Quick Takes (5)

The "WHERE I'VE BEEN" Edition!

~ 1 ~

What a crazy month it's been!  It began with a trip home to visit my family in May for ten days.  Then we were home for two weeks which included recovering from trip #1 and preparing for trip #2, all-the-while Abigail was boycotting naps and needing constant supervision.  (Read: no time for blogging!!!)  Last Wednesday Abigail and I flew out to meet my Mom and visit with my Grandad.  He is suffering from dementia and is now living in a beautiful assisted living facility.  It was my first time to visit him there.  The main purpose of my trip was to support my Mom as she prepared his home to be sold.  It was an emotional trip, but a good one.  Abigail was SUCH a source of joy and light to Mom, Grandad, and everyone in the nursing home!  (Shoot- anyone who encountered her was blessed by her grin!  The girl simply radiates joy!)

~ 2 ~

Four Generations!

Mutual fascination...

Love!

~ 3 ~

Right before we left for our trip, my sister-in-law had her first baby two weeks early!!!  Baby John-Paul is absolutely PRECIOUS!!!  They live a few hours away from my Grandad, so I convinced J to fly up for the weekend so we could go visit them!  Look how unbelievably precious our God-son is!!!

You can't tell, but the boy has red(ish) hair!!!  It is SO cute!

COUSINS!  (When did this happen?  She used to be this small!)

Mama love!!!

~ 4 ~

Not only did J flying up allow us to visit his family, but it enabled us to be together for his first Father's day!!!  More on what a great Dad he is will be coming soon, but here are some pictures of J and his brother on their first Father's Day with their Dad!

First Father's Day!

Our Family!  Praise God for it's growth!

We drove back north and my Mom was able to be with her Dad for the first time in decades!

~ 5 ~

Part of our job in preparing the house to sell was collecting any sensitive documents to shred.  Abigail's favorite job was pulling everything out of the box and "shredding" it herself!  :)

PJs and wild hair!

~ 6 ~

While I was up North, I was able to get together with a college roommate whom I hadn't seen in five years at our wedding!  Since then she's had two precious boys and I, of course, now have Abigail   What joy to get together with our babies!

Abigail was enamored with her new friend.  Everything he did, she copied!  He loved it!

Nothing says reunion with kids like "Chick-fil A"!!!  

~ 7 ~

FINALLY, before I left, I was privileged to meet a blogger in real life!!!  Sweet Allie had been my prayer partner a while back, and since then we've really struck up a friendship.  I was thrilled when I heard she was heading my way for summer vacation!  She has the absolute cutest southern accent ever and is SO sweet and easy to talk to.  I felt like I'd known her my whole life!!  Abigail adored her, too!  I can hardly wait 'til she comes back next summer with her growing family!

Head on over to Conversion Diary for more!  Have a blessed weekend!

The Girl who Cried RADIO! And Quick Takes- Thursday style!

~ 1 ~

Third time's a charm, right?  I will chat with Gus Lloyd on his show Seize the Day at 8:00 AM ET tomorrow (Friday) about our adoption story. It will be on Sirius 159, XM 117, or you can listen online here.

REALLY this time!!!  

(I hope!)

~ 2 ~

Is my font too small?  It's showing up normal on one computer and small on this computer?  When I switch to a larger font, the lines overlap.  Is anyone else having trouble with blogger formatting?

~ 3 ~

Thanks for all of the feedback on the Power of the Tongue series!  There have been several comments like the following, "Now I'm afraid to talk to you."  This is SO NOT the attitude to have!  Remember, I'm motivated and working on this out of my brokenness, not perfection!   I'm pouring over God's Word and the wisdom of the Saints to find the grace to break free of my sins!  You'll be glad to know that tomorrow's lesson is a happy one!  I think you'll like it!

~ 4 ~

Abigail, a friend and I took a trip home a couple weeks ago for a long weekend!  It was so great to be home!  We loved spending time with family and took a field trip to a local dairy farm!

Grammie and Abigail!

Lovin' the dairy farm!

She got her first two teeth on the journey and was STILL a total road warrior!  She is such a happy baby!  She has the happiest feet on the planet.  Whenever she smiles she kicks like a crazy woman!  She was twenty one pounds back home, so who knows what she is now!  (I don't have a scale!)  She's wearing mostly size 12 month but has a few 18 month items as well!  At this rate we'll be sharing clothes when she's three!  

~ 5 ~

I love taking naps with this girl!  

~ 6 ~

A shot *pour-er* on my maple syrup.  What does this say about me?  

~ 7 ~

I'm doing great on my Lenten resolution of no sugar or sweets.  (If sugar or sweetener is in the top three ingredients- I can't have it.)  But I'm failing miserably at my Lenten resolution to finish The Sinner's Guide.  I was supposed to read a chapter every time Abigail took a nap or went to bed.  (They're short chapters.)  I think I've read about 8 chapters since Lent began.  Ugh.  Total head slap.  

