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Mikey's Next Clue

Monday, 09.20.2010 9:38AM

**Readers, today is M's 31st birthday. Since his birthdy fell on a work day and a Monday no less, I decided to create a scavenger hunt for him. He has been receiving clues on morning. Some clues lead directly to a gift and others to another clue. I promise to post tomorrow with a complete recap. But for now, I need to give M his next clue.**

You previous clue was quite difficult, so I will make this one a bit simpler. Send me a message to the address we use when we wish to discuss private matters.

6 Months

Thursday, 09.16.2010 8:12PM

 

Dear Joycelen,

You are 6 months old. Hard as it is to believe half of your first year of life is over.  Here are the important milestones for this month:

• You are 15 pound, 15 ounces.
• You measure 27 inches in length.
• You are wearing 3-6 months clothing, although a few of the 6-9 month onesies do fit you.
• Due to your long limbs, you have a tiny waist, so you are still in size 2 diapers.
• You are still sleeping thru the night. You take a nap around 6:30 or 7:00 that last for about an hour. Then you wake up for an hour of playtime and one last bottle, and then sleep for 10 hours.
• You have become a pro at eating solid foods. You have 1 jar of baby food along with a 4 ounce bottle for breakfast, a 6 ounce bottle at 11, a jar of baby food at lunch, another 6 ounce bottle at 3, 6, and a 4 ounce bottle before bed.
• Your verbal skills continue to grow. You are making the “b” and “m” sounds….over and over again. Nana says that she has heard you say Mama and Daddy first, but if that’s true you are not letting us hear them.

• You are also becoming quite accomplished at sitting up.
• Still no crawling, you prefer to scoot on your back or army crawl.
• Recently, you have become enthralled with remotes, cell phones, and paper.

Your Daddy and I are constantly amazed by you, and you always have us laughing with your smiles, giggles, and big wet kisses.

Love,

Mama & Daddy

Bigger Picture Moments: Satisfaction

Thursday, 09.16.2010 9:54AM

Another Thursday, another chance to share my weekly Bigger Picture Moment. For more inspiring moments, visit Bigger Picture Blogs

For the last two months, I have repeatedly listened to a CD titled “Songs 4 Life: Feel the Power”. It is a CD compilation of Christian music from the 90’s. With all of the new praise and worship CD’s and the plethora of Christian artist, my husband who gifted me with the CD wondered why I had asked for this particular one (and the others in the collection.)

I explained to him that my parents had gifted me with the collection when I was an 9th grader. As I dealt with the numerous angst of high school, I had listened to those CD’s. While other girls went on dates on Friday night, I stayed in my room signing along to the words. The music was a reminder of a time, when my sole source of comfort and peace had been Jesus.

Now at 28, my days are filled with work, exercise, family demands, making time for friends, creating time for my husband, housework, and other responsibilities. Jesus has been relegated to Sundays and Wednesdays, and often my mind and heart is any another place on those days too.

I was/am yearning to once again be close with my Savior. And foolishly, I though that if I listened to the music that it would happen. However, over the last two months, the gentle voice of God has whispered “ You are listening, but do you hear the words. You know the music, but have you learned the message.”

And I do. If I want to have a better relationship with my God, I have to spend time with Him. If I started to feel disconnected from my husband, would I just sit at home playing CD’s of our favorite music. Of course not. I would probably turn on the CD’s, pull him off the couch, and slow dance in our living room. Then when the music ended, I would sit with him and talk, and talk, and talk….

Nothing difficult, nothing challenging, simply really….I would find time to spend with him. And that is what I need to do with God. So last night, as a lay in bed, I prayed

“Lord, I know that I need to spend time with you. I need to study your word, talk with you, to just be still in your presence. But, Lord, I too often let life get in the way. So I am asking you (and this may be wrong to do Lord) can you have me wide-eyed and alert when my alarm goes off. Remove the desire to hit snooze….and I promise I will study your word.”

Bargaining with God…..yeah….. but you know what? At 7:05 this morning, I was wide awake. I offered a pray of thanksgiving as I tossed the covers back. Then I pulled out my Bible and began to study my lesson for that day.

And wouldn’t you know it… the lesson was on satisfaction – on how I am designed to long to be in God’s presence. Coincidence, not likely. That is just God telling me what I needed to know.

I am eager to hear what He says next.

Nine Years Ago….

Saturday, 09.11.2010 8:46AM

Nine years ago, I awoke in my sophomore dorm and set out for the campus bookstore.

Nine years ago, I stood in the checkout line at the bookstore. As I waited to purchase my biology book, I heard a radio announcement that the Pentagon was on fire. My thought “What have the idiots in Washington done now?”

Nine years ago, I climbed on the campus bus. As I rode, I heard to guys behind me conversing. “Did you see the plane hit the tower?” one asked. “Yeah, the smoke came billowing out and glass flew everywhere” was the reply. My thought “I wonder what action movie they are discussing.”

Nine years ago, I was volunteering at the campus Job Fair when the director told us that it was closing early. She stressed that all students should return to their dorm rooms. My thought “Yes, I can take an afternoon nap.”

Nine years ago, I walked back into my dorm room and found my roommate crying as she watched a newscast. Curious as to what had her upset I turned to look at the screen. NBC was replaying the footage of the plane hitting the tower. My thought, that I voiced over and over, “This isn’t suppose to happen in America.”

Nine years ago, I frantically and repeatedly im’ed Kevin , who I knew worked in the Pentagon. My prayer “Lord, please let him be safe.”

Nine years ago, the President sent out a campus wide e-mail to address the horrific act and its impact on us. He stated that in one hour our campus would be closed – nobody in, nobody out. My roommates and I were ready to leave in 40 minutes. All of us fearful of staying in the heart of a major city…Our thought “Could Atlanta be next?”

Nine years ago, I spent the evening with my roommates in Dunwoody. We cooked ravioli in Alfredo sauce and watched the news footage safe in the den of Kim D’s parents home. Sometime during the night, I spoke with my Daddy.

Nine years ago, I asked my father “Daddy, does this mean we are going to war?”.

Nine years ago, I cried when he replied “Yeah, baby I think it does.”

9/11 is forever etched in my mind. It was a day that America as a nation was changed, and a day that I as a person was changed. Faced with the horror of the largest terrorist attack on U.S. soil, our nation came together. We prayed, we mourned, we gave, and we vowed never to forget. In light of that day, I lost the last vestiges of my childlike innocence. I was faced with the reality that the world is indeed full of hatred, cruelty, and people who are willing to hurt others in the name of “their god”.

Today, nine years later, I awoke in the comfort of my bed, in the safety of my home. I checked on my beautiful, sleeping child. And I offered thanks to God for all that I have been given. And I asked comfort for those who lost loved ones ten years ago, peace to those whose heart are still filled with anger/hatred, and that somehow America as a nation can once again unite as we did then.

Today, nine years later, I will host my nieces 1st birthday. I will watch as children frolic thru sprinklers, splash pools, and water slides in my front yard. And I will pray that they never experience what I did…ten years ago.

Today, nine years later, I will honor the victims of 9/11 by living my life fully. I will celebrate that I am living in a country that, while flawed, is still the greatest nation on earth.

How will you remember? Today, tomorrow, and years from now?

A Tough Choice

Tuesday, 09.7.2010 12:42PM

On Thursday, after spending several hours deep cleaning my home, I was in desperate need of shower. I turned on the hot water, got a new fluffy towel, and stepped in....

A few moments later I discovered I was out of my body wash....I was left with the choice of using M's ' manly bodywash, or Joycelen's baby wash.

Guess which one I chose?

Weekend in Atlanta, Part 2

Wednesday, 09.1.2010 9:09PM

 

Hi Bloggies – I’m back, did you miss me?  I missed ya’ll.  So, where did I leave off last time.  Oh, I remember. Even with Mama navigating, we managed to make it to Turner Field.

Here I am with Daddy waiting for the game to start.  Mama made sure that I was slathered in sunscreen, had my hat, and was properly hydrated….

Watching the Braves was hard work. I got tired from clapping my hands and cheering. So around the 4th inning, I took a nap.

I woke up in the 7th inning. I sat with Papa and Nana and watched the Braves score again, and again, and again. The Braves won the game 13-1.

After the game, we loaded up and head back home. It was a busy and short weekend in Atlanta. But I can already see why Mama and Daddy like visiting there…. I can’t wait to go back.

In Memory of My Bubba

Monday, 08.30.2010 8:39AM

Last Sunday evening, while preparing supper at my in-laws house, I noticed that I had missed call from my Mama. As I was preparing to call her back, I received the alert that she had left me a voicemail. I checked the message. She said simply “Kimberly, please call me.”

For my Mama, that meant something serious was happening. I called her back and was informed that my cousin Barry had been admitted to the ICU for chest pains and shortness of breath. “But everything is checking out okay.” Mama said “I told your Aunt to call us if anything changes.”

One hour later things changed. A CT of the heart, showed that my cousin had an aneurism in his aorta that had enlarged to 6 cm. He was going to be transferred to a larger hospital in Savannah and would undergo immediate surgery. I commented to M “This is just how things started with my Uncle.”

M assured me that my cousin was younger, healthier, and that even the physicians stated that he should make a full recovery. At 10:03 p.m., I received the first text that he was headed into the O.R. At 5:25, I received a text that he was finished with surgery and resting comfortable. At 6:30, he was back in the operating room….

With each text, I felt my emotions swinging back and forth. I kept praying “Let him be okay…let him be okay.” I headed into work, with the plan that M and I would drive down later that afternoon to visit him in post-op. But at 8:15, I received a text that stated things had taken a turn for the worst…. We were advised to head to the hospital. I called my parents, dropped Joycelen off at daycare, and we started towards Savannah. As we drove out of town, I received the call – my cousin Barry was gone – just 39 years old, leaving behind a beautiful wife Jennifer, and two daughters, Hannah who is 9 and Haleigh who is 3.

Barry was a larger than life persona. He loved his family, music, and Jesus. He never met a stranger, always had a smile on his face, and loved to make people laugh. As an only child, I often asked him if he had ever wished for siblings. He would always respond “Nope, Pearl (his nickname for me), why do I need siblings – when I have you?”.

And it is true, although we were just cousins – our mothers sisters – we lived as though we were brother and sister. I adored him, and followed him around as a little girl – and then as I grew older he became one of my closest confidants. In turn, he offered brotherly advice, and would grill any of the boys I brought home from college. And like so many brothers and sisters do, we fought – since we were both headstrong, we would often disagree and hold our ground. But then with a single joke, the fight would be over. I last saw him at Easter. I remember that I was holding Joycelen – he walked over, told me again how beautiful she was, then hugged me and said “I love ya, Pearl.” My response was “Love you too Bubba.”

I would never have imagined that that would be last time I would say those words to him. Needless to say, it was a difficult week for our family. But we take comfort in knowing that while we feel pain, Barry is at peace. We know that he professed Jesus Christ as Savior, and as such is now rejoicing with the Lord in Glory. And I know that someday, I will see him again.

Weekend in Atlanta, Part 1

Wednesday, 08.18.2010 9:30PM

 

Hi guys! Joycelen here --- Mama is super busy at work. She keeps mumbling about auditors, GLSA reports, and account recs. I don’t know what any of that stuff is, but I do know that it is keeping her too busy to blog. So I thought I would tell ya’ll about our trip to Atlanta last weekend.

We left early on Saturday morning to head to the big city.  Daddy drove while Papa Babo was the navigator. Apparently, Papa’s idea of navigating is to snore until Nana wakes him up. Papa’s snoring made me sleepy so I took a nap myself.

When I woke up, I decided to play with Mama’s sunglasses.

 

What do you think? Do I look stylish?

After a few stops at Bass Pro Shop in Macon, and the outlets in Locust Grove, we arrived in Atlanta. We got turned around a few times before we made it to the hotel. Daddy says that Mama is bad with directions, Mama says she knew exactly what she was doing.

Once we arrived at the hotel, Mama and Daddy got ready for dinner with her college roommate Kim D.  I stayed with my Papa and Nana while they had “date night” at the Braves game.

On Sunday morning, we woke up and had breakfast with my “Uncle Streamline”

He was so silly that I laughed the entire time. I absolutely love the new toy that he bought me.

Once we were done with breakfast, we told Uncle Streamline bye and headed to the stadium. And this time Mama didn’t get us lost.

