How Much Do You Love Your Spouse?

How many of you agree that Marriage is work? It's HAAAAAAARD work. ;)

So.. the question...

• How much do you love your spouse?
• Do you love them more than you love being right?
• Do you love them more than having to have the last word?
• Do you love them more than YOUR daily plans?

Marriage is all about compromise. So many people are scared of that word! A marriage has to have it to survive.

• If you're the type that keeps to yourself, not very talkative... compromise! Ask your spouse about their day. Communicate!
• If your spouse's Love language is words of affirmation and you have a hard time complimenting... compromise! Be sure to reassure your spouse of your faith in them.
• If your spouse's Love language is acts of service and you really aren't into housework... compromise! Be sure to do something for your spouse that would scream "SEE HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU?!"
• If your spouse's Love language is quality time and you have a jammed packed schedule... compromise! Plan some alone time with your honey (or the entire family - away from TV's and distractions and actually ENJOY one another!)
• If your spouse's Love language is physical touch and you aren't the touchy-feely type... compromise! HUG! KISS! Wrap your arm around them! Hold hands!
• If your spouse's Love language is receiving gifts and you aren't a big shopper... compromise! Pick your honey up something "just because". It doesn't have to be something big, just something that says "I was thinking about you, darling, and I love you."

If you don't know your spouses love language, I encourage you to research it. If you haven't read the book, you can find descriptions and even a quiz online available at: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/learn-the-languages/the-five-love-languages/

Do you love your spouse enough to LEARN THEIR LANGUAGE.... and SPEAK IT FLUENTLY?

<3

A New Me...

I'm not who I was,
nor who I want to be.
The Lord God Almighty
is working on me!

I've set some goals for myself, and I refuse to fall back into the same old rut! There is so much more important things in life that are outside of my four walls. I want to be the SOLDier God has called me to be. Completely SOLD out to Him. I HAVE to be the Lion God has called me to be in prayer and the Lamb those around me need on a day to day basis.

Lord, keep my heart sensitive to You and Your will!

Lost but not forgotten....

:) Hey, my Blogspot! How I've missed you. I do hope to use you on a semi-regular basis. :)

IT IS WELL

First and foremost.... 2 Kings 4:26 Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

This Scripture has become my heart-cry. No matter what may come in life, through Christ alone, IT IS WELL.

Last night's prayer meeting was SO awesome and SO timely! We need to learn to wait on God, because when things happen in HIS time, they are always so beautiful and perfect. The Lord has spoken "Selah" into our hearts - issuing healing and restoration to many. This is a time of peace, relaxation, as we listen to the music "we've" created resound off the walls and slowly fade away. Don't rush it! It's so beautiful what God has done. Healing balm of Gilead has been spread throughout hearts and lives and it's such a beautiful thing.

I have been so pressed and worried from all sides - the message Sunday morning AND Sunday night were totally awesome. The Lord's train fills the temple - His accomplishments. We need to let our Uzziah die (self-will and flesh) and let the LORD become out Life-Coach [Isaiah 6]. We need to make HIM our center of attention. Christ states that we are the Apple of His eye, we need to make Him the apple of OUR eyes. We need to focus on him and walk DAILY in the Emmanuel. I want to live in my Emmanuel. My Provider. There is nothing in this world that I can ever NEED that the Lord will not provide - In HIS TIME.

Thank you Lord, Thank you so so so much for your words. I want to desire your words as much as I desire to take my next breath. Put that longing in me.

I am walking in you, Lord, My Emmanuel. My provider - and in YOUR time, you will move my mountains and foothills... in the meantime, thank you for Speaking SELAH to the storms that surround them.

Mountain Mover

My God is a mountain mover - My God’s gonna make a way - Can’t count all the time He’s proven - We can trust him just have faith - Take a hopeless situation - Watch Him turn it all around - Nothing is impossible - I can’t hold back I’ve gotta shout - My God, My God My God - Is a mountain mover - Got a problem in my pathway - I feel I’m frozen here - Doubts are circling high above me - But in the shadow of my fear - The Fire of faith is stirring - Growing inside of me - Reminding me of something - I already believe - He’s a God of mighty miracles - When the days are dark - I will keep on trusting Him - I will not lose heart -

Here goes....

