The Greatest Gift

Merry Christmas, y'all! Hope this year has been blessed.

Billy had Friday off so we spent the entire day baking yummy desserts for our Christmas Eve dinner with my mom, step-dad, brother and sister. We love cooking together so it was a fun day for us. We made lemon and chocolate tartlets and the most sinfully. chocolate. cake. EVER. Chocolate is my happy place and this cake delivered. It's called an inside out german chocolate torte. And I'm finishing off a piece of it right now :D Saturday morning we spent time just the three of us and it was very sweet. And Luke was clueless. I made a big breakfast for us and we stayed in our pj's opening gifts. We only got Luke a couple of small items but several family members mailed him gifts....it looked like a day care through up in our living room! It was very fun and we are so blessed to have such thoughtful family members. Luke has enough new toys to last him until next year :) Later that afternoon we went on over to Billy's parents house and had a great time with them. Luke was SOOOO cranky, wouldn't eat and took forever to fall asleep. I was afraid he was getting sick. Today we realized that he's not sick, he was just working on cutting 4 teeth. Yes 4. At the same time. It was such a fun Christmas with our little family and I can only imagine how next year will go. Today the snow was fabulous and while it would have been fun to play outside or stay inside and watch movies all day, we went shopping instead :) Had Luke been able to walk or had he been just 3 weeks old and wanted to snuggle and sleep all day, we would have stayed home. But instead of carrying around a 26 pound child in the snow or trying to keep him (and us) from going stir crazy by staying inside all day, we ventured out and found some fun deals. I love spending days with my boys!!

So all in all, it was a very merry Christmas for us and a great first Christmas for Luke. We are grateful for many things this year. I am especially grateful for the gift of parenthood. Being a parent brings on so many new lessons, emotions, and opportunities for growth. God has used these past 10 months to stretch me in many new ways and I am thankful for the new and fresh glimpses of His character that He has shown me. We are often reminded that God delights in giving us such great gifts, much more than we delight in giving a good gift to a loved one. And being on the "parent" end of Christmas this year, I was just thrilled to share gifts with my little one. Though we didn't get Luke many gifts for Christmas (I think it was 4, if you count the 2 books I got him...and the other 2 came from yard sales :)), I was SO excited to give him something. I was looking forward to watching him learn how to play with it, explore what it does...I felt like a child, giddy with delight, knowing that I was giving him gifts. I got him those gifts because I love him and I find joy in giving him gifts. As I soaked in God's goodness on Friday night I was blown away and almost caught aghast at the idea that not only does God delight in giving us wonderful gifts, but imagine His excitement, anticipation, and astounding JOY knowing that He gave us the GREATEST gift. Nothing can top His gift of Jesus!

Snow day :)

Exploring new presents

Two sleepy heads on Christmas morning

Five Days of Favorites: Day 5!

This is the perfect day for my last day of favorites! We are a family that loooove soups. Soups make a day so cozy, you can make them in bulk and save them for another rainy or snowy day, and you can typically stretch them pretty far for low cost by just increasing the broth, noodles or potatoes. Here's to a lovely snowy and rainy day :)

Day 5: Chicken Florentine Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 c chopped onions

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

1 can (15 oz) Italian Style tomato sauce

5-6 cups chicken or turkey stock or 1 can (46 oz) chicken broth

1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey

1 1/2 c cooked orzo or other small pasta

1/2 lb fresh spinach, well washed and shredded

1/4 c fresh basil leaves shredded or 1-2 tbsp pesto sauce

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

salt

ground pepper

1. In large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, sugar, Italian seasoning & red pepper.

2. Saute 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent.

3. Stir in tomato sauce and stock; reduce heat to med-low and simmer uncovered 8-10 minutes until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally.

4. Stir in shredded chicken or turkey, orzo, spinach, basil, parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.

5. Cook 4-5 minutes longer until heated through.

6.. Serve with hot crusty garlic bread.

Tutus for Everyone!

Check out the latest from Moms Sew Sassy - 15% off little girl Tutus and free shipping on all products for those of you in the RDU area.

Happy Shopping!

Five Days of Favorites: Day 4

I'm on a blogging roll this week! Another great recipe that we love to use during football season and on lovely snow days. Here comes day four favorite, chip dip for a crowd (Compliments of Jenna Liberto :) )

Cream Cheese Dip:

1 can of stewed tomatoes

2 blocks of cream cheese

1 can of green chiles

1. Melt cream cheese in medium saucepan

2. Add tomatoes and chiles with juices - try to break up tomatoes if possible

3. Bring to a boil

4. Serve with chips!

Five Days of Favorites: Day 3

A staple in our house during Christmas...well, actually all year round, is chocolate. This next recipe is a fun twist on snickerdoodles and it makes for great gift boxes! I just sent off over 60 cookies to my relatives to enjoy over the holidays. Hope you enjoy, too!

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 egg

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup sugar, soda and cream of tartar until combined. Beat in egg & vanilla. Beat in cocoa powder and flour.

3. Drop by rounded tsps. about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

4. Bake 9-11 minutes until edges are firm and cookie begins to crack. Cool on wire racks.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Five Days of Favorites: Day 2

This yummy recipe comes from my amazing sister-in-law, Sarah. She's such a gem and such a godly example of a wife and soon to be mom. Spending time with she and Ray never disappoints and is always a great challenge to us. She made this recipe while we were visiting for Thanksgiving and oh my word, it is SO good!! And SOOO easy!!

