- For those of you new to my blog, you may be unaware that I love Mondays. No insertion of sarcasm. I truly love Mondays. I work a nontraditional schedule, where I just work Saturday and Sunday. This makes my Monday what may be most of society’s Saturday. It’s also my only day off with my hubby. It’s typically a day we spend sleeping in, eating a leisurely brunch, then just playing around the rest of the day. I enjoy having the day with him. We will enjoy the children together, but also enjoy the night together after kiddos are asleep. After the day off we’re not as exhausted as we would be on a work day, so we stay up a little bit later watching a movie together and talking. Quality time with a spouse is difficult to pin down when you have children, but I think it’s super important. Any relationship takes work, but especially a marriage. As time goes by and you see the veil lifted from secrets, the make up comes off, and all the quirky habits come to light, it could be easy to loose the magical romance experienced when you just dated or were newlyweds without the stress of rocking crying babies and halting temper tantrums in their tracks. I think a man is like a garden, if you spend time and calloused hard work cultivating and watering your crop, wonderfully sweet fruit will come. You may even have to weed extra hard. I’ve said it before, but feel it’s worth repeating. I think the harder I work to be a good wife, the better husband my man becomes. It’s a 50/50 relationship that requires two to tango, so to speak, but if I never wanted to dance my husband would stop asking. Read that sentence again if you need to. I just came up with that, and I like it very much.
- As much as we wanted to just play today, some Mondays end up filled with errands that we must complete together. Today happened to be a day of doctor visits. When you have children, the doctor’s office will be like your best friend’s house was to you as a kid. You’ll spend more time there than your own house, you’ll call them whenever you don’t know what to do about something, and you’ll feel like you owe them your life (or in the instance of co-pays, your entire pay check). Today happened to be a scheduled visit for Bailey, a 4 month well baby visit. The other appt was an unexpected accident that happened to Ben’s daughter. She stepped on a nail. The wound wasn’t deep and looked great but she was having unusual pain that we thought warranted a visit. Of course the only available time for her appt happened to be the same time as the baby’s. This required two vehicles, separate trips, and swapping around of carseats. It also left me on my own for a baby to get shots. This is something I hate. I’ve done the research and decided immunizations were the right thing for our girls, but that doesn’t mean I like seeing a needle inserted in my baby’s fat thigh. It always makes me want to cry. I did cry with Chloe the first time. Afterwards Bailey would settle down for a bit, but then would remember her distress and cry to me in indignation. After a brief nap, she awoke and was all smiles and giggles as usual. Bless her heart, she is such a sweet little baby. Marlie got an X-ray and we’re waiting to see results, but otherwise I think it’s fine.
- Despite the dr visits, bank runs, and small shopping excursions, we still made it home with enough daylight to enjoy some time outside in the beautiful weather. Us girls walked around the neighborhood, but Ben insisted on mowing the yard. Aside from it being our one day to spend time together and achieve errands together, it is also the only day Ben can do his “man stuff” outside. I know the yard work is a bummer chore for him, but I also think he loves it deep down. It’s an opportunity for him to have quiet time. Sure there’s the roar of the mower, but I think any Dad finds that sound more peaceful than crying or whining. He also got himself a new mower when we got the new house, and I think they’re in love. If I wasn’t so secure with myself, I might be a little jealous of that fast little, orange harlot. He finished his mowing and the girls are exhausted from playing, so we’ll still get some quality time. He’s taking a shower, so who knows, he may just ask me to dance later.
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- I’m surprised, pleasantly so, by the things that a person can be amused at rather than annoyed by. For example, at 2:30 this morning my husband brought me the baby. He had changed her diaper and she was wide awake. She was hungry, but instead of crying about it, she was giggling and squiggling with joy over seeing me and the prospect of a meal. You pick any other reason or person to wake me up at 2 am and I’d probably knock your lights out. But with that little fat bundle of sweetness, I smiled. It’s absolutely amazing how they change your life and you’re never the same. (Can’t think why else I’ve been singing Doc Mcstuffins all day). But seriously, I truly think God gave me children so I could learn to love like He loves, learn to sacrifice like He wants me to, and learn to fill my life with things of joy so that I am similar to a cornucopia running over with good fruit.
