Living a Blessed Life

Blog on the Move

2009-03-01T11:09:00.004-06:00

I'm moving the blog to a new home. After today, you can find us at:

http://snowberrylife.wordpress.com/

Jen- could you bring some snacks over to the new blog? :)

Balance

2009-02-26T16:26:00.005-06:00

This week Abby and I had an appointment in Dallas where she was offered a modeling contract with an agency. I'm bouncing back and forth through all the emotions that I think are normal for this situation: excitement, pride, nervousness, amazement, and thankfulness.

But in the midst of all this chaos, I have had only one thought running circles in my head and my heart: Abby is beautiful.

Oh, of course I've always known she was cute, but I'm her mom. And let's be honest, sometimes mothers aren't the best judges. But now there's this worldly affirmation that she's pleasing on the eyes. And to be honest, it terrifies me.

I realize that I have to find a way to raise her and teach her and guide her into walking a very fine line.

Yes, I want her to always know that she's beautiful. To have that self-confidence I've always lacked. But I don't want her to focus on it. I don't want it to be her downfall.

I've always thought that the most beautiful women are the ones who are that way unknowingly. I want Abby to be that woman. To describe herself as spunky. Independent. Smart. Loving. Faithful. Honest. All the things she is that have nothing to do with how she looks.

It's going to be a long road. I'm open to advice. And prayer.

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

Soaking It Up

2009-02-25T18:00:00.004-06:00

We took advantage of the beautiful weather and had a picnic. Soft grass, crazy squirrels, some sticks, and a few huge trees all conspired to make Abby happy.

This is what a picnic escape looks like:

And if anyone out there knows who this beautiful bride is, let me know and I'll send her this picture. Abby looked up, saw her and screamed, "There is Sleeping Beauty!!!"

You still have God, and God is all.

2009-02-25T11:26:00.004-06:00

"The richest nation in the world is America. We think we're in a recession, but still cars are coming out longer and bigger and looking more like juke boxes than ever. And there's more money in more bank accounts. They may make deductions from your paycheck, but after they've taken out everything you can think of, still the average fellow has more money than he used to."

"If you take the kingdom of God and His righteousness, God will add money to you- as much as you need. If you take the kingdom of God and His righteousness, God may send your way learning and art and music and other legitimate earthly loves. God may send it all to you and let you have it. But it is always with the understanding that He can take it away again and you won't grumble. You still have God, and God is all."

These words by A. W. Tozer seem to be directed at the world we're living in today. The author died in 1963. It never ceases to amaze me that the human condition is the same today as it was in each previous generation.

Kitchen Happiness

2009-02-24T14:40:00.005-06:00

Two wonderful things found their way onto my counter tops today.

A ladybug (which made me believe that cold weather may finally be done) and some Sprinkles cupcakes (which just made me hungry).

A good day to hang out in my kitchen.

Future Gardener

2009-02-23T16:02:00.002-06:00

The little one absolutely loves plants and flowers and dirt in general. We went to the Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens on Friday and I had to stop her from digging in all the flower beds.

Since I know personally how it feels to love plants and yet only be capable of killing them, I'm hoping she has inherited Granny's green thumb.

Facebook Overload

2009-02-20T08:53:00.002-06:00

UNT just sent out an alumni email. The reason for the email? To let us all know that, "Starting today, you can receive your University of North Texas exclusive announcements, browse career and networking opportunities without ever leaving Facebook."

Everyone catch that? The without ever leaving Facebook part?!

I'm a fan of Facebook. I've wasted plenty of time there. I've reconnected with old friends. I've seen where old boyfriends are now and felt glad that I'm not with them. And I've pretended to know people just to up the friend count on my profile.

But after a few hours, I've always left Facebook. I didn't know there was an option to stay there forever.

This announcement makes me feel that Facebook has lost a little of its coolness. It's like running into your parents at your favorite high school hang out. If only the establishment was more selective. But then, I probably wouldn't have gotten in either.

Taste Buds

2009-02-19T14:57:00.005-06:00

Abby awoke from her nap today and happened to notice a can of Pringles beside me on the couch. In case you are unaware, my child is a chip eating fool. She really can't eat just one. In fact, she always requests them in sets of three.

The only problem with her loving chips is that I love chips more. I try to eat them secretly but Abby always finds me. I'll be pretending to put clothes away in my closet, with the light off, and suddenly the door will fly open and there will be that little face. And with the face comes the words, "Mommy, I want three chips please." And to add insult to injury, she sticks out her tiny hand and shows me three perfect fingers.

But today I may have found the solution to my problem. You see, I bought Salt & Vinegar chips this time.

When Abby's eyes lit on that beautiful blue can, I selflessly said, "Mommy would give you a chip, but you won't like that type."

She looked up at me with a face that clearly said, "I wasn't born yesterday," and proceeded to pop the top.

Oh, I was nervous. I was fearful that Abby might eat them just to spite me. I was sweating it as she peeled back the paper that I'd left slightly attached. Drops of sweat beaded across my head when she peeked into the container.

But the moment I saw the aroma hit her nose, a smile burst across my face! She physically moved away from the can. Her eyes watered slightly. And best of all, she yelled, "YUCK!" as she hurried to replace the lid.

Sharing is sometimes overrated.

Field Trip!

2009-02-18T16:54:00.005-06:00

Today was a great day for the zoo. So we packed up and headed to the animals. Well, two of the animals were traveling with us. Here are a few highlights:

Both Cate and Abby were happy to see the swans.

This sleepy bear seemed to be Cate's favorite.

A lion cub made Keri and me pretty happy. Look how fluffy and soft he looks! And yes, he is chewing a bone.

Cate seemed to be on the lookout when we were near birds. Totally understandable.

Abby and I absolutely loved watching this otter shoot through the water. (Ha! a rhyme!)

This pink guy was used as bait to get Abby near the exit. As in, "Let's go see the flamingos!"

And apparently being pushed around in a stroller is exhausting.

Life with Abby

2009-02-16T09:12:00.002-06:00

This morning our darling child chose to wake up at 5 am. I say chose because since she did not go to bed until 10 last night, there's no way she woke up unintentionally. After trying to convince her that snuggling in the dark is a good thing, and that no, we can not read a dinosaur book when the sun is still sleeping, she went clomping around the house on her own. And yes, we let her. Because we've reached the point where we are willing to rid our house of anything nice, or economical baby-proofing as I like to think of it, so that she can roam free while we drift in and out of consciousness. As I tried to make just one eyelid lift a fraction of a centimeter, I heard Abby stomp through part of the house and say very loudly, "Oh! That's the stinky part! Lets take the other path." Did I jump out of bed to identify the "stinky" issue she'd found? Was I concerned about my child spending time alone near an unknown substance? Nope. All I did was shut my eye (only one was opening anyway) and think, "Stinky?! There's something stinky out there? I am absolutely not getting out of bed now. No way."

Just wanted to let you know that I'm removing my name from the mom of the year race. And for those of you who are concerned about the stink, it turned out to be a tiny piece of avocado that had fallen on the floor. Definitely not a reason to get out of bed.

The Desert

2009-02-15T16:57:00.002-06:00

Those of you that know me well know that I've been wandering in the desert for a while now. It seems like I've been walking in circles and wondering where exactly the trail out can be found. It hasn't been a horrible experience, I've certainly had worse sojourns here, but it has been a time of internal solitude and a feeling of emotional isolation. There has been an eerie silence during my times of prayer. And I don't find it coincidental that a definition of solitude is "a lonely place (as a desert)".

All that to say that this morning I was reading in Psalms. And I ended up in Psalm 78. It's basically a summary of all the times that God's people turned from Him, or tested Him, or didn't trust in Him, and how He responded. Amazingly, the majority of the time His response was mercy. In reading this, a very specific section spoke to me. And it isn't a section about escaping the desert.

Here are these people in the desert, recently saved from their enemies, and God has actually made water flow from a rock to satisfy them. And here is their reaction:

¹⁹Then they spoke against God;
They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
²⁰"Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out,
And streams were overflowing;
Can He give bread also?
Will He provide meat for His people?"
²¹Therefore the LORD heard and was full of wrath;
And a fire was kindled against Jacob
And anger also mounted against Israel,
²²Because they did not believe in God
And did not trust in His salvation.
²³Yet He commanded the clouds above
And opened the doors of heaven;
²⁴He rained down manna upon them to eat
And gave them food from heaven.
²⁵Man did eat the bread of angels;
He sent them food in abundance.

