 | ||
| Said carrier (I am aware it's a backpack...so is she) |
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Juliana Says...
So last week on my Seven QTs, I included a small convo with Juls and I promised to post more this week...Sorry it took me so long, I know all 11 of your were dying to read them!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Liebster Award...pass it on!
A fellow Pittsburgh Momma and food fanatic Miss CrafyP gave me a little award...
1. Favorite meal you've ever eaten- describe it to me and with whom did you eat it?
Apparently it's for bloggers with fewer than 200 post...that is me!! Just a lowly blogger with more 'oh, I should blog about that' than actual posts. Silly kids and house for being so demanding! :) Thank you Miss Crafy...if you, Momma of 5 with #6 cooking can do it, so can I!!!
So here's the lowdown
When you’re nominated for a Liebster, here’s what you do:
1. Thank the Liebster Blog presenter who nominated you and link back to their blog.
2. Nominate 11 blogs who you feel deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen.
3. Answer the 11 questions you were asked and create 11 questions for your nominees.
4. Display the Liebster Award logo.
5. No tag backs, meaning you can’t just re-nominate the person who nominated you.
1. Thank the Liebster Blog presenter who nominated you and link back to their blog.
2. Nominate 11 blogs who you feel deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen.
3. Answer the 11 questions you were asked and create 11 questions for your nominees.
4. Display the Liebster Award logo.
5. No tag backs, meaning you can’t just re-nominate the person who nominated you.
As the hubs watching a show on Netflix and the babes sleep upstairs, okay only Miriam is sleeping but at least Juls is being quite, I will attempt to do this...
1. Favorite meal you've ever eaten- describe it to me and with whom did you eat it?
My mom's lasagne for birthdays growing up. There are 6 kids in my family and when your birthday was approaching, Mom would ask what special meal you would like. 9 out of 10 times, we would all say Lasagne!!! It was sooooooo good, but Mom only made it on special occasions. She made her own sauce too! YUM! Thinking about lasagne just takes me back to my childhood, squished around the table, laughing all night long and making memories.
2. What are you most looking forward to in the next month?
3 things: Our church festival, Samantha starting school (#sorrynotsorry) and visiting Maryland at the end of the month. It will have been over 2 months since we have been down there and my how Miriam has changed! I wish we lived closer or could visit more because I know my Momma really misses all the girls.
3. What/who inspires you?
Man, that's a deep question! I am inspired by others who struggle. Maybe that sounds bad but, over the past couple years I have known some families who have been hit with some major health issues. And watching them endure, rely on God and push forward fills me with the greatest amount of Faith and Hope.
4. Name something strange that is on your floor right now.
Well, it's not on the floor right now because I just vacuumed (whoa!) but we have a 16" foam cylinder exercise thingy that has become a permanent fixture in our living room. I was introduced to it at Physical Therapy a few months ago and it has changed my life!! It can roll out my IT Band and helps my knee not to throb constantly. Plus, Mark uses it to roll out his back which has always been not so good.
5. Favorite tv show as a kid/Favorite tv show right now.
As a kid: Full House
Now: The Food Network Star
6. If you could take up any hobby that you currently have no time for/resources for... what would it be?
Just one? I have so many interests that are untapped! I would love to learn to REALLY bake...like all kinds of fancy things but also be able to decorate cakes and cupcakes like a pro! I would also love to sew better. My sis in law is extremely gifted and I am often in awe of the pieces she creates. I would love to craft something from scratch out of a piece of fabric. It's so cool!
7. Something that is on your "bucket list"
Go to Australia or Hawaii...or both! :)
8. A book you read recently that you enjoyed.
Currently reading My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell and its really good. Plus, the author has a cool name :) No, but seriously, it's good. Pick it up. Read it. Be inspired.
9. Share a memory or moment from today that makes you smile
Watching my baby girl swing. She gets the biggest grin on her face when she sees the swings and then just laughs and laughs as you push her. :)
10. If you had unlimited time (no interruptions from children or phone), what movie or tv show would you "marathon"
Probably have a Julia Roberts marathon: Pretty Woman, Steel Magnolias, Erin Brocovich, The Oceans movies, Step-Mom, even Hook. She is just so good and her laugh is the best!
