The hole

Two weeks ago, our youth group had their Christmas party. Like almost every other day this season, we had a million things to do before the actual party including seeing our dear friends Sally, Landry, and their baby Charlotte (who, by the way, are HOME now!- Praise the Lord!) We were running way behind by the time we actually got back from the two hour trip and were rushing to get something on the stove to bring for the party. We knew the kids were bringing sweets, so we decided to bring meatballs and cider (great combination, right?!) Anyways, I told Jeff to just go up to the church to start setting up and I would bring everything with me. The meatballs were done, the baby was screaming and we had about 5 minutes to spare. So, I grabbed the pot off the stove and put it (and the baby) in the car and headed to the church. Well, we get there and I call for Jeff to come help me get everything out( i mean, i got it all in the car, HE can unload it!) He goes to get the pot and guess what?! IT'S STUCK TO THE SEAT-well, not just the seat, but also stuck to the jacket that I put it on. So, Jeff does a couple of hard tugs and FINALLY the pot comes off, but unfortunately, with the pot comes my jacket (stuck to  the pan) and half of our passenger seat. Yes, there's a HUGE pot sized hole in our seat.

Now, I have to brag on my husband for a second, because I was ready for him to lay it on me. "Why did you put a HOT pan on the seat?" "What were you thinking?!" "Do you know how much money this is going to cost!?" But, nope! He said none of that. He simply shrugged his shoulders and said we needed to get it fixed. That's it?! ha. He's so patient. Nothing phases him really-not even a hole in the car.  His patience reminds me daily to be slow to anger, a lesson I need to learn many times over.
He hasn't brought it up since....I on the other hand remind him daily that I BURNED A HOLE IN OUR CAR-WHO DOES THAT?! HA.

Anyways, we took it to get fixed this morning so I don't have to ride in the back seat anymore-which I don't really mind because I have beautiful company back there-a.k.a Lyla:) . And just in case this ever happens to you, it's a couple hundred dollar mistake -oops! So, that was my day...how was yours?:)

CRAZY

Sometimes I get a little down about missing out on stuff back home. This past weekend, for example. My sister had her first wedding shower and our family had their Christmas party-and we weren't able to be there. While I am so thankful we get to visit as often as we do, I can't help but want more sometimes. Confession: I get kinda jealous over those people who live so close to their parents (who have free babysitting right at their finger tips-ha!) and can see their families whenever they want.

BUT, I have to remember why we are here! We moved here two and a half years ago and it is so amazing to see how much God is doing here in this little town of Quitman. One of the biggest blessings this year has been seeing what God is doing in the apartment complex of Quail Run. Can I share with you what GOD is doing?

  Every week, we get the privilege to take our students to this apartment complex called Quail Run. There we tell a story from the bible, sing songs, play games and have a snack. And every week, kids ranging from diapers to junior high show up to hear about Jesus. This past week was our last of the year and we wanted to do something special-We decided to bring a birthday cake for Jesus to have after we told the Christmas story and then we opened presents. (yes, presents! -each student in our youth group made one, two or some even three shoe boxes filled with toys, crayons, coloring books, pencils, stickers, etc) That seriously could have been my Christmas present right there-seeing those precious babies open what may be the only gift they get this season. The excitement in the room could not be matched. To see them get excited over candy,soap, and all the other things we packed in those boxes really is a testament to how unappreciative we all can be at times-always wanting BIGGER, BETTER...MORE! They were so satisfied and so excited over SIMPLE things! Things that we have everyday and take for granted. We didn't have to go overseas to find them-they live in our community.  We all know people who we can reach, but the question is will we? When I get down and out about not having the life I WANT, I have to remember, that God has called each of us to live OUTSIDE of our comfort. This life ISN'T ABOUT ME! IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM!

(Marsha Odom made the cake-you are just too good girl!)

I miss my family (more than they know) but THANK YOU JESUS for using us here.

"I have not been called to the wisdom of this world..
But to a God who's calling out to me..
And even though the world may think 
I'm losing touch with reality
It would be crazy 
To choose this world over eternity"
-Mercy Me


Sidenote: 
To my best friend who is a missionary in Africa
Lindsey, bare with my post. You and Nathan have sacrificed more than anyone I know. I know you don't judge me when I get sad about missing home, but I cannot help but think of you each and every time and the impact you are making for the kingdom. You miss holidays, you miss birthdays, you miss a lot more than I do. Thank you for what you do. I love you so!

5 Months

I am a little behind on my updates and blogging in general. A lot has been going on and we have been extra busy!

