Time Flies

As time passes by day-by-day, my little boy gets bigger and bigger. Ezra, now almost 23 pounds, is 9 months old and is growing so fast. It seems just yesterday that we were in the hospital delivering him. The truth is, is that time flies when you are having fun. Though I will admit, I'm not having the most fun at work away from my baby, but fun when I am with him. Oh how I long to stay home with my son, but I must realize that is not an option at the present time. Someday I hope to be a stay-at-home mom, but for now I will cherish all the wonderful and not so wonderful moments with my son and husband. I love them both tremendously for supporting me during this difficult time being a working mom and teacher.

Relationships

My grandma died a week ago and she lived to be 91. As I have reflected this week on some of the things that happened, I am again reminded that relationships with Jesus and other people will always outweigh other junk. I LOVE my family and enjoy spending time with them even if they drive me a little crazy sometimes. I'm very excited to say that my relationship with God is way more important than all other relationships, but I know I'd rather have these than other worldly things.
Thank you Jesus for dying for me, so that I can continue to live for you daily!

Races

As it turns out to enter a race can be very expensive especially if your husband decides to join you. We opted not to do the 5K today and will be doing our first 5K next Sunday. I'm pretty excited about it and I know that I won't be able to run all of it. Too bad! :( I was really hoping to, but my almost 30 year old knees can't do it right now. Maybe next year I'll run it!
School has started and I have many great students this year. I think it will be a fun year of me developing professionally with using differentiation. And I will be going with five other teachers from my building to Maryland for a conference on differentiation in November. Very excited about that trip and I've never been to Maryland!
I made Ezra pureed sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and peas yesterday. And plan to make him apples, pears, and butternut squash today. Ezra tried pureed zucchini last night and loved it! He was leaning in towards the spoon to eat some more. I think we have a vegetable lover on our hands! It was fun making it and so easy!

Oh how things change

I am back at school and boy is it going to be a busy year. I will try not to blog too much about school, but I do miss being home with Ezra all day and relaxing. When I first had Ezra and was home with him the first few days I wanted to be at school because it was easier than guessing what my son needed daily. Now however I would rather be at home with Ezra all day than at school because being home with Ezra is easier. Oh how things have changed in my life since Ezra came along. I long to be with him, but am still enjoying teaching!

Training Begins

I am planning to run a 5K on October 3 and October 10. Two different races and I figured out this morning that I have 8 weeks and 3 days to be ready for the first 5K. My training must begin today although I thought yesterday when I ran a block and a half pushing Ezra's jogging stroller that it was very hard. It however was also humid outside. So many factors to get into shape, but NOW is the time to start. My husband may or may not join me for this 5K, but I plan to do it with him beside me or with him along the sidelines. Either way Ezra definitely needs healthy parents.

Today is the day to start training for my 5K!

Chef Dustin

I have my own personal chef; his name is Dustin. Dustin is my husband and he is a great cook! When we first got married I did a lot of the cooking, where as now I believe Dustin (except during summer) does the majority of the cooking especially on weekends. We are both gifted in the kitchen, but have very different styles. I am the Chef of Comfort Food and he is the Chef of Elegant Food.

Both of us did not know how great of a cook he was until we got married and he started to dabble in the kitchen. Before we were married Dustin lived with his brother and did not cook much because cooking for one is no fun! Now that we have been married for a little over four years, he cooks frequently for me and many of our friends. In fact we have at least one friend and one family member that are self-conscious about cooking for us. I don't really understand why this is, but I guess I don't have to understand everything.

I love it when my husband cooks and love to eat the wonderful things he prepares. Yesterday, July 4th, Dustin prepared hummus, falafel, and cucumber sauce. Dustin does an amazing job of preparing wonderful food with fresh ingredients and prefers to use fresh versus dried or frozen. Anything that he puts in his mind to cook he masters! We would love to have you over for dinner sometime, so I can show off how great of a cook Dustin (his phenomenal cooking abilities can only be witnessed first hand).

We joke sometimes about opening a restaurant where I will cook comfort food including dessert and he will cook elegant food including dessert. But we don't want crazy restaurant hours, so we would only be open Monday-Friday during lunch. Would we make it in the restaurant business, making some profit, probably not. But we both enjoy cooking and this is just one of the things that Chef Dustin and I enjoy together. Someday we will teach Ezra and any other children we have to cook and they will have well diverse cooking abilities.

What's in a Name?

The other day my son, Ezra, was looking around and to get his attention I said his name aloud. He responded by looking at me in which I have been waiting for this moment for months now. Waiting to know when he would know his name. And I can finally say that he knows his name and responds most of the time when you say it. I have been wondering since he was born if he acts like a boy named Ezra (whatever that means) or if he will just grow into his name.

Ezra means in Hebrew, aid. And his middle name James means supplanter in which that means to take the place of. So all in all my son's name means to aid and take the place of boring. Wow, did we come up with a very interesting name for him. Hopefully he won't be a boring kid even though it's in his name. We'll see as he grows into his name and we begin to see the personality of our child and find out what handedness he is.

It's been very exciting these last few weeks watching him change as he develops many more skills. I'm enjoying boring motherhood and watching the many changes my son goes through. But I know I will miss him when I return to teach in the fall.

Good night for now!

Enough Arms or Time

Oh how I wish there were more hours in the day or even just minutes. There are so many things I need to get done either in or outside the house. I did accomplish something today: I learned how to install a new toilet seat. And also learned that yesterday when I took off the toilet seat I made it way to complicated to take off.

I love my son, but he prevents from getting so much done around the house. He will cry if he doesn't get to nap in my arms, but I hate it when he cries. So I give in to what he wants, mommy!

So much needed items that need to get done around the house:

1. take the growing trees out of the gutters
2. put a nice fence and division between the garden and the yard, so the rabbits don't get killed by me going crazy from them eating my vegetation
3. buy more bricks for around the strawberries & blackberries
   
4. clip the dead branches in the tree
5. file my 2 years of school papers
6. vacuum the entire house
7. clean & sanitize the kitchen counters
8. clean & sanitize the bathrooms

My question of the day is: how do moms keep the house clean, their kids happy (napping in their own beds), and their husbands happy too?

I need more energy or more arms. Not sure which?

June 24th

Four years ago yesterday, June 24, 2006, I married my best friend and love, Dustin. Since 2006, we have had many good times and great laughs, as well as some heated moments.

Three years ago yesterday, June 24, 2007, we purchased our home (after we realized that after having one child we would outgrow the condo we lived in). And we found out that if the first year of marriage was hard, then it should be a cake walk for the next 50+ years.

Two years ago yesterday, June 24, 2008, we celebrated our second year of marriage and discovered that for us that was a huge adjustment because we owned our own home and had many more adjustments to resolve than we thought (we experienced the typical first year of marriage in our second year). We also decided to begin the process of trying to get pregnant.

One year ago yesterday, June 24, 2009, I was pregnant with Ezra and did not know it yet. We went on our staycation in Des Moines and stayed at the hotel we stayed at after our wedding. Also on our staycation we enjoyed each other's company and all the sights and sounds of Des Moines.

Yesterday, June 24. 2010, we celebrated our 4th anniversary by going to the grocery store, Dustin going to work and me staying home with Ezra. Oh how time has changed over the last four years (we will be celebrating our anniversary tonight together while my mom watches Ezra).

However a few things still remain, I love Dustin more today than yesterday. We have learned to appreciate one another a little more each and every day, making sure to give each other a daily kiss (plus more) and an "I love you". We both have learned what people mean when they say that your child is the most beautiful child you've ever seen and that the love of a mother and father for their child is awesome. With the edition of Ezra, we have enjoyed the joys of life and developing just a little more and the laughter we have as a family -more so us laughing at Ezra right now than him laughing with us.

Love both my guys, Dustin & Ezra!

Sweetness of Summer

Right now as I write my son, Ezra, sleeps on his mommy's tummy. Last summer about this time I was already pregnant with him and working a lot at a local grocery store. But also at this time last summer I was not aware that I was pregnant nor did I know I was pregnant with a sweet little boy.
The joys of motherhood are so amazing, I carried this little guy for 9 months and pushed really hard for him to come out about 3 months ago, but ended up receiving a C-section. Somewhat depressing, but I was for sure too tired to push anymore especially after having nearly nothing to eat except teddy grahams from the night before.
Now instead of working nearly full time hours at a grocery store, I have a completely different role at home and enjoy spending all the sweetest days of summer with my boy versus people who complain about everything. Such an exciting time in my life to watch him, Ezra, grow and develop by picking up teethers and chew on them and chew on his fist. We enjoy each others company a lot and enjoy many naps together and walks with friends.
Ezra, has been my inspiration to get closer in my walk with Christ. Every morning I spend some time in God's word and have thoughtful conversations with my husband about what I'm learning. I think my time in scripture really helps me to be a more wise and patient mom and person. And I'm really enjoying a book that was recommended on another blog I follow. The book is: "All I Need is Jesus and a Good Pair of Jeans" by Susanna Foth Aughtmon. Susanna takes the inner thoughts of women and puts into words better than I can ever describe to my husband.
I will continue to enjoy the sweetness of summer with Ezra, Dustin, and a break from teaching.

Why?

I've always wanted to start a blog because I like the idea of an online journal. Before Ezra came along, I really did not have much to write about being a Boring wife and all. Now that Ezra is here there's so much more to write about as a Boring Mother. Periodically I plan to write about the developments of Ezra and how he is getting older. I also plan to write about any updates I have about Dustin and I.
And this is why I've decided to begin to blog plus I've enjoyed reading many other friends' blogs about their families.