Teenage Bride

Igniting my Faith .... and a Winner!

2012-02-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Wednesday. First off I have to say congratulations to Carrie on winning the My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software giveaway!

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I have always considered myself a Christian, but a few years back I came to the realization that the life I was living did not necessarily reflect my Christian values and beliefs. I worked hard to make changes to live the life that God had intended me to live.

With a busy schedule of work, school, and of course married life, I had to find creative ways to squeeze a little faith in my day. I started attending a bible study class and read my bible cover to cover in a year. When I was put on bed rest during my pregnancy, my faith took a HUGE leap. I was reading tons of books on Christianity, I was praying intensely, and I even said my rosary on a daily basis. It felt AMAZING to be using all of the extra time I had to further my faith and deepen my relationship with God.

Now that I have a gorgeous little girl, free time is ... well... pretty much non-existent. All of the free time I have is spent sleeping, showering, stuffing food down as quick as possible, cleaning the house, and paying some much needed attention to my husband. Although I LOVE LOVE LOVE my life as mother, I began to miss the extensive faith based activities I had gotten used to engaging in throughout my pregnancy.

I may not have as much time as I used to, but I am determined to spend the time I have in a way that pleases God and enhances my faith.

A while back, I listened to a pastor speak. As he spoke, he challenged each of us to ignite our faith and set our hearts on fire with love for the Lord. What a calling!!!!!

I am so blessed to be able to teach children about Jesus and God our Father on a daily basis. although I love our silly bible songs, Christian kids books, and bible activities, I began to crave more "grown-up" time with God.

I bought a daily devotional written specifically for busy moms (there are a bunch out there, I am using A Mom After God's Own Heart). Now I start my day with a short page of scripture and real world application that I can relate to as a wife and mother.

I know all of us have busy lives, but we MUST be careful not to let our faith take a backseat to all of our other daily obligations.

I encourage each of you to take a few minutes out of your day and dedicate that to enriching and strengthening your faith. You just might be surprised at the rejuvenating effects it may have on your day. Take time to pray, read a devotional, study the bible, or just spend time contemplating the great gifts that God has blessed you with. Whatever you choose to do, do it with exuberance and love for the Lord. Your life will change in magnificent ways!

Much love and God bless.

Scrapbooking Giveaway!

2012-01-27T13:56:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy Friday!!!

As promised, I have an exciting giveaway today. I have been communicating with a lovely lady from My Memories about their My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software!

For all of you crafty scrapbookers out there, this giveaway is for you!

I love scrap booking, but sometimes dealing with all of the tools and paper can be a little overwhelming and time consuming, especially with a little baby. I LOVE this digital scrapbooking software. All of the tools and paper patterns are right here at my fingertips. My laptop has become my scrapbook kit!

I am working on a scrapbook for Juliette and one for Valentine’s Day to give to my husband. I am having so much fun!

One lucky reader will receive a code to get this amazing software FREE!!!

Just visit the My Memories Website and leave me a comment letting me know what great project idea you have!

The winner will be announced next week!!!!

Wishing you all a safe and happy weekend. Much love and God bless.

I am so Lucky to...

2012-01-26T11:05:00.001-08:00

... work with my best friend!!

Yesterday was a very difficult daycare day. We had a new baby start and she was inconsolable. Thankfully today has gone a lot smoother.

Even on the bad days, I can honestly say that I am so lucky to have my best friend working alongside me. Working together is a blessing.

We have been best friends for years and my life would not be the same without her. I only hope that when my daughter grows up, she will be lucky enough to find a best friend as great as mine!!!

And of course I could not leave you without a few pictures of little Juliette. She is almost six months old. Can you believe it!?!

Much love and God bless. Stay tuned for a giveaway tomorrow!

Juliette loves her Aunt Sam (and my best friend)

Swing baby swing!!

Big girl playing all by herself!

We Talked...

2012-01-18T06:53:00.001-08:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday. So as you know, my husband and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary on the tenth. We had a friend watch baby Juliette over the weekend so we could enjoy a nice evening out.

We went to a restaurant not far from our house and enjoyed a fabulous meal complete with an appetizer, entrees, dessert, and of course a bottle of wine. We sat at our table for nearly three hours just talking about anything and everything. As we paid the check and headed out to the car, my husband said "Do you realize we talked non stop for almost three hours?"

After three years of marriage, and almost six years together, we still have so much to talk about. My husband never fails to open my mind to new and exciting ideas and concepts. Our conversation is always thriving and engaging.

When my husband and I first married, I worried that our hours of intense conversation would soon change into small talk and one or two word answers to not so open ended questions. I certainly worried over nothing. If anything, our conversations have evolved.

We met when we were sixteen, and therefore the conversations we had back then reflected those of a sixteen year old mindset. On our way home from dinner, my husband joked that he could not imagine having a three hour conversation with our teenage selves."What did we even have to talk about?" he asked.

Funny how people change.

As we walked in the door, we were having a heated discussion about whether or not memories can truly be repressed, my friend laughed at us and shook her head. "You are not supposed to be arguing." She said.

We just laughed and smiled. Conversations like the one we were having make us fall in love all over again.

Happy Wednesday. Much love and God bless.

3 Years Later.... Still so in Love

2012-01-10T08:33:00.000-08:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday! Three years ago I married my best friend. So much has happened in these past three years and we have a life more amazing than I could have ever imagined.

God has blessed us with a beautiful life and a wonderful family. I can only imagine what He has in store for us in the future.

Three years later, and I am still just as infatuated, just as in love, and just as happy as I was on our wedding day.

The wedding is the east part, the hard work comes after. Marriage may not always be easy, but it is a gift and a blessing. I thank God for the wonderful life that He has blessed us with.

Much love and God bless.

A New Year

2012-01-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. I am not one of those people who measure happiness in years, but rather I prefer to measure my happiness in moments. Even so, this past year has been a great one, especially because it marked the birth of our beautiful daughter.

I have never been one to make New Year's Resolutions. I believe that throughout the year I should strive to better myself in various aspects of my life rather than highlighting a specific area in need of improvement.

There are however a few things that I plan on accomplishing. This year for instance, I want to make a difference. Each and every one of us has the power the change the world. I WILL choose to implement this power this year and stand up for a cause that I believe in. As many of you know, I and several fellow bloggers had tried to raise awareness about the effects that bullying can have on our youth with an anti bullying campaign. I am going to continue my work against bullying in the hopes that I can save other young people from the same terrors of bullying that I and many others have experienced in the past.

With the birth of my daughter, I have become increasingly aware of how important education, attention, affection, and socialization are to a developing child. For this reason, I am going to strive to grow my daycare business and reach out to other children to provide for them physically, emotionally, ans spiritually through the curriculum provided at Making Miracles Christian Daycare. I am also going to try my hand at writing children's books like the one that I wrote for my mother to read to Juliette when she visits her Mimi and Grandad. I will strive to better myself daily and to be the best wife and mother I can be so that my daughter will grow up knowing the true meaning of family and never doubting the love that we have for her.

This year will be amazing. I know this because I believe that we are are responsible for our own happiness and I will strive to make this year a happy one for me and my family. With friends, faith, and family, happiness is never far from reach.

Wishing you all much love and happiness in the New Year.

God bless!!

Baby's First Christmas

2011-12-28T06:23:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Wednesday! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. All of "Baby's Firsts" have been fun and exciting, but there is just something about Baby's First Christmas that seems extra special!

My husband and I got our little girl a few gifts but we certainly did not go over the top. We want her to grow up understanding the true meaning of Christmas. Both sets of grandparents and her countless aunts and uncles had the spoiling under control. I think she may just have every baby toy ever made now!

This Christmas was not only great because it was Juliette's first, it was also special because my best friend Samantha is now engaged! The family of eight that she and I helped this Christmas were so appreciative of all that we (and many of you) did this Christmas to help them. Charity is truly an amazing gift and is the perfect way to keep Christ in Christmas.

It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. Wishing you all a bright start to the new year, may God bless you and your family with love, faith, and happiness.

Much love and God bless!

I'd apologize but....

2011-12-19T07:06:00.001-08:00

I realize that it has been far too long since I have posted and visited with my lovely blog friends...... however, I have been having so much fun with my daughter!!!

A lot has been going on. First, I am pleased to announce that Making Miracles Christian Daycare is open and thriving!!!!

I have always loved the Christmas season, but now that I have a daughter of my own, this year has been even more exciting. We have been baking cookies, hosting dinner parties, visiting Santa, and doing all kinds of fun Christmas events and activities!!!

I would apologize for my extended absence from blog land.... but the truth is I am not sorry hahaha. I love you all dearly and miss you all too, but I have had so much fun these past few weeks with my daughter and husband that the absence from blog land has actually been a nice little break.

As much as I love blogging and talking to all my sweet friends, there is nothing quite like spending time with family in the real world!!!

Much love to you all.

Happy Monday and God bless

And of course I could not leave you all without a few pictures....

Safe in my Arms

2011-12-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

Nothing in life has brought me more joy than becoming a mother. My husband and I are overjoyed with our roles as parents.

The quiet moments spent together as I rock our sweet baby to sleep, her infectious smile, and her adorable laugh never fail to bring a smile to my face.

I want the best for my daughter. I want to keep her safe. I want to keep her healthy. I want to keep her happy. Her pain is my pain, her joy is my joy.

There is a deep connection that is shared between a mother and a child. It is unlike any other relationship.

I know one day she will grow up and she will come to know that the world is not all good. I worry far too much.... but then again, I always have. My husband reminds me often that the best we can do is love her and guide her and let her know that she will always be safe in our arms.

Mommy and daddy love you baby girl!

This song says it all

Baby's First Christmas

2011-12-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

Good morning and happy Monday! We had a great family weekend decorating the Christmas tree and getting into the Christmas spirit.

While baby napped, my husband and I decorated the tree, put lights on the railings and bushes outside, and hung our stockings from the mantel. When sleeping beauty awoke, we sat in our reading chairs sipping hot tea while listening to Christmas carols on the radio.

Juliette was in awe of the blinking lights and glittery ornaments that hung from the branches. I am so excited to start creating our own family traditions. All of "Baby's Firsts" are exciting but there is something about baby's first Christmas that warms me heart and soul.

While the decorations are certainly enjoyable, I am most looking forward to teaching Juliette about the true meaning of Christmas. Raising Juliette to love Christ and to know Him as her savior is something that I am truly looking forward to!

Happy Monday. Much love and God bless.

In the Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Thursday. It is hard to believe that Christmas is a mere 24 days away. Although our daughter is still very young, as a mother, I feel that it is my duty to instill in her good values such as the importance of charity and kindness from a young age.

My dear friend Samantha and I have "adopted" a deserving family from Illinois this year who is in desperate need of our help this Christmas season. We came across the story of Allison, a deserving mother of seven. I have always felt that acts of charity best define the true meaning of Christmas.

Earlier this year Allison's mother suffered a stroke after routine surgery. Although doctors told Allison that it was best to take her mother off of life support, Allison could not give up hope. By the grace of God, Allison's mother pulled through but is now bedridden due to complications.

Allison is studying to be a paralegal however, as the sole caregiver for her ill mother, she is unable to work. As if Allison is not experiencing enough hardship as it is, her oldest son must undergo an intense and risky surgery later this month to correct a medical condition caused by his cerebral palsy.

If you can find it in your heart this year to help give these children the Christmas that they deserve please feel free to contact either me or Samantha to find out what you can do to contribute.

Thank you all. Much love and God bless.

Family is Forever

2011-11-28T06:20:00.000-08:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. I realize it has been quite a while since I posted. Last weekend we took Juliette to New York to visit her great great (yes that's two greats) grandmother. It was a quick trip but both Juliette and I were a little under the weather so we were anxious to get home.

I have been spending most of my time cuddling with baby and trying to make her feel better. I am happy to report that both of us are feeling much better.

With Thanksgiving having just passed, I am reminded once again just how much I have to be thankful for. My husband and I are so blessed to have a healthy baby who brings so much joy to our lives each and every day.

The one thing I am most thankful for is my family. I could not ask for a more loving family. Our little family of three fills my heart with joy and makes me thank God every day for blessing me with such a beautiful life.

Material things come and go, but family is forever.

Happy Monday. Much love and God bless.

Pregnancy Really Took It's Toll

2011-11-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Wednesday, First I must say that there is nothing in the world that brings me greater joy than being a mother. My body however, feels differently.

Throughout my pregnancy I suffered daily fainting spells and severe morning (which really translates into all day) sickness, and scares regarding Juliette's growth.

After I had Juliette, all of my weird symptoms disappeared... until now.

In the past three months my migraines have resurfaced with a vengeance, the fifths disease I had as a child was no longer being suppressed by my immune system and flared up as painful arthritis, and now my immune system has failed to suppress the chicken pocks virus that has been floating around my system since kindergarten and has manifested itself as shingles..... yay.

All of this is apparently the result of my body being worn down from pregnancy and now motherhood..... who knew.

Even so, there is nothing better than being a mom! This little face is enough to make me forget all of these strange ailments. She never fails to bring a smile to my face!!!!
Wishing you all a lovely Wednesday. Much love and God bless.

Time Flies; 14 Weeks

2011-11-13T11:32:00.001-08:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I can hardly believe that my daughter is 14 weeks old!!

It seems like days ago we brought her home from the hospital. Instead of these tiny little feet...

and this tiny little cry...

She is now bouncing,rolling, laughing...

sitting, playing...

and continuously amazing us every day!

Time flies. Childhood is SOOOO fleeting and I intend to enjoy every single moment of every single day with our (not so) little daughter!

Happy Monday! Much love and God bless.

Motherhood; It's Amazing!

2011-11-07T05:27:00.000-08:00

Good morning and happy Monday! First I want to let you know that I will probably be MIA for a few days, my laptop has to go to the doctors.... bummer.

Anyway, our little family had a wonderful weekend together. We spent a lot of time cooking together and enjoying family meals. We didn't do anything special, just relaxed with each other and spent time as a family, but it truly is the simple pleasures of lazy weekend mornings and quiet evenings together that make my heart swell with love and happiness.

Little Miss Juliette has been sleeping in her crib lately and we are so proud of our little girl!

Motherhood truly is amazing. Never in my life have I done anything more fulfilling than becoming a mother.

I love the way our baby girl laughs and smiles when she wakes up from her naps.

I love the way she lets me change her outfit over and over again until I find something that I am satisfied with.

The way she gets so excited when her daddy gets home from work is enough to melt my heart.

Her little noises are music to my ears.

I love her tiny hands, and her itty bitty toes.

I love the way she clings to me as she is falling asleep.

She never ceases to amaze me every day with the new things she learns.

Most of all, I love being a mother to this beautiful little girl.

Happy Monday. Much love and God bless. Let's make it a great week.

Privacy ... It's a Good Thing

2011-10-31T06:27:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday, happy Halloween too!

The other day I got an email that made me giggle. It was from a casting company looking for couples to feature on a reality television show about teenage brides. I deleted the email without another thought.

Later on I was discussing it with my best friend. She said that there is no better way to ruin a relationship than by airing your entire relationship (the good and the bad) on public television. I would have to agree.

Marriage is a precious gift. It should be savored, nourished, and protected. I am a firm believer that a certain amount of privacy is necessary to maintain the health of a relationship. There are certain aspects of a marriage that should remain between a husband and a wife.

There is no one who knows me deeper or more completely than my husband does, and no one knows him quite as well as I do. That's the way it should be and that's the way we intend to keep it.

Thoughts?

Happy Monday. Much love and God bless.

Beat Down Bullying TODAY!!!!

2011-10-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

Today is the day, October 24. Jessie and I want to thank all of you who linked up with us for our anti bullying campaign. For those of you who have not yet linked up, there is still time!!!

Jessie and I are PASSIONATE about this cause, please share your story and help us to END THIS NOW!

My story is a long one. Not necessarily in the number of words that it takes to describe, but the length of time in which it lasted. My sister and I inherited a birth defect that runs in our family. It is nothing serious but it causes us to not have finger nails. We are missing a joint in each of our fingers and therefore have short fingers and little hands. Most people don't even notice, but many of those who do are cruel.

Growing up we were tormented by classmates. Some kids would not even touch us, fearing that they would "catch" whatever it was that we had. Others laughed at us, called us names, and threw things at us trying to get us to pick them up so they could see our hands. Thanks to our parents love and support we made it through our childhood mostly unscathed. Even so the torment we experienced caused us great anxiety and even to this day is the reason behind my self conscious tendencies. Even on my wedding day I asked the photographer not to photograph us holding hands to capture our rings, I simply could not stomach the thought of looking at a picture of something that had caused me such pain.

Looking back now I am disappointed in myself. I am always telling others to love and accept themselves and here I am unable to love the way God made me.

As I got older, people started to care less and less. High School however was still tough. I was a cheerleader, but not one of the popular ones. I didn't drink, didn't smoke, didn't have sex with a bunch of different guys, didn't go to parties, and therefore did not fit in. I was excluded from team events and talked about often. Girls made fun of me and made me feel awkward, unworthy, ugly, and alone. One of my "friends" went so far as to punch me in the face on the bus ride home. I was so stunned I had no idea how to react.

I consider myself lucky. Bullying can be much worse. I had supportive friends and family and I feel like I can look back at my school days and call them pretty much enjoyable. Even so this goes to show that ANYONE can be bullied. ANYONE can be made to feel like less of a person.

It is time that each of stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. One of my favorite quotes is

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Link up and share your story. Together we can make a difference.

Baby's First Halloween Party

2011-10-21T12:05:00.001-07:00

Just a little something to make your Friday even better!

Don't Forget to Link Up!!!

2011-10-19T06:34:00.001-07:00

Good morning fellow bloggers, just a reminder that you have until October 24 to link up with our Beat Down Bullying Campaign.

Everyone has a story and WE WANT TO HEAR YOURS!!!! Speak up and speak out, together WE CAN make a difference.

Help us to put an end to bullying.

Link Up HERE

Love Is Not Always Easy

2011-10-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was filled with family time and cuddles with baby!

Today I wanted to talk about our role as a supportive wife. Love is not always easy. There are times when our spouse seems to drive us closer and closer to the edge of crazy. These are the times when we have to reflect back to our vows and remind ourselves just why it is that we fell in love with them in the first place. No one is perfect. If we were to ask our husbands if there were times that we drove them crazy I am sure we would get the same kind of answer.

Lately I have seen a lot of posts on blogs and facebook pages from wives complaining about their husbands. These posts are oftentimes surprisingly degrading and quite negative. As a wife it is our job to be supportive and forgiving. I am sure we would not be too happy if our husbands publicly displayed their frustrations with us...

Sometimes I think people do not realize just how far reaching the negative effects of these complaints are. When publicly humiliating a spouse, we are basically saying I feel so strongly about the negative aspects of my spouse that I want the world to know everything there is to dislike about them. The public image of that person is now a negative one. Is that really how we want others to see them? What about all of the positive things there are to love about our spouse? Do those no longer matter?

Of course there are going to be times when although we love our spouse deeply, we may not exactly like them. But is publicly posting about these times really the best way to handle those emotions? Venting is necessary sometimes to relieve our frustrations, but perhaps we should learn to do so with a little more discretion...

What are your thoughts?

Thank You...

2011-10-12T14:11:00.001-07:00

for your wonderful advice.

Shots were sad but Juliette did just great! We gave her some Tylenol before the shots and I talked to her and pet her head while her daddy held her hand. After the shots I nursed her and it was like it never happened.

Thank you all so much, you were such a great help!!!!

Ok Mom's I Need Your Advice...

2011-10-12T06:59:00.001-07:00

... Juliette goes for her shots later this afternoon. I am so worried.

Any advice on how to make this less traumatic for her?

Baby's Special Day

2011-10-10T06:46:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. This was a busy but enjoyable weekend for our family. Saturday was the day of our beautiful baby daughter's baptism. This was such a joyous occasion and I am so excited to bring our daughter up in the faith.

My cousin and her fiance (they are getting married in two weeks!) are Juliette's God Parents.

Our beautiful, newly baptized baby!

She looked beautiful in her pretty white dress!

A big thank you to our friends and family who helped us celebrate this very special day. We are so blessed!

Wishing you all a very happy Monday, let's make it a great week. Much love and God bless.

9 Weeks Old!

2011-10-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that Juliette is 9 weeks old today!! Tomorrow is a very special day for her, she is going to be baptized! We are anxiously waiting for daddy to come home today from his business trip.

Here are a few pictures of what baby has been up to this week.

Sleep over at Great Grandma's

Falling asleep in mommy's arms.

Just hanging out with Aunt Sam and Mommy having a girls night.

Enjoying bath time.

And going for a walk.

Don't for get to link up with our Beat Down Bullying movement.

Happy Friday. Much love and God bless.

On My Own...

2011-10-04T07:57:00.001-07:00

My husband leaves for a business trip this afternoon. It is the first time we have been apart since we got married almost three years ago. Although I am going to miss him for the few days that he is out of town I know someone else who is going to miss him even more...

This little baby is a daddy's girl all the way.

How sweet is this!

I am sure we will do just fine, but I am nervous to be on my own this week. Thank goodness he will be back late Friday night, just in time for our Juliette's baptism this Saturday!

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

Beat Down On Bullying

2011-09-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. You can see at the top of my blog there is now a page titled The Movement 10.24.2011.

On September 27 2011 I published a post titled

Kindness is Easier than Hatred

This post sparked an idea with a fellow blogger Jessie. Together we came up with The Movement, an anti bullying campaign designed to spread awareness among fellow bloggers. We NEED your help.

The Movement 10.24.2011

When things get so bad that children are taking their own lives, isn’t that enough?

When places that are supposed to be a safe haven become a place of torment, isn't that enough?

When you can’t find relief even in the confines of your own home, isn’t that enough?

Bullying

has become a national epidemic, a problem in need of a solution.

It’s all over the media, the boy who snapped and beat up his tormentor, then got suspended.

The son who took his own life because of what kids were saying at school.

The Girl who took it upon herself to post a video on YouTube that got over 30,000 hits crying out for help.

The celebrities making videos, letting kids know that it gets better.

It is time to take a stand.

It is time to say enough is enough.

It is time to say

This Ends Now

As bloggers, we have the opportunity to speak up and make a difference.

Link up with the Beat Down Bullying movement, and on 10.24.2011 we WILL take a stand.

Grab this button and put it on your blog. Spread the word.

Reach out and share your story.

We can use our words for good or we can use our words for evil.

Join us and use you voice for good.

Together we can beat down the evil of bullying.

Together we can SAVE lives.

Kindness is Easier than Hatred

2011-09-27T05:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday. I have been thinking a lot lately about bullying. It has become a national issue especially in the last few months with the suicides of several teenagers. It is about time that this issue is pushed to the forefront of American minds. We have a problem and we are in dire need of a solution. How many lives must be lost, how many families must be torn apart before something is done? When will we finally take a stand and say This Must End?

As a mother I am terrified of my daughter being bullied. If you remember back to this post I shared with you my experience with bullying. Fortunately my parents knew that once we started school my sister and I would most likely be bullied because of our differences. They were very good about preparing us for what might happen and what might be said. They were also very good about making sure we understood that there was NOTHING wrong with us. When we came home crying, they were there to listen and build us back up. As we got older, the bullying stopped. I would have loved my daughter no matter what, but I was overjoyed when she was born without the gene that causes the birth defect. Even without this gene I know that there is no guarantee my child will not bullied, or God forbid ever bully another child.

This is where our role as parents comes into play. We MUST educate our children about the harmful effects of bullying. We MUST teach them that every life is worthy of respect.

Kindness is easier than hatred and acceptance is easier than condemnation. Bullying is not a joke. It is not simply a part of childhood that children must learn to deal with. Bullying is an evil that must be fought. No more lives need to be lost. We MUST take a stand.

What's Your Calling?

2011-09-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. I don't know where these weeks keep going but they are flying by faster than I can keep up!

A few weeks before Juliette was born I talked to one of the priests at my church. I was having a difficult time recognizing my calling. I kept asking myself "what am I supposed to be doing with my life? I go to church, I am a good person, I love God and my family.... but I feel like I need to do more."

The kind priest helped me to realize that wanting to be a god wife and mother was exactly what God has been calling me to do. I could not believe that my calling could be so "simple." I loved being a wife and I could not wait to be a mother, but I could not see how either of these things served the greater good beyond benefiting me and my family.

Now that I am a mother and I have seen just how much love the human heart is capable of giving and just how much parenthood enhances the relationship between husband and wife, I can truly accept and understand the fact that there is no greater calling, no greater role in life than being a wife and mother.

By raising my children to be kind, loving, faithful people, I am providing the world with a chance at a better future. By being a loving wife, I am living proof that love is all you need to be happy.

I have been given a great gift and I have never felt more blessed.

What is your calling?

Happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

Exciting News!

2011-09-19T09:24:00.001-07:00

Hello and happy Monday! This week is off to a wonderful start. I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

I have some exciting news to share. My dream job is to be a stay home mom. Nothing brings me greater joy than to be there daily for my daughter, watching her grow. I love being home raising my daughter and being able to take care of the house and have dinner ready for my husband when he returns home from work.

In an effort to be able to stay home and raise my daughter while still contributing monetarily to our family, I have spent the last few months working diligently towards getting my daycare license.

I am happy to announce that I am now a licensed daycare provider for the state of Maryland! Having grown up myself in the home daycare system, I could not be happier to be starting my own business.

Introducing Making Miracles Christian Daycare.

Please check out my website at www.MakingMiraclesCD.com

Happy Monday, Much love and God bless.

Someone is 6 Weeks Old Today!!

2011-09-16T07:28:00.001-07:00

My little baby is growing up so fast. Six weeks already!

What better way to start the weekend than by sharing a lovely little picture?!?

Happy Friday. Much love and God bless.

Change Can Be Good

2011-09-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Tuesday! So remember this post on the importance of growing together rather than growing apart? I started thinking more about this the other day. I was in desperate need of a haircut and my neighbors daughter happens to be a hair stylist. She offered to come over and cut my hair figuring it would be easier than taking the baby out.

We got to talking and noticing that I looked quite young, she asked at what age my husband and I got married. When I told her that we had been married since we were 18, she told me that she married her first husband at 19. They had found out that they were expecting a baby so they decided the best thing to do was to get married. Their marriage lasted for two years and then they split ways. She said that they had both changed so much and they were no longer the same people.

She commended me on keeping our marriage strong. I told her that my husband and I are certainly not the same people we were when we first got married either, we have just been very careful to grow and change together rather than risk growing apart. The truth is that we are all constantly growing and changing throughout our lives, it is a never ending process.

I was talking to my husband and he agreed that we work very hard as husband and wife to continue to grow together in all aspects of our life and we strive very hard not to allow any differences to come between us. It is not easy but it is necessary for a loving, lasting marriage.

With the birth of our daughter our life and our relationship has undergone many changes. We love our daughter more than words can say, but we also feel that way about each other. Our family is the most important thing in the world to us. We feel so blessed.

Change can be good, you just have to be sure you are working through things together.

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

She Teaches Me To Love

2011-09-08T04:38:00.000-07:00

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Romans 13:9

Good morning and happy Thursday. I hope you are all having an enjoyable week!

I am firm believer that everything good in this world can be summed up with one word; love. Every good deed, every heart warming moment, everything joyful in life stems from love. If we could all love another and do away with hate, evil, and unkind words and actions, what a wonderful world we would live in.

This bible verse was read to us this past Sunday at church. It is such a simple concept, yet all to easy to overlook. I have always considered myself to be a loving person. I like just about everyone I meet and compassion comes easy to me.

One thing I have learned since becoming a mother is that everything I thought I knew about love prior to the birth of my daughter, pales in comparison to what I know now. She has taught me what it means to love unconditionally. Every day she teaches me how to love more fully and I am becoming a a better person because of her.

Happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

Just Popping In...

2011-09-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

To say Hello!!!

I will be back tomorrow with a more exciting post.

Much love and God bless.

One Month Old!!

2011-09-02T06:36:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe it but my darling angel is one month old today! It feels like it was just yesterday that we brought her home.

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement yesterday!

Happy Friday. Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. Much love and God bless.

Asking For Help; It's Not a Sign of Weakness

2011-09-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. I am hoping to eventually get back to some sort of regular blogging schedule.... but life tends to be a little unpredictable at the moment as I am sure you can imagine.

Yesterday I had a meltdown. Juliette was fussy all day long and my husband was at work. I fed her, I changed her diaper, I rocked her, and I sang her favorite songs. I could not get her to calm down and it broke my heart. Her little face was so sad and all I wanted to do was make her feel better.

