Morning Glory

I'm loving her age
I'm loving my girl
I'm loving life

500

Yes that's right! You're reading my 500th post which explains why I haven't written in a while. I kept thinking of what a 500th post should say or explain or describe. So here it is:
Kennedy Kate turned 8 months old yesterday!! Can you believe it? Neither can I!

Dear Kennedy,
You're precious
You're my little buddy and you make me better
You make us laugh all day and when we have date night all we talk about is you (mostly)
I wonder what you will like to do
I know you'll be a good friend because when other babies are around you pat them on the back and try to give kisses
You just got over a 2 day cold but you were still so happy.
You wear mostly 9 & 12 month clothes
You wear size 3 cruiser diapers
You crawl every where and are pulling up
You bounce to music
You laugh a lot
You love to eat
You still sleep from about 10pm-10am every night
You have 2 bottom teeth
Belle (our chocolate lab) is amazing to you
You have started making "dada, nono, baba" sounds and talk to us from your car seat while we drive and talk
We pray every morning and throughout the day
You give kisses
You are dearly loved and fearfully & wonderfully made

Love,

Mommy

Monday Inspiration

Are you with me?

Pioneer Woman: Egg in the Hole

I don't cook enough but I've been trying to do more of it lately. Last month we saved over $600 by cutting that much eating out out of our lives. Crazy huh? Tonight we tried a recipe from The Pioneer Woman. It's easy & great & fits right in with The Belly Fat Cure:
1. Heat Skillet
2. Melt half a stick of butter
3. Punch holes in bread with biscuit cutter (in our case a heart cookie cutter because my husband is romantic)
4. Toast bread on skillet
5. Crack egg into hole
6. Let the egg cook for a few minutes
7. Flip
8. Cook
9. Enjoy

We loved this! I'm looking forward to cooking more and more!

Oh What Fun

Christmas is only 97 days away. Crazy!

On Friday Kyle traveled 700+ miles to Weslaco, Texas to work with our great new team there. I got to stay home with Kennedy and we both had friends over. Beth is a nurse at St. David's hospital and her husband Mark and my husband have been friends since they were young boys. Their son Nathan will turn 1 next month and Beth and I have loved watching our little ones and comparing stories of their development (I.E. Planning their wedding) over the last year. Beth is such a wonderful friend who would do anything for anyone. If you get to know her you'll be blessed.
*am I a blessing? I gotta work on that I think

Play Day

It was a day of fun for the both of us. Reminds me of some country song lyrics:
"you're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back. You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast"

Love that girl

Middle Mile

Don't worry. This post has nothing to do with broadband networks but if you want to read about those search google.
To me the middle mile is exactly that:
First mile
Middle mile
Third mile
Or
First mile
Middle mile
Fifth mile

The middle mile(s) are always the hardest ones to run. It's when the temperature is way hotter than I thought, uncomfortable running gear is noticeable, I start praying that someone will see me running by their home & rush a cup of water out to meet me, I forget why I'm running in the first place, & I always think about quitting & walking the rest of the way home.
But something darn right amazing happens to me when I push through the elements and my thoughts to start that last mile of a running work out:
I focus
I regroup
My mind clears
I'm less thirsty
I'm goal driven
I'm going to the Olympics in running! Yes I am. I could win a gold medal in running or maybe 8 ;)

You know why? Because I beat the middle mile. I didn't let fear or being tired, or circumstance, or people, or shorts I wore pre baby weight that I don't need to wear now because my thighs rub together causing chaffing make me lose focus. Because after the middle mile is the last mile and then I can see the finish line. It's all worth it. I'm gonna make it.

So why does this happen to me so many times in my daily tasks as well? I must remember to begin with the end in sight. I must remember my goal.

Philippians is a great book in the Bible. Beginning in chapter 3:12 Paul says,
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I must remember why I'm here and it's simply to glorify the One who made me . Jesus is the only way. My breath today. What I do today may or may not be my middle mile. Only He knows my finish line. So Lord, thank you for reminding me that it's all worth it to know You more. This life is all about You getting the glory and becoming all You want me to be. May we all push through our middle miles knowing that ultimately, in the end of our earthly days You'll be there. Cheering us in with words of "well done good & faithful servant" I wouldn't want to miss something You have for me because I quit when the going got tough. Thank you Lord for all you've done. I pray for all of you people & your middle(s). God sees you. And He'll see you through.