Words of Wisdom

Grace Eilene absolutely HATES taking a bath. I absolutely HATE giving her baths because I don't like to hear my baby scream and cry. Well, the other day, I just decided to see what would happen if I told her (the idea came to me at the last second) that we were going to have a GOOD bath today and she wasn't going to need to cry because baths were enjoyable. Amazingly, she cried when I first put her in the water and then about a minute or two later...she calmed down. Well, Sunday bath time rolled around and Chris gave her the bath. I had forgotten to tell him about the previous experience so she screamed her little head off. Then, today, I decided to try the positive talk again. I told her that we were going to take a nice relaxing bath and that it was going to be a good bath. I just spoke to her in a really gentle tone and told her what a blast the bath was going to be and how good she'd feel when it was over. I'm telling you, I don't know what it was about it, but...NOT ONE TEAR!!! You're talking about the fact that Libby even decided she was going to "help" me. NOT ONE TEAR! Amazing! So, maybe now bathtime won't always be so unpleasant. Yippee!!!

Friends

Our good friends Carter and Jenny came out to visit us for the weekend. Of course, I didn't use the camera as much as I should have, but I did get these good pictures of Jenny and Grace.

My Alaskan Princess

I don't know what Libby's obsession with these boots are, but she just LOVES to walk around in them. It's hilarious to watch her.

MOTHER!

That is the word that I imagine is going through her mind as I was trying to take pictures of Grace. "MOTHER! Just stop it...seriously!"

Conversations

I was just finishing up with Libby in the bath when Grace started crying because she was hungry. Libby was piddling (a lovely trait that I'm not allowed to complain about because I'm the one that passed it down to her) as usual. I told her that Grace was telling her to hurry up because she was hungry. Libby stopped what she was doing and looked toward the front room. She called, "I'm hurrying up!" She paused for a second and then turned to me, "Grace said, 'OK' , I'll wait.'" Then she went back to what she was doing. I'm glad she understands Grace's language because from what I could tell, Grace was still screaming for her to hurry up!

Trends

Grace had her 4 month appointment today. Doctor said she was a-ok and healthy as could be. Mommy was a little worried as she is already following her big sister's trend of being a little peanut. The doctor said that if her height and head circumference had followed the same downward curve and she was listless and not meeting her milestones then he might be concerned, but as it is, with just her weight dropping he thought that she was just fine and I just make my babies small. Does this mean that we will have the same eating issues with Grace as we did with Libby? If so, we are in for a long haul. :) I'm glad to know that she's healthy though.

Nightmares

This morning Libby was sitting up in bed just kind of looking at me with a sad face. I finally asked her if she was ok. She started sobbing and saying something that I couldn't understand. I told her to calm down and SAY what was wrong. The second time I understood "The _______ took _______ from me." I repeated what I understood and asked her to fill in the blanks for me and one more time she said, "The pirate took my froggy from me." I asked her what she did when he took it and she told me she tried to take it back but couldn't. I told her to go to her bedroom and to get her froggy so she could show that mean old pirate who was boss. She went back, found her toys and was a-ok after that. I was a good mommy and didn't laugh when she told me about her nightmare. I did smile after she left the room though. :) I'm not sure what I'm going to do when her nightmares get to be REAL nightmares.

HOUSE UPDATES!!!

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FOR ANYONE THINKING ABOUT BUILDING A HOUSE IN DUBUQUE...

Spiegel Contruction (our excavator), Bechen Electric, Schwartz Plumbing, & Weber Concrete are AWESOME!!! All of these subcontractors are extremely professional, proficient, and have worked their tails off for us!!! I've had my neighbors tell me that the Bechen Electric guys were working on our house after 9 p.m...and through the weekends!!! Talk about dedication!!! I would hire ALL of them back in a New York minute!!! We have had a most awesome experience with these folks & I would recommend them to anyone!!!

--Christopher L. Tucker

Been Awhile

Since our old camera broke, Chris has been taking "the" camera for pictures of the house. Therefore, I have to "remember" to take pictures while the camera is home in the evenings...which I don't usually. So, here are a few cute ones I got the other day of the girls. Libby wanted to put a head band (or band head as she calls it) on Grace. This is how it turned out with a few wiggles. The bottom picture is Libby with her little K'nex "creature". She has had an absolute blast with putting these guys together.

