amelia

Random Acts of…Sleep

July 9, 2010September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. BrackettLeave a comment

Thank you, Amelia. Thank you for recognizing that Mommy was exhausted last night and really needed the rest. Thank you for actually adhering to your schedule. Thank you so much for sleeping from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. It was fabulous.

Now if you could let your sissy monsters know in advance that you’re planning to sleep through the night for the first time ever so that they DON’T come crawl in the bed with Mommy at two the morning, I’d really appreciate it.

Not too much to ask from the person who meets your every physical and emotional need right now, is it?

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Random Acts of…20 Questions

July 6, 2010 Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

Totally stole this from Julia over at Black Tag Diaries, but she gave permission, and since I just posted some heavy stuff, thought you folks would appreciate the lighter.

1) If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be? On a lakeshore in the mountains down a windy gravel road.

2) What’s your favorite article of clothing? Honestly, right now it’s my nursing tanks from Target. They’re just so easy and comfy for my current lifestyle 🙂

3) What’s the last CD that you bought? I have no idea. I did however recently receive three copies of Saddle Ridge Ranch VBS. Thanks, Bethlehem.

4) Where’s your favorite place to be? At the beach in a lounge chair with a good book and a fruity drink.

5) Where’s your least favorite place to be? Rooms without windows.

6) What’s your favorite place to be massaged? My feet, definitely.

7) What time do you wake in the morning? I wake up several times. Usually around 3 to feed Amelia, again around 6 to feed Amelia, and again around 8 if the big girls have stayed in bed until then. Amelia, of course, will sleep until 9 and wonder why I’m grumpy.

8) What’s your favorite kitchen appliance? Kitchen Aid Mixer.

9) If you could play any instrument, what would it be? I am completely tone deaf, but I’d love to play the dulcimer.

10) Favorite color? Yellow has been my favorite for a long time. It’s a reminder that there’s always sunshine somewhere.

11) Which do you prefer, sports car or SUV? I totally love my minivan, but someday I’m hoping to trade it for a cool SUV.

12) Favorite children’s book? Guess How Much I Love You. I used to read this to Audrey and now I read it to my own girls.

13) What is your favorite season? I love fall, even if I don’t love knowing it means the end of summer vacation. But I love the change, the colors, the weather, the food, the festivals, the anticipation of Christmas just around the corner.

14) What’s your least favorite household chore? These days it’s a toss up between dishes and ironing Joshua’s shirts.

15) If you could have one super power, what would it be? I think Elasta-girl is pretty cool. I need to be able to grab my kids like that.

16) If you have a tattoo, what is it? I have no tatoos…never really wanted one because I know as soon as I make up my mind what to get and do it, I’ll change my mind.

17) What’s your favorite day? Saturday. A Saturday with no pre-made plans.

18) Do you believe in afterlife? I believe in Heaven. and I believe it’s nothing like what we imagine.

19) Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger? Big cheesy burger with fries, please.

20) What’s in the trunk of your car? Amelia’s stroller, reuseable shopping bags, some toys, and the girls’ life jackets because you just never know.

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Random Acts of…God

July 6, 2010 Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

July 1, 2010

Except God is never random. He knows from the “get-go”, as my mama would say, and He never gasps or grips the arm of the chair in shock or widens his eyes. He already knew and sometimes, I think, He just leans back and nods and says, “Told you to trust me.”

Tonight I was reminded just how perfect and indescribable He is. Too much of my life lately has been spent questioning, wondering, waiting impatiently for Him to tell me why bad things happen to good people and why He won’t work on my schedule and how can he let tragedy come into the lives of people we love?

Grace. Faith. Hope.

My daughters’ names were not chosen randomly. They were chosen as statements of tangible evidence that these are the gifts of God. He is not random.

He knew my friend would deliver her baby girl several weeks early. And because He can see the end and we can only see the now, He orchestrated it perfectly.

It’s a girl. Did you know the lungs of baby girls develop faster than that of boys so they thrive more quickly?

They had already made peace and plans for her to not return to work. She wanted to go back but this was the path chosen for them. And now she knows why.

Some of us are cut out to parent strong-willed children, rebellious children, gifted and handicapped children….

Some of us are called to parent preemies, so fragile and yet, so strong.

So many steps along the way that might have left them wondering why me? why us? why now?

Now they know. The reason lies in a tiny bed, in a big hospital, on a beautiful summer night.

She wasn’t early. She was right on time. God is never random.

Welcome to the world, Amelia Noel! Those fireworks in the night sky? Of course they’re for you. We’re all very glad you’re here. And we’re praying for you and your mommy and your daddy. Thank You God for baby girls.

motherhood

Supposed To

July 6, 2010 Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

I don’t know about you, but I can sure drown in a sea of “supposed to”.

As in, I’m supposed to be able to handle it all. I’m supposed to be a good mommy, a dynamic teacher, and a loving wife.

I’m supposed to be able to wash the laundry, iron the shirts, make the dinner, mop the floors, brush the teeth, nurse the baby, comfort the crier…and still have something left at the end of a day for my husband and myself.

Supposed to. Yeah, right.

I’ve really been struggling with all this lately. Finding the balance between life and work and love and family isn’t as easy as a book or a magazine or a movie or reality TV makes it seem. It’s really, really hard to ever feel like I’ve done enough, been enough, made enough to get to the next day.

I have absolutely broken in the past few weeks. Thank God I have a fabulous CNM who checked my thyroid and is treating me for hypothyroidism triggered by pregnancy, which is in turn treating the post-partum depression my unfuncitioning thyroid triggered so severely.

It’s too easy to think it’s all in my head and if I would just get it together and do what I’m supposed to and be as grateful as I’m supposed to be for the wonderful life I have, it will all go away.

Actually, it won’t. So now my supposed to list is evolving. There are certain things I have to do. I have to take my medicine. I have to make time for me, for my husband, for my marriage. I have to accept that my best right now is my best because I get out of bed everyday and trust that today will be better.

I’m not supposed to do anything else to be a better mom. I love my kids. And that’s all I’m supposed to do.

amelia · http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · madelynne

Random Acts of….Independence

July 4, 2010 Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

July 4th seems like the perfect time to reflect not only on the independence we are so blessed with as a nation, but the independence my children have recently begun to discover in themselves.

They are finally at an age where they can play outside together riding bikes, sidewalk chalking the driveway, watering Daddy’s flower beds….and mommy can be inside nursing or folding laundry or cooking dinner while watching out the windows.

They can bathe themselves. Now I’m not claiming they do a great job and they don’t understand the concept of using an amount of shampoo the size of a quarter, but at least they smell better when they get out. And there are enough bubbles in the tub to clean the rest of the neighborhood kids, too.

You know, when it comes to independence, it’s really the little things that matter.