Stuff

Lots has been going on as always in our crazy house!! Right now I am just counting the days until we find out if we are having a baby girl or a baby boy or who knows maybe an alien of some kind lol!! Next Wednesday we find out so 6 more days!! We have been busy going to parks and then trying to find things to do when it is raining so if anyone has any idea's please send them my way because as of right now it is messing up the house!!
We have a boy name picked out but are stuck on a girls first name middle name we picked out is Isabel after Nathan's grandmother but not sure what to go with it!! I need some help but they have to be unique I do not want a Jennifer or a Katie (not that anything is wrong if that is your name but I do not want 6 kids to raise their hands when my child's name is called!!) so please leave your suggestions!!!

I am still here

I have been away for a while because I have been so sick that to even think about turning the computer on took too much energy! I have finally made the 12 week mark which is exciting. I have my next appointment on Tuesday and have to take all three kids (that will be very interesting). This week is going to be very busy Nathan's sister, brother-in-law, and two nieces are coming into town on Thursday. We are so excited to see them it has been a whole year. We are doing lots of fun stuff including a Thompson family reunion on Saturday, and Traverese City on Monday!!!

We went to Stoney Creek yesterday and had so much fun and lots of excitement. We started at one of the many picnic areas to grill and eat with the in-laws. The kids had lots of fun finding HUGE ants! Then around 8 pm we started the drive over to Baypointe Beach and we were stopped about 1 mile and told to park!! We knew that to carry chairs and 3 kids on the way back in the dark would be a bad idea so we decided to turn around. We then went to a different picnic area and let the kids play while we figured out what to do. A women started talking and saying that we could see the fireworks if we just walked about 5 minutes to the lake through the woods. So we waited until 955pm and started the walk (more than 5 minutes) with very tired kids and Nathan carrying all of our chairs (he would not let me help I asked). We found a spot after Mariana asking many times if there were any bears! Nathan and the girls spent the wait throwing lots of rocks in the lake. Then they started we seriously had the best spot in the whole park! We were right in front of where they light the fireworks off. It was so worth the hassle. THEN THE DRAMA BEGINS. I brought some crackers so that the kids could snack on something while we watched. A couple times Mariana dropped some so I threw them in the lake so I did not have Peanut Butter melting in my pocket. Well about 10 minutes in I saw them running all over the place. They were weaving in and out of the woods just a mere 5 feet behind us. That is right MICE!! I screamed put my feet up and had Mariana jump into my lap. Then more came and I said that's it we are done!! We packed up and started making our hike back (Sammy refusing to walk so Nathan had to carry him and the chairs) I had to calm the girls down and let them know that even though if was very dark out and we had no flashlight we were going the right way. We found our way back to the car and waited in line without moving for 45 minutes and made it home by 1230am!! It was so much fun though and we will do it again for sure but not without a grandparent coming to help lol!! Hope everyone else had a great 4th!!

I need to get back to the Hannah Montana Marathon with the girls!!

A poopy mess (Might be TMI)

So this morning Sammy must have gone to the girls room first thing instead of ours and Mariana woke me up saying Sammy has no diaper on and he is poopy!! I jumped out of bed and grabbed him put him on his changing table to find his diaper at his knees and poop EVERYWHERE! When I pulled his pants off it then got all over the changing table his feet my hands. Then Sammy decided he wanted to touch it and sure enough he rubbed his hands all over his legs! This was definitely a GROSS moment.
I guess it is better than when Mariana used to paint her crib with her poop right??

Sleepy

I am really sick of being sick and tired! I wake up and think about taking a nap then when I do get to take a nap and wake up from that I think about how soon I can go to bed! I know I know this is pregnancy and it will pass but seriously I feel like it is taking tooooooo long to pass this part of it all.

Today we are going to Westview Orchards they are having a family fun day where everything is free. And if you know Westview they can be very expensive so this is a treat! We are picking my mom up and she is going with us this afternoon. The kids are very excited as I am since it will pass the day until I can go to bed lol!!

