Chicken and dippin' sauces

In my never-ending quest to come up with cheap, healthy, easy, freezable meal ideas, I have come up with something I should've thought of long ago. Trusting that there are some other moms of babies out there that can't think of the obvious, I'm sharing my new find. =)

Buy a large pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Take a little time and cut each large breast into bite size pieces and pack those pieces in a 1 qt. Ziploc freezer bag. You should have several small, flat bags filled with bite size chicken pieces. Freeze.

On the day you want them, take out 1 or 2 bags, thaw, and at dinner time, saute in a small skillet with a little canola oil. Get several small glass bowls, condiment bowls, at Walmart. I think mine were $2 for a pack of four. Fill with whatever you've got in the door of your fridge. In my fridge? Spicy peanut dipping sauce (Asian foods section), ketchup, BBQ sauce, mustard, Italian dressing, honey mustard sauce, etc.

Serve up with microwaved baked potatos and an easy salad. Done!

Fear...

It's been a little quiet here in my corner of the world. Seth and I got back from Birmingham, and I think I settled into a bit of a funk after that. David and I are both dealing with some minor health issues that are causing me some annoyance and mild anxiety, so that has contributed. I have been fighting off a mild UTI for about two weeks now. Because I'm nursing him, they can't give me anything to knock it out of the park. The antiobiotic I have been taking has helped a good bit, but it hasn't cured things, and it makes me nauseous. I find all of that irritating. =) David has had laryngitis for over a week now. I'm hoping it's allergy related, but it's hard when your husband hasn't been able to speak above a whisper for this long. It's far too easy for me to be anxious about both of these things. I know they'll probably both go away eventually, but I have a bit of anxiety that they just won't. This is because I'm not in charge of either one, and there doesn't seem to be a quick fix for either.

These health items that I have no control over have led me to worry about Seth as well. Things have just been going so well for us lately. It's just been such a perfect year! So, of course, I can't just enjoy things. I have to worry about when the other shoe will drop on us. Thanks, Dad, for the worry gene. And I've also discovered that when you have a child, it's easy to be afraid of all the horrible things in the world that could come and get him. If he wakes up later than normal in the morning, it takes me about 30 seconds to plan the beautiful funeral that he will have because he's died from SIDS in his cradle.

Part of the problem is that I've lived long enough to see that there is a lot of pain and suffering in the world, and I've also personally experienced that God doesn't magically come and take it all away from you if you're his baby girl. The other part of the problem is that I never really learned not to fear pain. The thought of suffering coming to me again makes my stomach clench in knots. I am afraid of it, and I feel like a bad Christian for fearing God's will for me, if it involves something that I find less than pleasurable.

In light of that, God has brought some important words to me lately. The Girl Talk blog has been dealing with the topic of suffering this week, and this Sunday, our senior pastor preached an excellent sermon on suffering and God's sovereignty. One of our pastors has a young daughter who was recently diagnosed with cancer, and another of our pastors has a newborn baby girl with Down's syndrome. The topic of suffering is very relevant to our church at the moment.

Mark mentioned several things that hit home to me. I appreciated that nowhere in his sermon did he act like good Christians aren't fazed by suffering. He said that if you live long enough, you are guaranteed to suffer. You will lose your health, your friends, your family, your relevance. You may lose your ability to communicate, and eventually, every single one of us will die. He said that pop Christianity that doesn't prepare Christians for the inevitability of suffering is doing them a serious disservice. Suffering is part of this fallen world. We need to know how to deal with it when it comes, and we need to be prepared because, eventually, it is coming.

He quoted several passages from an article by David Powlison in the book, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, that I found helpful. A friend had given me that book, but I hadn't read it until now. So I've been going through it in my devotions the past few days. Here are some portions that I've found relevant:

Grace means courage. When God says, "Fear not," his aim is not that you would just calm down and experience a relative absence of fear. He does not say, "Don't be afraid. Everything will turn out ok. So you can relax." Instead he says, "Don't be afraid. I am with you. So be strong and courageous." Do you hear the difference? The deep waters have not gone away. The opposite of fear is fearlessness. Fearlessness is active and enduring. It carries on constructively in the midst of stressful things that don't feel good at all. Courage means more than freedom from anxious feelings. Endurance is a powerful "abiding under" what is hard and painful, considering others even when you don't feel good.

