McNichol Family

It's now up and running...and this is going private.

2010-05-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

My new blog is now up and running. I will have both a family blog to keep up with the kids/family life, etc. and my other blog. My family blog is going private so if you want to read it, email me.

Check out my new blog: http://jessicamcnichol.blogspot.com/

Thanks!
Jessica

Blog Change...

2010-04-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

I am going to be separating my family blog from all the other stuff I blog about [don't laugh...I *do* plan to blog more]

Watch for new changes....

J

Come Awake!

2010-04-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Oh January...January.

2010-01-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

January, you scare me. Because of you, not only do I have to face all of the goals I didn't reach in the year that proceeded you, I have to make new goals on where I go in this year that has just begun...and THAT is scary. Mostly because I am a perfectionist, control freak who hates to fail and loves, Loves, LOVES to know what's going to happen before it actually does; then top that off with the fact that I actually fear things I can't predict and you have yourself one messed up Mama. Sadly, that's me but hey, at least I'm honest...right?!

However, with that said...I have decided to embrace you, Oh January, and write a new story for this new year you bring. With joy and faith in the One who knows my story before it has happened, I choose to be excited and hopeful of what 2010 has in store. I've decided that instead of "resolutions" where my eagerness will soon fade, thereby making my ability to keep them almost none existent, I will make healthy life changes that are motivated by one "thing" that my faith and persistence will not waiver from...and his name is Yeshua. That's right folks, good ol' Jesus.

I hope to do many things this year...

To get rid of half of the stuff we own...I'm not trying to be a hippie or anything but we have a lot of stuff. :)
Do more [healthy] meal planning...maybe even be "Clean Eaters" (wow, I really do sound like a hippie)
Loose an undisclosed amount of weight.
Be more active as a family.
Create an efficient organizational system in our home, that actually works.
Go wherever God leads...

Just to name a few.

This year will be new alright...a new focus, a new attitude, a new direction.

I. am. excited.

Blessings,

Jessica

Scottsdale Fashion Square Mannequin Design Contest

2009-10-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

OK, so this is my friend Ashley (in all her hotness) modeling her new AP Collective line that she and Promise Tangeman-Wurzell have put together...well, Mrs. Ashley, has two mannequins in the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mannequin Design Contest one for AP Collective and one for Ashley's photography business; Bugg Photographer. I'm hoping by sharing this with you, you will vote for them!! Ashley and her Hubby, Jon are very proud of their work so please click on the pictures below and vote!! There is no limit to how many times you vote so PLEASE vote again and again.

AP Collective:

Bugg Photographer:

Thanks!!

Xoxo!!

Jessica

A State of Mind...

2009-10-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

There are so many times we'll hear "cliche" statements like "Have an attitude of gratitude" and say to ourselves, oh that makes so much sense...BUT how do we really live? Do we express thanks to those who have blessed us? Do we really take a statement that can be easily passed off as cliche and apply it to our lives? I mean, think of the little things for example...you're in a grocery store, your looking for your jar of whatever and you notice someone coming down the aisle, so you pull your cart to the side to be sure they can pass through but do you get a "Thanks", a smile...anything?! Nope...not often. Now, how many times have you been rushed, someone moved aside for you and you've done just that? I realize you're in a hurry, believe me I get it. I have four kids and dinner to make also, I understand...but if we can't take one second to say thanks or smile to a stranger, can you honestly say you stop and express gratitude to those who do big things for you or even to your spouse for simply putting his clothes in the laundry room instead of on the floor like usual? :) Chances are, if you're anything like me, those things can tend to slip your mind and an opportunity to express love and thankfulness is lost. So why am I blogging about this you ask? To remind you and ME, that we can never say Thank You enough and because I'm reminded that Love Is Thoughtful and to be thoughtful we must THINK. Thinking implies we've thought about how we will respond when someone is kind, it implies we are thinking of how we can make the other person feel good or appreciated which then implies we aren't acting selfishly if we are putting a priority on other peoples needs. After all, we are suppose to love our neighbor as ourselves, right?

AND last but not least, I'm writing about this to propose a little dare...I dare you to say thank you to at least 5 people tomorrow...but be genuine and honest...and if you are thinking that there is no way you can say it to that many people then maybe you aren't seeing the opportunities that are right in front of you but if that's not the case, then think of the past few days, what has someone done for you that you overlooked and need to go back and say thank you for? I promise, that even though this seems very elementary...you will be blessed and you'll notice the more you show thankfulness and gratitude it will be shown to you.

Now, let me start off this little dare by saying Thank YOU! Thank you for reading my blog, for viewing my ramblings and still coming back for more! It makes me feel special to know you are taking your precious time to hear what I have to say...and for that I am grateful.

Hmm...

2009-10-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

OK, OK...I've been gone awhile, chances are not many noticed as my blog isn't all that exciting but I'll update the two of you who've noticed I was away :) haha!

Since my last post:

I've been crazy busy
My Husband has started to coach a Varsity Soccer Team which he LOVES!!
Ignite Small Groups (it's a Christian high school small group of Junior/Senior girls that I host at my house) has started back up again and I have two co-leaders this time...it's been fun!!
Kobe has started to wear skinny jeans with vans and wear "Guess?" slim fit t-shirts and beg for True Religion Jeans! Bye, Bye skate clothes!
I'm 60ish days into an amazing study of Proverbs 31 and I'm loving it!
My backyard has been redone.
My home office has been redone...(I've really enjoyed this one!!)
My kids have become obsessed with High School Musical!!
Cohen started a "Messy Art Class" he LOVES it!
I've gone to Utah for the first time (with 55 high school kids!!) and now hope to have a house there someday!
I've gotten a *NEW* (not refurbished) laptop from Mac for FREE!!! I LOVE APPLE!
I've started to read my bible on the porch while my kids play on the playset in the mornings...that means the AZ weather has improved! Yay!
Has become a secret Miley Cyrus fan!! I sing "The Climb" loudly in my car while driving. Shhhh...don't tell!! :)
Lindsey, the young lady I had hoped would become my sister-in-law someday, has moved away to Colorado for college and I still find myself crying about it but I'm so excited for this new chapter in her life!
I've decided I really want to go on a road trip with my kids for Fall Break.
And last but not least....I've fallen more in love with my life...ironically my life is harder now than it's been in awhile but I'm growing through it and so are the people I love...so ultimately, it's a blessing!

So there it is...a glimpse into my craziness. I've really missed the blog scene so I don't plan to be gone for as long as I was before!!

Blessings,

Jessica

Follow Me...

2009-08-02T00:58:00.000-07:00

Hey!

I'm on Twitter...follow me/join me....it should be fun!

Check it out over there somewhere ------>

Love,

Jessica

Prayer Request - Kate McRae

2009-07-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

Over the past few days my heart has been aching over this sad, sad story! I heard about it through several friends. Kate McRae was a normal, happy and healthy 5 year old who started having minor health issues that never amounted to anything, until the other day her parents noticed that she was having tremors in her right hand. After being sent to Phoenix Children's Hospital, her family was told that she had a brain tumor...and that it was likely a very aggressive type of cancer. Since a few days ago she has had brain surgery, they think that have removed approximately 50% of the tumor. Since the surgery Kate hasn't moved her right side which is something we are all praying will resolve itself! My desire in blogging about this is that you would pray for Kate and her family! They have ask for specific prayer requests so please view the video!!

God, is the Healer, I pray He will use sweet Kate in an amazing miracle

and I hope you pray with me!!

For more info visit: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate/journal or http://brianwurzell.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/kate-mcrae-a-revolutionary/

Summertime

2009-06-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

What do you think of when you think of "Summertime?" Do you think beaches, water, picnics, swimming, vacations, fresh fruit, relaxation? Well I do. Summer is known for unplanned fun, living in the moment and enjoying family and friends. For me, Summer is a time where I can devote hours on end to my children, which I love. Plus, Summer has always been one of my favorite times of year because of the fact that it is expected and accepted to "go with the flow" "live in the moment" or have a "lazy day" here and there but I have to be honest, it's my favorite time of year and I'm struggling.

I have deadlines, projects, work, etc. the list goes on and on and yet I can't seem to get it together. It is like this "summer vibe" is on overload within me. I can't seem to finish anything! My mind wanders, I'm feeling overwhelmed by the littlest tasks, it's crazy! In my many years of Motherhood, I have never struggled like I am this summer. I have had a very successful and family-filled summers before. I know how to have balance but not this time. Granted, I have had a ton on my plate but it's weird...I always function best when I have many tasks to complete oppose to just one, yet, this summer proves to be the opposite.

