California Trip: Post 1

Hey hey hey! Coming to you from Anaheim, California. No baby, no worries, and no cooking!


And yet...

I MISS HER LIKE CRAZY!!

We've been in touch with Paul's parents every day and it seems like Agnes (16 months) is doing really well. They are taking care of her until this coming Saturday when we get back. We left this past Friday so it's a long trip! She might be getting too comfortable with them because it seems like she is starting to misbehave a little. She has picked up screeching and screaming as a sport. A sport that gives her vocal cords exercise every hour (oy vey)... soooo please pray for sanity for her grandparents. It's not always a fun gig.

Paul and I are enjoying our pool time at the hotel as well as lovely dinners and nights in watching the West Wing (a show we are very addicted to and one that will be watched every night for the next few months considering there are like 900 seasons :P ) Above is a picture of me waiting outside our room. I'm very happy just having to sit, read, and relax while our room gets cleaned... I don't wanna leave!!

We are here in CA because Paul recently received his CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter) certification and the company sent him and a guest on an all-expense paid 5 day vacay to the graduation ceremony (where Magic Johnson was the key note speaker) and other talks that are happening here at the hotel. Above is a picture of Paul right after the graduation, looking snazzy. It's been great! We are hoping to get out and sight see a bit, but so far have been too lazy to move except for meals... sooo here are pics of us about to go eat :D

 This is from our first night here. We were pretty excited to go out on a date... foh free!

This is from the dinner that was sponsored by Paul's company. There are about 1900 graduates here and numerous companies are represented. There were about 350 graduates from Paul's company so we have met a lot of people (and even with a company this big, Paul still has mutual acquaintances... crazy!).

This is me, relaxing... like I'm used to this life :D 

And this is Paul still looking all professional.

This is our set up after dinner: pj's, laptop, bed, and the West Wing!

Next post will be more interesting... promise... :D

Evening of... Volume 2

Reading...

I am in the process of picking out another book... okay, I'm currently re-watching episodes of Doctor Who but I will get around to picking out another book on my kindle soon, how's that? :D

Wearing...

Gray dress shorts and dress shirt. We went to adoration tonight and since it's still pretty hot and humid out there, I opted for the dress shorts (seriously, these are dressy), shirt, and sweater (just in case they blasted the air).

Eating/Drinking...


I just finished a nice cold glass of milk. I may even get a second glass, we'll see!

Listening...


To the sounds of babbling from a baby monitor. It's almost 9:30pm and Agnes has yet to fall asleep. I love her giggles, though. Oh, and I'm listening to Doctor Who, of course :D

Agnes...

She just quieted down... maybe this is it!


Wondering...

About big things that may or may not happen... this family is very curious as to what God has in store :)


Praying...

For married couples everywhere... sometimes it's a hard road. 

Thankful...

For the educating programs Agnes watches when she is in the mood for down time (mostly before her nap or right when she gets up in the morning). It's nice to be able to take a shower and get ready in the morning when she is engrossed in Signing Time or VeggieTales! Also, I'm thankful for her baby doll that Grandma got her. She won't go anywhere without her.

 

I'm also thankful for the local library where we are able to get new programs and books to read weekly. They even have a play area so that I can spend more time looking for books and sit and watch Agnes get some energy out.

 

Feeling...

Rested. I got in a nap today while Agnes took hers. It was a lovely sleep. Having energy to play all day with Agnes is not something I take for granted :)

Working...


On meal planning. Tomorrow is a day to make and freeze some meals! I'm also working on different lunches to make for Agnes. She will sometimes not eat lunch altogether, but I want fast easy meals so I'm not spending a lot of time preparing something she won't even eat.

ham and grapes... I think she ate like 2 pieces :P

In the Kitchen...


We had pasta with ground turkey for dinner tonight (kind of like a hamburger helper type dinner without the box and dressing). It was yummy and now I'm really starting to get used to ground turkey instead of ground beef.

Outside... 


Today might have been our last day at the fountain park (sad sad). It's starting to get cooler out and Fall is coming quickly!

Family...


Paul is studying like crazy. His next test is next Tuesday so he's at the dinner table at least 2 hours a night with his books and laptop open.

Excited...


and nervous for our upcoming trip to California. I am going to miss my Aggie Jo dearly!

Saturday night/Sunday morning Prayer Request

As I lay in bed, reading/listening to music on my kindle, I open up the internet to Facebook (a habit before bedtime... which I'm now thinking twice about).

Tonight I had the misfortune (or fortune...) of coming across something one of my friends linked to.

I broke down right away. I went into the dining room with tears streaming down my face and showed Paul the picture. He had been deep in his books studying but he got up right away and put his arms around me, letting me cry into his t-shirt.

As I write this, my glasses are catching my tears.

This picture. This girl. Why am I so struck by this image? I'm still weeping. 

I have a loving mother whom I depended on for comfort and who gave it to me when I was this little girl's age. 

Maybe it's because I am a mother now. After a few minutes of crying, my husband and I went in to check on our little girl in the next room (we do this every night together). She was sleeping soundly on her side holding, in one of her arms, her baby doll. As Agnes switched positions to her other side, she did not let go of her doll, but rather held on with her other arm.

The girl in the picture above; do you know who I see? My Agnes. She's a little younger than this girl, but, honestly, this girl could be purple and I'd still think of Agnes. 

And that's what I realized. I might have said this before, but I guess it never really struck home in this way. Everything changes once you have a child of your own. Before, I probably would have shed a tear or two and kept scrolling down looking for funny posts; anything to get that picture out of my head. Now, every child I see, (either happy, sad, lonely, grumpy, etc.), I think of my own child. This girl yearns for her mother; a mother she has never even seen. It breaks my heart even thinking about not being able to comfort this little girl... let alone my own child.

This picture has done what the photographer had intended for it to do... and more. First, gratitude could never be lost when you look at this girl and her creation. Second, how many times do we pray for an end to abortion, but forget about the babies that have been born (because their mothers chose not to abort) and need love and care? Third, what's the first step to becoming adoptive parents? Don't act like you didn't think about it as soon as you saw this picture... I can see myself wondering this even if I were 15 years old! 

Now, at 12:19am, my tears have finally dried, but my heart still aches for this beautiful daughter of God. I can't not thank Him for the amazing gift of motherhood; but I have to start praying for the intercession of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton for this little girl and for all children who've lost their parents, and for the intercession of Saint Monica for all mothers, that they never lose their patience, love, and care for their children.

Nap Time Andecdote

Agnes (16 months) had heavy eyes today at the table while having her lunch. She was about done with her meal so I said:

"Agnes, is it nap time now? Should we get a diaper change and go sleepies?"

Agnes nodded her head and signed "All done" with her hands.

So I removed her from her seat and she immediately walked over to the living room floor and lied down for her diaper change (ok, that's a little strange considering I always have to chase her, carry her, and lay her down myself to change her).

But that wasn't the weird part.

Afterward, she went and disposed of the diaper in the trash (she's becoming a big help with those dirty diapers!). She then picked up her baby doll, walked into her bedroom, turned around, and signaled to me with her pointer finger... I kid you not, she did the "Come hither" finger. I wish I had it on tape because ohmygosh it was adorable!

Anyways there's an anecdote for the day.

These pictures were taken at my Paul's parent's house where we stayed the past couple of days. Agnes is now very attached to her baby doll. She takes her everywhere. Wherever there is Agnes, baby isn't far away. In the top picture, she is feeding baby who is sitting in her high chair. The second picture is Agnes riding on the wooden horsey. She is able to rock it all by herself!