My Six Month Old Girl

Real Food

 Camille's first foods- acorn squash and ghee

It's feeling more like spring around here every day.  Although now my car is covered in a dusting of yellow... And I know I'll be griping about the heat soon enough.  But for now, we are enjoying some very nice outside time. 

Camille seems to be growing, maturing, and learning by leaps and bounds now that we turned the six month corner!  She has had her first tastes of foods: acorn squash, avocado and egg yolks. By the way she squeals and acts very impatient during feeding time, I'd say avocado is by far her favorite! She isn't really showing any effort toward crawling, and has just become comfortable on her hands and knees. BUT, she is pulling up now and loves to stand. Not a tooth is sight either. She's almost 14lbs and still in 3-6mo. clothes.

AND, last night she only woke up once! At 2:00am (after seven hours of sleep) she woke up to eat and I was bursting with milk to feed her. I do love nursing!

My days working once/ twice a week are going just fine and Camille does very well. She even naps soundly in her pack-n-play in the dark closet with her sound machine going. (I found an extra sound machine at a garage sale for $1.) 

Sunday we went to the Stockhammer's for lunch (a late birthday get together for me) and I got a food dehydrator!! I'm super excited about making all sorts of dried fruits (without the added sugar or additives) AND fruit leather for Camille in the coming months. 

Outside at the Stockhammer's home 

Camille and the big girls, Micha and Tessa 

Camille LOVES kids and will just talk and squawk and laugh and coo at them.  She had so much fun with Micha and Tessa and would continually laugh and laugh and laugh at them.  Today at Bible study a little boy, Caiden, who always comes over and talks to Camille came up and said, "Hey Camille, it's me again." Kids love babies and my baby is just Miss Socialite and loves kids! 

Yesterday Camille and I went for our chiropractic adjustments... I was in some serious out-of-alignment, which I had been feeling for awhile.  Oh, I just had a rib out of place.... Cause you know, I'm sort of top heavy and weighed down. Doctor Ashley says I need to work on opening up my chest and strengthening my back. Afterward I strolled and Camille dozed through Rose Rudman Park in Tyler.  Even though it's only 25 miles away, living out the the middle of freaking nowhere (where we do) sucks sometimes.

And I think it's because it's all hitting at once, but I feel stuck.  Alone.  Waiting and wondering if we just seriously messed up by moving here and wanting an out.  A new city.  A new job (for Chris).  A new community to belong to.  A new church.

It's been almost two years since we left NYC.  And that is the last place that I felt apart. I know right now I'm going through a new season, of motherhood and curviness and selflessness and joblessness.   I need to sit and BE.  I need to listen and spend time with The Father.  But, I know we were not created to feel so hopeless in our situation.

There will always be struggles and for the Christian, life this side of heaven will never satisfy.  But, we know there is more.  God has more for us than what we are living right now.  And I'm so ready.  There is a reason. And if we continue chasing God, asking Him to reveal His plan, His path, His perfect will... He will do it.

In the waiting, in the stillness- He's here. He's wanting to teach me something even now.  Life is too short to not live in the center of His will.  I want mine to count. I'm tired of churchiness and programs and surface conversations.

Chris was asked to preach Sunday at our church.  I ask him if I could preach.  Or at least testify!!! Oh no, watch out... I'm liable to offend somebody...

Busy Bee

My days are so FULL right now. As I anticipate the warmer weather and coming Spring. Today, I have the front door wide open, and the blinds open and drapes drawn. During Camille's first nap of the afternoon I made dinner (stuffed pablano peppers) and banana muffins that Chris takes for his breakfast during the work week. I also did two loads of laundry...

I seem to try to do about ten different things (multi-tasking to the maximum) during her nap time. Especially since this week we have something every single day!

Work on Monday went pretty well. Camille went down for two naps VERY easily. I set up the pack-n-play and plug in her sound machine, found a dark, quiet large closet and she was quite happy!  Going into work, however, is going to maximize our weeks. But, that is okay. This is not a long term arrangement, if it were, I don't know how I'd do it. Laundry and groceries and Bible study and house cleaning. I don't want to completely neglect Camille, sitting her in the swing (which I also lugged up to the office) and putting on Baby Einstein for hours on end.

Last week, while Chris was on Spring Break, in addition to going to the eye doctor and out for breakfast at the Stockhammer's restaurant (which I still had never done...) I learned the very BASIC ins-and-outs of the sewing machine. My very own sewing machine. Which, was not easy with Camille-- but mom and I managed. I stitched some basic pillow cases and quickly realized, once I got home, that I don't even own a decent pair of scissors. Or a pin cushion. Or thread.... But I do have some material, and ribbon that was given to me and made a very BASIC dress for Camille! It took me an entire afternoon, but I did it.

Camille and I are also registered for baby swim lessons for June/ July which I'm super excited about. The classes are 30 minutes long for six-weeks on Saturdays in Tyler. Yay!!

Those are The Facts... Here's what's on my heart:

The Church. Christians. The Church as a whole.

I want so much to initiate change. Revival. To have local/ global significance. I'm tired of putting Christ in a box. I'm tired of those around me, not loving the church like Christ loves the church. We can't say we love Christ and not love His Church. I think I just miss being plugged in. I miss being a part. I miss working along side my brothers and sisters in Christ and seeing God move. I'm tired of routine, of three hymns, a prayers, two more songs, passing a plate, a 30 minute sermon, and walking out the back door at 12:01pm.

Anyway...
I just want people to want growth.

And all that stuff...