"Give thanks to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts." 1 Chron. 16:8-9
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!
Thankful Thursday
Thursday, November 25, 2010
We're about to start decorating the tree so the detailed post about today will have to wait, but I wouldn't dare think of skipping a Thankful Thursday post on THE Thankful Thursday! I can't summarize my many blessings into a five-item list, and that in itself is a blessing. My Savior, whose love and patience continue to amaze me, has poured out more gifts than I can count! For Him, my husband and daughter, our family and friends, our health, our home, and our freedom, I praise Him. My cup runneth over.
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Thankful Thursday
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The past seven days have held some highs (David coming home safely and early, our trip to Savannah) and some lows (a still-overwhelming to-do list and a few other "don't wanna blog about it" issues. On top of that, Audrey received her first spanking. After it was over we resumed our pre-nap routine. As soon as I put her down and closed her door, I went to my room and bawled my eyes out. I'm getting teary now just thinking about it! Let's hope those are few and far between.)
In the middle of our ups and downs, though, God is still God. He's still there, in charge, and ever-watchful over me and my family. This week it felt good to praise Him in the blessings and to turn to Him in the struggles. I've only just begun to realize how much I'm going to need Him and His guidance to be a good mom now that we're beyond the "keeping her alive" phase and starting to delve into discipline.
I want to raise a young woman of integrity and character. I want Audrey to walk with God and obey His voice. Before she learns that, she must learn to obey the instructions of her earthly parents. Man, what a huge responsibility. What a scary, hard, and overwhelming task. And yet, what an honor. What a privilege. What a gift.
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing she is to us and for entrusting her to our care. I continue to ask that You fill in the gaps of our shortcomings with Your grace.
Here is this week's list:
1. My Mom, whose birthday is on Saturday. Her prayers for me, worry about me, and pride in me are always felt and appreciated even if I rarely acknowledge them. Love you, Mom! Happy Birthday!
2. Beth Moore's Bible Study on the book of Esther. Wow, am I loving it!
3. Ziacam, Airborne, Vitamin C, gargling with warm salt water, and all the other homeopathic cold remedies I've tried this week. For the most part, I'm feeling pretty good. I think they're working!
4. Rich, chocolatey Riesens. And I don't need to give you a reason why - ha!
We have big plans this weekend that I'm really looking forward to! Pray we stay well (and are super productive tomorrow) so we can enjoy!
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Trip to Savannah
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
We just returned from a trip to Savannah to see my brother, sister-in-law, and niece (who you may remember is only 3 months older than Audrey). We had a great time and before I forget, I wanted to write a little about our visit.
I should start out by explaining that David was scheduled to be out of town and Audrey and I were going to go down by ourselves. He was in Israel (yes, again) and wasn't due in for another week. We knew this when we made the plans, but decided that I could handle the drive alone and it was either go now or wait several months. So, I had psyched myself up for 10 hours in the car alone with Audrey (round trip) and starting shopping for portable DVD players. Then, God answered a prayer the day before we were set to leave and David was able to come home early! We actually picked him up at the airport on the way down! Talk about perfect timing!
So, we left Friday morning and had a very peaceful and uneventful car ride down despite AJ only napping about 20 minutes. We got to their house, got the car unloaded, and watched the girls play and interact. After a trip to the store, we ate dinner and put the girls to bed. We didn't stay up long after they were down. Poor David was just coming off a 7 hour time difference, a 12 hour plane ride, and a 5 hour car trip, after all! (I don't have as good of an excuse. I was just tired.)
After a really restful night's sleep, we got up the next morning feeling much better. I snuck in a little one-on-one playtime with Annelise while Audrey slept in (apparently Annelise has her Grandpa's early rising genes while Audrey has her Nana's late-sleeper genes). She is so good with her building blocks and we made quite the impressive tower. After everyone was up, we ate a delicious breakfast my brother cooked for us. Audrey and Annelise played, read, and rode on Annelise's little toy trains. Annelise would push Audrey around, stopping to pick up her cup for her whenever she dropped it. Precious!