So what about this history text broke me this morning? The fact that God was leading these people through the desert in order to reach a better land, and they were nothing but selfish and ungrateful. God brought forth water from a rock and yet they demanded more. They tested Him and questioned His abilities and His love.

I don't want to be like that. I'm going to trust that this desert is just a bridge to a better place. And more importantly, while I'm in this place, I'm going to spend some time being thankful for where I've been, where I am, where I'm going, and the water flowing from that rock. No bread or meat necessary.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-13T18:06:00.004-06:00

This little girl is giddy with excitement about tomorrow. Hope you too enjoy the day with childlike enthusiasm!

The babies are coming! The babies are coming!

2009-02-13T17:44:00.003-06:00

There are a ton of babies due to arrive late this spring. Although most of the little ones won't be seen until April or May, a dear friend has been put on bed rest with no guarantee that baby Caiden won't arrive much sooner than expected. So after quite a bit of time perusing fabric and contemplating gifts, today I managed to make a diapers/wipes case and a coordinating pacifier puff (thanks Keri!). And big brother Campbell needs something of his own while waiting to meet the new little man, so there is a crayon roll headed his way.

Crazy Kid

2009-02-03T12:36:00.007-06:00

Most of you think Abby is a cute, sweet, calm child. You even think her birthday songs are just quirky. As much as we tell you otherwise, you refuse to believe us when we say she is often crazy. Oh sure, she does a great job of staying calm in public but she's faking you guys out. We know it. She knows it. It's about time you know it.

Last night Matt and I decided to get some proof that she's slightly off. So here is about 2 minutes of the 30+ minute routine that happened in our living room. Totally on her own. No provoking or leading. No interaction of any type in fact. Just pure untainted Abby.
(Mute the music at the bottom of the blog first.)

If I have a few free hours, I'll try to transcribe it for those of you who don't speak Abbyguese. But I can tell you that yes, she is saying "Please don't take it personally, but I am scared of you." Phrase courtesy of a Halloween Backyardigans from 3 months ago. The rest of the song, "When I'm knocking on the door..." is all her own composition.

Being A Mom Changes Everything!

2009-01-28T16:50:00.003-06:00

It has been "icy" here the past few days (it's in quotes because about 30 of the past 48 hours were only icy in the weatherman's mind). And, as any person who has spent even a few days of the winter with me knows, when it's cold my plan of action is to hibernate. Not joking. I'd prefer to sleep through the cold weather. And when I can't sleep for another minute, I just want to stay under the blankets and read.

Surprise, surprise, my sweet little 2 year old doesn't find hibernation to be a reasonable option this winter. So the only thing I can think to do, to stay awake and indoors, is bake. As I've made both cheescake brownies and cinnamon streusel muffins within the last 12 hours, this baking is a troubling alternative. I need the weather to warm up before I eat so much that I can't fit through my door.

My Big Brother

2009-01-27T18:17:00.005-06:00

just got a little bit older. Too bad... 35 seemed to suit him well.
I love you Bub.

The good news on the following video is Abby isn't singing out of the side of her mouth.
The bad news is she still shows no signs of tune or rhythm.

Weird

2009-01-24T16:23:00.003-06:00

I don't know what this stuff is called technically. Abby and I call it disgusting. I do know that it means the water needs to start circulating in this fountain. And I also know if wasps and yellow jackets can't swim in it, or even get out of it, it's no good.

Amazing

2009-01-22T10:16:00.004-06:00

i want to sit in the same room as this man. he amazes me. there's no other word for it.

(mute the music at the bottom of the blog before playing the video)

Mending

2009-01-20T15:17:00.004-06:00

Doctors occasionally have to break an already broken bone in order for it to heal correctly. I've been lucky enough to never experience it personally, but I think there's a similar process for mending a heart. When a heart has hardened due to sin, anger, regret, shame, pride, or unrequited love the only way to soften it is to break it again and straighten out the mess. The second break may be made with God's leading and all the love in the world, but it is still going to hurt like hell.

To anyone else dealing with a heartbreak, here are a few words of comfort:
"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken."
- Psalm 34: 17-20

Finding Our Rhythm

2009-01-12T15:58:00.007-06:00

The start of a new calendar year doesn't have as much of an effect on our family as a new semester. So with my class starting up next week, I'm trying to get a much needed routine going in our home. Part of the routine needs to include creative time for me so that I don't go crazy. I tend to hop from project to project but I always fall back on photography, so that's what I'm putting on the schedule. Blogging didn't make the cut so I can't promise that pictures will be posted in a timely manner, but they'll show up eventually.

Here are two random photos just so that I can feel accomplished today.
A few sunbathing turtles... what else would a turtle do on a 70 degree day in January?

And have I ever posted a picture of the 3 of us? They happen rarely. Here we are in our presents from Oregon... true hippie shirts made by people living the dream... I'm so happy Matt humored me and let us all dress alike!

Entering a New Phase

2009-01-05T15:34:00.006-06:00

I discovered a new challenge while trying to take a family photo. It is always hard to get a shot when Abby is not talking or moving, but now she is apparently using the camera for her own personal amusement. Using each photo shoot as a chance to surprise us with new expressions. And I have no idea what I'm going to get until I review the photos. See for yourself (and the one with her eyes closed is not just bad timing- she intentionally left them closed and told me those were her "sleepy eyes"):

So in the future there are probably going to be more "abstract" pictures of Abby... at least until she stops being such a comedian or I figure out how to outsmart her.

Quiet Trouble

2009-01-05T14:33:00.004-06:00

This is not what you want to see when waking a child from a nap:
1. She's not asleep. 2. The floor is covered in the remains of 20+ band aid wrappers. 3. She is studiously opening yet another one. 4. You can't see any of the opened band aids anywhere.

Bad news: Abby's Christmas box of band aids is empty.
Good news: All the band aids had been placed on top of each other to form a 3 inch thick bandage over her bed's boo boo.

Lesson learned: Just because she's in her bed and quiet, doesn't mean that she is actually napping.

One More Pound...

2009-01-05T09:41:00.003-06:00

forgot to add my least favorite thing about Seven Pounds... as if there could be more... one scene shows Will Smith going into an office and the camera zooms in on the door which says, "Department of Children Safety / Department of Family Sevices". Are you kidding me? No one in the entire cast and crew noticed a giant misspelled word? Unbelievable.

Seven Pounds of Frustration

2009-01-03T22:38:00.004-06:00

If you have not seen the new Seven Pounds movie with Will Smith, and have any desire or hope to one day see it, then you should probably stop reading and leave this blog for a later date.

Seriously, I'm about to spoil the whole movie for you if you keep going...

Your choice.

I went to see this last night by myself. (I know- "A movie by yourself? That's so sad!" But not for me. I love going to movies alone. After all, when I go with someone else, it isn't like we're spending quality time together. We sit side by side, facing forward, and hopefully don't speak for 2 hours.) Continuing... I went to see Seven Pounds even though I knew it had received some of the worst reviews of all time next to the Waterworld debacle. But poor reviews tend to intrigue me. I just want to see for myself how bad it is. Kind of like tasting something that your friend has just declared disgusting. I should have stayed away.

In all honesty, the movie isn't that bad. The acting is fine. The cinematography is average. There isn't some unresolvable plot confusion like in The Lake House. My problem lies with the content. So here is the plot in a nutshell, aka the spoiler: Will Smith's character has been in a car crash where he is the lone survivor. In order to deal with his remorse and depression, he decides to commit suicide. But before he takes his life he anonymously goes about finding "good" people who need an organ transplant so that when he kills himself he can be their donor.

I was fine while I was watching it. But as soon as it was over, I was furious. I've never felt such strong feelings about the wrongness of a movie. I hate that this movie attempted to somehow glorify suicide. I hate that it tried to make audiences feel like Will Smith's character was such a nice, good guy for donating his organs to these deserving people. I know people who decided to end their lives and there's nothing glorious or selfless about it. I hate the idea that not only did this character believe it was his right to choose when he lives and dies, but the idea that he would also determine whether seven other people live or die is appalling to me. Deciding that you know better than God when your time is up is one big issue, but feeling as though you can also judge the worthiness of someone else's life is unbelievable.

I know the movie is fictional. I know it's just a movie. I know I need to let this go. But I hate that this movie could change the way in which some people think about suicide. That it could make them think that as long as you're generous on the way out, then killing yourself is an acceptable, even noble option.

Now that you know how I feel, aren't you glad I went to the movie alone?

New Year. Same Story.

2009-01-01T17:31:00.006-06:00

The days between Christmas and New Year's are some of my least favorite of the year. It's right after we finish opening presents that I have a panic attack. I know I only have 1 week left to make a New Year's resolution and I want my resolution to be perfect... not so difficult that it's impossible, not so easy that it doesn't require work. I don't want it to be a fitness goal because honestly I'm not motivated to get in shape when I know there are at least 2 more months of baggy clothes weather. I don't want it to be a nutrition goal because I know Christmas candy is at least 50% off. I don't want to make a financial goal because as long as we have food on the table and aren't in debt I don't care too much about the green stuff.

So what do I end up resolving? Nothing. That's right- I never make a New Year's resolution. I think there are enough other times in the year that I resolve to change things: my birthday, the first time I put on a swimsuit, each time we go on vacation, whenever I pay a bill late, every July when I see all those academic calendars on sale and think, "this will be the year I use a calendar. I will faithfully carry it with me, write in it and consult it," and then 5 weeks later when I find the same calendar in the backseat of the car covered in a thick layer of lint and cheerio dust. These events are what make me want to get my life in order. Not the fact that it happens to be the last day of December.

To those of you who make resolutions and are brave enough to speak them aloud, I applaud you. It doesn't matter whether you keep the resolution or not... in my eyes, you are already amazing.

Goodbye 2008!

2008-12-31T11:36:00.004-06:00

Only a few hours left this year... how has it been nearly a decade since I was wondering if I should withdraw the few dollars I had in the bank before the millenium arrived?

My goal was to get Christmas pictures on the blog before 2009, so I'm sliding in at the last minute. We had a great holiday... a few short trips to see family, lots of good food, and very little time spent shopping!

Abby's favorite presents this year: a toy kitchen (thanks DaddyDan, GranAnn, Nana and Daddy B!) and a treasure box full of bandaids (thanks GranKathy and Boompa!).

Our little family:

Waiting as patiently as possible for Nana and B to open presents:

Playing with her new toy while wearing her new backpack:

Christmas Dress

2008-12-16T10:29:00.003-06:00

Eventually Matt and I will stop being shocked by the fact that Abby often looks so much older than she is... but for now, we still gasp and stare at her.

Best Room Ever

2008-12-08T11:04:00.006-06:00

Our new rental house has a wonderful room that we've made the library/adult living room. No TV, no radio, no toys. I love this room. I think I've dreamed of it all my life. To make it even greater, it also happens to be a perfect Christmas tree room. If I ever go missing, check here first.

I'm What?!

2008-12-08T10:49:00.006-06:00

In my experience there's usually at least one younger teacher at high schools, and at least one student has a crush on them... and there's always that friend who says, "Ewww. He's old. Like at least 30!" Well when I dropped some stuff at Matt's school the other day, and a high school boy addressed me as Mrs. Naylor, it hit me that I'm no longer either of those kids... I'm the wife of the teacher! I frequently tell people that Matt is the best dressed male teacher at Denton High School... and I tease Matt about the high school girls having a crush on him. But for some reason I just now realized that I'm the teacher's wife. And it makes me feel a little proud and a little curious as to where the last 15 years went.

Mother's Intuition

2008-11-30T20:19:00.006-06:00

I've been thinking about Mary and Elizabeth lately. They were both blessed with miraculous pregnancies. They both gave birth to sons who even before conception were named by angels. They birthed the Messiah and the man who ran before Him, declaring the good news. And these two women, these two relatives, these two first time moms, spent three months together while they were both pregnant. I wish we knew more of that time. I can't help but wonder about Mary and Elizabeth's state of mind.

I keep thinking, we all hope the best for our children, right? We all want them to be happy and loved and successful and generous and smart. And we don't want to even imagine anyone hurting them. We talk about protecting our children like lionesses. We joke about what we'll do to the boy or girl that breaks their heart. How did Mary and Elizabeth deal with those feelings? Their love for their babies, just because they were their own, must have caused the same emotions and I can only imagine that their love for the Lord amplified them. But did they feel as though they needed to protect Jesus and John?

How must Mary and Elizabeth have reacted when they learned that their sons were killed because people actually requested their deaths? Because government rulers, who did not want to kill them, were too prideful and too afraid to say no when it was asked.

I just wonder if while spending those three months rejoicing together, Mary and Elizabeth had any idea of the pain to come?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T10:56:00.003-06:00

We have so much to be thankful for this year... Jesus pursuing our hearts and our lives, Abby, our health, Matt's job, living in Denton, our new home, friends, family, church... the list goes on and on! My hope for you this Thanksgiving is that, like us, your blessings are too many to count.

Yesterday we were able to spend some time with good friends. I had the chance to take a few pictures of Kurt Grothe and his family. Kurt was Matt's best man at our wedding and since he happened to be in Denton last weekend, he was kind enough to help us move. Kurt is one of those friends that long ago crossed the line into family... whether he wanted to or not!

Kurt and his family are missionaries to Argentina so if you're interested in supporting them in either a prayerful or financial manner, go to:

http://serve-international.com/team/team.cfm?regid=107&username=kgrothe

Isn't their son adorable?

Holding a Grudge

2008-11-20T21:53:00.010-06:00

Okay... I failed this week. I succumbed to the middle of the afternoon slump and watched Oprah. I know, I know. But it was an episode on medical marvels, basically people who have doctors stumped, and I just love that stuff.

There was this one woman- Jill Price- who apparently has the most amazing memory ever known. Maybe you've heard of her. She can remember every detail of her last 30 years. Tell her a date and she'll tell you not only what day of the week it was, but also what she wore, did, exact conversations had, and most extraordinarily, she feels the same emotions as she did then. Oprah just kept bringing up the issue of how hard it must be to remember every time a person was cruel to her or said something hurtful. Since "time heals all wounds" it seemed to Oprah and Jill that not being able to forget is a horrible thing.

I get that. I've forgotten things intentionally and unintentionally. I can't remember huge chunks of time. And I truly believe that my forgetfulness of hurtful events is God's blessing, not some flaw in my brain.

But here's the thing that hit me hard, the thing I can't stop remembering: what must it be like to be the person who said something hurtful to Jill? How awful must it be to know that she may forgive you for the time you lost your temper, but she can never forget it? I joke that Matt has "selective memory" so I'm not worried about him, but I pray that Abby has a normal memory. I know I won't be a perfect parent and I'm kind of counting on the good times overshadowing my mistakes.

We know that God doesn't forget. That we'll have to account for our lives when they're over. But don't most of us think of that as an out-of-sight out-of-mind issue? Like we can worry about that later? What if we all remembered everything- good and bad- about our lives... wouldn't we wonder each time someone looked at us if they were remembering how cruel or selfish or impolite we'd been? Seriously- how much more cautiously might we all speak and act if we knew our words and actions would, and could, never be forgotten?

I love what I love

2008-11-20T10:18:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was spent at the new house unpacking kitchen boxes and loading the countertops with all the crystal and china that had been so carefully bubble wrapped and stored over the past 7 months. After putting it all on a top shelf, higher than Abby will ever be able to climb, it was time to find the perfect place for my candy bowl. No fancy laser etching. No brand name stamped on the bottom. Nothing to make a robber think it worthy. And yet it is priceless to me- it was my great grandfather's. I can distinctly remember walking into his tiny little house and being amazed that the bowl was once again full. Must be some fancy candy to make such an impact, right? Nope. Nothing rare or exotic or even chocolate. It was eternally filled with simple peppermints. And I loved it. I loved seeing it in his home. I loved that he would set it down on my level when I visited and that he trusted me enough to lift the heavy glass lid off and get my own. And after Pa passed away, I loved that it didn't get tossed out. In fact, it earned a place of honor at Granny's house. I feel unbelievably priveledged that it is now part of my home.
So after unpacking all the crystal yesterday, I found the most reinforced cabinet in the kitchen and centered the candy bowl directly on top of a beam- just in case the kitchen were ever to suddenly collapse.
If you bought us special dishes for our wedding- I promise we love and appreciate them! But we've only had them for 6 years... not nearly as long as I've known my bowl.

Writing on the Wall

2008-11-17T17:13:00.002-06:00

Kristin V. was nice enough to play around with Abby's picture in photoshop... and I think she did an amazing job!

Now our only questions are:
1. Why does our 2 year old look 13? and 2. Why isn't she paying for her own diapers?

Just Because-

2008-11-14T20:27:00.003-06:00

the colors begged me to tamper with them!

Las Colinas

2008-11-14T15:51:00.007-06:00

I've been on the hunt for a good location for a Christmas photo shoot. So after seeing Kristin and Jenn's photos from Las Colinas, I thought I'd make Abby earn her keep and use her for some test shots down there. It really is a great place to take portraits and I'd love to spend some time capturing the architecture.

I'm sure there are hundreds of great spots along the canal, but Abby didn't really want to go scouting with me, so we just stayed in one area. Here are some of my favorites.
(Thank goodness I don't have a camera shy kid, huh?)

Moving On Up

2008-11-12T15:18:00.006-06:00

We're moving to a house soon and I'm ready... not ready in the packed boxes sense, but ready in the emotional sense. We aren't looking forward to moving 3 couches and a 300+ lb armoire, but I've decided the following outweigh the furniture:

1. Parking directly beside or in front of our house.

2. Having an extra room to accumulate guests or stuff.

3. Not hearing the upstair neighbor's high heels through the ceiling.

4. Walking to the library, park, Matt's work, and Keri's house.

5. Hardwood floors.

6. Using the TWU campus as our personal playground.

7. Letting Abby run out the back door without worrying about cars.

8. Sharing walls only with people I love.

9. Not needing to find parking for the jazz festival.

10. Sitting on the front porch and enjoying Denton.

Help! I can't stop...

2008-11-05T19:28:00.007-06:00

making things! I'm pretty certain Matt thinks I've gone insane. The craft corner is quickly becoming the craft room... not a good thing to have happen in a small apartment. In addition to the usual hairbow craziness, today I managed to eek out two other projects. One is a set of baby gifts that I adore, but I'll wait to post a picture until after I give them to the mommy-to-be, and the second is my new favorite thing ever.

Drumroll please.... it is.... a crayon roll!

I love that they are functional, beautiful, simple, and portable. The fabric combinations are endless. They can be made to match a bag or a journal. They can be made for crayons, markers, or colored pencils... and they won't fall apart like those ugly paper boxes. I think they're perfect for kids, teachers and artists. And they may end up in every stocking I have to stuff this Christmas!

The inside holds each crayon in an individual pocket:

The outside is as simple or extravagant as the chosen fabric:

And all rolled up, I think it's perfect!

Red or Blue?

2008-11-04T20:24:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow is going to be a new day. No matter what the outcome of tonight, there are going to be some very emotional people. But is it completely unpatriotic of me to say that I won't be one of them? I've been thinking about it and although I care deeply about some of the issues at stake, I know that decisions aren't made by one man alone. And I also know that miracles do happen.

So whether the map is colored red or blue, I'll be celebrating tomorrow. I'll be celebrating that God changes hearts... and policies.

Dear Hollywood,

2008-11-01T23:08:00.011-05:00

I write this with a heavy heart. I never imagined we would need to have this talk. I think I've been pretty understanding in the past, don't you? I stayed quiet when you replaced Gene Wilder with Johnny Depp in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remake. I bit my tongue when after 20 years you chose to release Die Hard and Rambo sequels. I only grumbled a little when I saw 90210 in the Fall 2008 TV lineup... although I do want to ask- did you not learn anything from Saved by the Bell: The New Class?

I had my emotions in check. I admit I even became prideful of it. I didn't think there was anything you could do that I wouldn't be able to handle. But this? This is low. Even for you. Today I hear that you're planning to remake Footloose? And you want Zac Efron to play Ren?! Why do you hate me so? Step away from the edge. This is a ridiculous idea. Never, never did I imagine one day wanting to bond with my daughter over Kenny Loggins and red boots, only to have to specifically request that we watch the "original."

Don't do this to me. It won't be only me you're hurting. You do know that the writers have not been on strike for a while now, right? Please- do us both a favor and ask them for new material. And just in case you try to relive your other glory days, here is a list of a few things that you should know are off limits:

- The Breakfast Club

- Ferris Bueller's Day Off

- Back to the Future

- Say Anything

- The Goonies

- When Harry Met Sally

- Pretty Woman

- Flight of the Navigator

- WKRP in Cincinnati

Please take this complaint seriously. I'm not afraid to organize an original fan club if I have to.

Heartbroken,

Jeannie

Halloween Fun

2008-11-01T18:58:00.005-05:00

I'm not shy about admitting that Halloween isn't my favorite holiday, in fact it's probably the last on my list, but we had a pretty good time yesterday. The Village Church is great in that they encourage community relationships. The church provided a bounce house and candy for us at the home of our small group leader so that we could host a free block party for the neighborhood. It really was wonderful to just relax and get to know people instead of rushing around. By the way- Abby is convinced that Halloween is a birthday party for "Pumpkin" and the candy is obviously in lieu of a birthday cake.

It isn't too shocking that this was Abby's first time to go trick-or-treating, but many of our friends were surprised to hear that it was also Matt's first candy quest. Matt didn't celebrate the holiday growing up so I volunteered him to walk Abby and our friend Kurt's son Josias (dressed as an adorable duck) up each walkway and lead the cry for candy. Kurt and I had a great time pretending to take pictures of Matt's first Halloween! It did feel a little strange that only 2 of the 6 of us had ever gone trick-or-treating before... Kurt's wife Lore has never been either but that's because she's from Argentina.

She is a cute cowgirl:

Even if she does look like she's hatching some sneaky plan:

This is what she looks like when you tell her it's still not time for the party (note the Scarlet Macaw cereal in hand):

Happy to learn that there is more candy present than she knew existed:

Have you ever seen a horse sit? Well this is what it looks like... much easier to eat the sucker while not walking around.

Christmas Idea #3

2008-10-30T20:07:00.003-05:00

Gift Idea #3

For Matt- anything that comes with a remote control.

I may not have married a man who watches sports central 24/7 (and for that I am forever grateful) but I did apparently commit my life to a man who isn't becoming more mature in his toy preferences.

Cars, helicopters, airplanes... any item that can be controlled by remote and used to torment both our cat and our child is the perfect present for Matt.

Arts and Crafts

2008-10-29T12:16:00.006-05:00

Abby and I just finished carving the "perfect punkin". I haven't scooped out or carved a pumpkin in about 20 years. In fact, the last time I remember doing it was with Dean in the garage a long, long time ago. So, is it any wonder that I feel a sense of accomplishment?

Is the pumpkin truly perfect? Nope. Did it take me trying out 4 different knives before I figured out how to carve it? Yep. Could Matt, the artist of the family, have made a much better face? Definitely. But I've got to tell you- when I put the candle in the pumpkin and Abby began singing "Happy Birthday to Punkin"- I've never felt prouder.

Christmas Idea #2

2008-10-28T14:57:00.005-05:00

Gift Idea #2

For Abby- Scarlet Macaw Cereal.

What might that be, you ask? Oh, that's just what my child insists on calling Fruit Loops.

Yep- Scarlet Macaw Cereal.

She loves it. For breakfast, for snack, with milk, without milk.

Perhaps we could stuff her stocking with the little snack size boxes? That, or we could use Scarlet Macaw Cereal instead of popcorn to thread onto string and hang on the Christmas Tree.

No Squeaking Allowed

2008-10-27T10:12:00.003-05:00

I brought home a mouse costume for Abby. It was the wrong size... apparently 2T-3T does not apply to my kid... so I took her with me to the store to exchange it. I see now that was my mistake.

Once in the store, Abby spotted a different costume and proceeded to inform me that she did not want to be a mouse, she wanted to be a horse. I finally gave in when she started saying very seriously and very loudly, "I do not want to squeak. I want to neigh!"

Alright then, Abby's going to be wearing a horse costume on Friday... and any other time she can convince me to help her put it on!

She seems to be a pretty good rider for someone who has never been on a horse before :)

Two Seasons In One

2008-10-25T18:28:00.005-05:00

This morning it was autumn, so our little family headed to the Flower Mound pumpkin patch. It was a busy morning and Abby split her time between running through the pumpkins, jumping in a bounce house, going on a hay ride, and meeting all her favorite animated friends in the form of cutout shapes!

But this afternoon, it felt more like spring. So Abby, baby Triceratops (the favorite toy of the week), and I spent some time playing outside.

A person for every pumpkin

2008-10-21T10:33:00.004-05:00

We went to the Dallas Arboretum yesterday with a bunch of friends... all I'm saying is that there are a lot of stay at home moms in the metroplex, and apparently all of us are willing to sacrifice our sanity to let our children look at pumpkins.

I didn't take many pictures... the 80+ degree weather kind of ruined my fall mood. But, here are a few to hold us over until it's cool enough for an outdoor photo shoot.

Abby tried picking up most of the pumpkins... I feel sorry for whoever has to restack them each night!

Abby and Miller were both thrilled by the water fountains. Aren't those little blonde heads cute?

Let me just say that trying to get three 2 year olds to pose for a picture is impossible. Unless you want photos of their little bottoms.

Clarity

2008-10-19T19:52:00.003-05:00

I realized today that it has been nearly 3 years since I've attended a funeral. (No, I have no idea why or how I ended up on this train of thought.) Three years doesn't seem like a long time until I started thinking backwards and it appears that this may be the longest stretch I've gone without a funeral since junior high school. Sure, travesty and natural disasters and terrorism have happened in those three years, but nothing so close to home that I sat in a church grieving. I should count my blessings, I know, but that isn't what I was doing.

Where, you are probably thinking, is this going? Oddly enough I'm not headed down some teary lane. Actually I was thinking about how I always leave funerals with a complete clarity of mind and senses. Do you know what I mean? Where you have cried until there are no tears left, and when you take that first step out of the church or away from the graveside, everything just seems brighter and clearer? You notice the amazing colors of the trees and sky. You actually hear the birds singing. The air smells fresher. You feel a little taller, a little lighter, a little more in touch with every thing and every person around you. God seems a little closer, a little more of a physical presence than a distant idea.

I was thinking today about how I wish I could live every day of my life with the appreciation and understanding I feel after funerals. Not so much a "stop and smell the roses" lifestyle, but more an overall awareness of the bigger picture. I don't want to live my life being afraid that each day could be the last, but rather live it humbled by the fact that there is a day at all. That miracle of miracles, I'm alive. And just like the day after a funeral, nothing else really matters.

Christmas Idea #1

2008-10-16T10:50:00.003-05:00

Some of you out there like to get a head start on Christmas shopping... I understand the desire, I've tried to do it, I just can't. I've actually been successful before- I had all my shopping done before Thanksgiving. Do you know what happened? I just ended up buying more things after Thanksgiving. I can't not shop or make gifts or wrap presents in the month of December.

So instead of trying to do my shopping now I'm just going to start posting ideas for gifts when they come to me. I'm hoping by December 1st I'll have a great list of presents and I won't spend countless hours wandering helplessly through the stores.

Gift Idea #1

For Abby- boxes and boxes of band aids. The kid loves band aids. All sizes, colors, shapes. She sticks them on bruises, scrapes, perfectly healthy skin, and on every stuffed animal that has a loose thread. Perfect stocking stuffer. Immediately useful for any paper cuts that come from opening presents.

Whirlwind Weekend

2008-10-15T19:32:00.005-05:00

Why has it taken me nearly a week to make a single post? Because the past few days have been entirely too hectic. Here is a recap.

Thursday was Matt's birthday. Unfortunately I had to teach class in Dallas and then I picked up my friend Anna from DFW around 10pm. Not much birthday celebration time.

Friday morning I said goodbye to Matt and Abby so that Anna and I could begin the roadtrip to Bandera. We got to San Antonio around 2, checked into the hotel, changed clothes and left for the start of reunion weekend. Nerves were so rampant that I actually burned my arm on the top of an iron. It's a pretty big burn... not the memento I would have chosen, but it's apparently going to stick around.

Friday night consisted of happy hour at the 11th street bar- found directly behind, across from, and diagonal from churches. Then several of us went to dinner where I almost punched a Frenchman. No really, a guy from France was there (what is he doing in Bandera, anyway?) and he was incredibly rude (talk about living up to stereotypes) and it took everything to hold me down. Then we headed to the homecoming football game where the high school students look much younger than I ever remember being. So we ditched after halftime and went to Bandera's new wine and cheese bar. Sounds fancy, doesn't it? Let me say it like this then: we went to Bandera's new wine and cheese bar that is next door to the Family Dollar. There... that should clear up any misconceptions. Actually it was a pretty nice place. It'd make it somewhere like Denton, but I don't hold much hope for Bandera.

Saturday started with a great breakfast and wonderful friends. You know how movies always show the outcast kids being super smart and cool 10 years later? Well, art imitates life. Among the 6 of us that went to school together, and a few significant others, we have some amazing professions, fancy job titles, and hilarious stories to tell.

Saturday ended with the official "high school reunion" which completely eradicated any remaining "funk" I had lingering. All I'm going to say is that Matt and I don't have matching drink koozies and that makes me proud.

Sunday was a quick drive up I-35 and a stop at DFW to send Anna back home to Illinois.

Overall it was a good weekend. I caught up with some very cool people that I've always thought of fondly. And I became ever more appreciative of my husband and my life.

Only 10 more years till the next reunion... I should start getting in shape now!

For Matt...

2008-10-09T09:05:00.003-05:00

from your little girl.

Box of Love

2008-10-08T21:04:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow will be Matt's 32nd birthday. We don't have a whole lot of birthday traditions around here... every year's celebration is different from the one before... but there is one thing I love. Matt's first birthday after we were married- his 26th- I decided to write what I loved about him on a piece of paper. I wrote 1 reason I loved him for each of his 26 years, and then I stuffed them all into this little red box. Well, we still have the box, and as of tonight it now holds 32 things that I love about Matt.

To tell the truth, Matt probably thinks much less of this tradition than I do, but I take comfort in knowing that I've put into words how I feel about him. I love that each year I get to sit down and write out one new thing that makes my heart grow fonder. And I've got to tell you- any time I'm mad at him all it takes is a glance in the box to remember the good stuff.

I hope to continue this tradition every year for the rest of our lives... I hope I have to find a bigger box one day. Each year I pull all of the notes out and reread them... some are eternal things, some are more specific to that year of our lives, but all of them are examples of what a great man Matt is.

So if you're in the market for a new tradition then consider creating a box of love for someone else.

Doubled

2008-10-08T13:20:00.008-05:00

I spent last Saturday morning having brunch with the dorm girls. Six of us lived either as roommates, suitemates, or across the hall from each other my first year at college. We still manage to get together at least once a year and for nearly every major occasion- and this past weekend marked our 10 year anniversary together! Except instead of there being 6 people in attendance- there were 12... 4 tough little boys and 2 sweet baby girls joined us this year. I don't think any of us imagined the day we'd be introducing our children to each other.

It was a good day. Never do I laugh so much as I do when I'm with these 5 women.

I swear we didn't tell the kids they could only play with rocks... that's just what they did.
And Cate made me overwhelmingly happy by flashing this face... a true copy of her daddy.

Slideshow

2008-10-07T14:56:00.007-05:00

How is it possible that kids can look so different so quickly? I remember looking at Abby when she turned 1 and thinking how big she was... now I look at those pictures and think that she was so tiny. I guess it's all a matter of perspective, huh?

This one is mainly meant for the grandparents but if you want to spend your 10 minutes of free time watching pictures of my kid-- then enjoy!

(Make sure you have your speakers turned on, and pause the music at the bottom of the blog.)

Weekend Greatness

2008-09-29T13:14:00.006-05:00

Some really good stuff happened this weekend, so here's a recap:

- Abby and I spent fun time with good friends at Owen's 2 1/2 birthday party.

- I managed to turn a giant pile of tulle into 3 adorable baby tutus. So yes, maybe I was making them for twins, not triplets, but I just wanted Jenn to have the best possible color combo she could for their pictures :)

- My oldest niece Kristen turned 13... that means I'm the aunt of a teenager (now I'm bound to be old and uncool).

- I found a pair of new shoes that I absolutely loved and after trying to decide whether or not I should really spend the $ on them, I decided to go for it... only to find out as the cashier rang the shoes up that they were on sale--- for $2.99. Nope, you didn't misread that, I actually bought a pair of high heel shoes for $3.22 with tax included! The cashier was as shocked as you and I both... she immediately went to the back to see if she could find some in her size.

- Matt and I were able to sit at church yesterday and witness our sweet friend Heather get baptized. Baptisms always make me cry, but being able to watch as Heather- 9 1/2 months pregnant- confessed her love for the Lord had me bawling. Add on top of that the fact that our church is awesome and allows each person to choose whomever they want to actually baptize them (instead of requiring that a pastor perform the ceremony). So watching Heather's wonderful husband David pull her back up out of the water was especially touching.

