I am not feeling good, thus the lack of posting this week.  Although I have been taking Zyrtec it does not seem to be working.  Last night was spent blowing my nose, drinking water…and feeling sorry for myself.  I hate being sick…at least with a cold.  I hate not being able to breathe out of my nose  (ask Justin, it makes me feel like i am suffocating.  I am a nose breather, not a mouth breather like my husband) and I really hate not being able to sleep.

So anyhow, I plan on staying busy today because lounging around and sleeping will make me feel worse!  I am hoping this weekend I’ll get better!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

My niece Anna spent the night on Sunday.  She was in town visiting Mimi and Beba.  My parents had a prior engagement so we had her at our house for the evening.  She always asks to play with my dollhouse…they dollhouse that was mine when I was her age.  The best gift I ever received.

I still remember the weeks leading up to Christmas.  My dad keeping a secret from Susanna and I.  We were not allowed in his office as he spent hours working on something.  We could never guess what that something might be.  Christmas morning was spent at my Grammie’s house.  Susanna and I were told we had to go upstairs because we could not see our surprise gift.  I will never forget what I saw as I walked down the long flight of stairs.  There in the center of my Grammie’s coffee table stood the most beautiful dollhouse.  It was covered in cotton balls resembling snow and was glistening with light.  It was beautiful.

It enjoyed watching Anna create her little world in the dollhouse that Beba built.  A dollhouse I passed hour upon hour playing with.  Might this be where I started to develop my love of decorating?  Quite possibly…

The dollhouse is still sitting on our kitchen table as I realized it is getting damaged from being stored in the shed.  I want it to stay in its almost perfect condition as it was built so lovingly by my dad and enjoyed by so many little girls.

“Enjoy this while it lasts!  They grow up so fast.  Before you know it she’ll be gone!”

Words I hear on an almost daily basis.  If there is one thing I have learned in my not-so-long 25 years, it is this…do not disregard what older people say.  They have gone ahead of me, they have experienced babyhood, toddlerhood, pre-teen years and teenage years.  Despite the challenges, the disappointment and the tears they still say “it goes so fast…” or rather, “it goes too fast.”

I look at my sweet baby and I think:

“Surely not.  You are just a baby…yes, it seems like yesterday you were born.  I clearly remember long nights of nursing you, rocking you…wishing you would sleep.  Wasn’t it just yesterday I was holding you in my arms as you slept by the hour?  When your cry was so weak and desperate?  When you fell asleep beside me in the bed?”

Now she’s 8.5 months old.  She plays independently, she sleeps through the night, she wants to see and touch everything…she’s curious, chatty, she loves to laugh, she has anxiety when I leave her.  She is awake most of the day, she mostly cries in frustration, she eats three meals, snacks, drinks apple juice…she is attempting to crawl but has not quite figured it out.  She nods when she wants something, she waves her little hands, she event throws a fit when something is taken from her.  My tiny baby is growing up too fast!  In just 3.5 months she’ll be a year old.  3.5 months will seem like 3 days…and tomorrow I’ll wake up and she’ll be starting first grade.  Not soon after that it will be high school…then college.  Then she will be gone.

Sometimes I wish I could stop time.

But, if there is one thing I have learned it is this:  Yes, she will be gone tomorrow…but life is not getting worse with each day that passes it is only getting better.  I cannot predict the pain and hurt that may be a part of my future…but I know that what was once the future is now the past.  In the past God blessed me with a husband, in-laws, nieces, nephews, a church family…and most recently a beautiful baby girl.  Along the way there has been a lot of hurt and frustration, sins I wish I could take back…a lot of “I could have done that better” or “I could have handled this in a better way.” But, thanks to God and his mercy, this is in the past and it is all forgiven. I look forward to the future.  Raising a precious little girl, serving a wonderful husband…and embracing whoever else might join our family along the way! Yes, I will hurt Cora, Justin…and many others but thank God that every day is a new day!  Another day to grow, mature and learn to love better. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

When I have much older, my children are out of the house…I too will say “it all goes so fast! Tomorrow your baby will be grown up!”  But I also hope to say (like so many people I know) “those years were precious.  Enjoy each day while it lasts and make the most of it.”

