Summer Dreamin'

I am really trying hard to relish each day, but I have to admit I can hardly wait until school is out and I can revel in the freedom that is summer. Despite the stress of this particular job I don't know of any other job where you can work 9.5 months of the year and get paid for 12. (Although anyone who is a teacher or is married to one knows that we spend hours in our classrooms even during the summer months). I am more thankful than ever for summer vacation.


I can't wait to really get to know my baby girl. I know a lot already: she hates tummy time, although she is now able to lift her head 90 degrees; she loves to chew on everything (her fingers, my hair, car seat straps...); she knows when she is hungry and lets everyone around her know it as well. I have some burning questions of my own though: How long will she sleep in if I don't wake her up at 7:00? If I am home all day will she take a morning, afternoon, and evening nap? Will she be okay eating every four hours instead of three? She is surrounded by people who love her all day long-- Aunt Angela and Natalie, Grammy and Monica, Mommy, and Daddy, but she doesn't have a ton of consistency. I'm so anxious to give her that.




Here are our summer plans:


- Go to school once a week to work in Mommy's classroom.


- Go to the pool


- Play with Natalie and Aunt Angela


- Visit Pappy and Nana Burch in Florida


- Lots of kissing and cuddling


- Strollercising so Mommy can get back in shape

Amirah eating rice cereal for the first time. Another thing we'll need to work on this summer!

My "Bucket List"

After being inspired by my good friend, Erin I have decided to create my own "bucket list."

Here it goes (in no apparent order)...

1. Grow my own vegetables and freeze/can them. My plan is to grow tomotoes and peppers this summer. I am also hoping to freeze corn, strawberry jelly, and applesauce.

2. Travel to South America.

3. I have always wanted to bungee jump before I turned 30, but that is only a month away and seeing as I have a 2 month old at home it doesn't seem like the wisest idea, so I am now chaning that dream to riding in a hot air balloon.

4. Make an office in a closet. They show these all the time in decorating and organizing magazines and I really want to try it.

5. Make a canopy for my bed. Before I do this I want to buy a new bed, as we are sleeping on the same mattress I've had since middle school.

6. Weigh 130 lbs. Right now this seems harder than all the above put together.

7. Finish the book I started this winter. I know this sounds like an easy accomplishment, but it seems that when I have any down time I just want to read magazines because it's less of a committment.

8. Go to Paris. I know it's overrated, but I want to see it for myself. Plus, having a husband that speaks French makes it seem a little more doable.

9. Sleep through the night.

10. Buy $100 worth of groceries for $25 or less.

That sums it up. Some are more attainable than others. I'll let you know how it goes...

My "Relaxing" Massage...

For my graduation present Mom and Dad gave me a gift certificate to Warm Springs Day Spa. That was all the way back in May and I just never got around to using it. It was one of things where you know if you use it you won't have that luxury again for awhile so you just want to save it. Last week I made an appointment for Saturday. I thought I could use a little pampering before returning to school.

At 2:47 my massage began and it was glorious! About 10 minutes into I suddently thought, "Oh no! I have no idea when I last shaved." With having a newborn at home, shaving somehow didn't make it the top of my to-do list. I figured it probably hadn't been more than 2 or 3 days, and that probably wasn't the worst they've seen.

I was able to relax until I thought, "Oh no! I am going to have to turn over and she is going to see that I buy my underwear in packs of five at Target." How embarassing.

As I turned face down and put my head in the hole I willed myself not to drool. For some reason I've been a drooling machine lately. In fact, the other day I took a nap with my adorable baby girl and she woke up with drool on her face. Not hers. Mine! What kind of a mother am I?

I was able to control my drooling, but then another terrible thought crossed my mind... What happens if my breasts start to leak? After all I haven't laid on my stomache in almost a year. First because I was pregnant, and now because breastfeeding has taken over my life.

The next thing you know the massage therapist said, "Okay, Melanie. Thank you. Take your time getting dressed and I'll meet you in the hall." Wait! It's over already? I looked at the clock and sure enough... it was 3:37. Fifty minutes had passed. I think next time I'll use my certificate to get a pedicure. So much less to worry about.

