Today I talking with a friend about her recent experience at the gym. She noted that the gym offered a free initial training session with membership...a pretty common practice, in my experience, trying to lure the new gym-goers to sign up for a personal trainer. As my friend has just given birth to her first baby, children and parenthood were a common point of discussion and during the course of their session, the trainer revealed some interesting personal information: a) he has fathered 2 children, and b) he has never been married. Interesting tidbits, but on their own, not too shocking. But combined with the following statement, made near the end of their time together...Wow.
"I'm not sure I'll ever get married, but if I do, I don't think I'll want my wife to get pregnant. She'll lose all her sexiness."
Good thing you just knock up your girlfriends so that when they "lose their sexiness" you can just trade them in for another!
Really? Did he really say that? To a woman who has just given birth?
There. Aren't. Words.
4.22.2008
4.16.2008
Need some help...
...from you veteran moms...I AM EXHAUSTED. And Elliot is sleeping from about 8:30/9pm until 7:30 am (I do feed him at 10:30, just before I go to bed, though). The question I have is: IS THIS NORMAL? I am getting about 7 - 8 hours of sleep per night and am still so incredibly weary. I get so tired in the early afternoon that I swear I could take a 3-hr nap. And I'm exhausted again around 5pm and can barely hold my eyes open at 9pm...and staying awake to feed Elliot at 10:30 just about kills me. Why am I so tired and is it going to end? Is taking care of a wild 2 year old and a newborn while trying to sell this house/find an apartment/move/quit my job just draining all my energy (these tasks, by the way, are much harder than any hard day at my former office job!)? Is there a vitamin or something I can take to fix this problem? I am used to having limitless energy at my disposal so needless to say, I'm feeling a bit discouraged...so I'd appreciate any input or advice, especially in regards to whether or not anyone else has experienced this!
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40: 29-31).
4.13.2008
New Pictures
First smiles...
Stroller ride (propped up due to reflux)...
All beat up...nobody call DFCS! And this picture doesn't even show the huge green knot on the other side of his forehead or his busted lip!
Stroller ride (propped up due to reflux)...
All beat up...nobody call DFCS! And this picture doesn't even show the huge green knot on the other side of his forehead or his busted lip!
4.11.2008
As most of you are aware, this is Masters Week, a very grand occasion in the Garden City. Most, if not all, of Augusta's traditions are related in some way to The Augusta National Golf Course and Masters Golf Tournament. And the city is ALIVE this week, in a way that is unique to this city and this particular event. In spite of all the traffic and increased police presence (I swear I am a cop / radar magnet, in spite of the fact that I drive a black KIA!), it is fun to be a part of all the excitement. Join me in celebrating, if you wish, and make a Green Jacket Salad, named for a famous restaurant that used to be across from the Augusta National Golf Course - this was their house salad. It's an old Augusta favorite. Hope you enjoy making it - we had it with our Mahi Mahi and couscous for dinner last night.
Green Jacket Salad
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Lawry's seasoned salt
1 tsp. Accent (this is basically MSG, and I leave it out and just add a little more seasoning salt)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar (red wine or balsamic)
1 large, chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped, green onions
Pita chips
Parmesan cheese, grated
One head of lettuce or your favorite bagged lettuce (I use mixed greens)
- Combine first 5 ingredients. Add tomato, parsley and onions. (I usually just put the tomatoes in the lettuce instead--the other mixture seems to keep longer without the tomatoes in it.)
- Toss over one head of torn lettuce--or just toss enough of the topping with the amount of lettuce you want to use.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve with pita chips (made from baking torn pita bread in oven at 300 degrees 10 minutes or until crisp. (I use whole wheat or oat bran pita bread.)
Green Jacket Salad
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Lawry's seasoned salt
1 tsp. Accent (this is basically MSG, and I leave it out and just add a little more seasoning salt)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar (red wine or balsamic)
1 large, chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped, green onions
Pita chips
Parmesan cheese, grated
One head of lettuce or your favorite bagged lettuce (I use mixed greens)
- Combine first 5 ingredients. Add tomato, parsley and onions. (I usually just put the tomatoes in the lettuce instead--the other mixture seems to keep longer without the tomatoes in it.)
- Toss over one head of torn lettuce--or just toss enough of the topping with the amount of lettuce you want to use.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve with pita chips (made from baking torn pita bread in oven at 300 degrees 10 minutes or until crisp. (I use whole wheat or oat bran pita bread.)
4.08.2008
So we're moving...in three weeks. Today I secured an apartment for us in Savannah (in Pooler to be exact). No, we haven't sold our house so do keep that on prayer list. But we have decided to go ahead and move as Ryan is doing a month-long rotation at his new office for the month of May. And after that he only has to be in Augusta for the first two weeks in June and then he's FINISHED with training (way to go, honey!). We found out late last week that our house is not going to be ready until the end of July so we decided to try to find a 3-month lease somewhere, thinking that would be easier to secure than a one month or two month lease. So I surfed the internet and recruited my fam to look up phone numbers and came up with a pretty decent option in Pooler, near both my parents and my sister and her family. And as of noon today, it's a done deal. The Preserve at Godley Station will be home for the next 3 months. I can't believe our time in Augusta is drawing to a close. We've had two kids here and have really grown so close...it will be hard to say good-bye to our first house, these close friends, our church...but IT IS TIME. We're leaving our house here furnished, thinking it will sell better with all our Walmart and Target furniture and accessories. :)
And it's also time for me to say good-bye to my career. I just can't keep doing IT ALL. And my income is not a necessity right now and so quitting my job is the best way for me to serve my family at this point. I really loved my job and found much joy and fulfillment in using my gifts and my brain, working with other people, problem-solving, etc. I liked getting dressed up in nice office clothes, taking business trips, preparing and delivering presentations, sipping lattes in board meetings and conference calling with colleagues all over the world. I liked earning a paycheck, one that has steadily grown over the years into a fairly handsome salary. But over the past few months, God has made it clear to Ryan and me that season was winding down...my kids need me, all of me, and so does Ryan. After ten years of rigorous post-college school and training, Ryan is starting his first real job and this next year will be intense, demanding and very stressful. For the sake of our marriage and the happiness and peace of our house, I need to be on my A-Game, not stressed out from juggling my job, kids, managing the house, etc. One of us can't be totally wiped from outside-the-home demands. And that person needs to be me. So it was with very mixed emotions today that I called my boss (who is a WONDERFUL man, in all respects) and told him quite bluntly, "I'm not coming back." We had a very nice chat, both expressing appreciation for each other and mutual sadness over my decision). He even validated the calling of motherhood, praising me for being willing to give up a career for my family. Quite rare these days from a respected member of Corporate America's managerial population.
