Saturday, May 23, 2009

Sutton Rhys

I'm thrilled to announce that Sutton Rhys Watts arrived at 7:49 p.m. on Friday, May 22, 2009.  Weighing in at 7 lbs, 6 oz and measuring 19 inches (despite being only 36 weeks), he is healthy and happy.  Thank you for your prayers for his safe arrival, and thank you if you prayed that he would come before I left!  Here are some pictures I took just after he was born...


I already know I'm going to miss the little guy once I leave!

Peace and love,
Lo B.


Sunday, May 10, 2009

I'm about to make a Britney reference.

Yesterday marked a moment of a life-changing realization:

I have become an adult.

I've known for awhile that I was on my way to adulthood, but I was stuck in the mindset that being a nineteen year old with a career made me more like Britney...Not a girl, not yet a woman.  I knew that life was changing once my sister and cousins started reproducing as quickly as a small colony of rabbits, but still I was under the misapprehension that I would be wandering in No-Man's-Land indefinitely.  The event that took place yesterday changed my whole perspective.  

        My friend Gene got married.

For those of you that don't know Gene, I feel I must clarify.  Gene and I graduated together a couple of years ago, and he was one of my best friends throughout most of high school.  He is a great guy, but he's definitely not the type that would have won the "Most Likely to Get Married Before He Can Purchase Alcohol" superlative (had there been one) during school.  He's grown 
up more than anyone else from our class over the past couple of years, but it's still a shock to see him as a married man.  One thing that hasn't changed since graduation is Gene's fun-lov
ing personality.  For instance, take a look at this picture of the lovely couple's first dance.

Right after I took this picture, Gene started jumping up and down while his wife, Tayla, started head-banging to the music.  I'm just glad he's found someone that is also goofy and fun; I know their attitudes compliment each other, and their Christ-centered union is going to be more prosperous than I think any of us can fathom.

So Gene's nuptials were a wake-up call.

I'm an adult.  I may not always act like it (because honestly, who really wants to be mature all the time?), but I'm slowly realizing that it's my turn to grow up.  It has to happen at some point, so I might as well make the most of it while I can.  
I think that's one of the main reasons I'm so excited about going to Estonia.  I'm looking forward to the growth I'll experience from being independent.  I love my family (P.S. Happy Mother's Day to all the hot moms reading this...yes, you're hot.  Embrace it.) and friends, but I know God is really going to stretch me and mold me through this internship.  I think I'm going to come home with a new perspective on life and how to be a Proverbs 31 woman.  While I'm ready to be taken seriously as an adult, I can rest assured that I'll never be too old to have fun...I mean, I'm going to be playing with my food for a living (and playing dress-up and beauty shop on the side), so how much more fun could I possibly have?! 

So I leave you with a few reminders, whether you're eight or eighty, enjoy EVERY moment God has blessed you with.  Don't dwell on the past or focus too much on the future; doing so is nothing more than putting God in a box, trying to fit Him into your own plan instead of letting Him show you His plan for you.

And just for fun (and because it's Mother's day and I know my mom will like seeing these classics) I'm providing you a visual aid as to what I've just talked about.  Enjoy.



And in case you're wondering, the answer is YES--I WILL ALWAYS LOVE "THE LITTLE MERMAID."  And yes, I know I had a bowl cut.  And yes, I really did wear hair bows like that on a regular basis.  And yes, I will probably wear more ridiculous things in the future, because I'll never be too old to have fun.  

Now go listen to "100 Years" by Five for Fighting and be excited about the 
future.  Carpe diem!

Peace and Love,
Lo B.