One of Those Days

Today was one of those days when...

• Scott was gone from 8:30am till 9:00pm, and I really could've used his help!
• I tried to do too many things and felt like I didn't get anything done.
• Kirsten was into everything and I couldn't look away for 2 seconds.
• Kirsten wasn't happy unless she was into everything.
• I had piles of dishes to do... got a few of them done, but still more to do.
  
• I had piles of laundry to fold & put away, and more piles to do, and did neither putting away nor washing/drying.
• You want to have lunch but it takes you 2.5 hours just to get to eat.
  
• I felt like crying and did.
• I was happy to see the sun but was stinkin' HOT and wished I had A/C.
• Just when I thought it wasn't going to get any worse, I walked into the kitchen to find dog puke on the floor and on the carpeted cat stand.
• Kirsten should've gone to sleep by 7:30 but at about 8:15 I gave up and just let her play on the floor.
  

Thankfully, Scott got home and rescued me. And my day got a lot better. Scott got Kirsten to sleep in about 5 minutes. I ate dinner. At 9pm. And now I'm going to have a big bowl of Moose Tracks ice cream and then go to bed.

A Good Deal

We have never bought a new vehicle... until now. When our friend Wendy mentioned the "Cash for Clunkers" program, it got us thinking. Then when I saw an ad for a vehicle that looked like what we were interested in, for a decent price, it got me thinking more. On Monday, we drove to Charlie's Motor Mall in Augusta to take a test drive. Knowing that we could turn in Scott's old Toyota Tacoma and get $4500 towards a brand new vehicle made us very interested. We couldn't do anything that day since the program was not finalized. Things finally were finalized yesterday, and Chrysler had also announced that they were matching up to $4500 for qualifying vehicles. Ours did not qualify for the full amount, but it did qualify for $3500. After all was said and done, that means we had $8000 off the price for 2009 Jeep Patriot! Now that's a good deal... one that we decided would be a good one to take advantage of, especially since Scott has had his truck for 7 years and we had been thinking that it would be time to upgrade soon. Scott went and picked it up today. He says I can look at it.... haha. I am hoping to drive it sometime soon!

Another bonus: lifetime warranty on the powertrain, plus 3 year warranty on other stuff. And, it gets much better gas mileage than his truck did.

So here's a low-quality pic, but I'll post some better ones soon.

Beautiful Jewelry

I am so excited about this contest! You can enter to win $500 of free jewelry from this beautiful etsy shop. I am in love with this bracelet:

Here's to hoping I win! (Or, if you win, you can share the love with me!)

Sample Scrapbook Page

Here's one of my pages from a book I am working on. You can see why I love this so much!

Into Everything... and More

I am inspired by all my friend's recent blogs, and I realize that I haven't blogged in quite a while. That is probably because I've been busy keeping up with Kirsten getting into everything, working part-time, doing business, and getting Scott ready to leave for 10 days. Speaking of which, he left last night for Belize, so keep him in your prayers!

Kirsten is now 8 and 1/2 months old, and she is constantly pulling herself up to a standing position. She likes to stand by the rocking chair and the couch the most. She also likes to do a little swaying dance, which often results in a tumble and then the crying ensues. Thankfully it's fairly easy to distract her, and I find that stepping outside works the best for this. Although with the weather lately, we haven't been doing that as much!

Along with standing up, she is also crawling all over the place and seems to want cords, outlets, and other dangerous items the most. It is wonderful that she is developing so well and gaining independence, but she defintiely requires constant supervision!

We are still struggling with bedtime, since due to this newfound skill of standing, she often wants to stand up in her crib when it's time to go to sleep. Sometimes when she wakes at night, and I go in to nurse her, she's actually standing there! It's crazy. So we are working on trying to get her settled down more before going to bed, and that is working some of the time. Other times it is requiring me to go into her room several times to lay her back down and pat her back and help her to calm down. I asked for advice on this topic on facebook, and boy did I get responses! There are definitely tons of opinions on this issue, and I am finding myself somewhere in between the two "exteremes". Generally I let her cry for a bit before I go in, but then I also try to settle her down when I am there. But the best option is to get her much more sleepy before laying her down, and then she just falls asleep without much fuss at all.

Well I am off to give her a little bath and get her ready for bed. I'd love her to go to sleep around 7 or 7:30pm, but it's usually closer to 8:30 by the time she goes to sleep. Perhaps we will get there earlier tonight!

