this kid kills me....

stolen

I'm stealing this from Alex's photography blog because it's just too cute. This kid makes me smile all day long. I'm totally in love.

mixed emotions

Saying that I have mixed emotions about returning to work is a complete understatement.

I have loved EVERY second that I am home. I have been thankful that even when he's been fussy all day long (Thank you Jesus that there have only been a few of those days!), I have the privilege of being his mama and being the one who GETS to comfort him. My favorite time of day is after his first morning feeding when I literally just set the bottle down, lie down and snuggle my little man while we fall back to sleep just gazing in each others eyes. I cannot begin to describe the emotions that flood my heart during those moments. It's heavenly. We have fun just hanging around the house, or going out for walks or errands. He is such a little trooper and is happy pretty much anywhere (although he is a little like his mommy and gets a bit overwhelmed when too many arms want to hold him!). We have had an amazing 10 weeks together (can you believe he'll be 10 weeks on Wednesday?!) and we still have another week and a half. I am trying hard to savor every.single.second. I don't want to take one moment for granted. I don't want to leave him...not even for a day...but I know it's coming.

I love my job. love. it.
I have missed my staff team, my volunteer team, and my kids. I miss planning each week, and I definitely missed having a bigger role in vbs. Being pulled out from the middle of everything has definitely shown me some areas that need working on, and I have faced insecurities that I never knew I had. There is a part of me (a big part) that is excited to go back and get right back in the middle of ministry. I want to know what's going on, and I want to see how the kids have grown and what God is doing in their lives. I want to spend August with the kinders who will be moving up in the fall and I want to be with the people who are not just coworkers, they're family. I just wish I could do all of that with Micah.

I can't imagine another full time job that would let me be with my baby as much as I will be able to. I'm thankful that it's not a typical 9-5. On the weekends, Alex and Micah will be there with me. As long as Micah can nap anywhere, he and his daddy will spend lots of time at church :) I will still be with him all of thursday and friday, as well as most of Saturday and Sunday. I cannot imagine having better people to be with him while I'm away (daddy and Gongi), and I know first hand that it's possible to be an amazing mom while working full time (my mom has always worked full time and there's not a better mama out there!). I am trying to remind myself of all these things on a daily basis so that my heart doesn't just break at the thought of being away from my squishy little guy.

I know that I will probably ride this roller coaster of emotions for the next few weeks, and probably even longer. I am just trusting that God knows all that I'm feeling and will meet me in the middle of it. He has put me where I am at for a reason, and I am thankful for that!

two months.

Our little guy is two months old. I can barely believe it! I totally resonate with the saying, "the days are long, but the years are short." I love, love, LOVE every minute that I get to spend with my guy. Micah is such a sweet baby. He is smiling all the time, and even his cry and sad face are super cute! The pouty lip is just too much! He is packing on the pounds, and I am dying to know how much he weighs when we go in for his check-up next week. This month he has really started to look just like my dad's baby pictures. I need to scan my dad's pic and do a side by side of the two of them!

This month he started smiling, started "talking," began drinking another half ounce each bottle, went through a growth spurt (or two!), and moved up a clothes size...what a big month for such a little baby!!

Before he hits the three month mark, I will be going back to work...I definitely have some mixed emotions about going back, but I am trying to focus on the time I have with him, not the time I will be away from him...easier said than done though ;)

they're almost here!!

The long awaited arrival (okay, so maybe it's just our staff that has been anxiously awaiting these to be released...) of the first TruWorship albums is quickly approaching (does that sentence even make sense?!). On July 13th (a very special day around this house :) ), Songs From the Playhouse, and Radio the World will be released! You can get these two albums on Amazon or iTunes...I definitely think you should preview and BUY them! (These albums accompany the curriculum we've been working on developing, but are great for kids to have at home as well!!)

"On Songs from the Playhouse (the first TruWorship release aimed at preschoolers), kids join characters Chloe, Jack and Olivia as they enter the world of The Playhouse where the foundations of God's Truth are explored. Songs from the Playhouse is designed to help create environments for preschoolers to respond to the basic Truths of who God is both in the home (or car!) and in the church."

"What happens when ROCKHARBOR church, David C. Cook Publishing and Kingsway Music come together to re-imagine the kid's worship experience? The result is TruWorship's first release aimed at elementary students entitled Radio the World. Radio the World is a collection of eleven songs created specifically to help parents and churches create environments for kids to experience and respond to God. A mixture of current and original worship songs, Radio the World features production by Grammy and Dove award nominated producer/engineer, Paul Dexter and guest appearances by Tim Hughes, Crystal Lewis and Jody McBrayer (formerly of Avalon). With an energetic and current sound, Radio the World stands ready to revolutionize the elementary-aged worship experience"

yum!

Here's a super simple summery (is that a word?) recipe that is a big hit at our house. It comes from Woman's Day magazine, but there were no pics on the site, and I forgot to take one last time I made it!

Crispy tilapia with avocado pico de gallo

ingredients ::

• 1 firm avocado,chopped
• 1 cup purchased pico de gallo
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp ea. chili powder,ground cumin and salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 lbs. tilapia fillets
• 3 Tbs oil
• corn on the cob
  

Stir avocado into pico de gallo and cilantro; set aside. Mix cornmeal and chili powder, cumin and salt on sheet of waxed paper. place milk in shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip tilapia fillets into milk,then cornmeal mixture to coat. Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over med. heat. Cook tilapia 2 to 3 mins. a side. Top with avocado mixture;serve with corn on the cob.

Honestly, I've skipped all the spices, and it was still great. I've even made it with bread crumbs instead of cornmeal which was equally as delish!

it's coming...

It comes every year at the same time...my birthday week! This year is a bit different for me though...I'm still on maternity leave! While I haven't been a part of the busyness that accompanies the weeks leading up to VBS (to any kids ministry people, you KNOW the week before the week before an event is always the worst!!), this still holds a very special place in my heart and I cannot wait to visit some sites with Micah, and to hear the stories that come out of this next week! If you know of anyone in the OC area with kids...send them over to the RH website for more info!

oh, BOY!!

We love our boy, and are thrilled to have friends and family who also have baby boys!

There's Micah's cousin Brody...
And his friend Landon ...


and his friend Ryder!
I love that our little guy has so many great friends already!

(and really, I need a better picture of Micah and Ryder...after all, they've been hanging out since they were in the womb!)