Day 2: Apple Butter Pork

1-1.5 lb pork tenderloin

Dijon Mustard

Apple Butter

Cream or 1/2 and 1/2

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place meat in casserole dish and spread dijon mustard and apply apple butter on top so the pork is covered.

2. Bake for about an hour or until slightly pink in the middle. Remove meat from pan & keep warm.

3. Take juice & drippings from pan & mix cream & apple butter until it's a gravy consistency. Serve with pork.

Enjoy!!

Five Days of Favorites: Day 1

Forgive my lack of blogging lately, our modem died so blogging went on hold for a bit. In the meantime I've been cooking up a storm for my fellas and out of town relatives. My oh MY how much my role has changed now that I have a full-time husband! I love having him home, truly. But let's be honest...we joke often about his love language: food! And his little boy takes right after him :) When Billy was traveling 70% of the time that was 70% less meals I had to work on. And 70% less of a grocery bill. So in the past two weeks I have been on a deal searching, meal planning, grocery shopping, food cooking frenzy. I love trying new recipes from friends and I've found several favorites since we said the vows 2 1/2 years ago. In spite of the weather and season I thought I'd spend a few days sharing some of my fall/winter favs!

Five Days of Favorites, Day 1: Brunswick Stew

This is from a sweet friend that brought us a meal after Luke was born. I love it for several reasons. First, it's delicious. Second, it's very easy. Third, it stretches a long way, which is GREAT for the budget - and great to serve with friends :)

1 whole chicken (3 lbs)

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 tbsp veg. oil

3 (16 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes, undrained & chopped

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp flour

1 cup water from boiling the chicken

1 lb red potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 (16 oz) can baked beans

1 tbsp hot sauce

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground tumeric

1/2 tsp pepper

1 16oz can corn, drained

1 16 oz can lima beans, drained (** optional - we HATE lima beans so we never include them)

1. Cook chicken in dutch oven in boiling water to cover until cooked through. Pull apart and chop chicken. Reserve

2. Saute onion and bell pepper in hot oil in Dutch oven until tender. Add chicken, tomato & next 4 ingredients.

3. Combine flour & 1 cup water, whisking until smooth. Stir into chicken mixture. Add potato and next 5 ingredients

4. Cover & cook over medium heat stirring occasionally, about an hour - an hour and 15 minutes. Add corn and lima beans, cook another 10-15 minutes.

**Yields 16 servings

ENJOY!

Good times

Here are a few pics from Erin and I's first show with a Moms Sew Sassy table. It was a great success and we had a blast. There was a lot to learn but very fun...and very encouraging for us to keep moving forward and try another show!

Tree o' Little Girl Purses .. and Diaper Cases :)

Custom Christmas Stockings - These were for Tory and her lovely family (shadethatlamp.etsy.com)

Erin & I with our little table - SO fun!

Look for more posts on our etsy shop being added tonight and tomorrow morning!

Christmas Card Junkie

I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Even more, I love this time of year with my two precious fellas. Life definitely looks different this Christmas but I am so grateful. We kicked off the season this weekend by putting up our Christmas tree and decorating the house. And of course my yummy mulling spices and candles that keep the house smelling like Christmas :)

One of my favorite things about the season is all the Christmas cards we receive (which reminds me...time to send out Christmas cards!). I'm kind of a Christmas Card junkie. It's true. I love looking at Christmas cards sent to my house, sent to my parents houses, sent to friends houses, of people I know, don't know, people I wish I knew... I just love them. I love to get a glimpse of what friends and family are up to and I love displaying all of them in their many shapes and colors. I also love creating our family Christmas card. This year will be our 3rd Christmas together and after all my efforts in shopping around for the cutest card at the most affordable price I always come back to Shutterfly.com. They have the cutest and broadest selection of Christmas cards, hands down. Another great feature is their super easy-to-use editor tool which allows me to quickly and easily upload our own photos and see our custom Christmas card instantly before committing to anything. And most importantly, because I've signed up to their e-mail list I get tons of discounts and coupon codes which give me the best deal around for the quality.

When picking out our Christmas Card this year I found several favorites but noticed that I was mostly drawn to the reds and blacks with black and white photos. Check out a few of my favs (which you'll likely see tailored to our family soon!) and click on the photo to access directly at Shutterfly:

Spread the Word!

Moms Sew Sassy

Yep, it's official! My friend, Erin, and I have ventured into the world of Etsy and opened up shop: MomsSewSassy.

We've had a blast so far scouting out yard sales and scavenging through the scraps bin at Joanne's. It started out pretty random just making pillows and covers here and there but as we started playing around with scraps and extra tid bits of fabric we decided to get creative and dive into bibs, diaper cases, passy clips, little girl purses, stockings and more. We offer custom orders, monogram and personalization. Sewwww fun ;)

Stay tuned for more info regarding a very FUN and UNIQUE Holiday Market featuring all local and handmade items right here in Raleigh...ours included!

Exciting News!

I can hardly stand typing this because it makes me just want to get up and SHOUT out how GREAT our God is! To God's glory it is with a joyful and humble heart that I get to tell you Billy got a new job that will keep him home 60% more of the time!!! This verse has been on my heart all week as I have remembered what the LORD has done. Praise Him!

Clap your hands, all you nations;

shout to God with cries of joy.

How AWESOME is the LORD Most High,

the great King over all the earth!

