A weekend of firsts for our girl !

First trip to a fair, we went to the Walla Walla county fair. LeAnne did as good as can be expected when she cooped up for that long in her stroller. She really loved the carnival/game areas and we can't wait to take her on some kiddie rides next year. She had her first taste of a snow cone, and yakisoba noodles. It was too funny, John and I were sharing some Yakisoba, John was holding LeAnne when all of a sudden she grabbed a noodle, not a handful but a noodle. Her fine motor skills amaze us! She also liked seeing the animals.

Then later that day while John & I were watching her play in the living room she took her first step!! Yeah baby! How cool is that mama & daddy got to see your first step together! I was in tears of course! It was a tiny step but it was a step! Then on Sunday daddy & I were having her walk to us and she took two quick steps to me and a few one steps and then fell down.

Here's a picture of our fearless wonder standing her walker. She also go her first boo boo that bled today. :-( Thankfully she just bumped her tooth and is just fine.

She also played with Tommie's Breyer horses for the first time and rode Tommie's pony Nubby for the first time bareback.















I feel so incredibly blessed to have been home for all of LeAnne's big firsts! It's been said to me a few times this weekend that it's possible I am right where I am supposed to be right now and the perfect job will come my way in God's time, not mine. Well this mama is gonna go try to write a cover letter real quick and then rest while LeAnne is napping. She's been one BUSY BUSY lil bee today!

The verdict is in...

For now I must take the advice of one wise little fish who said "Just keep swimming swimming swimming." (Dori from Finding Nemo)

I talked with the principal this morning, they really enjoyed the interview, it was close but they hired someone else for the position. She would really like me to be a sub and said I'd be an asset to the district later on down the road. I am bummed to say the least, I thought this is where God wanted me, so here we go again. I will be applying for an education assistant position with the another school district and keep on the look out for other prospects. I think I will call the principal back on Tuesday one I've had some time to digest all this and take the substitute job. Something is better than nothing and it is a way for me to get my foot in the door. Please keep on prayin God's will for my life will become apparent one of these days! I know He will provide!!!!! I tell ya though the searching, waiting and the rejection sure do take a toll.
Love ya'll. Have a great weekend! John is home so we are looking forward to some family time. We are going to the Walla Walla fair on Saturday.

Interview is over -- It's all in God's hands!

I had my interview this morning at 9am with the principal and the teacher I'd be working with. I think it went well, they seemed pleased with my responses to their questions, and it was a very relaxed environment. They plan to finish up the interviews today, make a decision tonight because they want the person to start on Tuesday. It's in God's hands, if this is where He wants me it will happen and if it's not I'll press forward in my job search. This job feels so right. Well I am off to go spend the day with my sister. I'll letcha know as soon as I hear anything. Thank-you for your prayers!!

Interview today!!!

I am ready to go! I did some research yesterday about No Child Left Behind, I've written down some questions, printed out my resume and mom is coming to watch LeAnne. I am hoping this coffee helps cause I didn't get the best night of sleep last night...a certain someone would not stay asleep. I know, I know, I know...I need to let her cry and I did some last night but if ya think I can just turn off the monitor and go to bed knowing my girl is down stairs screaming you're nuts. Well little one is up so I must go grab her. I will post an update after the interview at 9am. Thanks for your thougths and prayers!!
Jana

Water & electronics really don't mix...

Well I was trying to do to many things at once, and had a glass of water on the table where my lap top lives and... yep I spilled a significant amount of water on my laptop. :-( I tried everything I could think of to hurry to get the water off but I don't think it helped. John is going to call around today to see if anyone can salvage the hard drive and possibly repair if it's not too much. Thank-God most of our pictures are online someone or on a CD. Of course I had not done a back up of my documents for a little bit though. So all my scrap book journal pages, ideas, and a really great list of addresses I had been working on were in my documents. It's not the end of the world, we do have John's laptop for now, I will get another one when we can afford it but it just blows! Anyone want a pretty paper weight?

Guess who has an interview on Thursday?

I do! I do! I do!!! Yahoooooooooooo!!!! I got a call this afternoon from the principal of Dayton Elementary School wanting to interview me for the title 1 teacher's aide position. SWEET! I am very EXCITED!!! The interview is Thursday at 9am. Grandma Marcia will come over to watch LeAnne. I would appreciate your prayers as I prepare for the interview, as I interview, and pray that God will provide where He guides.

This mama is EXHAUSTED so good-night and lets pray our lil princess sleeps good tonight!

Love ya'll and thank-you for your prayers!

Jana

What is a sound you can never hear enough of?

For me it's laughter and right now especially my 10 month old daughters laugh. Lord thank-you so much for her laughter! Her laughter stops me in my tracks and causes me to remember how incredibly blessed to have such a precious daughter. She is really starting to laugh loudly at things other than being tickled. This week she was laughing so hard as she watched Cookie Monster on Sesame Street and then this morning she was laughing as she watched Gracie and Bella play. These oh so precious moments make all those not so precious moments worth it. To see my daughter happy is so AWESOME!

