An About Me Post

So where to begin? I guess with the basics...

* I am 28.
* I live in a small but big town just south of Atlanta, GA. It is large enough that you have to drive everywhere, but small enough that when you get there you run into someone you know.
* We are huge Georgia Tech fans! The Hubs graduated class of 2006, 15 days before we were married.
* I met my husband in 2001, we started to date the following fall of 2002. We married in 2006.
* We have 1 daughter, Finley. If I were able to place an order with God for how I would want my child to be, it would be her. She came out with everything we said we wanted her to have and be.
* We have 1 dog, a chihuahua and he is 7 years old. We had a second chihuahua, but she passed away shortly before we became pregnant. Which may have been a blessing in disguise because she did not like kids!
* I loved being pregnant. I can't imagine that I may never go through that experience again. Not by circumstance, but by choice. The Hubs is not on board for a second baby. So unless God has other plans or I can change his mind, it looks as if we will be a party of 3.
* I had an awesome pregnancy. I was very lucky, little to no morning sickness and at full term I had people thinking I was only 7 months prego!
* I was considered high risk at first due to a spinal condition I have. But after some test, the doctors determined that my baby wasn't at risk. I was again high risk at the end, due to the fact that I was 9 months looking like I was 7 months (blessing and a curse).
* I did not enjoy nursing my baby! OMG! I said it! Yes... that is right. It was awful! Now I will be shunned by all other nursing mom's out there. Finley had nursing issues due to being tongue tied. We got it fixed pretty quickly thinking that would help, but it didn't. We tried for 3 months to get the hang of it, but all she did was cry. When we finally started bottle feeding her, she turned into a totally different baby. It was not sunshine and roses like I thought it would be and I am jealous of the women that can do it with ease. If I could do it over again, I would not feel guilty about formula feeding her and I would listen to my heart and not other peoples advice.
* I have a condition called Arnold Chiari Malformation type 2. I was born with it, but it wasn't diagnosed until I was 18 years old. I had brain surgery in 2004. I was told if I didn't have the surgery I would be lucky to be paralyzed by the time I was 30. If I was unlucky I would be dead. (Hence the high risk label at the beginning of my pregnancy!) Here I am at 28 and still kicking.... literally! The condition causes sever headaches, which over time I have learned to work through.
* My daughter has brought out a love of crafting in me. I am super cheap and don't want to pay what people are asking for things. So I figure out how to make it myself.
* I love to cook and bake. I am always looking for new things to try and keep our meals interesting.
* I love to read. Sometimes to a fault. The Hubs gets very jealous of the books sometimes. To the point where he will just start talking and wont stop until I put the book down.
* We are Christians. After loosing my husbands brother suddenly right before we were married, I could tell my husband needed something more. We started to attend the church my father-in-law and his wife attend. Since then, we have been saved. We were baptized in 2009. I work for the preschool there 2 days a week and run the nursery on Sundays as the Nursery Director. We belong to a wonderful community group, that is very loving and caring.
* I love pink.
* I love fall. Winter is my next favorite season. I would rather be cold then hot any day. I love being able to wear scarfs and hats and boots and sweaters! The summers here in the south are just so miserable! You can't breath without sweating and feeling like you are choking on the air.
* I drink diet coke like it is going out of fashion.
* I love clothes and fashion, although I don't post about it here. Since having my daughter I haven't really been able to find myself again in my fashion. I am starting to though. I am slowly picking stuff out that feels more me. I sometimes worry that I am one of the those women that is 28 and is trying to look like I'm 18. I would also rather buy Finley cute outfits and shoes, then buy for myself.
* I love being a mom, although I will admit I sometimes need a break. Not one of those run away for months at a time kind of breaks, but just a few hours by myself with a coffee and a good book in the quite kind of breaks.

Well that I all I can come up with right now.... Feel free to post any questions and I will be happy to answer them!

Good night!

Over Halfway There...

We are finishing up day 9 of 14! I got to actually talk to Matthew yesterday morning. It was so wonderful to hear his voice and I can't wait to touch him in 5 days! They have made it from India to Nepal safely. They are staying at a Leprosy Camp (scary, I know!). My first question was if it was safe. He said yes, they are staying in a different area and don't have physical contact with anyone that has leprosy. I have to admit, the thought of it is still kind of freaking me out though. Finley said this morning that we were going to "ride go to Nepal" ("ride go" is her way of saying driving or going for a ride). Then this afternoon she started to cry saying she missed her daddy and what to hug him *melt my heart*. She has actually done really well this year with him being gone. Last year was kind of rough, she was 18 months and really didn't understand what was going on. This year, we are able to talk about what Daddy is doing and where he is and when he will be home. We pray for him every night, and every morning she asks me where he is.

We had another great weekend... We spent Friday night with the family of the other guy Matthew went with. It was great to let the kids play and then have some girl time once all the kids were in bed. I have not been to bed before midnight since Matthew left, and tonight isn't looking to be much different.

Saturday, my best friend since 9th grade came down and spent the day with us. We don't get to see each other very often, but when we do we have a great time and pick up right where we left off. We took Finley to a local farm and walked around. 

We went and picked out a small pumpkin, that Finley did not want to touch. She said it was dirty and dropped it.

This picture was taken after about 5 minutes of coaxing to get her to hold it.

The farm had a pumpkin painting station, which is kind of brilliant. I think from now on, we will be painting our pumpkins. I have seen other people do it, but always thought it wasn't very halloweenie. But it turned out to be awesome! She really enjoyed painting it and was actually able to do it herself, with little help from me and Erica. Unlike the pumpkin carving that I tried to do with her the other night, that turned into a by myself event. And since I have some type of reaction to pumpkin guts, this will keep my hands and arms away from the stuff!

