The Lord Doth Provide... (An Ode to Pottery Barn & Life-Saving Prayer)

This weekend, Bryant took McKenna camping for the first time. Well, it was the "first time" if you don't count the tents we've created out of every spare pillow and blanket in our home draped across furniture throughout our house. The "tents" where MK takes a flashlight, every pony figurine she owns from the My Little Pony collection and her Pottery Barn sleeping bag.

(Yes. A Pottery Barn sleeping bag. It's one thing her entire bedroom is outfitted with the brand, but a sleeping bag puts it over the edge. I feel PB has taken some of the authenticity out of "camping" with the insanely expensive, carefully stitched, yellow and pink butterfly sleeping bags that I, as a 21st century consumer, blindly purchase for my unappreciative 4 year old. Whatever happened to making a trip to the local outdoor store to purchase ugly camouflaged or plain black/green sleeping bags and tents? I disgust myself.)

(But the sleeping bag is really cute.)

Free Shipping??? Yes, please!

Well, maybe this trip wasn't too far off from the above - except the tent was a "real" one (something we own not actually purchased from PB or made from spare blankets and pillows). Though this trip was complete with her PB pillow and sleeping bag. Oh, and the ponies. Can't forget the ponies...

Anyway, Bryant had a race he had to be at in Shelby Forest early Saturday morning for work. So he suggested to take MK out there camping with him.

I immediately agreed pondered for a little bit, not at all concerned wondering if taking a little girl up to Shelby Forest at such a young age, was such a great idea. After no much hesitation, I agreed and figured it would give me a night off of double kid duty be a good experience for her.

Bryant quickly packed up the car with his and MK's Pottery Barn stuff and met up with a couple good friends, Dale and Ryan, for night of camping under the stars.

With the boys and MK gone, myself and Dale and Ryan's wives had a wild night of Mac 'n Cheese and Dateline over at my house after Meda G was put to bed.
(Who knew that adding a bit of onion to homemade Mac 'n Cheese would cause angles to descend from the heavens??)
(Don't tell my vegan husband I devoured two bowls of that delicious animal product goodness. I appreciate your discretion.)
(But in my defense, I'm what one might call a "Chee-gan." Mmmm.... cheeeeese....)

Oh, and I don't want to forget the 1/2 glass of red wine I consumed.

I'm telling you - wild night.

I don't know if any of you watch Dateline, but my friend Molly is borderline obsessed with it. No big deal that it comes on at NIGHT and covers TRUE stories of CRAZED KILLERS, RAPISTS and HOMICIDAL MANIACS. (My blog totally just got flagged using those key word search terms. Awesome. I might as well have just put a giant red target on my forehead screaming COME KILL ME NOW LUNATICS!) So yeah, we watched that.

While the boys were gone.
In the dark.
With no husband protection anywhere close.

And then my friends went home and left me alone.

I know what you're thinking...

Great friends, right??  ;-)

(This is the point where I would normally google a picture of a seriel killer, but I'm done risking blowing my google search ranking sky high with talks of homicides. So maybe just imagine a photo that would nicely compliment the post at this point.)

Well, to top is off, this all came a couple nights after watching "The Call" on Redbox where a mentally disturbed man kidnapped and tortured young women and then buried them in a random field. (Interesting movie on the 9-1-1- dispatch center, by the way... I recommend it if you aren't female and going to be alone at any point in time in the near future. Or if you're a big Halle Berry fan.)

As I prepared to go to bed, after double checking the house alarm was set, of course, I made sure to add looking out every window and strategically have the dogs lay by every door to my bedtime routine. Then I stayed up as late as possible, so I could carefully listen for an ax murder to come in to steal Meda G and I read some.

I picked up my bible to try and calm my nerves. But you want to know what verse I turned to? Psalm 143:8 (Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.). No big deal, right? Should have made me feel better, right?

Well, yes. That is until you read on...


