Are you ready?

When you waddle around in life 37.5 weeks pregnant, you BEG to be asked that one loaded question, "Are you ready?" It is asked of me multiple times a day, every.single.day. I know that people are being cordial and conversational, but I've run out of interesting responses.

Top three:
"...I think so..."
"...we'll find out..."
and,
"...not really."

But today in the shower, I really started thinking about it. I mean, if all goes as planned, this is Grand Finale Grove. I will never (Lord-willing) never carry life within me again. (My cup overfloweth!) So, I'm rethinking my various answers to that oh-so-loaded question:

Are you ready...

...to no longer carry an additionally 40lbs around? HECK YES! Just ask my feet.

...to never again feel that indescribable feeling of life moving within me? No. It's quite possibly the coolest experience ever.

...to see The Boy and The Girl walk into the hospital room to meet their new sibling? No, not at all. They'll immediately both look 75% bigger, and 3 years older, and I just can't handle that.

... to have more than 6 wardrobe items that I fit in to? Yes, yes, yes. I simply cannot find one more way to accessorize and make them look different. I'm so bored with my options, and too cheap to do anything about it.

... to not fit into anything properly for the next 6 months? No, ugh. Talk about depressing. Maternity clothes are too big. Normal clothes are abnormally small. Bring on the yoga pants... and the treadmill.

...to no longer have an excuse for eating crap-ola beyond any reasonable hour? No, I'm going to miss the special time spent in the evenings with The Hubby, Ken Burns, and some Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Seriously, there's no reasonable excuse for eating that stuff at any other time in my life.

...to not get up and potty fives times a night? Oh yes, I cannot wait to sleep through the night again... oh wait...

...to get up fives times a night to nurse a baby/change a diaper/make sure my child hasn't died of SIDS? No. No. No, not at all.

... to find out if it's a boy or a girl? I'm pumped, but not nearly as pumped as I thought I'd be. I really have no preference one way or the other. I just want to have a healthy baby and simple delivery. I think the not knowing will just be a huge motivating factor when it comes time to push.

... to juggle life with three kids? Not at all ready. I'm OCD. I plan. I like a clean house. None of these things goes along with a newborn, a 2.5 year old and a 5 year old. Praying for lots of Grace!

... to sleep on my stomach again? YES. Oh I cannot WAIT to sleep on my stomach again. I'm pretty sure The Hubby can't wait either... I've been accused of snoring for the first time in 8 years of wedded bliss. How dare he!

...to hold the third piece of worldy evidence of how much The Hubby and I love each other? YES! I cannot wait! Who will he/she look like? Will they have lots of hair? What will their personality be like?

So, Am I ready?

I say, bring it on! This is life. We'll roll with it. We'll figure it out. We'll fail. We'll succeed. We'll survive. We'll thrive. We'll be Carried Along. We'll be exhausted. We'll sleep when we're dead.

12 days.

58: The Film

All I wanted was a simple cake idea. Our Little Buddy is turning two, and I want to incorporate a firetruck into his homemade cake. Where to get quick ideas? Pinterest. Oh. My. Word. Don't get me wrong, I love Pinterest, but my perspective has changed a bit.

It happened on Tuesday.

I love a good documentary. Something well thought. Something low budget. Something with heart and a purpose.

Tuesday night our small group got together and watched "58: The Film" and my world was rocked. (Bonus: It's on Netflix.) We popped popcorn, made cupcakes and poured our delicious drinks-- and within the first 10 minutes no one had an appetite.

"58: The Film" is about a movement to end extreme poverty around the globe, through authentic Christian living, based on Isaiah 58.

In this 72 minute film you see families who live in rock quarries... working to pay a debt that's impossible to repay. You see families of eight who live in shanties... the size of my walk-in closet. You see little girls sold into sex trafficking... so their families can afford to eat.

What I can't understand is that while some kids are left to work in a quarry for the rest of their lives because of their parents desire to put food on the table, we are busy throwing birthday parties for 8-year-olds that cost as much as a mortgage payment! (C'mon, they invited 38 kids!!!)

