Reflections

As I sit thinking about all that has happened since my last blog update, I could write about how Amanda is waving, says "dada", wants to run with Abi in the worst way but can't get her balance yet, loves to "cruise" around tables or ottomans or just play outside, how she is so full of joy (what a fitting middle name for her).... or how Abi comes out with some of the funniest sentences these days, complete with manners (pleases, thank yous, yes/no sir, yes/no ma'am.... - example: "No I don't want an apple thank you daddy."), new words, how she LOVES to dance to any music she hears, has a new-found love for honking noses, making people laugh, always wanting to go see "kids", how eager she is to learn and just how much she takes in - such a sponge. However, what really strikes me as I process through the past year and the adventures that it held is that last portion - so eager to learn and take everything in.

One evening a few months back, I was putting Abi to bed and something was making her sad. When I asked her to use her words and tell mama how I could help, she did. Then I talked to her about "communication," never thinking she would care about a word so big (she is only 27 months). When she repeated the word after I explained what it meant, she said, "Nother one mama!" So we did a few more "big" words and she listened, took it all in, wanted to learn and understand. As I reflected on that conversation, I was reminded of how God wants that with us. He wants us to communicate with Him - to be eager to listen and learn. Oh to have the heart, eyes and passions of a child again. They are so fresh, still untainted by the world we live in. What a magical moment that was - for both of us.

Then we work on discipline - how to behave and obey. When I reach about the gazillionth time of saying the same thing over and over I think, "How many times, Lord, have you had to tell me the same thing over and over only for me to either not listen or do my own thing? How many times have you spoken to me when I have not listened or paid any attention? How many times have you tried to get my attention and I have been too distracted by something before me?" Then when there is a break through with Abi, there is a HUGE celebration! So much praise, high fives, kisses, hugs and excitement! How much more our Lord must feel when I finally reach a breakthrough with which He has been helping me for so long! How much joy and excitement He must have when I finally "get it." Parenting has given me a whole new awareness of God's presence in my life and His unfailing love and devotion to me. To be able to rest in His peace, comfort, love and celebration of life. There is no better place to be!

That is my Christmas prayer for all of you, that you truely remember, discover and embrace all that this Christmas celebration is all about - the Love that Christ has given us through His birth, life, death and risen spirit. When all else seems to be in shambles, there is still peace and comfort in the Lord's embrace. Embrace it. Embrace Him. Discover love in the little things. Enjoy the simplicity of cutting back. Embrace the celebration of life. Have a blessed Christmas!

Ephemera

Hi everyone! Today I thought I would promote Ginny Owens' new EP. Ginny is someone who not only writes and sings beautiful music but is genuine, caring, loving, vulnerable and lives her life for Christ. She is a selfless friend - always wanting to know how she can help others... how others can come before herself. She has a new EP coming out and while I haven't yet heard it, I know we will all be blessed by it. I encourge you to go to her website and check out her story, the background of this new project and to pre-order it today! I promise that even just reading her story, you will be blessed. She is an eloquent writer and you will be drawn into her story and into her heart. Here is a little snippette for you - then you can click to read the rest and sign up to receive updates as they are posted! For more of Ginny's blog entries click on "News Feed" on the top left of her page on the link below...


Ephemera: What is it? Who does it? How’d It Get Here? It seems that, over the past several years, I’ve spent my time doing everything but making records. Although I’ve been aching to get back into the studio, I’ve known that it wasn’t time—until now. Many of you know that this past March, I temporarily moved back to Jackson, Ms to partner with my Mom in her journey through intensive cancer treatment. The treatment is nearing its end and has proven to be successful. Both of these things are, as you can imagine, incredible blessings.
Visit http://ginnyowens.com/ to read more!

WOW! It's been a while....

HI everyone! I am so sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. After being in and out of the hospital for gallbladder surgery and then some complications, I took some time to be with my family and to focus on getting healthy again. Aas much as I love my doctor, I don't care to see him for a very long time! Every time I go in he sends me to the hospital. I am hoping that this visit on Monday for bloodwork is the final visit. So, lots to catch up on!!!!

Where to begin..... Amanda has rolled over from her back to her tummy! She is very strong and wants so badly to play and run with Abi. She watches everything Abi does very intently. And Abi of course is like a little Mommy! She askes for "baby" every morning and gets so excited when she hears her!! She runs in laughing, sayng "Baby!" and then tries to see if she can pick her up through the pack 'n play. Then when I bring Amanda out, Abi hs already decidd where Amanda should go firsts - the swing, chair or jumper. Then she taks to her, laughs with her and is ready to help feed her. The other day she even pulled out a bowl and her doll spoon and pretended to fix smething for Amanda to eat. Then she "fed" her!!!! Too cute. She is very protective and we have recently discovered that she really loves all babies! One of our neighbors had a baby girl a few weeks ago and Abi loves to talk to her too. It is really precious to watch.

Abi also got on the floor the other day during Amanda's tummy time and was showing her how to roll over. "See Manda - like this!" she would say over and over. Then she would say, "Good girl, Manda. Like this..." Then after Abi rolled a few times she said, "YAY!!!!!!" Then she proceeded to dance and laugh at herself in front of the glass doors of the entertainment center. She does like to admire herself!!! Who wouldn't want to admire that cute face! She is a trip!

Abi also likes to share her toys with Amanda. She even let her drive her new car! One of our neighbors handed this down and it is hard to keep Abi out of it!

