Emilie's Blog

Save The Humans Part 2

2010-11-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was the second talk in the series Save the Humans. Pastor Chris has started both of these talks so far with "people are trying to save the dolphins, the whales, the turkeys, and the tomatoes. At Experience Life, we are trying to save the humans." Really funny!

But in all seriousness, that really is the point of Save the Humans. This weekend, Chris talked about all of the ways that Experience Life is involved in local mission projects.
Experience Life is a part of a ton of different projects that are all geared in serving people, and making the name of Jesus known. In one of his main points, Chris talked about radical generosity. He said that most people think that they are generous because they will throw some money in the Salvation Army can at Christmas, or they will buy someone a meal here and there. But, even when you add all those up, they don't really amount to extreme generosity. Pastor Chris then threw out the idea of what it would look like to give 25% of ones income a way. This is an idea that is so opposite to our culture, and dare I say, our human nature. But, have you ever thought about the fact that maybe the reason you have finances is to give them away? You see, The Lord entrusts us all with different things, and He desires that we would ask Him what we should do with those blessings. I know that I miss this step a lot. I get something, and then I fail to ask the Lord what He wants me to do with it. Now, I can hear some of you letting some of your human nature creep up. "But, what about me, what about the things that I want, what about my plans?" Well, two things. The first ones a biggie. This life is not about you. "Not about me," you say. Yes, not about you. So easy to type, so easy to say. But, hard to live out. We are made for God's glory and His purposes alone, and He really does desire for us to live a life that reflects that. The second thing is this. This morning I came across Matthew 6. It is titled, "Teaching about Giving to the Needy." A great follow up to this weekends message. This passage talks about giving to the needy, and also about money and possessions. Matthew 6:19 says "Don't store up treasures on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in Heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal." This passage continues on to talk about how "we shouldn't worry about these things, saying 'what will we eat? what will we drink? what will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of the unbelievers, but YOUR Heavenly Father ALREADY KNOWS all of your needs." That's right. He already knows what we will need. Each one of us. He knows it all. I kinda think that the reason some of us like to do some major "storing up" is because we forget about this promise from our Heavenly Father. And, here is the thing about His promises. He keeps them. He never fails. He does what He says He is going to do. Every time. So, I would encourage you to ask Him where He needs you to give generously, and let Him take care of the rest of your needs.

Halloween

2010-11-07T12:50:00.001-08:00

We had so much fun this year on Halloween. Gigi and Wrigley both came to visit. The girls had a blast. McKinley was a mermaid, and Charis was a lobster. Can you guess who picked the costumes. I will give you a hint. She has red hair, and she loves to boss her little sister around. We carved a pumpkin ( a special shout out to Gigi who showed her mad carving skills), trick or treated, passed out candy, and McKinley ended the night by looking through magazines deciding what she wanted for Christmas. From one holiday to the next, I guess?!? :) Here are some pictures from the weekends happenings.

First Day of School...

2010-11-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

McKinley started school this year. We have both been adjusting to it. I never thought it would be so hard to let a piece of my heart go some where all day long. She is growing to love it. Her teachers wonderful, and I am so thankful for both of them. Here are some pictures from her very first day. I know, I know. Just trying to catch up!! Only a couple more posts, and I will be there! :)

Charis turns one...

2010-11-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, she did turn one in August. I know. I am way behind. Better late than never, right?!? Here are some pictures of her party. She loved the cake and the presents. What a doll! We are so blessed by her sweet little life!

The Pumpkin Patch

2010-11-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

Every year we take a trip to the pumpkin patch. The girls had a blast. McKinley could have stayed there for hours loading up pumpkins. Here are some pictures from our trip. :)

Grow or Go Number 2

2010-11-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

I love you, but I hate your wife....

Yes, that was actually a sentence that Pastor Chris used this past weekend in his sermon. "REALLY?" I hear you saying. Yes, really. He was comparing marriages here on earth to the ultimate marriage, Christ and the church.

This past weekend was another message on "Grow or Go." Chris again, was really encouraging people to use their spiritual gifts to serve the church in some way. This may seem demanding, but really it is The Lord's ultimate desire for each one of us. He reminded us all that the gates of Hell are not going to prevail against the church. I don't know about you, but that sure makes me want to hop on bored. That means that there is no way or no how that Satan is going to destroy the church and its purposes. I know for me there are some days that I feel defeated and beaten down. To be honest, I feel like Satan is winning. But, when I heard the friendly reminder that Satan will not prevail against the church, I was incredibly refreshed. Because each one of us have a gift, and together we are the church, that means that Satan WILL NOT win. Needless to say, some people who are followers actually believe that they can love Jesus, and not serve the church in some capacity. We were reminded this weekend that this attitude is basically saying to Jesus, "I love you, but I hate your wife."

Since I am the wife in our situation, I have to say that I would be majorly offended if someone made this comment to Chris. Like the kind of offended that I would need to ask for some serious forgiveness. Chris already discussed his reaction, and yes, it did involve his extremely large pecks ;). After this weekend, I was reminded that every gift brought to the table is necessary for the church to be the church that God desires. So, I would encourage to find your gift. Get in the game and serve. Being obedient to the Lord's direction and guidance in your life offers more joy than most people realize. I pray that you won't miss out on this opportunity that the Lord has placed before you.

His Responsibitlity, Your Opportunity

2010-11-07T11:36:00.000-08:00

His Responsibility, Your Opportunity

This past weekend was the first in the series titled, "Grow or Go." Many of you came in wondering what exactly the sermon was going to be about. I bet there were some pretty good guesses.

In short, Pastor Chris challenged the people of Experience Life to grow in their faith, or if unwilling to do so, to leave and find another church home. As our pastor, Chris wants every person that walks through the doors at Experience Life the experience ALL that God has for them. The only way that this takes place is through person growing in their personal relationship with the Lord. Some of you may argue that you can grow in your relationship without doing some of the things that Chris challenged us to do. He helped many of us to realize that there is a huge need at Experience Life that is not being met. Every weekend, it takes countless volunteers to make church happen. There has to be people to set up, tear down, watch kids, park cars, pray, serve Tea/coffee, and countless other things.These volunteers show up and serve because they are "in the game." However, a large majority of the volunteers serve multiple services because there is a LACK of people that are willing to help on the weekend.

How does all of this relate to growing in your PERSONAL relationship with God? Well, the main purpose of the church for those who are believers, is not simply another event on the calendar. Rather, the church body is to be the people that God uses to draw others to Jesus. Think about that for a minute. Church for a believer is his or her opportunity to serve others so that God's kingdom can be advanced. This was God's intention for church. So, for many people to claim that they are growing in their walk with Him, and yet be unwilling to serve one of the main ways that spread His fame seems contradictory.

This message may not be accepted with ease by some people. In fact, it may cause some people to "go." But, I came across a verse in Ephesians a couple of weeks ago. The verse talks about some of the gifts that Christ gave to the church. These include apostles, the prophets, the evangalists, the pastors, and the teachers. According to Ephesians 4:12 it is "their responsibility to equip God's people to do his work to build up the church, the body of Christ." So, yes the message was bold, but for a very good reason. Pastor Chris doesn't take his responsibility lightly, and I pray that your response wouldn't be taken lightly as well.