Just looking back!!

Jordan but OH MY do I look like I just gave birth lol!!

This is Mariana our miracle baby

First time seeing Sammy

A couple days old Salvatore Joseph

I can not believe that we are going to have another one!!!

Backyard Surprise (pics 3 of 3)

The beginning of the surprise!
A couple hours in!!

5:30 pm
Around 7:30
14 hours later

The finished product
They were very Surprised!!
All three of them on the picnic table!!

Jordan's 7th Birthday (pics 2 of 3)

Jordan opening her webkins

She loved her Razor Scooter

Has been wanting a new kite and she got it from Aunt Becky

Blowing our her candles I can not believe she is 7 years old!!

Mariana wanted some attention too! Middle child syndrome

Pictures 1 of 3

It has been a long time since I have posted some pics so here are a couple hundred lol! Enjoy!!


Sammy on stage Mariana waiting for her turn to sing!!

Mariana and her diploma Jordan and Mariana waiting for the program to start

Jordan jumping on Uncle John's trampoline

Sammy at My Uncle Johns

Jordan's field trip to the Zoo

Our group by the Zoo fountain
Jordan waiting in line.

Can I blame it on the hormones??

I am in a really bad B****Y mood! Like nothing is going to make it better. I spent the day outside with the kids which was lots of fun we took a walk and then they played in the back yard all day but for some reason I am letting some stuff bother me. One is that I just found out some stuff about a situation that I thought I was past and now I am just back to angry again.
This situation happened a while back and I wanted so bad to be off the hook for some things that I know I did not do and that those involved know I did not do but I felt that at the time I did not need to let everything out to prove that I was not wrong. Now things are coming up in me again that I wish I could just go to those people and let it all out.
But really what would that prove?
They already know that they were in the wrong and so do I.
So why am I dwelling on this again?
I know I am not perfect but I have always believed what goes around comes around so why can't it come around to them now in my timing lol???
I know that that is not a nice way to look at things and I am not saying I am wishing ill on others but just that they way they handled things will be found out.
Or maybe just an apology would be nice?
Maybe I just need to give it back to God and know that he will handle it all one day...........easier said than done though!

Have to spill the beans

I hate to keep in secrets (about myself) I have such a hard time almost to the point that I feel like I am lying or just feel heavy. So I had to take a break because a couple of weeks ago we found out that we are ...................PREGNANT!! I know I know we are crazy fools that are very fertile!! We are over the shock of it all and very excited so are asking anyone who may have anything negative to think or say to keep it to themselves please.

At first I was pretty upset since I am not working now how would this work and since I could not get a hold of anyone I starting praying (shouldn't that be first) and I felt God reminding me that he is always with us and he got us through being pregnant with Sammy while separated for a few months a living in a two bedroom trailer. He has provided for us so many times when we were not sure how to make it.

Just the other day Nathan's dealership got the "your safe" letter which is God providing for us right now! We are finally good right now and I know that he will continue to provide everything we need.

My first appointment is on the 9th but I am positive I am pretty close to three months along and have this weird feeling it could be twins! Could be totally wrong and I hope I am but it is all in God's hands. I have been really sick from 5 am til around midnight so please keep me in your prayers since I also have to chase after the little two year old who gets into everything!!

I know I know

So I said I was going to take a little break but that is like someone telling me I can not talk and if you know me well that is impossible lol!! I have gone longer than this without posting but that was not consciously and well this is and it is really hard. A lot is going on and keeping us really busy so soon I will reveal it all to you guys :)!!! Have a great week all!

P.s. Pray for my husband this weekend he is putting a swing set together and though I know he can do it I know that there will many words coming from the backyard that I will not be able to repeat lol!!

