7 Quick Takes: Babies, football and house projects

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Soooo....um, I have apparently been nominated for a Sheenazing Award! This took me by total surprise, and to be honest I didn't even know these awards existed until I saw Miss Heather from Mama Knows, Honeychild exclaim her total surprise and delight that she has been nominated for three of these schmancy things. And rightly so! If you've never read her blog (which, if you are the kind that likes a good laugh I doubt that's the case), then hop on over an give it a try. I just love her honesty and comedy. Love love love. Oh, so I was going to vote for her blog as "Funniest" Catholic blogger among other things. As I'm scrolling down through the categories I came to "Most Inspiring." And who's blog did I stumble upon? None other than THIS ONE! Oh. My. Gosh! I have never shaken in disbelief or surprise like I did yesterday morning. Totally humbled. Totally shocked. Excited. Just wow. So, if you like (and have a moment) feel free to vote for Blue Jeans Fancy Things before Monday, 9 PM CT.

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My god-daughter is baptized! This is the second baptism I've attended since Samuel's baptism. Both times I have been moved to tears as these little ones are freed from original sin. As I blessed Cecelia with the sign of the cross, I was immediately placed back at Samuel's baptism. The memory was so fresh. I felt such a closeness to my son as we welcomed my goddaughter into the Church. As we prayed the Lord's Prayer to conclude the rite, I held back tears. Tears of joy. Tears of longing. Tears remembering how we prayed the Lord's Prayer over Samuel as he passed. The Lord's prayer welcomed Samuel into Heaven. The Lord's Prayer welcomed Cecelia into the Church. My prayers continue that this little one come to know God the way Samuel knows Him. With unconditional love and adoration. A steady faith that leads her, too, to Heaven.

Proud godmama and Cecelia :)

Godfather and Cecelia

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The Seahawks are going to the Superbowl!!!! Even Cecelia was cheering them on! 

Isn't that headband just the sweetest? A woman makes them in a town near my house. I just couldn't resist bringing some Seahawks paraphernalia to Indiana! Her daddy very much approved :) The last time, and first time, the Hawks were in the bowl I had just met my husband. We were hardly dating a few weeks when I came over to his college apartment to watch the game. I was surrounded by a bunch of people I didn't know except for him. Oh, so uncomfortable! Smelly boy apartment, grubby couch :-/ (though I learned this was no representation of my dear husband). I clearly didn't grow up with brothers! This time I'll be in the comfort (and cleanliness) of my own home with my dearest friends, my St. Tommy's family. I am so looking forward to cooking some darn good football food, catching up with old friends, and beating the Broncos!

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Good tunes: Avicii's "Hey Brother" Oh man, I just love the bluegrass singer's voice (Dan Tyminski). The folk sound. The uplifting melodies. Mmmm. Just some fine tunes. I've loved Avicii's "Wake Me Up" since I first heard it, and was thrilled to hear another emotion-filled song by them upon my hubby's recommendation.
  

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I don't think I have yet mentioned that Samuel's grave marker is finished. I just love how it turned out. We spent such care in designing it, painstakingly creating draft after draft. I never would have thought I'd put so much as a dime toward thinking about my child's gravestone, but let me tell you. This project was so important for us to get just. right. After several (dumb) drafts, David and I decided that I should try to sketch David's hands so that they would hold Samuel's footprints. Both the sketch and the actual footprints were then laser etched into black granite. We feel the hands represent God's hands, carefully, gently, lovingly holding Samuel's actual footprints, which are actual size. We wanted to illustrate the poignancy of a baby's footprints on a grave, complemented by the peace of knowing our baby is in God's hands.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come...for the kingdom of heaven belongs to those such as these." 

Matthew 19:14

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Rug shopping is SO. HARD! We have laminate hardwoods throughout the living space of our house, which means for the first time we need to buy rugs. We bought one for our sitting room. It's nice. 100% wool so it sheds. A lot (though I hear this subsides after the first four months of vacuuming it twice a week). Frustrating. It's also not super soft and cuddly for sitting/playing on the floor. We want to find something more comfortable for our family room without paying $4000. In fact, we don't even want to pay $500. Has anyone ever purchase a chunk of carpet and had it bound? We're thinking a 12x10' chunk bound would be perfect. Except we want it by next weekend when we have all our friends over...doubt that's going to happen. Hmm. Stay tuned!

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Project of the day: prepping our master bath for vanity, counter top and sink installation! woo-hoo! This includes adding another coat of paint to all the walls and scrubbing the bathtub. Whoever painted that bathroom bright red managed to get that paint all over the tub. Which, as you can imagine, looks kind of creepy... Nevertheless, this weekend we'll have a fresh bathroom! Then it's just a matter of installing new baseboards and trim around the door. And I should probably stain that door before too long. Oh, the list is so long. But we'll get there!

Happy Friday, all! Check out some other lovely ladies' Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary!