The Latest in our Life

I have been meaning to blog for awhile- but did not realize it has been 3 months since I have given an update! It is late though, so I will try and keep this short.

The last two months have been a complete whirlwind as I went back to the office full time in October and have been working 80 mph since then, between going back to running the billing department, doing my duties as VP, and preparing for maternity leave. I decided to take 10 weeks off so that I can really enjoy my newborn and hopefully slow down and just focus on bonding with her...and hopefully nursing will go better this time with that philosophy! With Keira, I was doing work the whole time I was on leave, and starting going back into the office when she was 10 days old. I am really going to try my best to leave work when I go on leave- although I am sure it will be a test to my personal discipline. I am really looking forward to having some quality time with Keira and the new baby, as I have been so busy with work, etc. lately. I have enjoyed being in the office 5 days a week as I love being able to get more done that way and feel less stressed. However, I am glad that the stint of long hours is almost over as well...as it is so hard to balance home and work when I am working that much! ;)

I have just a few days left in the office (5 to be exact)! I am taking off a week before I am due in hopes of getting my house in order, and my last minute things done, and spend a little quality time with Keira and Austin before she arrives. We will see if she holds off that long!

I am almost 38 weeks, and last week I was only 1 cm dilated, and she was weighing in right under 6 lbs. I am hoping that she will be under 7 lbs. when she is born! I love tiny babies...they get big so fast anyway!!! I so far have gained 18 lbs, but I am thinking all these Christmas parties and sweets my start to add to that number. QUICKLY! I have been consistently having contractions in the evening, so I finally packed my bag last night...so that if it happens anytime, at least now I have flannel pants and fuzzy socks packed for the hospital! ;) We are fairly decided on a name now as well, but we will wait to decide for sure until she is born and we see her. We have not told anyone (including Keira...as she has proven to be a horrible secret keeper).

In Keira news:

She is just SO much fun! She is smart as a whip, and definitely keeps us on our toes. She is anxiously awaiting Christmas, and then the birth of her sister, and then her birthday party, as we have been telling her about the order of events since June...or close to that. She has been excited for her birthday forever! She is obsessed with Dora lately, and is requesting a Dora party. However, Grandma Jane told her that "mommy and daddy might be busy with the baby" so she now tells me, "Mommy, if you and Daddy are too busy to make me a Dora cake, I will take a PARIS (princess) cake. That's ok with me" Too funny, that she is being so considerate, and thinks that a princess cake would be less work.

She just finished her last week at Kari's house for daycare while I am at work. We have loved having her go there, as she LOVES the playtime with Addie and Avery "her best friends". Even though she won't be going there for daycare anymore we are planning to still have some playdates with her friends.

She has also established that she only likes to play with girls. She has decided boys are too rough, and refuses to go to playdates with them, or sit by them in toddler time. Keira and Lauren are alot of times the only girls in Toddler Time at church and they stick together against the boys. They call each other "best friends" and have such similar feisty personalities. It is so fun to see them play together!

Keira is also anxiously waiting for her sister to arrive. She keeps telling me how she is going to help with everything, and now if I am eating something she will ask, "Does my sister like that?" Anytime we see clothes that are too small for Keira in the store she says, "My sister will look cute in that!" She is so grown up!

Keira got the card game "memory" at our Mommy and Me party this weekend.(We still get together with the same group from our parenting class...3 years later!) We have been playing it each night before she goes to bed, with her being on a team with either Austin or I. She loves it, and Austin and I have a good time competing as well! She is pretty good at picking out the matches on her own too. Last night we asked if she wanted to go look at Christmas lights or play the game, and she chose her game. ;)

Austin and I are really looking forward to Christmas with her this year. She understands so much more of it so it s so much fun! We have taught her "Away in a Manger" and "Go Tell it on the Mountain" and she loves to sing them before bed. We also took her through the interactive "Walk Through Bethlehem" where she went to all these interactive stations as if she were in Bethlehem. The funny part is that by the time we got to the end, baby Jesus (who is an actual newborn) had gotten tired and gone home! So after building up to him as the main event we didn't even see "Jesus". Keira still will ask "what happened to baby Jesus? Did he go night night?" LOL! we figure next year we will have to go again and hit that station first, so we don't miss the Reason for the Season!

Austin and I wrapped all the gifts the other night after she went to bed. When she got up in the morning, she saw them all below the tree. She saw one of hers (she only thinks she is getting one)with a Dora tag and starting dancing and jumping up and down with excitement saying, "Mine has a Dora sticker!!!!" Austin and I can hardly wait for her to actually open her gifts- since she was so excited for just a box with a Dora sticker!

Well- it is late so I am going to cut this short, sorry for all the randomness, I am just trying to write down a few things to look back on. We may have a new little girl before I post to this again, but I will update with her birth story if nothing else in the next month! ;)

Random Thoughts

So, I haven't blogged for awhile because every time I think about doing it, I have so many different thoughts/ topics to blog about that I just end up not doing it. :)

Keira has been saying the funniest things, so I have been writing some of those down, and will be updating those shortly.

One thing that she has been saying alot is "Actually". For example, she will say "It is raining out....actually it is just cloudy". It is so funny to hear her say that, as it sounds so grown-up! She also really enjoys singing/dancing, and we spent some time this evening listening to some upbeat gospel songs on Youtube and letting her dance to them.

This morning when we were walking into church she asked "Where is God at?" It is fun to see her thinking and realizing that GOD exists! We are thankful for all the Christian influences she is around and continue to pray for her salvation. She really enjoys Toddler Time now, and has also been coming to Sparks with us on Wednesday nights. :)

This weekend was REALLY nice as we had a pretty relaxing weekend just around town. On Friday night Keira walked in TJ's Homecoming Parade with Aunt Faith. She had such a good time and kept saying, "I go in another parade later! My got LOTS of candy!" when it was over. It was super cold that day, and so she looked hilarious. She had skinny jeans on, a HUGE bubble coat, and then an adult t-shirt over the top. When she was walking she looked like a miniature sumo-wrestler! ;) We then went out for Pizza with Grandma Lea.

On Saturday we went to an extended family reunion, and Keira made friends with her cousin Emme. They had a great time playing babies and singing songs sitting under the tables.

We then went to a husker party with our small group Bible Study which was fun. They are such an encouragement to me and I am so thankful that God has given us a group of friends who we really enjoy spending time with and are able to share our lives with. :)

On Sunday we slept very LATE and then made it to church. It was so dark and rainy that I could have stayed in bed all day! We enjoyed lunch at my parents with the college kids. Keira thinks they are all there for her to entertain, and she sings her ABC's over and over and makes hilarious faces to get them to laugh. After that we ran some errands, Austin dropped me off at Walmart and then ran to Mendards with Keira. I was amazed at how a) quickly and b) stress-free I could shop without her. It was a nice change of pace!

