Mama said there'd be days likes this.... Or weeks...

Why do problems have to travel in multiples? Why can't they just happen one at a time with time to recover in between? These are the thoughts that have been going through my mind the last couple of days. Well that and why the heck me Lord!!! Why now? Do I really need to learn another lesson? (which then makes me chuckle a little because I am super hard headed so a lot of lessons have to be re taught)

It first started out with a pipe under our house busting. Once we figured out how to turn the water off at 1100 at night and Wes crawled under our house we thought "no big deal... it's an annoying problem but not an overwhelming problem"! I think our thought process was this is going to be inexpensive unlike most of the other things that seem to pop up unexpected.

So no biggy... We'd get to it. Wes and I both had the weekend off work... it would get done. We still wanted to enjoy our weekend together as a family. It wasn't a big deal right? Wrong! After 3 trips to Home Depot and 4 times under the house... One time to include the entire family because Wes needed my help under there to hold the flashlight (why do I ALWAYS get that job... I mean for real). Well we couldn't leave Ian alone in the house... no telling what he would do... Probably go outside and try to find us and well he's 4 years old you know where my mom's mind is going. So here we go all under the house... Wes first then Ian and then me. Yes this included Army crawl from us all and a painful attempt at opening the plumbers glue (kinda funny story) we now have water! Yay!

Well everywhere but our main toilet! Because after this was all said and done Wes was cleaning the bathroom floors (yes he helps me clean and I love him for it) and all of a sudden I hear water spraying. The tube, wire or cord... whatever the heck connects the toilet to the floor thingy (I'm so intelligent about plumbing can you tell lol) had come unattached and after turning the water to the toilet off we (well Wes) realized he's going to have to go get another tube, wire, cord... whatever it is! So the main toilet is on the fritz and I am having a party Tuesday night. Quite a few ladies... no toilet... yeah not a good combo! But Wesley assures me that he will get it fixed tomorrow! Did I mention I love him!

Well in between pipe under the house busting and toilet hose busting my car tire also decided to bust! Driving down the interstate yesterday and I noticed my left back tire felt really wobbly so after debating back and forth in my head I decided to pull over. I was hesitant because Wes and Ian were both asleep and I would hate to wake them up for a false alarm. Well thank the good Lord I pulled over. When we got out to take a look the tire was smoking and you could see where the rubber was starting to peel off my tire! God was watching over us! After Wes pulled off the tire I realized that the tire had been done in for a while... It had NO tread. So I started checking the other tires and they are pretty much all the same... barely any tread. So I started calling around and found out a few things. One the tires on my car are crap tires! Yay me!!! I also found out that the tires on my car are more expensive then Wesley's truck tires. About $120 a piece!

This hit like a hammer... or really more like a punch in the gut! My mind is racing! How am I supposed to dish out $600 on tires? My focus has been trying to get $2,000 for our next "move" in our adoption process... Not on getting new tires. Well that is not fully true... We knew we needed new tires for my car just like we know we need new tires for Wesley's truck. But we just assumed we would get them gradually... Like one or two at a time so we wouldn't break the bank. So now here I am.. Sunday night ... Both Wes and I needing to go to work tomorrow and my car has a doughnut on it! I still need tires... All 4... It can't be helped... Now I'm also stressing about Wesley's truck needing new tires (another $500). It seems like we will NEVER be able to scrounge up $2,000 so we can get to our next level of adoption!

Put that in the mix of a busting pipe and the toilet plus already in the back of my mind all the money needed for adoption and you now understand why I want to scream "Why me Lord" at the top of my lungs! But when the day comes to an end I know it will eventually work itself out. How? I have no idea but it would be nice to know so I can be prepared. When? Well that would be better... If I had a set date in view I could just count the days down and bide my time.

It wouldn't be so hard if every time I see money leave our hand I realize it's going to take that much longer to have another baby. Then I go back to the thoughts of how I just would love to have a baby on my own. This is not the journey I had planned for me. This is not how I wanted the story of my life to go. But you know what this is how it's going... This is the path that God has decided to put me on. Why? I have no earthly idea... but He must know I'm strong enough for it or else he wouldn't have brought me here. So yeah I'm still stressing about where the money is going to come from... I'm still having a hard time letting go knowing God is going to take care of me.

It's amazing because just in this week I have seen the Lord work a miraculous miracle in the life of a very dear friend of mine. She was needing $1500 and I saw God answer her prayer within 24 hours! Never once did I think God was going to fail her. Never once did I think God wasn't going to pull through for her. I was 100% sure God was going to take care of her because he loves her more then anybody ever could. She is His child! So why is it so hard for me to be as confident when it's my mountain I'm facing? Where is all that faith I had for her? Does God love me any less then her? No! But it's hard and all I can do is pray and trust and sit back and let God show me He can. Because when all is said and done I know I'll look back and think "yep all that stress was for naught... look at how God took care of me there"

The map was easy to read this time....

Have you ever had a moment in your life where you feel like you are at a cross road and there are 2 ways to go and whichever way you choose will affect the rest of your life? It's times like these where we find ourselves on our knees pleading with God to give us the right answer and to give it clear as day. I prefer to be hit up the side of the head with it so there is no doubt it's all God and not any of me making the decision.

Back in October our family found ourselves at this very spot and we certainly didn't want to make the wrong decision. Really it's starts way before then and is somewhat of a long story, but I will give you a very condensed version. As some of my close friends will know getting pregnant is not easy for Wes and I. It took us a year and a half before getting pregnant with Ian and that was after miscarriages and fertility treatments. Well as is the case a couple of years after we had Ian we decided that we wanted to expand our family. We decided to try on our own at first which we did for 6 months and then Wes deployed. Close to the end of his deployment the doctor started running test again so we could start fertility treatments again. All was going just the same as last time... that is until we hit something that we were not expecting at all! After further testing on both Wes and I the doctors discovered that through some experimental shot testing that the Army administered on Wesley it took our chances of conceiving our own biological child to impossible (doctors words not ours). And of course Wes and I both know that will God ALL things are possible... But we also know that although it is possible it may not be what God is wanting for us. That can be a hard pill to swallow. This is also a time we realized how precious Ian really is to us and we are thankful God granted us the opportunity to have him in our life!

After that appointment we basically walked away and tried to soak it all in. Several months went by and we tried not to focus on it, but also tried to over come it. If you have never been through this there is a grieving process that one goes through. God brought into our lives a very dear family that had adopted their 2 youngest children and we started spending a lot of time with their family. Slowly but surely God started putting the thought of adoption into our minds. But we were faced with yet another upcoming deployment so it really seemed like we would never really get the time to explore this option. Shortly before Wesley's deployment he was given orders for 6 months of language school which happened to be the same time during his teams deployment. So instead of going overseas with his team he got to stay here in the US and learn more Arabic. 5 days a week 6 hour days... Doesn't sound appealing does it? And it was extremely intense for Wes... BUT he was home... For 6 months!!! Out of our entire marriage my husband has NEVER been home for 6 months straight. We knew there was a reason.

We soon started realizing that now would be the best time to start looking into this adoption mater that God had seemed to put in our minds. And to show you how MY God works... Back when Wes deployed in 2010 before we were told we wouldn't be able to have anymore children I started working with a personal trainer who had adopted her precious little girl through Bethany Christian Services, an adoption agency. We talked about it several times and I thought it was a wonderful thing how God placed their daughter in their life. That would be back in March/April of 2010, now fast forward to October 2011 and I am sitting at a Bethany Agency office at an informational meeting. That in and of itself shows you what a God thing this is! But it doesn't stop there.

