Sometimes in life you just have to hunker down and wash the dishes. No, those clothes will not fold themselves no matter how long you wait for the laundry fairy to come. I don’t know about you, but at least at our house, we are in constant cycle of making and cleaning up our messes each week. Here is pretty much how it goes. Sunday….Ahh clean the house before small group gets here. Monday….man it sure is nice to come home to a clean house. Tuesday….hmm should I was clothes tonight? Wednesday….let pick up a little or maybe watch Netflix instead. Thursday…I wish it were Friday. Friday….PARTY. Saturday…PAAARTY. Sunday…AHHHH small group is coming MUST CLEAN EVERYTHING.
With the constant and continuous flow of activity throughout the week it can be exhausting just to keep up, let alone trying to be a “fun” mom. Then I look at pictures like this one below, and I remember how fast she is growing. Pretty soon it won’t matter if I am fun or not because her friends will be like waaay cooler than me.
As I am literally about to fall sleep over this keyboard, I pray tonight that God will give me the energy to be the mom who says yes to tickle tackles, one more bedtime book/song/story, exploring the back yard on leaf hunts, serving tea for two in the bathtub, coloring one more picture, and staying up for one last bedtime snack. I want to say yes more each day than I say no. Yes is such a small word that opens the door to amazing opportunity. There are instances each day when no has to be the answer (no, you can’t swing from the countertops/cabinets or ride our chihuahua like a horsie), but help me to remember to let her be little. Help me to remember to have fun. She is so much fun. I want to be like her when I grow up.
I am pretty sure that parenthood is a constant practice in the art of failure. You see, I know that this parenting gig is going to be full of ups and downs, but as I clean up an “accident” off of the kitchen floor for the 1,232 time during our never-ending potty training saga I feel a twinge of guilt. What am I doing wrong? Why can’t I get her to understand that the she needs to go in the potty instead of all over the floor in front our dinner guests from Church. What will they think? Maybe I should consult the all-knowing Mr. Google….
So here I am tonight. I am acutely aware of the fact that I can not and will not always be able to do the right thing for her (despite my best intentions), but ultimately it is Christ who holds her future. I can not make her into a good little girl, productive citizen, or successful adult, no more than I can grant her eternal life. Tonight I rest in the fact that He is all that she or I will ever need, and He certainly does not have a fear of failure.
I think I have mentioned this before, but did you know that there are only 940 Saturdays between your child’s birth and the day they turn 18! That’s it. 940…not even 1000! It really just blows my mind in a “is this real life” kind of way. Maybe I am selfish, but I want MANY more than that.
There will be many uneventful, painfully mundane Saturdays spent cleaning, doing homework, being sick, or dare I say, bored. BUT, with the finite amount out Saturday time we have I want to make them count. I want to document them..the good..the bad..the boring…so here’s a start.
Last Saturday was a good one (you know, the kind where you don’t really have anything planned so you can do whatever you want….). Addie woke us up before dawn, of course and because the weather was supposed to be yucky we decided to go on adventure indoors. We arrived at Chuck E. Cheese right as it opened. Most of the games were far too old for Addie, but honestly she had a blast just looking at the machines, seeing Chuck E. and squealing at the other kids as they ran around!
Next we grabbed some lunch at a new restaurant in town with Mom and Dad. By early afternoon we were back at home to let Addie get her nap out. We realized we still had a few more hours of daylight left so we decided to get a little jog in around Baker’s pond with Addie in the stroller. She loved telling the ducks “hey” and going playing at the playground on the way out. To finish our busy little Saturday, we grabbed some groceries at Walmart and dinner from McAllister’s before calling it a night! WHEW! Time flies when you are having fun. Here’s to next Saturday!
I saw a book this past week entitled 940 Saturdays. Apparently that is the number of weekends that will pass between your child’s birth and their 18th birthday. Wow, just 940. Undoubtedly some of these weekends will be spent on vacation or having birthday parties and celebrations, but most of these weekends will probably pass by without thought or reflection on their importance and scarcity. This little book was another wake up calls for me that Team Too Busy (that is our nickname now, as you know…) needs to STOP. REFLECT. ENJOY. and FIGHT FOR OUR TIME AS A FAMILY. There are so many distractions today from smartphones and apps to grad school and grown up responsibilities, but I want to fight for each of our 940 Saturdays together. Whether our time is spent in Monterey, CA catching a killer wave or catnapping on the couch in small town Georgia, I WANT OUR TIME TO MATTER!
With these 940 days in mind, this is how we spent our Saturday this past weekend:
We woke up early (as usual) and set up Addie’s new play kitchen. This is actually her Christmas present from Mimi and Papa, but they couldn’t wait for her to try it out. Next, we made our way to Christine and Jared’s Gender Reveal Party. Surprise! They are having a BOY! Finally, we made our way back home to spend some family time with Waring’s cousin’s family and the grandparents. Addie felt pretty lousy still from getting her flu shot yesterday, but we still managed okay. We made Christmas salt dough ornaments, handprint bulb ornaments, finger painted crosses, and watched the Elf on the Shelf movie, and topped it all off with hotdogs and S’MORES!