We then came home and made my mom's potato soup...it was a family effort as we all worked on it, and it turned out as Keira said "SUPER SUPER YUUUMMYY!!!" I have really enjoyed cooking more lately, and have involved Keira in it more as she LOVES to cook/work in the kitchen and it makes for a good activity to keep her busy on rainy days. After dinner we continued in the kitchen by making Pumpkin Chocolate muffins for us to take for breakfasts in the morning. Keira kept licking the batter out of the bowl, it was all I could do to keep her from eating it all before we got it in the oven!

As the weather is getting colder and we are inside the house more I am starting to get really excited about our new arrival at the beginning of January. It almost feels like De Ja Vue as I am expecting at the same time as I was with Keira, so I remember that last time once it started to feel like winter I was on the home stretch! :) The baby is moving alot now, and I can tell if I drink something cold/ eat sugar she reacts quickly! I have had some contractions this last week, so I have been trying to take it a bit easier. They usually start around 8 or so in the evening, so I think I just need to take it a little easier. :) We went to the doctor on Thursday, and she let us see her face! Her mouth and nose look very similar to Keira's...so we will see what she looks like when she arrives! Right now she is measuring around 1.5 lbs, right on track for her due date of the first week in January. :) I did go to Bigwheels this week and got some maternity clothes with birthday money from my parents. Now that I have some cuter maternity clothes I am feeling like I look cuter pregnant. :)

Lots of other things have been happening (mainly work related) but it was so refreshing to have a down weekend with family!!! :)

My Monthly Update

So...
Since I am so bad at updating this on a regular basis, I have a sticky note with all the memorable things on it that I wanted to blog about. So much for keeping up with technology, haha!

So here are the big things going on in our lives as of late. :)

1. My trip for work in August IS CANCELLED!! Hallelujah! I am so excited to have a month with no travel as it is the first time since November that I have had a month with home (as in not leaving the Omaha area)!!! I am just going to enjoy it, hopefully have a couple get-together with friends, and not think about September! ;)

2. I wasted alot of time today looking for a matching bedset for the baby...I bought Keira a new bedset in January, and apparently since then they have discontinued it. I really want to get another one to match for her little sister since they are going to share a room. BAH HUM BUG! I looked all over online and am convinced you CANNOT get it anymore. In the end Shopko had awesome deals on back to school bedsets so I bought one for Keira that matches the crib beddng I already have. I am going to wait to put all her new stuff up though until about November..so that she gets something new too. ;) Of course, I had to buy a matching lamp and drawer organizers too!

3. One day last week on my lunch I went to Childrens place as they had amazing deals on summer clothes. I bought the girls their first matching outfits for next summer...it was SO much fun! I got two matching sundresses, matching swimsuits with lace tutus' and the CUTEST little tanks with rosettes on them ( I wish they made that shirt in my size!) Austin thinks me buying new clothes for the baby is ridiculous...which it is, since we already have all of our girl stuff. However, I figure I have to get something new for this one, and I will just make sure to do it in moderation ;) I have been using coupons, watching sales, and just in general trying to do free stuff...and really it hasn't been too bad.

4. New Budget: EEK!!! We redid our budget in August to cut out 1/2 my salary should I need/want to do that once the baby arrives. We started living on the new budget now to see if we can actually do it, and actually WANT to do it. So far it is going well, but has been somewhat difficult. The good news is that we are still on budget though! I am really determined to prove to Austin that I can stay on it, as I don't think he really thinks it is possible, since I usually am the one who likes to spend (not in excess...but just for sanity, at least that's what I always say!)

5. Mini van: Another EEK! We are seriously considering buying a VAN when the baby gets here. Ugh...I don't know about this! We were planning to get a different vehicle once the baby arrived as the Jetta is way too small to fit a car seat, and we just need a bigger vehicle. We had wanted to get an SUV, but after looking at the price differences, gas mileage, and room, we are thinking a van is just a better buy. So, although I hate to admit it we will probably go the van route instead of the SUV route. Guess it is a good thing it doesn't matter if I am cool or not right?! ;)

6. Baby Names: Berfa

We are keeping the babies name a secret (in fact) it hasn't even been decided yet for sure. However, I told Keira ONCE and she repeated it, so I started telling her it was Bertha, just as a joke. Well apparently that has stuck in her head, and she now calls the baby "Berfa" all the time...including when she talks about buying stuff for the baby, when she sees pictures of babies, etc. When people ask her what the name is she sheepishly will whisper "Berfa" like she is telling them some highly confidential secret. I think it is hilarious, but it makes Austin so mad!!!

Well- I hope to post more soon. On thursday I have an ultrasound for the baby, I haven't been to the doctor in 6 weeks, so I am excited to see how she has changed! ;)

Lots of other stuff going on right particularly with work, I will update more when I have time.

Funny Keira Sayings of the Day :)

We are trying to record these a bit more...so we don't forget they funny things she did when she was little!


This is what happened tonight when Austin was putting Keira to bed:
Keira put Daddy in time out...she hopped off the bed, held up her finger, and with
big eyes said, "I be right back" Austin asked her, "where are you
going?" She cracked open the door and peeked back in and said, "SSH! I be right back"
She then came to the kitchen to find me, where I was getting her
some apple juice. I said "Guess what? Mommy is getting you some apple juice!"
She leaned over, put her hands on her knees and with big eyes, said "Are you serious?!" HAHA!!

A Day in Our Life....Thursday Style :)

I read Kelly's Korner and she has been doing a blog this week on documenting how each day of their week works so she can remember it later on....I have really enjoyed reading her blog each day, so thought I would document our day. :) Plus it was a fun one, so lots to talk about.

First of all, we have about 3 different types of days in our house

1. Work Days (Days that I go into the office) these are pretty self explanatory and structured, which is sometimes less stressful. We are out the door by 8:30 or so and home by 6 for whatever evening things we have going on. :)

2. Days that I am "home"- these are the days that I don't go into the office and these are the craziest days of the week. It is usually a hodgepodge of a playdate in the morning, errands, work for my job from home, and then cooking/cleaning/ house stuff, and then whatever our evening activities are. ...OH and did I mention that there is a 2 year old running around like a wild child the whole time?! ;)

3. Weekends: These are the best! I really try to stay off the computer on the weekends as I am on it so much during the week for work. I feel like I really need a break after 5 days of being on the computer ALL the time. I even usually try to avoid facebook (although I do check it on my phone, haha) :) We usually have at least one thing planned on Saturdays, and then spend the rest of the day catching up around the house, doing a family activity, or having friends over. On Sundays, we always go to church in the morning, then to my parents for lunch, and then usually have the rest of the day to relax, catch up on work/ homework and then usually hang out with Becky and Zach in the evenings. :)

So...after that LONG intro: Today was one of my "at home" days, which I LOVE! :)

Keira woke me up around 8 (I have been trying to get up a bit before her...but that wasn't the case today as I didn't feel good this morning. I haven't been sleeping well lately, and am hoping it is just a passing symptom of first trimester pregnancy.)

We then got up, let the dog out, and fixed some breakfast. We made English muffins as that has been my pick (and consequently hers) for the week. :) I make mine with butter and cinnamon and hers with peanut and jelly. I usually then let her eat breakfast while watching Curious George so I can catch up on my work email...or today as I got up with her I did devotions while she ate. That is something that I have really enjoyed about being home more...it has helped me to finally get on a consistent devo schedule, even on the days I go to the office. I can tell it makes such a difference in my life when I start my day that way!

