Waiting on baby...

Sitting here on the computer waiting for baby number 2.  The day I want this child born on starts in 27 minutes.  Will it happen?  Probably not, but I am still hoping against hope.
Today we got a new couch (to replace the one with mold).  We cleaned our bedroom.  Installed the new microwave we were given and throughly enjoyed our day.  Now, I just want to lay around and relax, but no such thing for Jordan...oh, he'd be happy if I did that, but I don't want to do it by myself.  I suppose I should go clean our entryway.  It'd be another thing I could check off my list.  I wasn't planning on finishing my list, but if this baby waits too long, it just might happen.  I would definitely prefer the baby.  And that is the story for tonight.
Oh God, I trust Your timing.  I give this baby's birth into Your hands.  You know what I desire.  I turn to Your will and let it go.  Have Your way!

All things work together for good...

Romans 8:28 -Because I know this scripture by heart from the New King James version I usually go with that, but today I was looking at other versions just to see how they worded it.  The Message just clicked with my situation today so I thought I would put it up today.  It actually includes verses 26-28.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Two days ago my son threw something behind the couch.  Normally, we try to distract him because we don't feel like moving the couch, but this time Jordan just felt like getting it.  (I really believe that there are times the spirit of God nudges us to do things...when we listen things work out...when we don't we face the consequences.)   As he started to move the couch, he noticed that the side of it was wet.  Did you spill something here?, he asked me.  Not that I know of, I said. Well, it turns out that there was a lot of water...in the wall, in the carpet and in our couch.  After doing some investigation we found out that the back of that wall sort of belongs to our neighbor and the boards are rotted.  They are rotted because the drain pipes on the roof are not cleaned often enough and they don't hold the water properly.  Water has been spilling down the wall and pooling at the bottom...from the pool, it's been leaking into our house.  Initially, we thought this was the first time, but lo and behold we discovered that there is mildew in the wall, under the carpet and along the bottom of the couch, which means that this problem has been happening time and again.
Normally,this wouldn't be that big of a deal, but this week knowing I am about to give birth and bring a new baby home...not real exciting.
Here's the good news...
#1 - Because the rotted wood is from the outside it is the responsibility of the HOA to resolve the issue.  Not only that, but it was reported last year by my neighbor and they did nothing, so it is even more their issue.
#2 - They are currently doing a siding project on all our buildings and may have put off the rotted boards because they planned to do them now.  If they had fixed the boards and we hadn't noticed the water we may have found mold later and had NO IDEA the source.  It would have been fix at our expense, and never know why.
#3 - One of the workers broke a lamp of ours I have been wanting to replace, but since it worked wasn't worth spending money on.  Now, I am getting a new lamp.
#4 - My children will not be breathing in mold.  This is major.  Our nurse told us that can cause failure to thrive.  God is always looking out for their health and ours.
There is more.  We just feel the love of God...other than a few moments, where I've let myself lose sight, we have felt so taken care of.  And the thing is that God is always like that.  How many times do we just see the frustration in an issue instead of the blessing?  I want to encourage you today to take stock of you life.  Where can you see God's hand at work?  Where ca you see His handiwork?  Let go of the anger and frustration and let yourself fall into the loving arms of one who cares more for you than anything.  Allow yourself to be taken care of today!
Thank you God!  Thanks a million!

Lazy Goggles

I am starting to notice more and more how things accumulate in corners, on tables and counter tops and sit there for weeks and weeks. Why does this happen?

I know how. You come home from somewhere and set something down and it just sits there until you have the energy or time or mainly inclination to deal with it. And the piles grow as thing after thing get put on top. I hate this. I want to live in an uncluttered home. I can clean my house. I can keep things picked up, but my home will always have this messy feel if I don't attend to the corners and counters. Sure I have a lot of good excuses right now, but let's be honest...this isn't a new problem. Many people have a new year's goal or a new week's goal or whatever. I have to start and restart these goals over and over. Unless, I make it a habit (then I don't have to start over quite so often). My goal is to get uncluttered. My goal is to stay uncluttered. A Proverbs 31 woman doesn't have a cluttered house. A cluttered house makes for cluttered thinking. I refuse to be a cluttered person anymore. I may have to restart this goal a few times over the next few months until I get a habit established.

My dad always had a saying that used to drive me crazy because it could be overwhelming, but I think it's time to adopt it. EHAH -> Everything Has A Home

Today everything on the dining room table, the kitchen counter and the entryway will find it's way into it's proper home. Once again - no more excuses. I have a goal and I want to be uncluttered. I want to think clearer. I want to set a good example for my children. It's time to take off the lazy goggles that stop seeing the clutter and get a clear view of what is all around me. Colossians 3:22-25

Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the

ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.

Lord - I am your servant. I want to reflect you in all that I do. Help me to un-clutter my life and keep it that way. I want to be clear and shiny. Help me to stop ignoring the clutter and get a clear viewpoint of my life. I know I can do this through your strength and your wisdom. Thank you for the energy to get it all done. Love you Lord!

Real friends are so important

Amazing how much a friend can affect your life. They can help change your attitude. They are what you really need.

Tonight Jenn came over for the second Tuesday in a row. I like have a standing date with a friend. Being an at home mom can be really lonely. Especially in winter...especially when really, really pregnant. Getting out of the house can be a hard thing to do. I love being at home. I am blessed. I still get lonely. And there aren't a lot of stay at home moms currently in my circle. So, my friends circle isn't really growing at the moment. I thank God for the real friends I have.

