mini update

I am a blog slacker. I admit it. But, I have been spending more time on other blog these days. Plus, there isn't much to report here.

The weather is hot again today after two previous days of overcast "cooler" weather. It makes for one big sauna just to walk outside.

Scott took his big math test for teaching last weekend. He came home (after the five hour test) and said he would have had to guess right a lot of times to have passed. We are believing for a passing score though.

We are going to spend July working hard to work up to our vacation in August. We will go to my ten year high school reunion, then head on to Virginia for a family gathering, then we come home and the next day I am off to Atlanta for a DONA (doula) conference. It will be fun and exhausting but fun.

Hope everyone is having a great summer and staying cool! HUGS!!!

five years and two kids later

Happy 5 Year Anniversary Heidi and Jacob!!!

a mother in waiting

I have longed and waited.
I have cried and prayed.
I have endured and planned over and over again.

Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.

I will notice everything about my child.
I will take time to watch my child sleep,
explore,
and discover.
I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life.

I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child, knowing that I can comfort, hold, and feed him and that I am not waking to take another temperature, pop another pill, take another shot or cry tears of a broken dream.
My dream will be crying for me.

I count myself lucky in this sense; that God has given me this insight, this special vision with which I will look upon my child.

Whether I parent a child I actually give birth to or a child that God leads me to, I will not be careless with my love.

I will be a better mother for all that I have endured. I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor, friend, and sister because I have known pain.

I know disillusionment, as I have been betrayed by my own body. I have been tried by fire and hell that many never face, yet given time, I stood tall.

I have prevailed.
I have succeeded.
I have won.

So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort. I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs.
I listen.
And even though I cannot make it better, I can make it less lonely.

I have learned the immense power of another hand holding tight to mine, of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth when life is beyond hard.

I have learned a compassion that only comes by walking in those shoes. I have learned to appreciate life.

Yes, I will be a wonderful mother.

gotta love these!

Made these tonight.... thought they turned out pretty cute. I am starting a shoe gallery....shoes starting at $15. I call these "Butterfly Kisses". They are $18 and will fit a baby about 8-12 months. You can win a pair custom made for your baby if you comment at my other blog!

blog contests

Do you have a "best dad" story or a "doula" story?

Click here to share and for your chance to win!

congratulations to me!

I got an email today stating that I am now a CD(DONA)! I lay terms that means that I am a FOR REAL certified birth doula through DONA (Doula of North America). Bring on the babies!

snap out of it sista!

While halfway to Arkansas last week, I realized I forgot my camera. I had a seriously emotional fit! I called my mom and Daniel who were also halfway there to see if they brought theirs. She said no because Mom knew I would have mine! I was devastated. I used Heidi's camera to take one picture and then I fell off the wagon. So, much to my dismay, and all of yours as well, I do not have pictures from the weekend. I am just now getting over it.

But here are a few highlights:

• Andrew's new game is ballyball, played with a beach ball. We all made up a new game with the beach ball that if it hit the floor near you that you had to start spelling out your name. Hannah, Daniel, and Andrew all have six letters so it made it easy. We also played with HeidiT and Scotty. Andrew did really well keeping track of his letters. He spells his name quite well.
• Andrew also has fun new songs that he shared all weekend.
• Joely is now 10 and a half months. She says, bye-bye and waves, dada, mama, bubba, hi, and aaa is Andrew. I worked with her for a while to say Hannah. Thank goodness Scott was there when she actually said it because no one else believed me. Of course it wasn't clear, more like a-nuh, but I know she said it and Scott was my witness!
• There was a big storm that came through on Friday afternoon. I snuggled with Andrew for a while and pretended to be scared. When he walked away, I said "Andrew, save me" and his response was "save yourself." Thanks a lot!!!!
• Joely smiles at everything. She wrinkles up her nose and does a sort of snorting noise. Poor little girl is so chubby, but oh so cute!
  
• They are working with her on some sign language and she knows how to sign "milk", "all done", and "more". I am sure she knows more, but that is all she did while I was there.

I will not forget my camera on the next trip!