purpose

I'm sorry if you've jumped on here the last couple of weeks and saw the same post sitting at the top of the page.  Over the last couple of weeks I've found myself up many nights trying to figure out how I could make some money blogging and in doing that it sent me on a struggle within myself to try and figure out why I stay home with my kids and why I even blog in the first place.

It all began when I started feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with our finances.  Every month there is a pile of bills and every time Thomas gets a paycheck we're left with very little (and I mean very little) to live with.  If I could just bring home some money then maybe we wouldn't be struggling is what I began to think.  I started looking for a job, but every time I jumped on the computer to search I heard God say, "You are right where I want you, doing what I want you to do."  But God....  if only...

Then I started to think fine if God wants me here at home then maybe there is something I can do at home and still get paid for it.  Ah ha!  The blogging world.  But again with every new money making blog thing I found that voice again would say " NO SARAH!  You are right where I want you, doing what I want you to do."  But God... if only...

Then one night God hit me upside the head and I must say it didn't feel very good, but I got the message.  I'm not a night owl.  I cannot stay up very late.  My brain shuts down at 9 o' clock and it's very hard for me to function.  However, on this particular night I was somehow able to stay up until well past midnight in the blogging, money making world  (Please, don't get me wrong.  If you make money with your blog, awesome.  This is just my story and what I felt God was saying to me.) and I could see that I was hurting my family.  Thomas wanted to talk to me that night and I just kept ignoring him.  I don't remember saying good night to Garrison.  I think when he came over to give me a hug and a kiss I kept both eyes on the computer and didn't give him my full attention.  When I finally put the computer down and went to bed Thomas was already asleep.  Thomas and I have been married for a little over 6 years and in all that time I can count on one hand when that happened and it was probably because he was sick.  I could finally see that in wanting to help my family I was actually hurting them.  I'm sure if I could have balanced my time better and not got so wrapped up in wanting to make money that I could probably pull it off, but God used that night to help me understand that he did indeed have me exactly where he wants me, doing exactly what he wants me to do.

I've always known why I stay home, but now I can say, without a doubt, that I am exactly where I need to be.  There isn't anywhere I'd rather be.  I'm trying to find better ways to get things done, balance my time and take care of my family because they are my job.

As for my blog, I will continue to use it to keep family and friends up-to-date with our lives and hopefully be an encouragement along the way.

 

The Ultimate Blog Party

Welcome to everyone who is visiting from the Ultimate Blog Party.  I'm glad you stopped by.  Here you'll find moments from my wonderful life of raising two sweet little boys and being a wife to a great husband. 

Here's a little bit about me.  My name is Sarah.  My husband, Thomas, and I have been married for 6 years, but have known each other for about 15 years.  (We met when we were 13 and 14 years old.)  We have two wonderful little boys.  Garrison is 2 years old and Josiah is 6 months old.  I'm a SAHM and a support to my youth pastor husband.  I love to read, take bubble baths, hang out with my boys and go for bike rides.  I'd have to say that's me in a nutshell.

I'm excited about this party and the prizes are awesome.  Here are my top 3 favorites....

$150 shopping sprees to Pedal Cars and Retro Collectibles or A Rocking Horse to Love from 5 Minutes for Mom
$450 Human Touch Foot and Calf Massager from Still Blonde After All These Years

And if my top three picks are gone I'd love any of the following...
19, 92, 105, 112, 32, but I'd love to win any of it.

-If you're my friends and family who get on here regularly, click on the button above and start your own Ultimate Blog Party.

- If you're from the Ultimate Blog Party please leave a comment and say hi.  I'd love to hear from you. 

Stroller giveaway

Hello all,
 I'm so excited to blog about this today.  There is a Contours Options Tandem Stroller (worth $250) being given away on Happily Domestic's blog.  I just found her blog while participating in the Ultimate Blog Party (more to come about that later).  Jump over to Happily Domestic and try to get your chance at this fabulous item. 

(She has posted a review about the stroller.  It's an awesome product!!)

Lesson well learned

Thursday morning we had a huge scare in our house.  It was a moment that I'll never forget and a moment that I felt like a horrible mother.

Garrison, Josiah and myself were in our bed watching "The Dukes of Hazzard" when I needed to go lay Josiah down for a nap.  When I left the room Garrison was laying on Thomas' side of the bed.

Now most of you know that I take an anti-depressant and lately I'd had been lazy and just leaving the bottle next to my side of the bed on my table.

I went and tried to lay Josiah down for a nap, but he was fighting me to go to sleep.  So after a few minutes I decided that I needed to go check on Garrison to make sure he was still ok.

