FREEDOM!

So now that the semester is FINALLY over, I have time to do the things I love to do!

On Sunday once I finished my last assignment, after 5 hours of working on it and pulling my hair out, I went to Barnes & Noble to pick out a book to read! It was extremely exciting for me, because I can't seem to read anything other than school textbooks during the semester. I have so much stuff to worry about, I can't concentrate on reading! So i have about 5 books I want to read right now, and I can actually read them! YAY!

Also, since the kids are still in school and I'm not nannying full time, I get to work out whenever I want, which I LOVE. I love having a flexible schedule to do the things I want to do. I feel like that doesn't happen often. So, for now I'm loving the whole doing what I want thing.


You don't realize how much you miss leisurely reading a book until you get to do it again. Love!

Precious!

Not much going on this week. Just school and lots of school work, and so much to do before the end of the semester. Stressful!



My Mom sent me this video the other day, and I thought it was so precious so I wanted to share!

Praise God for Life!

When I created this blog, I was so excited to write that first entry. Then, I quickly realized that I had nothing to share. I guess I'm not the most insightful or witty one that can come up with stuff! Nor do I have cute little kids to share pictures and stories about. But I do shamelessly LOVE to read cute mommy's blogs that I don't even know. Sad!

But recently, I feel like I have a few things!

I ran the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k this past Saturday. It was pretty good, except for the rain! Yuck! I ran about half of it if not a little bit more, and finished in 1 hour and 12 minutes. Not bad for not training at all! Except for the treadmill like, 3 times? But I never run a long ways like that. Anyways it was an experience and I look forward to the Susan G. Komen 5K on May 10! Hopefully I can train some for this one and try to run the whole thing. We will see I guess!


Also, I wanted to share a story about a little boy that has just touched my heart. A few months ago I found a blog/website for a little boy named Ethan Powell. Ethan was diagnosed with cancer when he was only 2 months old. I started to read his blog and have kept up with it ever since. He went through so much in his short life, and had some times when he wasn't doing too bad. But in the past few days, he started to get worse. He had some sort of infection and had to be put on a ventilator. That led to the oscillator. I am not medically savvy, but I remember hearing about all these things from when my Dad had cancer, and it hits all to close to home for me. I know the ventilator isn't good, and the oscillator is worse, and very hard to come off of once you're on it. Once Ethan was in ICU and not doing well, I was checking that website so much to see if there had been an update to see what was going on. Many updates were posted in the past few days, and I was praying so hard for a miracle for Ethan. I had gotten home from the 10K yesterday and showered, and went to check his site. As I read the update his father, Ben had written, I just broke down and cried. God took Ethan to be with him in Heaven yesterday, April 5th. Granted, I don't know this family, but I felt such a connection with them and their precious baby Ethan. I cried so hard for his family, like I knew them and was a part of their family. I felt like I could feel the pain they were feeling. I know it's a different form of loss from losing your father, but I still could feel a sense of how they felt. I know God will provide for them the strength and comfort they need, as he did for me when my Dad died from this monster of a disease. So pray for Becky and Ben, and their family. God has a beautiful little angel named Ethan now, and I know he is safe in Heaven with no more sickness, medications, tubes, NOTHING. He is free and although his family and friends miss him so much, it's always comforting to know he is with our Jesus.

Praise the Lord for the gift of being healthy. We take advantage more than we realize for our health, and each new day God allows us to live. So today, praise God for life!



Here is a picture of little Ethan and his Dad, Ben. Just because this picture makes me smile.

amazed!

Jesus never ceases to amaze me. In the time I need it most, he provides for me. ALWAYS. This weekend at Passion, I was feeling very disconnected from God. I wanted to sing the songs to Him and really believe and feel what I was saying, but it just wasn't there. I just kept praying to Him, telling him although I'm not perfect, and I make mistakes, that I really do love Him, and want to live my life for Him, and I just wanted to feel His presence in me. Soon enough, as I was singing, I really began to feel His power. I felt Him saying that although I do mess up, He still loves me and still wants me to be his DAUGHTER. I don't know what it is about saying that I'm a daughter of Christ. It gives me this feeling to say it or sing it, that I can't explain. It might be because my Dad isn't here on earth, but that feeling that I belong to my Almighty and Heavenly Father makes me feel so close to God. He truly allowed me to feel his love and amazing grace all through the rest of Passion. I realized that I often times I forget to remember God in my everyday life. I go on with my routine and don't think "Where is God in everything I do?" I know He's always there, but I often forget who exactly I am living for. Having Jesus in your life is truly a blessing, and I want to always remember that He is my rock, and He is who I am living my very messy, imperfect life for, and he loves me all the same.