Today I spent the day with family where they were staying. I went into a couple stores, went into their hotel/suite, and walked through parking lots and a parking garage....then happened to look at my wedding ring and notice the gem was missing. I was upset, I love my ring! I knew I would never be able to find a tiny little gem so was thinking of places to go to get a new gem put in.
Then I had this thought come into my mind to look inside the diaper bag. That it probably fell out when I was getting a bottle or diaper. I picked up the diaper bag and looked inside, lifted up the formula can and lo and behold there the gem was...resting on the bottom of the bag.
What an amazing miracle! What are the chances of that happening!?!?
Friday, August 12, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Being a Mom
We spent the weekend on the coast in a beach house. We had no internet access, so it was all focused on each other. It was supposed to be a vacation....it was supposed to allow me to get away from all the stress of unpacking and allow me to relax. But vacationing with kids isn't so easy.
The baby was perfect. She was happy and giggly, but the older two kids fought and whined left and right. It was overwhelming. I was constantly cleaning up after everyone and trying to get the kids to quit fighting and being mean and rude.
We got back yesterday and there has been a lot of hyperactivity now with being home. And hyperactivity means they don't listen to me at all. I am beyond exhausted from unpacking and going on vacation and then back to unpacking. I can hardly keep myself going.
I bet you are wondering where the blessing/miracle is, huh? Well, here it is.... Even with all of that, even with the stress and exhaustion, even with the arguing and whining....I love my kids dearly and I love being a mom. I wouldn't have it any other way. My life wouldn't be complete without them. I am so blessed to be a mom.
The baby was perfect. She was happy and giggly, but the older two kids fought and whined left and right. It was overwhelming. I was constantly cleaning up after everyone and trying to get the kids to quit fighting and being mean and rude.
We got back yesterday and there has been a lot of hyperactivity now with being home. And hyperactivity means they don't listen to me at all. I am beyond exhausted from unpacking and going on vacation and then back to unpacking. I can hardly keep myself going.
I bet you are wondering where the blessing/miracle is, huh? Well, here it is.... Even with all of that, even with the stress and exhaustion, even with the arguing and whining....I love my kids dearly and I love being a mom. I wouldn't have it any other way. My life wouldn't be complete without them. I am so blessed to be a mom.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Blessed By God's Love
So many amazing things have happened in our life this past week. It has been chaotic with the move, but each day has been filled with blessings and little miracles. I just didn't have internet hooked up until yesterday, so wasn't able to write about them.
It is so apparent that God is in our lives. That his hand guides us and that he wants to see us each succeed. Difference is, God's thoughts on success are different than most mortals. We view success as having a really good paying job, big house, fancy car...you know, the type of things that make us feel good enough about ourselves to want to go to our high school reunions. Success in God's eyes are very different from those things. His kind of success is far greater.
I am so grateful to have God in my life. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of him and his son, Jesus Christ. I am so blessed to have been born into a Christian family so that I could grow up knowing about our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. In my adult life things always turn out as long as I have listened to the promptings of the spirit in where I need to be and what I need to be doing. Even during the struggles, as long as I stay close to God then I am just fine.
He takes care of us. I have heard people ask why he lets bad things happen to us if he loves us so much. Why he lets us make mistakes, etc. I have come to realize, through being a parent, that you can't MAKE your kids make the right choices. All you can do is provide them with the knowledge they need in order to succeed and make the right choices. It is up to them to use that knowledge. If they are made to make the right choices then they learn nothing from it. If they make bad choices, fall at times, then they learn and grow. That is what God does for us. I am so grateful that he loves me enough to let me make my own mistakes and choices. Because I have grown so very much the past couple years due to making wrong decisions and even due to making right decisions.
I am just feeling so extremely blessed today.
It is so apparent that God is in our lives. That his hand guides us and that he wants to see us each succeed. Difference is, God's thoughts on success are different than most mortals. We view success as having a really good paying job, big house, fancy car...you know, the type of things that make us feel good enough about ourselves to want to go to our high school reunions. Success in God's eyes are very different from those things. His kind of success is far greater.
I am so grateful to have God in my life. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of him and his son, Jesus Christ. I am so blessed to have been born into a Christian family so that I could grow up knowing about our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. In my adult life things always turn out as long as I have listened to the promptings of the spirit in where I need to be and what I need to be doing. Even during the struggles, as long as I stay close to God then I am just fine.
He takes care of us. I have heard people ask why he lets bad things happen to us if he loves us so much. Why he lets us make mistakes, etc. I have come to realize, through being a parent, that you can't MAKE your kids make the right choices. All you can do is provide them with the knowledge they need in order to succeed and make the right choices. It is up to them to use that knowledge. If they are made to make the right choices then they learn nothing from it. If they make bad choices, fall at times, then they learn and grow. That is what God does for us. I am so grateful that he loves me enough to let me make my own mistakes and choices. Because I have grown so very much the past couple years due to making wrong decisions and even due to making right decisions.
I am just feeling so extremely blessed today.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Lead By The Spirit
Fifteen months ago we sold our first home and moved in with family. Thinking it would be a couple month situation, we went into it rather enthused. Then things didn't work out. We have been living with family ever since. Although I am so very grateful for my family and for them allowing us to stay with them for so long, we definitely have had a hard time getting used to not having our own stuff and our own space.
We have been trying so hard. My husband has been working so hard (working a job even with his back in so much pain), but we stayed stuck for a very long time. It honestly seemed like we would never get a place of our own. Until this past week when we decided to find a place to rent and pay a year on (which I blogged about in Answered Prayers )
We have been searching for a house in a very specific area of town and nothing was working out. Then last night I was looking at ads with my mom. I ended up clicking on one that was slightly more than the ones we had been looking at. It sounded amazing. I called to ask where it was and when she told me (and it wasn't in the area we wanted) I said, "thank you" and hung up. Something told me to call back and ask if she would allow pets and ask to see it. So I called right back. She normally wouldn't want pets indoors, but said if I can promise I would make sure they wouldn't tear up the house then she would allow it. Then she said if 9 pm wasn't too late that we could see it last night. Otherwise wait til morning. We opted to see it at 9 pm.
We weren't planning on taking the kids to see it, but we didn't get them to bed in time so ended up taking them with us. When we pulled into the driveway we felt so good about it. Then as soon as we walked into the house we fell in love. It was exactly what we have been looking for. The kids were running around all excited. They went upstairs and chose their rooms (surprisingly no fight, they each wanted a different room!). As we walked around from room to room, it felt like home. We began planning where things would go.
It was 9:20 pm...we decided we wanted it. I called the landlord (she had the neighbor show us the house because she lives far away) and talked to her about it. I was expecting her to say she would get the application for us to fill out for the background check and credit report (which is what all the other places asked for), but instead she asked, "How soon would you like to move in?" I told her as soon as able. She said, "I will drive up tomorrow and you can sign the paperwork and I will give you the keys."
I was in total shock! I whispered to my husband and Mom, "We move in tomorrow!" They got so excited. When I got off the phone, I told the kids. They were screeching and jumping up and down. My 10 year old, J, started crying. Worried she was crying because it meant switching schools and church building, I asked if she was ok with it. She nodded and said how happy she was.
What an incredible miracle and blessing. God has truly provided for us. He has blessed us to greatly.
We have been trying so hard. My husband has been working so hard (working a job even with his back in so much pain), but we stayed stuck for a very long time. It honestly seemed like we would never get a place of our own. Until this past week when we decided to find a place to rent and pay a year on (which I blogged about in Answered Prayers )
We have been searching for a house in a very specific area of town and nothing was working out. Then last night I was looking at ads with my mom. I ended up clicking on one that was slightly more than the ones we had been looking at. It sounded amazing. I called to ask where it was and when she told me (and it wasn't in the area we wanted) I said, "thank you" and hung up. Something told me to call back and ask if she would allow pets and ask to see it. So I called right back. She normally wouldn't want pets indoors, but said if I can promise I would make sure they wouldn't tear up the house then she would allow it. Then she said if 9 pm wasn't too late that we could see it last night. Otherwise wait til morning. We opted to see it at 9 pm.
We weren't planning on taking the kids to see it, but we didn't get them to bed in time so ended up taking them with us. When we pulled into the driveway we felt so good about it. Then as soon as we walked into the house we fell in love. It was exactly what we have been looking for. The kids were running around all excited. They went upstairs and chose their rooms (surprisingly no fight, they each wanted a different room!). As we walked around from room to room, it felt like home. We began planning where things would go.
It was 9:20 pm...we decided we wanted it. I called the landlord (she had the neighbor show us the house because she lives far away) and talked to her about it. I was expecting her to say she would get the application for us to fill out for the background check and credit report (which is what all the other places asked for), but instead she asked, "How soon would you like to move in?" I told her as soon as able. She said, "I will drive up tomorrow and you can sign the paperwork and I will give you the keys."
I was in total shock! I whispered to my husband and Mom, "We move in tomorrow!" They got so excited. When I got off the phone, I told the kids. They were screeching and jumping up and down. My 10 year old, J, started crying. Worried she was crying because it meant switching schools and church building, I asked if she was ok with it. She nodded and said how happy she was.
What an incredible miracle and blessing. God has truly provided for us. He has blessed us to greatly.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Mommy's Girl
Today I was reading to E (my 4 year old). One of the books she asked me to read was "Dumbo." It was new so she had never heard the story before and has never seen the cartoon. While reading it to her, she clung onto my arm and laid her head against me. When I was done reading the story, I looked down and saw tears in her eyes.