Sensors

Alright, this little girl has sensors on or something. I'm not an early morning person and I don't normally get up until about 8:30 am. Yesterday I tried to get up 15 minutes earlier so I could get my devotions in...Libby was up and out before I could even start reading. Today? Ok, I'm going to be super disciplined and get up as soon as my open instead of rolling back over. The time was 7:15 and Grace was hungry, so I'll just do it after I feed Grace. Well, Libby slept with me last night so she heard Grace fussing and drinking and the like. Yep, she woke up no later than 7:20. Maybe I'll just have to force myself to wake up at 6:00 in the morning. Ha! Good luck with that one. We'll see.

Lesson Learned

I woke up yesterday morning and I was trying to do my devotions when a happy little girl woke up and came and crawled on my lap. I decided that maybe it was a good thing that she see me spending time with God. I would lead by example. Well, she followed my example alright...by going and finding a pretty hi-liter, just like mommy's, and marking words in her book too. I didn't get really upset with her because she HAD just seen me do it. I did try to explain to her that my book didn't have any pretty pictures in it though and that she would learn how to mark in her books when she got a little bit older. Her response? "I was just trying to spend time with God." So, apparently the only thing I taught me daughter by being an example was that we spend time with God by high lighting words. I suppose they didn't build Rome in a day and I certainly can't expect her to understand everything I'm doing in a day either. So, I guess for now, I'll try to roll my hind end out of bed a little bit earlier and get that high lighting done BEFORE she wakes up. :)

Home Is Where the Heart Is

What makes a home? This question has become a central point in my life as we wait, longer than we like, but knowing God will get us in when we are supposed to be there, for our house to be built. Which one is home? Is it the house that we want to be in, but hasn't been built yet? Or is it the one in which we reside although we don't want to be here?

When we moved in to this small house with Libby a year and a half ago, I was very thankful to God that we weren't in an apartment, but I was glad that we weren't going to be here for too long. Only until the house in Indiana sold and we could buy one here. As time went on I got frustrated with this, that or the other and started to gripe about this house. I'm still guilty of it from time to time. Things weren't (once again, still aren't) going as I had planned them and I was frustrated because surely if God wanted us out here, it would have been a smooth transistion, right? As I've been living in this house, for a year and a half now, God has been revealing himself to me day by day.

First of all, my spiritual life, trust in God have been tested and growing since we've been here. Not only that, but I have started on a journey in which I have been finding out who I am...not from my perspective (which isn't really pretty), but from GOD'S perspective (which is SO much better than mine...isn't that amazing?). I am not as happy in the physical aspects, but am so much happier in the spirtual realm. Now, which do you think God cares about more?

Secondly, I am learning to be content (Phillipians 4:11) in this situation and it should make it easier to be content in an easier situation. Now there are still times that I get frustrated and just want to be in the new house. This becomes very evident when I do laundry. My mom says I'm spoiled (and I tend to agree), but I REALLY miss my front loaders and having the laundry not be in the dirty basement. But, overall, I am usually content with being here as long as I know that the house is coming slowly, but surely. This has been a gift from God because there was a moment where I was VERY angry at God and did some stupid things because of it. That was a big hump in the road that brought me to the right attitude, or at least a better one.

Thirdly, I am learning to be thankful in ALL circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). I realized just yesterday that I have been saying, "Well, at least this or that is started, it should have been finished long ago." This isn't the attitude God asks me to have. I should be saying, "Wow! We have a roof now! Thank you Lord for our roof." It gave me a whole new perspective on the rain we had yesterday. Even though the roofers couldn't be out there to finish up, it didn't matter. I was able to enjoy the rain just like I usually do. What a blessing!

So, I have come to the conclusion that home is where your loved ones are. When Libby and I drive out to see the progress on the house, that is all we do. When we are finished, I say to her, "Let's go home." Even though I wish that were home, it's not right now. It's only a house. This house, that I live in with my baby girls and my lovely husband...that is home. It won't always be home, but it is for now.