Now, I can hear some of you saying "Well, alright. It's pretty easy for you to write about this, but how does this look for you?" I have to say as Chris' wife that my service to and for the church looks different than most. When we started Experiece Life, I helped in the childrens area. As time progressed, I realized that my role needed to change. Over the past two years, I have helped Chris to make sure that he was ready for every weekend. Some weekends this means taking care of our sick girls by myself so that he has the energy to get up an preach. Some weekends it means that I get to attend several services so that I can support and encourage him. Preaching five services is a huge task every weekend, and I want to be his biggest fan. This is where I feel the Lord has lead me to serve Him and His church. I pray that you will take the time to pray and ask where He wants you to use your spiritual gifts.

Mckinleyisms...

2010-03-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

I used to be so good about writing the crazy things down that McKinley says. However, being that she says something that makes me all most fall over every day, I did get a little overwhelmed. Anyhow, here is some of her most recent commentary:

Me "Okay, McKinley do you want to read the bible before you go to bed?"
M "Sure.:
Me "What story do you want to read?"
M "Let's read the one about the giant pickle."

Hmmmm, I am starting to think that she is taking Veggie Tales a little too seriously. Just a hunch.

The other night we were reading the bible, and she sat there and listened so intently. We were on the story of Sarah and Abraham. All of the sudden she looked up and said, "They are great. But what happened to Adam?"

Also, a couple of weeks ago, McKinley was dying for some vanilla pudding. She asked Chris to get it for her. When he said no, she resorted to option number two. So, she comes to me and says "Mom, will you get me some vanilla pudding?" I sure couldn't resist that sweet voice, so I told her I would. She responded with "thanks mom, I knew I could count on you."

This is the last one....I promise. This past weekend my mom came to town. McKinley was so excited because Gigi pretty much does whatever McKinley wants (even if that includes eating whoppers for breakfast). So we were all at Mardel, and we had loaded up a entire cart full of stuff. We get to the check out, and McKinley start talking about how Gigi needed to help her put one of her new toys together. Then out of know where McKinley looks at me and says "Mom, Gigi is gonna help me put this together because er (you) aren't smart enough." Awesome. She is three, and she already thinks that she is smarter than me. We have a long road ahead of us folks. :)

Charis is 7 Months!

2010-03-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

I just looked at the date and realized that Charis is seven months old today!! I really wanted to be more diligent about writing things down as she grew...but let's just say that has not happened. Oh well, it is never late to start, right??

Right now, Charis is so much fun. She is a great sleeper. She takes at least two naps a day, and she sleeps around thirteen hours a night!! So great!! She loves to smile and talk. I really thought that she was going to be the "quiet child," but I am not thinking so much. McKinley and I will walk out of the room, and she will immediately start talking. Its as if she is saying "hey, wait! Don't forget me!" Charis has recently realized that she has an older sister. Every time that McKinley walks past her, Charis' whole face lights up. McKinley, on the other hand, acts really annoyed. In fact, the other day, McKinley looked at me and said, "Mom, Charis is not my best friend because she is waaaay to loud." :) Good times! One of my favorite things is getting Charis up first thing in the morning. I will walk in the room and over to her crib. As I start looking down over her, she gets the biggest smile on her face. Sometimes, she even laughs out loud. Love it!! She had her 6 month appointment last week, and her doctor said that she looked wonderful!! We were so thankful for such a great report!

I love you Charis, Care-bare ( I swore I wouldn't use this nick name, and it is totally starting to stick! ), Care-Burrita ( this name comes from Mac....she got the "burrita part from one of Uncle Jake's songs! :). I can't wait to see what the next month of your sweet little life brings! You are such a blessing to all of us!!

But, mom...

2010-03-08T18:26:00.000-08:00

As Chris left for prayer tonight, I thought to myself "McKinley and I should do something productive while he is gone." So I came up with the idea of starting to work on writing her letters. My idea was pretty much killed by a certain screaming 7 month old. However, when I did finally get the chance to mention it to McKinley, her response was "But I don't want to learn my letters...I want to PAINT!!!" It turns out that she does have some of my genetic make-up in her. And I love her dearly for that. :) We will get to the letters one day, but for now, painting totally works in my book!! Also, McKinley has decided that sunglasses ARE a necessary piece of attire when she rides her tricycle. Even if she is inside.

This is a picture that I took of Charis this afternoon. She loves her outfit from Aunt Kimbo. Yea for cute little lady bugs ;)!

I Don't Even Know Where To Start...

2010-03-05T18:33:00.000-08:00

I think that it is safe to say that I decided to rebel against blogging for awhile. But, I am back, and hopefully for the long haul.

We have been doing great as a family of four. I absolutely love having two little girls. They bring so much joy into my life every single day.

McKinley turned three in December, and she has always got an opinion about everything. Yesterday, we actually got into our first mother/daughter fight about shoes. Lovely. We were at Target picking out new shoes because she seemed to outgrow every pair she owned over night. So, there we are strolling down the isle, and I see all these cute shoes. However, McKinley is only attracted to what I like to call "tacky shoes." We both left Target a little worn out and frazzled to say the least.

McKinley also is constantly saying really funny things. Today she asked Chris to get her some pudding, and he told her no. So what does a really smart and intelligent three year old do? Go to person number two, and that would be me of course. So I get her some pudding (with sprinkles) and she looked at me and said "Thanks mom! I knew I could count on you!" I almost fell over laughing. Where does she come from?

Charis is doing just wonderful! I took her to the doctor yesterday for her 6 month check up, and everything looked great! She is rolling over, chewing on her fingers and toes, and talking up a storm (McKinley has already commented several times that Charis is "being way too loud"). Charis is also starting to laugh out loud, especially at McKinley. So fun to watch. :)

Things are going really well at church! It has been such an exciting season, and the Lord continues to draw so many people to Himself. Chris and I both feel so blessed and humbled to be a part of what the Lord is doing. It seems like every day we hear a story about how the Lord has changed a person's life through Experience Life. My heart seriously jumps in my chest when I find out that more and more people are experiencing Jesus. There are really no words to describe the feeling, but I would say that pure joy would be close. :)

I spend most of my days doing laundry, loading the dishwasher, changing diapers, and picking up toys. Jobs that really get no worldly glory, but to me there is such satisfaction in it. I couldn't be more blessed by this season of life. Thank you Jesus!

Who Says White People Can't Dance??

2009-09-03T05:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got on Facebook and found out that our worship pastor had posted this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTBdqs5wipo

His comment was "This is Chris as a five year old."

Other people then posted their comments like "I bet this is the dance that Chris and Emilie did when they got to bring Charis home."

You guessed it. We are secretly thinking of auditioning for "So You Think You Can Dance." Be sure to look for us next season. :)

The Jury Is Out...

2009-08-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

Charis posing with Chris' baby picture and my baby picture
Charis at three weeks
Mckinley at three weeks

I think the number one question around our house is "So, who does Charis look like?"
Some days I think that she looks just like Chris, and others I think maybe, just maybe she looks like me. What do you think?

Mckinleyisms...

2009-08-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

Life has definitley been an adjustment over the past week. Charis is a great baby. She sleeps all the time! Mckinley was in shock when she came home from school to find such a sweet surprise. Things were going great until she realized that I actually had to care for Charis too. Here are some of the things that she has said this week that have really given us all a good laugh.

