Friday, December 31, 2010

My Hormones are all the Rage

Ironically, I was just telling my friend a couple of days ago that this pregnancy has been much easier for me hormonally.

The ironic part is that these last few days have been super difficult for me as far as the hormone boat goes.

There is nothing worse than trying to adjust your attitude all day long when your body only wants to cry or break out into rage over some small issue that really is not a big deal.  It's a battle all day long of ups and downs and trying to find some sort place of contentment.

I have been looking forward to this weekend all week. Our friends are up to spend the weekend, play games, and just be together.  I wish that I could feel better and not feel emotionally exhausted.

On top of all the hormonal stuff is the normal 7 month pregnancy stuff.  Sleeping has gotten miserable and I am all around pretty uncomfortable no matter what I am doing.

Please pray for me. I hate the emotional roller coaster.

There was some joy to the day...

Joyful Moment of the Day: Ryan brought ice cream with him. It hit the spot on a day like today.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Sims Bustin' Out

Over the past week or so I made it a goal to get the final promotion on my Sims Bustin' Out for XBOX. Part of that was because I was super bored one day and since Kaylee was playing so nicely, I did not want to disturb the wonderfulness of the moment.  Needless to say - the game sucked me in. If you understand the game, you know that you have to have a certain number of friends and a certain number of skills before gaining the next promotion.

I had the skills, but I could not gain/hang on to the friends.

I was getting really irritated because it felt like I would gain one friend only to find out that another one was no longer my friend.

However, tonight I conquered the game. Not only did I get my promotion, they sent me on a cruise and cheered for my awesomeness. Then, I flew away into the sunset in a helicopter.

I am so accomplished. Ha!


Joyful Moment of the Day: My friend Sara came over this evening (before my game winning).  It was nice to have some good conversation and to catch up.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas Day in a Nutshell

My wonderful Christmas day in the briefest way possible.

Woke up at 5:20 am to Adam grinding his teeth and they were squeaking.
Woke him up so the noise would stop.
Had to pee.
He did too.
We went downstairs to pee. (Kaylee asleep in our room - don't want to go back up and possibly wake her.)
Played 2 games of Dominion before Adam's family got up.
I lost.
Family woke up.
Read Luke and prayed.
Opened gifts.
Big family breakfast. (I was stuffed!)
Played games with family.
Lost some more.
Big family supper. (Wow! Stuffed again!)
More games.
Lost again.
Tired. (so I was borderline cranky by evening.)
Came home.
Played with my new camera (which is amazing by the way) and my new coffee pot. (which is what I originally thought my camera was)
Somehow computer got on to my lap.
Exhausted.
Still up writing this.
Ok. I am finished. Goodnight.

PS. I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! I know I did!

Joyful Moment of the Day: I really enjoyed getting up and playing games with Adam this morning. I felt like a little kid that could not way any longer for Christmas.  It was nice to capture some moments to ourselves without any other distractions. Thanks again, my Love, for getting up with me.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Worst Bathroom Experience EVER

So, everyone has the scare at least once in their life.

The scare where you flush the toilet and for one single instance it feels as though the world is about to end because the water is rising to the top of the toilet.  When the water stops right before pouring out over the top, you let out the huge breath of air that you did not realize that you were even holding.

I had such a scare. Only my scare became reality. At Adam's uncle's house.

Being pregnant and all I have to pee quite frequently. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I went into the small basement bathroom and even noticed that the water was significantly low. I just chalked it up to it being a basement toilet. (stupid) After going potty, my moment happened. I turned toward the sink and began to was my hands. Noticing the water in the toilet was not stopping, panic set in. (There is carpet on the floor.) I lifted the back lid to try to stop the water from escaping, but my worst fears came to life when the water starts pouring out everywhere.

I ran into the main room and told Adam's uncle that his toilet was overflowing.  He went in to assess the damage and went to the garage to get the shopvac. He cleaned that bathroom up for what felt like forever.

Let's just say that I am really glad that all I did was potty. 

And that I have it on good authority that two men did more than potty in there right before I went in.

And neither one of them fessed up when I was utterly humiliated in front of all of his family.

Worst Bathroom Experience EVER!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Our Christmas Letter

Every year I try to send out a Christmas letter. Some years I have successfully made time and effort for this endeavor, but this year is just not one of those years. So, as I find myself with only days before Christmas I have decided to write my letter just for you.

Dear Family and Friends,

This year has gone by crazy fast! I simply cannot believe that it is almost Christmas! Fortunately, the year did not bring about big changes to our lives, but several small ones.

First change - We have an one year old now! Kaylee has grown up so much over the year! She is no longer our little baby that needs us for everything.  She still is and always will be our baby girl, but we are reminded constantly through the newborns of friends that our daughter is no longer a baby.  She started the year barely crawling and now is running around after the cat.  She was just starting to get her first tastes of food and now is very close to feeding herself properly with a fork or spoon. (By properly I mean I don't need to get out a hose for clean-up.) She was drinking from a bottle, but now drinks from a sippy cup. She was just cooing, but now is saying lots of words.  She has just developed and grown so much as I know she will continue to do in the years to come. These quick developmental changes make things go by so much faster.

Second change - We found out we were pregnant again!  (Some may think this is a big change, but for me being pregnant is a small change. Once the baby comes, then it will be a big change.) This pregnancy is flying by with the year it seems.  Maybe because Kaylee keeps me on my toes.  I just know that I am coming to the end and seeing all that I still need to get done, hoping that I am able to get it all in before baby number two makes her arrival. We have between 8-12 weeks left.  Kaylee came at 39 weeks. Maybe this kid will be late. We will see!

Third change - My brother is married! We are thrilled to welcome Rachel into our family!  We were able to spend Thanksgiving with my brother and his new wife and I must say that they made the visit so much fun!  I love spending time with Michael, but it was also so exciting to get to spend some time getting to know Rachel better!  Welcome to the family, Rachel! 

Fourth change - New friends!  God has truly blessed us with some great new friendships this year!  I think of our home group that is a bunch of people that we already knew, but that we have gotten to truly have relationships with.  I think of our new youth pastor and his wife and I cannot tell you how often they have been blessing to me already in just the short few months I have known them.  I think of another couple that we have loved learning new games with.  It's been a long time since we have had friends that we are a couple that we can play games with.  I think of another couple that we enjoy having conversation with as they are just a fun loving couple.  All of these friendships added to the constant growth in our other relationships, have made this year a blast!

Fifth change - Adam got his PHR! (Professional Human Resources) After months of preparation for the test and weeks of pre-tests and anxiety, he passed the test!  I could not be more thrilled for my husband! He was so nervous, which is so unlike him when it comes to classes and tests.  Essentially this is just to make him worth more professionally. He calls it a club that he has joined.  Either way, I am super proud of him!

As our year comes to a close, I look ahead and see HUGE changes on the horizon.  I know God has so much in store for us and I cannot wait to see how He moves in our lives in 2011.  May this new year bring many blessings to you all!

Love,
Adam, Krista, Kaylee, and Baby #2.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

What is going on with you?

I have been itching to post for a few weeks now, but just haven't had the time. We have been super busy and  when we aren't busy I am too exhausted and typically go to bed.

Adam and I are still discussing baby names. He is pretty set on Elanor and I am pretty set on Lydia.

Our new baby girl is measuring right on where I am currently, which is 27 weeks. It's funny though because I feel so huge, but not in the "fat"pregnant sort of way. Just VERY pregnant.

Kaylee is surprising us every day with new words and comments. She is a joy to us even on her cranky days.  She is getting so big! We are hoping to move her to her big girl bed after Christmas. Her room is still a work in progress, but I am hoping to have it done enough to move her in. 

Titus knows another baby is on the way. The cat has a gift. He wants to sleep on my lap right next to my belly. You would think he would tremble in fear now that he sees what the baby becomes and does to him, but apparently it doesn't phase him that Kaylee throws him around and pulls him off the ground by his hair.

Adam is taking a few days off around Christmas and we are spending the holidays with his family.  I am off until January so I am hoping to get some projects done around here.

