Persevering

So, to say I've been having a really hard time dealing with life right now is a HUGE understatement. Because I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY having a hard time dealing with life!!! My days are spent at school while Jackson is at home. My afternoons are spent at basketball practice while Jackson is at home. Some of my nights are spent at basketball games...while Jackson is at home....get me? I am SO physically and mentally exhuasted! I know the Lord has me in this position as a Coach and Teacher right now for a reason...but to be honest...life just sucks! I don't feel that I am being a good coach b/c my heart is with my family. I don't feel like I am being a good wife b/c my time/energy is spent with my team.

It doesn't help that my team is not what I hoped it would be. I have never seen so much apethy in my life!!! I mean REALLY! I came to the conclusion that I think some of the girls on the team just tried out or are on the team so that they could get into games free and watch the boys play. I have about 2 that really care and want to be there. We have not won a game all season and as a matter of fact are getting STOMPED! It hurts to care more than the girls on the team do. It makes me physically sick to my stomach to watch our game and then sit on the bleachers for the boys game and listen to my team cheer their little heads off for the boys. So sick in fact, that I loaded up the bus after our game last night and headed home. We lost by 58 points...yes I said 58!!!! And they didn't even seem to care. I wasn't going to let them sit there and care more about the boys game than they did their own.

Anyway...all that to say that the Lord is teaching me perseverance. Even when things are not as I would have them, when I am tired, and when I would be elsewhere. I am persevering for the sake of Christ...so that these girls will hopefully see Him through me. So, pray that I can not just "get through" these last 5 games. But that I would stand strong and be encouraged that the Lord too had to persevere. Therefore, I'm not alone.

"Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
1 Corinthians 16:58

Baby's First White Christmas

My sweet baby boy is getting so big! I can't believe he's already 6 months old! Christmas was SO much fun with him! His favorite present was the wrapping that anything came in. He loved to shake, pull and try to eat all of the wrapping paper. For me, my favorite present was a picture of Jackson that Chris drew. (pics to come) He is such a good artist. No one would ever know because he doesn't draw much. He took some lessons when he was young, but it is UNREAL how well he can draw. I mean...I can't even draw a stick figure!







I couldn't believe that it was a white Christmas! Everything was BEAUTIFUL!! We loved waking up to the snow falling! It began to stick around 11am and was so pretty all over the ground!



The next day we decided to make Jackson his first snowman. It was too cold for him to come out. So, he watched from the window. He wanted to come play too!







I love watching my little man! He's so curious about everything. He loves touching and looking at things. He is getting so big! I don't like the fact that he is growing up...but I love to watch him grow and learn new things!

Going back to school as been really rough on me. I didn't think it could get much worse...but then I started basketball. I love the girls that I coach but nothing compares to time with my baby! I have been so sad to leave him in the mornings and know that I won't see him until at least 6:30 every night...game nights it's around 9! I don't like it one bit! I know that the Lord has me in this position for a reason and I want to make the most of it. But oh how I miss my little man!

It has been so rough on me that I have decided to take next year off and be at home with him. I won't get this time with him back. 88 more days of school!...But who's counting? :-)

Oh So Thankful!

Life has changed SO much in the past year. My life has TOTALLY changed. I have this new life that I am responsible for. To love and nurture. That is such a huge responsibility! I am so thankful that the Lord has chosen to bless me in this way!
I am thankful for an amazing family. The one I was born into as well as the one I married into. I am thankful that I have good health. I am thanful that I have a job. The thing that I a most thankful for but many times take for granted is my salvation. I am so thankful for such a loving God that cares for us and forgives us!

I am so thankful for my sweet sweet husband! He is such a wonderful husband and father! I am so thankful for the sweet sweet gift the Lord has given us---our sweet baby boy! I am thankful that he is such a good baby, that he is healthy, and that he sleeps through the night!

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good!" Psalm 107:1

Life since Feb. 4....WOW!!

Was Feb. really the last time I wrote an entry? Uh....my bad :( WOW how life has changed! Baby Jackson was born on June 27th. 7lbs 14oz! Since then my world has been turned upside down! I never knew how much I could love someone! He is such a sweet baby! Always happy!! I couldn't have asked for more! God is so good!!!

I was able to enjoy 10 weeks with my sweet baby before I had to go back to work. It was and is still so hard leaving him every morning. I want to be here with him every second. Chris' mom keeps him during the day and for that I am very thankful...But I just wish it was me staying with him. Not too much longer and I'll be able to!

Jackson is now 4 1/2 months old and changing every day. He laughs and smiles all the time and just rolled over for the first time last week. Lately his new thing is reaching for my cup if I am drinking something. If it's water I give him a little sip and those little gums just chomp on the rim of my cup.

Well, that's all for now...but I promise to be a better blogger...no really...I'm gonna try a lot harder this time! I leave you with some pics of my sweet boy!

DONE!!!

Dont get me wrong...I LOVE LOVE LOVE my basketball girls! However...I am EXHAUSTED!!! I have not really had a break since October...and that was only a 3 day break between softball and basketball. So, with this pregnancy and being so busy I am so tired and ready for a break.

I've been thinking about baby Jackson a lot! Wondering what he's going to look like, if he will be smart, if he will be athletic, and so many others. I have had dreams about him lately and I cant wait for the day that I will hold him in my arms and kiss those cheeks! Now that I have some time on my hands I can start planning for how to decorate his room along with getting the whole house organized. Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed when I think about it all! My mom is supposed to come back in a few weeks to help me paint and decorate. Chris is overwhelmed with the prices of baby furniture lol. But we will be purchasing some VERY soon! But he is getting excited to decorate too!

Now that we know we are having a boy, it makes things even more exciting and real for us! We cant wait!!

Thankful

As Thanksgiving is fastly approaching, I am thankful for so much. Things that I don't give thanks for on a daily basis. First, I am thankful for my sweet sweet husband! He has always been sweet...but through the first part of the pregnancy...he's been the BEST. Caring for me when I feel sick, rubbing my back, fixing my dinner, sending me flowers/cards, cleaning the house, doing laundry...I could go on and on! I am also thankful for my wonderful family! They are the best! Thankful for the gift of a child! Oh how sweet this gift is! I am thankful I have a job. I complain about it a lot but I truly am thankful for it. Thankful for my church and our wonderful pastor and his wife. They are truly a blessing to us! Thankful for my sweet freinds that I have made here in Thomson. I thought I'd never have friends here...but the Lord has blessed me with some great ones! And SO thankful for my old friends. Although I dont get the time I used to with them...they still hold a very special place in my heart!
Most of all, I am thankful for my God! He is SO good to me and brings ALL the blessings I could ever ask for! He has send the greatest blessing of Jesus...who I am FOREVER thankful for!
I hope everyone will take time to reflect what they are truly thankful for this year. Let's not take the Lord's blessings for granted!

So long!!

Has it really been this long since I've blogged? WOW!!! Didn't expect to be such a slacker with this. However...my life has been VERY busy! I coached softball and basketball all summer and also worked with the youth of our church. We ended up giving the youth up because it was just way too much. We loved it...it just consumed our summers (along with coaching) and 2 days each week and almost every weekend. We were not getting enough time with each other and we knew we had to give something up.

My softball team made it to the playoffs again this year! We didn't make it past the first round but it was good just to be there again!

Probably the biggest news in our lives right now is that we are going to have a little thiglet!!! We are so excited and so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with a child! I am around 8 weeks right now and the baby is due on June 24....yes, one day after our anniversary! So, the story is...I have been wanting a baby for a while now. Chris...not so much. Not that he didn't want one...I think he was just nervous about having one. So, I had talked to lots of people and many of them said it could take a long time to get pregnant....you just don't ever know. So, I told Chris what I had heard and expressed all my "what ifs" to him and we decided in September to come off of birth control. Little did I know that he was dealing with Fertile Myrtle here! ONE MONTH!!! That's it....all it took! Chris was SO excited....when I saw the "pregnant" on the test...I started hyperventilating!! lol I just had so many emotions running through me and didn't know how to respond. I am ECSTATIC! I can't wait to start fixing the nursery and finding out what it is! We went to the first Dr. appointment the other day (thought I would die waiting on the day) We saw the lil peanut and heard the heartbeat! Such a neat experience! And such a learning experience for Chris! Haha! But he was so excited! I go back December 10th and I hope to post pics and blog more between now and then!