Rescue me from my enemies, Lord,  for I hide myself in you. (Psalm 143:9)

Errrr... Enemies?  Why is the Bible talking to me about "enemies" on this particular night?? Hmmmm.... a seriel killer would definitely be considered an enemy. I quickly flipped the page.

To Matthew 10:39. "Whoever finds their life will lose it..."

Eeeek.... I flipped again...

To 1 Peter 3:14. "But even if you should suffer..."

I immediately shut the bible. Visions of the night I was almost raped and killed by a dead phone flashed before my eyes. The Good Lord had to be telling me I was about to suffer at the hands of my enemy (aka - ax murderer) and lose my life. He was WARNING ME.

So I tried to change His mind on that plan. I immediately prayed over Romans 8:28 and reminded Him that He promised to do me good. And then I so-very-sweetly asked him to save my life later that night when I would surely need it.

And guess what?

Ask and you shall receive!

I was not murdered. I wasn't even remotely tortured by a crazed lunatic. I didn't even see one! Both Meda and I slept peacefully. (Well, until 3:45AM when Meda decided it was time to eat. At which I quickly prayed the same prayer again since it was dark and I couldn't see out the windows into the dark very well to scope out anybody looking to break in. The good Lord is GOOD, my friends. He once again saved my life that night!)

The next morning, after Bryant and MK came home, I started to share with Bryant about how my life had been in jeapordy while he was galavanting in the woods. Then I decided against it. I didn't want him to think he couldn't ever leave me at the house alone again. (But I really did.) I didn't want him to think of me as mentally weak. (Which I am.) And I didn't want him to make fun of me. (Which he totally would have.)

So, my dear blog friends, that whole night is going to be our little secret. We won't tell Bryant how I devoured bowls of animal product (did I mention I used a large bowl?), how a homicidal maniac was most assuredly perched outside my bedroom window waiting to pounce, or how the Lord decided that since I was able to memorize one tiny verse (Romans 8:28) out of all 66 of his bible books, I should be given another shot at life.

We'll let the memory of that night be of Pottery Barn and My Little Pony camping and spending time MK and friends, instead of my near-death. :-)

ARE YOU HERE YET FALL??? CAN YOU HEAR ME CALLING???

Well, hello there, bloggy world!

Long time, no read... or write... or whatever...
(You know what I mean.)

Anyway, I've been (once again) MIA from the interwebs for a few weeks.

Okay, not really. I've definitely been on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, my email, work website, and Amazon.com. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've been MIA from this here blog.

Anyway, this summer's been a doozy. Pretty busy and not at all what I picture summertime to look like.

I don't know about you, but when I think of summer, I picture lounging by the pool or at the beach with some sort of fruity drink in hand. Sleeping in and seeing movies at the drive-in. Reading at least 2-3 books per month. Having nothing on the agenda except whatever I want to do. (#selfish #buthoneybadgerdontcare)

Well, that's not reality, people.

I haven't been to the pool one time.

Or the beach.

I can't remember the last time I slept in or was able to watch a movie in its entirety without being interrupted. And I've struggled to finish even one novella over the course of three months.

Its been busy. Really busy. We've had family in town multiple times (that's what happens when you add additional family members to the clan, by way of labor and birth. Meda G has had plenty of visitors and truth be told, it's been great!). I've also been working non-stop (okay, "non-stop" really means "part-time," but whatever...) and getting lots of activities and stuff to get done over the past 3 months. Or trying to at least...

So let's just say, I'm absolutely READY. FOR. FALL. Besides pumpkin lattes (All hail, Starbucks!), colorful trees and cooler weather, with fall comes a regularity that I crave. While lounging by the pool, seeing movies and reading sounds fabulous, that type of stuff doesn't happen during my summers anymore. And I also don't do well without having a set schedule.

My summer of entertaining a four year old while keeping a newborn alive, working somewhere in between every 3 hour feeding, getting back in shape, dealing with a small (and extremely annoying) bout of post-partum depression and oh yeah, trying to write a book.... well, let's just say it's been a tad on the chaotic side.