When I walked into our bedroom Garrison was no longer on Thomas' side of the bed, but on my side.  In one hand he had the bottle of anti-depressants and in the other hand he was holding the lid.  He started shaking the bottle and that's when I realized that I couldn't hear the sounds of pills in the bottle. 

I ran over to him and noticed right away he had powder on his face.  I began asking him if he had eaten the pills and he smiled and shook his head yes.  I asked him a few more times, making sure he understood what I meant and of course getting more and more panicky. 

I immediately ran downstairs, grabbed my phone and called Thomas.  I tried to not sound hysterical and explained to Thomas what had happened.  He told me I needed to go wash out Garrison's mouth.  As I was talking to Thomas I found three pills in our bed.

After I hung up the phone I went and rinsed Garrison's mouth and brushed his teeth.  I'm pretty sure Garrison understood how important it was to listen to me because he did everything I asked him to do without any fussing.  I then tried figuring out how many pills were actually in the bottle and I figured I must have had 4 or 6 pills.  So he either ate 1 or 3 pills.

I then started calling different places trying to figure out what I needed to do.  I started with my doctor.  They told me that I needed to either call his peditrician or the poison control center.  I called his peditrician and they told me that his doctor wouldn't be in until Monday and that I could talk to the on call doctor, but that they weren't sure how long it would take to get back to me.  Forget that!  So I called the poison control center and they put a pharmacist on the line and she told me that it was ok if he ate up to three pills.  That the pills I take are pretty safe and three is an okay amount for a toddler.  I just needed to know that he might complain of headaches, stomach aches and that he might become super sleepy, but that I didn't need to take him and get his levels checked.

I felt like the worse mom ever.  I was mad at myself for being so irresponsible and leaving my pills on the side of my bed.

Garrison ended up being completely fine.  He actually didn't get any of the side effects they thought he might.  In fact, he normally is a really good napper and that day he was a horrible napper.  I don't know if that had anything to do with the pills, but he only slept for a hour, if that. 

I learned a really good lesson that day.  One that I will never forget.  It scared the living daylights out of me, but Garrison ended up being completely fine and Thomas wasn't even that mad at me either.  I think he understood that the thought of what could happen was enough to make us rethink EVERYTHING we do. 

Easter

Here are the boys on Easter.  Yes, I dressed them to look similar.  They'll probably hate me when they get older and look back at these pictures.  But until then... I'm taking advantage.

(I'm having a hard time with videos from our camera.  When I figure out the problem I'll post some videos that I've been dying to share with you.)

"Real Moms...Real Jesus"

I posted early about a book I had been reading called "Real Moms... Real Jesus" by Jill Savage.  (click here if you missed it)  I love this book!  I recommend this book to every mother out there.  It will change your outlook on how much Jesus truly understands your every day to day tasks.  He knows what it's like to not have a moment to your self, large crowds followed him every where he went and so much more.  On the back of the book a lady named Pam wrote "If every mother owned this book there would be many more happy moms, kids and husbands!"  I totally feel that way too.  I really wish I could get every mother to read this book and see how much Jesus understands.

The last two days Jill has been on Focus on the Family discussing this book.  To hear part 1 click here.  To hear part 2 click here. 

Dear Josiah

Josiah,

Hello my handsome, little man. Yesterday you turned 6 months old. I cannot believe you have been with us for 6 months already. You are an amazing little man. I thank God that he blessed me with you. That he trusted daddy and I enough to let us be your parents. Everyday I fall in love with you more and more.

You are becoming a very active boy. You love to reach and grab at everything. It can be very exhausting sometimes when I'm holding you. You can roll over and your favorite activity to do right now is bounce. You bounce while we hold you, you bounce when you're sitting in your saucer, you bounce until our arms become numb, but I wouldn't change anything about it.

You have been eating oatmeal with baby food mixed in for over a month now. I love when you see me get out the bowl and start mixing it all together. You get so excited. You start giggling and kicking like crazy. You are very much like your daddy's side of the family. You love to eat and when you're hungry you need to eat soon.

You're also like my side of the family when it comes to sleeping. If you get tired you get really crabby. You are a very easy baby, but when it comes to eating and sleeping you can be very demanding, but that makes you Josiah Thomas and I love that about you.

You have one little tooth that has just popped through within the last couple of days.

Yesterday you had your 6 month appointment and I was so proud of you. You did an excellent job. You couldn't stop smiling at Dr. Kirby. When you received your first shot yesterday you didn't even cry. I don't know how you didn't, but you did so well.

I love you so much, Josiah! These last 6 months have been so much fun with you. Happy 6 months buddy!

Love,
Mommy