Yet Another Survey....

Ok, I love reading & doing these things a little too much :) Thanks for the idea Jamie & Ginger!!

1. Whats your name spelled backwards? lehcar

2. What did you do last night? stayed home with my fussy bebe

3. The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?pictures that the amazing Glenna took of Ava

4. Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery? I don't even understand this question. Are you supposed to lick them?

5. Last time you swam in a pool? many moons ago

6. What are you wearing? green converse & yard workin' clothes

7. How many cars have you owned? personally, only 1 (my Dad took care of the rest!!)

8. Type of music you dislike most? heavy metal

9. Are you registered to vote? yes, but still in NC--I've lived in way too many states in the last year!!

10. Do you have cable? yes, for at least 6 months while we have a great deal :)

11. What kind of computer do you use? we just refer to it as old

12. Ever made a prank phone call? I was too much of a rule follower, and I always got so scared I'd almost pee my pants

13. You like anyone right now? yes, this very cute boy!!

14. Ever done any shrooms? I don't understand drug lingo, but no

15. Furthest place you ever traveled? Germany--LOVE IT!!

16. Do you have a garden? yes, of the flower variety--no veggies though

17. What's your favorite comic strip? garfield. I kind of relate to that lazy moody cat

18. Do you know all the words to the national anthem? yes

19. Shower, morning or night? shower??? Are you kidding me? These days it's about 2 minutes long whenever Ava is snoozing.

20. Best movie you've seen in the past month? Amelie'

21. Favorite pizza toppings? bacon & pineapple

22. Chips or popcorn? chips are the thorn in my flesh

23. What cell phone provider do you have? I'm stealing Ginger's answer b/c it made me laugh out loud: suckular

24. Have you ever sucked peanut shells? only boiled ones

25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? I would have to say no, Bob. But I still want world peace.

26. Orange Juice or apple? fresh squeezed Florida orange juice made by my Grandma. Apple juice gives me the stomach nasties!!

27. Who were the last people you sat at lunch with? my Bible study ladies

28. Favorite chocolate bar? I could live on snickers alone.

29. Who is your longest friend and how long? Aprile & Erin since 8th grade

30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato? about a year ago & that makes me sad. There is nothing better!

31. Have you ever won a trophy? oh yes. Most Improved Golfer 1998

32. What do you drink in your coffee? a side of acid reflux

33. Favorite computer game? mahjong or however you spell it. You know--that tile game

34. Ever ordered from an infomercial? yes. Proactive b/c Jessica Simpson sure can sell a product! But then I got hives and that was not fun. Thanks alot Jessica...

35. Sprite or 7-UP? sprite when I have a belly ache

36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work? do khakis and polo shirts count?

37. Last thing you bought at Walgreens? $200 worth of worthless prescriptions a few weeks ago

38. Ever thrown trash or emptied ashtray out in a public place? no. that is one of my soapboxes.

39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love? I've already found true love, so I'd have to go with the $ :)

40. Do you believe in love at first sight? I fell in love with Matt at first sight before I even met him, so yes!!

41. Can exes just be friends? they can be civil but that's about it.

42. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? Ben & Kristin when Cru was born

43. Did you have long hair as a young kid? yes and crispy 80's bangs :)

44. What message is on your voicemail machine? my squeaky minnie mouse voice in all it's glory

45. Where would you like to go right now? to Highlands, NC to see everything beautiful about fall. This will be our first year to not go & we are VERY SAD!!

46. What was the name of your first pet? Mocha the cat. More lovingly referred to as spawn of satan

47. Do you decorate your lawn for holidays? no, but the inside is a christmas wonderland

48. Last incoming/outgoing call on your phone? incoming: matt outgoing: umm that would also be Matt

49. What is one thing you are grateful for today? my husband that has worked so hard all week & then got up early to help me do yard work.

50. What do you think about most? our adoption

Trying Out Video

Hey friends :) I'm trying to figure out how to post video on here, b/c I got the cutest video of Ava trying chicken & vegetable baby food for the first time & it was SO FUNNY!! Hope this works :) If not, I'll keep trying!! Enjoy (hopefully!!) This is already my second try, so it might be on here twice!




Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

The Girls Are Back in Town

I am so excited. I mean really really really excited. Gilmore Girls season 7 starts in 40 minutes!! I have been waiting for this day for MONTHS!!! I know, I'm totally obsessed & I don't need a lecture about how tv rots your brain. Tonight, and every Tuesday at 7:00pm I don't care. Life is good :)

7 Months Old!!

Hey friends. My little girl is growing up so fast. I can hardly believe that she is 7 months old today!! And I can hardly believe how deeply my love for her has grown. She is so fun & so joyful. I LOVE being around her & more than that I love being her mom. I am so proud of her & think she is absolutely beautiful. God has poured out His blessing upon us in such a deep and profound way & I know that we will never be the same. I meant to take some pictures today but totally forgot to charge my battery in my camera, so I'll have to take some tomorrow--so stay tuned! I've included some from that very special day--7 short months ago :) Love you all!

God's Ways vs. Our Ways

Hey friends. I was doing my bible study this morning for my ladies group that I'm in. The study is not so great (Power of a Praying Woman) but it has been so good for me to be back in God's Word on a more consistent basis. I have been reminded how desperately I need accountability in my life. Ever since having Ava I feel like the worst Christ-follower in the world. Why is it so hard for me to have a quiet time now? I have been so humbled through this season of my life. I feel like I am so apart. Does that make sense? I don't even know if that's the word I'm looking for, but I feel like I'm never put together. So whatever the opposite of that is, that's what I am. My house is never clean. My laundry is never done. My hair has been up in a ponytail for about 5 weeks now. My car is a mess. My communication with Matt has not been at it's highest point. My walk with God is so-so. I am half-way through 3 books. My jeans are too tight. Have you ever been there? I just feel like everything in my life is disjointed--not where it should be. Not under strict discipline & control. I guess I'm just feeling very out of control since I've become a mom. Everyone tells you (to the point that you're utterly annoyed!!) that "everything is going to change when you have kids". Oh my gosh--I heard that so much it made me want to vomit every time I heard it. But now I want to go back to those people and say (well, scream really) "why didn't you tell me that 'everything' really meant 'EVERYTHING!!" I just don't really like who I've become since I've been a mom. I think I'm a pretty good mom--I just feel like everything else has fallen by the wayside & I really hate that. I feel like now, I need to pick up all the pieces of my new life & start over. I need a makeover in every sense of the word. On every area of my life. I need to overhaul every other area besides mommyhood. QUestion to you other mommies out there--have you been at this point? And if you have....how long did it take you to recover? I think I just need to come to grips with my new reality & MOVE ON!
I read in my bible this morning a verse that I've read 10,000 times--"My ways are not your ways, neither are My thoughts your thoughts" (excuse the paraphrase--my bible's upstairs!). I was reminded yet again that God does things differently than we do. His plans for me are not my plans for me. His ways are not my ways. His thoughts are not my thoughts. They are BIGGER. And I have to tell you, I felt so much peace in that today. I was reminded that God is big. Yeah, I know I learned that when I was 4, but I needed to learn it again. God is big. I am small. I have major issues. I am messed up. But God is in control. My life--all of it's chaos & disorganization--is in His hands. I am under His control. His Spirit dwells within me & because of that all things are possible. I am feeling very small & very weak lately. But that is ok b/c when I'm weak God can be strong for me. So in the meantime, please pray for me--I am undone. I need to be fixed (roll coldplay's Fix You in the background :) And thanks for letting me vent. And thanks for any tips you other mommies may have. Or non-mommies :) Basically thanks for being my friends. God has put each of you in my life & you keep me together. I love you all--I really do. Thank you for your ears that listen & your hearts that encourage me. I am off to mop the floors......

It's Been Awhile :)

Hello fellow blogging friends! Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Life has been pretty crazy in the last few weeks. I was sick for 2 weeks & then last Thursday, Ava & I flew to Florida to visit my family. By Friday I was sick again & spent most of my time in Florida sick. Sunday night I went to a walk-in clinic & finally figured out was was wrong (sinusitis) and got 3 more prescriptions. So I'm definitely starting to feel better, but we are completely broke from doctor visits & prescriptions. Welcome to real life, right? I forgot what it felt like to not cough. It is wonderful to feel better!
I had such a great time in Florida. It was so great to see my parents, Emmy & Daniel and my two best friends, Aprile & Erin. I really needed to get away & have a little break from the newness of Texas. It was so refreshing to be around people who know me (some better than I know myself!!). It felt like a breath of fresh air. I'm happy in Texas, but it has not been an easy adjustment for me. It has been a much slower transition than I expected it to be. I know it will take time :)
Ava is cutting her first tooth. It is still teeny tiny, but it's in there. Poor thing--she has not been a happy baby! Last night we experienced her first throw up episode. She vomited all over Matt, herself, her hippo Lola and the floor. Not fun!! But afterwards she seemed to feel great--it was almost like she was laughing at Matt after barfing all over him. She also went swimming for the first time while we were in Florida--she had such a fun time & she was SO CUTE in the pool. My Dad took her--I think it was fun for both of them. All the pictures are on my Mom's camera, so as soon as I get them I'll post them. I love you all--thanks for being my friends!!

My Mom....

Hey friends :) Last night I was lying in bed, totally unable to fall asleep b/c I'd been coughing like a woman who had been smoking for 127 years and my mind started to wander. Do you ever have those nights--where you start to think about things and that leads you to think about other things and then all of a sudden you find yourself in a place that you hadn't thought about in awhile? Well, that was me last night. I was laying there listening to Ava's sound machine through her monitor, thinking about how much I love being a Mommy. I mean, I really really love it. I have found so much joy in that child--I can't even put it into words. She makes me want to be such a better woman. Such a better Christ follower. And that made me think of my mom. I get it now. I get her love for me. I get her joy and I get her huge dreams for me. I get her frustration when I do stupid things. I get her pride when I actually, finally get something right. I get why she was willing to give up everything & anything she ever wanted to pour herself into me and Emily. I get the intense love, the fierce protection, the hope for an amazing future. It's amazing how clearly I get it now.
So I was lying there feeling a little scared (like I usually am when I'm alone, even though I try to act like I'm not!!) The last 2 months that we've been here I've put Ava in the pack-n-play in my room when Matt's been out of town. I like her to be close to me & I like to listen to her breathe. And somehow in the back of my brain I feel like she's going to protect me & that I'm protecting her. Silly, I know, but somehow I justify it every time. Well, Friday night I put her in the pack-n-play & she flipped out. She did NOT want to be in there, so I put her in bed with me. What followed was the worst sleep either one of us has probably ever had. We were both sick & coughing & we kept each other up all night. So anyways, last night I realized that we would all sleep better if we slept in our own beds. So I layed Ava in her bed & went to mine & tryed to sleep. But there I lay--scared. Why is my brain so active, so imaginative? Every sound made me a little more nervous.
And as I lay there I came to the place that I described at the beginning of this post. Thinking--mostly about my mom. You see, my mom knew exactly what to do when I got scared. She used to cover me with Scripture. She prayed for me before bedtime & prayed Scripture over me. And then she got really creative--she wrote out Psalm 91 on a notecard & put it in the pocket of my stuffed bunny. And I held it all night long. I found comfort in those words. They caused me to sleep in peace. So last night, as I lay there wide awake, I decided to turn on the light & turn to Psalm 91 yet again. Seems like every time Matt goes out of town I go to Psalm 91. And here is what I read:

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I am trusting in Him. For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from the fatal plague. He will shield you with His wings. He will shelter you with His feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day, nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. But you will see it with your eyes; you will see how the wicked are punished. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling. For He orders His angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone. You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in My name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. I will satisfy them with a long life and give them my salvation." (Psalm 91)

Those words bring so much peace to my soul. It reminded me that God is near & that He is protecting me and Ava as we sleep. It reminded me that my Mom was/is a great mom. She just knew that it was only God's Word that would comfort me. It reminded me of all the lessons she has taught me. And most of all it reminded me that I want to be that kind of mom to Ava. A mom that takes her kids to Scripture for all things. I want Ava to find comfort in Psalm 91. I want her to get her identity from Psalm 139. I want her to cling to Lamentations 3: 22-23 when she is stuggling (His mercies are new every morning--great is His faithfulness!) I want her to love Romans and Hebrews. I want her to devour James & Genesis. I want her to love God and His Word more than I want anything else in life.
So thank you mom--for all that you have taught me. For taking me to Scripture. For being my role model. I want to be a Mom like you. I want Ava to look at me the way I look at you--as my hero. I love you!

Homebound

Hey friends. Ava & I have had quite the week! We've been sick as dogs all week long. Ava came down with the crud last weekend & has been feeling pretty bad all week. And on Wednesday I started to get a sore throat & woke up Thursday with full blown whatever this is. I think it's the flu--not the throw up kind, but the crud kind. We were both up all night last night coughing--yes, you can call us party girls :) Matt is out of town this weekend, so we're stuck here--2 little sickies. I have not walked outside since Tuesday. How sad is that? I feel like we're in a bubble. So today I went to whataburger to get some food & then sat Ava up in the backyard & did a 10 minute photo shoot. I just had to get outside! Of course the heat & humidity made both of our coughs worse, but still, it was worth it. I took 60 pics, so I definitely won't bore you with all of them (even though I think they all turned out so cute!), but here are a few highlights. I got this hat when she was little bitty & it was huge on her--I can't believe she's big enough to fit into it now! Please keep us in your prayers--I think we're both ready to be feeling better. I'm about to go stir crazy & I'm a home person. This week would have done Matt in, so hopefully he won't catch our bug. Love you all. Thanks for listening to me complain.














