All I want for Christmas...

is my two front teeeeeeth!! Maddie has two little teeth, just in time for the holidays. I have to say, NONE of the "tips" and tricks people suggested worked worth a poop. She has been cranky, fussy, restless....with zero relief from teething tablets, rings, cold washcloths...I tried it all. A little Tylenol before bedtime seemed to soothe her enough to continue her through-the-night-slumber (thank GOD!!), but that is all I can give credit to. I suppose they just have to "go through it", as they say. Lots of soaked bibs due to the drooling later, her two little bottom teeth are here for the world to see when she flashes that silly grin of hers!

Thanksgiving 2009

I am thankful for many things (see previous blog), but going from house to house to house is not one of them...especially with a 5 month old. If my mom (love her dearly and her cooking is to DIE for) wasn't so crazy-possessive about the cooking, I would love to host Thanksgiving dinner myself! I would rather cook, baste, sweat for hours than travel all over God's creation for more meals than any human, large or small, has any business consuming! But it really was great! We decided (like crazy people) to run the annual "Turkey Trot", a 5K at the crack of dawn. We figured we could justify extra pie if we got some exercise first thing. Garret did great, I almost died and the rest of the gang ran/walked with the kids (thanks Susie, for running with Maddie!) or were somewhere ahead of me. We all wore our Caleb's Crusade shirts and really had a great turnout. If it weren't for the constant drizzle and side-splitting cramp I had from the first mile, it would have been just perfect. After showers and naps, we went to Garret's mom's first, then to my sister's. The food was amazing, the company even better but we were WIPED by the end of the day. But as I listened to my increasingly fussy baby, I was grateful for her little healthy, fussy self. My sister had friends in town for the holiday who had also lost their 4 year old son to cancer. So, while I complain about the inconveniences of the day, I also feel blessed to have had all our families and friends happily and healthily running for a great cause and eating our body weight in turkey!

Thankful...

Two days. 48 hours. Garret's FAVORITE holiday, one of mine (although I have to admit, my Birthday with all the gifts and cake and spoiling is at the very top of my list, with Christmas being a close second....seeing as how not ALL the gifts are for me) and Maddie's first family holiday. Ahhhh, Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing, pie, family...triptophan coma. But I mostly like this time of year for it's not-so-subtle hinting at remembering all we are thankful for. I like to think I am always grateful, that I let the people in my life know I love them and their value to me. But I do become so much more aware during this holiday, especially this year when my blessings are so much more abundant than usual. So, here is my list...in no particular order. I am THANKFUL for:

1. my precious child that makes me realize what I was truly meant to do. Her smile makes my life worth living.

2. the love of my life who, in a very short time in the grand scheme of a lifetime has convinced me that true, unconditional, unwavering love does really exist.

3. my family that has been unconditionally supportive, even when my decisions have been questionable. I am eternally grateful for the support and help with Maddie, especially from my mom and sister.

4. my new "family" that have embraced me, have also been amazing with Maddie and supportive and encouraging of Garret and I's relationship.

5. the friends I have been able to count on for years and am convinced I will be snort-laughing with when we're old and gray (ok, gray-er...)

6. the new church we have been attending for a few months that is the first one I have been to that I get excited about every week and has helped me grow in my faith.

7. our modest home that although I would love to have a yard in place of the small, brick courtyard we have, is a place that holds the love and memories of our little family.

8. the fact that I get to work part-time and contribute to my family while being able to also be the primary care giver to my baby girl. Thanks to Garret for picking up the slack...

9. my goofy dog, who makes me crazy (garbage raiding, houdini-ing out of the porch, snoring like an old man, shedding what I am convinced is nearly his entire coat...) but is a loyal, silly, fun member of the family that makes Maddie laugh and will be her buddy one day.

There are the frivolous things like 80's hairbands, a good run, a fountain Cherry Coke, fresh cut flowers, a bubble bath, a warm cup of Mint Tea when it's chilly, laughing so hard you cry, Cherry Chapstick, prayer, reminiscing with old photos, surprises, reconnecting with old friends....I could go on all day (but I will spare you). I suppose my point, which I hope has not gotten lost in all my rambling, is I feel so very thankful these days...for the obvious things, the subtle ones, the dreams to be fulfilled, the reflected-upon past and the oh-so-wonderful present.

Family Photos

We went to Lakes Park a couple weeks ago where we took our first, official family photos done by a friend of a friend who is doing them for FREE until the end of the year. I figured we could afford THAT and maybe use a photo for our Christmas cards! Maddie was a little fussy (we had to wake her from a nap, or we would have been late...and you KNOW what they say about waking up a sleeping baby!) and the wind was crazy, so we have nutty hair (ok, I have nutty hair seein as how Garret has a quarter inch and Maddie is as bald as an old man) and a grimacing baby in most of the pics, but here are a few of the better ones...

Lighting The Night

Maddie had her very first Light The Night walk this past weekend! We have been walking for three years now in honor/memory of Maddie's cousin Caleb, who passed away from Leukemia last year. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society sponsors the one mile walk every year for survivors, supporters and those honoring loved ones that have passed away. It was a great success with all of us sporting our Caleb's Crusade shirts! We walked up the hill and released our balloons after the walk in hopes they would reach Heaven to let the littlest angels know we are always fighting for them and have not forgotten their suffering. Their deaths will never be in vain and we are a testament to the commitment of those left behind. I want Maddie to grow in her compassion and empathy for those suffering in any capacity. My hope is that she understands that we can make a difference...with a minimal amount of our abundant time we have to remember time is so very precious to many that suffer daily... those being treated, hoping for remission, those left behind to grieve. PLEASE log onto http://www.calebscrusade.com/ if you would like to donate to this worthy cause!

Loving Fall...well, TRYING to.

Ugh...I think I figured it out. Starting around Halloween I get very anti-Florida. I rant about the heat, the tourists, the greenness. I know people would kill for the sunshine, the beach, the palm trees. But what most people fail to realize is that in our part of the state we have the perpetual summer. I, personally, am not a fan of summer, especially one that has no end in sight!! I like it for a couple months, especially as a kid when summer signified the end of the school year, but as an adult, I am not a fan. ESPECIALLY here! It is unbearably hot! I mean, don't wanna go outside kind of hot. I would seriously consider cutting off a limb to jump in some leaves, navigate my non-directional self through a corn maze, pick a pumpkin off the actual GROUND (not a stand...), wear a light jacket when walking the dog (versus the tank top and shorts I am currently sweating through). I so enjoy the outdoors and until winter, that is not an option here! So, this year I decided to TRY to make my favorite and most missed season, Fall, as special as possible! We visited a local park and got a pumpkin, our family had a pumpkin-carving contest (which I won!!) and we went to my Homeland's excuse to consume massive amounts of beer, Oktoberfest. So, while I am still convinced there is something seriously wrong with ninety degree Thanksgivings and not a single leaf falling from a tree (or changing color for that matter), we did have alot of fun!