Some Times You Just Have to Get Knocked Down

It has been so long since I blogged, I'm not sure where to start! Basically, I got sick and fell out of the habit. The fall of 2010 proved to be a challenging time in my life. As most of you know, I ended up in the hospital three times due to pancreatitis /my gallbladder. It has only been within the last month that I started feeling like myself again. Although I wouldn't say it's the best time of my life, I learned several things these past few months:


1. I have never been more in love with my husband than when I was laying in the hospital crying out in pain, throwing up, & recovering from surgery. Sound romantic enough for you? But he was right beside me the whole time...drove me to the emergency room, held my hand (and throw up bucket), & never left my side. Now, I'm sure he can think of other times that were more enjoyable in our marriage but I would not trade that for anything. God showed me the wonderful man I am blessed with having as my husband. I take him for granted way too much. I am THANKFUL to have Josh as my soul mate.


2. I could not help but think about those that are really sick. So many people around us are suffering with terminal illness; or even worse, their children. I hated not being home with the boys. I missed Joshua being a ring bearer in a wedding & I had to allow others to take care of my children. After I came home, I was still not able to pick them up or let them climb all over me for several weeks. Joshua would ask "Is your tummy better yet, mommy?". I was able to see the huge blessings God has given me. Although I had a few bumps in the road, I was getting better and I had two healthy little boys to be THANKFUL to make many memories with in the future.


3. I am a definite control freak! It totally unnerves me to let others "do" for me. Well, there is nothing like having a suprise week long stay in the hospital (on more than one occasion) to allow others to help out. Our parents kept the boys so Josh could stay with me, family & friends brought us dinner, came up to the hospital, & prayed for my health to get better. I was overwhelmed with the love and support we received. Once again, I saw more blessings from God. I am THANKFUL for the people He has placed in our life who we can always count on to be there for us. But I am also THANKFUL for the people that do not even know us that well but just wanted to show us God's love. Nothing was expected of them, yet they were there for us anyway.


So maybe to sum it up...I really just learned one thing: God has blessed me beyond measure & I am grateful for this wonderful life He has given me. Too bad it took all that to remind me of it. :)

Oh the Joys of Motherhood

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted. Time is going by too fast!

This past weekend I was looking forward to my friend's baby shower. This is her first and it's always fun and exciting to celebrate how much her life is about to change. Well...I made it to the last turn (30 minutes away from my house) when my husband sent me a text...would it be bad if you had to leave. I immediately knew something was wrong with one of our kids. As I'm turning the car around to head home, I call my husband to find out that our 9 month old, Eli, would not stop throwing up. He was acting very strange, wouldn't suck on his pacifier and kept coughing. He was breathing fine so he wasn't choking on anything. I call our doctor's office and meet my husband there. As we are waiting with the room full of sick kids at the weekend clinic, Eli started crying again. He threw his head back and I caught a glimpse of something shiny covering the roof of his mouth. Now, do I immediately lay him back and start examining his mouth? Of course NOT! I don't want all these mothers to see that I brought my child to the doctor because he found some garbage to chew on. So I glance around, make sure no one is looking, and pull out a piece of hard plastic from his mouth. Of course from that point on Eli seemed perfectly fine. We go see the doctor and when he ask what's wrong, I simply reply "I'm not going to lie. I just pulled plastic from his mouth and now he is fine. But I've paid my $25 so I thought I would see a doctor while we were here."

Now this is and example of when we as moms, can either cry and get upset with the situation or just laugh at one of our many "oh the joys of motherhood" moments. I tried to focus on the positive: he wasn't really sick and he could have really choked on the plastic, I saved on all the calories I would have consumed at the baby shower, and I came home to a freshly picked up and vacuumed house by my husband.

It's in these moments I repeat to myself: This is the day the Lord has made,
I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

It's the simple things

But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:33-34

Why do we let ourselves get so stressed out in life that we don't enjoy the simple things? Joshua, my two year old, is such a great example of enjoying life. I love to see how excited he gets over...CAKE! Now, I must pause right here and say that yes, he does come by this honestly. Whenever I tell him it's someone's birthday...the first thing he ask is "Mommy, will they have cake?" He gets the biggest smile on his face and jumps up and down when we have a cake in the house. Joshua doesn't worry about the calories or how it's not the most nutritious item on the food pyramid. All he knows is that it's something special and it taste "so yummy." There are so many little things that make him excited...having a friend come over, playing trains with his daddy, building tents, or putting a water hose on his slide. So often, I get bogged down with the worries and stresses of life that I don't enjoy the wonderful blessings the Lord has given me. Maybe Marie Antoinette had it right when she said..."Let them eat cake." This week, Joshua and I are going to have us a piece of cake and enjoy every minute of it! What will you do?

Hanging Out with Mom's Like Me

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.

If one falls down, his friend can help him up.

But pity the man that falls and has no one to help him up!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

I am so glad each month we have a Mom's Night Out for mom's of little ones. Basically, we come together, talk & eat without having to worry about taking care of any babies/toddlers. I definitely needed this past Monday night! It was great meeting new moms and hearing some of their stories about their kids. I'm so thankful I'm not alone in this crazy world of motherhood. It has also been a great way to find out how to pray for each other. If your a BBC mom of a baby-kindergartner, I hope you will join us next month, August 9th!

A Week With My "Other" Kids

I just got home this past Friday from spending a week with my "other" kids. We took 134 children to our Kidz Camp at The Country Place in Moscow, TN. Although we got little sleep and I had to leave my two little ones at home, it was such a blessing! I am not really a "Kidz Camp" kind of girl. It amazes me how all these adults will take a week off of work, especially those that do not even have children there, to stay up late, leave their beds, & watch kids 24/7. The week before, as I started to "dread" Kidz Camp, I was convicted of my attitude. God had given me a chance to share His Good News and His love to others and I was complaining about it. I was reminded of how it's not about me. The world tells us to do what makes us happy but that's not why we are here. We should live each day serving Jesus and sharing the Good News of Christ. I'm thankful for the reminder becuase I had an awesome time. What ever God has in store for you this week, I hope you rejoice in the Lord always! I pray I never let my attitude ruin an opportunity to share God' Love & the blessing that's instore.