Psalm 47:1-2

When we first got married Billy traveled even more than he does now (which seems crazy since he is gone 80% of the time right now). I was in class at the time so it was almost a blessing for my grades. I was able to focus, study, read and write while he was traveling and then put it all away when he was home. But once we found out I was pregnant and then brought little Luke into the world things shifted a bit and we have both longed for Billy to be able to stay home more. After promises were left unfulfilled, job offers fell through on multiple occasions, and Obama's new tax law giving benefits to companies that hired the unemployed, I found myself frustrated, disappointed and longing for something different. There was at one point when we were so certain that Billy was going to get a new job - it was all things we prayed for, they were extremely interested and flew him to their headquarters to meet with their top 4 execs, it was the perfect salary...everything seemed right in our eyes but the Lord still said no. I don't really know words to describe how I felt....I just remember sitting on the floor looking at Luke play with his toys and crying out to the Lord wondering why another "no." Looking back on the past year I am so thankful the Lord did not give Billy a job any sooner, for my heart needed to be changed.

A lot of it was a battle with myself; What I wanted, what I pictured life to be like, what was convenient for me. But the Lord graciously reminded me that He is my portion, He is my strength, He alone is all that I need. I finally came to the realization that if this is what the Lord has for us, then that's ok. If this is what life for us will look like for the next several years, it's ok.

I've clung to Isaiah 40:31 during this time:

Yet those who wait for the LORD

Will gain new strength;

They will mount up with wings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired,

They will walk and not become weary.

God is my strength and my shield and He is made perfect in the midst of my shortcomings. On the nights I couldn't fall asleep He provided ladies to stay with me. On the days that I felt alone and like I couldn't do it on my own He brought encouragement in many different ways. On the mornings that I just needed a good Word from Him to help me make it through, He delivered! He gave me new eyes to start seeing opportunities of how He could use this time and gave me new ways to serve my husband away from home. And after finally surrendering to Him He graciously and undeservingly blessed us beyond what we could have come up with ourselves.

I am so thankful and look forward to see what God has for us in the coming months. I'm sure it will be an adjustment (ie living together full-time for the first time ever) but I gladly welcome it!

Home, sweet home

Well, we're back. It was truly a fantastic trip but I am SO exhausted. Traveling with a child adds slightly more..."oomph" to your trip. Just a few poopy diapers (through pants), a few meltdowns before the planes even took off, whacking his head twice on the overhead compartment - complements of Billy - two throw ups and one lost passy we are home and it feels soooo good. Despite the craziness traveling with a little one brought the trip was worth it. I've said this before but although life looks different with a little one we absolutely love it. I'm not sure Billy would have said that in the midst of getting thrown up on and watching Luke terrorize all the businessmen sitting in first class with us ;) We had a blast and got to experience lots of things we wouldn't normally choose thanks to PPD and Billy's ridiculous amount of hotel/airline points he's accumulated in the past 5 years. I think that is the only perk to his job. That and the chocolate he brings home for me from every city he goes to.

It's amazing how two years ago when we were in the City we only cared about landscaping and pictures of each other (hah, what am I going to do with 15 pictures of me in front of the statue of liberty?!). This year all the pictures were taken on one day and they feature our precious little one. We are blessed! Here's a few snapshots of our trip.

A little excited? This is the story of his life.

Cheesin' :)

Boy, I sure do love him!

My favorite boys :)

Billy is hands down Luke's favorite thing on this planet.

Sometimes it's really adorable and sometimes it's slightly annoying.

Oh the places we go

Last weekend I had the amaaaazing privelege to sit under Anne Graham Lotz and listen to her for hours while she brought the Word. SBF had their first ladies retreat and it was absolutely FANTASTIC. Not only do I just love a good retreat, I LOVE me some preaching by AGL. Everything went very smoothly from an organizational standpoint but so many lives were changed. One of my most favorite things that Anne reminded me of was of God's omniscience. If God knows all things, then there has never been a new thought in his mind. And since we know that to be true, we know that He has never stopped thinking about me! Or you! I am not a surprise to him, what has happened is not a surprise to Him and what I am going through - no matter how big or small - is still not a surprise to Him. How precious and feet-stompin-good it was to be reminded of that truth. I was also so blessed by my husband to have a solid 24 hours to worship hard and focus soley on the Word of God. I came home to a clean house (including mopped floors?!), a very happy baby, clean bottles, errands run, and laundry in the works. I didn't have any worries of him staying home with Luke since he is such a hands on dad to begin with, but it was such a blessing to walk into the home and STILL not have to worry about things getting done.

And now we are in the city that never sleeps! As much as I love living down South I absolutely LOVE nyc. Billy and I have been a few times since we've been married, though this is the first time with Luke, and every time we're here I love it a little bit more. I can't decide what I love more, shopping at my favorite stores or playing out scenarios in my head of meeting celebrities and becoming BFFs with them. No seriously...I do that. We had a wonderful day hitting up the clearance racks at some of my favorites stores, long walk through Central Park, visit to Grand Central Station, and dinner in a fabulous french restaurant in the meat packing district. Billy will be working the rest of the week so Luke and I will be on our own. Although Billy's traveling gets very old at times, I'm thankful for the opportunity to go on free vacations such as this. Speaking of Billy's work, he got another e-mail from the VP of the company he's interviewed with in the past month and they have some potential business that Billy could potentially manage. We are praying for a change. Thankfully, my heart is in a MUCH better place than last time so I am ok either way. I know God has great ministry and learning opportunities regardless of where Billy works.

