girl with blog

Sam's baptism day!

2012-02-02T14:53:00.000-06:00

This weekend was Sam's baptism, and it glowed. We glowed. There were family and friends everywhere, and God's love over all of us. My inlaws flew in from Seattle, and stayed for 5 wonderful days. We laughed more this weekend with them than we have in a while, and ate junk food and went shopping and just drank up our time together.

a few shots from the actual baptism:

'let your light so shine before others...'

my little man

socks

sweet, dear Samuel.

-anna
{girlwithblog}

thankful

2012-01-26T14:15:00.001-06:00

I am so grateful for each of you. Thank you, thank you, for your encouraging words on my last post. That was a hard day for me. I am also grateful that the hard days have not been the norm. We have had much more joy than anything else. My husband has been absolutely incredible, and my son is a sweetheart (who just has no words yet, so he cries) =) I am blessed and count each of you a blessing too.
-anna
{girlwithblog}

just write: cry.

2012-01-23T22:53:00.001-06:00

that tiny cry.

so bitty, so strong, and so loud. sometimes i just cry with him. the only surefire soother is my breast, and he can't stay there all day (though i think he would, if i let him). the exercise ball works too, but nysse the dog popped it (seriously). i wrap him in the moby, and he writhes his head out to look around, crying every few minutes.

his daddy comes home and wraps him in the moby, and sam's out sleeping in minutes. so is it me? does he not like me? does he really prefer daddy?

other new mamas take their babes on outings to target, coffee shops, the mall. and i cry - those things sound awful to me because i'm still in pain. nearly 6 weeks later, and i'm still hurting where 14 inches of baby head broke through. taking sam on an outing is stressful to me - partly because i can't walk very far, and partly because he screams and cries when he's not sleeping, and i can't bounce him or do laps around the couch or lunges to calm him.

all i can do is cry with him.

but i don't think it's bad to cry with him. i'm his mama. i'm sam's mom. and he knows my heart and hears it beat sad with his. someday (soon) i'll heal, and then we'll go on outings.

but until then, we cry. he cries and i cry and we snuggle and pray and love. and there is so. much. love underneath the tears.

-anna
{girlwithblog&baby}

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linking up with Heather's 19th installment of just write, an exercise in free writing. she's awesome.

samuel robert: one month

2012-01-19T13:38:00.001-06:00

I cannot believe my baby boy is a month old already. I know everyone says 'time flies', but seriously!! I blame it on the sleep deprivation fog.

Sam turned one month old last Sunday, and I honestly haven't had a chance to post since then. But good things are worth the wait... here are his one month pictures =)

my arctic baby next to his polar bear

And then, just for fun... a few with Nysse the dog!

this is actually the best shot of the two loves. oy.

both a little wary...

and... stinkeye.

Tomorrow I'm pretty sure he'll be 15.
-anna
{girlwithblog}

my little hedgehog

2012-01-12T13:19:00.003-06:00

I have an online bestie. Her name is Cassie. She is lovely and funny and smart and creative. She and I have been friends for almost two years - you can read the story of how we met here. She's journeyed with me through my miscarriage, our move, new job, a conference, and now Sam. Since we didn't know if baby_r was a boy or a girl, she waited to make gifts until after he came. She asked me what my favorite animal was, and I told her hedgehogs (it's true. I have a whole collection of kids books about hedgehogs.) Later that day, I started to see tweets from her that were hashtagged #crochetfail and #secretproject. Not good... but she prevailed (of course).

And this is Sam in one of the two adorable darling so so so cute things she sent us:

SO. CUTE!!!

look at that skinny arm!!

love that face!

this face was too funny!

so was this one! it's like an almost stink-eye...

yeah, i'm in my bathrobe and that's the Christmas tree. i've been busy.

Thank you, Auntie Cassie!!
-anna & sam
{girlwithblog&hedgehog}

Floating in to say hello...