After the meeting I come home with brain overload of the information that I was given and I'm not going to lie... I was discouraged! Adoption is EXPENSIVE to say the least. Not to mention all of the other things that could go wrong or the fact that the wait can be anywhere from 18 months to 3 years. (some cases sooner) Wes was unable to go to the meeting due to the time of the meeting and work so when I came home I relayed the information as best I could. (I was a little brain dead after the brain overload lol) The way the agency works is they have 4 Orientations a year. So basically you have 4 chances a year to jump into the cycle. I went to the meeting mid October and the next cycle was starting the first week of November! So basically we needed $650 and paper work filled out within less then 2 weeks time to get in the next cycle. If not we would have to wait until February! As you can imagine we wanted to start the process right away but we didn't want to have to borrow the money. So right there we decided that if God wanted this to happen he would have to literally hand us the money. In all honesty we both just decided we would probably need to wait until the February cycle. We were a little disappointed but really there wasn't much we could do.

2 days later I was just coming back from a run when my neighbor caught me outside. Over the course of time that we have been neighbors we had loaned them quite a bit of money to help them out from time to time. In our minds we had given it to them because in all honesty we never expected to see the money again. That was the place we had come to and we are ok with it! She handed me a card while she was talking to me and I didn't really think much of it... She had just gotten out of the hospital and I figured it was a card thanking us for helping her and her mom while she was sick. We finished talking came inside and set the card down. Wes came home a short time later and he saw the card and asked what it was... I had forgotten about it and decided I should probably open it. When I pulled the card out I saw a $50 and thought to myself... "how sweet they are trying to pay us back"! In the next instant I saw a small stack of $100's! After counting I realized that there was $750 in the card! God slapped us upside the face that day! (and gave us a little extra which is how He likes to work) I also decided God was using our neighbor as His savings account for us :)

That next week we drove up to Nashville to the adoption agency to drop off our money and a very small part of our paper work! I say say very small because several months into the process and we have filled out more paper work then I thought was possible! I'm pretty sure several trees were killed just so we can adopt our baby!

So Wes and I are both confident when we say God is leading us into adopting to increase our family! I'm not going to lie it's a huge range of emotion. Some days we are super excited (most days) and sometimes fear sticks it's nose in. I've even realized that I had to go through another grieving process realizing that I may never carry my own biological child. But God is always faithful and I always come back to the fact that God definitely dropped this in our lap. We are doing what He wants! There is so much more to tell! But I've already written so much and I know you are tired of reading! But this is something I definitely plan on keeping everyone updated on. This journey of adoption for us I know is going to be one of many challenges and one of many triumphant and many lessons! I'm excited and nervous to see what God is going to teach us through our new adventure!

Oh and for the record... Ian is VERY excited of the thought of having a sibling! He wants a little sister and as of yesterday he wants to name her Thor!!! Don't worry... the name changes a lot :)

I'm baaaaackkkkkk!!!!! :)

As y'all know (well y'all meaning those few who actually read my blog) I'm not one that blogs every day... or every month for that matter :) But not going to lie this has been a long period of silence for me and y'all know I have a lot say :) However this short blog is really just explaining my absence JUST in case any one of you were nervous I might have fell off the face of the earth! The real story is we were having all kinds of electrical issues due to the builder of our home doing.... well a crappy job and cutting a lot corners, one being not putting a grounding rod in when he did the electric work!!!!! So hence we got struck by lightening and slowly but surely we started loosing power all throughout our house. Which causes issues when the stove doesn't work, the fridge slowly dies out, the hot water heater isn't heating so on and so forth! let's just say it means no cooking, cold showers, going to dear friends to wash clothes, and sweating to death in the summer heat! But God is good!!!! My parents came down and my dad and Wes worked on it together and what we were told would be a $1500 fix they were able to do under $200!!! Did I mention God is good? :) Anyway, that story to say we canceled our internet because it wasn't working and pretty much kept it off because it wasn't a necessity! But Wes is starting classes here soon so of course we had to go online again. Something about not being able to do classes via his iPhone! :) So that's where I've been. There is a blog that I really want to write about what we feel God is wanting us to do so on and so forth... but I need to make sure Wes is ready for me to share it with the cyber world! ;) We have told several dear friends and some family and it's nothing we feel we need to hide, I just want to make sure my husband is ok with me blasting over the internet! haha I know y'all understand! Hopefully I can give y'all a little sneak peak next week after Wes gets home.

Other than that things have been going great! Wes is in Arabic training here locally and hating every minute of it :) Except right now he is somewhere dropping bombs so he is pretty happy right now! haha Ian started preK this year! I know.... I am in shock as well! But we are both adjusting well! I work part time at the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office in the SVU department! My main task is fingerprinting, but I help out in whatever the Investigators may need! I have come to honestly and truly find out there are some strange, disturbed, crazy people in this world! I mean I have always known it but this puts an entirely different perspective on it!!!! But I am love, love, loving it :)

OK so this was a lot longer then I thought it would be... but oh well I know you aren't surprised! :)

I would like to introduce you to someone...

You know the blogs you read that is all about ONE person... you know, where you sit and read about how great and wonderful this ONE individual is in your friends life? Well... this is me about to do that... :)

Haven't you ever had someone in your life you love to introduce people to? Someone that means the world to you and has done so much for you and you can't imagine your life without and you get so super excited when you get the chance to introduce this amazing person to someone else because you know whoever meets this one special person they too will just fall in love with them? Well I have this person in my life that I want to tell you about... But first I have to giver a background story (of course lol)

So I'm not sure if most people know this but I have an enemy. I have had this enemy for a very long time and I have never been able to get rid of him or even make truce with him. He is always aggressive in his hatred for me, but there are times when it seems like I can't get away from him. He has beaten me down and left me so lonely and depressed. He has made me feel like dirt and there are some days I feel I fill so discouraged from all the lies he fills my head with. It gets so bad I have had nightmares about what he might do to me. Well this enemy I have has wanted me dead! He essentially will not be happy until I'm gone from this world. He hates me because I am not willing to be his slave so to speak. If I don't do what he wants he attacks me. I mean actual attacks! Verbal, mental, physical... you name it... he's done it. He is not satisfied until he has complete control over me and I just can't allow that. So like I said he will not be satisfied now until I'm beat down so hard that I won't be able to get back up.

But I met someone... Someone so truly amazing! He saw the situation I was in and told me if I asked him He would step in and take control over the situation. Well for a while I just let it be... Although He didn't. He was persistent and I knew He truly cared. So tonight I had enough... I was at my breaking point... I couldn't take it anymore. So I went to Him and told Him I was done trying to deal with this on my own... I needed Him! I needed Him to step in and take control for me because I couldn't do it on my own anymore. So He did. And what He did was truly amazing and no one has ever done before. He went to my enemy and told him it was over, he was not allowed to mess with me any more. Well the enemy got his crew and beat my friend up! They beat Him so bad that he was unrecognizable! And then the worst thing happened... They killed Him in the most horrific way possible! I couldn't believe it! I was in tears! My friend took my place... I should have been the one to die... I should have been the one my enemy defeated... But it wasn't me.. Someone so awesome... Someone who loved me so much... He went to my tormentor and said He would take my place... He would take all the pain if my enemy would just leave me alone. And that is what happened! He died in my place!!!

So He is who I want you to meet! Without Him I would not have life! Without Him I would not have peace. He is my joy, He is my song. He comforts me when I am heartbroken. He is my Rock, He is who I lean on when times get hard. He provides me food, shelter, clothing! He is the reason I wake up in the morning! He is my big brother! He is the reason life is worth living! He is my financial adviser. He is my greatest treasure. He is my help when it seems like there is no help! He gives me hope when there seems like all hope is gone! He is my shoulder I lean on when I can't stand! He is my beacon in the night! He is my very best friend! If the whole world were to walk away from me I know He would still be there! He is also the One who didn't only die for me that day, but he rose from the dead and LIVES for me!!! I want to introduce YOU to MY JESUS!!!!!

Driving is a good time to think...

