Verse of the Day

Absolutely love this...

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." -Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

As the new year approaches remember that 2010 is now behind us.  It is finished, passed us.  We cannot change anything that has happened in 2010.  We must not waste our valuable time dwelling on something that we wish we could change.  We must rejoice in the Lord who will bring us a new dawn, a new day, a new year and a new opportunity!  Keep the journey moving forward, knowing that God already has a plan for you and continue to look to Him to help you along the way!

Good-Bye 2010, Hello 2011

My yearly recap has come.  It was fun to look at last years recap today to see how things went differently this year!  So here it goes:

December 2009/January 2010: Celebrated the holidays in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Jersey.  Signed in Kolobrzeg, Poland on January 2nd.

February 2010: We celebrated Jayden's 3rd birthday with 4 of Adam's teammates and 3 of our new Polish friends in Kolobrzeg.

March 2010: Adam and I tired to help Jayden get rid of his pacifier (this was a huge event in our home) but it failed miserably when some of neighbors yelled at us in Polish.  Adam and I both started p90x (he is still doing it, I have taken a break)!

April 2010: The month my amazing sister-in-law and sweet nephew met Jesus.  Adam and his family launched the Jill E. Harrington Hanzalik Memorial Fund in honor of his beloved sister and nephew.

May 2010: A slow month of all of us.  Our hearts were aching and there were many questions left unanswered.

June 2010: Our first JEHH event took place at a local tavern.  We raised nearly $8,000!  Jayden attended his first summer sports camp and he absolutely loved it!  Lastly, my dear friends and family put on the most amazing bridal shower ever!

July 2010: Adam turned 30!  I pulled off an amazing surprise birthday party with our close friends and family!  We also celebrated Miss. Olivia Turner's 3rd birthday in Richmond, VA!

August 2010: The first JEHH Golf Tournament took place and it was by far the best tournament Mount Snow had ever put on.  Adam and I were held hostage when our friends decided to have bachelor and bachelorette parties!  Adam went to a NY Yankees game and then to the beach for a night and the girls headed to Atlantic City to soak up the sun and have a great dinner!

September 2010: I married the man of my dreams!  It was a beautiful day...

October 2010: Our little man took his first trip to the ER for an injury.  He fell of his bed at 3:30 AM and hit his eye on the corner of his end stand.  7 stitches and 1 hour later he was back in his bed fast asleep!

November 2010: Adam decided to take a step back from basketball and train kids while he waited for a better contract to come.  I was asked to be apart of the birth of my best mommy friends' 3rd child!  We welcomed Jaelyn to the world, it was a magical day!

December 2010: The Harrington household was attacked by the stomach bug twice; once landing me in his hospital. We were able to celebrated the holidays with our family and friends!

That is a quick, not very thought out year in review.  This year was struck by a horrible tragedy that we are still learning to deal with.  But by the Grace of God I know we will get through it and turn this mess into a message for everyone.  I am blessed beyond belief to be in a relationship with Jesus, to be surrounded by an amazing husband, a loving son, great friends and family.  I must not never forget that even in the hardest times.  Have a happy and safe new year everyone!

Christmas 2010

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone.  It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Thanksgiving.  Unlike past years, this Christmas we focused more on the birth of Christ and the season of giving.  As a Christian we find it extremely important to teach Jayden the real meaning of Christmas and for a 3 year old living in a commercial centered world that can be challenging.  However, the challenge is making us stronger and helping us realize that by the grace of God we are able to teach Jayden the meaning of Christmas before anyone else does.

Adam and I both agreed to purchase a couple gifts for Jayden and the rest of the gifts under the tree would be gifts we were giving to others.  So when Christmas morning came around there were plenty of gifts under our tree but only 4 of them were for Jayden.  He was absolutely thrilled that Santa thought of him and left him 4 gifts!  By limiting the amount of gifts we purchased, he was truly able to enjoy the ones he got instead of opening them to see what it was then tossing it aside to open a new one.  I will say that my son may be the only 3 year old that is very interested in clothes.  We bought him a new dress-up jacket and he absolutely loved it!

Because we have 2 (or maybe 4, depending how you look at it) sets of divorces parents, the amount of gifts Jayden received from others was still way too much.  What are you going to do with those grandparents!  Hopefully as the years go on, we can focus more on giving to others in need instead of to each other!

From our family to yours, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and may you have a happy New Year! God Bless!

Christmas 2010

Married to a Baller: New Website Design

I don't know how many basketwives read my blog but if there are any, I would encourage you to go check out my dear friend Erin's new and improved website.  She has a new layout and new feature that focus on connecting people through basketball.  One of my favorite features is the google map she has that you can pinpoint where you're going and see if anyone else has played there that is apart of her contact list.  It is such a helpful tool as many of you can imagine!  Let's give Erin a big thanks for all of the information and resources she continues to provide for us :)

Valuable Lesson: Miss. Rita

While I was at the hospital I had a "roommate."  I couldn't see the sweet old lady but I could hear her.  She told one of the nurses that she had no family and just a couple friends.  She said that she wouldn't be doing anything for Christmas because she had no one to celebrate with.  She had lost her husband 15 years ago and she had gone down hill ever since.  Although I was totally out of it I remember saying to myself, I am going to go visit Rita when I feel better.

Yesterday both Jayden and I were feeling better so I told him about Miss. Rita and how we were going to go visit her.  He made her a special Christmas card and put together a treat bag.  When we arrived at the nursing home he continued to ask questions about who we were going to see yet I didn't really have any answers.  We made our way to Rita's room and she was delighted to have a couple visitors.  We had a great conversation and I told her how I was her roommate and wanted to visited her after I felt better.  Before we left I told her I would be back to visit every month with Jayden.  She had tears in her eyes she was so delighted!

When we left Jayden and I talked about people who don't have family, friends, a home or food and he immediately began to thank Jesus for everything he is (it brought a tear to my eye).  I am so thankful that we were given the opportunity to meet sweet Rita!  Hopefully Jayden can bring a smile to her face and keep bringing pictures to decorate her little room!

The Stomach Bug

After spending an amazing weekend in New York City Jayden was graciously greeted by a nasty stomach bug early Wednesday morning.  I called the doctor who told us he probably picked something up from the city and if he doesn't stop throwing up or going to the bathroom by morning to to call back.  He did feel better the next morning but he was extremely tired.  On Friday morning I looked at Adam and told him I was beginning to feel ill.  Sure enough it hit me like a Mac truck.  Ouch!  I know myself and I know my body and when Adam got home from doing errands I told him I needed to go to the hospital.  Long story short, 4 bags of IV and a few other shots I was finally felt like myself again.

Just when we thought the bug was done, we were wrong.  While Adam was with me at the hospital he started to feel ill so he left and sent my Mom to be with me.  Sure enough, Adam was at home ill and the next morning I called my Mom and the bug attacked her as well.  The count doesn't stop there, but we truly don't know where other family members and friends attracted the bug.  Let's just all agree and say it was a nasty bug that I hope to never meet again!

New Winter Activities: Karate & Ice-Skating

I just wrote a piece about activities and now Jayden has just started two new activities.  I should start off by saying, besides gymnastic class in France and dance class in Poland last year, Jayden has never been in a "class" here in the United States.  The things Jayden would love to do I feel like he does them on a daily basis anyways; go to the gym with Daddy, playing basketball, baseball and soccer.  All of which he does weekly with Adam at the gym.  So if I was going to sign him up for something, it would not be one of those sports right now.  Instead, I looked into karate and ice-skating.

I am going to just put it out there that Jayden is incredibly coordinated and uncoordinated at the same time.  Is that even possible?  For example, his hand-eye coordination blows me away.  However, he could trip over a dust ball.  I just don't get it.  So I decided that between karate and ice-skating he could really work on his overall coordination.  This morning we ventured out to his first karate lesson and he absolutely loved it.  He got right into the action and he did exactly what the instructor told him to do.  When the class was over he told me next week he had to wear "one of those white outfits and bring a sport bag to put it in."

