A First


10 comments
So, I haven't been so great at keeping up my blog lately.

Sorry....

Somehow, little babies have a way of keeping you very, very busy!

Here's what has been going on this week:

1. Football is over!! Wooo! We get Jeremy to ourselves for about 2 months. Then, pre-season stuff begins, and we will be back into football once again.

2. Normal everyday stuff...just trying to keep the house straight and clean, which is much harder to do than you would imagine. Even I find myself shaking my head at myself. I mean, I'm home all day; you'd think I'd manage to keep the house spotless every day! Well, that's not so easy when you have a little one napping....and then when he's awake, he requires your constant supervision.....plus, he's so stinking cute, it's hard to peel yourself away!

3. The highlight of my week: All the cloth diaper inserts are washed and ready for use! Yes, it took me two days to get them washed. I had to put them through 6 washer and dryer cycles. Refer back to number two, and you'll see why it took 2 days! The ones we use are sized. Collen outgrew the smalls faster than I anticipated, so I was behind. Luckily, we have a ton of disposable inserts, so he has been using those until the inserts were ready.

4. I actually got out - dinner with my mom, Jeremy, my sister and her boyfriend. It was nice to sit in a restaurant....

5. The Holiday Show! My mom and I went twice this weekend. We went Friday night to have Collen's picture taken with Santa, and then we went today (Saturday - if my post says Sunday, blame daylight savings) to browse all the booths. I love the Holiday Show; I look forward to it every year!

6. ECU vs. Navy game. We were the crazy parents who took their 10-week-old out in 50 degree weather, wind blustering...chilling us to the bone. Collen and I stayed out at the tailgate for all of 45 minutes then my mom came and picked us up. Collen did great...as usual. I'm the one who nearly has a panic attack most of the time. I wish I had a picture of him from today. He was all bundled up and had on the cutest knit tobogan and matching mittens. I'll have to catch a picture of it soon....

So, all in all...not an eventful week. However, I like it like that.


So, to the point of my post for tonight - while at the Holiday Show today, I experienced a first in regards to this blog o'mine. Believe this or not, but I often forget that anyone aside from close family reads anything I write. I see the comments; I read them with care; I take note of the number of followers slowly creeping upward, but I still operate under the mindset that I'm just writing all of this for myself and a few others.

Then, a moment like this one occurs.

I was standing by the Jenni K jewelry booth picking out a couple Christmas gifts for myself (thanks Mom!), and a lady walks up to me and says, "You don't know me, but I read your blog."

Wow!

I responded, "Oh, wow! Nice to meet you! This has never happened to me before!"

We go on to make small talk. I introduce her to Collen and my mom; I meet her son and her mother. We small talk a little bit more.

It was quite a humbling experience. In that moment, I realized that there are a few hundred (really???) others who keep up with us....who know our story....who know the ins and outs of our lives.....just by reading my blog. I was just struck and a bit befuddled because I thought, "I'm just me. I'm nothing special. Yet, there are people who can pick me out of a crowd. They "know" me. They know my life....my story....my fears....my dreams. Wow."

Each time one of you leaves a comment or emails, I never know quite how to feel other than just gracious. Ayden is so very, very special to us. He has changed our lives in ways that no one else can. Through him and our four beautiful months together, we have learned more about life than most learn in their own lifetime. And in moments when I meet a complete stranger who knows everything about us, or I receive an email from someone expressing how they have been encouraged or touched by our story, I'm reminded that there are people out there who love Ayden....who love us....people who think of our son every day....people who have a new perspective because of Ayden....people who pray for us daily. It's amazing.....and (I know I keep saying it) just very, very humbling.

Thank you. That's all I can say....just Thank you for loving us, praying for us, extending virtual hugs and well wishes to us. Thank you for sharing Ayden's story and his beautiful life with those you meet and you go through life. Thank you for sharing in our joy as well as our fear. And Thank You to the sweet, sweet people I met today (I won't share your names in case you don't want me to) and for reminding me that Ayden continues to touch people through his story. (And thank you, especially, for telling me that BOTH of my boys are beautiful. It means the world to me for people to acknowledge them both.)

I hope you have all had a great weekend. My extra hour of sleep is slipping past me.....so I'd better go take advantage of that!

Enjoy a few pictures of Collen from Week Ten:


Dressed up to go see Santa Claus!

Collen and Santa!
He did great...didn't cry at all. Just stared at Mommy....


This is how he smiles when he sees me :)
I can almost hear him saying, "There's that mommy who loves me so much!"





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10 comments:

  1. Aw... that is wonderful! Great pictures of Collen. Glad you also get to have your hubby all to yourselves for a little. I, on the other hand, am already ready for mine to go back to work Monday! lol. MEN!

    I am a stay at home mom too and let me tell you... I am lucky to have this house picked up for 5 solid minutes. I have to do laundry every Monday and Friday otherwise we would be swimming in it. Bathrooms get cleaned on Thursdays, laundry gets put away when I get to it and I try to make my bed everyday. So, I sympathize sister. I surely do.

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  2. Beautiful post! I am one of those lurkers that truly looks forward to a new post from you. Your family is beautiful! I loved the new pictures!

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  3. I know what you mean... it has happened to me before and I have a LOT fewer readers than you do. I am so thankful for the online community, I really believe it is a blessing from God. What encouragement to know that God's people, his prayer warriors are including US in their prayers. I am so thankful, as I know you are too!

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  4. I'm a stranger too, but I found your blog through Jill Hollis, who I happened to have the privilege of spending some time with. She went to the same church as my parents. I have also been touched by your story and my life has been changed by Ayden and your family. I'd love to meet you someday. My parents live in Winterville so I'm there once or twice a year. You just never know what will happen, maybe I'll see you sometime! :)

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  5. Hi Lindsay! It's been a while since I've checked in on the blog, as I thought Collen continues to keep you busy! Amy was having the same conversation with me yesterday, about being at home but still finding it hard to clean, cook, and wash all the clothes. I told her if I had a baby that cute, I wouldn't get anything done, the dust would be an inch thick, we would be eating of paper plates b/c allt he dishes would be dirty...and so on. :) Hope to see you guys soon!

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  6. Very cute =) So glad you got to meet someone outside your "world" to know that you are important to people who you don't even know =)
    Always in my prayers.

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  7. i LOVE your blog! so much so, that i gave you an award on my blog :)

    go to seethepositive.blogspot.com to see your award :)

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  8. I still read your blog (or at least check for new blog posts to see if you've had time to write) EVERY day! I think of and pray for you guys often, and every time I see a yellow butterfly, I think of Ayden, and of your precious family. I love you guys and hope that you're all doing well! Miss you!

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  9. Love all those pictures, as you know!!!

    AND...you are right--when he's that stinking cute, how CAN you be bothered by housework?????? :)

    Hooray for more daddy time for you both!
    xoxoxo

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  10. It is so amazing how we can find one another in a world so big. I also look forward to reading your posts and learning more about your family and beautiful boys....all 3 of them. Those photos of Collen are priceless!!! Thanks for sharing.

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