I love driving in my car alone and listening to music! Just shutting everything out and not having any distractions and it just being me and I can listen to whatever I want!!! It doesn't have to be Veggie Tales or Mickey Mouse but it can be grown up music. So there is where I was a few days ago when I was driving to physical therapy... I had just dropped Ian off and I had a good 20 minutes of driving time. Me all alone in my car listening to my music! Instead of turning the radio on like I usually do I put in one of my cd's. I let it play and was somewhat listening to it but mainly it was just background noise as dozens of thoughts were running through my mind. For some reason it was a day when I had heavy thoughts weighing on my mind and heart. It seemed like I was being bombarded from all sides and there were so many uncertainties and there were many unanswered questions. It would have been an easy day to feel sorry for myself...but I hadn't gotten that low yet...but it was close in coming.

It was just life hitting me. We all know how that goes! There were many questions running through my mind...many thoughts...many "whys?". Why did it seem like nothing was going the way I thought it needed to? Why were things happening that I had no control over but I really wanted to control? Why did it seem like God was playing "eeny, meeny, miny, moe" with things He was deciding to throw in my life? I felt like God was saying "there's Leila...she still needs to grow in so many ways...I think I'll go ahead and give her this problem, and this trial and this tough decision." There were a lot of "whys?"! A lot I can't really get into right now because I am not comfortable just yet with sharing. But you can see life was getting at me...in my mind...my thoughts...it was consuming me.

But all of a sudden my mind seem to clear and my ears were opened and this song started playing.



And then it was like someone came in my head and flipped on the light! How ignorant am I? I mean really...it's not being harsh...it's true ignorance! I was being so consumed with me me and more me that I was pretty sure God had forgotten about...well me. I was pretty sure God had bigger things to worry about so I was put on the back burner for a bit. I'm being straight up honest with you today...I know better...I have always been taught better...but at that moment I really felt that God had decided that my life wasn't that important and maybe I just wasn't worth it! That's why I am saying it was pure ignorance.

Matthew 6:26 even says Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

There are times in my life I do feel like I am worthless...but I am smart enough to know that I am more precious to God then birds! And He takes care of them...so why am I thinking God doesn't want me to be happy...why am I thinking He has forgotten me? My goodness folks...He told the sun where to stand in the morning, He told the ocean how far to go, He told the moon where to stay till evening...but somehow in my little mind I had figured He didn't have time to handle my life or problems.

The same God who died and then raised Himself from the dead and who now lives...I had put limitations on Him! There is no way around that...it is true ignorance! You can't put limitations on what God can do! He spoke this world into existence! Yet I had put him in a little box and had decided that day that He couldn't possibly handle my problems so I was needing to figure it out myself!

But while this song was playing I was reminded of these exact things. And these exact thoughts went through my head because I know God put them there to reassure me. You know how I know I am loved? You know how I know I am taken care of? You know how I know God understood how much I was hating physical therapy, how much I was concerned about why our breakers didn't seem to want to stay on, how worried I was about our heater going out soon. How I was worried about if Wes and I were training Ian the way he should be trained. How God understood how I was worried how Ian would grow up and not go in the wrong direction. How I was concerned about my son's salvation... How I was concerned about the different decision that were being made at Wes' job and how it would affect us. How I was worried that I would never be content with our family of 3? The list goes on and on...but do you know how I know that God knows this and understands and I am not alone? I know this because MY REDEEMER LIVES!!!!!

If I had a bucket list...

I'm not even sure I'm old enough to have a bucket list (hehe) but if I were to have one about a year ago running a half marathon would NOT be anywhere near it!!!! But last Saturday that is exactly what I did! And I have never felt better about myself for doing something then I did when I crossed that finish line (well except maybe having a child or whatever lol)! And this coming from a girl who a year ago could not even run a mile. I'm serious guys... One day I decided to run with Wes and I don't think I even got a 1/4 of a mile in before I told him I was done! But 2 days ago I ran 13.1 miles. I just wrote that and it still doesn't seem real. But I had some great running buddies.


My sister Julie, and our friend Mandy. This is us before the race. Not sure what gave us the crazy idea we could do this, but we did! And best of all we did it together!


There were so many runners...it was so awesome to see all these people out supporting St. Jude! We couldn't even see the start line from where we stood and there were even more people behind us!


We were in coral 12 and finally around 20 minutes after the first coral started we could see the start line!


It was all of our first time running a half marathon (that's 13.1 miles if you haven't already figured out) lol We had so much nervous energy waiting in that line we were literally jumping up and down waiting for them to let us start! We may have finished faster if we didn't waste so much energy before the start! hahaha


It was such an emotional race I think for all of us, but right now I can only really speak for me! Not only was it a huge accomplishment for me to run this race, but it was for such a great cause! And to have all of the people cheering for us as we ran! The most emotional part of it all was running through the St. Jude complex! Seeing all the families and all the signs and realizing that I am actually doing something for these families that I have never met before but are going through a much more difficult race than I was going through. And most if not all had no finish line in sight, but they never stopped, they keep running along hoping one day to cross the finish line! I was never more thankful for my son's health as I was running this weekend! I can not even come close to knowing what these families are going through and these sweet little angels...sometimes life doesn't seem fair...but these kids give such hope! Some sections were extremely hard, and those were the ones where the signs would say "in memory of". That was when I could not help but cry!

Here is me after I crossed the finish line with my medal! When Jules and I came into the stadium we could hear everyone cheering for us, especially Jason and Wes and then we saw the finish line and I don't know how but we both literally sprinted across that line!!!


The red shirts we are wearing are for a little boy Isaiah who we were running for! He is such a sweet little boy.


I ask you to go to my FB page and look him up and read about him! All he has been through this year and he even did the family race! A much bigger accomplishment than mine I have to say! What a hero! I am so glad I got to run to support him!


Before I close out I do want to thank all of those who donated money so I could be a St. Jude hero and run on Saturday! Thank you for believing in me and for donating to such a great cause...helping find a cure for cancer so these kids don't have to suffer anymore! Also a HUGE thank you to my trainer Nick Cotto!!! Nick....you are the one behind all of this. Meeting with you in Feb. of this year I would have never known that on Saturday I would have ran a half marathon. I remember telling you what my goals were, and one of my goals was to run a 5k, but you saw more than that!

And yes folks...me and my sister Jules and friend Mandy are planning our next half! We are trying to get other people to run with us this time!

What can you give?

Oh my word...it has only been 1 day and here I am blogging again! Is it possible? :) Well when you only have one vehicle and your husband needs it today then....well...here I am stuck at home! But I am content with that. :)

I know we haven't gotten through the Thanksgiving season yet and really I guess this blog should be on what I am thankful for...but it's not... Sorry...if you are wanting to know what I'm thankful for I'll have to get back to you on that another time. :) What I'm focusing on right now is Christmas! How can we not...it's pretty much being thrown in our face every where we go! I swear society is trying to block out Thanksgiving all together....but that's another topic in and of itself!

