Last night I said something really dumb. I knew it was dumb the moment it left my lips but I said it anyway. We were driving to small group, with my water bottle in hand, and I looked at Nic and said "I hate the taste of water. If it only tasted better, then I'd drink more of it." Now before you start calling me overly dramatic and move on to the next blog, watch the video below.
When I came across this the other night I laughed hysterically, showed it to Nic, and laughed some more. It's ok to laugh at it, it's meant to be funny, but I think there's a whole lot of truth to what this kid is saying too. And that brings us back to the water conversation.
I've been trying to drink more water lately. Well, I've been trying to drink more water most of my life. I'd much rather have lemonade, Diet Pepsi, sweet tea, coffee, Diet Dr. Pepper, or really anything OTHER than water. And last night is not the first time I've complained about it either but as soon as I said it this time I thought about this video.
I thought about how I take for granted that my water is safe to drink with no threat of bacteria, disease, or even death because of it. I thought about how I can walk to the faucet as many times a day as I'd like and get as much water as I'd like to without ever walking multiple miles out of my way to get enough clean water for my family's daily needs. And then it happened I realized just how insignificant my complaint was in the grand scheme of things. I realized how I should be praising God for this bottle in front of me instead of grumbling about it's contents. To "be joyful always" applies to every aspect of my life even drinking water.
So pass the next glass of water my way and if you hear me start to complain feel free to give me a swift kick in the pants. Cheers!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Happy Six Months!
Dear Sadie Elizabeth,
I'm a little late on this one. We were on vacation last week & though we did find time to take your picture on a beach towel in honor of it all I didn't find time to write. Your dad & I were looking at a bunch of old pictures of you the other day and man have you changed. You're quite the little person now too :).
You continue to be right at average for your weight on the growth charts and you top them off in height. The doctor said it seems like you're going to be tall and skinny. You've gotten the whole eating solid foods down pretty well now. You seem to be a fan of most vegetables and fruits, although if you had it your way we'd get rid of green peas altogether.
You went to two weddings this month and looked super cute in your little dresses while you were at it. I must say you behaved pretty well at both too, especially considering it was way out of your routine. You continue to be a really good natured baby and seem to adapt to new situations fairly well. You love to smile at people and observe everything around you. Your favorite "being" to watch is Mabel. I don't think anyone can captivate your attention quite as well as her.
You've started sitting up without assistance, although we like to keep the pillows around just in case. You babble all the time now too. The name of your pink giraffe has become quite the debate between your dad and me lately, he votes "Bubba", I say "Jo." I think you ended the debate today though when you started to make noises like "buuuubbbaaa." Way to be a daddy's girl :).
Like I mentioned earlier, you went to the beach for the first time this month. You were pretty apprehensive of the ocean at first but by the end of the week you were squealing in delight as the waves crashed around you. You loved having the attention of all your grandparents too. You're quite the little ham and enjoy a good round of applause in your honor!
Even with your diva-like traits your mom & dad love you very very much. It's hard to believe you've been around a half a year but some times I can't remember what life was like before you. We can't wait to see what the next half of the year holds!
I'm a little late on this one. We were on vacation last week & though we did find time to take your picture on a beach towel in honor of it all I didn't find time to write. Your dad & I were looking at a bunch of old pictures of you the other day and man have you changed. You're quite the little person now too :).
You continue to be right at average for your weight on the growth charts and you top them off in height. The doctor said it seems like you're going to be tall and skinny. You've gotten the whole eating solid foods down pretty well now. You seem to be a fan of most vegetables and fruits, although if you had it your way we'd get rid of green peas altogether.
You went to two weddings this month and looked super cute in your little dresses while you were at it. I must say you behaved pretty well at both too, especially considering it was way out of your routine. You continue to be a really good natured baby and seem to adapt to new situations fairly well. You love to smile at people and observe everything around you. Your favorite "being" to watch is Mabel. I don't think anyone can captivate your attention quite as well as her.
You've started sitting up without assistance, although we like to keep the pillows around just in case. You babble all the time now too. The name of your pink giraffe has become quite the debate between your dad and me lately, he votes "Bubba", I say "Jo." I think you ended the debate today though when you started to make noises like "buuuubbbaaa." Way to be a daddy's girl :).
Like I mentioned earlier, you went to the beach for the first time this month. You were pretty apprehensive of the ocean at first but by the end of the week you were squealing in delight as the waves crashed around you. You loved having the attention of all your grandparents too. You're quite the little ham and enjoy a good round of applause in your honor!
