Three Years Later

Josh and I's anniversary was on Wednesday-our third anniversary. It's hard to believe it has been three years. Before you reach "adult" life, time can never go fast enough. Now I just need it to stop slow down.

These three years have been packed full of adventure! We've moved three times. I finished college. We got "big people jobs". We went to Haiti. We've made friendships that will sustain a lifetime. We had a baby!  We have grown in love through difficult situations. We have learned tough lessons. We've learned to enjoy each other in the simple things. We've become coffee snobs. The list could go on.

The last transition in life has been a tough one. It's been a real one. It's tested us and pushed us to the limit.  Here we are three years later.

Life is fun! We're learning to depend on God and to depend on each other like never before. Our love has been "rekindled" in the last month. We're learning to juggle a baby and our relationship. We're learning to not only love deeper, but wider.

We're learning to follow God's plan for our lives....even when we're following blindly.

I learned something really tough this year. Sometimes God speaks to Josh before He speaks to me. Yikes. That's hard to swallow. We're a team and God uses both of us to communicate to. This is hard for my in-control-need-to-know-what's-going-on self.

This day took place three years ago. 

And of course the honeymoon in Hawaii!!!

 

Happy Anniversary, Josh!! I love you! 


How long have you been married? What are you learning in your marriage?

Wait Expectantly

Yet again She Reads Truth is rocking my world! It's easy for me to pray for things, but it's hard for me to expect that God is going to respond. I know God answers prayers, don't miss that. However, it's difficult for me to wait expectantly.

Psalm 5:1-3 "O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly."

Sometimes A lot of times I pray about things that I really am not sure of the outcome-- me going back to work is one. It was one of those "God, I think I would like to work. But, I don't want to leave Paxton with someone just anyone." It was one of those I have no idea what I want to be doing right now prayers. 

Then I get a phone call. OFFERING ME A JOB. Josh will be at home with Paxton on his days off and my Granny keeps Paxton when he works.

So it's weird how God works. Obviously. God has done some crazy things for Josh and I over the last year. Having a child was one of those moments where we waited expectantly. But if I'm honest, I don't wait expectantly on a regular basis. 

So what has God been revealing to me? He answers prayers! He shows up big time. He works through us. He's crazy about us and wants the best for us because he hears our hearts. 

What have you waited expectantly for and God has showed up?

Finding My Place

Life has changed. When I say changed, I mean changed.

Just over 5 months I ago, I gave birth to Paxton.

Almost 3 months ago, I left the best "job" in the world.

Just over 2 months 1/2 ago, we moved 600 miles back to Ohio, back to family. 

I left my friends who became family. I left my job. I left what felt like everything.

We've been church shopping for 2 months now. (We think we've found where God is leading us. But, it's different)

The plan was to stay at home with Paxton.

Then,  2 weeks ago I was offered a pre-k teaching job.

 Life has changed. I was uprooted. I was lost. My identity felt removed.

During this transition, my prayer life felt off, felt different, just plain weird.

9 days ago, I started reading with SheReadsTruth on prayer.

It's changed my prayer life. In turn, it has helped me find my place. 

Some key points, I have written down in my journal that God has lead me to have literally changed the way I have been praying and the state of my heart.

• God honors the persistent prayer of a thankful heart.
• God knows my needs before I ask.
• God is with me and will deliver me. 
• A heart at peace gives life.
• I am God's creation and he does not reject his creation.

It's incredible to link up with other women who are reading the same passages of prayer. The encouragement from each other is amazing.  

While I have not determined my place, God has already determined it. I can rejoice in that!

Kissing God's Butt

Yesterday in #SheReadsTruth we read Luke 18:1-14. In the Parable of the Tax Collector and Pharisee, I was pretty convicted. The pharisee had prayed to God thanking him for not being like others. At first, I thought well duh, that is dumb. why would the pharisee even pray like that? 

Then it got real. I can't actually recount a time when I prayed like that. But, I can recount a time when I thought like that. I think if we are all honest we really can relate to the pharisee. It may have been thoughts of jealousy, thinking you're better, or any number of things.

• I would never talk to my husband that way.
• Really, she spanked her child over that?
• Yikes, they live on that street?
• She really wore that out in public?

As superficial as those may sound, I've thought them recently. And if I'm honest, that's just what the pharisees were doing--comparing.  Essentially they were kissing God's butt. While I wasn't kissing God's butt, I was doing the same type of comparing. 