So what sound can you never hear enough of? I can't wait to hear from ya'll!

Have a blessed weekend!!

Patty Cake Patty Cake...

I FINALLY caught LeAnne clapping on video! She started clapping a lot on her own about a week ago but every time we'd turn on the camera she would stop. Time to start teaching her how to play Patty cake. :-) These fun times with her definitely make up for the frustrations. She' has been a real mama's girl this last week. She will play a while and then stop what she is doing to come over and give me a big hug. I LOVE it!!! Her adorable onesie is one of many new outfits she got from Grandma Marcia who made a trip to Khols. Thank-you Grandma Marcia!! She also got an adorable Seahawks cheerleader outfit from Grandma Nana and my Aunt Lois made her a beautiful purple sweater. This lil girl definitely has clothes. We are so thankful!! At the moment lil one is fighting to go to sleep.




On that note...earlier today I was thinking as I attempted to rock her to sleep how many comparisons I can make between her behavior and my behavior as a child of God. I am so thankful God is a patient father!!! :-) More on that note later... For now I have LeAnne needs a nappy.

No fear!

Here is another video of LeAnne on her motorcycle. She has NO FEAR! She thinks sitting is too easy so she stands on the seat and rocks! YIKES!!!




Stay tune... I am trying to get a video of her clapping which is her newest thing. Wouldn't ya know though as soon as I point the camera at her she stops clapping. Hee hee!

Love ya'll

Jana

Psalm 23:1 I shall not want

*** Update *** 8/18/08 - I turned in my application/resume this morning to the Dayton School District. Now I wait to see what God has in store. I prayed the whole way there (all 3 minutes) took a deep breath and turned it over to God.

The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not be in want. Psalm 23:1

I have been doing a bible study by Elizabeth George called Powerful Promises for Every Woman, 12 Life Changing truths from Psalm 23. This past year our family has been through many life changing experiences, our focus in life has changed, we are adjusting to new roles, and this has all be a bit overwhelming at times. I have found myself needing to draw closer to God so this study has been a helpful.

The chapter that hit home earlier this week is called God's Promise of Provision. These words by Elizabeth were a big encouragement and also convicted me to remember God's promise:

Step up to your impossible situation...and step out in faith. God not only leads you and cares for you, but he provides for you, too. Where God guides, He provides. Therefore, you shall not want...for anything!

I know God has a perfect plan for my life, He led us here to Dayton in a manner I have no doubt He wants us here so I am convicted to remember that He will provide for us and I MUST seek his guidance. I must loosen my gripe and let him take the reins of my life. So I've prayed for God to guide me, to help me to totally trust He has a place for me and He will provide for me.

After completing this study on Saturday morning I went online to look for jobs in the Union Bulletin newspaper, as I've done almost every day since February, and here is what I saw;

Position open in the Dayton School District for 3 paraprofessionals and one HS assistant football coach. For more information please call Jana Eaton at 382-2543. Application and job description can be picked up in the administration office at 609 S Second Street. Closing date August 27th. EOE

I would LOVE this job and WOW talk about God providing. The hours would be amazing, I would be close to home which means no commute/a LOT less gas, I am told it is a very relaxed environment to work in, I would be closer to LeAnne during the day, later on I would be able to be involved in LeAnne's school because I was close and I LOVE children. I later found out their are 2 openings for special needs aids and one for an elementary aid. There again God is nudging me because of my huge heart for children with special needs.

My application is filled out and my resume printed. I need to contact one more reference and then I will take the paper work to the school district tomorrow. IF this is where God wants me it WILL happen. I'd appreciate your prayers -- Pray I seek God's guidance and KNOW He will provide ALL I need!!!

Thank-you very much!

Family Update

Lots to say and this mama bear is exhausted so lets get started. Good Byes are never easy! We had an amazing time with Amanda this last month and a half. She's a very special young lady. It's been so much fun watching her and LeAnne together! We are hoping she will be spending Christmas with us this year. Having her fly is definitely worth the cost. Her plane departed Pasco at 2:05pm and she got into Portland at 3pm. She actually beat us home. We miss her already. The house is not the same tonight. Here is a picture I took of Daddy & his girls today.


LeAnne scored a new toy today. I happen to check Craigslist last night and saw someone in Pasco was selling a rocking Police motorcycle for $5, since we were going there today I e-mailed to see if it was available. We picked it up today on our way home. It's in great condition and LeAnne absolutely LOVES it. She is figuring out how to use it really fast. She's got on it once by herself, she can rock it, likes to push it and give mama a heart attack by standing on the seat. EEKS! Here is a picture and a video clip.



















