Cincinnati

Last weekend we went to Cincinnati. We'll still be heading up there on Christmas day, but we'll be cutting our visit short to go to see John's family in Virginia for a few days. Since there were still so many people who hadn't met Lydia yet, and less time for them all to get to snuggle with her after Christmas, we headed up to Ohio. It was a great visit. It is always so wonderful to see people we love and to see how much they love Hannah- and now Lydia.

It was also wonderful because I got to take John to an NFL game while the girls visited with family. His Redskins played my Bengals. Here is the sign I took to the game:


Well, there wasn't a tie. The Bengals actually won! I was trying to give John the opportunity to see the Redskins win as an anniversary gift. Oh well. He was disappointed, but we had a good time anyway. After the game, we visited with more special people and then took Hannah to see Christmas lights with Nana & Papa. Then we headed back Monday, and the girls were great in the car! Hannah was very sad to leave everyone, but it was nice to be able to say we'll be heading back in 10 days!

Exactly one year ago, John & I were arriving in New York for a quick but wonderful trip to celebrate our 5th anniversary. He surprised me by planning the whole thing. He even made an itinerary including a carriage ride in central park and a broadway show. What a great husband I have! There is only one problem: this year we both miss the sights and sounds of Manhattan at Christmas more than we could have ever anticipated. Here are some of our favorite pictures from the trip:

Pajama Monday

We had a busy weekend, and I haven't been feeling 100%, so today we enjoyed a lazy PJ day. In fact, right now, both of my girls are napping and they are still in their pjs. Don't judge us- you know you're jealous! Lazy PJ day consisted mainly of the following components: PBS kids on television, washing/folding lots of loads of laundry, snacks, and (so I don't feel like a totally terrible mom) an art project. Here are the darling little Hand Santas made by Hannah. I especially like how she drew pupils in the eyes and made the mouth big "so he can say Ho Ho Ho."

Happy Anniversary!

Today is my anniversary! John & I got married 6 years ago today. On one hand it seems crazy that we've been married that long, but on the other hand it seems like even longer ago. So much has changed in our lives since December 7, 2002. John was still in seminary- his one exam was already finished because he had an understanding professor who thought of "no better reason" to miss exams than one's own wedding. I on the other hand was right in the middle of my exams & projects to get my masters/certificate at Samford. I actually had to take an exam the day we flew out! After our rehearsal dinner, my bridesmaids and I watched Father of the Bride together, and then my maid of honor & I went upstairs to tag-team-tackle a lesson plan unit that my dad then ran out & mailed before the wedding! Seriously. It was horrible. Most brides have sleepless nights due to nerves or excitement before the wedding. Mine was due to finals!

But we survived and had a beautiful wedding day. I actually think the stress of the semester was beneficial to me, because if I were able to devote myself totally to wedding preparations I might have been more of a bridezilla. As it was, I was probably more laid back than anyone might have expected, most of all me! So we forgot our toasting glasses, so what? We forgot to plug in the Christmas lights on the stage? Oh well. We're here, we're married & we're sharing it with all the people we love. Who could ask for more?

That was 6 years ago. We both graduated. We've been in at least three churches since then. I student taught, and then had my own classroom for two years. We made a home in Birmingham. We moved & made a home in Chattanooga. We had a precious little girl named Hannah. We had another precious little girl named Lydia. Time marches on.

I wish I could say I've approached the rest of our life & marriage the way I did our wedding day. The dog ate our entire screen door? Oh well. It's taking us three + years to get rid of the tacky wallpaper in our house? So what. Unfortunately, especially lately with all the pressure to have a picture perfect holiday season, I've been a lot more tense. But today, sitting and reflecting on that day not so long ago, I am thankful. We're here, we're married, and we're sharing our lives with the people we love. Who could ask for more?

To my husband- I love you even more today than I did then. Things might be less glamorous, but they are definitely not less interesting! Thank you for being a patient and loving husband, a devoted (and fun) dad, and a perfect partner for me. I look forward to many more years, many more changes, many more opportunities for me to see how blessed I am to have you. Happy Anniversary!!!

Sara

I know I already posted today, but I found this picture while feeding Lydia and just had to share it.

This is Sara. She is a star at a Sea-Worldish place in Istanbul. I googled her & found more info and pictures here. I think this is right up there with the elephant painting. Plus, I just watched the beginning of "50 first dates" the other day, and Sandler's character talks about how people don't know much about walruses and what they can do. I for one did not know they could play the saxophone. Thanks for educating us, Sara. Rock on with your big walrusy self.

SNOW!

Yesterday, as I sat nursing Lydia, Hannah called in from the living room, "Mom! I see snow!" I thought it was something on PBS kids- the Word World episode had been a Christmas one. But she quickly let me know it was real snow and told me to look out the window. Sure enough, I peeked through the blinds to see big beautiful flurries. I could tell it was terribly cold when I took the girls to the grocery store that morning, but I had no idea I'd be seeing snow!

I get really excited when I actually get to see snow these days. Growing up in Ohio, I don't think I ever experienced a December, let alone a winter, without a nice covering of snow. We didn't always have a white Christmas, but I can remember at least one time it snowed before Halloween! I've seen snow a few times since moving to the south, but I'm pretty sure they were small dustings in January or February. There is just something special about snow that comes when Christmas is in the air. Hannah felt it too. She was jumping around, scrambling to put on her shoes, plotting to catch a flake on her tongue, and asking "Is Santa coming?!" over & over. To her, it was Christmas.

So, I bundled the girls up and took them outside- it was Lydia's first snow, after all. But we just stayed long enough to greet the flurries, catch a few, and snap some pictures. Then we hurried inside to warm up again. That's another one of those magical moments of the holidays- coming back inside and stripping off wet clothes to thaw with hot chocolate. What a nice surprise! Of course, it didn't stick, and if I were in Ohio it would not be a very meaningful snow. No schools would close, no big deal. But I'm not in Ohio. And I miss the snow at Christmastime. So to me, it was a big deal! Snow!

Hannah was so excited when we stepped out onto the porch!

Lydia's first snow took her breath away (or maybe that was the wind!)

I'm a grown up!

I did it! I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for the very first time. I was fortunate to get to try this big undertaking with just my little family, so there wasn't a bunch of pressure from extended family depending on me to get everything just right. I made a real turkey and just about everything I used to have for Thanksgiving at home. I timed everything almost perfectly too- if we hadn't stopped to document the event with pictures and figure out how to seat our little ones at the dining room table, it would have all been hot from the kitchen.

I feel this officially qualifies me for "grown-up" status. I know that since I am someone's mom (actually two someones) I should already consider myself a grown-up. There are definitely times that I realize I am a full-fledged on-my-own adult: when I pay my mortgage, when my girls are sick and I have to figure out how to best take care of them, when John & I travel on our own, when people I've never heard of sing the national anthem at major sporting events... that kind of stuff. But cooking a whole Thanksgiving dinner is another level of grown-up that I honestly didn't know I had in me. I'm proud of myself.

Now, if I can just get these silly Christmas decorations set up...