I am currently feeling the bite of third trimester even though I technically have a few days before it starts.  I am exhausted, hungry, sleeping terribly, and just having a rough go at things. I am finding that I need to do less and not try to get so much done throughout the day.  This is not good though because I have lots to do.  Please pray for me if you think of me. I need some strength and energy from the Lord.

Adam has been wonderful. He has taken such good care of Kaylee and I. He has even offered to take off on the days when I am not physically feeling very well. He is such a great husband!

We are down to 4 Christmas parties left. If we counted right, we had 10 to start with. 2 of them we could not make because of conflicting schedules. So, we are halfway done with our 8 parties.

Anyways, how are you? I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas if I don't write again before then!

Joyful Moment of the Day: Kaylee is walking around talking on her phone saying bed. I just told her it is time for her to go to bed. :)

Thursday, December 2, 2010

The Final Decision

After much conversation, prayer, debate, and looking at numbers our decision has been made.

While it would be nice to stay home once the new baby is born, it just will not work at this current time. We are in desperate need for a bigger vehicle among a few other needs and the only way to take care of those needs is if we are saving. The only way to save is if I am working.

I will be getting some time off when I have the baby. The school year will almost be over by that point so I will not be missing out on a ton of work. My boss also was kind and is letting me a couple of weeks before the baby comes so that I can help Kaylee adjust to my being home and so that I can hopefully get some house cleaning done before the new baby makes her appearance.

Anyways, please continue to pray for us. My desire is to be home with my girls and I am willing to do whatever is necessary to make that happen. 

In the meantime, I am thankful for a flexible boss and work environment.  I love my kids this year and am excited to see how much progress that they make between now and next year.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Kaylee is finally saying baby when she touches my tummy. I don't think she quite understands what that means yet, but it is a step in the right direction.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Top 10 Things I am Thankful For

This time of year makes people stop and think about everything that they are thankful for.  (Hence THANKSgiving.)  So this year I may only give 1 thing that I am grateful for when it comes to be my turn at the table, but for you...

Here are my

Top 10 Things I am Thankful For

1. Jesus - He is, after all, my Savior, protector, strength, provider, and love of my life! He is my hope and the reason that I live. I am undeserving of the love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness that he offers to me. I am so thankful for Him.

2. My Husband Adam - He puts up with my good and my bad. He loves and cherishes me. He is a great husband and father and I am so grateful that God brought Him into my life and gave Him to me.

3. Kaylee and my baby #2 - Kaylee is such a joy and delight to my life. Her laughter and her babbling make our home so much more exciting. I am so thankful for her. My little baby #2 (still no name) is also such a wonderful addition to my life. She moves consistently throughout the day and has actually tickled me a few times with her movement. I am thankful for her.

4. My Family - They have been my closest friends and confidants over the years. They are the ones that made me who I am.  My parents taught me what a woman of God looks like.  My brother has been a best friend and has helped me mature and shape my thoughts on life.  I am grateful for my family!

5. My Friends - My friends have had such a huge impact on my life. They have helped me through difficult times and have been there for me during the great times. They never leave my side and I am so glad I know them and that they gave me that chance. I am so very thankful for my friends!

6. My House - It is my place of refuge after a long day and it is mine. It is decorated in a way that makes me feel at home. My house is my home and I am so thankful for it.

7. My Job - My kids this year are amazing! I have been at this job for several years now and I am so thankful for my great group of kids!  These kids really make "going to work" great! I am so thankful for my job and for my kids!

8. My Church - I am super happy with our church. The people and the pastoral staff make it a phenomenal place to worship and I am so grateful for my church.

9. Food - What can I say? I love food. I am so glad that I have never had to go without food and that I am able to have traditions such as Thanksgiving dinner. I am thankful for food.

10. Readers - I am grateful for all of you. It makes writing a blog much more enjoyable. Thanks for reading!

Joyful Moment of the Day: I get to be with my family today. I am so very very happy to be with them today!

Monday, November 22, 2010

A Week With Limited Technology

Adam and I agreed on limiting the amount of time we spent on the internet, watching tv, watching movies, and playing xbox etc over our entire week last week.

Adam decided to play hero and do 0 minutes of usage except his one game of Madden that he had to play so he could advance his league online with his buddies.

Knowing this would be way too difficult for me, (Sad, I know) I took on 30 minutes a day.  Let me tell you. This was not easy. I am unsure of exactly how much time I spend doing these things, but it must be a lot. I went crazy Monday.  By Wednesday, however, Kaylee and I had a new routine going and it wasn't so bad. I began to realize that the only thing I truly missed was jumping on quick to see if some store sold something that I was thinking of.  It was very interesting and showed me that while the internet is nice to have, it should be used sparingly.

So, with that being said, I am sticking with about 30 minutes a day of  internet usage.  I am not going to be as hard on myself, but at the same time I want this limit because I am much more productive with it.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Snuggling with Kaylee when I woke her up this morning. I love her big hugs!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Kaylee's Kidbits

In the last few weeks, Kaylee's vocabulary has started to really grow!  It amazes me how much she learns even when I feel like she is learning nothing other than how to throw a tantrum.

She has been able to say quite a few words for a while. Mommy, Daddy, Kitty, Wiggle, Moo, Titus, and shoes.

These are the new things added to the list. Thank you, Love you, You're welcome, Papa or Poppy, poo-poo, uh-oh, and go. (And her very own Star Wars language.)

Kaylee loves to dance and sing! She also loves wearing shoes, but hates socks. She hates having her hair combed or to have bows in it. She enjoys knocking on the bathroom door when someone is in there - especially if it is her daddy. She also likes to cover her face and pretend she is hiding.  This game is cute, but she is one patient kid during this game and can sit there "hiding" for quite a long time while you pretend to look for her.  She loves to skype.  As soon as she hears the noise it makes when it comes on, she comes running over.  Every day is something new and exciting with her.

As we prepare for baby number two (still no name- sorry), we are realizing quickly that our "baby" is quickly becoming a little person of her own, leaving behind most of her baby qualities and becoming a toddler. Although, she will always be our baby.

I love my little girl(s).

Joyful Moment of the Day: Adam is setting up downstairs for game day. He has his music on and is singing loudly along with it.  It makes me smile. Especially when he comes up and starts singing to Kaylee. :)

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Habitual Acts

Over the past few days I have come to notice exactly how habitual I am.

When I go anywhere, I always park in the same general area so I am not that person you laugh at as the walk aimlessly through the parking lot with no clue where their car is. (I also don't want to be in the cold any more than necessary.)

I have my routine in the morning. Shut alarm off. Roll over. Get phone. Put slippers on. Pee. Brush teeth. Fix breakfast. Open blinds. Get Kaylee. Change Kaylee's diaper. Feed Kaylee and myself. - You get the point.

When I get on the internet, I have an order in which I check my stuff. G-Mail. Facebook. Blogspot. Netflix.

I drive the same route to different places. I even know which lanes are the best ones to be in to get there in the best time.

Then there is the bathroom.  I always use the same stall.  Partially because I have tried others and in some of the stalls the toilet paper is harder to manage. Mostly because I am simply a creature of habit.

I just find it super interesting how habitual I am and how difficult it is to start a new habit or quit one.  However, I have no problem succumbing to my habitual acts - usually without thought.  My body goes on auto-pilot when it comes to these habitual things that I do. (Driving is the worst one!)

I started thinking about how habitual I was when I went into the bathroom and my stall was "out of order." I just stood there confused for a moment before I realized I still had a reason for going into the bathroom in the first place.

What kind of crazy habits do you guys have?  Are you as habitual as I am?

Joyful Moment of the Day: Having Nick and Kendra over for dinner and a boardgame.  It has been a really long time since we have had an evening with them where we weren't having to watch our girls.  It was nice to just enjoy their company while our girls were sleeping.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Complete Surrender

As I sit here preparing my heart to lead others into the thrown room of God through music in the morning, I think back to the first time I heard the last song in our set.

I was 14, sitting among about 5,000 teenagers in a dome in Georgia for an Acquire the Fire event weekend.  I had loved music my entire life, but had never experienced worship in song with that much surrender.  Never had I heard God speak so boldly to my heart through music before.  I was drawn with hundreds of others to the front of the auditorium, not to stand close to the front or to admire the singer, but to fall on my face in worship of a Holy God and say, "Here is all of me, God."