Finally I decided to take her for a walk around the neighborhood in her stroller. As I was trying to juggle her and set up the stroller, I almost dropped her. She didn't even notice, but I was devastated. I got her strapped into the stroller and the walk calmed her down. It did nothing however, to calm my nerves.

When we got back in the house I laid her down for nap. As I sat there looking at my sweet innocent daughter sleeping so peacefully I broke down in tears, I felt like an awful mother. It is my job to protect her and it absolutely killed me that I had nearly dropped her.

As I was sitting there in tears my mom called. I sobbed to her over the phone and she said she would be right over. This is my first week alone with the baby and I think I was just getting overwhelmed. Rather than asking for the help I needed, I was trying to be super mom and do everything on my own. The fact is that asking for help is a sign a strength, not a strength a weakness.

Today is a much better day. I love being a mom and nothing will ever change that. Even so, there will be days when I need help and all I have to do is ask.

On another note, my best friend just started a blog and I know she would really appreciate it if you would click on over and welcome her to the blog world!

Also I have a meeting with the law firm I work for tomorrow afternoon to discuss creating a new schedule that will better suit me and my family. There has been some talk about working from home and I am praying that they will agree to that! Your prayers are always welcome and appreciated.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thursday. Much love and God bless.

What's Important to You?

2011-08-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. For all of you fellow East Coast residents, I hope you all weathered the storm without too much of a problem. We were lucky here and did not even lose power. The winds were extremely strong and the rain was relentless. It got a little scary at times, but I prayed for safety and comfort and my prayers were answered.

Just as she did through the earthquake, Juliette slept soundly through the storm. I know that not everyone was as lucky as we were. There were a few deaths, some injuries, and property damage suffered by many. My heart and prayers go out to these individuals.

My family has always been my number one priority. As long as I have my faith and my family, I don't consider myself to be lacking anything of importance. With the birth of our daughter, my priorities have been reaffirmed and are stronger than ever. The first thing I thank God for when I go to sleep and the first thing I ask Him for when I wake up in the morning is the health and safety of my family.

My marriage is rock solid. It has been since the day we said "I do". Of course there have been difficult times, but my husband and I have always been each other's top priority. We are so in love. As I watch my husband interact with our daughter, my love for him only grows stronger. The other night he looked at me with love in his eyes and said "you are such a great mom." There is no better compliment. He is an amazing father and husband, and for that I am ever thankful.

So often we take what we have for granted. When events like last nights storm occur, I realize just how lucky I am and just how blessed a life I live.

Take a moment today to think about what is truly important to you. Are your priorities in line?

Happy Monday. Much love and God bless. xxoo

While Daddy is Working.....

2011-08-25T08:54:00.001-07:00

Baby and I will be playing all day! Well that and

Resting... lot's of resting.

My husband and I have thoroughly enjoyed spending every moment with darling Juliette. As much as we love being mommy and daddy, this weekend we want to spend some time being husband and wife. I pumped my first bottle the other night and now that we know baby takes it without a problem, grandma is going to watch our little angel while we have a date night!!!!

Happy Thursday! Much love and God bless.

2 week checkup!

2011-08-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Tuesday. Today my baby girl had her two week checkup with her pediatrician. Poor little thing had to have her heel pricked for some blood tests. One of the first things I learned about motherhood is that there is no sound more painful to a mother than the sound of her child crying.

Aside from the heel prick, the appointment went well and our pediatrician says that little Juliette is absolutely perfect!

Part of the reason I love our pediatrician so much is that she was my pediatrician from the day I was born until the day I turned eighteen. We are both so excited to continue our relationship now that my husband and I have a baby of our own.

She says we have one of the calmest babies she has ever met!

All tired out after her appointment.

I am off to enjoy the day with my little angel. Much love to all of you.

Happy Tuesday! Much love and God bless.

Love Letter Friday: Baby Edition

2011-08-19T06:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday. Waking up to this little face makes my day start out bright no matter how little sleep I got or how much housework has been left undone.

In honor of Love Letter Friday I decided to post a little love note to this darling baby and my husband.

I have never known a love so deep, so strong, or so true. The minute you came into this world my heart expanded in such a way that the love I have for you and your daddy is infinite and will only continue to grow with every passing day.

When I look at your precious little face, I see the person I want to be and the kind of person I hope to watch you grow in to. You make me want to be better, do better, and make a difference. You are what I was put here for. I am a wife and a mother and that is exactly what God has put me on this earth to be.

I have always loved your daddy, but the minute you entered our lives, my love for him was taken to a whole new level. I cannot find words adequate enough to explain the joy that fills my heart when I see you wrapped in his arms. The two of you are my life and my loves.

I want to give you the world baby girl because that is exactly what I was given when God blessed me with such a perfect family.

Much love and God bless. Happy Friday!

Never Grow Up

2011-08-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday. As I lay in bed this morning I looked over at the tiny little miracle sleeping in the bassinet beside our bed. In the 12 days that she has been on this earth, she has changed so much. Her face has filled out and she becomes more alert with each passing day.

I have shared this song with you before, but as I watched my little angel sleep, these lyrics played themselves out in my mind once again.

I know that one day these little feet will be exploring the world on their own, but for now they get to stay bundled safely in our arms. Childhood is fleeting and I plan on enjoying every minute of it with our beautiful daughter.

Motherhood

2011-08-16T09:29:00.001-07:00

I wanted to thank you all for the welcome home wishes and stop in to say hello. I have not forgotten about you and hope to catch up on your blogs in the next couple of days.

Right now I am so wrapped up in this little angel! God has truly blessed us and I am eternally grateful.

Motherhood is a little glimpse of heaven.

Much love and God bless.

We are Home and Loving Life!!!! Meet my Sweet Juliette!!!

2011-08-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Friday!!!!

I am so sorry to keep you all waiting so long. Juliette Inez Amodio was born on Friday August 5th at 11:15 pm. She was 5 pounds and 11 perfect ounces. I can hardly believe she is one week old today, that makes me want to cry. God has blessed me with the most amazing gift I could ever hope for.

First I want to thank you all for your wonderfully sweet comments to come back to. As you know, my induction got postponed to what was supposed to be my original due date of August 7th. To be sure that it was safe for Juliette to wait that long I was sent to labor and delivery on Friday the 5th at 1 pm to do a non stress test.

Juliette's heart rate is usually around 144. While on the monitor, her heart rate suddenly plummeted to only 60 beats per minute. At this point I was admitted to the hospital. My husband held my hand and I prayed that our daughter would be kept safe.

Once in a room the doctor on call (mine does not work on Friday's) came in and introduced herself. She then broke my water and to make a long story short I labored on my own for 8 hours. Finally the pain and sheer exhaustion I was feeling became too much and I asked for an epidural. After 8 hours of labor I still had not dilated past 1 centimeter. While I waited an additional painfully long (no pun intended) 45 minutes for the epidural, my husband stood and rocked with me to ease through the contractions that were now a minute and a half apart.

I was started on a low dose of pitocin and finally the anesthesiologist came in to give me my epidural. I felt instant relief but was still so tired I could barely think. All of a sudden my baby girls heart rate dropped again to the low 60's and they could not get it up. She was decelerating quickly so they made the decision to take her via c-section saying that she would not be able to handle the stress of labor.

I had not wanted a c-section at all but at this point all I wanted was to be holding my healthy baby daughter.

At 11:15 pm, my wish came true and this little bundle of joy entered the world.

Love at first sight

We are home!

I will give you more details later but I just wanted to catch you all up!!!! Thank you thank you thank you for your kind words and support. I love you all.

God bless.

Change of plans

2011-08-04T14:52:00.000-07:00

The hospital called late last night and said they had to postpone my induction but to keep my phone with me because they would call when I should come in.

They are really busy and I have now been rescheduled for Sunday (which is my actual due date) at 7:30 pm.

The not knowing has been emotionally exhausting but I am praying that Juliette will now have time to come on her own between now and Sunday.

Thanks for hanging in there everyone. I really appreciate the love and support.

I know that God has a plan and this is just part of it.

I can't wait to meet my baby girl!!!! I will update you all as I know more.

Much love and God bless.

Today is the day...

2011-08-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday. Today is the day that my life changes forever. I have my very last OB appointment at 10:45 am and at midnight I will be induced. (Still hoping Juliette will come on her own.)

Today is our last day as a family of two and the start of our new life as parents. In a matter of hours I will be holding my baby daughter and my husband and I will have brought a new life into this world.

Is there any greater gift than a child?

Praise God for the gift of children, they are nothing short of miraculous. I know that this precious new addition to our family will enhance the love that my husband and I share in ways that we never imagined.

Thank you for your prayers.

I will be absent for at least a few days and will try to update you next week.

So much love to all of you, and truly God bless.

<3 Jillian

Two More Days!

2011-08-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. Well it is hard to believe but this past weekend was our last baby free weekend. What did we do?

Sleep.

The sleepless nights have started early. Neither of us have been sleeping through the night and have thus resorted to day time naps. I can hardly wrap my head around the fact that in two days I will be a mom.

TWO DAYS!!

I am just waiting on a call from my doctor to let me know what time I am supposed to come in on Wednesday.

I am feeling nervous, anxious, excited, and even a little scared, but I am so ready to meet our precious baby Juliette.

Your thoughts and prayers are certainly appreciated and I cannot tell you how much your support has meant throughout this pregnancy.

Happy Monday. Much love and God bless.

Love Letter Friday!

2011-07-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday! Thank you all for your sweet words on Wednesday's post. Just another quick update...

At my appointment yesterday the doctor decided to induce me this Wednesday evening, August 3rd. I am hoping to go into labor on my own before then, but we will just have to wait and see.

On another note, I have a lovely letter to share with you today. This weeks letter was written by Mark Twain to his wife Olivia on her thirtieth birthday. It has been said that upon being shown a picture of Olivia, Twain fell in love with her at first sight.

November 27, 1875

Livy darling,

Six years have gone by since I made my first great success in life and won you, and thirty years have passed since Providence made preparation for that happy success by sending you into the world. Every day we live together adds to the security of my confidence, that we can never any more wish to be separated than that we can ever imagine a regret that we were ever joined. You are dearer to me today, my child, than you were upon the last anniversary of this birthday; you were dearer then than you were a year before – you have grown more dear from the first of those anniversaries, and I do not doubt that this precious progression will continue on to the end.

Let us look forward to the coming anniversaries, with their age and gray hairs without fear and without depression, trusting and believing that the love we bear each other will be sufficient to make them blessed.

So, with abounding affection for you and our babies, I hail this day that brings you the matronly grace and dignity of three decades.

Always Yours

So sweet and full of love. His words are practically breathtaking. The perfect letter to start my weekend with. Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable weekend!

Do you have a love letter of your own that would like to be featured? Email me at jreedy43090@gmail.com

Happy Friday, much love and God bless.

Baby Update

2011-07-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Wednesday. I had another sonogram this morning. I just wanted to give you all a quick update.

Here is a picture of my pretty little daughter!

She weighs 5 pounds and 11 ounces. She is still on the small side for almost 38 weeks. The doctors are hoping that I deliver by 39 weeks which will be this Sunday. If I do not go into labor by my due date (August 7,) then they will induce me.

I am really trying to avoid an induction so rather than coming straight home to rest, my friend took me walking around the mall for an hour in an effort to get things moving along. I am not too sure if it helped any but my feet are too swollen to do any more tonight.

I have an appointment with my OB tomorrow morning so I will see what she has to say.

I will be sure to keep you posted. I can hardly wait to meet my darling daughter!!

Much love and God bless.

Decisions Decisions

2011-07-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday.

Some decisions are easy to make and others just seem to have no best option.... or too many "best" options. I tend to be one of those people who have the hardest time even making the so-called easy decisions. My poor husband probably dreads the time of day when we have to decide on something to do for dinner. As annoying as it may be, I am simply indecisive.

I was thinking about this a lot this morning and a scary thought struck me. If I am this indecisive on my own, I wonder how much worse I will be when it comes to making decisions for our daughter. Now I am not talking about the little things like which pink dress to put her in or how to do her hair. I am talking about the big decisions like what schools to send her to, how to discipline (ouch a tear escaped down my cheek just thinking about that), and different methods of parenting.

With parenting, comes a whole new level of decision making. Am I ready for that? Let's hope so.

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

P.S. Please pray for my mom. I just found out this morning that she is in the hospital. No one wanted to tell me because they did not want me to stress. I talk to her every day, so it didn't take too long to figure out that something was wrong. She is going to be fine and it is nothing too terrible, but still she is in pain and will be in the hospital for the next few days. Prayers are certainly appreciated.

Thank you!

Sleepless Nights at 38 Weeks

2011-07-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable weekend. Ours was very low key, just what I needed. I spent the day Saturday watching movies in bed. I went to church on Sunday morning followed by lunch with my grandmother, and then home for a four hour nap.... oops.

As of yesterday I am now 38 weeks pregnant. I have mixed feelings about this. I am certainly thrilled beyond belief that my baby daughter will be here so soon. I am also a little sad that this chapter in our life is coming to a close, I can't imagine anything being quite as exciting (and sometimes scary) as a first pregnancy. There is also a certain amount of anxiety starting to manifest itself.

As I get further and further along, sleeping through the night seems to become more and more difficult, although I suppose I should look at it as getting practice for the sleepless nights that are sure to come with our new addition.

Friday night, I tossed and turned and woke up countless times. Finally at 5:00
am Saturday morning, I got out of bed, grabbed my bathrobe and my rosary and I went downstairs to sit in my living room. I curled up in one of our comfortable reading chairs and recited the rosary. I was still wide awake when I finished, so as I stared out the window at the calm and quiet water just starting to shimmer with the first morning light, I said my morning prayers and relaxed in the quiet beauty of the daybreak. It was a serene, peaceful, and reflective way to spend the first hour and a half of my day.

At 6:30 am I climbed back into bed with my husband and cuddled up next to him before falling asleep for another hour. We both awoke to the bright sun shining through the sliding glass door of our bedroom balcony. After a slow paced Saturday morning breakfast of omelette's and homemade lattes, we settled in for a long day of relaxation!

Sleepless nights aren't so bad when I have a full day of nothing to do. Once baby comes I am sure that my attitude towards sleepless nights and early mornings will change quite drastically.

Wishing you all a very happy Monday. Let's make it a great week!

Much love and God bless.

Last night I had a dream...

2011-07-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

I know that usually Friday's posts are for Love Letter Friday, but this was just too exciting to share.

Last night I had a wonderful dream that baby Juliette was born. She was tiny, she was healthy, and she was so incredibly beautiful. She was so beautiful that I cried. I woke up with the biggest smile on my face.

I could picture exactly what she was going to look like. She had the tiniest little mouth, and the cutest little nose. She had lots of hair and bright eyes. She was so tiny and as I held her, I fell completely in love.

I cannot wait to meet our baby girl!!!!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Happy Friday. Much love and God bless.

Conversations over Coffee

2011-07-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. Today is a very busy day. I have a doctors appointment in the morning, our water heater is being replaced (cold showers are no fun), then I have someone coming over this afternoon, and a tentative appointment with my priest later in the evening. I am exhausted just thinking about it.

Some of you have said that in the absence of a post you think that baby has come, so I wanted to be sure to post something today to let you know that we are still waiting for our little ray of sunshine!

Every morning my husband and I start the day with a cup of coffee. Not only is it nice to wake up to the smell of it freshly brewed, but sipping from a hot cup of coffee, whether at the breakfast table or still in bed, tends to bring about lovely light hearted conversation to start the day with.

Every time I sit across from my husband, coffee in hand, I am taken back to the day that he asked me to be his girlfriend five years ago. We had just gone to a movie and we were sitting at a table in the borders coffee shop. As he made his way back to the table with two steaming cups, I knew I had already fallen deeply in love. As he sat down across from me, he took my hands in his and asked if I would like to make us official.

The rest is history, but there is still nothing quite like our conversations over coffee. Lovely and nostalgic!

Happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

Busy Busy Busy

2011-07-20T09:57:00.001-07:00

Hello and happy Wednesday. When we first found out we were expecting, forty weeks seemed like an eternity. It felt as though we had plenty of time to get everything done. Here we are now closing in on 38 weeks and I feel like there is still so much to do.

I try to get as much done as I can during the day, but I always end up napping instead. My energy level is severely depleted. It is crazy to think how I thought this day would never come, and here we are just days away from being a family of three!

Happy Wednesday. Much love and God bless.

Love is What Matters

2011-07-19T06:15:00.000-07:00

Frank Sinatra was a man of great talent, not only with his music, but with his words as well. "A simple I love you is worth more than money" he once said.

How true is that? In a world that thrives on materialism, sometimes it can be difficult to remember what truly matters. Take a moment to think of the one thing in your life that makes you smile more than anything else. Is it your house, or your bank account, or your car? If you are like me, then the thing in your life that brings you the most joy, the most happiness, is your family and the love that you share for each other.

I can't tell you how many times my husband has uttered those three little words. I love you. What I can tell you is that every time he tells me that he loves me, it feels like the first time. Those three words never fail to put a smile on my face, and to me, his love is more valuable than all the riches in the world.

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

ps.... as it gets closer and closer to my due date if I go missing for a couple days, I promise I will be back. Contractions have been picking up, so it really could be any day now!!

Officially Full Term

2011-07-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday! Well there is no better way to say it than WE DID IT!!! As of yesterday I am 37 weeks, officially full term.

The doctors are satisfied with the weight that Juliette has gained and are going to let her come on her own time. I was exhausted all weekend and spent plenty of time resting. My husband took me out for Chinese food on Friday night and out of nowhere the baby dropped, I can actually see that I am carrying much lower now.

She dropped even more on Sunday, and I don't think she can go any lower until she is ready to greet the world. I can hardly believe how blessed we are, anytime now we will be the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl!

I have a had a few contractions but nothing strong or regular, now it is all just a waiting game. I have a friend on vacation this week, another friend on vacation the following week, and my grandmother on vacation the week after that. All of them are saying that Juliette has to wait until they get back; hate to break it to them, but someone is going to lose out on that game. Little miss Juliette is going to make her appearance on no ones time but her own.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Wishing you all a very happy Monday. May it be the start of a fabulous week.

Much love and God bless.

"For this child I have prayed;
and the LORD has granted me the petition that I made to him."
1 Samuel 1:27

Love Letter Friday!

2011-07-15T05:19:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday! I hope you all had a fabulous week. I am looking forward to a nice weekend with my husband, one of the last baby free weekends we will have.

I look forward to posting a love letter every Friday, they fill my heart with such joy and start my weekend off with romance in mind!

Today's letter was written by writer James Joyce in 1904. In 1904 Joyce met his future wife Nora. Shortly after meeting her, he wrote this letter expressing his feelings for her.

15 August, 1904

My dear Nora,

It has just struck me. I came in at half past eleven. Since then I have been sitting in an easy chair like a fool. I could do nothing. I hear nothing but your voice. I am like a fool hearing you call me 'Dear.' I offended two men today by leaving them coolly. I wanted to hear your voice, not theirs.

When I am with you I leave aside my contemptuous, suspicious nature. I wish I felt your head on my shoulder. I think I will go to bed.

I have been a half-hour writing this thing. Will you write something to me? I hope you will. How am I to sign myself? I won't sign anything at all, because I don't know what to sign myself.

What a great letter! Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Happy Friday. Much love and God bless.

Calling it Quits

2011-07-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. I can hardly believe how quickly this week has gone by. Thank you all for your sweet words yesterday!!! I saw my OB this morning and she says that everything is looking great and we are no longer contemplating an early delivery. Juliette will make her grand entrance when she is good and ready to. I can tell I am carrying lower and I have been feeling a lot of pressure so who knows, I may be holding my little girl very soon!

Now for today's post. A friend of mine met me for lunch the other day. We used to have dinner together once a month, but life got in the way as it so often does. We had not seen each other in a few months and it was great to catch up.

We got to talking about our relationships (me and my husband, and her and her boyfriend.) Over the years we have both experienced some ups and downs but nothing brings us greater happiness than the love and security that we find in these relationships.

My friend told me about another friend of hers who got married four months after my husband and I said our vows. Shortly after, the couple got pregnant and now have a baby girl. After two years of marriage they have decided to get a divorce.

I do not know these people very well, I do not know the kind of relationship they had, and I am certainly in no way judging them or their decision to divorce. Having been married the same amount of time as this couple, it just breaks my heart to hear that they are calling it quits. The reason? They say they just grew apart. It reminded me of this post I wrote a few months ago about growing with your spouse.

My marriage and my family are the most important things in my life and I will do anything to maintain them. My husband and I had a very rough first year of marriage with health complications and numerous situations that were beyond our control. Regardless of the stress and hardship that we endured throughout our first year of marriage, we continued to grow and mature together. Our love has continued to grow and will continue to grow.

It breaks my heart that marriages end because those involved have grown apart. Marriage can be difficult, but when you continue to love and grow with your spouse, the reward is worth every bit of hard work.

Just a thought.

Happy Thursday, much love and God bless.

Just a Quick Update

2011-07-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday. It has been a long day and this mommy to be is ready for a nap. I just wanted to let you know that everything went AMAZING at today's appointment. According to the sonogram Juliette is now up to 5 pounds and 5 ounces, still slightly small but perfectly ok!!!

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes, they certainly are working!

She was a very active little girl all throughout her sonogram which made the doctor very happy. Only four more days and I will officially be full term! Can you believe it!

Much love and God bless.

36 Weeks and Counting!

2011-07-12T04:57:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday! Tomorrow I have a sonogram first thing in the morning and I will be sure to post an update in the afternoon.

I want to sincerely thank all of you for following along with me on my journey through young marriage, and now into motherhood! It means so much to have the love and support of so many wonderful people.

This past Sunday I was officially 36 weeks pregnant. That's right, nine months! I cannot believe how quickly time has passed. It is bittersweet indeed. Pregnancy has be an amazing experience and I am somewhat sad to see it coming to an end, however it brings me such joy to know that in just a matter of weeks (maybe even days) we will be holding our brand new baby girl. What an awesome gift from God!

My doctor is still thinking that she is going to take the baby before 40 weeks, but I kind of think I might want to let her come on her own time as long as there is no real danger or threat to her health.

No matter when she decides to come, my husband and I are ready and waiting with open arms and open hearts!

36 Weeks

I pray the rosary for the health of my baby girl every day.

And I cannot wait to see her beautiful face.

My husband thinks this antique couch is uncomfortable,
but it is my favorite place to sit, think, and say the rosary with my daughter.

Wishing you all a very happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

If You Don't Stop Laughing, You are Going to Have the Baby...

2011-07-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I had the opportunity to attend the baptism of a friends baby daughter and it was a truly lovely occasion. I am not ashamed to admit that I found myself tearing up a little during the service. It wasn't even my child and here I was getting all emotional, there is just something so precious and beautiful about a young life being dedicated to the Lord. What a special moment for the parents of this dear child. I cannot wait until my husband and I get to experience the same joy as we present our baby daughter to be baptized.

Now I realize that the title of today's post is a little strange.... and quite frankly I am sure that no one else is going to find this story quite as funny as I did, even so I just have to share. I really don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life.

Let me start by saying that I have always been terrified of ferrets.
I don't mind them when they are in cages and I do find them to be quite cute, however I have only ever attempted to befriend two ferrets in my life and they were nasty vicious little creatures. So stems my fear.

A friend of mine was kind enough to take me to a doctors appointment last Thursday. She had just moved to a new house and asked me if I would mind going back to the apartment with her before she dropped me off at home so that I could sit with her baby while she grabbed a few more things to take to the house.

I have been to her apartment on several occasions and I never knew she had a ferret. Consequently I was thoroughly confused when she informed me that the ferret would have to come with us in the car. She took the ferret out of its cage and I started to laugh. She asked me what was so funny. "I am terrified of ferrets" I said.

She asked if I would be ok if he was kept in a cage and I told her it would not be a problem, we were only about ten minutes away from my house anyway and I could not bear the thought of leaving the little guy alone no matter how terrifying I found him to be.

As she held him in her arms and looked around for the carrying cage, I had an overwhelming urge to pet him. I reached out with one finger, just one, ready to bolt should he decide to attack. As I gently stroked his head with the tip of my finger, he closed his eyes and my heart just melted. In two seconds flat I had gone from wanting nothing to do with the ferret to loving the little guy.

My friend looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if I could hold him. She handed him over to me and went to get the carrier. Now the real fun began.

As we gathered a few last minute items that were scattered around the now empty apartment, I put the ferret in the cage. I was holding the cage while my friend held the door open for me. All of a sudden I felt the cage flip forward, I looked down and the ferret had squeezed himself through the bars and had gotten himself stuck in an attempt to escape. I have this thing where I laugh at inappropriate times, especially when I am nervous. I frantically tried to stuff the ferret back in the way he had come but got his head stuck. I laughed even harder which made me feel guilty because I really didn't want the poor little thing to get hurt.

Finally he managed to wiggle himself back inside the cage, keeping his head fully attached to his body. I apologized through my laughter and we began to make our way back down the stairs to the car. I didn't even make it to the first landing when my laughter struck again full force. Water was leaking out of the cage because he had flipped his bottle upside down. I thought he had peed and for some reason found it to be the funniest thing in the world. The more I laughed, the more the ferret squirmed. The more the ferret squirmed, the guiltier I felt, but try as I may, I could not get myself together.

Finally I had to put the cage down because my laughter was so out of control. I literally had tears streaming down down my face which of course made my friend laugh too. The harder I tried to stop myself from laughing, the harder I laughed. My friend had already made it down one flight of stairs and had to come back up to take the ferret. She said if I didn't stop laughing I was going to go into labor which of course only made me laugh harder. Try explaining that to my husband haha.

Finally I regained control and made my way down the stairs carrying nothing but a tiny shoe rack.... so much for being helpful. Once we were in the car, I felt so bad for the ferret that I took him out of the cage and let him ride in my lap on the way to my house.

I tried to explain to my husband why I smelled like a wet rat when I got to the house, but of course retelling the story made me laugh out loud all over again.

I sent my friend a text message on Saturday letting her now that I woke up laughing about the ferret. Seriously what is wrong with me, it's not that funny.

Anyway I suppose it is one of those you had to be there situations but hopefully writing it all out has gotten it out of my system.

On the bright side, I am no longer terrified of ferrets. In fact, I told my husband that our next pet should be one.

Oh my, what I have I started?

Happy Monday. Much love and God bless.

Happy Friday!

2011-07-08T05:50:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday. Love Letter Friday will be back next week. I wanted to apologize for the lack of posts this week. I had several doctors appointments and by the time I made it home each afternoon I would wake up from a nap before I even realized I had fallen asleep haha. I have to admit that this little break from the computer was kind of nice!

All of my appointments went well and baby Juliette seems to be doing much better in terms of growth. She is still on the small side so the doctor are still talking about not letting me go to the full 40 weeks, but we will see. On a positive note, I will be 36 weeks on Sunday, so either way we are almost out of the danger zone. Your prayers are certainly welcome. All we want is a happy healthy baby girl!

On another note, look at these pretty little flowers. Guess who got them for me
? ..... no, it was not my wonderful husband, it was my daddy!! How sweet is that!

This weekend we are attending the baptism of my friends daughter and I am so excited to be a part of such a special day in this little families life. I know that I cannot wait to have our daughter baptized! What a precious gift.

Next week I will be back to a normal posting schedule, this week was just a little crazy. Much love to all of you. I wish you all a beautiful and relaxing weekend.

Happy Friday, God bless.

Falling Into Place

2011-07-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Wednesday. I have been thinking a lot lately about how blessed my life truly is. I have a husband who loves me, a baby who will be here before we know it, and in the past two years our life together has really taken off with amazing job opportunities, the purchase of our home, and countless blessings.

Everything is falling into place. Our baby daughter will be here in a few short weeks and with her arrival I am sure there will be many changes. We have a plan in progress right now and it has been moving along quite successfully. I am not going to get to excited until we make a concrete decision and everything is settled, but I will say that I am in a very good place right now.

Our prayers have been answered and we have a bright future ahead of us as a family. Thank you all for your support and words of encouragement. It is truly amazing how if we just allow things to happen and trust in the outcome, everything really does come together.

Happy Wednesday! Much love and God bless.

With Freedom Comes Responsibility

2011-07-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday. (I am no longer posting at Weddzilla on Tuesdays.)

I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. We had a cookout for friends and family on Saturday and watched fireworks over the water right from our backyard! It is always so nice to get together with friends we don't often have the chance to see.

Sunday evening as we were laying in bed, my husband and I heard fireworks again. We opened the curtains to our bedroom balcony and were treated to another beautiful display of fireworks from the comfort of our own bedroom.My husband said that our house felt like vacation.

Yesterday evening my parents and my grandmother came over to watch fireworks one last time. Around 8:30, the sky turned bright pink and purple. Sailboats were bobbing in the water behind our house and as the fireworks began one last time, I could not help but think what a beautiful picture the scene before us would make. My husband walked me down to the waters edge and the sight was absolutely breathtaking.

Fireworks are truly beautiful works of art, but the real beauty of the Fourth of July holiday is the freedom that we celebrate.

On Sunday our priest gave a wonderful homily. He spoke about what a blessing it is to live in a country that offers us such freedom and what a blessing it is to have such brave and men and women willing to fight to protect that freedom. What truly stuck with me however, was when he said that just because we are free to do something, does not mean we have the right to do it.

I feel privileged and blessed to live in a country so vast in opportunity and personal freedoms, however with freedom comes responsibility. We are obligated as Christian individuals to make decisions that are morally just. We may have the freedom to abort an unwanted baby, but do we truly have the right to take a life?

I love this country and all that it has to offer. I certainly am proud to be an American and I support our troops in all of their efforts.

I do however understand that I have a personal obligation to base my decisions on what is right, just, and true. Having the freedom to do something does not make it right.

Freedom is a beautiful thing. I thank God for the gift of living in a country free of oppression, but even more so, I thank God for the gift of guidance and strength in making decisions that ring true to my Christian faith and values.

Wishing you all a very happy Tuesday and a lovely start to the week!

Much love and God bless.

Love Letter Friday!

2011-07-01T05:45:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday. I hope you all have fun plans for the Fourth of July weekend! We are hosting a cookout but under the circumstances I am not going all out like I did last year. What is it about fireworks? I see them every year, but somehow they never lose their sense of wonder!

Today's love letter comes from a fabulous collection of civil war love letters. This is long one today, but I promise that if you read it to the end you won't be disappointed.

Today's letter was written by a confederate surgeon by the name of Harvey Black to his wife Mollie. This letter reflects back upon their courtship and the early years of their marriage, as well as the happiness that he knows their future holds. My heart had completely melted by the end of this lovely letter.

He writes:

Brandy Station,

Sunday night, Nov. 1 [1863]

My dear Mollie

I rcd a letter today from a very handsome lady to play cupid. Although not accompanied by her likeness yet her image was so indelibly impressed upon my mind that the likeness itself could not recall the features more vividly than they are impressed. I first met her in a village in Western Va when I was about 17 years old and she 8. I afterwards saw her frequently and occasionally was in her company, and nonwithstanding the disparity of our ages, I became so favorably impressed with her fair face and gentle manners that I frequently said to myself that I wished she was older or I younger.

In 3 to 4 years she had grown so much that the disparity in age seemed to grow less. Never did a lady witness the budding of a flower with more requisite pleasure than did I the budding of that pretty little girl into womanhood. She made much of my thoughts while in Mexico and more upon my return home. While at the University of Va., I not infrequently found my thoughts wandering from the dry textbook to contemplate by the aid of memory the features and form of this little girl.

After I completed my studies, I traveled in the west and expected to find a home in some western state, but not finding a place to suit me, together with the persuasions of that fair face, induced me to return.

I entered, as you know, actively into the pursuit of my profession with the determination to make at least a fair reputation and tried to withdraw my thought from everything else, but I found this little fairy constantly and pleasantly intruding into all my plans, whether of pleasure or interest. At this period she met me politely and respectfully but seemed to grow more distant, coy & reserved, so that I frequently thought that even the ordinary attentions of common politeness & courtesy were no special source of pleasure to her.

In a few instances when she has arrived at about the age of 15 this shyness and reserve seemed to be forgotten, and I would pass an hour or two in the enjoyment of her company with great pleasure to myself and I imagined with at least satisfaction, if not enjoyment, to her. I began to think that my happiness was identified with hers. I began to pay her special visits or at least seek opportunities by which I might be in her company. I sought her society on pleasure rides and thought it not a hardship to ride 65 miles in 24 hours if part of the time might be spent with her. She always exhibited or observed the decorum of modest reserve which might be construed into neither encouragement nor discouragement.

After the deliberation & reflection which I thought due to a matter which involved my happiness for life, I felt that her destiny and mine were probably intended to be united, and that all the adverse counsel which I could give myself could bring no objections. I felt that I ought both as a matter of duty and happiness give my whole life to her, who for 9 years had my attention and devotion, though concealed love.

After a few little billets and interviews, and with a full declaration of the love I desired to bestow, I received a measured and loving response and was made most happy in the anticipation of the celebration of the nuptials fixed at some 6 months hence. This time glided nicely & happily, though not too rapidly, away from me. The hours of leisure were spent with her and my visits were always welcomed with that cordial welcome, that maiden modesty, so much to be admired. Tis true that on one occasion she did rest her elbow upon my knee and look with confidential pleasure in my face and made me realize that indeed I had her whole heart.

Suffice it to say, the happy day of our marriage arrived and since then, hours, days, and years of time, confidence & happiness passed rapidly away, and only to make us feel that happy as were the hours of youthful days, they compare not with those of later years and perhaps even these may not be equal to that which is in reserve for us.

I don't know how much pleasure it affords you to go over these days of the past, but to me they will ever be remembered as days of felicity. And how happy the thought that years increase the affection & esteem we have for each other to love & be loved. May it ever be so, and may I ever be a husband worthy of your warmest affections. May I make you happy and in so doing be made happy in return. A sweet kiss and embrace to your greeting.

But maybe you will say it looks ridiculous to see a man getting grayhaired to be writing love letters, so I will use the remnant of my paper otherwise...

Yours affectionately H Black

What a beautiful letter!!!

Wishing you all a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend. Much love and God bless.

That's Not How I Would Have Done It.

2011-06-30T05:32:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. I want to thank you all again for your prayers and well wishes. Please continue to pray for us as I will certainly be praying for all of you! I thank God every day for the prayers of friends, family, and even strangers. What an amazing feeling it is to know that there are so many people out there willing to take a moment to think of others. God bless you all!

Now for today's post.

You know that old saying, if you want something done right, do it yourself? I used to think that was true.... at least when it came to things like housework and husbands. Now I have come to embrace the fact that as much as we love each other, the fact that we are man and woman makes us so incredibly different that some differences will never be reconciled.

When I say I really need to clean the house or I really need to do laundry, the response I usually get from my husband is "Why? The house looks fine." Well the house may look fine to him, but to me it looks like it has been severely neglected, the bathrooms need scrubbing, the floors need mopping, the stairs need to be vacuumed, not to mention the fact that if I want to have clean underwear then the laundry is a must.

I have come to realize that my husband is not a slob, nor is he lazy, or content to live in an unkept house, he is simply a male. Our ideas of what constitute cleanliness are vastly different. If it doesn't sparkle and shine, then to me it's dirty. If it doesn't smell, and you can see the floor, then to my husband it's clean.

This was the topic of a lengthy conversation I had with a friend of mine. She said she knew exactly what I meant, like when we ask them to do the dishes and an hour later they are not done. To them, they were just not ready yet, to us women, it drives us so crazy that we just end up doing the dishes ourselves. Or after they cook as long as the dishes are in the sink they think they did a great job cleaning up, but we come in and have to wipe down the stove, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and scrub the counter tops.

I have come to accept the idea that I, like most wives, have a much higher standard for cleanliness than my husband. What used to be a great source of frustration for us as a couple has now become a long standing joke. I no longer complain if he makes a mess while cooking, after all I am the one it bothers not him. I simply take two minutes to clean to my liking. My husband jokes that I am addicted to cleaning, I joke that if it were not for me, he wouldn't know what to do. Now instead of frustration, we get a lot of laughter.

As man and woman, we are very different. When we embrace these differences rather than let them become a source of conflict, we do not allow any harm to come to our marriage. Providing for our family brings my husband great pride, keeping a clean home brings me great pride. When I think of it that way, then really there is no harm done now is there?

"Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
...
she watches over the ways of her household."
Proverbs 31

Happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

Great News!!!

2011-06-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

God is so great! It seems as though all of our prayers have been heard. Juliette passed her non stress test in less than fifteen minutes today! Lately it has been taking over an hour. The sonogram revealed that she has gained a pound and is now weighing in around 4 pounds and 5 ounces. She is still measuring small, but the doctors were happy with the growth improvement that she has shown in the past two weeks. They want to check her again in another two weeks but so far it is looking as though an early delivery may not be necessary.

Grow baby grow!!!!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I am feeling so great today, I feel a great sense of relief knowing that our precious baby girl is making some progress. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers, you are always in mine!

Happy Wednesday. Much love and God bless!

Mini Maternity Shoot

2011-06-28T06:44:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday! Thank you all for your well wishes, prayers, and thoughts yesterday. Yesterday's monitoring went well and I am anxious to see what today's appointment will reveal.

Getting out of the house is getting to be quite difficult. I was feeling really good yesterday so my best friend suggested taking some maternity photos. I had thought about doing this earlier but just never got around to it. She said I would regret not having any so she came over yesterday evening and we did a mini maternity shoot in Juliette's nursery and at the beach behind my house.

My husband is pretty camera shy soooo no pictures of the three of us, but we did manage to get some great shots that I am sure we will treasure for years to come.

Here are a few of my favorites!

I think the last one is my favorite photo of them all! Thanks to my best friend for a fun time and great memories!

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

Busy Week Ahead

2011-06-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you all enjoyed the weekend! This weekend I did something that I very rarely do, and let me tell you it was hard. This weekend I said no. That's right I used the word that I am sure my daughter will learn much to soon.

I have a difficult time saying no, whether it be turning down an invitation or telling someone I am just too busy to take on another task. I always feel guilty and strive to please others, but this weekend I took my husbands advise and focused on what I needed. I was invited to two parties this weekend. One was a 50th birthday celebration for the step father of a very close friend of mine. The other was a going away party for the boyfriend of another very close friend of mine who is in the military and is getting stationed in Florida.

As much as I wanted to join my friends in these celebrations, I decided to listen to my body. I was exhausted, I had a pretty rough week and my husband and I were just saying that it was going to be nice to have a weekend with no plans. I gave my apologies for not being able to attend and wished them all a good time. Of course my friends were more than understanding.

At first I felt that familiar twinge of guilt begin to arise in the pit of my stomach. I started to contemplate at least making an appearance at the parties.... we didn't have to stay long. My husband, the wise patient man that he is, told me to stop being silly and do something else I very rarely do.... relax.

My husband and I slept in until we were good and ready to wake up. We took our time over breakfast and spent the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing. It has been quite a while since we got to spend a day doing nothing but enjoy each other's company and it felt wonderful!

Sometimes saying no is just what I need.

We have a very busy week ahead of us. Today I am going into labor and delivery for fetal monitoring to be sure that Juliette's heart beat is still strong and she is moving around enough. Tuesday is a big day for us, I have to get an echo cardiogram done to see if my frequent fainting might have something to do with my heart. I have had a heart murmur since birth, but it is so minor that it has never been a problem. With the excess blood volume from the pregnancy they are going to be sure that my heart is not working too hard. Wednesday however, is THE day. On Wednesday we have another sonogram. This will show us whether or not Juliette has shown enough improvement in her growth. She has dropped all the way down to the 7th percentile and does not seem to be gaining much weight. On Wednesday we will find out whether or not she has to be delivered early.

I had a mini meltdown on Friday evening thinking about all this, but then I realized that God has this all in His hands, and no matter what has to be done, Juliette is going to be just fine. She is coming into a world so full of people who love her and if she has to come a little sooner than expected, then we will just get to shower her with love even earlier than we anticipated.

This will be a busy week, but hopefully a week full of answers.

Wishing you all a very happy Monday and a lovely start to your week! Much love and God bless.

Love Letter Friday!

2011-06-24T06:01:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday! I hope you all had a lovely week. I am looking forward to a weekend with absolutely nothing to do, especially with such a busy week coming up. How about you, anything fun and exciting in your weekend plans?

I could not help myself, I turned once again to the wonderfully romantic Ronald Reagan as a source of inspiration for our Love Letter Friday feature, but can you really blame me? He has got to be one of the most genuine and romantic men that ever lived. Nancy was one lucky lady!

I came across a few Western Union Telegrams (how's that for romantic!!!) and they were just too sweet to keep from sharing!

This one is by far my favorite:

Only till tomorrow morning but if it were only a minute it would be too long I love you.

Or how about this one:

What do you know it is Tuesday in Albuquerque and I'm in love with you.

I cannot understand how this man managed to pack so much love and romance into such a compact sentence. I truly think these may be at the top of my love letter list!

I hope you enjoyed!

Happy Friday. Much love and God bless.

When Two Becomes Three!

2011-06-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday! Today is a very special day. Our fellow blogger, and a very dear friend Jessie and her husband just had their baby boy!!!!!

I am so excited for them and you should all head over and say congratulations!

This exciting news and of course the much anticipated arrival of my baby daughter got me thinking about the words my priest spoke to us this Past Sunday. He was trying to explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

He said that another priest had told him once that God is like an all knowing Father, His immense love and knowledge of all things was so expansive that out of Him came the Son. The love and the power of the Father and the Son was so much, that out of them came a third, the Holy Spirit. Each of us receives the gift of the Holy Spirit through baptism.

He went on to equate the Trinity to the worldly example of husband, wife, and child. He said that when God brings a man and a woman together as husband and wife, the love that they share is so strong, so powerful, that out of them a third life is created. The life of their child.

This was such a beautiful representation of God's love, and the love between husband and wife that it brought tears to my eyes. I am so thankful and so incredibly humbled that God has given me and my husband the beautiful gift of a baby girl. I cannot wait to welcome her into the world.

For all of you who are parents, I just ask that you take a moment to reflect on the gift that you have been given.

Congratulations again to Jessie and her husband Justin!!!!

Happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

Another Doctor's Appointment...

2011-06-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I have another appointment today for a non stress test.

It is getting difficult to keep track of all these appointments now

Every Monday I go for fetal monitoring at labor and delivery....

Every Wednesday I go for non stress tests....

I have another sonogram next Wednesday....

And I see my OB every week now....

I will be sure to keep you all posted!

Sorry for the lack of exciting post today.

Happy Wednesday. Much love and God bless.

In The Quiet of The Morning...

2011-06-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday. Thank you all for your sweet comments about the nursery yesterday!

Today our alarm went off at six like it does every morning. This time of year the sun is usually shining brightly in through the sliding glass door of our bedroom no later than 5:45. It's supposed to rain today, so the cloudy skies made the room feel even more warm and cozy than usual, actually it reminded me of early fall rather than the first day of summer.

