She opens her mouth to try to get the water:)
Photo by Julia Shiras:) My favorite photographer!
Kids
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Cutie Pie
Abby will be two months old tomorrow! She is such a precious girl we love her so much more daily if that is even possible! She has discovered the world and smiles all the time! When Abby and I sit on the recliner she looks at the wall and smiles at a picture of Collin. Every time she looks at it she smiles. There are two other pictures next to that one but she loves Collin. It is one of my new favorite things. I adore spending the day with her and feel so honored!
She opens her mouth to try to get the water:)
Photo by Julia Shiras:) My favorite photographer!
She opens her mouth to try to get the water:)
Photo by Julia Shiras:) My favorite photographer!
Russian Tea Cakes
Picture borrowed online...
I tried this recipe last year and they did not turn out to well. This year they are perfect and delicious!!!! LOVE THEM!!!!! I will double the recipe next year. You can also add a tablespoon of milk if your dough is too crumbly.
Makes 3 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar.
I tried this recipe last year and they did not turn out to well. This year they are perfect and delicious!!!! LOVE THEM!!!!! I will double the recipe next year. You can also add a tablespoon of milk if your dough is too crumbly.
Makes 3 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Comfort through suffering
I wrote this on my old blog almost two years ago and thought I would share a part of it for anyone who feels discouraged and in need of some verses that can provide comfort and rest!
"My heart is heavy and hard and my sin is deep. I suffer deeply and yearn so much to know Gods love more daily. I think a lot about the ways of God and how far I am from being in the image of Jesus. I lay here pondering Gods grace and goodness. Why can't I grasp that His plans for me are for good. We go through these ups and downs. They are there for the rest of our life. It is how we deal with them that will determine where we let ourselves go in our thoughts.
"I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13
I want to be able to say these things because of the work of Jesus in my life. Paul is amazing to me. All of his writings teach me so much about our savior. Our hearts can become so clouded and wicked if we do not take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). Paul was a man who had a past that we can not fathom. Nevertheless God brought Him out of that and transformed him in order that God's glory could be displayed in the most miraculous ways for all to see.
"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 8-10
"My heart is heavy and hard and my sin is deep. I suffer deeply and yearn so much to know Gods love more daily. I think a lot about the ways of God and how far I am from being in the image of Jesus. I lay here pondering Gods grace and goodness. Why can't I grasp that His plans for me are for good. We go through these ups and downs. They are there for the rest of our life. It is how we deal with them that will determine where we let ourselves go in our thoughts.
"I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13
I want to be able to say these things because of the work of Jesus in my life. Paul is amazing to me. All of his writings teach me so much about our savior. Our hearts can become so clouded and wicked if we do not take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). Paul was a man who had a past that we can not fathom. Nevertheless God brought Him out of that and transformed him in order that God's glory could be displayed in the most miraculous ways for all to see.
"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 8-10
8 WEEKS OLD!
My sweet girl is 8 weeks old today and will be two months old on Sunday! Time is flying by fast! Abby loves to smile now:) She stares at everything. We have to turn the lights off for an hour before she goes to sleep or she stares at our bookshelf (Brian is so happy she loves books already), she is amazed by fans, lights, everything. She will pretty much be asleep and her eye will catch something and she will be wide awake! When she sees me I can tell she knows who I am. She really is precious and I can not imagine our lives without her! Praise be to God for this amazing blessing He has allowed us to raise!
Abby loves her friend Bella! Bella wanted to hold Abby forever:) It was so sweet!
Abby loves her friend Bella! Bella wanted to hold Abby forever:) It was so sweet!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Wonderful weekend!
Brian's work has an annual Christmas party! I look forward to it because we get to dress up and have a fancy night out. This year it was at the Hard Rock Hotel. I have been anticipating this day for months. I thought it would be so fun to have a night with just Brian and I and have the kids at Dan and Natalie's home. The minute we dropped Abby off I was practically in tears. The only times I have left her was when I had to go to the hospital to have surgery or something related. I had a really hard time being away from her. We ended up feeling so tired we left early and took advantage of a whole night of rest. That part was very much needed and we really enjoyed our time together. Collin had so much fun with his friends and Abby was spoiled rotten with lots of milk and love. Dan and Natalie are such a blessing to our family in every way. We love them so much and thank them for loving our family so much. On Sunday we had a great time at church and were so blessed to be reunited with the kids. We had a couple friends over and then dad made us all hot chocolate and tea to go and we went a looked at Christmas lights. It was a blessed weekend and the kids have been so sweet! Collin was so happy and kept hugging me and thanking us for taking him to look at lights. God continues to grow all of us and bless our family. Being a family of four has been so wonderful!
Friday, December 9, 2011
The Excellent Wife
A few different groups of women at our Church are going through a book called the Excellent Wife by Martha Peace. I am very excited to meet with the women in my small group to begin a journey growing and maturing into a wife God calls me to be. This is no small task but I am excited for the journey I am on and I am thankful there are so many examples of Godly and submissive women in the bible and around me.
As many Christians and unbelievers read these verses below I am assuming many have issues and think that women should be spoken of exactly as men are in the bible. For years I have been so fed up with feminism and how it has overtaken the world including the Church. Women who staying at home and caring for their husbands by cooking, cleaning, teaching their children in the ways of the Lord, etc are very looked down upon in so many ways. I remember before I got married someone close to me asking what I would be doing for work after the wedding (at the time I had been laid off from work.) I told them that I would stay at home and take care of our home, oh boy.... I got a very interesting response to that.
