For the Love of Snow...

Photos...

2009-02-24T01:10:00.001-06:00

See them at http://stephanieross.wordpress.com/

A Whole Month...Really?!

2009-02-21T13:11:00.001-06:00

You can find this post, here at http://stephanieross.wordpress.com/.

Thanks!

"No Dairy, Please..."

2009-02-20T11:55:00.001-06:00

You can find this post, here at http://stephanieross.wordpress.com/ Please update your blogrolls soon!

Thanks!

Making the Switch...

2009-02-18T11:46:00.001-06:00

I'm moving to WordPress to start a new blog. They seem to offer more options and variety than this site, and I think it'll be much easier to post photos... (I always have a rough time posting photos here for some reason!) So, you can now find me at http://stephanieross.wordpress.com/. Hope ya'll will all join me there and update your blogrolls soon! Thanks!

Reality: 10.5; Feels Like: 105!

2009-02-07T08:30:00.002-06:00

Ugh... I've been sick for 10.5 days now, but it really feels like 105 days or more! I'm so ready to be done with this cold/flu/virus/bacteria/whatever-it-is junk... My throat is gross...my nose is gross...and my head hurts... At least on the up-side, I actually felt like leaving the house last night and joined the "real world"...but, I still ended up having to come back home early... Ah well... A little at a time, I guess... I am feeling better, don't get me wrong... I'm just ready to feel 100% again...(or at least closer to 96%...) For those of you who have endured being sick with this stuff longer than I have, keep holding strong! And, here's to all of us feeling better soon!

Whew, What a Weekend!

2009-01-27T07:33:00.002-06:00

This past weekend was extremely busy! And, I'm worn out! But, I think Kassia's birthday party was a real success... And, visiting the Verizon Ampitheater on Sunday afternoon was a real treat, too! I'll post some of Kassia's party pictures soon, so keep checking back... Sorry to make this such a short post, but I need to work on my Bible study this morning while Kassia's still asleep... Later!

Birthday Busy...

2009-01-22T16:04:00.002-06:00

Most of today was spent searching for and buying everything we need for Kassia's party on Saturday. Of course, there were still items that I ended up forgetting... But, the fact that I actually remembered them later as opposed to not remembering them at all definitely says something! My poor brain hurts! I was just getting comfortable with the idea of sleeping 6 to 7 hours consecutively when Kassia started teething...and now, she wakes up 1 or 2 times a night again... So, to say the least, my head doesn't function very well without sleep...and having to plan a birthday party with minimal brain function is hard! I'm so glad Mom's nearby because we let her brain do the thinking... I'm getting really excited about having everyone over for the party, though! What a neat way to celebrate our sweet baby's first birthday - with all our friends! Tonight, I'll be packing the gift bags...and tomorrow, Mom's coming over to help with all the baking and icing the cakes...YUM! Alrighty, well, guess I'd better finish this up... Scott'll be home from work soon!

Blueberry Muffins, Luxury Bubble Bath, and the "Underdogs!"

2009-01-18T21:27:00.003-06:00

It was a packed weekend!

Saturday morning, I stopped by the Redland campus of RCCC to say, "Hi," to the ladies of "Real Life Scrapbooking" and bring them some blueberry muffins to snack on while they were being creative... I love seeing what neat projects everyone's working on! So many talented ladies!

Saturday night, I attended the NB RCCC ladies' "Spaaaahhhh" night and had a blast! The food was delicous! And, the fellowship was hilarious! There was a gift exchange at the end of the night...(you know, the fun one where you can steal people's gifts if you like!)...and, after my gift was stolen, I ended up opening the very last gift - a HUGE bottle of luxury eucalyptus spearmint bubble bath! I can't wait to put it to use!

And, today, we joined up with some friends to celebrate Connie's (a lady from our small group) 30th birthday with her family at her home... Part of the party involved watching the Eagles vs. Cardinals NFL play-off game, which I was all excited about since I rarely get to watch football at home...(Scott doesn't really care for it) Arizona hasn't been in the play-offs since the 60's, I think... They did really well in the first half, but it was more like a run-away than an actual game, so I started rooting for Philly in the second half. And, the Eagles made quite the come-back, so it made the game much more interesting. In the end, though, the "Underdogs," the Cardinals, prevailed! Such a great game! I'm so excited that they're heading to the Superbowl! We'll see how they do against the Steelers...

Alright, well, it's time for me to head off to bed... Here's hoping for a great week! Monday, here I come!

It's 8:25pm and...

2009-01-15T20:24:00.002-06:00

Kassia's quietly sleeping in her crib
I'm home alone...(Scott's at the men's cook-out dinner)...so I can watch whatever I want on TV
I'm going to change into some comfy clothes, wash my face, and curl up on the couch with a bowl of my favorite ice cream - mint chocolate chip! YUM!

Ahhhh... How nice it is to relax!

Oooof...

2009-01-14T06:59:00.003-06:00

"Oooof..."

That's the sound that comes from my lips after attempting to start up a new exercise routine...and being tired...and being sore...when I actually do the exercise...

On the plus side: I'm actually getting enough consecutive hours of sleep to even feel like exercising in the morning, so that's awesome!

Alright, well, off to enjoy my early morning torture...

PS. It was 27 degrees when I set the recycle bin outside this morning - LOVE IT!

"So Long," Decorations...

2009-01-09T08:42:00.001-06:00

Ah...time to put the Christmas decorations away... Always one of my least favorite times of the year! But, alas...it has to be done... So, that's what the Ross family will be doing for the next few days...until it's all packed up and put away... For those of you that visit our home somewhat often, I'm afraid you'll be exposed once more to our not-so-decorative and a-little-more-empty house once this weekend's packing is over... We'll continue to add things here and there as we have time and money...some paint on the walls...hanging up some pictures...finally, hopefully, being able to afford some more furniture...and then, maybe it won't seem so plain... We'll see...

On a happy note, my sweet baby has her 1st birthday coming up soon! Unbelievable! Got to get things ready for that... What a celebration!

Someone's Creeping Up the Stairs!

2009-01-08T08:06:00.002-06:00

I was just sitting here at the computer, finishing up posting pictures to the previous blog entry, when I could've sworn I heard someone coming up the stairs! Of course, I was completely absorbed in trying to get the photos in the order I wanted...and making sure I centered my captions for each photo correctly... And, I heard this faint shuffling of feet... Sure enough, about that time, Scott pokes his head into the room and startles me!

He's home from work with another migraine headache...

I'm not sure what to think about all this... I know he needs to go see the doctor about it, but he refuses to go, saying that the doctor "really won't be able to do anything." Please pray for him - that whatever's causing these migraines will be taken care of...and that he'll go visit the doctor to get a professional opinion... And, pray for our family - because every time he misses work for these headaches, he's obviously not getting paid, and we really need that money... Thanks...

Some of My Favorite Photos from the Holidays...

2009-01-08T07:19:00.009-06:00

Small group Christmas get-together - playing "Taboo"

Hannah and Josh, wearing our Christmas hats

Daniel and Jenny, the "newlyweds," looking sweet and cuddly by the Christmas tree

Christmas Eve service at the New Braunfels campus

Kassia, helping Nonie read the newspaper on Christmas Eve morning

Kassia and Nonie

Kassia and Papa

Kassia reaching for one of Nonie's Christmas ornaments...(I just love how this one turned out!)

Mom's pretty table all set for Christmas dinner

Kassia and I with Nonie's Christmas decorations in the background

Our first "family" Christmas picture in front of our tree

Kassia, excited about opening presents

Jeff and Caleb, wearing their new hats we got them for Christmas

One last hug "goodbye" at the airport before Caleb had to fly back to Wyoming

Jeff, Kassia, and I - taken just before Jeff shaved his head because he had to report back to the Army that evening

"Twilight?"

2009-01-04T21:10:00.002-06:00

So, I guess this is the new craze - reading the "Twilight" series of books... Several of my friends are reading through them at the moment...and so far, I'm only hearing good things... Well, "hearing" good things..."seeing" only one bad thing - that everyone's obsessed and addicted! It's really got me intrigued... I may have to see about reading the first one in the series, so I can see what all the hype's about... I may be hooked before long...

Happy New Year, 2009!

2009-01-01T08:23:00.003-06:00

I can't believe it's time for the beginning of yet another year! Time sure flies by quickly! I'm excited to see what 2009 has in store for the Ross family... We know for sure that it's going to be a year of significant birthdays for a few of us - Kassia will be turning 1, and I'll be turning the big 3-0... And, we're hoping to maybe do some traveling this year... But, what other surprises lie along the way? I know God has his perfect plans for each of us... So, let's step into them and see what amazing growth and changes will take place this year!

Welcome, 2009!

Happy New Year, everyone!

New Layout...

2008-12-18T07:56:00.003-06:00

I guess it was about time for a new layout...one that'll last a few more months, through the winter...(and the theme and photos for this layout are more like the winter I'd like to have...not so much the winter that we'd see around here...although, I am hoping!) I know I'm terrible at posting to this blog... Maybe that'll be one of my New Year's resolutions...we'll see... Hope everyone's having a nice holiday season and enjoying getting ready for Christmas! I know I am!

Here's a sweet picture of my baby at her Noni's "Christmas house"... Enjoy!

41 Days Already?!

2008-11-13T07:49:00.003-06:00

I can't believe it's only 41 days till Christmas! That's really just right around the corner! It's so hard to think of the holidays, though, when it just doesn't feel like the holidays outside... Mom checked the weather report and, supposedly, it's going to cool off this weekend. I sure hope so! The cooler weather would definitely help put me in the "Christmas spirit/mood" next week when we're putting up my mom's 12-foot Christmas tree! She's still in denial about that happening next Wednesday... But, the tree is SO big and it takes SO long to get it set up and decorated...and with my dad being SO busy for work...that's the only time he has to do it! So, next week it is...and I'm uber-excited about it! I LOVE Christmas...and it's on its way! I'll be going on a treasure hunt around my house toward the end of next week, looking for all my Christmas decorations stored in various boxes all over the place... Finding the boxes is almost like having Christmas morning come early! I can't wait!

So Tired...

2008-11-08T06:03:00.003-06:00

I'm just wondering when all this is finally going to end... Probably when I'm dead...*grins* This whole "mothering" thing is a lot of hard work! And, with Kassia still not sleeping through the night...I'm just wondering if I'll ever know the joy of sleeping more than just two or three hours consecutively... I'm exhausted all the time... And, I know everyone says to just "let her cry it out" at night when she wakes up, but I can't do it and have a clear conscience until I know for sure that it's just "crying" and not something else relating to her stomach problems... The jury's still out on that - we had more blood drawn on Wednesday for running more allergy panels... I'm just not sure what's wrong... So far, all the tests have come back normal, which is a good thing...but, that means we haven't discovered yet what's causing all of Kassia's tummy issues... We meet with the pediatrician this coming Thursday to discuss the results of all the tests we've done recently... If she says that these tests have come back normal as well, I'm not sure exactly where that'll leave us... I'm praying that God will guide me, that He'll give me His peace so I'll know which direction to take - either to leave things alone and just see if Kassia outgrows all this stuff, that maybe it's just a phase OR to press forward and try and see a specialist outside the military who might be able to better figure out what's going on... Yeah, I just went from talking about being tired to babbling about all of Kassia's medical stuff...yep, but, with a reason - they're connected! The reason she wakes up all the time in the middle of the night has to do with all the gas she has...which comes from all her tummy problems...and which is why I don't get to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time... I know God has a plan... Please, Lord, help me to trust You more... Alright, time to see if I can take a short 45 minute nap before I have to get up and get ready and finish packing for our short trip to Ft. Worth this weekend for a family reunion... Good night! (or should I say, "Good morning?")

Photo Slideshow

2008-11-03T13:21:00.001-06:00

Here are some photos from the pumpkin patch and Halloween - enjoy!

20 Days Later...

2008-10-28T08:10:00.003-05:00

Has it really been that long since I lasted posted something? I guess, with me, blogging seems to be "feast or famine"... Ah well... Here's an update for the past few weeks:

Kassia:

She's growing like a weed! My parents bought her a push-from-behind walking toy a few weeks ago, and she loves it! She's walking everywhere! The only problem is that she hasn't figured out yet how to turn or back up...so she just heads in a direction, bumps into what's ever in her way, gets stuck, and then starts whimpering in an effort to get me to help put her back on a clear walking path... It's so cute to watch her...
She had an MRI done on the 16th to see if there was anything wrong in the brain that's causing her left eye to drift out ("exotropia")... The scan came back normal, which is a good thing...(except for some "mucous in the ethmoid sinuses," so since that's not an area the opthamologist is familiar with, he's going to put in a consult to have Kassia seen by the pediatric neurologist to check it out, just to be on the safe side) Now, she's having to wear a patch over her right eye each day, working up to having it on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon... The "patching" is supposed to help correct the "vision" part of the eye drifting - in other words, it tells the brain to concentrate and focus the eye more on that side... However, the doctor still feels she might have to have surgery to correct the muscle weakness part of it... We'll see...
She's just over 9 months old now! What a big girl! The pediatrician thought, if Kassia had mastered her "pincer" grip (putting things between her forefinger and thumb), she could start eating Cheerios... My "mommy gut" told me I shouldn't give them to her anyway, despite the fact that she's ready to have them... I went against it, though...(bad idea!)...and let Kassia have some Cheerios for a snack... About 3 hours later, Kassia was projectile vomiting all over herself at the grocery store! Poor baby! So, to make a long story short: we're having Kassia's blood tested for food allergies and for coeliac disease (an intolerance for gluten), and she's going to be scheduled for an upper GI test as well, to make sure everything's functioning like it's supposed to... We have an appointment November 13th to discuss all the results... We'll keep you informed...
Her favorite color is definitely orange! And, we took her to her first pumpkin patch a couple weekends ago, and she was in "orange heaven!" She had a blast looking at and touching all the pumpkins... And, we got some really cute pictures of her, too! Speaking of pumpkins and such - Halloween is this Friday, and she's going to be a ladybug! I can't wait to see her in her sweet costume!

