Today's is Gram's birthday! Mallory would like to say she misses you and hopes you have a good day! 
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Happy Birthday, Gram!
Today's is Gram's birthday! Mallory would like to say she misses you and hopes you have a good day!
Monday, September 25, 2006
Mallory's first feeding
We gave Mallory her first taste of Rice cereal on September 18th, the day before her 5 month birthday!!! She was so funny. By the way, the bib she's wearing was the first bib she received. It was a Christmas present last year from her fishing-loving Grandpa!
Pictures from Moving Day
Mallory and I on moving day. This picture was taken right before the movers arrived!
Here is a picture of the truck at our rental in Johnson City
Thursday, September 21, 2006
You can have all this world, but...
Give me Jesus! This hymn was playing on our portable CD player as I was standing in my empty house, watching my daughter playing gleefully in her swing (oblivious to all the changes about to happen in our lives), and signing the papers the movers gave me, giving them permission to leave with all of our worldly possessions, taking them to our new city. Our new home. Our new life. I had an epiphany. I realized at that moment that even though all my stuff was packed up in boxes, and I was leaving all that was familiar, and I was heading toward the unfamiliar and unpredictable, that Jesus is all I need. As I was sharing with Patrick later that evening, he told me although that stuff is nice, it really is just a burden to us. So true!
Well, we’re here in Johnson City. It was a week ago today that we arrived, which is so hard to believe! In a sense, it’s gone by fast. But, it also seems like we left a long time ago. It’s strange how my senses contradict each other sometimes. I have a few minutes now while Mallory is asleep to jot down an account of our past week.
My mom came up last Monday to help pack the remainder of our things. I’m SOO glad she came to help. She seems to know what I need without me telling her. I was so maxed out by the end that it was hard for me to be anywhere close to organized. She helped throw the odds and ends, which didn’t seem to have a place in a box, in a box. We worked through the next night until everything was pretty much packed and ready. The movers arrived around 8:30 on a rainy, chilly Wednesday morning. They had everything loaded and gone by 3:30. What a whirlwind! It was strange to see it all being carted out of our first home – a home of MANY first memories. It was the first house we bought (actually, I bought – Patrick proposed to me a week before I closed). It was the house we first came home to as a married couple. It was the first house that sheltered our first baby. It was the first house we sold…
Anyway, I nonchalantly said to the mover as he was finishing up the last of the packing, “So, when do you think you guys will be dropping off our things?” Now, I was expecting him to say “sometime on Friday” or “maybe sometime this weekend”. But, I was unprepared for “9am tomorrow morning”. WHAT? That was NOT in my plans. I was very excited our stuff was going to arrive the next day, but I was expecting a long wait-time. My concern, though, was how were we going to drive to Johnson City, get the key, turn the power on, and get back to the house before 9am the next morning when they were leaving our house around 3:30pm that afternoon? After a few phone calls, we determined that we could meet the property manager at the rental at 8am the next morning and she would bring us the key, and by the way the power was on since they were cleaning the house that day. Praise the Lord! So, that meant we had to get up at 3:45 the next morning to head out by 4:15/4:30 to arrive on time. We were so exhausted from days of packing our stuff and the stress of the move that it didn’t seem possible. Oh, and Patrick had gotten a certified letter from the State of Tennessee around the same time we were told we had to be at the rental by 9am the next morning that his application for his PT license was incomplete and that he can’t get his license yet (but that’s another story entirely!). So, our anxiety levels were *slightly* high at this point.
So, with plans in place on how the next few hours would proceed, Patrick’s mom met us up at the house to do some last minute cleaning and then we headed down to their place for dinner and a few hours of R&R before we had to leave at 4:30. As I put Mallory down for the night, she was having a bad case of gas – a case that Mylecon couldn’t even fix. I was up with her almost every hour and sometimes twice an hour, holding her and trying to sooth her little tummy. By the time the alarm went off, I only had about 2 hours of sleep under my belt as we entered a day of driving the 160 miles to Johnson City (separately, too, since we have two cars) and managing the unloading of the truck. Give me Jesus!
Well, when we arrived, the house looked really good, except for a few things here and there. Patrick ended up taking over the movers “bingo” sheet (they call out the inventory # they are moving in and he crossed the # off the sheet) while I tended to Mallory, cleaned the dirty bathroom and kitchen, and set up our beds for a good night rest. I probably shouldn’t have set up the bed so early, since it was taunting me all day! I was having a difficult time staying on top of things, but all of our stuff arrived without too much damage (we had a broken vase, which was worth like $1, and a broken ceramic plant column). After the movers left around 5pm, we showered, headed out for dinner, and then came back and crashed. Mallory had another bad night, but this time it was because the room that we chose to be her nursery was really loud. You could hear the cars driving up and down the road very clearly in her room. Not a good choice!
The next day, we straightened up a few things while Patrick headed up to his new office to say hello and made a stop at the Power Board to switch the power into our names. I headed to Wal-Mart for a few necessities (like mini-blinds, since there were no window coverings in the house, and contact paper to cover up the dirty cabinets). When I got back, Patrick’s folks arrived for a visit and to help with some unpacking. Patrick and his dad spent several hours hooking up the washer and dryer (that’s a WHOLE other story in itself). But, we got a lot accomplished and were able to have a nice dinner out. Mallory had another bad night of gas (in a noisy room, I might add) and I was up with her again almost every hour. I was trying to figure out why she had this case of gas when I realized I hadn’t had a good meal in two days. Poor Mallory! It really struck me how much she depends on my eating habits!
