Updates from the sporadic blogger!

We've been pretty busy around here lately!
Greg and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary. We are pretty low key about anniversaries and Valentine's day, but we do go to the temple and do sealings. It's a pretty neat experience and the most romantic thing I can think of to do on that day. It's even more wonderful having Sarah now, as it brings a new level of awareness to the fact that families are forever.

February 7 was miss Sarah's first birthday. She was completely oblivious to the fact, but loved that my mom came over with "Nacks!" as she calls them and a new story. I think I've read it a good 1000 times in the last month. ("hand hand fingers thumb....")
We had a small party with our local family. I made her a smash cake with a rather poor attempt of Abby Caddabby's face on it. She wouldn't touch it though, as she HATES getting her hands messy. She wanted it fed to her. With a fork. She loved the happy birthday song and the thoughtful gifts her friends and family brought her.

Elmo cupcakes with blue frosting

She has decided that it's time to walk now. She took her first steps in January, but at stake conference 3 weeks ago she really took off. Now she walks everywhere, usually with her snack cup in hand. Toddle toddle toddle boom!  She also has her one year old molar teeth in now, so her smile definitely looks more like a toddler than a baby smile. Her favorite thing is to go "bye bye." I can't say the word without a rather insistent 13 month old heading for the door, waving her hands and trying to say "buh!" If we don't leave soon enough, she cries. She is also developing into quite the little helper. She loves to help pick up clothes and put them in the laundry basket, put her blocks away (but only the blocks for some reason...) and say "in".





We thought about buying a house and selling the condo, but things fell through twice. I think it's a sign we're supposed to stay put for now. I am thinking about turning our patio space into a mini veggie garden though, to make fruit and vegetables more accessible and to help us be more independent. Guess our chicken dreams will still have to wait for now, but I'm enjoying learning a lot about farming. Some of my favorite reads have been " The Quarter Acre Farm", "A chicken in every yard" and "mini farming: self sufficiency on a 1/4 acre." We definitely don't have a quarter acre yet, but I'm hoping to apply the skill sets to our little condo.

A Baby Changes Everything

It's two or three or four in the morning and I'm up for perhaps the third time. Her demanding wails come softly at first, then, if I'm not quite swift enough, with more intensity and panic. She wants to be held, cuddled, loved, soothed and fed, rocked and walked and tucked peacefully back into the crib. Her arms reach up for me expectantly and the wailing is replaced by a tiny, seven and a half toothed smile. We walk over to the worn, much loved blue rocking chair and draw up the quilt to fight off the chill. She begins to feed and her big blue eyes gently close, moonlight on her soft pink cheeks. As I sit and stroke the feathery soft baby hair I am filled with wonder and devotion to my sweet little girl. I ponder how much my life has changed in the last year. I remember weeks of anticipation and days of dreaming, wondering what she'd look like, who she'd become. I remember the fear, wondering if I was really ready to take charge of a sweet little one. I had no clue how hard it could be, how difficult the nights of crying and teething and sickness would be and how it wouldn't matter. How my heart would forever be softened and filled with joy because of this sweet little daughter of God, dreaming in my arms. And for a moment, if only for a moment, my mind is drawn to another little baby, another sweet little miracle born hundreds of years and thousands of miles ago in Bethlehem. I wonder how Mary must have felt as she held her son, hers, but not really hers, in her arms. I imagine it must have been difficult to comprehend the miracles He'd perform, the teachings He'd bless us with, and the final, ultimate sacrifice of her baby boy.
I watch the news and am filled with sadness and sorrow at the terrible shootings in Connecticut. My mind is filled with horror at the terror the victims must have felt, the pain of the families and surviving children, the empty stockings never again to be filled. I know that the grief of these families won't be lessened overnight, the answers will not satisfy, will never make up for the loss of these sweet children. But, because of the birth of Jesus Christ, his life and Atonement, and ultimately His victory over death and Resurrection, there will come a time where the pain is eased and replaced with peace. There will come a reunion, an understanding. A baby truly changes everything. Merry Christmas and may Heaven bless.

Painting the Roses Red

     Let's face it, I'm a mess. I am wearing a trash bag over my shirt and my hands are covered in red spots. I may or may not have vine ripened tomato colored highlights in my hair. The door jamb is pink and let's just say it's a good thing we're re tiling the entry way. Why does it look like I've committed murder by stabbing? Because we got a letter from the home owners association.
     We've lived in our condo for almost two years now with the same white, neat and clean front door, which, because of  the fence surrounding our unit, is barely visible from the parking lot. So we were fairly surprised when we got a notice stating that our front door had to be red and we had a week to do it. I am a stickler for rules, even if I disagree with them, so the notice sent me into a near state of obsession. 
     When we went off to home depot, the budget nut kicked in when I looked at the price of paint. I was thrilled to find a bucket of red paint in the oops pile for only $7. It was even exterior paint. With some paint tools and our bucket of paint, we checked out and went home.
     I grew up mostly in a series of rental homes and so painting conjured up images of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin white washing the family fence, making a game out of a chore and having a blast. Sarah, the ten month old house destruction artist, was taking a nap and I had Pinterest directions, so how hard could it be?
     The first coat went on and if the roller didn't quite get enough paint to cover the snow white door, so what? I knew I had at least two more coats to go!  I waited the half hour the directions on the internet suggested (and yes, I really did sit around watching paint dry!) and tried for the second coat. I guess I should have waited a bit longer because the first coat came off with the paint! I was horrified but what could I do but add more paint! I waited the half hour and added a third coat.  Now I'm looking at the door, and it is definitely red, but not the more subtle red of the neighbors' doors. Santa would be proud. Rudolph could hide his nose! Bulls may be a problem with the brightness of this red! This streaky, almost wood grained look on my steel front door. I feel like I really messed up somewhere. The roller looked like I was painting on ceiling popcorn and the brush looked like lines. Next time, I think I'll leave this "honey do!" to the very talented honey. But I may want to cover up that floor before he gets home... Re-tiling here I come!