Migraine=Pampering??

I've been kinda out of sync the past few days...got one of those wonderful migraine headaches. God always has a way of slowing me down. If I won't take care of myself, He makes sure that I have no choice but to take a day of rest. AND, if the headache wasn't enough....the storm blew the neighbors tree across our drive...so, just in case I was thinking of getting out to spite my head throbbing...I couldn't. I just find so much humor in that. Why is it that we as women push ourselves so hard? Why can't we just take a break, go with the flow, kick back in the lazyboy...not that there's anything wrong with that and I'm not looking to pick a battle....women just naturally give till there's nothing left. I'm slowly beginning to realize that there is nothing wrong with pampering yourself now and again. Your family might just thank you for it!! Lesson learned? Even though I had an excruciating headache yesterday...I was able to do something for me....rest! Who knew a migraine would turn into a little pampering?

Sleepless Nights

Another sleepless night....they just seem to come and go. I have several days or even weeks of really good sleep...good for me (5 hours in a row)...and then, out of nowhere, I can't sleep again. Last night was one of those nights. I tossed and turned for hours. Just so many thoughts running through my head that I couldn't get settled. Anyway, I'm sure it will make for a long day. See, already, even as I try to blog...I just can't seem to focus my thoughts!! Aaargh!

Marking the Hard Spots

Warning...this post may be controversial!! Ever since I was a teenager, I've wanted a tatoo. I've never been quite brave enough to inflict this pain on myself and my husband was adamantly opposed. However, recently he relented and I summoned up my courage. I didn't want this to just be a tatoo...I wanted it to have meaning to me...by symbolic. So, I set out to research what I wanted and why. It's no great secret that my life has been far from the fairy tale that we read about as children and the past 2 years have been extremely difficult. I fought along side my mom as she battled cancer (and won!) and I took the family reigns as my husband left for an 18 month overseas deployment. Along the way, there have been bumps and bruises, but God turned things that seemed horrible into huge blessings in my life. Through my mom's cancer our relationship was restored and is better than ever. Both my mom and myself learned that we have courage and tenacity that we never dreamed we had. Through the deployment God gave me a newfound love and respect for my husband. He restored or rather saved, that relationship as well. Restoration appeared to be the theme of the past 2 years, but then I took a closer look and realized it was really transformation. The common denominator is that my attitude has changed and I have been transformed to being more what Christ would have me be...as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. I believe you really can't have true restoration without some transformation...don't you agree?? Now, what does all this have to do with the tatoo? I decided to mark this point in my life with a butterfly in tribal flight which symbolizes coming from a difficult place to a better place. I couldn't think of a more fitting symbol and I know that every time I see it I will remember what God has brought me through. It's permanent, just as I am permanently sealed as a "daughter of the King." I know not everyone agrees with tatoos, but for me, it just felt like the right thing to do....marking the hard spots in my life, but honoring them as well....honoring the fact that God took all the bad and made something wonderful!!

Three Roses

My children never cease to amaze and surprise me! Blake is such a tenderhearted soul and this week he has shown that side more than I've seen in a while. I absolutely love to receive flowers...I don't know what it is, but I just like knowing that someone thought of me that particular day. Since Quentin is gone, I don't get them very often...not that I got them alot when he was stateside...but that's another story. Anyway, Blake has brought me a rose home every day this week. After the 3rd one....and they're all a different color...I had to ask where he was getting them from. Come to find out, he's been stopping at the neighbors and "borrowing" their roses to bring to mom. I hated to, but I had to tell him, not to bring me anymore. He was so proud of himself for doing something for his mom. He didn't even tell me the first day...he let me discover the rose on my own. I just love it...another way God is blessing through this deployment. He's allowing my children to cultivate their personalities. Blake is a lover...and he shows love through many ways...one of the main ways is through gifts, but the real gift is how Blake is maturing into a wonderful young man! I honestly think that these three roses mean more to me than all the florists bouquets I've received throughout all the years. A true gift from the heart.

Deserving of Freedom

I've been thinking alot about this topic lately. I guess given the fact that my wonderful husband is serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom makes me a little more sensitive to the subject. I hear so many people say that they "hate this war" and how they "wish it was over." It just got me to really thinking about the whole situation. I'm on the homefront side of this war...the one keeping things going while my husband is fulfilling the mission he's been given. The mission the army thinks they gave him. I thought about that concept today and I honestly believe that this mission is from God. The Iraqi people deserve freedom just like any other people or nation. They need to have the opportunity to get to know our God and build a relationship with Him. If we don't pave the way then how will they ever be able to do that? God died for everyone's sins. Not just Americans. Not just the powerful. Not just those that we deem deserving. He died for EVERYONE. That includes those in the Middle East. I'm so proud and humbled that God chose our generation to be the ones to open the door of opportunity for them...that my husband gets to play a major role in God's plan for all to have the opportunity to accept Him as their Lord. I know that our soldiers our sacrificing...believe me, I know...their families do to. I miss Quentin terribly and not a day goes by that I don't think about him and wish I could touch and feel him, but I believe in what we are doing over there. I believe that if more people would begin praying not only for our troops, but the Iraqi population, then we would see more positive change. Negativity breeds negativity. I know I've definitely had more than my share of sin in my life and I'm far from "deserving" of God's love and freedom that He offers....that's called grace. Maybe we all should take a look inward and see if we're extending the same grace that Christ offers us.

Whew! What a week....Blake had his test at the cardiologist and all is well. He has a heart and it's working. Both very good things!! They think he's just got something going on GI related. Mal is getting ready for her OM competition this weekend and Quentin is doing well in Iraq. I haven't gotten to talk to him much this week due to some internet problems, but he did email me and said all was well in the big sandbox. I just got back from kickboxing and tanning...isn't it great the exercise high you get! I just love it....makes me feel all accomplished and tough. I'm sure tomorrow I won't feel quite as tough when the soreness kicks in. All in all, it's been a really good day. I haven't cried or felt sorry for myself or any of those pitiful emotions that seem to take over my body from time to time. Just a nice productive day. Well, off to bed for some rest and relaxation!

New Blogger

Well, I'm new to this, but I've come to realize that writing out my thoughts really helps me to deal with all the things going on in my life and to see what God's plan might be through the different situations. And...I figure if I'm going to write it out and it helps me...maybe it'll help someone else. So here I am.