New Obsession: Digital Scrapbooking

Ok gals (I am figuring it is mostly gals who read my blog) - I am now obsessed with digital scrapbooking. A while ago I purchased the Creative Memories StoryBook Creator Plus. I have heard from many others that this is a fast and easy way to create photo books, while still using a lot of the paper and stickers that are available from CM. As a former CM consultant, this appealed to me. Not to mention that with a new baby, there is not a lot of time for scrapbooking.

So the other night I finally decided to try it out. I downloaded one of the power pallete kits that you can buy to go with the program. I chose the Delight Baby Girl since of course I would be doing mostly baby photos. It took me a bit to get this program figured out, but I am finally getting it. And let me tell you, it is SO COOL! The program comes with a few kits already installed, and then you can add on as I did. The neat thing is, once you have a particular kit installed, you can use that paper over and over again. And you also have a variety of embellishments, different fonts, stickers, etc that you can use. So the possibilities for creating your pages are truly endless. And unlike traditional scrapbooking, where once you use one element or piece - it's gone - with this, you could create 20 of the same pages if you wanted to! Then when you complete the book, you are able to get several copies made if you choose.

I am excited about this as it will make for great gifts, as well as being a lot easier and faster to create than a traditional album. I still love my albums and will probably continue doing them to some extent, but I am definitely in love with this new digital thing as well! Here's one example of what the pages can look like - since I haven't figured out how to upload one of my pages here:
And here's the link about how to create this if you are so inclined!

Kirsten Growling

Not Too Much To Say...

I'm choosing to write a blog post right now instead of folding laundry or doing dishes - two things which desperately need to be done around here! I figure it's time for a little update of what is going on around here. I can't believe it's already June! It is truly crazy how quickly this year is passing by. I am seeking to enjoy each moment, though, and take advantage of the time I have rather than wasting it. Although occasionally, I do sit and watch mindless television.

Well anyway, as for an update, let's see. This past weekend we were at home on Friday night for the first time in a long time. Now that our Marriage Course is over, we have our Friday nights back. We definitely enjoyed all that we learned during the Marriage Course and would recommend it to others, but it is nice to be able to just chill out on Friday nights and have no where to go. On Saturday, I had to "work" by going to Kohl's for a kids' event where F.A.C.T. had a table. I got to do face painting and temporary tattoos for kids of all ages (including myself - haha). I have freaked a couple people out since then when they noticed the tattoo on my ankle - no, it's not real! After that we headed for Charleston for my step-brothers graduation from high school. We saw some people we hadn't seen in ages, so that was fun. Sunday was of course a church day, and Scott had a meeting for Belize afterwards, so my friend Jess and I went out for Chinese. That was lots of fun. Then amazingly when I got home, Kirsten fell asleep and I got a nice long nap in, which was definitely needed! We finished off the night with small group, and since it was super small that night, the guys installed Steve & Jessica's overhead light and then we played wii bowling.

Kirsten has been continuing to amaze us with all of her changes and development! She has learned to "growl", which is extremely hilarious. I will post a video for anyone who hasn't seen it on facebook. She also has a second tooth coming in now, so we've been dealing with lots of fussiness. She has had a hard time the past few days and has been crying more than usual, but thankfully it seems to be getting better. She's also continuing to work on crawling and is incredibly fast at getting around. She is not quite sitting up on her own yet, but she is getting pretty close. It is just incredible to see all of her changes. I truly enjoy her more and more every day. Although I have loved her ever since she was born, I feel like the past few months have been a lot more fun than the first few months. I now feel like I have a little bit more of a clue what to do, and she's also tons more interactive. Kirsten also doesn't need to be held 24/7 anymore, which is kind of nice on my back!

Well that's it for now, I guess. Nothing major to report. We have a busy month ahead and we are trying to find a way to celebrate our 7 year anniversary which is next Monday. We are hoping to do a day trip without Kirsten to just focus on us sometime before the end of the month!

