Chosen

Today, after leaving MOPS (mothers of pre-schoolers), I was filled with such a sense of awe. See, during our MOPS meeting, one of the other moms (Tina) was speaking about Mary being chosen to carry the Savior of the world. She was talking about how Mary didn't complain when she, a virgin, was told that she would become pregnant and carry the Christ child. She humbly replied, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word". How much did Mary understand? Did she truly understand the greatness her son was destined for? Did she understand what being the mother of Jesus would entail?

(insert you tube video here. i don't know how to upload it. but, i recommend watching it. here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oHJR2g7Tw&feature=related)

As Tina spoke, her words hit me. She discussed how Mary was chosen to be Jesus' mother. And, she wondered out loud, at whether Jesus was a difficult toddler or whether she ever had to put Him in time-out. But, as she continued to speak, her words penetrated my mind. Mary was chosen to be Jesus' mother. And, each of the women in that room were chosen, purposefully picked out by God Himself, to be the mother of our own children.

At the playground, after MOPS, as Little Buddy played on the toys and I kept a watchful eye on him, I thought about this awesome reality. God chose me. He didn't pick anyone else to be the mother of my little boy. No other mother there was watching his every move the same way I was. No other mother there was reveling in the joy my son was experiencing. God specifically created me for this precious little boy...to love him, protect him, and to cherish him. Even as I drove home from MOPS, I was contemplating this whole concept. I was reminded of what Colleen said in a recent blog, about how she realized that "God sure knew what He was doing" when he paired her up with her husband....how nobody else would quite fit with her the way her hubby does. And, my mind wandered. It wandered through all of the amazing relationships I have. And, I just was awed by the fact that I have been chosen. God chose me to be my hubby's wife. He chose me to be Little Buddy's mom. Nobody else. Me. How amazing is that?! What an awesome responsibility it is to have been chosen for such a task.

I have a friend with whom, for years, we've marveled at the fact that "of all the millions of places and of all the billions of people...God chose us to be friends." How blessed I am to have been chosen, by God, to fulfill a specific purpose in certain people's lives. I pray I live that purpose well. I pray you do, too. Cuz, you know, you've been chosen, too. Be it as a mother, a friend, a spouse, a teacher, a sibling, etc. You've been intentionally chosen for the relationships you are in. I hope we all get that...and that we live like we get it.

Appearances

So, the other night, a friend told me that my life is the "appearance of perfection". At this notion, I think I actually laughed out loud. I thought that was absurd. By no means do I say that to minimize the amazing blessings I have in my life. As you know from the "blessings series" I posted, I definitely know I am blessed. I have an amazing family and I get along with them quite swimmingly. However, perfection? That's a whole different thing altogether. While my friend explained that she knows my life is not perfect, that many women would look at me and see the "appearance of perfection" in my life.
I pondered this idea for a bit. This whole concept was odd to me. I definitely don't want anyone to get the impression that my life is perfect. And, quite frankly, I find it rather hard to believe that people would really think that. My friend assured me that this statement was not a criticism. I didn't take it to be one, but I did find it to be an observation on which to reflect. While I don't go around airing my dirty laundry to every Joe Blow, I don't want to give off any unreaslistic picture of my life, either. Ironically, later in the evening, my hubby and I were reading The Shack. And, I found part of the chapter to tie in very nicely with this "appearance" discussion. Here is what we read:

"Being always transcends appearance--that which only seems to be. Once you begin to know the being behind the very pretty or very ugly face, as determined by your bias, the surface appearances fade away until they simply no longer matter. ...and any appearances that mask that reality will fall away."

Of course, I got all excited reading this, because it struck a chord with me. Isn't it amazing how people who only see you from a distance (meaning, they aren't part of your circle of "deep, authentic friends") see just the appearance of your life, rather than seeing your being, and in the process, often assume you have things together much moreso than they do? Yet, those who know you, don't even notice the appearances anymore because they see straight through to the heart of who you are. They are the ones who can say, "Cut the crap. Spill it. What's really going on?" because the surface appearance of your life has long since faded away and they see the "real you". I'm grateful for the friends in my life who see my being, rather than some unrealistic appearance. And, I'm grateful that my friend who sparked this whole idea is more and more becoming one of those "being" people in my life.