Being the person that I am, it is difficult for me to see my "list" not being completed! I feel like I am letting people down by not completing certain things that I have, in some cases, volunteered to do! It is just not like me, at all. Anyway, I have decided to stop beating myself up and do what I can and be realistic with what I can accomplish. Maybe, I have been on overload for too long and my brain wants a break or maybe this is God asking me to do less and enjoy my blessings more, I dunno?! Whatever the reason, I have been meditating on some of my favorite bible verses so I can refocus and I wanted to share them with you!

She is clothed in strength and dignity

She laughs without fear for the future,

When she speaks her words are wise

And she gives instructions with kindness.

She carefully watches everything in her household,

And suffers nothing from laziness.

Proverbs 31:25-27

I pray that I carefully watch over everything in my household and that I suffer nothing from laziness! And I pray that you do too!

P.S. I'd like to hear from you! I guess I am kind of curious if I am the only one who feels like this? Are you struggling to get things done? Do you want to do nothing besides enjoy the summer sun and smell of fresh fruit? If not, I'll take some advice? :)

Xoxo!

Jessica

Sunday Seven

2009-04-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday and I am thankful...

For the endless financial possibilities (and more) that I have with Arbonne!
For meeting new people and hearing the stories of their lives, their struggles and how God has blessed them; all while laying out by the pool "at work" in Vegas.
That I can talk about My God at "work," in a public forum and even in front of 9,000+ people.
For my own bed, especially after you get home from a trip! Ahhhh...
For my Mom and all the help she gave us over the past week, watching the kids/helping Chad while I was out of town.
For how HOT my hubby looks in his new navy suit, shirt and Versace tie! ;)
For cellphones...mine is currently not working so I realized how easy it is to take for granted it's importance!

"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"

2009-04-10T02:44:00.003-07:00

I don't think there are any more powerful words in all of Scripture.

Spending time this week meditating on these words literally sends chills up my spine and tears well up in my eyes.

My Savior suffered and the veil was torn so that I could sit with Him and chat with Him in person...anytime, anyway, any language...

good, bad and ugly...

WOW...

There simply are no words adequate to describe what was done for us that day.

Hope only died momentarily and then Jesus led the greatest REVIVAL of all time!

It is only Friday!

2009-04-10T02:17:00.000-07:00

I sit here and I am humbled. Trying to imagine how Jesus must have felt in the garden, knowing what was to come, knowing what he would endure on the cross before he would rise...it is all very hard to wrap my mind around. Knowing all the physical pain that was to come. Knowing that an even greater pain (being spiritually separated from God) would cause Him pure anguish (Matthew 27:46)! Knowing that what He dreaded and was praying to God about (Matthew 26:39) was coming and having to do it anyway. How LOVED are we, that Jesus would suffer a double death so we would never have to experience eternal separation from God!? He did it, so we don't have to!
Lord, Thank You! Thank You for loving us! Thank You for paying my debt! Thank You that because of your suffering, we will never be eternally separated from You! Thank You for what the Hope of Sunday brings! I love You!

Happy Birthday Desirae!

2009-03-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

Desirae,

I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

I look forward to celebrating many more with you

in years to come!

Love~

Jessica

Word-Filled Wednesday

2009-03-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

Just a little bit of God's word that I saw and thought I would share with you!

Sunday Seven

2009-03-22T22:19:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday and I am thankful...

For my husband and his (almost) never ending supply of patience!
For the increase in my Mother-In-Law's blood cell counts making her able to have Chemo and still be able to see us!
For the time I spent with my Mother-In-Law and Sister-In-Law this week!!
For the way God has allowed me to encourage and give advice to people I care for and have them make Godly changes because of it!
For still being committed to saving/making money even though I still feel overwhelmed and normally would quit because I feel that way.
For friends who took us out to Sushi for no reason at all! Mmmmm, yum!
For the parents of my (high school small group) girls, who entrust me with their children and allow me to also help guide them through their life in high school and down the road to adulthood!

Sale on Huggies!

2009-03-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

I found this sale at Albertsons; it is for any Huggies Jumbo Pack of diapers! I went to Albertsons last night and they had a decent stock and are giving "rain checks" if they run out. Basically Albertsons has Huggies Jumbo Pack diapers on sale for $6.99 each with no limit until midnight tonight. I have found a coupon from coupons.com for $5 off! Coupons.com will let you print out two $5 off coupons but you do need to sign up..all they ask for is an email address and name (you can select to not get any other emails from them in the future if you'd like.) Once you find the $5 off coupon hit print, then hit the "back" browser button and print it again. Two will be your limit.

However, coupons.com also has $3.00 off coupons for Huggies also! I didn't try to use them to get the same pack of diapers therefore making them free but I did use them separately for multiple packs. To get this coupon you can follow the same instructions you would to get the $5 off coupon.

Lastly, they DO except competitors coupons, so be creative if you have any of those sitting around and apply that savings to this purchase as well!

Here is how it breaks down for one pack of diapers using the $5 off coupon:

$6.99 Albertsons sale price

-$5.00 Coupon from coupons.com

$1.99 Final Price!

Here is how it breaks down for one Jumbo pack of diapers using the $3 off coupon:

$6.99 Albertsons sale price

-$3.00 Coupon from coupons.com

$3.99 Final Price! (which is still a good deal for about 48 diapers, if you ask me!)

Happy Saving!

Jessica

Happy Birthday Amy!

2009-03-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

Amy...

You are so awesome. I am so glad we became friends! I love the fun we have together and I love that our families are so close! I look forward to many years full of memories together!

Love~

Jess

Sunday Seven

2009-03-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

What a better day than today to give thanks?!

It's Sunday and I am thankful...

For carpet/steam cleaners that get V8 out of light colored carpet.
For how easy it is to make spaghetti in just minutes.
For my "Get Well Soon" supplements that make my cold either go away all together or last half as long.
For lazy Sundays when we actually get to lie around.
For my parents who took Jayden and Cohen to a soccer game today because I wasn't feeling well.
For the Bush family who took Kobe home with them today so he could play with his "best friend "Chuck"" (aka Jadon) thereby giving me time to rest!
For having a quiet day...just me and my little princess (until Daddy got home from an extremely rare, yet overwhelmingly crazy Sunday at work)

Thankful Thursday!

2009-03-12T17:44:00.000-07:00

I am Thankful...

For the innocence of a child.
For the way friendships grow and change.
For great Shampoo.
For our friends driving here all the way from Texas just to hang out and BBQ with us at our home.
For the way the Wednesday night boot camp I go to has brought my different groups of friends together; those who I go to church with, those I don't, those who have known me for a decade and those that have known me for a few months.
For how well my husband "knows" me or what I am feeling without me having to say a word...when I am hungry, tired, nervous, stressed and how he is aware of what will "make it all better" for me and actually does it.
For my high school (girls) small group and the relationships that are growing in God through this seemingly average Thursday night!
For honesty...and how your dearest friend can tell you anything (the good, the bad and the ugly) and you'll love each other anyway!

Revelation

2009-03-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

I recently had a revelation...I need more discipline in my life! The discipline I need was revealed to me in many areas: time management, household duties, work, volunteering, eating/exercise, there were so many...but the one thing I noticed about myself is that when I become overwhelmed, I quit. So often times I have the best intentions but I lack the discipline of following through. I will start a household system to become more efficient and when it doesn't work or becomes too much...I quit. Thus, creating a continuous problem/repetitive cycle.

In an effort to grow myself in this area I have decided to start with one thing that will impact me the most when I see the end result. Drum roll please....finance! What do I mean by finance? Well, it doesn't matter who you are or what job you have, everyone is feeling the repercussions from our economy. Very few people actually have extra money or are even making ends meet. Although we are blessed and my husband has a well paying job, I own my own business and we can pay all of our bills, we are still feeling the economic changes in our own way. Not only did we have a lot of money in the stock market and likely wont be alive to see that money again (OK, maybe that is a slight exaggeration) we also went through a small period of time where we were living slightly above our means and incurred debt for the first time besides our home. However, the main reason I picked this area to start with is for a few reasons: If you have money or are not feeling the stress of barely making it, you have more to do other things with (i.e. the household things that require money to complete, if we have extra money I can spend more time with Amy, my wonderful trainer)...but the biggest reason I picked this first was because I love love love to give! It makes me feel so rewarded in ways that are often hard to explain. So, if giving is my extra incentive/motivation/reward for staying disciplined then I think it will be less likely that I will allow myself to quit even if I become overwhelmed!

