10.31.2015

This is Halloween!

Happy Halloween Y'all!

Last night my girls had their "Friday Night Movie Night," and they asked to watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Then today when they woke up they both asked to watch Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and "Ghosts." Not much else could make me a more proud momma. They have both inherited my love for Halloween and Michael Jackson. I am one happy momma.

Today they got to wear costumes to their dance classes. Last week we discussed our options for this. I told them that they did not need to wear their Halloween costumes because I thought they would be to restrictive for dancing. So we decided that Ava would be an angel and Lyla would be a cat. This morning however...approximately one hour before her class...Lyla tells me, "I don't want to be a cat mom. I want to be a witch." Awesome. It's a good thing that we had a witch costume in our dress up clothes. Ava was happy to stick with her original plan of being an angel. Here's what they looked like this morning.







After dance classes, and lunches, and naps, it was time for the real deal. This year Ava decided to dress up as Mulan. Lyla chose to dress up as Fawn (from the Tinkerbell movies). Jackson was a skeleton. I went as a witch (although no one captured me on camera...I promise I really did dress up). Jason kept things simple boring and wore his Halloween shirt from Disney World last year. The other day Ava said, "Hey Mom all of our costume names rhyme this year. Mulan, Fawn, and Skeleton." Except she pronounced it like "skele-tawn." She's a mess. 

My beautiful Fawn and Mulan 


Here comes brother Jackson 




Our little skele-tawn 



Love these guys 



Annnnnnd they're off! 






Posing for the camera


Lyla had the best time ever.



Jackson was such a good boy and enjoyed the ride


When we got back home we ate supper real quick and the girls had fun giving out candy to the trick-or-treaters that came to our Hive. In fact we gave out so much candy that the girls decided to give away the candy that they got going door to door. They were very sweet about it and wanted the other kids to have it. I told them I would just buy them some new candy the next time I went to the store. Sweet girls. I hope you had a Boo-tiful Halloween yourself! 

10.30.2015

Who's Ready for Dessert?

Happy Halloween Eve!

Today I'm sharing my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe. This is a vegan version in case you are wondering. :) We really like these cookies a lot at the Hive, and if my husband, the cookie monster, approves then they are sure to please your family as well.

Ingredients:


2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter (vegan, we like the earth balance brand)

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (vegan, we like the enjoy life brand)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for later.


Ava wanted to be my helper today...so she got to be in the pictures. :)


3. Using a mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, water, and vanilla until blended.





4. Add the flour mixture in a bit at a time until it is all incorporated.



Ava wanted to make our cookies orange since it is Halloween so we added food coloring this time. I've never added food coloring before...so I wasn't sure how it would turn out. 

This is where she stopped me, saying, "that's enough orange, mom."


Mainly, I think, she was just ready to clean the beaters.


5. Once all the flour mixture has been incorporated, stir in chocolate chips.


6. Scoop out dough with a spoon and place on your cookie sheet.


7. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (I always bake for 10)

These make yummy crunchy around the edges, slightly chewy in the center cookies. 



Our batch today made 5 dozen cookies


Yummy! And now we have cookies for the week...or at least a few days. ;)



Let me know if you try out this recipe and how you like it. Now if you'll excuse me...I'm off to grab some dessert. 

<3 







10.29.2015

I am not enough and neither are you

My husband, Jason, and I watch the entire Harry Potter series every year beginning in the month of October. It is one of my most favorite movie series and we both really look forward to watching them together. The other night we watched the fifth movie, which is based off of "The Order of The Phoenix." There's one part that I've always liked because it is so relatable, as a woman. It could very well be a conversation that Jason and I could actually have...and maybe have had before. It's when Hermoine is speaking with Ron and Harry about how another student must be feeling after her boyfriend died, but then has begun "moving on,"

Hermione: "Don't you understand how she must be feeling? Well obviously she's feeling sad about Cedric, and therefore confused about liking Harry, guilty about kissing him, conflicted because Umbridge is pressing to sack her mum from the Ministry, and frightened about failing her OWLs because she's so busy worrying about everything else."

Ron: "One person couldn't feel all that! They'd explode!

Hermione: "Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon...