Need to take a break

Well things are CRAZY! They always are around the Cather's house. I feel like things always are with me like God is always trying to get my attention and say "see I am here and know what I am doing"! Well this weekend that happened which means for the next couple of weeks I have to look to him. We had something major happen this weekend and I tried calling a couple of people to talk to them but no one answered. Does that ever happen to you? I felt like God was trying to tell me that I needed to come to him first. So I did I prayed and prayed about the situation and he brought scripture to mind that calmed me then LBs phone finally worked and we talked. She told me everything that an amazing friend would (and my husband already told me but we all know that we take advice better from our good girlfriends lol) and even had me laughing at the end of the conversation. I know that God has the blue prints for our life already and they are better than anything that we ourselves could even dream of planning. I just have to remember that what ever he puts in our lives to trust that he knows what he is doing (I believe many times I have thought I could have done it better lol) and that he will never leave us alone. That is what I think I miss that he is always with us. A couple of weeks ago our kids in church got some neon shoelaces to put in their shoes to remind them that if they thought that they were alone standing up for something that they believed in then they were to look down at those and know that God is with them. I think I need to ask Brenda if I can have some!!! I might take a couple weeks off from blogging then I will be back and explain all of this madness when I can!!

Sorry

Well I just finished moving all my blog entries from my old myspace blog to here and it took me a really long time. Funny thing is Nathan called me because he kept getting all of them emailed to his phone lol!! So sorry to all of you who are on my automatic email because I think you probably got at least 30 emails from me!!

I did this because I had to delete my myspace page but I would loose all of my blogs and there are too many memories there to just delete them. Well they are here incase you did not read them then so you can go back ENJOY!!!

Books

So I have been reading a lot lately. When I say a lot I mean like in one week I read 4 books and started the 5th!! I love reading so much and right now I am reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan which is amazing. I love watching the chapter videos on www.crazylovebook.com but the book is bringing me into a new awareness of God's love for me and how much in awe I am of him and what he is. I have had a couple of days kid free and today and tomorrow are my last two and I have made a commitment to not turn the TV on and just read and pray. I have stuck to that I read the bible, Crazy Love and then write in my journal and just pray sitting in God's presence. It has helped me so much with things that are going on right now. God has given me so much clarity in some of these issues and it feels so good to be going down the right path now.I feel like God has used this time for me to focus on him and grow. I just struggle now to find the time when the kids are home with me and that is going to be everyday come Thursday. Well I know that God will work it out.
Speaking of reading I am going to go outside and enjoy this weather and read!!!

Music

Well music has played a huge role in my life I literally would lock myself in my room for hours and just listen to music. I would record songs write all the lyrics down memorize them and pick them apart until I understood the meaning of them. I would always listen to songs that would relate to what I was going through like when I was depressed I would listen to songs that I would just cry and cry but when I was happy I would listen to upbeat music and sing at the top of my lungs and dance around. Whenever I needed a break of any kind music was there for me. When I first started looking for a church music was huge I visited some churches that were too much and some that literally there was no sound to drown out my horrible attempt at singing. When I walked into Rockpointe almost 8 years ago there were many things that just made me feel at peace (the holy spirit, the community, the feeling of come as you are) but the music drew me in. At first people raising their hands to sing freaked me out but I liked that there were some people that did not do that and some people who clapped and some who did not. I will never forget the first song I ever sang there it was:
EVERY MOVE I MAKE
Every move I make, I make in You You make me move, Jesus.Every breath I take, I breathe in You.Every step I take, I take in You You are my way, Jesus.Every breath I take, I breathe in You.
Waves of mercy, waves of grace Everywhere I look, I see Your face Your love has captured me.
O my God, this love, how can it be?

Every time I hear it it reminds me of that first day that I really felt Jesus welcoming me into his family. I was saved years before that but this was the first time that I had hope that I would know Jesus the way I read. I started buying Christian Cds and only listening to that music because it brought me up never did it bring me down and when I was sad I would listen to it and immediately I would feel Gods presence. I am now one of those that raises their hands in church and claps their hands but not to make a statement but because I can relate to the words that I am singing and I love to worship God.
All this to say that a while ago Nathan got an MP3 player and I have tried over and over to get some christian songs on there are have not found a good site to get them from. Today I did!!! I am so excited I am going to go for a walk right now and listen to all my songs that I just downloaded on Walmart's Mp3 site with a gift card I got a while ago!!!

My Weekend

This weekend was great. As with my birthday I always stretch it for at least 2 weeks (I try a month but it doesn't always work) this year I had a Mother's Day Weekend! On Saturday I did the MS walk (3.2 Miles) with my cousins and it was a blast. I raised $200.00 which was pretty good but my cousin Kim raised $860 on her own!!! The coolest part was there was supposed to be 6 of us raising our goal of $1000 but two of us did it and beat our goal $1060!! I have to say that I am now looking forward to the 5k run for Breast Cancer. I have been walking 2.5-3 miles with Nathan and am going to start running it with in the next week to get ready. This will be my third time doing this race. The last time was I think two years before Jordan was born so it has been a while. I love running and am excited to be back outside and have my thoughts to sort through. Anyways when I got home Nathan let me take a nap ( I was up at 5am to get to Frankenmuth by 8am) and then he made an amazing dinner. Chicken Kabobs and seriously they were the best yet. Then he helped get the kids to bed and we had a really relaxing evening together.
Sunday was great I got to sleep in and everyone made me some pancakes and brought them to my room (Sammy ended up digging in and destroying them with his hands but that is okay). It was very sweet and the girls talked about it all day. We then went to my Nana and Papa's house for a BIG BBQ that my Cousin Kim always puts on for the Moms. She did great she made sure that everything that we ate was gluten free so that my Nana did not feel left out and then she gave us all Canvas shopping bags with seeds (oregano for me), a reusable water bottle, and a Going Green for Dummies book. It was so much fun. We got home and Nathan cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom for me!! It was so great and I do have to say that I am very lucky that I have a husband who humors me when I stretch out my special holidays and goes along with it. Because he knows that I would laugh if he tried to stretch his out lol!!!

DaZeD

I am in a little bit of a daze. I need to bring myself back in to full time mommy mode and it is a struggle for me. I know that this is where i am supposed to be because I see where the need is right now especially with my middle. She is struggling with numerous things and I need to take a delicate but firm approach and I have a feeling that this summer is going to be challenging. I think I need to start with spending some time with her in the bible and reading to her and having her memorize a easy verse with me. I think that this will help her she loves God already and she goes around the house singing songs about God all the time. She is the typical middle child I think and I am that as well I always said growing up that I will show favor to my middle because I was so deprived (ha ha ha ha). I feel bad because my oldest gets attention since she is in school now bringing big things home and doing concerts and field trips and Sammy is so jealous whenever the girls even try to come close to me that I feel like Mariana gets lost. I work really hard to make sure obviously that she does not but I feel like I am failing her some how. I know before I have said that no matter what we do we must all face the truth that someday our kids are all going to need therapy but I would rather it be because of Nathan and not me JUST JOKING!!!!
Well on another note thank you to those that donated because now we have almost $600 and that is a lot closer than we were. GO TEAM TAG GIRLS (even if it is just two of us now)!!!!

More Begging

Please if you can click on the title above it will take you to our team site and donate money to the MS Foundation. My goal was $500 and I have $125 I have tried really hard to collect as much as I could including hand writing(because I do not have a printer) some flyers and placing them around my neighborhood. I really would like to do this. My cousin and I are doing the walk on Saturday so this is my last chance to raise the money. You can go to the site that is listed above or you can email me at cathersmariana@comcast.net and I will send my address and info to you so you can mail a check in. Thank you so much and please please please help out. As you can see I am not above begging!!!!!

