Itty-Bitty Blessings

Yesterday, a little Gru voice inside me said "Liiiightbulb!"   (Despicable Me, anyone?) I've always been a "people pleaser". Not that I know how to define that... Google references the fear/guilt in saying "No" to people, and that sounds about right. I often agree to do things, and then 49% of the time I find myself overbooked and overwhelmed. Luckily, Mike is not this way, so by virtue of being married to him, I've managed to avoid some of these situations. Lately I've been thinking about my "word of honor". If I say I'll turn the air conditioner on before Mike gets home from a run, then it doesn't matter if that's a small thing- I should do it! Following through on my word is one way to show people that they matter to me, and that I can be trusted. Along with that goal comes a need for some reeeeeaal self-control. If I'm really going to uphold that word of honor, then I can't agree to do everything for anyo

Now what is a Jello Jiggler, you might ask? We'll get to that. Little buddy has started eating solid foods- mashed up carrots, sweet potatoes and squash, which I mix with rice cereal and homegrown milk. He loves it! As I feed him, he kicks his chubby legs and lunges toward the spoon, a habit that is both messy and adorable. Here is where we come to the Jello Jiggler! Mike and I were at the store, and I wanted to buy some new ice cube trays so that I could freeze little portions of mashed veggies for baby meals. Mike suggested just using one of our current ice trays, which clearly wasn't as fun as buying a new, special one for baby food... But it did appeal to my sense of economy, so I agreed. We got to the register and were chatting with the worker, when she suddenly said, "There are free Jello Jigglers at the other counter!", to which I responded "Oh, okay, thanks!", having no real idea what a Jello Jiggler was... She asked her friend to pass us a m

Actually, I don't believe in soul mates. But the fact is, the last time I posted on this blog was just after my first date with Michael! Mr. Assertive asserted himself all the way to the altar... And boy am I glad! Now we've been married almost two years, and we recently added a lot more cuteness to our lives. "Exhibit A" of cuteness! I started this blog way back after my mission because I kept seeing so many little miracles around me, and they were too good not to share! Now I'm returning for the same reason. I know that God is involved in my life, and that knowledge has carried me through many personal questions and heavy experiences. There is always something to learn. So here is my "New Mom" update! Wow, I really love this. Staying at home with my little one is so soul-stretching and heart-changing, in the most cosmically mundane, dirty diaper kind of way. Sometimes when Mike asks me how my day was, my response is simply, "Uhhhh....&quo