Mama just told Daddy that she needed to check e-mail, so I guess I’ll have to finish my recap tomorrow……

Always, Sometimes, Never

Friday, 08.13.2010 10:20AM

I saw this on Jennifer's blog and decided to play along.

I.....


Always
Take long baths before a “date night” w/ M
Play with my hair when I am going to sleep
Hang the clothes in my closest by type, color and length.
Email M as soon as I arrive at work
Drink Diet Coke with Breakfast (who needs coffee)


Sometimes
Skip workouts just to go home and read blogs
Watch bad reality television – Real HouseWives for example
Rewash a load of laundry just so I do not have to put it in the dryer

Never
End a phone call, visit, email with family/friends without saying I love you!
Am without a book to read
Go to sleep without snuggling Joycelen
Forget to put on sunscreen (I am pale and prone to burning)

Five Months

Saturday, 08.7.2010 4:44PM

 

Joycelen,

Your now 5 months old.  Here are the important stats for this month:

• You weigh 16 pounds and are over 25 inches long.
• You now wear size 2 diapers.
• You are wearing mostly 3-6 month clothing, but there are a few outfits that you wear that are 6-9 months.
• You are still army crawling across the floor.

 

• You go to sleep each night between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. and sleep all the way until 7:30 a.m.
• You take 2-3 naps each day.
• You started solid foods and seem to love them. You especially love sweet potatoes, green beans, and bananas. You are not a big fan of peas.
• You are becoming even more verbal – this month you discovered your ability to shriek. You like to do this when you think nobody is paying you attention.
• You learned a new skill this month:

Each day, Daddy and I see changes in you. We are loving watching you grow!

Love,

Mama & Daddy

Bigger Picture Moments: Joy in Obedience

Thursday, 08.5.2010 10:37AM

Another Thursday, another chance to share my weekly Bigger Picture Moment. For more inspiring moments, visit Hyacenth's blog.

The Sunday evening service began like each and every service prior. We were welcomed by the song leader. The choir sang, a prayer was offered, more singing, and then the service was turned over to our pastor.

From my seat in the sound booth (hubby runs the sound board, and I operate the computer/projector) I half-heartedly listened as our pastor explained there would be no sermon that night. Instead, a guest speaker would be sharing his story. With his words, I closed the program we use to project the sermon notes, and opened up Spider Solitaire.

As the speaker took the stage, I began my first game….

{Jack to Queen, Queen to King}

He was tall, slender, with a neatly trimmed beard. His voice – a deep rich tenor – was heavily accented. He thanked the congregation for the opportunity to speak to us. He apologized for his accent. English was not his native tongue. He spoke French – and a little Hatiain Creole.

{Ace to the two…. Board cleared – Game won}

And then he began to sing – an hymn that I am familiar with – I’ll Fly Away. But instead of English, he sang in his native tongue. The sanctuary rang with the beautiful melody. Suddenly, Spider Solitaire no longer interested me.

From my seat at the back, I began to sing along with him. Our voice melded – his French, my English – and I though “This is what heaven will be like … each nation represented, each tongue spoken all for the glory of God.”

After he ended the song, he told his story. He is a pastor of small church in Haiti – a church that was devastated by the earthquake in January. Thru tears, he spoke of the agonoy he feels as he tries to feed the widows and orphans in his congregation. He told us that his country was poor with a history of voodoo – and though he has had opportunities to come to America, he chooses to stay where God is using him.

My heart was pricked. I have a nice home, a good job, two vehicles in my garage, clothes to wear, food to eat – and yet I am often ungrateful. I had grown resentful of the service that I was asked to give….

Suddenly, I saw myself much like my 3 year old niece, stomping my foot and telling God “No, I don’t want too.”

The tears began to flow, and as our pastor called for the ushers to collect a lover offering for our guest, I felt the nudge on my heart – “Write the check” the Lord whispered.

Without hesitation, I took out the checkbook, wrote the check – and in that moment peace flowed over me. I felt joy, exhilaration, happiness. Not because I had given money. The emotion was because I was obedient to my Heavenly Father.

Obedience brings joy – a simple truth that I have always known – it just took a Haitian preacher with a tenor voice to remind me.

