October meeting preview

Hi girls...

Can't wait for our next meeting, Thursday October 9 from 9:30-11:30 am. We'll be hosting an expert panel to answer all of your questions about parenting preschoolers.

The panel will feature:

-Bethany Black, MD, on your child's health
-Norma Mareš, on your child's spiritual formation
-Elaine Fish, PhD on your child's psychological development
-Susie Marek from ECI on your child's physiological development
-our mentor mom, Marianna White on her experiences as a mom.

We'll also have a full breakfast and another take-home goody!

Please come! We have lots of first-time moms coming this time, so in some ways it will be like a kick-off all over again. Also, be thinking of some questions for our panel of experts and leave them in the comments section if you like.

See you then!

Mom of the Month, Betsie Allen

Here is a new feature where we will profile a different mom each month. This month we interviewed our coordinator, Betsie Allen.

Jon Mark, Betsie, Isaac and Charisse Allen

What does your husband do?

Jon Mark is a security geek aka Network Security Engineer at Proactive Communications in Killeen. One of his favorite funny sayings is, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you."

What did you do before kids?

• Slept 9 hours a night : )
• Cardio kick-boxed on a regular basis...
  
• I programmed web applications at Scott & White. I still miss the brain exercise it gave me so I'm trying to make time to do some projects on my own.

What do you enjoy most about being a mom?
I enjoy seeing my kids develop and change into people with real personalities and real thoughts. To be a positive part of that change is miraculous.

If you were to describe how your relationship with your husband changed after the birth of your first child, what would you say?
We value time with each other more. I realized how much I need quality time with Jon Mark. We work hard to get that time.

If you had to pick which baby-chore you will most miss, what would it be?
Breastfeeding. Once I get over that newborn hump, I enjoy the time connecting with the baby and the time-out it gives me. It forces me to take time to breathe.

What is your favorite children's show?
Fetch with Ruff Ruffman on PBS - We don't have cable so when we (Isaac and I) watch TV it is either PBS or DVD :D .

What are your favorite tv shows?
Numb3rs, Chuck

Pictures from Fall 2008 kick-off!

We had so much fun at our first meeting--we had a welcome from Pastor Tom, played a fun get-to-know you game, and then made these adorable birthday banners!

Candace's beautiful example banner

Here's me with my butterfly birthday banner.

(l to r) Kerri, Sandra, and me assembling the banners. Sandra wins the MVP award for coming (on time, no less) 2 weeks after delivering her third baby in 2 1/2 years!

September Steering Committee meeting

Marianna treated us to a fantastic dinner al fresco the night we assembled the goody bags. We had a blast, felt really pampered and want to make it a weekly occurrence! We missed you, Ericka!

l to r, Marianna White, Charisse Allen (honorary member), Stephanie Myron, Betsie Allen, Shannon Morrison, Candace Cartwright