- Sunday can be a tough day to work sometimes. Especially as I lay out the girls’ dresses for church before heading out, it can make me homesick for God’s house. Imagine my pleasure when God blessed me through song as I drove along. Listening to the radio, a favorite praise song came on. I felt it in my very soul. I know His spirit rested on me as I sang along, for I could feel it. It made me feel so happy that I actually teared up with joy. So thankful for moments of praise and worship, especially when I’m unable to attend a worship service in person. So glad His dwelling place is within me.
- As I walk into the door, Chloe runs up to me yelling “I want chicken nuggets!” I’m not sure why, but she always does this. Apparently food tastes best when Mommy cooks it. The next thing on her agenda was “milk bags!” Last night I let her help me transfer the pumped milk I brought home from bottles to bags. It seems she finds this extra cool, and now wants to do it all the time. My angel baby, on the other hand, was beyond excited to see me. Screaming, laughing, practically jumping out of her bassinet. I am obsessed with how her fat cheeks crinkle up when she laughs. After many giggles and kisses, she was ready to sleep. I’m pretty exhausted and luckily for me, so are the girls. So goodnight blogosphere.
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- I had a difficult time leaving the house this morning. I mean aside from the hurried scurrying I do when it’s time to exit my home (even though I wake up 1 hour and 40 minutes before then). I mean it was hard to leave my babies today. I suppose you could say it’s always hard for a Momma to leave her kids, but today, for some reason, seemed even harder than usual. I kept walking back and gazing at each one sleeping, so sweet, even my adorable hubby with his mouth wide open. I also felt apprehension when I pulled into the parking lot at work, almost a tiny fear at the unknown I might come across when I walked inside. I loathe that feeling. I’m usually able to block it out by repeating to myself that there’s no fear in Christ. I’m not sure, even now, why I had the emotions I did this morning. Either way, I took it as a que that I needed more of The Lord today. So as I walked into work, I told Him so, asking for His spirit to rain down on me. I felt much better after that.
- Here is a collection of random work thoughts for your entertainment: I love my charge nurse to pieces, but if he continues to bring in donuts, honey buns, and cinnamon rolls every morning, I will be forced to end him! I mean come on man! How can a girl loose baby weight with the lure of sugary glazed goodness?! There is a medical condition that I especially wish did not exist, especially today. ICU Psychosis. And that’s all I’ll say about that. I’ve often wondered if the woman whose desk I pump at had any idea what happens at it on the weekend. When I spilled 4 ounces of breast milk on her day planner, I didn’t wonder anymore. If you ever ask yourself “I wonder where that stairwell goes?”, I would encourage you to insure your security badge will reopen the steel stairwell door before it closes. Claustrophobic? No. Jazzed about being locked in a stairwell? Not really. Do not underestimate little old ladies. Yes, they can swing like Mike Tyson. Remember where security cameras are located before dislodging persistent wedgies. And last but not least, always remember that if it’s liquid and it comes from a body orifice, it will try to land on your person.
- I arrived home to my girl gang with a bang. Chloe was hyper as usual, and Bailey was screaming in joy. At this rate I’ll have a hearing deficit equal to that of roadies for AC/DC. When it was time for baths, I was surprised that Chloe did not want to take one with her older sister. Instead she wanted “to take one by myself!” I found her in the bathroom already removing her clothes. Once her bath was drawn, she wouldn’t let me wash her hair. She wanted “to do it myself!” And she did, with a little supervision from Mommy. I went into the living to let her play and minutes later she came into the room with her towel wrapped around her. She hadn’t called me to get her out, and she had let out the water. There was no water on the bathroom floor. She did it “all herself” and this Mommy found that very bittersweet. Nothing like bawling after a long day.
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- To quote the great Chloe Rayne Gowen, it was indeed a “sunny day!” And we’ve taken great advantage of it. Even now, I’m nursing Bailey on the back deck so Chloe can play outside. When she saw me she said happily surprised “oh, you’re out here!” And I said “yes, I’m watching you.” She said, “oh, well watch this.” She assumed I was outside so I could watch her perform all the exciting things she does, not realizing Mommy is there to guard her safety. I’ve tried letting her play outside by herself and I just can’t do it. One day I tried. I ended up watching the whole time through the kitchen and dining room window. I might as well just go out there too! We went out for snow cones, which was fun. Chloe fell asleep in her carseat eating hers and it spilled red everywhere. At least I know I’ll have a clean up project for next week. We considered going to the park, but in the end we dodged the crowd and just played in our own neighborhood.
