moments along the way

Just because

2009-03-31T10:44:00.002-04:00

I had a request to update this blog...so I thought I'd give it a whirl. We got the first call on our house yesterday. An engaged couple who has been looking in our area and saw our ad on Craigslist and loved it. They want to see it this weekend, so hopefully they'll call back and actually come. So this week we're just trying to clean and straighten up (AGAIN!). Cleaning is so short-lived. I hate how it can look great for like a day, and then you live there, and in a week, everything you worked so hard on last week needs to be done all over again! Sigh. Such is life.

I must say, I have mixed emotions about someone coming to see our house. While the possibility of actually selling it and getting one step closer toward the direction we feel God is leading us in is definitely exciting, I'm also sad for multiple reasons.

This was my first place on my own and I put my heart and soul into making it just what I wanted.
Then, it's Mike & I's first place together. We've spent our entire marriage so far here.
I still just really like it.
With Baby W.'s arrival quickly approaching, I've envisioned spending the days with him here... and not knowing where we'd be otherwise is kinda tough.
I hate the idea of having bought when the market peaked and then selling when it's bottoming out... but, it's all about being available to go where God leads.
Being less committed to staying in this area is bittersweet. I hate the idea of leaving family right when our family is growing.

So... with all that said, will you still just pray that this couple will actually come see the house (or someone else) and that we'll be able to sell it soon. Surrender. I don't see what's on the other side yet, but I know I need to keep walking toward it.

Something New...

2009-02-18T16:13:00.004-05:00

So I created a new blog. I'm not sure what that means for this one... but I decided to start fresh with one I would share with my family (who I'd never told about this one). I've been pretty free to vent on this one about my job, or doctor issues or my dog eating condoms or whatever... so I never shared this site with family who may have more opinions about that than I want to hear! But anyway... so I don't know exactly what I'm doing yet, but you can check both for now if you'd like...or neither :) Here's the new site: www.bump2bum.blogspot.com

And yes, it was all inspired by the cute baby-bum picture I posted about cloth diapering! :)

-Melissa

New Mom Help: Post 3: Diapering

2009-02-16T16:43:00.002-05:00

Well...once again, I'm starting to wonder if anyone reads this thing... but I'll try yet another post. So, on this one, I don't know of any of you who may be able to help...but maybe you know more than I think! :) (all I mean is I've never heard any of you talk about using cloth diapers) We are seriously considering trying out cloth diapering...for multiple reasons: economic, easier on baby skin, good for the environment... but there's a lot to consider. I've found lots of info online, so really, I'm just curious if any of you have given it a try! And if so, what did you like/dislike? (Besides the obvious of having to launder poopy diapers).

The Office...

2009-02-12T10:06:00.005-05:00

A LONG time ago, Marie did a post asking everyone where they blog from... and since I (shame, shame) usually blog from my work office when I need a distraction from all the stress... I never have a camera here! But this morning I brought it in to copy some pictures so I thought I'd finally respond to Marie's request!

See all this chaos on my desk - yeah, I like order, that drives me CRAZY...but this week has been nuts and I couldn't seem to clear it...so I thought I'd just take a "real" picture! (And then there's some of how I prefer it... nice and neat!

18 weeks

2009-02-12T09:55:00.002-05:00

So when I look down, I wonder if the baby has really grown any in the last couple of weeks... but when I saw this picture, I realized I guess we both have! :) Gotta love how this straight shirt makes it look like there's no distinction between my boobs & belly... hmm...maybe I need to wear ones with more shape :)

Feeling good!

2009-02-11T13:46:00.003-05:00

I guess Mike said it best..."I feel like I finally have my wife back!" :) I think I'm finally past all the nausea/vomiting and can start enjoying life again...without medicine! It's amazing the difference I feel in just the last few days. I think after 4 months of not eating much, my stomach did shrink... so while my appetite is definitely back, I still can't seem to eat much at a time... I quickly get lightheaded and hungry again...but the good news is I can eat and it stays down!!! Yay!!!

And...for all of you who aren't stuck inside an office somewhere... I hope you're enjoying this beautiful weather! I can't wait for spring!

Why me?

2009-02-09T12:35:00.006-05:00

I can just feel the tension running through my body... and I desperately need to de-stress. Where is Rita, my amazing co-worker, when I need her? She would just let me come sit on the couch in her office, shut the door, turn on the spa music and give me an amazing back massage! But she's where she needs to be.. home taking care of her baby. I have had one horrible morning. I'll save the details, but let's just say I have had the worst experience with my OB/GYN practice. I am actually stunned/shocked/appalled at how unprofessional, uncaring and ridiculous they have been. And those I've given the long-story completely agree. I am in a crappy situation where I am basically stuck where I am until I can transfer onto Mike's insurance April 1st and finally switch doctors. I'll be 25 weeks on April 1st, but after today, I will just go to my 20 week appointment (you know, my ultrasound to find out what we're having..which I SHOULD be super-excited about, but I now dread because it means I have to go back to the very practice which has caused me such turmoil.) but then that's it. It won't be the end of the world to just go to my 24 week appointment about 2 weeks late. It's just not worth it to stay where I am.

(Deep breath). This pregnancy has definitely not been what I expected. Thankfully, as of yesterday, I think I am starting to be back to myself... the nausea/vomiting seems to be gone! I just pray that this little one is doing okay. I know I've been under a lot more stress than I should be, first from work, and then from worrying about how sick I've been, and now from dealing with a bad doctor. I did briefly hear the heartbeat today. It's not much to go on, but I'm clinging to that little reassurance that everything is good. I sure don't get any other reassurance or confidence from my doctors. Apparently today, I was lucky to get more than 2 minutes with the doctor (who knew?) But, again on a positive note, I finally GAINED weight!!! I'm still just under my pre-pregnancy weight, but only by one pound!

Can you imagine having a doctor you just met for the first time tell you that "I could tell after two minutes of being in here that you are wound tighter than most patients."?? And when I asked why she would say that, she responded with "because of the fact that I'm still here. (5 minutes into the appt.) Most OB appointments, I'm just in and out." Yeah, that's just the beginning. It's been quite an emotional day. Rarely have I felt genuinely mistreated, but today I was. Saturday, on the phone with one of the midwives, I was. And at several of my appointments, I have been. It's really disheartening... I've never cried so much over doctors!

So... I actually found myself happy to sit in my last work meeting... a meeting where I found out that everything I had told my supervisor was in fact true and that the project I had busted my butt on for weeks was a complete waste of time and I would now have to go back and rebuild what I was told to take apart. But I was happy to think about that because for an entire hour and a half, it took my mind off of my doctor situation. Yes, today, the situation with my doctors actually trumped my job in terms of stressfulness... it takes a lot to do that!

New Mom Help: Post #3

2009-02-05T16:40:00.003-05:00

Well, I got in a shopping mood this week... so I decided to go online and add lots of stuff to our registry. It's always fun to shop without spending any money! There are still some of the major things that we haven't decided on, but it was nice to at least get a few things out of the way.

So.. that brings me to this week's category:

BOTTLES

Why in the world do there have to be soooo many options?? I guess BPA Free is pretty much a given. But then what? Do you just have to try them and see what works best? I'm planning to hopefully nurse for at least the first 6 months... so are there special bottles to use with a baby who is used to the real-deal? Fill me in. :)

16 weeks

2009-01-28T23:24:00.004-05:00

Well, somehow even though as of today, I've lost about 8 lbs during this pregnancy, the baby is finally starting to make his/her presence a little more visible :) I guess it didn't hurt that I had packed on some extra pounds over the last year. At my appointment today, I got to hear our baby's heart beating strong...apparently baby is doing just fine, it's just mom that's been miserable. But the doc's are getting me on all kinds of stuff that will hopefully help me keep food down, so hopefully better days are ahead... Here's a pic of us at 16 weeks.

New Mom Help: Post #2

2009-01-26T11:59:00.002-05:00

So I had a rough couple of weeks and didn't get to my New Mom Help posts ;) but I'm back and I still need your help!

This week's category:
STROLLERS Travel System? Jogger? Lightweight? Umbrella? Where to begin? If I hate running now, am I really going to jog with my jogger stroller... sure I'd feel sporty and athletic and I could pretend like I'm going to shed all that baby-weight right away, but I know the truth. Athletic and Melissa don't belong in the same sentence. :) That being said, perhaps it does come in handy for other terrain. I'm hoping for lots of feedback on this one. I probably could have split it into multiple posts, but give me all your tips on carseat/strollers/brands/etc! :)

January goes to the dogs.

2009-01-19T15:58:00.004-05:00

Well, so far 2009 has been full of dogsitting for us! We've had Shelby's best 4-legged friend (Roxy) over for two weekends, then we spent a week at my parents' house with their 2 papillons (Cody & Gabe) and later this week, we're headed to Mike's parents' house to take care of their golden retriever (Chevy)! Meanwhile, everyone else is taking fun trips to Atlantic City, Williamsburg, Cozumel and Breckenridge, Colorado! How did we get this end of the deal? :)

Well, Shelby has had a blast. She and Roxy can just run and play for hours - and it's so nice to have someone else to entertain her other than us! And in some ways, staying at my parents' house just feels like a retreat. If I hadn't been doubly-sick all this past week, it would have been a great get-away. But we still had a good time. Here are a few pics of Shelby having fun, plus our Care Group playing Wii, a shot of the view from my parents' backyard and one of my good-lookin' hubby.

14 week update

2009-01-15T09:58:00.002-05:00

I got a few days of relief... even managed to eat a good meal at Cheesecake Factory & go see Bridewars with Mike last weekend... and then I started going downhill again. This week has been by far the worst yet as far as getting sick and feeling bad. Sigh. I went to the doctor on Tuesday and had lost more weight. So she prescribed me several things to hopefully help. To start off with, I have new prenatals with B6 and this Transderm Scop patch to wear behind my ear that is for nausea. If I end up needing more, I can take Phenergan and/or Zantac for indigestion that could be causing additional nausea.

