New Friends

Kellys Korner Blog (http://kellyskornerblog.com/ why can't I get my blog to post links the correct way????) had a post yesterday on making friends as an adult. I admit that in my 20's most of my new adult friends were people I met at work. The other were people I met through Kappa Delta.

Now that I am no longer working the majority of new friends are people I meet through the Air Force. I LOVE our Air Force family and I am already so sad that we are pcs'ing (aka moving) next year and I hope we get stationed with some of our MA Air Force family (unlikely, but fingers crossed). Don't get me wrong...I do NOT like MA. Yes, living outside the birthplace of our nation is pretty cool, but all the rules and taxes and laws are enough to make me register Republican.

Kelly has blogged about meeting some of her closest friends from blogging. I would freaking LOVE to have a close friend that I met through blogging. That just seems so cool to me (of course I am a big nerd, too).

My name is Jenn. I'm an Air Force wife. I'm a mother and I blog. My friends mean the world to me and I think I'm pretty cool. And funny. Wanna be friends?

Liebster Award and No Greater Joy Mom

My friend Ali gave me a Liebster Award for this blog.  What is it you ask?  It's German for "dearest" and it's to show love for blogs with under 200 followers (those of us just trying to put thoughts out there to share with others! Um, that I took directly from Ali's blog through cut and paste rather than trying to come up with a witty way to describe it myself.  lol 

So, now I have to pick 5 blogs that I follow to pass this award on to.  I actually feel very honored that Ali picked me (ya know cause I assume she reads WAY more than just 5 blogs that have under 200 followers.  I bet she follows 1000 blogs and mine just rocks that much). 

I started blogging on myspace (myspace?  what's that you ask.  I know.  Doesn't it seem like myspace was a million years ago) because of all the horrific dates/relationships I had.  You can read about them on the link on my blog called old myspace blog (clever, right?).  So now I blog here. 

Here are the blogs I passed the Liebster on to (in no particular order):
1) A Daily Dose of Metros
2) Baby Gavin
3) The Knox Family Journey
4) my friend Erika's blog which is private for family & friends
5) LIJT House

And here's what the blog owners of THOSE blogs should do:

1. Thank the person who presented you with the award on your blog.

2. Link back to the blogger who gave you the award on your blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 other bloggers with less than 200 followers.
5. Let them know you've chosen them by leaving a comment on their blog.

I also wanted to pass along a blog that I'm sure has over 200 followers, but who I think is doing amazing work in the world of adopting special needs children from horrific circumstances.  To say that she is doing the work of God is an understatement.  I wholeheartedly believe that she and her husband are angels here on earth.  Her blog continues to inspire me and I continue to pray for the Lord to work in our lives in ways so that we can someday adopt a special needs child from overseas.  This post more than breaks my heart imagining how these little babies are suffering in orphanages that you and I would not leave our dogs in and yet the we sit back and do nothing.  I know that adoption is not a calling for everyone, but if you believe in God then please pray for these orphans.  And if you want to read about the amazing calling of this family please go to No Greater Joy Mom.  Her husband also blogs at No Greater Joy Dad.  She is currently raising money not only for their adoption, but also to help other children in need of adoption.  Please go check it out!

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12

My Favorite Little Boy

I wanted to promote a wonderful idea and opportunity to trim Tripp's tree. 

Personalized Free   is donating 10% of their proceeds from now until Christmas to Debra.  This is an organization that helps those whose lives are afflicted by EB such as my favorite little boy Tripp Roth.

If you are ordering any personalized gifts this year I encourage you to order something from Personalized Free.  Here is a link to the blog they wrote about Tripp and his mother Courtney.

The rest of my blog was written by Courtney.

My mom, Christie Zink (our superwoman advocate and supporter from Minnesota) and I, came up with what I think is a FABULOUS idea. I hope you guys will agree.

This year for Christmas, we want YOU to

"Trim Tripp's Tree."

We are going to put a Christmas Tree behind Tripp's rocking chair in the corner of our living room this year. I want to decorate it with ornaments from everyone (no matter where you are) that follows our story and prays for my little Drummer Boy. These ornaments will be something that I will TREASURE every single year, no matter what happens in the future. Something that will have SO much meaning and will be so very special to me. So I can always remember all of the support that we've had through everything.

You all know that it's hard for me to ask for something for myself- but I figured that this would be the perfect opportunity to raise money for DebRA, give business to a company that wants to help us, and also make Tripp's Christmas tree this year the most special Christmas tree in the world.

