Quick Takes (44): A Random Collection of Updates

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After 4 days of swim lessons, I'm officially going to call them a bust.  What started out with such great intentions (getting R better acclimated and more comfortable in the pool) and such joy on Day 1, quickly went downhill on Day 2.  R loves the water, so DH and I thought it would be good to get her in some lessons before swimming a lot at our neighborhood pool.  He agreed to do the lessons with her, and I agreed to go along and take pictures and video:-)  Day 2 was "Submerge" day, where all the parents were supposed to dunk their kids to get them familiar with the water (I guess).  It didn't go so well.  She wasn't happy with that, took on some water, and ended up throwing up in the pool which caused a full pool immediate evacuation.  Since then, she's not been super interested getting back in the pool (I don't blame her).  Wish we would have stuck with our instincts and not followed the teacher's instructions.  Now we've got to build up her trust again, and we have 4 more days of class left next week.  Not sure what will come of that.  Ugh.

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10 full lawn and leaf bags later, our azalea bushes are finally trimmed.  Yes, we do have a ton of bushes, but they were also pretty bad.  Finally just paid somebody to do it because neither of us has had time to do it.  They sure look nice now!  And much more manageable to keep up with.

--- 3 ---

Operation house update/get the house ready before Baby comes continues in full swing this summer.  Next up- new low-flow toilets (our county offers $100 rebates for 2!) and programmable thermostats.  Can't believe our 28 year old house still has the old school, turn style thermostats in them!  Will be nice to get those puppies replaced.  Yes, we have 2 thermostats for our 2 air conditioners and 2 furnaces. Still seems so funny to me since our house is only 2,000 square feet.  Such is life in the South.

--- 4 ---

Busy bags are going to be keeping me busy!  I'm getting ready to participate in my 1st swap, while at the same time organizing another one for local moms.  Should be fun.  I've got 2 different ideas I'm working on, and I can't wait to get all the bags from everyone and have lots of new activities for R this fall.  Perfect timing.

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We've entered the time of year where our air conditioners could practically run all day long.  We don't run them that much, but we certainly could to keep cool/feel comfortable.  I'm so missing those mountain nights where the temps could be 80s and 90s during the day, but then 50s overnight.  It was wonderful to open up windows overnight, cool down the house, and not have to run the A/C much the next day.  One of my favorite parts of summer in the West.  Hoping we only have 10 more weeks left of this yucky summer heat.  I seem to remember September being cooler last year.

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DH and I just completed our 1st 6 week round of exercising 3 times a week and eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables 5 times a week.  It doesn't sound like much, but it's always good for us to keep track, and our health insurance offers cash incentives for doing various things like this, so we keep doing them.  The fruits and veggies are usually easier than the exercise for me (see weather point above).  It's so blasted hot all day long, it's hard to get out and walk.  We try to exercise at the pool, walking inside the mall, or chasing her around at a Gymboree class (one month Groupon....love it!), but sadly, I still struggle. I definitely need more exercise as I'm packing on the pounds, but it's so much easier to just sit inside in the cool during the day.

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Finally, two good progesterone draws in a row!  High Zone 2 (1 point away from zone 3 actually...I've never seen zone 3 in a pregnancy before), so decreasing the shots for a few times.  Yippee.  But it probably means my numbers will go down and I'll be increasing the shots again in 2 weeks. Oh well. I will gladly welcome a small break because I'm pretty sure DH hit a blood vessel last week as I've got an ugly, nasty, sore bruised area that doesn't seem to be healing very quickly.  Yuck.  No shots on that side for quite awhile.  Just hoping it heals and doesn't become something icky.  Sorry to end on that note.  Enjoy the weekend!

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Quick Takes (43)

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This is my 201st post!  Wow.  I wasn't sure when I started this blog what would come of it, for I started it mainly as a way to connect with other IF bloggers and receive support through that network along with this being an anonymous outlet for my thoughts, struggles, and feelings during one of the hardest times in my life.  My frequency in blogging has definitely slowed down since I first started, but I love that I have a place that documents my journey- God's story- in my life.

--- 2 ---

We are finally getting back on track after our most recent trip to visit the in-laws.  That'll come in the April updates, if I ever finish and post the March ones.  We'll just say it was the most awful, stressful, uncomfortable trip ever.  Didn't see that one coming at all.  It took us nearly 2 weeks to get R back on schedule with with her sleep routine overnight and naps.  Ugh.  Happy to report that I think we're finally there though. Phew.  And we only have one possible trip planned this summer, much to DH and I's delight.  We're looking forward to a staying-home-kind-of-summer.

--- 3 ---

We are starting the weaning process.  Who ever thought I'd still be nursing a 2 year old?  Not IF, PCOS me, for sure.  My goal was to make it to a year.  And then once we hit the year mark, I just thought we'd see what happened.  At 18 months, her doctor said the WHO recommended to continue until 2, and that most babies would self-wean, so I figured...we'll just keep with it. I did start to practice gentle weaning, where I didn't offer to nurse, but I also didn't refuse when she asked.  But once we hit the 2 year mark, along with a host of other issues, I just felt emotionally and physically ready to wean.  At R's 2 year check, her doctor thought she might be using nursing as a way to manipulate me, so I've tried to limit her nursings to a few set times during the day, and it does seem to be working most days.  We're only 10 days in, so definitely still plugging away, but it's also sort of bittersweet to think of my time with her in that way is going to be coming to an end soon.  And I don't know if I'll have the chance to nurse another baby, so I think that's part of the reason I let her hang on as long as she did.  I enjoyed that special bonding time with her for sure and am so thankful for the experience even if there's not another.

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It is so hard to believe we have a 2 year old in the house now!  Some days I find it hard to even believe I have a child because I spent so many years thinking it would never happen.  R is starting to be so affectionate and she's developing a little sense of humor, it is so funny.  She can identify most if not all of her letters, she knows her colors and basic shapes, and can count to thirteen. I love seeing her little mind develop.  She loves to run and jump, play outside, and would probably stay outside all day if I let her.  She likes reading books, all things with wheels (cars, trains, tractors, etc.), Curious George, bugs, and balls.  We just had her 2 year pictures taken and I cannot wait to see how they turned out (we did have to do 2 shoots though because I totally forgot to bring her outfits to the 1st one and didn't realize until we were 45 mins from home. doh!  Not one of my finer moments.)

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We just joined Costco for the 1st time with a deal I found online (free items, money back, etc).  We've never lived close to one (we're still not super close), but we finally grew tired of Sam's Club and thought we'd make the change for a year and see what we think.  I'm so excited to check out some of their organic items.  Now to find the time to get over there and check everything out.  What are some of your favorite Costco items to buy?

--- 6 ---

Summer is a'coming!  School is winding down for the year here and so are many of the activities we've been participating in.  My Matthew Bible study was over a few weeks ago as well as MOPS.  DH's evening work commitments free up quite a bit soon, and we're looking forward to tackling our long (and growing) summer to-do list.  You know, all those house projects we haven't done the 9 months we've been here.

--- 7 ---

And in other summer news, pools are opening up around here like crazy.  Hard for me to believe since it's still May, but we've definitely had several days where a dip in the pool sounds quite refreshing.  Although as I type that, I'm sitting in long sleeves and pants.  It was 70 for a high today with 48 overnight.  Everyone around here is complaining about the unseasonably "cool" weather.  DH and I are loving the break from the heat.  Looks like it's remaining "cool" (ie. 70s) through the weekend.  Can't wait.  Going to enjoy it.  Hope you enjoy it too!

