It's been a while.
Kora is 8 and a 1/2 months old!
Paige graduated PreK and will start kindergarten in the fall!
Jeremy just got promoted to a supervisor position at work.
I'm rolling along, taking on new tasks at work and trying to balance life.
Let's start with Kora - I feel like I've been to the pediatrician's office every week since February. I'm probably exaggerating a little - but it's been a lot. She got her ear tubes on April 20th and we are still fighting some infections/drainage. But at least the tubes have been doing their job. She's allergic to at least 2 antibiotics and today she had blood drawn to get tested for a food allergy - peas (which apparently can be related to peanut allergies) and eggs. It was rough for me to help hold her while they drew her blood but they did a great job and so did Kora! She fussed but I don't think she shed a single tear and stopped fussing right after they did it! Such a tough little kid!
She now has 2 teeth and is tearing up the house! She's crawling around everywhere and you can definitely tell that she wants to try standing, she keeps trying to pull up on the furniture. She's a happy baby and a pretty good sleeper (until she wakes up, wants her paci, but can't find it).
Paige. We were pretty fortunate - I think we skipped the terrible 2s and 3s... but landed in the ferocious 4s. This kid can be pretty stubborn at times, but still a great kid! She had a great year in PreK and I'm constantly amazed at what she's learning and how she's growing. And for the most part she's staying pretty healthy!
Jeremy is, as always, being an amazing husband. I've been gone to a conference, ladies night outs, a weekend getaway, training for a mini-marathon and so much more. He's always supportive, loving, and the perfect match for me. He loves our girls more than anything and it's always a joy to watch him with them.
Then there's me. Time to get a little transparent. So dating back to high school and college, I occasionally had trouble staying awake in class. Never really thought much of it back then, just chalked it up to being busy, not getting enough sleep, etc. Fast forward to my job at Regenstrief. I knew going into the job that staying awake in meetings would be tough. I also struggle to stay awake in church. I get restless legs when I sit for too long, always twitching and moving around to get comfortable. I never really thought much of it, just that it was something I had to live with. As I predicted I've had trouble staying awake in meetings... for 6 years. Why haven't I thought to ask a doc about it sooner? I just thought maybe I hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before, or maybe I was just 'lazy'. It's been getting worse since Kora was born. I get exhausted in the evenings, I always want to take naps at my desk, and now I'm getting sleepy driving to work sometimes. That's when I knew things needed to change.
So I finally scheduled an appointment with a PCP and got in to see him May 12th. He thinks I have Narcolepsy, so he referred me to a sleep doctor. Initially I wasn't supposed to get in until August 8th, but I asked to be put on a waiting list and praise God I was able to get in on May 13th! The sleep doc thinks the same thing. Possible Narcolepsy without cataplexy or it could be related to Restless Leg Syndrome. Essentially, my brain is not making the connection to when it's supposed to be awake vs. asleep.
What happens now?? Well, I'm heading up to Community North for a sleep study tonight and tomorrow. Tonight I just sleep 'normal' with sensors and what-not and tomorrow I get to stay there all day and take 15 minute naps (which I just found out about today). Praying that I get some answers from this. It really sucks feeling 'tired' for most of your day and not having the energy at night to workout or play with your kids.
Thanks for sticking with me through this update :) Hope you all are doing well!!
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Kora's Beginning... Part 2
Okay, so it took a couple days longer than I thought it would but here is Part 2 of Kora's beginning.
You can reference Paige's birth story here. But be warned, it's not anything like what most 'first deliveries' are.
VBAC or Repeat C-Section
After getting pregnant one of the first questions going through my mind would be getting another c-section or trying a VBAC. I knew it was something I needed to talk with my doctor about. We discussed it in one of our earliest visits and she gave me a statistic that would help me make my decision pretty quickly. 60-80% of VBACs are successful and it depends on the reason for the c-section. Basically I fell into the range of 60% - there was only a 60% chance that a VBAC in my situation would be successful, the way that I understood this was because of my anatomy and that I would have a harder time pushing out a baby. So we scheduled the c-section for Sept 18th.
The Pregnancy
I didn't blog about this pregnancy the way I did with Paige's. The main reason being I was just so tired or didn't feel well most of the time. The heartburn was the same, if not worse than it was with Paige. Overall, the pregnancy was fine, I didn't have any major complications and we always had good news at check-ups. Once again, however, I just didn't enjoy the pregnancy. The closer the due date got the more anxious and ready I was to get her out of me! Fortunately we had a pretty mild summer so that was good, but I was always hot, tired, and out of breath anywhere I went.
The Delivery
I never thought September 18th would come around. Even when September 1st hit, the 18th still seemed so far away!! I wouldn't have minded going into labor early, but I knew the chances of that were pretty slim. I did start have braxton-hicks contractions around 37 weeks, so I had them for about 2 weeks off and on before she was born (something I never experienced with Paige).
As the day approached I kept getting more anxious and nervous. I mean, it was a major surgery after all. We had to arrive at the hospital 2 hours early to get checked in and prepped. The IV was first, and I almost passed out after that went in! I spent the next hour or so just resting and waiting. I walked back to the OR around 11:45 where they did the spinal (not fun) and getting me prepped for surgery. Jeremy didn't get to come back until right before they were ready to open me. So after everyone was set and ready to go the doctor came in right at 12:00 and got to work.
This was a completely different experience for me as I don't remember much from Paige's c-section. I was much more alert and aware of what was going on this time. It didn't take long before I heard them say 'okay - you are going to feel a push on your stomach to get her out' and at 12:09pm I heard the beautiful sound of little Miss Kora's first cry. The rest of the time was spent cleaning her and getting me put back together and I was wheeled back to our room around 1pm.
The Recovery
Oy... if only I could remember what happened most of Friday afternoon... I thought I was doing okay, until I got sick 3 times and kept getting hot. But they wouldn't let me take the blankets off because my body temp was actually low. Looking back on it I don't remember much of Friday, which lines up with those that told me after the fact I didn't look very good that day :)
4-days post-op now and I'm doing okay. The pain meds are definitely still needed, but I'm walking around better and have a few 'good hours' during the day where I don't feel much pain or anything. Jeremy is still being the rockstar husband that he always is and helping out with pretty much everything and giving me the 'stink eye' 'when he thinks I am doing too much. Paige has been fabulous and is just so excited for her baby sister to be here.
The Name
Finally, I wanted to share with you the reason behind her name. Let's start with the middle name: Sue. This is my mom's middle name. With Paige we decided not to do a family name. So I always knew that if we had a second child we would somehow incorporate a family name. If it was a girl I wanted the middle name to be Sue. I wanted her to have a piece of my mom.
Cora was my grandma's name. I remember going out to breakfast with my mom and grandma very early in the pregnancy and we were talking about names. My grandma said 'well I think you should name her Cora, you never hear the name Cora anymore.' I had kind of dismissed it at the time, just thought it was her being funny. When I brought it up to Jeremy later he said he actually liked the name - but we both agreed we liked it spelled Kora rather than with a C.
We went back and forth with this name and others. When grandma got sick back in June is when we really had to start thinking about the name. We both really liked it and I loved the woman that the name came from. I love that grandma was the one that suggested it. My grandma was a strong, beautiful, amazing woman of God and I can only pray the same for my little Kora Sue.
It stinks that grandma didn't get to meet this great-grandchild who would carry on her name. But I know that baby Kora would've been loved and spoiled by Mimi Cora.
You can reference Paige's birth story here. But be warned, it's not anything like what most 'first deliveries' are.
VBAC or Repeat C-Section
After getting pregnant one of the first questions going through my mind would be getting another c-section or trying a VBAC. I knew it was something I needed to talk with my doctor about. We discussed it in one of our earliest visits and she gave me a statistic that would help me make my decision pretty quickly. 60-80% of VBACs are successful and it depends on the reason for the c-section. Basically I fell into the range of 60% - there was only a 60% chance that a VBAC in my situation would be successful, the way that I understood this was because of my anatomy and that I would have a harder time pushing out a baby. So we scheduled the c-section for Sept 18th.
The Pregnancy
I didn't blog about this pregnancy the way I did with Paige's. The main reason being I was just so tired or didn't feel well most of the time. The heartburn was the same, if not worse than it was with Paige. Overall, the pregnancy was fine, I didn't have any major complications and we always had good news at check-ups. Once again, however, I just didn't enjoy the pregnancy. The closer the due date got the more anxious and ready I was to get her out of me! Fortunately we had a pretty mild summer so that was good, but I was always hot, tired, and out of breath anywhere I went.
The Delivery
I never thought September 18th would come around. Even when September 1st hit, the 18th still seemed so far away!! I wouldn't have minded going into labor early, but I knew the chances of that were pretty slim. I did start have braxton-hicks contractions around 37 weeks, so I had them for about 2 weeks off and on before she was born (something I never experienced with Paige).
