I'm trying to catch up. I have uploaded many new posts below, so be sure to check them all out!
My stud athlete
Happy Easter!
Almost Two!!
April....showers
Dont miss the teaser in the Easter post...the big reveal to come soon! Extra points to the first person who guesses (except family, who already know). Get your guess on!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
April...showers
It has been a rough couple of months.
You know that saying, "when it rains, it pours?" I believe it. I realize there is never a good time in our busy lives to deal with turmoil or drama, but seriously, sometimes the timing of it ALL, is just bad.
Since this is a public location, I will not go into the details of my work drama. Let's just say, it has been a BAD month. Really bad. Things happening outside of my control, getting pulled into issues that I have never had to deal with, having my hand slapped for things that I was held responsible for (though never warned I was was responsible for), and an absolute butt-load of work. And yes, I just wrote butt-load. That is the nice way of saying the amount of work that has hit me over the head this month. When I tell you I have been working 12 and 14 hour days, without feeling like I even make a dent in the work, surely that says something. Heck, the intense pain in my back and neck and the tension headaches I keep having say something about this workload. It sucks.
Yesterday, I finally breathed a sigh of relief, not because it's done, but because I could see a dent in the pile. There was progress. I'm no where near the light at the end of the tunnel, but I'm doing my best to balance life a little. Lots of work = stressed, not-fun Melody, who often snaps at people (mainly Jesse and Ryleigh), who lives in a dirty house, with a never-ending to-do list. I just keep praying that this will all be over soon, and when all is said and done, someone will look back and say, wow- that girl works hard. Even if that someone does not say it until the judgement day. :)
I wont mention my continued morning sickness or Ryleigh getting sick, and the drama we have had with Jesse's job. Too much whining for one day. So, enough about me and my pity party. My stressful life has been nothing compared to a few other people I know and love.
My sister Sarah and her husband Micah have had quite a difficult couple of months. A few weeks/months ago, Sarah had been sick and so Micah took her to the doctor's office. While they were there, Micah passed out and starting having a pretty severe seizure. Originally, they went to see a neurologist to figure out what had happened in his brain to cause the seizure. They had him complete a sleep-deprived test to trigger the seizure and watch his brain waves. Sure enough, they triggered the seizure...and also caused his heart to stop. It started back up on its own, but a few more seconds, and they would have had to use the paddles. They scheduled an appointment with a cardiologist, who actually called them before their scheduled appointment wanting to see him right away. Within days, he was admitted to the hospital and being prepped for heart surgery to place a pacemaker. Please remember, this is a 26-year-old male. Most pacemaker candidates are over 50! Anyway, so sure enough they had the surgery as planned, and inserted the pacemaker, and within 48 hours, he was discharged to go home. A few days later, while changing the bandages, they noticed that the wound looked funny and had been oozing- not good. So they took him to the ER (it was after hours) and had it checked out in the same hospital where the surgery took place. The next morning, Sarah still did not feel right about it, so she called the doctor who performed the surgery, who immediately sent them back to the hospital. Micah was re-admitted and on watch for infection. Mind you, Micah felt fine and was extremely irritated about this. Within 24 hours, he was diagnosed with a stapph infection at the site of the wound, right over his heart. Not a good place for an infection! He was treated by serious IV antibiotics, hoping to clear it out, with no luck. A second heart surgery was scheduled to remove the current pacemaker and insert a new pacemaker to the other side of his heart. Meanwhile, the doctor spoke of transferring him to another doctor/hospital downtown, because he simply did not feel comfortable performing the procedure. Apparently,putting in a pacemaker is routine. Taking one out, is not. And its very risky. They literally are pulling it out of the heart muscle, hoping that when they pull, it does not tear a hole in the heart. The risks of course, are much higher, and if a hole is pulled, open heart surgery right then and there is inevitable. I could not sit in Houston while all this was going on, so Ryleigh and I went up to be there. As it turns out, they were not able to transfer Micah to another hospital, due to a shortage of beds, so the specialist doctor had to come out to him. The doctor did not feel it would be wise to remove one pacemaker and attempt to put in another one- no need to open new holes with a stapph infection! So, he performed the removal surgery and left the wound open and packed with antibiotics designed to draw the infection out and away from the wound. This surgery was much more painful for Micah, and he was in the hospital for over a week. They finally sent him home, but with home health care to come by and clean his open wound, check his heart, etc. He cannot be left alone, because without a pacemaker, and all the trauma his heart has endured, they dont want anything to happen. So, family has been staying with them non-stop. The plan is to make sure all signs of infection are gone, give his heart some time to recoup, and then have a third heart surgery to insert a new pacemaker into the other side of his heart. Needless to say, it has been a scary and emotional time for them. Not to mention the fact that he was supposed to be starting a new job and moving this month! Now he is on short-term disability and just praying his new boss is patient. They will celebrate their 1st anniversary in a few weeks, and I just cannot imagine all they have endured in their first year of marriage. Please pray for physical healing, emotional healing, and a little rest for their weary bodies and souls.
On to the next health prayer. My other sister, Sarah's twin, Susan and her fiance Brent, have been having their own share of issues!! Brent is a professional hockey player, and had been playing hurt for awhile. When I say, "hurt" I mean, it was STUPID of his team to ask him to play. Brent suffered a concussion awhile back and continued to play. He was having severe headaches and finally got it checked out by someone wise. It turns out he had several concussions, somehow stacked on top of each other, and his brain was a mess! Needless to say, he was officially pulled from playing hockey, as well as doing anything else in his life!! He has to rest his brain, meaning, no driving, no reading, no movies, no nothing. No nothing. Nothing. Catch that? What in the world do you do? Sleep? Well, since he was already out for this injury, he decided to have someone take a look at his shoulder too. Sure enough, it had some pretty significant damage and required surgery. Brent figured it was a good time, since he was already laying low, to take care of it.Problem was, due to his brain injury, they could not put him under. When he heard that he was going to have to be awake, he said "heck no!" So, back to the drawing boards, and sure enough the doctor agreed to put him under, which was a risk in and of itself. He had his shoulder surgery last week, and it went well, though with a lot of pain. Within 48 hours, they were discharged, and headed home to heal. Pray for their patience during this healing process and wisdom from the team doctors before attempting to let him (or anyone else!) play when hurt.
My mom lost her job about 2 months ago. It was a shock, and not a welcomed event. BUT, it has been a blessing in disguise, as she has suddenly been freed up to help out with all the family drama lately. She was able to go spend a week with my granddad when he was released from rehab and able to go home. She was able to go be with Sarah during each of Micah's surgery, and able to stay with them this week, allowing Sarah to go back to work and Micah to not be left alone. She has helped me out with Ryleigh during all my crazy work drama. She might need a little break and downtime from family once this is all said and done, but she sure has been a life saver for the rest of us!
So yeah, when it rains, it pours.
On a side note, I thought it was ironic that I started this post over the weekend, and then literally it rained for 36 hours straight, flooding large portions of Houston. I think they said we received 8 inches on Sunday night within a matter of hours. That's a lot of rain. Kind o a down pour, I would say.
And sure enough, that's what this month has been. A down pour. I'm sorry I have been absent from blogland, but there are only so many hours in a day! I'm just hoping that some of these April showers will bring...yep, you guessed it....May flowers.
You know that saying, "when it rains, it pours?" I believe it. I realize there is never a good time in our busy lives to deal with turmoil or drama, but seriously, sometimes the timing of it ALL, is just bad.
Since this is a public location, I will not go into the details of my work drama. Let's just say, it has been a BAD month. Really bad. Things happening outside of my control, getting pulled into issues that I have never had to deal with, having my hand slapped for things that I was held responsible for (though never warned I was was responsible for), and an absolute butt-load of work. And yes, I just wrote butt-load. That is the nice way of saying the amount of work that has hit me over the head this month. When I tell you I have been working 12 and 14 hour days, without feeling like I even make a dent in the work, surely that says something. Heck, the intense pain in my back and neck and the tension headaches I keep having say something about this workload. It sucks.
Yesterday, I finally breathed a sigh of relief, not because it's done, but because I could see a dent in the pile. There was progress. I'm no where near the light at the end of the tunnel, but I'm doing my best to balance life a little. Lots of work = stressed, not-fun Melody, who often snaps at people (mainly Jesse and Ryleigh), who lives in a dirty house, with a never-ending to-do list. I just keep praying that this will all be over soon, and when all is said and done, someone will look back and say, wow- that girl works hard. Even if that someone does not say it until the judgement day. :)
I wont mention my continued morning sickness or Ryleigh getting sick, and the drama we have had with Jesse's job. Too much whining for one day. So, enough about me and my pity party. My stressful life has been nothing compared to a few other people I know and love.