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Quick Takes (42): Remember me?

I actually wrote these on Thursday night and then forgot to post them or schedule the post.  Oops!  I hope you don't mind me posting them late.

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Oh my goodness!  Where does the time go?  I can't believe it's been close to 2 months since I last typed a few words.  Thanks to two lovely ladies for reaching out and checking in with me to make sure I was ok.  Seriously, how awesome is that?  Two total strangers that I've never met before email to see how my appointment went and how I'm doing.  Thanks for making me feel loved.

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October was a hard month.  My appointment with the new Napro dr did not go well.  I've got to finish the blog post so you can hear what she had to say and give advice on how to proceed, but basically I don't think she and I will be a good fit long-term.  So that sort of put me into a bit of a depressed state.  I was so certain things were going to go well and that this was going to be the start of getting me back on track health and fertility wise.  I've gained 5 pounds since the appointment and have hardly been to the gym, so the opposite effect happened.

--- 3 ---

November was a long month.  R came down with a nasty cold that she passed onto me.  It lingered around for 9 days and then re-surfaced as a sinus infection in me.  Then R came down with another (or the same) cold.  Oh my goodness!  It was about 3 weeks of non-stop sickness in our house.  Not fun at all.  That really zapped my energy on top of the already down mood I was feeling.

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Thankfully, we were all healthy by Thanksgiving time!  If you remember back to previous years, we have always hosted people at our home since we can't travel to be with family.  Usually, it was my international students experiencing the holiday and meal for the 1st time.  I loved sharing our traditions with them and interacting outside of the classroom.  Occasionally, we'd have some college students from church over if they couldn't travel home either.  DH and I have such a good time hosting.  We tried to find people to invite over this year and couldn't.  Either we didn't hear about those that needed a place to go or everyone truly did have plans, but it was just the 3 of us this year.  At first, I was sad and missing our previous connections with people, but then I decided a nice, low-key Thanksgiving was just fine for this year.  We didn't even get a whole turkey; we just settled for a turkey tenderloin (which R loved, by the way).

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And then the rush hit after Thanksgiving...preparing for Advent and Christmas.  We did get our tree up and lights on it and our Advent calendar out, but otherwise we haven't finished decorating yet and I'm still working furiously to get our cards out since most people don't have our new address yet.  And I'm sort of nervous to continue unpacking everything because we haven't gone through those boxes thoroughly since we moved (Christmas last year we were still out West).  Sort of sad to think about.  I'm still missing my friends, the mountains, our church, and my colleagues.  Adjusting and change are so hard for me.

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It probably doesn't help my adjustment factor since it's 70+ degrees today, rainy, and humid beyond all get out.  I was in a t-shirt today I was so warm.  This is not the December I am used to.  It should be cold and snowy during Advent.  How can I listen to Christmas songs about sleigh bells and snow and fireplaces when I have the a/c on in my car?!?  This weather is for the birds.  And seriously....we are still raking leaves we have so many trees.  It's really been a challenge for me to get into the Advent/Christmas spirit when this is so foreign to me.  I am so out of my element and comfort zone. And I realize as I type this many of you are covered under layers of snow or ice and cold.  One of my friends commented that we always want what we don't have.  Isn't that so true?  I guess I will know what to expect next Advent and can be better prepared, and I can start thinking now about the true meaning of the season that does not depend on the weather outside.

--- 7 ---

And finally, we have little Miss Escape Artist in our house.  One day shy of 19 months and she gets out of her crib on her own.  She woke up in the morning, we heard a thud, and then she shut off her monitor.  I go in to get her and she's standing at the door.  Oh boy, she is keeping us on our toes.  Thankfully, she was not harmed, but we knew she'd be trying that trick again before too long.  I think we've worked out a temporary solution by removing the springs and just setting the mattress on the floor inside the crib sides, but the act left me scrambling to try and track down the rails and kit to convert her crib to a toddler bed.  Wouldn't you know it, some of the pieces are no longer available (we bought the crib less than 2 years ago)?!?

The good news is she has been sleeping through the night now since we did sleep re-training (did I tell you we had to re-train overnight sleep things had gotten so bad after our FL trip?)  We are only a few weeks in again, but she's consistently sleeping through the night and napping well.  For this reason, we are not ready for a toddler bed yet!

And I've got a bunch more things I could add, but maybe I'll save that for a post for next week:-)  A happy and blessed Advent to you all as we await the birth of our Savior.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (41): Organized or Not So Much?

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I don't know what it is, but I'm an organization junkie wanna-be.  I love to organize.  I love how things look and feel in a home when everything is neatly organized and put in its place.  I always have so many organizing ideas, but I struggle with the follow-though.  If you saw our home, you'd doubt my love of organization.  So I'm sort of stuck between what I would love to be and the reality of what I really am regarding organization.

Anyways, that's a little background information.  Onto Quick Takes...

Organizing my time: I've been thinking a lot lately about how much time I waste each day doing unimportant tasks and how I feel like I never get things done around the house.  Therefore, I'm going to try a weekly schedule for cleaning and tasks that are important to me.  I'm still working on the daily details, but I hope to share it with you soon and get ideas for what works/doesn't work for you.

--- 2 ---

Organizing our spiritual growth as a family: In line with the weekly schedule, I've also been thinking a lot about starting some sort of family Sabbath time.  DH and I are still talking about this one, so it's not quite as far along as the weekly schedule, but we are both getting burned out on work.  It seems like every day I have a to-do list for him and I, and there's not much time left to grow as a family spiritually.  Yes, we attend church on Sundays, but I'm talking about beyond that.  After we get home from church, it's often straight into work mode, NFL football, or something else.  Therefore, we're thinking about a time where we can invest a few hours (hopefully working up to a day...maybe?) in growing our family spiritually.  This probably won't happen on a Sunday given a variety of factors, but we're still talking about what to do.  We're calling it our family sabbath time because it'll be a time for us to rest (no to-do lists), enjoy each other's company, and grow in our faith together with each other.  I'd love suggestions or ideas if you already do something similar!

  

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Organizing our gift giving: I recently joined a Melissa and Doug co-op in this area.  I'm not sure how I found out about it, but I was able to order almost any product listed on their website for 50% off!  Sweet, huh?  R has a few Melissa and Doug puzzles, and that's our only exposure to M & D, but everyone loves their toys, so the co-op was a good chance for us to stock up on Christmas and bday gifts for the kids in the family and our Godchildren for the next 10 months or so.  Talk about feeling super-organized.  Hardly any gift shopping left to do.  That is sweet.  I've never been that organized before!  I can't wait for the stuff to arrive in a few weeks.

--- 4 ---

Organizing R's sleep schedule: It looks like we are fast approaching the "transition from 2 naps to 1 nap" time period with R.  Goodbye, mostly predictable nap schedule.  Hello, uncertain nap schedule.  Most days it's a fight to get her to take 2 naps, even though she still shows signs of needing two.  I'm uncertain if I should just jump in full speed ahead and make the transition to 1 or continue going back and forth between 1 and 2 each day given what she shows/needs.  All the uncertainty can drive me crazy each day, but I think this is pretty common at this stage.

