Welcoming Charlie Hockey

Wednesday, Dec. 8 - 3 days after my due date - I started having contractions while making dinner, about 5pm. I tried hard not to become too excited with the first few, because having Braxton Hicks had become common at this point and I just didn't want to be disappointed again. Ben came home from work and we had dinner with my mom. It had been over an hour and I finally mentioned the contractions to Ben and mom, but said that we wouldn't start timing anything until Adelaide went to bed at 7:30. We put Adelaide to bed and came downstairs - and I had Ben start timing the contractions. They were coming 7 minutes apart. We continued to watch some TV as the contractions got a bit more intense. My mom thought it best to get ahold of Andy and Kerry and have them come on over. When I was having a bit more pain and having Ben stand up with me through the contractions, we decided it might be time to get ready to go to the hospital. Bags were in the car and coats ready by the door. Andy and Kerry arrived and my contractions had been 5 minutes for about 45 minutes. It was about 10pm. We decided to call the midwife and see if we should head to the hospital. She wasn't convinced that it was time for me to, but said I could come in to get checked if we wanted to. We waited just a few more minutes and loaded up in the car.

On the way to the hospital, my contractions became stronger and were now 4 minutes apart. We arrived at the hospital and they got me in a bed to be checked by the midwife. We were a bit nervous that they would send me back home, but it was good news from Patrice - my CNM for the night. I was dilated to 5cm and my bag of water was bulging. She sent me to an LDR room and said if we wanted her to break my water it would probably be a quick labor. (about midnight) We decided to work through some contractions a bit more and see if my water would break on its own. We asked the nurse to hook me up to intermittent monitoring so that I wouldn't have to stay in bed. This was wonderful - I only had to be monitored about 20 minutes every couple of hours. I was able to take a shower and walk around. Things were going pretty well and I was staying hydrated with juices and water. Then I got very nauseous - I soon painted the bathroom walls with projectile vomit. Ick!

It was nearly 2 am and we decided to have Patrice break my water. We went ahead and called my mom and Kerry to come up to the hospital, hoping "go" time would be soon. They arrived and time just seemed to move rather slowly... I threw up 2 more times and the contractions didn't seem to be getting much stronger. Patrice spent a lot of time with us - showing Ben ways to help me and hold onto me, pushing on my butt bone to help with the back labor, trying to keep me out of bed to get progressing quicker. She knew I didn't want to get an epidural and she tried hard to help with that. About 5am, Patrice checked me again. I was only dilated to 7cm and she could tell how tired I was (and Ben, too!). She suggested starting a small drip of Pitocin to help the contractions speed up, as an alternative to laboring for hours more and just getting more exhausted. Even though we originally wanted to stay away from Pitocin, we decided it was the best thing at that time. By the time they got an IV in me and the pit started, it was 5:30.

The contractions immediately became more intense. After a handful of them that nearly had me in tears, I asked my mom and Ben if they thought I would be able to keep going without an epidural. We were expecting the delivery to still possibly be a couple of hours away and I just didn't see how I could continue. Ben, being tired also and not realizing I was looking for encouragement rather than an honest answer, thought maybe it was a good idea to get an epidural. I got upset and said clearly that I did not want an epidural! My poor husband... he told me that I had better start fighting a bit harder. With that, I got another bad contraction and the back pain was horrible, and as it was at its peak I yelled "Pressure! Get the nurse!" My mom ran in the hallway and made it seem serious enough that 3 nurses ran in the room, prepping everything and checking me. The nurse who checked me stated that "it wasn't time yet" and my heart sunk - I thought that surely, it was time, and if it wasn't, there was just no way I could continue. Another nurse phoned Patrice to come immediately, and thankfully she got there moments later and said "it's time!" without even checking me. She knew that I would know when it was time to push. I was so relieved! It was now 6am.