11. If someone you loved threw you a surprise party, would be overjoyed or upset?
OhhhhhhhVER. JOYED!!! I am a type A personality and love to be in control, but that also means I over think and over plan. If I could celebrate and not have to think or worry about anything, it would be the best party EVER!!!
So here are the few ladies I know that are worth a read:
Okay ladies, humor me and answer these questions:
1. What was your dream job as a child? Are you living it out now?
2. What was your favorite game/toy to play with as a child? Why?
3. If you had $1 Million, and only 30 days to spend it, how would you?
4. What's your favorite room in your house?
5. How do you unwind after a long day?
6. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
7. What's the best birthday you have ever had?
8. Craziest thing you've ever done that you would never do again?
9. Favorite way to pray.
10. What's the wildest dream you can still recall?
11. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Thank you ladies!!
Friday, August 2, 2013
SEVEN QuiCk TaKEs!!!!
Is it August ALREADY?!?! Where in the world has the summer gone? Seriously, warm months fly too quickly...but it's probably because we are busy, busy. busy!
Joining Jen and practically everyone else in the blogger world for 7QTs
...and go!
1
You know those super tacky, often eye catching commercials that discount stores and used car lots run to draw you into their "Lowest Prices EVER" sales? Well, they work! :) Fireworks, booming male voice and repetition of day and time, day and time, day and time, day and time... :) Man that marketing team is making a killing! Well, a local furniture store ran one of those commercials last week and knowing that Mark was in desperate need of a new recliner, I suggested we go. He agreed. Little did he know that we would find this beauty
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| perfection in table form! |
75% off people!
He is so good to me because he knew we weren't leaving with out it! Our old table had seen better days, in like the 1970s, and I was more than ready to upgrade. It's so pretty. Did I also mention that it was a STEAL!! And we got it delivered the SAME DAY!
Holla!
Oh and Mark found a recliner. Also 75% off!
Thank you tacky commercial. Thank you very much!
2
At some point this past week I received this photo
 | |
| If this is what the 90s look like, I would never go back. |
in a text from my sister. Me, Mom and Dad, May 1992
Yes that is me...the blonde in the front with the "at-home" haircut from my loving, well meaning and completely untrained beautician mother. My outfit is most likely something out of a circus that passed through town bag of clothes we were given and please, please, please take note of my father and I's matching shoes! Oh and let's not fail to point out the ridiculously over-sized glasses on my face!
Unfortuntely, this wasn't just a one time, mishap kind of day. This is what I looked like from age 7-13...
I paid my dues people. My "awkward stage" lasted forever six long, hard years.
Please don't cut your kids hair. Call me. I'll pay for a professional to do it. Consignment shops are all the rage too. Oh and buy a mirror. Make her look in it.
3
Speaking of kids hair, this chick
has...
The. Best. Hair. Ever!
And can rock the pigtails with the best of them.
 |
| is my favorite on her entire head. |
I will never, ever cut her hair. I pray that she keeps these heavenly locks for her life. She wouldn't be my Juliana with our them!
4
On the topic of being Juliana here's a quick convo between she and I that took place at lunch today:
Juliana: Hears fire house siren in the background ...I don't like that sound Mommy.
Me: It's okay honey, it's just the fire house signaling they need more firemen.
Someone needs help and the firemen will go help them.
Juliana: One day, when I grow up, I'm going to be a fire-girl
Me: Okay, you can be a fire-girl
Juliana: laughing I don't want to be a fire girl...I just want to be a Juli-girl!
Of course, a Juli-girl. It's what every girl dreams of being!
*will be posting more great convos with Juls in the next day or so...keep a look out. They are a riot!
5
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| she did it all by herself #proudmommymoment |
How old before kids can write in a line? Or until the letters don't take up the entire page? Got this white board in the Target Dollar Section and she loves it! Really hoping it will encourage her to learn more...so far it has worked!
