merry christmas

out of commission

We have a bad hard drive. And little did we know what kind of withdrawls we'd have by being without our computer! Thankfully, Scott's brother is around to bail us out once again. What a guy. Until then, though, we'll be without our modern technology. I suppose if I get desperate I can hit the library for a quick fix. But chances are, we'll suffer the week without our computer. Ugh.

oh, christmas tree

Once again this year, we cut down our own Christmas tree. Last Sunday afternoon was the only hole in our schedule so we made the best of it in the rain. Our friends from church, Anne, Scott and 18-month old Thomas, even came along. Despite the lousy weather, we had a fun time hunting for the perfect tree and snapped some great photos along the way.

Morgan and Thomas playing before we left


Thomas and Morgan on the wagon



Our Blue Spruce


Happy family


All decked out

bite your tongue

When I was a junior or senior in high school and playing Varsity girls basketball, I found myself in a situation that took complete hold of my emotions. While I don't recall the score or outcome of the game that night, I do remember the other coach, a grown man, insulting my teammate and tearing her down. I overheard him telling his own girls that our point guard was worthless and slow because of her weight. Nice.

I was so infuriated by this person's actions that I proceeded to march over to the opponent's bench after the game and give the coach a piece of my mind, telling him that I didn't appreciate those horrible comments about my teammate. He was hurtful, so hurtful, and I wanted him to know that his words would have repercussions with me!

Seconds later, my own coach arrived to my verbal confrontation and that's where it ended. But even today, I am finding myself in a similar situation. Someone I love has just been hurt immensely, and I'd like to say a thing or two. But unfortunately it's not my place. Instead I'll have to look on as an outsider, and grab some gauze for my bleeding tongue.

thanks again, Mrs. Booth!

home again

Scott and I had a great time in Florida, and we survived without Morgan, but I am glad to be home and back into the the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Here's some shots to show you just how great it was!

The beautiful Christmas tree in the resort lobby

A sequential view from our 7th floor room

In the pool

This is where I hung out (literally) when Scott

was in his morning meeting.

My view from the hammock looking at the conference center.

We also had a cocktail party and Lobster/Clam bake around

this second pool on Thursday evening. Very chic.

The view at dusk from the main pool deck

Resort wildlife

think of us on thursday

On Thursday morning, Scott and I will leave behind Morgan as we take our first ever overnight trip without her. Not only are we leaving her home, but we're getting on a plane to Florida and staying for three days. Without Morgan. Did I mention that she's not coming along?

This mini-vacation is something we're both looking forward to, mostly because Scott earned this trip through work and it is FREE. He will have to attend a couple work-related meetings (read: sit through over-the-top sales rallies with uber-enthusiastic personnel), but otherwise, we have fun activities planned, time by the pool and a waterfront room.

As much as I know this getaway is good for us, I am terrified. It's one thing to go out to dinner and leave Morgan with a sitter for three hours. It's another to take a plane ride and be gone for three days.

What a test this will be.

give thanks

17.5 lb turkey, 18.5 lb Morgan.
Both incredibly delicious.

momentary blindness?

Morgan was playing in the living room, and then the school bus drove by and the sound grabbed her attention. It didn't distract her enough, though, to keep her from finding her toys, as you will see. It's almost like Morgan lost her sense of sight for a moment.

only gone for a minute

...and she's in a box.

can I help you?

new digs

I just received these photos in my inbox last night from Sarah and Doug. They are nearly settled and feeling good about their unpacking progress. It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is near when you see these!

party separation

"What are you doing? Why are you putting those into little piles in your bowl?" he asks.

"I don't like the rice puffs and the Chex squares. Do you want them?" I say, continuing to poke around, looking for pretzels, garlic chips and Cheez-Its.

"It's not called Party Separation, Rach, it's called Party Mix."

so final, so fast

I just got off the phone with Sarah. Tonight she and Doug are checked into a Carolina hotel, ready to tackle the rest of the Miami road trip tomorrow and Sunday. And she decided to call her sister.

The last time we spoke, Sarah was feeling anxious about what was to come. It was nine days ago that the moving company arrived and began to pack up their things. She wasn't sure that day what to do... read a magazine at the kitchen table? Try to help? Instead she stepped outside and gave me a call, hoping to pass the awkward time. I don't think she really knew then how difficult it was going to be to say good-bye.

During our call tonight, Sarah mentioned how tough it was to walk away... from her job, her friends, and the roots she had planted. Over the last five years, she and Doug both embraced everything that DC had to offer. It suited them. While it was inevitable that November 2 would show up on the calendar, I'm not sure either of them could comprehend how it would feel and how quickly the day would arrive.

So they are on the road. The hard part is now over. And on Sunday afternoon they will be home.

color coded

These recent pics from Joel around campus are quite lovely.
Nice work!

sip, sip

Tonight Morgan had her first attempt at using a cup. This Nuby has a leak proof straw, believe it or not, and I think she has figured out how it works. We gave it a whirl with water... safe and without staining, which was important, as most of it ended up dribbling out of her mouth, down her chin and all over her shirt. But we still think she gets the concept, and with a few more days of practice, maybe she'll be an expert.

every day is thursday

Day two of my new stay-at-home mom gig still doesn't feel real! I am loving every minute... the minutes when Morgan is being needy and likewise the minutes that I stand in the kitchen all alone and think, "Now what am I going to do with myself?"

It's nice knowing that I can do something different every day. Thursdays were once crammed with laundry and groceries, and any other errands that needed to be run, in addition to spending some awesome quality time with Morgan. Now I have an entire week to accomplish those tasks. And now I have every day to play with Morgan.

another happy girl

Today is my last day in the corporate working world, and I am all smiles. It's going to be a great Friday.

happy girl

honey-do list

Oh, my days are just dragging. I only have five workdays remaining until I am home for good, and already my mind has started a running list of things I'm anxious to do.

Every time I open the fridge and see the film of grossness on the shelves, I cringe. When I think about all the crumbs hiding under the stove, I want to move it immediately and clean! Knowing our house has not been vacuumed in weeks is making me itch. The furniture in the living room looks tired. I know it wants to be rearranged. After all, it's been that way since Christmas. I want to wash duvet and pillow covers, the mattress pad, the curtains. Send my work clothes for a final dryclean. Sort out the basement. Sweep the garage. Re-line the pantry shelves. Make applesauce, a cheesecake and dinners that take more than 20 minutes.

This is not Autumn nesting, but instead a buildup of things that I've been wanting to do for months. Things that take a backseat when working full-time and taking care of a baby and husband. Things that, oddly enough, make me feel better when accomplished.

My mind is always this way... it remembers the dirty dish on the counter, and after seeing it one too many times, forces me to immediately get it into the dishwasher. I then proceed to start picking up the rest of the house because heaven forbid I go to sleep with CLUTTER exposed willy-nilly around our home. Borderline disorder? No. Rachel in control of her environment? Yes.

My lists come and go, and I know this new journey will probably just turn them into one continuous roll of tasks. Never ending, I'm sure. It doesn't matter, at least not today. I can't wait to lace up my tennis shoes and get to work on my self-imposed honey-do list!

resignation

Last week at this time, I was sitting here at work with a nervous pit in my stomach, feeling anxious about sharing a bit of heavy news with my boss. I dawdled for three hours before summoning up the courage to share my plans of resignation. To finally say what I had been thinking about for nearly three months was a huge relief. On October 12th, I will be going from full-time Event Coordinator to full-time Mom!

The decision didn't come easy. In fact, I went back and forth for quite some time about what to do. I enjoy my job, my boss and (most of ) the people I work with. I think it's rare to wake up in the morning, Monday through Friday, and actually look forward to getting out of bed. I know lots of people who dread that alarm, and not just because they crave another hour of sleep. Having a boss who respects you, appreciates your work and tells you so on a daily basis is a rarity, and one that I will miss.

Also in the back of my mind was a feeling of permanence about quitting. Would I work again? When? Would I ever find such a great job, or am I throwing away everything? I realized that none of that matters right now. Quit planning every moment of your life, Rachel! I should wait and cross that bridge when I come to it, not any sooner. Who's to say that I won't get called back to my job around peak event times for a few extra hours of work? Or maybe when I am ready to return to the workforce someday, I'll land another great position. Something else that I need to remember is that it's not all about me... I have no idea how God is using me in the lives of my co-workers or others around me, and He'll put me where He wants me on His watch (umm... can you say stuck in Lansing for 2.5 years???).

Financially, this will be a test, but it's one that I'm prepared to pass with flying colors. I truly believe that God's going to show us how awesome He is. I know that all things are possible with Him, even bridging a financial gap. Pinching pennys will get old pretty fast, but I'm excited about being able to share what God is doing for our family. It requires turning over control, something that's very difficult for me to do, but I'm putting my faith in Him, and as someone told me a few months ago, He won't disappoint!

Life changed once Morgan was born. My plans of the ideal daycare and great job were thrown out the window after meeting our new baby. And so with much prayer, thought and consideration, Scott will grab my hand once again and take this leap of faith with me.

I look forward to my future of coordinating events of a different kind... which day is best for laundry? Grocery shopping? Will Morgan and I go for a walk to the library or visit daddy at work? Should we get together with some friends, or play alone, just the two of us? And so even though my new boss can't quite speak, she smiles and laughs with me every day, and her eyes twinkle with love for me. No job is better than that.

wits end

Since having Morgan, I find that while shopping, I spend most of my time in the kiddie areas of the store... the diaper aisle, the kids clothes, you get the idea.

