Category Archives: God

Here we are…

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A few short weeks from delivery of our second little one and my excitement is finally rising. I have been excited but there is something about having child number two that puts family in perspective. My family. No longer are we a small group floating along we will be an even number. As many dependents as adults will reside in this home. It is sobering.

I can’t recall how many days out of the week my twenty something self feels like an adult, a functioning adult, but today is one. I look around at the home I reside in and am overwhelmed with the journey here. So many memories floating back. And it is good. Life is good. God is good.

The early years

The once fun man cave has been turned into a nursery complete with diaper genie. That will send you a wake up alone. Only an adults house has a diaper genie. Only a responsible home keeper thinks of diaper disposal. Where have the days gone?

And with the passing of more time we are closer to separation once again. Duty calls. I am so grateful to have an uplifting partner that knows the power of his words. Everyday a new affirmation of our life together. A new piece of love to keep me plowing on, down this unknown road. He is beautiful in that way.

I see friends struggle with the coming time apart. Spouses that have given their fair share of strength to the role of military wife shaken at the promise of another time apart. I have no words for them only faith. Faith that is growing with every dark thought swept aside and every reassuring word. In all things He is there. In all things He remains faithful.

Our newest addition!

Present!

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So I know I haven’t made much of an effort to update lately and that is changing, promise. Life has been so full and busy lately that I have set my priorities in line and everything else falls by the way side. As of late I have not made myself a priority. I haven’t had time. There are new baby appointments and older baby appointments and things to cook, people to comfort, sun to soak and laughs to good to miss for me to sit and just be. But I will say now that I have just sat and relaxed…ahhhh. That is better.

Father’s Day passed without a word from One Loved American Girl! I apologize Dads. Happy belated Father’s Day. It takes an amazing person to lead a family!

This past month we have set some pretty life altering goals. God has blessed us greatly and in order to bless others we have to be great stewards of ALL our resources. After all you can not give out what you yourself do not have. To begin we decided to implement greater savings tools to help stretch the dollars further. We pray to make a greater difference in the lives of others by first creating a difference in our home. I have to admit it is not always easy walking the tight road and we sometimes fumble but the end reward will be worth it.

Our little one is growing steady and my heart bounds with all the stories I wait to read. Hopefully they will one day carry these stories around as unrelentingly as I did some years ago.

The list of things I hope to accomplish this week is long so here goes!

1. Perfect a dessert. I have no idea how I have managed to skim through life this far without having a go to up my sleeve. Leaning towards Red Velvet Cake mmmmm…

2. Have a yard sale. This is quite the underground activity I must say. I never knew!

3. Find a used book store. I very much miss such a place.

4. Start up my quilt again. It is nagging me from the hall closet. Time I answered.

5. Make hand print art with the little one for family.

Happy goal achieving this week. I hope to be busy!

Five Final Things I Will Take From Nursing

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It has been 13 months that started with a beautiful baby struggling to nurse in the NICU. My Sweets was born with an elevated white blood count and was kept seven long days in the hospital. He thrived on antibiotics and the feedings of newborn formula. I thought my great plans of nursing would never take form due to our rocky start. Once my milk arrived we bonded and he never again wanted anything but Mama milk. Read about our start here.

The nursing relationship is so hard to explain to someone who has never been a part of it. The sweet quiet and hour long cuddling as my body actually creates food for my child. Even now on the occasional chance that he needs comfort to drift to sleep I savor the moments. Never were they easy. Nursing is hard and time consuming but we made it to our goal!

I haven’t feed him from me once today and believe this marks the end of this special amazing relationship we have had. It will evolve into something else but this beginning, this time together has been one of the most defining of my life.

So many things I learned of myself while feeding my son. That I didn’t need that much sleep to survive, that my patience could be ten fold when he needs me…that I would one day cry at this little bit of letting go.

1. It is about quality and quantity. Many hours passed when he just would not let go and needed comfort. Teething hours, sick hours or new home hours and that was fine because I will never get them back. Savor the time, even on the days it becomes unending. It does eventually end.

2. Babies become adults. I like to think the sweet times between Mother and son or Mother and daughter in the beginning will wholly impact their ability to recognize sweet moments in the future. The days my little one nursed away while pressing in my neck freckles and laughing may have tilted his heart toward showing greater love to others.

3. Showing makes more loved. The giggles and laughter of catching his hand as he reached for my nose or the quick end to sobs reminded me of a Mother’s position. Just as God does for us we are to love before being loved. We are to set the standard for all things in that regard. Make it a good lesson.

4. There are only so many babies. We never know how many children we will be blessed with enjoy the ones you have now. Be an in the moment Mom or Dad.

5. Not all lessons in life are pain free. The good Lord knew what he was doing as He created each and every relationship and as I let go a little bit He is gently reminding me of how fleeting life is, how quickly it all goes. Daddy’s deployment day is approaching, the new baby will be arriving and a new season comes. Nothing is permanent and the troubles I had day one are a distant reminder of the person He has shaped me to be.

