God's amazing timing

In the past few days I have been able to connect with people that just have a way of making me smile. 

 I was able to find a great friend that I grew up with on Facebook this past week and it has been just wonderful catching up. 

 I was able to spend a few hours with some ladies this past week that just made my day.  

God has such amazing timing.  

I really do love connecting with other believers.  I enjoy talking and laughing and saying things like "remember when".  Oh my heart loves and longs for that connection with other believers.  Now that may sound very interesting to you if you know me at all.  One of the things that I love most in the world is hanging at home with my family.  I can stay home for days not really having any contact with the outside world and be find, if my husband is home.  

So how are both so very true!!!  I do have a hard time leaving my family and hanging out, but when I do I remember how much I love it.  I love spending time talking, joking, laughing, and talking about things that only women talk about with other women.  (ladies you know exactly what I'm talking about)

I love how God has sets up interactions, not with my family, to fulfill a hole only other women believers can fill.  I love it.  

A couple of days ago I was able to find one of my best friends on Facebook.  I just adore her and love her.  It is even more cooler that after all these years we are both believers. :) 

God's timing is so good.  

Piercings

So, my girls have been asking me for a while if I would allow them to get their nose and belly button pierced.  I have not been one that gets weirded out by that kind of stuff but I never really thought it would be my girls getting pierced (everyone else its fine for).  After much thought David and I decided that it was between them and God.  I did not want them to go do it without me so I went with them.  I don't generally show pictures of my daughters belly but decided to make an exception today.  Here is Keisha and Kristie getting their piercings done and their mom taking the pictures.  This might not be for everyone but the Livingston's have decided that it's not permanent or immoral.  

What's your love language???

So if you don't know this about me already my love language is quality time.  

Actually it's just time.  

As long as David and I are in the same room I love it.  I don't even care if I'm doing dishes or he's folding clothes we are together and I feel good.  

Well, my best friend and lover and been working weird hours that past 2 weeks and tonight will not be home until around 4 or 5 in the morning. 

(if you are some weird person reading this I want you to know I have a gun and know how to use it) 

Anyway, it sucks.  

He came home tonight for dinner which was a welcome surprise, but then I had to say by again :(   

It's weird to think about my life before him how incomplete I was. 

 Thanks baby for being mine, I love you so very much.  

"Come home to Me soon". 

xoxo

So what is your love language?  

Monday Meanderings--My Week @ a Glance

Bible Study - Beth Moore-Psalms of Ascent & Ruth Study

Memory Verse - Psalms 121

Husband Encouragement 

* Set aside some alone time for us. (Trying again for this-did not do good last week)

* Be supportive about how long and how much he has to be a work.

* Making sure he feels encouraged and uplifted this week- He is doing some late nights work this week and we both hate it when he works late

Train Them Up

* start some regular bible time with the kids
* plan an an outing for them- possibly fox run park this week heard they have (Thursday)
*Keep working with "C" about yelling
*Keep working with "D" with potty training and obey the 1st time told something

Personal Goals

* Get up before kids.

* Stay up with my Beth Moore Study and Ruth Study



New Habit of the Month 

* Continue to follow the new list of "things to do before"
* Continue to keep up with dinner planning and food budget- Big deal for me


Zone -  Top of Cabinet and Top of Refrigerator



Menu-I will be cooking with my Crock pot or pressure cooker all week

M - Crock pot Beans, spinach and strawberry salad, cornbread

T - Company Chicken, Brown Rice, Green Beans


W - Enchilada Casserole, chips and salsa

Th - Creamy chicken & Corn Soup, Homemade Focaccia Bread 

F - Cal-zones, green salad
I'm going to do my baking on Friday
Saturday- Sky Sox Game-Picnic Stuff

Sunday- Crock pot Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup & Grill Cheese 

FUN Things

* We are going to splurge and take our whole family to the Sky Sox Game on Saturday.  We are planning of tale gating and having a picnic in the grass.  Did I mention the "WHOLE FAMILY"



3 things I'm thankful for today: 


1.  Great conversation with Krisite2.  Keisha coming home from camp safe
3.  God's Promises

Interesting???

