Did you miss us??

I can't believe a week on Cape Cod has come & gone. We had such a great time, and I just loved being able to spend all day everyday with my girl, and to see her having such a great time with her cousins. I can't believe this was our 5th year going.

This was before we left last Friday. She's wearing a 'Cape Cod' t-shirt that I bought last year, hoping THIS year Madalynn would be with us to wear it.

Madalynn loved, loved, loved the beach. We went on our first night (her actual birthday), after dinner to see the ocean. As soon as I took her out of her carseat she gasped, got a big smile, and started pointing at the ocean. She was so excited.

This was her 4th of July dress, but since that was a bust I decided she could wear it on her first Birthday...day.

It was a little windy at the beach

I know... I am sooooo white.

She & I had pretty low-key week mainly just going to the beach a few times, and hanging out other than that. It was super muggy so trying to stay cool was a big objective, and all that hair makes for a sweaty baby girl.

Her first time in the water feeling the sand... she kept sticking her tongue out to taste the salt on her lower lip, and chin.

Eating the sand was also big fun!!

This was the 'beach' we went to yesterday... it was low tide, and you couldn't even see the ocean. It was on the bay side of Cape Cod, not the Atlantic so you could just walk forever on what was literally the ocean floor. It was nice w/ the tide pools for Madalynn but it was super windy. So windy that the sand would blow, and hurt when it hit your exposed skin.

Sandy toes & fingers...

She is soooo close to walking. Will walk around forever holding on to things, but then gets the spaghetti legs when there is nothing more to hold on to. Aunty Jill was really hoping she'd do it while we were on vacation.

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On our last night after we got home from dinner.

Trying to see what the crazy cousins are doing as they rehearse & get into costume for the traditional last night 'show'.

Until next year Cape Cod....

Celebrating Madalynn's 1st year!!! Happy, Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!!

I've discovered that packing is much more difficult with an almost 1 year old!! She is 'helping' in these pictures... please note that the items she is reaching for on the floor were previously IN the suitcase. I'm anxious to see how I'm going to pack up the car in the morning, and keep her occupied at the same time...

... away we go....

Well tomorrow (Madalynn's actual birthday), we head to vacation with the grandparents, Aunty Jill & Uncle Rob, and the cousins!! We are all very excited (except Madalynn I don't think she really has a clue). I can't wait to take her to the beach. Some pics from last year.








I think back to last year at this time when I was 10 weeks in to what would turn out to be my 12 week & 5 day wait for Madalynn. For me that was the longest, hardest part of waiting for Madalynn. That sense of anticipation & wonder is still so fresh to me I can recall that feeling with little effort. I was convinced it would come while we were on vacation last year, but it didn't. It seemed as if it would take forever. Now, she is here, and we're off to have vacation together. I feel blessed.

1st Pigtails

I did pigtails for the 1st time in Madalynn's hair yesterday!! I had to take some pics before we headed off for work...




She has also turned into a climber, and figured out how to climb up on her stepstool to look out the window, and more importantly to get into whatever is available in her cradle.



... And she climbed up on these 2 pillows to get her picture, and then just plopped down for a seat.

More Single Reflections...

Okay, so I read this article online called 'The secret of successful daters' or something like that. Since I am missing a flirting gene, this peaked my interest. So, I clicked on it, and read along. The jist of the article is that a lot of singles have the attitude 'There are no good single men (or women) left'. The author was saying that's just not true, and he/she gave the reader a homework assignment for the next week. On the first day you had to make eye contact with someone you found attractive, on the 2nd day you have to make eye contact, and smile, on the third day your supposed to start small talk, so on, and so on, not necessarily with the same person just someone you encountered who you found attractive.

Well that is all wonderful advice but in my world I can go days where the only man I come in contact with is my Dad. Where are all these men this author is saying I'm supposed to be batting my eyelashes at?? Just something that made me chuckle.

Some of my favorite titles of books on Christian singleness (none of which I have read so I can't speak to their content), but the titles give me a smile.

"Table for One" (I have actually read this one & it's wonderful)

"If singleness is a gift what's the return policy"

"Living Whole Without A Better Half"

"If I'm waiting on God, then what am I doing in A Christian chatroom"

"Fine China is for Single Women Too" (I haven't read this, but it is an attitude I've embraced).

"If Men are Like Buses, Then How Do I Catch One?"

...and my favorite title

"Lord, widen my world, narrow my bed"

In my years of wrestling with God in my singleness I've always held firm to the belief that when He ordains the time, and the man He has for me, it will happen, and if His answer is 'No' for me to marriage than I know I can trust His sovereignty.

A 100 Acre Wood Celebration!!

Yesterday was the big 1 year Birthday party!! It was so much fun. I only cried twice... once when my Mom arrived, and we hugged at the door. A lot of times she & I don't need words we just understand, and then when I was thanking everyone for coming, and what a special day this was. Then it was all fun!!! Hold on for muchos fotos!!!

Madalynn is wearing a dress, and bracelet I bought her in Guatemala.

A new Pooh bear from Ga-Ga & Grandpa...

Madalynn with the Pooh eared cousins!!

I put together a photo collage of 2 pictures from each month from July 2007 to July 2008

Pooh & gang were ready for the party!

The favors that Kassie helped me make. We painted terra cotta pots a gold color, and wrote 'HUNNY' on them. Then filled them with Teddy Grahams, and Honeycomb cereal.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BABY GIRL!!!