Hello Again!

"Hello again!"

"Hello!"

"Do you like my hat?"

"I do. What a hat! 

I like it! 

I like that motherhood hat!" 

And here I am again, wearing a hat I have never before worn! And I like it! And I like the book Go, Dog. Go! in case you hadn't noticed! This won't be a long post since I haven't time for such anymore! But Danielle is happily entertaining herself on her play mat and things like showers, and dishes, and straightening up, and getting birth announcements ready for the mail can wait while I record our life in order that we may reflect upon it later in our golden years! I did update the title description and the  "About Us" portion of the blog. So that's a start! And unless I want to sit on a bench all by myself tonight at church, I should rouse myself and shower since the little princess decided to grab a catnap! We stayed home this morning and listened to two weddings and have been in a rather lazy gear all day...but now,
"Go, Mama. Go!"

Thankful Thursday

1. I am thankful for this baby girl that currently has severe hiccups! And I'm thankful that I have had a healthy, relatively easy (I think! What do I compare to?!) pregnancy. Tomorrow makes 39 weeks, so any day now could be Baby Faircloth's birthday!

2.  I am ever so thankful that Daniel is finally feeling almost back to his normal self after fighting bronchial infection and mono at the same time! I have never seen him so sick, or so willing to go to the doctor/hospital and I hope and pray to never again.

3. I am thankful for my sister-in-law Alisha! All the wonderful help she rendered with her brilliant organizational skills got me "un-stuck" so to speak, and able to finish up various pre-baby projects! Thanks to her, I feel (mostly) calm and ready for this new phase in life. (I think.)

4. I am thankful for our dear family and friends. They have helped us through thick and thin and we could not make without all the love and support! 

5. I am thankful for baskets from Dollar Tree.

6. I am thankful for drugstore.com, fatwallet.com, and shoprunner 2-day free shipping! I love this day and age. Even though the UPS and Fedex guys probably do not. 

7. I am thankful that Grandpa Schneider "woke up" and I could talk with him again. He's such a dear grandpa and it's so hard to see him so uncomfortable and so frustrated. 

8. I am thankful for the new prison dog beds from Jeffers! Diesel and Leroy appear to be thankful also! And I'm thankful for my little sis who is "in the know" about all things pet-related. Let's hope these beds last longer than crib mattresses from the thrift store.

9. I am thankful that Daniel likes to cook! He has been making these awesome, rosemary, thyme, garlic, olive oil, seared chuck eye steaks in the cast iron skillet. Mouth-wateringly delicious!

10. I am thankful for the assurance of Isaiah 43:2. 

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." 

11. One more thankful! I was going to stop at 10, but I'm thankful that it's still Thursday and I can quickly post this before it's Friday, because Thankful Thursday just sounds so much bet.......(and then my computer died and I was too tired to go get the charging cord and just gave up and went to bed. and now it's Friday!)

12. A dozen seems more complete! And makes me think of donuts! I am thankful for HotLightApp and that Krispy Kreme is only 4 minutes away from Dr. Doyle's office. 

Sunday Mornings...

OK, I'll confess right away! Sometimes I'm not writing sermon notes in my church notebook; I'm writing five sense poems like the one below! But one must take advantage of inspiration when it strikes, lest it leave! Right?! :) 

~ SUNDAY MORNINGS ~

Sunday mornings are soft, settled, peaceful...

No phones ringing or dinging, 

No agendas pressing, no to-do lists looming;

Just the privilege of sitting for longer than 15 minutes!

Sunday mornings look spiffy, clean, respectful.

Slicked-down hair crispy with hairspray...

Attentive faces turned toward the speaker.

Sleepy children snoozing on warm laps and bony shoulders.

Sunday mornings sound like old-fashioned gospel singing.

Hymns with meaning soothing the soul...

The Word falling gently down, hopefully landing on soft ground.

Powerful prayers pleading for our infirmities; stomachs rumbling soft and low, ready for roast!

Sunday mornings smell like perfume 

Mingling, clashing, blending - 

Uniting in a single aroma of women who want to be beautiful inside and out.

