Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Getting them involved


The laundry is something I am constantly struggling to stay on top of. I do laundry almost every day, and yet I can't seem to ever get it under control. Last night I decided it was time to get everyone involved (minus Bill who was in the other room entertaining Claire). I gave each of the kids a task. Anna was assigned the "big" towels. Ryan got the "small" ones. James had to find all the socks and put them in a pile. I put an episode of the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey on (which we listen to online on the computer). The kids worked diligently at their tasks while they learned a lesson on loving others. Everyone was happy to help out. No one complained. Wow! Imagine that! For 20 minutes I had 3 happy helpers.

Sometimes I forget the importance of getting my kids involved. So often I take the route of, "it is much easier to do it myself". This is an area that I know I struggle in. I pray all the time for ways to teach the kids. I know I need to teach them responsibility, and doing it all for them doesn't teach that. I'm so thankful the Holy Spirit whispers to my soul and reminds me of MY responsibility to teach my little ones life skills and lessons. And it is okay if the towels are not folded perfectly. :) They weren't and I didn't go back an refold them. I left them as they were, evidence that I had had little helpers. I was just thankful for the time we had together and the joy that filled our house as we worked together.

Thank you Father for reminding me of my role and to use every moment to instruct my children. Thank you for showing me the importance of making them responsible at a young age. Give me wisdom Lord and help me to make good decisions in regards to what you want me to teach them. I pray that I can demonstrate serving with a cheerful heart. Thank you for moments such as these.


Fall favorites

No time to write today, but I wanted to give you some of my fall favorites...

Going to the pumpkin farm
Carving pumpkins with the kids
Beautiful fall flowers
Apples
Making applesauce
Yummy leave cookies! (decorated by Anna)

And of course it wouldn't be complete without a picture of my little pumpkin, straight from the pumpkin patch! :)


Sunday, October 26, 2008

More soon

This past week turned out to be pretty busy. I didn't get a chance to sit down and write out the rest of our story (And You Only). I had car issues, a sick child and husband, and a few other things that have tied up most of my free time...things that needed to be top priority. Plus Bill and I have been going to bed earlier since he leaves for work earlier then he used to. Going to bed earlier really cuts out a lot of free time, but I don't mind. I love having Bill come home earlier in the evenings so we have more family time. :)

I have been enjoying these past 30 days of praying and finding ways to be an encouragement to Bill. I have learned a few things about myself in this process. I have decided to make the And You Only posts a regular thing. If you notice on my sidebar I added a button for it (Actually, you may have noticed that I have changed a lot of things on my blog in the last couple of days...I added a few new things and changed the layout...for those of you reading this through an rss feed reader.). I want to continue to share and encourage others to love their husbands the way that God desires. I have always thought that Bill and I had a really good marriage (of course we have had our hard times, I have shared some of that). But, it wasn't until about a year ago that God showed me some things abut myself, and how things could be improved to make our relationship even stronger. I can honestly stand here and say that I am more in love with my husband today then I was the day I married him. God is amazing!!

I can't wait to share this journey with you and hopefully soon...


Wednesday, October 22, 2008

31 things

I saw this on Brittany's blog and decided to join in. I don't usually do Meme's but I thought this one looked fun!

1. Where is your cell phone? On the bookshelf
2. Where is your significant other? At work
3. Your hair color? Brown
4. Your mother? Clodagh
5. Your father? Edward
6. Your favorite thing? The smell, the colors, and sound of Autumn
7. Your dream last night? I have no idea
8. Your dream/goal? To be the wife, mom, friend that God wants me to be
9. The room you're in? the living room
10. Your hobby? writing and photography
11. Your fear? That my children will chose not to trust in Jesus
12. Where do you want to be in six years? Anywhere Bill is :)
13. Where were you last night? At Bible study
14. What you’re not? Hot (It's so cold in here)
15. One of your wish list items? The Canon Rebel XSI camera (saving, saving, saving)
16. Where you grew up? Beaver Falls PA
17. The last thing you did? Nursed my sweet baby
18. What are you wearing? My green comfy pants and a black zip up hoodie
19. Your TV? Needs to be unplugged :)
20. Your pet? my kids...HA
21. Your computer? PC laptop
22. Your mood? Content/happy
23. Missing someone? My family in other states
24. Your car? Buick century station wagon (pretty much dead, we are looking for a van)
25. Something you’re not wearing? make up (I still need to get in the shower...gasp!)
26. Favorite store? Target. Not really big into shopping anymore, although I do LOVE rummage sales! :)
27. Your summer? SOOO fun, but too short! :)
28. Love someone? Of course! Lots of friends and family!
29. Your favorite color? Love bright colors: Red, orange, yellow, green...they make me happy. That's probably why my kitchen is painted yellow!
30. When is the last time you laughed? I don't know. I love to laugh, so probably not that long ago.
31. Last time you cried? Hmmm, probably when I read what is going on with Tricia.


Saturday, October 18, 2008

Discovering Fall part 3

At the risk of going overboard (skip this if you are sick of seeing pics of my baby :) )...I am posting a few more pictures of Claire. I can't help it. I had so much fun watching her outside and taking her picture. :)




Thursday, October 16, 2008

Monday, October 13, 2008

And you only week 1


The beginning
-----------------------------------

Dreamy eyes sparkle. Smiles never end. Heart beats faster. Everything looks brighter. The room gets smaller and distractions fade away as he walks in the room. I remember as if it were yesterday. Cherished memories together when we were the only people that existed on earth. There is nothing so sweet as falling in love with the one that God has for you.

I remember the day he proposed. He caught me off guard, surprised me. His humble hands shook as he washed my feet and talked of his desire to lead and to serve me. My breath nearly stopped as my hand was drawn to his own. I felt like my heart would burst with happiness. I said yes, and dreamed of our future together.

I remember the way I felt the day I married Bill. Totally head over heals in love. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else. He made me catch my breath every time he looked at me. He made me laugh like no one else could. He was the smartest, most handsome, funniest, most God loving man I knew. I KNEW in my heart that this was THE man that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The man that God had planned for me and that I had dreamed of from the time I was a little girl. In that moment I loved him the most. I loved him as much as I thought possible. I had heard that love grows and deepens over time but did not understand how that could be possible.

The honeymoon came and went. The first year was tough...harder then I thought it would be. I knew it would be an adjustment, and that it was. But they were still sweet times. We had a lot of fun the first year. We learned alot and grew as a couple.

2 weeks before our 1 year anniversary our first baby was born; our daughter Annaliese. She was a sweet blessing, and we were so excited to welcome her to our family. This brought another form of adjustment. We argued some (like most couples I think), but also grew closer as a couple, as "baby makes 3" took on meaning to us.

As time went on life got busy. Another baby, job changes, school, moving, ministries, friendships... In the busyness of life I started to feel a small void. I couldn't put my finger on what could possibly be missing. I still loved Bill with all my heart. I got caught up in serving my family that I hardly noticed that our "once upon a time" love story faded somewhat in the background. I started to become discontent. The things that I once loved about my husband, and that made him so uniquely Bill, had now turned into annoyances. It wasn't as if things were really wrong in our marriage, I just found myself becoming complacent. We had lost some of that "spark".

It was at this point in my life that God led a sweet lady into my life. I had prayed for years that God would give me a mentor that I could go to for godly wisdom. In His perfect timing he provided the person I needed. A woman named Lucy. Lucy and I tried to meet every week for a time of prayer and study. She encouraged me to really begin praying for my husband and strongly recommended I read "The power of a praying wife". I am embarrassed to admit that one of the reasons this all appealed to me was because I saw some things in Bill that I wanted changed (nothing drastic). Can you imagine my surprise when the author of the book said that the change wasn't to start with my husband but in my own heart. Woah! Conviction hit like a rock!

