Meet the Shaneyfelts

faith

Surprise!

Just when we thought our family was complete, we found out it wasn’t…

…SURPRISE!!!

Finding out this news has literally been the biggest surprise ever. I am officially 12 weeks pregnant today, and we just found out about this baby 3 weeks ago. Isn’t that so crazy?! Even when we found out, I still could not even believe that this was even real. I have been told by multiple doctors that it’s impossible because of how terrible my endometriosis is–this baby is quite literally a miracle. And for the past three weeks, I’ve been guarding my heart in fear that I would miscarry like I did the one time I was pregnant before Harrison.

Dustin was able to go to my most recent doctor’s appointment with me, and he was able to hear the heartbeat :). Our baby has a strong heartbeat and was very active during the ultrasound!

I have had a wide array of emotions during this pregnancy–like worrying how Harrison would handle the news but also worrying about the things people might say to us (and I feel like those were overtaking any sort of excitement I had).

So I did want to address that since it did happen to me at my first doctor’s appointment to confirm this pregnancy. The nurse congratulated me that I would finally have a baby of my own after listening to God telling me to adopt my two boys. First, what she said was incredibly bad theology, but it also was very hurtful. After Harrison was born, I had someone (who I know meant well but it was wrong to say) tell me that since we adopted Harrison, I was going to get pregnant. Like that was the end goal the entire time. No, my goal has always been to be a mom and it didn’t matter how I became a mother. It also makes God sound like a magic genie. Just do this and God will reward you. That’s very wrong thinking about God.

I nicely told the nurse that my boys were my own children, but what she said still bothers me. And maybe because that’s the way some people think about adoption? I am beyond thankful that God built our family through adoption. I think it’s so beautiful. And now that he’s adding to our family biologically, I’m trusting in Him because I know everything He does is for my good and His glory.

So here we are–bringing a baby into our family in March when Banks will be 14 months old and Harrison will be 5. I am so thankful that Harrison is super excited and Banks has no clue ha! We are really excited, and we welcome any and all prayers as we navigate a new time in our lives!

I wanted to share this candid even though Dustin’s arm was in the way–sweet boys!

Random Thoughts on Motherhood

Today’s post is going to be random. I was walking yesterday for exercise and started listening to a Sally Clarkson podcast. She’s a huge believer in the importance of motherhood and discipling your children–and it got me thinking…

I love being a mother so much. I really do. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of being and maybe because of that, sometimes I end the day feeling like I’ve done the worst job possible. Was I too irritable today? Did I show enough grace? Was I patient enough? Did I play with Harrison enough? Do both boys know how much I love them?

I want my kids to grow up feeling safe here in their home. To feel comfortable in their home. To go to sleep each night feeling secure in their love from both of their parents. To see modeled how a true repentant Christian life is like.

And there are some days where I feel like I did an okay job, and then there are days where I feel like I am the worst mom.

BUT…I am thankful that I don’t have to stress out about what I am like as a mom. I remind myself (and I have to do this frequently) that God is sovereign over Harrison and Banks’s lives–that my job is to do the very best I can in loving and raising them, but that I don’t have control over how they turn out as adults. God is in control. That takes a lot of pressure off of feeling like I have to be a perfect mom all the time because it’s impossible! This doesn’t mean that I parent passively–I still strive to do a perfect job, but when I mess up and sin against my children, I repent and then apologize to them and ask them for forgiveness.

Okay, well I have no idea why I wrote this post, but maybe someone needs to be reminded of this just like I need to remind myself of this pretty much every day 🙂

Books I Bought for Myself at The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference 2022

Hi friends! I just realized that I haven’t blogged since the end of June…whoops! I asked on IG stories about who would be interested in seeing what I got from the conference and the majority of everyone was interested! I’ll share what I bought for myself first and then later this week (hopefully Wednesday) I’ll share what I bought Harrison.

Book One

I’m currently reading this book! I love how the chapters go through an entire day–from waking and making the bed to evening tea and going to sleep. The author shows how even the most ordinary parts of our day can serve as worship to God if we change our mindset. I’ve only read two chapters, but I’m really enjoying it so far! (Side note: The author is Anglican, but so far in the little I’ve read, I haven’t found anything I disagree with….but also it’s okay to read books by people you disagree with in order to be more well-rounded)

Book Two

I am a HUGE Russell moore fan, so I was very excited to get this book. It’s been out for a while, but I just haven’t read it. I’ve talked at length about Adopted for Life–the book that really changed part of our mindset about adoption, and since I love that one so much, I know I’ll love this one once I start reading.