Even with your diva-like traits your mom & dad love you very very much. It's hard to believe you've been around a half a year but some times I can't remember what life was like before you. We can't wait to see what the next half of the year holds!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Self-Absorption
I've been wrestling with the idea of self-absorption lately. All of the small groups at our church are going through this 8 week long study called The Tangible Kingdom. A couple of days ago the day's lesson asked us to "Spend some time today in a busy place. Simply sit still and look at the faces that go past you. Imagine some of the things that might make up their life stories. Pray for them." As I sat contemplating (insert whining) about how this wasn't possible, since a small child was under my care and watchful eye, it hit me "Listen to yourself April. All you care about is me, myself, and I. When was the last time you actually cared about the people around you?"
According to the US Census Bureau there are almost 7 billion people living in the world today, 300 million of them live in the US. I make up 1/7 billion and my immediate family makes up 3/7 billion, I don't even want to attempt the math when it comes to getting that into decimal form. Somehow though I continue to live like the other 6,999,999,999 don't exist. Why is that?
I know my family is important and God has called me to take care of them. I also know there's no possible way for me to get to know or even attempt to know all the people on this planet, but where do I find the balance? Lately I've been so concerned about all the things I want to get done, or what my baby needs, or what would be best for my family that I've completely forgotten about everyone else. So I know what I'm doing isn't right, but how do I know when it's ok to guard time with my family and when I need to just give it a rest and go hang out with friends/neighbors? How do I teach my baby that she's important to me but she's not the end all be all for our family?
Last night one of the guys in our small group shared that he felt like God was saying the same thing to him lately. He said he felt like God was specifically saying to him "Stop looking in the mirror and start looking out the window." My prayer yesterday, today, and for a long time honestly, is that God would open my eyes up to see what He sees and that not only would I see but I would respond to what he's showing me. No more ignoring people because I don't want to make them uncomfortable (or let's be honest here, make myself uncomfortable), no more "to do" lists that make me so focused on all the things I have to do, that I don't stop to see God working in the faces around me.
Expect similar posts as this revelation continues to unfold, I'm not ignorant in thinking I won't continue to struggle with this the rest of my life, but I am hopeful that God can change my heart. Feel free to pass on any advice you've learned along the way too. I certainly know I'm not the only one trying to figure this whole "how to live life" thing.
According to the US Census Bureau there are almost 7 billion people living in the world today, 300 million of them live in the US. I make up 1/7 billion and my immediate family makes up 3/7 billion, I don't even want to attempt the math when it comes to getting that into decimal form. Somehow though I continue to live like the other 6,999,999,999 don't exist. Why is that?
I know my family is important and God has called me to take care of them. I also know there's no possible way for me to get to know or even attempt to know all the people on this planet, but where do I find the balance? Lately I've been so concerned about all the things I want to get done, or what my baby needs, or what would be best for my family that I've completely forgotten about everyone else. So I know what I'm doing isn't right, but how do I know when it's ok to guard time with my family and when I need to just give it a rest and go hang out with friends/neighbors? How do I teach my baby that she's important to me but she's not the end all be all for our family?
Last night one of the guys in our small group shared that he felt like God was saying the same thing to him lately. He said he felt like God was specifically saying to him "Stop looking in the mirror and start looking out the window." My prayer yesterday, today, and for a long time honestly, is that God would open my eyes up to see what He sees and that not only would I see but I would respond to what he's showing me. No more ignoring people because I don't want to make them uncomfortable (or let's be honest here, make myself uncomfortable), no more "to do" lists that make me so focused on all the things I have to do, that I don't stop to see God working in the faces around me.
Expect similar posts as this revelation continues to unfold, I'm not ignorant in thinking I won't continue to struggle with this the rest of my life, but I am hopeful that God can change my heart. Feel free to pass on any advice you've learned along the way too. I certainly know I'm not the only one trying to figure this whole "how to live life" thing.
Friday, June 10, 2011
The Infamous Pity Party
I know how to throw a good party. A pity party that is. It starts out something like this "Nothing ever goes my way" or "Nobody likes me" and unfortunately it only goes down hill from there. Imagine for a second a snowball rolling down one of the Rocky Mountains, as it rolls it picks up more and more snow and by the time it's at the bottom it's gotten so big it can crush you. Welcome to my life.
Most of the time I love being a woman. I love the privilege of being a mom and a wife, doing girly things, and so so much more but there are times I literally despise it. Like when I'm alone with my thoughts and all my mind can dwell on is the negative. Don't get me wrong I recognize life is hard. People are messy. I'm messy. Lately I've found myself longing for the restoration that Jesus will bring when He returns to Earth. But I can not allow myself to keep living this way. The snowball is waiting.
God promises in Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This *coincidentally* enough is one of my memory verses so far this year. As I seek to move out of the way of the snowball or heck, get rid of it all together, I am realizing more and more I not only need to know God's promises but be willing to put them into action and BELIEVE them.