I cuddled up closer to my husband and he wrapped his arms around me before giving me a good morning kiss. We vow every morning that we are actually going to get up when the alarm goes off... but somehow laying there in each others arms, still foggy from the fuzzy edges of sleep takes precedence over an early start.

Laying there in the quiet of the morning curled between soft cotton sheets, it was hard to imagine that in just a few more weeks if the alarm doesn't wake us....then baby will. With that thought I didn't feel so guilty spending a few extra minutes wrapped in the love and comfort of my husbands arms. Pretty soon it will be my arms around a baby! And although I am sure we will still find plenty of time together, I think quiet mornings may soon be a thing of the past.

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless!

Would You Like To See The Nursery?!?

2011-06-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Friday evening we spent three hours in labor and delivery monitoring Juliette because of low fetal activity. After three hours of feeding me popsicles and juice, the doctors got a few movements they were partially satisfied with so they were comfortable enough with sending us home.

We will will know more this Wednesday after the non stress test but I am sure everything is just fine! We spent the rest of the the weekend relaxing with family for Father's day. Yesterday evening we had my parents and siblings over for dinner. My husband cooked steaks on the grill and we sat around the fire pit. We all walked down to the beach and the boys fished off of the pier while the girls sat with our feet in the sand.

Before leaving, I gave everyone a tour of Juliette's nursery. There are still a few final touches we need to make like hanging photos on the wall, but my wonderful husband has done an amazing job on preparing the nursery for our baby girl!

I recorded a video, but for some reason blogger does not like it, so here are the pictures!! If you want to see the video (it's really cute!) you can click on this link to my facebook page.

Baby's rocking chair is ready to go!

Baby's blanket and first teddy bear.

I love her crib!

The baby doll in the purple was mine when I was little.
I would not leave home without her.

Books!

This whole dresser is FULL of clothes!

Somebody is going to be jealous when baby comes.

Happy Monday! I hope you love the nursery as much as we do, I sat in there for an hour last night. Much love and God bless!

Baby Update!

2011-06-16T05:45:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. This morning I am back at the doctors again, but as promised here is an update on baby Juliette. Forgive me if I do not have a chance to visit you at your blog today... we got some news at yesterdays appointment that has sort of been demanding a lot of attention.

How could you not love this precious little face!

We are just about 33 weeks pregnant. Juliette weighs just over three pounds which means she is still on the small side. The other thing is that rather than speeding up, her growth has actually begun to slow down. This is not cause for alarm just yet, but even so we are taking precautions recommended to us by our doctor.

The doctor ran a non stress test to get a good look at baby's heartbeat. Her heart rate was supposed to reach 15 beats higher than normal and stay there for 15 seconds at least twice during a 20 minute interval. We never quite made it to 15 seconds.... but the doctor let her pass.

I will now be doing the non stress tests every Wednesday. The other concern is that should Juliette not show adequate growth progress at her next sonogram in two weeks, we might have to undergo an early delivery to be sure she is getting the nutrition she needs. Her small size could be attributed to the fact that I myself am of small stature, or it could be a sign of something more serious like a problem with the placenta.

To be on the safe side I was given a steroid shot yesterday and I have to get another shot this morning. This will speed up the maturation of her lungs so that should she have to be delivered early, her lungs will be sufficient.

I am so happy that my husband could be there with me yesterday. He is my rock and a welcome sense of calm and reason when I myself can't quite wrap my head around what I am being told. He asked all the right questions regarding the steroid and the chances of early delivery, and held my hand for reassurance that all would be ok.

The doctors are optimistic and so are we, even so it is all a little scary.

I know that God will provide for us and I ask that you all keep us in your prayers, you are all certainly in mine!!!

Happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

Guest Post: Special Offer From Simply Bridal

2011-06-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I have another sonogram this morning and I will be sure to post pictures for you tomorrow!

Today I have a special post scheduled from the kind people over at Simply Bridal

Right now, Simply Bridal is offering a 15% discount to readers of this blog. Just type "SaveBridal15" in the checkout screen to take advantage of this offer.

A Beautiful Wedding Dress for Your Special Day

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I'll admit that I spent a little more than I wanted to spend on my wedding dress. Low-cost options were hard to find. I also spent a lot of time looking for a dress, instead of spending time with my fiancée. It was a hard time.

That's why I really like the website Simply Bridal (www.simplybridal.com). The dresses you see on their website are just beautiful. The dresses have amazing details that you can see in the close-up photography. They take all of the photos on the site in their own studio, so you know that the dresses you see on the site will look just like the dresses they ship to customers. And their prices are super reasonable. For many brides who are working within tight budgets, this is a real blessing. Shopping with Simply Bridal is really easy, too. They tell you just how to measure yourself, and customer service representatives are right there if you have a question. I wish that they'd been around when I was shopping for a wedding gown.

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Thank you Simply Bridal for your generosity.

Wishing you all a happy Wednesday. Much love and God bless.

Bridal Budgets

2011-06-14T06:19:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday. Being Tuesday, I am supposed to be posting over at Weddzilla. My post has yet to be scheduled sooo I am just going to post it for you here.

Today's post is about brides and their budgets.

Every bride dreams of her wedding day, the dress she will wear, the decorations, the cake, and the flowers. One thing few of us dream about is our wedding budget.

The cost of an average wedding can be astounding, quickly amounting to far more than any bride ever imagined.

We would all love to have our perfect fairytale wedding day, the realty of it is that sometimes we have to make do with what we can afford. My husband and I had a lovely and relatively cheap wedding. We decided that we would rather have a simple wedding void of anything too extravagant in an effort to start our new life together in a financially secure state.

A few weeks ago, my brother got married. I was talking to my sister in law a couple of days prior to the wedding. She was saying that there were certain things that she had to cut from the wedding to stay within budget. I reminded her that although there may be a few trivial details absent from her wedding day, the important thing to keep in mind was that the wedding would last only a couple of hours. What really mattered was the life that they would be sharing afterward.

Every bride is different. We all have different tastes, styles, and ideas when it comes to what we want our wedding to be like. We also have different budgets that we have to adhere to.

No matter how big or small your wedding day budget may be, there are a multitude of ways to still create the wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank. And remember, the real fun comes after the wedding! Love is what makes marriage so wonderful, and the best thing is...it's free!

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

Spa Day and a Surprise Shower!

2011-06-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable weekend. I woke up Saturday morning to a text from my older sister wanting to know if I would be interested in getting a pedicure. We were supposed to meet my cousin later in the day to spend time reading magazines and relaxing poolside, but we had plenty of time to get our nails done beforehand and I was itching to get out of the house for a while.

I had a gift card that I had received for my birthday so we decided to go to a local Salon and Spa. Both my sister and I were excited to get a spa pedicure. We had only ever been to small nail salons and we were in the mood to be pampered. The pedicure was amazing. My feet had been hurting for a few days, but after the hour long pedicure and foot massage my feet were not only pretty, but they had never felt better! I could not stop talking about how great my feet felt, I will certainly be a frequent visitor.

I had talked to my mom and my best friend earlier in the day. My mom had said that she was going to a birthday party for one of her daycare children and my best friend said she was spending the day with her boyfriend. My husband had even helped me pack my pool bag and made sure that I had plenty of water and sunscreen.

After the pedicure, my sister realized that she had "forgotten" her beach towel, so we stopped at Old Navy to buy one before meeting my cousin at the pool. I was looking forward to taking a nap in the shade.

We got to the community center and I told my cousin I had to change and use the bathroom. She led me through a door and turned on the light. All of my friends and family were waiting there in one of the meeting rooms. The room was decorated so pretty and gifts were overflowing off of the table and onto the floor.

It took me a moment to realize that they were all there for my baby shower! I knew that it had to be coming up soon, but I was truly surprised that everyone had managed to keep the date a secret.

We had the best time. Everyone was so generous with their gifts and baby Juliette has got to be the most loved (spoiled) little girl ever. The cake and decorations were beautiful. Thanks to our friends and family, there are only a few things we have left to get before Juliette's arrival.

I will have to get the rest of the pictures from my cousin but here are a few that my husband and I took.

They made me a silly hat to wear from tissue paper and ribbons

Is this not the cutest bathtub you have ever seen?!?

This handmade bag was too cute for words.

The cake was beautiful and delicious!! (red velvet... my favorite!)

I cannot thank every one enough! I had a wonderful shower and we are now well on our way to being ready to welcome our darling baby girl into the world!

Happy Monday. Let's make it a great week. Much love and God bless!

Love LetterFriday!

2011-06-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful week. While searching for the perfect letter to feature today I came across a lovely site featuring several love notes sent between Sarah and Jasper Yeates throughout their marriage.

The couple married in December 1767, and lived in Lancaster County Pennsylvania where they raised their family. Although Jasper was often away from home for his work, the couple was sure to express their affection through simple little notes.

Here are a few of my favorites.

Letter to Sarah Yeates from Jasper Yeates
22 May 1769

I have little to add but my sincerest wishes for your happiness, & that our love may receive perpetual increase by an unvaried intercourse of the kindest offices.

Letter to Jasper Yeates from Sarah Yeates
10 January 1792

...if you would get me half a dozen pair of stockings (mine are almost past mending) I will thank you and give you as many kisses when I see you.

Letter to Jasper Yeates from Sarah Yeates
17 May 1793

I should be very glad if you where coming near home instead of going further from us, but I trust you will be preserved and return in health to your family who will be made very happy by the event and none more so than your very affectionate wife.

Letter to Sarah Yeates from Jasper Yeates
24 April 1797

I now consider you at Belmont & often speak to Mr. Smith about what I presume to be your engagements. In about a month I should begin to turn my face homewards & rejoice at the anticipation. But I am fearful of pursuing the idea long, lest my stay abroad should be made doubly uneasy on reflection. My love to our dear children. I ever shall be my dear wife most affectionately yours.

These little notes are so short and so simple, but yet so beautifully written and full of affection. I love this couple!

Do you have a love letter of your own that you would like featured? Email me at jreedy43090@gmail.com.

Wishing you all a safe and happy weekend. Happy Friday! Much love and God bless.

Choose Your Words Carefully

2011-06-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday! I have to tell you, nesting was fun yesterday, but I woke up this morning with no energy.... I'm thinking today is a movie day.

Today I was thinking about words. Words can carry great power, perhaps far more power than we realize. We hear so often on the the news about these tragic cases of bullying in schools. Sometimes people fail to realize that just because there is no physical sign of harm, does not necessarily mean that harm has not be done.

In marriage, we should be able to look to our spouse for words of love, affirmation, and support. We all say things we don't mean from time to time, but if we truly make an effort to more consciously choose words of positivity, I think we just might be surprised at the results.

In addition to using positive words, we should also mean what we say. Sure I can say "I love you", but if I say it without meaning, the words fall flat. Another thing that I know I have struggled with is tone of voice. The words I say might not be hurtful, but the tone in which I say them can be.

I have challenged myself to choose my words more carefully, with regards not only to my marriage, but also with friends, family, and in daily conversation.

Just imagine how beautiful it would be if we all used our words to build people up rather than tear people down.

Words said out of anger are later regretted, but with words of kindness you can't go wrong.

Happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

P.S. Tomorrow is love letter Friday, remember if you have a letter you would like to share feel free to email me. I love to hear from fellow bloggers!

Nesting....

2011-06-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday! I can hardly believe how quickly these weeks are flying by. I had my day planned out.... but my original plan has changed because I woke up with an intense desire to clean.

My husband tells me I should take it easy and relax, but I can't! I can hardly sit still long enough to publish this post. I guess nesting has taken over full force. My parents bought our crib last night and I can't wait for them to bring it over today so I can start cleaning up the nursery.

In the mean time I have laundry to fold, bathrooms to scrub, and floors to mop. Last month during our shopping trip to Sam's club I bough the best invention ever. I used to mop my floors on my hands and knees.... as you can imagine, that doesn't work so well anymore.

Now with my Swiffer, I can mop my floors quick and easy. It is weird how excited I am about this, I seriously woke up this morning thinking about using my Swiffer to clean my floors.

I hope you all have exciting plans for the day. As for me, I am off to do some serious cleaning!

Happy nesting!!

Enjoy your Wednesday. Much love and God bless.

Weddzilla Tuesday: Always Kiss Me Goodnight

2011-06-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday. I hope all of you are having a great week. I am once again posting over at Weddzilla. I have talked a lot about affection on this blog. One of my favorite things about being married is the daily affection that my husband and I share! Affection is a must in a marriage. Everyone has different needs, some people are naturally more affectionate than others. Even so, the fact of the matter is that engaging in simple affectionate acts can make any marriage a great marriage!

"Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her,

and likewise also the wife to her husband"
1 Corinthians 7:3
********************************************************

One way I ensure that my husband and I get our daily dose of affection is to always kiss each other goodnight.

"Affection comes easily to some, and not so easily to others. One thing is for sure, a marriage void of affection will eventually begin to feel incomplete. We are meant to love and be loved.

My husband and I are sure to start and end each day with a kiss. A simple touch, a tender hug, a hand around the waist…all of these affectionate acts let us know that we are loved, thought of and adored....

Before we got married, I was given a very valuable piece of advice. I was told to always kiss each other goodnight. Sometimes after a busy day, we will both jump into bed eager to get some rest. Without fail, sleep will not come without a goodnight kiss.

It’s the perfect way to end the day!"

Want to read more? The whole post will be live this afternoon. Click on over.

Have you kissed you spouse today?

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

32 Weeks...Eight Months Pregnant!

2011-06-06T06:37:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday! I hope you all had a safe and happy weekend. Our weekend was really busy but really fun. I am exhausted today haha.

My beautiful sister in law graduated from high school this weekend. We went to the graduation ceremony on Saturday night and then we went to her graduation party on Sunday afternoon. The weather was gorgeous and the rain held out. I found myself a lounge chair by the pool and parked myself there for most of the party. We got to see a lot of family members we have not seen in awhile and it was really great to catch up with everyone. I am so proud of my sister in law.Even though I didn't do very much and relaxed by the pool most of the time, I was exhausted by the time we left. It was a lovely party though!

In other news, I am now 32 weeks pregnant! When did that happen? I am so excited to meet our baby girl, but I know that I am also going to miss this very exciting time in our life. I still can't believe that in eight weeks our family of two will be a family of three. I know I am having a baby shower, but the date is a surprise.... as soon as we have our shower and complete the nursery, I know it will feel even more real.

