Getting myself ready

I am currently trying to mentally prepare myself for leaving Owen for 9 whole days. Last night John said that once we get on that plane there is no turning back; there will be no coming home 1/2 way through the trip. I of course in no way would back out of this- not even at this point! We have spent way too much money on the trip. But I do doubt if I am ready or not for this.

Last night Owen was being kind of fussy at dinner time. So we let him down from his high chair and John went to play with him while I cleaned up the kitchen. Owen had other ideas and proceeded to throw himself down on the ground crying that pathetic cry that I think is meant to make mothers fall apart. He did not want John, he wanted his Mama and he was just falling apart since I was not right there with him.

This is really the first true separation anxiety I have seen from him. He is always fine with going to who ever is around. But I think the anxiety is starting to really kick in. We also had a neighbor come to watch him Friday night so we could attend a squadron event. Owen did well, but the next morning he woke up at 5:30 and has been on a weird sleep schedule ever since. I am wondering if it is due to us not being home the night before.. could that have really messed him up?

Why does this have to be happening now? Right before we leave him for over a week? Eh!

I know that this trip will be so much fun. John and I have had a pretty stressful 4 years with moving so many times (6 real times since we got married), pilot training, a rough pregnancy, a new baby in a new town, and our first deployment. We definitely need time together to reconnect, read a book, eat as much as we want without having to worry about cleaning up the dishes, explore, and SLEEP! I just will be a nervous wreck while doing all of those things!

Does anyone have any tips on how to make the separation easier???? For both me and Owen...

Blogging for Books- Life In Spite of Me

Life, In Spite of Me

Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice

Written by Kristen Jane Anderson
As told to Tricia Goyer

CLICK TO WATCH a video from the author
To purchase the book, please visit- http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601422521
After seeing this author on Oprah several months ago, I knew I would want to read this book when it came out. It is a memoir of a woman who tells the story of how she should have died. After a seemingly normal childhood she loses three friends and a family member in a short time. She is then raped. After dealing with depression, drinking, heartache, and pain she tries to end her life. She purposefully was run over by a train and lost most of the blood in her body. She by all accounts should have died- however the Lord was watching over her. She lost both of her legs in the terrible ordeal, but in turn, found her self.
Kristen goes on to tell the story of how she healed physically and emotionally. The book is both tragic and joyful. Kristen’s life turned around in such an amazing way. She founded Reaching You Ministries to help others who are going through terrible times. She also graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies. She has overcome so much physically and emotionally and come out beautifully.
The book is very easy to read and quite captivating. I would recommend it to anyone. Those who are dealing with tough times, depression, pain, etc. would benefit from this book because it shows how so much good can come out of so much pain. 

Disclaimer- This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Sunday at the Pool

The pool in our side yard that is. Since the weather is getting warmer we decided to go ahead and get Owen a pool. This photo is from last July when Owen had his first pool experience with his buddy Carmine. You can read about that by CLICKING HERE. (Leslie, this makes me so sad to see! I wish you were still my next-door-neighbor and my BLF!)

 

Owen was quite unsure last year, but this year he jumped right in! John set up the pool and was filling it while I got Owen dressed and lathered up in lotion. As soon as he saw the pool he climbed right in! No hesitation at all! He has always been such a water boy. Needless to say he absolutely LOVED playing in the pool on Sunday. Here are a few photos! Please excuse the fact that the suntan lotion was not all of the way rubbed in so he looks a little slimy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can not believe the difference in size from last year to this year. He was such a tiny thing!

Oh and thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers for my sister in law Jean. Baby Evalyse Mae was born last Wednesday! She is doing great and is such a pretty little thing. We can not wait to go to Pennsylvania soon to visit her! Only 2 weeks!

Hi, I am suddenly 3 years old!

Ok is it just me, or does this shirt make Owen look like a 3 year old? Sometimes he still looks like my baby boy and other times he is SO BIG!!!! And again, I know I ALWAYS say this, but check out his curls. I just can not get enough of them. I am never cutting his hair!

Yummy peanut butter sandwich!

This is right after Maggie licked the peanut butter off of his face. He looks like he is crying/upset but he was actually cracking up.

Maggie is so good with Owen. She is really protective of him, she plays with him, cleans up after him, etc. I am pretty sure she has somehow convinced Owen that he needs to share at least 1/2 of his food with her at all time. I am not sure what she has promised him in return… unconditional love? protection? that she will always clean his face after he eats? I’m not really positive. But he is serious about sharing with her!

