Fatherhood

It's been a long time since I've updated on my little baby. I'm not going to lie, it's hard to find anything to write about because he's just so darned perfect.

I try to not dream too much about the future, because I don't want my happiness to depend on him making the decisions that I want him to make, but sometimes I just can't help it. Especially when I see him with his dad.

Did you know that boys who grow up without a father are 2/3 more likely to end up in prison? That is sad, but what is even more sad is that we don't have statistics about boys whose father was in the home, but they still might as well have grown up without a dad.

I knew when I married Jordan that he would be a great dad. I don't mean your average great dad. I mean a FANTASTIC dad. He is so invested in people in general, I knew that when he had children they would be the most doted on kids in the universe.

Jordan, of course, adores Noah. I have never personally seen a dad beg a mom for his baby (not saying that it doesn't happen, just that it doesn't happen often enough). Every Sunday at church when I bring our boy from the nursery, I meet Jordan with his hands out for him. When he comes home from work I immediately have to hand Noah over. He is sad when he has to go to work. He just loves this kid more than anything.

Isn't that the way all dads should be? After all, aren't they supposed to show their children what a loving Father God is? Isn't that what keeps them out of trouble and into grace?

I know my kid's going to be alright.

Running

I am on week 3 of the Couch to 5k program. Yesterday it totally kicked my butt.

In order to complete my 101 things, I have to run 10,000 miles. It's a lofty goal, equaling a little more than 9 miles per day. But I wanted a lofty goal. In three years I wanted to run at least one marathon, maybe even two. But when I ended my 23 minute run yesterday and say 1.28 miles... can I just say I was a little discouraged.

I know that I don't have anything to be ashamed of. I know that I'm only on my 3rd week of training. But when week 3 was so much harder than week 2, I thought for sure that I would at least hit the mile and a half mark. Instead, I raised my mileage by one tenth of a mile.

Living in a car-driven society, I think, is the reason both my husband and I were discouraged by our mileage yesterday (although, can I just brag on him and say that he has went from never running or working out in his life to running two miles non stop in only three weeks? Hooray!). If we make our cars go just a little bit faster for a little bit longer, we will cover miles and miles more in just a few minutes time. We had to remind ourselves when leaving the gym yesterday that we are humans. And that one tenth of a mile is a lot for a human body.

I hope that this will all even out at the end of my 1001 days, though. Because I would love to hit 10,000 miles run. That would be hardcore.

Concert

Saturday Jordan and I not only got to see a concert, we got to open for it! Check and check number 53.

This has been the works for a while, but the week leading up to the concert was one of the most stressful and crazy weeks we have had in a while. We ended up not being able to practice with our band until the day of the concert. I was probably the least talented musician there, though, so it all turned out great anyway. It's amazing to listen to people who truly know how to make music and not just play an instrument.

The concert was at the new contemporary Methodist church and it was also our Christian radio station's birthday bash. Jonny Diaz (More Beautiful You) and Todd Agnew (Grace Like Rain) were the headliners.

We drove thru Taco Bell before the concert. Big mistake for me. I don't know if I've ever been that sick from eating fast food before. I had been eating very healthily for the past week, so I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. I'm already feeling sugar withdrawals (shakiness, nausea), so I'm sure my body wasn't ready for the grease-filled splendor that is Taco Bell.

I then proceeded to take a Jillian Michael's fat burning pill. Big mistake number two. Those things are pure caffeine. By the time we got onstage I was shaking and jumping around and basically running around in little circles. It was fun for everyone else to watch, I'm sure.

I think it turned out fine though.

We met Jonny and Todd and both were great people. It's funny to meet artists in a setting like that. It makes them feel a little less untouchable. I'm thinking about buying both of their albums as soon as I can justify it.


In other news, I am officially 149 lbs! Hooray for being below 150!

Wow. I'm flying through these!

#8 Have my first solo garage sale

Today I had my first garage sale in a new house. It was quite thrilling, especially since we really started working on it at about 9:00 last night. Jordan went with a friend to get tables from his mom, and we took all of her things that she couldn't sell at her last garage sale. Abbi and I priced all of our stuff and hauled it upstairs to the living room for me to put out this morning.

At 6:00 my alarm went off. Then at 6:09. 6:18. 6:27. Finally at 6:36 I rolled out of bed, put on some sweatpants, and made some coffee.

I didn't know that they had brought so much from my mom in law's house. There were about 5 trash bags full. I ran around like a mad person and finally ended up with this:

 It was basically a hot mess, but it worked. There was a bunch of stuff not priced, and I decided that anything not priced could just go for 25 cents. It must have worked well, because for a garage sale, I totally made a haul.

This was my ghetto-rific money box.

I'm thinking about leaving my stuff up and having another sale next week and just making everything 25 cents. Anything left I will just give to good will. Hooray for success!

Holy Mother of Rings

No kidding, just as I typed that last post, this happened:

Wedding set is off! I can strike off #13!

Just 100 to go! :)

101 Things, 1001 Days

I know, what you're thinking, "More goals?" Actually, I saw this on someone else's blog and thought it looked like so much fun, I decided to put one together for myself.

Home
1. Have another child
2. Get organized
3. Organize my basement
4. Buy a nice camera
5. Start my own family holiday traditions
6. Get family pictures taken
7. Develop engagement, wedding, and baby pictures
8.Have my first solo garage sale
9. Throw 3 birthday bashes for Noah
10. Cook through a cookbook
11. Make a 10 year plan as a family
12. Spend a rainy day watching some kind of marathon with my husband

Fitness
13. Get my wedding ring off (it's still stuck from being pregnant)
14.  Fit into a size 4 jeans again
15. Have toned arms
16. Complete a 5k
17. Complete a 10k
18. Complete a half marathon
19. Complete a marathon
20. Take a class at the gym
21. Go to the gym regularly for a month
22. Do Jillian's 30 day Shred (and not skip a day)
23. Learn how to eat healthily
24. Loose 10 pounds (would put me at 145)
25. Loose 20 pounds (135)
26. Loose 30 pounds (125)
27. Run 10,000 miles
28. Go hiking
29. Go to a Zumba class
30. Ride a bike
31. Play volleyball
32. Play tennis
33. Lose 2 inches from waist
34. Lose 4 inches from waist
35. Lose 6 inches from waist
36. Complete the Couch to 5k plan
37. Eliminate processed white sugar from my everyday diet
38. Have a healthy complexion

Professional Development
39. Teach a college class
40. Complete my master's degree
41. Audition for 5 professional theaters
42. Play trumpet in a band
43. Become proficient in piano
44. Do the splits
45. Do a show in Jackson
46. Build a substantial theatre library

Go to's
47. Go on a tropical vacation
48. Take Noah to Disney World
49. Go to New York City
50. Go somewhere I've never been before
51. Take a cruise
52. Go to Six Flags
53. Go to a concert
54. Begin serious planning for a Europe trip
55. Go ice skating
56. Go to the zoo
57. Go to the magic house

Finances
58. Pay off all debt besides mortgage
59. Mortgage under $150,000
60. Mortgage under $140,000
61. Mortgage under $130,000
62. Try couponing
63. Buy a new car
64. Manage our checkbook better
65. Pay off all medical bills
66. Begin saving for retirement
67. Begin saving for children's college funds

Literature
68. Complete a reading list (to be decided upon later)
69. Read all John Piper's books
70. Read the complete works of Shakespeare
71. Read all of Jane Austen's works
72. Join a book club
73. Read all the books currently in our house
74. Participate in National Novel Writing Month 

Acts of Kindness
75. Meet Yanci (my sponsored child) in El Salvador
76. Donate hair to Locks of Love
77. Teach a Sunday School
78. Begin a church drama team
79. Go on a mission trip
80. Sponsor 1 child for each family member through Compassion
81. Donate 5,000 hours of my time
82. Donate blood

Just for me 
83. Get a massage
84. Learn Spanish
85. Watch top 100 movies on AMC list
86. Take dancing lessons
87. Learn to tap dance
88. Take my husband to see Les Miserables at the Fox
89. Make something off Pinterest
90. Learn to knit
91. Play piano in front of people
92. Rebuild my wardrobe
93. Try a new food
94. Get over my fear of snakes
95. Crochet through my 101 Stiches to Crochet book
96. Take pictures of me doing the things on the list
97. Go to a spa
98. Write a letter to myself to open when the 1001 days are over
99. Run on the beach
100. See a drive in movie with my husband and son
101. Create a picture book on Shutterfly

If anyone can tell me how to put a countdown timer on the side of my blog, I would appreciate it. I am not that blog-savvy yet.

Yearly Goals Update

1. Pay off half my student loan debt

Right now, honestly, I'm just making the minimum payments. But anytime a holiday/birthday comes around I usually throw the entire extra bit into student loan repayment. We've got a tax return coming our way soon as well as a garage sale (I know, I know, but I can imagine that we'll make at least $300 from it), Easter, and the summer, which is a musician's gig-heaven. I can't wait to get out of debt.

2. Read 100 books

I don't think I'm going to have a problem accomplishing this goal this year. I've finally gotten into some kind of groove in my life where I find time every day to read. Because I've finished 27/100 books, I only need to read a book and a half a week to finish on time (or 1/4 of a book a day). Depending on the books I choose, that could be simple or difficult. I want to start reading some larger works, but I also want to enjoy them. Once I get to the point where I could read about 1 book a week I will probably start concentrating on some Shakespeare or Jane Austin (which is what I really really love to read)>

3. Make the Monte Carlo last through 2012

Jordan tried to take the Chevy to work yesterday and the battery is dead for no apparent reason. This is the first thing that's gone wrong, but my very first instinct was to say, "It's so old! Let's get a new one so we don't have to worry about this!" I think this might be more of a test of my will power than the Monte Carlo's going-power. We're 1/4 of the way through the year! We can do it!