Growing up our Dad really tried his best to emphasize what Christmas is truly about. And of course we all know...it's about Jesus coming to earth as a baby (but still God) to live among us and grow into a man and then start his earthly ministry where he would some 33 years later die on the cross for us and then 3 days later rise again and one day if we accept him into our lives and hearts we will live in Heaven with Him FOREVER! So you see it is more then just his birth we are celebrating! But yes...we mainly focus on his birth...which is fine! So because it was a day in which the world has chosen to set aside to celebrate Jesus' birth, that's what my dad tried to focus on. Every year as a family we would make a banner for Jesus' birthday (just like we did for everyone else's) and we would by Jesus a birthday present! (and if I'm not mistaken my sister carries a tradition in her family where every year they make Jesus a birthday cake...chocolate on chocolate I think would have been His favorite lol)

How do you do that you ask? I mean how do you buy Jesus, God's son a birthday present? It's pretty simple really! I like to think of it as giving of yourself. Whether it's through money or deeds. A lot of times it was giving a gift to the church. But now that I'm older and Ian is really started to get excited about Christmas I was really struggling trying to decide what we should do for Jesus so that Ian could participate and start out at a young age really understanding Christmas. So what do we do? How do we give our gift to Jesus this year? There are so many options out there, but which suits our family the best...or really...which is the one God wants us to do? Do we go to soup kitchens and feed the homeless (because what does the Bible say in Matthew 25:40 if you do it unto the least of these you are doing it unto me...and I am paraphrasing I know). Do we find a family in need and anonymously drop off groceries or money for them? I even heard one year of a lady that went to the post office and got the letters from Santa that the kids would mail and would find a needy kid and give him or her what was on their wish list! I mean there are soooo many amazing things we can do...even if you don't have money...just by helping someone (like the soup kitchen)...it's giving of yourself and when we do this, we are in fact giving Jesus the best present ever!

So last night after dropping off Ian at Cubbies Wes and I went to Chick-fil-a to kind of relax and enjoy some time alone. Wes had been rock climbing all day and wanted some soup and I don't know...call me crazy...but I feel Chick-fil-a is one of the more "healthier" fast food places. Plus it is so relaxing because the people there (at least at ours) are super friendly and there is Christian music playing softly throughout the restaurant! Well, we also went there to talk about life and how we need to step back and re prioritize the way we have been living. I don't tend to normally think I am overly selfish, but if I were to be honest with myself and with all of y'all...I can tend to be selfish...I put myself first a lot and shove God in the back corner. Yes I still go to church and I sing in choir and do specials and work with the kids...but really I'm not going the extra mile. But really that's not what this blog is really about...I get side tracked easily! I guess that is my "Squirrel" moment. (You would have to watch UP to get that lol)

So sitting in Chick-fil-a (you had to know I was going somewhere with all this lol) I saw 2 different brochures sitting on a side table. And it was like God put them right there for me...kinda like hitting me across the head with it...which He has to do with me a lot...as you can tell I get side tracked easily so hitting me across the head tends to get my attention the fastest. One is all we are familiar with (well really both are pretty familiar). But the first I have decided will be a tradition with our family because Ian can really get involved in it. It is Operation Christmas Child! (I know several churches that do this) What a neat idea. All you do is take a shoe box and fill it with goodies and then put $7 with it so they can mail it to the child in need who wouldn't normally have a Christmas! I mean how simple...it's a shoe box guys! They aren't that big. It's not that big of a sacrifice really? Think of it as not going out to eat at all for a week...one week...take that money and you will have more than enough to help another child be happy. I mean cause really I'm sure we could all take a week off from eating out...just saying. :) Plus my thought is each year whatever age Ian is that is the age group we will buy for. So Ian can be 100% involved!!! How fun is that?

The next brochure I found is Mana Cafe Ministries which is kind of like a food/mobile pantry for the poor and homeless. You can donate money of course...or as we all know non perishable items! How many of us right now have non perishable items in our house? I have several!!! Can you spare some? I'm thinking you can! But this post is not to pressure you...just showing you that even if you aren't abundantly blessed with cash flow this year...there is something you can do for others...and in turn Happy Birthday Jesus!

It's so easy folks....just make sure this Christmas season you don't get caught up in all the hustle and bustle (those are fun words aren't they) of things and don't slow down enough to realize that person on the side of the road in need. Or maybe the older lady or man struggling getting their groceries in there car! Or perhaps especially around here...the mother all alone with her children struggling to open the door or carrying all the stuff she is required to carry when you have kids. Remember...if you do it to the least of them....who are you really doing it to?

Please understand this...I am not bashing Christmas and gift giving! I still love buying gifts for family, and I still LOVE receiving gifts from people. :) But if I just for a few minutes made you stop and think about the true meaning of Christmas and what we really should be focusing on I have somehow through this jumbled up mess of thoughts succeeded! It's giving of ourself. So my challenge to you this year as we are thinking of our decorations for Christmas, and what we are going to cook Christmas day, who is going to be there and as we are all now in our Christmas shopping mode...as you think of your kids and spouse and siblings...what would they want for Christmas...don't forget to as yourself..."What can I give Jesus this year"!

Pondering....

Gah! Why oh why is it so hard for me to actually sit down and write a blog? I guess for one I actually have to be at my laptop...which I rarely am these days (which is actually kind of nice...I can survive without internet...amazing lol) and two I have to be at home...which is also not usual for me. But I'm loving my life and I'm not sure I would change it...well maybe just a few things. :)

So lately there have been 2 things that I have been thinking about a lot lately and have discussed them only really with my husband. I always get nervous discussing my thoughts with other people...just in case they sound stupid...which a lot of times I'm sure they do. haha But here it goes anyway...just please be kind in your responses. :)

Over the last couple of months I have really been dipping into God's Word. It is so refreshing and I constantly wonder why we are too busy for it. I mean I have failed at this miserably...but every time I take the time to rest in his Word I notice a huge difference in my day. And subsequently so does Satan and he does NOT like it. But anyway...I guess because of this new pattern I have started in my life it has caused me to think a lot on I guess you could say more Spiritual things. So here it goes.

My first thought is on contentment. I mean seriously...how many of us our truly content with the way our life is? I have heard a lot of people say "I am perfectly content with who I am and how my life is". And if they are, I applaud them...but I have to wonder how honest they are being. Cause admit it...in our minds we can always stand to loose a few pounds...or have a bigger house, or a better car, or a bigger tv, or new clothes and so on and so forth. But recently I have been talking to Wes and I brought up the thought that I think God may be trying to teach us how to be content! At the early onset of our marriage we started using our credit cards for things we thought we needed (I will come back later about credit cards because this is my next thought). Anyway...over the next several years the interest has gone crazy and we have used them off and on. Before Wes deployed this past year we did Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. If you have never done this I recommend it to EVERYONE!!! It is so awesome and will help you in numerous ways. Anyway...God provided through 5th Group who was doing it free for families that are in Group to allow us to go. During this first week of this class we started changing the way we lived financially and it was so freeing!!!! Over the course of Wes' deployment we paid off the majority of our debt (the truck is still not paid for....yet). Which is a HUGE deal for us! I have slept better and we are happier. But then Wes comes home and first Bailey (Wes' dog) has to have ear surgery, then our truck is rear ended, then our hot water heater went out, then one of our tires went flat, then our truck battery died, then our dryer went out...I mean seriously people...the list goes on and on! And as you an imagine our big plans for getting another vehicle, and a new tv, and several other things that we had plans for (to pay with cash of course) pretty much fell through the cracks! So I had to step back and see what in the world can we learn through these trials...I knew God has something in there that we could benefit from. And He did...because as I told Wes..."I think God is trying to teach us how to be content with what we have"!

Now that is a concept! lol I mean it's right there in the Bible! Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

It is hard though....but I am trying to learn to be content. I have so much to be thankful for that I need to focus on what God has given me already...not what I want Him to give me. Not that I necessarily feel it's wrong to want things...but I do think we are more focused on God being a God who gives and gives and gives, when we rarely give back. Seriously...who wants to be that person? We have all been around those people who are constantly taking, but never giving....how selfish is that! But how often is that us when it comes to God? But like I said...it is so hard for me some days. How can I be content with our house that seems smaller every day!!! lol Or the fact that we only have one vehicle...I just want my own car...so I can feel a little freedom and not have to constantly ask Wes what's going on work so I can see if I can have the truck that day (and he is never selfish with it...just some days...like today...he HAS to have it). Or on those days when I think how much another child would complete our family...how Ian would love a sibling to play with...but for whatever God's reason He has chosen to make it nearly impossible for us to have kids (doctors words not mine). I would be content to not have to have Wes or I run through all these crazy test and go through the fertility treatments that seem to lie ahead of us...but God has other ways.

