Lessons from 2010

I feel like I have grown more spiritually this year than ever before....proof that becoming a parent changes EVERYTHING!!! Here are some things that I feel like the Lord has taught me this year.
1. I don't fully understand how blessed I am
2. I don't fully understand how unrighteous I am
3. Don't take a single moment for granted
4 No earthly human loves you like your Mama
5. CALM DOWN!!! SLOW DOWN....soak in life
6. Pick your priorities and stick with them......life will sweep you away...other people will sweep you away....stick to your convictions
7. God is ALWAYS righteous
8. God is ALWAYS faithful
9. You really can trust God no matter what example: my pregnancy with Emory and complications etc.
10. Pick your friends carefully
11. Don't gossip
12. Try your best not to say negative things about others...you really do not understand why they do what they do because you have never walked in their shoes...Don't judge, just love example: my sister Melissa: I use to talk about her alot and I know that is why we haven't been as close as we are now
13. my opinions/feelings don't really matter....what matters is that God gets the glory and that I love with action and in truth and hold fast to what God's word says.
14. Be at peace with others......I get sick to my stomach and can't sleep if I know that I am not at peace with  someone
15. Sometimes all you can do is say you are sorry and agree to disagree....love them in action anyway
16. God has a plan.....he doesn't need my plan to accomplish his plan so I need to STOP PLANNING!!!
my plans always fail....thank the Lord
17.

More lessons from 2010

17. Sometimes when you feel like you have been wronged, or someone hurts your feelings...the person(s) that hurt you won't apologize. It must be taught in like Type A personality 101 or something. We have to forgive 7 X 70 times and move on. Holding onto bitterness will eventually affect every single area of your life...it's not worth it...just let it go and move on.
18. Being a mommy is the hardest and the most fun job EVER!!
20. Having kids changes your marriage.....ours has gotten better! and so has our relationship with the Lord!

"Do you love me?"

We had Dee Brestin come to our church this past Sunday night. She did such a great job speaking. I loved her main point. She told the story of the famous play Fiddler on the Roof where the main character has 5 daughters (all jewish) who sort of "rebel" against the tradition and decide they want to marry for love instead of who they are pledged to (I am a sucker for romance). This gets the main character questioning his own relationship with his wife....in a musical way (I am also a sucker for musicals) he ask her "Do you love me?"....she then replies "For 25 years I've washed your shirts"......and on and on and on of all the things she has done for him. He keeps asking her "But do you love me?" Dee compared this story to the story of Jesus and Peter. After Jesus rose from the dead he appears to his disciples and they have a picnic on the beach. Jesus keeps asking Peter "Do you love me?" Dee said that alot of Christians are much like the wife in Fiddler on the Roof. When Jesus asks them "Do you love me?" they begin listing all the things they have done like.."For 25 years I've gone to church." This really got me thinking..I want Jesus to KNOW that I love him. I want to spend time with Him and have such a relationship with him so that when he asks me "Do you love me?" he already knows without a doubt that my answer is "YES YES YES!!"

Boy it has been such a LOOOOONNNNGGGG time since i posted....where do I start? Well I guess I will just say that when Emory was about 6 months old we thought we were feeling the call to adopt....prayed about it, filled out some paperwork, sent our application in and a week later found out that we were pregnant with number 2....blew us away!(this is a HUGE understatement)...lesson I learned....I love how God's plan is so perfect and if you are seeking Him..you can't mess it up. I LOVE being the mother of a son. Don't get me wrong....I LOVE LOVE LOVE having a daughter, but from the moment that little boy was born...he just blew me away..has my heart on a string (I think this must be how Daddy's feel about their little girls).
FAST FORWARD......Emmett is now 6 months old and Emory is 22 months old (ALMOST 2!!!) I really can't believe it!! I am one blessed and busy mama! I LOVE BEING A MOM!!! I especially love being a stay at home mom. I feel so blessed to be able to share such special moments with my children. I love that I get to see the happy and sad sides, the silly and mad sides (from "I love you through and through" book). I am so honored that I get to be there to play and share silly faces, goldfish, fish kisses, silly songs and dances with them each and every day. I love that I get to be there to love on them when they get "boo boos." I love that Emory wants to rock now with "bankie" (blankie) and one of her stuffed animals and a book before nap or bedtime. I love praying with my children and hearing Emory say "AMEN!" I love how Emmett laughs like Ernie on Sesame Street. I love how he is the happiest little boy....he loves to laugh and smile like his mama....more to come...it is late and after a very busy weekend of yard sale I need sleep!!!