I can't actually figure out why some people do what they do or why some people say what they say.  

God created each of us in his image.  Why then are some people always looking to be like someone else.  Why are some so worried about what others think.  Are you my friend?  If not let me change how I talk or act just so we can be friends.  Dumb if you ask me.

Crazy right?  YES.  It bothers me so much to be around people who are not real.  If you are always looking for approval from others maybe its because you don't know who you are in Christ.  Stop looking for approval everywhere except where it really matters Christ.  

I might not alway be completely comfortable in my own skin but I don't change my personality to make someone else happy.  I am who I am, and God created me this way.   

I am changing everyday to be more like Christ and this is a great thing because it helps me to deal with those around me better.  I hope through scripture study and pray that my number one goal is to be like Christ.  I want to be who He created me to be.  I want to be comfortable in my own skin comfortable enough to say its ok if everyone does not like me, not everyone like Jesus either.  

I want to live life loving on others and telling them about my great God.  I want to live an authentic life of worship to my Great God not ever pretending to be someone I'm not.    

5 things I'm glad I Know

Here is a list of things I'm glad I realize...some have taken me longer to get

1. Love is a choice not just a feeling. 

(I forget this sometimes)

2. God can do what seems impossible.

I'm so glad for this because I've been known to put God in a my box and I'm so glad that He is much bigger than my box.  He is the creator of Heaven and Earth.  I serve a BIG God!!!!


3. Never do for a child what they can do for themselves.

Still forget this one :O


4. Feed your husband before you talk to him about important decisions.  

(Don't hit him up with all that has happened as soon as he walks through the door.  It's better to let him unwind a little.)


5. If two people are exactly alike than one of them is not needed. In other words, being different is a good thing.

David and I love a lot of the same things but we are very different....We compliment each other well.  

Monday Menandering- My week at a glance

Bible Study - Beth Moore-Psalms of Ascent


Memory Verse - Phil 2:5
"Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had."

Husband Encouragement

* Continue to get his stuff ready for the next day

* Set aside some alone time for us.

* Be supportive about how long and how much he has to be a work.


Train Them Up

* start some regular bible time with the kids
* plan an an outing for them (Thursday)
*Keep working with "C" about yelling
*Keep working with "D" with potty training and obey the 1st time told something

Personal Goals

* Get up before kids.

* Stay up with my Beth Moore Study

New Habit of the Month

* Continue to follow the new list of "things to do before"

Zone - kitchen

Menu

M - steaks, grilled potatoes, veggie

T - Beef Chimichangas (did not make these last week), chips and salsa

W - Tuna sandwiches, pickles, chips

Th - chicken tortilla soup,

F - Pizza

Saturday- Taco chicken Salad

Sunday- Chili Dogs, fresh fruit

FUN Things

* I'm planning on going out with some lady friends this week, girls night out.  Looking forward to that. 

3 things I'm thankful for today: It has been a very hard week for me.  I am very thankful for a great husband and great friends
1.  My husband- he has just been amazing
2.  Nickole- brought me a miracle shake this week :)
3.  Bethanne- many good phone calls and checking up on me

It's goooooooddddd!!

I had the chance to watch Bruce Almighty again a couple of night ago and like the first time it makes me laugh so hard at parts.  One of the things Bruce says often is "that is good", however he draws out the word good, a lot. 

As I was getting my kids ready for bed tonight I begin to think about my life and different things that have happen the pass couple day.  I was rubbing Darius with lotion and like normal the kid was cracking me up.  Both the little kids are not feeling well so my man had to say home from church with them.  When I can home he had all the laundry done and our messy room clean.  Kristie came home this weekend and spent some well needed time with her twin, which blessed my heart tremendously.  Keisha, is learning everyday that life gets more and more complicated the older you get and  Jelissa is learning how to balance her time between what she wants to do and what she needs to do. 

As I was getting the kids ready for bed all I could think about is my life is "gggooooooddd", very good.  God has blessed me, until my cup runnith over with pure joy, to be his child. 

No David and I are not taken the cruise we talked about taking once our kids were out of the house, and graduated, because our cup is still over flowing.  Cynthia and Darius are a blessing I would never had thought possible, but my God knew it. 

He changed my plans and boy am I glad He did. 

Life is "GGGOoOoOoDDD"

God has great timing

We have been in this house for over 7 years and have had the same neighbors the whole time.  We have never known any of them, for what I believed was good reasons.  We wave say hi during the summer and that was about it.  Well, God had been telling me that we needed to get out of our comfort zone and meet some of our neighbors.  What better way to get to know your neighbors than a yard sale.  One thing lead to another and we got the opportunity to invite our next door neighbors over to night for dinner.  

Tiffany looks to be about 20, and Joe around 25.  They have one daughter Cynthia's age and a little boy due August 1st.  They live with his mother who we have meet a few times.  

I decided after meeting Tiffany a week ago that we needed to get to know them.  So on Tuesday I saw them getting out of their truck and I waved to them and then went over and invited them to dinner Saturday night.  Lakeisha and David were standing by our van when I went back over and told them that the neighbors were coming over at 5:30 on Saturday. 

Keisha is so funny, she says I didn't think they would say yes.  

Well, they did and the rest is history.  I was able to get a few things together of Darius' for her new baby coming and we had a great time.  Yes David and I are old.  Yes David is old enough to be there dad, but we had a great time.  

We laughed, we told stories, we enjoyed each others company, and we planned a yard sale.

As I sit here and write this blog it's amazing how God works.  He just wants us to listen to him and He will do the rest.  We found out that Joe's mom is getting ready to move to Mississippi and they will be living in the house soon all by themselves.  By July they will not have any family here and they are expecting their second baby.  

God's timing is so good.  I feel God has connected us with these 2 young people for a reason.  If it is only to plant a seed in their lives I'm so glad He is using us to do it.  

 Please lift Joe, Tiffany, Alexis, and their unborn son  up in your prayers as they begin this new life without his mom and on their own.     

Ramblings of a Mom

Many of us had wonderful fathers as an example of what we might look for in our husbands.  That is not me.  My dad knew nothing about being a dad and less about what it took to be a husband.  Even after 38 years that is one of those things that I always wanted...an earthly father, a God fearing earthly father.  

Well, my dad passed away 2 years this coming November, and boy that has been harder on me than I could have ever imagined.  It really hits hard when someone dies and you are not sure where they are spending eternity.  I have my ideas but I can't allow my mind to wonder there to often, it's very painful.   

I believe my dad loved me it was just in this weird way that only he really understood.  

As a mother I think about how much I really love my kids.  They are so very important to me.  I want their lives to be different from mine.  I want them to know that their mom and their dad love them with everything we have and are.  

This leads me to a new thought.  As a mom I try and say and convey my love to my children everyday, because I feel this is so important.  I want them to know that I love them no matter what, even when they make mistakes.  

As I think about my father and I think about our relationship it has brought something to my mind....

Just how important it is for a father to have a deep relationship with his daughter.  

This does not mean that Mom can just sit back and leave all the nurturing to the dad but that when a girl grows up it is the relationship with her father that will help her with major decisions in her life like....picking a husband.   

Your mate can be a huge determining factor in life.  We all want our girls to grown up and marry men who love them, protect them, a man who is the head of his family like Christ is the Church.  Picking the guy is big...

Picking the guy I believe starts at home with the relationship between a father and his daughter.  

I could blog all day on this one, I have 3 girls who will all be looking for mate in years to come.  Please don't misunderstand me as a mother we have just as much responsibilities.

As a women who has made my choice of big mistakes I want to encourage moms and dads to leave a legacy for our kids.  A legacy that they will carry on to our grandchildren and their children.  Remember that without Christ we can do nothing.  Remember to share your faith with your kids.  Remember to share Christ from the rising of the sun to its going down.  

Every choice we make is important.  

What do you think?  What are you doing to leave a legacy for your kids?  Have you had to break cycles in your family to ensure you leave different legacies for your children?  