It was really amazing being able to push and feel what was going on, opposed to having an epidural - knowing when the contractions were and not just having the nurse tell you. The most difficult part was how truly exhausted I felt, but thankfully, some adrenaline kicked in at some point and less than 30 minutes later, our baby boy was placed on my stomach and firmly grasping my finger.

We knew right away that his name would be "Charles David" - Charlie - Charles was my dad's middle name and David is Ben's dads' middle name, as well as a family name on my side. He weighed 7lbs 1oz, (much bigger than our little 5lb 10oz Adelaide,) and was 20 in long. So perfect. 

Waiting

Ahh, the wonderful "due date" of December 5 came yesterday... and just like that, it was gone. And this little baby is still inside of me? Wow, I wasn't prepared for this. I have spent many hours praying during this pregnancy that God would give me peace and help me to trust him in whatever circumstances arose, and I must admit that I am being tested in what I asked for. I really don't have anything to report. This has been a completely healthy pregnancy, complete with weekly NST and ultrasounds/fluid checks. My mom has been here for a week and a half and has been such a big help for me with Adelaide and housework, as my energy levels are running low. We got Adelaide a book on Saturday called "The New Baby." She had it memorized by last night :) I would say she is ready also. I keep expecting to go into labor at any moment, but am trying my hardest not to think about it otherwise I may go crazy! We are very blessed to be where we are at this time in life and I look forward to any day now having our family of 4 at home together.

Almost There

We have had a number of transitions at home this past month, all leading up to the big transition when this little baby leaves my belly and enters its official place in our family. I am 36.5 weeks, just a few days away from being considered "full term." While I am so excited, I also have feelings of nervousness... wondering when the baby will actually be here, making sure everything is 'ready,' praying that Adelaide accepts this change well, and so on.

Adelaide moved from her crib to a toddler bed a few weeks ago and at the same time moved into a bigger bedroom that she will share with the baby. Her first week in the bed she did absolutely wonderful. Then she went through a few days of testing her limits, first during nap time and then a bedtime (thankfully that was only for one night). Since then, she has stayed in bed when we put her to bed and generally falls right asleep. She's such an obedient child and really likes to please us. She had to have a couple of spankings when she was testing her limits and while she didn't enjoy being disciplined, she was glad to know that we are paying attention to her. She is 22 months old now and such a delight. Her latest obsession is the Veggie Tales movie - Madame Blueberry. She talks about it all day long and starts asking to watch it first thing in the morning. It's a bit exhausting making her wait until after her nap time (when I'm making dinner and cleaning) to watch it, but well worth the effort. If she does watch a movie in the morning, she wants to watch another one in the afternoon, which I generally don't allow her to do. All day she talks about Madame Blueberry and her thankful heart :) Adelaide has also started asking us to sing regularly in the car. I've started just turning on a Hillsong CD and singing along to that and that keeps her quite happy. Then she asks to switch to the news - NPR.

I have been feeling quite well with this baby. I've started to feel a bit of pain at night in my hips and occasionally down my legs, but I think these are good signs that the baby is preparing its exit. At my ultrasound last week, everything looked good and the babies head is working its way down :) I am so excited to find out if we are having a boy or a girl... and I'm hoping we think of names soon! The next couple of weeks will be beyond busy but I'm loving that right now as I've hit a nesting phase. I also take advantage of Adelaide's nap everyday by sneaking in my own little nap, while still having time to do a Sudoku puzzle and eat a little snack. I really can't complain :)

Jetlag for Toddlers

I've been meaning to update about our Australia trip. We have been home just over a week and are finally feeling recovered. Isn't that what always happens with a vacation? You get home and feel exhausted! It was a wonderful trip though and we always love the time that we get to spend with Ben's family, which is growing rather quickly!

Adelaide did a great job on our flights. She's relatively happy to be sitting with us which makes things easier. She had a bassinet on the international flights which was just barely big enough for her. It was good that we didn't have to hold her while she was sleeping, but we were a bit on edge having to keep an eye for her to wake up, so Ben and I didn't get very much sleep. Traveling there she adjusted to the time change very quickly. The hardest part was keeping her up past 6 at night because she was so tired. By the end of the two weeks she was waking up around 7 - much better than the first morning when she woke up before 4am! (But we did, too, so we really can't blame her.)

