Voicing My Need

Jared

2011-07-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

My little man... 9lbs of energy! He's almost 3 months old, has been rolling over since 2 months, and almost always has a smile on his face. I love this little boy!

Audrey

2011-07-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough of this little girl. She's growing up so fast! Here she is at 23 months. Those eyes.

Just another Tuesday... or Life as Mom

2011-07-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

My house is a disaster. There are toys everywhere, dishes in the sink, paperwork all over the counter, 3 baskets of laundry to be folded/ironed and put away and I still need to unpack the kiddos from our amazing vacation in Texas.

But I’m not cleaning. I’m taking a break. It’s been one of those days.

Let me start from the beginning. Literally.

12am- 2:30am - I’m still up waiting for Michael to come home from his night flight. I’ve cooked a delicious Texas chili, picked up the house, and scrubbed down the stove top. I decided to go to bed at 2:30 when I remembered the baby would be up soon.

3:30am - Michael comes home. I’m woken up by the dog, who wanted to go out to greet Michael, and then I hear the baby crying (I would have slept through that… bad Mom), and Michael shushing him back to sleep. Feed baby. Hubby ate out - no need for me to have cooked.

6am – Woken by a phone call. Still asleep, I hit ignore.

6:30am – Jared’s up. Imagine that. Feed him and put him back down to sleep at 7am.

7:30am, 8am, 8:15am, 8:45am, 9am, and 9:30 – I get up to put Jared’s paci back in so he doesn’t wake Michael up.

9:30am – Both kids are up… and screaming. Feed Audrey. Feed Mommy. Jared sleeps in the swing.

11am – Audrey goes down for her morning nap after throwing a huge fit, that I, frankly, didn’t want to deal with.

11:15am – Michael and I get an hour to catch up on the day/week and figure out what needs to be done

12:30pm – Audrey’s up. Screaming. Again.

1pm – I grab a 5 min shower before getting ready for Jared’s 2 month appt.

2:10pm – Jared’s appt. Made it to the hospital after listening to Jared scream the whole way (20 min). Feed him a bottle with one hand as I push my SUV stroller with the other.

Are you getting the idea yet that this is a LONG day?

2:45pm – They finally call us back. The stupid young guy doing the preliminary stuff (weight, temp, etc.) never bothers to help just tries to get out of my way as I’m holding Jared in one arm, Audrey’s whining in the stroller and the stroller is careening out of control in the other. I fill out the stupidest paperwork (2 month olds can’t do more than smile, eat and poop. Why do I need to fill out a pamphlet for him?)

3:15pm – The Dr. finally sees us (an hour after our scheduled appt. I’m expected to be on time, why can’t you?) Both kids are by now in full, blowout meltdown by now. Jared’s vomited everywhere, Audrey keeps screaming for no reason, the dr. is training someone so he’s asking stupid questions and taking f-o-r-e-v-e-r. He finishes the exam and walks out. (I can’t even say he was thorough because he had to come back in because he forgot to listen to Jared’s heart and lungs!) I lean down to correct Audrey for screaming instead of being calm and asking for help and she slaps me. But I can’t discipline right now ‘cause we’re in a public place. Awesome.

3:50pm – Jared’s starving (he wasn’t, just crying like he was). Audrey’s starving (she refused to eat her lunch earlier). And I’m actually starving since I didn’t have lunch. 3 cranky people. Off to immunizations! 3 shots. Boom done. Jared’s still screaming. (It's like ripping off a bandaid... It's gotta be done.) We grab quick snacks at the gift shop and head to the truck.

4:15pm – Audrey and Jared continue to scream the whole way home. I stop to grab some fast food to eat at home.

4:30pm – Both kids still screaming bloody murder. Audrey goes down for a nap and I feed Jared. I just endured 3 hours of nonstop screaming.

At this point I’m so tired that I take the now wide awake Jared to bed so I can nap.

6:30pm – Haven’t slept. At all. Jared was wide awake and talking. Tv was on. Eventually he fell asleep on my chest but then I really couldn’t fall asleep for fear of rolling over on him.

7:30pm – Just remembered I’m starving. I never ate lunch. My food is now stale and bad on the counter after being forgotten.

It’s just been one of those days. We all have them every now and then.

So here I am. Sitting here, eating a bowl of cereal and ranting about my day. More like bitching.

So, I don’t know how much I’m actually going to get accomplished tonight. But that’s ok. Do you know why? Because my children survived me today and I them.

Just another Tuesday.

It's so good to know that His mercies are new each morning, or hour as the case may be.

Day 7, 52 days left

2011-06-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

My first week is done! And I have improved since I started!

Today I ran 1/2 mi with the jogging stroller and power walked the other 1/2 mi. What a workout! When I get home my whole body is tired from pushing that monstrous thing. But I wouldn't be able to run with out it, seeing as Michael's schedule and my exhaustion don't allow for optimum times to run by myself.

By the way, this is my running stroller (above) a Croozer 535. It's a stroller, jogger, and bike trailer. I LOVE IT!!! I found this at a 2nd hand kids shop. They cost $400 and I was able to get this for $180! (The Lord must know I need to get in shape!)

I'm very excited about getting in shape, despite all the pain, sweat and tears. I have never been an "athletic" person. This is a huge change for me and I'm loving it. I haven't seen any physical changes, but it is encouraging to see improvement, nonetheless.

Society has trained me to want instant results. We're an impatient generation. I'm trying to change my perspective through working out and it's spilling over into my everyday life, the way I view my children, and the expectations I have for me, my husband, and my kids. I need to enjoy the moment. Carpe Diem! Or else life's going to pass me by and I'll be stuck wondering where the time went. Why didn't I enjoy my daughter exploring her world? Why didn't I sit and cuddle my son when he cried? These are short seasons, so I need to enjoy them while they last.

Wow. Didn't mean to get all philosophical on your ass. Eh. Nobody reads this anyways. :)

Oh! We're leaving for TX on Saturday so I may not be able to update ye old blog for 2 weeks or so. I will, however, still be running. And we booked our hotel room for the race!

This is really happening! I'm really running a race! I'm frickin' insane!

Oh well. See ya!

Happy birthday to me!

2011-06-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Yup it's the big 2-3. Ok, 23 isn't that big a deal. And birthdays seem so much less important to me now that I have kids.

Don't get me wrong, I love to be spoiled, eat cake, and open gifts.

It's just that birthdays have lost their splendor.

This could be because my birthday doesn't always bring good omens.

I've had 2 wonderful men pass away on my birthday, I buried my grandmother on my birthday, had a friend get in a car accident (she was, thankfully, unharmed). To say the least, I do not always look forward to my birthday.

But this year I have 2 wonderful children who love me and depend on me and an incredible husband who loves me and took the kids so I could "sleep in" a little. I have an amazing family and great friends.

To say the least, I am blessed.

So happy birthday to me!

Correction

2011-06-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

According to America's Running Routes the block I've been running the last few days is 1 mile.

Read it: 1 mile!

My hubby has, for the last week, been telling me it was only 1/4mi. I was very depressed about this (it seemed much longer) and dissapointed in myself that I could only run 1/2 of it (so 1/8mi). In fact I ran 1/2 mile!!! Much better than I thought!

Yay me! I'm in a little better shape than I thought I was.

Just a little.

Route tracker

2011-06-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

So here's a helpful running site:

America's Running Routes

I was able to map out 3 different 5k routes. Very helpful!

Day 4 and 5

2011-06-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Monday, was day 4 and it wasn't the best workout day. After dealing with 2 cranky kids I needed to rest and recuperate during their nap... and then I tried to workout that afternoon but Audrey made it next to impossible! She wanted to be held, wanted to exercise with me (which was cute, but in the way) and then would throw a fit if I didn't do what she wanted.

TODDLERS. Gotta love them. Despite her fits I was able to get a ton of housework done! (Which helps today's situation.)

Now today is a run day but I got almost no sleep last night. Jared is going through a growth spurt (I hope) so he fed 4 times last night, rather than his normal 2. And my head was full of busy thoughts - cleaning, quilting, sewing, traveling, etc. - so it was very hard to get much sleep.

To say the least, I'm exhausted and crabby today. So Jared got a bottle (so I could have a break) and Audrey's having a Disney channel day (... a zombie day).

You gotta do what you gotta do.

Still hoping to get a run in, but I might have to wait till tonight.

Exercise, like life, isn't always convenient. That's ok. Keep marching on.

Day of rest? Not completely...

2011-06-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

Day 3 on my trek towards being fit and running the Warrior Dash has been pretty lazy. We played with Audrey outside in the baby pool, took a nap while the kiddos napped, and skyped my parents.

But as the night got cooler I started itching to go for a run. Ok. So not "itching". More like dreading, like when you have to get the flu shot and you know it'll hurt but it'll help you so much more than the pain.

So we packed up the kids in the double stroller and put the dog on the leash and headed out! Michael to the double wide and I took the... ehm... dog (I really can't stand that mutt and he proved yet again why). Otto tripped me up and I ended up dragging him for quite a bit of the run. Jerk.

How did I do? Better!

Turns out running with the stroller really is that much harder! By myself I ran 50% of the 1/4 mile, much more than last time! Yay me!

I know, don't roll your eyes. I should be able to run further for my age, but I can't right now. I'm working on it.

And now I'm going to lay down. I'm tired. And hungry. And sweaty. It's a good sweat, an earned sweat. ;-)

*Oh, and I did not workout yesterday like I said I would. It just didn't happen. Oh well. I'm doing my cross training tomorrow instead.

Day 2

2011-06-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

Sitting here eating a peanut butter and honey sandwich and drinking a coke. Jared's grunting and scooting on the blanket on the floor and Audrey's napping and Michael's out for a bike ride with 2 of his friends. Life is good.

Our whole house is working on becoming a healthier house. At least we're trying!

After yesterday's "run" I felt pretty depressed about how well (rather, how terribly) I did. Until my hubby reminded me that I was pushing a double stroller! Duh! So not only am I out of shape but I'm pushing a double wide that's giving me MUCH more wind resistance and a harder workout in general.

I've decided that rather than waiting till Michael gets home to watch the kids so I can train by myself I will continue to train with the kids 2 out of 3 runs and then run the 3rd by myself.

The theory is that I'll get so used to a harder workout that when I run by myself it'll be a breeze!

We'll see how well that goes.

Today is my "easy train or cross train" day. Gonna try a workout video I got at Target almost a year ago. Fingers crossed!

Warrior Dash!

2011-06-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

August 21, 2011 I will be running the race of the century! The WARRIOR DASH!

Ok, not really the race of the century, but my first race.

