Chemical Spills, Mosquitoes, and Talking Babies

This post is dedicated to our new life in Baton Rouge. And Harper. Duh.

But, first, a tribute to the place I grew up.  I lived in Texas my whole life.  It was mostly hot, sometimes humid, and full of pride, but lovely and so very unique. My only complaint for the longest time was that I would never see a white Christmas and then the miracle happened in 2009.  It was magical. It was as if Bing Crosby was in my living room, singing to me as the snow fell. I never once believed that living somewhere else could be better. I loved traveling, but I could always come home to the Lone Star State. To the Rangers, Mavericks, Cowboys, Stars, biggest contiguous state, Six Flags, cool cities, lots of country, BBQ, and (alright, alright) cowboy boots.
     

Two things you need to know about Baton Rouge.  #1 is that God is moving here.  It is humbling and way too fun to be part of this people and this movement. There is a hunger and vulnerability in people that can only be explained by a God in love with them!  #2 is that there is traffic.  Always.  Miles mean nothing in this city.  Time of day and the state of the interstate determine your travel time.  Like the other day when there was a chemical spill on I-10.  The entire interstate was shut down for about 24 hours.  It ended with the city burning off the chemicals and the fire department putting out the fire.  Sounds more simple than it was, I'm sure.  All of this commotion caused the city to be one giant traffic jam. One of my friends was on the road for 8 hours just to RUN ERRANDS. Reporters were interviewing people in their cars because they were at a standstill.  It was c-r-a-z-y. Being my father's child, I have tried to find back ways, the fastest ways, and really just any way to get places.  It's like my own little game... in the car while I'm sitting in hours of traffic. It's not always terrible. If you go somewhere at 6am, there's not any traffic.  Yea-uhh.  I guess a third thing you should know is that the mosquitoes are crafty.  You'd think that because the doors and windows are closed... and sealed... that they can't get in your house, but you'd be wrong.  The number of times I've woken up with mosquito bites that I didn't have the night before is getting longer by the day.  They're, like, mutant.  I'm pretty sure they can swim backwards.

And now the reason you're all reading this, I'm sure.  Harper is indeed talking now.  Though we are unsure what she is saying, she is saying it. Want some proof?
*disclaimer: please ignore the high-pitched baby talk/noises that are not from the baby... Have you ever tried to talk to a baby without doing that?

         

Can't wait to know what is going on in that little head of hers.
Until next time,
Abigail

1000+ Needed.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.  Sometimes those words aren't enough and those pictures could use a little help.  Like when you see a newborn baby and you think, "wow, that's a pointy head."  What the mother would tell you is that after hours and hours of labor and waiting and pushing, she got to hold her perfect little one for the first time.  She would also probably say that she's very glad that God designed that babe's head to fit through a small opening...
Another example would be the house we just moved into.  We moved to Baton Rouge just a few weeks ago and we were relying on family and friends to find a house for us.  But not just any house; a perfect house.  After months of looking through Craig's List ads and MLS listings and just driving around, we got the call.  They might have found the perfect house and they were sending us pictures.  We anxiously awaited the text messages.  What we saw was... well, it was pretty much a trashed house.  Every wall was white and there was trash on the terribly-carpeted floor.  Immediately after the pictures, we spoke to our friends. They assured us this was the best house they had seen and that when it was cleaned up it would be perfect.  Now you might be like me and think this sounds a little crazy.  You would be right (at least I think so).
We couldn't trust those picture texts (which is probably a sermon illustration in the making, right?), but we could trust our friends.  God has blessed us with some of the best, like-hearted, and fun people to start a church with.  They are all fully and joyfully submitted to the plans of God.  They live Philippians 2:3-4 by constantly seeking other's higher good.  Friends like these don't come around everyday.  And that is why we trusted them to find a house for us.  And let me tell you that where we live is even better than we could've imagined. And here are those lovely people that we are privileged to call friends and team mates.  

Blake and Lena Satterlee- these two are constantly seeking to serve and have the most fun no matter what the situation!

Preston and Carolynn Seibert- two of the most creative and excellent people I've ever met!

Matthew and Jillian Armstrong- this couple is smart, gracious, and so welcoming to everyone they meet!

Katie McCollister- she is a pioneer and so given to the things of God.  Every one of her conversations includes Jesus and something to make you laugh.  

Now, I'm sure, you can see how easy it would be to trust them to find a house for you.  We don't deserve such good friends, but we sure are thankful for them!

And here's a picture of our house, in case you are curious.  It was cleaned and new floors were laid before we moved in!

    

She Let Go, Jack.

I am not sappy. I hardly ever cry. I hate cheesy lines. You know like, "I'll never let go, Jack," or "you are the wind beneath my wings." I've been known to laugh out loud at serious movies (see quote above) or my husband being romantic (but not since we've been married. I learned a thing or two in pre-marital counseling). A lot of first dance songs at weddings jump start my gag reflex. But not any of the ones I've been to recently, in case you're reading, newlyweds.
Don't get me wrong. I am sentimental. (See my post about traditions) I didn't cry at my own wedding, but the vows Jake made are the most special words someone has ever said to me. And I just love reading over old journals and remembering different seasons of my life.
So, imagine my surprise when a song came on the radio the other day and I almost started weeping while driving up I-35. What song you ask? Not a Dashboard Confessional song or the song we danced to at our wedding. It was none other than I Hope You Dance by LeeAnn Womack. I know, I know, so two thousand and late. I used to give this song the stank face back then. Fast forward a decade and some and I have a daughter. Say what you want about pregnancy hormones and what not, but I really do hope that she never fears those mountains in the distance or settles for the path of least resistance. I'm being pretty vulnerable here, so try not to ridicule.
This incident made me realize that nothing is sappy when it comes to your babes. Though Harper may one day roll her eyes and beg me to stop singing lame songs to her in public (which I undoubtedly will not), she will know that I love her.
And maybe she will dance...

One month, wedding season, and Father's day.

This post will be full of updates. Babies, marriages, holidays, and pictures.  Just imagine yourself as a child carrying a glass of milk that is filled to the very top.  Don't spill any, ok?

First things first, (because, oops, it's three weeks late...) Harper turned one month old on May 29th.  Four weeks of diapers, middle-of-the-night feedings, preemie clothes, and lots of learning. We loved the first month of getting to know our little fighter.  She knows what she wants, even if she's only been in the world for a month. She took her first car trip to Houston. It was peaceful and she loved being with Grammy and Pop! Here she is at 4 weeks!

Around our house, this summer has been dubbed "the summer of the wedding." Today we finished our marathon of 7 weddings in 5 weeks.  Harper has been to four weddings, a rehearsal dinner and a bachelorette party and she's not even 2 months old.  Let's just say, she's going to be a wedding pro.  We had the privilege of being in the weddings of some our best friends. I wish I had more pictures.... but, here are a few to show you all the fun we had...

 our first family photo! at the Nottoli wedding

me and Kate Wasion

me and Leah Lara

Today is Jake's first father's day.  Sadly, he is in Houston and Harper is in Ft. Worth, but she's been sending him texts all day to tell him how great of a dad he is.  I can attest to the fact that he is a wonderful father.  He loves Harper so much and loves taking care of her. She will definitely know how important and special she is in this world.  She is a blessed daughter. 

Another blessed daughter is me. I had the honor of growing up with the Allan McBrayer.  He is funny, incredibly smart, and a great teacher.  He taught me many things; the least of which are driving and golf.  Selflessness and dedication, though, are among the top. He constantly gives his time and expertise to others.  In the gospels, we see that Jesus welcomes the interruption of people because he has compassion on them. I saw this in my own life everyday that I lived with my dad.  I hope that I can master these things the way he has and teach my daughter as well as he taught me.  Because Lord knows, I didn't master golf...

There's your glimpse into our summer.  Did you spill any of that milk?

Hear me roar!

Due date, hear me roar!

Thursday was the day Harper was expected. But, as you may or may not know, she is a tiny little bundle of the unexpected. This last (almost) month has been full. We love being her parents and have learned so much already. So, I thought I would pass on a few of those things even though it may or may not be meaningless to you. I'll just give you a list.

1. I am still not a morning person.
I know you're probably shocked to find that I wasn't one to begin with, but if you've ever had to wake me up or share a room with me...it isn't pretty. And it's not getting any better just because I have this sweet, incredibly cute baby to get up for. Mornings are still lame in my world.

2. Napping all the time sounds better than it feels.
I like naps. In college, my friends and I heard about this man whose sleep cycle consisted of sleeping 30 minutes every 4 hours. I thought that sounded like a good idea. It's like napping 6 times a day and you don't miss out on very much. Well, I have now experienced a sleep pattern similar and, let me tell you, that man was tired. A day full of naps is ungreat...

3. Entertainment is not necessary.
You'd think that after staring at someone who only eats and sleeps for a few weeks, one would be bored. But let me tell you, I could stare at this kid all day, every day. She never gets old. And I can't imagine what it's going to be like when she actually does something else... like talks! Or even maintains eye contact. Hours and hours of fun!

4. Purpose is captivating.
Having something (in this case someone) that gives you motivation is divine. Parenthood is not just "be fruitful and multiply." It is purpose. We have the authority and privilege of raising this world changer. We've been commissioned to care for, love, and disciple one of His children. That makes the lack of sleep and obsession with bodily functions all worthwhile.

These lessons might not change THE world, but they've sure changed MY world. And in the words of the Notorious B.I.G: if you don't know, now you know.