Abi is reading Dora's "It Sharing Day!" - her favorite! Thanks Uncle Jim and Aunt Missy!

Amanda sure does LOVE her tummy time!

Well, I am going to call it a night. Thank you again for your patience! I will be back soon!

Breakthrough?

Have we had a breakthrough?  We'll see tonight!  Amanda slept for almost 9 hours last night!!  2 nights ago she slept 8 1/2 and the night in between was only 5 1/2 to 6 hours.  I have decided that since she has not settled into a regular routine as easily as Abi did that I am going to create one for her :)  We are starting it full force today, so I'll let you know!  She seems to take one short nap in the morning, one longer one during mid-day (this is the one that I am adding to her schedule) and one 30 minute nap just after dinner.  Then it's bedtime at about 8!!  It seemed to work for her yesterday, so I am trying it again today.  

Abi is beginning to talk up a storm!  She loves to dance and sing and she is beginning to really learn her alphabet and counting from 1-10!  I was shocked when I was reading a counting book to her and she got every one except for 9.  Amazing!  She really is a sponge right now so I am trying to work with her on a lot of these things.  She has an alphabet puzzle (thanks Nana!) and she is really starting to learn her letters.  So exciting!  She is very animated and dramatic (not sure WHERE she gets that) ;P  which makes things very funny.  She absolutely loves her baby sister and loves to help get her dressed, change her diaper, feed her, give her the pacifier - even if Amanda doesn't want it.  She is quick to let us know if Amanda is crying (even if we are sitting right in front her) because she can't stand to hear her cry - it makes Abi sad too!  It is all very sweet.  Amanda loves to watch her big sister and even give her kisses.  So cute!  we are blessed!

Amanda continues to grow so fast!!!  She is also talking a lot and loves to be in the kitchen with me while I am cooking.  She talks through the whole experience and smiles as I imitate her sounds.  She has the biggest smile!  AND the cutest little dimple in her left cheek.  She is very alert, wants to see everything that is going on and is VERY strong.  She is becoming a little chunk, but that's just extra sugar to love :)  She was even laughing in her sleep the other night!  She is a happy baby and oh so cute!

I continue to adjust to being a mother of 2 and have to admit that I love it more and more each day.  Abi is at a really fun stage as she is learning so much and Amanda is really starting to develop a personality of her own.  The girls are so different, but both very happy and bless us so much.  I had a dream a few weeks ago that I made a sippy cup birthday cake for Abi's birthday, so now I am wondering if I should attempt it!  I am not sure I could pull that one off.  She doesn't even like cake!  Maybe I should make a giant green bean instead :)  I can't believe she is almost 2 already....

Mark continues to work very hard not only at his job but also around the house.  Relaxing is not something he does well, but much of what he does is very therapeutic for him.  He loves to spend time with his girls and we all love it just as much!  He really is the best dad and husband.  I am so blessed!!!!  

Well, as we are continually blessed, we pray all of you are as well.  Have a wonderful weekend and I will check back in soon!

Green Beans for Breakfast?

I have heard of having breakfast for dinner, but green beans for breakfast?  One morning I asked Abi what she would like for breakfast and she said, "Bean" with the sign she made up for green beans.  How funny is that?  I asked her a few more times just to be sure, and then I gave her some.  She gobbled them right up!  Then she wanted some banana.  At least it is healthy, right?

Abi has also just started putting words together to form sentences.  It just seems to come out of nowhere!  Just when you think she is not learning or will never be able to grasp the concept, she comes out with a gazillion new words and starts putting them together!  I really is amazing to watch.  

Abi has also started coming out of her room at about 4:30 am, climbing up onto the couch and sleeping there until people get up.  She doesn't want to miss Papa in the morning and wants to make sure she is a part of everything that happens!  Mark caught her sleeping before he moved her to her room.

She also went pee-pee on the potty the other day!  Well, sort of.  Let's just say she is off to a good start!  It will be off and on for a while as she gets used to the thought of it all, but the first signs have begun!  Another new phase for all of us.

Because there is water everywhere and Abi loves the water, we enrolled her in swimming lessons.  She did fairly well for the few lessons and now asks us to sing the songs for the movements so that she can do them in the tub and pool!  we will continue to work with her in the pool, but she is able to let herself into the pool.  She climbs in the side!  Fortunately there is a bench that catches her and she usually only goes in when Papa is in the pool.  However, we do have to watch her now!  It is exciting to see her get so excited about things though.  Too cute!  Now we have the opportunity to relive all these moments again through the eyes of Amanda!  We are blessed!

Amanda is as cute as ever and is growing like a weed!  At her 2 month appointment she was 21 1/2 inches and 10 pounds 1 ounce!  She is smiling at everyone and everything and loves to be outside.  She is developing quite the personality.  Here are a few shots of both our girls!

Ummm... This Weekend?

Hi!  Okay, did I mention what weekend I would get stories and pictures up?  It is still a weekend :)  I ended up in the hospital for an unexpected gallbladder surgery so I have been a bit out of commission.  Now I am back and almost 100% again!  

Okay, story number one.  As we were driving home from the airport, Cara was trying to give Amanda some milk as she was screaming.  I am not sure if I have mentioned anything about her screaming, but she could really do some voice overs for horror films!  No exaggeration.  She has quite a set of lungs.  So, as Cara was leaning over a seat to give her some milk, all of a sudden she says, "Are you getting anything?  What is wrong with this thing?  It's like there is a stopper or something in it!" 