1. Mckinley to me as I am holding Charis "Put her down mom. It's my turn to eat."
2. Mckinley to Charis as she is crying "It's okay sweetheart. Mommy pix (she can't say the letter "f") you."
3. Mckinley to me when I asked if she wanted a spanking (she has been asked that NUMEROUS times this week: "It's okay mommy, I don't do spankings."
4. Mckinley to both of us as we were trying to get her to bed: "I need go to the hospital. My nose is broken, (meaning she couldn't breathe out of it).
5. Mckinley to Charis the first time she saw her (Charis was still in NICU at this point): "What in her nose?," referring to the feeding tube the poor thing had to have for a week and a half.
6. Mckinley telling other people what is wrong with her Aunt Sarah "Her lung broke. So she in hospital." Sarah got admitted this week for a pulmonary embolism. Good times!!
7. Mckinley to Chris when he told her that he loved her "Okay dad. I lub you for thirty minutes."
8. Mckinley talking about bugs: "I don't wike bugs. Their diculous (ridiculous)."

Life sure is fun with two girls!! :)

Recent Happenings...

2009-08-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

Mckinley getting ready to go into her class!
Chris and Mckinley getting ready to eat Thai Pepper!
Our little peanut getting ready for her ride home!
Leaving the hospital!

So much has happened since my last post! Wow!!

The last post attempt (which includes only a title) is in reference to the fact that Mckinley started Parent's Day Out this summer. My title was going to say "Parent's Day Out is not supposed to equal sleep deprivation." But it did. Not for Mckinley. But for me.

The first few times were really rough for both of us. She cried so hard on the way to school. Then she went through every member of our family that she thought would come to her rescue. She would yell out "I need Gigi, I need Grammy, I need,"..well, you get the picture. Her "school" as she calls is, took a two week break in between the summer and fall session. This week she started back, and she was not too thrilled. However, I am in need of a break because of the newest addition to our family.

Charis was not supposed to arrive until September 3, 2009. However, she is already showing us that she has a mind of her own. On August 10, 2009, I started having really bad contractions. I didn't really think much of it since I had all ready had experienced this during my pregnancy. It was around 11:00 a.m., and Chris and Mckinley were both requesting ice cream (from two different places.) Chris had a legitimate reason for wanting a milkshake because he had three teeth filled that morning (communication was definitely interesting;)). So, we all piled in the car, and drove to ChicFilA and Sheridan's House (as Mckinley calls it...she really thinks a girl named Sheridan lives there and makes all the frozen custard!). On the way home, I could hardly drive because I was in so much pain. I came home and called the doctor. I had to leave a message. I waited for a hour, and didn't hear anything. At that point, I felt like a bomb had gone off in my stomach. Chris talked me in to going to the hospital, so we grabbed a few things and left. The only thing I remember about the car ride is waiting at a light at the Marsha Sharp Freeway for approximately 92 minutes, and the fact that we parked in the wrong place so I had to walk at least a mile to get to the Family Birthing Center. Lovely. We got checked in, and they hooked me up to some machines. We then found out that I was having contractions every three minutes.

After about 12 hours of labor, I was finally wheeled into the O.R. for a c-section. Chris and I were both excited and nervous. Charis arrived at 11:18 p.m.. She was 4pounds and 11oz, and 17 and half inches long. She was immediately rushed to NICU because she was not breathing properly. After two long weeks in the NICU, we finally got to bring our sweet baby home. I could not be more thankful for the Lord's great faithfulness through this entire experience. There were times during the past two weeks that both Chris and I were reminded that we are not in control of our life. While our daughter was in great hands with doctors and nurses, we knew that the only one who could see us through this time was our Heavenly Father. We prayed, and we asked others to pray. Now, thanks to answered prayers, we are home as a family of four. I couldn't be more excited and blessed.

Parent

2009-06-13T11:38:00.001-07:00

The Tale of a Pastor Super Hero....

2009-05-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

I just realized that it has been about six weeks since I posted last. Opps! I don't even know where the time has gone. All I know is that it has gone somewhere...FAST! April and May were packed with Easter, a visit from Gigi, a sonogram letting us know baby number two is a girl ( sooo pumped about that!! :)), the last Life House meetings for a month, and of course the annual couple trip that Chris and always take in May.

This year his parents built a lake house on Possum Kingdom Lake, so we decided to take full advantage. Mckinley was packed up and shipped off with Grammy to Uncle Beau and Aunt Kimbo's house. While there, I am sure that she had a grand revelation that they are going to be much cooler parents than the ones that the Lord has blessed her with. Chris and I loaded up the car, and left on Sunday after church. We arrived and were so excited about our week of rest. The first two days consisted of eating, laying out by the pool, reading, and napping. We also managed to squeeze in a trip to Fort Worth to shop and eat. It was great to go back since we had not been there in almost two years. It was during all of this "relaxation time," that I realized why in the world my parents enrolled me in a three week camp every summer. I mean don't get me wrong, I had the time of my life at camp. However, it was totally a vacation FOR THEM! How thoughtful!

Anyhow, on Tuesday night, Chris and I watched a movie and then got ready for bed. We both feel asleep faster than could blink. Exactly four hours later, I awoke to SOMETHING making noise outside. Now, I am the lightest sleeper I know. And I am ultra paranoid person at night as well. Perfect combination. I know. So, I laid there for a minute listening to see if I would hear it again. I have learned to not wake Chris up, and go make him check the house unless I am absolutely positive that we are under attack. So, there I am with my eyes as wide as they would go, and my ears listening for a hint of anything. All of the sudden, I hear it again. My heart is pounding. Thankfully, I look over and the noise woke Chris up too. "What was that?" He asked. "I have no idea." We keep laying there. Waiting. It happens again. Now, me and my man have talked about, sermon illustrated, and thought about this exact scenario millions of times. Chris looked at me and said "you stay here, and don't move." He rolled off the bed, hit the floor, and popped back up with his assault rifle. He crept up to the door, and popped around the corner like he was going in for the kill. He walks down the hall, gun in his arms, and the trigger ready to be pulled. Out into the living room, where he promptly turns on EVERY light that exists on the property. He then circles the living room 1.2 million times, stopping at every window to see if the intruder is visible. Finally, he comes back in the bedroom to find me asleep on the bed. "Em, why are you asleep? Aren't you worried?" He asked. "Well, you're the one with the gun, and its not like I can take someone down by myself." I responded. So, like any protector, he spent the next three hours of his life circling the house, aiming, and making sure that ANY intruder that was possibly interested in coming in the house would loose interest real fast.

The next day, he called to tell his parents about his first hand " ranch experience." "I mean, it had to be something big, " he said. "At first, I thought it could be a person, but what person would stick around after I turned all the lights on, and they saw the size of my pecks? So, then I narrowed it down to an animal. I am thinking a fox, mountain lion, maybe even a bear. "

So, that's when my instinct kicked in. "Let's go look for footprints," I said. So, we checked the entire perimeter of the house to find nothing. "I am pretty sure a mountain lion would leave some sort of mark." "Well, whatever it was, it had to be big because of all the noise it made," he replied. For the next two nights, we didn't hear a thing. His parents came to stay at the house the day we left, and they narrowed our intruder down to, you guessed it, a possum or a raccoon. Hence the name Possum Kingdom Lake.

Oikos part II

2009-04-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Chris did his final series on Oikos. He talked about the importance of embracing the circle of people that are in your life. The group of friends, family, and neighbors you are surrounded by aren't by mistake. Rather, as some people put it, you might be the "only Jesus they ever see."