Birthday Recap

Thursday, 08.5.2010 7:01AM

My 28th birthday was a wonderfully relaxing day filled with all of my favorite things and favorite people.

I began my day by playing with this adorable little girl.

Then I went shopping with my sister. I managed to purchase several new items. The best part was that they were all on sale. After a delicious lunch with my Mom, Dad, sister, nephew, niece and Joycelen – I spent the afternoon getting pampered.

.

M bought me a gift certificate to my favorite salon. He is treating me to a pedicure, eyebrow wax, and a haircut. He says I deserve to be pampered.

I returned to my parents house after my hour long pedi to find these waiting on me

M sent me a dozen roses. And when he arrived home from work, he had an incredibly sweet card and my favorite candy. I felt so spoiled.

Since it was Wednesday night, we went to church – where everyone wished me Happy Birthday. Following an amazing Bible study with my youth group, I came home and logged on to find nearly 100 Facebook messages wishing me a Happy Birthday. I also had text messages from many family members and friends.

It was definitely a day to remember!

Happy With Me

Wednesday, 08.4.2010 8:38AM



This week, Caitlin's amazing book is being released . In honor of the release, she is asking bloggers to post about the theme "Changing the Way You See - Not the Way You Look". Here is my story...

Ten years ago, I celebrated my 18th birthday. I spent the evening before enjoying supper with two of my best friends. We laughed for hours over appetizers, entrees, and decadent desserts. The next day (my actual birthday) we wasted hours riding the dirt roads of my hometown on 4-wheelers. I felt happy, content, and alive – I was 100% happy with whom I was – it would be the last time I would feel that way for nearly a decade.

Two days after my 18th birthday, I packed all of my worldly possessions into a rental van and drove with my father to the big city of Atlanta. I was there to begin my collegiate career at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech for short). I was there to obtain a college diploma. Four years later, I left with that diploma and an eating disorder.

Everything started innocently enough. Following my freshman year, I wanted to lose the 15 or so pounds that I had gained. I started working out at the on campus gym. One day, in the girl’s locker room, someone mentioned diet pills. I started using the diet pills and the weight seemed to melt off. However, the heart palpations, jitters, and other side effects were too much, so I left the pills – and turned to bulimia instead. By my junior year, I was at a dangerous weight; my “binges” were fruit and water. After my junior year, I moved back in with my Aunt for the summer...so it was harder to hide my disorder. I gained about 20 pounds. From the outside things seemed okay. But there were not.

In December 2005, a good friend confronted me about my eating disorder. While I had managed to “hide” my bulimia from nearly everyone else in my life, she had seen the ugly truth. With her help, I was able to get therapy and move past my bulimic tendencies.

This is the point where I would like to say that I learned to be happy in my body, to love me no matter what the scale said. But it’s not. Even though I stopped having bulimic episodes, I was still a disordered eater. Food was classified by “good” or “bad”. Workouts were done for the most calorie burn, not because I enjoyed them or wanted to challenge myself physically.

And then I became pregnant. Each day, as I watched my body change, as I begin to feel the baby move within me, I thought about the kind of mother that I wanted to be. I knew that I wanted my child to grow up confident, happy, content with themselves. I took a vow to love my body as it is and to focus on what it was doing.

For 9 months, I listened to my body. I ate what I craved, worked out to the level I felt like that day, and embraced my pregnancy. Some days I ate tons of vegetables and fruits and would do my regular aerobics classes. Other days, I ate chocolate and skipped the gym to take an afternoon nap. I honored my body while it did the most pressing task it would ever do – nurture a human life. In return my body honored me.

Once my daughter was born, I continued the same pattern. I trusted my body to tell me what it needed. And five months post baby, I am at peace with my body. Let me state that again, after 5 years of active bulimia, 5 years of disorder eating… I am at peace with my body.

If you were to ask me my weight, I couldn’t tell you. But I will be happy to tell you how much weight I can bench press, my new PR goal for my next 5k, or any of my other fitness goals.

Ten years ago, I was an 18 year old girl who was thin but not healthy. Today, I am a 28 year old woman who is strong, fit, healthy, and above all else happy with whom she is.