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Organizing our food stash:  It's been hard to build up our pantry and freezer supply since we've been here because we never knew when we might be moving from the rental.  Now that we know we're in our home for awhile, it's time to start stocking up on deals.  First off, Zaycon chicken.  I've done this one before, but it was in our previous state.  I'm happy to report Zaycon is in our new state as well.  This is the company where you buy various meats that are free from hormones, additives, and preservatives for a reasonable price (1.84/lb for chicken) but in bulk (40 lbs of chicken).  We're splitting the order with a friend, but are still excited about having 20 lbs of chicken in our freezer soon!  DH has been severely meat-deprived (it's been hard to find good deals), so after the chicken comes he's going to stake out beef deals.

--- 6 ---

Organizing my health: I made a decision on the Napro Dr debate I mentioned in my last email.  I scheduled an appointment with the closer doctor (who knows Napro but isn't up to date on it any more) and will see what I think when I meet her in person.  I like that her new patient appts typically take 1 to 1.25 hours!  That impressed me and the staff said she would be willing to work with me if I still wanted to chart Creighton, the Marquette model (which she focuses on now), or some combo (I did take my BBT while doing Creighton charting).  So we shall see.  The appt. isn't too far away, so I'm already getting a little worried about even going back to a doctor to discuss my health.  Ahh.

--- 7 ---

Not so much organized: So we finally got our claim settled from the moving company that moved us cross-country in January!  How's that for not being organized?  I will put the blame on us for taking awhile to submit our claim and then the moving company for not reading our information carefully and making us send a rebuttal back.  Ugh.  That company (Stevens Van Lines) was awful to work with.  I can assure you we won't be going with them ever again should God decide we need to move.  I don't recall how much I talked about the horrible experience we had with the packers, movers, driver, and contact person, but it was horrid.  So many of our things were damaged because of their poor packing, and we hardly got compensated.  Ugh.  So frustrating, but we did get some compensation and are going to leave it at that. 

And somewhat related to the move but not organizing...the rental home is under contract already!  The homeowners put it up on the market shortly after we moved out and had it under contract within a few days. Someone wants to buy that awful place for the same price we paid for our current home!  I can't believe it.  My jaw nearly dropped when I heard the news (we have a mutual acquaintance that told me).  I'll be anxious to hear what happens after the inspection...

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (40): Moving, Mustiness, Pierogies, and Strep

Ummm...so is it pathetic to admit I actually started this Quick Takes post for last Friday?!?  Oh man.  I've had a severe case of the blahs lately.  Not sure what is going on.

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All moved! Woo hoo. This seems sort of a given now since my last post was weeks ago, but we made the final moving load, cleaned the rental home, and turned in keys all in the same day.  That meant we were out of the rental one day earlier than we had planned thanks to some motivated friends getting us out ASAP.

--- 2 ---

Musty smell. Pee yoo! We moved just in time because I hadn't realized how stinky that place was.  All of our clothes that were hanging in the closet there reek of that musty smell.  I sort of flipped out once we had moved out and I realized that.  Does that mean we went around smelling musty for 7 months?!?  I knew our bedroom was musty and ran a dehumidifier to help with that, but our sheets, pillows, blankets, towels, and clothes all stink!  I've been in the process of washing everything to get rid of the smell.  I still have some clothes left to do and we threw away a few pillows because they were horrible.  Man...our sinuses are surely rejoicing now.

--- 3 ---

Settling in. Yee haw! Our house just feels so right for us.  The neighborhood is great and the neighbors we have met have been so friendly and welcoming.  People are active in this community, which we like, because someone is always out walking or running.  It is so much quieter than our rental house and just feels so peaceful and safe.  Remember how paranoid I was at the rental?  Yeah, not so much here.  We're getting settled "one box at a time" we say.

--- 4 ---

Polish festival. Yum oo!  Went to a polish festival at a local parish recently and it was so much fun to celebrate my Polish heritage.  I had the best pierogies ever.  Seriously, these were the fattest, yummiest pierogies made by volunteers from the church.  They had cabbage rolls, polish beer, baked goods, authentic music, dancing, and costumes, and more!  And I couldn't get over all the Polish people of all ages were speaking.  My grandma would have loved it!  I found out later they have a Polish-speaking mass there each week.  Who know there was such a Polish population here?  Definitely going back to the festival next year.  R even loved pierogi!

--- 5 ---

Strep throat. Boo hoo!  I was seriously down for the count for days with strep throat being the victor.  Even after I got on meds, my throat was still painfully raw for 4. more. days.  Oh my gosh.  I haven't been that sick in a long long time.  Not fun.  Not fun at all.  Hoping the meds kicked it and I don't need a 2nd round of them.  I've only been off meds for 3 days.  Thankfully, neither DH or R got sick, so at least that was good.  And there is a cool story about our God-daughter that came out of it, but I'll have to type that up in a non-Quick Takes post!

--- 6 ---

TV addict. Oh no!  We've done a pretty good job (in my opinion) of not letting R watch much or any TV.  I've read about not allowing screen time for kids under 2, and I've tried to follow this except for now, all of a sudden, she loves it.  She turns it on herself and loves watching Curious George.  She'll watch an entire show, and then she gets mad when it's over and the monkey isn't on anymore.  Any time we are in the same room as the TV, she wants to have it on.  Heck, any time we're on the main level, she makes her way into the TV room to turn it on.  I'm about ready to move the TV to our bedroom or the garage because I don't know what else to try.  Any advice?

--- 7 ---

Missing there. Boo hoo!  I've had a serious case of missing the previous area we lived in.  I've been missing the start of the semester, the campus buzzing with students around, my teaching job, friends, our church there, etc.  It's been really, really hard lately and I'm not sure why.  I mean, I should be all excited because we just moved into the home, and instead I'm again realizing how final our move feels.  We are here, in this place, indefinitely.  That means no white Christmases for R growing up, no 4 seasons like I am used to, etc.  Blech.  I know it's still adjustment.  And adjustment takes time.  And I'm not one big on change, so adjustment takes even longer with me.  Still, I'd like to figure out how to cultivate more of a spirit of gratitude and joy inside rather than all the yuckiness that goes on in my head.  I'll also take suggestions on gratitude and joy as well!

And with that, have a great weekend!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (39): July re-cap

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Ummm....hello, August !  What did you do with July?  I seriously don't know where the month went.  Here's a re-cap to what we've been up to.  We started off the month with DH away on a youth trip for a week.  He was one of the chaperones, and while he had a great time with the kids, it was hard to have him gone for a week.  (This was on the heels of being gone 2 weeks for another trip, so it probably just magnified the hardness factor).  These are the times I wish we were closer to family.  R and I survived though, and thankfully it's probably the last long trip DH will take for awhile.

--- 2 ---

We spent a whole week in MN for my brother's wedding.  We had lots and lots and lots of family time, which was mostly good.  DH and I were both in the wedding while R was not.  That was a little bit of a challenge with all of the wedding party duties and a little one who still takes 2 naps, but overall, she did great with all the over stimulation.  And we were so honored to be able to stand up for them on their big day and be present for all of their special festivities.

