Marriage Monday & Making your home a haven

Today is Marriage Monday over at http://comehaveapeace.blogspot.com/ Now I didn't copy the entire blog post today but I came close to it because Julie always makes so much sense to me. I hope that it brings you as much to ponder as it did to me.

I guess it's the way God knit me together, but "reunioning" plunges me into deep thought ... and the capacity to consume large quantities of coffee. Since it's Marriage Monday, I'll share one thought that bumped around in my head this weekend. I couldn't help but ask myself, "Have I done my husband good?" Life is so much about choices. We both could've ended up in other relationships, lived other lives. But we chose to do life together, and at markers like 20 reunions, it's good to ask, "Have I done him good?" O, I hope so!

I do tell you that I am so thankful every day that I ended up with Ben and not any other relationship. He pushes me to grow (even if it is painful at the time) and change. He is a good, godly husband and provider. And I pray that I am "doing him good."
But you don't have to wait for a 20 year reunion to ponder these things. In fact, I think it serves us well if consider questions like these early and often:
•Who is my husband, because of "me in his life"?

•How have we changed?

•What has he gained because of me?

•What have we done together?
Is his _____ better? Fill in the blank with words like: faith, reputation, character, health, confidence, experience, endurance. Have I lifted him up to help him be the "best him" he can be?
I sincerely hope that I have lifted him up to be the "best him."
Fortunately, I know I'm NOT responsible for all my husband is. He has the Holy Spirit for that! But I'm that "helper suitable for him," (Genesis 2:18) that one who "brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life" (Proverbs 31:12). That's quite a calling, friends! Part of my mission in life as a wife is to "do him good" all of my life. That's what Marriage Mondays is all about.

Other than his relationship with God, a wife can be the best thing that ever happened to a man! When I've let my flesh rule me, instead of God's Spirit, I can be relieved to know God's grace covers my mistakes. God wants us to keep growing as a wife even more than we or our husband do. Besides that, there's always another reunion to come, and that means another day to ponder ... "Have I done my hubby good?"

Are You Distracted and Distant or Making Your Home a Haven?

It is week 1 of the Making Your Home a Haven Fall Challenge. Here is this week's challenge: Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. I will be starting mine in the morning! But you can start yours at dinner time. Do what makes sense for your family. I will be placing mine in the kitchen - the main hub of my home. Each time the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace in your home.

This is just a snippet of the whole article. Go visit Courtnet at http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/ for more!
May your husbands and families be blessed by you this week.

It's Friday!!

Since mother's day is approaching, I thought that I would take the time to show a few "older" pictures of my mom and I.

This picture is of my mom (far left), me, my maternal grandmother, some of my aunts, and of course my great-grammy in the wheelchair.

Of course a picture of me from 1980 (I was 3 years old) I was the one who made my mommy a mommy to begin with so.......
For more Flashbacks, visit

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1. What is your worst memory of your siblings? My sister and I were fighting. I slammed the door so hard that it went through the jam and got stuck. I got her to agree to let me in through my parents window so I could try to get it unstuck. (Yeah I climbed out my window onto the garage roof & crawled over to my parents window.) It was mid-summer without shoes on so my feet were frying & she stood there and laughed for quite some time before letting me in their room. (She also gave me several boob busters that made me cry!)
2. What was YOUR naughtiest childhood memory? (Must be something YOU did, no pawning it off on someone else!) I remember peeing (yeah I said peeing!) on our neighbor boy's teepee that he had built in the woods. There were 3 of us girls who were angry with something poor Billy did and that was our revenge!
3. Where do you like to go to relax? UNINTERUPTED bubble bath, napping in my bed, a sunny slightly warm day where I can read
4. What was the last thing you won? Ha,ha don't laugh....a jug of ionic water at MOPS Earth day party last week.
5. If you could be on a game show, which would you choose? Family Feud!

And...here we go!

