Just another day in the life of a rock star...

A few thoughts on Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, which is the 40 day period leading up until the celebration of Easter. I love the rich, Biblical tradition of Lent. Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days alone and overcame the temptations of Satan. He was busy preparing his disciples and followers (though they couldn't wrap their minds around it) for what was to come. And how could they understand it? All while He was wrestling in His own heart to accept what He knew was only days away-- the shame of being mocked, the feelings of being completely abandoned, the brutality of dying on a cross, the glory of being resurrected. Its all so overwhelming to me and reminds me how very small my life is.

I'm giving up television and sweets for the next 40 days. I don't write this with hopes of impressing you, but rather as a way to give myself some accountability. The truth is, I love watching TV, but it is so very distracting from the things that I should be doing with my time. I want more of Jesus. I want to walk in the figurative desert with Him for 40 days. While I'm fasting from being mindlessly entertained and indulging my sugar-addiction, I want to feast on the Holy Spirit and climb up in the lap of my Jesus and rest for a while. I need this, I have become so thirsty.

I would love for you to join me in really searching out more of God over these next 40 days, whether you choose to fast from something or not. I am so very thankful that I already know how this story ends, that JESUS IS RISEN! He has already overcome death. What else could we hope for?

Happy 10 Months Norah!

Miss sassy pants is a girl on the move. She is officially getting into everything from toilets, to trash cans, to bags of sugar in the pantry. I cannot take my eyes off her for more than 2 seconds without wondering what sort of disaster she is on her way to create. Easy going? Get serious! She does love to snuggle and lean in for kisses though when you ask her so we don't mind that shes a tad demanding and loves to wake up at the crack of dawn. I have never met anyone who hates getting PJ's on after a bath like this one. It is all piercing screams and growling as we sweat to dress her as quickly as possible before going deaf. But then she's happy and blowing bubbles again just like that as she jets off to unravel another roll of toilet paper. I'm predicting she will be fully walking by 11 months. Guess we'll have to wait and see...

This ain't Harvard folks

I always wonder what possesses people to line up in the dark, sometimes in the freezing cold, and spend hours waiting in line for that store to open so they can get their hands on that new phone, or video game, or gadget, that they have to have the second it is released to the public. I just don't get that. I mean, I love me some technology, but not that much. Things I'm willing to stand in line for include amazing bargains (i.e. buy one get TWO free candles from Walgreens the day after Thanksgiving), amusement park rides (love them!), and Graeter's Ice cream. Everything else I prefer to get a much better deal on used from Craigslist. I digress...

This morning began open registration at the preschool we are hoping to enroll Eli in this fall. And we were warned at the open house, that spots for the 3-year-olds go really quickly and we needed to be there right when the doors opened at 7:30am today. John kindly volunteered to take in the paperwork and registration fee so long as I had hot coffee ready for him when he stumbled out the door. Done! I thought it best we play it safe and asked him to get there at 6:30am in order to be first in line and ensure out spot. WRONG! When John arrived he called to let me know that he was 18th in line and there were couples--yes couples who had arranged childcare priorly--who had been camped out since 3am. Did I mention that this is a church preschool? Not even a very big church preschool. Seriously? Apparently the competition is a little more intense than we were aware of.

We wont find out for a couple weeks if he got into the program or not. But if those 3am'ers kids beat him out, well then I think they deserve that. Their parents are way more dedicated to them learning their colors than we will ever be.

Will you be mine?

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours. Whether you regard this day as a huge Hallmark scam or the greatest holiday since your birthday, it is a day to tell those around you that you love them, give a few extra hugs and kisses, and just be a bit sweeter than you might normally be. And in my opinion, we should never miss an opportunity to celebrate love, or eat chocolate-covered cherries for breakfast, or buy silly balloons that make the kids feel special. Even if you are cursing in the check-out line at the price of that greeting card.

Happy 9 months Norah Dee!

I'm late again on this one, but only by a week, which isn't too bad. Norah is continuing to speed through her first year and is now 9 months old already. This is my favorite infant age (rivaled only by the teeny tiny snuggling newborn stage; although the sleep deprivation knocks that to a close second). 

Norah is such a sweet and joyful baby. She is mobile and pulling up to stand on everything she can reach. She growls like a jungle cat just to hear her own voice and she can be quite the sassy pants when she isn't getting her way. She giggles at everything Eli says and follows him around the house like a puppy despite the fact that he knocks her over, steals all her toys from her, and barges into her room with a war cry to wake her up from her naps. She has rolls on every part of her body covered in skin and we no longer have to worry that she might not be getting enough to eat. Yesterday I found a Cheerio burried in one of her chins 5 hours after she had actually eaten Cheerios.  She is happy and healthy and we think we'll keep her around for a while. 

Notice how Norah sucks her first two fingers on her left hand. She's done this since she was 3 months old.

These are the same two fingers Eli has also sucked since he was born, just opposite hand. Crazy huh?

A Sleep-Over Visit

Eli has this super cheesy book called A Sleep-Over Visit  which is a Little Golden Book that was actually John's from his childhood. It is the story of a little boy named Michael who spends his first night away from home at his friend's house down the street. It is the kind of book that feminists would want to burn with its outdated concepts of high-heeled, hoop-skirt, button down blouse wearing, bacon frying housewives; however, Eli loves it and we read it often. The book was purchased for a whopping 89 cents back in 1986 and it is selling today on Amazon for $25. Hmm, looks like we'd better hold onto it for another 20 years.

All of that information really doesn't have anything to do with this post. But if you were in any way curious as to the current value of a vintage Little Golden Book, then there you have it . 2700% value increase.

Anyhoo, last weekend we had our own sleep-over visit with my nieces Lily and Callie. I was so looking forward to having the girls here and getting some one-on-one time with them. Eli was also pumped and very easily slipped into the role of being "just one of the gals." We played with babies, baked and decorated a giant cookie, took a jacuzzi bubble bath (them, not me), made popcorn, and snuggled in for a fun movie which we started way after their bedtime. It was such a special time to spend with these adorable, giggling girls and I cherished it. Watching the three of them together with their tender hearts and unblemished innocence is such a reminder of God's abundant delight in His children. Thanks Kim and Sarah for letting us steal the girls away for a night. We hope its a tradition we can continue in the future.