Woo Hoo!

Wow!  I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted a blog.  Since my last post a LOT has happened!  So, here is some of the run down...

Last week I struggled a bit.  Mostly with feeling ill.  I wasn't sure if I was getting something major or what, but thankfully, although I am still coughing, I do feel better.  However, I am determining that it is most likely allergies that I am dealing with.  Lovely.  I guess that is what comes with living in the warmer weather & so...I WILL take it.  This past week at WW I managed to lose 3.2lbs.  WOO HOO!!!  I was so excited!  After a rough 2nd week I was thankful to have a nice loss.  I think some of that may be due to the fact that I was drinking a TON of iced tea trying to flush my system, but hey...I'll take it.  I'm going to keep going & I will get off what I want to, no matter how long it takes.  I didn't get to run much last week with feeling under the weather, but this week I am back into it.  I love running!!!  The Houston Marathon happened today & I told Dan that someday I will be running in that marathon.  Someday!

Dan...he was home with us for another weekend!  WOO HOO!!!  We had a great time this weekend & we were able to get a lot of cleaning done in the house.  I was so thankful.  Dan is heading back to Coke, TX this week, so we know that we will be able to have him home for at least next Saturday.  So...super excited that we have so many moments shared in the weekends.  What a difference it makes!!!

Elijah...busy...busy...busy.  That kid keeps me going.  Thursday he had lots of fun at school & Friday we had so much fun with Ms. Julie & Little G & then Daddy was home!!!  He has had a fun filled weekend.  He & Daddy were able to "share" some moments together & that was so good for all of us.  One thing this weekend that Eli & Daddy did was sword fighting & Eli loved dressing up as a viking!  He is too cute.  So...here is a picture, although not the best "action" shot, but he really does love it!

Elijah definitely keeps us busy.  One thing he kept asking me to do this weekend was to say my "WOO WOO" which was his way of asking me to WOO HOO!!!  So, I would do it for him.  He loves it.  We all laugh & I hope he always likes the way Mommy says that. LOL.  (I doubt that will happen, but a momma can dream, right?!)

So, I have become quite a cooker lately.  I think secretively Dan is surprised.  Although, maybe now he is scared because I told him that I am requesting some good kitchen knives for a gift at some point.  Really?!  Who would've ever thought that I would've asked for knives?!  Well, I must admit that I am pleasantly shocked at how much I am actually enjoying cooking.  I am actually making menus & finding it nice to cook & eat at home rather than to eat out.  So, the good news is, it's better for us & in the long run we are saving money.  (Although I am grocery shopping more than ever before!) I know that I am not a Rachel Ray, nor will ever be, but...hey, I'm trying.

In other news...my Mom & Dad will be here in 2, count them...2 sleeps!!!!  Eli was so excited tonight about seeing them!  He told us though, that he is NOT a booger.  (My mom sometimes called him her little booger).  Nice.  I was laughing so hard.

In other, other news...My sister, Joyce, will be flying into Houston on Thursday to have an interview at a hospital here.  So, we are praying for God's will to be done in her life.  I know that He will guide her where she is to be.  She has been trying to find a job in various states and now has an interview here, so...only time will tell.  I will keep you posted, but thank you for including her in your prayers as she desires to be only where God would have her to be.

One more final thing before I close...I must say this one more time.  *OK, so I'm sure I will say it many more times...* WE LOVE OUR CHURCH!!!  The Pastor's and Leadership team are wonderful & we are incredibly blessed by the Church family.  I am so excited about what God is teaching us in the services & extremely excited about being in my Wednesday night Women's bible study.  Eli loves the church too (which he calls the "Train" church because he gets to play with Trains) and the people who are in his classroom are amazing.  We are ALL blessed!

So, I will leave you with this video of Dan rocking Eli tonight before bed.  Too Sweet not to share!  WOO HOO!  Love my men!!!

D, D & C

I thought today I would give you a little update on where the mind of my precious little man is now a days.  He is all on, without a doubt, 100% into the following...

Dragons
Dinosaurs and...
Cooking!!!