I'm trying to just stick to the first two for now... although my doctor assured me they wouldn't over-medicate us, I'd rather just do the minimal and see how that works. And now on top of all that, I've come down with some sort of sinus infection/mild fever. Good grief. I've always been so healthy... I guess my body is just making up for lost time. I feel like I could use a good week off of work to just rest and get healthy, but that's not looking possible. I've taken a few sick hours this week and am trying to work from home today. Unfortunatly working from home is still working... but we're really busy right now, and I know I can't afford to be gone all week.

On a happy note: When I went to the doctor, she did a quick ultrasound just to check on the baby and the baby looks great! I actually got to see him/her suck her thumb and take a big swallow! It was pretty cool.

So we're hangin' in there. I can't say I've enjoyed pregnancy yet, but I'm definitely excited to be having a baby. And as the doc put it, the baby is doing just fine, it's just me that's miserable. I can deal with that.

2nd Trimester

2009-01-09T12:21:00.002-05:00

Well... I'm still able to wear mostly normal clothes (though maternity ones are getting to be the more comfortable option) and I am feeling a little better. I'm still pretty nauseous all day, but it's been over 48 hours since I've gotten sick and that's a big improvement!

I started to wonder this week if my pregnancy was really to blame for the nausea & sickness... or perhaps it has been the ridiculous amount of stress I've been under at work! I really have to pray daily for peace and control of my emotions and for the strength and humility to continue working in such a difficult working environment. I'm not alone, my co-workers and I have been working extremely hard for the last year to communicate with our leadership and to pray for change. It's pretty discouraging when you know you are doing everything you can, and people just don't seem to 'get it.' But we press on... I'm just thankful to have something new to look forward to... a light at the end of the tunnel... a way out in 6 months. For now, I just need the wisdom and discernment to know how to manage this stress in a healthy way for the duration of my pregnancy. I'm pretty sure I've just got to stick it out, but I also know I have to stay healthy, so while it doesn't seem feasible to find another option for 6 months, I'm just praying that if I need to, God will provide.

New Mom Help Post #1

2009-01-04T15:26:00.008-05:00

As a first-time mom-to-be, Babies R Us is quite overwhelming! I received some good advice from a mom of 3: while waiting to find out the baby's sex, you can still register for all the other practical non-gender specific items, and it's much less overwhelming if you just tackle one section/category at a time, rather than trying to do it all in a day.

So, I'm going to try that approach while I'm still in these early weeks. But I need your help! Once a week, I am going to pick a baby product category and post it here, and I'm asking all of you experienced parents to give me your input on products you loved or hated. I would really appreciate your input... so will you help me out?! :)

CATEGORY ONE: Baby Monitors

Preferred brands?
Helpful features?
Things that are unnecessary?
Video, motion sensor, or audio only?

Thanks for your help! :)

Sweet Relief?!

2009-01-02T14:27:00.004-05:00

So it happened. I was technically 12 weeks as of New Years Eve, and while I started out the day feeling yucky as usual, that night we went to a sushi restaurant with my cousin & her husband... and I ate my whole Beef Teriyaki Bento Box (minus some wontons) and started feeling good. Yesterday, I still treaded lightly, but I never got sick... and today... I went back to Yu-Mi for some more Miso soup, ginger salad & rice. And I'm feeling almost 100% better! I'm soooo hopeful that this is that 12 week mark I keep hearing about and that the nausea & sickness are behind me!

And I guess I'm a convert. I've always snubbed Sushi restaurants for the fact that they are so trendy and in my opinion, nothing raw is near as good as cooked food... but, while I'm still sticking to the cooked stuff, I have to admit, I'm a bit hooked. Yumm-y! And of course the restaurant that got me hooked is within walking distance to my house! Uh oh. :)

2008-12-29T16:49:00.001-05:00

Melissa is.... beginning to think that she's the only one reading her blog...and updating her blog... hint! hint!

Happy Birthday John!

2008-12-28T20:16:00.002-05:00

Happy First Birthday John! (My cousin Amy's adorable little boy turns one tomorrow... this is a picture of him having a blast at his birthday party on Saturday!)

Christmas Festivities

2008-12-28T19:55:00.003-05:00

We had a very busy - but fun Christmas this year. We were pretty much on the go non-stop. We started out Christmas Eve with a wonderful gift: we got to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time! Then we spent the rest of Christmas Eve with my family, Christmas morning at home then on to Mike's family for the afternoon, and then to my grandparents' house that evening. My sister was home from Denver, so we spent lots of time with her as well as with Mike's family who was in town from Michigan over the rest of the weekend. It's nice to have both of our families be local, but it did mean we were available for every single get-together. I'm not quite ready to go back to work tomorrow!

Unfortunately, this week also turned out to be my worst week to-date with pregnancy sickness. It was hard to keep much of anything down, and I was feeling pretty rough most of the time. Yesterday was my one "good day" but I ended up running myself a bit too hard and had to recover by sleeping in and missing church this morning. Anyway, we did still have lots of fun... We enjoyed a final Christmas that we got to still be "the kids" but my parents did sneak in this one baby gift! It ended up being Mike's favorite gift!

To Cradle or Not?

2008-12-22T09:46:00.002-05:00

Have any of you used a cradle for your baby? We have a bit of a dilemma: apparently I have a cradle that was handmade by my grandfather for me as a baby, and Mike has one that was handmade by his dad for him. Of course they were both offered to us this weekend. I haven't seen Mike's, so I don't even know what it looks like. I do like mine. Even so, I don't even know if I picture myself using a cradle? I'm wondering if I should just tell both sets of grandparents to set them up in their houses and we can use them whenever we come over. How else am I supposed to pick? My parents would totally be cool with that, but I get the feeling Mike's might be a little hurt. But I also don't want a country-cradle that I might not even use... thoughts? :)

Ultrasound Picture!

2008-12-18T22:35:00.001-05:00

Here's our baby... somewhere between the size of a large grape & a small plum. :)

An eventful day...

2008-12-18T16:53:00.002-05:00

I had some unusual bleeding this morning, and though it wasn't a lot, I was still concerned. I called my doctor and they said I should come in. So... I did. And boy was it worth the peace of mind! Baby Wellington is doing great. I got another ultrasound which was so amazing to see little hands, feet and most importantly, that heart beating strong. The baby was rather active and moving around quite a bit, so it took the Ultrasound tech a few minutes to find a clear picture of the heartbeat. (So as I sat there, not seeing the screen and trying to read her perfectly straight poker face... I tried hard not to freak out and assume the worst). Finally, she said "Okay, here we go..." and turned the screen toward me. And there was our little one, arms & legs moving around and heart beating strong! Whew!

So it turns out that right now, the placenta is just positioned very close to my cervix and they'll just want to watch it to make sure I don't keep bleeding. I go in for a follow up on Christmas Eve, and then again for my normal 12 week on the 30th. The baby is measuring 9 weeks, 2 days... so as I thought, I'm more likely due closer to the 22nd of July (instead of the 15th).

Anyway... I've gotta run, but just thought I'd update everyone! I'll post more later... and hopefully scan in the ultrasound picture too...

:)

Things that make me go....

2008-12-15T15:15:00.002-05:00

Things that apparently make my tummy say "Noooooooo!!!!":
Shrimp, Chicken Noodle Soup, Applesauce, Chocolate, Chicken, Potatoes, Saltines, Apple Juice

Things that are okay (so far):
Chik-fil-A, Cheese, Apples, Orange juice, Cheerios, Salsa, Italian food

I guess I'm glad I'm not gaining too much weight yet, but I sure do miss my appetite! Although I'd rather gain weight for a healthy baby... but I guess he/she will be okay. I'm doing what I can!

Good news... and a little confusion!

2008-12-10T14:41:00.004-05:00

Thanks for all the well-wishes and tips! :) I really think someone must have just been praying for me though, because I did nothing different, and last night I got a great night's sleep! What a difference! I think I'm finally back on the upswing!

But just for my sanity-sake, what is everyone's understanding on medicines you can/can't take during the first trimester? I'm a little frustrated because my doctor/midwife's website gives an extensive list, but it says all of those listed are safe beginning in the SECOND trimester.. and yet when I called and talked to the nurse & she confirmed with one of the doctors, they said it was fine even though I'm only 9 weeks. (Stuff like Tylenol, Robitussin, Sudafed...) I'm a little bugged that they say one thing on the phone and another on their website. I know there can be lots of different opinions... but it would be nice to hear just one from my doctor! So what have all of you mommies been told?

Fortunately I think my current cold/cough is on its way out and I never took anything, but it would be nice to know what is really okay. :) I feel like most people affirmed the thought that you shouldn't take any drugs during the first trimester.

2008-12-09T09:50:00.003-05:00

And I thought I was tired last week?! That was nothing! For the past 5 days, my nights have consisted of dry, painful coughing attacks that last from about 10pm to 4am. I've basically gotten no sleep during those hours, because as soon as I get comfortable, I start hacking away. Somehow by about 4am, I think my body gives up and I'm able to get a little shut-eye... but I'm basically running on about 3 hours sleep every night. It'd be one thing if I could just bum around the next morning, but trying to get up and function at work is a challenge to say the least. So I've been trying to take all the tips I can... but so far, I'm not getting any better.

Solution #1: Humidifier: We got this super-cute elephant humidifier at Target this weekend... it actually had better reviews than all the non-cute ones and what the heck, it's our first baby purchase. Well... no complaints, but no improvement in my symptoms yet either.

Solution #2: Neti Pot: I had never heard of such a crazy contraption, but after several people recommended it, I figured it was worth a shot. Well... besides feeling like I was drowning, ending up with a bit of an earache, and feeling like there is still water sloshing around in my head somewhere, I didn't get much from this. I may give it one more try... maybe I just don't have the technique down yet... but so far, this did nothing for me.

