Just Another Manic Saturday...Sunday...Monday...

So I went to bed last night, exhausted, and woke up this morning, exhausted, late for work and not having time to shower, I look like I'm trying to channel my Asian identity by having two chopsticks in my hair.
For all you moms out there...I don't know how you do it! It was a Chadee weekend this weekend - Chadee being Chad's 8 year old daughter that we have every other weekend. Now, going from no children to one is change enough - manageable change, but change. Saturday was lovely - we went to Hollywild Zoo and fed the animals and then went to see a really GREAT and kid friendly movie on Saturday night with Chad's immediate family - his mom, sister, her fiance, and Christy's daughter, our niece, Tori - "Beverly Hill Chihuahua." If you want some good clean fun, it's well worth the money to go see it.
Anyway, because Chadee and Tori are the same age and love to spend time together, I invited her to come spend the night on Saturday night and go to church with us on Sunday. Well, we get home, and our new puppy, Lucy, had had a tinkle issue in her crate and their was tinkle EVERYWHERE in our bedroom. This was at 10:30 pm. The girls were on a movie, coke, candy high and were exercising their vocal cords and (I think) jumping on the bed while I was grabbing a very tiny puppy who had been miserable for some time and putting her in the bathtub for a clean up and Chad was mopping the floor, wall, and closet door in our bedroom. Yeah. S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D. Meanwhile, our OTHER year old puppy, Jake, who weighs in now at 90 lbs and is feeling a bit clingy now that Lucy is in the picture, wandered around aimlessly trying to figure out how he could get in the way the most.
After we finally fell into bed a little past midnight with a clean room and happy pups, we decided to sleep the morning away and of course we were running late for church. Two girls, two showers, get them dressed, dry their hair....WHEW! When we finally settled into our seats at Brookwood, I was definitely not in the mood for worship. But it was a great service about, (haha) "Learning Humbly." That's definitely what I'm trying to do as a new step-mother. I'm definitely learning...usually by doing things the wrong way...but I haven't gotten the humble part down quite yet. I have my own opinions about things, including how I have imagined I would raise my children, but here I am, without children of my own, and with two parents who have been raising this child without me in the picture for 8 years. It's challenging to say the least!
But back to the weekend...I pulled a Martha Stewart on Chad...cooked homemade baked spaghetti for lunch and we carved pumpkins (actually, Chad did the carving). I love being married - I feel like I don't say that enough. I love my husband who is wonderful and who is a humble teacher as I am trying to be a humble student. Most of all, I love my Heavenly Father, who allows manic weekends (and Mondays) to remind us that we need to lean on Him, which I know I don't do enough.

Wedding pics are up - well some of them at least. You can view them at www.chadandkelley.com. Our photographer is amazing and I would recommend him for any event you have going on - www.jbarnettephotography.com.