25 Things

I did this little thing on Facebook, so I decided to copy and paste to my blog-- 25 Random facts about me. This took quite a bit longer than I first thought, but then I found that I could keep going, but I do realize that most people probably don't even care to read the 25 let alone more! They really don't follow any certain order- I just wrote them as they came to me.

1. I can't believe how popular this note thing is! I think I've been tagged five times this week, but I love reading what people have to say!

2. I am happily married to my college sweetheart, Derek. It will be three years in June. We have a 3 month old son, who is named after Jack Bauer. We love him so much.

3. I have an older brother (26, who just got accepted in the MBA program at Georgetown) and two younger sisters (17, a singer/performer and 16, a talented gymnast).

4. I am getting my Master's in Counseling Psychology with a certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychology. At graduation, I will be able to apply to be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) though I would like to get my certification as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) eventually.

5. Derek and I will be debt free by the time we are thirty.

6. I lived in 5 states (7 cities) by the time I was in eighth grade. My dad wasn't in the military- my parents are just nomadic.

7. I was a band nerd in high school and loved it. I played the flute, but switched to the saxophone my senior year. I played the bells in the drum corp. as well. I did play volleyball, ran track, and was a cheerleader too.

8. I decided to go to Missouri State (SMSU at the time) because of their marching band. It was WAY to much work, not enough credit hours, not enough scholarship so I didn't do it after my freshman year.

9. I was in a wheelchair for a few months in high school because I was in a car accident and broke my pelvis. A year after the accident, I witnessed a car accident in the same intersection, which was so upsetting because I don't remember mine and there was blood everywhere.

10. I graduated 6th of 69 in my class in high school with 29 college credit hours.

11. I graduated college in 3 1/2 years and never took a summer class.

12. I went somewhere new every summer in college-- China (2003), Myrtle Beach (2004), Kanakuk Kamps (2004), Colorado Springs (2005).

13. Attending the Focus on the Family Institute was the most life changing experience I've had.

14. I gained 22 pounds when I was pregnant and have lost 25 since having Jackson. I'm smaller now than I have been since my freshman year of college.

15. I worked for my dad's company for two years before I moved to Raymore this summer. I miss working with him now.

16. In college, I worked at Lambert's Cafe in Branson (Ozark). I was the Okra/Fried Potato girl. No, I did not throw rolls-- boys do that.

17. I am very bummed that I never got to attend the Price is Right while Bob Barker was still the host. Someday I will still make it to the show.

17. I am so very excited about having tickets to go see Britney Spears in April with my sisters. I have always and will always be a Britney fan.

18. It is my goal to visit every continent. So far, I've got Europe, China, and of course North America (I don't count traveling in US, but I've been to Mexico and the Canadian part of Niagra Falls)

19. I had an opportunity to go to Africa when I was in high school, but my best friend and I wanted to go to Windermere instead because of the "Buffalo Boys."

20. I will make a tape to submit to be on Survivor. I actually looked into it this year before the deadline ended, but I wasn't ready to spend a month away from Jackson this August had they actually (yeah right) picked me. Derek doesn't think I'll be good at it, so I especially want to go to spite him!

21. I have started a fire from rubbing two sticks together and it was so incredibly hard.

22. I love to read. I love the Princess Diaries series and I read the Twilight series before the movie hype. My favorite is the Size 12 is Not Fat series. I have tried to read Pride and Prejudice three times but just cannot make it through.

23. I like Coke better than Pepsi, Chocolate better than Vanilla, and do not like tea or coffee.

24. I love being a stay-at-home mom. I have always wanted to stay home because my mom was always home for us. I am very grateful that we are fortunate enough to make it work.

25. I genuinely love my life.

Jackson Rolls Over

We had an exciting end to our already fun weekend last night!

Friday night, Derek and I enjoyed a wonderful date night. We used a gift certificate from Christmas to go to Ruby Tuesday's and we redeemed a "Babysit Jackson" coupon from some friends. Dinner was delicious. Then after dinner, we unromantically went to CVS but I needed to go and it is just easier when I don't have to carry Jackson in and out, especially when it's freezing cold outside.

Saturday, Derek had Jackson all afternoon while I joined some ladies from church to make Jackson's Christmas scrapbook. Last year, I got a little pre-made scrapbook from Hallmark, so I just had to put the picture in. I worked a little on his baby book too, gluing in his hospital bracelets, a few pictures, etc... The ladies all had beautiful scrapbooks, but I just don't see myself putting in enough time and effort to have those myself!

Saturday evening we went over to some friends house for taco's and game night. Derek really enjoyed doing guitar stuff with Mike. They pulled out some old recorded tapes of their band back in the day.

Sunday lunch was spent with Derek's parents so they could hang out with Jackson a little bit. While Linda and I were upstairs with Jackson, Derek and Forrest managed to break their router.

