All is Quiet (Except the Dishwasher)

All is quiet in the Looper house this evening. Jason's sister picked up Abby about 5:30 to take her to a ballgame because I had the ladies coming over for Bible study. Jason had praise band practice, and the ladies have headed their separate ways, and I find myself here, in front of the computer surrounded by silence. Well, it isn't completely silent because I just started the dishwasher, but its hum somehow calms me. It means I'm not at the sink washing dishes, which is a wonderful thought.

This is a very stream of consciousness rambling, but those of you who are my true friends will understand and forgive me.

Today I accomplished little and much all at the same time. How, you may ask. I made dinner, straightened around the house, enjoyed a wonderful lunch with Debra, and now I am able to write a blog to you folks out in bloggerville.

I only have 2 weeks of summer school left. I am so glad! I'm not glad because my students have been any trouble but because I am ready to be home and be enjoying the beautiful weather and my beautiful daughter. We sat on the porch for a few minutes this afternoon, and she loved it; she always does.

Well, I think I'm going to go turn on the television and veg out until Jason returns with my child. And maybe I'll listen to the dishwasher.

Our week/weekend

Look How Big I Am Now!!!!

It has been kind of busy around here the last few days -- not because we had a lot to do but because we like to run around, I suppose. Abby is learning to crawl. Right now she just scoots on her elbows, but I am confident that soon she will be up and going. The other day I had her on the floor while I was fixing dinner, and she ended up on the other side of the room.



Yesterday Jason and I decided to go to the park in Easley with Abby. We had so much fun. We took a picnic and ate, and then we helped Abby play. I already knew that she loved the swing from our walks to the park with Debra and Ashton, but she slid down the slide with Jason and had a blast. She is just too cute with her hat and her sunglasses.


Daddy fixing Abby's sunglasses


Daddy and Abby


Getting ready to slide


So sweet in her hat


Swinging


Abby and Mommy

To round off our already busy day, we went to a Mother/Daughter banquet with my grandmother last night. Abby was extremely good, but by the time this picture was taken, she was ready to go home and go to bed!

Too long -- Edited

Hey guys! I'm sorry it has been so long since I posted. I guess that life has been too busy around here.

I was trying to think of something to post here, but I really don't have that much to say today.

Life in the Looper household has been strangely calm. I probably shouldn't even mention that because that means that now we are going to be incredibly busy and distracted and things are going to happen that we didn't expect. Can I take back the first sentence of this paragraph?

I guess one of the things that I am learning is just to sit back and watch what God is doing. Now that I look back at Abby's birth (amazingly, it's been almost a year), I have to say that I had a touch of postpartum depression. I didn't know it was that at the time because I've been depressed before, and this was nothing like that. I was just kind of apathetic to everything and everyone, not really sad.

God has been working with me, and finally my hormones seem to be close to normal again (as normal as they can get. I reference my friend Debra's comments on PMS here).

Because of my apathy, I have neglected my relationship with God most of all. I have been learning that there are moments in our lives where God is quiet to teach us the value and the importance of his voice. Those times are difficult because I have grown accustom to hearing God speak.

Most recently, God has given me the opportunity to lead a Bible study with some wonderful ladies I used to work with in Greenville. This was completely out of the blue. I have been longing for the opportunity to be around people who need to know more about Jesus. I guess it is the teacher in me that longs to teach, and God placed it right in my lap. We are going to do Beth Moore's Bible study Breaking Free. I have done this before, but I am excited to do it again. Please pray for us as we begin.

I'll be sure to keep you posted on how we progress.

Marriage Retreat

The marriage retreat was incredible this weekend. It was just what Jason and I needed. We got to enjoy time with other couples and with each other without having to worry about a 10 month old. I missed Abby but not as much as I thought I would. She didn't miss us at all, and that is okay.

Here's a picture, though not a good one. I'll post more later.

Still Learning

I learned a lesson this evening in a very unlikely way. It has been one of those days, if you know what I mean. I over-committed myself, and then I showed up for a doctor's appointment that wasn't until tomorrow. Luckily, they worked me in, and when I finally got home, I had to throw something together for dinner. The dinner part I actually had already prepped for; the execution of dinner is what hung me up.