Solution #3: Hot Tea: My gracious co-worker fixed me a cup of hot tea this morning, and so far, this one is the winner. Granted, my coughing attacks are mostly during the night when I'm laying down, but at least it's soothing on my throat this morning.

Solution # 4: Recliner: Apparently I need a recliner. I think if I could sleep standing straight up, I'd be great. But we have no recliner, and I don't think the latter will work... so I'm at a loss. I hate to complain, but I'm just feeling pretty terrible right now and would welcome any relief. On a good note, my nausea has taken a back seat to the cold. Still there, but not quite as intense. :)

Rough Few Days...

2008-12-07T11:19:00.004-05:00

So somehow I caught a nasty cold/cough a few days ago and it's no fun! I left work early on Friday and have been trying to lay low all weekend. I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to take any medicine during the first trimester (I'm at about 8 weeks) so relief has been hard to come by. Anyone have any suggestions?

We did go get a humidifier yesterday and used that last night. I guess that may have helped as now I can at least feel some stuff starting to break up in my chest. But I'm even getting blood when I blow my nose. Am I okay? I got "morning sick" for the first time yesterday... but surprisingly had a big appetite right afterwards! Who eats creamy corn chowder and Taco Bell after losing their breakfast? Apparently me! Weird... Anyway, I'm not feeling much better today yet, and I'm just hoping I'll be well enough to go to work tomorrow. No one there knows I'm pregnant yet, so it's harder to explain why I need to stay home for just a cold. Pray for us! Mike's been doing a good job of taking care of me, but I'm afraid he may be catching what I've got this morning. At least we can drug him up! :)

Stuff!

2008-12-03T10:16:00.002-05:00

This week, we've been pulling out all of our Christmas decorations and as I look around my house, I just can't figure out why we have so much STUFF! We have lots of closet space, but they are all bursting at the seams! My guest room is basically a big storage room with a bed..surrounded by boxes. My office is overflowing, and everywhere I turn there is stuff...stuff...stuff! You would think that 2 adults and a dog in a 3 bedroom home would have plenty of space... but now as we start thinking about making room for our baby... I don't know what to do with it all!

I am a bit of a pack-rat by nature... I'm sure there are some old clothes I could purge. And the closet full of Princess House products could surely be sold. But it sure is nice to be able to go up and find any platter or cookware or glasses I might need at the last minute...

As I think about it, I am getting motivated to just go crazy and organize it all... but by the time I get off work, I'm sure the only thing I'm going to want to do is take a nap! :)

Thanksgiving Fun

2008-12-01T10:45:00.005-05:00

Well, this was definitely an eventful Thanksgiving! Besides Mike being super excited about frying a turkey, (In honor of his Uncle Moe, he had a Coors Light while he monitored the frying bird!)
we got to spill the beans that we're having a baby!!! I'm 7 weeks along, my official due date is July 15th, but I think the 19th or 20th is more accurate. It's been hard to keep a secret for the last 3 weeks, but it was worth it. Our families are super-excited and we got to see our little one's heart beating strong on the ultrasound last week! For now, the most noticable change has been my complete lack of energy. I've also been trying to keep the nausea away by giving in to my unusual cravings... healthy food! I guess my body knows what this baby needs because I haven't been interested in anything chocolate or sweet! Just lots of fruit, salad, meat and water! I guess that's a good thing! :) I'll keep it up as long as it lasts!

Flip Flop!

2008-11-24T11:42:00.002-05:00

So if there's anyone who actually reads my blog somewhat regularly, you've been exposed to my indecisiveness in the last week. I was toying around with different new blog designs and trying to find the perfect fit. I guess I'm back to my first choice now. It's a little cutesy, but it works.

I'm Famous... Almost

2008-11-17T16:07:00.006-05:00

So besides all of your great blogs, there really are only a couple others that I check out daily, including my favorite semi-famous one: "This Young House."

Well, take a look at the posts for today and see if you notice anything familiar... Yep! That's my kitchen on the before-after shot! It was featured today and there may be another before-after from my house in the coming weeks! How fun is that?! This blog has been featured on HGTV and some design magazines... so it's kinda fun to have some of my amateur design alongside of theirs!

A Visit to Raleigh

2008-11-17T11:50:00.002-05:00

Well, I took some pictures this weekend... but they were with Suzanne's camera, so I don't have any! You'll just have to check out her blog to see a few of Mike with Lily and more cute Lily moments. We really enjoyed spending an extended weekend with the Hortons and hope they got at least a little more sleep this weekend than usual. Lily is a little cuddle-bug and we really enjoyed being with her! Mike even got to babysit early on in the weekend - poor guy, we kinda sprung it on him quick and assured him Lily would sleep the whole time we were gone... instead she woke up hungry and her oxygen monitor alarm went a bit nuts. He did great though... after he got the alarm off and her out of the crib, he managed to get her settled and happy until we could make it back so she could eat. :) He was rewarded though with getting to go to an NC State football game with Aaron on Saturday... that couldn't have worked out better ~ college football always makes him happy!

2008-11-10T11:58:00.003-05:00

Our birthday memories are bittersweet this year. We celebrated last Saturday at Northwest River Park. It was an amazingly beautiful day and we had so much fun with family, friends and furry ones. The next day, Uncle Moe passed away unexpectedly. He had spent the day with us at the park and we are all so thankful we had that day together. Life changes so quickly. I am reminded of how brief our time here on earth really is. And how often we spend so much time worrying about the things that don't really matter... we must be ready! God has us here for a purpose - to bring glory to His name and we do that by loving Him and loving others. I know that for me, it's so easy to spend time loving myself... looking after my own desires and needs... but I am grateful that God has made this life so much richer than that and that He allows me to look into the mirror and see things as they really are... and then He enables me to change. He is so good. Here are some pictures from our day at the park.

Barack Obama :)

2008-10-27T10:12:00.005-04:00

No camping...but it was a great weekend! We were going to go camping with some friends from church, but the weather just didn't hold out... so instead, we drove up to Northern Virginia to visit Marie, John & Anna Friday night and Saturday, and then Brad & Rebekah Saturday night and Sunday! I think this was a much better plan!

We had lots of fun with the Childress family. We got to walk around Old Town Alexandria, eat lunch at a yummy spot in D.C. and Mike even got to watch some college football once the rain drove us back home. Marie tried to fatten us up with some yummy breakfast and she even got us a cheesecake birthday cake! Anna was lots of fun to read to and dress up and cuddle with. We got some good laughs when Mike asked Anna who she was going to vote for and she quickly answered "Barack Obama!" John, what a terrible thing to teach your innocent 2 year old! Haha! We had a great time and only wish we got to see them more often!

Then we headed over to Annandale to visit our friends Brad & Rebekah Rollins. This was the first couple we met at CCC (our church) and we really formed a quick friendship. They moved up to Northern VA in August so Brad could attend Marymount University, and we've definitely missed having them as part of our Care Group. Two other couples from our group (Nick & Debbie and Steve & Stephanie) met us up at the Rollins' new house and we had a great time making smores, playing Apples to Apples, Password & Cranium.

The drive home was BEAUTIFUL as all the leaves seemed to be at peak color. We of course stopped at Ikea (but I was good - I didn't buy anything!) and then at Famous Dave's BBQ in Richmond. Yumm! I love Fall weekends!

All Mine!

2008-10-20T11:14:00.004-04:00

As of today, my car is PAID OFF! What a great feeling. And the even more amazing news... it's worth exactly as much today as what I paid for it 3 years ago!!! Not that I'll be selling it anytime soon... this has been the best car I've ever purchased. It's a 2005 Mazda 3 Special Edition and after 3 years, I still love to drive it! I searched high and low for this exact car, and ended up driving out to Roanoke to get this one because I found exactly what I wanted, with 8,000 miles and about $8000 less than a new one on the lot! Zoom-Zoom :)

October days...

2008-10-19T22:13:00.006-04:00

Ooops! I haven't posted anything in almost 3 weeks! Lots going on... I'm excited that baby Lily is here! And I have been so excited that now in the second half of October, the Fall weather has finally shown up! I gladly busted out my sweaters & fleeces this weekend. I love the cool days!

It was a pretty yucky day on Saturday for the Race for the Cure, but I was reminded that morning of the thousands of women who get up and face a bleak outlook everyday as they battle cancer, and yet they get up, and they walk through it. Temperatures in the high 50's and misty, windy rain are nothing in comparison to the hardships that these women fight, and I was actually thankful for the tangible illustration that God gave me.

It was an honor to walk and raise support for them. I found myself unexpectedly choked up and emotional as I watched the survivors' parade. Suddenly I was overwhelmed with thoughts of my own grandmother who lost her battle to breast cancer at the age of 53 and a college friend who is battling it in her 20's. It was quite sobering. Fortunately, some teams had some crazy funny t-shirts and that brought some much needed humor and fun to the day! Let's just say that "Save the Ta-Ta's" was one of the more subtle slogans! So anyway... thanks to everyone who supported us!!! And please continue to pray for Dr. Datyner.

Race for the Cure

2008-09-30T09:44:00.008-04:00

A good friend of Mike's family was diagnosed with cancer in June 2007 and we will be participating in this year's Race for the Cure on October 18th to support her. We'd really like to be a blessing to her and her family, so we're trying to raise as much support as we can. Would you consider sponsoring us? Even a small gift is a help and really appreciated! You can donate right here.

It was Self-Inflicted

2008-09-26T09:02:00.002-04:00

Several months ago, a friend told me I should post pictures of my house on Rate My Space. My first thought was: "why would I want a bunch of strangers telling me whether or not they like my decorating? I like it, that's all that matters." But then I found myself checking out other posts on that site for design ideas... and last night, since I had cleaned my house from top to bottom for our Care Group to come over, I decided why not just take some pictures and try it out. Within 20 minutes, suddenly my house was open to the world. I'd had over 100 visitors and quite a few nice comments! How fun! So this morning, I couldn't wait to get to work so I could check my email and read more fun comments... well it rained on my parade. Bleh! Apparently in the wee hours of the night, all the mean people came out and decided to tell me each and everything they thought I should change about my spaces. One even said "I would like to see you do.... blah blah blah" as if I were decorating just for her! Seriously??

