Rejoice!

I know I've told you before about the numerous stars that I see when I leave for work at 4:30 am. The stars in the country are amazing! This morning I saw a falling star as I was driving to work. Immediately a verse sprang to mind:

"The Heavens delcare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

Psalm 19:1

It made me think..."How do I plan to glorify my savior today?" How about you? Will you complain about the weather, gas prices, war, politics, work (or how early you have to get up for work! lol), children, family...or instead will you rejoice? Rejoice in the fact that God has shown mercy on you, a sinner, and saved you thru the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

In every thing we can find a reason to rejoice. Brody woke up crying at 3 am....I rejoice that I have a child to love and care for. I had to wake up at 3:45 am to get ready for work...I rejoice that I have a job to go to (especially one that allows me to bring Brody with me!). The Democrats prevailed in the last elections...I rejoice that God is in control and can be comforted in the fact that nothing has happened that he has not allowed. Mike spent all evening at a church council meeting...I rejoice that I have a husband that loves Christ. I could go on and on. Instead of focusing on what's gone wrong this morning...what are you rejoicing in today?

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:4-7

Work Funnies

Here are a few pictures with Brody at work.

This picture is of Brody playing in the car exersaucer that someone donated to my office! He has fun in it!

Here's a work story that I can't help but sharing (this may just be funny to those of you that are new moms). There were 3 men working out in the weight room this morning. One of the guys has a new baby in his house. As they were working out one of the other guys asked him if he was doing his Kegel exercises! {In a side note...most people don't realize that we can hear their conversations from our office. I usually block the talk out so I can get work done...but this conversation was hard to block out!} I was in the office laughing so hard tears were coming down my face. The new dad replied, "No. I remember that term from childbirth classes. Is that something I'm supposed to be doing?" LOL!!! I couldn't help myself. I holler out to them, "I don't think it's possible for MEN to do Kegel exercises!" They went on trying to remember what Kegels were. I definitely wasn't going out there to explain it to them!

Brody on the move

Brody rolled over front to back today! He's been so close for weeks and he's finally figured it out! I missed it the first time he did it. I laid him on the changing pad on the floor and went into the kitchen to get some baby food ready. When I looked back at him he was on his tummy! I didn't think he'd do it again for me...but he did it 4 more times before I finally decided to get the camera out! Now I'll really have to keep an eye on him. He can really move now!

Christmas in Texas

Where to begin?!?!? This is going to be a LONG post..so you may want to read it over several trips to the John rather than just one (if you have a laptop and read blogs while you use the John.) We had a wonderful time in Texas over Christmas. We drove down the 22nd after work. As soon as we got there (meaning Mom snatched Brody out of the car and started walking off) we headed down to Ron & Jan's. Matt & Julie & family were there and were anxious to see Brody! Caleb & Audria stopped by to see us on their way home from seeing ICE at the Gaylord.

Saturday morning we got up early so that we could get to the mall to get a picture of Brody with Santa Claus. The paper said he would be there all mall hours and the mall opened at 7 am. We arrived at 8:30 and found this:

So we ran some errands and came back to get the much sought after picture with Santa.

I know...Brody's not looking at the camera...but at least he wasn't crying!

After Santa, we went to Ann's parent's house for lunch. GG and Sissie went with us too. We had fun talking with Ann's parents and grandmas. I also got a precious picture of Brody.

Ok...so that was 2 pics. I couldn't decide which one I like best ;) After lunch we went to Tyler and Ann's to see their new apartment.

Sunday we went to church and Caleb & Audria came over to Dad & Mom's house for lunch.

Then Brody had his first taste of baby cereal. I expected him to spit it out...but I was wrong. He gobbled it up and wanted more! I guess he's ready for baby food. (Yesterday I made some sweet potato baby food with the Magic Bullet that my parents got us for Christmas! It tastes much better than the stuff in the jars!)

Christmas Eve Brody left some special treats out for Santa.

Christmas morning we hung out with Dad & Mom until Caleb, Audria, Tyler, Ann, GG, & Sissie got there. We had lunch and then opened presents.

Daddy Steve & Brody enjoy the calm before the storm on Christmas morning.

Back: Caleb, Mike, Tyler, Front: Audria, Staci, Ann

After we opened gifts, Ron & Jan...and their whole family came over for a Christmas dinner. It was exciting because we FINALLY got to meet Jon's girlfriend, Cindy!!!

Here's everyone (except for Matt). Sadly...this is the only day we got to see Julie and her kids. They all got sick later in the week :(

Tuesday after Christmas we headed south to see Dad's side of the family. We had Christmas dinner this year at Sharon & Sheila's house! It was yummy!!! It was so good (or we were having so much fun with Brody) that we forgot to take a group shot! Ugh. I'm sure Mike's not complaining. I had to laugh at Jon's reply to Mike on Christmas. Mike was complaining about more picture taking and Jon said, "You married into the wrong family if you don't like having your picture taken!" lol. Paula told Dad that he takes more pictures in a month than she takes in an entire year! What can I say? We like to preserve the memories...and digital cameras have only helped :) All that to say...I can't believe we didn't get a group shot! Here's the best I have: Sharon, Daddy Ken, Grandmommy, Cindy, Ginger, Staci, Brody, & Bryan (with his back to us)

Grandmommy had a cold...but she REALLY wanted to hold Brody. So she put on her winter gloves and a face mask! lol. I think Brody really enjoyed it. While we were at Daddy Ken and Grandmommy's house, Caleb and Mike invented a new game with a quarter. Audria and I couldn't believe that they played a game with a quarter for over an HOUR!!!Wednesday, Mike and Caleb went to the shooting range...but since Dad didn't go with them I don't have any pictures ;) That night Dad, Mom, Mike, Brody and I went to dinner with Caleb & Audria at Spring Creek BBQ. Brody was facinated by the fans on the ceiling and talked to them during the whole dinner!

Thursday I had lunch with Megan and Juli Beth. It's an annual tradition that we have. We've been friends since elementary school (or earlier) and it's wonderful to get together and talk. We're always able to pick up right where we left off. It's great b/c we all have blogs so it's easier to keep up with what's going on in each others lives!Thursday night Mark, Angela, Caleb, Audria, Tyler, & Ann came over for dinner and the Mavs game. Billy & Paula and family stopped by for a visit and we just had to get a group shot. This was the fun shot :)Friday we had lunch with GG and Sissie

Then Friday night Dad & Mom babysat Brody so that Mike and I could go on a DATE!!! It was so fun to get to go to a sit down restaurant! We made sure to follow the "don't get home before the babysitter gets the kids go bed" rule ;)

Saturday we went to the Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas to see the exhibit Body World It was a very cool exhibit that's hard to describe without sounding gross. It was an excellent A & P lesson! Saturday night Mike and Dad went to Mark's team's basketball game (they won the tourney!)

Sunday morning we headed back to KS. It was a busy but very fun week! We're excited to go back again later this month for Patrick & Noel's wedding! Be sure and post a comment and let me know if you actually made it to the end of this incredibly long post! lol

This makes me crazy!

6:30 am - Get deposit ready
7:00 am - Wake up Brody and feed him
7:20 am - Change Brody's diaper and put his clothes on for the day
7:30 am - Call several lube shops until I find one that can give me an oil change FAST this morning.
8:00 am - Call Farmer Coop and ask them to deliver 200 gallons of propane next week
8:30 am - Put Brody down for a nap
9:00 am - Teach aerobics
9:45 am - Change clothes and put Brody in his car seat
10:00 am- Teach aerobics at the Senior Center
10:30 am - Make a deposit at the bank for work
10:35 am - Pick up a t-shirt someone at the gym ordered
10:40 am - Get gas in the car
10:45 am - Feed Brody
11:05 am- Change Brody's diaper
11:30 am- Get all necessary tax info together to do W-2's and 1099's over Christmas break
12:00 pm - Wash off tires (there so mud caked they're off balance)
12:25 pm - Have post office hold mail
12:40 pm - Finish packing and pack up car
2:00 pm - Feed Brody

Do you see time in there for the necessary oil change???? How many of you think this timeline will go as planned today? lol
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*edit*
Just talked to Mike and he says the car will be fine. I can wait on the oil change until we arrive at our destination. We need to take it to Wally World so that we can get a free tire repair too. Yay! I didn't know how I was gonna fit that in!

Yummy Toes

This is going to be a picture blog:

Here's Remington and Brody hangin' out.
Just a cute picture of our boy.

Brody has discovered his feet...and now he loves putting them in his mouth! I had to see if I could do it or not too. I could get my foot there...but not quite close enough to get my toe in my mouth (not like I want to do that anyways!) And NO, I didn't take a picture of me trying. I know you're laughing...but I bet you Megan and Shauna have tried it too! lol

Remington likes to lay down next to Brody. He hasn't been inside much since Brody was born, but Mike gave him a bath on Sunday and he's been hanging out inside with us. He really likes Brody!
 

SORRY USPS!!!

Ok...so it wasn't the USPS fault! Apparently the campus mail delivered my test to the wrong professors box! My professor finally got the test today and he called to apologize. Whew! I have to brag on myself...I only missed 11 out of 140 points giving me an A in the class. YAY!!! That was a nice Christmas present :)

Lost in the Mail

I have very few complaints with the USPS. Our mail is delivered the same time every day and usually is very efficient! My mom can send something from TX and we'll get it in 2 days. Patty (our mail lady) does have one fault. She leaves packages on our propane tank! Now...if you know KS...you know that it's windy here! How she expects square boxes to stay put on a round propane tank in 30 mph winds blows my mind! I think she's scared of Trevor (the 5 lb yorkie) so she doesn't want to get out of her car to put it on the porch.

