Life update

I realize it’s been awhile since I wrote about life. You know, the real stuff. Here’s a few updates.

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1. We started a new semester of ESL. This is our sixth semester to teach at our church (fifth for me, because I took last fall off after Wrenn was born), and it continues to be one of the best things that Mr. Right and I do together. I usually walk into class tired and stressed and wondering if I should keep teaching, and then my students walk through the door and I fall in love all over again. I leave more energized, with my heart full, and full of happiness. Y’all, teaching ESL makes me… HAPPY.

This semester we have our most diverse group of students yet – with folks from North Korea, Iran, Congo, Angola, Ivory Coast, Bulgaria, South Korea, Indonesia, Honduras, and Mexico. There is nothing more beautiful than to have students from countries that hate each other, who sit shoulder to shoulder in a tiny little room at a Baptist church in Dallas/Fort Worth, and learn English. And through English, learn how much they have in common. That, my friends, is eye-opening joy.

2. Mr. Right and I are falling apart. Literally. Mr. Right continues to struggle with a stress fracture in his foot that first popped up at the end of 2012, and then recurred in late 2013. In February, I went to the doctor for what turned out to be a benign tumor in my back (praise the Lord), and this week had to see a hand specialist. I guess you’re a mama when you don’t even remember how you hurt your wrist, and you wait a month to go to the doctor because frankly, you don’t have time, and you don’t want to spend the money. But a month of self-treating and wearing a brace at home in private (and gritting my teeth in pain in public because I was too vain to let other see me wearing it) only made matters worse. Turns out I have tendinitis, which is common in new mamas. After a cortisone shot – which was more painful than my epidural – I should be fine.

It’s tough getting old.

3. God has blessed us so much with Mr. Right’s business. Like, wow. I didn’t tell you last fall, but he got an award for being one of the very top agents in his office. And this month he has been running 100 miles an hour, closing deals and selling houses and having the best time ever. It is so wonderful to see him love his job. Like, really love it. What’s even better, he has worked with some of my beloved blog readers – even folks I’ve never met in person but seem to know so well online – and it means so much to us that our friends and friends-of-friends trust him with such important matters. Thank you.

4. Wrenn gets more wonderful by the day. She takes my breath away. I will have to do1796410_10151890631991120_505021633_n a whole blog post about how wonderful having a seven month old is, because wow, it’s the best age. I feel like I have a new playmate and cuddle partner. I spent all afternoon Sunday on the floor playing with her, reading her books and having squealing contests (it’s our favorite thing… we are LOUD) and practicing important things like crawling and eating and laughing and well, being seven months old. That evening she fell asleep on my chest while I watched the Oscars, and it was one of the sweetest moments ever. I could never put her down.

5. After re-reading my list, it seems a bit too wonderful. Ha… life is anything but perfect. It’s filled with moments like Saturday, when Miss Wrenn had a meltdown while we were grocery shopping at Target – she cried non-stop while we checked out, screamed the whole way home, screamed even louder as I unloaded the car, and right as I went to go pick her up from her spot on the floor, she leaned over, put her head in her lap, and fell asleep. Some days, that’s how I feel too, baby girl.

Life is hard, but that part isn’t as much fun to put into writing.

6. I continue to struggle to find the right balance between being a good mama, wife, employee, Christ follower, friend… and an adventurous version of myself. Some days I feel like I’m rocking along, and then on others I feel exhausted and lacking in all areas. I’m learning that in this season of life, much grace is required. I’m working on giving myself a break.

7. I’m tired, y’all. Even though Miss Wrenn is back to sleeping like a champ (praise the Lord), working full-time with a seven month old leaves me exhausted by bedtime. But I’ve started waking up an extra hour early, at 5:00 a.m., to do my quiet time before anybody else in the house wakes up. I must say, even though I’m still tired, it sure does make a difference in how my morning goes. The structure is good for me, and so is the time in the Word. It also means that by 9:30, well, I’m ready for bed.

Someone pass me a cup of coffee.

8. I’ll post a shop update soon, but I’ve almost completely sold out of my baby headbands. Thank you to everybody who has supported our little family by making a purchase! I’ll be adding some new ones in the shop soon – stay tuned!

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