Well, my first reaction was to just delete the pages and stop this self-inflicted misery. But I guess there's a part of me that is still a bit intrigued... so we'll see...I think I'm a bit too easily offended, so maybe this will be good for me. It's rather humbling... even though I think the positive comments far outweighed the negative ones.

If you want to check out my living room, kitchen and master bedroom - take a look... just remember, I have wine taste on a beer budget... maybe even a water budget. :)

Where'd it go?

2008-09-24T08:54:00.004-04:00

S E P T E M B E R

This month has probably been the fastest one I can remember! I've been pretty out-of-routine all month and I'm sure that's why I'm feeling like it just flew by. We started the month by packing for our trip to Vermont, only to be stopped by our A/C dying. We spent a few days camping out at my parents' old house to avoid the heat. Then, the day before our trip, an old friend of Mike's came over and after a few hot hours in the attic, they fixed it! (for FREE!) So that was the first week. Then we were on vacation the 5-14th. Meanwhile, Justine had decided to come home to visit the 13-20th, so when we got home, we spent every free hour we had after work with her. And on top of that Mike started a new part-time job. So then the day Justine left, I came down with a nasty cold and am still trying to fight it off... so here we are: September 24th, and my favorite month is almost over with not a single "normal" day so far! Oh well.. I guess that keeps life interesting!

Our First Anniversary

2008-09-16T10:30:00.004-04:00

We're back from our first anniversary trip ~ lots of great memories!

We outran Hurricane Hanna as we drove up to NYC. We stayed with an old friend from MWC (Tricia) and trudged through Manhattan for a couple hours in the intense muggy humidity before we gave up and just went to dinner at P.F. Changs in New Jersey while Hanna rained down on the Northeast.

We had a beautiful drive up to Vermont, stopping in a few towns along the way.

In Vermont (which is BEAUTIFUL), we went to the Cabot Cheese Factory, Ben & Jerry's Factory, an Apple Cider Mill and saw lots of beautiful scenery.

We hiked Vermont's highest peak: Mt. Mansfield

We drove into Canada, attempting to read the highway signs in French, and spent the day in Montreal - a city I highly recommend visiting!!

We spent the day of our anniversary in Burlington, Vermont - along Lake Champlain and then had a wonderful dinner after seeing the beautiful sunset pictured above.

Here are the rest of our pictures!

Fun Fun Fun!

2008-08-27T16:55:00.003-04:00

Take this design style test!!! So much fun! :)
My style came back: Family Modern.

Politics & Religion

2008-08-27T15:27:00.002-04:00

I have been very interested in the upcoming elections, although I have yet to vow my support to either candidate. I have been trying to be open-minded as I wade through the drudge of political news and ads and speeches. If you haven't yet listened to the interviews that Rick Warren of Saddleback Church conducted with both Obama & McCain, take (a few hours) and listen here. Personally, I started out liking Obama... but that quickly faded as he stammered and did all but give a straight answer regarding Pastor Warren's question "At what point to babies become eligible for human rights?" (Which, by the way is one of the most poignant and thought-provoking ways I've heard someone address the issue of abortion.) Anyway... Erik's blog basically sums up my reaction to those interviews verbatim, so I'll save myself some typing and just send you to his page.

Nonetheless, I have been challenged in the last month as a good friend and I have passionately discussed and questioned and reconsidered our political differences. She, like myself, is a follower of Christ, and develops her political opinions out of her spiritual convictions. Yet she is a liberal, and on many issues I am conservative. I have been able to share with her honestly and to offer my humble, yet consistent convictions as I try to develop my own political opinions. I think my honesty and consistency have spurred her on to look at things with an open mind and not just through the eyes of a Democrat. At the core of my beliefs is the inerrant Word of God, given to us by an omniscient, wise and good God who speaks to us through the merciful and gracious life and death of His Son, Jesus Christ. God is consistent and He is ALWAYS good. His law and His ways can be trusted and should be submitted to. That is my foundation.

But as far as who I'll vote for in November, I have yet to determine. I'm having an easier time eliminating options than finding one.

Consistency...

2008-08-27T15:21:00.002-04:00

So I listened to Michelle Obama's speech. Overall… I thought she did a beautiful job. It wasn't particularly deep or specific… but she presented herself very very well and if I could only believe that she & Barak were truly committed to what she said…(in ALL areas, not just the economy, education & health care), I would say that based on that speech alone, she would be a great example as a first lady. I appreciate her role as a mother and a wife first. I really keep trying to like the Obamas...

But here's my issue… direct quotes from her speech:

"Barack stood up that day, and spoke words that have stayed with me ever since. He talked about "The world as it is" and "The world as it should be." And he said that all too often, we accept the distance between the two, and settle for the world as it is - even when it doesn't reflect our values and aspirations. But he reminded us that we know what our world should look like. We know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like. And he urged us to believe in ourselves - to find the strength within ourselves to strive for the world as it should be. And isn't that the great American story? It's the story of men and women gathered in churches and union halls, in town squares and high school gyms - people who stood up and marched and risked everything they had - refusing to settle, determined to mold our future into the shape of our ideals. "

"The world as it is just won't do. We have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be."

(referring to herself & Barak): "We listened to our hopes instead of our fears…We committed ourselves to building the world as it should be."

They ARE fighting for fairness in education, economy & healthcare. I respect that and I don't deny it. Her quotes are true IN THOSE AREAS, but when Barak says that
· He personally, but not politically is not pro-abortion, he isn't fighting for the world as it should be…
· He personally, but not politically practices same-sex marriage, he isn't fighting for the world as it should be…
· He is a follower of Christ personally, but he compromises and does not follow Christ in EVERY area of his political career,
then he is SETTLING for the world as it is, not FIGHTING for the world as he says he knows it SHOULD be.

My question is where does the Obamas' conviction come from as far as how the world "SHOULD BE?" Is it from a belief in Jesus Christ as the Creator of the world and the Supreme Authority on life, His Word being TRUTH, not suggestions? If so, then how do they fight for human rights in regards to economic equality, but take the cowardly route of settling without fighting for the human rights of unborn children? God's Word is not multiple choice. If you truly follow Him, you follow all of Him. You don't just pick the issues that everyone will agree with you on. You take a stand for those who don't have a voice. That's not just the poor single mom on welfare. That's her unborn baby too. So I believe that Obama should say: I am a Christian, but I don't agree with everything in God's Word. That would at least be honest. But don’t just say you're a Christian, and talk about being a family man and lean on your faith as credibility that you are a moral and decent person unless you're going to back it up with taking a stand on the things that are central to God's heart. All of them. I could probably write just as much about McCain just on different issues. I don't think you can defend just some of the weak. McCain might be more passionate about defending unborn children and less about minorities or the poor. But it has to be BOTH. But again, I'm not picking between McCain or Obama. I may not pick either - they have to EARN my vote. :) I just feel very strongly that saying you are a Christian is a responsibility, not a title. You are saying that you are FIRST a follower of Christ, then a Family man and finally a candidate for president (or whatever career you're in). I think politicians often say their family is first, then the presidency, then their faith.

So…. that's my political soapbox.

Is GREEN even my color?

2008-08-14T14:57:00.004-04:00

I have to admit I have been quite slow to jump on the "Go Green" bandwagon. Sometimes it's simply easier to ignore than to change. And frankly, sometimes I'm downright skeptical of the commercialism aspect of "green" goods. Do I really need to switch to reusable sea sponge tampons?!! You've got to be kidding me! But even without going to the extremes, there seems to be an organic version of just about everything on the market! And I don't even know where to start! If I change all the lightbulbs in my house to eco-friendly bulbs and buy organic milk, but I still use plastic grocery bags and I use plain old Colgate toothpaste instead of the all-natural brands, am I really making a difference? I know I shouldn't ever ever microwave in plastic (although I still sometimes forget) and surely all those cell phone waves can't be good for us, but how do you radically change your lifestyle enough to really make a difference? This Young House has an interesting and informative post here and there is tons of helpful information on GreenYour.com. When I think about the future for my children one day and even for the longevity and health of Mike and I, I definitely want to start making some changes... ignorance in this department is not necessarily bliss. I'd love to hear your thoughts or any ways that you and your family have "Gone Green" without going crazy or too crunchy-granola! :)

Out of Excuses...

2008-08-14T11:36:00.002-04:00

Am I the only one who finds it soooo hard to start exercising regularly? I come up with every excuse imaginable:

a gym membership costs too much
it's raining
it's hot
it's humid
i'm tired
it's that time of the month
i feel bad exercising inside when i really should take Shelby for a walk
i don't have time
getting up earlier before work is too early

But I SOOOOOOO need to do something! I have gained 15 lbs since I got engaged last April, and while I haven't gained anything in the last 6 months... I haven't lost anything either. Any tips?

So Pretty!!

2008-08-11T16:33:00.002-04:00

I want this room.

Harbor Light

2008-08-11T11:07:00.009-04:00

Well... we couldn't wait for suggestions... so we just went out on our own and picked a color: Harbor Light. It's great! It's quite a bit lighter than it looks here on the sample, but we like it. And it should work great with our furniture and black & white bedding. So 1 borrowed ladder, 2 gallons of paint and 3 coats later...the room is transformed for just $35! Now we just need the finishing touches!

Design Ideas

2008-08-08T11:39:00.003-04:00

This is basically what our master bedroom looks like now (except with modern B&W lamps & a black framed B&W picture above the bed). We'd like to redecorate our room, but the things we have to keep are the furniture (which is a bit traditional for my taste, but workable) and we have three bedding options: Solid White, White with black floral pattern (like picture) or Black bold with large white graphic lily.

Since we're trying to keep the budget minimal... things we're looking to change are PAINT, ACCESSORIES (wall art) and ACCENT PILLOWS.