Last night, Jackson was being really playful so we decided to get out the video camera just for fun. And then Jackson decided he wanted to roll over and it was so exciting to have gotten it on camera. He rolled over once before on New Years Eve, but hasn't been interested since. Now he is just a rolling machine! It was just so neat to seem him figure it out and put it all together.



And to make our weekend even better, Jackson has slept for 6 hours the past two nights. Derek and I were listening to an old broadcast by Dr. Dobson, who mentioned that one night when their son was little that they just got on their knees to pray for him to sleep longer than a few hours. I was thinking about that as I was falling asleep, but decided that I didn't really need to do that because Jackson isn't a horrible sleeper, but both nights it was as if God was saying, "I'd like to give this night of rest for you if you'd just ask..." So, I did and he slept.

Old Friends, Books, and Baby

We are off to a good start for this new year. In the past couple weeks, we've been able to hang out with our friends after a busy holiday season and we've gotten a chance catch up with some college friends who have come to town-- Our friends Scott and Jenny who were here in Kansas City visiting her family, our friend Hannah who just returned from a semester of missions in Africa, my roommate, Casie, from college who was up here anxiously awaiting the arrival of her niece, and an old high school friend, Cassie, came to meet Jackson last weekend. I really do love catching up and visiting with old friends and I appreciate that they don't judge my messy house when they stop by! And even though we sometimes only get the chance to talk and visit maybe only once or a few times each year, I love that we can just pick up where we left off.

My only "resolution" for the new year is to pick up reading again. In the two prior years, I would read so much in my spare time, finishing a few books each month. Well, I did actually read my textbooks for my classes this year, but those don't really count. I do realize that I have more obligation than I once had, but I can spend less time watching television and on the computer. I'd love to hear suggestions of books to add to my list for the year!

Jackson is just growing so fast. I swear that one night I put him to bed with chicken legs and then the next morning he had rolls on those thighs! Last week was a sleeping nightmare, but he has gone back into sleeping in the bassinet with only the occasional wake up in the night. Dad is almost finished with the crib. I hope Jackson makes a smooth transition into sleeping somewhere new.

He loves to smile these days and I think he has realized that his (left) hand is always there and might possibly belong to him and he likes to suck on it when his pacifier falls out. I've started using the front carrier more these days whether it be when I am trying to get things done around the house or walking around the grocery store. He enjoys looking around and being mobile. We went for a walk in the park last Friday when it was SO nice outside. I think I enjoyed it more than he did as he slept the whole time.

Christmas Newsletter 2008

Our Year at a Glance

The beginning of this year found Derek and I both back in school. I began taking classes for my Master’s degree and Derek was finishing up his computer certification training at Centriq. He finished his training in February and began working for a webhosting company in Overland Park. He really enjoys his job and the people he works with. In September, he received a promotion to a level two technician.

Since finishing school and working with fellow “computer nerds,” Derek keeps busy with new computer projects daily. He has created a website and has successfully converted his computer to run on Linux instead of Windows. He has been working recently on setting up a server, which is beyond my realm of understanding.

We celebrated Derek’s birthday in March with a bunch of friends at a Kansas City Brigade game at the new Sprint Center in Kansas City. For his birthday Derek bought a motorcycle from a friend. He has enjoyed working on the bike with his dad.

In April, I traveled with my old college roommate to New York City. We spent 4 days making our way through the city and had a fabulous time. We managed the subway, walked the entire length of central park, and visited Lady Liberty.

Derek and I packed up and moved south of the city in June. Our new place is a three bedroom townhome, which feels like a mansion compared to our old place! We really like it here. I got a new job at a bank for the summer and I started classes again. Going to school and working both full-time was a challenge, but I managed just fine and really enjoyed my classes.

Over Labor Day weekend, we went to visit a friend down in Branson. It was a nice little vacation to relax, do a little shopping, and visit with friends.

I stopped working in September, but kept myself busy helping out with activities at church and getting ready for Jackson to arrive. I got a little crafty decorating his room with airplanes and picture frames. October brought us our little boy and he has been keeping us busy ever since. Now the end of the year is already upon us. We are very excited to celebrate this holiday season as a family of three! I am still deciding on whether I will start classes again in January, but we are so fortunate that I will be able to stay home with Jackson and not go back to work.

We are still teaching 4th and 5th grade Sunday School at church and we have been doing the Truth Project Bible Study on Sunday evenings

Jackson Christopher

The last week of February, Derek and I found out that I was pregnant. We waited until March to tell our families and we went to our first doctor’s appointment. I was so fortunate to have such an easy pregnancy. Derek was so very excited to find out that we were having a boy when we got to have an ultrasound in June. Jackson was born on October 28th, nine days early. He was born healthy and is really an easy going little boy. We picked the name Jackson just because we liked the name and Christopher comes from Derek’s middle name. Jackson looks a lot like his daddy including his blue eyes and some say he has his mommy’s nose. We can hardly believe how fast he is growing!