How Quickly Life Changes

Morgan is six months old today! It's hard to believe; it has gone so fast. As you can see from the photos below, she has grown, changed, and developed so much in her life so far. Accordingly, our lives have changed in tremendous ways as well.

Morgan is such a blessing to us. Her sweet disposition and smile just melt our hearts. And, of late, it seems she has had one "first" after another - first teeth, first time sitting up on her own, first solid food, first cold. It's such fun to see what each new day will hold. However, I sometimes find myself thinking, "Don't grow up so quickly! I don't want to lose my baby."

I feel so fortunate that God chose us to be this beautiful little girl's parents. All the adjustments to our lives have been worth it for the joy she brings us. I mean really how could you not love this face...

Her "Birth" Day

Month 1

Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

Month 5

Month 6

Today is Your Birthday...

Today is (or was) Jonathan's birthday. We didn't celebrate in any over-the-top way though we spent the afternoon with his parents and had dinner last night with his Aggie buddies. Both events were a lot of fun! Here's a pic of 'the buds' and all our kids:


I love the way Morgan and Anthony (Mike and Christi's son born a week after Morgan) are checking each other out. There are four families of Aggie kids represented here (Melony is behind the camera taking this picture). I had to chuckle as we all corralled our kids while trying to eat our dinners and catch up on each other's lives. It was such a stark contrast to our child-free buddy gatherings of a few years ago. I think we would all agree it's a good change though!

Also, what do you think of my new hair cut? It's basically the same style just shorter. I liked it at first, but now I think it may make me look my age (almost 30) and be a mom cut ... both things I am trying hard to avoid.

Anyway, I digress.

Happy Birthday Babe! I'm still as crazy in love with you as the day I met you. You are the best husband I've ever had :) Everyday I have with you is a gift. I pray God's blessings and protections over your life each day ... but especially today as we celebrate the years God has given you and look forward to many upcoming years together!

Stereotypical Voter

Here are just of few of the curious things that caught my attention while early-voting last week as I surveyed the other voters around me:

Jaguar, Minivan, Farm truck.
Christian fish emblem, yellow ribbon magnet, cattle guard.
Hispanic, African-American, White.
"The next generation", Generation X, Baby Boomers, and those so old they don't even have a moniker.
Complainers, contemplators, changers.
Cowboy hats, khaki pants, post office uniform.
Aggie, Longhorn, Cowboy. (This is definitely the Texas primary!)
Military crew cut, blue hair, weave.
Baby stroller, walker, school bag.

As I noted each of these characteristics, I tried to contemplate what it said about who these people would be voting for for President. However, it occurred to me that those characteristics I couldn't see speak as loudly as those I could. For example, I don't know these people's family histories, health issues, financial portfolios, or religious affiliations. I don't know if they have loved ones serving in our military or have suffered some sort of loss at the hands of our government. While I enjoyed my experience people-watching, I was challenged about the detriment of stereotyping and how my "false read" could affect how I treat and relate to people.

However, I had to wonder what the lady in front of me in line was thinking about me when she offered to get me a sample ballot and brought back the Democratic one. When I look at myself, I see someone who is nearly 30 years old, white, a lifelong Christian, stay at home mom, lawyer by training, married to another lawyer who works for a big firm. But how do others see me?

When your called ID says "Unknown Caller"

Arg! Vote for me mateys...

Answer it! It may just be John McCain. That's what just happened to me. I saw my caller ID and thought "What the heck, let's have fun with a solicitor." Instead, what I got in response to my hello, was "Hello, this is Senator John McCain." (Yes, it was really his voice.)

Awkward pause ... thinking to myself "Is this real?" then quickly realizing what a silly thought that was. So I go on to listen to McC's self-promotion telling me why he would make a great president and how he's going to fix our nation.

Finally, I can no longer listen any further and start talking back to the recording ... "What if I don't want to vote for you?", "You really think so?", "I don't agree." Mostly I just wanted to see if McC would plow on with his canned verbiage or if the recording was voice-responsive. Alas, I was disappointed to find that it was not.

For having majored in Political Science, I have to say I am tired already of this election nonsense. November can't come soon enough...

My Funny Valentine

One our of first dates in the fall of 2002

(Yes, to an A&M football game :)

Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful husband! It's hard to believe but this is our fifth Valentine's Day together ... and I love him more now than I did then. However, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you all about our first Valentine's Day (I'm sure JD is cringing right now).

It was Valentine's Day 2003 and we had only been dating about four months at the time. However, because we knew graduation was coming in May of that year (with the potential of my leaving the state of Texas for good), our relationship had been fast-tracked to see if it was in fact "something". This put only a little pressure on making this all-important holiday (please don't miss the sarcasm) count.

We had just finished second semester law school exams and the ever-dreaded Practice Court program so we were breathing a HUGE sigh of relief. Regrettably, my body decided that it had no more adrenaline to sustain me after six months of red-lining it and I got sick. I was SO upset; I really wanted to make our Valentine's Day special. I remember just crying on Jonathan's couch and telling him as much. He was so sweet and reassuring - telling me that we would still celebrate once I felt better, that it was okay that I was sick, that his feelings weren't changed in anyway. He even had me at his apartment for the day and cared for me there despite my illness.

Okay, here's the twist ... until this time, neither one of us had ever been sick around each other. And while Jonathan did everything with the most loving care, he had one little habit that caught my attention and stood almost above all the good things he did. He lysol-ed everything I touched and everywhere I went. Talk about making me feel like a leper! I finally started crying about this too and let him know how his continuous disinfecting was actually making me feel worse (at least emotionally). Needless to say, he let up after that ... and has been MUCH better with successive illness :)

All that to say, I have the BEST husband ever. I feel so fortunate that God chose us for each other. Jonathan is strong, affectionate, intelligent, fun (and funny) ... the list could go on and on! I love you Babe and I look forward to all our future Valentine's Days together (sick or not!)

Happy Valentine's to all my family and friends as well. Know you are loved and cared for by ME :) I hope you each find a great way to celebrate today by showing others how much they mean to you!

Finally, as I was writing this post and titling it after Frank Sinatra's song, I had to look up the lyrics. This particular verse made me laugh (and no Babe, I'm not insinuating it applies to you):

Your looks are laughable

Unphotographable

Yet you're my favorite work of art

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be anyone's Valentine who said that about me!

This one's for my Kellys....

Eat your hearts out Walsh and Newcom :)

We're here in Chicago, but the weather is a bit chilly (as in 12 degrees). Unfortunately, this means we haven't been able to do the sightseeing we had hoped to. We did however make it out today over lunch since this Starbucks is right across the street from our hotel. It was fun to get out and experience snow again :)

Aging Gracefully ... Or At Least Prematurely

I opened my mail this week to this... AARP soliciting me to "get the most out of life after 50" and claiming that I am "fully eligible" to become part of their fine organization.

I'm not sure whether they use that funny "new math" to calculate my age or if somewhere along the way I put "78" as my age rather than my year of birth.

Or maybe they see that my name is Barbara and figure that because my name hasn't been in the "top girls names" since the 1940's, I must fit their mold. In which case, I hope they are soliciting the President's daughter too.

Really isn't turning 30 this year already traumatic enough? Let's not age me another 20 years if we don't have to. However, all those great AARP discounts might be kinda nice ...

Okay, enough of my rant. Here's a picture of Morgan getting to meet her Great Grandma Boston for the very first time last week.