So with that said...I am starting with all the ways I can save extra money! Anything from coupon-ing (which is something I have never done before) to selling things we don't need to looking into having our phone, cable and Internet with the same company to save extra $$.

Why am I blogging about this, you ask...well for accountability. If all the people I "do life with" know that this is something I am doing it will be less likely I quit or get tempted to spend on unnecessary items. I am going to try to track my progress through-out this process, so stay tuned and if there is anyone out there who wants to do it with me, it would be great to have a partner or 20!

My new motto:

Mormonism?

2009-02-22T21:58:00.000-08:00

I just want to open up the forum to discuss a specific aspect of Mormonism...

Can anyone tell me according to Mormonism, where do our spirits that dwell within our physical bodies, come from??

I don't want a religious bashing in any direction....I am just genuinely curious what practicing Mormons believe and why they are either "right" or "wrong". I want the discussion to be respectful and honest.

Thanks for participating!

Jessica

A year later and I am reminded...

2009-02-20T21:49:00.001-08:00

It is amazing to me that just one year ago today we were blessed with our first and only daughter, Ella Grace McNichol! She was a perfect baby the moment she came into the world, although her delivery was not as perfect...she was not like the three boys we had prior to her who came out screaming! In fact, she was noticeably different...almost angelic. She came out silent and peaceful with only a few soft noises, however, I remember that peaceful silence not sitting well with me? It is weird how a Mother instinctively knows when something is wrong with her child....just as I knew right as she came into the world. It wasn't until about 20 minutes later, after she was all clean and cute, that we found out my gut instinct was right, something was wrong. We were informed that Ella could not regulate her body temperature which, they explained, was a relatively easy problem to fix and that she just needed to go to the NICU. We just had no idea that the tiny, easily corrected issue would take us down the path it did.

Although, it started off with them just wanting to run a few tests and keep her under lamps to keep her warm...Ella's problems kept getting progressively worse as the days past. To make matters worse we were unable to have Ella see her own pediatrician who we knew and trusted because I wanted to deliver at a hospital where my doctor practiced not thinking she would need hers for any reason. I guess no one ever expects that their healthy baby will need specialized care when they have had top-notch prenatal care since they were 5 weeks pregnant and no issues were detected. Yet, despite my excellent prenatal care, they did test after test, called in specialist after specialist and all they could find were more problems but not a single "disease" "disorder" or any logical explanation as to why her body was not working as it should. Eventually a body temperature issue also became a hormone problem/Cortisol deficiency and then even a blood sugar deficiency. They thought it could be a brain problem, a tumor, a liver disorder, the list goes on and on...in fact most of you reading this already know our story and I am just repeating myself but it should be mentioned she was in the hospital for weeks in an incubator for her body temp, with a 24 hour feeding tube and a 24 hour sugar water drip for her blood sugar, bili lights for her jaundice, on six medications for all the other issues and when she did finally get to come home, she went right back three days later only to have more doctors with no answers.

Needless to say Ella's health issues, that could never be explained by any specialist (from many states) have come and gone throughout this past year. It is by the grace of God that we have a perfectly normal and healthy baby girl today who is not on any medication, no feeding tubes...not anything. Which in itself is a small miracle since we were told our child would likely have a 24 hour feeding tube for her entire life and if a tumor was found on her brain she would need brain surgery and whose liver could very well be failing.

A year later, I recap this story not to be redundent but because I am reminded...God is so good! Our daughter, being perfectly healthy is a specific and very real example of answered prayer and of the amazing miracles God works every day. Although, I can say when we were in the middle of all of those tests and health scares it was really easy to focus on everything that wasn't going according to our plan and totally forget that we should have been focused on God's plan. I am still not sure why exactly we went through what we did but I am grateful for it. I am so grateful that God blessed us so greatly! I am grateful that God blessed us with an amazing little girl who is so strong. And it is that overwhelming love and thankfulness to God that has me here once again sharing with you that no matter where you are in life, your struggles, your ups and your downs...God wants what is best for you, He has plans for you to prosper and do amazing things for His kingdom and although the times are hard remember God loves you! But more than anything remember on the darkest road, the hardest path and the deepest valley God is with you always and he is so good!

Happy Birthday Ella Grace!

2009-02-20T07:45:00.000-08:00

One year ago, today...at 3:48am

God blessed us with an answer to prayer!

A sweet, 7lb 7oz little girl...

Ella Grace McNichol

Happy Birthday Princess!

Love~ Mommy & Daddy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARRIE!!!

2009-01-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Carrie,

I hope this coming year is filled with lots of Joy and lots of fun....(with me of course) hahaha!!! No seriously, you are an awesome friend and I hope you have an amazing birthday!

With Love,

Jessica

To Do: Pray!!

2009-01-06T17:00:00.001-08:00

Just thought I would share my prayer with you - my desire...my heart! May it bring a smile to your face, a desire in your heart and an appreciation for our Lord and Savior.

Blessings~

Jessica

Dear God,

I know you are able...able to move mountains, to speak creation into existence, to heal the sick, save the lost, to meet every need I have. I commit myself to you. I pray for all the people around the world, plagued by turmoil, wars, illness, lack of basic needs, insecurity, fear, and addictions that enslave. Lord, You alone know best how to meet these needs and solve these dilemmas. I pray that You would intervene, that people would be drawn to You, and that You would give them rest and healing, safety and security, a sound mind and a hopeful future. I pray that you would help me to see who you want me to minister to today and offer a hand of fellowship, a ray of light, or whatever You want to offer through me. Thank you, Lord, for meeting my needs. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Hello 2009!

2009-01-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to say Happy New Year! I know I am little late but better late than never!

Blessings in 2009!

Jessica

Word-Filled Wednesday

2008-12-24T10:20:00.007-08:00

I was inspired by another blogger to post this today. I love the Gospel of Luke! I love how Mary "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19. She HELD God in more than her arms! "Mary knew, just as I know that every person I meet in need...be it physical or spiritual, I too must treasure it up and ponder it in MY heart, for it is in the eyes of another that I have the opportunity to witness God....I must remember that Mary chose to say "YES!" Mary chose to see, Mary choose to walk in faith, abandoning fear....and Mary held God, a baby in her arms."

Opening my eyes just a bit wider, so as not to miss it...the Gospel of Luke...

Merry Christmas!

Peace and JOY are the prayers on my heart....embrace it all...it's the miracle that our broken world is desperately in need of...

With Love,

Jessica

Happy Birthday!!

2008-12-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

I love this photo! It sums up everything I pray for at night...that this Christmas season we don't forget what Christmas is really about...The Birth Of Our Savior!

The birth that would ultimately end in death, for us!

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JESUS, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Cohen's Birthday

2008-12-21T18:36:00.001-08:00

Last Wednesday was Cohen's Birthday. We met up with some of his friends and their Mommy's at the San Tan Mall to play and grab some lunch as a "birthday party" was out of the question given my Mom's surgery, two days before. He turned 3! He is getting so big! I can remember my first contraction when I first went into labor with him or the first time he looked at me, like it was yesterday. Now, he is a loud, obnoxious and an adorable little boy! He has eyes that light up when his Daddy comes into the room and usually screams his name. He is full of energy and rarely stops...his ability to run and scream without pause is amazing (since he does it for hours on end) haha! His thing now is to stand on our coffee table and he "sings" into the remote or a toy of some sort. If you talk or stop paying attention while he is "performing"...he will stop and say "Mooooom or Daaaaaddy, yook at me, I'm siiiiing-iiiiiing!" He loves being the center of attention. He loves to play soccer in the house and wear over-sized soccer clothes from his older brother's past seasons and their old cleats (that are about three sizes too big) on the wrong feet as well. He is certainly a piece of work but we love him so much! He is independent and still loves to snuggle and give so many kisses & hugs. He is happy yet emotional. He is fun and spontaneous yet does the same thing over and over again...i.e. the singing. He is a wonderful mix of many things that make him up to be such an awesome little boy. We feel so blessed and so proud.