Okay, so don't worry, we still have the cars & trucks issues happening & he is playing with his tools, constantly "fixing" something, but he is completely into the above three.  Before I get into those things, today Eli was watching his dragon movie in his room (on his individual DVD player) and I went back to check on him, well, he had made himself a stool, had his tools, had one of his hats on working with his tools.  He told me that he was helping Daddy & working.  I tried to get the camera to get a picture of him, but he was being camera shy today.  It was adorable though.  You will have to take my word for this.

So, we will begin with Dragons.  Since he watched How to Train a Dragon for the first time he has been completely in LOVE with dragons.  Typically there is not a day that goes by when he isn't playing with his dragons in some way.

Cooking.  This has become a new thing at home.  Usually when we go to visit his cousin Maddie he plays constantly with her toy kitchen.  Well, this has come full circle now to home.  Anytime I'm in the kitchen he wants to HELP.  Well, sometimes it is easier than others to let him help.  I know, before you say it, let him help.  I'm trying.  Really, I am.  But, what you have to understand is, I am just myself starting to become more comfortable in the kitchen & really still struggle in that area, so having my little handful in there helping me is a ahhhh moment.  All in all though it has been fun.  Here is a picture of my little man "helping" out.

And then we have Dinosaurs...day and night we hear about dinosaurs.  He told Dan & I yesterday that he was saving his money to buy a certain dinosaur.  I guess this year we will be having a dinosaur birthday.  He has a favorite book at night to be read to him & usually it changes from time to time.  Right now...this is his favorite:

Yup...A-Z dinosaurs!  WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS I THINKING WHEN I BOUGHT THIS BOOK?  Certainly I wasn't thinking of it for a night time story.  Let me tell you, I can't even pronounce half of the dinosaurs in this book.  It is just fun to read it with Eli.  He usually tells me all about them. 

So, there you have it.  My son.  Busy little man.  I'll leave you with one last picture of him after a bath running with his towel.  Yup....this is his energy ALL the time!

Chatterbox

I have determined that we will someday hear from Elijah's teachers that he talks NON-STOP.  I am certain he will most likely get in trouble for talking.  This child DOESN'T stop!  I'm not kidding.  Today, I told Dan that I get physically tired some days just listening to him talk.  Honestly.  He is like the energizer bunny.  He keeps talking & talking & talking.  He is making up stories, he still talks in "his" Ms. Susi language and then sometimes he is an animal talking.  Most likely he is a dinosaur.  None the less, from the time my little man wakes up until the time he goes to bed, he is talking.  Last Thursday at his school they had pizza day.  When I picked him up he wanted food.  I asked Eli if he ate his pizza.  After some conversation, realizing he didn't eat...Eli told me this:
E: "Mommy, all my friends were done eating & Ms. Lela told us to clean up."
Me: "Were you talking or eating?"
E: "Talking!"
Me: "Well, there is your problem! You need to eat then talk!"
E: "Okay Mommy"
It is almost a constant battle to get my child to not talk.  I know, someday, I will probably have to beg him to talk to me, but until then, wow....he keeps life interesting.

Saturday we went to have his picture taken for a mini session with a photographer from our church.  Here is a picture...proof, if you may, that he talks ALL the time.  He was talking when this was taken!

So, there you have it.  My chatterbox in action.  We love him.  He is fun!

This weekend was wonderful.  Saturday was a fun day.  We had time together as a family in the morning.  Then in the afternoon I went to a baby shower & enjoyed meeting more women & Dan took Eli to the movies.  The guys had a great time.  Then, the evening was so nice that I was able to take a run outside, then dinner was cooked out on the grill.  What a great winter day! 

Today, Sunday, we enjoyed another fantastic day at church.  We continue to be blessed each Sunday.  Thank the Lord!

Well, my parents will be leaving PA this Tuesday!  On Feb 1st, they will be here!  We are extremely excited to have them here.  Although...they may want to bring some earplugs.  LOL.  It will be a wonderful month to share with them.

Hope y'all had a fantastic weekend! 

GO STEELERS!!!!