Ever since this moment, music has never been the same for me. Words sung or spoken are so important, but are even more so when it comes to saying or singing them to God.  If a song says, "I surrender all" shouldn't I check myself to make sure that I can mean those words with complete surrender before I start to sing them to the Living God?

With that being said, I have a challenge for you tomorrow at church.  Truly hear the words before you sing them tomorrow and check yourself.  Can you sing the words and mean them? If so, sing them with complete surrender.  Sit at God's feet and worship Him.

Before I end this blog, I feel the need to share the words to the song that drove me to my knees 13 years ago.

Lord, I Give You My Heart by Reuben Morgan 

This is my desire
To honor You
Lord with all my heart
I worship You
All I have within me
I give You praise
All that I adore is in You

Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for You alone
Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord, have Your way in me
_____________________

Here is the link to Hillsong's version of the song if you would like to hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X25XsU1WqRE

The New Do

I have been contemplating a haircut for months now. Adam likes my hair long and stringy. While I do enjoy a quick ponytail, I also enjoy being able to wear my hair down occasionally.

You can do that with long hair, Krista. Yeah, not my hair.  I have like 3 normal people's hair all put together in one huge thickness in which I used to refer to as the poof.  Until they invented the straightener.

My hair was sooooo long though and sooooo thick that it would take me forever and a day to straighten my hair.

So, after much discussion with Adam about my hair, we agreed that I could cut it off. 

It's amazing how light my head feels.  I think the headaches will be more few and far between with less hair.

I have high hopes that I will be diligent with fixing this "do" and making it worth all of my hairstylist's time and effort.

Anyways, here are the before and after pics.


Joyful Moment of the Day: Having Adam home today and not having anything to do until this evening. It's been a relaxed day.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Sisters

Michael and I are 4 years apart.  We were never that close until I moved out and went to college.

When Adam and I found out we were pregnant again, I was so excited thinking about my daughter having a brother and being closer in age than Michael and I were making it more probable that they would be close friends growing up, making up for the years that Michael and I missed out on.

After finding out we were having a second girl, I was overwhelmed with beautiful comments, emails, and letters telling me how lucky my daughter will be to have a sister.  I just have to say thank you to everyone who has shared their own personal stories of how they love having a sister.

I would like to share one of those letters with you from one of the ladies that I work with.

Krista-
After our quick conversation on Thursday about the new girl angel you are carrying, I began to think about the joys of having a sister.

My sister - well - she is not my best friend; she's a part of me really.  There are bonds sisters share that no one else could ever understand. And you, you are offering this very precious gift to your daughter.

Imagine... fast forward to when your children are adults... your oldest giving this card to her little sister whom she has protected and loved oh-so-much!

Be cheered!
Jody

This note was inside a beautiful birthday card from a sister to a sister.

All of these notes and letters have made me so happy to know that Kaylee will have a sister to share her life with.  Thanks again for sharing!

Joyful Moment of the Day: Cuddling with Kaylee this morning when she got up.  I love it when she is in the mood to cuddle!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Top 10 Quick Pick-Up Tips

If you are like me, your house is not always "up for showing".  Kaylee usually has toys everywhere. Adam usually has socks everywhere.  Most days I would cringe at the thought of someone seeing my messy house. So, what do you do when that someone calls and asks to drop-by for a bit?

Here is my  

Top 10 Quick Pick-Up Tips

1.) Designate a corner in your living/family room for toys. -  Once you get that call, just start chucking toys toward that corner and if you have an extra spare moment you can organize the chaos. Otherwise, just moving the toys to the one corner does a major turn around for the living space. At least they won't be tripping over a ball or blocks while they visit.

2.) Focus on the main areas. - Living Room, Bathroom, and Kitchen.  These are the rooms that your guest will most likely be in if they stop by. Don't worry about your bed not being made. Shut your door.

3.) Shut lights off in areas that you don't want guests to visit. - Most of the time my dining room is not needed for a quick visit. While my dining room is open to my kitchen, it is not as noticeable if the light is off.  Making it unnecessary to scrub down the table or sweep the dining room floor.

4.) Keep up with major items on a regular basis. - I am mainly talking about dishes. Dishes seem to be everywhere if you let them go.  And it is the first thing your guest will notice when entering your home.  Especially if you offer them something to drink.  It is best to make dishes a top priority. Put clean ones away and keep dirty ones out of sight by putting them in the dish washer or washing them. That way when the guest calls, you have the minimum amount of dishes to put away.  Maybe a breakfast bowl and cup, but nothing major like scrubbing the pots from last night's dinner.

This can also apply to the bathroom. Keep your shower curtain shut and your counter cleaned off regularly. That way the most you have to do when a friend stops by is maybe empty the trash and make sure there is toilet paper on the roll.

5.) Let the sunshine in. - If it is daytime, open the curtains and blinds in the main areas. If it is night, turn on the lights. Lights and sunshine give your home a clean homey feel and makes the space feel bigger.

6.) Do light cleaning when you have a free moment. - For me, this is when I pick up Kaylee's toys. As soon as she goes down for a nap, I pick up the toys that she has played with all morning. Sure, I know she will be getting them out again later, but I have found that if I leave out the first round of toys then her second round of playtime makes the room worse.  There are double the amount of toys to clean up then when that friend drops by.  If I just pick up the few things that she played with during the morning, they are out of the way and then I don't have to worry about a huge mess to clean up later.

7.) Move the "junk" to the closed bedroom.  - If you have a lot of clutter that has accumulated in your main living area, just toss it into your closed bedroom. This includes the 3 baskets of laundry you have been folding for the past few days.  Again, the door will be shut so they won't see it.  No need to "find a place" for it right now.   Your friend will be here any minute and you still have a few things to do.

8.) Fluff the couches/ Rearrange pillows. - Our couch pillows tend to be in disarray.  So, a quick pillow move around really makes our living room look clean.  It is amazing how even that quick of a fix makes a huge difference in our front room.

9.) Wipe the counters. - You don't want to offer them a drink and have them put their hands in a sticky mess if they lean on your counter. This takes no time at all, makes you more comfortable with having them in your kitchen, and makes your kitchen look clean.

10.) Make sure you look presentable. - If you are still wandering around the house in your pj's, your guest will feel like they imposed. It's important that you take a few minutes to brush your hair, put some clothes on, and brush your teeth. 

This works not only for those drop- by guests, but also for the guests you planned on coming, but ran out of time to clean up for because you worked late or had a long day and forgot that they were coming. 

Joyful Moment of the Day: Kaylee woke up in a good mood today. 

Thursday, October 14, 2010

It's a Girl!

Well, we are going to have 2 girls.  It's crazy to me because I did not have sister growing up so I am intimidated by how to relate to 2 little girls.  I hope they are close friends though and that I can convince Adam that we should have a few more kids and hopefully have a boy at some point.

Here are a few pics and videos from today's ultrasound.
Girl.
 Heartbeat.
 Waving.
 Profile.
 Super Long Legs.
Joyful Moment of the Day: Our little girl is healthy and right on schedule for March 12! Can't wait to meet her! I hope this one looks like me! :)

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Fresh Morning Rain

As I STILL struggle with making time to stop and spend time with God, I also find myself struggling with my week. Yesterday was a pretty down day for me.  I was super tired and had a headache, but was also met with some emotions that I can only classify as down in the dumps.  I blame myself because of my lack of stopping.

Anyways, this morning I was able to share an unplanned moment with the Lord. I had just put Kaylee down for a nap and was coming back to the living room to check the internet quick when I noticed the sun beaming into the room. (It had been dreary out so far this morning much like my attitude yesterday.) After noticing the sun, I looked out the window to see the most beautiful light refreshing rain fall.  Trust me, I usually don't call rain beautiful. Rain usually makes me feel as depressing as it looks.  Today, however, the rain was so beautiful in the glistening sun.  I scanned the sky for a rainbow and did not see one, but I watched the rain fall, bringing some of the neighbor's leaves to the ground with it. Such a beautiful display of God and His glory to me this morning.