The best thing? The house that we are going to be moving into...it won't always be my home either. I have a relationship with my wonderful Christ and Saviour. Therefore, my true residence is in heaven (Phillipians 3:20-4:1). I am a stranger here on earth, a wanderer, we Americans might say an alien (1 Peter 1:1, 2:11-12, Hebrews 11:13-16). I pray to God every day that He reflects through me more and more (2 Corinthians 3:18). I have to live my life with eternity in mind (Matthew 6:19-21). My life shouldn't revolve around this house or that house or any earthly thing. My life should be poured into trying to live Christ for my girls, my husband and the people I meet on a daily basis. Although houses, cars and "toys" are nice, that isn't what life is about.

My hope is that you all can see Christ in me as I grow daily in my walk with Him. If anyone that is reading this is interested in anything I've said, just let me know. I'd love to talk with you about the love I have for my Lord.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Last year I found out I was pregnant a few days before my birthday. This year I don't have that big of news...thankfully. So, this year I found a really awesome deal on a blog makeover...and treated myself! Yea, I am so happy with how it turned out! This is SO me...I LOVE bright colors, I LOVE my girls and I wish I could live a little more like the quote, especially in my Christian life.

Anyway, if anyone else is interested in an awesome blog design and you don't have the knowledge to do it on your own (as I definitely don't) please check Designs by Summer out. She will do an awesome job and it's all for only $25. I am so excited about what an awesome job Summer did. Thank you so much!

By the way, just so I don't confuse anyone...my birthday was yesterday, not today.

Hide 'Em in Your Heart

I have decided that I REALLY need to break down and spend the money on Steve Green's "Hide 'Em in Your Heart" cd. Every time we climb into the van my precious little Libby asks me to play the "break you heart song".

Regina Spektor - On the Radio
Uploaded by reginaspektor

And she sings right along with her on the chorus too. I've also caught her walking around the house singing "on the radio-oh-oh".



Regina Spektor - Fidelity
Uploaded by reginaspektor


It's way too cute, but seriously, y'all, wouldn't those awesome memory skills be put to better work by memorizing scripture? I have GOT to do this...and SOON!

How's That Go Again?

I was glad that I was the teacher for preschool worship tonight. I had Libby with me and she had to go potty. Protocol is that the teacher waits in the hall and if they need help wiping, they call you. So, I followed protocol even though it was my daughter. Next thing I heard was, "Oh no! Mommy!" and tears. I went on in and she told me she missed the potty while pointing to the puddle on the floor. I asked her what happened and as I bent down to clean up I heard this in reply: "I stand up just like daddy did last night." Nice!

First Time

Aunt Judy sent us a fun interactive card for Easter. Libby has never played on the computer before, but has started showing some interest. I thought I would let her try the card out. Not only did she learn quickly...she had an absolute blast!

House Progress

Well, we're getting somewhere. We have over half of the windows in. We havw bath tubs too. Slowly, but surely. Of course, it doesn't help when it's SNOWING right now. Seriously, we've already beat the record... the snow can GO AWAY!!!

April Fools

I know, it's the 3rd, but I thought I'd share anyway.

So, I haven't played an April Fools prank in YEARS! But, I thought I would this year. Tee hee hee. I put a pregnancy test upside down for Chris to find. He wasn't very amused. :) I was though. He paid me back later that night by dropping Grace on the ground...or maybe it was a small "Grace-sized" pillow with a baby powder wrapped up in a blanket. Ha ha ha! So much fun.

7 Facts Meme

Erin from Imperfect Mother tagged me for a meme. So, if you already know me...bear with me. And if you don't...here are a few facts about me.

Here are the rules of the game;
1) Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog
2) Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3) Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4) Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I am going to be 27 on April 9.
2. I got my first set of stitches when I ran into a corner in our house when I was really young. You could see a bone sticking out and my dad went to the hospital without his shoes on because he was in such a hurry.
3. Kindergarten and 4th grade were my favorite years in school.
4. Speaking of school, my hubby proposed to me on the playground of my elementary school and then we ended up getting married at my elementary school as well.
5. I still get ear aches.
6. I have my Early Childhood Education degree.
7. I just figured out how to link in a post today. Ha ha ha! I'm such a dork.

I am going to tag:
1. The Single Mom
2. Melissa
3. Nissa
4. Summer
5. Melanie
6. Amy Wyatt
7. Blessing Hill

Have fun!