You see...I need to be content (and thankful) that we have our house...a roof above our heads. How many people out there want just that. I need to be content (and thankful) for our truck. Thankful that we have a way to go from place to place and can rely on it. I need to be content with the perfect family God has given to me and Wes and I am extremely thankful God decided to give me our son! I think if we learn to be content then God will give us more and more. Now that is not to say you should be content so you can get more....that is NOT what I'm trying to say...but I'm pretty sure you understood my meaning. Plus...check out the end of the verse...He (God) will never (and I mean NEVER) leave us or forsake us! Wow..that is an amazing thought! No matter what we do or how disappointing we are God will NEVER leave us! Now that in and of it self should leave us content. Ok...so that was my first thought! :)

My second thought which should be shorter is something that has been bothering and convicting me as well. I posed this question to Wes the other day "How many times do you think we have robbed God of blessing us"? I know...kind of a weird question...but I have really been thinking about it. My main focus...credit cards! There are many awful things I can say about them...but I won't right now...my main thought is how we use them because we are relying on ourself! You saw the huge list of things that went wrong after Wes came home and you also saw where we paid off our debt. Well as you can imagine we quickly went through our savings right as he came home....and what do you think happened when we ran out of that? You guessed it...when the next thing came up and we didn't see the money in our savings or checking account we did what most people would do...we pulled out our credit card!

Why the heck did we do that? Did not God tell us in the Bible Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

But I have actually heard this and I'm pretty sure I said it myself "Thank God I had that credit card and had money on it"! Really? I mean seriously? I'm pretty sure the verse says God will supply our need through His riches...not through our credit card. So I wondered...how many times over the last several years that I have had a credit card have I robbed God of blessing my because I assumed just maybe this unexpected bill or problem came as a shock to Him so I better pull out the card and He can supply the need later. Which from experience doesn't happen that way. I mean...yes...God still supplies the money to pay the bills...but it's not the same...now I'm paying for it for years when if I just waited on God he would have supplied it right then and there in His own way. Cause after all isn't a hot water heater a need....as well as a working dryer? I tend to think it is...especially when I had to live without both for a bit! lol I think sometimes we rely on the old credit card because we just can't possibly see how God could supply our need immediately out of no where...and that is where we are limiting God and what He can do. Because don't forget...He said He would supply ALL of our need!

But anyway...this is just the tip of the iceberg of where my thoughts have been...this has been super long already and I think you get my point...so I'll shut up! Next time I blog hopefully it won't take as long and it will be a little more upbeat! Until then...let's learn to be content with what God has given us and try not to rob Him from blessing you!

I will praise You in the Storm!

So I realize it has been MONTHS since I have written a blog and I'm guessing y'all probably thought I had forgotten about blogging or was just "over" it! Well I'm not...so there!!! :) In all honesty though I have struggled with not blogging...don't get me wrong...I have wanted to blog...but if I can be truthful here I have been going through a huge storm in my life right now and I am not at the place right now where I am able to share with everyone what is going on! I know y'all understand because I know each and everyone of you has been here before. Probably not going through the same thing I am...but going through something that is so overwhelming.

Friends, in the last month...well pretty much last 2 months my world has been rocked! And not in the good way. I have felt like someone has taken my life turned it upside down shook it then threw it on the ground and trampled on it! I'm not over exaggerating here either. Have you ever been in a place where it literally feels like your entire world has come to a stop? You are going along in life thinking that you are on the right track, doing what you need to do then BAM!!!!! You find yourself smack on your face....and the hardest part about it....it's not even your fault. It is the result of someone else's actions. Well that is where I am...or at least have been and I'm so exhausted from it all. Trying to pick up the pieces of life and not really sure how.

Well tonight my Pastor (ok...I have to stop here for a minute because I love the sound of that "my pastor"! We have been looking for a church for such a long time and have finally found the right one at the right time and I LOVE IT!!!! Ok now back to the thought)! My Pastor preached about "Power in Praise"! He went to Acts 16:25-30. For those unfamiliar with the Bible this is a story about 2 men named Paul and Silas who were stripped of their clothes and beaten and put in prison where there feet were put in stocks for no reason except they were doing the work of God!

So let me tell you how God spoke to me through my Pastor's sermon tonight. Of course I will tell it a little differently then him...but that's ok...I'm sure he won't mind! So picture this...imagine doing the work of God and one day a crowd of people getting mad at you because speaking the truth has made them uncomfortable! So they take you, rip your clothes of and beat you, and then drag you to prison and put your feet in stocks so you can't even get up and move! And this prison is not like ours now days. They were on the floor of a cold nasty probably damp cell...and I can imagine there were rats and who knows what running around down there. I don't know about you but me...I would be having a huge pity party! I would be wondering what God was thinking...why had He not watched out for me? But this is NOT what Paul and Silas do....instead of feeling sorry for themselves and letting their circumstances get the best of them they actually started singing praises to God! (vs. 25) I mean seriously? Were they crazy? Did they not see what an awful, horrible situation they were in? Of course they did, but unlike me, they rose above themselves and their surroundings and focused on something so much better! They focused on God and all that He had done for them and they were overwhelmed with praise!

There were several things Pastor gave us about the Power of Praise, but here are 3 things that pretty much jumped out at me! First of all Praise helps you rise above your circumstances! Seriously..think about this! If you are going through a struggle and it seems like life is never going to right itself just stop for even a minute and find something to praise about. Praise Him that you are alive! I don't know what your health situation is like...but if you are reading this I'm guessing you are breathing! Praise Him for that! Praise him for food on the table, for clothes on your back, for a house to live in, for your kids, spouse, mom, dad, for the life he has given you! Even going through this short list here has to make you feel at least a little bit better about life! Come on...you can admit it...you do feel better!

Secondly when you give praise unto God your chains will be loosed! This one was such an amazing concept to me and I'm not sure why I had never saw it! Remember how Paul and Silas were praising God? Well in verse 26 it said suddenly there was an earthquake, all the doors opened and everyone's chains were loosed (I am paraphrasing I know...but you get the idea)! I was sitting in church tonight and it was like a light bulb turned on in my head. I am not in a physical jail, nor am I in physical chains...but the last couple of months I have felt like I have been in chains! It feels like life is weighing me down and I can't move. I feel such pain and sorrow and it is tying me down and I cannot get out from underneath it. But I realized something tonight....this is the perfect time to praise God! I know this sounds crazy guys, especially for those of you who know what I have been going through...but I'm telling you this is the perfect time for Praise. For when we start praising God for things such as money to pay bills, a truck to drive, a job security for my husband, bringing my husband home safe, for soldiers who are willing to fight for our freedom so we can live in the greatest country in the world. Praising Him for sending his Son to die for our sins, and not only dying but most importantly rising again 3 days later so one day we can live with Him forever....slowly...well in reality not so slowly those chains will break loose and we will be free!

And last of all when you Praise God the Doors will open! It also says in verse 26 that the prison doors flew open...yet when the prison guard came in all the prisoners were still there! Now here is a new concept that you might not have thought of! I don't know about you, but if I was in prison and my chains came loose and the doors burst open, I'm pretty sure I would have been busting out of that place! Just being straight up honest here! But they didn't! They stayed and the jalier got saved that night as well as his household! Praise the Lord!!!! So what is the concept? Well sometimes the doors will fly open and God does want us to go through them. But what if He opens the doors but wants us to stay? I had never thought of this before tonight. Surely if God seems to give us a way out then we should take it right? That's what I thought, but through my Pastor God showed me something new. Now stick with me for a minute, I realize this blog is super long, but this point really brings it all together. What if God is opening the door not for you to escape through, but for people to see you through? If you are praising God through a storm and God opens the door others will be able to see God working through you. They will be able to see that you are going through something so intense, so bleak, so dark that is seems there is no hope, but you are praising God! What an amazing testimony! How many lives can be touched through the storm that you are going through and through the fact that you are still able to praise God!