Thanks Lord!

May you find time with Him today.  I hope to!

Joyful Moment of the Day: Kaylee and I played together this morning.  I really needed to do housework, but instead spent time playing with her teddy bears and blocks.  We had a great morning together.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Exactly What I Needed

It's easy to get to a place where when people see you day to day, you just tell them everything is ok.  Most of the time if someone asks me, "how are you today?", I think of my current status which is usually pretty good.

It's in my own quiet space where it is just me and God that things are not ok.

Yes, I love Him and want to serve Him, but my desire falls short when it comes to actual motivation to spending time with Him.  I was challenged in this area last weekend by Joey our youth pastor at the Liquid retreat.  God truly grabbed my heart with concepts that I had heard before, but somehow they made the connection.

So, with being back at work for a full week, I must say that I struggled. Still.

I did great the first day and maybe one other day, but still found it falling to the back burner, quickly forgotten.

To get to the next part I must give you a teeny bit of background.  I really have been stressed out lately.  Everything and everyone adds to it. I have had tears come to eyes more than once when I am in the quiet of my car driving from here to there. Trying to hold it together.

This weekend during a marvelous prayer walk through the beautiful woods, covered in the colors of fall, we had a moment of confession.  We prayed to ourselves asking God to show us areas that we need to confess to Him.  During this time God revealed to me that I have been doing things by my own strength. Hence the stress.

This also drives home last weekend's thoughts as well. I need time with God so that I can rely on Him and His strength to carry me through this time in my life that makes me anxious and stressed.  They are so intertwined.

As I prepare my heart and mind for the week, I already feel myself getting tense. I must lay this down and give it to Him.  I am hoping that this week I am able to truly stop, be quiet, and connect with God and in the process know that He will get me through each day.

Here is to a new week!

Joyful Moment of the Day: I loved the retreat, but it was fun to get back to Adam and Kaylee.  We played and laughed a lot this afternoon. Perfect ending to a great weekend!  A weekend that was exactly what I needed!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Stress, Rejuvenation, Games, and Friends

Things have been really stressful for me lately.  We have had crazy busy schedules and I suppose my being pregnant has effected my ability to handle as much stuff as I usually do. However, I am hoping that the next few weekends lift my spirits and help me relieve the stress that my poor body has succumbed to.

Tomorrow I am going to women's retreat with our church. I am really looking forward to a weekend away where I can spend some time with God and hopefully get some rejuvenation from Him.  I am also going to have the opportunity to spend some time among friends.  My hope is that this weekend can be a time of refreshing my spirit and of relaxation.

Next weekend we have our "House Con." Adam is super excited about this extravaganza of course!  We will be having 3 full days of gaming.  It has been a while since I have gotten to play some games so I must admit I am looking forward to it.  That and the fact that we are planning on having quite a crowd so I will be acting as hostess and making chili for everyone.  I am really looking forward to that.

The weekend after the next my best friend Meggan, her husband Trevor, and beautiful daughter Addison will be coming to visit.  I am really looking forward to having friends visit.  I am also excited about watching Kaylee and Addison play together.  It will be the icing on the cake of October.  Friends always bring about the encouragement and strength that you can only get when they are around.  I can't wait!

Joyful Moment of the Day: My husband made tacos for dinner and it was ready when I got home.  It was sooo good!  We watched Survivor while eating dinner and it made for a great hour together before he headed off to Liquid.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Top 10 Ways to Romance Your Wife

Adam always asks me, "What do you want me to do?"

At the moment he asks me, I am usually upset or frustrated and unsure of what to say.  Not because I don't know what I want, but because it is at that awkward moment where telling him what I want makes it no longer romantic.  Then, it seems to feel forced.

Most women have a beautiful fantasy of romance.  At least I do.  I immediately think of flickering candlelight and sweet smelling roses in my favorite color.  (Maybe even elegant violin music in the background.)   I am a sap, I know.

After much thought, I figured that most men don't have this fantasy and they probably have NO idea of what this fantasy looks like or where it came from.  They think romance and think kissing you.  (Which is a part of it, but that can't just be it.)

So here are my own personal 

Top 10 Ways to Romance Your Wife (or for my husband - Me)

1. Bringing home flowers - It's always a good idea. They don't have to come in large quantities or be the most expensive, but don't ever bring carnations.  They scream cheap and funeral all at once. (Unless this happens to be your wife's favorite flower. If so, then have at it. It isn't mine.)  Also, you can't just bring home the flowers, throw them at her, and expect her to fall over weeping at your feet with gratitude (even though she is grateful).  A good way to bring home flowers is to walk in and hand them to her and tell her something like, "I couldn't stop thinking of you all day." or "I wanted you to know that I am so grateful for everything you do."  Then, ask her about her day and spend 5-10 minutes talking with her before continuing your after work habits.  I am not talking an hour question and answer time. Just 10 minutes to focus on her right after handing her the flowers.

2.  Write her a note or poem - It's free!  It doesn't have to be a book.  Just a little note telling your wife that you love her and cherish her.  Remind her that she is the one that you chose and still choose.  Don't hand it to her and walk away.  Sit down with her and offer to read it to her or hold her as she reads it.  Then, it is a special moment for you as well because you can capture her facial expressions with each word.

3.  Have a candlelit dinner - Switch things up.  It doesn't even have to be some special meal that took hours to make or maybe your wife made it.  Just add candles to the table and make dinner more intimate.  I know at our house we eat dinner with Kaylee and I think that it is fine if the kids are there.  I think it makes it even better. Your kids get to see what romance looks like and see that their parents are in love even this many years into their marriage.  After dinner, help clean up.

4.  Tell her she is beautiful at least once a day - She needs to hear it.  I don't know about every other woman on the planet, but I do know that I struggle with my personal appearance.  If I spent the whole day feeling ugly, then I am not going to feel any different once I see Adam.  To be completely honest if you don't feel pretty, you don't want to be in anything but your sweats.  So, if you want more than sweats, tell your wife daily that you think she is beautiful.  (Try to do it when you are out of arm's reach that way she doesn't think you are saying it with an ulterior motive.)

5.  Dance with her - It relieves stress!  Wait until the kids go to bed.  Turn on some music and dance.  Maybe even light some candles. This is one those "sweet nothings" come in handy.  Whisper your love for her in her ear during a slow song.  Make her laugh by being goofy during a fast song.  Have fun!

6.  Play with her hair - She styles it the way you like it.  I don't mean pet your wife.  Just touch her hair.  Maybe push it behind your ear while you are talking to her.  Run your fingers softly through her hair while you are watching a movie.  It screams intimate.  It shows her that you are devoting all of your attention to her.

7.  Rub her back - You know you like it when she gives you one.  She feels the same way.  The difference is that she most likely will see it as romantic.  Let me clarify.  She comes in from a long day and you offer to rub her back. She will be completely surprised at the thought and the offer!  It's not as romantic if you have to ask for it.  The same can be said for rubbing her feet.

8.  Call or text to let her know you miss her - Everyone likes to feel missed.  Most of the time, the woman is the one to say, "I miss you."  The man typically may miss her, but doesn't see the need to say it.  Ladies like to feel missed.  It means they are important to you and that you have been thinking of her.  Call her. Text her. Let her know.

9.  Kiss her goodnight and good morning - It's a great habit to have the rest of your life!  Thinking of your wife before bed and after you wake up by giving her a kiss is a way to show her you cherish her.  This is one that Adam is excellent at.  There are some mornings that I sleep through his alarm and his getting ready, but I know when he kisses me before he leaves.  It makes me feel extra cared for and loved.  He takes time every day to make sure he does this before he leaves for work - even when he is running late.

10.  Find something she enjoys and do it with her - Even if you hate it.  Men love doing things together where they don't have to just sit and have one on one conversation.  This is the perfect way to connect with your wife.  Find something that she likes to do that you have never done that you are willing to try with her.  Make the effort to set aside time for it and show her that you are genuinely interested in doing it.  Don't make fun of the activity or complain about it while doing it.  She will be excited to have you interested in something she is interested in.  Just enjoy the time that you spend together doing the activity.

