ironically, it's one of the only things that gets me through. Probably the primary thing...or should be, at least. For this reason, I like listening to songs that remind me to dream and to remember I'm not alone in this crazy world. So, 'nuff said. Here's my list in no particular order:

• Fireflies by Faith Hill. This song is all about dreaming little dreams, and remembering the magic of childhood and imagination. Nothing has to be what it seems; it only has the meaning we give to it. The cool thing about this song? The songwriter was a housewife and sahm who wrote music in her spare time. She dreamed and cultivated her talent from the privacy of her own home, and her dream is now transformed into a song that millions of people know and are inspired by... including me. So, ladies, keep doing whatever it is that you do best, even if it is done while sitting in a mound of toys on your living room floor, or between loads of laundry that just won't stop, or at the soccer field while you're waiting for your little athlete to finish up practice! You never know what could happen.
• Do It Anyway by Martina McBride. Another song about dreaming, about going for it and not giving up when the going gets tough, even if it all seems impossible. It's about reaching for that goal even if it seems as though you can never possibly get there. God is great, but sometimes life ain't good...
• If Everyone Cared by Nickelback. I like the rough, rocker feeling of this song. It's a song you can yell to (ummm, in private maybe?) and it feels darn good to yell out something you believe in! It's about living life in a positive way. If everyone cared... then nobody'd die. Swallow your pride... love and not lie. All good messages. Hey, I don't get to rock out often and feel good about saying the lyrics! Maybe I'm a closet rock star?! Did I miss my calling? Have ya heard me sing? HAHA! :) "Singin' A-Amen, I'm ALIVE!"
• Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood. You've been reading my blog, right? Well, this song is basically my anthem! Although I still fight like crazy to drive my own route, this song reminds me that I'm not experienced enough, or knowledgeable enough, to go it alone.
• I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me, about meeting the maker, the ultimate dream. A very catchy melody, and it makes you think. What would you do if you were face-to-face with God? How would you react? My hubby loves this song, and he loves singing to it too! Maybe he missed his calling as well?! :)
• Anything on this CD. I know there are great versions of these worship songs, and multiple people sing them, but I don't know who sings them best. I only know that they are awesome when they are sung in church and the entire congregation is singing them together. Here I Am To Worship almost always makes me cry. I'm not sure why this particular song does that to me. I guess it has to do with becoming fully submissive and bowing down to something greater than you are. Humility. I remember one particular Sunday morning we sang this song in church after Jenna had been in the hospital and I cried buckets. It was cleansing in a way; a much-needed release after a huge amount of pent-up tension and a reminder that we weren't alone, that even though I was powerless to stop the pain and confusion Jenna suffered at the time, He was there with her. Amazing Love is another moving song about the ultimate love and sacrifice of Christ.

So that's it. My list. Or rather, my inspirational category list. I have other favorites, other categories. Like a dance category - I'll admit I listen to some hip-hop, mostly for the beat. Also some alternative rock, like Boston by Augustana or How to Save a Life by the Frey. Oh, and country - YES country - already proof of that in my list above. Just heard a song last night that I really like: The Impossible, by Joe Nichols.

Goes like this:

My dad chased monsters from the dark He checked underneath my bed An he could lift me with one arm Way up over top of his head He could loosen rusty bolts With a quick turn of his wrist He pulled splinters from his hand And never even flinched In thirteen years I'd never seen him cry But the day that grandpa died,I realized

Unsinkable ships sink Unbreakable walls break Sometimes the things you think could never happen Happens just like that Unbendable steel bends If the fury of the wind is unstoppable I've learned to never underestimate The impossible

And then there was my junior year Billy had a brand new car It was late,the road was wet I guess the curves was just too sharp I walked away without a scratch They brought the helicopter in And Billy couldn't feel his legs Said he'd never walk again But Billy said he would and his mom and daddy prayed And the day we graduated,he stood up to say:

Unsinkable ships sink Unbreakable walls break Sometimes the things you think could never happen Happens just like that Unbendable steel bends If the fury of the wind is unstoppable I've learned to never underestimate The impossible

So don't tell me that it's over Don't give up on you and me 'Cos there's no such thing as hopeless If you believe:

Unsinkable ships sink Unbreakable walls break Sometimes the things you think could never happen Happens just like that Unbendable steel bends If the fury of the wind is unstoppable I've learned to never underestimate The impossible

AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH?!

 
Then there's the ANCIENT category - HA! :) Like American Pie by Don McLean - it's amazing how one single song can chronicle the events of a time, kinda like We Didn't Start the Fire. Remember that song? And I almost forgot the musical category. Like West Side Story, Rent, Sunset Boulevard, Phantom of the Opera, 42nd Street, or the crude, but ingenious comedy, Urinetown (spoof of Our Town?). I also loved the soundtrack to Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, before the Shakira song became popular! Something about the Cuban flavor...

So, you wouldn't believe the variety of my playlist. Or maybe you would now that I gave you a glimpse!

Am I supposed to tag someone now? Oh, well. Everyone I would tag has been tagged already, since I'm SO DARN LATE responding!