There is a reason why God has put me in the storm I am in! And most days, ok...not most days, every day so far I have not understood why. I have gone through every possible emotion you can go through! Hurt, anger, depression, frustration....you get the picture, if it's an emotion...I've gone through it! But if I but praise God and focus on all the things he has given me I can rise above this circumstance, my chains from this horrible prison can be loosed and my doors can and will be thrown open! The question is...do I walk through them and escape or do I stay and let others look through them at me and see my praise? How easy it would be to escape, to leave it all behind me. To walk away and say "I gave it my best, but thank God he made a way of escape"! I could easily say that and no one would think any less of me. But you know what? I think I will stay and let others look through those doors and into my struggles and see my praise because I know once I get through this storm God has an awesome plan for me and I want to help others going through a storm like me to realize there is hope, there is peace if we but only Praise!

So I dare you... whatever storm you are in, whatever life has thrown at you, however down you are, however low you are, just for the next 5 minutes....even the next minute Praise God! The Pastor challenged us to list at least 7 things to praise God about and I guarantee you if you do you will feel your circumstances changing and you will feel your chains loosed! So what are you waiting for? Do it!!!! Just Praise God! It's really that easy!

So weary....

So have you ever been going through life and then all of a sudden one day it seems like life just comes at you all at once? Nothing really has changed...it's the same day to day stuff you have been dealing with for months...maybe longer....but then it just comes up one day and sucker punches you in the stomach and all of a sudden you feel weary. Well that day for me was yesterday!

I don't really know what started it or how it happened...but do we ever really know? Of course it didn't help that I was not feeling well and all I wanted was for my husband to hold me...that's it. Nothing hard about that right? Well it is when your husband is thousands of miles away. And then it hit me like a full force of wind....I was instantly weary. Physically weary....yes...but more than that. It's hard to explain really. But you know what I mean...I know you have felt the same way...please tell me I'm not alone with this. And it all comes to us in different forms...different circumstances...and it doesn't matter what that circumstance is...it's hard and so very lonely.

I have reached the point I am exhausted...I am weary! Of what you ask? Well I don't know if there is a simple answer...it's a bunch of things wrapped up in one. I am sooooo weary of this deployment. I am weary of being so far away from my husband. I am weary of going to bed by myself...I am weary of waking up all alone. I am weary of being in a huge crowd and yet still feeling so all alone. I am weary with the fact that I can't pick up the phone and call him whenever I want. I am weary of the fact that I have a new niece and I have no idea when I will ever get to meet her. I am weary because my best friend is on the other side of the United States and I can't jump in my car and go see her. I am so frustrated with the fact that I rarely see my family...I don't get to go over to their house and do cook outs. I don't get to hang out with my sisters and go shopping or go out to lunch or go get pampered. I am so weary with the thought that I have to constantly show my son pics of the my family and say their names over and over again so he won't feel like they are strangers when we do get to see each other.

I am scared of the thought that sometimes I can't remember Wes and Ian having father/son moments...although they have. It terrifies me when I sit here and think that it's weird to think of Wes as Ian's father. This may sound strange to some...but when you don't see them interact day to day you forget. And that is the worst feeling in the world!

I get so frustrated that some days when I work out I feel like a champion and then the next day I feel like I am making no improvement whatsoever! I'm tired with the fact that I can't feel confident in myself...I am so mad that on some days I feel like I'm making an improvement in my self confidence and then others I feel like I have taken 10 steps back. I just wish I had a close friend near by. One that I can call anytime and we could just hang out. The kind of hanging out where all you really have to do is sit around and you don't even have to talk the entire time but when that person leaves you feel like you just had the best day ever. I ache for that!

So as you can see a lot of things hit me yesterday...and really that is just the tip of the iceberg! And I know I'm not the only one that has these days...and I know it can be so many other things that make a person weary...I use deployment mostly because that is what I'm going through right now. So you wonder what I did, how I handled it, if I fell apart...well I'll tell you what I didn't do. I didn't sit at home feeling sorry for myself. I did what any normal girl would do...I took a shower...spent extra time on my hair and make up...put on dressier clothes and left the house. Did it help...you better believe it. Because although as you can tell I got really weary yesterday...I DID NOT allow myself to wallow in it. I refuse!!!

So what am I trying to get at here? I don't know...maybe I'm just trying to get out some of my thoughts. Or maybe I'm trying to let someone else know that other people feel weary too...so it's ok...don't feel bad about it...don't beat yourself up over it. If you need to stay down for a bit...stay down...but always remember...pull yourself back up! Because you know what...you are one more day closer to being done....one more minute closer to the end of whatever trial and difficulty your going through. And it's so true...you will always come out a stronger person...but ONLY if you pick yourself back up!

I don't always love surprises, but today was different....

In about 7 days I will have been married to my husband for 5 years! Even writing that doesn't seem to make it real...but it is...I have the marriage license to prove it. Oddly enough the only time we have been together on June 10th was back in 2005...the year we married. Yep...you read that right...I have never spent an anniversary with my husband! I actually just laughed out loud when I wrote that...because right now I feel that maybe I should be feeling sorry for myself...but I don't. Am I missing out on something great? Maybe I should be more depressed that day...but I doubt I will be. I'm thinking that maybe...just maybe...ignorance is bliss. If the day ever comes that I get to spend my anniversary with my husband (which I don't see that happening anytime soon) I'm afraid I may be disappointed. I have hyped it all up in my head of how great it must be since every time people find out Wes is gone on our special day they seem to be all sad for me....Wes has a lot to plan for to meet my expectations now. haha I guess it doesn't bother me too much because I know that whether or not he is with me or thousands of miles away we are both remembering what happened on that day back in 2005...and really that's all that matters...at least to me anyways.

Since we are always apart on our anniversary we usually don't make to big of a deal out of it. We do get each other cards...don't get me wrong. But we have never really done presents. But this year my husband went above and beyond what I could have imagined from him. Don't get me wrong...I love my husband dearly...but he is a guy...and what I mean is he is the guy that doesn't always think ahead on things. So today when I got home Ian got to the door before me and turned around and handed me a door hanger and said "here mommy". I just figured it was some kind of sales paper type of thing and almost threw it away...but then I realized it said Fed Ex on it. The Fed Ex guy had come by and I was not home and whatever he was trying to deliver I had to be there to show ID and sign for...which I thought was extremely weird. So it told me where I could go to pick it up. So I put Ian down for his nap and thought if he woke up in time I would go pick it up today...if not I would just wait till tomorrow. Well he woke up in time so we made our way down to Fed Ex and this is what I was handed.Now I remember Wes telling me he had ordered me something for our anniversary...but he didn't tell me what...and he also told me he would let me know when it was coming so I could be there. So I see this box and couldn't really see a return address so I was really confused. So I opened it up and was shocked to see that this huge box had a little small box in it.

Just to let you know...where my husband is right now...there are no Zales. He didn't just see a store and think...oh I'll go buy my wife some jewelry. No...he actually had to go online and do it. And he actually remembered when I saw a friends ring that she recently got from her husband how I said I would love one similar to that one day. And when I said one day I really meant one day when I feel we have enough money without me feeling guilty about it...basically that one day would never come. But for me that one day was today!!!!
And he actually remember my ring size...I can't even remember my ring size. So I couldn't really get a good picture of it with my camera...so here is a picture from the website.
And it looks way better on my finger!!! I just love my husband...I love him for being so thoughtful...I love him for listening to me when I made a comment about wanting a ring someday. I love him because although we are thousands of miles away he has made our anniversary this year so special. There are so many reasons why I love my husband...but most of all I love him because he loves me! Does that even make sense? Does it have to make sense? I mean...it's love...no one has ever really fully been able to explain it! So thank you Wesley Carey...thank your for loving me...thank you for being my husband, my best friend....thank you for hearing me and giving me things I don't need but you know I want...you spoil me and I LOVE it! :)

While he is away projects....