Last week, Lyla turned 5 months old. We actually went to her 4 month appointment ( a little late) last week. Lyla weighs 11 lbs. We have been a little concerned about her weight, but the doctor assured us that even though she is in the 5th percentile on her weight and height (her head was in like the 50th perentile-ha!) she is completely healthy! However, she advised us to up the dosage on her feeding, so we have added Gerber Gentle Ease to her diet along with me still nursing her. No solids yet except for the oatmeal cereal we add to her bottle occasionally. I was NOT happy about having to supplement, but if it means she will be more satisfied, then so be it:)

(Right after her 4 month shots)

Lyla is definitely showing her personality more everyday. One of the biggest changes this month is her need to put everything in her mouth. She can hold things now and thinks that if it's in her hand, it should be in her mouth. She has also gotten into a habit of grabbing and pulling. (people's hair, earrings, plants, Diggs' hair! You name it, if it is in her reach, she will grab and pull!

We still havent seen any teeth yet, but she still chomps on her little hands as if one will break through any day now.

Another big change this month is the adjustment from her newborn napper (basinet type bed) into her BIG GIRL crib! Some nights look like this:

Other nights look like this...

We are still adjusting. :)

She is definitely paying more attention to certain things...like the television. -She loves Full House :)

Since Christmas is quickly approaching, she will actually sit in my lap and watch Christmas shows with me:) I love that!

Our little girl is such a blessing and couldn't be more perfect to us! 

Happy 5 months Lyla Rae! 

I am a stay at home mom

For my 10th day of thankfulness, I expressed how thankful I am to stay at home with our little one. Just in case people are wondering what I do all day, I thought I would give you a glimpse into a day in the life of this stay at home mom.

Woke up to Lyla's sweet cry
Changed her
Fed her
Put her on her tummy mat while I "made" a bottle and then played with her for a little while
Read her the alphabet book-focused on the letter C
Made myself some breakfast
Held and rocked a crying baby
Changed her again (clothes and diaper)
Fed her again
Lay her down for her nap
took a quick shower
Washed and steamed all her bottles
Washed dishes (note: we do not have a dishwasher, so I have to do them by hand)
Did a little bit of work for Biomass SyEnergy (I do work for them from home thanks to Jeff's dad)
Washed a load of her clothes and a few of mine that she has managed to get poop on
started lunch/Jeff got home

And it's only 12 o'clock!!!

I love staying at home and I admire and respect the women who do this everyday!
I found this poem that is so absolutely true! Enjoy!

What Did You Do Today?

Today I left some dishes dirty,
The bed got made around 3:30.
The diapers soaked a little longer,
The odor grew a little stronger.
The crumbs I spilled the day before,
Are staring at me from the floor.
The fingerprints there on the wall,
Will likely be there still next fall.
The dirty streaks on those window panes,
Will still be there next time it rains.
Shame on you, you sit and say,
Just what did you do today?

I nursed a baby till he slept,
I held a toddler while he wept,
I played a game of hide and seek,
I squeezed a toy so it would squeak.
I pulled a wagon, sang a song,
Taught a child right from wrong.
What did I do this whole day through?
Not much that shows, I guess it’s true.
Unless you think that what I’ve done,
Might be important to someone,
With bright brown eyes and soft blond hair,
If that is true … I’ve done my share.

Author Unknown

FOUR

 Lyla is four months old today! A lot has been going on, but here are some things Lyla has been up to this month.

The day after her three month birthday, she rolled over (one way) for the first time. Jeff swears that she rolled over after she was only a few weeks old, but I never saw it. Tummy time has become harder because everytime we put her on her belly she rolls right over. :) Now, we just have to work on rolling over from her back to her tummy:)

She still hates tummy time (if you can't already tell that by the pictures!)

My brother in law came to visit us for a few days and brought a special friend for Lyla to play with. We named him Gappy because he's from The Gap. Lyla LOVES playing with Gappy! 

They are already sharing secrets!

Along with "Gappy", Lyla has taken an interest in a few of her other toys as well this month!

This may be due to her beginning the teething process, which makes her a little fussy sometimes. She does like to put things in her mouth to soothe that awful pain and most of the time, she is chewing away on those little fingers. 

She has just started taking a NUK paci, but only sometimes. She has never really liked the whole paci thing- I guess that's good because we won't have to ween her off of it one day.

At 4 months old Lyla....

Likes: Cooing and squealing. Listening to a book. Going for rides. Meal time. Being held. Being outside. Being tickled on her tummy. Silky blankets. Veggie Tales Worship CD. Diggs. 

Dislikes: Laying on her tummy. Being burped. Being changed. Afraid of the washing machine and my fuzzy hat (these are her only known fears at this point) 

Firsts on the first

It has been a few weeks since I last blogged, and quite a bit has been going on. So, in honor of November FIRST, here are a few FIRSTS to catch you up on our life this past month. 

Lyla rolled over (one way) for the FIRST time about a month ago. Here is a fun video of her in action:  

My brother in law Johnathon came to visit us a few weeks ago. He was doing an Amtrack tour across the country. We were his FIRST stop.  (we had the BEST time visiting with him!)

