Checking In

Hello all! I just wanted to drop by and say hello, because I don't really have much else to say. We've been staying busy, but I can't think of any cute, blog-worthy stories at the moment. We are taking Christa to Athens for the first time this weekend to go to the Georgia game, and are very excited. Right now, the forecast looks like it's going to be too hot to let Christa come to the game with us, but maybe that will change between now and then. I promise cute football pictures next week :)
Oh, I do have one piece of semi-interesting news. Christa is about to start walking. She can stand for a long time by herself, and she can even squat down in a very controlled way to a crawling position. She's also decided that it's not so bad to hold Mommy's hands and walk around that way. I think she'll be taking off any day now. Hmmm... I probably have some work to do in the baby-proofing arena.
Alright, well, I realize this post should probably go down in history as one of the lamest posts ever, but I've got nothing at the moment. Apologies!

Silly Old Bear

Hello again! I decided not to keep my public waiting a full week this time - be proud! Thank you to everyone who participated in my little experiment! You guys left some very funny and entertaining comments, and the next time I start to feel a little down on myself for some reason, I'll just come back to that post. And thank you, Kimberly, for airing my not-so-fresh laundry on the internet :) Actually, there is a very funny story on how Kimberly and I came to be great friends that I will have to share sometime.
Christa, or "bear" as we call her along with another several nicknames (poor thing is probably confused about what her name actually is) showed a particularly quirky side of herself tonight at dinner. We were invited to join some of the family at the local Mexican restaurant and happily accepted. I ordered Christa a taco and plate of beans, which she usually loves - especially the beans. She ate a little taco, but wasn't as excited about the beans as she usually is. I couldn't figure out why, but didn't dwell on it too much and continued to offer her other choices from the table. She kept pointing at the food, but refused everything I tried to give her and became increasingly fussy. I finally gave up, and held her on my lap while I tried to eat a few bites. She continued pointing, so I tried the beans again with the spoon we'd been using. She pushed it away and shook her head. I tried some of my rice and got the same response. I handed her a chip, which is usually a shoe-in, and nothing seemed to work. I tried the beans with the spoon one more time, since they're usually her favorite, and then gave up. I decided that I just wouldn't be able to make her happy, and proceeded to enjoy my own meal. As I took a bite of my rice with my fork, she gestured. I offered her some rice, and was greeted with the same frustrated head-shaking. Then, a crazy idea popped into my head: surely we aren't going to all this trouble because Christa wants her beans fed to her with a fork instead of a spoon... lets try it and see what happens.
Sure enough, Christa happily accepted the bite of "fork beans" into her mouth. And then another bite. And then another. Thinking that it's crazy that my 13 month old would be so picky as to eat beans with a fork but not a spoon, I switched back to the spoon just to see what she would do. After a bite, she began shaking her head and refusing the food again. I switched back to the fork, and she proceeded to eat the entire plate of beans.
I shouldn't be too surprised at this. I discovered a few weeks ago that she will eat fruit if I give it to her whole, but not if I cut it into small pieces. And she will eat yogurt from the carton, but not from a bowl. And she will drink water from a straw cup, but not any kind of juice. And she will drink milk from her bottle but not from her straw cup.
I'm starting to wonder if she has a touch of OCD! Now, if I could only figure out the trick for getting her to eat some veggies...

Please Pray for Joseph

Hello all. I come today with sad news. I just received an e-mail that there is a little boy in Nashville, named Joseph, who is dying of a brain tumor and is not expected to live more than a few days. His father was a resident in pediatrics at Emory with my sister-in-law, Bethany, until Joseph was diagnosed last fall. I can not imagine what this family must be going through right now. Joseph is home with his family right now, and they are doing their best to keep him comfortable. They are a Christian family, and I imagine they can use every prayer for peace and comfort that they can get. They keep a blog at www.prayforjoseph.blogspot.com if you'd like to read more about their story or leave them a note. Thank you for your prayers.

Zoo Days and a Little Experiment

Hello again!! Here are some recent pictures from our trip to the Zoo last week. My sister-in-law is off work for a couple of weeks so we decided to take our kids to the Atlanta Zoo, and had a blast!!

All ready for a fun day of learning animal sounds! Unfortunately, the animals were pretty quiet today, but we still got to see them.

Here's Christa by the Willie B. statue. She was a little frightened by him, but posed for the picture while I made monkey sounds.

Having a great time looking at... some animal that I can't remember the name of. It looked kind of like a raccoon. Any ideas, internet friends?? I'm hoping to print the pictures and label them as a learning activity, and I got good ones of these furry (lemur??) creatures (not pictured here).