So I know I just wrote a blog...and I'm usually a once a month kind a blogger...but today I'm breaking the cycle!!! But probably only for this once...I'm not that good! So I am waiting for my husband to get off of his shift at 2 am so I can talk to him. So I thought I would do something useful with my time! In reality I am falling asleep and I desperately need help staying awake. So for all I know this blog may be a jumbled mess!

So I had this wonderful idea (I wish you could hear the sarcastic way I am saying that) of what to do to keep myself busy while my husband is away on "business" ;) Now what can keep me busy for several months...then this brilliant idea hits me...what a great time to put wood floors in our house! So now that I am waist deep in renovating... not looking like such a brilliant idea anymore. lol Who knew there would be so many decisions to make? Also who knew that pulling up carpet and putting wood floors in would cause me to decided my ENTIRE house needed painting...or that I needed new rugs...or that I needed new pictures to hang on my walls...or that I needed a new bedspread.... or that Ian needed a new theme for his room...or that I needed a new shower curtain...oh and don't forget the curtains for my living room, and we all know you can't get new curtains without getting a new curtain rod...and the curtain rod in the living room has to match the one in the dining room since technically they are all the same room. Oh and don't forget the new shed I got and when I got the shed up realized it might be a good idea to go ahead and fence in the entire back yard! Are you understanding why maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea anymore?

First it's going to pick out the wood for the floors. How was I supposed to know that there was such a huge variety to choose from! And I had to do it ALL by myself :( So many times I have been going through this whole renovation process and I stop and think..."this is Wesley's house too...shouldn't he have a say in how it looks...shouldn't he be stressing right along with me?" Well surprise, surprise...Wes could care less what kinds of wood floor I get...as long as I like it...oh and he's not stressed at all. LoL I was so very proud of myself though...I found this warehouse place that sales wood flooring at such an awesome price!!! I was able to get wood for my entire house plus the padding that goes underneath for $1500!!!!! Yay me! And it's a good thing I got it when I did because that flood we had...yeah...wiped the store out. I bet they have really great prices now hehe

I have such a great friend (well really the entire family) who has helped me put the floors in. Ok...what am I saying...he didn't help me...he did it all by himself while I just stood around feeling helpless...so I left lol It is looking so awesome!!! I even have the living room and dining room painted thanks to my mom who came and visited me. Fair warning...if you come to visit me I may put you to work :) My living room is now a khaki color and my dining room is a dark red...it looks so great. I actually ended up buying my rug from Walmart (I know...I'm surprised as well) and it was on sale and the last one they had! It tied the room together perfectly. I got to hang all my new pictures that I have been saving to put up whenever I got around to painting and finally...after living here for close to 3 years my pictures have been hung :)

My next big project is painting the rest of the house. The bathroom will probably be the most challenging for me. I'm doing it a solid color on the bottom and the top is going to be stripes. I was going to do stripes in Ian's room, but after taping off the bathroom...yeah...I decided against it. I have an awesome idea for Ian's room though...but you'll have to wait till it's done and I post the pictures! What? I have to keep you coming back for more somehow lol My room is going to be a pale blue to match the new bed spread I just got. Well that's actually a long story in and of itself...but I should save that for another blog.

So yeah...we are a little over half way done with this deployment and sadly I am not half way done with this house. Can I make it? You better believe it! So yeah...I think next deployment maybe I'll just travel or something lol

Oh wait...did I mention that I am tiling the bathroom and the kitchen and washroom. Oh and when Wes gets back we will be getting new light fixtures for the living room, kitchen, dining and bathroom...and possibly the rest of the house :)

Remember something that seems trivial to you is a big deal to someone else!!!

Tonight I am thinking about my neighbor...she is really heavy on my mind tonight! Is this normal you might be asking yourself? Well as much as I would like to make myself out to sound like this wonderful over caring neighbor this does not mean I am ALWAYS thinking of my neighbors. Does this make me an awful person? I like to think not. But anyway...back to topic. Today my neighbor came knocking on my door...which isn't unusual...we do have a friendly relationship. And since she lives with her mom it is not uncommon for her to come over to sit and chat and just get away from her mom...not to say that her mom is an awful person...she is not...but you ladies know what I'm talking about! (once again...going away from topic...what is wrong with me? lol) So I answered my door and I could tell something was wrong...so I invited her in to have a seat. To give a little background my neighbor is a dog lover...they are her life. Don't get me wrong...she still realizes that they are not humans..but she has a very close attachment to them. Well one of her dogs whose name is Stranger has not really been acting himself lately...so she took him to the Vet and they said he had allergies and gave him antibiotics and stuff like that. Well this morning she brought him over and the right side of his face was all droopy like he had had a stroke...it looked so awful and broke my heart to see him like that.

So back to why my neighbor came over...she had just got back from the Vet and he told her that Stranger has a tumor in his throat and it is cancerous! Now to some out there this may seem very trivial in the whole scheme of things...but it's really not. Because today I realized as I watched my neighbor in tears and listened to her talk it through I could hear the pain in her voice...I realized that this is a really bid deal to her to say the least! Right now this problem is all she can think about...it is what is consuming her. Of course I have dogs and so I could sympathize with her. Like her I still realized my dogs are animals and not humans...but they have become a part of our family and I know if we lost one I would cry (although if you know me I do joke about it sometimes because I am overwhelmed with dogs lol) And I know some of you not only can you sympathize with her...you can empathize with her because you know what it feels like to loose a family pet.

After she left I was thinking about what had happened and how awful I feel for not only Stranger, but for Naomi (my neighbor) because she is going to have to say goodbye to a "family" member here pretty soon. And then I thought...there are those out there that would probably laugh or at least not understand why this is such a big deal. They are those that would probably want to say "I wish I had your problems". But this is when we need to stop and think...something that may seem so small to you is so huge to someone else. A teenager comes to mind. I remember when I was a teen (of course it wasn't that very long ago...of course it's getting farther away) and I thought I had these huge problems...and now as an adult I look back and I think "man I wish I had those problems now". But you know...at that time...it was such a huge deal to me...it was what consumed me...what I thought about all the time.

Another thought comes to mind...which has always been a personal pet peeve of mind. I hear it from Army (or should I say military) wives a LOT! It goes something like this...one military wife to another. "So my civilian friend's husband went out of town on business and she won't stop complaining about it....I don't want to hear how she misses her husband so much...blah blah blah blah blah...she would never be able to do what I do" I know you all know what kind of conversation I'm talking about...and you may have had it yourself. But here's something to think about! She didn't marry (or "sign up" as we Army wives like to say) the military....she didn't make a commitment to a man who chose a career that would carry him away for months at a time! So guess what...she doesn't have to prepare herself like we do. She doesn't have the "he's home" attitude nor does she know how to switch on "super mommy/woman" button. Does that make her any less of a woman then me...HECK no! It just means we fell in love with 2 different men (which is a good thing ... I don't like sharing my husband lol) So when a friend of mine's husband goes away for a weekend, or a week on business and she "complains" about missing him and him being gone...you know what I have trained myself to do...I sympathize...or in reality empathize with her. Because right now...at that moment...this is a big deal for her...this is what consumes her. And I don't EVER want to make her feel like lesser person or make her feel like she can't complain to me because her husband is gone for a week and mine is gone for a month or 8 months or whatever. Because I know several Army wives out there that will and have and it just irks me! But just remember...when you start complaining about missing your husband don't be upset if that don't seem all that concerned and act like they don't want to hear about it. If you are truly friends their problems matter just as much as yours do. Is this making any sense at all?

