Catching Up

I find myself with an hour of quiet, during the last bit of daylight, all to myself. My long list of things to do involves nothing absolutely pressing. And with it being too late to exercise (otherwise I'll never fall asleep when I try to), I have the opportunity at this moment to choose to do absolutely whatever I want for the next hour. And I have chosen you, dear readers, whom I have neglected for the past 7 months. : ) Hello. I've missed you. The following is my attempt at catching you up on the last 7 months. It is fairly raw, and no where near as polished as my posts for you normally are, but in a sense, it kind of reflects where I am these days. Raw, efficient, no-nonsence, grateful, tired, in love, and possibly more dry-humored that ever.

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you've been able to keep up with me a lot better than I've kept up with you. If you don't, then you might not know that back in March we bought our first home and moved to another town right outside of Little Rock. It's a very cute little city that we live in. At times I feel like I'm at Seaside, Florida meets Silverthorne, Colorado. You'll have to come visit to see what I mean. The first week in this new house was the first time I felt 100% at peace living here in Arkansas, to be completely honest. My prayer is that we will be good stewards of this blessing and that we will leave this city / community / street better than the way we found it. 

In the past 7 months we've learned a lot about ear infections and baby asthma and essential oils and sleep habits and home ownership and time management and emotional management and other people and ourselves and each other. 

David has completely blown me away. I have only ever seen a couple other men work with the same diligence, integrity, and humility that he demonstrates. 

My Maker has poured a supernatural amount of strength into me each morning and then each evening as I put our little one to sleep. Just in the last week she has consistently started only waking once to two times during the night. (Insert clapping hands emoji.)

Honestly, I know we're doing things better now; we've kicked some bad sleep habits and used some sleep training with her. But, I really think it has more to do with her just feeling better. The sweet thing teethed her entire 9th month of life. That 8th tooth moved at a glacial pace. Also, we haven't had an ear infection for so long I would have to look at Instagram and count the days backwards to figure out when she had that last ear washing to tell you how long it's been. So, for now, there are no ear infections, no asthma flare-ups, and no teeth coming in, so she's eating better (which is a whole other thing in itself) which I know has to be helping her sleep better. And this, in turn, helps us sleep better. (Praise the Lord!) 

She free stands now. And she "talks" to the dogs. We bought her a pusher-walker thing over the weekend, and she took to it like a tick on a hound dog. She flips the little things that move around on the front and bounces and twists and moves her hands to the songs.

She loves to laugh. 

She loves music. She always has. 

She loves books and turning the pages all by herself. 

Somehow my little baby turned into a toddler all within the course of a couple weeks.

A couple weeks ago she was barely eating solid food. (Honestly. I'm telling you, it was a whole thing getting her to eat solid foods.) Now she eats more at dinner than I do.  

This morning she got into the fireplace and got soot all over her hands and around her mouth. David and I were laughing about it as I sat her in the sink to wash her off, and she looked at me with a smile, and I saw David's face in that smile. It completely took my breath away. 

David and I are not touchy people. When we take the love languages tests "touch" is always very low for both of us. Ask my family- I've never been a "hugger." 

She loves to hug. She is so affectionate. She hugs her dollies and her stuffed animals, and I just melt every time she hugs my neck. I am now a touch person because my daughter is a touch person. I have grown into it. 

I try not to worry every night when I put her to sleep about what might happen tomorrow. I have to pray about it immediately otherwise we'd never leave our house. What is happening in our world and in our country right now... Satan wants us to be scared. He wants us to stay in our houses. But I refuse to give him that. I lived long enough in fear. So I tell him to go back to Hell and leave my mind alone.

I've asked God a lot of WHY questions in the past 7 months. Sometimes He gives me a response, and sometimes He doesn't. And at both times I'm left asking Him to find me faithful. 

To find me a good steward. 

To find me a good and faithful steward. 

And to give me strength. 

Because I cannot do it all, be it all, know it all, or have it all. 

And that has been a dry piece of humble pie to swallow. 

But, gratefully, I've swallowed it. Because God has been doing a renovation of our hearts and minds here in the Warford house the last 7 months. We are no where near being done. In fact, in the big scheme of things we might only be on the back end of demo day, but I am grateful for the work He is doing here. 

I feel as though in these last couple weeks we finished one chapter of our story and are moving into a new one. And I'm excited about this chapter. Hopefully, I'll be able to check in with you and share more with you about what is going on at the Warford house during this one. 

Until then, 

Lindsay