It's quite easy for me just to memorize them. There's a part of me (let's be honest there's a whole lot more than just a part), that loves the feeling you get when you accomplish something. If my husband would let me I honestly think I would put a star chart on my refrigerator recording every verse I memorize (identity or self worth problem you say? we'll save that for another post). But if I got a star for every time I applied those truths to my life and believed them, my chart would be empty. Unfortunately I let my emotions and feelings get in the way and before long I've completely forgotten what God has to say about it all. Lately my prayer has been that when those thoughts flood my mind I would look to Him first rather than that snowball. And maybe, just maybe, some day I'll throw a "no more pity parties" party.
Most of the time I love being a woman. I love the privilege of being a mom and a wife, doing girly things, and so so much more but there are times I literally despise it. Like when I'm alone with my thoughts and all my mind can dwell on is the negative. Don't get me wrong I recognize life is hard. People are messy. I'm messy. Lately I've found myself longing for the restoration that Jesus will bring when He returns to Earth. But I can not allow myself to keep living this way. The snowball is waiting.
God promises in Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This *coincidentally* enough is one of my memory verses so far this year. As I seek to move out of the way of the snowball or heck, get rid of it all together, I am realizing more and more I not only need to know God's promises but be willing to put them into action and BELIEVE them.
It's quite easy for me just to memorize them. There's a part of me (let's be honest there's a whole lot more than just a part), that loves the feeling you get when you accomplish something. If my husband would let me I honestly think I would put a star chart on my refrigerator recording every verse I memorize (identity or self worth problem you say? we'll save that for another post). But if I got a star for every time I applied those truths to my life and believed them, my chart would be empty. Unfortunately I let my emotions and feelings get in the way and before long I've completely forgotten what God has to say about it all. Lately my prayer has been that when those thoughts flood my mind I would look to Him first rather than that snowball. And maybe, just maybe, some day I'll throw a "no more pity parties" party.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Summer Loving
It's summer time and the living's easy. At least that's how things go here in Blacksburg. It's sort of a ghost town with the large majority of Virginia Tech students scattered across the land for the summer. I have to admit it's not really my favorite time of year. A lot of "the locals" love it because you can park anywhere downtown without driving in circles for 3o minutes trying to find a spot, go to any restaurant you'd like with virtually no wait, and enjoy all the benefits of living in a small town. Besides the fact that there is no line at Chipotle (good for my tummy, bad for my wallet) I could care less about those things. I really enjoy having students around but I'm learning to appreciate life for where I am now and not where I think the grass is greener.
So here I sit on the "veranda" of our local Starbucks, enjoying the cool summer breeze with a little Matt Wertz streaming through my headphones.
(Forgive the lack of makeup and baseball cap friends, it's been a long day)
So here I sit on the "veranda" of our local Starbucks, enjoying the cool summer breeze with a little Matt Wertz streaming through my headphones.
(Forgive the lack of makeup and baseball cap friends, it's been a long day)It's my weekly "me" time thanks to my precious husband and I'm blogging, what the heck? I did a little self evaluation last week and discovered writing is something that I actually really enjoy, whether I'm good at it or not is still up in the air. If you looked at my blog lately perhaps you wouldn't think that but life hasn't been quite what it used to be the past five months either (love you Sadie).
I watched a video by Jon Acuff a few weeks ago and he mentions the "all or nothing" principle that most bloggers adopt. He says they either commit to posting daily (which quickly gets overwhelming unless you're getting paid for it) or they leave their blog deserted for months on end, there's simply no happy medium.
Hello that's me, guilty as charged, as evidenced by my complete failure at the 100 joys challenge. So I'm stepping forward with a realistic goal this time. I'm *hopefully* making a commitment to blog one or two times a week from here on out. Maybe I'll even throw a few 100 joys posts into the mix. Who's excited? This girl.
I watched a video by Jon Acuff a few weeks ago and he mentions the "all or nothing" principle that most bloggers adopt. He says they either commit to posting daily (which quickly gets overwhelming unless you're getting paid for it) or they leave their blog deserted for months on end, there's simply no happy medium.
Hello that's me, guilty as charged, as evidenced by my complete failure at the 100 joys challenge. So I'm stepping forward with a realistic goal this time. I'm *hopefully* making a commitment to blog one or two times a week from here on out. Maybe I'll even throw a few 100 joys posts into the mix. Who's excited? This girl.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Happy Five Months!
My dear little Sadie,
These months come and go so quickly! You started eating solid foods this month and my oh my do you wear food well :)! You've picked up the whole "using a spoon thing" pretty quickly. So far you've had rice cereal, carrots, squash, and peas.
The first part of this month you had a daddy-daughter weekend (Friday night/Saturday) with your dad. Mom ran a 5K in Charlottesville and your dad was super sweet and kept you so I could be focused on my race. Speaking of overnighters you had your first week away from home too. We went to stay with Nana & Papa the first half of the week and then down to Charlotte to visit the Haynes (including the newest Haynes, Lydia), all while Daddy was in school. You were very smiley with Lydia, in fact I think you guys are going to be best friends!
