Random Thankfullness

Wendy has tagged me. I'm supposed to list 10 things I'm thankful for...



In no particular order:
1. Bubble baths and time to have them every once in awhile.

2. My books and the ability to read them.

3. My movies and the ability to watch them.

4. My music CDs and the ability to listen to them.

5. Being able to stay home with Madelyn.

6. My husband and his emotional, financial, spiritual support.

7. My family who is by my side through it all.

8. My friends who are by my side through it all even when they aren't obligated to be there.

9. Digital cameras

10. Online shopping





And what have I been doing?

Putting up Christmas decorations for my upcoming Christmas party this Saturday, going to choir rehearsals for our upcoming Christmas Pageant, and keeping up with Madelyn! More posts of pictures later...and a belated Thanksgiving story for ya.

Movie Night

This is Madelyn's favorite new activity - taking all the movies off the shelf.

What fun!! And in case any of you are wondering, yes they were put back in alphabetical order after Madelyn went to bed. And to brag about my husband, he read my mind and put them back in order while I was putting Madelyn to bed so I wouldn't have to! Isn't he sweet?

Bible Knowledge

In Sunday School today I was impressed by several members' knowledge of theology. I have felt convicted lately about my lack of Biblical knowledge. I should know the Bible backwards and forwards - and I don't. Not even close. You might say, "You don't have to know the Bible backwards and forwards to be a Christian." And this is true. But I think about how I can hear the first few seconds of a Friends episode and tell you exactly which episode it is and probably from which season that episode aired. I can quote several movies practically in their entirety - Steel Magnolias, Princess Bride, It's a Wonderful Life - I'm sure there are more. I have read the Harry Potter series twice. I should know the Bible better than I do. I hear a New Years resolution coming...

Random Thoughts

Is this not the cutest picture?! I mean for crying out loud....

I am so excited. I saw a preview for LOST Season 5 coming in January!!!! Wohoo! Mitch is giving me LOST Season 4 for Christmas, so I'll get to watch it again to refresh before Season 5 begins.

Church choir practice is tonight and I am excited. I haven't gone in two weeks due to Madelyn being sick. As soon as choir is over, Madelyn and I are headed to Prattville to spend a few days with my parents. I haven't seen their house since they remodeled, so that will be fun.

I miss Mitch. He is in Seattle and for some reason, knowing he is so far away makes me miss him more. I know he is only an email/call away, but still...

I know that many people disagree with me, but I like that Christmas decorations are already out in stores. I love Christmas! And I especially love it now that we have a little one in the house! The next few Christmases are going to be so much fun. I can't wait to watch Madelyn's face light up on Christmas morning. Santa told me that this year Madelyn is getting her very own keyboard. She loves to play on Mommy & Daddy's keyboard. She isn't playing Mozart yet, but give it a few months :)

A Different Tune

This year has flown by! I cannot believe Thanksgiving is next week. I have had a blast this year. It has been an emotional roller coaster ride, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. I have a beautiful baby girl to show for my troubles :)

I walked on the treadmill tonight. I walked a mile in 25 minutes. That isn't very fast, but I am proud that I did it. I have finally come to the conclusion that I am going to have to exercise after Madelyn goes to bed. I have tried all year to start an exercise program during the day while Madelyn is taking a nap. I am not a night person, so getting the energy up to walk at night is huge for me.


I have learned a lot about dieting this past year. Through prayer and Bible study, I have discovered that my approach to weight loss in the past has been for one reason - vanity. I have disguised this from myself, but the Lord has a way of removing the layers of lies to reveal the truth. Up until now, my weight loss motivation has been to feel prettier or sexier or more accepted in society.

So today I walk to a different beat. I am whistling a different tune. It is simply that I want to be healthy. I want to take care of my body because God gave it to me. That's it. I am not exercising because I want to fit into that bikini or because I want to turn heads when I walk down the street. If I stay at my current size 20, so be it. And yes, I just admitted to the world my dress size.

In other news...

Madelyn will have her first plane ride in October. I was 15 months old on my first plane ride, so she will beat me by a few months.

Madelyn managed to wiggle out of her pink bouncy seat. This is a big deal because that ends me being able to strap her in front of Baby Einsten while I take a shower.

And here is a cute picture to look at. Happy Hump Day!

Memory Verses

I am trying to work on memorizing more scripture. My goal is to memorize one verse a week. Last week was a new favorite of mine, Matthew 6:34, " Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I have written this verse on a note card and taped it on my bathroom mirror because I need to remember this every day.
This week is Isaiah 61:1, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." Both of these verses are key in Beth Moore's Bible study, "Breaking Free."

4th of July

How was everyone's 4th? We enjoyed ours at my father-in-law's house in the mountains of northern Georgia.
Madelyn enjoyed sitting outside on the porch swing,


finding new things to play with,

and wondering out by the creek.

I remember that on the 4th of July last year, I felt Madelyn kick for the first time! Isn't it amazing what a year can do?

Where did my time go?