It was okay at the beginning of summer. We had ballet camp, swim lessons and gymnastics scheduled weekly. We had set hours of the day we did certain things, and it was great. Though I may have been a little overzealous in the first few weeks of June, because I sort of got burnt out. We ran out of things to do (not to mention the energy to do them) and it's been killing not only McKenna, but also me. Don't get me wrong, there was lots of great and fun moments, but IT. IS. TIME.

It's time for school to start.

Basically what I am saying is that once school starts, chances are you will see me frolicking in the parking lot singing praises to Jesus, while doing cartwheels and back handsprings.

Not only will the fall bring regularity to our schedules, but it will give Mama a few hours of peace and quiet from The World's Most Talkative Four Year Old EVER.

(As I sit here typing this, she is sitting - basically on my lap - with a cartoon on and is giving her own commentation on EVERY THING SAID AND DONE on the show. Oh, and when I don't immediately acknowledge her, the volume and intensity of her voice immensely raises. Which is why I MAY START TYPING IN CAPS TO DROWN OUT THE YELLING IN MY EAR!!!!  CAN YOU HEAR ME, BLOG READERS????)

Anyway.... back to the topic at hand...

Sure, even with school starting I'll still have an infant to care for, but she's not quite to the Won't Shut Up Stage that her older sister is currently in and can easily be quieted down with either a bottle of Gerber's deliciousness or strategic placement beneath a large and whirling ceiling fan.

(By the way.... The World's Most Talkative Four Year Old EVER is still talking.... she's asking me to take her to Target to buy stuff to make cookies. Because it doesn't take too long to make cookies. There's only two things to do. Buy the cookies and put the on the cookie pan. Then put it in the oven. Or the microwave. It's fun to have cookies. Only two things to do. I like sugar cookies. Can we put sugar in the cookies? I like the sugar. But I like cupcakes the best. Stop laughing at me, mom. STOP LAUGHING!!! MOM, STOP LAUGHING!! Oh, mom. You're so funny. Can we go to Target now?)

(By the way, that one-way conversation dictated above is verbatim.)

Anyway, I think you get the point. I'll go ahead and cut this post off now. The moral of the story is that August 27, 2013 will be a glorious day. The day school starts back and fall is officially back in session in the Funston household. 

Praise Jesus.

A Serious Epidemic

(I posted this on my old blog around this time last year, however, we've been re-infected. So I'm re-posting.)

Oh my gosh, y'all. Our entire house is sick! It started with MK. I'm not sure where she contracted it, but there has now been a serious outbreak in our home. I went ahead and googled it, as well as checked WebMD, and it looks like MK has come down with a serious case of 'Whiney-Butt.'

Y'all... I'm worried. Seriously. The 'Whiney-Buttness' has taken over our entire lives in trying to control the frequent outbreaks. Bryant & I have no idea what to do. Even the normal sick-ness remedies -- cuddling, snuggling, stuffing the child's face with comfort food/drinks/toys, highly medicating -- have little to no effect, and often times even result in completely disastrous and colossal meltdowns.

Has anybody else ever gone through this with their child? What is even worse is this terrible disease seems to be contagious and has begun to spread and cause an epidemic of 'The Butts' in our home. With myself, it's morphed into a semi-serious case of 'Bitchy-Butt.' And this, my dear friends, is NOT okay. I am normally easy-going, care-free, and very tolerant of other people's shenanigans.

However, being infected with 'Bitchy-Butt'... oh my... you can't even imagine the intolerableness I have for stupid sh*t slightly dense actions from other people. I have been trying to go into loner-mode the past few days, not risking infecting others, but this week starts lots of activities where both myself and MK will be out and around people...

Luckily, Bitchy or Whiney-Butt hasn't infected Bryant.... yet. But he has it coming. I can tell. His normally extensive length of patience has indeed become much shorter, and I fear 'Raging-Butt' may make an unwelcome appearance in the near future.

I'm praying 'The Butts' leave us soon, so maybe others won't be infected. Have any of you ever gone through this with your child or yourself? Please tell me how to rid our home of this horrible-ness!