I have certain friends who don't live anywhere near me and some I haven't seen in years, but I know as soon as we get together we are still just as close as ever. There are some who I see more often, but with life changes we just aren't as close as we once were.

Some friends we have are just for a season...some are for a lifetime. For a friendship to be strong it needs to be nurtured. I think I need to evaluate the friendships in my life and see what I can do to nurture the important ones. Each of us have a love language. What do my friends need from me? What can I do to be a better friend? How can I teach my children to be the kind of people others want as a friend?

What are some qualities you think make a good friend? I would love some thoughts on this to expand my thinking.

Jenn - you are a great friend and I am so glad to have you in my life! Thanks for dinner and hanging out.

Blogging during bathtime...

Since I can't bend properly and get involved with Liam during today's morning bath I am taking advantage of the free time to set some thoughts down while I sit beside him...

Just days now until another little one joins our home. I am excited and nervous. What will this one be like? I am hoping in many ways like Liam. He really is the kind of child that would make people want to have more. He was such a good baby. We were blessed beyond measure. Of course I don't want a copy, but there are some similarities that would be really nice. I know Liam will be a good teacher as long as Jordan doesn't teach him to many bad habits...just kidding.

I go back to the scripture...Psalm 139:13-16

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day.

Many times I like to go back to the New King James bible when I am recalling a scripture I am remembering since childhood, but I just love the way The Message says it here.

To think what God has done inside of me. This little one about to come has already been shaped by God. None of us can escape what He has already done in us. Every single person on this planet was made this way...every one. I think sometimes we need to recall this as we look at others around...they too were formed by God. No matter how good or how awful they seem. Looking at the world through those eyes gives you a different reality to enjoy.

I have been pretty grumpy the last two days or so. Sure there are lots of reasons and some of them are even valid, but the anger and frustration was all based towards other people. No more. Today is another NEW DAY. I will see through His eyes today. Because He has made life inside of me; because I get to be a part of His great project and plan; because He knows me and loves me anyway I will celebrate.

Thank you God for a fresh outlook for today. Thank you that I can start today looking through your eyes. Thank you for Liam. He is such a treasure and a joy to me. Help me to parent him the way You parent me. Thank you for this new life inside of me. Thank you for using me as your vessel. The love You have bestowed on us is so amazing. Lord, I'm amazed by You! I start today trusting You because You after all are the alpha and omega and nothing can compare to You!

What they would choose...

When given the following two bad choices which would the majority of men choose...

Choice #1 - To be alone and unloved

Choice #2 - Inadequate and disrespected

They would choose choice number 1. Most women would choose to be disrespected rather than unloved. Does this seem weird that we are on such opposite sides of this choice? What's the reasoning behind it? To a man RESPECT is everything. Contrary to Areatha Franklin's song to a woman LOVE is everything. Not that we both don't want to feel it all, but given one of two bad choices surveys say that our priorities are such.

Do you agree with this information? The first time I read it (a couple of years ago), I asked Jordan what he thought and he totally agreed. Yikes, I thought, how often do I not make him feel respected? One of the major things I used to do was make fun of his sense of direction in front of others. I never knew how much this hurt him. It actually made him feel like less of a man even though I said it all in fun. It told him that I didn't trust him and said the same to others (at least in Jordan's point of view -especially when it comes to other men). WOW - that's never something I want to do to my husband. I want him to feel how much I do trust him and support him and rely on him. How can I do this...tell him, with my words, but especially my actions.

Since having a child more and more things have come along that could really reinforce my trust or disrespect him more. Because mom always knows best...right? No, sometimes another way is not the wrong way, just a different way. We moms need to recognize this and make it a priority to acknowledge that even though baby didn't get dressed in the PJ's we would have chosen they are in PJ's, their teeth are brushed and they are ready for bed. We need to say thank you more often and brag about him in front of others. I'm not talking about not addressing issues, but I am talking about being aware of how to communicate those issues.

My section from Proverbs 31 woman that I am working on this week is...

Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.

Armed with the above information it would be really easy to do things to hurt our men in a moment of anger or frustration. That is being spiteful. We need to go out of our way to be kind to our husbands even when they act like jerks. Generous is how this version of the Bible puts it.

Even though I am due in a little over a week and feel tired and worn out I am making it my goal this week to go out of my way to be generous to my husband. What can I do to make him feel like a MAN? How can I show him I trust him? What can I do to make sure I am never spiteful?

I would love it if you would join me in this venture and give me some examples of what you can or will do. I'd also love to see if you have any interesting responses to your actions/words.

For me this week it's about making RESPECT my goal!

Around 13 years ago...

Today is the anniversary of Jordan and my first kiss. Funny that it falls on a holiday...Groundhog's Day. I guess we like holidays. We don't plan things on them, but important things seems to happen on them. First kiss, engagement, first born child...maybe the next one too. I like small holidays made large.

Feeling pretty rough today. This baby is pressing so hard against my internal organs. I am excited about giving birth, but I do want this little one to stay in until the right time. I am just having a harder and harder time sleeping and doing when I am awake. Poor Liam...I need to give him more to do that doesn't involve me chasing him everywhere 'cause it's not happening. I think tomorrow will be a homemade play dough day. YAY! for homemade art projects.