Thursday, November 10, 2011

Thankful

So thankful for phones and all the modern day communication devices we have! R and I got to talk for a very long time today. It was soooo nice!

Yesterday, I had a "woe is me, I miss my husband so much day." Ok, if your a military wife, you know what I'm talking about. There are two kinds of MW's......we either miss our husband's soooo much that we get rid of all things that remind us of him cause it hurts too much.....or we flood ourselves with everything about our husband cause we can't get enough. I tend to be the second.
I may or may not have sprayed my bedroom with his cologne and shut the door.....just so I could open it throughout my day and experience my husband's scent over and over. :-) and....I may or may not have made his favorite meal cause....well, it's his favorite meal. and....I may or may not have thought about throwing myself down the stairs in hopes that my leg would break and maybe he could come home early. Ok, I really didn't think that last one. Besides, I'm a wimp. lol.
In all seriousness though, I do miss my husband so much it hurts sometimes......but I am grateful he is safe....and I am grateful he is able to provide for our family so I don't have to work outside the home.....and I am grateful he is always so involved in our lives even being so many miles away. I am so blessed!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Thankful

Thankful for my husband. Though the miles are many between....he still has this way of supporting me and making me feel special. God could not have picked a better husband for me!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Thankful Day 1

I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and my salvation found in Jesus Christ!

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

Sometimes I'm so overwhelmed at how much He loves me!





Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Confession Time....

Confession # 1. I am not always successful (ok, never) at staying on a budget....especially when it comes to my grocery budget. (and my super hubby is a successful dave ramsey follower)

Confession # 2. I don't really like to ask for help. I think that is probably pretty typical of most military wives. We love the control and power we get from thinking we have it all together. So False!

Confession # 3. It's been really hard to get meals going and healthy while R is away.

Confession # 4. I really want to lose weight and focus on preparing healthy meals for myself and the kiddos.

I love to cook. I love to be creative, grocery shopping, and meal planning. BUT, it's been pretty hard since R has been gone. Not sure why, but I've heard it's not uncommon for military wives to struggle in these areas.
Sooo, today...I signed up for E-mealz. If you haven't heard of them, they are pretty great. They have lots of different meal plans to choose from (we chose gluten-free) and you can even choose what store you shop. (we chose wal-mart) AND, they stay on a budget. I'm pretty excited about it. It's pretty cost effective....$5 a month. I'll keep you updated!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Deployment Love Dare Day 5

I know, I know.....I'm so behind....but I guess thats the beauty of a long deployment....I've still got time. lol.

So Recap:

Day 1: Love is Patient. Do or not say or write anything negative or critical. Choose to be positive or quiet.

Day 2: Love is Kind. Add in at least one unexpected demonstration of kindness.

Day 3: Love is not Selfish: Buy something to mail that will show your spouse that you were thinking of them.

Day 4: Love is Thoughtful: By e-mail or telephone, if possible, ask your spouse the question, "How are you doing? Is there anything I can do for you?

Day 5: Love is not Rude: Better to live in the desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife. Proverbs 21:19 (Ouch)

Dare: By e-mail or phone, ask your husband to name three things you do which causes him to be uncomfortable or irritated. Avoid defensiveness, that is a sign of immaturity. Give no excuses--just ask. And the next question for yourself, what can i do with this information to change in this area?

Just for kicks, I'm guessing on my own what I think R will say. We'll see if I'm right. ;-)

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

God is good

My past couple days have been kinda rough. I have felt like a failure the last couple days.......I'm not sure why. I think i put expectations on myself and then criticize my words, my decisions, my reactions, my shortcomings....etc.....and am not satisfied with any of it. Soooo...today....I get a package from my secret sister (yippeee)...and it was this cute little tub with lotions, shower gel, spray, OH...and the box had chocolate. Perfect! Then my friend and her mom brought over a loaf of pumpkin orange bread....AND....i got to talk with my husband today. I would say God gave me a little pick me up. :-) Love it when He does that....especially unexpected stuff. His timing is perfect!

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness"
Jeremiah 31:3

Friday, August 12, 2011

Day 4 of the Deployment Love Dare

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones--Proverbs 16:24

I really love this verse! R worked on a bee farm for a smidge and learned amazing facts about honey and how wonderfully natural it is. So this verse comes to life for me.

This dare is, "Love is thoughtful."

I tell my kids all the time to "think before they speak," but do I? Especially with my husband. He is the one I am most open and honest with and the one I probably hurt with my words the most too.

Deployment will complicate this whole matter. Not only is separation and distance a factor, but the responsibilities overseas and at home can loom large during this demanding time. This is all the more reason to be intentional in thinking about each other and saying so!

The Dare: By e-mail or phone, if possible, ask your spouse the question, "How are you doing? Is there anything I can do for you?" If we think loving thoughts we are spurred on to loving actions.

This dare is not a difficult one for me. I tend to over ask R these questions. I'm the one never quite satisfied with the normal answer, "I'm ok." Usually if I get that response, I say, "no really, how are you." LOL.