Meet Pauline!

This sweet girl is the yet another 2013 addition to our family. She is an orphan who lives at Pehucci orphanage and school in Kenya, Africa. 

Because I don't mind bragging on her - she is about seven years old, in Class 2, and is #1 in her class! #GetItGirl  She is super, super sweet and her laugh and energy is super contagious!

I can't wait to watch her grow up and continue doing well in school!

When McKenna saw this pic, she said "Pauline looks sad. We will make her happy!"
#MeltedMyHeart

She visited her first carnival this month!

If you are interested in helping support a child in Africa through the BFR Kids program, please contact Britney or Lacey for more information!

Let the Vent-Fest Ensue

Disclaimer: This post is going to absolutely put in the running for "Worst Mom Ever." Maybe even to claim the reluctant title. But I've got to get it off my chest. Hopefully, I'm not the only parent who's ever felt like this. Let the vent-fest ensue...

Meda is officially one month old. It's been both the shortest and longest month of my life. Weird, I know, but it is true.

I wanted to share a few thoughts that have flown through my mind over the past month. Go ahead and judge me. I'm too sleep deprived to even give a newborn turd what anyone thinks at this point. Hell, I may regret this post (i.e. my confession), but whatever...


1) "When will this stage eeeeennnndddd????"

Okay, sure... the newborn/baby stage doesn't last long. I get it. Yes - "they're only small once." And "they grow up too fast." And "they're in college before you know it." And even the elusive "you are so blessed to have her."

I get it.

I really and truly do. But I'm exhausted. I'm literally dragging myself through each day at this point, just trying to survive.

Trying to feed the new baby, trying to feed the preschooler, trying to feed myself.

Trying to do the laundry, trying keep the dishes from becoming an intense game of Jenga, trying to sweep dog hair off the floor.

Trying to get work done, trying to run errands, trying to still be a good friend and wife.

Trying to hold the baby to keep her happy, trying to play "princess" with the preschooler to keep her happy, trying to not nag the husband to keep him happy.

Trying to keep everyone happy but myself.

Trying to just make it to the next time the baby naps.

Ugh... and let's not even mention the dogs. They basically don't exist in my mind anymore.  #PoorThings #AnybodyWantAnyDogs

As a self-proclaimed "non-baby" person... the whole "baby-ness" of these first few months is overwhelming. Plus, you are "around" roughly 678 times more than you would be normally. Meaning, you are basically on house arrest 99.999988% of the day and forced to be home with baby (especially if you are breastfeeding and the sole source of food) as well as how you are quite literally awake more than normal.

Storytime

There's no break. No off-time. No vacation. Your life begins a continuous three hour cycle of feeding, changing diapers, and cat napping. Along with all that other crap I listed above. You begin to live three hours at a time.

And for the record, three hours is not a lot of time to live. And it's exhausting trying to fit everything in and make everyone happy and not completely show to the world how much of a zombie you've become.

I'm just plain tired.


2) "Shut up already!"

The crying....

And the screaming....

Ohhhh, the screaming....

It. Doesn't. Ever. End.


3) "What did I do to deserve this??"

There's no way this type of punishment didn't come from some absolutely horrific and ghastly act on my part. I just wish I could remember who I murdered or what other heinous crime I committed to deserve this whole "parenthood" thing...

Oh, wait? I asked for this??

Hmmm....


4) "I am so in love."

How stupidly obnoxious is it that such a mini-person, one who weighs less than my upper leg, spits up all over my shoulder, lap and hair, and keeps my boobs aching 24/7 completely take over my heart?

In those rare moments when the darkness of sheer exhaustion and temporary baby hatred hasn't clouded over, I'll look at her little face - adorable in my biased mother eyes when she's not screaming or vomiting curdled breast milk all over me - and be completely blown away with love.

Annoying, right?

Normally, someone who treats us like newborns do would be tossed head first off the "I like you" cliff.... not to mention the "I love you" mountain....

