June 28, 2011

one. point. five.

June 28, 2011/ sarah

one point five.

1.5

one year and 6 months.

18 months.

a year and a half.

on the road to 2. (woah, I think Ill stop there)

or, in other words...

TIME IS FLYING BY!

A few days ago, Abigail turned 18 months old.

yep, I have a year-and-a-half-year-old.

Im so loving this age, but also so sad its gone SO quickly.

(PS this means Christmas is less than 6 months away, just in case you were wondering.)

Abigail was born on Christmas Eve, thats how I know.

She is a million things all rolled into the sweetest little package.

...in no particular order...

sweet. opinionated. loud. strong-willed. compassionate. verbal. observant.

precious. adventurous. curious. strong-willed. (oh sorry did I already say that?)

loving. pretty. funny. expressive. mischievous. caring. social. sassy. friendly. growing.

LOVED.

My sweet baby girl,

I cannot believe how big you are.

I cherish every single moment God gives me with you

and I am so proud to be your "mama".

(if you look closely, you might be able to tell she is asking for "cheese!?" in this picture)

I LOVE YOU ABIGAIL JOY!

June 27, 2011

blog award, blog love, and about US...

June 27, 2011/ sarah

My sweet sweet bloggy friend (and fellow Baylor Bear AND Aggie fan!)

from Elizabeth Ann's Recipe Box,

blessed me by passing on this award!

Go check her out! She is the queen of encouragement and you can tell God has given her a heart to speak truth and sweetness into other people's lives... even when she only knows them through blog land! :) She (and her blog too) is a treasure you need to know!

Elizabeth Ann's Recipe Box

Here's how the award works:

1. link back to the giver of the award

2. spread the love by awarding 10 other blogs

3, contact those bloggers to tell them you're giving it

4. share 10 random things about yourself

SOOO...

here are the 10 blogs

I would love for you to go check out and be blessed by!!

(links are below each picture)

Name Your Joy

she not only makes the cutest stuff (check out her shop while you're there!), but throughout her writing you see her heart for finding the simple joys around her!

June and Bear

this momma is such a sweet one whose love for her little ones exudes in her posts!

She is also an amazing decorator, and recently threw the precious party for her littles that you see in the picture above!

Undercover Mother

Hyacynth (such a gorgeous name right?)

This beautiful lady takes my breath away every time by her writing, her honesty, and her heart!

Bradford Road

Isn't this momma and baby girl just gorgeous?!

Grace writes with sincerity and heart and I love reading about her little family and

what God is showing her daily.

The Easily Amused Mommy

I recently "met" this mommy, Jamie, and have been so blessed by her comments.

Her blog is witty and sweet all at the same time. I love her heart!

Peanut Butter in my Hair

Love this blog,

She is honest, funny, and sweet in her accounts of motherhood,

including the very real ups and the downs.

Finding Joy

Another blogger I've recently discovered,

I love "finding joy" with this sweet mama to 7 and precious wife,

you def will too!

s, d, and double e

this sweet lady always blesses me with her comments,

and I love seeing her life through her amazing and talented photography.

She is beautiful in front of and behind the lens.

Resourceful Red

another new blog Im following,

I love this girl, her heart, her creations, and her awesome tips to help live a better life in our environment! check it all out for sure!

Art For All Ages

You will love Danett's art ideas, her heart for art, and her precious little family!

You'll be drawn in by her artsy kids stuff from the get-go!

---------------------------------

SO NOW, the next part of this award is to share with you 10 things about me.

Since I did that not too long ago in another post,

(see that here to learn more about me)

I decided I'd list 10 things about me AND my hubbs!

(Ill keep it short and sweet)

1. Parker and I will celebrate 8 years of marriage in August!

2. We love to just hang out, stay up late talking about serious things, and almost every morning we say we shouldn't have stayed up so late...but then we do it again!

3. we actually went to the same high school, but are 5 years apart

(6 grades...scandalous right? hehe :))

dont worry, we didn't meet until I was in college!

4. We have been through a ton of medical issues (including 8 surgeries), and a lot of financial struggle in our life together. More than most our age it seems.

But God has proven faithful through it all.

5. Parker LOVES being a daddy to his little princess.

He laughs about how he was so "scared" of this baby in my tummy and what it would bring,

And then when she came, he was so instantly in love.

6. We love the beach ALMOST as much as we love the mountains.

7. We have been through two of life's most impactful events together:

the death of a father (we lost Parker's dad suddenly last year),

followed 3 months later by the birth of our first baby.

Emotional roller coaster, but it has strengthened us.

8. We love watching House Hunters International (on HGTV),

and have friendly arguments about which house the couple should pick.

9. He loves sushi and seafood.

Anything that swims should not be on my plate. Eww.

10. We do agree on this: Happiness and Joy are both good things.

One you can have when things happen that you like, and the other is actually

found by knowing a Person,

and which can be had no matter the happenings.

Thanks for learning more about US!

so now,

go check out those lovely blogs I mentioned,

and if you like them leave some love, or better yet, follow them!

And feel welcome to follow us too...we'd love to have you!! :)

Lovely Monday!

June 24, 2011

Stuff is Heavy

June 24, 2011/ sarah

Two weeks ago we followed a huge moving van with all of our stuff in it to our new town.

