Resurrected as a Baby Blog

Well, I advise that you stop here if you don't care about cute baby pictures and stories.  Because that is officially what this blog is going to turn into.  I may occasionally update on my 30 before 30, and maybe post about things I make from Pinterest, but mostly it's going to be a baby journal.  Our family is scattered all over the place so this will be a venue for me to post pictures and videos to share with family and friends that we don't get to see on a daily (or even monthly and sometimes yearly basis).

So let's start with a quick update on my 30 before 30 list and then move on to infant type things.

1. Travel outside the country:  nope haven't made this happen yet.  Have an open invitation to visit Madrid and stay with our old exchange student, so this is definitely a possibility soon.

2. Interview my grandmother and record her stories: We talked about it, so that's a start.  And then I got pregnant so that kind of consumed me (literally).  Now that I have a baby though (Grandmother's first great-grandchild!) this is becoming more and more important to me.

3. Fist pump and the Jersey Shore and see a Guido:  DONE! Justin and I traveled to Jersey last Thanksgiving.  I saw a Snooki pouf and a Guido before I even got out of the airport.  And I fist pumped on the shore, much to my husband's embarrassment.  Seriously though, the trip was an amazing opportunity to see where Justin grew up. I absolutely fell in love with Red Bank and Shrewsbury.  If it didn't get so dang cold there, I would consider moving.  Hurricane Sandy has destroyed a lot of the area that Justin grew up in. After seeing those wonderful places, I am sad to see how much of it is gone.  I am glad that I got to see it before all of that happened and I look forward to taking our kids up there once everything is rebuilt.

The house Justin grew up in!

4. See a musical on Broadway:  Hasn't happened yet!

5. Run a 5k:  yeah, right.  I started running on the Couch to 5K program, and then I got pregnant.  Maybe someday.  Maybe.

6. See the Pacific Ocean:  Nope, not yet.

7. Visit at least 5 new states: I can cross off TWO thanks to our trip last Thanksgiving!  I have now visited Pennsylvania and New Jersey!

8. Visit New Orleans again Post-Katrina:  DONE!  I visited New Orleans last July for a work conference.  I was holed up by myself in the hotel most of the time, but I did get to spend a couple of hours with my good friend Jenny before I hopped on the plane.  After some delicious beignets, she drove me around so I could see how things have changed since my last visit over ten years ago.  I was heartbroken to hear that her family's home (that I stayed in on my previous visit) was a total loss, along with a lot of their belongings.  I got a chance to see the house that Jenny and her husband are renovating that was salvaged from the storm.  It is amazing how much you can still see the after effects of Katrina, but it is hopeful that there are still people like Jenny's family who is working hard to rebuild the city they love.

9. Go to the Kentucky Derby:  Not yet!

10. Go on a trip in an RV: Not yet!

11. Go to Harry Potter World:  My mom gets to soon during her work conference and I am so jealous.  I need a wand.

12. Vegas:  Not getting far on any of these that involve travel ...

13. See 5 MLB teams play in their home stadiums:  yeah, no.

14. Create a list every year with smaller goals: I am crossing this one off because it was ridiculous.  I don't need more lists in my life.

15. Plant a veggie garden:  This won't happen until we move to a house that has somewhere in the yard that gets sun.

16. Have a baby:  DONE!  Audrey Rose arrived on September 16th.  Since the blog is going to become a baby blog, there will obviously be more to come on this subject.

Hey, look!  A baby!

17. Find a hobby:  Thanks to Pinterest, I am accomplishing this.  I have found that I am pretty crafty when I have instructions.  I also love to cook recipes I find on there.  So I am hereby claiming Pinterest-ing as my hobby.  DONE!

18. Read the Bible all the way through:  Not done yet!

19. Witness a flash mob or be part of one:  I am still holding out for this one.  I really want to see a Random Act of Culture.  Go YouTube them, you will love it!

20. Watch all 100 movies on Time's All Time 100 Movies:  Started with 7 down 93 to go.  Apparently I am now up to 9.  I really don't watch movies all that often.

21. Buy a kayak and use it:  Nope.

22. Move out of Macon.  Or at least have a plan.: Still a topic of conversation.  But no closer to action.

23. Start grad school again:  I have researched, but this is on hold for right now.

24. Take a Tae Kwon Do or Karate class:   Well I got a Groupon to do this.  And then I got pregnant :)

25. Learn how to quilt or knit or something equally crafty from my mother: Half way there, I now own a sewing machine.  I just need to take it out of the box and do something with it.

