Seven Years

May 17, 2003

Ok, so this is a little late...like over a month late, but worth mentioning anyways. Josh and I celebrated seven years of marriage last month. Wow. I'm starting to feel like a grown up (I guess a mortgage, car payments, two kids and GRAY HAIR will do that to you!) God has brought us to and THROUGH a lot. Loosing Josh to Mexico (on a missions trip) for eight days put a lot in perspective for me...I'm so glad that I don't have to do life alone! We've seen each other at our worst, and counted on one another for strength when one of us couldn't stand alone. We've both made our share of mistakes (and many more to come, I'm sure) and I'm hopeful that we are learning and growing from each one of them. So...happy seven years to us! Eight years will bring the birth of our second child and almost as equally exciting....the end of college and graduate school loans! WHOO HOO! Thankful to God for His grace to make it thus far....and counting on His mercy to continue on the journey.... loving Him, each other and our family!

May, 2010

Am I not blessed?

Its 95 degrees with a thousand percent humidity here in Indianapolis today. My fingers are swollen. My feet are swollen. I'm finding new varicose/spider veins every day. My belly is as big as it ever was when I was pregnant with Owen....and I have more than three months to go! I can't sleep for more than three hours at a time and I feel like I'm turning into an insomniac! I'm currently doing the single parent thing because Josh is gone to Mexico until next Wednesday with kids from youth group. My cell phone (my only phone) has died forever. I'm waging war between Verizon Wireless because the phone that I paid to have shipped to me over night hasn't been delivered. They seem helpless to HELP ME. (thankfully a good friend has an extra cell phone that she has let me borrow in the time being!) I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by all life is offering me at the moment. Insurance issues to figure out. Discipline to be consistent with. An every growing belly, leg cramps, heartburn and sugars to watch and be disciplined about....just feeling like its all a little much!

Today Owen and I ran into the grocery store to pick up a few things. It was late in the afternoon, nap time was approaching and Owen was on his last leg. I needed about four items, so I opted not to get a cart. About 30 seconds into the grocery store Owen started whining for him to carry him. I did so for about a minute but it became too much for me to juggle a pregnant belly, a 3 year old and the groceries I was picking up. By the time we had checked out, I had a crying little boy, four groceries bags in my hand and I was....sweating. As we exited the grocery store, we passed a sweet looking elderly woman sitting on a bench near the exited. She looked at me with sympathy, patted my back on the way out and said these words...."are you not blessed?!". Geesh. Indeed I am. If I stopped to count the ways God has blessed me and covered my life in grace and blessing....I would spend hours.....and probably more.

My child(ren) are my greatest joy. And, tonight I mourn for some church friends who were waiting to take home their newly adopted daughter when the birth mother changed her mind. Praying that Jesus will be close to them right now!

I love it that it seems like God puts just the right people in my path to turn my pity party around and remind me of what a wonderful life I have. Just wanted to share. If I never do anything big with my life..if I only manage to live a small, simple life...I know that I have everything I ever dreamed of. I am a wife and I am a mother. And for this, I thank God and ask him to keep me mindful of all that I have.

Thank you for this:

BB2 Week 21 Pictures

A sweet, precious little foot. Can't wait to kiss those toes!


And a rather blurry profile shot of our youngest child. We caught BB2 during his/her active time and the tech had to freeze the shot and blow it up. Still precious! We love you baby!