 

My reply, "There is a stopper in it so hat it wouldn't spill or overflow on the plane!"  Yes, this was the start of our weekend.  Once Amanda finally got some milk we were all in business. Conversations could be heard and Amanda was guzzling like she had not eaten in days!  

Story number two.  We decided to have dinner out on the patio one night and make use of the grill as well.  Cara grilled the chicken while I put some things together in the kitchen.  As we were enjoying dinner, having some "remember when" conversations, all of a sudden we hear something over near the cabinets on the patio.  We both stopped and looked, but didn't see anything.  We continued with our conversation and heard it again!  We were both a little freaked out, so Cara went to see if she what it was.  She was on the outside of the cabinets when we heard it again.  "It was a bird over there - I saw it," she says.

"No, I saw that bird, but the noise was in there."

"Oh."

Cara came back to the table and we were going to just let it go..... until we heard it again!  "There is something in the cabinets!" Cara screams!  Cara decides to be brave and head into the area where the cabinets were - armed with a little broom!  She lunges forward and smacks the first cabinet.  Nothing.  She lunges even further and smacks the second cabinet.  Nothing.  Then she walks very slowly in to the back portion and we hear it again!  All of a sudden at the same time I said, "It's the ice maker!"  while she asked (screamed), "Is there an ice maker out here?!"  Too funny!  To have had all that on video would have been perfect.  Yes, the ice maker sounded like a very large rodent rifling through the cabinets.  Laughter is such a great thing.

Here are some pictures from that weekend.  

Here we have Amanda sleeping peacefully in her stroller at the park - while squirrels were trying to climb up and join her!  I had to chase them away!  And let me tell ya - that was no easy task.  They are strong-willed squirrels!

                                            

                Here are Cara and Abi on the slide:

Is it okay if I climb up this thing?

Abi loves the park and it is a nice little walk there and back.  She also loves the pool!

I was not able to get into the pool yet, but here are a couple of shots at the pool:

Abi LOVES to watch people jump into the pool!  I am not sure if it was Caroline or Cara jumping in, but she got some good laughs out of it.

                                        Cara and Abi

So Many Stories, No Time with Two!

WOW! I can't believe how long it has been since I have been here and how many stories I have to tell! We have relocated (yes, we are crazy to relocate 5 weeks after giving birth to a baby and also having a 1 1/2 year old) and my computer is still in storage! I am squeezing in a couple of minutes on a different computer to pop in and say hello. I regret to inform you all that I have no pictures on this computer. I will have to upload those soon! Here is a quick recap of the past several weeks and I will fill in the details and funny happenings this weekend if I can get to a computer :)

My friend Cara flew to Florida with me and the 2 girls while Mark stayed behind with his friend Scott to finish packing the house. They drove, we flew. I think flying with 2 children under 2 is still much easier than driving 24 hours straight! Cara and I had a fun couple of days before she flew back home and I think I missed her as soon as I dropped her off at the airport! Come back any time! :) 2 little funny snippets during her stay: 1) on the way home from the airport here is a small piece of a conversation we had, "It's like there is a stopper in this!" "That's 'cause there is a stopper in it!" and 2) this story involves a broom, a tip-toeing Cara and a few smacks to the cabinets out at the grill! Yes, I will fill in those funny details this weekend :) Come on back at the end of the weekend!

Mark and Scott arrived safely and the girls seem to be adjusting well. Abi loves that she can be outside all the time (even with all the mosquitoes) and Amanda is also an outdoor baby. She cries a bit more than Abi ever did, but we are slowly adjusting. Amanda is also growing so fast! I can't believe how big she is already. She is smiling away and cooing up a storm, so we look forward to watching her continue to develop and grow.

Abi is talking more and more. She is starting to put more words together to make short sentences. Her most recent is "Catch bubbles!" She love to have mommy blow bubbles out by the pool so that she can try to catch them. Yes, she is by the pool every day, but she does love the water and we have started her in swimming lessons. I will upload some pictures of her enjoying the pool this weekend. I will warn you, there is a lot of sugar to see! She doesn't like to wear her swim suit (or any clothes for that matter). She would prefer to be naked! For those wondering what I mean by "sugar," that is what we call all that sweet, exposed skin and baby fat. We are also beginning the potty training phase, so stay tuned for more of those stories. I am sure there will be some good ones :)

Well, I was going to jump in the pool for a little exercise while the girls are sleeping (I haven't been able to be in yet due to the c-section and then the infection I had post surgery), but there is a storm coming! I can hear the thunder and everything has gotten very dark. So, I guess that will have to wait. Bummer! I have been dying to get in the pool since I got here! My day will come - maybe tomorrow.

Well, that is a nutshell update. I promise I will do all I can to get the stories and pictures up by the end of the weekend. Hang with me! I will soon be able to keep up with this again!

Urgent Prayer Request

Please, please pray (right now!) for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. Details are still in process, but it appears that one of his sons was pulling into their driveway last evening and did not see his sister (5 year old Maria..adopted from China) in front of him. She was struck by the car and killed. http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

I cannot imagine what they are going through right now.

Please pray specifically for peace tonight in the midst of the storm. Feel free to leave those prayers here in the comments section, as well as any scriptures you feel you have been led to pray for them. There is power in the living word of God...power that a dear family needs right now.