Scott

He's been having some trouble with migraine headaches lately...and unfortunately, has had to miss a bit of work because of them... We're praying that whatever's causing them will reveal itself, so we can know better how to deal with this whole thing... Keep Scott in your prayers - migraine's are no fun...
He's still searching for another job... No luck with that yet...
He's been playing his "jimbe" drum for the praise band at the New Braunfels campus and is really enjoying that... He's still learning the bass guitar, and I'm sure they'll have him continue to switch between the two, depending on what they need for the songs...
He had a "Scott Day" all to himself this past Saturday and worked on organizing the garage ("his space!")... He hung up some of his posters and moved some of the boxes around so there's actually space for him to work in there... I'm excited for him - that's one of the things he always used to talk about: "When we have a house of our own...I can't wait to have a big garage to put all my tools and stuff in..." I'm sure this is only the beginning! He'll eventually have the "garage to end all garages" by the time he's through!

I have a cold...bleah! I've had it for a few days now, and it's slowly starting to get better and go away...(leaving behind, in its wake, a sea of dirty tissues!) I really don't like being sick...I mean, nobody does... But, the one thing I really can't stand about having a cold is not being able to taste your food! Man, that irks me! I LOVE to eat! And, not being able to taste anything just makes me think, "It's not even worth eating!" I'm happy to report, though, that since I'm on the "tail end" of the cold, my sense of taste is slowly creeping back...and I'm enjoying tasting my food as much as ever!
I finished the first Bible study I've done with the NB ladies last week...and will be starting a new one next Tuesday... I really enjoyed getting to know the ladies in our group...and it was nice to get back into the swing of having a quiet time each morning... I'd gotten out of the habit of doing that since Kassia's been born - lack of sleep can do that to you! But, now that she's mostly sleeping through the night, it's much easier for me to get up in the morning and spend some time with God before starting my day... And, that time, of course, helps me do better in multiple areas of my life...
The whole "Am-I-going-back-to-school-in-January?" question is still on the table... Scott and I haven't discussed it much further, but it's still in the back of my mind... We'll have to pray about it and discuss the logistics of it all... I know that I want to finish and finally get my BA, but is now the right time?
I try and write my brother, who's in boot camp at Ft. Benning, GA, at the moment, almost every day if I can... I'm sure he gets bored with the "Life and Times of Mommy Steph," but at least he's getting mail to read! I'm going to be printing out some photos of Kassia and the family from the pumpkin patch to send him...I'm sure he'll like those... He seems to be doing well with all his training... I worry about him, though, when I hear that he's learning how to throw grenades and avoid IED's...it's scary to think of him in those situations... But, I know God will take care of him...
I'm still trying to get better about keeping up with Kassia's milestones... And, I'd like to start scrapbooking her first year pretty soon... Of course, that means picking out what photos I'd like to use...printing them out...and actually having time to sit down and scrap them! We'll see... I'm sure I'll get around to it eventually...
I'm loving the colder weather! Absolutely loving it! I hope it stays this way for a while... It just improves my attitude by 150%! It inspires me... I feel like doing all kinds of things! And, I actually feel like being outside! Kassia and I go for walks all the time now... And, I so enjoy having a warm cup of tea, like I did this morning, when it's this cool...YUM!

Well, I guess that's about it for the last few weeks as far as the Ross family goes... I'll post some of those pumpkin patch pictures (try saying that five times fast!) later, so ya'll can see my cutie!

Feeling More Like October Should...

2008-10-08T08:42:00.002-05:00

I woke up this morning to clear blue skies...sunshine...(uh oh! This sounds like another hot and humid, 78 degree morning!)...but, no! Can you believe it?! COOL weather! I think our digital thermometer read 58 degrees! I'm so excited! I went around and opened all the windows to let the cool breeze blow some much-needed fresh air through the house... Of course, later on today, when it reaches 90 again, I'll have to close it all up and turn the A/C back on... But, until then...

I'm ecstatic...

that it's finally...

feeling more like October should!

"Monday...Mondaaaay..."

2008-10-06T14:51:00.005-05:00

At home...

Doing laundry...

Washing dishes...

Eating lunch...

Paying bills...

Playing with my adorable daughter!

The "usual"...

This past weekend was really nice...busy, but nice... Saturday, Mom, Kassia, and I went to a couple of craft fairs, one of which I went to last year, and at that time, I happened to have a huge pregnant belly... It was kind of surreal walking around this year, pushing that very baby, who I hadn't even met yet, around in a stroller (that didn't roll so well in the dirt!)... Of course, I saw tons of things I wanted to buy to decorate the house for all the upcoming holidays...but, as "funds" are low, I didn't buy all three million of them... Instead, Mom blessed me with a cute little scarecrow guy I was really wanting...and he's now hanging out on my couch! I love fall! Next, we met Scott for lunch at Chili's...and had some delicious burgers! Then, Scott went to run some errands, and we visited another craft show, where I bought something to decorate Kassia's room...and picked up some wood-carvings of all our names to eventually paint in Christmas colors to decorate the bar area...(definitely a good idea, Mom! Can't wait to see how they turn out!)

Saturday afternoon, we headed over to X and E's adoption party...and boy, what a spread! Kelly and Ryan went ALL out! The decorations were awesome...there was tons of food...and everything was set up so nice in their backyard! There was a "bouncy castle" and a small ball pit for the kids to play in... And, there was even a "sno-cone" machine and a cotton candy machine! When the Newcom's say "party"...they mean it! Kassia had a blast in the ball pit! She and Morgan rolled around in there...put as many as balls they could get into their mouths...and just had fun! I'm glad the party was such a hit...and what a wonderful way to celebrate and make new memories for such a beautiful occasion!

We ended up going out to eat with Mom later that evening...and had some yummy steaks at the "Texas Roadhouse"...(you know, the place where they throw the peanut shells on the floor!) It was nice to just hang out and talk and enjoy each others' company!

Sunday, Scott wasn't feeling well...so Kassia and I did everything on our own... Church - a delicious lunch with Chris and Lynn (thanks again, guys!) - "Love and Respect" Bible study... We all just hung out and relaxed yesterday evening...a good way to prepare for the new week...

And, speaking of starting a new week - didn't I mention "doing laundry" somewhere up there? Yeah, I need to go switch over the loads... Back to work!

Another Week Gone By...

2008-10-02T10:01:00.027-05:00

I haven't posted anything since last Thursday... Maybe it's because it's been such a busy week! Here are some highlights:

Friday - went and walked in the Comal County Parade (Kassia had her stroller all decorated for the event!)
Saturday - went to a craft/car show; spent the day with my parents (and ate tons of homemade peach ice cream...yum!)
Sunday - church; spent about an hour or two at the church picnic at the Redland campus and got to visit with some friends we hadn't seen in a while; went back over to visit with my parents for a short while after the picnic
Monday - worked around the house; had a really fun time playing with Kassia; small group at the Bateman's in the evening
Tuesday - women's Bible study; cleaned the house and did laundry
Wednesday - finished cleaning; had lunch with my parents and went back to their house to hang out, play with Kassia, and eat more homemade ice cream; supposed to have small group at our house in the evening, but ended up just relaxing and hanging out with Chris and Lynn - fun times!
Today - got up around 6:30am, but that was the first time I'd been out of bed since 10pm the night before!!! (I didn't sleep the whole night through, as I was awakened several times by Kassia...but each time, she just went right back to sleep, so I did, too! Wow - what a difference sleep makes!); hoping to clean upstairs; need to make a trip to the post office; looking forward to more play time with my daughter - she's so much fun!

Here are a few pictures from the last week:

How I found Kassia Friday morning - she pulled up and stood up on her own!

Photos of the parade float - eveyone did such a great job! It turned out wonderful!

Waiting for the parade to start...chilling with her sippy cup and decorated stroller...

Her first "big girl" bath (at Nonie and Papa's house)

Play time - looking through the netting of her "Ocean Wonder" crawl-through cave

Helping Daddy play the guitar on Sunday evening

Mommy's "big helper"

Enamored With Elmo...

2008-09-25T10:52:00.003-05:00

She loves "Sesame Street" and Elmo, especially... Now, that she's learned to crawl, she wants to be right up next to the TV, so she can get as close as she can to her favorite "star"...

Sweet Silly Little Baby...

2008-09-24T11:44:00.003-05:00

I heard Kassia rustling around in her crib not too long ago, so I came upstairs to see if she'd woken up from her nap... This is how I found her in her crib:

With her little behind up in the air

PS. The doctor called and finally scheduled Kassia for her MRI - the 16th of October... Please keep both of us in your prayers - me: for strength and peace, Kassia: that the test will go well, that there'd be no adverse effects from the anesthesia, that the test results will come back quickly and be "good news"

First Day of Fall...?

2008-09-22T16:33:00.006-05:00

Is it really the first official day of fall? Really? I mean, it's like 90-something degrees outside! Where are the changing colors of leaves on the trees? Where's the cooler weather? You know, the kind that makes you want to put on your favorite pair of blue jeans and that really comfy long sleeve shirt or sweater that you haven't worn since last year... The kind that makes you crave soups and stews...and all things baked - cookies, cakes, and pies...YUM! I'm so ready for fall... Will the "real fall" please stand up? Here's what I'm used to:

8 Months Old...

2008-09-22T15:24:00.005-05:00

Tired baby! Worn out from all that playing...

Kassia turned eight months old yesterday... I just can't believe how much she's grown! And, the previous Monday, she started crawling! Such a big girl! I'm so amazed at all the things she can do now - sit up on her own, crawl around, almost pull up to standing position, stand up on her own after being put into that position, babble all kinds of sounds, laugh, smile, use her fingers to pick up tiny things, and she's so strong, too... All of this and more in less than the amount of time that she was growing in my belly! God is so awesome, isn't He?! I'm so excited for all the new things she's learning...but at the same time, I keep thinking, "What's happened to my tiny baby?" Ah, such is the life of a "mommy," I suppose...

PS. I tried posting a video of Kassia crawling, and I guess it was just too big of a file because it won't load... But, I tried! Maybe I can figure out another way to add it to the blog later...

Playing in the exersaucer, her new favorite toy

Another Saturday Morning...

2008-09-20T12:21:00.005-05:00

Listening:

to the sounds of construction equipment outside the window as they continue to work on all the houses they're building down the adjacent street
to the monitor buzzing quietly while Kassia takes her nap
to the faint talking on the TV as Scott catches up on old episodes of "The O.C."

Looking:

out the second-story window at the brilliantly sunny day and blue sky
at Kassia's memory book that's sitting next to the keyboard on the desk, just waiting to be updated
at the bills that are needing to be paid

Thinking:

about my parents and wondering what marvelously, relaxing things they're doing today in Cabo San Lucas
about what I should cook for "lupper" later this afternoon
that the cookie I just snacked on was yummy!
about whether or not I should try taking classes in January
that I'm glad it's Saturday...

Hoping:

for cooler weather
to check some things off my "To Do" list today
to maybe enjoy a nap this afternoon

Dreaming:

about CHOCOLATE!
about Europe...(seriously, "Paris in the fall" is gorgeous!) Man, I miss being over there so much sometimes!

Remembering:

harvest time - fresh, beautiful apples in buckets, after being picked right from my landlords' trees when we lived in Germany
how tiny my little sweet girl used to be!
friends in far off places and wishing they were closer...

Feeling Nostalgic...

2008-09-18T10:15:00.002-05:00

When the weather's like this...cooler...gray...cloudy...it sure makes me miss Europe... But, this morning, I was busy finally uploading some photos and creating albums for my Facebook profile...and going through and choosing the pictures...brought back so many memories as well... Times from not-so-long-ago...although it feels like ages... Trips we went on... Oh, our many adventures! And, even looking back to last January, when Kassia was born...and seeing how much she's grown and changed already! It's amazing... This kind of weather...is my favorite...(although, even colder would be better...*grins*) It makes me happy to be inside... It inspires me to do all kinds of projects...to be creative and work on my scrapbooks and things... And, it gets me excited about the upcoming holidays! (and, yes, I added a "Countdown to Christmas" application to my blog several days ago...and, just so you know, today makes only 97 days!) I put out my sparse fall decorations yesterday...and I can't wait to light up my "Harvest" candle...it always smells so good! Alrighty, well, I can hear Kassia downstairs... She sounds like she's ready to eat...so I'd better get going! Maybe we'll go out for a walk later and really enjoy today's weather...

Too Cute...

2008-09-16T15:08:00.001-05:00

What Was That?...I'm Supposed to be Cleaning Right Now? Nah...

2008-09-16T14:50:00.004-05:00

Yep, I'm really supposed to be cleaning the upstairs at the moment... But, unfortunately, last night was a long night with Kassia...(she's teething) So, I'm waiting for the chocolate I just consumed to digest...so the caffeine from it will kick in...and hopefully, give me that boost of energy (and motivation!) I need to get up and get busy... I worked for several hours, cleaning the downstairs yesterday... But, I didn't have time to do the upstairs, since I had to cook dinner, take a shower, and get everything ready to go to small group... So, that leaves the upstairs for today... And, as you can see, I'm sitting here typing and posting to my blog...trying to do anything but clean...*grins* Did I mention that I was tired? That I had a long night last night? Here's how it went down:

---10:00pm - I layed Kassia down to sleep
---10:15pm - I went to bed
---12:15am - I was awakened by Kassia crying, so I got up and went to her room, picked her up, patted her, and put her back to bed
---12:30am - I went back to bed
---1:30am - Kassia was crying again... This time, I nursed her and put her back to bed
---1:50am - I went back to bed
---2:15am - Awakened again by Kassia crying... She eventually went back to sleep...and so did I, a few minutes after she quieted down
---4:15am - Kassia was crying again, so I got up and went to her room, picked her up, patted her and put her back to bed again
---4:30am - I went back to bed
---5:00am - Kassia was crying again...(that's getting redundant, isn't it?) I nursed her and put her back to bed
---5:30am - Came back to bed
---6:00am - Finally went back to sleep after Scott got up to go to work
---7:45am - My alarm went off to get up this morning
---8:00am - The time I actually got up

Whew! Yes, as I said, it was a long night! Now, you see why I "required" the chocolate...

And, I think that small amount of chocolatey-caffeine is finally starting to do its thing...so I'd better make good use of it... I'm off to clean the upstairs!

Blog Name Change and Other Thoughts...

2008-09-14T09:03:00.003-05:00

Some of you may have noticed the name change of my blog... And, this was for a very good reason - the other title added just too much pressure! I really felt awful and guilty if I didn't post everyday... And, although I'd love to be able to do that, it's not realistic or practical... So, "Sooner or Later" just seemed more appropriate, as it implies that I will be posting something...eventually...*smiles*

The rain finally came yesterday evening... And, our lawn looks lovely and green (and overgrown!) as a result...

Oh, and while I'm on the topic of weather... I happened to glance at the 5-day forecast just minutes ago, and I was so incredibly excited - supposedly, it's actually going to cool down relatively soon! Hooray! Fall weather is almost on its way! It'll still be warm during the day, but it should be cooling down much more at night! I can't wait! I guess next week, it'll finally feel about time to bust out the fall decorations... Pretty pumpkins and my fave "Harvest" candle from Yankee Candle Company, here I come!

Saturday morning...

2008-09-13T09:12:00.003-05:00

So, I guess Hurricane Ike was supposed to have hit sometime in the wee hours of the morning this morning, but I don't really see any signs that "he" came through...*shrugs* Maybe I slept through all the wind and rain... Or maybe there's some more rain on the way... Either way - some rain would be good...as our yard could really use it...

We all went to the "Team Connection" meeting last night at the Redland campus... It was interesting to see the changes that are going to be made concerning our mission statement and such... It'll definitely be much easier to remember! Even though Scott and I were exhausted...and would've much rather (in our "flesh") have just stayed home and been lazy instead...I was really glad we went and got to be a part of the fellowship and discussion... I'll also be praying now about where else God would like me to serve...

Speaking of "being lazy"...I think that's on the schedule for today! College football will be on...and we've rented several movies from Blockbuster as well...so we're set! And, to get the day started off right...(which always requires some sort of food)...I'm on my way downstairs in a minute to fix us some yummy omelettes for "brunch"... Here's to being the best "couch potatoes" we can be today!

Slideshow #2 - Kassia...

2008-09-12T14:40:00.001-05:00

And, here are some photos of my pretty, growing girl! I love her so much! And, she's so much fun... Enjoy!

Slideshow...

2008-09-12T13:49:00.005-05:00

Here are some photos of the happenings in our lives over the past few months...

Including:

a visit from our great friend (and brother!), Peter, who joined us for a short while at the end of July... It was so good to see him! And, we were glad he finally got to meet Kassia...
having to say "goodbye" to Caleb, after enjoying a wonderful summer with him... He left to fly back to Wyoming at the end of July, and we really miss him so much... The time spent with him was precious!
having to say "see you later" to my brother, Jeff, who went up to Dallas in the middle of August to enlist in the Army
a visit from my cousin, Lisa, and her husband, Calvin, who came down to enjoy a few days off before having to start back with school and work in the fall
trying out new recipes for cooking meals at home... I'm always on the lookout for new ideas, especially ones involving chicken, as that's Scott's favorite thing to eat! This blackberry chicken recipe was pretty good... I also have a recipe for apricot almond chicken that's delicious! By planning out these recipes and shopping for specific ingredients at the grocery store, we're saving quite a bit of money on our food bills... What a blessing...
still trying to get our house situated...(I think it'll be an on-going thing for as long as we own it!) But, the yard is looking wonderful! Scott does an excellent job of edging and mowing and watering...making the yard gorgeous and green!

Updated Blog...(for Fall!)

2008-09-08T09:13:00.002-05:00

Yes, I've finally updated my blog... And, yes, I hope to start posting more to my blog soon... And, no...I haven't fallen off the face of the planet since the third week in July... Life has just been - busy...

I'm hoping to post some photos from the last month or more within the next few days...so stay tuned! And, thanks to those of you who've been so dedicated as to continually check back here to see what's been going on in my life... You'll have something to read again soon!

6 Months...2 Days...

2008-07-23T08:33:00.006-05:00

My sweet baby is growing and growing! I can't believe she just passed her 6-month birthday this past Monday! She has her check-up next Wednesday...(it's postponed due to company coming in to town to visit and stay with us)...so I can't wait to see how much she's grown... Here are some photos I took of my "growing girl" on her "1/2 year" birthday:

What a Weekend!

2008-07-21T13:17:00.010-05:00

We were going non-stop from Friday evening until 8pm yesterday night! We went over to my parents' house to eat dinner and have cake and ice cream for Caleb's birthday... Even though it was just a small party with his family, I think Caleb really enjoyed it... He had a HUGE piece of cake that Mom baked for him...and the homemade peach ice cream that Dad made was a big hit, too!

Birthday cake...("Wall-E")

Caleb, caught drinking the rest of his homemade peach ice cream

Saturday, we all spent the entire day at Fiesta Texas...sweating...out in the almost-unbearable 100+ degree heat...and had an absolute blast! The day was made much more "bearable" by taking a dip in the wave pool...by drinking large amounts of frozen lemonade...and by finding shade wherever possible... It really was a lot of fun, though... And, Caleb, now measuring 43" tall, was able to actually ride several of the "big people" rides there...including his very first roller coaster...after which, he said, quite loudly while laughing: "That wasn't fun! That was almost scary!" The guys in the seat in front of him couldn't stop laughing, either... We spent nearly 12 hours there at the park, and we were all exhausted by the time we left... But, I'm sure glad we got to spend that time with Caleb and make some great memories!

The "kids" getting their pictures taken with Bugs Bunny at Fiesta Texas

Kassia was so tired, she fell asleep, holding her cup in her mouth! Sweet baby...

Sunday, after church, we headed back over to my parents' house to have a large "lupper" with everyone, including my cousin and a friend of his that were visiting from out of town...and a friend of my brother's, who came in for the weekend to hang out with Caleb... You just can't beat a Southern-fried meal prepared by Mom: chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits, cream gravy, and fried okra! YUM! After eating and helping to clean up, Mom and Dad watched Kassia while Scott and I went to see "The Dark Knight"...and the movie was awesome! I was thoroughly impressed...especially by Heath Ledger's performance... Christian Bale looks as good as ever...(he's been one of my absolute faves since I was about 10 years old! I need to make a shirt that says something like: "I loved Christian Bale before it was cool...") Yep, I would definitely recommend going to see the new Batman movie...just make sure you have plenty of time blocked off as it's a pretty long movie...(with all the previews and everything...it went about 3 hours) We went back to pick up Kassia and spend a little time with my family and then headed home...

And, today...Monday...has been really hard to get started... After such a busy weekend, I'm SO unmotivated to do anything... But, unfortunately, I'm going to have to force myself to get up and get cleaning, because we have a small group meeting at our house this evening! ACK... Ah well... The house needs to be cleaned anyway... I just need to go do it...

And, I'm still sitting here...

And, typing...

And, trying to do anything BUT clean...

Alright...I'm really going now...

Really... :)

Friday Again Already?!

2008-07-18T08:32:00.007-05:00

I can't believe it's already Friday again...meaning it's been a whole (busy) week since I last wrote... Here's a re-cap from the last week:

Friday:
- Went to dinner with my family and some out-of-town relatives at Chuy's

Saturday:
- Finished cleaning in the morning
- Went over to my parents' house to help set up for the pool party
- Enjoyed a fun day of hanging out with the Hyde family (my dad's side) and swimming, playing, and eating

Sunday:
- Returned to my parents' house to eat a very large and tasty breakfast with everyone...(thanks, Mom!)
- Spent the day relaxing and swimming some more
- Had some delicious spaghetti for dinner...(thanks, Dad!)

Monday:
- Met up with my family and the last of the remaining relatives at IHOP for breafast
- Stayed home for the remainder of the day and did absolutely nothing...but rest... (Kassia slept...and slept...and slept...)

Tuesday:
- Hung out with Mom and Caleb at the pool at her gym... Kassia loved all the noise and splashing and kids playing...

Wednesday:
- Had lunch with Barb and Morgan at Papouli's...yum!
- Ran some errands
- Enjoyed having our small group meet at our house, where we all pitched in and fixed fajitas for dinner...then, played "Catch Phrase"

Thursday:
- Ran errands
- Had lunch with Connie
- Ran some more errands...(which included finally mailing out most of Kassia's birth announcements...)
- Spent the evening with Kassia and Scott

Friday (today):
- Got up extremely early...(Kassia didn't want to go back to sleep after her feeding)
- Watched some TV
- Ate some oatmeal and drank some OJ
- Updated my blog...
- Am getting ready to leave to do some shopping here in a little while... I need to find a birthday present for Caleb - we're celebrating his birthday this evening with a small party, and then heading out tomorrow for a full-day's worth of fun at Fiesta Texas...

Well, I guess that about catches ya'll up! I'll try and write again soon...

Didn't Quite Finish...

2008-07-11T21:31:00.003-05:00

Nope, I didn't quite make it... I still have yet to re-vacuum the first floor...Swiffer...clean my bathroom...and do the dishes...but EVERYTHING else is done... Wow! I worked SO hard today...and my house actually looks like a house now! Thankfully, no one needed to stay the night tonight, so I can finish up that other stuff tomorrow morning before heading over to the pool party...that way, if someone does end up needing to stay tomorrow night, everything'll be set... Whew...I'm exhausted... Time for bed... I can't wait...

PS. And, the "random bags" were avoided... Scott will be pleased...

Less Than 24 Hours and Counting...

2008-07-10T21:22:00.003-05:00

Until my house will have to be finished and ready for visitors...(just in case any relatives need a place to stay this weekend when they come down to attend my parents' annual pool party...) I'm well on my way...but, I still have a ton to do to get everything "guest-able"... I know it'll be down-to-the-minute and stressful, but it sure will be nice to have the house more "home-y" when it's all through... Getting things situated is making me excited about the thought of actually...someday...being able to finally decorate and paint and customize the house... That's a ways off, but I can dream... I'll let you know how everything turns out - if I can pull it all off in time before anyone arrives...

(hopefully, it won't come down to resorting to "random bags"... That's a forbidden phrase around our house...a definite "no-no"... If you're curious, ask me about it later...)

Waking From Her Nap...

2008-07-08T08:40:00.006-05:00

Kassia wasn't feeling well yesterday afternoon, so I held her while she slept for a few hours... Afterward, I layed her down on the couch for a few minutes, so she could slowly wake up...and snapped a few photos of her while she did... (I know...I know..."cruel mommy"...taking her picture and bothering her as she's just waking up... But, she's just so extra sweet in those first waking moments - how could I help it?)

"Celebrate America" Sunday...

2008-07-07T09:46:00.003-05:00

We went to church with my parents and Caleb yesterday morning, and the theme for the day was "Celebrate America" for the "4th of July"... They had a really neat video presentation, honoring all military personnel and veterans, where they showed clips from various wars and played the songs representing each branch... Then, they "presented the colors" and brought in the American flag...we said "The Pledge of Allegiance"...and then, listened to an all-male choir sing "The National Anthem"... It was astounding... It was also wonderful getting to see so many different men and women in their uniforms...even retirees were asked to come in wearing them... There was an entire Army unit taking up two to three rows as well that was there visiting for the day... But, the best part of the service was getting to see my dad, in his flight suit, serving communion... What a blessing that was to my heart! That flight suit kind of IS my dad...the way I remember him from my childhood... And, to see him wearing it once more...and combining that with him serving the "elements" to fellow believers...was just awesome! I was raised in a very moral home, but not a Christian one... My parents started going to church when I was a sophomore in high school...and not too long after that, I noticed a considerable change in my father...a change for the better...as he dedicated his life to Jesus... And, he's been growing in the knowledge of the Lord ever since... I was so proud, watching him serve communion yesterday...and so glad that he knows the God of the Universe...

I love you, Daddy...

Kassia and Papa, in his flight suit

No. 100...

2008-07-05T10:58:00.010-05:00

Has it really taken this long to get to my 100th post?! I really need to be better about blogging more often...(and, in order for that to happen, my life will have to get a lot more interesting...fast...so I'll actually have things to write about! I'll let you know how that works out...)

So, our "4th" was really great! We so enjoyed hanging out with our friends, James and Ashley, and their kids and friends for breakfast yesterday... The waffles were delicious! (and so was everything else that was served!) We hadn't seen them in months... The last time we'd seen Ashley, she was coming over to see the baby right after she was born... And, James just met Kassia for the first time yesterday... It was really good to see them and do some much-needed catching up!

Then, we were off to my parents' house for some oh-so-tasty Bar-B-Q that my dad had been working on for hours! We ate ribs and chicken...had baked beans...and corn on the cob... And, watched Caleb wear himself out, playing in the pool... Kassia played and played, too, keeping herself busy by watching the fan in my parents' living room...and by playing on the floor mat play-center my parents bought for her... Everyone took naps in the afternoon and just relaxed... And, after naptime, it was "homemade-ice-cream" time...YUM! Dad fixed some homemade strawberry ice cream...and we all ate at least two bowls or more! It was a really nice time, just hanging out with my family...

Yesterday evening, after we got home, we gave Kassia a bath and then watched a movie together before heading to bed... All in all - a great 4th of July!

Left: the whole "gang" at the Collins' house for breakfast, Right: James, Ashley, and Ellie - the hosts for the annual "4th Breakfast"

Caleb, playing in the pool with his new scuba mask

Kassia, having fun playing with Nonie and Papa

Our first 4th of July!

Happy 4th!

2008-07-04T06:49:00.002-05:00

We're up early this morning...getting ready to head over to have breakfast with some friends at their annual "4th of July Breakfast Get-Together"... Homemade giant Belgian waffles - YUM! Then, later this afternoon, we'll be Bar-B-Q-ing with my family and hanging out by the pool...(that is, if it isn't raining) Should be some fun times!

Just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Independence Day! And, special thanks to those who have served or are serving in our country's military to protect and preserve our freedoms! Happy 4th!

Gray: Overcast, Cloudy, Dreary, Dull, Colorless...

2008-07-03T07:43:00.002-05:00

Have I mentioned before how much I love "gray" and/or rainy days?

I adore them.

The weather lately has been utterly wonderful, and I'm so enjoying it! (except for the fact that all the people in San Antonio who don't know how to drive - which is probably about 90% of them - are even crazier when the road's are wet!) Cloudy days inspire me... I love being inside on days like that...it helps me get all kinds of things done...(and gives me a "reason" for being in the house) I also love it, because when I actually do go outside for whatever reason, I don't have to squint or wear sunglasses if I don't want to... And, when I'm inside looking outside, even though I know it's a bazillion degrees and HOT, I can pretend that it's actually 40 degrees and chilly...and COLD always makes me smile... Days like yesterday and today are great days for reading...watching movies...being lazy...or doing projects you've been wanting to do and just never seem to get around to... Plus, the smell of rain is so fresh...and the colors after it rains are so bold... Yes, I could go on and on...about all the reasons why I absolutely adore days like these...(but I'm sure that I'm still not convincing most of you to turn from your sun-worshipping ways...) Ah well... Here's some sunshine for those of you that need it - hope this brightens your day:

It's 8:29am...

2008-07-02T08:29:00.004-05:00

But, I've been awake since around 5am...(which is a little bit late, considering I get up for the gym around 4:30am...)

(but I didn't go today...)

Today, I'll be working around the house, cleaning...doing dishes...doing laundry...and I might go out a bit later to run an errand or two, but I'll have to wait and see...

Kassia was up early this morning... I went in and changed her diaper...and fed her...and laid her back down to sleep, but she didn't stay asleep... So, I picked her up and held her and rocked her and patted her back...but she still didn't want to go back to bed... And, I was fine with that... She was content just to sit there with me, her head on my chest, just resting and being still and quiet... And, I was content to hold her...and smell her sweet baby smell...and feel her oh-so-soft little head on my cheek...and to hear her breathing so gently... What a sweet 20 minutes!

She's growing so fast! I know she won't be little too much longer...and I know she's not supposed to be... But, that doesn't stop me from loving and cherishing (while I can) those sweet moments with my sweet baby...

Whirlwind...

2008-07-01T10:24:00.008-05:00

Life just seems to be speeding by...with no hopes of it slowing down anytime soon... It seems that most days I'm barely keeping up, if not falling behind...and on days when I'm actually feeling motivated and energized enough to accomplish a few things, the "feeling" is only there for a short time before quickly fading away, and then I'm back to where I started - exhausted, unorganized, frustrated, and ready for a nap! I'm hoping to get a better schedule set up soon... And, I've started going back to the gym in the early mornings a couple times a week (when I get enough sleep the night before to allow me to do that), so hopefully, that will help, too... And, as we're expecting visitors in less than two weeks, I'll be working on the house in a hurry to get it ready...so it'll be nice to finally have the house in order...and I think that'll help my state of mind as well...

Here are some photos from the past month:

Kassia, chillin' in her sunglasses at the hotel pool in Dallas

The knights of Medieval Times (we cheered for the Red Knight, there in front)

At my cousin, Scott's, high school graduation (from left to right: Jeff - friend, my Aunt Belinda, Calvin - her son-in-law, Scott - her son and the graduate, Kim - daughter, and Lisa - daughter)

Kassia and Daddy on their first Father's Day

Caleb, standing in front of a waterfall on the Riverwalk, the day we took the River Cruise (he loved all the ducks!)

Kassia, eating her toes! One of the first times I caught her doing it... It's amazing to be that flexible, huh?

Just Got Home...

2008-06-10T19:19:00.002-05:00

...from a quick but fun weekend trip up to Dallas for a cousin's graduation from high school... Kassia did pretty well for having to ride in her carrier most of the time and for having an upset tummy one of the days... We're both exhausted, though... It was sure nice to spend time with Nonie and Papa...and the graduation went well... I'll post some photos and more details of the trip later...

How Exciting!

2008-05-27T20:44:00.002-05:00

I was getting dinner ready this evening and had placed Kassia on the floor on her back to play... She needed some time to lay around and stretch out, since she was in the car in her carrier most of the day today... I went to the sink about a minute later to wash my hands, and she was on her tummy! She's been rolling on to her left side for a couple of weeks now, and she really enjoys sleeping on that side, too... So, I knew it wouldn't be too long till she would roll all the way over... But, I was bummed I missed it! So, I went into the living room and placed her on her back one more time...and she rolled over on to her belly right in front of me! She's getting to be such a big girl! I'll have to try and see if I can catch her on video with our digital camera... I'm so proud!

Memorable Memorial Day Weekends...

2008-05-27T19:19:00.019-05:00

This past weekend was so nice...and long...and it actually seemed long, too...(because sometimes those 3-day weekends just seem to speed right on by...but not this time) There have been other nice Memorial Day weekends in my recent past... Here are just a few:

2004:

We spent the weekend with the Hummel's down in Bavaria in the Alps... It was gorgeous! It was the first time Scott had ever been to see Neuschwanstein castle, and he was amazed...(although, a little bummed as well, seeing as how the castle was never finished, so you only get to tour certain parts of it...) We stayed in a tiny German hotel that served a fresh, traditional German breakfast downstairs every morning...and had a not-so-traditional hot tub room upstairs...(absolutely wonderful to soak in after a long day's hike to see the castles of crazy King Ludwig!) It was also on this trip we found out the exciting news that the Hummel's were expecting! Tristan was born that following December...sweet boy! This was just one of many, many trips that we shared with the Hummel family... They were our "travel buddies!" We had so much fun...

2005:
This was another trip spent with the Hummel's... We visited the American Memorial Cemetery in Luxemburg... It was a cold, hazy, wet day...typical of Europe...(my favorite kind of weather!) And, perfect weather to be somber and reflect on the lives that were lost during WWII, defending our nation while in a totally different country, far away from home... They'd put flags out in front of each marker to celebrate the holiday... We all walked around in silence for about an hour...just thinking...and being thankful...

2006:
We stayed at home this year and just went exploring nearby, going on "adventures" down roads we hadn't ever driven down... We visited the small castle-home of Malberg, a village just down the road from where we lived... And, we discovered the ruins of another castle down the road even further...one we didn't even know existed before that trip... That's one of the wonderful things about Europe - there are surprises around every corner!

2007:
Our first Memorial Day back in the States in a while, and it just happened to be the weekend my high school class had planned to have our 10-year reunion... Scott and I drove the long 14-hour trip to the Gulf Coast of Florida to attend the reunion and enjoy some much-needed visiting time with friends from the area, most of whom we hadn't seen since the summer of 2001... We ended up staying a little longer and visiting a little longer...and it was really, really pleasant... It was SO good to see everyone! Not to mention, it was really exciting for us, as we got to share our news about Baby Ross coming...(and we'd only just found out I was pregnant the Monday before we left!)

2008:
We had a nice, relaxing weekend... We watched a bunch of movies...some not-so-good...and one great one... We spent Sunday with my family at my parents' house, eating some good ole' country cookin'...and piggin' out on some delicious homemade ice cream...and swimming and cooling off in the pool... Kassia played for the first time in the baby pool her Nonie and Papa got for her, and she had a blast trying to chase after all the little water toys! And, Monday, our small group got together for the second installment of our "preparing-for-the-new-Indiana-Jones-movie" marathon...and watched "The Temple of Doom"... It was great having everyone over...

These past few years have been great...so, I can't wait to see what's in store for us over the next Memorial Day weekend!

"This Will Hurt Me More Than It's Going To Hurt You..."

2008-05-23T22:21:00.004-05:00

I used to hear my parents say that phrase all the time...and I never believed it... But, now...being a parent myself, I sure do understand the meaning of those words... Like, this past Wednesday when I took Kassia for her 4-month check-up...and she received her second round of shots... Man, just knowing that she was going to have to get those again was killing me... I was apologizing ahead of time the whole way the we drove to the appointment... Apologizing while we waited beforehand to go into the immunization clinic... And, oh, did she scream this time when the guy stuck her with those needles! All of the air left her body...and I was like, "C'mon...breathe...breathe!" Her poor little face turned bright red, and she screamed and cried like I hadn't seen before... My heart was breaking!

I wonder sometimes now, if it's like that for God...looking down on us...as His children...and knowing what's coming in our future...things that are really going to hurt us...and cause us pain...and the whole time, He's thinking about how much it's going to break His heart that we have to go through them...

Lord, thank You for the many different phases of life that we go through... Thank You, that along each step of the way, You reveal different aspects of who You are...what Your heart is like...through the various relationships we have with others... Thank You, that as a parent, I'm beginning to understand even more about You and how much You love us... Everything's about YOU, Lord...and for You...

Contemplation...

2008-05-21T11:31:00.002-05:00

It seems that I'm only getting around to blogging about once a week now...and that's so not my intention... I'd really love to blog everyday, but somehow, I just don't seem to have the time (or maybe creativity) to do it... So, once a week it is...for now...

I've really been feeling like time is slipping away from me lately...that each day is going by way too fast...that "time" itself is on fast forward... There are so many things that I need to do, want to do...and it doesn't ever feel like I'll get around to doing them... I struggle just to "maintain"... And, I want to do so much more than that!

I've been seriously contemplating the idea of going back to school in the fall... Scott and I are really praying about it... I know that I want to finish up and eventually get my degree...but is now the right time? I know a lot of things would have to fall into place for the whole school thing to work - a better schedule for Kassia (which would hopefully include her sleeping more through the night so I could sleep more through the night), someone to watch Kassia, classes that line up time-wise with someone watching Kassia...not to mention the extra gas money we'd need for me to get back and forth from campus...and the motivation I'd need to attend classes, write papers, study for tests, and still carry on my "normal" day-to-day activities... Hmmm... Writing it all out like that seems kind of overwhelming... Ah well... We'll continue to pray and if I'm supposed to go back to school in August, then I trust that God will work it all out...

On another note:

Contemplating something else - how can my sweet baby be 4 months old already today?! Photos to come... (and be praying for Kassia and I, as she has to get her second round of shots today...)

Has Anyone Seen My Recycle Bin?!

2008-05-15T08:56:00.003-05:00

Scott called me just after he left for work this morning to inform me that our recycle bin is now missing... When he came home yesterday, he rushed into the house and headed straight for the shower because there was something in his right eye that he needed to flush out...(it had been there all afternoon) Well, Wednesdays are "trash days" in our neighborhood...and, in his hurry to get inside and wash out his eye, Scott forgot to bring in our empty trash can and recycle bin... So, they were both sitting outside during the storm last night... Scott told me he found our trash can way down the street and brought it back to the end of our driveway, but the recycle bin is nowhere to be found! My "job" for the day is to go out scouring the neighborhood to see if it ended up in anyone's yard or if someone might've picked it up by accident... We'll see how it turns out...

Will I Survive?!

2008-05-09T08:41:00.004-05:00

Kassia and I were "out and about" yesterday afternoon, running all kinds of errands... We went to the base...then, to Radio Shack...then, to Anna's Linens...then, to Target...then, to Hobby Lobby... And, this ended up taking several hours with all the getting in and out of the car...and walking...and packing and unpacking the stroller...and, of course, just browsing... And, all of that would've been just fine had it been about 65 or 70 degrees outside with no humidity... But, it wasn't - it was HOT! And, there were no clouds, so the sun was just beating down on the two of us... The thermometer for the car, at one point, read 98 degrees yesterday! So, with the humidity, I'm sure it felt more like 100! Kassia and I were dying... I was sweating profusely...and my poor baby girl - when I got her home and took her out of the carrier, the whole back of her cute onesie was soaked! Last summer, most people complained because it rained so much and didn't ever get really hot... I was SO not one of them! But, this summer, so far, looks like it'll have more "typical" San Antonio weather...and, I just don't know if we're ready for that yet! So, I just have one question:

Will I survive?!

Small Group at the Ross Home...

2008-05-08T08:30:00.003-05:00

Well, it went pretty well, I think... Kassia hasn't been feeling well, so it took a little longer than normal to try and put her down to sleep after feeding her...(and then, she didn't sleep for very long...but at least she didn't wake up till near the prayer time at the end...) It's still just us and the McCord's and the Wheat's, but I'm kind of glad there wasn't anyone new last night, since it was our first time hosting and we're still working out the "kinks"... God will fill the "open chair" with the right people at the right time... And, the whole childcare thing will get figured out eventually, too... The upstairs is still a LONG way from being presentable, but I'm making the loft/game room area my first priority (now that Kassia's room is finished)...so hopefully, I'll be done setting it up soon, and it'll be a fun place for the kids to play... All the adults got to share a little something during our discussion time...and there were plenty of snacks to eat and plenty of room to hang out and fellowship afterwards... So, overall, I think it's going to be a lot of fun and a really neat experience once things get smoothed out... And, I just have to remember to fix healthy snacks for the next few months for a few of our small group members who are on diets... (but when the diet time's over, we're going to have a "big ole' fatty and tasty" feast to celebrate!)

A Wonderful (Early) Gift!

2008-05-06T16:34:00.002-05:00

So, my mom came by the house today, and as an early Mother's Day present, helped me straighten and clean the bottom floor of my house to get it ready for our first small group meeting tomorrow night... She's such a saint! And, it was even more appreciated today of all days, since Kassia's not feeling well... (she went to the doctor's this afternoon, and he thinks she's right at the beginning of either her first cold or her first flu... Poor baby!) Mom brought out her yellow rubber gloves and went to work scrubbing everything! She did the dishes...cleaned the kitchen...and cleaned the bathroom, too... And, when I had to leave to take Kassia to her appointment, she stayed behind and finished up by vacuuming! I'm so blessed...and grateful!

Thanks, Mom, for the sweet and thoughtful gift! What a great way to celebrate my very first Mother's Day! I love you so much...

Happy Birthday, Aidan!

2008-05-03T14:45:00.008-05:00

Kassia attended her very first birthday party this afternoon... Jay and Connie Wheat are part of our new small group and their son, Aidan, turned one today (well, technically, it was yesterday, but you know...), so we joined a few of their friends and lots of their family in celebrating the "big day"... We were excited to share such an important day with them all!

Happy Birthday, Aidan! You're such a cutie!

And, congratulations to Jay and Connie for being parents for a year!

Trying New Things...

2008-05-03T06:29:00.003-05:00

Like, this whole RSS thingie... Very cool! I know that Amanda wrote about this on her blog not too long ago, and I read about it there, but I just didn't quite get how "neat-o" the whole thing was...being able to actually "subscribe" to friends' websites, so you're getting everything updated automatically... Wow... I'm totally sold on this concept now! Thanks, Amanda, for introducing me to it!

Like, attempting to start Kassia and I on a new schedule...one where I'll be getting her up much earlier in the morning, hoping that everything else will shift a bit earlier, too...(so that eventually, she'll be going to bed earlier as well) I know that having her in bed earlier will be beneficial to having the small group meet in our home... Plus, getting up earlier will be great for me, too, as I'm hoping to start going to the gym again soon...and it'll also give me a nice chunk of time to do my morning devotions...

Like, going to my first "book club" discussion last night... It was really nice, getting out and meeting some other ladies and having intelligent, meaningful conversations regarding the book we'd just finished reading... I'm excited about starting the next one...

So, here's to trying new things!

3 Month Photos...

2008-05-02T03:55:00.003-05:00

Here are just a few of my absolute faves:

Isn't she precious?!

Chocolate - It Does It Every Time!

2008-05-02T03:09:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's really after 3am...and yes, I'm not only awake, but I'm sitting here at the computer, typing out this post...as well as writing down various lists of things I was thinking about while lying in bed wide awake for the 40 minutes before I got out of bed to come into the office... It's all chocolate's fault! (well, the caffeine that's contained in the chocolate anyway) I decided last night, after getting back from a prayer meeting at church, that I wanted to try tasting some of the scoops of ice cream from Baskin Robbins that we got for such a great deal the night before... So, I had a scoop of Mint Chocolate Chip and a scoop of York Peppermint Patty...both of which had all kinds of chocolate pieces in them... Of course, the ice cream was way delicious! And, no, I didn't have any trouble actually getting to sleep... But, once I had to get up to feed Kassia in the middle of the night, that was it - the caffeine kicked in, and there was no going back to sleep for me! So, here I sit...and will probably continue to sit until I get tired enough to head back to bed... Hopefully, that'll be soon...

Treats...

2008-05-01T09:30:00.002-05:00

With all that's been going on lately, and especially since I'm exhausted most of the time these days...it was really nice to enjoy some "treats" yesterday:

-- Getting to have a quick breakfast with Mom yesterday morning
-- Picking up Kassia's photos (they turned out so cute! I'll have to post a few of them for ya'll to see!)
-- Spending time with Barb and Morgan, eating lunch and catching up
-- Having dinner with Mom and Jeff while Scott was as at praise band practice
-- Buying way too much ice cream at Baskin Robbins' "31 cent per scoop" night

(I'm noticing a trend - most of the "treats" for the day involved eating, to some degree... Yep, the combination of good company and good food always makes me smile!)

Thoughts...

2008-04-29T12:07:00.002-05:00

-- I really enjoyed reading "Blue Like Jazz" for the RCCC Ladies' Book Club, and I'm looking forward to discussing it this Friday night... I think Donald Miller and I actually have a lot in common...

-- I'm getting exasperated with trying to finally finish up our family newsletter and gather all the addresses we need to send it out with the birth announcements we had printed for Kassia... Yes, I know she was born back in January...and it's now almost May! But, I figure that there are still some friends of ours out there...(who we really are only in contact with maybe once a year)...that haven't heard our wonderful news and would like to see her sweet pictures... So, hopefully, everything will get sent out soon...

-- I'm having to wait until next Monday for the GE repairman to visit once again...this time to figure out what's wrong with our dryer... Until then, there will be a load of stinky moldy laundry, hanging out in my washing machine...(unless, that is, I discover a way to hang up or drape tons of towels and sheets so they can dry somewhere else)

-- Kassia is growing so fast! And, I can't stop her! She's learning to reach out and grab things with her hands now...it's really quite fascinating... I love that she wants to touch my hands when I pat her or rub her belly... It's so neat to have her respond physically, instead of just letting her appendages flail about... She's also just about sitting up on her own and really laughed out loud for the first time last night! It was SO cute!

-- "House" was on for the first time since the Superbowl yesterday evening... I was surprised at how much I'd missed his mind games and sarcasm... There's just something about a doctor being that brilliant and yet, that mean... We have our digital cable set up now to record it every Monday night, just in case we miss it...

-- I'm going to pick up Kassia's first set of professional baby pictures tomorrow, and I'm so excited to get them!

-- There's a counter full of dishes downstairs just waiting to be washed...I wonder who will do them?!

Alright, enough of my random thoughts for the day!

Alone...

2008-04-26T12:43:00.003-05:00

and absolutely loving it! (well, partially "alone" anyway...)

After eating half my breakfast and feeding Kassia, she layed down with Scott to take a nap...and just look at all the wonderful things I got to do:

Finished my breakfast at a leisurely pace
Read all of "The Fourth Month" chapter from "What to Expect the First Year" (while finishing my breakfast at a leisurely pace...)
Took a LONG shower
Shaved my legs
Did my hair and make-up
Went to the bathroom by myself! (I sound like a kid in potty-training...)
And, got to check my email, read my friends' blogs, and post a blog on my site as well

Amazing, isn't it? Maybe not to some, but you other moms out there know what I'm talking about... How nice to be able to do things alone and/or without rushing! Thanks, Scott, for watching the baby...

Oh, the Joy of Cool Air!

2008-04-22T11:56:00.002-05:00

I'm happy to report that our air conditioner is fixed! And, our house has now been cooled to a lovely 74 degrees to make up for attempting to sleep in such miserable conditions last night... Oh, what joy!

3 Months and Growing...

2008-04-21T21:47:00.007-05:00

Today marks Kassia's 3-month birthday...and I can't believe how much she's grown and changed! It seems like she learns something new to show me everyday... She's just SO sweet!

Kassia, sleeping in just her diaper this evening, since our air conditioner's broken

Saturday to Saturday...

2008-04-19T04:18:00.006-05:00

Highlights from this past week:

-- Saturday, the 12th:

Went to "Real Life Scrapbooking" and not only got to visit with friends I hadn't seen in quite a while, but also got to make a really cute clipboard that will eventually go in my new "craft room"
Left the crafting party early to return home, since Kassia was hungry and refused to eat from a bottle...(it was Daddy's first time hanging out alone with Kassia at home!)

Worked on straightening up the house

-- Sunday, the 13th:

Went to church in the morning

Took a long nap in the afternoon

Worked on straightening up the house

-- Monday, the 14th:

Had an appointment with GE to have someone come out and fix our dishwasher...(and I'm pleased to say, it works just fine now - Hooray for not having to hand wash dishes!)

Had help from my "interior designer" (Mom!) and made the formal dining room somewhat presentable...(she even found a use for my old baker's rack so that it displays some of my Polish Pottery, and it looks great!) Thanks again for your help, Mammo!

Learned that evening that the family dog, Duke, who was 14 1/2 years old, had passed away... Sad times! He was the BEST dog ever and definitely more a family member than a pet! He'll really be missed...

-- Tuesday, the 15th:

Had a "girls' day" with Mom and Kassia... We ran a few errands, had a delicious lunch at Cracker Barrel (I had the chicken and dumplings - my fave! YUM!), and stopped by Linens'N'Things on the way home, where Mom bought us our "housewarming" gift - the bath set I'd been wanting for our guest bathroom! It looks so great in there! I love the colors and the overall style, too! (I still haven't painted yet, and there are still some decorative touches that need to be added...but it looks so splendid already that I just wanted to share it with ya'll!) Oh, and did I mention that I have the world's greatest "interior designer?!"

Made a late evening run to the HEB for some much-needed, "essentials"...(stuff to hold us over till the "big" grocery shopping, which will have to happen soon, as we're almost out of everything!)

-- Wednesday, the 16th:

Went first thing in the morning when Target opened to get Kassia's pictures taken...finally! They turned out SO cute! I can't wait to get them back and buy some frames for them! And, I know all the grandparents will be aching for their copies as well... Kassia did pretty well for all the camera-flashing and positioning and clothes-changing that took place...although, she didn't smile except for at the very beginning...(she didn't frown or cry, either...just didn't smile...which kind of stinks, because that doesn't really fit her personality at all - she smiles ALL the time otherwise... Ah well...) I look at her in those photos and can't believe how much she's grown and how quickly time has flown!

Had lunch out with Scott at Panda Express

Worked on straightening up the house (does anyone see a trend here?!) We actually got quite a bit done that afternoon, though...enough where you could tell that we'd made a difference...and I got 85% of my clothes stuff sorted and put away...

Went to small group (week 2) over at Chris and Lynn's and had a good time discussing the sermon and fellowshipping

-- Thursday, the 17th:

Had an appointment with KHH to have someone come out and fix the crack in the grout in our master bathroom shower...(and now, it's as good as ever!)

Finished the other 15% of my clothes stuff, so it's all finished now - Yay!

Cleaned up our bathroom

Did the dishes

Had a "date night" with Scott... We had pizza for dinner, so I didn't have to cook...and then dropped Kassia off with Lynn, so Scott and I could go out for dessert at Baskin Robbins... We had a really nice time, just eating ice cream outside and talking and relaxing for a little while... Kassia wouldn't eat from the bottle again, though...so I'm going to have to do some researching to figure out what's the matter...(my guess is that I need to switch up the nipple and try a different one...we'll see...) We were really grateful to Lynn (and Chris, too) for watching Kassia for us! Thanks, guys! (And, as an extra side note, ya'll should definitely check this out: Baskin Robbins is having a special, "one night only" deal, where you can get a scoop of ice cream for just 31 cents! More info here...)

-- Friday, the 18th:

Spent almost the entire day with a guy from Ranger American, getting our security system installed... He ran into a few snags, so it took him quite a while to get everything figured out...(although, he still had to leave without finishing up part of it, due to the fact that he couldn't get one of the lines to work...he thinks it may have been cut before the house was finished or something) He was here for 5 hours! And, I know he hadn't eaten anything...so I gave him a Snickers bar for a snack and sent him off with a PB&J, some Cheet-os, and a root beer when he finished up... Nice guy...

Enjoyed a lazy evening with Scott, sitting around watching TV and movies: "Juno" and "August Rush"...both really entertaining in different ways...

-- Saturday, the 19th:

Yes, I'm up at 5am! I couldn't sleep... I finished feeding Kassia and tried to lay back down, but all the chocolate from the ice cream I ate during our movie-a-thon kept me awake so that my mind wouldn't stop thinking or be quiet! So, I decided I'd update the blog instead...which is all that's taken place so far on this Saturday... However, I do happen to know that we'll be "working on straightening up the house" today during the day...(imagine that!) And, that we'll be spending the rest of the afternoon and evening over at my parents' house, hanging out, relaxing, grilling, and enjoying each other's company, so I'm looking forward to that...(and hopefully, I'll have some great photos to post from it, too!)

Alright, well, I guess that about catches me up! I really will try to be better about posting more often...and taking more pictures, too... This past week was actually really busy for me... I even had things written down on my calendar... Glad it's time for the weekend again, though... Well, I'm going to go try and lay back down and sleep for a little while...before it's time for Kassia to eat again... Talk to ya'll again soon!

PS. I couldn't finish posting this without Kassia waking up and needing to feed first...*smiles*

Today...

2008-04-11T18:43:00.003-05:00

It was such a gorgeous day today! And, it was warm and pleasant without all that humidity... Kassia and I spent the afternoon over at my parents' house, just relaxing... Mom and I went to Target while Kassia and Papa (my dad) took a nap...and I was finally able to find a pair of sunglasses that "worked"...(I have the hardest time finding ones that actually look right and fit my face...) And, I stopped by the library and picked up my copy of "Blue Like Jazz" that I'd placed on hold... I've already finished the first chapter, and I'm really interested to see how the rest of the book will play out... I'm reading it because it's RCCC's Ladies' Book Club selection of the month... I've never been part of a book club before, but I always wanted to be...so now's my chance... If anyone else wants to join in, just grab the book and start reading...and I think we're all getting together on May 2nd to discuss it... Alrighty, well, this sweet baby on my lap is starting to get impatient with her mommy, so I'll catch ya'll later!

"Eventually..."

2008-04-10T21:33:00.003-05:00

It was so nice to be able to post something to this blog yesterday...and go back over the last month and remember all the really great things that have happened... But, tonight, I'm really just feeling a little tired and overwhelmed... It's amazing how much not sleeping through the night for the last 4 to 5 months can do to you... And, this house is really such a disaster with everything sprawled randomly all over the place...including boxes, ones that have been emptied and ones that still remain full...and also including all the stuff you're supposed to be taking care of from day-to-day...like, dirty dishes (because our dishwasher's broken... Thankfully, someone's coming to look at it on Monday...)...piles of laundry that haven't been folded...trash that needs to be taken out...those kinds of things... I know this all won't last forever... I know that eventually Kassia will start sleeping longer and needing to eat less during the nights... I know that eventually we'll finish unpacking boxes, and we'll get things more organized... I know that eventually we'll have a routine set up...(dinner around 6pm...bath for Kassia around 6:30 or 7pm...put her to bed around 7 or 7:30pm...as well as...Tuesday nights, remembering to put out the trash...Friday afternoons, remembering to stop by the bank...things like that...) And, I know that eventually life will return to "normal"... But, right now...I just need to "vent"...and ask ya'll for prayer...

...so that God can help me to be motivated enough to reach that place of

"eventually"...

Has It Really Been THAT Long?!...

2008-04-09T10:04:00.010-05:00

Yep, I guess it has! Almost a month has gone by since my last blog post... (I suppose that's what happens with a baby that takes up most of your time...and a new house and other random day-to-day "stuff" that takes up the rest...) So, here's a glimpse at the highlights of the last month or so (and in no specific order):

Kassia's grown and grown! I can't believe how quickly she's changing...it seems like she looks a little different and a little bigger every single day... How is that possible?! My sweet "baby" won't be a baby too much longer... She had her 2-month check-up on the 21st of March...(yep, that would be the "21st of March" that just happened to be Good Friday, so we spent Easter weekend at home, trying to recover from her 2-month shots and missed the Easter service that Sunday... Ah well, I guess there's always next year to take photos of her in a cute Easter dress...) At that appointment, she weighed 10lbs, 13oz and was 23 inches long... We went back to the hospital yesterday, because she has a yucky eye infection in her left eye...and when they weighed her then, she was 11lbs, 4oz! She's literally "growing like a weed!" The doctor prescribed her some eye ointment that we have to give her twice a day for the next five days...and see how she's doing... Let me tell you - putting that ointment on the inside of her bottom eyelid is NO fun...and even with Scott and I tag-teaming it, it's still quite a chore...(and it breaks Mommy's heart to see her so uncomfortable! I was in tears last night while trying to administer the treatment...) I'm hoping to finally schedule a time to get some professional photos done next week sometime, after she's feeling better... We'll see how it goes... I'm listening to her semi-cry/moan on the baby monitor right now, as she's in her room in the crib "trying" to take a nap... I'm trying to get her used to her bed now that her room is just about finished...so that we can make the transition from the pack-n-play... We'll also be experimenting with trying to sleep most of the way through the night over the next couple weeks... I'll keep you posted on that one... (Oh, and speaking of her room...the painting was a success! Everything looks so cute all put together...with the crib set and some of the decorations... We just have one last "project" to complete, and then I'll take some pictures of the finished product and post them here for ya'll to see...)
A friend of ours from Germany was in town for a week back in March for a military training class at Randolph AFB...so we got to hang out with him on a couple of evenings... It was so good to see him! We've known Lindley for years now, and we spent a lot of time with him and his wife, Emiley, and their kids when we were stationed back at Spangdahlem... We miss them a ton... They're really wonderful Christian friends! We went to dinner with Lindley and some of his other friends from here in the area the first night...and it was a little "different" for him to see Scott and I with a baby... Lindley came over to our house the second night, and he was used to sweet Kassia by then... He used his video camera to record me showing off our new home...(even with all the piles of stuff and boxes everywhere!)...so he could show Emiley when he got back to Germany... I also recorded him playing with Kassia on his lap... She was really enjoying the attention...and I don't think Lindley minded playing with her, either... Even though the time was short, we really enjoyed getting to see Lindley and just hang out and chat and catch up... Thank You, Lord, we really needed that!

We went to go see "Phantom of the Opera" at the Majestic Theatre downtown...and it was spectacular! It was a combined belated birthday present for both Scott and I from my parents... We went to dinner at a restaurant on the Riverwalk beforehand, and then walked to the theater from there... And, yes, Kassia went with us! She was quite startled in her sleep by the pipe organ playing... And, she did really well during the first half... But, during the second half, she started to get hungry and needed a diaper change, so Mommy missed a little bit due to that... The whole thing was so amazing, though! We loved it! Thanks again, Mom and Dad!
Kassia had her first "IKEA experience" last Thursday! Mommy was so proud! I had my mom snap a photo of us outside before leaving... I hadn't been to IKEA in what seemed like forever...(I know it was while I was still pregnant...) I bought a few new things for the house, mostly for the kitchen...like: a new tea pot, some "chef-like" cans to hold my cooking utensils, a couple of drawer organizers, some cutting boards, and some other odds-n-ends... I also got a cute new lamp that will eventually be sitting on the cabinet I'm hoping to return and buy for behind the new sofa... We're also going to eventually be getting a TV cabinet that comes from the same set, so we're excited about that... The living room's really going to look nice when we get everything all put together...
And, on the topic of "living room" and every other room in our new house... Nope, we still haven't gotten everything unpacked yet! I have a feeling it's going to take quite a while... The weekends are really the only time we can fully devote to getting stuff settled in, since both Scott and I are home to take turns keeping Kassia entertained... We're excited for the plans we have for decorating, though... It'll just be a few weeks before we get to see them "in action"... And, I have high hopes for splitting the 3rd bedroom into a guest room/craft room... It'll be really nice to have all my scrapbooking and cardmaking stuff all organized and to have a nice space to be creative in...
We got to spend a lot of time visiting with my brother, my mom, and our nephew, Caleb... He really had a good time coming over and hanging out with us...and we were so glad to see him! He enjoyed throwing the football around in the backyard, since there's plenty of space to play and run... He "helped" Uncle Scott with some boxes and played in the loft upstairs... He watched a little TV here and there to take a break from running around... But, the coolest part of the whole weekend was making tie-dye t-shirts! He asked Jeff, his dad, just what "tie-dye" was...so Jeff showed him some pictures of shirts on the internet...and that was it - Caleb said he just had to make some! So, Jeff, Mom, and Caleb all went to Hobby Lobby before coming over and bought a tie-dye kit and some plain white t-shirts, as well as some extra dyes that weren't included... And, we were off! Saturday afternoon was spent just trying to figure out the whole process, so we only finished three shirts...(two of which were Caleb's, so he really enjoyed that) Then, on Sunday afternoon, we finished up shirts for everyone else in the family and for a few friends as well... Caleb wasn't too interested in the actual process anymore, though, since he's only 5 and a half years old... All he wanted to do was just "point"...(tell us where the colors should go...) The rest of the time, he played outside with a toy car and some of our leftover bricks, making roads for the car to drive on...and he also had a lot of fun rolling down the driveway! We sure do love that little man! And, the t-shirts turned out awesome, too!
We've been busy with the New Braunfels campus of RCCC... Scott's been helping out with the praise band by playing guitar for the service on Sunday's... He also sometimes helps to "set up" and "tear down" before and afterwards... And, tonight marks the first meeting of our combined small group with Chris and Lynn, so we're all really excited to see what God's going to do with that... For now, the McCord's have graciously decided to use their home for us to meet in until Scott and I have our house more "visitor-friendly"...then, everyone will meet over here... What a neat opportunity... It's definitely a "God thing"...

Other than all that, we've been: trying to grow our yard from dead and brown to green and thriving, trying to get some sleep when we can, trying to learn the "ropes" of owning a new home and having to pay all the bills that come with it, trying to spend time with family, and trying to relax every once in a while...

So, yes, it's been a very busy last month!

A Rainy Monday...

2008-03-10T13:20:00.002-05:00

Yep, the kind of day where you feel like curling up on the couch or in a comfy chair with a warm blanket, a steaming cup of hot cocoa, and a good book... One of these days...(hopefully, in the near future)...I hope to have a room set up to do just that... I'm hoping to transform the room I'm in now (the 4th bedroom) into a cozy office/library once our stuff arrives...complete with a small sofa, two armchairs, and a bunch of bookshelves... I'm looking forward to setting up/designing not only this room, but the rest of the house as well...especially Kassia's room! It's going to be so fun making her little room all pretty! I'm washing all the linens for her crib set today...and tomorrow, my parents and I are going to buy the paint and painting supplies to decorate the walls... I'll definitely have to take some "before and after" pictures, so ya'll can see the difference...

Alrighty, well, I'm off to take care of some chores around the house...

Re-Cap of Sunday, March 9th...

2008-03-09T18:35:00.005-05:00

Got lost on the way to church this morning at the New Braunfels campus...
Got to meet some new folks at church afterward...
Got to visit one more time with my aunt and cousin before they headed back home...
Got to eat some way delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup for lunch...
Got to watch a really good movie on a rainy afternoon...(check out "Michael Clayton")
Got to buy some "thingie" from the Home Depot to hopefully increase the water pressure in our new house...
Got to come home to our very own house...where, this evening, I plan to be lazy and sit around in my comfy clothes and eat more ice cream...

So, to sum up: Lots of "Got's"...

Pretty In Purple...

2008-03-09T18:29:00.003-05:00

Daddy picked out this pretty outfit for Kassia...and I just love it! She looks so cute!

The "Visitor"...

2008-03-08T17:49:00.003-06:00

My Aunt Belinda and cousin, Scott, came down to stay with my parents this weekend... So, of course, they came over to see the new house and to meet Kassia... Kassia was given some very cute new clothes and much-needed socks - thanks, Aunt Belinda! (and, I got a really nice calendar for my birthday!) We all went out to lunch together and had a nice time... And, afterward, Scott and I headed to my parents' house to pick up some more "stuff" we'd left in the garage...while Mom and Aunt B went to the movies...and my brother, Jeff, and cousin, Scott, went disc-golfing... To say the least, it was a really strange feeling being back over at my parents' house while everyone was gone, and this time being a "visitor" after living there for so long... It was weird...sitting in the family room, feeding Kassia...knowing that the upstairs room where we used to stay was completely empty... In fact, that none of our stuff was there anywhere at all... It's just different...that's all... I think it's going to take a while to get used to having a place of our own again...to not having other people around to talk to all the time...to having to drive a half hour to get a hug from my mom... I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually...I just need to give it some time...time enough to be okay with being the "visitor"...

My Growing Girl...

2008-03-07T10:28:00.003-06:00

Kassia's just growing and growing! I love her cute double-chin...(and you should see how chubby her legs are getting!) She's more and more animated everyday... She's always so "busy," moving those hands around and stretching out her legs... And, she's got a million and one facial expressions... She's just such a sweet baby!

So Long 28...

2008-03-06T18:34:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was my 6-week post-partum check-up...(wow...I just used a lot of hyphens!) And, everything looks good... I'm happy to report that I'm almost back to my pre-pregnancy weight already...(what a blessing!) And, now that I've been cleared to start exercising again, hopefully that last little bit will disappear soon! With the go-ahead from the doctor, everything should start returning to normal soon...(although, these days...especially with all the changes going on...I'm not exactly sure how to define "normal"...I guess just: "somewhat like it was pre-baby"...) So, yeah...I'd like to be more mobile now...I'd like to set up a work-out schedule of some type...I'd like to be able to bring heavy sacks of groceries in the house by myself...those kinds of things... Of course, I'll have to start out slowly and gradually work myself up to that...but it's definitely something to look forward to...

What else...?

Well, we found out yesterday that our shipment from Baltimore made it here! I called today and went through the usual military hassle and got our delivery date set up for next Thursday, the 13th... So, we'll finally have our "stuff" after not seeing it in over a year... We can't wait! It'll be a lot of work to get everything unpacked and settled in, but it'll be so nice once it's all finished...

What else...?

Today, I turned 29 years old! Yep, "happy birthday to me!" Mom took me out to a late breakfast at IHOP, and then we did a little shopping around the Forum... Being out with a six-week old kind of causes the day to go a bit slower...(since Kassia eats every one and a half to two hours)...but it was nice nonetheless...(and, I sure appreciated Mom's patience...) The cold, rainy, windy weather was just to my liking as well...and made for great napping weather later in the afternoon... Scott brought me "sunshine" (as he sweetly called it) in the form of some very pretty yellow flowers and a card...as a surprise when he came home from work this evening... And, I think the plan is to just "veg" in front of the TV with a yummy bowl of ice cream for the rest of the night...

(Yep, a huge, extremely deliciously fatty bowl of ice cream way late in the evening... Right...so I guess that exercise plan I was talking about at the beginning of this blog will just have to be postponed a little...)

