Wandering in the Desert

Weekend Remodel

2012-02-07T13:50:00.002-05:00

Late last week I got an itch to put in a backsplash. I've always loved white kitchens. I've pinned a million of them on Pinterest, like this one:

and this one:

Common elements in many of the kitchens I love are: lots of windows, white cabinetry, and white subway tile backsplashes. I already have white cabinets and there's not much I can do about adding more windows. Sooooooooooo, that leaves the backsplash. After doing a little research on the internet I was convinced I could install it myself. And that's exactly what I did. It was back breaking work, and I regretted not forking up the money to rent a wet saw. But I needed to do this on the cheap so I did it the hard, frustrating way - with a hand saw. I have to say though, the results are wonderful! My kitchen is so much brighter and looks much more "polished."

A pic of my handy work:

While I was at it, I decided to spruce up the room even more with new switch plates for the outlets (see above) and new hardware for the drawers.

These are inexpensive touches that really finish a space. I hope I've added some value to our home, if not, at least I'm enjoying the update!

My next project might be building a new dining table like this one or this one. We'll see if I can work up the courage :)

Beauty

2012-01-21T08:50:00.003-05:00

My grandmother has a book about the life of Ruth Bell Graham that sits on a table in her living room. I love to read snip-its of that book, getting a glimpse into the life of Mrs. Billy Graham. She was truly fascinating.

Ruth spent much of her childhood in China where her parents were medical missionaries. She had an amah (nanny), whom she loved dearly, but her amah was not what the world would consider attractive. One of my favorite quotes from Ruth's book is about her dear amah and reads as follows . . .

She was a homely old soul.

But what did it matter;

She was so loving,

I would have sworn her beautiful.

I find that so inspiring. I think I need to post this on my bathroom mirror to remind me that while I work on my physical appearance, preparing my heart to love others is much more important.

Faces

2012-01-02T20:55:00.002-05:00

Sage's face was priceless this Christmas. She got so excited about many things; like her art easel, Weebles, and Reeses Cups just to name a few. I wish I could have gotten a better angle on some of these shots, but toddlers are always on the move so that's nearly impossible. If you look closely you can see her sweet expressions.

She devoured the Reeses Cups in her stocking faster than you can blink. Sorry the pic is blurry, but do you see how full those cheeks are?

I'm not sure what she's looking at but I adore her captivated expression.

Riding in Nanny's walker

4 generations

And just because I love it . . .

Christmas Card 2011

2011-12-21T14:00:00.001-05:00

So, I guess I didn't realize how popular we are . . . kidding. Just kidding. But seriously, I didn't order enough Christmas cards! I feel terrible! Clearly I didn't plan properly. It also may or may not have had something to do with my wonderful husband accidentally erasing all of our contacts and addresses from our lap top :) Anyhoo, nothing I can do about it now, so if you didn't get a card from us this year please accept my apologies, and know that you probably aren't alone! Due to our mistake(s), I've posted some pics of our card this year. Just imagine that's your hand opening the envelope :)

FRONT:

BACK:

As with every Christmas season, Brian and I are so grateful that our Lord humbled Himself, took on human nature and entered this sinful world as a tiny, innocent babe. He is the most precious of gifts. As we have brainstormed ways to keep Christ the focus of our family, especially at Christmas time when ten thousand distractions beg for our attention, we came up with an idea to hang a stocking for Jesus. In it, we will place pieces of paper where we have written down our gifts to Him for the coming year. Maybe it's a change in attitude toward a certain person or situation. Maybe it's a bad habit that needs to be broken, etc. etc.

However, on Pinterest the other day, I stumbled across this idea (originally obtained from Noel Piper's book "Treasuring God in Our Traditions") and

L O V E D it. Please take the time to read how this family seeks to give back to Jesus every Christmas. I love their sign,"What can I give to the King?"

A is for Adams

2011-10-13T21:29:00.003-04:00

I saw a really neat idea in Southern Living this month. Instead of carving a face in your pumpkin, make it a little more decorative (and less scary!!) by etching your house number in it. I loved this look, but decided I'd rather use our last initial. I didn't have a stencil or pumpkin carving kit like the article recommended, so I had to free hand it, but I still love the results. Annnnnnnnd, it shows up so much better during the day than a hollow pumpkin! This method also allows you to skip the messy part of hollowing out your pumpkin. (I admit that I had to look in the dictionary just now to see if hollow could be used as a verb. And it can, it even used "hollowed out" as an example. So there. I'm not a redneck that makes up her own terms after all).

FYI . . . if you want to try this yourself, just rub vasoline in the carved grooves and it will keep your pumpkin from drying out! Good tip, right?!!! Thank you SL!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-10-08T22:28:00.003-04:00

Almost. Next to Christmas season, Autumn is the most wonderful time of year in my opinion!!!!

We made a family outing to Hodges Farm today. It was Sage's first pumpkin patch experience. She really does get excited about pumpkins (as well as Chick-fil-a which she pronounces fish-fye. Go figure).

But they have animals at this farm. So of course she was more interested in them than the pumpkins, especially the horses. In fact, she stuck her finger in one horse's nostril and in another horse's eye, while saying "nose" and "eye." Poor horses.

Approaching the horses, a little apprehensive at first . . .

Getting closer and feeling a little braver. . .

Let me at 'em Mom!!!

You can see where that finger is headed.

And a few more from our time at the farm . . .

Coloring!!!

2011-10-07T11:07:00.007-04:00

I recently introduced Sage to crayons. From day one, I emphasized over and over that we only use crayons on paper. Somehow, despite my best efforts, I knew that it was only a matter of time before I discovered something like this:

Thank goodness for Magic Eraser!!!!

And I found a lil surprise when I opened our fridge the other day. Which item doesn't belong?

We like our crayons cold around here :)

Swamped in September

2011-09-15T13:11:00.007-04:00

I'm sorry ya'll. I really am. I have neglected the blog, again. There has been so much going on! Revivals, retreats, extra work days for Brian, sicknesses, etc. etc. There are just no free days left in September for the Adams family! I tell ya though, some of my favorite things have been happening . . .

Brian and I got some much needed time together (sans Sage)

I got the opportunity to sing for a couple of revivals here in CLT.

Our church leadership retreat was great, provided vision and clarity.

And our choir retreat is coming up this weekend along with Brian's birthday!

All such fun stuff. However, in my busy-ness, I completely stopped taking pictures of Sage. Sad! So I'm trying to be more camera happy even though I'm totally frustrated with our 8 year old, 5 megapixel Cannon that seems to blur every shot. It couldn't possibly be the fault of the inexperienced photographer behind the lense :)

So here are a few pics. I tried to upload a video too, but can't get it to work. Maybe later . . .

One of Sage's best friends, Rahma, our neighbor.

Cackle

2011-08-30T12:31:00.002-04:00

Who's Ready for Fall?

2011-08-13T13:52:00.001-04:00

I tell ya, with all this back to school talk and the 90 degree temps we keep experiencing, I've caught myself thinking about fall more and more lately. I even went to weather.com the other day to see when it typically starts cooling off around here. (Keep in mind I haven't spent a summer in the south in a long time so I needed a reminder.) If we were in Jersey (where we lived for the past 4 summers) cooler temps would be around the corner. Not-so-much down here. At least the evenings and mornings will start to be more pleasant soon!

Fall really is an exciting time of year for me. I could stay outside all day long when the leaves are pretty and the air is crisp. Ah, heaven. Just thinking about it puts me in a good mood. But I have to say, I wouldn't appreciate fall as much if it weren't for these hot, humid summers. As miserable as they are, they pave the way for some serious relief and thankfulness come autumn.

And in honor of the coming fall . . . I'm loving this casual look. I think I need those boots, and the scarf, and the skinny jeans. Oh heck, just give me the whole thing :)

Luuuuuv

2011-08-05T12:03:00.003-04:00

Read a great quote by Donald Miller yesterday . . .

"Life isn’t a Taylor Swift song, with all the hardship left out. It works more like a Normal Mailer novel, with all the gritty garbage left in. Stop falling for the romantic version of life, and start realizing that a romantic story is told with an enormous amount of pain, sacrifice, suffering and patience."

He just tells it like it is doesn't he? Got love it.

When It Rains

2011-07-26T22:02:00.002-04:00

(You know the rest.) IT POURS!!

I'm not complaining. Really, I'm not. In fact I find it slightly humorous. Why is it that life seems to go so smoothly for a while, and then BAM! All of a sudden you're bombarded with problems. Small ones, mind you, small ones, in the whole scheme of things. So let me explain . . .

We've had trouble with our air conditioner lately. Long story short, it had to be replaced after several expensive visits from the repairman. Three days ago we got a brand spankin' new air conditioner. The next day it wasn't working and we began to bake in our own home. After being terribly concerned that we forked over $3000 for a lemon, the repairman came back out to fix the problem and it started working like a charm. Nothing lost but a lil sweat. No biggie.

However . . .

Today Sage was napping when I heard a big BOOM. I figured something must have fallen in the attic because the repairman had been up there moving some things around in order to get to, and fix the unit. When Sage woke up, some time later, I had already forgotten about the boom. That is until I walked in her room and found sheet rock on the floor and an 8 inch hole in our ceiling where part of a heavy tub in the attic had fallen through. All I could think was, "Oh this is not good. This is not good at all." Sage was perfectly safe. The hole wasn't near her crib so nothing fell on her, thankfully!!

But to top it all off, I have a flat tire.

Here's the deal though . . . I've got Jesus. And while He's all I really need, He's also given me a beautiful family, the most incredible friends, a home that completely meets our needs, and food on our table. I could go on and on. You get the picture. There are starving children in Africa. Literally. So I really don't care that I have a hole in my ceiling or a flat tire, or that that I lost 5 lbs in sheer water weight from sweating in my own house for 24 hours. Those things sort of pale in comparison if ya know what I mean. This girl is just thankful that the Lord has matured her enough to realize what's important to get worked up over and what's not. :)

Annual Beach Vacay

2011-07-21T13:09:00.006-04:00

It was my turn to find and book the beach house this year for my entire family's beach vacation. I found a really nice house on Fripp Island, in SC. We'd never been to Fripp before and it was a nice change of pace. There weren't many restaurants, putt-putt courses, water parks, etc. But we did have these fun creatures to watch, or in Brian's case, play with every day.

Sage had such a good time playing in the waves and sand. She's pretty fearless when it comes to the water. I should have gotten some video, but of course, I didn't think of that. I also forgot to take any pictures with me in them. Oh well!

My family loves to have a good laugh, especially at the expense of each other. So this year we played this game where you try to move an oreo from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands. It was hilarious!

And lastly, I must show you Sage's new favorite game to play with Daddy . . .

YUM-O

2011-07-09T08:05:00.000-04:00

My family has a peach ice cream recipe that we've been making for years. And I mean to tell you, it is OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD!!! The best I've ever had, truly. Brian and I had our neighbors over for a lil cookout the other night and Brian decided he wanted to make some homemade peach ice cream so I gave him our family recipe, "June's Peach Ice Cream." It was his first attempt ever, and he did such a good job. It turned out perfect! (I only ate a tiny bit because I'm on dessert hiatus, but that little bit was heavenly).

Since nobody likes a recipe snob I figured I shouldn't keep this family jewel a secret. It's a lot of work, but well worth the trouble. Trust me.

JUNE'S PEACH ICE CREAM

1 pint half & half

1/2 pint heavy cream

2 cups sugar

1 can evaporated milk

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 quart peach puree (fresh peaches, peeled and pureed in blender)

Ice cream salt

Scald cream and half & half. Turn down to low heat/simmer. Beat eggs and mix with the sugar. Add this sugar-egg mixture gradually to the cream mixture, beating with a whisk as you do so. Add salt and cook on low or medium-low heat until thick (about 25 minutes), stirring constantly. DO NOT BOIL. DO NOT HURRY THE COOKING. When mixture coats silver spoon, remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool. When thoroughly cool, add peach puree and stir. Put in ice cream churn (hopefully you have an electric one that does all the work for you!). Use 4 parts ice to 1 part ice cream salt. You'll probably have to churn it for roughly 20 minutes.