- My little sister joined us on such a beautiful day. She brought along her 2 month old son. The little cousins played, as much as babies can play. I began to sing the Patty Duke song, and the perplexed look on my sister’s face reminded me of just how old I am! I have such pride when I watch her with her son. It makes me feel a Motherly love for her. It’s hard to explain. She’s so much younger than me, and the pride I feel when I see the woman she’s becoming reminds me of the pride I feel when I watch Chloe do something special. I feel extremely blessed to be in the place I am with her. I remember less than a decade ago, asking to talk to her on the phone long distance. She would come on the line and after initial hellos, she would get an awkward silence. She didn’t know me and didn’t know what to say. It made me so sad and regretful for leaving home when they were still young. I’m glad God brought me back home. I feel so close to her now. This was where He needed me to be.
- When I saw the sun shining this morning, I looked up the weather forecast. When I saw the beautiful days ahead, I’ll be honest, I was kinda perturbed. My first thought was “That’s about right! It’s been overcast, but turns pretty when I have to go to work!” It’s funny how you can view life in different ways. One viewpoint will see only the negative, kinda like the glass half empty thing. This outlook will poison your day. The other view sees the positive side of things or the glass half full. It’s so simple that we often overlook this extremely easy way to experience the joy God wants us to have. I was reminded, “this is the day The Lord had made. Rejoice and be glad in it.” I could instead look at the shining sun and be so very grateful that it chose today to shine so that I could have a wonderful sunny day to play before going to work tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder you brought to my heart dear Lord.
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- I’ve really been enjoying my infant daughter Bailey this week. I’ve always enjoyed her, but it’s really starting to get fun. She’s almost 4 months old and is falling into her own character. She is always smiling, always laughing. I can have her in my lap and be talking to Ben, and when I look down, she is staring at me with a furrowed brow and questioning look, no doubt trying to figure out what we’re talking about. Then when I look at her, she does that little half smirk, then breaks into a huge mouthy grin. Last night she really had me laughing. I was breastfeeding her. She would take a few pulls of milk, then turn away and suck her thumb for about 30 seconds. Then she would turn back and nurse. She repeated this cycle over and over, and when I tried to make her stop, she whined. Yesterday she discovered that a coughing sound was very amusing. She fake coughed for about 10 minutes. She would cough, then break into laughter, quite amused with herself. She still screams for my attention instead of crying. I still think it’s adorable. I’m such a pile of putty when it comes to these girls.
- Chloe still has full control of my heart-strings. She woke this morning with her new mantra “It’s a sunny day!” If you live in Corinth, you know it indeed was not. I love her optimism though and it’s contagious. I asked her to keep it down and not wake the baby. Strange thing happened. She complied. She whispered and even asked my permission if she could lay next to Bailey to watch cartoons. This new “loving her little sister” thing seems to be permanent (for now anyway). Bailey grins at everything Chloe does. She sleeps through Chloe’s loud voice, and if Chloe happens to step or crawl on her, she takes in all in stride, never letting out even a whimper. Chloe has really taken to a show on Disney Jr called Doc Mcstuffins. She loves it and Ben and I think it’s really cute too. I like to watch it, but much prefer watching her watch it. Her face lights up as she follows along with the magical tale. Then suddenly, she will laugh out loud. This morning, after such a laugh, she joyfully proclaimed “This is a good show!” She has voluntarily taken a nap all week which makes me hopeful that the nap strike is over. I also think she is having a growth spurt. Since 18 months of age, her weight hasn’t changed, just her height. This makes all her pants big around the waist, but floating above her ankles. We’ll see what this growth spurt brings. Yesterday she ate 3 hotdogs for lunch (don’t judge)! She was asking for a snack within two hours. Today I have fixed a meal or snack hourly. Right now she is asleep on my lap, with her hand down my shirt. Ben would no doubt chastise us both. She’s still my baby, and I’m a sucker.