As the day approached I kept getting more anxious and nervous. I mean, it was a major surgery after all. We had to arrive at the hospital 2 hours early to get checked in and prepped. The IV was first, and I almost passed out after that went in! I spent the next hour or so just resting and waiting. I walked back to the OR around 11:45 where they did the spinal (not fun) and getting me prepped for surgery. Jeremy didn't get to come back until right before they were ready to open me. So after everyone was set and ready to go the doctor came in right at 12:00 and got to work.
This was a completely different experience for me as I don't remember much from Paige's c-section. I was much more alert and aware of what was going on this time. It didn't take long before I heard them say 'okay - you are going to feel a push on your stomach to get her out' and at 12:09pm I heard the beautiful sound of little Miss Kora's first cry. The rest of the time was spent cleaning her and getting me put back together and I was wheeled back to our room around 1pm.
The Recovery
Oy... if only I could remember what happened most of Friday afternoon... I thought I was doing okay, until I got sick 3 times and kept getting hot. But they wouldn't let me take the blankets off because my body temp was actually low. Looking back on it I don't remember much of Friday, which lines up with those that told me after the fact I didn't look very good that day :)
4-days post-op now and I'm doing okay. The pain meds are definitely still needed, but I'm walking around better and have a few 'good hours' during the day where I don't feel much pain or anything. Jeremy is still being the rockstar husband that he always is and helping out with pretty much everything and giving me the 'stink eye' 'when he thinks I am doing too much. Paige has been fabulous and is just so excited for her baby sister to be here.
Finally, I wanted to share with you the reason behind her name. Let's start with the middle name: Sue. This is my mom's middle name. With Paige we decided not to do a family name. So I always knew that if we had a second child we would somehow incorporate a family name. If it was a girl I wanted the middle name to be Sue. I wanted her to have a piece of my mom.
Cora was my grandma's name. I remember going out to breakfast with my mom and grandma very early in the pregnancy and we were talking about names. My grandma said 'well I think you should name her Cora, you never hear the name Cora anymore.' I had kind of dismissed it at the time, just thought it was her being funny. When I brought it up to Jeremy later he said he actually liked the name - but we both agreed we liked it spelled Kora rather than with a C.
We went back and forth with this name and others. When grandma got sick back in June is when we really had to start thinking about the name. We both really liked it and I loved the woman that the name came from. I love that grandma was the one that suggested it. My grandma was a strong, beautiful, amazing woman of God and I can only pray the same for my little Kora Sue.
It stinks that grandma didn't get to meet this great-grandchild who would carry on her name. But I know that baby Kora would've been loved and spoiled by Mimi Cora.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Kora's beginning...
Kora Sue has finally arrived. The first words I heard were 'look at those cheeks'... probably the same words that were mentioned if I could remember what they said about Paige. I do remember the doc saying both times that they 'good size' little girls :).
Let me back up for a minute. Paige was born in 2011. A time when Jeremy and I were still fairly 'new' in our jobs. Jeremy was working nights and I was working days. Those of you that have had that arrangement with a firstborn know how difficult that can be. Of course Jeremy was great, and it was nice on the weekends when he kept to his night shift schedule and would let me sleep and just bring Paige to me when she need to eat.
But I didn't enjoy pregnancy, I had a very different birth story than most and that first year of her life was rough. I wasn't ready to go through pregnancy again, let alone raising another baby somewhat by myself at night.
It took me a long time to be mentally and emotionally ready to even think about getting pregnant again. And Paige was actually a great baby. She's been a very happy toddler and we've seen her develop and grow into a beautiful little girl. In April 2014, Jeremy and I finally had the conversation that we were ready to start trying for another baby. One of our goals was to get our study loans paid off before having a second baby and we knew we were close to that goal and we knew that it could take a while to get pregnant again (it took almost a year with Paige). Come December 2014 we still weren't pregnant and my parents had just invested in the Disney Vacation Club. So we started planning a trip to Disney World in September 2015, with the thought that we would put off trying to get pregnant for a few months, or altogether. We still hadn't decided.
Then, January 22nd rolled around. I was only about a week late but felt something was off so I decided to take a pregnancy test... I'll bet you never guess the result :) Oh... and did I mention we paid off our student loans on January 21st... hmmm....
I was nervous, excited, scared, and to honest a little upset. I had just planned 2 vacations for 2015. One in July to go to Florida and then Disney World in September. Sounds selfish, right? It was. I know that God's timing is everything and it's not up to me :).
And of course, I'm so grateful and thankful and blessed by God because now I have this beautiful face to look at:
And I got to see this look on Paige's face which was worth everyday of the pregnancy:
Kora's birth story was obviously way different than Paige's... but maybe that story will come tomorrow :)
For now I'm rejoicing in the Lord for my beautiful babies and I'm excited to see what God has in store for their lives.
Let me back up for a minute. Paige was born in 2011. A time when Jeremy and I were still fairly 'new' in our jobs. Jeremy was working nights and I was working days. Those of you that have had that arrangement with a firstborn know how difficult that can be. Of course Jeremy was great, and it was nice on the weekends when he kept to his night shift schedule and would let me sleep and just bring Paige to me when she need to eat.
But I didn't enjoy pregnancy, I had a very different birth story than most and that first year of her life was rough. I wasn't ready to go through pregnancy again, let alone raising another baby somewhat by myself at night.
It took me a long time to be mentally and emotionally ready to even think about getting pregnant again. And Paige was actually a great baby. She's been a very happy toddler and we've seen her develop and grow into a beautiful little girl. In April 2014, Jeremy and I finally had the conversation that we were ready to start trying for another baby. One of our goals was to get our study loans paid off before having a second baby and we knew we were close to that goal and we knew that it could take a while to get pregnant again (it took almost a year with Paige). Come December 2014 we still weren't pregnant and my parents had just invested in the Disney Vacation Club. So we started planning a trip to Disney World in September 2015, with the thought that we would put off trying to get pregnant for a few months, or altogether. We still hadn't decided.
Then, January 22nd rolled around. I was only about a week late but felt something was off so I decided to take a pregnancy test... I'll bet you never guess the result :) Oh... and did I mention we paid off our student loans on January 21st... hmmm....
I was nervous, excited, scared, and to honest a little upset. I had just planned 2 vacations for 2015. One in July to go to Florida and then Disney World in September. Sounds selfish, right? It was. I know that God's timing is everything and it's not up to me :).
And of course, I'm so grateful and thankful and blessed by God because now I have this beautiful face to look at:
And I got to see this look on Paige's face which was worth everyday of the pregnancy:
Kora's birth story was obviously way different than Paige's... but maybe that story will come tomorrow :)
For now I'm rejoicing in the Lord for my beautiful babies and I'm excited to see what God has in store for their lives.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Top 10 Games
We moved to Indiana 6 years ago. At that point if you had asked me what board games I knew how to play I'd say the typical Monopoly, Life, Scrabble, or Candy Land. Fortunately, I met one of my now best friends who changed everything.
Our best 'couple' friends Adam and Krista introduced us to the expansive world of board games that we were missing out on! So since I've been 'gaming' for about 5 years now, I think it's finally time I created my own Top 10 list.
10. Guildhall - I first played Guildhall at IndyCon I think two years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time I played. With the addition of the expansion this game can change each time you play. Basically you are trying to collect different professions to score victory points, but certain professions allow other players to steal from you, so beware :).
9. 7 Wonders - This was one of the first games I was introduced to. It is an easy game to learn and a fun one to play! This game is played over 3 rounds and you are drafting cards with other players to build resources, construct your ancient wonder, and explore the sciences of the world!
8. Mission Red Planet - This was my very first game to play at my first IndyCon. This is a quick, easy game to learn. Exploring Mars by sending your crew on spaceships with different characters that might allow you destroy your opponents crew members! Unfortunately it's out of print and super hard to find!
7. King of Tokyo - Oh man, it's Yahtzee meets King Kong! You each have individual monsters and you are trying to conquer Tokyo by either destroying the other monsters or getting the most points! So easy!
6. Jaipur - This is a great 'travel' 2-player game! Krista introduced this game to me a while ago and Jeremy and I finally bought it last year! You are trading good to win 'Seals of Excellence' to be invited to he Maharajah's Court! It's a short easy game to take on the go if you have some time to kill!
5. Dungeon Lords - This is not a game for beginners! It's easily a 2 to 2 and a half hour game with 4 people. But it's so in-depth and fun! I've only played it a handful of times (and won once!)! The pieces of this game are what make the game! You are building a dungeon to try to keep the heroes out! Can you dungeon and monsters defeat the heroes?!
4. Tokaido - Take a journey in Japan! The legendary Tokaido Road connected Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo). Along the way you are stopping for encounters with the locals, collecting souvenirs, visiting the hot springs and collecting the beautiful scenes! You will also visit 4 inns to rest and enjoy the Japanese cuisine! This game is really fun 2-5 players and is a good family game!
3. Lords of Waterdeep - I will admit, I had no desire to play this game, none whatsoever. I had this notion in my head that this would be a 3-4 hour game with lots of weird stuff. I was dead wrong! This is a great game! You are vying to become the Lord of Waterdeep by going on quests! The learning curve for this one is fairly simple! Jeremy and I really enjoy playing this one 2-player!
