One Thing Remains

I have been super emotional lately, there's just SO much happening in my life right now and it's hard to grasp all of these phenomenal changes! Let me back up a little bit first since I've been totally MIA here lately...

Let's do this in bullet fashion, shall we?

• My son will be THREE months old on Tuesday... he is bound and determined to sit up on his own, he pulls himself up when we hold his hands and just giggles! It's just going by WAY to fast!
• Boogie is flying through the things we are teaching her... and we just invested in a (used) iPad and she is devouring everything she can... she LOVES Elmo's ABC's!
• My best friend and her amazing family are moving the weekend of my birthday... we are also moving into their house that same weekend! So... bittersweet!
• My friend Hannah, who I've known for ages, is getting married in April. Boogie is going to be a flower girl and I am a bridesmaid... and as sappy/crazy as this sounds... watching Hannah try on her dress and helping with her shower today made me think about how quickly this time went by for HER mother. What the heck will I do when this is Boogie getting married?
• I've been bombarded with songspiration lately (yes, I totally just made up that word!). Every time I turn on J's ipod before I start my daily chores I hear lyrics to a song that I just NEEDED to hear (more on that in a bit)

See... LOTS of things, lots of emotional things that are frequently bringing me to my knees in praise, prayer, tears (both happy AND sad), and joy! So back to songspirations... this song, One Thing Remains by Jesus Culture. Oh man, this song honest to goodness brought me to my knees yesterday. I was holding my son, dancing with my daughter, and as I sang the lyrics it just filled my heart with so much joy! "Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me!" Just those simple words brought me to tears, I am so undeserving, so unworthy... yet his love NEVER fails, it NEVER gives up, and it will NEVER run out." No matter what circumstances I face, joyful or sorrowful, I have His love. How powerful is that? It just sends shivers down my spine! 

Thank you Lord for showing me your love!

A Year of New Beginnings. Hello 2013!

Here we are! It's officially 2013 and we have a lot of news to share! If you are an old reader then you may have read many entries about my beloved Flint Monsters. The Flint Monsters are 5 beautiful children that I have loved on since the oldest was 3 when I was in high school! Their mother, Janelle is my closest friend, she has been there through high school break ups, emotional rollercoasters in my teenage life, marriage, life changes, and she was even there for both of my children's births and has taken on the roll (along with her hubby) as godparent to my sweet kiddos. My dear friend is getting ready to embark on a grand adventure all the way across the country to Washington, she's following God's calling to be part of an amazing ministry and she needs your help! They can use prayers first and foremost, but they are also looking for donations to help fund their mission to start a Celebrate Recovery ministry as part of Restoration Ministries. Donations can be accepted online via their website HERE or you can mail a check to:

Restoration Ministries

PMB 1202

11700 Mukilteo Speedway suite 201

Mukilteo, WA 98275

Memo Line: Nathan and Janelle

But like I said, more important is that they receive prayers for safety on their journey to their new home, prayers for encouragement, strength, and that they can reach many people through their ministry who need the amazing program, Celebrate Recovery.

We are going to miss the Flint's so much, but I cannot tell you how excited I am for them. This is something they've talked about doing (going into ministries) since I met them almost 10 years ago. Their family has been a major part of my life.. heck, they ARE my family. Not only are they going on this incredible mission but they are also blessing us by allowing us to rent their home. So in April we will be moving out of this apartment and into a home. A real home without  neighbors attached above, below, or beside us... a real home with a yard that we can watch our children run around and play... a real home where we can live and grow and play without worrying how our lives are affecting those living around us. We will have wonderful neighbors (aka Janelle's parents who are honorary grandparents to our children) and we are within walking distance to a great park and library. Can you believe it? We can't! We're looking forward to seeing where God leads both of our families, and doing everything in our power to ensure that our children still "see" and spend time with their godparents and "godsiblings"... whether that's by snail mail, facebook, blogging, or maybe skype! 

We love you Flint Family. Thank you for blessing us throughout the years and sharing in some of our most memorable moments... our lives wouldn't be the same without you in it! 

Summer Blog Challenge, Day 21

Day 21: Most Recent Words of Wisdom You Heard that Stuck With You


"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." -Matthew 11:28

Anything written by Christ is what I consider words of wisdom... and this week I've really had to focus on knowing that when I'm weary and burdened all I have to do is go to Christ with everything and He will be there no matter what. I'm really struggling with loneliness, frustration, and heartache this week...