My sister Sarah and her husband Micah have had quite a difficult couple of months. A few weeks/months ago, Sarah had been sick and so Micah took her to the doctor's office. While they were there, Micah passed out and starting having a pretty severe seizure. Originally, they went to see a neurologist to figure out what had happened in his brain to cause the seizure. They had him complete a sleep-deprived test to trigger the seizure and watch his brain waves. Sure enough, they triggered the seizure...and also caused his heart to stop. It started back up on its own, but a few more seconds, and they would have had to use the paddles. They scheduled an appointment with a cardiologist, who actually called them before their scheduled appointment wanting to see him right away. Within days, he was admitted to the hospital and being prepped for heart surgery to place a pacemaker. Please remember, this is a 26-year-old male. Most pacemaker candidates are over 50! Anyway, so sure enough they had the surgery as planned, and inserted the pacemaker, and within 48 hours, he was discharged to go home. A few days later, while changing the bandages, they noticed that the wound looked funny and had been oozing- not good. So they took him to the ER (it was after hours) and had it checked out in the same hospital where the surgery took place. The next morning, Sarah still did not feel right about it, so she called the doctor who performed the surgery, who immediately sent them back to the hospital. Micah was re-admitted and on watch for infection. Mind you, Micah felt fine and was extremely irritated about this. Within 24 hours, he was diagnosed with a stapph infection at the site of the wound, right over his heart. Not a good place for an infection! He was treated by serious IV antibiotics, hoping to clear it out, with no luck. A second heart surgery was scheduled to remove the current pacemaker and insert a new pacemaker to the other side of his heart. Meanwhile, the doctor spoke of transferring him to another doctor/hospital downtown, because he simply did not feel comfortable performing the procedure. Apparently,putting in a pacemaker is routine. Taking one out, is not. And its very risky. They literally are pulling it out of the heart muscle, hoping that when they pull, it does not tear a hole in the heart. The risks of course, are much higher, and if a hole is pulled, open heart surgery right then and there is inevitable. I could not sit in Houston while all this was going on, so Ryleigh and I went up to be there. As it turns out, they were not able to transfer Micah to another hospital, due to a shortage of beds, so the specialist doctor had to come out to him. The doctor did not feel it would be wise to remove one pacemaker and attempt to put in another one- no need to open new holes with a stapph infection! So, he performed the removal surgery and left the wound open and packed with antibiotics designed to draw the infection out and away from the wound. This surgery was much more painful for Micah, and he was in the hospital for over a week. They finally sent him home, but with home health care to come by and clean his open wound, check his heart, etc. He cannot be left alone, because without a pacemaker, and all the trauma his heart has endured, they dont want anything to happen. So, family has been staying with them non-stop. The plan is to make sure all signs of infection are gone, give his heart some time to recoup, and then have a third heart surgery to insert a new pacemaker into the other side of his heart. Needless to say, it has been a scary and emotional time for them. Not to mention the fact that he was supposed to be starting a new job and moving this month! Now he is on short-term disability and just praying his new boss is patient. They will celebrate their 1st anniversary in a few weeks, and I just cannot imagine all they have endured in their first year of marriage. Please pray for physical healing, emotional healing, and a little rest for their weary bodies and souls.
On to the next health prayer. My other sister, Sarah's twin, Susan and her fiance Brent, have been having their own share of issues!! Brent is a professional hockey player, and had been playing hurt for awhile. When I say, "hurt" I mean, it was STUPID of his team to ask him to play. Brent suffered a concussion awhile back and continued to play. He was having severe headaches and finally got it checked out by someone wise. It turns out he had several concussions, somehow stacked on top of each other, and his brain was a mess! Needless to say, he was officially pulled from playing hockey, as well as doing anything else in his life!! He has to rest his brain, meaning, no driving, no reading, no movies, no nothing. No nothing. Nothing. Catch that? What in the world do you do? Sleep? Well, since he was already out for this injury, he decided to have someone take a look at his shoulder too. Sure enough, it had some pretty significant damage and required surgery. Brent figured it was a good time, since he was already laying low, to take care of it.Problem was, due to his brain injury, they could not put him under. When he heard that he was going to have to be awake, he said "heck no!" So, back to the drawing boards, and sure enough the doctor agreed to put him under, which was a risk in and of itself. He had his shoulder surgery last week, and it went well, though with a lot of pain. Within 48 hours, they were discharged, and headed home to heal. Pray for their patience during this healing process and wisdom from the team doctors before attempting to let him (or anyone else!) play when hurt.
My mom lost her job about 2 months ago. It was a shock, and not a welcomed event. BUT, it has been a blessing in disguise, as she has suddenly been freed up to help out with all the family drama lately. She was able to go spend a week with my granddad when he was released from rehab and able to go home. She was able to go be with Sarah during each of Micah's surgery, and able to stay with them this week, allowing Sarah to go back to work and Micah to not be left alone. She has helped me out with Ryleigh during all my crazy work drama. She might need a little break and downtime from family once this is all said and done, but she sure has been a life saver for the rest of us!
So yeah, when it rains, it pours.
On a side note, I thought it was ironic that I started this post over the weekend, and then literally it rained for 36 hours straight, flooding large portions of Houston. I think they said we received 8 inches on Sunday night within a matter of hours. That's a lot of rain. Kind o a down pour, I would say.
And sure enough, that's what this month has been. A down pour. I'm sorry I have been absent from blogland, but there are only so many hours in a day! I'm just hoping that some of these April showers will bring...yep, you guessed it....May flowers.
You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.
Psalms 30:11-12
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Almost Two!!
Ryleigh turns two next month. W-O-W.
Some days I'm blown away by how smart she is and how much older than her age she seems, and then other days, I look at her, and still see my baby. But, she's not a baby. She's a toddler. A full-blown toddler who walks, talks (all the time), dresses up, sings, dances, pitches fits, cuddles whole-heartedly, and "tests" us at every turn.
Did you know that Ryleigh loves the Wiggles? Yes, the silly guys from Australia who dress up and sing silly songs. Ryleigh is their number 1 fan. And I am grateful, because without them, I would never get any work done during the day!! There is a Wiggles center in Dallas, and my family who lives up there took a trip over there. Ryleigh was sent a Wiggles t-shirt and "Henry" doll from Aunt Kathy and received this "Dorothy" tutu from Michelle and Savannah. Now she twirls along with Dorothy while singing and dancing to the Wiggles.
Honestly, I am amazed I was even able to get this picture of her with the tutu on. I fear that I might have a nudist on my hands. Seriously, the girl will NOT stay in her clothes. I thought at first that perhaps she just liked the freedom to take her clothes off and put them on herself. But now, she will not wear them! We have to force her to wear clothes in order to take her in public! And then I watch her like a hawk the whole time we are out, because inevitably, she starts pulling her arms out of her shirt or kicking off her shorts. The other day, I was working in my office and she was playing with her blocks in the living room. Or so I thought. The next thing I know, she is standing next to me, wearing nothing but my leopard print lingerie cami (which, for those of you are thinking "TMI!" I have not worn in YEARS. It has had more use from Ryleigh in the past week than it has from me in all the years I have owned it.) So yeah, my little nudist is on the loose! I'm kind of hoping she has just been bothered by her eczema lately and that is why she does not like clothing on her skin. I guess time will tell.
Luckily, when she strips down, she does not care to remove her diaper. I have heard of toddlers doing this, and so far, thank you Lord, she is not doing this. I'm hoping the diaper situation will soon go away, as I intend to try and potty train her this summer. She already tells me as she is pooping, and wants to change her diaper right away when she does. So she knows that feeling. Now the pee-pee part, not so much, so we'll have to work on it. But hopefully the diapers will be gone soon!
We are also talking about moving Ryleigh out of her crib and into a "big girl" twin bed. This makes me more sad than any of the other changes she is experiencing. I think it makes her seem that much older. Right now, we put her to bed and we go in and get her out of bed in the morning. She crawls right out of her crib and into my snuggles. Once she is in a big girl bed, she can just jump down and get on with her day. It was always inevitable, and I definitely want to do it fairly soon so that she stops associating herself with the crib before the baby gets here, but its still hard. I'm sure we'll begin that transition within the next month or so. Pray for patience!
