Thankful Thursday

My baby turns one year old TODAY!!!! I so thankful for twelve whole months with this amazing little guy. Everyday has been a joy, I am so thankful that I was able be home with him and witness everything he has ever done, how special is that? I have learned so much over the past year about life, love, myself, family, God. Before he was born, my family had done some research into the geneology to find that my generation of daughters who give birth to first born sons are likely to find some kind of mental tumor that would cause some kind of retardation or even death. One of my cousins, lost her son to it. Another cousin didn't loose her little man but struggles daily with doctors not being able to diagnose his rare condition. I was told that I should get an amniocentisis. After reading about what that was, I couldn't risk the chance of miscarriage or infection to my baby, so I decided to trust God. After all, if something was wrong with my child, there was no way I would ever abort him. The more I gave it to God the more dreams I would have that would reveal all the things I was scared about and show me there was no reason to fear. We decided to name him Asher, it means Happy and Blessed. I found it in the bible. My pregnancy seemed to go well, and he was born March 29th, 2006 after about 7 hours of labor.

From the beginning this child has been nothing but joy. He didn't sleep through the night right away like I had hoped, he was a three hour baby, but I didn't mind too much because he loved to take naps with his mommy. He was always really alert as a baby, paying attention to everything and smiling when he heard his mommy speak or sing to him (which she did often). He was always turning heads, stopping people at the store, attracting the attention of sweet little girls who chanted "baby Asher, baby Asher", disrupting the sermon of Sunday morning during his morning poop (lots of grunting there), and had the older women begging me to babysit. He was special from the beginning! Oh yea, and perfectly healthy. I was so worried about breastfeeding and I shouldn't have been, he was born at 7lbs 4 oz, and gained a pound a week for a couple months off of breastmilk. I would hear comments about how fat he was and feel bad, but now looking back, I realize those comments were because they thought fat babies were ADORABLE! I thank God for all the fat, because that is what gave his body a great start to life and the first time he ever got sick wasn't until around 9 months old.

Okay I will try to end this novel soon... My baby is still turning heads. We stand in line at the post office and he stares each person down until they smile back at him. We walk down pearl street and even the tattooed guys with mohawks soften their spirits and smile at him. It was Asher that attracted our neighbors whom we are now friends with. With my husband and I being in ministry, we know God meant Asher for us, because he is the one that brings people to us which then go on to become great relationships.

My little boy today is very interactive, very talkative (although I don't know what he's saying), and he loves to smile, laugh, hug and sometimes even kiss (especially eskimo kisses). I can't wait for the rest of the world to meet him and confirm to me how amazing God has made him.
Asher thank you for gracing our lives, we look forward to what else you have in store for us, thanks for making parenting easy! (okay now I am going to go cry about my little baby growing up so fast!)

Wordless Wednesday!

Today's Wordless Wednesday has the theme of our favorite TV shows:

Man vs. Wild on Discovery

Lost on ABC

(my favorite) America's Next Top Model (Josh can't stand Tyra)

(Josh's favorite) Dirty Jobs on Discovery (I am always begging him to shut it off at night so I won't be dreaming of snakes and worms and stuff)

Okay fine, I give in!

Stephanie is doing a photo tag about favorite bags. One problem. I don't have a favorite bags and my current purse just broke, so it is time for a new bag. But after looking at everyone's fun bags I decided to do some dreaming at Target.com and I choose this one as my favorite, isn't it fun?

Decluttering #3 and #4

Well, I know I took a break from decluttering for a while, but I'm back at it, along with some spring cleaning.
Here's the shelf you see when you step a foot into our apartment, how could I neglect this area for so long? (yeah, I know, now I need to put pics in those naked frames, my friends make fun of me)
BEFORE:

AFTER:


I don't have a before pic of this little closet, let's just say it was packed full of games and other stuff that needed a home. So I decided to put all of our movies in there, which gave me a chance to go through the movies and get rid of those tapes that weren't needed anymore.

AFTER:

For more decluttering, click here.

Thankful Thursday

I am sooooo thankful for Spring. I've been told that March is supposed to be the heaviest snowfall for this area, but we've had nothing but beautiful days here! Now I love snow, but I didn't realize how depressed the cold was making me until the sun came out, now I'm just giddy!! Asher loves the outdoors, so we are outside a lot now, hoping it won't end, and I'm hoping now that it's nice I can be more active and loose those extra pounds. We have been taking every opportunity to play in God's creation, more pics coming soon!

Wordless Wednesday!

