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!