After breakfast I did some laundry and looked through ads for grocery shopping. We are having a 4th of July party so I was trying to find the best deals on food for the event! :)
Keira and I then outside and painted our fingers and toes. I love that she likes to look "cute!" and be my little mini me. Having a girl is so much fun, and I just want to enjoy each moment that I can with her, as who knows if I will get another girl.;)

Austin then came home for lunch around 11 and we ran up to Burger King with him for some chicken nuggets. We do that every once in awhile as a treat for all of us on his lunch break. Keira and I then stopped down by Grandma Lea's for a few minutes, as she had the day off and wanted to see Keira.

Around 1:30 Keira and I came back to the house and worked for a little bit while she played toys. We then got ready and went to the pool around 3, as it was over 100 today! Everytime we go to the pool she is more brave! Today we stayed for around 2.5 hours, and she cried when we left. We went with Carissa, James, and Henry...it was a great day to just sit and enjoy the water. :)

We then got home around 5:30 and Austin left shortly after for a work function. I let Keira watch a little bit more George as she was exhausted due to the pool and her idea that she doesn't nap anymore. I worked for a little over an hour and then we had dinner. After dinner we cleaned and organized the house...which is something I always want to do, but never seem to have time to do as much as I want. (usually because going somewhere with others always wins over that!) While I was cleaning in the basement Keira was coloring and I "thought" she was being so good. Come to find out she had colored the whole microsuede office chair! We are still working on getting purple gel pen out of the chair. Any ideas?

Once Austin got home around 9 we went for a quick walk (as it had finally cooled down enough) and then came back and gave Keira a quick bath and tucked her into bed. Since she was so sleepy she actually let me rock her tonight for a bit. SO NICE! She hardly ever lets me do that anymore. :) She was adorable as she looked up to me and said, "Mommy, my want to hold my little brother...my want to give him a kiss" He so tiny!....Apparently she thinks the baby is a boy, we will see if she is right! She is really getting into the idea of being a big sister, and so excited for her sibling, she seems to grasp the concept well, but we will see.

After we got her to bed it is FINALLY time for Austin and I to sit and relax a bit. We like to watch Nightline together and eat a snack then hit the sack after about an hour. My craving this week has been pickles, so I just had two of them. ;)

Good night all! :)

International Travels and the Latest :)

It has been about a month since I have posted and alot has gone on in that month!

First of all, Austin and I made a 10 day trip to Europe with my boss and his wife for work/ pleasure. We were able to visit Paris, France, Berlin, and Hamburg Germany. It was a great experience as I had never been out of the States, however I was VERY happy to get home to see my little girl. We have become quite attached as of late ;). She did great while we were gone though...I was so happy that did not seem to be sad at all while we were gone. I have been so happy to be home this week though. I just keep saying to Austin, "Wow! It feels great to be home!"

We had a nice lazy weekend which was great to be able to catch up on my laundry...as I was running out of clean pants, lol. It was nice just to have nothing on the agenda and be able to spend quality time with Keira and also some friends. My mom was on vacation last week, so Keira went to play with her friend Lauren while I was at work. They had a great time as they are both only children (for now as they both have siblings on the way). I am so thankful to have trustworthy Christian friends who can watch Keira when I am at work!

In other news: we are preparing for the massive and soon impending flood by stocking up and brainstorming ideas in the event that my parents and sisters move in with us. They are on the west end and could very well be flooded out. I know it would make for a full house, but we can definitely make it work! It is amazing and scary to see all the flooding around and how high the river is getting! I am so thankful to know that GOD is in control and our materials in this world are just that: THINGS!

Baby news: I am now 12 weeks and 3 days pregnant! I am in the last week of my first trimester, PTL! This first trimester has been SO much better than last time, thanks to my miracle drugs. I am so thankful I had those this time. Just this week I have started to pop out and feel big. I go to the doctor again in two weeks and am hoping to be able to see what we are having! My gut feeling is that this is a boy because:
1) I want to eat all junk food (pizza, chocolate, fries...it is HORRIBLE!) I have a feeling I will be MUCH bigger this time around if I keep this up. All I wanted with Keira (after I finally quit puking) was veggies and fruit.

2) Austin and I AGREED upon a boy name...which had never happened previously. I consider this quite close to a miracle and must signal that a boy is on the way. ;)

We shall see though!

Well I am going to head to bed...here are a few pictures that we had taken recently. It was a composite of extended family pictures, our family pictures, and Keira's 2.5 year old pictures. :)

A quick update on life with us :)

I have been really bad about keeping up with this lately, and it is my bedtime...but here is a quick update! :)

We have been staying busy with life in general as of late. This Memorial Day weekend was so nice in that we had no major plans, but just stayed around town. Charis and Nate were in town this weekend, so we went to dinner with them which is always fun! It is so nice to have a sister who is married to do double dates with now!!! :)

We also worked on tearing down our old deck, as building a new deck is our project for the summer. Once Austin and Nate tore it down, I was mortified that we hadn't done it sooner. Most of the wood was rotten, and on top of that the posts were buried in the ground all of 3 in...rather than 3 feet!!! Thank the Lord no one has died on our deck. Austin is going a bit overboard now and building a deck that can withstand about 100 people on it...so deck parties here we come!! :)

We also took Keira to the zoo for a bit. She is an absolute joy anymore, and SO GROWN UP!! She insisted on seeing the "monkeys" which are her favorite (thanks to Curious George). She looked through every single window in the monkey area, and that process took an hour, so that was about the only place we made it that day. She also saw the train go around and around while we ate lunch and she thought that was the coolest thing! She would stand up and holler "CHOO CHOO!" while giving a little pageant style wave to all the passengers.

We also had a bonfire with friends, and Keira thought that "camping" was so fun!!! She loves being outdoors and loved being able to run around outside, play in the sand, and make marshmallows. I can't wait to hopefully go camping more this summer!

In other news:

On the pregnancy front: for the "most" part I am feeling so much better this time around! I am hardly ever throwing up thanks to my miracle drug ZOFRAN! I am so thankful for my new doctor and that he prescribed that to me, it is a life saver! :)

I am still really tired, and I can tell I am hormonal as I get really down in the dumps if we don't get out of the house and do things. After being home for about a day with no activities one day last week, I had convinced myself that I had no friends, and nothing fun to do with Keira, LOL. A little extreme, I know. I then decided we were going to get out and about with friends. We ended up having 3 separate playdates to the park, outside, etc. the next day. We both had a great time...her playing with friends and being outside, and me having the opportunity to chat with other good Christian friends, who are such an encouragement to me. God knows just what I need, even when I am crazy and hormonal! :)

Keira continues to be little Miss Independent. She now has to let the dog out in the mornings, make her own juice, pick her own outfit out, etc. It is taking us INCREASINGLY longer to get out the door in the morning. However, she is the most fun right now!! She is always talking a mile a minute, and has no problem telling her opinion. If I am laying around, she will come over to me with her big eyes, and say, "You ok mom? You not feel good??" Her and I are both enjoying me being home more...it is GREAT!! :)

Well my summary has gotten quite long, good night friends! :)

First Appointment for Baby #2!- this was written a week ago. :)

So today I went to the doctor for the first time. I switched doctors and REALLY like my new one! He prescribed some medicine for nausea (I now have about 6 different ones sitting on my counter) and also took my blood in preparation for my trip to Europe (as a measles epidemic is apparently raging over there).