Cohen,

We love you so much! You are such a sweet, loving, funny little boy. We feel so blessed to be your parents! I hope you had a wonderful birthday and we can't wait for all the birthdays to come!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Birthday Buddies

2008-12-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

So Tuesday was my birthday (I am 21ish) and a friend of mine, Kristin, also has the same birthday! So we decided to go out with some of our girlfriends to celebrate! We went out for Sushi and had a great time, although, I think Kristin and I were the only ones who actually ate Sushi! I just want to thank everyone for going, we missed the people who couldn't make it and I just wanted to share with you all, the fun we had...hope you can join us next year!

Thankful Thursday!

2008-11-27T22:15:00.000-08:00

Oh where to begin...when you sit here and truly think about everything you have and what you have to be thankful for it becomes a situation where you could write forever. So I plan to touch on a few things in my life...because otherwise I will be going on forever, down to my favorite toilet paper, which, by the way, is Quilted Northern, hehe.

My personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The ability to talk with God and seek him daily by spending time reading His word. The gift He gives us by allowing us to talk to Him through prayer. Knowing how much He loves me even though I am sometimes unlovable. His Grace is amazing. His love is in a lot of ways, incomprehensible. Lord, Thank You for the breath in my lungs. The answered and unanswered prayers. The people you have blessed my life with and for giving me Rock Point Church...the work they are doing there is amazing! I Thank You in the best way I know how for all you have provided so generously. I Love You!
I am so thankful for my family, I know everyone says this but I do not mean it as a cliche. It comes deep from my heart. I am thankful that my family is filled with many people who are so unique and beautiful in their own way. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband, awesome children, loving parents, two funny brothers, wise grandparents, many aunts, uncles & cousins who love me very much, whom I love as well! My family is everything to me. Chad, I love you in a way that would be impossible to express with words, it would seem so little compared to what my heart feels for you. You are my dearest friend and I am grateful for every moment we share together. I appreciated how hard you work for our family. I am so proud and thankful for the man that you are. You really are my hero. I heart you and in the best way I know how I want to thank you for all of that. Oh my sweet children, each one of you is a gift from God. He has blessed us with you and has given me more joy than I ever thought possible by allowing me to be your Mother. I am feel complete and so fulfilled as your Mommy. Kobe, as my first born, we share such a special bond that I can only have with you. You are so independent and gifted in so many ways. You can do anything you want to do in life...you are so capable. You are so special to me and make me so proud. I love you so much! Jayden, I wanted you so badly. When I learned I was pregnant with you, I cried tears of joy. You are so sweet and loving. I cherish each one of your hugs & kisses. You are so generous, please don't loose that as you grow into a man because it is so special. I am so proud of the person you are, I love you! Cohen, even though you are a ball of fire and I can barely keep up with you, I love your personality. You are special for a very different reason, I didn't plan to have any more children after Jayden but God blessed me and your Daddy by giving us you. You are so funny and I love to hear you sing or watch you dance...even if it is on my coffee table. I love your passion, even though you aren't even three yet, for things you enjoy, like soccer. I love you so much! Ella Grace, you were a special answer to prayer. I wanted a little girl so badly and God allowed me to have you. You are so sweet and calm. I love holding you, snuggling in close and staring into your big eyes, while you suck your thumb. You were one of the last things on my list of "hopes" that I wanted and had yet to receive and I am so glad I was blessed enough to have you! I love you more than you could ever know right now. You are the baby of the family and will always be just that. To all my children, I love the fun we have together. I love dancing, singing and playing with you. Those moments are so special to me. Each one of you are so important to me and make me happier than I ever knew possible! Mom & Dad, you have put up with sooo much, thanks for your patience and love. Dad, you are such a good man. I was so blessed to have such a respectable and honest man as an example growing up. I am sorry it took me so long before I realized that! I love you very much! Mom, I love how close we are. Thank you for being my biggest fan! I love you! Justin, you are so artistically gifted. You also have a good heart, don't ever forget that. You are a good person and I love you for that! I am thankful for who you are and what you bring to our family. You always have a fresh perspective and that is a true gift. I love you! Joe, even though there are about ten years separating us in age, I love how I can talk to you about anything. I am so thankful that we are so close. I love that we can be goofy together and be serious too. Thank you for always helping me and being there whenever I need you, I appreciate it! I love you!
My friends. My girlfriends that put up with me, good days and bad. Who love me for who I am and whom I love because of that. And my bestie, who I can be completely transparent with, in every moment. Whom I can laugh with, cry with and share life with. My secret keeper and accountability partner, hehe. That type of friendship is so special, so refreshing and so amazing. All of my friends are blessings, but you came at such an important moment in my life. I am so grateful for that answered prayer. Love you!
My stuff. My home, my cars, my bed, my "fuzzy blanket", my toothbrush, my shampoo/conditioner, my photos, my computer, my books, my movies, everything on my walls even though it isn't that much, my clothes, my shoes, my hand bags etc...if I go any further I really will be here all night. I am thankful for all God has provided, from the breath in my lungs to the dirty floors in my house, Thank You, God, for providing in ways I never imagined and in ways I do not deserve!

Remember to count your blessings! Happy Thanksgiving!

Love~ Jessica

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-27T14:11:00.000-08:00

Kobe & Sunglasses

2008-11-26T22:07:00.000-08:00

On the eve of Thanksgiving I though I would finish my post on what I had previously mentioned I was thankful for, Kobe's individuality and sense of style. He actually loves sunglasses. He has many pair but I thought I would just show a few photos.

Kobe-

I am thankful for you, your independence and individuality! I love that you are happy with who you are and remain who you are no matter what others are doing! That is such a huge gift, don't ever change! I love you! Happy Thanksgiving!

Loves, Hugs & Kisses...

Mom

Word-Filled Wednesday

2008-11-26T10:29:00.000-08:00

Word-Filled Wednesday is about taking God's word in all it's Glory and putting it on display. Well today, I felt convicted to share this verse, Romans 12:2, to go along with my post from yesterday...

What if we were transformed and set ourselves apart from the world? What if this Black Friday we didn't buy things our kids don't need? What if showed the world what Christ and his church really look like in day-to-day life? What if we spend time with our families instead of money on on "things" for our family, that they will never remember by next year? What if we make a difference...what if our efforts translate into lives changed? What if we decided to honor Jesus' birth in a new way? What if surrendered to the perfect will of God and not the perfect Christmas sale...then what would the world look like? Something to ponder, on this cold & rainy Wednesday morning...

Lots of Love,

Jessica

Wanna Start A Conspiracy!!??

2008-11-25T11:07:00.000-08:00

When I saw this video (below) I was moved...I mean tears flowing, heart thumping, thoughts flooding in my head of all the possibilities M-O-V-E-D!!! WHAT IF!!!! What if we stop just saying "hey, let's capture the true spirit of Christmas" and REALLY DID IT! What if we walked the walk as Christians, started a movement, a world change, joined a conspiracy! Even if it isn't through this "Advent Conspiracy" what if you give all of your Christmas money as an offering at church or to others in need?? What if you even gave half or 3/4th's of it?? If we all did that, what would that look like? I believe that would translate to lives changed! Do you know how BIG that is? Do you know what that really means? A life that would be hurting, or in need, or sad, or lonely, or without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ..would be changed! They would be forever altered because YOU! Because we did the right thing, because we honored God with our time, talent, treasure and our testimony!! What if we didn't care what others thought because we will give it all away in a God honoring fashion instead of spending and what if we didn't attach these feelings of failure as a parent because Little Tommy won't get his list of "STUFF" he gave to "Santa" because you know what, Little Tommy will be better because of it! He will see his parents honoring God . He will see an example of what God's church really is and what it should really look like. What if you celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ and not Santa and his reindeer. Celebrate it in a God honoring way...by giving. The possibilities are endless. Lives changed can happen with just one person, are you going to be that one? I know 6 people in my house who will be "going without" this Christmas and I bet it will be the best Christmas we have ever had! What if your family did it too?

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15

Am I In A Movie???