The mother load

Today is Mother's day. My first one. I kinda feel like I cheated though, since Harper is technically not supposed to be out here yet. But this post is not about me. It's about the other mothers in my life.
You see, I come from a long line of mothers. We all do really... But my line is exceptional. I have been blessed with not only a wonderful mom, but with incredible women who have mothered me in many ways. Let me introduce you to some of them.
First and most importantly, there is my mother, Sarah. The woman who gave me life and taught me how to live. As long as I can remember, she has made sure I know how much I was wanted and ordained by God in our family. She is the biggest servant I know, teaching me to value and honor others above myself. And thankfully for my future church, she taught me how to be a pastor's wife full of grace and humility. There are not enough ways to say thank you for all that and that is only the beginning of her impact in my life. I love you, mom!
Going backwards in line, you have my grandmother (Grandma) and great grandmother (Mamaw) on my mom's side. I spent a lot of time at their house growing up. They taught me what love and resilience can do in a person. They were strong women, but so tender and gracious. They raised my mom to be the woman she is and for that I eternally grateful.
Moving to the other side of my family, my dad's mom, Grandma. My earliest memory in life is of her putting me to bed. I spent countless hours playing board games, making crafts, and reading books with her. She taught me that when you love someone, you spend time with them and you're not afraid to be silly with them. Though she has seen many hard years, she is so sensitive to God and aware of others. I love that about her.
Next up is the newest mother. My mother-in-law, Marcia. She raised three crazy and passionate boys and did it with a smile on her face. I have the pleasure of being married to her middle son and I can attest that she did an amazing job raising him. He can laugh at anything, including himself because she taught him to never take things too seriously. And she is one of the most generous people I know. Not everyone has a great MIL, so I am beyond blessed to have her in my life.
Lastly there are women who have discipled me, knowingly or unknowingly, teaching me the values of intentional living, discipling your kids, and laying your life down for the church. They are my sister, Allison, Tracie Phillips, Blair Gulley, Elizabeth Griffin, and Carrie Bach. I cannot adequately thank these women for their investment in my life.
As you can see, today is a day of rich reminders of God's faithfulness to me. It is also a challenge to me to love and lay down my life for not only Harper, but everyone that God has placed around me. I want my legacy to outlast my life, just as these women have done.
Happy Mother's Day!

2am

I have always been a night owl. Call it genetics (like mother, like daughter), youngest child syndrome, FOMO (fear of missing out), or whatever you want, but I like to stay up late. College was great for me because that's pretty much what everyone does. Things that happen after 10pm in college: go to Common Grounds; start studying; drive to West for kolaches; start a movie; IHOP; and many others. That was the life. Fast forward to me working 12-hour shifts at the hospital and my love of late nights is replaced with a love for *hopefully* reading in bed for a few minutes before I fall asleep. At 9pm. Not so exciting anymore.
But lately I've had a revival of 2am fun. And it all started last Saturday night around midnight.
I went to bed early because I was tired from my shift and my legs were swollen (see instagram for proof) and because Jake was out celebrating a friend's birthday. When he got home at midnight, I got up to use the bathroom. And there it happened. Pop and gush. My water broke. Being an uncertain first-timer, I just went back to bed. After an hour of semi-regular contractions I thought I better time them. They were about 7-8 minutes apart. I woke Jake up at 2am and he sprung into action, calling the doc and packing a bag. I was a little more reluctant, not wanting to be that girl. You know, the one who goes to the hospital a million times because she thinks she's in labor... Turns out I was in labor. I was admitted to the hospital at about 3:15. I was only 1cm dilated, but 90% effaced. All I had to do was get to 10cm and I'd be set. We made some calls and our parents started the trek to Waco. At 4:30, I was still at 1cm, so they started me on pitocin and I said no to an epidural, in hopes of an all natural birth.
Over the next two and a half hours, my contractions got more regular (read painful), so I changed positions a couple of times and had a Popsicle. My parents got to Waco around 7. At about 7:15, I was having a mental debate about whether or not I would make it another couple of hours in this amount of pain. I decided (still in my head) that I needed an epidural. I felt delirious when, all of the sudden, I had a major urge to push. My nurse was in the room (thank God!), so I informed her I needed to push and then proceeded to do so. She told me to stop because I wasn't fully dilated, but that she'd check me. To everyone's surprise, especially my doc who wasn't at the hospital yet, I was fully dilated. Suddenly my room was a beehive of activity, everyone frantically trying to get ready for the delivery. Meanwhile, my rock, Jake, was at my head calmly helping me breathe through each contraction and holding my hand. I wouldn't have made it without him. There was no time for an epidural, but by then I didn't care. I just wanted to push! My doc arrived and after 10 minutes of pushing, Harper Ella Griffin made her debut! Though she came a little early, she is perfectly healthy (5lbs 14oz and 18 1/2 inches long) and obviously ready to take on the world.
So, now my 2am consists of quality time with my new favorite person in the world. And I wouldn't trade it for all the kolaches in West.