1. Salsa and chips are the bomb!
2. You've cooked a delicious ham and you've even got mustard.
3. By the time I get home I am so tired that I cannot get anything done.
4. Preparing and eating what I have bought is what I look forward to most when grocery shopping.
5. And I was dreaming that I was on a tropical beach......
6. Motherhood...is there anything else better?!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to game night with our fellowship group, tomorrow my plans include a book sale at a local school, church, & life groups and Sunday, I want to have a fun day with the kiddos after nursery duty at church. (Since they did actually make me a mommy so I could celebrate this blessed holiday!)

week 25 of 52/mother's day mania/thursday 5

Join in at www.wyomingbarnetts.blogspot.com/

The kids and I....my own little present to myself for mother's day & military spouse appreciation day!
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Mama M at www.fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/ is having Mother's day mania.

Today is Birth stories.

Kendall

Well where to begin.....Daddy was in Iraq. Since I couldn't have the one person that I wanted more than anything, I decided to make it a merry old party. Grammy, Erin R., Jess, Pam, & Lori were there when you made your grand entrance. I went to the "deployed spouses dinner" on base that Thursday, June 29th. I had worked until 3 that day & was enjoying the service at the chapel when I started to feel a little trickle. At first I thought that I was having a leaky bladder, but no my water had broke! I ate dinner (since I knew they wouldn't give me any in the hospital) & then we were off to the races. I will spare the gory details but suffice to say I had a mid-wife who didn't know what she was doing so you had a rather rough entrance into the world complete with forceps, breathing, & heart rate problems. Oh but once you were worked with a little bit...you were a force to be reckoned with! Mommy couldn't stop staring at you & really believe that you were there. Daddy stayed on the phone the entire time so he could hear everything that was going on. You started as a little fighter (Maybe strong-willed is a better word) & have been so since your birth!

Isaac

How much different your birth was than your sissy's. My water broke in pretty much the same way (with a little help from daddy pressing on pressure points.) Daddy, sissy, and I walked the streets of our neighborhood for awhile then headed to the hospital. I had the most beautiful labor with you. A wonderful midwife and a peaceful, easy labor even though you were 2 pounds heavier than your sissy. What a breeze! You were a snuggler from the get-go & have remained that way ever since then!
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Thursday Five

over at www.mannland5.com/

5 things that have made you happy, thrilled,jubilant,elated

1. Mother's day pictures with my children

2. Two mother/daughter dates on Monday and Wednesday & a mother/son date on tap for tomorrow.

3. Giving gifts to my mom & mother-in-law for mother's day.

4. Kendall getting a slot with the teacher that I wanted for next year. (Time, patience, & praying really do pay off!)

5. Feeling slightly better from whatever crud/allergies/etc. that I have had this past week!

Wordless Wednesday/Mother's Day Mania (OOps...guess this didn't post yesterday!)

Wordless Wednesday

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Today is the first day of Mother's Day Mania over at www.fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/ Head on over to see what it is all about!

Whoopsie Wendesday

In my nearly 4 years of parenting, I have had quite a few whoopsies. I vividly remember 3 days before Ben was to come home from his 3rd deployment seeing Kendall head toward our raised, stone fireplace. Now she was always a very careful child (unlike my second) so I wasn't super worried until I saw her trip then fall......she caught the corner of the fireplace on her temple. Oh she cried, I cried.....and it is captured on our homecoming pictures forever.

Also during this same deployment, she had her first ever fall off the bed. I was less than 5 feet away brushing my teeth when I saw her flipping off the bed onto the floor with a big old rug burn down her nose!

Mother/daughter brunch

My mother's day weekend is off to a brilliant start so far! Last night, I went to Cherry Point for a hail & farwell for Ben's squadron. It is always nice to meet new folks, visit with somewhat new friends, and sadly say good-bye to others. After that we went to small group, we always have a blast there....that just goes without saying!

This morning, Kendall and I went to our first mother/daughter banquets. It was so much fun! We both won a prize & had a good time visiting with friends.

Here we are before we left this morning!

I am about to be on my way to a pedicure in a few minutes when Ben gets home from Lowe's. Hope your weekend is going as well as mine so far!

Worth watching!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=gWcl3TZbkQSv4Jk1KBps2TM2Mzc4NDQ-&referred_by=15539306-pCU6Vwx&p=moveon

Thanks Leanne! This really made my day!