What's is Love??

Baby don't hurt me...no more. Why yes, I am sitting here bopping my head back and forth to this amazingly hip song. In case you want to, click to enjoy: What is Love Song.

Now, back to business. I was washing dishes tonight (because Chris's usual idea of "cleaning" the kitchen is to put some dishes in the dishwasher and the rest in the sink...does he think these magically get washed on their own?) and I started thinking about this song and what it's saying...what is love??

I'm getting anxious about the holidays; I always do. This is a time that should be spent relaxing and enjoy the true gift of love, Christ. Instead, I am often times wrapped up in buying gifts, volunteering at church, taking the kids to see Santa, and an endless list of other things that fill my calendar, that I forget to remember what Christmas is all about. Most often I stress over stupid family stuff...people and feelings I can't control. I stress over money and how we are going to afford to buy gifts, gifts that most likely cost a lot because my worldy mind thinks that spending lots equals big rewards. Well, and the fact that I always wait til the last minute to shop and by then I can't think of a creative gift to give or make because I don't have time. And tonight, I was thinking about all of this and a scripture came to mind. "Love keeps no record of wrong". So, if I truly love, whether it's in general or someone specific...I should do just that! That doesn't mean I can't be hesitant or cautious with people regarding my feelings. I have been hurt too many times by people I care and love. But I can't let their attitudes towards me dictate my behavior. I don't have to like them and they don't have to like me, but I can still love. 

So, in case you need a reminder, here is what love is:

"No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

   Love never gives up.
   Love cares more for others than for self.
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
   Love doesn't strut,
   Doesn't have a swelled head,
   Doesn't force itself on others,
   Isn't always "me first,"
   Doesn't fly off the handle,
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
   Doesn't revel when others grovel,
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
   Puts up with anything,
   Trusts God always,
   Always looks for the best,
   Never looks back,
   But keeps going to the end. Love never dies."

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

A-Z About Me

One of my friends recently posted this, from another person's blog so I figured I'd play along. Maybe you'll learn something about me...if you do, let me know!

A. Age: 26, though my birthday is Jan 7th...I love presents.
B. Bed Size: King. Once you go king, you never go back.

C. Chores you hate: Cleaning the shower. UGH. I'd rather clean 50 toilets than 1 shower.
D. Dogs: 1, Maddie. She is a bichon. I actually despise her and somewhat look forward to her going to heaven. She just peed on my carpet after I spent $85 to get them cleaned.
E. Essential start to my day: If I have the money, a diet coke from McDonalds. Best. Thing. Ever. Best $1.09 spent.

F. Favorite Color: I'm not partial to one color, I enjoy them all.
Gold or Silver: Silver. I feel like gold is for old people.
H. Height: 5'5"
I. Instruments you play: I dabble on the keys, though I wish above all that we had a piano in our house (remember questions "A"...)
J. Job Title: Mommy, house cleaner, custodian, grounds keeper, maid, babysitter, psychiatrist, etc. The list really doesn't end...
K. Kids: 2: Avery, who is 2 1/2 and Isaiah who is 9 months.

L. Live: Carmel. Well, we are in Westfield, but our address is Carmel. I don't understand it.

M. Mother's Maiden Name: Danette, though she also goes by Molly

N. Nicknames: Apes/Ape 
O. Overnight hospital stays: Other than childbirth, I have not stayed overnight in the hospital.
P. Pet Peeves: Lots of things...people who avoid confrontation, dirty windows, a messy house (yes, I am perpetually peeved about this...I can never get mine to stay clean), oh and above all: when there are 2 doors that open into an establishment and people going in and out are just using one side. Then there becomes a huge congestion of people waiting to go in or out because they are only using one door. There are 2 sides for a reason; use them both! One side for coming, one side for going. It's not rocket science.
Q. Quote from a movie: Where do I begin?! Pretty much anything from Dumb & Dumber... "Here Lloyd, this helps!"

R. Right or Left Handed: Right

S. Siblings: My older brother, Josh. He is awesome. I wish he and my parents lived closer so I could see them more often. 

T. Time you wake up: Recently, it has been 5:12am so that I can haul my lazybones to the gym before the world wakes up.

U. Underwear: Yes please. I prefer American Eagle's underwear if you must know. Covers my butt and it's cheap. 

V. Vegetable you hate: All. Not really...but most I dislike but choke down because they are healthy and good for me. I will not, under any circumstance, eat peas. Barf.

W. What makes you run late: Avery and Isaiah, and the constant planning that goes with them. Whether we are going or they are staying, here is what I have to deal with: Do we have diapers, wipes, bib, spoon, food for Isaiah, clean bottle(s), formula, changes of clothes for Isaiah, change of clothes for Avery, underwear for Avery, pacifier, burp cloth, Avery's blanket, Isaiah's blanket, Avery's lambie(s), toys to occupy Isaiah, dvd's to occupy Avery, shoes, socks, hats gloves, coats...Now, do you understand why I'm late?!

X. X-rays you've had: On my wrist when I fell taking a charge in high school basketball. No break, just sprained. I got a sweet wrist support that I had to wear. It was very attractive.

Y. Yummy food that you make: Pretty sure everything I make is yummy. I love cooking and baking and I think I'm pretty darn good at both. However, I recently made a delicious chicken tortilla soup and took a picture of it just to show how good it was:

 
Z. Zoo animal: I love the penguins! I love to watch them swim and play around. The monkey's are cool too.

Baby Stuff for Sale

I feel like the list of items I need to get rid of grows on a daily basis. So, here are all the things I want to sell that I no longer need!