It's 5k (~3.15mi) and there are roughly 10 obstacle courses mixed in it!
At the end you run through mud (AWESOME!) and jump over fire (double AWESOME!)

Basically, it's my kind of race.

And I'm really excited to get back in shape, hopefully in better shape!

Thankfully I won't be running this race alone. My sister-in-law, Kara, is my inspiration and running partner! I'll be 3 months post-partum and she'll be 5 months.

So today marks Day 1 of my training.

How did I do? I SUCKED! But I've got to start somewhere!

I'm hoping to find some encouragement as I document my progress. It'll probably be a tough road, but I need this. This is definitely a humbling experience, seeing how out of shape I'm in. I need to get my flabby a$$ in shape. It's about time!

~Katie

Day 1
20 minutes fast walking
90 degrees
8:20am - 8:40am
Ate peanut butter toast beforehand (perfect!)

Notes: Wake up earlier to take advantage of cooler weather. Set up blue tooth so I can talk and run (helps me monitor my breathing).

A constant state of tiredness

2011-02-22T21:29:00.000-08:00

Tired - weary, fatigued

I am weary. Emotionally worn out, and mentally strained.

My body is fatigued. There's really a lot to blame for my fatigue; 2nd pregnancy, this deployment, "single" mom to a toddler, and being sick or dealing with sickness in our house for the majority of the last 4 months. You name it we've had it (or still have it).

I'm sitting here at my husband's old computer (mine crashed 2 weeks ago and I've been too sick or out of town to take it in for repairs) and now his has a virus that irks me. It's always popping up with notices and warnings. My husband's truck is sitting in our driveway dead dead dead. I have 3 burned out light bulbs in my kitchen that I can't replace because I get dizzy when I climb. My dog snapped at me last night because I came too close to him while he was in his cage. I'm not sleeping and I can't take anything to help me sleep because I need to be able to protect my castle. On top of all of this the blood test on Friday showed that I'm hypoglycemic... so I need to eat all the time. I know this is a new thing 'cause I can actually feel my blood sugars drop. One more thing on my to-do list.

And now Audrey has a pretty bad cold with a runny/stuffy nose (how it can be both is beyond me), a cough, and a fever that levels out at 101.3. So she's been extra cranky on top of teething as well. I hate it when she's sick. There's nothing I can do to help besides love on her. Tonight I gave her a bath and she had the chills in the warm bath! (We snuggled in Mommy's bed afterwards and that helped.)

It's a mess over here. And it never ends. I can't assume this is the last of my problems or that any of this will end when my husband gets home... whenever that is.

But throughout all of this chaos I have been reminded of one thing over and over again: God is strongest when I am weakest. Well. I'm weak. Very weak, right now. I also know that He has given me the strength to endure what He has me going through.

Doesn't make it any easier, but at least I know I'm not alone nor will I crumble. My God shall supply all my needs, according to His riches and glory (Phil. 4:19).

So in that promise I will stand.

And I might cry too. That's okay. It's not a sign of weakness (like I've told myself all these years).

This is where I am. This is probably where I'll be for a while. And I'm okay with that. It's just a season, and one that will seem very short in retrospect.

Till next time, Ciao!

Getting away

2011-02-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here in my parent's den in VA. Yes, beautiful VA. Oh how I've missed you.

This deployment I've been sick 4 times... 4th time here in VA. Yup. Audrey and I are getting over a terrible bug... don't know if it's the flu... but it's bad. Poor Audrey is still fighting a terrible diaper rash with diarrhea and vomiting. And I'm working on getting my appetite back. Yuck. I hate sickness.

So for now we're spending our time recovering, being taken care of (thanks, Mom and Dad!), watching tv, and staying away from everybody to avoid spreading this stuff. Which means I've had to cancel some play dates and lunches that I was really looking forward to going to. :(

All of that being said I am having a great time relaxing. I really needed this time. I'm being taken care of. It's wonderful!

If you get to see us this trip, great! If not, I'm sorry but it's for your health that I'm staying away. I really want to see everyone, but you don't want this. It sucks.

Anyways, I hope to see everyone!

The end of my night

2011-02-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

Today I am 26 weeks prego... I feel big, but I don't look it, or so I'm told. My husband hasn't seen my growing figure since he has deployed. My fun not-so-little surprise that I get to reveal this spring when he gets home. :)

We're having a BOY! I get asked all the time, "Now that you have one of each (boy and girl) are you guys done? You know, you're family is complete." I really do hate this question. Even though I'm still pregnant with #2 I hope he won't be my last kiddo. But hey, I guess 2 is the "norm". I've never been told I was normal... so why should the size of my family be "normal"?

This little man is ACTIVE. Very active. Like his sister. I'm sitting here in my rocking chair with my feet propped up, my laptop open to my facebook page, blog, and e-mail, and my tailbone out of alignment and causing me pain. Yup. My tailbone. I've never heard of a kid actually kicking out a tailbone. He never stops moving, keeping me up at night with his jumping jacks. I can't wait till Michael can feel and see him move.

I had a revelation the other day after reading a blog I visit often. This gal recently had her second son and her boys are not far apart in age (similar to my two) so I've been enjoying seeing how she's adjusting to being a mommy of two. She made a comment, and I'm paraphrasing, that it's easier to take care of her newborn outside of her body than when she was pregnant with him because she was so tired. I have thought the same thing about my little boy a dozen times, but I felt guilty that I wasn't enjoying being pregnant and that I'd regret ever thinking it. But honestly, I've been so exhausted since day 1 and he's put me in pain often enough that I truly believe life will be a little easier, though louder and busier, after he arrives.

That being said, I'm really trying to make the most of this pregnancy. It is the easiest time you ever have taking care of your child. They eat when they want to without needing help, sleep when they're tired, and they don't cry! BUT, I'm looking forward to having energy, to not cringing when I get a stab of pain, and to no longer needing my tailbone adjusted each week from an active munchkin's kicking.

Looking forward to meeting you, Little Man! In your own time and not too soon. :)

So now, I'll say goodnight. A busy mom of 2 can't get enough sleep.

Where do I start?

2011-02-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

Wow. It's been too long since I've blogged. I have a good excuse. Well, I have an excuse, don't know how "good" it is.

Let me start with updates:

Audrey turned ONE in September!!!! My baby! That was a really fast year. Now at 17 months old she's walking/running, talking (her favorite saying, "Der oo go!" - translation: There you go!) and full to the brim with energy. She wears me out! She has 8 teeth (she gets 4 at a time... wonderful.) Audrey is a huge help to me. She puts the silverware in the basket when I do dishes, she pretends to feed me when she plays house, and she hands me things to fold when I'm doing laundry. My "big" girl. I say "big" 'cause she's no bigger than a minute. If she'd gain that last 1/2lb I could turn her car seat around, but no. My munchkin.

Michael is doing well. His paperwork is being processed to transfer into the Air Force (Yay!). We're hoping to hear what the decision is soon. And I'm so proud of him! He pins on LT Commander (or Major if he transfers to the AF) this fall!!! He's worked so hard. That being said he's currently deployed on a 4 month deployment and I look forward to getting him home safely this spring...

Just in time for BABY BOY!!!! Yup! We're expecting our newest addition early May. We are all so excited! I'm really looking forward to meeting him. It's been an interesting pregnancy. One of the signs I was pregnant (before I could confirm it) was tiredness. I blamed it on a busy toddler, not knowing my body was working overtime. And the exhaustion hasn't gone away. I know. I know. After the first trimester you're supposed to get a surge of energy. I'm still waiting for the surge. Audrey doesn't know what's going on, but I think she'll really like him. She loves babies. They'll be ~19 months apart. Should be interesting!

Baby boy is healthy and very very active... like his sister. He does jumping jacks that leave me at the brink of tears from pain. He seems to be very strong too, kicking out my tailbone on more than one occasion. Thankfully I've been seeing a chiropractor so that's helped relieve some of the pain. Yes, we're keeping his name a secret like we did with Audrey. It adds suspense ;)

And me? I'm doing well. Going crazy, but doing well. This deployment has been interesting. Some of the challenges center around disciplining Audrey, keeping the house clean, not killing the dog, and taking care of my body through this pregnancy. I've caught the flu 3 times since I've been pregnant. Wonderful. To help keep me sane I've been sewing (clothes, quilts, and scrappy projects). I love having an outlet.

Traveling has taken the form of a baby shower in CO for my wonderful sister-in-law (who's having a girl!) and an upcoming trip back to beautiful VA this weekend. My parents and sister came into town for Christmas. I loved having them here. They made December fly by! It's been a good winter.

So that's all for now. I'm really going to try to keep this ol' blog updated.

2010-08-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

2010-06-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

UGLY!!!! But I LOVE the fabric.

My latest project: repurposing. I found this terrible window treatment at the thrift store for a whopping $1 and immediately envisioned a dress for AJ. So the hideous trip was the first to go, and then the seams, excluding the top and bottom 1/2" hem. Then, using this shirring tutorial from Pretty Ditty, I shirred a section for the bodice and added a skirt, back and ties. It's a little short, but with AJ crawling with a passion it's the perfect length to not irritate. I still need to tack the top to the straps a little better.

You will probably hear/see me mention shirring or mock smocking quite a bit. It's my new favorite passion. I've already made AJ 2 dresses just this weekend with it.

My beautiful model ;)

May I introduce you to... Maria!

2010-05-27T22:24:00.001-07:00

I am in love. OK, well, maybe not in love. But definitely enjoying my new

SEWING MACHINE!!!

If you didn't already know, I love to sew and I keep finding more and more thing to sew! I frequently am sewing Audrey dresses, nursing covers (for me, friends, and for purchase *hint hint*), burp cloths (also for purchase), and now diaper covers.

I was using my wonderful but well used Kenmore that I purchased when I was 12 from an aunt for a whopping $75. I started really sewing last year, when I found myself alone, pregnant, and bored in a new house. Because I am just starting out in what I hope is a very long sewing career I wanted to get a fresh new machine to break in.

And so I began researching. Here's what I found via the Internet, other people, and various sewing forums.

Kenmore: no longer manufactured in the US; though having a 25 year warranty Kenmore is difficult to work with when something goes wrong; they just don't make them like they used to.

Singer: STAY AWAY! Their machines haven't been up to snuff in quite a few years. If you can find an old all-metal machine that can be fixed to working condition then great, otherwise look somewhere else; minimal warranty. Not very expensive, but it's not going to last you very long.

Brother: Ok. Not great. I had a few people recommend them. Very cheap (@ Walmart <$100). The employees at most sew/vac repair shops shudder at Brother machines. One man told me he usually gets a Brother to fix after the owner had it for 3 months.