2012-01-09T11:50:00.001-06:00

We float from diaper to diaper, nursing session to nursing session, day to day. There is no concept of time in this house anymore! I think it's been day since December 15th. Sam sleeps in 2hour chunks regardless of day or night, and he does not like to sleep when he's not being held. He'll fall asleep, we'll put him in his crib or cradle, and then he wakes up and remembers that he's not in our arms. He sleeps best on daddy's lap, so after night-time nursing Daddy takes him, burps him, and then they sleep on the couch for awhile and I go to the bed. Not ideal, but everyone sleeps. With all that... the days have been a blur.

Sam and I have gone on a few solo outings - this was a huge victory for mama. As I shared, healing and recovery has been slowgoing for me, so anything on my own makes me nervous. I can't jump up or run if need be. But I didn't have to do either on these outings. I got him ready for the day, got me ready for the day, buckled him into his carseat, diaper bag packed, in the car, and to our destinations. So far, we've been to mommy & me class, church, and today we're going to Hallmark to visit.

The mommy & me class has only met once, but I'm already so grateful for it. It's so nice to not feel crazy! =) We swapped stories and suggestions - real suggestions and advice from their real life recent experiences. No one was trying to fit into a category of perfect parenting - just real stuff. I can't wait to go back this week.

I have a jillion posts swirling around my head and heart, but hardly have two hands available to write them. Sam just woke up and is flailing around his crib, so off I go. Here's some baby sweetness til next time:

reading with Daddy

hanging out upside down on Grandmas lap

everybody snuggling on the bed

new years eve party outfit =)

-anna
{girlwithblog&baby}
ps - I share lots more pictures and stories on my Facebook page - join me there!

a birth story {part 3}

2012-01-03T23:39:00.001-06:00

**if you missed them, here are parts 1 and part 2**

After Sam was here and we snuggled and cried and rejoiced, and the nurses said he was perfect and healthy, the mama repair began.

I hadn't had any pain meds during labor and delivery, so when the doctor said I needed plenty of stitches I asked for medicine =) They gave me a blessed injection of Fentanol (sp?), which totally took the edge off the pain of the exam, fundal massage and stitches. I tore internally and externally, so the repairs took awhile.

In the meantime, gazing at my perfect boy was the best pain medicine in the whole world.

face plant into mommy =)

smooches.

It's been a slow-feeling recovery. I'm tired, and so sore... I have only worn jeans one time, and there's a reason for that. I'm living in sweatpants. Outings are one-stop (the pediatrician, Target, Walgreens, and one visit to Hallmark), and short. I'm still taking the hospital dosage of advil, supplementing with tylenol, icing daily, and using tucks pads like there's no tomorrow. A few of my friends who've had babies recently seem to be healing SO much faster than I am, and it's hard for me to see that when the only comfy seat in the house is still the couch. I know I have lots of stitches and I'll heal in time. I have to keep reminding myself - 14 inch head... =)

-anna
{girlwithblog}

a birth story {part 2}

2012-01-02T01:34:00.001-06:00

**part one of the story can be found here**

There was a lot of groaning and grunting as I fought pushing. The last centimeter of cervix just refused to efface. My nurse called the doctor, and I knew we were close. I don't remember the doctor arriving, or the second nurse, but somehow they were there. It wasn't my doctor, but another member of her practice. She said she would just kind of push the tiny bit of cervix over the baby's head, and that I could push next time I needed to. FINALLY!!!

I got on my back, and the nurses held my feet. I was so terrified to push, but also relieved to not have to fight it any longer. Jared was by my head, holding my hand and rubbing out a cramp in my leg.

I have never been given strength like that before. As I pushed with all my being, I had no thoughts or feelings - I was completely focused on pushing. I'm so glad I didn't have any pain meds - the nurses were truly coaching me through pushing, and if I had been numb and unable to feel what to do, it would have taken a lot longer. In total, I only pushed for about 10 minutes, through 4 or 5 contractions.

There was one scary moment when the doctor said, "Anna, we have to get this baby out. We're having a hard time finding it's heartbeat." It turned out fine - baby was just soooo low that it was hard to pinpoint the sound. But it sure lit a fire in me, and I bore down with new fervor. He stayed a little stuck, and I was sad when they had to briefly use the vacuum. But it helped my child to escape my womb, and he is just fine, so all was well.