Our Life in Bullet Points

Friday, 07.30.2010 10:44AM

•Joycelen loves solid foods. Thus far we have tried green beans, peas, squash, carrots, bananas, and apple sauce.
•Green beans are her favorite veggie and she adores bananas. Peas appear to be Joycelen’s least favorite veggie – and it just so happens that they are my least favorite as well.
•On Tuesday, I had to travel out of town for a work conference. M kept Joycelen by himself. Since M is a heavy sleeper, he thought it best to allow Joycelen to sleep with him. Apparently, M got very little sleep since Joycelen kicked, flipped, and flopped all night long.
•The weekend should be a fun one – as it will be the first weekend in several weeks that M will not have to work.
•Tonight we plan on hanging out at home, hanging a few pictures, and cleaning out our closets.
•Tomorrow night, our church is holding a special prayer service that I am extremely excited about.
•Sunday will be the usual routine of Church, Sunday dinner, naps, etc.

That’s the quick version of life in our corner of the world. What is happening with each of you?

Foto Friday - Littlest G.T. Fan

Friday, 07.23.2010 12:22PM

My Daddy (Joycelen's Papa Babo) came over last Saturday. He was talking to her about the upcoming college football season and how he couldn't wait to take her to a Georgia Tech game. I turned around and found this sight...



This post has been linked to Foto Fridays @ Mama Michie .

Bigger Picture Moment: Finally Happy with Me

Thursday, 07.22.2010 9:39AM

Life often gets hectic, busy, and in the hurried pace we can overlookg the bigger picture. Each week the lovely ladies of Bigger Picture Blogs invite bloggers to take a momen to find the bigger picture. If you would like to join in the fun, head over here for more information and to link up.

It has happened a few times lately. Once at the local department store while I was shopping for a new pair of dress pants. Then again, while standing in line at the local sandwich shop. In both instances, the comment was made “You are tinier now than before you got pregnant.”

It is not their comment that is surprising but rather my reaction to it – I am caught off guard - they follow up their comment with asking what I weigh – and I do not have an answer for them. Why is this important?

Each morning for nearly 5 years, I began my day in the exact same manner. Wake up, use the restroom, and step on the scale. Depending on the number reflected, I would set my daily calorie allowance, determine how long I would need to work out, and then head off to work. And I would happily tell everyone that my eating disorder was under control. I would proudly declare that I had not had a bulimic episode in ___ years.

But the reality was that I had exchanged an eating disorder for disordered eating. There was still a lack of joy in my life. Food was classified by “good” or “bad”. Workouts were done for the most calorie burn, not because I enjoyed them or wanted to challenge myself physically.

One year ago, I was settling into my pregnancy. And as I began to think of my child, and the kind of mother I wanted to be, I took a vow to love my body as it is , to focus on what it could do.

For 9 months, I listened to my body. I ate what I craved, worked out to the level I felt like that day, and embraced my pregnancy. Some days I ate tons of vegetables and fruits and would do my regular aerobics classes. Other days, I ate chocolate and skipped the gym to take an afternoon nap. I honored my body while it did the most pressing task it would ever do – nurture a human life. In return my body honored me.

Once my daughter was born, I continued the same pattern. I trusted my body to tell me what it needed. And five months post baby, I am at peace with my body. Let me state that again, after 5 years of active bulimia , 5 years of disorder eating… I am at peace with my body.

One of my favorite songs to sing to may daughter is Fingerprints of God by Steven Curtis Chapman. The chorus goes:

That I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece that all creation
Quietly applauds
And you're covered with
The fingerprints of God

Today I finally see what my Heavenly Father has always seen – my true beauty. And it feels wonderful!

4 Month Checkup

Sunday, 07.18.2010 8:16AM

 

Joycelen had her  4 month check up last week. She weighed in at 14.6 pounds and measured 25 inches in length. Her development was right on target according to her doctor.

After to vaccines, Joycelen was sent home with the green light to begin trying solid foods.

 

Since Joycelen had already been eating rice cereal in her bottle, Dr. C advised that we could begin to give her vegetables. I decided to start with one of my favorite veggies – Green Beans. (The spoon we used is the same spoon that my parents fed me from)

Joycelen was uncertain at first if she liked the green beans or not.

Then she decided that Daddy needed help in feeding her.