Can't remember this adorable fellow's name at the moment, but he posed wonderfully for us and played ball with the kids on the other side of the protective glass.

My little Bear!

We are doing quite well, and our schedule is filling up fast. I bit the bullet and decided that the last of this post-baby-weight isn't coming off by itself, so I joined a gym. That's right - it was painful and agonizing, but I am actually (deep breath in) e-n-j-o-y-i-n-g it. Well, I'm enjoying the socializing that comes twice a week from my class, anyway, and the sore muscles the day after! Also, we are starting a Kindermusik class this week (thanks for that great idea, Shanda!) Christa loves interactive songs and chants, and I think this will be a great way for both of us to get more connected to the community. Speaking of which, we are really loving our new town! (But we still miss you, Augusta friends!). I used to think I was a big city girl, but I really do prefer living in smaller towns.

Alright, here comes the experiment part. Let me start it by saying that you can all thank Lurker for this post! I was not planning on writing today, but Lurker correctly pointed out that it has been nearly a week, and I happened to receive this comment at a time that was good for blogging! Lurker (and a few other readers) also sparked a little curiosity as to who exactly reads this blog. So, I need a favor from you if you will take a couple of minutes. Will you please leave an anonymous comment on this post saying "I read this blog; it's the highlight of my day, and I don't know what I would do without it. Jessica, you are such an amazing writer and inspiring person... " OK, maybe that's a little carried away :) Seriously, leave a comment (you do NOT have to de-lurk - an anonymous comment will do) stating, "I read this blog and I am one of the following:
- a friend or acquaintance (past or present)
- a family member
- a friend of a friend or someone who doesn't actually know us, but has a reasonably direct connection
- a complete stranger
- other (insert appropriate words)

If you are a complete stranger, could I trouble you to also include how you found this blog??
That would be fabulous!! If you can not figure out how to leave a comment, an e-mail will do as well. I'll eagerly await the hundreds of comments that are sure to pour in now :) No, the reason for this experiment is that I have received a few communications recently from people who I don't immediately recognize. I am thrilled that people are interested in what I have to say, and welcome all readers!! Plus, lets face it, it's pretty fun to try and figure you people out! But I do go back and forth continuously on how public to make this blog, because while part of me would be flattered to have hundreds of comments on each post, the paranoid, OCD part wants to make sure that this is a safe place for me to share my thoughts. I realize that if there is some crazy, stalkerish person reading this (I can't imagine why - we're really a waste of time), then that person is likely not going to participate. But I'm curious, nonetheless, so humor me, won't you?? (Justin, I know what you're thinking - don't do it).

Alright, I'll try to post a little sooner next time. Margaret Anne, I will get some pictures of the kitchen and yard very soon!

It Was the Best of Times; It Was the Worst of Times

Hello all! I want to tell you a story tonight that got me thinking a little bit. Have you ever had one of those moments that seems very small and insignificant, but when you think about it a little more, you see a valuable lesson in it? My high school English teacher called them "ah-ha moments." I had an "ah-ha moment" tonight, and I want to share it with you. Here it goes... true story.

About two years ago Cline and I joined the rest of the Jacksons at a great Cajun restaurant in Atlanta called Papadeaux. It's a very tasty restaurant, and a bit nicer than the ones we usually eat at. But the family was enjoying a rare day together, and that is where everyone wanted to go, so we splurged. I had been to this restaurant maybe once as a child, but hardly remembered it. The meal started off well. We laughed and talked as we do whenever we get together. I mentally argued with myself about whether or not to get sweet tea, which I very much wanted. However, Cline and I had been trying to get pregnant for several months at that time, and I had high hopes that this was the month. I didn't want to do ANYTHING that might jeapordize things and force me to wait a whole 28 more long, agonizing days for this dream to materialize. I ordered my sewage, tasteless nothing, water and excused myself to use the restroom while we waited for our food. As I prepared to answer nature's call, I quickly realized that this was not the month I would be getting that happy, positive pregnancy test (which I had become convinced that my body was physically incapable of producing). I was devastated, as I had been every month prior to that one, and Satan quickly started whispering things like you're never going to be a Mommy and you can pray and hope all you want to, but it's not going to work into my fragile, heart-broken mind. I composed myself, and returned to the table, trying with all of my might to pretend everything was alright. I immediately ordered and guzzled a large glass of sweet tea. Despite my efforts, the rest of the meal was pretty miserable, and I couldn't wait to get to the car so that I could cry and talk things out with Cline.