Alright folks, TV time - we don't have half the channels at home that we do at this hotel! MAN we are so lame...

Vote for Luke!

We are trying to win a $25,000 scholarship for Luke. Hey, it's never to early to plan, right?! Gerber Generation is hosting a contest in which you can upload a new picture once a month and have friends/relatives vote once a day per e-mail address/computer. Help us win by clicking the link below and clicking on "vote"!

VOTE FOR LUKE!

New Discoveries

I feel like this week has been a week full of new discoveries - for Luke and myself.

Big boy has teeth. He has learned to pull-up. He mastered the ability to use his thumb and index finger to grasp things. He can now go from crawling to sitting on his bottom, and he is usually tickled to death upon doing so. And last, but certainly not least...he has figured out how to climb up the first stair in our house. (insert hyperventilation here).

I, on the other hand, have made some new [to me] discoveries myself.

1. Jesus Culture. I was feeling like my ipod was getting a little dry in terms of music selection so before going on a very long walk with Luke I asked for some suggestions to get a pep in my step...and let me tell you. This put a pep in my step, a yearning in my soul, and rejuvenated a deep and gut-wrenching enthusiasm for singing praises to the LORD. My neighbors likely thought I was slightly mental as they saw me walking down the street. Or dancing, rather. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-lY8VQpSTY if you want a taste of our worship fest.

2. Whitney Miller, Masterchef. We're friends on facebook. Enough said.

3. Williams and Sonoma kitchen towels. Do you ever feel like your kitchen towels just don't soak up water? Personally, it's a pet peeve. It just kind of shoves water around instead of actually absorbing something. Billy and I have a secret love for Williams and Sonoma but typically don't shop there due to the pricing. But, we just so happened to stumble in when they were having a kitchen towel sale. Sometimes I get my hands wet just to wipe them in my new towels... yikes.

4. Ebay. I know, a little behind on the times. My mom started shopping for Luke on there and so out of curiosity I took a look for myself. My heavens, it's a big new world out there!

5. shadethatlamp.blogspot.com. My precious friend, Tory, is a fabulous interior decorator and lampshade designer. She has such a BEAUTIFUL heart and is helping me redesign and decorate my living room with things we already own. What a true gift she has!!!

6. Harris Teeter's chocolate chips. Call me crazy if you will, but seriously, they make a difference. 7. Starbucks Light Mocha Frappaccino. I don't go to Starbucks often but I was recently given a gift card to the ever so lovely Starbucks. I'm a HUGE hot chocolate person which is typically my drink of choice when making a stop into Starbucks. But let's be honest, folks. I need a little more caffeine these days and the hot chocolate just doesn't deliver.

What do you DO all day?

When chatting with new friends or running into old, I often get asked what I do for a living. When I reply that I'm staying home with our son, Luke, it is almost guaranteed that the next question asked is, "What do you DO all day??" (As if I sit around and twiddle my thumbs while watching Luke take care of himself for the day will suffice). I've taken a lot of time to think about how to answer that question instead of just staring blankly unable to come up with something I won't regret saying later... While a large portion of my day truly does revolve around my son and meeting his needs, I feel empowered and privileged to say that I am staying home to raise my son and take care of our home, which in our house is a full time job.

So what DO we do all day?

Well...

we eat, we play, we sing, we walk, we worship, we take Simon (a 4 year old autistic child) to school, we play with Wyatt (our beloved and ever-so-hyper/needy dog), we change diapers, we sing some more, we do laundry, we eat some more, we (ie: Luke) take naps - while I take a shower-check e-mails-make phone calls-pay bills, we clean the house, we read, we cook, we get things ready for Sunday School, we work on Bible Study, we meet dad for lunch, we take Billy to the airport, we pick Billy up from the airport, we work on Nourish stuff, we connect with friends, we have play dates, we go to the park, Luke takes another nap, we get dinner ready and then dinner time could be a whole post in itself. AKA the bewitching hour when all children turn evil. And the night usually ends with giving Luke a bath, going to community group, going to Bible study, or going to various meetings for other activities that we're involved in. If we're lucky we might have a dinner night with friends or family :) Then, by the time that is all over and Luke is in bed, Billy (when he's in town) and I clean up the dinner mess, throw the diapers in the wash, finish laundry from earlier in the day, grab a snack for dessert and plop on the couch in hopes for just a few moments of relaxation before we're too exhausted and head to bed. Throw in a few trips to the grocery store, Target, the mall or Dr's office visits and my days and weeks are pretty much slammed. Oh, and he's only 8 months old and isn't walking yet or able to talk back to me. So give him a few months when he's on the move and able to blatantly disobey (more than he already does) and I'm sure I can add a few more things to the list.

What do you do all day?

Canned Peaches

For the past year Billy has been encouraging me to start canning. It seemed like a lot of work and quite honestly, I wasn't interested. But now that we have a little boy that eats as much as I do in one day - and he's 6 months old - I've got to keep an eye on that grocery bill of ours, and I genuinely want him to have fresh, healthy food on a regular basis. So, last week since I was late to Yoga and got locked out (crazy strict rules, apparently...) I went ahead to the Farmer's Market since I had a couple hours to kill without a baby on my hip. Out of curiosity, I asked a lady at a peach stand if she had any "seconds." She pointed to a huge flat of peaches and I was able to get about 60 peaches for $4!!! They weren't the prettiest and a few had bruises, but what a steal!