2. Bruges - this was a 'spur of moment' purchase at GenCon last year and a great one! We knew it was going fast at the Z-Man booth and if we wanted it we needed to just grab it and go! We hadn't even played it before we bought it! This is another that is fairly easy to learn and easy to teach! You are building houses and recruiting people to gain wealth and influence city!
1. Ticket to Ride - This could very well have been the first game I was introduced to! It's so simple to learn and it's the one I most often teach to 'newbies' :) Take a cross-country adventure by placing your trains from city to city across the US! This game has blown up and there are so many versions available! Nordic countries, Europe, Africa, Marklin, Asia, the list goes on! This is such a great family game and is great for the younger kids!
Honorable Mentions: There are a few more that were close to making the list, but I just couldn't get them into the top 10!
Omen: A Reign of War - another game I was hesitant to play, but really enjoy this quick 2-player game!
Carcassonne - a great beginner game!
Agricola - as much as I hate to say it, I do enjoy this game, just need to get better at it! A very in-depth but great game!
Our best 'couple' friends Adam and Krista introduced us to the expansive world of board games that we were missing out on! So since I've been 'gaming' for about 5 years now, I think it's finally time I created my own Top 10 list.
10. Guildhall - I first played Guildhall at IndyCon I think two years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time I played. With the addition of the expansion this game can change each time you play. Basically you are trying to collect different professions to score victory points, but certain professions allow other players to steal from you, so beware :).
9. 7 Wonders - This was one of the first games I was introduced to. It is an easy game to learn and a fun one to play! This game is played over 3 rounds and you are drafting cards with other players to build resources, construct your ancient wonder, and explore the sciences of the world!
8. Mission Red Planet - This was my very first game to play at my first IndyCon. This is a quick, easy game to learn. Exploring Mars by sending your crew on spaceships with different characters that might allow you destroy your opponents crew members! Unfortunately it's out of print and super hard to find!
7. King of Tokyo - Oh man, it's Yahtzee meets King Kong! You each have individual monsters and you are trying to conquer Tokyo by either destroying the other monsters or getting the most points! So easy!
6. Jaipur - This is a great 'travel' 2-player game! Krista introduced this game to me a while ago and Jeremy and I finally bought it last year! You are trading good to win 'Seals of Excellence' to be invited to he Maharajah's Court! It's a short easy game to take on the go if you have some time to kill!
5. Dungeon Lords - This is not a game for beginners! It's easily a 2 to 2 and a half hour game with 4 people. But it's so in-depth and fun! I've only played it a handful of times (and won once!)! The pieces of this game are what make the game! You are building a dungeon to try to keep the heroes out! Can you dungeon and monsters defeat the heroes?!
4. Tokaido - Take a journey in Japan! The legendary Tokaido Road connected Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo). Along the way you are stopping for encounters with the locals, collecting souvenirs, visiting the hot springs and collecting the beautiful scenes! You will also visit 4 inns to rest and enjoy the Japanese cuisine! This game is really fun 2-5 players and is a good family game!
3. Lords of Waterdeep - I will admit, I had no desire to play this game, none whatsoever. I had this notion in my head that this would be a 3-4 hour game with lots of weird stuff. I was dead wrong! This is a great game! You are vying to become the Lord of Waterdeep by going on quests! The learning curve for this one is fairly simple! Jeremy and I really enjoy playing this one 2-player!
2. Bruges - this was a 'spur of moment' purchase at GenCon last year and a great one! We knew it was going fast at the Z-Man booth and if we wanted it we needed to just grab it and go! We hadn't even played it before we bought it! This is another that is fairly easy to learn and easy to teach! You are building houses and recruiting people to gain wealth and influence city!
1. Ticket to Ride - This could very well have been the first game I was introduced to! It's so simple to learn and it's the one I most often teach to 'newbies' :) Take a cross-country adventure by placing your trains from city to city across the US! This game has blown up and there are so many versions available! Nordic countries, Europe, Africa, Marklin, Asia, the list goes on! This is such a great family game and is great for the younger kids!
Honorable Mentions: There are a few more that were close to making the list, but I just couldn't get them into the top 10!
Omen: A Reign of War - another game I was hesitant to play, but really enjoy this quick 2-player game!
Carcassonne - a great beginner game!
Agricola - as much as I hate to say it, I do enjoy this game, just need to get better at it! A very in-depth but great game!
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
In a blink
This past Sunday at church was the Graduation Celebration for the graduating seniors in the youth group. I hope in 16 years I remember how I felt sitting there watching those seniors receive messages from their loving parents and youth pastor.
Everyone says it. "Don't blink." "It goes by so fast." "Where did the time go."
I know in 16 years I will say the same thing. I think I had met one of those seniors, but each one got me a little teary-eyed. Their parents expressing their love for them and how amazing it has been to watch them grow into the wonderful person they are today. The youth pastor giving examples of the fun they had in the youth group and the impact they've made in the church and on the lives of others through missions.
In 16 years I want to say the same things to my daughter and have those things said of her. It made me excited to be in the church we are in right now. While I haven't had much involvement with the youth group yet, I really enjoy the youth pastor's sermons. You can hear the love and passion he has in his voice for those kids. I am excited for her to experience that.
Yes, it will happen in a blink, but I will be there every step of the way for her. To encourage her to do the things she scared to do, to love her when she succeeds, to be her rock when she may fail, to be proud of her through every wise decision she makes. And most of all to show her the love of Jesus and pray for her that, instead of chasing bubbles (Pastor Scott's sermon on 5/18), she chases Jesus.
Everyone says it. "Don't blink." "It goes by so fast." "Where did the time go."
I know in 16 years I will say the same thing. I think I had met one of those seniors, but each one got me a little teary-eyed. Their parents expressing their love for them and how amazing it has been to watch them grow into the wonderful person they are today. The youth pastor giving examples of the fun they had in the youth group and the impact they've made in the church and on the lives of others through missions.
In 16 years I want to say the same things to my daughter and have those things said of her. It made me excited to be in the church we are in right now. While I haven't had much involvement with the youth group yet, I really enjoy the youth pastor's sermons. You can hear the love and passion he has in his voice for those kids. I am excited for her to experience that.
Yes, it will happen in a blink, but I will be there every step of the way for her. To encourage her to do the things she scared to do, to love her when she succeeds, to be her rock when she may fail, to be proud of her through every wise decision she makes. And most of all to show her the love of Jesus and pray for her that, instead of chasing bubbles (Pastor Scott's sermon on 5/18), she chases Jesus.
Monday, May 12, 2014
A heart like mom's
I didn't get around to actually posting Happy Mother's Day yesterday. I was busy hanging out with my mom :)
I love my momma so much. She has a heart like I've never seen. She cares so much about others around her and always has just a little bit more to give.
About a month ago she had asked me to come up to Huntington to help out with a Ladies Build Day with Habitat for Humanity. The house that is being built is for some friends of ours that we've known for a very long time. Their house was completely destroyed in a fire a few months ago (praise God none of their family was in the house when it happened!). I couldn't be more thankful that I said yes.
Getting to work side-by-side with my mom on such an important project is something I will never forget. She was so awesome and it inspired me to want to do something like this with Paige someday.
I love this woman and I'm so thankful I get to call her mom! I hope that I have enough room in my heart for others around me as she does!
Thanks for showing me how to love and care for others!
Here are a few pictures of the build day and a few of Mother's Day as well!
I love my momma so much. She has a heart like I've never seen. She cares so much about others around her and always has just a little bit more to give.
About a month ago she had asked me to come up to Huntington to help out with a Ladies Build Day with Habitat for Humanity. The house that is being built is for some friends of ours that we've known for a very long time. Their house was completely destroyed in a fire a few months ago (praise God none of their family was in the house when it happened!). I couldn't be more thankful that I said yes.
Getting to work side-by-side with my mom on such an important project is something I will never forget. She was so awesome and it inspired me to want to do something like this with Paige someday.
I love this woman and I'm so thankful I get to call her mom! I hope that I have enough room in my heart for others around me as she does!
Thanks for showing me how to love and care for others!
Here are a few pictures of the build day and a few of Mother's Day as well!
Saturday, May 3, 2014
13.1 - Half Crazy
Today I ran my first Mini-Marathon, well, mostly ran. I did walk three times, but overall probably only walked less than a mile! I was overall very satisfied with my total time and pace! I had two goals, either finish in 2:30 or keep a 12 min/mi pace. We'll my overall time was 2:31:33, so I did get under my 12 min/mi pace and just barely missed my goal time!
It was definitely an awesome experience! I think everyone should try it at least once. For the mini I would actually suggest running your first one with a buddy. You should both have similar goals in kind, but be willing to have fun too! I wish I would have stopped to take pictures along the way a few times, but felt weird doing that by myself. I think if I did it again I would want to run with a friend.
A few other things I learned:
- the pack never thins out
- you are always either getting passed or passing someone
- always go to the back of the 'pit areas' they are less congested
- it's really really hard to run and drink out of the paper cups
- the pain does go away
This was a fantastic experience and so well run! Seriously the 500 Festival staff and volunteers were awesome! I think I would love to do this again and hopefully with Jeremy or a friend! Although next time I will definitely invest in one of those belts that hold water... Those pit stops and paper cups are no fun!
