A Cool Tool and Family Update

Up until the last few days I've been feverishly working on scrapbook catch-up for Hannah Reece's baby album.  I'm motivated by the thought that the details of her baby-hood are only going to grow foggier with the birth of a new baby. 

I must say, this blog has been a very useful tool in my endeavor to "catch up", I've been able to copy some of the journaling right into her book from here!  My two favorite things about blogging are:

1. sharing of  ideas: a few of my own and many from others that inspire and encourage
2. remembering/memory-keeping:  I have a feeling in the next few months it's gonna become heavy in the memory-keeping department around here, so bear with me!  ;)

Speaking of catching up...this year I've decided to participate in Project Life, or what some call Project 365 (P365)  If you g**gle it, you'll see some ideas of what I'm referring to.  Basically, it's taking a photo-a-day and using this to tell you/your family's story for the year. 

There are so many aspects of this project that excite me.  In a few words:

• Simple
• Concise
• Easy-to-Maintain
• Authentic story-telling

I will use this method to tell my family's story, it will become our 2010 family album.  I've chosen this tool (thanks mom and dad, for the b-day gift!) created by this uber-creative lady to tell our story this year.  Can you tell (photo below) that I'm just a little excited about it?!  I even used this for my P.O.T.D. that day! Hannah Reece has her own little art area next to me and I love to watch her punch and sticker and write and cut.  :)  I'll be posting our P.O.T.D. (photo of the day) every now and then, and maybe even a page here and there to show you how the album's coming along.  My goal is to print and work on this album once a month.  I just finished setting up the album, and completed the first two-weeks and y'all-it only took 2 HOURS!  Now that the album's all set up, I feel confident that I could easily complete a months worth of photos (1 per day) in 2 hours (or less).  That's do-able for me in this season.  Also, very excited that with the contents of the kit, all I need is a pen for journaling, my photos, and maybe some adhesive and a trimmer. Love that.

A little update:

30 weeks along now...nesting and exhausted...simultaneously.

Went to the doctor today because my heart is just pounding and I've been feeling very light-headed for several days now...had a little blood work-up, but he's pretty sure it's only anemia....relieved.

This part of pregnancy is exciting...

The four of us talk about Camille throughout the day. Both kiddos have many questions about all things baby, including our big winner for this week courtesy of Graham (at the dinner table): "Mom, I need to know how Camille's coming out of your belly, right now."

Hannah Reece loves to look at our growing stash of baby girl clothes and carries around the little sample diapers and wipes with such love and care. It just warms my heart! I'm so excited to see her in the role of "big sister"...she told me tonight "I want to hold Camille right now, can we have her now, Momma?"

This part of pregnancy is challenging...

Physical limitations, low-energy and waiting...these are not fun for anyone. For me these are character-building times because I am typically a busy-body and impatient! A word that God keeps bringing to mind in prayer is SURRENDER. Surrender to the process of pregnancy, delivery and after. Surrender to the fact that there will be projects left undone, maybe even goals unmet...and that's okay.  Surrender to the idea that we will need to ask for help, especially difficult being away from family and familiar, faithful friends. Surrender to God, that He alone knows ALL of our needs and our future, that he is willing and able to meet every. single. one. It's all very humbling, really. Knowing that I'm in control of so little in the grand scheme of things. Nothing in life has lead me to trust Him more fully than being entrusted with these little ones that ultimately belong to the Lord.

Dan's classes officially begin next week, for the new semester. But he's been a busy bee studying for his Ordination exams. These exams are comprised of 5 individual examinations required by the denomination that we belong to. He's already passed one of them last year, church "Polity". Today, he took the "Worship" and "Theology" portions and that leaves "Exegesis" (translating passages of scripture from the original language, Greek and Hebrew) and "Bible Content" examinations. These exams are only offered twice-a-year and are in addition to his Masters of Divinity program requirements at Gordon-Conwell.

Dan is one of the most self-disciplined individuals I've ever known. I can tend to be lazy at follow-through with things that I say are important to me. His character in this area is an example and inspiration to me on a daily basis...not to mention that he "carries the team" in just about every other area of life these days...and I'm one very grateful woman.  :)