Picture Postarama Idea

After I posted the million and one pictures from Troy's 1st birthday, Grafted Branch suggested that I host a theme encouraging people to post their favorite 1st birthday cake shot. To which, in all my first-time-mother-ish-ooglie-googlie-ness, I thought, "Yay! What a fun idea!" (Mature thoughts, I know. But you should just be glad there are ANY thoughts going through this not-all-there little brain right at the moment...)

But I'm wondering... I know you're all busy, and I know that for those who don't have first birthday cake pictures on digital--ahem--it might take a little extra effort to dig 'em out, scan 'em and then post 'em. (But, they're your babies... you know you want to show them off... wink, wink) Bearing that in mind, and the fact I'd give all of us at least a week before the actual postarama, I'd like to know if anyone beside GB and me would end up posting and signing my Mr. Linky. Any takers? If I get at least four or five yeses or maybes, I'll probably go ahead and put up a Favorite First Birthday Cake Picture post with a Mr. Linky in a week or so.

And remember, I'm thinking frosting, and crumbs, and chocolate in the hair, and hands covered in multi colored icing. Basically, you know, the messier the better. :grin: And--making this very clear--if you don't have children of your own, it would be great if you'd consider posting a picture of a niece, nephew, cousin, sibling, friend, etc., with their/their parents' permission, of course.

So... Good idea? Bad? Fun? Boring? Whatcha think?

The Birthday Boy, Part Three

Part Three: The CAKE!

Waiting expectantly...

Diggin' in!

Saying, "Mmmmm!"

But, he preferred playing with the cake rather than eating it, and soon, it was dumped on the floor. See that hand in the air, saying, "Woohoo! Look what I did, guys!" :grin:

Trying to show us his "One" finger, which we've been working on for the last two weeks. Now that's he's figured it out, he does everything with just his pointer finger.

And then came the sugar high....

The Birthday Boy, Part Two

Part Two: Those Brightly Wrapped Bags n' Stuff

"It's TIME?!"

"Read the card? Why? I just want to play with this nifty furry bag, Mommy."

Opening his "Help Me Dress" Elmo from Grandpa Dule, Grammie and Oncle. Troy loves Elmo. :)

Ripping paper is such fun!

Dancing along with his alphabet drum.

When Troy opened this green sippy cup from his Grandpa and Grandma B., he was so incredibly into it that he didn't want to open any more presents. :smile: He loved, loved, loved that cup. He started sucking on it before there was any water inside, and wouldn't let go. So we read a few nursery rhymes from his Mother Goose book his B. grandparents gave him.

Happily playing with his new Doodlebops and Elmo DVD's his Grandpa and Grammie gave him. Then trying to figure out the Little People garage from Mommy and Daddy.

The Birthday Boy, Part One

Okay, you asked for a LOT of pictures, so you're getting a LOT of pictures! :grin:

(And if you don't want to see all these, feel free to skip 'em. I have lots of family who asked for pictures, so some of these are for them, and hey, this is my first baby's first birthday, so a million and one pictures are to be expected, right?)

Part One: The Day

Troy's 1st Birthday

March 27, 2007

The Birthday Boy eating his pancakes for breakfast--the ones Daddy fixed because Mama ended up being too sick to do it. :smile:

Daddy brought Troy some balloons! What fun!

Waiting patiently to play with all those brightly wrapped bags 'n stuff.

Daddy making dinner, Mama trying to put the icing on the cake, but not liking her results, so Grammie offers to take over. Whew! :grin:

Eating Troy's favorite dinner-spaghetti! And as he says with every bite, "Mmmm!"

And since we could use a lighter note around here...

Thanks bunches for all your congrats and good wishes about our newest little blessing on the way. I think several of you were about as shocked as we were. :wink: I have an appointment for the 3rd of April, and then they'll schedule an ultrasound to determine my due date. I'm guessing the first week in November... but could be wrong!

And thank you, as well, for all your prayers for us for the last, oh, couple months. They mean the world. This last trip was a safe one, I haven't been nearly as sick this pregnancy as I was thus far with Troy--which was a HUGE blessing while we were gone, and we were able to spend some wonderful quality time with my family. Thanks for "being there." Friends and family are priceless.

