Cabin Fever!

You guessed it, I am still without a car! This week Isaac and I have been on the hunt for a car we can afford to pay cash for, since nobody seems to want to loan us any money! I have reached the end of my no-car rope. I thought it was something I could live without, but not in this century. I need the freedom to go to the store or take my son to the park, anything to get out everyday! We get EXTREME CABIN FEVER. I am extremely grateful to God that this is my biggest problem in life right now. Even in the middle of my boredom and loneliness, the Lord still provides me each day with many, many, many blessings.

Phoenix is my little man, getting so big and so playful. But also very stubborn, just like his Daddy. I posted a picture of him from when he was a newborn, and then one of him today. He has changed so much! I love him more and more as time passes. He seems to love me more and more too, and shows it by throwing tantrums, throwing food at me, and chucking his toys onto the floor in protest each day. What a little lovebug!

Pool, Pool, Pool!

We spend A LOT of time at the pool! Phoenix loves the water now, it took a few times to get him used to it (even bath time is becoming fun for him now). Plus it's so hot outside and most days I feel our options are A) Play at home in our apartment, which is only fun for a while, or B) Go swimming! This week Isaac got to go to work later than usual so we took advantage of our RARE time together and took Phoenix for a shorty but very fun swim. It was the first time he got to play in the pool with Daddy and his first time in his turtle floatie!

Added bonus: we found a small frog in the water for Phoenix to play with. I expected him to be afraid, with all the jumping, but I guess he is a Smith boy, just like his Daddy. Although, truth be told, I had more fun with the frog than my son did. I let him sit on my shoulder or in my hand, and he seemed to enjoy that. I called him Mr. Frog. The Pool Cleaner Guy said to me, "It doesn't take much to amuse you, does it?" I replied, "No, that's why I married my husband!" Ha ha ha.

Fun in Georgetown

Georgetown, Texas, is a very beautiful, charming city. My parents and siblings are so blessed to live there. It is very family-oriented ,the people are nice, the houses are quaint and beautiful, and the scenery is awesome. I really enjoyed my visit, especially when we went to the Farmer's Market and also when we visited an antique store downtown. I found a new love: antique furniture. It is just my style, not too pricey, and usually great quality. Someday if God blesses us with a house to live in again, I would love to start adding antique furniture to the mix.

We spent a lot of time at the pool. The humidity in Texas and in Missouri is like...it's like...a sauna or a steam room! You walk outside to get the mail for 2 minutes and you come home sweating. But it's been nice for my curly hair!

Airplane Adventure!

The airport/airplane experience was quite interesting! It was really hard to watch my hubby walk away from me in the Springfield airport, and the airport security had to "pat" me down because I brought liquids for Phoenix to drink. I guess they thought I was smuggling some goods...

The first flight was weird because the airplane was tiny, tiny, tiny. Luckily Phoenix slept most of the flight, after he wrestled me and went down squirming! I was eager to get off that plane and get back on to the next one that would take us to Austin. ..BUT NO! We had a super long delay of almost 2 hours because of bad weather in New York, so Phoenix and I explored the Dallas airport. He loves to watch people pass by and flirt with anyone who will give him attention.

A few messy diapers and jars of baby food later, we finally got onto our final flight...only to hear the captain announce "It's going to be another 20 minutes before take-off, folks..." UGH! At this point Phoenix has missed his afternoon nap, wriggled in the airport for 2 whole hours, and we are squished between some very conservative people who didn't seem to enjoy my son's hands slapping their faces.

So we walled to the back of the airplane where- PRAISE GOD!- there was an entire row with nobody sitting there. So Phoenix had room to roll and grunt and play and it was wonderful. 32 minutes after take-off, we arrived to see Grandpa Ortiz! Let the fun begin!

What a Season

Tomorrow Phoenix and I go to Georgetown, Texas, to visit Grandma and Grandpa Ortiz. I am nervous for the flight alone without my hubby, but I've been praying about it for a week. I trust in the Lord to provide the way!

Isaac got a haircut today, and it's short. I told him it's like high school all over again! We both loved his long hair but he has gotten tired of "doing his hair" every morning. Now he doesn't need a brush or hairspray anymore!

Missouri has been such a fun adventure so far. We are enjoying the cows that graze in a huge meadow right outside our back porch. The weather is nice, and of course it's humid but we like it. As Isaac says, it's hot in St. George and it's hot here, but at least here it's beautiful. And it is, lots of trees and green pastures. Perfect place for nature people like we are. I have a lot more time now that we don't have a TV to read and reflect. I am growing closer to the Lord and to my husband and little boy. This is a season of our lives we will remember for a long time.