Tea Room/Girlfriends shower (shower #4)

So, for my fourth and final shower, some of my girlfriends put together the sweetest get together. It was at a beautiful and intimate shower at a gorgeoustea room, we had the whole bed and breakfast rented out to us. I am blessed with some great friends. They just loved on me and this baby boy so much, they will never know how much I appreciate them!! And I am pretty sure our son is going to be spoiled rotten, if not by us, by them for sure and I am TOTALLY okay with it!!!

Hurry up baby boy, you have so many cool things to see and wear, and more importantly, so many people who are ready to kiss your face off! :)

37 weeks and counting!!

Garden outside the tea room

Me with my girls!

Yummy cupcakes!! And we had a chocolate on chocolate cake... my favorite!

Amanda Gilley made this for our baby boy!

Me with my Megs, one of the best girls I know!

The best mom (and best Nana) in the world!

One of his outfits (he has more clothes than any of us)... Thanks Stace!

Mama loves you so much baby boy!!!

DPHS shower (shower #3)

I did not take any pics at this shower, but it was just as special as all the others. I work for the best school and I thankful to be blessed with the staff I work with. It was a surprise and it meant SO much... AND the best part about it is our sweet baby boy as the biggest collection of classic children's books I have ever seen a child have, especially for not even being here yet :)

Loved this shower!!!

CBC Shower (shower #2)

Here are some pictures from our church shower, it was wonderful!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

No doubt, I have the best mother in the world. And I know I am partial, but I really do believe she is the greatest woman. She is a wonderful, loving, caring, compassionate, funny, and above all well grounded Christian woman, whom I love so much! I look at my life, and we weren't rich or well off and our family had many problems, but my mom never wavered-not once.

I have so many great memories of my mom. As a little girl, I loved to watch her put on her make up and loved it when she would let me play in it. I can remember walking around in her high heels and doing dances in the living room with her. She played with me all the time, she truly always made me feel special with giving me (and my borther) quality time. I can still hear her playing the old hymns on the panio as I played outside. My friends and I would sit on the front proch and listen to her play and sing, and it was the prettiest sound in the world to me. As time went on, I can remember things of even greater importance. I remember not being able to find my mom anywhere around the house, but after searching high and low, there she was, in her closet with her Bible. I can remember hearing her call our names out one by one as she prayed God's hand on our life. As a teenager, I remember wanting to go eat with my friends or a new outfit, but we really couldn't afford it but so many times my mom's unconditional love would have her say, "I am so full, I am not even hungry for dinner", and she would give me every penny she had. I can remember going through dark times as a family, before and after my dad's death, and during those times it wasn't uncommon for my mom to be singing from the top of her lungs in her bedroom about how good God is. I never wondered where she stood, or what she believed. She prayed for me often and I believe that's why God has blessed me like He has. It really isn't all about me, I truly believe he answered a mother's prayer.

Today, I still look up to my mom. Now as a step mom to Mili, and carrying this sweet boy, I am thankful more than ever for a mother's love. She constantly showed it, but I am learning more every day about how great her love was and still is. I love my mom so very much. I will "rise up and call her blessed" every time I get the chance. My sincere prayer is that I can be just half the woman and mom she was and still is.

Mom, I love you so much and God gave me one of the greatest blessings when He allowed you to be my mother. Thank you for all the little things you did and still do. And above all, thank you for living Christ out so clearly in front of Sean and me, that is something I will never take for granted. I know had it not been for you, no telling where I would be. So thank you for giving all you had to Sean and me, it was more than enough and it still means everything to me! I love you!!

Redeeming Love

"Love the Lord your God, and love one another. Love one another as He loves. Love with strength and purpose and passion and no matter what comes against you. Don't weaken. Stand against the darkness, and love. That's the way back into Eden. That's the way back to life." — Francine Rivers

What took me so long to read this book? I have heard about it forever, and had it on my shelf for over a year! Once I started, I couldn't put it down. I encourage everyone to read this book. I LOVE it. I have cried, laughed, and experienced more emotions than ever before while reading.

The book is an amazing retelling of the book of Hosea. The story line is one of a kind, but the concept of God's unconditional, unchanging, forever and always love is portrayed beautifully and shown in a way I will never forget.

I quite often will joke with Stephen and say, "I just wish you were like ______ (whoever the main man in the story or movie I am reading or watching is)" But as I read this book, it was shown so crystal clear what TRUE love looks like. God is love. Not just an example, but He is love. And I have to say, as I read, I was thankful God gave me a man on earth that shows me His love daily. All jokes aside, he isn't Noah from the Notebook, or Micheal from Redeeming Love, but Stephen is the man God gave me, who is so in love with the Lord, that he can love me so perfectly with the TRUE love of God.

And even more amazing, is the portrait of God that is displayed throughout the book. Why does He love me? In all my sin and with all the wrong I have done and still do, why? Why should God love me? Why does He love everyone and want everyone? His love is so amazing. And is truly life changing, if just for a split second we could grasp the concept of how much He truly loves us.

This might be rambling now, but my heart is so thankful. So thankful for God and His unchanging love. What if it was conditional? I wouldn't be able to get out of bed in the morning, in fear and in knowing, I can't and will never live up to what He deserves. Even at my best, I am filthy compared to what He should get out of me. And yet, He still loves me the same-so very amazing. I am thankful for a husband who tries to love the same way, and I whole-heartily pray to be a woman who loves him in return with the love of God.

IF you have not, READ THIS BOOK!! I do not say it often, but I will say.... this is one of the best books I have ever read!