For The Sake Of Remembrance

I officially began weaning Lily Grace on Sunday, June 6, 2011.  I can't believe my big girl is now 2 1/2 (actually 2 yrs, 7 months)!  She was my longest nurser.  Everyone else stopped by 2.  My heart is a bit sad, but it was just time.  She was way too dependent.  I love her dearly and though I was tired and complained probably more than I should have, I am so thankful that I was able to give this wonderful gift to her!  I'm also very thankful that I was able to share this precious time nursing my sweet girl.  It really was precious and one the most wonderful gifts God gives to mothers.  So Lily has begun a new chapter in her life, and though my heart aches to see that tiny baby girl fading and a new bigger girl emerging, I am finding such delight watching her grow!  She started pedaling on her "big girl" bike when she turned 2, and now she no longer enjoys being pulled in her wagon on family walks.  She prefers instead her bike!  One of her favorite things now is going outside to ride her bike!  You'd think by the 4th child, all the milestones wouldn't be quite as exciting.  On the contrary, we have delighted in each milestone for each of our 4 children, and it never gets old!!!  You know they will one day sit up, crawl, talk, walk, etc., but when that moment comes, words cannot describe the joy that fills a mother's heart!  I love you, Liliana Grace, and I'm so thankful God blessed us with you!  Your are truly a delight and my heart just melts when I think of you!  I will miss you asking for "melk" and those sweet moments I held you close as you nursed (yes even at 2 1/2), but I can still cuddle you and hold you anytime you need me!

   

El Roi

Sometimes you find that someone has penned the words that are in your heart....

You Are For Me So faithful, so constant and so true
So powerful in all You do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me to sing to You

I know that You are for me, I know that You are for me
I know that You will never forsake me in my weakness
And I know that You have come now even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who You are

So patient, so gracious, so merciful and true
So wonderful in all You do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me to sing to You

Lord, I know that You are for me, I know that You are for me
I know that You will never forsake me in my weakness
And I know that You have come now even if to write upon my heart
To remind me

Lord, I know that You are for me, I know that You are for me
I know that You will never forsake me in my weakness
And I know that You have come now even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who You are
To remind me

I know that You are for me, I know that You are for me
I know that You will never forsake me in my weakness
And I know that You have come now even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who You are  And your heart's response is that of joy, one of longing for something so wonderful no words could ever describe... 

 Dwelling Places

Lovely
Are your dwelling places
Thirsty
I come after you

Jesus, my joy
My reward
Your love's restoring my soul

Now I'm yours and you are mine
And from my heart a song will rise

I love you, I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you
And my heart will follow
Wholly after you

Jesus
There's none beside you
Righteous
Ruler of the Earth

Nations will come
And bow down

Name after all names
I sing you praises
And all I can say to you is

I love you, I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you
And my heart will follow
Wholly after you

I remember you again, El Roi, the God who sees, and I am thankful.  I have found my hope in you alone, and I realize I am never alone.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" Rom. 8:31

I LOVE giveaways!!!

If you do too, then head on over to Tatertots and Jello and enter to win Luminess Air Makeup System {$350+value}!!!  Don't ever think you can't win these giveaways.  I would enter them here and there (I've actually only entered a few :) and think that I probably wouldn't win, but I just won one the other day over at Craft buds blog (Pretty neat blog...check it out!)  They held  a giveaway for Memory Miser for a "Give a Hoot" Cricut Cartridge!!!  I was so surprised to see the email notifying me that I won in my inbox the other day!  It was here within a couple days of me giving my mailing address!!!  Yay!  So don't think you can never win!  Go ahead and enter here:  http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-favorite-things-week-luminess-air.html

Baby Be Blessed Giveaway!!!

  

Have you heard of Baby Be Blessed dolls?  They are so cute and they can be even be personalized...and you can actually have Bible verses on their bellies!  They're great for your little girls or to give as gifts!  Be sure to visit their website and to see all that they have to offer!  There is also a GIVEAWAY for a $56 Baby Be Blessed gift certificate!  Wow!!!  Go visit their blog for all the details and for your chance to enter!

http://babybeblessed.blogspot.com/2011/06/yayfree-friday.html


 

On the mend!