I honestly haven't been that excited about this pregnancy yet. Maybe it is the fact that I was totally surprised, or that it is the second, or that I am dreadfully sick. However, I was really hoping I would become more excited like I was with Keira. That is what made those 40 weeks bearable!

However, when I saw the tiny blob on the ultrasound screen I began to get excited. I am only about 7 weeks along, so you couldn't make out anything yet. However, the heart was already beating at a very strong 120 beats per minute. I think it is amazing how early their little heart starts beating!!! I looked up an average heartbeat for this stage is between 90-110 bpm. I am hoping since this one's is high it is another GIRL! :) It was so cool to hear the loud "DA-DUM, DA-DUM" of the heartbeat!

So all in all things are good. I have been miserably sick thus far, but am hoping the new meds will start working. I have been somewhat depressed, but I know that is just because I have been feeling so cruddy that I can't be my active self. I just keep reminding myself that this is a blessing and the not so enjoyable aspects will pass!! (hopefully by 15 weeks) :)

A Whirlwind of Emotions- This was written a little over a month ago when I first found out I was pregnant!

So...it hasn't hit me yet. But I think it is starting to.

Bombshell:
Today I found out I was pregnant...and thus far the process is so much different than it was with Keira.

With Keira we were trying, (although we did get pregnant first time). With Keira, as soon as we started trying, I thought I was pregnant the whole time. I took a pregnancy test two days before my period. It came back very faint. I then took one the next day and it was stronger. I know this is going to sound funny, but with Keira I knew from the point of conception that I was pregnant.

With this one: We were not trying to get pregnant. I have been going back/forth with wanting another one for awhile, but we kept having things that we were waiting for:
1) Our cruise
2) Germany

Germany is coming up in June...so we were planning to "think" about trying after that, and I figured I would get pregnant towards the end of summer, hopefully when things would be slowing down a bit.

HA! That is what happens when you plan huh? I hadn't even thought about being pregnant until about the past week or so. My boobs have been KILLING me, and I have been so irritable, for no reason at all. Not jumping down people's throats, but wanting to...you know those days where it takes every fiber of your being to be civil. That is normally not me, but was the past couple of days. I also was SO tired, for no reason at all. However, I normally get those symptoms before my period starts, about a week before, so I didn't think much of it. When I really started wondering was when I was late. I didn't realize that until last night. This morning I got up and thought, hmmm...should be starting today or tomorrow. Then I looked, and I was about 3 days late. Today was my day to go into the office, so I had to pack up Keira and head on in. However, all I could think about all morning was what if??? I have thought this before and it is always wrong. Finally, I couldn't handle the suspense anymore. I left and went to Walmart, and picked up a test. I went back to work, and took the test in the bathroom....once again WAY different than with Keira. With Keira we bought the test together, I took it at home, and we both watched it until the two little pink lines showed up. This time, I took the test by myself, and watched with shaky hands to see the result....I don't know why I was so nervous, but it is just so exciting and nerve-racking to see what the result is!!! Instantly, two pink lines showed up!! No doubts this time. I am DEFINITELY pregnant.

Now my emotions are going up and down. I am so excited, and yet scared at the same time. With Keira I was so sick, and I am not sure how that will go this time around. I leave for a week in one day, and I really with I could celebrate this with Austin more.

I have been "wanting" to have another baby...however when it actually happens I don't feel prepared. I have a million thoughts going through my head of, "What about work, what about Germany, what about this/that"....but at the end of the day, I know that the Bible says, "Do not worry" and I also know this is all in God's plan...and consequently...I AM ECSTATIC!!!!


On the plus side, I just ran the due date, and it should be 20 days before Keira's...which means they will be in the same season...if it is a girl, they can re-use clothes! :)


I cannot WAIT to go home and tell Austin!!!!

My Energy has disappeared

I am warning you all...I am not in the greatest mood. I have been feeling cruddy for about the past week, and this makes me depressed. I am normally a very energetic, go getter type of person. For the past week I have hardly had the gumption to get off the couch.

I told Austin that the maid was slacking. My laundry that was all caught up is starting to pile up, Keira room looks like a torndao passed through etc. Today I wanted to hit the library with Keira, run errands, and get caught up on work. What did I do? Did the bare minimum for work, and called it good.

So...I realize I am complaining, but sharing my frustration does make me feel better. :) I am just praying that my energy comes back soon, so that I can go back to taking keira places, meeting with friends, and all around enjoying life! :)

Resurrection Sunday!!!

We have had a whirlwind of a weekend with activities and family..but it has been great! 

Yesterday we had a baby shower at church, I went shopping with Charis (which was great, as we don't get to spend alot of time together) Yesterday was the last day that NY&Co. was open at Shadow Lake=JACKPOT!!! Charis and I got some really cute career clothes for cheap! Everything was $3.99. :) Then all of us girls and some friends went to see "Soul Surfer"...I think we all bawled our eyes out,  but it was fun to chat over appetizers and then go to see a movie together as none of us do that on a normal basis. 

We then spent the evening preparing for today, as it was jam packed full of activities. 

Austin had hid Keira's basket in our closet last night, as he had always grown up with the basket of goodies hidden. She found it quickly once we told her to look for a "pink basket". We then bribed her into getting ready for church quickly by saying she could have a chocolate egg if she was good. If it weren't for the fact that bribery catches up with you, we might do that everyday! She was sooo good at getting ready this morning! I snapped a few quick pictures before church, as I figured I wanted some photos while the outfit was still intact. :) 

We then headed to the Resurrection Breakfast at church. I LOVE this event each year! Although it is WAY too early I love to go as it is a great time to reflect on Jesus rising from the grave early in the morning!! HE IS ALIVE, and I am so thankful for that! If he were not, he would not truly be GOD! Keira thought it was fun as she got to have juice and chocolate donuts. :) 

We then went to church service after that. It was PACKED today! All 4 of my grandparents came into town, which I love! It reminds me of growing up when they would all come into town for Easter. My dad had a great sermon which was challenging to Christians, and also had a great Gospel message in it for anyone who was not saved! During church Keira went to "Toddler Time" which is like Children's Church. One of the boys had brought LIVE CHICKS, and she thought that was the coolest thing ever! She also made a pop-up Easter card, and had lots more candy (you can see that is a recurring theme!!)