Alrighty... Well, we'll see how 29 really feels tomorrow...

"Ch-ch-changes..."

2008-03-04T17:29:00.004-06:00

Change #1: We have a new house!

And, the feeling is so very different...

It's been such a long time since we've had a place of our own...and it's kind of hard having to leave my parents all over again... But, what a blessing to actually OWN a home! God is so good to us... We're slowly but surely getting things settled in...(well, as much as can be expected until our shipment from Baltimore arrives...and still no word on that yet...) And, we're looking forward to decorating and making this new house a true "home"...

Change #2: We have a new baby...

Our sweet baby girl, Kassia, just turned six weeks old yesterday! My how she's grown! I'm so amazed at her everyday...always so patient with me...teaching me all kinds of new things about being a mommy... She's wonderful...and really, too wonderful for words... I never thought parenthood would be like this... I love her SO MUCH...

Change #3: We have a new church home...

We're so excited to be a part of the new satellite church and all the great things God's got planned for this new fellowship of believers... He's already moving and doing so many neat things, it's hard to keep up! We're looking forward to seeing how God's going to use us and the other people He's put into leadership positions to draw people to Himself...

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There's really so much I want to write about...and so many more things I'd like to say...but, I'll have to save them for another time... I sure do miss blogging everyday...just jotting down my thoughts...or writing about the happenings in my life... I'm hoping to do better about it now that we have the internet hooked up here at the new house...and now that Kassia and I are starting to get on more of a schedule...(sort of)... So, there's more to come! Stay tuned...

Update...

2008-02-26T09:50:00.013-06:00

So, I've learned that holding a newborn in your arms and trying to type one-handed is a little difficult...which is why the writing portion of this blog will be kept to a minimum... (I know that everyone just really wants more pictures of Kassia anyway...*smiles*) So, here you go:

Daddy and Kassia

Kassia's 1st Sunday at church

Kassia's 1st bathtime

Playing on Daddy's lap

A mom's view (Kassia in the Baby Bjorn)

Peaceful slumber...

Kassia's baby dedication

The three of us after the dedication ceremony

The whole family after the dedication

PS. On a side note, we close on our house at 10am this Thursday! So, be praying for us!

Baby Ross IS a GIRL!...

2008-01-24T13:45:00.001-06:00

So, I'm finally getting around to blogging about my sweet baby girl... It's been a LONG week already so far...and I'm exhausted...but, it's been so amazing... And, unfortunately, I don't have the energy to record all my thoughts right now, but I'll definitely get around to it soon...

Kassia (pronounced "Kay-sha") Danielle Ross was born on January 21st, 2008 at 10:31am...weighing 6lbs, 13oz...and 19" long... She is so wonderful...and precious...and completely beautiful... We're so excited to finally meet her!

Here are a few photos:

My Water Broke!...

2008-01-20T22:50:00.000-06:00

And, we're on our way to the hospital in just a minute... Craziness... We've got everything all packed up, and I've taken a shower and am trying to relax... It's going to be a LONG night... Please keep us in your prayers! And, hopefully, Baby Ross will be with us soon!

Baby Update - 39 weeks...

2008-01-19T06:09:00.000-06:00

Yesterday afternoon, I had my 39-week check-up appointment... And, still...I'm glad to say...everything's looking good and "on track"... The doctor checked my cervix...and while I've only dilated to a "1" so far, she did say that my cervix is almost completely thinned out...which is a good thing...because once it's finished with that, the dilation process usually starts to move forward... So, nope - no Baby Ross yet...and probably not for a while, either... But, that's okay... God's timing is perfect...and when Baby Ross is ready to join us...that's when it'll happen! I have another appointment set up for next Thursday afternoon... I have a feeling I'll be keeping it... So, the next update will come then...(unless Baby Ross decides to surprise us!)

Do You Ever Get That Feeling...

2008-01-17T11:58:00.000-06:00

That there's something you're supposed to be doing...and you just can't remember what it is? I've felt like that all day today! I keep thinking there are 3 or 4 things that I was supposed to do...or take care of...or go out shopping for...or something... And, since I didn't write any of them down, I'm completely at a loss as to what they are... It's kind of frustrating really...for my head to be in this murky place where it can't remember things or, as my mom would say, be able to "put two thoughts together"... I've heard that being pregnant causes women to be "absent-minded"...and I think that must be true! Hopefully, I'll figure everything out as the day progresses... But, if not, I guess I'll just relax in my "foggy bliss" and do absolutely nothing...(that doesn't sound too bad to me!)

Congratulations, Gene and Michelle!...

2008-01-16T21:59:00.000-06:00

While I was at home, resting and relaxing today...my friend, Michelle, was busy, hard at work, having her first baby... They scheduled a C-section for this morning, as the baby was getting too big to fit through the birth canal and her pelvis... So, at 7:40am today, Ezekiel Clay Fuller was born! He was 9lbs, 12oz and 21 inches long...and from what Gene, his daddy, says...Ezekiel looks just like Michelle when she was a baby... We're so excited for both of them! They're wonderful Christian friends...who we know will make excellent parents! Congratulations, again, guys!

Gene and Michelle, back at the end of May 2007

Happy Anniversary To Us...

2008-01-15T07:43:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday, the 13th of January, marked 7 years for Scott and I's marriage! I can't believe it's been 7 years already... Time really does fly! We've really learned so much about each other...and have grown so much as well...and we still have tons more learning and growing to do! I'm so thankful that God blessed me with Scott for a husband... We have our "up's and down's" just like any other marriage, but God knew just what He was doing when He picked Scott to be my loving life partner - Scott's the perfect match and balances me out just right!

We actually celebrated our anniversary on Saturday instead, the day before... We relaxed in the morning, and then went to a couples' massage in the afternoon, which was wonderful! Afterward, Scott and I went over to Hallmark and bought my anniversary present - "Promise" from the Willow Tree figurine collection...(it's the one of the couple dancing...it's SO pretty...and I've wanted it for years...) We then went home, took showers, and got ready...and went out to a nice dinner at Zio's Italian Kitchen...YUM! The food was delicious...but the conversation was the best! It was so nice to just sit down and talk and share ideas with one another... It had been a while since we'd done that... After dinner, we drove over to catch a movie at the Live Oak Theater, but we got there a little too early... So, we walked around a nearby store...and then headed over to the "Cold Stone Creamery" for some ice cream... I was able to finish my ice cream while we waited in line to get our movie tickets...and then, we were off to watch "Enchanted," that cute new movie from Disney... And, indeed...it really was cute! We had such a nice day and evening together! It'll definitely be an anniversary to remember...

House Update - Jan. 11...

2008-01-12T08:11:00.000-06:00

We went back through yesterday and checked to make sure that everything we'd pointed out that needed to be repaired before the drywall goes up was taken care of... And, it all looks good... They've also put our insullation in now... The drywall's just sitting in sheets in several rooms of the house, waiting to be put up...so it shouldn't be too long now... Oh, and we were happily surprised to find out that a "little extra concrete" was poured in the back for our patio...so instead of the usual "3x3" slab we were supposed to get, we were blessed with an area that squares off with the house! So very nice!

The VA inspector was supposed to come check the insullation sometime yesterday afternoon... And, then, there was another person who was going to be overseeing the plywood installation that was also supposed to be stopping by... Hopefully, both guys made it over there and did "their thing"... If so, the drywall should be hung by the beginning/middle of next week, and then it takes 5 to 7 more days for all the taping and such... But, after all that...then, they'll start working on taking care of all the cosmetic stuff inside...and it should really start to look like a house... Yep, not too long now... We're really getting excited about being in our new home... Such an amazing blessing to have a home of our very own!

Baby Update - 38 weeks...

2008-01-11T08:36:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my 38-week checkup, and everything's still looking great... No signs yet of Baby Ross wanting to arrive any time soon, though... The doctor asked me the usual questions relating to "signs of labor" and whether or not I seemed to be experiencing any...and the answer to all of them was "No"... So, I think it'll still be a while yet till Baby Ross decides to join us... On the up-side, the baby's heartbeat is still strong, my blood pressure's really good, and I haven't gained any weight since my last appointment two weeks ago... I definitely have noticed that I'm not near as comfortable as I used to be...and I'm not sleeping near as well, either...but I'm sure that's to be expected... Scott and I are really getting excited about meeting our child! And, we know that God's timing is perfect, and when it's time for Baby Ross to arrive, that's when he/she will come! I've got my bags all packed and ready to go, just in case... Otherwise, my next appointment is next Friday... So, I'll post another update then!

"MMMMMMMMMMMM..."

2008-01-10T05:44:00.001-06:00

Mom took me out to lunch yesterday at a cute little restaurant over in the Northwoods shopping center called "La Madeleine"... I absolutely loved it! The food was SO delicious! And, the atmosphere there has just a hint of reminding me of my days back in Europe... (the way the restaurant's decorated actually brings to mind a place where Scott and I ate in Paris one time...) Here's what I ate (and believe me, I smiled the entire time while I ate, 'cause everything was that tasty!):

- A fresh, flaky croissant with real butter

- A scrumpitous "Quiche Florentine" (the one with spinach and Swiss cheese)

- A small bowl of tomato basil soup

- And, Mom and I shared a wonderful spinach-leaf salad with fresh mushrooms, red bell peppers, crunchy bacon pieces, pecans, and strawberries...all tossed with a light vinegarette dressing...

All I have to say is...

"MMMMMMMMMMMM..."

I Slept! And, I Feel Better!...

2008-01-09T09:15:00.000-06:00

I haven't blogged too much over the past few days as there hasn't really been too much to report... Only that I've been exhausted...and haven't slept well at all... Last night, though, since the temperature cooled back down again...Scott and I left the window open in our room all night last night, so it was nice and chilly in there...and I slept wonderfully! I only woke up three times...(two to go to the bathroom) And, I got up this morning feeling so much better and refreshed! Ahhhh... I'm off to do my walk around the neighborhood here in a minute...and then, we'll see what's up for the day...(probably more "preparing-for-Baby-Ross-to-arrive" stuff...)

House Update - Jan. 4...

2008-01-05T06:36:00.000-06:00

Yesterday afternoon, we finally went through the house to do a "walk-through" before the drywall can be put up... There were several things that we made sure to bring to the attention of the foreman: 2x4's we weren't too pleased with...door jams that seemed off kilter...plumbing blocks and ceiling fan supports that weren't too sturdy...things like that... I think he'll have plenty to take care of and check up on... Once those repairs are made, they'll start putting in the insullation... Then, another inspector will come in...(this one from the VA)...to make sure the insullation is up to par with "Energy Star"... And, after that, the drywall will start going up...more than likely toward the end of next week... The bad news is that they've pushed the closing date back even further now - till the end of February... I know God's timing is perfect...and I sure do want a "quality-finished" house rather than a "quick-finished" house...but, I do have to admit that in my human self, I'm kind of disappointed... I'd really hoped to be in the house before the baby came... And, then, when that didn't pan out...I hoped to at least be in just after the baby came...and to get our stuff out of storage and all that... Now, we have to do a ton of paperwork to file for an extension so that our household goods can stay in Baltimore just a little bit longer...(the military never makes anything simple or easy...) Ah well... Again, I know God's timing is perfect...so when we finally do move in, I'm sure it'll be extremely blessed... So, that's about it for now till they can start working on the inside/"cosmetic" parts of the house after the drywall's installed... They said that once the drywall's up, everything else tends to go much quicker... We'll see...

Jan 3rd, 2008 (a.k.a. "Me" Day!)...

2008-01-04T06:12:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was just so nice! I decided sometime ago that I really wanted to schedule a "Me" day for myself before Baby Ross arrives...a day, spent alone, doing exactly what I wanted to do... So, that's just what I did!

I started the day off yesterday by playing Sudoku...(yes, I was playing it again!) Breakfast was scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast, lovingly prepared by Mom... Afterward, I went for a walk around the neighborhood in the 35 degree weather...(I love the cold!)...then I came home and took an extra long shower and did some pampering... I got all "dolled up"...ate a quick lunch...and headed out the door... I was off to do some window shopping at a few stores here and there...and I took my time... But, what I'd really been wanting to do took place over at Barnes & Noble... I wanted to be one of those people in the store...just sitting and relaxing and reading a book in one of those giant comfy chairs...the people I see every time I go in there and always wish I could be like, but I never seem to have the time or inclination to join them... So, yesterday, I made it my goal to do just that... I went in...found a couple books I was interested in...bought them...and sunk myself down in a chair over near the travel section... It was wonderful! I read through the introduction of one book...then, switched over and started reading through the other one...all the while, savoring the smells that always make me smile while I'm there - fresh brewed coffee and new books... After spending a good while there, I drove over to my 3pm appointment - a prenatal massage my mom had set up for me as a gift! It was heavenly! The massage therapist worked and worked and worked on my back and especially my shoulders...and I feel SO much better... Thanks, Mom, for thinking of me! After the massage, there was only one thing left on my "list" that I really wanted to do... I'd been craving a Wendy's Frosty for the last few months and just had never stopped to get one...so I was off on a quest to finally set my craving to ease... And, after wanting one for that long, it sure did taste mighty good! I think I must've inhaled it... The rest of the evening was just spent relaxing after such a wonderful day...

With less than three weeks now till my due date, I'm not sure when the next time will be that I'll get to have a day like yesterday... So, I'm extremely glad and grateful that I was able to enjoy myself the way I did...

At 37 weeks, after my lovely "Me" Day

My "Me" Day - Post Still To Come...