So, on Saturday my dad came over to hangout with Luke while Billy and I dove into the world of canning. We had a fun time and learned a LOT. We canned 10 quarts of peaches, and 9 out of 10 actually sealed. Here are a few pictures of our canning adventure...we now have a pantry full of peaches and I actually want to do it again!

My $4 peaches!

Boiling the jars

Peeling and slicing the peaches

Soaking in water to prevent browning

Into the jars they go

Waiting to be processed

Final product..10 quarts of peaches

The real hero of the day - thanks, Dad!

A Day in the Life of Luke

Here are a few of our favorite videos that capture a typical day in the life of Luke. Enjoy :)

Luke Eats

Luke Scoots

Luke Stands

Luke Takes a Bath

*For those of you that know me, know that I get very excited and very animated when I'm excited. I think this video pretty much sums up what Luke gets from me :)

Little Update

Had a fantastic Dr's appointment today and my hematoma is now just 2x1 cm. That's pretty impressive considering the starting point...8x13 - yikes! Thankfully I don't feel a thing and haven't noticed it for about 3 months. I'm a little bummed that I don't go back for another visit for 3 whole months...Atrium is kind of like my 2nd home ;)

Billy had a fantastic interview in Philadelphia with the cofounders, Director of Clinical studies and Attorney at the company he would LOVE to work for. The CEO e-mailed twice after the interview saying that they're convinced he would be a great hire and that they would love to make him a formal offer between now and mid-September (depending on new clients...). That is great news, but I am impatient and ready for my hubby to come home. For good. So, you can join us in praying for perfect timing of the position, an appropriate offer, and for my heart as the Lord teaches me so much through my loneliness and frustration of being a single mom during the week while he is away.

I went through a funk last week of not wanting to anything after Luke went to bed so I pretty much just stayed on my couch until it was my bedtime. This week I've perked up a little and I'm back to crafting fun things on a budget for the boy :) I picked up some inexpensive winter onsies at Walmart and have been "boying" them up a bit with appliques made out of scrap fabric from some of Billy's old shirts...one of a dinosaur, one with an owl on a branch, a fish with bubbles and an "L." Will post pictures once they're done. I've also begun updating the living room (also on a budget) and getting ready to buy some fun, inexpensive fabrics on etsy to recover the pillows. I'll be sure to post before and after pictures of that as well.

That's all for now friends.

A sneak peak of Luke's 6 month photos

Despite Luke flipping on his head out of the bucket, a few leaves and dirt in the mouth, and crazy mosquito bites for mom and dad + a bee sting...I say these turned out pretty well for home photos :)

6 Months Already???

My little boy turned 6 months old yesterday. I can't BELIEVE it. What is even harder to believe is that in 6 months I will have a 1 year old! We are blessed beyond belief with the amazing gift of our son, Luke. We are humbled daily as we continue to walk out this journey called Parenthood.

The past two weeks have been fun, and busy of course :) Billy and I went to Chapel Hill for a night away to celebrate our 2 year anniversary. It was such a treat, and Billy's parents did a great job watching Luke. Luke loves them so much and we are SO grateful to have family close by that will watch Luke in a heartbeat. Then we went to see our awesome sister and brother in Gainesville, Georgia. What a great time of relaxing and fellowship it was. Billy's sister, Sarah, is 10 weeks pregnant! I am so excited for her and it was fun to chat it up about pregnancy stuff. On that note, maybe I should mention that we ... HAH. Totally kidding. Let's work on paying the first one off.... Anyways, back to Georgia. We spent the day in Atlanta at the Coke Factory. Very fun. We also spent time on the lake, also lots of fun. Ray and Sarah are naturals with Luke and put up with his extreme fussiness due to lack of sleep...bless them.

Then we journeyed into the mountains with my mom's extended family. We all stayed in cabins scattered throughout Vogel State Park. I grew up going to this state park yearly with my family and extended. While we were there I had a lot of time of reflection on all God has done in my life the past 10 years. He taught me about heritage and more importantly He reminded me of all that He saved and protected me from. It was VERY relaxing and beautiful weather. We were tucked away in a valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains where we took hikes to the waterfalls, took lots of naps, tootled around town to random country stores, and ate some gooooood southern food with my biiiiiiig southern family. There was one night that I totaled up the number of butter sticks used in our meal that night. 8 sticks of butter for 12 people. Shew! Billy and I were very blessed to spend time with my great uncle & aunt, Larry and Rita. What a beautiful couple they are and such a sweet example of a marriage that sticks it out through it all! Through various diseases, financial hardships, business deals (good and bad), they are more in love than anyone I've ever met. They were a real treat to be around!

Herbalife is going great! Not only are other people trying it out and seeing great benefits to their health, but Billy and I are both noticing changes regularly! Billy lost 5 pounds, his milk allergy is gone, and his allergic reaction to a glass of beer is gone as well. I also stopped loosing all my hair (after Luke was born, my hair was falling out in mass quantities...a little scary!). We've had fun coming up with delicious recipes for our shakes...so yummy and so good for you.

Here's a few snapshots:

2 Year Anniversary :)

Luke stands!

Family shot at Vogel State Park before hiking to the water falls

Luke & Aunt Sarah!

Billy, Luke & Uncle Ray at the Coke Factory

Luke & Billy down by the waterfalls in Georgia

Holy Moly...

Luke sleeps on his belly.

