Hurry, hurry, hurry, let's crank this post out while the baby's sleeping!

  Because I was just recently glowing about my daughter's good behavior, I feel the need to confess to you all that Jocelyn hasn't been the greatest the last couple of days.  Not sure if it's teething, or slight constipation as a result of starting solid foods, or the simple fact that she misses vacation as much as her mama.  In any case,  we've had a little Miss Cranky-pants for a couple days.  Oh, and her new favorite thing is waking up in the middle of the night so mommy and daddy can take turns holding her.  Guess that's what I get for being so used to her sleeping through the night for months now, I've taken it for granted! :( That'll show me.  Anyway, I hope we have our old Joce back soon.

   Florida trip, first installment!  Are you excited? You'd better be or else I went to a lot of work for pictures no one wants to see.  Annnnnd we're off!

 Baby's first plane ride!
    She did wonderfully traveling.  I really could not have asked for it to go any better. 

     The first and foremost reason for our trip to Florida was a wedding: Aaron & Amanda (Randy's cousin) Miller's, to be exact.  I was in a rush that morning (big shocker) and left with my camera, but without my camera battery.  :( So alas, I have NO pictures from the beautiful event.  But I stole these three from my sister-in-law Stephanie's facebook.  I will post more when I get more copies from other people. 



   This was one of my FAVORITE moments...the bride and groom sang a song together that he had written.  It was a lovely song with amazing lyrics, their voices blended beautifully, and (best part) they sold copies of a pre-recorded version! Score!
 
  After the busy-ness of the wedding was past, we enjoyed spending time with family by going to the beach, shopping, playing games and enjoying Busch Gardens one day.  Good times were had by all!

 Baby's first time to the ocean!  (Well, I guess she was at the Oregon coast before, but somehow, since it was so cold, it doesn't seem to count.:)




 Joce, meet Ocean.  Ocean, Joce.  I think they are already forming a fast friendship. :)



   This poor dear has to put up with Mommy and her insufferable love of hats.  (Hopefully if I do it long enough, she will end up loving them too.:)

 Jossie bein' loved on by Grandma & Grandpa


 ...and then of course by cousins Maddi & Za-Za (Xavier)

 ...and Auntie Stephanie.   THIS is why my child is such a crank! She sorely misses being the center of attention!
   One beautiful, hot day, we all went to the park to see some alligators.


 Cousin Solly getting some giggles. :)












 Xavier turned two while we were there, so we got to help him celebrate!



 He's definitely Byran's son, although he looks even more like his mom!













   If I remember right, Joce was being fussy this night so we left to go home, and then spontaneously decided to drive out to the beach, hoping she would fall asleep on the way and we could have a little date.  We got some ice cream and took a walk on the beach in the moonlight.  It was wonderful.




Hmm, this girl doesn't look one bit sleepy to me.....

   What can make a long summer vacation even better?  Getting to wear all of your summery dresses, of course!


    Honestly, I think this poor little blog didn't even recognize me when I signed in. 

   Randy, Jocelyn and I kicked off our summer with a splendid vacation from May 19--June 12.  I loved every minute of it but my blog has paid dearly for it. Pageviews have plummeted from the day we left til now.  It has just been either too busy, or too sunny, or too "filled-with-family-and-friends" to bother with posting much.  And for that, I have a lingering sense of guilt...as if I've neglected a dear, old friend instead of a blurb on cyber-space that couldn't care less if I fell off a cliff.  Strange, bu nevertheless, I am back to make amends.  Will you have me back, bloggy friend?

   In a nutshell:

1. Florida for a wedding and family vacation.  
2. Georgia to join friends for a Braves game.  
3. Tennessee for a family reunion. 
4. Iowa for time with family and friends.  

   Whew.  Makes me tired just writing it.  Jocelyn was just an absolute trooper through it all, sleeping through the night in spite of all the unfamiliar places, and maintaining her sunny disposition in spite of her first two teeth pushing through.  Sometimes I feel so unworthy as I am sure I wasn't nearly as sweet of a baby as she is.  She was so patient with all of the flying, driving, time changes and hot weather.  During the three different road trips we took she basically slept, ate and played happily.  She patiently endured long outings in the hot Florida sun, slathered in sunscreen, so that her mommy could be in her happy place.  Not only that, but she learned to tolerate nursing and sleeping in the noisiest conditions, rooms full of family and friends, all laughing and talking at once.  I feel like I could drag this baby all over the world and she would still be our sweet little Joce.  Is that wrong of me?  It feels like bragging, but honestly she just has been so good and I wanted to share.  Arrest me.