I mean maybe it seems a bit juvenile to compare it with Harry Potter (except it is awesome and totally acceptable in our Hive), but that's kind of how I'm feeling these days. A lot of different emotions all at one time. I've got such a strong desire to be the best wife, mom, teacher, cook, etc around here that it often leaves me with a lot of conflicting emotions. You know why? Because I can't be 100% in all of those roles 100% of the time. It can be very disheartening to know that you can't do, give, be your best when really that's all that you desire to do. When I am being the best version of "mom" by giving my kids my undivided attention and playing tea party for the 106th time (after giving each other complete make overs) then I am neglecting my role of "teacher" because we haven't done school yet, and it's already 2pm. There are countless examples that I could give, and I'm sure you've got your own versions to add as well.

So I try to refocus and I come across these verses in the Bible that say:







I think these are to remind us that we are, in fact, not enough. On our own we are not enough and never will be, but with Him we are made enough. Every single day He shows us mercy and faithfulness. Without Him we can do nothing, but with Him we can do everything. We are weak, and so much of what we think matters is what we define by our doing. When really all that matters is what is defined by His doing.  He proves His goodness to us every morning by giving us a "do-over" so we should allow ourselves some grace too. He never gives up on us so we shouldn't give up on ourselves either. In all of my efforts I will fail if I do not have Him at the center of my thinking, doing, saying. So this tells me that I ought to accept, and boast, and be content (!) in my weaknesses and short comings...my ability to not be 100%. I cannot be that. I can never be enough, and neither can you, but He can. And He can be enough for us...through us. We need only let Him.

So be encouraged out there mommas who are trying to fill all those "roles" of yourselves, you can do it and be enough...with Christ. Be encouraged college student who is swamped with papers, and projects, and classes, you can make it through and be enough...with Christ. Be encouraged those of you who are facing a trial, you can walk that valley and be enough...with Christ. Do it, and tell others how it's not you doing it at all...it's Christ. He is enough.

<3



10.28.2015

Cleaning Schedules

Let's talk about one of my most favorite things...cleaning!

It just makes you feel good when you clean and then have a clean space afterwards, doesn't it? Getting started is often the most difficult part, but I have found that if you are consistent with your cleaning then it won't always seem too overwhelming. Now believe me, I know that things come up, people get sick, and life gets busy, and sometimes I just down right don't wanna clean, but I know that deep down (sometimes it's really, really deep down) I'll feel immensely better if I stick to my cleaning. I'm positive you will too.

My advice is to find something that works for you in order to promote consistency in your home. Not everyone has the same time or energy or desires when it comes to just about everything...that includes cleaning! Go browse around Pinterest for cleaning schedules and you'll find one for every single person under the sun, plus a few thousand more. Proceed with caution! You may come across cleaning schedules that seem completely unattainable. I know I find a lot to be that way. Pinterest in general can make you feel like a complete failure of a woman, wife, mother, friend, sister, daughter, need I go on??? That's why I say proceed with caution. All the ideas and cutesy things you see on Pinterest are other people's ideas...not yours. So. Don't live up to other's standards. Set your own standards and then live up to those. You most certainly can use other's ideas as a guide to set up what works for you, but let's all quit the comparison game. Mmmk? (Didn't plan on going on a rant there...but...sorry not sorry)

I've always been a bit of a neat freak. I get a bit of a rush from cleaning, and no, it's not because of the cleaning supplies I'm using. ;) I'm just the type of person that completely enjoys order over chaos and that translates to how I like my home to look too. I like to clean the whole house before I go on vacation so that when I come home it's spotless. I can't sleep or rest well at night if things haven't been put where they belong. Cleaning super random things like outlet covers, doorknobs, and behind the stove or the fridge is exciting to me. I am fully aware that it drives my husband crazy that I absolutely must clean the entire house when we have company coming over...even if they've been there before. I just like things clean ok?!!??! It could be worse.

When I had my first baby, (and after the second and the third) I felt super overwhelmed with how I was going to get everything done. I mean looking after a tiny, little person is difficult and time consuming and exhausting enough alone, but then add to it keeping up a house. Yipes! Now my life is even busier as I've added homeschooling the two older ones to the mix and also extra curricular activites. I've got a lot to do and a little time to do it in. And then the mom guilt creeps in too, and I remember that stupid poem about "dust bunnies will always be there but babies don't keep"...or something along those lines. I understand the idea of it, and will forgo the chores every so often, but then I just can't handle the mess! So then I feel guilty for wanting to clean, but really should I? I mean as Queen Bee of the Hive I want it to look nice for everyone...myself included. The struggle is real y'all.