Needless to say, the next day (Saturday), we rearranged the furniture so she would have a room on the backside of the house and I went to the grocery store for some good food! Patrick spent time organizing the garage while I tried to manage which boxes we would unpack vs. which we would keep in storage. Our cable was installed and I was able to watch the Gators beat up on the Volunteers!!! On a side note, these Tennesseeans are crazy about their Volunteers. It was so much fun to watch the Gators beat them on their turf by a close margin of victory. Mallory wore her Gator cheerleader outfit all day in support of my home team!
On Sunday, we visited a really nice church we both thoroughly enjoyed. We took it easy that day, which was a good time of rest for our weary bodies.
Monday was Patrick’s first day of work. He had a good day, despite the fact he spent the majority of the day tracking down why some of his TN license application didn’t go through. He’s staying busy, though, and enjoys his new office. After making several phone calls, it looks like he’ll have his license in another week or so.
Mallory has been adjusting well. Ever since we switched her room and I started eating home-cooked meals, she’s had a much better time with her sleeping patterns. I started her on rice cereal on Monday. It’s hard to believe she’s growing so fast. She made some REALLY funny faces and I took a bunch of pictures. She turned 5 months old on Tuesday and we celebrated with a new toy that we bought using a gift card from my mom and dad. I didn’t take any formal pictures of her, but I’ll try to do that this weekend. Mallory is such a sweet little baby and has been a great companion to me over the last several days.
I’m doing well. My main goal is to make this house more home-like. I’ve hung blinds in almost all the rooms of the house. Our master bedroom is all together and is very comfortable. My only complaint in this room is that there is no door on the closet. The room we’re in was the little boy’s room before we arrived, so the fan in the room has red, orange, yellow, green and blue “fingers”…it adds a little spice to the room. The office is the catch-all room at this point. Patrick’s clothes live in the office, since the master close is VERY small. Mallory’s room has all of her furniture arranged, but I still have some boxes to unpack for her. She has her teddy bears out and some pretty curtains hung. Her room is smaller than before, so it’s a little snug for her stuff, but very comfortable. We only have one bathroom, and it’s not the best. The faucet is drippy, there is no vent, so to “de-humidify”, we open up the window, which will be not so much fun when the winter rolls around. There’s mildew on the tiles which I can’t seem to scrub off. There seems to be a musty smell because of the no-vent issue, so I’ve been using LOTS of Febreeze. The living space is very nice. All of our furniture fits, though a bit snug. I have a beautiful picture window that looks over a water feature in the front yard that is shaded by two giant oaks. It’s really beautiful. Cayman perches herself on the chair in front of the window and “mans the castle” with her (unpleasant) barks. The kitchen/dining area is OK. The W/D are in the kitchen with me, so that’s been strange. I only have two drawers in the whole kitchen – one is broken and only opens the entire way when I open the dishwasher. The other is blocked by the stove and only opens when I open the oven while pushing it back a little with my knee. So, I have to be creative with where I put my ovenmitts, dish towels, silverware, etc. There’s white tile on the floor, which gets dirty VERY easily, mainly because the people who lived her before us put a beach volleyball court in the back yard and sand gets tracked through the house by us and the dog.
Though quirky, I think we can make this house homey. I learned in the ladies bible study through DGCC that I have a responsibility as a Christian homemaker to establish the emotional center of the home. I’ve been taking that responsibility seriously and have been making an effort to straighten the “unstraightenable” in our place, welcome my husband home with a smile and a good meal, and be the mommy I need to be for Mallory. It’s been a challenge keeping my priorities straight and focusing on each task individually rather than trying to conquer the entire war in one breath. God has been good and has been my shoulder to lean on.
I’ve been listening to Fernando Ortega quite a bit and have grown to love his hymns CD. Every time “Give Me Jesus” comes on, I remember that He alone should be my delight and not the other worldly things that society has defined as our “needs”. Patrick and I started reading God is the Gospel by John Piper and I’ve been reflecting on the question he asks in the book that when we get to heaven and God were replaced by all the other things that “make us happy” in this world, would we still want to be there. That question made me stop, think, and really assess my attitude about life. I do want to be with God in heaven. “You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!”
I miss all my friends back in Charlotte, but I’m truly looking forward to the life God has planned for us here. Please visit!
I’ll post some pics soon…
Well, we’re here in Johnson City. It was a week ago today that we arrived, which is so hard to believe! In a sense, it’s gone by fast. But, it also seems like we left a long time ago. It’s strange how my senses contradict each other sometimes. I have a few minutes now while Mallory is asleep to jot down an account of our past week.
My mom came up last Monday to help pack the remainder of our things. I’m SOO glad she came to help. She seems to know what I need without me telling her. I was so maxed out by the end that it was hard for me to be anywhere close to organized. She helped throw the odds and ends, which didn’t seem to have a place in a box, in a box. We worked through the next night until everything was pretty much packed and ready. The movers arrived around 8:30 on a rainy, chilly Wednesday morning. They had everything loaded and gone by 3:30. What a whirlwind! It was strange to see it all being carted out of our first home – a home of MANY first memories. It was the first house we bought (actually, I bought – Patrick proposed to me a week before I closed). It was the house we first came home to as a married couple. It was the first house that sheltered our first baby. It was the first house we sold…
Anyway, I nonchalantly said to the mover as he was finishing up the last of the packing, “So, when do you think you guys will be dropping off our things?” Now, I was expecting him to say “sometime on Friday” or “maybe sometime this weekend”. But, I was unprepared for “9am tomorrow morning”. WHAT? That was NOT in my plans. I was very excited our stuff was going to arrive the next day, but I was expecting a long wait-time. My concern, though, was how were we going to drive to Johnson City, get the key, turn the power on, and get back to the house before 9am the next morning when they were leaving our house around 3:30pm that afternoon? After a few phone calls, we determined that we could meet the property manager at the rental at 8am the next morning and she would bring us the key, and by the way the power was on since they were cleaning the house that day. Praise the Lord! So, that meant we had to get up at 3:45 the next morning to head out by 4:15/4:30 to arrive on time. We were so exhausted from days of packing our stuff and the stress of the move that it didn’t seem possible. Oh, and Patrick had gotten a certified letter from the State of Tennessee around the same time we were told we had to be at the rental by 9am the next morning that his application for his PT license was incomplete and that he can’t get his license yet (but that’s another story entirely!). So, our anxiety levels were *slightly* high at this point.
So, with plans in place on how the next few hours would proceed, Patrick’s mom met us up at the house to do some last minute cleaning and then we headed down to their place for dinner and a few hours of R&R before we had to leave at 4:30. As I put Mallory down for the night, she was having a bad case of gas – a case that Mylecon couldn’t even fix. I was up with her almost every hour and sometimes twice an hour, holding her and trying to sooth her little tummy. By the time the alarm went off, I only had about 2 hours of sleep under my belt as we entered a day of driving the 160 miles to Johnson City (separately, too, since we have two cars) and managing the unloading of the truck. Give me Jesus!
Well, when we arrived, the house looked really good, except for a few things here and there. Patrick ended up taking over the movers “bingo” sheet (they call out the inventory # they are moving in and he crossed the # off the sheet) while I tended to Mallory, cleaned the dirty bathroom and kitchen, and set up our beds for a good night rest. I probably shouldn’t have set up the bed so early, since it was taunting me all day! I was having a difficult time staying on top of things, but all of our stuff arrived without too much damage (we had a broken vase, which was worth like $1, and a broken ceramic plant column). After the movers left around 5pm, we showered, headed out for dinner, and then came back and crashed. Mallory had another bad night, but this time it was because the room that we chose to be her nursery was really loud. You could hear the cars driving up and down the road very clearly in her room. Not a good choice!
The next day, we straightened up a few things while Patrick headed up to his new office to say hello and made a stop at the Power Board to switch the power into our names. I headed to Wal-Mart for a few necessities (like mini-blinds, since there were no window coverings in the house, and contact paper to cover up the dirty cabinets). When I got back, Patrick’s folks arrived for a visit and to help with some unpacking. Patrick and his dad spent several hours hooking up the washer and dryer (that’s a WHOLE other story in itself). But, we got a lot accomplished and were able to have a nice dinner out. Mallory had another bad night of gas (in a noisy room, I might add) and I was up with her again almost every hour. I was trying to figure out why she had this case of gas when I realized I hadn’t had a good meal in two days. Poor Mallory! It really struck me how much she depends on my eating habits!
Needless to say, the next day (Saturday), we rearranged the furniture so she would have a room on the backside of the house and I went to the grocery store for some good food! Patrick spent time organizing the garage while I tried to manage which boxes we would unpack vs. which we would keep in storage. Our cable was installed and I was able to watch the Gators beat up on the Volunteers!!! On a side note, these Tennesseeans are crazy about their Volunteers. It was so much fun to watch the Gators beat them on their turf by a close margin of victory. Mallory wore her Gator cheerleader outfit all day in support of my home team!
On Sunday, we visited a really nice church we both thoroughly enjoyed. We took it easy that day, which was a good time of rest for our weary bodies.
Monday was Patrick’s first day of work. He had a good day, despite the fact he spent the majority of the day tracking down why some of his TN license application didn’t go through. He’s staying busy, though, and enjoys his new office. After making several phone calls, it looks like he’ll have his license in another week or so.
Mallory has been adjusting well. Ever since we switched her room and I started eating home-cooked meals, she’s had a much better time with her sleeping patterns. I started her on rice cereal on Monday. It’s hard to believe she’s growing so fast. She made some REALLY funny faces and I took a bunch of pictures. She turned 5 months old on Tuesday and we celebrated with a new toy that we bought using a gift card from my mom and dad. I didn’t take any formal pictures of her, but I’ll try to do that this weekend. Mallory is such a sweet little baby and has been a great companion to me over the last several days.
I’m doing well. My main goal is to make this house more home-like. I’ve hung blinds in almost all the rooms of the house. Our master bedroom is all together and is very comfortable. My only complaint in this room is that there is no door on the closet. The room we’re in was the little boy’s room before we arrived, so the fan in the room has red, orange, yellow, green and blue “fingers”…it adds a little spice to the room. The office is the catch-all room at this point. Patrick’s clothes live in the office, since the master close is VERY small. Mallory’s room has all of her furniture arranged, but I still have some boxes to unpack for her. She has her teddy bears out and some pretty curtains hung. Her room is smaller than before, so it’s a little snug for her stuff, but very comfortable. We only have one bathroom, and it’s not the best. The faucet is drippy, there is no vent, so to “de-humidify”, we open up the window, which will be not so much fun when the winter rolls around. There’s mildew on the tiles which I can’t seem to scrub off. There seems to be a musty smell because of the no-vent issue, so I’ve been using LOTS of Febreeze. The living space is very nice. All of our furniture fits, though a bit snug. I have a beautiful picture window that looks over a water feature in the front yard that is shaded by two giant oaks. It’s really beautiful. Cayman perches herself on the chair in front of the window and “mans the castle” with her (unpleasant) barks. The kitchen/dining area is OK. The W/D are in the kitchen with me, so that’s been strange. I only have two drawers in the whole kitchen – one is broken and only opens the entire way when I open the dishwasher. The other is blocked by the stove and only opens when I open the oven while pushing it back a little with my knee. So, I have to be creative with where I put my ovenmitts, dish towels, silverware, etc. There’s white tile on the floor, which gets dirty VERY easily, mainly because the people who lived her before us put a beach volleyball court in the back yard and sand gets tracked through the house by us and the dog.
Though quirky, I think we can make this house homey. I learned in the ladies bible study through DGCC that I have a responsibility as a Christian homemaker to establish the emotional center of the home. I’ve been taking that responsibility seriously and have been making an effort to straighten the “unstraightenable” in our place, welcome my husband home with a smile and a good meal, and be the mommy I need to be for Mallory. It’s been a challenge keeping my priorities straight and focusing on each task individually rather than trying to conquer the entire war in one breath. God has been good and has been my shoulder to lean on.
I’ve been listening to Fernando Ortega quite a bit and have grown to love his hymns CD. Every time “Give Me Jesus” comes on, I remember that He alone should be my delight and not the other worldly things that society has defined as our “needs”. Patrick and I started reading God is the Gospel by John Piper and I’ve been reflecting on the question he asks in the book that when we get to heaven and God were replaced by all the other things that “make us happy” in this world, would we still want to be there. That question made me stop, think, and really assess my attitude about life. I do want to be with God in heaven. “You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!”
I miss all my friends back in Charlotte, but I’m truly looking forward to the life God has planned for us here. Please visit!
I’ll post some pics soon…
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Last post...
Well, tomorrow is the big day when the movers arrive. I'll be disconnecting our computer this afternoon and packing it up for the move. It's hard to believe that we're embarking on a whole new chapter of our lives; not only do we have a new baby, but we'll be living in a new state, finding a new church, and making new friends. God is always the same, though! I've said this so many times, but I'm so glad that he's coming with us!
I'll post again when I get settled in our little rental house. Keep us in your prayers!
I'll post again when I get settled in our little rental house. Keep us in your prayers!
Friday, September 8, 2006
Thursday, September 7, 2006
Odds and Ends...
OK...I have about 15 minutes before dinner is ready. Mallory is in her swing and Patrick is getting cleaned up, so I'm taking a few minutes to blog!!! Life is busy over here. Our movers come in 6 days and there is still so much to do! I'm currently packing box #80, if you can believe it! We still haven't taken the stuff down from the attic!!!
Anyway, here are some recent pics I thought you all would enjoy...
Our anniversary dinner with Patrick's folks!!! This is a great picture of us. We rarely have us all together in pics!
Cayman's life is now different with a baby! I thought this was a funny picture of how pitiful our dog looks. (Notice how she's putting herself between baby and Daddy?)
Taking a nap
Here's Mallory with her friend, Grace. Grace is about 2 months older than Mallory. They're almost the same size now!!!
Boxes in the foyer
Boxes in the Garage
Anyway, here are some recent pics I thought you all would enjoy...
Our anniversary dinner with Patrick's folks!!! This is a great picture of us. We rarely have us all together in pics!
Cayman's life is now different with a baby! I thought this was a funny picture of how pitiful our dog looks. (Notice how she's putting herself between baby and Daddy?)
Taking a nap
Here's Mallory with her friend, Grace. Grace is about 2 months older than Mallory. They're almost the same size now!!!
Boxes in the foyer
Boxes in the Garage
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Our anniversary...
Yesterday was our 3rd wedding anniversary and this one will go down in the books!
I was up in Johnson City yesterday and by the grace of God (and my mother!), we have found a place to live. I met my mom up in our new city and she helped me out with Mallory and also made some phone calls for me to different property management companies to inquire about rentals. The place that she called yesterday morning was the managers of the house we'll be renting. It's a little house that will suit our needs for the next 6 months or so until we can find permanent housing. The place we found will allow pets and a short-term lease, praise God! The back yard is HUGE and has a 6-foot privacy fence, so there is absolutely NO WAY the dog can jump over this fence! If she does, then she's made of magic or something! Now, we haven't had any problems with digging, so hopefully we won't face that. Anyway, it's going to be nice. It's hard to believe that in 15 days, we'll be Tennesseeans! Gosh, it's hard to believe how quickly our move is approaching!
Patrick and I went out to a nice dinner last Saturday, so at least we got to celebrate a little for our anniversary. I was sad to be away from Patrick the majority of our actual anniversary day, but it was necessary for us to find a place to live! And God provided!