After a few spoonfuls, she was eating like an old pro.

The look of contentment post feeding.

 

She has been eating green beans twice a day for 4 days now. On Monday we are going to try another vegetable to see what she thinks about it. Do you have any recommendations on what we should try next?

Now we lay her down to sleep….

Monday, 07.12.2010 9:10PM

It is no surprise that Joycelen is sleeping peacefully. But the big news is where she is doing her sleeping….

For that past week, Joycelen has slept in her crib. M and I (okay, I was) were worried that she would not transition to her crib easily. Ha!  She slept the whole night the very first time we put her in it.

We have finally established a nighttime routine. Joycelen gets at bath at her Nana’s house, then I pick her up around 6:30. We come home, have playtime, then have a final bottle about between 7:45 and 8:15.  Then we do a little reading.

Good Night is our book of choice. M reads to us, while I rock her. If she is still awake at the book’s end, we rock a little while longer and I sing her a few lullabies. Then we tuck her in for the night and enjoy a little time alone.

It is hard to believe that my baby is already sleeping in her own crib…. 

Show Us Your Life - Favorite Bible Verses

Friday, 07.9.2010 11:06AM

This over at Kelly’s Korner, Kelly has asked us to share our favorite bible verses.

When I became a Christian at the age of 13, the only bible verse I knew was John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

However, I quickly came to love learning new Bible verses. My favorite book of the Bible is Proverbs, with its endless amounts of practical wisdom. As a fledging Christian who was going thru the trials/tribulation of puberty, I clung fast to Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

In my early twenty it felt as though every turn I took was the wrong one. I often questioned if I was doing the right things and if I would ever have the life I dreamed of living. When I would get discouraged I would turn to this verse out of Jeremiah 29.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. “ Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

The Lord has blessed me with a greater hope and future than I could have ever imagined as that young 20-something. Now, I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, a home filled with love and laughter, and career that I enjoy. With all of the blessings in my life, I could grow complacent/comfortable and lose sight of my ultimate purpose – to glorify God – so I keep this verse from Ephesians on my desk at work.

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)

What are your favorite Bible verses?

Bigger Picture Moments: Plans

Thursday, 07.8.2010 2:03PM

Life often gets hectic, busy, and in the hurried pace we can overlookg the bigger picture. Each week the lovely ladies of Bigger Picture Blogs invite bloggers to take a momen to find the bigger picture. If you would like to join in the fun, head over to Sarah's for more information and to link up.

I am a planner and a list maker. My husband finds humor in the fact that our fridge is home to several lists (daily chores, weekly chores, monthly chores, and a shopping list). On those list, each day is assigned a task, each task assigned an estimated time to complete – I live by my lists.

My need for planning and love of lists is evident in all areas of my life. At the office, I have daily, weekly, and monthly to-do lists which are color coordinated to the respective areas of my job. I have a list of which workouts to complete on which days for my time at the gym. Again, let me state, I love planning.

It is not surprise then that when the husband and I said our vows a year and a half ago, I had a plan for how our “happily ever after” would unfold. We discussed and agreed (okay, if the truth is to be told, I told him and he just agreed) that we would wait a year and then begin to start a family. With the start of a new marriage, a fledging career, I was happy with my life as was – and in my most private moments I was unsure if I even wanted to be a mother. The more I though about it, the more fearful I became, and the better that year long seemed.

Then on July 4th, I took a pregnancy test. My husband and I were 100% certain that we were NOT pregnant. We had taken the necessary precautions, but my constant fatigue, weird food cravings, and tender body parts had our extended family asking “Are you sure you aren’t pregnant?” The test was our way to put an end to the speculation. Instead, that test (and subsequent) doctor’s visit confirmed what our families had suspected….we were going to be parents.

In the early days following that pregnancy test, I remember questioning God “Why, Lord? This wasn’t what we had planned”.

