Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Resolution...

This week's Woot Woot Wednesday is all about Christ and His voice through extreme valleys....

I've started a new study w/ one of my close and most influential friends, Minna, who also, if you're a reader, know is Shelby's teacher.  Her group of ladies at her church started The Resolution for Women based off the Courageous movie and book and boy is it a toe stomper!! We meet once a month (I go for the first time in May) and we will discuss our journaling and the study as well as have girl time.  With all that life's thrown at us I needed this.
See, not many know this and I feel it's time to share and blog about this, but back in late December and January I wasn't myself and hadn't been for a while. I've always had issues w/ my female health and wellness since we've been married and found out birth control is not an option for me.  I am considered "infertile" so it doesn't matter anyway...LOL.. I "Lol" lightly to hide the hurt though....You can read the jist about the struggle we had to get Shelby here... I've had crazy cycles and there's not a diagnosis for my struggle.  Shelby being almost 4, we never prevented a second child after having her, not only because it's never been an issue and we are open to another baby.  After visitng my doctor, the discussion of my age and difficulty getting pregnant came up and basically if we want another child, we would have to have fertility treatments again like before when we were trying for Shelby.  That was enough to make me breakdown because I HATED THOSE DAYS....the meds made me insane and a wreck and the scheduling and pressure was too much and a heavy burden because I am the problem. My body is the issue not Josh.  So after hearing that, I began to pray for God to show me what His will was and to erase any glimpse of my wants.
Back to late December and January.... not feeling right and all and then something strange happened... I began bleeding and it didn't stop for WEEKS UPON WEEKS... this began to worry me because I've never done this and even with my uncertain cycle this type of thing never occurred.  I thought in the back of my mind that maybe I was pregnant but then that vanished because I was having a "period," so I thought.  After 4 weeks of this goin off and on, I took a test and it was negative. So I just dismissed it and dealt w/ the discomfort and pain.  The thought kept creeping in though so I took another test a week later and it was again negative.  I kept this cycle going for several days and then decided I was going to take one more and it was positive, very faint, but  positive..... I called my doctor and they gathered all my information up about what had been goin on and my symptoms and such and said I was indeed pregnant but was miscarrying.  The nurse who was there holding my hand as I was in discomfort in labor with Shelby and was there as my doctor's assistant in my c-section, confirmed that according to my last cycle I had been about 8.5-9 weeks along and that my body had been cleaning itself and there wasn't going to be a need for me to come in and have a D&C or any other procedure unless I kept bleeding several more weeks or had any other issues. 
A Miscarriage?? Seriously?? How?? How could I have been so careless and stupid to not know I was pregnant and not take care of that life that was growing? A lot had gone on during the time I was pregnant and I didn't know...that left a LOAD of guilt and questions that I caused this and that I hurt the baby. 
God said otherwise....
there was NOTHING anyone did to cause the baby to pass away and not develop.  But what I learned through this AWFUL pain and shock was that God is bigger than ANY diagnosis.  I could in fact, get pregnant on our own and that God could bless us and through this He has.  He's brought me back to His side and realize that EVERY moment with the blessings He's given us, are precious and not to be taken for granted.  It simply wasn't our time for  a baby and Shelby may be the only child we ever have, and I'm finding contentment in this option.
That's what I'm studying right now in my new girls study, Contentment.  Contentment like Paul found and developed through Christ.  He had the secret and I want that!  I've learned that through the darkest valley's there's ALWAYS a glorious mountain top.  I've not quite reached that peak yet but I see it and it's coming. 
For now, I'm focused on THESE blessings....



Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Relay for Life 2013

It's dance season again and if you're a dance momma like me, then you know it means costumes, recital pics, relay for life dancing and recital all coming up! Relay for Life was Friday and her class danced to "At The Hop" and it was PRESH!!!! She, being the youngest, did exceptionally well and knew her routine! :) Some of the big girls even watched her for what was next! She smiled and showed out the whole time! :) I'm one proud momma!
This Friday she has dance pictures and I can't wait to see all these girls dolled up and "fancy"(shelby's new favorite word she's used lately!).  It's gonna be neat to see all these little divas in my design for jazz. :)

Before we left for Relay for Life Friday, we told shelby we wanted to take some pictures of her outside in her tap costume and she immediately began posing on her own and did all these herself ... i'm afraid we'll have our hands full when she turns 16! :)


















Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Jazzy Woot Woot

Shelby, as you know, attends dance and LOVES every time she gets to go! This year she's in 4 classes and 3 of them are performing at recital in May and I was asked by the studio owners who are also fellow Phi Mu sisters to make the 4 year old jazz class recital costumes and I jumped at the opportunity! Shelby is in this class so that helped sway my decision! LOL
 I was given full reign to do whatever design I wanted based on the song they are dancing to, Choo Choo Soul.
I immediatley began brainstorming and it hit me! :)
Each tutu is 50 yards of tulle cut into 12" strips and tied onto elastic and then it's sewn onto the cut-off overalls...then the rhinestoning... ALL BY HAND! ONE BY ONE.... :) the hat as well! I also then made a little hair puff from tulle which each one of those is about 2 1/2 yards of tulle each cut into 12" strips.  This took A LOT of time.... but it's all worth it! I can't wait to see them in these! There's 8 girls in the class so at least there weren't 20! :)
The only time I had to start on these was a week ago when I went to Ft Worth with Josh and this was in the hotel..yes I took my sewing maching with me! haha...







Tuesday, April 2, 2013

He Is Risen!!

Easter is NOT about bunnies, eggs, egg hunts, easter baskets, goodies, candy, frilly dresses or making sure you go to church on this day.... it's about HIM... it's about THIS...



Praise God He is Risen! Every night befor Easter, TBN plays The Passion of The Christ and as painful as it is to watch, it gives me a glimpse of what Christ went through for me and you and help sme remember what Easter is truly about. Easter was sooo different this year with the rain and all but it was still a great day of worship and celebration of Christ's resurrection!


Josh was asked to fill in and lead worship so it was surreal for us to be on stage again but it was sooo great to worship as a team again on stage.

Here's a recap of Easter with pics... we didn't have an egg hunt this year because I was sick w/ food poisoning Friday and took a while to recoop from it and now I'm suffering from the pollen clouds everywhere! Needless to say, it's been a rough weekend but still remembered the reason for Easter!
We do have the easter bunny but we make sure she understands that the real reason we celebrate Easter is not because of him but because of HIM










I pray you have Jesus in your heart and if not, I'd be more than happy to show you the Lord I serve and love with all my heart!
Praise the Lord HE IS ALIVE!


Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Circus Came to Church

We had a blast last night! Our church sponsored the Carson & Barnes Circus on our church property and boy was it fun! I'd never been to a circus and neither had Shelby! It was all I hoped it'd be!
The circus was a fundraiser for Expecting an Encounter which is a ministry our pastor and our church is apart of and supports.  Expecting an Encounter exist to help others realize that no matter what issue they face in life Jesus Christ is the answer.
Expecting an Encounter ministries desire to work through the local church for the kingdom of God. It is our hope to identify those who are hopeless, desperate and hurting. Our message is simple; healing and restoration are possible through the grace of Jesus Christ.
The Word was given and there was a packed house both times and so I know someone was reached!! :)
Here's a photo-recap of our night!


















Needless to say, we all had a blast!!! :)