6
Earlier this week I hosted the first Pray and Play for the Pittsburgh Catholic Momma's group that I am apart of. It was a smashing good time! :) The general idea is that we will gather in a member's home and pray for a portion of the time and then play for the other time. We really wanted to bring prayer into the home and show the kids that we are a community. A group of believers and we need to join together and ask the Lord to bless us and thank Him for bringing us together.
Earlier this week I hosted the first Pray and Play for the Pittsburgh Catholic Momma's group that I am apart of. It was a smashing good time! :) The general idea is that we will gather in a member's home and pray for a portion of the time and then play for the other time. We really wanted to bring prayer into the home and show the kids that we are a community. A group of believers and we need to join together and ask the Lord to bless us and thank Him for bringing us together.
I was kinda freaking out because the response was SO positive it looked like there might be 27 kids and 9 Mommas!!! WOW!! And where the heck is everyone going to sit? Well, a few Mommas had to cancel last minute and it only ended up with 19 kids and 5 Mommas. And the kids played outside for most of the time. Thank you Lord for hearing my "please be good weather" prayer!
This week we went over the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary. I used this link to print off some visuals for the kids (I'll have more next time...not enough for all the kids...a good problem to have!). And then we prayed one decade of the Rosary. I think we could have done another one but I didn't want to push my luck at the first meeting.
7
And today this not so little girl is 9 months old!!!
She's been out as long as she was in! She is a joy to have in the house! She is getting into all of Juliana's things and I just laugh. It's good for both of them to figure out how to live with the other...neither are going anywhere anytime soon! We go for her well visit on Tuesday and I'll post her stats then. My guess is she's 23lbs and 29.5" long.
Happy Friday Y'all! The Hubs and I are going on our anniversary date this weekend! Hope you have as much fun as we will!!!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Seven Quick Takes
Linking up with Jen and all the others...
1
I can not believe that it's the end of July! Where has this Summer gone? In less than 1 month Samantha will be starting 5th Grade! 5th Grade!! This is crazy to me since when I first met her she was 4 1/2! Well, Miss almost 5th grader has spent the last week at a Christian camp and returns home tomorrow. She went last year for the first time and has been talking about it since we drove her home! I am praying that she is on fire for the Lord and shows it by playing Barbies with Juls (per Juli's request at the news of Samantha's return!)
2
Speaking of Juliana, do any of your children become COMPLETE MANIACS right before they show visible signs of being sick? For all who know Juls, she is pretty high energy, but earlier this past week she was more hyper, more defiant, more tantrum throwing then normal. And then, BOOM, on Thursday morning she woke up with a cough and a runny nose. I have noticed this in the past and another friend has mentioned to me that it happens with her kids too...
3
Why do you blog? Do you care if anyone reads your blogs? I mean, when all the well known bloggers started out, did they have that desire to become "famous" in the blogging world? Or, where they just gifted writers who were recognized for their God given talents? Do you want to be "famous" in the Catholic world? I believe there is a part of everyone that wants that seat of honor, but Jesus was quick to say this was not, in fact,the most honorable.
4
I was able to get out of the house kid-free twice this week! ::Happy Dance:: And one of the times it was to a Book Group with the Pittsburgh Catholic Momma's. We are reading "My Sisters' the Saints", by Colleen Carroll Campbell and the saint she spent talked about this week was Terese of the Child Jesus. Known for her little way, Terese was wise enough to realize that not everyone is made the same. Not everyone is going to be the wise teacher, or the gifted student but even the meek and relatively unknown or unnoticed person can serve the Lord completely. In the small ways that we live. Which is why I asked the previous question about blogging. I am more comfortable being unknown or unnoticed but there is a fire inside of me that wants to break out and let the Holy Spirit take over. Not just in blogging but in may other aspects of life.