Thank you!

3 Weeks Already?

Where has all the time gone! I can't believe it has been 3 weeks with Amanda Joy and I still haven't written about all the events! I am so very sorry. Let me try to get a quick recap out :)



The c-section went very well and Amanda Joy was born at 2:38 pm on April 22. She was 5 pounds 7 ounces and 17 1/2 inches long - a little petite peanut! She had a head full of almost black hair and didn't waste any time sharing with everyone how strong her lungs were.


Daddy got to spend some time with her in the nursery while they were weighing her, cleaning her and dressing her while I went to recovery. I was able to be awake for Amanda's birth, something that was not possible with Abi's, so that was a new and wonderful experience. I got to see Amanda before we heard a sound! They lowered the sheet enough for me to see how tiny she was. :) Once again, we had the most wonderful care at the hospital. The nursing staff and doctors are so great at NCH and we are so thankful to have been able to have both girls there.

Abi has really taken well to having Amanda in the family. She came to the hospital the evening Amanda was born and as soon as she saw her she got a smile on her face and said, "Baby!" She wanted to hold her, kiss her, hug her.... it was a really comforting site to see. You never really know how a child will react to having another little one around. Of course, she was at the hospital and maybe something else would happen when we brought her home.




Not the case! Abi is still excited to have the baby around! Even at home! For a while "baby" was the last person she wanted to see before going night night and the first person she wanted to see when she got up in the morning. Abi's whole face lights up when she sees Amanda. She doesn't want to call her by name though - just "baby." That's okay with us since she seems to love her so much. In time the name will come :)



My recovery is going well. I got a UTI the day I was hoping to leave the hospital, so that kept me a day longer than I had hoped. Then it took a while to get rid of the infection, but it did finally pass. The rest of the recovery has really been fairly easy. Mommy and Daddy are both a bit sleep deprived, but that is to be expected. Amanda is still learning her days and nights, so that should all begin to regulate in the next few weeks. I (Mommy) am not handling the fatigue nearly as well as Daddy, but I am hoping to refocus my thoughts and get back in the game :) I know that Abi must have cried a lot, even screamed, but I don't remember it being this much. However, I guess those are the things you overlook as time goes by :) Just like forgetting the pain of labor, you forget all the crying, screaming and longing for more sleep. This too shall pass :) I just need to focus on the needs of my babies and not the lack of sleep :)

I think one thing we discovered this afternoon is that she isn't getting enough to eat from the breast. She can't stay awake long enough when she is nursing, so I am going to pump more and we will do both nursing and bottle until the milk supply picks back up. That should help with some of her sad cries. She is gaining weight though! She was already up to 5 pounds 15 ounces at her appointment last week! She is just a growing girl who wants more!! So we will aim to give her just that :)

Okay, I must go and get dinner ready for the family. I just wanted everyone to know that we are all well and adjusting to life as a family of four. I will be back with pictures and more stories soon! Thank you so much for your patience. I sure do appreciate it!

Mixed Emotions

Well, it has been quite some time since I have written. I started this particular post a little over a week ago but never finished it to post. Now I am just 2 days away from the birth of our little girl! We are thrilled and very excited to meet her in person and for Abi to become a big sister. Yes, she did indeed hold out for our scheduled date. She just wanted to hang out very low for the last few weeks!

During the past week and a half or so we have been mourning the loss of my sister-in-law’s baby (she miscarried at the end of her first trimester). My heart breaks for her, her husband and their 3 boys. If you think of the, please continue to keep them in your prayers. It takes a long time to heal emotionally from this kind of loss. It is amazing to me how you can become so attached and love someone so much even when they are so little, still developing and oh so tine. However, having gone through it 2 times myself, I know it is so true. There is nothing like the emotional attachment to new life, no matter how small that life is. It is a beautiful and miraculous thing and what a blessing to be able to experience it, even if it just for a short period of time. I am convinced there is purpose in everything. It doesn’t make these times any easier, but I pray that we will one day understand the purpose for these short lives – that there will be a legacy with them.

This brings me to another story I have recently been reading. It is the story of Audrey Caroline, daughter of Angie, a woman whom I have never met. You can read more of their journey by clicking on the link on the side of my page. Audrey Caroline was brought into the world on April 7 via c-section, not knowing whether she would ever breathe life here on earth. The Lord blessed the family with a couple of hours with her before He took her home. To read her sweet stories and see how little Audrey Caroline has already left a legacy makes you reflect on how precious life really is. How short it is. How much we can do in such a short period of time. To really reflect on how we can make the most of every moment and every opportunity that we have here on earth. I stand here writing, feeling like I have wasted so much time. Yet I am not sure where to start. I guess to start with my family is a good place.

So with all of this said, I now leave you to go make final preparations for this new life we will bring into the world in 2 days. I will post after I get home and update you on how everything went and post a coupe of pictures for you. And during these next few days I hope to take some time to reflect on what is important in life and how I can teach my girls the same things along with living it myself. How I can raise them to live a life of legacy? And I leave you with these thoughts:

What will be your legacy? How will you chose to live your life? What will people learn from you? What, or rather how will they remember you?

Waiting for an Early Baby?