Our Sweet Baby Girl

Nothing could have prepared me for this love I have for Amirah. I love her with a fierce love-- a love different from how I love Ysmaille. I know it is my job to protect her, to intercede for her, to love her unconditionally. Each morning when I pick her up out of her crib my heart melts like I am seeing her for the first time. When she stretches and makes her screeching noise I have to stop what I'm doing just to pick her up and snuggle. It's an impulse I am unable to control. At least once a day I look at Ysmaille and marvel to him about absolutely perfect our little girl is.

When I think about going back to work I am so conflicted. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I can still be a great mom and work full-time, but it is hard to think of someone else seeing her firsts-- first giggle, first roll-over, first steps. I keep thinking that God knows how important that is to me and maybe he'll reserve those moments for a time when I am with her. Whether to stay at home or not is a choice that every mom must make. This was the choice I made and it is the right one for our family. One thing for sure, I will treasure every moment I have with my little princess.

My greatest prayer for her life is that she knows who she is at a young age. Although I want her to be proud of her earthly heritage-- part American, part Haitian, it is even more important to me that she know her place in the Kingdom. I pray daily that she won't have to go through the same struggles as Ysmaille and I did. I want her to be confident in who she is as a child of the Most High. One of the reasons we chose the name Amirah is because it means princess, for she is truly a child of the King!

39 weeks and counting...

Last Thursday the midwife at Keystone told me that I could go anytime. I was 2 cm. dilated and 70% effaced. For those who think that information is TMI please do not ready on, because it only gets worse from here on out. My parents planned a trip to Virginia for that weekend and were nervous to go because it seemed like I could go into labor that weekend. Friday at school I was miserable. I was having Braxton Hicks and my back hurt. Saturday night I lost my mucous plug (I warned you about TMI, didn't I?). I knew labor was imminent by that point and my parents considered cutting their trip early, but I wasn't having any contractions, so they stayed. Well, that was 9 days ago and here I sit. I am now nearly 3 cm. dilated, fully effaced with membranes stripped and still.... nothing!

My bags are packed, my lesson plans are completed, my house is clean (relatively). I am ready. My arms are aching to hold the beautiful baby girl that I have carried in my womb for nine months. We have read to her, sang to her, prayed destiny over her, and now just want to hold her in our arms. The waiting seems so long. The unknown so exciting. Who will she look like? How much will she weigh? Will she have hair? Will her skin be the color of mocha?

Until she decides it is her time, I wait (impatiently) for Amirah to make her presence known. I love you, baby girl!

Thanksgiving Break

I can't believe it's the week of Thanksgiving! I can't even tell you how excited I am to have six (yes, six!) days off in a row. This has been a hectic school year so far and I really need the break. I am planning to spend hours on my favorite pasttime-- puttering. I just love puttering around the house: cleaning, organizing, watching TV, reading magazines, decorating, etc. So fun!

I am also so excited for Christmas! Last night I got out the Christmas decorations. I couldn't resist. As soon as I'm done posting this I am changing into my pj's, lighting a candle, putting in the Christmas music, and putting up my Christmas decorations. Love it! (Secretly, this also my way of avoiding the papers in the corner that should be graded tonight). We are getting our tree on Friday, so then I can finalize the decorations. I guess I'll have to post pictures once I have everything in it's place.

Also, with the arrival of Thanksgiving and Christmas means my due date is right around the corner. January 30 will be here before you know it! My goal was to have the nursery finished by Thanksgiving and I have successfully met that goal. (I guess I should post pictures of that, too) We are so excited for our baby girl to arrive.

Looking Back and Moving Forward....

I've had some "highlights" over the several weeks. Here are the highlights:

• Making applesauce with the help of Mom and Dad. (Really they did most of the work).
• Attending a prophetic conference at World Harvest.
• Having our 2nd ultrasound and hearing the news that Amirah is a healthy baby girl.

With all the busyness of my life I often find it hard to sit down and relax, but I know that I need to treasure each moment. Here is my list of things I'm looking forward to in the next several weeks...

• Reading "Breaking Dawn"-- the fourth book of the Twilight series. I never thought I'd read a series like this, but these books are so entertaining and I love an easy read that I don't have to think about.
• Going to Shepherdstown next week (tentative)
• Making yogurt in the microwave-- I've been wanting to do this for weeks now...