While my list could go on and on, I will stop it at 10.  Some men probably quit reading at number 5.

The point is that wives want to be romanced.  This is just a list of things that I personally would like.

If you really want to know what your wife wants, ask her to make a list of her top 10.  Then, surprise her and do them spontaneously throughout the next few months.  She won't know what to do!


Joyful Moment of the Day: Kaylee giggled all through lunch today.  I don't know what got into her, but it was super cute.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Normal

Things are finally getting back to normal.  We are all better and I am so grateful to God for that!

The baby has been moving a lot lately and I love having that feeling again!  With all the movement, I have been really itching to find out what I am having.  Boy. Girl. Boy. Girl. Back and forth. I am so ready to know!

Kaylee is growing up so fast!  She is 15 months now and walking like a pro!  She has been getting into everything and I feel like it is only the beginning.  Adam is not thrilled with all that she is learning to do. He caught her helping herself to a loaf of bread tonight right before dinner.

Adam has been such a trooper with me being back at work and him having Kaylee in the afternoons until I get home. I know he enjoys his time with her, but I also know that she is pesky at times so she can be hard to deal with after a full day's work.

Energy seems to still be something of yesterday, but I am still holding out hope that it will come during this second trimester.

Work has been crazy for me.  I am still learning all of my new responsibilities.  It is not a huge change from last year, but there are small things that come in the day-to-day that throw me off sometimes. I do miss being home when Adam gets off and having some family time.  And eating dinner at 5.  I love my kids this year though and am excited about seeing how much they grow in learning English over the next several months.  On a side note - one of my 1st grade girls is finally warming up to me.  I made her smile twice today which is a huge step!  She does not speak or understand English at all and she is super adorable.  Anyways, it made my day that I got her to smile!

I think that about catches you up on how things are going here.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Chatting with Kimberly before work today!  Our conversations always have me laughing!

Monday, September 20, 2010

The Sickness Never Ends

I will try to keep the complaining to a bare minimum here.  I have officially joined my sick little family in their endeavors.  It started last night as Adam's poor friend K4E was leaving.  I hustled to the bathroom and lost what I thought was everything I had eaten that day.  I realized I was wrong when around 6 this morning I finally gave it my all after throwing up every hour before that. 

Kaylee also woke up puking a little this morning and then the nasty poops the rest of the day.  Poor thing slept most of the day.

Thankfully, Adam has completely recovered and was able to use some sick time today to stay home and take care of us.  He was my knight in shining armor all night long as he would come in and rub my back even late into the night.  He continued taking care of me today by letting me rest and by running to get me some 7-up when I was starting to keep food down.  He also dealt with our cranky sick little Kaylee all day and never complained.  I am so very grateful for my husband! 

So, as I head to bed in hopes to stay there for the night, and my tummy is still gurgling, I think of my wonderful husband and how much I love and appreciate him.

Joyful Moment of the Day: I actually have 2. 1)My friend Meggan called to check up on me a have a short chat.  It was nice to be thought of!  2)Tonight I ate some chicken pot pie and it was the yummiest thing ever! Not just because it was the first real food besides crackers I have had all day.  It really was good!

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Sick

This day has been quite eventful.  I have decided that I have special sonic Mom ears. I heard my poor little girl cough at 5:50ish this morning and then start crying. I knew she had puked based on those sounds. It was only the first of 11 times over the next 4 and 1/2 hours. Adam had gone in at 6 for overtime and I had him come home early to bring Kaylee some pedialyte and crackers.  Kaylee finally was able to sleep around noon so I took a nap as well.

Adam and I have both been sick to our stomachs and so far I have not had any issues.

About an hour ago, Adam was not able to say the same.

Either way I think it was the alfredo I made last night for dinner. It was a box meal that we had never tried before and after eating it Adam and I both grimaced at our bowls. Kaylee enjoyed it so I saved the rest for her.

I will be throwing the rest away.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Kaylee has not puked since 10:30 this morning. I think she is past it. :)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

It's Been A Rough Week

So, this week has been soooo difficult! 

It started off with two of my kids pulling the fire alarm at separate times and the fire department coming out both times. I did not realize that I was in charge until this happened.  It was eventful and the fire department, rightfully so, was not happy.  Needless to say this is the first time we have had this issue with the fire alarm in the 5 years we have been at our location.  Oh and the problem - these kids do not speak or understand English. With a translator's help the next day we scared the kids into never wanting to pull the alarms again.  Hopefully.


I made all of my chicken lasagnas this week for the meal exchange and it took a lot longer than I ever thought it would. I ended up doing it over several days rather than just one day. It took a while. I wore me out and put me on my feet for too many hours. 

So, the week continued with sore feet and sleepiness.  I am exhausted.

I went into today thankful that it was the end of my work week. Tonight I went to a friend's house for a jewelry party. I had to run to get my purse from the car, emphasis on run, and I stepped on a wood chip the shape of a dagger.  It went through my shoe right into the pad of my foot.  I had to go back in with my foot bleeding all over the porch and sidewalk.  It was so gross and  I felt pretty embarrassed that I had to go into the house for the party with my nasty foot. After a band-aid  and some alcohol, things quieted down for me.

So the week ends with really sore feet and sleepiness. Did I mention that I am exhausted?

Sorry for complaining. It's been a rough week.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Sitting on the couch in my quiet house right now in my pajamas writing this blog.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Meal Exchange

Some of my friends and I do a meal exchange.  There are 6 of us total and we each make 2 meals so we end up with 12 meals total in our freezer to pull out whenever we want.  Trust me - if you don't do this, you should.

This is how it works.

One person picks out recipes for all of us and emails them and the completion date to us.  Then, we meet and exchange dishes if need be.  Some meals we try to put in zip-locks so that they take up less space.  Then, off we go!  You purchase what you need for your 2 recipes and then make 6 of each of those meals. Total up the meals per person and then let everyone know what they owe you via email. By the completion date, drop off your meals in the freezer at church and pick up the meals that belong to you.

This time around, I am really excited about the meals we are getting.  My two meals that I have to make are chicken lasagna with white sauce and chicken pot pie.  I made all of the pot pies today.  I sampled the filling and it was DELICIOUS!  I will be making the lasagna in the next few days.  Hope it is yummy too! 

Joyful Moment of the Day:  Getting to hang out with Krista and Elliana for a bit today.  It is always so good to catch up with friends that you haven't seen for a while!  It was a very good, very productive day!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

First Day Back

Well, yesterday was my first day back to work.  Ironically, I think it was harder for me to go back this time than it was last year when Kaylee was just a few months old.  Leaving her at the sitter's house was just not an easy task, but I did it! 

I went into yesterday expecting the worst!  Some may say this is a pessimistic attitude, but I think of it as optimistic. This way if it is bad I am ready for it, but if it is good then I am really surprised and happy about it. 

Anyways, so out of everyone's classes my whole class showed up pretty much.  I was only missing 4.  Most of the other classes only had 3 out of everyone show up.  It was crazy!  The great thing is that I was told that none of my students would speak English and several of them actually do and can help translate for the ones that don't!  It was such a relief to know that some could help me when I need them to!

Needless to say the day was a pretty good day.  Tiring, but good.

Joyful Moment of the Day:  Seeing Kaylee get excited when I came into the house from work.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Top 10 Things Your Mother Never Told You About Being Pregnant

You see the pregnant woman from afar. She is beaming with beauty. Glowing. Her tummy is round and resembles a small watermelon in it's almost perfectly round shape.  You all of a sudden want to be her.

With that being said it is time for...
Top 10 Things Your Mother Never Told You About Being Pregnant

1. Typically the first 20 weeks of your pregnancy you won't really look pregnant.  These are the weeks where you can somewhat still wear your normal clothes, but feel fat in them.  You aren't really that big so you don't want to buy maternity stuff quite yet so you just feel fat. (Maternity clothes are super comfortable. Even the more dressy stuff feels like you are lounging in your sweat pants!  As much as I wanted to fit into my normal clothes again after having Kaylee, I was dreading giving up my maternity pants!  So, if you are in that "I'm fat!" stage just go buy yourself one maternity outfit.  You will feel a lot cuter and be much more comfortable.)