One year ago, I thought that the plan I had for my life was irrevocably changed – and it has – but what the Lord has given is so much better. One year ago, we had no idea that the Lord would bless us with an opportunity to purchase a large addition to a family farm, an addition that requires more time and more work, and likely would have caused us to delay our start. We had no way of knowing that our plan would have coincided with the departure of my company’s CFO, or how compelled I would have been to set aside my desire to start a family, in order to do more at job

God could see both the blessing and the stumbling blocks that lay ahead for us, and so, He chose to carry out His plan. A plan that is now a 12 pound, 4 month old with beautiful blue eyes and her Daddy’s smile. Today, as I hold my daughter, my life should be focused on serving my Heavenly Father, trusting in Him to lead and guide me, even when the direction I travel is not on my plan.

One Year Ago....

Tuesday, 07.6.2010 9:49AM

This made me smile.....

4 Months Old

Monday, 07.5.2010 9:45PM

 

Joyclen,

You are now 4 months old.

• You weigh 13 pounds and are measuring around 23 inches length.
• You are wearing clothing exclusively in the 3-6 month range.
• You are still wearing size 1 diapers, but should move up to size 2 diapers by the end of the week.
• You can now “army crawl” across the floor. It is cute watching you pull yourself across the floor – trying to keep up with your older cousins.
• You have started babbling even more. You have started making the “B” sound in addition to your cooing.
• You are still a very happy baby who loves to smile. In the last month, you have started laughing – especially at your Daddy when he makes sill faces.

• For the first time this month, you attended day care.  You impressed all of the teachers with how easily you made the transition – they all said you had such a sweet disposition.
• On the 4th of July, you watched your first fireworks display…..or at least you did until you fell asleep.

One year ago today, Daddy and I were still trying to process the news that we were going to be parents. Admittedly, we were scared, anxious, and a little unsure of ourselves. But we both agree that if we had known then what we now know – how amazing you would be – then we would have had nothing to fear.

Our lives our so much better because of you!

Love,

Mama and Daddy

i

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Saturday, 07.3.2010 4:09PM

From our little firecracker!!

Foto Friday

Thursday, 07.1.2010 7:36PM

 

Playing in the Jenny Jump up leads to…….

Hump Day Humor

Wednesday, 06.30.2010 9:09AM

*Today is 6/30/10 which is the end of my company's fiscal year....and I am going to be swamped for the next several days, so this cute story (that I received via e-mail) helped to lighten my load a bit, so I thought I would share it with all of you.

Alice Grayson was to bake a cake for the Baptist Church Ladies' Group in Tuscaloosa , but forgot to do it until the last minute. She remembered it the morning of the bake sale and after rummaging through cabinets, found an angel food cake mix & quickly made it while drying her hair, dressing, and helping her son pack up for Scout camp.

When she took the cake from the oven, the center had dropped flat and the cake was horribly disfigured and she exclaimed, "Oh dear, there is not time to bake another cake!" This cake was important to Alice because she did so want to fit in at her new church, and in her new
community of friends.

So, being inventive, she looked around the house for something to build up the center of The cake.. She found it in the bathroom - a roll of toilet paper. She plunked it in and then covered
it with icing. Not only did the finished product look beautiful, it looked perfect. And, before she left the house to drop the cake by the church and head for work, Alice woke her daughter and gave her some money and specific instructions to be at the bake sale the moment it
opened at 9:30 and to buy the cake and bring it home.

When the daughter arrived at the sale, she found the attractive, perfect cake had already been sold. Amanda grabbed her cell phone & called her mom. Alice was horrified-she was beside herself! Everyone would know! What would they think? She would be ostracized, talked about, ridiculed! All night, Alice lay awake in bed thinking about people pointing
fingers at her and talking about her behind her back.

The next day, Alice promised herself she would try not to think about the cake and would attend the fancy luncheon/bridal shower at the home of a fellow church member and try to have a good time. She did not really want to attend because the hostess was a snob who more than
once had looked down her nose at the fact that Alice was a single parent and not from the founding families of Tuscaloosa , but having already RSVP'd , she couldn't think of a believable excuse to stay home.

The meal was elegant, the company was definitely upper crust old south and to Alice 's horror, the cake in question was presented for dessert!

Alice felt the blood drain from her body when she saw the cake! She started out of her chair to tell the hostess all about it, but before she could get to her feet, the Mayor's wife said, "what a beautiful cake!" Alice , still stunned, sat back in her chair when she heard the hostess (who was a prominent church member) say, "Thank you, I baked it myself."

Alice smiled and thought to herself, "God is good.”