Catch-up: January-June 2012

I have been remiss with my blog! However, I do feel I get a pass because since the last time I posted, I have completed growing a tiny human and then gave birth to said tiny human.
I have a TON of pictures of him, of course, but before I get to that, I wanted to share some pictures from before his grand entrance.

These 2 pictures are from the 26 week sonogram on January 4th, 2012.

 Here I am at 30 weeks on January 31st. Once I reached this point, I feel like I just exploded and got so huge in the last 10 weeks.

These next pictures are from February. We ordered the crib and Blake put it together, with Molly's help. :)

 The tree decals are one of my favorite things in the nursery.

 32 weeks. Valentine's Day!

 The next pictures are from my 2 showers that I was blessed with in March! The first one was in Desdemona, hosted by my awesome Aunt Karen at her house. The second was in Lubbock (Wolfforth, technically) at my mom's cousin's party house. Both were so much fun and we received a ton of stuff for Baby G.

Me & one of my best friends from college, Shelly.

The Hagood girls. My aunt Ruthie, cousin Emily, cousin Jessie, me, cousin Maggie, Gran & my mom. Gah, I'm so short. No fair.

My best friend from high school, Reagan. We were pregnant at the same time! She was 2 months behind me.

Me with my mom & Karen

My amazing friend Shanna who drove 2 hours to come see us the night Grayson was born.

Look at all that loot! :) So blessed.

My friend Susan made this awesome cake for my Lubbock shower.

There was a huge chalkboard that everyone signed and wrote a note to the baby. I need to get the picture printed in a large size and get it framed for his room.

36 weeks, March 13th

 Grayson Blake Jackson arrived on Saturday, April 7th, 2012 at 7:13pm. He weighed 6 lbs & 13 oz and was 19 inches long. We had been at the hospital since about 11:45 Friday night and I was in labor for 20 hours.

First bath at home!

Some tummy time

Our new family with my brother Robert & my parents

First time we all went to church. Grayson was 3 weeks old.

May 7th - 1 month old!

 Mother's Day

On Memorial Day weekend, Blake's sister and her family came in from Colorado and we all got together with his oldest brother and his family. Grayson was 7 weeks old.

Camryn, Faith, Tosha (with Grayson in her lap), Carol, Courtney & Kaylee

Later that weekend, I went home and my mom's family all got together at the farm.

Jessie & Emily loving on Grayson.

June 7th - 2 months old!

Smiling in his sleep.

Molly is such a good baby-watcher.

Our friends Paul & Kelley's 2-year-old, Keylee with G.

 June 29th - We went to a Rangers game with our friends, Curt & Nicole. My parents kept Grayson over night for the first time!

We took a tour of the stadium the next morning. It was so cool! This is us in the Rangers' dugout.

After the tour, we decided to drive into Dallas and go to the World Aquarium. This was Blake's first trip there. The rest of us had been there before, but it was still just as fun!

 Sitting "inside" the shark tank. We're such dorks.

Baby Boy Jackson

We announced back in September (via the almighty Facebook) that we are expecting! The due date is April 10th, which is fabulous timing because I will be able to take off the last 6 weeks of school and then have the whole summer to enjoy our baby boy.

I don't know why I was surprised when I realized the perfect-ness of the timing. God knew my desire to have as much time as possible with the baby and He knew that April is perfect because by then, ELA TAKS is done, UIL is winding down and OAP might be done by then as well. I have major responsibilities in all those areas.

As I've been reading lots of material about the baby's growth and pregnancy in general, I can't get away from Psalm 139.

13"For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be."

It's such a beautiful and overwhelming thought that God already knows how long my baby will be on the earth. He knows the color of his eyes and hair. He knows what his personality will be like (hopefully a healthy combination of both of us) (I don't think I could handle another me or another Blake HA!). He knows where he will go to college. He knows if he will get married and to whom it will be. He knows if he will have kids.

So many possibilities and God already knows the outcome for all of it.

"You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

You are familiar with all my ways"

Psalm 139:1 & 3

Re-post: 101 in 1001

Re-posting from a little over a year and a half ago. About half way through the time frame....I've completed 32 of 101. I better get busy!

Anyone else want to create a 101 in 1001 list?

5/11/2010

This is a jaunt from the posts I regularly create. Enjoy!

101 in 1001 days

Day Zero Project is the home of the 101 in 1001 which was made to inspire people by having them write down 101 goals and set out to achieve them.

(From the website)

The Challenge:

Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:

Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on your part).

Why 1001 days?

Many people have created lists in the past--frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a "Bucket List." The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing such tasks as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

I got this idea from Shari Henson {Shari Henson Photography}, a friend from high school. My list is in no particular order. I had so much fun making it even though it was harder to do than I thought.

Without further ado, here is my list.

If you make one, please let me know because I want to read it!

As I complete a task, it will be in bold and will have the date on which I did it.

1. Accumulate the equivalent of 4 mortgage payments in savings

2. Go to the drive-in with Blake

3. Get rid of all the weeds in our yard

4. Buy a new camera (a really good quality one) (6/19/2012)

5. Read 100 books (50/100)

6. Go to the midnight premier of Eclipse (7/10/10) {didn't make it to the midnight premiere, but did go see it with Kelley & Nicole}

7. Throw a baby shower for Kelley (6/6/10)

8. Hold KeyleeJune (6/29/10)

9. Make a dessert for a friend for no reason

10. Attend the AP Summer Institute at TCU (6/21/10 - 6/24/10)

11. Watch The Blind Side

12. Buy P90X (6/2/10)

13. Completely landscape the yard

14. Print pictures from Christmas to the present (6/7/10)

15. Label said pictures and put in albums

16. Give Blake prayer and support to finish school (He will graduate in Aug or Dec of 2014!)

17. Watch a fireworks show (7/4/10)

18. Finally get Blake a dog (6/25/11)

19. Take a ride in a hot air balloon

20. Go skiing in Colorado (3/5/11)

21. Visit Curt & Tosha (3/4/10 - 3/6/10)

22. Learn 10 new songs on the piano (0/10)

23. Have a baby

24. Go see parts I & II of the last Harry Potter movie (Part I - 12/27/10) (Part II - 7/16/11)

25. Vacation in Cabo (8/1/10 - 8/4/10)

26. Learn to snowboard (3/5/11)

27. Go horseback riding

28. Invite Cory & Karri over for dinner (7/16/10)

29. Attend a Mavericks game

30. Tour Cowboys stadium

31. Go to the lake (7/3/10)

32. Have a deck built in the backyard

33. Have an arbor built over said deck

34. Attempt to water ski at least once

35. Go see Breaking Dawn (Part I - 11/19/11)

36. Get in shape for Cabo

37. Pay off Visa

38. Pay off my student loan

39. Start saving up to pay off Blake's student loans when he graduates!

40. Sing a song at church (10/24/10)

41. Go to Canton with Shanna

42. Memorize 40 scriptures (9/40)

43. Play laser tag

44. Take a CrossFit class (the entire month of June 2012)

45. Jump on a trampoline

46. Finish our wedding album (8/12/10)

47. Start and finish a new scrapbook

48. Get a pedicure (5/24/10)

49. Send out Christmas cards (12/9/10)

50. Pick apples at the orchard in Idalou (9/26/10)

51. Float the river

52. Plant a food garden

53. Take a spontaneous road trip (8/7/2011) We went to a Rangers game with Curt & Nicole!

54. Sing the National Anthem at a Mavericks game

55. Bake a real homemade apple pie

56. Learn to tie a tie

57. Make homemade ice cream

58. Throw a theme party

59. Buy a new computer

60. Buy a new pair of flip-flops (7/21/10)

61. Use the word "eschew" casually in a sentence.

62. Buy blinds for the kitchen/dining room windows (7/17/10)

63. Buy a new vacuum cleaner (12/25/2011) We didn't buy it; Blake's parents got us one for Christmas!

64. Go through the clothes I don't wear and give them to Goodwill (7/19/2012)

65. Fly a kite

66. Do something sweet for Blake for no reason (9/20/2012)

67. Swing on a tire swing

68. Visit Boston in the fall

69. Learn to golf

70. Host a Joker tournament

71. Replace two of the rims on my car {traded car instead} (11/30/11)

72. Have a garage sale

73. Visit Las Vegas

74. See Michael Buble in concert again with Becca

75. Go bowling (11/20/2010)

76. Improve my Spanish

77. Learn how to score AP essays (6/23/10) {Not great yet; but know the basics now}

78. Acquire a bed for the 3rd bedroom (7/16/10)

79. Attend a Rangers game {World Series, baby!!!} 10/22/11)

80. Go to Six Flags in Arlington

81. Visit San Antonio (5/21/10)

82. Watch Avatar (5/16/10)

83. Finish writing novel with Kelley

84. Watch all the episodes of NCIS

85. Go to the ballet

86. Send a secret to Post Secret

87. Take my mom to see Josh Turner in concert

88. Go on a road trip to Kentucky to see Jenny

89. Learn how to play chess

90. Get a manicure (4/5/2012)

91. Play Dance Dance Revolution

92. Watch a sunrise (NOT while going to work--I do that every day)

93. Take Blake to the World Aquarium in Dallas (8/30/2012)

94. Take a photography class

95. Build a snowman

96. Install floodlights on the house in the backyard