It was definitely an awesome experience! I think everyone should try it at least once. For the mini I would actually suggest running your first one with a buddy. You should both have similar goals in kind, but be willing to have fun too! I wish I would have stopped to take pictures along the way a few times, but felt weird doing that by myself. I think if I did it again I would want to run with a friend.
A few other things I learned:
- the pack never thins out
- you are always either getting passed or passing someone
- always go to the back of the 'pit areas' they are less congested
- it's really really hard to run and drink out of the paper cups
- the pain does go away
This was a fantastic experience and so well run! Seriously the 500 Festival staff and volunteers were awesome! I think I would love to do this again and hopefully with Jeremy or a friend! Although next time I will definitely invest in one of those belts that hold water... Those pit stops and paper cups are no fun!
Monday, April 7, 2014
This kid...
Let me tell you a little bit about this kid:
Between Feb 2012 and May 2012 she had 4 (or 5, can't remember now) ear infections and then got tubes.
Between May 2012-November 2013 she hardly went to the doc, maybe a viral thing here or there, nothing major.
December 2013 - went to the doc to discover she'd gotten some pneumonia. The doc heard some wheezing/crackling. Took some medicine and cleared it up
February 2014 - now - She's been to the doctor 6 times since February 27th. She's been on every antibiotic available, had 2 x-rays, and has had pneumonia in her left lung and now in her right. She's taken steroids and breathing treatments and she's had the flu during that time as well.
Today's appointment - at the last appointment the doc told us if she heard wheezing again she would be going on a daily asthma medicine. I was convinced going in to the office today it was an ear infection. I was wrong. She heard the wheezing again and this evening we start a daily asthma medicine, for how long? I don't know. Doc said she should grow out of it by the time she turns 5. She's hoping that is the underlying cause for all the wheezing, but if it doesn't help we will have to go see a pulmonary specialist. But in addition to that we also have to add 2 more antibiotics, a steroid, and breathing treatments 3x/day to knock out the pneumonia/wheezing.
But let me tell you one more thing about this kid : She's the bravest, coolest, and best 2 year old I know. No crying today. at.all. Not during the breathing treatment and not during the x-ray. I'm so proud of her. I love her to pieces and am just praying for her to get better.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
15K
So today I ran a 15K, that's 9.3 miles. Going into it my personal goal was going to be to finish in 1 hour & 45 minutes
Here's the breakdown of what happened:
Mile 0-1 - hey, this isn't so bad... But it's a little chilly outside. Oh man, 12/min mile pace, that's not good, oh yea I didn't start at 0 at the start line so I should probably take off 1 minute.
Mile 1-2 - maybe I should've listened to some music! starting to warm up a bit, except I can't feel my chin!
Mile 2-3 - okay, getting into a good pace... Almost finished with the first 5K
Mile 3-4 - oh how I hate this mile, I just have to get past this mile and it will be okay
Mile 4-5 - whew, almost 1/2 there. Okay, mile 5-6 will be a 'run hard' mile! Just pick up the pace for one mile!
Mile 5-6 - okay, time to kick it up a notch for one mile! Ouch, this hurts a little
Mile 6-7 - glad, that's over. Only one more 5K to go, I think I can actually feel my chin again
Mile 7-8 - oy, this is a tough mile to get through too, fatigue is setting in. And do I have to pee... Oh no, I am not using one of those port-a-potty's! I'll just not think about it... Do you wanna build a snowman...
Mile 8-9 - oh crap I think my feet have a mind of their own! My feet just keep moving and my legs are trying to keep up! Almost there!!! I'm getting hungry
Mile 9-9.3 - I see the finish line!!! Kick it into gear!! Oh... Cookies
Official Time: 1:40:31 :)
Here's the breakdown of what happened:
Mile 0-1 - hey, this isn't so bad... But it's a little chilly outside. Oh man, 12/min mile pace, that's not good, oh yea I didn't start at 0 at the start line so I should probably take off 1 minute.
Mile 1-2 - maybe I should've listened to some music! starting to warm up a bit, except I can't feel my chin!
Mile 2-3 - okay, getting into a good pace... Almost finished with the first 5K
Mile 3-4 - oh how I hate this mile, I just have to get past this mile and it will be okay
Mile 4-5 - whew, almost 1/2 there. Okay, mile 5-6 will be a 'run hard' mile! Just pick up the pace for one mile!
Mile 5-6 - okay, time to kick it up a notch for one mile! Ouch, this hurts a little
Mile 6-7 - glad, that's over. Only one more 5K to go, I think I can actually feel my chin again
Mile 7-8 - oy, this is a tough mile to get through too, fatigue is setting in. And do I have to pee... Oh no, I am not using one of those port-a-potty's! I'll just not think about it... Do you wanna build a snowman...
Mile 8-9 - oh crap I think my feet have a mind of their own! My feet just keep moving and my legs are trying to keep up! Almost there!!! I'm getting hungry
Mile 9-9.3 - I see the finish line!!! Kick it into gear!! Oh... Cookies
Official Time: 1:40:31 :)
Thursday, April 3, 2014
If I Had a Nickel
I'll get to it tomorrow...
To use the old phrase, "if I had a nickel" for every time I said I'll get to this tomorrow, well our student loans would probably be paid off.
One of my best friends has a favorite band. Skillet. Two years shemade strong-armed me into going to Winter Jam with her to see them. I've never been a huge concert fan, but it was only $10 and there were lots of bands, so I thought it would be fun. I've been a fan of Skillet since. Last year I had some money on a gift card for Lifeway Christian and they had Skillet's CD Awake on sale, so I bought it. Since then I have found one of my favorite songs. One Day Too Late.
I recently hung this sign in my cubicle:
For the first day it was super motivating. I kicked butt and got everything crossed off my to-do list. However, since then I can't say it's done me a lot of good. I try, I want to do the things I'll say I'll do today rather than wait until tomorrow. I think it's something we all struggle with. There are days where we just don't feel like doing anything and sometimes that's okay. For me, I have been in this place for weeks now. Laziness has taken it's toll on me. It really got to me this afternoon, I was ignoring work, ignoring my bible reading, and ignoring my training for the Mini. This afternoon, I had enough. So what came next?
I did one thing for work that I was waiting until tomorrow to do.
I caught up on my Read-Through-Bible plan that I was 3 days behind on.
I did my 4 mile run that I didn't want to do.
So, if Today is your Tomorrow, what's one thing you can do today instead of tomorrow?
To use the old phrase, "if I had a nickel" for every time I said I'll get to this tomorrow, well our student loans would probably be paid off.
One of my best friends has a favorite band. Skillet. Two years she
I recently hung this sign in my cubicle:
For the first day it was super motivating. I kicked butt and got everything crossed off my to-do list. However, since then I can't say it's done me a lot of good. I try, I want to do the things I'll say I'll do today rather than wait until tomorrow. I think it's something we all struggle with. There are days where we just don't feel like doing anything and sometimes that's okay. For me, I have been in this place for weeks now. Laziness has taken it's toll on me. It really got to me this afternoon, I was ignoring work, ignoring my bible reading, and ignoring my training for the Mini. This afternoon, I had enough. So what came next?
I did one thing for work that I was waiting until tomorrow to do.
I caught up on my Read-Through-Bible plan that I was 3 days behind on.
I did my 4 mile run that I didn't want to do.
So, if Today is your Tomorrow, what's one thing you can do today instead of tomorrow?
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Purpose
I've had friends in the past share with me that instead of doing a bunch of resolutions they have a Word for the year. Last year I tried to do my own thing and do monthly pledges... well if you look through my old posts you'll see that didn't last :). I made it through about two months before I gave up on those, oops! So this year I have decided to adopt a word for 2014: PURPOSE.
Last week Paige's daycare was closed which forced me to take almost a whole week of vacation to stay home with her because Jeremy was out of vacation time for the year. I cannot be more grateful for last week. It was an amazing refresher for me, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The main goal I had last week was to go through a Goal Planning Workbook that was created by one of my best friends Victoria over at Creative Home Keeper. (All you have to do is sign up for her for her monthly newsletter and updates and she'll send it to you free!). As I started going through the workbook one of the first things mentioned is to make sure you have your Mission Statement handy. I had never done a mission statement before, I've had many friends do one, but to be honest I always thought it was weird, until I made one. After going through a short e-book (Victoria's Goal Planning Workbook will direct you there) which helps you name and prioritize your roles it became evident that I wasn't living with a purpose. Sure, I know my purpose is to love God, my family, and do what the Bible tells me to do, but am I really living that way?
