29 weeks!

Caroline is teething "really bad" and she hasn't been too happy. There doesn't appear to be a miracle drug out there. It's hard to know what to do other than try to keep her happy. She is doing so well with sitting up. She has really noticed things around her. She is reaching over and or out for things. Sometimes she loses her balance and falls over. It's kind of funny because she rolls over on her tummy and just starts playing with her toys. When I sit her on her changing table, she grabs everything-the comb, her paci, diapers, etc.

My little angel!

We are very excited that she is able to entertain herself in her crib or in the den. After we put her down at night, she will play in her crib until she goes to sleep Every once and a while she will cry out for her paci and then she's done. She loves playing on the floor or in her jump a roo. Today Andy and I did some yard work and she was such a trooper. She played on her quilt with her toys for a very long time. However she got a little tired and our new neighbor and cousin Megan came over and entertained her while we finished. However it is so nice to be able to spend time with Caroline and also get stuff done.


Caroline got her first taste of icing. We went to Bojangles for breakfast last Friday morning and I gave Caroline a taste of the icing on the bo berry biscuit. She LOVED it!

Andy had his proudest Daddy moment ever on Saturday night. After he had bathed Caroline and got her dressed for bed, he brought her over to me to give her her bottle. As Andy held Caroline out to me, she held on to her daddy. She didn't want to come. Andy was a happy Daddy!

Caroline's new trick-holding her bottle!

Only 40 more school days until I am home for the summer with baby girl. I can't wait!

Yesterday... intimidating, God's peace, safe and secure

Yesterday was an interesting day at work. I got there, welcomed the children, had a meeting and came back to get the day started. We were working on our morning meeting when we heard and saw police sirens. Within seconds, it was like an emergency vehicle parade. We saw city police, local sheriffs, State Troopers, out of town cars, etc. Our school secretary come over the PA system and told us to get all kids inside and DO NOT LEAVE our rooms. So I grabbed my keys, locked my door and turned off the lights. I was not really sure what was going on but I knew it wasn't good. We later found out that a drug bust went bad on the interest and it ended on our playground. Two of the three suspects were in custody but one was on the loose. The police dogs were there, we heard helicopters and the cops were walking around our campus.

As we sat there, I realized that I was in charge of 22 kids. It was my job to keep these children safe while they were aware from their parents. It was not a fun feeling. I was scared but I couldn't let my students know. I knew that we were surrounded by police and we were probably n the safest place possible. I prayed to God and asked that he place a hedge of protection around us and our children. I prayed that God would watch over us.

I am thankful for the ending of yesterday's story. Although the guy is still on the loose, our story could have been so different. Any other day students would have been on the playground playing when the incident happened. The suspects could have entered our building. I must say that everyone involved made every effect to keep us safe. Our assistant principal did a great job preparing us in the event of a lock down and we were prepared. I hope that this is my first and last time having to put this practice into place.

28 weeks oh so much fun!

What a fun week! Caroline continues to show us that she is getting to be such a big girl. This past Friday she sat up in a high chair for the first time. She did extremely well. I think we were both surprised! We also started her in her friend Tyler's Round We Go. It's like an excersaucer but has a stationed table with a seat that goes around the table. We are amazed that she can SLOWLY, gradually walk herself around the table. (We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends who have already "retired" certain items and we got an amazing high chair from Jill, John and Tyler. Thanks GUYS!)

Sitting up like a big girl at StarFire.

We have introduced Caroline to lots of baby food over the last two months and she loves everything we give her. She is a little unsure about the prunes and the peaches but doesn't complain. We have started giving her Yobaby yogurt and she LOVES it. It's like we can't get it in her fast enough. She is so funny!

LOVES her yogurt!

Last week Andy and I worked in the yard trimming bushes, potting the new ferns and putting down some new pine straw. Caroline loves being outside so I kept her with me. She sat in her stroller and watched my every move. I noticed while working on the ferns she got really quiet. When I looked up, I noticed that she had fallen asleep. It was so sweet.

Notice the pine straw and the nice hedges...

Of course Caroline said Dada first and her daddy couldn't be happier. So we made an agreement. I wouldn't be upset as long as when she woke up in the middle of the night, she cried out dada dada. One night last week out of the blue she woke up. It freaked us out because she hadn't woken up one time in the last two weeks. We both ran in there and Andy grabbed her. He said he was going to rock her for a few minutes and then he would come to bed. He stayed in there a long time. When I went to check on him and make sure everything was ok, he had this huge grin, which he normally doesn't have around 2:30 am... I said "what's going on?" He said, "We were rocking and she looked up at me and said dada dada, I just can't put her down now..." It worked like a charm!