The bag I made for Lucy's big 1st birthday! In side were matching "memory game" cards with numbers and shapes. Quite a learning process, for sure, but lots of fun and I was pretty pleased with the result.

Grimme fam in PA

Grandma Rust watching the Tampa Rays game.

Blowing out the candles on her 90th birthday!!!

I'm tuckered out! Phew, I can't believe we're already midway through July. WHERE has this year gone??

The Travel:

This summer has been loads of fun so far, quite a bit of traveling as mentioned last time. And with traveling comes packing...and then of course the dreadful unpacking and laundry make-up days to follow. Billy had to work in Pennsylvania so Luke and I jumped on board and went to visit my wonderful cousins who live very close to where Billy was working. We had a great time :) Then the next weekend we moved on to Florida to celebrate my grandma's 90th!! birthday. What a sweet time it was for her... My dad got little poppers with streamers to pull as she blew out the candles. As the evening went on, her description of events evolved from "streamers" to "fireworks" to "explosives" and then ended up at "bombs." I think her exact words were, "I've never had a birthday party as wild and crazy as this...we even had bombs at my party!!" It was wonderful celebrating with her. The flying wasn't bad on the way there (minus the lost luggage...) and Luke did great - slept the entire way, including the connecting flights and even on the way to the hotel. He didn't, in fact, wake up until the next morning - what a blessing. The way home, not so much.....

We had a couple weeks at home which was nice, and now we're gearing up for our next round of adventures. Billy is currently in Alaska working/fishing and Luke and I just got back from spending the night in Henderson with my dad. Next Monday Billy and I will be celebrating 2 years of marriage. I can't believe it. I am BLESSED by such a patient, selfless, and generous husband. The Lord has given him such a heart to provide for Luke and I and he is an absolutely fantastic father. Sometimes when he comes home I think, man he's going to be exhausted after flying all day... and while he is completely pooped, he jumps right in and finds such joy in playing with and caring for our son. Next Wednesday we leave for Georgia to hangout with our AWESOME sister and brother-in-law for a few days and then we will go to a state park in Georgia to camp for a week with my extended family.

The Jobs:

As many of you know, Billy's job requires him to travel. A ton. We have been praying that the Lord would bring something new into his life, a perfect fit for our family. He's had a few interviews but just recently he had a first interview with a company that he would LOVE to work for. He has a second interview on Monday, and the cofounder wants to talk with him Friday before the interview. We've gotten wind of a few things from our friend that works for the company and we are hopeful and believing for big things from our awesome God.

About a month ago (after visiting my cousins in Pennsylvania) I started a program called Herbalife. It's a nutrition company that focuses on whole body wellness and cellular nutrition. After my cousin heard my birth story and how I was STILL dealing with the aftermath of a complicated delivery + a massive baby she was convinced that Herbalife would make a difference. And it DID! I am finally healing (I would say I'm almost 100%..woo!), I've had more energy, my digestive system is functioning better, and I've lost 8 pounds of my pregnancy weight! It has been incredible for me so I decided to get on board with her and become a distributor. Already friends have started on various programs and are beginning to see a difference in their overall health. What I love about it is that it's all natural, all plant-based, and all REALLY good for our bodies. It gives our bodies the exact amount of vitamins, nutrients and minerals that we need (according to the American Association of Medicine) without having to add a ton of extra food and calories to our diet. Needless to say, I'm a fan and have had a great time spreading the news.

Hobbies:

Well, I finally bit the bullet and bought a sewing machine :) I've wanted to for a while but was having a hard time finding time to buy one and figure things out. I've had a blast with it and have been making a few things here and there, including something mighty special for some dear friends of ours who's daughter just turned 1. It's been a learning process but I love what I've been able to make.

I'm still working on the Radical book. It's been so great to read through, but with raising a little boy (who doesn't seem to think sleep is a fantastic idea during the day), traveling, laundry, cooking, appointments, sewing, Herbalife and quality time with my husband, I haven't made a ton of time for casual reading lately....

The Boy:

Last, but definitely not least. He is 5 1/2 months and looks like a 2 year old. That is a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much. He is huge. Very tall, hands are huge, feet are long, it's just crazy. He is wearing mostly 9 month onsies and anything with feet...everything else is too short or makes his toes scrunched up in the end. His waist is itty bitty, though, so he's wearing 0-3 month shorts. The child loves to eat. In fact, I think that's probably when he's most delighted. It's a good thing I decided to make his own baby food! He's sitting up on his own, for the most part. Absolutely LOVES Wyatt. Laughs hysterically anytime Wyatt makes noises. He is very active and wants to be involved in everyone and everything. Loves faces and is really big into grabbing them to make sure he has your full attention and then gives a monster grin that takes up his whole face. He's been saying, "hyyyyy" a lot lately and I'm wondering if it's just his noise of the week or if it's because we always say, "hiii" to him :) He wants so badly to crawl but isn't quite there yet. He rolls around a ton and startling last week he is officially sleeping on his belly all on his own. One night I went in to check on him and he was curled up in a corner of his crib snuggled on his belly (very sweet).