The Heart of a Mother(‘s Day)

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One of the things I, conveniently, had forgotten about pregnancy was the dreadful insomnia. When My Sweets is sleeping I lay awake unable to sleep, when he is awake I can barely keep my eyes open. This too shall pass but I am just now remembering my previous pregnancy clearly. I have to say that a healthy baby is one of the greatest blessings I have received but it still brings back memories. Memories of sitting through NSTs galore and memorizing magazines on my OBs waiting room wall. I worried so much with baby number one. Do I feel the baby move as much today? Did I sleep on the wrong side last night? Did that have caffeine in it? So much worry.
After it all was said and done I remember taking in my little wrinkly peaches leg folds and yawn creases. I remember the huge relief that this baby was so healthy and here. He was and still is my baby that God has gifted me, entrusted to me. To raise and protect until the end of my days. It is these thoughts that probably have contributed to my insomnia this go around. Not thoughts of worry this time but enormous thoughts of gratitude.
This week has been exhausting and still I lay awake sometimes staring at him. Thanking God for giving me the opportunity of such a great love. Thanking God for loving me that much.

How I Love It

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The weekends when he is home are heaven. Usually they involve a break for Mommy and a long bath. Those little moments stolen away alone to just be…without noise. The moments flowing with kind words of encouragement from my spouse who finally is allowed a day to slow down.
It is in these quiet moments that I find peace in the imperfection of life.
Just as the great Creator accepts us, wholly and in light of our past sins, marriage is built. Someone to accept you and your love. Imperfect and beautiful in all its intention. Someone to pick up your spirits in the light of a utterly boring or depressing week. Grateful to my imperfectly perfect Husband for his love and kindness. When others fail to encourage a partner that is there in love. And I am grateful to God for the gentle reminder of who I should be in this union in return.
Wishing you a love filled weekend break that will encourage and recharge you as well.

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Day In, Day Out

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To put it frankly the life of a Military stay at home mother and wife can be very bland many days. We haven’t a great deal of close relations around us or life long friends nearby. We don’t have a history with most places we live. So on days when things go a little south it is easy to become inverted. Today is one of those days.
I was blessed enough to have the foresight to marry a man that understood “in sickness and in health” would occasionally mean bringing home supper for his ailed wife. That was the highlight of my day. I composed myself enough to shower and dress without my makeup or hair done, something I vowed I’d never do just because I had children. However, today sank me. I laid on the couch and listened to soothing music most of the day while sipping Ginger ale and eating rice cakes. If it weren’t for this wicked sore throat today would have been the epitome of relaxation.
Being so far from family I was on my own with my little teething monster today. In between gagging sessions and coughing fits I managed to laugh at his goofy grin. Not to mention the way he manages to fit a whole building block in his mouth before producing such a grin.
It is funny when you see things around you clearly, the bad days don’t seem bad.
Hubby came home to help tonight-check. We have a roof over our heads and food to eat- check. Our health- well I’ll say check just the same. God is good. All the time.

Welcome Monday!

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If that chipper greeting has you wanting to hide back under the covers I am sorry, but  feeling extra blessed today. The baby woke up six plus times last night for his sixth tooth, I had to wash My Sweets sheets very early this morning (fun), my husband didn’t have a chance to eat breakfast and I have to bustle out to store to get a few things I forgotten (eep) before everyone is let out for lunch (serious traffic at lunch time on an Army base, don’t mess with a solider and his food!). How am I feeling blessed after the lack of sleep and aromatic greeting (!) this morning? God has given our little family another day together.

I can focus on the negative of what the day has already held or I can begin counting every blessing. When I take inventory of everything God has provided, everything past a need, I can’t help but feel so blessed today and everyday. I am not trying to minimize the suffering many people are going through. I know there are some people really hurting, we all have things we don’t share. But know that God placed you here and now for a purpose. You were no accident and were created with love. To change the world? Maybe! So join me in setting our resolve to make a positive impact on the day and work to bless others.

Come what may, we always have today!

Growing Out

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This was by far the best Birthday I have ever had. My husband went above and beyond to show how much I mean to him and it was awesome. That being said I think there is a point in life where Birthdays are just another day. Maybe it is because he gives me that treatment randomly throughout the year. Or maybe it is because I have finally reached and age/place where I am completely happy with my standing. I am completely happy with the blessings I see when I look around me.

God is so good. Even with all the struggles we face and the challenges we have encountered I feel peace. Each day will have a new set of tests. Each test a new lesson. But this week as another Birthday passes I feel so grateful for the lessons the Good Lord has put in front of me. Be what they may faith will carry us through. Faith… and each other.

Learning to lean on each other and think as a whole. No longer just me and my day but us and our life together. While we will face our own separate scenarios later this year we face this challenge together. As a family.

Tonight we enjoyed one of the first warm nights at our new post and I had to snap some photos of the beautiful moon filled sky.

Becoming…

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My hope for my child is to have a Mother that is honest about her walk. A Mother that will do their Father justice when they are apart in her teachings. A Mother that speaks in the hard times in order to show her child how to get through them, together. A Mother that admits life is difficult but that she will always be there for them. Most importantly I hope for them to always know a home of unconditional love and peace…