Life Lessons

  • Loosening My Grip: Why Can’t I Get Pregnant? (Part 2)

    If you missed it, you can read “Why Can’t I Get Pregnant” Part 1.

    Now that I have learned to let go of my personal agenda, that I will not always receive clear answers, doctors can be puzzled, and to rejoice with others even when my heart is heavy I can continue onto the next phase which I had been longing for right?

    Learning to Share with to Others

    After three years of trying to have children and the emotional roller coaster I was getting discouraged.  We did everything the doctors told us to do yet still no children.  At this point I decided to start praying specifically for a person I could talk to about what I was going through.  When certain people would bring up the tough topic I would share a little bit about what we were going through.  Although, they were extremely compassionate and many began praying along with me none of them had been through similar situations.  I found out that several of my friends and family members had experienced miscarriages which is another equally emotional situation when you are trying to start a family.  One beautiful lesson I learned during this time in my life is by opening up my heart to others it gave them the confidence to share their own struggles.  Even though my struggles were different it allowed me to pray for others while going through a tough season myself.  Each person has their own set of items they are learning to loosen their grip on and by praying for others it took my focus off myself so I could be an encouragement to those around me.

    Power of Praying Friends

    By opening my heart to a few people it did ease some of the hurt I was feeling.  Some days were still tough but at least I had a network of people praying for us as a couple and as a family.  I felt like my OB wasn’t interested in helping and when I would call his office I would get the nurse’s voice mail after several prompts and since I wasn’t pregnant, scheduling or an emergency many times the nurse would never call me back.  When you have a group of people praying with you the direction seems so much clearer.  At this point in the journey I knew it was time to consider seeing another doctor.

    Miracle of Answered Prayers

    A few months later after much prayer I decided to ask Jake’s cousin, Mandy, who was a local nurse for recommendations on OB’s doctors.  Mandy was truly an answer to prayer.  She is a nurse and knew a lot of doctors so she had a better idea of where to direct me.  I ended up going to one of the OB’s she recommended.  Mandy was more of an encouragement then she’ll probably ever know during this season in my life.  God used her to guide me to the professional doctors I needed in my life during this time.

    A Fresh Perspective

    The new doctor was great, listened, and recommended I at least consider meeting with a fertility doctor.  We met with the fertility doctor and he was very positive, however, wanted to do more tests.  Then wait a few months. One of the recommendations he made to us was for me to consider finding a less stressful career.  I was working long hours at an attorney’s office and Jake had been encouraging me to look for something less stressful as well, but I didn’t want to stop working until after I had kids (yet another area I was attempting to control in my life).  Also, during this time we were made aware that the prescription I was given by my previous OB was 4 times stronger than what I should have been taking (which is why I was so sick).  Thankfully, God worked in that situation and gave us wisdom to stop taking it.

    Difficult Decisions

    After seeing the doctor Jake and I prayed about my work situation again and decided (reluctantly at first) that I should quit and look for something part time that was less stressful.  It was difficult giving up a job that I worked so hard at but at the same time if I wanted a family it was something I needed to do.   A couple months later I found a really neat part time position that was great and more laid back, yet another amazing answer to prayer.

    A New Opportunity

    During that waiting period Mandy approached me and told me about a new Case Study a friend of hers was doing called “Fit & Fertile” and it was being led by the fertility doctor I met several months before.  The study was on changing your diet, exercise, and lower stress level to see if a series of non-medicated changes could help women get pregnant.  In that group I met amazing women that were experiencing similar situations.  Some of them already had one child but couldn’t have a second and others were like me and were unable to get pregnant even the first time.  The nurse and doctor did blood work before and after the study but otherwise that was it.  I was a little weary of the case study working but God had obviously directed me to it so I had to follow through with it trusting He knew what was best for me.

    ……this series will be continued next Wednesday!

    A little bit more about the Loosening My Grip series

    Looking back over the last few years it is much easier to see God’s perfect timing.  It was painful waiting, having people constantly ask questions, going to the doctor, praying, dealing with the emotions, and feeling like God didn’t even care.

