2008 in Review

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?Became the mother of two children.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't really make any. I was pregnant so I couldn't really use lose weight as a resolution.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, my neighbor, Jen had a baby girl, Anna, as did my friend Stephanie, who had Brynlee.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

The only person that I knew personally that died was Mrs. Allen.

5. What countries did you visit?

No over-seas travel for me this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

A flat stomach. Okay, I'll even settle for a semi-flat stomach.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 14, the day my not-so-little-anymore man-child was born.


April 10, the day I left my 20's forever and joined the "adults" in the 30's.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Having and nursing my son.



9. What was your biggest failure?

My personal blog and LazyMom

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I will forever remember The Great Plague of 2008. It wiped out my entire family for 3 straight weeks.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

New Living Room furniture!!!!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My dad! He retired after 30 years! Congratulations to him!!!!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Politicians!!!!

14. Where did most of your money go?

Bills, bills, and more bills.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The ease of delivery with Jackson and the simplicity of nursing him for the past 7 months. AND!!!! How quickly I fit into my skinny jeans after having a baby!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Found, Travis Cotrell (actually the whole cd)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner
c) richer or poorer? The same

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Blogging

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Mindless surfing of the internet

20. How did you spend Christmas?

At home, which is where I hope we spend the holiday next year.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Absolutely!!!  How could I not?!?!


22. What was your favorite TV program?

Heroes, Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No.

24. What was the best book you read?

Just one???

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Agustana, Amos Lee

26. What did you want and get?

A perfectly healthy, beautiful baby and new living room furniture

27. What did you want and not get?

Pre-baby skinny

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Juno (not sure if it came out this year, but I saw it this year)  The Music Man and I watched it the night Jackson was born.  We cuddled together on my hospital bed with the tiny, squishy, bundle of pure bliss slept in our arms.  It was by far the BEST night of 2008 and certainly the BEST movie to watch while laying in a hospital after giving birth.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 30.  I wanted to go to DC for the Cherry Blossom Festival, but it would have been too much walking/waddling for my 9 month pregnant body.  So instead we went to Lancaster.  It was great.  I shopped for the kids (of course! what else does a mom shop for on her birthday?!) We had dinner at the Red Lobster.  A F150 truck fell off a tow truck and smashed my van.  Happy Birthday to me!

  
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

One more day of preschool each week.  Working on that for 2009.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Same, pregnant or not.

32. What kept you sane?

Jesus, my husband, and my mom.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Will Smith.  He's my best friend, you know.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

The terrifying bias of the media regarding the November elections.  They voted in our new president.

35. Who did you miss?

My brother and his family

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Jackson Warner Ball

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

"Look cute" when you go out in public.  Your family will thank you, even the little ones.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I'm Over by Travis Cottrell

"I lived so long in darkness.

 Fighting all I believe.

 I've questioned everything you are.

 But faithful as the morning star you never leave.

Oh, I'm over living life in fear and doubt. 

Oh, I'm over. I won't resist the One I can't live without.

I'm over.

I don't know why you chose me,

Knowing I would be weak.

Just as I am torn apart,

You run to me with open arms and hold me.

Oh, I'm over living life in fear and doubt. 

Oh, I'm over. I won't resist the One I can't live without.

And I know You love me even when it's hard to see.

I'll follow and chose to say I'm over.

You never said it would be easy,

But you promised that you'd stay.

You give me rest.

You will be here with me.

You'll never walk away.

I'm over.

Fighting.

Doubting.

Losing.

Drowning.

Running.

Fearing.

Oh, I'm over living life in fear and doubt. 

Oh, I'm over. I won't resist the One I can't live without.

And I know You love me even when it's hard to see.

I'll follow and chose to say I'm over.

39.  2008 in one word.

Jackson

40. Hope for 2009.

To enjoy each day as it comes.  To live life to its very fullest.  To please my husband.  To embrace the pure bliss that is being a mother.  To be a better person.

Hitting the Wall

I know I told you that I would write a Birthday Week Wrap-up on Saturday, but if you take a look at this, you'll know why that never happened.  It's on my list of things to do, so maybe in the next week(s) I'll get to it, but I can't guarantee any promptness.

I Was Just Thinking...

...and I know how dangerous that can be, but some of my greatest ideas come to me out of the blue like that.  

But I was thinking about this blog and all my friends that read my ramblings on a regular basis.  I wonder, though, how many of you know that I also write regularly on a fun site for moms.  My girlfriend and I started it last summer after a hilarious conversation about what it means to be a lazy mom.  

So I decided I'd write about it here to let you know about it.  It's called I'm A Lazy Mom.  (Creative, right?)  My girlfriends has three kids, her youngest is my oldest's age.  She gives tons of genius tips for lazymoms as well as hilarious anecdotes of a mom's life.  I have been writing mainly about my pregnancy lately and about amazing products I've recently discovered.  This site is for all moms.  It's our desire to encourage and build them up on a daily basis, while offering practical ways to make life easier for them.  

Take a few minutes, and join us for a cup of tea.  Bookmark our blog and be sure to check back often.  Coming soon: GIVEAWAYS!!!

It's a Good Thing I'm Pregnant

Have you ever woken up with the distinct feeling that perhaps today is the day your family won't need you any longer? I didn't wake up that way this morning, but maybe if I had I would have been more prepared for what happened while I was making lunch.

I was making Tortilla soup for the family (a terribly simple rainy-day meal), but my independent 3 year old really, really wanted a tuna salad sandwich. (I didn't sleep well last night due to the NON-STOP dreaming of those dumb people trying to get away from the Others and off the island) so I was a bit crabby and didn't have a fight in me.  So I said, "Sure. Why not."  But then she insisted on making it all by herself.  So again, I said, "Sure. Why not."  I helped her a bit with opening the can and scooping out the mayo, but she really did the rest on her own.  Then she got the bread out and slapped some tuna on it.  Before I knew what was happening she had eaten half of her sandwich.  

It was at this point that I began to realize how easily she did that for herself.  Then I panicked further realizing that by doing it herself, she didn't need me.  Oh!!  The agony of realization!!!  Don't get me wrong.  I am a lazymom through and through, and I have been training her whole life for this very moment, but when it finally came, it took me by surprise.

Then I looked down and remembered I'm pregnant and starting all over with a helpless babe.  Phew!  That was a close call.  

This is Me.

I'm Melis, and this is me in a nutshell:

I grew up in Wisconsin. Lived there for 18 years (except for a 2-year stint in Indiana) before heading off to Bible College in Minnesota. I thought I would meet my husband there, but that was not the case. I actually met him when I went home for the summer after my first senior year.

This is my man 3 weeks before we met. Hot, right?, except for that blasted 'stache! I met my man in 2000 when he came on staff at my home church as the Worship Pastor.  We got married the next summer and we stayed in WI for the next 5 years. 

Along the way I had a girl-child and finally moved from my hometown to the East Coast. I quickly discovered that I was meant to live on the coast. I love, love, love living here and hope to never leave. Over the past two years I've been pregnant 3 times with only one of those ending with a baby in my arms. The man-child was born this past spring.  I have been blessed to be at home with my children since before my oldest was born.  God has been very good to us along the way. 

Every once and a while I'll get an hour here or there when I get to step away from my role as Mommy, Wife, or Pastor's Wife and I get to just be Me.  During those precious moments I like to read, write (blog), hang with my girls doing whatever--coffee, shopping, movies, spa days, anything.  I'm a blog junky!  I love to read them, write them, wish I could design them (anyone want to help me???).  I contribute to the coolest Mommy blog out there.  It's called I'm a Lazy Mom and is based on the idea that being a lazy mom is preferable to being a crazy mom.  I would love to write for more blogs.  Maybe someday someone will even pay be a bit for posting.  Oh and don't even get me started on my full-blown addiction to Facebook.  I had a fleeting fling with Twitter, but now it's all Facebook.

One of my greatest passions in life is seeing women find wholeness and healing through an honest relationship with God and with one another.  I serve my local company of women through the Exectutive Board of Destination: excellence, an exciting cutting edge ministry to women.  

I have a great many dreams of future ministry and life.  I would love someday to write a book or books.  I'd also love to travel and speak into the lives of women.  In the meantime I am just enjoying everyday life with the most amazing family and friends!  I absolutely love my life.  I love my rockin' little family more than anything in this world.  We are simply the coolest group of people you will ever meet and my highest priority in life, second only to my relationship with Jesus.

So that's me.  In a nutshell.  I hope you'll come back often.  I love you.  You are a most precious creation of a loving God.