The Strong Willed Child

So, it has come to my attention that I have a very strong-willed child. All of my Christian sisters reading this are probably saying in their heads, "go pick up Dr. Dobson's The Strong Willed Child!" Okay, but here is the thing... I don't like Dr. Dobson! Well, really it is nothing personal against Dr. Dobson... although his political agenda drives me crazy sometimes (but that is a whole other blog post!) It is just that... well... everyone who tells me they love Dr. Dobson and read him exclusively... well, I don't like being around their children! This probably isn't true in all cases! And trust me... it is not anyone who I know reads this blog!

I just feel like their are a handful of people who tell me that Dr. Dobson is a miracle worker... as their children are screaming and throwing tantrums in public or running around my home climbing down the back of my furniture! You know? For me it is like if someone in 100,000$ of debt handed me a book on finances, or someone who just got divorced telling me about the best book to save your marriage!

I know that no ones children are perfect and that is not what I expect! But, I do come into contact with some well behaved children now and then... and I want to read the books that those parents are reading!. Now I know this is a huge over generalization and I am not being fair! So, if you love Dr. Dobson please tell me why and I really will give him a chance! Or, if you have anyone better to offer please do! I would really prefer author's coming from a Christian background or view point!

Thank you! (And really, no offense to anyone who likes Dr. Dobson... I have just had a few run ins lately!!)

I love it when I feel God directly speak to my heart when I am struggling. I find as I spend more time in the Word and more time with God he does it more and more. I especially love it when I am struggling with something and he speaks directly to that. As you all know I have been really struggling with finding a church and making friends since moving here. Well, this morning I was driving to St. Louis Bread Company to get a bagel for my hubs (who is home sick today... poor guy!)and I heard that song, "More Than Enough" I think it is called... it goes
All of you is more than enough for all of me. In every hurt and every need. You satisfy me with your love and all I have in you is more than enough
I started kind of meditating on that concept and felt God tell me that He is more than enough for me. He is all I NEED to feel peace and joy. And since he has told me in His word that He wants fellowship with other believers for me He will provide that. But, it is not a NEED. He is what I NEED! I feel so much peace today after such a rocky day yesterday!

Thank you Lord for always being there! For always listening! How great is our God that he set the stars in the sky and set the earth in motion and then also speaks to little people with insecure prayers!

Finding a Church!

So, as a lot of you know... Nick and I are back on the church hunting trail again. "Shopping" for churches is my least favorite thing in the world! I actually think I even prefer bathing suit shopping to church shopping! I think the main thing is that church shopping makes me feel guitly. I feel like, if I don't like a church, that I am saying it's not good enough. I never want to judge those that God loves! But, I desperately want to find a church for our family that is in line with what we believe to be true about God, where we can be spiritually fed, where there are opportunites to get involved, where we feel welcomed and like we "fit", and with good programs for our kids. We have been to sooo many churches that offer a few of these things.

Honestly, I really miss the churches we attended in Springfield! I miss Northside and James River so much! But, I don't want to be comparing the churches here to those.

I also think Nick and I are struggling a little bit "denominationally" if that makes sense. Nick grew up going to a non-denominational church and I grew up going to Methodist and Presbyterian churches (if we went). But, we find that when we attend churches like that around here that they are lacking any zeal for the Lord. I am not trying to judge anyone! I hate even talking about this! But, we love going to churches and seeing God on the move and people filled with the holy spirit so that they basically have no choice but to radiate who God is. We just haven't found a church that feels very alive. We aren't looking for artificial excitements with like light displays and make you feel good preaching... but we are looking for a church that really celebrates that Jesus is Lord and that lives the teachings of Jesus!

We were blessed to be a part of 2 churches like this in Springfield. I was also blessed to have amazing friends that were on fire for the Lord to share life with. I think Nick and I are both really missing that. We desperately need to be a part of a church body.