--- 3 ---

While there I got to spend lots of time with my Grandma since we stayed in the guest suite at her senior center.  I loved watching R spend time with Grandma.  I love my Grandma to death, and I'm closer to her than my own mother.  She's the last living great-grandparent for R, and I'm so thankful for the time, pictures, and video I got of them together.  I truly don't know if I will see her again.  She's almost 91 and her health has declined considerably.  And while she still drives her car (yikes!) and is fairly independent in her senior center, my heart tells me it may have been the last time or at least the last time for her to be so coherent and interactive.  I had this feeling the last time I visited my Grandpa too, so I don't know if it's real or just the worry-er in me.  R ate up the attention from Grandma, it was so fun to watch.  And of course it makes me miss my Grandpa that he never got the chance to meet R (dang, IF and miscarriage.  You make me so mad sometimes.)

--- 4 ---

Shortly after the trip, DH and I celebrated our 8th anniversary!  Wow!  That seems like such a long time, and yet it doesn't.  I've known DH for 14 years now.  Wow.  And after our 1st breakup, I never would have imagined we'd get back together and get married.  ha, ha. That is a funny story.  God had something better in store that I didn't realize at the time in the midst of all the pain.  I'm so thankful for DH- he seriously is such a better person than me.  I don't deserve to be married to someone so good.

--- 5 ---

I had a college friend come to visit.  She was in town for a conference, but came in early to see us.  It was so fun to have her see where we are living now (she agreed it was definitely unique and odd) and she also got to see our new house since we had the walk through when she was here.  R hammed it up for her, which was fun for me to watch, and my friend had lots of great ideas, advice, and encouragement to give about parenting that came at just the right time when I needed it. 

--- 6 ---

I turned 35.  I usually love July for the anniversary and birthday month celebrations, but this is one birthday I really wasn't looking forward to.  For some reason, 35 seems so much older than 30-34 to me. Hello, AMA (advanced maternal age).  Not real excited to see you.  When I was younger (ie. in my 20s), I always assumed I'd be done having kids by the time I was 35.  I never dreamed we'd struggle with so many different health issues for me that we only learned about after we got married.  I know of the risk factors that increase with health and pregnancy after 35.  And in other ways, I don't feel as old as the number looks on paper.  I'm so happy and content with our one precious child now.  I don't want to hurry up and rush time by.  I'm not ready to jump back on the TTC wagon again with all of the tests, meds, and stress that it's meant for me in the past.  Ultimately, this birthday has me trusting God even more so with my health, fertility, and size of our family.  It's not the path I envisioned to be on, but I trust it's even better than I envisioned it to be!

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July also marked the start of night sleep training for R.  For the past several months, she's continued to wake up multiple times overnight to nurse.  Thanks to some fabulous advice from a fabulous blogger (Hebrews 11:1), we started the journey to get her sleeping longer, better, and deeper at night.  Hebrews' advice was just what I need to hear (well, read actually) to do what we probably should have done 2 or 3 months ago.  We are still working out the kinks with bedtimes and naptimes, but she's currently sleeping 10 1/2 to 11 hours at night.  Just what a growing, developing little girl needs.  I, on the other hand, am not.  I think it's time to sleep train myself next!

So there ya have it.  Now I realize why I only posted one measly time in July!  Here's to hopefully more posts in August.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (38)

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Homes: I have an update I've been mulling around in my head regarding the home we put an offer on.  It's an experiential faith lesson for me at the moment, and I'm still learning/processing it all.  Let me process a bit more before updating.  Sorry to leave you in suspense!

--- 2 ---

Video monitor: It seems like every day I kick myself for not getting a video baby monitor.  We settled for a baby monitor that we loved when R was little (it had a motion sensor under the mattress that would go off if she stopped breathing).  I could sleep easier at night not worrying about SIDS as much, but we no longer use the sensor pad.  And with all her activity in the crib lately, I'd love to see what she's doing (the other day she got her shirt half off).  Plus, I think it would be helpful to see what she's doing as I think about night weaning at some point, and helpful to see when she starts trying to climb out of the crib because I have a feeling that will be coming soon and I'd like to prevent direct falls on the head if possible.  So do I give in and just spend a few hundred on a new video monitor or ride this out??

--- 3 ---

Thunderstorms: I've forgotten what it's like to live in a place where you have to take cover during weather warnings!  We were spoiled in our previous home where severe storms were few and far between.  Yes, we had snow, but lightening, strong winds, and tornadoes were rare occurrences.  I still don't understand why all homes don't have basements around here.

--- 4 ---

Hard times a'coming: We're soon entering a time of summer where I must face several challenges from DH being out of town, to spending time with my mom (our relationship is extremely strained), to travel with a super active toddler, to a climate I don't enjoy, etc.  I'm trying to make realistic expectations for myself given all that is coming up and am praying already for peace, safety patience, and kind words.

--- 5 ---

Heat and humidity: I hate it.  DH hates it.  We knew we wouldn't like living in the South for this reason.  I might just hibernate to the kiddie pool for the next 3 months.  If you don't hear from me, its because I'm in the water and staying away from electrical items while wet.  Our rental home does not get cool.  The A/C seems to run constantly from 2:00 onwards and that can be with the air set at 80 degrees.  It's hot overnight.  The humidity makes our house smell like a combination of wet dog and mustiness.  We are so ready to find our own place and move.  Sorry for the whining.

--- 6 ---

Email responses: I'm terrible at responding to emails.  What is wrong with me?  I love getting mail in all forms (email, snail mail, etc.) And I love sending mail as well.  But lately, my in box just keeps getting fuller and fuller and fuller.  I can't put together many emails of coherent length at all.  And I just think about how far behind I am in the email department.  What is with the pokey little puppy approach to my email responses? 

--- 7 ---

And now I'm off to find some "cool" somewhere.  Oh what I wouldn't give to have a 70 degree day around here and I'm not talking about 70 at 3am!  Enjoy the weekend.

 

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (37): Hodge Podge

--- 1 ---

Women's conference: I had a fabulous time at the women's conference last weekend!  I was so glad I went.  I felt a little odd going by myself, especially when it came time to try and find a seat among the other 8,500 women there, but I mustered up the courage to do it both days and told myself I'd never see the women I was sitting next to again, so who cares if they thought I was a weirdo for sitting by myself.  The conference has given me a lot to think about and I'm still trying to find the time to process and put up a post on what I learned/was challenged with.

--- 2 ---

House hunting: We've continued the process.  And as much as I'm not interested in moving this summer because of all our traveling, we walked through a house yesterday that has us putting an offer on today!  It's an older, smaller, less open feeling home than the 1st one we had an offer on, but financially it is so much better for our comfort level.  It's in a great subdivision with swim/tennis and lots of activities for families. It's on a court (that would be a cul-de-sac for you Midwesterners- myself included) in a really nice neighborhood.  The home is older (built in 1987), but still the original owner who has meticulously cared for it.  We'd feel good buying from someone like that.  They listed everything out, including the types of bird species they regularly see from the deck!  Most major items have been replaced (roof, a/c units, furnaces, water heater, etc. and the siding and deck have recently been painted). We would need to do some updating (take down wallpaper, paint dark wood trim, etc.), but that would all be cosmetic and could come later.  It has a nice yard I can see R playing in and an unfinished basement for storage...well, 1/2 basement since it's a drive under garage.  My only issue is the square footage....I'm wondering if we will outgrow it at some point as it's hard to imagine what our family will look like in 5 or 10 years.  They already have 6 offers on the home (1 from a family for close to list price and 5 from investors for over list price), so we are #7 but they only want to sell their home to a family.  So we wait and see what happens over the weekend, but I'm really ok with whatever happens.  I've come to terms with the financial sacrifices we need to make if I stay home and if we want to continue to tithe 10% and save 20% for retirement.  I love the newer homes built after 2000 and how open and roomy they are, but we just can't afford those in this particular school district on one income.  I'm ok with whatever happens with our offer.  We shall see.