Smile Anyhow

Sometimes things in life get you down.  Sometimes things are just irritating.  For me, that is weight.  I am trying so hard to follow the Weight Watchers plan & this past week I did great!  I followed it to the T.  I enjoyed making new recipes & even finally got back into my running routine which has been wonderful!  So, today was the big weigh in day.  Well, not so great for me.  I actually gained weight.  Ugh.  Frustrating.  Well, thankfully, I planned my menu yesterday, so I have a good plan for the week & I intend to follow it.  I will smile anyhow & try to enjoy my journey.  I did receive my gym membership in the mail today, so I will be going Monday to join & get started there!  YAY!!!

Dan is home for the weekend!  This is the 2nd weekend in a row.  I am so excited to have him here.  I know that I can't count on this all the time, so I will enjoy the time we get.  One great thing is that our church is having their "getting to know the church" class this weekend, so that means that Dan & I will finally be able to participate!  That was great news for us!  I know we both are just so blessed by our Church family.

Elijah is so excited to have Daddy home.  He has been doing really well for me, however, this full moon cycle has definitely put him into a crazy spin.  I try to keep him busy during these times as he has a way of having enough energy for 10 kids.  No joke.  One thing about him lately is he repeats stuff that he is saying to me.  Over & over & over & over...get the idea?  for example....if he sees an airplane, he will tell me, "Mommy, I see an Airplane, Mommy, airplane, Mommy, airplane!"  No kidding he will say it continually until I acknowledge him.  It is really annoying.  Kids.  gotta love them!

One final thing for tonight...God always wins.  God impressed on Dan & I to do something and I have to be honest, for a couple days I thought about what I could selfishly do with that money.  Well, God continued to make it evidently clear what we were to do.  You know what?!  We made the appropriate contact & ended up being a blessing to a family.  God is Awesome!  Ultimately in the long run, our family is the one that is being blessed. 

Through it all, I have decided today that I am going to smile anyhow!

"Girl" Time

I titled this post "girl" time for a couple reasons. Let me start off & clarify that I am NOT stating that my boy has been replaced.  LOL.

After last post I had stated that Tuesday would be a day out at the Zoo.  However, it ended up that Tuesday morning it was raining, so we didn't venture out.  Instead, Little G came over & played with Eli again.  They had a blast.  Eli forgot all about the zoo, so that was a good thing.  Fun was once again had by all!

Today...Elijah & I went shopping.  :-)  Not just regular shopping, but rather shopping for a baby shower!  A GIRL baby shower!  Eli was adorable helping me pick out cute little clothes.  He kept talking about Garner's (Little G) sister & how cute she will be.  He then kept asking me if I was buying something for Sadie.  So, we did.  He loved it.  He then started talking about his sister.  Hmmm.  I just don't know buddy.  Well, tonight, his prayer was specific.  "Please God, I want a girl to be my sister."  Oh boy.  Hence...the girl time.  I love being around sweet Maddie, Sadie & of course looking forward to sweet Camryn that is on the way!  Gives me my girl fix without them being "mine!"

Running...I know last post I talked about this, but wow, I sure did miss running.  I didn't realize how addicted I really am.  I definitely don't like running on the treadmill as much as outside, but I am so glad to have it.  I ordered my gym membership from Costco since it was over 1/2 the price, so I am waiting to receive it in the mail, but so looking forward to being able to work out at a gym.  Life is good.

So, I know I am probably starting to sound like a broken record, however, I must tell you that I love our Church!  Wednesday nights I am blessed to be in a Ladies (Girl Time!) Bible Study & I am loving it!  It is amazing to me to listen & watch how God brought each of us there for a specific reason.  We are all different and yet, we are all there to minister to one another.  What a blessing.  If only we would think this all the time about one another?!   How neat would it be if our intention was to bless others all the time.  Not tear them apart or hurt them.  Lift them up to God.  HELP them fall into the arms of God.  Help one another!  I enjoy being with the girls that God put in my life in this study!  I pray I can be an encouragement to them as they are to me!!!

