Friday Favorites

TGIF! Here are some round-ups of my favorites this week. 

One: This video has become my life. I ate at Chick-fil-a three times this week alone. I am proud to say I don't wear yoga pants to said Chick-fil-a outings....usually. But there may or may not be a conversation about how many times I have eaten there with the Husband coming soon......I'm feeling it....

Two: This article. So true.  Be smart about what you post about your kids online.  

Three: This blog post. Adoption has been on my heart and mind lately. This spoke to me. Maybe it will speak to you too. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us! 

Hope everyone has had a great weekend and finds some time to relax and stay out of this Texas heat this weekend! 

Until next time be blessed........

Up and Goin to Carolina in My Mind

Life lately has consisted mostly of time at home with Abigail, errands, groceries, laundry, and dishes, but mostly time at home. We were able to take a trip to North Carolina over July 4th for a lovely week with the Stier side of the family. It was Abigail's first time to North Carolina and the beach. Needless to say, there were lots of memories made. We took a boat ride and ate lunch on the river, watched fireworks, took several strolls along the beach, ate our weight in snow cones, played plenty of Rummikub, had dinner with some of Scott's lifelong friends and their wives, and just relaxed. Sadly, we stayed out of the water due to the recent shark attacks along the Carolina coast, but that did not deter us from having a great time. It was so nice being in Wilmington. I always return to Texas with Carolina on My Mind. For real. This time, it was hard to get back into the swing of reality. Big time. 

However, the day after we returned Abigail got sick and then Scott and I got sick. I knew it was bound to happen. She is hitting the stage where she puts everything in her mouth and then thinks it is cute to touch our face or put her little fingers in our mouths. While adorable, not so cute when the little virus made its round. To be honest, we are two weeks out and just now getting back to feeling our normal selves again. So, we have been spending a lot of time at home so as to not infest others with the disease. In fact, I think there was a period of five days where I did not leave the house. I keep having to remind myself this is just a season.  

In addition to seeing Scott's family in North Carolina, we also made a trip to one of our favorite places on earth, Chapel Hill, and met up with some beloved friends. I left feeling like I had tasted a little bit of what what Heaven will be like. Or at least what I hope Heaven will be like. Conversations around the living room, or coffee shop, or dinner at the "top of the hill." Laughter. Memories. Deep Conversations. Those are the days I live for. All so life giving. 

Hope everyone is having a great week! Until Next Time Be Blessed....

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! The weekend is upon us! This means many things, but mostly it means I will have a little bit of free time away from the babe to run some errands. I am in need of a new swimsuit for our upcoming trip. So we will see how that turns out. Now onto what I'm loving this week!

One: Crispy M&M's

I went to buy these and accidentally bought the pretzel ones. After contemplating returning them and telling the teller I bought the wrong kind, I broke down and ate the pretzel ones. While they weren't bad, they weren't anywhere near as tasty as the crispy. So, after I ate an entire bag of pretzel m&m's, I went back in search of the crispy and then ate the whole bag of those. I would like to say I had assistance in eating said bags of m&m's. However, I did not. I guess it's okay since I'm feeding two, right? So good. So addictive. In fact, I am going to the grocery store and you better believe a bag or two of these will be in my cart. Go getcha some.

Two: A Good Read

Lately I have had more (down) time on my hands. So, I usually have a babe in one hand and a good book in the other. There is a theme: slowing down and focusing on the things that matter. Both good reads for this "yes" girl. And I just so happen to be related to the author of one of these books...guess you could say I'm a pretty proud daughter.

Three: Pool Time

Today, Abigail and I went to the pool for the first time this summer. While it was short-lived, we had a blast. To survive the hot heat, but still have fun in the sun without getting my little babe burnt, we used this floaty. It is perfection, and I highly recommend it. And in case you are wondering, Abigail looked like a doll in it. I only regret I don't have a picture because because swoon. Next time.

Four: This Song

This song has really spoken to me lately, especially on those days where there are early mornings and lots of tears (perhaps on both our parts). It's a great reminder that this is a special (and important) season. I hope she sees Jesus all over it one day.

