the last post of 2012

Today is New Year's Eve.

My grandparents arrived from Florida yesterday evening and we had everyone over to our house last night. I am so glad they are here, and we were excited to show them our house. They got to meet Penny as well.

We are headed downtown today to spend the day with them and watch the acorn drop tonight in Raleigh. Yes, an acorn. No, it's not very exciting. But, the fireworks are good and it's going to be a great day with family.

We can't stay up until midnight tonight because we have to be up and out the door at 6:15am tomorrow morning. We are meeting 20 college students and one other leader at Journey to head to Atlanta for Passion 2013.

I. Am. So. Pumped.

I haven't been to Passion in three years, and it holds a very special place in my heart. My first Passion event completely wrecked me in the best possible way.

I have high anticipation for the amazing things God will do over the next few days and am praying for all the students we are taking to be open to His voice and calling.

I can't wait to hear what He has for me as well!

I know of no better way to start a new year than gathering with 40,000 18-25 year olds worshipping and coming together to end slavery all over the world.

More to come on Passion in the next few days...


Well, the next time you see a post from me it will be 2013. See you next year!

about 2012

Today is the last Sunday of 2012. I can't believe we start a new year in just two more days.

I know people say this all the time, but this year has flown by. I have been reflecting back on some highlights and major events of our year...

January 2012- Aaron went to Orlando for CPC and it was the longest trip he had ever been on. Our sweet niece, London was born.

February 2012- We celebrated Bensen's birthday. At the end of February we went on an Infuse retreat to TN.

March 2012- Penny had surgery and caused drama as usual. 

April 2012- My back was hurt mysteriously. Aaron took a group to Orange Conference and met our friend Ryan. Our nephew turned two.

May 2012- We took a trip to the zoo with 5 adults, 4 kids, and 3 strollers. Aaron was in the wedding of our good friends Justin and Katelin.

June 2012- We celebrated our 2nd anniversary with a trip to Daytona Beach and the Magic Kingdom. Took our first trip to IKEA. Brandon made his 3rd annual visit. I started physical therapy for my back.

July 2012- We spent 4th of July at Myrtle Beach with the Bauers. I had an MRI. We celebrated Penny's first birthday. TDKR. Aaron went to Camp Kidjam.

August 2012- Aaron spoke at Camp Oak Hill. Journey opened the new kid's wing and went back to two services. We started leading Journey18:25. I had my first steroid injection in my back.

September 2012- Keyen turned one. We participated in Patrick and Vesal's wedding. I had my second steroid shot in my back. We made some big future decisions about my job and our family.

October 2012- Aaron and I both had a birthday. The NC State Fair was in town.

November 2012- We went on another Infuse retreat. My grandparents visited for Thanksgiving.

December 2012- I ended my full-time job. We celebrated Christmas with our families. My Florida grandparents came for New Year's.


We were definitely blessed with a great year together. Lots of adventures, friends, and family.

I am excited for what 2013 will bring!

about my last day of work

Yesterday marked one week since I stopped work as a full-time nanny.

It's been a weird week for that to settle in since I wouldn't have worked this past week anyway.

My last day of work was so much fun though.

Aaron came with me in the morning and we all exchanged gifts. Bensen and Keyen were excited about their Chuggington trains and their new whack-a-ball game.

Rodney and Sherry spoiled us with a beautiful, wooden keepsake box with the boys' picture on it and a Disney gift card for Aaron. 

The boys had their breakfast and we headed out for a day of fun at Marbles Kids Museum.

Aaron and I played with them at the museum for a couple hours, and then we headed over to the two-story Chick-fil-a in Cameron Village where my parents joined us for lunch.

The one negative part of our whole day was that the Chick-fil-a cow in Santa attire terrified poor Keyen. He freaked out. The cow backed away and we were able to calm him down quickly and reassured him it was just a cow. With his pitiful sad face and tears he said "Moo." So cute.

We then headed back to Marbles with my parents for a couple more hours.

It was such a fun day!