So....Dan will be in Coke, TX again next week.  Good news is that he will be home this weekend!  Woo hoo!  Life is good.  We are blessed.

:-)

Today was a FANTASTIC Monday!  This morning was a peaceful one.  Eli was so excited about his friends coming for a playdate, but he did so well for me.  Then our friends came.  Eli, Maddie & Little G all played so well together today.  It took a little while for them to get started, but they did great!  Of course we had a couple moments, but the time flew by!  We enjoyed our lunch and the next thing we knew it was 2:30.  What a great time for all of us Mother's to chat!

This evening after dinner I finally got to run!  Oh how I have MISSED running!  I didn't realize how much until I stepped on the treadmill tonight.  I decided to run while Eli was awake instead of waiting until he went to bed.  It was great!  Eli entertained himself by making his own treadmill to run on while I ran.  It was so cute.  Overall it was a great run!

So now, I'm enjoying an evening of relaxation.  Tomorrow, off to the zoo! 

Only 15 sleeps until my parents are here!!!

Over already?

Why do the weekends have to go SO fast?  Really, I can not believe it is over already?!  It seems like Dan just got here.  Oh, right...he did just get here really.  He got in late Friday night, so we had a nice time with the 2 days we got.  We had so much that we wanted to get done.  Looking back on it, as per my normal doing I had unrealistic expectations of what I wanted to get done this weekend.  So, we didn't get near what we wanted to get done, however, we did manage to get our treadmill set up!  YAY!!  That is great news for me.  Even though I have a gym membership, I need to have that treadmill at my fingertips.  So, now I do!  Woo Hoo!!! 

I STILL have boxes, upon boxes, upon boxes, upon piles, upon piles...you get the idea, of stuff to go through.  I know, you are thinking, really Beth?!  You moved 4 months ago!  You aren't working right now.  What is the deal?  Why can't you get it done?  Well, I am thinking that to, but you know what?  Life is what is going on.  Elijah is what is happening.  LOL.  I try to keep him going so much that the unpacking has suffered.  I decided that someday it will all either be pitched or I will get to it.  Someday.  ;-)

Church.  Have I mentioned that we LOVE our new church family?  Well, we do.  We are so blessed with them.  I still can't believe that God brought us to a new home church so quickly that we are being fed in & feel a part of already.  We are enjoying soaking, but looking forward to God using us there too.  In HIS time.

Cooking has become a new enjoyable challenge for me.  However, I have moments where the meal isn't so great.  Today I had on the menu a new Weight Watcher's Crock Pot Stew.  It sounded so good.  This morning I put it all together & stuffed it into the slow cooker.  After church when I looked at it, it didn't look so good.  Well, tonight for dinner we sat down to enjoy & well, let's just say we ended up eating Turkey Burgers for dinner.  Yup, that meal, NOT so good.  Those of you who know my husband know that he will usually eat anything.  Yes, he couldn't even eat this.  LOL. Oh well, on to the next recipe.

Dan will be heading out early in the morning for Coke, TX this week.  Eli & I have lots of plans this week & we will be making the most of the moments.  Hope your weekend was great!

Stuff

With my last post I was talking about our weekend away.  So, I thought I would give you a couple pictures from our fun time. 

Obviously...Dan & I being cozy!  ;-)

Who doesn't like jumping on beds?

So, we had a nice getaway.  The hotel pool was nice, although it was the first time I have experienced a salt water pool, and the jacuzzi, referred to by Eli as the "Coffee Cup Pool" was nice too.  I'm sure we will do this again, but it was nice to come home.  A 3 1/2 year old stuck in a hotel room only lasts for a couple days.  It was nice though to enjoy some time together away!