26. Kiteboard:  Nope, not yet.

27. Pay off my credit card debt:  Getting closer every month!  I am now within 3 years of being debt-free!

28. Be a part of a world record: Nope.

29. Swim with dolphins:  Again, no.

30.  Sponsor another kid through Compassion International: I am calling this done.  I sponsor 2 kids and correspond with 3 more.  I love the relationships I am developing with Caroline (12, Uganda), Mwongeli (10, Kenya), Dwi (9, Indonesia) and Mauricio (13, Peru). I am expecting a new correspondence kid any day now since Anchelo from Haiti is no longer in the program.

Phew, glad that update is over.  Transition to Baby Blog starting NOW.

"Didn't you have a blog?"

Yeah, I did.  And then I became lazy.  More like I just flat out forgot.  Apparently my one loyal reader (you can see her blog at Chard Times) has reminded (berated, cajoled, threatened) me that I should write on this and keep going with what I started.  Good call.

Well I do have 5 more things on my 30 before 30 that I didn't finish writing about.  That's a pretty good place to start.  My next post (I am being optimistic) will catch you up on what I have been doing that has prevented me from blogging.  Don't get too excited.   I am not that much of a thrill seeker :)



26. Kiteboard.
 I have wanted to kiteboard since I saw someone doing tricks on the beach as a highschooler.  I was impressed.  I get excited just watching this video.

27. Pay off my credit card debt.
On my way.  I am on a debt plan and only have 4 years to go to be debt free.

28. Be a part of a World Record.
Family legend has it that my great grandmother set a world record by being the oldest college homecoming queen in her mid-80s.  My family is clearly the best.  I don't know that I am ever going to be able to single-handedly set a record but I still have hopes that I can be part of a group attempt.

29. Swim with dolphins.
Well this would be self-explanatory.  Basic but fun!

30. Sponsor another kid through Compassion International.
I know that some people (ahem, Jessica) have come to my house and made fun of the pictures of the little black kids on my fridge.   I have to tell you though that sponsoring through Compassion International has been one of the best decisions that I have ever made.

This is Caroline, I have sponsored her for over two years.  She is 11 and lives in a town in Uganda.

This is Mwongeli.  I have sponsored her for a year. She is 9 and lives in rural Kenya.

I also correspond with Dwi (8 in Indonesia) and Benitho (20 in Haiti).  I do not financially sponsor Dwi and Benitho, I only write them letters because their financial sponsor chooses not to.

Writing and receiving letters from these children has completely changed and humbled me.  Caroline especially.  I have to tell you, that kid is smart as a whip.  She has written her letters to me in perfect fluent English since age 9.  I get about 5 letters and pictures from her per year. I sent her a little birthday money and she bought a goat.  I sent her family an extra $20 at Christmas.  They bought clothes, shoes, plates, and a mattress.  A mattress.  Caroline wrote that it was the first mattress they have ever owned and now they don't have to sleep on the dirt anymore.  Wow.  She is funny and smart and has a killer smile.  She wants to grow up to be a nurse.  I think she can.  One day, Caroline will possibly have the opportunity to go to college with the help of Compassion International.  I will have the opportunity to keep sponsoring her through.  And if that happens, you better believe that on the day my girl graduates from university in Uganda there will be a very proud white woman in that audience crying and cheering.

I could obviously go on and on about Compassion.  You really should just go check it out.  Their website is here.  They constantly get top reviews from Charity Navigator and are very transparent about their finances.

I hope to one day sponsor another kid.  Or to start saving up to put Caroline through college (sponsorship is more when they are in Compassion's Leadership Development Program) and fly to Uganda for her graduation.  Either way, I know that my involvement in Compassion is here to stay.

I FINISHED MY LIST!!!!!

Updates on other list items:
#8 Visit New Orleans again post-Katrina: heading there next week for work!  Will update when I get back.

#14 Create a list every year with smaller goals:  I have officially booted this off the list.  Too many lists to live by.

#17 Find a hobby:  Thanks to Pinterest, I have started getting crafty.  More updates to come.

#24 Take a Tae-Kwon-Do or Karate class: Justin and I start class in a couple of weeks once I heal more from surgery!

#25 Learn how to quilt or knit or something equally crafty from my mother: Oh she tried.  How she tried. And tried.  I can't knit.  Period. Exclamation point.  I looked like a baby t-rex.  My arms and hands wouldn't move properly.  Sigh.

Keep your fingers crossed that I will update soon!