Isn't my blog pretty now? Thanks, Meri, for the lead on the help link!!! :) If you want a cute blog, visit this site... The Cutest Blog on the Block.

This could get addicting!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Melanie tagged me with the "six quirky things" meme!

Here are the rules:
1) Link to the person who tagged me.
2) Mention the rules.
3) Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about myself.
4) Tag 6 other blogger´s by linking to them.
5) Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that lets them know they’ve been tagged.

So 6 uninteresting quirky facts about myself are......

1. I'm a hoarder. It's extremely hard for me to throw things away because "I may need them later on in life." I'm not as bad as I used to be because I know myself. If I haven't used it in the past six years... I'm never going to use it. Mostly now it's all of Luke's paper and crafts and things he's made. THOSE are hard to throw away!

2. It drives me crazy when Joel leaves the cabinet doors open. I guess any kind of door, really-- the dryer door, cabinet doors. Oh and the shower curtain! I hate it when that is open!

3. Oh Melanie, I swear we're the same person-- our suitcases from our vacation at the end of JUNE are still sitting in the hallway. I think they've unpacked themselves, too, by living out of them. But there they still sit.

4. I love chips. This week it's Sour Cream & Cheddar Ruffles. 'Nuff said.

5. I am a teacher, but I really don't like to read for fun. I'm such a hypocrite.

6. I'm known with family & close friends that I always like to be on the go- out & about- but I think I'm doing a 180 in my old age. (ha ha! old age!) I'm very much a homebody, I think.

Okay, who am I going to aggravate by tagging?

Danielle - The Buckle Family Blog
Joy - Smiling's My Favorite
Amy - Amy's Little Corner of the World
Meri - Watercolored Ponies
Keysha - The Curtis Chronicles
Brooke - Life on the Koller Coaster

Yesterday was the day I was due with our second baby. The day started out rough. I hated the fact that I had to spend the day preparing for a tooth repair at the dentist, rather than preparing for the birth of our baby. I took a shower and broke down. We lost a baby. Joel is losing his job. What's next???? Then, God kind of chuckled at me and said, "You are totally missing what you HAVE because you are focusing on what you DON'T have."

Wow. It's so easy to fall into that trap. Yes, it's frustrating that it took two years to get pregnant and then we lost that baby. However, we have a WONDERFUL son who I very much take advantage of. I get so caught up in the future, that I often miss what's going on NOW. In my own house. With the child God has already given me.

So I went on to think about what I do have...
*a great husband who is so concerned about providing for his family, the minute he heard he won't have a job in sixty days, he sent a resume to every job he qualified for, and even some he didn't.
*a sweet, sweet little boy who loves to do things with his mom. He's funny; he's creative; he's empathetic. He's awesome.
*a house over our head. No, it's not huge, but it's enough. And it's more than a lot of people have.
*a job. A great job, actually. One that allows me to spend vacations and summers with my kid. And, once he's in school, one that allows me to be in the same building as my kid.
*most importantly, I have a God who really does look out for what's best for me. He knows why we lost our baby. He knows why Joel is losing his job. We just have to trust the fact that He knows. Tricky, yes. But totally doable.

Yes, it's okay to have goals and wishes and desires. But you can't dwell on the what-ifs. Live today. God's got tomorrow ready for you.

I know how to knit now! I sat down with a set of bamboo needles and some scrap yarn and just kept trying until I got it right. :) I was all set to use a recommended tutorial on the computer, but our DSL was down, so I couldn't get on! You can tell which I did in the practically dark and which I did this morning. I think I'm going to make all the scraps into a scarf. :) Pretty cool, eh?

We finally got around to taking Luke's four year pictures. It's so hard to take them right when he turns four because it's so cold outside and I prefer to take outdoor pictures. :) So, six months later, we got them done. Although, after our trip to New Buffalo beach yesterday, I'm thinking we'll take another round of four year pictures in September or October sometime... gorgeous backgrounds there!