with Lola--her favorite toy--they like to make-out :)

Books

I saw this on Jamie's blog--she always has cool stuff there. Thought I would give it a whirl :)

1. One book that changed your life: the Bible

2. One book that you've read more than once: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte--I've read it like 4 or 5 times--so good!!

3. One book you'd want on a desert island: Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. It has 4,500 pages & I've been wanting to read it for awhile now, but I think the only way I'd ever have time is if I was on a desert island. Or if I had no kiddo.

4. One book that made you laugh: The BFG by Roald Dahl--there's actually a chapter about whizzpoppers (AKA farts)

5. One book that made you cry: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers--the story of Hosea modernized. Every woman should read it

6. One book you wish had been written: How To Be Artsy & Creative Overnight

7. One book you wish had never been written: The Portrait of The Artist As A Young Man by James Joyce. Two words: sheer torture.

8. One book you're currently reading: James & The Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

9. One book you've been meaning to read: Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Matt really wants me to read it so we can discuss. I'm so stuck on children's literature though, it's hard to break through to the hard stuff :)

If you're reading this post — write your books in the comments or post them on your blog and let me know in the comments!

6 Months! (Ok, so I'm a few days late....shoot me!!)

Hi friends! Ava turned 6 months on Saturday--we can hardly believe she's already that old! We had our doctor's appt on Friday & all seems to be well. She's 15lbs 14oz and 26 inches long. She's still pretty small, but the doctor doesn't seem worried. It's amazing how her presence has changed our lives so drastically. I feel like I love her more every day. I love being her mommy.

I started my ladies Bible study this past week. I think it's going to be really good for me to be around other young moms & to be involved in a study again. I actually got to spend a whole hour reading and praying yesterday. I haven't had time like that in, well, 6 months. It was refreshing and convicting & quiet. I think that's the best part--quiet. It's amazing how much more I appreciate my quiet moments.

Please be praying for Ava--she's been sick all week. Last night I was up with her for 2 1/2 hours & she screamed the whole time. It was the most overwhelming feeling--not being able to help or comfort her. Needless to say--2 out of 3 of us were in tears. It was not fun. And today I'm completely exhausted & don't feel like doing anything but sit on the couch and watch our new cable. Yes--we actually got cable yesterday--we got a great deal for 6 months, so we'll have it for that long & then like usual we'll probably come to our senses when we get our first real bill & cancel it. But for 6 months at least it will be fun to hang out with Rachael Ray again. Love you all. I don't have any new pictures, but as soon as I do I'll post them :)

Ava's Photo Shoot :)

Here are some pictures we took the other night. She was having so much fun on her belly & learning how to sit up. I took 70 pictures in about 10 minutes, but I won't bore you with all of them. Here are some of my favorites. And yes, her room is still pink--we haven't had a chance to paint it yet!! And yes, her art is still on the floor, b/c we haven't gotten to hang it yet. We're just a little behind :)

Africa Slideshow

One more thing that I forgot in my last post. There is a website that some missionaries from Mercy Ships have put together from their recent visit to Acres of Hope. There are a couple of slideshows of the kids at the orphanage--just in case you want to check it out :) If I was technical I could just put the link to get there, but I don't really know how, so:

Go to www.acresofhope.org

click to enter site

on the left side there's a toolbar--click on charitable needs

at the bottom, there is a list of friends

click on Mercy Ships missionaries Brian & Warrie Blackburn

That takes you to their website--all the kids names on their have slideshows & then the last one ( I think it's called acres of hope & liberia ) has lots of pics of the orphanage & kids.

Enjoy :)

What's new with us....