Can You Handle It?

I firmly believe that God doesn't give us anything that we can't handle... we are constantly faced with trials and tests to grow us as people and as Christians. I'm facing one of the hardest trials I have ever had to endure, and I'm sure many other parents can relate. It's called *cue dramatic daunting music* separation anxiety. It's not fun, not one wee little bit of fun. It doesn't matter what I do, I leave the room and my daughter flips out. I can't hand her off to her daddy and walk away without her getting upset. There are rare moments when I can scoot away to take a shower or start dinner... but the majority of the time she's in the shower with me or on my back while I cook. This is my life in a nutshell.

The point of my rambling... while my daughter struggles with being away from me, I'm struggling in my walk with Christ. I guess in a way you can say that I'm facing some separation anxiety myself. I am still a Christian, my faith has never faltered, but like many people do I'm not staying focused as I should on time with just me and Him. I miss bible study, I miss praise and worship... and I really miss church. We are planning on attending a large local church that is extending a new branch in our community. We LOVE this church, but unfortunately we can't afford to drive to the main campus and the campus that they are opening here will not be ready until January. So I'm struggling... but I will get through and keep clinging to my faith and finding my way through the heartache of all this separation stuff with Boogie. Pray for me? Thanks!

Discouraged

I'm not really sure what to say at this point. I can say that I am so tired of being judged and so tired of being put down for decision I make pertaining to Boogie. I have never intentionally put down someone for how they raise their children, I may think it... I may not agree with what they are doing, but I would never say anything to take them down and make them feel bad as a person. If they are putting their child in danger, than yes I may discreetly say something, but I always have an internal battle as to what I should say and try to be very careful with my words. Words are a funny thing... they can be uplifting, they can be supportive... they can also be cruel and detrimental to one's emotional being. Why is it so hard to just be supportive?

I believe that the decisions we have made for our daughter are the best ones for us, they may not be the best for you, and that's fine. Even as I write this blog, I'm battling with myself as to how to word this because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Sometimes I think I am too nice for my own good. I am emotionally drained. I am emotionally broken at this point. From words that have been said (or typed) and from my daughter being completely and entirely attached to me to the point where I have no idea what to do with her. I am hurt. I am discouraged. Luckily... I am a child of a wonderful God who showed me this, this morning.

Hebrews 12:2-3 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and completer of our faith, who, for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Boogie's Dedication/5 Month "Birthday"

We've had a full weekend! Friday evening we celebrated Boogie and dedicated her to the Lord! We celebrated at her godparent's house with burgers and hotdogs with Elah's grandparents, great grandmother, and her godparent's and "godsiblings". JoyAnn loves to tell everyone that she is Elah's godsister :) Nathan and Janelle prayed over us and mom got some wonderful pictures... I feel like this event was more important than any other event we'll have for Elah, at least until she decides to accept Christ into her life! It was a special evening, our little girl is such a blessing!

Saturday was Elah's 5 month "birthday! Sometime this week I'm going to try to attempt to take some photos (I try to do this every month) and I'm hoping mom can take some of the three of us!

You know what else happened on Elah's "birthday"... ugh. We spent a wonderful day with my mom, Elah was wonderful... we had a great time. Then we got home, and as usual got ready to get in the shower with Elah. Just before I set my foot down into the tub, I looked down and there was this HUGE spider. I am not even exaggerating on the size... it was bigger than my hand. I FREAKED. I had to shove Justin out of the way with Elah in my arms screaming "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Move! Babe Move!" He had no clue what was going on... until he looked in the tub. EW EW EW EW EW. According to Christa, it's a wolf spider. EW. Gross. EWWWW. I didn't want to go the bathroom period after that, and I seriously had J check the bathroom before I peed this morning, LOL! So we are at mom's house, because while there's a low chance that we'd have another spider that large in our house... I didn't want to encounter one alone with the off chance that there would be a second huge spider in the span of one weekend lol!

Anyways, here are some pics from Elah's dedication:

Nene and Boogie

Nana, JoyAnn, Boogie... and Jesse in the corner LOL

Nanny, Nana, Boogie, & JoyAnn

My little family of 3

Elah's godfather "Uncle Nathan" praying over us and Elah.