5
The second night I got out was to a fellow (Pgh)Momma and blogger Nicole's Usborne Book Party. She is hands down one of the most fun people I know in Pittsburgh. You having a party, you want Nicole there! Bright eyed, quick wit and to top it off, a good Catholic woman! Any way, she sells these AMAZING kids books...have you heard of them? Usborne Books! Check them out! They are addicting! And kids love them! I didn't get any this time (yet) but I did schedule a party! Holla...Free books! :)
6
So a few post back, I asked for prayers for a special intention. Please, please, please keep praying. Out of respect for the parents, I won't go into much detail but they were given word that their child has a metabolic disorder that will end their child's life...at some point. The tell tale signs have not begun to show and the babe is seemingly normal and healthy as can be. It could start as early as 2 and as late as 15, but the outcome is the same. Pray for miracle. Pray for God's will to be done. Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill them with all the graces they need to deal with such a diagnosis.
7
This is the first weekend since April that we haven't had a birthday, been on vacation/out of town, or a holiday party!! So, we decided to have a cookout, to celebrate my sister in laws birthday! :) Grilled delicious food, cake, ice cream and good AMAZING company, Oh twist my arm...
Happy weekend ya'll! :)
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Happy Anniversary (How we met)
I attempted to set this post to publish automatically on our anniversary (July 18th) but it didn't :( And then I thought, well it's too late, but ya know what? I spent A LOT of time typing this so...happy belated anniversary to Mark and I (we're celebrating this Saturday at a Pirates game!)
Today my hubby Mark and I celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary! Our anniversary is also his little sister Marie's Birthday and this year our newest nephew Philip Joseph gets baptized on our special day. Apparently, it's a pretty awesome day!!
Mark and I knew each other for 16 months before we said 'I Do', 9 months before we got engaged, 5 months before we did an engagement/break up novena, 3 months before we said I Love You and 1 month before we met in person. We met online, CatholicMatch.com to be specific. On a whim I started an account in late 2007 because my dear friend Martha had done so and after a dating hiatus of 18 months, I thought it was high time to actively start pursuing my vocation. See I had a very unhealthy relationship in college that really did some emotional damage to me and I needed to just have some Me and Jesus time to heal all those wounds. That Jesus, man He works wonders when you let Him in!
So, I started my account, posted pictures, thought WAY TOO LONG about my profile page and spent WAY too many hours looking at pictures and profiles of prospective husbands (yes I say husbands, I was done dating for "fun"...never leads to anything Holy. Never Ever.) I searched all of the DC/MD/NOVA (Northern VA for those not familiar) and met a guy. Chatted with him but it turned out he was still head over heels for his ex and I became a relationship counselor. Not what I had in mind. So I expanded my search to 250 miles from my zip code... and guess who popped up? Mr. Mark Gruber! :)
For those unfamiliar with the way Catholic Match works, you are able to see who has viewed your profile, which I liked and disliked equally. Part of me wanted to browse unencumbered but another part got excited when my profile was viewed by someone I found interesting. Well, I saw Mark's profile picture (cute!) and the first two lines of his profile went something like this, "Third of 14 kids, previously married, annuled, have a 4 year old daughter, am an engineer and I live in Pittsburgh, PA." My reaction was 14 kids?? That woman is a saint! (and she is, she really really is) I wonder how many kids he wants, aside from the one he already has. And where the heck is Pittsburgh (cut me some slack...I'm an East Coast girl who was never good at Geography. I knew Philly and that was all). So I viewed his profile, he saw my view and being the gentleman that he is, wrote me the first email. That weekend of the first email was also my BFF Jen's birthday and we celebrate birthdays for DAYS, sometimes weeks, so emailing was not on the top of my list. But, as soon as the festivities came to a close, I emailed back, apologizing for my delayed response and thus began our daily communication.
We had been emailing for about 10 days when I had major knee surgery and was LAID UP on the couch for a good 2 weeks. Since Mark worked on his computer 90% of the time, our emailing became more frequent and talking on the phone was brought up. I figured we had disclosed some pretty personal info over email (divorce, annulment, Samantha for him, faith struggles, family/housemate problems, major medical problems for me) that chatting on the phone didn't seem like such a big deal. So, one night he called and of course I was in the SHOWER! All day I had been giddy and waiting to hear what his voice sounded like and I miss the call! Every girl knows what I am talking about...that first phone call. :) I work up the nerve to call him back and BAM, he answers. His voice was music to my ears. The voice behind the 1000s of words I had read, the words that made me fall in love with this man. Oh I was as smitten as smitten could be and we HIT. IT. OFF that first phone call. Talked for almost 2 hours. I had to work early that next morning and we were coming to a close and you know what he did, he asked me to PRAY WITH HIM! I was floored. Deal sealed. I knew this man was the man I was supposed to marry. Yes, I am aware we hadn't met in person, but when you know you know!