After church we went to my parents for our annual Easter dinner. It is so fun to get together now, as we are not all in town all the time. We had a total of 15 family members there, so it was a great time of catching up with Grandparents, siblings, etc. Mom made a HUGE honey baked ham with the bone in...she was a HIT with everyone! :) 

This evening we headed to my in-laws for a dinner with that side of the family, and an Easter egg hunt for Keira and her cousin Kensley, who is 18 months old. Austin's side of the family is WAY different than mine, but we have a great time as well. We had fun just catching up (Kensley's mom is expecting again, so she was fun to catch up with) and the girls were adorable looking for eggs. It was nice just having two and having them both be little. They would sometimes walk right over an egg, then see it and both going running for it...missing 5 others right it front of them. Keira started saying all their colors as she picked them up. "Red, Pink, Blue, Lellow...etc". 

Ama Lea (Austin's mom) got both of the girls Easter baskets. Keira loves to play on the "rocks" at their house. When she says "rocks" she actually means the floor of their shower, which is a pebble bottom. It is the funniest thing, she will play in there forever! So, that was the logical place to hide the baskets. As soon as Ama Lea said she had a surprise on the "rocks" Keira took off for the shower! In her basket she got a "GOOORGE" monkey that makes noises, and some new movies, "Goorge (Curious George), Bonnie (Barney), and Caillou". Those were her favorites out of all the loot she got. :) Kensley is crazy about Elmo, so her whole basket was Elmo themed. At the end of all the festivities Keira wanted to "Help" so she and Papa Teve did all the dishes, so cute!!!

It was a great end to a busy day, celebrating first Christ's death on the cross for our sin's, and next his resurrection from the grave"

My facebook status (that I stole from someone else) sums up Easter perfectly: 

"Easter is not about a cute little bunny that gives you candy, in fact its much better. It's about a Savior who suffered a horrible death for my sins died came back to life and ascended to heaven so someday I can share eternal life with my father who loves me more than anyone ever could. Thank you God for sending your son Jesus Christ to die for my sins."

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ellie Diehm <elliediehm@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 11:14 PM
Subject: 18 pictures for you
To: ellie.diehm@powerdnn.com


You have been sent 18 pictures.


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These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google.
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I am Leading a Double Life

Hello Friends!
I have been meaning to post each evening, but have been too tired after a full day. Right now Keira is napping, so I am taking the opportunity to post quick! :)

We are getting into a new routine this week with me being at the office every other day, and then home on Tues/ Thurs. It is definitely a change of pace for us! You will laugh, but I almost feel like I did when I was on maternity leave...everything is a bit out of the norm, we are trying to establish a schedule, and it will take a bit for things to settle down. I am really enjoying the new schedule, but it is stressful for me, just because it is different. I am establishing new routines, finding out what is expected of me, and learning a new job.

It is a weird feeling for me because I feel like I have a "normal" life every other day- when I get up, put on a business outfit, grab my coffee, drop Keira off, and head to the office. That is our routine, and I have it down so well. I like being home, but the "being a business woman" one day, and the "being a sweat pant wearing mom" the next day is going to take some getting used to for it to feel "normal".

I learned after about a day of being home that I NEED to have a schedule! Otherwise I end up wasting alot of time. I am naturally someone who loves to have a gameplan, but can roll with the punches and be flexible, as long as I had a plan to start out with.
SO...that is what we have been doing. I have been making a schedule each evening before bed of things that need done, activities, and work for the next day. Then I try to loosely hold to that schedule. It helps out so much, and makes for a much more productive day, and a calmer/happier mommy!

Our typical schedule is shaping up like this:

8:00/8:30-Get up and get going for the day. Keira eat breakfast and watch Curious George while I do devos and check work email for anything that has come in overnight (as I usually check it right before bed).

I usually try to plan a morning activity to motivate us to get up and going. It also gets us out of the house, we get to see friends, and do new things! This week we went to the Bounce House with friends. Keira had a great time playing with her playmates, and I had a great time chatting and spending time with a close Christian friend who is such an encouragement to me!

I plan to do trips to the library, zoo, Omaha Children's Museum, park, and friends houses. I usually try to plan our outings for the week by Sunday, so that we have it planned out in advance.

Then usually after our morning activity we do a quick lunch. Keira then naps from around 2:00-5:00 and I usually do work for my actual job while she sleeps. It allows me to catch up on stuff that at the office I get interrupted too much to focus on.

Austin is usually home by 5 and we make dinner, and do whatever activity we have planned for the evening!

Thus far I am REALLY enjoying being "home" because we are not just sitting at home, but rather doing things with others. I do have less time than I thought I would though, as I am usually doing a Keira activity, or working from home. That is ok though. Austin and I both agree that I am staying home more not to be caught up on all the chores, but to spend quality time with Keira, so that is really what I am focusing on....although that mountain of clean laundry in my family room REALLY does need to get folded (one of these days!)

Today we tried multi-tasking a bit: I spent the morning around the house, playing with Keira and doing housework. I then had a business lunch, and then went back and picked Keira up for naptime. It worked very well, I liked having a bit of both worlds in one day. :)

Tonight we are planning to make Easter Egg Rice Krispy Treats. I will let you know how they turn out, I think it will be a fun activity to do with Keira and Austin...we all really like to cook/bake together, so it should be a good family evening. :)

My Mini- Me

Well...this is what Keira looked like this morning. ADORABLE! She insisted on wearing her hat to show "Ama Nane"

First though, she wanted to put her shoes on "my a self" Not only did she need to put them on herself, she wanted me to leave the room. With attitude that is hilarious she sweeps her hand and says, "Go Away Mom, Go Away" She then follows me to shut the door so I can't be in her "Woom". I wait about 30 seconds and then knock...as I am ALREADY running late, like always. I crack open the door and she says, "HANG ON mom! 2 minutes" all the while having the attitude of a 16 year old cheerleader and raising her fingers to show me what "2 minutes" means, with huge eyes that show she is "serious".

Wow. My mini-me has arrived. :)

A Great Day!

This post will be short...as I am trying very hard to stay on task and be disciplined about going to bed early (which for me is anytime before 1 AM). :)

I have a bunch of different things that I want to blog about including:

1) What Keira has been up to lately....she is now 26 months old and FULL of ATTITUDE! However, that will wait for another post.

2) I also want to post about our CRUISE that we just got back from this week. It was a wonderful time with my hubby and friends, and I would love to take another one soon! :) However, I left my camera at my moms...so I will wait to blog about that until I can post pictures as well. :)

However:
Today was a great day and what I am hoping is the start of a great new schedule. :) This week I started my new position for work and have consequently switched over to being home Tues/ Thurs (although this week I will be at the office on Thursday). At the end of Monday I had a pile of stuff to do and I almost broke down and said that I would just come in on Tuesday. However, I was originally supposed to switch to this schedule 2 YEARS AGO...when I first had Keira. I kept feeling guilty for not being at the office, so I switched back to full time at the office voluntarily after about a month. Now (2 years older and wiser) I have realize how quickly my little Keira is growing up, and where I want priorities to be, and I realized I needed to just not go into the office today, no matter how much I felt like I should. So...today I stayed home! We had a great morning, Keira ate breakfast and watched Curious George and I checked my work email ( I HAD to do that at least). Then we ran to the mall to return some things, and then fixed a lunch and took a picnic to the park with Austin over his lunch hour. I told him that I felt less stress than ever before when I wasn't at the office because I just didn't worry about know every little thing that was going on. It was GREAT!! Then I put Keira down for a nap and work for a couple of hours while she slept. I honestly think it was a fairly productive day all around! :) I honestly feel so blessed right now. This is the schedule I have wanted for over two years...where I could work and be a vital player in the company, but still get to stay home some too. I know that it will be alot of work as I have to manage my time carefully, but I feel that I can do it...with God's help of course! This is honestly probably the first weekday where I have been home since Keira was born and NOT felt guilty. It is a great feeling, and I am hoping the sign of contentment and that this is the right thing for me and my family currently.