After karate we went to "Learn to Skate" at the local skating rink.  I had a feeling it was going to be a disaster because again, Jayden can't walk without tripping or falling down.  Much to my surprise, he did great despite looking like a cute baby giraffe on stilts!  It took him a while to move a couple feet but he did it and was very proud of himself.  After it was over he told me he wanted to come back next week and thankfully my mother agree to strap on some skates and help him out a little more (God bless her soul).

How cute is my niece, Addison?

My little giraffe!

Recommended Reading: Ever After by Karen Kingsbury

5 months ago I wrote about Even Now by Karen Kingsbury.  I was excited to report to you about the sequel Ever After but apparently time passed and I didn't finished it as quickly as I would've liked to.  So here it goes: the sequel was just as good as the first book.  It is kind of a fairytale but once in a while, I good fairytale is good for the soul.

I will forewarn you, bring a box of tissues with you because I sobbed uncontrollably toward the end of the book.  I couldn't stop.  I had to put the book down and walk away on numerous occasions.  It is a longer book but a very easy read.  If I wasn't the worlds slowest reader, you probably would've had this book review months ago!

Thanks Leigh for the great book!

Parenting: Activity

Let's face it, preschool aged children are very active and in my eyes it is important that they are active on a daily basis.  At such an age they are interested in exploring and finding out their limits.  Therefore, scheduled active time is a must.  Indoors or outdoors, there are activities that can keep your children active and happy at the same time.

Jayden is very, very active.  He has more energy then I know what to do with at times.  Therefore, being active inside and outdoors is something I try to schedule everyday.  During the spring and summer months we spend the majority of our time outdoor.  During the fall and winter, it isn't as easy to spend much time outdoors because it is so cold (Jayden is not a fan of the cold).  So to keep his activity level high we bring his basketball hoop indoors, a few softer balls and his scooter.  Yes I know, probably not things that should be allowed indoors but we make it an exception in our home.

Below are some of the indoor activities we do to let out some energy:

1.  Basketball Games.  Yes, we have some heated games in our home.  It usually ends up with Jayden and Adam both winning and Mommy losing.

2.  Balloon Game.  It sounds silly but a single balloon can offer at least 30 minutes of fun.  Try to keep the balloon from touching the ground as long as you can.  It really takes some effort and ends with lots of laughs.

3.  Beanbag Toss.  We have a small Cars beanbag games that Jayden just loves.  It isn't anything too sophisticated but it does offer lots of fun.

4.  Scooter.  Again, probably not house appropriate but we do allow Jayden to ride his scooter around the house, mostly in the kitchen.  He isn't harming anything and he is getting his legs moving.

5.  Dance Parties.  Go ahead and laugh but truth be told we have some awesome dance parties in our home.  If anyone has seen Jayden dance you can understand why having a simple dance party can let out some serious energy.

Of course there are many less "active" activities that we do on a daily basis but that's for a different post. If your have the pre-winter blues indoors, try some of these activities.  It will let our some much needed energy!

Parenting: SLEEP

So why would I have "SLEEP" on the top of my parenting list?  Well that's because in our house sleep in a very (and I can't stress that enough) important part of our everyday lives.  Jayden's behavior is directly effected by the amount of sleep he gets, the quality of sleep and how long of a nap he gets each day.  I will be 110% honest and tell you that when Jayden doesn't nap, he might make it until 6 PM without having a complete meltdown over something.

On to a quick version of Jayden's sleep schedule since birth...
From the day we brought Jayden home from the hospital he has been a great sleeper.  He only woke up at night when he needed a diaper change or wanted to be fed.  He certainly slept between 18-20 hours a day in the first weeks.  People were amazed how much he slept.  Jayden would nap/sleep anywhere.  During Adam's games, at a restaurant, on the couch and in my arms.  Around 4 months old, Adam had decided that he really needed to be napping in his crib and be on a solid schedule.  Well Jayden had a different idea, he liked to nap wherever he fell asleep.  So one day Adam told me it was time to let him "cry it out" in his crib until he soothed himself to sleep.  55 minutes later, a million tissues and an expensive phone bill (I called my mom to talk to me while he was crying) he had fallen asleep.  It was from that day on that I swear Jayden learned that nap time and bed time were two things that were going to happen everyday.

