I was at my parents’ house last night, nursing Annabeth in the office upstairs while everyone else was hanging out in the living room. There’s a big bookshelf in that room that seriously might collapse if one more book gets crammed in it. Authors get sent all kinds of free books from their publishers, so our family never lacks in that department. I entertained myself by attempting to read the various titles, willing my blurry vision to focus. My eyesight is usually fine, but it’s been getting fuzzy at night since I’m a little sleep deprived. I was having trouble with one particular book title and then I realized it was Get Out of That Pit in Portuguese or something.
My husband, who loves to read books just as much as he likes to watch ESPN, certainly married into the right family. When we were newlyweds, he worked on the youth staff at the church we attend now. The church had a bookstore in it and staff members could have the cost of their purchase deducted from their paychecks. It was a little too easy, to say the least. Curtis came home with one or two new books every single week. He was only working part time and still finishing school, so it’s not like we had a lot of money to burn. I used to go in there and beg the manager not to let my hubby buy any more books. Jeanie, if Curt comes in here just tell him no! She always grinned and never made any promises.
Then for a season Curtis kept getting big boxes of old books given to him by his grandpa’s neighbor. Sure, these were free, but now there was the matter of space. Our house was absolutely overflowing with books. They were everywhere – under the bed, stuffed in our one small bookshelf, laying on the bar, stacked in random corners, and even filling our cars. It was madness. What finally saved me from losing my mind over those books was that with his next two jobs (including his current one), his offices had a whole wall lined with bookshelves. And there they all went. Give God some praise!
But don’t worry, we still have this next to our bed.
And since I cannot possibly leave you with such a tacky photo, here are some new ones of Annabeth. She was a month old on Tuesday. Can you believe it?
Here she is with her Big Pink Bear. I’m going to try to take her picture with him every month to show her growth.
She was obviously having some issues just now during our photo shoot. 
This was my first attempt at taking her picture with Big Pink Bear at just a week old. Apparently she’s just not that into him. 
She is so sweet. Enjoy it,as you know from Jackson time flies too fast. We almost named our 2nd daughter Anna Beth , but she ended up being Hannah Beth instead. You are doing a great job! Keep it up!!!
Love You All!
Amanda in SC
PS: See you in a week in Nashville!! I can’t wait!
Thank Goodness!! I thought it was just me. I'm convinced heaven is going to have the largest BARNES & NOBLES I've ever dared to dream of!!
Please tell me that Esther workbook is your husband’s. I’m working my way through mine right now…and loving it!
She definitely has issues with the big pink bear! Haha! It probably scares her it’s so much bigger than her. 😉
I love to read, too, and have books everywhere just like Curt. I have a similar looking pile on the table beside me in my den. The next house I buy will definitely have more bookshelves!!
Thanks for the photos..she’s such a cutie and NO, I can’t believe it’s already been a month! Wow..
I have stacks of books laying around. I was very impressed also with the fact that there was no dust. How do you manage that? 🙂
I donated a few huge boxes of books to my church library a couple of years ago. Now I just go in and check them out when I want to read one. Oh I kept my favorites at home and still buy books but the stacks all over the house are gone.
What delightful shots of Annabeth . . . and SOOOO glad to see that you also have piles at, near, around, etc. the bed, bedside table, favorite chair, and etc.!
Your nightstands look like ours!!! I feel like I need them there “just in case” I wake up and need to read…I like options. 🙂
Annabeth is growing so fast!!!! She’s just precious. 🙂
Hugs to you all!
Stephanie
Thank you so much for the “taky” photo. We have the same problem at our house! I know what you mean when you say you have books stacked EVERYWHERE. I love it though because my husband started bible college last year and needless to say books have overtaken our house. Praise God that the books are all theology. My husband practically drools when he visits the pastor’s study or a Christian bookstore… again praises to God.
oh my goodness, i seriously thought you had taken a picture of my bedside table! it looks exactly like that! hee hee!
Book Nerd
Annabeth is gorgeous in the tradition of the Moore ladies.
I think it is significant that you posted about books just as I completed the week of homework for “Esther” where Beth says that their idea of a great date is coffee and Barnes and Noble, or some other such bibliophile establishment.
It is also significant to look at the love and security of sweet Annabeth and have just heard about Beth’s accident with her teeth. Although I am only a couple years older than Beth, my mother-heart just broke when I heard her recount the pain of seeing those school photos and ripping them to shreds. My face almost contorted when I heard her say how long she practiced closing her mouth so her teeth would not show.
Thank you to all the Moore ladies for your honesty and transparency. May you be blessed with many years of serving the Lord and studying His Book.
Precious little Annabeth with her great big bow!!! My baby girl wore those headbands all the time when she was little, until she got old enough to pull them off. So enjoy Annabeth in them whie you can! (My baby girl will be 18 this month!!)
As for the stack of books, I have a stack of my Sunday School books, Bibles and assorted others that looks just like your picture!!
Our bedroom used to look like a library with (FULL) bookshelves lining one wall. When we moved to a larger home, the books came with us; now they are spread all over – in the garage, in the storage room, in the hallway (shelves built-in), and one large bookcase in our bedroom.
I am such a packrat that I can’t seem to get rid of much. Our public library has a very good selection of Christian fiction, and I have donated several books. But I just can’t bear to give up my Francine Rivers, Janette Oke, or Terri Blackstock books. I reread them often, especially Redeeming Love.
Enjoy those babies! We have found that the “terrible twos” were NOTHING compared to the teenage years!! But God continues to assure us that He is faithful and that all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
I wish I had heard of putting something with the baby to see their growth. All of my kids were born on Thursdays, so we took a picture every Thursday thier first year. It is so cool to look back through those!
Oh that baby is so precious! And you can tell she is growing, I love her round cheeks!
I went to the library today after reading all of the favorites on the previous blog entry and found seven books to read. I am so excited. Thanks siestas!!
Melanie Miller
Nampa Idaho
Oh Amanda- do make sure you take a picture of her every month with that bear- I did that with my daughter every month for the first year of her life. I love those pictures- but AC loves them too- she gets her scrapbook out all the time and looks at them.
our bookshelves could probably equal yours. That is one thing I dread when we move later this year or next year packing and moving the books.
Such sweet pictures of your baby girl – mine is 10 now and I long to have another one.
Awwwwwwww, she’s getting cuter and cuter Amanda!!!!!! :o)
Corey and I have about those many books next to our bed — but we hide them away inside the nightstands.
By the way, I swooned over that last picture with Annabeth in the pajama sack. She is so precious.
I’m afraid my nightstand looks … a lot messier… and so does the floor underneath it… all the way over to the rocking chair in the corner in my quiet space where my bookshelf is overflowing! I have to be careful stepping out of bed in the morning not to step on whatever book I was reading when I went to be the night before!
And Annabeth is so cute, even if she doesn’t like Big Pink Bear!
Your little Annabeth is precious. It looks like you might have found Kaytlyn & Co from the bows! We have 3 boys and just had a daughter last June and everyone teases me, because Callie is NEVER without a hat, bow, or headband. Folks wonder why she keeps them on, I just say, she's never NOT had one on! 🙂 Children, boys and girls, are a blessing from the Lord!
Christy, in Colorado Springs
Um, at least his night stand is an organized pile.
My books are literally all laying BY my night stand. It’s embarassing, and gross! Ha!
It seriously is so bad I finally bought a cheap bookshelf (that is still in my backseat) a few days ago. No lie!
I think it is sad that both of my bosses have a “shelf wall” and I have not one bookshelf in my office.
I will not covet!
P.S. Baby is too stinkin’ precious!
I used to think my kids had to be smiling in all of the pics I took of them…but now I realize that some of my favorite ones are those that show real life. I love the professional one we had taken, where my 2 yr old son had had enough & has a huge tear in his eye… So precious.
Annabeth is a doll!!! Makes me want grandchildren so bad!!!
Sharon in Katy, TX
Hi Amanda–your daughter is beautiful! Perhaps nursing in public is not as acceptable down south as it is in the midwest…but I wanted to tell you what was such a lifesaver for me when I needed to nurse in public–the Bebe Au Lait nursing shawl. An adjustable strap goes over your head and the shawl bows outward from your neck so you can peek down at the baby though no one else can. Totally hands free cover–SO convenient!!
She looks so much like her older brother!! What a precious face and such an awesome blessing! Welcome to our world Annabeth! Love, DQ Nana
She is so cute! I love her outfits.
I would be in big trouble if I could have books debited from my paycheck!! I never have time to read for pleasure right now because I’m in school 🙁 Summer is almost here though!
Ashley
Sweet. We have “Pinky Bear” that both my girls have taken pictures with; this is how we recorded their growth in pictures when they were super little. It’s always a little sad when they get bigger than pinky bear… and surreal when they start carrying it around and pushing it in a doll stroller! 🙂
How blessed you are with not only healthy but beautiful babies! My granddaughter is 2+ now with brothers 6 and 4. She is very much a girly girl and I love it.
You mention being sleep deprived. Have you tried swaddling Annabeth? My daughter and I learned about this with her now 6 year old, and it made a difference with each of her three young infants. Hope it helps – you and her!
Linda Lively,
Wytheville VA
don’t worry “big” pink bear won’t be big for long. My 6 month old already dwarfs her bear. Soon she will be holding him, instead of the other way around.
Book addictions are rampant (to judge by the response to the previous post on this blog.) 😉
So at least you guys aren’t alone with the bookshelves that run over. I could NEVER allow one of those professional organizer people into my house because their first act would be to get rid of 90% of my library!!!! and I just won’t stand for that.
What if I get up one night and NEED a particular reference book? or novel! Not a single one could possibly be removed from the collection. It would surely be THE one I would need at 2 a.m.
We are book people too. Off and on I think – I need to weed out some books. But I always find it hard to do so. I’ll go through them and think – well, I might need this one in the future or I might want to read this one……Needless to say, very few books get weeded out! We run into the space problem as well. Thankfully, my sister has given us two bookshelves that can house many more books! Now….where do we put the bookshelves????