Quick Takes (3 Part 2!)

~ 1 ~

Our dinner with Abigail's birth mom was incredible.  It could not have been more perfect.  I tried not to have expectations either way, but it was just awesome!  We were commonly united on our favorite little girl and oohed and ahh-ed over every move she made.  We discovered Abigail gets her favorite move of sticking out her tongue from her birth mom.  She even had a picture of her as a little girl with her tongue hanging out!  Too cute!  

I think I feel more peace and relief from this meeting than I will after the court date tomorrow.  It's one thing (and a huge thing!) to have it on paper, but to KNOW that her birth mom is at peace and happy with her decision means more to me than anything else.  She said she "hit the jackpot" with us and loves, loves, loves all the pictures and cards.  She can tell how happy Abigail is from the pictures, and that makes her so happy.  She kept saying how thankful she was for us!  Can you imagine?  I am on my knees every day thanking the Lord for this woman and her decision.  

Open adoption can really be AMAZING!

~ 2 ~

Good news and bad news- my Dad wasn't able to come, but we found a great cheap last minute deal for my Mom to fly over!  AND my brother and his beautiful girl friend decided to drive out!  So we've got a full house to help us celebrate!  Thank you, Jesus!

~ 3 ~

We started solids!!!!  After reading, considering your comments (thank you!) and reading some more, I just cut up some tiny pieces of avocado and gave them to Abigail at dinner last night.  She loved it.  She did so well and kept motioning for more!  She chewed them up and only a minimal amount came back out!!   I'm thrilled!

~ No updates on 4 and 5!  :) ~

~ 6 ~

We re-bought our camcorder today.  Sad.  But it was on sale for a great price!  

And I found out that my Mom recorded Abigail's Baptism on her camera!  So a few precious memories are saved!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and be sure to come back tomorrow evening for PICTURES!

Quick Takes (3)

~ 1 ~

We have two exciting things happening in the next couple of days.  We're meeting with Abigail's birthmom for dinner tonight!  It will be the first time we've seen her since the hospital.  I'm excited and nervous, and imagine she feels the same way.  Pray for us!

~ 2 ~

The second exciting things is, of course, our finalization on Monday!!!  I've got a picture post ready and scheduled to post!  :)  BUT my parents may not be able to come after all.  I've so been looking forward to their visit and am just sick about them (possibly) not coming.  Please pray they'll be able to come!

~ 3 ~

We're almost ready to start baby food.  I've been dreading this, as I feel it is another step closer to growing up!  BUT...I've had an attitude change.  I've lamented many times over the last five months that I have so little control over Abigail's diet.  I'm so careful about what J and I eat (at least what I buy and serve), but had zero control of her diet in utero and very little with formula.  Suddenly it dawned on me!  Starting solids is what I've been waiting for!!!  YEA!

~ 4 ~

Before I start #4, let me admit that I know I'm neurotic about some things and over think things at times.  I even read a book on this already.  But...I'm not getting solids.  Specifically, I'm not getting the schedule.   Let me see if I've got this.  My questions are in RED.

Week 1- rice cereal once a day, increasing the proportion of cereal to formula.

Week 2- oatmeal in the morning (2nd meal?) and rice cereal in the afternoon?

Week 3- sweet potatoes (for example) in the morning and a cereal in the afternoon (???)

Week 4- avocados (again, for example) in the morning and ??? in the afternoon?

If you're supposed to try a food for 5 days before introducing a new one, and you're only doing two meals a day (right?), then how to do you work the rotation of foods you've already tried?  

~ 5 ~

Do you know about Amazon's subscribe and save?  You can get diapers AND formula MUCH cheaper than in the store if you join Amazon Moms and use Subscribe and Save!

For a while, I was feeding Abigail E.nfa.mil Gentl.eas.e.  But then I realized the NUMBER ONE ingredient is CORN SYRUP SOLIDS!  GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!  After some research, I found E.arth's Be.st Organic on Amazon even cheaper than the E.nfa.mil!!  It was a total win-win!  After using it for a few days, her poo (sorry!) started to look more like breast-milk poo!  Her little body is processing it better!  Isn't that awesome!  I was SO excited!

All that to say, you can save loads on Amazon!  AND as an Amazon Mom you get free two day shipping on everything!  SWEET!

~ 6 ~

Instead of buying each other presents this year, we bought a family present for Christmas.  We bought a camcorder and recorded her first Christmas and Baptism.  

Then we lost it.  