After having Abi a week late and having to go schedule an appointment to be induced, the last thing I expected to hear from my doctor this week at 35 weeks was, "You are not going to make it to your scheduled c-section." Yes, progress has already begun and 90% effaced. When you go in for a regular check-up this early you don't expect the doctor to say, "Whoa! Low baby! Head right there!" We had everything planned for a week before my due date. Company in place to care for Abi, work schedule for Mark all worked out, still had 4 weeks to get everything out of the garage and into the house, not to mention organized.... you know - the list! I said to my doctor after she was telling me what would happen when I went into labor, "I was not planning to go into labor with this one." Her smiling response was, "Well, you're going to." :) If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is that you NEVER rely on your own plan. I am not sure why this one seems like it should be different, but I guess I should not be surprised. God always has the perfect plan, so now we wait.

I must say, this waiting is almost worse than going past your due date. Now that the response is that no one really knows - could be tomorrow, could be 2 weeks - it is really hard! You kind of just want things to happen so that you don't have to wonder when. However, there is a plan even in this waiting period. I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon, so we will see how everything is then. Life is an exciting mystery!

Here is the good news about the list. We went into the garage yesterday and found everything on the "must have it out" list! Now Mema is finishing the laundry and I am headed to make some drawer space to put the clothes. The car seat that we ordered was supposed to be delivered on April 7, but we got it the next day! I ordered it Wednesday evening after my appointment, it was shipped out ground (5-7 days) from Ohio late Thursday afternoon and arrived Friday morning at 9:10 am! We all kind of looked at it and wondered hmmm.... but we got it and we are thankful. It was the only box from that shipment that came - we are waiting for the others. However, it's here, put together and we are now ready for baby! More or less....

These are fun and exciting times. The reality is we just never know when or how things are going to happen. However, we can be thankful for the process and excited for the long awaited joys and blessings in life!

Mark and I are looking forward to having dinner out to night to celebrate our 5th anniversary. I can't believe it has already been 5 years! What a great and wonderful blessing. We look forward to some time together and are thankful that we are indeed together. There is no one else I would want to go through life with and share all of these unknowns with, so I feel more blessed than words can describe! God had a plan, has a plan and continues to work through and in us. What a wonderful thing life is!

Have a blessed and wonderful week!

Another Milestone?

Okay, I know I have been blogging a lot the past few days. Fun, right? Well here is a fun Abi story for you. This morning we read for a little bit and then went outside and played. Then we came in and she helped me with some laundry, making up the bed and vacuuming. Somewhere in there she also had lunch.

Then while we were playing on the second floor I went ahead and changed her diaper and was prepared to bring her down stairs for some more play time. Just before her diaper change, she turned her music on in her room. I didn't really think anything about it since she sometimes just likes to have the music going while we are up there playing. After that, she was kind of piddling around and I put her pillow and animals in her bed so that we were ready when nap time came about. Then I went to the bathroom, something that happens about every 15 minutes these days for me, and when I came out her door was mostly closed and she was happy. I told her I was just going to go down to the kitchen and she could come down any time or play where she was. I heard her come out of her room, run into the next room and then back to her room - where she again closed the door (mostly). After about 15 minutes of not much noise, I just went to check on her. She had gone into the other room to get Doggie, crawled into bed and her animals were over her eyes - something she has done since birth if there is too much light for her to sleep. She was also tickling her toes with the tag of one of the animals - another thing she likes to do at bed time. She heard me come up to check, looked over at me and I asked, "Are you going night night?" She looked up, smiled with thumb in mouth and I bent down to give her kisses and say, "night, night." She totally put herself to bed including turning on her music and shutting her door!!!! Too cute!

So now I am off to finish the laundry and get the blankets back on our bed so that Mark can go to bed when he gets home in about 45 minutes. He just had some oral surgery and has a bad cold on top of it, so rest is something he will be in need of.

Have a great day!

Happy Easter!

As I was slowing down last night before bed, I had some time to reflect on the day. Because of my sweet husband, I was able to go out and run some errands for as long as I needed. I ended up being out from about 11 a.m. until about 4 p.m. I had time to reflect and focus a little bit on our new bundle of joy who will be joining our family in four weeks. Life has been moving so quickly that I feel I haven't had time to focus on her.


With the first, that is all you have to focus on. Sure I was working more than full time up until a week before Abi was born, but on my days off I was able to go shopping for her, put together registries, think about all the things I would like for her to have, all the things that would make her transition easier, what colors to use in her nursery, how wonderful it will be to have her with us in the flesh. Now that number two is almost here it's not that she is any less important, it's that life has taken over. There is transition, a toddler who never stops and no time to really reflect while still awake. I feel less organized and prepared for this baby than I did for the first. I now find myself wondering, "Will I have enough love for both? Will I be able to care for them both and find time for each of them individually? Will I be able to show them both how much I love them? Will I still be able to show my husband how much I love him? Where will I find all the extra hours in the day that I need to get it all done?" I now have a more elevated, realistic understanding of why so many women forget to take care of themselves after having children. Did I feel guilty being out yesterday? Yes I did. I felt like I should be home taking care of everything, including my husband who is not feeling well and is preparing for some oral surgery tomorrow. However, I wouldn't trade that time to focus on our new daughter for anything.


I didn't get much for Baby J #2, but I did get a few things. I still need to get a few things for her but I think I can do that this week as we will have Mema's helping hands here as well. I can't wait to be able to buy her a few outfits that are just for her. To see her personality and begin to discover what God is creating her to be.


