Parenting

So one of our goals this year has been to try to work harder at this thing we call parenting. And so far so good. God has been really working on changing me into a patient person. Now I find myself talking to my children, not raising my voice! I hate that there was ever a second that I yelled at my kids! I wish I could take it all back. I can't I can only move forward and learn from my mistakes. And boy what a journey it has been. More and more everyday the kids and I are learning one another. More and more I am starting to realize that how I was raised was not right and that I need to always remember that! Every night Austin, Ethan and I read. We play with puzzles. (Ethan doesn't have the whole puzzle concept down yet but were working on it!) We run around the house playing tickle monster. Or we pretend to play cops and robbers. Or hide and seek! We color and talk, we laugh we cry and at the end of the day I collapse! But it is all worth it! It's worth it to know that my kids are being raised to the best of my abilities. Being raised to respect one another, being raised to love one another, being raised up in the word of God. So thank you God for Summit Church and Thank you God for changing me into your beautiful child/woman so that I can help work and mold the lives of my Children!

Grateful Friday

So a lot of things have happened over the past few weeks. I have become a team leader for Bigenuf, you can read about that here and Jon my husband has finally after 2 years of my begging and pleading has quit smoking! I am literally jumping for joy! (Insert big smile and extremely happy dance here!) We made a promise to each other over two years ago that we would quit smoking together, I did, he didn't. It has been rough knowing that he didn't want to quit, rough trying to be a supportive wife and be understanding. But I was a supportive wife and I was understanding and I prayed my butt off! (That was the only way I survived through this all.) God answered my prayers after two years! He gave me the wisdom to help Jon through that rough week of his life. It has been 2 weeks ago today that he quit and I couldn't be more proud of the man I look up to day in and day out. I couldn't be more thrilled to watch my husband as God is forming him into this wonderful man who leads us with confidence! I see Jon smile a lot more now, I see him finding his worth in the little things in life and I see him growing, loving, living, laughing, EXERCISING! The list just goes on and on. As you notice I wrote exercising in caps well folks that would be because my husband doesn't exercise! He has told me since the day I met him that he is allergic to running and pretty much any exercise of any kind! And now pretty much every morning he is taking our son for an hour long walk! So in just two weeks I have watched my husband do this complete transformation and I can't help but smile and give praise to the one who made it all possible! Thank you so much God for answering my two year long prayer!

Completely going off subject now and onto other thoughts :) I have been thinking about making some gifts for the wonderful loving ladies I spend every Wednesday night with and for the wonderful loving people that serve on our team for bigenuf, and one thought that came to my mind was making some pretty scrap book paper / fabric covered composition books and little mini matching composition books for their purses. Kind of like this or this. I think they will be cute prayer request books for women that attend a Bible study or good for grocery lists and so on. I think the little mini comp books for the purse will come in handy when needing to jot down a quick reminder, or making a simple list to run to the store and get a few things, or maybe even in a time of need, oh lets say like when you accidentally back into someones car in the parking lot?? Just kidding but if it happens you have paper handy right? So what are your thoughts?

Happiness is in the Heart of the beholder....

So I am going off a random thought for today and blogging about it. And yes I know the saying is "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." But for all extensive purposes the saying I am using fits just perfectly!

So my random thought, Last night we were looking through some of Leslie's pictures from Africa and I stated how big the kids were smiling from the orphanage, I said it is amazing they have next to nothing and they are still so happy! When we as Americans have so much and still find that from time to time are dissatisfied! So I got to thinking and reflecting upon my own life! There have been times in my life that I have been miserable, lost, confused, alone (even though I was never really alone, just didn't know God at the time and didn't realize that he was always there).
I still found/find myself at times not being 100% happy! I am selfish! I have so much! I have the best most awesomeness Lord and Savior ever! I have a wonderful Hubby who I couldn't and wouldn't want to live without! Two beautiful boys who mean the world to me! And with all those blessing's that I have I still found/find myself wanting more, or not being completely happy! I am now giving myself a proverbial slap in the face! I am now experiencing true happiness to it's fullest! I haven't felt more refreshed in my life! I feel like my whole ho hum attitude has held me back for way too long! I can't and wont allow it to hold me back any longer! Happiness is an inward feeling shown outwardly! If you have true complete happiness on the inside people will see it radiate from you on the outside! That is what I want people to see when they see me! A God fearing, extremely happy woman!

And on another random note, My hubby left me an I love you note in my lunch he packed for me this morning! Life is good!