2008-01-03T21:15:00.000-06:00

My "Me" Day was a success! I truly enjoyed myself... But, I'm way exhausted, so I'm heading off to bed as soon as I finish typing this...which means I'll have to blog all about my day tomorrow... Till then...

Sudoku...

2008-01-02T22:22:00.000-06:00

I'm so addicted to that game! My mom asked for a Nintendo DS for Christmas, so she could play "Brain Age" and "Brain Age 2"...and my dad ended up getting one for her with the games included... But, it's usually me who's sneaking off with the DS and playing Sudoku to pass the time...(after my "Daily Training" is finished, that is...) I really could get lost for hours just trying to punch in those numbers from 1 through 9... I would still be playing right now, as a matter of fact, but the batteries on the DS just died! I guess that's a good thing, though...'cause I really ought to head off to bed... I'll need the sleep for my big day tomorrow - my "ME" day! I can't wait... A day just for me...all to my self... I'll definitely blog about it later! For now, it's time to say "goodnight"...

New Year's Day...

2008-01-01T21:22:00.000-06:00

Today, we took down the Christmas tree and packed away all the decorations into the many bins my mom purchased from Target...so now everything's nice and organized for next year... We also ate the traditional black-eyed peas for our main meal of the day...YUM... And, then, we started our "movie-a-thon," where we proceeded to be extremely lazy and watch movie after movie, completely enjoying just laying around...

I'm also reveling in the cold weather! I think it's supposed to get down into the 20s tonight! I love it! What a great way to start the new year...

The End of the Year Already?!...

2007-12-31T07:29:00.001-06:00

I can't believe that it's already December 31st...that 2007 is almost over... Where did the time go?! How is it possible that tomorrow marks the first day of 2008?!

As I think back on this past year, I realize there were so many changes that took place for Scott and I...and so much growing... And, then...I think about tomorrow...the first of January of a new year...and I realize how many more changes are going to be happening soon... January's going to be a BIG month for us! Scott and I will be celebrating 7 years of marriage on the 13th... Our sweet Baby Ross will be joining us sometime during the month... And, hopefully...(although, it's probably not likely)...we'll be closing on our very first house toward the end of the month... WOW... Plus, Scott will be starting to join praise band practice during January as well, preparing him for playing at the New Braunfels site soon... It seems like January is going to mark the "beginning" of lots of things for the Ross family! I'm looking forward to seeing how God brings everything about in the next month...and the rest of the year!

Thank You, Lord, that You have a plan...that nothing surprises You! Thank You that you knew January 2008 was going to be so busy for us...way before the beginning of time...and that You'll be with us as we experience all the changes that take place... Help us to see things through Your eyes...to be open to what You have for us...and to learn to love You and each other more and more with every day...

Baby Update - 36 weeks...

2007-12-29T03:07:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my 36-week appointment...and everything's still looking great... Although I have gained quite a bit of weight since my last appointment, the doctor assures me that I'm right on track...so that's a good thing... Part of that weight gain is actually from Baby Ross growing so much...(and the other part is the result of eating about 4 dozen Christmas cookies!) The baby's heartbeat is still good and strong...and my belly just continues to get bigger and bigger! I took a short tour of the labor and delivery area at the hospital after my appointment, so I could get familiar with the area and procedures... And, then, I headed downstairs to fill out all the pre-admission paperwork, so we don't have to worry about it later when I've already gone into labor... I'm really glad that's all taken care of...'cause there sure is a ton of stuff you have to fill out! All the appointments in two weeks were already full, so the OB clinic should be calling on Monday to let me know when they can fit me in for my 38-week appointment... I need to start putting my "bag" together to take with me to the hospital, so it's all ready...just in case... But, now...all that's really left to do is wait... Baby Ross should be on the way soon!

Christmas Highlights...

2007-12-29T02:07:00.000-06:00

We celebrated our Christmas Eve on Friday, the 21st...and our Christmas Day on Saturday, the 22nd...and both were SO enjoyable! I kind of liked having Christmas early, because then the relaxing and days off and celebrating still continued on for a few days afterward... It was really nice to get to spend the holidays with family this year...and we even had some friends of ours from Germany over to feast with us on Christmas Day... This Christmas was especially one to remember, as being pregnant brought about a whole new perspective for me concerning the "Christmas Story"...thinking about Mary and Joseph and little Baby Jesus... I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas this year!

Here are some highlights from our Christmas festivities:

1. Great Food and New Recipes:

On our Christmas Eve, Dad fixed some of his famous and "oh-so-delicious" steaks...which must've been almost an inch and a half thick! He always does such a good job...and we're always up for enjoying them... That evening, I also tried two of my friend, Pamela's, recipes to use as snacks (after eating such a big dinner earlier)... I think they both turned out well for my first attempt at making them...(but not near as pretty as Pamela would've made them!) One recipe was for some baked Brie...the other for a sausage and cheese bruschetta...and they were both yummy! Thanks, Pamela, for sharing your "chef-ly insights"...

2. Christmas Morning:

It sure was fun getting to watch my nephew, Caleb, open his gifts on Christmas morning! It's different when there's a kid around... He was SO excited...and couldn't get the wrapping off quick enough... It reminded me of so many Christmases when I was little...and my brother and I would wake up in the wee hours of the morning, but would have to wait in our rooms till Mom and Dad said we could come out... And, the anticipation of it all...it would just kill us! Then, we'd run out to the Christmas tree...and there it was - a gift from "Santa" for each of us...always unwrapped, so it was the first thing we'd see... That tradition was carried on for Caleb...and "Santa" brought him a really cool Hot Wheels car jump thingie with a dinosaur and everything! Caleb loved it!

As far as Scott and I go...we both got just what we wanted... I only asked for three things this Christmas: a new purse (to replace the one I had that was falling apart), a game, and an MP3 player (to have something to listen to when I start running again after the baby's born)...and I was blessed to receive all three! I also got some neat Christmas decorations to add to my collection for next year...a very unique necklace...a Christmas CD...and a Willow Tree angel from my brother... (and Baby Ross got a new outfit, too...) Scott got some movies...a salt and pepper shaker set he'd been asking for...a stand for his bongo drums...and a "GoBible" (it's kind of like an iPod that has the whole Bible in audio format stored on it)... Scott was really surprised by that one! I was so excited to find it...and so glad he liked it!

3. Church and "Chuy's:"

Sunday morning, the 23rd, RCCC had a Christmas service...and it was wonderful! I couldn't help but get all weepy...(thanks to these lovely pregnancy hormones!)...when the choir sang "O Holy Night"... Scott was so sweet and just quietly handed me a box of tissues before my makeup ran everywhere... The sermon was great, too... Sean's always so right on... After the service, we met up with my family at "Chuy's" for some Tex-Mex...YUM! And, then, we just relaxed the rest of the day...

4. "It's A Wonderful Life:"

One of my absolute favorite Christmas movies of all time... I simply adore Jimmy Stewart! I HAVE to watch it at least once every Christmas and hadn't seen it the whole month of December at all...so I was kind of disappointed... Scott and I own the movie, but it's on VHS, and we didn't bring any of our tapes with us when we came to Texas...(they're still all in storage in Baltimore) So, when I found out the movie would be on the 24th, I was ecstatic! Scott and I drove around that evening to some of the nearby neighborhoods to look at all the pretty Christmas lights...then, stopped by Domino's to pick up some pizza for dinner...and we were home by 7pm, so I could see my beloved movie... Scott and Mom didn't make it to the end...they were off to bed probably about halfway through... But, I was determined to finish it...all the way to the end...so, of course, Clarence could get his wings... Getting to see that movie really made my night!

5. "National Treasure 2:"

Christmas Day, we went to see "National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets"...and it was great! It's very similar to the first movie...same kind of plot...same kind of ideas...but as the first one was entertaining, so was this one... I love all the history stuff...and the "Indiana Jones-ish" feel of traveling all over to find some treasure... Plus, this time, the adventure took "Benjamin Gates" to parts of Europe...and I love seeing places we've visited on the big screen...recognizing monuments and streets...remembering the trips we took there...and who we were with... (Did I ever mention that I miss Europe?!) Anyway, the movie was really fun to watch... And, afterward, we went to IHOP (one of the only places open on Christmas Day!) to have some lunch... All in all, a very relaxing December 25th...

A Long Day...

2007-12-19T21:09:00.000-06:00

Yep, today was a LONG day...but very productive and fun... After not sleeping well last night thanks to my husband and his crazy dreams, I got up and got ready and attended the "New Parents" class at Wilford Hall early this morning... Lots of interesting tips and things I had absolutely no clue about, so I was glad I went... I came home and finished wrapping some presents... Then, I ate lunch...and afterward, I spent the better part of two hours, searching for paperwork we needed to fax to our mortgage consultant so she could start the closing process for the house... I sent the fax with Dad's help...and then, he and I started working on preparing the dinner for the evening...(it needed to simmer for an hour and a half or so) While the "mucka licka" cooked...(the delicious Yugoslavian pork and peppers mixture we were having for dinner!)...I baked some more cookies... And, after dinner, I finished up those cookies and started baking some others...(with the help of Mom, my brother, and my nephew!) Everything turned out delicious...and we were all SO ready for bed by the end...

Oh, and as a side note: my poor husband - he was at the dentist for 6 hours today! Scott came home with an extremely sore mouth...and swollen lips...and barely choked down ice cream to have something soft to eat... Poor guy! He went in to have some bridge work done, and they said he needed an emergency root canal as well...OUCH... Hopefully, he'll be feeling better tomorrow... Please keep him in your prayers!

Highlights...

2007-12-18T08:16:00.000-06:00

So, it's been a while since I last posted anything...and so much has happened! Here are some of the hightlights of the last few days:

1. Third Day's "Christmas Offerings" Tour:

I surprised Scott Thursday evening with tickets to go see Third Day and Jars of Clay in concert over at CBC! I bought the tickets months ago and have been keeping them a secret ever since... He was SO surprised...and we both had such a good time... The concert was wonderful! They posted the words to the songs up on the big screen so everyone could sing along with the carols... But, I think the best part of the whole night was looking over and seeing Scott singing and enjoying himself... Scott's first Christmas present of the season was a success!

Scott opening his tickets

2. Dinner and a Movie (or Two):

Friday night, Scott and I enjoyed a nice dinner out at a little Italian restaurant called "Capparelli's"...and then came home and relaxed and watched a couple of movies we rented...with the house all to ourselves...(Dad was at work, and Mom had gone out of town for the weekend to attend a college graduation) It was so nice just getting to spend some quality time together! We hadn't done that in quite a while...

3. The Night for Christmas Parties:

Saturday evening, Scott and I attended two different Christmas parties...one for his work...and another over at a friend's house... The first party was held at "The County Line" downtown... We had dinner with Scott's boss and a bunch of his co-workers and their families... The food was tasty...and the company was pleasant... It was nice getting to meet some of the people Scott spends most of his time each day with...and nice to put faces to names...

For the second party, we drove across town over to our friends', the Huff's, house...where the theme for the evening was "The Ugly Christmas Sweater" party... Scott and I did our best to participate, having gone several days before in seperate trips to find just the "right" sweater for each of us to wear... Scott's sweater reminded me of something the "new" husband on the first "Santa Clause" movie might wear...the psychologist/psychiatrist guy who always had on those awful sweaters! Mine was pretty tacky and definitely "ugly" as well... In fact, it turned out to the be THE ugliest one at the party, so I won first prize - a gift card to Applebee's! (see?! All that patient hunting at the Salvation Army paid off!)

4. "Meet Joe Black:"

Sunday afternoon, Scott and I were enjoying just being lazy...and as we were flipping through the channels, we stopped on the movie "Meet Joe Black"... It was actually our first time watching it... Interesting movie... And, boy did Brad Pitt look good in that tux!

5. Baking Day:

Monday found me in the kitchen from around 11am-4:30pm... Mom and I spent most of the day preparing pounds and pounds of cookie dough to be stored in either the fridge or freezer, so we could bake them over the next few days... I so can't wait! We're making about 6 different types of cookies this Christmas season...and I love them all!

6. Wrapping:

Yep, it's finally time to cover all those gifts with pretty papers and bows! Mom and Dad got started last night while Scott and I were at Bible study, so I have some catching up to do... I love wrapping presents! I love making them look all pretty...and I love seeing them glisten under the tree! (and I do mean "glisten"...Mom always picks out the shiny, metallic print papers...they're so gorgeous!)

Loving the Lights...

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Last night, Scott drove us in the Suburban out to "Santa's Ranch" to drive around and see the Christmas lights... It was awesome! Caleb's eyes were huge as he looked around and took in the sights... (mine were, too! I've always loved lights...ever since I can remember...) The place was just so cool... I can't imagine how long it took them to decorate it...

A fun and magical time was had by all...

I Love It When God Does That...

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You know, when He totally surprises you by taking certain ideas or events that have been happening around you lately...or taking things you've read in the Word recently...and making everything all tie together and make sense... Like, yesterday at church...when Sean was preaching about the Beatitudes...and including that as the second part in his "Pauper King" series about celebrating Jesus' birth... And, how I'd just happened to be reading and re-reading the Beatitudes at home myself...and researching different views and commentaries on the subject... It just amazes me at how the Holy Spirit makes the "light bulb come on"...and makes you say, "Oh, I get it!" And, how He can use everyday things around us to help it all come together in one big picture...all pointing always to Him!

Thank You, Lord, for leaving us Your Holy Spirit...to guide us...and impart wisdom to us...and reveal Yourself to us! Thank You that You never give up on us...that You're always ready to teach us something new...if we'll just open our hearts and humble ourselves and allow You to do Your work... And, thank You, for just how cool You are in working around us!