Monday Afternoon Football

Don had to work the weekend, so he’s off for the next two days. We were supposed to clean out the garage but we ended up in the back yard playing football. Rylee was the cheerleader and I was the media..

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Yuck

Yesterday I was out for a few hours and left the kids with a sitter. When I returned, I opened the fridge to start dinner and this is what I found…

It was full when I left and empty when I returned. And yes….it’s half and half…Reagan is in trouble…

Thursday Morning Brain Dump

• Rylee has slept 12 hours straight the past three nights! Yea! I’ve been reading the book “Twelve Hours Sleep by Twelve Weeks” by Suzy Girodano and implementing some of her recommendations. It worked from the very first night!
• Reagan is pretty much potty trained – he’s even gone the last three nights with a dry pull up!
• Don’s work schedule is really driving me crazy…and that’s all I’ll say about that. I’m so thankful that he has a job and I am trying not to complain about that when so many other people don’t have jobs at all.
• I can’t seem to get warm today.
• I’m hosting a baby shower this Saturday for Lynne – she runs the office at GAFA and is having a baby in just a few weeks! Lynne and James have been trying to have a baby for a long time now and have really had to trust God for healing and a healthy pregnancy. He has been faithful to them and in just a few weeks we will welcome little Christian into the world!
• I can’t believe it’s time to start thinking about Christmas shopping already
• I make some pretty darn good chocolate chip cookies if I do say so myself
• We’ve got some ideas for the big show in May – I hope we can figure out to do it cause it would be so cool!
• I voted early on Monday – I was undecided until the moment I walked up to the booth – this one has been hard for me.

Love you all!

My Little Girl

Everyone told me that the first child always has more “photo shoots” and I didn’t believe them. But it’s true…I have about a million pictures of Reagan but I’ve fallen waaaaay behind on documenting the little girlie.

So – after Rylee’s bath today I put her in her first little pink tutu and started snapping away. (tee hee!)

Thursday Morning Brain Dump

I haven’t done one of these in a while…but I think I just need to…

• There is a guy who appears to be in his mid-twenties that roams around our neighborhood on his VERY LOUD scooter…a lot. He seems to have some mental deficiencies and I have been feeling a little sorry for him – but yesterday when he rode by my house about 20 times during my kids nap time and woke Rylee up several times, I was not feeling very gracious any more. At 10:00 last night, he started it again and I seriously thought I was going to lose it.
• Reagan is getting his hair cut today – think he needs it?

• Don has been working so much lately – I miss him. It was our anniversary yesterday and I think we had about 10 minutes alone…he did give me a foot rub, though! And we went out last Friday night for an amazing dinner at Port Land Grill and then went and saw a movie. That was the first time since Rylee was born that we’ve gone out on a real date.
• Rylee is getting better at night. She’s going to bed about 8 every night and sleeping until about 4 – I’m trying to break her of this 4:00 thing but she’s being stubborn! (I wonder where she gets that from?)
• Bryan asked me to be a part of the strategic planning meeting for Rock Church’s 2009 calendar. I made it to the first day of planning, but Rylee wouldn’t let me go the second day. She was a little cranky… Anyway, I have to say that I am very excited about 2009 at Rock Church – it’s going to a crazy and amazing year!
• I’m so stinking excited about Fall! I love the crisp mornings and the fact that the grass has stopped growing! (It takes Don half a day to mow our lawn and I am kind of jealous for his time lately…)
• I’m ready for the election to be OVER. Good grief – could they draw this process out just a bit more, please?
• Scooter guy is passing by my house again as I am writing this post. AHHHHHHH!

What’s rattling around in your head these days?

