why i (really) hate trash days.

Fridays are trash days in our neighborhood.
I hate trash days.
And not because of the trash.

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I hate trash days because it means yet another week of life has passed.
so, so quickly.
Literally, every Thursday night when I take the trash bins out to the street,
I have a pit in my stomach thinking to myself,
"Didn't I JUST take the trash out?!"

I know that this sounds silly, but it is honestly heart wrenching sometimes.

Because it means that another week
of watching my girls interact,
of watching them learn about life,
of listening to Abigail learn words and songs,
of watching Bethany meet her first year "milestones",
of getting to love on them day after day,
of countless hours of play...
has already gone by.

and I am one week closer to actually missing this stage
of babyhood and toddlerhood,
(Bethany is only 6 months old and I already miss having a teensy newborn)
to missing their innocent perspectives of life as a child,
to them being gone at school all day every day.
One week closer to them finding love apart from their Daddy,
to not having them live in my home,
to them stepping out into the world on their "own".

(and none of those are bad things...i look forward to them all...
I just know I'll miss where I'm at right now.}

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At least once a week, Parker and I ask each other "how can we slow this down?"
"how can we enjoy it more, take it in better?"

And it's not just with the girls, though that definately makes time fly even faster.
But just life.
How is it that we will be married for NINE years next month?
or that I have been out of high school for 11 years?
or that I will be 30 in a few months?
HOW?!

And even in the midst of toddler tantrums, potty training, terrible baby sleep,
not being able to leave the house for long, learning to discipline, sheer exhaustion
and days without a shower...
Time is FLYING. and i KNOW I will miss these days.

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the lyrics to this song get me every time:
"You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins

you seriously need to watch this. and just a disclaimer: you WILL cry.



{drying my eyes again so i can keep writing. ahh!. ok, I can do this.}

I feel like I don't have any answers really to how to make this okay in my head.
Other than to know that with each coming stage and each coming season of life,
and of our girls' lives...
with those will come NEW joys, NEW milestones, NEW experiences.
and for that...I can't wait.

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I don't want to waste time on being sad about it.
I want to remember that EACH DAY is another one NOT promised, and that there can be fulfillment in each precious, precious day He has given us.
And that if I will just breathe sometimes in the middle of my moments,
I CAN take it in. I CAN relish in it.
And if I realize and respond to what HE is asking of me, and what He is having me do with the days He has given me...it's all okay...and it even seems a little slower.

But is just times like those darn trash days that get me thinking.

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thanks for listening to my heart today.
linking up here

Here's the lyrics to the song above... "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins

She was starin' out the window of their SUV
Complainin', sayin', “I can't wait to turn eighteen”

She said, “I'll make my own money and I'll make my own rules

Momma, put the car in park out there in front of the school”

And she kissed her head, and said, “I was just like you”

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times
So take a good look around

You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In her one bedroom apartment and her daddy stops by
He tells her it's a nice place, she says, “It'll do for now”

Starts talkin' about babies and buyin' a house

Daddy shakes his head and says, “Baby, just slow down”

Cuz' you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days

Hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times
So take a good look around

You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plumber Workin' on the water heater
Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'
One kid's cryin' and one kid's screamin'
And she keeps apologizin'
He says, “They don't bother me
I've got two babies of my own
One's thirty-six, one's twenty-three”


Huh, it's hard to believe

But you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this

You're gonna miss this Yeah, you're gonna miss this
.

First Bites

hope yall had a great 4th!
yesterday we also celebrated Bethany turning 6 months!
SO that means....we started "solids"!!

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She did AWESOME, way better than I remember Abigail doing...
we started with Squash and she was anxious to get that spoon to her mouth!

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This time around, I decided to make my own baby food...something I did not do with Abigail.
With Abigail, I think I was just so overwhelmed with adjusting to motherhood in and of itself, that I didn't feel confident enough to make my own food, and buying it just seemed easier!

But, in an effort to save money, and attempts to stick with healthy eating...
I am on a new adventure!
I spent a good portion of a day this week preparing months worth of food to freeze!
I actually found that I LOVED the process! I don't know why I was so intimidated by it before!!

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I know there are lots of new mamas, and mamas-to-be, that might feel the same way I did,
or just not know how to make their own food, etc.
I know lots of mamas who get anxious about "starting solids", especially if its your first baby!

SO, I decided to start sharing my adventures in baby food making, in hopes that it can encourage some of you or give you new ideas/recipes!
I made a button I will keep over there on my sidebar that you can click on to see the latest
baby food makin posts!

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Hope y'all have a BLESSED day!!


Happy 4th!...and some "Did You Know's?"

So thankful for that flag that flies, representing the freedom we are blessed with here.
Happy 4th of July folks...can't wait to hear what everyone is doing to celebrate!
(and ALSO..Happy 6 months to my sweet B!!)

I am linking up today (the 4th) with a ton of bloggers for the
"Red White and YOU" blog hop!
I'd been wanting to do another one of these posts lately anyways, so I thought today would be perfect to share some random "did you know's?" about myself...