1. Graco Silhouette Swing. ($70) Holds babies up to 30lb. Has 6 swing speeds with auto shut off. Nature sounds or classical music options. 3 seat recline positions.




 

2. Evenflo Expressions High Chair. ($40) 

3. Diaper Genie Elite system ($25)  Has step open lid. Used, but like new; NO odor. Also includes 1 NEW refill.  

4.Fisher Price Rainforest Activity Gym ($25)

5. Changing Pad - Contoured ($10)

6. Bebe Pod Seat & Tray ($10). I am missing the white pommel, but it isn't a necessity for the functionality of the seat.  Adjustable tray included.

7. Fisher Price Go Baby Go Kickin' Bobbin Bear Gym ($10)









 

Anyway

If I may be transparent with you, I am battling some tough situations within my extended family. There have been many times when I have really wanted to react in a very negative and un-Godly manner. And I have; in my own home, with my husband. I can't tell you how badly I have wanted to call some people up and give them a piece of my mind...but, I can't let my flesh have control. I just can't....so, tonight I was reminded of a poem a friend of mine shared...maybe it will encourage you in some way.

Anyway, by Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Where have I been?

Wow. I didn't realize it had been FOREVER since me last post. I'm sure no one really cared...but, in the event that there is someone out there that did, here is what has been happening...

In mommy world, Isaiah is rolling all over the place. I can tell he wants to pull up on things, but hasn't figured that out yet. I don't think he has a strong desire to crawl. He does get up on all fours and sort of, humps the air, as if he's willing his body to move forward. He still has no teeth and I have a feeling that when they do come, it will be all at once and my life will be miserable for awhile. Avery is doing good. She's potty trained, though needs help wiping and getting her pants on. She has been taking things into her own hands lately, and tries to go "all by herself"...in which case there ends up being poop smeared in several spots in the bathroom and lots of toilet paper used. We'll get there.

As far as my own personal, non-mommy world goes, I'm doing great. Honestly, I wasn't for awhile. I was struggling with PPD and was on several meds to get it right. After awhile (and much prayer to feel normal) I wanted to be off the meds and just try and be me without them. My first attempt at this failed and I had to go back on them. Several months later, I tried again and now I feel like me again! I'm thankful too...I like me. I just started going to the Crossfit gym so I'm hoping to lose some weight and gain some muscle and strength. I get very frustrated though because I want to be at like a level 7, but I'm only at a 1.5. And it's going to take time and effort, which I wish wasn't the case. I'll get there. I'm committed though!!

We recently had to spend a butt load of money getting our furnace and AC replaced. So things have been tight in the cash department. However, we continue to pray that God will provide. He hasn't let us down yet! It would just be awesome to find a big box of money on our front porch one morning, with a note from Jesus that said "Here, thought you could use this". We are thankful for parents who continue to provide us assistance though. Without them, we'd probably be...living at their house.

And that's that. I'm super excited for Christmas. I can't wait to bake cookies with Avery to leave for Santa. And to see her face as she opens gifts is going to be awesome. Now that she actually understands what's happening, it's going to make opening gifts much more exciting!

I am rich!

Owen: Nikki, God will give you the desires of your heart. He will give you anything you ask for.
April: Well, my desire is to be rich!!
Owen: What are you talking about?? You are rich! Have you seen your house? You have 2 beautiful kids, you're alive!

After having this conversation with some of our best friends, I reflected on it further, which is something I don't usually do. For some reason though, I just couldn't shake what Owen had said. It really made me think about my life.

Unfortunately, I've had a couple close friends (or people who I thought were friends) break off our friendship simply because of what we have; our things. Possessions; here today and gone tomorrow. I can't even describe to you how hurt I was (and still am) over this falling out. Everything we have, everything, is simply because God has given it to us. I have done nothing to earn or deserve what I have; I am a sinful human who screws up all the time. But, I know that the "stuff" is just one way in which God shows his love for us for obeying him. My kids, my health, my house, even my crappy car are all gifts! Why some people feel the need to judge us for our things is beyond me... I just want to be thankful and share the things in my life that I love and have been blessed with, to others. Isn't that what it's all about? Love one another.

I have to start having a Godly mindset...I am rich! Rich in God's eyes. My thought when Owen made that comment was, "I want to be rich; filthy stinkin' rich! Money to buy anything and everything! No need to stress over bills, food, vacation, etc.". But I was thinking of richness from the world's mentality. Just because I don't drive a brand new car or live in a million dollar house doesn't mean I'm not rich. God thinks I am and his opinion is all that matters.


1 Timothy 6:17-19 Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

Famine and Adoption

I was reading one of my favorite magazines, "The Week" and came across an article on the rising famine epidemic in Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya). Then again tonight on the NBC Nightly News, there was another story about this dreadful problem. It was so difficult for me to watch the images of people being driven from their homes in search of food and water. My heart broke over the thousands of children who are dying because of this; little aid is being provided and with nothing else left, they simply die from starvation. Coincidentally, I was in the middle of feeding Isaiah his bottle and looked down at him; my chunky baby, who has formula and food at his disposal. His cheeks look like they could explode, he has fat rolls on his thighs that are worse than mine and, as my brother says, he has "rubber bands" around his wrists.
I have several friends who have adopted and who are wanting to adopt a child from another country. I know so many wonder why anyone would even want to adopt another child, and even if that were the case, why a child from another country when there are plenty of kids in America who need homes. These questions can simply be answered by the pictures below. The children in America don't have these conditions; even the one's in foster care are better off then any child from a third world country. How could anyone not look at one of these children and not want to scoop them up and love on them?? I just hope one day I get that chance.






"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'

"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

"Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'

"Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?'

"He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.'

Matthew 25:34-45