BabyLock: I've yet to find a bad review. Been around for 40 years. 25 year warranty. I had a friend (and her mom) recommend this machine to me and both of them are avid sewers. On the higher price range. The few complaints I have (and this is simply because I am used to my old machine) is there's not a drop-in bobbin (it's a hidden bobbin) and that the front panel (where you store odds and ends) doesn't rotate open, rather you have to take it off each time and slide the stuff out of the hole. Not deal-breakers, though.

My needs for a sewing machine:

Multiple types of stitches

mostly metal (to last longer)

a great warranty

simple (NOT computerized, more things to break)

around $200

Result:

Babylock Maria A-Line series!

23 stitches

mostly metal

25 year warranty

not computerized

$500 (!!!!!)

The price was a really big deal... and the Lord provided! I was able to trade in my Kenmore and buy the Maria for $250!!! Amazing! I am so blessed!

Yippee! Just wanted to share my excitement and findings ;)

I want to give a shout out to my amazing hubby who provided for me so I could get my machine!! Thank you, Michael!

Alice.com

2010-05-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

On the bottom right of my page I have a new link:

Click on it to receive $10 off your first purchase! It's a great website! FREE SHIPPING!!! You can go shopping from your living room! My mom and I are sold! You can buy just about everything except your perishable food items!

There may be a section that asks who referred you, just say Katie Paulus!

AMAZING!

2010-05-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

Just found this website on how to fold flat fold diapers!

We just started using cds on Audrey again and I bought diaper covers as mentioned here. I didn't buy inserts/prefolds because Audrey's not very big, so I figured I could still get some use out of the old ones. Well... I can't.

So rather then purchasing new prefolds I found a website that recommended using all those swaddling blankets that everyone gets (and usually don't use for very long). AMAZING!! Why can't I come up with these things? ;)

Here we go! I'll let you know how well they work. It'll at least clear some shelf space.

Also about to venture into making diaper covers... Yes, diaper covers. From scrap fabric and a waterproof fabric for the inside. Yes, I know, I'm crazy and have way too much time on my hands. At least I'm using my time while I have it!

2010-05-07T14:18:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to share a blog for all of you "needlework people". My mom told me about this website, I just wish I had more time to do fun stuff like this. :)

Early Bird Special

Here's one of the beautiful things she teaches you how to make:

Picture courtesy of ebscrafts.blogspot.com

Giveaway!

2010-05-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

Laken and Lila Giveaway!

Mommy and me set: Tunic for mommy and skirt for daughter!

"like" Laken and Lila on facebook HERE

Good luck!!

Katie

It's done!

2010-04-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've been "planning" on making this dress for weeks... I've had fabric since before Easter... and totally over-thought this process so it took me twice as long to sew it. Haha! At least it's done! I'll definitely be making another one.

Awesome CD Store!

2010-04-28T21:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share with this cloth diaper (cd) store I found while looking at reviews of the Wonder Wrap (that just came in the mail!! I got Blackberry, Kiwi, and Vanilla!)

Kelly's Closet

Check it out! I paid $14.95 for the Wonder Wrap at DiaperJunction.com (they're having a pretty good deal of 30% off wonder wraps so I got them for $10.50). But I lost some of my savings because you don't get free shipping unless your order comes to $75 (which is easy to do, but I didn't, this time...). Kelly's Closet, on the other hand, gives you free shipping for orders over $49! That's incredible!

Anyways, just wanted to share that with you!

I'll have my own review of the Wonder Wraps in coming in the next few weeks.

Communication

2010-04-26T14:09:00.000-07:00

Disregard this post if you don't give a rat's patooty about childhood development or the Paulus home. Sorry to bore you. :)

Communication - a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior.

I share the definition because my daughter, Audrey, communicated with me for the first time. For the past 7 months I've been guessing what she needed. Bottle? Diaper change? Burp? Nap? You know. The mommy game.

But today Audrey communicated. By rapping her fist on her high chair she was trying to communicate that she wanted her favorite toy (a wooden spoon). Yes, I had to do some guessing. But after I figured out that she was showing me what she does with her spoon and how she got a huge smile on her face when I rewarded her with it I realized she had just asked for her spoon!

Yup. I'm a proud Mama. Sorry you had to read my bragging... Can't help it. I sure do love that kid!

Voila!

2010-04-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

I made it! Home made laundry detergent!

1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
1 bar (2 cups shredded) soap

Mix it all together and store in an air-tight container. Use 2 tablespoons per load. Makes about 32 loads.

I was hoping to show the consistency... It resembles store bought detergent.

Update

2010-04-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

I found Borax and Washing soda at the Commissary for $2.59 and $2.05, respectively. (Thanks, Jen!)

I've also been told you can find either of these at Ace Hardware stores and Whole Foods.

Happy shopping and saving!!!

Saving $$ and Time

2010-04-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

This seems to be an ongoing process: being frugal and organized. Haha! As soon as I think I'm doing well in one area I've let the other go. Recently I've come across some sites that are helping me accomplish more in my day and make my money go further.

Here are some websites:

Making you own laundry detergent:

Tipnut
Planet Green (the powdered recipe is the one I'm going to try)
The Simple Dollar (this is a video tutorial)

I have not tried this yet, but my good friend Megan Fischer makes her own. You spend pennies per load!! What an easy way to save money! The hardest part I'm finding is finding the ingredients - my Walmart doesn't carry Borax or Washing Soda. If you know where to find it pass the info on!

Organization: Making a Household notebook

Organized Home
FlyLady (She calls it a "Control Journal")
{SimpleMom} (the Daily Docket - very helpful!)
{SimpleMom} (the mini Daily Docket)

I'm in the process of making my Household notebook (I don't call it a Control Journal because I have enough issues with being the "boss"... oldest sibling syndrome, hehe!). So far I LOVE it! I've been more productive and I've learned a lot about my own organization and cleaning style.

Cutting coupons:

CouponMom.com (Just signed up, don't know how it works but I've been told I'll save $$)
"The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half" - Stephanie Nelson (I just got a copy from the library - saving money (; - and already I'm enjoying it!)

Hope this all helps! I know it's been helping me! Good luck becoming a more efficient, thrifty housewife!

Being a Frugal Woman

2010-04-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

The Lord's been putting on my heart to be more efficient in my house and to keep myself from the temptation to be lazy. I find that the easiest thing for me to do is sit at the computer, doing research, stalking facebook, and reading blogs. [Yes, I know that's what I'm doing right now... but I'm being useful by sharing my experience (; ]

That being said, I wanted to share what the Lord's been revealing through Proverbs 31

She gets up while it is still dark; she provides for her family and portions for her servant girls. vs 15

I hate waking up early. I'd rather scrub the floor with a toothbrush. But I've found that early in the morning is the best time for me to get things done and I'm much more productive if I have a head start. And when I wake up early I have more time in the day to do the things I really want to do but get pushed back due to lack of planning. Things like devotions, playing with Audrey more, cooking larger dinners, and just being cheerful!

She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night.

This applies to my small business of burp clothes and nursing covers. More and more I see how beneficial it is for me to really map out my projects. I came across a snag in my last project when I didn't calculate Michael's homecoming impacting my time. I ended up getting the project done much later than I promised. I have also found that when I plan I feel stronger and more encouraged and confident in my work. It's a win win situation, if I just take some time to plan ahead!

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

The more efficient I am the more this comes true. I know the Lord is taking care of my little family, and that He's giving me the strength to thrive and serve them. I need not worry about tomorrow or next week. He's in control. Just keep on keeping on. :)

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

I'm still learning how to do this. Michael and I are working on making a budget (yippee!) and I'm working on becoming more organized and thrifty. I find that when things are organized it's easier to "watch over the affairs of my house". As for idleness... I really struggle with this. It's so easy to get sucked into facebook, blogs, or sitting with Audrey on the couch in front of the boob tube. So I'm learning to multi-task: get a load in the washer while I unload the dishwasher for example. It's a process.

Thanks for catching up on my little life! Sorry if I ramble...

We're mommies now...

2010-04-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to give a shout out to my dear friend Isabella!! She just found out she's having a boy!!! Yippee!!

I'm looking forward to meeting Edward Reagan Hodge this fall!!!

Congratulations, Mike and Bella!!

~ Michael, Katie & Audrey

Itty Bitty Baby Dress :: FREE::

2010-04-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to pass on this amazing website and dress pattern. I'm looking forward to making a few dresses for Audrey. (We'll see how they go!) She has a pattern for newborn, 1-3 months, and toddler.

Hope all of you mommies of girls enjoy it!

~ Katie

P.S. If you think of us, Audrey and I are still down with a cold and would love some prayer. Thanks!

Cough Cough Sniff Sniff

2010-04-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

My baby's sick. :( I hate colds.

"You have to let it take it's course." Just what I want to hear when I've got a cranky, stuffy 7 month old.

Off to Walmart to find Puffs Plus, Infant Benadryl, and hand sanitizer.

Yuck. Audrey's not sleeping well unless cuddled on me (which I love, but also means we don't have food in the fridge...) and every time she needs to cough she coughs in my face.

Yup. I'm coming down with whatever it is as well... Shoving vitamin C down my throat.

Praying Michael doesn't come down with it.

Piggy prizes

2010-04-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

So the story goes, forgive me if I don't get it all right, that when my husband and brother in law (twins) were infants Mom and Dad P would award "piggy prize"s for the messiest diaper of the day. Understanding, of course that diapers in the early 80s were nothing compared to the "leak-proof" diapers of 2010. Or so one would think.

Audrey proved that to be false today as she has many days (more than I wish to recount). Yup. She got the piggy prize. She pooped all the way up her back to her shoulder blades. One of those diapers that you run the bath water and consider the best way to approach taking off the offended clothing. Scissors? Roll it? Over her head? Slide down her legs? You know it's going to be bad, regardless of how you take it off.

Oh, I forgot to mention that we tried prunes recently... yeah. It RAN through her system.

And the best thing about babies (at least Audrey) she couldn't give a rat's patooty about the mess her patooty's in. Sitting there happy as a clam. With her pants full of ... you know.

It's good to be a mom. It's good to be a mom. It's good to be Audrey's mom. Right. Keeping things in perspective. :)

Haha! On to the next adventure!

$$ in my pocket

2010-04-01T15:13:00.001-07:00

So I've got the diaper bug again. Excuse me, the cloth diaper bug.

For the last few months I've been using disposable diapers because I found that I was only spending $4 a week to diaper Audrey... and it was easier since Michael was deployed.

