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3.30.2011

Tomorrow! It's Only a Day Away!

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! This time tomorrow night I will be relaxing... well maybe... we might be running around like crazy getting our stuff unpacked or chasing kids around to put them to bed.... but either way... I will be on VACATION! WOO! That's the good news. Ready for the bad news? I'm failing two of my classes. Yea. Sarah is failing two... count them. 1. 2. Classes. Ugh. I'm so disappointed in myself, because I know I can do better, I should have done better. But, if I'm being honest, I didnt' care one bit about my classes this semester. Not even a little. I could have gotten straight A's, I could have focused more of my time on my classes. Well guess what. I didn't. I have devoted my time to my daughter... even those lazy moments cuddling with her late in the morning. Just sitting with her cooing and making crazy sounds and faces at her. I just didn't care. I'm seriously debating starting my break after this semester. SERIOUSLY debating. I'd rather focus on Elah, and not have classes hovering over my head. Question is... can we afford to start paying off school loans that soon? Ugh.

I almost didn't share the fact that I'm failing two of my classes (which I'm dropping tomorrow to save my GPA), I was ashamed. But geez, I'm only human. I feel like a failure, but I keep reminding myself that while there is no excuse for doing so poorly, Elah is more important at the moment. I adore her. I will finish my degree, I may even do it course by course until I finish. I'm just NOT interested at the moment, I am bored and frustrated with school right now. And that's huge for me... I'm generally all about it... nope. Not anymore!

For all you momma's who manage to get phenomenal GPA's, spend quality time with your kids... I commend you! I don't know how you do it!

3.29.2011

And then there were 2....

TWO DAYS TWO DAYS TWO DAYS!!!!!!! And then it's vacation time!!!! We aren't leaving until Thursday afternoon, so yes, it kind of counts as a day! SO excited, can you tell?

Anyways... Elah is asleep in her swing, Justin is on the desktop computer, and I'm watching Body of Proof... this is a new show on ABC. So there's this dude on here, with curly black hair... he was in the movie called Super Troopers.... I just can't take him seriously! Everytime he comes on screen, I have to laugh! I see him, and I think "the snozberries taste like snozberries!" LOL! If you haven't seen that movie, and don't mind a little crude humor.. OK.. maybe a LOT of crude humor, then WATCH IT. It's hilarious!

I don't really have anything to post except to say YIPPEE!!! It's almost vacation time!

3.28.2011

3 Months!!!!!!

That's right! My sweet baby girl is 3 months old as of 9:07pm! I can't believe it! Ugh! TOO FAST! AND 3 more days until vacation!!! WOO WOO! There's not much to tell that I haven't already talked about on my blog... she rolled over from belly to back twice last week, she is cooing a LOT and laughing a little. She is in love with I love Lucy, LOL, and I am more and more in love with her everyday!

I stole this off of a fellow mommy blog... it's another survey. I know. I do these a lot. It passes the time when I can't sleep though! LOL!

Getting to Know MOMMY!

1. If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals or are they members of your family?

We have Snickers and Mudgett. They were my babies before Elah came along... but now they're just dogs. I still love them and think they are great (atleast most of the time), but they don't even come close to Miss Elah!

2. If you could have a dream come true, what would it be?
I would love to find our dream home at a decent price before Summer 2012... atleast three bedrooms, hopefuly atleast two bathrooms... a huge laundry room, a great fenced in backyard, a large porch, a stainless steel kitchen for my hubby, and a neighborhood safe for my kids to grow up in!

3. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Pay off school loans and other debts, buy our dream home, make a college fund for Elah (and enough for future kids), and pay off our parent's debts and help Nanny with anything she needs. The rest would be split between savings and various charities.

4. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
The quickest thing... seeing Elah smile. Nothing pulls me out of a rotten mood better than that!

5. What is your bedtime routine?
We try to do tummy time or some sort of play time from 7-8pm, and then she usually starts fussing, so we get her ready for a bath/shower. I usually nurse her while we are in the shower, if she decides she's hungry, and just soak in the water after we wash her to relax her. We get her dried and dressed in her jammies and then we go lay down in the bed and if I didn't already nurse her in the shower, I nurse her until she falls asleep. If I already nursed her then I pop the pacifier in her mouth and lay down with her and snuggle until she falls asleep... transfer her to her co-sleeper and then we're done for the night! Now... with that said... the last few nights have NOT gone that way because baby girl is teething :( but usually that's how it goes!

6. What activities did you do in high school? If you could go back, would you do the same stuff or something different?
I was in marching band, symphonic band, chambor choir, jazz band, BETA club, FCA, student government.... and then I was involved with our church youth group, the youth praise band, the adult praise band, I played in a blues band... and I think that's it! I would do the same stuff, it was a wonderful learning experience through it all!

