I am Thankful for...

the internet, for without, I would seriously need to find new entertainment.heh, we all would..sad but, oh so very true.

friends who make me laugh.

my husband playing his piano when he is trying to unwind. I get the benefits of listening.love.

Salted Caramel Hot chocolates from Starbucks..mmm. warm goodness in a cup.

Quiznos and their tuna sandwiches. Seriously so good. I can only have them once a week. boo.

my Maggie for being so excited everytime she sees me.

my sister. I love her company.

our christmas tree being up.it makes our house feel so cozy. love christmas!

that Thanksgiving is this weekend and that means punkin' pie! just realized a lot of these are food. so sad.

for the way that God is faithful in all things.

last but not least...for hearing our baby's heartbeat today. little bean was kicking up a storm. totally cute.favorite part of my day by far.

In everything..

God is there. He is truly everywhere. His beauty in everything. I love that even while driving in my car just as the sun is going down, He shows me the all of the beauty that He holds in  His hands through the colors in the sky.

I love that I can see His beauty when the cold air (Yay to the Yay!) hits me in my face and I am reminded that just as quick as the coldness is quick to greet me, so is He. Right when I call on Him. His love never fails me. His presence is always near me.

God is here as I am listening to my husband play the piano. Even in simple moments like these. I am reminded just how near He is.

God is in our troubles. He already knows what we are going through. When we ask, He takes them away. Not always at the exact moment we want Him to, but in His perfect time. When He does, all Glory goes right back to Him. Where it belongs.

Psalm 46: " God is our refuge and strength, a very  present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad  the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

Baby Love...

I am so excited to say that we are expecting our first little babe in May of next year! It is truly a blessing. I love thinking that this time next year, I will have a squishy baby to kiss all over!

Despite the fact that I am 13 weeks pregnant today, I am not too sure that it has really hit me. I know that seems crazy. Seriously though, I have been pretty darn blessed by not having the symptoms that I know many women out there are far too familiar with.

Nausea not so much. Occasional heart burn- yes. Bloating- yup. Sleepiness-sometimes. Insomnia-unfortunately. Although last night I only got up once the whole night, that seriously calls for some celebration. Bloody noses, totally had that in the beginning-something no one tells you about!

We have had two appointments so far. We got to see the little bean back at 8wks. Which was so sweet. All I cared about was seeing the little heart beat. Once I saw it, I felt more pregnant and so thankful. Our last appt, we got to hear it, and can I just say that my husband is too cute! As soon as my doctor put on the doppler and found it, my husband had the biggest, cheesiest grin on his face. I fell in love, all over with him again at that moment.  I love being able to see him get so excited about becoming a father. I can't wait to see him hold the baby for the first time. Makes me smile just thinking about it.

For now...I am looking forward to our next appointment and for the big ultrasound (2 appts. away, argh!) that will hopefully show us whether we are having a boy or a girl! I am soo looking forward to finding out what we are having! I commend those who can wait, but I know that we can't!

I am excited, can you tell?!

Rare and Special...

Friendship that is. Finding a friend who you can completely let loose and be yourself with is such a blessing. I have been thinking a lot about this lately. I have this really crazy, sweet, beautiful mommy of a best friend who I have known since the 2nd grade. We have been through so much together. Memories that I wouldn't trade for anything.

She is my best friend. We can be in the same room, hear something..look at each other and just start cracking up! Nobody of course understanding why exactly we are laughing, I love that! We get together, talk and if there is a bit of silence, (haha, who am I kidding!) it isn't awkward. I don't stress..."what can I say next?" "what question can I ask?" None of that, it just flows! Phew! I am not the most outgoing girl, you know? Thankfully she is! As weird as it seems, I think that is why we have been so close for so long!

We each have grown up, gone through our awkward teenage years, and gotten married.Sure, there have been times when we would get angry with each other, disagreed, refused to talk to each other to prove a point..that we thought was important to make. Looking back..totally silly. Then we would end up crying and hugging each other and apologize for being so stupid or selfish.