But Meda, complete with screaming tantrums and sleepless nights, has completely stolen my heart, just like her sister did 4 years ago.

And I'll get through this. Just like I did before.

Three hours at a time.

A Not-So-Shameful Appeal to the Masses

Alrighty, y'all...

Most of my life, I have been ashamed, embarrassed, reluctant, what-have-you regarding fundraising and asking people for money. 

Well... besides my parents... or my husband...

But they don't count. Anyway, moving on...

I've been involved with a thousand different fundraisers all my life through a thousand different activities I've done - Brownies (Yes, the same Brownies where you don those awesomely horrible feces-colored uniforms and proudly display a sash of patches proving you are a stellar kid-citizen who remembers to turn off the water faucet after brushing your teeth or pick up a piece of trash.), choir (fa-la-la-la-la!), cheerleading (rah! rah! sis boom bah!), sorority (Go Chi-O!), going to Africa, etc..

During all of these fundraisers, I wanted to crawl under a rock and never show my face again after directly asking people for their hard-earned money, because let's face it. It's embarrassing. In our society, we are so geared towards being independent and not needing help - it sucks asking for money or assistance in anyway. #PridefulAndAssholicSociety #IJustMadeAssholicAWord #Boom

But not this time, I'm not ashamed to throw it out there. 

I think going to Africa helped me with this. After being there and seeing faces of children suffering, it's almost harder to NOT ask for help in order for you to help suffering children.

So here it is... another chance for you to help me help kids.

I need your financial assistance, if you are able. I've pledged to raise no less than $500 for St. Jude Children's Research hospital by November and then plan to run the St. Jude Memphis Marathon on December 7th as a St Jude Hero. 

The St. Jude Memphis Marathon raises money through it's St. Jude Heroes. Last year, nearly 5,000 Heroes raised more than $4 million. This year, St. Jude Heroes are hoping to reach $5 million for the kids of St. Jude.

And after all, it's all about the K. I. D's, right? 

Here's a little blurb from my fundraising site about St. Jude, just in case you've been living under a rock and don't know anything about the hospital.

It costs $1.8 million a day to operate St. Jude. Did you know that 70% of the funds come from the public? That means your donation, no matter what the size, will help! 

How your donation helps:

• Thanks to donors like you, no family ever pays St. Jude for anything, including lodging, food and travel.

• St. Jude will continue to improve treatment of childhood cancer and other deadly diseases through it's groundbreaking research.

• For every child treated at St. Jude, thousands more have been saved worldwide through St. Jude discoveries.

Insane, right? 

This children's hospital is absolutely one of the best in the entire state, region, country, world, galaxy and I want to do what I can to help.

Sooooooooo.... should you find yourself melting at the site of this precious picture.....

5-year old Ian was found to suffer from a rare brain tumor. After treatment at St. Jude Ian is now cancer free and back to his energetic self. He even joined his father for the final few yards of the St. Jude Country Music Marathon & 1/2 Marathon last year.

Or this one.....

Or, heck... maybe even this one....

St. Jude patient Hayli, age 1, acute myeloid leukemia

Go ahead and hop on over to my personal fundraising page and feel free to donate something to help out these precious children. :-)

Thank you so much in advance!!

#BlogReadersAreTheBest

#AllAboutTheKIDs

#HoneyBadgerDOESCare

#OkayIWillStopWithTheHashtags

#GoDonate

Meet Meda Grayson!

Well, she's here. 

Meet the newest addition to our family, Meda Grayson.
(Pronounced Mee-da... like "me" and then "duh." Yeah, just like that.)

She arrived May 9th, at 6:32pm after eight hours and a rather rough delivery at 6lbs, 1oz and 20 inches long.

Below are a list of things I learned after experiencing giving birth to my second child and a few words of advice I have for pregnant peeps everywhere.

*Proceed at your own risk. 

** No seriously.... At your own risk. Gentleman - I recommend shutting your browser now.

*** For real boys, go ahead and shut 'er down. Now.

Good. Now, we can proceed.....