7. What kind of books do you read?
I'm not gonna lie. I LOVE juvenile/teen fiction... like all the vampire series: Twilight Saga, House of Night series, Vampire Academy series, and Blue Bloods.... yea really. I love Percy Jackson... 39 Clues, and there are so many more. I also like Karen Kingsbury's books... she's a GREAT Christian fiction writer. I LOVE to read... and can't wait to start reading with Elah!

8. How do you see yourself in 10 years?
I hope to have 3 more kids by then, homeschooling the ones old enough, living in our dream home, and possibly finishing or starting on my Master's!

9. What's your fear?
That something would happen to Elah that I can't control, that someday I won't be able to stay home with my children, and that it will take a LONG time to have another baby when we decide to TTC again.

10. Would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to see outer space?
Hm. No. I have no desire to get in a ship and shoot through the sky into a no gravity zone. I like my feet firmly on the ground thank you!

11. What's the first thing you do when you wake up?
Which time? LOL Elah wakes up 3-4 times before we get up for the day... those are all between 3-9am. The first few times I change her and nurse her and then cuddle with her til we both fall asleep. When we get up for the day I get Elah nudey and we do tummy time and play until she's too tired to play anymore. I dress her for the day, nurse her, and then she naps!

12. If you could change one thing about your significant other, what would it be?
LOL! Hmmmm.... I'd change his hairline so that he'd have more hair upfront....


JUST KIDDING BABY! I couldn't help myself ;-)

13. If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
I used to really hate my name, but it's MY name... common or not!

14. If you could choose between six months of sun or six months of rain, what would you choose?
WARM SUN.... I'm so tired of rain/snow/sleet and cold weather!

15. If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
Hot Wings!!!!!
16. What is the thing you enjoy about blogging the most?
I love that my family who live out of town can get updates on Elah, I love that I can vent freely because it's MINE... and I love that someday Elah can read this and see how much we truely wanted her and loved her!

17. Do you prefer salty or sweet food?
Sweet please!

18. What items are in your purse right now?
There's nothing in it... when I DO carry it I usually throw my wallet, a pen, the checkbook, chapstick, antibacterial gel, cell, keys, and nursing pads in. Now... I usually carry Elah's diaper bag... and it usually has 2 cloth dipes (or more if we are going to be gone all day), a pouch of cloth wipes, wipe solution, antibacterial gel, extra paci's, gas drops, tylenol, nasal drops, wet bag, change of clothes for Elah, nursing pads, lanolin, my cell, my wallet, keys, a water bottle, and my wallet bible :)

19. Name 3 things on your bucketlist?
Have 3 more kids, travel to Europe, take my kids to Disney World!

20. What do you watch on television that you shouldn't?
Haha! Probably everything...!

3.24.2011

3 Month Photos

My baby is going to be 3 months on Monday! She continues to grow... unbelievably fast. Before we know it she will be crawling... walking... talking... YIKES! I took Elah's 3 month photos today... I've been doing some reading on photographing babies/children, I'm nowhere near where I want to be when it comes to photographing my children... but I'm getting better! Here are a few pics:








I could have taken her to a studio for her 3 months.... but I saved a ton of money doing it myself! ;-)

3.23.2011

Mommy Brain... I will defeat you!

I made our "home binder" today! Yes, I am actually excited about a notebook full of paper with budgets, lists, and calendars. Call me a nerd... I dare you! On a more serious note though, this is really going to help our little family get back on track financially, schedule wise, and menu planning wise.

I haven't taken any pictures, but I thought I'd atleast share what I did with it. I got my templates and printouts from several different sites I'll list at the end of this post, and I used other sites for resources. I made 8 dividers with these categories:
Today/This Week: Contains printouts of weekly to do lists and reminders and daily sheets with reminders
Calendar: This is exactly what it says, a calendar. Each sheet has a different month and we will use this to keep track of due dates for our bills, appointments, and other important dates
Menu Planner: Weekly menu planner w/shopping lists
Elah: This has info on appointments, vaccines, etc. This folder will have different things in it depending on what we need handy for her!
Finances: This has a monthly budget log and a log of what we need to save for, how much needs to be saved, and when we want the total amount saved by
Vacation: Currently, this has info for the trip we're taking next week, a budget sheet for the things we want to do (we are going to stay UNDER budget!), tickets we've already purchased for the aquarium and etc. Later it will have info and planning/budget info for NEXT year's trip!
Household: This has a weekly and daily to do list for chores around the house. We are really bad about waiting and trying to clean the entire house in one day... so I'm hoping this will help us space our cleaning routine out so that we have time to spend as a family!
Miscellaneous: This has a list of birthdays/anniversaries, and a paper with our online account usernames and passwords. More will be added to this section eventually, but I was more concerned with the other tabs!

You might think I'm wierd for wanting to get so organized, but I function better when I have a written plan infront of me! LOL! I will update on how it's helping my little family... until then... here are some links with printables and other resources to make your own binder! Favorites are starred ***







3.22.2011

9 Days and Counting!

We're in the single digits now! 9 days and we will finally be on our way to a week long vacation with our favorite Flint family! We have so much to do in these 9 days to get ready... I'm hoping to get my hw done for the next 3 weeks so that I won't have much to do on vacation. I made a packing list for all of our stuff.... it's so much different packing for us AND a little one! She needs SO MUCH! It's so worth it though!

Conquering Mommy Brain

Mommy brain is a REAL thing... trust me, I know. Ask my mom and husband what I did at Elah's 2 week pediatrician appointment and my 2 week postpartum check up. I flip flopped them. My 6 week postpartum check up... I showed up a week early. Oh yea... I can't even begin to list all the other crazy things I've done since becoming a mommy... my brain has had it! So. Me, being slightly OCD and wanting to be super organized came across THIS post by Adventures in Mommy Land. A binder... full or organization, calendars, and lists to keep you organized. I MUST MAKE ONE. I really do need to get my act together and get organized again. Justin has kind of taken over the responbility of the bills and finances, but I'm sure a tab with due dates and such would be helpful to him as well. We shall see! This is going to be a goal for me this week.... organization! WOOHOO!

3.21.2011

Blog Button

I made a blog button, it's in the middle, top of my page, just below Elah's ticker... so if your a blogger PLEASE grab it and post to your blog! I'll do the same for you, just let me know! Thanks!




Beautiful, Beautiful

Another song by Francesca... this one is powerful, both in lyrics and music!

Beautiful, Beautiful
Francesca Battistelli

Don't know how it is You looked at me
And saw the person that I could be
Awakening my heart, breaking through the dark
Suddenly Your grace

Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me, all that I need
You are so beautiful, beautiful

Now there's a joy inside I can't contain
But even perfect days can end in rain
And though it's pouring down, I see You through the clouds
Shining on my face

Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me, all that I need
You are so beautiful, beautiful

I have come undone
But I have just begun
Changing by Your grace

Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me, all that I need
You are so beautiful

Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me, all that I need
You are so beautiful, beautiful

Beautiful, beautiful

I hope to show my daughter how BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL she is, not only on the outside, but on the inside. And that's all because of God's mercy and grace!


3.20.2011

Sleep? Nice to See You Again!

Last night... oh man. Elah went down around 8:30pm, and then I usually stay up doing homework until she wakes up... she woke up at 1:30am. After that she usually wakes up every 2-3 hours until 11am. Well... last night, she went back down around 2:30 after being changed and nursed, and I transferred her back to the co-sleeper.... she didn't wake up until 7:30am! I felt like a new woman this morning! I'm hoping and praying that this is going to be her new routine, because last night was fantastic! I had to check the clock like four times this morning to make sure I wasn't seeing things! Thank you Elah for sleeping so well... how about a repeat for tonight?

3.19.2011

This is the Stuff that Drives me CRAZY!

Francesca Battistelli is one of my all time favorite singer/musician/songwriter... so many of her songs touch my heart more than I can say. The first time I heard one of her songs was when I heard "Free to be Me" on the radio. I was hooked! This song, "This is the Stuff" is one I heard recently and I LOVE it....


This is the Stuff
Francesca Battistelli

I lost my keys in the great unknown

And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone



This is the stuff that drives me crazy

This is the stuff that's getting to me lately

In the middle of my little mess

I forget how big I'm blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing

It might not be what I would choose

But this is the stuff You use



45 in a 35

Sirens and fines while I'm running behind

Whoa



This is the stuff that drives me crazy

This is the stuff that's getting to me lately

In the middle of my little mess

I forget how big I'm blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing

It might not be what I would choose

But this is the stuff You use



So break me of impatience

Conquer my frustrations

I've got a new appreciation

It's not the end of the world

Oh Oh Oh



This is the stuff that drives me crazy

This is the stuff

Someone save me

In the middle of my little mess

I forget how big I'm blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

And I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing

It might not be what I would choose

But this is the stuff You use



I know that I am very guilty of letting the small stuff get to me, and forgetting that through everything God is using it to teach me... and through it all, I am SO blessed. All those little things that drive me crazy, I have to just let them go and give them to God... find that song on Youtube... and be blessed!



