No man will know.

I LOVE weekends. Even though I am a stay at home mom, often with no plans, I still love the weekends. It means I get to hang out with awesome people, who are usually working. ;) The last 2 weekends have been especially awesome. I love what friends we have, and the new ones we are making. I also love being able to hang out with my awesome family of course. Last night Craig and I had a babysitter and were out with people till almost midnight, which NEVER happens. We go out, sure, but usually come back pretty early. Midnight is late for us. Ha. Things have changed.

So, i started on a good note. Sad note: my cat is LOST. :( Lately, I have been letting her outside in the back yard to explore and play a bit. Not every day, and she usually is back at the door pretty quickly wanting back in. Last week I noticed a flea, and was not too happy about it. Long story short, we decided to let her out until we figured out how to treat it, or for good if she really seemed to like it. We figured we would just hear her crying at the back door until we let her back in. I just really dont want bugs in my house, and in the space that Annabelle crawls and plays. gross. But, she escaped. Everyone said she would probably come right back, and since I see random cats in and out of our yard all the time, I also figured she would. NOPE. Its been like 5 days or something. I miss her, and I want her to come home and i am not sure she ever will. sad. :(


So no RAPTURE huh? No man will know...

Matthew 24:36-44 (New American Standard Bible)

36"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

37"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.

38"For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

39and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

40"Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.

41"Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
Be Ready for His Coming
42"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

43"But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

44"For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

I saw THIS story on a couple other blogs, and also wanted to share it. So Sweet.

capturing moments.

It's a good thing my phone takes pictures. No lie, there are over 600 pics on it. Since about Christmas time. I want to take pictures of everything Annabelle does. Here are a few recents for ya:
She totally fell asleep like this. Like I explained in the last post, she gets a little goofy and playful sometimes before falling asleep. I guess she just pooped out sort of sitting up.

Park with daddy. Can't you just hear how happy her daddy makes her?!?!?


Rainy days dont happen enough around here. We enjoyed watching it through the window!

SERIOUS cuteness in this house!

Well, Can it?

Today, I planned on updating since its been a couple weeks. I was going to write this one liner, " I never knew having a child would be this awesome." The end. Before I was going to sit down and write, I was putting Annabelle down for a nap. Getting her to go to sleep these days is often a little more of a task than it once was. She has discovered new freedoms in her movement (standing up and sometimes doing little back flips), and she is incredibly entertained by herself, even when she is super tired. I think it's hilarious, and at this point, I just get cracked up listening to her on the monitor. I often crack her door to peek in at her rolling around and talking to herself. If she catches me out of the corner of her eye, she laughs. Almost a belly laugh. I love it. I hope these are the moments that I never forget, that is why the one liner really wouldn't do justice. I have to remember these moments. So, to me, this picture is hilarious, and it might not be to anyone else. But, today, I walked in on her after I thought she had passed out, and this is what I saw:
I sent the pic in a text message to my mother in law, and her response was perfect. "Don't you think every day, 'How can it get any better??"


At Annabelle's 12 month appointment, her doctor ordered some lab work for her. So, on Friday, when Craig was off, we took her to get some blood drawn. When we are told about different tests we have to do, my heart always drops. My stomach gets all tied in knots. I know some of the different things that Down Syndrome kiddos are more prone to, and it often has me concerned. Her blood had to be tested for a couple different things. I got a call from the pediatrician today saying that it all came back OK. The thyroid is the only thing that looks like they want to re-test in about 6 months, but nothing major. Ok, ok. That's fine. My heart is at peace again. Also, in about 3 months, we will take her in for another ECHO. The last 2 cardiologist appointments have gone SO well, and I will pray that it continues to.

Mother's Day is such a fabulous day, and this year it felt like another birthday. Only because I was being asked, "so, what do you want to do? What do you want for Mother's Day?" It's so fun that I also get to share that day with my momma and respond with, "whatever mom wants to do." There, pressure's off. ;)
It was a great day, and I couldn't possibly be happier to be a Mother. I love with a love that I never knew I had, and that love hurts and there are NO words to explain it.


Daddy likes to put her on his shoulders, and she equally enjoys it with squeals and giggles. She LOVES her daddy. I guess here she is just making sure it is really him. She pulled his hair and twisted herself around to see his face. So cute.

These last 3 pictures are some of my recent faves.



SOMEHOW she got a toy stuck on her bow. She was so confused and it surprised me that she didn't really get upset.

Ya, so I let her play in her applesauce. She clearly loved it.

I LOVE this picture of her looking out the window. and her little booty in the HIP HELPERS. She is seriously pulling up on everything she can these days. It's awesome. Today, she got a nice little bonk on her head from slipping while standing at the coffee table. Broke my heart. I am so so proud of her though. This determination inspires me with her! OH, and she also did a little bit of 'real' crawling this week. a few steps to some are HUGE ones to us. Her OT hasn't moved any further with her because she still wants us working on her doing a proper crawl. Oh, she gets where she wants to go like a quick little inch worm, but OT wants her on all fours. So, the few steps of all four crawling was awesome!




Philippians 4:8

Hairspray, bobbypins and frosting!

My baby is ONE and my little seester is married!! It's been an amazing past couple of weeks. April holds the most incredible memories. I don't even know where to start...

BIRTHDAY PARTY!
I prayed for good weather and that her celebration would be a blessing to us and to others there. I believe it was. The weather was great, even though I brought kites, and there was no wind. Ha. Annabelle enjoyed a funfetti cupcake with rainbow chip frosting. A staple BIRTHDAY cake in the Schmidt house! We were blessed to be surrounded by people who love Annabelle, and have NANA there all the way from Minnesota!