Winner!

Well, thanks to all who have attempted to help us with the couples' rotation schedule. While some people tried to help, and weren't correct with their answers, some people got it right! So, thanks to Cara, Sarah, Naomi, and Tony for sending me schedules that work! Yay! And, Cara was the first to respond, only beating Sarah by 1 minute 42 seconds. So, Cara is the winner and will receive a prize. Now, I just have to figure out what the prize will be. :)

Calling All Engineers! All Math Teachers! All Smarty Pants!!

Okay, so my hubby and I need some help with a brain teaser, of sorts. We are trying to create a rotation schedule. But, for the life of us (and some others, who's assistance we've summoned), we can't get it right. It seems like it should be fairly simple. But, it is not!
Here's the situation: We have 12 couples participating. Each couple is to meet with every other couple, once. This means that each month each couple will be meeting with a different couple (one with whom they have not yet met) to get to know them better. So, twelve couples=11 total meetings (because there are 11 couples besides yourself to meet with). We will meet January through November with a different couple.

We have assigned each couple a number and tried to pair up the numbers, so that each month, different "numbers" meet with different "numbers" than they have before. But, each time we get close, there is a duplicate. Some couple ends up being paired up to meet with a couple they've already met with previously in the year. Some people have tried to pair them up like the table I pasted at the bottom of this blog. But, this table doesn't work... because, as you can see, Couple #1 is paired with Couple #2 for January. But, Couple Number 2 is paired with Couple #3 for January. Couple #2 can't be paired with two different couples in one month. So, if anyone loves a challenge, I have one here for you. Figure out how to have all 12 couples meet with every other couple, but only once. The first person to provide an accurate answer or to provide a spreadsheet with a rotation that works will win a prize! I promise! We are that bewildered by this scheduling problem. :) Thanks!

The Way He Sees Things

This little guy loves to look through things, whether it be the screen door, rocking chair slats, glass door panes or the banister. Here is a smattering of recent pictures of him...the way he sees things.

Through the screen door

YIPPEE!!

So, I got so excited last night when my hubby and I saw gas for $1.99 a gallon. Seriously, I don't remember the last time I saw it in the $1.anything range. This is super exciting. It is amazing how thrilling getting gas can be now.

Trick or Treat

So, the hubby and I just couldn't come up with something from our closets to wear for a Halloween costume, so we skipped out on the Halloween party we had planned to go to and just took Little Buddy trick-or-treating instead. We were invited to a birthday party for a friend, last night, too. And, as much as we love all of our friends and would have loved to have celebrated with all of them, last night was just perfect for us. I didn't regret having a "just us" night at all. It was great. Little Buddy wore his puppy dog costume from last year. (Well, ONE of his costumes from last year). He was a little unsure about the whole idea of going up to strangers houses and holding out a little bag for them to drop goodies into, but he warmed up. He really had a good time, it seemed. He got so comfortable that when the people told him to pick his own candy out of their bowl, he wasn't shy about helping himself. How embarrassing. What a little mooch. But, he was a cute mooch, so it was okay. When we finished trick-or-treating, we ended back up at Grammie and Papa's house. But, Little Buddy was just getting warmed up. He didn't want to go inside, so he and Grammie just walked around the grass and greeted the trick-or-treaters that were coming to their door. He helped pass out candy, too. What a sweet boy. He even tried to give his own Hot Tamales to someone. But, fortunately, Grammie stopped him from being so giving. She knows that mommy and daddy like Hot Tamales, I guess. :)
Anyways, here are some pictures from last night: (The first one is from last year...for comparison.)