We (Christians) are so wrapped up in who should be allowed to get married, what gender should be preaching from the pulpit and who has the right to carry weapons, that we've forgotten our mission on this earth. We're distracted.

Point for Satan.

Suddenly, my closet is annoying. My pantry is annoying. The fact that my kids DON'T share a room is annoying. I'm disgusted at my own oblivion.

Point for Jesus.

A few weeks ago I heard an evangelist talk about Western Christians being "spiritually obese." We go to church and feast... we go to Bible Study and feast... we hang out with our Christian friends and feast... but at what point are we going out and exercising our beliefs. How and when are we being the hands and feet of Jesus?

I'm guilty, friends. I'm so, so pathetically guilty. But I'm admitting it, which is the first step towards change.

Ending extreme poverty is not impossible. Changing lives from our small-town Indiana homes is not impossible.

And a simple 9x13 boxed cake mix will be more than enough to celebrate 2 years of God-given JOY.

Perspective

I love birthdays! I love cake... presents... surprises... endless FB love... singing... decor... gathering of friends and family... you know, all the things a good b-day entails!

This morning I started a new b-day ritual. I ran 3.1 miles. (Get it? 3.1 because I'm 31...) It was awesome. I'm still out of shape, but I did it. 400 calories- POOF- gone! (I'm thinking this ritual will be more impressive when I'm 65 and running 6.5 miles, no?)

About 20 minutes into this endeavor, two 70-somethings came in (wearing their jeans?) and hopped on the treadmills on either side of me. And, as I redirected my selfish thoughts ("I'm so much faster than them! Look at me go!"), it occurred to me that they're more than twice my age... and still working out. Instantly, I loved these ladies.

And, since I still had another 20 minutes of pain running, my mind began to wonder...

10 years ago I celebrated my 21st Birthday. On the one hand, that seems like an eternity ago, and on the other it seems like just yesterday. Either way, I cringe when I think about it. Some of my still very precious friends and I headed to a few of the local establishments (lots of options, thanks to Purdue), and we. got. loaded. There was a book for signatures after drinks... which were being served by the pitcher-full. There was a piano bar. There was dancing. There was fun and laughter. But, oh my word, there was more alcohol than I care to reflect upon. (This is not a judgement upon those who love this lifestyle. I'm just saying, it's not a good fit for me.)

This morning, my almost two-year-old, and my 4.5-year-old sang "Happy Birthday" to me with their Dad. (I might have asked them to stop, grabbed my video recorder, and had them start again.) It was precious. (By the way, who added the "cha-cha-cha" stuff? My kids think it's a riot.) We were all in our jammies, possibly on day 2 without a shower, eating oatmeal and laughing at D someone who toots a lot. Cherish.

My hubby, after a loooooooong night of work, was thoughtful enough to stop and get flowers, a balloon and a card, which I saw on the kitchen table when I woke up this morning. It could have been a bag of M&M's or even a bowl of pre-poured cereal-- the fact is, he remembered and inconvenienced himself to show me even more love than he usually does. (A year ago, he did this for me on my b-day.)

In 10 more years, I will be 41. HOLY SMOKES! God-willing, I will have a 14-year-old, 12-year-old and who knows how many (if any) other kids! My parents will be in their '70s!!! THEY will be the old people on the treadmills!

Woah. Now there's a new perspective.

Birthday Banner

There's a birthday coming, and with it comes my incessant need to create a tradition. I know. That's the dumbest thing ever. But it's true. With every event, or holiday, or moment, I find myself losing sleep over how to either a) capture the "moment" or b) to be able to recreate it. And, lets be honest, the best, most long-standing traditions are not ones that have been conjured up in someones head, or read on someones Pinterest board. They're sudden, spur-of-the-moment, not-intended-to-be-sacred, pauses in time. (Like my family's tradition to watch the very wholesome, family movie "Christmas Vacation" on the eve of the birth of our Savior every year. Don't judge.)