When you first make it, it's so smooth, like soft serve. It's CRAZY GOOD!!! Enjoy!!!

I'll Take 2, Thanks.

2011-06-27T14:52:00.002-04:00

I really like this hat. I'd buy it if I could justify spending the money for something I'd rarely wear. I like hats but forget to wear them. Maybe if I had a super cute one like this, I'd remember :)

Just Another Day in the 'Hood

2011-06-16T13:38:00.003-04:00

We love the neighborhood kids that live on our street. One of the many perks to living in a town house is that your playmates are only a few steps away. We play with these sweet kids all the time!

From left to right: Sage, Gabo, Abrahim, Adam, Rahma, and Kingston.

Sage really likes watermelon these days . . .

My List

2011-06-10T13:23:00.006-04:00

Some might call it a bucket list. I guess it's kind of like that. But really, it's just my list of personal goals or things I'd like to master simply because I'd enjoy them. Some of them are unrealistic, at least for now, but it doesn't change the fact that I'd really like to do them. Now if I would just get up off my rear end, I could start accomplishing, in no particular order, "My List":

1.) Plant, nurture, and reap the harvest of a well-loved garden.

2.) Buy a nice camera.

3.) Take a photography class so I know how to use it.

4.) See New England in the fall.

5.) Visit the Northwest. (I think it's the only part of the country where I have not been, except for Alaska.)

6.) Learn to sew, well. And not ever forget how.

7.) Go on mission trips, frequently, with my husband and children to third world countries.

8.) Appreciate food without being obsessive or indulgent.

9.) Be more laid back.

10.) Learn to play the guitar.

11.) Sing a duet with a famous musician.

12.) Lose 10 lbs.

13.) Live on a lake, or own a lake house where we can visit/vacation.

14.) Swim with dolphins, again. (Did it once and LOVED it!)

15.) Take a second honeymoon to Hawaii.

16.) Watch Brian coach or pitch in the major leagues.

17.) Build an outdoor fire pit or fire place where friends can gather in the fall and roast marsh mellows, talk, and laugh.

18.) Have another baby, or two.

19.) Be perfectly content if it's not the Lord's will for me to do any of these things.

I'll probably think of more items to add later . . . so if/when you see a random post months from now about adding this or that to "my list," you'll know what I mean :)

What's on your list? I'm curious to know what other people would put on their lists!

There's A First Time for Everything

2011-05-31T19:35:00.000-04:00

So I've never been a Nascar fan. While I did grow up in the deep South, I didn't know many people that were big fans, so I just never caught the fever. Truthfully I just never understood how watching cars go around a track was entertaining. However, Brian and I got to attend the Coca-Cola 600 this past weekend, and I must say, I really enjoyed it. Granted that's easy to do when watching the race from an air conditioned suite, while dining on roasted chicken, broccoli cassarole and triple chocolate cake.

But in all seriousness, I actually got into it! I'm telling you, when you're watching those cars race LIVE, it makes all the difference in the world. The sheer speed is astounding.

Brian and I had the privilege of touring the garages, meeting Bobby Labonte, attending the driver's meeting, and being in the winner's circle at the end. It was such a fun experience.

Dale Jr. at the driver's meeting.

And Larry the Cable Guy

Lee Greenwood singing, "God Bless the USA"

Walking the track.

Jeff Gordon's car.

Visiting with Bobby Labonte in his trailer.

Touring the garages.

(The guy on the right cracks me up.)

The view from our suite.

In the winner's circle, delirious from all the sugar intake and staying up so late.

Winner, Kevin Harvick.

Winner's Circle celebration!!! It's blurry because the noise was ridiculous.

Sage is . . .

2011-05-24T12:25:00.001-04:00

1.) So tall. She's always been in the 75th percentile in height, but just recently people (and even total strangers) have begun to comment on how tall she seems for her age. She is also . . .

2.) So funny. Especially when it comes to wearing glasses.

In addition to the glasses obsession, Sage is also obsessed with . . .

3.) Tearing things apart, like toilet paper. (Which is why bathroom doors are either closed or there's no toilet paper on the roll in our house!) In this picture she had ripped the wrappers off of every single bar of soap she could find under the sink.

Here ya go Mom. I nice fresh bar of soap.

4.) Sage is also quite the imitator. She has this "fake laugh" she does whenever she sees/hears someone else laughing. I can't seem to catch it on video, so you'll have to take my word for it. She's so dramatic about it. She throws her head back and let's out a Count Dracula-like cackle. It's a little scary.

2011-04-29T12:41:00.006-04:00

I've really enjoyed watching the coverage of the Royal wedding today. Admittedly, I did not join many of my friends in waking at 4 am to watch the entire ordeal. I figure they'll be airing it all day, no, all month long. I should have plenty of opportunities to watch it without losing sleep :)

On a different note . . . wasn't Kate breathtaking? I think she looked absolutely GORGEOUS.

Here's one thing I don't get though. The hats. Seriously, the HATS!!!!! I like wearing a hat occasionally, and granted my personal style is probably rather understated. Which is why I just can't fathom why one would wear something like this:

Did you catch that? What in the world?!!!! Take another look:

Here's another one you'd never, ever catch me in :)

As they say, variety is the spice of life!!!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T22:23:00.000-04:00

I am kicking myself for not remembering to take a family picture on Easter Sunday. I did, however, remember to keep Sage in her Easter dress long enough to get a few quick pics.

On lil Easter egg hunt. She doesn't quite get the concept yet, but it won't be long!

You're Not Going to Believe It!!

2011-03-30T15:15:00.002-04:00

I did it. I finally bit the bullet. I've been talking about it for years and finally mustered up the courage. I had to have someone or something push me over the edge and Brian told me that on our budget, we really couldn't afford for me to be getting highlights anymore. I needed no other reason. When it comes to priorities lets face it, my family is far more important to me than my appearance. So I went back to my natural color. At least, the hairstylist's best guess at my natural color. It's a little different from what I think my real color is, but when you're trying to cover up bright blonde highlights, I'm sure it's tricky! So without further ado, I'm now a brunette

. . .

Here's to hoping I get used to it!!!

I'm Looking Forward to . . .

2011-03-11T09:17:00.000-05:00

1.) Our new family membership to the YMCA!! I have always wanted to be able to use the Y, with all of it's wonderful programs, workout facilities, childcare, etc. And now I can!

2.) Going shopping for some new clothes with a little birthday money. I've put off buying clothes long enough, it's time to update the wardrobe. Don't you just wish that you could revamp your whole wardrobe all at once? Maybe that's just how bad mine needs it. For now, however, I'll have to settle for just a few new items to spruce it up.

3.) Sage has a cold, and of course I caught it from her. So I'm looking forward to it being over.

4.) American Idol. Although I'm a little surprised at a few of the judges' "wild card" decisions last week, I'm looking forward to hearing what the top 12 can do. Bring it!!!

5.) Reading through the Bible. I've started my conscious effort to read it from start to finish. I began with the New Testament and will go back to the Old Testament later. I'm not putting any pressure on myself to "finish it in a year." I'm just taking my time, letting Jesus teach me what He wants me to teach me without being on a schedule :)

6.) Seeing Sage in all her adorable new clothes!!! Ahhhhhhhhh!! Baby/toddler clothes are so cute and Sage got a ton of them for her birthday! Thank you to all of our family and friends who are clothing our child.

7.) The weekend! I miss my hubs during the week, it just seems like we don't get very much time together. So I'm looking forward to catching up with him this weekend.

Happy Friday everyone!!!!!!!

Birthday Girl

2011-03-06T15:22:00.006-05:00

A few pics from a weekend of partying . . .

Elmo cake!!!

Digging into one of her gifts!

She's not crazy about cake, yet. And that's a big YET. I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

Hanging with cousin, Fisher.

Sage really loved the balloons.

Some new shades she got as a gift. I think John Lennon just called. He wants his sunglasses back, or maybe it was Elton John.

A pic with Mom and Dad at home after the big party.

First Birthday

2011-03-03T19:00:00.001-05:00

Can you believe it's been a whole year since our baby girl was born? I can't! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAGE!!!!!!!!!!! I am so very thankful that the Lord blessed us with such a happy, healthy child.

Forgive me if this post is boring to some of you, but as I've said before, I'm not keeping a baby book so I feel like I need to document these milestones somewhere. So, at one year of age Sage's favorite things to do are:

1.) Read. This is #1 on the list for a reason. She absolutely loves to crawl up in anyone's lap and have a good book read to her, especially books that rhyme like "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb" by Dr. Suess. This is usually what diaper change time looks like:

She also likes to just look at books on her own. When it's really quiet and I look around the corner to see what she's doing, 9 times out of 10 she is flipping through books.

2.) Sage is obsessed with pulling out EVERYTHING from any given shelf, cabinet or drawer. And believe me, the task is not complete until everything is out. Hurricane Sage comes through at least twice a day:

3.) This girl loves to walk. She's walking on her own now. I hold her hand when we're on concrete, but that's about it.

4.) Eating fruit (her fave food) as well as canned peas, cheerios and mom's homemade spaghetti. She had Nilla wafers for the first time the other day and of course loved them! Sugar, sugar, sugar!

5.) Waving bye-bye. It's quite a stiff wave. She keeps her hand still and moves her entire arm up and down.

6.) Laughing at herself in the mirror.

7.) Giving fuzzy animals kisses. We're still working on giving Mom and Dad more kisses :(

8.) Sage gets soooooooo excited when Daddy comes home. The minute she sees him coming through the door she squeals and her feet start going a mile a minute, in place (like running in place). It's hilarious. I guess that's just her way of showing excitement.

9.) Sage really likes other kids. She also likes to take whatever they are playing with. Oh boy. We'll have to nip that in the bud once she's old enough to understand.

10.) Sage calls me Mom most of the time. Literally, she pronounces the last "m" and I feel like my teenager is calling me! What happened to Mama? At 1 year of age she is also saying: Da or Dada (for Dad), Ba (for ball), Buh-buh (for bye-bye) and cah-cah (for the sound that a crow makes). That's about it really, accept for the funny noises she likes to make with her tongue.

The big birthday party is coming up this weekend! Well, not really "big" because it's just family, but I'll be sure to post pics!

Get your coffee. This one's a long one.

2011-02-19T22:09:00.000-05:00

PART 1

I can't believe I'm about to type this . . . Brian has retired from playing professional baseball. I still haven't wrapped my brain around this reality. There were still so many things I was looking forward to, like our children watching Brian play baseball. Like seeing his childhood dream of pitching in the major leagues come true, etc. However, at the age of 33 he's made the difficult decision to "hang it up" and pursue another career. We both know that this will be somewhat of a grieving process. It's the end of a chapter, the only job Brian has ever known, and the only lifestyle we've known as a married couple. I loved so many things about it: the people we met, the friends we made, and the places we got to see. But most of all I treasure the valuable lessons God taught us on the journey. I'll remember those lessons for the rest of my life because they taught me about my God and drew me into a closer relationship with Him. And that made our time in professional baseball so sweet, so worth it.

It's almost spring, and subconsciously I keep thinking we'll be taking off soon to go to spring training. On one hand I'm sad that we're not, but on the other hand I'm happy. The stability of being at home with family, friends, our church and community will be nice to have (as well as a steady, reliable pay check!!).

But I'll miss the game.

I'll miss going to a game almost EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT of the summer.

I'll miss having the privilege of watching Brian do his job.

I'll miss the crazy fans, and the normal ones :)

I'll miss seeing the precious faces of kids wanting autographs after the games.

I'll miss the letters from people saying they looked up the Bible verse that Brian wrote under his autograph, and how encouraged they were to read it.

I'll miss being in the special sisterhood of baseball wives. No one understands the joys and challenges you face in baseball the way your fellow wives do.

While I'll miss many, many things about life in professional baseball, I am more than confident that Brian and I are going to be incredibly blessed and amazed by they ways the Lord will use us in the next phase of life. In fact, I'm really, really looking forward to it!