It took over 24 hours to get back home and by the time we did get home, it was nearly midnight on Friday night. We got her in bed (and ourselves) quickly and at noon on Saturday Adelaide was still sleeping. We woke her up at that point. She took a 2 hour nap around 3pm, and then we naively tried to put her back to sleep at 9pm. She woke up about 2 hours later, ready to play! Ben and I were still up as well, so we let her get up with us until midnight when we all went to sleep again. At 10:30 the next morning, we thought we should probably wake her up so she could go to bed earlier the next night. Sunday night we had her down by 10pm. On Monday I woke her up at 9:30, and I think that night she was in bed by 8. The key was just getting her up a little earlier each day. Tuesday morning she woke up on her own at 9am. Since then we are on her regular bedtime schedule of going to bed at 7:30 and waking up a little after 8am. It took Ben and I several more nights (and help from sleep medicine) to get back on schedule, but thankfully, we all seem to be back on track at this point. So I guess we will go back some day :)

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili

Mmm... fall. It's in the air, and in my house, it's also in our bellies. Last week I made Spicy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and Pumpkin Pancakes - both were very yummy. But since Ben is on his "Eat to Live" diet, he can't eat either of these things and it was time for me to find a seasonal recipe that he could enjoy as well. I was at my friend Rheta's and she had a small magazine from the grocery store which contained this recipe for a Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili. Very hearty and healthy for vegetarians or non-vegetarians.

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili
2 lb. pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1 TBSP EVOO
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalepeno chile, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can crushed tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 cup water
1 cup apple joice
4 TBSP chili powder (I used Hammett House chili seasoning)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups black beans, rinsed and drained

Cut the pumpkin into 1/2 in. chunks and set aside. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, and jalepeno. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 10 minutes. Add pumpkin, tomatoes, water, apple juice, chili powder & cayenne. Stir, bring to a boil, lowed heat then cover and simmer until pumpkin is tender, about 30-45 minutes. Add the beans and more water if the chili is too thick. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes until beans are heated through.

Contentment

Ah, vacation. In just 26 hours we will be headed to the airport and starting our 24-hour (give or take) journey to Australia. It has been over 2.5 years since we have been to Ben's 'homeland' and I know we are both very excited. This will also be Adelaide's first trip there, and although she won't remember it later on, we will have a very fun time with her cousins, grandparents, and uncles and auntys.

So in the next 26 hours, I need to work on keeping my head on straight! It is a bit stressful having to pack for two weeks in another country, as well as the 24 hours we will be living out of a carry-on suitcase. Adelaide has also been teething this week and her bottom incisors are coming through (one already has and I suspect to see the other one within a couple of days), so hopefully that will not add a damper to our travels.

I am definitely looking forward to 'getting away' for a bit, hoping for some relaxation in the midst of enjoying time with family. It will also be so nice to have Ben away from work for so long! We were very spoiled when he worked for Toby, as he would often have two or three weeks of no work. Last year when he started working at Verizon, he was afforded no time off since he worked as a contractor. Holidays were just unpaid days spent at home. And he has only taken one day off since now working at Cello, which was for our four-day weekend over Labor Day, but again, he was working for three of those days at the festival (and they were long days - 6am-midnight). Two weeks away with no work is going to feel most glorious.

I will be 30 weeks along on Sunday. I still feel very good, except for some heartburn, and the fact that I get worn out after holding Adelaide for just a few minutes. It is definitely a blessing that she can walk now, and she does very good to always hold my hand when we are walking anywhere outside of the house. She settled into one nap several months ago and while it was nice to have two naps, I love how consistent her routine is now and how happily she naps. People have mentioned to me before that she is an 'easy' baby, and I must say that I don't disagree with that, even though I have nothing to compare it to :) That will change soon!