There are countless ways to simply lessen anxiety feelings: vigorous exercise, getting all the facts, Prozac, cognitive behavioral therapy, finding the best possible doctor, yoga, a vacation in Bermuda, a glass of wine, getting some distance from the problem, finding support from fellow sufferers, throwing yourself into your work. Some of them are fine in their place. But none of them will make you fearless in the face of trouble. None of them creates that fruit of the Spirit called "endurance" which is mentioned repeatedly when the New Testament talks about God's purposes in suffering...None of them gives you high joy in knowing that your entire life is a holy experiment as God's hands shape you into the image of his Son. None of them changes the way you suffer by embedding in it deeper meaning. None gives you reason to persevere in fruitfulness through all your days, even if the scope of your obedience is constricted to your interactions with nurses at your bedside.

Suffering hurts. In my life, I will constantly struggle with fear if I am called to it. God may decide that He can't refine me the way He wants to without "the megaphone of pain" that He uses to get my attention in a way that nothing else will. I am also left to fight to believe that He has allowed my pain, and even though He has allowed it, He is still good. I have never read an author or heard a speaker who was able to give me a quick, 5-step program to cure me from struggling with that one. And I don't think I ever will. That one is just as much of a struggle as the first one. But I have decided that the struggle is worth it. It's nice to know, though, that I'm not alone in the struggle. After all, if endurance is what God is after, He can't get it from me without insisting that I endure.

Two convicting verses about pride

This is David today. Two verses in Psalms caught my attention during my quiet time this morning:

“An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself, too much to detect or hate his sin.” Psalms 36:1-2.

What caught my attention is the destructive nature of pride. Not only is pride a sin, but pride steals the ability for a person “to detect or hate his sin.” When I allow pride to take hold, it is much more difficult to see my own sinful behavior, to hate it, and to repent of it. Unless I repent of my pride and seek Godly humility, other sins are almost certain to grow in my life without my detection.

At work, pride in my ability may prevent me from noticing that I am not kind or patient enough to my coworkers. At home, pride as a parent and husband may prevent me from seeking ways to serve Ellen and Seth better. Pride allows me to feel justified in my anger and can cause repentance to be slow in coming. Fortunately, the standard Christ set in the Bible--if I take it seriously--won't let me hang onto that pride.

A good foot washing...

"When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."- John 13: 12-17

Last night, I went to my caregroup ladies meeting. The email I got from our caregroup leader's wife billed it as a chance for the mom's to sit back and relax and everybody else take care of things. I didn't know what that meant until I got there and saw a living room filled with candles, soft music, a massage chair, and foot baths. In the kitchen, there was a lovely spread of cookies, chips, veggies, and even hand-dipped chocolate strawberries. It was then that I realized the whole idea was that the married ladies without children were planning to give us moms pedicures!

I sat down, put my feet in warm water, and Ruth started in on my feet. I got the whole spa treatment, let me tell you. She knows how to give a foot massage. I was exfoliated, buffed, lotioned, had my feet cuticles? cleaned, nails clipped, and she even gave me a fresh coat of polish. Nobody has ever given that much attention to my feet before, and it was just exactly what I needed. I'd had a plantar wart frozen off my foot yesterday, and I was limping pretty good. My foot needed some attention. And I'd also been wondering when, if ever, I would get a chance to paint my toenails again. The last time they'd gotten done was when Mom and Dad watched the baby for me while I was at home. This was also the very first time I'd been able to leave Seth to go to a ladies meeting. I'd always had to bring him with me before because it was too painful to wait until 10:30 at night to either feed him or pump. That changed recently, so it was already a pretty big treat for me to be able to go without driving with one hand and holding the passy in over my shoulder with the other. =)

