Moving On

I'm taking a break from blogging about this particular topic right now. I started this blog for more personal reasons and I'm glad for any of you that have read and followed along and maybe even been inspired or curious in any way about my personal growth and my relationship with God.

Right now I'm just enjoying being a mom, wife and homemaker as this is where God has put me at this season of my life. I love what God is calling me to do right now. I think so many woman think that being a mom and homemaker seems so boring and unimportant, but in fact it is one of the most important things that we were put on this earth to do and it's something I take very seriously and want to do my very best at. Raising kids for God is no easy task and neither is keeping a healthy marriage together and one that is a good example to our kids, but with guidance and faith, it can be done and does not have to be scary!

God amazes me daily with how personal He can get and how our relationship continues to deepen. I'm excited to see what He has in store for me. I will continue to blog about my life here in California on my other blog if anyone wants to follow along:

http://www.ourlivesinca.blogspot.com/

LOVES!

Spiritually Hungry

Okay, I know my last post was really short and brief but that's what having a new born, a four year old and moving to a new state will leave you time to do. We've been here a month and a half now and I'm finally starting to feel settled. I've unpacked my last box and hung my last picture. I've enrolled Toby in preschool and soccer and have somewhat got caught up on some work. In the midst of doing all of this however, one thing I have not done was spend time in God's word and find time to myself to feed the spiritual hunger that we all have. Because of that, I have found myself feeling anxious and restless at times and I've noticed I was snacking a lot more. We all know when we eat, it gives us a temporary calm that we've been longing for. Problem is is that it doesn't last and what happens instead is we end up feeling more anxious and then the pounds start to creep on and hence starts the downward spiraling that Satan loves.

During my pregnancy I still tried to just follow the Weighdown guidelines and listen to my body and what it was calling for. Yes, it was harder because there were times when I wasn't hungry and would eat anyway because something would sound really good but overall, I did pretty good and only gained 20 pounds. When I weighed myself a few weeks after giving birth I was back down to where I was when I first got pregnant. Problem is is that I know and recognize that I have started going back to my old habits of eating and snacking, especially when I'm feeling stressed or anxious. Well I'm re-committing again and I'm starting with getting back into God's word and a bible study because I know the only way to start is to try to feed my spiritual, not physical hunger.

So, yesterday Toby was at preschool and Tyce was sleeping and I decided to open my bible and get out my bible study that I had started a few months ago but never finished. Although I've been praying all along, it's the first time in a long time that I really felt like I had quiet time to really just concentrate and spend quality time talking to God. I immediately started feeling Him filling up that hunger in my soul and it felt SO great! I also went through and re-read a lot of my old posts from last year and that really helped to motivate me and it also helped me to realize how much I didn't want to be stuck in my old ways again as well. I got back on the Weighdown message boards to get re-connected with other woman for support and I started reading the Weighdown chronicles again. I also want to re-read the Rise Above book as well. It's so important to stay focused and connected and that was a huge help to me before and I know I need that now more then ever! I want to loose between 40 to 50 pounds and I know this is the only way to do it. My heart and relationship with food needs to continue to change and more important then even the weight loss, I long for an intimate relationship with God, deeper then it's ever been so if anyone is reading this, please pray for me because the road is a long one but one that will be SOOOOOO worth it in the end!

We Moved to California!

Whew! What a wild past few months! I had my baby and we moved to California. Check out my new blog about our lives in Cali!

http://ourlivesinca.blogspot.com/

So far, so good! God took care of everything just like I knew He would!

FAITH & TRUST

Wow! Time sure flies! I can't believe we are already to April! I am SOOOOOOOOOOO happy to have made it to Spring and to feel the weather warming up and hear birds chirping that I feel giddy inside! This winter has seemed SO long to me and I think God was really teaching me PATIENCE more then ever and to TRUST in Him more then ever. My faith has grown even deeper over the past few months as I have had to completely rely on my trust in God to even make it through.

Robb lost his job right before Christmas and did not qualify for unemployment and my job has been in limbo for months now too, where I haven't even known from week to week if I would get a paycheck. We're to April now and so far every month something has come through and we've be able to pay our bills and have plenty of food and although we've had to live on credit a little bit too, we haven't gone without anything and God has supplied all our needs through this time.

When I look back over the past five months I can really see how God has been using this time to grow me more spiritually and to change my heart and mind towards a direction in our lives that I really feel He is leading us to. Robb is leaving tomorrow to California to apply for a job and train for a position as a crane operator and I know if I hadn't been through what we have in the last few months, I would not be ready to move to Bakersfield and would be bitter and angry and fighting it, but because He has showed me and taken me through what we've been through, instead I am actually totally at peace with it and even excited about it which I'm still amazed at!

The baby will be here in less then two months and I have always been a person who has to be totally prepared and stable and we are everything but that right now, but because my trust and faith in God has grown SOOO much deeper then it was even five months ago (and I thought it was pretty deep then) I am just not scared! I know that wherever we end up, God is with us either way and is taking us there and I am just going to trust in Him and not fear and have peace which only He brings me!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Half Way

I cannot believe that I am already 20 and a half weeks along in my pregnancy! Time FLIES! I still feel like I have so much to do before my little guy gets here and although I still have a few months, I still feel like it's going too fast at times!

I went to the doctor yesterday and I was so relieved when he weighed me and I hadn't gained even a pound! The last two doc appointments I had gained weight so I was just holding my breath this time since we just got through the holidays on top of everything. I don't feel like I've been out of control or pigging out but I definitely have more of an appetite this time then I did with my last pregnancy. Anyway, total so far is only ten pounds so I'm doing good. I'm just still trying to listen to what my body is calling for and wait until I'm hungry to eat.

I love the second trimester because I've had more energy and I'm starting to feel him move more which is the best part of being pregnant. Now if I could just start tackling my to do list that would be fantastic!

January Bla's

Well, we made it to January. The start of another year. A fresh start. Christmas was so awesome and Toby was cuter then ever and so much fun! It was fun having Amanda here for a few weeks, getting together with all the family and it was fun celebrating Jesus's birthday.

But now it's January. BLA!! It has always been my least favorite month of the entire year. Sure there are times when I do feel a bit relieved the holidays are behind us and we get a fresh start with a new year, but mostly it's just cold and dreary outside and there is just not a lot to look forward to in January. Then on top of it it is the month that my mom died (18 years ago today) and now my nephew Jacob too. I am not one to wallow in despair though or try to only look at the negative so I have really tried this week to stay focused on the positives and all of the many many reasons I have to be happy and grateful, and there are many! I also love to watch all the sunny movies I can get my hand on too in the months of January and February. It really does let you espcape for just a couple hours and dream of being there! A few of my favorites:

• My Father the Hero
• Pirates of the Carribbean
• Under the Tuscan Sun
• Into the Blue
• After the Sunset

So here's to a very Happy New Year and a fantastic new decade!!

Christmas is Coming!!

I'm really excited for Christmas this year because my sister Amanda is going to be here most of the month of December staying with us and when we were little, it was always her and I and would get the most excited together about everything and have the most fun around Christmas.

I remember after my mom died and we moved in with my Dad, me and Amanda went and got our own little Christmas tree at the lot and took it up to our room and decorated it and put our little gifts around it. It really brightened up our room and made it special up there! (See pic)

This past year has been the most spiritually awakening year of my life and we as a family have really been through a lot. When Christmas time comes around and we get to spend more time together, it makes me so grateful and happy that we have each other and so much love. Christmas this year just seems extra special and I don't want to forget the greatest gift we've ever been given and the reason we celebrate it: Jesus.