It was filled to the brim.

Last weekend we had to go back for more,

filling up an entire U-haul trailer, plus the bed of Parker's truck.

Filled. With. STUFF.

As we drove the u-haul, it was almost just exhausting to feel the weight of the trailer

(because of all the stuff in it)

pulling behind our truck on the highway.

Parker had to drive meticulously to keep it between the lines.

As he drove, he made the comment:

"Stuff is heavy."

whew.

I know, right?

I attempt to be open and honest sharing here on this blog,

so here's the real honest picture of our garage right now.

I know the justifications you { I } might think:

"but its a garage"

"but you've been married for 8 years, you SHOULD have a lot of stuff"

"but thats normal"

"but you might need that someday!"

"but you just moved!"

oh, and this is all our stuff that didn't fit in the house, or needs to be gone through...

I have already had 2 small breakdowns/nasueas moments at the amount

of things we own and don't need.

(seeing it all in boxes really brings it to light)

An 18-month-old baby does not need all that she has.

We don't need more than one rake.

And I don't need 2 crock pots.

I'm not a hoarder, I don't have a shopping addiction.

(in fact, a lot of this stuff has been given to us in our seasons of drought financially)

But I think there's something deep here God is wanting me to see.

Something very deep.

I'm still working through it, but here is a part of what I'm beginning to ponder...

I know this verse can be a little overused and taken in a legalistic manner about spending money, but i want to try and share with you what God is showing me about it:

please keep with me here.

"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of you heart will also be."

Matthew 6:19

BUT DONT STOP THERE.

two verses down comes the root issue, in my opinion.

"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear, Isn't life more than food, and you body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you FAR more valuable

to Him than they are?

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lillies of the field and how they grow...

And if God cares for wildflowers that are here today and gone tomorrow,

he will certainly care for you.

So, don't worry about these things, saying, what shall we eat? what will we wear?

...Your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs..."

Matthew 6:25

Believe Him. Trust Him. KNOW that HE will provide for you.

And protect you.

Then maybe we can focus on the life-giving gifts He has given,

and not feel the need to store up STUFF in barns.

Or garages, or closets, or pantrys or whatever it is for you.

I need to breathe in some peace (this picture helps), even after just writing this out.

I want to trust Him like I am more valuable than the bird outside.

I could write for hours about the ways HE has provided and proven His goodness to us,

But I still need to believe Him (DAILY) and not worry, or store up,

out of fear that He won't provide for me

JUST what I need IN the moment that I need it.

Because He will...

He loves me more than the birds.

sharing my heart over here today, check it out:

June 23, 2011

something's missing.

June 23, 2011/ sarah

I've come to the end of what I consider an era...

18 months of breastfeeding my first-born.

I'm a little emotional about it.

(actually a tear just popped out)

"A newborn baby has three demands: the warmth in the arms of its mother, food from her breasts, and security in the knowledge of her presence.

Breastfeeding satisfies all three."

-unknown

I understand that not every mother is able to breastfeed their babies

or do it as long as they want to.

I am sensitive to that as a friend, a blogger, a doula, and a mommy.

So what I share here, is just meant to be a pouring out of my own heart and passion about the gift I was given to be able to nurse my little girl,

and the emotion of it now ending.

the preparation: oh, how I tried to "prepare", but no class or book could have prepared me for the struggles, triumphs, and emotions of breastfeeding.

the first time: so worried about the "ever-so-important" latch, I must have called the Lactation Consultant into the room a million times, plus a million calls to my doula.

I remain thankful for the support system around me as I pursued this part

of being a brand new mommy.

the going home: oh man. don't we all know about how its so much easier in the hospital and then when you go home it all seems to just fall apart?

I called my doula a million more times. I went to see an LC again.

But I kept with it. So glad I did.

the ups: I never knew (REALLY knew) what an emotional connection nursing her

would give me.

I also remember thinking I was glad I didn't have to get up 4 times a night and make a bottle.

It has continued to be a source of comfort for her, but also for me.

When she gets hurt or scared, it provides closeness and reassurance.

And when Mama is hurt or scared, it helps me too.

It makes me feel needed and loved,

and I know it makes her feel the same.

the downs: double mastitis at 4 weeks old=terrible.

no sleep...long/many nursing sessions at night,which continued until she was about a year.

my over-supply issues (this can be just as hard to deal with as under-supply issues).

teething: open wounds and lots of pumping (ouch!)

never knowing exactly when (where) she would be ready to nurse.

(but I always carried my Hooter Hider wherever i went)

and now...

the weaning: I always said I wanted it to happen naturally, on her time.

and so it has.

I don't know what switched in her head, but it's like she just grew up and didn't need me overnight (well, thats how I feel anyways) :(

We were already down to just a few feedings at morning and night, but this week she decided other things were more interesting than nursing in the morning.

And then at night.

So I have just gone with it, reading her cues that she's not needing it anymore.

In an effort to keep with it, today when she asked for "nilk" and pointed at her little chest,

I offered her a "baba" instead, but I said it with a lump in my throat.

But I know it's right.

She decided it's time, and I am feeling that too now.

But it's still hard.

When did she get so big?

Wasn't I just figuring out all this breastfeeding business?