I don't think the girls in my caregroup will ever know just how blessed I felt last night. Staying home with Seth is so wonderful, and I love him more everyday. But I just don't get many moments to myself during the day. I only get nap time, really. I use that time to blog, sleep, do devotions, or do chores around the house. It was so nice to be taken care of by others. I appreciate the servant's hearts of those in my caregroup. Before you have children, it's easy not to put yourself in a mom's shoes. You don't know what it's like to walk in them, and you're busy enough with your own life that you might not take time to attempt to imagine what it's like. It means going the extra mile just to think about what a mom might need or want, and it's like running a marathon to actually go out and do something to give her a little treat. Christ's love charged through the finish line last night. Christ's example was followed, literally. He says, "Wash each other's feet the way I washed yours." And that's exactly what my friends did for me. And they did it because of the love of God that transforms hearts and minds. This love alone gives the desire not just to walk a mile in another's shoes but to take them off and rub their tired feet as well.

Birmingham...

We got back last night from our whirlwind "meet and greet the newest baby" Alabama tour! =) Here are some pictures in somewhat random order. My awesome friend, Paula, got to meet the little boy that she's prayed to meet for over three years now. It was so nice to see him in her lap, and he was even smiley and good for a minute. (Mommy love on trips continues...he won't let other people hold him long right now. =( And I got to meet Paula's newest little miracle, Lainey. She and Sam are such cute little bugs right now. Their picture is below.

Seth and I stayed with David's Mom and Dad. They are living in Bluff Park, going to our old church, and recently, Dad got a job as a Hospice chaplain that may have them there for a long time to come. I love their rental house. It has hardwoods and a nice back yard. Mom B. did some really helpful babysitting, and it was nice to see her enjoying her grandson. While I was getting out of the shower one morning, I heard her playing the piano. More significantly, I didn't hear crying from one fussy little boy. David has passed on his love of hearing his mom play the piano. I took this picture quickly while no one was looking. It's very sweet to me.

Here we have David's Bible study from his former law firm. David was really faithful to it for all the time he was there, and he enjoyed leading and helping his co-workers with their daily walks with Jesus. I got to go there and eat lunch with them. The Bible study continues in David's absence, and it was so nice to get to share the little man with so many who prayed for him.

Ahh, here we have more anniversary fun. I opened the door on Saturday morning to find a sweet older man with a delivery from the local florist. These flowers were gorgeous. I really wished I hadn't had to leave them behind. David also included a letter that he'd emailed to the florist, and they printed it out and stuck it in as the card. As wonderful as all this anniversary joy was in Birmingham, it was just as wonderful to come back and discover that my other anniversary gift was that David had cleaned the bathroom and scrubbed the tub, did the dishes, vacuumed the apartment, picked up some grocery essentials, and did the laundry I left behind. I love being married to this man!

And finally, I visited our old church home this Sunday. Chris and Libby are still there, holding down the fort for our Sunday School class. David and I team taught it for three years. During that time, we caught the decorating bug from some of the other church members, and we decorated our Sunday School room. We painted the walls blue, and we got furniture and curtains donated, mostly from a very nice partner at David's firm who was redocorating. I thought it turned out great, and I christened it "The Living Room." The Bible verse I put on the door sign included something about living unto Christ, but I can't remember the reference now. And oh yeah, if you change the room, I got that picture on the wall and had it custom framed, so if you take it down, I want it back. I hope you're reading this, Libby. =) But seriously, I have missed studying the Bible with these dear, dear friends on Sunday mornings. It was a joy to be there with y'all.

And now we have a big blank...... I wish I had a picture of the special moment when Dr. Long held my baby boy. It will be framed in my memory forever. Somehow, I wonder if my son knew that this man had much to do with his existence. He smiled and cooed for him while in his arms, and he just hadn't done much of that for anyone else this trip. I told Dr. Long that, and he said something like, "Well, we know each other." The ART program of Alabama has my deepest gratitude. They provided me wonderful, compassionate care during our time with them. One of the nurses remembered my name because I was one of the first people to get pregnant after she'd gotten there. When you do fertility treatment there, you're not a number, you're a person. When I had my miscarriage, they sent me a book on grieving a pregnancy loss. Dr. Long set aside an hour for us every time we talked with him. I've never had that kind of relationship with a doctor, and I probably never will again. It was personal care that we really needed during a really tough time. If you live in Birmingham, and you need treatment, I wouldn't go anywhere else.

Laughter...

As of 4:59 p.m. today, Seth and I will be flying home to D.C. I can't wait to get back to David. I think we've just tried to do too much traveling lately, without enough of a break in between. That said, I have had a great time here. More on that later... Today I saw the fertility specialist that helped me get pregnant with Seth. It was such a special moment when that wonderful doctor held my baby in his arms. I didn't think he would be there to see us. Seth was sooo good for him. It was incredible. He smiled and cooed and stayed happy for longer than he's done with anyone else here. Well, they do have a special relationship. Praise the Lord for a good clinic, and a year that has come full circle with such happiness. His picture is up on the wall there. I never thought I'd be on the wall of success pictures..And Seth gave us a great 6th anniversary present. He laughed for the very first time on May 19, 2007.

Happy Sixth Anniversary Sweetheart

Ellen, Here's to another year of not letting life get in the way of loving one another. For five years and nine months of marriage, it was just the two of us. In good times and bad, we clung to each other and built our marriage with God’s help. This year, we started a new chapter with the birth of Seth. But as this new adventure takes over our lives, I continue to see God’s grace and blessing in giving you to me.

I appreciate your willingness to follow God's leading even when the results are scary. Our decision to accept my current job and move up here was one of those scary decisions. Even in the face of uncertainty, you were willing to trust God and (even more amazingly) to trust me. I don't deserve that trust, but I appreciate you giving it to me.
Above is the picture of us the day we decided to accept an offer to clerk with the Supreme Court and to return to DC.

One of your finest qualities is your sensitivity to relationships. You notice when we are not spending enough time together or when there is an unmet emotional need. You are able to communicate how you feel, and you often notice how I feel without my even saying anything. Our relationship is so much stronger because you care enough to notice when there is hurt, and you care enough to do something about it. You never take our marriage for granted. Even as our responsibilities for Seth and for life come close to driving us crazy, I can count on you to make our marriage a priority.

I appreciate the energy and fun you bring to our marriage. Sometimes, it is easy for me to get bogged down with work and responsibility. You lift my spirits. Even after six years of adult life, you still have a light-hearted spirit. You make me laugh. I am glad that you delight in little things—like cold Dr. Pepper and a bag of Cheetos. My life would be very dull without you.
The picture above is from our 5th anniversary trip. Nothing like a little farm miniature golf. The one below is us at the Virginia State fair this past fall.

It is an amazing thing to be a parent with you. It is hard to imagine a task more long-term and difficult task than raising our child. But I see your great qualities as you interact with Seth. You love him and are always seeking play with him, talk to him, and bring him joy. You are patient—even when it is difficult or inconvenient (and even when it involves a change of clothing). You are a great mother, and I enjoy our time together growing as a family.

I love the fact that you put God first. It is not always easy as we become increasingly busy, but your desire is evident. It is great that you are willing to acknowledge your struggles and seek to improve. You also challenge me to serve God more. Just as iron sharpens iron (Prov. 27:17), you sharpen my relationship with God, you challenge me to admit my mistakes and failings, and you push me to seek God in all aspects of my life. "A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Prov. 31:30b.

This meager list does not capture very many of your great qualities, but I thought I would mention a few:

• Godly: You are always seeking to make your relationship with God stronger. I appreciate your efforts to have a quiet time, to go to Bible study and to be involved in church. I also amazed that you are so willing to accept God’s plans no matter where they lead.



• Thoughtful: You are quick to see the needs of others and attempt to do something about them.