The relief when baby flew out was palpable - huge - like none I've ever experienced. Each and every pain immedietly disappeared, and I could breathe without reminder again. They put him straight on my chest, and I was shocked at how big he was! Jared was so taken by the whole thing that I had to ask him, "What is it?!" so he would tell me if we had a baby boy or baby girl. =)

He was already a miracle to us, but if we needed further proof we got it. The placenta was quite irregular. First, it was 'dual lobed' and oddly shaped. Second, the spot where the umbilical cord attached was super thin - the nurse could've poked her finger right through it. Therefore, there were lots of extra veins throughout it, supporting the blood supply. Had my water broken in another place, we would have started to bleed out. God is good...

Our Samuel.

his very first picture. btw, that head measured 14 inches. ahem.

i love the rawness of this picture.

my baby is here.

perfection.

such a sweet proud new daddy.

my mom and sister were in the waiting room the whole night.
mom even labored with me for awhile. such a gift.

he was so alert and awake right away!

our first family photo. he's just a few minutes old.

-anna
{girlwithblog}

measure in love

2011-12-31T22:49:00.002-06:00

What a year 2011 has been!! Such gifts, such blessings, such loss, such joy... Husby and I were talking about how to sum it up, and decided we really can't. So while we ring in 2012 with our new son, pizza, and the movie Rent, the words from the opening song remind me of the last year. Hopefully they will work for 2012 as well!

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets
In midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, a year in the life?

How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love

Seasons of love
Seasons of love
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand journeys to plan
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?

In truths that she learned
Or in times that he cried
In bridges he burned
Or the way that she died

It's time now, to sing out
Though the story never ends
Let's celebrate
Remember a year in the life of friends

Remember the love
(Oh, you got to, you got to remember the love)
Remember the love
(You know that life is a gift from up above)
Remember the love
(Share love, give love, spread love)
Measure in love
(Measure, measure your life in love)

happy new year, friends!
-anna
{girlwithblog}

a birth story {part 1}

2011-12-29T06:11:00.001-06:00

On December 14th, I had been having cramping all day that came with the contractions (I thought they were the same Braxton Hicks I'd had since October). I just felt 'off'. About 2:30 I called Husby and asked him to come home from work to just be with me. It was funny, because he was in a meeting, and just before I called his boss had said, "We're going to put Jared on the spot now..." and then ring ring! =)

We were watching some TV, sitting on the couch together when my water broke. I didn't know that was what had happened, until I went to the bathroom and thought hmmm... that's kind of a lot of liquid! I actually got to say, "I think my water broke!" It was 5:30. We called the doctor, who thought we should start heading to the hospital. We threw a few additional things into our hospital bags and hit the road!

it's time!!

By the time we got to the hospital, I wasn't having regular contractions. But as we were admitted and hanging out in triage, I was getting increasingly uncomfortable. We got to our room about 8pm. My nurse was a Godsend - super practical and encouraging and professional. I loved her. Right away she asked about pain management. She laid out my options, and we decided she would not offer me drugs, but would give them to me if I asked. My hope was to deliver without medicine.

By 9:00 I was in 'active labor', having regular painful contractions. They came in waves, and I clung to Husby and the side of the bed.

I was on a monitor for quite a few hours because Sam's heartbeat wasn't where they wanted it to be. My nurse kept saying, "It's good, but we're going for awesome." =) It never quite got to awesome - my baby is a mellow one - but I desperately wanted to get out of the bed and walk around. Finally the nurse was satisfied, and I got up.

We walked, tried the birth ball, and the tub. By now the contractions were really painful, and closer together. When I got in the tub I was on all fours. There was no way I could be on my back - the second I rolled to it the pain increased. The birth ball helped, and standing against Husby was ok too. Really, I remember thinking that there was NO comfortable position for me to be in. At some point I climbed back into bed and stayed mostly on my side, hugging the railing and Husby.

I was so 'into myself' that for most of the night I had my eyes closed, opening them only to look at my focal points - Husby, and Sam's ultrasound picture with a tiny stocking ornament attached to it. Husby kept saying, "That stocking is what you're working for!" We tried to bring some Christmas with us, and the entire night had a DVD of a fireplace with piano Christmas music playing! That fireplace was an awesome focal point for me as well!