So as I developed my Mission Statement by identifying my roles and prioritizing them I realized that things need to change. I'm tired of waking up each day doing the same thing because it's routine. I want to have a purpose every day. I want to find God's purpose for my life. I want to work for a purpose. With that said here is my new Mission Statement:
Last week Paige's daycare was closed which forced me to take almost a whole week of vacation to stay home with her because Jeremy was out of vacation time for the year. I cannot be more grateful for last week. It was an amazing refresher for me, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The main goal I had last week was to go through a Goal Planning Workbook that was created by one of my best friends Victoria over at Creative Home Keeper. (All you have to do is sign up for her for her monthly newsletter and updates and she'll send it to you free!). As I started going through the workbook one of the first things mentioned is to make sure you have your Mission Statement handy. I had never done a mission statement before, I've had many friends do one, but to be honest I always thought it was weird, until I made one. After going through a short e-book (Victoria's Goal Planning Workbook will direct you there) which helps you name and prioritize your roles it became evident that I wasn't living with a purpose. Sure, I know my purpose is to love God, my family, and do what the Bible tells me to do, but am I really living that way?
So as I developed my Mission Statement by identifying my roles and prioritizing them I realized that things need to change. I'm tired of waking up each day doing the same thing because it's routine. I want to have a purpose every day. I want to find God's purpose for my life. I want to work for a purpose. With that said here is my new Mission Statement:
My mission is to:
Love God
wholeheartedly and glorify him daily. To spend time with him daily through
prayer, devotion, stillness, and worship.
Love, respect, and
serve Jeremy unconditionally. To be his best friend and help-mate.
Be an inspiration and role-model to Paige. To be Jesus to
her by showing and teaching her Love, Grace, and Discipline.
Work at whatever I am doing with all my heart, as working
for the Lord, not for men. To make a difference where a difference can be made.
To make my workplace my mission-field.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Happy Anniversary
I imagine when most people think about how they will celebrate their wedding anniversary they think about romantic trips, fancy dinner, or flowers. Well I am forever inclined to think about IndyCon and Boardgames from here on out for our anniversary :)
When I first met Krista Daulton I had no idea what I was getting myself into... but I'm so glad she reached out and we have become such good friends. The first time I went over to Krista and Adam's house for "game day" I was a little (okay, A LOT) overwhelmed... but don't tell them that (oops... too late). There were so many games I had never heard of and I felt like everyone had played every single game, except me.
As Krista will attest to this... I've come a long way. We attended our first IndyCon 2 years ago and only went for 1 day. We had a blast, but the day went by so quickly because the games are typically 1-2 hour games. I stuck with the people I knew (Krista, Adam, and of course Jeremy) and didn't try too many new games. Last year we went for all three days and had a great time. This year again, we did all three days.
So the difference this year? Even though I go in to almost every single game knowing I'm going to lose, I still go in to have fun. I understand rules of most games better now than I did last year. And it's much easier for me to pick up on new games. My brother, sister-in-law, and 2 other friends came for all three days this year too which made it more fun!
What all did I play this year you ask? Let me recap for you:
Day 1:
1. Trajan - really enjoyed this. Jeremy and I got to IndyCon a little early because Adam wanted to play this first thing and asked us to join. It was a very fun game and now that Krista and Adam have a copy I look forward to playing again.
2. Lifeboats - Interesting negotiation game. You need to have the mindset going in that no matter what happens you will still all be friends at the end of the game
3. Tzolk'in - This is a very deep game with a lot going on. I think too much for me.
4. Wits and Wagers - Every year they have an annual Wits and Wagers tournament. They ask questions about boardgames, teams write down answers and you bet on which team has the most correct answer and you get payouts of 2-1, 4-1, 6-1, etc. We had a team of 4 girls and were getting our behinds kicked, so what did we do, bet it all on the last round of course... oh and guess who won... that's right, we did :) Scored a free copy of Wits and Wagers: Party Edition!!
5. Fistful of Penguins - This game is so fun! It's a quick 'filler game' with penguins and dice!
6. Crokinole (x2) - Learned this for the first time to play in the annual tournament... got creamed in the first round of the tournament by the guy who won!
7. Pillars of the Earth - I love this game. I don't think I've won yet, but I still love it!
Day 2:
1. Guildhall (x2) - 2 thumbs up from me on this one! I really enjoyed it.
2. Pillars of the Earth - Again... love this...
3. Le Havre - Krista has been talking about this game for a while. So we finally had time to sit down and play it this weekend! It was almost too long for me. However, I did enjoy it and almost beat Krista on my first time playing :)
4. Agricola - I WON! Whoo-hoo! Maybe I should put in a disclaimer that I played with all new people. But I think this was only my fourth time playing. This is a fun game, but takes a lot of advance planning which is hard for me to do!
5. Tichu (x2) - Annual tourney. Krista and I made it to the second round before getting beat! But we both got a Grand Tichu! (If you really want to know what that is just e-mail me... too complicated to explain!)
Day 3:
1. Stone Age - I played this game for the first time last year at IndyCon and have been wanting to play it ever since! Finally got to play it again this weekend and I am still just as excited about it this year as I was last year! This game is so fun! Jeremy just bought the iPhone app!
2. Ticket to Ride Africa - Ticket to Ride is one of my favorite games. The Africa expansion added a new element with Terrain cards, but they were hard to use in a 5-player game. I think Jeremy and I will play again and see what we think with just two people.
So Happy Anniversary to an amazing husband! I love you so much and had a great weekend playing games all weekend with you!! I look forward to it again next year!!
When I first met Krista Daulton I had no idea what I was getting myself into... but I'm so glad she reached out and we have become such good friends. The first time I went over to Krista and Adam's house for "game day" I was a little (okay, A LOT) overwhelmed... but don't tell them that (oops... too late). There were so many games I had never heard of and I felt like everyone had played every single game, except me.
As Krista will attest to this... I've come a long way. We attended our first IndyCon 2 years ago and only went for 1 day. We had a blast, but the day went by so quickly because the games are typically 1-2 hour games. I stuck with the people I knew (Krista, Adam, and of course Jeremy) and didn't try too many new games. Last year we went for all three days and had a great time. This year again, we did all three days.
So the difference this year? Even though I go in to almost every single game knowing I'm going to lose, I still go in to have fun. I understand rules of most games better now than I did last year. And it's much easier for me to pick up on new games. My brother, sister-in-law, and 2 other friends came for all three days this year too which made it more fun!
What all did I play this year you ask? Let me recap for you:
Day 1:
1. Trajan - really enjoyed this. Jeremy and I got to IndyCon a little early because Adam wanted to play this first thing and asked us to join. It was a very fun game and now that Krista and Adam have a copy I look forward to playing again.
2. Lifeboats - Interesting negotiation game. You need to have the mindset going in that no matter what happens you will still all be friends at the end of the game
3. Tzolk'in - This is a very deep game with a lot going on. I think too much for me.
4. Wits and Wagers - Every year they have an annual Wits and Wagers tournament. They ask questions about boardgames, teams write down answers and you bet on which team has the most correct answer and you get payouts of 2-1, 4-1, 6-1, etc. We had a team of 4 girls and were getting our behinds kicked, so what did we do, bet it all on the last round of course... oh and guess who won... that's right, we did :) Scored a free copy of Wits and Wagers: Party Edition!!
5. Fistful of Penguins - This game is so fun! It's a quick 'filler game' with penguins and dice!
6. Crokinole (x2) - Learned this for the first time to play in the annual tournament... got creamed in the first round of the tournament by the guy who won!
7. Pillars of the Earth - I love this game. I don't think I've won yet, but I still love it!
Day 2:
1. Guildhall (x2) - 2 thumbs up from me on this one! I really enjoyed it.
2. Pillars of the Earth - Again... love this...
3. Le Havre - Krista has been talking about this game for a while. So we finally had time to sit down and play it this weekend! It was almost too long for me. However, I did enjoy it and almost beat Krista on my first time playing :)
4. Agricola - I WON! Whoo-hoo! Maybe I should put in a disclaimer that I played with all new people. But I think this was only my fourth time playing. This is a fun game, but takes a lot of advance planning which is hard for me to do!
5. Tichu (x2) - Annual tourney. Krista and I made it to the second round before getting beat! But we both got a Grand Tichu! (If you really want to know what that is just e-mail me... too complicated to explain!)
Day 3:
1. Stone Age - I played this game for the first time last year at IndyCon and have been wanting to play it ever since! Finally got to play it again this weekend and I am still just as excited about it this year as I was last year! This game is so fun! Jeremy just bought the iPhone app!
2. Ticket to Ride Africa - Ticket to Ride is one of my favorite games. The Africa expansion added a new element with Terrain cards, but they were hard to use in a 5-player game. I think Jeremy and I will play again and see what we think with just two people.
So Happy Anniversary to an amazing husband! I love you so much and had a great weekend playing games all weekend with you!! I look forward to it again next year!!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
March Pledges
Oops... so I'm a couple days late on starting my March Pledges... but nevertheless I have been thinking about them. Surprisingly it's getting harder to do this! I felt like January was great, like most 'resolutions' January is the easy month. It's continuing that motivation that is hard.
As far as my February Pledges, well they didn't go quite as planned, in fact it was pretty bad. But I'm not giving up. I feel like when I do these pledges it gives me something to strive for daily. For me, it's Living Purposefully... does that make sense?