I Want to Remember

Dear Kirsten,
I want to remember how you sound so cute when you try to "talk", saying "bababa" and "mamamama".
I want to remember how it feels to have you snuggled close to me while you nurse, eyes closed, in the middle of the night.
I want to remember how you look up at me, neck cranked back, with this goofy smile when I am trying to put you down for your nap or bedtime. I try not to laugh, but I can't help myself because you look so silly, even though I know you're tired.
I want to remember how you light up when you see the cat walk by, and you reach out to try and grab her fur. She's not a big fan of it, however.
I want to remember how you lean into Daddy when he has you in the sling, and how you will gradually fall asleep, looking so precious.
I want to remember how you are so very active, always wanting to move and explore, never sitting still for even a moment. Perhaps, like Mommy, you'll have to work at being still and not always doing something.
I want to remember your big blue eyes staring, focusing, studying new things that you encounter... and how shortly after studying them, you put them right in your mouth!
I want to remember how these first 7 months have flown by, and how I should truly savor and appreciate every moment I have with you.
I want to remember how you are already looking like a little girl instead of a baby, and that is just crazy!
I want to remember these moments, even though you won't, so that I can tell you about them later on.

Love,
Your Momma

Fun at the Fort & 6 Months Update

Today we had a great time at Fort Knox. I went for Foster Family at the Fort Day to represent my workplace. My boss is so cool that she said I could take my family with me! So, I got paid to hang out at a fun place with my daughter, husband, and nephew all day! All I had to do was set up a table for my workplace and talk to people if they wanted to know more about us. I also helped paint some kiddos faces, which was a lot of fun. Here are some of the pics from the day:


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Also, as of April 29th, my daughter was 6 months old!!! I can't even believe that she is this old! Here are some of her stats and what she is doing now:
17lbs, 27" long
She is not crawling, but she IS moving pushing up on her hands and knees (and sometimes tippy toes) and moving forward. She kind of pushes up, pushes forward, and plops down. But she is getting more and more coordinated every day, and moving faster every day. I put blankets down for her to play on, and she's off them in 30 seconds. Oh joy! She is also starting to LAUGH. I love it! I try to get her to laugh frequently, and she has finally started to. It's not a real strong laugh, but it's definitely there! She is so stinkin' cute! Kirsten is also taking solids very eagerly - so far she has had rice cereal, avocados, bananas, carrots, and today we tried a little bit of pears. She has liked everything so far, although carrots were not her fave. Kirsten also is showing more of her personality and her likes and dislikes. She LOVES being outside. She also loves bathtime. She enjoys putting things in her mouth, and she adores the cat and dogs. She does not like being confined, and she doesn't like it when she can't have what she wants. There is so much more, but I can honestly say that I am enjoying Kirsten more and more every day. There are moments when I just look down at her and feel totally overwhelmed that I get to be her mommy! When you look into her eyes, I think you can see why I feel that way!

Forward Movement

In the past week, Kirsten has been making tons of developmental changes. She turned 6 months on Wednesday, which I can hardly believe. But even more unbelievable is her progress towards crawling. She is pushing up on her hands and knees, then pushing her legs up so that she moves forward. She hasn't quite got the hands moving yet, but she'll flop them down and then start the process over. She can move across the length of her blanket on the floor, approximately 4 feet. Not only is she moving on the floor, she's also moving around a ton in her crib. When we lay her down to sleep, she is often turning herself over as well as moving sideways. The other day I laid her down on her belly facing one direction, and then she was crying a bit so I went to check on her, and she was on her back facing the complete opposite direction! I have yet to figure out how she did it.

She also laughed for the first time this week! I was sooooo excited! I was doing "This little piggy" with her, and she laughed when I tickled her belly. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get her to do it again. I'll keep trying, though! It was so cute to hear her laugh.

Well here's some proof of her "forward movement" she's been making. I've officially decided that it's time to babyproof the downstairs!!

Marriage Time and More

Scott and I are participating in our church's Marriage Alpha program. It started a couple weeks ago, and we go every Friday night for 8 weeks. It's a way to focus on your marriage and learn skills and tools to help improve and strengthen it. These are Biblically-based principles, but someone does not necessarily have to be a Christian to benefit from the program.

One of the first principles that they introduce is the concept of "marriage time." They recommend that you set aside approximately 2 hours each week to focus on your marriage - free of interruptions like kids, phones, dishes, etc. During the program, you have "homework" to complete during the marriage time. Last week, we had the blessing of having Steve & Jess babysit for us while we went out to Starbucks for a bit. This was a great time to connect and discuss some things that affect our marriage. Thankfully, Kirsten did pretty well while we were gone and was well-cared for by Steve and Jess, of course.