LeAnne was in rare form yesterday. She was one crabby patty! One of those moods that guarantee she'll be my only child. It was ROUGH! I had a sneaky suspicious she was teething and sure enough big sister was the first to lay eyes on her 2nd top tooth. We had many precious moments with her today that made up for yesterday. :-) She is so close to walking.

Composing this update has been difficult to say the least. LeAnne has woke up twice, the video took forever to upload and I've lost my internet connection at least twice. I'll write more tomorrow because I wanted to share about my bible study time this morning and a super job lead. My brain is mush so I am off to watch Michael Phelps and then off to sleep. Love ya'll !!

Priceless moments

Good Morning! LeAnne is still sleeping! She went to bed around 9pm and it's now 6:34am! Mama got 2 nights of sleep in a row! Party time! Oh plus 2 days in a row of getting a shower, dressed and eating breakfast before my lil princess awakes! SWEET! PRAISE God!!! :-)

Onto the priceless moments... Amanda & LeAnne were dancing to a song LeAnne loves yesterday and Amanda says "she is going to be so much more fun the next time I see her". It's just so COOL that Amanda loves her lil sister. She wants us to teach her how to say sister. We told her she needs teeth to say her S's so for awhile it might sound more like "thither". LOL!! Then yesterday while I was over watering mom's plants I left a sleeping LeAnne home with John and Amanda but when I came home I found out she didn't stay asleep in her bed for long. Daddy said she was in there for 15 minutes tops. So he held her for a while, then he had to do something so Amanda held her for a bit and that's when he captures the priceless pic you see above. When I got home I took the pic of John and LeAnne because I was thinking of how she use to sleep like that all the time and how tiny she was.

Lil girl is waking up so must sign off for now. I tell ya its AMAZING how much better this mama feels with a good nights sleep!!! Have a day full of fun and blessings!

10 months old today

**Update** Mama still needs more sleep ~ LeAnne is 10 months today NOT 11 months. LOL! I definately don't want time to go by faster. I am still wishin there was a pause or rewind button. :-)

I can't believe LeAnne is 10 months old today! She is looking more and more like a little girl and not a baby. She is cruising along furniture and standing on her own for short periods of time. Lately she has been making the cutest noise but not sure how to describe it other than it's sounds like she's making a chuffing noise like baby tigers do. She has taken to smiling big and wrinkling up her nose at the same time. It's funny! She is now using B's saying ba aba ba ba. Her & Amanda have really bonded this month. :-) She is eating well, starting to use a sippy cup better and loves flavored ice. No more teeth this month. Sleeping, going to sleep and staying asleep continues to be ROUGH! She fights going to sleep something terrible and is still waking up at least 2 times most nights. I count myself lucky if I get 6 hour of sleep in a row. Lately I've been very frustrated, at my wits end with her sleeping. My lack of sleep leaves me EXHAUSTED most of the time, which has led to me being very emotional & irritable, I have a lot of headaches, I have trouble concentrating, staying organized, keeping with a schedule and a lot of times I just feel like I am in a daze. I've often wondered if this is all from lack of sleep or is it something else. I've gotta get LeAnne sleeping better so mama can get rested. I wonder if I should have done something different when she was younger. If you have any thoughts/advice pleases share. Hearing her cry/scream it out is terrible! I LOVE our little girl so much!

I've begun to think about her birthday -- theme, who to invite, her birthday falls on a Saturday so we will have the party then. I can't believe she will be a year old in 2 months! WOW! She's down so I am off to bed. Love ya'll

P.S She slept from 10:30pm to 6:40am last night and it was HEAVEN for mama! I feel human this morning! Now I got up at 6:00am so I could shower and now her first name is a time when I can job search, or scrap or get dinner ready or whatever - the main thingis it's MAMA time. Yahoooooooooooo!! Gotta go -- LeAnne is done eating breakfast and it's bathtime!

LeAnne's 1st doll

Nataly, my oldest niece gave LeAnne her first Cabbage Patch Kid and for whatever reason I decied Friday was a good day to give it to her. The ironic thing is about little Cora Sue is that her birthday is October 11th too and Nataly gave the doll to me Oct 6th at my baby shower. Pretty neat huh! LeAnne was much more interested in the packaging and all the accessories that lil Cora came with. She has showed some interest in her, especially the little bit of hair on top of her head. hee hee! While opening the box I caught a whiff of the unique smell a Cabbage Patch Kid has and it brought back lots of happy memories I had with my CPK's.

In other news, LeAnne is starting to stand on her own for as long as 15 seconds so from what I hear walking is just around the corner. She's holding her own bottle most of the time. We are experimenting with different table foods. So far she likes green beans, Graham Crackers, French fries, Cherrios, and mashed potatoes. She is getting better with her sippy cup and this week she learned how to knock down block towers that sister built. We are so blessed to have 2 very precious daughters!!