Anyway here are some pledges for March, you'll notice quite a few are carried-over from February.
Daily:
1. Read my Bible daily - I'm sad to say I got a few days behind in February, I think I have 3 days to catch up on.
2. Pray Daily
3. Continue to get up when my alarm goes off - I actually didn't hit the snooze button once in February... there were, however, a few times when I turned my alarm off and reset it :)
4. Going back to brushing daily. Someone once told me it takes 21 days to start a habit and only 3 to break it... that is so true!
5. Drink at least 32 oz of water daily... although ideally I'd like to see that at 64 oz.
Weekly:
1. TURN OFF THE TV!! I definitely have my shows that I watch. I know that Thursday nights the TV will always be on. Lately we have added Family Night Movie night to Friday night, which means, I'd like to keep the TV off Mon-Wed.
2. Workout 5 times a week. The 30-day shred was great... it would've been even better if I hadn't gotten sick for a week last month. I will officially finish day 30 on Friday March 8th, although it won't be consecutive, I'm still proud of myself for doing it within a month and a half!
3. Count calories 5 days a week. I have got to start doing this! This will help my goal of fitting into my "conference" outfit in two months!
Monthly:
1. Learn to knit - I started to do this in February, but unfortunately Maggie and I had very opposite schedules this month and we weren't able to get together to work on this! But I'm not giving up! I have yarn and needles and by golly I will knit something before the end of the year :)
2. Total Money Makeover - I'm so proud of Jeremy and I last month. While we did go over on a few budget items, that's totally expected the first couple of months as we are learning how much we need month to month.
3. Read 3 books - these, of course, being the three I pledged last month: Harry Potter, I have Loved You: Getting to Know the Father's Heart, and I Want it Now
This month will present a few challenges especially in the calorie counting and exercising as it is a very busy month! But writing these out really helps me keep them in the front of my mind!
Happy March!!
As far as my February Pledges, well they didn't go quite as planned, in fact it was pretty bad. But I'm not giving up. I feel like when I do these pledges it gives me something to strive for daily. For me, it's Living Purposefully... does that make sense?
Anyway here are some pledges for March, you'll notice quite a few are carried-over from February.
Daily:
1. Read my Bible daily - I'm sad to say I got a few days behind in February, I think I have 3 days to catch up on.
2. Pray Daily
3. Continue to get up when my alarm goes off - I actually didn't hit the snooze button once in February... there were, however, a few times when I turned my alarm off and reset it :)
4. Going back to brushing daily. Someone once told me it takes 21 days to start a habit and only 3 to break it... that is so true!
5. Drink at least 32 oz of water daily... although ideally I'd like to see that at 64 oz.
Weekly:
1. TURN OFF THE TV!! I definitely have my shows that I watch. I know that Thursday nights the TV will always be on. Lately we have added Family Night Movie night to Friday night, which means, I'd like to keep the TV off Mon-Wed.
2. Workout 5 times a week. The 30-day shred was great... it would've been even better if I hadn't gotten sick for a week last month. I will officially finish day 30 on Friday March 8th, although it won't be consecutive, I'm still proud of myself for doing it within a month and a half!
3. Count calories 5 days a week. I have got to start doing this! This will help my goal of fitting into my "conference" outfit in two months!
Monthly:
1. Learn to knit - I started to do this in February, but unfortunately Maggie and I had very opposite schedules this month and we weren't able to get together to work on this! But I'm not giving up! I have yarn and needles and by golly I will knit something before the end of the year :)
2. Total Money Makeover - I'm so proud of Jeremy and I last month. While we did go over on a few budget items, that's totally expected the first couple of months as we are learning how much we need month to month.
3. Read 3 books - these, of course, being the three I pledged last month: Harry Potter, I have Loved You: Getting to Know the Father's Heart, and I Want it Now
This month will present a few challenges especially in the calorie counting and exercising as it is a very busy month! But writing these out really helps me keep them in the front of my mind!
Happy March!!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Look at mama and listen
"Paige, look at mama and listen..."
This usually results in Paige running in the opposite direction... maybe she thinks she is always in trouble when I say that? Which isn't the case... usually I just want her to pick something up or ask her to do something.
Last night the issue of running in the opposite direction and usually whining before she even heard what I had to say kept wearing on my patience with her... I was getting so frustrated, and the more she didn't stop and look and listen the more upset I got, which continued to get her more upset because she could hear it in my voice.
Today I am reflecting back on this continued cycle of me saying look and listen and her running and whining/crying and it gets me thinking...
Annie, how many times has God said to you "Stop, look at me, and listen... I have something to tell you/ask you" and how many times do I run in the opposite direction afraid of what I'm going to hear.
I am not perfect, and neither is my daughter (shocker, right?) but are my reactions to her disobedience showing the same love that God shows me when I continually disobey Him??
Reflecting today on God's Love and how I can show my daughter His love through my actions
Lord, please give me patience when trying to teach my daughter how to listen...
This usually results in Paige running in the opposite direction... maybe she thinks she is always in trouble when I say that? Which isn't the case... usually I just want her to pick something up or ask her to do something.
Last night the issue of running in the opposite direction and usually whining before she even heard what I had to say kept wearing on my patience with her... I was getting so frustrated, and the more she didn't stop and look and listen the more upset I got, which continued to get her more upset because she could hear it in my voice.
Today I am reflecting back on this continued cycle of me saying look and listen and her running and whining/crying and it gets me thinking...
Annie, how many times has God said to you "Stop, look at me, and listen... I have something to tell you/ask you" and how many times do I run in the opposite direction afraid of what I'm going to hear.
I am not perfect, and neither is my daughter (shocker, right?) but are my reactions to her disobedience showing the same love that God shows me when I continually disobey Him??
Reflecting today on God's Love and how I can show my daughter His love through my actions
Lord, please give me patience when trying to teach my daughter how to listen...
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Mid-Month Re-Pledge
So here we are on February 14th and I find myself needing to re-evaluate my pledges for the month as I have not been doing as well as I wanted.
Daily Pledges:
1. I'm still up to date on my Bible reading, but I have not been focusing on the reading... lately I've just been reading to get it done... not the purpose of reading it!
2. Praying: I started out well this month by writing out my prayer requests in my journal and spending some time praying after reading my Bible, but that has gone by the wayside.
3. There have only been 2 days where I have re-set my alarm after it went off.. I didn't hit the snooze, I just re-set it :)
4. I thought flossing would get easier... nope I still hate it... I've done decently with this, but haven't done it every day.
5. Sadly I have not been taking a picture of Paige every day :(
Weekly Pledges:
1. TV... ummmm... yea it's been on way too much this month
2. I believe I did have a pop 2 times in one week, but I've been trying to refrain as much as possible.
Monthly Pledges:
1. Learning to knit - Maggie and I have set up a couple of times to knit but things have come up. I've watched a few youtube videos and kind of re-taught myself (I learned a few years ago but never practiced or made anything). I just need to get some better yarn to get started
2. Total Money Makeover - going good! Sticking to our budget pretty well!
3. Reading... yea... I don't see this one happening... I'll be lucky if I get one finished!
4. 30-Day Shred... YES!! I am currently on Day 15!!! I started Level 2 on Sunday... it's been kicking my butt!
Okay... after writing all these out I don't feel like I'm as off track as I thought I was... Things I want to continue to focus on:
- 30 Day Shred... I'm half-way there!
- Cutting out the TV! Ugh... this is so hard! After working out all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch TV!
Thanks for keeping up and for your support!
Daily Pledges:
1. I'm still up to date on my Bible reading, but I have not been focusing on the reading... lately I've just been reading to get it done... not the purpose of reading it!
2. Praying: I started out well this month by writing out my prayer requests in my journal and spending some time praying after reading my Bible, but that has gone by the wayside.
3. There have only been 2 days where I have re-set my alarm after it went off.. I didn't hit the snooze, I just re-set it :)
4. I thought flossing would get easier... nope I still hate it... I've done decently with this, but haven't done it every day.
5. Sadly I have not been taking a picture of Paige every day :(
Weekly Pledges:
1. TV... ummmm... yea it's been on way too much this month
2. I believe I did have a pop 2 times in one week, but I've been trying to refrain as much as possible.
Monthly Pledges:
1. Learning to knit - Maggie and I have set up a couple of times to knit but things have come up. I've watched a few youtube videos and kind of re-taught myself (I learned a few years ago but never practiced or made anything). I just need to get some better yarn to get started
2. Total Money Makeover - going good! Sticking to our budget pretty well!
3. Reading... yea... I don't see this one happening... I'll be lucky if I get one finished!
4. 30-Day Shred... YES!! I am currently on Day 15!!! I started Level 2 on Sunday... it's been kicking my butt!
Okay... after writing all these out I don't feel like I'm as off track as I thought I was... Things I want to continue to focus on:
- 30 Day Shred... I'm half-way there!
- Cutting out the TV! Ugh... this is so hard! After working out all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch TV!
Thanks for keeping up and for your support!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The Smell...