Others are often amazed at how well she talks and I used to be able to say "Oh yes, she says over 50 words" or "Her vocabulary has reached at least 100 words," but now I just tell people that she says everything, and she basically does. She loves repeating everything Ben and I say. Her pronunciation isn't perfect on everything, but I almost always know what she is saying. Ben and I still lay in bed and laugh at night at the funny things that she did during the day. It's so nice to have someone who enjoys her silly little attributes as much as I do and I can't imagine raising Adelaide without Ben - it definitely would not be the same. I don't take for granted how blessed I am for such a good husband and a great father to our child(ren).

Very soon we will be a family of four. I feel so blessed to feel like Paul in Philippians 4, "for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."

A Giving Heart

I'm currently sitting in the hotel lobby of the Hampton Inn. I'm sitting here because Adelaide is upstairs in our room taking her afternoon nap, and there are only so many things I can do outside of the room, all of them basically including being on the computer. Amazing how difficult it is to find things to do on the computer for two hours when you must! I'm entering boredom, but realized there had been something I was wanting to blog about for a few days.

I attend a Ladies Bible Study weekly at our church. This week, we were talking about giving (to an extent). It made me think of my dad. Most of my family knows well that my dad was very bad with finances. When he died, he literally had no money to his name except for the few dollars in his wallet and some old Wal Mart gift cards we found scattered throughout his house. He had unpaid utilities that were set up on payment plans and was behind 7 months on his rent. Of course, my step-mom was very sick and they did have a lot to be paying for with just my dad's restaurant salary.

All of that aside, anyone who knew my dad would also know that he would give anything and everything for his neighbor. Or friend. Or just someone he met who struck a chord in his heart. He was quite possibly the most generous person I have ever known, at times to a fault. But I think my dad truly knew what it meant to "give all that you have," as Christ instructed in the Bible. My dad loved to help others and I think it is because of that, that so many people helped him in return. He would have been the first person to say how blessed he was and I know he didn't take that for granted.

I want to live my life always blessing others because of how blessed I have been. Thankfully, I have a husband who has the same heart with me on this. Whenever I feel God leading me to give something to someone, Ben has almost always felt the same thing. How can we not give freely when Christ gave us everything (i.e. His life)?

Excitement up ahead!

The summer heat will be fading soon and I am definitely looking forward to the cool fall weather, especially as my belly is expanding rapidly. It's quite ironic when people say they can hardly tell I'm pregnant, but I feel so large before I go to bed. I'm wearing maternity pants already, too. Oh, but no complaining here. I haven't been sick in nearly 6 weeks and I feel great! It's so wonderful to be able to get things done during the day. We have also been enjoying the sights in DC.

Adelaide is 19 months old. I know I've said it before, but there is nothing like watching your baby grow up. Adelaide's personality is quite fun to watch. She loves loves loves routine. She likes to tell us each thing that is going on in the day: what clothes we need to put on, what we eat, getting ready for nap time, etc. She won't let me come downstairs in the morning without my phone. Lucky Ben - he has two ladies taking good care of him :) She still loves to read. She often has one or two favorite books that change weekly. I'm curious how long until she just gets tired of the 30 (or so) books she has and we have to buy her a library.

I'm 23 weeks pregnant and a bit nervous about how quickly the next couple of months are going to fly by. On Thursday Adelaide and I are flying to OK for 5 nights to spend time with my family and go to a friend's baby shower. For Labor Day weekend we are driving up to NJ. Ben will be working at a festival that weekend and I will get to see some friends there. And then just a few weeks later we will be flying to Australia for 2 weeks! Lots of excitement coming up.