As of yesterday, I thought we had 3 weeks until we moved. My mom kindly announced that I really only had 2 weeks before we moved. Yikes! 7 precious days were mentally taken away from me and I'm now in overdrive. We have SOOO much to accomplish in such a little time. It's overwhelming at times, but I'm surprised at how I'm not consumed with worry. God is my strength and with Him, we'll get through! I'm so glad that He's coming with us to this new city. I have to confess that I've been pretty lonely at times these past two weeks. I know that it's only going to get harder, but I also know that the Lord is with me. I'm so glad I have Mallory, too. She's my buddy and will keep me company during the lonliest of times.
Keep us in your prayers as we embark on these next few weeks, which will probably be some of the most difficult weeks of our lives.
I just wanted to share what's been going on in our lives. So, if I'm not faithful with my blog for the next few weeks, please forgive me! :-)
I was up in Johnson City yesterday and by the grace of God (and my mother!), we have found a place to live. I met my mom up in our new city and she helped me out with Mallory and also made some phone calls for me to different property management companies to inquire about rentals. The place that she called yesterday morning was the managers of the house we'll be renting. It's a little house that will suit our needs for the next 6 months or so until we can find permanent housing. The place we found will allow pets and a short-term lease, praise God! The back yard is HUGE and has a 6-foot privacy fence, so there is absolutely NO WAY the dog can jump over this fence! If she does, then she's made of magic or something! Now, we haven't had any problems with digging, so hopefully we won't face that. Anyway, it's going to be nice. It's hard to believe that in 15 days, we'll be Tennesseeans! Gosh, it's hard to believe how quickly our move is approaching!
Patrick and I went out to a nice dinner last Saturday, so at least we got to celebrate a little for our anniversary. I was sad to be away from Patrick the majority of our actual anniversary day, but it was necessary for us to find a place to live! And God provided!
As of yesterday, I thought we had 3 weeks until we moved. My mom kindly announced that I really only had 2 weeks before we moved. Yikes! 7 precious days were mentally taken away from me and I'm now in overdrive. We have SOOO much to accomplish in such a little time. It's overwhelming at times, but I'm surprised at how I'm not consumed with worry. God is my strength and with Him, we'll get through! I'm so glad that He's coming with us to this new city. I have to confess that I've been pretty lonely at times these past two weeks. I know that it's only going to get harder, but I also know that the Lord is with me. I'm so glad I have Mallory, too. She's my buddy and will keep me company during the lonliest of times.
Keep us in your prayers as we embark on these next few weeks, which will probably be some of the most difficult weeks of our lives.
I just wanted to share what's been going on in our lives. So, if I'm not faithful with my blog for the next few weeks, please forgive me! :-)
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Go Gators!
We're excited about football season being right around the corner!!! We hope to cheer the Florida Gators on to many victories!!!
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Remembering Brooke
It was a year ago today that my cousin lost her baby, Brooke MacKenzie. I was only 6 weeks pregnant when it happened and I remember how much it pained me to hear of her loss. I had my first visit with Joy just this past Friday since Brooke's death. I tried to respect her timetable of healing before I visited her, since I knew Brooke's memory was still fresh in her heart. Joy gladly welcomed our visit and it was SOO nice to finally hug her and share my little Mallory Brooke with her. I was able to "meet" Brooke through pictures and memoires, which was so touching. I could see, and almost feel, the pain they experienced with her death, but rejoice that Joy's family turns to the Lord for strength. I'm thinking about and praying for Joy a lot today, knowing that she'll be remembering her daughter today with longing. God is good and provides the ultimate comfort for a hurting heart.
I will be photographing a Rememberance Walk in Winston-Salem this October that Joy is a part of. The walk is to remember babies that died in utero or shortly after birth. She said that there are about 75 babies that will be remembered at this event, which is so wonderful! I'm so glad that I'll have the opportunity to honor Brooke in this way and all the other babies that had such a brief life.
I just wanted to share the significance of this day with you all. Continue to pray for my family!
The Lord is so good!
I will be photographing a Rememberance Walk in Winston-Salem this October that Joy is a part of. The walk is to remember babies that died in utero or shortly after birth. She said that there are about 75 babies that will be remembered at this event, which is so wonderful! I'm so glad that I'll have the opportunity to honor Brooke in this way and all the other babies that had such a brief life.
I just wanted to share the significance of this day with you all. Continue to pray for my family!
The Lord is so good!
Monday, August 21, 2006
4 months old!
Mallory was 4 months old on Saturday. It's hard to believe that she's getting so big!!! We had a fun weekend, which I'll share about in a later post. I wanted to go ahead and put this picture on the blog, though. She is just so cute!!!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
I don't know what to think, Mommy!
Here's a video of the day Mallory tried out her new toy! I kept asking her what she thought and she kept giving me this look like "I don't know, Mommy!!!". She's just so cute!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Time for Pictures!
It's been a while since I've posted pictures of Mallory. She is growing up to be so big! It's amazing how time flies. It was a year ago on Wednesday that I told Patrick I was pregnant. Gosh, this past year has totally changed our lives...but for the better!
Tummy Time!
My new toy!!!
I think I like my new toy!
I LOVE playing with my daddy!
I love playing with mommy too!
Tummy Time!
My new toy!!!
I think I like my new toy!
I LOVE playing with my daddy!
I love playing with mommy too!
Wednesday, August 9, 2006
House for Sale!