- Earlier Chloe started crying intensely while in the bathroom. I hurried into the bathroom to see what was the matter. She had used the potty. She was bawling because she couldn’t get her pants back on again. Once again, a melodramatic, over reactive moment brought to you by the toddler. I thought, how often do I do that? Y’all know I’m real big on being a child of God. So, how often does He see me as throwing a toddler tantrum? When I say, “According to your will Father,” but then become angered when things don’t work out the way I think they should the absolute minute I think it should occur. Do I seem as silly as my own daughter with her pants around her ankles? After freeing Chloe from her pants prison, I walked back into the living room and peered down upon my other daughter. When she saw my face, she lit up and began to squirm about with excitement over the thought of me picking her up. That’s what I want! That’s what I want to be! I want to give my Father pleasure at seeing my love and excitement over what He has in store for me. I am just a baby in the grand scheme of things. I don’t want to throw a fit over the small stuff. I desire to have that innocent trust of an infant, knowing that He is present and will pick me up and cradle me in His arms.
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- Today I’ve been like a work horse. There’s a local sale that goes on twice a year. It allows Moms to sell their kids’ clothing and the opportunity to buy another Moms’ kids’ stuff. So basically, my child outgrows a size and I sell it and buy bigger, used items. It’s called kid’s exchange. I think it’s brilliant and I am also addicted to it. Drop off for your items starts this Friday, so I’ve been gathering and preparing my garments all day. I now have three kids to sell and buy for, so it’s a big job. They limit you to consign only 100 items. This is the first year I’ve come even close to that total. It’s exciting to me. I may even make some money this year. In years past, after fees, etc, the most I’ve ever made is $40. Making money isn’t the fun part for me though. The entire reason I do it is to be privy to the consigner pre-sale. When I walk in and see all those aisles of cute, discounted kids clothes, it’s like I’m at Disneyland! I don’t get this excited about shopping for myself. I rarely buy clothes for myself anymore, and if I do, it’s from Walmart or an outlet store. I love dressing up my little girls though! I loved Barbies as a girl, and now as an adult, I’m still loving to dress up my dolls.
- I had 2 large containers in the shed of summer clothes that Chloe and Marlie had outgrown. I put them in their in the fall, knowing that I would pull them back out in the spring for kids exchange. Basically, I needed to sort through the boxes and decide what to keep for the two youngest to grow into, what might still fit Chloe this summer, and what to sell. I hinted around and finally asked my husband if he could dig them out of the shed for me. After all, since being placed in there, Christmas boxes had pushed them to the back recesses of the shed. He’s been working a lot, so this morning I told him if he didn’t have time that it was ok, I could do it. He said he’d take a look and if it looked like an easy task, then he would leave it for me. He indeed looked and assured me I shouldn’t have a problem. When I went out there later, I found my boxes behind a couple of pieces of furniture and Christmas boxes. I sighed to self. What may seem simple to a man is not as easy for a woman! I found myself a little frustrated at him. After much grumbling, I got my boxes out easy enough. It occurred to me how often there are things around the house that are easy for me as a woman, but complicated for my husband as a man. I could see how easy it would be for me to take for granted how I can do these things so effortlessly, but for him they’re foreign nature. We all have strengths and weaknesses. That’s what makes marriage a team. It can be easy to forget where one’s strengths and weaknesses lie. I ended up not fussing at him about those boxes. Lord knows there’s probably 10 things he wanted to fuss at me about, but thought better of it.
- As much as I grumble about how difficult it is on a day to day basis with a toddler and infant, I really have nothing to complain about. They’re good kids. The baby has put herself to sleep for all of her naps today. I mean I’ve fed her, changed her, and played with her, but when I put her down, she has entertained herself and fallen asleep when she was tired. Sure Chloe has cried over things like spilling water on her shirt and then being unable to take said shirt off on her own, but overall she’s been an angel today too. At one point when the baby cried for attention, as I walked over to her, Chloe ran up and stated “It’s ok Mom. Let me do it!” Then she began to talk to Bailey in baby talk and make her laugh. It’s been hard today tagging Chloe’s and Bailey’s clothes to sell. With each item I thought “They’ll never wear this again.” The newborn stuff was the hardest. My only solace was knowing I could go buy some new stuff, and the fact that there is likely more babies to come in the future!