All in all, an amazing weekend.

One Happy Client

2008-09-24T17:04:00.004-05:00

Here is Abby displaying her new "dress". So far she's found that it's super fun to wear when running in circles and while doing her "super kick"... unfortunately, it also attracts the wrong kind of attention from Troy the cat... he seems to think the dress is his personal toy.

Oh, and in case you're wondering what shoes you wear with a tutu- barefeet or chucks are the options at our house.

Procrastination Equals Productivity

2008-09-23T20:37:00.002-05:00

Here are my accomplishments today:

- a load of dishes
- 3 loads of laundry

- a grocery store run

- put Abby down for her nap on time

- cooked dinner and had it ready when Matt came home

- created the bow which I previously posted

- and made this perfect tutu (which will have to wait until the morning for Abby to discover)

Amazing that I did so much and still managed to not complete the one thing I needed to do: grading papers. I actually worked my butt off avoiding work.

Newest Obsession

2008-09-23T13:45:00.005-05:00

The picture above is my latest creation. Thanks to Heather I'm now addicted, and I mean ADDICTED, to making bows for Abby. If you've seen how much hair my child has, then you know that this hobby is actually a useful one. Since I already went overboard buying ribbon in every color I came across, I thought I might need to find another ribbon related craft for when Abby has more hair bows than clothes...the good news: you can make ruffle socks with ribbon! Hooray- another new hobby and I don't have to buy anything else!https://www.theribbonretreat.com/custom/modules/FreeProjects/PDFRuffledSocksInstructions.pdf

Silence

2008-09-22T15:09:00.005-05:00

Living in Denton again comes with many advantages... great church, great food, wonderful town square, good live music, lots of walking opportunities, community... the list goes on, but my favorite part is probably being so close to the Daskams. I love that I actually drove past Keri on the street the other day. I love hearing Abby randomly ask if we can go see baby Cake. I love that Abby knows what Kas looks like and that he's Troy's brother. And I absolutely marvel at the fact that Keri and I get to put our girls in the stroller or the car and laugh at their squeaks and squeals.

What started as a loud, noisy, occasionally tearful trip to Central Market ended with peaceful silence as the beauties slept side by side.

Disliking Dora

2008-09-18T23:07:00.004-05:00

Abby is going through a Dora phase. Fine, I can outlive Dora. But in the meantime, I have a few issues with the creators. I realize that Dora was created before Diego, but still, didn't she "arrive" around 2000? Not exactly the first cartoon character ever. So what's with Dora's outfit? Why does she have a pink shirt, orange shorts, and yellow socks? Why is her pink shirt just a little too short so that you see a line of belly when she stretches? Why is her head shaped like a football? And why, and this is the big one, why, when Dora and Diego overlap in episodes, is Dora's head twice the size of Diego's?

All I can think is that Dora is the cousin that is just a little bit off. The one you hope doesn't come to the family reunion but of course she'll be there. And you know she'll follow you around the entire time.

Couldn't the creators have made her a little more lovable? A little less mismatched? A little more of a normal sized and shaped head? Why did they do it? And who signs off on these sketches?

To the coolest lady I know...

2008-09-15T20:10:00.006-05:00

Happy Birthday Granny!

You are by far the most amazing woman I know... You've lived enough to fill up twice your years.

You are loved and loving.

"Strength and dignity are her clothing and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also and he praises her saying: 'Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.'" - Proverbs 31: 25-29

Thanks for being you.

And to prove Abby is consistent in her strangeness:

Crazy Kid

2008-09-15T16:51:00.004-05:00

This morning when I told Abby it was cold outside, she immediately ran to her room and put on her hat and mittens. She didn't seem to care that she was missing a shirt, and socks, and shoes. She did remember to grab the duck whistle on her way out the door though.

Oh, and this is apparently her "super kick" which I have no idea when or where she learned:

two very different things

2008-09-13T18:21:00.006-05:00

i know these things are in no way connected, but why make two different posts?

1. today i curled up in a dark room with a pillow, blanket, and sleepless in seattle on tv. a perfect way to spend a rainy two hours.

2. as i was out driving on a busy road i noticed a firetruck with lights and sirens headed my way. i pulled over and watched it speed away. i know this is going to sound insane, but i love watching emergency vehicles on the road. i love that everyone stops worrying about themselves and where they're headed and that all the cars pull over to the side of the road. there's something beautiful in watching a line of complete strangers stop and respect that someone else is more important. this is not a new feeling for me. i've always loved this situation. i feel the same way about the funeral procession. when i see a line of cars with headlights on, and i watch others acknowledge that loss by simply stopping their commute for a moment... it just seems special. maybe it's the community aspect, maybe it's just following unwritten rules. i just know that i feel hopeful when i see it.

Happy Birthday Papa Wayne!

2008-09-12T20:57:00.003-05:00

85 years old and still partying- quite impressive!

As you know, things are never done normally around here, so we hope you enjoy the compilation of Abby's new take on an old song:

Politics

2008-09-11T14:34:00.003-05:00

So Matt Damon compared Sarah Palin in the White House to a "bad Disney movie."

Here's my two cents:
I like Disney movies. Maybe it's the fact that they're family-friendly. Maybe it's the frequent lack of violence. Or the fact that I'm never really sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what is going to happen. Maybe it's the happy endings.

Maybe, just maybe, a Disney movie isn't the worst thing that could happen to America right now.

History 101

2008-09-10T21:29:00.007-05:00

I've just finished reading The Case for the Real Jesus by Lee Strobel. And I know he has written multiple books in the same format, but this one had a specific issue that hit me.

You know how you can hear something and think you know it but then there's that one time that you hear it again in passing and you think, "Wait a minute- what did you just say? That's amazing! Why haven't I understood that before now?" That's how I feel.

See there's the case of Jesus Christ as a physical, historical person and his resurrection being argued. And all these scholars and intellectuals and skeptics all agree that there is an extraordinary amount of proof (outside of the Bible) that Jesus existed, died and was resurrected. I know I already knew that.

Here's why I was dumbfounded:
Why do we (Christians) ever use the phrase, "You just have to have faith" when explaining or defending our beliefs? If there's proof, PROOF, that Jesus lived and was resurrected, why does it seem so strange that we believe it? No one says "You just have to have faith that World War II happened" or "You just have to trust that Martin Luther King, Jr. existed." Those historical events aren't doubted, so why are we defending factual history concerning the life of Christ?

I don't think I'm making the point I want to make... this isn't meant to be a Bible argument, it's much more personal... let me try again.
Why do I have a hard time believing that Jesus Christ really did die for me and that he really will be there for me in the end? Why do I struggle with the "meaning of it all"? Why do I ever wonder if I'm just talking to myself when I pray? How can I have all these doubts? How can I fall back on the "if only I could just SEE Him, it'd make it easier" argument? I've never once asked to see any other historical person to believe.

I just don't understand how I can struggle with something that doesn't require "faith" as much as "acceptance". I don't have to believe that Jesus lived and died for my sins; I just have to accept it.

Milestone

2008-09-08T16:09:00.004-05:00

Well, this is apparently my 101st blog post. So to kick off the next 100 posts, I'm posting a video for the first time. Could someone please tell me why my child randomly decides to sing out of the side of her mouth? Is she a future comedian? actress? ventriloquist? I guess time will tell.

Flying High

2008-09-06T22:19:00.005-05:00

Matt decided today that Abby should fly a kite. It obviously isn't March so it took a little searching to actually find a kite to fly, but eventually we did- thank you Toys R Us.

Abby was a natural:

The only issue was that when we told her to run, she took off and kept going until we chased after her and screamed for her to run the other way.

Fashion Week

2008-09-05T19:49:00.004-05:00

In honor of NY fashion week, I present two looks that will be popular in the Naylor household this fall:

The heart hoodie sweatshirt. Tried it on her during the wonderful cooler weather Tuesday, managed to get it off of her at the end of the ridiculously warm Wednesday. She seems to be a huge fan of the hoodie. Very excited to cover her head for some reason.

The pink hightops. Those who know and love me are aware that I don't purchase pink items willingly. But these may be the cutest shoes ever. It doesn't hurt that daddy has a black pair. If I buy some then we can be the Chuck Taylor-wearing Naylor family.