We were also able to plant strawberries, and next spring when they are ripe and ready to pick we can go back and pick them. I think this will be really neat for Finley. I think it will be awesome to go back and pick the strawberries from the plant she helped to put in the ground. She has a really good memory and I hope she will remember doing it.

She like the idea of putting the plant in the ground, but once she realized she had to touch dirt she wasn't to thrilled with it!

And the finished product of the painted pumpkin....

 I'm just glad it didn't turn out gray!

I am just about finished with Finley's halloween costume. I will post pictures and instructions on how I made it in a few days! It is super cute! She is going to be Snow White! I can't wait!

5 days until Daddy comes home!

9 days until Halloween!

Fall Fun and Family Time

**** Warning: Picture heavy post! ****

So sorry I haven't been able to get on in a few weeks. We have been busy trying to get as much family time in as possible before the Hubs left for India and Nepal for 14 days. Along with letting me have some alone time so I wouldn't go crazy while he was gone. 

We have been busy going to football game tailgates.

Uncle Robert would be proud! She is sitting on a police motorcycle and she loved it!

The Ramblin' Wreck! I really want to ride in this one day!

** Side note: I really love my awesome yellow pants! **

I love the faces she is making right now :) She is really starting to have her silly personality come out.

We have also been apple picking

There was a man in Native American dress and she was freaked out. She would not go near him! That is why she is stuck to my leg!

The Hubs left 5 days ago for his 14 day trip. Almost 2 days of travel with 5 days in India and then 5 days in Nepal followed by 2 more days for travel home. We are on day 5, and so far so good. Today has been the hardest, I think our patients with each other is starting to wear thin and we still have 9 days to go! I have been trying to keep up busy. That seems to be the best option for us. The more we stay at home, it seems the more she gets frustrated and starts to ask for Daddy.

Matthew went to Nepal this time last year for 10 days. That was a hard trip. First, it was the longest we have been away from each other since we started dating - 10 years ago! Second, once he went into the village we were not able to have contact. So we went 7 days without talking. On day 3, Finley (18 months at the time) started to lose it! I took video of her freaking out and trying to climb the wall to get to one of his pictures. This year when she asks where he is I am able to tell her, and she has been able to tell other people! So our friends have been asking her where her Daddy is, and she responds "Daddy's in Nepal!" It is soooo stinkin' cute!

This was taken just minutes before we had to get in the car to head to the airport. I didn't cry this time when I left the airport! 

Dinner with the family of the friend Matthew went with. 

So to keep ourselves busy we have been making candy apples with some of the apples we picked last weekend.

And I carved my very first pumpkin without Matthew's help! It took me 2 hours! I expected it to be something Finley and I could do together.... you would think since I have carved a pumpkin before, I would know what a bad idea this would be. Needless to say I was able to cut the top out and clean it out before she started to melt and it was time for bed. Also, I had some type of allergic reaction to the inside of the pumpkin. Every year I've noticed my skin gets irritated, but this year it was bad! It went half way up my arm! Thank goodness it didn't last long. I was able to wash my arm and that seemed to relieve the irritation.

This is the finished product! Yay! Not to bad, huh? 

We will be having a spend the night party with the wife and kids of the friend that Matthew went with to India and Nepal. Then on Saturday we have a friend visiting for the day and we are going to a local pumpkin patch. So only 9 more days! I can't wait until he comes home! I am really hoping I can talk him into typing his story so that I am able to share it here! I can't wait to hear all about his journey and how God has worked through him and moved him during this trip!

Well hopefully it wont be 2 weeks until I am able to post again!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Fall Y'all

Well, Fall is officially here! I am SUPER excited! I have already made some pumpkin muffins and had a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks :) Fall decorations are out and they are beautiful! I can see the leave of the trees outside are already starting to change, and I can't wait for them to fall so we can go outside and play in them. 

The last few weeks have been crazy. We found out that my daddy had a cancerous tumor on his kidney. They recently did surgery to remove the tumor. They weren't sure they would be able to save the kidney at first, but the surgery went great and they WERE able to save most of the kidney. The initial surgery went great, but he started to have some complications afterwards during his recovery. He spent 11 days in ICU, then was moved to a normal room and then sent home the next day. He is home now and recovering nicely. We went to go visit him and my mom this past weekend. So between driving up to the hospital while he was there, doctors appointments for myself, the normal every day stuff like school, and helping friends out; there really hasn't been a lot of extra free time. 

And life isn't slowing down with the holiday season starting and Matthew going out of town.

Matthew leaves for Nepal next Saturday. So this weekend will be spent as a family. We are headed up to North Georgia to go apple picking and maybe stop at a pumpkin patch if we see one worth visiting. Then next weekend we will say bye to Daddy as he travels to the other side of the world to help teach young men how to be strong Christian leaders in their village. He will be gone for 14 days! I don't know what we will do without our Daddy for that long! Finley has really become a daddy's girl in the past few months and has a hard time going to sleep if he is not there to tell her good-night and say her night-night prayer.

I don't think I have posted since I mentioned the big changes coming for our family. We still have not had any movement on any decisions. We have decided to take this week and fast as a family. Matthew is doing a juice only fast for the next 3 days. I will be doing a water fast along with him. I have to have food, so I am still eating but I have decided to cut out all cokes, teas, and coffee. The goal is to pray every time we feel the need for one of those things, and we have lots of thing to pray about....

Well, have a great week and weekend!