All Grown Up

(a photo of Adelaide and our neighbor, Olive)

We had our first ultrasound this past weekend. It was very exciting to finally get to see this baby! I think we had already had a few ultrasounds with Adelaide at this point, so this seemed overdue :)

This past Friday night Andy and Kerry volunteered to watch Adelaide so Ben and I could go on a date! This was overdue as well ;) We had such an enjoyable evening - started with dinner at a restaurant called Clyde's, and was followed by a mov

ie, Toy Story 3 in 3D. They kept Adelaide overnight, so we even got to stay up late and have a leisurely breakfast in the morning. It was nice for just a few hours to not have responsibilities as parents... but I couldn't wait any longer and we went to pick up Adelaide as soon as we were done with breakfast. I sure did miss her, but I'm sure it

was good for her to have a little time away from me and good for Ben and I to finally have a little time alone.

I think that all of my sickness has gone away for this pregnancy! I was very hopeful that I would get better, and it has now been a week since I have taken any medicine (praise the Lord!). I feel bigger than what I was with Adelaide but others still c

an't tell that I am pregnant -- I suppose it isn't a bad thing. One more big thing that has happened this week is that Adelaide is starting to potty train! Eek, she isn't a baby anymore...

16 Weeks

Hot, hot, hot. It has been so hot the past few days and I am happy to either be inside or at the pool. Thankfully, Adelaide loves going to the pool, and asks to go several times a day. We only go a couple time a week though, because it takes about half an hour for the two of us to be ready to walk over.

I'm nearly four months along with this pregnancy and sure have seen a turn-around with my sickness. I have been taking medicine nearly every day for the past week and half, after a terribly hard night with throwing up. I would rather not relive it and am taking every precaution to make sure I don't. I wonder what my body dislikes so much about being pregnant? Anyways, I have so much energy back and am accomplishing more each day. (Even getting groceries and cooking dinner! Score!) We go to the doctor tomorrow for another check-up and then next month we will have our first ultrasound.

Adelaide breaks my heart again each day. Nothing in the world could have prepared me for being a parent. It is the most incredible experience and I am beyond blessed to be living it each day.

Speaking of Adelaide...

Did I mention how in love I am with this girl? She will be an amazing big sister. She loves to give my belly kisses, then matter-of-factly states "all done" and puts my shirt done. She doesn't like me to be showing it off too long :) She loves walking and talking and laughing and telling stories and reading books... I could go on for days. But she needs me, so that is all for today.

Sleep

How wonderful it would be right now if I could sleep :) It's not often (never, in fact) that I am awake and the rest of my house is sleeping. My night didn't start out this way. No, this is all a series of events that started yesterday (Saturday) afternoon. I had been having a good day and we went to pick up a dresser that I found on Craig's list. I guess we could blame this all on the fact that we needed a new dresser. It was about a 40 minute drive and by the end of it, I wasn't feeling too hot. (Long drives lately have tended to make me sick.) And sure enough, we picked up the dresser, got back in the car, and probably weren't more than 10 minutes down the road when I reached for that glorious plastic sack that would soon have in it my day's worth of food (I'll spare those details).

The rest of our plans for the evening changed quickly, but still before I could get out of the car, I threw up again. Moments later we arrived at Kerry's and I was able to take some medicine to end my sickness spell. This particular medicine though makes me very sleepy, and we soon ended up back at home, and I think I was asleep before Adelaide. After sleeping more than 12 hours, I got up with Ben and Adelaide this morning to get ready for church at 10:45. I knew that the sermon would likely put me back to sleep, not because of it's nature, but because my medicine takes a good 18 hours to wear off. If I sit anywhere for more than a few minutes, I'm a goner. So as soon as we got to church, I grabbed a cup of coffee.

This is the funny part, really. Before I was pregnant, I could have mounds of caffeine, and fall asleep moments later. It didn't affect me at all. But since I've been pregnant, I try my best to avoid caffeine. And for good reason - it's 2:30am and I am on the computer. I would also like to mention that I would have continued tossing and turning in bed had my stomach not been growling so loudly I was afraid I would wake up my husband (a bowl of granola has seemed to help that). Now I shall go to the bathroom - for the third time in 2 hours - and venture back up to my bed, where I pray a restful night will await me.