That was a hard phone call to make and a hard phone call to end. Very final, making the reality that I've traded classy suits for spit-up stained t-shirts and board meetings for endless choruses of "The ABCs" and "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round." I am truly mourning the end of my time in this position and if I'm honest, I'm afraid of my new identity and the loss of "my" income. So how fitting it was that today I read a short essay by Elizabeth Elliot entitled, "On Motherhood and Profanity." You can read the entire essay here (and I highly recommend doing so!). God seemed to be speaking directly to me from the pages of this book, reminding me of his definition of success and the things that he values...
"When women--sometimes well-meaning, earnest, truth seeking ones say "Get out of the house and do something creative, find something meaningful, something with more direct access to reality," it is a dead giveaway that they have missed the deepest definition of creation, of meaning, of reality. And when you start seeing the world as opaque, that is, as an end in itself instead of as transparent, when you ignore the Other World where this one ultimately finds its meaning, of course housekeeping (and any other kind of work if you do it long enough) becomes tedious and empty.
But what have buying groceries, changing diapers and peeling vegetables got to do with creativity? Aren't those the very things that keep us from it? Isn't it that kind of drudgery that keeps us in bondage? It's insipid and confining, it's what one conspicuous feminist called "a life of idiotic ritual, full of forebodings and failure." To her I would answer ritual, yes. Idiotic, no, not to the Christian--for although we do the same things anybody else does, and we do them over and over in the same way, the ordinary transactions of everyday life are the very means of transfiguration. It is the common stuff of this world which, because of the Word's having been "made flesh," is shot through with meaning, with charity, with the glory of God."
Reading this essay ministered to my heart and to my fears and insecurities over my decision, which is not, by the way, a reflection of a deep belief that women should not work. Rather, this is a personal decision for Ryan and me, based on our family situation. And my struggle over the decision was deeply spiritual, something that God needed to work out in my heart regardless of whether I am actually employed. But I digress. :) I know that this transition is right for me and for us and I'm happy about it...and looking forward to more time on the domestic front (can't wait to sew curtains for our new house!).
So there you have it. Lots of big news from our house. Hopefully my camera will be resurrected soon so that I can share some new pictures of precious Elliot, growing cuter and bigger by the day - 8 weeks tomorrow! It looks like he is going to have his brother's huge blue eyes and he still favors me over Ryan, woohoo!. :) And Praise the Lord, he started sleeping through the night late last week! It's amazing how different I feel with 7/8 hours of uninterrupted sleep!
And it's also time for me to say good-bye to my career. I just can't keep doing IT ALL. And my income is not a necessity right now and so quitting my job is the best way for me to serve my family at this point. I really loved my job and found much joy and fulfillment in using my gifts and my brain, working with other people, problem-solving, etc. I liked getting dressed up in nice office clothes, taking business trips, preparing and delivering presentations, sipping lattes in board meetings and conference calling with colleagues all over the world. I liked earning a paycheck, one that has steadily grown over the years into a fairly handsome salary. But over the past few months, God has made it clear to Ryan and me that season was winding down...my kids need me, all of me, and so does Ryan. After ten years of rigorous post-college school and training, Ryan is starting his first real job and this next year will be intense, demanding and very stressful. For the sake of our marriage and the happiness and peace of our house, I need to be on my A-Game, not stressed out from juggling my job, kids, managing the house, etc. One of us can't be totally wiped from outside-the-home demands. And that person needs to be me. So it was with very mixed emotions today that I called my boss (who is a WONDERFUL man, in all respects) and told him quite bluntly, "I'm not coming back." We had a very nice chat, both expressing appreciation for each other and mutual sadness over my decision). He even validated the calling of motherhood, praising me for being willing to give up a career for my family. Quite rare these days from a respected member of Corporate America's managerial population.
That was a hard phone call to make and a hard phone call to end. Very final, making the reality that I've traded classy suits for spit-up stained t-shirts and board meetings for endless choruses of "The ABCs" and "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round." I am truly mourning the end of my time in this position and if I'm honest, I'm afraid of my new identity and the loss of "my" income. So how fitting it was that today I read a short essay by Elizabeth Elliot entitled, "On Motherhood and Profanity." You can read the entire essay here (and I highly recommend doing so!). God seemed to be speaking directly to me from the pages of this book, reminding me of his definition of success and the things that he values...
"When women--sometimes well-meaning, earnest, truth seeking ones say "Get out of the house and do something creative, find something meaningful, something with more direct access to reality," it is a dead giveaway that they have missed the deepest definition of creation, of meaning, of reality. And when you start seeing the world as opaque, that is, as an end in itself instead of as transparent, when you ignore the Other World where this one ultimately finds its meaning, of course housekeeping (and any other kind of work if you do it long enough) becomes tedious and empty.