Any ideas?? We want something modern, chic, luxurious feeling...

Play on Words

2008-08-01T10:57:00.004-04:00

I guess I'm easily entertained... but how cute is this?

You can go to Wordle and create one of your own!

Clean-out the Fridge Meal

2008-07-29T08:44:00.003-04:00

I was trying to not waste some of the leftover food in our fridge, so I planned to just make up some concoction out of them last night... well, it turned out to be one of the best meals I've ever made!!

Things in my fridge that needed to go:
1/3 link keilbasa sausage
1 uncooked chicken breast
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 head of broccoli
1/2 block monterey jack cheese

Things I always have on hand:
parmesean cheese
butter
pasta
canned diced tomatoes
garlic
lots of spices

Things I bought at the store:
10 shrimp

So I decided to attempt making a spicy Creole Pasta dish. I was going to just make it up in my head, but then I found an Emeril recipe that I managed to modify (quite a bit) and man, was it yummy?!

If anyone wants to try it... you'll just have to come have a dinner date with us and let me make it for you!! :)

More FREE Food!

2008-07-24T10:05:00.005-04:00

If you still haven't signed up for e-VIC at Harris Teeter, you're missing out! This week the special is FREE ice cream! No purchase necessary! (But your card has to be signed up for e-VIC.) And today through Saturday are Triple Coupon days... I guess that's where I'm headed on my lunch break :)

Almost 1 Year! :)

2008-07-22T10:58:00.007-04:00

As hard as it is to believe, our first anniversary is in less than 7 weeks! To celebrate, we are going to spend a week at a resort in northern Vermont with a day in New York City on the way up! We are so excited and are looking forward to hiking, shopping, eating and all the other good stuff! :) If anyone has favorite places in Vermont that you think we should see... let me know! We know that samples at Ben & Jerry's and the Lake Champlain Chocolate factories are a must. And we're also going to check out Simon Pearce handblown glass store & restaurant and we have to find where they make these great Maple Cream Cookies!!

Oh yeah!

2008-07-11T10:42:00.003-04:00

We have gotten some clarity and peace and direction with what to do with our house/ job/ family!!! We have decided that we will stay put at least until next summer! Mike will stay with the Red Cross and continue getting good experience there... and will feel better about being there at least 18 months instead of half that time. We'll have time to work out some of the issues that have recently arisen with leasing options for our condo, and if we decide to sell, we'll put it on the market late spring 2009 and hopefully the market at least won't be any worse than it is now, even if it's not better.

We've been saying for over a year that there just aren't jobs here for Mike... but we've realized the carnality in that statement. In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. We really need to just be where He leads us, and if He's not leading us to something new right now, we can rest that He has a plan, even if we don't know how it will unfold. Pretty exciting, actually!

The Best Deal Ever!

2008-07-11T10:14:00.007-04:00

I am enrolled in E-VIC (Harris Teeter's weekly e-mail that tells me what's on sale with my VIC card). Wednesday, the e-mail said that with your VIC card, you could get a jar of H.T. Traders Salsa FREE - no purchase necessary! Mike got off work early and said he'd stop at the store to pick up Tilapia (which is also on sale at H.T. this week) so I told him about the free Salsa and he planned to pick one up. Well, when he went through the line, used the VIC card, it didn't ring up free. He explained to the cashier and she even said it rang up free for someone else earlier, but wasn't now. The manager came over and wouldn't honor it. So he left, and called me to tell me. Well, I read the email again, checked all the fine-print and we should have gotten it free, no question. So I printed the email and later that evening, we went back. I asked for a manager and explained the situation. They told me to go ahead and get a jar of salsa and they'd take care of it. Well... it's regularly priced $3.99. They had it on sale for $3.29. So they rang it up, it gave me a $3.99 discount, which meant the cashier owed me $.72!! And then, they gave us a $25 gift card for the trouble!!! We told them that wasn't necessary and they certainly didn't need to give us $.72 change on top of it all, but they insisted! So I spent $0 and got a jar of black bean salsa, $.72 plus a $25 gift card!!! That's some seriously productive shopping! :) If you're not signed up for E-VIC... you should be... apparently this was not advertised in the store, just online!

Needing Something New

2008-07-10T15:07:00.005-04:00

I miss designing. Sadly, my current job neither requires nor allows for much creativity and I am realizing how much I miss that artistic outlet. So using my very limited resources, I felt the urge to do a quick redesign on my blog. What do you think? :)

I love opportunities to be creative, so I jump on them whenever I get the chance. My latest indulgences have been coming up with baby names for whenever that day comes, (yes, I admit it... I have narrowed it down to 5 that Mike likes too... I'm just praying none of my many pregnant friends beat me to them!) planning a baby shower for Suzanne, and hopefully soon, helping my mom pick paint colors, kitchen counters, and furniture for my their new house. (That's the best when I can help spend someone else's money!) :) Sometimes for me, the need to be creative can get expensive, so I'm sure Mike is glad I'm not redecorating any rooms in our house or redesigning my wardrobe!

I'm Back :)

2008-06-25T11:26:00.003-04:00

I haven't updated this in a few weeks... partially because I have no new pictures to post, but also because I've had so many other things going on that weren't necessarily simple to blog about!

My work hit a dramatic all-time low point a couple of weeks ago, but then God faithfully answered my prayer to work in His power in our midst. I know He has changed MY heart, and the last couple of weeks have been significantly better.
Meanwhile, we were wrestling with whether or not we would really consider moving to Iowa if this job opportunity for Mike progressed. After much praying and discussing and thinking, Mike decided no, and I agreed. (What a relief!)
Even so, we are still preparing for a move hopefully sometime this year. So the next big decision we've wrestled with for months is whether to sell our condo or to rent it out. Lots of pros & cons for both options... but I think we're going to go ahead and put it on the market this summer and see what happens.
So now we have lots of work to do to de-clutter and do minor repairs, replace carpets and clean...it's rather overwhelming to think of all we need to do...and it's almost July already!
And meanwhile, Mike's job hunt continues... we'd like to focus on Virginia, North Carolina & Maryland... but we're open to going further if need be. There's an ideal opening with a company he currently does work with in Denver that he applied for this week! He would LOVE the job & I would LOVE to live in Colorado... so would you pray with us for doors to open there! It's far, but this one would be worth it.
I've been meeting with a woman from church every other week and we are doing Beth Moore's Believing God study... I'm excited about growing through that.

Other than that, my sister comes home tonight for about 10 days. We have a wedding to go to this Saturday and Shelby becomes an "it" on Tuesday. :)

What's new with everyone else?

God has been FAITHFUL

2008-06-09T15:33:00.006-04:00

I can't help but be grateful when I consider how faithful our Father has been to us. It's amazing how He pulls together a family. 11 years ago, he gathered a bunch of teenagers from across Virginia: Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Fredericksburg, Roanoke and Fairfax and put a desire in us to go to Mary Washington College. He even led almost all of us to choose to live in an all-girls dorm. And then He drew us together and began to knit together this beautiful tapestry of friendship that grew both stronger and larger as our families expanded. When I think how much we have grown in the 7 years since we left Fredericksburg, I wonder what the next 7 years will bring. Certainly more children... but even more than that, hopefully more eternal fruit as we are each led by the Spirit to bring Him glory wherever we go...

Virginia
North Carolina
Maryland
D.C.
Georgia
New York
Germany
China
Iraq
Israel
Afghanistan
Peru...

I am thankful to be part of such a beautiful picture of the family of God.

I can't get no... sat-is-faction.

2008-06-04T11:10:00.002-04:00

My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Prov 3:1-2

I find it interesting and refreshing this morning that it is not a change in my circumstances that will make my life satisfying, but rather remembering all that the Lord has taught me and storing His commands in my heart. I had a particularly rough day at work yesterday, and for months I have found myself really frustrated with my job as a whole... it is certainly less than satisfying.

I often envision that when I am able to have children and focus my energy on raising them rather than on the stresses of the corporate world, I will find great satisfaction. I tend to long for the day when my circumstances will change and I won't have to deal with this job. And yet this morning, I have been gently reminded once again, that my satisfaction with life is the result of a different matter entirely. It is a matter of my heart. It is directly correlated to the Word of God. In His Word - particularly the Living Word: Jesus, I can find true satisfaction.

I'm looking forward to chewing on that today. What does it mean to find satisfying life in Jesus, regardless of my circumstances? How will that impact my circumstances? What an amazing Lord we have - that cares so much about our hearts and our souls. Apart from Him, there is no hope, no joy in the tough things of life. My heart is grieved to think that those who don't know Him are lacking that. I find peace just in knowing that I have a way to find satisfaction beyond my control/circumstances... the world doesn't have that. Its only solution is to change your situation... move on to something new, but the cycle continues.

I hope I can share this lesson learned with someone who has never even met this wonderful Jesus I know.

Fun in Austin...

2008-05-23T08:38:00.007-04:00

We had a great trip to Austin to visit the Clements family. We enjoyed Julie's yummy cooking, Josh's crazy driving and Abby & Luke's cute entertainment! We drove around the city quite a bit (thanks to our personal policeman tour guide), saw some of the parks around Lake Austin, ate great Mexican food & Texas BBQ, watched the new Narnia movie & P.S. I Love You (both were great), shopped at the outlet mall when it was 98 degrees out and even checked out some model homes! Your money goes much further in Texas than it does here in Virginia! We found a huge beautiful new home that we loved for the same price as our condo! Too bad Texas is so far away! But anyway, it was a really fun trip and we enjoyed getting to spend time with such great friends.

Beautiful Day at the Park

2008-05-15T12:50:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures from Tuesday night. It was a beautiful day so we went down to our favorite park and had a picnic and a photo shoot :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/mrs.melissawellington/ABeautifulDay

A Rainy Day...