3.17.2011

Life As I Know It

I'm determined. Tomorrow is a new day... and I WILL get into a routine starting then. Even if Elah has to be worn all day... I WILL get stuff done! I have so much laundry to do, our room is a mess, my computer desk nook/area is a disaster... and it's driving me bonkers! At 8:30pm, as usual, I fed Elah, snuggled with her for a little while and I laid her in he co-sleeper. Usually, she falls right to sleep. Well. She didn't tonight. I had to hold her and rock her for about 30 minutes until she finally fell into a deep enough sleep where I could lay her down. 15 minutes later, she's awake AGAIN, and I gave up on getting any homework done. So, I patted her tummy and held her paci in her mouth until she fell back asleep. I cleaned her room, started the laundry, put the one load of clean laundry that has been sitting in her room since Monday away, hung her diapers to dry... came back in my room and she's wide awake and cooing at daddy while he snores. What gives Boogie? So she's still awake, at 10:30pm... just cooing away! I guess, if I look at the bright side, she's happy... and not screaming. However, the moment I start trying to do homework she starts crying.... but I can surf the net and post in my blog and she continues to coo? Really? I pick up a textbook and she wails! I'm thinking Elah doesn't like mommy working on school. Ugh. So, I'll probably be up ALL night alternating between taking care of Elah and trying to get homework done. Oh... and don't forget all the laundry I need to finish! Yea... really need a routine, and a NAP!

Happy St. Patty's Day!


We wore... a LOT of green today!

Boogie rolled over for the first time today! I've had the hardest time getting her to do tummy time, she just HATES being on her tummy. So I tried something new today... I stripped her naked, got a really cushy blanket out (and a diaper pad to put underneath her lol)... started her out on her back and rolled her over onto her belly. She loved it! So I guess being nudey and on your belly is okay, LOL! She was cooing, and talking, and all of a sudden she scooted her arm underneath her and rolled right onto her back! I couldn't believe it! I didn't expect it at all! I don't think she did either, because her eyes got real big and she started fussing... so I flipped her over onto her belly again, got her calmed down and started playing with her again and guess what?!?! She did it again! She's growing too fast!

3.16.2011

An Abundance of Love

I've made a decision about my life today. Something I don't think I ever expected to do, but after praying about it, talking to my mom, and than discussing it with Justin... I think it is the BEST decision for our family, not just me! If you know me at all, you know how important my education is to me, and how important it is for me to go ALL the way and get my Master's. Well... we have a new plan. I know. A new one. When I finish my Associate in Arts Degree I am going to take a break. We will pay off the loans that have accumulated from that... and THEN I will start my Bachelor's. I'll take a break after and we will pay off those loans... and FINALLY I will pursue my Master's and then pay off whatever accumulated from that. I think it's smarter this way. I won't be working immediately after school if I finished in the next couple of years anyways, and I'm afraid to think of how much student loans would pile up if I stormed through and got my Master's immediately. I love being a mommy, and I love staying home with her and experiencing everything... so that is my decision. To raise Elah, make MORE babies (yes, I said more... just not anytime soon) and enjoy our little growing family. I also think this will help me from getting burnt out on school, because frankly, I'm burnt out!

My bible study tonight is on Deuteronomy 28:11, which says, "The Lord will give you an abundance of good things in the land he swore to give your ancestors -- many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops." The story that goes with it is about a couple who find out they are pregnant for the sixth time.... and I laughed. Janelle.... I'm sorry but I laughed LOL. I immediately thought of 5 little Flint Monsters and their parents. I can't wait to have a big, lively family like the Flints... every squeal, every laugh, even every tear and smart remark... I want it! Nothing is more fun than spending a day with the Flint family. Big families are FUN! So hopefully, the Lord will bless Justin and me abundantly with lovely little Massey's. And after all the talk of me wanting boys... after Elah.... I'm thinking I want a little Esther :) Only time will tell... until then, I'll just enjoy my Boogie :-D

Why Such A Stigma?

Something I never really thought about prior to deciding that I truly wanted to be a mother was breastfeeding. Growing up, anytime (although this was rare) I would see a woman nursing her child, it never embarrassed me or bothered me. I always thought it was natural, and I remember my own mother nursing my brother. I don't know how long she did, but the main reason I remember her doing so was because of one particular time when my grandmother came over and she kept walking into my mom's room... let's just say mom didn't appreciate that so much! LOL! When Justin and I started trying to get pregnant I started thinking about how I wanted to raise my children, and one of the first things that came to mind was that I wanted to nurse my children and avoid formula if at all possible. Frankly... if I'm being perfectly honest, I didn't have a clue about the nutritional values of breastmilk at this point... my MAIN reasoning behind it (and this was several years ago) was because of how formula smells.... BLECH! Now, however, that is not my only reason for nursing, thank goodness!
I am not the type of person who is going to just throw my opinions at you and then not respect your views on them as well. If you formula fed or still formula feed your child/children, if that's the path you have chosen.. then great! Your child is being nourished, fed, and they are growing! For me personally, I believe that breastmilk is best for my daughter, but I'm not going to judge you or put you down because you don't believe the same. So there's my little disclaimer before the rest of my post :)

Something I've been wondering since I started nursing Elah is why there is such a stigma when it comes to breastfeeding. Why, when it's the most natural thing I have ever experienced... it didn't feel strange or foreign to put my daughter to my breast to nourish her. I think the thing that bothers me the most, however, is how uncomfortable people are with mothers nursing their babies in public. I wear a cover or a blanket over my daughter while she nurses... not necessarily because I am uncomfortable nursing in public, but because I'm nervous of how OTHER people will respond to me nursing my child. I hate feeling that way! Breasts have become sexualized in this country, and I'm even nervous to just nurse my daughter in public without a cover because I don't want people to look at me and see it as a sexual thing.... when it really is a beautiful, natural way of life.

Over the past couple of weeks I've been doing some research on nursing and breastfeeding throughout history and I wanted to share a couple of links with you. Another blogger posted a blog about this very topic, she even posted a timeline of the history of formula! Please click HERE to be redirected to her post. It is very informative! I also found a facebook page full of historical photos, paintings, and prints of women nursing. What I found most phenomenal was how many women in these photos are nursing older children... and I'll talk about that in a minute as well. Please click HERE to be redirected to that facebook page. What is interesting is that there was this huge controversy about facebook banning photographs on mothers nursing their children... I wonder why that never happened with this page?


Now... something even more controversial than nursing in public is extended nursing. Meaning, nursing a child past a year old. After nursing my daughter and discovering how much of a truly amazing experience it is, I have a better understanding of why a mother might choose to nurse past her child turning a year old. A friend of mine has nursed her child for two years now, and I really respect her for doing so. I don't know if I will nurse Elah for much longer than a year, I do not plan on just cutting her off the moment she turns one, but I may try to wean her if I think she is ready. But really... what is the big deal? Why is it so taboo to nurse a toddler? Now, I am a little weary about nursing a child with teeth... just the thought of that makes me cringe a little, but why do people judge women who choose to do so? I don't think it should be the only source of nourishment obviously... but what's wrong with giving your child a substance that has so many nutrients? My plan is that once Elah is weaned that I will continute to pump until I am no longer able to or if I have another child (because then I will want to exclusively nurse that child) and give Elah breastmilk until I feel she no longer needs it. Whether it ends up going in a bottle or a sippy cup... who cares.

I guess all this rambling really just comes down to one thing.... why has something that used to be completely natural and a way of life for mothers been turned into something that is unnatural and taboo? Why have I been made to feel uncomfortable nursing my daughter in public without something to cover my breasts? I think it's something worth thinking about.

3.15.2011

23!

Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to meeee! Happy birthday to me! LOL... yes today is my birthday! I love birthdays... and this one is a zillion times better because the best gift I could have asked for is finally in my life. Elah. What more could I ask for? She laughed for my mom on Sunday, just a little giggle... but she LAUGHED! Of course, she has YET to do it again, but hopefully we'll start hearing her giggle again!

To celebrate, J is making hot wings and baked fries for dinner tonight, and mom will probably stop by to say hello... but ya know she's coming more for Nene cuddles with Boogie ;-) But that's ok, because that will give me time to take a nice hot birthday bubble bath!

I'd also like to finally share more about all the drama and stress that we've been facing with J's job. Hopefully he won't mind me sharing so much, but I really am proud of  him! A month or so ago J was informed that the majority of the "head honchos" at the nursing center he works with were leaving and going to a new facility in a town about an hour from here. The owner of that facility used to own the facility J is at now, so most of the staff that were leaving knew him from that. Before finding this out, J started taking his dietary management certification class and had planned on doing his fieldwork with his manager, Cathy. Now that she was leaving, he wasn't sure what to do or who to turn to for support.