Around 2:00, my body started trying to push. But I still had a centimeter of cervix that was hanging on, and they didn't want me to push yet. I have never experienced anything like that before - fighting and focusing against what my body is instinctually doing. I was shuddering with the impulse and breathing (more like grunting!) to control myself. At this point, I was running totally and completely on instinct. I felt primal, connected to Eve and all her daughters.

--to be continued--

-anna
{girlwithblog}

just saying hi {and a few pictures!}

2011-12-23T12:55:00.003-06:00

hi friends - merry Christmas!! the silence in this place is due to the joyful noise in my home - baby squeals and burps, diaper changes, round the clock nursing sessions, visitors, naps... we are just soaking up the fact that we are parents to this tiny miracle boy. my heart does the grinch thing {you know, where it 'grows 3 sizes'?} ALL the time. imma run out of room =)

here are a few pictures for you from baby boys first days =)

our first family picture

can't believe i'm a mama to this sweet boy.

snuggled up

oh, the sweetness.

going home in Christmas outfits!

the first car ride.

- anna
{girlwithblog&baby}

introducing baby r.

2011-12-18T23:14:00.001-06:00

Samuel Robert
December 15, 2011
2:47am
8lbs, 2oz
22in long

Love of my life.

-anna
{girlwithblog}

40+ week update & nursery tour!

2011-12-14T13:11:00.000-06:00

Hi friends! No sweet babe yet... at our doc appt yesterday I was 3cm dilated - good progress over the last week! So we scheduled a 'just-in-case' induction for next Tuesday morning. So baby's birthday will be December 20th or before!! Just having an end date makes me feel like a new woman, with resolve and purpose and drive.

Nothing else really to report for the update, or for belly pics either. Still no cravings, no sleep, good strong Braxton Hicks, slowly losing my mucus plug, and a giant belly =) BUT I did take nursery pictures to show you!! My point and shoot rocks, but these pics are pretty straight forward (no fancy editing). Ready? FYI: there are a LOT of pictures here!

what you see when you peek inside! we went with a nice 'polar bear' white paint -
it keeps the room feeling bright and clean.

nysse the dog in front of the changing table. which, btw, was found
at a garage sale and we spraypainted.

pictures from 'the night you were born'. my little sister framed them.

bookshelves! pictures are of a big bright cardinal in our yard.

so many sweet books - friends & family blessed us with them at showers.

my cozy corner for nursing. the rocker was my parents. the nightstand was my grandparents.
we sanded and painted it (it was bright green!). still getting a rug and footstool.

love this little table!

close-up of what's on top - sweet books, nightlight, tiny kleenex box, and monitor.

Husby building the crib! We bought it on my due date, cause it's not like
we had a baby that night =)

all assembled and decked out!! That's my hospital bag next to it =)

so so cute.

LOVE our bedding! It's called arctic babies =) It inspired the whole room.
The fabric is lovely - velvets, fuzzies, soft cottons... and a donation
from its' purchase went to help actual arctic babies!

The bedskirt - red velvet! Hemmed in navy w/polka dots. Be still my heart...

the most important thing...
'for you are fearfully and wonderfully made...' -psalm 139

-anna
{girlwithblog&baby}

Peppermint Popcorn Crunch

2011-12-13T09:00:00.000-06:00

Last week a recipe for Peppermint Popcorn Crunch appeared in my reader. White chocolate, mint m&m's, sprinkles... I had to have it. So like any good 40 week pregnant girl, I sent my sweet Husby to the craft store for peppermint melts =) They didn't have any, so I ended up using regular vanilla melts and adding peppermint extract.

It is SO good!!

Peppermint Popcorn Crunch
adapted from this recipe by Bake at 350

2 bags microwave popcorn
1 bag vanilla candy melts
1/4 tsp peppermint extract (NOT peppermint oil!)
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 bag mint M&M's
Christmas sprinkles

Pop the popcorn as directed. Pour onto a rimmed cookie sheet. Remove as many unpopped kernels as you can, then pour popcorn into large bowl.

In a glass bowl, melt the candy melts for 1 minute, then for 30 second intervals, stirring between each time until melted. Stir in vegetable oil and peppermint extract. Pour over the popcorn and mix (it's messy but dig in with your hands!).