Please pray that God will lead us to the church he has planned for us. Maybe even this weekend! Please pray that we will find a church that shares the truth boldly and that there would be people there who will invest in us! Thank you in advance for your prayers and for praying alongside me this past year or so as our family has gone through so many transitions! I am grateful for everyone who reads this blog, whether I know you personally or not! I am going to be a huge dork and ask if you read this post and pray for me to please leave me a comment letting me know that you did! I believe there is power in prayer and I believe that something special happens when you know people are petitioning God on your behalf! (If you don't have a blogger account feel free to leave a comment as "annonymous" and just sign your first name at the end of your message!)

Ugh!

Sorry...this will not be the most uplifting blog post you have ever read. I appologize ahead of time! But, you have to let it out somehow and this is my chosen medium!

I am just feeling a little blah lately. I am still really struggling with getting settled here and feeling at home. It is so hard to make friends in a new place when you are a grown up!! Growing up I was always able to make friends easily and always had a "best friend" to hang out with. But, it is harder when you are a grown up! I still feel like I don't have anyone I can call and just meet up with! So... to put it plainly, I am lonely! And I don't know where I fit in!

I also am debating what things to participate in next year and which things to skip out on. I was thinking of not doing MOPS and putting the kids in Moms Day Out at church one day a week. Well, I have decided I am not ready to be away from my kids one whole day a week! So, then I might do MOPS... I just don't know!

(Side note on Moms Day Out)... everyone always says how you need to have a break from your kids and you need time alone to get things done... I tried to convince myself of this but it just wasn't working for me! I don't want my kids away from me for 6 hours one day a week. They are already away from me when I go to church on Sunday, Bible Study, MOPS... that is more than enough! And maybe I have calm kiddos, but I don't have that hard of a time getting things done! And if I do, my awesome hubby hangs out with the kiddos so I can get things done. I am not questioning anyone else's choice... it is just not for me right now. My time with them at home is so short... Max is already almost 3! I don't want to hurry things along any faster than I need to!

I feel like I haven't really made any close friends anywhere so I am just not sure where to spend my time!

Okay, sorry that was random and whiny... but I am struggling and had to let it out!

8 Things

I've seen this on 2 excellent blogs and decided to be a copy-cat! I love these kind of things!

8 things I'm looking forward to
Buying or building a house
Sophie sleeping through the night on a regular basis
the pools opening
Decorating my new house
Getting to be a stay-at-home mom as my kids get older
Possibly homeschooling my children when they are older
Feeling more at home in St. Louis
Having another baby in the future (or adopting!)

8 things I did yesterday
Went to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays
Ate pork steaks for dinner (amazing!)
Played with the kiddos
Walked around the lake (3 miles, woo hoo!)
Checked my e-mail
Made homemade biscotti
Ate homemade biscotti and drank coffee while chatting with the hubs
Watched Desperate Housewives

8 things I wish I could do
Buy a house today
Loose weight more quickly
Make millions of dollars with little to no effort!
Go on vacation with my husband this summer
Cure cancer, AIDS, and stupidity
Have more self confidence
Tell everyone in the world about Jesus... and Dave Ramsey... but first Jesus!
Know that my children will live in a world that will never hurt them

8 shows I watch (Since I rarely watch TV I will go with shows I sometimes watch!)
Desperate Housewives
Househunters
The Today Show
18 Kids and Counting
The Big Bang Theory
How I Met Your Mother
Friends
Seinfeld

8 things I say everyday
Thank you Lord for all you have blessed me with
I love you
night night
Are you hungry?
No thank you
Please share with your sister
you're silly
someone needs a diaper change

Wow!

I just had to post to praise God for His faithfulness! He is ALWAYS faithful but sometimes it is that in your face faithfulness!

As most of you know Nick accepted a voluntary lay-off from Brown Shoe and was given May 1 as his last day. On Friday he got a new job! One week before his last day! And they want him to start May 4! So he won't miss a single work day!! The new job is at Centene which is in Clayton where he works now!

The best part is that he is SO excited about the new job. It is working with "cutting edge" technology that will really make his resume top notch! And it seems like a great and friendly company!

Thank you all so much for all of your prayers during this time! We are so blessed to have such amazing prayer warriors in our lives!