Groovebook
If you've ever seen Shark Tank, you may have seen the episode about Groovebook. I tend to get interested in products that we've seen on Shark Tank. Groovebook is no exception. If you have a smart phone, and want to try the Groovebook app for free, let me know. I have a code that will get you 100 pictures printed off your phone for free. If you want to order more pictures after the first free 100, it's only $2.99 for 40-100 pictures. I already have 3 Groovebooks and I'm really happy to have pictures from my phone printed out. The quality isn't amazing because they're phone pictures, but I use them for our albums, to send to family (pictures come perforated), to frame, or keep in the actual Groovebook for memory's sake. The pictures are also dated, which I have found to be very helpful. (Don't worry, the date is not on the actual photo.) Anyway, just wanted to share about a cool product that has been helpful to me! Again, if you want to try it out, let me know and I'll pass along the code.
A Lot Less TV
Our "special cable deal" runs out today. For some reason cable was a lot cheaper in VA (as was everything, except for rent). The day we arrived in our new town, our very first stop was the Comcast building. Before we ate dinner, before we went to our house- we stopped to get cable. Mostly that was my request. I didn't want the house to feel so lonely. Chuck even splurged to get us the package that included ABC Family (Gilmore Girls every day ay 11), TLC, HGTV, OWN, and Fox News (for Chuck). Today we lose the package, my special channels, and On Demand. I know I don't need the extra channels, I just really enjoy having them. I can't believe we will be paying for the minimum basic cable, which is more expensive than the extra stuff in VA. I guess I'm going to really have to start getting into news and local programming. Yuck.
I realize this will be good for me, and Jase. He doesn't need to be exposed to too much TV, but it really helps fill the quiet for me. Another plus is that spring starts tomorrow!! Hallelujah! Warmer weather is on the horizon, and we will be hitting the streets. Someone very generously bought us a brand new stroller that fits our car seat so I can't wait to get out there! In fact, tomorrow we have plans to stroll over to Dunkin to meet a friend.
So as we mourn the loss of our favorite channels, I am enjoying one final rerun of Gilmore Girls. And yes, I do have all 7 seasons on DVD- that's besides the point.
I realize this will be good for me, and Jase. He doesn't need to be exposed to too much TV, but it really helps fill the quiet for me. Another plus is that spring starts tomorrow!! Hallelujah! Warmer weather is on the horizon, and we will be hitting the streets. Someone very generously bought us a brand new stroller that fits our car seat so I can't wait to get out there! In fact, tomorrow we have plans to stroll over to Dunkin to meet a friend.
So as we mourn the loss of our favorite channels, I am enjoying one final rerun of Gilmore Girls. And yes, I do have all 7 seasons on DVD- that's besides the point.
Super Woman
I was invited to hang out with some women and kids from my new church today. It was a really encouraging morning being with them. I very much enjoyed chatting with the other girls and getting to know some of them. One of them asked me when I moved here. I responded, "A week and a half after Jase was born. Terrible idea." Two of the women said, "When we heard about that, we thought, 'Is she super woman or what?' " HA! ME?! Hardly.
I had no choice but to share that I came with a pretty bad attitude. It was a terrible idea to move so soon after Jase was born. Really terrible. I think there's a part of me that will regret that for the rest of my life. Hopefully not in a bitter and angry way, but in a way that I will always remember the pain and loneliness and fatigue and sadness and aching and of course, anger. I don't need to go into all the details of why we moved when we did, but it has certainly made the transition here extra hard. I wish our transition to this new place could have been better. I wish it had been done in a different way, and at a different time, but it wasn't. We did move here a week and half after Jase was born and I am not Super Woman.
In fact, looking back at these last six months, I wish I had been more gracious and more kind and more understanding and move supportive of my husband than I was. I feel much more like the villain then the main super hero. Why do I usually act out in a way that is ugly? My humanness makes me sad and makes me regret. But for the grace of God, there are times when His love comes out of me, and then I feel so joyful. I wish His love poured out of me much more, and I poured out of me much less.
As I was driving today I thought, "There's no need to beat myself up over my sin. The purpose of the cross was to FREE me from sin, and to free me from guilt. I can't change myself, but Christ can." So if I walk around beating myself up all the time, then I'm not taking advantage of what Christ came to do for me. Of which I am so unworthy. And so grateful. So very, very grateful.
***On a side note, "My Five Wives" is on right now. Imagine how hideous I would act with FOUR other women vying for Chuck's attention? Oh no no no no no.
I had no choice but to share that I came with a pretty bad attitude. It was a terrible idea to move so soon after Jase was born. Really terrible. I think there's a part of me that will regret that for the rest of my life. Hopefully not in a bitter and angry way, but in a way that I will always remember the pain and loneliness and fatigue and sadness and aching and of course, anger. I don't need to go into all the details of why we moved when we did, but it has certainly made the transition here extra hard. I wish our transition to this new place could have been better. I wish it had been done in a different way, and at a different time, but it wasn't. We did move here a week and half after Jase was born and I am not Super Woman.