Add the mint M&M's and a Christmas sprinkles. Toss everything together (again, with your hands!).

Spread the mixture out on wax paper until it's not melty anymore.

~~Eat it all up~~ Bag it up, tie it with a cute ribbon, and hand out to friends and neighbors.

image from Bake at 350 - she has a GREAT tutorial for this treat,
and lovely photos =)

-anna
{girlwithblog}

FREE Christmas e-book!

2011-12-12T10:30:00.002-06:00

Our friends at Gooseberry Patch are at it again - getting us all in the Christmas spirit with their own! Today they are offering a FULL cookbook (the e-book version) for free!!! I download the cookbooklets when they're free, but an entire lovely cookbook, one that I don't have yet, for freeeee!

The book is Christmas with Family and Friends. That's your link to get it for FREE! Just choose which way you want to download it (Kindle, Nook, Apple, Sony, or Kobo). And remember, even if you don't have a Kindle or Nook or other ebook reader, you can still download and enjoy! I don't have one - I use the free Kindle app for my computer! Download that app here, or the nook app here.

Hope this book is a blessing to you. Have a happy Monday!
-anna
{girlwithblog}

ps - no baby yet.

**I received no compensation for telling you about this ebook. I just knew you'd want to know!

39 weeks!

2011-12-10T14:23:00.001-06:00

Still here. Almost 40 weeks along (39 weeks 5 days today). Hoping this update doesn't sound whiny, but simply truthful. It's just not comfortable being this pregnant, which is a good thing - if it were nice and cozy, there would be no drive to get the baby out and I'd be scared. Instead I'm bordering on desperation. =) So here you go:

Cravings:Nothing really. I can't fit much food in at one time, so mini-meals are the norm. A bowl of cereal, an orange and cheese & crackers, a pbj - all meals I might have in a day. Oh, Husby might say orange juice - I could drink oj and water alllll day long (so I do!)

Sleep:My clock seems to be freaking out a little - I'm asleep by 11, wake up about 230/3, back to sleep, wake for a snack about 530/6, then sometimes go back to bed until 10ish. Naps are also a norm by mid-afternoon. I'm tired all the time and actually have the time to sleep, so I'm taking advantage.

Doctor appointments:They've been weekly for the last month. We have one more appointment scheduled for Tuesday - the day after my due date - and I would LOVE to not have to go to it! We'll see.

How I'm feeling:Eh. Not great. Nothing out of the ordinary - heavy, tired, congested, slow... Anxiety is creeping in - labor more than actual mothering. I have been waiting and longing to be a mom for years. No, I'm more anxious about labor. But I think that's normal, and I know it will be just fine.

Contractions/signs of labor:Still frequent BH contractions - stronger now than before. I'm slowly losing my mucous plug, and last week was effaced 60% and dilated a good 1cm. The nesting has been accomplished - I was crazy and feverish to get decorated for Christmas, and now my house is a winter wonderland =) Last week I had a meltdown because I hated the nursery, so we spent some more time in there and now I love it =) ps - I'll post pictures of the nursery and a Christmas house tour this week.

The Bumper:These are my favorite pics yet:

this is my favorite. i love the bumpiness and mittens!

alllll belly.

-anna
{girlwithblog&baby}

Friday Friends: edition 4

2011-12-06T19:48:00.001-06:00

No baby. No labor. No nothing except a whole lotta uncomfortable. I feel so heavy - I just heave myself around! And I am having the strangest dreams of my entire life, awful heartburn that almost brings me to tears, aching sore girly parts, and a baby I cannot wait to meet. Baby, I know your due date is Monday, but mama is getting desperate to hold you on the outside. Please come soon!!

Here are the pieces of the internets that made my heart beat fast this week. Take some time to click around - let me know if these touched you too!
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Growing up, we had an aunt Louise who was SNL's church lady. Cross my heart, she really was. When she got married at 70+ yrs old, we went to her house during Christmas week. There were gifts to pass around, and because our family was all over 70, us kids usually did the passing. One of us said, "I'll play Santa Claus!", meaning 'I'll bend over and pick up gifts and bring them to your lap.' Louises' new husband thundered, "There is no Santa in this house! There is only Jesus Christ!" This story has stuck in me ever since. As our child makes their entrance to the world, and we weigh things like Santa Claus in our hearts, this post that Ashleigh wrote at a Deeper Story, of Santa and Jesus, spoke straight to me.