Dear Church Volunteer Part 2

Dear Church Volunteer…

There are so many things I could say to you – to encourage you in your ministry…

• BE ENCOURAGED! What you do matters. Sometimes we get tired or we allow ourselves to think that the contribution we are making is insignificant. The truth is, the church can not do anything without its people setting their hands to the work. Do you think that the pastors and paid office staff could get it all done on their own – that they could make an impact in your city without you? Not a chance…your church’s success depends on you giving your gift of time and talent.
• ENCOURAGE OUR LEADERS! Your pastors, office staff, small group leaders, etc NEED to hear that you are with them. Don’t just assume that they automatically know this. Tell them often that you believe in the vision and that you are committed to supporting that vision. (even when you may go through a season of questioning that vision…you still must be supportive where God has planted you… Hello!) Just like you – your leaders need to have positive feedback from those they labor with in ministry.
• DIRECT QUESTIONS/CONCERN DIRECTLY TO YOUR LEADER! This used to be my biggest frustration when I worked in full time ministry. I would find out that someone had an issue with me and they would have talked to everyone BUT ME about it. Let me just tell you that your leader wants to hear from you – the good and the bad. This doesn’t mean that you should unload all of your junk on them – but when there is a real concern about something, go and sit down with them and share your heart. You won’t solve a darn thing by calling your best friend and talking to them about it. Your leader can not make adjustments if they do not know there is a problem. They are not mind-readers, people!
• SHARE OUR IDEAS! God made us all as creative beings. After all – we are made in His image and He is the most amazingly creative being ever so it makes sense that we are innately creative, too. If you have an idea that could be be beneficial to your team then share it with your leader! Who knows, they just may use your idea and wouldn’t that be so cool?

More to come – but for now, go out there and be the most resourceful, committed, passionate volunteer your team has!

Dancing Machine

My brother is an idiot…I know, I know…. (not really…he’s the most amazing brother, pastor, husband, father, friend – but I have to give him a hard time b/c no one else will now that he’s senior pastor…)

But every once in a while he does something super cool like this. Our friend, Paige Strackman, has sponsored a project through American Express called “Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children.” Bryan agreed to shoot this video to help spread the word and our good friend, Millie, agreed to shoot the photography.

If you are an American Express card member, please go NOW and vote. If she wins it would mean 1.5 million dollars to help saves the lives of children in Haiti. Thanks for the help…

Riverfest!!

I was SO proud of the dancers from GAFA today! Riverfest took place downtown Wilmington this weekend and our Celebration Dance Company and GAFA Dance Teams performed in front of hundreds of people and they ROCKED it! Here are some pictures from the day – leave some comments and let the girls know how great they did!

Rylee got SO hot in her stroller, so we stripped off her pants and I handed her over to Mrs. Donna so I could take pictures. We didn’t want her little bald head to get sunburned so we covered her up with a burp cloth. This was her first dance outing and she was a trooper. In a couple of years she’ll be up there performing! I can’t wait!

Thanks to everyone who helped organize this event – and to all of our GAFA families who make my job a dream job – and to my AH-MA-ZING staff who always do more than I ask of them, you guys just make me happy!

She’s Just A Bit Different…

So, my 3 year old, Reagan, was the perfect baby. He was sleeping through the night by 8 weeks and practically jump into the crib at night ready to go to sleep. I swaddled him – tightly – until he was 10 months old and he LOVED it – he would stop crying immediately when I would pull the blanket out and start to wrap him up. He’s always been a great napper and still rarely gives me any fuss about sleeping 2-3 hours every afternoon.

Now I have this amazing little baby girl. Rylee is 13 weeks old and I CAN NOT figure her out! (of course…she’s a girl!) Now, I do have to say that most parents would still think I have a little angel on my hands – she consistently sleeps from 8-4ish every night, gets up to eat and then goes back down for a couple more hours. But lately she’s been going a little nutty on me. I think I’ve created a monster with the swaddling thing. She is much more strong willed and stubborn than Reagan ever was. She’s been getting out of her swaddle a lot and so now I’m trying to put her down for naps and bedtime without it. Yea – we’ll see how that goes.

Hey moms and dads out there – any advice for me? How did you get your babies to sleep through the night consistently?