• Flexible: When I married you, you had never moved except for an hour and a half away to go to college. Since I have married you—Kernersville, NC, to Charlottesville, VA to Silver Spring, MD, to Birmingham, AL, to Arlington, VA, and soon to Raleigh, NC. Many of these moves were not easy, but you always make a huge effort to settle in, get to know people, and make each place we live a home.



• Gorgeous: You are more beautiful every year. I bet there aren’t any women who look so good when nine months pregnant or three months after having a baby. You have a beautiful smile, and your sincerity shines right through.



• Communicator: You are one of the best communicators I know. Most importantly, you are honest about who you are. You are willing to tell me how you feel no matter what. Your openness has made me more comfortable to share with you. Together we have learned more and more about each other.



• Diligent: Things have definitely been busier since Seth arrived. It is great to see how hard you work to get things done and take care of our family. You do the grocery shopping, make sure the house is neat, do the laundry, make dinner, and of course rock our demanding baby in the meantime. After that, you still have time to reach out to others. Before Seth, you worked, fed me, and got a masters degree (the outstanding graduate of the history department with a 4.0 no less).

Happy Anniversary to the woman I couldn't live without.

Blogging from Sweet Home Alabama...

I'm typing this from my in-laws computer in good ol' Bluff Park, city of Hoover, state of Alabama! I'll be here all week, visiting all my old haunts and remembering all the good, bad, and indifferent. As a special treat, today is the anniversary of the day that the ART program at Brookwood called to tell me that Seth was on the way. I wanted to take them some candy and give them a big "thank you" today, but it just didn't happen. Oh well... small goals are key. I have so many people and places to see! I think sleeping baby and I are going to drive around the neighborhood now. Love to all! I'll be back with B'ham pictures next week.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!!! This is my very first Mother's Day ever!!!!! It is also the anniversary of the day that I found out that I was pregnant with Seth... almost. Here's the scoop. It was our last round of Follitism treatments. They knew exactly which day I ovulated on, and at the clinic, your pregnancy test was exactly two weeks from that day. I counted it up, and I paused in disgust when I discovered that it fell on Mother's Day. Not being the optimistic sort after 3 years of failure after failure, I immediately decided that this must be another test from God to see whether I'd have a good attitude after finding out my last round was a no go, on Mother's Day no less! I was not amused. David, however, was very excited. He was sure I was pregnant, and he wanted me to enjoy Mother's Day. I realized that they didn't do pregnancy tests on weekends, so I would actually find out the Monday after Mother's Day. I was relieved, but David was not. He wanted me to see if I could get them to test me early, on Friday. I very reluctantly asked for him, but they refused. I appreciated that. If the news was good, it would've been the best Mother's Day present I could've received, but if the news was bad...well, I just couldn't handle that on Mother's Day. So I didn't go to church on Mother's Day, having had all I could take of watching moms stand to be recognized and receive roses year after year. But the next day was a totally different story. They waited until late in the day to call, and I'd been a wreck all day. The nurse called, and she was being so matter of fact that I knew it was over. I just knew. Then she said, "I just wanted to let you know that you pregnancy test was...positive." The first words out of my mouth, unthinkingly, were "Oh, my God," but really, in that context, it was actually a shocked prayer in a way. =)

For those of you out there who are finding it hard to cope with another Mother's Day rolling around, I want to share a story with you. It's not my story, but I know my friend won't mind. I have a friend who endured six miscarriages. The first one happened at 8 1/2 months, and she had to go into labor and give birth to a dead child. After that, she had miscarriage after miscarriage. The doctors couldn't find out what was wrong. Her heart became harder and harder. My friend wasn't a Christian, but her husband was. On Mother's Day, after enduring 6 miscarriages, he begged her to go to church with him. She sat, arms crossed, just trying to make it through. Then the pastor said something completely unexpected. He said, "I know that we usually talk about moms on Mother's Day. But today, I want to talk to all of you who want to become moms and can't." He asked everyone to bow their heads and close their eyes, and then he asked all the women in the room who wanted to become mothers but couldn't to stand up. My friend did, and she looked around and saw many women standing all around her. Then he continued: "I want to tell you today that Jesus has not forgotten you. He loves you, and he knows how much you're hurting today." My friend said that she got saved that day. She didn't know it yet, but she was carrying her first beautiful daughter that she would get to keep on this earth. And now, she believes that those children that she lost actually saved her life by sending her to the Cross in her grief. She can't wait to see them in heaven, but she's thankful that she can parent the ones she has on earth for Him.