So it goes like this... I have one of the most wonderful joys of being a mother. My beautiful soon to be 5-yr-old is truly one of the bright rays of sunshine in my life. Naomi was born December 3, 2004 and I had the opportunity to stay at home with her until January 6th, 2005 - those weeks seemed to fly by. Our financial status screamed that I needed to go back to work, and of course, the office "needed" me - I'd been out a month and had recovered nicely from the C-Section... So Naomi was now in the hands of her more-than-capable daddy. From January to May he was attending PRC, so when he was in class, Naomi spent time at Nana's... occasionally they visited Gramma, they had a blast. I missed her incessantly. I even brought her to work a few days when I didn't have a sitter, but that wasn't very often. After Joseph Graduated, he began working with his uncle. Naomi was back and forth between Nana's and Gramma's non-stop. I know her grandparents loved this time with her, but it was killing me that I wasn't home to be with her. I pushed the longing aside... I kept moving forward... In December 2006 I gave my (2) weeks notice before getting out for Christmas and had about 3 weeks at home before starting a new Job on January 4th, 2007. Naomi was now with my mom almost 5-days a week. She'd occasionally stay at her Nana's when my mom was unavailable... Candice babysat, Tiffany kept her on her days off... Misty even kept her. Back and forth, back and forth... The Spring of 2008 my mom needed a break, so for about 5 or 6 months she was with her Nana. School was getting close, and Naomi was 3, I began looking at our options of schools and daycare, Ms. Cindy had plans on going back to work... Joseph and I enrolled her, she began school. At 3. She hated it, she loved it. She was never sure of what she thought in the mornings. We fought getting dressed and she cried when I dropped her off. About a month into it, she finally calmed down, although she had an occasional relapse of the "i dont wanna go blues". She made it through the school year, turned 4 in December of 2008, did wonderful at the end-of-the-year Program K-5 Graduation.... She learned so much attending there. Without any other firm options, we kept her in the summer program. She had about 4 weeks of "breaks" - one week they were closed for 4th of July, she went to LA with my mom... one week I asked my sister in law to keep her... the next week we went to Branson and the next week my mom wanted to bring her back to LA... And now she's into the last 3 weeks of Summer School... she'll have 1 week off and the 2009-2010 school year begins August 31st. My precious little 4 year old, for the past year has been attending school from 8am to 5pm every day. Every morning is a battle, getting her up and dressed and out the door... I just don't think it's "fair" when she already has 12 years of education ahead of her, here I am adding another 2 because I can't take the time to actually be a mother and stay at home with her. I want to be home, not having to worry about getting her up at 630/7 every morning, rushing her cause we're running late, getting her to school at 830/845 and me myself being 30-45 minutes late for work everyday because of the battles we've had to fight... my socks feel funny, I hate these shoes, this skort bothers me, I don't want to wear this, I have a wedgie, I don't want my hair fixed, I don't feel like brushing my teeth......! When our second child gets here in December I will be on Maternity Leave for at least 12 weeks. I believe I am going to let Naomi stay at home with me... Might as well learn how to juggle the two right from the get-go, right? Plus, I want to have the bonding time, bonding with both my daughter and son. I feel like Naomi's been slighted. I've been a mother, but I feel like I've failed at being Mommy the first 5 years of her life. I just can't see putting my new baby in any childcare facility. Not a new born.... not a 2 month old. Doing so, I feel would only double the hardships - paying two childcare fees? Naomi's is already between 300 and 350 a month... and a Newborn wouldn't be less than 90 a week... that's another 350-375... I mean, it makes no sense... I feel like the Lord would desire me to be more active in raising my kids - I thank the Lord for a mother and mother-in-law who was Naomi's primary caregiver 8-9 hours a day the first 3 years of her life. I don't want a childcare or daycare facility teaching my children the things I should be... I am ashamed that Naomi has learned more about God at her school than I've ever been able to instill in her between the hours of 5pm and 8am plus the weekends. I mean, at least 7-8 of those 15 hours she's sleeping, and the other 2 are spent 1/2 asleep getting ready for school and on the drive to and from school. She's at school from 8 in the morning til usually 5 in the evening... to me that's just about like sending a 4 yr old to work. Its horrible and it breaks my heart. It's like I've pawned her off on someone else because I haven't taken the time to raise her myself. It hurts my heart and I'm reeeeeeeeally tired of it. I can't imagine doing the same thing to another one of my children. I want to be a mommy. Not just a mother. I'm ready to come home. I know the Lord understands my heart cry, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I trust in Him - He has blessed me and my husband up to this point, and I whole-heartedly believe it is just a beginning. I'm ready, Lord, for you to move mountains. I claim it as my promise, Lord, and I will praise you in advance.

BABY BOOM!!!!

Okay... so here's the Baby Boom line-up!!
June 23rd 2009 Jennifer delivered her 2nd beautiful daughter, Lydia Nichell, 7lbs. 6 oz., 20 inches long. Congratulations, Jennifer and Scott Cuaves on such a beautiful little girl!
August 15th 2009 Amber Mabb Montgomery is due to deliver her firstborn, Ryan Christopher Montgomery, JR. Her Baby Shower @ WARC is Sunday August the 2nd at 4:00p
September 21st 2009 Kristi Scarborough is due to deliver her 3rd child... NATURALLY. *shudders* Some women got it, some don't. LOL
November 7th 2009 Vanessa Whittington & Scooter are due to deliver their 2nd child; A BOY!!!
December 18th 2009 is my due date to deliver our 2nd child; A BOY!!! Although my due date is the 18th, we will probably deliver between the 7th and the 11th via scheduled c-section. Next Appointment scheduled on August 28th.
January 9th 2010 is Ashley Michelle Dobbs Dudeck and Jonathan are due date to deliver their 1st AND 2nd! (It's TWINS!!) Although her due date is January 9th, being her first pregnancy AND carrying twins, her doctor is leaning more towards the 3rd or 4th week of December 2009.
January 26th 2010 Bethany McNease and Shea are due to deliver their second child! You can read their journey here: http://sheaandbethanymc.blogspot.com/
February 3rd 2010 s Julie Dobbs Plemons and Wade are due date to deliver their 1st child.
February (2nd week) 2010 Becca Neal Tharp will deliver her 1st child!
March 30th 2010 (Approximately) Tabatha Farve & Jeremy are expecting their second child! She hasn't had her initial ultrasound yet, but as soon as she gets a "sure" due date I will post that as well!! Just a little background on Tabatha and Jeremy.... they tried conceiving soon after marrying in 2000. It was discovered that Tabatha had cysts on her ovaries and they scheduled a surgery to remove them... the day she went in for surgery they found she was pregnant with her firstborn, Persephanie! After Persephanie was born, they rescheduled surgery... they eneded up having to remove an ovary, leaving Tabatha and Jeremy with 1/2 the chance of becoming pregnant again, as it is a little more difficult to do with just one ovary. :-) However, a few years later, Look what the Lord has done!!!
Who's to be next?? :-)

As we find out the sex of the babies' I will update this - and of course, as they are born, I will surely update it with weights and lengths.
Check out the latest ultrasound: