Book review - The NKJV Study Bible

A few weeks ago, I was thinking about getting a new Bible. I have one study Bible that I've used, but I was ready for something a bit different. I wasn't sure what yet, and I was going to start looking around. I thought maybe even a small Bible to carry. I wanted a New King James Version for a couple of reasons. I LIKE the version for one thing, and the other reason is that it is the version used in the study material for one of the kids' classes I teach at church. I went on BookLook to check out the new review offerings and would you believe that I had the opportunity to review a NKJV study Bible? :) I was thrilled! I hope you friends out there don't get too tired of my book reviews, but these programs have been such a blessing to me! Especially with something like this! I feel like The Lord just gave me a gift! :)

This is a hard cover Bible with a dust jacket. Honestly, the jacket is a little underwhelming to me. It doesn't really give a good feel for what is inside. BUT... There are many things I love about this NKJV Study Bible! I love all the color! (That's really deep, I know, but it is enjoyable to look at!) It is a beautiful Bible - very well designed and easy to read. I am happy to actually find a NKJV study Bible (very common around here is the NIV, which isn't my favorite). This Bible has a lot of great features and I like the way it is laid out. There are word definition blocks quite often - these include the Greek word and the Strong's number. There also are cultural notes that help explain the context for what you are reading. There are several maps in the back of the Bible, but I love that there are color maps within the text as well. In the study portion, the phrase that is being explained is in bold - makes it easier to find, especially if you aren't reading every note.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you to Book Look Bloggers for the review copy. My opinions are my own.

She's Ours

"Is she yours?"

I got asked this question recently. My answer was simple: "Yes!"  I didn't feel the need to explain. Because Joy belongs to me. To us. She came to our family in a very special way, but she belongs here. She's ours!

I was reading in Romans about God adopting us into His family, and remembering this time a year ago when we were waiting for our girl to come to us. At this point, we knew about a little girl, but she wasn't "ours" yet. She belonged to someone else. A very special person that we have grown to love. Joy's birth mom. Her first mom on this earth. And now Joy belongs to us because her first mom chose us.

I remember that first morning waking in the hospital with Joy by my side in her little rolling nursery bed. The door opened early - I think it was about six - and at first I thought it was one of the hospital staff bringing something by. (Remember, I was asleep and I didn't have my glasses on.) It was Joy's birth mom. We were surprised by her visit, we didn't know if she would come by at all, but we were so very glad she did! I asked if she would like to hold Joy, and she did for a moment. I'll never forget what she did next though, after holding her for that brief time, she handed Joy back to me and said, "Go to your mama."

You see, Joy is ours. Not just because a judge said so. Not just because social workers or attorneys said we will be a good family for Joy. But because a very special lady put her own desires aside and made a choice out of a very hard core love. She chose us for her baby. She made the best and hardest decision she knew how to make. Out of strength. Out of love.

Yes, she's ours! Without reservation. without explanation. without qualifications. She belongs to us.

And we are so thankful!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November is National Adoption Month. I wanted to share just a bit of our story.

Feeling a bit crafty!

Well, I've found a bit of my crafty spirit! :) I made this fun fall bow for Joy! She has a candy corn shirt and it makes such a fun accessory!

I've also been feeling a bit of knitting inspiration!! I fell in love with this pin a while back, and since I've yet to finish a hat for Joy (so sad, I know!) I decided she needed a fun hat from mommy before the cold weather sets in! This hat has gone very quickly, I'm already on the decreases! And it IS fun to knit something other than dishcloths! :)

 

So thank you, ladies, for your encouragement! It's fun to feel the knitting spirit again! I'm not sure if I'll start a whole bunch more projects, but this sure has been a fun one to get back into the groove for a bit! :) 

Book Review: Knockout Knits (And a question for fellow knitters/crafters!)

I claim to be a knitter. Truth be known, I think I've finished one dishcloth in the past year. Shame on me!! I do have a fairly valid excuse, someone else keeps my hands pretty busy. But then, we always find time for the things we put in priority don't we? I WANT to knit more, and after looking at this book and drooling at all the eye candy, it really gets me in the mood to pick up my knitting again.

Knockout Knits is a beautiful book to just look at! The pictures of knitted projects are certainly drool-worthy! I haven't knitted anything from it, yet, but I love that the projects are from small quick knits, such as cuffs or hand warmers all the way to more detailed shawls or shrugs. There are plenty of beautiful hat patterns as well.

I love how the book is set up. Each chapter introduces a new technique, such as chart reading, then starts with a very simple and quick project to help the knitter get a bit of practice. But the book isn't only for beginners, each chapter goes on to more detailed and advanced projects, building on previous knowledge.

I know some of you that read my blog are knitters as well. Question for you... do you, over time, lose a bit of excitement for that craft? Or maybe lose it for a time, but then it comes back to you? I do know that when I have a lot going on, or I'm feeling stressed, my creativity is the first thing out the window! (Thus the drop off in Finished Object Fridays as well...) And a certain little one does take up a bit of time... I wouldn't trade her for the world though!!! She is at a wonderful, fun age and is so much fun to be with!! (Provided she's had her naps...) ;) I'm just hoping that my exuberance for all things crafty will return at some point...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Book provided by Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Legend of St. Nicholas

Yes, Christmas is coming very quickly!!! Anyone ready? Yeah... me either. Every year I make plans that the NEXT year I will get my shopping done early!!  After all, I want to relax and be able to enjoy the holiday season! This year, I also have a very special birthday party to plan!!! (One I've been planning for oh.... about a year.) ;)

One thing I love about Christmas is Christmas books. I always have! Growing up we had a stack of books that came out with our other Christmas treasures. And I know it comes as no surprise that I have already started a stack of fun Christmas books for our little family. I was excited to get another new beautiful Christmas book to add to our collection.

The Legend of St. Nicholas begins with a young man named "Nick" who wasn't to eager to spend his savings on gifts for others.  While at the department store he over hears the store Santa telling the story of St. Nicholas and how he came to see the need of others and decided to share what he had to ease the hurt. Nick sees the joy in giving and sharing with the needy.

I love the illustrations in this book. They are very bright and cheerful and "Christmasy!" I love that the book also brings in the birth of Jesus as the basis for the celebration of Christmas and gift giving. I'm sure we will enjoy reading this book during the Christmas season through the years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you to Book Look for this review copy. My opinions are my own.

Book Review: Streams in the Desert Bible

There are a few devotional books that have withstood the tests of time to keep encouraging Christians in their daily walk. Streams in the Desert is one of them. This devotional has a special meaning to me as the Bible college I went to was the same one that Lettie Cowman attended over 100 years ago. Her writings, in my opinion are especially meant to encourage a person who is going through a hard time in their life. I was excited to see a Bible that combines her writings with Scripture.

However... I wasn't overwhelmed with the layout. As I read through several passages, I keep thinking how hard it would be to read a section along with the dated devotional material. Some days are right next to each other and some are spread several pages apart. I understand that the intent is to keep the devotional pages close to the Scriptures they reference, but the layout would make reading through the Bible difficult. I like the idea of having a devotional in the same binding as the Bible, but maybe a daily reading layout would be better - even a suggested reading for the day. I'm also not a huge fan of the NIV either. There are other versions that I like better.

The devotional is in  updated language, which I feel is a good thing. It makes it easier to understand and smoother to read. It is a nice looking Bible and feels good to hold. The paper doesn't feel cheap. It is a good concept, I just feel a little more thought could have been put into the usability.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Book Look for the review copy. My opinions are my own.

Book Review: A Match of Wits

I enjoy a mix of fiction. Well, maybe not a very wide range... I don't enjoy suspenseful books so much any more. My fiction reading is mainly for relaxation. And for this reason I enjoy Jen Turano's books. Her writing is fun, her characters are unique and entertaining. She has a very distinctive style.

The beginning of A Match of Wits brings us to the wild western frontier. Agatha Watson is in search of stories to write and publish in the New York Tribune. In her travels, accompanied by her body guard, female companion, and recently acquired pet pig, she runs into Zayne Beckett, a friend from back home in New York. She is on this trip to escape those who have made threats on her life because of her writing. Zayne has buried himself in his mining work to escape his past and the hurt there. Agatha convinces him to return to New York where they both confront what they have been running from.

Yes, it's a fun, fast paced book full of unlikely happenings! But, as with Jen's other books, I enjoyed it. It's something different. Not always believable, but a fun, light hearted, fast paced read!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for the review copy. My opinions are my own. 

Book Review - Child of Mine

I've fallen a bit behind in my book reviews... and in my reading. Somehow the fiction gets read a little faster than the nonfiction. ;) And once I really start getting into a book, it's hard to put down!

Child of Mine is the most recent book that Beverly Lewis wrote with her husband David. I do enjoy Beverly's books, but I really enjoyed the added dimension that David brings to the plot. The story begins with Kelly Maine's search for her missing daughter. She has been searching eight long years for the baby was kidnapped and sold for drug money. After many promising leads ending once again in defeat, she gets a tip on Jack Livingston and his niece, Natalie. Jack is raising Natalie who was adopted by his deceased brother and his wife eight years before. But is Natalie her long lost daughter? She gets to know and love Jack and his little girl and comes to love them. Eventually the truth must come out and will that truth show that she is Nattie's birth mom? Or does that title belong to someone else?

This book really did draw me in! One obvious factor for me was the adoption plot line. One thing different from Beverly Lewis's other books was that, though there is an Amish character, the story does not revolve around an Amish community. I enjoyed the plot twists. Early on I thought I had it all figured out, but the ending surprised me. A very enjoyable book to read.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Bethany House for the review copy. My opinions are my own.

A New Venture - My Lilla Rose Story

Two days before our little Joy was born was the last day I worked at my old job. I was a part time librarian at a local church library and loved it! Then I got a new job!! I'm a full time mommy!! It's an amazing job with lots of perks! I get to spend time with a darling little girl and watch her grow! But although I save money being at home, I don't make much money. ;) I had been considering for a while the thought of becoming a consultant for some company. I wasn't quite sure yet what I wanted to do, but just something to bring in a little income and be able to work at my own pace (and during nap times!) Enter Lilla Rose!

Before I continue my story... what is Lilla Rose? Lilla Rose is a company that makes beautiful hair products! These products are very versatile, strong and come in so many sizes to suit your particular hair type and style. They are even more lovely in person than in the pictures! :)The "Flexi Clip" is their main product. It comes in the sizes below:

The wire part of the Flexi is made of strong music wire and the attached pin is a very heavy duty metal. These beauties are strong! They hold the hair very snugly and are super comfortable!

Back to my story... I've had a medium clip for a couple of years. A gift from a friend. I wore it a bit, but not a whole lot. Then this spring I bought one for a friend... she has thick heavy hair and could only wear her hair half up in a little claw clip or in a very loose braid - anything else gave her a headache. I gave her a Flexi for her birthday and she has fallen in love! It is beautiful in her long dark hair!! She is so happy to now have something pretty that works (and has since bought another!) :)

Her excitement got me to thinking about the company a little more and about maybe selling them myself. A few months later (no, I'm not a quick thinker...) at the end of July, I signed up. Becoming a consultant for Lilla Rose is very affordable!! I got my consultant kit in the mail a few days later. The kit comes with five flexis all different sizes, starting with the mini through the large. When I started using the large my hairstyle options expanded! I love it! It really shows the importance of having the right size for what hairstyle you wear the most often. I still want to get an extra large to go over a bun - my go to hairstyle. This is my favorite way to wear my large and it holds all day! (I do put a pin in the bottom to keep the braid loop from flopping, but the flexi is what truly holds my hair.)

Since starting out, I have been learning more and more about the company. The more I learn, the more excited I get! This really is an amazing company to be a consultant for! As a full time mommy and housewife, I don't know what a month will hold. With Lilla Rose, I don't have to meet a certain quota every month. In fact, the requirements to staying active are very achievable! The company has amazing customer service and I have been able to get acquainted with some wonderful ladies who are also consultants!

And here's the deal... I genuinely love these products and this company. What I have said above has not been fed to me by some training in saying the right thing to get people to buy... I am not a pushy person. Some may think the product is expensive. Yes, I understand that! (we are saving to buy a house... no extra $$ floating around here!) But I think of these as quality products worth the investment!! They are very durable and come with a great guarantee!

I am currently having my Grand Opening party!! For many of my local friends, I am having an in home party next week. (I'd have it in my own home, but unfortunately an apartment doesn't have much space... Thankfully my parents are most gracious to allow me to use their home!) If you are interested in the clips, I'd love to be your Lilla Rose consultant!! Please let me answer any questions you might have! As for the size you need, there is a video in the bottom right corner of my party link. Come have a look around!

A Very Eventful Summer

We have had very busy, but blessed summer!! I don't even know where to start. It has flown by so fast! (and yes, I realize that the "summer" isn't technically over, but with September here and everyone back to school - including my sister - it sure feels like fall is around the corner!)

June:
My sister finally made it home from college after (almost) traveling the nation coast to coast! :)

Our little Joy turned 6 months old!

We celebrated Father's Day with Mark's family a week early. I love this family picture! (Taken on my in-law's front porch.) 

We celebrated Mark's first Father's Day! 

And of course, a very busy VBS week! Joy's first Vacation Bible School! Doesn't she make the cutest little pirate? :) 

July was probably our most eventful month all year!! 

First another holiday with our little girl! These "firsts" are so much fun!!

The next day she turned 7 months old!!!

A couple of weeks later Tuesday July 15, 2014, was a day we've been looking forward to for YEARS!! Our baby girl became officially OURS!!! What a very special day!!! SO much joy! :)

We were so glad to have so many of our family and friends here for that extra special day! 

Then the following Sunday was another very special day!! We dedicated our Joy to the Lord and promised to raise her according to God's Word and to teach her about Jesus!

In August we took a trip to our church's family camp, once again in beautiful Dickson, TN.
It was wonderful visiting with so many of our friends and family (although the time there is never long enough...)

I got an early birthday gift while I was there! My dear friend Brittany "snapped a few" pictures of our baby girl! ;) She took Joy's official 8 month pictures as well as some beautiful pictures of Joy in her special dedication dress! (Mark's aunt made the dress years ago and almost all of the girls in that family have been dedicated in it!)

Our baby girl is growing and changing so very fast right now! She started crawling right about the time we went to camp, and now is working on walking! She'll be up and running before too long! She's got her first tooth (or teeth?? she's already working on her third one in about that many weeks!) and she's now sleeping in her own room.

Book Review: Let's Sew Together

Let's Sew Together by Rubyellen Bratcher. What a fun book! Blogging for Books has expanded to make available many different books and I was excited to get this book to review!  The book itself is colorful, fun and made for families to enjoy! The project range from quite simple (cutting a square piece of fabric for your child to imagine with!) to a bit more complicated (such as a doll house pillow.) All the projects encourage child interaction and many of them include your child drawing on the fabric. (How fun is that?) :)

The author starts out very basic with many tips and tricks and how to's to sewing - great for anyone who has no experience with using a machine or doing sewing crafts. The instructions seem very easy to follow (though I haven't done a project myself yet...Hopefully in a few years!) I love that the examples aren't perfect, it makes the projects feel attainable and that they don't have to turn out just so.

I also LOVE the side bars! Many of the projects have a side bar with book suggestions to read along with the project! There are also ways to use the project to further education... such as having writing prompts to write a fun story about the doll or robot craft. Great for homeschool or summer projects! I give this book two thumbs up!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review by Blogging for Books. My opinions are my own.

Book Review: My Happy Pumpkin

Ok, so it isn't quite fall yet.. but September will be here before we know it!! :) I thought this little book looked like one Joy and I will enjoy through the years. :) The illustrations are very sweet and fun as well as pretty fall colors to look at. There are interesting things in the illustrations that will be fun to "find" as we look at it together as she grows older. (There is a sweet little mouse on almost every page.) The rhyme of the story is fun too and great for little ones to listen to. I love the theme of the book that ties in with an object lesson about pumpkins. When God forgives our sins, He scrapes out the bad in us and makes us new, shining His light through us. Fun little story and it would be great for a preschool class at church as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book was provided by BookLook blogger book program in exchange for an honest review.

10 Baby Must Haves - according to me...

I love lists. I write lists. (on paper... my hubby has got me using a list app, just a bit, for sharing things that we need in case someone happens to make a grocery run... but paper is my favorite! There's something about just writing something down! But I digress...) When we were preparing for Joy, I looked up lists of things we needed to have. I've been wanting to write a list of things that worked for us, so here goes. This isn't a list of obvious stuff (diapers, clothes, etc...) just a list of stuff that people don't often think of that were wonderful to have.

1. Rock and Play Sleeper. 
 Forget the fancy pretty bassinet... this thing is awesome! I love that she slept slightly elevated and so close to me. It's very lightweight and folds up easily - travels so well. She slept in it until... oh, about last month... (I had started putting her in her "big" bed (pack and play in our room) but she got sick and congested and I wanted her elevated again to keep her from coughing so bad.) Her's is probably one of the original versions, they've gotten a lot fancier, but it did the job!

2. Baby Nail Scissors!
  Seriously, cutting baby nails scares me! But my mom always used nail scissors for my sister and they just make sense to me. I'm a lot less worried about cutting tiny fingers with these. They are very sharp, but I don't think I've as much as scratched her with them. They work great! (They are pictured above - in my title pic.) :)

3. Bath Seat

First Bath

  I was given a couple of baby tubs (hand me downs from friends) but I never used either one of them. I used this for Joy's first bath and haven't looked back. She has always loved her bathtime!

