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Friday, October 31, 2008

Life seems to be a quick succession of busy nothings?

What do you think, Is Jane Austin correct?

Homework. Work. Sleep. Baby. Husband. Home. Dogs. Maybe about a few of those things, but I am pretty sure that husband and baby are not busy nothings!! Other than that, I think she is correct. Amongst the busy nothingness of life, Max and I have been trying to enjoy the little time that we spend together in the evenings before we both fall asleep each night.

Of course when Max is not home, KayLynn and I do things, like switching out her 0-3 month clothes with the 3-6 month sizes!! Here she is helping me.

The other afternoon when I got off work we took the dogs and the baby to the park. The dogs love getting out and being able to run around. KayLynn had fun too. We got her all wrapped up – hooded sweatshirt and all!



Of course, sometimes we just hang out around the house!


Since Max and I have known each other we have accepted the fact that I LOVE the holidays and he could take them or leave them. In fact, I have been looking forward to KayLynn growing up so that I can have someone to be excited with each year. BUT, the other day Max told me that he is beginning to be really excited about the holidays. He asked me if there was any music to get us in the mood! I couldn’t really think of and Halloween music, but we did make cider (Aunt Tam’s recipe!) and carve our first pumpkin as a married couple. KayLynn sat in her swing and watched. The dogs even helped by eating the inside of the pumpkin – I wasn’t totally excited about that as I wanted to cook the seeds, but oh well! We all had fun. Max tried to carve the face of a screaming baby into the pumpkin! I think it turned out ok, and even the dogs helped!





Well, we have to get ready to go to our halloween party! Pictures of our costumes whould be up this weekend!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

If you have time... I was sent this

Invisible Mother......
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously, not.
No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England.
Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it!' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will20become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.
It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.
And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Blessing after blessing

I have had the time this afternoon to read through all the blogs that I love. It has been a while since I have had enough time to sit down and read that much, so what a blessing. I love “hearing” what the Lord is doing for each of your families! And since a common theme is always thankfulness, let me just give you the top ten things that I am thankful for.

1. My husband. He takes such good care of me. Monday he sent me to Borders for an hour to relax and read (and get coffee!!!) while he watched the baby. While I was there he called me and told me to get a pedicure! As much as I hate to admit that I need anything, I have needed some “me” time. What a blessing to have a husband who knows it is important for me to be taken care of.


2. My beautiful baby girl. KayLynn is the easiest child in the world. Even when she is hard, she is easier than most. I love her more and more each day and am so thankful that the Lord entrusted her to me. Sometimes I just lay her on the bed and watch her play. I can’t even grasp the fact that she will some day grow up and leave me.


3. Baby-sitters/Aunt/Grandmothers - It is such a blessing to leave KayLynn with people who love her. My sister Mandy has been babysitting on Friday mornings before the baby goes to Tam’s house. This has been so nice. I didn’t quite realize how nice until she was gone the last two weeks and I had to be out of the house with the baby by 5:30am. Let me tell you how early that is!


4. My friend Kaeley. Kaeley is due November 3rd with her first child. Since about the middle of my pregnancy our friendship has grown. I have enjoyed getting to know her and having someone who is in a similar walk (pregnancy and motherhood) to talk with and even complain with.


5. A comfortable home. I just love my house. It is not perfect and there is still a lot that needs to be done in it – but it is mine!


6. My pink fluffy robe. When I was pregnant Shari bought it for me, and I love it. It is so soft and comfortable.


7. Other mothers (especially those of you who blog). I get such encouraging stories and advice from you all. It is a blessing to know that I am not alone in this quest.


8. A steady job. Even though I have days when I don’t want to be here – I am so happy to have such a great job.


9. Shari (Mimi). Shari has been so helpful in taking care of KayLynn sometimes more than once a week, and even going so far as coming to my house so I don’t have to get up early and helping with the dogs, food and house. From watching television, I used to think that all in-laws were horrible and that there was no way to actually enjoy them, but that is not the case. I am so thankful to have such a great mother-in-law.


10. Aunt Tam. Aunt Tam has helped me keep my head on straight through these adjusting times. I have not had the easiest adjustment time these last 3 months. She has helped me to remember what is important and to pray that the Lord gives me the desires of my heart like sleep, health, patience…


Praise the Lord for His innumerable blessings in my life. There are so many more, but not enough time to write them all down.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

3 new babies

Max's family had a baby shower for his two aunts and I. They both had babies around the same time I did. Gracie is four days younger than KayLynn and Jackson is four weeks younger than the girls. We had a good time together, especially since we don't get together often.

Max, Gracie and Jackson
KayLynn and cousin Jackson
KayLynn and her new lamby

Saturday, October 18, 2008

She's so big

Yesterday I weighed KayLynn at Granny Tam's house because she has a digital scale. My "Little Peanut" isn't so little anymore. She is 13 pounds. It is amazing how heavy 13 pounds can feel! Of course that car seat that I lug around isn't so light either. Anyway, she growing strong and healthy, and lately in the evenings she has been working out her lungs. let me assure you - they are strong! Here are some pics we have taken of her lately.

KayLynn playing in her crib

Playing with Mommy and Daddy

KayLynn gets a kick out of playing in the mirror! So here we all are playing.

Waking up with Daddy

Sitting on the bed while I sew.


Playing in her room

Friday, October 17, 2008

3 Months Old!!!

Today she is three months old!! I cannot even believe how big she is. The time just flies. Max keeps saying that she is not going to get any bigger, but she gets bigger and bigger each day. Some of her new things…

1. Toys. She will grab at them when they hang above her head, and shake them when she gets them in her little fingers.
2. Squealing. She gets so excited that she makes these noises which I can only describe as squealing. Yesterday we were at Kaeley’s house and KayLynn was in the basinet squealing with delight at the mobile.
3. Squirming. Now when she is playing with you, she gets really excited and squirms. I think it is her premature way of reaching to be held.
4. More laughing. She has this laugh that sounds like she is inhaling air quickly, when I try to imitate it, I start coughing! I promise that if you hear it – you too will laugh.
5. She likes to watch the dogs. If she is in her chair and the dogs are around, she will watch them playing.
6. She discovered her hands. This happened when she was with Granny Tam. She spends hours watching her hands and fingers. She will wave them and watch them go back and forth – or just worry her fingers in her lap while watching.

It is so fun seeing her learn new things almost every day. I look at newborn pictures and I just can’t believe that she was soo tiny, or that I gave birth to something which is now so big. I am sure it is pretty amazing to see your children as adults and remember that they were once in your belly, and so dependant on you.
Pictures to follow...

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Nursing

For those of you who are/have/going to nurse, watch this video - very funny!

http://www.flowgo.com/funny/1784_that-nursing-feeling.html

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Some of her amazing work!

Monday, October 6, 2008

New Winter Coat

Aunt Mandy bought KayLynn a winter coat - its a little big, but it will be great.

Play Time with Mom and Dad






Sunday, October 5, 2008

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Half a genious child...

So, KayLynn did a "half" roll over! She started out with one arm under her - that is why I call it a "half" roll over. I took pictures of the second and third steps!! I was pretty excited, but Max told me that it doesn't count! But being the proud mother that I am, I took pictures anyway.