My Life: Being Held in the Arms of Love

I fell in love with my husband, again last night.

He had walked out of the living room and Bear drowsily walked behind him. Barely holding on to her Elmo, her head drooping to the side, as if she were too tired to hold it up.

I heard a muffled, "I want Daddy." Followed by a few moments of silence.

From around the corner, the two emerged. The not-so-little girl being held against her daddy's chest, embraced tightly by his strong arms. Her head rested perfectly on his shoulder, his head on hers.

I was amazed at the amount of love emanating from such a simple embrace.

A father holding his child.

As our Father holds us.

Goals: Accountability Update 2

I missed last week and am a day behind this week, but better late than never... {Right??}

Thank you, Ally, for motivating me!

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Recurring goals {items needed to be completed daily, weekly or monthly}:

Read my Bible daily!
I need to remind myself why I want to do this! It is in the Word that I find peace, I find answers, I am reminded of Jesus' love for me, I'm reminded how special I am, and that no matter what, I am NEVER alone!

Create and stick to a house cleaning/maintenance schedule. Enlist the children's help. {They really do enjoy cleaning}
I have my weekly schedule written, the girls help when I ask, unfortunately I haven't kept on top of it. But it is written!

Create and stick to a prayer schedule. {Praying for specific groups of people each day}

I have it written and I'm praying!

Complete monthly budget before the beginning of the month so Josh and I can have budget meetings.
I'll be wrapping it up today so we can have December's meeting this evening.

Take weekly "field trips," even if it's just to the back yard, to study something pertaining to that week's lesson.
I'm failing at this one!


Short term goals {in no specific order}:

Finish the baby's room. {His changing table is B's dressers, thus I need to get B a new dresser!}
We have the dresser, but it is nowhere near being finished.

Organize B's schooling, still allowing for flexibility.

This is now included on my schedule!

Be debt free! {Yes, this is short term! Thanks to Dave Ramsey this should be completed within the next couple months!}

Blog more.
Slowly but surely.

Get B back on a chore/commission work schedule.
She's been working around the house I just haven't paid her, I guess I should add that money to the budget.

Beginning with the Spring semester {I have to allow some time to figure out how to be a mom of 3} take at least one class per semester.

Memorize scripture.
I'll be working on 2 Samuel 22:2-3 this week if you want to join me.

Reduce TV time! I would like to reduce the amount of evening TV time too, but I do need to discuss it with Josh {I'm sure he'll support the idea.}
Still just a little better.

Have company over, couples over for a game night or something. I've got to get over this not-quite fear of hosting.

Get on an exercise routine.

Clean out garage.

Eat out less.
Hopefully we can stick to our menu this week.

Plan a date night with my hubby! I'd like to do this monthly but with work schedules and life in general I'll accept every other month or so.
Still hasn't happened.

Reorganize all closets and storage areas in the house, make better use of them.
I started with the cleaning closet and have moved on to Baby J's room, the girl's closet is a work in progress but it is progressing.

Reduce the girls' toys to about half. I'd like to complete this before Christmas!

This is actually complete but I'm not taking it off yet because I want to reduce the toys even more!


Long term goals:

Maintain "gazelle intensity" and save up enough money for {hopefully} a 50% down payment on a house once Josh retires and figure out where we're going to live.

Finish degree.

Learn a foreign language. I'm currently learning Latin with B but would like to be fluent in a commonly spoken language as well.

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All in all I feel that I haven't done very well but I know, progress is progress and this week will be better!

My Life: Update

As I finally have some time to write I know I should be writing something profound or updating my goals but instead I'll be conducting an experiment... I'm going to attempt to write this entire post from my phone while laying in bed. So it's really just going to be a personal life update because I know all three of you are sitting on the edge of your seats, dying to know what my week has been like.

Quite honestly, its been a little rough. Managing the girls while 34 weeks without the help from my husband is proving more difficult than I had anticipated. I had put in place, events and people to help the week go faster but that ended up failing as one person after another had to cancel, thus leaving with a whole lot of alone time with my girls.

With each cancelling text and email I felt more and more alone. Each person had a very good reason but when you're hormonal and a bit lonely it's hard not to take things personally, if only briefly.

So I cried, and cried, sobbing, asking God for help. He came through {as He always will} not in the way I would have chosen, but in the form of strength, grace and He helped my girls go to sleep early and without a big fuss. Thank yo, Lord!