--- 3 ---

A baptismal birthday.  R's baptismal birthday is coming up and I'm wondering how to celebrate.  Do any of you celebrate your baptismal birthday (the specific day you were baptized)?  I always send a card to our Godchildren to acknowledge the special day each year and remind them of the importance of their baptism, but I'm wondering what sort of traditions to start with R.  There's always so much emphasis on actual birthdays- the physical day we were born.  Why not place the same or greater level of importance on the date of our baptism- a day that marks our spiritual re-birth?  I know R won't remember what we do now, so I guess it's more of a question for down the road, but I'd like to start some sort of traditions with it now.  Hmm....ideas?

--- 4 ---

Summer Bible study: I've decided to try participating in an online Bible study of sorts this summer (well, really just 6 weeks starting next week).  My personal time with God and His Word has really been lacking since we moved here.  I read a short devotion with a Bible verse in the evening and journal a few thoughts down on the remainder of the page.  I pray throughout the day and with DH in the evening.  I attend worship on Sundays.  I think about God-related matters frequently.  That is about the extent of my spiritual walk, and it seems to be the sparsest it's been for awhile, and I'm not proud about it.  I saw this study on a blog, and just felt it would be so good for me.  It's a study based on Gideon about my weakness and God's strength.  I'm not super familiar with Gideon, but reading about the study seems so valid for me right now because I feel so weak in my parenting skills, my ability as a wife lately, etc.  It starts on Tuesday with a video that will be uploaded to a blog and then there are 5 days of homework (readings about Gideon, questions about the Bible, and personal questions).  This goes on for 6 weeks.  If anyone wants to join me, I'd love to have a study buddy or two!  More details can be found here. 

--- 5 ---

Upromise: If any of you were interested in setting up a Upromise account that I mentioned in a previous post, let me know because I can send you an email to sign up and we'll both get $5 in our account!  Sweet. Free money.  I like free money!  This is only good until the end of June, so let me know ASAP.  Upromise is a way to save for college (for you, your child, or existing loans you have).

--- 6 ---

Travel plans: I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy some of our airline tickets earlier this spring when I first started looking.  I've traveled enough by now that I should have known to book earlier rather than later, but I was waiting to see if the flight on a specific airline would come down to the lower price another airline offered.  It hasn't and now we're probably going to pay $100 more a ticket.  Dumb $200 mistake, PPIW.  And now I wonder if I just book to prevent the price from going further up or wait and see if it comes down again.  There are still plenty of seats, so that does give me options, but it's a gamble and I've never been one to like gambling!

--- 7 ---

And this, you see, is what happens when I actually start Quick Takes on Thursday.  They all of a sudden become Long Takes when I finish them with all my wordy details on Friday.  Ah, well.  Enjoy the weekend!!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (35): A Few of My Favorite Things

I did start this on Friday but am finally finishing it now.  Here are a few of my current favorite things.  In no particular order....

--- 1 ---

Coconut oil.  I love it.  Just ordered another big tub from here.  I ordered my last tub before we moved, so I guess it's taken me about 5 months to go through 54 oz.  That seems pretty slow, but I've mainly been using a couple teaspoons to make my oatmeal in the morning.

--- 2 ---

Probiotics.  I love them.  I take one each morning and R takes one most mornings as well.  Her pediatrician actually recommended this one.  I just have the local pharmacy order it since I haven't found it in stock anywhere and it's supposed to be refrigerated.  It's also cheaper than ordering online!

--- 3 ---

Aldi.  Love it!  This is the first time I've lived any where near an Aldi grocery store and I'm in love.  It's a perfect match for me.  I can deal with the quirkiness of the store (quarter deposit for a cart, bring your own bags, bag your own groceries, only pay with cash or debit, etc.) for the trade off of lower prices (at least 50 cents to a dollar cheaper on every item) and healthier food.  Aldi is German, and I've found that the ingredients on their store brand items are healthier...less preservatives and dyes, etc.  Someone told me Trader Joe's and Aldi have a connection, but I don't know about that.  Shopping at Aldi makes me feel good about not cutting coupons as often as I would like!  And they have really yummy German food...Muesli, bratwurst, sauerkraut, beer, etc.  I get to enjoy all the treats I had living in Germany years ago.  Seriously, this should have been at the top of the list.  I can't stop talking about Aldi.

--- 4 ---

Upromise.  This is another one that I'm still learning about, but it's a free way to save money for college just by shopping online and at stores.  You can save for a child or put the money towards existing loans you have!  There's more info here.  Like I said, I just heard about it at CVS.  And CVSes are new to me as well.  All these new stores in the South/in a big city:-)  But anyways, you have to sign up for an account and then you can link your rewards cards (for CVS, Rite Aid, Kroger, Publix, etc.) to get a percentage put into your Upromise account.  Also, when shopping online at tons of places (Target, Walmart, etc.), if you log into your account then go to the website, you'll get 1%-10% put into the college account as well). Totally free savings that can accrue for years.  I think you can also invest it as well.  Totally legit. Totally free!  I'm exciting.  Makes me feel a little better about having not opened a 529 plan yet for R!

--- 5 ---

Summer time.  School is just about out around here, which means activities at church start to slow down a bit, which translates into a little less busi-ness for DH.  His night commitments are just about done for the next 3ish months and I'm looking forward to new experiences with R- swimming, water play, and more.  Of course, it also means lots of heat and humidity and travel plans with a toddler but I'm focusing on the positive right now...more time with DH home (hopefully).

--- 6 ---

A toddler.  Oh my...did I just mention a toddler in #5?  Apparently, after a baby turns 1, they all of a sudden become a toddler and leave their baby-hood (or baby-ness?) behind.  This is both exciting, fun, sad, and bittersweet all at the same time. Everyone lately has been telling me that the age from 1-2 is their most favorite time, so I'm adding it to my list here.  R is growing up so quickly it's fun to watch.  She wants to use a fork while eating lately (because she sees DH and I use one, I think), loves the crawling maze/jungle gym we assemble with the couch and pillows, is close to walking (she does laps around the house pushing the desk chair), and is getting better sleeping with sleep training.  She is silly and playful and so much fun.  Thank you, Lord, for this baby-now-turned-toddler.

--- 7 ---

One year photos.  We had so much fun with R having her photos taken.  She had a ball and was such a ham!  I could not believe it. Every time I pull out the camera to try and catch her doing something cute, she sees me and races over to try and push all the buttons on the camera.  She didn't do this for the photographer.  Instead, she sat and posed away.  It was unreal.  DH and I were laughing it was so funny and cute.  Here's a taste of the shoot (photo credit goes to CH photography for them all):

Have a great rest of the weekend!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick takes (34): House and One Year

--- 1 ---

So many thoughts today....let's start with the house first.  We had the inspection yesterday, and just as I suspected, there's a lot that needs to be repaired or replaced.  The list from the inspector is long and mainly filled with "smaller" items...no GFCI (grounding outlet) in the kitchen, a leak in the jacuzzi bathtub, no optical sensors on the garage doors, rusted chimney cap, furnaces need servicing, etc.  All those smaller items will add up though, I'm sure of it.  We would need to hire a handyman, a plumber, an electrician, a HVAC professional, a tree trimmer, a painter, and maybe that would cover it.