97. Use the word "obstreperous" casually in a sentence.

98. Get a new hairstyle (yikes! That one scares me...)

99. Get Lasik

100. Find out my blood type (A positive) (9/30/11)

101. Get my teeth whitened

......To be completed by February 5th, 2013 :)

Molly

For his birthday this year, Blake finally got a dog. She is a yellow lab and her name is Molly.

Super Summer Part 2

Welp.

I am woefully behind in posting my other notes from Super Summer. Here's night 2 of Rainbow.

The book of Nehemiah

Those who could do something to help, should do something.

Those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility take action.

Spiritual onlookers are those who sit on the sidelines and watch others go on missions. You feel something for a while, then it passes and you go on with everything else.

What disturbs me enough to do something about it?

Nehemiah left a palace to go help Jericho rebuild their walls.

Jesus is the better Nehemiah; he left heaven and became man and died to give us freedom. Nehemiah left a palace to go rebuild a wall--Jesus left heaven to die for us.

Super Summer Part 1

Blake and I returned from Super Summer yesterday. The speaker this year was Lance Shumake and he was fabulous. We heard him speak Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights at Rainbow.

Tuesday's message was from the book of Jonah. Here's what I learned.

We represent God; we are his ambassadors. If we aren't representing God, we're being disobedient. Jonah had run away from God when God told him to go to Nineveh and tell people about Him because he didn't want Nineveh to be saved because he hated them; they were enemies. He was mad because in the end, after being in the fish for 3 days and finally going and preaching to them, they repented and were saved.

Jonah had an idol--something that stood in his way of wanting God's will in his life. Jonah loved Israel so much that it became an idol. Jonah treasured Israel more than he treasured God. That's why he wanted Nineveh to be wiped out. Jonah trusted Israel--its strength and power--more than God. Even though the people repented, Jonah was mad. Jonah didn't want to be a part of helping them. He wanted them to remain evil so that God would destroy them. If the city of Nineveh stayed on earth, they could come attack Israel.

The heart of this message was about idols. Lance's purpose was for us to look into our hearts and think about the idols we have. Jonah 2:8 says "Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God's love for them." He posed these questions: What in my life, if I lost it, would make my life meaningless? What consumes me? How do I spend my time and money? What is my functional savior?

New-ness

About a month ago, I bought a new bible. It's a small one, with no extra notes or devotionals built in. I bought it to take with me when I go places like Super Summer or Refuge (Disciple Now), when I don't necessarily need my huge, heavy bible. I will still use that one for my readings at home, but when I travel, I will have the new, cute little one, which is easier to carry around.

After we left the store, I was so excited about this new bible. The outside cover is pretty cute and I was just really pumped to get to go home and read it. I was also excited for Sunday when I could take it to church. I stopped to think about why I was so excited about it and I realized it's because it's new.

Of course. That's why I'm excited. It's new.

Anytime I get something new I am really pumped to get to use it. It has happened to me thousands of times already and will continue to happen. After a while though, maybe a few months, the new-ness wears off and it is pushed further and further to the back of my mind. This has happened a lot with things material and things spiritual. For example, I got a new journal a few years ago and I was all hyped up about using it as my prayer journal. I like to write down my prayers and date them, just to keep track of how things play out according to God's timeline. It's probably been a year since I've opened that journal. I've prayed tons of prayers over the past year, but I haven't taken the time to sit and reflect like I would when writing.

This fact is nothing novel, but it makes me sad. I am sad that it takes buying something new to get me excited about my spiritual life. How horrible is that?? I am disappointed by my lack of rejoicing, by my lack of attention paid to the One who gives me hope, by my lack of worship.

I know I am not alone in this struggle, but I still do not like to admit it. I don't like being reminded of my innate humanity. Nevertheless, I am reminded to rejoice.....

"Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." Psalm 5:11

"I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul." Psalm 31:7