I decided last night that we would have Smokehouse Spaghetti for dinner. It is one of Jason's favorite recipes, and I thought that I would be a good wife and fix it for him. It requires crispy bacon and ground beef, so I thawed the beef last night and cooked the bacon this afternoon. When I pulled the bacon out of the refrigerator, I noticed that it looked a little brown, but my mom always taught me to smell the meat to see if it was okay or if it was just brown. It smelled fine, so I put it in the pan. It cooked -- no problem. I drained off the excess grease and put some freshly opened bacon in the pan. This is where the problem occurred. I started smelling a very sick, sweet smell. That is never good. I sniffed the bacon in the pan (not too close because I didn't want to have to explain that at the ER). It smelled fine. I pulled it off the stove and cooked the ground beef.

All that to say, I got the spaghetti completely ready and in the oven, but I couldn't get over the sick, sweet smell. When Jason got home, I had him smell the grease, which is what I determined finally smelled, and he said that we were not eating that. I couldn't be offended because I really didn't want to eat it either. It smelled really bad.

God spoke to me in that moment because so many times in my life, I look at something that I really want, and I desire it so intensely. It looks okay; it smells okay, but in reality, it is not okay. It is rotten and stinking. Satan is very good at making things that are terrible for us look very appealing. My spaghetti looked very appetizing. It was just what I wanted to eat, but had I eaten it, it would have been the last thing I wanted to eat.

I pray that God surrounds you with his protection and that you begin to see things the way he does.

A stolen post

I stole this idea from my friend Meredith. She has a wonderful blog you can view here. She often posts 13 of her favorite things, and since we both went to Clemson where we learned about creative stealing, I figure it is fitting to take her idea. Meredith, you let me know if this isn't okay. :-)

13 Things I am thankful for:

1. My husband and daughter. I know that technically that could be two things, but I love them equally and couldn't imagine trying to rank them. For so many years I was certain I would have neither, so to have both of them in my life is a blessing. Okay, I'm going to cry if I don't stop.

2. Dishwashers. We didn't have a dishwasher in our first home, and I abhor (yes, abhor) handwashing dishes. As a matter of fact, if the dishwasher doesn't get it clean, Jason now has to wash it.

3. Family who will watch Abby. We have awesome family who are willing to watch Abby when we need a break.

4. Lunch with other moms. I had an incredible lunch today of lime pork chops. Debra you so need to post that recipe on your blog!

5. Full nights of sleep. Newborn babies. Enough said.

6. Rain. We need it so desperately, and it is wonderful to see it today.

7. Students. They keep me on my toes, and I am always learning something new from them.

8. Comments on my blog. Okay, this one is kind of fishing, but I really do like to know that people actually look at this things and enjoy it. It is a pride thing I'm sure.

9. Naptimes. Mine and Abby's! I love Abby's most because that is when I get to sit down and spend time with the Father.

10. Thought-provoking discussion and books. We are in the midst of one of the most wonderful Bible studies in my SS class. Fascinating.

11. Television. I like to watch TV. What can I say.

12. Facebook. I am so glad that I can keep up with people who otherwise I would lose contact with.

13. Porches.

We Survived

I know that this is a strange title to put on a Mother's Day post, but with both of our families coming to our house to eat, it is a miracle that we survived Mother's Day!

It was a wonderful day certainly. Jason and Abby gave me cards first thing in the morning. I cried. For those of you who know me, I usually don't cry over sentimental things. If I cry, it is typically because I am mad or hurt, not because I am touched. I guess it was something about the day and realizing how blessed I actually am that brought tears to my eyes. They also gave me some wonderful porch furniture. I have been wanting rocking chairs for our porch for some time. Now Abby and I can go outside an sit, which we actually did yesterday. Don't judge me by the cups on my front porch!



Abby was also dedicated on Sunday. It was a lovely ceremony. She got a little Bible and a certificate. She didn't cry or fuss at all; she simply swung her feet back and forth while Jeff gave the challenge. My grandmother came to the service, which was a wonderful gift. My nannie is 78 years old. I am so blessed to still have her here, and I hope that Abby is able to enjoy her as much as I did and still do.



Perhaps the funniest part of the dedication was that Abby was the smallest yet oldest (baby) on the stage. She was also the only girl.