   *Side note*  I firmly believe children thrive on a schedule, and the scheduling we have done with Jocelyn has helped to order her life and provide her with stability and a routine in a constantly shifting and changing environment, resulting in a feeling of security and maximizing "happy time". (And she still hasn't had to "cry it out" for you skeptics.) HOWEVER... I know that personality plays a huge part in a child's disposition and for that, we give all the credit to God.:)

   Moving on, the trip to Florida was all I could hope for.  Sun, sand, swimming, shopping, Busch gardens, a beautiful wedding, and games and fun with family.  It was great getting to know some of the Headings cousins better, and it was hard to leave!

   The next leg of our trip was wonderful too.  We met up with friends (Mike & Deb Stoltzfus) in Georgia and went to see a Braves game.  After the game we were able to watch fireworks from the dugout and meet up with my cousin Brandon Beachy, who plays for the Braves.  It was a great night, and definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

   After touring the Coca-cola museum the next day, it was off to Tennessee to spend time with my mom's side of the family.  We hadn't all gotten together in a LONG time, so it was wonderful to see everyone again.  Tennessee was:

•  Pedicures and a tea party with the ladies
• 4-wheeling for miles through creeks, woods and on gravel roads
• Spelunking in the caves
• Singing around the campfire
• Bridal shower for Jackie
• Getting to know and welcome Jackie's fiance Bito
• Catching up with cousins

   It was a great trip, and was over far too quickly.   The next leg of our journey was a 10-hour road trip back home to Iowa with my parents, siblings, and my sister Shannon's family.  We made it safe and sound and then it was a whirlwind of meeting up with friends for coffee, games and movies with the family, and swimming to beat the heat.  I forgot how much I loved Iowa in the summer.  I forgot how much I loved Iowa, period.  At times I felt like a tourist, exclaiming over the new "quilt blocks" in Kalona and the renovated street corners.  And at times it seemed almost as if nothing had changed.  It felt good to be able to walk down streets and recognize people, and have them recognize you.  I never lost the feeling of awe that accompanied each casual meeting at a coffee shop...that I was actually within driving distance of these dear loved ones.  Being able to just sit at a table and have a heart-to-heart....that is a precious gift that has become more and more priceless with time.  I am discovering that I'm not a phone person.  I need to be with people, to see their expressions, and read their faces, and share in the moments that can really only be experienced face-to-face.  It was hard to leave there as well.

   Coming back to Oregon, we were welcomed by gray skies, but I won't elaborate on that.   I haven't lost faith that summer will be here soon, and I'm already scheming up summer plans and projects.  Jocelyn is starting to eat solid foods now, so there is so much picking fruit/veggies and canning I would like to get done because of that. 


   Don't worry, pictures will come. I will probably just begin a series of picture posts until I get through all of them, but until then, this brief update will have to do because I have big plans for tonight that don't include posting pics.  O.k. so our "big plans" are curling up in bed with snacks and a movie, but that sounds pretty perfect to me.

So now it's your turn......where are you going/have you gone for your summer vacation?

Goodnight, sleep tight.

   I'm ba-a-ack, posting for Mommy because she's neglecting her blog again.  In her defense, she is busy getting ready for the trip-of-all-trips we're going to take in a couple days, on which I will ride an airplane for the first time ever!  I hope it's not too scary.  Anything that big shouldn't be able to get off the ground, I always like to say, but I should probably get used to it because Mommy likes to travel. 

   At first, I couldn't think of what to post about, but then I realized that you all probably know Mommy pretty well by now, but you don't know much about me! So I thought I'd enlighten you all on a few tidbits about me that some of you may not know:

 #1.  In pictures my eyes look so dark, and people say they're "just like mommy's", but they are actually dark blue, like daddy's!  Well, daddy's are light blue I guess, but close enough.

   I know, I know, they look dark brown.  Mommy even labeled a picture of me "brown-eyed girl" by mistake one time, because they look like it so much in pictures.  Silly Mommy.  But they're honest-to-goodness blue, so that's just a little added benefit to meeting me in person! 

#2.  There are some confusing look-a-likes in my Daddy's family.  In fact, my Uncle Justin looks so much like Daddy that I would get them mixed up, except that daddy talks more.  And Uncle J. smells like strawberries.  O.k. I made that last part up.
 Hmmm....confusing....
Exhibit B: Here I am being held by Grandma Bonnie.

And here she is with Great Aunt Connie.

And here I'm being held again by Grandma. I mean, wait...I'm confused.



#3.  One of my favorite activities these days is grabbing.  I like to grab my toys, Mommy's hair, clothes, blankets...basically anything I can get my hands on. 
  But sometimes I can't quite get it either into my mouth, or just where I want it, and it's just so frustrating not having yet developed the coordination to accomplish my objectives!  Grrr....

   Sometimes I just can't wait to be bigger.  Big enough to eat the food Daddy & Mommy are always eating, big enough to go outside whenever I want, big enough to reach all the way up to Mommy's knees....but I hear Mommy saying all the time, " Baby Joce, don't grow up too fast!"  And so I will try not to.  But like I said, I can't wait. 