Five: Golf

We have started a little tradition of watching golf on the weekends. I have actually really started enjoying the game of golf, mostly because as we sat there every Sunday afternoon watching it, Scott took the time to teach me the game. So, now that I understand it, I really enjoy watching it. In fact, Scott recently asked if I would like a set of clubs. He then proceeded to ask if I would be offended if he bought them used. Normally, I would find it offensive to receive a used gift. However, he had a point. There is a (big) chance that I will play once and never again. So no use in spending a ton of money. But we will see. Recently we went to the Colonial, a golf tournament in our area. In the pouring down rain. With a (then) three month old. We got all kinds of looks. But we had fun.

That's all my favorites for this week! Hope everyone had a great week and has a great weekend!

On Becoming Mommy

It is the point of the day where the house is seemingly quiet. The baby is dreaming and the husband is working away, and all I hear is the hum of the dishwasher. And these days, when all you hear is the dishwasher, that dishwasher is humming a tune. And it is a beautiful thing. It signals the end of a long day and a few moments to myself. And sometimes it makes me want to do a happy dance. And tonight is one of those nights. Mostly because the sound of the dishwasher means the dishes are being washed and those still left on the counter have nowhere to go. So they sit. And I now have an excuse to write because I have to wait for the dishwasher to finish before I can finish my evening tasks. And then I do my happy dance.

I have hesitated writing about becoming a mommy for many reasons, most of which consist of trying to keep my baby alive, fed, happy, and healthy, while also maintaining the housework, errands, and chores. But there is a list of other reasons: fear of what others might think of what I have to say, coming across as yet another opinion on how to mother, and not really knowing what to say. After all, I just started this journey of motherhood four months ago. But tonight, while the dinner dishes are still on the counter and there is a load (or three) of clean clothes to fold, there was a tug on my heart pulling me out to my happy place on the porch to write. So here I am. And now that I have arrived, I am reminded of how much I love this place, the warm summer air on my face, with nothing but thoughts in my mind and the keystrokes at my finger. Pure bliss.

Oh how I have missed writing.... 

They say first-time mothers nest, prepare the nursery, get everything ready, take the birthing class, and by the time that first baby arrives, things are good to go. They say if you do these things, you will "be prepared." 

My water broke at exactly midnight two weeks before my due date. As I got out of bed and began putting last minute items in my hospital bag wondering if these pains were in fact contractions, Scott googled "how to know if your water broke." After about thirty minutes, I decided that these pains were probably contractions and we should probably make our way to the hospital. All the while Scott was still goggling "how to know if your water broke." All in all, I think we nailed the basics of that birthing class, but if I could do it all over again, I might save the $75 and let my husband do the googling because when in doubt you are in labor, the internet is bound to have the answer.

To top it all off, the crib was on backorder, the car seat was delivered earlier that day and thus was not installed (it was more like thrown in the back of the car with the tags still on it), and we had not finalized a name. So basically, we were fully prepared rock-star first time parents.

I would like to say that our lack of preparation was due to the fact that I was incredibly sick most of my pregnancy. While true, it is probably more due to the fact that my husband and I are not the most decisive people on the planet. And for some reason, becoming pregnant and having a baby has made me not so Type A. An attribute I am not complaining about. Maybe it's because babies don't have an agenda. And quite frankly they don't care about yours....so ready or not.....

People say becoming a mom is difficult. And yes, being a mom is not for the faint of heart. However, I have found myself really enjoying being a mom. To my surprise, the transition has gone pretty smooth and motherhood has quickly become one of my greatest joys. 

So, if you ask me if I love being a mom, the answer is yes. If you ask me what it's like, you will have to stay tuned. I plan on unpacking more thoughts on this journey called motherhood and life lately soon because it feels great to be writing again. But for now, the dishwasher has stopped singing and my evening tasks are beckoning me away.

Until next time be blessed..... 

Lessons in White Elephant Gift Wrapping......

I realize it has been almost two months since I have blogged, but the past two months have been CRAZY. More on that another day. I am just popping in to write about something that's been on my heart lately.