I guess what I'm trying to say in this jumbled up mess...next time someone has a problem that you just want to laugh at...or you think is so trivial...or you may even think in your head "I wish I had your problems" ...please don't. Because just think...that problem that you may be going through...that thing that consumes you...the thing that you can't seem to look past...do you really want someone thinking the same about you...or do you just want some encouragement...someone to listen to you...to not make you feel stupid...but to make you feel like you are cared and loved for. Just remember...that's all they are really wanting...the same thing you are. So what may seem trivial to you....it's not trivial to your friend, or to your family member, or to your neighbor, or even to a stranger off the street!

I never believed in love at first sight until I met you

It is the end of the day...a very special day...it is Mother's Day. My 3rd Mother's Day! As I sit here thinking (scary huh?) and think back on the last 2 and half years of being a mother I can't help but be amazed. Amazed that I am not only celebrating my mom...but I am celebrating being a mom. There was a time when I actually thought this day would mean nothing more to me then celebrating my mom, and her mom, and my mother in law and my sisters beings moms...well you get the idea. And it's not because when I first got married I said I would never have children (and yes I said that....hey...don't judge...there have been worse thing said)...but it's because when I was 17 I was told by a doctor (and without really going into too much detail) that if I were to want children it would more than likely be hard for me to conceive. Of course at 17 I could care less...remember...I didn't want kids! Not that I didn't like them...I just liked giving them back. haha But somewhere along the road I had a change of heart...and Wes and I decided it was time...we wanted to add humans to our little family (we only had dogs). And then it started...the journey...but that's not what this blog is about...so I will just say this...a year and a half and 2 miscarriages later I finally got pregnant and was able to carry him to full term and on October 30, 2007 Ian Gideon Carey came into this world...and that's when I became a believer in love at first sight!

It is amazing how much love you can feel for someone that you have seen for the first time. No words are said....he does nothing for himself....he takes up all of my spare time...he cries...he poops...I clean it up...but there he was...it was all about him...and I was hopelessly completely head over heals in love!

But let me jump back several months. About a week or 2 after I found out we were having our son I was sitting at our kitchen table in Ft. Bragg and was doing my daily devotion. And I believe nothing is by chance...but it just so happened on that day that I was reading 1 Samuel chapter 1. And for those of you who are not familiar with this chapter it is a story about Hannah...a woman who could not conceive and was heartbroken because she wanted a child so badly....she was pleading with God to give her a child. It was so easy for me to relate to her...I had been there. I had cried and pleaded to God for a child...I had seen other women get pregnant and begged God to take away the jealousy...begged God to give me a child of my own...and at times it seemed like God wasn't listening...or really that maybe he was just saying no...when really he was just saying wait...wait for me...wait for my timing. I found out His timing is perfect! But anyway...back to Hannah...God finally granted her wish and she became pregnant and bore a son! (at the time I didn't realize I was having a son...but wow...another thing we have in common) And as I read farther in the chapter I came to this verse and I have to be honest...I cried...and I claimed this verse as my own...and I had peace that day...peace that I would have this child...I would finally carry full term. I Samuel 1:27 ~ For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

I'm still looking for this scripture in a frame to hang on Ian's door! Because although I knew what Hannah was feeling when she couldn't conceive...I also know what she felt like when she did!!!!

I'm not going to lie...there are times when I get tired...times I wonder what the heck I was thinking lol Like when we are out to eat and he doesn't want to sit and eat, but I want him too...so he decides to throw himself on the floor and start screaming, or times when he is so frustrated and I don't know why so I can't help him...so he just gets more frustrated! Or when I try to break his will and he is being so stubborn and it takes an hour to get through to him...and it is to the point where we are both at tears. Times when I think that I am so tired of doing this on my own...I'm tired of being the bad guy. And then it happens...one morning I wake up to him crawling in bed with me...and I turn to look at him and he is staring at me with those big blue eyes with his thumb in his mouth holding his woof woof...wrapped up in his cars blanket and all of a sudden the sweetest most beautiful smile I have ever seen spreads across his face and he giggles and that's when I say "Thank you God...thank you for blessing me with him". It is those times that make all the hard times worth it! Because for this child I prayed...and God heard me and gave me what I wanted...what I needed...exactly when I needed it!

So on my 3rd Mother's Day...I just want to give thanks....thanks for having the privilege of being a mom...and although I don't know if God will bless us with another child (which I hope He does) I do know this... I now truly know what it feels like to fall in love at first sight and to know that no matter what happens...whatever my son does...I will always love him...it's an everlasting kind of love!

Like father like son...

"That's little Wes right there" This is a phrase I have heard over and over and over again. Now mind you I'm not upset...but that is just how much my son and my husband favor each other. So from the day our son was born there was no mistaking that he belonged to his father! As he is getting older (can't believe my baby is 2 and a half now!!!) you can start to see me in him...but there is still no mistaking that he is his father's son. But I have recently found out it does not stop there!

First off I would like to say for those of you who know my husband this will not come as a surprise, but for those of you who aren't that privileged (hahaha) let me explain. I love my husband to death but he is not...how shall I say this....a people person! And I...well I am total opposite. I can get along with just about everyone...I may not enjoy it the whole time...but you can ask Wes...no one would ever notice! Let's just say there are people out there that think we are the best of friends and I really can't stand them (and now I have you sitting here wondering if we truly are friends ... but just get over that for a second until you finish reading my blog) haha

Wes and I know this about each other...we realize we are opposites when it comes to people...but I think we balance each other out. We sometimes laugh how I am constantly coming after Wes and apologizing to people trying to "explain" to them how what Wes was saying probably came out differently then he was meaning and so on and so forth. Whereas Wes is constantly telling me when it comes to people that I have left my backbone in different places! So you get the idea...I am a people pleaser (sometimes to a fault) and Wes...well not so much. :)

So where am I going with this...well...the last few weeks I have come to realize who Ian takes after when it comes to people! And I would love to sit here and tell you he is just like his mommy...but well...I sadly can't...because I would be lying! :( I was up visiting my sister last week and several times while we were there she would say "that is such a Wes look" and I would look at my son...and sure enough...he would either be giving the "you're stupid I'm annoyed look" or "really did you just say that" or "I really just want you to go away" look. And for those of you who know Wes know exactly what I'm talking about...and my son's looks are identical to Wesley's!

I also found out that Ian's tolerance for people is right there where his dad's is. I think I was in denial for a long time and just thought it was a stage he was going through. But no...sadly...my son can't stand people for the most part. Unfortunately where as Wes has somewhat learned how to hide this (and I say that very hesitantly because most people can see Wes is annoyed except for the person that he is annoyed with) Ian is very open with his low tolerance for them. I usually try to cover with...he's just shy. Because I have to admit...when someone comes over to chat with my son...and my son gives them the cold shoulder...it can be a little embarrassing (I know...you wish you had my problems) lol And I just stand there trying to think of a way to make this person feel better about themself after getting rejected by a 2 year old all the while thinking "God...why couldn't he have taken after me in just this one area...that's all I ask for God...he can be like his dad in every other way (well almost every other way lol) but why oh why could he not have just taken after me when it comes to people" (and yes...it's a long thought...but that whole entire thought is going through my head at that exact moment...I'm just that good haha)!

I know one day I will look back and laugh at all of this....but now all I can see is not only do I have to go behind my husband so people won't think he is the meanest, most awfulest person in the world (is awfulest even a word?)...but now I have to go behind my son! Yay me!

***Disclaimer*** I do want to make clear that I love both my husband and my son! I am in no way belittling them! Nor am I really mad at them for being like this! Just sharing with you my thought for the day. (so I guess this means you can't write mean things to me about what a horrible person I am for saying such things hehe)