My sweet 5 year old had surgery to remove her tonsils and adenoid last Friday, May 20th.  :(  She has not been a happy camper!  I didn't realize how hard recovery is.  Well, I guess I forgot...my 12 year old had this same procedure done when she was 2 1/2, so it's been awhile!  She did SO good after we got home from the hospital the first evening, that I thought her recovery would be a breeze.  I was so wrong!  It was so much worse than I had expected.  However,  I do believe that we are almost through with the really tough part, and hopefully it's all downhill from here!  At the one week mark, she had seriously gotten so tired of being in the house lying on the couch all day, that we decided to go outside and let her play.  Of course she did her favorite thing...rode her bike!  It sure was nice to see her up and (sort of) back to her lively self again!  Also at the one week mark, she had lost 5 lbs.  Poor thing got her appetite back a few days ago, but eating has been kind of tough even with the softest of foods.  Even though it's been hard for her, I'm so thankful because even on the first night, the results were amazing!  No more snoring, no gasping for air, or stopping breathing!  Thank you, Lord!  No more Sleep Apnea!  She has been such a quiet sleeper, that I'm still checking on her quite often.  Now it's for the opposite reason though!  I keep checking to see if she's breathing!  I'm very thankful that this procedure was finally done, especially before she starts Kindergarten.  I'm hoping for no more sleeping issues, no more frequent night-waking, sleep walking/talking, tiredness, grouchiness, and sweet restful sleep!  I pray over all my children and family before bedtime nightly, and I always reminded myself (and God) this precious promise:  "...the one who watches over you will not slumber." ~Psalm 121:3b  Even with the baby monitor in her room and on the bad nights with her actually sleeping in our room, eventually I fell off into a deep sleep and couldn't monitor her breathing.  But I could rest assure that God was there with us and watching over her!  It's so good see the fulfillment of this promise with her sleeping so peacefully now!  "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe." ~Psalm 4:8

Here's some photos of our playtime Friday (one week after surgery).

Frugal Tip 2!

Being the avid Target shopper that I am, (I go there at least once a week!) I thought it was a great idea to get a Target Debit card.  Yes, I did say Debit...not Credit!  Although that is also an option, that would really be scary for me!  I know my limit, folks!  That would be a disaster waiting to happen...no really!    The Debit card is smart for me though, obviously because I can't spend more than I have in my bank account...helps me to exercise my self-control muscle!  :)  I love it because it's like a coupon that doesn't expire!  I'm able to save 5% with every purchase!  I've had it for a few months now and can't imagine how much I've saved so far!  It was easy to sign up and you can too!  I did it in the store, but you can get all the details Here online.  It's like getting instant savings every time you shop...and who doesn't like saving money?!!  There are different perks and benefits with the different Redcard options, so go on over and check it out!  Besides saving 5% with every purchase, you can also enroll in a program called Take Charge of Education and your kids school will receive 1% of your purchase.  There's also a Pharmacy Rewards program!  Good stuff, right?!!  Now that's something to toot about!  

https://redcard.target.com/redcard/rc_main.jsp

Awesome Giveaway!

Okay, I love giveaways, but so far no luck on winning the few I've ever entered.  :(  But I'm a pretty persistent gal, and this particular giveaway has something AMAZING up for grabs! http://myworldmadebyhand.blogspot.com/ is offering your choice of a $25 gift card to TARGET, HOBBY LOBBY, or STARBUCKS to celebrate 600 followers!!!  Wow!  If I won, that would be a tough choice...I LOVE them all!!!  Go and enter, then check out this AWESOME blog!  I've already been diggin' around, and I'm definitely inspired!  It's full of TONS of great ideas! 

Check it out!

This is pretty AWESOME!  I'm so ready for this challenge...21 Days of Prayer for Sons!  I can't say I totally relate to a son who "drains" or "overwhelms" me, but I feel like we're totally different.  And since I've never been a boy, I feel like sometimes I really can't relate to him.  I feel so insufficient as his mother, and there's such an urgency in me to prepare him for his future.  Most of the time I feel overwhelmed by the challenge to prepare him and raise him up as a mighty man of God with godly characteristics in a world full of men who fall so short of God's standards for them.  So...I'm excited!  You can take the challenge too!  AND...you can get a FREE e-book just for sharing!  Just go HERE and check it out!

Grateful

I'm so glad the Lord knows my heart.  I have to constantly remind myself that His opinion of me is the only one that really matters!  Sometimes I feel so misunderstood when my intentions are only for good and to be a blessing to others.  I really hate how I can over think conversations I've had and agonize over how I might have offended someone or was misunderstood.  However, I'm so thankful for God's grace and that He's so good at smoothing out the rough edges!  I'm forever grateful that He's the only one that fully accepts me and that I'm fully pleasing to Him in spite of who I am!  So I'm reminding myself tonight as David did,  "Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—my Savior and my God! "  I have to constantly fight off the urge to become a hermit and not interact with people.  I love people so much, but it's just easier that way.  Ha ha!  I know this was not God's plan for humanity though--he made us relational beings.  I must remember that I'm on a mission and not get too caught up in the daily cares and worries of life.  They're distractions and keep me from the ULTIMATE goal, which is pretty simple:  Eternity in Heaven...take as many people as possible with me! 

Mark 16:15 b "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

A little reminder

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.~ 1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT