Weekend

I spent the weekend scrapbooking, which I find so much fun. Looking back at the pictures of Eli when he was so little. Each page is a walk down memory lane for me. I never realized though that Eli would enjoy them. As I was working on finishing a page tonight, Eli kept trying to look at the pages of his scrapbook. He is so very excited to see himself in the book, along with da-da. When I was finished with what I was doing, he wanted to look at the whole scrapbook(which isn't very much, this one only has 3 pages).

It is amazing how much Eli is changing. The difference from when he was born until now is crazy. It doesn't even look like him. He is getting cuter each and every day.

I am so glad that I have commited to doing these scrapbooks for Eli. He will have all of the memories in a physical presence. Something tangible that he can keep for the rest of his life, something he can share with his kids. It is wonderful to know that if something ever happened to me, Eli would still have something special that I did for him.

I love doing this for my family. Each page of each scrapbook(Eli has 4 so far) is a little piece of me that I can share with him.

Snow Day

My first real snow storm since we moved to TN started yesterday morning. It started snowing after 9 yesterday, and didn't stop until late last night, when the sleet started. The snow shut down the entire city. Daycares closed. All the schools closed the night before, when it hadn't even started snowing. Even restaurants were closed yesterday and today. We probably got 3-4 inches.

In Michigan, this wouldn't even have phased us. I am continually amazed at the differences between the two states. It is only 500 miles away, but it feels like a whole different world.

Church is closed tomorrow, and I am sort of excited. I can't wait to take Eli out in the snow tomorrow, I want to make a snowman, and throw snow balls with my baby, in the first REAL snow he has ever seen.

I love all the new experiences with Eli. I love watching his face as he sees and experiences things for the very first time. I love being a mom.

Motivation

I am finally going to lose weight. I started working out today, 30 minutes on the treadmill doesn't seem like alot, but I thought I was going to die. I need to lose weight for so many reasons, most of all for my family.

I don't want my son to be overweight. I don't want him to go through what I went through when I was a kid. I don't want him to be unhealthy.

I want to have the energy to play with him all day, and not be totally worn out. I want to teach him healthy habits, to eat healthy and be active. I love him so much.

I want another baby, but with all I went through when I was pregnant with Eli, I can't bear to go through that again. Especially with a rambuncious toddler. Unless I lose a significant amount of weight my pregnancies will get continually worse.

Last, and probably least, I want to do this for me. I want to be thin, I want to believe that I am beautiful. I want to look in the mirror for the first time, and like what I see. I want to shop at the mall, in regular stores. I want to spend money on an outfit because they are brand name, not because they are plus-size. I want to be happy with me, so I can show my son how to love himself.

Every day...

the same.

Sometimes I feel like my life is boring, nothing new or exciting. Then something happens to show me that each day is new and exciting. My son is 21 months old, and thinks he is the cutest kid ever. He has the most adorable way of saying hello. "elo" with his head tilted just so.

God is reminding me that what I do is important. Even though I am JUST a stay at home mom, I am affecting my child. When I have a bad day, so does he. He wants to do everything that I do. It is amazing to see that I have an affect on someone else.

I have felt very unnecessary lately until God showed me this. God is amazing in His timing.