2008-05-12T13:56:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Mike and I were headed with my parents to the baby dedication of my cousin's little boy, John. It was looking like a nasty day for a 3 hour drive as it was dark and rainy. But then we spotted a rainbow. At first we just saw half of it, but then, as we were driving over the high-rise bridge on I-64, we drove right under the arch! It was awesome. We could see the entire thing, including the bottom of BOTH sides of the rainbow (and for those who are wondering...sadly, there was no pot of gold and no little green leprechauns). But it was a beautiful moment and a great reminder of the Lord's promise and His faithfulness.

No rainbow sightings yet today... just rain, rain, and more rain!

Redheads???

2008-05-07T14:08:00.004-04:00

Justine & I have always said our poor children will surely inherit red hair, since my dad was one of 4 redheaded siblings and on my mom's side, there are lots of strawberry-blondes. It may have skipped our generation, but we've always known it'll surely surface again in our children. Justine is so afraid, she's determined to marry someone latino or dark-skinned in hopes to trump the redhead gene! Well sometime last year, we were looking into it, and thought we discovered that a blonde and a brown-haired couple had zero chance of producing redheads.... yipee! Mike & I would be in the clear! But then I was looking at my little cousin John... whose blonde hair is quickly turning red (or at least strawberry blonde) and I realized: his mom is a blonde and his dad has brown hair. Crap! There goes that theory! Oh well... I still think he's cute! And while normally I'm not a big fan of redheaded boys... so far the ones that have been born to my cousins have been super cute. :)
(This is my cousin in Florida's little boy, Sean.)

Last weekend...

2008-05-06T21:52:00.004-04:00

Here is Shelby in our backyard...
And a few of the many plants we planted...
A beautiful day at the beach:
And... my cousin Amy's little boy, John (the one who was almost 12 lbs at birth!). He's 4 months old now and a very happy baby:

What does FAITH really look like?

2008-05-05T16:53:00.000-04:00

The Lord has taught me a lot about faith and dependence on Him through our finances. I know that God provides in many different ways. Sometimes He shows us a way we can cut wasteful spending, sometimes He gives extra income or an unexpected gift from family or friends. I believe He even provides coupons & sales where we can save money on groceries or other needed expenses. I have heard the idea from so many people that "God's math is not always like ours. Sometimes the numbers may not work out on paper, but God is faithful to provide." I can testify to that myself. I know I had some months a few years ago when I was sure I wouldn't have enough to pay all of my bills and yet I did.

But I am trying to understand what exactly it means to walk by faith in the area of your finances. For example: If I have looked at my budget and reduced expenses in every way I can and I come up with say, $5000 in monthly expenses, and my income after tithing and taxes is exactly $5000, can I even consider another expense, or even more generous giving? Do you go ahead and give maybe an extra $100 a month to the poor (or a missionary, or building fund, etc.) knowing that you will be $100 short for your bills, trusting that somehow God will provide, but not having a plan yourself for where that $100 will come from? Is that what faith looks like? Is that how you learn to depend on God more? Even when the math DOES work, I know it is God who provided my job and who gave me wisdom to cut my wasteful spending or to resist impulse buys or to sacrifice some of my wants in order to avoid debts. But am I limiting my faith to what is logical?

Does "trusting God to provide" mean that He will give you new insight and wisdom in where you could earn extra $ or reduce your expenses? Or does it mean you take a step of faith not having any idea how it will work out, and you don't necessarily DO anything, you just trust that when the bills are due, you'll have what you need, even though the math doesn't work? I really am trying to get a handle on this, so I'd love some wise insight...

More to come soon...

2008-05-05T16:46:00.005-04:00

This picture is off of my cellphone. I have better ones on the camera at home... We took Shelby (now 5 1/2 months old) to the beach this weekend and walked on the Boardwalk. She loved it... she let little kids come pet her, but when big kids or adults got near, she got a little scared and let out a ferocious growl that we're trying to work on stopping. She's all bark - she loves people once she knows them but gets scared of strangers easily.

I love Spring!

2008-05-01T15:51:00.002-04:00

This time of year is absolutely beautiful. I can't help but smile when I step outside and feel the cool breeze and the warm sun and the colors are just fresh and vibrant. I love it! And then I step into my building each morning for work and begin the long trek to my office, each step taking me farther and farther away from the spring day I wish I was able to enjoy... sadly, I have no window in my office, or anywhere near my office. Each day that I leave for lunch presents me with a great temptation... "what kind of excuse could I come up with for why I need to work from home or take the rest of the afternoon off?" But I have yet to give in. Sigh. That's okay... I just have to pray that the weekends won't be filled with rain!

So... do I really have anything to say today? Hmmm... I guess not much. :) I'll post more when life gets more exciting!

Good Dog!

2008-04-22T09:16:00.002-04:00

Shelby is starting to become a good little dog! :) We had friends over Friday night, and she was amazing. They fell in love with her, and we were just in shock at how sweet and good she was! Yay! She spent the night with her other grandparents on Saturday night and all day Sunday while we went to Chase City for John's baptism, and had no accidents! Woohoo! She learned from her Golden Retriever uncle Chevy how to chill and lay around. Good stuff! I tried to take some pictures of her but realized the batteries in my camera need to charge... Anyway, she still requires constant supervision when we're at home, but she got all kinds of brownie points with me this weekend and I began to see the hope that she will mellow out of the crazy puppy stage and we'll be glad we have her! :)

3rd Time's a Charm

2008-04-14T16:34:00.005-04:00

Don't you love when the Lord confirms what He is showing you by bringing it up by several different unrelated means on multiple occasions! I had a conversation a few weeks ago with my friend Hope about the idea of the missional church and the impact it was having in her life. She sent me some reading materials last week and I was really challenged and encouraged by this concept which seemed to put words to the thoughts I have meditated on for years. Well, the very same day, I went to chapel at work (a daily thing that I had missed several days prior). The man who spoke never mentioned the words "missional church" but he shared what he had been learning from this book. And it was like everything he was saying was exactly what I had read from Hope earlier that morning. And then, this weekend, we participated in the missions conference at our church and I heard much of the same themes as one of the missionaries from Belgium shared and challenged us all. I'm excited to engage in this more. I've started reading Jim & Casper Go to Church, and it is very eye-opening. So far, I'd definitely recommend it! What a great reminder that the people who were usually offended by Jesus were the religious leaders, not the sinners. Hmmm...

What's my problem??!

2008-04-10T11:16:00.004-04:00

I've had a slow morning at work, so I was browsing articles online about healthy snacks and ideas to take off a few pounds. I wrote down some great ideas, and reminded myself that it's really time to start shedding this extra weight I've put on in the last year. I've been drinking water, and have cut out sodas (soda-sober over 1 month now! yay!) but I need to step it up a notch. So I was all ready to head down to the vending machine to get a bag of low-fat pretzels, when an email popped up in my inbox.

My manager brought in doughnuts and they are down in the lounge. So with no further thought, I headed straight there, heated one up for 10 sec. in the microwave and came back to my desk to indulge in that warm gooey doughnut at my desk. As I inhaled it, I looked up to realize I was sitting surrounded by my bottles of water and notes on healthy snack ideas. :) I'm pathetic! I don't even really like doughnuts all that much. When will I learn?

Happy Tummy!

2008-04-08T09:43:00.002-04:00

I don't know if anyone wants these recipes... but last night we made for the 3rd time a healthy recipe I found & love. It's super-easy and everytime we have it, we're like "yumm!!!" so I thought I'd pass it along...

Chili-Rub Steak Tacos
makes 6 tacos: serving should be 2, we eat 3 each!

1 tbs. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch cayenne (ground red) pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. steak (the better the steak, the better the tacos, but you can use cheaper beef if you want, we use whatever good steak is on sale, last night was NY strip)
Corn Tortillas
Shredded Cabbage
Chopped Cilantro
Limes
Guacamole (we love "Wholly Guacamole" from Harris Teeter)

Shred 1/4 head of cabbage like lettuce. Chop fresh cilantro (about 1/4 c.) Trim fat from raw steaks. Slice into thin strips. Chili-Rub: Mix first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. (Will be crumbly). Toss steak with chili-rub to coat evenly. Cook in skillet on medium heat. Cook just until outsides get brown. Don't overcook! Heat corn tortillas in skillet with a little cooking spray for 30 sec. each side.

Spread guacamole on each tortilla. Fill with steak, cilantro, and cabbage. Serve with lime slices. Squeeze lime juice on tacos just before eating.

This is a super fast and easy meal. The original recipe called for making your own avocado cream sauce, but we love the easy pre-made guac! Also, if you don't want quite so much seasoning on your steak, you could rub the steaks and cook them before slicing. We like lots of flavor.

My husband does cool stuff!

2008-04-03T11:08:00.003-04:00

Mike doesn't work here yet, but this is a job he is applying for and he already knows how to do pretty much what you'll see here. He has worked at one of the few labs in the country that does tissue engineering to make muscle. This company (Tengion) is currently engineering bladders, and working on kidney research and more.

When I saw this video, I was pretty fascinated at how amazing this technology is, and even more, that my husband will likely be a part of such amazing medical breakthroughs, if not at Tengion, elsewhere:

Just for Suzanne

2008-04-02T08:58:00.004-04:00

Well... you say I don't update this thing enough... so I'm signing on to write some more. If only my life were so interesting that it warranted a daily entry! Last night...I worked late. We ate Taco Soup and cornbread (which I'm looking forward to eating again today for lunch!) I closed out a Princess House party which turned out to be a really good one, so that was exciting. We watched American Idol (except that I missed all my favorites because I was on the phone closing out the party!) I think it's past time for Kristy Lee Cook and Ramiele to go. Of all the rest, I'm having a tough time picking a favorite. Probably David Cook. But it's tough.

Then we wrote a new cover letter for Mike and finished tweaking his resume and he sent it off to the first (of hopefully several) jobs he is interested in pursuing! Yikes! So now I guess we need to get back to getting our house ready to rent! It may be a while, but now that his resume is back out there, we want to be prepared whenever he does get a good offer. So that means CLEANING and PAINTING and DE-CLUTTERING! And maybe I should just start by finishing the endless loads of laundry that seemed to pile up worse than usual when I was sick last week. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate laundry?! I think it's #1 on my hated-chores list. The rest aren't so bad... if only I had time! Keeping a house clean is a never-ending battle!

