Last Week

You might have noticed I was totally M.I.A. last week. It was a very busy week to say the least! It was a good busy, but busy nonetheless.

Last week was our church's Vacation Bible School. I love VBS, and even though I'm always completely exhausted by the end of the week, I'm always amazed at the way God works through little children. I taught in the completed 1st grade classroom, and they were so much fun! I love that age because they're still little enough to love you, but they're big enough to pay attention and behave (at least most of the time!).

Our VBS theme was the "Big Apple Adventure." We spent the week "touring" New York City and learning how to connect through faith, with love, with trust, with others, and with life. Each day the kids got to hear about Christ's love for them regardless of their family, economic situation, previous bad decisions, or anything else!

It was also Will's very first VBS. Although it technically doesn't start until kids are in pre-K, the workers kids get to attend no matter how young they are. I somewhat dreaded this week because I knew we would get WAY off our schedule, but I was interested to see how it would all play out. Let me just say this...getting off our schedule is NOT the end of the world, but I still don't want to do it very often. :)

If VBS wasn't enough, my brother-in-law's wedding was Friday night with the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Thursday night. This meant not only were our mornings crazy...our nights were crazy too.

The wedding was beautiful, and we are so excited to have a new sister (in-law) in the family! Theron and I were both in the wedding, and it was so special to be included in Brock and Emily's special day. We are also excited that that they will be living right down the road...and not just for the free babysitting. We are really looking forward to being able to spend time with family on a regular basis.

Despite the busyness of last week, it really did teach me some valuable lessons. I think it is important to try to learn lessons from our day-to-day experiences and last week was full of them! So, here is what I learned:

- I am MORE than grateful to be a stay-at-home mom. Major props to all you working moms out there. I don't know how you do it! It was quite a challenge getting both of us up, ready, fed, and out the door in time! I truly can't imagine doing it every day. It also hurt my heart to drop Will off in the nursery every morning. I know, I know...we were still in the same building, and I was only away from him for a few hours, but I missed him so much! I am very thankful that is not something I have to do on a daily basis. I will try to remember this every time I complain about doing housework or the fact that Will is driving me absolutely crazy that day. It is a sacrifice to stay at home with him, but it is the greatest blessing!

- I really can be flexible. Like I said....this week got us WAY off our schedule. Like our schedule didn't really even exist. By the end of the week it was like, schedule...what's a schedule? BUT, we both survived. I won't say there weren't any consequences...because there were plenty! It's not that I don't like waking up 4 or 5 times a night, it's just that I really prefer to sleep ALL.NIGHT.LONG. Will's nighttime sleep still hasn't recovered, but I can tell we are getting there. In the long run, we missed some sleep, I had a cranky child from time to time, I was a cranky child from time to time, but we all survived and that's all that matters.

- Garage doors break at the most inopportune times. I forgot to mention...our garage door broke. When we got home from the wedding (around midnight....Friday night....Saturday morning...whatever you want to call it), our garage door wouldn't go up. One side tried to go up, but the other side wouldn't budge. Since I was in a really good mood at this point (note my sarcasm), I was very excited about this. We parked the car in the driveway and decided to worry about it in the morning. After taking a good look, Theron concluded he couldn't fix it on his own, so we had to have someone out to fix it. Of course, they couldn't come until Monday. We were just so thankful our car was out when it broke! It is now fixed, and all is well. I just wish the garage door would've known what a tough week it had been. Oh well. All's well that ends well, right?

Prom!

So, Friday night, we went to the prom. What kind of creeps are you, you might be asking...but we really are not creeps at all. Our young adult Sunday school class had a "prom" party for our monthly class party night, and it was so much fun!

We all got dressed up in our formal wear and headed to our friends' house to party the night away. Not to brag too much, but I was awfully proud to still fit into my prom dress from my senior year of high school...trust me, a new mom needs to feel good about her body sometimes! Most of the night was supposed to be spent outside, but thanks to some wonderful Oklahoma weather, we stayed inside instead. (We really didn't feel like battling the strong, gusting winds, rain and lightening!). Despite the change of plans, we still had a great time.