But something tells me that every year when spring rolls around, I'll get the itch to be in the world of baseball again. For a split second my heart will sink because I'll miss it all over again, like a long lost friend. What a fun ride it was. What a good God we serve. What an adventure this life is. Here's to the next stage of it . . .

If I had a Quarter . . .

2011-02-10T09:32:00.003-05:00

for every time I have to stop while Sage and I are in the grocery store for people to interact with her and tell me how cute she is, then well, I'd have some serious dough. That's not a complaint. Heck, I couldn't agree more! The girl is cute! And there's no way I'm biased :)

Thursday Brain Dump

2011-01-27T22:40:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I wrote a brain dump. So here's what's on my mind . . .

1.) It started with me, then Sage, and now Brian. I'm not even sure we all have the same thing, but we're definitely all sick. Thankfully, I started feeling better when Sage started feeling bad. But now that Brian is sick we're just going to make a whole week out of this madness!!!

2.) I'm so pumped about getting my new window shade up! This house has always needed punches of color and the kitchen is about to get it. Pics to follow once I get it just right.

3.) Sage will turn one year old in a little over a month. That is CRAZY!!!! I guess I need to start planning a party.

4.) Speaking of Miss Independent, she is almost walking on her own. She still wants to hold a hand for balance most of the time, but at other times she completely turns loose to go after something. It's only a matter of time . . .

5.) It is just so hard for me to get out of "sweets mode" after the holidays! Seriously, I want dessert, like, all the time. This habit is hard to break. Really, really hard.

6.) Our life group from church rocks and I'm ready for us to start meeting again. There's been a brief hiatus, so Feb 6th needs to get here soon!

7.) The other day Brian told someone I wasn't "career driven." This bothered me for a multitude of reasons. I probably need some time to analyze before I can expound. For now, however, I think I should defend Brian and clarify that he wasn't saying, "she has no ambition." So I guess I just wish he would have worded it differently. Something like, "She's passionate about many things. Unfortunately, none of them make us any money." :)

8.) I really like Steven Tyler so far on American Idol. He's quite the compassionate judge yet honest too, the perfect combo. Randy just cracks me up. J. Lo ain't bad either. I think I'm going to enjoy this season. I just hope someone can give constructive criticism when it gets down to the really talented folks.

Speaking of Snow . . .

2011-01-22T10:28:00.000-05:00

I sang this song at church right after Christmas. I just adore it. Read the lyrics about the humble birth of our Lord, they just move me . . .

You could have come like a mighty storm,

with all the strength of a hurricane.

You could have come like a forest fire,

with the power of heaven in your flame.

But you came like a winter snow;

quiet, and soft and slow,

falling from the sky, in the night,

to the earth below.

You could have swept in like a tidal wave,

or in an ocean to ravish our hearts.

You could have come through like a roaring flood,

to wipe away the things we've scarred.

Oh, but you came like a winter snow;

quiet, and soft and slow,

falling from the sky, in the night,

to the earth below.

Your voice wasn't in a bush burning.

No. Your voice wasn't in a rushing wind.

It was still.

It was small.

It was hidden.

You came, like a winter snow;

quiet, and soft and slow.

Falling from the sky,

in the night, to the earth below.

Snow Days

2011-01-18T09:50:00.000-05:00

It is so hard to believe that Sage has already experienced TWO snow storms in her short life (especially considering we live in the south)! After the 3rd day of school being cancelled, the snow finally melted. But during the first 2 days we had a grand time. I've officially decided that we WILL be purchasing a sled before next winter. Cardboard boxes just don't cut it. We went over to Darren and Wava's to play and thankfully, they had some great sleds!

Your eyes do not deceive. I let Sage do a little sledding. Who are we kidding, I was never going to win "Mom of the Year" anyway. The hill wasn't big, and her very responsible and loving older cousins were there to protect her :) Admittedly, I was still a little nervous, but I figure I'll be singing that tune the rest of my life. I've joined the parenthood club and worrying about every little thing concerning our children is what we do, right?

And finally, a picture from her very first snow, with Daddy and cousin Tucker, the day after Christmas . . .

The Girl's Got Rhythm

2011-01-14T18:53:00.000-05:00

While Sage isn't quite as dramatic in this video as she has been at times, it will give you a good idea of the way she likes to groove when she hears a familiar tune. Gotta love it.

8 Years

2011-01-04T14:56:00.010-05:00

Today Brian and I celebrate 8 years of marriage! A few pictures of us on our wedding day (sorry if these are the same ones I posted a few years ago) . . .

I am so fortunate to have 8 wonderful years with Brian. Here's to many, many more!

The Rush

2011-01-01T19:15:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. I'm always a little sad when it's all done, but it is kind of nice when "the rush" is over . . . no more last minute shopping, no more long car rides, and you're back in your own, cozy bed.

Our decorations have been taken down and safely stored away, and it feels good to have that done too. However, our den now looks like a daycare center with all of the toys Sage received for Christmas! (I'll be organizing that craziness soon, because I'd really like to have my house back). She's one blessed little lady to be given so much.

There are so many things I could blog about, I'm not even sure where to start. This picture pretty much sums up Sage's Christmas.

I promise she's not cross-eyed. She's just at that age where eating the wrapping paper is more appealing than playing with the presents themselves :) More evidence you say? Well, here ya go . . .

More to come later. Hopefully. When I find the time :)

Photo Wall - Check!

2010-12-10T20:45:00.000-05:00

Another project completed! Yay! This is a big deal when you're lucky to get the essential things done during the day, like eating, much less a whole project! Thank you to those of you who put your 2 cents in when I couldn't decide what kind of arrangement to do. I absolutely love it! (Sorry about the lamp glare in the picture. I took it at night.) The frames are huge (25x25) and I got them from Pottery Barn, my fav store!

On a side note, Brian is home, and I'm so thankful to have him back. I'm also really glad he gets to experience the Christmas season in the States this year! Sage was so happy to see her Daddy, and she hasn't stopped smiling at him since. His fear that she would not remember him was quickly put to rest :)

Funny Girl

2010-12-01T21:00:00.001-05:00

What Mom? You mean you can't change my diaper like this?

I'm sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you wanted me to empty the diaper bag.

But Mom, it's only fun if I can get messy.

I don't particularly like being strapped into this thing, but from this standpoint, it's quite fascinating.

Christmas Time!!!!

2010-11-30T19:45:00.000-05:00

Please forgive me . . . I wrote this post 2 weeks ago and forgot to post it!

After having Sage, every little thing in life is faaaaaaar more exciting than it ever was. Like holiday decorating. I've always been a stickler for waiting until after Thanksgiving to put up the Christmas decorations, but not this year. The other day Sage and I turned on a little Christmas music, dug through the attic and got started! I just couldn't WAIT for her to see all the lights and colors. This year all she could do was watch (and whine for me to pick her up), but one day she'll help me, and I'm betting she'll love it!

Speaking of holiday decor . . . I was on the hunt for the perfect stockings. My problem is that I like too many. I like the traditional, the cutesy, and the casual (not so much the fancy ones). My ridiculous habit of being unable to make decisions finally got on my nerves so much that I just picked some and went with it. We'll probably have to buy different ones anyway when/if we have more kids, if we want them all to match. So cutesy won out this year:

Merry early Christmas everyone!

Come on Home Babe!

2010-11-15T15:11:00.003-05:00

My friends are so sick of hearing me say it, but I'm just beyond ready for this man to come home to me.

So I'm saying it again. I am ready to see my hubs!!!!!! December 13th can't get here soon enough.

Mom is 60!

2010-11-14T12:00:00.001-05:00

I'm sure my mother will be pleased that I'm announcing her age to the entire blogging world. But it's a milestone, and it was celebrated well, so I thought I would share . . .

Dad and I wanted to do something special for Mom, you know, because she is so special. Besides, you only turn 60 once. So we set up a weekend in the mountains with our entire family as a surprise. Dad rented a huge 7 bedroom house in Black Mountain, made reservations at a great lil restaurant called Que Sera, and I made the birthday cake. Mom's nickname within the family is "Cat" (because her full name is Cathy), so this is the butter pecan cake with cream cheese icing I made:

(I also made a Southern Sweet Chocolate Cake because we all know that celebrations are not complete without chocolate.)

I found the cat cake on the Betty Crocker website, but my good friend, Sage, introduced me to a great site that has a lot of super cool "do it yourself" cakes. It's www.familyfun.go.com if you're interested in getting creative! Although, I highly recommend baking and decorating a cake after your kid goes to bed. I might have learned that lesson the hard way.

Anyway, back to Mom . . . Happy Birthday Mom! We love you and are so glad we got to celebrate your birthday together. You make 60 look good!

Bye-Bye

2010-11-10T11:37:00.004-05:00

I have not been good about writing things down in any sort of baby book for Sage to look back on one day. Therefore, I figure maybe this blog can be a good substitute for a "memory book." With that said, Sage did something for the first time yesterday. Just a few days after turning 8 months old Sage actually waved bye-bye to someone! In fact, it was to the nurse who gave her the flu shot! Guess it's good to know she didn't hold a grudge :) I did what any proud, first time mom would do. I freaked out (in joy) and told the nurse, "That's the first time she's ever done that!!!" We've worked on it a few times, but I certainly did not realize she would catch on so fast. This is what genius looks like:

Ouch.

2010-10-29T22:36:00.003-04:00

"Sometimes I would like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world when he could do something about it . . . but I'm afraid he might ask me the same question" - Anonymous

I read this quote today and it knocked me between the eyes. Hard.

Reunion

2010-10-28T22:09:00.001-04:00

Fun fun fun! That was the name of the game from Oct. 15-Oct. 24! We started out in Atlanta for my sweet friend, Melissa's wedding. Some of my best girlfriends from college and I were bridesmaids, and we had some major laughs over the weekend. Like when I ran into the middle of the highway to grab a rather large portion of Shannon's dress that got ripped off by a tire because it was hanging out of our car on our way to the reception! Can you imagine seeing a woman in a purple strapless dress and heels running in the middle of the road? I'm sure it was quite a sight. But I was glad to do it for my precious, and pregnant friend. Ain't no shame in my game.

I also LOVED watching Melissa and her new hubby dance at the reception. You have never, in your life, seen a couple get down and live it up the way those two did. It was truly inspiring. And dramatic. They are two peas in a pod. It was such a privilege and incredibly entertaining to see them enjoying each other and their reception, no holds bar.

Dad played the piano for the wedding too. It was great to have him accompany me. I can honestly say this was the first wedding I sang in where I wasn't extremely nervous. I have no idea why, but I'm thankful.

So after the wedding our friends rented a house near Clemson for the week and it too was sooooooooooo fun . . . a college reunion of sorts. It was so refreshing to spend some quality time with these folks that I love so dearly, but rarely get to see. On Saturday we all went to the Clemson/GA Tech game, where our Tigers made us proud and gave those jackets a good old fashioned butt whoopin'! Seeing these precious friends brought back some really great memories, and to find out where some of them are now, what their doing with their lives, what God has taught them, etc. was priceless. And of course the laughs flowed freely too :) We've all vowed that we MUST do this every year!

To top it all off, I had the joy of singing "Lead Me to the Cross" by Hillsong on Sunday, which is one of my favorite songs. As I began to sing my eyes were closed, but during the middle of the song I opened them to find our entire congregation whole-heartedly, and some very emotionally, laying their financial commitments to the church at the foot of this huge cross. Literally, there was this enormous cross center stage. It was moving. Such a privilege. So humbling.

Just Peachy :)

2010-10-20T11:15:00.003-04:00

Since we were having a little trouble with Sage showing interest in baby food, the doc suggested we let her try to feed herself. Oh, and that it might get a little messy.

It was definitely the trick! Over half of the peaches ended up in her lap, and clean up took forever, but she really enjoyed it. In fact, she's been eating baby food much better over the past 2 weeks since we started letting her play a stronger role in feeding herself! I let her hold the spoon and help guide it to her mouth. She thinks she's such big stuff.

She's Done It Again!

2010-10-12T21:04:00.001-04:00

My sweet friend, Heather Knowles, aka "The Best Photographer EVER" took some pictures of our family before Brian went to Mexico. I cannot wait to see all of them, but for now, here is a sneak peak from our session. Thank you so much Heather. It means the world to me to have these images, and you seriously are the best!