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- Our household was shaken awake this morning by a blood curdling scream. After the initial shock, complete with racing heart rate, I discovered the screeching yell not to be one of pain or distress. It was punctuated with giggles and hiccups in between, a cacophony of shrill attention demanding calls. We all reluctantly rose from our sweet slumber thanks to our 4 month old tornado siren in the other room. When I opened the door and peered down at her, she immediately broke into the biggest toothless grin this side of the nursing home. I could never be mad at her shrill screams for attention when I’m rewarded with such a sweet smile. Ben says I’ll grow tired of her new found screaming, and cease to find it adorable. Right now I’m still laughing thankfully. Princess Chloe didn’t take well to being roused from her beauty sleep, and candidly explained as much to me later in the morning. “I don’t like when the baby screams. It wakes me up. Tell her not to do it Momma!” Explaining infant behavior to a two year old is like trying to explain two year old behavior to me. They’re/I’m not going to be able to comprehend the intricacies of it all. By any rate, I found myself in a joyous place where both girls were out for the count by 11 am.
- As a Mother of young children, you seldom have the joy of simultaneous naps. At nighttime sure, but during the day, it’s a rarity to find yourself in such a quiet environment. I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I was akin to a deer frozen in headlights. I was in such shock that I was afraid if I made any sudden movements it might rip the very fabric by which this miracle had been woven. First things first, I poured a 2nd cup of coffee. By golly, I was gonna drink the whole thing while it was still hot, with no disruptions in my sipage. Next, feeling a little risky, I drew a hot bath. I was gonna enjoy a hot bath with my hot coffee. All by myself. I couldn’t help it. My next order of business involved bragging to my husband via text of my good fortune. I even sent a picture lest he not believe. I was rewarded minutes after my gloating with the sound of a crying baby, and 45 seconds later by a sleepy eyed toddler wandering into the bathroom. I hurriedly washed my face, realizing I’d been had. As I splashed the soap from my eyes, I heard the two year old start shrieking. I opened my eyes to find her peeing all over the bathroom floor. It must of snuck up on her for she seemed quite distressed over the whole thing. My hot relaxing bath became a luke warm, urine laden clean up for two. And you know what? My coffee got cold.
- I did manage to have a very exciting day of clean up. Aside from the usual household picking up of toys and dish washing just to prevent A&E from coming to my house and filming, I was lucky enough to accomplish one of the most procrastinated chores of all time. Get ready for it. Today I cleaned out the refrigerator. I didn’t really want to do it. I don’t think one ever does. It’s usually circumstance that forces you into the task. I couldn’t stack things any higher, and juice boxes were starting to avalanche onto guests when they tried to retrieve anything from the inside of the cavern that was my fridge. The door has taken to not staying shut because it’s so packed with salad dressing bottles, 1/2 empty ketchup containers, and multiple pickle jars, all with approximately one pickle in each. I also realized I was completely out of Tupperware containers. When I peered into the abyss of said refrigerator, I could glimpse in the distance, forgotten leftovers stored in plastic bins. It was an adventure even Indiana Jones would not have balked at completing. I found forgotten and now forbidden fruit. I discovered outdated lunch meat and multiple containers of sour cream. There were actually 3 containers of different aged rotel dip. Who could eat that much cheese and live to tell of it? When was the last time I drank that orange juice?! Oh, look, jello! I think. I began tossing in the trash and pouring down the sink. Cleaning out the fridge is when you discover just how important or unimportant your Tupperware collection is to you. Is it worth keeping and risking opening the lid and unleashing the toxic odor it contains? Even the strongest stomach is put to the test. Being frugal, I tried to save every container. I found myself with a stopped up sink. I dug chicken noodles from the drain, dipping my hand into a collection of pickle juice, orange juice, lemonade, cheese dip, and baked beans. I stand before you now, proud, having completed the task before me. I now have plenty of shelf space available, just eager and waiting for leftovers from tonight’s supper.
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- Chloe has always said the most interesting things in that space of time between sleep and full wakefulness. This morning, through a hazy blur, I was awakened to her happily chirping “It’s a sunny day!” I looked at the window, and it was indeed a sunny day. The most interesting part of this whole story is she’s taken to saying this every morning, even when it’s overcast. It got me to thinking about childlike simplicity. Chloe wakes each morning with a fresh new outlook, never allowing yesterday or the weather forecast to hamper her day. She’s gonna have fun no matter what. If we could all take on a little bit of the character of a child, and wake each morning saying “it’s a sunny day”, just imagine the shape your day could take.
