Meeting Little Miss Maggie

This post is about a week overdue, but with my freak medical malady last week, I just didn't have it in me to write it. Better late than never, right?? So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce my almost brand-spankin-new niece: Maggie Kathleen. Isn't she the sweetest?

There's nothing sweeter than a baby girl, you know. I might be a bit biased about that. Maggie was born on a Wednesday, but we couldn't make the trip to Atlanta until Thursday afternoon, and I didn't get to see her until Friday morning. She was totally worth the wait.

My girls, Kendall in particular, were completely enthralled by her. It was the first time that Kendall had really been around a baby, and she wanted to hold her. And when I say that she wanted to hold her, I mean that she completely flipped out if someone else in her presence was holding Maggie and she was not.

It was incredibly sweet. When the screaming wasn't driving me crazy, that is.

I did take a picture with the proud mama (my sister), but I don't think she would appreciate me putting it on the internet for all the world to see. It wasn't a particularly good photo of either of us (totally not the photographer's fault, Dad!).

On a completely unrelated note, it really doesn't seem like that long ago since we made the trip to Atlanta to meet my nephew, Will (sitting next to Kendall up there in the "cousins" photo). But it's been three and a half years already. Where has the time gone?? Atlanta is a long way from central Mississippi, and I don't get to see my sister that often. This trip was particularly bittersweet. I loved visiting with Stacy and loving on sweet little Maggie, and I hated to go. I'm already trying to figure out when I can see her again. I don't know when it will happen, but I hope it's not too far down the road.

Until next time, grace and peace.

The Week that Was: Spring Break Edition

It's Spring Break here in Mississippi, which means that half the state is off gallivanting on the beaches of Alabama and Florida. We, however, had no such grand plans. After a whirlwind trip to Atlanta to meet my sweet little niece, we were going to have a staycation. My master plan included an excursion to the children's museum, lunch with my aunt and uncle, and a trip to the salon for Micah to be pampered.

And then life happened.

Specifically, a persistent toothache drove me to the dentist Monday afternoon. She couldn't localize the pain, but suspected an old filling was the culprit. So I headed off to the endodontist yesterday morning for a probable root canal.

Except he couldn't localize the pain either. So he did some more investigating and discovered that my jawbone has somehow pushed its way through my gum, causing extreme pain and sensitivity. Apparently it happens. I just thought there was an ulcer back there. Turns out, it's the source of all my problems. Well, my tooth mouth pain problems anyway.

Fun times, right?

Instead of playing at the children's museum, the girls played in the waiting room at the dentist's office. Instead of lunch with my aunt and uncle, they ate peanut butter sandwiches in the car. Instead of a trip to the salon, we went to Walgreens for my pain medication.

But they also explored the city park with Dennis and built duplo towers and enjoyed lunch with Gran and watched lots of Disney Junior. So as far as they're concerned, it was the best Spring Break ever.

Hopefully, next week will be a return to normality (and regular posting). After the visit to the oral surgeon at the beginning of the week, that is. Such is my crazy life.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Reading Corner: It's National Reading Month, Y'all!

"I Read Past My Bedtime" Chalkboard Art by Peter Farago for NOOK

I don't know who named March national reading month, but I'm glad someone did. It's no secret that I'm a self-proclaimed book nerd. I LOVE reading. Granted, there was a time in my life when books and I quit hanging out for a while, but our separation was short-lived, and as my husband can attest, more often than not, I have my nose stuck in a book (or glued to my Kindle, but it's all the same, right?).

I recently read an article that claimed that readers of fiction are more compassionate and empathetic than our non-fiction-loving peers. Reading fiction helps us see things from someone else's perspective. Through books, we visit places we've never dreamed of and become friends with people who are quite different from ourselves. Reading literature exposes us to a vast array of opinions and mindsets in the form of characters, which has the real-life effect of helping us understand where other people are coming from. That seems like a good reason to read a book this month, don't you think?

National Reading Month has given me the push I needed to introduce a new little section of the blog that I've been thinking about for a while. I thought I'd pop in every now and then and share my recent reads and thoughts on them. I'll tell you if I loved them or hated them or just kind of tolerated them. I'll give you the reasons why you should read them AND the reasons you should avoid them. And we can both pretend that we're having this conversation face-to-face on my couch. Preferably while we're enjoying steaming mugs of hot chocolate.

All of that to say, be on the lookout for book reviews and updates on my recent reads in the Reading Corner. Until that time comes, though, I'd love to hear from you. What have you been reading lately? How has reading affected your understanding of others?

Until next time, grace and peace.