Anywho, as I was perusing FB a few months ago, I saw a photo of a girlfriend's daughter on her b-day, sitting in her highchair with a subtly decorated kitchen in the background. This stuck out to me because said girlfriend was preparing for the big b-day shindig... which was to be over the upcoming weekend. And then I realized, she decorated her kitchen (nothing over-the-top) for THE birthday. The actual day this precious girl left the womb was being celebrated by her Mama, her Daddy and her little sister. Oh yes, the party was to follow, but they didn't miss The Day.

Duh.

It sounds so simple. It is so simple. But I've missed it. Don't get me wrong, we have b-day morning photos, and make a huge deal out of the entire day that the b-day party is taking place, but the D-A-T-E has been overlooked. Drat.

And then came the light bulb!

As I looked back through old photos of The Girl, I realized I have a great "cake" photo of her from all 3 previous birthdays. What fun! A birthday banner!

Each year, I'm going to take that sacred "cake photo" and add it on to this simple, I'm-not-a-scrapbooker banner. And, just to kick it up a notch, a few things will be included on the backside: How we celebrated; What she asked for; and Her own signature (or an outline of her hand if she's too young to write.)

This is a great, simple way for me to catch a moment, without having to maintain a scrapbook. It will also store easily, and make for great decorations (and conversation starters?) in years to follow. To make it extra-suspenseful, I'm going to bring out each "pendant" that many days before her birthday each year. (ie. 3 days before her b-day I'll hang up her 3rd Birthday Pendant, and so on...)

Time to go and make #1 for The Boy.

Birthday craftiness

Today is my most wonderful mother-in-law's birthday. If there was an ideal mother-in-law, it is mine. She is loving, respectful, generous, caring, giving, joyful, patient and relaxed. She's so good at her dueling roles of daughter to elderly parents and active "Nana" to her three grand kids. Most of all, she loves Jesus a whole, whole lot. (I'm sure that's what keeps her going on the weeks she goes from watching the little ones to care-taking the aging.)

A few months ago I showed her some of the cute "word art" on Pinterest. She loved it. So, I channeled my inner craftiness, and whipped these up for her. They're not perfect, but I'm happy with how they turned out. They don't match, but I think they'll be a lovely asset to the toy room.



Happy Birthday, Andrea Beth.

What a blessing you are!

The Treasure Box

For one of my baby showers, waaaaaaaay back when The Girl was born, my sister gave me this box. It has become one of my most favorite traditions, and the one thing I would go back into my house for if it was burning to the ground. (Assuming all living things are out, of course!)

Each year, on the kids' birthdays, The Hubby and I write them a letter. We talk about the last year, how they've grown, and what we look forward to in the year ahead. The letters are then sealed, placed inside, and forgotten about. The premise behind the box is that 21 days before their 21st birthday, you start mailing them the letters, one per day. (I know, sob!) I'm not sure if we'll do that, or mail however many we have that many days before their wedding. (For The Girl, that means we only have about 8 more years, as most of her wedding is already planned. She'll just have to narrow down which groom she'll have.)

Anyway, The Boy had a birthday, and here's what he'll read from me 20 years from now...

JRG--

My little buddy. My little stinker (literally—every diaper I changed in the last 48 hours involved #2). Happy 1^st Birthday! I cannot even believe we’re saying that already.

There really are no words to express how much joy you have brought to our family in the last 365 days. We had to coerce you out of the womb, but pretty much since that moment you have shown your independence. (Unlike your sister, you never let me snuggle you to sleep!) You rolled over on your own when you were a mere 5 weeks old, and made it an easy habit by 3 months. By 8 months you were climbing the stairs with ease, always ending up in the bathroom, where you either 1) climbed into the tub or 2) unrolled the entire roll of toilet paper.

You are, and always have been, such a happy little guy. I’ll never forget trying to get you to laugh when you were two months old, and the hilarious sound you made. That sound has turned into one of the best baby gut laughs I’ve ever heard. Every part of you is ticklish.