You can put your name, your state, city, or a special message to Tripp if you'd like:)

Now, you DO NOT have to buy an ornament from personalizedfree.com if you do not want to. You can order from anywhere you want OR you can just make a homemade ornament!! No matter where it comes from, it will be SO special to us!

I can't wait to share pictures of our tree with you all this year!!

If you want to join in the ornament fun, you can mail them to us at:

18669 Sisters Road

Ponchatoula, LA 70454

Ok, so I hope no one thinks I'm being pushy for asking this- I mean, you guys have already gone above and beyond for us in SO many ways. I just wanted to throw this idea out there, in case anyone wanted to participate- and Christie has also created a Facebook page event called "Trimming Tripp's Tree."

 

I can't wait to hold my Trim Tripp's Tree party!

I love blogs

There I said it.  I admit that I am obsessed with blogs.  I constantly am on the lookout for interesting blogs and I can spend hours (and by hours I really do mean hours...I mean come on...I have the time to spare) reading about other people's lives.  I am always am in awe of bloggers who have over 100 followers much less thousands.  How do they do that?  (okay, I may easily awed, but still you have to admit that is impressive).  I actually feel a sense of disappointment when my good friend's haven't updated their blogs recently (Chelsea and Brittany, I am calling you out here!).  My dream is to have my own website much like these faves of mine:  Our Old Southern House (love, love, love this blog), Kelly's Korner (she has over 9000 followers and always has links to other good blogs), The Pioneer Woman (she has the best recipes!), and Lucie's List (a great guide for moms).  I love writing and I am narcissitic enough to think that I have an interesting life that people actually want to read about and to love knowing that people enjoy my writing.  Or at least I hope they enjoy my writing and think I am interesting.  If you don't think either of those things please don't tell me.  I probably will discount what you are saying and choose not to believe you anyways.  :) 

Another thing I would love to do, besides becoming a blogging goddess, is to write an advice column.  I've learned over the past several months of bedrest (okay, I'm lying--I've always know this) that I love giving advice.  I can also spend hours a day on Babycenter commenting on people's posts and questions and giving advice to people on everything from relationships (a lot of women seem to have a lot of relationship problems during pregnancy--makes me sad--despite all the changes of 2010 Paul and I have continued to have an amazing relationship--God has blessed us with each other for sure) to child rearing to pregnancy questions (mostly related to cerclage and things my high risk obs have told me).  Plus I think my background in social work/mental health makes me qualified to write an advice column.  I feel like I give good, sound advice.

So, I have no idea how to create my own website, but if anyone out there would like to help me or create one for me I'd be eternally grateful and I'd give you all the credit on your brilliant piece of design (also if you could tell me  how to turn off these stupid hot keys on my laptop I'd be grateful to.  I hate everytime I hit T and something else I get taken to a new internet explorer window or bing search or what not).  And if anyone knows of any newspapers or websites hiring advice columnists then please let me know. 

We are sitting at home, listening to the wind, everything covered in snow, watching a show on how Spiderman really could be plausible on History.  I have a cold and don't feel like doing much.  I've been on a big murder/thriller book spree lately (J.T. Ellison has the best series involving a character Taylor Jackson--I've read 4 of this series over the weekend) which may explain why I dreamt last night that I took down an armed suspect holding a woman hostage last night.  Of course covering myself head to toe in Vicks Vapor Rub because of my cold could have had something to do with it, too.  FYI covering the bottom of your feet in Vicks and putting socks on really does help.  God love Paul for allowing me to sleep in our bed with the odor of menthol wafting about our room.  I def will be taking a bath tonight and utilizing the Vicks.   

Hard to believe in less than 7 weeks our baby girl will be here.  That's only 52 days and to say I'm excited to meet her would be an understatement.  Excited and terrified all at once.  Well, maybe not terrified.  A good scared for sure.  Going into the unknown is always a little daunting as I'm sure all new parents will attest to. 

How far in advance did y'all have your bags packed for the hospital, car seat installed, and crib bedding on?  We got our car seat and stroller set up last night, the nursery is almost done (although I haven't put the sheet on yet, but the mattress is aired out not that it really needed to be as of course no one should be surprised that my crazy ass got an organic foam mattress), we have a baby shower on the 8th, and then will purchase whatever else we need to get after that.  Did anyone else use a Graco pack and play with newborn napper?  How did your baby like/do in the newborn napper part? 

Hope everyone is staying warm and safe in this snowy weather!