Christy's Chaotic Cranium Contents

A Few Photos from Easter Sunday

Kisses from Dad

Meeting Herman the Tree

Mommy & Baby

Daddy & Baby

Baby Hears the Neighbor's Dog

Baby is Getting Sleepy

Baby is 6 months old today.

Christian America

A headline on MSN caught my attention this morning. Funny thing, after I finished reading the linked article, and mind you, I read kind of slow yet not THAT slow, I clicked on my homepage (msn.com) to see the title and put it in this post and it was already gone. Hummm...funny considering the topic. Thanks to my back arrow, I found that the Newsweek article is titled, “The End of Christian America,” just in case you want to read it yourself. Sorry, I’m too lazy to add the link.

I have aquired a revived interest in religion during the past nine months, but there are so many different aspects and beliefs that I don’t want to delve into the subject too much in this venue. I just feel the need to express something that I have experienced recently. My church (ELCA Lutheran) is attempting to read the Bible out loud, cover to cover, during the season of Lent. I signed up to read yesterday afternoon and experienced books near the end of the Old Testemant that I don’t think I knew existed. I read most of Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (Of course, I knew this one existed.), Micah, Nahum, and ended with Habakkuk. I will just say that each was extreemly easy to read and understand, and they were very interesting, especially in light of what is happening in the word and our country today. The books have a lot to do with the corruption and greed of the wealthy, oppression of the poor and needy, and the lack of a culture’s focus on God even after His multiple attempts for its attention (especially in The Book of Amos).

I may have my beliefs and you may have yours and I guess I am writing this more to give readers something to think about during Holy Week than to make any sort of point. I often ponder how nice a world it would be if the super-rich person gave more to those in need rather than having seven cars and a jet parked in his/her driveway. We just need to be good or maybe better people and I think that every religion has that basic principle in common.

In the Newsweek article, there was one line that stuck out to me. I am going to close with it, just so you have something to think about.

“Religion is not only about worshipping your God but about doing godly things, and a central message of the Gospels is the duty of the Christian to transform, as best one can, reality through works of love.”

This is me, almost six months post-partum. I am back to my pre-preganacy weight and beginning to see muscle definition again. Horray! I guess I should have taken a photo sans jacket. Oh well, maybe next time.

Lazy & Uninspired

It has been two months since I have written anything. I would say that it is about time that I played catch-up however, there really isn't a whole lot to catch anyone up on. My thoughts these days are pretty mundane as life seems to be the same ol' thing day after day. Other than half a city block blowing up downtown (not very interesting unless you live in the area) and the vacuum cleaner breaking again (not very interesting to anyone at all), life here in the west has been fairly quiet.

I really don't want this blog to become all about a little girl, but especially since I haven't posted any photos in a while, I am afraid that is what most of this post will be about. Of course, Baby keeps on growing and changing. That's a given. During the past month or so, I have started giving her rice cereal in the evenings. I get many "yuck" faces and I can't say that I blame her; it's not the tastiest of foods. She is five months old and has now gained a personality and a bit of a temper at times. She loves people and her daddy is a little frightened because she is already a flirt, smiling at anyone and everyone who talks to her.

One of my favorite parts is her cute little buddha belly. It is rubbed and kissed with practically every diaper change. And, her chubby little thighs are just too squeezable. She's interacting more and "talking" up a storm.

I have been trying to keep her occupied away from my arms quite a bit during the day. My hope is that she does not become too dependant on me for entertainment. And, check out the super cool shoes her aunties Stephanie & Tracy got her.

She has also graduated to her "stand-up" play center from Auntie Meg. We initially had a pillow under her feet because she was on her tiptoes. That lasted about a week and she was able to get both feet flat on the ground...growth spurt. At her last doctors appointment she was in the 90th percentile for height. Her daddy is REALLY hoping that the trend continues, but I am already apologizing to her since I know the pain of being taller than everyone else in elementary and middle school. However, height in a female athlete is a good thing!

Baby may also have the curse of her mom's crazy hair. It is starting to curl a little on the sides and have a mind of it's own. Additionally, I have accidentally taught her the bad habit of sticking her tongue out. Something I am sure I will come to regret.

Husband's mom, sister, and sister-in-law flew in for Baby's Baptism. The aunts stood up as Baby's Godparents. Although we had been attending worship since we moved in May, we actually took classes and became members of the church in the fall, just after Baby was born. It is a wonderful congregation with a husband & wife pastoral team. It has provided a sense of community for me, something that I have really needed over the past few months.

While the family was here, I also had the opportunity to leave Baby with her Grandma and go skiing with my sisters-in-law. (Husband had to work.) I am still a beginner and took a lesson, however skiing here was MUCH easier and more fun than the skiing I did in Europe. Well, at least it was until the sun started to set and the slope became icy.

As for me, I seem to be coming out of the funk I have been in for months. Life is not all dreamy and perfect, but no one expects it to be. I struggled with the idea of going back to work; and, after lots of prayer and contemplation, I finally made a decision. Even though I had been presented with the perfect job for the me of my "past-life", it just wasn't the right job for me presently. Being a Mom needs to come first. I am, however, keeping my eyes out for a part-time job or something that would allow me to work from home.

I have been putting Baby in childcare at the gym three days during the week for an hour or two so that I can attempt to regain my pre-pregnancy body. And, good news, it is working! I am already at my pre-pregnancy weight and can once again see muscles in my arms and back. The most surprising thing to me...I think that my hips may be narrower and my thighs thinner than pre-Baby. How this happened, I am not sure, especially since one of my big fears was that none of my pants would fit ever again; but, it did and it makes me happy. I have also been running outside on weekends that are warm enough with no precipitation. My hope is to have a girl's weekend in D.C. in the fall of 2010 and run the Army 10-Miler again. That gives everyone a year and a half to save money, make plans, and train...hint, hint.

On nice days, Baby and I also go walking. Why drive a mile to mile-and-a-half to Home Depot or church when my perfectly good legs can take me there? My biggest gripe is the people who do not shovel their sidewalks along the way; that and the fact that there are small areas (a block or two) with no sidewalks. Really? The city could not fork over the money to put in an extra two blocks of sidewalk? I could rant on, however I won't because you get the basic gist of it.

I recently purchased airfare for Baby and me to travel "back east" during the first three weeks of May. Since I always seem to over pack for just me, I have already begun the packing process. The cost of extra luggage is a great deterrent for my perceived need to take along the perfect pair of shoes to match every outfit. And, this time around, I have to pack for someone else too. Oh dear, how will I manage? It's a good thing that I have over a month to figure it out! Please let me know if you have any helpful hints about solo-parent air travel, sleeping arrangements, and three weeks away from home with a seven month old.

As a side-note, Husband is liking (but not loving) his new occupation. He has some professional goals for the next year to year-and-a-half that will hopefully make him happier. (More on those later.) And, although he hates when she cries, he is adjusting to fatherhood well and is great with Baby.

That's life in a nutshell. I will attempt to write more often, but there are no guarantees. I can't really blame it on Baby either; it's just me being lazy and uninspired. Maybe writing more frequently needs to be the next habit I form...we'll see.