Well, that's my Wednesday morning update. :) Hope you enjoyed it!

TEST

2008-04-01T08:54:00.003-04:00

So I'm starting to wonder if no one likes my blog. I know I don't have any adorable babies to post pictures of... but do I have any friends who read this? Cause no one has left me a comment in over a month! Hmmm.... just wondering!

Something New

2008-03-31T10:39:00.003-04:00

Sometimes change is difficult, and knowing which decision to make is tough... but this time it's been so easy. Mike and I felt the Lord releasing us from the church we've been at for about a year and a half to search out a better fit for us. The first new church we visited, we both felt really clearly was a no. Then we went to the next one. We loved the worship service, were really blessed and challenged by the teaching, and we met a couple who invited us to their small group. We decided to go ahead and check that out too, and we absolutely know that God has led us here! It's such a great fit, and in the few short weeks that we've gotten involved, we have found new friends and soaked up the fellowship and great Bible study together. God is good.

There was some hesitation to uproot ourselves right now when we know that within the next year, maybe even 6 months, we will almost surely be moving again. But no matter how short this season may be, we are so encouraged to have such clear direction from the Lord, and to be able to connect and grow with a local church. As it turns out, almost everyone in our small group is in a time of transition right now! Community Church of Chesapeake is where we're at, if anyone is curious! :)

Fun in Raleigh...

2008-03-24T12:12:00.005-04:00

Mr. & Mrs. Ehresman

Michael, Lex, April, Hope (+ baby#3), Elizabeth, Luke, me, Mike

What a great weekend. We drove down to Raleigh on Saturday to witness Elizabeth (one of my LIFT girls) and Luke's wedding. We also got to spend Easter with Suzanne & Aaron, so it was just a wonderful 2 days with great friends. It's hard to believe it has been 6 years since I was hiking in the snow with those girls. We have really only gotten together at weddings (this made #6) but whenever I spend time with any of them, I walk away encouraged and challenged and reminded of the greatness and creativity of our Lord. I love that we are all so different, personality and background-wise, and that is exactly what becomes such a great blessing when we are together. I agree with the guys... we really should make a point to have a weekend retreat together sometime this year.

We got to worship with Suzanne & Aaron on Easter Sunday and then we made a delicious Easter dinner together. All my favorites! The ham was so yummy, Mike & I stopped by the store on the way home to get one ourselves so we could have leftover ham sandwiches this week!

We really enjoyed driving around parts of the Raleigh-area again. We would love to end up there if a job opens up for Mike. We'll see... But for now, it's back to work in Virginia Beach... yipee!

Living in a zoo...

2008-03-11T12:02:00.003-04:00

We are dogsitting my parents' two papillons this week... and it's an adventure to say the least! Cody, Gabe & Shelby are pretty adorable all together.

Shelby and Gabe LOVE to play - they chase each other around and around the coffeetable and Cody loves to run with them in the big backyard. They are FAST!! It actually makes life so much easier having them entertain our very active puppy! We get to just sit back and watch and laugh. We've realized we need 2 things... a big fenced in yard and another dog! But neither of those two are quite feasible just yet. Oh well... at least they are a fun stress-reliever, and between both jobs, I need that this week!

Look at Shelby's crazy huge ears! They actually look bigger in the picture than usual... but she's still got some growing to do to fit into them!

Good news...

2008-02-26T16:00:00.008-05:00

I have some exciting news and with it, a prayer request: my mom, my mother-in-law and my aunt Brenda (who just happens to be in town visiting from Florida) are all going with me to the Wave Women's Conference my church is hosting this weekend! Please pray that they would have open & fertile hearts where God's Word can be planted and take root. Pray that we would all be transformed and encouraged this weekend! Thanks friends!

Oh, and here are some new pics of the Shelby-girl with her 3 favorite chew toys...

Her pacifier:

Her crate-buddy (it's like her security blanket!):

And her daddy:

Oral Fixations...

2008-02-21T14:25:00.002-05:00

The latest in Shelby-drama (reader-discretion advised):

A couple days ago, Shelby discovered the trashcan in our master bathroom. She tried to get past us carrying tissues, tampons and more... and so far, we'd managed to stop her. Well, yesterday we weren't so quick. I found her in the bathroom with half of a condom in her mouth. Yes, a condom! The other half was nowhere to be found, and I quickly realized that was because she had already swallowed it!!! Ahhhhh!! SHELBY!!! A significant amount was gone and I was afraid it was going to cause a blockage in her little system and surely we'd have to have it surgically removed... how embarassing! I couldn't bear to call the vet, so I had Mike call. Well, apparently, this is a fairly common thing, and the vet told Mike we'd just need to keep a close eye on her. It may pass through, but if it didn't or if she started heaving, we'd need to bring her in and surgery would be necessary. I called into work, told them my puppy swallowed a plastic baggie (no way am I telling my conservative CBN managers that my puppy just ate a condom!) , and I worked from home all day to watch her. Well Shelby seemed un-phased, but it wasn't until this morning and more this afternoon that we knew she'd finally be okay. I found the remains in her stinky-poop and there was so much, I wouldn't be surprised if she actually ate two!

Hopefully my mom-friends can get a good laugh out of this story!! Now that I'm no longer worried we'll have astronomical surgery bills for our curious puppy, I'm sure this is a story we'll be laughing at for years to come...

Reality is the pathway to Dreams-come-true...

2008-02-19T11:20:00.003-05:00

God always has eternal purposes in mind. He doesn't just meet one immediate need, neglecting the greater needs and purpose at hand (making us like Jesus). He does provide for us, and He does answer our prayers, but He knows even more than what we ask. He remembers that He is in the business of saving us COMPLETELY. He is transforming us. He is renewing us. He is preparing us.

Here is my carnal mindset: I know what I really want my life to look like, and where I am now is just a filler until I can get to what I really want.

My dreams: I want to raise godly children who love Jesus and live for Him. I want to be the kind of woman who can call others to follow me as I follow Christ. I want to love my husband in such a way that He is enabled and compelled to pursue all that God has for him. I want to be a blessing in the lives that intersect with mine.

Where am I now: I am working 40 hours a week in Marketing... a field that I don't really feel is my niche, but somehow I have been in for about 10 years. I don't wake up with that feeling of drivenness and motivation, knowing that when I go to work, I am accomplishing what only I can. I tend to think, this is just where I am until Mike's career takes off and we can start a family and I don't have to be the "career-woman" anymore. But what's wrong with that perspective?

God says: "Whatever you do, work at with all of your heart, as unto Him." You mean I need to not only just show up for work and do what is asked of me, but I need to go above and beyond and put my heart into this, even if naturally, my heart's not in it??
God provided this job for me and wants to use it to shape me into who He wants me to be. It's not just about gaining some professional-experience that I don't really care about anyway...but I am challenged and tested daily and it's how I live not just what I do that counts. He is developing my character daily.
My calling is not necessarily the same as my dreams. God may have something for me that I would have never picked myself. I do know that He has put me where I am for the current time. I don't feel that this is my "calling" but I do know that this is where He wants me right now. Why do I comply begrudgingly, like an ungrateful child rather than embrace what is before me?
I do not know the timing for the next season of my life. Part of my dreams include things that aren't in my life yet. I need to be faithful in a little so that He can entrust me with much. If God is waiting on me to be faithful in my job before He'll move me on, I need to hurry up and get with the program!
How can I possibly be the person I want to be, in the life that I so strongly desire, if I'm not being that person right now? If my children were watching me right now, and learning how to live, would I be setting a good example? Would I want them to follow in my footsteps? Wow. That's convicting.

God is good. He is so much more committed to my good than I am. It's humbling to recognize what great lengths He is willing to go to in order to make me what He created me to be. If only I weren't so often blinded by wanting the results without the process. If only I would live daily with all of my heart, unto Him, rather than unto myself. Father, I surrender in your mercy and grace and I give you this moment on. Thanks for being patient with me.

I'm a lucky girl!

2008-02-15T12:03:00.003-05:00

What a great husband I have! :) We had a great time together for our first "real" Valentine's Day together last night at our favorite Indian restaurant...and he has planned an awesome long weekend for us, starting with a dog-sitter for Shelby through Sunday, he's turned our dining room into a romantic setting with china and candles and flowers and will be cooking me a gourmet dinner tonight, we're going shopping at IKEA & Potomac Mills tomorrow, lunch at P.F. Changs after church Sunday, and we're taking the day off Monday and are going to get massages (Christmas gift from mom & dad) and go see Fool's Gold (new chick flick I've wanted to see)!! I can't wait!

Faith Restored...

2008-02-14T13:58:00.003-05:00

Kohl's DOES give grace! Actually, to be technically-correct, I know it was God who showed me grace, and Kohl's just complied. ;)

(see super long blog below) Result: They took off my returned check fee and gave me another chance to pay it. ;) Yay!

A Tough Break...

2008-02-14T11:27:00.003-05:00

Have you ever made an honest mistake that had pretty rough consequences? Well... I just did. I have been working really hard in this one area of my life to be organized and stay on top of things and have given it to God as a matter of faith and am trusting Him to bless my efforts. Hardships and unexpected trials have come and we just persevere. We continue to trust God's provision, and He never fails. And then I go and miss one thing which becomes like this huge thorn in my side and when I try to correct it, I mess up again, not out of neglect, but just an honest oversight. It's so hard to keep everything in this limited brain of mine, and even though I thought I was doing everything I needed do, something just slipped past me. And now I'm having to pay the consequences...And I just want to throw up my hands and quit. That's certainly not an option... but it's just overwhelming sometimes. And in the grown-up world, just saying you're sorry and made a mistake but you'll fix it, no matter how much you mean it, doesn't always give you a second (or third) chance. Sometimes you just have learn lessons the hard way. Or can I beg for grace? Grace = unmerited favor. I know it was my mistake. It's not like anyone owes me another shot at it... but this really was an honest mistake. Not neglect, not avoidance, just a mistake. Does Kohl's administer grace? I sure hope so.