Go away!!!

I thought that I heard and saw somewhere that it was summer.  Well, apparently my kiddos did not get the memo that sickness is suppose to take a break. 

Not in our house.  In fact every kid who lives here is sick.  Cynthia started us out and then Keisha got it and yesterday Darius joined the elite group. 

They have runny noses, horrible coughs, fevers ranging from 101.5 to 102.4, and lets not forget the exciting diapers I'm getting to change :(

So, I get to sit on the couch with 2 very cranky kids, did I mention cranky kids,  and watch Barney Yeah....(not) 

Go away sickness!!!

                                                                                                                                                                                         

Cynthia is watching TV.  Her nose has been wiped so much that it hurts every time we wipe it now.  Poor baby.   

Darius with his Dog pillow. 

Ok, no one tell Keisha that I took this picture of her while she was sleeping.  She has been really sick for 2 days now.  She was suppose to be going to Como with a friend but is not going to be able to go tommorow.  She is scheduled to go Sunday, to Como, for a week so I hope she is better by than. 

My week at a glance

Bible Study: Still going through "already gone" great book but very sad... I'm still needing to get the Beth Moore study prepared before its time to lead it.

Memory Verse:  Phil 2:5 this is going to end up being a new life verse since I can't seem to keep my attitude right.

Husband Encouragement
1st thing I need to say is my husband rocks.  He brings me so much joy.  I am so blessed to be spending this life with that man.  So with that said..
*  I want to remember to be my husbands #1 cheerleader- he's great so this should be easy but I forget to tell him as often as he deserves.
*  Remember to always hug and kiss him when he gets home--I need to remember this week to stop what I'm doing and go to him, instead of him finding me when he gets home.  I make the kids do this but I'm generally am trying to fix dinner and I don't stop.
*  Stop this week several times and give him long hugs---he loves this and it shows him that he is the most important thing to me on this earth.

Training them up
Darius: I need to stay consistant with him.  I also want to play more table games with him, he is learning patience from playing

Cynthia: She is in the yelling stage and it's driving me crazy.  I need to stay on her about it.  I need to stay consistant.  (See a theme here)


Personal Goal
*Set some time aside for a cup of tea and a good book
*Keep up with my current schedule-even if I'm so tierd by bed
*Set aside some more time to blog- I'm really not use to the new schedule so I have just been so tierd every night that after I complete my list of things to do before I go to bed, I'm just crashing.
*Plan a cheap date night for me and my prince charming


Habit of the Month Same as last week

Zone - our bedroom- I keep up with every room in the house and leave our room for last.  Well, I have alway been told and have tried to keep our room our sanctuary but lately it is in need of a makeover.  This week I need to get our room together.

Menu
M -Pepper Steak, Brown rice and homemade tortillas

T - Beans and Ham, Cornbread

W - Chicken Pot Pie

Th - Tilapia fish, Sweet Potatoes, veggie

F - Personal Pizza's (I might look into this pizza on the grill thing sounds fun)
I have decided to make Friday my baking day so we will see if it gets done :)

S - hotdogs, corn on the cob, and grilled potatoes

Sunday- something in the crockpot before I leave for church


FUN Things
I need to get out and do somethings with my kids.  Park time, library time, it does no matter I just need to play with them

3 things I'm thankful for today:

1. My Family
2. My job
3. My health- go to the doctor on Wednesday for my post surgery appointment...hoping to get a clean bill of health.
4.  I'm also thankful for the blog "In light of truth" for helping me organize my thoughts each week.

Weekly Plan

Accountability has to start somewhere, so where better than online.  I have no idea who really reads anything I post but when I do post about something I'm going to do or try I feel accountable.  One reason is because I know that my 3 girls and my husband are reading (by the way I love the 4 of you more than the moon and back :) 

So here is goes.  Things I will be working on this week, and if you are reading this please pray for follow through I will need it.

BIBLE STUDY: I am currently reading a book called "already gone" and I would like to finish it.  I also have to get all the plans ready for the upcoming Beth Moore Study.  I'm very excited about it.  Love doing Beth Moore in the Summer!!



MEMORY VERSE:  Phil. 2:14 Do everything without arguing and complaining.
I need to learn this and model this for my children who are watching me.  Lately these two things have been hard for me.  I find myself complaining and not praising God for all my current circumstances.  This will be hard for me. 


HUSBAND ENCOURAGEMENT: I tell my husband all the time I love him and how much he means to me, but I need to be more specific.  He is an incredible man and he works very hard to provide for our family.  I want to be more encouraging to him in this area.  I want to tell him daily how much I appreciate all that he does for our family.  He is a great provider!!

TRAINING THEM UP: 
Jelissa- Keep encouraging her in college endeavors and reminding her to not stop looking for scholarships.
Kristie-Not here this week, call her and encourage her
Keisha-Keep helping her stay focus on things she has coming up.  Encourage her to continue looking for scholarships.  Possibly let her drive some while I'm in the car, possibly, she need driving hours. Need to be encouraging.
Darius-need to stay focused with the potty training, need to stay on him about the wiening when he talks, first time listening
Cynthia- Constancy, throwing fits


PERSONAL GOALS:  1.  stick to my dinner menu  again this week (it made life so easy this past week) 2.  going back to work this week and I have set up a night time schedule for myself- I really want to stick to it. 
3.  Get back to my read through the bible in 90 days book.  (I started reading through the bible in 90 days before my surgery and have not return to it since.  I would like to get back to my routine in the mornings)
4.  No matter what is going on read to the kids before bed


NEW HABIT FOR THE MONTH:  Less yelling at the kids and more talking.  I really feel that I have gotten in a habit of yelling at the kids when they are being disobedient.  It is not changing their behavior so I need to change my approach.  Not sure exactly what I will be doing but its not yelling.  I want to work on that this month. 


MENU: Trying to not shop this week but instead use mainly what I already have around

Monday: We Grilled at friends house tonight- everything was wonderful

Tuesday: Leftovers- We have grilled all weekend and we have lots of stuff in the refrigerator, its clean up time.

Wednesday:  Chicken Noodle Soup and Mash potatoes (yes I know its summer but I have potatoes to use up, and the grandma noodles in the freezer)

Thursday:  Fiesta (thanks for this weird food combo Kristen we love it now)

Friday: Roast-crock pot night (going to a conference no time to cook for kids)

Saturday: BBQ sandwiches

Sunday: Grill


3 THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR:
1.  My wonderful husband
2.  The freedom I have here in the USA
3. For my kids who bring more joy than they will ever know

That's all folks.  Lets see how I do.

To Love Their Husband-Tuesday

So here it is Tuesday and I'm needing to post ways in which I went over and beyond loving my husband.  It is now almost 1pm Tuesday, and I have been thinking of ways I have loved on my husband this week. 

This is exactly why I started this.  I want to always look back and be able to see ways in which I have treated my husband the way he deserves.

So with that said.....heres what I've got, which is not much. 

  David never asks for stuff and never expects certain things to be done so its hard to figure out what he really really wants verses what he likes done but it really does not matter one way or another. ((confussing huh... YEP))

One thing that I always try to do is to fix my husbands plate for him when we are at gatherings, parties, or just having people over.  I want him know that even though there are a lot of people around and I get caught up in talking, entertaining, or whatever else, that he is still my first priority.  We had a very busy week with Keisha graduating and having her party.  After the graduation we had a house full of people and I was extremely tierd, already.  Before sitting down or fixing my plate I put a plate together for David.  

  I know what your thinking... 

I'm the Queen of the small stuff.

  Yep I am. 

I'm generally good at the big stuff it's the little things that I sometimes forget.  It's the everyday things that I want to never forget to do.  

On Sunday after going to a baby shower I decided to come home and take my husband out for a couple of hours.  It was just the two of us and we were able to talk about events like the graduation and things that happened that day.  We needed that special time just the two of us. 

I'm glad that David is such an easy going guy.  He is not picky about what he eats, he just likes something to eat.  He does not care about things out of place when he gets home, he just wants to know if we had a good day.  He is the perfect husband.  Even on those days when marriage is hard there is not one other person I would like to be going through the good and the bad days with. 

Thanks David for being you.  I love you.

Menu Plan Monday

Generally the Livingston's have for dinner whatever I think of right before its time to cook it.  This causes our grocery store bill to always be more than it needs to be.  I have sat down today and put a menu together.  I want to start putting a menu together so that I can cut down on our grocery bill and have our meals more organized.  

I love cooking for my family.  I love providing home cook meals for my family.  I love making thing from scratch, but most of all I love that it makes my husband happy.  He really does enjoy the small things in life....

Here is my menu for the week.  I don't promise to  stick to the exact day I'm cooking each meal but I will cook these meals this week.  

Monday: Fish Tacos, salsa, Guacamole, and chips

Tuesday: Potato Soup, and homemade French Bread

Wednesday: Chicken Tetrazzini, salad

Thursday: Southwestern Chicken Salad 

Friday:  Sourdough pizza, bread sticks

Saturday:  Mini Hamburgers, sweet potato fries, grilled veggies

Sunday:  Crock pot Meal

(I do plan to have some baking time this week.  I will bake my bread and any other bake goods we need for the week) 

To Love Their Husband Tuesday's-The Small Stuff

I have been following  Lauren's blog "Living by Faith" for a about a month now.  She recently started "To Love Their Husbands Tuesdays". 

She encouraged women to blog on Tuesday about ways they made a conscience effort to Love on their husbands the following week.  

Now if you know me at all you know that I love David with all my heart and try to show him everyday.  Wel,l the challenge was to STEP IT UP A NOTCH.  I love a challenge so here I go....

I am going to try and step it up.  My plan is to post on Tuesday's ways that I loved on my husband during the week, the good and the bad weeks.  It's encouraging for me to read about ways you love, encourage and support your husbands so please be sure to comment.   

In the book of Titus 2:4 we are told to "Love our Husbands" and this is something I want to be really good at.  

In the begining....

So this has been a difficult week to do anything extra or even the normal things I do for David.  With today begin 2 weeks since the surgery I'm still not feeling very good.  I have found myself doing more complaining than I would like. (This is something I'm going to work on this week)  Since I'm not even able to cook for the family it has been difficult to step any thing up, since every step I'm taking now hurts :)

Anyway, the one thing I've been doing is when David is sitting or laying next to me in the bed I make sure to hold his hand or snuggle, as much as I can with him.  I know, I know holding hands is all I got.  Yep.  That's it.  At first I was not going to even post this Tuesday but then it hit me.... 

Even when I don't want to or in this case can't do much to show my husband how much he means to me the small things matter a lot.  I love my husband and we have a great marriage but sometimes in the middle of life we forget about all the little things he likes.  David's love language is touch so I made an effort to touch him, even if it was just holding his hand.  

 

My daughter

I just wanted to tell you about my oldest daughter.  I don't brag on her enough.  My baby girl Jelissa Ann is an amazing young lady.  She has had a difficult year but has come out with her head held high and her eyes fixed on Jesus. 

I'm extremely proud of her.  She is such a hard worker.  She has worked at safeway for several years now and is known by her employees as a hard worker and someone who gets her work done and will help you out when she can.

Jelissa has been a mommas girls for the past 19 years.  She has stayed close to home even when she moved out.  She is always available when I need her and is always willing to take her brother to the zoo on her days off.  

Don't tell Kristie but I think Jelissa has moved into the favorite sister position.  (remember don't tell)

Jelissa is a very sweet girl who is looking forward to going to college in August.  I'm very proud of her.  I believe she is still going to Lincoln but who knows, she is flying to Joplin on Wednesday and Kristie has been trying to get her to go there for the past year.  Kristie is very sneaky so I'm sure she has something up her sleeve.  

I will miss my baby girl but she is growing up and moving on, away from mom.  I know that God has great things in store for her is she continues to listen and follow after him.

I love you Jelissa, don't ever forget that.   

