Luke & Hannah & Little Leah Corinne

Watch this and remember to buy some new jeans next time you’re out mommies…

Seriously, hire a proofreader.

Happy Happy Easter!

Had a great, fun, exhausting day!

Church with mom & dad…

Photos with my friends Jillian & Billy…

Lovey hugs from Aunt Ally- we matched…

Billy playing it cool…

Picture time with the Jordman.

New coat from Grandma.

Soooo sleepsy….

Okay, I haven’t read the book, don’t think I will, but click here  (and the comments) to read what got me all riled up today.

Here’s a great snippet…

“I recommend that during the first three years, the mom should be at home because all of the research shows that the person whose body you come out of and whose breast you suck at, at that stage, really needs to be the mom — unless she’s incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial. After that, flip a coin.” 

First of all, let me say that I am so so so thankful that I have wonderful family and friends who are generous, kind, loving, good examples and caretakers for my daughter. I do not worry about her care because I know she is in a loving environment. Maybe I’d feel different if she was in an institutional daycare, but she’s not for now.  Thank you Mom, Ember, Laurie, etc….I can never never never thank you enough.

So…. Dr. Laura. Let’s talk. I really hope you are not calling me incompetent, irrelevant or immaterial since I’m not home with my child right now. You think that all mommies should stay home and from what I get of the story (could be wrong), I’m missing out?  Thanks for the newsflash genius. Guess I should have gone on to get my PhD (and gone into debt for more schooling, but I digress) to fully let myself know what I was missing.  You think I don’t know I’m missing out? You think I take this lightly? You think I don’t cry at work, in the car, and at home sometimes? You think I don’t sit and question myself multiple times daily about my life, my choices, why does God have me at work instead of at home, like “all good Christian mommies should be” (how I feel sometimes, when I get asked at church- “so you’re working outside the home?” and I’ll admit I’m oversensitive), how I miss my sweet daughter, wondering “will my daughter not bond with me?”, how maybe I missed something important today that I’ll never get back…. Oh no, thank you for pointing that out.  I forgot.

I forgot, let me just dump my job. Then I can stay at home and be worthwhile in your eyes.   Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of stay at home mom friends, my mom stayed home, so did Luke’s,  and I know their job is/ was ridiculously hard.  I admire them and respect them and am thankful that God has them in the situation He has them in. But, please…. do not make me feel any more guilty for making a very tough decision to continue in the workforce, trying to do the best I can where I am at, and learn whatever I am supposed to where God has put me now.  I already question myself enough of “what am I doing wrong- why can’t I be like ‘everyone else’ “.   Hooray for stay at home moms who love their children. Hooray for those of us who also love our children, but work outside the home.

But, Dr. Laura says I could just get by with less money…. yes, but as of now, as of today, that isn’t the case for us.  Is that a goal, yes, possibly, I don’t know.  At Bible study tonight we talked about God doing the “impossible”- anything is possible with Him so I can’t rule anything out.   Here’s the truth- I have bills, I have a mortgage, I have a car payment. Our “less” wouldn’t cut it now.  That is not anything against my husband, or me, it’s just the truth. It’s where God has us, and while I kick and scream sometimes, that isn’t going to change the situation.  I pray for open doors (work or home) and clear paths and this is where we are now.  We are trying to do the responsible thing. We are trying to cut back on unnecessary spending and make wise financial decisions.  If I quit my job, we would not be able to pay our mortgage, we would not have health insurance, and we would not be able to maintain and take care of the things God has given us.  It’s not a flippant decision to work, but a necessity and a responsible choice for some of us. For anyone who wants to criticize and really look at our specific lifestyle, yes, we do have nice things, but we’ve always agreed since we got married that we will buy quality over junk, so while some people may question our choices, we try to buy/ do things that last, which sometimes costs more up front. How many years did we want a house of our own, a decent couch without holes in it, a fridge that didn’t leak buckets, and last but not least,  a child/ children? Many years.  Now we are doing what we need to.  Am I not trusting God by taking a leap of faith - I honestly don’t know.  I try to enjoy my evenings and weekends with Leah, keep a house running smoothly, burn the candle at both ends, be a good wife, mom, friend, daughter, etc.

Maybe I’m reading too much into the whole article, and I will admit the point WAS to rile people up and get them talking. Point taken.   However, WHY tear people down? What in the world will that do?  If you are so concerned with families Dr. Laura, why don’t you take up issues like pay inequality, the massive empires of health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, inflated housing prices, the benefits of telecommuting, and the education/ debt trap that we are putting ourselves and our future children into?

These two things make us laugh.

And this….  

Really?

I’m really bad about updating our galleries with photos, but here are a few of my favorites from recently. I updated the galleries while Luke and Joe hung out at the Cavs game tonight. Enjoy…

Loving life at the Lindens, up waaay too late

In absolute shock over her mom holding baby Jillian Grace.

Hanging out with mom is fun….

But dressing up with daddy is better.

Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you. Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of love. -Maureen Mansfield

“Don’t cry because it’s over, have joy because it happened”

Thank you God for being in control, and for our little Leah who wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for our first loss. xoxo for a happy first “birthday” love, we’ll celebrate and meet you someday…

 Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I am such a dork. I am so excited for this movie ever since Luke showed me the preview. I’ll admit the trailer has one of my favorite songs, but it just looks like an absolutely magical combination of the book, childhood, live action, and however they do the rest!

Yeah, I’m stealing song lyrics, but it’s late and my tummy hurts too much to be creative.

I’m so excited for spring, sunshine and fresh air this year. Hooray for new pictures today (also in the gallery),  happy sunshiney pictures of a good year to come!

We should get jerseys cause we make a good team
But yours would look better than mine, cause you’re outta my league
And I know that it’s so cliche to tell you that everyday
I spend with you is the new best day of my life
Everyone watching us just turns away with disgust
It’s Jealously, they can see that we’ve got it going on

And I’m racking my brain for a new improved way
To let you know you’re more to me than what I know how to say
You’re OK with the way this is going to be
This is going to be the best thing we’ve ever seen

seriously, how did my child manage to cover up all her parts???