You've become such a curious little baby over the past few weeks. You're reaching for anything and everything within sight. It's like you've realized there's a whole new world of discovery out there just waiting for you! You learned how to roll over from back to tummy this month. You've done the opposite a handful of times too but I think you got a little amnesia about how to do it again.
You're still a pretty calm, easy going baby. The lady at CVS asked me the other day if you were always this calm and when I said "most of the time" she said "Well I guess you've just got a little Buddha baby." While I'm not sure what to think about you being compared to Buddha, I do appreciate the symbolism she was getting at and the fact that you remain a chill baby.
You said goodbye to lots of your friends this month. That's the stinkiest part of this whole college ministry thing. Some you'll see again in August but lots of them are moving on for good. I bet you'll still be able to make them smile whenever you seem them again though!
Our love for you continues to grow more and more each day. We love you lots little girl!
These months come and go so quickly! You started eating solid foods this month and my oh my do you wear food well :)! You've picked up the whole "using a spoon thing" pretty quickly. So far you've had rice cereal, carrots, squash, and peas.
The first part of this month you had a daddy-daughter weekend (Friday night/Saturday) with your dad. Mom ran a 5K in Charlottesville and your dad was super sweet and kept you so I could be focused on my race. Speaking of overnighters you had your first week away from home too. We went to stay with Nana & Papa the first half of the week and then down to Charlotte to visit the Haynes (including the newest Haynes, Lydia), all while Daddy was in school. You were very smiley with Lydia, in fact I think you guys are going to be best friends!
You've become such a curious little baby over the past few weeks. You're reaching for anything and everything within sight. It's like you've realized there's a whole new world of discovery out there just waiting for you! You learned how to roll over from back to tummy this month. You've done the opposite a handful of times too but I think you got a little amnesia about how to do it again.
You're still a pretty calm, easy going baby. The lady at CVS asked me the other day if you were always this calm and when I said "most of the time" she said "Well I guess you've just got a little Buddha baby." While I'm not sure what to think about you being compared to Buddha, I do appreciate the symbolism she was getting at and the fact that you remain a chill baby.
You said goodbye to lots of your friends this month. That's the stinkiest part of this whole college ministry thing. Some you'll see again in August but lots of them are moving on for good. I bet you'll still be able to make them smile whenever you seem them again though!
Our love for you continues to grow more and more each day. We love you lots little girl!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Day Number Next
So obviously I failed at blogging consecutively throughout the month of April BUT I am determined to reach 100 joys. So here goes a few more!
57) First solid food feedings. Rice cereal everywhere (including on mom) but so cute while we try it!
58) First Post-pregnancy race. Marissa and I headed to Charlottesville this past weekend for a 5K organized by my friend Lauren (and others). It was so much fun and I pretty much ran it all (with the exception of about .2 miles)! The start of races are always such a spiritual experience for me and this one was no exception. I may have even teared up a bit :).
59) Healthy babies. Although Sadie may not agree with me, (this picture was taken while we were waiting for the nurse to return with her vaccines) I am so thankful that we are able to go to the doctor when we need to.
60) Lunch outside with friends. Since the weather has gotten nicer I've been taking every chance I have to be outside!
61) Breakfast pastries. When I was pregnant one of my cravings included breakfast pastries, chocolate chip scones, pumpkin muffins, you name it really I liked it. Well even though I'm not pregnant now, I still enjoy a good muffin every now and then.
62) These fabulous people are graduating on Saturday. And even though it makes my heart ache to know they won't be back this fall I'm excited to see what God has in store for their futures. Thank you Class of 2011 for all you've taught me. Know you are loved!
57) First solid food feedings. Rice cereal everywhere (including on mom) but so cute while we try it!
58) First Post-pregnancy race. Marissa and I headed to Charlottesville this past weekend for a 5K organized by my friend Lauren (and others). It was so much fun and I pretty much ran it all (with the exception of about .2 miles)! The start of races are always such a spiritual experience for me and this one was no exception. I may have even teared up a bit :). 
59) Healthy babies. Although Sadie may not agree with me, (this picture was taken while we were waiting for the nurse to return with her vaccines) I am so thankful that we are able to go to the doctor when we need to.
60) Lunch outside with friends. Since the weather has gotten nicer I've been taking every chance I have to be outside! 
61) Breakfast pastries. When I was pregnant one of my cravings included breakfast pastries, chocolate chip scones, pumpkin muffins, you name it really I liked it. Well even though I'm not pregnant now, I still enjoy a good muffin every now and then.
62) These fabulous people are graduating on Saturday. And even though it makes my heart ache to know they won't be back this fall I'm excited to see what God has in store for their futures. Thank you Class of 2011 for all you've taught me. Know you are loved!
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