In fact, looking back at these last six months, I wish I had been more gracious and more kind and more understanding and move supportive of my husband than I was. I feel much more like the villain then the main super hero. Why do I usually act out in a way that is ugly? My humanness makes me sad and makes me regret. But for the grace of God, there are times when His love comes out of me, and then I feel so joyful. I wish His love poured out of me much more, and I poured out of me much less.
As I was driving today I thought, "There's no need to beat myself up over my sin. The purpose of the cross was to FREE me from sin, and to free me from guilt. I can't change myself, but Christ can." So if I walk around beating myself up all the time, then I'm not taking advantage of what Christ came to do for me. Of which I am so unworthy. And so grateful. So very, very grateful.
***On a side note, "My Five Wives" is on right now. Imagine how hideous I would act with FOUR other women vying for Chuck's attention? Oh no no no no no.
Teen Mama
Yesterday I was chatting with some students while we were waiting for the teen service to begin. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a woman with a baby seat sitting at a table. Upon closer inspection I realized it was a teen girl with a baby seat sitting at a table. I asked the girls I was talking to who she was, and if that was her baby. Before getting their reply I was compelled to talk with this girl. I could not let her sit at the table alone for one more second and told the group of girls I just had to go over and chat. It was so exciting to me to have a teen Mama visit our church- how very brave. As I was walking away, one of the girls said, "It's not a real baby..." What?! As it turns out, the student with the baby seat was doing a project for a class at school. It was an electronic baby.
I had a great time talking with "Sarah" about her baby project. We ended up sitting together during the teen service, and "baby" boy cried several times. Sarah had to feed him twice with an electronic bottle. It was humorous, but I was also impressed with the seriousness of the project. How interesting that someone invented a baby that simulates many of the needs a real baby would have. Seems like excellent birth control to me. I was proud of Sarah for brining the baby to the service even though every time it cried, other students would turn around, stare, and giggle. I even found myself feeling nervous for the "baby" to stop crying! It was a very odd scenario, and my heart went out to her as if she were a real Mama! We even talked about how the baby had slept for the past three nights (terrible the first two nights, and great the second night, ha!). I never would have expected to connect with a teen over her electronic baby, but it was a sweet time none the less.
In other news, apparently we were stuck in that traffic the other night because of a big sink hole. It's such a creepy thought, and we're thankful we didn't sink.
I had a great time talking with "Sarah" about her baby project. We ended up sitting together during the teen service, and "baby" boy cried several times. Sarah had to feed him twice with an electronic bottle. It was humorous, but I was also impressed with the seriousness of the project. How interesting that someone invented a baby that simulates many of the needs a real baby would have. Seems like excellent birth control to me. I was proud of Sarah for brining the baby to the service even though every time it cried, other students would turn around, stare, and giggle. I even found myself feeling nervous for the "baby" to stop crying! It was a very odd scenario, and my heart went out to her as if she were a real Mama! We even talked about how the baby had slept for the past three nights (terrible the first two nights, and great the second night, ha!). I never would have expected to connect with a teen over her electronic baby, but it was a sweet time none the less.
In other news, apparently we were stuck in that traffic the other night because of a big sink hole. It's such a creepy thought, and we're thankful we didn't sink.
Sunday Best
I'm so tired and I really just long to crawl into bed- morning is going to come quick. Sunday is approaching, so that means the alarm is set for 6:30am. Yuck. I've already mentioned my disdain for our Sunday morning schedule, but I find that the church's ample supply of coffee does help. I'm still up because I'm waiting for my clothes that are in the washer. Although it just dawned on me I can throw them in the dryer before my shower in the morning. Oops. Anyway, while I'm here I might as well mention our insane evening.
Our good friends are moving out of NOVA to far away KT. We are happy for them, but sad for us they won't be two hours away anymore. We set up a dinner date in Baltimore, which is supposed to be an hour drive for both of us. After waking Jase from his nap, changing his diaper twice, packing up all our stuff, and piling in the car we started towards Baltimore. We drove about 20 minutes only to hit a dead stop on the highway, where we sat- sometimes crawled- for 2 1/2 hours. Of course we were not able to meet our friends. Instead we stopped at a gross Taco Bell, turned around and headed for home. What a WEIRD night. I'm so sad we didn't get to see our friends, and am hoping it will work out later this week!
It was a surprisingly fine evening though. We made the most of it, I guess. Chuck and I still talked and laughed and enjoyed our time as a family.
Our good friends are moving out of NOVA to far away KT. We are happy for them, but sad for us they won't be two hours away anymore. We set up a dinner date in Baltimore, which is supposed to be an hour drive for both of us. After waking Jase from his nap, changing his diaper twice, packing up all our stuff, and piling in the car we started towards Baltimore. We drove about 20 minutes only to hit a dead stop on the highway, where we sat- sometimes crawled- for 2 1/2 hours. Of course we were not able to meet our friends. Instead we stopped at a gross Taco Bell, turned around and headed for home. What a WEIRD night. I'm so sad we didn't get to see our friends, and am hoping it will work out later this week!
It was a surprisingly fine evening though. We made the most of it, I guess. Chuck and I still talked and laughed and enjoyed our time as a family.