I totally take this opportunity way too lightly. I guess my main struggle would be that I stay at home with Mckinley, so I feel like my "circle" is limited. However, after doing some thinking, I realized that the Lord has still placed so many people in my life for a very specific reason. However, I also realized that I need to be more intentional about making use of the opportunities that He entrusts me with. I am so thankful for reminders from the Lord.

On a much lighter note, I think that I experienced one of the most embarrassing moments in my life this past weekend. My face probably looked identical to the picture of Mckinley. So, I thought it was an appropriate illustration for the story. So, the service was about to end, and I knew that I had some cash I wanted to place in the offering box. I had Mckinley in my lap, and so I reached for my purse. I dug around until I found my extremely large black expand a file that encases all of my cash for the month. I always put my tithe money in the very front pocket. So, without really looking at what I was grabbing, I reached into what I thought was the very first pocket, and pulled out the money. The service ended, and I gathered up Mckinley, myself, and all of stuff. We started making our way towards Chris, and passed the offering box. I quickly took my cash, and dropped it in the box. As I was doing this, I noticed that there were several large bills that I was pretty sure was not in my tithe money. I immediately walked over and pulled out Mr. Expanda-file. That's when I made the discovery. I had accidentally placed our grocery money in the tithe box. Oh no!! So, I made my way over to Chris, and told him what happened. His compassion level equaled about zero. He told me to go talk to Justin, the executive pastor. So, I found him, and asked him if there was any way I could switch out the money. Of course it ended up being no problem, but I still felt incredibly embarrassed. I guess you could say that is ONE of the major downfalls of the cash-only system. I am glad that I was able to experience it first hand.

First Name Basis...

2009-04-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

Mckinley and her grown-up self has decided that it would be best if she called Chris and me by our first names. Every morning she wakes up and asks for "Chris." When she needs me, she yells "EM!!" Also, if we are really annoying her (say with persistent tickling), she will boldly declare "stop babe!" I think that she got this from me as this is my normal response to Chris when he is bothering me. Too funny.

She has also decided that jelly beans may be the Lord's greatest invention. She can't get enough.

This past weekend, we ended up going to see my mom for a really quick trip (I mean less than 48 hours.) It reminded of me when I was in college, and I thought it was fun to be in the car that much over the span of three days. Anyhow, we had so much fun. We stayed at Gigi's country house, and went to a huge antique show on Saturday. Mckinley did great (minus the part of her rolling on top of me one night as I slept on the lower trundle bed.) She also received a carrot baseball bat from an ever so gracious Gigi. Mckinley thought this was the perfect spanking tool, so she looked for the perfect target. She picked none other than... GIGI. You can't give a two year old a bat, and expect them not to swing it. Even if it is as a "spanking."

I am doing great. I am seventeen weeks pregnant. I can't believe that it has gone by this fast. I am so thankful that the Lord has provided a really easy pregnancy! What a blessing. We find out in another three weeks if we are having a boy or a girl. I think either one would be so much fun!

Chris is gearing up for this years Easter celebration at church. The weekend will consist of an Easter egg drop, and four services. I am so excited to see what the Lord does that weekend. I know that it will be so great. The Lord keeps reminding me that He has gone before us and prepared the way. Where would we be without Him???

I hope everyone is doing just wonderful!! :)

Reckless Driver!

2009-03-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

I am fearing the day this girl turns sixteen.

Mckinley's fashion advice....

2009-03-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

Me to Mckinley: "Mckinley, is your daddy fine?"

Mckinley: "NO!"

Me: "Mckinley, is your daddy hot?"

Mac: "NO!, and his jacket is ugly too!"

I almost fell over from laughter when she said this. Chris pretended like he didn't care. However, five minutes later he took his jacket off. :)

6,7,8....

2009-03-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

These are Mckinley's favorite numbers to say out loud. I have tried one million times to work on 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. For some reason, she just doesn't think these numbers have any worth. So, she goes around the house all day long say 6, 7, 8 as loud as she can. Good times. :)

We have not really been up to much else. We found out in December that we are expecting again. We are so excited and nervous all at the same time. Everyday I ask Mckinley if she wants a brother or a sister, and she responds with "baby Jesus." Seeing as that is not an option, I am hoping that she will cope well with the major change that is about to take place in her life. I think it is going to be so interesting. I know that she will be a great big sister. I am sure that she is hoping that her new sibling will have a "teachable spirit."

Mckinley spends most of her days changing shoes approximately one million times. Talking on the phone (for real or pretend), making every activity into a form of chase, and putting on "make-goat."

Today, one of her friends came over to play. Her name is Emmie, and they seriously have a grand time. Well, Jennifer ( her mom) and I were sitting in our living room while the girls played in Mckinley's room. All of the sudden, Emmie ran in and shouted "Mama, Kinley pooped!!" So, we both automatically got up to run into Mckinley's room. When I walked in the room I found Mckinley standing in the corner with no diaper on. This immediately made me nervous. So I looked around the room, and saw a dirty diaper clear on the other side of the room. Jennifer and I died laughing. We have no idea how Mckinley got her diaper off. I guess that means we have two really creative two year old's on our hands.

We hope everyone is doing just fabulous!! Talk to you soon!

My baby turned two...

2008-12-29T09:06:00.000-08:00

My baby turned two this past Friday. I can't believe that it has been two whole years already. How has it gone by that fast? Mckinley has been sick for over a week, so we kept the celebration small. She pranced around in a "Birthday Girl" tee shirt, and a tutu that matched all day long. I took her to the store to pick out a cake, and the entire time we were at the store she yelled "I two!!!" I have decided to write her a letter every year. Some of my friends are doing this, and I think it is such a great idea.

Dear Sweet Mckinley,

You turned two just a couple of days ago. Even though you are only two, the Lord has already used you to teach me so much. You have endless joy. It doesn't matter where we are, or how you are feeling, you always act so happy. You greet everyone you see. You can say "hi" to a person that looks so sad, and their face lights up in the most magical way.

Right now, you love to go to the grocery store, carry around a purse, and have your nails painted. You also love back rubs, playing with my make-up, and sneaking into bed with your mommy and daddy at night. You have no idea how much we love you. The fact that the Lord has blessed us with you as a daughter is beyond me.

I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. Your father and I were so excited. We had waited for a long nine months to meet you. The day finally arrived, and we could hardly stand it. You were delivered around noon on December 26, 2006. Because I had a C-section with you, your father was the first one to see you. He cried, and then he told me that you were the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on. After they cleaned you up, I finally got to hold you. It was such a precious moment. I will remember it forever.

I have to admit that I am sad two whole years of your life has already passed. They are something that I will always treasure. This next year is going to be full of so many fun times. Just remember wherever you are, you have a mom and dad that love you more than anything, but even more your Heavenly Father delights in you more than you will ever understand. Happy Second Birthday sweet girl. I love you.

Love,

Mommy

Where has the time gone??

2008-12-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

Seriously. The last time I posted was over a month ago. What in the world?

Well, the first part of the holiday season was just wonderful. The Monday before Thanksgiving, Beau and Kimbo came into town. We had so much fun hanging out, and I think Mckinley secretly wishes that her Aunt KK lived closer. Now, Mckinley and Uncle Beau. That's another story. Infact, maybe another blog entry in itself. Not anything on Beau's part. Rather, it is my daughter being a nervous nelly because of a certain beard. Awesome.

The actual day of Thanksgiving, we went to Chris' parents and ate Thanksgiving dinner with about twenty other people. It was great. Totally went by way too fast. The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Sarah and I drove to College Station to see my mom. However, it was more that just a friendly visit. This trip included a loaded down U-haul that helped us continue to live up to our female nature. You see, it is a tradition in our family to switch as much furniture as possible. So, it was about that time this year. We left with one sofa, and came back with a sofa, Christmas tree, ten boxes, two curtain rods, and some other goods. Wow.

I am also in the process of trying to get ready for Holiday Hoopla 2008. This month always seems to fly by. I really wish that it did last longer. I just love Christmas time. Mckinley has just learned how to say the name "Jesus." Such perfect timing. It is so refreshing to be around a child that is hearing the awesomeness of the Christmas story for the first time. Such a great reminder of "child like" faith. I know I have said this one million times before, but I just love the way the Lord teaches me so much through my precious child. How incredibly amazing.

Mckinley is growing up on me. I can't believe that she will be two this month. Yesterday, Chris asked me "What is wrong with Mckinley. She has been whining all day long. Is she sick?" "No," I responded. "She is about to be two." She loves to color, paint, clean (praising the Lord for that one folks), play baby dolls, put on make up, and paint her nails. Yes. We are related. Just incase you were wondering. I love her more than anything.

Yes! Christmas is ALMOST here!

2008-11-09T06:33:00.000-08:00

The past couple of weeks have been just amazing. For starters, GO TECH!! I am so excited that they are progressing in such an awesome way! WOW!!

Secondly, this time of year + kids= so much FUN!!! Last week, we had a little party for some friends at our house. All of the kids dressed up, ran around the house, and ate LOTS of candy. We also colored pumpkins, and decorated cookies. People were still over at our house at 9:30, and they promptly got kicked out by my lovely daughter. She got her bibi (her blanket) and her baba ( her pacifier) while still in her tutu, and started to fall asleep on the floor. She loved trick or treating. Mainly, she loved the PURE candy high that she achieved while trick or treating. She was running from house to house so fast. We could barely catch her!!

Finally, I have come out with some new and exciting creations!! So much fun. The two new additions are framed art work, and Christmas ornaments! They are all available to anyone, so if you are interested, just send me an email at emiliegalanos@yahoo.com. Hope you guys are doing great!!

Emilie Galanos, the homemaker....

2008-10-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

I will start by saying that I don't even compare, come close to, or remind my self in any way of Martha Stewart. I mean, I love her show. She has got some great ideas and all, but anyone who has that much time to organize whatever she organizes has way to much time on their hands. However, I am always looking for ways to make the things that I do actually do around the house easier. I am in love with my two recent findings.

The first one is the Dyson cordless minivac. One word. Amazing. It is this crazy little cordless vac thing that looks like and amplified water gun. I use it at least 2000 times a day. Yes, I even use it to suck all the left over food on Mckinley off of her after every meal. She really thinks that it is a fun, fun game. I am hoping to keep it that way.

The next is a steamer for our clothes. I am not a fan of laundry at all. If you ask Chris, he will tell you that he only has clean underwear on rare occasions. Totally my fault. If I am not even motivated to do the laundry, it would be fair to say that I am way less motivated to iron the laundry. Who in the world invented that idea anyway? Again, another person with too much time on their hands. However, this steamer thing. Wow, it does wonders. I can have all of our shirts done in about twenty minutes. Great. Now I just might have some extra time for organizing.

Jelly Belly...

2008-09-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

Jelly Bellies are Chris' favorite type of Jelly Bean. Sours to be specific. Every time I go to the store, I ask him if he wants anything. Jelly Beans are always his only request.

The only problem with this delicious little candy is that Mckinley can't eat them. Or so I thought. Yesterday afternoon I ran to the store, and Chris asked for you can guess jelly beans. So, I came home with two boxes of Jelly Bellys. He ate one immediately, and gave the other one to Mckinley to play with. We decided to go run some errands, so we put Mckinley in the car with her box of jelly beans. She seemed to be perfectly content. Now, I know why. After several minutes of pure silence, I turned around to check on her. Not only did she have five jelly beans in her mouth at one time, but she also had chewed a hole in the box to get the jelly beans out. I immediately started to scream, and made her spit them out. She just looked at me like I was the craziest person in the world. After all, she had worked so hard to get those beans out. Crazy as I may be, jelly beans and 20 month olds do not equal any kind of equation in my book.

Is it really September?

2008-09-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

So, sorry that this got posted. I was right in the middle of working on a new post, and then I realized that it was time for Life House. I put the computer down, and some how the title of my entry got posted. Whoops! Anyhow, seriously, I can't believe that it is really September. Really? That means Mac will be two in December. WOW!!!!

She has changed so much over the past couple of weeks. For starters, she now has enough hair for a little side pony tail. I am praising the Lord for this one folks. Up to this point, so many people have thought that she is a boy. Even when she is in all pink. Who dresses boys in all pink? Anyway, ponytail equals life change for sure. She also is talking so much more. Some of her new words are cookie, cake, Jesus, God, balloon, Casey, and Alli.

She has a passion for shoes. Infact, the other day Aunt TaTa walked in with some of the cutest boots on. Mckinley looked at the and said "Cute Shoes." Love that girl.

She totally is a player at church. I think at this point she has three boyfriends. And she holds hands....with all of them. Last night she held hands with a boy. In front of her dad. I thought that he was going to have a heart attack. It was hilarious.

At the home front, not much is happening. We have some major plumbing issues in the bathroom upstairs. I think that our friend from church, who is a plumber is coming to fix them tomorrow. I am so excited!

This weekend at church, we had our second Saturday night service. It was great. I can't believe that it has been only one year since we started. God is so faithful is everything He does, and to be a small part of that is so humbling. I could not be more thankful for such an in credible past year. Thank you Lord!!!

Other than that there is not much going on. I thought about going back to work part time or something. But, I realized how much fun it is to be at home with Mckinley. I would not want to be anywhere else. It is such a blessing to stay at home. I would not want to be anywhere else! I hope that everyone is doing amazing!!! Talk to you soon!

My daughter is brilliant....

2008-09-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

Why haven't I thought of this sooner?

Victory!

2008-07-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

The last month has been just crazy (but a really good kind of crazy :)). We have been in the house for a little over a week and a half, and I just unpacked the last box yesterday. I am so, so, so excited to be in, and everyday I thank the Lord for the awesome opportunity to live in this house. Wow! It is something I still can't really wrap my mind around. I guess some things are just that way.

Besides the house, everything else is going really well. Mac continues to grow and grow. She is seriously so hysterical. She wants to do everything that Chris and I do. She is not afraid of anyone. The other day she went to play basketball with some 2nd grade boys across the street. She dominated (that's my girl). She has learned several new words recently. Her favorite is the word "coke," which she insists on drinking....with every meal. She also still loves to dip her food. She will dip her food in ANYTHING. Including melted ice cream. Awesome. She loves the new stairs in our house. Any my legs hate them. :) These are only pictures of the downstairs...hopefully the upstairs will come sometime soon :).

P.S. Sorry about the same picture twice. My blogger knowledge is somewhat limited :).

Mac and the Big Move....