It sure is fun being pregnant :)

Using Her Feet

I am very excited to announce that Adelaide is walking on her own! We weren't sure when she would finally decide to, as she has been able to for months. We are just a few days away from her turning 17 months. She is a very cautious little girl and does not like to put herself in danger. It is so fun to see her personality at such a young age. She continues to talk more and more and her vocabulary is growing daily. I should count, but I suspect we are over 100 words now. Besides saying things we understand, she also says many things that must be her own language! Sometimes she even talks in funny voices or accents.

Adelaide and I just returned from spending two weeks in Oklahoma with my family for Benjamin's graduation. It was wonderful to be with family and friends, but we were ready to get back home. We have only been in Virginia for two months and are still getting moved in. I am 13.5 weeks along with our next baby and am gradually getting some more energy. I am praying all of my sickness goes away with this pregnancy!

15 Month Old Update

Eek... my 'baby' is 15 months old!! Every day she changes in little ways but it is hard for me to notice, until I look back at old pictures of videos, and it is very apparent. Other people who don't see her every day can definitely notice the changes.

Mobility

In the past week, she has started walking while holding someone's hands. This is an exciting thing! She has been 'cruising' for months but has shown no interest until recently to start walking. I think she will be taking off on her own in no time.

Behavior

Adelaide has some very funny mannerisms. Sometimes she scrunches up her face, where it looks like she might be confused or something. It really just makes us laugh because I don't know if she even means to do it. She has been saying "no" a lot lately, and usually in response to a question! It is also funny, but I can't show her that, because sometimes she says 'no' to me when she shouldn't be saying 'no.' She has started knocking on doors lately. It is just so funny to see things that she picks up from watching Ben and I every day. Since we moved to Virginia, Ben gets her up in the morning and brings her to me and we cuddle in bed together. This is so sweet for me because she hasn't done much cuddling since she was very little, and she won't do it at other times in the day. She also loves to imitate when she sees us brushing our teeth or hair. She still sucks her thumb, but we try to limit it to bed/nap time, or in the car when we can't control it.

Speech

She has a very large vocabulary, and also does sign language for several words:

mama

dada

Oma

Andy

Kerry

Carl

Jane

puppy

"meow"

"moo"

"quack"

"neigh"

"baa"

water

milk (signs and says)

music

Amen

movie

potty

eat

cheese

bread

oatmeal

apple

for banana, she just says "B"

more (says and signs)

all done

shirt (says and signs)

share (says and signs)

ball

tree (says and signs)

thank you (says and signs)

please (says and signs)

car

red

no (and "No, No, Noah")

shoes

night night

baby (says and signs)

uh-oh

up

keys

bath

bed

when asked if something is yummy, she responds "mmm"

when told she is a good girl, she claps and says "yay"

she can say and/or identify the following body parts:

nose

teeth

ear

eyes

belly

tongue

toes (as piggies)

hair

head

she has a collection of Baby Einstein books that she can say the names of and identify by sight:

Poetry

Colors

Nature

Numbers

Animals

Rhymes

So that is the extent that Ben and I can think of at this moment... impressive, eh? Amazing to me, because just 3 months ago she really only said a handful of words and signed maybe 3? It will be so amazing when she starts talking in sentences! We'll see if I'm ready for that :)

Oh... and we have another baby coming in early December!!

These Four Walls

We are 2 days away from moving... leaving New Jersey, and on to (hopefully) another new wonderful chapter in our life. I'm feeling the emotions today. I really haven't enjoyed living in NJ and I haven't really made many friends either (until a few weeks ago, hah!). But in this moment, as Adelaide is napping and I am in my room going through papers, I am looking back at the last 12 months. It was in this room, on this very bed, that I found out Robbi had passed away. My dad called and told me. And then just 10 days later, my mom called me to say that my dad had passed away, as I laid in this same bed, in this same room. I don't want to stay here any longer, and I'm glad the Lord is taking us away from here, from these memories... they will never leave my mind. But maybe this will signify a way to heal even more from these deep hurts.