This evening, Morgan and I were at Target, just killing some time since Scott is out of town. On a side-note, we scored a pink onesie for 64 cents! Awesome deal. Regardless, we were at Target, as were several other moms and their kids. Now I realize that I only have a five-month-old, and that most of these moms were towing two and three kids that were at least toddler age. But while quietly browsing, my ears were pierced with a lot of:

"Sit down right now!"
"If you do that one more time!"
And sadly, even a "Shut-Up!"

These weren't just stern words of warning. These were moms at the end of their ropes, yelling at their children. Loudly. Without hesitation. I have no idea what the kids were doing, what limits they might have been testing, or how many of their moms' buttons they were pushing. But I do know that it made me feel sorry for the kids.

Is that because I'm only the mother of a well-behaved five-month-old? Is that because I have zero experience yet with boundries and tempers and misbehaving for attention? I really don't think so. My guess is that these moms were working hard all day and trying to accomplish one more thing on their to-do lists. Target? Check.

Now that I have a child of my own, I see so much more with my eyes. I understand the value of drive-thru windows, the need for convenience and the struggle to balance life. I know it is only just the beginning of trying to successfully master these skills of tolerance, patience and flexibility.

However, regardless of the situation, shouldn't every child be spared the words "shut up"? For that matter, shouldn't everyone refrain from speaking those words? I get the need for discipline and the desire to rein in the chaos - I intend to get a lot of "I hate you's" because I'm the most strict parent on the block. But the more I shop and the more I see, the more sorry I feel for kids who are suffering and hurting inside because their parents have had enough and don't know any other way to get control than to publicly humiliate them in the middle of Target by shouting hurtful words.

Maybe I'm naive. Maybe someday that will be me, and maybe someday a new mom will glance in my direction and think these very same thoughts. But I pray that I have the strength to overcome the moment of weakness that all of these moms couldn't. Because I want my children to know that by my discipline, I am showing my love.

the little things

Does your spouse make the bed? Clean poop stains? Watch HGTV? Do the dishes? I'm proud to say that mine does (sorry, honey, your secrets are out)! To me, nothing says love like being a part of the team. Or maybe I should rephrase, maybe it's taking one for the team? I like to think I'm a pretty good teammate, too. I watch Lions, Tigers and Pistons - I draw the line at the Red Wings - fold undershirts in a very matter-of-fact way, and every now and then... look out... I throw some full-priced treats into the grocery cart.

It's those little things in the daily routine of life that make a marriage successful. It's wanting to do something for the other person more than for yourself. And it's always, always best when it's least expected. So while today marks the anniversary of our three-year union, we both know that it's the in's and out's of every day that really count. And that is why our average, any night of the week chicken dish will not be a dinner disappointment tonight, but rather another opportunity to listen to each other, talk about the day's events and enjoy another anniversary.

off the charts

Our little Morgan isn't so little anymore. Weighing in at almost 15 lbs and measuring nearly 27 inches puts her ahead of 99 out of 100 little girls at age four months. I love it!

couple more videos....

Here are a couple more videos of Morgan that we thought were worth sharing

Giggling...



Eating Turtle...

exciting discovery

I've always known that our digital camera takes video, and recently I've been experimenting with how it all works. Just today, I discovered that Blogger is testing the process of uploading video directly onto blogs, not just photos. This excites me greatly!

However, after trying unsuccessfully to get this video going, I've finally managed to bypass Blogger and go a different route via Google Video (thanks to Scott's computer smarts). If today's upload works, you should be able to see Morgan's tummy time, which unfortunately, due to the limitations of my camera, cuts off as she's about to roll onto her back. You may have to press PLAY twice.

extra, extra!

rocky mountain high

So I've finally found the time to post some of my favorite pictures from our week vacation at the YMCA Camp of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. It was so much fun to see our family and enjoy our time together! There were 23 of us in all. Click on the pictures to see larger views!

A view of the Y Camp

The Hyde Chapel on the grounds of the Camp







On a river hike

After which, Scott and my family did a "practice climb". These shots are from... what's it called, Dad?

Fine dining in Estes Park

Dad's name is on a brick at Bob & Tony's... somewhere under 36 or 37 years of names.

We made lots of stops driving up Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park.

Wildlife from the cabins...

(these are the only animal shots you'll see from me)!

Sarah and Dad

Game time

A trip to Golden for the Coors Brewery

Arts and Crafts at the Y Camp. We had so much fun making jewelry. It was serious looking stuff, good enough for me to sell! And the best part was the cost... I have three pair of handmade earings for just $10. Joel even braved the women and made some for Kelsey. You can see he has help hovering nearby.

The view from the top of the Y Camp property, I believe it's called Beacon Hill. They have an outdoor worship area, and the view is amazing. Pictures just don't do it justice.