I hope that gives you some hope on Mother's Day. I know you're hurting, and so does He. He loves you so much. And I hope you will let Him wrap His arms around you today and every day.

Relatable Hannah...

I haven't had a Biblical post in awhile, and there's a reason for that. Lately, my spiritual life has felt kinda dry. There it is; I said it. I'm being real on this blog, even if it isn't popular. Maybe this can be blamed on the numerous distractions of new motherhood, I don't know, but it's the truth nevertheless. More regular Bible study would help it some, I'm sure. Part of the dryness has manifested itself in me just feeling like I feel an alienation between my everyday life and the Bible.

After 20+ years of reading and studying the Bible, sometimes the stories just don't feel fresh. I feel like it's hard to have a new take on the feeding of the 5,000 or Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman. I want to see something different, but familiarity occasionally breeds apathy. I feel a disconnect, and I wish that Jesus would show up and tell me how this thing that happened a long, long time ago that is rich with Jewish context that I don't completely understand can apply to me in my world of microwaves, Pampers, and high speed internet. But I don't think that He will show up in my living room and sit down on my couch, so it is up to me to beg him for new insight and new relatability to old, old stories and Bible verses that have begun to seem too familiar in a bad way.

So today I started my Bible study by praying and asking for new insight to an old story. I turned to 1 Samuel 1, and I started reading. And, thank you, Father, I did see several new details that I hadn't tuned into before. This story is very special to me, and with Mother's Day coming up, I wanted to revisit it again with thankfulness. But this time, I saw things that made Hannah seem so relatable in her hardship. We could meet with a hug and a smile of understanding today on my street corner. For those of you, my sisters, who know Hannah's pain, I hope this encourages you today.

1 Samuel 1: 3, 4-7- Hannah, her husband, and her rival wife, Peninnah, would go up the house of the Lord to sacrifice every year. "When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he would give a double portion because the Lord had closed her womb. It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat."

I had looked at it before, but I hadn't really noticed that this yearly Day of Sacrifice was a trigger day for Hannah. It was probably a day that she dreaded year after year. After all, it happened "year after year" for her. For many women, Mother's Day or the date of a miscarriage or the due date of a lost baby are trigger days. Hannah had one, too, and this was it. Each year, on their march to the temple to sacrifice, her heart was probably very heavy. She knew what was coming, and her heart ached. Maybe she went through day to day life with a measure of contentment, but this trip was her yearly reminder that she was barren.

The portioning of meat to all the sons and daughters of Elkanah provided another opportunity for her to feel alone. I picture it this way: Penninah lines up her sons and daughters to get their portion on one side of the room, and Hannah stands on the other side, utterly alone. I remember a visit that David and I took to a church in Alabama. We visited a variety of churches, some weirder than others, but this was the one I labeled the "extreme fertility" church. Somehow we missed the significance of the "be fruitful and multiply" verse on their web page, but there was no doubt when we got there. Families of eight or ten children were the norm, and to make matters worse for infertile us, communion was taken as a family unit. The husband/father would go up and get the bread and grape juice and bring it back to his family and serve it to them. I remember the pain I felt when David went up to get the portion for us. It was embarrassingly large for two people. I vowed at that moment that we would never go back. The ceremony highlighted our empty arms, just as the meat apportionment did for Hannah.

