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Get Real Wednesday

It’s been a busy week so far, so this week I have a lot on my mind:

Jury Duty is complete. I’m very thankful I wasn’t selected for the jury, because the trial was scheduled for the week of our wedding. The attorneys and defendants laughed when I told them this, and gave me a “strike”. A strike is a good thing :)

Being away from Charlotte for over 24 hours was hard, but coming home after being gone for 8 hours straight today was harder. I give full time working Moms a LOT of credit…how do you get anything done?!

I turn 27 next week! For some reason this number feels right for me, even though I am now approaching my 30s…I am in a good place. I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be, and I’m excited for the year ahead!

Not to talk about jury duty again…but today I noticed how much people complain. I know being there all day was annoying, and no one WANTS to do it (for the most part) but complaining doesn’t help, and just makes people more annoyed. I tried to stay away from the complainers…

Sometimes PB&J is the only thing I can come up with for dinner after a busy week….but I’m ok with that, and I think Andrew is secretly excited :)

That’s all for this week! My last GRW as a 26 year old—ahh!

Aug 31, 2011

#GRW

Aug 30, 20112 notes

#motherhood, #school #blogging

Aug 28, 2011

Attitude of Gratitude

I received an email from my Granny last night complimenting me on some recent entries here on P2P. She said, “The theme of your life is gratitude - an attitude of gratitude. That’s why the blessings feel so real.” I thought about what she wrote, and although I hadn’t thought about it before, gratitude really has become the theme of my life in the past 2 years. Andrew and I have had to overcome some huge obstacles in a very short period of time. Of course, our obstacles have turned into blessings—Charlotte, Andrew’s new job, a new home, a wedding on the way…but compared with other people who may have failed health, or lost a loved one, or a child…our obstacles don’t seem nearly as “tough” as we may sometimes feel they are.

Today I was reading part of a book our minister Dr. Craig Barnes wrote called “When God Interrupts”. I happened upon this passage after I had read my Granny’s email:

”The reason people who have lost their lives are grateful is that they have been found by their Savior. He has given them a new life. It may not look all that different from the life they had before, but for them, everything is different. Even the morning sunrise is received as a precious gift that can overwhelm them with thankfulness.”

I really, really identified with this passage, and I truly feel that way. Our life before Charlotte was very uncertain, I was always anxious and fearful of what was to come. But since God has brought Andrew and I together, and blessed us with our little girl…we have both opened our eyes to these gifts and accepted them with pure joy. My gratitude comes from my renewed faith, and placing God first and foremost in my life. Because without Him, we would not be where we are today. For that I am so incredibly grateful, and I pray everyone is able to have this kind of relationship with God.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4

Aug 25, 20111 note

#Gratitude #Faith #Love

#Charlotte Grace, #parenting, #11 months old #growing up

Aug 19, 20111 note

#organization, #life planner, #erin condren,

Aug 18, 2011144,195 notes

Get Real Wednesday's

I’ve never really done a post like this on my blog before. I read a large number of blogs, mostly “Mommy Blogs”, and see posts like this a lot. For the most part I try to keep Pearls to Pampers a fun place—with lots of pictures, stories and updates about our daily on-goings. Lately, I have felt a little overwhelmed. Could be the combination of Charlotte, wedding planning, back to school (2 weeks) time, Andrew working VERY late hours every night, and the day to day life…yeah, it could be that…

So, I thought I would start a series on P2P called “Get Real Wednesday’s”. I try not to be a “Negative Nancy”, in real life or on the blog, so I promise not to get too personal or too deep. But let’s face it, sometimes…we all need a good VENT!

Wedding planning with an 11 month old is not easy. I think this may be a reason why people get married BEFORE the babe. In all honestly, besides it being hard to do anything not related to Charlotte…a lot of the time, I just don’t want to. I love spending my days with CG, and wedding planning just doesn’t seem as important. The ACTUAL wedding day, however, well that’s a different story and I can’t wait for the day :)
I can’t watch the news anymore. Recently there was a horrible story about a father who de-capitated….wait a second. I promised not to get too deep. You get the picture. I don’t watch the news!
My Erin Condren Life Planner was shipped on Saturday and I have yet to receive it. I have been having dreams about it arriving at our doorstep—that’s how excited I am to GET ORGANIZED!
Cooking for 1 is not fun at all. I love to cook, but it seems a little anti-climatic for me to make an awesome meal with no one to share it with. Only 2 weeks left until I have my dinner partner back :) Until then I’ll have to stick to eggs, oatmeal and pasta…
I really wish I could get back into Hot Yoga. It has been a year and a half since I’ve been to my old studio and I want more than anything to start back again. I find a lot of reasons not to go (read above), but the main reason is because I’m nervous!