Last year...as Scooby Doo

This year: Just a sweet little puppy dog

Heading out

Safety in numbers

Trying to pose by the pumpkin

Saying "thank you" in sign language

Doing a victory dance for Papa about all the candy he collected

Showing Papa all his loot

The loot

Hey, What happened to all that candy?

Blessing #18---My Hubby

I know, I know. This post is extremely overdue. And, several times I have been reminded of the fact that I haven't posted Blessing #18 yet. I guess part of the reason this post has taken me so long is because I can't do justice to the amazing man my hubby is in a mere blog post. Nonetheless, this is my attempt.

My hubby, me, Amy and her mom

For those of you who don't know...my best friend Amy introduced me to my hubby. He lived in AZ and I lived in CA. Through the course of emails, phone calls, and visits back and forth, we fell in love. Actually, it was the third email from him, in which he shared about the Song of Solomon Bible study he was in, that I knew this was a forever deal. I was awed by the fact that a 20-something year old guy was in a Bible study, and I was overwhelmed with the fact that he actually wanted to share with me about it. From that point on, each time I spoke of him to someone else, the word "amazing" naturally popped out of my mouth. My "adopted aunt", Dottie, would always joke with me and ask me, "Is he amazing?". And, of course, my answer was always "yes".

Fast forward 5 1/2 years and here I am...married to that amazing man, blessed each day to call him my husband, and to be the mother of his child.

You see, my hubby is a giver. I used to tell him that it frustrated me that he was so selfless, because that meant that I didn't get to be. He truly is a pretty selfless man. I guess he gets that from his mom and his dad. He has a very hard time saying "no" to people who ask for his help or his talents. He reminds me of my dad in the sense that I truly believe he would go out of his way to do anything for me. If I want to do something, he is always encouraging of me and does everything in his power to ensure that I get the time to do what it is that I want to do.

He works hard. No, he isn't a workaholic or consumed with work, but when he is there, he tries to make wise choices that will advance him, in an effort to provide for me and Little Buddy. He gives me the opportunity to stay home with our precious son, all the while thanking me for doing so. I remember before Little Buddy was born...I was worried about whether we'd be able to live on one income. As we talked about my concerns and my fears of what we'd do if he were to lose his job, he very matter-of-factly said, "I will make sure your needs are met. If I have to work at McDonalds and two other jobs, I'll make sure you and Little Buddy have what you need. I'll never let you need for anything. That is important to me." Those words comforted me and gave me unbelievable peace.

While my hubby can be serious and willing to have deep discussions, he doesn't take himself too seriously. He loves to have fun and is a kid at heart. It is so "amazing" to feel so comfortable with someone...being able to be ridiculously silly, to dance like fools, and to do it together. He is my friend and my beloved.

Obviously, I am beyond blessed when it comes to the subject of my hubby. I am married to a man who knows my secrets, my flaws, my insecurities...and he loves me in spite of them. In fact, in times when I have struggled with my insecurities, he has often said that those are the times he loves me even more...because he knows that is when I most need to be loved...and to know that I'm loved. He loves me when my physical appearance is not "every man's dream", and that sure feels like unconditional love to me.

These are the vows my husband wrote and recited to me on our wedding day:

I promise you today, before God and these witnesses:

--to always love you, no matter what the circumstance

--to be the man that God has called me to be for you and to be the leader that you deserve

--to make our marriage a priority in my life, whether it be date night or doing nothing at all...I

want to enjoy life with you, without letting the time pass us by

--to encourage your wishes and dreams, so you never have to wonder "what if?"

--to respect your thoughts and ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem at the time

--to love, honor, and respect you in all that I do, so that when the day comes that I will be

held accountable for the gift that God has given to me, in you, I will be able to present you

pure and blameless in His sight

The amazing thing about this is that my hubby really does try to live out these vows. Sometimes it is harder than others, especially when I'm difficult to love. But, even still, he tries. No, he's not perfect, but he's perfect for me.