About a week later, I am driving home from Physical Therapy and I get a call from Mark asking if I had plans for the following day.
"Um, no...why?" Mind you, we lived 248 miles apart (crazy right, the search on the computer was 250 miles...2 miles farther away and I wouldn't have met my match!) and wouldn't have made plans on Friday at 6pm for the next day.
"Well, I'm driving back from SC and thought my friend Beacham and I would swing by so we could meet." (Swing by actually meant drive 3 hours out of their way but that's what we'll do for love!)
"Sure, that'd be great" said the me that has no spontaneous bones in her body and plans are made days if not weeks in advance! Commence freak out! What to wear, where to meet, over analyze everything I had written or said in the last month, oh and not to mention I was on crutches with a giganticly swollen left knee and couldn't walk more than 10 feet without needing a break. And a turtle would have beaten me in a speed race. Great first impression!
So I was brave and decided to let him meet me at my house (one of my house mates was home, don't worry. Although she was. She thought he was going to abduct me!). I smile now looking back at the first meeting. I was all dolled up in a Polo button down, nice jeans, hair done and he was in an old work t-shirt, work jeans, worn out sneakers and he hadn't shaved in at least a week, which for him means full grown beard and neck beard! This epitomizes our personalities! He had also been testing equipment for his job in the factory and field for a week and I soon learned he never bothered with shaving while traveling. He was ruggedly handsome, irresistibly charming, perfectly patient and I was hooked. All three of us went out to a late lunch, then headed to Adoration for a bit (major score for him!) and then to Panera for coffee/smoothies (it was Saturday evening during Lent, I had given up anything but water and milk with breakfast and he wanted to treat me to my vice!). As we walked from Panera to the car, knowing that he was driving the 4 hours back to Pittsburgh, and as I used his arm to support myself (remember the bum knee?), I thought to myself, please don't go! Please don't let this be the last time we see each other. Please be "the one"! And he was. He is. He will always be.
Happy Anniversary my love.
Today my hubby Mark and I celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary! Our anniversary is also his little sister Marie's Birthday and this year our newest nephew Philip Joseph gets baptized on our special day. Apparently, it's a pretty awesome day!!
Mark and I knew each other for 16 months before we said 'I Do', 9 months before we got engaged, 5 months before we did an engagement/break up novena, 3 months before we said I Love You and 1 month before we met in person. We met online, CatholicMatch.com to be specific. On a whim I started an account in late 2007 because my dear friend Martha had done so and after a dating hiatus of 18 months, I thought it was high time to actively start pursuing my vocation. See I had a very unhealthy relationship in college that really did some emotional damage to me and I needed to just have some Me and Jesus time to heal all those wounds. That Jesus, man He works wonders when you let Him in!
So, I started my account, posted pictures, thought WAY TOO LONG about my profile page and spent WAY too many hours looking at pictures and profiles of prospective husbands (yes I say husbands, I was done dating for "fun"...never leads to anything Holy. Never Ever.) I searched all of the DC/MD/NOVA (Northern VA for those not familiar) and met a guy. Chatted with him but it turned out he was still head over heels for his ex and I became a relationship counselor. Not what I had in mind. So I expanded my search to 250 miles from my zip code... and guess who popped up? Mr. Mark Gruber! :)
For those unfamiliar with the way Catholic Match works, you are able to see who has viewed your profile, which I liked and disliked equally. Part of me wanted to browse unencumbered but another part got excited when my profile was viewed by someone I found interesting. Well, I saw Mark's profile picture (cute!) and the first two lines of his profile went something like this, "Third of 14 kids, previously married, annuled, have a 4 year old daughter, am an engineer and I live in Pittsburgh, PA." My reaction was 14 kids?? That woman is a saint! (and she is, she really really is) I wonder how many kids he wants, aside from the one he already has. And where the heck is Pittsburgh (cut me some slack...I'm an East Coast girl who was never good at Geography. I knew Philly and that was all). So I viewed his profile, he saw my view and being the gentleman that he is, wrote me the first email. That weekend of the first email was also my BFF Jen's birthday and we celebrate birthdays for DAYS, sometimes weeks, so emailing was not on the top of my list. But, as soon as the festivities came to a close, I emailed back, apologizing for my delayed response and thus began our daily communication.
We had been emailing for about 10 days when I had major knee surgery and was LAID UP on the couch for a good 2 weeks. Since Mark worked on his computer 90% of the time, our emailing became more frequent and talking on the phone was brought up. I figured we had disclosed some pretty personal info over email (divorce, annulment, Samantha for him, faith struggles, family/housemate problems, major medical problems for me) that chatting on the phone didn't seem like such a big deal. So, one night he called and of course I was in the SHOWER! All day I had been giddy and waiting to hear what his voice sounded like and I miss the call! Every girl knows what I am talking about...that first phone call. :) I work up the nerve to call him back and BAM, he answers. His voice was music to my ears. The voice behind the 1000s of words I had read, the words that made me fall in love with this man. Oh I was as smitten as smitten could be and we HIT. IT. OFF that first phone call. Talked for almost 2 hours. I had to work early that next morning and we were coming to a close and you know what he did, he asked me to PRAY WITH HIM! I was floored. Deal sealed. I knew this man was the man I was supposed to marry. Yes, I am aware we hadn't met in person, but when you know you know!
About a week later, I am driving home from Physical Therapy and I get a call from Mark asking if I had plans for the following day.
"Um, no...why?" Mind you, we lived 248 miles apart (crazy right, the search on the computer was 250 miles...2 miles farther away and I wouldn't have met my match!) and wouldn't have made plans on Friday at 6pm for the next day.
"Well, I'm driving back from SC and thought my friend Beacham and I would swing by so we could meet." (Swing by actually meant drive 3 hours out of their way but that's what we'll do for love!)
"Sure, that'd be great" said the me that has no spontaneous bones in her body and plans are made days if not weeks in advance! Commence freak out! What to wear, where to meet, over analyze everything I had written or said in the last month, oh and not to mention I was on crutches with a giganticly swollen left knee and couldn't walk more than 10 feet without needing a break. And a turtle would have beaten me in a speed race. Great first impression!
So I was brave and decided to let him meet me at my house (one of my house mates was home, don't worry. Although she was. She thought he was going to abduct me!). I smile now looking back at the first meeting. I was all dolled up in a Polo button down, nice jeans, hair done and he was in an old work t-shirt, work jeans, worn out sneakers and he hadn't shaved in at least a week, which for him means full grown beard and neck beard! This epitomizes our personalities! He had also been testing equipment for his job in the factory and field for a week and I soon learned he never bothered with shaving while traveling. He was ruggedly handsome, irresistibly charming, perfectly patient and I was hooked. All three of us went out to a late lunch, then headed to Adoration for a bit (major score for him!) and then to Panera for coffee/smoothies (it was Saturday evening during Lent, I had given up anything but water and milk with breakfast and he wanted to treat me to my vice!). As we walked from Panera to the car, knowing that he was driving the 4 hours back to Pittsburgh, and as I used his arm to support myself (remember the bum knee?), I thought to myself, please don't go! Please don't let this be the last time we see each other. Please be "the one"! And he was. He is. He will always be.
Happy Anniversary my love.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
7 QT's (vol ?)
Joining Jen and all the others for a quick 7 recap
1
Last Saturday was my hubby's birthday! The big 3-1! We did a blow out party last year to celebrate so we thought we would keep it simple and go out on a DATE!!!! He did get to hang out with friends early in the day and do manly things like ride on a tractor and pull down a tree (Que: Tim the Tool Man Taylor - ARGH ARGH ARGH with a little chest beating)! He came home early enough that I could get a shower and get all prettied up for him before his Mom came over with his sister's kids and babysat all 6 kids by herself! I figured out that at one point in her life she had kids very close to the ages of the 6 of them ( 7, 6, 5, 4, 2.5 and 8 months...that woman is a saint!). We went to Outback (yum) and saw Man of Steel (eh, it was okay) but most importantly we were alone! It was great!
2
Speaking of alone, Mark and I were chatting in the car the other day and some how the topic of being home alone came up. He jokingly asked the last time I was in our home, alone. I thought about it and it's been 8 months at least, but probably more like 10. And for an extended period of time, over a year! He looked me point blank in the eye and said "I'm so sorry. I'll take the kids away soon!" But honestly, I don't mind being home with the kids what I do miss is being able to OUT of the house with out the kids!
3
I did get to the gym this week for the first time since Miriam was born. There are innumerable excuses as to why but I will spare you. Anywho, I got there just as the biggest storm of the summer was rolling in. I watched a black cloud a least a half mile to a mile wide, roll over the parking lot as I pedaled away on the bike (darn knee). I watched light posts bend and trash and leaves swirl around. And then the lights flickered and went out. No amount of getting healthy is worth risking my life, so I was out! Traffic lights were going out all over and the power was out at home. The one time I go to the gym...figures!
4
So I mentioned in an earlier post this week that Samantha's Mom and Step-dad bought a new house. It was going to be a pain and a serious sacrifice on our part to keep up with the way things are now. We got word yesterday that the contract fell through and they are no longer moving into that house! I have always been one to believe that everything happens for a reason. They will move one day and when that day comes it will be a struggle but I am breathing a sigh of relief that life can continue as normal for a bit longer!
5
I would ask for prayers for a special intention for a family member. Getting some tests and check-up on Monday, so please add that to your list.
6
Next week is Mark and I's 4th anniversary! In some ways I can't believe it's been 4 years and in others I feel like we've known each other forever! Maybe I'll jump on the band wagon of all the other bloggers telling their "how we met" story soon.
7
In completely unrelated news I just got the Iphone 5 and got a sweet new case for it!
Oh probably close to 8 years ago I went to Miami with a college friend and the artist Romero Britto had artwork displayed throughout the city and a show room in Key West. I was in love! Bright, bold, colorful art! It spoke to me! He also does work with Disney! Love it!
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| I got the one on the left from this Etsy shop |
And to top it off, I was able to trade in my 4S Iphone for $200 towards my new Iphone! AWESOME!!!
Have a great weekend! Hope you have as many cookouts as we do! I love Summer!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Moving and more
No not us, well, not that I am certain of, but we got word on Sunday after picking Samantha up that her Mom and Step-Dad had put an offer on a house and it was accepted.
So, they are moving. About a half hour North of us. Which means, things are going to change.
This news didn't come as a complete surprise because we've know for some time that they were looking and Samantha is always telling us of all the houses they look at and the cool/scarey/weird/exciting facts about them. She is very excited about this house, as she should be. It's a very cool thing to move into a new house! (One dream I always had as a child was to move some place new but that never happened. My mom still lives in the house I grew up in.) And it's wonderful to see her eye light up with all the possibilities for exploring the large piece of property surrounding the house, but it's also a bit sad for us.
For years we have been blessed to live with in a couple miles of her Mom making school, activities, weekly switches and life in general, pretty easy. (I use that term loosely. Divorce is not easy) A 5 minute drive if something was forgotten. A pop over and drop off an important paper from school. Soccer, dance, gymnastics, girl scouts and all the other activities. Fairly painless coordinating of schedules. And as far as we can tell, school is staying the same this year but not sure about the years to come. There's alot of change that is going to happen. Change that directly affects our family and change we don't have much say in. But, for Samantha's sake and so that Mark can continue to be as involved of a father as he is now, we will make any and all sacrifices.