2008-06-29T04:18:00.000-07:00

Mac has had a blast playing in all of the boxes. The other day I was picking up her toys, and I noticed that she had neatly packed her cell phone and the Children's Tylenol in her purse. I thought it was so funny. Also, last night, we were eating Chic Fil A for dinner, and I guess she was not that hungry. However, she did not want to miss an opportunity to taste the BBQ sauce. So she very creatively dipped her pacifier in the sauce before sticking it in her mouth. Um, sick. That is all I have to say about that. :)

The Last Leg....

2008-06-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

We are almost there. After only two weeks of working ( I might say that it has felt so much longer), I think that we may be approaching move in day to the new house next week. The house already looks so different, and we are so, so, so excited :). Here are some things I have learned through this VERY educational process:

1. Lowe's Home Improvement is only a place for home improvement....NOT any kind of mental/emotional improvement

2. The shows on HGTV are very deceptive. They make remodeling look easy, fun, and enjoyable. Don't fall into their sneaky little trap.

3. Some husbands have a very different definition of manual labor. It may consist of working for five minutes and then taking a nap from pure exhaustion.

4. Type A and Type B people should never remodel a house together. You would think that the combination of these personality types would make a great team, but I have come to way different conclusions.

5. You can feed a family of three for 12.00 at Rosa's, Market Street, and Chic Fil A. Also, this is a great time to pack up those oh so helpful pots and pans if you don't like cooking.

Other than that we are doing just fabulous. I promise that I will get more pictures up really soon:)!

We're in!!

2008-06-03T15:44:00.000-07:00

As of 1 P.M today, we have a new (t0 us) house!! This week has been so long and complicated, but filled with some great worship. I love it when God uses the craziest of crazy situations to draw us closer to Him. I promise I will get some pictures up really soon. Totally a lack of ambition to get batteries that work for the camera. Let's just say that now I have some real motivation.

This may sound crazy, but the minute I found out that the house was ours, I drove over and began to peel off wallpaper. It was the most gratifying experience ever. The paper is so old, that it is coming off in SHEETS! Just amazing!

To close or not to close....that is the question....

2008-05-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been one of the longest weeks of my life. We were scheduled to close on our new house first on Tuesday, then on Wednesday, and still we have not officially closed. Not anything on our part, but rather the people selling the house. I am really trying to be patient. I know God is up to something through all of this. I am just not quite sure what. :) I will keep you posted.

P.S. Chris' grandparents worked in the yard the whole time we were in New York, and the house looks completely different. I will post a picture soon!

On another note, Mckinley has been teaching me a few fashion tricks lately. The main one being that cookie cutters can also double as bracelets. Thought I would spread this new fashion trend just incase you were running low on accessories.

WHERE"S EMMO?

2008-05-24T18:44:00.001-07:00

I do own a red and white striped shirt. However, I do not have any pictures of myself of in it in places all over the world. I have to confess that I do feel like I have been all over the world.

Everything started about three weeks ago. Chris and I have experienced so much over the past year. One of our biggest adventures was buying our first home. We were so excited, and we could not wait to move in. As we progressed through this past year, we realized that we sort of needed a bigger living space for all of the people that we had over for different activities. Chris really did not really want to entertain the idea of moving. I invited the idea in with open arms! :) Chris said there was no way that we were going to be able to sell our house with the market the way that it is. So I prayed for God's will and His plans in the matter. A week later some people were at our doorstep ready to buy our home. AMAZING! That also meant that we had to find somewhere to move. After a week of looking, we finally found a house that is precious. I am so thankful for the Lord's provision for our family! It needs so much work, but I can't wait to get started :)!

Mckinley and I went home to see my mom and sister last week. We were there until Sunday, and we had so much fun. Then, this past Wednesday, Chris and I left for New York City. He knew that it had always been my dream to go there, so we went. It was such an amazing trip. We walked until our legs fell off, shopped for hours, and saw some incredible sights. I could not have dreamed of a better past four days with my husband! Thanks you baby for such an amazing trip! I love you!

2008-05-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

2008-05-12T19:51:00.001-07:00

2008-05-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

Latest Project...

2008-05-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my most recent projects...It's not completely done. I will get there....someday.

She may swing from it....but at least it will be cute!

2008-05-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

I love new painting projects. I get so wrapped up in them. It's great.

Some people that are on staff with us at Experience Life recently bought a new house (well at least it was new to them.) Brandon is very handy, so they bought a fixer upper. I was over helping one day, when I noticed that the light fixture that was in the living room could easily be converted into some major cuteness for their daughter Taylor's room.

I love Taylor. She has the greatest personality, and she knows how to have fun in life. You can always trust her to be honest. Kids are so great at that! . Anyhow, this is a picture of the mostly finished work of art (minus the lampshades and some of the beading).

M&M's

2008-04-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

I secretly think that Mckinley believes that M&M's were made just for her. That would explain why they have her initial on every chocolate coated piece of wonderful goodness. Yesterday, she would not anything. Totally not like her. Normally, she eats all of the time. So, I knew that she was not feeling up to her normal self. However, in an attempt to get her to eat something, I handed her a handful of you guessed it M&M's. And she ate every single one of them. Girl after my own heart. No person can ever be too sick for chocolate. EVER.

Inch Worm....

2008-04-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was listening to the radio, and they were talking about these new shoes available in the UK only (of course!). Anyhow, apparently, they are called inch worm shoes because with the simple press of a button, you can extend them by a couple of sizes. Great idea, especially for kids with feet that grow like some sort of infectious bacteria.

Even though Chris did not hear this commercial, he still has his own way of implementing this idea into Mac's wardrobe.

Last night after dinner, we decided to go on a family walk. Chris said that he would get Mac ready while I ran around like a crazy trying to clean up after dinner. While I was in that mode, he came back inside and claimed that it was a bit breezy, and that Mckinley needed some socks (she was dressed in this cute little hawaiian number that offered no protection from any kind of coldness). I finally finished all of my work, and ran outside to meet them. We were half way through the walk, when Chris said "I turned Mckinley's dress into pants. I stopped in a panic. I turned to look at my daughter who sat innocently in her stroller. Her socks were rolled up to her knees, and her dress was oh so neatly tucked into each sock.

I am going to call the fashion police. Yes, on my own husband. If you ever hear for some odd reason that I am out of town, and Chris is responsible for dressing our daughter, feel free to come and save her.

I am not Christopher Columbus....

2008-04-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

But, I still feel like I have just made the greatest discovery EVER! The other day at was at Market Street (for like the third time that day), and I just so happened to be on the candy isle. My cart usually ventures down this isle to stock up on Jelly Belly sours or gummy worms (these are Chris' one weakness in life). However, this day was different. I ended up in the dark chocolate section. I have tried so many kinds of dark chocolate, and I have really found none of them to be all that great. But for some reason I was feeling adventurous, so I threw a new Dove dark chocolate bar into the cart. They have just come out with these new kinds of bars (the one I got was called "Vitalize"), and let me just say it is amazing! The chocolate actually tastes good, and it is somewhat good for you. What a wonderful combination!

Today, we have had an awesome family day. We somehow ended up with all of these extra hamburger buns at our house. I was just about to throw them away, and then I remembered..."We could feed the ducks." So, that is where we went today. Mckinley loves it! Although she thought it would be a lot more fun if she could hand deliver the bread to the ducks...in the water. Chris spent the entire time we were there holding her back, and she kept trying to get closer and closer.

