Potty Training

Well, I've been avoiding it like the plague, but now that Elena is 2 years and 7 months, I decided it was time to give this potty training a real go. Here's how today has gone. 

As of today, it's basically just an introduction. She's wearing pull-ups, and I have been consistently taking her to the big potty with her Bubble Guppies seat on it every half hour or so. I gave her water and pretzels as a morning snack (salty so she'll drink plenty of water) and juice with lunch (bc I know she will always drink all of her juice when it's offered). The first time she sat there gladly, we sang a couple of songs, and no pee. The second time she cried and didn't want to sit there at all. The third time she went begrudgingly, but was happy to sit there and sing 6 songs, but still nothing. She ate lunch and I took her again before nap. Still nothing. Between potty trips she would go in her pull-up (which internally frustrated me to no end). So...as she sleeps right now for nap I can see and smell that she's already peed in her pull-up. I will take her to the potty when she wakes up, and consistently after that until bedtime. It's only day one, so I'm trying to be positive.

Thank You, Jesus.

So, it's been an exhausting week. I had been doing well with counting calories and working out 5 days a week for two weeks straight, and then BAM--this week threw me for a loop. Aunt Flo came to visit a week early and my energy flew out the window. My dinners have been less than stellar (carbs upon carbs) and my housewife duties are piling up. Add in a trip to the doc for E (she's had a persistent cough, but thankfully it's just allergies), my best friend finding out she needs immediate surgery for a ruptured disc, neighborhood volunteer stuff (that I had to flake on bc Elena coughed so violently that she threw up on me yesterday), and no nap for Elena. Just when I was ready to break down and cry, after E had an accident that leaked out of her pull-up and onto her pants, I gave her a bath and after pjs were on and we were all resting peacefully, she climbs into my lap, looks into my eyes lovingly and says, "Thank You, Jesus, for my mama" with a big hug. Best week ever. :)

33

9/5/14
Happy birthday to one amazing man; my husband! I honestly shudder at the thought of where I'd be without him. Since the night we met all those years ago (as he ever so smoothly spied on me from the cereal aisle at Walgreen's while I pretended not to notice and work in the photo lab), my life has continually gotten better and better...and better. Seems like the moment I accepted that first date, my life instantly took a turn, and nothing but blessings poured in--he being number one on that list. First, he made me feel special, wanted, loved, adored, and worth something more than any guy (or boy) ever had. He was and is such a gentleman. He doesn't just say he wants me to be happy, he works through blood, sweat and tears to ensure that I am. There is absolutely nothing Bobby wouldn't do for his family. He proves that time and time again. The man seriously has the patience of a saint, I swear. I am by no means an easy "Michelle Duggar" type; I'm working on it, but I am nowhere near that! However, he always finds ways to show me that he loves me, acknowledges and is grateful for my efforts, and no matter how many times I fall flat on my face, he always has faith in me. He always encourages me, and constantly motivates me. He is a man of faith, he puts his family first, and he is who God picked for me. I am so thankful and grateful to the good Lord for giving me this man who I always feel I don't deserve; not because he has ever led me to believe that, but because there is so much good and purity in him--I just cannot fathom what he could gain from me that he doesn't already have. He is a man of integrity, strong yet so humble at the same time, and so incredibly selfless. Thank God for his mama; despite being young and probably terrified, she made sure to raise her son to be giving, hard working, honest, and to follow the Lord. That's not easy to do as a single 17 year old mom (and these "Teen Moms" today sure could learn a lesson or two from her experience), but she put him first the moment he was born. Because of that, he is a loving and devoted father today, and someone I am so proud to even know. Bobby has sacrificed so much for me, and for our little girl. The simplest things make his day, like watching our favorite shows together, or shopping together at Half Price Books for our daughter's collection, or just talking to each other in the car; we make him happy. When he is around his family, he is the happiest, and he is completely at peace. That is what made me fall in love with him; his deep love for family. He is so passionate and creative, and everything I need to be me. He makes me whole. So, thank You, Lord, for wonderfully creating this masterpiece that I get to kiss and hug and love every day for the rest of my life. Even though I know that he is really Yours, thank You for trusting me with him. He is truly heaven sent, and You knew the perfect time to send him to me. Father, I needed him more than I even knew. Thank You, God, for Your perfect and flawless plan, and for showing me every day what it is to be loved through my husband.

