In four weeks our sweet baby girl is due to make her appearance. When that happens I feel like the dynamic of our little white house is most definitely going to change!

Let me explain.

When we found out that I was expecting and Gram passed away the entire time I just felt like I was going to have a girl. They call it intuition. I was right but you know-not bragging about that ;)

At the same time Jason was convinced that is was a boy. Until a few days before we were going to have the gender ultrasound.

I was puttering around the house and all the sudden out of the blue Jason turns to me and quietly says: "I think it is going to be a girl."

I asked him why and his reply was: "Well, we know what to do with boys I think God is going to mix things up."

And he was right!

I feel very comfortable with boys. Boys are pretty easy at this point. Yes, their energy makes me want to go hide and eat chocolate on a regular basis  occasionally but other than that-we have setttled into our boy filled home with not too much issue.

Over the last few weeks I have really started to realize that our little world is about to be turned upside down in a very exciting but somewhat terrifying way.

Enter our baby girl.

So I have been preparing the boys and they are so very excited for their baby but it has definitely made me stop and think about some things.

Like the fact that they will someday (Lord willing) have wives and daughters of their own. How am I going to train them to treat women in general? And that every day is training and teaching them in some way to grow to be Godly young men that love and serve others.

So I have been challenged-I realized I am teaching them even when I don't say a word.

And yes-that thought scares me! Why? Well-I am FAR from perfect or even far from being anywhere near perfect when it comes to my mothering.

Then I came across the following quote:


Is that not the most beautiful thing you have read lately? Forget trying to be perfect and pinterest worthy in everything I do.

Just love.

So that is my new goal: love my boys. Love my husband. Love my baby girl. Love those around me. Love my God.

Yes, things are going to change when Clara decides to make her appearance!

Yes, there are days where I do not love the way I need to.

Yes, I serve a God that I can lean on for help on the days I just do not know what to do. Because with His help all things are possible!!

And when I start thinking about that-all the sudden raising my boys does not seem like such a scary and impossible thing!

I love this picture! We were going on a hike in a town near us and I looked up and saw them walking hand in hand and I just knew I needed to capture it. To hold onto and cherish that memory.

That is something that has been coming up a lot in the last few weeks. Maybe it is because Elijah is potty trained fully now.

Maybe it is because Micah will be two years old on December 14th.

Maybe it is because of moments like when I was playing piano on Sunday and I looked up to see Micah smiling at me. In that moment my heart jumped because I realized how he is starting to look more and more like a toddler instead of a baby.

Cherish these moments.

So then today I found this picture on facebook and it absolutely stopped me in my tracks:



 So often in this world it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. I smile as I write that because I know as the years go on and my boys get older it will get even busier!

So why is it so easy for me to not cherish moments? To continue to do whatever on social media instead of reading them a story.

To want to go watch that chick flick because it is their bedtime and I just want a break but wait-they want another story?

It is easier alot of the time to be selfish.

There I said it.

To put my needs before theirs.

The sad thing is that this season will pass and then what happens?


Someday-sooner then I want to admit-my boys will be 17 and 16 instead of three and two. These precious fleeting moments when they need me in that special way that littles need their Mama-this too shall pass.

So what am I doing in the meantime?

And that is when a new resolve was born. When I realized that my boys will not be with me forever.

When I realized that someday I will need to let them go...


Cherish the moments. Treasure this time. Make memories. Remember that even though this season seems to be never ending with the messes and diapers and exhaustion and sleeplessness-it will be over one day.

That day will come sooner then I care to admit.


Perspective. So often it is easy to see a nuisance or the inconvenience of having to slow down when really it should be seen as an opportunity to grow and teach.

A memory can be either good or bad.

Cherished or tossed to the side.


So my new goal? To wake up every morning and praise God for those two sweet little faces. And then in the exhaustion and mundane of life to be thankful.

Thankful for my precious boys.

Thankful for life itself.

Thankful to be able to pour into my children.

Thankful for the funny things that come out of their mouths.

Thankful for their love for me.

Thankful for another day to cherish and make memories.

Thankful for another day to be with them.