Here is what Amazon says about this book: Why do our families have so much power over us? In The Storm-Tossed Family, bestselling author Russell Moore (Onward, Christianity Today’s 2016 “Book of the Year Award Winner”) teaches readers whether you are married or single, whether you long for a child or shepherding a full house, you are part of a family. Family is difficult because family—every family—is an echo of the gospel.

Family can be the source of some of the most transcendent human joy, and family can leave us crumpled up on the side of the road. Family can make us who we are, and family can break our hearts. Why would this social arrangement have that much power, for good or for ill, over us?

Book Three

Do you love the Advent season? Because I REALLY do! LOL. I love Christmas so much and that translates into loving the Advent season in anticipation for Christ’s birth. I bought this book not only for myself, but also for my mom and sister–so this would be a great book to gift your friends or small group members before this Advent season. It gives you two options for how to use–either start on December 1st and read through the 25th, or follow along with the Advent wreath. These daily devotions are short and reasonable to do–they begin with short Scripture, then you read a reflection passage, ponder 1-2 questions, and then it ends with song lyrics to Christmas hymns.

Book Four

I was introduced to John Piper in college and I’ve admired him ever since. He has also taught at both TGCW conferences I’ve been to, so that’s literally been the highlight of each trip ha! John Piper is a deep thinker, so anything I’ve ever read by him has taken me longer because I’ve really had to sit and digest–and even reread! This book contains lots of essays of suffering and the sovereignty of God. We all have suffering in our lives, and I believe this book will help whoever reads it to understand our suffering better.

Book Five

I almost started this off by saying I’m a huge Jen Wilkin fan, but I’m realizing that I’m a fan of almost every author whose book I bought ha! But in all seriousness, I really respect Jen Wilkin. I’ve read numerous books by her, done a few of her Bible studies (maybe 4 or 5?), and listen to her podcast, Knowing Faith. I’ll admit–I almost didn’t buy this book because I had already bought a lot, but I was at the Crossway table and one of the workers really praised this book and since she breaks down each of the Ten Commandments (and I’ve never read a book like it), I thought I’d give it a try!

Book Six

I am really looking forward to reading this book. I have a book I bought for Harrison by this author that I’ll share later this week, so I was happy to see an adult book by her. I don’t want to say too much about expectations since I haven’t read it yet, but here’s what Amazon has to say about this book:

On the Last Day every tongue and tribe will be represented in the glorious chorus praising God with one voice. Yet today our churches remain segregated. Can we reflect the beauty of the last day this day? 

United will inspire, challenge, and encourage readers to pursue the joys of diversity through stories of the author’s own journey and a theology of diversity lived out. 

It’s time to capture a glimpse of God’s magnificent creativity. In the pages of United, Trillia Newbell reveals the deeply moving, transforming power of knowing—really knowing—someone who is equal yet unique. As we learn to identify in Christ rather than in our commonalities, we begin to experience the depth and power of gospel unity.

Book Seven

I posted a while back that Dustin and I go through a catechism with Harrison in hopes that these questions and answers will permeate his heart and he will one day follow Christ as a Believer. My post was really popular with y’all because not only are the questions relatively easy (aside from memorizing the entire Ten Commandments…which we have skipped ha) but the answers are so theologically rich. And here’s the thing–I’m also catechizing myself while I catechize Harrison!

I saw this devotion related to the catechism at the conference and picked it up to help myself understand a little more about each question and answer. My only complaint is that the answers are a little more wordy than the kid’s book but that might just be because this devotion is for adults. This is how it’s set up: there’s the question and answer (the order is the same as the kid’s one), then Scripture, then commentary (the first is from someone older in the faith like Charles Spurgeon or Jonathan Edwards and the second is from a contemporary person like John Piper or Ligon Duncan), and then a prayer at the end.

A great perk of attending The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference is that you also get free books each day! I’ll do another post later on the free books I received!