I could go on and on and tell you how incredibly smart this girl is, or how much she amazes me daily. My words do little justice. I'm telling you, this is one smart girl. She throws out new words daily and increases her sentences just as often. We are really, finally, able to communicate with her, without much (if any) confusion. She knows what she wants and eagerly lets us know. Granted, with this new found communication understanding has come a whole new world of learning as parents. When she wants something we do not want her to have, she does not simply nod and smile and say, "okay- you know best!" She's angry! And defiant! And she will try every single trick in the book to get it. I wish I could say that her whines are nothing compared to my stamina, but that's not always true. I'm not a patient person, and right now, her perseverance often beats mine. I'm working on this. We're also working on new methods of discipline when she does not obey and blatantly defies us. This is tough. I never knew I could love someone so much...or be so completely angry and frustrated with someone so much. She can make my blood boil like no one else. And she has already learned exactly which buttons to push to make that happen! Sneaky little thing! :)
In all honesty, this is a tough age. Ryleigh is learning and exploring and trying her wings, and often I have to remind her that though her wings might work, there is a big cliff ahead. It's all about setting boundaries and being consistent- two areas I struggle with daily. No matter how long or frustrating the day, I always get big smiles, hugs, and kisses in the evening, and it washes away the pains of the day. I know many-a-moms who have struggled with strong-willed, independent kids and still lived to tell about it, so I know we will get through it. I'm just learning the hard way, I afraid.
My baby is going to be two, and life is going to be an adjustment. We are learning together and I'm sure there will come a time when I look back at this phase and think what a breeze it was compared to our next big hurdle. I'm just trying to enjoy every positive thing I can right now and soak up all the sweetness that is my precious toddler.
Some days I'm blown away by how smart she is and how much older than her age she seems, and then other days, I look at her, and still see my baby. But, she's not a baby. She's a toddler. A full-blown toddler who walks, talks (all the time), dresses up, sings, dances, pitches fits, cuddles whole-heartedly, and "tests" us at every turn.
Did you know that Ryleigh loves the Wiggles? Yes, the silly guys from Australia who dress up and sing silly songs. Ryleigh is their number 1 fan. And I am grateful, because without them, I would never get any work done during the day!! There is a Wiggles center in Dallas, and my family who lives up there took a trip over there. Ryleigh was sent a Wiggles t-shirt and "Henry" doll from Aunt Kathy and received this "Dorothy" tutu from Michelle and Savannah. Now she twirls along with Dorothy while singing and dancing to the Wiggles.
Honestly, I am amazed I was even able to get this picture of her with the tutu on. I fear that I might have a nudist on my hands. Seriously, the girl will NOT stay in her clothes. I thought at first that perhaps she just liked the freedom to take her clothes off and put them on herself. But now, she will not wear them! We have to force her to wear clothes in order to take her in public! And then I watch her like a hawk the whole time we are out, because inevitably, she starts pulling her arms out of her shirt or kicking off her shorts. The other day, I was working in my office and she was playing with her blocks in the living room. Or so I thought. The next thing I know, she is standing next to me, wearing nothing but my leopard print lingerie cami (which, for those of you are thinking "TMI!" I have not worn in YEARS. It has had more use from Ryleigh in the past week than it has from me in all the years I have owned it.) So yeah, my little nudist is on the loose! I'm kind of hoping she has just been bothered by her eczema lately and that is why she does not like clothing on her skin. I guess time will tell.Luckily, when she strips down, she does not care to remove her diaper. I have heard of toddlers doing this, and so far, thank you Lord, she is not doing this. I'm hoping the diaper situation will soon go away, as I intend to try and potty train her this summer. She already tells me as she is pooping, and wants to change her diaper right away when she does. So she knows that feeling. Now the pee-pee part, not so much, so we'll have to work on it. But hopefully the diapers will be gone soon!
We are also talking about moving Ryleigh out of her crib and into a "big girl" twin bed. This makes me more sad than any of the other changes she is experiencing. I think it makes her seem that much older. Right now, we put her to bed and we go in and get her out of bed in the morning. She crawls right out of her crib and into my snuggles. Once she is in a big girl bed, she can just jump down and get on with her day. It was always inevitable, and I definitely want to do it fairly soon so that she stops associating herself with the crib before the baby gets here, but its still hard. I'm sure we'll begin that transition within the next month or so. Pray for patience!
I could go on and on and tell you how incredibly smart this girl is, or how much she amazes me daily. My words do little justice. I'm telling you, this is one smart girl. She throws out new words daily and increases her sentences just as often. We are really, finally, able to communicate with her, without much (if any) confusion. She knows what she wants and eagerly lets us know. Granted, with this new found communication understanding has come a whole new world of learning as parents. When she wants something we do not want her to have, she does not simply nod and smile and say, "okay- you know best!" She's angry! And defiant! And she will try every single trick in the book to get it. I wish I could say that her whines are nothing compared to my stamina, but that's not always true. I'm not a patient person, and right now, her perseverance often beats mine. I'm working on this. We're also working on new methods of discipline when she does not obey and blatantly defies us. This is tough. I never knew I could love someone so much...or be so completely angry and frustrated with someone so much. She can make my blood boil like no one else. And she has already learned exactly which buttons to push to make that happen! Sneaky little thing! :)
In all honesty, this is a tough age. Ryleigh is learning and exploring and trying her wings, and often I have to remind her that though her wings might work, there is a big cliff ahead. It's all about setting boundaries and being consistent- two areas I struggle with daily. No matter how long or frustrating the day, I always get big smiles, hugs, and kisses in the evening, and it washes away the pains of the day. I know many-a-moms who have struggled with strong-willed, independent kids and still lived to tell about it, so I know we will get through it. I'm just learning the hard way, I afraid.
My baby is going to be two, and life is going to be an adjustment. We are learning together and I'm sure there will come a time when I look back at this phase and think what a breeze it was compared to our next big hurdle. I'm just trying to enjoy every positive thing I can right now and soak up all the sweetness that is my precious toddler.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Happy Easter!
Easter was a rainy morning...but luckily, as Christians, we rejoice through the rain and get our tails to church anyway and praise our God for sending a savior.
Jesse had to work in the morning, so I tried to hold Ryleigh off from her goodies as long as possible. As soon as Daddy was home, she was free to charge the baskets!
And of course, went straight for the chocolate! Ha!
We did not hide Easter eggs outside, due to the weather, but I did put a few around the living room for her to "find." I'm not a good hider, I must admit. I told Jesse that next year, it's his job! 
...and had a better Easter egg hunt. :) Check her out on the run to find another egg! Haha.
After a nap for Ryleigh, fellowship and dinner for the rest of us, it was time to go home. A fun day was had by all. 
Jesse had to work in the morning, so I tried to hold Ryleigh off from her goodies as long as possible. As soon as Daddy was home, she was free to charge the baskets!
And of course, went straight for the chocolate! Ha!
We did not hide Easter eggs outside, due to the weather, but I did put a few around the living room for her to "find." I'm not a good hider, I must admit. I told Jesse that next year, it's his job!We pulled up to church just as the skies decided to open up and POUR. Jesse let me and Ryleigh out, and I still had to run for it. Not the prettiest picture...mom, running through rain, carrying a toddler, diaper bag, purse, and bible....in heels... But my experience was nothing compared to Jesse's! Obviously, being Easter Sunday, there were a lot of guests, and he was pushed to the overflow lot way at the back of the church- in the dirt. Which, with the help of the pouring rain, was now mud. So he had to run all the way in, through the mud. He looked pretty when he made it inside. :) But all the drama faded once the worship began and we were able to praise our Lord and Savior. Then Ben Stuart preached, and as always, it was a great word.
After church, we went to my parent's house for the afternoon. Ryleigh got another Easter basket at their house,
...and had a better Easter egg hunt. :) Check her out on the run to find another egg! Haha.
After a nap for Ryleigh, fellowship and dinner for the rest of us, it was time to go home. A fun day was had by all.Happy Easter!
Love the Shulse family
PS...Did you notice anything different in the pictures? Teaser, teaser, with details to come later!
Friday, April 10, 2009
My stud athlete
The first weekend in April, Jesse and I headed down to Moody Gardens in Galveston so he could compete in another triathlon. Originally, he had signed up to do the half-iron (which is a LOT) and a few weeks before the race, realizing he had not trained the way he should have, he dropped back to the quarter-iron, or Olympic triathlon. Still, no small feat!
Because of the time of year and the location of the swim (the ocean!), Jesse decided to bite the bullet and purchase a wetsuit. He was very embarrassed wearing it, but once we got there and everyone had one on, he fit right in. And I hear it really helped keep the cold out during the almost 1-mile swim.
After they get out of the water, there is a "wetsuit strip station" where the athlete lay down on the ground and the strippers literally rip that suit off them! I saw a couple suits go flying through the air, because they were pulled so hard. It was absolutely hilarious watching the strippers, and they made sure to have a good time with their job. Funny stuff. That is Jesse on the ground (the guy to the left) having his suit stripped.
Next it was time for the bike. I hear that the bike ride can really help you out if you use it correctly, and shave a lot of time off. In Galveston, they had the athletes ride up and down the Seawall, so you can imagine how the wind factored into the equation during the 28-mile bike ride. Jesse did alright on the bike, but he is really working on that portion of the race for his next triathlon.
And of course, last is the run. I cannot imagine running 6.5 miles period, but to do it AFTER all the other events-- no thank you. But, Jesse made it look easy.