• I still believe epidural's should be available to pregnant women everywhere starting at 38 weeks.
• Epidural's are quite possibly the most fabulous invention in modern medicine.
• Just because you are in a flubby hospital gown that only covers half of your body all day and then your woman parts suddenly become public display for anybody walking by your hospital room, that doesn't mean that your face shouldn't be covered up while in labor. I believe every woman should be wearing makeup at all the times in the last couple weeks of pregnancy. You don't want to risk going into labor without it. Cameras are everywhere. And with smartphones and social media at the level it is these days, Lochness monster pictures of you can pop up on the interwebs without approval at any given moment. So don't become a statistic. Let us ban together to end the era of woman looking like crap before, during and after labor. The whole process is going to rock your body physically, so let's not add to it by being lazy with our faces. So please, at the very least wear some mascara. Remember: eyes and lips at all times, ladies... eyes and lips! 
• Epidural's are the most fabulous invention in modern medicine.
• IV injection is one of the most highly deadly forms of medicine insertion. Upon looking at an IV and after it's insertion with the nurse muttering self-encouraging words under her breath, "We have to save it. Don't lose it!"; one's blood pressure is at risk to bottom out and cause fuzzy vision, yellow skin coloring and possibly even death.   
• Epidural's are, in my opinion, the most fabulous invention in modern medicine.
• When/if your child is positioned so incorrectly they are unable to come out and your doctor offers to help "vacuum" your child out of you or else be forced to perform a c-section, BEWARE. Proceed with the vacuum ONLY if you have the stomach for teams of 8+ medical personnel to swoop in SWAT team style, decked out in head to toe battle gear (face masks included!), doctors tripping backwards as vacuums come unsealed and high flying fluid...........Yeah......... All that happened. BEWARE.
• Epidural's are still the most fabulous invention in modern medicine.
• Ladies - before going in for a vaginal delivery (Ugh. I just said "vaginal." Gross. #YesIAmStillTwelveYearsOld....), make sure to stock up on adult diapers for the weeks and months after. NOBODY EVER TELLS YOU THIS INFORMATION UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE! So here it is. You need to be prepared to bleed out from between your legs for an enormously ridiculous amount of time. I'm talking weeks and possibly even months. And there's a cleansing process every time you go to the restroom that is just straight up NOT cool.  So be ready. *Note: This may not be needed for c-section deliveries. I wouldn't know because I chose to VACUUM my kid's head out of my woman parts. Gross, gross.
• Finally, have I mentioned yet that epidural's are absolutely the most fabulous invention in modern medicine?

Below are some pics from the war zone. Don't be fooled by the happy-go-lucky atmosphere the pictures portray. The 2 hours in between these "before" and "after" pics, shit got real.

But we now have the battle prize; an amazing, healthy and perfect little girl.  Praise God. :-)

Don't look too close or you'll see MK also had a "baby in her belly"

And of course, the unicorn had to be there to witness everything.

McKenna meeting her sister for the 1st time. One of my fav pics!

Why the husband decided to take pics of me while I checked my all social media sites, I'll never know.

This board perfectly appeased my O.C.D.

Watching 

McKenna wasn't about to skip out on IG's #VSitMonth 

First family photo

You Can Take the Girl Out of Kentucky, But Not Kentucky Out of the Girl

So, in case you don't know already, I'm originally from Kentucky.

And proud of it.

And also, in case you didn't know, I used to be highly involved in horses.  

Like I said, I'm from Kentucky.

It's basically mandatory to love horses.

(Okay, okay... not everybody is into them there... but I definitely was.)