2008-11-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of those days where you are sure it is not really happening, either it's a dream, nightmare or you are in a movie...there is no way that it is real and if it is real the stress of it all seems to be making things worse....have you ever felt that way? Well, my day started out with a call from the nurse at Jayden's school, fifteen minutes after school started. He came in to see her because he knew he needed a breathing treatment but he made it very clear to her he didn't want to leave school (he is trying to get perfect attendance so he can get a "Suns backpack" at the end of the quarter) but she said his color was really bad, his breathing, even after his treatment, was shallow and she didn't feel comfortable keeping him in school and that I should take him to the doctor's right away (disclaimer: he was at his Dad's the night before so I didn't see him before school otherwise I wouldn't have sent him to school). So I quickly went to get him. At the doctors office they informed me that he might need to go to the hospital as his blood oxygen level was dangerous low. While dealing with that until 10pm, I got a phone call from my Mom telling me she got the test results from her CT scan she had last week, which by the way was ordered because she has had some serious abdominal pain that can't be linked to anything (i.e. appendix, kidney stones, etc.) and the results were: several nodules/cysts/tumor like masses on her lungs, liver and a 6x8x6 mass on her right side. I remained calm while I was on the phone, telling her that it was a mistake, they were benign or maybe she had Valley Fever (although that wouldn't explain the liver or 6x8x6 mass) but it was my attempt at remaining calm. After I was off the phone, I literally couldn't breathe, think or react. I was in shock. I still am, except all that keeps going on in my head now is, if it wasn't Cancer why would it be in so many different places? What are the chances that she has three different areas of her body with benign tumors or that they aren't all linked even though there are so many? This is the vicious cycle I am on right now...so fun!

So there it is...my day from hell, literally not trying to use that as a curse word...I really do feel like the devil is so trying to use this as a way to get a foothold on us and it won't work! I will not let the stress make me impatient with the ones I love. I just kept saying "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love" - Ephesians 4:2, it's all I could do to not let the stress spew out of my mouth hurting all of the people I love around me. And, if yesterday was a movie I am seriously not going to be a movie person for much longer ;)

Seriously though, learn from the day I had yesterday, anything can happen at any moment, love your family, friends, etc. don't let stress crush your children's spirit, show them and others you love them in your actions and don't ever miss an opportunity to tell people how much you care with your words.

Ten Things Tuesday - Kobe's Bday Version

2008-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

My Ten Things Tuesday is going to be a little different today. Today is Kobe's 9th Birthday and I am going to make a list of ten things I love about him.

His Smile.
The way he watches out for his younger siblings, he is an amazing big brother.
His desire to be independent, however this means he will make his own mistakes but he always learns from them.
The way he will fiercely love his friends, especially his "best friend".
His ability to make me laugh.
His fashion sense. Now I know this is a weird one for a boy but he has his own way of dressing that is refreshing because it's fun, edgy, colorful, bold and is unique to him. (I will post his newest pair of sunglasses as an example - yes, he has multiple pairs)
How he still loves to dance with me. He loves to "Tango" or just dance wildly to music with me, we have so much fun!
How thoughtful he is. For his birthday party I was helping him clean his room and came across a yellow folder that said "Kobe's Mom Time" it was a full of pictures he drew for me when I have been sick saying "I hope you feel better", pictures he drew to capture what we did together/different places we have gone together or just a portrait of us together. When he noticed I found it and was looking at it, he got a big smile and said "I was trying to fill up the whole book and give them to you so we can always remember...I know you like that" - he is such a sweet boy!
How tight he will squeeze me when he gives me a hug. He has yet to get embarrassed by me or be embarrassed by giving me affection in public (and if he has it has been rare) which to me is a blessing - his hugs and kisses never get old!
I love his passion for sports. He is so amazing at any sport but even if he were only average or below, as long as he kept the passion and excitement he has on the field/court/baseball diamond/etc. I would still be in awe of him! He just has a love for being part of a team, being out there with his friends, having fun!

Kobe, I hope today is an amazing birthday for you. I hope you enjoyed being at the Monday Night Football game last night and I can't wait for another year of memories. You are my first born and that is so special. I love the bond we share and I will treasure it always. You are an exceptional child and I am so proud of you. You are smart, funny, thoughtful and loving - all of which are gifts from above. You are such an amazing helper and I feel so blessed to have you as my son! I love you with all my heart. Happy Birthday!

Love ~

Mom

Ten Things Tuesday

2008-10-28T09:44:00.004-07:00

I am Thankful for...

The gift God has given us, as a way to be able to speak with him; prayer.
For my marriage and how strong it is.
For my husband's desire to honor God and therefore protect me and put me first, no matter what.
For the marriage series we are doing at church, "Wedlocked". It ironically helped me to understand my sons and I am thankful it is saving marriages around me! Check it out www.rockpointchurch.org
For my bestie who is so willing to be an ear & shoulder, whenever I need it!
For both of my brother's desire to come to church with me!
For filling almost an entire row at church on Sunday, full of our neighbors, family & friends as our guests to our new series and our church. Just being able to do our small part in God's big plan is such a blessing!
For Arbonne's products. They work so well and don't have the chemicals or other yucky things in them!
For the ability to be home with my children & participate in their functions at school.
For text messaging, so I can keep in touch with people I love.

Fireproof Your Marriage

2008-10-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

Chad and I went to go see this movie with the Bush's and the Ferguson's and it was great. At first, I was skeptical and had no interest in going because it was so low budget and normally movies like this have very little Christian content but we are doing a marriage series at church and they showed this trailer; once I saw it I knew I had to go and since Chad and our friends felt the same, we decided to go together.

The movie itself has an awesome message but does slightly feel like an after school special. However, if you can get past the fact that it was put together for very little money, you will be glad you saw it, whether your marriage is outstanding or falling apart!

My marriage is truly amazing and so the fact that I wasn't dealing with the issues in the movie but still got a ton of value from watching it says a lot, in my opinion. So plan a date night and go. I hope you will enjoy as much as we did!

P.S. The movie has a book that goes with it called "The Love Dare" I encourage you to read it! For all you Rock Pointers: we have it at the Resource (aka book) Table!

Sunday Seven

2008-10-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

OK, in my opinion we should give thanks and show gratitude everyday, so I do not think posting several times a week about what I am thankful for is too much, in fact, to me, it is not enough; although it my seem redundant to many of you. If that is the case, you'll just have to put up with my "Ten Things Tuesday" "Thankful Thursdays" and now "Sunday Seven" because when I am gone, I want my family and friends to look back on these and know I was thankful for them, my salvation and so much more! So here is what I am thankful for...

The worship team at church, I look forward to hearing them all week!
For how I grew up, with a large family who would do anything for one another and who spend so much time together creating memories and supporting each other. (They can seriously get together and throw a party because someone got an A on a test, even if it is on my cousins kindergarden spelling test or because the sky is blue and I just love that!)
For my blog - the ability to journal our lives, our memories and/or how grateful I am for all that I have!
For my best friend, Chad. He is so wonderful and I know I have said it many times but I can't help it! He is just too awesome, handsome, loving and supportive not to brag about and show gratitude for having been blessed to be his wife!
For God allowing me to be a parent. Helping in their classrooms, being on the sidelines at their sporting events, helping with their homework, kissing/tucking them in at night, kissing each boo boo, praising each accomplishment, correcting each mistake, teaching them what is right, even paying for them to go to college; I am grateful for it all!
For my brother Justin. He has a heart of gold and is so sentimental; he will remember any/every important day in your life. He'll call you to let you know he misses you or tell you he loves you and he is always concerned for others before himself. He is so artistically gifted and is truly special and unique! I love him so much!
For my girlfriends. I love the time we spend together, laughing, sometimes crying but mostly having fun! Thank you for putting up with me, sometimes counseling me, praying for me and loving me for who I am. I am so grateful for each one of you!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

With Love,

Jessica

My Little Football Player

2008-10-11T22:54:00.001-07:00

(fyi...this is an old picture from his last flag football season, I forgot my camera tonight)

Today Kobe had two football games. The last game was brutal - at least for us on the sidelines. It started at 7pm, when it was 64 degrees out, with strong winds and the grass always makes it feel even colder, know what I mean?! However, despite my frozen toes and my whining, freezing children, I loved being there! My athletically-gifted son played amazingly well! I know we are only talking about kids' sports and it's not like it's the Super Bowl, but he made me proud! He played a team that was undefeated and had not even been scored on all season - until now! He scored FIVE touchdowns and TWO 2-point conversions! It was such a great game to watch. It is even better to see the joy on his face when he plays! He has such a love for all sports and feels at home on any field, basketball court or baseball diamond; you name it, he loves it! Which is why I love it; he has such excitement when he participates and loves being part of a team and trying his personal best every time with a desire to continually improve!