Unfortunately for Abby, she lives in Texas. So, here she is displaying her excitement that I let her wear her fall shoes with shorts!

Weekend Pics

2008-09-02T19:31:00.003-05:00

Blissfully certain that she had outsmarted the sprinkler by staying one step ahead:

Sadly, she didn't notice the sprinkler was gaining on her until it was too late:
And I took this one today. It's her cute Footloose look:

Grandfatherly Love?

2008-09-01T20:33:00.003-05:00

This weekend Abby spent time playing hard with her grandparents. After watching four adults anticipate her every need and bend to her every whim, I started thinking.

So many times I have heard a message or read a passage that involved the concept of God as Father. And every time it has been presented to me, I've struggled to connect with it. I wasn't a daddy's little girl. I didn't have a great dad. There were even a few years when I didn't have a dad at all. But I had an amazing grandfather. And here's the thing: I never, never doubted that he loved me. I never thought I wasn't good enough. Never thought that if I messed up he'd stop loving me. Never questioned why he loved me or how much he loved me. I just knew that he did.

Most people think parents are forced to love you. How many times have we heard or said some variation of, "Of course you think I'm good enough- you're my mom/dad."? But grandparents don't have the same stipulations. They didn't choose to bring you into the world. They aren't physically and emotionally connected with you from day 1. They can come and go as infrequently as they choose. They get to "give you back" to your parents when they're tired. But in my case, my grandparents chose to love me. Not merely tolerate me, but to love me passionately and irrevocably.

Here's the point I'm getting at: it may be nearly impossible for me to imagine God as my Father, but it seems to be pretty easy to imagine Him loving me like my grandfather did. If my grandad, who was human and made plenty of mistakes, loved me in spite of my many faults, then how much more must God love me?

So, maybe the title isn't as important as I've made it out to be. Maybe every time the Bible and pastors and teachers mention God as a Father it's because that is supposed to be a universal example of perfect love. Well, if that's the case, I'm just going to start adding a little "grand" in front of "father". Here's hoping that isn't too blasphemous.

Hug Tower

2008-08-29T13:58:00.004-05:00

This may be one of my favorite pictures of all time. It doesn't matter that you can't see our faces, or baby cake's amazing blue eyes, I think it's beautiful.

Me and my favorite two little girls in the whole world. Who cares if only one of them is my own?!

A Night to Remember

2008-08-27T15:11:00.008-05:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Yesterday Abby was holding an orange tic-tac in her hand. Held it for an hour and a half in fact. Then she suddenly looked at me and said, "I put the candy in my nose. Get it out!" I looked at her like she was crazy but yep, I could see a little orange sticking out of her nostril. Tried not to freak out. I had her blow her nose. But since she was crying, all the blowing accomplished was orange snot. I threw her into the car and we went to CareNow. Where we sat with lots of high school kids waiting for physicals. After an hour we saw the doctor who looked up her nose and couldn't find the tic-tac. Of course by this time Abby had stopped crying and judging by her sniffling, the orange candy coating was obviously gone. Now we were on the hunt for a white tic-tac. In our naivety we thought, "If the doctor can't find it, that's good right? That means it dissolved or went down her throat." Oh the innocence. Nope, the doctor said we had to go to an ER because it may have moved up into her sinuses.

Off to the hospital. Doctor comes in, looks up her nose, can't see it, and says, "It probably dissolved. I think she's fine, you'll just need to watch her. If she gets a bloody nose or says she has a headache, bring her back." We were relieved as he went to get Abby a popsicle. Turns out the doctor gave us false hope. Because when he came back he said, "You know, since no doctor actually saw the candy in her nose, we need to take an xray just to make sure she didn't aspirate it."

Crap. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep a two year old still while they take chest xrays? Ridiculous.

Eventually the doctor comes back and asks if we happen to have any more tic-tacs. After I get them out of the car, the doctor apparently takes an xray of a single tic-tac. Why? To see if it matches what they see on her chest xray. Yep, it did.

So after 5 and 1/2 hours we found out that most of the tic-tac dissolved and then the rest of it went into her lung. Apparently she'll be fine. We just have to keep her healthy for a few days. And we have to remember to embarrass her with this story when she's a teenager.

Lessons learned yesterday:

- tic-tacs are perfectly shaped for a toddler's nostril.

- some candy may not melt in the hand, but they all melt in mucus.

- when going to the ER, don't forget to take a jacket. even if it is the middle of summer in Texas.

- although beads, marbles, and beans are frequently stuck in noses, a tic-tac was a new item for each of the 5 doctors we saw. Abby is obviously creative.

- we should probably stop joking about how Abby tends to "inhale" her snacks. not so funny now that it has actually happened.

- each of the 5 doctors who looked up her nose commented that her breath was minty fresh. this is probably a more severe way of going about fresh breath than most want to attempt, but still, it is apparently an option.

- somewhere out there is a radiologist technician who's telling his friends, "I've got to find a new job. Last night they made me take an xray of a tic-tac. Yeah, a single tic-tac. No, not a white one, an orange one. What's that about? I didn't go to school for 10 years to take pictures of candy."

Rookie Mistake

2008-08-25T21:43:00.002-05:00

oh, so much to learn. made the giant error of driving (and i use that term loosely- it was more like a slow roll) near and through campus today. first day of fall semester. busiest college day ever. see, i know for a fact that tomorrow and wednesday the sidewalks will have a lighter load. because today everyone received that beautiful essential piece of paper- the syllabus. with detailed rules about class attendance... that it probably doesn't matter except on test days. and even if it does matter, you always get a few freebies. ahh, how i miss those days. feeling hopeful, organized, committed to attending and listening and learning. twice a year. fall and spring.

A few extras

2008-08-22T22:43:00.005-05:00

Here are some photos from the past month that I like but they just didn't make it as the picture of the day:

Straight to the Heart

2008-08-22T21:51:00.003-05:00

About 10 years ago there was a Robin Williams' movie, What Dreams May Come. Remember it? In the end Robin's character had managed to arrive in "heaven" with his wife and children. His heaven looked like one of his wife's paintings- cottage, trees, fields of flowers. The family was wonderfully happy to gather together again. Even their old dog was there.
I remember thinking after watching the movie: obviously not a Christian film, but what a nice happily-ever-after ending... all the things and people that he loved were going to spend eternity together.
Fast forward to tonight when I read this passage by John Piper:
"The critical question for our generation- and for every generation- is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?"
Oh.
Made me stop and think. Even made me remember that song we used to sing in school when we gathered at the flag pole to pray. "At my Father's house there'll be a big, big table with lots and lots of food... a big, big yard where we can play football, etc."
How often we focus on everything except the One Thing that matters about heaven.

That's all folks!

2008-08-20T16:59:00.005-05:00

Challenge complete. I've managed to take at least one new picture every single day for the last month. 30 times I've felt a little lighter after being behind the camera. Things I've learned about myself over the past month: I love macro photography, I seem to find paths interesting, and just walking around watching the light change is inspiring. I also have to mention that Matt may just be the most understanding, supportive husband out there.

I couldn't end the challenge with just a random subject, so I used old faithful: Abby.

Perfectly Worded

2008-08-19T23:08:00.006-05:00

A rather serious entry, but I had to write it down. Those closest to me know that I continually struggle with the concept of death and heaven. It's hard to put into words. I'm not afraid of the physical pain of dying. I'm afraid of leaving people behind and of not having the same relationships in heaven. I understand that this is a totally emotional thought process. I know it means I put too much emphasis on the wrong things. I believe in heaven, but I know what I experience here. That I love being a child, a wife, a mother, a friend. I believe in heaven, I just can't imagine it. Who can, really? It is supposed to be amazing, perfection, beyond imagination. We are supposed to want for nothing there. Who can imagine not wanting?

One time when my grandad was in the hospital he looked at me and said, "I'm not afraid of dying. If God could make all of this, then heaven has to be pretty good." I've thought about that over the past 3 years, and it always makes me feel a little better. But I'm still scared.

Tonight though, I finished reading Beautiful Boy by David Sheff. At the very end he recounts the end of summer as his family was returning from a trip. His daughter, a fourth grader at the time, who was not raised by religious parents, suddenly said, "But you know, I don't think I will be so scared to die. I think it's like today: the end of a vacation when you are ready to go home."

Who would have thought that from the mouth of a child whom I do not know, I would be given a sense of peace?