Anyways...that wasn't what this post was supposed to be about. My main complaint with the USPS right now is with their delivery of an envelope. I took the final exam for my accounting class at the local learning center (it had to be proctored) and they mailed it to my professor (30 miles away) on December 7th! I received an email from him on Friday saying he hadn't received my exam and would be giving me an incomplete in the class. He said he'll change the grade once he receives the exam. Usually the tests get to his office the day after I take them. I could've driven the test to him quicker than the USPS is delivering it! I'm not sure what he'll have me do if the test never makes it there. I pray that he won't make me retake it! (It was a comprehensive final over 9 chapters!) Please pray that the USPS will get their act together and deliver my test to my professor....soon!!!!

A few pics

The memory card for my new camera hasn't arrived yet...so I can only take 10 pictures before I have to upload them to my computer! So...I haven't gone picture crazy yet. Hopefully it'll get here early this week! Here's one of the shots I captured of Brody the other day.

When I was messing with the camera Trevor decided to take care of the drool on Brody's face! Luckily I had space left for a picture. Of course I told Trevor to stop...but I had to take a picture first!


Yesterday Jim (Grandpa), Nancy (Grammy), and Great-Grandma K came over for a Christmas lunch. Grandpa and Grammy enjoyed getting to see Brody. He was a good baby while they were here for a visit (even when Grandpa got him up early from his nap! lol)

My New Baby

Christmas came early at our house. Tuesday night Mike and Brody snuck off into the bedroom for a "secret project". I was told I was not allowed back there. Mike emerged with two presents that he and Brody wrapped. I was instructed to sit down and open them. I said, "Now? Christmas is still almost 2 weeks away!" Mike said that it was something that I needed to use on Christmas, so I needed to open it early to learn how to use it. I have pictures of me opening the present...but I forgot to upload them from home. Maybe I'll remember to add them later :)

Anyways...I opened up the box to find a new digital camera. A REALLY NICE ONE! It's a fujifilm s6000fd. I'm sooooo excited about this present! The second box had a camera case that will hold both the new camera, our video camera, and all their accessories! I've been carrying the manual around in my purse...but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Maybe today. Be ready for many more pictures!!!

Waaaaa!!

Brody had his 4 month doctor's appointment yesterday. He did really well (smiled at the nurses and Debbie)...then came time for the shots. He had to have 4 shots (2 in each leg). I was so glad that Mike was able to go with me. He held down Brodys arms while they gave him the shots. His little body tensed up so tight and he was SCREAMING! The nurses gave him the shots and then left the room. Mike and I were left in there with a little baby that was crying so hard and we couldn't get him to calm down. I tried nursing him...but he was crying so hard he couldn't breathe to nurse! Finally Mike soothed him enough to walk outside without too much of a ruckus. Whew! Glad that's over...for now.

Brody weighed in at 15 pounds 3 ounces (in the 60th percentile) and was 26 3/4" long (90th percentile). Debbie said that once he starts showing an interest in what we're doing when we eat that it will be ok to start him off on rice cereal.

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Something REALLY exciting happened last night...but my picture of it is at home so you'll have to wait to find out. Instead I'll finally get around to answering the questions that Megan tagged me over a week ago!

A - Available or single: neither
B - Best Friend: Mike is my best friend, my parents and Julie L. come in 2nd :)
C - Cake or Pie: PIE, pecan, Grandmommy's chocolate, my caramel apple crunch
D - Drink of choice: I have to have juice to take my vitamins (strange, I know, but I feel like I choke on them when I take them with water!)...but besides that all I drink is water
E - Essential Item you use everyday: breast pump, nalgene bottle
F - Favorite color: blue
G - Gummy Bears or worms: worms
H - Hometown: Arlington, Texas
I - Indulgence: pictures, chocolate, caramel mocha
J - January or February: January- the 24th is the best day ;)
K - Kids & Names: Brody
L - Life is Incomplete Without? a relationship with Christ, a loving husband, and close knit family
M - Marriage Date: August 7, 1999
N - Number of Siblings: 3 brothers & 3 sisters (well...only 2 brothers but I consider my in-laws siblings now...I always wanted sisters :)
O - Oranges or Apples: if the apple is crispy then apples...otherwise oranges
P - Phobias or Fears: losing Mike or Brody, being home alone after dark
Q - Fave Quote: The only thing that comes to mind is a quote that I read from the Office (a show I only see when we're in TX). Not really my favorite...but the only one I can think of, "You don't call retarded people retards, you call your friends retards when they're acting like retarded people!"
R - Reason to Smile: when Mike gets home from work and gives me a hug, when Brody laughs, when I get to see my family
S - Season: Fall. The turning leaves make such wonderful pictures!
T - Tag 3 or 4 people: Kate, Marcia, RaeAnn, Noel
U - Unknown Fact about Me: I've been wearing the same earrings in my ears since Megan and I each got our upper ear pierced at a tattoo parlor when we turned 18. I've taken them out for very few special occasions (weddings mainly) in the past 9 years! I just never think about it!
V- Vegetable You Don't Like: mushrooms (is that a veggie?)
W - Worst Habit: poping my knuckles. it drives Mike crazy (especially during church! I get a lot of elbows)
X - Xrays: my teeth (at my yearly dentist appt), my back
Y - Your Fave Food: Grandmommy's rolls, mom's fried chicken, Mike's green beans (actually ANYTHING Mike cooks is amazing), and any of Nancy's baked goods (except for the pumpkin muffins that she made while Mike was sick...but that's another story! lol)
Z - Zodiac Sign: aquarius (glad Megan knew this one...I can never remember!)