But what have buying groceries, changing diapers and peeling vegetables got to do with creativity? Aren't those the very things that keep us from it? Isn't it that kind of drudgery that keeps us in bondage? It's insipid and confining, it's what one conspicuous feminist called "a life of idiotic ritual, full of forebodings and failure." To her I would answer ritual, yes. Idiotic, no, not to the Christian--for although we do the same things anybody else does, and we do them over and over in the same way, the ordinary transactions of everyday life are the very means of transfiguration. It is the common stuff of this world which, because of the Word's having been "made flesh," is shot through with meaning, with charity, with the glory of God."
Reading this essay ministered to my heart and to my fears and insecurities over my decision, which is not, by the way, a reflection of a deep belief that women should not work. Rather, this is a personal decision for Ryan and me, based on our family situation. And my struggle over the decision was deeply spiritual, something that God needed to work out in my heart regardless of whether I am actually employed. But I digress. :) I know that this transition is right for me and for us and I'm happy about it...and looking forward to more time on the domestic front (can't wait to sew curtains for our new house!).
So there you have it. Lots of big news from our house. Hopefully my camera will be resurrected soon so that I can share some new pictures of precious Elliot, growing cuter and bigger by the day - 8 weeks tomorrow! It looks like he is going to have his brother's huge blue eyes and he still favors me over Ryan, woohoo!. :) And Praise the Lord, he started sleeping through the night late last week! It's amazing how different I feel with 7/8 hours of uninterrupted sleep!
3.25.2008
As usual things have been non-stop around here, as evidenced by my lack of postings! In addition to multiple outfit and diaper changes per day, we've been busy (trying) to keep our house clean for constant open houses and last-minute showings. We did have a quiet week-end at home last week-end, celebrating Easter with us just our little family. We enjoyed a yummy lunch at Cracker Barrel (!!) and then coerced a friend to come take our picture on our back porch. We figured something should document Elliot's first Easter, right? :) The task of getting all four us smiling and looking at the camera at the same time turned out to be Herculean and this was the best picture of all the many taken that afternoon...
Oh well, it will have to do. At least Charlie isn't running away like he was in all the other shots. I'm not just holding his hand in the picture - it's really a death-grip to keep him still!
We enjoyed another egg hunt on Saturday and this time charlie was obsessed with rather than afraid of the "Easter Rabbit." Of course he was - we weren't paying for his picture to be taken this time! 
Elliot enjoyed the day from his stroller, snoozing away.
In other news, Charlie's second birthday was last week and he loved every minute of it. I took cookies to "school" on his real birthday and we had a friend party for him the day after (last Thursday). He was very into the whole birthday thing, especially the presents, birthday cake and attention. Unfortunately I only have a few pictures because my camera was not cooperating and I'm trying to figure out how to get the other pictures from Shutterfly.
The cupcake tree, with Thomas the Train pics for decorations.
The big one on top was Charlie's!
Charlie "helping" Ryan grill the hamburgers and hotdogs.
Charlie and his best friend Lexi looking for airplanes. 
I can't believe my little baby is two years old! Though Year 2 looks like it is going to be very challenging in the parenting department, we've really never enjoyed our boy more...he says the cutest things and as wild and as dangerous to himself and others as he is, he is definitely the joy of our hearts and lives!
Both kiddos are asleep so I'm off to take a nap. Charlie slept through the night the day before he turned 6 weeks old ( and has woken up during the night maybe 10 times total since then, including the 3 times he had the stomach virus) and I'm not optimistic that Elliot is going to follow suit. His 6-week birthday is tomorrow and he's pretty addicted to his 3:30am feeding, making naps for me a necessity!
3.11.2008
New Pictures!
Thanks to Ryan's mom, who spent the week-end with us, I have some pictures to share! On Saturday, we went to an Easter Egg Hunt in spite of the FREEZING weather (it sleeted / iced / snowed on us while we were there!). Charlie was in a really bad mood, as unbeknownst to us, he was working on coming down with some cold or virus or something (he's had fever since yesterday afternoon) but we had fun anyway. Charlie looked cute in his navy sailor outfit but was quite cold (it turned out to be colder than I thought) but as I told him that morning - beauty sometimes has a high price. :)
We wanted to get Charlie's picture taken with the Easter bunny but unfortunately, he really didn't care too much for him. He cried and screamed when we tried to make him sit on his lap. So Ryan decided to pose with him instead. :)
Elliot was the warmest Moody of all, cuddled in his car seat with tons of clothing and blankets. I don't think he even knew it was cold!
We wanted to get Charlie's picture taken with the Easter bunny but unfortunately, he really didn't care too much for him. He cried and screamed when we tried to make him sit on his lap. So Ryan decided to pose with him instead. :)
Elliot was the warmest Moody of all, cuddled in his car seat with tons of clothing and blankets. I don't think he even knew it was cold!
We took some pictures of Elliot in his cute Easter outfit when we got home, since he never made it out of his car seat while we were out. And this is fun - this outfit actually belonged to my little brother Hunter! As you can see, he barely woke up for the pictures!
Hopefully my camera will be resurrected soon or we'll have to bite the bullet and buy a new one...I have a feeling that we might be asking for recommendations on cameras in the near future...
Last night I had my first experience in being up during the night with two children. And it was everything that I thought it would be! Just kidding, it wasn't that bad. It was about 4am and I had just put Elliot down after his feeding and as I was drifting off to sleep, which always takes awhile, I heard Charlie in the monitor: "Mommy!" I asked for volunteers to go check on him but Ryan wasn't interested :) so I went in. A new diaper, some juice and "purple mesin" (children's ibuprofin) and a few minutes of rocking later, I was back in bed, more wide awake than ever. I finally went back to sleep around 5:30. So needless to say, this was a pajama day for sure. Charlie and I played and watched Thomas the Train in bed until about 10:30. And you know what? We had fun.