But, the other day I spent $20 on a box of diapers and realized that I could have taken that $20 and bought 2 cloth diapers that would last me months rather than days and that I could use on baby #2* (and hopefully #3 +).

*note: I AM NOT PREGNANT

So now the search begins again for the most cost efficient cloth diaper system. I'm planning on sticking with prefolds and covers but I haven't decided which brand.

The debate is between Bummis and Thirsties, both of which I've used before.

I would love any advice! (especially if you've used the Thirsties Duo Diaper cover)

Mommy things

2010-03-30T14:01:00.001-07:00

This week I'm learning how to cook baby food... in my ebay-won Beaba BabyCook!

It retails for $149 (ouch!) but I was able to get one second hand for $100. Already I've pureed carrots for Audrey's lunch and I'm about to cook 2 plums and steam them.

If you're looking for a good sight on making your own baby food check out this site.

I know there's a big debate about whether it's cost efficient to purchase and "extra kitchen item" to make baby food when you can easily steam food on your stove top. While it's obviously cheaper to make your own baby food it's not easy to decide how.

So, this week I'm going to be making baby food both ways: with the Beaba BabyCook and on the stove.

I would love to receive any tips and personal experience. Feel free to leave a comment!

Boeuf Bourguignon

2010-03-30T13:33:00.001-07:00

So the meal went well, not as satisfying as all the work Michael and I put into it, though. Sunday night we cooked from 8pm to 1am and then cleaned up from 1am to 2am. Needless to say, we were both exhausted when 7:30am rolled around.

We refrigerated the food and served it Monday night to our friends Vinnie and Cambria. Cambria tried to guess what we had made and shouted and jumped up and down when we told her "boeuf bourguignon". "Julia Child's 'Boeuf Bourguignon!!!" She had been wanting to prepare it since she saw the wonderful movie Julie/Julia (as did we... )

The meat was a little overdone, and it just didn't taste as "amazing" as it smelled. Oh well.

On the other hand, Michael and I had such a good time cooking together that we felt like we got an inexpensive date night out of it. We danced around each other as the broth boiled and the bourguignon simmered. We rolled our eyes in delight smelling the brown braised onions. And even when we were exhausted and starting to get grumpy (that can happen at 1am) we still laughed as we scrubbed down the kitchen from our cooking escapade.

It was a wonderful night.

Monday, as well was a great time. Vinnie and Cambria are awesome and we thoroughly enjoyed sitting and talking for 4 hours. I don't know about them, but I wasn't ready for the night to be over when they left. Leaves me in anticipation for the next time we can all get together.

Lord, thanks for great friends, good wine, and wonderful days full of laughter.

Date Night

2010-03-23T19:18:00.000-07:00

Boeuf Bourguignon!! Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon! Pray that it goes well!

~Katie

Mother Goose

2010-03-20T11:29:00.001-07:00

The more time I spend with my wonderful, spirited baby girl the more of my childhood is brought to remembrance... Songs like "Baby BumbleBee" and "K-K-K-Katie!" are sung frequently in our house. I love it!

As I was sitting here the old nursery rhyme "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater" came to mind and I started wondering what it really meant. That's when I found this website. It amazed me how many of the nursery rhymes we sing have terrible origins. Would you sing "Ring a ring of rosies" if you knew it was about death and the Plague? Or that the crazy woman in "Three blind mice" was Queen Mary I?

It's good to know stuff... I laughed after seeing the irony of the children's rhymes I've been singing since I was little were about terrible things at their origins. Whatever.

Spring!

2010-03-20T09:12:00.001-07:00

Happy 1st day of spring! Hope everyone's having a great day, enjoying great weather, and hopefully getting away from gloomy winter days.

What's going on in the Paulus house:

Michael's tackling his "honey-do" list
I'm cleaning, folding laundry, and sewing
Audrey's figured out fake coughing for attention
- We're trying not to laugh when she does it to not encourage her
Just got back from a beautiful (and much needed) vacation to San Diego
Bought to start spring cleaning (YUCK!)
We pick up my truck (!!!) on Monday

Still working on getting back to normal with Michael home. It's been great having him home, but I've definitely had to work on putting away, for now, my many hats. For the past 4 months I've been mother, father, husband, wife in our house. It's been harder than I thought it would be to relinquish some of my duties, and even harder to submit and allow Michael to serve and lead.

We'll figure it out... Thankfully God's got a hand in our marriage :)

Pics to be posted later of our vacation!

Ciao!

Sitting around

2010-03-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Saturday I did a lot of sitting around and waiting. For what? My husband!!! Michael returned from his 3 1/2 month deployment Saturday night! I love having my husband home. He brings such joy and stability to our house. Audrey has transitioned well to him, thankfully! She's not in the "mommy only" stage yet. Thank goodness.

And I have finally slept! While he was gone I would sleep through the night, but I'd wake up just as tired as when I went to bed, needing to sleep lightly just in case I needed to help Audrey or defend my castle. Now that my bodyguard is home ;) I fall into such a deep sleep that it's hard for me to wake up. Michael brought Audrey to me while I was in bed, he was on his way to work, and she and I snuggled and fell asleep for an hour! The tiredness is catching up to me. I have a feeling I might be like this for a while. Oh well.

So now, I'm sitting here listening to Audrey talk on the monitor while she tries to go to sleep and watching Michael file our taxes. It's a great day. My family is together. Complete. As it should be.

One of my favorite times of day...

2010-03-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

SNUGGLE time! After I get Audrey out of her crib, but before I get her ready for the day we snuggle on the guest bed for a few minutes. She talks to me, practices her crawling, tries to grab my glasses. We play peek-a-boo. This morning she found her thumb and nestled in for a little nap. Oh the joy of being Audrey's mommy!

Just another Tuesday...

2010-03-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here sipping a mixture of warm water, 3 T apple cider vinegar, and 3 T honey to hopefully heal my sore throat and ibuprofen for my headache and ear ache... I hope it works. Mom's don't get "sick days".

On top of my sickness, my daughter is refusing to take a nap. She woke up extra early this morning (7am). Of course, the day that I could really use the sleep I only get 6 hours of sleep (I waited up till 1am for Michael's call... which never came through). Otto barking, Audrey crying, it's just been one of those mornings.

Oh well. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Until then, I'll try to rest and be cheerful. :)

Budgeting

2010-03-01T17:04:00.001-08:00

Oh! I forgot to ask. If you have any tips for budgeting could you pass them on? Great websites? Saving tips?

I'm looking into PearBudget.com. Has anyone used it before?

Thanks, in advance, for the tips!

It's been a while

2010-03-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been so long. Kinda what happens when you're doing this whole parenting thing by yourself while your better half is deployed. Thankfully I won't be alone for too much longer (excuse me while I do my excited dance...)

I'm sitting here listening to Otto tear something else up in the backyard. He switches from the watering system to the cardboard box that holds our chiminea. Wonderful. More for Michael to take care of when he gets home... I've taken care of my fair share lest you think I'm leaving everything for him.

Audrey's just laid down to take her 3rd nap. She doesn't normally take that many naps... Oh well. More time for me to get things done around this messy house.

So what's been up with me. Well, I'm tired. It's been a long 3 months and I'm very ready for my husband to be home. I know I sound like a weakling. I've heard the "You're lucky you're not an army wife dealing with 18 month deployments." Yes, I am. But I also know that the Lord gives me the strength to press on through any deployment be it 3 or 18 months. And I've prepared for a 3 month separation, so it stands to reason that I'm ready for Michael to be home.

Audrey has kept me very busy in the meantime. She is on the go all the time! At 5 1/2 months old she's beginning to sit up unassisted (for a little bit till she comes crashing down on her face), she grabs anything and everything within her reach and immediately puts it in her mouth, she holds onto my fingers and stands up very well, talks, giggles, and blows raspberries. She's almost crawling... she gets up on her hands and knees, rocks back and forth, and then scoots... backwards. :) At least she's moving.

Children grow up so fast! Looking back at pictures Audrey's changed so much! You'd hardly recognize her. It's so hard for me to think of all the things I've seen her do while Michael finds out second hand. I sent him a video the other day and he replied that that was one of the first times he's ever heard her laugh! Come home, Michael and enjoy the joy that is our daughter!

I'm proud to say that this has been a productive deployment for me. I'll make a list to prove it:

Installed a security system
replanted watering system
fixed a broken watering system
organized our bills
spent 2 weeks in Texas
and 3 in Virginia
built 1/2 of my project desk (hoping to have it finished before Michael gets home)
made a meal plan
had windows installed in our VA rental
fixed Michael's credit score (with help, thanks Dad P!)
got Audrey sleeping through the night
and I've kept my sanity (for the most part)

What's left to do is another story:

clean the house
sew 3 large sewing projects
finish the desk
potty train Audrey (just kidding)
organize my pantry
and paint my nails...

Thankfully I have a few weeks left to do it. I'm contemplating whether or not it's really worth it to clean my house before Michael gets home... it's just going to get trashed again with all his stuff. Oh well. It'll make me feel better.

So there you go. Little ol' me. Workin' away. Keepin' busy and stayin' sane.

I'm still alive

2010-01-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. My life is a living mayhem. Michael's deployed, I've got an energetic, determined 4 month old, a crazy dog that drives me crazy on good days, and I've been traveling for the last month and a half.

Not to make excuses. :)

We're doing well. I'm working through leveling out my emotions (what a roller coaster!) and being a productive mom. Audrey's growing (wish I could say like a weed, but she's still really little) and is as cute as ever. Michael's doing well, thankfully not staying terribly busy (he's search and rescue, so it's a good thing when he's got nothing to do).

Other than that, we're just living. Trying to make the most of each day, pray and hope for tomorrow, and not waste the time I have. I'm counting down the days till Michael gets back. I miss him terribly, but I'm so thankful for the strength the Lord has instilled in me to make it through these deployments.

It's all good.

2009-10-31T14:23:00.000-07:00

As if my butt weren't big enough, Eggnog has been put on the shelves for the holiday season. And boy is it good! I'm an impulsive buyer when it comes to eggnog.

New blog

2009-10-26T23:39:00.000-07:00

My "Mommy" blog:

Hope you enjoy!

Audrey Jo

2009-10-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

Wow. What a wild and awesome month and a half!

Michael and I welcomed our little bundle of joy and energy Audrey Josephine on Sept. 11th. Since then our house has been bursting at the seams with diapers, laundry, leftovers, and guests. It's been a fun time.

We're now at the end of our slue of guests (Thank you so much for coming!) and our new life is settling in. Neither of our moms are here to fold my laundry, vacuum and mop for me anymore. I was spoiled for 5 whole weeks. Ho hum. Gotta jump into my new shoes as a wife and mother.

