Old Fashioned Update Time

Well well well .... we have survived the beast called sickness and have arrived relatively unscathed on the other side. PHEW! Our poor little person came down with a bad cold almost two weeks ago now...which meant of course that Mama and Daddy took turns holding the sweet babe up so that she could breath....which meant of course that we both got sick because neither of us were sleeping. However, we kicked that cold in the butt and we are all the better for it :)

Thank God we had our dino pjs from Daddy to wear while we were sick!!!

In my last post I promised a good old fashioned update, so this is what you will find here...none of my regular philosophizing or musing. However, lots of good things are happening for us! In fact, I've been hesitant to share because I don't want to count our chickens before they hatch...so I'll start with the "for sures."

Joe has started working on a continuing education certificate (one that he can add onto his undergrad in business/marketing). It is a course on marketing for social media. He is LOVING it. He is so very excited and motivated. It warms my heart to see his blossoming passion and his confidence.

I seem to have emerged out of the new mommy haze that I allowed myself to be in while we adjusted to life back in North America. All of a sudden I feel able to do more and extend myself a little bit further! I've started blogging again, have taken up a little side job doing some private cooking for a family (I get to bring Lyla to work and grow strong muscles as I cook with her strapped to me most of the day), and have even agreed to do some modelling through a company here in town called Sophia Models. They seem eager to have me and I am more than eager to bring in a little bit of supplemental income! I've also started meeting with a great group of mom's weekly to explore our faith and how we can become more holy and happy in our vocations as wives and mothers. It is wonderful

Joe and I are beyond blessed to be part of an exciting new project called "Digital Humanity" or DIGHU (di-joo). What started as a dream of my dads now seems to be moving towards fruition. We really had to pray about how involved we wanted to be on the project, and for now it seems that our hearts have been moved to help in any way we can. For Joe, this means serious utilization of his recent course work..and for both of us this means sitting in on some very exciting strategy sessions. Will this be Joe's full time employment? I'm not sure...he has his resume in elsewhere. But for us it is currently something that we are willing to dig in deep and work hard to see through. You can check out the facebook page here if you'd like. The new website will be coming soon!

Our sweet baby is growing more and more each day. She is 6.5 months old now, 17 or 18 pounds, two bottom teeth, and in that stage where all she wants to do is CRAWL. She tends to get slightly frustrated lately because she wants everything but can't quite get there. I wish I'd caught her on camera when she did a face plant into the tile floor and gave herself her first black eye :s. Wow did I ever feel like I deserved to be called "worst mother of the year." Here is a little video of Lyla in all of her glory...

On a mushier note :) Valentines Day was the 3rd Anniversary of our first date!! Wow, if anyone had told me just how much would happen in the three years since we met I would have told them they were off their rocker! I remember so clearly the way I felt when Joe pulled his big grey truck out and hopped out looking so handsome and so nervous. I remember knowing, even though I probably couldn't have articulated it, that he was my forever and I'd never have another first date. It seems like yesterday and yet it seems like a lifetime ago because Joe is so absolutely my one and only that I can barely fathom there was a time when he wasn't there. He of course surprised me with his romantic valentines day love. Everytime I opened a new drawer or closet there was a little gift tucked away. He even braved the arctic chill to write me a very public snow message...



How blessed am I?

Well I will leave it that for now. Thank you for your love and prayers. We feel them through the distance, we can see grace working in our lives and our hearts each day as we are challenged more and more to be selfless and to live authentically. We love you and miss you!!

PS: A SPECIAL HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GREAT GRANDPA WILLIAM PACKARD. WE LOVE YOU!!!!

xoxo