Kobe, you are so amazing to watch! I am so proud of you! I am so glad you found something (or a lot of things) that make you happy and I am so glad to be there with you. It brings a huge smile to my face every time I watch you! Never give up, always try your best and most importantly, have fun! I love you beyond measure and sports or no sports, I am so proud of the person you are and the man you are going to become! I love you (M.O.A)!!

Love ~

Mom

Out Of The Mouth Of Babes

2008-10-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

What we're hearing from our children this week:

"I think I might be going to prison?!"
"You won't get respect if your back is not erect" (Me: huh? sit up straight, whaaat?)
"No, he was trying to kill me with a metal rake not a plastic one!"
"You are so pretty Mommy (as he pets my hair..pause, pause) can I have some candy?"
"Mom, look!" (as he shoves his finger under my nose) "That is what my feet sweat smells like!" (with a HUGE, proud smile on his face)
"Mom, if we just stare at the phone she might call and say he can come over!" (Me: it is 10:05pm, Chuck's Mom isn't going to be calling!) "Well, just stare really hard!!"
"Does that fart smell?...I think it smells."
"Mom, you are so weak!" (My Mom: Don't say that about your Mom) "Well, Grandma she is...the trainer lady was holding her up!"
"It's OK that we are playing (staying up) late...we are totally free tomorrow"
"Help you, help you" (That's how Cohen asks for help)
"I only had two brownies at Grandma's and a Snickers, can I have my Hersey's bar when we get home?"

Aww...the joy of children!

Word-Filled Wednesday

2008-10-08T13:52:00.001-07:00

What an amazing reminder to give thanks and praise, always!

Praise the Lord in all situations, the good & the bad!

In everything, give the glory to whom it belongs!

Blessings,

Jessica

Mourn with those who mourn...

2008-10-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I learned that my best friend's brother-in-law (who I've know since he was in elementary school, he was 24) passed away. My first reaction was shock and disbelief, in fact, I doubted the information was correct, I thought it was a mistaken identity! I even told people about the story and now thinking back to the way I just told them only the facts, you would think I barely knew him. But today, I received a call from his sister asking me to come over to lend support which made the situation very real for me...this was hard; not saying yes to assisting in any way I could but being there and seeing the pain and loss!

Romans 12:15 says "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." and mourning I am, which is exactly what I feel I need to do but I want to be strong for them. I want to help and not be a sobbing mess. They are the ones who need to be dealing with this loss and I want to be the calm shoulder to cry on, which is what I am struggling to do.

It is just so hard when I remember him as a little boy who looked up to his sister and I, tagging along with us and I think back to when all we wanted him to do was "go away" and now he is gone and I find myself wishing he were bothering us once more because then that would mean he is here and not gone. I know this may seem childish but that is my wish. I can think back to helping him buy a teddy bear for his first girlfriend for Valentine's Day. Playing pool with him and rubbing it in his face that he was beaten by a girl. Seeing him play with his niece, nephews and my children at BBQ's and birthday parties. Constantly joking with him and thinking back to the many things that we did years and years ago.

The logical part of me knows everyone dies, loss is part of life and that it will all work together for good in God's master plan but the other part wishes I knew "why" things had to turn out this way. Why a mother must bury her son? Why my friends won't have their brother? Why his niece and nephews have to ask why everyone is crying while trying to explain to us they know he will be coming home soon? I guess this is just another example of how the question "why" is the wrong question to ask and we should be asking "what" we can get out of this or "how" can we use this situation to glorify God...but I fail to remember this when I am standing there watching his family grieve.

My prayer is that God would use me in this situation that would be glorifying to Him and that I might bring comfort to my friends who are feeling pain and loss that I can't understand despite the sadness I am feeling right now. That my friends and their families would know that they can find comfort and peace in Jesus Christ and that this is His burden to bear. And that everyone involved would know that the question that we all should be asking isn't "why did this happen?" but "what we are suppose to learn from it?" and how we can use what we've learned to please God. And if anyone reading this can make this one of their prayers as well, I would be most grateful!

Ten Things Tuesday

2008-09-30T09:19:00.001-07:00

For the way situations play out. You can tell that it was a "God-cidence" not coincidence.
For the ability to play with my children!
For good friends that were willing to help with ANYTHING when Kobe got hurt at church on Sunday.
For the new friendship between "Chuck" & Kobe. They are only little boys but they have such big hearts and to see them give thanks and care about one another in such a BIG way, is the sweetest thing I have seen in a long time (and I don't just mean the sweetest things I have seen kids do, I am talking about adult things too, just to give you an idea of how awesome it is)!!
For Chad no longer being on the BOD for Arizona Soccer Club.
For an amazingly supportive, giving and Godly husband! I have just been in awe of him lately, looking at him saying "WOW, that is MY husband!"
For cameras that you can take anywhere, so you can take pictures in any situation and capture that moment and treasure it always.
For new friendships and the way they are growing, with people who totally embody the people I want to share my life with/who I want to do life with and who fear the Lord more than the world.
For super glue that can be used to hold facial wounds together without stitches.
For calendars, organizational books & magazines, white boards and cork boards to help me keep our lives on track.

Happy Birthday Babe!

2008-09-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

Today is Chad's birthday! He is now the BIG 33 but doesn't look a day over HOT! Yes, I said HOT! I love his hands, they are manly yet gentle. His peppered hair is so sexy! His eyes are so loving, at least that is all I see when he looks at me or our children! I love my husband so much, writing it down in words wouldn't compare to what I feel in my heart! However, I will try...He is such an amazing man. His love for me is fierce! He loves our children beyond comprehension, just as they love him! He is such a respectable man and someone everyone loves to spend time with! I just love being with him to see what he will do next or how he will make me die laughing! We have so much fun together and mostly because he is so hilarious! He is magnetic, funny, handsome, kind, generous, loving, honest, fair, patient, honorable and irreplaceable! He is my gift from God which brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it! He is in many ways what you see in a movie or read about in a book, he is our protector, our provider, our leader, my kind of perfect, my best friend and answered prayer!

Chad, I love you more than any words can express! I hope your birthday is all you hoped it would be! I love you (M.O.A) and wish you the Happiest Birthday yet!!!

Some Things I Am Loving This Week...

2008-09-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

Kobe's strength and desire to improve each day! He is such an awesome kid and never ceases to amaze me!
Checking my MySpace, facebook, email and blog roll, as my friend said earlier...it is rather addicting!
Hanging with the Bush Family! From going to a concert, having dinners together, attending a baseball game and home group, we spent at least four out of the past seven days hanging out with them!
Seeing Cohen run around in soccer clothes that are far to big for him and in his older brother's soccer cleats (on the wrong feet) because he wants to be a soccer player so badly!
Training with Amy! It hurts but I love it!
Walking around Target and drinking Iced Coffee with my "besty" chatting about life!
Seeing Chad taking life's lemons and making lemonade, cheesy but so true!
Peanut butter, I can't eat enough of it!
McDonald's Sugar Free Vanilla Iced Coffee
Seeing Ella struggle to sit up, it is so cute to see this rolly polly thing try to stay still and hold her weight up.

Word-Filled Wednesday

2008-09-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Word-Filled Wednesdays are days where you share God's Word, not necessarily the "famous" scriptures but what ever is speaking to your heart at the moment. After having a "trying" morning I thought this was the perfect scripture for me today!

Another week gone and more to be Thankful for...

2008-09-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

1. For the way God works. Seeing His power, His Glory and His love everyday, is beautiful!

2. For the time we have spent with my Mother-in-law. Her cancer is getting worse, so any moment we can spend with her is a blessing!

3. For my church, Rock Point Church! A place where the Holy Spirit is so visible. A place where anyone, no matter what they look like, their age or their background can come and hear God's word in such an amazing way and feel accepted! check it out: www.rockpointchurch.org

4. For my Husband's desire to constantly improve. To be a better man than yesterday, all because of his love for Jesus and his desire to be the best husband and father for his family!

5. For my children, I think everyone is thankful for their kids but rarely do we sit and think about the real miracle they are! How each one is different and perfect in their own way. And the millions of things that had to happen first so they could be conceived, develop, be born, be alive and healthy!

6. For the fun I have with my two new friends! I am so thankful for the laughing, being playful, enjoying each other, imperfections and all!

7. For God giving me the opportunity to serve in a new way for my church. I love being able to do my small part in His big plan.

8. For the simple things, riding bikes with my boys, having iced tea with a friend, snuggling close to my husband.

9. For Kobe & Jayden's Grandpa's health & (hopefully) full recovery!

10. For my Dad, for being a honest, respectable and hard working man.

Ten Things Tuesday

2008-09-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

1. My God. He is always there, always listening, always guiding me, and most importantly, always loving me and forgiving me when I repeatedly fall short.

