One year ago today...

.. my sweet Evelyn Joy got her pretty pink helmet! WOW.. what a ride it was for 8 months, but it was totally worth it! I wasn't blogging quite yet.. I think I started a week after she got the helmet. So, I thought I would take a trip down memory lane.

July 30th, 2007

In the waiting room ready to go. You can see how her L side protrudes out more than her R, hense the reason for the helmet!

She has always been SO curious about everything.. the helmet was no exception! She HAD to hold it and see it close up.

I LOVE her face in this photo. She kinda thinks its neato, but kinda knows it is NOT neato!

After we got the helmet on, she screamed for 45 minutes and threw up 3 times. Poor thing wore herself out!

This is one of my all time favorite pics of my baby girl. This was one of her first smiles after the helmet was on. She was SUCH a trooper thru this whole thing. We are so proud of her!

July 30, 2008

She really does remember her helmet, and now likes to put it on her baby and say "okay, baby, okay".. as if to comfort her. I love her caring heart.

I remember praying that God would keep her sweet and joyful spirit alive as she struggled getting used to the helmet (she does NOT like hats.. not now, not then!). As you can see, she wasn't phased by it one bit.. such a happy happy girl I have! (You also may notice her many teeth.. and her overbite. I had the same issue! Time to start saving for the orthodontist! FUN!)

I though I would throw this one is to show just how long her hair has gotten in the past year. It is so pretty.. and she is getting a bit better about me styling it!

She sleeps. Since lately I can't get her to smile for the camera to save my soul, I thought I would get a sleeping shot. I love watching her sleep.

It seems like forever that she had the helmet, even tho she got if off for good only 5 months ago. We are so thankful that God carried us threw that time and that the helmet corrected the issue almost completely! We are so thankful for all of you who joined us on the journey by praying and loving on our sweet girl.

Thankful and grateful tonight....

The great escape!

Thank you for all the phone calls and emails asking about "the big weekend away"! I really was quite a freak about it, wasn't I? I just read my last post and had a good laugh at myself. I am sure I will do that a lot as a parent!

Here are the highlights (blogger isn't letting me post pics.. sorry):

• Leaving Friday instead of Saturday. It made a huge difference, I think, that we stayed one night/day with us together at Grandma's house before we left. Evelyn was more comfortable with her surroundings
• Evelyn saying "Gamma" for the first time when we arrived at the house!
• Grandma and Granddad's swing and their big garden.. she was outside a lot, which wore her out!
• Having some special time with Doug's mom and dad Friday night. Doug was at a "classmates only" reunion function, Evelyn was in bed, and we sat and chatted over ice cream and strawberries. Good times, very good times!
  
• Leaving Saturday with Evelyn sobbing hysterically. No, that was NOT a highlight. The highlight was Doug's mom calling me about 10 minutes after we left to tell me that Evelyn was now laughing and playing with Granddad. It was at that moment I knew everything was going to be okay and was excited to get away.
• Relaxing at the hotel in the afternoon. WOW... haven't done that in, like, FOREVER! It was so nice!
• NOT feeling the need to call and check on Evelyn. I only did because I told Doug's folks I would. That is HUGE!
  
• Having a fun time at Doug's reunion. Doug had a really good time reconnecting with old friends. I now am SO excited for mine next year (Jos.. I know you are reading this.. you and Kirk MUST be there! No excuses!).
  
• Having wonderful time with Doug. We had so much fun together doing nothing!:)
  
• Sleeping ALL night!
  
• Evelyn did AMAZING! Not too much fussing, played, ate and slept great, behaved. She also learned 2-3 new words in the 24 hours we were gone! Doug's folks were very impressed! I was too.. she is SUCH a big girl!
  
• Losing my purse for over 2 hours at the reunion BBQ Sunday. VERY stressful.. again, NOT a highlight. The highlight was finding it!
  

So, yes, I survived! I feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and know it was SO good for me and Doug to do this. First time is out of the way. I am looking forward to next time, for sure!

Anxious and convicted

A couple of months back I wrote a post about my struggles with worry over something happening to Evelyn or Doug. I wish I could say it's been better... unfortunately I think it has been worse! Sleeping has been difficult lately, partly because of the heat. Also because in the quiet of the night, thoughts creep into my head and just stay there and plague me and keep me awake.

What has spurred this on, I think, is the fact that this weekend is Doug's 20 year high school reunion. For the first time EVER, we are leaving Evelyn overnight with her grandparents. I think the longest I have ever been away from her is, like, 3 hours.. tops. Thankfully her separation issues seem to be fading. Still, tho, I know she will miss us and be a little sad!

I know this weekend will be tough for me. However, I really want to enjoy our time away and have some good quality time with Doug. I know it will be so good for both of us. I also really want Evelyn to spend time with her grandparents who love her dearly and are SO excited to have her. Yet... I am plagued with anxiety over things that are TOTALLY out of my control.

One of my favorite pieces of scripture is in Phil. 4 "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 that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." I have been claiming this a lot. Praying for peace.

