1. the past few weeks have been a whirlwind. it’s nice to have our own stuff, our own house and finally getting settled into the town we’ve been living for almost 7 months now.

2. today has been a strange day for me. i can’t really pinpoint why I feel the way I do. guess it’s just one of those days.

3. ella decided to only sleep for 45 minutes the whole day. that changed everything I had planned on getting done for the day.

4. adding to #3…yesterday she slept for a total of 4 hours during the day….you just never know what a toddler has planned for the day.

5. I’ve been trying to get my house cleaned and organized for this weeks events. we are having a prayer group here on thursday night and friday night adam is having some guys over for x-box…I think. I heard that from my friend. I guess since I will be out of town he decided to have a guys night.

6. I leave tomorrow morning for Indiana. I’ll be spending my whole saturday on a bicycle. sure wish I was in better shape for this bike ride. the bike ride is called the hilly 100. from the name you can probably figure out a lot about the ride, it’s 100 miles and it’s a very hilly ride. it’s going to be called the hilly 50 for me this year because I only plan on riding saturday. don’t have a babysitter for ella on sunday (actually that is just my excuse…I’m sure I could find someone to watch her)

7.  wow. I just realized this will be the 17th time I’ve rode in the Hilly 100. I started riding very young. actually, I’ve only rode 16 times but I still count the year I was pregnant…

8. yesterday ella took her diaper off after her nap. first she pooped, then took it off. so i go in and the diaper is laying in the bed but with no poop in it. she had dumped it out onto the sheets. then I noticed it was on her hands arms, shoulders, legs and feet. it was pretty disgusting but also actually funny. so that made for an interesting day.

9. my sister lost her soccer game yesterday. I am sad for her. it was only the first game of sectionals. they are a really good team, it just happened to be that the first team they played were really good too. it’s her senior year..she is so sad. she is an awesome soccer player!!

10. church was really awesome on sunday. probably one of the best services I have ever seen. I wish those of you that don’t go to my church could have been there.

11.  adam just got home from band practice so I should probably go be social.

I believe Ella may be a little confused with the words please, thank you and you’re welcome. Below is a conversation I had with her a few days ago.

Me: (Before I hand Ella a cracker) Ella, what do you say?

Ella:  A-shew (thank you)

Me: Ella, say please

Ella: A-shew

Me: say please please please

Ella: A-shew

Me: Ella, not thank you, say please

Ella: A-shew

Me: (I hand her the cracker)

Ella: a gem bom (you’re welcome)

Me: Ella, that is what mommy was supposed to say

Anyway, you get the idea. We have tried and tried to get her to say please but she seems to think that when we say please she is supposed to say you’re welcome. It’s about the cutest thing ever.

This picture is one of favorites. It was taken from a cell phone so it’s not the best quality but it’s still good. Ella obviously looks more like the deWebers than the Smiths. I thought my family genes were so strong but now I’m not so sure…

I’m missing my Ella. We got back from the retreat Thursday and here it is Saturday and we still haven’t seen Ella. I think my parent’s kidnapped her. It’s been hard to see my friends with their kids and not have Ella around. People keep telling me to enjoy my time with Adam so I’m trying but honestly time is up…. I’m finished enjoying our alone time, we need her to be back to make our life crazy again.

One of the scheduled activies on the retreat was paintball. So this afternoon Adam and Brent (youth pastor at our church) went to play while Amy (Brent’s wife) and I went outside to paint our toenails. We started painting them at a picnic table but then some bees came around so we moved to another table next to the pool, because Amy is scared of bees. But the bees followed us, so we moved again to some lawn chairs…because Amy is scared of bees….let me rephrase…CRIPPLINGLY, DEATHLY TERRIFIED of bees. So anyway, they kept swarming us and we kept moving. Overall, Amy was handling the bees pretty well until this one just kept following her. She then went on to start running around screaming and yelling and waving her hands.  Before I know it she is running toward me, hands and hair flying everywhere, screaming “GRETCHEN SAVE ME”…what was I supposed to do? I think the bees liked her hairspray, cause they just wouldn’t relent. Anyway, just know that if I would have had captured it on video we would have just won $10,000 on America’s Funniest Home videos…. 

Our 3 day vacation has begun! Yesterday we met my mom and sister halfway between Marion and Bloomington and they took Ella to my parents house while we are on a retreat in southeast Ohio. I think it’s going to be a very quiet and relaxing week.  I’m excited to have a break away from Ella even though I think of her and miss her often. She always makes me smile. It helps to know that my family is taking such good care of her while we are away. She loves her Grammy, Grandad and Aunt Frannie so much that I don’t think she has time to miss us.  

I am officially working again. I’m working at the YMCA part-time a few hours a week at the front desk. Yesterday was my first day and today was my second. Starting a new job is frustrating whether it’s any easy job or hard job. You feel so out of the loop and feel like you’ll never get the hang of anything. After yesterday I thought, why again did I want to go back to work? But after today, I realized why. I need to make connections outside of church and my family. Mostly, I just need “Gretchen Time” away from Ella (yes Ella I still love you to pieces)! Hopefully soon my front desk job will turn into something even sweeter that the YMCA may be starting back up…more details to come soon….

My daughter is living in a household where her mom spent 18 years of her life in Indiana and her dad spent 15 years living in Ohio and now he is back in the buckeye state once again. Therefore, Ella is 50% Hoosier/50% Buckeye.Please don’t be upset if you’re an Indiana Hoosier fan. This picture is just too cute not to share.

Check out the benefits of having farmer friends. We will be having a feast every night this week. Wanna come??

If you haven’t been watching the Olympic Gymnastics you are really missing out. I believe there is one more night left for you to see how amazing they really are. Check it out!!