Skip a few months and between the age of about 6 months to 12 months Jayden would take 2 long naps a day.  Around 14 months old, Jayden switched to one very long nap in the middle of the day.  Skip 2 more years and today, Jadyen still takes a 90 minute to 2 hour nap every day.  There are very special days when a nap doesn't fit into the schedule, however, that happens maybe once a month and he is then in bed by 7 PM because he is so tired.

For a couple years now, we have made 8 PM an appropriate bed time for Jayden.  Because I don't work and Adam has a pretty flexible schedule, we never have to be out of the house or up before 8 AM.  With working parents, I know some kids who are up and ready to go by 7 AM.  At this age and younger, I feel that 10 to 12 hours in an appropriate amount of sleep for a child.  Therefore, if you have an earlier riser, put him/her to bed earlier.

Now that you know what the daily sleep routine is in the Harrington household I have to admit that I whole-heartedly believe that as parents it is our duty to sleep train our children.  It may sound silly but its the truth.  We have taught our children how to eat, play, speak and listen so why do some parents skip on teaching children healthy sleep patterns?  When parents and children are overtired a lot of tension can build up.  In order to prevent that, we must take a step back and realize what is best for our children... even if that means letting them cry for 55 straight minutes (gosh, that was the longest 55 minutes of my life I think)!

If you are looking for a good book to read check out, "Healthy Sleep Habits; Happy Child."  I wrote about the book a while back, check it out!

Parenting: Discipline

As parents, we must all realize that children are a gift from God.  A gift that can be taken away from you at any time, a gift that comes with extreme responsibility and a gift that should be raised with discipline.  It is our duty to lay out the blueprint for the rest of their life.

There are many different ways to discipline your child/children and each child reacts to discipline differently.  For example, raising my voice at Jayden does absolutely nothing.  It almost makes matters worse.  However, if I drop down to his level and use a calm voice he responds much more positively (although sometimes it's harder on me I try to remember how is reacts when I yell).

It is important to realize what the bible says about discipline and how to put it in to action properly and effectively.  We must not let the desires of our children control their behavior.  For example, if they want to watch television instead of doing their chores, you are not doing them a favor or being their friend by allowing to watch television instead of taking care of responsibilities.  Allowing them to skip their responsibilities daily will create a pattern of laziness that could last a very long time.

In our home, discipline is not taken lightly.  There are special occasions when we let behavior slide a little but we try not to make it a weekly thing.  Adam and I both try to use consistent discipline techniques.  Therefore, whether Jayden is with Adam or I, the rules are still the same.  We also try to be the best role models we can.  I am surprised how much information and action Jayden can retain at such a young age.

As I mentioned earlier, every child reacts to discipline differently.  Below are a few things Adam and I have concluded about Jayden at this point in life:

1.  Jayden gets extremely embarrassed when he gets disciplined in public.  When Jayden needs to be discipline for acting inappropriately or not following the rules, we tend to bring Jayden away from the crowd.  It is much more effective and he reacts much better.

2.  Jayden's poor behavior usually stems for one of two things; hunger and being tired.  Therefore, it is our duty to make sure he is feed and gets rest when he needs it.

3.  We correct Jayden when he is wrong or misbehaves but it is so important that Jayden hears our encouraging words and praise daily.  Jayden loves being praised.  I really feel like he feels like he is succeeding when he is praised.

4.  And lastly, when Adam is out of town Jayden's behavior takes a hit.  I still haven't figured out exactly why it's still a work in progress.  But I have to remind myself that I need to be both the father figure and mother figure when Adam is out of town.  Jayden responds very well to men and I need to remember that.

As Christians it is importantly to realize that an undisciplined child is dishonoring the Lord and His word.  Some people may feel like we are too hard on Jayden but in our eyes we are being loving and responsible parents, raising a child on the word of the Lord.

Parenting: Preparing Your Child to Leave

To some this might come across as a controversial post but I truly feel it is a key part in parenting.

Very bluntly, Adam and I are preparing Jayden to leave our home.  There are many different ways to take that sentence but to me, basically I am saying that when it comes time to go to college, Lord-willing, we have raised our son to be prepared and ready to live on his own.

There is no better verse in the bible that explains my point then Proverbs 22:6:

Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

The verse above says exactly what I am trying to say.  As a family, we are all on a journey with Jesus.  We are continuously teaching our son the importance of living by His command and acting as role models.  If we can strongly instill in Jayden's heart the word of the Lord then by the time he leaves our home there is no doubt in my mind that Jayden will succeed in whatever he does.  He will be mentally and spiritually prepared for whatever lies ahead of him.

On a different note, everyone has different parenting techniques, that's obvious.  However, when I see mothers just hovering over their children I begin to think what would happen if for one day their mother couldn't be there for them.  It sounds silly but I am pretty sure we've all seen it happen.  As Jayden gets older, I find myself being a more relaxed parent.  I allow him to do as much as he can on his own without getting hurt.  I am thankful that I am able to be a stay-at-home Mother but when the time comes and I have to enter the work force I want to be at ease knowing that I have prepared my son to leave the house without worrying.

To all my basketwives & girlfriends!

Is it silly to say that I am happy I am no longer a basket-girlfriend/fiancee and finally a basketwife?  HA!

Anywho, my dear friend Erin has once again thought of an ingenious idea.  Basically she is a creating a massive list of country contacts.  As you can see in her "Calling All Basket Wives and Girlfriends!" post she already has 27 contacts who combined have played in 122 different cities.  For anyone who has lived overseas, this truly is a special list.  It is always nice to have other wives on the team but it is even nicer to know someone who has lived there before.  The gift of sharing is a great thing!

If there are any wives or girlfriends that read this blog that would like more information or to have your information pass on to Erin, please let me know.  You can also email her directly at erin@marriedtoaballer.com.

Parenting: Teaching Your Children About Jesus

First and foremost, Adam and I try to base our parenting solely on the bible and surrounding Jesus.  We both began out walk when Jayden was 2 years old, so it is still a learning experience for the both of us.  As we continue to study the bible and live a worthy life there are a number of things we do daily.

1. Reading Scriptures.  Reading from the Scripture daily helps as a way to bring about discussions or questions from Jayden.  Sometimes it is only a verse but we always talk about what the verse is saying and say a pray after it.  I pray that by doing this it will help Jayden's spiritual growth and provide the information he needs to understand His grace, life and how He died for our sins.

2. Give Thanks.  Children soak in more information and behavior then we think.  I make it a point to give thanks to the Lord not only at meal times but when our prayers have been answered as well.  On the flip side of this, when we say our prayers together at night and our prayers are not answered right away, I make sure that we both give thanks because Jesus is still listening to us and guiding us in the right direction.

3. Praise and Worship.  Praise and worship plays a huge part in our daily lives.  While we are home or in the car some type of Christian music or a sermon is playing.  It amazes me how many songs Jayden knows word for word.  The music really gets into Jayden's heart and I can see him feeling the words he is singing.  He may not know exactly what the lyrics mean but it will eventually spark questions.

4. Authority.  As some of my facebook friends can see, Jayden feels that since Daddy is on the road, he is in charge.  Adam and I are both learning to teach Jayden that there is someone even bigger and better then both Adam and I: Jesus.  Jesus is the "boss" in our home.  He is who we answer to everyday.  This will help Jayden understand that even when he leaves our home when he is older, there is still someone he needs to answer to and obey.

5. Prayer.  Teaching Jayden to pray has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding things we've ever done.  Let's be honest, I am still learning how to pray.  By teaching Jayden how to pray, he is establishing a direct line of communication to God.  He is beginning his own personal journey with the Lord and his prayers are truly coming form his heart and how he is feeling.  

These are just some of things we practice on a daily basis and they are all a work in progress but I wholeheartedly believe this is and should be the foundation of parenting.  I will leave you with a passage from Deuteronomy which acknowledges the fact that as Christians it is our duty to teach our children about Jesus.

"Impress them on your children.  Talk about then when you sit at home and when you walk along, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."  -Deuteronomy 6:7-9