It's hard to believe that we're actually moving. Our house went on the market last Thursday afternoon and we've already had 7 showings. It's been a challenge getting out of the house with the dog and the baby, but we've managed, thanks to our in-laws who welcome all 3 of us with open arms! We've had great feedback on the property, but no offers yet! Hopefully soon.
I'm in the midst of packing boxes while trying to keep my house neat in case a realtor calls to request a showing. It's been challenging and requires a lot more time! I've got 12 boxes packed so far and a whole lot more to go! Does anyone have any boxes they're willing to give us?
I'm in the midst of packing boxes while trying to keep my house neat in case a realtor calls to request a showing. It's been challenging and requires a lot more time! I've got 12 boxes packed so far and a whole lot more to go! Does anyone have any boxes they're willing to give us?
Friday, August 4, 2006
Yum-Yum Time is Over!
253 - that's the number of how high my cholesterol is. I was shocked when I found out this past Monday! So, I've decided to start some more exercising and totally changing my diet. I'm now walking my dog every morning around 7am, which I've done for the last 3 out of 4 days. I've dropped almost 3 pounds since then, which made me realize how much my lack of activity and eating habbits affected me! But, it's been REALLY hard to give up my evening ice cream. I have a "yum yum" bowl that's about a half-a-cup big, which holds maybe a scoop and a half of ice cream (much smaller than my usual 3 or 4 scoops!). I just use a smaller spoon to make it seem like it's more than it really is! 
(Then and Now...respecitively)
I hoping that in these coming weeks and months, I'll be able to lower this cholesterol and feel better about my well-being (for those of you in Bible Study yesterday, it's a way for us to be "busy at home"!!!).
So it got me thinking, what would be the hardest thing to cut from your diet if you had to?
(Then and Now...respecitively)
I hoping that in these coming weeks and months, I'll be able to lower this cholesterol and feel better about my well-being (for those of you in Bible Study yesterday, it's a way for us to be "busy at home"!!!).
So it got me thinking, what would be the hardest thing to cut from your diet if you had to?
Thursday, August 3, 2006
Anyone want to buy a dining room table?
Or do you know of anyone who wants one? I'd like to sell ours before we move... 
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Are you from Tennessee?
"You're the only 'ten I see'." I hear this from Patrick ALL the time, which is sweet but annoying when I hear it OVER and OVER!
Well, it's official. We are moving to Tennessee sometime in the middle of September. There is A LOT to do between now and then, but we're excited about starting this new adventure in our lives. It will be VERY sad to leave all the friends we've made in the last 5 years of living in Charlotte, especially leaving Patrick's parents and our dear church family. We anticipate LOTS of company to come visit us in the mountains of Johnson City, TN (skiing, hiking, and for you NASCAR fans, Bristol!!!)! Please pray for us in this endeavor and that the inevidable chaos won't overwhelm us to the point of missing out on Mallory's early months. Also pray that we won't succumb to unneccessary arguments between each other!
God is sovereign and we praise him for this opportunity! May He be glorified in our move!
Well, it's official. We are moving to Tennessee sometime in the middle of September. There is A LOT to do between now and then, but we're excited about starting this new adventure in our lives. It will be VERY sad to leave all the friends we've made in the last 5 years of living in Charlotte, especially leaving Patrick's parents and our dear church family. We anticipate LOTS of company to come visit us in the mountains of Johnson City, TN (skiing, hiking, and for you NASCAR fans, Bristol!!!)! Please pray for us in this endeavor and that the inevidable chaos won't overwhelm us to the point of missing out on Mallory's early months. Also pray that we won't succumb to unneccessary arguments between each other!
God is sovereign and we praise him for this opportunity! May He be glorified in our move!
Tuesday, August 1, 2006
The High Calling of a Wife
I have the joy and priviledge of leading a bible study this Thursday regarding the Titus 2:4-5 instruction for women to be "busy at home". In my research, I came across this great article about our calling. It's pretty long, but it was a blessing to read.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Sunny Florida!
And my, what a sunny Florida it was! Mallory and I took a 7-day long adventure down to Florida to visit some friends and family that I haven't seen for a while. My mom wanted to go down south to see her mother and I asked if we could join her. Patrick was so wonderful to let me take off for a week with his precious little daughter so I could take this trip. It meant so much to me for him to be so supportive! He at least had Cayman to keep him company!
Mallory and I headed off on our adventure on Sunday afternoon, July 16th. Our first stop was Elberton, GA to meet my mom. We left her place on Monday morning around 8am after Mallory's first feeding of the day.
We stopped about an hour and a half later for Mallory to eat and stretch before we got back in the car. She was such a trooper during the entire trip! She napped well and played with herself while she was awake. My mom bought her this cute little mirror that allowed us to see what she was up to and gave her some distraction from the long trip! I loved having this mirror!
After one more stop on the road, we made our first destination around 3:30pm, which was Orange Park, FL. We made two stops here; one stop included cookies and ice cream with a long-time family friend, Mary. Her house was the only house I didn't take a picture at!!! But, it was nice to visit with Mary and show off my baby! The next stop was at my Uncle Bob (my dad's brother) and Aunt Gail's house, which was also in Orange Park. They lovingly made us dinner and we enjoyed having another opportunity to stretch out our muscles and play with the baby.
After we left their house around 8:15, we headed up to Jacksonville Beach to stay with one of my best friends, Kristin. We got there about 9pm and were TIRED! It was good to see Kristin's house, though, which was about 9 blocks from the ocean. The next day, we headed out to the beach for a few pictures, but we were only outside briefly, since it was so HOT! But, I got several pictures of Mallory's first time at the beach. She slept through it all!!!
We at lunch at a really neat beachy restaurant in Atlantic beach (2 beaches up), visited a little more, and then headed off around 2pm to go to our next destination, which was my brother-in-law's parents, who live just within the border of the Ocala National Forest in Silver Springs, FL. Now, if you've never been to the Forest, it's pretty dismal! Nothing but pine trees for miles! It's been a LONG time since I've asked the question "Are we there yet?", but I think I asked my mom that question a couple of times on that leg of the journey. We FINALLY arrived at the Latonas around 4:30pm on Tuesday. They LOVED seeing Mallory and it was so much fun to have them gush over her!
It was nice to be able to visit them and catch up on their lives. After Mrs. Latona fed us some delicious coconut cream pie (one of my favorites), we headed up to Candler, FL to see my grandparents.
We briefly visited with my grandma and grandpa on Tuesday night, but we were so tired that we headed over to my Uncle Dave (mom's brother) and Aunt Maureen's house for some dinner and bed!!! On Wednesday, we went back to my grandparents to visit. It had been over a year since I've seen grandma and grandpa and it was SOOO good to be able to hug them! I've missed seeing them. I have so many good memories with them as a kid and it's hard to be so far away. But, the time I do get to spend with them is always sweet. My grandmother has been struggling with her health over the past year or two and is gradually getting worse. I was expecting the worst when I went to visit her, but she looked really good and I was able to have some very nice conversations with her. She was very happy to comply to a "4 generation" picture!!!
She enjoyed Mallory so much and I was so thankful that she was able to meet her second great-granddaughter! This picture was actually taken on Mallory's 3-month birthday, so it will actually be Mallory's 3-month picture. It was such a sweet time! Here is a picture of my grandpa and grandma with Mallory...
We spent all day on Wednesday in Candler with my family. I have 5 cousins on this side of my family and I was able to see 3 of them. My cousin, Aaron, and his wife have 1 1/2 year old daughter, Peighton, who came over on Wednesday night to visit. I also have a cousin, Elisha (a girl...pronounced "Alicia"), who is 1 year older than Mallory (my aunt had her at 39!!!) and having all three little girls there was so much fun! We had a big dinner together that night and it was nice to just catch up and watch the girls! Elisha's sister, Kenzie, is 11 and she's such a beautiful girl! We spent a lot of the day on Wednesday with her, too. I took some beautful portraits of Kenzie and Elisha that I can't wait to show them.
On Thursday, we said a tearful goodbye to my grandparents and headed up to Albany, GA to see my sister and brother-in-law. We stopped in Gainesville (my hometown) for a brief visit to some old family friends, the Clendenins. It had been over 10 years since I had been to their house, so it brought back a lot of memories for me! It was fun to show off Mallory, yet again, and she was being so cute...as always! Later that afternoon, we headed up to my sisters (finally!!!). It had been several years (probably around 6 years) that I had see my sister's dwelling place, so it was LONG overdue for me to go and see her! We had a great time together!!! My cousin, Charmaigne, and her family came over to visit that night, too! Goodness, we had LOTS of visiting going on! Anyway, we stayed in Albany for a night and my sister had the opportunity to show us around her city for a few hours on Friday, after a mean game of Texas Hold'em, which I beat out my brother-in-law for the VICTORY!!! It was a nice visit, but too short! I wish I could have stayed longer.
We left Albany about 4pm on Friday to head back to Elberton. Mallory had been so good on each leg of the journey, except this last one! Our nerves were pretty frazzled by the end of the trip. A normally 4.5 hour trip took about 5.5 hours....most of which included us entertaining a fussy baby! But, it was all worth it.
My dad was anxious to spend some time with Mallory before we went to bed that night, since he had only seen her a little bit on my brief stops there. But, he was able to get some of her sugar before we headed back to Charlotte the next day.
After loading and unloading the car several times in 7 days, I was ready to be home! It was good to be in Patrick's embrace again and he spent a lot of time holding and kissing Mallory. He missed his girls!
I was SOOO thankful Mallory and I were able to make this trip with my mom. She was so helpful with me and the baby; she seemed to know what I needed before I said anything. That was nice! Plus, we had a lot of time to visit with each other over the many hours we spent in the car. I don't think many girls can say her mom is one of her very best friends, but I can honestly say that! I have such an awesome relationship with my mom and I appreciate her so much more, now that I'm a mom myself.
I know this was a newsy post, but I wanted to get the outline of the week we spent in Florida down before I forgot it! Our life is about to go into overdrive pretty soon and my brain is not the same as pre-mommy days! I hope you enjoyed with account of my trip!
Mallory and I headed off on our adventure on Sunday afternoon, July 16th. Our first stop was Elberton, GA to meet my mom. We left her place on Monday morning around 8am after Mallory's first feeding of the day.
We stopped about an hour and a half later for Mallory to eat and stretch before we got back in the car. She was such a trooper during the entire trip! She napped well and played with herself while she was awake. My mom bought her this cute little mirror that allowed us to see what she was up to and gave her some distraction from the long trip! I loved having this mirror!