The other night Scott and I attended a Christmas party where we had to take a white elephant gift. I love these because it is fun to wrap the gift to the prettiest I can get it. I spent lots of time getting the perfect paper and wrapping it beautifully and topping it with a huge toule bow on top (and yes, there may have been glitter involved). You see, the goal is to make the gift as pretty as possible to cover up what's on the inside-usually some version of a tacky gift-and to woo others to pick the pretty gift, in hopes that they will unveil the gift in all its outer beauty to the monstrosity within.

How often do we judge something or someone based on what's the outside? Or make ourselves appear beautiful on the outside while doing very little to take care of what's on the inside? I am reading The Greatest Gift, a Christmas devotional by Ann Voskamp. A portion I read today spoke to me, and since her words are much more eloquent than mine, I will share portions of it below:

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

"It's strange how it affects us-from housekeeping to soul-keeping: if it's mostly the surfaces that absorb us, then we're mostly superficial. When my priorities aren't the things seen-when my priorities are rather all things unseen-it's only then that my life begins toy ave substance and weight."

"Your God never stops turning things inside out, seeking all things unseen, reversing the ways of the world. God never stops looking on the heart. God never stops looking for the world's second, the unseen unimportant, and calls them the important firsts. Which means He raises Abel instead of Cain, Jacbo instead of Esau, Isaac instead of Ishmael, Moses instead of Aaron, David instead of Eliab."

"Which means he raises the unseen and forgotten: Sarah instead of Hagar, Leah instead of Rachel, Tamar, Hannah, Ruth, Rahab."

"Which means that long after the unseen and forgotten son of Jesse was anointed king in Bethlehem, there was another unseen and unimportant One born in Bethlehem-One who was left out with the sheep because no one made room for Him either." 

"He who was the most beautiful One became the most ugly...that our ugly hearts might become beautiful in the eyes of God. Who knows of another love story like this?" 

So, there you have it. God loves you as you are-we are beautiful in His eyes and that's all that matters. To put it metaphorically, he takes the gifts that have the worst gift-wrapping job and opens it to something beautiful. And that's what makes this season the most wonderful time of the year. 

Until next time be blessed.....

Gender Reveal & A Baby Update

I promise this blog will not become a blog that blows up with all things pregnancy. Because let's be honest, most people don't really care that much about seeing sonograms, or hearing about what I am craving (or not craving) or reading about how much weight I have gained (or lost), or learning what fruit my baby resembles on a particular given week. And to be honest, I really don't want to divulge that information or weekly pictures of my pregnant self for all the world to see. So, I will try to spare my readers all the pregnancy details. However, we have received quite a few inquiries about whether Baby Stier is a boy or girl, so I thought I would do a quick post on the gender reveal and Baby Stier.

Basically, this sums it up best:

Yes, It's a girl. I don't know why I thought it might be anything but a girl, but there you have it. It, is a she! When we went to the doctor, we had the sonographer (who is the best sonographer on the planet by the way) write it on a card. Scott and I then went to lunch and opened the card together. This allowed us to have a little moment of finding out the gender just the two of us. He was shocked. However, I had a little feeling "it" may be a she! The funny thing is the first words out of Scott's mouth were, "Well, I guess we better start saving for the wedding now." You can say that again. He then proceeded to say, "I have a feeling this means that we are going to have a house full of girls." Me too......

The question then becomes, "So how did you reveal the gender?" We didn't want to have a big gender reveal party. It was stressing me out just thinking about it, and who needs stress? So we called Scott's family via Google Hangout and held up two outfits, one pink and one blue and dropped the blue one leaving only pink. It was very cute and fun. It was fun that despite the distance, we were able to all be face-to-face and share in the exciting news. Technology knows no state boundaries. It is a beautiful thing.

Next, we had plans to get together with my family and just decided to tell them when we saw them next, which just so happened to be almost two weeks away! At first, it was difficult to wait that long, but the longer we waited, the more fun it was. Everyone was guessing. And the anticipation was building. My sister, Jenifer, even said I slipped and called "it" a "he" when we were chatting on the phone. She told her husband but "promised they wouldn't tell a soul," except that she proceeded to tell the whole family. So, everyone thought we were having a boy except Dad and Patrick. Which made the reveal that much better. It was a blast.

As Scott and I were talking about how we wanted to tell my family, I thought some balloons coming out of a box or pink cupcakes would do the trick. However, according to Scott, "that would be boring and anti-climatic." Thus, the brainstorming session began.