Not only is he an amazing husband, but he is a fantastic father, too. I could post an entire blog just on this subject. But, here's a brief snipit of my thoughts on my hubby as a father. ... Recently, we were discussing whether we thought parenthood was what we expected or whether it was quite different from our expectations. My husband's words still bring tears to my eyes. He said, "Being a dad isn't as hard as I expected, but it is way more important than I thought it would be." This makes me emotional because HE GETS IT. My husband really understands the impact he is making on our son and as a result, he is an active, present father. He loves his son with such a deep love and concern that it is no wonder Little Buddy seems completely secure in my hubby's presence.

I never thought I was worthy of a husband who would meet all of my "husband criteria". But, then, God went and proved once again that it isn't about what I deserve, but what He so graciously chooses to bestow upon me. So, I recognize how extremely blessed I am to share my life with this "amazing" man.

7 Things

So, Leatrice tagged me to post 7 Little Known Facts About Me.
Since I am so indecisive, it was hard to pick 7 things...that is, after I started to actually think of things that I felt fit the category of "little known things about me". I realize that some of these things may not be little known to some of you, but for many of you, they probably are.
So, here ya go:
1: I have an inverted cocix. I didn't realize that my cocix (aka: tailbone) was abnormal until my husband pointed out to me that my tailbone doesn't curl under the way it is supposed to. No wonder people used to say I had a "boney butt" when I'd sit on their laps.
2: I hate having dishes in the left side of the sink. Fill up the right side all you want (and then actually wash some of them, too), but don't clutter up the left side of my sink. I need one sacred side of the sink for washing my hands without battling a sink full of dishes there.
3: I used to want to be an actress. And, I was actually pretty good at acting in high school.
4: I have a pair of shorts that I've owned for 17 years. I love them. My hubby hates them. But, they aren't going anywhere. They are just that comfortable.
5: I would like to pursue a career in nursing, wedding coordinating, catering or own a bed and breakfast several years down the road.
6: I considered changing my major from psychology to political science because of one poli sci class and one amazing professor I had in college.
7: I am all about delayed gratification. Well, that might not be so "little known", so I'll throw in an extra one: 7.5: I don't expect to change the world, but I really do have a desire to be important to people. Not everyone, just some.

Suggestions??

Anyone have any great suggestions for getting the smell of throw-up out of couch cushions? My son threw up all over me, himself, and the couch cushions tonight. Poor little guy. I feel horribly for him, still...even though he is now sleeping peacefully. But, my couch cushion still stinks like barf. Help! I don't want to ruin the cushion in my attempt to make it smell like normal. What to do?!!

Ladies Cooking Night

This post is WAY overdue...But, here it is anyways.

So, about 4 weeks ago now, several friends came over and we had a Ladies Cooking Night at my house. It was during the time that my mom was here, so she was a big help in getting my kitchen looking a little more Italian than it normally does.

Making the breadsticks while Janell tells a fascinating story

Yes, the theme was Italian food. So, we had a couple different pasta options, homemade alfredo sauce, homemade spaghetti sauce, a lovely salad, freshly grated parmasean cheese, etc.

Stuffing shells (Deb, Leatrice, Katie)

We made stuffed shells together, as well as fresh, homemade breadsticks from scratch. They were really good, too. I think I'll make them again for me and the boys, sometime. We had Italian sodas and tiramisu torte.

Janell and Mom enjoying their Italian sodas

And, there was wine and good conversation. Well, eventually, there was wine. :)

Deb and Cara attempting to uncork the wine

C'mon, Cara, you can do it

Why don't you stand on a chair for some better leverage

And, then, there was wine!

It was a really fun night, especially as we pulled questions out of a bowl and learned new things about one another....some things that we should have known a long time ago, and some things that maybe we should never have learned. :) j/k

Answering some interesting questions

Apparently, Cara is practicing her balancing on the exercise ball

Anyways, hopefully, we'll have an opportunity to do it again sometime in the near future. Enjoy the pictures!

Cara, Leatrice, Me, Shiloh, Katie, Janell, Deb (not pictured: Mom)

CHEERS!