Take care,
Karen
Amanda,
We love books too! My husband can have 5 going at once. I have to read one at a time.
Your wit is awesome – she’s just not that into him. Too funny 🙂
Amanda, SC
Annabeth is so pretty! I have the same problem with books and have actually been going through and getting rid of some. My grandma is addicted to Barnes and Noble and Lifeway! The problem is that she doesn’t read as much as she used to but still loves to buy books! As a matter of fact, except for the Esther member book, I’ve not had to buy any of my member books because she has had everyone that I’ve needed so far! She doesn’t ever write in hers, she just kinda reads through them and then there they sit! So, she has passed them down to me. Luckily, we do have a lot of the same taste in books!
I think that your idea to take her picture every month with her pink bear is a great idea! Make sure you post them and we can watch her grow as well! They grow up so fast.
How Funny!!!
I have to laugh! I have the same obsession with books- I love them. So I buy them and have great intentions to read every single one. Do I ever? Sadly no. My husband who does not share my love always rolls his eyes and laughs when a new box comes in the mail- “More books? What are you going to do with those?”. I have made myself vow that when I run out of bookshelves, I have to get rid of some of them (or maybe just build more bookshelves).
I too have the stacks on my bedside table! Go bookworms- may God teach us through the written words.
Beautiful pictures of the baby!
my nightstand and office stand look the same – us book nerds -just such joy and an absolute must. never get rid of it! shows a true heart for growing in the Lord! Amen!
Amanda, I have a question. After the book nerd post, I went to my local library to check out some that looked good on the list. Little Women, checked out. The Shack, checked out. Redeeming Love, out. They didn’t have a one that I was looking for, except the two Christ The Lord books by Anne Rice. I read a couple of pages of the first one, and it bothered me that she has taken scripture and Jesus Himself, and written fiction from it. (I’ve never read the Left Behind books either, for that reason.) Obviously, it doesn’t bother you … how come?
And Annabeth is precious! Thanks for sharing the pics.
My books don’t even make it to the night stand. I guess it is a good thing I am not married and don’t have to share my bed. I have books I use to prepare Sunday School lessons, school lessons, my Bible and Patriarch book, not to mention the pluthera of magazines I get each month on my bed. It is really a mess. Got to be a better system. My boys say there is: Don’t read so much. Annabeth is so precious. I have only boys. But God blessed me with 1 prescious little niece. Enjoy her while she is little. They grow up so fast.
Amanda;
thanks for the pictures of your baby girl. She is so cute.
The story about your book issues sounds a bit like our house. I totaly understand. When my hubby got the pastors job at the church we are at now. One of the things I was excited about was his office with all the bookshelves. We still have 6 sizable bookshelves in our home and books stacked in and on our nightstands. So, no I don’t think your “tacky” photo was tacky. In fact I thought that it was rather clean and neat looking.
Kim B. in AZ
The thing that’s so wonderful about this blog is…you are so normal…so real! Thank you for sharing your lives…thank you for sharing your sweet families…thank you for sharing your “daily-ness”…your “quandries”…your excitement!! I don’t KNOW you…but I LOVE you!!
SOOOOO cute!! I just want to give her lots of hugs and kisses.
Love the Big Pink Bear idea. I’m taking a monthly shot of my son (now 6 months old!) with a sign saying the date, his name, and how many months he is. It’s not as cute, but I’m hoping that it will help identify him in the days to come, when compared with photos of our other (God willing) children. We have so many pictures of my siblings that my mom says, “I THINK that’s you…” 🙂
Anon in Arkansas, if you’ll send me an email at [email protected], I’d be happy to discuss my thoughts about the book.
Lindsee Lou, I organized the stack earlier that morning. Usually it is a big stinking mess!
Linda, we love the “SwaddleMe” blankets. They work great!
Jodi, I have 2 Bebe au Lait nursing covers and they are GREAT! I had just forgotten mine that night. I have bought so many of those covers for friends that I’ve lost count!
She’s gorgeous! It’s amazing how quickly they grow….just look at the difference in a month. I wish I had thought of doing something like that when mine were little
Love that you share!
Anon in Arkansas, where at?
I’m in Mtn. Home e-mail me at [email protected] woudl lvoe to hear from you
Good to hear from you Amanda-And love the pictures of Annabeth. She is adorable. Have a great weekend.
Amanda, when we moved back to Texas in January, I was unloading boxes from the U-Haul and started laughing so hard I had to stop and wipe away the tears. There were so many boxes of books, John (my husband) had written "books," "more books," "even more books," "how many books can two people READ?" on some of the boxes.
And yes, I go to Barnes & Noble every chance I get and almost always come back with something. Lord help us all if I can find Half Price Books. (There are some in Houston, right? I need at least one.)
Keep up with the monthly bear pics. My mom gave each of my 3 girls a bear in the hospital when they were born. I did the monthly bear pics for each of them until they turned 1; those pics are still my favorites.