God took Holley by surprise this week with a message I needed to hear - The Surprise.

This post by dear Ann makes me want to take back everything under our tree - no matter how little we spent on them. When Christmas Gets Radical: Whose Birthday is it Really?

If I can muster up the gumption to brave the craft store for the candy melts (or maybe send Husby out), I'm making this Peppermint Popcorn Crunch from miss Bridget at Bake at 350. {I totally made it last night!!! And I totally sent husby out to Michaels for the melts =) Rave reviews from friends, Husby and this girl! Will post pics and the recipe this week!}

Finally, this post by Preston Yancey took my breath away. My whole life I've fought against being a Proverbs 31 woman. I know how that sounds, but it's the truth. It felt like... not enough, I guess. I also couldn't reconcile that this was the ONLY way to be a Godly woman when I was raised by a single mom who worked her patootie off in several different jobs to provide us with an outstanding life. Preston has finally put into words what my heart has felt for years. Well done, sir.
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Have any posts inspired you this week?
-anna
{girlwithblog&babywhowon'tleavethewomb}

Sunday Simplicity: the bleak midwinter

2011-12-04T17:08:00.001-06:00

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

This is one of my favorite Advent hymns. Celebrating a peaceful Advent tonight and hoping you're able to do the same.

-anna

{girlwithblog}

ps - Twitter still hasn't reinstated my @anna_r account. Grrrrr. Until they do, I'm tweeting at @girlwithblog - follow me there?

Friday Friends: edition 3

2011-12-02T13:04:00.000-06:00

Loving getting to share posts that spoke to me through the week with you! Here's this week's edition:

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Jaime the Very Worst Missionary wrote about how it's not just girls who need to be on guard: guard your heart, bro.

As we ~~dive headfirst yelling "Deck the Halls!!!"~~ gently enter into the Christmas season, here are 30 ways to make Christmas meaningful from Kristen at We are THAT Family.

Is mine the only family with 'issues' from time to time that love to present themselves during the holidays? No? I really liked this article from Women of Faith author Pam Farrel - Relationship Tips for the Holidays. Simple things to remember and try.

My sweet friend Kate in the Kitchen created this mouthwatering Nutella Pound Cake. Imma be making one or three of these soon.
Now this is a right-on-stole-the-words-out-of-my-locker-hilarious article. "Lisa Frank is not the name of a woman, it is the name of a movement, a culture, a way of living... It is the hope that no school supply, no matter how insignificant, will be left un-bedazzled." 10 Things 90's Kids Will Have to Explain to Their Children - go read and have a laugh!

Serena never ever fails to inspire me. I want to live in her (custom designed, custom built, ridiculously gorgeous) house. Here she offers a simple way to Add Christmas to your Cupboards.

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Here's hoping you're inspired too! Happy first days of December (it's here!!!)
-anna
{girlwithblog}
ps - remember how Twitter is being a big jerk? Find me tweeting (hopefully just for now) at @girlwithblog.

a few favorite keywords

2011-11-30T20:48:00.000-06:00

One cool thing about blogging is that you can see how people arrived at your blog! You can see what keywords people enter into Google, then click, taking them to your site. Sometimes they're sweet, but mostly they're gooofy and make me giggle. These are my favorite from this week - giggle away!

*if possible, I linked to a post they could have clicked on*
cutest belly bumps (aww!! this is my very favorite one!)
book blogs with big following
north dakota caramel rolls
size 7 ring finger

about big goose berry

hallmark after christmas sale
grand ole opry rockettes
baking how high mixture can be from pan (3 searches for this phrase!!)Too funny! Have any funny keywords brought people to your blog?
-anna
{girlwithblog}

stupid twitter

2011-11-29T18:40:00.001-06:00

Dear Twitter,

I love you. I advocate for you to be used well. I teach people in ministry positions and non-profit organizations how to utilize you to better themselves and their businesses. Finally, I have met and made deep friendships via you. I love you.

Until last Wednesday, when you suspended my account with no notice or notification.

One minute I was tweeting away, the next my account wouldn't work! I logged in on the website, and it said that my account had been suspended! It also said I should have received an email notification, which I never did. I immediately filed a support ticket, and cried. You replied with a form email. I replied to that. Four days later, I wrote to you again.

I created a new account (@girlwithblog) and followed a few people (seriously. 10 people.) so that those people would know that I was ok. Because you, Twitter, are the line that keeps us connected. And when they go to my page, and it says 'user does not exist', and the user in fact is VERY in existence and VERY pregnant, that's cause for concern.

My brother looked up your Support account, which said that they were off until after the weekend and wouldn't respond until then.

ps - WHAT good does having a support twitter account do anyone with a suspended twitter account? Just curious...

At this point, I'm crying again. And panicking. See, Twitter, you are my job. You are my platform for advertising my 'brand'. Without you, I lose conversations and the ability to further connections. I even lose income and opportunities. So when you say I'm going to be without you for 5+ days, I just plain lose it.

After creating the new account, I DM'd your Support people. Waited 5 days for a response, which, when it finally came, was less than helpful. They suggested filing a ticket with you (which I'd already done). I DM'd again, saying that I already did this. They suggested I follow up with the ticket (which I'd already done). I DM'd back, saying that I had also already done this. They said they were unable to help me anymore and would just have to wait for an email reply from a team member.

It's been nearly a week, and I'm still waiting.

I am NOT happy.

~~love,~~
-anna
{girlwithblog}
ps - if you want to follow my temporary twitter account, go for it. Otherwise we can stay connected here and also via Facebook. With this Twitter outage, I'm posting quite often at Facebook.

Friday Friends: meet some inspiration =)

2011-11-26T18:38:00.000-06:00

I missed it yesterday, but better late than never, right? =) Last Friday, I loved featuring several bloggers whose posts inspired me throughout the week! So I'm doing it again this Friday =) Happy blog-hopping!

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You've probably all been out shopping already this morning, but Amy Bayliss' post about Black Friday and gift giving was simple, straightforward and inspiring. "We decided that four gifts each was plenty and that they must fit into the following categories: something fun, something to share, something to read, and something to wear." Love that!

Myra and Mandi have produced the sweetest {and FREE} e-book called Handmade Holiday Decor! It was so fun to page through it, and now I am raring to get decorated for Christmas! {as if I weren't before... but inspiration is never too late!}

Sweet Ann pointed me to this post - a follow-up to a comment left. If you are feeling like things are not fair and you're being persecuted or punished and like God isn't/can't possibly be good, read. "Corrie Ten Boom writes, “Only Heaven will reveal the front side of God’s tapestry of our lives.” Right now, we can only see the back of the tapestry. It looks like a mess. Nothing makes sense. Colors are random. Knots are everywhere. There is no rhythm or pattern. That is what the backside of a tapestry looks like. But when that tapestry is completed and flipped over and hung out for all to see, the comments are no longer, “This does not make sense”, but rather, “Wow, how incredibly beautiful!” And this, I believe, is what Heaven will reveal." Then visit and leave love.

Joy at Gracefull Mama was my favorite Relevant11 keynote speaker. Her message deeply resonated with me. She's been posting it in chunks, and the piece this week went straight to my heart. Stop the comparing. 'Don’t let comparison steal your joy.' Oof. How often do I do that? Only every day...

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There were more, but that's all for this week. How was your Thanksgiving? Did you venture out for Black Friday deals?
-anna
{girlwithblog}

Thanksgiving: 2011

2011-11-24T19:11:00.001-06:00

the newest addition to our car

playing together

lots of dirtied dishes. such a gift.

my sweet family (nysse the dogs shirt says 'i heart turkey')

getting a little hug

37 week bumper!

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.
-anna
{girlwithblog}

Thanksgiving: the icing

2011-11-23T09:37:00.001-06:00

As I sit on my comfy couch in my beautiful home, watching the news on TV, scrolling through pre-Black Friday online sales, chatting with friends on twitter, drinking a hot cup of tea, an english muffin in my growing belly...