Okay, so that aside I am going to be very real right now.  Real & vulnerable, really.  Since moving to Texas I had gained some weight simply because I had stopped exercising like I was.  So...realizing that I had to get it under control NOW, I decided that joining Weight Watchers was an absolute must.  Well, last week I joined.  I was sooo excited about it & was enjoying my week feeling good, but nervous.  My weigh in days are Fridays & yesterday I decided to "weigh" myself at home to see how I was doing.   My scale HADN'T moved at all!!!  UGH.  I was so irritated.  Frustration set in.  I was having a "poor me" day.  I am ashamed to admit it completely took my ENTIRE day.  What a crazy mess.  I know better than this.  What in the world?!  Well, I forced myself to plan out the next week of meals & purposely planned 6 new Weight Watcher recipes in it so that when I went grocery shopping I would be spending money I wouldn't want to waste.  That is what I did.  I planned my meals & moved my grocery shopping to Thursday instead of Friday.  I was so down on myself I was honestly ready to quit.  Really?!  I'm sure this seems unreal to some of you, but really, my biggest fear is failing at this.  Weight is such a struggle for me & will be for all my life, however, I MUST NOT allow it to control my days.  Honestly, it took my yesterday & my morning today...ONLY BECAUSE I ALLOWED IT! 

Reality check.  I am very thankful for people in my life who aren't afraid to bring me back to what I need to hear.  Wow.  I not only wasted my time, but I wasted time yesterday of people I whined to.  I am really sorry to them, but so thankful they knocked me back to what I needed.  I did lose weight today.  I lost 1.4lbs.  Yes, that is a loss.  Yes, that is great.  For me in the past my 1st week I would have huge, I mean HUGE, weight loss.  What I wasn't taking into account (even though others were telling me to) that I wasn't eating like I once was prior to starting WW.  Anyhow...I've been ridiculous.  I am thankful for my loved ones & friends who care so much to listen to me pout.

I had heard the song that I am including below before, but it was pointed out to me by a dear friend again today.  I listened to it again & it is so true.  Stuff.  Gives it a whole new perspective for me.  God knows what He is doing.  Until next time...

Mini-Vacation

On Sunday night as Dan & I chatted about our week ahead, we decided that on Monday, after I picked Eli up from pre-school, we would venture to College Station (where Dan is this week) to enjoy a couple days.  The hotel Dan is staying in has a pool & he is working afternoon shift, so that would mean Eli could enjoy some good Daddy time in the morning/early afternoon.  Well, I surprised Eli with the trip & off we came.  He was so excited...to go SWIMMING!  Last night we did just that.  We went swimming.  He didn't end up sleeping very well last night, but we are hoping tonight will be better.  Dan & Eli went swimming today some & I got to sleep in.  I am a happy momma!  :-)

Tomorrow our mini-vacation will end as we head back to Humble after Dan leaves for work.  It's been a nice get-a-way!

Have I mentioned that I LOVE Texas?  I really am enjoying being a stay at home mom (although I have my days).

Blessed

Although the weekends are the absolute most difficult times for me emotionally I can not forget that I am BLESSED!

First of all, I must say, I am sooooooo thankful that God has planted us in a new church that has officially become a family to us. Each time I am on my way to church whether it is for Sunday service or Wednesday Bible study, I am overwhelmed with excitement! I have already met some incredible people & I look forward to getting to know them better & sharing in their joys, sorrows, trials, victories etc. What a true blessing this is! Honestly, before we moved I wasn't sure we would have a home church within a year much less 4 months. Once again, God has moved & blessed.

Next, I am blessed with my son. Yes, I get frustrated sometimes. Yes, I cry over him for various reasons. Yes, I worry about how he acts when I'm not around. Yes, I pray for him. Yes, I worry about the future. Yes, I worry about his spiritual well being. Yes, I worry about him physically. Yes, yes, yes. However, the bottom line is, I am blessed with him. God has entrusted Dan & I with an amazing gift. We are able to be parents to a precious gem of His. I am able to be a Mom! I am blessed to be able to stay home with him right now & be his full time mommy. Wow! Blessed. I am excited to see what God has for Elijah as he grows up. I, his mom, will be able to enjoy the moments with him. I will be able to help him in his trials. I will be able to help heal his broken heart. I will be there when he falls in love for the first time, when he decides what he wants to do with his life...Lord willing, I will be able to share in all of this. For now though, I am BLESSED to be Elijah's Mommy!