Fast forward two years. Tonight, we took Cline's brother to the airport. Since we were already in Atlanta, and it was close to dinnertime, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice meal that was not so easily accessible during normal evenings. We discussed several options, and decided on... that's right, Papadeaux. I had not been to this restaurant since that day two years ago. As we entered through the doors, I briefly remembered the not-so-great experience from before, but quickly turned my attention to the tasty food, not giving deeper matters another thought. Cline, Christa, and I enjoyed a delicious meal together, and I downed about 6 glasses of sweet tea without the slightest hesitation. As we were packing up to leave, two kind women at the table next to ours commented on how cute and well-behaved Christa was. We immediately credited our amazing parenting skills, our keen sense of toddler-fashion, pure luck and the Lord's blessing that we do, indeed, have such an enjoyable daughter. They gushed a little more, and as they proceeded to compliment her, my mind immediately compared that proud and joyous moment with the sad and frustrated one two years ago. I mentally thanked God for the wonderful blessing that is my child, and for a few moments, I sat in awe of God's perfect timing for our life. I remembered, as I have many times, that if I had been pregnant that month, or any of the other months I screamed and threw things because life didn't seem to be going my way, then I wouldn't have Christa today - precious, perfect, Christa.

Just over a month ago, our family took a miserable and depressing trip to Myrtle Beach after receiving some shocking and devastating news. A few of you have been nice enough to e-mail me and ask for an update, so here it is. I had the miscarriage the weekend before last. It was quite the unpleasant experience. In fact, as I laid on our bed writhing in pain, begging Cline for an epidural or a strong whack to the head, whichever could be delivered faster, I began to rethink our decision not to have the D&C. But, like all things, the pain subsided after an eternity, an era, a couple of hours. I still have to do some very minor testing in a few weeks to be absolutely certain that my body has returned to normal, but I've essentially been cleared medically. Emotionally, we are doing fine. There is a void in our family now, and a baby (girl, we guessed) will always be missing. But in that void is God's love and peace, and He is taking good care of us. We are enjoying the many gifts in our life, and looking forward to whatever good and perfect things are in store for us. And maybe, just maybe, not too many years from now, our family will return to Myrtle Beach with two precious, perfect blessings.

Fish and Tea

Hello all! We had a couple of very fun activities last week! We took one of Cline's off days and went to the Atlanta aquarium for the morning. I highly recommend this activity. Christa loved it!! She cried and kicked every time we left one exhibit, and we had to say "more fish" over and over again to get her to go to the next tank. It was very interesting and child friendly. Food and restrooms were easily accessible at all times; and the food was quite good!



Then on Saturday we went to a tea party for my friend, Kimberly's daughter, in Chattanooga. This tea party was a very sneaky and clever way to throw a shower for a mom who has just had her third child (and also an idea that I might have to steal sometime)! It was very fun, and we had a great time playing with our friends and giving baby Lydia (over at The Tinneys - link to the right) a warm welcome to the world!

This is baby Lydia's older sister, Catherine, who is about 4 months older than Christa. They are politely enjoying afternoon tea banging the delicate cups and throwing the plates on the floor. Note her dress - it's a pillowcase dress that Kimberly's sister-in-law (the creative giver of the shower) made. Baby Lydia also had a matching dress, and they looked adorable! I am going to have to find a way learn this skill for next summer (or see if I can pay off Kimberly's sister-in-law to make me one :).

A Virtual Tour of Our Home

Alright, here are a few pictures of the house. I'll be happy to add some of the yard and porch, but I wasn't sure if people were interested enough for me to go to that effort. Seriously, though, come visit us!! It will motivate me to clean :) Which reminds me - Disclaimer: These pictures will appear to be rooms in the home of a clean, organized family. Do not be deceived! If you drop over unannounced, you will find clutter, dust, and toys that are easily tripped over. These pictures are the result of an entire 2 days of cleaning, and a little secret to be revealed at the end.
(You can double click some of the pictures for a closer look, if you want. I'm not sure why it won't work for all of them.)

This is the family room, or "den" as I've always called it. The lovely lady on the couch is my sister, Alicia. We're hoping to modify the seating arrangements down the road, to provide a little more couch space. And the kitchen. Again, the table is too small for this room (just ask Cline - he's hit his head on that right side light about 50 times :). But it's free and it works for now!

Here is the formal dining room. We could actually make this table bigger right now, but we need to add some support to the additional leaf. This table and china cabinet are antiques that my parents passed down to us when they recently went for a more modern style in their home. I love the pieces, but the table is unique in that it only slides one direction, leaving a very unsymmetrical table when the extra pieces are added. If you look closely, you can see that he base of the table is too far to the left (we have one leaf in the table, and one down in the basement).