2. My wonderful husband, who is far from perfect but perfect for me!

3. My children, who are so fun and loving. My day truly wouldn't be complete without them!

4. The new friend, I have found in Carrie! We are alike in so many ways, we have so much fun together and I am so thankful God has put her in my life!

5. My brother Joe, he is always helping me and is always there for me when I need him.

6. For a God Fearing Pastor who cares more about teaching God's Word than making people feel good!!!

7. The study we are doing in home group call "Respectable Sins"

8. The new study I am doing on Tuesday afternoons on "Adventurous Prayer"

9. Having ladies night, so I can enjoy my friends and keep my sanity.

10. For teething gel, since my sweet princess is not so sweet now that she is teething. lol!

Marriage Monday...

2008-09-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

So, I saw that some bloggers do a "Marriage Monday" a day that they talk about things in their marriage or advice for those who are married and I thought I would also start a "Marriage Monday" post. Their topic was "Why Romance Matters", so I thought I would just go with it.

Why Romance Matters...

Of course, romance matters as it is linked to intimacy, which is clearly an important aspect of marriage; unfortunately, today’s idea of romance is not what a marriage needs.

In today’s society “romance” is everywhere; media is plastering it in movies, commercials, advertisements, the list goes on and on. It makes us feel giddy, special or it gives us the “butterflies” everyone talks about. But is it realistic?

There was a time in my marriage that I placed such a high value on how my husband made me feel. I thought we lacked romance, but what I didn’t know is that I lacked a realistic expectation of what romance really is.

I knew romance wasn’t “Prince Charming, riding up on his noble steed to sweep me off my feet” but I wished so deeply that my husband would bring flowers for no reason, write a love note, or express his undying love for me on a regular basis without my pressing him to say it. Yeah, it sounds kind of lame, but on some level I think most women expect that, especially since young girls are taught this the moment they start watching Disney movies.

As a female, I do need romance; I need intimacy outside of a physical relationship with my husband. It just took me a while to realize that I must value the relationship we have with each other above the silly notions of romance. Satan is working to destroy all that God has called good; He called our marriage good and so the devil is working hard to destroy it. That is why those “if, only” statements creep into your mind, when you think about what your spouse isn’t doing or how he isn’t romantic.

Yes, flowers for no reason is a wonderful thing. So is Chad’s expressing how much he loves me and why, but those things shouldn’t be requirements. Yes, romance does matter, and a bit of it can do wonders in a marriage but we also need to examine what we think romance is, if we are considering it a requirement and whether or not we are letting this notion interfere with the wonderful marriage we may already be blessed with!

Bad mom?

2008-09-11T15:55:00.000-07:00

I am feeling bad. Chad and I have had such a HUGE desire to paint our house but right now there are more "important" things to spend money on, better yet, more responsible things. Our house is filled with flat white paint, which is great for a house with kids, let me tell you! I feel bad though since Ella's room is the only room in the house that is "done"! I started painting Kobe & Jayden's room but never completed the project because physically I couldn't finish because I am falling apart at my old age! (I know that sounds like a joke but I am serious) Am I a bad Mom for doing Ella's room first because she is a girl? I'm thinking...yeah, kind of. I feel guilty that Kobe, Jayden & Cohen aren't being treated the same but honestly financially I can't justify the cost right now and physically can't endure the pain in my knees, back, etc. to do it myself. Anyway, I just thought I would share the adorable photos of Ella's room, they are too cute! Hopefully one day soon I care share the photos of our other completed kids rooms but for now....think pink. lol!

Another Milestone...

2008-09-09T23:44:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is getting so big! She got her ears pierced this past Saturday and she barely cried! She stayed true to her personality and fell asleep just before and when the first ear was done she woke up and cried and then quickly stopped, only to whimper again when they did her other ear. I think her Daddy wanted to cry more than she did! It was so cute to see the bond between Father and Daughter. Chad quickly grabbed her and wouldn't let her go. It was SUPER cute! But he is in so much trouble when she gets older...she already has him wrapped around her tiny finger.

Also, so many of you have been asking for an update on how Ella is doing so I thought I would add a quick update. Her breast buds are enlarged but they aren't growing they way we were originally worried that they would. She is happy and by the looks of it, HEALTHY!

Thanks for all of your prayers, I truly believed that they have helped. Our God, is an amazing God! He can do anything and I am so thankful for the many blessings he has given us!

Mirror, Mirror...

2008-09-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

On the wall, who is the clumsiest of them all? Thats right folks, me! After coming home from dinner last night with some friends, my family and my Mother-In-Law, I went to put my leftovers in the refrigerator in the garage and tripped over our boxes from Costco that we didn't throw away. I tried stepping over them but my flip flop got caught, I didn't have a chance to grab onto anything, I just fell. It hurt so badly!

I sprained my wrist and pulled some things in my arm between my shoulder and my elbow! I can't even hold Ella. I had to have my 17 year old brother come and take care of me today because my Hubby is swamped at work. I don't feel well.....

And what keeps running through my head is my Mom calling me "Grace" all the time when I was growing up. She called me that because I was so NOT graceful! When I would fall, she would say "Are you okay Grace?" and laugh, give me a big hug and make me feel better. I am so clumsy, I really am a dork!

I Love FUN!

2008-08-30T01:49:00.000-07:00

I love having fun with my kids, my husband, my brothers and anyone else I know. It is fun being silly, laughing, being dorks! I just love creating memories that you will always look back on with a smile, even if you look stupid! Cause that is authentic, it's real, it's ME!

Missing My Maureen

2008-08-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

I am missing my dear friend, Maureen. She moved to Texas this past October with her family. I have only seen her once since she moved, don't get me wrong, one is better than none but I am selfish and I want to see her everyday like I used to. I miss my gym buddy (btw, I am currently taking applications for a new gym buddy if you are interested, LOL!) I miss my secret keeper, my shoulder to cry on...when my husband doesn't to hear it anymore =), my chief (she cooked for us all the time), but mostly I miss her laugh, it was infectious. You couldn't be in a room with her and not notice her laugh. I miss hanging out and laughing...not many people are interested in just hanging out anymore. What has this world come to? Everyone wants to go here or there...what hapened to spending time with people? Enjoying their company? I miss having a friend that I could lay around and laugh with and just be real, just be ME.

Mo, I love you...please come back home?! I will be your chief this time....

I Love...

2008-08-27T22:27:00.001-07:00

~DANCE~

FOR ME DANCE IS JOY, SADNESS, LOVE, HEARTBREAK,

ANGER, IT IS AN AMAZING WAY TO EXPRESS ANY EMOTION.

I know I was really down in the dumps on my last post so I thought I would share things that make me happy! One of those things are dance. I love the way the music makes me feel. I love the way you can use dance to tell a story. I love the emotion that comes out of the music and the movements. Even a sad "story" makes me happy because the dancers have successfully completed their job, to make you feel something whether it is sadness, happiness, anger, whatever. Dancing makes me smile. Plus, I am brushing up on my moves as I will start teaching again very soon. I can't wait!

P.S. To watch this pause the music over there first --->

I'm Scared...

2008-08-25T22:51:00.000-07:00

Humans are so funny, or better yet I am so weird! Just a few posts ago I was praising God for the many blessings in my life and tonight I am scared and questioning God? How do you go from one extreme to another? How is it so easy for us to have complete faith in the Lord one moment and then be questioning how things are unfolding in our lives, the next? As if we know better....

To give you a little background on my dilemma, Ella might have a more serious problem that has gone unnoticed until now. You would think that with the millions of tests they have run on her and the number of doctors consulting on her case, she would be fine if they haven't found anything so far, right? Well turns out that may not be the case. Ella had her sixth month "well check up" last Thursday and her pediatrician confirmed a fear I had. Ella's "breast buds" are extremely enlarged for her age. What does this mean you ask? Well back when Ella was born she had other hormone issues, in fact they thought that the most likely cause of her issues was a problem with her pituitary gland in her brain. Though after many tests they said it looked normal but now after noticing her enlarged breast buds, it is apparent she is having ongoing hormone issues that went unnoticed. Of course, it might be an easy fix, I hope...though that is not what we have been told so far. So needless to say I am angry. I am mad at the doctors, why didn't they see this sooner? Of course the one doctor I am not angry with is her pediatrician, she actually is the only doctor I trust. I know it may seem silly but I think that if she had been at the hospital when this all started she would have found the issue if there was one but since she doesn't have "rights" in that hospital all she could do is receive updates from us.

