wake me up when september ends.

it's not that september was boring, or that it was incredibly difficult... i just thought of this green day song as i was thinking about what to name this post. it's more that i woke up and the month was over. how does that happen?

september came and went. i'm not quite sure why it was such a blur although it was very busy. but still... october already?

so. crazy.

some september highlights...

god=faithful

{big surprise} god has been reminding us these days how incredibly faithful he is. it's like a new revelation every time... as if i forgot about the last time that he provided for us. there have been many moments this month that have brought us close to tears. surprise gifts from others. insurance payments on medical bills that we weren't counting on. little financial breaks along the way... along with me getting another babysitting gig that i had been praying for. i pick up two little girls every day after school and take them to their activities. i'm basically a soccer mom... how does that happen when my baby is only four months old?! i love it. the girls are so sweet. the family is wonderful. and bella has two new buddies. they all are equally obsessed with each other. she also has a new boyfriend; luke, the baby i have been babysitting on thursdays for a couple of months now. he is so sweet and i love watching them together! so. stinking. cute.

friday night lights

bella loves football. nick has been coaching offensive line for the first baptist academy saints this season (where he teaches) and bella and i loooove going to his games! we have late friday nights, but it's totally worth it. the weather has been beautiful. nick has quite a little fan group, as our friends have come out to many of his games... and bella loves all the action. hey, we even met jerry jones at one of the games and have a picture to prove it. it's been a busy schedule for nick and we are ready to have more time with him but it's been really fun, too!

f.r.i.e.n.d.s

the last weekend in september, bella and i were blessed with a trip to chicago to have a lil reunion with some of my best girlfriends from college. so. fun. these are the girls i lived with. stayed up until 3 am eating graham crackers and frosting out of the can. laughed with until we cried. pulled random pranks on people...what else do you do when you go to a christian college in the middle of the cornfields of ohio?? some of the best times of my life! to see all of us now as grown ups... wives, employees, mothers, WOMEN... was such a blessing. last weekend, i also got to spend the afternoon with a friend i've been close to since we were both sixteen years old. before i start singing michael w. smith "friends are friends forever" i will attempt to skip out on all cheesiness by just saying how thankful i am for these women, and how the lord has blessed me by such wonderful friends from all phases of my life; growing up in maine, college, seminary, and life in dallas. *love* these girls.

cold*front

yes, its true... the weather in dallas has actually turned a bit cooler these days and i, for one, am ever-so-thankful. the drop in temperatures has prompted me to buy a fall-scented candle, bake pumpkin bread and plan for chili in the crockpot this weekend as we watch (the cornwell-sundays-in-the-fall-staple) footballllll. along with the chill in the air we've all experienced being sick recently... bella has had her first cold. we've discovered that she looooves having her nose suctioned; but not as much as she enjoys nasal saline spray (note: sarcasm). but poor little sweetie is feeling much better now... thankfully.

speaking of bella...

she is almost five months old which makes me a bit teary-eyed to think about (partly sentiment; also partly my hormones i'm sure...) she is now wearing 3-6 months clothes, rolling over like a champ and sitting like a big girl in her oh-so-cute bumbo seat. the past week or so she's been gnawing on anything and everything and drooling like crazy. pretty sure she's teething. this may also help explain why our baby (who has been sleeping through the night since she was seven weeks old) has all of a sudden thought it would be much more fun to hang out with mama at three oclock in the morning. love this little girl more and more every day... i mean; just look at this face!

so for now on i guess i should say wake me up when the four month sleep regression ends...

thank you.

october, we welcome you. you and your cooler weather, pumpkins, football, apple crisp and pumpkin spice, sweaters and candles. my favorite time of the year is upon us. come on, christmas!!