What is this stuff?

things that make me giggle :)

So my little 11 month old's vocabulary is not very exstensive. He of course says Mama, referring to me and when he is hungry. He says Dada, referring to his Dad and referring to me when Dad is gone. He says Babababa on command, I have no idea what it means. He says other things I cannot even spell or understand. But what I think he says the most these days is Dat, it is quite clever if you think about it, because Dat has such a transformable (is that even a word?) meaning. It can mean "what's that?" a common question of little kids. It could mean "look at that" when he is trying to show me something. It could mean "I want that" when he is reaching for something I have. And the list goes on because he uses it for everything. But what makes me giggle is that he uses it to act like a big boy also. When he is around his little buddies that are walking and talking and a bit older than him, he will say Dat, in a more mature voice so they will think he's cool. But their response is what gets me. They will say, "I'm not your dad" to him every time. I crack up because I know he's not saying Dada, he's saying Dat. But here my little precious is trying to act grown up around his heroes and trying to make conversation with them, and they think he is calling them his daddy. Oh Asher, you crack me up!

What makes you giggle?

March Madness (from my point of view)

I don't know if a lot of women get into March Madness, that is the NCAA Basketball Tournament for Championship. I don't know all the lingo, I definitely don't know all the teams, but I sure do love to participate. My husband and I fill out our brackets every year together and then have a fun time finding out if we picked the right teams. I can predict right now, that my hubby will get invited to all these get-togethers with his guy friends to watch the basketball games and stuff, and will they invite the wives? Probably not, I'll be stuck at home watching the game, thank you very much! Husbands should invovle their wives in these things, but I am sure that most women are like "I don't want to watch the stinkin games." But that is where I come in.

I want to show you it's super fun, it's like a game. I haven't paid attention all year long to any teams, players, coaches, all that stuff. But it's a fun game to pick which team you think will win or which team will upset and then watching the games is fun because you have someone to root for and have some interest in the game. It's also a competition between you and your hubby, especially if you pick different teams. So I am going to be documenting this little March Madness adventure on my blog. If any women want to participate with me, print out your tournament bracket here, find the tv guide schedule here (or check your local CBS listing), read blogs about the different teams if you want to make an informed guess, and throw a march madness party, maybe just for the girls (your hubby will be impressed).













Right now what I am thinking about:
TheArizona/Purdue game, they are matched up pretty evenly, another guy's blog said "Arizona has been an enigma all season long, as they have the offensive talent to beat anyone in the country but lack focus defensively and have not played to their potential. Purdue is very methodical in their offense, although their inside-outside combo of David Teague and Carl Landry is tough. Arizona struggles to defend the interior, so Landry will be they key to this game."
So I chose Arizona

Another one is Creighton vs. Nevada. Of course I have to root for Creighton, they are from Nebraska, the underdogs in a sense, and I don't think peopel put much thought into them. I am hoping they can pull it off.

Other games I am interested in watching because I couldn't figure out who the better team was:
Notre Dame vs. Winthrop - Notre Dame ranked 6th while Winthrop 11th, but some experts predict an upset. I am hoping for one.
UNLV vs. Georgia Tech - UNLV ranked 7th with a record of 28-6 while G Tech ranked 10th with a record of 20-11, some experts are predicting an upset here too, I just feel some sort of nostalgia towards G Tech because I've visited the campus and bought my hubby a G Tech baseball shirt (their bbal team wasn't impressive at that time)

Kentucky vs. Villanova - this is like the best match up of 8th and 9th ranked teams. I am rooting for Kentucky, but not sure why. I think last year, Villanova was more impressive that I gave them credit for on my bracket, but I have a friend that lived in Kentucky for a while, so my girl mind is going with them right now.

So yeah, I am still a girl obviously by the way I pick my teams, but it is called March Madness for a reason, anything can happen, we'll just see how well I picked the teams. My friend Jan is doing March Madness also, check out her blog listed on the side of my page :).

Which teams are you rooting for?

Thankful Thursday

I am sorry that I haven't posted until now, (I had some trouble with my computer). Check out Jenny's , Michelle's, and Kim's blog they are on the ball today for Thankful Thursday.
Okay here goes...

I'm Thankful for...
#1 Tough Times. Just recently Asher was pretty sick, it seemed like RSV or Bronchiolitus (Brochitis for babies). He was miserable. A couple days we didn't even do anything, I just held him tight! Now after that he feeling better, his attitude is amazing. He was a happy kid before, but it seems like he has a whole new lease on life or something. Thinking back to other tough times I've gone through, it always seems like that after you go through it. So I'm thankful for the tough times in life, for without them, my life wouldn't have perspective.

#2 for Dinosaur Land at the Mall. I just discovered this place and I love to watch Asher enjoy it and interact with other kids. The other day I said to my hubby, "When Asher get's over this sickness, lets have a celebration day." He said, "Yeah, like take him to Dinosaur Land at the Mall?" "I said, okay (smirking) so he can pick up the same sickness he just got over." Okay, so there may be lots of germs at Dinosaur Land, but I'll just take extra wipes next time :).