So I put myself on a schedule. I posted it on the fridge so that I would be held more accountable. And you know what? It helped and I stuck with it...mostly. ***enter the life gets busy, people get sick, I don't wanna, at times*** I've changed my schedule up lots of times (and it no longer stays posted on the fridge) in order to better suit our families needs, and that's OK! Just because you have to change the "how" you're going about something, doesn't mean you're not consistent with it. As long as you are trying...as long as there is effort...then you are being consistent because you are not giving up. You know that's the best thing I've learned in putting myself on a cleaning schedule. You have got to absolutely 100% give yourself grace. Yep. Grace. Cut yourself some slack. You've got a lot going on, and it's ok that you didn't get it all done today or heck, even this week. Just try again tomorrow, Scarlett.

I've also found that if I can involve the girls in any way at all...I do! In fact they help out quite a bit. I've taught them how to fold washcloths and napkins (we use cloth napkins not paper napkins). So every laundry day they do that folding. They also know how to sort out their clothes from the pile, will take their pile to their room, and then put it away. With the exception of a few items, like shirts or dresses that belong on hangers, they can put away everything. My husband doesn't even do that much work with his part of the laundry. ;) A lot of time when we are cleaning I will put on music and we will sing and dance while we work. That always makes it fun and seems to go quickly-er. (Yes, that's a word, at least in our Hive) It also pleases my singer and dancer girls. The girls are in charge of nearly all the dusting in the house and they also clean all the bottom cabinets in the house. They think it's fun when one of them uses the spray bottle while the other one cleans it up with a washcloth (we use washcloths not paper towels). Those are just a few of the examples. Do you have any ways that you incorporate kids with cleaning? Or how about your cleaning schedule, do you have one? I'd love to hear what works for you.

In case inquiring minds want to know...here's what my schedule looks like:

Daily Chores:
Wipe down the kitchen counters
Load/unload dishwasher
Wash dishes in the sink- (most things just get pre-rinsed for the dishwasher)
Straighten pillows- on the couches and at our banquette
Clean bedrooms- Yes, everyday. Yes, all of them. This means clear off flat surfaces like dressers, nightstands, desks, or chests of drawers. Put away clothes or shoes that are randomly sitting out. For the kids rooms put books or toys where they belong. Make beds.
Put away toys- This is done twice a day for us actually. We clean up all toys before nap time and then again before bedtime. Now that we have an actual playroom where all the toys live (hallelujah!) I am occasionally a little more lax and will allow this room to look like a disaster for a day or two. But then I start getting a severe eye twitch and snap, and it has to be clean regardless of what time it is or who is around.

Mondays:
Kitchen and Windows- As far as the kitchen goes it's actually pretty minimal in addition to the daily kitchen chores, but we use this day to wipe down all the cabinets. I like to go through the pantry and fridge to reorganize them and discard anything that is out of date. I'll also use Mondays to clean behind the fridge and stove every so often. Windows take a bit of time since we have so many in our house, but again...if I stay on top of them then they are never really all that bad.

Tuesdays:
Dusting- This is one chore that the girls really enjoy helping me with and they do well on their own. Give them one of those Swiffer style dusters and let them take off. Table tops, window sills, TV armoire, baseboards, banisters. There's tons to dust.

Wednesdays:
Laundry- I typically have two loads of colored clothes and one load of white clothes. I don't go so far as to separate linens or bedsheets. It all gets washed together. Honestly, the fact that I'm separating clothes into colors and whites is a huge step. The college version of myself would be super impressed by that, and by the fact that I'm doing laundry once a week compared to once a month.

Thursdays:
Bathrooms- Everything gets wiped down. Mirrors, counters, toilets, tubs, and showers. I also use this time to browse over the bath toys for the kids and get rid of any that look gross and do a quick check of the bathroom cabinets and drawers. This is a good time to make sure that the linen closets look presentable too.

Fridays: 
Floors- "Floors on Fridays," that's usually what Ava will call out as soon as she wakes up...every Friday. We have all tile downstairs and all laminate upstairs with the exception of the bathrooms upstairs, those have tile, so no carpet in our home. Hooray! I don't like carpet. Germs. Stains. Dust. Dead Skin. Just eww. This is the day that we sweep, Swiffer, and steam mop. I'll be honest though, steam mopping doesn't happen every week. The girls love helping out with the Swiffer part of this day. They will use the Swiffers as horses and "ride" them all around the house. It kills two birds with one stone...playtime and cleaning. Double the awesome. I also like having the biggest job on Fridays, that way if we have company for the weekend then the biggest eye sore is taken care of already.