--- 2 ---

It's not the small list that overwhelms, however.  It's the longer list of items that are ok now, but will probably need attention in the next 1-5 years.  The house was built in 1991, and it has a lot of original items- both furnaces, one a/c unit, oven, cooktop, etc. 22 year old furnaces and air conditioners don't excite me much.  Add to that a tree that needs to be taken down in front because it's cracked the sidewalk and driveway and then repair to the sidewalk and driveway...painting the siding...replacing a deck...replacing a retaining wall...new garage doors....and a new roof in 6-10 years.  Now all of a sudden we're looking at needing a lot of cash to repair those items. 

--- 3 ---

And that's where I really struggle.  I'm the "money person" in our family.  I make us budget.  I pay the bills.  I keep track of finances.  I save for emergencies.  I save for retirement.  I tithe.  My DH goes along with it all and agrees we should do it, but I am the one to make all those things happen and am definitely the one concerned about money. I know we can afford the house. We ran the numbers last night for all of our projected expenses with the house.  I called to get ballpark numbers for the utilities, we know the property taxes, the insurance, the HOA, and the mortgage payment.  We know our monthly expenses and yearly expenses (broken down monthly).  We also know what we want to save and give.  And I'm afraid it's not being a good steward to take on a house of this size and purchase price knowing all of the things that could (and most likely will) go wrong while we are in it.  We're not super frivolous with our spending, but I don't want to get to the point where I have to count pennies or consider going back to work.  I just don't feel that's where I've been called to serve my family at this point.  But then I've been contrasting that with trusting God to take care of us and provide all of our needs....and where do you draw the line between trusting and being a good steward?  I feel like we're entering into unsafe waters.

--- 4 ---

I'm afraid of what's going to happen.  We know the sellers have to bring cash to the closing and our agent thinks they aren't going to budge on price or repair much or at all.  That's really not our problem (I don't mean to sound rude- just stating facts), but I guess our agent is trying to prepare us for the worst case scenario.  It looks like we will most likely have to walk away from the house.  DH and I want to give the sellers a chance to respond to the inspection report, but our due-diligence period ends on Monday.  We've already put over 1,000 into the house with the inspection, appraisal, and land survey.  We would lose all of that, but could still get our earnest money check back (1% of purchase price) if we walk by Monday or can't come to an agreement.  Ugh.  So emotional, overwhelming, and time and energy consuming all at the same time!

--- 5 ---

Now on to brighter thoughts.  What I really want to be doing this week and weekend is celebrating a special little girl's 1st birthday!  I can't stop thinking about how quickly she came into the world and how quickly a year has passed.  Do I really have a one year old.  She's almost no longer a baby but soon to be toddler.  I feel like my excitement has been so tempered by the stress of all the house stuff, and for that I'm disappointed in myself.  We're having a little party tomorrow, so that should be fun, but none of our family will be present, which makes me sad.  That's the reality and hard part about living so far away from family and having families that don't like to get on a plane much and travel.  Maybe that will change when R gets older, but for now, it is what it is.  So I'm thankful for my BFF and her family- husband, kids, and her parents.  They will be our "family" for the party tomorrow.

--- 6 ---

Celebrations are tempered a bit by the weather....cold and rain!  So much for our outdoor grilling tomorrow.  I realize I could be experiencing snow like my parents and some of you, so I'll take the cold and rain  But R is also sick again with a snotty nose.  Her mood has been OK, but she's got so much thick congestion again.  I sure hope it's a cold and not another ear infection!  I do think it could be allergies because the pollen count is so high here, but people say allergies don't kick in later for babies.  We had to cancel her 1 year photos for the weekend as well on account of the above.  I've already learned that not much in parenting goes much like we plan.  What I haven't learned yet is exactly how to deal with those times of disappointments and not dwell on them.

--- 7 ---

We've also hit the one year mark for nursing!  Take that, dang PCOS!  I truly cannot believe I have nursed for a year.  At first, I just wanted to make it to 6 weeks.  Then I said I'd try for 3-6 months.  After I hit the 6 month mark, I said I'd just see what happened.  I always dreamed of making it to a year, but I was realistic about my hormone issues from PCOS.  I said I would try to nurse as long as I could, but I wasn't sure how long that would be, and I was ok with it.  How did I get to a year?....plain 'ol oatmeal every morning, lots and lots and lots of water throughout the day, some mother's milk tea here and there, and coconut oil every morning to fatten up my milk.  Wow.  And so where do I go from here?  I have no clue.  I never thought I would get here, so I don't have a plan.  R still nurses a lot (4-5 times during the day and 2-3 overnight), so I guess we just continue on until shown otherwise?

That's all.  We'll know more on Monday whether we have the house or not.  I'll let ya know more when I know more.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (33)

--- 1 ---

Lent 2013: I gave up sweet treats (desserts and snacks) for Lent and added reading a book on prayer by Henri Nouwen ("The Only Necessary Thing: Leading A Prayerful Life").  I always like to do both...give up something that will be a sacrifice but also add something that will deepen my spiritual walk.  Ever since before R was born, I've had a hard time with my eating habits and eating according to my emotions and not necessarily hunger.  It's gotten really bad lately since I'm home all day and around food all day.  I still have 20ish pounds to lose since pre-pregnancy.  And all the extra weight, along with clothes that don't fit well, really depresses me and just adds to the emotional funk I can get myself into at times.  Giving up sweets has already been really hard.  I just think about everything I can't eat, so I'm trying to focus on prayer and self-control.

--- 2 ---

Memory verses: I've been such a blog slacker I haven't posted my verses for Feb. 1st and 15th.  The one I memorized the first two weeks of the month was Psalm 90:14.  I loved waking up in the morning and reciting those words at the beginning of my day.  The one I'm working on now is 2 Timothy 1:7.  I chose that one at the start of Lent and for the self-discipline part (I'm still working on memorizing that verse and practicing self-discipline!) Note: I didn't link to the verses and type them out because I want you to check them out in your Bible.  I'm so mean, huh?

--- 3 ---

Our rental house is falling apart!  First it was the animal in the attic, then the dripping ceiling, the garage door broke, and now today the key didn't connect with the deadbolt in the main door to lock or unlock it!  My DH is so ready to find a house to buy and move.  I'm trying to be grateful that we have a place to live 1 mile from his work, and still feel like patience will prove beneficial for home buying.  I am getting rather tired of having to call/bug our landlord every time something goes wrong though.

--- 4 ---

We've been here 6 weeks and we've already switched pediatricians.  Ah.  What a disaster.  We had R's 9 month appt. shortly after we arrived in town, so I was a little rushed to find a pediatrician for her, but I did ask around and get recommendations and tried to find someone that would be a little more open to stretching out the vaccines from what the AAP recommends (we're not opposed to vaccines by any means, I just prefer giving her less vaccines at a time).  I thought I had done all my research and was going to be fine with who we found, but I was wrong.  I nearly started crying at the appt and even DH agreed we should find another Dr. for her.  The good news is, I think I have found a really great one.  I found one off of Dr. Sears' website, talked with them to share my concerns, and they seem more than open to delaying vaccines a bit.  One of the doctors even came up with her own vaccine schedule!  I finally got all the paperwork transferred over, so we're good to go for her 12 month appt. or sooner if she needs a sick visit.  Ugh.  So stressful though. 