This week, we decided to try and do marriage time one evening without having someone babysit. And guess what, tonight is that evening! I was very excited when I got Kirsten to sleep around 7:00, because it meant we might actually have some time together. Well, shortly after I came downstairs triumphantly, I heard her crying again. I waited a bit and then went back up to try and soothe her back to sleep. Once again, I thought I had succeeded, only to look down and see her big eyes looking up at me as she pushed her entire torso off the mattress. Nope, not sleepy time. Argh! So, I came downstairs with her and Scott said she'd take her for me. So currently he's outside walking her around the yard attempting to get her to sleep. Meanwhile, I am chilling inside and attempting to relax a bit.
********************* Blogging Break *************************************************
Okay, I took a blogging break because Scott came inside with a sleeping baby! So we had time to talk and do our marriage time. Although we didn't do a full 2 hours - hopefully we can snag another hour somewhere in the next few days.

Other news: I have recently found out that I have an issue with my thyroid. Apparently I have hypothyroidism. I am not good at explaining this whole issue. What I do know is that some of the symptoms that I have been having are most likely related to the thyroid issue. So I will be taking some medication for this and hoping that perhaps it will make a difference. And I will also be making an effort to get more sleep and take better care of myself. I know that sleep-deprivation is par for the course when you have a little one, but I also know that my constant fatigue and exhaustion has been affecting all areas of my life, including my mood. So I am thankful to perhaps have some answers and hoping that these changes might make a difference. Not to mention that spring is definitely here, and getting outside will be good for me and Kirsten too! Watch for another post about Kirsten's latest developments!

Dog Meets Lobster

Okay, I know I also posted this on facebook and some of you have already seen this, but it's really funny. This is our dog Mia last summer when she met a lobster for the first time. I had to tie Moxie out because I knew he wouldn't be afraid - he would just grab the thing in his mouth. Mia, however, is much more cautious about these things.

Slowing Down

Well, as you can probably tell by my serious lack of posting for the last few weeks, things have been crazy. I can't even really tell you why, I just know that it has felt like I haven't stopped moving until tonight. And I am realizing my need to just slow down - in a variety of ways. This post really sums up how I feel a lot of the time.

I feel like I am never able to get caught up on everything, and therefore I am constantly trying to get things done while also caring for Kirsten. Instead of just savoring and enjoying the moments with her, I often attempt to "get something done." Whether it means trying to fold laundry (which never seems to end), do the dishes, work on business stuff, or check my email - I am always doing something.

Yet when I sit down and just focus on my girl - just watch her, talk to her, and listen to her - I have such a great time, and I feel more relaxed. It's hard for me to let go of needing to do something. Especially when I feel like I am probably letting someone else (or myself) down by not getting those things done. But it's so important to take this time to just savor, love, and snuggle. I know that I can't give Kirsten 100% of my attention 100% of the time. But I do want to take time every day to just focus on her, and enjoy that time so that I don't just let it pass by.

Here are some fave photos of recent times with Kirsten:

Free to be Happy!

As most of you know, my March has been insane. I was away the first weekend for the youth group snow camp. Then the following weekend was Kirsten's dedication. After that was a weekend away for scrapbooking. So last Thursday, I was really debating whether or not to attend our church's women's retreat. I really wanted to, but with all the time away, plus working, business, etc, I was feeling the need to stay at home and relax. But, in the back of my head, I heard a voice saying: "Go." I was pretty sure it was God telling me to go, so I decided to brave the 3-hour drive with a 5-month old AGAIN, and see what would come of it.

All I can say is WOW. God knew what he was doing when He told me to go - imagine that! Kirsten did have a hard time in the car, and there were moments that I was thinking: "Why am I doing this to her again?" But we made it there, and thankfully my lovely friend Shan was in the backseat trying to keep her calm. Once we arrived at Blueberry Mountain, we managed to get settled and Kirsten was super happy to be out of the car.

The theme of the weekend was "Free to be Happy", and it was based on a Beth Moore DVD where she talks about the blessing of Asher from Deuteronomy 33. The weekend was a perfect mix of down time and structured time, allowing us to have time to process what we were learning. Friday night we had some fun playing the game "Two Truths and a Lie", and I found out that I was not able to lie as well as I thought! Saturday brought personal devo time, times to watch the DVD and discuss, free time, and of course lots of meals.

I have never done much with Beth Moore before, but I have to say I was completely impressed as well as inspired to truly dig deeper into scripture. It was amazing how God spoke through her directly to me and to my situation. I learned that God truly wants us to be happy, and we can be when we recognize the amazing works that He has done in our lives. That's a very simplified explanation of what I learned - I just don't have the brainpower to go further into detail at the moment.