Today I am thankful for the extras. The things we have access to that SO many others don't. Things that seem little and everyday to us, but when you actually think about it, they're really big.

Indoor plumbing. Electricity. Cozy beds. Lovey pets. Closets full of clothes. Warm shoes. Refrigerators full of food we can eat anytime. The list goes on and on...

In the midst of shows on TV are some awful commercials. Now I love me a good sale, but not at the expense of being nasty to others in greed. One commercial actually shows a woman grabbing stuff out of other peoples carts, putting her hand in the face of an older woman, and butting in line at the cash register. Another commercial talks about 'the holidays being made here', at their store. Oh, and my very favorite - 'the more money you save, the more Christmas you can buy'. Un.Believe.Able. This is SO not how shopping - even black Friday shopping - has to be!
Last year husby and I were outside a store at 5am, and we got our laptop for a great deal. Then we got coffee and went home. This year, I will be ordering a bag of Clementine oranges from my local grocery, online, in my jammies. We will still probably get coffee =) The end. Online shopping has been a gift to me lately. I say this with a crumb of humble pie - I never thought I'd be one to grocery shop online. But y'ALL... it's saved this 9 month pregnant girls' sanity. I am able to order groceries, and my husband can pick them up on his way home from work. What a gift - this is straight icing on the cake stuff! Another little bit of frosting: sales on things that will bless people I love (and maybe my own family too=) } For example:

DaySpring. I've posted about DaySpring before, and their products are continual blessings to families. See, they make it easy and affordable to deck your halls with scripture and beauty. And right now they're having their biggest sale of the year! Check it out:

I love these blocks. They have letters, symbols and scripture on each of the 9 blocks, making it simple to remember your blessings. Originally $49.99, they're 70% off right now, making them $15!

This wooden caddy. Oh, how I swoon... it's so functional and pretty and a wonderful reminder to give thanks - all in one spot! I've also seen people use it to hold remote controls. Smart! Usually selling for $29.99, it's on sale for $9. Yep, less than ten buckaroos. I may buy more than one...

And these. The nativity hurricanes. They are just hollering to be on my a mantle. And you can remove the nativity silhouettes and use them year round. They're a great deal too - normally $59.99, on sale for $23.99. If your favorite item isn't on sale, use this Super Sale- 30% off coupon to save 30% on your whole purchase.

Another favorite of mine, Gooseberry Patch, is having a Black Friday (but good from today until Monday!) sale - up to 1/2 off these selected cookbooks! I want one of each, please. =)

This year, we are being more intentional than ever about where our money is going. And Christmas sales - and black Friday sales - are no exception. If we are able to bless people by spending less, game on. And to be able to make these purchases at all - well, that's the real icing on the cake.

-anna
{girlwithblog}
Note: next week I'll post about a few of our favorite organizations that we'll be purchasing from this Christmas. I did want to share these particular sales with you because I love the companies, and because their products are blessings too. Some links in this post are affiliate links.

Thanksgiving: what we fought for.

2011-11-22T15:34:00.001-06:00

A baby, growing ounce by ounce in my womb.
Stretchies.
Not able to breathe deeply.
Diapers and blankies and mittens sprawled across the nursery.
Varicose veins.
Constant stuffy nose.
Closets overflowing with tiny clothes.
Puffy feet.
Carpal tunnel. Painful, stiff, swollen hands.
Books lining shelves on a freshly painted wall.
Sleep interrupted hourly.
Surging hormones and emotions.
A carseat installed in my backseat.
A pancake-flat bladder.
Fear of labor and delivery.
'Babys 1st Christmas' ornament waiting for the tree.
Mounting anticipation over meeting baby.
A stretched, already tight budget.
An heirloom cradle in our bedroom.
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These are ALL things we fought to have for over 3 years. I am so thankful for each and every one of them.

**37 week update: all is well! I've started to dilate a teeny tiny bit, strong heartbeat, head is down, weight's maintained, measurements are good, carseat is installed... =) Will add a belly pic to this post after we take one =) -anna
{girlwithblog&baby}