The Third Day

*I know it's a little late for Easter, but I wanted to share this song. I have the album "In Christ Alone: Modern Hymns of Worship" by Bethany Dillon and Matt Hammitt. On it is this song and I just love the lyrics. I always like to share a good song when I find it!*

On The Third Day

Verse 1
Creation brings an offering,
As autumn leaves turn to gold,
The trees bow down in highest praise,
Now made bare before Your throne.
The western sky an amber blaze,
At the end of the day,
For everything must die to rise again.

Verse 2
The winter’s chill, a bitter cold,
As sin and shame leave us to fall,
The clouds now full of newborn snow,
For grace to come and save us all,
Within the darkest night of man,
Was found Your saving hand,
For everything must die to rise again.

Chorus 1
On the third day, behold the King,
On the third day, death has no sting,
On the third day, we’re forgiven and reconciled.

Verse 3
The earth it groans in labor pains,
As flowers stretch to heaven above,
Your creatures sing the prophet’s song,
To be a gift of selfless love.
The sun is rising in the east,
And Your spirit is unleashed,
For everything must die to rise again.

Verse 4
And so we wait in joyful hope,
For You to come and take us home,
And so we join beneath the cross,
In suffering from whence we go.
The greatest act of sovereign grace,
In the universe displayed,
For everything must die to rise again.

Chorus 2
On the third day, the saints rejoice,
On the third day, we lift our voice,
On the third day, united and glorified.

Spring is here, the grass is riz...

A House Full of Sickos

This really hasn't been a fun week - at all!

It all started with Paul. He came down with a slight fever last Thursday night and was coughing more than usual throughout the day. His fever was gone within a couple hours and thankfully never returned. By Saturday, though, he was full fledged sick. He was coughing a deep, chesty cough and his nose was running a mile a minute! Our good friends Rachael and Ben came to stay for the weekend and despite Paul being sick we had a great time!

By Sunday night my throat was starting to hurt. I haven't been sick since before I was pregnant - at least a year and a half. By Tuesday I was super congested and starting to cough some. OH, and my upper jaw was killing me! Thursday I went to the doctor's and found out I have a sinus and right ear infection. Picked up antibiotics. The next morning I woke up and my left ear was hurting and completely plugged up. On top of it all I stopped being able to smell or taste anything by Monday night. Just today I was finally able to smell and taste again but it is still not completely back. It comes in waves. I'm starting to get a little better each day. My left ear is still plugged up but the antibiotics seem to be working their magic 'cause my jaw doesn't hurt as much.

Now onto Dan, he is starting to get worse! He's getting more congested and his throat is really bothering him. We've kind of crossed paths - lol! I hope that he doesn't get any worse. He doesn't seem to have an infection like I do, which is good. Paul is still congested and is coughing some but he has a doctor's appointment tomorrow anyway so we'll see if it's something worse or if it's just end of flu stuff.

So, this past week we have done nothing. And I pretty much mean it. Rachael and Ben left us the first few seasons of The Big Bang Theory so we have been enjoying those - twice through! Poor Paul lost me as his fun mommy for two or three days while I was just miserable. I had absolutely no energy and I found it taxing just doing the normal things with Paul. Thankfully Dan wasn't as sick and was a big help those days. He also helped out with the dishes which have piled up over the week. Now it's my turn with them - whoopee! Now we just need to get back to healthy for Easter this coming weekend! We're going to my parents and I really hope that things are pretty much back to normal! I'll be praying!

To end it all, because it's been a while since I updated, I'll leave you with a few pictures!

Me and my baby boy! He's getting too big too fast!

My little goofball!

Spending time with Daddy and Grandpa Peter (Dan's Dad)

Who doesn't love a sleeping baby?

He has been sitting so well on his own!

He's also been creeping his way across the floor -
and the other day he started shuffling along on his little bum!

He loves hanging with Daddy!

My big brown eyed boy!

My favorite!

"Hi Mommy!"

A Bit of a Revelation

I’m trying to find a moment with You
These days are speeding by
This ring gives me a new point of view
I’m a dealer in my time
And if I can make a confession
My time is torn between
The man who has won my affection
And the God who made me

Oh, it all looks different
But that doesn’t mean anything has changed

Still I reach for You
When I am afraid
And this breath that comes from You
Helps me say Your name

I look at the life of Anna
Your presence was her home
I look at the life of my mother
Praying on her back porch

One day very soon
Face to face
I’ll give an account of my time to You

- Bethany Dillon - "Say Your Name"

I had a bit of a revelation this morning. I was doing dishes and listening to this song. I've heard it many times but it kind of hit me - I can relate to this! I have been married for three and a half years (she was a newlywed when she wrote this song) but I still struggle between my relationship with my husband and my relationship with God.