- Since it was indeed a sunny day, we went for a family bike ride. Little Bailey didn’t go, but the rest of us did. It was a great outing. Chloe rode on her seat that Ben had bolted to his bike frame. She wore her new princess helmet. I couldn’t help but beam with pride over how cute she looked strapped in that seat, complete with helmet, and holding a huge water bottle. Marlie rode her new bike we got her for her Birthday. I always stayed behind her for safety purposes, and she frightened me numerous times. She drives a bicycle similar to a drunk driver, overcompensating turns and dodging obstacles. I thought multiple times she would crash and burn, but in actuality she only crashed once after trying to drive on algae in a culvert. Ben and I did pretty good for old folks. I won’t promise that we won’t feel the hills tomorrow though.
- Bailey opted out of the bike ride for obvious reasons. We were blessed enough to have a sitter for our sunny day adventure. Bailey was in a grand mood as we readied for our ride, but as we peddled away, I could hear her crying loudly. One thing I’ve discovered this time around the baby track is that you’ll never get it completely figured out. First off, each baby is different. And secondly, babies are bi-polar creatures anyway. I say that with complete love and in no offense to the emotionally and/or psychologically challenged. I couldn’t completely figure out my baby if my life depended on it. I mean, I do good with her, and better than anyone else. But really, it’s still just a guessing game. You just get better at guessing as you go along. The sitter asked, “What do you think was bothering her? Do you think she’s hungry?” A lot of times, Moms will state matter of factly some cause of the child’s behavior. We’ll state it confidently enough, but in reality, we have no idea! How can you possibly decipher the code that is baby behavior. Even the most routined baby will fall outside the schedule at times. Even the best behaved and mild tempered infant will throw a crying jag for no apparent reason. Hungry, sleepy, wet, bored, gassy, teething?! Who really knows. And guess what? Just when you think you know, those little sneaky babes will throw you a curve ball and send your entire hypothesis crashing down. Sometimes I think Timmy understood Lassie better than I understand my children. But I have to admit, there is no better guessing game I would rather play, because no prize for the right answer is better than a smiling, happy, or sleeping baby.
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- This was the first year I’ve decorated Easter eggs in probably 20 or more years. We bought our kit about 3 weeks ago. Being the “plan ahead” person I can be when I’m not under the control of my other procrastinator personality, I had bought the kit ahead of time so we wouldn’t have to settle for picked over dye kits. First off I let the two year old pick out which one to get. Secondly, there were about 612 different kits to choose from. Last time I dyed eggs I only remember the store selling one kind. It was the little color tabs that dissolved in water mixed with some stinky vinegar. As I opened up the one Chloe had picked out, I recalled with mild dread that I had no vinegar. No need to worry there. This kit required no vinegar, had no dissolving tabs. It only contained packets of liquid paint/dye and a paintbrush. The directions showed holding the egg between your fingers and painting it a brilliant marble color. That’s a ridiculous expectation for a two year old. Don’t get me wrong, she loved trying. She ended up mixing the colors together, no matter how much I instructed against it. Orange became brown and pink became a maroon/purple color. All of those colors got everywhere. One thing the box didn’t mention was that the dye that you’re supposed to use with your bare hands, will not wash off, ever! We all went to church with multi-colored hands. The crazy clean freak in me almost lost my sanity. I assumed they would dry overnight, before the egg hunt today. No. Something else the box didn’t mention. The dye dries and stains everything except eggs. It slides right off the egg onto any surface they touch. It was no trouble finding those eggs. Just follow the trail of brown dye. I suppose I’m gonna take this year as a learning experience for me. I’ll know better next year.
- I can’t even describe how much I enjoyed church today. I made a decision before hand that I wouldn’t stress over getting everyone ready, picture perfect, and out the door on time. It will never happen, so there’s no use getting in a bad mood over it. On a side note, we were only 15 minutes late, and that’s pretty good for the Gowens. I can’t explain how my heart feels when I see my little Chloe learning to worship God. Watching her dance before The Lord, waving a small flag, joy emanating from her countenance, lifts my own spirit. All my family was in attendance, and it made my heart happy to have them all around me. We chose today to have Bailey dedicated. It was a time for Ben and I to commit ourselves to raising Bailey in a manner pleasing to our Father, while also handing her over to Him. We hold her sweet little body, but hand the reigns of control to Him. We also choose to live our lives as He would desire, thereby shaping Bailey in the best way possible. While Ben and I already committed to such, we feel it’s important to do it in front of our church family. While I really enjoy listening to the sermons on CD during the week, it doesn’t compare to hearing it in person. Worshiping with music on the radio is wonderful, but it also doesn’t compare to being present for a worship service, and feeling the power of the Holy Spirit descend, to almost feel how pleased God must be to hear such heart-felt praise. I truly didn’t know I much I missed it.