This was also Lyla's (and my) very FIRST time at a train station 

Also this month, baby Charlotte (who many of you have been praying for) got to come home! After having heart surgery at just a few weeks old, (2000 stitches around her heart alone!) she is doing fantastic! This was Lyla's FIRST time meeting baby Charlotte and our FIRST time getting to visit with them at home. God is so good!

To celebrate Halloween, Lyla got to pick out her very FIRST pumpkin at her FIRST trip to the pumpkin patch

*She was also the FIRST one to pitch a fit on the hay ride. No pictures for that one. 

This month, I have discovered a new love. Pinterest. I needed a quick treat for Jeff's men's group last night, so I made my FIRST pinterest creation. 

Last night, Lyla got to dress up for her FIRST Halloween. She went as a kitty cat. *She also went to her FIRST fall festival this weekend. 

It was also Diggs' FIRST year NOT going to the fall festival. Poor guy!

I also realized for the FIRST time this month, that Lyla does look a little bit like me. haha. 

 

Lyla Rae                                                Me

Happy November FIRST everyone!

Sour Milk

I'd like to think that every mom has that one defining moment when she realizes that she is no longer concerned with herself, but rather more concerned with her little one. I think my moment happened last night!

On Monday nights, I lead a girls bible study for jr high and high school girls. Jeff and I have worked out a system where he will take Lyla to church while we are bible studying and then I go and get her while he has his "man time" at church with the guys watching the game. So after bible study, my friend Meagan and I went to get her and decided to grab a bite at the mexican restaurant in town since both of our men were at the church and we were hungry! We had just ordered when "It" happened.

I look over at sweet Lyla sitting happily in her car seat and all of a sudden, she starts spitting up. Not just your typical spit up, but projecting what seemed like everything she had eaten yesterday. I immediately grabbed her out of the seat (she was choking at this point) to try and wipe up what she was spitting out. I wasn't very successful since she was spitting up so much-I was actually trying to cup it in my hands. By the time we got to the bathroom, her outfit was SOAKED, I was SOAKED,  and her car seat was literally flooded. (are you getting the picture?) There was no changing table in the restaurant, so I made my own dragging two chairs in there (baby and diaper bag still in hand) and putting a blanket down for her. Poor girl was so sticky and I was a mess. I somehow managed to get her clean by wiping her down and completely forgot about cleaning myself up. I returned to the table with soaking wet, sour milk smelling shirt and pants. Thankfully my dinner date didn't mind. I honestly don't know what I would have done had that happen alone-it was definitely a two person job. We quickly finished our meals (I think I spoiled both our appetites) and went home only to have sweet baby girl do it AGAIN! This time while I was holding her on the couch. Again, poor Lyla was covered, I was covered, the couch was covered:( Once we (again, Meagan to the rescue) got her changed, she started up again and we just decided to keep her naked for the night. At this point, I have sour milk smell ALL over me, milk ALL down my shirt and ALL over my pants. And guess what? I didnt care. I was so much more concerned about her and if she was okay than about how nasty I was (and believe me, I was nasty) I ended up holding my little naked baby until around midnight when we finally decided she wouldn't do it again, turned the monitor on HIGH, and still went to check on her about every 2 hours when I would wake up paranoid.

I am definitely a mom. I love my child more than myself. I would do absolutely anything for her as long as it didn't compromise my faith. I have had my moment.

ps. I am happy to report that she is feeling MUCH better today!

Three

My sweet Lyla Rae is 3 months old today! People don't kid when they say time flies. I could never have dreamed how much I would love you. Being able to stay home with you everyday has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I love hanging out with you everyday and seeing the new things you do. You are so amazed at the world and I am just as amazed at YOU!

You still think EVERYTHING is funny! I LOVE seeing that sweet smile of yours

You have found your feet this month! You have already mastered a pretty awesome toe touch:) 

We have new sleeping quarters for you. After battling a week of no sleep, we finally figured out, you did not want to sleep in your swing anymore. So, we have started letting you sleep in your pack and play newborn napper. You love it. The past few nights, you have slept over 8 hours! Go Lyla Go!

We have started taking you more places and you usually do pretty well out in public. I hope this continues into your toddler years!

You are sitting up like a big girl. You have always held your head up fairly well, but it is so sweet to see you actually sitting up:) you are not really interested in the toys we surround you with, but that'll come in time. 

(sorry for the poor picture quality. Most of these pictures are taken on my phone because it is always with me)

Bath times have become a MUCH happier occasion. We have discovered Mr. Fish who keeps you warm during bath time. Since he has come into our lives, there have been no tears at bath time:)

You are wearing a size 1 diaper and still fitting into your 0-3 month clothes and can even still fit into some of your newborn clothes. You still eat about every 3 hours unless you are REALLY hungry and then it's every 2. You have the most darling personality and everyone loves you so much! It is a joy to be your mommy! Happy 3 months sweet girl!