Busy Weekend!

What a fun weekend we had! Anthony worked on Saturday, so Maddy and I were on our own, but he was off on Sunday! It was great to have so much time together!

Saturday started off as a lazy day for resting. I got some stuff done on the computer and around the house while Maddy played and took her naps. After naps, we headed over to my Mom's house to check on her after her surgery on Friday. It was SO GOOD to see her. She's been through so much with this eye problem and even though it's still a long road ahead, it finally feels like we are on the up-side of the curve! Big time praise - her left eye is now facing mostly forward! That is huge!!! While we were there my grandmother came over too - it was so nice for her to see Maddy and for us to visit.

After our visit to my Mom's, Maddy and I headed off to church. It was GREAT to be there and she had a good time in her class. After I dropped her off, I had one of those "oh-my-goodness-I'm-such-a-grownup!" moments. Having grown up in this church and having worked behind the scenes in the kids ministry, I have had no shortage of time to imagine what it would be like when I had my own children and we came to church. It must have been something about being there by myself (without Anthony - I seem to always have these revelations when he's not around), as I walked into the auditorium, I just felt all those things I had imagined culminate in that one moment - I had just dropped off MY daughter in her church classroom and then I was headed to church with the pager around my neck - like all the other parents! Isn't it strange how so many of our 'epiphany' moments sound so ordinary when we say them out loud? Oh well, I know all those other 'grownups' out there can relate!

Poor Anthony did not get home until 8:oopm! It was a strange and crazy long day for him, but thank goodness for a day off!

Maddy playing with the computer while I blogged

finding a rogue paci

she looks like such a big girl when she stands!!!

playing with her new pop-up toy from Grammy!

Maddy & Grammy are pirates - arrrrrrgh!

Marleigh, Mammy, Maddy & Emily

Mom & Maddy on the bus to church

Maddy looked like a little librarian in this sweater!

Here's a little video of Maddy on the shuttle bus after church. She 'sang' like this the entire ride. It was so precious! I savored the sound of it and tipped my head back, closed my eyes, and memorized the sound of her. I love this girl so much.

Saturday evening we found out that my sister - Jessica - had been in a bad car accident. She headed over to urgent care to be checked out while her car headed to the junk yard. :( Totaled. I am so grateful that she walked away uninjured. Amazingly, I was on the road at the time of the accident and suddenly had the strongest urge to pray for my safety. When Maddy and I arrived at church in one piece, I thanked God. It wasn't until later that night that I realized my prayers for safety had been for my dear sister. I am so glad that God protected her.

Sunday started out bright and early. We were headed out of the house at 8:30am to St. Michael's. Sunday was the two year anniversary of Baba's passing (Anthony's grandmother). There was a special service in her honor before regular church started. Even though we were a few minutes late, I still felt great about us getting up and out of the house so early! Maddy did GREAT at church! She even took a little nap and was quite refreshed afterwards! It was so nice to see everyone there and it was great for all of them to be able to see her too. Anthony's cousin Kristin was there and her son Joey - he's 15 months old - and it was fun to watch him and Maddy interact! What a great time with family and friends!

Maddy wore her hat in honor of Baba

Singing with her Baba and Daddy in the choir

with Aunt Catherine (Catherine was a HUGE hit because she had a water bottle, a bright yellow purse, and high heel girly shoes - Maddy was enthralled!)

Maddy & Joey checking each other out

Anthony, Catherine, Me and Anna - I LOVE THOSE GIRLS!

Although we had a great morning on Sunday, the day was really a hard one. Anyone who has regularly experienced a schedule of loooooong days and one day off a week knows how challenging the day off can be. It seems so counter intuitive - after a long hard week it seems like it would be easy to just enjoy a day off together. Not so much. It is hard work. Trying to make the most out of each moment - cram in so many interactions with people, so many activities and extra rest - it is impossible to do it all. Pretty much without fail, one of us ends up being grumpy on the day off. It gets really old to have our one day off a week partially soured by a negative attitude. I wish I could say we've come a long way on this front, but we still struggle with it almost every week. Suffice it to say - sometimes life is just hard, even on days off.