We got ready and headed to downtown Savannah for a children's book fair. It was crowded, but the weather was gorgeous and it was awesome just to be outside seeing the sights. After meeting and petting some "reading dogs", we made our way to a big playground. We helped the girls on the slides (approximately three hundred times) before packing it in and heading back to the house.
We all lounged around while the girls took their (great, long, and peaceful) naps. When they woke up, it was time for more playing, including fast laps around the house on the train, pretend tea pouring and drinking, and musical concerts on Aunt Kimmy's old toy piano. At one point it got quiet and I heard myself say "Girls? What are you up to?" As I did, my mind flashed forward to seeing them in 4-5 years as they come running in giggling and explaining their latest game. Hopefully Carson will be right behind them offering a male's voice of reason! I pray that all three of them grow to be close over the years.
Before we knew it, it was time to feed them and put them to bed. After they were down, we ate some yummy beef stew that Kim made for us, watched the Mentalist (okay, Kim and I watched while Brian and David dozed off) and went to bed.
We woke up the next morning, got ready, and packed up our stuff. We ate our yummy pancakes and sausage balls and hit the road for a quick trip to the beach. (It's about a 15 minute drive from their house.) Audrey and Annelise had a blast chasing the birds and we took a ton of pictures. Of course, I think there is only one of them both smiling at the same time, but such is the case with two at that age. We strolled and talked and soaked up the beautiful weather and company. We slowly walked back to our cars, stopping to take one more picture on the pier and point out a butterfly to the girls. We hugged goodbye, exchanged plenty of blown kisses and "I love you's" and got on the road.
Audrey did great on the ride back, though she only took one very short nap. We only stopped once for lunch and gas, but, as always, the trip home seems to take longer than the trip there. We had to swing by the airport to pick up David's car and then the grocery store for a few must-haves. Six hours after we left the beach, we pulled into our driveway and unloaded everything. As we walked in the house, Audrey asked (for the millionth time since we left) "Bian? Kimmy? Lise?" Poor baby missed her buddies!
I'm thankful she (and we) had such a great visit and we appreciate our sweet hosts, especially the littlest one. Getting to see how much she'd grown, how smart she is, and what a beautiful little girl inside and out she is becoming was so special. We hope to do it again soon! The memories we made and the pictures we captured are priceless. Check out the gallery to see for yourself!
I should start out by explaining that David was scheduled to be out of town and Audrey and I were going to go down by ourselves. He was in Israel (yes, again) and wasn't due in for another week. We knew this when we made the plans, but decided that I could handle the drive alone and it was either go now or wait several months. So, I had psyched myself up for 10 hours in the car alone with Audrey (round trip) and starting shopping for portable DVD players. Then, God answered a prayer the day before we were set to leave and David was able to come home early! We actually picked him up at the airport on the way down! Talk about perfect timing!
So, we left Friday morning and had a very peaceful and uneventful car ride down despite AJ only napping about 20 minutes. We got to their house, got the car unloaded, and watched the girls play and interact. After a trip to the store, we ate dinner and put the girls to bed. We didn't stay up long after they were down. Poor David was just coming off a 7 hour time difference, a 12 hour plane ride, and a 5 hour car trip, after all! (I don't have as good of an excuse. I was just tired.)
After a really restful night's sleep, we got up the next morning feeling much better. I snuck in a little one-on-one playtime with Annelise while Audrey slept in (apparently Annelise has her Grandpa's early rising genes while Audrey has her Nana's late-sleeper genes). She is so good with her building blocks and we made quite the impressive tower. After everyone was up, we ate a delicious breakfast my brother cooked for us. Audrey and Annelise played, read, and rode on Annelise's little toy trains. Annelise would push Audrey around, stopping to pick up her cup for her whenever she dropped it. Precious!
We got ready and headed to downtown Savannah for a children's book fair. It was crowded, but the weather was gorgeous and it was awesome just to be outside seeing the sights. After meeting and petting some "reading dogs", we made our way to a big playground. We helped the girls on the slides (approximately three hundred times) before packing it in and heading back to the house.