Nothing make me, or you, any better than anyone else-nothing. 

Jesus went on to say, "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Convicting. Who I am and what I think says everything about who I really am. 

A Happy Day

Today Paxton has been extra happy. He's a really happy baby, especially in the morning. Usually in the mornings I read Paxton a book in the rocking chair in his room. Then I put him in his swing and he loves it! This morning he was talking up a storm! 

While he is in his swing I do an assortment of things. If he gets up earlier than usual I complete my SheReadsTruth for the day. If he gets up around 8, like usual, I've already done that. So, I move to my domesticated things. I refer to my Home Management Binder for all of that. I love meal planning, but that's beside the point :)

So this morning this happy baby was irresistible.

Ok, now watch this series of events. It rocked my world and totally caught me off guard!

 He's sitting up by himself!!

Granted, it only lasted about a minute. But, he just did it himself!! I had him tripod sitting and then he pushed himself up!! Where has my baby gone?? I can't believe he will be five months on Friday!

Four Months Later

Paxton has changed so much over the last month. It's hard to believe it has been four whole months since he was born. Having a child really puts into perspective how fast time goes. We all know how fast time goes. Just put a newborn in front of you and you'll really see how fast time goes. Check out some of Paxton's adventures this month.

Playing with his elephant on his mat.

Riding with daddy.

He really wants to crawl! He's a good scooter!

What a happy baby!!

Josh's First Father's Day

So if you haven't figured out by now we're incredibly proud and thankful parents. Paxton is such a blessing to us. There are days we still cannot believe we have a biological child. God is incredible!!

Windy Day!!

How cute is he?

First we went to church. We tried out a new church because we are church shopping. We really enjoyed the church. That is for another day :-)

Then we went to a huge cookout with Josh's family and all the fathers. It was fun. Josh and I got to drive a golf cart around. By drive, I mean stunt driving! Donuts, sharp turns, and lots of screams...It was a blast! We also ate some great food! Josh is a great dad because he has a great dad. I'm thankful Paxton comes from a great line of men!!

I'm a thankful mom. Josh is an incredible dad. He longs to see Paxton when he's away from him. He talks, loves on, kisses, and so much more on Paxton. He even changes cloth diapers :-)

I'm a thankful mom.

Pool Time!

I've gotten behind on blogging. It's been crazy! We've been getting our scrapbook room together, gardening, Josh is going back to work, Paxton is growing, and so much more! So excuse my "catch up".

 

It's been a hot few weeks! We've had Paxton in his baby pool, but not a "grown up" pool. A couple of weeks ago we went to my Aunt and Uncle's house. They have a pool and a solar heater for our pool! Can you tell that is right up our alley? Paxton was not really sure what to think about water up to his chest. He didn't like it going over his belly button, but does anyone? The whole time his legs were going crazy! Kick, Kick, Kick!

We had to keep him out of the sun.

Paxton and his granny

His legs were kicking like crazy under water! Now, when he is in the bath he has started scooting down in his bath seat so his legs can kick in the water. I think we have a swimmer on our hands!

 

Josh doing a "belly flop"

After we got Paxton out of the pool, my cousin Kidron and Josh decided to have some "boy" fun. They were belly flopping and all kinds of crazy stuff. Isn't that just the coolest picture? 

I love summer.

Beacause We're Green

Josh and I planted a garden this year. This is our second garden. The first year we were married we planted a small one. It produced enough for us to eat through the summer. It was a bit of a challenge though. We were new to gardening, especially in the Georgia soil.

The second summer we were married we moved when it was "prime time" for planting in Georgia.

This year we moved during the same time. This time we moved north; this worked to our favor because the planting times are later.

We planted a lot from seeds and some from plants. We planted squash, spaghetti squash, radishes, peppers (of all kinds), tomatoes, cucumbers, snow peas, some herbs, and lettuce.

There is just something about growing your own food that is so cool! 

This was our garden on June 10th

Peppers!!

Our first Cucumber

Squash is growing

Check out all those peas!

Our first "harvest"

 

Lettuce is growing!

Our garden on July 1st

Our lovely assistant

Not only is the food for us this year, but for Paxton! We'll be canning and freezing for the winter. What is so cool though is we'll be able to feed Paxton his first food from our garden! Obviously it ill be the squash. It's so neat to be think the first food he eats we grew ourselves. Next year he will be able to "help" us in the garden!