Faint hints of hearty breakfasts or the browned pot roast cling about.

Sunday mornings taste like mints,

Fresh and revitalizing.

 Hall's cherry cough drops, strong and soothing

Any disturbance must be muffled.

Sunday mornings feel so right, so solid.

"God, thank you for blessing me, 

For inspiring me to walk with You.

Thank you for giving me these priceless Sunday mornings."

SMF 

02.21.16

CS"Eye" Miami

Okay, I've got to blog because I keep thinking of little things I want to write about, but I can't because I've never yet written about Miami! And one  must write in chronological order! It's not that I don't want to write about this epic adventure, I do! I just don't, because I know it'll take me awhile to get it all typed out! So I will start and however long it takes me will just be fine. 

 Over two months ago (gasp!), October 29 to be exact, Miss Susan Smith, Nana, and I flew down to the tropical city of Miami for the purpose of consulting with Dr. Lam at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute about Miss Smith's retinitis pigmentosa. I always pictured Miami a bit on the shady side, meaning that I would need to clutch my purse closely, and cast a wary eye about while cautiously walking the streets, you know, "CSI Miami"ish.

But it wasn't like that at all! We found it to be a friendly city full of helpful people who honked a lot and cooked great food!

Our flight from Pensacola was smooth and comfortable. The ticket agent rebooked us into roomy bulkhead seats, so Nana had plenty of room to sprawl and we luxuriously stretched our legs out as well! As we circled to land, I could see the gorgeous glistening blue-green waters of the Miami beaches! We landed, and then began the trek to get to where we would pick up the puddle-jumper we had rented! A labyrinth of concourses, moving walkways, stairs, and trams later, we finally arrived at the Budget booth and stood in line there for at least an hour. But we had our Hundayi Accent at last! 

Then we checked into our Comfort Suite. Very nice! You can't go wrong with a hotel that has pretty decor and lots of waffle toppings! 

I fell in love with the teardrop light fixtures above this lounger in the lobby! 

We rested a bit, refreshed ourselves, and met the Mennonite Miami gospel tract couple, Riley and Rita Schmidt, at "The World's Most Famous Cuban Restaurant" Versailles, to experience tasty Cuban cuisine and culture! We were not disappointed! 

 

Of course I had been browsing the menu days prior because it takes me so long to make up me mind when I want to try EVERYTHING! I was happily satisfied with the "The Classic" of the Cuban Samplers. 

THE CLASSIC

White Rice, Black Beans, “Picadillo” Ground Beef, Roast Pork, Sweet Plantains, Ham Croquette, Cuban Tamale, and Cassava with Cuban Mojo

Next we all enjoyed a cup of cafe con leche! I am hooked on this sweet, strong frothy coffee! They bring the espresso in the darling little silver pitcher and then you pour it into the foamed milk. I've tried to make it at home, but alas, have not conquered. 

The next day found us at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

There we met with Dr. Byron L. Lam M.D. and received the sad news that Miss Smith was not a candidate for the gene therapy program that we were hopeful about. But if you don't pursue the possibilities that arise, you will always wonder what alternate route life could have taken. We were both so glad we had made this trip regardless of the outcome. Miss Smith is such an inspiration to me! She bravely handled the disappointment with these sage words, "I've been happy up 'til now, and happy I shall remain!" 

Some good authentic tacos from Huahua's Taqueria also aided in brightening our mood! 

Then we headed to beautiful Miami Beach where we sat on the sand and enjoyed the crashing waves while gazing at the emerald waters...truly gorgeous. This pic below is exactly what it looked like!

 I also was completely mesmerized by the incredible cruise ships lined up along Port Miami. Just ship after ship! Wow. 

A sweet treat from Azucar Ice Cream Company in Little Havana was the next item on our agenda! (It's so much fun traveling with a fellow foodie!) I sampled the avacado ice cream! Not too good, not 

too bad!

We both had waffle cones of their famous signature flavor, Abuela Maria. 