I am a little late….but in case you were wondering, this year was the best Thanksgiving EVER!
At her Granny’s (Great Grandma Mary) she wanted to walk everywhere like a big kid. This was the last weekend that she needed our hand to walk…She is trying to bring Gigi some Double or Nothing luck!Playing double or nothing…a family tradition.Addie loves when Daddy throws her in the air…but not too far!
This Fall has certainly been crazy for Team Too Busy (that is our family’s new nickname…and it is certainly fitting!) It was great to be able to spend a few days with family resting and reflecting upon the past year.
Blessings in which we are thankful to God for:
-The health of our family
-A growing little munchkin affectionately referred to as “Baby Addie”
-The sell of our first home
-Plans for the building of our dream home right next door to family
-Waring’s graduation from Luther Rice Seminary and Bible College this December!
-Friendships that can withstand moving across the country, to other continents, and training for a half-marathon
-The ability to cross many new things off the Ole Bucket List
-The gift of grace, mercy, and salvation through Christ
This Thanksgiving was EXTRA SPECIAL because I got the opportunity to mark off TWO Bucket List Items:
1. The start of a new tradition: Thanksgiving Table Cloth! (Each year I will get all of our family to sign their names and a little message. I will hand stich embroidery over the names. Each year the names will be stitched in a different color to denote a different year. Pretty soon we will have a FULL table cloth representing how FULL our lives are as we surround ourselves with family and friends each holiday season.
This is an example of what it will look like in a few years!
2. The next occurred after Thanksgiving, and is something that I have always wanted to do: Trapeze Lessons! Thanks to my sister, AJ, who is always up for my crazy schemes and outrageous ideas, we drove to Orlando, climbed a 30ft ladder, and took the leap! We had a blast…and I think AJ may change her major to Trapeze/Circus Performing Arts.
Whoa!Watching my crazy Aunt and Mama!Before…we are nervous!Trapeze Artists…So. Much. Fun! There isn’t anything like accomplishing something you didn’t think you were capable of doing!
***Also, Waring got to do something he had always wanted to do…go to the Turkey Rod Run in Daytona, FL. Going to this car show has always been something he has wanted to do, but something has always come up. This year we were able to take a family mini-vacay! Addie got to play on the Beach, we shopped with Mama, AJ and I swung from a trapeze bar, and Dad and Waring got to drool over thousands of classic cars and outrageous hotrods. I can’t wait until next year. It was a blast!
SAND!Addie LOVED The Beach!Watching the Wiggles with G-PA!Bathtime with Addie is never a dull moment!Look Ma…NO HANDS!Aunt AJ…I want to walk faster!
Addie is ONE. I am now the mom of a toddler. Is this real life?
A year ago my water broke at 5am…a month earlier than expected. That day was the start of our adventure into parenthood. We were catapulted into the world of fear, anxiety, hope, faith, worry, and joy that is parenthood. In those first eight days I have never felt God’s hand of protection and the love of family and friends more clearly. Over the past year Waring and I have been blessed more and more each day.
When I was pregnant I did a lot of “research” so that hopefully I would have it all figured out by the time Addie arrived. I found out rather quickly that I was COMPLETELY unprepared for this new adventure and I would have to depend on Christ to guide us (as well as really helpful family members). This year I have learned a lot, but most importantly I have learned that no amount of worrying or fear can help me raise Addie any better. This year and for the rest of our time together I want to live in the present, be genuine, be transparent, and strive love my husband, my little girl, my family, and my students the way Christ loves us.
Where did this year go? I am excited for the future and I love seeing her grow, but man I miss my baby. I am going to hold her a bit tighter tonight and try not to blink….
Our little girl is already 10 months old. How did that happen? I am pretty sure that I blinked my eyes and she sprouted overnight. She is pulling up, patty-caking, laughing, squealing, and screaming ma-ma and da-da! I am overjoyed/excited/anxious/and terrified of the future to come.
I worry about the future. What will the current state of world affairs hold? What will Addie have to face in her life ahead of her? Only God knows…which is why Waring and I took the opportunity to publicly proclaim our commitment to raise her in a Christian home and work each day to show her the Word visibly in her life. No, we will not be perfect, and neither will she. We will have have bad days and fall miserably short of the mark. No, we did not “baptize” her; that is a choice and an action that only she can choose to do one day hopefully in the distant future. Last Sunday, with our family and friends by our side, Waring and I made a commitment to share Christ and make him the center of our family. I pray that our actions continue to bring him glory and honor.
We thank the Lord each day for the blessings he has given to us in her.
