Getting to the New Normal

Being full term with pregnancy is such a strange stage of life--especially when it's your first. You know life is going change at any moment; it will never be the same. Even if you're horrified of birth and all it's mysteries, you desire for it be here. Happening. 

It is really the only time in my life that I can remember really desiring to be in pain. Pain meant that I would be meeting this tiny thing in my belly. The face that I could never fully envision and imagine would be clear. Josh and I could finally start getting to know our son. 

Now, as I sit in a dark room feeding Silas while a sound machine plays lullabys and reflects monkeys on the ceiling, I cannot believe that I am a mom and have been a mom for over six months! 

It's weird--it feels like time has gone by so quickly and that he's grown so much, but it's only been six months! And I feel like I've know Silas forever. But again--only been six months. I guess we've just finally established a new normal. 

It's now normal to hear a baby cry or laugh throughout the day in our home. 

It's now normal to wake up multiple times a night to coax a baby back to sleep. 

It's normal to not have time for TV but to have plenty of time to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or play peek-a-boo. 

It's normal be constantly thinking of ways to baby proof our house or things I can do to help him learn. 

It's normal to be tired and worn out but it's also normal to be so overwhelmed at how much I could love a tiny human or how much I could love watching josh love this little boy. 

Being a mom is the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's worth all the sacrificed outings, sleeplessness, frustration, and confusion every time I see this little baby. 

I'll take this new normal anyday. 

Rebooting the Blog

So I started a post with this title...almost a year ago. The post was going to be about how I suck at blogging and then show off my new house. But it never happened...

I even had a cute and witty picture to go with it. And can't let that go to waste so let's see it:

So who sucks at keeping up with blogs? This girl. 

(I was so clever that day...and having a really good hair day. Anyone else notice that?!)

I really do love writing for this blog, but writing takes a backseat when...

...you move into a new house and even a year and a half after you move in, you still have never fully unpacked or organized yourself. 

...you get pregnant two months after moving in and decide starting a baby blog would be more fun (but then you aren't very good at posting for that one either). 

...you have a baby and have to learn how to keep that baby alive and happy all while surviving on little to no sleep. 

But once again I have a renewed excitement and passion about writing more often ( we'll see if it actually happens). It could be thanks to the new blogger app (which will probably help for two weeks until I decide I rather watch How I Met Your Mother than write blog posts during my limited free time). 

But it's worth a shot, so let's restart this thing while I am feeling hopeful. 

We Do Fun Things.

I like Josh. He likes me. We like hanging out together. When we hang out, we do fun things like...

• Play video games together. 

 

• Go to yard sales at the farmer's market.

• Play board games together.

• Eat out on fun dates.

• Visit the zoo.

• Go to bearding competitions.

• And make babies.

So much fun, we have!

The BEST Job EVER

I now have a new blog that follows what's going on at one of my jobs here in Ohio! This job is incredible, and I want to share the blessings with everyone!

http://exactlytherightplace.blogspot.com/

Check out our website at: http://firstglance.org/

Yet Another Checklist Full of Answered Prayers

Josh and I have officially been in Ohio for over a month now, and so far, we love it! It has been amazing, and we have been blessed in ways unimaginable. Last Sunday, I actually found a list of things dated May 29th I had been praying for prior to the move:

• A House with a yard in a safe neighborhood
• A Job where I can really reach and love on women who don't feel loved
• A Job that pays for Josh's school and gives him experience
• Great winter coats
• Encouraging and fun Friends

My exact list. Word for word. How my life is now:

• I live in a nice duplex with a backyard in a safe, family neighborhood! And let me tell you, after trying to find a house that was big enough for us and in a good location and one that allowed dogs, we were extremely lucky. There are very few of those out there...
• Jobs: oh my! I cannot begin to explain how happy I am. I have TWO jobs, and both are amazing. In the mornings, I work for a nonprofit called First Glance doing their fundraising and grant writing. And to answer the second part of the job prayer, First Glance helps out the at-risk kids, including teenage moms! <3 Then in the afternoons, I work at the Wildlife Bird Center of Hudson--which has gotten me into my newest hobby of bird watching (Check out my bird blog!) The customers are incredible, and it is seriously the best retail job I can ever imagine existing. 
• Josh is teaching classes at Kent State and able to cover his tuition! Woohoo!
• No winter coats, but people have offered to take me shopping to show me what winter coats work best here.
• No crazy games of Quelf or Jungle Speed yet, but we have met some incredible people. Because of one encouraging friend, I have the job at First Glance. And new opportunities to meet people are everywhere.

We are blessed.

Growing Up and Moving Out

Both Josh and I have lived in Georgia our entire lives with the exception of one summer--and that summer I only traveled as far as Tennessee and Josh as far North Carolina. But now the north is calling to us with the promise of a good education and more opportunity. So Ohio, here we come!

The move will bring about a lot of changes. We know no one there right now, and besides Josh knowing where he will be at school, we have nothing. No friends. No jobs. No house. No church. And possibly no washer or dryer. We should be stressed out, but with the exception of some nervousness on my part yesterday, we're not. We have yet to be in a situation where God has not provided for us, and we both have faith He'll pull through for us once again. 

It's going to be a journey, but I think it'll be a fun one.  

Josh's Near Death Experience

Josh tries practicing his photography in the kitchen.

Slipping on an old sock, Josh falls to the floor.

Caesar, thinking Josh is harming his sock, comes to the rescue of his dear cotton friend.

Caesar first goes for the eyes. Impairing your opponent's vision always gives you an advantage. 

Then Caesar goes for the jugular.

He shows no mercy.

But at the last minute he hears a knock which he thinks is coming from the door but is actually from the TV, so he runs away.