Elah with her godparents (they ROCK!)

Papaw, Boogie, and Nene... my parents are awesome :)

Full of Dreams

So lately I've been doing a lot of dreaming, dreaming about what I want to do with my life... I thought for sure that I was going to be a teacher. I thought for sure I wanted to work in a school teaching children, but now that I am a mother I'd rather stay home, teach my own children, and enjoy the moments I may have missed if I had decided to work out of my home. I've toyed with the idea of opening an online craft shop, but I'm not sure if it's exactly what I want to do... I want to do something bigger. I live in an area known for having people of a "crunchy" nature, and while we have a natural baby store (or perhaps two) in town, there isn't one closer to me. This could be way out of the range of what I could ever accomplish, but I'm hoping that at some point I can possibly make it come true. I want to open a store that sells cloth diapers, baby carriers and wraps, cloth diaper safe detergents, leggies, natural and organic products for mommy and baby... we dont' have anything like that in this little town, and it might not even be something that would work in this town. It would cost a lot to get started... it might not even work... but I'm dreaming!

Other than dreaming big, I'm looking forward to quite a few things in the next few weeks. I'm embracing motherhood and being a homemaker... I'm learning to love cooking! (However... I'm still learning how to love cleaning, lol!) I've started menu planning, and while we don't always follow it exactly, it is helpful when we go to buy groceries and restock our pantry. I love grocery shopping, especially now that we have a plan in place to do so. So tomorrow is our errand day... we are going to get groceries, running errands to school, and then I have to find a large bucket to die my wrap fabric in.... SQUEEEEEE!!! I can't wait to finish my new wrap! Next weekend we are meeting up with a fellow mommy that I went to high school with to get some pictures of Elah. (I love pictures, can you tell?) She is building up her portfolio, and she is a phenomenal momma to her beautiful little girl. She continues to amaze me, she's a full time student, a full time mommy, a full time wife, and she still manages to find time to take some AMAZING photos! I hope to share some after we get done :) Check out Courtney M Photography! And then, on the 27th we will be having Elah's dedication. Janelle and Nathan, Boogie's godparents, will be "leading" the ceremony... it's not necessarily a ceremony though, more of a celebration and prayer session for my beautiful little girl! A dedication is basically our way of saying that although we are Elah's earthly parents, we realize that she is God's child first and foremost, and we are giving this beautiful gift back to Him. We will prayer for her future, her faith, and her health... and I'm so looking forward to it!

I think that's about it... atleast that's a pretty decent update right?

He has RISEN!

Our little family had a wonderful Easter Sunday... and guess what?!?!? Jesus has RISEN! Hallelujah! :) Boogie and I started off our morning by sleeping in. By sleeping in I mean, we started at 7am and I pretty much nursed her everytime she woke up so that she fell asleep again... is that awful? LOL! We got up at 10am and started our morning by reading the Easter Story from one of her kid's bible story books and then we read an Easter book by Mercer Mayer (LOOOVE those books!) Then we were basically lazy all day... I did manage to get the diapers washed, and Justin made steaks for dinner... other than that, we just hung out, played, and Elah refused to nap! Ha! She's actually finally asleep... I got her down at 9pm and she stayed asleep for about 45 minutes, long enough for me to get half of an assignment done for school. I just got her back down, however she's in my lap, and I can't move. Yay me!

Anyways, I wanted to share Elah's Easter pics... or atleast a few of them. Mom took the one's outside, I took the one's inside... enjoy!

Boogie's First Easter

Tomorrow is Boogie's first Easter! Not that she cares, but Justin and I made her a little Easter basket with a few goodies for her. I didn't pack it, and she's already played with the toys we bought... but we just wanted to get her something for her first Easter! J has to work tomorrow of course, and mom is sick... so chances are we won't make it to church tomorrow, but that's OK. Elah loves to read... she LOVES books (and mommy is very ecstatic about that) so we will probably read the Easter story together in the morning and just play! I want to teach her what Easter is really about, of course I'm sure she'll believe in the Easter bunny... that was so much fun as a child... but she needs to know why we celebrate this holiday.

