What can happen in 1 year

My Birthday Girl

Hannah,
I can't believe it's been a year. I know you won't remember all that has happened, but you have brought so much joy to our home since your arrival. You are such a happy girl. Your smile brightens up your whole face....we love to make you smile. But Schaeffer is your favorite, he's pretty much the only one who can make you belly laugh.

Right now, you are sooo close to walking. You love to push and steer the walker, but are even happier when we walk you around the house. You are fairly content entertaining yourself. Actually, your face lights up when I put you in front of a mirror. I wish I knew what kind of conversation you were having with yourself. Maybe it's some sort of pep talk. But I sure wish I got as excited when I did the same thing. There's probably a lesson in that somewhere.

Your independence pokes through every now and then. Sippy cups are a new discovery and you REFUSE to let us help you learn how to use it. I mean, what kind of parents are we to not allow you to be the first child in history to find a way to drink your juice from the bottom of the cup? I mean, your dad and I just might have the next DaVinci or Einstein on our hands! Let her work, people!

There's so much to say and for which to be thankful. I'm not as eloquent (look it up, sweetie) as your daddy, but I've never loved as deeply and wholeheartedly until you entered our world. I hope I honor God in the way I care for you as you grow. I may fail you at times, but I want you to know that I am always for you and not against you. I will be here to listen, comfort, and share in all that you experience.

Happy Birthday, my baby. May God bless you with many more.
Mom

Remembering to be thankful

for a roof over our heads
for sitcoms....especially Seinfeld reruns
for nail clippers in various sizes: baby, finger, toes
for a gas grill
for warm, steamy showers
for scented lotion
for baby wipes
for the Diaper Genie
for our beautiful patio and the hands that built it
for the Sunday morning newspaper
for Swiffer dusters and the Swiffer vac
for a warm house....well, warm enough, anyways
for celebrating my girl's first birthday
for chocolate cake and frosting
for a reliable car
for Internet at home
for blue jeans and sweatshirts
for the smell of bacon and fall candles filling the house
for hot chocolate with marshmallows melted on top
for comfy pajama pants
for thought-provoking books
for a loving, supportive family
for the colorful view of fall from our street
for Vickie, who rarely complains and does little things around the house, like dishes, bathrooms, filling soap containers,
supplying me with chocolate
for Isaac, who teaches me how to laugh at myself
for Hannah....her beautiful, telling eyes, the way she wrinkles her nose when she laughs, her independent spirit
for God's grace in my flawed life

a typical day w/ my medal

show off

Is it bad to want to wear my marathon medal around so people know I finished even though I make fun of people who do this? I mean, I only wore it from the finish line to the hotel. I need to get more use of it, right? Well, you'll see. Pictures will come, I promise.

regretting my words...as usual

After realizing I need to get out of the house a little more, this week I went to Mom to Mom, a couple hours each week, where moms get some time to socialize...and other stuff, I'm not sure what yet. Each mom is assigned a "care circle." The leader of my group asked us to tell a little about ourselves. Now, you all know me, when I'm given unscripted time to say whatever, I tend to put my foot in my mouth. I confessed to a table of moms that lately I have been BORED. (silence) bored, yes, people, she's bored.....great way to make friends, huh?

the blahs

I wish I
were skinnier,
loved reading more than tv,
were a better wife & mom,
didn't care what everyone thinks of me,
loved to be in the background, not needing pats on the back,
could swallow my pride with ease,
could efficiently manage money.

I wish all my words were funny, thoughtful, wise, and constructive.

I wish I
were more thoughtful,
had more discipline,
were more productive,
had more confidence.

former students teach me

Okay, so here I am, reading Us Magazine (really stretching my mental capacities, you know), and I just got a call from a mom of one of my former 4th grade students. Her daughter has just made the decision to be baptized and publically show her committment to Christ. "This is so great," I thought, "that they wanted to tell me this personally."

Then mom goes on to say that Joel, the youth minister, asked her to decide who should baptize her, someone who taught her a lot about Christ. I know, you see where this is going....she asked me. ME! I have never felt so honored and unworthy at the same time.

I don't mean to say this like I'm the one who did the work or like I deserve pats on the back....it's not my credit to take. For a long time now, I have wondered why God has patience with me, let alone has allowed me to work with these wonderful, teachable kids.

I guess I'm blogging about this because I need to let people know I'm selfish, lazy, and not always teachable. I'm also blogging about this because I need reminded that God is working in the lives of people in ways I don't see. Sometimes I wonder how He is working in me....or if I am letting Him.

That's all. Thanks for listening.

Caught!

DSCN0020, originally uploaded by shmoopee.

Hannah has finally put something solid in her mouth!! Maybe she really will eat cake for her 1st birthday!

This is what al dente means, right?

DSCN0021, originally uploaded by shmoopee.

Here's another example of what it's like to eat at my house. This particular meal, I wanted to make lots of pasta, but not use the big pot. In the end, we had too much pasta...so the pasta stuck to the bottom was no big loss.

See, you really should come over and eat. I not only offer lots of food, but great entertainment!

random...but efficient!

I've got nothing too exciting to say, but I'm outside sitting on the edge of the porch, watching Jacob ride his bike on a beautiful, breezy day and it seemed like a nice opportunity to blog.

efficiency
Anyone who has lived with me knows this word is a big goal of mine. When it doesn't happen, I feel like I've wasted time, money, effort, etc. But on the other hand, it is convenient too. I mean, who really wants to do MORE work? Yes, my work to be more efficient has AT TIMES been more work in attempt to do less work, but I can't succeed all the time, right?