Bensen insisted on wearing a tu-tu. Sorry, Rodney. At least it's blue!

Bensen holding a dry ice bubble

By the end of the day, we were all exhausted, especially Keyen!

I cried and cried when we left. Everything I looked at seemed to make me sad. I pulled myself together after about an hour, and was thankful we had plans with our parents to go to dinner and see The Hobbit in IMAX. (Excellent movie, by the way, if you like LOTR at all).

I hate thinking about not seeing the boys every weekday, but, I am glad for this new season and looking forward to getting ready for our own baby someday soon, Lord willing.

And, I am counting down the days until January 12th when we see Bensen and Keyen! 

(I might have to sneak over there before then just to say hi...January 12th is way too far away!)

a Friday flashback

I don't have an introduction to this Friday flashback because I'm still a little sad about it.

Let's flashback to...

Christmas Eve 2012...

We arrived home from my parents, and I went upstairs to take a shower while Aaron tended to Penny and wrapped a package that arrived while we were gone.

After I was out, he was going to get in the shower, and then we were going to watch A Christmas Story.

"I'll go ahead downstairs and light the candles and get the movie ready," I offered.

"Okay. But, if you're going to turn on the fireplace, move your stocking because I just stuffed your stocking and there are some things in it that might melt."

"Oh. Good idea. I hadn't thought about that. I better move yours too."

I went downstairs and started lighting the candles. We love candles, especially at Christmas.

After I finished lighting the candles, I went over the the mantle to remove our beautiful stockings. I love them. 

I first set them on the couch, but quickly decided against that because I didn't want Penny to mess with them.

I carried them over to the kitchen counter. Mine was in my right hand, and in order to remember which was which, I set mine on the bar right behind the Christmas castle we have on the kitchen counter. I like castles, obviously, so that made perfect sense.

Then, I set Aaron's stocking on the other side of the bar.

I went about putting the movie in and getting that set up, when it started to smell kind of funny.

I looked over towards the kitchen just in time to see tiny flames climbing up Aaron's stocking.

Oh. No!

I ran over and quickly assessed the situation. One of the hanging puff balls on the stocking had fallen into one of the candles on the counter below.

I was able to blow out the fire easily, but I was too late to save the stocking.

I opened the back door to air out some of the smoke.

And then I stood there. I was so sad.

"Aaron?"

"Yeah?" he called from upstairs.

"I just ruined Christmas." (that has been our running joke this season.)

"What?" he asked confused.

"I set your stocking on fire."

"What?!" he said loudly now, and I heard him hurrying to come downstairs.

"You set a stocking on fire?" he asked again as he came down the steps. 

"Yes. Your stocking. I accidentally lit it on fire."

Aaron came into see. He, of course, thought it was funny. Which it was.

But I did love those stockings...

a Christmas recap

I always get a tiny bit sad on Christmas night.

Christmas is my favorite holiday, and after it's over, 364 days sounds like a really long time until we celebrate it again.

Anyway, today is Thursday, and Christmas decor has already made it back up to the attic at our house. I usually wait until after New Year's to take it down, but we are heading to Passion on New Year's Day. I hated to leave it up for us to have to take down when we get back home.

So, the day after Christmas, we popped in a movie and took it all down. How come it's so much easier to take down than put up? It took us literally 4 hours to put it up, and it was all down in 1 hour. Go figure. I guess it knows the excitement to put it up makes the 4 hours worth it, and the quick clean up makes the sadness of taking it down quick and painless. Like a bandaid.

Meh.

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday.

Christmas Eve was spent wrapping a couple last-minute gifts, spending the afternoon with  the Bauers and our sweet nephew, and having a huge ham dinner with my family.

We came back to our house for our annual tradition of watching A Christmas Story. I couldn't quite stay awake for the whole thing.


Christmas morning, we woke up at 6am and spent our third Christmas together. We read the Christmas Story, which is my favorite part of Christmas morning, and then we prayed together before exchanging gifts.