Each couple brought food to share, and it was all so good...lasagna, fettucini alfredo, plenty of bread, salad, and of course, dessert! My favorite dish of the night, though, was this awesome bowtie pasta with a gouda cheese sauce. I'm hoping Tiffany will share her recipe with all of us!

We all voted on the "most likely to...", and tallied all the votes to select a prom king and queen. We also played a version of the Newlywed game, which is always good for stirring up some good arguments between couples, :).

We absoultely love our church and so many of the things it is a part of, but the thing we love the most is our Sunday school class. We have so much fun together...laughing and joking and always having a good time. But we don't just have fun together, we share life together. These are the people who are my best friends. They're the ones I know I can count on in difficult times. The ones I can call, text, or email with a prayer request, knowing they will be in prayer immediately. The ones I go on playdates with and that I can call with a last minute babysitting request.

I feel like this group truly exemplifies what it means to be the body of Christ. Each person has their own strengths that they bring to the group, and they use them to benefit everyone. They are the first to volunteer when something needs to be done around the church, and they're constantly giving of themselves to meet the needs of others. I am so thankful to be a part of this group...they are the best!

Prom was so much fun, and I can't wait for all the fun times ahead.

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful hubby! 4 years ago I married the love of my life and looked forward to what the future had in store for us. We had both just graduated college and had lots of changes and transitions ahead of us. A lot of people say that the first year is the hardest, but I thought the first year was so much fun. Each year after has only gotten better and with the blessing of our first child, I can only imagine the best is yet to come!

I am so thankful for my husband and all he does to provide for our family. I'm thankful for his spiritual leadership and his dedication to the Lord. I am thankful for his hard-working, disciplined, and determined personality. He is an amazing husband and father, and I know I am so blessed.

The past 4 years have had their share of hard times, petty arguments, and disappointments. But those times don't even begin to compare to the amount of joy, fun, and laughter we've had. I can't wait to see what the next year has in store!

6 Months Old!

Yesterday, Will turned 6 months old, and today, we went in for his 6 month check up. It is hard to believe he is already half a year old! I remember I had just told everyone I was pregnant around this time last year.

His check up was great. He is 25 3/4 inches long and weighs 14 lbs. 13 oz. Still a little on the small side, but the pediatrician said that is perfectly normal for breastfed babies. Especially breastfed babies with small parents! He is healthy and strong, and that's what is most important.

It seems like the past month brought so many changes. He began sitting by himself, which is nice for both of us. He loves sitting in the floor playing with his toys, and I love that he can entertain himself without laying down all the time! He still loves his exersaucer, and he loves to jump! He wears my arms out daily by standing in my lap and jumping away. My biceps will be huge in a few more weeks! He doesn't seem too interested in crawling. He will scoot on his belly to get to a toy that is out of reach, and he scoots all around on his bottom when he is playing, but he really prefers to sit or stand.

He is becoming very social, and even though he still has a little bit of separation anxiety, it is getting much better. He babbles and makes noises all day long. Sometimes I wonder what in the world is going through his little mind. He has the sweetest giggle, and it's fun to find new ways to make him laugh. Peek-a-boo is one of his favorite games and usually gets a big laugh out of him.

His eating is going great. We recently switched to a 3 1/2 - 4 hour feeding schedule, so he nurses 5 times a day. He typically eats solids 3 times a day, although sometimes it is just twice. So far he has tried rice cereal, oatmeal, bananas, sweet potatoes, applesauce, pears, peaches, green beans, and squash. Bananas and green beans are his favorites, and he really doesn't like peaches. He has mastered the sippy cup, but he really likes drinking out of a "big" cup. I let him have sips of my water at dinner every night. He also loves ice, especially Sonic ice...a boy after my own heart.

His nighttime sleep habits haven't changed too much, but his naps have become more consistent. He goes to bed anywhere from 7:15 to 7:45 and wakes up between 6:15 and 6:45. He takes a nap around 8:15 or 8:30 and naps anywhere from 1 1/2 - 2 hours. He takes another nap around noon for about 45 minutes, and then again around 3:00 for 45 minutes to an hour. He is also getting much better at handling it if he misses a nap. He'll usually be a little crankier than normal, but much better than if he skipped a nap before!