If I were not at home who would clean the house, take care of dinner, make Brian lunches, be at home with Abby, do all the errands, etc. I know God is pleased with a woman who wants to work at home. To me this is such a blessed calling for women!
So many women have fed into the lies that having a career and moving up in the workforce is the most excellent way. Of course Satan wants every woman to believe her place is outside of the home. There are even men now that prefer to send their wives off to work while they stay at home. There are certain circumstances where this may be ok but this is not what God has called men to. I praise God for a husband that works so hard to provide for his family. In Genesis 2 and 3 Adam is told that he will now work the ground from which he was taken. I know many Godly women who do have to work and that is ok but what I am talking about is a women preferring to be at work than at home with her kids and a family that is striving for things of this world instead of living a simple life so that one income is enough. If something were to happen to Brian of course I would go back to work. For now God has provided us a means for me to be home. I praise God for that. It is not easy for us financially. We live in a smaller two bedroom duplex, we do not buy to many things for ourselves, and we do not get to go on vacation often if ever now. The list goes on of all things we do not get to do but the things we do get to do are worth every penny we do not make.
Ask God to allow you to really hear what these verses are saying. May God grow us as wives and mothers! May Christ shine through us as we seek Him more daily! May we listen to all of Gods words and not miss His call for our lives. It brings God glory when we are being the wives and mothers He has called us to be!
"Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."
(Titus 2:3-5 ESV)
"For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior."
(Ephesians 5:23 ESV)
"Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening."
(1 Peter 3:6 ESV)
And finally... This is the woman I desire to be! A Proverbs 31 WOMAN:
"The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?
Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates."
(Proverbs 31 ESV)
As many Christians and unbelievers read these verses below I am assuming many have issues and think that women should be spoken of exactly as men are in the bible. For years I have been so fed up with feminism and how it has overtaken the world including the Church. Women who staying at home and caring for their husbands by cooking, cleaning, teaching their children in the ways of the Lord, etc are very looked down upon in so many ways. I remember before I got married someone close to me asking what I would be doing for work after the wedding (at the time I had been laid off from work.) I told them that I would stay at home and take care of our home, oh boy.... I got a very interesting response to that.
If I were not at home who would clean the house, take care of dinner, make Brian lunches, be at home with Abby, do all the errands, etc. I know God is pleased with a woman who wants to work at home. To me this is such a blessed calling for women!
So many women have fed into the lies that having a career and moving up in the workforce is the most excellent way. Of course Satan wants every woman to believe her place is outside of the home. There are even men now that prefer to send their wives off to work while they stay at home. There are certain circumstances where this may be ok but this is not what God has called men to. I praise God for a husband that works so hard to provide for his family. In Genesis 2 and 3 Adam is told that he will now work the ground from which he was taken. I know many Godly women who do have to work and that is ok but what I am talking about is a women preferring to be at work than at home with her kids and a family that is striving for things of this world instead of living a simple life so that one income is enough. If something were to happen to Brian of course I would go back to work. For now God has provided us a means for me to be home. I praise God for that. It is not easy for us financially. We live in a smaller two bedroom duplex, we do not buy to many things for ourselves, and we do not get to go on vacation often if ever now. The list goes on of all things we do not get to do but the things we do get to do are worth every penny we do not make.
Ask God to allow you to really hear what these verses are saying. May God grow us as wives and mothers! May Christ shine through us as we seek Him more daily! May we listen to all of Gods words and not miss His call for our lives. It brings God glory when we are being the wives and mothers He has called us to be!
"Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."
(Titus 2:3-5 ESV)
"For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior."
(Ephesians 5:23 ESV)
"Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening."
(1 Peter 3:6 ESV)
And finally... This is the woman I desire to be! A Proverbs 31 WOMAN:
"The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?
Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates."
(Proverbs 31 ESV)
7.5 weeks old and growing by the second
Baby Abby is 7.5 weeks old! She is a sweetheart! Everyday she grows and changes. On Tuesday she weighed in at 10lbs 9ounces! She has gained 5 pounds since we brought her home. WOW!!!! She is a healthy eater, what can I say:) Her smiles melt my heart. Her crazy arms and legs flying around everywhere are fun to watch. Her hair falling out and her becoming a bald baby has been hysterical. There are so many fun new things happening daily!
Abby went from sleeping 24 hours a day to being more awake as well as a bit fussy. Getting Abby to sleep can be challenging but she slept for 7.5 hours last night. It was an answer to prayer. Momma really needed some rest and had a lot of things to do. I was able to wake up with her at 430am today and put her down an hour later and have time to clean, read and blog!
Being a mother to a newborn has had many ups and downs. Watching my girl smile and Collin love on his sister bring so much joy to my heart. Seeing Brian help out when he can blesses my heart. He knows when I need a little break and will wake up on a Sunday morning at 345am and take care of Abby if she is crying, he helps to put her to sleep at night, and has been such a sweet support and encourager. It can be so discouraging to have Abby fuss for hours and feel I am doing something wrong. He always reminds me that God is good and in control and Abby is not going to have a routine down and might be more fussy right now.
It can be discouraging to try on dresses and not fit into anything right now. It seems after 7.5 weeks I should be back to my old self but apparently that is not how it works unless you are naturally skinny.
I praise GOD for His grace. He never gives us more than we can handle. I praise God He blessed us with beautiful children and pray to always be growing as a mother to them. There was a point in my life I wondered if I would ever have children and now I have two. I want to rejoice in that always, even when things are not going as "I" had planned. Gods plans are greater than mine and I want to always remember that.
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