Coffee CubBuster

Some little known facts:  Did you know that Silas was Paul's companion in the New Testament, and kind of an awesome guy? Did you know that Paul spent more than 13 years just growing in his knowledge and love of Jesus before going out and discipling others? Similarly, I think God gives new moms the down-time needed after delivery to learn to become a confident and capable parent who needs great patience and wisdom for such a humble calling. Well I wasn't quite as patient as Paul... after one week of constant healing and growing with my son (and my Savior), I had the itch to get out and about. Cabin fever had set in. Thankfully Silas is a great traveler, and I believe he loves going and doing too. In week two of his life, Silas went on a date with his parents, he went to a funeral, a wedding, the park, the movies, and many other errands. More than that though, God has still given us some great, much needed quiet time with Him. Go Dawgs! Silas loves to stretch like h...

Well if you thought I was having a boy, you were right!  We welcomed Silas Cary Smith into the world Wednesday, April 10 at 6:07 am at 7 lbs 1 ounce and almost 20 inches long! Just perfect in my humble mommy-opinion. Silas started out fighting to come into existence 40 weeks ago, and he had to fight the second he entered this world. It was a long night, and a long few days come to think of it, but one we will treasure for the rest of our lives. With fluid in his lungs, Silas was immediately taken away from me, which almost broke my heart. I fell apart here after the relief and shock that God brought him to me. It wasn't easy, but with God, I was able to do it. Straight from the oven, puffy and sleepy. Matthew never left his side while they ran tests and watched him closely. I almost lost it when I was able to see him again. He had an IV for antibiotics due to his border-line white blood cell count, and all kinds of wires that monitored his br...

Baby Smith will be here any minute, but in the waiting I've found so much peace that has been teaching me patience. Instead of joining in on the "aren't you so uncomfortable", "I bet you are SO ready", "you should just go get induced before that baby gets too big" comments, I'm truly thankful to have time that I will rarely ever have again. Time to pause and rest; time to soak up truth; time to enjoy the little pleasures in life. Not only have I enjoyed some delightful pedicures and dark chocolate truffles, but I've watched my hubby enjoy his most prized hobby- some peaceful time on the greens. He's soaking up great spring golf days before he switches to some stinky diaper changing days. This is the best part about golfing with Matthew- this particular angle ;) I've also found some great insight from the various blogger sites as I've rested on my spring break week. This excerpt from the "Desiring God" websi...

  I must be a glutton for punishment, or multi-tasking. When I was finishing my Masters, I was also looking for a place to live, trying to find a job, planning my wedding, and then moving. Hmmm... I really like to throw all my life changes into one bundle. Maybe it's just easier to handle them that way.  Now, Matthew and I should be announcing the newest member of our family any day, plus we closed on our first home this week and both have taken on new careers in the past few months (mine involves raising my own child instead of others'). We are so thankful to have found the little gem, even if it does need a lot of work. Right off of Crabapple in sweet Roswell, it's a great neighborhood and kind of surreal that we own this little ranch! I kind of hated it when I first saw it. I mean it's flesh-colored with green shutters and church like windows. But the potential is crazy. Stay-tuned for the "after" photos. We will be able to work on t...

Once upon a time there was a little girl with naivete and purity of spirit. She dreamed of making the world a better place. Her dreams included as few changes as possible; she wanted to live simply as a wife and mother, and she hoped she could make as many people smile along the way as possible. She soon discovered that the world held harsh realities, dystopian complexes, and curve balls should couldn't avoid. She also learned that the changes and trials in life were actually blessings disguised. This truth aided in her ability to view the world through lavender lenses instead of rose-rimmed ones. Soon, she would face the impurities of her own nature: she cared more about the opinions of others than she ever wanted to admit. She believed the cultural lies she was daily fed, and her sense of purpose teetered on uncertainty.  Before she knew it, she was caught up in the temporal temptations and earthly extras that hoard so many homes. Thanks be to her Lord, she was never more than ...

Many people have asked what colors I'm using in the nursery since we don't know the gender of our little one. I always say, "The sames ones I'd use if I did know the gender."  Personally I'm not really into the color pink or blue, so I'm excited to have things I can use either way. It's hard to get a good feel from these pics, but it's the little details that make if feel special. We received some beautiful furniture from my in-laws. Of course I loved the "espresso" color. Who doesn't love espresso-anything right? (my child is going to be a coffee addict early on) We just have to get our changing pad to put on top of the dresser and the room will be complete. The pictures in the background were painted by one of my former students. She did a fantastic job- 1-to-2-to-3 sparrows. Precious. The bumpers will have to go for the first few months, but I wanted to get a good feel for how they'd look. There are little trees on t...