Small Glimpses

Well as always lots has happened and I am not wanting to go into all the details of the mess that followed quiting my job and the emotional mess that I became but know that things are getting better. I took all the kids to school today (because I already gave a two week notice to daycare so why not give myself a break before the summer right??) and came home and started reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I then had to go pick up my Little sister and ended up praying in the car before getting her and just in tears while praying. I came home and spent over an hour reading the bible and praying. I want to get back to having an amazing relationship with God again. I miss who I used to be and I a excited to get glimpses of me. I plan on taking the two days this week and the two next week just in God's presence no TV just reading the bible, praying and journaling (blogging too). I know that this will help me to get myself on track. I am excited for things that are coming our way. We started our small group on Sunday and I am really excited for this and the relationships that will come of it.

On Sunday Pastor Randy was talking about how we forget that our identity is in Christ not in our roles as a wife,mother,coworker and though I know that a lot of people can relate to this but I felt like Randy was talking to me directly. This is something that I struggled with at work especially with everything that has recently happened. I think that God the last couple of days has reminded me of this that not only is my identity in him, but my reputation will be protected and the truth always comes out. I also know that even though I know that things will come out it will be in his timing and may not look like I think it will. I am just so excited for this change that is going on.

Being able to to handle the unexpected

Well today is my first day home with the kids! I am trying to keep us busy so that I do not dwell on the other things that are going on in my life but God always comes through and brings a little smile to me. We decided to go outside before it started raining so I put the two little ones in the wagon and went for a walk around the block. Well we went half way and started raining so I turned around went home walked up to the front door and even tough I left our front door unlocked I did not unlock the screen door (which has no key)! So here we are in the rain can't go anywhere but sit in the car because my car keys are in the house with my house keys! But if you know me then you know that I love the rain so it was nice to sit in the car and just watch the rain come down. I could have gotten upset cried (some more than I have already been) but instead we waited til it stopped raining. Here is the funny part............I thought hmmmm maybe for some odd reason the kitchen window is unlocked and I can climb through. So I left the kids in the car and ran around the back and low and behold it was unlocked. So I grabbed a patio chair and climb head first through the kitchen window. I am positive that my neighbors behind me were wondering what I was doing. So we are back in the house the kids are waiting lunch and soon it will be Sam's nap time. So I guess all the funny things that I used to post about our funny family drama will return now that I am home again. Have a great day all!!!

I just want to say thank you to those that have helped me tonite. I am just wondering why this is happening and I just have to trust that God has a plan and that I am protected from some of the things that are being said. I know that things will work out. And now I need to move on to spend the summer home with my kids and have a great summer getting together for play dates with friends and finding myself in God again. And maybe more time to get back to blogging again YAY!!!!

I am so excited because Nathan and I were invited into one of our church groups. I am really excited because we really need to back involved in fellowship. I can not wait to start the group in just a couple of weeks.

Not to be a Pain

Please if you read this and would like to help my cousins and I out we are trying to donate $1000.00 to MS. We are doing a walk on May 9th in Frankenmuth. Our Aunt has MS and I know that this means alot to her. I know that times are hard but even if you just give up one coffee or bottled water (plus it is good for earth week too) this week that would help. Send me an email if you are unable to donate on line and would like to send me a donation through the mail I will mail you a tax deduction form back. Thank you so much and let everyone you know to check out our Team Tag Page (our families last name is Tagliavia) Click on the title of this blog entry to get to our page!!!