I think that's all for now. I'll post pictures soon once Billy brings our camera back from Alaska ;)

Been a while

It's been a while since I've taken time to post anything. It's been a little busy around here but so much fun in the Grimme house. Right before Luke was born and shortly after we came home I had a couple days of being very fearful that Billy and I's marriage would never be the same and that we wouldn't be who we used to be. I feared that our lives were over and that we were going to be 90 before we knew it - true story. Each little thing we did, such as watch TV (big deal, right??) together or stay up late in bed talking about things we're learning, I felt like we accomplished something and that we were still "us". As silly as it sounds, it's true. Each day brought more and more of a sense of normalcy and by the time we were home for a week I was very relieved. I'm happy to report that 3 1/2 months later we aren't 90 and dying! ;) Honestly, we have grown closer and such a stronger love for one another as we take care of our son and spend time as a family of 3 + Wyatt. We are learning so much and God is walking us through such an incredible journey together. I absolutely love the time we're spending together and it has been a great joy and blessing to have Luke in our lives. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Luke is growing a TON, and while I think that 4 months isn't really that old, I feel like my little baby isn't such a little baby anymore! He's quite the noise maker and we've finally conquered naps. I had read that around 4 months of age their sleeping cycles regulate and they become better sleepers during the day and night. Truth! Little boy blue is now taking 2 naps a day, in bed by 6:30 and doesn't wake up until 7:30 or 8 the following morning. He's also started solids. I just couldn't keep up with how much milk he wanted and formula was tearing up his stomach. So we tried rice cereal and he LOVES it. Along with bananas. Later today we're going to try peas...we'll see how that goes! It's been fun learning to make baby food :) Luke is also a huge fan of water...bath, lake, pools. It's been a fun start to the summer so far, and the coming months bring more fun and lots of travel. Billy, Luke and I will be going to Pennsylvania, Florida, Charleston and Georgia between now and the first of August. Traveling with a baby will be interesting but I'm looking forward to it.

Recently a friend posted a link on facebook for a promo video highlighting the new book Radical, by David Platt (thanks Anne :)). As if the video weren't powerful enough, I read the bio on discerningreader.com and thought it would be a fun book for Billy and I to read through together. Fun? Hah :) I could think of many other words that would describe the heart change God is moving us towards while reading this book, but I'll save it for another post once we're finished with it. In the meantime - go pick it up and take a read.

Humbled.

God has been doing a mighty work in my heart the past few weeks and every time I think about writing it, a new treasure is revealed and I'm once again on my knees in awe of Him. There are three things He has been chipping away at and it has been such a challenge to swallow, but such a sweet time of learning with Him. And believe me, we are continuing on this journey. Pride. Security. Vanity.

Pride. As my pastor said this past week, "How much pride is too much? Any." Amen. I've been studying Daniel with some awesome ladies and as we've studied the words said by and written about King Nebuchadnezzar the Lord has spoken some deep truths to me regarding my pride issues. A deep longing to be recognized and praised, wanting to be known as if I deserve something or am above someone else. I accepted the fact that I had pride issues, but it didn't REALLY hit me until last week when we received over $1000 worth of checks in the mail. One of them was $500 from some dear friends saying, "We wanted this to be anonymous but the bank wouldn't let us. The Lord told us to give this to you to help with the hospital bills right now." Really? REALLY?? Yes, my God provides. And yes, I wanted to give back the money and say we didn't need it because I was too prideful to accept a gift from our friends. Knowing I have to see two more specialists this week likely leading to yet another scan and very likely a surgical procedure, I wanted to deny a gift because I was too prideful to accept. WOW. Then God spoke powerfully on Sunday morning (check out the sermon at Southbridgefellowship.com. Ah-Mazing.) My lovely pride issues falling right in line my heavy security issues that I look for in my husband - funny that he travels every week. Leaves quite a bit of time to spend finding my security in the Lord, that's for sure! Oh and then there was the meltdown after trying on swim suits about the drastic changes my body has taken since my sweet son was born and mourning over the fact that I am 22 years old and having to visit my dr. every 3 weeks, see a back specialist, go back to physical therapy, and see a colon specialist (yes I just said colon in a blog. twice.) because of yet more issues from the delivery. But God is good and gracious with His teaching, though it is heavy at times. My body is a temple and it was not made to live forever. And it was not made for me to flaunt or pridefully boast in my weight or figure. And one day I will be given a new body to worship Him in forever. So the past few weeks have been heavy. But I have been reminded of His provision, His security and comfort that can only be found in Him, and the desire for Him to be the ONE AND ONLY thing I worship.

A couple updates about the fam.. Luke is incredible - he is 3 months old! He's so stinkin long. Most pants are capris on him and 3 month socks are too small. In fact most things that are 3 months old are too small because he is so long. He's having a hard time with naps but the Lord is giving me patience (most days ;) ) and friends that give me ideas on what to try next. He is so close to rolling over and he is sitting up in his bumbo without any help at all. He discovered Wyatt a couple weeks ago but can now focus on him and thinks he's very funny looking. He talks...a lot. I've started video taping and recording his sounds on my phone because it's pretty much non-stop. It keeps me giggling throughout the day and brings such joy to hear him so happy! He's very close to going from 10 pm - 7 am without waking up, but not quite there yet. About once a week he'll give me a 7pm - 7 am stretch which is incredible. I'm going to miss snuggling with him in the night :) Oh and he LOOOOVES music. Mostly classical??? Which typically puts me to sleep, but he loves it. He's also a fan of Steve Green's Hide Em In Your Heart, Baby Einstein soundtracks and Praise Baby. Billy is still traveling like crazy but we have lots to look forward to this summer - our 2 year anniversary in Charleston, visiting with his sister and brother in law in Georgia, a week camping with my grandma (yes you read that correctly), celebrating my other grandma's 90th birthday in florida, taking a trip to LA with him for business and a family beach trip with the Grimme's....phew, that's a lot! It's a challenge for me to have him gone so much because quite honestly, I miss my best friend! But, it makes our love for one another stronger each trip and we have such a sweet and fun time when he's home so it works...for now :)

As of late....