I looked at the calendar today. I recently booked a flight back to OK for Benj's graduation in May. Little did I know, I will be flying back to OK exactly one year after I flew there for my dad's funeral. And Benj's graduation... just a year and a week after my dad died. My heart breaks for my little brother. How strong he must be! I remember graduating just a few years ago, and the hurt I still had from Trevor's death. I'm glad that I can be with my brother for this very significant day in his life.

My life has changed so much since dad died. I feel like I have so much to tell him. The healing has begun, but I don't think it is ever finished. The pain and the memory and the loss remains, whether in Watchung, NJ, or in Virginia, or on the moon. No one said that life was easy, but I do have the promise in Christ that He will never forsake me. Through the tears and the joys of life, I have one friend that remains.

The Joy of Motherhood

How truly wonderful it is to be a mom. Since I am pretty young many of my friends ask questions about motherhood - do you enjoy it? what do you do all day? how much pain was involved to get there? etc. I love talking about being a mom because I love being a mom. It's often hard to explain sometimes though, just how truly wonderful it is. There is no other job that could satisfy me anymore than this one. I could have several kids or I could just have Adelaide (hoping for more) and either way I will be forever grateful that God has allowed me to be a 'mother.'

Big changes are taking place again for our family. Ben has finished his job at Verizon in NJ and has started a new one that is located in Virginia, currently working remotely. We are looking forward to relocating permanently to VA at the end of next month and seeing what God has in store for us here. (We are actually at Andy and Kerry's this weekend.) I am very much looking forward to living so close to my brother and sister-in-law. The lifestyle of NJ was a bit to fast-paced for our family - a stark contrast to OK or TN. I still miss living in Tennessee, and I truly miss my friends there. But I choose to be content with where God has us for now. We are making some sacrifices during this time in our lives for Ben's career and I think these are very important things to do.

Adelaide is (gasp!) just shy of 14 months old. She hasn't walked on her own yet, but is standing and cruising along everything. She is rather advanced mentally, which is no surprise (wink), and she has the biggest sense of humor. She loves making Ben and I laugh! What a sweet little life.

One Year

Well, somehow, one year has passed since Adelaide was born. I don't really know how it happened... but it did. So I am accepting it :) We had a wonderful celebration of her first year with many of our family members a couple of weeks ago. Since then, all of the family has gone back to Australia, OK, and VA, and our little apartment is empty once again. Empty that is, except that it is quite packed with all of our belongings. And of course, Ben, Adelaide and I are here.

I have had a lot on my mind lately but I have also felt very tired. I'm looking forward to a boost of energy - hopefully soon! Yesterday was my dad's birthday so we had Aunt Susan and Robin over for a little dinner celebration, with Potato Soup and PW's Chocolate Sheet Cake. Everything was delicious and it was an enjoyable evening. I then talked to all of my brothers on the phone. I did well all day until last night, and then I finally let out a good cry in the arms of my husband. He held me in our bed and it felt similar to the night that we found out my dad had died. I think it is good to grieve and to express emotions, but I also know that I am doing better. I'm healing and as much as I still miss my dad, I know that there is a much bigger picture.

Adelaide is doing so well... she just melts my heart every day. I weaned her over the process of about 3 weeks, cutting out the last feeding on Friday. Adelaide seems to have adjusted fine and I am doing well emotionally (although physically in a bit of pain ;)). She is crawling everywhere, pulling up, walking along furniture, saying so many words and babbling so many others! It is hard to keep up with her some days!

And it looks as though change is on the horizon for our family again... we will find out this week if Ben has a job offer in Virginia, near Andy and Kerry. We're saying many prayers right now concerning this and we will see what the next couple of months unfold.