Here's hoping for a less eventful night!
3.04.2008
Alas, no new pictures to post. My camera is letting me down these days and refusing to let me upload pictures to my computer. And I don't have the patience, energy or mental fortitude to figure out why right now. :)
Anyway, life is good but very tiring and demanding. WHY did I ever think that taking care of one little newborn was hard, back when Charlie was just weeks old??? Elliot, aside from the demanding feeding and changing schedule, is a piece of cake. It's Charlie who is constantly wearing me out. THANK GOODNESS he continues to be a 12-hr a night sleeper + a 2-3 hour / day napper. Elliot is doing well and seems to be following in big brothers footsteps in terms of sleeping, only waking up once to eat between 10:30/11pm and 7am. Although I am the "mean" mom who stuck him in the back of the closet on about Day 5 (I can only hear the really loud screams from my bed) so that might have something to do with it. :)
I honestly cannot believe how little time I have for anything these days. I can't keep the house clean or even really straight, laundry piles up, emails go unanswered and phone calls are seldom returned, the checkbook needs to be balanced, and groceries need to be purchased. I don't even really have time to shower. And I also cannot believe how hard it is has been to keep Elliot safe from Charlie. So far he's almost been fed a small piece of chewed-up rubber ball (thanks Tyke), nearly had his eyes poked out on numerous occasions and there have been many, MANY times where Charlie has literally almost fell or jumped directly on top of him. AAHHH. This is what really contributes to my lack of ability to accomplish anything. Thankfully this time around my expectations were much more realistic - I didn't really plan on being able to accomplish much at all these first few weeks and so I'm not depressed or disappointed in myself in like I was with Charlie, which has been a huge relief. Also, I have really realized my inability to save myself from the demands of this new life we have...so I've prayed constantly that I'll have the strength and patience to handle whatever comes my way during the course of the day and wonder of wonders, my prayers have been answered! Somehow I am not too exhausted and life really seems OK. It's been amazing to see my prayers answered and feel supernatural strength coming my way every day. When I am weak, then I am strong...
I already love being the mother of these two precious little boys. We are so blessed to have them and really, that is the constant feeling around our house these days: amazement at just how blessed we are! God is so faithful and GOOD!
Hopefully I'll be back soon with some new pictures. Elliot is 3 weeks old tomorrow and he's already changed so much. Everyone thinks he looks like me, which is fun, considering Charlie has been a mini-me of Ryan since the day he was born!
Anyway, life is good but very tiring and demanding. WHY did I ever think that taking care of one little newborn was hard, back when Charlie was just weeks old??? Elliot, aside from the demanding feeding and changing schedule, is a piece of cake. It's Charlie who is constantly wearing me out. THANK GOODNESS he continues to be a 12-hr a night sleeper + a 2-3 hour / day napper. Elliot is doing well and seems to be following in big brothers footsteps in terms of sleeping, only waking up once to eat between 10:30/11pm and 7am. Although I am the "mean" mom who stuck him in the back of the closet on about Day 5 (I can only hear the really loud screams from my bed) so that might have something to do with it. :)
I honestly cannot believe how little time I have for anything these days. I can't keep the house clean or even really straight, laundry piles up, emails go unanswered and phone calls are seldom returned, the checkbook needs to be balanced, and groceries need to be purchased. I don't even really have time to shower. And I also cannot believe how hard it is has been to keep Elliot safe from Charlie. So far he's almost been fed a small piece of chewed-up rubber ball (thanks Tyke), nearly had his eyes poked out on numerous occasions and there have been many, MANY times where Charlie has literally almost fell or jumped directly on top of him. AAHHH. This is what really contributes to my lack of ability to accomplish anything. Thankfully this time around my expectations were much more realistic - I didn't really plan on being able to accomplish much at all these first few weeks and so I'm not depressed or disappointed in myself in like I was with Charlie, which has been a huge relief. Also, I have really realized my inability to save myself from the demands of this new life we have...so I've prayed constantly that I'll have the strength and patience to handle whatever comes my way during the course of the day and wonder of wonders, my prayers have been answered! Somehow I am not too exhausted and life really seems OK. It's been amazing to see my prayers answered and feel supernatural strength coming my way every day. When I am weak, then I am strong...
I already love being the mother of these two precious little boys. We are so blessed to have them and really, that is the constant feeling around our house these days: amazement at just how blessed we are! God is so faithful and GOOD!
Hopefully I'll be back soon with some new pictures. Elliot is 3 weeks old tomorrow and he's already changed so much. Everyone thinks he looks like me, which is fun, considering Charlie has been a mini-me of Ryan since the day he was born!
2.20.2008
One Week Old
By popular demand, some new pictures!
Can't forget about big bro' Charlie (pictured eating peanut butter).
2.14.2008
Announcing Elliot
Hamilton Elliot Moody
February 13, 2008, 9:28 pm
6 lbs, 2 oz / 19.5 in
(Elliot's nurse fixed his hair today :))
Happy Valentine's Day from Big Brother Charlie!
2.08.2008
Preparations
We've done a few things to prepare for Elliot's arrival...
The bassinet has been assembled and stowed safely in a corner of our room -
(the hospital bag is inside, packed and ready to go);
I've washed and dried baby clothes and they hang neatly in the closet, waiting for a soft little baby body to occupy them; I purchased these precious little shoes and sweet diaper cover, wanting Elliot to have at least a couple of things of his own...
.JPG)
a sweet friend sent this diaper bag -
.JPG)
and we've purchased a few newborn-sized diapers. But that's it.
