Full of Joy

(I wrote this on Saturday, but didn't post it.  Chuck found it on the laptop and said he enjoyed it... so... thought I'd share.) Last Thursday night I attended an event called, "Celebration of the Arts".  I received the invitation through my writer's group.  We were instructed to bring a piece of our art- anything we had written- that we were proud of.  I was a little nervous since I don't feel like I have done anything substantial with my writing in a long time.  But I ended up choosing to bring the magazines containing the last two articles I had written.  When I arrived people were placing their art pieces on a display table, so I laid out the two magazines.  It was a pretty cool feeling.  There were paintings, drawings, pottery, photographs, and then my art- writing. I have thought to myself and said many times out loud over the years that I wish I had a talent.  I've always wished I had some skill I was good at.  I watch my husb...

November is such a great month for me to be reminded to have a thankful mindset.  There is always an abundance of things to be thankful for.  I've been wanting to come up with a visual way for Chuck and I to list the ways God is blessing us.  One year we had a thankfulness jar during November, and then we read all the things we had written down on Thanksgiving Day.  Since we haven't created anything yet, I decided to visually reflect through this post.  Some of these things may seem strange, but that is a wonderful benefit of having an intimate relationship with Christ.  He knows my heart, and the things that speak the loudest to me.  So here they are- blessings from God and the reasons I am thankful today: I am FREE from the burden and chains of sin because Christ paid the price for me! I truly have a fulfilling LIFE in abundance because Jesus lives in me! I know God created me uniquely special, unlike any other woman in this world. I can not fat...

Last week was so super rough.  As I was starting to feel better from the stomach virus, I got two vaccines at my OB appointment.  I have reacted (chills, aches, pains) to both vaccines in the past, so I figured it was going to be a tough weekend.  And it was.  Thankfully Chuck is Super Papa, and I was able to stay in bed for a lot of Saturday and Sunday.  I'm still really weak.  I just tried putting Jase down for an afternoon nap, but I probably tried too early- wishful thinking on my part.  So now I face the dilemma, do I let him cry it out awhile and hope he eventually wears himself out?  Or do I get him up, and start the process all over again in an hour?  My energy for the day is sapped already. I learned at my last appointment that I am in the throws of my third trimester.  Not sure how I missed that.  The contractions continue daily, and are even getting uncomfortable.  I'm waddling already, with three months to go. My ...