Lego Friends

This morning in church the pastor compared our intimate friendships with a Lego block. A person can have roughly 8 intimate friendships in his/her life (maybe a couple more, maybe a couple less) - just as a Lego can hold up to 8 different pieces on its frame.

I long for my Lego friends!

I never truly had these Lego friends until I began college. I had always longed for them and never understood why I never had a true best friend. I think maybe God was just giving me no reason to rely on anyone else but Him.

College began and so did my life with Legos! I found friendships that quickly became the closest ones I'd ever had. Life was wonderful.

College graduation came around and slowly my Legos were leaving. It took a couple of years, but eventually all my Legos left town (aside from my hubby whom I love dearly).

This was a very difficult time...

I don't think there is a time in your life that so perfectly allows you to develop such intimate relationships as college.

I've learned to deal with the fact that my Legos are not able to swing by for a nice chat or fun evening out.

Have I dealt with it well? If you consider swallowing my time with work and family "well", then I guess you could say yes.

But I am a woman! I need my relationships! My husband is wonderful...but I need some girls to simply hang with, let loose with, etc.

Will I ever have the opportunity to create such relationships again? I hope so...but I'm not holding my breath for any time soon.

An old girl scout (?) song just popped in my head - Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other's gold

I am in NO WAY looking to replace my current Legos! They are irreplaceable! But I do still have a few prongs left for some new ones.

Maybe God is once again telling me I simply need to solely rely on Him and it's taken me 3 years to figure it out...

Links

I have added a spot to the right to add some favorite links. I'm pretty excited about the first one on the list. I JUST discovered it about 10 minutes ago so I have yet to try any recipes...but I'm looking forward to several I saw in my quick visit!!!

CT Awards Night

We were graciously asked to be a part of the Awards Night at the Community Theater last night. Jeremy performed a musical number and Layla and I presented two awards. She did an excellent job during her stage debut! :-)

How I miss being in shows! The day will come again when I have the time (and energy) to perform on stage. Until then, I am blessed with the opportunity to raise such a beautiful little girl!

Here are a few pics of the night:


Cheesin' for the camera before we left. I ended up changing headbands b/c the red was too bright...it was a cute headband, too :-(






















Family picture backstage





Cutie!











Look at those molars!

unsettled

About 2 weeks ago, Jeremy & I watched Marley & Me for the first time. There was a part of the story that really got to me. **Warning - spoiler alert - skip the rest of this paragraph if you don't want to hear about the movie** I'll get straight to the point...in the movie, Jennifer Aniston's character gets pregnant! At 10 weeks, they go in for their first ultrasound and find there is no heartbeat...the baby has died. Coincidentally, I was also 10 weeks pregnant at the time. We had just had our first visit didn't get to hear the heartbeat like we were hoping for. Not because they couldn't find it, but because they didn't even try. I was already feeling a little uneasy still not hearing the baby's heartbeat - and now I see a movie where they find out there is no heartbeat when the woman is as far along in her pregnancy as me! Fabulous!

We ended up breaking the news to everyone publicly, despite not yet hearing the heartbeat. However, I still have yet to tell my co-workers. Partly because there hasn't been a good chance. But mostly it's because I don't want to have to explain to these people that I barely know that I have had a miscarriage (if that were to even be the case).

I would feel so much more comfortable if I can just hear the heartbeat!

Do you remember Might Molly and her dear parents? They found out about a month before Jeremy & I that they are pregnant again!! It was very exciting news!! They're due date is Oct. 19 and ours is Nov. 18.

I came home today to read this. My heart aches for my dear friend and her husband! I can't fathom the pain they're feeling yet again.

And that is why this particular post has come into being. I was once again reminded of Marley & Me...and it has hit closer to home with a friend. Both stories about as far along as I am now when they were told the news.

All I can do is continue to pray for this little one and his/her little heart (and healthy growth).