After one more stop on the road, we made our first destination around 3:30pm, which was Orange Park, FL. We made two stops here; one stop included cookies and ice cream with a long-time family friend, Mary. Her house was the only house I didn't take a picture at!!! But, it was nice to visit with Mary and show off my baby! The next stop was at my Uncle Bob (my dad's brother) and Aunt Gail's house, which was also in Orange Park. They lovingly made us dinner and we enjoyed having another opportunity to stretch out our muscles and play with the baby.
After we left their house around 8:15, we headed up to Jacksonville Beach to stay with one of my best friends, Kristin. We got there about 9pm and were TIRED! It was good to see Kristin's house, though, which was about 9 blocks from the ocean. The next day, we headed out to the beach for a few pictures, but we were only outside briefly, since it was so HOT! But, I got several pictures of Mallory's first time at the beach. She slept through it all!!!
We at lunch at a really neat beachy restaurant in Atlantic beach (2 beaches up), visited a little more, and then headed off around 2pm to go to our next destination, which was my brother-in-law's parents, who live just within the border of the Ocala National Forest in Silver Springs, FL. Now, if you've never been to the Forest, it's pretty dismal! Nothing but pine trees for miles! It's been a LONG time since I've asked the question "Are we there yet?", but I think I asked my mom that question a couple of times on that leg of the journey. We FINALLY arrived at the Latonas around 4:30pm on Tuesday. They LOVED seeing Mallory and it was so much fun to have them gush over her!
It was nice to be able to visit them and catch up on their lives. After Mrs. Latona fed us some delicious coconut cream pie (one of my favorites), we headed up to Candler, FL to see my grandparents.
We briefly visited with my grandma and grandpa on Tuesday night, but we were so tired that we headed over to my Uncle Dave (mom's brother) and Aunt Maureen's house for some dinner and bed!!! On Wednesday, we went back to my grandparents to visit. It had been over a year since I've seen grandma and grandpa and it was SOOO good to be able to hug them! I've missed seeing them. I have so many good memories with them as a kid and it's hard to be so far away. But, the time I do get to spend with them is always sweet. My grandmother has been struggling with her health over the past year or two and is gradually getting worse. I was expecting the worst when I went to visit her, but she looked really good and I was able to have some very nice conversations with her. She was very happy to comply to a "4 generation" picture!!!
She enjoyed Mallory so much and I was so thankful that she was able to meet her second great-granddaughter! This picture was actually taken on Mallory's 3-month birthday, so it will actually be Mallory's 3-month picture. It was such a sweet time! Here is a picture of my grandpa and grandma with Mallory...
We spent all day on Wednesday in Candler with my family. I have 5 cousins on this side of my family and I was able to see 3 of them. My cousin, Aaron, and his wife have 1 1/2 year old daughter, Peighton, who came over on Wednesday night to visit. I also have a cousin, Elisha (a girl...pronounced "Alicia"), who is 1 year older than Mallory (my aunt had her at 39!!!) and having all three little girls there was so much fun! We had a big dinner together that night and it was nice to just catch up and watch the girls! Elisha's sister, Kenzie, is 11 and she's such a beautiful girl! We spent a lot of the day on Wednesday with her, too. I took some beautful portraits of Kenzie and Elisha that I can't wait to show them.
On Thursday, we said a tearful goodbye to my grandparents and headed up to Albany, GA to see my sister and brother-in-law. We stopped in Gainesville (my hometown) for a brief visit to some old family friends, the Clendenins. It had been over 10 years since I had been to their house, so it brought back a lot of memories for me! It was fun to show off Mallory, yet again, and she was being so cute...as always! Later that afternoon, we headed up to my sisters (finally!!!). It had been several years (probably around 6 years) that I had see my sister's dwelling place, so it was LONG overdue for me to go and see her! We had a great time together!!! My cousin, Charmaigne, and her family came over to visit that night, too! Goodness, we had LOTS of visiting going on! Anyway, we stayed in Albany for a night and my sister had the opportunity to show us around her city for a few hours on Friday, after a mean game of Texas Hold'em, which I beat out my brother-in-law for the VICTORY!!! It was a nice visit, but too short! I wish I could have stayed longer.
We left Albany about 4pm on Friday to head back to Elberton. Mallory had been so good on each leg of the journey, except this last one! Our nerves were pretty frazzled by the end of the trip. A normally 4.5 hour trip took about 5.5 hours....most of which included us entertaining a fussy baby! But, it was all worth it.
My dad was anxious to spend some time with Mallory before we went to bed that night, since he had only seen her a little bit on my brief stops there. But, he was able to get some of her sugar before we headed back to Charlotte the next day.
After loading and unloading the car several times in 7 days, I was ready to be home! It was good to be in Patrick's embrace again and he spent a lot of time holding and kissing Mallory. He missed his girls!
I was SOOO thankful Mallory and I were able to make this trip with my mom. She was so helpful with me and the baby; she seemed to know what I needed before I said anything. That was nice! Plus, we had a lot of time to visit with each other over the many hours we spent in the car. I don't think many girls can say her mom is one of her very best friends, but I can honestly say that! I have such an awesome relationship with my mom and I appreciate her so much more, now that I'm a mom myself.
I know this was a newsy post, but I wanted to get the outline of the week we spent in Florida down before I forgot it! Our life is about to go into overdrive pretty soon and my brain is not the same as pre-mommy days! I hope you enjoyed with account of my trip!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)