Happy THIRD Birthday Toby!!

Yesterday my baby boy turned THREE and I am in disbelief that it's already been three years since he came into this world! It's funny because I remember when I was only about three weeks from my due date with him we went to Lake Powell with my brother and sister and their spouses. I remember the last morning as we were leaving and driving over the dam to head home I got this overwhelming feeling of emotions come over me because I knew it was the last trip that me and Robb were ever going to take together before becoming parents. I was so nervous about how our lives would change and how it would never be just about us anymore and I just burst into tears that I couldn't stop! Robb was a little surprised (as most husbands are when their wives just burst into tears out-of-the-blue) and after telling him what I was feeling and why I was crying he smiled sympathetically and I will never forget what he said because he hit the nail on the head. He told me that having a child is going to bring about an entire new set of adventures and that even though our old life and what we were used to would no longer exist, we had an entire new adventure ahead of us to look forward to.

Well our lives have changed tremendously from the couple who had been married ten years with no kids but I cannot even imagine what that life used to be like without Toby in it! Although it's hard at times and there are times I truly don't understand what is going on, it has been one of the greatest adventures of my life and I wouldn't trade it for the world! God blessed us with Toby and along with that it's brought us such life and joy and laughter! I feel like I'm constantly learning but the most amazing thing to me of all is how God has been using Toby to teach me about His love for us! I can't count how many times as a mother I take situations that I'm learning with Toby and think, WOW, that's how God must feel about His children! It happens all the time! From frustration to pure joy, God is using Toby to draw me closer to Him. Because I love Toby, I discipline him. Because I love Toby, I challenge him. Because I love Toby I teach him, take care of him, do what I KNOW is best for him. He doesn't always understand why I'm doing what I'm doing or agree with it, but I know that it's what is best for him and I do it out of love. God does the same. We may not always understand why or what we are going through, but God does and there is always purpose for it and if we trust HIM and have faith, He will use it for our good! I have such an unconditional love in my heart for Toby and it's so completely overwhelming at times and when I think that God loves me more then I even love Toby I don't even know how that is possible, yet I know it's true! God is taking me on an adventure as well and although my old life as I knew it before is gone, it's a far better life then I ever imagined! Although it's hard at times and I don't always understand what He has planned or why, I know without doubt that He loves me and has my best interest at Heart and what a peace that gives me!

So Happy Birthday to my baby boy Toby that God has blessed me and changed my life with and thank you God for the constant adventures that you are taking me on as well! "My cup runneth over!"

Weighed in today and I've lost another two pounds since last week!

Okay, have I mentioned how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE summertime? Well, I do! This month of July is flying by but it has been SOOOOOOOOOOO much fun! Between the 4th, boating, swimming, Powell and all of the July birthday's we've had, it has been such a crazy month.

We went to Lake Powell last weekend (see pic) and it was SO beautiful and serene! I love going because it's a trip that is total relaxation through and through and I come back feeling so rested and renewed. This time was no different. When I was there I just kept thinking about how beautiful God's creations are and on the last night on the lake when we were headed back on the boat the sky was so gorgeous and I couldn't stop looking at it. One of the clouds literally looked like a giant dove in the sky with it's wings open flying into heaven and then the rays of sunlight were streaming through. I just felt that God painted that sky just for me (He is a romancer you know) and it just made me smile.

I waited until yesterday to weigh again and when I did I was happy because the scale is continuing to go down! I was down another pound! That makes 11 pounds total to date. I can't wait until I hit the 20 pound mark!

I'm reading another book right now called "Women, Food and God". It's funny because I bought the book a while ago and forgot I had it and then Oprah had it on her show as a recommended read so I pulled it out. We all know that if she read it then it must be golden right ;)... It's been really interesting to read because it teaches a lot of the same things that Weighdown does as far as eating between hunger and fullness and that when you eat past that it's emotional eating but she definitely has some different views on how to fill that void then just filling up with God. I'm not quite done with it yet but it has been interesting to read knowing what I already believe and have been practicing. I'm really just trying to stay focused "UP" right now more then ever because I want to continue to loose weight and stay out of myself and I know that the only way to do that is by fillng up with God instead of this world and it's not always easy to do when you have so much going on but I've realized quickly over the last few months that that is my lifeline, not the things of this world...

It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' Matthew 4:4

Freedom!!!

This weekend is the 4th of July, a day in which Americans celebrate our independence and our freedom and liberty. I LOVE the 4th of July and I LOVE this great country that we are so blessed to live in and celebrate this time of year! Patriotism has always run very deep in our family and courses through our blood! I LOVE what freedom represents and I love that it is God that gave us that freedom and that freedom is preached all throughout the Bible:

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corn. 3:17

In him [Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Eph. 3:12

The freedom and patriotism that I feel for my beloved country is overwhelming in my heart but it doesn't even hold a candle to the freedom that I feel and received from the Holy Spirit in my heart! This 4th of July I will be celebrating not only the freedom from this country but I feel more blessed then ever that God has freed me from the slavery of overeating and SOOOO many other strongholds of this world and has brought me out of the land of "Egypt" and is taking me to the promised land!

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. Psalm 118:5

I have hit the 10 pound mark as of yesterday and I was SO excited to hit my first big milestone that I was seeing fireworks go off a few days early!!