Penny was so excited to open her gift that she had been sniffing at for a few days under the tree.

She was spoiled, per usual. She better enjoy it now, because once we have kids she will take the backseat. 

I finally got to give Aaron his big gift. He knew about it, but it was still fun.

After we were done with our little Christmas, we changed and headed downtown for Christmas #2 with my family.

We had coffee, read the Christmas Story again, and opened gifts. Aaron and I are finally grown ups and have our very own coffee maker and coffee bean grinder from my parents. Woo hoo!

After a little breakfast Monkey Bread, we said farewell to my folks and drove to the Bauers for Christmas #3.

Of all the days in the whole year, my mom-in-law's oven decided to break on Christmas Eve. So, the ham cooked at my sister-in-law's and we played with Penny until they arrived with lunch.

Here is the madness that is the Bauer Family Christmas. So. Many. Presents.

We had lunch and then opened presents.

We got a lot of loot, but I am super excited about my new iPhone camera 3-in-1 lens. 

After the presents were exchanged, Aaron and I put everything in our car and headed to pick-up our best Christmas gift:  Aaron's best friend and best man, Chad! Chad was on his way to London, and happened to have a 3 hour layover at RDU on Christmas Day. We had not seen Chad since our wedding, and even though we only got to spend an hour with him, it was worth it.

Chad is one of those friends where you just pick up right where you left off effortlessly, no matter how long it's been. Those friends are hard to come by. We love Chad.

We dropped Chad back off at the airport around 5pm, and then headed out for our final Christmas day adventure:  a Christmas movie at the theater with both of our families. That has been a tradition ever since we were engaged.

We came home on Christmas night exhausted, but in the best way.

I do love Christmas.

Merry Christmas

[Mary and Joseph] couldn't find anywhere except an old, tumbledown stable. So they stayed where the cows and the donkeys and the horses stayed.

And there, in the stable, amongst the chickens and the donkeys and the cows, in the quiet of the night, God gave the world his wonderful gift. The baby that would change the world was born. His baby Son.

Mary and Joseph wrapped him up to keep him warm. They made a soft bed of straw and used the animals' feeding trough as his cradle.

And they gazed in wonder at God's Great Gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.

Mary and Joseph named him Jesus, "Emmanuel"--which means, "God has come to live with us."

Because, of course, he had.

From The Jesus Storybook Bible

Whatever your circumstances are today, just remember that God did indeed come to live with us so many years ago. 

And while He lived on this earth, many witnessed the wonders and signs that He performed.

But the real reason He came to earth was to die. He came here to die for you, and for me.

Don't worry though, He did not stay dead.

He is alive!

He rose from the grave, and He went back to live with His Father for awhile. Not forever. For awhile.

He sent us something much greater while we wait for Him to return to take us to Heaven too.

He sent us His Holy Spirit to live in us. Not just with us. In us.

And he didn't want us to just sit around keeping all of this a secret either.

No.

He built a church before he left. A church made up of people filled with His Holy Spirit. A church that has grown and grown for many years. It can't be stopped. It won't be silenced.

And we have an assignment to make sure everyone hears this story. The Good News. God's Rescue Plan. His Son, the Savior of the World, come to save us from the darkness.

So, we wait in joyous anticipation for His glorious return. And while we wait, we spread the news.

And that, my friends, is the miracle of Christmas. 

on Christmas Eve

Tomorrow is Christmas!


I love the anticipation of Christmas Eve. 


Can you imagine how excited God was on the first Christmas Eve? He knew that on the very next day, His Son, Heaven's gift, would enter into our broken world.

His Rescue Plan was about to be set in motion. His wonderful, perfect plan.

Everything was ready. The moment God had been waiting for was here at last!

God was coming to help his people, just as he promised in the beginning.

But how would he come? What would he be like? What would he do?

Mountains would have bowed down. Seas would have roared. Trees would have clapped their hands. 

But the earth held it's breath. As silent as snow falling, he came in. And when no one was looking, in the darkness, he came.

From The Jesus Storybook Bible

are you ready?

Christmas is in three days. Three. Days.

It's true.

Are you ready?

"[The Israelites] remembered how God had always, all through the years, been loving his children--keeping his promise to Abraham, taking care of them, forgiving them. Even when they disobeyed. Even when they ran away from him. Even when they thought they didn't need him.

Then God told his children something more...

"I can't stop loving you.

You are my heart's treasure.

But I lost you.

Now I am coming back for you.

I am like the sun that gently shines on you,

chasing away darkness and fear and death.

You'll be so happy--

you'll be like little calves running free in an open field.

I am going to send my Messenger--the Promised One.

The One you have been waiting for.

The rescuer.

He is coming.

So, get ready!"

It had taken centuries for God's people to be ready, but now the time had almost come for the best part of God's Plan.

God himself was going to come. Not to punish his people--but to rescue them.

God was getting ready to wipe away every tear from every eye.

And the true party was just about to begin...

From The Jesus Storybook Bible

a Friday flashback

Today is my last day of work as Bensen and Keyen's full-time nanny. It is so very bittersweet. I am trying to think instead of how I will see them in a couple weeks when Aaron and I have a babysitting date lined up. It helps to have something to look forward to.

In honor of my last day, I thought I'd flashback to the very beginning of my time with Bensen and his family...

Let's flashback to...

October 2010...

Aaron and I had been married for about four months when I started to really get serious about finding a job. I turned in my application to several daycares and preschools, signed up for one of those nanny websites, and made it known that I was on the hunt.

It was weeks of finding nothing and un-encouraging phone calls and e-mails.

I was getting pretty desperate to find anything.

I should have know that God was preparing the perfect job for me.

One Sunday, I was talking to a friend at church, and she asked me if I had ever considered being a nanny.

I told her that I had, and especially at this point, I was considering anything.

She told me that her next door neighbors were considering getting a nanny because they were getting somewhat frustrated with their daycare. She told me that their little baby boy was sick all of the time. She asked if she could give her neighbor my number. I said yes, please do!

About a week later, I received my first phone call from Bensen's mom, Sherry. We talked on the phone for a long time, and what she was offering sounded absolutely perfect. I was very encouraged after talking to her, and was really hoping that I had finally found a job. Plus, taking care of a baby boy was right up my alley. I have always loved babysitting and babies and everything that goes along with that.

In early November, I went to their house to meet Sherry, Rodney, and Bensen, who was only 9 months old at the time. I remember the first time I saw Bensen... he had chubby little cheeks, curious eyes, and light brown hair that stuck straight up in the air. I just wanted to cuddle him.

I was very nervous, as this was the first official job interview I had ever been on. 

At the end, I thought it went pretty well, and I liked them all even more after meeting them in person.

A few days later, I got another call, and they offered me the position.

I was so thankful and honored that they would trust me with their new baby. I told her that Aaron and I would talk about it and that I would let her know.

To be honest, starting my job as Bensen's nanny was bittersweet just like the ending is now. It had nothing to do with the actual job, but instead, I had just spent five months spending every day with Aaron. I was pretty spoiled. But, we knew that this job would be perfect, and we knew this is what was best for our family at the time. 

I accepted the job, and my first day was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in 2010.

On my first day, I didn't know what to expect. I guess you never know quite what to expect when you start a new job. Bensen was such a good baby though.

Sherry spent the first couple of weeks working from home, which was nice, so that I could get comfortable around the house with Bensen.

Soon enough, Bensen and I were on our own every day, and our adventure began.

Ten months later, Keyen came along. I can't imagine what it would be like without Keyen. He sure does add a lot of fun with his cute personality.

These past two years have been wonderful. I have grown so much and learned so much. I know being a nanny is not the same as having your own kids, but I believe it has taught me so much about raising children, and I think I will be a better mother some day because of what Bensen and Keyen have taught me.

I am sad that I won't see Bensen and Keyen as often, but I know that I will see them often enough, and I am glad we live close by. I look forward to being there for them as they grow up.