We all lounged around while the girls took their (great, long, and peaceful) naps. When they woke up, it was time for more playing, including fast laps around the house on the train, pretend tea pouring and drinking, and musical concerts on Aunt Kimmy's old toy piano. At one point it got quiet and I heard myself say "Girls? What are you up to?" As I did, my mind flashed forward to seeing them in 4-5 years as they come running in giggling and explaining their latest game. Hopefully Carson will be right behind them offering a male's voice of reason! I pray that all three of them grow to be close over the years.
Before we knew it, it was time to feed them and put them to bed. After they were down, we ate some yummy beef stew that Kim made for us, watched the Mentalist (okay, Kim and I watched while Brian and David dozed off) and went to bed.
We woke up the next morning, got ready, and packed up our stuff. We ate our yummy pancakes and sausage balls and hit the road for a quick trip to the beach. (It's about a 15 minute drive from their house.) Audrey and Annelise had a blast chasing the birds and we took a ton of pictures. Of course, I think there is only one of them both smiling at the same time, but such is the case with two at that age. We strolled and talked and soaked up the beautiful weather and company. We slowly walked back to our cars, stopping to take one more picture on the pier and point out a butterfly to the girls. We hugged goodbye, exchanged plenty of blown kisses and "I love you's" and got on the road.
Audrey did great on the ride back, though she only took one very short nap. We only stopped once for lunch and gas, but, as always, the trip home seems to take longer than the trip there. We had to swing by the airport to pick up David's car and then the grocery store for a few must-haves. Six hours after we left the beach, we pulled into our driveway and unloaded everything. As we walked in the house, Audrey asked (for the millionth time since we left) "Bian? Kimmy? Lise?" Poor baby missed her buddies!
I'm thankful she (and we) had such a great visit and we appreciate our sweet hosts, especially the littlest one. Getting to see how much she'd grown, how smart she is, and what a beautiful little girl inside and out she is becoming was so special. We hope to do it again soon! The memories we made and the pictures we captured are priceless. Check out the gallery to see for yourself!
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Thankful Thurs....ZZZZZ
Thursday, November 11, 2010
First and foremost, Happy Veteran's Day! Thank you to all who have served (including my Dad!) and to those who currently serve. God bless you and your families for the sacrifices you've made for us and others!
I have plenty more to be thankful tonight, but I thought I'd mix it up this week. In light of the recent time change that A) should have made me feel more rested since we gained an hour and B) should not take this long to adjust to, I'm going to post five reasons I know I need a nap/an earlier bedtime/a room with padded walls:
1. After my iron started throwing sparks, I decided it must be time to get a new one. After visiting several stores in vain trying to find a specific one, I settled for another option. I got it home, used it twice, and hated it. The next day I went back to the store for the sole purpose of returning it and purchasing a new one. I returned it. And left. And didn't remember that I didn't get a new one until after I was back home.
2. I went to the dry cleaners to pick up clothes. Turns out I never dropped them off.
3. Yesterday I shaved my left leg twice and didn't shave my right leg at all. Nice.
4. The amount of caffeine I've consumed this week is higher than average. I wish I could say my productivity increased as well, but I think it just brought me back up to functioning level. Now that I think about it, my concealer seems to have gotten a lot of use this week, too!
5. My sleepy, dark-circled eyes are closing right now. Must finish typi...
I have plenty more to be thankful tonight, but I thought I'd mix it up this week. In light of the recent time change that A) should have made me feel more rested since we gained an hour and B) should not take this long to adjust to, I'm going to post five reasons I know I need a nap/an earlier bedtime/a room with padded walls:
1. After my iron started throwing sparks, I decided it must be time to get a new one. After visiting several stores in vain trying to find a specific one, I settled for another option. I got it home, used it twice, and hated it. The next day I went back to the store for the sole purpose of returning it and purchasing a new one. I returned it. And left. And didn't remember that I didn't get a new one until after I was back home.
