Boy, Was I Wrong.

Happy 1/2 Birthday, Little Guy!!!

WOW. Lakers turned 6 months this past weekend. He was just born yesterday, wasn't he? Nothing beats this Motherhood gig. I believe I'll keep it. You can't place a value on it, a number, or express it verbally. You simply can't know, until you become a Mother, the joy it will bring to your life. It's UNREAL. And to think, I once said, "My life will not change much once I have a child." Who did I think I was?

I've logged more miles on his rocking chair than in my car over the past 6 months, but I don't mind. The girl who loved to whip down the highway, chugging' coffee, jamming or blabbing on the phone at 80 mph, is long gone. If he's in the car, it's the speed limit and no cell phones. We still jam out though. I haven't minded being out of the social, political, or entertainment arenas, either. My People magazine subscription will need to be cancelled since I no longer spend Friday nights catching up on Brangelina. (Did they have their twins yet, BTW?) I think that subscription fee would look great on my feet, since I haven't had time or cash for a pedicure lately and could use some cute shoes. Shopping. What's that? And, money. Who has any?

We now drift off to sleep with the sounds of The Cure, Bob Marley or Coldplay (check out Rockabyebabymusic.com) Lullabies twinkling across the hall. I was the woman who could have no sounds at nighttime. And lights. The hall light stays on, glaring brightly into my eyes, yet I manage to sleep. The "no lights" rule blew out the window the first night he came home.

I was also the woman who said, Lake will never sleep in our bed. Right. There is nothing better than bringing him into our room about 5 am, and spending the last few hours of sleep snuggled up next to his little booty. When he stretches, grins, and snuggles up to me, forget it. I'm game to let him stay there until he's six.

Miss Social has also learned to say "no" to things. Not all things, but we're learning to pick and choose. We're going out on Saturday, July 12th, so I'll need to arrange for a sitter. That's been a huge adjustment. I actually need to find sitters. (We could always just leave Jackie Cooper home, but child protection services would frown on that if we left Lake, don't you think?) We still plan way ahead, but we're staying home more than going out. It's a little love nest.

I'm not the only one who said funny things prior to parenthood. John said he was going to take the highchair down after every meal, so it wouldn't be in the way. Well, we broke it out this weekend, and it hasn't moved. It's got it's own little spot at the breakfast nook table. And, it doesn't take away from the "design" of the room, either. We are trying, however, not to lose ourselves completely in our new roles. You'll be proud to know we've already been on a plane, sans Lake, and will be going to Jamaica for Bodi's wedding in November. We aren't taking him. It's still important to savor us. We spent the last 6 years of our marriage building our bond, we do need to maintain that focus. And, we're still going to the Dave Shows this summer. Both nights. It may get fratty. Grandma & Papaw will have Lakers for the weekend. It'll be old school.

All in all, it's been a complete overhaul. I'll take it. It's truly rewarding to see his little mug every morning, smiling brightly, cooing for the world to hear. They grow and change so fast. I'm trying to memorize the moments as they happen.

I just wanted to let everyone know how wrong I was. All you mom's knew already, you just wanted me to find out for myself.

Stripped

John & I recently begun hosting a House Church (or small bible study/community group) for Common Ground Christian Church. Collectively, we decided before we actually started doing the bible study portion, we'd spend time each week with an individual in the group sharing their background. It's an open forum. Our goal was to get to know each other on a deeper level.

We've had about 26 people come in the past several weeks. (And about 6 children) Most people don't know one another. There are no preconceived notions. There are a few groups of friends spread throughout, but as we are forming from "scratch", most of the faces are new to each of us. We've grown both through the church and internally, and all share a common goal: We are actively seeking God.

Have you ever placed a group of people in a room, who barely knew each other, and asked who would like to speak about themselves next week? Their story can be anything it needs to be. It can be about their childhood, or their upbringing in church, or their lack of, or where they are today. It can be the relationship with their parents, or an opportunity to divulge their weaknesses, or their dreams. It's a tough assignment.

Basically, I look around a room full of people, at some who are confident, and at others who avoid my eyes, and I say to them "strip". Of course, I don't say that verbatim. But, it is indeed what we're asking. We're asking them to let down their guard, make themselves vulnerable, and open their lives to strangers. I'm asking them to shed any insecurities they may have, and step out in Faith, that those here won't cast stones.

I've been AMAZED at what I've heard. Some people have had a fairly "easy" life. They haven't had too many letdowns, or had a boat load of disappointments. They appear fairly intact. Others have cracks. It's an eye opener, even in a community this small, how people have been touched by life's different seasons. The issues run the gamut. I've sat here, with mouth open, literally gasping at some of the things I've heard. Some of our discussions are heavy. They are far from light & are a far cry from a fairytale.

