Daddy = Love

Addi loves her Daddy. They had slow start to their loving bond. Not so much on Andy's side, but Addi was only interested in her mommy for the first couple of months. I was her world. I fed her, rocked her, was up with her during the night, and spent the whole day with her. Andy was more then willing to do these things, but honestly it was just easier if I took care of it.

Thankfully, Andy had the summer months off from school and so I decided to hand over most of the duties to him... making up for lost time. They got to spend some quality time together. We even got to the point where I could leave Addi with her dad for more then a minute or two. Yay! That meant mommy could actually go out for a girl's night without having to tote little miss along.

Nope, it didn't take long for Addi to figure out that maybe her daddy wasn't so bad. In fact, she decided that she actually loved her daddy.... a lot.

Once Upon a Fall(ish) Day

Fall is my favorite season. I am a fall baby... my birthday actually lands on the first day of fall (every other year). I like to think I have red hair because it is one of the many wonderful fall colors. Houston really doesn't have a season change during the fall months. Basically the weather goes from extremely hot to just plain hot. I guess our fall season comes during the winter months. I remember the few leaves that do change were changing in December. Man, I miss the sound of crunching leaves under my feet.

These days, when I travel up north during autumn, I go all out in my outfits. I mean, I pull out the scarves, sweaters, and boots.... anything that can manageably be worn in 7o degree weather is yanked from my closet and thrown in the suitcase. I don't care if I am slightly warm, I WILL wear the cute fall clothes.


We have had one fall(ish) day here in Houston. We spent it at the Miller Outdoor Theatre (of course). My Dad was in town for labor day and I am convinced that he had brought the cool weather with him. It was beautiful. We sat on the hill enjoying the cool breeze and listening to the Mercury Baroque Orchestra. We had a delish roasted chicken, strawberries and Cheeze-Its (random I know). Even Addi was in a excellent mood and played on the blanket for the full three hours. It was perfect.

"Don't worry, I can help myself"

I usually like to go to the grocery store with Andy, he keeps Addi occupied while I shop. This morning I decided that I would go it alone so I wouldn't spend the whole day cooped up in the apartment. Like I have said before, I usually get stopped by lots of people who ask a million questions about Addi. Typically, Addi just sits there and takes it all in. She loves going shopping and playing with the bottles and jars that I giver her... but today was a different story.

This grocery shopping experiences started off normal... people walking by and saying "oh she is SO cute", "she should be a baby model", and "oh my gosh! Look at those eyes". I smile and say my polite "thank you" (eating it all up, of course). As we continued to stroll through the grocery store, Addi's attitude began to grow larger and larger with each passing aisle. While looking at the refried beans, a nice man came up next to us and started to say "hi" to Addi. She dramatically screeched and threw her head down on her arm. The poor guy was like, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to make her mad". I couldn't think of anything else to say other than, "No, your fine!". You know he is thinking one of two things (or maybe both) 1. That's embarrassing! or 2. She must be a bad mother if her child acts like that. Personally, I am horrified that my child just acted like that. Of course, we see him again in the next aisle over. He looks at me and says, "Don't worry, I am not going to talk to her. Does she always freak out like that?" Great. Sadly, that wasn't the end of her bad attitude streak.

Let me just start off by saying, I love old ladies.... and they love all babies, whether they know them or not. They can't help but to come up to random babes and give them "some sugar". Well, the old lady picked the wrong baby to squeeze on today. Again, Addi threw her fit (although I don't know that I can blame her so much considering that the lady was squishing her face). I felt so bad, when she started talking about how she only had one child and no grand babies. She said she had to give all her love to everybody elses. She then thanked me for letting her love on mine. We actually ended up talking for awhile. She was so happy to meet somebody from Nebraska (no idea why). She talked me in to buying the 125th anniversary Dr. Pepper case even though I was perfectly content with my regular DP. She was so enthralled by our conversation that she would roll her eyes at anybody who had the nerve to walk between us during our conversation, even though they had no other way to get around us (maybe that is why she didn't mind Addi's attitude, she had one herself). I finally had to start inching away for her to get the clue that it was time to move on.

Checking out was no picnic either as we were upset that the cashier was even looking at us. Oh the joys!Perhaps it was a learning experience. Don't take the baby to the store without a nap. I guess it's just one of those things....

Herbie Boy

Our dog, Herbie, had to be put down yesterday. This is the second dog in the last nine months that we have had to put down.... really stinks. I loved Herbie, he was such a good puppy.

We had adopted Herbie from the SPCA, which you may remember from an older post. A couple weeks after we got him, we got a phone call from the shelter saying that his litter mate had distemper. We took him into the vet to get him checked out, but the vet was doubtful that he actually had it. So, Andy and I left the vet optimistic that he just had a really bad kennel cough.