To see these pictures bigger, or more of Heather's work, just visit her blog here.

The No Good, Very Bad Day

2010-10-11T16:15:00.000-04:00

Remember that book, "Alexander and the No Good Very Bad Day"? (I think that was the title.)

Anyway, with Brian flying to Mexico today, (hence the a hole in my heart, and generally sad overall feeling) I keep thinking this is just a "no good, very bad day." We'll get through it. After all, every day can't be your best day. Some days just stink, and it's one of those days . . .

but God.

I love it when the phrase "but God" appears in scripture. Stories throughout the Bible are filled with defeat, despair, or frustration and then those two beautiful words appear, "but God" and suddenly there's hope. God is involved, and He's about to do His thing. He's about to turn the situation around, or teach 'em a little something, rescue, or revive, or refresh etc. etc. whatever the case may be. God changes EVERYTHING. He's a game changer.

This separation as a family is no walk in the park. But God has His purpose and plan for us. So while it's difficult, I am truly excited to see what He does through it.

Up to 3 months without my hubs and Sage's sweet daddy is unimaginable and depressing. I've cried my fair share of tears today, but God . . .

Birthday Boy

2010-10-07T13:30:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Brian's 33rd birthday last week. Jerry and Marilyn drove up and we all went out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with Darren, Wava, Brayden, and Oliver. It was a great time, but somehow I never pick the right thing and whatever I order ends up being rather bland. Brian's food was tasty though! And the red velvet cheesecake was delicious!!

Brian and I also had the opportunity to go to the Clemson game this past Saturday thanks to my parents who gave us tickets and free babysitting as Brian's birthday present! It was the first game we've been to in a loooonnnng time. We were majorly over due for some TIGER TIME! I just adore Clemson, and have so many wonderful memories from that place. I always wish we had more time to walk around campus, reminisce, and see what changes have taken place over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, our Tigers lost to Miami, but it was still a fun day.

We caught up with B's sister, Lori, at half time:

Happy 33rd to the most wonderful hubs and Daddy in the world! We love you!!

Monday Brain Dump

2010-09-27T11:00:00.001-04:00

I've noticed a little trend in the blogging world. People write one post about a bunch of different thoughts or events taking place in their lives, aka a "brain dump." I've enjoyed reading my friends' brain dumps, so I think I'll do one of my on. Starting today . . .

1.) I have a cold. I think Sage gave it to me. We've both been feeling rather rotten lately.

2.) Summer baseball is over and fall/winter baseball is about to begin. I have mixed emotions about this because Sage and I aren't going to Mexico with Brian and we do NOT like to be away from each other. Trying to see the silver lining . . .

3.) I've got to learn the art of applying eye shadow. You know, for those special occasions when you need a little extra make-up . . . like a wedding or photo session. Both of which are coming up very soon.

4.) I've been a running fool lately! I run 3 or 4 times a week, 3 miles each time. I'm really enjoying it. Although, I'm still waiting for the physical results to show up :)

5.) I keep trying to re-design this blog. I spend a fair amount of time experimenting with colors and designs, then end up with something I'm not crazy about and revert back to this old black and white theme. And then I feel guilty for wasting so much time on it.

6.) Have I told ya'll how ready my hubs is for baby #2? He was ready like, yesterday. If I gave the okay, I'd probably be pregnant faster than you can blink. But don't worry, I'm not ready so nothing will happen soon. Unless God decides differently. And He is entitled you know.

7.) I adore fall . . . for many reasons: the colors, cooler temps, fun fall sweaters, Clemson football, play-off baseball, Thanksgiving, etc. I picked up Pottery Barn's fall issue the other day and it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Now as long as this weather stays cool, we'll be golden!

Ok that's it for this brain dump! Hope you enjoyed it!

What Do Photo Walls and Mexico Have in Common?

2010-09-23T18:45:00.000-04:00

Nothing really.

I love photo walls. I'm creating one in our house because we have big open spaces that need filling and I need a fun project this fall while Brian is playing in Mexico. Since I'm not comfortable taking Sage down there (for numerous reasons I won't go into), she and I are staying back in Charlotte. This will by no means be easy, and will probably be the last time we attempt being away from Daddy. EVER. But anyway, back to my photo wall . . .

We have a big blank space to the right of our television that desperately needs filling. I figure a photo wall is just the thing, but I can't decide what kind of arrangement I like best. The 3 options are:

1.) Extremely streamlined/symmetrical, like so:

2.) Still symmetrical, but with more interest, like so (sorry I don't have a better pic):

3.) Or a mismatched arrangement like this:

I like all of these styles! But which one will look best in the space I have? I just don't know. I'm leaning towards arrangement #1, but ask me tomorrow and I will have changed my mind.

I welcome any opinions or suggestions my readers would like to offer!

"The Itch"

2010-09-19T17:56:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I just crack myself up.

Over the course of the past say, 3 years or so, I periodically get this "itch." An itch to dye my hair dark. As in, a little darker than my natural color, which is already dark brown. If I thought I could pull off black hair I would try it because I love black hair, but I'm not that stupid. Maybe crazy, but not stupid.

So anyway, I'm in the middle of one of those itches, just dying to dye my hair. DYING I say! But I have no courage. what. so. ever. I keep thinking Brian should get a job in another country next year and then I'll have an excuse! If I dyed it dark and it looked awful it wouldn't matter because I wouldn't know anyone. Who wants to mess with highlighting your hair every 2 months when abroad anyway?

A while back I did a post about a website where you can upload a pic of yourself and "try on" different hair color/styles. (You can find that post here.) I keep looking at the pic below thinking, it's not so bad. Ahhhhhhhh, but can I bite the bullet and do it? Melissa, if you're reading this don't panic. I won't do anything drastic before your wedding :)

100 Eagle Nest Trail

2010-09-10T17:15:00.000-04:00

Saying good bye to your childhood home isn't easy. This is the latest battle I face as my parents build a new house and move to Spring Island, South Carolina.

The house they've/we've lived in since 1986 has been sold, and my 24 years of living and visiting the brick two-story at 100 Eagle Nest Trail has come to an end. Mom keeps reminding me that the memories we made there are precious, not the place itself. But I'll still miss it. I know I will . . . my childhood pets are buried in the back yard. My 8th grade dance pictures were taken on those front porch steps. It's where my friends and I would slide down the stairs in our sleeping bags, and where I locked myself in my room when I didn't want to go to piano lessons. It's simply, where I grew up . . . the old familiar, if you will. I would know it's scent from a million miles away. There's a comfort to the place. I'll miss that. I think I'm also scared that I'll forget what it was like.

I don't expect my parents to stay there forever. Whether good bye takes place now or later, there would eventually have to be a good bye. That's the way life goes. And despite the morbid tone of this post, I am happy that Mom and Dad are building a house on the coast. It will be a place we all thoroughly enjoy. And if many years are spent there, it will become dear to us in it's own right. It is quite a gorgeous place, evidenced below.

But as for this little jewel . . .

I said my good byes. I took pictures of every room. I shed some tears. And while someone else may live there now, it will always be, "the house that built me."

6 Months

2010-09-02T16:27:00.010-04:00

Lately the blog seems to be all about Sage. It will probably be like that periodically. But have no fear, I've got some posts in the works that are about other things going on in our lives. So stay tuned . . .

In the mean time, Sage is 6 months old and I figure that's a milestone, right? Half of a year has already flown by! My goodness. I kind of wish she could eat solids already because I'd love to see her dive into some yummy cake with lots of icing! Here are the many faces of Sage that I photographed today, her "half birthday."

At 6 months of age, here's what's going on with Miss Sage:

I'm pretty sure she's teething even though I can't feel anything breaking through yet. The drool is out of control and at times she seems cranky for no apparent reason. Laughs and giggles still abound too though.

She's still not thrilled about eating food. She'd much prefer a bottle. We try to practice spoon feeding once a day, but she literally shows no interest. Anyone else have this issue?

Gone are the days of sitting still. Sage is ready to get down and go . . . even though she can't "go" anywhere yet. I do believe crawling is on the horizon.

She really likes the sound of her own little high pitched voice. In the mornings, some times the squeals are a little too high :) but we still love to hear her "talk."

I took a little 6 month video that you can see below. It's not terribly interesting, but we needed live footage!

First Beach Trip

2010-08-15T17:05:00.005-04:00

What a little diva

Not sure what to think of that water

Ended up lovin' it!

With cousin, Bridger

And Tucker

5 months old

2010-08-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

People say this all the time, but it couldn't be more true. Kids grow up so fast. Our little Sagey is 5 months old today! Sometimes I feel like she changes right before our very eyes. I miss how small she used to be, but she gets more and more beautiful every day. I'm not biased or anything :)

At 5 months old Sage:

Is starting to get the hang of eating rice cereal with a spoon.

Lets out some hearty cackles and giggles when you hit her tickle spots, which include her ribs, under arms, neck, sides and thighs.

Has rolled over a few times, but not regularly.

Still sleeps 12 straight hours at night (lovin' this!!!!)

Adores her jumperoo! You should see her go to town in that thing!

Enjoys feeling different textures.

Periodically decides to be quite "chatty" and at other times very quiet.

Is one smiley girl!!!

Sage is such a good baby. The only thing she's not good at is napping, but the fact that she sleeps so well at night makes up for it. She is becoming more and more active and I can tell that it's only a matter of time before I have a hard time keeping up with her! Happy 5 month birthday baby girl!!!!!!!!!

Mama/Daughter Time

2010-07-31T14:50:00.001-04:00

Ok, here's the deal. There are some things that just come easily to certain people. Like my friend Katie. She's smart as a whip, works very hard and therefore has climbed the corporate ladder quickly, all the while making it look very effortless. And then there's my aunt, Bunny, who hosts all 15 members of our family at her house for several days and graciously coordinates meals, laundry, etc. and somehow never seems stressed or overwhelmed, just glad to do it.

Other women have even pointed out a few things I've made look effortless. (Shocker, I know). I kind of thought motherhood would be one of those things. However, I can tell you with all confidence that I DO NOT make motherhood look effortless. I'm pretty sure that if you could have been a fly on my wall over the past 4 days, you would agree. (Please don't mistaken me here. The love and adoration I have for Sage overwhelmed me the minute I laid eyes on her - that was completely effortless and natural. I'm referring more to the "reading your child" and "knowing what's best for your infant" gift some people seem to possess that make caring for a baby look easy).

Brian left last Monday for a 4 game road trip. That left Sage and I back in NJ, a little bored. I was pretty concerned. Let's be honest, when your child won't let anyone hold her (as in, screams bloody murder when a stranger even gets close), and your husband skips town for a few days, it can leave one a little concerned about his/her sanity as the sole care taker. Sage and I have also never been alone for days on end, in a small apartment, in a town where we don't know many people. I was genuinely a little nervous.

I made my fair share of mistakes, like not paying enough attention to when she needed to nap, which meant I ended up with a very cranky, overly tired baby at the end of the day. But we also had several giggle/tickle sessions where she laughed so hard it made us both delirious. A "girls night" after Sage went to bed, complete with cupcakes and good conversation with sweet friends helped me feel sane too. Sometimes you just need a little adult conversation :)

Sage is such a good baby (until she's around a big group or a stranger, then she freaks out, but I've been told she'll grow out of this), and the other day I was thinking about how I want to really enjoy my time with her. These next few years are precious and irreplaceable. They may be the only time we get, just the two of us, especially if Brian and I have more kids. In a few years when life is crazier and more populated, I'll probably relish and adore the idea of getting 4 uninterrupted days with my sweet daughter. So I think I should start appreciating them NOW.

Here's a little pic of our sweet Sage that I took this past week. Could you not just eat her up? Or as Daddy likes to say, "Sage, I could slop you up with a biscuit."