Unlike last time around, when we spent weeks and weeks planning and decorating the nursery and stocking up on all kinds of frozen and non-perishable foods and paper products. I think I spent an entire paycheck at Sam's the week before Charlie was born! Elliot will sleep in his bassinet in our closet until he sleeps through the night and then he'll move into the office, where he'll either stay in the bassinet or graduate to the pack n play. We'll re-evaluate the sleeping arrangements after settling in Savannah.
All is different with Baby 2...in some ways it seems more surreal, this time around. The pregnancy has flown by and now it's hard to believe that in probably less than two weeks, we'll be a family of four (six if you count the doggie children). And I'm scared to death. It seems that having two kids puts you in a different category and I'm incapable of imagining how it's going to be taking care of a newborn and wild little Charlie.
So the waiting game has really begun in earnest and I'm passing the days by spending as much time with Charlie as possible, relishing these last few weeks with just him. He's so grown-up now, talking all the time and learning so much. I can't believe my first baby is nearly two!
Here is his, trying to kill himself (pretty much a daily activity!):
And finally, a self-portrait of sorts, shadow Emily, with less than 2 weeks 'til D-Day!
The bassinet has been assembled and stowed safely in a corner of our room -
(the hospital bag is inside, packed and ready to go);
I've washed and dried baby clothes and they hang neatly in the closet, waiting for a soft little baby body to occupy them; I purchased these precious little shoes and sweet diaper cover, wanting Elliot to have at least a couple of things of his own...
a sweet friend sent this diaper bag -
.JPG)
and we've purchased a few newborn-sized diapers. But that's it.
Unlike last time around, when we spent weeks and weeks planning and decorating the nursery and stocking up on all kinds of frozen and non-perishable foods and paper products. I think I spent an entire paycheck at Sam's the week before Charlie was born! Elliot will sleep in his bassinet in our closet until he sleeps through the night and then he'll move into the office, where he'll either stay in the bassinet or graduate to the pack n play. We'll re-evaluate the sleeping arrangements after settling in Savannah.
All is different with Baby 2...in some ways it seems more surreal, this time around. The pregnancy has flown by and now it's hard to believe that in probably less than two weeks, we'll be a family of four (six if you count the doggie children). And I'm scared to death. It seems that having two kids puts you in a different category and I'm incapable of imagining how it's going to be taking care of a newborn and wild little Charlie.
So the waiting game has really begun in earnest and I'm passing the days by spending as much time with Charlie as possible, relishing these last few weeks with just him. He's so grown-up now, talking all the time and learning so much. I can't believe my first baby is nearly two!
Here is his, trying to kill himself (pretty much a daily activity!):
And finally, a self-portrait of sorts, shadow Emily, with less than 2 weeks 'til D-Day!
2.04.2008
I'm too mentally and physically drained to get into too much discussion here or over email (so please excuse me if I ignore an email or two on the subject!) but I just had to share this -
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_020108/content/01125112.guest.html
and this
http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/front_page/a_vote_for_huckabee_is_a_vote.php
High Points -
RUSH: Well, but it's a delegate thing. The popular vote right now doesn't matter, it's a delegate thing and that's why right now Super Tuesday -- I mean Hugh Hewitt ran some numbers here, worst-case scenario from Romney, just to be fair about it, and these numbers, I'm having to get them from my head and I may be off by a couple hundred but the point will be made. At the end of Super Tuesday, the number of delegates McCain could have would be in the 700s, the number Romney would have would be in the 300s, that's large to overcome. It can be done, it can still be done, but that's monumental, and Huckabee will be in there with 150 some odd. The real key to this is Huckabee. A vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain in the primaries.
And this -
Since McCain's stick-it-to-the-base mentality will make him lose in the general election, a vote for Huckabee is a vote for (ultimately) Hillary [or maybe Obama].
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_020108/content/01125112.guest.html
and this
http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/front_page/a_vote_for_huckabee_is_a_vote.php
High Points -
RUSH: Well, but it's a delegate thing. The popular vote right now doesn't matter, it's a delegate thing and that's why right now Super Tuesday -- I mean Hugh Hewitt ran some numbers here, worst-case scenario from Romney, just to be fair about it, and these numbers, I'm having to get them from my head and I may be off by a couple hundred but the point will be made. At the end of Super Tuesday, the number of delegates McCain could have would be in the 700s, the number Romney would have would be in the 300s, that's large to overcome. It can be done, it can still be done, but that's monumental, and Huckabee will be in there with 150 some odd. The real key to this is Huckabee. A vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain in the primaries.
And this -
Since McCain's stick-it-to-the-base mentality will make him lose in the general election, a vote for Huckabee is a vote for (ultimately) Hillary [or maybe Obama].
1.27.2008
At 36 1/2 Weeks...
One should not have to -
1) Scrub the porch floor, walls and ceiling with a mop and bleach
2) Re-organize the garage and attic
3) Lug objects of various size and weight half-way up the pull-down attic stairs
WOW. This is a very different pregnancy than I experienced with Charlie. At 36+ weeks with him, I was sitting on the couch, eating ice cream and feeling sorry for myself and going to the gymn and getting pedicures at my leisure.
In any case, we've done some prep work for Elliot, including assembling the bassinet Ryan's parents gave us for Christmas and purchasing some sheets for it. My newly-ordered double-stroller sits in its box in the garage, waiting for someone to find the time to assemble it. And my friends here were sweet enough to host a little shower for me on Saturday, making both Elliot and me feel very special. And miracle of miracles, we did remember to take a picture (the 3rd in 9 months). So by popular demand:
I'll be sure to post some pictures of his cute new monogrammed possessions soon.
Happy Sunday!