 

This is me totally busting him handing her a piece of his sandwich. He will look me in the eyes and try to sneak his hand over to the side and ever so slowly drop the pieces into her mouth. I think Maggie will go upstairs from now on during meal times!

Happy Tuesday to everyone! :) 

Friday Night Out!

On Friday night some of my friends and I went out to a fun place in Fayetteville, The Mash House. We were celebrating Amanda’s graduation from her Masters Program. It was great to get dressed up, go out with the girls, and have some fun!

Me, Audra, Gretchen, and Amanda.

On Saturday we had a garage sale and then a neighborhood picnic (where I did not take any pictures, I was too busy chasing around a VERY curious 14 month old!)

Today John left for Arizona for the week. He left before I woke up and surprised me with 2 incredibly sweet mothers day cards, as well as leaving me with the Jeep for the week- YAH! Owen and I decided we should spend our morning at Walmart and then he treated me to Quiznos (my current FAVORITE!). It has been a great day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of my mom friends out there.

PS. I am currently waiting on a call to hear that our new niece, Evalyse has been born. My sister in law is due on the 21st which means it could be ANY TIME NOW! I can’t wait to go to Pennsylvania in a few weeks to meet her!

A few of Owen’s favorite things!

Check out this rocking chair! Back in the day my grandmother purchased it for my mom and aunt to use as children. When it needed repair my Great Grand Father Dawson re-did it. A few months back while visiting my Grandmother in Virginia I asked her if I could have the chair for Owen. As a child I also had this chair and loved it. She said yes and it came to live at our house. Owen did not pay it too much attention until recently, but now he LOVES IT!

  

 

He loves to sit in it and read, and actually requests that we read his nighttime Bible story there instead of in the gilder. He loves practicing getting in and out of the chair, putting his animals in the chair, and pushing it around. The chair is definitely one of Owen’s favorite things. Some other favorite things include his crib. This is his “doll” Joey. We love to put Joey to bed, rock Joey, and brush Joey’s teeth. Airplanes, everywhere, of course! On the mobile and the picture hanging above the crib…

On the bedding and the quit that hangs above the dresser..

The airplane lamp..

The airplane bank..

On the nameplate in front of our room…

We definitely like airplanes around here! Some other favorite things from Owen’s room include his Twila Paris CD that he listens to every night and before naps.. The O-W-E-N in his room..

Mommy’s Willow Tree figurines from Daddy..

And of course the glider where we have spent MANY hours nursing, rocking, reading, snuggling, etc. It is one of our favorite things!

Comment in the blog and share links to YOUR favorite things!

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday Friends and Family! We hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I am starting to feel a little bit better- which is good because John’s mom returned to Pennsylvania yesterday. We could not have gotten through the past week without her! I am very thankful to be feeling better- God is definitely taking care of me right now. I have my appetite back and enjoyed a yummy chicken enchilada dinner tonight! I could eat those EVERY NIGHT! I just love Mexican food!

This week will be spent regaining strength, trying to get some additional medical answers, having a yard sale/neighborhood BBQ, and preparing for John going to Arizona for a week for work. We are currently really excited about our cruise coming up in June, spending time with some family, fun weddings, and starting the summer. Although, I must say it is already HOT here and it is only the beginning of MAY!

Ok so the real reason for this message- FINALLY SOME PICTURES!

I do not think this is the greatest quality picture, but Owen really looks like me and my side of the family in this so I just had to post. Aunt Kathy, don’t you see my mom in this face? And sort of AJ!

 

Owen when we told him “Mom Mom” went back to Pennsylvania. Up to something…. quite the sly look!

 

  Our garden! Last fall my Grandma came to visit us and helped us plant some beautiful flowers. They are still so pretty and make the front yard so special to us!

 

Owen in his reading corner with Daddy. HeLOVES to read. Now he brings us books all day and asks for us to read them to him. It is so sweet. Sometimes he will sit by himself for 20 minutes at a time and just read. We come from a long line of readers and it seems like Owen will be following suit. He also blows our mind by automatically holding the book the proper way. We can hand it to him backwards or upside down and he will flip it to the correct way very quickly. Not to shabby for a 14 month old!

Owen with his most favorite toy, the lacrosse stick. He absolutely loves to carry this around and makes the funniest sound effects. I think we have a future lacrosse player in our house which of course could not make John happier!

 

We hope everyone has a wonderful week!