I love the imagery of "it all looks different but, that doesn't mean anything has changed." On the outside, when getting married, life changes drastically. Suddenly I am living with this man, I am sharing a bed with him, doing his laundry, cooking his meals, buying groceries for two instead of one...all these things start the moment we say I do. We are a in a partnership for life. My attention shifts from God and me to God, my husband and me. It creates quite the triangle!

But...BUT...that doesn't mean anything has changed. Hello?! Why did I never think this way before now? I know it may seem simple but to me it kind of put things into perspective. Why should I change how I live out my relationship with God? Why do I have to choose? My husband and I are one. On the outside I have changed but on the inside I am still the me that God created. The one that still reaches for him when I am afraid and tired and lonely. I go to him when I am happy and joyful and feeling fulfilled in my life. I express my thanks and my gratitude to Him frequently. He is still my God - my Everlasting Lord. That will never change.

So on the outside my life has completely changed from what it was when I was single. I lived with my best friend, I bought groceries only for me, I cooked for myself, I only had to think about how circumstances would affect me. Now I share my life with a (wonderful) man. We have a house, we have a (beautiful) child, I cook for us, I clean for us, I grocery shop for us. The one thing that hasn't changed is my God. He is and always will be there for me.

That is such a comfort.

I Have Been Challenged

So, Brandee chose me to post seven things about myself that no one knows and then I choose seven other bloggers to do the same! I don't personally know all of the bloggers on my blog roll but I will choose seven anyway.

Here goes!

1. My biggest pet peeve is ignorance. Pure ignorance in any form. It just angers me to my bones.

2. I am really bad at keeping my kitchen clean. I was before I was married and I was before I had a baby. Some weeks I'm good at keeping on top of it but most of the time it's all piled up by the weekend. Cleaning it is never as bad as I think it's going to be, though.

3. I love Autumn and Winter. I like Spring. I hate Summer. It's taken me years to realize this. Autumn has this crisp, cool breeze and produces the most beautiful colors that God has ever created. Winter brings snow - I especially like it when there is lots of it. I like being stuck inside not being able to go anywhere and my favorite is curling up in bed at night with LOADS of blankets on top...so cozy! Spring has beautiful renewal and gorgeous flowers BUT it's also soggy and muddy and just plain wet. Summer is hot...need I say more?

4. I don't want to be "the perfect mom." I just want to be the best mom for my child(ren.)

5. I am horrible at sharing my feelings. I hate it. I find it really hard a lot of times. I don't know where this came from it's just something that I've always struggled with. I usually use other outlets instead (music, poetry, etc.)

6. I used to write a lot of poetry. When I was single I kept journals a lot and I was often jotting down poetry that came to mind. Even when I was first married I would a bit but I haven't in a long time. Not that I'm not inspired I find I just haven't the time...or I don't make the time. It is something that I would love to get back into.

7. Deep down inside me I know there is a runner. I can envision myself that way and I just long to be that woman. I have a goal to be a runner in 5 years. Not necessarily a marathon runner but a casual one; for exercise. I have a lot of weight to lose first and walking is a good gateway to running so that is where I need to start.

There you have it. Some things about me that you might not have known! Here are my seven:

1. Jen
2. Lindsay
3. Kayla
4. Rachael
5. Deanna
6. Joy
7. Julie

It Has Arrived!

The evil little sharp things that us humans refer to as teeth. Paul's first tooth broke through today! It's his bottom right one. He wasn't really too bad about it either. A little cranky here and there but nothing seemed to be seriously bothering him. Thank goodness! I hope all of them go this smoothly!

It's still only about half way there but it's definitely sharp and it's definitely broken through the skin! Way to go my little man!




On a totally different note, here is my weigh-in for this week...I had a bad week.

February 19, 2010 - 260

Weigh In

So, the last couple weeks have been really good! I've been keeping up my excitement which has really pushed me on. I had a treat day last Sunday when Dan and I went out for a date and I had one last night while we watched the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. I have to say, though, that I have felt like crap the next morning both times. I think I over did it. My splurging will have to be more minimal from here on out.

A couple weeks ago I had kind of a splurge weekend and put back on 4 lbs (sheesh! I gain so fast!) So here is the run down:

January 28/10: 261
February 1/10: 265
February 5/10: 260
February 12/10: 258