#3 The Food Network. I love to cook and the Food Network has helped me improve so much in my cooking. I don't get much opportunity to watch, but just the other day I caught a show and learned an awesome new recipe for Pot Roast and this Berry Soup with Gelato, yumm!

#4 Naptime. Can I get an AMEN? Naptime inspires me. Holy Cow, I cannot even express how grateful I am for naptime. I feel like a real person again, like I can actually do something all by myself. I love it. I also love to nap myself, so it's two dimensional.

#5 My husband's patience when I've lost my mind. I love being a mom, but sometimes I feel like giving up. My husband is always there to take over and pic up the pieces. He is so patient in those times, it makes me want to pinch him to see if he is real. I think that Asher notices as well.

don't forget about Thankful Thursday tomorrow!!

Hey all, please participate tomorrow in Thankful Thursday! It doesn't have be a long post and it doesn't have to have pictures. It would just be cool to see what everyone is thankful for! I will have a linky tomorrow you can all sign so we can see everyones. If no one does it, I'm gonna have to start making up names, he he :) ps. scroll down for examples of thankful thursday.
Julie :)

Wordless Wednesday!

I call it...personality!

Monday's Memories

Steph over at Adventures in Babywearing is doing a photo tag about possessions today. The pics I looked at trying to find certain possessions, the more I realized that I really cherish photos in general. The most cherishable photos are those from certain activities that won't happen again, oh the memories! So I've renamed the photo tag for today on my sight as Memory Monday. Please share your favorite possessions with a story, or share your favorite Memories!
My chosen memories for today are with the youth group. My hubby had been a youth pastor prior to moving to Colorado. And I developed a passion for those crazy kids too. They may not know how much I truly miss all of them. I am so proud of some of these kids, they have gone on to become great leaders, beautiful, outstanding people, and if any of them are reading this post, I cannot wait until you come out to visit or when I get to see some of you in the upcoming months for weddings, graduations, etc. (I've got many more pics of my favorite youth stuff, I'll share more in the future)

Tubing on the Niobrara river, this is at Smith Falls.

Ski trip to Snowy Range in Wyoming. The ice skating was always pretty fun! From the left, Nicole, Skyler, Me, Heidi and the boys.

awww, the Mud-Bowl, who could forget such a pleasant memory!

Josh took the soon to be seniors on a trip to visit colleges, it turned out to be one the greatest, many of them applied to the ones they visited, can't wait to see them at graduation this year!

Silly Little Baby Face

Crazy Hip Mamma Site is hosting Photo Friday, today's theme: Silly Baby Faces, I just couldn't pass up a chance to find more pics of Asher! Enjoy!

Thankful Thursday

This week I have so much to be thankful for, but for the sake of blogging I am going to keep it simple and focus on one thing. But It may take a little explaining first. Sometimes I just get sick of the US, there is so much here, too much.

I didn't know this until I left the country with my hubby a couple years back and visited His brother and sister-in law in Papau New Guinea, Aaron and Lori Luse. They are missionaries through New Tribes Institute. Josh and I were considering becoming their partners and working with the tribal people. We didn't feel a peace about it though, but I find myself thinking about it often.

Although they live in the beautiful and biodiverse place on the earth (rainforest), things can be hard. Malaria is a constant threat, things break all the time (with no repair man), there is a lot of "black magic" and that sort of thing being used, there is always the risk of something, some kind of illness with no medical help, things not working right causing no water or no electricity, and the weather can sometimes be fierce with volcanoes, occasional light earthquakes and monsoon season with rough seas (which, they have to cross by boat to get grocery supplies).

So what am I thankful for? I am just thankful for Aaron, Lori, Avalon and Sierra. They are coming back to the states shortly so Lori can have their third child. We miss them greatly and they are true friends of ours!

But I am also thankful for the perspective that they bring. I sit her in my nice safe apartment, perfect temperature, with my internet that is very dependable, with friends and family just a phone call away and I search for houses to rent in the area. I worry about cleanliness, neighborhood, how many bedrooms it has, the size of the kitchen, the size of the yard, etc. And these people live in a hut. A hut only will last two years at the most before they must build another hut. Aaron and Lori have built more of a permanent home, but there is mold constantly and rusting and so many repairs.


All they have is God. That is who they depend on. But here in the US, there are so many other things to rely and depend upon. It is a constant struggle daily to keep my eyes on HIM. That is why I get sick of the US. Although, life in general may be easier, faith seems harder. But in the most remote areas of the earth where daily life is a struggle, faith is so easy, because all other things to depend upon have been stripped away. If you haven't had a chance to get out of the US, I challenge you to consider taking a missions trip out to see and experience what God is doing. Just a side note, we are all missionaries...you don't have to leave the US to have that perspective.