My husband has been my rock throughout this pregnancy, especially since being put on bed rest. He is so supportive and is truly the most amazing man I have ever met. I thank God for bringing him into my life, I cannot imagine being married to a more loving man. He is a wonderful husband and I know he will be an amazing father.

I have been feeling pretty well the past couple of days, I have had a few minor fainting spells, but other than that all seems to be going well. We have another sonogram on the 15th and of course we are excited to see our little girl again.

On June 30th we have a hospital tour and I am excited to see the new labor and delivery wing!

As of right now the nursery consists of pink walls and a rocking chair.

I am looking forward to rocking Juliette to sleep and reading her bedtime stories!

.................................

We also have a huge collection of adorable baby clothes, including these precious little numbers.

God has been so good to our family. We have been married for two and a half years. Within that time we have learned to live on our own and to rely on each other for love and support. We have bought our first house and grown so much in our relationship! Now we are welcoming a baby girl into our hearts and I cannot tell you how happy that makes me.

Happy Monday! Let's make it a great week. Much love and God bless.

Love Letter Friday

2011-06-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful week! I am really excited about today's love letter. It comes from a book called Love Letters of Great Men.

This letter is old.... and by old I mean that it was written in 100 A.D.!

Today's letter was written by Gaius Plinius Secundus, a Roman senator, consul, and governor.
He writes:

You say that you are feeling my absence very much, and your only comfort when I am not there is to hold my writings in your hand and often put them in my place by your side. I like to think that you miss me and find relief in this sort of consolation. I too, am always reading your letters, and returning to them again and again as if they were new to me -- but this only fans the fire of my longing for you. If your letters are so dear to me, you can imagine how I delight in your company; do write as often as you can, although you give me pleasure mingled with pain.

Don't you just love the imagery! Do you have a love letter of your own that you would like to share? Email me at jreedy43090@gmail.com.

Wishing you all a very happy Friday and a lovely weekend.

Much love and God bless.

Life Unplanned

2011-06-02T05:12:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. This week has just flown right by. I woke up this morning with a smile on my face. I was cuddled up next to my husband and right on cue, little Juliette gave me a good morning kick (probably letting me know that she was ready for breakfast.)

I could not help but think about how blessed my life is right now. I have a wonderful marriage and a precious baby on the way. It made me smile to think about how much our "plan" has changed throughout the years.

Throughout my young teenage years I could not ever imagine myself with children. When I turned sixteen, I certainly did not expect to meet the man I was going to marry. I had envisioned myself pursuing a degree in psychology, having a successful career, and getting married sometime around 25. I thought that maybe by 30 I would have two kids.

Here I am 21 years old. I have been married for over two years to my best friend, and in less than nine weeks we will be welcoming our first child into the world. The interest in psychology has been replaced with efforts to earn a teaching degree, but right now my biggest focus is our little family!

The life I am living is nothing like the life I had "planned" for myself, and you know what? I couldn't be happier. I thank God for the life He has given me and all of the wonderful things He has blessed me with.

Sometimes it seems that the best things in life are unplanned. Very rarely do things turn out exactly as we expect them too. So often we have our lives mapped out only to find that the route we had planned on taking is not the way our life wants to take us. I have no idea what is in store for our family in the years to come. I am hoping for a few more kids, maybe a change in location, but mostly for us to remain a happy family and to grow in love.

The one thing I do know is that God has great plans for each and every one of us. I don't know about you, but I look forward to having these plans revealed to me as we continue to live our lives.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11

Wishing you all a very happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

Summer Fun!

2011-06-01T05:29:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday! Although I have been staying inside and out of the sun, I am enjoying the lovely summer view from my bedroom balcony. The sun is shining brightly and as the day gets cooler I am treated to the sight of sailboats on the water.

Many of us eagerly await the arrival of summer, planning beach trips and barbecues. Few people however, get more excited than the kids! I was watching the news and they had this segment called something like How to Get Through Summer With the Kids Without Pulling Your Hair Out.

This made me sad.

Childhood is so fleeting. Kids grow up so fast. Spending time and doing things with your kids should never feel like a burden, it should feel like a blessing.

Now I may not have kids yet, and our baby is not due until the end of summer, but I have spent my entire life watching children grow up. My mother has done daycare for twenty years and I have seen first hand how quickly children grow and change.

For many parents, the summer is tough with the kids being out of school. It can be tiring keeping up with all of their activities. Personally, one of the main reasons I want to be a teacher is so I can spend summers with my kids.

I cannot wait to raise our children. Watching kids grow, learn, and play are some of the greatest joys that life has to offer.

Once the days of childhood are gone, they are impossible to get back, so why not enjoy every moment!

Happy Wednesday. Much love and God bless!

Weddzilla Tuesday: A Wedding is a Day, A Marriage is a Lifetime

2011-05-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I got to spend a lot of time with my husband which makes me one very happy lady!

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the the difference between a wedding and a marriage. One signifies a day, the other, a lifelong commitment.

I am posting on this topic today over at Weddzilla

"A marriage signifies the coming together as husband and wife, promising a life together. A life of ups and downs, a life filled with love...

If you are like me, so much of your time leading up to the wedding was spent pouring over details for your big day, that once the wedding is over…you think, “What now?”

There is a saying that is common in the Catholic Church, “A wedding is a day, a marriage is a lifetime.”

For many women, their wedding day is the most important day of their life. It was for me! Our wedding day was the day that marked the start of our lives together. We promised to love one another from that day forward no matter what life has in store for us. The past two and a half years have been full of surprises, but they have certainly been the best years of my life...

Your wedding day will certainly be a fabulous day, but your marriage will far surpass it.

A happy wedding is an enjoyable and romantic day, but a happy marriage promises an enjoyable and romantic lifetime!!!"

Want to read more? Click on over, the post will be live this afternoon.

Wishing you all a lovely week.

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless.

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T06:14:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a happy memorial day and to thank all of the brave men and women who serve our country to protect our freedom and keep us safe.

I know some of you have family and spouses in the military and I want you to know that all of you are in my prayers.

Please take a moment today to pray for those who are in the armed services, and to remember those who have since passed away.

Happy Monday, and God bless.

Love Letter Friday

2011-05-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday! I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable week. I am looking forward to a lovely three day weekend with my husband!

For as long as I can remember I have been a huge fan of love poems. I came across this poem written by the very talented Robert Browning. It is about two lovers meeting in the night and it just stirs the romantic in me!

Meeting at Night
by Robert Browning (1812-1889)

The grey sea and the long black land;
And the yellow half-moon large and low;
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand.

Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach;
Three fields to cross till a farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, thro' its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beating each to each!

Wishing you all a very happy Friday and a relaxing Memorial Day weekend.

Much love and God bless.

After Two Weeks of "Bed Rest"...

2011-05-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Thursday. After two weeks of bed rest I am surprised to say that I am not bored out of my mind yet. I have been able to keep up with small household chores like washing and folding clothes, doing dishes, and pushing the swiffer around the kitchen floor.

The bedroom floor has remained uncluttered, the kitchen has never been so tidy, and my cat has never had so much attention throughout the day. Although I can't do anything too physically demanding, I am enjoying being able to keep up with minor household chores. There is something about having a clean house that makes me feel so .... accomplished.

Sometimes in the evenings, if I am feeling up to it, my husband will take me on a short walk so I can enjoy the beautiful weather and get a little bit of fresh air.

I have ample time to do some online class work and have plenty of time to think of new projects I want to get done. Although much of my morning, and often afternoon is spent resting.... or at least resting in bed with the laptop, I take comfort in the fact that I am still able to contribute to the needs of our house and family while taking the time that baby and I need to relax and stay safe.

Want to know the best thing about bed rest? More time with my husband!!!!! I still get up at the same time he does in the morning even though he tells me I can sleep in. I make him breakfast (unless like this morning I am not feeling to great) and we spend time chatting over breakfast before he leaves for work. We usually get up around 6:30 and he does not leave until 8:30, so that's two wonderful hours I get to start my day with. I am used to leaving the house between 7:20 and 7:30 and much of my morning was spent getting ready so this is a lovely change of pace.

We also get more time together in the evenings now that I don't have an hour (or longer) commute home. Even though our evenings are usually spent cuddling in bed watching movies or reading, it is so nice to have extra time with my wonderfully supportive husband.

I have to admit that I have had a little trouble talking myself into resting. My husband often reminds me that I have been put on bed rest for a reason. I still sometimes feel guilty for not being able to do as much, but now that I have found things to keep me busy that are safe and not too physically demanding, I am able to relax and get the rest the we need.

One things for sure, being home all week can get lonely. It was a wonderful surprise the other day when two of my friends stopped by with flowers and ice cream after reading a craving S.O.S on Facebook. They were on their way home from college and decided to stop in for a quick visit.

I usually call my grandmother, my mom, my cousin, and a friend or two throughout the day to keep from feeling isolated. I think the most important thing is to keep my mind busy, there is only so much on the television, and really how productive is that?

All in all bed rest has been going well, and I have been feeling much better (most days). I am so excited to meet our baby girl.

Also, I must give a little shout out to Jessie, who is almost full term!!! You and your husband are going to be wonderful parents!!!

Happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

Marriage: More Than a Contract

2011-05-25T05:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I hope all of you are having a safe and enjoyable week. Just the other day I was reading this great article in the Catholic Standard about the sacrament of marriage. It was about an interfaith couple, which intrigued me, for as many of you know.... my husband and I do not currently share the same faith. The article was about a Catholic husband and his agnostic wife. I could certainly relate considering the fact that I myself am a Catholic and my husband considers himself to be agnostic.

Despite the fact that the couple did not share the same faith, they still understood the importance of solidifying their commitment to each other within "the sacrament of marriage as opposed to a strictly legal event."

Marriage is meant to be celebrated, not only is it a lifelong commitment to your husband or wife, it is also a commitment before God. I realize that all may not share my view on marriage, but this is what it means to me.

A contract is an agreement entered into by man, a sacrament is a God given grace. For me it was important to be married in a church before God rather than simply going through the actions to obtain a "legal" marriage. At the time of our marriage, my husband and I agreed to marry in the Lutheran church that I attended as a child. As my faith has grown, I have come to desire having our marriage confirmed in the Catholic church. My husband, realizing how important this is to me has lovingly agreed to go through the process of having our marriage confirmed in the Church!

The way I see it is this. If marriage were to be viewed as nothing more than a contract, how is it any different than the commitment we agree to when signing the deed to a house, or applying for a loan? It is simply a legal event.

However, when we view marriage as the sacramental commitment that God has intended it to be, it becomes an unbreakable bond based on love, grace, and the promise of forever.

Marriage means different things to different people, but for me (and for my husband) it is far more than a legal agreement. Our marriage is the most important relationship we have ever entered into and the greatest gift that we have ever received.

"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife
'and the two shall become one flesh,
so then they are no longer two,but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate"

Mark 10:7-9

Happy Wednesday. Much love and God bless.

Weddzilla Tuesday: Loving the Stages of Life

2011-05-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday. I am posting over at Weddzilla today. Today's topic is about loving all of the stages that you go through as a couple. So often we are rushing full speed ahead to reach some long term goal. Long term goals are great, but if we focus on the long term too intently, we can miss out on some of the great experiences that are offered in the here and now.

"There are a lot of dreams that my husband and I have, and a lot of plans that we would like to accomplish in our life together. As great as it is to focus on the big picture, it is also important to focus on where you are as a couple right now...

Each and every stage in a couple’s life is important and should be enjoyed just as much as any other...

When my husband and I first got married, we lived in a tiny apartment. Of course, we dreamed of home ownership, but some of the best moments of our first year of marriage were made in that tiny one-bedroom apartment. That tiny apartment was where we learned to live together. I learned to cook and learned what it took to keep a clean house. It’s where we had late night conversations about our future hopes and dreams, and where we spent our first year as a married couple...

Be sure to take time today to reflect on what it is you love about this stage in your life together! Make plenty of memories, and treasure each and every stage you go through."

Want to read more? Click on over.

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bless!

Lovely Weekend!

2011-05-23T05:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable weekend. My husband and I got to spend a lot of time with each other and our family. I couldn't ask for a better weekend.

After spending all week pent up in the house, my darling husband thought I could use a little outing. He took me around the corner to our favorite Chinese restaurant. One of my biggest cravings throughout this pregnancy has been Chinese food. The staff at the restaurant has gotten quite used to seeing us and always asks how the baby is doing and how I am feeling. They are so sweet, which is part of the reason we keep going back!

After dinner, My husband drove us back home and after relaxing in a bubble bath, I suggested a movie in bed. I was so tired that I didn't even make it through the entire movie. I fell asleep wrapped in my husbands arms which has been happening more and more frequently. The good thing is, since going on bed rest (mainly because I can't drive due to fainting episodes) I have not been nearly as exhausted. Now when my husband gets home from work not only do we have dinner together, but I manage to stay awake for a few more hours of quality time together, certainly a plus!

My family came over for dinner on Saturday evening so I spent most of the afternoon resting. I have a pretty large family so even with just my immediate family present we had a table set for eight! I really want to have a big family of our own, and even though little Miss Juliette is not even born yet, I am already thinking about how fun it would be to give her a little brother or sister haha.

My brother and my dad were the first to arrive. As I sat in my reading chair reading none other than What to Expect When You're Expecting, my husband, dad, and brother walked down to the water to try their hand at fishing. I wish I had my camera. As I looked out our sliding glass door at the three of them laughing and walking together, it just made my heat melt. The three most important men in my life laughing and bonding brought tears to my eyes. There truly is nothing more precious than family, and God has blessed me with a great one.

After everyone had arrived we snacked on strawberries and cheeses while waiting for dinner to finish. We had spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread for dinner. And for dessert..... cheesecake!!! My wonderful parents cleaned everything up for me.

After dinner,my sisters boyfriend, who did the pictures for my brothers wedding last weekend, brought out the cd proofs. My husband put the cd in our dvd player and we got to see all of the fabulous photos on our television! After being alone in the house all week, it was so great to be around my family.

Here are a few photos that my sister in law posted on her Facebook page.

All photos done by Ryan Krankowski photographer.

Getting ready.... my brother said I looked like a giant blueberry haha.

The bridal party and the happy couple!!

There is just something so awesome about this photo.

All the pretty ladies.

The beautiful couple! Very Romeo and Juliet don't you think?

And the first dance.

Sunday was pretty relaxing. My lovely husband has been playing chauffeur. He is so sweet. He drove me to church on Sunday morning and worked on his laptop at Starbucks while he waited to bring me home. While I was at church, my friends mom came over our house and painted the nursery for us as a baby gift. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.

I will give you one guess on the color.

.....

PINK!!! It is so pretty and I just love it. I can't wait to show you some pictures of the progress.

My husband and I spent the rest of the day relaxing together and just enjoying each others company.

Wishing you all a very happy Monday. Let's make it a great week. Much love and God bless!

Love Letter Friday!

2011-05-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful week. The weather here this weekend is supposed to be lovely. I am excited to get back to Love Letter Friday this week!

Today's love letter comes from the wonderfully romantic Ronald Reagan. The love he had for his wife was evident in the countless letters that he wrote to her throughout the span of their long happy marriage.

This letter was written just prior to their 20th wedding anniversary.

RONALD REAGAN
GOVERNOR

My Darling Wife

This note is to warn you of a diabolical plot entered into by some of our so called friends - (ha!) calendar makers and even our own children. These and others would have you believe we've been married 20 years. 20 minutes maybe - but never 20 years.

In the first place it is a known fact that a human cannot sustain the high level of happiness I feel for more than a few minutes - and my happiness keeps increasing. I will confess to one puzzlement but I'm sure it is just some trick perpetrated by our friends - (Ha again!) I can't remember ever being without you and I know I was born more than 20 mins ago.

Oh well - that isn't important. The important thing is I don't want to be without you for the next 20 years, or 40, or however many there are. I've gotten very used to being happy and I love you very much indeed.

Your Husband of 20 something or other.

Wishing you all a very happy Friday and a safe enjoyable weekend. Much love and God bless!

Sharing the Faith

2011-05-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Thursday. I hope you have all been having a lovely week. Thank you for your sweet comments yesterday, I love being able to share my pregnancy with all of you. In response to the question that many of you were asking, my siblings and I were born ten weeks early, thanks to the help of the wonderful NICU staff and of course the healing hands of God, we turned out just fine!!!

Now for today's post.

A friend of mine called me yesterday after exchanging a few emails back and forth. She was curious about the Christian faith. She was raised Catholic, but has not been a practicing Catholic for quite some time. She had so many questions about God and our savior Jesus Christ. I did my best to answer questions and even read a few scripture passages to her. I could hardly believe it when we hung up the phone and I realized that we had been talking for over an hour.

It felt great to share the faith and spread God's word. I pray daily that God will use my words thoughts and actions to do His work. To have a friend reach out to me asking for information regarding the Christian faith was a welcome gift that led to a beautiful conversation. I could not answer all of her questions, for I am no expert, but it was truly a lovely conversation to have. What a great feeling to share something so joyful!

When my husband got home from work, we told each other about the events of our day as usual. I have mentioned before that my husband does not share in my faith. I pray for him daily and I hope that with the birth of our child, we will come to share in the faith as a family. I do my best not to push him towards anything and I accept and love him for who he is. He is a wonderful man and I cannot imagine ever being married to anyone else. I simply pray that God will open his heart and eyes to Him and continue to work in both our hearts.

I told my husband about the conversation that I had with my friend,which in turn sparked our own conversation. Again he asked me questions about Christianity and I did my best to answer them. He is still not ready to completely accept my Catholic faith, but I certainly could feel God working in our hearts as we sat and spoke about religion. I love talking with my husband no matter what the subject may be, but as we sat there having the very conversation that I have often wondered how to approach, I realized that God had done the hard work for me and led us into the conversation in a way that did not seem pushy or forceful at all.

God sure does work in mysterious ways.

Wishing you all a very happy Thursday. Much love and God bless.

2011-05-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Wednesday. This morning my husband and I had our 28 week sonogram. We were both so excited to see our baby girl again!

All week I have been looking forward to seeing her tiny little face. All was well aside from her being a little on the small side. She now weighs 2 pounds and 5 ounces! I was only 2 pounds and 2 ounces when I was born. My sister, brother, and I combined weighed about the size of one average newborn.

The doctor wants to see me for another sonogram on June 15 to keep track of her growth.

Juliette 28 weeks

I thank God every day for the beautiful gift of a baby girl and I cannot wait to meet her! Last Sunday at church there was a five day old baby girl in the pew in front of us. I cannot wait to bring Juliette to church. Really I just can't wait to be her mom!

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Psalm 127:3

Happy Wednesday. Much love and God bless!

Weddzilla Tuesday: De-Stress Together!

2011-05-17T07:25:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday. Today was supposed to be one of my work days .... but my body has not been very cooperative. I nearly fainted in church on Sunday, and twice this morning while my husband took me to pick up my car from my parents house. I felt pretty good yesterday while I was home, aside from the cold anyway, but it seems that once I start doing too much, my body decides to shut down. As a result my doctor has made the decision to pull me out of work completely for fear that I will faint while driving or up and moving around.

I was planning on having a few more weeks to get things together at work, but with the hour plus commute every day, it just is not worth the risk. I will go in either one day later this week, or next, to try and get things together so I don't leave my co-workers completely in the dark. I feel awful about being an inconvenience, but we have to do what is best for baby.

Tomorrow we have a sonogram in the morning, so I will be sure to post an update in the afternoon!!

On a different note, I am posting over at Weddzilla today. Today's post is about taking time to de-stess. Not only is it about de-stressing, but it is about de-stressing together as a couple!!!

"I know many of you ladies out there are busy planning the wedding of your dreams. Although this is probably one of the happiest and most exciting times in your life, if my memory serves me correctly, I recall it also being one of the most stressful and demanding. The same goes for newlywed wife. Being a newlywed has certainly been one of the most amazing time periods in my life. I love my husband with all my heart, and I fall more deeply in love with our life together every day! Even so, daily life can get stressful....

We are often reminded about the importance of taking time for ourselves. While “me time” can certainly be beneficial in terms of relieving stress, I find that doing something relaxing with my husband not only ensures that we both are getting adequate time to de-stress, but we are also sharing quality time together.

Whether you take a couples yoga class, cooking class, or just take a quiet walk around the park, de-stressing together not only rejuvenates your mind and body after a long day, but it also brings you closer together as a couple and can improve all aspects of your relationship, from communication to physical intimacy.

Taking time to de-stress alone is great! But taking time to de-stress together as a couple has benefits beyond measure."

Want to read more? Click on over. While you are there, check out some of the other great posts from the 60 plus fabulous weddzilla bloggers!

Happy Tuesday. Much love and God bles.

Happy Monday

2011-05-16T06:32:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable weekend. Ours was busy busy busy, and quite frankly I am thankful for today's bed rest to recover... although I am battling a cold which is never any fun.

Friday night was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner for my brothers wedding. Everything went smoothly and we all had a great time catching up with friends and family. I tried to spend most of the day Saturday resting while everyone was getting ready for the ceremony at 3:00. Much of the preparation had been done the day before which helped keep everyone more relaxed, especially the bride.

My husband and I went over to my parents house around eleven so I could join the rest of the bridal party and get my hair done. The next few hours were a blur and before we knew it, we were all headed to the church to meet the photographer and finish getting ready.

My now sister in law!!!! was surprisingly calm as we waited for the ceremony to begin. The wedding was held at the same church where my husband and I were married in almost two and a half years ago and standing there across from him lined up with the rest of the groomsmen brought back a flood of memories. Before the bride started down the aisle I caught my husbands eye and mouthed they words "I love you." With the shift in music, we all turned our attention to the back of the church as my brothers beautiful bride began making her way down the aisle.

As the pastor read from 1 Corinthians verse 13 "Love is patient, love is kind..." I could not help but smile. This verse embodies love and marriage in all of the glory that God intended it for. This is one of my favorite bible verses and one that I reflect upon quite often.

Before we knew it, my brother and his bride were pronounced husband and wife!

The lovely new couple.

I will share more pictures with you as they come. The reception was a blast. I tried to dance the cupid shuffle and the cha cha slide, but little miss Juliette had other plans. Even so we all enjoyed the celebration. This was the first wedding my husband and I have attended since our own and we had a such a lovely time. He took my hand and led me to the dance floor for a few of the slow songs. I love love love dancing with my husband.

My brother and my sister in law had a great time and were so pleased with how their wedding turned out.

I can't wait to see more pictures!!!

Happy Monday. Much love and God bless.

Partial Bed Rest.... And.... My Brother is Getting Married!!!!!

2011-05-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

Hey there and happy Friday. I never knew just how attached I was to all of my blogging friends until blogger went down and I lost contact with all of you for a few days!!

Now that the site is back up and running I just wanted to say a quick hello and give you all a little update. (Love Letter Friday will return next week.)

On Wednesday I posted a baby update. Yesterday morning I had an appointment with my OB and I took my glucose test, I should have the results early next week.

Baby Juliette seems to be doing just fine and we will get a better look at her this coming Wednesday when we go for our sonogram!

The doctor was however slightly concerned about some back pain and cramping I have been experiencing, I am just hoping that it is not a sign of preterm labor. She is also concerned about the continued fainting spells that I have been having. As a result of these concerns she has decided to put me on partial bed rest. She has cut my work week from over 40 hours to only 20 hours a week. If we do not see any improvement in the next couple of weeks, she will put me on full bed rest.

On a different note, my brother is getting married tomorrow. Best wishes to the happy couple!!!

Wishing you all a very happy Friday and a lovely weekend. Much love and God bless. xxxooo

27 Weeks! When did that happen?

2011-05-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I hope you are all having a lovely week. I was going to post this on Monday... but my heart went in a different direction, however I was told that it was time for another baby update so here goes!

I am now just over 27 weeks. We will be 7 months pregnant for our sonogram next week. Can you believe it!!

I have gained 18 pounds. I have not really been having any weird cravings.... just ice cream, but that's pretty normal for me. The nausea has really started to ease up which has been a blessing. I am having a lot of lower back pain and some minor cramping but nothing too severe. My feet..... well they look like balloons by the end of the day and I have forgotten what it looks like to have ankles.

Even so, I am thoroughly enjoying this pregnancy! Juliette is quite active and some of her stronger kicks catch me off guard. I love to lay in the bathtub and watch her move. Sometimes while I am reading, if the book is laying on my stomach I can see it move when she kicks. I love to place my hand on my belly and wait for her to reach out. My heart is literally bursting with love for this little life. I am so excited for the day that I get to hold her in my arms and tell her how much I love her.

I thank God every day for blessing my husband and I with such a beautiful gift. The two things I want most in life are to be a wife and a mother, God has so graciously blessed me with both!

I lay in bed each night and try to picture just what little Juliette is going to look like. Will she have my eyes or my husbands? Whose height will she get (my husband is an entire foot taller than me?) Will she have my husbands smile? Blond hair? Or Brown?

My husband, ever the comedian, looked over and said "Babe, you can't even picture what paint will look like on a wall, how are you going to try to picture a baby you have not seen?" Either way, I know she will be beautiful. In just over two months we will get to see her little face and hold her tiny hands!!!

Happy Wednesday. Much love.

Weddzilla Tuesday: Are You The One That Your One is Looking For?

2011-05-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Tuesday. I am over at the Weddzilla blog today. Today I am posting about the way in which we represent ourselves and how that corresponds with the type of people we try and attract, whether romantically or simply during day to day business.

My husband and I married young. We met when we were both sixteen years old, and like a lot of teenagers, we were not entirely sure of what we were looking for in a dating relationship. Thankfully, as we got to know each other and the values and beliefs that each of us held, we began to realize that we had a lot in common. Sure, I thought he was attractive, funny and cool, and he thought I was pretty, sweet, and fun to talk to. Real attraction, however, began to grow when we realized that we truly admired who each of us were for the content of our hearts, minds and souls, rather than physical appearance and surface personalities alone…

Like most teenagers, we were both trying to find ourselves, trying to develop the persona of the individual we truly wanted to be…

This got me thinking. There are so many people out there who are trying to find “the one.” They have this list of certain attributes and personality traits that their future spouse MUST have. But what about themselves? Are they portraying themselves in a way that someone with those attributes would find attractive, or are they portraying themselves in a way that would turn that type of person off?...

Rather than trying so hard to find “the one,” we should focus instead on portraying ourselves in a way that those who fit that certain criteria will notice and seek out. If we have already found the one, we should continue to focus on the manner in which we present ourselves which will in turn attract other like-minded individuals in our daily tasks and agendas. If we portray ourselves in the manner that we find to be attractive in others, I think we might be surprised at how many great people are out there just waiting to strike up a conversation!

Want to read more? The full post will be available later this evening. Click on over!

Wishing you all a very happy Tuesday. Much love.

Untended Coals

2011-05-09T05:26:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Monday! I hope all of you mommy's and mommy's-to-be out there had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. We spent Sunday afternoon at my parents house for a cookout surrounded by family!

I wanted to share with you this little piece of wisdom that we heard at Church this Sunday. After the gospel reading, our deacon gave a great homily. He compared faith to a fire. He said that it is not enough to pray silently at home and read the bible in solitude, in order to keep the fire burning in our hearts we need to come to church, experience Christ, and realize that he is always with us.

He shared a story with us about a man in Ireland who decided he was going to stop going to church. He told his friends that he would experience Christ in his own way by walking through the fields of his pastures. Upon hearing this, the priest at the parish paid the man a visit. They went for a walk through the rolling green pastures and the priest agreed that the fields were beautiful and peaceful. When the two men returned to the house they lit a fire. The priest very quietly took one hot coal from the middle of the fire and placed it between them. As the men continued talking, the coal began to cool. Soon there was no heat left within it, the coals in the fire however remained hot and glowing. The man looked up at the priest and said "Father, I will see you at church next Sunday."

Just as a coal left untended will cease to glow, the passion within our hearts must also be tended if it is to continue to burn brightly.

Luke 24:32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?

This verse from the gospel of Luke speaks of the fire that was within the hearts of the disciples as Jesus walked with them. We may not be able to physically walk or talk with Jesus, but this Sunday, we were reminded that Jesus is with us in all that we do. If we open our hearts and our eyes to Him, the faith and passion that we have within our hearts will never die, it will continue to burn brighter and stronger igniting the hearts of those around us.

This got me thinking. The same goes for marriage. At the beginning of marriage, our hearts are on fire with the heat of passionate love. With all of the other daily obligations we have, it is easy to let that passionate fire dwindle becoming cooler and cooler until there is no heat left in the marriage. Marriage and passion must be constantly tended. Marriage must be fueled with constant love, desire, and attention.

I just thought this was a lovely message and a great reminder.

Happy Monday. Much love.