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did you know?
I love watching the Tour De France bike race. It gives me chills to watch.
(I'm watching it as I write)
I secretly dream of being an amazing biker.
I actually AM naturally blonde. :) but hey, a little extra highlighting never hurt, right?
I will celebrate 9 years of marriage next month. yes, 9 years!
I used to be majorly addicted to Coca-Cola.
I went to Baylor University (for my first two years before I got married then finished at UTD)
I have never been to Europe but would LOVE to someday.

did you know?
I am a terribly light sleeper.
I grew up in Dallas, TX but moved to Oklahoma a year ago for hubb's job.
Breastfeeding is one of my favorite parts of being a new mommy.
Neither one of our babies were "planned".
I do not, and wil not, eat any kind of fish or seafood. blech.
I had a miscarriage in between our two girls.
I was the Captain of my high school drill team.
I don't like coffee. I know, I know.

did you know?
I have seen every single season of the Bachelor. yep.
I learned about the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit when I was in high school, and have not been the same since.
I am a trained Post-Partum Doula.
I hate having my nails painted. (I love mani's, but hate the fact it never stays on)
I have to trust Him every day with fear that I will lose my girls.
I cannot imagine doing anything else than being a Mommy.
I love to blog. oh wait, you prob figured that out. :)

there you have it.
{and for more random facts about me, like how I am adopted, and how I have a tattoo,
click here}

YAY for getting to know each other. :) I love this avenue for sharing life.
what a blessing it has been to me.

I'll leave y'all with some pics of what we've been up to the last few days..
lots of summer fun in the backyard!

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Happy 4th y'all.
Hope it's filled with lots of watermelon, hot dogs, sunscreen, fireworks, and fun!

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And, last but NOT least...
Happy 6 months sweet Bethany!!
I cannot believe how time has flown since you graced us with your dainty little self.

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I love you beyond words, Monkey.

Naptime Ramblings: the 4th, worship, 54 texts, weight, Joe, potty training, and Alaska

Seems that this might become a regular thing.
when I don't really have a "topic" in mind or on my heart to blog about...
just sharing a few thoughts while the babes are asleep. :)

1. so excited for the 4th! Looking into our plan for the day right now. We will probably go to a parade that morning, and then that evening we will head to our city park for free food, live bands, bounce house, and fireworks! woohoo!
(and don't forget the watermelon!)

2. also excited for the 4th because it is Bethany's half-birthday!
SIX months old!! can you believe it? I can't.
oh my goodness I feel like she was just being born like yesterday. time definitely flies even faster with number two.
She is growing, uses her excersaucer, rolls all over the place, and is super close to sitting for more than a few seconds! I fall in love with my tiny peanut more every day!

3. I am working through in my heart about what it looks like to really be listening to HIM each day.
It seems as if He needs to remind me of this in a new way with each season of life.
Lately, He has led me to listen to messages online, and also just to spend time worshipping to music.
He is speaking and showing up, and I'm so glad.

4. about worship: it has been VITAL for me lately. seriously.
When Bethany wakes up about 6:30-ish, I have been bringing her to bed with us and turning worship music on on my phone while we all just lay there until Abigail wakes up, usually around 7. Bethany loves it, and I swear it makes a HUGE difference in how we start the day.

5. potty training. OH potty training. Abigail WAS trained for a while, then got a tummy virus and it all went out the window.
(or down the toilet I should say?!). :)
so here we are again...she is SO ready, and pretty much takes herself to the potty every time she has to go.
(with the expectation of a marshmallow each time she tee-tees in the big girl potty. duh.)
We're about to do hard-core-dont-leave-your-house training again this week, just to try and seal the deal, so...here's to hoping I won't step in any poop this week as my two year old is running to the bathroom.
(yes, that did happen last week. ick.)

6. I am so thankful for some of my bloggy bff's who keep me laughing just about every day through our group text messages.
We are also a group who prays for each other, and for that, I feel so blessed.
Also, its pretty awesome to leave your phone for a while and come back to 54, yes 54, texts.
#truestory
I LOVE you ladies...you know who you are! :)

7. I started training this week for a triathlon. It's not my first, but its been like 4 years. ahh!
So here goes. September, here I come!
Watching The Tour De France, my FAV sporting event to watch, is giving me lots of motivation since it started this week.

8. On that note, I am about 1.5 lbs away from my goal weight, and am hoping to do a post about it soon! I am hopeful I will reach my goal by Wednesday the 4th, because that will be 6 months since baby.
I am thankful for the way cutting sugar out/down has changed my life...and not just my weight, but my life!
But as you might know from my instagram pics, I'm def far from perfect in my eating.
(Nutella, anyone?)

9. In a few weeks, we will be going to Dallas to celebrate the 60th birthday of our spiritual father, Joe. We cannot wait!! It is going to be a huge night of blessing, testimony, and just experiencing the presence of God, as people share about the impact Joe has had in their lives.
We are beyond blessed to have him and his wife, Kim, in ours.
(and we even met at their house!)
Can't wait to post about it.

10. My mother-in-law is leaving soon for an Alaskan cruise.
I'm jealous. that's all. :)
(so excited for you Jan!)

Y'all have a blessed day!!!
Thanks for listening to me.