1) Scrub the porch floor, walls and ceiling with a mop and bleach
2) Re-organize the garage and attic
3) Lug objects of various size and weight half-way up the pull-down attic stairs
4) Repaint the corners of the kitchen (long story)
Note - my poor husband has done the most unpleasant jobs so kuddos to him...I'm just venting about the leftovers. :)WOW. This is a very different pregnancy than I experienced with Charlie. At 36+ weeks with him, I was sitting on the couch, eating ice cream and feeling sorry for myself and going to the gymn and getting pedicures at my leisure.
In any case, we've done some prep work for Elliot, including assembling the bassinet Ryan's parents gave us for Christmas and purchasing some sheets for it. My newly-ordered double-stroller sits in its box in the garage, waiting for someone to find the time to assemble it. And my friends here were sweet enough to host a little shower for me on Saturday, making both Elliot and me feel very special. And miracle of miracles, we did remember to take a picture (the 3rd in 9 months). So by popular demand:
I'll be sure to post some pictures of his cute new monogrammed possessions soon.
Happy Sunday!
1.22.2008
Things I can't wait to do once I'm no longer a human incubator: #2
I can't wait to RUN again!
I'm not one to run while pregnant. I hate the feeling of running on a full stomach and that is how I feel when I'm pregnant - yuck!
Just as soon as I'm able, I'm planning to break out the treadmill and start the Couch-to-5K Running Plan, which is what I started not too long after Charlie was born. And it was great! I have a lofty goal of running in three races in '08 - we shall see!
1.18.2008
Things I can't wait to do once I'm no longer a human incubator
#1 in a series
Enjoy a guilt-free* FULL glass of wine, like one of my favorite cheap wines, Jacob's Creek Shiraz.
Enjoy a guilt-free* FULL glass of wine, like one of my favorite cheap wines, Jacob's Creek Shiraz.
I could really use a glass of wine tonight, and every night until I give birth as I have been suffering from terrible insomnia (I have been up since 3:45am this morning). Thankfully (?) caring for a newborn is a very natural sleep inducer!
Week-end plans include a trip to Savannah for Ryan to work and for us to attend our pre-construction meeting and "design session" (this is where we get to pick our colors, lights, etc for our new house!) on Monday.
Stay warm this chilly week-end! And enjoy a big glass of vino for me.
*Guilt-free because I have on occasion in recent weeks enjoyed several half-glasses of wine...(Gasp!)
1.09.2008
I have been quite negligent about this blog and the primary reason for this is the sheer volume of news and happenings that I have to share. So my M.O. has just been do and say nothing blogging-wise and just try to keep my head above water. But I'm going to turn over a new leaf and start updating more often, which will hopefully help me to stay on top of all our news and not feel so overwhelmed...we'll see, especially since one of my New Year's Resolutions is to NOT waste so much time on the Internet! But that's another blog post...
The biggest bit of news is that we have bought a house in Savannah! Or rather, "commissioned" (is that the right terminology?) a house to be built. And we LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT! The location is perfect (Isle of Hope area, just off Laroche, for you Savannah folks). We have been looking at two neighborhoods since around Thanksgiving, knowing that for a new house, we didn't have much time. I took a whirlwind tour of both developments during Ryan's on-call week-end in Savannah in mid-December and after that, we both new which was our first choice. So we went down to Savannah again last Thursday and Friday and looked at house plans and already-built versions of those plans in other neighborhoods all over Savannah; we discussed financing with the lender; we met with the builder and the agents; we walked around the property and finalized our lot choice; and at the end of the day on Friday, signed a contract. AAAHHH! We still have to finalize the exterior and some other details but basically, our decision has been made. We have another trip planned for the 21st to do our pre-construction meeting and pick out our floors/cabinets/counter tops/colors/etc and then we wait. They are going to try to have the house ready in June but it might be July before we can get in...which brings me to our next bit of stressful news: Ryan's job...
We had been thinking that he'd take July off to move, settle in, etc but just found out yesterday that that is not the case. His contract specifies a July 1 start date and they really need him to start then. So considering his fellowship technically ends on June 30, this is going to be um, interesting. This the end of medical training and the beginning of Ryan's "real job" is a monumental change / milestone for Ryan and for our family, the importance and significance of which is hard to describe and cannot be overstated. This is probably a bigger change than the others I've described and one that makes both of us more nervous than the others put together...
And then tonight, we met with the agents who are going to be (HOPEFULLY!) selling our house here in Augusta. For buyers, life is good. For sellers, not so much. And we are both right now. If we sell our house in the timeframe we need, it will be a miracle. Everyone, go ahead and put this on your prayer list right now. I don't want to own a vacation home in suburban Augusta! We are putting the house on the market on Jan. 28, as in the week after next. AAAHHHH! And we have to get it ready before then - clean out closets, clean the exterior vinyl siding (??), clean out the garage, deal with the carpet, etc. And then I'm going to be responsible for keeping the house in "show-worthy" condition while caring for a newborn and a wild 2-year old? I can't even think about that right now! I really can't believe that our 3 years in Augusta is nearly over...our first house, place where both our babies will have been born...but it's true - we have the FOR SALE sign in the garage to prove it!