2. You are going to be exhausted at least 2 out of the 3 trimesters. You thought old ladies went to bed at 8 and now you are finding yourself sliding into bed about that time.  On top of that you are trying to catch a little snooze here and there throughout the day.  2nd trimester is suppose to bring a burst of energy and for me it did. Hopefully, it will for you too.

3. You may have diarrhea. You may be constipated. Some women have one extreme or the other. This makes having a normal bowel movement after pregnancy such a delightful moment.

4. Glowing. Ha! With Kaylee, glowing meant all of my zits lit up my face!  It was so gross and unmanageable. I looked 13. Some women get beautiful skin that gives her a glow that is lovely. I am hoping that is my experience this time around. Just warning you though, glowing could mean lots of acne for some.

5. I mentioned earlier that you will be tired, but did I mention you may have trouble sleeping? Some nights you will just not be able to fall asleep. Other nights you can't find a comfortable position to save your life. Even with the body pillow around the tummy, the pillow under your head, the pillow over your head, and the pillow behind your back.

6. Having "morning sickness" may be something you have heard about, but you may not have heard the whole story. You may be nauseated and never puke. You may puke. You may not be sick at all. Morning sickness is just a term that is actually describing what could be "all day sickness".  With Kaylee I was on the "not sick at all" side of things which was fabulous. The only time I puked was when I took my prenatal vitamin before eating most of my breakfast.  With this pregnancy I have been super nauseated all day every day, but can't puke.  It's definitely the worse of the 2 extremes.  However, my best friend Meggan puked her whole pregnancy so I cannot even begin to complain.  With nausea you wish you could puke, but for me this seems to be just a first trimester thing.  She had it the WHOLE time. 9 months. Ugh.  I can't imagine. (She did end up with the world's best baby though so it works itself out I guess but still.)


7. You have to pee in a cup EVERY time you go to the doctor's office.  I have huge stage fright issues when it comes to peeing on demand. The worse thing is when it comes out as a small little tinkle and does not land in the cup where it is suppose to go rather it lands all over my hand. Yes, I have done this more than once. The nice thing about my doctor's office is that they give you latex gloves to handle your "specimen" with.  Thank goodness!  Did I mention that I still have this problem?

8. At 18 weeks you are no longer allowed to lay on your back.  (It has to do with the weight of the uterus restricting blood flow to the baby and to you.)  Before I was pregnant with Kaylee I was a stomach sleeper. When I found out I was pregnant, I retrained myself to sleep on my back. Then, I found out I couldn't even do that anymore. It was terrible! Ever since being pregnant with Kaylee I have taught myself to sleep on my side and have slept that way ever since.

9. You may have the world's worst breast tenderness ever.  You may not. I think I may have mentioned in a previous post about my desire to put up an electric fence around them that not even clothing could go near. If I didn't - well, that is how I felt. This time around it has not been worse than what you may experience with a monthly period.


10. You may have horrible moodiness and be irrational. You may not. With Kaylee I was all over the map!  I felt terrible for the way I treated my friends and even Adam once I realized that I was pregnant and hormonal.  The rest of my pregnancy I had to make a conscious effort to really think through things that I was upset about and see if I had the right to be upset or if it was just me being pregnant.  It was really hard at times to not think with my hormones and emotions.  Needless to say, I have been sooooo much more level headed so far with this second kid. I know Adam and my friends have been grateful.

So, now as you see that woman from afar, instead of wanting to be her, you feel sympathy for her. That little baby inside of her is taking a lot out of her.  Maybe you could let her go in front of you in the check-out line.  It is after all, almost her bedtime.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Skype date with Kim today. Pretty excited to see that baby bump somewhat in person. :)

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

2 Days Left

So I am down to about 2 days to get things done around the house.

As you can see I am making great use of my time.

I think going back to work will be good for me. It will motivate me to make better use of the time that I have at home.  These last few weeks have by far been my laziest weeks ever.  I spent some of them super nauseated and most of them very exhausted so there is my main excuse for not doing anything. However, this week the nausea has been pretty much gone and I have yet to accomplish anything more than getting the laundry done.

My goals for Thursday and Friday:
1. Organize basement shelving unit and make room for things from guest room.
2. Sort through the guest room stuff and get rid of stuff we never use.
3. Move guest room keeps to basement.
4. Clean bathrooms.

I was going to add scrub floors to that list, but windows are going in sometime soon and so there will be lots of dust and whatnot going through my house.

Guess I will have to find time to do that after the windows go in.

Now that I have bored you with my life laziness and my to-do list.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Actually this happened yesterday. Grace came for lunch yesterday and I really enjoyed her company and getting to catch up with her!  It was delightful visit and I hope we do it more often!

Monday, August 16, 2010

One Major Difference

This pregnancy has been a truly different experience for me.  The only bad part has been the nausea and that has really let up as of late!

The major difference is in the way I feel about myself.

With Kaylee I felt fat and ugly most of my pregnancy.  None of my clothes would fit so I had to wear maternity stuff and even while wearing maternity stuff I wasn't actually showing.

Top that off with the horrible acne and wow! I did not want to look at myself in the mirror in the morning!

Yes, I have had to move into my maternity stuff already, but I just don't feel nearly as bloated.  I just feel pregnant.  And somewhat cute!

It amazes me that two pregnancies can be so completely different. My only common thing so far is the exhaustion. Oh and the weird dreams!

I look forward to the many other differences and similarities that will come.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Kaylee looks super cute today. My friend gave Kaylee a tank top that she had originally bought for her niece, but it was too small for her niece.  It is really cute on her!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

The Beauty of Life

Ironically after months of wanting another baby, I was not immediately excited about being pregnant again.

I had just started to truly get my body back - not just prepregnant body, but my premarried-life body.  Sure it was still a work in progress, but it was getting there.

Also, Kaylee is very independent now. Sure we still do diaper changes and feedings, but overall she plays and does things by herself throughout the day.

The thought of breastfeeding again makes me want to vomit.  I know it may be easier this time around, but it is not something I look forward to doing again. Ever.

All of my reasons, I know, are selfish.


Then, I had my first ultrasound.


Let me just say there is nothing more beautiful than seeing a tiny little baby inside of your tummy and hearing it's heartbeat. 

Tears come to my eyes.


The overwhelming joy, love, and gratefulness envelope me.


The excitement takes over.


I see this pregnancy with fresh eyes and heart and praise God for allowing me to carry something so beautiful for Him.

Please let me share a small part of my experience with you.


Joyful Moment of the Day: I won one of my favorite games today.  Beat the three other guys I was playing with.  Feels good.

Friday, August 13, 2010

All of a sudden I am given one more week of summer!

My boss sent me a text this week letting me know two things. One. We are not starting Monday as originally planned. Two. We are not working Fridays this year.

The bad thing about him telling me this is that I started off the week highly motivated to get things done. In light of the new information my motivation flew out the window.  Meaning that NEXT week is crunch time.

Having Fridays off will be nice. Especially when people are coming into town or we are going out of town. It will also be nice because then I will have 3 days to get some rest before Monday rolls around again.  Trust me. Pregnant people need their rest!  You do not want to mess with me when I have not had sleep! (nor when I am driving, but that is another story)

Anyways, sorry for not writing lately. Sometimes being pregnant makes me more negative than usual.  I don't want my blog to be nothing but my rants, raves, and complaints so I have refrained from blogging.  I should be around more often though. Hopefully. :)

Joyful Moment of the Day: Skyping with my parents this morning and getting to talk with my brother on the phone tonight. Man, I miss my family.  They made my day a really good day!

Friday, July 30, 2010

A Surprise Visit

So my friend Angel sent me a text on I forget which day, but basically she was asking me if I wanted to head back up to Minnesota with her.  I was enthused!  I checked with Meggan to see if it would work out to be able to see her again and she said they would make it work! 

So, tomorrow I will be packing up and Sunday Kaylee and I will be heading back up to Minnesota for a few days!

I am soooo excited!  What a great blessing!

Joyful Moment of the Day: Girl's Night Out tonight!  Gotta love getting out of the house for an evening and leaving the baby with the husband! 