I feel like it's been forever since I've had a chance to update you on what's going on around here! We're feeling a little more comfortable every day--it's starting to feel more like home & less like a place where we sleep. We still have a lot of painting to do, and we haven't hung much on the walls yet, but most of the boxes are unpacked. Matt is learning how to do yardwork and I think it looks pretty awesome! We're definitely not gardeners, but we haven't killed anything yet, so we look at that as success :)

On the church front, we had our promotion Sunday last week & we had a great day. There were about 425 kids, plus adults on Sunday morning. Everyone was really excited & it was a lot of fun. Matt started the year by sharing his vision for the student ministry and our theme--The Movement. He's talking about how Jesus started a movement when He lived here on earth & how it's up to us to keep the movement going. Wednesday was really awesome too--lots of kids & lots of energy! He's going to start teaching through the book of Acts this Wednesday, and we'll hang out there for the rest of the fall. I've never seen him more happy or more content--he's loving his new position & I'm loving having a happy husband again :) Please keep the student ministry in your prayers--it's obvious that God has huge plans for this year--and we're just excited to be a part of it. We've already run out of enough chairs, so I think they're trying to buy some more before next week!!

Ava is cuter than ever these days. She just started sitting up on her own this week. It's so cute, b/c she's a little wobbly & unbalanced. She's a little fighter though--she refuses to fall over :) She's eating baby food & cereal--so far her favorite is sweet potatoes. She wasn't a big fan of carrots, but we'll try again soon. She goes for her six month (can it be time for that already???) checkup on Friday, so I'll give you an update after that. She's still pretty tiny--she's still in size 2 diapers. Hopefully she's gained a little weight though with the baby food & she's growing on schedule.

We have really started researching & praying pretty diligently about our adoption. We've always known that we want to adopt, but we really feel like God is getting us ready to start the process soon. We've looked into a couple of different programs and feel like God has closed the door on those. Over the last few days though, we've really been talking about the country of Africa & the possibility of adopting from there. I found this amazing adoption agency online called Acres of Hope (www.acresofhope.org) that really struck us as something special. They are a very small agency & they have an orphanage in Liberia, Africa. It is run by a Christian couple & 4 other people & they're based in Wisconsin. So far, they've adopted out 300 kids from their orphanage. They feed 8,000 kids every day & have been able to get 4,000 kids into new schools. Last night, Matt & I spent about an hour looking through their website & talking about it. We're probably going to try to call them & talk more to get a feel for things. We're so excited about this possible opportunity & would ask you to pray for us as we begin to pursue some leads. We're also really trying to seek God about the possibility of adopting more than one--probably siblings. Maybe 2? It seems so overwhelming to us, but we just want to remain open & available for whatever God wants to do in & through our family. We really need prayers for wisdom, finances & grace as we begin this process!!

I keep trying to add more pics of Ava from a little photo shoot we did the other night. Blogger has been acting a little weird for me lately, so I'll keep trying until I can get them up. We love you all :)

Yum Yum!!

Here are some pictures of Ava eating baby food--they're too cute not to share :) And then some family pics. Enjoy!!


I love how she has Daddy's ears :)



Baby food makes me happy!!



She looks so tiny in her big new high chair!!



Daddy & Ava--she looks so much more like him every day



Mommy & Ava

Matt's 100 List

Ok, so I talked Matt into making a "100 Things About Me List" b/c I've become addicted to reading them....so....here's his list:

1. I am loved by God
2. I don't like to shave (and Rachel hates that I don't like to shave)
3. Some days I wear hats b/c I don't have time to wash my hair
4. I hate cingular wireless (fewest dropped calls?? my booty!!)
5. I love Chuys
6. I love creamy jalapeno
7. I have the privilege of pastoring the coolest students on the planet
8. I am a coffee snob
9. I am not a morning person
10. My wife is a morning person
11. My baby is also a morning person
12. I am outnumbered in the morning
13. I love urban outfitters
14. I often struggle with being who I am vs. being who I think people want me to be
15. I don't read my Bible enough
16. I want to spend more time in quiet places with God
17. I'm afraid of failure
18. I like to read
19. I'm going to be up until 1am trying to finish this list
20. My favorite part of the day is getting Ava out of her crib in the morning
21. I love my family
22. I don't like cutting the grass
23. I hate the dentist
24. If I had the $ I'd have all my teeth pulled & have fake ones put in
25. I like Germany
26. I like buying clothes in Europe
27. I can talk to thousands of teenagers at one time & it doesn't bother me
28. I get nervous speaking to a group of 5
29. I don't have a colon
30. I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease when I was 14
31. I work at an amazing church
32. Sometimes I miss being a kid
33. I like thrift store shopping
34. I'm married to the greatest woman in the world
35. I'm married to the greatest mom in the world (she's the same one as #34...just in case you thought I was a polygimist or something)
36. I feel very unqualified for my job
37. I have an ostomy bag
38. I hate meetings
39. I worry about things a lot
40. I'm selective in how I trust God
41. I wish I could write music & sing
42. I love my cat Oliver
43. When Ava laughs it makes me smile
44. I don't believe in purgatory
45. If there were purgatory, I'm pretty sure people there move from state to state all the time
46. I have a new fascination with Pei Wei
47. I really want a Mac iBook
48. I think the only reason I want a Mac iBook is so that people will think I'm cool
49. I love the church of Jesus Christ
50. Sometimes, though, the church gets on my nerves
51. My hollywood crush is Sandra Bullock
52. My glasses are always dirty
53. I like history
54. If I could talk to anyone from history i think I would pick Martin Luther (not King)
55. I love to travel
56. I want to take a month and travel Europe someday
57. My wife and I really want to adopt a couple of kids from different places
58. I think racism makes God sad
59. I love coldplay and wish I could see them live someday
60. I love skittles, but only the red and purple ones...I throw the other ones away (this is not racism--it's skittlism....and then rachel get's mad at me, b/c her favorites are the ones that I just threw away)
61. I am a people person
62. I am perfectly ok though spending time alone
63. I work with the most amazing and creative people in the world
64. I don't fix things around the house very well
65. My brother is one of my favorite people to spend time with
66. I love hitting the snooze button in the morning
67. trash day ticks me off because I have to get up early
68. I believe Ava Marie Setliffe is the cutest little girl on the face of the planet
69. I think Ava could be a baby gap model
70. Before Ava was born I was worried she may look like an alien (like many newborns do)
71. Sometimes I think too highly of myself
72. Sometimes I think too lowly of myself
73. Chai tea lattes make me smile
74. I hate how i always feel like I'm never caught up at work
75. I fear becoming comfortable and not caring about those who are less fortunate
76. Kindergarten was great b/c we had nap time
77. I think nap time should be instituted in all workplaces
78. I'm getting really tired now
79. My wife comes to me for fashion advice
80. Sometimes I wish I were rich
81. I don't think God would let me have alot of money at this point in my life, bc/ I would probobly not be wise with it
82. I believe joy cannot be bought
83. I believe the American Dream is a lie
84. I would like to grow my hair long, but I think I'd look stupid
85. I am an all-around messy person
86. My wife and I are polar opposites, and we make a good team
87. sitting still too long drives me crazy
88. unmotivated people drive me crazy
89. I live with the 2 most beautiful ladies in the world
90. sometimes i look at Ava and wonder what she will look like in 20 years
91. I would die for my family
92. I probobly don't call my family in TN enough
93. I think I had a great childhood
94. My wife is my best friend
95. My wife is my greatest source of encouragement
96. I love spending the day with my family
97. blueberry cake donuts rock
98. I have to get up really early tommorrow
99. I can't decide between "A Time To Kill" or "Shawshank Redemption" as my all-time favorite movie
100. I am going to bed now

Pics

Hey! I was going to write a little update, but Ava is reminding me that she is starving (quite loudly in fact!!) so I'm going to just post some pictures. I'll update soon :)


Mama & Ava



A pic from my cell phone camera--not the best quality, but the subject sure is cute :)



Another cell phone pic--she's starting to sit up when she has support behind her back!



Her "what are you thinking Mom??" look



Ava with my grandpappie :) I think they kind of look alike!!



I love this picture



Her eyes melt my heart

100 Things About Me

My friend Jamie (iveyfamily.blogspot.com) did this on her blog & it really got me thinking. I wonder if I can come up with 100 things about me. Last night I couldn't sleep, so I started making my list. Here I go....let's see if I can do it.