I also have been making my own cleaning supplies for about 7 years now. It is one of my favorite things to do, it's cost efficient, and is super easy! Just go out and buy yourself some empty spray bottles (or repurpose some you already have...after washing them out of course), washing soda (not borax or baking soda), liquid detergent (Like dish soap. I like the clear kind.), vinegar (I like to use white distilled vinegar), and essential oils are optional if you'd like to make your cleaners smell differently. I like to get my essential oils from Bramble Berry Soap Making Supplies. I've been purchasing from them since I started making cleaning supplies and can vouch for their quality. Also since you need so little of the essential oils you won't be reordering very often. It seems like everyone knows someone that sells essential oils now though, so you may want to support them instead. I personally LOVE using peppermint oil (which is a natural spider repellant) and lime oil in all of my cleaners. Sometimes I will switch it up and use eucalyptus oil if I need to de-stress or lavender oil if I need to calm things down around here.

Here are my recipes for my two favorite, go-to cleaners:

All Purpose Cleaner
4 cups hot water
1 tsp washing soda
1 tsp liquid detergent
15 drops essential oils

Mix all the ingredients into a spray bottle. Make sure you give the bottle a shake before you begin using it each time.

Glass Cleaner
4 cups hot water
6 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp liquid detergent
25 drops essential oils

Mix all the ingredients into a spray bottle. Make sure you give the bottle a shake before you begin using it each time.

Whew! That was a long post with a lot of information! After writing all of this it's inspired me...I think I'll go clean something now!

<3




10.27.2015

Arguing

You know what I really don't like? Arguing. It's completely draining. And it's even more completely draining when you are arguing with someone that just doesn't get it...like kids. Particularly your own kids because you can't just send them home to their parents...you ARE the parent! Yipes! You really can't reason with them sometimes. It's maddening!

Recently, my oldest daughter who is 6 going on 26, has developed quite a knack for arguing. I mean about anything. Just name a subject and she will argue with you about it. When you look out the window to see that it's raining and tell her so, she tells you, "No it's not raining. It's sprinkling." When you state that her room is painted purple, she says, "No it's not purple. It's light, light, light, light purple." When you tell her that you like her shoes, she responds, "Mom! They are not shoes. They are flip flops." Um. Really? Here's a recent conversation that she and I had AFTER we had an argument:

Me: "Ava, good grief, you have got to stop arguing! Everything that I say to you, you argue about it."

Ava: "No I don't."

Me: "Yeah, actually you do. If I were to tell you that the sky is blue, you would argue?"

Ava: "The sky isn't always blue. Sometimes it's gray."

Me: ***smoke is coming out of my ears***

I mean ok, ok, I get it...technically she is correct...the sky is not always blue, but geez louise...stop with the arguing!

Today we had this exact argument. I truly wish that I were joking, but alas...


I mean...I don't even know what else to say...

Do any of you out there have any suggestions or advice on how to address arguing in your family? We've got our ways of dealing with it, but I'm wondering if it's time for a change there too.

<3


10.26.2015

Supper, Supper, Suppertime...

Did you just sing that title to the tune of "Summertime" by Will Smith??? Because I know I did, and that's one of the reasons we're friends. :)

It's fixin' to be suppertime around the B Hive, and I know that for me it is much easier to cook supper ahead of the time that I actually plan on eating. Why in the world would I want to wait until 5:00 to start to think about what to eat at 6:00/6:30? (I've totally done that...like last night) For my sanity and the safety and well being of my children though, it's really best if I do my cooking during naptime. That way when it's 5:00...also known as "the-hour-that-children-go-completely-crazy-and-make-their-mother-want-to-hide-in-the-closet-with-chocolate-or-wine-or-both,"...I can be free to enjoy my monsters children until their father gets home from work. :)

So I'm starting a new series (that I have yet to come up with a witty name for) that will include all kinds of yummy recipes! Some of you may be hesitant to try these or even read them because you know that we are vegan over here at the B Hive. Ok...mostly vegan. We love scrambled eggs and occasionally some fish. ;) For the majority of the time though, we do follow a vegan diet. (Except when I was pregnant...I ate all the food then) I would encourage you to give some recipes a try though! You might surprise yourself and end up (gasp!) liking them!