Sigh...

I've become a very frugal shopper. We've really stuck to our new budget, and rarely do just "fun shopping." Well in November, we went to Kohl's to buy Mike some desperately needed new jeans. We found a great deal and even had a coupon for 20% off if I used my Kohl's card (which I've had forever but never use). So we decided, let's do it and we'll just pay it off as soon as the bill comes. $36 was our grand total. That's pretty good for 2 pairs of jeans! Well for the next couple weeks, I kept an eye out for the bill but we never got it. Time passed on, it was Thanksgiving and then Christmas and as you can imagine, I just forgot about it. I never saw the bill. Well last week I got a phone call telling me that we had a bill that was overdue by 2 months and had $50 in late fees. $36 jeans now cost: $87.16. I explained to the girl on the phone that I'd never seen the bill and it was just an honest oversight. It turns out that since I hadn't used the card in about 2 years... the e-mail address on my file was like 3 addresses ago and apparently way back when, I had opted out of receiving paper statements. So email was it. She agreed to drop half of the late fee so long as I made the payment that day. Now the jeans will cost $62. So much for a great deal... So I hurried online, logged in to my account and sent the payment. Then today, I noticed that my bank account hasn't shown that transaction so I went back to Kohl's page to check it out. The $25 late fee was removed, but now there is a new $25 returned check fee and no payment has been made! What?!! That stupid account. I didn't check which checking account it was going to debit... and sure enough it was the one I had BEFORE I got married, which we closed a few months ago. ARGGHHHHH!!!! Can I possibly mess this up anymore?! Now we're back to $87.16. And I am just frustrated beyond belief. Do I call back and explain again and just beg for grace? Or do I just say that some lessons have to be learned the hard way? This time at the tone of $50. Big sigh.... This calls for another handful of the mini chocolate chips I have stashed in my desk drawer!

Shelby Update...

2008-02-05T14:05:00.001-05:00

We love it when she's sweet...and asleep!

"Hey, don't you want to come play with me??"

Silly pup! She was in rare form last night!

These are a few recent pictures of Shelby. She had fun playing with Robertson today too (but unfortunately I never pulled the camera out!)

Monday Morning Meditations...

2008-02-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

After such a fun weekend, I need a day to rest! :) We had so much fun with the Hortons, Perkins & Esperats this weekend. When I think about the friendships God has given me and the incredible memories and ongoing encouragements we have, I am more grateful than I can even express. Lately when I think of these incredible women of God that I got to share the most precious years of growth and discovery of God's heart with... He has been showing me something awesome for the future. What we have as far as friendship in Him is rare and to be nurtured. I keep getting this vision of 7 women with incredible callings. We are already walking in what He has called us to now... I think of husbands that are being supported, children that are witnessing the ultimate examples of worshipping hearts and are being raised in the fear and love of God, I think of new friends and co-workers that we get to love on and encourage, neighbors we can minister to, and patients who are being cared for... Already, He is using each of us... and yet I sense we are only on the tip of the iceberg. I can't wait to see what He will call each of us to... I pray it will be powerful... that we won't be limited by our own sight, but that we will be strengthened in our spirits by the fellowship we have and that we will rise up to answer His every call... that we will live lives that require His provision and strength and the love and encouragement of one another... and that we will each have a mighty impact on our world for His glory. He has given us so much and has built in us a solid foundation... let us continue to build upon that!

mmm...yummy AND healthy too!

2008-02-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

We've enjoyed 3 yummy (& healthy!) meals this week, thanks to Food Network's Ellie Krieger. We don't even have cable, so I just found her online when I searched for healthy recipes... but everything I made this week will definitely go into my "regular recipes" for many future uses!

Mon: Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream
Tues: Individual Chicken Pot-Pies
Wed: Left-over Pot-Pie (even better than the first night!)
Thurs: Maple-Mustard Chicken & Broccoli Cheddar Potato Skins w/Avocado Sauce

Last night might have been my favorite, so here are the recipes!

MAPLE MUSTARD CHICKEN

1 pack of boneless/skinless chicken thighs (around 1 1/2 lbs)
2 tablespoons grainy French mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Combine mustard, garlic, marjoram and maple syrup in a small bowl. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard mixture evenly on top of each chicken thigh, being careful to cover as much of the surface as possible to form a "crust." Arrange chicken in a glass baking dish. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until mustard mixture has formed a crust and is slightly hardened, and juices run clear when the chicken is pierced.

How easy is that?! And it's really tasty!

BROCCOLI-CHEDDAR POTATO SKINS WITH AVOCADO SAUCE

8 small Idaho potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
4 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces broccoli florets, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
3 pieces Canadian bacon, finely diced (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Avocado Creme:

2 scallions, thinly sliced, greens reserved
1 medium avocado
4 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Pierce potatoes several times with a fork and wrap in paper towels. Microwave on high for 13 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Remove from microwave and cool until potatoes are easy to handle. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop all but 1/8 inch of the inside of the potato, leaving skin intact. Reserve scooped potato flesh for another use. Brush both inside and outside of potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place potatoes, skin-side down, on a baking sheet and bake until skins are crisp and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the filling. Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until crisp stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve.

To make avocado cream, combine scallion whites, avocado, sour cream lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in the small bowl of a food processor and process on high until smooth. About 30 seconds.

Toss the broccoli with cheese and spoon filling evenly among potatoes. Lower oven to 400 degrees F and return potatoes to oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Spoon 1 tbs. of the avocado cream on top of broccoli-filled potatoes, then top with scallion greens and 1 tsp.
crisped bacon bits.

This one takes a little more time, but I started it right after I put the chicken in the oven, and managed to time the whole meal perfectly! :) Enjoy!

you get what you ask for!

2008-01-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

Getting up early enough in the mornings to get ready for work, fix lunches, eat breakfast, take Shelby out several times, play with her, feed her AND spend time in God's Word has been... well, a challenge. Mike and I have really wanted to start everyday in the Word together, but sometimes we're just so sleepy. Well, this weekend, we decided...no excuses, we're setting the alarm for 6:20 and we're getting up. And we have been praying that God would help us to keep this committment...

Well... 3 days in a row, Shelby has woken us up between 6:00 and 6:15 to go out. We're laying there wishing we could get those last 10 minutes of sleep, but she's insistent. I guess this is God's way of helping (more like, making) us get up on time! As much as I want to just roll over and go back to sleep, I have to smile because that annoying little whine 15 minutes too early, is really an answer to prayer! :)

How'd that happen?

2008-01-23T15:50:00.000-05:00

So what's it like to be a mom?

Being woken up around 6:00 for potty-duty?
Needing to get up even earlier for work so you can play and feed and take the little one to the potty a few times?
Spending your lunch break playing and caring for her instead of taking that nap you are so desperate for?
Choosing to stay home at night to give the little one some lovin'?
Calling a sitter if you do need to go out after work?
Waking up every hour in the middle of the night to crying?
Cleaning up pee & poo in the middle of the night?
Taking a day "off work" to take the little one to see the doc because she's sick?
Spending $90 on Dr. bills and medicine instead of something more fun?
Being proud of how great she did while sick and waiting 2 1/2 hours at the doc's office?
Laughing your head off at something cute she does?
Smiling as you are seeing the reward of all your potty-training pay off?

I guess I'm a mom. Thanks Shelby.

my Dad is the best!

2008-01-23T15:16:00.000-05:00

Something I love about being a child of God is that when things in your life seem to be going crazy and out of control, it can still be the sweetest time of your life! We've had some pretty challenging realities lately, and apart from faith in God who promises us life and blessing and provision, we could easily just freak out. But He is leading us into greater faith, and He always... Always... ALWAYS shows up. He is forever good.

no turning back now!

2008-01-09T08:52:00.000-05:00

well, so far we have been puppy-parents for 5 days. she is the cutest thing ever. she is also a LOT of work. we've actually been very very happy about how quickly she's getting potty trained, and she seems to even know her name and she definitely knows us already! i don't know if we were prepared for the sleepless nights though! getting up every hour or 2 to take her outside definitely takes a toll on you! but last night we only got up once! yay!!! it IS getting better.

we have decided that in some ways puppies make life even more complicated than babies do. lots of things are the same... except that when you want to go somewhere, if you had a baby, you'd just take her with you. But when you have a puppy - you have to either find a dog-sitter or not go, because you've already had her crated all day while you were at work...and most places aren't exactly dog-friendly. But that's okay... we're learning and we have lots of willing sitters already!

we have both thought, "whew! we're glad we don't have kids yet!" It's tough to go to work and be 100% there when you only got a couple hours sleep every night for the last 4 days... but I've decided it's work... not the babies... that will make life so challenging! Hopefully when that time comes... God will provide a way for me to stay at home...But for now... I better get back to work!

Here goes...

2007-12-27T14:56:00.000-05:00

first it was myspace, which we both joined reluctantly(now thankfully).... then it was facebook, now a blog... well, if it allows us to keep in touch with friends and share what God is doing in our lives, then we're in!

we will be getting an exciting addition to our family in about a week... not a baby...a puppy! i mean seriously, we just got married 4 months ago! so while most of our friends have rapidly expanding families and we're not quite ready for that, we thought we'd at least join in the potty training and toys and needing sitters to go out!

shelby is her name and she's currently 6 weeks old and almost ready to leave her dog-mom and join our family! she is an adorable little papillon who will only grow to be around 10 lbs which is perfect for condo-life! she already has quite a few aunt & uncles, cousins & grandparents who are excited to meet her!

i used to have opinions about "crazy dog people" and will try hard not to become one of them, but i'm sure you'll get updates from time to time... at least until the focus shifts to a "real baby" one day!

well... happy reading!