Well, Saturday poor Herbie started having seizures and they progressively got worse. Once dogs with distemper start having seizures their chances of surviving are very slim. By Monday morning, his seizures were horrible and literally tossing his body around. I am not sure that he was even mentally there anymore....I couldn't even get him to look at me. So the decision was made that it was time to end his suffering. Andy had to go to work so it was up to me to take him in (again... I had to take our last dog in to be put to sleep too). As I carried him out to the car, I just lost it. This poor little puppy so did not deserve this.

At the vet they asked me if I wanted to be in the room when they put him to sleep. I wasn't sure, but ultimately decided that I owed him that much. As he laid on the table, waiting for the vet to bring in the injection, he finally looked up at me.... it was like he was saying that it was ok and that he loved me. Trust me, I usually think people are being dramatic when they talk about their pets like this, but it really does happen....trust me.

I don't know if dogs go to heaven, but dogs like Herbie really make me hope that they do. I hope he is in heaven chasing deer, like he did in Montana. While he was with us, we tried to give him the best life possible.

I think if he could talk he would tell you that he had a happy life.

Life is hard.

I am so ready to blow the whistle and call a TIME OUT!

In the past year and a half, I have dealt with more trials then I have in my whole entire life and I am dying to just escape for awhile.... I need a break.

Unfortunately, we aren't given that option...bummer.

Here is the truth. My life has been super easy up to this point.

I mean, come on.... I have had nothing difficult to deal

with beyond the day to day stresses of life.

I guess really my turn has come for a little trial.. but it's not easy.

I admire the people that have had lifetimes of pain and hardships...

the people who just can't seem to catch a break.

They have a resilience that I will never know or understand

...or is that really a true statement?

I recall a verse that says "I will never give you more than you can bear"

You know, I myself have found that I have had

an incredible resilience despite all the tribulation.

Trust me when I say that I have been less than perfect throughout it though.

Yes, I am ready for a break.. for a period of life

where everything is easier. Not perfect, just easier.

A period where maybe things just run a little smoother.

....but I got to say that Christ has always

remained incredibly faithful through it all.

He always provides EXACTLY what I need.

Strength

Confidence

Security

Peace

Stability

Hope

Love

Friends

Support

Patience

....and I think the biggest theme of my current life is

TRUST IN CHRIST

I wrote this about a month ago and never posted it. I thought it was worth putting it up now. I wish all my posts were happy, but is that real life? I would hope that people would appreciate honesty instead of perfection. Yes, life isn't easy and it has been hard, but I got to say that Christ has been so good. I am learning so much through my trails. I have been reading Ecclesiastes and have found encouragement through some of Solomon's writings. He writes in verse 7:10

"Do not say 'Why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise to ask such questions".

To supplement my scripture reading, I have also been reading John MacArthur's commentary. He said, "more is learned from adversity than from pleasure. True wisdom is developed in the crucible of life's trials".

That is my prayer for my life. That through my adversity, I will gain wisdom,maturity, and a closeness to Christ that I have never known. Excited to see what type of person I am at the end of trial (how ever long it may be).

Mom Always Said!

I wish every moment of every day was made up of moments like these. Days filled to the brim with smiley faces and cute giggles. Wouldn't it be nice to know that you were a perfect mother that created a perfect child? Well, that is not reality and I can honestly say that I am NOT a perfect mother nor do I have a perfect child...

Yes, my 8 month old daughter has mastered the skill of temper tantrums....

Unfortunately, she inherited this trait from her mother.... sad to admit. I do not have patience and really enjoy getting my way. I had no problem mouthing back to my own mother or letting her know how I really felt. My mom always said, " Elizabeth you are going to have one just like you one day.... only twice as worse". That day has arrived.

Yet, amidst the high pitch screams and dramatic throwing of oneself to the ground, I can't help but love this baby of mine. Despite the fact that Addi inherited some of my less desirable traits, she also inherited some pretty awesome ones too.....

Well lets just start with the obvious....she is incredibly BeAuTiFuL !!!! (In case you haven't noticed). I am stopped by swarms of people who ohh and aww over my baby. In addition, this little girl can entertain herself for long periods of time. She sits on the floor creating her own entertainment from whatever might be laying around, including the dog bone. She also is aWESOME whenever we are in public. It is a rare day when you will find miss Addi acting out at store. She LOVES the outdoors! Anything that involves being outside is right up her ally..... ANYTHING!

So, all the moments that I would consider hard are far out weighed by all the incredible things that make up this girl named Addi.

Have You Ever...?

I am just wondering if you have ever....

.... examined the desert

..... or spied on an alligator

.... or perhaps explored the deep blue

...... maybe even chatted with a giraffe

.....have you counted the stripes on a zebra

.... or encountered something new

.... certainly you have said "Bonjour" to a butterfly

..... or maybe even hung out with monkeys on a lagoon

I am sure you have measured a rhinos horn

and taken naps with a lemer too.

I know I have pondered with gorillas

and snarled my teeth with bears named Blue.

So I guess what I am really wondering ....

Is have you ever been to the

ZOO?