1. Mommy (master chef, dirty diaper director, bathing supervisor, and the list goes on…)
2. Grad School Student
3. Middle School Teacher
4. Department Head
5. Gifted Certification Student
6. Home Seller
7. Home economist
8. Moving coordinator
I love being busy. I thrive on meeting deadlines and I totally geek out on making a killer to-do list, but even I have had to learn to say no. This week I was given an opportunity to pursue a professional goal, but after a few moments of dreaming I had to come back to the reality that I literally have NO TIME! I have a sky high revolving to do list that I don’t get finished with each day and it would be delusional to think that I could or would want to add anything else to the mix.
Since school has started it seems that Addie has made leaps and bounds of growth. She is over 23lbs and BUSY! She is moving all around the room and pulling up on everything that will stay stationary for long enough (including you if you are around)! As professionally driven as I am, I don’t want to miss out on her. She has given me more joy in my short nine months with her than the last five years of my career. I love my job, and it is very rewarding, but I have to remind myself that: It. Is. Just. A. Job. As much as I am making an impact on the students that I come into contact with each day, I am making an even greater impact on her life. I want it to be a positive one. So, if that means saying no to other obligations so that I can say yes to her, then okay. She is worth it.
I promise on one of my less busy days (haha) I will update you on my bucket list progress (or lack there of)!
Okay, so I am by no means a professional at this whole mom gig, but my husband and I just took our first big trip with baby in tow. The trip was a combo plane/road trip (five flights and 10 hours driving in total). Here are some of tips and lessons we learned along the way…
1. When in doubt, PACK IT! This motto has never been my mantra before. No matter whether we are traveling to Charleston or Capri my husband and I like to pack all of our belongings in a carry-on bag in order to save time and possible lost possessions. That rule was out the window with a baby in tow. When you are traveling with a little one extra baby wipes, toys, books, pacifiers, etc… are not creature comforts, they are lifesavers!
2. Baby Carriers are the way to go. I want to KISS the makers of the ERGOBABY carrier. They made our life so much easier. Our little girl quickly outgrew the cheaper carrier that I registered for when I was pregnant (rookie mom mistake). In hindsight I should have spent the extra mulah up front and bought a carrier that would hold up to 45lbs and checked the reviews for which one was most popular. I ended up getting the one we took on the trip secondhand from a friend at just a fraction of the price. Addie loves to be held and she often cat naps in it!
3. Leave the Stroller! We used the stroller a total or two times on the trip and it was a big hassle pushing it up hills and packing it in the car! Also, it was super inconvenient having to check it on the plane.
4. IF you have to take the stroller, GATE CHECK it! This way you get the benefit of using the stroller while you are in the airport and you get it right as you get off the plane instead of at the baggage claim carousel.
5. Don’t go it alone! Travelling with our best friends made it so much easier. When hubby was tired of driving he could switch off with Justin. If I couldn’t make Addie happy, Aunt Meri could make a silly face and get her to laugh. You know the saying…”it takes a village…”
6. Plan for some down town. We like to go go go on vacation, and for the most part we were able to keep a pretty jam packed itinerary, however it was important to plan a bit of down time in the morning or in the evening of every day. Addie just wants to roll around in the floor from time to time so it was best if we already had time scheduled out in the day that was just for her.
7. Use a Mesh Feeder. Feeding an infant on the road can be difficult, especially one who is used to having homemade baby food. I was able to take a banana or avocado and place them in her mesh feeder to eat. I didn’t have to worry about her chocking in the airport or out for the day, and she was still able to get in some solid foods.
8. Practice nursing in public. For me, nursing my baby is something I have become surprisingly passionate about, but it can still be a bit awkward in unknown public places. Make sure you bring a cover up that you have practiced with and that the baby and you are both comfortable with if you decide to go that route.
9. Bring a hand pump. Hand pumps are small and take up relatively little space. I did not use mine on the trip, however I felt more secure knowing that if I decided to make a reservation at the SPA or just have daddy feed the baby I had the option.
10. Disposable Bibs are life savers. We learned this the hard way….I packed a few of both types of bibs, but those soiled cloth bibs start to smell pretty ripe after a few days.
11. Ziploc bags are a mama’s best friend! I always keep a stash of these in Addie’s bag. They work great for blow out diapers when you don’t have a trashcan handy, soiled bibs and cloths, extra pacifiers, mesh eaters, bows, etc…
12. Pack baby outfits in ziploc bags. If you pack the complete outfit, complete with socks and bows, you won’t have to worry about that microscopic missing sock!
13. Stay in a vacation rental (think VRBO, AIRBNB, HOMEAWAY) instead of a hotel. You will have so many more comforts from home, more space, and a unique perspective for the same price as a budget hotel room.
14. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Yes, you baby may have a blow out in the middle of Yosemite. Yes, you may have to change her on a tree stump because the ranger station is closed. Yes, you may receive cheers from a whole bus full of onlookers, but you will make some the best memories of you life along the way!
Daily Drops in the Bucket 