That perfect balance

(sigh) Good afternoon world... (ok, so, the 3 of you that take the time to read my thoughts...and thank you by the way)

Ava is napping, the bugs are outside "buzzing", I actually had 10 minutes to take a shower and put on real clothes - what a great start to the day. Funny the things you appreciate post-baby. :)

I've been missing out on so many things to blog about. Our lives have once again changed so dramatically in the last few weeks. Here's a recap...

Mid July - found out the rental house we were in sold and we had to be out by the end of August. Continued house hunting for one of our own.

Sept 4 - closed on our 1st house!!! Sept 4-5 we moved in!

Ava turned 9 months old this past Wednesday.

Youth group is officially in full school time swing. Brad almost has something going on everynight.

So, amidst all of those little details we continue to live life here in the Pausley home. We love our new place. The house was built in 1914 and has some really cool little things about it... the built in china cabinet, linen closet and bookshelf/bannisters are a few of my faves. I am so eager to really make this place our own. Look out Home Depot here I come!!! I haven't been able to find a way to really capture good pics of the place...but here's what the back view looks like. We have 3 bedrooms, an upstairs sunroom, 1 bathroom, but one blue toilet (working) in the basement, living room, dining room, kitchen and full basement, oh, and a HUGE front screened in porch. We feel so blessed! Besides transitioning to a house - we've been transitioning into a new phase in parenting, as well. As I mentioned, Ava turned 9 months old this week and wow have things changed. Gone are the days of laying my wee one down on some sort of play mat while I lazily dust the house or skim through the tv channels. This girl is everywhere and fast! She went from laying on the floor, to attempting to crawl to crawling in about a week - then went straight to standing and climbing. I've found her on top of her walker chair, hanging on the back of one of our chairs (while I was in it!) and up two stairs!! eeeek! She's literally into everything and all at once. This week she has -pulled out an entire box of wipes from the holder, emptied my makeup bag at least 3 times, pulled out most of the spoons from my utensil drawer, strewn about the contents of her diaper bag, and my personal favorite...found the airwick air freshener and was sucking on it. Yum, scented oil! I learn my lesson every day that NO I really can't pop away somewhere for even just a second. But, although she is moving and learning and changing... I just find that the more she grows and changes, the more I fall in love. She is amazing. While most of the time she is way to busy for momma to hold her, every night for a few treasured seconds she just "wants" me. She reaches to me and just wants her head on my shoulder and an arm around my neck. It melts me. She's learning to give kisses too! If I make the smooch sound a million times she'll lean in and plant a wet one right on me, then smile. She's starting to get things! She wants to be with me all the time during chores, too. Which, occasionally presents a problem - loading the dishwasher for example... as every possible crumb she eyeballs seems to invite her to eat it. yuck. She's snuck more then a few tasty morsels. Makes my stomach churn even thinking about it. Any attempt I make at putting makeup on is also an invitation for Ava to put hers on. She's especially fond of my Mary Kay compacts and mascara. At least she has good taste!

I love every second... and I knew I would, but I guess its just more evident to me lately. What an amazing miracle motherhood is. I'm blown away.

Before I end this blog I need to make two book recommendations. I remembered this time to take pictures of the books so you can identify them if you ever see them. I went on a theme of reading books with the word "creative" in the title. No, not really...but thats whats happened this summer. First, Creative Counterpart - its taken me MONTHS to read because of how lazy I was with reading it...but really is a good book. Topical based on Prov. 31 and how to be a "creative counterpart". The parts about how to honor and respect my husband was especially thought provoking. I will warn you - it was written in the 70's and has some old school ideas and language, but still pretty good. Second book I recommened is this one by Emilie Barnes - especially if you enjoy having a well organized, non chaotic life...to which I am striving for. Its page after page of bullet points of ideas on how to maintain life and be better stewards with what you have. She covers everything from kitchens to garages to wardrobes to cleaning stuff... just really really good ideas, some of which I'm incorporating already. I especially loved her ideas on "make your own" household cleaners... etc. But, like that guy on Reading Rainbow always said, "don't take my word for it"... :) If you get a chance to check them out - let me know what you think.