Yet, here they sit. Week after week, stripping away the things that tie them down. It's not easy. Trusting others, and building solid relationships, is often hard to achieve. I can't help but think, however, that God is bringing each of us back for a reason. It's our trust in Him that is allowing everyone to open themselves up. He's pulling, slowly, at each of us to share at the right time. Whether their stories reflect a bright and shiny past, or one that was dull or broken, they all are equally beautiful in His eyes. As Christians we should be able to recognize that beauty as well, and accept all that we hear with open ears.

Mama's Cookin'

I've never enjoyed cooking. Ever. I despise it. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever even boiled an egg. My cooking prowess includes: tacos, cereal (as in Crispix), and egg casserole, but only at Christmas. You'd think John would've have starved already. However, he knew going into this marriage , that my domestic skills were far from refined.
And to think, I come from a cooking family. My Mom cooks. My Grandmother cooks. I physically crave my Granny's biscuits and sausage gravy, or her homemade ham & soup beans. I'll gladly make the 460 mile trip to Blackwater, VA. just to have a meal with my grandparents. I'd pack the car tomorrow.
Now, when I say they cook, they COOK. Every meal is practically made from scratch. Biscuits, stuffing, pie crusts, you name it. They believe in the old addage, the food needs to "stick to your ribs." We're talking mashed potatoes, ten pounds of chicken, brocoli salad, homemade desserts, veggie trays, homemade macaroni, and garden salads. And that's lunch. For four people. It's old school cooking, for sure.
Ever since we've had Lake, I've had this nagging feeling I need to learn to cook. Pre parenthood, John and became accustomed to take-out (we even have a binder full of take-out menus, categorized by the area of town, and whether or not they deliver). We'd grab sushi on the way home, or go out to dinner. We were spoiled, I know. We'd gotten used to being "dinks" (double-income, no kids). Lake changed that status real fast. We're now 1 & a 1/2 incomes, with a baby. Nothing keeps you out of restaurants faster than that.
So here I am, wondering what I should do. Before long, Lake will be no longer on milk, but eating food from the table. I can' t feed him Crispix every single day. I blame my Mother for this, actually. She spoke some magic words that sealed the deal a few weeks ago. I was complaining about not knowing what to have for dinner, and not wanting to cook anything, yatta, yatta, yatta. She said, "Don't you want Lake to grow up and want his Mama's cooking?"
That one sentence stuck in my head. Yes, I do want him to want his Mama's cooking. I want him to come home from school wondering what's for dinner. I want him to ask for seconds. I want him to bring his friends over for dinner. And, when he's in college, Mama's cooking will hopefully call him home, when he's completely burnt out on pizzas, hot dogs, and dorm food. I can't believe the power her one sentence held over me. It changed my entire outlook on cooking. Women have been feeding their families since the beginning of time. It only makes sense that I too, finally join the ranks.
The biggest benefit in learning to cook today, vs. when our parents did, is the Internet. No longer do you have to collect cookbooks, you can just join one of the thousand free cooking websites out there. The one I'm using is AllRecipes.com. I love it. It tells you all of the nutritional information, and even allows you to print your recipes out on index-sized cards. You can customize a shopping list, which tells you all the ingredients you need to purchase (with a little check box area to mark off) for each of your recipes. It's fabulous. Hold onto your hats, kids, I'm hitting the kitchen.
I chose 4 recipes to start with a few weeks ago. It's a HUGE difference trying to find food in the grocery store that isn't processed. I was in Meijer for 4 hours. Yes, 4 hours. I couldn't find anything. All these fresh ingredients, herbs, and items from the meat counter took me forever to find, as I usually only grace the frozen food aisle. (The meat counter always flips me out, and the seafood counter is worse!) I never know what to ask for. But, since I was in Meijer for four hours, the meat counter was closed before I even got to that. I know for next time, right? And the lobsters, seriously. It's so very sad. I really wish they wouldn't sit live lobsters out for the pickin'. You know they know they're on death row.
My first dish wasn't too bad. It was a smoked salmon pasta salad, with blue cheese dressing, tomatoes & cucumbers. (Note to self: cucumbers make me ill.) It wasn't a complete flop, which surprised me and John both. However, I did have to cook the pasta 2 times, because I followed the package directions, and it took way longer for the pasta to cook than the package said.
Over the last few weeks, I've been spending hours in the kitchen. Thankfully, I have my mama to help me, so I haven't burnt the house down yet. I've learned how to julienne a pepper, crush fresh garlic, and work a food processor. The best part, is I'm learning from one of the best cooks out there. My own Mama. Now, don't get me wrong, I have no intention of cookin it old-school, like she does most of the time. Our preferences lean more toward fish, and Mediterranean dishes. We like Italian and grilled items. We're trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle.I don't see me making a full-blown turkey with all the fixin's quite yet. I've realized, too, that it's okay not to cook the same types of food my mama and grandma both are famous for..the hearty, heavy, home cooked meal. I think the most important part is that it comes from me, the new Mama on the block, and it comes from the heart.