(While I"m writing this, Jacob found a nail....nailS actually....I should probably watch him a little more carefully.)

Speaking of efficiency, last week, I went to the grocery store DAILY. AND I brought a few coupons with me. But each time I loaded Hannah and Jacob in the grocery cart, I realized I forgot the coupons. Not only did I waste time, but money! Plus it was super double coupon week at Kroger!?! Obviously, I need to work on this particular area of efficiency.

(Update: Jacob has found 7 nails so far....and a jack...and a dead locust.)

I guess I better find something new for Jacob to do, but I'm pleased...not only did I finally blog, but I watched (really I was!) Jacob, AND got my yard picked up! 7 less nails......what a great kid!

Everything I've learned about life, I've learned from....karaoke

So far, this is what I've learned:
1. People are putting themselves out there....cheer them on
2. The shyest person in the room steals the show
3. Look for challenges: pick songs atypical of you and your preferences
4. It's not about how you sound, it's about how you mean it
5. Laugh at yourself
6. Dance, or if you're me, bounce
7. Sing your heart out...

masochistic?

I love running.
I definately don't look like a typical runner, but I finally feel confident enough to put myself in the runner category.
I'm not sure why I like it. Many days, I fight the urge to stay in bed or on the couch.....sometimes the urge wins. But once I'm out there...once I've warmed up and have a steady pace, there's nothing like it. I think the reasons why some people hate running are the exact reasons why I love it. I absolutely love how tired, sore, and worn out I feel after a run. I feel satisfied that, in that moment, I have won a small battle over self-doubt and my body's urge to hibernate.

....but I'm trying

Change in the Gaff household:

-I finally finished my summer job and can be home with Hannah full time!
-We have a new member of the family: my dear friend Vickie. While waiting for her house in T-ville to sell, she moved into our modest little house and has begun the process of settling into a new job and town.
-I'm determined to learn how to cook. But tonight wasn't a great start: LOTS of veges, undercooked (our grill ran out of gas) and crossaint rolls (from a tube). That's it. Yep.
-Hannah's bathtime moved from the sink to the tub today. Screamed bloody murder.
-Karaoke. Friday. First time. Can't wait.

house blues

On most days, we love our old house. Despite it's "a work in progress" appearance, it's been cozy and full of character. However, this weekend Isaac fixed our leaky bathroom sink, and now our tub is leaking. We discovered this when Isaac noticed that our kitchen light was dripping water! This cannot be a good thing, right?

Part of me wants the damage to be so bad that we are forced to gut the bathroom and kitchen, so I can speed up the day I get my new cabinets, flooring, etc. But the realistic part of me PRAYS that it's an easy fix because the bill would bring us to tears....we'd have to resort to child labor. Sorry, Hannah.

After the roofing project, and taking care of Hannah full time, this project could not come at a worse time.
I hope Isaac's return to work will actually be a rest from his summer "break." Oh well, what can you do?

back to work

After having a week off, I am now dreading the return to day camp. It's not like it's a hard job, but for some reason I get anxious. The same anxious I get every August when school is about to begin. I'm not ultra shy, but being around people and the pressure I put on myself to please others wears me out. Somedays I'd rather just be a homebody, hanging around my family and friends who know me best and still, for some reason, like me....most of the time.

summertime

, originally uploaded by shmoopee.

Finally, our first trip to the pool this season.

bathing beauty

bathing beauty, originally uploaded by shmoopee.

Oh, to look this cute in a two piece!

Rainy Tuesday morning

I love waking up to the rain. It makes me want to take my time getting up, read the paper, drink coffee....I'm not a coffee drinker, but if I ever started, it would be a day like today.

But Hannah doesn't seem to feel the same way. She's wide awake at 6am (did I train her to do this...if so, what was I thinking?!) and ready to eat. So now here I am watching the rain out of my dining room window. Maybe I'll go back to bed when I put Hannah back down for a nap.

Maybe not. It's not quite the same and I have a messy basement that's calling my name.

update

Yeah, well, I'm back. I'm not so good at keeping up with this, but I'll try harder, I promise (If anyone is out there).

Hannah: I absolutely love hanging out with her. She does something new everyday. Crawling (actually, scooting is probably a more correct term) and making new cute faces are her new thing. I don't keep up with the photos as well as I should. It's on my list of things to do.

Home: Messy! but what's new? I am so grateful for our neighborhood and a roof over our heads, literally. Isaac has been working on our roof for the last month. Lots of repairs and long days, but it's almost done. I'll post a picture soon.

Work: Working at Day Camp has been fun, and I've learned how tough it is to supervise college age kids (I'm old, I can't believe I just called them "kids.") but I hate being away from home. Isaac has been in charge at home....he's doing a great job with Hannah, but he's looking forward to letting me take over.

Marathon: I am officially in training! Vickie and I are running the Chicago marathon. 12 miles next week, Vickie!

Podcasting: Not me personally, but Isaac and I have met some great people through Blue Dog Banter. I make fun of people who meet friends on the "Internet," but now I've become one of them.

Travels: We are heading to Nebraska in a couple of weeks! I can't wait to be surrounded by bluffs, buffallo, and rolling hills. I never thought I would say those words, but there they are. I miss my family and can't wait for the Hokey Pokey and all the other self-humiliating games.

Family: Chris and Gretchen are now in China. It was hard to see them leave and even harder to see Isaac tearfully say goodbye. We already miss you!

Friends: Vickie's moving to town! Laurie's back in the states! When are we going to relive our college roommate days?

Well, that's about all excitement that's called my life. Stay tuned. More to come. I promise.