09.29.08
Princess and the Prankster
I think y’all have met the Prankster. If not, you can read about him here and here.
The Prankster is a freshman in college and he and Princess have been close friends for some time. As their relationship started to developed into possibly more than just friends Hubby decided to impose quite a strict rule regarding their level of communication.
They couldn’t. Communicate.
Yes, you read it correctly. No Facebook. No phone. No texting. No email. No IM.
From September 1st until November 1st the ONLY way they are allowed to communicate is through writing letters. Ya know, like paper and pen and an envelope and a stamp.
At first Hubby imposed this rule for the entire first semester - four months! As much as I love and respect him I had to question his sanity. So he graciously agreed to just the first two months of the semester.
The interesting thing is that Princess didn’t even really complain. Well, maybe a little right in the beginning but both Princess and Prankster were willing to abide by Hubby’s rule. Now they could certainly be cheating. (If you guys are cheating you are so dead). But I don’t think they are. They usually write 3-4 times a week and by the size of the envelopes these letters are like 23 pages long.
And honestly, I’m a little jealous. If I got a letter from Hubby, even a one page letter, well let me just say I would be a very smitten wife and Hubby would be glad he wrote me a letter. 
It’s just so romantic and maybe that’s why Princess didn’t really complain about it.
Email and texting and Facebook are great and all but really, do you get to know a person through those means of communication? But being able to write letters, share thoughts and feelings and frustrations and joys and whatever else, now that is communicating. Not to mention the excitement of checking the mail and getting more than a bill or credit card offer!
It’s a treasure that’s been lost. So today, I challenge you to write a letter. Or send a card. Let someone know that you love them and are thinking of them and are praying for them. I just know it will make their day!
09.26.08
Fireproof
I hope if this movie is playing in your town or nearby that you take time this weekend to see it…preferably with your spouse! Unfortunately it’s not playing in our town but I’m trying to convince Hubby to drive two hours to see it!
Have a great weekend!
The joys and sorrows of a mom who works outside the home
Having a chance to go to the bathroom by myself.
Not having to share my snack or my lunch or my water or my milk or my snack.
Not having to say “No” or “Ucky” every two minutes.
Giving my aching muscles a little rest from lifting.
Not having to pick up that toy or cracker a hundred times in a row.
Not having to tell the dog every 2 minutes, “quick licking the baby”.
Sorrows (honestly, too many to list):
Not having someone to talk to when I go to the bathroom.
Not seeing the cheesy smile of my girl when I share my snack or my lunch or my water or my milk or my snack.
Not being the one to teach her what “no” and “ucky” means.
Possibly missing a “first”.
Nut getting hugs. Anytime. Anywhere.
No kisses. Sloppy, open mouth, often food filled kisses. But still wonderful precious kisses.
Not being there to comfort when she falls or bumps her head.
Not being able to help her learn how to pick up her own toys and be “mommy’s big helper”.
Not seeing Belle squeal and kick her legs with delight every single time she sees the doggies.
Not being able to take a nap together.
Knowing that if I could I would trade every joy of going to work to be home with my baby.
09.24.08
Mommy’s big helper
Our baby girl has turned into mommy’s big helper. Literally overnight it seems. It’s so amazing to see their minds and personalities grow and change and develop.
For the past few months Belle has been helping me with laundry. I put the clothes in the basket and she takes them all out and throws them around the room. Helping, right?!? Well lately, she has been taking the clothes out of the basket and handing them to me. I can’t fold them fast enough! But what a good helper – especially since I can hardly bend over to get the clothes out of the basket.
The other day we were working in her bedroom. It’s a complete mess. I have boxes and boxes of her old clothes that no longer fit. And some clothes for Little Pip that someone gave us. And Pip’s car seat. And some of Belle’s “baby toys. And her toys she plays with now. And who knows what else.
So I was trying to organize the chaos, put her freshly washed clothes away, put Pip’s clothes away, etc. First she handed me every piece of clothing. And then she started handing me hangers. I had a huge pile of hangers on the floor and she would hand them to me one at a time. I wasn’t ready to use them yet so I would say, “Thank you” and put them on the other side of me. When she got through the pile of hangers she went over to the other side of me and started the process again! We did this at least 5 times. You should have seen the look on her face. She just knew that she was mommy’s big helper!
Normally in the morning when it’s time for her bottle she’ll just spit out her pacifier and it goes flying. But lately she’s been waiting patiently for mommy to get comfortable. I hand her the bottle. She takes out her pacifier and hands it to me.
Oh, my heart can only take so much!
Some other ways she’s trying to be a big helper:
Helping the doggies eat their food.
Helping the doggies drink their water.
“Cleaning” the toilet.
“Taking out” the garbage.
Turning the tv channel for us. And sometimes trying to order a movie on Pay Per View!
As amazing as it is to see her grow and change and develop how I wish she could stay my baby forever.
Works for me Wednesday
I’m glad you stopped by today because this tip is going to rock your world.
Just kidding. If this rocks your world you really need to get out more.
