Mama is a Hot Mess

First of all, we just went to orientation last night for Lydia's preschool. I was overwhelmed to say the least, just a lot that I didn't think about. Things I'm glad the school is thinking about. Things like carpool line, security measures, and packing an extra pair of clothes in a zip loc bag to keep in their school bag. Glad they know what they are doing. Like I said before I can't do this alone, I'm leaning on those God puts in my path.

Second, my baby boy is turning 1 on Saturday. ONE YEAR OLD.... How the heck does this happen so fast? Why does this happen so fast? I'm not as sad and weepy as I was with Lydia when she turned a year (pretty sure I cried every day for a month) because I know how much fun is ahead but I think a  part of every mama grieves the loss of that first year, the newness and sweetness of a newborn. Just knowing that you can never go back to that time again, the first time but man all the good that happens along the way. I'm holding on to that and soaking it all in. He is such a blessing to this family.

Oy, this mama's emotions are all over the place. Please disregard me if you see me in public. I'm not always such a hot mess I promise.

Visiting Orphans::GO.BE.LOVE

I happen to be traveling with Visiting Orphans to Haiti this fall with my sister. We are beyond excited, nervous, anxious and ready to see what God has planned for us and those we will travel with and serve on this trip. I wanted to share today a little bit about why we chose to travel with Visiting Orphans. 

Their Values: 

Centered on Christ

Focused on Relationship

Dedicated to Transformation

Committed to Advocacy

Their Mission:

Committed to seeing lives transformed by empowering and equipping Christ-followers to GO to the nations, BE focused on relationship and LOVE like Christ by caring for children and communities world-wide.

I have also watched other bloggers travel with Visiting Orphans, I have watched their lives be transformed, their desire to love others and to step out of their comfort zone to do something that might seem radical to them and do it in the name of Jesus. It doesn't get much better and exciting than that folks! 

They care about us as the team members traveling, they want us to be prepared and ready for what we will experience and they want to bring us closer as Christians to God before we embark on these trips. 

Today they launched their new video.  I am sharing it here in hopes that you might be motivated to step out of your comfort zone or to support those you know that are stepping out and traveling soon. 

28

Last Friday I turned 28. I don't feel like that's old. A lot of my friends are turning 29 and are fretting the big 30. They don't want it to come but I feel good about where I am at. I actually feel like a baby in my line of work and in the world of mom's with 2 children.

I feel accomplished, I feel pretty comfortable with my life. I would love to have another kid or 2 (maybe, if you asked me Saturday I would have said no and please take these two with you) but I love being a mom. I love being a young mom.

My birthday was a pretty scattered deal because a lot of those major players involved in birthday dinners and/or parties were out of town but we treated 28 pretty well. I got pizza with my kids at our favorite pizza restaurant with my amazing mother and siblings. Then we hit up a small bar, my favorite little south side bar with my sister and her boyfriend and my best friend from high school and her husband. It felt good, nothing over the top, a lot like our life or like we are trying to live our life. Simple and surrounded by those that we love.

So here is to another fantastic year, a year that right now is turning out to be every bit of the change we saw coming and were waiting to embrace with open arms. Another post to come soon on our next big change.

Thank you God for another year, a year that welcomed my son and made me a mom of 2, a year that saw us move into our forever home, a year that my husband and I celebrated 5 years of marriage together, and a year that is teaching me a lot more about grace and patience.

28 Let's Do This!!

Me and my girl at dinner, she was so into sitting next to mommy the birthday girl. Maybe because I had a small cake in my bag for her to dig into after dinner. Girl has a sweet tooth! 

My and my man wrapping up the night. Love him so much! 

Sponsorship

I want to share today about something that is soooo important and something that in the grand scheme of things is inexpensive with such a great return!

SPONSORSHIP

These children get an opportunity at healthcare, school, food, and clothing because of sponsorship. They get cards, letters, gifts that make them feel remembered and loved. They get to hear the good word of Jesus and why he came to die for us and how much he loves them and wants to know them personally, that they are not forgotten. A lot of times the impact doesn't stop on just the child, it can affect the family unit and the community as a whole. 

It matters. They matter. 

I have a picture of our sponsored child on a bulletin board by my computer where I see and think of her everyday. I pray for her and we send her emails and try to send her goodies once or twice a year. She gets a card from us for all holidays and her bday. We sponsor through World Vision after seeing their video and hearing their message at a Women of Faith event a few years ago. I love that I was able to go in pick a birth date (we picked our anniversary date) and a list of children with that date came up for us. They have an easy email system now so you can send pictures and notes to your children that way. They send yearly updates and I look forward to that.

I love World Vision but I also know of other sponsorship programs that are doing amazing things through different communities all over the world. There are so many children that need us to step up and help them. Here are some other sponsorship resources: 

Compassion International
Sixty Feet
Children's Hope Chest

A lot goes around about how we can prevent children leaving their families due to poverty, how we can keep families together, I believe in child sponsorship as a way to keep families together. To love them from afar, to let them know they are not forgotten! 

Preschool...already??

Today I registered my girl for preschool....as in she will put a backpack on and I will leave her with classmates and a teacher for a few hours a couple days a week. I am so incredibly excited for her, this program will be great it's faith based and she will get to make friends and work on her social skills and learn more than we can teach her in between meals, bath time and our jobs outside the home.

It's also a reminder that this time goes so fast, that these kids that God blessed me with they are HIS, I need to trust and learn to let go a tiny bit at a time. I need to pour into them and the best way I know to do that is to let others help, I am not a mom who can home school and be with them at all hours of the day but that I need to trust the people God puts in our lives to help me build up these little ones.

That's hard to admit sometimes, that you can't do it all but it's so freeing. My sweet girl will get to grow alongside other kids this next school year and I can't wait to hear all about her days. I can't wait to see her projects she creates and get to watch her make friends.

My mamma heart hurts just a tiny bit with my youngest turning a year and our oldest starting school but what a blessing to provide for these two lives to love them and be their safe place. I will be happy being their home base, the arms they fall into at the end of the day and the voice that will build them up constantly and telling them they can do whatever they set their mind to. That we are blessed to have a Father who is helping us through this thing called life, even the hard moments of dropping off my baby at her first day of preschool.

11 Months

Garrett,

Sweet guy you are 11 months old and I'm trying to come to grips with you growing and almost being the big ONE. You are so rotten and full of personality these days. We have mastered a few things in the last month or so. Here we go:

Tantrums - throw your head on floor kind of tantrums
Standing - on your own for a few seconds/minutes
Cruising - along furniture or people
Sippy Cup - oooh yeah bring on the apple juice and whole milk
Teething - more teeth bring our grand total to 9 through the skin and I think I see another
Talking on the phone - or anything that looks like a phone to you
Baths - no more baby seat
Big Boy car seats - daddy got rid of the last of the baby seats 

You are in 12 months clothes, 3's diapers, 3 bottles a day, real food w/some baby food in the mix for fun but you like the real stuff, you don't like tomatoes or cheerios. Sleeping is getting better but you are still picky about where you nap.

You are so stinkin cute and bring joy to all of us everyday. You are learning and growing and discovering all the time and I love watching you from afar or sometimes not so far because you are a mama's boy.

I love you sweet man and these last 11 months have been such a fun ride with you. Let's plan a bday party!!

love you baby,
Mommy

Peace out sticker pictures he is over it!