Much anticipated

Remember THIS? And THIS? Oh, to look back and think about just how much we anticipated our little one. To have her in my arms on her birth day and wonder how something so wonderful lived inside of me for 9 months. To introduce her to friends and family and be graced with new clothes for a 6 month old baby. To say thank you while thinking about how long it will be before she will be big enough to wear 6 month clothes; unable to process in my mind  what a 6 month old Hazel would look like. To remember that last week of pregnancy and pray for it all to be over so that I could finally hold my little. To wonder who it was inside of me. Six months later, to be in a sense of awe and wonder that the person I anticipated and prayed for, far exceeds my expectations.

Hazel Joy is six months old today. Somehow time flew right by us, and suddenly she does fit in those 6 month clothes. She sits at the table with us and we share avocado and bananas. She's not that newborn I would like to cling to. She's growing and thriving. Hazel's smile and laughter ensures me that she loves life. She's so much more than that happy girl I had in my mind that I prayed for. She's better.

She talks to me in her baby babble, reaching for my face to turn my head so she knows I'm listening. It must be something very important. Every day she surprises us, makes us laugh and brings so much joy to this house.

We lead busy busy lives and I'm so thankful for gift that we get to have her here with us. She's the best roommate we could have asked for.

Here's to the next six months!!

One hour old.

Weekend

We had a really fun and unique weekend! My brother was ordained and installed as our Associate Pastor and I was proud to provide his introduction during the ceremony.

He gives the best Benediction. It gets me every time.















After we celebrated Brad and his accomplishments, we continued the party as our family has a long-standing tradition to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

My cousin and I grew up together and really enjoyed sharing our first pregnancies at the same time. Now we enjoy watching our girls play and laughing at completely unplanned matching outfits.

She lives two hours north, so when this happened it made it all the more special. Even distance can't break the connection.

These are the babies of 2011. Hazel Joy (Sept 24) Lucas (Dec 7) and Abigail (Dec 9). Obviously Hazel was NOT in a smiley mood that day! But she loves her cousins!

 

Ian worked a long day as the restaurant had a HUGE local banquet. When it was bed time, since he wasn't home yet, I thought it would be fun to have a slumber party in my bed. Then I was reminded why sweet little Hazel Joy has her own bed in her own room. (This is just an audio. There is no picture to see because it was dark, and some of us thought it was bed time. Some didn't however.)

 

I sent her packing to her own bed and she continued to happily coo until almost 11.. She's a joy. She's also nuts. 

We all lead very busy lives. While this weekend was busier than most, it was a wonderful time with family. I am so thankful to have so much family so close and I'm thankful that we use holidays like St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to get together. Well, we are of Irish descent, but still, Hazel is part of 4 living generations of Brocks. She is benefiting from a legacy of making family time important. And that makes me happy. And Lucky. And blessed.

I learned something new today

So my Lenten commitment is going.....well? Mmm hmm, I'm asking the opinion of the unknowing inter-blogs because I can't be confident in my efforts.

It's been going that well.

Today was the day that I had to make it look at least somewhat presentable. It still looks like people live here, well, because we do, but it doesn't look so much like pigs live here anymore.

Ian had to be at work at 5 p.m tonight and I enjoyed a nap for about an hour during Hazel's afternoon nap. I knew I was in for a long night, so I wanted to be sure that I was rested up. (Plus, I like a good nap here and there anyway.) Hazel woke up at about 4:30 and after I fed her, I put her back in her crib to play while I re-organized (see also: came out of denial and removed newborn clothing from her drawers) her clothes. She happily cooed and played while I worked away. She was so content and cooperative. I tried to take full advantage.

Then I kept working in different rooms, and I began to slowly, unknowingly, take for granted her willingness to play independently. I worked and talked to her while she began to whine a little more. Eventually it came to a full-on cry and I had to stop what I was doing to calm her down.

But I had so much to do....

As I began to read a book to her, I realized we are long past the days where pretty much just her physical needs are to be met. (of course, with the exception of physical touch and affection) Hazel was begging me to play with her. She had all the toys she could want, but she wanted human interaction. She wanted her mama's undivided attention.