After that, we walked along 8th street and felt like we were abroad! Old men were noisily playing dominoes; people were singing and dancing on the sidewalks. 

We picked out some hand painted souvenirs from a mom and pop shop, then headed back to our little Hyundai Accent lest it get towed for being "overparked!" Parking in Miami - I shall not elaborate, but it wasn't my favorite part of the trip! Back at the hotel, we popped some popcorn, ate leftovers from Versailles, and hit the hay after a long, full day! 

We breakfasted as early as possible the next morning, returned our rental car after an arduous procedure that included some illegal turns and curb hopping, and flew back to Pensacola.

 It is amazing how one can take a trip within one's own state, yet feel like their passport should be boasting another stamp upon return....

I Feel FALL in the Air

I feel Fall in the air...a skittish briskness banishing humidity into oblivion, the crisp breeze wisping through my messy hair.

I see Fall in the air... garish scarecrows standing forlornly in grocery stores, peanut dust rising in billows everywhere.

I hear Fall in the air... the bang of city shotguns shooting smugly at dove, crunchy leaves dancing down from the trees without a care.

I smell Fall in the air... the sultriness of summer slinking away like an unwanted demon, a smoky fire crackling in which to stare.

I taste Fall in the air... a spicy sweet potato pie cooling on the counter, Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte catching me in its snare.

I love Fall in the air...memories of true love beginning eleven years ago, falling over and over again for the man whose life I share.

smf
10.27.2015

Life is Good...in so many ways!

How is Life Good? Let me count the ways....

Daniel is loving his new job at the Atmore Police Department! It makes my day to see him so happy and excited to go to work!

I'm pretty sure I've finally felt our baby girl move... some soft thumpish feelings....WOW! This thing of creating a new life is just plain amazing! I'm 19 weeks now, almost half-way!

The 6th Annual Yard & Bake Sale last Saturday was  a roaring success! Especially the Bake Goods Booth which brought in a whopping $2,544!

Diesel's surgery to remove a growth/tumor was successful! He rather likes having surgery, I believe, since he was allowed to recuperate like a king on the couch in the living room!

I finally gave this blog a new 'do! Not sure that I love it, but at least it's different! Trying to learn to not let my perfectionism hinder me from just getting things DONE!

The vintage strawberry coffee cup I got from pilfering through Aunt Charity's treasures delights my soul every time I drink from it! The handle doesn't get hot in the microwave either!

Melvin repaired the kitchen floor by the sliding doors in a flash! Why didn't we do this sooner?! So pumped about the pending kitchen renovations on the horizon - new countertops, flooring, pantry, and cabinet hardware! Also, "Goodbye, butter yellow paint!" "Hello, fresh creamy white!"

Jill is the best bestie ever! She has cut out, sewn, and shipped me two adorable maternity dresses, and is currently working on the third!! I am beyond blessed.

Trent, Kristi, and kids are home on furlough from Guatemala! It was awesome to be with Kris again yesterday and to finally meet my little cousin and birthday twin, Elena! She even has reddish hair! xo

William's Station Day is today! It's one of my favorite Atmore activities! I love small-town times....and all the booths of art, and things like funnel cakes and fried Snickers.

The kumquat tree on the porch is loaded down with perfect little orange orbs of tart sunshine!
I carefully counted and was pleased to discover that my precious tree bore 65+ kumquats this year! They are rapidly diminishing though. Harrison (Jarrod & Casey Schneider's 2 year old - I'm keeping him several days a week during peanut harvest) loves to pick them, but doesn't love to eat them, so I let him pick them and I let me eat them.

Bow Season came in today! I am thrilled to begin a new session of nature watching with a deadly weapon! Hopefully the new, cute little food plot (food plots CAN be cute, even though guys would probably digress!) that Danl planted will be my lucky charm this year and I will be able to nail my first kill with my bow!

Getting rid of clutter is so liberating! I am giving nursery closet tours today, free admission! I'm just a little bit proud of how much better it looks and how much roomier it is! I think MamaBear from Berenstein Bears and FlyLady are both smiling.

This list could continue, but my mocha hot chocolate got cold and I need to go microwave it, and then go out to walk in this lovely Fall morning. Fall is simply the best season God made, in my opinion. I've been rolling a Fall poem around in my head for over a month now...maybe tomorrow it will finalize and I will post it here. I've missed writing - and can't figure out why I've been so slackish. Also, ask me for my new favorite breakfast recipe! Gingerbread in a mug! Mmmmm.....

Official Due Date Release of Baby Girl Faircloth - MARCH 18, 2016

         August the 5th is quite ancient history by now! But it is still a most pleasant memory to look back upon! We saw our little jellybean for the first time! After my ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner) measured the baby, she announced that due to the baby's size, I wasn't as far along as they or I had predicted according to how they normally estimate pregnancies. So instead of expecting our baby to arrive on/around March 7, the new due date was pushed to March 18! This was good news and bad news to me; the bad news being that I had more weeks of nausea to endure and more time to spend in the "scary" part of the first trimester. The good news was that the number was changing from an ugly 7 to a beautiful 18! I just have this autistic fascination with numbers; I love even numbers, and abhor odd numbers. I always set the alarm clock to ring on an even number like 5:52, add a lovely 8 minute snooze and then wake up (or TRY to wake up) at the completeness of 6:00! Anyway back to the due date numbers, 7 is the ugliest of all the odd numbers. It's just incomplete, only unfinished, sharp angles. So I was delighted to replace it with 18 which is the number of all numbers to me!! My birthday is June 18. I was married to the love of my life at age 18. Hence, 18 just signifies all things good. Numbers just don't get any better than a stalwart 1 standing upright beside an attractive 8, such a pleasingly plump number of perfect symmetry. So even thought the chance of our little baby actually being born on March 18, is only 1 in 20, I love having March 18 as the official due date! I must cease with this elaboration of numerology! One more thought though, isn't it wonderful that the year 2016 is also an even number?!
         I had another ultrasound on August 11 because Connie (ARNP, I see her more than my OBGYN because I can usually get in sooner and I really like her!) is a mother hen and wanted to make sure everything was okay, (it was) and you could see legs sort of! Yay!!! On my next ultrasound 2 weeks later on August 26, we could see arms and legs just kicking and moving around like crazy! So exciting! Our little gummy bear is definitely growing! I also got the optional blood work done that day to determine gender and to check for genetic disorders.
         This past Tuesday, Daniel's mom and I went shopping around in Pace looking at baby stuff at consignment shops and at Target, and we were wishing so badly that we knew the gender! So I called to my doctor on a whim just to check the status of my blood work because they had told me it could be at least 2 weeks until we would know. And the nurse called back to say that my results had just come in that day!! I freaked out but managed to tell her not to tell me; that I would call back with my husband the next day! Danl was in Baton Rouge. We called the next morning but had to leave a message, so Danl told me just to let him know as soon as they called back and told me. When she finally did, I was so shocked to hear her say, "Everything looks good, and it's a baby girl!" I repeated back to her, "It's a baby girl???" I was shocked because my gut feeling was that it was a boy! But I know this little girl will be perfect for us!! We quickly planned an impromptu gender reveal party for our immediate family. I made mock Hostess cupcakes with pink centers. Of course we started with dessert first!! I made everyone vote what they thought it was gonna be, then everyone bit into their cupcake in unison! It was hilarious! Then we all settled down and devoured some delicious sausage and chicken jambalaya, garlic bread, Caesar salad, pizza, and PINK raspberry sherbet punch! :)
            I'm 12 weeks now; 195 more days to get ready to meet OUR LITTLE GIRL!!! Wow! Even though we haven't hesitated to tell everything as soon as possible so far, we are determined to keep the name we have picked out a secret until birth! That being said, I still love hearing name suggestions! So far my very helpful extended family has volunteered the following suggestions: Charlotte Amelia, Wilhemina, Fedora, and LeMonjello!!!! So nothing is too far out to fling out! Please leave your name suggestion in the comments below.