Here is the formal living room. I'm debating on what to do with this space, although it will be a while before it's anything more than a mostly empty room. Cline votes for a giant dining table that would comfortably seat our whole family on holidays. My brother-in-law votes for a pool table, but I'm thinking that might not mesh with the wall of windows. I'm thinking library/study motif, but it's kind of nice not having a ton of useless junk out to dust all the time. Any ideas??

And here is the master bedroom. We didn't change the maser bathroom at all, except adding some towel racks, so I didn't include a picture of that. Let me tell you about the bed. We looked all over for bedroom furniture that we could agree on. Cline loves a 4 poster bed, and I like a sleigh style or wainscoting look. (Can you tell who won this debate??) Well, this is a 4-poster bed, which was OK, but not my favorite style. It reminds me of the canopy beds that little girls had in the 80s. So get this - we can remove the posters on this bed, and replace them with wooden caps, which completely changes the style and look into one I love. And, this look has grown on me since the other pieces are so functional for what we need right now!

This is the guest room that you would sleep in if you were to come and visit us!!


Here is Christa's nursery. I have a cabinet at my parent's house to add for all of her dolls, and then I'll put more on her walls - I realize they're a little bare looking right now. I'm also trying to modify her curtains to fit the windows, so that will help, too. There is a very funky smell that comes and goes in her room. We've had the air conditioning vents checked out, so I guess the next step is a carpet shampoo, so I'm waiting to do that until I finish decorating.

Here is Christa's bathroom. It's set up into 2 small rooms - one for the bathtub/toilet and one for the sink. It makes for a tight squeeze. The previous owners had sliding glass doors on the bath, but that made for a very difficult bathing experience for a 1 year old. So we took them down and replaced it with a shower curtain. Actually, I pulled all of these duck pieces from storage bins left over from my college days - I liked ducks then, too. They seem to be Christa's favorite animal, so I guess it was meant to be.


And this is the secret to cleaning a house you've just moved into in 2 days - a bonus room for all the junk that you should throw away need desperately but don't have quite enough time to find a perfect location for. We're in the process of looking for some shelves to help organize this mess!

Hmmm.. Can't Think of a Title

Hello all!! I feel like I haven't blogged in forever, but I looked at the date, and it's been less than a week. Oh well - we have been busy nonetheless (hence the reason I might owe you a phone call, e-mail, thank you note, or other communication effort of some type:) My sister and her husband were in town last week all the way from Dallas, Texas! We had a lot of fun going out to eat, grilling some hot dogs and hamburgers with the family, having some boat fun on the lake, and enjoying some retail therapy during tax free weekend! Which reminds me, I have AWESOME news.... they have a Gymboree OUTLET at the outlet mall 2o minutes down the road. This means I have easy access to a Gymbroee, Carters, Gap kids, Old Navy, Children's Place, and Osh Kosh (ALL OUTLETS!!!) in one easy stop!! These are all my favorite children's stores, and since they don't have any of these stores (except Gap) in my actual town, I was very excited to discover this information on our outing. Also, Christa will be very fashionable in the fall. I just hope she fits into the clothes, because they all look huge on her right now, but I couldn't justfiy buying more 12 month outfits since she has plenty from last year, and I can't imagine she's going to stay this small through the whole winter.

To all you young, fashionable people who are familiar with my new town... where do you shop for your clothes?? Shanda, you always look very nice - where do you find such cute clothes? I have had no luck, and I am in desperate need of some new Fall items. My choices are Gap, which I seem to be in between sizes right now there (this is a good thing - yay), and Talbots, which still seems a little too old-lady-ish for me. Although if enough of you contact me and say Talbots is a young, hip place to go (and more affordable than I've heard), then I'm there. Other than that, we have Belks, which I've never had much luck at, and Ross and Marshalls, which is hit or miss for me.

Anyway, I didn't mean for the clothing talk to be so long. I'm just so excited that my favorite stores for Christa, which I thought I was going to have to live without, are once again accessible! Here are some pictures:

Christa is adjusting to her new surroundings nicely. She will now play with her toys and allow me to do dishes or something without crying.

This is a favorite toy! It's so neat - it has tons of buttons for her to push, and it's set up as a rocker now. But when she gets older, I can turn the wheels around to make a bike. Very cool!

These pictures were taken before we received our Disney Princess Book and Gloworm, but she is loving both of those items as well (and all other gifts that might not have been close enough to make the pics!)

New favorite face - huge smile and squinty eyes. I made this face a lot when I was little, but I was closer to age 3 or 4.

Well, that's it for now. A few people have asked to see pictures of the house "as we have decorated it." I will get those up soon. I have some, but want to get the nursery and Christa's bathroom. The whole house is still a work in progress, and will be for some time, but it's coming together nicely, and we are loving it. If you're able, come and see it!!