A Day in the Sun

Today is a sad day. We've just received news that Ryan Allen has passed away. John and I had the opportunity to meet Ryan through our friend, Justin. Justin and Ryan are the best of friends-our prayers are with Justin, the Allen family, Ryan's wife, Summer, who we hadn't had the chance to meet yet, and of course, all the extended family. Ryan, who was only 29, lost his fight to cancer early this morning.
I've met Ryan only twice, both times in a social setting. The last time we had the opportunity to hang out, was about 7 weeks ago. We had the most perfect day, in the sun, on the IU campus, at the Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds show. Barack gave away free tickets and we scored 4 of them. This day could not have been more beautiful--the sun was so bright, not a cloud in the sky, and here we were at IU--enjoying the music in the parking lot. We had a case of wine from Oliver Winery, because no one had thought to buy any beers, since we are so old!, (And, it was a Sunday, so all liquor stores were closed). We tailgated with all the college kids, snooty style. Who drinks red wine before a concert? Apparently, anyone over 30.
I didn't know at the time Ryan was as sick as he was. I knew he had cancer at one point, but didn't realize the extent of it. He was so gracious, so fun-loving. When we pulled up, he had a towel over his arm, and a bottle of wine laying over it, and said, "Mr. & Mrs. Albrecht, may I offer you a fine plastic glass of Merlot?" in his best snooty voice. And, that's how we spent our afternoon. Tailgating with plastic glasses of wine, jammin out to Dave. It was just so much fun..Free, real, funny. I loved every single minute of it. Those days are rare and treasured when they happen.
Justin approached me before the show and was like, do you know Ryan's story? And, he proceeded to tell me that Ryan had cancer, and it was terminal--he had maybe two to three months. Justin then told me how Ryan and Summer were his best friends on this earth. My heart broke for all 3 of them. The wind was practically knocked out of me. I just wanted to cry. I spent the entire length of the show just wondering --Why? Why would God do this? Why would he take such a free-spirited, young, vibrant man, who was just married in October--and allow him to be so ill? I never did get an answer, nor did I expect to right away.
The thing about Ryan, Justin informed me, is that he just had an unbelievable zest, and love for life. That he and Summer were fighters, who never gave up hope. Their story has allowed me to learn to pray on a much deeper level, for people who are really hit hard in life. Hanging out with Ryan that day taught me so many things. You would've never known that this young man knew his days were numbered. I think he is so very strong, and I commend him for living with so much vigor. We don't always know why things happen, nor do we have any control over God's plan for our lives. I hope he knows, that during his short time here, he touched people he barely even knew-on a deep, deep level.
I raise my plastic glass of Merlot to you, Ryan. I hope you will forever enjoy perfect, everlasting, days in the sun. Thank you for making a difference in so many lives.

Doggone Busy!

When I started this blog, I figured I'd post at least once a week for you all to know what was going on...It's more like once a quarter! Lake Austin is growing and changing so fast..we are truly blessed to have him in our lives. He skyrocketed in at lightning speed, completely flipping our world upside down, but we are finally beginning to adjust to our new schedule. There isn't one.


He started rice cereal this month, and a bit of veggies and fruit. It's amazing to see him try new things for the very first time. He's never tasted real food until we provided it for him. (If you consider baby food real food). It's awesome-and I love being a mother.
Speaking of mothers-I have a new found respect for all of you out there who manage to make it look easy. I was extra thankful for my mothers on Mother's day, as I am blessed with a Mom, a Stepmother, and a Mother-in-Law, who have all taught me in different ways over the years. Thank you! I couldn't have done anything without you!

John and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this weekend. Joy! We really are lucky to have the kind of marriage and love we have for one another. I thank God every day for bringing him to me. That was one of my wedding vows I had written to him, and I still feel the same way. We recently came across the lyrics to the song Joel wrote and performed for us on our wedding day, and I melted, the same way I did then. Oh, and for those of you who were there for our reception, I thought of all the crazy things that happened that night that made it so special! Polly's dance to "Every little thing she does is Magic" by the Police is forever stored in my memory bank! We had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Miami for Lindsy and Nick's wedding, which was gorgeous, and a great time for us to spend uninterrupted time together.

