new year, new church, new.... running group. lets do this!

the sunshine today just made me so excited about this week.  and, i just got an email from a fellow church planter who is starting up a running group and our first 5k is mid april.   

i suck at discipline.  but today i feel refreshed and ready to try again.  so this week my goals are as follows:

• have a meaningful quite time
• work my buns off at work so i don't have to work at night
• go for a walk at least 4 times for at least 45 minutes
• wake tag up and feed him before bed (which will ideally be no later than 1030pm) and let him CIO if he wakes up to eat again before 7 hours have passed

 my challenges excuses are many.  work is mentally exhausting and particularly challenging right now.  i am sleep deprived and lazy.  i often press snooze when i could be reading Gods word, and i tell myself i'll read at lunch or before bed... i am unmotivated to walk much less run unless someone goes with me (though sunshine helps).  i have a busy week.  book study monday night, date night thursday.  birthday friday.  CIO is tough for me, and i have to at least go pat his back or try to give him a paci.  i think though, it is passed time to get rid of the middle of the night feeding.  i really could use a solid 6-7 hours of uninterrupted sleep!  i also think that if i can do all of these things, that each of these things will begin to become easier and easier...

i can do this.  i can do this! 


besides, i know sweet d would love for me to get back to walking...she loves our walks!

waitin' on baby...

So the last weekend in July, Brentley went to a wedding out of town and I skipped out. I just didn't have it in me to travel that far approaching 37 weeks. Instead, I stayed home and nested like a crazy woman. I couldn't do it all by myself, so I called in back up--my mom and sister. This was a genius idea on my part. Not only did they not let me lift a finger, but I forgot how much my mom and sister love to clean and how good they are at it. This is my mom vacuuming my couch.... and just after she finished she told me I'd better invest in a vacuum with a hose on it asap! Haha!


I have come to the realization that having pets means never having a completely clean house--especially in the summer. It sucks, but I don't think I'd enjoy my life nearly so much without these two hairballs.

Durham, our dog, has been the best company during this pregnancy. Any time I needed a nap, she was happy to oblige. She gets me up early in the mornings (preparation for baby, I'm sure) and forces me to take walks.
Luna, our cat, is nesting too... testing out all our baby products. First the stroller, then the pack n play, and now it's the changing table pad. She's driving me a little nuts because I can't seem to keep the baby items clean, but hopefully when baby comes she'll stay away. She's actually a very shy cat and doesn't like to be near people (except me, on rare occasion) so here's hoping!

So, I realize that I didn't do such a swell job of capturing every week since week 32... oops! I blame part of it on us just being busy, and the other part on my desire NOT to have any photos taken of me. I mean who wants photos taken of them when they're enormous?? Anyway, we have taken some photos lately (at my largest and most swollen part of the pregnancy) just for kicks. perhaps i won't regret posting these...

Here is me sometime in week 37. We started walking when I went to the doctor that week to find out I was dilated 2-3 cm and 75% effaced. We were hoping to walk the baby out early, as we are just as eager as everyone else to meet our baby, but as of 39 weeks (today) no such luck. We found this dinosaur on our walk in the woods behind the dog park at Northgate Park, (it's a part of the Museum of Life and Science) and it made Brentley actually enjoy the walk so he started kicking me into gear to walk this walk every evening that we could.

Here is me in front of Golden Belt Manufacturing Co. on a quick lunch walk around our neighborhood. Brentley is really committed to getting this baby out as soon as possible (me too though, me too!), so he invites me to walk often, and of course, I'm always up for it as I love to walk!

Side view... can you see those cankles?? On this day I had my 38 week appointment where I learned I was 3-4 cm dilated and the baby was at 0 station. And so, we keep on walking...

And here we are taking an early evening stroll around the neighborhood, again.... Perhaps today I'll get around to taking a 39 week photo. Or the baby could come, instead?? HA.

Friends, Meet Sweet D!

In case you haven't met her yet, this is the latest addition to our family. Her name is Durham, and we LOVE her! She is the sweetest thing ever, hence her nick name. We got her from the Durham Animal Protection Society and we couldn't be more pleased!

We take her to the farmers market and for walks around Duke's East Campus. She is such a loving dog, and I can't think of one time I've had her out when I haven't received a compliment about her.

She and Luna took a few weeks to get to know each other, and now they seem to be fun playmates. Luna has the whole upstairs to herself these days (though not for long...), so she can escape when Durham's energy gets to be too much for her.

We've already got them on the same nap time too! Are we good parents or what??

She also enjoys some good couch time/TV with us.

Sisters. Ha.

And here's a cute one of our sassy little Luna... can't neglect her!