One of the most moving moments of the weekend for me was when we did the "20 Things I Love" activity in our small groups (we had been broken up into small groups for discussion and activities). We had to make a list of 20 things we love, then read them aloud twice to our group. We then had to turn our chair around while our group "talked behind our back" about us. This was meant to be good things, of course. I sat there with tears rolling down my cheeks as the women in my group said things like "adores family, Proverbs 31 woman, high expectations of self, a woman to look up to, and a fear of letting others down." I was overwhelmed by the love and support of these other women who had listened earlier in the day as I shared my struggles as a new mom and learning to balance it all. And now they offered words of encouragement and support, affirming me in every way. After they were done, I said, "I think I needed to put 'I love crying' on my list, since I seem to be doing that all the time!"

Sunday was our last day, and we had breakfast followed by personal quiet time, and then our final DVD. After the final DVD session with Beth, we had a time of sharing in the big group. It was amazing to hear how many women had contemplated not coming, but once they were there, God moved in them deeply. One woman even shared how Christ had met her there, and she had made a commitment to Him even though she had thought of herself as a "Christian" for years! We rejoiced with her and it was truly amazing to see the change in her face - she was truly HAPPY!

I am so thankful that God prompted me to go this weekend. God truly showed me that I am not alone, and that there are so many women with a wealth of wisdom and experience who are willing to help me in this journey. I am also thankful for dear Shannie who roomed with me and Kirsten so I wouldn't be alone, and gave me an afternoon free so that I could just do whatever I wanted. Although Kirsten screamed for part of it, thankfully she calmed down and I was able to enjoy some quiet time alone.

Well I am off to bed as Kirsten's been sleeping for 2 and 1/2 hours now and she'll probably want to get up early!

Scrappin', Tea, and Sleep

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to a scrapbooking retreat at the Bar Harbor Inn. Yes, this beautiful inn was the location for a weekend full of cropping, arranging, and attaching photos to pages. I went with my fabulous friend Amy, and she brought two friends from church. We all shared a room together, and thankfully the inn was gracious enough to move my room closer to the scrapping area since I had Kirsten with me! I was so grateful for that, and was able to use my monitors all weekend for whenver Kirsten was asleep in the room.

I tried to go into the weekend with minimal expectations, although looking at the amount of stuff I had with me, you'd think I was going to scrapbook my whole life! I worked whenver Kirsten was sleeping, as well as when she was content to be in her bouncy chair or laying on the floor with toys. So although I did not get as much done as I usually would have, I DID manage to complete 36 pages in her baby album, and got caught up to the beginning of March. Overall, a pretty good weekend!

As I continue on this journey of motherhood, God continues to teach me to be still, to be patient, to cherish the moments. And during the weekend, I was once again reminded of my need to do this. Saturday evening, I spent several hours getting Kirsten ready for bed (i.e. feeding her, giving her a bath, snuggling and bouncing, etc). By 9:30, she was still not asleep, I hadn't eaten dinner, and I was feeling frustrated and annoyed. I am thankful for such good friends (new & old) who offered love and support. Amy took Kirsten so I could eat, Sheila took her for a bit, and Amy's friends told me that I was an amazing mom and that I was doing great. After a few tears, realizing that I needed to let go of my goals and desires and just be, I was able to go back to the room, get Kirsten from Sheila, and finally get her to sleep.

Another recent happening was a Mother's Tea that took place today. I took Kirsten with me as I did not have anyone to watch her, but I hope that the next time I go, I'll be able to go just me! I have to say that this Mother's Tea was just amazing. Amy & Rachael put this together and they did a wonderful job. It took place at the Lighthouse Cafe, and they had it all decorated with candles, tea pots and tea cups, delightfully yummy food, and an atmosphere of fellowship. As one of the newest mothers there, I felt completely surrounded by people who were full of wisdom and experience that I do not yet have. It was fun to meet some new people and hear about their journeys in motherhood. And, once again, I was reminded that I am not alone, that other moms have felt the same things I feel, and how important it is to savor the moments and not wish them away.

