Thursday Things (Things I Have Learned From My Mom)

Things I Have Learned From My Mom

1. Empathy for those around me.

2. How to be easy going and roll with the punches.

3. Knowledge that my house doesn't have to be in perfect order to have people over. Besides, it is better to sweep the floors after people leave {when they are actually dirty}.

4. No matter how much food is on the table, there will always be a little left over.

5. Never turn away a guest, even if you don't think there is enough food. See number 4.

6. Fish and family stink after three days. This is a joke in our family, but three days does seem to be the perfect amount of time to be together.

7. The ability to live a life of poise and grace even in the midst of adversity.

8. The importance of maintaining a friendship with my spouse.

9. A love for books and reading.

10. The power of prayer. We sometimes joke that if you really need God to answer a prayer, you should ask my mom to pray. All joking aside, I have seen God do some amazing things through prayer.

Happy {early} Mother's Day Mom! 

I have learned so much from you and love you tremendously!

See Jack {early May 2012}

This is an ongoing series of videos that I am sharing so that our extended family can keep up with how Jack is growing and changing in these early years.

See Jack enjoying his jumparoo.
{early May}

See Jack jump, jump. He is just about tall enough to bounce in it.
{early May}

See Jack as he starts to scoot during tummy time {and in his crib}. 

It won't be too long before he figures out crawling.
{early May}

See Jack trying to suck on the outside of a cold glass of water is his fave.
{early May}

Daily Life

One is napping.

One is trying his best to look at the television.

Oh, the Places You'll Go

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." – e.e. cummings

It's been a while since we have attended a graduation. 

On Saturday Daniel's youngest sister graduated summa cum laude with her associates degree. 

Next step: bachelors. 

We are very proud of Emily, but even more so since she went the non-traditional route and took a full load of night classes while maintaining her full-time position in a marketing department. 

Not an easy achievement.

From the commencement address we learned that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.

...and Walt Disney was let go from a newspaper for "not having enough imagination."

If you want something bad enough and you work hard enough, you can achieve it. 

Even if other people think you can't.

Congratulations Emily!!!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Volunteering

Over the years Daniel and I have discussed how important we both felt it was to teach our children {should we have any} to volunteer. We want to instill a selfless attitude and a willingness to serve in our children. Well, now that we have Jack, we have been talking more seriously about how we could make this a reality.

When the opportunity to serve lunch at The Downtown Rescue Mission in Huntsville came up, we signed up right away. We felt that there is no time like the present to get Jack used to the idea of serving and to see his parents in action. We know that he won't remember this particular instance, but if this becomes his normal, we hope that he will take on the desire to serve others.

With that in mind, we went to the Downtown Rescue Mission after church. I stuck Jack in the Baby Bjorn and we headed in. It was amazing the response we received by having a baby with us. Jack is the perfect age to do this. I could control him and not worry about him running around. He loves to laugh and smile at people and he really engaged a lot of people as they passed through the food line. This would not be an easy thing to do with a toddler, but I think serving lunch with a baby strapped to you is a great opportunity to share your child with people that might not get to see the sweet smiles and giggles of a baby. We are so glad we took this opportunity to serve. We hope there we will be many more such opportunities in our future {and in Jack's}.

2012 Book 15: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (#3)

I just wrapped up The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (#3) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. These short stories were perfect to read while nursing my son in 15-30 minute increments. 

It struck me that the television show, House M.D., draws a lot of inspiration from Sherlock Holmes for the character of Gregory House. Also I think that Robert Downey Jr. does an excellent job of portraying the eccentricities of Sherlock Holmes in the recent movies.

I found it interesting that Holmes likes to go on cocaine binges – is this just a common thing to the time period it was written in?

Excerpts from the book: 

"You have not observed. And yet you have seen."

 

 “I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."

 

She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most resolute of men. 

 

The stage lost a fine actor, even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in crime.

 

 “As a rule,” said Holmes, “the more bizarre a thing is the less mysterious it proves to be."

 

“...life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent."

 

“I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical reasoner."

 

"...it is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all.”

 

“It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

Thursday Things (Things I Have Learned Since Becoming a Mother)

Things I Have Learned Since Becoming a Mother

1. I was selfish before. I didn't think I was and I wouldn't have considered myself to be selfish, but being a mom requires putting EVERY.thing else in front of your own needs.

2. I never thought I would be able to change a diaper without keeling over. I change at least eight a day. I would be lying if I didn't say that I am dreading what real food will do to diaper changes. Only a couple more weeks to enjoy the "easy" diaper changes.

3. Being a mom isn't as scary as I assumed it would be. 

4. I didn't have to change who I was after I became a mom. Jack is an extension of me. Not the other way around.

5. Finding time to spend with Daniel requires effort. Thank goodness for nap times and early bedtimes for a certain little one.

6. Finding time for myself {especially since I have been working more over the last couple of months} is next to impossible. It is something I am working on. I read snippets of books while I am nursing Jack. I try to exercise, even if it is only a walk a couple of times a week.

7. My sister once told me that the secret to losing weight was to have a baby... this is no lie. Nursing {for me} is like a miracle diet pill that I never knew existed. I don't actually believe in "miracle diet pills" but I have lost 35+ pounds {after only gaining 20 during pregnancy} with little to no exercise.

8. Before having a baby I didn't think I watched very much television. Now I barely watch TV at all. I'm still addicted to the internet, but TV is no longer something I use to zone out with. I would rather hang out with Jack and Daniel.

9. Eating hot meals is a thing of the past. Interestingly it doesn't bother me in the least.

10. I had no idea that I would fall absolutely head-over-heels, in love with my little one. I never thought of myself as a "kid" person, but my little guy has rocked my world. I love him so much.