They will always be my sweet boys, and I love them very much.

Thank you, Rodney and Sherry, for everything. Love you too. :)

in pictures

A few of my favorites recently...

about being ready for Christmas

This past Sunday, I was reminded about something.

All morning long, I had been asked myself, and I had been asking different people this question: "Are you ready for Christmas?"

Myself or whomever I had asked would spout off the typical answer of yes, or no, or there were a few more things to buy.

When I heard the message though, I was quickly brought back to what I know to be true, but what is so easily forgotten this time of year...

Christmas is not at all about all that stuff.

Christmas is about one thing:  Jesus.

And when the question, "Are you ready for Christmas?" is posed, that really means, "Are you ready for Jesus to come?"

Long ago, He came on Christmas after many had waited years and years.

Now, we also wait for Jesus to come. He promised before he left that He would come back for us.

And I know I want to be ready when He does.

"I am the beginning," Jesus said, "and the Ending!"

One day, [the apostle John] knew, Heaven would come down and mend God's broken world and make it our true, perfect home once again....

And he knew then that the ending of The Story was going to be so great, it would make all the sadness and tears and everything seem like just a shadow that is chased away by the morning sun.

"I'm on my way," said Jesus. "I'll be there soon!"

John came to the end of his book. But he didn't write "The End." Because, of course, that's how stories finish. (And this one's not over yet.)

So instead, he wrote:  "Come quickly, Jesus!"

Which, perhaps, is really just another way of saying...

To be continued...

-Taken from The Jesus Storybook Bible

about Andrew's graduation

Last Thursday night, we had the honor of attending my brother-in-law, Andrew's, graduation ceremony. He just graduated from Basic Law Enforcement Training. It was an intense course that lasted only five months. He is now certified to be a police officer. Insanely cool! We are so proud of him!

The ceremony was pretty neat, I thought. I don't really know any police officers, so I don't know much about what they do besides the obvious stuff.

Let me just say, it sounds hard to become a police officer. Not for the faint of heart.

Andrew did it though, just like we knew he could! He's a real-life hero!

The processional

We scored a seat directly across the aisle. How convenient.

Receiving his diploma

Andrew and his mom

Aaron and his "little" brother. :)

Proud parents

The whole Bauer clan

Brothers

on my last week of work

I just woke up from a three hour nap.

Apparently, I was very tired.

We will see how this bodes for bedtime tonight.

I'm in a weird mood today.

I guess it's mainly because I start my last week of work tomorrow.

I can't believe how fast the time has gone by!

I am sad.

I am excited.

I am sad.

I am excited.

I will definitely be cherishing every minute of my last week as Bensen and Keyen's full-time nanny, and will promptly be scheduling a date with them in the very near future so I don't go through withdrawals.

I'm going to miss seeing these cute boys every day!

Aaron writes a Friday flashback (part 2)

We were in the middle of Aaron's phone tragedy, flashing back to...

Two Saturdays ago...

As I was saying on my last post...

My phone had been missing for two hours.

Once I realized that the finder was not working, I deduced that either the battery was dead or, more likely, someone had found it, turned it off, and it was now stolen.

"Where did you last have it?" asked Whitney.

"If I knew, it wouldn't be lost."  That was a smart response on my part.  Meh.

I thought.  I knew I had it at the grocery store because I had called Whitney when I lost her and left her a message about how she was lost at the grocery store.  And then I remembered...

"Oh no."

"What?"

"Well, " I said, "I had it at the check-out.  I took it out of my pocket and set it at the register before I went back for Christmas cookies!"  I remembered distinctly because I had set it there in a dramatic flourish type gesture.

So, I called the grocery store from Whitney's phone.

"Hi, I was there earlier this evening.  I may have left my phone there."

"We haven't found any phones."

"Okay...well, it's an iphone and its in a Batman case."

"No one has turned in any in."

"Okay."

"So...you can call back some other time.  Maybe someone will turn it in."