4. Carriers
This really should be #1 on my list!! I can't express how much we love our carrier. I had a borrowed Moby for when she was tiny, and used it a bit. It was so nice and soft and great for cuddling a tiny baby close. (and also had fold for keeping things handy... such as the burp cloth below!) ;)

First Sunday at church with Joy and my little friend

Then one evening I got ready to leave the house for a bit and leave her with Mark. He wanted to "wear" her, but I knew explaining that super loooong piece of fabric and how to tie it could be a bit much. So I pulled out my Beco. A few buckles are a lot more straight forward than looping and tying fabric. (And the ours comes with an infant insert - she probably could have been in in even younger.)

First time carried by Daddy

And I still use the Beco often. It's great for out shopping - I just pop her in and off we go. I think she likes seeing new things from the safety of mom. :) AND Mark uses it if he takes her out... just a couple of strap adjustments, and it's ready for daddy! It's as easy or easier than wrestling with a stroller and she will sometimes nod off to sleep - though not as frequently as she used too. Mine is a Beco Butterfly II. Unfortunately, they don't make this particular model anymore, but many other soft buckle carriers work just as well. Just do your research, articles such as this one are helpful in understanding why a good carrier is so important. (for mommy and her back as well as a developing baby!)

Shopping with Mommy!

Of all baby items, this is probably the one I researched the most. I researched many different carriers and realized how important the right carrier is. (I have had some back trouble, in fact have a bit of scoliosis and sway back. I had to be careful to choose the right one.) The cheapy version at your local stores might be tempting, but if you never use it, it's a waste of money. And trust me, if it hurts to wear, you won't end up using it. Even with this carrier, I can only go so long (quite a while, though.. especially when compared to trying to carry her without a carrier). But I can't imagine a carrier without the proper support. A lot of her weight gets distributed around my hips - not my back and shoulders. And when I can do a back carry, it's awesome!! I've only done it once, but we both loved it. (I hadn't tried in a while. I'm not quite as experienced at getting her on my back and the first time scared her... this was last week and it went very well, as you can see!)

First time on mommy's back!

5. Muslin Swaddling blankets
I swaddled her a lot. (Not any more... she loves to sleep stretched out in her "big" bed!) :) I haven't swaddled her for quite some time, but I do love these muslin blankets! I have a couple of different brands, and my favorites are a bit larger than the others (44 inches square). They are awesome for swaddling and you can find all kinds of swaddling tutorials online. The light muslin is a bit stretching and the fabric breaths great! I still love to have them on hand - great for grabbing to run into the house in a rain storm!  ;)

Baby Burrito!

6. Small swing

 I registered for a big fancy swing - the kind that plugs into the wall... Thankfully we were able to borrow one and not spend money on it because she hated it. I know, some kids might like them, but it was toooo smooth for her. She liked our little Fisher Price travel swing that was fast and a bit more jerky, I guess because she could feel the movement more. She still loves it, and is barely in it. It is now at my parents where she naps there. I'm sure we don't have too much longer and she won't fit in it at all. We love her little swing and I've been thrilled with how well it has worked. I even bought it used - though it still looks brand new.

7. Wubbanub
Ok, I have to admit, I think my love of these pacis is probably mostly the cuteness factor.... They are so much fun! She hasn't been a huge paci baby, but she doesn't suck finger either, so mommy is happy. (It's my opinion that a paci is a lot easier to get rid of later than fingers, but thankfully I don't have to worry about either.) She still enjoys them, though... they make great teethers! ;) (And you can also see this one in the first picture.) :)

8. Car Seat Cover

Home coming!! (Car seat cover folded down... if it was up- you couldn't see baby!) 

 A friend gave us one of these. I loved it!!! Having a new little one, especially in the winter, it really came in handy. I felt like it kept her warm and cozy going to and from the car. It also kept "lookers" at bay - you know, those well meaning people who just want to squeeze and love on your new little one, but you, being the new mother and it being flu season are paranoid that your little one is going to get some horrible disease! It worked out rather well. ;)

9.  Backseat Mirror
With a rear facing seat, it is almost impossible to see that precious little face from the front of the vehicle! We love our little mirror! (Joy also likes looking at herself, and often smiles when I put her in the car - even though she isn't a huge fan of car rides. It was great in the infant seat, but even better now that she is in a big convertible (still rear facing) seat. She outgrew that little seat pretty quickly!  

10. Cloth Diapers.

I just love a baby in cloth!!