1. Jesus loves me
2. I don't understand why Jesus loves me
3. I am married to my best friend
4. My daughter's smile just about makes my heart stop
5. I like striped socks
6. I just realized that I don't know how to spell striped :)
7. I make the bed every night right before I get in it
8. There is an artist living inside of me, but she is trapped
9. I am afraid of too many things
10. I love the smell of pumpkin
11. One of my favorite childhood memories is catching fireflies at Devil's Lake
12. I really don't like fish
13. I have wanted an orange cat named Oliver my whole life--and now I have him
14. I love that Ava got her nose from me
15. I get really nervous when I meet new people
16. I think that Jane Austen is the greatest writer of all time
17. Well, somedays I think that Roald Dahl is the greatest writer of all time
18. Chocolate covered cherries make me throw up
19. I feel very insecure about my body--why is it so hard to lose weight?
20. I am married to the greatest youth pastor the world has ever seen
21. If I wouldn't gain 1200 pounds I would eat Mexican food at every meal
22. I have obsessive compulsive tendencies
23. For example...I eat my skittles by color & least favorite to favorite and I go in a circle. I eat purple, green, red, orange, yellow. Then I start over until they're all gone & my last bite is yellow--b/c it's my favorite.
24. Matt hates yellow skittles so we make a great team
25. I still check under the bed for monsters when Matt is out of town
26. I love Gilmore Girls--a little too much really--sometimes I even feel like they're my friends
27. My two longest friendships are with Erin & Aprile--12 years
28. I break out into a cold sweat when I have to make a phone call. Don't ask me why...
29. My parents are my heroes
30. I still sleep with a yellow puffalump monkey named Nanners. If he falls on the floor I wake up
31. I've caught Matt snuggling with Nanners in the morning
32. I'm jealous of Ava's eyelashes
33. I am a neat freak but I don't really know how to keep things neat
34. I don't enjoy cooking, but I could spend the whole day watching the Food Network
35. I am a procrastinator
36. I miss shopping for school supplies
37. I was born in Flint, Michigan
38. I think my dad is a brilliant man
39. I am a clutz--I fall down in the grocery store all the time
40. No one has ever seen me fall down in the grocery store, so no one believes me
41. My favorite song today is Black Horse & A Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall
42. If I ever figure skated at the Olympics I would skate to It's a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
43. My favorite day I've ever had was the second day of my honeymoon where we walked the pier in Monterey.
44. Ava's birth ties #43
45. I'm afraid sometimes that I don't love God enough to be a good mommy
46. My favorite color is green
47. I hate riding in convertible
48. I love that Ava is so excited to see me in the morning
49. I wish I was a late night person so I could stay up with Matt longer
50. I'm afraid I can't come up with 50 more things
51. I love antique stores...everything about them...the smell, the history, the fascinating people that work there
52. I have been fighting acne for 15 years
53. Roaches scare the pee out of me
54. I wash my hands at least 30 times a day
55. Blueberries are my new addiction
56. I miss being a kid
57. I met Matt on the first day of college
58. I fell in love with Matt before I even met him
59. Matt is the cutest boy I've ever seen
60. I miss Jamie, Ginger & Maris every day
61. I love to decorate my house
62. I hope that someday I can finish seminary
63. I don't feel as brave as I used to
64. Somedays when things get really hard I find myself looking for flights to Florida so I can be around people that really love me & know me
65. I fight the ugly monster of perfectionism every day
66. My favorite kind of ice cream is butter pecan, but no one else likes it, so I've had to revert to mint chocolate chip when I share a gallon with someone
67. I wish I could eat an entire gallon of ice cream by myself without feeling guilty
68. I think about the baby we're hoping to adopt every day...actually every 5 minutes or so
69. I hate how shy I am
70. My friend Virginia inspires me to be creative
71. I didn't think that moving to Texas would be so hard
72. Sometimes I actually start to think that I'm a good singer
73. I wish I read my Bible more than I do
74. I love that in Victorian times it was a sign of prosperity and wealth to be pasty white and fat
75. Sometimes I think more highly of myself than I should
76. Sometimes I think more lowly of myself than I should
77. I enjoy scrapbook--but only with friends b/c I'm a copycat
78. I love cuban food
79. I still wish upon stars
80. My hollywood boyfriend is Sean Connery as James Bond
81. My other hollywood boyfriend is Brad Pitt in Oceans 11
82. I still love it when Matt holds my hand
83. I could stay at my house every day for a week and be perfectly content
84. I love clean sheets
85. I like the color of my eyes
86. One of my favorite parts of the day is opening all the blinds in the morning
87. I struggle with my prayer life
88. I would rather eat dog food than put on a bathing suit
89. I stole a piece of candy from the store when I was 5
90. I wish that Matt had been my first kiss
91. I love having a sister...I wish she lived next door to me
92. I want to learn to be a photographer--I'm thinking about taking some classes
93. I'm terrible at math
94. I love black furniture
95. I miss season 1 of Alias
96. I call my Mom almost every day
97. I love that Ava's birthday is 02/26/2006--it seems magical to me
98. I tend to be fake sometimes
99. My favorite Roald Dahl book is The BFG
100. I'm proud of myself for doing this

Wow--I did it :) Ok, you're probably all bored to death, but it was just something I had to do. Thanks for the idea Jamie. You should all try this--it's actually kind of fun and therapeutic! Have a good Monday....

Man Against The Mosquito....

Ok, I've decided to start a club. It is time to unite.....We must fight the powers of darkness.....And blood sucking little yucky bugs. My new club is called man against the mosquito. Why might I be doing this? Because I hate them. They make my life miserable. They love me and my blood (which by the way must be made of sweet tea or something). The other night I went outside to talk to my new neighbor for no more than 10 minutes. The next morning I woke up with over 50 bites on one leg--and that was just from the knee down. I look like I have the chicken pox. And then I had some sort of reaction & my ankles got all swollen & then I started having pregnancy flashbacks. I am so itchy right now, it's not even funny. And of course Matt & Ava walked away unscathed. Not a bite on them. So I ask you to consider joining my club. It's time to stand up & fight. Grab your cans of Off & let's go to war....
Ok, and here's some cute pictures of Ava :)



Daddy & Ava--eating her dress



Just lounging & getting her diaper changed :)



Up close & personal

Life In The Great State of Texas....

Hey friends :) I can't even tell you how great it is to finally have a computer again. It's sad how attached I've gotten to technology! We have been in Texas now for exactly one month! It has been a fun, crazy, completely stressful ride so far, but we're loving it! Matt is really enjoying his new job--he feels so blessed, humbled & overwhelmed that God has called him to such a huge task. The church has been so sweet to us--we feel like we've definitely found a church family--not just a church. He has been super busy trying to get everything ready for the fall--which kicks off next Sunday as the kids promote to their new grades. More good news--God has brought Matt an Associate--a guy named Grant that we knew at HBU. He is a great leader & friend, and it's as if him & Matt are soul-mates (ministerially speaking ha ha!!). They get along so well, and share the same passion & love for students. We're so excited that the team is complete & now we can move ahead!
Ava is doing so many new things!! She's getting so big & cute. She's been rolling over from her back to her belly for a month now. She could roll across the whole floor if we'd let her--she's definitely a mover!! And she started eating rice cereal a couple of weeks ago & loves eating out of a spoon. I get all sappy every time I feed her though, b/c I'm like--are you really old enough for this???? Where has all the time gone? She sat up on her own for about 10 seconds yesterday, so she'll probably be doing that soon too! And she's starting to teethe, so she's pretty fussy sometimes & she chews on EVERYTHING & drools on EVERYTHING!!! We are so crazy in love with that little girl though. I can't even put into words my joy & excitement to spend my life with her. She is the sweetest gift....
I've been busy putting the house together slowly but surely. It's starting to come together & really feel like home--so that's comforting :) I have some friends coming over to help me paint tomorrow--yeah!! As soon as we get that done I'll post some pictures. I'm starting to make some good friends here, but I definitely miss my Murfreesboro girls! I'm really enjoying being a stay at home mom--it's the greatest job on earth.
Hope you're all doing good. Here are some pictures from the last month. I'll post some more over the next few days, so stay tuned!


My favorite new picture--I think she's a perfect mix of Matt & I. I love that smile :)



Such a happy little baby :)



Matt went out of town for a week & let me get season 4 of Gilmore Girls (I love him!!) Ava & I were both very happy girls :) We like to call ourselves the Setliffe Girls!!



The face says it all



She is the happiest baby in the morning--I love it!! Another morning person in our house--sorrry Daddy!!



With Auntie Em at our Murbach family "Good-bye Weekend" in Nashville. I think Ava looks a lot like Emily.



With her favorite chew toy--teething!!!



With Jamie & Deacon--Ava's future husband :)



Ok--I can't for the life of me figure out how to flip this picture, so just turn your head--I think it's so cute!

The Joys of Home Ownership :)

Hello all. Sorry it's been so long since my last post. We have been out of town almost non-stop since May! We are in the middle of our move now--stuck in limbo in the great state of Louisiana. We were supposed to close on our new house in Texas last Friday, but here it is Tuesday, and still no luck!! We are scheduled to close Thursday now, but they are saying it could be Friday. It has been a crazy process for us. The last batch of mistakes happened b/c our insurance lady used the wrong font on one line of our entire set of documents & they said it looked fradulent........SO......here we are--homeless still. Thankfully my Aunt & her family in Louisiana took us in for the week. We're hoping our stuff doesn't get to Houston before we get closed on our house! Thankfully, we're almost done with all of this & we'll be able to move in & settle in our new home! We can't wait :)
So much has happened in the last few weeks and I can't wait to share all of it with you--but I'm sharing a computer with 9 other people right now, so I have to go. I also don't have a way to post pictures yet, but as soon as I can, I'll post some new ones! Love you all & can't wait to write you from our new home!!