I have to first give a disclaimer that I’ve actually only taken my own advice regarding this tip two times. But the two times I did do it, it worked marvously.
Ok, on to the good stuff….
Anyone else struggle with finding time to blog every single day? Or even every other day? I love to write and spill my guts to complete strangers but who has the time, right?
Well one day I realized that you can schedule posts to publish at a different time (at least on WordPress, not sure about others?).
So once a week I’ll take a few hours to myself and spend that time writing my posts for the coming week. I’ll schedule them all ahead of time so I have a post publishing every day or every other day. And then I’m done blogging for the week. Well, unless you count the many hours spent reading other peoples’ blogs. Then I guess I still have blogging to do but still, half my work is done!
Now I just need to come up with a tip on how to get those few hours to myself!
Don’t forgot to stop by Rocks in My Dryer for other ideas and suggestions.
09.22.08
I figured you were probably wondering anyway
So ok, I’ll share some random stuff about me. I’m sure it’s stuff you’ve been dying to know…
1. I’m a scribbler. I didn’t realize scribbling was an inherited trait but I know that I got it from my mom because she’s a scribbler too. On the phone. Just hanging out talking with someone. I have to be scribbling. And it’s not like 6 year old scribbling. It’s usually hearts and diamonds…all connected together. And sometimes smiley faces. And sometimes my name. See, like this. Although this picture doesn’t do justice – it’s the only one I could find. Usually the entire page is re-written over and over and has stars and hearts and who knows what else!
2. I still have my very first stuffed animal. Well, that I can remember anyway. I’m sure I probably had a little bear or doll or something when I was a baby. But this is the first stuffed animal I remember getting. His name is Gargamel. Like from the Smurfs. Ya know, the blue people. Jeez, I’m old. Anyway, I just found him the other day underneath our bed. Poor guy. He got a good washing and has now been passed down to Belle who surprisingly isn’t scared of him.
3. I love sheep. Ok, maybe you knew that. I grew up on a sheep farm. You probably knew that too. Thus the “lots of sheep” in my email. When I was growing up on a sheep farm my dream was to become a veternarian. That soon faded when I realized you had to actually pass biology. I can’t really say I had a favorite part about growing up on a sheep farm. Probably just the time spent helping mom and dad – whether it was feeding the bottle lambs, giving shots, castarating (yes, that was fun for us too for some reason), or helping some of the mama’s deliver their lambs. Us kids, with our scrawny arms, had the pleasure of actually sticking our hand/arm up the mama when a baby was stuck.
No matter what we were doing it was like we were really important. The farm wouldn’t survive without us kids. Now I’m not sure how much of that is true but as a 10 year old it makes you feel pretty special.
And so it was with great joy that I found this book for Belle. A book that combines my first love with Hubby’s first love:
Although Hubby doesn’t like it because the sheep crash the Jeep. Hee hee.
4. What annoys me? Oh, I thought you’d never ask!
How about when someone (not naming names) finishes a box of cereal or a gallon or milk or pretty much anything in any type of container. And instead of putting it in the garbage or recylce bin where it goes they put it on the counter. If the garbage is too full for it to fit well then change the garbage for goodness sakes. But really, I love serving my family in this way. Really.
When someone (again, not naming names) leaves the closet door in our bathroom open. EVERY. SINGLE. MORNING.
The dogs. I used to love our dogs. I consider myself a dog person. But I cannot stand our dogs (not you Charlie). Since Belle came home they are so very needy and insecure – especially Allie. And she’s always licking. UG! I can’t stand it and some days it’s enough to make me lose my mind. Not to mention the dog hair. That’s a whole nother story.
Ok, that’s probably enough. This isn’t suppose to be a crabby post!
5. Give me a crowd any day. Whether I’m performing a skit or monologue, sharing my testimony or facilitating a training session, I am much more comfortable getting up in front of a large group than I am meeting one on one with someone (unless that someone is a close friend, then it’s not so bad).
6. I’ve bungee jumped. You probably already know that if you read my 100 Things post. However you wouldn’t know that I was extremely sun burned when I did it. EXTREMELY. They almost didn’t let me go because they were afraid it would be too painful. I was too scared to feel any pain though. And actually they had to tell me to jump twice. They say “3 2 1 BUNGEE!” and you’re suppose to fall backwards. I just stood there. But the second time I did it.
I have yet to sky dive but that’s my next goal. Although now with kiddos it kinda changes your perspective on those things. At least someone in my family is still defying death.
I really hate to end on #6. That’s pretty lame. But I’m tired and for the life of me I can’t think of anything else that you wouldn’t already know about me. Now that’s lame. Or scary. Or both. Night all.
09.21.08
28 weeks and a few days
Yikes. Not much longer folks! If the last three months of this pregnancy go as fast as the first three, little Pip will be here before we know it.
There’s not alot to report that’s different from my last update. I know you’re sick of me talking about my back pain so I won’t tell you how that continues to wipe me out. And no, I have not called the physical therapist yet because I don’t have a brain I guess. Tomorrow I’m calling though. This weekend was the worst ever and I need to get a brain and get some relief.
