A Quilt from Joyce (part II)

As some of you will remember, a little over a year ago my stepmom Joyce finished a quilt that she had made for me and Shannon. It's gorgeous. You can read all about it (and see pictures) here.

Well, when she found out that we were having a baby, she wanted to make the baby a quilt. I originally wanted her to cut up and use my baby blanket for some of the pieces, but we couldn't find the blanket, so I told her to surprise me. My dad picked the pattern and Joyce did all the work. Once again, all the stitching is by hand. Isn't it cute?


Bunny rabbits! Can you see the butterflies stitched into the blue squares?

Thanks, Joyce!

Earth Day Challenge

In honor of Earth Day:

I'm not a tree-hugger. I don't eat only farm-raised, grass-fed beef. I don't drive a hybrid. I do try to be wise with my money and my time, and to be aware of how I have an impact on this world. I'd like to direct you to a previous post that I wrote with some easy steps that you can take to reduce your carbon footprint on Earth. I'd also like to encourage you to resolve to do one thing differently in the upcoming year (until next Earth Day). Buy reusable grocery bags, use a metal water bottle or coffee mug, start recycling, whatever. It doesn't matter to what you choose to do. What matters is that you do it.

We must be careful not to place the creation before the Creator. We must also be careful to be good stewards of what God has entrusted us with: in this case, it's our world. Take care of it. Stop being a self-centered, busy, selfish American and get over yourself and do one small thing differently this year to make an impact. How big of a deal is it, really, to use reusable grocery bags instead of plastic ones? How time consuming is it, really, to toss recyclables in a separate trash bin and put them out with the trash to be collected? How much effort is it, really, to bring your own coffee mug to Starbucks? What does it say about you and how much you value the creation that God placed you in if you're too lazy to do small things to take care of it? Baby steps go a long way when lots of people take them.

3 Months Old

Dear Lane,

Today you are three months old! I can't believe you've been in this world for a quarter of a year already! You've learned how to do a lot this past month, and you've also been on some crazy adventures! This month you learned how to roll over from your stomach to your back. You've started to touch your hands together and clasp them in front of your stomach. You can hold your head steady when we're holding you, unless you're really sleepy! You can grasp onto rings and rattles and things, and you'll reach for things, sometimes trying to bring them to your mouth. You are really good at tummy time, sometimes staying on your tummy for five minutes or more before you start to get tired and complain. You are starting to laugh more, although I can't wait for you to just bust up laughing. You'll talk and make lots of noise when you're getting tired, in a fussy voice so we know exactly how you feel about it! You still like to be outside and will sometimes just close your eyes and take it all in.

This month you went on your biggest road trip yet: from Birmingham, Alabama to Richmond, Virginia. You visited four new states in this process: Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. You met your Pops and Grandma Joyce, and you got to see Aunt Rachel and Uncle Lucas again. You met lots of other relatives too! You're getting a bit more consistent with your schedule, but it's been hard on you since we've been traveling around so much, and you're still not too regular when it comes to naps and such. You usually wake up once at night to eat and then wake up for good sometime between 6:00 and 7:00. You're out of your newborn clothes and are in 0-3 months or just 3-months clothes. We think you weigh about 11-12 pounds. You're getting so big! We love you so much...don't grow up too fast on us!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy


You actually like tummy time now!


Mommy and Daddy love this smile!


Your first Easter dress and Easter basket.


You're getting bigger, but you still need your rest!


You like to stick 3 or even 4 fingers in your mouth now.


With Pops and Grandma Joyce.


You're so sweet, and you love that tiger!

Vote Now!!!

Today Shannon, Lane, and I arrived in North Carolina for the first time in nearly 8 months. We showed up just in time for our friend Courtney (who, incidentally, is an awesome photographer) to take our pictures, and we want your vote as to which one you like best. Votes, please! We could combine 2 of the vertical ones (one of me and Lane with one of Shannon and Lane), or just have 1 of the horizontal ones.


Photo 1


Photo 2


Photo 3


Photo 4


Photo 5


Photo 6


Photo 7


Photo 8


Photo 9


Photo 10


Photo 11


Photo 12


Photo 13

Cast your votes in the comments section by photo number (the number underneath the photo). Thanks!

A Visit with the Brookses

Today something fantastic happened.

I got to see Kevin and Emily for the first time in over three years. Now you see, me and Kevin and Emily go way back. In fact, we met around exactly seven years ago at the airport in Warsaw, Poland, when I went to meet them for the first time. We've been close friends ever since. While we haven't lived near each other in about six years, we're the kind of friends that just pick up where you left off. Our friendship was forged in the toughness of living in a country other than your home country, and nothing can change that. Some people don't understand how you can be friends with people you rarely see and don't talk to that often. But if you have those kinds of friends, you understand: some friends you don't need to see everyday for them to be your best friends.


Me and Emily on the Baltic Sea. We took a semi-vacation together back in 2005, before any of us had kids.


In 2007 Shannon and I drove to New Orleans to see Kevin and Emily. James was about eight months old then.


Today: Shannon and Lane, me, Emily, Kevin, Beth (almost two) and James (almost four).

I was very proud of both Emily and myself: neither of us cried upon saying goodbye. But it's never really goodbye. Instead it's always "see you later," even if "later" is three or four years from now.

Just for Allison

Wanted: 1 pair of black shoes


Found: 1 pair of Merrell sandals

I went to DSW searching for a new pair of black shoes since I tossed my Danskos (hate those shoes) last August after forcing myself to redeem the cost of them by wearing them for a year and a half. Why is it so hard to find basic black shoes that you can wear socks with? Anyhow, obviously I didn't find any, but instead I found these Merrells on the clearance rack for half the regular price. Since we'll be moving somewhere (soon to be disclosed) where we'll be walking a lot, I thought that these looked (and felt) like good summery walking shoes. And I knew that Allison would be proud, since she has a self-admitted obsession with Merrells.

Things That Make Me Smile

My daughter's laugh
It's spring!
Strawberries for $1.25/pound
I get to see my sister in six days
I can fit into most of my pre-pregnancy pants/bottoms (although they're still a bit tight, at least I can get them on!)
College basketball is almost over: I will get my husband back from ESPN
Lane's stretch when we un-swaddle her in the morning/after naps
Christ has risen!
New $80 Merrell sandals, just my size, on clearance for $40
So many things checked off our to-do list and only a few things left to do before we leave Alabama on Friday
Life will be "regular" for two months, starting in two weeks. Maybe Lane will then sleep through the night
Remembering getting doused with water six years ago today in Poland for Wet Monday
I'm gonna be an aunt! (again)