He recently started taking baths in the big tub, and he loves splashing in the water and playing with his bath toys. I'm hoping this means he will like the swimming pool. We will see!

He has been working on two teeth for awhile now. I can see both of them right at the surface, and I just know they are about to burst through any day now. I feel like he is too little to have teeth. Babies shouldn't have teeth, right? He just keeps growing up so fast! I can't get over it.

I could go on and on about him, but for your sake, I won't. I just love him so much. Every day I look at him and think how blessed I am to be his mom. Thank you, God, for such a precious little boy!

Random Thoughts

So, I feel like I have all kinds of random things going through my head (this is pretty typical). Instead of writing a coherent post on one topic, I decided to make a list of all these random thoughts. Maybe this will help me sort them out and make something productive out of this day.

1. Thunder basketball has taken over my life. As many of you know, I DO NOT stay up late. 10:00 is late for me! However, the NBA playoffs have changed all this. I'm so excited to see the Thunder doing so well. It is great for the team and great for our city and state. I feel like I don't know what to do on the nights they don't have a game. I think about them, I read about them, I watch everything I can about them...I've even been dreaming about them! I'm afraid I'm starting to cross some sort of unhealthy line here. As much as I don't want the playoffs to end, I'm afraid it will be necessary for me to regain some sense of normalcy in my life. Until then...Go Thunder!

2. I tried McDonald's Frozen Strawberry Lemonade a few days ago, and I was extremely disappointed. It was WAY too sugary and cost almost $2.00 for the small size. It was a little like drinking straight syrup. I threw away over half of it becaues the few sips I took gave me a stomach ache. I will say, I do not like sugary drinks at all...most kinds of Gatorade, regular soda, and even some fruit juices are too sweet for me. If you love sugary drinks, you will probably like this. If not, don't waste your money.

3. I am way excited about what God is doing at Village Baptist Church! Theron and I have been at Village for almost 4 years. Like many other churches, it has experienced more than its fair share of ups and downs just in the time we have been there. We have loved our church all along, and it hurt us to experience those difficult times. But God is faithful! I feel like He has given our church new life and a fresh start. There is an attitude of excitement and a willingness among the congregation to serve and reach out to the community around us. I am so excited about our new pastor, Jimmy Kinnaird, and the leadership he brings. It is very refreshing, and I know God will use us if we will allow Him to do so.

4. I'm really beginning to love this whole stay-at-home mom gig! As Will gets older and the days get warmer, I'm beginning to see the many benefits of this job! I'm actually probably starting to enjoy it a little too much. Will is getting to the point where he has a little bit of separation anxiety...and I am too. It's getting harder and harder to leave him as he's beginning to understand that I am leaving. Hopefully, this will eventually get easier for both of us.

5. Simple things make my life complete...coffee, a good book, Thunder basketball, my sweet boy, my awesome hubby, great family, great friends, and probably some ice cream. Life doesn't get much better than that.

So, it's been awhile

Hey everyone! It's been a little while since I've posted anything. It's not because I don't have anything to post...it's because life has been busy! I have this little thing called a 5-month-old boy that keeps me on my toes pretty much every day. Besides that, I am working hard in my Arbonne business; spending time with family; losing sleep because of Thunder basketball games and a teething child; trying to keep up with all the gifts I need to buy for holidays, babies, weddings, and graduations; playing in the park, at the zoo, and anywhere else I can be outside; and trying to squeeze in a few workouts here and there...you know, the usual.

Anyway, in the midst of all my "stuff," I haven't set aside much time for blogging. I also haven't set aside much time for showering or housework, but at least the important things get done.

A few nights ago, I was at an Arbonne meeting that is held monthly here in Oklahoma City. That particular night, Executive National Vice President Cecilia Stoll was speaking. She is from Edmond and is one of the top income earners in all of Arbonne. She is a wonderful Christian woman, and she has an incredible story. That night at the meeting, she posed the question "If you keep doing what you're doing, what will your life look like 5 years from now?"

She had asked herself this question when she decided to really go for it in her Arbonne business, and when that question was asked of me, it hit me pretty hard.

Five years ago, I was a college student with lots of my "big questions" unanswered. What kind of job would I have? Who would I marry? Where would I live? Would I have kids? What would they be like?  Just like so many other college students, I felt like some of the most important things in my life were still a mystery, and I looked forward to them with anticipation.