I asked her if she was crying. She wiped her eye and said, "No, it's just water..." I told her that it is ok if she was crying. She nodded her head. I had to prod her to find out why she was crying. In the story, Dumbo's mom was taken away and locked up. He wasn't able to see her or have her rock him to sleep in her trunk any more. That made E so sad. After her telling me this, it made sense why she clung to me during the story.
It was sad, but sweet at the same time. She normally doesn't cry when it comes to things happening in movies or books. She has such a fear of being away from me though, so I am sure that is why this book brought on tears.
I am so grateful that I get to be a stay at home mom. I am glad that she can have that bonding time with me that she needs. Seeing how this book affected her emotions made me feel even more blessed to be able to be home with the kids.
I asked her if she was crying. She wiped her eye and said, "No, it's just water..." I told her that it is ok if she was crying. She nodded her head. I had to prod her to find out why she was crying. In the story, Dumbo's mom was taken away and locked up. He wasn't able to see her or have her rock him to sleep in her trunk any more. That made E so sad. After her telling me this, it made sense why she clung to me during the story.
It was sad, but sweet at the same time. She normally doesn't cry when it comes to things happening in movies or books. She has such a fear of being away from me though, so I am sure that is why this book brought on tears.
I am so grateful that I get to be a stay at home mom. I am glad that she can have that bonding time with me that she needs. Seeing how this book affected her emotions made me feel even more blessed to be able to be home with the kids.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Answered Prayers
We have all been praying that something would work out for us to buy a home. My husband and I both felt rather hopeless because nothing has been working out. We have been living with family for over a year and have had our things in storage for just as long. It has been discouraging, but we kept praying. Then last night something happened.
Every night my husband and I read scriptures together. Last night while reading scriptures at 1 in the morning, I reached over and touched his hand. Upon touching his hand, I immediately felt a rush of happiness go shooting up my arm, to my heart and throughout the rest of my body. Then about a minute later I had another feeling of energy rush through me from head to toe like a bolt of lighting. With this came the clear thought into my head, "You have the money to pay for a years worth of renting. Rent instead of buy." I also had the thought with it that we would have better income by then to qualify for a higher loan than we are now, which means getting a nicer house that won't have to be totally renovated.
I had it in my mind for so long that we can't afford to rent. But because of the car accident settlement, as small as our portion ended up being, we can rent a home. I was so excited and so happy. I had a difficult time going to sleep. I wanted to shout from the rooftops that God had answered my pleas! God listened and answered! What an incredible feeling that was. I went into the bathroom and cried as I thanked Heavenly Father a couple dozen times. (was too embarrassed to let my husband see so that is why I went into the bathroom lol)
Today I have felt happy and excited and grateful. Instead of waiting months and months to see if we would get the short sale house that would take a few thousand to fix up, we could be moving into a place in the next couple weeks. God is good. All the time.
Every night my husband and I read scriptures together. Last night while reading scriptures at 1 in the morning, I reached over and touched his hand. Upon touching his hand, I immediately felt a rush of happiness go shooting up my arm, to my heart and throughout the rest of my body. Then about a minute later I had another feeling of energy rush through me from head to toe like a bolt of lighting. With this came the clear thought into my head, "You have the money to pay for a years worth of renting. Rent instead of buy." I also had the thought with it that we would have better income by then to qualify for a higher loan than we are now, which means getting a nicer house that won't have to be totally renovated.
I had it in my mind for so long that we can't afford to rent. But because of the car accident settlement, as small as our portion ended up being, we can rent a home. I was so excited and so happy. I had a difficult time going to sleep. I wanted to shout from the rooftops that God had answered my pleas! God listened and answered! What an incredible feeling that was. I went into the bathroom and cried as I thanked Heavenly Father a couple dozen times. (was too embarrassed to let my husband see so that is why I went into the bathroom lol)
Today I have felt happy and excited and grateful. Instead of waiting months and months to see if we would get the short sale house that would take a few thousand to fix up, we could be moving into a place in the next couple weeks. God is good. All the time.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Debt Free! Well...mostly...
Today I was able to pay off my student loans in FULL!!! That is such a big deal and such a major miracle. I have had to defer the payments for 2 years due to not even being able to make payments of any kind. Now I was able to pay it off. So grateful for the car accident settlement that allowed us to get this debt paid off. (Just not grateful for the horrible pain my husband is still in from the car accident)
I find it interesting how often the money we need comes when we most need it. Makes the struggles we go through in the mean time worth it.
I find it interesting how often the money we need comes when we most need it. Makes the struggles we go through in the mean time worth it.
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