And as Kirsten grows, she continues to be more and more funny, amazing, and beautiful. One thing that is also changing is her sleep habits. Last night she went to sleep around 8:30pm. She was up around 2am to eat, and then again at 5:45. But then she slept until 8:15am! She never sleeps that late anymore. It was so amazing, and it gave me time to get ready before needing to tend to her. And today, I've been trying something new: putting her down when she is sleepy but not totally asleep yet. And all three times that I did it, she went to sleep! I just turned on a sound machine, patted her back a bit, and walked away. Didn't hear a peep from her at all. Now, this could be a fluke, so I'm not going to expect the same tomorrow or the next day. Nonetheless, it is still exciting to see that she is feeling safe & secure and being able to fall asleep on her own a bit.

Fun Times with Kirsten

I have so much to update on, but since my eyes are heavy and I want to take a quick nap while Kirsten sleeps, I'm just going to post these two videos that are super adorable! Enjoy!

Giveaway - Very Cool Stuff

Well I just found out about this giveaway through my friend's blog. This gal, Shey, is giving away some fabulous stuff! I am totally in love with these scrabble pendants from HomeStudio. All I can say is WOW, I want some. That is just one of the great things you can win during this giveaway. Now yesterday was the final day, but I think you can still enter between now and Monday. There are also some other great things you can win. Another one of my favorites is the beanies from the Portland Beanie Co. If I had tons of disposable income, I'd be buying lots of these for Kirsten!

Times of Refreshing

Well it's been a bit since I've posted and I realize that I need to update folks on the weekend away at Snow Camp. I was feeling quite nervous about going, seeing how I would be taking my 4 month old daughter 3 hours away from home into a totally different setting, surrounded by teenagers all weekend! Thankfully God calmed my heart, especially after talking with a few friends, and I realized that I really needed to go. And I am very thankful that I did. Here's a rundown of the weekend and a little about what I learned.

Friday afternoon: We left the church around 3:30ish, and Kirsten had eaten and was quite happy. 3 girls piled into my car along with Kirsten and I, and I knew it would be a fun ride. Kirsten did well for a while, but around Skowhegan began to fuss and cry. I figured I'd stop at a gas station or something, but I passed the first one only to realize that there were NO MORE to come! Thankfully she calmed down and we got to another gas station in about 15 minutes. There I had fun trying to nurse her in the backseat of the car while everyone ran inside to get a snack. Back on the road again, and she fell asleep for a while. But about 1/2 hour before we arrived, she began to cry, and she continued to cry - no, SCREAM - for most of the rest of the ride. Once we got to Blueberry Mountain, I was so relieved, especially when I was able to just drive up the hill without having to wait for everyone to switch vehicles, etc. As soon as she was out of the car, the crying stopped and she was happy! Yay! Friday night consisted of FOOD - yum - and then an evening devotional, followed by night sledding. I got Kirsten to sleep around 9 and then I went to bed by 10 cause I was exhausted!

Saturday started with morning personal devotions, meal, morning group devotional, then outside for sledding. Kirsten did great all day on Saturday and took naps like a pro in her pack 'n play which was in our separate room. Scott even gave me a chance to go sledding while he watched Kirsten! That was super fun. The evening was not as smooth, but it wasn't horrible. Scott did a neat devotional in the evening and had everyone do a lectio divina. I ended up staying in my room after I got Kirsten to sleep to do this. The reading we did was Matt. 6:25-34. God really spoke to me during this time, and the theme that I was hearing was "DO NOT WORRY." It is so easy for me to worry about little things, as well as big things. And I think I have allowed worry to steal the joy and peace that God wants me to have. I am very thankful for that time of prayer and that I was able to sense God speaking directly to me through that scripture.

Sunday was our final day, and we had another morning devotional time. During this time Scott had each of us write a note of encouragement to each other, and although it took quite a while, I think it was a great idea. It gave everyone something to take home with them to remind them of the love and encouragement that we should each share with each other as Christians. After that we had lunch and then we headed out on the road. Kirsten did great on the way home and was very entertained by the 2 girls in the back with her.

Overall, the weekend was a blessing to me. I have a hard time just stopping and doing nothing, and being out in the sticks with no internet, no cell phone, etc, really forced me to do this. One scripture that caught my attention this weekend was Acts 2:19b: "so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." I thought that phrase "times of refreshing" was really powerful - that is what God wants for us in our relationship with Him! He wants us to be refreshed in His Spirit. I am thankful I was refreshed - I think God knew I would need it, especially given the kind of week I am now having. (More on that later!) Now I just pray that I can continue to seek Him and enjoy His presence every day and not just wait until another weekend away.

Kirsten Being Cute