The whole time I was thinking about how this is so much like our relationship with God. There are all of these things that we want to do, and we think that they look so great and inviting. He sits there so patiently trying to hold us back, and yet we keep insisting that our way is right. Mckinley was so squirmy, and she kept trying to get to the water. Finally, Chris picked her up, and decided that it was time to go home. This is one of my favorite things about being a parent. I am in love with the fact that God uses everything, even a one year old, to show me more about Him and his love for me. How simply amazing.

Just a splash of color here, there, and....

2008-04-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

So last night we went to dinner with some friends. We had so much fun, except I think that they may have decided against kids after spending some quality time with Mac. I have gotten to the point where when we are out in public, most of my time is spent trying to appease Mckinley. Last night fell into that category completely. Half way through dinner, she decided that she wanted to play with the complementary crayons. So what did I do? Hand them over. All four of them. They were brand new, and they looked perfect. Chris and I got wrapped up in another conversation with our friends, far and away in adult world (sometimes I like to be here, and other times (like around April 15th) I seriously would not mind boycotting adult world). All of the sudden, Mac started doing her dramatic choking/coughing show. This used to freak me out completely, but I have come to know that my daughter does like to put a DRAMATIC twist on things (wonder where she got that from...I am not saying any names... out loud). Chris on the other hand went into the normal freak out mode where he starts hitting her on the back like she is some sort of thief trying to pocket his I-phone. At this point I am thinking: A) my daughter could potentially be choking or B) she is going to be injured severely by her father's tactics in attempt to save her. Well, she did neither. Instead, she looked up and smiled, and that is when I noticed that her teeth were filled with blue, yellow, red, and green chunks of crayon. AWESOME....at least they are not toxic, and no more crayons for us....for a long, long time.

This picture represents one of Mckinley's favorite past times. She loves the photo booth feature on the MAC. She will sit there for hours and take pictures, of herself of course. Please take note of the chewed up goldfish she is showing off to the world. She loves her some goldfish.

Her newest game is walking into a room, and shutting the door behind her. She knows that one of her overworked parents will come and open the door, at which point she runs off to hide (all while laughing hysterically). I am afraid that her red hair is really starting to show some of its true color.

Amazingly, her favorite book right now is the Big Picture Bible. She can't even hold the book it is so big and heavy. She does not like for us to read it to her. Rather, she would like to sit and flip the pages as fast as possible without even taking note of the pictures. Hopefully, one day she will read the words.

She really is the biggest joy to be around. Some days, I take a step back and try to soak up this precious gift God has blessed us with. She is already growing up way too fast.

Well just incase you were wondering....

2008-03-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

I am still alive, and my computer does still work(minus the sound, but that is another story).

However, those two things together do not automatically produce the promise of a blog entry.

Here are some of the recent happenings in our house...

1. Mckinley is walking/ RUNNING all over the place

2. I am walking/RUNNING/ stopping to catch my breath to keep up with her

3. Mckinley has officially learned how to dance...here we come Bengal Belles

4. After a small incident involving a stuffed animal and the potty, Chris and I have learned that all the doors at 5506 100th must remain closed and locked...at all times

5. Mckinley's new favorite toy is a feather duster, and mom's makeup (both great signs in my book)

On a more serious note, I am currently going through the study of Daniel by Beth Moore. It is amazing. God has used it to open my eyes to so many things. And the timing of this study at this point in my life could not be any more perfect. So funny how God knows what we need before we even ask. :) I could not be more thankful.

Kinda Fishy...

2008-03-03T13:14:00.000-08:00

Mckinley ceases to amaze me. So far she is one of the most hysterical people that I have ever met, and she doesn't even talk yet.

This morning she decided to wake up at 5a.m.. I forced myself out of bed to see what in the world she needed. I walked in her room, and of course she wanted out of bed. I picked her up, and took in the kitchen to make a bottle. I sat her down on the floor, and she immediately crawled toward the bag of goldfish that were on the ground. She undid the top of the bag, and went in for the big grab. I don't know if it is just me, but something about Goldfish at 5 in the morning does not sound all that great. But apparently Goldfish were just the thing she needed this morning. After a brief snack, she headed off to bed for another three hours (now that's more like it).

V-Day Fun!

2008-02-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines...one day late! We did not do much. Mckinley and I spent most of the day Wednesday delivering cards a cookies to some of our favorite people. We made these cards that had her handprints on them. She loved dipping her hands into paint...which makes me think that possibly she does have some of my DNA somewhere in her!

Chris and I celebrated our Valentines on Wednesday night so we could avoid the crowd. We went to dinner, to get pedicures (totally Chris' idea), and then to a movie. He was trying to be nice and let me pick the movie that we went to. Well, lets just say that we ended up walking out, so our night came to an end early. Oh well...we got to spend the rest of the evening with our precious little Valentine!

Here We Go!

2008-02-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

Well, first of all my apologies for not posting anything to our blog in such a long time. The past couple of weeks have been a little crazy. The week before last, Mckinley and I spent the week in Dallas with my sister. We had such a great time. Much of our time was spent shopping, so that meant that Mckinley was in her stroller. She really thought that we were in the middle of a parade for her...everywhere we went. Mckinley is also entertaining everyone with what I like to call the "PeeWee Herman laugh." She sounds just like him, which is really funny now. However, I hope this is something that she grows out of. We also hit another huge milestone this week....Mckinley started walking!!! I am so proud of her. It seriously is the cutest thing that I have seen. Her little legs are so tiny, and yet they move so fast! I really can't believe how fast she is growing up. This week I was looking at all the pictures that we have taken since she was born. Wow! Time really does fly!

This past week, we have not really been up to anything! Chris celebrated his 26th birthday on Thursday. So I decided to bake him a cake. If I ever mention this bright idea to anyone, please stop me in my tracks. The cake turned out okay, but decorating it....now that was another story. I think that highlight of the day was his birthday card. Let me just preface this story with the fact that I am not a detailed person. So, I was at the grocery and I briefly ran down the card isle. I picked one out and threw it in the basket. The next day, I was reading over it again, and I noticed something....the very end of the card read "to you, the most amazing black man that I know." I could have fallen over with laughter. There was absolutely no indication of this card being race specific anywhere else. I did not have time to exchange the card, so I simple told Chris that he was the most amazing white man I knew. Maybe next year I'll go for an asian theme.

Goodnight Mckinley!

2008-01-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

After a long day, I was ready for Mckinley to go to bed. So, against her will, I got her ready, and put her down. She normally plays for a little while, and then dozes off to sleep. Sometimes she will cry, but only for a couple of minutes. However, tonight was different. In fact, I can still hear her in there making all kinds of noises. There was one point that she would not stop crying. So I gave in. I went back to her room, and this is what I found. Yes, she was completely entangled in her sheets. So much so, that I had to detangle her, and remake the whole bed. Of course, she thought it was the greatest thing ever.

Mckinley goes back to the dr!

2008-01-12T09:40:00.000-08:00

I think that I am just paying my dues. It seems as if our week is not complete without at least two trips to the doctor's office. Wonderful. My mom informed me the other day "Emilie, you were sick as a child too." I guess it is my turn to care for the sickly. Oh well!

In the mean time, I have started reading a wonderful book titled "Having a Mary Spirit," by Joanna Weaver. The book has been wonderful so far, and left me feeling so challenged and refreshed! The book really goes along with one of our main motto's at church: no perfect people allowed. Joanna Weaver is a pastor's wife, and she talks about one of her main struggles being the fact that she has a tendency to be more like Martha than Mary. I would have to admit that once I became a mom, Martha tendencies are really typical for me. However, this book has helped me to really rethink so many things. I just love it when God uses everything to teach me more about Him.