This morning I was reading in Matthew 14. Jesus was walking on the water and told Peter to walk on the water to him. But Peter became fearful as he was walking towards Jesus and started to sink into the water. "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" (v 31).

I was TOTALLY convicted after reading that. God made it very clear to me: it is not about my lack of peace.. it's about my lack of faith! OUCH! My worrying about this weekend is not only affecting me, but my relationship with my Creator. Huge wake up call/reality check.

So, as I head into this busy weekend, I am not praying so much for peace as much as I am praying for my faith to take front and center away from worry and anxiety. I don't want to be like Peter and and be "of little faith". I have NO reason to doubt God's sovereignty, His power, His love, His grace, His promises. None. Amen!

Yet, I am human. I still will be sad and probably be a bit anxious about the whole thing. It is the first time after all (the "firsts" have been hard for me, in general). But.. I need to get over myself, get out of God's way, and go have a good time with my husband! That's what I plan to do!

The New Swing, part 2

I have meant to post this for a couple of days now, but we have been busy... playing on the swing, of course! Seriously, we have been outside at 6am the past 3 mornings to play with our new swing... and it has been like pulling teeth to get her to come in for ANYTHING!! One might say she really enjoys her swing! :) Here pics from her first day with her new "weeeeee" (that's what she calls a swing!)

6:15am: Both daddy and Evelyn are a bit bleary eyed.. but she spots the swing INSTANTLY!

Nothing but smiles!

After I made her eat and get clothes on, we were out again! She was very interested in the "buckles".. another new word for her as of Friday!

This is the BEST, mommy!

The pool still had water in it from the day before... I turned my back for one second.. and she was in! Completely soaked!

She thought it was hilarious and fun!

Who need clothes on to play in a swing in your own backyard?

She had the buckles figured out in no time!

Daddy came home from work and too over on swing duty while mommy made dinner!

My beautiful girl!

... who ADORES her daddy!

We have repeated a similar day the past two days. It has been fun to watch her have SO much fun and enjoy the outdoors. We are heading to a party this afternoon and spending the evening with my mom, so probably no swing time this afternoon. I am sure she will be crushed!!

Thanking God for summer, my family, and of course, a swing in an apple tree!

The new swing, Part 1

I wanted to post this last night, but didn't get around to it. I SO want to blog about today, but I will wait until tomorrow for that so I can get this post in first.

My ever-so-sweet husband thought it would be a great idea to get a swing to hang from the apple tree in our backyard. If you read my blog regularly, you know that Evelyn LOVES to swing, so I, too thought it would be perfect.

Doug installed the swing last night, so it could be a surprise for Evelyn this morning. Again.. he is so sweet. Here it is after I thought he was done:


Then I see this. What the..... ?

To quote Doug: "I'm testing it out. I'd rather it break with a bucket of paint in it than with Evelyn in it!"

This last picture cracks me up...it's TOTALLY Doug! I know some of Doug's work peeps read my blog, so I am sure they will have many fun things to say about it! :) Feel free to comment, boys (and ladies).. if you dare! :)


I'll post Evelyn's reaction to the swing and all tomorrow... stay tuned!

Fouth of July

For 5 or 6 years now we have spent Independence Day with our good friends Mike and Christine. Last year they were in San Diego so we were excited to continue out tradition this year. We went to their home, and Mike made killer burgers and we had great stuff to go with it. Yummy!

This was our first 4th together with both kids (Matthew is 2.5, Evelyn 1.5). They played together SO well today and we all had a nice time. Unfortunately, neither of them were in picture taking moods. Below is the best I have...

Unplanned, they had matching outfits...SO CUTE!

Matthew shared his toys well!

So, we tried to get a posed shot... this seriously is the best one! Hilarious!

Matthew is "soooo big!" He is so adorable!

One of the highlights of the evening came when Evelyn fell down their stairs! AAAAHHHH! A mom's worst nightmare! I'll spare the details, but she is TOTALLY fine and after she got over the shock of it, she started laughing! Another "first" to check off my list, I guess. I am SO thankful she is ok!

Our evening ended around 6:30 when Evelyn was crying and wanting to go to bed. We came home, got Evelyn to bed and are going to bed ourselves once I am done here. Ah, the joys of being parents of a toddler... what party animals we are! :)

Thanking God for my country, my freedom and my good friends tonight! Happy Fourth!

Old friend, fun visit!

After I graduated from high school, I spent a year as a nanny in Washington DC. It was an amazing year to say the least. While there, I met Jamie, another nanny from Pullman, Wa. We became fast friends and the best of friends. Over the past almost 20 years since we met, we have remained close even though we don't see each other often or even talk as often as we would like.

Jamie and the girls came thru town last weekend on their way to visit family in WA (Jamie, her husband and kids live in SoCA). They stayed with us on Sunday night. It was so special to have them here and spend time with them. The girls really had fun playing with Evelyn and she enjoyed the big kids, too! Jamie and I stayed up til almost midnight talking.. I haven't done that in SO long. She is one of those friends that no matter how long it's been since we have chatted, we act like it just was yesterday. Fun times!

Jamie, Meghan(6), and Gabrielle(10)

I am so thankful for my friend!