I used to ride them, show them, own them (more accurately, one), read about them and basically obsess over them every chance I got. Starting on my 10th birthday, my dad used to take me every year to the races either at Keeneland or Churchill Downs to appease my obsession. #BestBirthdayGiftEver  

After moving to New Mexico, my love for them didn't die, but my involvement definitely did. That's when my sister went all obsessive over them and started purchasing them and becoming a rock-star rider. (Have I mentioned she competed at the NCAA College Nationals in Equestrian? AND did really well? #RockStar #OnlySlightlyJealous) I, on the other hand, got more involved with cheerleading and gymnastics... and who has time to muck stalls and pick hooves when you're wearing crushed velvet leotards and short skirts cheering on the boys from the sideline??? Not me...

So anyway - that aside and with that info in mind, I wanted to let you know how much I LOVE Derby Day.

And not the Roller Derby...

The Kentucky Derby, that is.

This is a race I actually haven't been to... yet. However, I plan on going sometime in the not-so-distant future and doing it up.... attending the Oaks the day before, mint juleps, the big hat, singing 'My Old Kentucky Home,' all of it.

And no in-field for me. I would have maybe joined that colossal mess of a party while still in college maybe, but not now. I want to get all prettied up and go sit in a box seat and do it right.

So yeah. There you have it. I'll be celebrating this Derby with a frosty (virgin) mint julep in hand, looking jealously at pics of old KY friends of mine on FB attending, and yelling for the horse I placed a bet on, all the while wishing I was there.

So here's to the 139th running of the Derby. :-) The greatest two minutes in sports. 

Where Did April Go? Definitely Not Anywhere On My Blog.

Wow - I've been slow on the blog posting this past month....Okay, "slow" is the wrong description. I'm always slow about it.

Completely "AWOL" is a tad more accurate.

So let me try and update you on what's been going on....

Work: Well, I've been busy with BFR shows and sales. If you're in Memphis, you probably saw me at Spring Market, Crawfish Festival and will see me again this coming weekend at Collierville's Fair on the Square,'' which I'll be at in this torrential downpour. Super awesome. Come out and get wet with us if you're in the mood to shop!!! :-)

*Speaking of BFR... if any of you are interested in ANYTHING to do with Be Free - purchasing merchandise, mission trips, hosting a trunk show, etc. - please don't hesitate to contact me! I can hook you up! #ShamelessPlug

Small group stuff: This is pobably crap that would bore you since you're not a part of my kick-butt Jesus-loving small group at church....(which you probably should be if you're not. It's awesome.). I've been able to get together with this amazing group of women a few times this month to study The Word and it's been great. #TotalJesusNerds Every time we're together, I learn something new or get a new perspective on God's will for my life and for others. 

PS - if you've never studied through Beth Moore's work, GO DO IT NOW. She is hysterical, down-to-earth and real.  I recommend her video series' since she's so animated and southern. She also has a blog, which I follow. I relate well to her personality type. #SassyAndSouthern

DAMN YOU Writer's Block!

Writing:  It's been slow.... to say the least. Currently, I'm sort of stuck in a rut on the book, and trying to break out of it. Some might call it "writer's block." Just trying to sludge through it and not loose ALL motivation to do it.

BIRTHDAY'S!!! So on the 27th, I celebrated the big 3-0 birthday. Weird, right? But I'm pumped for thirty. I'm convinced that your thirties are probably the coolest decade. You're an adult, but still not "old".... (okay, maybe a little old).... and people are forced to take you seriously, right? I mean, because you're thirty years old. So, I'm pumped. People might take me seriously now. 

Thirty is definitely the new twenty. 

Also, the husbandal unit turned thirty-one two days after my birthday. So Happy "People Have To Take Us Seriously Now" Birthday to him, as well! With both of us in our thirties, that means we're a serious couple, right? :-) #YeahIDidntThinkSo

Fetus Cooking: Well, I'm 38 weeks along in this pregnancy now. Weird. I'm about to have my second kid. NEXT week. That is if she doesn't show up before. With these contractions I've been having, I won't be surprised if she does. In fact, I'm surprised she hasn't already. But whatever... she's giving me a little more time. 

I go into the hospital for an induction on Wednesday, the 8th of May. Now, that is strange. Two kids... in just a few days. We'll be like a real little family... with parents in their thirties. #weird

I'm excited.

Britney & Lacey, with BFR, hosted a baby shower for me earlier in April as well. It was so fun and I am blessed to have such great friends who showed up and showered Meda & I with gifts. :-) I've included a couple pics. (Clearly.)

This last month has been rather uncomfortable for me physically. This kiddo is MUCH more active and brutal to my insides than McKenna Rayne was. Don't get me wrong - MK was very active, but sheesh.... this little one has it out for me or something. There are times where it feels like she's literally going to pop through the skin. I find this strange because apparently Meda Grayson is much smaller than MK was, according to the doctors. 

Speaking of doctors, I've been on the weekly doctor appointment plan for a little while now, and receiving ultrasounds EVERYTIME I go to the doc, due to the high risk factor I've got going on, because neither Meda or I are fat enough for anybody's liking. I won't lie - I enjoy the ultrasounds, especially considering I only had 2 with McKenna (at 9 weeks and at 20 weeks), but my house is FULL of ultrasound photos now. In drawers, on counters, under beds... And let's be real, those black and white fuzzy TV-like photos of uterine aliens aren't quite the type you'd hang on your wall. Though I feel like a bad parent if I throw them away! Ugh.... #dilemmas.  

But anyway, Meda Grayson will be here next week!!! Craziness!

Running:  OMG. Y'ALL.

I registered a few days ago for my first FULL marathon. EEEK! I'm so pumped. The last bit of this pregnancy has been a little rough for me since it's race season and everyone around me is gearing up, training and racing now! Friends, my husband, everyone... I hate just sitting on the sidelines without my own training in full force. #JealousyIsAHorribleThing

Yes, yes... I know, I know... I have an amazing reason NOT to be running, etc... and I'm so, so, so grateful for that... but that doesn't mean I don't want to be out there as well. So sue me. :-) I plan on, as soon as the doc gives the okay, starting back up again and training for some triathlons as well, and not just running. Whoop! 

But anyway - back to the marathon. I had originally planned on running my first full marathon ON my 30th birthday, but... well, that didn't work out after I got myself knocked up. So the new plan is the St Jude Memphis Marathon on Dec. 7th. I will have plenty of time to train after Numero Dos arrives. I'm going to be training with BPC Performance Systems in their St. Jude training groups, headed up by BPC Running Coach & probably the best/fastest runner in the greater Memphis area (as well as a good friend of ours), Ben Knoernschild. Whoop! It's going to be fun training with this group!

In order to race, I'm required to raise $500 for St Jude, which I'm totally pumped about, as well. St Jude is an amazing hospital and I want to do what I can to help those kiddos! I even dragged my friend Molly into registering with me! Haha! #Sucker #YouAreWelcomeMols 

Something else I'm excited about when it comes to this?? I've already been contacted to write "my story" regarding coming back from pregnancy and training for my first full marathon. Plans are in the works with the editor for me to submit a short series of articles and then a final "recap" article after the race about the overall "journey." He even wants photos of me with Meda Grayson at the finish line. HA! This makes the whole marathon-deal sound so epic, doesn't it? HA! Little does this guy know I am the world's biggest "I-hate-running-runner," so he might not realize what he's asked me to do! HA! #IReallyDoHateRunning #ButNotReally #ButReally #OkILoveIt #Sometimes...

This is the ABSOLUTE truth!! HA!

~~~~

So that's been my last month in a nutshell. Exciting, right?  #NotReallyForAnybodyButMyself

Just trudging through each day now, playing the waiting game until Meda Grayson arrives. Not to worry - I'll be posting those annoying mom-new-baby pics once she does arrive. :-)

Happy MAY everyone!

#OMGItsMay #WhenDidThatHappen

Sunday is Coming...

Okay, so I know it's a few days late... but I went to a Good Friday service last week and this video was played. I absolutely loved it's powerful message and it hit home for me.

I thought I'd share it with you all.

 Sunday is coming...

 

Saturday from Highpoint Church on Vimeo.