Portions of this comes from excellent or praiseworthy.


Friday, August 5, 2011

Post-It Project



One of the things I do to encourage R at home is leaving little post-it's hidden throughout our house with scripture, inside sayings, quotes, and just little random "I love yous." I've really missed doing this for him and so I ask myself, how can I encourage my man when he is gone? Below is my solution. I carefully wrote on each post-it so that he can read a new one everyday and possibly post the ones that mean the most to him. :-)













Back...

Ok, lets get back on track!
It's been an interesting month or so. I am constantly learning, growing, and stretching. Praise God, I'm also experiencing victories!

I'm learning to balance....balance busyness. Too busy=bad, board=bad.....it's a balance.
I'm growing as a wife and mother. I'm learning that the best communication is always intentional no matter who it is that I'm communicating with.
And, I'm stretching.....learning Romans 5:3-4, "knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Friday, July 1, 2011

As promised...


Here are our flat brats! We hope to post all the fun places they get to go!

We put popsicle sticks on the back to stablize them.






Thursday, June 23, 2011

Day 3 of the Deployment Love Dare

Love is not selfish!

If there were ever a word that basically means the opposite of love, it's selfishness. The grim reality is that we are all selfish, we are born that way. It is something we all have to fight against.


We are all familiar with 1 Corinthians 13, The Love Chapter. Some of you might have even had it as apart of your wedding. We usually stop before verse 11, but if you continue, it says this:


"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."


So.....the question of the day is......"have you put your childish ways behind you?" Are you treating others the way you would like to be treated?


Are you treating your spouse as the precious gift from God that they are?


Here is the challenge:
Mail something special to your spouse. Something that says you are thinking of them.

I found this card at the exchange today. I love it! sooo cute! My hubby is a reservists currently on active duty so this card is perfect for us! :-)


www.excellentorpraiseworthy.org


Saturday, June 18, 2011

Father's Day when Daddy is away...

Tomorrow is Father's Day which is bittersweet for us this year with R gone. As you know, I've been doing the deployment Love Dare the last couple days....so I've been staying positive and sending little kindness e-mails. Doing the Dare has started to change me also. I've been coming face to face with how blessed we are because of him.


So, we came up with a Father's Day care package. We included things he loves.....movies, caramel popcorn, Husker window decals, homemade cards and kids artwork, cookies, and pictures! Lots of pictures.




You've all heard of Flat Daddies, right? Have you heard of Flat Brats though?


Flat Brats were created by Beth Allen of Troops in Touch. You print out the page, have the kiddos color it. Cut it out. You can laminate them or make sturdier with a stick on the back. But.....we took it a step further. We cut out their heads on pictures and glued them to the flat brat. The kids are sooo excited to see all the places Daddy takes them! Pictures to come. :-)

Day 2: Love is Kind

Love is Kind

"Kindness is love in action. If patience is how love reacts in order to minimize a negative circumstance, kindness is how love acts to maximize a positive circumstance. Patience avoids a problem; kindness creates a blessing. One is preventive, the other proactive." (p6)

The challenge: During deployment, in addition to not saying anything negative or hurtful, add at least one unexpected act of kindness. Because of distance, it could be a kind word, a compliment, or a simple Thank You.

A kind hearted woman gains respect. Proverbs 11:16

I am sending my sweet husband an e-card this evening!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Deployment Love Dare

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about staying connected to my husband during deployment. I'm learning that it takes even more intention to stay connected and engaged while he is away. Excellent or Praiseworthy has a deployment love dare.....so I say....why not!!!

Day 1: Love is Patient

I love this part.....
As sure as a lack of patience will turn your home into a war zone, (so true, so true), the practice of patience will foster peace and quiet......(my goal is to accomplish patience without gritted teeth...ha ha)......patience is where love meets wisdom....patience helps you give your spouse permission to be human.....it gives you the ability to hold on during the tough times in your relationship rather than bailing out under pressure.

Here is the challenge: Do not say anything negitive in phone, e-mail, letter, or skype. Do not say or write anything critical or negitive. Choose to be positive or quiet.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Eph 4:2

Deployment

Myself and 3 kiddos are one month in a 12 month deployment. I hope to use this outlet to share what we did during deployment and just maybe it'll help someone else.

Today, I came across Psalm 131 and I knew right away it is a deployment verse for me. Here it is in the message version:

"God, I'm not trying to rule the roost, I don't want to be king of the mountain.
I haven't meddled where I have no business or fantisized grandeois plans.

I've kept my feet on the ground,
I've cultivated a quiet heart.
Like a baby content in it's mother's arms,
my sould is a baby content.

Wait, Isreal, for God. Wait with hope!
Hope now; hope always!

This does not describe my personality at all.....I want it to be a victory verse after this deployment. I know I need to quiet my soul sometimes and not meddle where I have no business.

LORD, help me to be still and know YOU are God!