I've been so tired this week! B has been waking up early all week, Bear has been having issues sleep during the night, she was up at 3am yesterday and stayed for about an hour. Couple the girls sleep habits with my pregnancy and sleep doesn't seem to fit in anywhere.

But alas, I lay in my bed yawning. I think it may be time to sign off, I have an early doctor's appointment in the morning.

Goals: Accountabilty Update

As part of the challenge put forth by Ally, we (Ally, Jaime and I) are checking in with each other in order to show support, please join us.

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Recurring goals {items needed to be completed daily, weekly or monthly}:

Read my Bible daily!
Doing pretty good, but I need to get better!

Create and stick to a house cleaning/maintenance schedule. Enlist the children's help. {They really do enjoy cleaning}
haven't yet but I have cleaned this past week! {woohoo, me!}

Create and stick to a prayer schedule. {Praying for specific groups of people each day}

Complete monthly budget before the beginning of the month so Josh and I can have budget meetings.
It wasn't completed before the first of the month but Josh and I did have our budget meeting.

Take weekly "field trips," even if it's just to the back yard, to study something pertaining to that week's lesson.
I haven't decided where we're going this week.


Short term goals {in no specific order}:

Finish the baby's room. {His changing table is B's dresser, thus I need to get B a new dresser!}
Budgeted money for the dresser so hopefully soon.

Organize B's schooling, still allowing for flexibility.

Be debt free! {Yes, this is short term! Thanks to Dave Ramsey this should be completed within the next couple months!}

Blog more.
Slowly but surely.

Get B back on a chore/commission work schedule.

Beginning with the Spring semester {I have to allow some time to figure out how to be a mom of 3} take at least one class per semester.

Memorize scripture.

Reduce TV time! I would like to reduce the amount of evening TV time too, but I do need to discuss it with Josh {I'm sure he'll support the idea.}
Getting a little better.

Have company over, couples over for a game night or something. I've got to get over this not-quite fear of hosting.

Get on an exercise routine.

Clean out garage.

Eat out less.

Plan a date night with my hubby! I'd like to do this monthly but with work schedules and life in general I'll accept every other month or so.
Hoping for this week, just need to work out a sitter.

Reorganize all closets and storage areas in the house, make better use of them.

Reduce the girls' toys to about half. I'd like to complete this before Christmas!


Long term goals:

Maintain "gazelle intensity" and save up enough money for {hopefully} a 50% down payment on a house once Josh retires and figure out where we're going to live.

Finish degree.

Learn a foreign language. I'm currently learning Latin with B but would like to be fluent in a commonly spoken language as well.

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All in all I feel that I haven't done very well but I know, progress is progress and this week will be better!

Bigger Picture Moment: He Missed Me

I've been feeling empty lately.

Going through the motions more or less; bogged down by the flesh, pregnancy, motherhood.

My prayers have been lacking.

I have not been encouraging my husband.

I have not been lifting up others.

I have not been using my God-given breath to glorify Him.

I've been feeling utterly empty.


The moment of awareness came one morning when I felt heavy, I couldn't take even one more step. The sickness and the tiredness I felt was not physical, it was spiritual. I laid on my bedroom floor, as prone as a 7 1/2 month pregnant lady can, and prayed. Knowing not what to pray for, I just prayed.

A few minutes later I was able to sit up knowing what I was supposed to do next. Within my reach was my Bible. Opening it to Psalms, I read the first chapter I came across, then the next, then several more until I finally felt I could stand back up.

I knew what God was telling me to do, come back to Him.

Seek Him.

Talk to Him.

He missed me.

Like a father misses his daughter when she doesn't call or write, He missed me.

He missed me!

I wasn't feeling empty because He had gone somewhere, I had stopped seeking, if only for a little while. I needed to find Him, seek His arms.

I was feeling empty so that He could fill me!

Fill me with His love, grace, promises, His goodness, His mercy!

All I had to do was to look, to ask.



Reading my Bible daily and spending more time in specific, intentional prayer, I have felt His peace the past few days. Oh how I've missed this peace. Life still tries to get in, the girls still act like, well, themselves, but I have my peace back. I have been hugged by my Father and my cup runneth over!

If you haven't picked up your Bible in a while, why not start with Psalm 23. It reads like a love letter in the King James version.

I am so thankful for the love letters He has given us!