Taco Soup

Isn't he the sweetest looking baby boy? We had fun doing a photo shoot at home after my mom sent Brody a Santa hat that says "Baby's First Christmas". Of course then I had the song "Santa Baby (only insert Brody rather than Baby)" stuck in my head for the rest of the weekend! lol

He was so sweet that morning while we took pictures...but later on it was a different story. On Friday night I made some taco soup. It is sooooo yummy on a cold day. It has beef, tomatoes, and different kinds of beans. Lots of different beans. BEANS! Can you tell that's where the trouble began?

I ate the soup Friday night and Saturday for lunch. Saturday afternoon/evening Brody was kinda fussy and I wondered if it was the soup. I've never eaten anything that's affected him adversely, so I just chalked it up to him having a fussy afternoon and ate the soup again for lunch on Sunday. I now know that I was wrong. Brody was not a sweet smelling baby on Sunday night. He had 3 dirty diapers in 45 minutes before we left for Bible study, 2 at Bible study, and another one after we got home! Yikes!

So let's look at the positive side...I learned that Brody can't handle that many beans at once. I learned the art of quickly unbuttoning his onesie as soon as I hear the explosion just in case the diaper decided to leak so that I wouldn't have to change his clothes again. And most importantly...I finally got a chance to open the Mylicon my cousin Julie bought me :)

Tyler

Today is my baby brother's 22nd birthday! Where have the years gone! It's hard to believe that Caleb, Tyler, and I are all married...and that I have a son of my own! I have so many fond memories of times with my brothers. We played outside a lot as kids: cowboys & indians, tag, games in the pool, sports, etc. We set up numerous forts inside and out and spent a lot of time using our creative minds for unique games that didn't make sense to adults (remember Aliens?) lol. I don't have very many old pictures on my computer...but I'll share a few that I have.

Tyler, Mike, & Caleb getting ready for Caleb's bachelor party.

This picture makes me laugh becuase none of us seem to notice that Tyler is screaming his head off!

Tyler, Caleb, Staci, & Mom

The family on a camping trip with the Rhodes.

Tyler, Caleb, & Josh (cousins)

Ginger, Staci, Bryan, Tyler, & Caleb (cousins)

I love my brothers and look forward to watching their families grow in the years to come. I hope our kids have as much fun together as we did!

Happy Birthday Tyler!

Rolling Over

Brody has been rolling over (front to back) for several weeks now. This is the first time I caught it on video. I didn't have my video camera (this is on my digital camera)...so it's not the best quality. I'll get another one later :) He's getting to the point now that almost every time I lay him down on his tummy he rolls over! So much fun :)

Cancelled Visit

Today's a sad day. My parents were supposed to come up from TX for a visit this weekend. We haven't seen them in 1.5 months (half of Brody's life!) and won't be going to TX again until Christmas. Yesterday when I talked to Mom she didn't sound too good. She said that she had a cold. It didn't worry me because Nancy had a bad cold and was at our house all weekend a week or two ago. Mike and I have already had a cold and Brody's got a cold right now!

Then yesterday the weather took a turn for the worse. There was ice and snow thru KS, OK, & TX. Dad & Mom decided to wait until later this morning to see what the roads were like.

This morning when they woke up Mom was feeling worse and roads still weren't totally cleared. On my way home from work Dad called to tell me that Mom had gone back to bed and that they weren't coming. I'm glad that Mom will get a weekend of rest to recover from her cold. I'm also glad that I don't have to worry about them driving thru the ice/snow. But...I do have to admit that after I got off the phone with Dad I cried the rest of the way home.