To sum it all up, I am now even more unsettled about not yet hearing the baby's heartbeat. I will probably now be waiting until our next appointment (May 21) to break the news to my co-workers. I never dreamed I'd wait that long! But as the date gets closer, it's getting a little easier to do.

I can only hope for a speck of the strength & faith of my dear friend, Becca, if we were to hear the same news...

donuts & aromas

Two more differences with this pregnancy.

1.) I am accepting a donut on Sundays at church. I never did this with Layla...the entire pregnancy! I know, I surprised myself each Sunday when I politely said "no, thanks" when asked if I wanted a donut. This time around I'm not even waiting to be asked...I just go get one! Yikes! This cannot become a habit the entire pregnancy! I'm already 10-15 pounds heavier than I was with Layla :-/

2.) Aromas affect me more than they did with Layla. I don't recall being bothered by smells. I do think my sense of smell was increased, but that's about all I remember. I definitely have to walk out of a room at times when there is a smell too powerful for me. It has never driven me to get sick...but definitely nauseous.

eventful Saturday

We had a fun Saturday! It's been quite a while since we actually got out of the house and did something....we're such bums! *We will forget the fact that I was actually supposed to be in Indy today completing my 3rd mini-marathon*

First we ate lunch at Olive Garden. Yummy! Layla did SO well with her eating (by her standards)!! She also sat very nicely in her highchair...something that has not been so pretty in the recent past.

I was then dropped off at Kohl's while Jeremy & Layla went to pay for our storage unit. I found pajamas with feet! It took me forever to find them...I about gave up. They were at the very top in the far corner. It took all I had to simply look for sizes, but we have two new pair.

We then went to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center for the first time. Wow! I will have a post all about this adventure soon. I will quickly say that I am very impressed there is something like this in Indiana...let alone near where I live!

We then went to ISU to recycle...only to discover we were 3 hours past the closing time.

I had Jeremy stop by Wendy's to pick me up a Frosty for my aching throat. I was sorely disappointed! It did not do what I was needing...I felt NOTHING going down my throat. It was as if the Frosty turned to air before it hit my esophagus. I guess next time it's straight ice cream.

Layla crashed and Jeremy & I sat and watched a Redbox movie...gotta love it!

We woke her up for about an hour and a half before actually putting her to bed. During this time, she actually sat down in her highchair (without throwing a fit), ate half a fish "square" and many bites of pudding!! Hallelujah!!!

She's back down for the night, Jeremy's off to school to make lesson plans for Monday as he has been called to jury selection, and I am about to hit the hay and hope to be feeling better in the morning. A bowl of cocoa puffs might be calling my name first, though. :-)

Stay tuned for some fun pictures of some VERY big cats!




***On a side note...I can't believe I still haven't blogged about Layla's first birthday party!!! She's 14 months now...is 2 months past too late to blog? I'll get to it...eventually...

big girl pajamas

We're putting away the 6-9 month winter pajamas and busting out the new ones! Wait...I'm digging through her tote of 12 month clothes...no pajamas! This is the first time since she's been w/o pajamas from showers, cousins or older "friends."

Off to Wal-Mart I go...

Can you believe there were no 12 month pajamas with feet at Wal-Mart?!?! It must be the season because I KNOW I've seen my niece & nephew in footed (is that a word?) pajamas past the age of one.

Looks like two-piece pajamas are now in our vocabulary.

Check out this big girl in her new pajamas!



Freshly bathed and munchin' on a Scooby Snack



*Disregard the laundry on the couch*

Isn't she just adorable!! She looks so big!

I am a bit worried that her little feet are going to be freezing! My feet are always cold! I should have put socks on her before putting her to bed....wait....we're out of socks that fit comfortably. Looks like we'll be off to Wal-Mart again tomorrow for some "sleeping" socks - may as well get some day socks while we're at it.

For tonight, she might find herself covered in a blanket for the first time. We haven't used any blankets since we stopped swaddling. She honestly rolls around FAR too much for blankets to be of any use. Trial run...unless I get too paranoid about a blanket in her crib before going to bed myself...