That being said, there's a load of laundry calling my name. Shut up, Laundry. I'll deal with you later.

Introducing....

2009-09-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

Audrey Josephine Paulus

September 11th 2009

at 7:33pm

4lbs 8oz and 18in

Waiting

2009-08-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

I have the Jeopardy tune stuck in my head.

Do do! Do
DooDoo
Do do! Dooo
Do do! Do Do! DO!
Do do do do do

Anyways. My life right now is full of waiting.

Waiting for baby Girl.
Waiting for the insurance company to settle with Michael's truck.
Waiting for my house to magically get clean.
Waiting for our parents to get here.
Waiting for my water to break.
Waiting for this false labor to become real labor.

Just waiting. Thankfully, though, I don't have to wait on my God. He's already given me the patience, strength and endurance to make it through this time of waiting. He's so good to me!

So, I will continue to wait...

Baby Update

2009-08-28T17:31:00.000-07:00

Michael and I went to the doctor today and got great news: Baby Girl is ready to get on out of here! My doctor isn't confident that I'll make it to my due date, which is completely fine with me because I AM READY!! As is she. She's in position and making things very uncomfortable for me. :)

I'm officially full term (37 weeks) as of this Sunday which means I can deliver at anytime in the next 3 weeks.

YIPEE!!!

I love how the Lord has given me a love for her and I've been able to enjoy the pregnancy. BUT, I also love that when the time is right He makes you thankful and ready to push that baby out.

Updates to follow!

26 days... But who's counting?

2009-08-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

Obviously I am. :) The ticker on the side helps out...

(My newest preggo shot is at the bottom so you have to read ALL OF THIS to get to it!!!) (Well, now you don't because you just read that... Whatever)

So what's been going on in the Paulus household?

Michael's flying again! He's back in Vegas and diving into the squadron. I must say that both of us love this squadron and have been warmly welcomed since day 1.
The baby's room is almost ready! Honestly the only thing I "need" to get is a mattress cover, disposable diapers, and a few more white onesies.
My hospital bag is packed and ready to go. If you think of anything that you, or your mom, found helpful in the hospital please let me know!
I feel like I'm (excuse the cliche) as big as a house. Michael mischievously replies that I am a house...
We have successfully completed the birthing class. Michael made jokes the entire time. I sure do love my husband...
My body is getting ready for D-Day. Over the past two weeks I've been combating Braxton-Hicks contractions, lower back pain, and a general discomfort in my hips. We're almost there!!!
As of this coming Saturday I will be full term and able to deliver at any time. Yipee!
Otto is almost completely house-trained (finally!) He's a great dog. Darn it.
Michael's truck has been recovered in pretty good condition - it was being sold with a few other stolen cars. Looks like it will be a little bit longer till we can get it back. We definitely need patience in dealing with the people that stole it and our insurance company... As well as trusting God for reliable transportation.

As far as prayer is concerned:

Please pray for peace as my due date draws near
Of course, for a smooth uninteresting labor and delivery of a healthy baby
Wisdom for Michael and I as we step (feels more like leaping) into parenthood
And that I would glide into this new season gracefully. It's very easy for me to be self-reliant and not trust in God or my husband. I will definitely need prayer to be grateful for the slowing down of my body due to this process. (I'm a busybody, if you couldn't tell)

For the time being, I'm trying to practice what my father-in-law has encouraged me to do: PONDER. Ponder this new season, where God has me, what changes this is going to mean, and how to live my life to the glory of the Father. It's a good encouragement.

36 weeks!

2009-08-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

Ipe!

My latest project

2009-08-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

Nursing Covers!

I'm going to attempt to make 2 or 3 nursing covers. It should be exciting! I find that if I love the fabric I'm working with I have a higher chance of finishing the project. That's why I'm going to use my two favorite designers: Heather Bailey and Amy Butler.

To find the directions for these cute nursing covers go to Little Birdie Secrets. She has an awesome tutorial.

Days like this

2009-07-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

It's funny how you can really get used to a place. Be it a spot on the globe, an emotional place, a state of mind, or the health of your body. I've had to do a lot of changing in the past 9 months... in all of those areas.

Place of residence: I would have never imagined I would ever get used to 113 degree days. If you had told me even a year ago that I would move to Vegas I would have laughed at you and said I was also planning on moving to Mars... But now, rain shocks me. I'm so used to the dryness that when it rains I get excited and nervous, all at the same time.

My emotional state: I can safely say that I am (or, was) pretty even keeled when it comes to my emotions. Not one to cry a whole lot. And I rarely have large mood swings. That all changed with the pregnancy, moving, and living by myself in a new place for 4 months... Now I have very strong urges to cry and then to laugh. To get angry and then excited. It's weird.

My state of mind: That has definitely changed. My "life plan" was to go to college, get my nursing degree, and work. A husband wasn't worked into the "plan". Nor was moving, getting pregnant, buying a dog, and postponing my college dreams. Hmmm. Obviously my "plan" wasn't God's plan. I've had to change my state of mind to reflect a spirit of waiting on the Lord, rather than planning for the Lord.

My body: Before I got pregnant I was a whopping 86lbs. Yeah. The size of a twelve year old. And as much as I tried I couldn't gain more than 3lbs. I was unhealthily skinny, and I didn't want to be. Fast forward to July 30, 2009. I am now 116lbs!! 30lbs!! And I'm still gaining! I would have never imagined I would ever see my scale go up. In fact, that was a fear when I found out that I was pregnant. Would I be able to gain the weight needed for a healthy baby? Please know that I tried everything in my power to gain weight before. I was having milkshakes all the time, drinking boosts with most meals, even on a feeding tube for 2 months. This is a miracle for me! I have never been healthier than I am right now. And it's all been because of the Lord.

Through all of these changes the Lord has remained constant. He's never abandoned me. He was never "surprised" by any of this.

He's been preparing me for all of these changes for years! He knew that I would have to be independent and hard-headed enough to take care of my household and family by myself. He knew I would have to be adventurous enough to move across the country. He knew my pride would be worked on time and time again as I submit not only to my awesome husband but to the plans He had for me.

To be completely honest, it has taken me months to be thankful for my daughter. To be thankful for being a mom. I REALLY struggled when I found out that I was pregnant.

How can God do this to me? Doesn't He know I'm supposed to be a nurse? What is He thinking? I'm not ready for this!

Honestly, who is ever really ready to become a parent. Even the most prepared person isn't ready when that little one pops out helpless and in desperate need of care, love, and nurturing.

So by the grace of God He is growing me into a mom. I can confidently say that I look forward to the day I meet our little one and all the days that follow and all the children that follow.

But for now, I'm waiting, preparing, and being thankful. Thanking the Lord for days like this when He reminds me of how much He loves me. Preparing for the days to come of sleepless nights, loads of laundry, and feeding 3 mouths. And I'm waiting to see what else the Lord has up His sleeve for me...

It's officially official

2009-07-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

I am having a baby.

Just thought you should know.

What makes it official? The following:

There is a crib in our guest bedroom

I just folded 2 loads of baby doll clothes

In trying to prepare for the baby I've completely run a blank on nursery songs

My emotions go from super excited to freakin' scared out of my mind

I feel like I'm as big as a house

And... I just ordered cloth diapers in preparation.

Yup. This is really happening.

32 weeks 3 days done
53 days left.

An update

2009-07-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since I've written a detailed post. A lot has happened over the course of 3 weeks. Because I don't have the patience to write a whole lot right now (I'm getting tireder as the weeks roll on - I know tireder is not a word...) I'll list what's been happenin'.

Gracie came in to town! We had a really good time. It was wonderful to see the Lord work on our relationship, as we tried not to drive each other crazy. :) We had a few days of shopping, went "downtown" for a magic show (Gracie was called up to help!) at the ancient Tropicana, and then off to the Belagio for gelato (yum!). We then stood in line so Gracie could ride the roller coaster at NY NY, but I got really sick so we had to go home. We were able to get some pottery painted. Gracie's "Sun and stars" bowl turned out beautifully! I painted a pig. Oink! Oink!

Half way through Gracie's trip we got a call that my mom's mom, Nannie, had passed away Wednesday morning (6/24) so Gracie had to cut her trip short. We left for VA on Thursday the 25th.

The viewing and funeral went well. It was sad to say goodbye to my Nan but it was good to know she wasn't suffering through chemo anymore.

As it goes with most of my birthdays, something not-so-good happens. This year I buried my grandmother... thankfully the Lord has given me a sense of humor, so I can see the comedy known as my birthday.

Though the circumstances for me coming into town were sad, I certainly enjoyed myself while I was there. I stayed most nights with my grandparents 'cause Jimmy had mono... Sorry, Jim. I got to see good friends, and I had lots of time to spend with my family. I needed this time to get away and relax.

When I got home I was greeted by my exceedingly awesome and handsome husband! I love him so much! He makes my days so much brighter. We had a wonderful time relaxing, hanging out, and enjoying just being together. We don't get much time to do that.

An Otto update: While Michael was here Otto's 3rd eye popped out - known as a Cherry Eye. It was pretty ugly. Our vet gave us steroid eye drops to reduce the swelling, but that didn't work. We were told he would need some surgery costing around $600! I did a little research and was able to get the surgery done for just over $100... The Lord really provided! Otto now has a cone on his head to protect his eye from him scratching it, but other than that he looks great!

As for me, I'm doing well. My last baby checkup went well, I'm right on schedule. Baby Girl is doing wonderfully! She moves pretty much all the time and has started stretching off of my ribs. It hurts pretty bad... The doctor found that I'm a little anemic, so I'm on iron supplements possibly till the end of the pregnancy.

10 weeks to go! Yipee! I'm looking forward to meeting this little mover. We ordered the crib - Thanks, Nina and Pepa (my mom's and dad's "grandparent names") :)

And finally, I'm in the final countdown till Michael gets home from Albuquerque. Finally! He should be back by the end of next week (not this weekend). I really do miss him, but I'm also aware of the transition period we'll be going through soon as we relearn how to live together. ;) Be praying for us!

That's about it. I'll be posting my 7 1/2 month picture soon. Patience!

The death of an empty space

2009-07-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

Before: A plain large wall...

Now: Tada! I've got a turquoise blue chalk board and mirrors! I've been wanting to get this chalk board for a while, and I was able to get it for my birthday thanks to Grandma LaMarca!

Hold your horses!

2009-07-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

I'll get an update out soon! A lot has happened over the past 3 or so weeks. Good and bad. Happy and sad.

But right now...

I'm spending time with my man!!!

So ya'll will just have to wait...

