Set Free

When my daughter grows up I want her to feel like her parent's loved her equally.  I hope she doesn't remember that time I became angry because I was too tired.  Or that time I was so sick she thought I was ignoring her.  Or that time I gave her a banana and she cried because she wanted a banana.  (Yeah, you read that last part correctly.) life is rough Recently I've noticed my daughter's STRONG need to do everything her way.  And her Mom to follow along.  The typical toddler stage in life.  (This mom is tired.)  There have been too many tears and fits. Daddy's in the shower. Apparently that's not okay. So this mom has started a new strategy .  When that sweet toddler lets all her feelings out uncontrollably I am staying calm.  I pick her up and swing her around.  I sit her in my lap.  I cuddle her... And in the sweetest voice I hear a soft voice say, "I love you Mommy." It melts this Momma's heart.  In one moment the attit

Thank you God for bringing me where I am today.  I would have never asked to be in this position but I'm so encouraged by your Truth.  Lately I've been doubting.  After I miscarried the only thing that kept me moving on was knowing You had a plan.  You are faithful.  You were faithful in my past and would be faithful in my future.  Then suddenly October hit. The weather became wet.  I don't like that.  I stay inside cuddled in blankets, watching Elmo (thanks two-year old), and drinking soda to take off the headache.  I'm forced to warm up in sweatpants and sweaters and be around people.  It's good though.  It's healing. some mornings I just want to boycott life Father, I'm blessed by You.  Because as hard as October has been for me emotionally, I feel your presence.  On my knees, or laying on my pillow, drenched in tears, finding security in You alone.  Those who don't know You or can't find comfort in You I deeply fear for their struggles

Sorry followers I've slowed down on blog posts.  Not intentionally, we just didn't have wifi at our house for awhile to save money, especially while we were getting the bathroom remodeling done .  You probably want a post all about that new bathroom, which I'll get on it as soon as I finish up what needs done first. Like updates on Ellie. :) The last time I wrote in detail about what she was up to was 16 months old , oops.  Since then there's been a few updates but nothing too detailed to look back on. Obviously a lot has changed since then!! *She uses walking, dancing, and running as her main source of mobility.  (Faster if she knows she's doing something naughty.) *She talks nonstop and knows a LOT of words.  One day she started using a word that we didn't know she knew what it meant.  She's a lot smarter than we think!  Now we know she knows what we mean when we want her to obey.  That little stinker.... "Ellie, are you being a stinker?&q

Ellie turned two last weekend and we threw her a Sesame Street birthday party.  We invited family and some friends that live in our town.  When searching on Pinterest I found some cute, time consuming ideas for a birthday party and thought those people are crazy.  When your daughter is turning a young age she won't remember anything.  So what am I trying to prove to people when I throw a party for her?  I want it to look Pinterest-worthy of course!  So, go ahead and pin these great ideas!  I'm pretty sure we spent more time cleaning our house then planning the party. I think that's the best way to do it.  But here is what we did. Here's the cake.  It was so difficult.  I had to go to Hy-Vee three days before the party and tell them "Sesame Street themed, pastel colors (I don't like blue teeth), have it say Happy Birthday Ellie, and she's turning two."  Then the day of the party Jon had to go pick it up.  The nerve. Then we had to decorat