A week or so after finding out all of this information, J was offered a position at the new facility. It was a great oppurtunity, he would still be able to complete his fieldwork with a manager he knew well and trusted, there was a chance of promotion in the future, and it's always exciting (yet scary) to go somewhere new. He struggled with the decision to stay or go... I know it stressed him out. And honestly, it stressed me out as well. Moving as a family of 2 is no big deal... add in a baby, and that adds a whole different level of stress that I just can't explain.

Two weeks ago (or so?) Justin found out that he might not be guaranteed his current position if he stayed, so of course, my poor husband being the worrier he is, was worried to death. He had pretty much decided then and there that he was going to give his 2 week notice in April and take the job at the new facility. We even looked at apartments online, and went to see one about 45 minutes from here... it was awful.

So what happened next? As if we hadn't been through ups and downs with this decision already... J was then told that he would be guaranteed his job if he stayed... so here he goes trying to decide what to do now. We knew that if he decided to take the new job he would have to start that job by driving back and forth an hour there and an hour back... we just could not find a home appropriate for us and Boogie to move too. It was a hard decision to make.

Well... all I can say is GOD IS GOOD. Last week, Cathy informed J that the new CDM (Certified Dietary Manager) that was taking over her position was most likely going to offer him the Assistant Manager position... meaning a promotion and a pay raise. We didn't want to get excited, we had heard similar stories before with no positive results... well guess what? Yesterday J was offered the job! I wish I could have snapped a picture of the huge smile on his face when he walked in the door today. He was so excited, and I can't tell you how proud I am of him. He has come so far in the 5 years we have been together. Next month will be 5 years since he got his GED, and that was a lot of work for him! And now look at him! A managment position, and taking classes to take his career farther than I ever imagined he would. He is doing what he loves, and I know he is excited. Congratulations baby!

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" -Jeremiah 29:11

3.14.2011

Icky Weekend

This weekend was... umm.... icky? I caught some sort of stomach virus and started getting sick Saturday afternoon. I'm thinking it was something I ate, rather than catching a bug from the Flint Monsters, because nobody else in my family has gotten sick (thank goodness!). I was miserable, and actually ended up having my mom come over to help take care of me and Elah while J went to his parents house just in case I was contagious. It was a GOOD think mom was here, because by 9ish Saturday night I was really dehydrated and ended up blacking out. Scared the pee out of mom... and I was shaky and woozy the rest of the night. I'm so thankful mom had been here... what if I had been holding Elah? I don't even want to think about what might have happened! I'm feeling much better now, I managed to complete all my homework that I needed to work on this weekend, so J, Elah, and I will get to spend the day doing absolutely nothing tomorrow! Some much needed rest!

PS.... 17 DAYS UNTIL VACATION!

3.12.2011

19 Days!!!!!!

Vacation is in 19 days!!!!! Woohoo! Of course, the closer we get to March 31st, the slower time passes... we are going to Pigeon Forge with Janelle, Nathan, and their 5 little monsters! We've rented a really nice cabin and have planned to visit the aquarium, the zoo, the Titanic exhibit, and much more! I'm so VERY excited and ready for a week to relax and enjoy just having fun with my little family and some of our dearest friends.

Until tomorrow... I'll leave you with this verse to ponder ;-)

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!" - Isaiah 26:3

3.10.2011

Trust

"When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."
-John 14:3

The passage that that verse came from is where Jesus is telling His disciples to trust Him and that if they trust Him and accept Him that he will prepare a place for them in heaven. Sometimes I forget that not only is God preparing a home for me in heaven, but that He is also preparing my heart everyday for the day when I go to heaven... and in doing so, He is ALWAYS with me. No matter where I go, who I'm with, or the troubles I'm facing... God is always there. Isn't that reassuring to know that we have Him there to lean on? I find it very reassuring.

In the past month J has been faced with many hard decisions and stressful situations when it comes to his job. Things have finally settled down, although not completely, but much less stressful then before. I've been praying every day that God would give him some rest and show him where He wants us to go... and I believe He is doing that for us. Life definately isn't easy right now, but even so, we are abundantly blessed! Boogie slept long enough this evening for me to finish one of my assignments... might not have been enough time to get all of my work done, but it was enough to do SOMETHING. So I say it again, life is NOT easy right now, I'm struggling to stay caught up in school, to get the laundry done and Boogie's diapers washed, and sometimes I have to hand Boogie over to her daddy and go into another room to get things done (which I HATE to do). But it's my life right now, and as I said before... no matter how tough things seem, I just have to remember that God is holding my hand through it all. When I struggle to remember that, all I have to do is look over at my beautiful little girl and remember that my Father blessed me with her, that's all that it takes.

I hope you are as blessed as I am tonight, and I pray that you go to bed and wake up tomorrow refreshed and overflowing with the love of Christ in your heart!

3.08.2011

Just a Little Stain Remover

Every devotion I have read this past week has touched my heart in a way I can't even explain to you. The other day I was trying to get a stain out of Justin's white shirt... he managed to get blueberry juice all over it (the joys of being married to a cook). After combining Shout!, vinegar, and a little bleach I managed to get all the stains out... so how does that apply to my life? Sins are stains on our hearts... we can try to talk them away, forget them away, lie them away... but truly the ONLY way to get those stains out is to give them up to God. Isaiah 1:18 says, " 'Come now, let us argue this out,' says teh Lord. 'No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as a freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.' " Beautiful.... just beautiful.

I'm looking forward to posting a tutorial soon... I bought several pairs of $2 knee high socks from Target to make Elah some more baby legs! I think I'll call my version "Leggys"... I should probably research that and see if that name is taken. I'm also considering opening an Etsy shop or selling some stuff on Facebook... so tell me. Would you buy leggys, tutus, flower clips, etc? I'll post pics soon of some of the things I'm working on... hmmmmmmmm.....

3.07.2011

Always There

Something that I think we ALL struggle with from time to time, or really all the time, is the knowledge and faith that God is ALWAYS there for us no matter the circumstance. We might know he's there, but sometimes we don't remember that He is there. I hope that made sense... lol. The verse from my devotion tonight is from Psalm 91:15, "When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them." Isn't that beautiful? I don't think I even need to expand on that... it is what it is!

I spent a wonderful day with my Boogie today... yes my Boogie. Ever since my little one has been sick, I've been calling her Boogie, and it has STUCK. So she's my Boogie lol! We had a little photo session, and I got some of the BEST faces from her today... she is a hoot! The pictures with the bluish floral top is from the other day, the ones with the giant green flower are from today.




And one of the two of us to finish this blog up....


3.06.2011

Is it March 31st yet?

It has been a long weekend! We are at the tail end of this nasty cold (however J is at the very beginning of it... oops) and Elah has had a rough go of it this weekend. She coughed so much that she threw up all over herself and me... however that meant she got rid of a lot of that gunk she's been coughing up all week! She got choked last night on some and scared the crap out of me... needless to say... I cried, she cried... we just cried and cried. This morning while I was sleeping in, J took over and said that she coughed up a lot of yucky stuff this morning... so hopefully by tomorrow she'll be all better!

That explains why I didn't post last night though... it was a long, stressful night to say the least! I will start back up with my devo posts tomorrow night, right now I'm just going to read it and relax since my little boogie bear is sleeping! Night all!

3.04.2011

Through a Whisper

Something I don't look forward to is losing my cool and yelling at my kids... I am hoping and praying that I will never do that, but I know that I am one to lose my patience and raise my voice sometimes. My husband is the same way... except he does it more with Mudgett (LOL)... and yes, my husband can talk loud believe it or not! Lo and behold..... guess what tonight's devotion was about?

From I Kings 19:12, "And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a sound of a gentle whisper."

I'm going to make this short and sweet tonight.... whether you are dealing with your children... your spouse... or a crazy mutt like Mudgett. You do NOT have to put fear in them by raising your voice... be that gentle firm whisper. I know it works on Mudgett! ;-)

"A gentle voice, rather than loud yelling, often effectively produces desirable behavior changes."
-Carol Hatheway Scott

3.03.2011

I'm In No Hurry

I've been thinking a lot about my little girl today... how fast she is growing, how quickly she is learning new things... and then I think about the other children we plan on having and growing our family. What will they be like? Will we have all girls? Will we have any boys? What will they do when they grow up? Who will they marry? These have been circling through my head all day, and it just so happens that when I opened my devotion book today, it was about not being in a hurry for my baby to grow up. God knew my heart today didn't he? I hate seeing Elah grow up, but I LIVE for it as well. I love hearing her new coos and singy sounds, her huge gummy smiles and watching her try to roll. But I wish it would alllll slooooooooow doowwwwwn.

Today's verse was from Deuteronomy 28:4, "You will be blessed with many children and productive fields. You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks." In other words... you will be blessed with kids and LATER you will be blessed with a clean house and things in order! I don't have time to get anything done right now, my life revolves around nursing, changing diapers, and taking naps with my baby girl. At night, despite the few minutes I have taken to blog and spend time with my Daddy in heaven... I work on homework. It never slows! At the moment... I have Elah FINALLY asleep (she coo'd herself to sleep tonight), a load of diapers in the washing machine, a load of Elah's clothes in the dryer, and another load of Elah's clothes waiting to be washed. And before Justin went to bed, I stuffed Elah's new Sunbaby Diapers, finished some of my homework and put away her clean diapers... wow. That all has happened in the past 1 hour. I'll admit that it bothers me that I don't get things done when I want them done.

