Alright. I'm over fall. I'm ready for Christmas. My mums died about 2 weeks ago and my cute pot-sticker scarecrow has fallen out of said-dead-mums about 37 times (in the Noreaster that almost made me go get one of those sunlight lamps so I wouldn't sink into a black hole inside my house). So I'm ready for Christmas music (which I usually start listening to around Halloween so I'm waaay behind by my own standards), apple cider and finding glitter in very strage places around my house.
My mom, aunts Pam and Tricia, Mema Nancy and I all went on our annual shopping trip this past weekend. (Crystal couldn't come and it totally wasn't the same without her but we still had a blast...) We left at 8 in the morning on Friday and pulled back in the driveway at 11:10pm Saturday night. We allowed about 7 hours for sleep somewhere in the middle and showed no mercy on any sale we could find. We went to Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, this cute little shopping center called Briar Creek Commons (or something like that) and then Cary Towne Center and finally CLOSED DOWN Target. We. Don't. Play. I got 10 people's gifts completely finished. Done. I feel like superwoman!
So anyway, I had planned on putting my tree up BEFORE we left (Don't judge me. Mema Nancy had hers up 2 weeks ago...) but it just didn't happen. I wanted to do it while I was off on Veteran's day but all I got done was pulling all the decorations down from the attic. Bummer. Every night since then I've planned on getting SOMETHING decorated but it just hasn't happened. I'm determined that glitter will fall tonight...even if it's just unrolling the garland or soemthing arbitrary like that. (Not that garland is arbitrary but it doesn't exactly equal the tree or the village in splendor, now does it?)
To some I may be rushing the season but I'm in the spirit already and am definitely ready to replace leaves rustling with sleigh bells.
**side note: Mom and Dad tried to teach Abby to sing Jingle Bells yesterday. Last night she was walking around the house singing "Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell, Tinker awww da way...." Yep. It's official. Cutest. Kid. Ever.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Happy Birthday Baby Girl
Abigail,
It's a little after 11:00pm and the house is a wreck. We had about 40 of our family and closest friends over at our house to celebrate your 2nd birthday. You birthday was actually Friday but we decided to make a weekend of it and celebrate your big day on Sunday so everyone could come. You were an angel. You wore a shirt (that was a 2T and WAAAY too big) that said "Birthday Princess" and that's exactly what you were. We had a ladybug birthday cake from your GiGi (Mommy's Mema Nancy) and biiiigg princess balloons and lots of chips and dip because they're your favorites. You opened presents for almost an hour and squealed as loud for clothes and books as you did for big, loud toys. You are such a good girl.
The past 2 years have been the absolute best of my life. And that's really saying something because I didn't think ANYTHING could be better than marrying your Daddy! You have completely surpassed any expectation I ever had of being a Mommy. I always wanted a daughter....I just never knew I wanted her to be YOU. I loved you from the moment I found out you were on the way. I loved you when you were born and the first time I laid my eyes on you I knew I had never loved anything more. Then we brought you home. And I started falling in love with you over and over every day. I love you because you are mine...but I also love you because you are YOU.
Just so time doesn't get away from us and make us forget, let me tell you a little bit about you.
You are very petite (like your Daddy's family) and even though you are officially 24 months old you still wear 18 month clothes. You wear a size 6 shoe and have THE cutest toes (and you know I don't like feet...) You like Ladybugs and anything with the Disney Princesses on it (especially Belle) and your all-time-favorite-show is this crazy one called Yo Gabba Gabba (which Mommy and Daddy tolerate only because you are completely enthralled). You are becoming more of a picky eater but we can almost always get you to eat chicken, french fries and macaroni and cheese. Your faaaavorite foods are corn and, believe it or not, PICKLES!!! Seriously, you eat Mt. Olive hamburger dill chips like they're going out of style! You also love cheetos and are a professional Oreo-cream-scraper-outter. You wear size 4 diapers and are 25 pounds. You normally go to bed around 9 or 9:30 and Mommy and Daddy both tuck you in and read a bible story, say our prayers then get a "butterfly kiss, eskimo kiss and a big ole' kiss." You can say anything you want and are speaking in full, complete sentences. You crack us up all the time. You are a very good girl but have been getting in trouble lately for telling mommy and daddy "Stop it" or "No" when we tell you to do something you don't want to do. You have even put yourself in time out (which makes us laugh but we don't let you see.) You also have the sweetest spirit and have started praying for us without us asking you to. I couldn't love you any more.
You have brought more joy into my life than I thought I would know and I thank the Lord everyday for allowing me this life. I am so humbled at the opportunity to be your mom. I pray I prove to be worthy of such an awesome blessing.
Be well this year my angel and know that your Mom absolutely adores you.
Love,
Mommy
It's a little after 11:00pm and the house is a wreck. We had about 40 of our family and closest friends over at our house to celebrate your 2nd birthday. You birthday was actually Friday but we decided to make a weekend of it and celebrate your big day on Sunday so everyone could come. You were an angel. You wore a shirt (that was a 2T and WAAAY too big) that said "Birthday Princess" and that's exactly what you were. We had a ladybug birthday cake from your GiGi (Mommy's Mema Nancy) and biiiigg princess balloons and lots of chips and dip because they're your favorites. You opened presents for almost an hour and squealed as loud for clothes and books as you did for big, loud toys. You are such a good girl.
The past 2 years have been the absolute best of my life. And that's really saying something because I didn't think ANYTHING could be better than marrying your Daddy! You have completely surpassed any expectation I ever had of being a Mommy. I always wanted a daughter....I just never knew I wanted her to be YOU. I loved you from the moment I found out you were on the way. I loved you when you were born and the first time I laid my eyes on you I knew I had never loved anything more. Then we brought you home. And I started falling in love with you over and over every day. I love you because you are mine...but I also love you because you are YOU.
Just so time doesn't get away from us and make us forget, let me tell you a little bit about you.
You are very petite (like your Daddy's family) and even though you are officially 24 months old you still wear 18 month clothes. You wear a size 6 shoe and have THE cutest toes (and you know I don't like feet...) You like Ladybugs and anything with the Disney Princesses on it (especially Belle) and your all-time-favorite-show is this crazy one called Yo Gabba Gabba (which Mommy and Daddy tolerate only because you are completely enthralled). You are becoming more of a picky eater but we can almost always get you to eat chicken, french fries and macaroni and cheese. Your faaaavorite foods are corn and, believe it or not, PICKLES!!! Seriously, you eat Mt. Olive hamburger dill chips like they're going out of style! You also love cheetos and are a professional Oreo-cream-scraper-outter. You wear size 4 diapers and are 25 pounds. You normally go to bed around 9 or 9:30 and Mommy and Daddy both tuck you in and read a bible story, say our prayers then get a "butterfly kiss, eskimo kiss and a big ole' kiss." You can say anything you want and are speaking in full, complete sentences. You crack us up all the time. You are a very good girl but have been getting in trouble lately for telling mommy and daddy "Stop it" or "No" when we tell you to do something you don't want to do. You have even put yourself in time out (which makes us laugh but we don't let you see.) You also have the sweetest spirit and have started praying for us without us asking you to. I couldn't love you any more.
You have brought more joy into my life than I thought I would know and I thank the Lord everyday for allowing me this life. I am so humbled at the opportunity to be your mom. I pray I prove to be worthy of such an awesome blessing.
Be well this year my angel and know that your Mom absolutely adores you.
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Rebellion
I've never been a rebel. Even a little bit. I mean, okay I do go like, 6 over the speed limit. And I do put on my makeup when I drive. And I do sometimes text and drive...
Okay so scratch the I've never been a rebel. I'm totally a rebellious driver, I'm just not rebellious in life. But right this minute I'm as bad as any angst-filled teen ever was because I cannot even begin to express how much work I need to do and I just am NOT. DOING. IT. (right now.) It is hanging over my head like a dark cloud and I'm just dreading it and mad that I have to do it in the first place so I'm just choosing to procrastinate a little more. So THERE. (I am doing my job...but we have to "bill" or do a data entry into this online program for EVERY service for EVERY child we see. That means I have to enter EVERYTHING I have written in my therapy logs for every child. For this year so far. By Monday. Ughhh Even typing it leaves a bad taste in my mouth...)
So I was also rebellious this weekend. (Okay. Maybe the opening sentence should be tweaked...) Not really rebellious. It came from a good place. Here's what happened:
I was raised in a very conservative Christian, yet not necessarily doctrinal home. I mean, we believe that Jesus is the son of God and that the bible is the word of God and that HE is THE only way to heaven or to the Father. But as far as denominational doctrines go we aren't really bound by any because our church is non-denominational. Does that even make sense? At any rate if there is one thing that my parents were MORE conservative or even dogmatic about it was Halloween. WE. DO. NOT. CELEBRATE. HALLOWEEN. At all. We don't trick or treat, we don't dress up...we barely even say the word. Because the Bible tells us to abstain from even the "appearance of evil" and a complete day dedicated to fear could not be anymore blasphemous to me. Nothing could shun the glory of God any more. So we have a "Halloween alternative" at our church. We call it Fall Festival. There's candy and hayrides and carnival-type games but nothing scary or "Halloween-y." (We don't even bob for apples because my grandmother read somewhere that bobbing for apples was a pagan practice. True Story.)
Okay so the big debate is To Dress Up or Not To Dress Up? We don't turn people away for having costumes as long as they're not "scary" but we don't advertise that you SHOULD wear a costume. So everyone's been asking what Abby would be for Halloween /Fall Festival. Well, my take is that if you dress up you might as well go trick or treating and do the whole thing because you're totally participating in the "traditional holiday" festivities. BUT I knew there would be several people at church who DID dress their children up and I was so afraid for them to ask me "Why isn't Abby dressed up?" Because the LAST thing I want is to condemn other people who don't share the same views or convictions as me and say "Well, I believe if you dress up you're participating...." You see? So I thought and prayed long and hard about it. And I think it's better to give grace even when others don't know you're giving it. So I let Abby dress up. I mean, she already had the ruby slippers...so my gorgeous girl was Dorothy. (I'll post a picture soon, I promise.)
I think this will be her last year dressing up (although there is talk of a BIBLICAL costume contest next year...but that's another ball of wax in itself...) because the internal war is so much harder than just letting her wear a cute shirt and jeans...which she would probably prefer so she can get as filthy as possible. But for this year Mommy was a rebel....but the good kind. Because I did it hoping other people would feel more comfortable. And loved and included. And I think the Lord would approve of that. Because that's the REAL me. Behind the mask.
Okay so scratch the I've never been a rebel. I'm totally a rebellious driver, I'm just not rebellious in life. But right this minute I'm as bad as any angst-filled teen ever was because I cannot even begin to express how much work I need to do and I just am NOT. DOING. IT. (right now.) It is hanging over my head like a dark cloud and I'm just dreading it and mad that I have to do it in the first place so I'm just choosing to procrastinate a little more. So THERE. (I am doing my job...but we have to "bill" or do a data entry into this online program for EVERY service for EVERY child we see. That means I have to enter EVERYTHING I have written in my therapy logs for every child. For this year so far. By Monday. Ughhh Even typing it leaves a bad taste in my mouth...)
So I was also rebellious this weekend. (Okay. Maybe the opening sentence should be tweaked...) Not really rebellious. It came from a good place. Here's what happened:
I was raised in a very conservative Christian, yet not necessarily doctrinal home. I mean, we believe that Jesus is the son of God and that the bible is the word of God and that HE is THE only way to heaven or to the Father. But as far as denominational doctrines go we aren't really bound by any because our church is non-denominational. Does that even make sense? At any rate if there is one thing that my parents were MORE conservative or even dogmatic about it was Halloween. WE. DO. NOT. CELEBRATE. HALLOWEEN. At all. We don't trick or treat, we don't dress up...we barely even say the word. Because the Bible tells us to abstain from even the "appearance of evil" and a complete day dedicated to fear could not be anymore blasphemous to me. Nothing could shun the glory of God any more. So we have a "Halloween alternative" at our church. We call it Fall Festival. There's candy and hayrides and carnival-type games but nothing scary or "Halloween-y." (We don't even bob for apples because my grandmother read somewhere that bobbing for apples was a pagan practice. True Story.)
Okay so the big debate is To Dress Up or Not To Dress Up? We don't turn people away for having costumes as long as they're not "scary" but we don't advertise that you SHOULD wear a costume. So everyone's been asking what Abby would be for Halloween /Fall Festival. Well, my take is that if you dress up you might as well go trick or treating and do the whole thing because you're totally participating in the "traditional holiday" festivities. BUT I knew there would be several people at church who DID dress their children up and I was so afraid for them to ask me "Why isn't Abby dressed up?" Because the LAST thing I want is to condemn other people who don't share the same views or convictions as me and say "Well, I believe if you dress up you're participating...." You see? So I thought and prayed long and hard about it. And I think it's better to give grace even when others don't know you're giving it. So I let Abby dress up. I mean, she already had the ruby slippers...so my gorgeous girl was Dorothy. (I'll post a picture soon, I promise.)
I think this will be her last year dressing up (although there is talk of a BIBLICAL costume contest next year...but that's another ball of wax in itself...) because the internal war is so much harder than just letting her wear a cute shirt and jeans...which she would probably prefer so she can get as filthy as possible. But for this year Mommy was a rebel....but the good kind. Because I did it hoping other people would feel more comfortable. And loved and included. And I think the Lord would approve of that. Because that's the REAL me. Behind the mask.
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About Me
- epcthatsme
- I am a wife to a very hansome husband and a mom to a gorgeous little girl. I love deeply and am fiercely loyal. I love the Lord and am in the place in my life where He is more real to me than ever. I'm very involved in church and love my crazy, hectic, non-stop life!