This morning as I reflect on what Easter represents, I am reminded that even though life goes by so quickly God never runs out of time for us. He always has more than enough love for each and every one of us all day, every day ..... 24/7! He is always there to hold us, carry us, love us, guide us, listen to us.... and He never runs the other way when we are whining. Instead, He holds us, walks with us, loves us even more.... Why is it so hard for me to do the same? The answer is always, "We are human." Is that really an excuse? Maybe not an excuse, but it sure does make us feel better knowing that we just aren't perfect. The reality is that I am going to make mistakes and I am going to wonder if I really should have been given these children and husband to care for - can I really do it. But the answer is always yes. God has ordained this and blessed me with a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful daughters, one whom I will get to meet in a few weeks. Because these are gifts from Him, I can absolutely do it. Will I be perfect? No. Can I strive for that? Yes. Will it be easy? No. Can I still do some things that are important to me and close to my heart? Yes, because that is who God created me to be and those are desires that He has placed in my heart. Is it okay to take time to do those things? Yes. Will it be easy? No. Will I still feel guilty? Probably - that is also part of who I am. However, I would not trade my life for anything. Every trial has caused me to grow in ways I never thought imaginable. Every blessing has made me wonder what I have done to deserve so much love. Life is hard, full of challenges and we will never perfect it. However, we have a God who sent His only Son to die on the cross for us. Jesus died for us. For me. For you. For our children. He will always walk with us and encourage us through the trials. He is also there to celebrate with us in the joyous times. He knows what is coming in our lives and has planned out each step. Because I know this, I know that some how, some way, I will have enough love to go around, enough energy to get it all done and the opportunity to do an occasional something for myself. Will it be hard? Yes. Will I falter? Of course. Might it sometimes take longer than I want? Absolutely! However, I will be stronger in the end and will have learned something that I will need for the next step in my life.

My thoughts are a bit jumbled today, but hopefully there was something in all of this that made sense.

Happy Easter!
Jeremiah 31:1-6
Romans 8:28

In Honor of Spring

Good afternoon! In honor of Spring and the glorious holiday of Easter, I have changed my template! Hope you enjoy it. I thought it looked fresh and new just like Spring, and I LOVE the white tulip for Easter. Just kind of gives a fresh start after a long Winter, don't you think?

Enjoy all that this holiday represents and be filled with Joy and Peace!

Haven't I Been Here Before?

I know I wrote a few days ago about the nesting, but I mean one would think I have never been through this before! I have not done nearly the amount of things that are on my lists each day as I am trying to be calm and take it easy, but I think it might pick up again. I have not felt a contraction of any kind all week, and since I am going mentally crazy just "taking it easy," I think I am going to pick up the pace again and see what happens! We are still on target for April 22, so I think I will be fine to hold out until then. I certainly need the time to get everything done! Now to land on a name....

With our first, we worked on names right up until Abi was born! I was in the hospital in labor (although I didn't know I was in labor), the nurse was asking the mounds of questions they always ask in order to complete the paperwork and Mark and I were there saying, "Do you like this? I like this. What do you think?" We have it narrowed down for sure at this point, much closer than last time, but I have this burning desire to get it done! So strange. I go back and forth between wanting to settle on the name ahead of time or going in with a couple and naming her once we see her. We did get a 3-D picture at the last ultrasound and a few people asked if when I saw her I just knew, but the reality is no! It's so funny. I think I am just so used to looking at the regular ultrasound pictures that it was easier for me to make things out on those than the 3-D one. Maybe I should study it some more.....

Random thought. Yes, those happen to me these days right along with the nesting :) I had the craziest dream last night! I think it is a result of my feeling unorganized and not working through my list. Here it is. I was somewhere here on earth (code for don't know where in the world I was! I didn't recognize anything around me) and I had to use the restroom (also linked to the fact that I have to go to the bathroom about every 20 minutes even through the night). I went in and had a couple of things in my hand: my cell phone and a little change purse that has about $20 in change. Yes, I do have a change purse like that which sits in a draw in the house, but why I happened to be thinking about it enough that it was the star of my dream I have no idea! Anyway, I went to flush the toilet and just as I did everything fell out of my hands, into the toilet and down they went! Well, I saw the change purse go, but not the phone. I began frantically praying, "Lord, please show me that the phone did NOT go down the toilet! Mark will be so mad!" As I continued to pray and look frantically, there was the phone! On the floor under the toilet. "Thank you Lord!" I exclaimed. I then woke up and have no idea why that whole dream came about or what happened next. So bizarre! I was going to go to a Mothers of Multiples consignment sale this morning to "shop around" so maybe that was on my mind and I was thinking maybe I would be throwing money away on things I don't need? I was only going with 2 things on my mind to get, but it is about a 30 minute drive and maybe not worth the trip right now. I have no idea, but needless to say I did not go because I am here writing about it instead :) Not to mention $20 would not have purchased what I was going for .... Too funny. It's amazing how your body works and what crazy changes occur during all the hormonal changes of pregnancy....