Being thankful for the little things

I think that being laid up for the past few weeks, 2 weeks Tuesday, has made me think about all the little things that I'm struggling to do right now but that I do with little effort when I'm 100%.  I'm beginning to see more and more things that I simply overlook other days.  Here are a few things:

• Being able to pick up my little girl and hold her and kiss her
• Being able to spank Darius when he is being naughty :)
• Being able to take a bath not just showers
• Being able to stand up in the shower long enough to wash my entire body by myself
• Go to the store or in the car or just outside for awhile
• Stay awake long than 4 hours (I just made it to 4 hours without going back to bed)
• Being able to sleep through the night with out pain medication
• Read a book and remember what I read (medication is good but not for memory)
• Be able to have Darius sit in my lap so I can love on him or read him a book
• Snuggling with my husband (enough said)

I am feeling better and can see small inprovements everyday.  They are just smaller steps than I would like.  I really want to be able to do everyday things for myself. 

 I miss going to church today, being 2nd Sunday I missed.  I miss work and the crazy people I see everyday.  I'm definitely an extroverted person and I thrive on people. 

In otherwards, I miss my people :)

Not a normal post

***Attention***Complaining***Below***

"If you don't want to hear me complain don't read move on to another blog"

As I sit in my bed another day able to get up very little and when I do, I move from my room into the living room to sit into my recliner chair.  I have been struggling with not being able to get up and do more.  I have a hard time holding either one of the little kids which makes them want to climb on me even more.  It will be a week tomorrow evening  that I had the surgery.   Time is a good thing right now, because it indicates that healing is occurring.  Yeah!!

David's mom is leaving on Wednesday morning and this has began to cause me some concern.  She has been handling all the goings and comings of the house and she will be extremely missed.  We have been receiving meals since Thursday from friends in the church, this has been a great blessing. Interesting enough though except for those bring meal I have not seen or heard from many people.  There are a few people that I'm close with who have not even called.  I realize that people are busy but you wonder how busy one can be that they can not pick up a phone.  Yes today is my day.  Today is the day when finally I don't want to be the one who looks at things and acts like they don't matter, because they do.  Will I ever say anything...No but that does not mean that it does not matter.

It makes me wonder about relationships.  How deep are the relationships that I have?  Are we "friends" or "family" just because I see you several times a week, or because we attend church together, or because our kids are friends.  I am finding out that time does not equal closeness.  Just because we hug and smile at each other does not make us close. 

Whose fault is this? 

I'm sure a lot is mine.  I need to remember that friendship requires time.  Do I invest time into people or activities? Are activities more important than people?  I want to reevaluate my friendships.  Its definitely ok to just have a few friend but I need to make sure that those people who I want to invest time in me..I must make sure to invest time in them.  That's real friendship, that's what it's really all about..

So just for the record it is ok to have people in your life that you care about but are not close with.  I have lots of people that I love and care about but are not who I would consider close friends, someone I would say anything to...those people are far and  few.  I just want to know that in this life that there are people who will walk with me, people who do more than talk the talk but walk the walk. 

Friendship requires time and effort and I hope that I am the type of friend who is good at giving both to my friends. 

Ranting and complaining is done!!

Sunday-Mother's Day

Today has been a great day, and very hard day.  I felt as if I did not get to experience everything I would have liked to due to not feeling well.  I spent most of my day in bed getting up to eat and a few other minor things.  I got up early and my oldest daughter came home and fixed breakfast for me.  My children had me open up all my presents before they went to church.  I always love Mother's Day because it's a day set aside where I get acknowledgement for the one job I put the most work into.  I love being a mom and it makes me feel good to have my children tell me that they realize how much they mean to me and how much I love them. 

Sounds weird??  Not to me.  I have things that make me happy and then there are things that make me really really happy.  Those things that make me really happy are 1) doing what is pleasing to My God 2) being a good wife to my husband and 3)being a good mother to my 5 children.  Yes those are the things that I put the most time and effort into.  I pray that everyday I get better at the things that give me the most pleasure. 

I long to hear several words in my life.... "her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her" and.... "well done good and faithful servant".