I would love to get the entire house clean tomorrow and the laundry finished... but I know it won't happen and I am going to be content with that knowledge. I'm lucky to get a moment to myself while Justin is at work... but you know what? I am really OK with that. I am learning to push aside my tendency to be OCD and just enjoy these early months in Elah's life. She will obviously not be this little forever, she will never coo or sing like she did tonight when she gets bigger... she will only learn to roll once... I will not miss these milestones because I am too busy trying to do other things! So what if there's laundry scattered around the house. So what if my bathroom is a little dirty. SO WHAT if I wait til the last minute to turn in some of my homework. Kudos to all the mommy's out there who have a perfect clean house and all their laundry done... AND don't miss out on their kid's lives. I'm just not one of those women.

We took Elah to the pediatrician today to check on her cold, she developed a pretty nasty cough and we wanted to make sure she wasn't getting an ear infection or a lung infection. She's so little... I'm not taking any chances with her. Call me a first time mom... because I am one! Anyways, the point of that little spill was that I overheard a woman tell her daughter in the waiting room  (the little girl was maybe 8 or 9) that she was being a pain and that she needed to sit down, be still, and obey. From my point of view... all the little girl was doing was trying to get a better view of the cartoons that were playing in the corner. I think the quote from my devotion is one that that mother needs to hear...

Kids are a pain or a source of joy... depending on your focus. What is YOUR focus?
-JGL

3.02.2011

A Time to Laugh

I haven't been very good about setting aside time to spend with my Father, and I have tried this technique before, but I think I am going to try again. Before, I would use my blog as a reminder and would post a verse from my devotion for the day. So... I am starting this devotional called "A Cup of Comfort - Devotional for Mothers". It's a small, compact book that can easily fit in my purse or diaper bag, and my husband also bought me a zippered pouch bible that is small and compact as well to go with it. Each day has a verse, a story, and a quote from different mothers. I started my first devotion today! And along with my devotion, I will post my pictures of the day again. I'm not going to call it Project 365 because I don't want to stop at 365... I want to continue it with my devotions for as long as I can and document mine, Justin's, and Elah's lives!

Today's verse was Ecclesiastes 3:4, "[There is] A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance." I love this verse! How perfect is that statement? Everyday I have moments where I need to cry, and moments when it's time to laugh... sometimes I grieve and other times I dance. There are even times I laugh so hard that I cry at the same time! As a mother I know there will be plenty of days where I may not remember to laugh or dance... there will be days of stress, days of aggravation... and more! I'm hoping that I can remind myself to not sweat the small stuff, to enjoy my daughter and future children... and just laugh and dance with them as much as I can! The quote at the end of my devotion is by a woman named Carolyn Byers Ruch... she says "Ask God to help you relax today and even enjoy a giggle or two." That's my challenge to all you mothers out there... pray that short, sweet little prayer and enjoy a giggle with your little ones!

Although it may not look like she is grinning... she was until the flash on my phone went off when taking the picture! We were enjoying some grins and although I was the only one giggling... I know someday I'll hear my sweet girl's beautiful laugh!

A New Look

I decided it was time for some new owls... and a new banner since Elah is here to add some beauty to my page ;-). I really am hoping to start blogging more often, like I did prior to giving birth... and I'm planning on doing some tutorials of some crafty creations I've been working on :-D... but that will take some time! Thanks for reading, and God bless!

3.01.2011

2 Months

As I posted on Sunday night... yesterday Elah turned 2 months old! She is now 21 7/8 inches long, 10lbs 1.5oz, and her head is 38.9cm. She's definately growing, and has almost doubled her birth weight which is GREAT! We are both a little congested at the moment... who knew such a little baby could have so much snot, yuck!

Elah did pretty well at her appointment, she got 3 shots and handled them surprisingly well. She was a little fussy as she got stuck, but settled down relatively quickly. She was definately more upset with the oral vaccine than she was with the shots. My hope is that she will not have the same fear I had as a child when it came to needles, until I got pregnant, I was deathly afraid and would literally run or beat my mom and the nurses to death to get away. I was TERRIFIED. Obviously, I had to endure my needles throughout my pregnancy and no longer have that fear thankfully.

We've had professional photos done three times... when she was a day old at the hospital, once at 4 weeks, and again at 7 weeks. We can't afford to it all the time, so we plan on having them done again at 6 months and 1 year... until then I am going to take monthly photos with our handy dandy fancy new camera ;-)