Summertime

I miss running.  It sounds odd, but it’s true.  Running was therapeutic for me.  It was calming, relaxing and refreshing.  It was my time alone to think, and my best times with God were on the road running, listening to music and worshiping. There are not really any words to describe a beautiful August evening, the fields ripe for harvest, the smell of summer in the air, the crickets and grasshoppers chirping, a combine humming in the distance…  Somehow walking isn’t quite the same and doesn’t give me the same rush as jogging does.  I realize I could start up again, and I hope to, but it doesn’t get to be relaxing and refreshing until I’m somewhat in shape, which I wouldn’t be now!  Running to me now would be exhausting and I’m guessing pretty frustrating as I was running 3-4 miles 3 or 4 times a week last summer.  I’m sure if I tried now I would barely make it one.  I’m a bit upset with myself with how little I’ve gone for walks this summer, but now with Adalyn it always seems like so much more work.  I think actually getting out there is the hardest part, but once I’m out I love it. 

We’ve had some interesting things going on here in the last couple of weeks.  Here’s a picture to capture the first one…That hole, my friends, is the result of our extremely talented and desperate Black Lab dog whom Mark accidentally locked in the shop.  I suppose he must have been pretty desperate to get out chewing through 2 bits of plywood and some insulation!  

Next, we sent another house on it’s way!  Yay!  It feels good to say good-bye to another one! 

And of course we can’t forget the Adalyn picture updates…  She is such a happy girl, though I have yet to capture a really great picture of one of her beautiful smiles.  They melt my heart!  She is growing so fast and learning so much!  Her favourite thing to do these days is stand. Haha She’s so strong!

Adalyn and her friend Kayla from church.  Kayla is one month older.

Sitting in her own chair!

Bonding.

We enjoyed a lovely day at Falcon Lake with Mark’s parents the other day.  Adalyn’s first time on the beach.  Now that summer is drawing nearer to an end, I finally feel like I am able to enjoy it!  Too bad we’re almost into September already!

Grandma and Grandpa babysitting.

Lounging on the beach

Angela and Isabelle trying to enjoy the water.  She didn't like it so much this time!

 

 I'm thanking God for all these awesome blessings!

Camping and other things

(written on August 5, 2011)

I was just reading back to my first post after Adalyn was born.  It’s amazing how quickly things change and how fast you get used to a new life!  Adalyn is just about 6 weeks and I can’t remember what it was like before she was born!  A lot of the things I was so worried and anxious about back then have now become almost second nature.  Adalyn has settled into more of a routine and I am learning what her needs are, although I still definitely don’t understand all baby talk! 

I think a large part of why things are going so much better now is the fact that I am getting more sleep!  Adalyn has slept 7 hr stretches two nights in a row now!  Agh, it’s so awesome!  I feel so rested in the morning when I get up after sleeping that long myself!  I had almost forgotten what it was like to sleep so many hours at one time without having to get up!  Things always seem better when you’re rested!

We went camping to Spruce Woods last weekend.  Adalyn’s first real adventure!  It went so well!  Marks’ family has a huge extended family campout every other year.  This is with his Dad’s uncles and aunts and cousins, so it is quite extensive!  I was a bit scared to go, but it really was easy taking a newborn camping!  They don’t need anything other than to be held and loved and fed.  I didn’t have to worry about bringing food or toys for her, I could feed her whenever she was hungry and didn’t have to worry about what time meals would be served.  After watching some of the others who had kids a bit older, I was very glad Adalyn was as little as she is.  She slept pretty well at night too.  It was really cold the first night so we bundled her up real good and she was fine.  She slept about 6 hrs straight.  Pretty good I’d say!

Adalyn all bundled up for sleeping in the tent.

Matching cousins, Isabelle and Adalyn.

Auntie Riss and Isabelle

Grandpa and Adalyn

Enjoying some good company.