Today I'm cooking Curried Lentil, Butternut Squash, and Apple Stew. This is a yummy fall-ish stew that we love! It is super easy to throw in a big pot and just have waiting for you when it's time to eat. If you are looking for a recipe that tastes like Fall Time in your mouth...then look no further! Actually do look further...the recipe and pictures are below. ;)

Ingredients:




Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 onion, diced

2-3 carrots, peeled and diced (I had baby carrots on hand)

3 cloves Garlic, minced (had the already minced kind on hand)

1 teaspoon grated fresh Ginger

1 tablespoon Curry Powder

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 cup dried Lentils

4 cups Vegetable Broth, divided

2 tablespoons Tomato Paste

3 cups Butternut Squash, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes

2 Apples, unpeeled and diced

6 ounces Baby Spinach

Directions:

1. Prep your items. I love prepping because it makes the cooking process much easier.

 I forgot to add the apples to the squash for this picture...below you will see where I added them in.

See...I told ya...


2. In a large pot saute onions and carrots until soft.


3. Add in garlic, ginger, curry, and salt and let cook a few minutes more. It should already smell like Fall Time :)


4. Stir in lentils, 2 cups of the broth, and tomato paste.


5. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are beginning to tender.

6. Add squash, apples, and remaining 2 cups of the broth, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until everything is tender.


7. Uncover and stir in spinach until wilted.


8. Add salt to taste and serve.




Now pour yourself some sweet tea, scoot your chair up to the table, and enjoy! Let me know if you gave this recipe a try and how you liked it!

<3



10.25.2015

Sleep, No I Never Get Enough

Thanks to everyone who has started following me! Make sure you share the site with your friends too so that I can build a bigger audience. :) I'm planning to do a giveaway when I reach 100 followers, and we are over halfway there!

How's y'all's ('y'all's' totally passed spellcheck!) sunday going? Hopefully all is well! Over here at the "B" Hive we have had a pretty great day so far. It's a sunday afternoon so that usually means that I'm thinking about sleep. :) Although...who am I kidding? In these days I'm living in right now...sleep is something I'm always thinking about. Having two high energy daughters and a new baby boy that loooooves to eat, sleep isn't always something that comes as often as I would like. "I love sleep. I wanna wake up just so I can go to sleep again." One million points to the reader who can tell me where that quote is from.

The kids all slept through the night, well...they eventually did after the long drawn out bedtime routines were finished up and we actually got them in the bed. Lately I've found myself getting frustrated with getting the girls in bed. With all of the requests stalling it takes more than the time it ought to for them to be in the bed. There's the typical, "I need something to drink," "Just one more book," and always, always the, "I'm not tired." At the end of the day it is an understatement for me to say that I'm tired, and with my tiredness comes impatience and frustration. I want to shout at them (and I must admit that I have shouted this before), "Please, for the love of everything holy in the world, get in the bed!!!" But on one night a couple weeks ago after we had already put Lyla to bed, Jason, Ava, and I were playing a board game. We usually let her stay up a bit later on the weekend to have some play time just with her. Well after the board game was over it was time for Ava to head to bed. So Jason and I told her to go on up to her room...and she did. She walked up on her own and put herself to bed. At first I was relieved and pleased that she obeyed, but then not long after she was gone I felt really, really sad...and guilty. I thought to myself, "She's only 6 years old! She's not going to ask for someone to tuck her in or stories to be read to her forever, and not much longer as it is." I felt like the worst mother in the world. So I got up and walked up the stairs and into her room. She sat up in her bed and asked why I was in there. I grabbed her and hugged her and told her that I just wanted to tell her goodnight. Right then and there I decided that I was going to try my very best to change my attitude about bedtime. We're only given a certain small number of them with our children anyway, and darn it if I'm not going to try to enjoy them.

I'm not saying that I've been perfect about it since then, nor will I be, but I am saying I'm going to try. So last night...even though it was later than bedtime should be...I read the book Ava chose. Which just so happened to be the longest one she has in her room. She's a smart girl. And when Lyla was calling out my name (still) at 10:15pm I went in to check on her...and got her a cup of water. Now I'm not planning to create bad habits here. There will still be times that I will need to say, "No, not tonight." But I'm going to try to respond in love and with a grateful heart instead of being impatient and frustrated initially. That's a big challenge. Do you have any suggestions to help out with bedtime? If so drop a comment off for me, will ya?