Tonight we met with our small group and then us girls went to share the gospel with a lady who we have been serving for about the past 6 months. We were anonymously given her name, as she had cancer and no family around to help her. We have been taking her meals/ doing yardwork etc. We always had the goal of sharing the gospel with her, but had never really had a chance to do that, so we set up a time tonight to go and share with her. I was REALLY nervous as it was definitely out of my comfort zone. It was someone we knew, but not very well, and we were going to talk to her about the most important thing in the world. I am usually very willing to talk about anything but I was nervous about this as I wanted to make sure I did a good job, and said the right thing. I have always heard from other people about how it is amazing how God works when you just step out in faith and share. It was SO cool to see this for myself tonight. God totally opened up the door and we were able to share briefly with her, leave some Gospel information, and also invite her to church...and I think she is going to come as she is LOOKING! It was amazing to see how God answered. Please pray for her, as we plan to follow up with her via email, and also have a cookout with her in July. This was a great personal growing experience for me as well, as I now already feel less awkward about sharing in the future! :)

Well...that is all for now, sleep tight friends!

Now I am updating my blog via my phone! :)

Test Blog Post from my Email

I am messing around to see how I can post from my email so I hopefully post more often!

A Keira Update...LONG overdue

Hi All-
Just to warn you, this post is going to be a bit lengthy...I have been wanting to catch up on Keira updates, and finally got around to it. This part of my blog is mainly so I can go back and look at the things she has done, as I know I will forget, so please don't feel obligated to read this whole post. I am sure that you all do not think my child is quite as smart and charming as I do! :)

To start with:
Keira's 2nd birthday party (which occurred 2 months ago) was a great success! :) The theme was Pink and Puppies, and was alot less expense and stress than the first party. Austin made her cake, and Leighanne and I spent ALOT of time working on a puppy jello mold that turned out adorable. She had a lot of fun playing with her little friends, and got spoiled rotten with lots of new toys. One of her favorite being the Barbie ATV that Ama Lea and Papa Steve bought for her. She calls it her "bike" and loves to ride it in the bank parking lot across the street!

Another thing that Keira and I love is our cuddle time at night. We have made a habit of sitting and rocking, reading books, etc. for about a half hour before she goes to bed. I LOVE this time, as I get to relax at the end of the day, and pretend she is a little baby again. She always looks up me and pleads to rock by saying, "Mommy...gock a bit" :) She loves to read "GOORGE monkey" books (Curious George)....I think 1/2 the reason she likes these is because they are some of the longest ones that we have! haha!

She also likes to practice her songs at night. We have been teaching her Sunday School songs that I learned when I was little...it is funny how those things come back years later! Her two favorites right now are "Who's the King of the Jungle" (because she LOVES to act like a monkey and blow bubbles), and "My GOD is so Big"....which she also loves for the actions!

She has also been learning to "obey" which is a term that Ama Nane (my mom) uses with her quite frequently! I normally say "listen" but she has picked up on "obey" from Grandma Jane. If you ask her about obeying, she normally begins her list of people that she should obey...starting with mommy, daddy, Ama and Papa, and usually ending up with friends such as Thomas and Levi. She has quite the list of people to obey!

One night I was rocking her to bed and she just kept saying the cutest things!!! First of she said, "Ama Nane...My naughty!" (which is her way of saying that she was naughty for Grandma Jane). She is SO honest, it is hilarious! She now has a habit of telling people "My naughty" even when she hasn't been. At least we know she has a sensitive conscience! :) She then went on to talk about Daddy who was at class that night. She looked up at me while putting her hands on both my cheeks and said, "Daddy at Tass....my miss him!" It was the most precious thing, and just about melted my heart. Needless to say, I couldn't resist, and let her stay up to see Daddy a bit when he got home that night! :)

She is also very big on saying her prayers at night. She will remind me by hollering, "PAY MOMMMY!!!" if I start to walk out before saying them with her. I have made a habit recently of not only praying with her, but asking her who she wants to pray for each night. It is so fun how she always comes up with a different person/ group of people. I can tell what she is thinking about, based on who she picks. It is normally someone who we have seen recently, and the people that she categorizes with them. For example, last night I asked her and she said, "Nennon, Mia, and Mia Mommy"...which are some of the people in our small group. None of them had been at our house, but another couple from our small group had been at our house that same night. She is great at knowing what people are together, and who their kids are. :)

Keira recently is very interested in what Mommy and Daddy do in the day when she goes to Grandma's house. She knows that Daddy work at the "Nank" (bank) and that she gets "Huckers" (suckers) when she goes to visit. She even knows which branch is his, and that the other one in town is his bank, but not the one he works at. She also knows that Daddy normally wears a tie to work each day. One Friday she was up early, and saw Austin getting ready to walk out the door. She noticed he didn't have a tie, and went frantically running to the bedroom saying, "Daddy! Wait, a tie for Bork!!" He tried to explain to her that he didn't have to wear a tie on Friday, but ended up just taking it with him, and she was having a breakdown that he would not take it to work. TOO FUNNY!

A week or so ago, she got to come to work with Mommy for a little bit one morning. She was so funny as she walked right behind me, and did exactly what I did. She was SO excited to come to the "ossice" (office). I walked in and leaned around the corner to the conference room where some of the guys were meeting. I said, "Morning!" and kept walking. She preceded to do the SAME thing...including leaning her head in, saying "Mooring" and keep walking. They all busted up laughing, as she seemed to think that she was the newest employee on payroll! :)


She does a VERY good job of talking now, saying 4-5 word sentences all the time. She can say pretty much everything, however her name still sounds like, "Tia". Austin and I have actually made the mistake of calling her Tia instead of Keira because she calls herself that SO much! She also says, My, instead of I/me when she is talking. She only uses one tense, and that is "my". :)

She likes to watch sports with Daddy, but thinks that all teams are "Huckers" (Huskers). No matter what sport is on/ who is playing she will stand and scream at the top of her lungs, "GO HUCKERS!!!"

Her favorite drink right now is "Bah-berry milk" (strawberry milk). Most days she thinks she is TOO big to drink out of a sippy cup, so she insists of sipping it out of a normal cup, or on some days a plastic wine glass! She is quite particular in picking out her eating utensils! :)

She is getting better at playing with other kids and sharing, although her favorite phrase is "My HURN!" (my turn)...I say that we are making progress, at least she know what a "turn" is! :)

We are noticing just how BIG and non-baby she is getting, as we are slowing getting rid of all her baby type habits/ things. She has not had a Paci since November!!! I thought we would never get rid of that darn thing, but Austin was an AMAZING dad and broke her of it when I was gone for a week in November for work. It is so nice not having to keep track of one of those things! :)

We are also working on potty training, but not vigorously. I have decided that I am not really a fan of the whole process, so we are going to take it slow, as I really do not feel like having potty training horror stories, if at ALL POSSIBLE! So far, she is doing really good for how little time we put into it. She will tell me sometimes if she has to go, and we will put her on there. She will also usually go anytime you set her on the potty, as she gets two M&M's...and likes to work to get those as often as possible. :) We just need to work on being more consistent, so that she not only is going on the potty, but also NOT going in her diaper! :)

Well, I was going to post one more thing about her 2 year old appointment, but it is late, so we will save that for another night! :)

Missing Bullets!

So, Keira got a HUGE nerf gun for her birthday from the wonderful Thomas Peace and Levi Anderson. They got it for her as primarily a joke (who gets a two year old girl a Nerf gun that is a big as her?!) However, she has decided it is great fun, as she can push the button and the thing just starts spitting out bullets with a fast and furious pace! She has come up behind me in the mornings and I turn to see her saying, "SHOOOT mommy" SHOOT puppy!" I have told Levi and Thomas that they "may" not be setting the best example with that gift, and they just laugh. :)

Anyway, it is hilarious to listen to Keira, as she will say, "My BOOLETS, My BOOLETS" when she runs around the house after she has shot them all out, and can't find any more. The thing started with about 20, and we were down to have none at one point. We joked that the bullet monster stole them.

However....tonight we found out who the true bullet monster was! I kept doing laundry, and finding one here, one there, in the laundry. I couldn't figure out why they kept coming up in there, but didn't worry too much about it.

Tonight we put Keira is some jammies from the laundry. They were the kind with the feet in them. She put her left food down, and said, "OW!" and starting pointing to her feet. Austin then stuck his hand in there to see what the huge mound was, and guess what?! There were bullets in the bottom of her pajama feet. He pulled four out, and I started laughing hysterically. Then he continued to pull more out...and she kept complaining, until we had pulled out close to TEN BULLETS, plus all the ones from the laundry! Apparently Keira was stockpiling for the next war by placing all of her bullets in her pajamas. :)

So...the moral of the story is "WATCH OUT...Keira may look innocent, but she is packing bullets in those fuzzy little kitty jammies of hers!"

I took the night "off"

This week has been one of the most insane as of late.

Work has been crazy, as I am juggling still being the billing manager, managing all partner and vendor relations, all of my normal business operations duties, and also heading the project of moving all of our staff except me to new offices. I have gotten into a really bad habit this week of having coffee in the mornings, some chips, and then nothing till I get home for dinner at night. Today was more of the same, and by about 4:00 I had hit my limit for stress. I bluntly dismissed every one who needed something, and then actually got down to work. I called Austin and had him pick Keira up and told him that I was not coming to AWANA tonight. I stayed at the office till 7, and when I left felt the most relaxed that I have all week! :)

I then decided to go tanning, and pick up some good deals that I had coupons for at Walmart. I felt bad that I missed AWANA and didn't get to see Keira until 8:30, but the catch-up break was much needed!!!

Now, if I could just get caught up on those mounds of laundry at my house, I would REALLY be doing well! haha! :)

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

This has been a topic that I have been thinking about quite a bit over the past week or so.

The first thing that prompted it was a business meeting where one of the guys asked, "When we meet again in 5 years, what do you think we will be talking about?" I thought it was an interesting question, as it is always fun to dream about the future, although it almost always ends up WAY different than we ever imagine.

This got me thinking...my dad always used to ask this question when we were younger. When we were on family vacations he would always ask where we see ourselves in 10 years or something like that. Looking back on that, it seems so ironic what my answers were. I always thought that sounded so far away, and I also had the most ambitious dreams. I remember answering with things such as "I see myself married, and being a top level exec in business" or something similar. Through the eyes of an 8 year old, life is always so much more simple. I always thought that time was an endless resource, and that I could do whatever I dreamed. There was no such thing as obstacles, and the sky was the limit.

As I was driving the other day, I started thinking about how naive and ambitious I used to be, and I was wishing that I was still that way. Then I realized: if I look at my life as an outsider, it is beyond what I dreamed of wanting "in the next ten years" as a little girl. I have been blessed with a husband who was made JUST for me, a BEAUTIFUL little girl (which was always my dream to have), a job in business getting to do TONS of different things that I love, supportive friends, and a GOD who loves me and cares for me all of the time. When I think about it that way, it just blows my mind to think that while I was often looking at the spec of dirt under my nose, God was guiding my every move to bless me with all that I have now. THANK YOU LORD!

We were watching family videos over at my parents tonight and there was video of Faith, my youngest sister, at Keira's age. It was AMAZING to see how much alike they are! They sound alike, act alike, and even have the same facial gestures. (So I guess Keira does have some Oswald in her!) It just hit me how quickly life flies by...as that was 14 years ago, and it seems like just yesterday! Once again, a good reminder to making the most of our time on Earth for JESUS, and this is only a temporary spot for us.

So...I guess the summary of this post is this: I think it is fun to look at the future and plan and dream about what options it may hold. However, I think it is just as important to look at the past and realize how much God has blessed me and guided my every decision, in the times I was seeking his guidance, and even when I was not.

A week Away

Whew!
The last week has been a LONG one, as I was out of town for most of the week to Orlando for a work trip. Work trips are an emotional roller coaster for me, as I dread leaving Keira till I get on the plane, then I usually have a great time while I am gone for the first two days, and then after that am waiting anxiously to get home. I love being able to experience new things, however there is nothing like family!!!

When I am gone I use the free time as my sanity time to recharge for when I am at home, and have many more duties to do. :)

I got home LATE Friday night, and Keira was already asleep. I didn't even make it to bed, but rather fell asleep on the couch while talking to Austin, and proceeded to sleep the whole night there.

Around 7:30 am I heard a sweet little "Up, mommy!" and then...."Hair-Pane, come back!" (Interpretation: You came back on your airplane!). Keira and I then had a WONDERFUL little cuddle session as she climbed up onto my lap and said, "Love you" and gave me a big hug. Priceless!

One of the great things about being gone for a few days is that I notice little things that she is doing that I think I normally miss in the everyday monotony. When I got home I noticed that she crinkles her nose in the _CUTEST_ little way when she is trying to be extra sweet (or convince you of something). It absolutely melts my heart when she does that! I also noticed that she is talking _VERY WELL_ now! She is consistently using 4/5 word phrases that are clear to understand. We were leaving the house on Saturday, and she said, "Diaper bag mom"....as she thought I forgot it on our way out. What a smart little girl!