That's what being a parent is. It's loving completely, fully, without reserve and filled with endless sacrifice. And with a blended family, particularly being on the Dad side of things, it's seriously considering uprooting your family from a home they love, putting your career on hold (or a slower track), all so that you can be an involved parent. So that you won't be looked upon as an uninvolved father simply because your 10 year old daughter will now be a half an hour away every other week. (I have a hard time when I am at the store for an hour away from the girls. I have no clue how he handles being away from her for a whole week!)
This kind of life isn't one that I ever dreamed I would be apart of. Divorce wasn't something I encountered until College. I was sheltered. The world was different. Divorce isn't natural. It's hard. It's ugly. It's emotionally and physically damaging to children and the spouses.I pray that all possible options can be tried before people just jump towards the divorce route. Living a life seperate from your kids is unnatural. Living a life still involving a person you have known so intimately and have a child with but no longer being married to them, starting a new life with a new family is hard and takes years to adjust to. Mothering a child who isn't your own but you care for as your own, treding carefully not to love too much for fear you may step over some invisible boundary of "natural Mom teritory only" is draining and watching your husband cringe as she calls another man Daddy, is NO FUN AT ALL!
And of course we worry about her making new friends, if she goes to a new school how she will handle it, adjusting to a new home, new routines, new everything! I pray that the normality of our home helps her in this time of transition and I am ever so grateful for all the friends that she has in this neighborhood. So, so grateful.
Pray for us. Pray for Samantha. Pray we are gracious, understanding and selfless. Pray, pray, pray!
So, they are moving. About a half hour North of us. Which means, things are going to change.
This news didn't come as a complete surprise because we've know for some time that they were looking and Samantha is always telling us of all the houses they look at and the cool/scarey/weird/exciting facts about them. She is very excited about this house, as she should be. It's a very cool thing to move into a new house! (One dream I always had as a child was to move some place new but that never happened. My mom still lives in the house I grew up in.) And it's wonderful to see her eye light up with all the possibilities for exploring the large piece of property surrounding the house, but it's also a bit sad for us.
For years we have been blessed to live with in a couple miles of her Mom making school, activities, weekly switches and life in general, pretty easy. (I use that term loosely. Divorce is not easy) A 5 minute drive if something was forgotten. A pop over and drop off an important paper from school. Soccer, dance, gymnastics, girl scouts and all the other activities. Fairly painless coordinating of schedules. And as far as we can tell, school is staying the same this year but not sure about the years to come. There's alot of change that is going to happen. Change that directly affects our family and change we don't have much say in. But, for Samantha's sake and so that Mark can continue to be as involved of a father as he is now, we will make any and all sacrifices.
That's what being a parent is. It's loving completely, fully, without reserve and filled with endless sacrifice. And with a blended family, particularly being on the Dad side of things, it's seriously considering uprooting your family from a home they love, putting your career on hold (or a slower track), all so that you can be an involved parent. So that you won't be looked upon as an uninvolved father simply because your 10 year old daughter will now be a half an hour away every other week. (I have a hard time when I am at the store for an hour away from the girls. I have no clue how he handles being away from her for a whole week!)
This kind of life isn't one that I ever dreamed I would be apart of. Divorce wasn't something I encountered until College. I was sheltered. The world was different. Divorce isn't natural. It's hard. It's ugly. It's emotionally and physically damaging to children and the spouses.I pray that all possible options can be tried before people just jump towards the divorce route. Living a life seperate from your kids is unnatural. Living a life still involving a person you have known so intimately and have a child with but no longer being married to them, starting a new life with a new family is hard and takes years to adjust to. Mothering a child who isn't your own but you care for as your own, treding carefully not to love too much for fear you may step over some invisible boundary of "natural Mom teritory only" is draining and watching your husband cringe as she calls another man Daddy, is NO FUN AT ALL!
And of course we worry about her making new friends, if she goes to a new school how she will handle it, adjusting to a new home, new routines, new everything! I pray that the normality of our home helps her in this time of transition and I am ever so grateful for all the friends that she has in this neighborhood. So, so grateful.
Pray for us. Pray for Samantha. Pray we are gracious, understanding and selfless. Pray, pray, pray!
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