Wyatt is fooling you into thinking he can actually hunt. When really, animals fall out of trees in our back yard and he thinks he has accomplished something magnificent. True story.

Chillin on the dock

Seriously? This smile gets me every time...about a hundred times a day :)

Sittin in the shade on the dock

That's my boy :)

Many things to be thankful for...

a marriage FULL of laughter.

friends that are obedient to Christ.

over $1000 in the mail in one day - to pay off hospital bills and to remind us that He provides, always.

skype.

a sweet morning with friends and babies.

my Daniel Bible Study.

pastors that boldly proclaim the TRUTH.

sweet ladies in Bridge Kids that like to love on my son.

my sweet sweet friend, Janet, that tells me she loves me every time she talks to me and is always there with encouraging words and helpful tips in taking care of Luke. And her willingness to babysit him while we're at a wedding next weekend. What a blessing she is.

friends who speak truth to me, regardless of how it might sound.

luke's awesome sounds when he is playing by himself.

a baby that is content playing by himself at times.

hearing my husband talk to luke and seeing them interact. precious.

luke's grin and giggles (and the milk spewing out of his mouth) when I'm feeding him and he catches my eye.

energy from the Lord that sustains me the days after a rough night's sleep.

billy's job.

my dear in-laws that are probably the most mission focused and servant minded people I know.

brothers and sisters that are followers of Christ.

an afternoon with my whole family celebrating mother's day and my mom's birthday at the park.

delicious chocolate cake.

getting to stand up at church when they asked mom's to stand up. I love the gift of being a mom.

the smell of my sweet baby boy.

snuggles with Luke in the morning.

an evening of worship this Thursday night with some fantastic women!

His word piercing my heart.

beautiful weather the past few days and a chance to get out and enjoy it with my fellas.

the opportunity to travel with Billy and Luke this summer.

my friend Julianne coming over ... right now! :)

He restores my soul

The past 48 hours have been trying and rather emotional, to say the least. Nothing extravagant or traumatic has happened, really. But every now and then I reach my limit with Billy's traveling schedule. Every time Billy takes a trip, which is usually every week, God sustains me and meets me where I'm at each and every time. Every so often I hit my limit...where I just don't think I'm emotionally able to keep saying goodbye for a few days just to say hello for 24-48 hours, to then say goodbye again. It's not always this vigorous, but in those moments where I reach my limit you would think my husband is a soldier fighting in Afghanistan who has been gone for 18 months. Not so much the case.

I could write out the whole story, but I think that would put me back a few steps and keep me dwelling on the unfortunate. So we'll just start with this morning...this morning I was emotionally and physically drained. I was supposed to pick Billy up at 9:35 this morning. Shortly after I woke up, knowing that I was in a not so great emotional state I sent an e-mail to friends asking for prayers knowing that I was going to desperately need supernatural energy, patience, and and generosity to make it through today. A few minutes later I get a phone call that put icing on my already drained cake saying that Billy missed his connecting flight...so he will now be home for 24 hours to the minute. Now my sweet husband is emotionally and physically drained. After I got off the phone I found myself in tears again over the small stuff crying out to the Lord - about the very little stuff like my husband missing his flight. And I sat there playing with Luke as he's just giggling and cooing away totally avoiding the obvious. You know those moments when you know know know with everything in you that you should speak up to the Lord, but you just realllllly don't feel like it? Maybe it's just me. But today was one of those times. In my mind I'm thinking, "I don't want to talk about it and I don't want to deal with it. So I'll just mope about it, thank you very much." So in the midst of my tears I started pouring out my heart to Him, the only things coming to mind were thanks and praises to Him for all sorts of things. And then begging for strength and energy and for a glad and servant's heart to welcome my husband home and make the best of our short time together. And then praying for my husband, who is completely exhausted when all he wants to be doing is eating breakfast with us and soaking up some quality time instead of sitting in the airport drinking halfway decent coffee.

My very specific requests were as follows:

-pray that I would have supernatural energy to make it through this next day

-that I would have patience with Billy's schedule

-that I would stop dwelling on the crapiness of this situation

-that I would look for opportunities to serve Billy when he gets home

-And lastly that I would still find ways to praise Him in the midst of the tears

And would you believe it, just like He always does, He restored my soul. And I am singing songs of praise to my sustainer and creator on this beautiful day.

Thank you for....

#26 - letting my husband arrive safely in Chicago and get sleep on the plane.

#27 - my dear sisters in Christ that will lift me up in prayer

#28 - giving Billy a job that allows me the opportunity to stay home with Lucas

#29 - Billy's patience and hardworking attitude and desire to provide for us

#30 - for Luke's handsome smile and sweet excitement that greeted me this morning when I got him out of his crib

#31 - my generous mom that offered to fly Luke and I to New Mexico with Billy, even though it didn't work out

#32 - sleep for Luke and I this morning during nap time :)

#33 - a very healthy and happy baby

#34 - the gift of technology

#35 - restoring my soul this morning.

This verse spoke to me greatly this morning...

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, HE RESTORES MY SOUL....He guides me in paths of righteousness for HIS name's sake.

Psalm 23:1-3