So here we are this afternoon...a lazy sunday afternoon, and you know what I think sunday afternoons were made for? Naps. Who doesn't love a good nap? Ok maybe my kids and your kids don't, but everyone else does, right? Time for a poll. What have you found to be the ideal length of napping time for your sunday afternoon? I'm curious...and I'll be checking the poll results in just a bit...after I wake up from my nap. :)

<3

How long do you prefer to nap?

10.24.2015

New name!

I'm making an official new change!

A Daughter of the King blog has now become The Florida Peach blog!

I'm excited for this new change and hope you plan to stick with me for my journey.

Feel free to share with all your friends too.

<3

10.23.2015

Making things new...

"behold, I am making all things new" -revelation 21:5

It seems as though this post is so overdue that I don't really even know where to begin, but I do know that there have been many, many new things happen.

The last post that I wrote about my miscarriage was a difficult one, and well over a year ago. At the time I didn't know when I would write again because to be honest, it was painful to even attempt to re-read my own words. I didn't even want to log into my account in fear of being reminded of it...as if I could forget. As time went by, life happened. A lot of life. There simply wasn't time to sit and write. When I look back on it now, I know that it was exactly as it should have been. God has ordained and organized and allowed every single instance in my life this past year. Just as He always has and always will. He does mighty work, we only need to get out of His way.

Ok. So here goes my attempt to catch everyone up...When Jason and I wanted to try for a baby last year we were attempting the methods suggested in the book, "How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby" by Landrum B. Shettles. I know that there are as many opinions on this method as the day is long, so there's really no need for me to go into an argument with anyone. I had heard from several close friends that had tried this and been successful and I thought "Why not? We have two beautiful girls...we would love to have a boy this time." My experience with it was frustrating to say the least. Too much tracking and calculating and such...kinda made the whole process not as fun as it ought to be. It took us 2 months to get a positive pregnancy test. Not long at all, and just as I had planned. I'm the world's biggest planner. Our first daughter, Ava was born in January. Our second daughter, Lyla was born in February. So can you guess which month I was aiming for? Yep. March. And it happened. We had a due date of March 16, 2014. The day before my mom's birthday. We were thrilled. And then we lost our baby. And our entire world changed.

I was rocked to the core. Anger, sadness, loneliness, grief, you name it...I experienced it. Guilt was the one thing that stuck with me. Obviously the guilt of me thinking "maybe I did something wrong and caused the miscarriage," but more overwhelming was me feeling guilty of robbing God of His plan and His control. Here I was trying to plan something as miraculous as a child. Um. That's not my job! I am positive that this is the lesson that God was (and still is) teaching me. That I'm not in control, He is, and His way is infinitely better.

Jason and I still desired to have another child, and so we decided we would still try, but leave the entire process up to God. Just as it should be. August came and with it the sell of our townhome (finally!) We moved in with my parents at the end of that month and were planning to take our time in finding our next home. August brought no positive pregnancy tests...it was too soon yet.

September arrived and we were in the full swing of homeschooling, dance classes, Timothy Ministry, teaching, and work. Busy. Busy. Busy. We had our annual trip to our friend's beach house in Fernandina Beach. I was hopeful for a positive pregnancy test, but much to my dismay they were all negative. While we were on vacation Jason received a phone call from a recruiter. He often receives these type of calls and it drives me crazy and makes me anxious. Switching jobs is definitely not my most favorite thing ever. After talking with the recruiter about this new opportunity with a company in Orlando, Jason tells me that he really feels like he needs to pursue it. I'm thinking, "What in the world?! We are on vacation and you want to call someone about something work related???" He says, "Well it's easier for me to talk to them now, while we're on vacation, than for me to try and find the time to sneak a phone call in when I'm back at work." I consider what he said, and I have to admit he's right and I tell him, "Alright. Who am I to get in the way of something you want to look into further? Let me know how it goes." The week we are at the beach he calls the recruiter back and he actually talks to someone from the company that is looking to hire someone. (See how God lined that timing up???)