I've never not believed in my Savior, and this holiday I believe in Him more now than I ever have before. I have Boogie to thank for that. I love my husband, and he is the love of my life, but nothing compares to the love I have for my daughter...except of the love I have for my Christ. It's incredible how different, but how similar my love is for Boogie and for Jesus. I wonder what God goes through when we fall in our footsteps, or how excited He becomes when we have accomplished something victorious. My heart leaps when Elah just smiles at me, it's a love so intense that you can't understand it until you hold your own child in your arms.

Something else I've been thinking about this Easter holiday is how my brother has fallen in his footsteps this past few years. My baby brother doesn't "believe" in God anymore, atleast that's what he claims right now. He's having a hard time with... well just life in general. I pray for him all the time, I try to reach out to him when I can... but I'm not going to lie. It's difficult, especially when some of the things he does and says hurt me, and could potentially hurt my daughter. When we picked out a name for our daughter, we chose a name that meant something... in the valley of Elah, a tiny little boy named David picked up a stone and flung it at a giant, evil man named Goliath... and saved his people. I'm hoping that my tiny little girl can be my brother's David and defeat all the Goliath's in his life... I know that God is already working through her, I've seen it with my own eyes... until I see a major change though, I'll continue to pray!

This has been a little random, but these are all things I've been thinking about this week, leading up to one of the most victorious holidays there are. Jesus RISES tomorrow, he defeats death and Satan and washed my sins away on this day sooo many years ago. I am blessed to know Him in my heart, I am blessed to be washed by the blood of the Lamb. Am I worthy? No. Do I deserve it? No... but does He think so? YES. I can't decide how the rest of my life will go, or what my children will choose to believe, but I hope and believe with my whole heart that someday Boogie, and her siblings, will know Christ as I do someday...

Happy Easter Boogie... tomorrow is going to be a beautiful day!

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!

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

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!

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.....

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....

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

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

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!

Where You Go I Go

I'm hooked on this song called "I Will Follow" by Chris Tomlin... the words have spoken to my heart and I've been humbled.

Where you go, I'll go

Where you stay, I'll stay

When you move, I'll move

I will follow...

All your ways are good

All your ways are sure

I will trust in you alone

Higher than my side

High above my life

I will trust in you alone

Where you go, I'll go

Where you stay, I'll stay

When you move, I'll move

I will follow you

Who you love, I'll love

How you serve I'll serve

If this life I lose, I will follow you

I will follow you

Light unto the world

Light unto my life

I will live for you alone

You're the one I seek

Knowing I will find

All I need in you alone, in you alone

In you there's life everlasting

In you there's freedom for my soul

In you there joy, unending joy

And I will follow

I know that in my walk with Christ I have fallen over and over again... I am not consistent in my one on one time with Him, I do not pray enough, I do not read enough, I don't do ANYTHING enough. I'm going to work harder and find ways to remind myself to make Jesus FIRST in my life. I want to go where He goes, I want to stay where He stays, when He moves I want to move. I want to love who He loves, I want to serve who He serves... and when my life on earth is over, I want to follow in His footsteps. Again... I am humbled.

John 16:21

And to add to my previous post...

John 16:21: "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world."

Thankful Thursday

• I am thankful for a husband who supports me through everything I do... that includes being a SAHM, a full time student, and a wife who hates to do the dishes ;-)
• I am thankful for this little blessing in my tummy... we tried off and on for SO long to get pregnant, and when we decided to stop trying for a while.... God blessed us with our beautiful baby girl!
• I am thankful for parents who stick by through thick and thin. A dad who never stops smiling and never fails to make me laugh. A mom who is crafty and willing to create beautiful things for her granddaughter.
• I am thankful for a friend who is willing to drop what she's doing and spend time with me, who finds babysitters to care for her children when I need someone to be there for me during appointments and classes... what a blessing she is!
• I am thankful for two little fur balls who drive me insane!!!! However... they know when mommy doesn't feel well and are always willing to cuddle and comfort me.
• I am thankful for a roof over my head, to shelter my growing family.
• I am thankful that Justin has a steady job and paycheck that pays our bills and puts food on our table.
• I am thankful that I live in a place where I, as a woman, can attend school and get an education.
• I am thankful to be alive... to be a child of God... and to know that I am forgiven!