I have no idea what happened to it.  We assume it happened on our trip home from Christmas.  I called every gas station we stopped at to see if maybe it *fell* out of our car.  No luck.  BUT I called B.est Bu.y and they sent me a gift card for ten percent off another one!  Isn't that awesome!  We're off to the store this weekend to buy ANOTHER camera.  I'm so sick about this.  

~ 7 ~

I have tons of good posts rolling around in my head, but when I sit down to right them, my mental energy is completely zapped.  Bear with me...I'll get to it again!

Head on over to Conversion Diary for more!  Have a blessed weekend!

Quick Takes (2)

~ EINS ~

I'm still here!  Every once in a while, I have to take a giant step back from the computer in order to regain balance in my life!  

~ ZWEI ~

Abigail is growing so quickly.  Nobody ever told me it would go THIS fast!  Well, they did, but I didn't believe them!   She'll be five months tomorrow and is sitting up really well now.  We bought her a jumper-bumper and she LOVES it!  I can't get over how strong she is! She can jump HIGH!  She is such a happy baby.  What a joy!   Every day, I am stunned by this precious, amazing gift.  What a blessing!  

~ DREI ~

Ten days 'til finalization and we'll be home free!  My parents are coming across the country to help us celebrate.  I'm so excited about seeing them.  It's only been since Christmas, but feels like forever!

~VIER ~

I'm doing really well in my struggle with fear.  The Lord has been answering my prayer!  Last week a man in a suit came to the door and identified himself as a federal agent.  He knew my name and proceeded to show me three different badges while he continued to identify himself verbally.  My heart began racing just as he finally said he was here as part of an extensive background check for a friend of ours.  A couple of weeks ago this incident would have thrown me for a total loop and sent me into a tail spin.   As it was, I didn't even cry after he left!   (Though I did fall into J in relief!)

~FUNF ~

I'm running out of steam for Marriage Mondays.  Any suggestions on topics?

~ SECHS ~

I'm SOOOOOOO excited for Kaitlin and Hannah Rose!  What a gorgeous baby girl!  Congrats to Kaitlin and Ted!

~ SIEBEN ~

We had the opportunity to babysit our friends' three small children last weekend- Friday morning until midnight Saturday.  They have two boys ages 3 and 4 and a girl who is almost 2.  (They have a baby Abigail's age, too, but they took him with them.)  We had such fun "playing" big family!  It was such a joy to see J interacting with the *big boys*.   I'm so in love with this man!

Head on over to Conversion Diary for more!  Have a blessed weekend!

My first QUICK TAKES!

~ EINS ~

I'm normally opposed to writing two blogposts in one day.  I fear it will detract from my other post.  However, I'd written today's "official" post days ago, and I just felt like I had a lot to say today.  So y'all scroll on down to read Thoughts on BP!

~ ZWEI ~

I'm SOOOO happy that one of my greatest friends, Lisa, has started a public blog.  She and I lived together for 3 years- post college and before marriage- and she is one of the funniest people I've ever met.  She has such a great voice; I love to read what she writes.  I know you will, too.  Check her out at Cheerfully Chaotic.  Of late, one of my favorite posts is this.  Yes, Lisa, I'm still bitter that I never got this fine cuisine while we lived together! 

~ DREI ~

She also has a cooking blog in the works!  Cheerfully Chaotic KITCHEN!

~VIER ~

I've been haunted by this post for days now.  If you haven't read ONE MAN, hop on over and do so.  In this post, he quotes Saint John Vianney's Catechism on Sin.  It's a little long, so just read the first and last paragraphs if that's all you have time for.  I promise you- it will make an impact.  It made me want to BOLT to Confession- and I'd just been last Saturday!

~FUNF ~

This Sunday's 2nd reading is incredible.  While many scoff that the Gospels were written decades after Christ (which is a blog post in and of itself), you can point to this reading: Colossians 1:15-20.  The letters from Saint Paul date anywhere from 38 AD to 55 AD- roughly.  BUT this particular passage is not WRITTEN by Paul, but QUOTED by Paul.  He is quoting a hymn about Jesus and probably dates from a year or two after He died and rose again!  INCREDIBLE!  It answers the question "Who is God" by pointing to Jesus.  I've challenged myself to memorize it.  Anyone want to join me? 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent.

For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,

and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross (through him), whether those on earth or those in heaven.

~ SECHS ~

My husband spent 9 months in Germany last year, and as soon as school ended in May, I joined him.  I bought Rosetta Stone and did my best to learn German.  Now, I can't even remember how to spell these silly numbers and had to Google it.  My oh my...

~ SIEBEN ~

My husband and I are doing some serious discerning this week.  Can't say more right now, but PRAYER BUDDY, I NEED YOU!!!  Pray for clarity and hearts filled with love- not fear.  Thank you, ladies!  I'm so glad I found you!  (Which, ironically, was through Converstion Diary!  She had a link to All You Who Hope!)