On a lighter note, last night offered another bright Chris parenting moment. We had gone to dinner with some friends, and Mckinley was shipped off to Grammy and Paw's house due to her ear infection. After dinner we went to pick her up, and headed home. Like always, she fell asleep in the car. We pulled in the drive way, and I volunteered Chris to bring her inside. He picked her up, and headed in the door. He took her to her room, put her in bed, and turned the lights off. He tip toed out of the room and said "Shhhhh, be quite, she is almost asleep." Not believing this to be true, I walked into Mckinley's room. I looked over in her bed, and there she sat with the most pathetic look ever. She still had her pink jacket on. Mind you it was buttoned up, and her hood was still on her head. "Babe, she can't sleep in her jacket, " I said. "Yeah she can, I don't think she would get to hot in it." I walked over to her bed, and once again rescued her from what would have been some really hot and uncomfortable sleeping attire. Oh my!

2008-01-10T11:47:00.001-08:00

McKinley...goes to the dr!

2008-01-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Kinley's one year appointment. I always dread going to these appointments for two reasons. One, I know that she will be given shots and two, it is one of the longest hours of my life. Fortunately, Chris was able to go with me today.

After waiting for about forty-five minutes, the doctor finally came in. As we were sitting there talking, she commented on Mckinley's high energy level. This not only came from the fact that Mckinley was sitting there swinging one of her shoes around by the laces, but also because Mckinley babbled the ENTIRE time we were in the office. Please note that she is only one. I wish I could know what in the world she is trying to communicate. Anyhow, we got a great report. She is in the 10th percent for weight, and 90th for height....tall and skinny. We have Aunt SaSa to thank for that combination.

Her newest activity....walking for hours behind this lovely lion walker from her boyfriend Levi. Here is a picture for enjoyment!

Coffee Date!

2008-01-04T13:42:00.001-08:00

Chris and I are constantly changing our schedule around to see how we can most efficiently use the twenty four hours God has blessed us with. Well, I guess it is more of Chris changing his schedule around. For the most part, I am a creature of habit. I have gotten up early for years (or at least since McKinley has been here). I never understood this concept in high school. My mom is an early riser. I mean not just like seven or eight a.m.. We are talking four a.m. people. And yes, she even wakes up at this insane time without an alarm. Unfortunately, I guess I am prone to this type of schedule because of my genetics. Who knows.

Anyhow, recently Chris has decided that he thought it would be best to stay up way past my bed time. I am not going to lie, I usually hit the sack around nine p.m.. Anything past this is pretty much considered a late night. He, on the other hand, considered his bed time to be more around the early morning hours. This worked for awhile. However, I would wake up around two in the morning to suddenly realize that all of the lights were on, and I would briefly panic thinking "He is working late tonight." I would roll over and fall back asleep. I would wake up around an hour later to still find all of the lights on. "Man, he must be on a roll." At this point I would have to get up to see what in the world this was all about. I would walk in to the living room to find Chris on the couch with is head back, and his mouth wide open, his eyes closed. "Babe, how long have you been asleep?" He would wake up, look around the room and say in a confused tone "Only fifteen minutes." "Yeah," I would say "and the last time I went shopping was when I was twelve. Come on, time for bed." After this happened several times, Chris decided that he needed to make a revision in his schedule.

As we went to bed last night he told me that he was going to get up at the same time I did. I acted surprised. He has said this before, and I never saw it happen. I have to admit that this morning was different. He did get up, and his only request was coffee. This surprised me even more. He NEVER drinks coffee. In fact, he has given me a hard time for years for drinking coffee. So there we sat at the kitchen table with bibles in hand and coffee cups close by. After a couple of sips from his cup, he stated "man, this stuff will wake you faster than you can think."

"Finally." I thought. He finally understands why I start each day with some quality time at the coffee pot. We had a great morning...I'll let you know if this schedule lasts.

More on McKinley

2008-01-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

McKinley is one, and she loves life! We go to her one year check-up on Monday. I am sure she has no clue what is coming...you know all those shots they love to throw in at those appointments.

I seriously can't wait for her to start talking. However, I have this slight feeling that she is going to be just like her dad: a person that is completely full of questions. In fact, Chris' nickname when he was little was Dennis the Menace. The only word that McKinley knows so far is "Uh oh." I think that the only reason this word is her only vocabulary choice is the fact that she can accompany this word with dropping various items on the floor and then saying without hesitation "Uh oh." I am working really hard on "Mama," but I think we have awhile to go.

She really does have the life. She sleeps about twelve hours a night. Plus, she takes two naps during the day. Her favorite food these days....cinnamon rolls. Funny thing about that is, those were the one thing I craved my entire pregnancy. She loves watching TV, and helping people on the computer. I am surprised she has not broken one of our computers yet. Well, time to go put her down for nap number one. :)

Chris Galanos as a dad!

2008-01-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

Raising a child has been such a joy. However, raising a child with Chris has made life even more fun. There have been countless things that Chris has done as a dad that have left me laughing hysterically.

Take for instance this morning. I was rushing around getting ready, and I asked Chris if he would get McKinley dressed. He said sure. I was in our bathroom, and he walked in with her all ready to go. "Don't you think she will get cold in this dress?" She was in this cute brown and pink corduroy dress she had gotten for Christmas. I had not thought about the fact that is was January and the dress was sleeveless. "Oh yeah, there is a pink sweater in her closet. Would you mind grabbing that and putting it on too?" I guess I assumed that he would put it on outside the dress, you know where a normal cardigan sweater would go. Five minutes later he comes back to the bathroom with Mckinley. I could tell he was proud he had gotten her dressed. I glanced over at her, and noticed, that yes, the pink button up sweater was on, UNDERNEATH the brown dress. "Umm, babe," I said. "Yeah," he replied. "That sweater needs to go on the outside of the dress." "What!" he exclaimed, "that makes no since." You see, Chris does in fact, have his own since of style...I guess. I did not argue. I feared that by arguing I would loose any possibility of him helping in the future. So, I just waited until he had left for the day, and saved her from a sad, sad fashion mistake.

McKinley Turns One!

2008-01-02T05:32:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that McKinley is actually one year old! This year has flown by so fast. She celebrated her first birthday on the 26th of December. To be honest, I think it was more of a celebration for Chris and I than it was for her. In fact, she was not even interested in the presents. She was more excited about the paper and bows that her gifts came in.

I have a small confession to make about her birthday this year. During the course of this entire year, I have met so many people that have birthdays in December. Their main piece of advice: make sure to keep her birthday and Christmas completely separate. I would shake my head and agree. I mean she is one, and combining these two holidays would leave scars that would last for her entire life, right? Well, as the holiday season approached life got crazy, and I did it. I combined her birthday and Christmas present!! Notice how the red wagon present at both Christmas and the birthday party. Opps! However, I felt totally redeemed when McKinley even after opening all of her other presents still went for the red wagon she got from Chris and me . In fact, she was so territorial at her birthday party that she pushed another friend in the face because she was well, in her way and in HER wagon. I am thinking that one of our New Years resolutions should be teaching Mckinley how to share.

First Blog Entry

2008-01-01T19:31:00.001-08:00

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