I had a lot to get done. But as I read a 6 page story to her, suddenly I was asking myself, 'how is Hazel Joy going to know just how special she is if her own mama can't put the laundry down and play with her'?

Uhgg! Hurts so good. What a feeling of guilt.

What a great learning experience.

Thank you God for convicting me to clean house, and thank you for opening my eyes to see my girls heart. Thank you for loving us and offering grace when we fail to see the gifts before us.

Preparing The Way

Well hello there! Are you still with me? It's been a while, but guess what?

The Lenten season is upon us. Fat Tuesday is tomorrow, which really means nothing to me except that it happens to be the day before Ash Wednesday. (Which I realize is the whole premise behind Fat Tuesday, but that's neither here nor there.) I don't live in New Orleans, and I'm not Catholic, so it's just another skinny Tuesday to me. But after Tuesday comes Wednesday, when we observe the need to repent (am I getting this right?) while remembering Jesus' 40 days of fasting and temptation (of which he did not indulge) before his ministry began. It also begins the 46 days (or 40 days if you don't observe Sundays) (cheaters) of fasting before Easter Sunday.

The past couple years, I have not really observed Lent. I didn't give anything up. And I'm not giving anything up this year, either. Instead, I'm committing myself to practicing good housekeeping. You should see my house right now. No, actually you shouldn't. I'd be too embarrassed. Apparently not embarrassed enough to clean, but enough to think about should we ever need the EMT's or Fire Department to visit, I'd be mortified. You know, kind of like how some people consider wearing clean underwear just in case they are ever in a car accident. That's not me. I always have clean underwear.

Now that we have that covered;

This doesn't mean that for the next 46 days, I will keep a pristine house. (That would take a miracle, not Lent). It just means that I will be more mindful and more committed to keeping up a house and home for my family. Kind of like taking Proverbs 31 a little more seriously. Or a lot more seriously in my case. So any time the house needs a little sprucing, and I'm not feeling up to doing it, I will pray. I'll pray for strength, for patience, for energy and I'll thank God for providing a warm place to live and a family to share it with. Then maybe my attitude about housekeeping will change. If anyone can change my attitude, it's Jesus, so I've got high hopes for this one!

Are you thinking about observing Lent this year?

Doin' the laundry

Cake delicioso

I did a little experiment in the kitchen tonight. I don't like experimenting in the kitchen because if it is a failure, I fear I've wasted good food. However, with boxed cake mix, what could go wrong??

I started out with a pineapple supreme cake mix.

The recipe called for 3 eggs, oil and water. Here's where the experimentation came in. I substituted apple sauce for oil, something that has intrigued me for quite some time, but this baking purist has been reluctant. So, I thought, if I was trying something new and different, might as well go all the way. Then, since the picture on the box has a beautiful caramelized pineapple slice and a cherry on top, I figured, what's a pineapple upside down without the real pineapple?? So, I added pineapple chunks (it's all I had in the cupboard) and cherries to the bottom of the pan and then poured the cake mix on top. I didn't know how it would turn out, figuring if it didn't look good, it would still taste good. It's a cake for cryin' out loud!

The finished product:

I am not a photographer, so this is the best that I could do. The real important matter, is that the cake, even though I didn't completely follow the recipe, turned out really good. I don't know how many grams of fat we avoided by substituting the apple sauce. The cake was so moist and delicious anyway. You can also do this with a regular yellow cake mix. And I am having a lot of fun baking in a bundt. It's a new gadget that I got for my birthday.

And just for fun........here's a picture of Hazel being a little bit fancy.

Boy! It flew by! And Thankful that it happened.

My maternity leave is 13 days away from ending. It will have been four months since I was tied down to a schedule and four months of building the greatest bond of my life. Is that biblically sound when I have a husband? I don't know. I do know I will miss my girl when I'm not with her. But when I start to well-up with tears just thinking about it, I tell myself, "everything will be okay." Because has it ever not been? Everything will be okay, but pray for me anyway. K?