Winter Blues?

February has come and went in the blink of an eye! I can't even believe that March is just peeking around the corner. I am not going to lie, I am welcoming Spring and Summer like it's nobodies business!! This girl is ready for some SUNSHINE! My pasty, reflective skin is ready to be sun-kissed. I am anxious to look down and see tanned feet, rather than slipping my frigid feet into 2 pairs of socks. I am ready to wake to the sweet sound of birds chirping outside of our window instead of finally willing myself to roll out of bed after hitting the snooze at least 2 times. ...My "overambitious" plans at night seem way less appealing when the alarm sounds while it is still dark! At this point in the year I, along with probably 99.9% of the readers out there, are longing for a vacation to a far away destination! A place to sink her feet into warm sand, dip her toe into the warm pool ...a girl can dream, can't she? ((We all know that vacations with kids aren't quite what the were pre-kids... but vacations are fabulous nonetheless!))

However, despite a little bit of the winter blues, we have been keeping busy over here! Whether it has been with tutoring, laundry, dishes, sweeping, wiping snotty noses, picking up clutter around the house... or the more appealing things like cuddling with my girly, flipping through picture books, making bows, working out with my hubby, catching up on blogs, or sewing... I have felt busy!! Although, there never seems to be enough time for everything I want/need to squeeze in! Now that I am on a short break from tutoring before the next sessions start up again, I have had some more time to work on crafts! This has been one the things I have really enjoy spending more time on since I no longer teach. I have time to work on little projects now! Bless Justin's heart, he has been so sweet. I get so excited about such small little projects and he rejoices with me :)

Here is a picture update from the last few weeks.

Our dog, Macy, is on the mend after playing at the park with Justin last weekend. When playing fetch, the over-sized stick (a.k.a. a log) stuck into the snow with one end sticking up, Macy ran straight into it and messed up her chest. There is a baseball-sized hematoma on her chest. After a week, there hasn't been much healing. I am not complaining about a "calmer dog" :) But I am complaining about the money we had to put into the vet bills!!!!!!!!

Sienna has liked putting hats on her head (or tries..). She now knows where her head, mouth, and toes are :) Finding her ears really seems to stump her ;)

Justin will probably kill me for putting this on here... Isn't he such a good dad?? Teaching her to snuggle with the baby. And the hat??.. yeah don't ask. We are getting stir-crazy I tell you!

Okay, this girl looks like a true couch potato, but can I attest to the fact that she is anything but that! She posed for a whole 7 short seconds for this pic. How bad is it that I try to "tempt" her with cartoons! I find a really fun one with lots of songs and try to get her to watch it so that I can get some housework done... Yeah, probably not getting any awards on that one :)

She looks so grown up... well minus the fact there is still NO HAIR and NO TEETH! I guess she still looks like a baby when you consider those things! haha.

Living Bigger than Ourselves...

I have never questioned my calling of being a stay at home mom. During my pregnancy, I often verbally left the option of returning to teaching open, however I knew it my heart, the decision was already made from the start. Growing up, my mom was able to stay home with us and I grew up assuming that's what you do when you grow up! Even though I had such a passion for teaching, and working with kids, my passion for being with this little girl that grew inside of me was something so much greater... something that can't be explained. I was choosing between two things that I loved-- but felt like I, personally, couldn't do them both well at the same time.

So even though I have never questioned my calling... I have questioned how well I am living out my calling... Yesterday during our sermon on our True Valentine... (which will be for another post...) I was overwhelmed with EVERYTHING that My Savior does for us... for ME. I feel that when I was teaching, I was facing a challenge everyday that seemed bigger than me. I knew that I needed God's strength and love to be working through me to finish the day feeling like it was a success. Therefore, every morning I committed my day and focused my day knowing that I absolutely NEEDED him. Some mornings I cried, begging Him to meet me there, knowing that I would fall flat if he didn't. He never failed....

Now that I am home, I absolutely have days where I call out to Him for patience that I can only have through Him, when I feel like I am going to go crazy if Sienna whines, screams, or cries one more time, but I feel ashamed at how complacent I have become since I have not faced the daily struggles and battles of teaching that made me rely on my Great God to overcome each challenge. It is so true that you grow most in the valleys.

I have had overwhelming feelings of wanting to do something way bigger than myself. Impacting students' lives, spending time in an African orphanage.. the list goes on. I sometimes feel like I need to DO more as a stay at home mom to impact His Kingdom. Justin reminded me that during this season... my "doing" may play out by being a constant prayer warrior for family, friends, and for those things that are SO heavy on my heart. I know that my greatest job right now is to daily recognize my dependence on Christ, support, pray for, & love my husband, and teach my daughter the sweet saving grace of Jesus...while dwelling in His Amazing Grace.

This is a poem that we were given at MOTTTS... many of you have probably seen it. But it is awesome to read to refocus and reaffirm how great of a calling it is!

Continue On

A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life.

She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother.

She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband

and children would make a difference.

At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did

seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated.

" Is it worth it?" she often wondered.

"Is there something better that I could be doing with my time?"

It was during one of these moments of questioning that she heard

the still small voice of her Heavenly Father speak to her heart.

" You are a wife and mother because that is what I have called you to be.

Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye.

But I notice.

Most of what you give is done without remuneration.

But I am your reward.

Your husband cannot be the man I have called him to be withour your support.

Your influence upon him is greater than you think

and more powerful than you will ever know.

I bless him through your service and honor him through your love.

Your children are precious to me.

Even more precious than they are to you.

I have entrusted them to your care to raise for me.

What you invest in them is an offering to me.

You may never be in the public spotlight.

But your obedience shines as a bright light before me.

Continue on.

Remember you are My servant.

So do all to please me."

By Roy Lessin

What Would People REALLY Think...

So I had an interesting thought the other day as I was home with Sienna... If I had an unexpected visitor come to the door and they peeked in the window. What would they REALLY think of me...

What would they really think when they saw me jumping around like an animal in front of the high chair. Or when I suck down her sippy cup trying to convince her that it's "cool" and in fact very yummy. Or when I dance and belt out Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies" because I know this will revoke an immediate smile and dance from my favorite tiny person in the house as she sings the back up "uh uh uh uh ohhh". Or when I am wrestling (quite literally) with Sienna to keep her still enough to change her diaper.

What would someone really think of me when they heard me speaking jibberish in a high-pitched crazy voice to Sienna- because that is undoubtedly how we communicate the best. Or when the pot on the stove is boiling over and my daughter is gnawing on the dog's bone. Or when I am running around the house less than half dressed because Sienna thinks she needs fed RIGHT NOW, not after Mommy is clothed.

What would someone really think of me when they heard my off-pitch, completely fabricated verses to "Hush Little Baby". Or when they see the absolute disarray and disaster that my house has become. Or when they see the water in the sink is still running (3 minutes later), and smell of burnt-to-a-crisp-cookies permeates through the house walls.

Would they think..."Has she LOST it?" ... "Does she know what she's doing?"

The answer to those--- yes... and no (respectively). But I LOVE it!! How could you not??

"Hello to the World of Blogging!

I am saying "hello" to the world of blogging, after my sister talked me into starting one. I have contemplated the idea for some time now, but feared I would spend many of my minutes during the day sitting in front of this screen. With that being said-- I can make no promises about how "faithful of a blogger" I will be because I don't want to have any unfulfilled promises. My posts may be sporadic, boring, random, and few and far between. We will see :)

My guess is that I will use this as a way to have discussions with anyone older than the age of 1. And glean wisdom and insight from my other blogging friends :) However, quite frankly this might just be a great way to keep everyone up-to-date with whats going on with Mr. and Mrs. Smith and this amazing little one who is filling our lives with so much excitement!

Sienna Jade just turned one, and it was almost as soon as the streamers came down, presents were opened, and cake was eaten that she has blown me away with the new things she is learning and how quickly she is picking up on things... Even though she says few words, I feel like we can communicate so much more and she is showing her little sense of humor.


Here are some of the things about Sienna-
*She consistently says words like Mama, Dada, Uh Oh, Wow, Dog, book, ...
*She has started mimicking everything we say... Justin swears she said "caterpillar" and "ladybug" the other day when he was reading to her...
*Future soccer player is in the making. She walks around the living room, kicking her soccer ball.
*She's been a great sleeper (PRAISE THE LORD!)
*She loves food.
*She is developing something that appears to be an outrageous temper.. I am already praying for strength. This girl and I are going to rumble... no doubt.
*Her kisses are the best.
*Justin's piggy back rides make her giggle and kick her feet.
* She is walking EVERYWHERE!
*She loves praying with Mommy or Daddy before eating meals. She holds out her hands to hold ours and watches intently as we close our eyes and gets excited when we say "AMEN!" ... she knows that food is just shortly reaching her mouth!
*She adores our dog, Macy.



Alright- I am sure you will hear plenty about her. She is my absolute joy and my life. Please humor me as I go on and on about how great my daughter is ;)

Until next time...