    After much prayer and resistance I have decided to start my “Loosening My Grip” series.  I came up with the theme and idea more than a year ago.  Every time I start to write a little more on this topic I decide to just not do it.  Why?

    • It is personal
    • I still struggle with many issues in my life and continue to learn of more areas that I need to loosen my grip on
    • The feeling of inadequacy to write on the topic
    • No one else probably has these issues nor would they want to read about mine

    God has been working overtime on me to do it even though my flesh says stay away from certain areas.  It is difficult writing about those topics that are really near and dear to our hearts.  Most likely the series will not always go in chronological order because I am writing the topics as God lays them on my heart to write.  Maybe there is someone out there that has experienced similar struggles or is currently going through this situation in their life.  I hope to be an encouragement to you.  I want you know that you’re not alone; we have strength and support from a God that is so much bigger than any one of us.

    Loosening My Grip is a series on areas in my life I am learning to let go of slowly.  Several months ago I was studying Jonah and one of the phrases popped out at me was “Whatever you are holding on to in this life, hold it loosely so it won’t hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open to take it away.”  I have found that in some areas God has had to pry my fingers off of whatever I am holding onto one finger at a time.  There are areas in my life that I feel like I need control over and hold onto them tightly when God really has something so much more beautiful in store for me.  I have been learning how to let go and hold onto things more loosely so God can do His work in my life.

    Photo by Downstairs Dev

  • Song: “Stained Glass Masquerade” by Casting Crowns

    Last week was a mixed of emotions….. One dear friend from church who had been battling cancer, lived a great life, and was an inspiration to many went home to be with her Savior.  Another friend and business acquaintance who we hadn’t seen for several months took his own life which came as a complete surprise to our family.   We received news about a couple other friends going through some tough times as well.  The girls went back to school, work was busy, and many other activities filled the week.

    As I was enjoying some quiet time today I decided to look through my journal of ideas, specifically the list of songs that caught my attention. When I came upon “Stained Glass Masquerade” by Casting Crowns I paused…..and thought about all the events throughout the week.  How many of us live in some form of masquerade, we each have our own weaknesses yet we think it is not acceptable to discuss those fears and failures with others.  When we look around us at our friends or acquaintances in church and in other areas of our lives everyone else seems to have their lives perfectly put together.  How often do we chose to not reach out to someone because we are afraid of what they will think of us or how they will react when we can see that they are struggling?

    Take a moment today to search your heart, confess your weaknesses to God and live the life that is meant for you.  Find a prayer partner, or two, that you can be open and honest with and pray earnestly for each other.  No one person can fill a void in your heart or life except Christ, however, having friends praying alongside you increases your chance of success and brings a lot of encouragement along the hills and valleys in each others journeys.

  • Summer Activities – A Hammock Full of Memories

    Swinging and relaxing for a few minutes in the Hammock!

    A few months ago for Mother’s Day Jake gave me a hammock!  It wasn’t until this Summer that I realized how much the gift meant to me.  As a family we have spent some wonderful time together talking, laughing, reading, and just relaxing together in the hammock.  Jake hung the hammock in the shady part of our yard near the jungle gym, swimming pool, and where I can see the majority of the yard, house and driveway.

    Karlie hanging out with us on the hammock!

    Once Karlie was done swimming she ran inside the house to change so she could have some relaxing time on the hammock with Mom and Dad.  I cannot count the number of times she has fallen asleep on the hammock as we enjoy time together.

    Brina loving the extra time talking and relaxing with Mom, Dad and Karlie.

    The girls love getting a chance to swing on the hammock with Mom and Dad.  They have a blast talking about anything and everything.  It is a great location to have some heart to heart as well as reminisce about all the fun memories we have together as a family.

    Skipper, our faithful guard dog while the family enjoys time on the hammock.

    After Skipper has made a complete loop around the entire property she will settle down at a spot right next to the hammock.  She occasionally will look at us but for the most part she is checking out all the activity in the woods and creek area.  Although she has never been on the hammock she seems to enjoy it when the entire family is outside nearby.

    A moment of rest.

    Every once in awhile when we are on the hammock the girls will fall asleep.  It is such a great place to spend a few moments together.  Life has a way of getting so busy that we need some time to stop, focus on each family member, enjoy being outside and relax.