And happy 33rd birthday, my sweet love. "You and Me...Me and You."

Update

Bobby's car is fine, praise God! We took it to the dealership, they ran a diagnostic (which they waved the $100+ fee for) and turns out it was a problem solved by the recall repairs. Not a dime was spent on our end, and the car is running great now. God is good, all the time. :)

PS: Do not see Guardians of the Galaxy. That movie was DUMB. We even saw it in 3d and I was STILL falling asleep. 

August 5, 2009

Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary to us! It's been a busy morning for us with having to take Bobby's car to the dealership in Austin, having to pick him up at 7:30, hearing some not so great news about his car...all things that could have potentially put a damper on our day, but not to worry, we don't put our faith in material things. Despite that little hiccup, we hugged each other this morning and thanked God for all of our blessings and for giving us our health, the health of our family, another working vehicle, our home,...the list could on for days! Most importantly, we thank God that all things work for good, and that He always provides for our needs. 5 years ago, He brought Bobby and I together in holy matrimony on the most beautiful private beach in Honolulu, HI. I remember I hadn't seen it at all until that walk down the aisle to my soon-to-be hubby. I remember feeling like I was in heaven walking barefoot on that soft white sand, holding my Daddy's arm, seeing my family and friends with tears in their eyes; I could feel my Lord and Savior all around me. We said our vows as the waves crashed into the shore not too far from us, the cool breeze blowing through my hair; it was like God was giving His blessing on our union. My daddy said the most beautiful prayer through tears before handing me to Bobby, and after that I just remember that we both had a hard time making it through our vows without crying. As I type this, I'm trying so hard not to cry now. I told Bobby this morning that I felt bad that we didn't really plan anything for today except a casual dinner and a movie; no gifts or elaborate getaways at a B&B or hotel. He said, "That isn't what matters. We may not be great at planning celebrations, but we are GREAT at loving each other." I kind of chuckled as I thought he just wanted to earn brownie points with me, but you know, he's right. We have always had a solid foundation, and I have always trusted in our love for one another. He is more than my best friend at this point, he is a part of me; a part that I need desperately. We rely on each other for support, advice, a shoulder to cry on,... we are part of each other. I always thought that part from Jerry McGuire where he says, "You complete me" was super corny, but it totally makes sense to me now. Bobby completes me; he makes me whole. I praise God for finding my other half, and for bringing a man of faith into my life. We build each other up, we live to see the other person happy and at peace. We strive for the same goals, as a team. Now that we have a daughter, it's an even deeper love because we share the same excitement and concerns as we watch our baby girl grow. We have this silly thing we say whenever we come to a resolution after an argument or long talk where we look at each other and say, "Home Team". Then we give each other a quick smooch and resume our day. I am so thankful that we are on the same team, and that I can talk to my husband about literally ANYTHING without fearing judgement or feeling shame. As we get older, our love for each other keeps evolving and getting stronger. It's a beautiful thing, and I look forward to seeing where we are and who we are in 45 years to come. I love you, Bobby. You are my rock, my reminder of all good things that I strive for, my center, my home.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Such a Pretty Face

As soon as high school began, the insecurities about weight and appearance came right along with it. I was never an overweight child, and quite frankly, never actually was "overweight" until after high school. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my weight, yet if you weren't a size 0 and taking diet pills, something was seriously wrong with you. I wish I would've just enjoyed my youth, my healthy figure, had confidence. Now, I am what any doctor would categorize as overweight; some may even say according to some BMI scale I'm obese. I certainly don't see myself that way. It's funny that now, as FAT as I am, I'm beginning to care less and less what weight society wants me to be. I try to eat what's healthy for me, would like to be more active, but not because I want to be a "hot mom", but because I don't want to miss seeing my grand babies one day. I want to be a good example for my daughter and have her break the cycle of type 2 diabetes (that by the grace of God I don't have). I've come to the conclusion that I most likely will never be skinny, I most likely will always have some meat on my bones, but for the first time in my life I am embracing that. If my blood sugar is low, and (aside from what people may think by looking at me) I am indeed healthy, then who cares if my jeans are in the double digits? I was no bean pole when my husband met me, and he has never stopped showering me with adoration and compliments. There is no perfect mold for women, we were meant to look different. I may lose a few pounds as I up the activity and eat well, but know that my goal is never to appeal to society. My goal is to avoid being dependent on diabetes medication and to be able to keep up with my toddler. I've always hated when people tell me, "You have such a pretty face, if you lost weight you'd be gorgeous!" Gee, thanks. So, I'm a troll now is what you're saying? Ha. I'm sure they had good intentions with those statements, at least I'd like to believe they did. To God, I am beautiful. He sees me for who I am; He sees my heart. He doesn't want me to be insecure, unhappy...He wants me to embrace every second of this life because it is one blessing after another, and to waste those moments dreaming of a day that I'll one day fit that perfect body mold is insane. More than anything, I want Elena to see a confident and happy mama; a mama that loves the skin she's in. With that said, I love this body, whether you find it fat or not. This tummy was home to my most precious gift, and those marks are proof that she was healthy and growing beautifully. No more time of my life will be wasted wishing for a new body, a certain weight, a certain size. This is me, I am loved, and I am His. 