A request for prayer:

2009-06-23T15:27:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't been diligent in my blogging. Here's the latest update: Gracie's in town and we're having a great time, Otto is in a testing phase (but the Lord is working on giving me patience... I wish He would hurry up, already), Michael is doing well in Albuquerque (he's flying again!), and I am still very very pregnant - going into my third trimester!!!

If you happen to think of me would you please send up a prayer to the Big Guy upstairs? I am EXHAUSTED. It's pretty normal for the pregnancy, but I don't do well with tiredness. My body is completely worn out, as are my emotions (poor Gracie and Michael!). I hardly sleep anymore at night and naps during the day have always been difficult for me. I have crying spells - and for those of you who know me well, you know that I DO NOT LIKE TO CRY. It's been pretty rough and I know it will probably get worse before it gets better.

Please know that I am doing everything I can to counteract this tiredness - walking every day, trying to lay down and rest, drinking enough water, eating well, taking vitamins, and making sure I can get at least 8 hours of sleep at night (though I wake up throughout the night).

Thank you for your prayers!!!

I'm still here...

2009-06-12T14:01:00.001-07:00

Hey Readers,

It's been a while since I posted, sorry. Here's some updates:

Otto is just as rotten as ever and always encouraging me to grow in patience...
Michael came in last weekend and we had an awesome time!
I've started to do yoga with one of my preggo friends...
Still gaining weight (this is a miracle!)...
Baby Girl is healthy and rolling around, a lot...
I'm cleaning the house for GRACIE!!!! She's coming in on Tuesday...
We bought one of the largest baby purchases - our stroller, I love it...

Life is wonderful!

If you are wondering what you can be praying about for us:

That the rest of Michael's time in Albuquerque would go quickly and smoothly,
the pregnancy would continue to go well,
I would continue to gain weight at a healthy pace,
And that I would continue to see the Lord growing me into a mom that honors Him.

And some pregnancy pics...

Happy 1st of June!

2009-06-01T09:13:00.001-07:00

Time has gone by so fast! I've been in Vegas for 6 months! Wow... And I only have 4 months left, more than half way through...

Just want to start June off with a laugh... This totally reminds me of Otto. It amazes me what comes out looking like it did going in... The fuzz from a tennis ball, for instance.

Southern Charm

2009-05-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight I have a potluck dinner with all of the wives at the Commander's house! I signed up for a veggie.

As some of you know, the west is very different from the south... no drawls, sweet tea (they look at you funny if you ask for some), or southern hospitality - people just aren't nice! So I'm bringing some of my southern roots to tonight's dinner with one of my favorite veggie dishes: Zucchini and Squash! (It helps that I've been craving it!)

Here's the recipe:

3 sm. zucchini, washed

3 sm. summer squash, washed

2 lg. onions, halved and sliced thin

Salt and Pepper to taste

In small amount of oil in skillet, cook onion until transparent. Remove from pan.

In same oil, cook zucchini and squash (which have been sliced thin) until just crisp and tender. Combine with onions and serve.

Now I'm thirsty for some of Mom's sweet tea! It's good to be a GRITS!

My husband rocks!

2009-05-29T10:56:00.001-07:00

Michael is amazing! I love it that when something bad comes his way he marches through it seeking to be cheerful, even when it's difficult.

Last weekend Michael came back into town (mostly to see my mom and Otto). :) It was such a joy, as always, to be with him. As the weekend progressed, and we bid adieu to Mom, Otto became the center of attention. Let me rephrase that - cleaning up after him became the focus.

After being tempted to grumble about this silly dog, who pees when and where it fancies him, Michael remembered a conversation he had with a good friend. His friend encouraged him to see this (Otto) as an opportunity to be patient and as a preview to fatherhood. Immediately Michael's view changed and he became more patient and started taking advantage of this opportunity to grow.

What wonderful advice! It's so easy to get upset at this little guy, but he's not doing it on purpose, just as the baby won't either! It's part of nature. And the faster we recognize that the better we will be at handling the stress of a little one, with the Lord's help!

Lord, thank you for my husband and for all of the wonderful family and friends You have given us to encourage us towards godliness!

Dinner and a movie!

2009-05-29T10:51:00.001-07:00

I am so excited! Tonight I've got "girl" plans. Doing yoga and having dinner with Andrea S and then off to henderson for a movie on the lawn with Joanna R! What a night! It's always good to get girl time and these days I really need it. It's so easy for me to shut myself away in my house and not see anyone for weeks on end. But now that most of the wives are in the same boat as me, husbands being away and all, we all have more time to get together!

Lord, thank You for sending me friends!

Just one of those days

2009-05-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have a day when you just don't feel awesome? I've been feeling pretty under-the-weather for the past 2 days. Yuck. My back hurts, my feet are swollen, Baby Girl is moving around so much it feels like my abdomen is bruised, I have a headache, and a stuffy nose. :( Just yucky.

This is all part of the pregnancy, I'm sure. I've definitely noticed my body change over the past week.

I probably need to just take some time to rest. It's funny how I always feel like I need to do that after I either visit or host friends and family for an extended period of time. It's not the company that wears me out... it's me! I do too much - and everyone tells me to take it slow, but I don't.

I'm feeling pregnant. And looking it. Had to buy a maternity swim suit top (my belly hangin' from a bikini is just not as attractive as it used to be!). Oh well. It was inevitable.

Sorry, this post is really random...

What a tease

2009-05-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

After living in Vegas for 5 months I've gotten used to the weather - or lack there of. I've got this desert thing down pat. It's dry. Doesn't rain. And there tends to be a lot of wind.

Then the clouds rolled in, welcoming rain today.

My heart fluttered. A smile grew from ear to ear.

To no avail. The clouds stopped at the mountains. No rain for Vegas. Once again.

*sniff*
*sniff*

Until next time.

Name change...

2009-05-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

Okay. Just spelling. Auto is now Otto, for all who were confused. After much discussion "Otto" was agreed upon. :)

My cutie. :)

2009-05-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce the newest member of the Paulus clan:

Auto!

He's a 7 week old Boston Terrier and has so much energy! I can hardly keep up with him.

The Lord has been using this puppy to grow in me patience, optimism, gratefulness, and how to die to myself ('cause I really don't like waking up at the crack of dawn to let him out and clean up urine every 15 minutes...)

Auto has been such a blessing, especially considering that I did not want a dog. I can definitely see the Lord's hand working on me. The Lord completely opened the door for this little guy - actually He threw open the door, I just didn't want him to. One thing after the other confirmed the fact that I should get Auto. Arrrggh. I did not want a dog.

But now I'm thankful to have the little guy. He's been such a wonderful addition and a great companion.

One of my biggest concerns was housebreaking him while I'm pregnant. But God worked that out too! First of all he's been a very fast learner (much faster than the last dog I owned). I'm still not far enough into my pregnancy that I can't bend over easily. And I'm not too early in my pregnancy that I can't handle the smell of urine.

The Lord is good and knows what I need.

By the way, Michael completely tricked me into getting Auto.

After the Lord threw open all of the doors to confirm that we should get him (I was still hoping He would close one) I woke up with an anxiousness that this isn't the right time to get a dog. Usually, Michael would tell me not to waste my time (it took about an hour and a half to get to the lady's house - one way) and the lady's time. Instead, he told me I should still go and check it out.

Michael knows me too well. He knew I would immediately fall in love with the puppy and take him home without a second thought. And I did.

So here I am. By myself. Plus a dog.

My weekend

2009-05-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had the privilege of having my mom, Aunt Lynn and cousin Hannah in town. We had a blast! I definitely needed the girl time. :)

My quilt!

We stayed in our PJs all day! I loved it!

Mom's quilt... sort of. Still trying to figure out how it needs to be laid out.

Dinner at my favorite restaurant: PF Chang's!!

Mom, Aunt Lynn, Hannah, and I

Waiting for the show to start. We saw La Reve at the Wynn! I totally recommend it! Two thumbs up!

My Mom is coming!

2009-05-12T08:03:00.001-07:00

She'll be here in a little over 2 hours!!! Yeah! I'm trying to get my last minute stuff done... you know... cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, dusting. All the things that should have been done last week. :)

I'm so excited!

The Monday Mad Dash

2009-05-11T07:46:00.001-07:00

As usual, I'm in a glorious sleep dreaming of gum drops and sugar fairies when I hear it. The TRASH MAN! I've forgotten (again) to put my weekend trash can out to be taken away to trash heaven.

Then, the familiar questions start:

- Is he going around the corner, or did he already pass my house?

- Did I throw anything away that will rot if I don't make it?

- How much trash do I actually have?

- Can this wait till Thursday? I need my beauty sleep.

No, I need to see if I have time to get my overflowing, rotting trash out to the curb in time to be taken away. So... Where are my clothes? Obviously this is a Monday morning pattern. I need "Trash Day clothes". Like a superman suit that I can quickly change into.

Quick! Where are my pants from last night? I know I threw them over in this corner with all of my other disheveled clothes... Aah! Who's that in the mirror???? Oh, just my "sleep" hair. Grab a hat.

Faster! Did I grab all of the trash from around the house? Did I clean out my fridge? Oops. I forgot about that... Hm mm. That old yogurt can wait another week (hold on, I said that the last two weeks... maybe I should run it out to the can...)

I made it! With time to spare! Yes! Now, do I start my day or finish my sleep? Rats. Start my day wins...

And therein ends my Monday Mad Dash...

2009-05-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

This weekend rocks... Like my husband!

2009-05-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

Why my husband rocks (!):

Yesterday, I received one of the best presents ever... my awesome Husband on my front stoop with gorgeous flowers in hand!!! I had talked to him throughout the day and he said he had been flying and then was off to the bike shop to replace some flat tires. Unbeknown st to me he was really on his way to Vegas to surprise me for the weekend! I sure do love him! I couldn't have wished for a better present!

Honestly, part of me was hoping that he would have flowers delivered for mother's day, but it seemed like a long shot so I threw it aside. But Michael went above and beyond my expectations!!!! Not only did I get some of the prettiest flowers that he has ever given me but I got HIM for the weekend! Yeah! I got a hot date! No flying solo this weekend... :)

On top of all of this, on short notice I was able to book an appointment with an ultrasound technician so we both could find out what we're having...

a GIRL!!!!!!

We are very excited with this news! I was pretty bummed that Michael wasn't going to be able to be with me at my Dr. appointment on Wednesday (but was thankful that Mom could at least share the excitement with me). You can imagine what a blessing it was to have my hubby there! This was the first and possibly only time Michael has been able to be a part of this process - aside from hopefully being there when this little one makes an appearance!