Gone Baby Gone

2010-07-14T13:55:00.005-04:00

Well, it was so nice while it lasted . . . a summer at home that is. Our sweet time hanging out together as a family 24/7 has come to a close. Brian's foot is almost completely healed and we're heading to New Jersey in a few days so he can start pitching again. It's so hard to leave our family, friends and community in Charlotte. Although I do look forward to watching baseball again! It will be so much fun when Sage is old enough to enjoy it and understand what's going on. We have some sweet friends in NJ that I'm looking forward to seeing as well. Here's hoping that Sage does really well on the 12 hour drive up there!

I Wanna Do It All!!!!

2010-07-07T14:23:00.007-04:00

Do you ever find yourself just wanting to do and be everything? There are so many hobbies I'd like to take up and be really good at them. Like photography and sewing. I just adore good pictures. They can tell such a powerful story. And wouldn't it be nice if I could sew my own drapes instead of having to pay someone else an arm and a leg to do it? But how and when would I take a sewing or photography class when I can barely squeeze the most important things into the day? I have "everyday goals" like spending time with the Lord, with my precious family, taking care of my home (which includes cooking, cleaning, and shopping for my loved ones), exercising, the list goes on and on.

I found a website recently called the Pioneer Woman. I seriously think this lady does it all. She must not sleep. She's a photographer, homeschools her 4 kids, just finished writing a cook book, and updates her website all the time with how-to articles. She's pretty hilarious too. Check her out at www.thepioneerwoman.com. I'm not sure whether to feel inspired or intimidated . . . but like her. She was a high heel wearin' California girl who's world drastically changed when she married a cattle rancher from Oklahoma. To hear her tell it, life couldn't be sweeter. I like that. I get that. What I don't get is how she accomplishes so much while raising 4 kiddos!

A Fun 4th Weekend

2010-07-02T22:23:00.014-04:00

It was fun to finally experience a July 4th! Since Brian is usually playing ball, we don't get to celebrate like the rest of the nation. The 4th ends up being like any other day because there's a baseball game to be played. But this summer is different! This year we got to do so many fun things.

Our neighborhood had a little bike parade. As you can see it was pretty simple, but Sage was quite entertained by it.

Then we had our good friends Jeremy, Heather and Mason over for a cook out! Mason and Sage are buds. She kept reaching for Mason, it was really cute.

And finally, on Sunday our church had a big patriotic service where Mike Huckabee was the guest speaker. I always get emotional when we honor all the men and women that have so valiantly served our country. On a side note, how big is that flag? Holy cow.

This has nothing to do with the 4th of July, but I thought you'd all like to know that Sage is fascinated by her feet. She's constantly staring at them in amazement (see pic below). It's pretty hilarious. She'll strain to sit up in her car seat just so she can get a better look at them! Happy 4th everybody!!!!!

This Daddy Loves His Baby

2010-06-05T21:43:00.008-04:00

"You are all fair, my love; there is no flaw in you."

I knew Brian would love Sage. But I don't think I could have fathomed the intensity with which he would love her. I mean, this man pours over his beloved daughter. When he holds her, he holds her close, usually her face right up against his. It's precious. And there are many days when he'll walk up to me with Sage in his arms and say with all the pride he can muster, "Look. This is my daughter. My daughter."

If that doesn't make your heart melt I don't know what will.

I was telling that story to my friend, Marti, the other day and she so wisely reminded me that that is exactly how God is with me, His daughter . . . only a million times more. It's difficult to wrap my brain around that much love, adoration, and pride. I witness a visual of my Father's love for me every day as I watch my sweet husband cherish his baby girl. But then I have to multiply that by millions? That's an amazing kind of love. God says in His Word that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and that His works are "wonderful." That's right, God thinks we're wonderful. Just read Jeremiah 1:5 and Song of Solomon 4:7 back to back:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart . . . you are all fair, my love; there is no flaw in you." What a sweet Father. This is how much God loves us friend.

Whew

2010-05-31T21:31:00.004-04:00

***WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE ***

Starting weight: 152

Current weight: 143

I barely made my goal, but I'm glad to report that I've lost 1.5 pounds per week since my last post about my weight loss plan! That's 9 pounds over the last 6 weeks. It's hard to stay motivated when it comes off that slowly. I'd prefer an overnight change :) But since that's not possible, nor healthy, I'm hoping I'll stay on track and practice some serious self control and continue to have opportunities to exercise.

When I look in the mirror, I easily get discouraged because it looks like I have a long way to go, and then I want to run to the refrigerator for comfort. Yikes! That sort of defeats the purpose. I still can't fit into my pre-pregnancy pants either, and I certainly thought after almost 13 weeks I would be able to do so!

Anyway, this is kind of a boring post, but I just wanted to follow up my last weight loss post and update you all on the progress.

By The Way . . .

2010-05-23T17:27:00.004-04:00

I've forgotten to update the blog concerning our whereabouts. We are back at home in Charlotte! Normally we're gone during the summer because Brian is playing baseball. But since his foot was fractured by a line drive a few weeks ago, the team allowed us to come home while Brian rehabs. How awesome is that???!!!!

The drive from Texas back to North Carolina wasn't nearly as smooth as the initial drive to Texas. Sage was old enough to stay awake for longer periods of time and decided it wasn't so fun being in her car seat for that long. However, we made it back in 2 days and we were all relieved to be home.

We walked into our house at midnight and you wouldn't believe what we found . . . a beautifully cleaned and straightened house with a stocked pantry and refrigerator and our beds made, ready for us to crawl into. We could not have felt more loved or blessed. Our sweet friends from church had done their research, figured out who had a key to our house and spent what I'm sure was many hours preparing it for our return. They are seriously the best people in the world. Salt of the earth kind of people. This was also waiting for me on our kitchen table, complete with Happy Mother's Day balloons:

Our return home could not have been sweeter.

It Came and Went . . .

2010-05-10T10:22:00.015-04:00

Yesterday was my very first Mother's Day. It didn't even hit me until late in the day that the holiday was now actually in honor of ME. To be honest, the day didn't feel like it was about me. Not like your birthday does. I kind of think that's how it will be for the rest of my days. My children will be on the forefront of my mind so much so that "self" will take a back seat. And this is a good thing . . .

I think the toughest part about motherhood has been the sudden denial of self. In the quickest of moments everything changes. All of the sudden I have in my arms the most beautiful, precious gift I can imagine. I love her more than life itself. But in that very same moment, I'm not #1 anymore. I'd lay my life down for this little being, no questions asked. But . . .

Adjusting to life with a newborn means I can't do what I want to do, when I want to do it. My life now revolves around a very, VERY important and wonderful responsibility. Admittedly this has not been the prettiest of transitions for my heart. You see, my flesh wants to remain selfish. I recognize that while this is a difficult time, God has planned all along, from the very beginning, for this experience to change me. Motherhood will change me. It will rid me of the notion that this life was ever about me . . . and this of course, is a good thing.

I was an only child. Maybe that makes it a little harder for me than most. Maybe not. But the fact of the matter remains, God has always had big plans for my heart; plans to mold it and rid it of it's sinful nature, and now He will do it through my children. I can't see what the road ahead looks like. I only know that I was not prepared for the long, arduous journey this would be. A journey I wouldn't trade for the world. It will reveal all of my dirt, the ugliness of my heart that I desperately need to deal with. It will force me out, and Christ in. Staying true to His style, God will make motherhood soooooo worth it. As His Word says, children are a gift, a reward from the Lord . . . in ways I never dreamed.

Sage, one day you may read this. I want you to know that I love you to the fullest of the full. When I say I'd lay my life down for you I mean it. You are worth every bit of me. You may not understand some of the things I've said today until you're a mother yourself and that's ok. The purpose of this blog is to document our lives and I believe that it is extremely important to be real and honest with the world and especially with all of us who call ourselves Christians. Our struggles are real, and we should be real with each other about them. Please make no mistake. You are not a burden. You are a prize, the most beautiful gift from the Lord. I appreciate you to the depths of my being. God is using you already to change the world and He's starting in the heart of your own mother. I love you sweet girl.

Worry Wart

2010-04-25T21:18:00.003-04:00

I think I need to be real and talk about some real issues facing those of us who call ourselves moms . . .

I confess that ever since I had Sage I feel like I've been a different person. I'm not myself, or maybe I'm just a heightened version of myself. I don't like what I've allowed myself to become. I think it's high time I made up my mind to change. What's the Bible verse? "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Here's the struggle . . . I love the little booger so much that I worry about EVERYTHING. I stress over EVERYTHING. She wakes up too early from a nap and I'm in a tizzy. She spits up a little and I freak out. I think she should go to sleep because she's tired, but she won't and I get flustered. And for what? Is it really that big of a deal? Definitely not. I've realized that this stressful attitude is making me miserable, and probably making me miserable to live with. (Poor Brian, catching the brunt.) The fact of the matter is, I desperately want everything to go smoothly. I want to sleep. I want Sage to be happy all the time and never experience pain. I want, I want, I want, and yet that's just not the way life is. I could spend the rest of my days worrying over this child and it wouldn't do me or her a bit of good. It's time to renew my mind. Make a conscious decision to relax. Put life into proper perspective. Sage is too precious for me not to enjoy her first months of life to the fullest. And the rest of my family and friends will certainly benefit from a less uptight Lindsay too.

I'm quite sure this behavior is normal for a first time mom, but if I don't nip it in the bud it has the potential to snowball. This will be challenging for me. I'm a worry wart by nature I do believe. But I long to be transformed, and God's Word gives me hope.

Weight Loss Challenge

2010-04-22T14:41:00.007-04:00

*** Warning to any men who read my blog . . . this post is about women and weight . . . might want to skip over this one :) ***

After gaining at least 42 pounds while pregnant, I am officially focused on weight loss. It's hard to admit, but I got up to 175 lbs and honestly, that was a week before I gave birth so it's quite possible that I got up to 180. That's 20 pounds away from weighing 200 lbs people. NOT GOOD. However, I got a beautiful, healthy, precious little girl so it was definitely worth it. I didn't exactly hold back when it came to eating when I was pregnant, but now . . .

It's time to buckle down . . .

It's time to get serious . . .

It's time to get HEALTHY.

As my days of being pregnant were nearing to an end, all I wanted to do was get rid of all that weight. I couldn't climb the stairs without getting out of breath, my hips ached like the dickens, and I resulted to "waddling" as opposed to walking. I was borderline miserable. I remember thinking, I can't wait to exercise and move without pain again! Well, that day is here.

My last postpartum visit was today and the doc cleared me to exercise until my heart's content. I won't go crazy (let's be honest I've never been an exercise addict anyway), but I will slowly build up to running and weight bearing exercises. I currently weigh 152 pounds. My goal is to get down to (at least) 130 by the time our family beach vacation rolls around on August 8. That's 22 pounds I need to lose in a little over 15 weeks. That shouldn't be too hard, right? I don't know, but there is an awesome website I'm using to help me stay on track. It's livestrong.com. It is extremely extensive, includes everything pertaining to good health, and all the tools you could possibly need. I've even got my mom hooked on it and she's issued me a weight loss challenge! Really we're more like partners, encouraging each other to stay on track. On Livestrong.com I've set a goal of losing 1.5 pounds per week. I don't own a scale, but I think I'll be able to tell if I'm losing regularly. I'll try to keep you updated on that front. Any words of encouragement are greatly appreciated as well as any suggestions for programs/websites that kept you motivated to lose weight! I think the bottom line is that it takes will power. Not exactly my strong suit, but I am able, I know it. It is in me somewhere. Here goes nothing . . .

6 Weeks Today

2010-04-14T14:42:00.001-04:00

Guess who's 6 weeks old and starting to smile!!!!

Lone Star State

2010-04-02T23:41:00.004-04:00

We made it to Texas in one piece. It was quite the adventure with a newborn in tow (who doesn't sleep for long stretches at night)! The good thing is, Sage seems to like her car seat and did beautifully while riding in the car all day, for several days in a row. We only had to stop to feed and change her. She literally NEVER got fussy otherwise. What a sweet little trooper. Once we got here, she and I could not have been more excited to be re-united with Brian!

After spending a week at the Comfort Inn, we're now living in the Residence Inn, where we'll be for the rest of the summer. It's small, but it feels good to finally be settled. I feel like the last 4 weeks of my life have been the most hectic, stressful, and overwhelming of my life. I had no idea that becoming a first time mom, moving to Texas with a newborn, and being away from my husband for 2 weeks would be so hard. It was a recipe for an emotional disaster, but thankfully I've had a lot of help from family and friends over the past month. Mom and Dad made the drive with me, and Mom is staying here for another couple of weeks before going back to SC.

Here is my latest favorite picture of Miss Sage! She makes some adorable faces these days. I can't wait until she starts smiling at us!

Check it Out!!!

2010-03-17T18:04:00.003-04:00

The fabulous Heather Knowles has done it again! She has taken some absolutely wonderful pictures of Sage! Check these out and Heather's website, www.sproutsbyheather.com

Oh Baby!

2010-03-13T17:20:00.004-05:00

I can't believe that the last post I wrote was the day I gave birth to our baby girl! I thought I was having contractions, but to be honest I wasn't sure (until they got pretty painful later in the day). So, Sage Catherine Adams was born at 11:02 pm on March 3, 2010! She weighed exactly 7 pounds and measured 19 1/2 inches long. Long story short, my 2nd epidural took beautifully and I didn't feel a thing! I actually enjoyed the birthing experience far more than I thought I would. I pushed for an hour and our baby girl was here! Thankfully, my recovery is going well too and there have been no complications.

I can honestly say that neither Brian nor I were prepared for how much we would immediately love this little being. She is the apple of our eye. We can't stop looking at her. We are simply in love. No other way to put it. In my case, in love and also overwhelmed by the adjustment, but nonetheless completely in love. Brian had to leave for Mexico on my birthday, March 9, and neither one of us were prepared for how heart-wrenching that would be. We cried like babies for 24 hours leading up to his departure. I've never seen my husband so sad and broken. It broke my heart. Sage and I will join him in Texas by March 22, but somehow that didn't console either one of us. We just need to be a family right now, it's the deepest desire of our hearts. We NEED each other, but we'll have to wait. So pray for us if you think about it . . . that this time apart will go by quickly.

On a lighter note, here are some pictures of precious Sage during her first week and a half of life!

The Big 3-0

2010-03-03T08:33:00.006-05:00

On March 9, I will officially be 30 years old! I can't say I'm looking forward to turning 30. In fact, I don't really mind that it will be overshadowed by the birth of our first child. I'm certainly not depressed about being 30, but it is the end of a decade. My 20's were so fun that it's a little hard to leave them! Not that there aren't perks to getting older. There are children to enjoy!! But I don't look forward to the physical decline sure to follow :) I hope to be like my dad: very fit and healthy through my 60's. However, that would require a lot more exercise that what I'm doing now. After this pregnancy is over, I think exercise will be a welcome release! I want so badly to be able to move without aching; to walk up the stairs without being out of breath! Let's just hope labor and delivery go well and I don't have any extended recovery time.

Speaking of labor and delivery, we should have a precious baby girl on our hands in a matter of days! I'm 39 weeks along, 4 cm dilated, 70% effaced, and started having contractions last night! However, they're not close enough together to go to the hospital yet, so for now I just get to bare through them. We are really looking forward to meeting this little person soon!

Shower #2 and 37 Weeks Along!

2010-02-19T06:59:00.014-05:00

I recently had my second baby shower and it was SO FUN! This one was in Charlotte and included all of my friends, former co-workers, and a few family members. Again, I was completely floored by the generosity extended to me! People gave such unique gifts too, which was a huge plus. My sweet sister-in-law gave me a swedish massage! My good friend Heather, the founder/owner of Sprouts Photography, gave me a gift certificate to Sprouts so I can get pictures made of Sage at different stages during this next year!! Those are just two examples, and they are wonderful luxuries I would not have been able to afford otherwise, so I am extremely grateful.

I also received a DVD I'm super excited about. It's one out of a series of DVDs called, "Praise Baby." As you've heard me mention before, one of the things I look forward to most about having kids is worshiping with them, singing God's praises together on a regular basis. I had no idea these DVDs existed so when Karla gave me the first one , "Born to Worship" I was thrilled!

I could go on and on about all the wonderful gifts, but I must digress . . .

I have to add that one of the hostesses of the party, my good friend Katie, made the cake. Can you believe how professional it looks? She could start a business!

Me with all of the sweet hostesses: Tiffany, Katie, Marti, and Lizzie.

I had my 37 week check up a few days ago and the doctor was shocked at how ready I am to deliver! She said Sage's head is already very low, my cervix is extremely soft, and I'm 3 cm dilated. After the appointment, reality set in that I'm going to have a baby VERY soon. So I rushed home and frantically started doing all the things I've been putting off; like washing her clothes, packing a hospital bag, etc. etc. The nursery isn't ready, but I think she'll survive without a completely decorated room :)

Just because my body is "ready" though doesn't mean I'm going to deliver tomorrow. I could stay this way for another 2 weeks. However, I sure would like for Sage to come sooner rather than later! The doctor doesn't think it's likely that I'll make it to my due date (March 11). I have my 38 week check up on Tuesday so we'll see if there's any progress! Exciting times!!

I've been a bad girl . . .

2010-02-03T21:51:00.009-05:00

I'm such a bad blogger. It's been over a month since I've posted anything and so much has happened:

Brian came home!!! Weeks ago actually. I guess that's why I've been a bad blogger, I've just been relishing this time with him after missing him for 3 months!

I'm 35 weeks along and am growing by the mile! My belly feels so huge I can't imagine how it will get any bigger. Yet I know it will, some how.

We've officially decided on a name. Our precious little girl will be called Sage Catherine Adams. Both names, Sage and Catherine are very dear to us. Sage is unique, yet not hard to spell, and beautiful (to us at least). I also have a wonderful friend whose name is Sage and she is so dear to my heart. She was one of my first disciplers. She let me into her life, loved on me like none other, and by her example showed me what an intimate relationship with God could look like. Sage means "wise one" and it is certainly our prayer that our little girl would grow up to be a wise, discerning, passionate child of God. Catherine was my middle name, and I was named after my mom, Cathy. Therefore, we decided to keep it in the family and pass it on to the next generation as well. I would love nothing more than for my little girl to have some of the same Godly qualities as my mother and friend, Sage.

The nursery design is coming together! I hesitate to post any pictures because it's still very much in progress. However, I have created a mosaic of many of items and colors that will be used in the room. The middle square is the "inspiration fabric" that embodies most of the colors I wanted to use. The walls WILL NOT be pink. I like pink, but only in small doses. Therefore, the walls are green, sort of a light yellowish-green.

Some fun things I want to remember about this time . . . Brian heard that if the father reads to his baby while she's still in the womb she may recognize his voice once she's born. In fact, many newborns stop crying immediately after they're born once they hear their daddy's voice. Brian loves that idea. So every night before we go to sleep he reads a book to Sage. He also talks to her throughout the day just to say "hey," and he loves to ask her, "when are you going to come see us?" We want more than anything for her to be perfectly healthy, but we'd also like her to come a little early . . . like around March 6. Statistically most babies are born between the 40th and 41st week of pregnancy, so we may not get our wish considering her due date isn't until March 11.

One reason we'd like Sage to come a few days early (only if she's ready) is because Brian has to report to his team by March 16. He signed a contract to play for a team in Reynosa, Mexico this summer. Reynosa is just over the U.S./Mexico border so we'll be living in McAllen, Texas and Brian will commute back and forth over the border every day.

Needless to say, I don't know what we're going to do if Sage decides to be a week late! Daddy has to be present for her birth so we're praying she comes on time or a little early!

1st Shower

2010-01-03T19:38:00.003-05:00

The first shower is under our belt and it was a success! It was especially nice to spend time with some of my best friends from home, as well as some of my parents' friends that I hardly ever get to see. The food was absolutely incredible (as if I needed any extra encouragement to eat!), and I received some much needed baby gear.

As I was driving home, I was thinking about how thankful I am for good friends and family members who love me, who are excited about the birth of my first child, and who are willing to help Brian and I provide for her needs. An absolutely overwhelming feeling of thankfulness came over me and I was so humbled by the generosity shown to me earlier in the day. I pray that I will show the same kindness to others!

Here are a few pics from Saturday:

We had 7 hostesses for this shower! Here are Mom (bottom right) and I with 6 of them.

Our 7th hostess, Lindsey, couldn't make it so we took a pic with her mom as her "stand in!" And yes, I am chubby. Let's just get that out in the open. You know you were thinking it anyway.

Seaside Bathroom

2009-12-20T18:48:00.000-05:00

I hadn't planned to take on so many projects this off-season, but with Brian being away I've found the time and energy (but not always the money) to re-do some things in the house. Our guest bathroom used to be a very bright yellow, and I had never really taken the time to decorate it. It didn't even have a shower curtain (just the liner). The yellow walls weren't bad, but I wasn't crazy about them either. I prefer much more soothing colors (earth tones). So while we were painting the nursery, Mom and Dad and I also repainted the guest bath. I chose "silver sage" from Restoration Hardware. I've always loved that blueish-sage and I'm very happy that at least one room in my house is now that color! The bathroom still needs some decor (like a picture above the toilet), but I already like it better!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-12T20:51:00.006-05:00

Pictures from Thanksgiving 2009 - better late than never! I forgot my camera when I was in Bishopville with Brian's family. I also didn't get pictures of everyone in my family, but this is what I did get right before we sat down to eat!

27 down, 13 to go

2009-12-06T19:50:00.004-05:00

I can't believe there are only 13 weeks left in this pregnancy. I'm so excited about meeting this baby girl I can hardly stand it! Earlier in the week Brian and I were discussing what we think she'll look like. We both agreed that she'll probably have little or no hair at first. If there's any at all it will probably be very blond. As Brian says, "She'll be a slick head." I wish I had both of our baby pictures to post. Brian and I both had very little hair!

I've been feeling great these days. Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed when I think about everything I need to be doing: exercising more, stretching, registering and taking classes (infant CPR, etc.), reading all the "baby advice" books I have, and decorating the nursery. Guess I'll just take it one day at a time. I'll be so glad when Brian gets home from Mexico so we can spend our last months of freedom together - sans children! Not to mention the fact that I just flat out miss him to pieces. Feels like it's been ages since I last saw my hubs.

I started feeling this baby move a while back, but at 27 weeks I now feel her moving all the time. I LOVE that feeling! Many of the movements are little kicks or punches. The rest of the time it feels like she's doing cartwheels, flips or rolling over. Every time we've had an ultrasound our little girl has been quite active, like she can't sit still. I hope that's not indicative of how she'll be once she's outside of the womb!

Headboard

2009-11-26T22:35:00.000-05:00

I mentioned a few blog posts ago that one of the main projects I wanted to accomplish while Brian was gone was to design and build a headboard. We have a California king size bed and unfortunately here in the Southeast, stores don't carry or sell many California king size headboards. I also did not want to spend a lot of money and the ones I really liked were between $800 and $1,500. So the solution was to make my own. However, I only wanted to do that if we could make it look like we bought it from a store. I saw too many DIY headboards on the internet that looked homemade. To me, that's pointless. I didn't want a headboard that looked like my 5th grade science project.

Over the last few weeks and with the help of my parents, we created our first headboard! It was hard; much harder than I anticipated, but it was also really fun. I think I would enjoy designing and building furniture for my house in the future if I possessed the necessary tools and knowledge. I don't think I'd mind the work, there is such a strong sense of accomplishment after you finish a project and get to display it in your home.

I absolutely love the way this headboard turned out! And I am especially proud of my very handy father who did most of the "grunt work." Mom and Dad, thank you so much for helping me with this project! So without further ado . . .

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T00:12:00.012-05:00

Happy early Thanksgiving everybody! One thing I really look forward to during the holidays is cooking/baking. Since we celebrate with both sides of our family this year I get to make twice as much food, which I really don't mind doing. I actually enjoy it, especially if I have plenty of time. I wanted to try a new recipe for Pumpkin cream cheese pie, but it looks like time won't allow for that since I have to work the day before and after Thanksgiving. So I'll have to stick to the items below. The thing I love about all of these recipes are the people I got them from

Twice Baked Potatoes - my family has been making them for years but I don't go by a recipe. I just watched my mom make them years ago and copied her. A little butter, sour cream, salt, pepper and lots of cheese on top! What can be bad about that?

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese - this is a Thanksgiving staple for sure! I think my mom originally discovered the recipe. It is delish!

Reese's Peanut Buttercup Bars - got this one from my friend and former co-worker, Natalie.

Turkey-shaped Sugar Cookies - the recipe I use is from my host mom, Kari, in Fargo, ND (we lived with them for 2 summers)

On a different note, I must say that the thing I'm most thankful for this year is to be pregnant with a healthy baby! While I miss Brian to pieces, I'm also extremely thankful for the job God provided for him in Mexico this fall. Update on that front . . . Brian was pitching very well until he came down with a nasty virus (I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say we're not talking about a little cold here. We're talkin' hanging out in the bathroom for 48 hours, take every ounce of energy out of you kind of virus.) Thankfully he's been on the mend and feeling much better lately so we're praying that his strength and stamina return in full force. What I know is that my Lord is in full control of the situation and I am thankful He watches over my sweet husband.

The Crib Is Here!!

2009-11-16T22:32:00.004-05:00

The nursery is slowly coming together. Colors have been selected, fabrics chosen, and (thanks to my parents) the crib is here and already put together! It is truly a beautiful crib. I really like it! Below is a picture I found of it online. Since we're having a girl, the color scheme (walls and decor) will be different from what you see here, but it's nice to know that the crib looks good against blue walls in case our next baby is a boy.

There are still many things to paint and sew before the project is complete, but we are well on our way! It's so fun to envision our sweet girl in what will hopefully turn out to be a very sweet but sophisticated nursery.

My Fun New Job at . . .

2009-11-01T21:01:00.006-05:00

So when I got back to Charlotte this off-season my old job wasn't waiting for me like normal. The big ministry project I have been in charge of every year was (and still is) in danger of not being produced. Long story short, since this project was my main responsibility my boss wasn't sure he'd have enough work for me to do outside of it, and therefore could not commit to re-hiring me right away. Since I need to start making some money to prepare for our little one arriving in early March, I went ahead and pursued other job opportunities. After a few weeks of weighing the possibilities (which weren't many), I am actually very excited about working part-time retail for "HandPicked," a beautiful, yet affordable jewelry store with 3 locations here in Charlotte.

HandPicked began in my home town of Columbia, SC so I've grown up shopping there, and have always loved the store! It's such a fun, classy, yet very hip place! I also used to make jewelry and am so excited about getting back into the world of jewelry design, sales, and repair! I will mainly work at the Arboretum location which is only about 2 minutes from our house! I could literally walk there every day. So come by and see me some time and pick out some gorgeous jewelry for Christmas!!

I was in the store the other day for an interview and saw about 10 pieces I'd love to have. Here is a little preview of some things I like from the store. Many items available in the store are not listed online, so I couldn't include pictures of those. This first necklace is called, "Tree of Life." I love that!

Our Baby Is a . . .

2009-10-20T23:14:00.005-04:00

GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From week 12 to week 18 of my pregnancy Brian and I really thought we were having a boy. We talked about nothing but boy names, thought about how to raise a boy, and looked at boy bedding. The reason? The ultrasound technician at my doctor's office in New Jersey was pretty convinced it was a boy, and I saw exactly why she thought that. However, we've learned since then that girls can be very swollen "down there" making it difficult to determine gender as early as 12 weeks. So today I had my 20 week ultrasound and sure enough, there was no denying it! We are definitely having a little girl!! I should have listened to all the people who told me we would have a girl. Two people told me they had dreams we would have a girl. Two other people told me (right after I got pregnant) that they had strong feelings we would have a girl. No one predicted boy. Pretty cool huh?

I am so relieved to know the gender of our baby! Now I can shop and register for gender-appropriate items (and be confident that I'm shopping for the right things). My most favorite thing to look at of course is clothes, but I've refrained from buying anything . . . yet. The only thing I've found frustrating so far is that a lot of girl stuff is super frilly or loud/busy. I'm sure I'll find things I really like though!

Here are the best pictures from today's ultrasound. I can't wait to meet this sweet girl!!

Where in the World are Brian and Lindsay?

2009-10-12T17:52:00.004-04:00

Remember when Matt Lauer did that series on the Today Show called, "Where in the World is Matt?" Sometimes I feel like Brian and I could do something similar because there's just no telling where baseball will send us! I dropped Brian off at the airport this morning. After several layovers his final destination will be Navajoa, Mexico. He was given the opportunity to pitch for the Navajoa Mayos, and since winter ball pay is good (much better than substitute teacher's pay), and since we have a little one on the way, he decided to accept. Mostly, we felt like this was an opportunity the Lord provided and wanted him to do. I plan to take comfort in that fact when I'm tempted to wallow in my sadness because I miss him so much. He could be down there for 2 days or 2 1/2 months - turnover rates are high and the season lasts through December, so who knows for sure how long he'll be there.

My plans are to stay back in Charlotte and work until Baby Adams makes his/her debut! I would have liked to have gone with Brian, but it's just too risky being pregnant and all :) Speaking of Baby Adams, we should be finding out his/her gender soon! My wonderful sis-in-law performed an ultrasound the other day but can you believe the umbilical cord was running right between Peanut's legs blocking our view??!! I'm so excited to find out, and was really hoping we would before Brian had to leave, but it looks like we'll have to wait a little longer before we'll know anything.

I have plans to keep myself busy and occupied while Brian is gone. My list of house projects consists of the following:

1.) Build an upholstered headboard for our bed (with the help of my Dad). Something like this

OR THIS

2.) Clean out the guest room that will eventually become the nursery. This task will also involve selling the couch that currently resides in that room.

3.) Plan the nursery decor and layout.

4.) Shop for and hang curtains throughout the house. We have NONE and they would really warm up our space!

5.) Go through old Southern Living magazines, save any good recipes and decorating ideas, then get rid of the oldest ones.

Nursery Woes

2009-09-30T15:57:00.007-04:00

I have scoured the internet looking at nursery designs, crib bedding, etc. (mostly Pottery Barn Kids, Restoration Hardware and Babies R Us) and the options seem to be endless! This is not necessarily a good thing for an overly analytical person like myself. I have difficulty making decisions. I do know that I definitely prefer more classic fabrics rather than cartoonish styles. Below are some examples of what I like. It doesn't help matters that I'm considering picking out fabrics and having the crib bedding made by a seamstress. This opens up even more options!

And I love this little boy's room (below)

I am leaning towards registering for a white crib. A dark wood color is runner-up. I'm blogging about my nursery woes because I'm wondering if any of you have nursery designs or crib bedding that you'd be willing to share pictures of. Maybe it's your own child's nursery or a picture you found in a magazine or on the internet. In any case, I'm inviting you to either email me pictures, post them to your own blog, or leave me a comment letting me know the web address where the pic can be found. I like gathering lots of ideas in hopes that one will strike me as the perfect style for me and my baby!

Ouch!

2009-09-24T12:31:00.003-04:00

In the words of Shakira, "My hips don't lie."

I've been waking up frequently between 7 am and 8 am with my hips just aching. I guess it's just a side effect of pregnancy - my body expanding and preparing to nurture a big baby.

Last Monday I went for my 16 week doctor's appointment and officially received the "weight gain" speech. Looks like I'm putting on the pounds a little faster than I should. (Maybe that's another reason for my hips hurting, ha ha.) I've put on 10 pounds in 16 weeks. My doc said I'm perfectly healthy, but he wants me to be happy with my body after I give birth and not have a lot of extra pounds to lose. I like that idea too, and while I'm exercising every day, food just tastes entirely too good right now to hold off on the pastas and breads (like he suggested). Instead, I'll just try not to stuff myself silly and make sure I'm getting a healthy variety.

Here are my first 2 "belly pics." The first one was taken at 12 weeks and the second at 16 weeks. Maternity clothes are definitely in the near future!

Things I don't want to forget . . .

2009-09-02T21:09:00.007-04:00

Not sure how many of you will find this post particularly interesting, but I wanted to jot down some things about being pregnant that I never want to forget . . .

like the first day I could truly tell how excited Brian was about having a baby. Initially, he was overwhelmed with the responsibility of providing for another person. But as the weeks wore on I could tell his anxiety was beginning to wane. When we went for the second ultrasound (I was exactly 12 weeks pregnant), the baby was moving like crazy - jumping up and down, even waving his/her little hand at us as if to say, "Hey guys! I'm doing great in here!" I didn't even have to look at Brian's face to know that in that moment this little person growing inside of me became incredibly real to him and he was suddenly in love. I guess that's a perk to marrying your best friend, you just sense those things instinctively without either one of you uttering a word.

I also don't want to forget all the nicknames Brian has come up with for our baby. I usually refer to him/her as "Baby Adams" since we don't have name yet. However, during the nausea stage of my pregnancy Brian decided that "fire monster" was a better term. I guess he felt like it was more fitting given the way he/she was making me feel. However, since recovering from the sickness and getting that second ultrasound we now affectionately refer to our baby as "peanut." Even though he/she is much larger than a peanut at this point, it seems fitting for it's precious little life. I am sure that there will be many more names to come. Brian is the master of nicknames! If you recall, a long time ago I wrote a post about all the different names he's called me over the years :) They are all in love though, just like they are with the baby.

So . . . there's one more thing I'd like to write, or maybe I should say admit. This statement will by no stretch flatter me, but I think it's important to be honest. One of my biggest concerns is that I will be jealous of Baby Adams. That I will envy the love Brian gives he/she and will wonder if he loves it more than me. There, I said it. I told you it wasn't pretty. Brought to you courtesy of my sinful heart. I am, however, comforted by the fact that a good friend of mine has a similar concern . . . that her husband will pay more attention to the baby than to her. Ahhhhhhhh. Relief. As twisted as it sounds, I am glad to hear that I'm not completely abnormal and similar thoughts have crossed someone else's mind too.

There's no doubt in my mind that the marriage must come first; that putting the marriage first is truly the best thing for the child. I know that Brian and I both know this full well. But I also know that we have no idea how much we're going to love this little baby, and how difficult it might be to put each other first sometimes. In any case, I'm sure we'll make plenty of mistakes but figure it out with the help of our loving heavenly Father.

Ok, so that wasn't the last thing. There's one more thing that I have to mention . . . something I'm really excited about. I cannot wait to worship God with my children. I seriously cannot wait to teach them about worshipping God in freedom and truth. I want them to know what it feels like to lift your spirit in praise to the Lord! My hope is that it will be constant in our home. That stopping to listen to praise music or making our own worshipful music will be like second nature to my children. That lifting their hands in awe and praise to their heavenly Father would be reactionary. Of course, I simply want them to feel the freedom to do that, if they choose not to that's ok, certainly. I'm just excited about worshipping with them.

Whew. That was long, but I wanted to get it all down. I'm sure there will be much more to come in the next 6 months!

My friend Marti

2009-08-31T17:01:00.004-04:00

Ok folks. Here's the deal. There's a new blog out there and you need to know about it. My friend Marti is the author, and I mean to tell you, this thing is going to be good. By good I mean challenging, engaging, and yes . . .heart-breaking. But please take my word for it, you do not want to miss this.

Marti's brother died a few years ago from skin cancer and the journey God has taken her on . . . well, there just aren't words. God is good and Marti is faithful. That combination makes for a remarkable story. Check out her first 2 entries at www.theroadtoephraim.blogspot.com. Just trust me and go read it. And then keep going back to read it.

Announcing . . .

2009-08-22T21:53:00.008-04:00

The arrival of our first child! That's right, I'm pregnant!