  I hope Mommy gets done packing soon so she can play with me.  My favorite things to do with Mommy lately are playing "Pat-a-Cake" and listening to her read books and my Lulla-Bible.  Oh and the Lulla-Bible songs.  I lo-o-ove those too. 

That's all for now, hope you all have a nice day!

   Too bad there aren't more royal weddings to write about.  My post about William & Kate's fairy-tale nuptials garnered a whopping 2,684 views, my all-time high for a single post.  2nd place, lagging far behind, was "Football games and baby bumps" with 539.  So I drew the conclusion that I would have a killer blog if only I could post about royal weddings all the time.  Bummer, huh?

   In other news, in my devotions today I was studying the very familiar passage of 1 Peter 3:1-4:

   "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, ² when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. ³ Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 

   A few things really jumped out at me, even though I've heard these verses many, many times.  First of all, growing up Mennonite, verses 3-4 were always key in explaining why Mennonites do not wear wedding bands.  Because as it clearly states, you're not supposed to wear gold.  Or does it? *cue creepy music*

   I don't know Greek, but it seems to me that the verse is saying that you shouldn't let your beauty come from things like braiding your hair, wearing jewelry, or fine clothes.  Your beauty should come from inside, and from qualities like a gentle and quiet spirit.  For some, strange reason, that verse is never taken to mean that you should never braid/arrange your hair or wear any clothes, just that you shouldn't wear gold.  And it really misses the point of the entire verse. Are there other reasons I'm missing?  I honestly don't know.  Help me out here, people.

source(This picture would fit this post so perfectly if only the first ring said "Katherine" instead of "Kathleen!)

    On a different note, I used to always inwardly cringe at the phrase "gentle and quiet spirit".  Because mine always felt anything BUT gentle and quiet.  I've always been loud, adventurous, tom-boyish, outgoing and at times (let's be honest) obnoxious.  And that verse just felt so idealistic and unattainable for me.  It wasn't until today, actually, that the thought occurred to me...it doesn't mean that you are supposed to have a gentle and quiet personality.  It says a gentle and quiet spirit.  And that is possible, no matter what your personality type.  Because being a woman who doesn't talk much or try new things is not what we're aiming for here, folks.  I've seen outgoing, bold women who are striving and grasping, and anything but gentle and quiet.  However, I've also seen meek and mild women who are tired, discouraged, beaten-down and wilted, and that is anything but gentle and quiet too.   So this leads me to believe that whether you're sanguine or phlegmatic, you can have a gentle and quiet spirit. 

Still workin' on that.

    There have been so many controversial topics running through my mind lately, one of which is vaccinations.  Hmm, should I open that can of worms?  I'm sure many of you think I shouldn't even go there.  Well, here's my take on it.  Things don't have to get ugly, and if you really don't want to get involved, it's simple.  You don't have to.  It's just a blog, no one's forcing you to read it.  But like I said, it is something I've been thinking about alot lately, so I just might possibly "go there". 

But not today.

   Now, what do YOU think? If you read this post and you have a response tingling on your tongue, please give it.  Comments will help shed light on these issues, and both educate and open my mind, so it's a win-win!

It's Friday people, let loose!

  

Today, as you all know, is mother's day. 

   Technically, it's not my FIRST mother's day, as last mother's day I was 2 months pregnant, and it was also the day I announced the news to Randy's family.  So I guess this is my 2nd mother's day, technically.  They just get better and better!

   But first, a tribute to the two moms who made it all possible.  You know, life, love and other mysteries.

  My mom.  We are very different, and yet somehow, SO alike.  We understand each other in a special way, probably because we possess so many similarities.  There are so many levels to our relationship, and there is genuine REAL-ness that I can have around her, that I can have around very few.  She has seen me through some of the roughest, lowest moments of my life, and has come out still loving me on the other end.  She has believed in me, hoped for me, fought for me, wept for me.  She has taught me so very many things: how to be a gracious hostess, how to clean a house good AND fast, and how to have tough skin in a world that can throw a mean right hook.  She is a huge part of what has made me the way I am today, and for that I am truly thankful.  And she is a wonderful Grandma to my precious baby girl.





    Bonnie, my mother-in-law.  The emotions that the words “Mother-in-law” evoke for some people can range from disapproval to abject terror, but I am relieved to say, that is not at all my experience.  First of all, she gave birth to the most wonderful, amazing, husband-material boy in the world, so that's all she would have ever had to do to make me like her.  But she went so far above and beyond that.  She welcomed me into their family with open arms, and has always made me feel so loved and accepted.  She has been a friend, mentor, and a generous giver of her help, time and gifts, and has helped to make this distant land "home" for me.  I couldn’t begin to repay her for it all.   And she is a wonderful Grandma to my precious baby girl.

  
And then there's this little bundle who made me a mama.