The main park area was completely flooded out this year so we couldn’t do the things we would normally do when we go there.  Normally we would go swimming, mini-golfing, paddle boating, ect. and the main attraction there is the sand dunes.  There is a nice walk through the dunes which we would usually do, however because of the flooding we couldn’t get to this area of the park.  Someone arranged instead to go on a trail ride in pick-up trucks.  They have some really nice back country trails there and it was really cool to see a different area of the park in a different fashion.  I braved it and took Adalyn along on the truck.  I didn’t really know what it was going to be like when I left, and it turned out to be quite a bit bumpier and a lot longer than I thought.  We took a bunch of wrong turns so it took much longer to get to our destination, but it was fun exploring!  At the end of the trail there was a beautiful little walk to a look-out.  Adalyn was fussing by this point and I hadn’t planned to feed her along the way.  (I hadn’t brought my nursing cover with)  I walked with the others out to the look-out, which included quite a long downhill climb on nice soft beach sand.  As I was walking down, I was thinking to myself that it was a bad idea. Haha.  By the time we got to the end of the trail Adalyn was NOT happy so I turned right back around and booked it back up the hill as fast as I could.  I quickly fed her at the trucks before the others came back and she was very good the rest of the way back.  It was a nice adventure and I’m glad I conquered my first time mother worries and went.  I’m trying not to let a baby stop me from doing things I would normally do. 

This is the beautiful territory we were in!

Can you spot all the houses?

  Mark has finished one house and started on his next two which are supposed to be finished by the end of September.  We currently have 4 houses going on our yard!  Quite a job site. Haha.  One is sitting right outside my dining room window on our lawn.  It’s moving sometime next week.  It feels so good to be busy, though at the same time Mark doesn’t have much energy after 11 hours of work a day in the hot sun.  At least we know there is money coming in!  We’ve had a few slow years so this will help to make up for it!
 

 

I decided to post a picture of my very pitiful garden.  I have a big problem with comparing myself to others.  I always notice those who have magnificent gardens full of fresh produce and blooming so wonderfully, so to post this picture is quite embarrassing.   I have to admit, I always try to show the best of myself to others so they think I am awesome and have it all together.  I think so many of us do this, when really inside we feel completely opposite.  So here is my terrible garden for those who feel the same way.  If your garden looks like mine, or if your house isn’t completely tidy and organized, or if you don’t make awesome meals every day, or if your bed isn’t made, it doesn’t matter!!!  You can have aspirations and goals, but don’t let it make you feel less of a person because your garden sucks.  There.  That’s my little lesson for the day.  It’s as much for me as for anyone else.   

Well, this post is getting quite long by now and quite random, so I’ll leave something for another day…

A wedding and a visit

My Granny was here to visit this last week!  It’s been so marvellous having her around.  If I wasn’t off doing something else this week, I was over at my Mom and Dad’s visiting.  She is such a beautiful, pleasant person to spend time with and is so full of wisdom and stories.  I am so inspired by the stories she tells of the old days when her and Grandpa were younger, trying to make it.  My Grandpa was so inventive and creative and Granny so full of fun and willing to go along with his interesting ideas.  If ever I begin to think that my life is difficult and begin to wonder how I can do everything, I need only to think of the example of my Grandparents and I realize I have life very easy! 

 It was such a blessing to be able to share Adalyn with my Granny as well.  I’m so glad she was able to see Adalyn at this early stage.  It’s such a beautiful thing watching the generations interact.  I wish I could have introduced her to my Grandpa as well.  He was a person so rich in character.  She has such a rich heritage!    

 My cousin Bonnie got married this last Saturday too!  What a beautiful wedding!  Her new husband Tai is so obviously in love and so adoring.  Bonnie looks so happy, I am so confident he will treat her like a queen for the rest of their lives.  I am SO excited for them!  He is a godly man and though I don’t know him well yet, they seem so perfect for each other.  I was so pleased to be able to spend the morning at her house with her and her sisters while they got all done up.  I left Adalyn at home in the care of Mark while I was there.  I was privileged to witness Tai the first time he saw Bonnie the morning of the wedding as well.  So awesome!

I don’t actually have a great photo of Mark and I and Adalyn at the wedding because the photographer took some of us.  I didn’t take my camera out to take my own pictures because I figured her photos will be way nicer and we can just get them from Bonnie later.  So unfortunately the nice pictures of Adalyn at the wedding will have to wait… but here are a few until then.