Yep, that's my girl

2008-08-19T19:49:00.004-05:00

What better way to spend a gray, rainy afternoon than by taking an extended nap? Matt thinks this picture is proof we could have serious issues if we move to Oregon. I'm just happy to see my baby enjoy sleeping like I do.

Simpler Things

2008-08-18T21:17:00.004-05:00

I love this lady. No idea who she is, but I love her. She was out at the lake this evening with a pink fishing pole and she was pulling fish out as fast as she could bait the line. I love that she wore a great hat and that she didn't have a bunch of fancy stuff. She sat on a tackle box and threw her catches into an old beat up bucket.

It made me think how slowly time seemed to move when I lived in the country. Apparently time moves slowly in the suburbs too. You just have to be willing to sit down for a minute.

Lazy Sunday

2008-08-17T21:24:00.004-05:00

Sometimes all that is needed is a cup of coffee and a bistro table.

up close and personal

2008-08-16T19:35:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday Matt Chandler's message concerned self righteousness and self loathing. A week has passed and I still can't get it out of my head. I never thought that I had a problem with self loathing until I listened to him speak. Apparently the millions of times that I've compared myself with other women, godly women, and thought, "if only I was as good as her at ..." has been my own form of self loathing. I have this image of what a truly beautiful godly woman looks and acts like, and it involves being soft spoken, meek, unassuming, endlessly patient and a natural beauty-- all the things I lack. It's a little ironic because I realize that if I actually had each of those qualities, then I'd probably have a huge issue with self righteousness.

Writing with Light

2008-08-15T22:59:00.005-05:00

I love the meaning of the word "photography". Derived from two Greek words, photography is essentially translated "writing with light". I think it's a beautiful and fitting definition. And because I think night photography is amazing, I spent a little time writing with the light of the moon tonight. It may not be in any known language, but I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to play.

transition

2008-08-15T22:49:00.004-05:00

so the photo is a little late, oh well. yesterday was a transition day for us as matt started back to work and I started officially being a stay at home mom. abby and I conquered a trip to the local dmv, an outing with keri and cate, and a reunion with old friends. not a bad first day at work.

the best thing to come of it would definitely be these new yarns for the upcoming knitting project.

Stage 1

2008-08-13T16:17:00.005-05:00

You may remember from the original "funk" post I made that part of my defunking process is a 3 step hair plan. Today stage 1 was accomplished. Shorter and blonder. Stages 2 & 3 will happen in about 6 weeks. (Not the best picture of me but that's understandable. I belong behind the camera, not in front of it!)

The Littlest Phelps Phan

2008-08-13T11:10:00.004-05:00

We think Abby has a future in swimming.

Here is her reinactment of Phelps' warmup routine:

And her cheering for the relay team!

Leaves

2008-08-12T22:13:00.002-05:00

Here is the photo of the day. I think the thinness of these leaves makes them look a little like fingerprints.

Phelps Phan

2008-08-11T21:21:00.004-05:00

I know a few of you out there are with me on watching the Olympics. I also know a few of you (squish) are completely unpassionate about them. I love that the Olympics brings people and countries together, but even more I love that every person has that one favorite event. Swimming is why I watch the Olympics. Gymnastics make me wish I were short and flexible, volleyball makes me wish I were tall and muscular, but swimming just makes me wish I were in the pool. It's the only team sport I ever played. The only sport that I feel comes naturally. And I can not get enough of watching it. Especially when Michael Phelps is in the water. Anyone else just see him win the 200 freestyle? I mean, when you touch the wall, turn around to check the clock, and 2nd place is still swimming towards you- you know you demolished the competition. So far for Phelps- 3 golds, 3 new world records.

Sunset Storm

2008-08-11T20:33:00.002-05:00

I love summer storms... such a nice change of pace.

How did I end up here?

2008-08-10T21:02:00.003-05:00

I love all books, but I have to admit my passion tends to lean in the fiction direction. Tonight I looked down and realized that the 3 books I'm currently reading are all nonfiction. Beautiful Boy is written by the father of a drug addict. Rather serious story. Driving Over Lemons is written by a man who spontaneously purchased a run down farm in Spain. Makes me want to move to a foreign country or at least to an unfamiliar place in the US. And Yarn Harlot is a collection of hilarious escapades by a woman with a passion for knitting. Being as all the women in my family tend to hoard yarn and fabric, the stories hit close to home and I think it's preparing me for the upcoming knitting project.

nurture over nature

2008-08-09T22:23:00.003-05:00

Abby and I went for a walk this evening to capture the light in some nearby trees. After I had managed to get a pretty good photo for the day I turned my camera on Abby. And she gave me this face. It's a big kid smile in my opinion, and in this case, nurture definitely trumps nature. The trees can wait for another day.

hopeful

2008-08-08T20:34:00.003-05:00

since i've decided to join forces with keri and attempt knitting again, i'm craving the fall season. so this little guy gives me hope. maybe he has been hanging around since last year, or maybe he just arrived, but either way i'm happy about it. seeing a little color other than green makes me feel like i can survive the last burst of summer.

Keeping with the panther theme

2008-08-07T21:31:00.002-05:00

-my baby wore her new cat ears around until she fell asleep.
And at her request of, "Mommy, take a picture of me and my buddy" there are two pics today.

Dangerous

2008-08-06T21:35:00.003-05:00

The obvious choice for today is this photo. Nothing like having a black panther in the tall grass stalking you. So maybe he's not a full grown panther, but he could have fooled me. On a totally different but equally important note. If there are any of my friends out there reading this who have read the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, please send me a note. Because I just finished reading the final book this morning (I had to wait until I was done grading papers) and I have a little venting to do. If you haven't read this series, then why are you still reading this blog? Go to your local library and check out Twilight. Kate- go to Half Price Books and buy it. If you don't know where your local library is, send me your name so I can chastise you and then I'll lend you my copy. Yes, the series was written for teenage girls. Yes, it's about vampires. No, it's not cheesy. Yes, it is every bit as good as Harry Potter in a totally different way. Trust me- the first movie will be released in December, so you're going to hear about this for a long time to come. Might as well get a jump on the books!

Digging for Dinosaurs

2008-08-05T21:16:00.002-05:00

Today Abby and I had a playdate with the Souders and the Vanderveers. It was such a great time. I'm amazed by both the kids and the moms. The kids: here are these little people whom I distinctly remember as babies. Where did the time go? The moms: Kristin and Heather are just the most incredibly calm, patient, effective moms I have ever seen. Although Heather is 30 weeks pregnant herself, I watched her sprint, and I mean sprint when Shep started swimming without his arm floaties. Kristin- she just handles 3 boys without even breaking a sweat and it amazes me. I love having women like these around me. They're the type of mom I want to be: beautiful, fun, smart, and obviously loved by their kids.

As the moms had fun, so did the kids. Macy and Abby dug for dinosaurs while Logan, Ian, and Shep made a mess out of sand and water. Five kids between the ages of 2 and 5 and not one temper tantrum, tear, or scream. I'd say that's a successful playdate, wouldn't you?

long day

2008-08-04T19:56:00.004-05:00

unlike yesterday, today was no fun. all I've done today is grade papers. the good news: the semester is over, the bad news: this is the only thing I really saw today.

Extenuating Circumstances

2008-08-04T19:38:00.007-05:00

So, no post yesterday (but I did take a picture) due to the fact it was our 6 year anniversary- I can not believe it has already been six years! We managed to get away and stayed at the Warwick hotel in Dallas. If you've never stayed there, you should give it a shot. It was beautiful. A historic hotel, giant bath tubs, lots of old wood and glass, shutters on the bathroom windows- overall it's a great place to be. The Library (combination of books and a bar) serves over 100 different types of martinis so I tried out the Wedding Cake Martini- seemed only fitting right?

Anyway, I'm a fan of old hotels. Any place that has an old school mail system still in place has character in my opinion.

great minds think alike

2008-08-02T23:52:00.004-05:00

so I went back to my happy place today (see yesterday's pic) to escape grading papers. turned out, I wasn't the only one with that idea. now I don't know that he too was hiding from papers, he might have been avoiding dishes or laundry. all I know for sure is that I wasn't the only one who went there looking for a quiet place to eat a snack.

New Happy Place

2008-08-01T23:54:00.002-05:00

I think I'd be perfectly content to just sit under here and read a book or take a nap.

distortion is beautiful

2008-07-31T17:44:00.006-05:00

I love old glass and windows. Sometimes the world outside looks better when it's a little bit fuzzy.