New Routine

Tomorrow is D-day...back to work.  So, today I tried a new morning routine (to see how I'd do if I needed sleep!)  I got up at 5am.  Well, actually I got up to Emily's fussing at 3:40ish and couldn't fall back asleep after I gave her her bottle, but I tried my best to rest even though I couldn't sleep.

I hit snooze and tried my best to take as LONG as possible for the test drive.  I did my usual run of 3 miles and I focused on my legs for a little strength training.  I left the gym at 6:10ish and came home to shower and get ready.  I shaved in the shower, to make the shower as long as possible and got ready-hair and make up.  I had all this done by 7:09am!

I'm hoping that this new routine will be something that I can do at least 3 days a week.
It will allow me my work out time, which I need and also teach Emily the importance of taking care of yourself.  I figure from now until she graduates, the afternoons after school and evenings will be busy, so I'm going to try to make my work outs a priority.

The only thing that stinks with my new schedule is I won't have time for my bible time in the morning, but I think this could be a good thing.  I will now have time to read it in the evening with my little girl.  Again, teaching her that bible time is essential.

I'm hopeful this new routine will work.  That way when I leave school to go get my little peanut, we have the whole rest of the afternoon and evening together.  I'm thinking I will try to get up at 5 everyday, but on Wednesdays go to work early.  I used to stay late one day after school, so if I do it in the morning, hopefully I will be the best teacher, but an even more amazing Mom to my precious girl.

I'm not posting this to brag or say that I've got it all figured out, but I'm posting it here so that you can keep me accountable.  I want NEED to work out or I lose it. My sanity, that is!  I'm just hopeful I can adjust to the new sleep pattern.  Emily and I will probably be in bed by 8 together!  :0)

Praise the LORD!!!

January 20, 2012- this will be one of those days that will forever be burned in my memory.  Today is the day that Theresa, Emily's birth mom, signed over her rights.  We are so happy and excited to know that our precious little girl is ours.  We, obviously, still have the rest of the adoption process to go, but we are pretty sure we'll do fine with our home visits!  :0)

Dawn told us that Theresa was very emotional.  So, please pray for her and Mark that they will be able to mourn, grieve and deal with their decision.  I can't imagine what is going on in their hearts.  I think all birth moms and dads are the amazing heroes in an adoption.  They love the child so much to give them a life they can't at this time.  That is so courageous and loving.  Emily will always know how much her birth family loved her.

We are going out to dinner to celebrate with the whole family.  I cannot wipe this smile off my face!  We are so happy.

It's also hard to believe that Emily will be 2 months old tomorrow.  Time sure is flying!  She is growing so much.  She has about 2 newborn diapers left and that's a good thing.  She is moving on to Stage 1!  Her newborn clothes are still fitting, but the sleepers are getting really snug.  She's got some big ol feet and those toesies are smushed up in the newborn sleepers.  She now likes the other Avent pacifiers and thank goodness...she can keep them in better than the Smoothie kind.  But, we still rotate them to give her some variety!  :0)  Her hair is incredible.  I had to blow dry it yesterday because I was afraid of it being too wet before we left.  She loved it and actually fell asleep.  She is LOVING bath time and is starting to enjoy tummy time.  She doesn't scream as much anymore!  In fact, she's sleeping right next to me on her tummy right now!  She started this horrendous screeching when she starts to cry.  I think we have a little drama queen on our hands!

I go back to work on Wednesday.  I know it will be hard, but the more I've been thinking and praying about it, the more I realize this is good for the both of us.  It allows me to do something that I love and contribute to the family fund, as well as giving her time to socialize with other people.  It will make the time we have together so much more special (as if that's possible.), too.  Jesse will be home on Wednesdays and he will not take her to the sitter until 10ish Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri.  I will pick her up around 4 most days.  That's only 6 hours- 24 hours a week.  One day a week she will be without Mommy or Daddy.  I think that's really good!  I'm trying to look at it half full instead of half empty.  I will have to learn how to get all my stuff done at school because I don't want to come home and have tons of things to do.  I want to focus on my baby girl!

Life is so good!!  This smile is permanent!  :0)

How Ironic

Shortly after Emily came home, Jesse mentioned to me that he wanted to get in shape this year.  It kinda made me laugh...I've been trying to get him to take better care of himself for awhile and now my little peanut is finally making him see.  Hey, I guess whatever it takes!  :0)

He told me that he wanted to run the half marathon that I ran this past April this coming April and asked if I'd help him train.  (He only did the relay this past April.)  Then he dropped the bomb that he wanted to run the Detroit Free Press marathon in October. I just about spit out my drink at those words.  What??  Really?  Okay.  I'll support him, but there's no way I'm doing a marathon.  I'll do another half, but a marathon...come on!

So, Sunday we finally got back to church!  YES!!  Well, we walk in and our friends bombard us with these papers and are going on and on about running a marathon in October.  The church is sponsoring a church-wide group to run the Chicago marathon.  I couldn't help but giggle.  God was reaffirming Jesse's idea.  But not only was he reaffirming it for him, he was making me think- maybe I could do it too?!  Each mile that a person runs (with fundraising) will provide a water for a person in Africa.  Just a little ironic, dontcha think?

The other funny thing was I've been nagging (yes, I admit full fledged, on his butt, nagging) Jesse about drinking pop.  All the sugar and caffeine and crap.  I kept telling him how very bad it was for him.  Well, I got a scale for Christmas from a friend and he weighed himself.  He's down almost 20 pounds.  He's been sick, but 20 pounds?!?  I asked him what he's been doing differently.  At first he said he wasn't sure.  Then he pointed to some pop that we had on the counter when friends came over and he said, "I think not drinking that stuff has helped too!"  I couldn't help but do the told ya so on him for that one!

One more bonus to our special little girl- she's helping Daddy to become healthier!  I think Miss Em and I are making a great duo teaming up on Daddy!  :0)

Emily Ilene

I just realized that I never posted Emily's name.  She is such a blessing.  We love the little peanut so much!  The day after she was born, Dawn from the agency, kept calling because they needed her name.  Jesse and I couldn't decide.  It was either Emily or Olivia.  We have a friend with a daughter named Olivia and I have always LOVED Emily.  (Sparty's name at the rescue before we brought her home was Emily, but I was adamant about changing it because I loved the name!  Who knew!)  So, finally, after agonizing about it, we decided on Emily.  I was so afraid of naming her.  After we said it, there was no going back!  That was a lot of pressure.

As for Ilene, those of you who have been following our journey, know that we lost a dear family friend the weekend before we got the call that we were matched with Miss Em.  We both felt that Trish had something to do with us being matched, but neither of us liked the name Patricia...(we worked with a Patricia when we were dating that drove us both INSANE!)  Trish didn't seem the right name, but then we remembered that Trish's middle name was Ilene.  That's when we knew- Emily Ilene.

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Things have been going well over here.  Jesse got sick and Emily's been a little fussy the past few days.  I really hope she isn't catching what he had.

I'm dreading January 25th.  That's back to work day!  I never thought I'd not want to go back.  I always thought I'd need to work, but after being home these past few weeks, I'm dreading going back.  I can't imagine leaving this little girl!  I'm so sad about it.  The only thing getting me through is that I know Winter break is a few weeks after I go back.  Then we have Easter break.  By the time we get back from that, we will be on the down slide of the year.  Please pray for me...I'm really struggling.

Next Friday is the court date.  I'm getting anxious and hoping that everything goes as expected.  It's pretty nerve-wrecking!  We are so in love with this little girl and can't imagine our lives without her!  We are just praying for God to take control and allow us to trust in Him!

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