Thank you for all of your prayers!

Our little GIRL!!!!

Her legs were above her head most of the time... our acrobat. :)

New glasses and belly pics!

2009-05-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Maternity Pants! 19 weeks...

You're supposed to be able to see my toes. But, they disappeared. My doctor told me not to worry and that they would reappear in 5 or 6 months...

Please let me know what you honestly think of these glasses. I need to know if they're dorky, not right for me, or just plain old ugly.

My husband rocks! ~ Friday ~

2009-05-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Because even though his truck was stolen, Michael knew that the Lord is in control of his life. Though it was a hard pill to swallow (the fact that his awesome truck is now in Mexico) Michael sought to be cheerful, even joking about his contribution to the Mexican mafia.

I love my husband.

And so they stretch

2009-04-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

My pants, that is.

I finally got fed up with my pre-pregnancy pants (the truth is, my butt and belly got big enough that I finally had to give up the ghost) and I decided to take the plunge and go all out maternity.

*Sigh*

Thank you, Motherhood Maternity! They had my size, with some extra room to grow. I was even able to find some shorts that look pretty good on me! Yeah! I finally have clothes that fit and that will go with me throughout the rest of the pregnancy.

I don't know why, but this is a pretty big deal for me. This signifies that my body really is changing, that I'm not the same size I was in January, and that my body is continuing to change. I'm not used to my body changing. It's been the same since I was 12. Yes, 12. Well, give or take a few pounds.

Now, everything has changed!
I swear my pinkie toe is pudgier!

All is well, though. I want to say that the Lord is shaping me into His image... but... I don't think God has ever been pregnant. Hmm.

Just arrived:

2009-04-28T20:05:00.000-07:00

My shipment from Soft Cloth Bunz! Yeah! I just got my first batch of infant pre-fold diapers. Who knew I would get so excited over cloth diapers! (See if I'm still excited in October when I 've been washing them for a month while being tired, hormonal, and learning how to be a mom!)

If you are interested in cloth diapering I would highly recommend Soft Cloth Bunz to you! If you're able to make it to the store you won't regret it. The owner, Bryana Guckin, is extremely helpful. She walked Mom, Gracie and I through the process of cloth diapering. One of the most important things to me was explaining each process for each diaper, from all-in-ones to pre-folds and covers. I felt like I was in the candy store. And her business started online, so if you want to shop online only (like me!) then it's the perfect place to do so and support a local business.

So, if you're interested, please visit

online: http://www.softclothbunz.com/
locally: 5760 Northampton Blvd Unit 112
Virginia Beach, VA. 23455
by phone: Toll Free 877-791-8065
Local (757) 961-1400

By the way, this is my 100th post! I'm so excited! I feel like I'm still new on the block... :) Thanks for reading!

~ My husband rocks! ~ Fridays!

2009-04-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

So, I found on this wonderful blog on marriage an encouragement to express why my husband rocks. The idea is to encourage marriage and support your spouse, especially when society speaks so harshly on marriage.

I'm going to try to do this! And I would encourage you to do the same. It's a written affirmation of your husband. Why does he rock? Why did God choose ______ to be your husband?

Yeah! I'm so excited! I really need this. To be honest, it's easy for me to not think about or to overlook the reasons for why I love Michael. Especially with him being away. I say "Good night" and then continue with my day. I need to remind myself of why I love my husband. What is it about him that gives me butterflies? Why did God bless me with Michael?

I'm hoping that this will help encourage me to be a better wife to Michael, a better housewife, and bring me closer to the Lord.

Living by myself, I find it easy to focus only on me. I need to change.

Michael

2009-04-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

My Love,

If you're reading this, I just want you to know that I love you. And I miss you terribly. I wish you could be here to laugh with me, cry with me, just be here 'cause you're wonderful. I love you. I'm so thankful that God brought you into my life almost five years ago. Being married to you is such a great adventure that I'm glad we embarked on.

Aside from being the handsomest guy I know, and getting handsomer as the days go on, the smartest guy I know, and the wisest guy I know, you are exactly what I didn't know I needed in a husband. You search my heart motives, bringing me back to the cross, even states away. You laugh at me when I'm being too serious. You please my girly whims (I'm sorry Confessions of a Shopaholic was such a let down). You are 110% man, which I'm learning how to appreciate (how your truck can bring you such excitement, I will never know). The Lord knew I needed someone honest. You're my George Washington - "I cannot tell a lie." And even when we squabble you're the first to start working it out. You're my support system. My right-hand man. My Superman.

And when duty calls, you are Johnny on the spot. Not only concerning your duty to our nation, but to our family. I must say I was amazed at how you handled Kara's situation last Sunday. Something needed to be done and you where there and executed your plans with perfection. The night couldn't have gone smoother - besides Kara not crashing... :) There was no question that that random man called the right person to do what needed to be done. You were so efficient that we thought we were going to get air support at any second!

To sum it up:
I love you.
I miss you.
And you're awesome.

Yipee!

2009-04-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

I can bowl!!!!! I am so excited. I've really missed bowling and was afraid that I wasn't able to due to the possible strain. You never know.

So tomorrow we're bowling... Yeah!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist this photo. :)

Happy Easter, Everybody! It is so wonderful to reflect on the Lord's goodness, every day, but especially today.

He is risen!

If you can, download Kirk Alexander's message from this morning at www.SGConline.org. It was wonderful!

It's late

2009-04-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

12:15 am

Why am I not asleep yet?

Maybe 'cause I'm on this time-sucking machine.

Today's been rough. I cried, or felt like crying, pretty much all day long. I'm hormonal. I've never really had to deal with being this hormonal so it feels kinda weird.

Just life.

This too will pass.

A break through!

2009-04-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, Michael and I have had a hard time meeting our neighbors here in Vegas. I take that back. They don't even wave back at us! People here just aren't very friendly. We actually get excited when someone drives by and smiles at us! A wave is even more impressive...

So you can imagine my shock this morning when I took the trash out and the guy next door initiated the "Good morning!" I hardly knew what to do with myself! So I stuttered a "Mornin'!" and went inside to share my surprise and joy with Michael (over a text).

But it gets better!

Shortly after text messaging Michael the door bell rings. Who on earth could that be? Our neighbor again! He was very friendly, told me about his wife and daughter, offered to help if we needed it, and gave me back the Tupperware I had sent over with cookies (never expected to get that back!). Holy cow! Two unbelievable happenings in just 15 minutes.

God is so good to me! I was kinda worried about the fact that I knew no one in the neighborhood that I could ask help from while Michael's gone. Now I do! And they're really nice! Yeah!

One victory in Vegas! Hopefully a lot more to come.

2009-04-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

You know your life is pitiful when you start to tear up reading your old posts. Or you're hormonal.

I'm pathetic. The tears started when I read about Gracie giving me the coloring book while I was sick. Then I reread about the man whose life was just not going well, when I voted. I reflected on how blessed I am to have my husband. How the Lord has been so good to me through the whole process of this move.

I am not, thankfully, the same person I was one year ago. And that is totally and completely due to the grace of my Father in my life and the people that He has placed in my life.

Of all those people, Michael sticks out. A year ago, I married the man I was in love with. I did not, however, know fully why God had given me him. Michael reminds me to keep my tongue in check (which all too often doesn't happen), to be grace-filled, to love even when I don't feel like I'm being shown love, to take life one step at a time, that anxiety is not from the Lord, to bring my gaze back to the cross. Among many other things.

Ya'll, my hubby is AWESOME! I am honored to get to walk through this life with him by my side. Often figuratively. I'm excited to get to raise a family with him. I love going to squadron parties without him and person after person coming up to me and telling me how great my love is. He is great. And keeps on getting better. :)

I love you, Michael! Looking forward to spending the weekend with you!!

15 Weeks

2009-04-01T12:04:00.001-07:00

Sorry the picture's kinda grainy. Baby and I at 15 weeks! The second trimester is so much better!

Would love some insight:

2009-03-30T13:09:00.001-07:00

I'm on a quest to find out as much as I can about cloth diapering.

Drum roll, please.... I am going to cloth diaper our little person. Yeah! It seems like a really big undertaking right now. I've read, however, so many encouraging entries of how people "love" cloth diapering, how they save so much money, and how they're so green. Whatever. We're attempting to do it mostly for the sake of our finances - especially since we would like to have a larger family (4-5 kiddos????).

According to what I've read, on average a household would spend $2,500 to $3,000 per kid to diaper them from infancy to potty training in disposable diapers. Cloth diapering, on the other hand, ranges from $300 to $500 for the entire diapering experience! That's a lot of money to save! Not only that but you're able to use the same cloth diapers (if you're thorough in cleaning them and take care of them) with your next kid!

On the flip side, though, some of the money you save with cloth diapers you lose with your water bill. Supposedly it's not a whole lot, but it does make a difference. On average you'll do a load of diapers every 2-3 days. That's not too bad. I think.

So, here's why I'm posting: I need advice! Lots of it. If you've used cloth diapers before and you have some tips, have a favorite brand, have a friend who's used them, know anything about them please share with me! Even if you've found a website that's been helpful. Let me know. I'm hungry for information.

The two types I'm most confused and interested in are pre-folds with covers and pocket diapers. What's the difference? Which one is easiest to use? Which one is more economical? How many times (in a day) can you use the same diaper?

You are the Titus 2 women that I need to learn from! Please share the wisdom you've been given!

Thanks, Everybody!!!!

Coming soon...

2009-03-29T12:30:00.001-07:00

Right now (with my limited burst of energy) I'm cleaning up the house so I can take pics of our abode. Sorry it's taken so long! Our camera broke while I was on the road (trying to capture the absolutely stunning countryside in Roscoe, TX). So now it's fixed and I'm taking pics again.

Miss you all! Hope everybody is doing well!

It's the weekend!

2009-03-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hurrah! I am having a very lazy day. I love it. You know when you've been going and going and you finally slow down and realize you're tired? That's me. I've been cleaning and helping friends move and getting things settled in the house so my time apart from Michael is smoother. I know it's not a whole lot of work, but my body get tired much faster than it ever has. I'm pooped!

So today, I'm bein' lazy. :) Hanging out in my pjs. Eating leftovers. Relaxing. Aah.

Oh! For all of my crafty friends, if you sign up as a member (free) with Michael's Arts and Crafts they'll e-mail you sales and coupons! I've received coupons from 10% upto 50%! I love it!

All better.

2009-03-24T15:30:00.000-07:00

Before: Aweful.

After: Much classier (is that a word?)

2009-03-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Our little peanut is no longer the size of a peanut. He/She's the size of a lemon now! Yeah!