Rightfully so, your first word was “Adda.” And, as much as Dad would have liked to claim you were looking for him, we all knew you were talking to your big sister. She loves you so much, and you absolutely adore her. I pray you two become the best of friends, even though I know there might be a few rocky years in there, too. Your second word was “ball,” which you’re quickly learning how to “throw.”  I can’t wait to see what sports interest you, or if you end up interested in sports at all?

When you were born I was still working full time as a Realtor. I took six weeks “off” and never figured out how to get back into things full time. By the time you were six months old, Dad and I were trusting God as we felt Him calling me to be home full time. I’m so thankful for that blessing, as we’ve been able to have so much fun together this year—without the distractions of my work.

Jack, you are a joy. You are all boy—into everything, happy only when there’s a mess, and melting hearts with your dimples and curly blonde hair. I pray that God grabs a hold of your heart, and that you do great things to bring glory to His name.

With love,

Mama

What a difference a decade makes...

Last night we wrapped up three weeks of birthday celebrations. It started a few days before my birthday, when The Hubby took me on a surprise getaway to Chicago. Then came the actual date-- which caught me by surprise. And, finally, last night I enjoyed yet another amazing cake made by a dear friend, along with games and merriment with people I love.

A week ago I turned 30. To anyone born before 1980, I am still very young. To anyone born from 1980-1984, I'm normal. And to anyone born after 1985, I'm closer to their age than they thought ;)

Regardless, the last few weeks have included some intense reflection. So much has happened in the last 10 years! (Well, honestly, so much has happened in the last 30 years, but I'll spare you all of those details...)

Since 2002, I--
-got baptized
-was an Indianapolis 500 Festival Princess
-became an Aunt
-lived, studied in Mexico for 6 weeks
-graduated from college
-traveled to China for 2 weeks with ABC's "Nightline"
-stood up for 11 girlfriends in their weddings
-married the man of my dreams!
-owned 4 homes, and one investment property
-gave birth, twice
-ran 3 half marathons
-helped more than 200 people buy or sell a home

Of course there are a lot of other things that God has done over the last 10 years, and some painful stuff too, but those are the "highlights."

I was telling a friend last night that after one week, I think thirty feels good. Since 6th grade I've been trying to figure out who I am (I know, I'm a slow learner) and I think I've finally got it. It's not because of the list of events and accomplishments above.

It's because of Jesus.

I'm learning, daily, more about who He is, and therefore, who I am IN HIM.

"But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me." -Psalm 13:5

Another first!

This weekend The Girl attended her first "friend" b-day party. The royal engagement was so precious, I had to snap a few photos...

So fun to see her write her own cards... 

 Did I mention it was a princess party? The guests were to come in their best princess attire!

Simple, adorable decor.

What you might know as "musical chairs" was actually "Jasmine's Magic Carpets."

There was also digging for Rapunzel's crown...

and of course the royal proclaimations....

the royal table...

The Girl would not belive that there was a cake in the doll's dress. She kept saying, "Yes, mom, but WHERE IS THE BIRTHDAY CAKE?!"

Decorating their masks for the masquerade ball while awaiting all pricesses to arrive...

The princesses had to reach into "Ariel's Treasure Cove" to find their treasure box, and it's contents, which they adorned with beautiful jewels to take home with them...

Getting ready for the big dance.

The ballroom... and sadly I didn't have my camera when I went back to pick up The Girl, and got to watch all 9 princesses dancing to Disney princess music. I'll never forget it!

The take-home goods: mask, treasure box (complete with jewels, nail polish and lip gloss), magic wand and the royal proclamation.

There was also "Pass the poison apple" (Snow White) which was similar to "Hot Potato," and "Kiss the Frog" (Frog Princess) which would remind you of "Pin the Tail on the Donkey."

All in all, it was precious, and our Princess slept with her magic wand... and lived happily ever after.

There are no words...