"You Were Born to Stand Out"

That's the popular quote: "You weren't born to fit in, you were born to stand out." Well, they almost got it right. I don't think we were born to stand out, I believe we were born to serve Him with humility. It's not about us. It's not about our purpose or self esteem, it's about His purpose and His will. Of course God wants the best for His children, there's no doubt about that; He wants us to be happy. Our happiness, however, shouldn't be the goal. That's the world's motto; do what makes you happy. Everything is for self, but God says to seek Him first in ALL things. If you want to be happy, don't seek material things or others' approval; seek Him. All good things come from God, and nowhere else. Any positive or intellectual thought you've ever had didn't come from your own brilliant mind, He put it there. Give thanks, be humble, and know that you would be nothing apart from Him and His love. As I get older, I realize that I'm becoming more and more unpopular with the trends of this world; I don't fit in. My opinions and my thoughts about modesty and humility aren't shared with the independent and aggressive women of today. The world tells them they don't need a man, they're better or stronger than men, etc. The Bible says that it's ok to lean on your husband for strength; the strength that God has given him. I enjoy making my husband feel needed, and like the strong provider that he is. He deserves to feel loved and appreciated after all that he does for our family without a single complaint. I enjoy dressing modestly and saving the provocative clothing for his eyes only. I don't need the world to see me the way he does; those moments are special. I enjoy the simpler things in life like playing outside with my daughter or going to a restaurant with my little family. I know it's not impressive to some, but that's my life. I love it. God has blessed me immensely, and I hope that He knows how thankful I am. I guess, to me, if the world isn't pleased with my lifestyle and choices, then I must be doing something right. I'm not here to please the world. So, I think the quote should read like this instead: "You were not born to fit in, you were born to serve Him." Have a wonderful day, everyone. God bless you in all that you do.

All of Me

The other day I was feeling sorry for myself. You know those "No one appreciates me" moments. It is so easy to get into those self-loathing ruts. I mean, the devil LOVES that stuff; and when I say the devil, I mean social media and media in general. There are funny ecards ranting about how ignorant and oblivious husbands are, songs about men just not knowing what it's like to be in our shoes, and people love to see those statuses about a crummy husband. You know what I'm talking about. It is SO EASY to get riled up and think, "You just don't understand!" It's the less desirable route and the more challenging to go to scripture and see what God has to say about marriage, about love, and about forgiveness and understanding. I often tell Bobby that God speaks to me through him because he almost always says what I don't want to hear in those moments. I want him to be the bad guy, I want to be the victim, and I want to feel sorry for myself. Honestly, though, when it comes down to it, I have no reason to. I have so many, MANY things to be thankful for, including my husband. We argue because he gets a certain tone with me, or calls me out on playing on my phone or watching a dumb show instead of doing something productive at home, and he has every right to. At the time, however, I am certain I have a reason to be hurt or upset, and I lash out. My husband works so hard for us, at a job that is not (or even close to) his dream job. I get to do exactly what I want to do, which is stay home and raise our daughter. Do you blame him for being a teensy bit annoyed that I didn't find time to fold that laundry? Nope. I read a scripture the other day about working for the Lord and not for human masters, and I should be. I should be showing my gratitude to not only Bobby, but more importantly to God for blessing me with this opportunity to be at home. It's not a bad thing to feel blessed and to shower your hard working husband with love and gratitude. It's not a bad thing to love being at home taking care of your family. Society has everything so backwards; stay at home moms are seen as these depressed, deprived, individuals when in all reality, we are (at least I am) on cloud nine! I truly love my days with my little girl. Being a housewife, however, I am trying to love. I am trying because my husband deserves my best. He gives us his best every day and every night (at work). I am not a great cook, I surely don't like to clean (who does?), and my decorating skills are pretty non existent. All he wants is my best effort; all he wants is to see that I care. Not just about Elena (that's obvious), but about him. Bobby's way to show love is through actions, and so by me giving this housewife gig my best effort, I am showing him that I love and appreciate him. It doesn't take much to make him happy, really. I'm just spoiled rotten. ;) I vacuumed, cleaned up Elena's playroom, cleaned the kitchen/dishes, cleaned our spare bathroom, and made his favorite dinner and he was elated. He bathed Elena that night because I "worked so hard and deserved to relax". He's a great guy, and I know guys like Bobby are rare. I also know that I'm a lot to handle, but he loves me and wants me to be happy. That in itself deserves a fabulous housewife. I'm working on it!