I just love this print!

2009-03-22T20:03:00.001-07:00

2009-03-20T14:37:00.001-07:00

Then and Now

2009-03-20T12:10:00.001-07:00

The first pic is from a cutey photo shoot my mom did when we started dating the second time. I'm obviously too thin.

The second pic is me almost exactly one year ago on our honeymoon. Happiness makes you put on a little weight... I wasn't quite as skinny as in the first pic.

This is me now. Yeah. I've put on a little weight. :) Happily, though. By the way, the pants in the first two pictures... I can't get them around my hips now. If that gives you a point of reference.

For those of you who don't know me terribly well, this post was harder for me to write. I very much struggled with my perception of myself and viewed myself through what I thought others were thinking. And, yes, I was way too skinny. That was not intentional. I used to be much heavier than the first picture but I never gained back the weight I lost with Celiacs. Until now! I'm now 1lb away from my goal weight and looking forward to surpassing my goal weight very soon. :)

One year of marriage

2009-03-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry this post is kind of late. Sunday was our first year anniversary! A year! I can hardly believe it. A year ago Sunday I pledged my heart to the love of my life, the prince of my dreams, the awesome man God set aside for me. I'm one lucky girl.

As I was reflecting on our wedding day so many other things came to mind as well. This past year was B-U-S-Y.

March 15th - Got Married (Yippee!)

Honeymoon in Italy
Moved into Michael's bachelor pad

Went to 3 or 4 weddings that summer

I turned 20
I changed my major from Elementary Ed to Nursing
Michael had 4-5 mini (1-2 weeks) deployments from the end of July to the beginning of Sept
Vacation in Texas with Mom and Dad P
Bought our bedroom furniture (finally)
2nd week of September - Both of our bathrooms flooded. TWICE.
From Sept to Dec we worked on our house:

1. Completely revamped both bathrooms (floors, vanities, sinks, mirrors, paint)
2. Painted the hall, kitchen, bathrooms and foyer (thanks, Mom, Dad, Jimmy, and Gracie)
3. Dug a new irrigation system on the side of the house (thanks, Dad)
4. Our fireplace flooded (4 days before the tenants had their walk-through)
5. Replaced flooring in foyer, bathrooms, and kitchen (awesome job, Michael and Dad)
6. Cleaned our windows (huge feat - Thanks, Mom, Joy and Kimi)
7. Fixed our garage leak
8. Replaced the fitting around the garage door
9. Replaced most electrical outlets/switches
10. Replaced the blinds (Thanks, Dad)
11. And finally, made at least 100 trips to Home Depot and Gino's Pizzeria

Flew to CO to see David and Kara get hitched - absolutely beautiful!
Got a renter! Yeah!
Blew up my first gingerbread house
Said goodbye to family and friends in VA :( Miss everyone!
Drove halfway across the country to Texas
Spent some time with our Texas family and friends
Drove the rest of the way across the country to Las Vegas
Found a house
Moved into our house
Found out I am pregnant (same week)
Had David, Kahlib and Megan in (separate visits) Thanks, guys!
Found a church (that doesn't sing "I Believe I can fly")
Went to San Francisco and stayed with Aunt Lynn and Uncle Joe (Thank you! Awesome time!)
Bought our first hookah (no relation to a bong - well, not really)
Smoked our hookah (Barely - Peanut's fault)
Bought a new computer (I smuggled my way into keeping it - Sorry, Michael)
And saw my husband off to Albuquerque, NM for four months

If I'm missing anything, it's because my brain is fried from this list. Yeah. If I had been told ahead of time that we would do all of this, I would have laughed at you, called you crazy, and then cried from the stress of the list.

I'm hoping this year will be a little quieter. At least till September. Then it's Mommy time. (Meaning I'll be a mommy, not I'll have time for myself. Oh how far from the truth that will be.) I'm looking forward to what the Lord has in store for our growing family. He has certainly brought us through a busy year, and at the end of it I am more in love with my husband, more in awe of how perfectly God has formed Michael for me and I for him - strengths and weaknesses, more aware of the Lord's hand in my life, and less likely to make "plans" - as obviously God completely side-swipes them, thankfully.

Our little peanut

2009-03-06T17:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I got to hear the baby's fast heartbeat and see our little one on the ultrasound. It was so amazing to get to see this little human bouncing around in me. It definitely brought me back to the reality that we're having a baby.

I know that sounds weird, but hear me out. This pregnancy was a complete surprise for Michael and I. Our "plan" (I say that very loosely) was to wait 3 to 5 years till we started a family. I wanted to get through Nursing school and work for a little while, and Michael wanted to enjoy being "marred" before he embarked on a new season of life.

So when the little stick said pregnant... well... I was shocked. Maybe a little bummed, to be completely and transparently honest. Definitely reevaluating how our life was strategically planned out. So we proceeded to call our families and friends with the news, mostly to be encouraged that this was a wonderful new season we were walking into.

Two months later. I've finally gotten over all-day sickness, still tired, and seeing my body grow in places it never has before. :) I'm excited that I'm pregnant. Haven't really digested that I'm a very soon-to-be Mom.

That is until the ultrasound. BAM! There's that little one on the screen. It looks like a human (no alien or reptile resemblance anymore). It moves. A lot. Jumping up and down. I see it's feet and toes and little arms and head and eyelids. It's a baby! And this little one will be under our care, protection, loving, guiding, mentoring, disciplining, hugging, kissing, and teaching (among many other things that I'm sure I haven't mentioned) in just a few short months.

Wow. That's a lot to digest. I'm going to be a mom. This little ankle-biter is mine.

But what's more amazing, is the grace I see the Lord give me to walk through this. I see him fashioning me into a mom. He's been putting wonderful moms into my life to encourage me. He's given me the support of an excellent husband. He's giving me the strength to raise this child with out the continual presence of my husband, 'cause I will definitely need it. He's getting me excited. He's providing resources to learn what I need to learn. And He's given me two awesome Moms to pray for me, encourage me, be excited with me, give instruction to me, and to give the wisdom that comes with raising 3 kids of their own.

I'm a blessed woman. Lord, thank you. Please continue to encourage me and excite my heart as this child is growing in me. Fashion me into the mom you want me to be. Amen.

We're back

2009-03-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

After an absolutely awesome time with my San Francisco family Michael and I are back home. We spent the entire weekend exploring SF, Berkley, the Jelly Belly Factory, and just hanging out. I really needed to see family. It was good to just kick my shoes off (my boots to be exact) and relax and feel the love of family. We got to celebrate my cousin Ryan's birthday (14!!!) and Aunt Lynn's birthday (we won't go there...). It was awsome.

But now I'm back to reality. Cleaning up from our trip, looking for damage after our area was hit with an earthquake last weekend (2.5!), and getting exited about my doctors visit tomorrow. Just to give everyone forwarning, I will not be answering my phone after my Dr. visit (I'll be tempted to tell you all about it before I've even told Michael), to honor my husband with the details of how the visit first went (especially because he can't be there). Just hang in there. You'll hear soon enough how it went.

Other than that, our lives remain normal. I've already gained about 8lbs since I found out I was pregnant (yipee!), I do have a little belly, but I don't have pics 'cause our camera is still broken and we need to get a new one for me.

For those of you who haven't heard, I will be in Virginia Beach from April 8th to the 20th!!! I would love to get together with everyone, but my time is slightly limited so please be understanding if I can't be in 5 places at once. Hoping to see most of you soon!

According to my mom, 35 days and counting! :)

Happy Birthday, Michael!

2009-02-25T16:44:00.001-08:00

My Love,

Happy Birthday! You're 30! What a wonderful milestone. I sure do love you! Thank you for saying "yes" last March. I've been the richer for your love, fellowship, leadership, and charm. Thank you for being you and never being afraid to remind me of that fact.

I love you!

Katie

P.S. Happy Birthday, David.

* Michael's on the good looking one (on the right)

Thank you for praying!

2009-02-24T13:13:00.001-08:00

I have a praise report!

As many of you know, Michael needs to go to a class in order to fly with the AF. Because the AF didn't know he was coming they didn't put him into an early slot, so the earliest class he could go to was from July to November (and the squadron wants to deploy him in December). Obviously this was a problem. On top of that, we found out that our little brood is growing. This class would have him gone through my possible due date. :(

But fear not! As an answer to all of our prayers, a spot opened up for the March 17th class (after many high-up guys worked very hard to get him in)!!!!!! Hurrah!!!!! My hubby will hopefully be here for the birth, and still be useful to his command! Lord, thank You! So now, he'll be gone from March 17th till mid July.

I'm so excited!

And, I will be in the good Old Dominion (!!!!) from April 8th - 20th. Hurrah! Looking forward to seeing everyone!

A very happy President's Day

2009-02-17T13:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Michael took me out to the movies on a very dreary, wet Las Vegas Monday. We bummed around and saw two movies (neither one would we probably see again, I must mention). When we left Michael said he wanted to go for a drive, but he really had something else up his sleeve!

After we drove around for a few minutes Michael pulled into the Bed Bath and Beyond parking lot.... Hmmm. I was completely confused and questioning my husband's sanity. What could we possibly need at BB&B? And why didn't he tell me so I could bring all of those gift cards from our wedding?

We entered the store and Michael walked straight back to the kitchen appliance center! A KITCHENAID MIXER!!! Aaaah! I've wanted one for years, and now that I don't have the convenience of using my wonderful mother's I'm kinda stuck with aching arms after stirring for forever (or so it seems).

Michael and I had decided back in November that with the move and fixing up the house and decreased funds we would postpone Christmas till March (our anniversary to be exact). But now it looks like Michael will be gone for our anniversary. So, quoting Michael, "I want to be able to enjoy the mixer before I have to leave." He's so sweet. He knows he'll enjoy the fruits of the mixer.

On top of all of this, Michael went so far as to research exactly what kind of mixer we should get. He already knew that I want an Empire Red Kitchenaid mixer, but not the type. So he asked a bunch of different people with kitchenaid mixers to see what the general consensus was: a 6qt stand mixer (the one where the bowl goes up by a lever). It was a little pricier than I anticipated, but everyone that has one said that if you plan on doubling a recipe it's perfect. (And since we want to have 5 kiddos it'll be nice to have that extra capacity.) He came prepared as well, coupons in hand (Thanks, Lizzie K). And the Lord gave us favor with the sales rep and she gave us free shipping! Altogether, we were able to save $140!!! Lord, thank you! Michael, thank you! Random sales rep, thank you!

I was so blessed! It should arrive by the end of next week! Yipee! Thank you, Love! I can't stop smiling!