Brian and I are thrilled at the prospect of being parents. Our bundle of joy is scheduled to arrive on my birthday, March 9, 2010! I'm already 12 weeks along, and it's hard to believe that the first trimester is almost over. Here is a picture of our last ultrasound taken just yesterday:

We do plan on finding out the gender. In fact, during the ultrasound yesterday the technician/nurse was pretty sure she could tell already! I'm not sure yet if I'm going to post it on the blog since we really won't know the gender for sure until my next ultrasound, which is 8 weeks away. However, if I can't control my excitement, I might just have to spill the beans :)

I've been feeling pretty good so far. The hormones do have their side effects though. I've been emotional, sometimes crying for no apparent reason other than just because I feel like I need to cry. I also had a couple weeks of nausea, and still have to eat often in order to keep from feeling sick. The only other unpleasantries are the breakouts. All of this is well worth it though! I'm not complaining!

So . . . on a different note . . . many of you, my faithful blog readers, have been pregnant before, and I am open to your advice, tips, and recommended products. In fact, I'm inviting them. Along with any hand-me-downs you may be willing to loan out. My good friend Shannon has already informed me of the best stretch mark prevention cream and sent me some in the mail! It's by Mama Mio and I can already tell I'm going to love it!

Proud of Him

2009-08-05T15:26:00.005-04:00

7 innings

0 runs

2 hits

6 strikeouts

Those were Brian's numbers last night as he acquired his 10th win this season. This means he is now the official record holder for the most career wins by a Patriots pitcher! As the article in the newspaper put it:

"Patriots' starter Brian Adams (10-6) picked up the win, throwing seven shutout innings allowing just two hits while striking out six and walking two. With the victory, Adams sets a new Patriots career wins record at 36 wins, moving one win in front of Justin Jensen, and moves into the top ten in career wins in Atlantic League history."

Brian has had his fair share of ups and downs this season, but during last night's game, he was in full control, having fun, not over analyzing or worrying about much . . . and I'm thankful.

I Can Smell the Salty Air Now . . .

2009-08-04T15:26:00.002-04:00

I'm getting so excited about our family beach vacation beginning in just 4 short days! As I've blogged about before, my extended family goes to the beach together every summer for an entire week. 1 Beach House, 14 people, good food, a little crabbin', a little putt-putt, some readin', some wave ridin' - I tell ya it just doesn't get any better. The only thing that would make it better would be Brian. He never gets to go because baseball season is in full swing and he simply isn't allowed to take a week off. One day though, one day.

This year we're going to Topsail Beach, in North Carolina. Over the years we've done our fair share of vacationing on the South Carolina beaches, but decided to go for the less crowded NC beaches this year. Topsail here we come!

Introducing . . .

2009-07-21T10:08:00.005-04:00

The newest addition to the Adams clan: Joseph Fishburne Howell ("Fisher"). Brian's older sister, Lori, gave birth to Baby Fisher yesterday, July 20th. Brian and I are excited about our 4th nephew! However, I guess it's up to us now to have a girl since there aren't any on his side of the family or mine!

Fisher with his big brother, John Asher:

Lake Day!

2009-07-13T19:41:00.000-04:00

We got to spend a day on the lake after all! It wasn't on July 4th (see previous post), but that's perfectly alright with me. We had a wonderful, relaxing time with Chip and Amy Nelson (Chip is the chaplain for Brian's team).

Supposedly this is Derek Jeter's lake house:

An Unconventional 4th of July

2009-07-05T14:32:00.000-04:00

While I'd love to say we spent the day on a lake somewhere soaking up the rays, doing a little water skiing, taking in God's beautiful creation and grilling out for dinner, our July 4th celebration wasn't quite so conventional. So while I would have loved to have spent the 4th here:

Instead we were at a baseball game (of course) which is pretty July 4th-ish!

I also fixed blackberry cobbler with ice cream after the game, which come to think of it, is also quite July 4th-ish . . .

That's where the patriotism ends though because the rest of the evening was spent watching Lord of the Rings.

That's right folks. Brian, Matt and I watched Lord of the Rings on July 4th. I bet there aren't many people in America who can say that. But hey, Lord of the Rings is a good, all-american movie, right? I guess. I mean, if you ignore the fact that J.R.R. Tolkien was English, and we celebrate the 4th because we declared our independence from Great Britain. Ok, so maybe we should have watched the Patriot, but at least it's a clean, wholesome flick.

Our Life (during the last month) in Pictures

2009-07-02T15:42:00.011-04:00

Rock Band is my new favorite hobby. Even Brian enjoys playing. I say "even" because he's a little shy about his music skills (or lack thereof). Once he warmed up to the idea, we had (and continue to have) all kinds of fun rocking out! You should see my "rocker profile" we created. She's my alter ego complete with tattoos, red go-go boots, and a kickin' leather motorcycle jacket. That's our wonderful roomie, Matt, on the far right pointing to Brian.

We went to NY City to visit an old friend of mine (Will Rogers) and his beautiful bride. While there, Brian and I ate lunch at Carnegie Deli. It was seriously the best cheesecake I have ever put in my mouth!

Of all the times we'd previously been to NY, Brian and I had never walked around Central Park. So this time, we did. It is truly a beautiful place!

We also went to see Ground Zero while in the city, but there wasn't much to see. They had it completely barricaded. The memorial has not been completed either, but it's going to be really nice. We saw a brochure detailing the finished product. I did get a glimpse through one of the fences and I couldn't believe how deep the holes are where the twin towers collapsed. It was breathtaking, and not in a good way.

Happy Belated Father's Day!

2009-06-23T15:53:00.001-04:00

My parents traveled to Somerset on June 14th and were here for a week. I'm so thankful that I got to spend Father's Day with my Dad! That's a luxury we don't normally get. After a solid week of attending baseball games, I felt bad that Dad had to endure another day of baseball on Father's Day, but since Brian was pitching, the game was where Dad wanted to be anyway. I think secretly he wanted to eat the ballpark food one more time :) It's not every day that one has access to a jumbo hotdog, a sugary funnel cake, dip n' dots, and a little popcorn with your butter!

If there's one think I'll always remember about my dad, it's that he enjoys good food. (Good thing he's a marathon runner and works all those calories off.) When I was little I would always ask Dad for dessert after dinner because his standard was 3 cookies, while Mom's was always only 2.

While Dad was a stickler for manners and enforced a no whining policy, he did a fabulous job of always making me feel like I was beautiful and loved. In whatever I chose to do, as long as I tried my hardest, it was good enough for him. From my swim meets, to my grades, and even beauty pageants, I never once questioned my dad's high opinion of me. I look at young girls today and wonder why there is so much insecurity, why they try so hard to be something they're not and wonder if it's because they never received the love and support from their fathers that is so desperately needed in order for women to have a healthy self-esteem. As I look back on my up-bringing, I am so thankful for my father's love, support, humor, and grace.

Dad, you were, and still are a wonderful dad! Love you!

Zumba!

2009-06-10T19:58:00.006-04:00

I'm on a quest for a fun, high-energy workout video. I need a good cardio DVD to do when a) the treadmill has bored me to tears b) it's raining out and c) when we're on the road and the only place to work out in is a hotel room. I've heard that Zumba is incredibly fun. For those of you that have not heard of it, it's a Latin flavored dance workout. It looks entertaining and I'm hoping it would really get my heart rate up. Has anybody tried this? If so, did you like it? Any other recommendations for fun workout videos? I've looked into The Firm, Hip Hop Abs, and P90X.

BLOG WORTHY

2009-05-19T19:27:00.007-04:00

I'm sure many of you have seen this skit before, or some version of it. In fact, I emailed it to a few friends today. However, if you haven't seen it, please take a few minutes to watch it. First time I saw it I was moved to tears. It's what I like to call "blog worthy."

Mom

2009-05-10T14:39:00.000-04:00

It's Mother's Day! I'd like to wish my wonderful mom a very, very, very happy Mother's Day! I'm only sorry I couldn't go home to celebrate with her. One of the drawbacks of living in New Jersey for the summer is that I can't go home whenever I like. Maybe if Brian makes it to the big leagues one day I can afford to fly back and forth as much as I'd like!

To simply say that I'm thankful for my mom would be an understatement. She has been such a godly example throughout my life. What more can you ask for than a mom who emulates Christ on a regular basis? What greater lesson is there to be learned than Christ and him glorified? As I've grown older, I've learned to appreciate my mother's wise words, strong spirit and compassionate heart even more. Mothers never stop being mothers, and I'm thankful. I'm looking forward to the day when I'm a mom and can put everything she's taught me into practice. Something tells me it will be a lot harder than it looks!

Mom, I'm forever indebted to you in so many ways. Thank you for loving God and demonstrating his love to others. I love you and hope you have a happy Mother's Day!

Change

2009-04-06T10:06:00.014-04:00

I don't know about ya'll, but sometimes I just need a change. This nagging can sometimes be sufficed by simply moving a piece of furniture to a different spot or changing the fabric on a pillow. However, lately I've been contemplating doing something different with my hair.

I'm not a particularly daring person. Therefore, I can't do anything drastic without first having a good idea of what it would look like. Internet to the rescue! I stumbled across a great website called DailyMakeover.com. It is the bomb! I've spent more time than I'd probably like to admit "trying on" different celebrity hairstyles. It's kind of addictive. If you ever want to change your hairstyle and/or hair color, this website is a great resource. And of course, it's free! Check out my results below:

Don't worry, I haven't decided if I'll really do anything like what you see above, but you never know, my need for a little change just might get the best of me :)

Back to the Garden State

2009-03-24T18:58:00.005-04:00

In case you haven't heard, Brian is going to play baseball again this summer and recently signed a contract to play for the Somerset Patriots again! Here's the article if you're interested in reading it. We'll be headed up to New Jersey in a few weeks. I'm looking forward to being in a familiar place and reuniting with some friends in New Jersey. However, it's always hard to leave our friends, family, community, church and house in Charlotte!

New Floor

2009-03-11T11:18:00.006-04:00

I should have posted this a while back, but just haven't gotten around to it. Not that any of you were on the edge of your seat, waiting with great anticipation for this oh-so-important post about our new kitchen floor :)

Anyway, if you recall I posted a picture of our old floor a few weeks ago. Well, now our floors look like this:

I like them even more than I thought I would! No more white vinyl! Yay!

Birthday Fun!

2009-03-10T21:55:00.000-04:00

My birthday was yesterday, March 9, and I had a wonderful day! Brian was so sweet to make the weekend before special too. He called it my "birthday weekend." In celebration, he planned for us to go to the new Olympic Whitewater Park in Charlotte on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and the weather was beautiful! While there, we paid to ride the "mega zip line." Here we are in our gear, just before climbing 43 feet and zip lining over the water! We both thoroughly enjoyed it.

After walking around some of the trails we were worn out!

So we went home, rested, and drove to the new IKEA store in Charlotte. I had never been to IKEA and it was overwhelmingly large and extensive! I'm going to have to go back there sometime when I have more time and energy.

On Sunday, Brian made me a birthday cake! All by himself! I think he only asked me 4 or 5 questions. That's pretty good for someone who has NEVER baked ANYTHING. I felt so special that he wanted to do that for me. And the cake turned out really well. It was delicious! Brian was meticulous about getting the icing smooth. Here he is working hard:

On Monday, Mom and Dad came up to take us out to dinner for my birthday! We went to Flat Rock Grille which was soooooo yummy. Brian and I have never had a bad (or even mediocre) meal there. Everything has always been outstanding, especially the key lime pie. It is out of this world!

At Flat Rock for my 29th:

Props to My Friend!

2009-03-06T14:04:00.003-05:00

Ok, I just had to blog about these adorable dresses my friend Ashley is making! She just started making them, and I'd say she's doing a fabulous job. I've already told her that if I have a baby girl one day, I'm going to pay her to make some of these cute dresses! Check out her blog (it's in the list of "other blogs I follow" on the right).

Happy Birthday Dad!

2009-03-03T10:33:00.006-05:00

Today, March 3, 2009 my dad is 64 years old! (I'm sure he's thrilled that I'm sharing this with everyone.) I can hardly believe he's 64, mostly because I don't think he looks a day over 45. I sure hope I inherited his "non-graying" gene!

One thing I love to do when I'm home at Mom and Dad's is look through old pictures. I was doing just that a few weeks ago, when I ran across the photo below. Look at that handsome devil! He must have had to beat the ladies away with a stick.

Dad, I love you so much and hope you've had a wonderful birthday!