The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.Proverbs 31:11-31

Summertime

School is out, and that means I get to see more of my niece and nephew! We kicked off Summer vacation this weekend with sprinkler fun on the trampoline; Elena was THRILLED to say the least.

She and Sam spent most of Friday afternoon and today doing this, and they never got tired of it no matter how soaked they were. It truly amazes me how kids can have fun doing the same darn thing for hours on end. I'd better enjoy this stage while I can before the "I'm bored" complaints start, haha. We all had a great time with my family this weekend. Bobby's new nights off give us the opportunity to spend the majority of the weekend with my sister & her little fam when they come into town, which makes me very happy. I got to take my sweet niece to see a movie she'd been anxiously waiting to see (since she read the book it was based on). I knew it would be a tear jerker, but I had no idea I'd enjoy it that much! It was so cute, and I highly recommend it. There are very few simple and innocent love stories like that in the theaters these days; it was refreshing to watch something that didn't have a ton of foul language and profanity.

Well, I'd better join my family in the living room and wind down for the night. Thank you, Jesus, for blessing me this much; it is a privilege to be the daughter of such a loving and almighty God, and I do not take a minute for granted. Have a wonderful night, y'all. Hug your families tight, and sleep well!

A Whole Year!

My goodness! Has it already been over a year since I've posted anything? That's cray-to-the-cray! Well, it's fitting that I stopped blogging once Elena learned to walk; that little girl constantly has me on my toes! It's a fun chaos, though. I am so blessed to be at home with my child, I get to keep her in my safe little bubble a little while longer. Let's see, let's get you up to speed on my baby. She is now a whopping 2 years old, loves to talk, super affectionate and sweet, sensitive like her mama, and a ball of hilariousness & energy like her daddy. She's also a little daredevil when it comes to heights, rides, and things her daddy and I are huge scaredy cats about. I'm not sure where she got that fearless spirit from, but thankfully she has cousins to ride all of those lovely theme park rides with in the future. She is currently her dad's number one fan, and her face lights up with the biggest smile ever when he walks into the room. People ask me if that makes me jealous, and I cannot fathom how seeing my baby love her daddy could possibly make me jealous. I get it; he's super awesome! 'Tis why I married him after all. ;) My happiest moments are when I see them together. Two of the people I love most in this world, loving each other; how incredible is that?

So, as you can see, life is pretty darn sweet. Elena and I have a lot of fun together, and it truly amazes me how fast she learns things. She is big on singing, right now. "Lord, I Need You" is her favorite song, along with "Wheels on the Bus". She also loves to count and recite the alphabet song. She's a smart cookie, but I have to give God the credit for that. He has truly blessed us with our healthy, strong, compassionate, and intelligent little baby. I wish I could keep her this tiny forever, but time keeps on tickin'. Which reminds me, I need to hop on the potty training train--eek. I've been dragging my heels with that for a few weeks now. I don't know what it is, but I am not motivated! I think it's because I know that once she's done with diapers, she's officially a big girl. That's not easy for a mama to digest. I need to get to it, though--she's already plenty old enough, and those diapers sure aren't cheap. Whenever anyone finds that pause button, though, let me know! Until next time my dear friends & fam! Hasta! :)