So, would I really want to stop time?  No.  Because the woman I am now, has a lot to learn.  I can only learn these lessons over time…and the woman Cora will grow up to be?  She needs every day to grow, to learn, to become who and what God has intended for her

“There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.” -Ecc. 3:1

“Wherever you are, be all there.” -Jim Elliot

“Courage does not always roar, sometimes it’s a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying…”I will try again, tomorrow.”

The blue chair has found a home in the sun room…perfect for an empty corner.  Thankfully I had two tiny pillows that perfectly suited this tiny chair.

Through pictures I am realizing the chair is a little crooked…but doesn’t look so bad in reality!

I also decided to buy some Gerber daisies for this table.   They are such a happy flower!

Don’t you love the electric cord in the background??? Call it an added touch.

Are anyone else’s allergies killing them?  This is the worst year I have ever had.  I wake up every morning at 4am and toss and turn.  I blow my nose, clear my throat, scratch my itchy eyes, and feel like I am going crazy!  My eyes are so swollen I can barely keep them open.  It’s supposed to rain Saturday so maybe there will be relief.  I sure love spring but I despise pollen!

Oh…and one more random little thing.  Look at teeny tiny (Susanna, that is my nickname for Amelia) between her two siblings.  Did my brother-in-law not capture a winner?  Oh goodness…there is nothing like a brand new baby.  Might I just add it is torture living so far away from two sets of siblings?  Every joy the Challies or Rose’s experience…we have to watch from a distance.  You know what they say “Absence makes the heart grow fonder!” So true, so true.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Today is a very special day… today, the person who makes me laugh the most, the person who listens to me the most, the person who calms my fears, puts up with my moods, loves me well…the person who loves Cora with all his heart, the person who I think is ridiculously good looking, the person who said I was beautiful with my postpartum spare tire…the person who brings me Chick-Fil-A during my once a month cravings…today my amazing husband turns 30!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!

Glad that you’re always 5 years ahead of me…I’ll always feel young, thanks to you. (it’s OK if I was in middle school when you started college)

Cora and I: We love you.

And now, today the person who most likely held me the most (after my parents), changed my diaper the most (after my parents), let me boss him around, always gave me my hearts desire…never forgets a birthday, is a fount of knowledge…knows more information then any human being I know…eats unbelievable amounts of food, is the most loyal and kind son, brother and Uncle…Andrew is 37 years old today.

Happy Birthday Andrew!

We love you.

There is something I’ve been keeping a secret.  It’s a somewhat sad, somewhat exciting and somewhat painful secret.  One that has caused a lot of anxiety in our home.  We have our house up for sale.  The home that has been in Justin’s family for generations, a home many people have poured love into.  A home full of memories…and home that has always been a home.  A place that has a little bit (or a lot) of many people’s hearts. There are visible remnants of the past throughout our house…shelves built by his uncle, flowers in our garden planted by his aunt…the same front steps where Justin’s mom played “Rock School.”

There are many reasons why we are wanting to sell our home…it is very small for a family that is just beginning to grow, (2 bedrooms, 1 bath) we would like a newer home…and a different location.  We would especially like to be closer to Justin’s work.  This is a huge decision for us.  We both like comfort, we are both home bodies…and we both hate change.  We have gone over all the possibilities..adding on an addition,   putting all future children in one small room, renting the home, etc, etc.  All of which make sentimental sense but do not make logical sense.

Now we have to sit and wait.  Wait and see if our home can sell in a market like this.  Wait and wonder…look at homes we like but try not to get our hopes up.  Plan where we might live, if we can sell.  As you can imagine (or know from experience) this is not a fun situation to be in.  But it’s a time for growth.  There is not some guarantee we will move because we may not sell this house.  If we do not sell this home we will have to be happy with what we have!  Put dreams aside of a different home and live contentedly here.   I do not want to be selfish…thinking I deserve more than what God has given me.  We are blessed. We have plenty.  We could make this work.  We have our little dreams but they not might be God’s plan for us.  So this is our secret…something weighing heavily on my heart these days.  A time for learning to wait and cast my cares on someone far bigger then myself!