One of her favorite places to go with me now is Target to get a "Hogog" (Hotdog). She shrieks and pumps her arms in the backseat as soon as she can spot the Target sign from a 1/2 mile away. She thinks that Target is a glorified hotdog stand, and it is essential that we pick up a hotdog each time. I figure for 85 cents as a trade off for my sanity is well worth the price! She then munches on her hot dog as I shop. I have become a HUGE target fan in the past month or so as I have started enjoying the hobby of couponing, as they usually have 1) great coupons 2) great sales and 3) I can combine a manufactures coupon! Yesterday we went and my bill of $57 was $15 when we left. I was ecstatic, and came home and told Austin...who just thought I was a bit nutty for being excited about something like that! :)

As for Florida: I had a couple firsts. I tasted alligator for the first time, which tasted alot like chicken, only more tender. I was really surprised that I LOVED it! I also had the BEST steak of my entire life, at a place that smokes their steaks. I had a 24 oz ribeye which I ate every bite of! I was quite proud of that accomplishment! :) I also saw the last launch off of the Shuttle Discovery, which was actually quite anti-climatic. It was cloudly in Orlando, which is about 50 miles from Cape Canerval, and so we only briefly saw it. However, the experience was still cool to know we were watching history be made!

Well, I am going to cut this short. Thanks for reading friends!!!

Snow=Slow weeks and Crazy Love

Hello All!

I keep thinking of things that I want to blog, but never seem to have the time/energy to sit down and actually get things put down on paper....err the screen! :)
So,here is the latest update on what has been going on in my life/ and my thoughts on it.

First of all:
The last couple of weeks have been insanely slow for us compared to our normal hectic pace. I have actually really enjoyed being home more, and just relaxing, reading, and spending time with Keira and Austin. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a home body, so this is very unusual for me! I told Austin that I am learning contentment...it's that or my iron levels are severely low; which could be the case since I have been WIPED OUT lately, and cannot get my energy back! Speaking of, I have actually started taking vitamins to boost my iron, so hopefully that will solve my tired issues soon. :)

One of the things that I have been doing on my sabbatical at home is to read the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. Any one who claims to be a Christian...actually no matter what you claim, you should check it out. It is a great book, and challenges us to think for ourselves, but to be on fire for GOD as he deserves nothing less than that! It has been a great challenge/conviction for me! The part that has stuck out the post thus far to me is this paragraph:

"Put into perspective the brevity of our lives...In about 50 years (give or take a couple of decades) no one will remember you. Everyone you know will be dead. Certainly no one will care what job you had, what car you drove, what school you attended, or what clothes you wore."

WOW. That is all I can say about that. That was a great thing for me to read and think about, as I have always heard "life is short, flies by, etc". However, putting it in terms of 50 years (which is only 2x what I have currently lived) really puts it into perspective about how short of a life I have left...and that is considering that I actually live to be an old person (which is definitely not a guarantee, especially with me!)

As stated directly after that paragaph, "This can be terrifying or reassuring, or maybe a mix of both". Exactly my sentiments. This is so reassuring to me, as I naturally an the type of person who has to "keep up with the Joneses". My personality has always been one to want to "fit in but be spectacular...all at the same time". I have come to realize that to do that, you put alot of unneeded stress on yourself! It is alot of work to always have a car, house, clothes, kid, job, etc, that not only meets my own unrealistic standards, but also what I "think" everyone else expects! I am realizing how much time and energy I often waste on things that don't really matter. Whenever I start wanting a newer house, or feel the need to shop because I need "the newest ________ (fill in the blank)", I just remind myself that in 50 years NONE of this will matter. For me, it has been a great way to put things in perspective. I realize most of you who are reading this are probably thinking, "Duh, Ellie...did the lightbulb finally turn on?!" However, for me I have "known" all of this for a long time, however actually internalizing it for myself is a new and wonderful thing! :)

This statement is terrifying to me in a sense because it reminds me that I only have a SHORT time here on Earth. I feel moved more than ever before to make that time worthwhile. I need to be using that time to serve and share the love and truth of Jesus as much as I can, regardless of what other's think!

Whew! After that whole speech I am not saying that I don't think we should enjoy our time on this Earth...rather make good Long term decisions, and make the most use of our time here! I am learning it is always a learning process, we are never perfect, but that is not an excuse for continued failure. :)


Well...I guess I am going to have to cut this post short...the hubby thinks it is his turn to use the computer! ;)

I will post shortly with some updates on Keira, and also what one of my other new hobbies is. :)

Crossroads

Do you ever feel like you are at a huge crossroads and wish that you could see the future to know that it is going to turn out ok? I know that is not possible...and actually am happy that we can't see the future. However, sometimes it seems like it would make things so much easier!
Right now this is where I feel like my life/mental state is.

Keira will be turning two in a week, and I am sad/happy all at the same time. It seems like just yesterday she was born, yet so much has changed in that time! I have had alot of friends as of late who have gotten pregnant/had babies, and it really makes me wish that I was going through that stage again. However, at the same time I do not think that I am ready to move onto the "second child" stage yet...as I just LOVE having our little family of three. I almost wish I could just go back and relive the past two years over...as they have been absolutely wonderful! (Not sure what my deal is tonight...I am very reminiscent, which is not normally me, but writing always seems to be good for that!)

There are many other changes going on right now as well. I am in the process of transitioning to a new position in my company where I will be working at the office 3 days a week instead of 5. This is something that I have wanted, begged God for, and yearned for since the day that Keira was born. However, oddly enough rather than be exuberant for this, I am SCARED. I am scared to move out of the position that I know well, to a position that I am less familiar with. I am nervous about failing, or hating what I am doing, or losing my status in the company, and having to start my career over. However, at the same time I feel that this is a door that GOD opened wide for me, and I need to take advantage of it, and spend more time with Keira while she is still little! All of these changes have been great in the fact that they are teaching me to 1) not worry 2) trust God, as HE is in control and has obviously given me this opportunity. I AM very excited about being able to spend more time with Keira/ and ministering to others by being in the office less.

Some other exciting things that are going on right now: I have just started doing a bi-weekly Bible Study with a close friend of mine. I have always wanted to have an accountability partner for devotions, but have never actually had one. I am so excited to be able to build into her life, share my struggles and joys with her, and grow closer to God through this!

I have also been very encouraged by some other women in our church who are pursuing business ventures. For awhile I was very discouraged in our church as I felt like I was one of the few women pursuing a career as well as a family. I felt like there was no one who I could share my situation with, without being judged for being a working mom in the business world. However, whenever we thought about going somewhere else God made it very evident that he wanted us where we were...by giving us opportunities to serve in the church, or reach out to new attendees, etc. It is wonderful to see how God is blessing! We are thoroughly enjoying serving in the roles that we are able to, such as AWANA, nursery, and fellowships, and it is great to have some like-minded friends who I things in common with as well! In my mind Christian friends who I am able to go through life with make life 100% better, and I am so thankful that God has placed people in my life to encourage me, and be there through all of the curves life throws at us!

I didn't post much about Keira this time...she is a book in and of herself lately. I will try and post soon about all that is going on with her. :)

Thanks friends for reading!