So what about you? Do you ever have a day where you are just so exhausted there is no end in sight? Motherhood is tough! But it also changes with each new season of life. What are some little things that you can look to cherish in the moment?

So all the sudden here we are at a new month! The last month of the year 2015 and I find myself asking how on earth that went so fast?

So last year around this time I was on my journey with the 21 day fix. It was amazing and really did change my life in a wonderfully healthy and encouraging way.

People I have never felt so wonderful in my life.

I did two rounds and honestly-I did not even do them perfectly! The first round I was all into the excercise and did not do perfect on the nutrition piece. I lost one pound and 6.5 inches in 21 days. Not only that but I felt stronger and more confident.

Then my foot went out on me.

The second round I could not excercise. At all. So I was almost as perfect as I could be with the nutrition aspect. 21 days later I lost almost 8 lbs and 5.5 inches!!

It was amazing!

1. Do the 21 day fix nutrition program (I upped my calories a bracket because of my pregnancy and have done a lot of research it is totally safe for the baby). Basically-I will be eating good, clean food and ALOT of it!
2. I will not be eating deserts. Do I believe deserts are wrong? Absolutely not! But for me personally-the just one turns into oh look I ate the whole bag. So I am cutting it. 
3. Work out at least five days a week for 1/2 an hour. I love Leslie Sansone and her walking dvds! They are low impact but I really do get a work out in! And they are safe for the baby. Plus I own like, ten dvds so need to get going on those!

It is 7:35 am.

I should be in bed snuggling under my blankets. Am I? Nope.

So far I have rescued my husband, been to jail and got locked out of my car.

Did I mention it is 7:35? AM!?

Lets go back an hour.

6:35 am.

I have gotten Jason's lunch and am on day three of 16 hour shifts and think I may be losing my mind.

Case in point?

I lay down after Jason leaves and all the sudden I am thinking about the bread machine. More specifically the paddle in the bread machine that may or may not be actually attached to the machine.

I think it is. But what if it is not? Then we will get up for amazing bread and there will not be a fresh loaf it will be a nasty mess of dough. Ugh. Must get up.

It was fine.

Just as I go to snuggle back into bed I look at my phone and see two missed calls from Jason. I call him back and he informs me that he left his essential work belt on our dresser and I need to bring it to him asap.

My sister comes to be there when the kiddos wake up and I throw on some clothes and head out the door.

So here is the first explanation.

My husband works at a jail. Which is nice because it is easier on him then construction and he is able to witness to people almost everyday.

So when I went to go and take his essential work stuff to him I got to the big empty parking lot and managed to snag a space closest to where I would have to enter.

Went in and dropped his stuff off. Go to head to the car...

locked.

I cried. You see I just wanted to be in bed.

But no here I am locked out of my car at my husbands workplace and I get to go back in and explain to nice man behind the glass that I am locked out of my car and yes I am pregnant and blonde and teary and it is not even 7:30 am!!!!

In the end the policeman came and popped open the door and I was on my way to drop off books that would be overdue at the library.

It was then I looked in the mirror and saw that my mascara was smudged all under my one eye.

Me. The Mary Kay consultant. Looking like a racoon.

In the middle of the next volley of thoughts that started to race wildly through my brain I realized something had changed about me.



This insanely crazy and very embarrassing morning does not define me.

I would have used to allow it to define me. Beating myself up for being so stupid and what did people think and I am going to quite possibly strangle my husband for doing this to me-oh the list goes on.

But not this time.

Do you ever take a few steps back before you realize how many God has actually brought you forward?

I have been thinking a lot lately about the fact that God knew me before I was born. And not only that-HE formed me!

I am worth dying on that old rugged cross to Him.

So really...why do I let what people think define me when really-He and His definition of me is the only thing that really matters?

So that whole crazy hour of my life?

Instead of letting it ruin my day-it kind of made me day! Why? Well, because I realized how far God has brought me and there is such freedom in that!

SO what about you? Have you ever had one of those days that now you can look back and laugh about?

What has God been teaching you lately about who you are in Him? Do you have a favorite verse about Who you are in Him?