However, now, I am at a point in my life where all of those "big questions" have been answered. So what now? Do I just stop working and dreaming and thinking about my future? I don't think so. I think God has created me for a reason. He has given my life purpose and meaning, and I should use every moment I am given to live the life He has planned for me. A life of abundance...not complacence.

So, over the past week, I've really been thinking: If I keep doing what I'm doing, what will my life look like in 5 years? When I really think about it, I'm not so sure I like the answer. I love my life, and I'm very thankful for everything I have, but could things be better? Yes. Could I be better? Yes. Could I live my life more effectively? Yes.

Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If I want my life to be different, I have to change what I'm doing. Doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome is just crazy.

So what am I going to do? I'm going to dream big, set goals for myself and my family, and work hard to achieve them. Most importantly, I'm going to seek God and His will for my life, knowing if I delight myself in Him, he will give me the desires of my heart.

If you keep doing what you're doing, what will your life look like in 5 years? Just something to think about.

5 Months Old!

Saturday, Will was officially 5 months old! Can this really be true? Is my baby really 5 months old? It really does go by as quickly as everyone tells you it will!

Let's see...this month has brought so many changes in my sweet boy. At his 4 month check up he weighed 12 lbs. 8 oz. and was 24.5 inches long. We did an unofficial weight on our scale at home a few days ago, and I think he is getting close to 15 lbs. now!

We started solids right around 4 months, but it took a couple of weeks for Will to really catch on. He's now a pro and loves meal time! Right now his diet consists of rice cereal, bananas, and sweet potatoes. He loves the bananas and sweet potatoes but is not a huge fan of the cereal. I'm trying to introduce one new food a week, and it seems to be working really well. This week we will be trying avocado, as I'm trying to get him to like something that's not sweet! He eats solids 2 or 3 times a day and still has 6 liquid feedings every day (eating about every 3 hours).

I am trying to adjust to him being awake for longer periods of time throughout the day. I like this because it makes it easier to get out and do things away from the house. I don't like this because it is difficult to get anything done around the house! Sometimes, he will play for 15-30 minutes at a time in the Exersaucer, on the floor, or in the Bumbo. Other times, he only wants to play if his mommy is giving him her full attention. I have so much fun playing with him, but I'm noticing that my housework is falling behind. Oh well. We will adjust to this new stage just like we've adjusted to all the previous stages.

Like I mentioned above, Will loves playing in his Exersaucer and on the floor with his books and toys. He LOVES being outside, so I try to spend at least a little bit of time outside with him every day. We go for walks around the neighborhood, pick leaves off the tree, and play with toys on the back porch. He also loves being high in the air. Theron will carry him around on his shoulders and even on top of his head! Will thinks it's great. He also really likes jumping while we hold him in our laps and being tossed in the air (carefully, of course). He is getting much better at sitting, although he really prefers to stand. He can roll all over the place now, which makes it much more difficult to just let him play in the floor by himself. He likes reading his books, and he is starting to really love bath time, especially splashing!

His personality is definitely shining through, and it's a little bit scary. I can already see that he is strong willed and easily frustrated. I'm not sure where he would get either of these traits...it couldn't be from his mom or dad! We had a week where he refused to take his bottle. That was a trying week for all of us! He gets so frustrated when he wants a toy that is just out of reach or when he is done playing and wants someone to come pick him up. He has also become quite the momma's boy, which has been frustrating and flattering all at the same time.

I love him more and more every day, and I am so thankful for every moment I get to spend with him. I love his sweet smiles, his precious giggles, and his cuddles, hugs, and kisses. Just this week, he has started attacking my face, like he is going to eat it, haha. I think it is his attempt at returning all the kisses I give him every day. Of course there are moments of screaming and crying and frustration, but there are so many more moments of fun and laughter and cuddles.

He is so sweet, and his smile can just melt my heart. I think my favorite time every day is when I go get him out of his crib in the morning. I look down at him and say, "Good morning, Will." Then, he looks up at me, gives me a huge grin and lifts his arms up. Best. Feeling. Ever. I love him so very much and can't wait for all the wonderful moments to come!