Nice and steady, all the way through the finish line. Of course, he had set a goal, based on times he planned for each of the three events. He pretty much stayed true to his goals, except went over a bit on the bike. He wanted to finish under 3 hours, and his final time was 3 hours 8 minutes. Not to shabby.
It never ceases to amaze me the pride I feel as I watch him finish an event. I wish I could explain it! My heart is beating and feels like it could jump out of my chest. Plus, I love the smile he gives me when he sees me near the finish line, right before he lifts his chin and runs in with his head held high. Very cool.
Because of the time of year and the location of the swim (the ocean!), Jesse decided to bite the bullet and purchase a wetsuit. He was very embarrassed wearing it, but once we got there and everyone had one on, he fit right in. And I hear it really helped keep the cold out during the almost 1-mile swim.
After they get out of the water, there is a "wetsuit strip station" where the athlete lay down on the ground and the strippers literally rip that suit off them! I saw a couple suits go flying through the air, because they were pulled so hard. It was absolutely hilarious watching the strippers, and they made sure to have a good time with their job. Funny stuff. That is Jesse on the ground (the guy to the left) having his suit stripped.
Next it was time for the bike. I hear that the bike ride can really help you out if you use it correctly, and shave a lot of time off. In Galveston, they had the athletes ride up and down the Seawall, so you can imagine how the wind factored into the equation during the 28-mile bike ride. Jesse did alright on the bike, but he is really working on that portion of the race for his next triathlon.
And of course, last is the run. I cannot imagine running 6.5 miles period, but to do it AFTER all the other events-- no thank you. But, Jesse made it look easy.
Nice and steady, all the way through the finish line. Of course, he had set a goal, based on times he planned for each of the three events. He pretty much stayed true to his goals, except went over a bit on the bike. He wanted to finish under 3 hours, and his final time was 3 hours 8 minutes. Not to shabby.
It never ceases to amaze me the pride I feel as I watch him finish an event. I wish I could explain it! My heart is beating and feels like it could jump out of my chest. Plus, I love the smile he gives me when he sees me near the finish line, right before he lifts his chin and runs in with his head held high. Very cool.Before the race, while all the athletes were setting up their transition areas, the rest of us spectators had to wait outside the parking lot. We could see them, but were roped off. Well, another girl was standing there with me and talking to her husband, who was only a couple spots down from Jesse. Turns out the guys were in the same heat. She and I got to talking, (her name is Devon) and it turns out we had a lot in common! They both went to Texas A&M and live in Houston. We had a good time getting to know each other, walking together during the different events and cheering for each other's husbands. Her husband finished a few minutes before Jesse, and they both came back to wait with me at the finish line and cheer him in. I think Jesse and John have a lot in common as well, and hopefully we will hang out with them sometime in the future.
It was a fun race, and I was very proud of Jesse. He has signed up for another triathlon, of the same distance, for the end of May. He is really working on his speed so he can better his time and then maybe later on he will try again for the half-iron. Crazy boy. But oh-so-studly...especially in a wetsuit. :)
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
A fun Saturday afternoon
Ryleigh has been very interested in animals lately. She knows the names of the most common animals, and can identify their color and sound. So, with all the nice weather we have had lately, we thought it would be fun to take her back to the zoo. After all, the last time we went, she was only about 7 months old-- she was due a trip!
Last Saturday we laid her down for an early nap and anxiously awaited her waking up so we could surprise her with a trip to the zoo. And she was excited! We arrived and walked through all the animal exhibits, as she excitedly told us what she saw, what that animal says, and of course, said, "hi friend" to every child that passed us...which as you can imagine, was a LOT.
When we finally left, she talked about the "aminals" (no, that is not a misspelling, just Ryleigh language), nonstop. For days she kept asking to go back to the zoo. If it was not so far away, I would invest in a season pass!! Anyway, it was a fun afternoon. Here are a few pictures from the day.
Daddy showing Ryleigh how to use the brush to comb the goat at the petting zoo. I think this is why Ryleigh's allergies got so crazy when we got home that night...
An eagle! I couldn't resist snapping a picture of my elementary school mascot. :)
Daddy and Ryleigh
The baby elephant was cracking us up! He must have had an itch on it's back or something. First, he kept rubbing against the pole trying to scratch his back, but when that did not help, the elephant found this large "stick" and tried pushing it up so he could slide under it to scratch his back! Smart guy, I'd say!
The giraffes were my favorite. I wonder if it's because I'm so short that I love them so much...anyway. If you look closely in this picture, you can tell there are three giraffes, of three different ages and sizes. The youngest baby is only a few weeks old, and was so short and cute compared to the others!
Last Saturday we laid her down for an early nap and anxiously awaited her waking up so we could surprise her with a trip to the zoo. And she was excited! We arrived and walked through all the animal exhibits, as she excitedly told us what she saw, what that animal says, and of course, said, "hi friend" to every child that passed us...which as you can imagine, was a LOT.
When we finally left, she talked about the "aminals" (no, that is not a misspelling, just Ryleigh language), nonstop. For days she kept asking to go back to the zoo. If it was not so far away, I would invest in a season pass!! Anyway, it was a fun afternoon. Here are a few pictures from the day.
Daddy showing Ryleigh how to use the brush to comb the goat at the petting zoo. I think this is why Ryleigh's allergies got so crazy when we got home that night...
An eagle! I couldn't resist snapping a picture of my elementary school mascot. :)
Daddy and Ryleigh
The baby elephant was cracking us up! He must have had an itch on it's back or something. First, he kept rubbing against the pole trying to scratch his back, but when that did not help, the elephant found this large "stick" and tried pushing it up so he could slide under it to scratch his back! Smart guy, I'd say!
The giraffes were my favorite. I wonder if it's because I'm so short that I love them so much...anyway. If you look closely in this picture, you can tell there are three giraffes, of three different ages and sizes. The youngest baby is only a few weeks old, and was so short and cute compared to the others!
A good time was had by all, and we look forward to going back again soon while the weather is still nice.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Reminder
Yet Another Jay and Deb Production.
I love the Willow Tree collectibles. I have several of them, all with a precious meaning to me. So, naturally seeing this tribute struck a cord.
The figurine shows a mom holding a baby, but it wouldn't have to be that relationship that we refer to. What about your spouse? Or a tired relative? Or a sick friend? Or just a friend's life in general?
This life is not all about us. As a matter of fact, its not about us at all.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
When I read this passage, it does not scream out that I must die for my friends, though I think that Jesus most definitely meant that we could be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice for our friends. Instead, in this day and busy age, I think it means to not choose yourself over others. To put aside your busy life and take time to love on your friends and family. "Lay down your life," and get it, and yourself, out of your own way!
Do you have those friends or family members who are always too busy? (All of you reading this should be nodding, because you know me.) It can be hard to cultivate those relationships and you often feel like they simply do not care. Our busy lives, that we think only effect us, can actually hurt other people.
Friends, join with me to help stop this crazy cycle. Let's all lay aside our lives for the people we love. Let's take the time to call a friend just to say hi. Let's stop what we are working on and jump on the chance to meet a relative for lunch. Let's worry less about the cleanliness of our house, and worry more about playing with our babies. Let's stop folding laundry and watching mindless tv shows at night and talk to our spouses. Let's get out of our own way, and let our love for others truly show them we care. Let's touch their lives.
Because you know what? This life is not all about me.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
So far, so good
We had our 12-week appointment and ultrasound this week. My mom watched Ryleigh so that Jesse and I could both actually watch the ultrasound and pay attention. Haha, last time, Jesse was on Daddy-duty so much, he practically missed the whole thing. So this time, it was just us.
The ultrasound was first, and we were able to see the little one squirming around on the big screen. Seriously- it never stopped moving! The ultrasound technician had a hard time getting measurements and trying to snap a cute picture, because the baby just kept doing flips. We laughed because we have been begging God for a quiet, laid back baby this time...so far, it looks like this little one is going to be every bit as active as its big sister!
I met with the doctor afterwards and she assured me that all the measurements from the ultrasound were perfect and that my body was handling the pregnancy great so far. I had lost a few more pounds, so she immediately asked if I was sick again. I had about two or three weeks where I was sick, but NOTHING compared to my pregnancy with Ryleigh. My uterus was still growing, so she's not worried. The only thing that gave her cause for concern was the blood work I did last time I was there. Apparently, my thyroid levels were pretty low, so she had me go do more blood work, including a whole panel for the thyroid, just to make sure things are okay. I'm not terribly worried about it.
My belly feels like it is growing, but my pants are not fitting too snug yet, which is a good thing. Without going into too much detail, I will say that the biggest side effect I have noticed this go around is my breasts! INCREDIBLY SORE, all the time, and have probably doubled in size already. I truly think it is because they had so much extra to make up, after getting so small last time, but I digress.