And then there is the song of thanksgiving that Hannah sings after she has given birth to Samuel. Sometimes I have looked at it and felt like it didn't apply to me because it starts with "My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies." I didn't really look much further because boasting against enemies didn't seem to apply. But I read further and realized that this is really a song about how God does the impossible. It is an acknowledgement that it is He and He alone that decides the fate of Hannah and everyone else. Even the weakest, and most infertile, like her, can be lifted up by God. "The bows of the mighty are shattered, but the feeble gird on strength," or "He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit among nobles, and inherit a seat of honor," are examples of this. Hannah is saying that the Lord is the only one that turns things around in a moment, even when the situation seems the most hopeless. Now that, I can relate to.

Spiderman 3...

So, on Friday, I called David at work and asked him if he'd like me to rent a movie while I was out. He replied, "No, I want to go see Spiderman 3 in the theater. Seth can come along." Now, I thought he was joking, and he kind of was, but I got to thinking about it, and I thought, "Why not? If he can be quiet for an hour and fall asleep on David's knees during caregroup meeting on Thursday, why is a movie any different?" And so was born the plan to take a 3-month-old to an action movie on opening weekend.

And now I will give you my reasons why taking a baby to an action movie is different than taking him to caregroup meeting:

1. Buildings and cars are not exploding at amazing decibel levels at caregroup meeting.
2. Our caregroup leader, Dave, does not speak softly with quiet music playing in the backgroud and then suddenly throw bombs at us, thereby causing the nursing baby on my lap to jump, begin crying, and then refuse to nurse further.
3. At caregroup, I do not have to then go out to a hall and sit in a corner on the floor by the water fountains to finish nursing said baby.

=) All said, it was a successful outing notwithstanding. I had enough Mommy guilt about it that I won't be doing it again, but he did sleep on David's lap through most of the movie, and I covered his ears with my hands to make myself feel a little better. Other than the nursing incident, and the death grip that he had on my sweater for a minute after we re-entered the loud theater, he didn't seem phased by the movie at all. And he gave me sweet, happy smiles and coos on the way home because he was so thrilled to be up way past his bed time for once. Well, another adventure in parenting for us newbies. And oh yeah, Spiderman 3 was good. You should check it out. I might suggest scrounging up the money for a babysitter. But wait, then you wouldn't have anything left over for the movie. Sigh. Oh well, just wait for it to come out on DVD. =)

Ham and Tomato Pie

I got this neat recipe out of Southern Living while I was at Mom and Dad's. I guess I must be getting more sleep, because I was inspired to try cooking again. All I've been doing since he's been born has been heating up freezer meals or sauces. I haven't chopped up anything in months. =) I made this while he napped and put it in the fridge to pop in the oven later, and that worked just fine. Enjoy!

Ham and Tomato Pie

9 in. pie crust
1 8 oz. pkg. diced cooked ham (can find in the pork section)
1/2 c. sliced green onions
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 med. plum tomatos, thinly sliced or some canned petite diced tomatos
1 large egg
1/3 c. milk or half and half
2 t. basil
pepper to taste

Saute' ham and green onions in a nonstick skillet for 5 minutes, until ham is a little brown and any liquid evaporates. Spread mustard evenly across bottom of the pie shell; sprinkle with 1/2 c. mozzarella. Spoon ham mixture evenly over it, and top with a single layer of tomatos. Beat egg and milk with a fork until well blended; pour over tomatos. Sprinkle evenly with basil, pepper, and the remaining cheese. Bake on 425 for 20-23 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cool for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

I thought it had a really nice flavor, wasn't bad for you when I modified it, and it wasn't too cheesy for my picky cheese man. I think it's going to make it into the regular meal rotation.

Going home...