 I am so thankful for those tears. Without them, our friendship would have fizzled away to nothing. We would have stayed angry or bitter. Never giving our friendship the opportunity to grow. I can remember when she had her first little girl Ally. I was so happy for her! But, also scared that because I didn't have any babies..our lives would be so different. I was afraid that she would feel, that she no longer had anything in common with me. Then soon our friendship would just slowly fade.

You know what, never once did she make me feel left out of her life. In fact, I have come to love her little girls (all 4 of them!) so much! She is such a good mother! I look up to her in the way that she and her husband have started to raise them. They are still so little and yet they do an amazing job! I love that I am "Aunt Melalee". I know that she will be one of my greatest sources, once we are blessed with some munchkins of our own!

We have both been through hard times. Our own personal losses. Either of us not sure how to comfort the other. But, just being there was more than enough.

I am so thankful that I have been blessed with such a great close friend. One that I have known most of my life. She is the person, that no matter if life ever seems to seperate and we don't live as close as we do now, I will always need to talk to her. I'll need to have and hear laughs. Family vacations would have to be together, ha! (No, don't worry we aren't moving..don't freak out!)

She is my red headed, goofy, loving, gracious, godly best friend. She is Christina. Thank you for putting up with me..and for being there for me, all these years! I love you!

Rainy Weather & Homemade Goodies...

It's been pretty rainy here lately. When the weather is like this I like to do nothing more than get all cozy,  catch up on laundry, make everything all tidy, light some candles and think of something yummy to make for dinner!

I was feeling some what domestic and adventurous today. I made homemade French bread! Yeppers, I sure did too! It was pretty easy, I don't usually eat white bread but I didn't have any wheat flour and it turned out dern good, if I don't say so myself!

In all of my cooking glory, wooden spoon, lazy eye and all..

Ok, so it may not look too much like French bread, but it sure tasted good!

The recipe made two loaves, I just froze the other one. That would be too many carbs for just the two of us! ;) I also made homemade Lasagna for dinner. Yikes..Oh well I am sure my husband is loving this. Normally it's just chicken and a veggie. I blame it on the weather. :)

So Its been a while...

I took a little while off from my blogging. I still kept up with all of the other lovely blog ladies that I read. Not that I have many readers, but I truly love to blog. It's a place where I can see my thoughts, because sometimes my thoughts are just jumbled all up in me. Blogging is a great way for me to just release. Take a breath...Ahh, that is better!

 So, to be honest with ahem..myself. These past few months has been a time of growing. Finding who I am. The kind of Woman that God wants me to be. My trust in Him, was tested. I am proud to say that I never once didn't feel the faithfulness of God. Even through all of it, He was so near. Through all of my tears and crying out to God for Him to change me and heal me. He heard every cry. He saw every tear.

To withhold this post from being or sounding sad. All of this to say, that God is so good! Whatever the situation or circumstance that we go through. He is and always will be God. God who comforts, who heals (thank you Jesus!), who loves. God who is greater than anything! God who, nothing even comes close to being impossible for. Remember the old song: "Our God is an Awesome God"- It's true! He is.

So there is my post, that in a nutshell, is where my heart has been hanging out these past few months. It feels good to be back.

Easter Blessings

Easter is this weekend, I truly am so excited for it! Easter is so special to me. As a kid I took the holiday for...a day off from school..bunnies...eggs, (by the way-who in the world came up with these things?? Bunnies for Easter? What do eggs have to do with bunnies? ha!) Anywhooly, I seriously used to get so excited for the holiday and my little basket that my mom would give us kids. Yes, she would even give us a little something like a new cd or something when we were even in highschool! Ha! I grew up in church and knew the story. Just never gave it too much thought.

I am so thankful for the Lord. The past few years, He has opened my heart, mind, and eyes to all that He is. There is still so much more that I know He wants to share with me. I am blessed this Easter, by Him. His son. His sacrifice, for me..and for you. Some say you never fully understand the love of the Father, until you have a child of your own. I believe this, and look forward to the day that I can fully understand.

I know how loving Jesus himself really was, through what was displayed on the cross. No one could ever go through what He did, without the love that He had for us. Jesus represents all that love consists of.

For this I am thankful, this Easter and every Easter for the rest of my life.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into to the world to condemn it, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." John 3:16-17