I'm again reminded of the importance of advocating for your own health and recall back to my pre-CrMs/Napro days where I had doctors tell me nothing was wrong with my health, etc.  What a blessing Creighton and Napro are.  The fight for good healthcare continues with R. 

--- 5 ---

While the rest of the US seems to be frozen in, we seem to be floating away here.  Seriously, we feel as if we moved to Seattle (we didn't) with all the rain we've had since we arrived.  People assure us this is not normal, but I'm not sure about that.  I'm still not sure which I prefer...clouds and rain in the winter or sun and snow.  Hmm....the verdict is still out.

--- 6 ---

Consignment sale season has begun here.  Apparently, it is quite big and all the sales are starting for spring/summer items.  I've only been to one sale, and I definitely had a list of what I needed.  I came away with one item- an activity table for R.  Best timed purchase ever!  We cleaned that puppy up and she immediately crawled over to it, got up in a kneeling position, and began playing away with all the buttons, lights, and sounds.  She thinks she's so big because she can kneel at the table.  And now she's being braver and pulling to a standing position at it.  She's still unsteady and cautious because she has taken a bunch of falls, but she is so proud she can kneel and stand.  It's pretty cute.

--- 7 ---

I've been terrible replying to emails and blog posts lately.   I've been reading blogs and praying for concerns, just not letting too many people know.  And responding back to emails...I've been horrible.  I don't know what it is, but I feel like I have to wait until I have enough time to put together a well thought out response, and then it never happens.  Those of you that have emailed, I'm trying to get back to you...I promise!

PS- forgive the typos.  I'm too lazy and tired to go back and read through the post today.  At least I'm posting, right?

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (32) and Trying to "Fear Not"

--- 1 ---

Hello everyone!  Remember me?  It seems that I and my blog have fallen off the face of the earth.  I certainly feel like I've lost some of my readers and regular blogging groove.  And yet I still don't feel settled and ready for regular blogging again.  Perhaps it's sleep deprivation, mild depression, lack of a regular routine, being overwhelmed, or something else.  I keep hoping this will change, but so far no luck.

--- 2 ---

We all survived the big move fairly well.  It worked really well for R and I to travel 500 miles with DH in the car over 2 days.  It gave us a chance to all leave town together, be sad together, and to spend some time cruising through the mountains (and saying goodbye to the Rockies) and reflecting back and looking ahead.  Plus, we also got to have a fun blogger meet up with this lovely blogger.  She's every bit as adventurous and outgoing in person as she is on her blog.  Thanks for making the drive to see us, M!  I survived my first solo flight with squirmy, wiggly R.  That was fun- not so much.  Thankfully, God placed understanding women in the seats next to me and gave on time flights, for my girl was awake for 5 or 6 hours straight!  DH had great driving weather and made the rest of the trip (1,500 miles) in 2 1/2 days.  That part of moving went as smoothly as we could have asked for.

--- 3 ---

The moving company, on the other hand, left much room for improvement.  They packed us up in -9 degree temps!  Talk about chilly day.  R and I hung out upstairs in the master bath and bedroom for most of the time since it was warmest there.  She napped great in her playpen in the bathroom.  The movers did a good job packing everything up, but when it came to load the truck the next day, they did not put down any home protection as requested and got muddy footprints every where in our house (our carpeting is a light beige).  Not cool.  I even asked them at the beginning to put down floor coverings.  So, we had muddy foot prints in every single room of the house and dinged up doorframes and marks on the wall.  I was livid!  Thankfully, the moving company agreed to have carpet cleaners come in and clean it all after we had moved out.  Still, it was infuriating because we had our house so clean and taken care of to sell it and the muddy carpets could have been prevented.

--- 4 ---

Once R and I had arrived in our new state, we got the keys to our rental house and discovered there was no fridge included!  We sold ours with our house as is customary there and I failed to get a list of all appliances included.  I assumed a fridge would be standard in a rental home.  I was not happy.  Thankfully, a family at church was getting rid of theirs, so we only had to go 3 days without a fridge!

--- 5 ---

This weather in the South is going to take awhile to get used to.  It's been 50s and 60s all week and rainy...hardly mid-January weather like I'm used to.  I can't decide if I like it yet or just miss winter with snow.  Time will tell, I suppose.

--- 6 ---

I'm currently waiting for the in-laws to arrive this evening; our first house guests in our new state.  Should be fun to see them and I know they're dying to see how R has grown.  Last time they saw her was her baptism at 5 weeks old!  We're also waiting for my car to arrive. That is the last piece of the moving puzzle.  We shipped it on Jan. 2nd.  Not sure why it's taking so long.

--- 7 ---

Bible verse challenge.  On the 15th I picked another verse, but before I share which one, let me give a little background info.  Throughout the whole move process, God has continually (almost daily it seems) affirmed the move and His ability to provide what we need.  Whether it's a fridge, internet service, or even a TV, we continue to have just the right people offer what we need or don't have.  I continue to be amazed by the clarity that I seem to think He is acting with.  And the outpouring of love and support by church people has been like none that we've received before.  Maybe there really is something to southern hospitality.

All this sounds great, right?  The one thing that has crept up the most (probably Satan trying to steal my joy from the above good things) is my fear of my physical safety.  This house we are renting is old and needs updating.  The exterior doors (all 5 of them plus another to the garage) seem so old and flimsy that I feel like I could kick one in if I tried.  It's a ranch home with tons of space, which is great, but the basement creeps me out.  It walks out to a private, wooded backyard, and none of that part is visible to neighbors.  I feel like it's just a break in waiting to happen.  It's so weird to me that I can't stop thinking about someone breaking in.  The neighborhood is nice and well established, the neighbors we've met so far are nice, and there's nothing that should lead me to think it would be an area burglars would target.  But we are in a big metro area, so of course the crime is going to be higher than our previous town.  I've just never had such a strong sense of fear about someone breaking in before.  It's bizarre to me.  We have taken steps to make it more secure, but I still worry.  Maybe because I'm home all day with R, maybe because it's a new home and location, maybe because Satan wants me not to be thinking about God's goodness.

Anyways, I chose my verse to speak directly to that fear:

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

It's a long one, which made me not want to do it, but I think it'll be good to have a long verse to try and turn my thoughts to things from God!

Speaking of long...this is quite the long quick takes.  Maybe I should start calling them long takes if this keeps up!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (31)

--- 1 ---

Dh and I went to Starbucks today for our buy one get one free holiday latte.  I had a gingerbread latte.  Yummy.  I don't have coffee much (maybe once or twice a month) because R doesn't need any more energy (ie. wildness) added to her already active state.  It was a fun treat though.  You can still go and get yours tomorrow or Sunday from 2-5pm.  Dh says he wants to go back and try another one.  We shall see.  The best part?  Starbucks put $5 on my Starbucks card for free because it had been so long since I used my card.  Basically, both of our drinks were free!  I like free.

--- 2 ---

Dh and I have finally come to a decision about the move.  I can't say what that decision is yet because people here and there still need to be notified, but I will have a post all about it soon.  Lots of thoughts are swirling around in my head and I really should process them on "paper" so to speak.  God confirmed His direction to both Dh and I on the same day.  Our prayer all along has been that God would make the way clear to both of us, and He did that.

--- 3 ---

It's hard to believe half of November has already passed.  I can't believe Thanksgiving is less than a week away.  As we've done for several years in a row, we're inviting some of my international students over to experience their 1st Thanksgiving along with some of the college students from church that can't travel home.  Thanksgiving for us is usually spent in town and our families don't often travel to be with us, so  we appreciate the opportunity to share the holiday with others who can't be with their families.  We usually prepare all the food, but since we've been doing it for so many years, Dh and I have our routine down.

--- 4 ---

This year we're doing something new for Thanksgiving.  I ordered a smoked turkey from the meat lab on campus, so it's already cooked!  All we have to do is warm it.  I can't wait to taste the smoked meat...yummy!  Dh usually does a brine the night before and then we cook it in an oven bag the next year.  It works pretty slick and tastes yummy, but this will be a new treat.

--- 5 ---

I'm addicted to a local classifieds page on Facebook.  People can post pictures and buy and sell things from our community.  My intent was to join the group to sell things we aren't using, but so far I've actually purchased more than I've sold.  I just can't turn down a good deal: a wire cookbook holder for $5, free boxes of baby oatmeal cereal, the 3 Matrix DVDs for Dh for $6 total, cute handmade Christmas decor, etc.  It's how I'm doing my Christmas shopping for Dh and R.  Ha, ha.  (I'm only half serious.)  I was able to sell our old land line phone for $15 and a converter box for $10.  Who knew people still wanted to buy those things!  And to think, I was just going to bag it up and take it to our local thrift store.  Now I have a list of new and used things that I think I can sell on the sight along with a bag of things that I plan to donate. 

--- 6 ---

My colleague is nearing the end of his life.  I can't stop thinking about him.  He's the one who was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer the end of June.  He's also the one whose class I am teaching this semester.  Nearly every day that I go to teach, I think about him.  I think about how he should be the one teaching the class and how I should be home with R.  He was the one schedule to teach the course.  He was the one who always taught this course.  And now I don't think he'll even make it to Thanksgiving.  It's so sad.  I think about him, his wife, and kids, and pray for them to have peace.  I don't know exactly what his thoughts are on death and the afterlife, but I do know that he's a Quaker.  I imagine I'll be going to his funeral before the term is over.  How sad.  I'm just reminded of how quickly life can change, and it makes me give a few more hugs to those I love around me.

--- 7 ---

 On that heavy note, phew...I don't know what else to say.  Enjoy the weekend and tell those around you that you love them!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Quick Takes (30)

--- 1 ---

In a rut: Wow.  It's been awhile since I've done Quick Takes.  It's been awhile since I've done much blogging too.  I am just sort of in a funk.  I don't know what's wrong.  My motivation is lacking and I'm just tired.  It could be winter coming- seasonal depression?  It could be hormones, adrenals, or thyroid.  I don't know, but I'm ready to have some energy back. Blech.  I laid down for a bit this afternoon and ended up sleeping 2 hours until my DH came in and woke me because R needed to be fed.  I did not think I was that tired.

--- 2 ---

Work: I'm at the point in the semester when I'm ready for it to be over.  Students are too, I think.  Four more weeks to go, and with Thanksgiving in there, it'll surely fly by.  I just counted- 10 days left of teaching.  I love my job, I really do, and have been so thankful to do something that I love for so many years.  I've had great students this semester and the new course has been fun to teach, but my heart is really no longer in teaching.  When I'm in class with the students, it's fine, but it's all of the other time that it doesn't feel fine.  It's so hard to find time and motivation to work on my lesson plans and correct papers while at home.  DH has been super about watching R three mornings a week, but he really needs to be at work himself.  Regardless of where we are living next year, I really feel like it's time to tie up my teaching shoes for awhile.  Maybe it would be different if R was a little older or we had family in the area, but it just seems like she needs her Mama and I feel like it's my job, responsibility, and privilege to be her Mama at home with her most of the time.

--- 3 ---

Politics: I am so glad the election is over.  I really can't stand politics or politicians.  In fact, I knew I would not be happy with either outcome of the election because I can't stand either candidate- both are so shady and sly and things got so ugly with each of them and the things they were saying towards the end.  Neither was telling 100% truth, and the thought of having to spend four years seeing and listening to either Obama or Romney was almost enough to make me not want to vote for either one.  I did go and vote, but...ugh! Ryan was the only one out of the Pres/VPs that I liked.

--- 4 ---

Sleep regression and/or teething?: It seems like we are entering a new phase of sleeping with R.  During the day time, she no longer goes down in her crib easily.  She will fuss the minute we put her down and continue to get worked up.  Some fussing is normal at times for her if she is tired but wants to continue playing, for example.  But this screaming business is too much.  She's not hungry and her diaper is dry- always check those 2 things first.  I'm thinking either her ear is still bugging her (tomorrow is the last day of antibiotics...yippee.  I'm anxious for her diaper output to return to normal), she needs us to do sleep training to have a more consistent napping schedule, she is still teething, or she just feels off because of solids she is now eating.  I don't know, but it about drove DH crazy this morning when he was home alone with her.

--- 5 ---

Amber necklace: I do think the amber teething necklace is helping with R's irritability during the day time.  She might wake up from a nap extremely cranky, and we'll put the necklace on her and she seems to calm down before too long.  I don't think it's the placebo effect, but I'm still doing my research.  The only problem is I wish we could leave it on her during nap time to see if that helps with #4, but I think it's probably a strangulation hazard.  What do the other mamas do that have their little ones wear a necklace??

--- 6 ---

In awe: I am continually amazed at the power of God in creating life as I watch my little one grow and develop.  It is so amazing to me how God has made each one of us.  The things that she just knows how to do instinctively are so cool.  For example, a few weeks ago she started practice chewing with her mouth.  We hadn't started solids yet, but her little body just knew it was time to start practicing that in preparation for solids.  Another example, she still can't quite sit up on her own, but if you hold her in your lap, she does this little bopping back and forth into your chest, almost like baby sit-ups.  I think it's her strengthening her core, so she can sit up by herself.  It is so fun to watch her grow.  And as I do, I continue to think about and pray for those still battling IF.  Really, not a day goes by that I don't think about some aspect of IF and those of you still in the trenches.

--- 7 ---

6 months: It's hard to believe 1/2 a year has already passed that we've had a baby in the house.  In some ways, it feels like she's been a part of our family for much longer.  And in other ways, it still amazes me each day that I have a baby in the house.  Am I ever going to wake up and have all this be over?  We had some pictures taken last week to celebrate her 1/2 birthday, and while she wasn't feeling the best because of her ear infection, I think our photographer managed to catch a few cute ones.  We were going for a fallish theme since it was early November.  Enjoy!

I bought this adorable hat from our farmer's market this summer.  The seller does such a great job crocheting adorable designs.  I'm pretty sure she sells them online as well.

She loved the bucket.  It was perfect size for her to sit in.

Yep, we carved a pumpkin and put her in it since this was right after Halloween.  She wasn't crazy about it, but I think that's because the inside of the pumpkin felt cold.  We did let her keep some clothes on instead of going for the naked shot like I had originally thought about.

This is how she self-soothes: 2 fingers in the mouth.  Most of the time she does it when she's going to sleep or getting tired.  This was the end of the photo shoot- she was telling us she was done.

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