In any other situation, I would be the first person saying "have faith" "the Lord has a plan" or whatever else to help someone else to not waiver in their trust in the Lord but I haven't ever been here. It is hard to surrender your life when it is a real possibility that something could be wrong with your baby. I feel so guilty, I know what I should do and I know that later I will likely be OK after I spend my many hours talking to God but as of now, I want a healthy baby, I want this to be over, I want it MY way! I always told Chad that when Ella came home, I was afraid because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and right when I let go of my fears, my worst fears may be happening.

My prayer is that tomorrow when we go in to see what the problem is, there isn't one. I also pray that my heart is transformed through this. I know the Lord has reasons for what happens in our lives and I know I will be OK with that (eventually) but I thought I should be honest with where I am at in this moment. I know many of my friends/family will be asking me if I am OK and instead of smiling and saying "yeah, I'm fine" I am going to be transparent because in the those moments you can see the areas you need growth. Actually as I am writing this, just typing whatever my heart is feeling without editing it, my faith is being restored...I am actually smiling, really smiling instead of holding back tears as I am realizing, I guess I am weirder than I thought and that it is amazing how truth will set you free! I really do feel much better.

Restoring Hope. Transforming Lives.

2008-08-23T23:39:00.000-07:00

Hope Does Not Disappoint Romans 5:4

This weekend I have spent time at a training for work at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler. Each year at the training, known as "Pure Oasis", we sponsor a charity and raise money for that charity throughout the weekend. This year at Pure Oasis we sponsored a local charity called HopeKids. HopeKids provides ongoing events & activities and a powerful, unique support community for children with cancer and/or other life-threatening medical conditions. HopeKids surrounds these remarkable children and their families with the message that hope can be a powerful medicine.

When I first saw this video (link provided below) it reminded me of what an amazing blessing God has given Chad & me by giving us (overall) healthy children. Seeing these photos reminded me of Ella in the hospital and how helpless we felt. However, these photos also reminded me that relative to these situations, our fears and feelings of helplessness cannot compare to those of the parents & family members of these children. In fact, I almost felt guilty for feeling the way I did when Ella was in the hospital since these children have it far worse. So I started thinking that since I can relate to how these families are feeling, I should help. The founder of HopeKids explained to us that they cannot and do not want to spend their limited resources on advertising; they instead choose to focus all of their available resources on the children. Therefore, I thought I could help this wonderful charity by encouraging you to tell others about them and by asking you make a donation to HopeKids if you can.

Health is a gift; God did not promise us health, so if you can find a way to help those who are ill or give them HOPE, you should do it! Also, kiss your children, cherish them and love them because we are all so lucky to have healthy children. In fact, we're lucky to have children at all! If you don't have children, kiss your cousins, nieces, nephews - whoever. Let the people around you know they are loved.

Most Importantly, reflect God's love and compassion in your own lives by caring for those in need.

http://www.hopekids.org/media/showVideo.aspx?file=YouRaiseMeUp.wmv

Holly, The Last Comic Standing?

2008-08-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

Last night was "girls night" the third Tuesday of the month where I get to hang out with the ladies. It's so fun. Yesterday we went to Desirae's house for dinner and chatted away. It's nice because you talk about things that only other women, moms, or wives can relate to. Well, the night ended earlier than normal so a few of us decided since this is "our night out" we weren't going to go home early so we tried out Dunkin Donuts....

This was an experience from the moment we entered the door. As we start to order we hear Holly, freaking out about what drink to get, she is saying she is "stressed" with all the words we are saying i.e. "I'll have a small, lite, decaf mocha latte" or "I'll have a small, decaf, iced hazelnut coffee with cream and sugar"and of course their beverage cooler was "out of order" so she couldn't just get a Pepsi. Which is God's way of being funny, since that's all that she wanted but is trying to give it up. Finally, it's Holly's turn. She orders a HOT chocolate (since that is the least confusing drink on the menu). Keep in mind though it is after 9pm it is still 150 outside. We decide then to sit outside which is a good thing since we are already laughing so hard at Holly and she isn't even trying to make us laugh and people are staring since we are so loud.

We sit down...she is telling us how "hot" her HOT chocolate is and how it is too hot to have a hot drink, she keeps saying "I am sweating.......no really I am sweating"

Then she starts telling us about her family and life back in Iowa. She doesn't even mean to but she is making us all die laughing, I think one or two of us might have even wet ourselves! Not only does she tell us her stories, she finds a way to tie all the stories together at the end. She has a gift, a true gift. In fact, I am totally going to record her and send it into the "Last Comic Standing"!

Holly -

You NEED to do this and make some money! Only you can make me laugh that hard! Thanks for the laughs, it was fun. We NEED to do it again soon. Love ya!

Toothless Jayden!

2008-08-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Jayden finally lost another tooth and got some money from the tooth fairy. He is seven and has only lost two teeth. I hope they start falling out soon because his other teeth are growing in before the baby teeth are gone. The dentist might have to pull some to make room for his adult teeth..not fun! He is so cute though, with his tiny teeth.

Forever Friends...

2008-08-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to Tucson to meet Chad's friend's son for the first time, Wyatt Elder! Chad and Heath have been friends for over 13 years! Though life has taken Heath and his beautiful wife, Kim to Nashville; Heath and Chad have the kind of friendship where they can just pick up where they've left off, even after a long separation which is so awesome. Actually, Heath finally returned a leather jacket to Chad that he borrowed 10 years ago! Funny, huh?! (Women, would never do that! Men are so funny!) The day at Heath's parents house was great, the kids were swimming, we had some yummy BBQ and got to catch up, which to me was the best part!

Heath & Kim -

We are so happy for you! Wyatt is adorable! Thanks for letting us share in the celebration of the blessing he has been in your lives! And please pass our appreciation to your parents for having us over! We had a great time. We just hope it doesn't take the birth of your next child until we see you again...LOL! We love you guys!

Blessed

2008-08-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

Ella Grace, has been such a blessing from God! Not only was she is the answer to our prayers but she has been through so much at her young age. She has had brain scans, a million blood tests, IV's in her head, on a twenty-four hour feeding tube. She didn't even come home from the hospital until she was several weeks old, just to go back in a few days later. Ella is a true testament to what an amazing God we have. Only God can take a very sick baby and make her perfectly healthy leaving the medical community wondering how and why? Not only has God given us an amazing gift in Ella he has taught us a valuable lesson in faith. Faith that with God ANYTHING is Possible and when you surrender your life to God, he will provide and that is exactly what he has done with her. He fixed what the doctors said couldn't be fixed. He provided what everyone thought we wouldn't get after having three boys, a girl. Ella has been a gift, as were our boys, but God has used Ella to teach us how to Trust God because even in the darkest moments, He is there and He has a plan. It is said that blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and blessed we have been!

"O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you" Psalm 84:12

Love, Marriage Then Babies...

2008-08-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

I thought I would take a walk down memory lane. Cohen is getting SO BIG and I miss seeing him so little (and with less energy) LOL! Plus, it's only fitting that I give a quick overview since I did start with the wedding....

It's like it was only yesterday...

Just The Four Of Us

2008-08-15T01:43:00.000-07:00

Rewind, three years. Chad & I are newly married. He was such a gift, that completed the family I had with Kobe & Jayden!

Finding Chad has been such an Amazing Blessing! Even now I am still in "aww" of my husband, he is truly a dream come true! I am not a huge country music fan but the song "Bless The Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts is a reality for me. God truly did bless the Broken Road that led me straight to Chad!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

I know where to start...

2008-08-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

In celebration of our Anniversary, I thought I would start with Our Wedding! Starting with Our Love, Our Hopes and Dreams for the future seemed Perfect!

Ahhh...finally!

2008-08-12T00:26:00.000-07:00

OK, I have been putting this off long enough! I have had this blog set up since before Christmas of 2007, yes since before Ella was born! I was waiting until I had time to make it look "perfect" so I could share it with everyone, but the time never came. Then, I was worried because I have so many pictures so where do I start? Do I go back to the beginning? Crazy, huh?! Now, I admit, I have over thought this far too long! So here it goes....Enjoy & welcome to our crazy but loving life/home!