John is taking his final written exam for the Architecture Boards to become licensed, which are the toughest tests in the series. He'll only have 3 graphic tests left, which won't take nearly as long, since you can't study for them. He's passed every written test he's taken so far. I'm so proud of him. He works incredibly hard every day, in the office, at home, with Lake, on the yard, (his favorite place), so it is hard to find the time to study. Way to go, honey. You can do it!

I'm writing again, and I love it! The flexibility of my work schedule allows me time each day to think about story ideas, and jot down thoughts. It's a perfect reprieve for me. I haven't written this much since I journaled our entire Italy trip. Those were idyllic days. Which, reminds me, I need to finish our Italy book for John and get it published on Shutterfly. If you've never used Shutterfly, check it out. One more thing on our busy list!

As for our social lives, we've recently made the decision to add even more. I know, who knew we had the time? We are hosting growth group (house church) in our home on Thursday evenings at 7 pm. We are looking to grow spiritually with others, so it's a good move for us.

I know a lot of my girlfriends have suffered (suffered is a strong word) since I've had Lake. We never have time to get together the way we used to anymore. I am working toward changing that. You all are such a stronghold in my life, I realize the importance of our friendships and am attempting to plan a girly night very soon. I miss you all. If it takes me 3 days to call you back, I'm so sorry! Happy Anniversary to Jenn and Paul, who share our wedding date, as they bop around Italy.

Oh, and Jackie Cooper is down and out on Delaware Street. If you happen to pop by the house, show him some extra love and affection, as he hasn't been nearly the same since Lake joined our family. We play with him, feed him endless treats, walk him when we can, but something in his eyes hasn't been quite right since the little guy. He loves Lake, as he is constantly by his side, I just feel like he thinks he's been demoted. Which isn't the case. But, we can't really speak doggy language to explain this to him.

That's all for now! Have a GREAT day!

Welcome to our Family Blog

We are quickly realizing how difficult it is, with a new baby especially, to keep family and friends up-to-date with what is going on in our household. John and I decided we will post recent photos of Lakers, and share some of our current info with all of you. Hopefully, we'll all be able to connect a lot easier! Thanks for stopping by!

What's In a Name?

More often than not, I wonder if our son, Lake Austin, will ask how his name was derived. Or actually, when he will ask rather than if he will. When I was a little girl, I loved the water more than anything on God's green earth. It only made sense to me, when deciding what to call our first child, that his name be indicative of something important. Something worth remembering.

As a young child, we spent many days and nights at the lake close to our home. There was no doubt in my mind that the "happiest" place on earth was found in that 13-mile long stretch of water. The peace I felt there, mixed in with the overwhelming excitement of a day spent slalom skiing, tubing, and camaraderie with family and friends - could rarely be matched by any other event in my impressionable life. I am thankful for the fact that my parents made it possible for us to spend as much time out on the water as we did.

As my siblings and I got older, we ventured out into larger, more well-known lakes in the Midwest for family vacations. Cabins, tents, or houseboat trips on Dale Hollow, Lake Cumberland, or Lake Michigan made for unbelievably funny memories. The stunts we pulled as preteens in the campgrounds, although silly at the time, became instant classics in our repertoire of childhood memories when replayed as adults. In fact, in high school, I had a running joke with my father that I wouldn't "marry a man unless he had a lake home somewhere", as I was happiest on the water.

Fast forward 5 years. Little did I know when I started dating John, that his family had a small lake cottage on Peron Lake in Sturgis, Michigan. A mere 3-hour drive, we've managed to spend a good amount of time up there, once again reminding me of the love I have for the water. I am more at peace at the cottage, than I am anywhere. It is so easy to escape the daily grind that continually wears us down. The second I step through the door, I feel the release. I can sit for hours just listening to the glorious sounds which surround the property. Water lapping, fish jumping, birds calling, children splashing and laughing at the church camp swimming hole next door....all of it feels like home. And, as the sun sets over the water, or the fog rolls in, I can again feel an unparalleled peace. Again, for me, this feeling is rarely found in the struggle of every day living. Another place I find this complete feeling of peace, is through daily prayer with John. Then, and only then, can I release all of my worries, anxieties, and fears into the hands of our Father. And recently, I've found this contentment while rocking Lake gently to sleep.

Our marriage is built on faith, friendship, love, trust, and the sheer joy we find in being able to live every single day together. No matter how tough things can get, we know we will be victorious as a team. John is strong, passionate, honest, loving, funny and true. Honoring these traits made me want to gift our son with his father's middle name, "Austin," even more.

One of the lessons I wish to instill in our son, is that you can find a peace in your heart, even when life is rocky, rough, or unfamiliar. First, I want to teach him to look to our heavenly Father, then to us as parents, and someday; hopefully he'll be able to recognize what it is that gives him peace, and he'll learn to seek it out. And, perhaps there, he'll find the same level of contentment he has already given to us.