So you can see why the last few weeks have been quite a blur and why I have been so absentee. My last really clear memories are of the week we were all sick (weeks like that are not easily forgotten!) And at 34 weeks, I'm feeling quite pregnant and am really starting to feel the stress of December / early January. I have been having lots of contractions and lots of just, um, discomfort, mostly due to being climbed on and kicked and pulled and pushed by wild Charlie! I have a sonogram tomorrow so we'll know more about how little Elliot is doing after that! From my perspective, he's strong and active! :)
Thankfully all of the tasks and trials that are before us do not have to be accomplished on our own...we have a God who goes before us; who fights for us; who is strong when we are weak; who promises to be our our Strong Tower, our Helper and our Shepherd; who loves us with an everlasting love and holds us with everlasting arms. He is also the One who accomplishes all things for us and works out all the details of our lives. We have decided that our verse for '08 is Psalm 127:1 -
The biggest bit of news is that we have bought a house in Savannah! Or rather, "commissioned" (is that the right terminology?) a house to be built. And we LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT! The location is perfect (Isle of Hope area, just off Laroche, for you Savannah folks). We have been looking at two neighborhoods since around Thanksgiving, knowing that for a new house, we didn't have much time. I took a whirlwind tour of both developments during Ryan's on-call week-end in Savannah in mid-December and after that, we both new which was our first choice. So we went down to Savannah again last Thursday and Friday and looked at house plans and already-built versions of those plans in other neighborhoods all over Savannah; we discussed financing with the lender; we met with the builder and the agents; we walked around the property and finalized our lot choice; and at the end of the day on Friday, signed a contract. AAAHHH! We still have to finalize the exterior and some other details but basically, our decision has been made. We have another trip planned for the 21st to do our pre-construction meeting and pick out our floors/cabinets/counter tops/colors/etc and then we wait. They are going to try to have the house ready in June but it might be July before we can get in...which brings me to our next bit of stressful news: Ryan's job...
We had been thinking that he'd take July off to move, settle in, etc but just found out yesterday that that is not the case. His contract specifies a July 1 start date and they really need him to start then. So considering his fellowship technically ends on June 30, this is going to be um, interesting. This the end of medical training and the beginning of Ryan's "real job" is a monumental change / milestone for Ryan and for our family, the importance and significance of which is hard to describe and cannot be overstated. This is probably a bigger change than the others I've described and one that makes both of us more nervous than the others put together...
And then tonight, we met with the agents who are going to be (HOPEFULLY!) selling our house here in Augusta. For buyers, life is good. For sellers, not so much. And we are both right now. If we sell our house in the timeframe we need, it will be a miracle. Everyone, go ahead and put this on your prayer list right now. I don't want to own a vacation home in suburban Augusta! We are putting the house on the market on Jan. 28, as in the week after next. AAAHHHH! And we have to get it ready before then - clean out closets, clean the exterior vinyl siding (??), clean out the garage, deal with the carpet, etc. And then I'm going to be responsible for keeping the house in "show-worthy" condition while caring for a newborn and a wild 2-year old? I can't even think about that right now! I really can't believe that our 3 years in Augusta is nearly over...our first house, place where both our babies will have been born...but it's true - we have the FOR SALE sign in the garage to prove it!
So you can see why the last few weeks have been quite a blur and why I have been so absentee. My last really clear memories are of the week we were all sick (weeks like that are not easily forgotten!) And at 34 weeks, I'm feeling quite pregnant and am really starting to feel the stress of December / early January. I have been having lots of contractions and lots of just, um, discomfort, mostly due to being climbed on and kicked and pulled and pushed by wild Charlie! I have a sonogram tomorrow so we'll know more about how little Elliot is doing after that! From my perspective, he's strong and active! :)
Thankfully all of the tasks and trials that are before us do not have to be accomplished on our own...we have a God who goes before us; who fights for us; who is strong when we are weak; who promises to be our our Strong Tower, our Helper and our Shepherd; who loves us with an everlasting love and holds us with everlasting arms. He is also the One who accomplishes all things for us and works out all the details of our lives. We have decided that our verse for '08 is Psalm 127:1 -
Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
We are clinging to these promises and really praying for grace to trust in the face of so many changes and such intense stress. We hope you'll come along side us and pray for us and rejoice with us!
1.01.2008
Need I say more?
New Year's thoughts from John Piper, via his blog...don't miss this!
________________________________
10 Resolutions for Mental Health
December 31, 2007 By: John Piper Category: Commentary
On October 22, 1976, Clyde Kilby, who is now with Christ in Heaven, gave an unforgettable lecture. I went to hear him that night because I loved him. He had been one of my professors in English Literature at Wheaton College. He opened my eyes to more of life than I knew could be seen. O, what eyes he had! He was like his hero, C. S. Lewis, in this regard. When he spoke of the tree he saw on the way to class this morning, you wondered why you had been so blind all your life. Since those days in classes with Clyde Kilby, Psalm 19:1 has been central to my life: “The sky is telling the glory of God.”
That night Dr. Kilby had a pastoral heart and a poet’s eye. He pled with us to stop seeking mental health in the mirror of self-analysis, but instead to drink in the remedies of God in nature. He was not naïve. He knew of sin. He knew of the necessity of redemption in Christ. But he would have said that Christ purchased new eyes for us as well as new hearts. His plea was that we stop being unamazed by the strange glory of ordinary things. He ended that lecture in 1976 with a list of resolutions. As a tribute to my teacher and a blessing to your soul, I offer them for your joy.
1. At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above and about me.
2. Instead of the accustomed idea of a mindless and endless evolutionary change to which we can neither add nor subtract, I shall suppose the universe guided by an Intelligence which, as Aristotle said of Greek drama, requires a beginning, a middle, and an end. I think this will save me from the cynicism expressed by Bertrand Russell before his death when he said: "There is darkness without, and when I die there will be darkness within. There is no splendor, no vastness anywhere, only triviality for a moment, and then nothing."
3. I shall not fall into the falsehood that this day, or any day, is merely another ambiguous and plodding twenty-four hours, but rather a unique event, filled, if I so wish, with worthy potentialities. I shall not be fool enough to suppose that trouble and pain are wholly evil parentheses in my existence, but just as likely ladders to be climbed toward moral and spiritual manhood.
4. I shall not turn my life into a thin, straight line which prefers abstractions to reality. I shall know what I am doing when I abstract, which of course I shall often have to do.
5. I shall not demean my own uniqueness by envy of others. I shall stop boring into myself to discover what psychological or social categories I might belong to. Mostly I shall simply forget about myself and do my work.
6. I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, or a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their "divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic" existence.
7. I shall sometimes look back at the freshness of vision I had in childhood and try, at least for a little while, to be, in the words of Lewis Carroll, the "child of the pure unclouded brow, and dreaming eyes of wonder."
8. I shall follow Darwin's advice and turn frequently to imaginative things such as good literature and good music, preferably, as Lewis suggests, an old book and timeless music.
9. I shall not allow the devilish onrush of this century to usurp all my energies but will instead, as Charles Williams suggested, "fulfill the moment as the moment." I shall try to live well just now because the only time that exists is now.
10. Even if I turn out to be wrong, I shall bet my life on the assumption that this world is not idiotic, neither run by an absentee landlord, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the cosmic canvas that in due course I shall understand with joy as a stroke made by the architect who calls himself Alpha and Omega.
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/976_10_resolutions_for_mental_health/
________________________________
10 Resolutions for Mental Health
December 31, 2007 By: John Piper Category: Commentary
On October 22, 1976, Clyde Kilby, who is now with Christ in Heaven, gave an unforgettable lecture. I went to hear him that night because I loved him. He had been one of my professors in English Literature at Wheaton College. He opened my eyes to more of life than I knew could be seen. O, what eyes he had! He was like his hero, C. S. Lewis, in this regard. When he spoke of the tree he saw on the way to class this morning, you wondered why you had been so blind all your life. Since those days in classes with Clyde Kilby, Psalm 19:1 has been central to my life: “The sky is telling the glory of God.”
That night Dr. Kilby had a pastoral heart and a poet’s eye. He pled with us to stop seeking mental health in the mirror of self-analysis, but instead to drink in the remedies of God in nature. He was not naïve. He knew of sin. He knew of the necessity of redemption in Christ. But he would have said that Christ purchased new eyes for us as well as new hearts. His plea was that we stop being unamazed by the strange glory of ordinary things. He ended that lecture in 1976 with a list of resolutions. As a tribute to my teacher and a blessing to your soul, I offer them for your joy.
1. At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above and about me.
2. Instead of the accustomed idea of a mindless and endless evolutionary change to which we can neither add nor subtract, I shall suppose the universe guided by an Intelligence which, as Aristotle said of Greek drama, requires a beginning, a middle, and an end. I think this will save me from the cynicism expressed by Bertrand Russell before his death when he said: "There is darkness without, and when I die there will be darkness within. There is no splendor, no vastness anywhere, only triviality for a moment, and then nothing."
3. I shall not fall into the falsehood that this day, or any day, is merely another ambiguous and plodding twenty-four hours, but rather a unique event, filled, if I so wish, with worthy potentialities. I shall not be fool enough to suppose that trouble and pain are wholly evil parentheses in my existence, but just as likely ladders to be climbed toward moral and spiritual manhood.
4. I shall not turn my life into a thin, straight line which prefers abstractions to reality. I shall know what I am doing when I abstract, which of course I shall often have to do.
5. I shall not demean my own uniqueness by envy of others. I shall stop boring into myself to discover what psychological or social categories I might belong to. Mostly I shall simply forget about myself and do my work.
6. I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, or a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their "divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic" existence.
7. I shall sometimes look back at the freshness of vision I had in childhood and try, at least for a little while, to be, in the words of Lewis Carroll, the "child of the pure unclouded brow, and dreaming eyes of wonder."
8. I shall follow Darwin's advice and turn frequently to imaginative things such as good literature and good music, preferably, as Lewis suggests, an old book and timeless music.
9. I shall not allow the devilish onrush of this century to usurp all my energies but will instead, as Charles Williams suggested, "fulfill the moment as the moment." I shall try to live well just now because the only time that exists is now.
10. Even if I turn out to be wrong, I shall bet my life on the assumption that this world is not idiotic, neither run by an absentee landlord, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the cosmic canvas that in due course I shall understand with joy as a stroke made by the architect who calls himself Alpha and Omega.
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/976_10_resolutions_for_mental_health/
12.19.2007
We're back up and running, finally and thankfully. We were all technically back to normal by late Thursday evening but it really was quite a ride. I couldn't resist taking a picture or two to document -
Friday took us to Savannah for Ryan to work all week-end, unfortunately. Weak and still realing, we crawled to Savannah and did our best to just make it. And we did...returning home at 10:30 or so Sunday evening. Whew!
But now we are in full Christmas mode and ready to prove it!
A few fabric trees I whipped up to decorate a cofee table.
Charlie's stocking, finished a few weeks ago:
And the mantle, adorned with all three new stockings!
During the Charlottesville years, Jill and I decided to start wrapping our Christmas gifts thematically. I've been doing it ever since. This year, red foil paper with gold ribbon (and when I ran out of red paper, last year's screen stepped in to fill the gaps!)
12.11.2007
And We're Down
Yep, all 3 of us, well, 4 of us. With the stomach bug. Thankfully I have the mildest case of all. I'm not sure if that's due to necessity or the grace of God. Who take care of Mama when everyone else is sick? Literally 22 diapers and a trip to pick Ryan up from work later, I'm about to succumb to terrible stomach pains and achi-ness. Let's hope we all make it through the night!
One final thought: THIS is WHY we are moving to Savannah - I need someone to help ME!
One final thought: THIS is WHY we are moving to Savannah - I need someone to help ME!
12.01.2007
Just a quick question
Just a quick question for all of you homeowners...anyone out there have a downstairs master (with the kids' rooms upstairs)? If so, how does that work? OK? Not OK? General thoughts on this issue? In trying to pick a floor plan for our next house, this is a recurring theme. I can think of pluses and minuses...
Thanks for your help!
Thanks for your help!
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