2. I went to the dry cleaners to pick up clothes. Turns out I never dropped them off.
3. Yesterday I shaved my left leg twice and didn't shave my right leg at all. Nice.
4. The amount of caffeine I've consumed this week is higher than average. I wish I could say my productivity increased as well, but I think it just brought me back up to functioning level. Now that I think about it, my concealer seems to have gotten a lot of use this week, too!
5. My sleepy, dark-circled eyes are closing right now. Must finish typi...
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Pictures are Up!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
I just uploaded a new album in the gallery titled Fall/Halloween 2010. Enjoy!
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Thankful Thursday
Thursday, November 4, 2010
I had really hoped to have Halloween pictures uploaded by now, but this week has been crazy...and weird. There was a full-day's project on Monday (top-secret Christmas present), Tuesday was Election Day and David was sick, and Wednesday Audrey had a doctor's appointment and our downstairs bathroom and breakfast area makeovers began. There were also a few lunch/dinners with folks, three (four? five?) trips to the paint store, taking down of Halloween decorations/putting up Thanksgiving ones, going to the library, etc. etc. etc. It's just been busy with out-of-the-ordinary stuff!
Here is this week's list...
1. My sister-in-law, Jenny, whose birthday is today! She's a sweet-spirited, kind-hearted, excellent wife and Mommy who loves the Lord and can make a mean pot of chili. Happy Birthday, Jenny! We love you!
2. Home improvement projects...especially when I don't have to do them. David and I learned a long time ago that anything involving wallpaper is best left to the experts for the sake of our marriage. We had bead board wallpaper put up in the breakfast area and lower half of the downstairs bathroom. (It looks just like the real stuff and costs a whole lot less! Especially since with wallpaper, we didn't have to have the chair railing and window sills removed and then replaced.) We are also doing some other remodeling in the downstairs bathroom and I'm so excited to see the finished project! (I'm also excited to have my house back and it'll only have been three days! How on earth to people live with remodeling for weeks on end?!)
3. Rain. I love a good cold, rainy day. I wish we'd get one once a week.
4. Video and the latest technology. I captured quite a few good ones of AJ this week and was able to quickly edit and share them (see previous post for an example).
5. Family "tent" time. Audrey LOVES getting under a giant "tent" blanket with David and I. We'll grab a flashlight and read a book under there and I'm convinced her little world (and ours) is just about perfect in those sweet moments.
Please remember to pray for us as we have continue to have a lot on our plates in the coming weeks. Enjoy the Halloween video posted below and check back soon for updated pics!
Here is this week's list...
1. My sister-in-law, Jenny, whose birthday is today! She's a sweet-spirited, kind-hearted, excellent wife and Mommy who loves the Lord and can make a mean pot of chili. Happy Birthday, Jenny! We love you!
2. Home improvement projects...especially when I don't have to do them. David and I learned a long time ago that anything involving wallpaper is best left to the experts for the sake of our marriage. We had bead board wallpaper put up in the breakfast area and lower half of the downstairs bathroom. (It looks just like the real stuff and costs a whole lot less! Especially since with wallpaper, we didn't have to have the chair railing and window sills removed and then replaced.) We are also doing some other remodeling in the downstairs bathroom and I'm so excited to see the finished project! (I'm also excited to have my house back and it'll only have been three days! How on earth to people live with remodeling for weeks on end?!)
3. Rain. I love a good cold, rainy day. I wish we'd get one once a week.
4. Video and the latest technology. I captured quite a few good ones of AJ this week and was able to quickly edit and share them (see previous post for an example).
5. Family "tent" time. Audrey LOVES getting under a giant "tent" blanket with David and I. We'll grab a flashlight and read a book under there and I'm convinced her little world (and ours) is just about perfect in those sweet moments.
Please remember to pray for us as we have continue to have a lot on our plates in the coming weeks. Enjoy the Halloween video posted below and check back soon for updated pics!
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