For more pics and stories please visit Aaron and Lori's link on the side of my page.

...and suddenly, the world just stops...

Today is Wordless Wednesday, but the last two days have been such a whirlwind, I must speak. My baby is sick. It started Monday night, we thought it was just teething. I must have jinxed myself when I blogged about how thankful I was for such a healthy boy, or maybe God is saying, you know I want you to find gratefulness in the worst times. So, he's miserable, coughs, sneezes, snot like crazy, the drooling is insane, his eyes are red/watery, his cheeks are red, kind of feverish! He wouldn't nurse for a period of close to 24 hours. He would eat solids however, so we plugged him full of vitamin C fruits and super greens. He's nursing now, but ugh, I just don't take it very well when Asher gets sick. I need to be thankful however that this is only is second time of getting this sick since he has been born. I want him to have lots of fluids, but he doesn't really like to drink anything but breastmilk. And ofcourse there is that added stress of feeling like you've left the world behind because you can't get anything done and you don't get enough sleep. But Josh was telling me last night that Asher is the most important thing right now, so if nothing gets done, then nothing gets done. Suddenly, the world just stops for our little one who needs more TLC than ever before. The thing that does scare me right now is the weird sounds he is making that I've never heard before. Seems as though his throat may be swollen and sore, ouch!

I am still going to be thankful...it was a beautiful 60 degrees out yesterday and I opened the windows to get some fresh air AND my baby is still smiling!

IF ANY OF YOU MOMS HAVE ANY ADVICE, I COULD REALLY FEEL ENCOURAGED BY IT!

Thanks for listening.

Photo Tag, MY BUMP!

This pic was taken last year on Valentine's Day, and we had Asher on March 29th!

Hey, I'm playing photo tag, it all started on Adventures in Babywearing's sight. Since Asher is almost a year old, Josh and I have been reminiscing about what our life was like a year ago. Very anxious to meet our little one. And just how much our life has changed from just being a married couple to being parents. During this "season" of life, I do miss some of the freedoms I used to have, but that hole in my life is filled with an even greater joy of experiencing the life of my amazing little Asher. One thing is though, it does depress me a bit because it's almost been a whole year and I still have not returned to pre-pregnancy shape and I desire to feel like I look good instead of frumpy!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

This is really cool ya'all! Hey check out My Visual DNA! Go check out your visual DNA!

Thanks to Adventures in Babywearing and Flip Flop Mamma!

Thankful Thursday!

We're going to be moving soon, to another place to rent for another year or two. As I look around my dinky apartment and I think of all the things I would love to have in a house and other's who are blessed, I can easily loose sight of what is really important in life.

That's why I'm staring Thankful Thursdays. There is so much we are given daily that we don't take the time notice. God is good, and I don't want to miss it. So as a form of worship I am going to be thankful. If you'd like to join me for Thankful Thursday's drop me a comment. I will then add your blog under my Thankful blog on Thursday's so that other's can view your blessings!

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR......
#1
A husband who loves me and has made a comittment to me and to his purity and to his walk with God. I am grateful for a husband who studies the word and desires to grow in his walk with God because, how on earth can we grow in love for each other, if we aren't growing in love for the author of it?







#2 I am thankful for a husband who desires to be a good daddy, and that Asher's eyes light up everytime daddy walks through the door to come and wrestle with him and make him giggle.

#3 I'm so thankful for a healthy little boy. He loves to eat and breastfeed. He waves his arms in the air while eating solids, and during breastfeeding he always pulls away for a second to stare into my face with a thankful smile on his face (my heart melts). And I think because of his good eating, he's now 11 months old and he's only been sick one week of his whole life!

#4 I'm so thankful for a child who absolutely loves life. He smiles more than not, he plays contently, he looks forward to swimming, bathtime, eating, storytime, momtime and dadtime. I am convinced that if he could speak and you asked him "Asher, what do you love to do?" He would reply "I love this" and it would be whatever he is currently doing, that and his mommy (of course).



#5 For Role Models. Asher has so many. Their names are Kristopher, Josiah, Taylor, Zach and Aiden. He looks up to them and they have grown to accept him as a "big boy" lately, instead of a baby. I love that! You should see his face light up when these boys play with him like he is their peer, it means so much! Thanks boys! (Asher is on the end, around five months old)


#6 I'm thankful for where I'm going and where I've been. Grateful that God leads and when I follow, he blesses beyond what I could have ever imagined.




#7 Thank you God for friends. For people in my life that encourage me, make me feel worthy, pray for me and give me purpose.


#8 I am thankful that the beauty of God surrounds me. I see Him in everything. He paints a picture for me in the sky, He makes the crisp air brush over my face, just when I think I cannot handle life anymore, He brings the most beautiful things across my path, and I cannot deny that He is real and active in my life.