When we get home from the beach it is October. I'm beginning to get discouraged about not being pregnant. Jason has another phone conversation with this company looking to hire and they want to do a face to face interview. This just seemed like an impossible task. How was Jason supposed to do a face to face interview with a company in Orlando, FL when we live in Woodstock, GA without his current employer knowing? Well...there just so happens to be a few employees from the Orlando location at a conference in Atlanta soon. "They'll meet you one day after work for an interview. Does that work?" (Whaddya know...God's work again) Jason goes and meets with the employees after work and comes home feeling really positive about the meeting and the opportunity. Soon after the meeting Jason receives another call from this company asking if there was anyway that he could come to the Orlando office to meet some of the higher ups. "Wellllllll actually...we already have a trip to Disney World scheduled for the weekend of halloween. Is there anyway we could meet then?" The company says, "Sure. Just let us know what resort you're staying at and we'll do the interview there." And that's what happened. We drove to our resort the day we planned, checked into the hotel, the girls, my mom, and I changed into our bathing suits and went swimming...while Jason changed into a nicer outfit than shorts and a Mickey shirt, and went to have an interview...poolside. (Who else could have planned that??? God.)

November. We are pregnant! Wahoo! Hooray! Yippe! All the excitement! Wait...what month am I due in? July? (One of the only months I have actually said I would never give birth in...hehe...nice one God)

December comes and we announce our pregnancy. Everyone is thrilled. I can't help but feel anxious and nervous. For some reason I have this fear that something is going to be wrong or go wrong. I am hesitant to become attached and love this new life inside me. We get a not so great report at one of my appointments. The baby's intestines are not inside of its abdomen. The doctors tell me that they will check again after the new year. I am a mess of emotions. The week before christmas we get a phone call saying that Jason has been offered the job at the company in Orlando. We are thrilled! We quickly scramble to figure out how everything will work out. I tell Jason that I don't feel like I can just leave my job at Dance for His Glory. It would be too cruel to leave them in the middle of the dance year with no teacher, and I carry too much of the work load to just leave. I also don't want to take the girls out of dance, especially since it's Lyla's first year. I want her to have her dance recital at the end of the year. So we make plans for me and the girls to stay living at my parents house until after the dance year is over in May. (God planned for us to be at my parents house for this reason) Jason would relocate to Orlando and we would find an apartment for him, and eventually us in May, while we learn the area and find a house we like. We have to figure out how to look for an apartment while Jason is on vacation from work over the christmas break. I suggest that we look at some houses while we are down there together because I don't know when I'll be going back before May. Jason agrees that it is a good idea. We decide that we can handle finding an apartment by ourselves, but would prefer a realtor for the home search. I start researching realtors in the Orlando area and find a lady online that seems promising. I give her a call and have an immediate connection with her. Which if you know me...that never happens...I never immediately feel connected to other women. I explain our situation and she starts to compile a list of homes for us to look at. We leave our girls with my parents and drive down to Orlando the day after christmas. We find an apartment that will work for Jason (and us in May) before lunchtime. We drive to meet up with our realtor and look at 13 houses by suppertime. We found our house. We went into one house and I just knew it. It was exactly what we had been looking for. The right number of bedrooms, a spot for a playroom, a guest room, a nice lot, in a wonderful area, a great price. Jason isn't really paying attention as we are walking through it because he is busy sending an email. We leave and look at another home, but I ask the realtor to take us back to THE house. So back we go...and this time I make sure that Jason is paying attention. This time he sees it too. We go back to our hotel and decide that we want to go to Downtown Disney for supper. We had a great time and good food and I can't get that house off my mind. When we get back to the hotel we talk about making an offer on it. Jason calls his sister, Melissa, to see if she and her family want to come to look at it the next day. Our realtor is happy to meet us again and show the house to us the next day. Melissa and her family agree that it is a really great house. I'm already moving in in my mind. Back to Georgia we go, and we make an offer on the house in the next couple of days. It is accepted. (God had this one all lined up too)

January arrives and Jason moves to Orlando, but not into the apartment we planned on. Instead he moves into an extended stay hotel because we are set to close on our house in February! We receive news that baby's intestinal issues have completely resolved themselves and all is perfect as far as growth! Praise God! We cannot believe all of the changes that have happened in just a few months! Only God could have planned everything out so perfectly.

