And...I'm Back!

So, I haven’t blogged in awhile.

This lack of blogging started to keep me from blogging.  I don’t know if that makes sense.  I’ll explain.  I started to feel bad that it had been so long.  I didn’t know how to start up again.  Do I mention it?  Do I make an excuse?  Is my public (all three of you) expecting something great?  Since I didn’t know what to do, I just didn’t blog.  Then that made it all worse.  It’s a vicious cycle at its finest. 

I have no good reason.  I just got busy, then lazy, and then felt that I was in this weird place as explained above. 

I also sometimes feel that I have to write something phenomenal.  Something that will change the world…or at least make people laugh and/or cry.  

This post is not that.  I thought I would warn you, my public, before you invest more time in this. 

Anyway, since my last post, Christmas happened.  It was nice, we saw family, and I spent a week organizing all of my kids new stuff.  I won’t post pictures or explain more, because no one really needs a Christmas post in the last few days of February. 

Oh wait, I lied about the picture thing.  I did get an awesome camera for Christmas, and I LOVE IT.  It makes my children look even better, if that’s at all possible.  See below:

 Super clear pictures of some beautiful faces, right?  This camera is so snazzy I even had to watch a DVD to learn how to use it.  See how in the last picture my boy is all in focus and my girl is not?  I KNOW.  Impressive. 

The December organizing of toys followed me into January, where I felt like I needed everything to be, well, organized.  I get these feelings inside of me sometimes that make me feel like my whole house is a GIANT MESS.  Then I have to stop and organize it RIGHT THEN or and CANNOT GO ON WITH MY LIFE.  

It’s crazy, I know.  

Sometimes I wait it out and let it pass, like when I felt that way about the paid bills that are stacked on top of our filing cabinet.  I just ignored the nagging in my head and left them that way, because bills are not fun before or after.  The rest of the house, though, experienced my crazy wrath.

We also had 87 doctor’s appointments for Bella in December and January, followed up with 1 chest x-ray and 43 prescriptions.  Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but it felt that way.  We finally have an asthma plan that is working, and I am so grateful.  Being sick (or watching your kid be sick) stinks big time. 

February is now here (and almost over) and it was busy.  We had the usual Valentine’s Day fun, where I lost my fight to do crafty Valentines for Bella’s school to a popular blond:

We had a super busy weekend after the 14^th where we went to Waco for my parents to be honored with an Alumni by Choice award from Baylor.  (I feel like I should say here that this award was found by the fabulous Matt Benton, who then forwarded the info to us.  The nomination letter was written by the fabulous Andy Benton.  I really just was along for the ride.)  

It was very special ceremony with a yummy brunch.  I was so proud of my parents, who deserve this award for their great love of Baylor and their support (both emotional and financial) of my Baylor Education.  Sic 'em.

 (Yes, Hayes was not looking and has a wet spot on his pants.  Sigh.)

That same weekend, we drove back into town, unpacked, had church the next day, and then Andy and I attended a Missions Banquet that night.  

There are no pictures of that, but you should know that I was super proud of my brave fashion.  I wore a black dress and purple patterned tights with black short boots.  I know.  I’m cool.  

Really, I just had to do something because I don’t like my tall black boots anymore.  Don’t get me wrong, they are still really nice boots.  The toe and heel are just...not in.  I am keeping them though, because I know in ten years, they will be desirable again.  Everything comes back around.

Take colored jeans, for example.  They were here, gone, and now they are back.  I have seen them in stores and read about them on other blogs.  I will have you know that I wore cream-colored jeans on my first day of high school.  (Yes, I remember vividly what I was wearing. Many major memories for me are linked to outfits.  I’m not sure if that makes me have amazing attention to detail or if it just makes me a little pathetic.)

 

Another thing that came back around was the BEST DAY EVER, also known as my birthday.  I got lots of nice gifts throughout the day from Andy and the kids, and I loved that he had planned it all out like that.  We had a nice dinner with family and friends, where I had shrimp and cheesecake.  Only the best foods on the best day.   

 I also had very nice eye makeup at my dinner thanks to a YouTube video.  I also learned an eyeliner trick that has changed me.  All of those wasted years, doing to it the hard way.  (I told you this was not a blog that would change the world.)

Now, I am 31 years old.  I’m calling it my Baskin Robbins year…you know, like 31 flavors? 

It is alarming to me that my first trip to Target after turning 31 resulted in this coming with my receipt:

What are you trying to say, Target?

I also did an email worship survey for church the other day and, prepare yourselves…I had to check the 31-40 age bracket at the end.  It was like the 5^th bracket on the list.  

Don’t get me wrong, I realize living is such a privilege.   I hope to have many, many more birthdays.  It is just weird to have to read down the list to find your age for the first time. 

And clearly, what Target and the church survey people don’t know is that I still feel 20 in my heart, and that’s what matters.

They also don’t know that I can totally rock patterned tights and cream-colored jeans.

(Do not question if those jeans would even still fit me now.  That is not to be discussed on the internet.)