Joy in the Journey

I’m returning to work in 2 weeks.  I’m not the stay-at-home-mom type; I’m bored at home, even working part time. I’m looking forward to my return to the office.  In just this week, Jessie & I have left the house maybe twice: once for church and once to go to Dairy Queen for dinner (yay for free Oreo Blizzards).  Yet, I feel like my leave has gone by too fast and I’m just now getting to know who Jessie is. She looks so much like Maggie did, though Maggie had/has a rounder head.  But she is just now starting to develop her own personality.  Giggles and coos.  Tonight, I watched Jessie studying me.  Her eyes were taking in my face, looking it over as if she were memorizing each feature. She studied me like I’ve studied her over these past 10 weeks.  Taking in each freckle, each line, each imperfection.  And then, she does it.  She breaks into that big, toothless baby grin that could melt the heart of the SnowMiser himself.  And I can help but be thankful for the privilege of being allowed to do this all again.

I look forward to watching Jessie grow and turn into her own little person.  Even the difficult times, like tonight with Maggie.  Getting upset over a missing straw was over the top and so was the punishment for lying (both me) – Maggie likes to tell you what she thinks you want to hear, so she is having trouble with lying.  And of course, then SHE does it.  She hugs me, looks at me with those big blue eyes and says “I love you, Mom.”  And I realize that it’s all about the journey we are taking together and the joy in that journey.

Joy, to me, is more than happiness squared.  Joy is a contentedness that allows me to know there is meaning in this life.  Joy does not depend on circumstances and is in the big things (family) and little things (pacifiers!). I’m happy that God has put me on this journey with Rocky, Maggie & Jessie.

“This post is part of SOYJOY‘s What brings you joy contest. Learn more here.”

Attack of the Clones

 

10 Weeks Old

Jessie is growing so fast! We have her next pediatrician appointment next week and I'm very curious to see what she weighs. I would not be surprised to see 13 pounds! She is very smiley and "talks" a lot -- though I have no proof as she clams up as soon as the camera comes out. She enjoys sitting in her chair or propped by the boppy and look around (which is great for allowing me to get a little bit extra work completed after nap time). She is awake much more often. She has also taken to the pacifier, which means the nightly screamfest is no more. She still likes to be walked around a bit before settling down. Jessie is actually napping during the day and will settle herself down once I put her in the packnplay. She enjoys tummy time and I'm sure it won't be long before she's rolling over and holding herself up really well.

Jessie is still not a big fan of riding in the car, but is better when we're all in the van together. I think she just likes having someone next to her, paying attention to her.

She's outgrown her newborn sized clothes, so I'm bagging them up to give away -- we have 2 friends at church having babies soon. I'm going to have to go through the 3-6 month sized box next.

It’s a New Age of Wine

More more wine! Again, I dug out a bottle called New Age that sat in my “wine cellar” since last summer. Actually, Rocky grabbed it when I asked for a glass of wine last week. I really kind of like it. It’s a great summer wine. Light, a little bubbly, and fruity, it’s great for sitting on the deck or in the back yard (like during a backyard movie, watching Steve McQueen & Paul Newman in “The Towering Inferno”, with friends) .

The wine itself is Argentinean and comes in white and rose. I found a great review from a Las Vegas newspaper reporter, Gil Lempert-Schwarz on the white. While we were out on Saturday, we stopped by City Vineyard and I picked up 2 bottles of the white and 2 bottles of the rose. The rose is a bit sweeter, as you would expect, but has the same bubbly feel as the white. I’m kind of on an Argentinean kick when it comes to wines and seem to like everything coming from South America. I still like my Grooner (which is actually Austrian), but it’s kind of nice to have a 2nd “go to” wine, especially one that gives me 2 options.

Training with Otis

A couple of weekends ago, Rocky spent Saturday morning golfing.  It was a beautiful morning, so Maggie, Jessie & I hung out in the backyard.  Maggie thought it was a good time to “train” Otis.  She took some dog food and doled it out piece by piece as she got Otis to follow her around the backyard.  I’m glad I grabbed the camera.

 

If I could do it over again

Yesterday was the 9th anniversary of my 29th birthday. And birthdays are always a good time to look back on one’s life. I think about the choices I’ve made to bring me to this point and I wonder where I would be now if I had

• gone to college at the University of Colorado
• not returned to USD after a year in Missoula
• selected a different major
• not moved to Colorado for a guy
• moved back to SD after said guy broke my heart
• not gone to that Rockies baseball game with Dave and Rocky
• not gone to work for the airlines
• not moved to Michigan after getting laid off
• talked Rocky out of accepting the teaching job in Richmond, VA
• not accepted the position here in Billings or try to make the position in Portland OR work

Any one of those decisions may not have lead me to where I am today. And if I weren’t here today, I may not

• have married Rocky
• have 2 beautiful daughters
• have 2 crazy dogs
• have a career I enjoy, with flexibility I need
• have a great church home with wonderful godly friends

Now, I’m sure there is the possibility that I might still be where I am if I had made different decisions during those crossroad situations (well, except for possibly moving to Oregon). But if I could do it over again, I don’t think I want to. I’m happy with where we are and feel so blessed that the Lord has lead us here – even if we went down this road kicking and screaming a few times! I’m looking forward to seeing where he will lead us in the future.

"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?" Isaiah 43:19 NLT

However, I DO wish I had gone to Paris when the opportunity presented itself.

This post was inspired by MamaKat’s Writing Prompts.