The whole week of her birthday I couldnt help but bring myself back to what the first week of her life was like. For her and for us. It was hard. The day of her party, I stood up and HAD to thank people for coming. they have no idea what their presence at the celebration of her birth meant to me. OF COURSE, i shed a few tears as I said that at that same hour, a year ago, we were headed shortly behind an ambulance, which was transporting our new born daughter to another hospital. Hardest day of my life. This was also the BEST year of my life. I am in love with my sweet daughter and thankful to God for how she has changed our lives. I pray she touches many lives throughout her life. And I am thankful that God has CHOSEN Craig and I to raise this precious little life.
Shortly after we were able to bring Annabelle home last year, I wrote THIS post. It's been an amazing year.

Spending time with family these past weeks has been so awesome, too! I have GOT to show you one of my favorite pictures...My sister's great BF, Jesse. He tosses Annabelle a little bit, and she just loves it. She has a blast with him, and he wears her out! Wouldnt mind hiring him to come tag along with us to entertain her. ;)

I have a TON of pics to sort through, and there are too many for me to choose to share. One of my favorite moments was when my whole family was here to see Annabelle entertaining herself at bedtime. She just recently started pulling herself up in her crib. One night when they were ALL here for supper, she was SUPPOSED to be sleeping. BUT, was not happy that she was missing the party in the other room. Let's be honest, my family isnt quiet. I like that! ha! Anyway, so she brought the party to her and thought it was just so funny. I loved it.




Since there is just too much to catch up on, I'll just get right to the WEDDING!!! It was amazing. This wedding turned out better than I ever knew that it would or could have pictured. The Lord was in the smallest details and just really blessed the socks off of my sister and her new husband. I want to do the day all over again. Planning weddings are not always fun, as I recall with my own. But, it ended up just being such a GIFT to our family. It's neat to see God's hand orchestrate such a meaningful ceremony. Lisa looked so beautiful. The weather couldn't have been better. And my baby and husband couldn't have been cuter!! Here are just a few of the many pics...








That day is for sure one of my favorite days of life yet.

Today, Annabelle had her one year appointment. She is still measuring small. Just a peanut. Her health is great! Her heart sounds wonderful! And, she cried some sad sad cries after her shots. Breaks my heart. I hate that part. But, she is great. I couldn't be more thankful right now.
This might be silly, but after I rocked Annabelle to sleep after the doctor's appointment, I took a little video. Her little sleepy whimpers were so sad it was cute...listen


This post took me all day to write, and I KNOW I wanted to write more. I started it this morning, and never ever had a chance to come back to it until this evening. I am sure I missed something. It was just a really awesome, super duper busy couple weeks and I loved it! :)







"The Spirit of God that moved over the waters of the young earth, that moved over the womb of a young virgin, still moves today. Just as miraculously. And just as mysteriously. Our response, it seems to me, should be awe, not analysis; worship, not reasoning; joy not jury duty on the way GOD has chosen to work in the world He has created." -Ken Gire

DaddyLove

We are happy to have our daddy/husband back. I have finally slept well the last two night! yes!!!!

Annabelle turns ONE in 2 days!
Her Nana comes for a visit from MN in 2 days!
Annabelle's party in 3 days!
Major wedding festivities begin in 6 days!
My sister gets married in 8 days!

crazylove

Craig has been gone since Monday, and I'm ready for him to be back. I was never ready for him to leave. I have not slept well the whole week. I'll stay up late as possible, to make myself as tired as possible, and it still takes me forever to get to sleep. Like right now, I'm so tired. But, falling asleep without him in the house, or next to me has me unsettled. booooo.

So,I'm over it. I want him back.

We had a shower for my sister today, and my other sister is also in town with her BF. Busy busy. when I think about the next 2 weeks, I am so excited about what it holds. But, knowing it is going to fly makes me just want to soak it all in and enjoy it.

I keep getting that random thought..."Oh, I'll just catch up on sleep tomorrow." OR "I'll just sleep in to make up for the bad night's sleep or the staying up too late." CAN'T. I can't. My life is not my own. No decision I make is made without the thought of my little girl. It's sort of crazy. I realize different things all the time about how a Mom's life is NOT her own. Not at all. But, it's my calling. I'm not sad about it. I would never change it or take it back. Sure, there are times when I would like to just jump in the car and run to the store. But simple things like that can't be done without more thought and more energy. Even though it;'s been almost a year, it's still crazy how a child changes your life.

Hey, so, umm, does everyone else know about this eagle nest that is filmed ALL day EVERY day?????? And I am just finding out???? what??? Ok, so I watched only a few minutes of it today. This mommy eagle, taking care of her babes. This mothering instinct that GOD gave to this eagle, and to me as a momma. Look how big my vocabulary tonight....CRAZY!! (I am so tired.) But, amazed at this eagle, and almost in tears today. Even her life is no longer her own. The food she has is no longer her food, but she has to HELP give it to her babes. Her sleep is no longer her sleep. She has to make sure she keeps her babes warm and snuggled. He life changed when those eggs hatched. I was amazed by watching this. And really wondered if people that are not mommas think of this eagle the way I did.

Whether or not I like it, my life is not my own. I cannot turn my alarm off and sleep in tomorrow. I would like to. But, I LOVE it. I love the role that God had predestined for me and my life. Loving that role does not mean I like the lack of sleep and freedom sometimes. Annabelle's face in the morning, her big, blue, innocent eyes looking at me with a sweet sincere love is something I cherish more than my sleep. The tiny, jammied body that I GET to pick up and snuggle and feed makes my life SO full! To be needed in this way is a feeling I can never explain. It's, here we go again, CRAZY! Thank you, Lord, for my short night's sleep and the sweet little life You have trusted me with.

Goodnight.