February we find out the gender of our baby...a BOY! Once again I am rocked to the core. I am in complete and utter shock and awe at His providence and grace and blessing. I almost feel undeserving of everything all at once. I am not worthy of any of His love. He has given me too much. Even though I chose to get in the way of His plans, He chose to one up me on all of them. In every "department" of my life that I was looking to change He changed it in ways far better than I ever could. I am humbled and grateful.

March, April, and May are filled with all the normal life happenings. In mid-May the girls and I move down to Orlando and my mom comes too to help us get settled in. Thank the good Lord for my mother because without her most things around this house would still be undone. When she eventually has to go back to Georgia at the end of the week, it tears my heart to pieces. I've never been one to like goodbyes, and that doesn't mix well when you live out of state from nearly everyone you love. Even in my sadness though, I have an overwhelming happiness and peace about being with my husband in our new home (!!!)

June sneaks up on us and we decide to take a quick trip to Disney as a "celebration" as a family of four for one last time. Looking back on this trip I cannot believe that I actually went to Disney at 8.5 months pregnant. In the middle of the summer. In peak crowds. I dare you to find someone who loves Disney that much.

July is here and I'm growing more and more anxious about delivery day. I'm having slight panic attacks about the idea of bringing this baby into the world. I keep asking myself "are you really going to be able to do this?" I have nightmares that something will go wrong with delivery and that I will die and that Jason will marry another woman and this lady will be the one raising my kids. I have to remind myself to breathe and relax and remember that God is in control. My friends and family are great encouragers and remind me that I've already done it twice before. And my closest friends tell me that they won't allow Jason to marry another woman if I die. I feel calm after hearing that. In the early hours one morning I start having contractions and we ask Melissa to come to our house in case we need to go to the hospital. It's a good thing that she did! Jackson was born the next day! He arrived perfectly and I was able to deliver naturally again. Praise the Lord! Jason and I are both overwhelmed with the love that we feel for our new son. The one that we have prayed and hoped for. God is good. My mom and niece, Savannah, come to stay with us for two weeks after Jackson arrives. It was so nice to have them here with me while we all adjusted to being a family of five. When the time comes for them to leave we are all very sad. We all cried. After the tears stop though, there is still happiness and peace.

August and September seem to fly by with the new routines of nursing, sleeping(???), homeschooling, dance classes. At the end of September we go back to the beach house on Fernandina Beach, with one more little person this time, and I am reminded of how it all got started again. It was a definite full circle moment. That place will always hold such a special place in my heart. We have so many memories wrapped up in that beach house of laughter and family and games and relaxing and conversations and now of change. I hope and pray that we will always be welcomed at that house. And when/if the time comes for us to not stay there any longer, then I hope and pray we can still vacation at Fernandina. Part of my heart will always be there I think.

October is upon us and with it brings reminders of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness. This is a needed reminder. We need to be reminded that it happens and that it is ok to talk about. Not that we only think and talk about our losses during the month of October because that is not true. I know for us we talk about our angel baby often and not a day begins that I don't think about them. It is because of the month of awareness that brought me back to this blog. I wanted to share something to encourage others who are dealing with loss. So I re-shared my post. It was the first time that I went back and read my own words again. In re-sharing it has rejuvenated and healed me in a way. This year that we have had, with all of its changes, has brought about one astounding truth. God is constant. Funny how a year of change can teach me about His consistency. But then again, He has a funny way of teaching us sometimes. With all of these changes, ones that He has brought about by the way, He has remained the same. His love is still unconditional. His provision is still sufficient and abundant. His mercy and grace are infinitely more than I deserve. His forgiveness is new every day. His Word is unchanging and steady and complete nourishment to my soul. He is still my anchor and my forerunner. He has still overcome the world. He is still my Daddy that I can draw near to when I feel lonely. It is because of Him that we have made it through all of these changes. He has made us new...in so many ways. And you know what the best part is? The verse says, "behold, I am making all things new." Did you catch that? Making. Not made. He is making. In the present...like now...continuing. And that means He's not done yet.

Now...I apologize for the length of this post, but there was a lot on my mind. If you made it all the way through reading this post and listening to my rambling you seriously deserve a prize. Leave me a comment and I'll send you one.

<3

It's Time

long overdue...long awaited (maybe)...

it's time for me to begin writing again. i'm excited about it. stay tuned and thanks for listening.

"behold, I am making all things new" -revelation 21:5