I am blessed to be Dan's wife. I am blessed to have a man who is able to provide for his family. Yes, we are dealing with new trials now that we are in Texas & separate a lot, but God is with us & is helping us. I am blessed that Dan has been there for me through so many ups & downs. I am able to cook, clean, be me, have fun, life life to the fullest as a wife! God brought us together & although we may fail to remember that in times of trials, I know that we are together because God intended it to be that way. Thank you Lord for this blessing. Thank you for enabling me to be a wife. Thank you for my honey bunches of oats. Thank you for blessing me with Dan.

Family. How would my life be without all of you?! How can I even begin to say thanks to each of you. I am tremendously blessed. I am blessed to be a daughter, sister, Aunt, cousin, in-law, niece...what a true blessing it is. My 6 older siblings have gone through trials that I can't imagine. They have helped me through times that I never thought I would encounter. We are family. We are together when no one else is there. We have one another to lean on. Even though we may not always agree with each other, we are still family. Unbreakable. Blood. Family. My parents...I am sooo blessed to have you. I love you. I admire you. I cherish every moment I get with you. Thank you for being my mom & dad. Thank you for never giving up on me. Love you all.

Friends...I am blessed. As I think about the friends I have in my life, wow. I'm amazed to think about the stages in my life & the people from each stage that have impacted me. I'm blessed to have so many friends. Thank you for your support of me. Thank you for allowing me to be a friend.

So, why do I post this today? Because, even when I think about my personally "tough" weekend, I am reminded of how blessed I am. I may have moments of sadness, but when I look back on my life & all that I am blessed with I am reminded to be content in my situation. Make the most of the journey. Make the most of each moment. Enjoy the ride.

Thank you Lord for all of this. Thank you Lord for helping me to look for the best in every situation. Thank you for helping me to be mindful of my blessings. Most importantly, Lord, thank you for the ability to have a relationship with you that far surpasses anything I deserve.

So, to all of you reading my thoughts...here is to a blessed week for you.

New Day

Well....I began a new journey today. I decided that I had to re-join Weight Watchers. I have always had success with Weight Watchers in the past & this time I am sure it will be no different. My personal goal is just different this time. I have a fresh outlook. Also, it is a brand new program & from what I know so far, it ROCKS!!! So, keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I begin this new journey for me. I know that this will help me reach my ultimate fitness goals as well. I WILL achieve that marathon someday!!!

So...I know you are wondering...How did Elijah do yesterday at school? Well, not at all how I had myself prepared for. He did GREAT!!! We were walking into school & when he put his back pack down, he turned, looked at me & said, "Okay Mommy, I can go in all by myself now. See you later!" Wow! I was shocked! However, I gave him a hug & kiss & told him to have a great day. He walked into the room & out I went! Woo hoo!!! I hope it continues this way for the rest of the year!

I blogged last time about how well Eli had been doing...well, he is still a great kid, but sleep the past two nights hasn't been as good. I am hoping it is just because he was too tired & that tonight will be better. I love my little man. I just really enjoy the great days. HAHA. Don't all parents?

I must say about my little man that I am really glad that he enjoys vegetables. Tonight at dinner he wasn't too interested in the turkey burger (although he DID take a no thank you bite), but the steamed broccoli he loved, ate it all & asked for more!!! By the way...if you haven't tried the Ziploc steam bags, I am telling you that I absolutely LOVE them! I am not sure if Sam's club sells them, but I will be looking, because they will be one of the most used items in my kitchen now.

Texas...I can't believe that I have officially lived here for almost 4 complete months. I must say that I can tell through all the pain that this move was definitely what I needed. God has really encouraged me. I am so excited about the great things ahead & really looking forward to watching Elijah grow & become the man of God he was created to be. I am also looking forward to how God is going to work in Dan & my life, both collectively & individually. I know I say this a lot lately, but I can't stress enough how much it is true! I miss my family, but I know this move was truly a God move!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Full Wednesday

So, first let me tell you that thankfully Elijah has been sleeping MUCH better lately. In fact, he is starting to sleep in a little for me. Okay, so 7AM isn't exactly my idea of sleeping in, but it is an improvement from 5:45!!! I am so proud of him & he has been acting better through the day when he sleeps well. Let me just say that the last 2 days have been wonderful!

Today the calendar actually had stuff on it! This morning we didn't have to rush to get out of the house, but we decided that it was time to cut the curls. Eli's hair was getting out of control. I tossed around the idea of letting it grow until the spring/summer hair cut, but it was getting crazy. So, I decided to try the salon in Walmart for him. So, off we went. As a result, I got my grocery shopping done & his haircut all in one stop. NICE!

Here is a picture of the "new" due.
While at Walmart Eli wanted to look at the toys, as usual. He told me that he wanted to look at the dragon's so he could know what to ask Santa for. I laughed & told him that Christmas is a long time away. So, we walked down the aisle with all sorts of dragons in it. He loves them. He wanted to hold them & talked to me about each one. Then, he would look at me & ask to get it. I would politely say no & then, he would say, Please mommy...while batting his eyes. Oh my goodness I have a drama king on my hands. He wasn't too happy when I told him to tell all the dragons goodbye. However, he dealt with it. He settled for Juicy fruit gum instead. :-)

Doctor visit...So, we haven't seen a Pediatrician yet in Texas & I really wanted Eli to have his flu vaccine, so...today was Dr. day. I made sure that he was aware of the flu shot before we went & so all day long he was talking about how he would get a shot like Pap-pa does. Well, we get to the Dr's office & he was so excited to play with the "new" toys. Well, when they called his name...oh my goodness...it was like pulling teeth, because he didn't want to get a shot. Once we finally got him back thru the door he weighed 38lbs & is now 39 3/8" tall. I can't believe how much he is growing! He really is turning into a big boy. Well, to make a long story short, we ended up being able to get the flu mist!!! YAY!!! So, we left the Doctors & Eli told me they "from de got" to give me a shot. LOL. Too cute. So, now he is all set up for the Dr's in case we need them.

Tonight was my first Wednesday night since being in Texas going to Church. I joined a women's bible study group that started tonight going through the book When God Pursues a Woman's Heart. It is going to be wonderful! I am so excited to see what God is going to teach me & also learn more about the women in the study. I am confident that God put me there for a reason. The only bad thing is when I go home in March I am going to MISS it! Wow, I'm going to miss Texas!!! I'll definitely keep in touch with the women while I'm home. The best part is, Eli has fun in his class while I get to focus on what God has for me!!! Woo hoo!!!

So, tomorrow is going to be another fun filled day. Elijah goes back to school after his Christmas break! I am so excited for him, but know that I am probably going to have to deal with some crying. I am hoping for the best though. Even though he is getting to bed WAY late for his bed time, I'm sure tomorrow afternoon will be a relax evening at home & probably early to bed for him.

Overall...this first week of the new year has so far been great. I am really looking forward to the great things that God has in store for us. I know that God has great things ahead!

By the way...only 27 more sleeps until my parents are here for the month!!! Yippee!!!

God is Bigger

Elijah has been getting scared at night lately & so for Christmas I bought him a VeggieTale book based on their song "God is Bigger" talking about not being afraid because God is bigger than the boogeyman. Well, this has quickly become Eli's favorite bedtime story. So tonight I told him I would read him a book before bed & then it was time for him to go to sleep. He turns & said, "Yes, I don't need to be afraid, because God is with me!" Love the Veggie Tales & the opportunity it presents to me to relate God to my child.

Yesterday, Sunday, was great. After the NYE party I was looking forward to seeing everyone again at church. Plus, the message was amazing & God always knows what we need to hear & when we need to hear it. I love how He works that all out. Elijah cried going to children's church, but I am sure after a couple weeks of getting back into the routine he will be right back on track. I just hope he does well on Wednesday night since this will be our first time. I will just pray & trust he will.