Yes, I still love them!!!! You can read my cloth diaper post here. I have updated it with new info as I have learned more. I have tried a few different cloth diaper brands, but Mark and I agree the ones that work the best are our original BumGenius Freetime diapers. They hold more, and contain more... The way the diaper is designed, they also dry quickly! (The diaper above is by Thirsties. I love the diaper itself - sooo very soft. It just doesn't hold quite as much as our favorites.)  She tends to be a heavy overnight wetter, and I have just added an extra liner in for those long nights. (Although, we haven't had many of those recently... growth spurt?? Hoping for long nights to return very soon!!!)

Another HUGE plus: We have rarely had a diaper rash in her cloth! I do sometimes use "paper diapers" as I call them. (occasionally mommy doesn't quite stay on top of the laundry...). She doesn't usually have a problem, but there is one brand I tried (given to us) that literally blistered my poor girl! I won't be using them anymore!! So thankful for comfy, soft, money saving cloth! ;)


So what worked for you? Did I miss anything you couldn't have lived without? :) Or maybe you even tried something here and it didn't work for you. Not everything works for every family!
(None of these companies even know I exist. None of the above are advertisements...)

Book Review: Four Weddings and a Kiss

Sometimes you just need a light, fun read, right? Well, I know I do. :) I got this book specifically for that purpose. I wasn't disappointed. It's four novellas in one volume, tied together with a mini story. They are all stories of unlikely romance and each story is very different and fun, set in the historical west. Each author is an established writer and the stories are well written.

I do enjoy these kinds of books, not for deep reading, but as something to read to relax and enjoy. (Also, if I read novellas, they don't tend to keep me up ALL night long because I can finish a story so quickly.) I also like collections because I can find new authors that I will enjoy. So a fun, clean summer read. Great for taking along on a vacation!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to BookLook book review program for this review copy. My opinions are my own.

*** Coming soon: A post of my baby favorites! And I'll try to post a family update soon as well. Thanks to all of you who (maybe) still read my blog. Blogging time is limited to nap time, which sometimes is spotty... and I do need to fold laundry occasionally... ;)

Spring Time Fun!

Wow! It's hard to believe it's the last day of May! Time has been flying by so quickly and our little girl is growing so fast!!! I wanted to post an picture update... beware, many pictures coming! I also don't want this to be entirely a book review blog! (Books DO help me keep my sanity and relax, and it certainly is nice to get them free, but that isn't the only reason to have this blog!) :)

We've certainly had an eventful spring! Our little girl is growing and changing so fast! It's hard to keep up - and hard for my back to keep up... "Little" Joy weighs 20 pounds! ;) But thankfully, the Lord gives strength for what we need! And little girl LOVES being held! Not necessarily cuddled.... but held. heehee!! I'm not sure where to start, so I'll just give some highlights from the past three months. :)
March:
My grandmother came down for her annual visit - which turned into something more permanent! She is now living with my parents and we are enjoying having her close! Joy loves "NeeNee!" March was a crazy month weather wise, beautiful day one day and ice the next! But spring did eventually come and we got to enjoy our local spring flower festival a bit! Some of our friends were "belles" for the trails and Joy enjoyed visiting! ;)

 

April:

Her first Easter!!! So fun to celebrate with our little one!  Such a happy girl - most of the time!! She is very strong and loves to jump when held!

May:
Oh, goodness.... the most eventful month this year!! So proud of my hubby! He graduated with his Master's degree!!! We are also so glad that he now has more time to spend with us!! ;)

It was also wonderful to visit with a good (life long) friend and for her to meet our girl and me to meet her twins!! So glad we could fit a visit in with Melissa!!

And my first Mother's Day as a mommy! Such a special day!!

 

Joy has been growing so fast!! And changing so much!! She has....

Eaten her first official food: 

Avocado in her mesh feeder.

She is also learning to pick up food and eat it. (For those wondering, we are trying the "Baby-Led Weaning" route to feeding her.)

 

 

She has also started sitting up! (This was kindof a surprise discovery for me... a friend's baby a bit younger than her started sitting and I wondered if she could. Low and behold, she can!) heehee!! 

She's so proud!

She has also got her first little "bug." So hard to see her not feeling well, but she is getting better now and we are SO very blessed that she is so healthy!!

On Memorial Day she had her first pigtails!! I about died from the cuteness! ;)

So that's just a bit of our world over here!! Yes, most of our life does revolve around baby, but Mark and I are trying to be sure and fit in some time to connect as a couple - we celebrated our nine year anniversary this week! So blessed with my wonderful husband!!