Another Deep Entry

Today is a raining gloomy day inside and I feel that way myself. I love having a blog but lately I have not posted things because if certain people are reading it then I have to watch myself and that is really hard to do. Not that I do not want people to read it but any ways. I am feeling really crappy! I feel like I am following God and am where I am supposed to be but I feel like there is something I am missing ya know? I know for a fact that my life is filled with busyness that does at times include him I hate admitting it but better to be honest right? I feel like I am lacking very much with my relationship with God. Just a couple of years ago I was in awe and in love with God I had this amazing relationship where I would sit for hours seriously and pray and write in my prayer journal. I go back and read these and it brings me to tears knowing that I have lost that. I know it is there but what happened? (rhetorical questions people?) I miss him in my life like it was then I know all I have to do is get on my knees and he is there. There are some things going on in my life right now that I feel like I am supposed to still be involved in but I am uneasy all the time and questioning if I should be. I feel like if I stop what I am doing then I am being irresponsible to my family. But should I continue doing something that makes who God created me to be not there anymore? Or am I not submitting enough to him or looking to others to provide the fill I should be getting from him? I am confused and feeling a little alone right now? But I am reminded of a family summit with my kids at my church a couple of weeks ago where they all got shoe laces and where told to put them in their shoes and whenever they felt like they were alone in something that they just needed to look down and remember that they are never alone. I need to remember that no matter what God is with me even when I do not feel like he is!!

Not sure how to title this one....it has been a while since I have blogged. I am in one of those moods you know where you just feel like you are going through the motions. Things are really busy at work and at home. Sammy just turned two which is CRAZY! We have had birthday parties every weekend sometimes two a day and have three more this month. But it is a fun crazy. I am at work taking a break from the craziness and I feel like I want to blog about something but I am worried someone will read it that can not. I will just say that someone who is in my life now is bringing back memories from my past that scare me. It is not that this person is bad it is just that this persons paths have crossed that of someone who really caused serious harm to me in the past. Lately I have been dealing with this in different situations and it makes me question have I moved past this issue?? Is it normal to know that you have forgiven someone and moved on but then years later to deal with emotions again? Then I wonder if I am even questioning is that God telling me that I have unresolved issues? Or if you are someone who has been abused do you always have issues with it? Like certain smells or names or places bring it back? I have always struggled with nightmares and sometimes they are more intense then others and lately they are strong where I wake up and feel like I have not even slept. Hmmmmmmm
On another note our church is starting some new small groups called Pathways and we are really excited about joining a group soon. It makes me nervous though because we signed up to be invited into a group which makes me think of Gym in elementary school and being the last couple picked lol!! Seriously though I know that God will provide a group for us that will give us the chance to meet new people and be encouraged and encourage others. I am really excited for this. Maybe I should go back to work now..............

MS Walk

Hey everyone! Thanks to everyone who prayed for Sammy he is doing really good and I can not believe he will be 2 in just a couple of weeks!! My cousins and I have been trying to think of ways that we could get together and spend some time together. If you know our family then you know that we are the typical Italian family (or used to be) Our whole family would go to my Nana and Papa's for Homemade pasta every Sunday. Now that we are all older and have our own families (and Nana and Papa have moved into a smaller house) we don't get together but for holidays and Birthdays (which in our family is a lot actually haha). So We have decided to help the cure for MS (my Aunt Beth has struggled with MS for I think close to 10 years) we created our own team "Team Tag Girls" (Tagliavia is our family name). Please if you can we are going to Frankenmuth on May 9th for the walk and we need all the support we can get. Believe me I know how hard times are but even if everyone we know donates a dollar imagine how much we can raise for a cure!! Please follow the link above or copy and paste it to your browser and check out our page!! If you really are not able to donate then keep us in your prayers and those that struggle with this horrible Illness!!!!!

Anoyone looking for a job!!!

The company I work for in Clinton Township uses a Computer tech company and they are looking for a full time receptionist who has lots of experience with quick books. They are looking for someone to start asap. Please let me know if you are interested I think it is a really good opportunity.