Today we had a play date at our place. Eli was so excited that Garner & Maddie were going to come over to play with him. However, when they arrived, he was not so playful. Why is it that toddlers don't want to play with something until another child has it? Eli loves having people here, but then has a difficult time sharing. He is learning though I suppose. We had some Play-Doh time, which we all know kids LOVE. They all enjoyed that time together & I think the adults enjoyed that time as well. It is so much fun to have children together & listen to them interact with one another. Sometimes it can be a stressful time for Mom's, but I am so thankful we have each other to lean on. Overall, it was a fantastic day.

Bugs...I didn't really think about bugs being different in Texas. In PA I never really even contemplated having a "bug guy." Well, after speaking to the "locals" & watching houses all around me getting treated, we decided it was time to take action. No, we don't have any yet, but I can tell you I don't like bugs. I am not fond of any type whatsoever, so, tomorrow we are having our first bug dude come do some magic. Hopefully this will mean we will be bug free! :-) That will make me happy. LOL

One more thing for tonight...I must tell you that next week I am going to embark upon joining a gym. I'm going to attempt to visit 3 gyms in the area. I still thoroughly LOVE running, but I also need to add some variety into my work outs. Shot, at this point I just NEED to work out. I am really looking forward to getting active again. I know I blogged a while ago about the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, well, after some further investigation & realizing the amount of money that you are requested & expected to raise, I have decided that it doesn't seem to be ideal for this year. So...I am going to continue running & work on finding many 5K's & 10K's around here to participate in. I am still NOT giving up on my dream to run a marathon. I WILL do it. It just may not be this year or next, but I can tell you it WILL HAPPEN! So, I will keep you posted on the gym progress. WOO HOO!!!!

Happy New Year!

Wow! 2011 already? It seems like yesterday that we celebrated the year 2000. I must be getting older because time really has flown by!

In looking back at the past decade a lot has happened in my life. Dan & I met in 2000 & were married in 2001, so this decade has been pretty good for me. Life has definitely had it's fair share of ups & downs, but I wouldn't trade them as they have only made me who I am today & allowed me to appreciate the things I do. That, my dear friends, is a blessing! Still, this past year, 2010, brought the most change for our family. It has been trying, fun, scary, exhilarating, amazing, lonely, memorable & so many other things, but most of all I have learned to cherish each moment to the fullest extent as you never know when those moments will change. I am looking forward to what God will do for us in 2011 & looking forward to all the memories we will make.

Last night for New Year's eve we had a great start to 2011. We had received an invitation to join some Church members for a party. Those of you who know me understand that this is a tough thing for me to do. I am a complete introvert/extrovert & have a hard time breaking myself out of my shell, although, I KNOW that I HAVE to do it. Once I do it I realize it is the BEST thing for me. So, Dan & I went. My niece, Sarah, lovingly kept Eli for us all night so that we could really enjoy our time & meet people. Meet people, that is just what I did! I had a BLAST. I met so many wonderful ladies & am completely looking forward to getting to know them throughout this year. I also met a teenage girl who I think will be perfect for babysitting Elijah! I am so excited about this!!! I am not sure why I am always surprised at how God works, but once again He amazed me last night. I have been saying that I wanted to start going to the Wednesday night women's Bible study & I told Dan I would start in January...well, last night God put the lady in my path who is going to be starting a new Bible study starting this Wednesday! Coincidence? Nope. Not at all! Just God! Needless to say, I am really looking forward to this Wednesday night!

I am hoping this New Year will bring many changes for me. Dan & I continue to pray for direction in one big area in our life. We are hoping that God will point & lead the way as we only desire to fill the plan that He has for us. I continue to miss my family & friends at home, but know that God is going to fill my emptiness with much love around me.

Eli has already grown so much since we moved to Texas & I am excited to see the changes that he will have in the next year. I can't believe he is going to be 4! I am sure we are going to see him continue to make more "big boy" changes this year. I will be excited to share them with you. Eli continues to tell us that he wants a friend all the time to live with us. So precious. He is a complete people person. May be because he was constantly surrounded by kids in PA. My social butterfly.

Well, only 1 full month until we have visitors! My mom & dad will be here in February & we are so looking forward to it! We are excited to show them our home & how life is here in Texas.

Hope you all have a wonderful New Year!