After many interesting ideas, most of which I will spare you the details, Scott lands on the idea of a live dot race. You know, the kind that they play at the seventh inning stretch? All I could think of was pregnant lady running around the yard, the same pregnant lady who has barely been able to get out of bed some days. Great idea. As I sat there, getting ready to veto another idea, Scott starts talking about it with such enthusiasm. It's like he read my mind because he liked this idea so much he said, "Don't veto it yet." So we drove and talked and somehow, someway, he convinced me it was a good idea. So there you have it: in my parent's back yard, we ran around, he dressed in blue and me in pink, doing a live dot race. And he was right, it was a good idea. It was hilarious, creative, and kept everyone guessing right down to the minute I passed the fallen blue horse and ran across the finish line! It was pretty epic if I do say so myself. And the family that was convinced it was a boy because I "slipped and called 'it' a 'he'" was in shock. Pretty great.

Moral of the story: There is never a dull moment being married to a man with a carefree spirit who lives with child-like wonder. He is always busy, never quiet, and always making me laugh. And so sometimes, you just have to roll with it because I am learning life is more fun that way. Not only are there lots of laughs, but great memories are made. Plus, when your husband is convinced something is a good idea, sometimes rolling with it is a good idea, especially when you realize he is about to be outnumbered and may or may not be vetoed a lot more in the days to come.....

So, yes, if my husband wants a dot race, I will run my pregnant self amuck around the yard and let my child-like spirit run free. And make a memory that we have for many years to come. And yes, in case you were wondering, it was way better than balloons coming out of a box or eating pink cupcakes. This little Stier family takes entertainment value very seriously.....

The natural next question we get is: "Is that what you thought it was going to be?" Or, "Is that what you wanted?" To be honest, we both had "thoughts" on whether we would have a boy or girl. However, this pregnancy has not been the easiest thing I have ever done. I guess I had visions of sugar plums and fairies where I would be glowing during my pregnancy and be able to eat whatever I wanted with no excuses. However, I have experienced quite the opposite. I have had a bit more complicated pregnancy than expected on top of being super sick most of the time. Needless to say, I have not yet seen the "glowing" and definitely not been able to eat whatever I want, or even much at all. With all that being said, we are just praising God that we have a healthy baby. Boy or girl, we feel very blessed to be at the point we are at today....so yes...we are excited we are having a girl!

The final question we get is "Have you picked out a name?" Or, "Have you talked about names?" Or, "What is her name?" To answer these questions, yes, we have talked about names. No, we do not have a name yet. In all honesty, with me being so sick on top of trying to keep up with work and all the other activities going on in our lives, we really haven't talked too seriously about it. We have a very long list. So unless we are able to somehow reduce the size of that list, this Baby Girl may not get a name until three days after she is born. Moral of the story: naming a baby is hard. I mean it is something she will live with for the rest of her life, so it is something "we" are taking very seriously...or in other words....it may take us a while to agree or decide on a name. And truth be told, once we do have a name, we will probably wait until her arrival to reveal the name. So stay tuned....

So there you have it. The Stiers are having a baby girl. For all those readers out there, thank you for reading and for your interest in what is going on in our lives. We so appreciate your love and support and are excited about the next stage of becoming parents. We covet your continued prayers for a continued healthy baby.

Until next time, be blessed.....

We Need a Little Peace

Lately, my soul has been at unrest. Perhaps it is the heightened hormones from pregnancy. Perhaps it is all the emotions that come with the reality that we are becoming parents. There will be a little human being completely dependent upon us for everything. That.is.daunting. Perhaps it is that there is already the tendency to compare myself to other moms. Cloth diapers or not. Bottle feeding or not. Organic food or not. To work or not to work. The list goes on. I have a feeling this is only the beginning. Or perhaps it is the fact that there have been quite a few people who have lost loved ones around us. Yes, the reality of death looming has been at the forefront of my mind. So, my soul has been at unrest.

Perhaps one day, I will do a blog series about peace and things that cause unpeace in our lives. (I think I just made that word up, but we'll roll with it). However, for now, I will share a song that spoke to me this morning. 

Until Next time, be blessed......