If you look closely, you can see her sweet little face in the mirror.

Finally, we were able to meet Caroline's newest 2nd cousin Perrin. Brad, Danielle and Perrin were in town for a family baby shower. She is a sweet little girl, an angel! I hate I didn't get a picture of the happy family. However, I did get a picture of Caroline and her great grandparents.

Mama, Papa and Caroline (Andy's grandparents)

Hello!



Jenna, Jennifer and Emily stopped by while they were in town. We had a wonderful visit and Caroline really enjoyed the attention from the girls! I enjoyed having an adult conversation without having to worry about Caroline. Kids are great babysitters!




Ok, we are finally dressed and ready to head to Peep's.

That afternoon, too much excitement with Peep and Aunt Tomi Jean.
I really have to watch her know when I change her clothes or put her on the changing table. She grabs EVERYTHING and kicks her feet and legs and makes herself move. (notice her tongue sticking out, Peep taught her to stick it out, it's the funniest thing.)

It's been a busy crazy week but I hope you have enjoyed catching up!

27 weeks-so many accomplishments!

We have had an incredible week. It seems like so much has happened this week. Caroline has began to sit up by herself. We were a little alarmed when we went to the doctor last week. Around 6 months she should be sitting up and rolling over and she wasn't doing either. So being the crazy mommy that I am, I immediately starting working on it. With just a few days she was doing great. I think she was ready, we just hadn't tried. I like to still think of her as a "little baby." It's hard for me to realize that she is old enough to be doing these things. She is also reaching for items around her. She loves sitting up in her bath tub and playing with her bath toys. She could stay in there for hours if we would let her. We went out to eat on Sunday and she was reaching for and grabbing things on the table. Just the other night she grabbed her bottle and tried to get it back in her mouth. Can she really be that big?

Sitting on Mommy's bed while Mommy was working.

Having fun in her bath tub!

Friday night, Andy went on a trip with our Senior High Youth guys. It was his first night away since Caroline was born. It really made me realize how much Andy does for us. Lucky for us, my mom came into town to help. Praise the Lord for family... We were all very happy to see him return.

As I have said before, Caroline is a wonderful baby girl! She seems to adjust to just about any situation. She is almost always happy except when she hungry, tired or has a messy diaper. She loves for people to talk to you or play with her. She smiles every time someone talks to or even looks at her. When she smiles or laughs, it fills my heart with such joy! I could just EAT her!

I loves those beautiful blue eyes!!!!!

The best part... Caroline has been going down around 6:30 every night and sleeps SOLID until I wake her up at 6:30 in the morning. She isn't even getting up for a paci. I am not sure what helped her cross the line but she did and it is so nice. Andy and I put her down and then enjoy some time together. It's been really good for us. It's nice to have some time for just the two of us. I think that we are better parents because of our time together. It's a time when we talk about our day and we usually end up talking about Caroline.

Love this expression-almost like yeah I know... Whatever

She's truly a joy!

More thoughts...

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

As I said in yesterday's post, God is "trying" to shape me and mold me into a more Godly woman, wife and mother. I am not always receptive to God's work and I often allow the devil to get to me. I constantly struggle with wants and desires. There are so many things in life that I want. Unfortunately so many of those "wants or desires" are material things.

• There are many days when I wish that I could stay at home with Caroline. I would love to be with her and watch her grow every single step. However, I know that for this season in my life that is not possible. I know that God has provided me with a wonderful job that I love and allows me to help our family financially.
• I have a HUGE desire to build a beautiful home in the country and allow Caroline the opportunities of being a "country" girl. Instead God has given us a lovely home in a great neighborhood. We are surrounded by friends and family. We are not in danger of loosing our home and that is such a blessing given the crisis our economy is in.
• I want a nice new Nikon D 80 camera to take pictures of my beautiful daughter. I have a great camera that captures her just perfectly.

My list could go on and on. However, I think about two things that I have come across dealing with this. A few weeks ago Andy and I attended a simulcast with Beth Moore. She talked about why good can't be good. Why does it have to be great. The things I mentioned above are not great but there are pretty darn good! There are so many people in this world that would love to have the things that I have and they would consider them GREAT. Just like the devotion I had earlier this week. It was written especially for ME. It spoke of a women who lived with no toes and no fingers due to leprosy. She didn't have the luxury items that we feel we can't live without-tv, Internet, a car, ac or heat yet this lady had more joy than anyone could imagine. Her smile was radiant. WHY? Because she had fixed her eyes upon Jesus. She doesn't worry about the things in this life, the things that are temporary. No she looks at the unseen-being with Jesus one day and being completely healed! I love the way the author, Mary Southerland, summed up the devotion "Smiley has nothing – yet she has everything because she has learned and lives out the truth that inner joy does not depend upon outward circumstances. Joy is a deeply rooted confidence that God is in control – no matter how it looks on the outside. Joy is an inside job and can only be found in a personal relationship with God. Smiley has joy. Do you?"

I am one blessed individual. I have a loving family, a roof over my head, my family has food on the table and in the cabinets, Andy and I have jobs, we have a beautiful daughter. However the most important thing that we have is a father who loves us no matter what. A father who forgives us when we fail and a father who provides no matter what. So while I am sure that there will always be things that I want, I will strive to not get caught up in those things because they are only temporary and can be taken in the blink of an eye. My Lord and Savior, while not always seen, is forever!

If you get a chance, I strongly recommend you taking a moment to read this, it is truly amazing! (http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/girlfriends/11600551/)

Thoughts

Those who know me well or at least keep up with our blog know that I am a planner. I love to have a plan. I like to know where I am going and what I am going to do! A few years ago I realized that my plan and HIS plan are not always the same. I think God was trying to show me in small ways to trust HIM. However, I didn't really listen so God decided to show me in some BIG ways that his plan is always best. He had to shake me up in a big way for me to finally get it that it is about him and what he wants. He knows where we are going, I just have to let him take the wheel.

Since May 23, God has been transforming me into the woman that he wants me to be. With Caroline's adoption, there was SO MUCH that was and still is out of our hands. Through all the trials, God has provided. In each situation, he shows me in little and big ways that he loves me. He shows me that he isn't going to leave us or forsake us.

My planning nature still consumes me at times. We had a plan/timeline for Caroline's adoption-legally and financially. However, things haven't gone according to my plans. I was talking with my cousin Richard about some of the bumps that we've hit. I was telling him that things haven't gone according to my plans. Being the wise Godly person that he is, he said "So what. At every point in his life-school, children, work, nothing has ever gone according to his plan. But so what, God loves us and will not leave us. He knows where we are going." I have pondered on that thought a lot today. So what... Our plans don't always work out but God's does. Caroline is a beautiful reminder of God's plans at work in our lives.

26 weeks

The last few weeks have been very busy around our house! This weekend we went to visit my mom (aka Granny). We visited with my brother Bob and his family on Saturday and then my brother Daniel and his family on Sunday. Bob's church had a Relay for Life fundraiser Saturday night and Caroline was a champ. The program was about two hours and not once did she get fussy. Now once we got home, that was a different story. She was 2 hours past her bedtime when we finally got her settled down. We went to church with Granny and everyone couldn't get over what a good baby she was. We went to my nephew Wilson's birthday party and again she was such a good girl. She slept the entire trip home even though she wasn't supposed to. We figured it was much better than her being fussy.

Caroline had her 6 month check up on Monday. She is almost 18 pound (72 percentile) and 27 1/2 inches long (98 percentile). She is a BIG girl. She did really well until the shots came. She did great with the first one but when the second and third one came so did the biggest alligator tears we have ever seen. We felt so sorry for her... She seems to have bounced back very quickly.

We are loving the weather and look forward to long afternoons outside.

My little ADPi Lion

Love this one... all bundled up and ready for bed!

Happy 6 months Baby Girl

Dear Caroline,

Some days it seems like you have always been here and other days it's like we just brought you home. It's amazing how much you have changed and how much you have changed us. You have gone from a baby girl who ate, stayed awake and went to sleep every 3 hours to a little girl who eats, plays for real (laughs, smiles, kicks) and sleeps for 8-10 hours at night. (Yes you like us to give you your paci a couple of times in the night but we are able to go right back to sleep.) We love that you love being around people. You smile at anyone who talks to you. You've never met a stranger and for the most part adjust to just about anything. Almost everyone you come in contact with comments about your sweet disposition and how happy you are.