So, that's that! I'm about 13-weeks now, and just chuckin' right along. We will not find out the sex until 20 weeks, which I think is later than we found out last time, but that's okay. It will be sometime near the end of May. It's still plenty early, but we are thankful for every good day and every good report. Thank you all for your excitement and support. =)
The ultrasound was first, and we were able to see the little one squirming around on the big screen. Seriously- it never stopped moving! The ultrasound technician had a hard time getting measurements and trying to snap a cute picture, because the baby just kept doing flips. We laughed because we have been begging God for a quiet, laid back baby this time...so far, it looks like this little one is going to be every bit as active as its big sister!
I met with the doctor afterwards and she assured me that all the measurements from the ultrasound were perfect and that my body was handling the pregnancy great so far. I had lost a few more pounds, so she immediately asked if I was sick again. I had about two or three weeks where I was sick, but NOTHING compared to my pregnancy with Ryleigh. My uterus was still growing, so she's not worried. The only thing that gave her cause for concern was the blood work I did last time I was there. Apparently, my thyroid levels were pretty low, so she had me go do more blood work, including a whole panel for the thyroid, just to make sure things are okay. I'm not terribly worried about it.
My belly feels like it is growing, but my pants are not fitting too snug yet, which is a good thing. Without going into too much detail, I will say that the biggest side effect I have noticed this go around is my breasts! INCREDIBLY SORE, all the time, and have probably doubled in size already. I truly think it is because they had so much extra to make up, after getting so small last time, but I digress.
So, that's that! I'm about 13-weeks now, and just chuckin' right along. We will not find out the sex until 20 weeks, which I think is later than we found out last time, but that's okay. It will be sometime near the end of May. It's still plenty early, but we are thankful for every good day and every good report. Thank you all for your excitement and support. =)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
"Whose girl are you?"
I ask Ryleigh this question probably about 5 times a day. And every single time, her face lights up and she answers with a strong and resounding, "Gaga's gul!"
Honestly, I have even tried to change her answer to Mommy's girl or Daddy's girl, but no. Ryleigh says without a second thought or hesitation that she is most definitely Gaga's girl. And now, it is fine by me. :)
When I first found out I was going to be a mom, I was excited and nervous all at the same time. As my pregnancy crept along the nerves began to get stronger. I had no idea what the heck being a Mom really meant. Please do not misunderstand me: My own mom is amazing and was a heck of an example, but how does that happen? How do you become a mom?
If I'm being honest, I had some strange thoughts and emotions towards the end of my pregnancy and even in the first few months (possibly up to the first year!) of Ryleigh's life. Jealousy. Because everyone else seemed to know what to do and how I should do things. In fact, it was such a jealousy issue that I refused to do anything the way others did. I did not bring my daughter home from the hospital in the gown my mother and I both wore home. I did not let my mom give her the first bath. I did not let anyone pick out her special occasion outfits. I wrote out specific instructions for every minute that I was away from her, so that everyone followed MY way. Ryleigh was MY daughter and I was going to make sure everyone else knew that.
It makes me sad now. Because God placed people in my life and in hers to enrich both of our lives. To help us learn. To show me how to be a mother. Not to be her mother, but to help me be her mother. I was so afraid that if I shared one ounce of her care with anyone else, that they would shame me. They would be good at it and I would be bad. My own insecurities robbed us of a lot of precious things during her first year.
I do feel like I have gotten at least a little bit better in this regard. When any family wants to spend time with her, I jump at the chance. And I bite my tongue a lot to let them be with her however it works best for them. My sisters love to be silly and play with her, tease her, and love on her. Whatever they like is fine by me. Jesse's parents love to sit outside with her, playing with a ball or bubbles or in a sand box. Fine by me. My dad took Ryleigh to the park and they played on the swings. Fine by me. My sister-in-law treats her like one of her own; snuggles and kisses, but discipline and naptime too!
My mom is really super mom. I think that is how the term "Grand-mother" came about. Because Grandma's really are the BEST moms. My own grandmas were that way to me growing up. I LOVED to go see them and stay with them. There house was always a house of love, fun, and the most amazing memories. To this day, nothing warms may heart more than a great visit with my Grandma.
And Ryleigh already gets that. She LOVES her Gaga. She knows where she lives and talks excitedly in the car when we are headed there. She gives Gaga snuggles and laughter and yet knows when Gaga means business. When Gaga calls, Ryleigh practically takes the phone from my hand to talk to her Gaga. My mom is the ultimate mom. She entertains like no one else, and I have never seen her battery go low (like mine does daily). She will sit for hours, reading book after book, or watching silly shows, singing and dancing with Ryleigh, playing on the floor with toys, taking her to the park, feeding, cleaning, and caring for my daughter. It warms me to the core to see the love Ryleigh has for her Gaga.
So when Gaga tells Ryleigh, "you're my girl!" And Ryleigh gets it to the point that when asked, "Whose girl are you?" answers heartily, "Gaga's girl!!" She is right.
She is Gaga's girl.
Thanks Mom for loving my daughter like no one else. I appreciate all you do to help me out with her and I appreciate your patience waiting for me to "come around" and realize how important relationships are for Miss Ryleigh. She learns so much from you-- and so do I. We love you!
Honestly, I have even tried to change her answer to Mommy's girl or Daddy's girl, but no. Ryleigh says without a second thought or hesitation that she is most definitely Gaga's girl. And now, it is fine by me. :)
When I first found out I was going to be a mom, I was excited and nervous all at the same time. As my pregnancy crept along the nerves began to get stronger. I had no idea what the heck being a Mom really meant. Please do not misunderstand me: My own mom is amazing and was a heck of an example, but how does that happen? How do you become a mom?
If I'm being honest, I had some strange thoughts and emotions towards the end of my pregnancy and even in the first few months (possibly up to the first year!) of Ryleigh's life. Jealousy. Because everyone else seemed to know what to do and how I should do things. In fact, it was such a jealousy issue that I refused to do anything the way others did. I did not bring my daughter home from the hospital in the gown my mother and I both wore home. I did not let my mom give her the first bath. I did not let anyone pick out her special occasion outfits. I wrote out specific instructions for every minute that I was away from her, so that everyone followed MY way. Ryleigh was MY daughter and I was going to make sure everyone else knew that.
It makes me sad now. Because God placed people in my life and in hers to enrich both of our lives. To help us learn. To show me how to be a mother. Not to be her mother, but to help me be her mother. I was so afraid that if I shared one ounce of her care with anyone else, that they would shame me. They would be good at it and I would be bad. My own insecurities robbed us of a lot of precious things during her first year.
I do feel like I have gotten at least a little bit better in this regard. When any family wants to spend time with her, I jump at the chance. And I bite my tongue a lot to let them be with her however it works best for them. My sisters love to be silly and play with her, tease her, and love on her. Whatever they like is fine by me. Jesse's parents love to sit outside with her, playing with a ball or bubbles or in a sand box. Fine by me. My dad took Ryleigh to the park and they played on the swings. Fine by me. My sister-in-law treats her like one of her own; snuggles and kisses, but discipline and naptime too!
My mom is really super mom. I think that is how the term "Grand-mother" came about. Because Grandma's really are the BEST moms. My own grandmas were that way to me growing up. I LOVED to go see them and stay with them. There house was always a house of love, fun, and the most amazing memories. To this day, nothing warms may heart more than a great visit with my Grandma.
And Ryleigh already gets that. She LOVES her Gaga. She knows where she lives and talks excitedly in the car when we are headed there. She gives Gaga snuggles and laughter and yet knows when Gaga means business. When Gaga calls, Ryleigh practically takes the phone from my hand to talk to her Gaga. My mom is the ultimate mom. She entertains like no one else, and I have never seen her battery go low (like mine does daily). She will sit for hours, reading book after book, or watching silly shows, singing and dancing with Ryleigh, playing on the floor with toys, taking her to the park, feeding, cleaning, and caring for my daughter. It warms me to the core to see the love Ryleigh has for her Gaga.
So when Gaga tells Ryleigh, "you're my girl!" And Ryleigh gets it to the point that when asked, "Whose girl are you?" answers heartily, "Gaga's girl!!" She is right.
She is Gaga's girl.
Thanks Mom for loving my daughter like no one else. I appreciate all you do to help me out with her and I appreciate your patience waiting for me to "come around" and realize how important relationships are for Miss Ryleigh. She learns so much from you-- and so do I. We love you!Wednesday, March 11, 2009
My girl
A Ryleigh update, complete with pictures, is probably long overdue.
My little girl is almost two, and wow, does this girl have a personality! She goes and goes and goes....ALL. DAY. LONG. She loves to be "a-side" (aka: outside), and if you want to be her best friend, all you need to do is take her to the park. She can swing and slide for hours!