 As a result of the wedding, my good friend Rachel was here to visit this week as well!  It’s been an exciting last couple of days!  Rachel is a true friend.  She is one of those people who when visiting after time apart, it feels like no time has passed when you see them again.  Though it is wonderful to meet new people and make new friends, there is nothing quite like old friends.  Very refreshing to visit with her again and to introduce her to Adalyn as well!  

Mark is just about done one house for the summer, but still has two more to finish by October.  He’s doing such a good job juggling busy work and new family life.  He still has the ability to calm me and Adalyn when I am tired and frustrated.  How he does it, I don’t know!   I love him.  

  

We think Adalyn has begun smiling consciously!  I haven’t caught it on camera, but she definitely responds with a smile sometimes.  She is so much more aware of things now than even a week ago.  She can follow people with her eyes as they cross a room and listens much more intently when people talk to her.  Not that she didn’t listen before, but she just seems much more interested now than she used to be.    

Here we are again...

Here we are again, and one more week has past.  It’s amazing how fast time goes by these days!  Way faster than those last days of pregnancy!  It feels like my whole life revolves around Adalyn these days, so this is what I have to talk about!  Sorry to anyone who maybe wants to hear about something else!  Haha  

Things have definitely settled down a lot since last week.  We are finally settling into life with a baby and though it still feels like I have almost no time to get anything that I want to get done, done, we are slowly getting used to a new normal.   I still haven’t fully prepared a meal since Adalyn was born.  It always seems she needs attention right around meal times.  Mark has been so good and hasn’t seemed bothered by it at all.  I think he is having a much easier time adjusting than I am.  

 I have been on a few outings this week.  I think I’ve gone out almost every day, which has been very good for me!  My mom went with me to Winnipeg to shop for an outfit for Bonnie and Tai’s wedding on Saturday.  It was very successful and I found something very quickly, which isn’t normal for me.  I’m so happy with my new outfit and I can’t wait to wear it!  Adalyn has a very cute little dress too.  She’s going to be the best looking baby around!  

I was nervous about feeding times while we were shopping.  I’m not sure why I’m so uptight about it, I know I just have to feed her when she’s hungry and she is getting much faster at nursing which makes it a lot better. 

Pictures of us in our outfits are yet to come... the wedding is on Saturday, YAY!  I'm so excited!

Adalyn had her first baby shower on Sunday.  There were a lot of people there.  Almost 40 I think!  I am quite overwhelmed by all the gifts we got.  I finished sorting through the clothes yesterday and her closet is a lot fuller than it was a few days ago.  She got a lot of stuff to wear for 6-9 months and 12 months.  Quite a few pairs of jeans and t-shirts.  It’s nice to know I won’t have to buy very many clothes in the coming months.

Cauntie Elishema (cousin aunty :) )

Cauntie Char

Mark's Grandma holding Adalyn

This week I also took Adalyn to her first Dr.’s appointment by myself and she did so well!  We had to wait at least 45 min to see the Dr and even so, she still let me go do some other things after the appointment was over!  The more I go out the more confident I get.

We gave Adalyn her first real bath (meaning not a sponge bath) this week as well.  This week is all about firsts!  She loved it which kind of surprised me.  She cried for the first 30 seconds, but then just lay there basking in the warmth.  She is so cute!!  

 I hope I’m not missing anything.  So much has happened in a week’s time.  Emotions aren’t running quite as wild anymore which I am grateful for!  I am also so thankful for God who never ceases to give us the grace to handle each day’s challenges and continually gives strength when I am weak.  This is one thing I am definitely learning… “One day at a time sweet Jesus”…

Adalyn is so beautiful and I love her immensely! 

   

One more thing!  I realized I hadn’t posted any pictures of the Saskatchewan Thiessen Aunts and Uncles holding Adalyn, and also my brother David didn’t have a picture with Adalyn so here are the updates!

Auntie Lorissa

Uncle J.J. and Uncle Matthew

Uncle David