And in other news... we have a new little niece who will be a week old tomorrow. Her name is Lindsey Danielle and she looks about as "our family-ish" as could ever be. I think the newborn pictures of the four cousins we have so far could be easily interchanged and most people would hardly tell the difference. John's cousin's wife (got that?) posted some pictures of the wee little lassie. (And while you're there, you might enjoy taking a look around. Visiting Katie's blog is so relaxing, so filled with beauty, so precious... I could just sit and peruse it when I'm in need of a little peace and tranquility. So stop by. :smile:)

And our other exciting news around here is that SOME little person is having a birthday tomorrow, and his mama is just not quite sure what to think of her little man turning one. I'll let you know once it happens. Complete with pictures of the chocolate cake covered face. :grin:

All I Need

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies,

and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,

that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble,

by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

1 Corinthians 1:3,4

It has always been such an odd feeling to me, when going through any life-altering moment, to look around at people I see--driving down the road, in the store, walking around the neighborhood--and to think that they are just going about their lives, and have absolutely no idea the significance of this particular moment in time.

I felt it first when my beloved grandma was sick and in the hospital for months and I'd pass people in the halls, wondering why they were at this hospital and if someone they loved as dearly was not likely to ever make it home. The day she died, I saw two nurses laughing together and thought them cruel. Didn't they understand that our hearts were breaking? I felt it again the late night we drove to my aunt and uncle's home after a pulmonary embolism took his life so very unexpectedly. I watched, from my back seat, as other drivers stared into the darkness and thought how very strange that those people didn't know the world seemed to have fallen apart that night.

I remember on my wedding day, driving from the church to the reception hall. As I sat nestled in my new husband's arm, I glanced out the window and thought it sad that everyone we were passing couldn't be as supremely happy as I was at that moment. Life felt absolutely perfect that Saturday afternoon, and yet people were just pulling into the grocery store parking lot to do their weekly shopping. On the evening we brought our firstborn baby boy home from the hospital and I was being wheeled down the hallways, peeking repeatedly at the sweet little thing being carried by my husband, I thought of the hospital staffer who was pushing my wheelchair. I realized that to him, we were just another new family, and he was just doing his job.The world was sparkling for us that night, and yet this young man would, in a few minutes, be going back up to the maternity ward and would soon forget the new little baby wrapped in a light green blanket.

Last night, as my mom drove through up a long windy grade somewhere in the middle of California and I gazed out the window, that old feeling crept over me once again. Cars passed us quickly, many with just a lone businessman filling them, often with a simple blank stare on his face. I wondered at the thoughts of these people. Were they commuting back to work after a weekend off? Were they on a business trip, or preparing for a spring vacation with family? Did any of these strangers we passed have heavy hearts, such as mine? Did they recently have to say goodbye to a dear family member... knowing that they would never again see him on this earth? Life held such a strange color yesterday, as we spent so many hours driving home.

This morning, I woke up to laundry needing to be done, very meager pickings when it comes to edible food in the house, phone calls for miscellaneous help, our water being turned off for all the morning hours without notice, a rude customer service rep, another message from the doctor's office (though I had already told them twice that I was out of town and would complete the blood work upon my return home :smile:), errands to run, a truck to unload, and myriad other little things begging for attention. What I would like to do is to have a quiet morning to ponder and let the reality of the last five days sink in a bit more before I face the world.

But that isn't real life for most people, and it certainly isn't the reality of my life today. The rest of the world, including all of my family who are feeling the same and more of what I am, are continuing on. The world is still rotating, and God is still on the Throne.

The Lord promises comfort when our hearts are hurting. He promises grace to see each day through. He promises peace and a deeper relationship with Him showing forth through hard times. He doesn't promise easy days without distractions to sit, think, and do little good for myself or anyone else. So today I'm going to persevere. Work hard--as my grandparents taught their children and their youngest son has taught me. Pray for my dad and my aunt, and the rest of the family still up there. Give glory to my Heavenly Father, because He has truly been so very good. His blessings have been innumerable over the last few days, even though they are difficult days. I can not be self-centered, but instead focus on the big picture here. Because Jesus is comfort... and He is all I need.

Here we go...

How does one even begin to sum up everything blog-worthy that happens in a month?? (Which is, of course, either a very short one, depending on your view of things...)

There is no possible way. So, I'll do my best to give you the highlights... the BIG stuff. And believe you me, there is plenty of it.

So, here we go.

Numero Uno: The House














We are absolutely L.O.V.I.N.G. this gorgeous new place we've been so very blessed to live in. Though for only five months. Ahem. We won't even GO there. We are all moved in (unless you count the garage full of stuff waiting to be sorted, and the half-a-garage of stuff already waiting for the garage sale. But I'm not counting it. So why would you?) and becoming quite, and I mean quite, spoiled. We wuvs it.

Numero Dos: The Truck













This isn't actually OUR truck, because it's dark outside and I couldn't get a good picture. But ours looks just like it. And even the background is appropriate. Fancy that!

We very unexpectedly have become the grateful owners of this wonderful new-to-us truck. We weren't really looking at the time, but God opened the doors, and.... voila! It's ours. And for all those interested ::glances in certain directions of So Cal:: it's a 2006 used Nissan Titan. And it's got all the fixin's. :grin: We wuvs it, too.

Numero... something: April's Visit (In other words, number three. But this is where my knowledge of Spanish numbers ends. At least, the spelling of Spanish numbers.)















It was quite a thrill to have a dear friend--online friend, mind you--come and stay with us for a few days while she was in the area for a wedding. We had a great time, filled with hours of talking (shock of all shocks!!), an impromptu meeting with my sissy, Bethany, a walk on a pier, dinner at the Longboarder Cafe (:grin: which is a story unto itself, but not one that bears repeating here. Ahem.), long walks, April drinking tea while I watched and felt guilty for being, you know, a girl, and not really caring for the stuff.... and, well, a whole lotta talking. I know, big surprise there.

Number Four: My Grandpa

















My grandpa has been battling cancer since last summer, and things are not looking very good right now. Please, please keep him in your prayers, as decisions are made and as we head up to Northern Cali tomorrow morning to visit. There is much up in the air, and a little more about the situation can be found on my mom's blog.

Number Five: The Newest News

Aaaaaaaaand.....







Does that one need any explanation?

:smile:

We've discovered that the bigger truck is a very good thing, being that we're going to have two carseats in the back seat by November.

After the initial, uh, shock wore off :grin:, we have started becoming accustomed to the idea and know that God has given us another wonderful blessing in this baby. His ways are always good, and His grace always sufficient (even when John leaves for Iraq 2-3 months after the baby is born, and I'm living in a new place with two babies). And... we're going to have another itty witty baby. Craziness!!

So that is life in a nutshell around here. We'll be heading out early tomorrow morning (my mom, Zach, Troy and I... my dad is already up there and John can't go this time), and will be back in a few days. Please pray for the trip, for my grandpa, for my aunt and my dad, for Troysie on the looong drive, and that I won't be too sick the next couple days. I'm hoping and praying that my sickie-ness isn't as bad this time around as it was last time. Please, please, please.....

I'm slowly getting caught up with all the happenings of Blogdom since I've been gone, and hope I haven't missed too many major life moments. Let me know if I have.

See y'all again in a few days. :smile:

And we HAVE connection!

Hiya Peoples. :)

More later... MUCH more later.

Whew. If you only knew how MUCH more later...

:GRIN:

Not quite back yet...

Yesterday, I used my cell phone to check the voicemail account for our land line phone... the one that is still not connected, and shouldn't even have voicemail, but does as a courtesy from Verizon due to the fact that we still don't have a phone line or internet.

I heard this message:

"This is an automated message from your Verizon service. We regret to tell you that there has been a delay in beginning your service. (really??!! I wouldn't have guessed!) Your new start date is: [pause as customized computer voice boots up] Friday, March 16, 2007. Your DSL internet will be connected soon after your phone line. If you have any questions, feel free to visit us at [specific Verizon webpage pertaining to service]. (Using, of course, the internet that we don't have.) Or you may call us at '1-800-123-4567'. (Using, of course, the phone line we don't have.) Thank you for choosing Verizon Services."

All this, of course, on the voice mail system we only have as a courtesy and an exception. :grin:

So, here I sit, at the library, surrounded by a zillion Marines surfing MySpace, and popping in to let you all know that I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I'm alive, moved in, unpacked, loving my new house (and my new truck!! But you haven't heard about that yet...), enjoying having my brother staying with us, missing John--who is gone for a quick trip to Northern Cali for work, and excited to have my dear friend April coming to stay for a few days this week.

Life is good... even without the internet. As much as I'm missin' my bloggie buddies, I know the Lord knows what I need when I need it.

I'm getting so much accomplished these days. It's just shockin'. :wink: I have time to actually just sit for hours and play with Troy... I've read a couple books (Did you know they still make things worth reading that have chapters and a binding and don't have a date and header at the top? I know!! I was SO surprised!)... I've walked the dog... played at the park... been able to put time and thought into a wonderful blessing of a class being taught by a godly lady from our church... relaxed in the evenings with my family... talked on the phone with my cousin... gone to lunch with my mom... attended our Women's Missionary Fellowship meeting... laughed my head off with my brother... spent an afternoon unpacking Troy's room with a good friend... ironed every little piece of fabric in my house.... it's just great. I'm realizing that there is a real life out there, and that I love it. Don't get me wrong--I miss all of you dreadfully and feel horribly, terribly out of the loop. And not having email access every five minutes is about driving me up a wall. I might even start biting my nails over it soon. But for now, I'm thankful for the time I've been given (sounds like I'm part of The Village. Don't worry--I'm not.)

And I'm anxious as ever to get back on that computer!

See ya in a week... or two.