Well, we're home! We had a wonderful trip, and I think Seth met all the home folks. He also took his first plane ride and did great. I got compliments from the other passengers. =) I got a great deal on a flight from Reagan (5 minutes from here) to PTI (10 minutes from home,) so it was a no brainer to skip the 6 hour car ride. Oh, how I love familiar faces and places. I think my favorite spot at the house where I grew up is the back porch. It overlooks our back yard where David and I got married, and there is a large field behind that. It's sooo green. Living in the city, I miss grass and trees the most. They're so calming. I realize that I miss the quiet of the country when I go home. They hadn't cut on our air conditioning here before we left, so we'd had all the windows wide open for several days and nights before I left, and we heard everything. I got tired of the sirens and hearing other people's conversations in our building and the parking lot. All I heard were birds at home. =) There was even a sparrow who'd built a nest on top of the drain pipe next to my parent's porch. I fed my baby in the swing, and she looked over her little blue eggs.

Seth got to meet his Uncle Albert the Dog. Albert will lick anything, and he got in a few good ones on Seth's face. He didn't seem to mind. Mom and Dad were great to me this week. It was nice to have some extra hands during the day. I got so much help that I....drum roll please....FINISHED MY THANK YOU NOTES!!! I came up with this idea to send the last ones with my birth announcements, so I divided a word document into several sections and just typed them up and signed them by hand. It worked like a charm. I even printed out addresses on labels so I could just peel and stick on the envelopes. It was such a feeling of relief to get that done. It's been hanging over my head for so long. I also even managed to paint my toenails! =) Little things like that just don't get done with Seth, who is currently crying in his cradle because he woke up from his nap grumpy and refused to get happy, leading Mommy to decide he needed to go back to bed. Sigh. I miss the extra hands already.

This is Seth with Mama Eliza. Mama Eliza is 97 years old, and I never thought she'd get to meet my baby, so it was so sweet that she got to hold him. She worked for my Great-Uncle Richard for most of her life, helping my Aunt Marty with housework and raising the children. She considers all of us in the family to be her children and great-grandchildren, and we're happy to have the title. We lived at Aunt Marty and Uncle Richard's house right after we were married for the summer, and she taught me how to make fried corncakes and her famouse iced tea. This woman knows how to cook real Southern food, and when she passes, all that knowledge will pass with her. She's a wonderful Christian lady.

Here we have Seth with his Great-Aunt Mary. Aunt Mary is such a card. I hope I'm as full of energy and infectious laughter when I'm 81. I asked Aunt Mary if she'd make something homemade for Seth, just something simple like a sock monkey doll. Well, she decided that wasn't good enough. He's getting a homemade Raggedy Andy doll with "I love Seth" stitched in a little heart on his chest. She was "tickled" over the idea that she can still do things like that at her age. She didn't even mention all the canning and chow chow making and running Uncle Brady around that she does.

This trip, Seth decided to honor me by truly giving me the title of Mommy. I left him with Mom and Dad on Sunday afternoon so I could go to Walmart, and I came home and walked in the door to find him crying hard. Dad and Mom had been trying to console him for the last 1/2 hour with no success. I was sure he was starving or something. They handed him to me, and instantly, he got quiet. He lay on my shoulder and shuddered, and he stayed that way for the next 1/2 hour! He needed me! Me! Mommy, and nobody else but Mommy! I didn't know that this could happen at three months, but Seth has a clear preference for me now. Mom and Dad would try to get near him and touch him right after that incident, and he would start crying again until I backed away from them. Now, this is something that we're going to have to work on. This child is going to have to have babysitters, and he didn't do so badly with them again during the visit. But it was nice to feel like he appreciates me for all the cuddling and love I give him and not just for the open milk bar.

I also learned that it's a little tough to go away for several days without David. It's harder than I thought it would be to be the only one in charge of Seth. When I'm with David, I have a co-manager. I can relax, knowing that I'm off duty when he has the baby. It isn't that way with Mom and Dad. They are great helpers, but I'm the manager, and they're the employees. I'm still ultimately in charge, and that can be a little wearing. I don't know how single mothers do it all. I'm so thankful for a husband who takes his responsibility as a dad seriously so that I don't feel like I'm always in charge of our little guy. I missed David in new ways while we were gone. I only love you more every day, handsome. Especially when I'm tired of walking Seth at fussy time all by myself. =)