Contentment

I love Christmas! I put my tree up (sans decorations at this point), some wreaths, stockings... I feel so happy! I don't know what it is about this season but it just puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

I think part of the happiness for me comes from it being when Jesus was born, family get togethers are a must, and pretty shiny decorations and sparkly lights and candles are everywhere!

I really enjoy sharing the joys with my 2 year old too. She is so excited about everything - snow, stockings, the tree... it's like seeing it all with fresh eyes.

17 Day Diet

My Mom, my DH and I started the 17 day diet 5 days ago. I came to the conclusion that I have to put the effort in if I expect any change in the scale (surprise surprise), and have lost 4 lbs in 4 days! That's not too shabby me thinks :)

I am trying to get through these 17 days, and then hopefully my energy will pick back up... I've been very tired!

Once my energy is up, onward and upward to organizing the dumping ground that is my guest room! My goal date is December 15th (we possibly have company staying at our house around Christmas).

I also have been convicted that my body is something I need to take better care of since it is the only one I have, and the Lord has blessed me with good health... I need to do my part to look and feel healthy weight wise!

I am blessed

Today was my birthday.

I was reminded through the ringing of the phone, opening mail addressed to me, receiving texts and getting a bunch of facebook messages; I am blessed!

I have people whom I love, and love me. They take time out of their day to uplift me and remember with me that today is a day about me. However, as each birthday goes by, I am starting to realize it matters less to me about the day and that it's "my day", but more that it is a day when I can chat with people who I don't always get a chance to talk to.

I am so thankful for the people in my life, and how they uplift and encourage me.

Also, my husband is so wonderful. He watched our two girls for me while I went out with a close friend to a dinner honoring foster parents (my friend is one). Kaylen is teething right now, and is quite a handful so this was especially wonderful to have a break from!

I am blessed.

Joining the "Get Dressed Challenge"

This sounds like it will be an awesome experience, and a motivation for getting dressed!

Baby Girl is 6 months old.

Wow. I think I really need to put more time toward blogging ;) My second darling daughter was born on her due date April 18th, 2011. She was the exact same weight and height as her sister was when she was born! 7lbs 13 oz, 20.5". We are so blessed to have two healthy, mostly happy girls (as I'm writing this, my sweet Kaylen is screaming in her exersaucer)... Kaylen is not as happy go lucky as my Bryna was at this age, she's much more particular about schedule and sleep, and does not stay asleep when she finally does go down.

However, in the midst of a world riddled with children with diseases, and major mental issues, we are so thankful that none of those things have presented yet in our children. My heart just breaks for mothers who deal with sickness in their children. It's hard enough to watch your children get teeth or have a cold, nevermind a serious illness. My prayers are with them.

Taking a break to console above crying child ;)

Okay, one in bed, one watching her favorite show (Berenstein Bears). Now mom time.

IF anyone actually reads this blog (not sure), you probably know about my struggle with my house and getting it organized after the big flood last May, and our basement renovations. I've come to realize how much stuff I have, and how much I am blessed... and that I should be blessing others rather than stacking and storing boxes of stuff I don't use!

So far my husband and I have donated approximately 50 pounds of stuff, and thrown away about 100 pounds. Isn't it sad how much stuff we accumulate? As a mom, I want to instill in my children the importance of their faith, and people in their lives over the accumulation of stuff. I'm still working on myself in this regard, so I'm really working on ways to impliment.

If anyone who reads this has any tips... please let me know!

The waiting game

My due date with our second daughter is approaching rapidly... two more days actually. I thought this time would be even easier near the end because my first daughter was 11 days past the due date the Doctor gave me, so I haven't even been thinking April 18th in my mind as the actual birth date. HOWEVER. Having a 2 year old daughter who is asking me to "go to the hospital and bring home my baby sister" and saying things like "I want to hold her Mommy"... make it very hard to be patient. Also, well meaning friends and family checking in all the time does not help the patience process! My sister text me today and all it said was "Baby?" All these people will know when I know, so I'm not sure why people assume I will forget to tell them! Though, it really is nice to have family and friends that are so excited about our daughters birth that they are willing to check in and be just the slightest bit annoying ;) I'm so thankful that I have really uneventful pregnancies, and that I have not had any medical issues or bad test results or upsetting appointments. God has really blessed my husband and I, and I really don't take it forgranted. I am praying for patience over the next little while, knowing that once I'm holding my newest little bundle, I am going to be sad thinking about the movements that are no longer going on inside me - my husband calls this the contradiction that is pregnancy thoughts :) We are very much looking forward to announcing the newest member of our family... and I'm sure our daughter will be thrilled to finally be the big sister we've been talking up to her :)

Feeling Challenged... in a good way!

I started reading a book not too long ago called "What's it like to be married to me?" It asks a lot of tough questions to reflect on, and to realize that in our marriages instead of focussing on what the other person should be changing, we need to focus on ourselves since that's the only person we are responsible for! I've really enjoyed it so far (I'm not very far in), and I'm trying to read through it slowly so that I allow myself to really reflect on what each chapter means in my life, and in my marriage. One of the major things the author gets us to focus on, is how we are building up our husbands... and not tearing them down with our words. I had another confirmation of that mentality when I was at a dear friends wedding shower, and the woman sharing the devotional (whom I've known my whole life!) was talking about our words and their impact on our marriage. I have come to realize I am too quick to challenge Jeff about his behaviour or about things he says to me, but I am unwilling to look to myself for ways I could be more positive, and encouraging. That is a focus I plan on changing, and while I am not perfect and will still have days when I focus on Jeff and his faults... I really do love him, and I feel very blessed when I list out all the wonderful things he does, and is to me. He's a great father - Bryna loves him to bits, and they have special fun things they get to do together, games they've made up with lego pieces, snuggles, longer drawn out bedtime routines because they get too caught up reading to notice the time... and more. He's a great husband - I never have to worry where Jeff is, or who he is out with. He is very respectful by letting me know without me asking where he plans to be for the day, and who he plans to be with. He also is very gracious and gets up to get me things when I've settled on the couch, and even lets me fall asleep first most nights before he comes to bed so his snoring doesn't keep me up. It's easy to forget the good when all you focus on is the bad... I thank the Lord for my husband, and how blessed I am!