    A peaceful view of nature!

    This is the view looking up from the hammock.  You can enjoy the beautiful trees, baby blue sky, and white puffy clouds floating by.  Just looking up and watching the leaves rustle in the breeze and the clouds drifting by makes the time relaxing even better.

    I have gone out many times over the last few months to relax, read, think, pray, do my devotions, write, brain storm, or hang out with Jake and / or the girls.  I am thankful for a thoughtful husband who gave me a gift that not only helps me relax but to slow down and enjoy a few precious moments with him and the girls.  Our hammock is so much more then just a hammock it is full of relaxing moments sharing memories together as a family.  Sometimes it is the simple things in life that make the most treasured memories for our children.  I am already looking forward to watching the leaves change colors as we move closer to the Fall season.

  • A Little Purple Flower

    Those who know me have heard this story many times.  The other day as I was reflecting on my life and the many blessings in it my thoughts drifted back to this moment several years ago that so deeply stirred my heart.  I want to share this story with you to provide encouragement for those tough days.

    When I was in college I had an experience that left a lasting imprint on my heart and life.  Sometimes God uses the “tiniest” blessings to uplift and encourage us.  It had been a rough week at college with a lot of projects, tests, work, and activities.  I was a little more stressed than normal and homesick.  I had just checked my mailbox and once again it was empty.  As I quietly walked back to my dorm room I noticed a group of preschool children from the daycare nearby coming my direction walking in a single file line with their teachers.  The kids were talking, laughing and full of life.  Right as I was walking past them one little boy yelled “STOP!”  The whole line of kids, teachers, and myself stopped as he bent over at the edge of the sidewalk, looked at the ground, then started jumping up and down while yelling excitedly  “LOOK I FOUND A PURPLE FLOWER!”  What he had found was the tiniest little purple flower attached to a weed on the edge of the sidewalk.

    Everyday that week I had walked by those purple flowers but yet I was so focused on my own life, problems, and thoughts that I had failed to stop and notice the little purple flowers in my life.  Those purple flowers represent a multitude of blessings God sends my way to remind me (even in the tough times) that He loves me.  Often he uses the beauty of His creation to capture my attention but it could be many other blessings in my life that I didn’t stop to appreciate.  I never walked down that sidewalk again without looking for a purple flower and this moment has been etched in my mind as a reminder for me to continue looking for those purple flowers.

    There have been seasons in my life since that time when I had to look closely at the weeds (metaphorically speaking) to find a beautiful purple flower in the midst of the trial.  It was a simple illustration of God’s love shining through that little boy to remind me how truly blessed I am.  This moment made a priceless impact on my life and even though life isn’t always easy I know God cares enough to send even a tiny purple flower across my path.

    I want to encourage you if you are going through a rough season.  It’s okay to have tough days, God still loves you, cares about you, and is reaching out to show you blessings (no matter how big or tiny) everyday.  Although, you may have to look harder for those little purple flowers on the side of the walkway in the middle of the weeds you can rejoice in those little miracles of encouragement.  Take a moment today to reflect on the purple flowers in your life.

    Photo by donjd2

  • Life Simplified: Sell, Give, Donate or Toss It?

    I was listening to the radio a few weeks ago and heard the announcer telling a personal story how she had a box of knickknacks and other items.  She was procrastinating on organizing the items and as she was going through it she was trying to decide what she should give away, put away or throw away……in the end she just got a bigger box.

    This little story stood out to me because I have been thinking about how we as a family and Americans in general need to cut back.  One of my goals in 2011 is to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me.  I have been sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.

    My Third Life Simplified Goal:

    • Organize & De-Clutter our Home

    Explanation of the Goal: When my husband and I were first married we lived a nice but small apartment.  When we had friends over to eat we had to sit on the floor or the hand-me-down love seat that I received from a client that was throwing it out.  The majority of our items have been purchased second hand or given to us by family or friends.  After a couple years in the apartment we moved into our home and then had kids.  Recently as we were sitting together talking about life we realized how much “stuff” we had accumulated over the course of a few years.  I am a sentimental person so a lot of items have a story behind them, but there a many items in our home we no longer use.  The girls have baby toys that they no longer play with along with knickknacks here and there.  Over the course of the year we a going to reorganize and de-clutter our home.  I think it will be a continual work in progress, however, if we are not using an item we need to evaluate if we really need it.