Lately her vocabulary and overall understanding of the world has exploded. I know every parent probably thinks their kid is a genius, but seriously, she blows me away. Things she says and concepts she understands, things I have never consciously taught her, are beyond my wildest imagination. Kids really are more intelligent than we give them credit for.
Just a few examples of her extreme intelligence:
No matter what anyone else says, she is a Mommy's girl for sure. :) I love it!
Aunt Sarah came to town over Valentine's Day and Ryleigh wanted to help make dinner for the boys. Aunt Sarah let her help smash the crouton crumbles with the miniature rolling pin.
Ryleigh's Mother's Day Out teacher made them cupcakes for Valentine's Day, and of course, it was all I could do to make her wait until we got home before she devoured it. Couldn't help but snap a few pictures of her pink lips.
My little girl is almost two, and wow, does this girl have a personality! She goes and goes and goes....ALL. DAY. LONG. She loves to be "a-side" (aka: outside), and if you want to be her best friend, all you need to do is take her to the park. She can swing and slide for hours!
Lately her vocabulary and overall understanding of the world has exploded. I know every parent probably thinks their kid is a genius, but seriously, she blows me away. Things she says and concepts she understands, things I have never consciously taught her, are beyond my wildest imagination. Kids really are more intelligent than we give them credit for.
Just a few examples of her extreme intelligence:
- So, earlier this week, the car was covered in pollen (yes, the yellow rain has come) so after I filled up with gas, I decided to go through the car wash. Very unlike me. I was curious how Ryleigh would react. At first, she was slightly nervous, but then started laughing and saying "silly bubbles!" It was a fun experience that she talked about for the rest of the night. Well, two days later, I had to go to the grocery store, and passed the car wash. She pointed out the window and said, "silly bubbles!!" as she knew the exact location! How does she know that??
- One of our neighbors always hangs outside in front of their house with their son (Jake). If we are running an errand, and drive by, Ryleigh always says, "bye bye, Jake," without prompting from me. And even if they are not outside, she will point to his house and ask about Jake.
- There is a common road between my parents house and Jesse's parents house. As long as we are on the common portion, she remains quiet in the background. But as soon as you either turn, or stay straight past the turn, she immediately begins saying either "Gaga's house?" or "RaRa's house?"
- She can count (on her own) to ten. No joke. And she counts along with me all the way to 20.
- She knows all her colors, most animals and animal noises.
- Ryleigh is the most polite little one ever (disclaimer: most of the time she is polite...)! She knows how to ask nicely "peeasse?" and if you get her what she wants, she will say, "tank you, Mommy!" Yesterday, while a nice older gentleman was bagging our groceries and loading them into the basket, Ryleigh leaned down to catch his eye and enthusiastically said, "tank you!" He said it made his day. :)
Now, all you moms out there know that this age is NOT all fun and games. Ryleigh is gaining independence and confidence...and her natural instinct is to deliberately disobey everything we say, and see just how far she can push before she gets in trouble. Jesse and I have had quite a difficult time learning how to discipline her. Half the time, one (or both) of us is laughing at what she just tried to do, though trying to keep a straight face to show it is not okay. And talk about having to learn to be consistent...toddlers do not learn the first time. Or the second. Or third...you get my point. Actually, at this point, I'm still wondering when they do learn. And how to help them learn. Originally, we said we would try the spanking thing, if the disobedience could result in physical harm to her or someone else, ie, running in the street, biting Daddy, etc. While our "spanks" were no more than a swat on the (diaper-padded) behind, we quickly learned that might not work for Ryleigh. When she started getting frustrated with us, she would swat our behinds!! No joke. Talk about trying not to laugh!! She got the concept from OUR side (when I'm not happy with what you have done, I spank), but not the fact that she was getting spanked as a result of what she had done--and thus changing her behavior! Sooooo, we moved on to Plan B. Time out. She has a small wooden chair in her room where she must sit for time out. She sits, and Mommy counts out loud (from the other room) for 30 seconds. If the temper-tantrum continues, we count again. After she is calm, normally after the first 30 seconds, I tell her she can get up, and I meet her at the doorway. She has to apologize for what she did, say "saw-wy" and give Mommy (or Daddy) a hug. So far, it seems to be working okay. The best thing for Ryleigh is to completely remove her from the situation all together and re-direct her attention to something more suitable for her. Doesn't always work, but hey, this is a learning process! For us as much as her! Some days, even more so for us than her...
Well, I'm sure you have read more than you cared to know, so I'll move onto a few pictures from last month.
While working one day, Ryleigh refused to nap. She laid down in her bed for all of 20 minutes. So after listening to her cry for another 30 minutes, I finally got her up. She played and played, insisting she was NOT "sweepy." I had to get some work done, so I stayed in my office while she played in the living room. A little while later, I noticed it had gotten really quiet...I went to check on her and she was not in the living room. She had gone into my room, climbed in our bed, and fallen asleep. I knew she was tired!
No matter what anyone else says, she is a Mommy's girl for sure. :) I love it!
Aunt Sarah came to town over Valentine's Day and Ryleigh wanted to help make dinner for the boys. Aunt Sarah let her help smash the crouton crumbles with the miniature rolling pin.
Ryleigh's Mother's Day Out teacher made them cupcakes for Valentine's Day, and of course, it was all I could do to make her wait until we got home before she devoured it. Couldn't help but snap a few pictures of her pink lips.
I cannot believe my baby is going to be 2 in a matter of months. Time has seriously flown by. She never ceases to amaze me, and I'm so blessed by her presence in my life. As difficult as this age can be, it is also an exciting time of learning and exploring, and her own excitement at life has rubbed off on Jesse and I. Never again will a "weaf" (aka:leaf) be just a leaf. Creation is even more beautiful when seen through the eyes of a child. Especially, my girl.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Great thought!
I just read this, and LOVED the analogy. Whether you have been married 2 weeks, 5 years, or 34 years....this is a great way to think of your marriage.
A friend at church once told me that we should always think of marriage as a room with the door closed and locked from the outside. If you think of the door as unlocked, then if a fire gets set inside, you'll be fixated on trying to get to the door and get out. But if you know the door is locked from the outside, all your energies will be focused on putting out the fire, rather than trying to escape.
The author then went on to explain that the fire IS going to come, and you want someone in that room with you who is just as determined to put out the fire. You fight together to stay together. "Co-fighters" she called it.
Love it.
A friend at church once told me that we should always think of marriage as a room with the door closed and locked from the outside. If you think of the door as unlocked, then if a fire gets set inside, you'll be fixated on trying to get to the door and get out. But if you know the door is locked from the outside, all your energies will be focused on putting out the fire, rather than trying to escape.
The author then went on to explain that the fire IS going to come, and you want someone in that room with you who is just as determined to put out the fire. You fight together to stay together. "Co-fighters" she called it.
Love it.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
What's going on?
I have not felt much like blogging lately. No reason in particular, just not enough hours in the day, and too many things going to write about. So, without further adieu, here is a little of what's been going on:
- A few weekends ago, it was a shower weekend! A baby shower for Sarah and Gracie on Saturday, and a wedding shower for David and Sarah on Sunday. (For clarification, those are two different Sarah's...) It was a fun, though busy, weekend, and I enjoyed seeing and hanging out with several different friends throughout the events.
- We started our Financial Peace University class on Sunday nights, and so far, it has been good. We just met our small group last weekend, and I think there are a few couples in there we will "click" with. Yea!
- My mom celebrated her birthday last weekend, so there was family in town, and a fun day was had by all. Unfortunately, it was so fun that Ryleigh refused to nap all day, and so when we sat down for a yummy dinner of steak, salad, rice, and mushrooms, she realized she was tired. Not a fun moment. BUT over all, the day was fun, and Mom is officially another year older.
- My father-in-law turned 60! Big milestone. Sadly, he was sick on his birthday (he has not been well for awhile), so we did not get to celebrate. They are trying to plan something extra special for this weekend, but Ryleigh and I will be out of town and will miss the occasion. I'm sure it will be fun for the rest of the family though.
- We had our first OB appointment yesterday, and saw the little blob that will become Baby Shulse #2 on the big screen. Everything is measuring accurately, according to our original dates, so our due date remains October 6.
Ryleigh and I leave this afternoon, with my mom, to go to Minnesota for the weekend and hang out with Susan! We get to help her look at linens and place settings for the wedding reception, taste different cakes, and go with her for her first dress fitting! It is going to be a fun girl's weekend for sure. I'm nervous about the weather-- we leave Texas in 80 degree weather and arrive in Minnesota in a snow storm, with average temperature for the weekend in the single digits or something crazy. We are going to bundle up and brave it though-- I'll be sure to update with pictures when I get back.
Love yall!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Heavy heart
It is with a heavy heart that I tell you Shelley had to be induced yesterday, at only 23 weeks along in her pregnancy.
Baby Ava Lynn Cruz was born, weighing 1 lb 3 oz. Sadly, she is now with Jesus.
Dear Lord, I genuinely have no words. I'm shocked. Please wrap your arms around Mike and Shelley and hold them to yourself. Comfort them as only you can.
Services will be held on Sunday afternoon in Wharton. Please be praying for the entire family during this difficult time.
Baby Ava Lynn Cruz was born, weighing 1 lb 3 oz. Sadly, she is now with Jesus.
Dear Lord, I genuinely have no words. I'm shocked. Please wrap your arms around Mike and Shelley and hold them to yourself. Comfort them as only you can.
Services will be held on Sunday afternoon in Wharton. Please be praying for the entire family during this difficult time.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Update
Shelley has been moved to the hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy. Wow. I cannot imagine all the emotions and stress they are feeling right now. I believe Shelley has started having contractions, so we need to pray that the medication can help those stop and let baby stay safe in her Mama a little longer.
Please, please be in prayer for this family. Feel free to stop by their blog and let them know you are praying for them.
Please, please be in prayer for this family. Feel free to stop by their blog and let them know you are praying for them.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Please pray
My friends Mike and Shelley have wanted a baby for as long as I have known them. They have had a traumatic road to parenthood thus far, losing two babies. Now, Shelley is approximately 22 weeks along, carrying a little girl they have named Ava, and as of yesterday, Shelley is on complete bed rest.
The details of her complications are not mine to discuss, but I want to ask you all to please pray.
The details of her complications are not mine to discuss, but I want to ask you all to please pray.
- Pray that God gives Shelley peace and patience during this confusing and emotional time. Beg Him to use her body to bring another miracle baby into this world, helping her body to maintain the pregnancy long enough to produce a healthy baby girl.
- Pray for Mike- for endurance during this time of trial with his wife in bed. Pray for his own fears regarding the health of his wife and baby girl.
- Pray for baby Ava, that God will keep her nestled inside her Mama for awhile longer, growing healthy and strong.
My friends, please pray.
Dear Lord, I admit that I do not always understand your ways. I do not understand why you have chosen this path for Mike for Shelley, but I know that you have a plan and a reason. I ask that you wrap your arms of peace and protection around them and love on them as only you can. I pray that their friends and family are able to help out where necessary, to be the arms and legs of Christ for them. And for those who are not physically able to help, I ask that you keep them at the forefront of our prayers. Lord, you can take this situation and show us a miracle. I have faith that no matter the result, you are sovereign, and you will remain the same. Please encourage Mike and Shelley to lean on you and each other during this time. We ask all this in the blessed name of Jesus. Amen.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Love
According to Merriam-Webster:
love (noun)
love (noun)
- strong affection
- warm attachment
- attraction based on sexual desire
- a beloved person
- unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for others
love, loved, loving (verb)
- cherish
- to feel a passion, devotion, or tenderness for
- caress
- to take pleasure in
I have to admit, I went to the dictionary for help because I wanted a definition. I was trying to think of a good explanation of what love IS to me, and I keep falling short. How you can properly put into words what all love encompasses? Yes, it is a feeling, but as Merriam-Webster pointed out, it is also an action. A verb. Something you DO.
So to me, here is how I define love. Or at least a list of examples of love in my own life:
- Love is finding a genuine smile to give, even if the day has been sad.
- Love is sitting on the floor, struggling to put together a new toy, simply to see my daughter's face light up when its done.
- Love is going through the motions- the same motions, day after day after day- to take care of my family. (Sweeping the floor, fixing the food, putting away the laundry, paying the bills...you get the picture.)
- Love is the butterfly in my stomach when I hear my husband's car in the driveway.
- Love is the excited shriek my daughter lets out when she sees her daddy is home.
- Love is the hug I get at the end of a long week, from an equally exhausted husband.
- Love is preparing a healthy dinner for my family, even when you are tired and Whataburger sounds good and easy.
- Love is listening to my husband's heart.
- Love is caring about a friend's life.
- Love is when I hear my daughter call out for me when she needs me.
- Love is handing over the remote--even though you were watching something of your own.
- Love is bringing a pot of homemade soup to a sick relative.
- Love is a good night-- make that good morning-- kiss.
Yes, Love is a something you can feel. The excited feelings, the nervous jitters, the butterflies, or the jumps you feel in your heart, as if it is going to burst any minute- those feelings are true. But they may or may not last.
Real, lifetime love is an action. An action that you DO, day in and day out. Love, that way, has the power to transform people, marriages, families.
So, though the commercialism and expectations of Valentine's Day has ruined this holiday for many, take it back. Tomorrow LOVE someone. Yes, tell the people you love that you love them. But do more than that. Make them a sandwich. Fix them a cold drink when they have been working hard. Give them a genuine smile and a kiss to knock their socks off. LOVE them.
And if you are lucky...they will love you back.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
I'm not good at keeping secrets
Yes, it is true. We were slightly shocked at first, as this is earlier than we anticipated getting pregnant. However, now that we have begun to believe the results, we are getting excited.Especially big sister, Ryleigh.
Just kidding. She has no idea what is going on. She will say "big sister," and smile, but that's about as far as it goes. We pretend when she is playing with her baby dolls that she is the big sister and she must be "seet" (aka: sweet). Ryleigh will rock the baby, give her hugs and kisses, and then promptly drop her on the hardwood floor. Yeah, she wont be holding the real baby on her own for quite awhile...!!So, how did we find out? Well, my sister was in town and while we were all eating dinner at my parent's house, she kept ragging on me about me being pregnant. My mom even chimed in, as if they both were trying to catch me in a secret. Jesse and I both assured them that we were NOT pregnant, and when we knew we were, they would know! It was dismissed. That was on a Saturday. The following Tuesday morning I somehow thought back to the conversation. I then started thinking about the calendar and trying to remember when was the last time I had been on my period. It got me thinking pretty hard, so I finally pulled out a calendar. Sure enough, I was 5 days late. We have just been so stinkin' busy and our entire family has been sick all of January, so I had not paid attention. I had to go grocery shopping on my lunch break, so I casually picked up a test.
Now, let me make a side note here. We have only been off birth control for two months. It would not be weird for my cycle to just be "off" and adjusting to the lack of hormones. So, I got a test, but I truly was NOT thinking it would turn out positive. After coming home, putting away the groceries, feeding Ryleigh lunch and getting her down for her nap, I took the test.
When I tell you I sat there absolutely stunned, I am not lying. I was blown away. Shocked. A deer in the headlights. Frozen.
Jesse and I had just started talking about baby #2 and neither of us were "ready" per say. When he came home from work, I did not have any fancy introduction or cute gift to give him like last time. I said, "honey, we have to talk," and held up the stick. He said, "are you serious?" I nodded. (Not exactly smiling....still stunned.) But he smiled. Big. And gave me a huge hug. Then said, "okay!" And that was that.
I went to the doctor to confirm that Friday, and we told our families the following weekend. We have leaked the news to a couple of friends, but are just now starting to really share the news. It is still early. I'm only about 7 weeks along, though the doctor is not sure of my timeline. We go back at the end of this month to have an ultrasound to confirm dates/measurements.
So, there ya have it. My secret is out. Baby Shulse #2 is due approximately October 6, 2009. And we ARE excited. We are praying for a healthy baby, and so far praising God for an easy pregnancy. Did you catch that?! I have not hardly felt pregnant AT ALL. I was nauseous yesterday for all of 20 minutes and that is it. By this point with Ryleigh, I had already thrown up for 2 weeks straight. I'm so thankful that I have felt good so far.
Thanks in advance for your prayers during this time. =)
WOW!
According to my blogger dashboard, I have 310 posts on this blog! As much as I am slacker in this area, apparently, I have posted more than I realized. Granted, this is over a two-and-a-half-year period...but STILL! Go me!
(Yes, I know that some people post every day, and therefore have more posts in a single year than I have over the entire course of my blogging life...to each his own.)
(Yes, I know that some people post every day, and therefore have more posts in a single year than I have over the entire course of my blogging life...to each his own.)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Goodbye old friend-- I'm heart-broken and will miss you more than you know...
This morning I had to make a quick run to the grocery store. In route, I glanced across the busy street, and felt my heart drop.
TCBY has officially closed.
I know that the only reason I survived my pregnancy with Ryleigh was because of TCBY. Seriously- the people knew me (and Jesse!) during that time, and knew my two favorite combinations. I would drive up to the window, they would smile and ask, "Hi! Chocolate parfait or Reeses Shiver?" It was no wonder that Ryleigh came out of the womb loving chocolate.
We had heard that TCBY was struggling financially. I made extra effort to go more and more (of course, not because I have a sick addiction...I just want to help others...), but recently, more and more, we would go and it would be closed. Like, on a Friday night!! Weird. And I would sit at home wondering if they were open, drive up there, only to find they were (still) closed. At least, I could see that there was still "stuff" inside, and signs on the drive-through window. I thought perhaps the old couple who owns it had been sick.
Today, all signs were gone. TCBY was officially gone. And I'm heart-broken. What am I going to do without my parfaits?? NO ONE makes frozen yogurt like them. Goodbye dear, friend. I will sincerely miss you more than you know.
TCBY has officially closed.
I know that the only reason I survived my pregnancy with Ryleigh was because of TCBY. Seriously- the people knew me (and Jesse!) during that time, and knew my two favorite combinations. I would drive up to the window, they would smile and ask, "Hi! Chocolate parfait or Reeses Shiver?" It was no wonder that Ryleigh came out of the womb loving chocolate.
We had heard that TCBY was struggling financially. I made extra effort to go more and more (of course, not because I have a sick addiction...I just want to help others...), but recently, more and more, we would go and it would be closed. Like, on a Friday night!! Weird. And I would sit at home wondering if they were open, drive up there, only to find they were (still) closed. At least, I could see that there was still "stuff" inside, and signs on the drive-through window. I thought perhaps the old couple who owns it had been sick.
Today, all signs were gone. TCBY was officially gone. And I'm heart-broken. What am I going to do without my parfaits?? NO ONE makes frozen yogurt like them. Goodbye dear, friend. I will sincerely miss you more than you know.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Hilarious
Last month, my mom, sister, and I were out shopping for bridal shower/bachelorette party invitations. We went to several different party stores, with lots of cute stuff. Being January, the stores were of course already planning for the next big holiday, Valentine's Day.I saw these napkins and literally started laughing so hard I gave myself the hiccups. I could not stop laughing. My mom could not resist, and bought them for me! They have since sat on my kitchen counter bar, and seriously, every single time I look at them, I laugh! No joke!
Now, I am NOT ragging on Jesse here. I just think it is hilarious that some wise marketing person finally realized that though Valentine's Day is supposed to be all lovey, hearts, and flowers....the reality might be slightly different for some. And therefore, they must appeal to the masses! HAHA! Hysterical.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Updates, updates, updates!! I think I am finally caught up. At least I'm done trying to catch up, how about that? (wink, wink)
There are new posts all the way back to December 17. Lots of pictures, a few stories, and plenty of "thoughts by Melody."
I'm sorry life has been so incredibly hectic lately, and I truly thought I would never catch back up. I hope to start posting more regularly again now. In the meantime, feel free to scroll through some of my new entries and see what has been going on in the Shulse family!
It's good to be back, blogland. It's good to be back.
There are new posts all the way back to December 17. Lots of pictures, a few stories, and plenty of "thoughts by Melody."
I'm sorry life has been so incredibly hectic lately, and I truly thought I would never catch back up. I hope to start posting more regularly again now. In the meantime, feel free to scroll through some of my new entries and see what has been going on in the Shulse family!
It's good to be back, blogland. It's good to be back.
Monday, January 26, 2009
We are FREEEEEE!!!
Do you know what I did yesterday? I went to the bank, and got a massive cashier's check, signed it, and put it in the mailbox.
We are officially DEBT FREE!
We have paid off our car (last year), and yesterday, we paid off my school loans. ALL of them. They are gone, and we are free.
To be honest, I never felt strapped by it, though we had chosen to make huge monthly payments, trying to speed the process along in the past two years. I wont get into numbers, but let's just say that between the car and loans, we were about 55,000 in the hole. And now, we are out.
As much as I have whined and complained about Jesse having this Elfa job, it has truly been a blessing. We have been very careful, to not spend the money- putting it all aside, building our savings, and paying off chunks as we could. This week, after Dave Ramsey, we decided it was dumb to continue to pay interest on a loan, when we have the money sitting in savings. So, we bit the bullet. And now, it's GONE.
We are going to Perry's on Friday to celebrate.
Which is good, considering it will be January 30...come February 1, we are officially on a new budget! =) Haha. Life might be tight now, but one day, we'll be millionaires. Just watch.
Here's to hoping, anyway!
We are officially DEBT FREE!
We have paid off our car (last year), and yesterday, we paid off my school loans. ALL of them. They are gone, and we are free.
To be honest, I never felt strapped by it, though we had chosen to make huge monthly payments, trying to speed the process along in the past two years. I wont get into numbers, but let's just say that between the car and loans, we were about 55,000 in the hole. And now, we are out.
As much as I have whined and complained about Jesse having this Elfa job, it has truly been a blessing. We have been very careful, to not spend the money- putting it all aside, building our savings, and paying off chunks as we could. This week, after Dave Ramsey, we decided it was dumb to continue to pay interest on a loan, when we have the money sitting in savings. So, we bit the bullet. And now, it's GONE.
We are going to Perry's on Friday to celebrate.
Which is good, considering it will be January 30...come February 1, we are officially on a new budget! =) Haha. Life might be tight now, but one day, we'll be millionaires. Just watch.
Here's to hoping, anyway!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Time to look in the mirror
We are going to Dave Ramsey tomorrow!!
I'm excited...but really nervous. As the main handler of our money and finances, I hope I don't get a huge guilt trip. Time to look in the mirror and decide to make a change! I hope it goes well...
I'm excited...but really nervous. As the main handler of our money and finances, I hope I don't get a huge guilt trip. Time to look in the mirror and decide to make a change! I hope it goes well...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A historic day
Today, the first African American took the oath of office to become our 44th President.
As most of you know, I'm not a fan of President Obama's policies. In all honesty, there is not much I agree with him on a doctrinal level. But today, as broadcasters everywhere filmed his historic inauguration, I could not help but watch. And watch. And watch.
I'm intrigued. Everyone kept referring to the new first family as the new Kennedy family. Young. Fashionable. Personable. Smart. Likeable. Smooth. I would be lying if I said I have not had moments of obsession with the Kennedy family. But at the end of the day, I did not agree with his policy either.
So, I'm in limbo. I'm happy that America has come so far to elect, with vigor, a black man, to the highest office in the land. I think it shows a lot of growth. I'm still scared to see what the future is going to hold, and I will be praying for our leaders. After all, the decisions they make today will not only effect me- but also my children and grandchildren. I pray the world that they grow up in is better than today. (Of course, "better" is an objective term.)
Dear Lord,
Please keep your hand on President Obama and his new cabinet. I pray for the minds and hearts of all our elected leaders. I pray that they remember who they are representing, and who holds the ultimate authority. Please hold our nation together during this time of transition and fear. I ask all these things in Jesus' name.
Amen
As most of you know, I'm not a fan of President Obama's policies. In all honesty, there is not much I agree with him on a doctrinal level. But today, as broadcasters everywhere filmed his historic inauguration, I could not help but watch. And watch. And watch.
I'm intrigued. Everyone kept referring to the new first family as the new Kennedy family. Young. Fashionable. Personable. Smart. Likeable. Smooth. I would be lying if I said I have not had moments of obsession with the Kennedy family. But at the end of the day, I did not agree with his policy either.
So, I'm in limbo. I'm happy that America has come so far to elect, with vigor, a black man, to the highest office in the land. I think it shows a lot of growth. I'm still scared to see what the future is going to hold, and I will be praying for our leaders. After all, the decisions they make today will not only effect me- but also my children and grandchildren. I pray the world that they grow up in is better than today. (Of course, "better" is an objective term.)
Dear Lord,
Please keep your hand on President Obama and his new cabinet. I pray for the minds and hearts of all our elected leaders. I pray that they remember who they are representing, and who holds the ultimate authority. Please hold our nation together during this time of transition and fear. I ask all these things in Jesus' name.
Amen
Thursday, January 08, 2009
The only constant in our house IS change
So, I have been organizing pictures lately, and ran across several older pictures of our house. It helped that we have completed a few new projects lately, which inspired this post. Thought you might enjoy the transition.
Became our office, and then joint guest room when we made room for the nursery
Now, it still serves double-duty, but as an office and a playroom!
The old owner added the metal wall on the left-- we left it in place when we first moved in, scared of what laid behind the wall.
Our version of their same bathroom
Time for an update!
I am sooooo lucky to have a handy, talented husband!!
The old owner's "lounge" room
Became our office, and then joint guest room when we made room for the nursery
Now, it still serves double-duty, but as an office and a playroom!
Another massive transformation has taken place in the guest bathroom:
The old owner added the metal wall on the left-- we left it in place when we first moved in, scared of what laid behind the wall.
Our version of their same bathroomTime for an update!We tore out the metal wall, scraped & painted the ceiling, painted the walls, added new trim, sanded and stained (dark) the cabinets, tore down the old mirror and light fixture and replaced with new, got a new toilet, and of course, fixed all the new decor. What do you think?
I am sooooo lucky to have a handy, talented husband!!