Life

******WARNING I COULD NOT USE SPELL CHECK SO THERE ARE MANY MISTAKES PLEASE DO NOT PROOF READ*********

So it has been a while since I have written on here. I have no time right now for the things that I used to do for me (which is fine for the moment) case in pointe I am doing this from the pediatric unit at Troy Beaumont. I bet you all can guess what little one I am with. Sammy is here because he pnemonia. He has been really sick with all respiratory illnesses since Janurary and this one landed him in the hospital. He has been such a trooper though and he brought Elmo along for the ride. Everytime he had to have a breathing treatment Elmo got one too, and when he was mad and ripped his IV out and had to be taken away to get a new one, you guessed it Elmo went too!! Although he is sick he is still such a joy and I can not believe that he is going to be 2 years old soon.
Mariana is doing well she is now 5 and very proud that she can write her name that she does it all over the place. She cracks me up with the things she comes up with and she continues to amaze me everyday with how smart she is.
Jordan is doing amazing in 1st grade. She is reading a ton which is great and she is showing inerest in Art which is pretty cool! She is still my little mommy and spoils Sammy a ton. Se finally lost her first tooth a couple of weeks back and now has two more loose so she is alread thinking of questions to ask the tooth fairy.
Nathan is doing good a work God has been faithful. We thank him everyday that Nathan still has a job because the way things are going it could be any day with SAAB.
I am loving my job and all the stress that goes with it. They have been really understanding with Sam always being sick and even let me go in after hours to work so that I can be at home or at the hospital if I need to. God has really blessed me with a new friend there and we are able to help eachother get through the crazy days.
We are still renting in Roseville and seriously I don't think we will ever go back to owning our own home this has been great. Plus we would never find as a great of neighbors that we have now!!
Well hopefully I can continue blogging if things get less crazier around here.

My Husband

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have an amazing husband! He wrote me a really sweet love letter today and I hope everyone is JEALOUS! lol!! This is my birthday week so he is so great with that sending me things and telling me great things all week.

On another note if anyone knows anybody that is looking for summer work I need to look for a sitter for 3 days a week for my three kids (possibly just the two little ones) I am willing to pay a decent amount that I have yet to figure out. Please spread the word to someone who is trust worthy and reliable. Thanks

Another Movie Night

So it has been a while since I have been so touched by a movie that I had to blog about it. Last night I stayed up until 3am to watch the movie Fireproof (Nathan ended up falling asleep). I cried, no actually I sobbed during the last 10 minutes of the movie. It was amazing I would highly recommend everyone to see it. Whether you are a believer or not, single, married, divorced, have a great marriage or a scarred one this will in some way touch you. Get past the corny acting in the beginning and really pay attention to the story behind the story.

Many of you already know that Nathan and I went through some really hard times in our own marriage and even separated (were very close to a divorce) when I was pregnant with Sammy and that is what it took to bring Nathan to turn to God and really give up his addictions and his demons so that he could focus on being a husband. But I also had to remember that God gives me chance after chance and still loves me and I needed to do the same for my husband. It took a long time but we are finally at a point that we can really confide in each other and have a very happy marriage. All because of God!

Watching this movie was like watching our fights right in front of us. Nathan and I watched it together again tonight and it affected me just the same. Amazed at what God can do because I wasn't only watching a movie I was watching what my life was and how God had changed it. All we had to do was give our life to him, trust him, and continue to confide in him. Some people may think that, that is serving a demanding God but if you have lived a life of fear,guilt,shame,addiction,sadness,lies,and defeat than it is easy.

Here is a link to the Love Dare book that is featured in the movie and the Fireproof my marriage website.

GOD BLESS!!

http://thelovedarebook.com/

http://www.fireproofmymarriage.com/

Mom's are the best

A friend of mine sent this email to me and I had to post it. I was crying by then end of it thinking of my mom and Nana! Thank you Mom for being so great and for teaching me how to be a great Mom. Although my Nana will not read this I thank her for being a strong,beautiful,loving and encouraging women for me to look to and admire.