Belle has started to notice my big tummy. She’ll come over to me, want to sit on my lap and lift up my shirt so she can pat my tummy. And then she’ll kiss my tummy. We talk all the time about her baby brother in mommy’s tummy but I’m not sure if she understands yet – I wouldn’t think so. But the way she pats and kisses my tummy you’d think she does understand a little.
Little Pip is still moving around like crazy. I can now see my stomach move when he kicks. And sometimes it feels like he’s trying to claw his way out. It’s almost gross if it wasn’t so cool. I think I also started having some Braxton Hicks contractions this weekend but I’m not entirely sure because of my constant back and hip pain.
People, miracles do happen. I think we’ve decided on a name. And no, I’m not going to tell you what it is because Hubby isn’t 100% sure. Remember he’s annoyingly stubborn. We probably won’t decide for sure until Little Pip makes his appearance.
Here I am at 28 weeks and really bad hair:
And a comparison of 26 weeks and 28 weeks:
And a comparison of 10 weeks and 28 weeks:
Like I said, there’s much else to report. We’re thankful for that. Appreciate your continued prayers!
09.16.08
Dear Hubby,
I know I don’t say thank you enough and I’m sorry. I can’t imagine my life without you. Not just because you are so amazing and helpful but because you help me to be the woman that God has called me to be.
Thank you for being so patient, especially lately with all my emotional breakdowns. I know, I know, I haven’t been that emotional. I don’t think you always know what to do with me but you are always kind and patient and loving.
Thank you for praying with me when I need it most. Nothing draws me closer to you than when we pray together. Especially when I feel that I can’t go on and life is tumbling out of control.
Thank you for making me laugh. You are so funny and alot of times it’s annoying but most times it’s exactly what I need to put everything in perspective.
Thank you for being such an amazing father. I am often envious of the attention and love you give to our kids but I wouldn’t have it any other way. You are a great example of the love our Heavenly Father has for us. Unconditional. Everlasting. Never-ending.
Thank you for all the work you do around the house. It’s only because of your help that I’m able to work the schedule I can and not completely lose my mind. Thank you for never hardly ever complaining about the help you give.
Thank you for picking up the dogs poop in the backyard.
Thank you for being a kid at heart. We are so alike in that way and it’s what often has me rolling on the floor in laughter.
Thank you for flirting with me and saying those things that only you and I know what they mean. I often act annoyed but really I’m flattered that you would love me so much.
Thank you for allowing God to change you into the man of God He wants you to be. Over the past 5 1/2 years I’ve seen you grow and mature in your faith and want to know God more. I can’t tell you how amazingly attractive that is!
Thank you for giving me TWO babies in one year! I know God had a little something to do with it but you are willing to start completely over after having raised Prince and Princess and that’s alot of sacrifice. Thank you for understanding my hearts desire and allowing God to give you peace about it.
Thank you Hubby. I love you.
YDW, Missy
09.14.08
Sweetness is…
…Vegging out in sweats all day watching football.
…Belle finally going to sleep so we can take a quick nap too.
…Double chocolate chip frappochino, personally delivered by Princess.
…Getting all the laundry done.
…Teaching Belle how to say please (or at least trying to).
…Seeing the new (tiny) bassinet that now sits in our bedroom.
…Knowing the in 3 short months, Lord willing, that bassinet will have Little Pip in it.
…Listening to Belle laugh at Hubby when he snores.
…our Saturday morning tradition of rolls for breakfast (not very healthy but still yummy and sweet!).
…Watching the movie Angels in the Outfield…and crying every time.
…Freshly washed sheets.
…Every once in awhile Belle wanting to cuddle with me instead of her daddy.
…Seeing Belle cuddle with her daddy.
…Not having to make lunch because Hubby does.
…Enjoying one of our last warm days by having a picnic at the park and then playing at the playground with Belle and Princess and then visiting with Princess’s friends for awhile.
…No homework for Princess.
…Sitting together at Sunday morning worship…and seeing Belle clap along with the music.
…Kisses from Belle.
…Kisses from Princess.
…Kisses from Hubby.
How would you describe sweetness today?
09.12.08
Summer, where have you gone!
It’s starting to get a little nippy around here. Fall is just around the corner and although I love the change of seasons it makes me long for the warm days of summer. Here are a few play dates I never did get around to showing you!
This was one day in our yard – I think the first time Belle tried out her new pool. She loved it. She loves anything with water. Michael Phelps, watch out!
Isn’t she just the cutest in her little suit and hat?!?!
Although the doggies enjoyed a cool drink, they weren’t happy they couldn’t join Belle in the pool.
Here’s Allie trying to sneak in!
We have a Spray Park in our town. It has all these fountains and spraying water and things for the kids to climb on. Belle was a little too little to really enjoy it. Plus the water was very cold!
Here we sat her right on the littlest spray fountain they had.
Mommy, what are you doing to me?
Even when mommy holds her she wasn’t so sure about this play date!
Hope you too made some great summer memories!