Before Madelyn was born, I wondered if I would be bored staying at home with her. Everyone who had children would tell me, "Believe me! You won't be bored." But before you experience being a mother, you really can't understand how true that is. It isn't that there is more to do, it is that babies require so much attention, doing simple tasks take you twice as long. Laundry, dishes, vacuuming - all these tasks are now a major achievement. Typing this is a major achievement. So do not judge a mother of a young child for not having a spotless house or wrinkle-free clothes. They are probably impressed that they managed to take a shower that day.

Home Sweet Home

The great thing about vacation is that I can't wait to begin it, and I can't wait to return from it. Mitch, Madelyn and I had a great time at the beach with Mimi. Madelyn has learned that there is much more to life than our little garden home. I have LOTS of beach pictures, but here are a few...

Here is Madelyn's FIRST reaction to the pool!

But she gradually learned to enjoy it.

Amd here are some family portraits!

Birthday Party

We are packed and ready to go to the beach, but I HAD to post a few pictures from Madelyn's 1/2 birthday party!

Upcoming Events

The next couple of days will be packed with preparation work for this weekend.

This Saturday I am throwing Madelyn a 1/2 birthday party. Since she was born on Christmas Day, it doesn't seem fair for her to wait all year for one day. So, I am starting the tradition that we have a big party for her in the summer.

On Sunday, Mitch, Madelyn & I will be heading to the beach. We will be there all next week with Mitch's mom at her condo.

So today and tomorrow, I am going to be cleaning the house and shopping for the party. And then Saturday after the party, I will packing for our trip. I probably won't post for awhile, but after we get back from our trip, I will have LOTS of party & beach pictures to show! Until then, I will leave you with this...

My parents recently acquired two new kittens, Mona & Lisa (I came up with those names!).

Here they are:

And here is what happens when Madelyn spends the weekend with her two new friends!

My mom certainly had her hands full!

I am glad Madelyn has some new playmates. Here are some more pictures that I thought were too cute not to share...

History Lesson

I have been having some, "Wow, I'm old!" moments lately. Have you seen that Hallmark commercial where the dad opens his Father's Day card to the song, "Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer? That made me feel old. I realize that MC Hammer is old school, but it made me feel old that it was a middle-aged, balding father who was enjoying it.

I also realized recently that I am three years away from being the same age my mom was when my family moved to Alabama (I was 12). My mom seemed so old then! I'm not that old. I mean, wasn't it yesterday that I was doing this?

And yet here I am now:

And pretty soon Madelyn will look like this:

And then I will blink and she will be graduating from high school in 2026. I will be 48. That is three years younger than the age my mom is today. Wow, I'm old.

Random Reasons to be Thankful

I love the delay feature on my coffee maker - I don't have to wait for it to finish brewing before I pour myself a cup of coffee.

I love memory on our DVD player - even if you take the disc out of the player and put it back in, it will remember where you were.

I love our video baby monitor - it is comforting to be able to hear AND see Madelyn at night.

I love our digital camera - even if something happened and I lost all of Madelyn's pictures, I would still have them on our computer and on our shutterfly account.

Sweet Potatoes

There is always a new adventure when you are 5 months old!

Snacking

One thing I don't like about being home all day is the overwhelming temptation to snack. I am embarrassed about what I can eat in a day. I have learned, or rather been reminded, of what my major problem area is - carbs. Bread, cookies, cereal, muffins, donuts, crackers, etc. And I try not to buy tempting food at the store. But what happens is I go out of my mind craving the stuff. Then the next time I'm at the store, I buy everything in sight.

There were these smokers on Oprah the other day who were trying to quit. And Dr. Oz said overcoming a nicotine addiction is as hard as overcoming a heroine addiction. This makes me feel weak, for I know two people who are very close to me that have quit smoking cold turkey. And I can't stop eating pop tarts and oreos?! What is the deal? However, the fact that we are going to the beach in a few weeks has motivated me to start exercising every day. And today I have been very good - I even gave my M&M stash to Mitch to take to work so I wouldn't be tempted. For all who know me, you KNOW how hard that was! Maybe there is hope after all...

Being a mom

These last 5 months have been somewhat of a blur. Madelyn and I have gotten to know one another these first few months of her life. She now recognizes me when I pick her up from the nursery at church. And I have to say my heart swells every time I get a big smile from her!





I love being a mom. It is hard work, and don't let anyone tell you differently! Believe me. I have worked full-time at an extremely stressful job, and I have to say being a mom is harder. It is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What do I do all day? Let's see: change dirty diapers; clean up spit up on Madelyn, me, the floor, her blanket, her bed; make bottles, clean bottles, make bottles, clean bottles...and more. But I wouldn't want to do anything else right now. I am watching a person discover life! It is an awesome experience. Yesterday, Madelyn laughed out loud for the first time!! And I was there to witness it. Last week she learned how to do this:

I will conclude with a question for all of you...

Who can still do that?

Madelyn Claire

Born on December 25, 2007 at 11:26 a.m.

7 pounds, 7 ounces

19 inches long

Isn't she the most beautiful thing you ever saw?!?!