    Here are some ways we anticipate eliminating some of the clutter:

    • Sell It – EBay, CraigsList, or Garage Sale
    • Give It Away – to someone needing or wanting the item.
    • Donate it to a charity or an organization that can give it to a person who can use it
    • Throw it away – this one is hard for me!  I am still learning that it is okay to not keep every single piece of paper my kids scribble on.  I want to have some to put in a scrapbook for them but I don’t need every paper.  I love the memories!

    We have already started working on this goal.  It is amazing how easy it is to post to CraigsList and Ebay which the items usually sell within a week or two.  When someone is over at the house and we realize that they could use something we have but are not using we take the opportunity to give it away.

    I will share with you the challenges, successes so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating  and sharing your story.  I would love to have an organized and de-cluttered home by the end of the year.

    Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others.  Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff”  and if you are like us we just have too much.  I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives.  When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.

  • Life Simplified: Meal Delivery

    Dessert tray we delivered to a family!

    Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights and to focus on what’s really important in life.  In 2011 I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me.  I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.  I have already shared with you my 1st Life Simplified Goal of No Grocery Shopping for the month of January.  One of the most rewarding blessings in life is sharing what you have with others.  My second Life Simplified Goal goes along with that piece.

    My 2nd Life Simplified Goal:

    • Deliver 1 Meal a Month to a family outside of our household

    Explanation of the Goal: In 2010 I signed up to deliver meals to new Moms after they came home from the hospital, people who had surgery and various other volunteer opportunities.  There were a couple months I didn’t do any meals and other months I had several extra meals to prepare.  For example, in December I had 4 extra meals to prepare and deliver outside of our home before the week of Christmas, some of them being over an hour away, plus we had a Christmas Eve party at our house and guests staying with us for a week.  While I enjoy the blessing of helping others I need to work on saying “No” once I have met my limit.  After much prayer and talking with my husband we have decided it would be best for our family if I would stick to 1 meal delivery a month.  Once I have delivered a meal in a month I will have to say no to any additional inquiries.  There are so many people out there that need help, however, I have to decide what is best for our family too.  I want the girls to continue participating in these amazing acts of service and having a limit will give us the freedom to continue to do it without putting our family in a spot we are over our budget. I think with all the people in our church and community that if everyone did just one meal a month for someone needing a meal there would even be extra to go around.

    I will continue to deliver meals for people once a month.  Below are the opportunities that I am currently and will continue to be involved in:

    • Moms with Newborn Babies
    • People coming home from Surgery
    • Death in the Family
    • Other Volunteer Needs for Meal Delivery

    I have a hard time saying “no” to someone in need but in order for me to have the opportunity to continue ministering to others in this way I need to stick to the goal as well as respect my husband in his decision to help me with this area I love to volunteer.  I will share with you the challenges, successes along the way so you can keep me accountable or you can even go through the journey with me by participating  and sharing your story.

    Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others.  Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff”  and if you are like us we just have too much.  I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives.  When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.

  • Loosening My Grip: No More Repairs…..Please! (continued)

    On Tuesday, I began sharing the repair ripple effect around our house these last few months.   In last half of 2010 every time we turned around something was needing fixed from household to physical and more.  God has a way of Loosening Our Grip on things we want to keep within our control.

    The repair domino effect continued:

    • Glasses – it has been over 3 years since Jake and I had our eyes checked and new glasses.  We bit the bullet and went to WalMart got our eyes checked and purchased new glasses.  The neat part was we learned in our 3 1/2 hour visit that the doctor played tennis with a friend of ours from church, it’s a small world.
    • Dental Work – it had been almost 4 years since Jake and I had gone to the dentist.  We have chosen to spend the money on the kids and wait on going ourselves.  Even though our teeth weren’t hurting we both had work that needed to be done which added up very quickly.  We really like our dentist but I had forgotten how much it costs, however, if we didn’t get it repaired it would eventually become painful and more expensive.  Thankfully over the last couple of months of 2010 we were able to get both of us up to date.
    • Dryer – My dryer has been slowly fading over the course of several years. It has been repair many times in the 10 years we have owned it.  I was under the impression that they lasted longer.  In a typical week I only do 4 to 5 loads of laundry so it wasn’t like it was from over use.  The heating aliment was replaced once or twice.  Two years ago the dial stopped working, you couldn’t adjust the heat or length of the dryer.  Thankfully we could still push the button and it would run, however, it NEVER shut off on its own so you would have to stay home and set a timer so you can take them out.  Many loads were too wet or too dry over the course of a couple years.  Over the last year it began taking between 1 to 4 hours to dry a load of clothes.  We finally decided it was time to replace it,
    • Van Repair & Water Pump – the van wasn’t running well early this fall and it was getting to the point where we where worried if it would start and run for us.  Jake didn’t want me stranded somewhere with the kids so we took it in.  There were several things going on and we were able to get it repaired.  A month later the water pump blew and it was in for another shop visit.  The girls asked why the van was going to the doctor so often!
    • Water Line to the House – one day when I came home after work there was no water at our house.  The water company wasn’t doing any repairs  in our area and since it had been cold the last few days they indicated that we had a burst pipe.  We found the location of the leak in the middle of our flower garden.  The previous owner had a garden water faucet hooked up to the old well and when they ran city water they kept that on the line.  Since the faucet was covered up we just assumed it went to the old well which was not the case.  Thankfully we were able to fix this one on our own with the help of my brother the extra water cost more than the pieces to fix the faucet and we only had to go without water a couple times.  We no longer have an extra faucet in the middle of our flower garden it is now buried underground with the other pipes.

    Even though I would never chose for all of these items to happen within a few months God’s timing was truly wonderful.  Jake was able to start feeling a little better after the surgery and he took on a new contract before some of the household items started wearing out.  Looking back over the year I an encouraged to know that I am not alone.  I have an amazing God, wonderful husband, sweet kids and awesome family and friends.    You are not alone either.  Even though 2010 or another year may have been tough on you physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially you are not alone.  It is through the tough times that you can be renewed and strengthened.  Despite the minor inconveniences 2010 has brought into my life I have much to rejoice about and be thankful for in my life.  There are moments that I will treasure forever looking back over this year.  Hopefully in 2011 it will be smooth sailing as far as repairs, however, I do want God to continue guiding me as I look forward to a fun and exciting 2011 jammed packed with memories!

    Loosening My Grip is a series on areas in my life I am learning to let go of slowly. A couple months ago I was studying Jonah and one of the phrases that popped out at me was “Whatever you are holding on to in this life, hold it loosely so it won’t hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open to take it away.”  I have found that in some areas God has had to pry my fingers off of whatever I am holding onto one finger at a time.  There are areas in my life that I feel like I need control over and hold onto them tightly.  I have been learning how to let go and hold loosely so God can do His work in my life.

  • Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping

    Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights and to focus on what’s really important in life.  In 2011 I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me.  I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.

    First Life Simplified Goal:

    • No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.

    Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread).  Our freezer is full and our pantry is overflowing with all the great deals that we have received.  One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them.  Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home.  I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks after doing Operation Christmas Child and other charities over the Holidays it really hit me that we have been blessed yet there are children and families that have nothing.  Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:

    • FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
    • Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
    • For Someone Else outside of my household.  For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.

    I have already started this goal.   The only things I have purchased this month so far have been a loaf of bread and 2 gallons of milk.  Last week we ate a bunch of leftovers for several days after my our family guests left since our fridge was full and we don’t want to waste the food we have.  It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well.  The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!

    I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating  and sharing your story.  I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!

    Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others.  Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff”  and if you are like us we just have too much.  I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives.  When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.

  • Loosening My Grip: No More Repairs…..Please!