So there you have it. My 5 “Get Real’s” for the week. I really do feel a lot better now that I have some of those things off my chest. What are some of your “get real’s” for this week? We all have heavy hearts at times, but when we’re honest with ourselves and find the blessings in it all…the days can always end up being a little brighter!

Aug 17, 20112 notes

#GRW #Honesty #Motherhood

Aug 16, 20118 notes

#kids, #Barney #parenting #life #charlotte

Aug 15, 2011

#Kennywood, #chaos, #Charlotte #outtings

Aug 15, 2011

cyrusgabe:

quickestgirlinthefryingpan:

We are sitting at lunch when my daughter casually
mentions that she and her husband are thinking of
“starting a family.”

“We’re taking a survey,” she says, half-joking. “Do
you think I should have a baby?”

“It will change your life,” I say, carefully keeping
my tone neutral. “I know,” she says, “no more
sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous
vacations….”

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my
daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want
her to know what she will never learn in childbirth
classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds
of child bearing will heal, but that becoming a
mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw
that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again
read a newspaper without asking “What if that had
been MY child?” That every plane crash, every house
fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of
starving children, she will wonder if anything could
be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish
suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she
is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the
primitive level of a bear protecting her cub.

That an urgent call of “Mum!” will cause her to drop
a souffle or her best crystal without a moment’s
hesitation.

I feel I should warn her that no matter how many
years she has invested in her career, she will be
professionally derailed by motherhood.

She might arrange for childcare, but one day she
will be going into an important business meeting and
she will think of her baby’s sweet smell. She will
have to use every ounce of her discipline to keep
from running home, just to make sure her baby is all
right.

I want my daughter to know that everyday decisions
will no longer be routine. That a five year old
boy’s desire to go to the men’s room rather than the
women’s at McDonald’s will become a major dilemma.
That right there, in the midst of clattering trays
and screaming children, issues of independence and
gender identity will be weighed against the prospect
that a child molester may be lurking in that
restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will
second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure
her that eventually she will shed the pounds of
pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about
herself. That her life, now so important, will be of
less value to her once she has a child. That she
would give it up in a moment to save her offspring,
but will also begin to hope for more years — not to
accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child
accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny
stretch marks will become badges of honor. My
daughter’s relationship with her husband will
change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she
could understand how much more you can love a man
who is careful to powder the baby or who never
hesitates to play with his child. I think she should
know that she will fall in love with him again for
reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will
feel with women throughout history who have tried to
stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.

I hope she will understand why I can think
rationally about most issues, but become temporarily
insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to
my children’s future.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration
of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to
capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is
touching the soft fur of a dog or a cat for the
first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so
real, it actually hurts.

My daughter’s quizzical look makes me realize that
tears have formed in my eyes. “You’ll never regret
it,” I finally say. Then I reach across the table,
squeeze my daughter’s hand and offer a silent prayer
for her, and for me, and for all of the mere mortal
women who stumble their way into this most wonderful
of callings. This blessed gift from God … that
of being a Mother.

This Sunday Morning read brought tears to my eyes and a flutter in my heart. So thankful for the gift of Motherhood.

Aug 14, 201188 notes

#mother #parenthood #baby

Aug 11, 20111 note

#crawling #charlotte #busy

Aug 10, 20114 notes

#Gramps and Granny #adventure #ligonier #Charlotte

My Girls Animal Collective

emphasisadded:

My Girls

Animal Collective / Merriweather Post Pavilion

There isn’t much that I feel I need

A solid soul and the blood I bleed

With a little girl, and by my spouse

I only want a proper house

I don’t care for fancy things

Or to take part in the vicious race

But to provide for mine who ask

I will, with heart, on my father’s grave

I don’t mean to seem like I care about material things

Like our social stats

I just want four walls and adobe slats for my girls

[via: themadeshop]

Our favorite song around here. Lots of love to Andrew during this busy season.

—love, your girls.

Aug 8, 2011824 notes

Aug 7, 20113 notes

Play

1:03

Aug 3, 2011

Aug 2, 20113 notes

#parenting, #Pop Pop #busy #get-away

August 2011

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