You love to EAT! You have really done well from the beginning. Your daddy gave you your first bottle when you were just a few hours old. You actually drank too much and you've continued to enjoy eating from that point on... You drink 8 ounces at 7 am, 12pm and 7pm. You get a 5 ounce bottle at 4pm. You are eating carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, bananas, strawberry apples and banana, and applesauce. You love every bite.

This all sounds great! However, there have been some tough times. You didn't like your crib at first. There were times when you where crying and we didn't have a clue what was wrong or what to do to make it better. There were times when we were so exhausted that we didn't think we could make it another 5 minutes. However, that too did pass. Words can't begin to explain how much we love you. Your smile melts our heart. Your laugh brings more joy to our face than anything else in our day. Your big blue eyes spark a light in us that makes our heart grow a little bigger. We know how truly blessed we are and we thank God everyday for your birth mother. Our life with you would not be possible without the love B had for you. B is an amazing person and we never want you to forgot how much she loves you as well.

Baby girl we have enjoyed all that you have added to our life in the last 6 months and can't wait to see what the future holds. May you always know how much you are loved.

Love always,

Mommy

25 weeks

Another week has passed and Caroline continues to grow like a weed. She is doing really well with baby food. She is eating applesauce, bananas, peas and sweet potatoes. She officially moved up to size 3 diapers. It's amazing how quickly all of the changes have taken place. We ordered her "big girl" car seat this past week. We are very excited about her new seat. Thanks to my sister in law Claire, I found a great deal with free shipping! :-)

Caroline spent her first Sunday in the nursery at church and did fabulous! I was so proud of her. She looked so cute sitting in there like a big girl. It's really nice to be able to go to Church and Sunday School and not have to worry about her schedule or her sleeping or being hungry.

The last few nights Caroline has been waking up several times at night. However, we added some extra cereal to her bottle. She slept from the time we got home from Bible Study until I woke her up at 6:30. I guess the extra cereal helped, we shall see tonight.

We hope everyone has a great week!

Focus on Marriage

Yesterday Andy and I had the opportunity to attend "Focus On Marriage." I must admit that I wasn't excited about an all day simulcast. I sort of went into the day with a half hearted excitement. However, my mind quickly switched gears and I knew that I was right where I needed to be. Andy and I were both excited with the practical things that we learned. I could write forever on the great things that I learned, however, I am going to highlight the major "lessons" I got from the day.

1. Every reaction is based on the expectations we have. The example that Gary Thomas gave dealt with an automobile. If we go for a rental car and we expected to get a geo metro and get upgraded to regular BMW, we are overjoyed. However, if we are expecting a luxury Lexus and we get a regular BMW, we complain... It's that way in life. If we expect our spouse to achieve above and beyond, and we don't get it, we are disappointed. However, if we expect average and our husband goes above and beyond, we couldn't be happier.
2. Our marriage is to glorify God. We are not in our marriage for us, we are in it to bring glory to the Lord. We are to glorify him in and through our marriage. It's not about ME, it's about God. Think about your actions as a spouse and how they affect others. How would God treat us or react towards us?
3. Why can't good be good? We live in a Hollywood dream world. We think our homes have to look like the mansions on TV. Our family has to be above the norm. Our spouse needs to bring us flowers or surprise us on a daily bases. Everything we do has to be great. Why can't good be good? Our spouse may not bring us roses but they love us. They go to work everyday and come home to their family every night. They would give their life for us. So they may not do the dishes or the laundry, but they do take out the trash and mow the lawn. Look at the good things your spouse does and appreciate them for that.
4. I am the branch and you are the twig... Twigs can't grow without the major source of food and energy... the branch. We have to be "plugged" in. Apart from the Lord (the branch) we are nothing. Our family can't grow and prosper without the Lord as the main source of food and energy.
5. 2 degree changes... When we are driving to and from work, we make a lot of 2 degree changes to keep our car between the lines. However, there are times when we look up and realize that we are heading straight for a ditch and we make a MAJOR turn. That major correction often sends with us spinning out of control. That's the way it is in our everyday life. When we realize we are heading towards trouble, we try to over correct and end up making things worse. However, if we constantly make 2 degree changes, they are much easier to manage. We were encouraged to look at our marriage and see what 2 degree changes we can make.

Words can't express the feelings that I felt. I pray that Andy and I will remember the great life lessons that we learned. I am so thankful that the Lord knew we needed to be there. I hate that I down played the event and wish more of my friends could have been there to experience the great advice with us.