    Let’s just say 2010 was in some ways….painful…..at least when you look at it from a budget standpoint.  Our budget was (ouch) way off after many unforeseeable major repairs and events.  There are some things that happen in life that are completely out of our control and as a person that likes to plan ahead it can really catch me off guard.  Many of the repairs were out of our hands and we were doing exactly what we thought God wanted us to do with our lives, however,  there can be a turns up ahead in life that will guide us in directions that we did not necessarily expect.  How we react and choose to move forward when we come to a crossroad is where the true test comes especially if we don’t like the direction the road is taking.  The amazing part  is God gave us peace and after many months of praying He gave us a very vivid answer to some of our questions. I am grateful everything continued working as long as it had, however, there for a few months it was like the domino effect around our house.  I felt like anything I touched broke.  We almost always buy used items and several things had been acting up for several months or years.   Thankfully I have an wonderful husband who budgets and has planned ahead enough to have an emergency fund.  Although we went over our small emergency fund during the last few months I know with God’s help, planning, sticking to the budget, and cutting back we can overcome these speed bumps.

    What type of items started this drum roll effect?

    • Car Purchase – Jake was rear ended in November 2009 at a stop sign by the person behind him who failed to stop until she hit his car.  His car was sandwiched between two cars and totaled.  Thankfully he was wearing his seat belt.  The insurance gave us some money to compensate for his car.  Unfortunately his car was paid off and we had to adjust to having one car with business events, meetings, kids, school, and everything else for several months.  We couldn’t find a car within the allotted price range so we continued to look.  The market for used cars in our price range was low plus the “Cash for Clunkers” took additional used cars out of the market.  Finally, in March 2010 we were able to locate a usable car within our budget that he could drive.  I am thankful he now has a reliable car to drive.
    • Business Expenses – several years ago we started our business as a way to help others and LOVE it, however, in 2010 the expenses were higher than anticipated and God showed us clearly the direction he wanted our family to take.  It has been an amazing journey seeing His hand working in our hearts, lives, and the business.
    • Jake’s Surgery – with the car accident from November 2009 Jake continued to have issues, we were hoping and praying that he would get better on his own, however, he had surgery in April to repair the damage.  Thankfully, after the surgery and a few months of physical therapy he is doing better even though like any injury the damage is done and continues to have a ripple effect.    We still haven’t been able to get the medical expenses covered from the person running into him (even though it has  been over a year) but hopefully it will be done in 2011.
    • Roof Repair – in August 2010 we after a pretty steady period of rain storms we had a tree fall on our house.  It was a domino effect of insurance, adjusters, roofers, and many more people trying to get it repaired before it rained again.  We were thankful to have an acquaintance do the majority of the repairs and roof.  It is amazing that you are required to pay insurance on time every month to get coverage, however, when you have a claim on it takes months to get the issue resolved.  We still have a few minor repairs remaining but we are thankful to have a roof over our heads and the majority of the work completed.
    • Laptop – I have been fortunate enough to never have to purchase a new laptop.  My husband has always been able to piece together a desktop or laptop for me to use from what he has available from doing work for others.  This year the hand-me-down machine died and the laptop was slowly wearing out with a major crack in the screen.  For my birthday I got my first ever new computer which has been a true blessing.

    I will continue with the domino effect of repairs we had in the last few months of 2010 later this week.  Thankfully we all made it to 2011 healthy and happy despite the adventure along the way.

    Loosening My Grip is a series on areas in my life I am learning to let go of slowly. A couple months ago I was studying Jonah and one of the phrases that popped out at me was “Whatever you are holding on to in this life, hold it loosely so it won’t hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open to take it away.”  I have found that in some areas God has had to pry my fingers off of whatever I am holding onto one finger at a time.  There are areas in my life that I feel like I need control over and hold onto them tightly.  I have been learning how to let go and hold loosely so God can do His work in my life.

  • Book: “Speaking Mom-ese” by Lisa Whelchel

    This book was given to me after I had the girls, Speaking Mom-ese by Lisa Whelchel.  The first few months after the girls were born were a blur after having 12 weeks of bed rest, followed by an early delivery, complications, and time in the NICU.  It was encouraging to have a devotional from a Mom’s perspective even though a lot of the stories were regarding older kids.   The devotionals were short, sweet, and hit home during those exhausting months.  Since then I have gone through the book again and different devotionals touched my heart this time around.