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Bun in the Oven

Adam and I originally wanted only 12-18 months between our first and second kid.  Now that Kaylee is a year old I am super grateful that did not happen.  It would be so crazy to have another kid right now, especially with Kaylee still not wanting to walk.

With that being said, Adam and I are HAVING ANOTHER BABY!


Our next baby is going to be born end of February beginning of March, putting about 20-21 months between our kids. 

So far this pregnancy has been totally different than my pregnancy with Kaylee.  With Kaylee I had horrible acne. I looked like a 13 year old.  I also had terrible tenderness in my womanly curves.  If I could have set up an electric fence around them I would have with a sign saying Keep Out! While I have been grateful that I have not had to experience either of those this time around, it has not been easier at all.  I have had terrible nausea all day every day.  It is non-stop. During both pregnancies I have been exhausted.  Even after getting 10 hours of sleep at night I could take a long afternoon nap.

Adam has been great, so understanding!  He has been sympathetic and has been very supportive!  He is such a great husband!

Joyful Moment of the Day: Sharing this news!

Monday, July 19, 2010

The Sin Nature

Kaylee makes me so very aware of how we are indeed born with a sin nature. 

Whether it be through her screaming in protest for being put down on the floor or her disobedience when told "No".

It's funny in comparison to myself. 

How often do I throw a fit when things do not go my way? 

Being saved by Christ from the death that I deserve makes me so grateful.  Yet there are days when I am so sinful in my attitude and behavior toward Him.  Sure I don't physically throw myself to the ground, crying and giving angry eyes, but I am in every aspect disrespectful toward my Creator that I love so very deeply.

I wonder how often He looks at me, while I am throwing a fit, and laughs.

So as Kaylee is now happy that she has her water and her cheerios, I cannot help but ponder the sin nature. I am sure I will see this area of her life adapt and change in her growing age, but I look forward to the day when she says that Jesus is in her heart and she knows that she will spend eternity in Heaven. In spite of the sin nature she was born with.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Watching Kaylee practice waving and saying "bye-bye" in the mirror this morning.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

The cat cried ALL night!

These last few days have been a reflection of how much I long to be with those I love.  After visiting with lots of different family and friends over our 10 day journey in the midwest I am realizing that I need those people in my life.  Coming home is so... well... lonely.

Add that to the laundry and the sleep that I need to catch up on.

That is where you find me.

I honestly think of myself much like our cat Titus.

We have someone watch Titus while we are gone - checking in on him every few days.  This trip, though, seemed to do a number on him.  The dumb cat literally cried all night long the first night we were home.  Adam finally put him downstairs, but I could still hear him crying his little heart out.  He was so lonely.  Needless to say Adam and I got 0 sleep that night.

I think that I am like Titus in that I need people.  Genuine people that know me as good if not better than I know myself.

So, as I try to pick myself up from my travels, take naps when I can, and start a load of laundry I want all of you to know how grateful I am to have you all in my life.

You are so important to me.

I appreciate the role each of you play in my life.

Thank you.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Hearing Kaylee sing along with me this morning as I sang Jesus Love Me.  She is getting so big!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Time With Friends

It has been decided.  Weeks like this are the best!

It is really fun to see Adam in his "element".  Goofing off with Trevor.  Playing way too many games of Madden on the xbox.  Sharing stories about the past.  Seeing him with his friend.

I, on the other hand, have really enjoyed my time catching up with Meggan.  Having serious conversations while paddle boating. Having lighter conversations about The Bachelorette.  Going for walks around town.  Driving all over looking for Kaylee some Benedryl.  Making fun of Adam and Trevor's obsession with Madden.  Sharing Mommy stories. Talking about things we miss about college.  Talking about the future.  Being with my friend.

Times like these make it difficult to go home.

Our friendship is genuine.

This kind of friendship comes from years of molding and shaping. We all knew each other as single individuals.  We grew to know each other as couples.  And now we know each other as parents.

It has been a beautiful journey.  I love my friends.  I miss them and I wish that we did not have such a long distance between us.

Maybe God will bring us together once again someday.

In the meantime....

Joyful Moment of the Day:  Being able to watch The Bachelorette with Meggan.  It is much better to watch it with her!

Monday, July 5, 2010

Allergies

Kaylee woke up yesterday with major allergy issues.

Runny nose. Itchy, watery eyes.

She looks so sad, but she is surprisingly not fussy.

Please be praying for my poor little girl.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Being with Meggan, Trevor, and Addison!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Traveling

We started our northern journey yesterday at 12:30ish.  Kaylee did awesome!  She was a tad bit whiney towards the end of our trip, but overall did a wonderful job of being a good little happy traveler.  This morning we had breakfast with Ryan and Sarah.  It was fun to see their place and to catch up.  We are spending a couple of nights here at Adam's Uncle's and Aunt's house and then Sunday we are heading to Meggan and Trevor's house for several days before heading to South Dakota for my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary celebration.  Hopefully, Kaylee will continue to do great!

Joyful Moment of the Day: Great visits with Adam's Uncle and Aunt and our friends Ryan and Sarah.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Babies, Babies, Babies

Well, I have had 2 days now with 2 babies in the house.  It has been fun and trying all at the same time.  Elliana and Kaylee are only a few months apart in age and are on pretty similar schedules. This was nice in that they napped at the same time.

These two are quite a pair.



They would pass toys back and forth between them - not quite fighting over them but not quite sharing them.



They are both pulling up on things so they were all over the living room putting toys on the furniture and then standing up to get them.



Nap times were funny though because they would take turns crying until finally they both would fall asleep.

I was surprised that at meal times they did not get mad seeing each other eat.  Kaylee usually fusses when Adam and I are eating and not sharing with her so I figured it would be the same while Elliana was here.  It wasn't though. Kaylee played with the chair while Elliana was being fed. 

Kaylee is a little social butterfly and has loved having Elliana stay with us.  I am sure tomorrow she will be so sad when Elliana leaves and she is stuck here with just me and the cat.



Joyful Moment of the Day: One year ago I gave birth to my little Kaylee.  It's crazy that it has been a year already!  Happy Birthday, Kaylee!


Boardgames

I was talking to a friend about boardgames yesterday and it got me thinking that I always feel defensive when people start bashing boardgaming.  Ever since I woke up this morning my mind has been replaying the conversation and let me just say my feathers are ruffled.  She was not being a jerk or anything, in fact she was just saying it wasn't for her.

Interesting thought though.

She has never played any of our games.

Now this has really got me thinking.

I think that is why I get so defensive.

Boardgame Soapbox for one brief moment:  Boardgaming is an excellent hobby to have with your spouse.  Most men hate just sitting around and talking.  However, give them something to do and they will be more chatty than a hen.  Can you have deep meaningful conversation through a movie that neither of you have seen? NO!  During boardgames - especially ones you both have played a lot - you can have level 5 conversation and they never even realized it.  It's great!

I guess my point is - Don't knock it 'til you have tried it!

It goes that way for anything, really.  If your favorite hobby is watching sports and someone comes up to you saying, "I dunno why you always watch sports. So lame!  I just do not see how you can enjoy that!" and they themselves have never once watched any sport, then they cannot speak from experience.  They have not tasted the minute by minute action or participated in the competition of rivals in the crowd!  Their opinion is null and void.  You would jump at the chance to say, "No, you have to watch a game - better yet - Let me take you to a game!  You will love it!  You just have to be where the action is!  You will see it differently, I promise!"

If you have not experienced it - you cannot see why it is good (or bad).

So, while my feathers fall back in to place I consider trying harder not to let them get ruffled by these kind of people.

I also challenge you - try something new.  Something you may have never wanted to try before or have maybe even bashed.  (This is not encouraging anything illegal or harmful to the body.)  Better yet - consider your friend's feelings before you start talking down about something they enjoy that you have never even tried.

Joyful Moment of the Day:  This beautiful sunny morning. 

Oh and one last thing, I am not mad or angry.  I am just sharing my opinion on the matter as this is my blog and I can do so on my blog. : )

Friday, June 25, 2010

5 Years and Counting

As I said 2 blogs ago, Adam has been bringing me roses and notes all week.  In all of these notes he has shared his favorite memories from each year.  I have been reflecting on my favorite memories and with that I am going to share them with you!

1. Married student housing - loved it!  It was so fun living doors down from all of my favorite people.  Need eggs? Go next door.  It was such a fun community for us as newlyweds!

2. Seeing all of our closest friends meet their mates and marry them!  What a special blessing to see all of them fall in love and be able to attend their weddings! 

3. Starting a boardgame group in Iowa.  Starting out we really did not have many games.  Acquire was the only game that I enjoyed at the time.  It was really cool though to see our group go from about 5 people regularly to about 20 regularly by the time we left Iowa.  Our collection grew a little bit while we lived there and has grew a ton since we have lived in Indianapolis.

4. The Newlywed Game - Adam hated it.  He would always gripe and complain if we were talking of playing it.  Not because it is not a "strategic boardgame", but because he thought it would always start arguments between us.  I forget what he called it, but he usually mentioned hate, fight, and sleeping on the couch.  (Although, the only time he has slept on the couch was when I was sick all night and my coughing was keeping him awake.)  Either way, playing this with my closest friends was always fun and exciting to learn new things about each other.

5. Softball Games - Adam was on a church league and it was so fun to go with friends to watch them play.  They were the best team the league had. Adam is playing on a league this summer so it has been fun seeing him play again. 

6. Lake Red Rock was always a special place for Adam and I.  We had our first date there, our first kiss, our first dance, and got engaged there.  It was our retreat from Vennard. Public in that there were people always around us, but private in that we did not know those people.  We shared so many dreams about the future there.

7. Finding a church together when we moved to Indiana and getting involved and making friends.  This was a slow process.  We picked a church fairly quickly, but we dragged our feet on the rest of it.  We really became close during that time because we only had one another to hang out with.  We also were able to see our friend group here grow and change.  We went from being the only married couple to being among 12 married couples.  (and that is if I got everyone)  I have really enjoyed our church community here in Indiana.

8. Vacations with our college friends.  This tends to be the one thing I look forward to every year!  I love catching up and hanging out.  I also enjoy traveling with Adam because we can catch up, read together, and laugh while riding in the car!  I hope we continue doing this the rest of our lives!

9. Telling Adam I was pregnant.  It was not exactly how I had planned, but it was the best news that I have ever been able to share with anyone!

10. Having Kaylee!  Probably the best memory so far of our married life.  It was a hard experience, but beautiful beyond words.  She brings more joy to our lives than we could have ever anticipated!  

I truly could go on and on, but I will stop with 10.  It has been a great 5 years and I am excited to see what memories the rest of our lives bring us!



Joyful Moment of the Day: The awesome surprise that I have planned this evening for our anniversary!  I can't wait!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

My Mom made this cute outfit for Kaylee to wear on her birthday. Thanks Mom!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Possible Love - Twu Luv

I know I have been talking a lot lately about love.  It's on my mind as our anniversary is so close.

AND it has been coming up in my devotional that I am reading.

The last few entries have been very interesting to me and have given me much to think about.  The first one talked about how unconditional love is impossible without Christ.  At first I thought, "well love is a choice.  I don't think it is immmpossible."

I was missing the key word in my thoughts.  UNCONDITIONAL.

Adam's love language is acts of service.  This means that he feels extremely loved if I do things for him, like keeping the house clean. Sure, I can wake up in the morning and choose to wash the dishes and put his clothes away instead of playing RockBand or reading, but that is just loving him.  It's not loving him unconditionally.  I secretly hope that he will see my "love" and "love" me in return.

Maybe with words of encouragement or a gift.

Loving someone unconditionally means loving someone unselfishly.  It means there are no conditions, no strings attached.  This kind of love, I am incapable of without Christ.

Let me be brutally honest and lay it out on the table for you.  I am not pleasant when it comes to fighting.  If Adam really ticks me off, my knee jerk reaction is to fight back.

I may even throw a fork.

This is my love at work.

However, Christ settles me down and reminds me that I need to listen to what Adam is saying. Hear what is truly the heart of the issue.  He helps me love Adam in spite of anything he could ever do or say that my be hurtful.

He helps me love with a limitless love.

Christ makes it possible.

Joyful Moment of the Day: Adam has been bringing me roses and poems/notes all week celebrating (so far) the last 3 years of our marriage.  So, Monday I received one red rose with a poem about our first year of marriage.  Tuesday, I received 2 roses and a letter about our second year of marriage.  Today, I received 3 roses and a poem about our third year of marriage.  He has 2 more years to cover.  I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Big Steps

Kaylee never takes small steps into things.  She just all of a sudden does things.

For instance - crawling.

She could scoot backwards for a while.  I was starting to think that there would never be a day when she would actually crawl forward.  Then, without notice, she just did it.

She acted like she had been doing it for weeks. A pro.

Well, on Sunday morning I had let Adam sleep in.  I was reading a book and Kaylee was playing on the floor with Titus and her toys.  All of a sudden I realized I was hearing this moaning sound.  Not crying. Moaning.

I looked up to see Kaylee standing by the door.


Somehow she had managed to pull herself up right next to the door.  I have no clue how, but she did it.  For the remainder of the morning she was pulling up as if she had been doing it all along. 

Since then Kaylee tried standing up without holding on to me and did so for about 10 seconds.

My little baby is quickly becoming my little toddler.  She is just growing in leaps and bounds. Taking big steps.  Quicker than I think I am ready for.

Joyful Moment of the Day: I had the joy of cuddling her last night when she woke up scared.  She is not a cuddler at all and it was nice just to hold her in my arms.  A reminder that she is still my baby. :)

Monday, June 21, 2010

Finally Able to Spill the Beans!!!

I wrote this blog the as soon as I heard my best friend Kim's news.  Now I can finally post it!  Congrats Kim and Chris!


I heard some news yesterday that I have been eagerly waiting for for a while.

My bestie Kimberly is HAVING A BABY!!!!

I am so excited for her!  She has wanted a baby for so long!  She has her first appointment Tuesday and I cannot wait to hear how it goes.  We recently have had a ton of friends have girls.  It would be nice to have a boy in there, but I secretly hope she has a girl as well.  That way we can have all sort of girly things to do when we are together like painting nails, doing hair, and playing barbies.  We would all have girls.  It's fun to think about.  If she has a boy, he will just have to put up the girls making him be the Ken doll.  Then, the girls will be fighting over which barbie Ken likes.  Either way, I am super excited for her to join the baby club.

I am looking forward to conversations about her pregnancy and all she will experience.  I can't wait to compare her pregnancy to my own and to Meggan's.  Every pregnancy is different and it effects everyone differently.  I also can't wait to hear her labor and delivery story and of course to see her little baby!

Having a baby is such a fun life-changing adventure!  I am so excited as she and Chris begin theirs!

Joyful Moment of the Day: Getting this news of course!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Ahh Joy!

Today is one of those days when joy is hard to find with Kaylee... With that being said...

Joyful Moment of the Day:  Making a schedule for myself to follow.  Hopefully, it will help me be more productive.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Can't Believe my Brother is Married

Since I have had time to contemplate the weekend, I now see that I really still can't believe my brother is married, let alone old enough to be married.  I remember when Michael was born.  It was not an exciting event for me as a 5 year old.  I remember getting to pick out my own clothes and my mom not being super excited about Dad letting me dress myself.  My least favorite thing about Michael's birth was that he was allergic to everything.  I had a cat named Ben and I LOVED him.  Michael came and that meant giving Ben away to a farmer.  I was not very happy with having a baby in the house.

Over the past 23 years we have definitely had our ups and downs.  I had a thing for scaring Michael any chance I got and he had at thing for getting me into trouble.  We fought like cats and dogs as kids.  When I left for college, Michael and I started getting along and talking more like adults.  We became fast, close friends.  We were able to attend school together for a while and sing on a praise team together.  Great memories have been made over the past several years with my brother.

As he is now a married man, I am excited to see how our relationship changes and grows.  I also look forward to getting to know Rachel better and having her as a part of the family.

Congratulations Michael and Rachel!

Joyful Moment of the Day: Watching a movie in an air conditioned house.
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