- We enjoyed a family gathering after church. We invited everyone to our house. I had really hoped for nicer weather, knowing it would be a tight squeeze in our house. But like you can always do with close family, we managed to have a great time despite the cramped quarters. The girls hunted eggs inside. Chloe didn’t seem to remember last year, so she had no memory to reference things by. Marlie seemed to grow bored quickly of the hunt, which served to remind me that she’s growing older. Overall, it was a lot of fun, good food, and excellent fellowship. We finished off the day’s festivities with a Birthday party for my sister-in-law. This was a perfect opportunity for my children to act cute for others, eliciting many compliments, which I just revel in. It also was a chance for the girls to have cake and ice cream since that hadn’t ingested enough sugar today (insert sarcasm). I enjoyed the visit, though it was too short. It felt good to get back home though. As the children begin to settle and Mom and Dad unwind, I’m so content and full. It was a mighty fine day, a mighty fine day indeed.
That is all π
3 Facts for the Day
- Some good things about working outside of the home are being able to access the deep recesses of my brain for cognitive reasoning via patient care, and also exercising the above with other adult, professional conversations. The funny thing is when we’re not “talking shop” my conversations center around my children. I’m quick to tell my co-workers the latest cutesy stories and laughable moments. I show anyone who will stand still long enough, co-workers, patients, and doctors included, the latest pictures I snapped that week of my girls. I can tell by the expression on some faces that my show and tell gets a little old, but I never let that slow me down. I just show them more pictures wanting them to see the beauty that only I can truly behold. If a patient is confused and bordering on agitation, I will begin to tell stories of my children and show them pictures of tiny, smiling faces. Even the most disoriented older woman will quickly calm down and begin to smile when encountering a picture of a baby. If only all confrontations in life could be solved by gazing at the image of a happy baby, what a more serene world this would be.
- Some days having a toddler and infant can really get to you. Things can seem so overwhelming. I can’t imagine how it will be when/if we add to our brood. Who am I kidding? I want another one! But I’ll wait a little bit. Right now I believe my hands are full enough. Some days it’s hard not to scream out loud. To be honest, some days I have screamed out loud. Chloe didn’t like it a bit, and seeing her frightened tears made me instantly wish I could take it back. The wonderful thing is that the payoff is always worth it. The pros always outweigh the cons. Several tantrums can be cancelled out by a crooked grin laced with the words “I love you Momma.” A day of repetitive picking up and laundry is easily forgotten when you see that cute little figure in footie pajamas toddling across the room. I mean, is there anything cuter than a small child in pj’s? I count myself blessed. I am in a season of my life that is more than I ever could have hoped for. While I may often silently say “Lord help me!”, I think I more often say, “Thank you Lord! Thank you!”
- I am beyond excited to be off work tomorrow. I haven’t requested a Sunday off since I started working the weekend program over a year ago. I know it will be well worth the income lost. Aside from being Easter Sunday, we are also having baby Bailey dedicated. We’ll dye Easter eggs tonight. This will be a first for Chloe, and I’m looking forward to her reaction at the process. I’m also excited for the girls to see their Easter baskets. I bought more than I should and Ben told me as much (gently and good heartedly). It reminded me that my Mom was the same way, going all out for Holidays for us. I still remember one year I got a life size poster of Kirk Cameron in my Easter basket. I never missed Growing Pains and had a major crush on him. And nothing says Resurrection like Kirk Cameron, right?! I joke a bit. I’m teaching Chloe the importance of our Christian holidays, but I also think it’s good to celebrate our traditions as well. I have a lot to do to get things ready for tomorrow, but I can’t wait. I’m like a kid myself!
That is all π
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 157
- 158
- 159
- 160
- 161
- …
- 171
- Next Page »