Okay, back on track. I was just emailing a friend who is going through this nesting phase also, but for the first time. I think I am just as excited for her as I am for us! She and her husband have gone through a lot to get to this point, and God has rewarded their trust in Him and has blessed them with a beautiful baby girl who will be born almost exactly a month after ours - almost to the day! Our girls will be a month and a day or two a part. Then I have another friend who will have a baby girl just about a month and a couple weeks after that one! I can't help to think about what I wrote about Winter a few months back, and now that we are headed into the literal season of Spring, I am writing about new life. I think about Jessica and her husband who will have their baby in about 69 days, and how long their Winter was. They refused to accept defeat and trusted that the Lord had a plan in each step of this process. They believed God would give them the desire of their hearts and they held onto that all through their super long Winter. Now Spring is in the air, in their lives and they are about to welcome new life into this gorgeous season of Spring. What do I love about Spring? Well, it is my favorite season. One day you wake up and expect to look out and see the same bare trees, brown grass, lifelessness all around but then you listen. You begin to hear the sweet sound of the birds - they are singing, setting up house, getting ready for offspring themselves and then you take a closer look at the trees and shrubs. There are a few buds on them! A wonderful sign that things are about to change, color is about to be reintroduced and new life is about to begin! A time to start all over, to breathe in the slightly warmer air, to smell the rain instead of snow and to watch God's Masterful paintbrush bring color and life to all that needed pruning and to rest. I think it is no accident or coincidence that we are all having babies this close together in this season of Spring. I see it as a reminder that we all go through seasons of the soul and there is always a Spring - a time of reflection, anticipation of what's to come, spiritual growth and the experience of fresh and new. For us it happens to include the literal "new life." God is faithful to see us through those difficult and dark times and always follows those times with Spring - a time to start fresh and begin the next period of growth or cycle of seasons.

Enjoy your Spring! If you don't happen to be in Spring just yet, take comfort in whatever season you are in. Spring is soon to come....

Nesting!

Okay, so I am not sure I really went through this when I was pregnant with Abi, but I am nesting! Yesterday I couldn't sleep because I had lists of things going through my head that I wanted to get done. What came up on that list? Here are a few things:

Get baby stuff out of the garage
Pack the toys (at least 2/3 of them)
Clean the attic
Get baby stuff out of the garage
Pack Abi's "too small" clothes
Do the laundry
Get baby stuff out of the garage
Fill out the hospital paperwork
Pack the hospital bag (yes, it's packed with the exception of the baby clothes which are still in the garage)
Figure out meals for April
Plan to make and freeze meals for April
Get baby stuff out of the garage
Pack the kitchen
Pack the rest of the house
Clean the house
Do some baking
Get baby stuff out of the garage

Do you see a theme here? Let me explain the garage. We have so much stuff packed out there from this summer and my husband is more than happy to help reorganize and pull things. The problem is that the snow is still falling!!! We can't pull anything out to reorganize because the ground is still wet and full of snow. My poor husband has to listen to me panic about getting certain things out for the baby so that we can put more boxes in and I can begin to organize for the baby! He is kind and gentle in reminding me that we still have 6 weeks before the baby and that in 2 weeks we have help coming and the snow may be gone, but I can't seem to get past it. I have this sick order in my head of how things need to be done and in what order and I almost feel paralyzed because that is the first step in my head. How do I move to the next? It hasn't stopped me from packing a few boxes, but it is still in the forefront of my head...... pull the baby stuff and get it ready. Poor Mark! He is a trooper though :)

The other catch - the doctor has told me to take it easy, limit my activity and put my feet up especially at the end of the day. How do you do that and remain sane when you are nesting? I have felt comfortable being slower today (and yesterday after talking with Mark), but I still have lists upon lists going through my head. I am looking forward to getting back into everything tomorrow! Hopefully :)

Abi is also a big helper. She was helping me label the boxes (with her crayons), tape the boxes, vacuum and put things into boxes (or pull them out depending on the box). She is so cute! We are so blessed and can't wait to welcome our new little girl into the family!

The good news - we have a coffee carafe! Why? Well, because it was on the list. See what my husband has to put up with? Craziness!

In summary, you can pray for my sweet and patient husband as I continue to "need" things from here and there and can't work through this crazy state of mind I am in :)

Southern Greek Girl

I woke up yesterday morning to hiccups coming from inside my belly. Baby J had the hiccups for the first time! What a sweet sensation..... quickly followed by the kicking and punching that cause my stomach to look as though is were about to burst open. I must admit, it was very strange to watch my stomach jump around like that. I don't think I ever watched it with Abi. I just put my hand down to feel it. Maybe it was because I was in meetings and working and didn't feel I could look down, or maybe it just never crossed my mind to watch and see. However, there is still something calming yet exciting about the feeling and the strange appearance of all the internal activity. You wonder what goes on in there.... what she is thinking, what she is trying to accomplish through all the movement, etc. A co-worker opened my eyes to another thought when I was pregnant with Abi. She said, "I always wonder what the conversations are like between God and the developing baby. Are they conversations of what He is calling them to do in life, constant affirmation of their existence, just unconditional love...?" What a sweet thought to think about the conversations God is already having with our baby girl.

I am sure you are reading this and wondering, "Why the strange title." Well here is the answer! Abi has begun to talk a little as I am sure you all have guessed. When she hears us on the phone, someone is leaving, she is heading up for a nap or bed, etc. and a "bye" is in order, she comes out with, "Bah!" (yes, that is bye with a southern accent). She is always so proud of herself and we always repeat is just like her which brings HUGE smiles to her face and ours. I am not sure if she picked that up from me while hearing me on the phone with friends from Nashville, or what (I get a little bit of my accent back when I am talking with my friends), but it sure if fun to hear!