So here I am going to bed at around 10pm tonight and as usual I go in to check on Paige before I go to sleep.. Aren't sleep babies just so precious! Anyway, so I open the door and am immediately struck by a foul smell... I thought whoa Paige, that's some serious poop! But as I got closer I realized, it was poop... It was the other p-word... PUKE! Oh no!! My poor baby! She had massively puked and was sound asleep in it!
Of course, first thing I do is get Jeremy, first thing he does is pick her up and take her to the bathroom... I said shouldn't we get the water running and warm before we just throw her in there? So he hands her to me and I'm doing what I never thought I would be doing... Holding a baby whose head is soaked in puke! (It's only by God's grace that I didn't throw up myself this evening)!
The bath tub is finally ready and Paige is doing great for having thrown up and been woken up abruptly. I set her in the bathtub but she won't sit down, you can see the fear and confusion in her eyes. I ask her if she wants me to sit in the tub with her and she simply looks at me and shakes her head yes... So I climb in. (During this time Jeremy is being super-dad and cleaning everything up in her crib!)
We finish getting her cleaned off (not very well because her hair still smells like puke unfortunately) and Jeremy gets her dried off and new pj's on while I change clothes. I go back into her room because I want to snuggle with her and hold her for a few minutes, we take her temp but it seems to be normal. After about 5 minutes of me rocking her she sits up, looks at me, coughs, and throws up again. I yell for Jeremy and he runs in and grabs her and gets her over the trash can where she finishes throwing up. This time it all landed on me so we avoided having to change her again.
Now it's Jeremy's turn to cuddle with her in the rocker. We eventually all go snuggle on the spare bed but Paige moves around soooooo much that we decide to put her back in her crib. She lays right down and I think she's now gone back to sleep. But I think Jeremy and I are scared to go back to sleep plus we are wide awake now!
The weirdest thing about this is that we have no idea when she threw up... We didn't hear her cry or anything. And she never cried once after we woke her up to clean everything!
Of course, first thing I do is get Jeremy, first thing he does is pick her up and take her to the bathroom... I said shouldn't we get the water running and warm before we just throw her in there? So he hands her to me and I'm doing what I never thought I would be doing... Holding a baby whose head is soaked in puke! (It's only by God's grace that I didn't throw up myself this evening)!
The bath tub is finally ready and Paige is doing great for having thrown up and been woken up abruptly. I set her in the bathtub but she won't sit down, you can see the fear and confusion in her eyes. I ask her if she wants me to sit in the tub with her and she simply looks at me and shakes her head yes... So I climb in. (During this time Jeremy is being super-dad and cleaning everything up in her crib!)
We finish getting her cleaned off (not very well because her hair still smells like puke unfortunately) and Jeremy gets her dried off and new pj's on while I change clothes. I go back into her room because I want to snuggle with her and hold her for a few minutes, we take her temp but it seems to be normal. After about 5 minutes of me rocking her she sits up, looks at me, coughs, and throws up again. I yell for Jeremy and he runs in and grabs her and gets her over the trash can where she finishes throwing up. This time it all landed on me so we avoided having to change her again.
Now it's Jeremy's turn to cuddle with her in the rocker. We eventually all go snuggle on the spare bed but Paige moves around soooooo much that we decide to put her back in her crib. She lays right down and I think she's now gone back to sleep. But I think Jeremy and I are scared to go back to sleep plus we are wide awake now!
The weirdest thing about this is that we have no idea when she threw up... We didn't hear her cry or anything. And she never cried once after we woke her up to clean everything!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The Pledge - February
Seriously... is tomorrow really February 1st? Okay... time to update you on my January Pledges and let you know what's in store for next month!
I have really enjoyed *trying* to keep my pledges this month. They have been a daily reminder of how I can make some minor changes in my life... for the better!
Daily pledges: These went well, there are 2 that I missed one day on, and others that I missed multiple days on. But the ones I am most proud of:
- I am currently on Day 31 of reading through the Bible in a year! I did miss one day, but caught up the next day!
- Brushing my teeth everyday! I have gotten in such a good habit that my mouth feels so gross if I don't do it at least once a day!
- I have not watched a single tv show or movie while at work this month!
Weekly pledges: Well... I hit 50% of them :). I must say that I totally failed the guitar playing as I haven't busted out my guitar once yet this year! I will not give up on that one though... Just not ready for it yet!
Most proud of:
- Working out... I think there was one week I only worked out 3 times, but I forced myself to go on days I didn't want to and that's a big step!
- Turning off the TV! It's amazing what you can accomplish when you are sucked into the TV
Monthly pledges: One that majorly failed and completely regret failing: calling my friends... I don't know why it is so hard for me to pick up the phone and call them, I love them, they are my best friends, but for some reason I can't just pick up the phone to say hello...
Most proud of:
- Currently on Day 31 of no pop!! Oh man... there have been so many cravings though! And I'm pretty sure I'm getting a cherry coke on my way to work tomorrow :)
- Reading3 4 Books!!! Okay, so I have one more to finished today. But I read The Kill Order, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and The Total Money Makeover this month... I have to finish Identity tonight!
Now... on to February!
Daily Pledges:
1. Continue to read my Bible daily
2. Pray - this one did not turn out so well last month, I didn't specifically devote time to praying like I wanted to
3. Get up when my alarm goes off!! No more hitting the snooze button!!
4. Adding flossing to my daily brushing routine! (I incorporated this on and off through January, but it's time to do it everyday!)
5. Take a daily picture of Paige to see how she grows this month!
Weekly Pledges:
1. Continuing to limit TV to 2 weekdays and limiting time on the weekends
2. No more than 1 pop a week, if that. (I'm not sure about this one yet... this could change)
Monthly Pledges:
1. Learn to knit - this will be measured by hopefully knitting a potholder by the end of the month! Maggie Johnson will be helping me with this!
2. Total Money Makeover - Jeremy and I have decided to begin our Total Money Makeover this month, which means a very strict budget!!
3. Read 3 more books - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I Have Loved You: Getting to Know the Father's Heart, and I Want it Now: A Memior of Life on the Set of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
4. Finish the 30-Day Shred... wait, there's only 28 Days in February you say? Haha... I got a two-day head start :) Thanks Krista for joining me in this pledge!
Looking forward to what this month brings!!
I have really enjoyed *trying* to keep my pledges this month. They have been a daily reminder of how I can make some minor changes in my life... for the better!
Daily pledges: These went well, there are 2 that I missed one day on, and others that I missed multiple days on. But the ones I am most proud of:
- I am currently on Day 31 of reading through the Bible in a year! I did miss one day, but caught up the next day!
- Brushing my teeth everyday! I have gotten in such a good habit that my mouth feels so gross if I don't do it at least once a day!
- I have not watched a single tv show or movie while at work this month!
Weekly pledges: Well... I hit 50% of them :). I must say that I totally failed the guitar playing as I haven't busted out my guitar once yet this year! I will not give up on that one though... Just not ready for it yet!
Most proud of:
- Working out... I think there was one week I only worked out 3 times, but I forced myself to go on days I didn't want to and that's a big step!
- Turning off the TV! It's amazing what you can accomplish when you are sucked into the TV
Monthly pledges: One that majorly failed and completely regret failing: calling my friends... I don't know why it is so hard for me to pick up the phone and call them, I love them, they are my best friends, but for some reason I can't just pick up the phone to say hello...
Most proud of:
- Currently on Day 31 of no pop!! Oh man... there have been so many cravings though! And I'm pretty sure I'm getting a cherry coke on my way to work tomorrow :)
- Reading
Now... on to February!
Daily Pledges:
1. Continue to read my Bible daily
2. Pray - this one did not turn out so well last month, I didn't specifically devote time to praying like I wanted to
3. Get up when my alarm goes off!! No more hitting the snooze button!!
4. Adding flossing to my daily brushing routine! (I incorporated this on and off through January, but it's time to do it everyday!)
5. Take a daily picture of Paige to see how she grows this month!
Weekly Pledges:
1. Continuing to limit TV to 2 weekdays and limiting time on the weekends
2. No more than 1 pop a week, if that. (I'm not sure about this one yet... this could change)
Monthly Pledges:
1. Learn to knit - this will be measured by hopefully knitting a potholder by the end of the month! Maggie Johnson will be helping me with this!
2. Total Money Makeover - Jeremy and I have decided to begin our Total Money Makeover this month, which means a very strict budget!!
3. Read 3 more books - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I Have Loved You: Getting to Know the Father's Heart, and I Want it Now: A Memior of Life on the Set of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
4. Finish the 30-Day Shred... wait, there's only 28 Days in February you say? Haha... I got a two-day head start :) Thanks Krista for joining me in this pledge!
Looking forward to what this month brings!!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Broken Promises
I first want to start off by saying what a fantastic, relaxing, and fun weekend I just had! This weekend I got to celebrate a very dear friend's 30th birthday with a girls weekend to Wisconsin! Krista has become an amazing friend to me here in Indianapolis and I am so thankful to have her in my life! She is full of wisdom and love and teaches me something new almost every time I talk with her. Yesterday I got to experience my first spa day! We did the "girlfriends getaway" package complete with a facial, massage, and foot scrub. This was my first facial and massage and it was glorious!! I definitely enjoyed the facial and would like to try another massage sometime! I also finally got to spend some time getting to know Krista's best friend Meggan which was a treat! Meggan is so sweet and kind and everything Krista has talked her up to be :) I also got to spend more time with a couple other girls Janna and Kelly, it's always great to spend time with them, they are amazing ladies, mothers, and wives and it is a joy talking to them.