That was the least helpful response ever.  When I worked retail, I would always be polite, take a name, a phone number, a description of the lost item and ensure the customer that should any employee come across that item, we would notify them at once.  This particular gentleman had apparently missed that training.

Whitney noted my frustration.  "Let's go!" she said.

With some hesitation from me, we hopped in the car, in our comfy pajama clothes, and headed back to the grocery store.  Whitney went in the store while I searched the parking lot and cart outside.  By the time I got inside she had already spoken with the very helpful  employee that I had spoken with.  Nothing new.  No more courtesy.  We glanced in the store for a minute and decided it was gone.

I lose things a lot.  But they have always turned up eventually.  In high school, I lost my class ring multiple times. I always found it.  In college, I had a ring that I wore every day.  I lost it hundreds of times and it somehow managed to find its way back to me every time.  I've lost my keys.  I've lost books.  I even lost my car in a parking lot once.  It took me thirty minutes, but I eventually found it.

But I had lost my phone.  And even though I felt like it would just turn it up under a cushion or in a pocket, I had to call it in.

So, now it's out there somewhere.  If it's ever turned on, it will be wiped clean.  Or, if not, it's been added to the block list and it will turn up as stolen if someone tries to activate it.

I'm sure somewhere I've learned a lesson in all this.  I just don't remember what it is.

Yes, Aaron's phone is gone. He has since activated his old iPhone 4, but it kept dropping calls. So he got his mom's old iPhone 4 and all is well again. 

If only we had just stuck around at Olive Garden...

a Penny post (update)

The saga continued...

Sunday, after Penny had a sleepy day with me, I went to the Journey Volunteer Christmas Party. A few hours later when I returned, I came home to giant throw up mess in Penny's crate.

Lovely.

So began our night.

Penny threw up from 11:30pm-8:30am every 30 minutes or so.

Another sleepless night for all of us.

Side effects from her allergy medicine were vomiting and diarrhea, so I wouldn't have been so concerned, but there was blood in her vomit. So that was scary.

I asked to come in a little late to work on Monday and we took Penny to the vet yet again.

Our friend Shannon, who is a doctor there, was working on Monday. She said we should definitely not give her the allergy medicine anymore, because that did seem to be the cause for her sickness. 

We decided to leave Penny there for a few hours so they could watch her.

Monday afternoon, Aaron got the call that he could come back and get her. She hadn't thrown up anymore, and they had given her fluids and medicine.

She was a pitiful mess Monday night.

We had to get her children's Benadryl because she was still so red and splotchy from her first incident. Plus she had two other prescriptions to take for her stomach and esophagus.

Good grief.

We finally had a good night of sleep Monday night. Penny didn't, but she didn't stop us.

Tuesday, she was finally starting to act more like her normal self.

And today she goes back to the vet today to get a final checkup.

Let's hope so, at least...

an opinion on Christmas shopping

I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas shopping.

I love the actual shopping part and crossing things off the list and buying things for the people I love.

I hate the planning and thinking and crowded part of Christmas shopping.

This year, we were trying to find a day that we could even go out shopping. Aaron suggested doing our shopping online.

I debated this because I've never done Christmas shopping online, and change is always a big deal for me.

I decided to give it a try, and get most of the shopping done over the world wide web. At least as much as I could.

Last week, I sat down with the computer and a list of names and set to work.

Oh. Goodness.

I'm not saying I hated it. I definitely didn't love it.

But, I do know this:  it sure isn't any less time-consuming!

I spent three hours. Three hours. shopping online. And we only buy for immediate family (plus Bensen and Keyen). So we're only talking like 12 people total. 

I still had to brainstorm gifts. And then when I would pick them I would have to compare prices. And then I tried to find as many online coupons as I could for free shipping or what not.

And I'm still not even finished!

It took forever and it hurt my brain. And I don't have the immediate satisfaction of walking out with my gifts.

That's all I really have to say about it.

I might go with good old-fashioned stores for the rest of my shopping this year...