Now you are wondering, "Where is the Greek in all of this?" She just recently started saying, "up" when she wants to get up on the couch, come up for a hug.... except when she says it, it comes out as, "Upah!" Always with great emphasis and exclamation. She sounds Greek! Too funny. So there you have it. Our Southern Greek Girl! We love it and can't wait to hear what else she comes up with!

Melinda Doolittle Update

Hey everyone! Melinda Doolittle's first single is out today on iTunes! See below to download it now. It is fantastic!




Also, here is some information I received from a friend regarding Melinda's upcoming albums:

Melinda is busy working on three albums right now. The first will be released in June and will include mainly cover tunes (songs that have been recorded by other artists or songs that have already been written but never recorded). She will also release a Christmas album this year. The third album will be more soulful music with many songs written or co-written by her, and this album is set to be released sometime after the first of the year since it will take a little longer to put together. She is working on these projects under an independent record label (I don't know the particulars right now). She plans to release additional singles as she completes those tracks.I will let you know the particulars on the full CD release dates and other single releases when I have them, but I wanted you to know about her first single. Get "My Funny Valentine" Today (Click on link above)! Also, you should be able to call and request this song on your local radio stations!

Her other "upcoming project" is a tour for Dryers Slow Churned Ice Cream. From what I understand, she will be making appearances and doing concerts in various cities around the country to promote the new ice cream flavors. But the cool part is that you could win a private concert by her! Go to http://dreyers.slowchurned.com/idol/ for more details about the cities and appearances.

Subscription

Because I am a bit infrequent these days with my postings, I have added a place on the left-hand column for you to subscribe if you want to receive an email when I publish a post. One day I will be more consistent with these!

Thank you everyone!

Trips to the Doctor

Both Abi and I had appointments this week and all went well. I started out the week with my 28 week appointment. Everything seems to be growing well! My tummy is right on target, the nurse said, "Well it's about time you out on some weight!" (yeah, still not quite sure how to take that one :)), ultrasound shows everything growing well and I had the lovely Glucola test. I just found out that I failed the Glucola test, so I get the opportunity to spend 3 hours in the doctor's office next week! How fun! Not sure what to expect, but all the ladies there are fun so I guess I can chalk it up to a "getting to know you" session :)

Abi had shots and cried for a total of about 3 seconds - really! She watched the shot go into her arm and it wasn't until it came out and the nurse turned away that she started to get a pouty lip. She stopped with the cry as soon as I turned her around so she could get one in the other arm. After that one, she cried for a second until I put her upon my shoulder! Then she was done! I asked her is she was ready to get dressed and go home and she quickly replied, "Yeah!" Everything else with her is great. She is now in the 20th percentile!!!! Yippee!! She is growing for sure! She was born in the negative 5th percentile, so this is quite a leap for her. She has slowly been moving herself up the charts! She has also finally reach 20 pounds..... 20 lbs and 1 oz to be exact. She is petite, but very strong (yes, the doctor mentioned how strong her legs and hips are) and is growing at a great rate. She also keeps us laughing! Man she is funny and so sharp!!! Nothing gets past her....

Well, I think that's about all that is new for the moment. I am sure I'll have some more funny stories soon! Why, you ask? Well, because I have come close to tripping on the stairs a few time in the past week! Now that I am getting tired again, I know my feet and legs are getting lazy. It's just a matter of time! The good news? The bruise from the fall I had the day before Abi was born is finally almost gone! Yes it has taken quite a while for all of that to heal. The shin is a hard place to heal!

Happy thoughts and lots of smiles!

Winter

As much as I don't like the freezing cold, I'll tell you what I like about winter. I love the fresh blankets of snow decorating the otherwise bleak and nondescript trees. There is something warm and inviting about it all. I love to watch children laugh and play in the snow, get rosy cheeks and then come inside for hot chocolate. I love that when you first open the door to go out there is a refreshing, brisk breeze that comes over you. But most of all I love that at night, no matter how dark it is, it seems light. The snow on the ground reflects whatever light may be around and it never seems totally pitch black out in the winter.

The reason I love the light in the darkness so much is that it is a constant reminder of God's light in our darkness. As we think through the seasons of life we are constantly going through, winter always seems so bleak, dark, cold.... like there is no hope or light to show the way. In actuality, there is a Great Light. We just have to know how to look past all the challenges and defeating "stuff" that is happening in our lives and look for the light, the one that come when you least expect it. Just like the light at night in winter. The seasons of our life are very similar to those of nature. How we chose to move through them and what we choose to focus on makes all the difference. Take a few moments to be thankful for all God has blessed you with and reflect on how those bits of light can carry you through to the next season..... While reflecting, know that God is watching over you. Lean into Him. He has the answers you need. You just need to ask, listen and wait.....

American Idol?

Mark, Abi and I were watching American Idol this week and Mark and I laughed in disbelief at Abi! Whenever a “funny” singer came on (before we would comment at all) Abi would run around saying, “No, no, no, no….” and shaking her head. Then Mark would ask, “Do you not like that voice?”

“Nah….” Was Abi’s response.

Then when a good singer came on, she would sit, watch, listen, sometimes dance and then clap at the end! Mark asked, “Do you like that voice?”

“Yeah!” was Abi’s response! Too funny! This also coming from the girl who saw Andrea Bocelli singing on TV in Florida and stopped to dance (waddling back and forth like a penguin) and sing along with him! So fun to watch her personality come to life!