Whatever the future holds I am going to continue putting time and energy in our little home because it deserves to be loved.

As I have already established.  I love to decorate, I love interior design and I love to be inspired by other people’s talent.  Today I am going to introduce you to someone who has amazing talent.  She can make any room beautiful.  She buys almost everything second hand and has an amazing eye for deals!  This person is my sister, Maryanne.

She has four children…all but Lambie…oops, I mean Will, have their own room.  Since we had taken over Anna’s room it was too messy for pictures.  First I’ll give you a glimpse of Emma’s room:

Two matching twin beds: (and yes, all three of us sisters own the same Ikea canopy)

I love the bright bedding.

Josh’s room…which is my favorite room in her house!  I love red and there is plenty of it in his room!  See the awesome boat bed?

Little details everywhere that make each room personal.

She proudly displays the children’s art work all over the house…something I plan on doing some day!

Here is the children’s play room.  The black table and chairs were ours when we were little.

There you have it!  I really could feature her entire house as it is all beautiful…maybe I’ll go back some time and take more pictures when she’s not looking.  So we’ll call this an introduction to the Helm’s home.

This weekend was busy.  So busy it may take me a couple days to recover.  Saturday morning I woke up the the exciting news that little Amelia had been born!  Instead of getting ready for our trip to Atlanta I spent the morning calling different family members.  We could not get a hold of my sister and still did not know if she had a baby boy or girl!!!  If you know me, you know I cannot stand waiting for details as important as this!  Thank goodness for mom spilling the secret or I might have gone crazy!  (To read the whole story of Amelia’s birth you can go to my sister’s blog mommyinc.blogspot.com.)

Around noon we sped of to Atlanta.  Justin and Cora were dropped off at Maryanne’s house and I headed to help host my friend’s lingerie shower and bachelorette party. Since I was coming from such a distance all my contribution amounted to was lots of food.  The bridesmaid I hosted with did not need help!  She did such a wonderful job decorating, preparing food, and organizing the entire day.

Before the table was filled with gifts

For the bachelorette we went to a place called “Just Kiln Time.”  We spent the rest of the evening painting pottery.  Of course I was one of the first to leave and go home.  I have never been one to stay up late and since having Cora it is almost impossible for me to last past 9 o’clock!

Three more weeks ’til she’s married!

The rest of the weekend was spent with the Helms.  It is always nice spending time with all six of them.  Nothing too exciting happened except for my brother-in-law singeing his eyelashes, eyebrows, and arm hair…never light a grill where the gas has been running a very long time.  A loud explosion will occur and you may be left with a couple bald spots…once you are discovered to be just fine, your wife and sister-in-law will spend the rest of the afternoon laughing at your curly, brown and crusty eyelash tips, hairless arms…and heat  induced highlights.

Tomorrow I will post part II of my weekend…

Another beautiful baby has been added to the Challies fold.  Congratulations to Rick, Susanna, Micah and Ellie!  We cannot wait to meet Cora’s new cousin: Amelia Grace Rose.  We love you!

This morning I was finally able to finish all the projects I have been working on.  Any spare time I had was spent trying to improve  areas of the house that were lacking.  The biggest changes took place in Cora’s room.

Cora has this beautiful Noah’s Ark.

I decided to take all the extra animals and put them in a Ball jam jar. After all…she won’t be able to use this toy for a while!

Yesterday at my local “junk” store I found this whimsical bird cage.   If Cora is to have any theme in her room I guess it is going to be birds.

Such an improvement…if only I had a before picture!

Remember those window panels I bought?  I hung one in her room.  Do you spy the pink chair? I still don’t know that I’ll keep it there because  it may be getting a little crowded.

Her room is starting to look more like what I had envisioned.  The little blue chair did find a home…I will share that soon!  Happy Friday!