Now... onto the title of this blog... Broken Promises... Typically this is the point of the "resolution" where I would just give up. I've broken a few of my pledges so I tend to think "why should I keep any of my pledges since I've already broken some and people probably won't take me seriously now..." But I am going to press on.
Here's the update on The Pledge:
Bible reading = awesome. Tomorrow I will be on day 14 of reading my Bible daily
Praying = I know I haven't been focusing on praying daily. I've said at least one small prayer everyday, but would like this to be a bigger focus.
Brushing my teeth = haven't missed a day!
Fruits and Veggies = this weekend was bad
TV = I think I've been good on this one... I know I've cut way back.. I am currently behind on 4 shows I usually watch!
Work = haven't watched anything since the first of the year!
Pop = this one is getting so hard... I was tempted with pop all weekend but never tasted a drop! 13 days and still going...
Guitar = unfortunately this one has been a major fail so far... haven't touched it yet :(
Keeping in touch = well I need to call my friends this week...
Exercise = Yes! I have worked out at least 4 days each week so far!
Meatless = okay, so I did great on this one the first week... here's what happened last week... On Monday I went out to lunch with some co-workers, we went to Noodles and Co and without even thinking I ordered the Spicy Chicken Ceasar Wrap... I didn't realize until a day later that I ate meat... On Wednesday my work provided lunch, I picked up a roast beef sandwich and again, without thinking, took a bite and realized I was eating meat... I figured this past weekend there was no way i was going to get around not eating meat... but looking back at it, I very well could have and I failed when tempted with bacon, BBQ, and pepperoni pizza.
Overall I am pleased with the progress I have made in the first two weeks of the new year and want to finish out this month strong!
Now... onto the title of this blog... Broken Promises... Typically this is the point of the "resolution" where I would just give up. I've broken a few of my pledges so I tend to think "why should I keep any of my pledges since I've already broken some and people probably won't take me seriously now..." But I am going to press on.
Here's the update on The Pledge:
Bible reading = awesome. Tomorrow I will be on day 14 of reading my Bible daily
Praying = I know I haven't been focusing on praying daily. I've said at least one small prayer everyday, but would like this to be a bigger focus.
Brushing my teeth = haven't missed a day!
Fruits and Veggies = this weekend was bad
TV = I think I've been good on this one... I know I've cut way back.. I am currently behind on 4 shows I usually watch!
Work = haven't watched anything since the first of the year!
Pop = this one is getting so hard... I was tempted with pop all weekend but never tasted a drop! 13 days and still going...
Guitar = unfortunately this one has been a major fail so far... haven't touched it yet :(
Keeping in touch = well I need to call my friends this week...
Exercise = Yes! I have worked out at least 4 days each week so far!
Meatless = okay, so I did great on this one the first week... here's what happened last week... On Monday I went out to lunch with some co-workers, we went to Noodles and Co and without even thinking I ordered the Spicy Chicken Ceasar Wrap... I didn't realize until a day later that I ate meat... On Wednesday my work provided lunch, I picked up a roast beef sandwich and again, without thinking, took a bite and realized I was eating meat... I figured this past weekend there was no way i was going to get around not eating meat... but looking back at it, I very well could have and I failed when tempted with bacon, BBQ, and pepperoni pizza.
Overall I am pleased with the progress I have made in the first two weeks of the new year and want to finish out this month strong!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Pledge - Step 1
Today was a breakthrough for me... some of you may not see it as that, but to me it's a big deal...
After a noon meeting two of my co-workers stopped by to get something to eat... and I did not! I said no! I came back to my desk and ate my tuna sandwich!
And then... I met up with a friend for coffee at Starbucks... and instead of getting a loaded 300 calorie coffee... I went with a Skinny Peppermint Mocha...
baby steps people... baby steps...
After a noon meeting two of my co-workers stopped by to get something to eat... and I did not! I said no! I came back to my desk and ate my tuna sandwich!
And then... I met up with a friend for coffee at Starbucks... and instead of getting a loaded 300 calorie coffee... I went with a Skinny Peppermint Mocha...
baby steps people... baby steps...
Monday, December 31, 2012
The Pledge
So I hate New Year's "Resolutions"... I'm not sure what it is about the term Resolution, but I'm just not a fan. I would like to use a different word... Pledge. What is a pledge? Here is the definition: a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something. Plain and simple. I feel it is a much stronger word than resolution.
This time of year is when everyone busts out what they plan to do for the next year... how many people stick to those 'resolutions.' My resolutions from 1999 probably still haven't been resolved! So instead of taking the whole year I am taking it month by month.
If you are reading this, you are a part of my pledges. How is that you ask? Simple. My pledge is a solemn promise to do or refrain from doing things, and I am pledging not only to myself, but to you also.
So, before you continue reading, do you want to be part of this? Can you offer prayer or support as I go through this journey?
Here are my pledges for January 2013:
Daily:
1. Pray
2. Read my Bible
3. Brush my teeth (yes, some of you may think this is gross... I should already be brushing my teeth daily... but I don't take care of my teeth like I should, and I'd like to avoid dental bills in 2013)
4. Read Paige at least 2 books (too often I get in the habit of letting her just look through the books by herself, I need to spend more time reading to her)
5. Eat at least 1 serving of fruits and vegetables a day (this is such a struggle for me!)
6. Refrain from having a TV show or movie in the background while I'm working. - Yes, it is "allowed" at my job, but I know my productivity decreases when I have something other than music playing... so I'm done with it.
Weekly:
1. Exercise at least 4 days a week.
2. Eating vegetarian at least 5 days a week. This is a big pledge for me and a struggle to say out loud. Jeremy and I had a good talk about this and we both strive to live a healthier lifestyle but we never hold each other up to that. Why only 5 days? We both like meat, but know that we need to cut down on how much we eat.
3. Practice playing guitar for at least 1 hour each week. (This is one I will be increasing each month)
4. Keep the TV off at least 3 weekdays and limiting time on the weekends.
Monthly:
1. No pop for the whole month! This will probably be the hardest one for me. I love a good pop...
2. Sticking to our budget. Oh man... Every month we set our budget and every month we go over it!
3. Eating out at work only 3 times for the whole month!
4. Calling my friends at least 2 times this month. I have three best friends that live too far away and I am horrible at communicating with them. This needs to change. I miss them, and I miss their guidance and love.
5. I will finish at least 3 books this month. The Kill Order by James Dashner, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Identity by Ted Dekker
There you have it. It may look like a lot, but I don't feel overwhelmed by any of it.
This time of year is when everyone busts out what they plan to do for the next year... how many people stick to those 'resolutions.' My resolutions from 1999 probably still haven't been resolved! So instead of taking the whole year I am taking it month by month.
If you are reading this, you are a part of my pledges. How is that you ask? Simple. My pledge is a solemn promise to do or refrain from doing things, and I am pledging not only to myself, but to you also.
So, before you continue reading, do you want to be part of this? Can you offer prayer or support as I go through this journey?
Here are my pledges for January 2013:
Daily:
1. Pray
2. Read my Bible
3. Brush my teeth (yes, some of you may think this is gross... I should already be brushing my teeth daily... but I don't take care of my teeth like I should, and I'd like to avoid dental bills in 2013)
4. Read Paige at least 2 books (too often I get in the habit of letting her just look through the books by herself, I need to spend more time reading to her)
5. Eat at least 1 serving of fruits and vegetables a day (this is such a struggle for me!)
6. Refrain from having a TV show or movie in the background while I'm working. - Yes, it is "allowed" at my job, but I know my productivity decreases when I have something other than music playing... so I'm done with it.
Weekly:
1. Exercise at least 4 days a week.
2. Eating vegetarian at least 5 days a week. This is a big pledge for me and a struggle to say out loud. Jeremy and I had a good talk about this and we both strive to live a healthier lifestyle but we never hold each other up to that. Why only 5 days? We both like meat, but know that we need to cut down on how much we eat.
3. Practice playing guitar for at least 1 hour each week. (This is one I will be increasing each month)
4. Keep the TV off at least 3 weekdays and limiting time on the weekends.
Monthly:
1. No pop for the whole month! This will probably be the hardest one for me. I love a good pop...
2. Sticking to our budget. Oh man... Every month we set our budget and every month we go over it!
3. Eating out at work only 3 times for the whole month!
4. Calling my friends at least 2 times this month. I have three best friends that live too far away and I am horrible at communicating with them. This needs to change. I miss them, and I miss their guidance and love.
5. I will finish at least 3 books this month. The Kill Order by James Dashner, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Identity by Ted Dekker
There you have it. It may look like a lot, but I don't feel overwhelmed by any of it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)