I knelt before the Lord and wept as I read these words,

Make me a new person, Lord. Give me a fresh perspective, a positive outlook, and
a renewed relationship with the man You've given me. Help me to see him with new
eyes, new appreciation, new love, new compassion, and new acceptance. Give my
husband a new wife, and let it be me. ~Stormie Omartian


"Yes Lord change me" I whispered from the depths of my soul.

The layers of sin and hardness that had built up in my heart unknown to me, began to crumble right there on the floor. I had no idea of the transformation that was about to take place in our marriage...

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Love your husband challenge

I know there are only a handful of people out there who read my blog, so I don't expect anyone to join me in this. God just really laid it on my heart that He wanted me to share what He is teaching me in the area of loving my husband. I am challenging myself (and anyone else who wants to participate). If you do decide to join me (weather on a blog in in your heart) I would love to know so that I can be praying for you. Also I found this online and thought it was a great resource to use if you are looking for a place to start with loving and being an encouragement to your spouse.

Tomorrow I will be posting my week one. I a focusing this week on sharing how the Lord has gotten me to the point I am at in life....pretty vague I know. :) So if you are interested stay tuned. :)


Friday, October 10, 2008

A matter of housekeeping

Just an fyi for anyone who reads our homeschool blog. I have changed the URL to www.totrainup.blogspot.com You can also click the image on my sidebar to get there.

Thanks.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

A new look

I went tonight to get my hair cut with my friend Janel. It has been WAY too long since I last cut my hair (try 2 years). I decided to grow it out so I could donate it to Locks of love.

This is me before.
Drum roll please....................



Ta da! 12 inches off!!!
We had the hair stylist snap our picture before we left to capture our new looks. Thanks Janel for inviting me to go with you. I'm glad I did it! I was so ready for a change.
I feel like a new person. I love it! It feels so free and clean and light!
Now I just need to loose the rest of that baby weight! :)

Happy 30th


30 things I love about you

1. Your smile

2. Your laugh

3. Your sense of humor...I love that things are so funny to you.

4. That you make me laugh

5. Your eyes

6. That you make me feel loved

7. I love that you pitch in and help around the house, even when you are tired from a long day at work

8. Your thoughtfulness and selflessness

9. That you kill all the spiders and centipedes :)

10.Your sweet heart, always offering to get what ever I need without me asking (even if it is a glass of water or tums in the middle of the night when I a pregnant)

11. that you do things "just because"

12. You make me feel secure

13. You smell good

14. That you wrestle with our boys

15. and snuggle with your girls

16. Your heart for the lost

17. Your desire to instill in our children a heart for the lost

18. Your passion for God

19. That you ARE the spiritual leader in our home

20. That you love me for who I am

21. That you always thank me after every meal and tell me how good my cooking is

22. That you work hard to provide for your family

23. But, while working hard you have your priorities right

24. You put your family first

25. You set a good example for our boys

26. And you set the bar for our daughters to find a husband someday

27. I love the way your mind works, and how you get things to work

28. That you are intentional about the way you live

29. That you share things with me about God's Word that excite you

30. That after 8 years of being married you still make my heart flutter

Happy Birthday Bill! I am so blessed to have you in my life. I praise God for you and the 30 years of life He has given you.

I love you!

Monday, October 6, 2008

30 days

In my desire to be more intentional about the way I live (I could write a post about that too), the Lord has laid something on my heart, an idea to spend time specifically dedicated to finding ways to love and encourage my husband. And in honor of Bill turning 30 (tomorrow Oct. 7th) I want to spend the next 30 days doing just that. I will be posting over the next 4 weeks (every Monday?) about life lessons the Lord has taught me thus far in my marriage. I am praying about ways I can love my husband more and honor him, so I will be posting about what the Lord is teaching me through this process.

Feel free to join me, whether on your blog or in your heart. I guarantee the next 30 days will be a blessing. I am excited to see what God has in store.

More to come soon...

Thursday, October 2, 2008

7 going on 13

Pouter

Eye roller

Dreamer

Sweetheart

Growing up way too fast!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Unity

How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

Babywearing