MOTHERS

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;
they don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough
doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what
the vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'
and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth
is not measured by height or years or grade...
It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned..
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion .
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Blah Blah Blah

This past week has been really rough. I am not going to go into the details but for all that happened bad I am hoping that I have lost a ton of weight because each time I worked out it was to get some major aggression out! It was a week of one thing after another and having to face my fears BIG TIME! One thing at the end of the weekend Sammy flushed a big comb down the toilet Nathan is at work and I am home by myself with three kids and the basement is flooding and the plunger is not working. I had to use this snake thing (which was in a closet in the basement surrounded by spiders AHHHHHH) and still did not work. Finally when Nathan got home he fixed my handyman! Then last night I am getting Sammy in the tub and out of no where he throws a ball down the toilet! He is so fast I swear I did not even have my head turned long enough to turn the hot water on. It is funny because he reminds me a lot of how my brother was I guess he is a typical boy. Maybe soon I will have enough guts to tell everyone about the other fears I had to face but not right now! Have a great day!

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Weight Loss Update

Hey everyone I just wanted to update everyone on my progress. I am amazing myself really on how determined I am to change my lifestyle from what it was to be healthy. I am working really hard! I have cut out all coffee and pop and seriously I am drinking like 100 Oz's of water a day which really is not that hard because with this weather I am always thirsty. Plus I am working out every night doing an aerobic exercise that is the same as walking 2 miles. So all that has helped me to loose 10 POUNDS since new years day!!!!! I am so excited that I am totally going to not only win this competition but do it in a healthy way and keep the weight off! Thanks for all your prayers and I will keep you all updated!

Little Miss Mya's Giveaway

You all have to check this giveaway out. My friend Lisabeth is giving this great package away. All you need to do is click on the link below and follow the rules on her blog to be entered to win! If you don't have a blog still go check it out and you can spread the word about this new place for little girls. I am entering Mariana to win for a little Birthday party for her.
http://queenconger.blogspot.com/2009/01/little-miss-myas-review-and-giveaway.html

Calling all Cooks

Ok I am looking for some different (Healthy) recipes. We only eat Chicken and Turkey Meat so please if you have any good and healthy recipes pass them on to me. If we are going to stick to this lifestyle we need variety and I only have so many recipes that I can use. I have gone online and gotten some really good ones but it always better when I know someone else had cooked something that they love too! Have a great weekend everyone!

Progress

Thanks to everyone that emailed me really nice and encouraging comments about sticking to my diet! I am really excited to say that I have already lost 2lbs! I only weigh myself once a week and I did last night and was so excited. I am really trying hard. I have been doing 2 miles a night with this aerobics workout and I feel really good. So keep praying for us! Nathan is doing good too he is actually eating whole wheat which he swore he never would. Hope everyone has a great week!

New Year

I have to say that I am excited for this year! I am making a commitment this year that is really hard for me to talk about but here it is..............losing 50lbs! WOW I can not believe I just told everyone that. I am really excited though because I have been carrying this weight for too long. I am not in denial most of it is from my three kids but the other is from bad eating habits. For too long I ate out of convenience. Working and having three kids and keeping up a house was just too hard to cook healthy meals too. My first goal is 30 lbs by April 1st. Nathan and I are doing it together we are competing against a friend of his from work and his fiance. We are going to SMOKE them!! We are working out together and I am cooking healthy meals and watching how much I eat. I have been doing really good and I am so excited. The hard thing for me is sticking to it so I am just giving this to God I want to be healthy for my kids and grand kids. The next big thing is I am going to quit smoking. Some of you might either be surprised that I am smoking again or that I have ever even smoked but I am back to smoking a lot and I need to quit. My goal is in April I will start to quit smoking I can not do both at the same time because right now when I am stressed I either eat or smoke so to cut both out is too much. I am trying to be realistic and not mess my self up. So pray for me that I am able to stick to this and work towards my goal. My plan is once I am back in shape to start running again and participate in the Breast Cancer 5k run in August again. I love running and I am determined to meet these goals.
I hope that you all are having a great New year as well!