4. Have a full time job in my area of expertise

I'm trying to decide what a full-time job for me, as an artist looks like. I'm going to say that I've really accomplished this goal.

The exciting exciting exciting news is that I am the new director for In Charactre, the traveling drama ministry team at Missouri Baptist University. I am so ecstatic about this, I can't even tell you. It really is a dream come true for me. I have loved drama ministry since I was 5 years old and felt like God was calling me to that either full-time, part-time, or as a volunteer. I volunteered for 5 or 6 years at Orchardville Community Church, was scholarshipped for it at MBU for 4 years, and now, finally, get the chance to direct my own team and be paid for it!
I still have my 5 wonderful, awesome, piano/voice/acting students that I teach weekly. I love teaching private lessons. It really is the life.
I am directing a musical at MBU in the fall.
I am directing the senior adult day event at MBU in the spring.
I think that things are starting to look up. Also, I would say that this constitutes full-time work.

5. Return to pre-baby weight

Wow. This is one of those goals that... I just don't know. I'm thinking about cheating and buying some of Jillian's weight loss pills. I take it off, I put it on, I take it off, I put it on. I never ever ever get below 150. It's a trip. We've been going to the gym for almost 2 weeks now. Jordan is already seeing a difference. Of course, I'm exactly the same. That's the way it goes.

6. Run three 5ks.

I have been putting this off a lot. I don't know why. I'm at the gym and on the treadmill all the time, but for some reason I'm not training like I should. I think this ends today. See? This is why I do these updates. Because if I don't, I forget about them until I have to write about them and get all ashamed.

7. Go on vacation

We're definitely going to Disney with my parents. I have yet to decide if this is the vacation that I intended when I wrote this. It will be relaxing, but I think that Jordan and I and Noah should go somewhere just the three of us. Even if it's just to St. Louis or Branson or something.

8. Read my Bible daily

85/91 days. I missed 3 more days this month. Bad bad bad, Kasey. Oh well. Just a matter of working even harder this month. There's a lot of scripture in most of the books I'm reading, so it's definitely getting easier.

9. Have $10,000 in savings

So.... I found a bunch of saving bonds while cleaning Jordan's office. I am pretty stoked. Once again, I don't think that I'm going to divulge exact amounts of money, but I will let every one know when we reach the halfway point and whether or not we accomplish this.

10. Keep up with my house

I believe I have finally found a rhythm with house work that really really works for me. I pick up the entire house in the morning, do the dishes, start laundry if it needs to be done, and then use this website.
It's incredible. My house looks better than it ever has and it takes me a sum total of about an hour, maybe two if I have a lot of laundry.

11.  Write to Yanci once a month

Totally done. I'm finding that the more I write to her, the easier it gets. I just want to tell her over and over how much I love her and how much Jesus loves her. She's only 3 (will be 4 on April 25), so it's hard to try to explain to her how I was browsing through Compassion's site, thinking that I wouldn't be able to sponsor a child yet, but maybe in a few months, and how I really wanted to find the youngest boy I could so that he would be close to Noah's age, and I saw her picture and I fell in love with her immediately. It was like God put her in my path and said, "Not your plans. My plans. Sponsor her now." I can't wait to visit her one day. I'm thinking about trying to learn Spanish so that when I get to go to El Salvador I can talk to her without a translator.

12. Cook more

I cooked a little less last month than I would have liked, but I'm still doing much much better than last year. I've also cooked for a substantial amount of people (I think we had 12 at our house for Sunday dinner once). I'm getting more confident and I'm learning how to cook without making such a big mess.

I think this is the best yearly update I've had in a while. It's amazing what setting goals can do. Most of these are things to be attained during the year, which is so much easier than a resolution that, once broken, feels hopeless. I'm even counting the Bible reading as successful still, because I've read it all the way through once and only six days missed yet this year is pretty awesome considering I never made it a priority until this year.

This blog is doing exactly what I hoped it would.

Coming back!

I have been doing a lot of soul searching especially in regards to this blog and I realized why the content has been a little lackluster. I have been so concerned about what my readers think that I have eventually lost all but probably two of them. Every time I make a goals post I think, "Here we go again. I bet people are tired of reading these." But you know what? I really need to stop caring so much. Because this blog, really, is for me. It keeps me accountable. It makes me aware of what I want to accomplish in life. Who cares if people get tired of it? I mean, I love my readers, don't get me wrong, but I want to better myself. And I want those two faithful readers to see how I do it without editing what I say or when or how I say it.

The past two weeks I have been working a lot on my house instead of blogging. As a result, my house is now completely clean (except for Jordan's office, but that's a whole other beast), my child is on a schedule, and my husband and I have taken (nearly) daily trips to the gym together. It's been a wonderful experience and also a much needed break from the unrealistic expectations I put on myself.

I will do a monthly goals update tomorrow because I have great news regarding certain yearly goals that I cannot wait to divulge. I will also do an update because I love to look back through this blog and see from where I've come and where I have to go.