Seven Days and counting!

I love Thanksgiving. I love what the day stands for, to be thankful for our nation, to be thankful for our lives, and for us to be thankful that we have a GOD and Savior who loves us so much he died for us. I also love cooking the Thanksgiving meal. I LOVE cooking the turkey. I put it on normally around 10 or 11 PM Wednesday night, I season it, butter it up, and add water (to cook it all night, you must add water). I baste it off and on while I'm still up, but don't get up just to baste it through the night. It's covered by either my turkey pan lid or foil if the turkey's too big for the lid to fit on (which this year it will be indeed). I like to make my pies the day before, this year I'm making 2 pumpkins and 1 chocolate pie. Thursday morning I'll get up and start making my homemade noodles, get potatoes peeled and diced for mashing later on, cut up fresh veggies and cheeses for snacking on throughout the day. I normally make stuffing, but not this year for Thanksgiving (I'll make it at Christmas though). I'll use the broth from the turkey for my noodles and for gravy. We'll be having corn per Chad's request. The rest of the meal will be made by my dear friend Kandice. They recently moved to a post that we used to be stationed at when Jordyn was alive, they got here in October and we've yet to see each other and I am just so excited I can't wait!!!!! She's bringing things to make her mom's stuffing (oh I hope it's good, because I love stuffing and although until we got married, Chad never liked stuffing, he loves mine...so we're hopeful lol), green bean casserole, and a couple other things. I'm so excited to share this day with my friend, meet her husband (they just got married 18 months ago), see her girls and just hang out and laugh and probably do some crying (her hubby will be deploying in a matter of days after Thanksgiving..sniff-sniff).
Of course I have lots to do before they get here. Lots of cleaning and organizing. The boys are working on getting the upstairs cleaned and I bought a shelving unit at the German thrift store today for their towels to go into, it also has a place for all their games (board games), and any odds and ends I want/need to go in there. I bought yesterday a shelving unit for us downstairs for our towels, and just in general bathroom sort of things, which will really help me to feel organized. I need to take all of Noah's clothes that I've packed up that he's out grown up to the attic, get all of Emma's clothes that she's outgrown packed and up to the attic as well, find our airmattress, for Kandice and Josh to sleep on in Emma's room (a little privacy). The girls will get to sleep in the family room on our futon couch. We figured the kids would want to hang out down there most of the time anyways, so might as well let them sleep in there!

I'm so thankful that we are able to host our friends in our home, that we have a home truly big enough to welcome them in and for them to be comfortable in. I have to get the laundry room cleaned up aka lots of laundry done (have I ever mentioned how much I HATE laundry)? I despise it. It's that unending chore, even when you're "done" you're not done, because you and your family are all wearing clothes, but it must be done and I REALLY am thankful that I have my own laundry room and no longer have to share it with 5 other families! So with that, I'm off to work on laundry and then get dinner started and finish mopping the dining room and then to vacuum the living room (which will have to be done about oh...5 more times before Thanksgiving! LOL

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? How will you be marking the day? What are your traditions if you have any?

Days 25-30

I'm going to finish up this little project of 30 days of me.

Day 25...A First:

Wow I'm seriously struggling to find something to write about on this, so I'll hopefully come back to it and if not, it's because I am just drawing a blank...of course that could be a first in its own right, not knowing what to say! :)

Day 26: Your Fears

I think most people would say "My spouse dying or one of my child dying" and well I don't want either of those to happen anytime soon, yet eventually Chad will die and go to Jesus and eventually I will die, and my children will all die as well and be face to face with our Lord. I've already had to let go of one child, and she is resting safe in the Arms of Jesus. So what fears do I have? My one fear is that those who I love will die without knowing and accepting Christ as their Savior. There's nothing that burdens my heart like that.

Day 27: Your Favorite Place....anywhere with my family honestly. But...with my family and not at home I'd say it's a tie between Ireland and right here in Germany. I love both places, now granted I've only visited Ireland so I could feel differently if I lived there, but we loved our 7 days there. I feel so at home here in Germany, I'd love to stay here for the rest of our lives, if it's what GOD called us to. We shall see what his plans are for our family!


Day 28: Something that you miss: Well the obvious would be Jordyn....so since that's the obvious let me go with the nonobvious to many. I miss some of the conviences of the US, like stores that are open past 7 PM, Sonic (lol....seriously though, I do miss it). Seeing my brother and his wife and daughters. Ok this could get really long as I keep thinking of things/people I miss.

Day 29: Your aspirations: I want to be a GODLY wife and mother. I'm so far from it, it's heartbreaking and sometimes discouraging. I know that with GOD's help I can be who he's created me to be, I just wish I was there right now.

Day 30: One last moment:

One last moment, the fact that with each child GOD has blessed us with, I love them and as excited about them as with Jordyn's pregnancy and her birth. I really didn't think it'd be possible, yet GOD makes it so. I'm so blessed!


And...I never could think of anything for Day 25....eh...I'm done!

Faith Deployed Winners......

The drawing is done (I should have taken pictures, but totally forgot!).....so the winners are.......


Brandi C and Linda M!!!! I will email you both and get the books mailed out first thing on Monday! Congratulations ladies~!!!!!!!!!

Faith Deploy Review

I was blessed to have received this book last Feb. at PWOC, so when I saw I'd have the opportunity to do a give away of this book, I jumped on it! Joceyln obviously put great thought and heart into this book, and most of all our Lord is written all over it! Faith Deployed isn't just for you if your spouse is deployed, it's for all of us who's spouse is in the military, was in the military, or is planning on being in the military. Faith Deployed is a devotional that cuts to the heart of it, there are stories/devotions that made me laugh out loud and then the next page I'd be reaching for the tissue's to dry the tears. There are many that simply made me put the book down and open my bible and read GOD's word out of gratitude and thankfulness. This is honestly the best devotional I've read directed to Military wives. There's not a single branch that's not represented. It's such a great reminder that no matter if your husband is in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, or the Coast Guard....we all have hardships, but we're never alone we always will have sisters in Christ walking with us, but most of all we have Christ who is holding us and helping us through it all.

I want to end this review with a reminder from our Lord himself!
Matthew: 28:20
"Surely I am with you always"

Our Lord is always with us. As military wives, life can be lonely sometimes, but we are NEVER alone...we always, always,always have Christ with us!!!


If you want to win this book, leave a comment with your name and email address. Two names will be picked tomorrow sometime!


********I'm going to push drawing the names to Saturday, so spread the word and encourage your fellow military wives to leave a comment at a chance of being blessed***************

Faith Deployed Give Away

Just a reminder, if you're a military spouse or know one (and in turn want to bless them) I'm having a contest to give away TWO, yes count them TWO Faith Deployed books....so if you'd like to be entered, just leave a comment and your email address. Tomorrow I will be writing a review of this great, beautiful book!

Days 22,23,24

Day 22: Something that Upsets You

This is something I feel so passionate about.....parents smoking around their children or anyone smoking around children or pregnant woman, and worse a pregnant woman smoking. If you want to smoke, no one can stop you....but as a parent you have no right to hurt your child or anyone else's kids. It makes my blood boil when I see a parent in a car driving, smoking with kids in the car. It's so careless and thoughtless. It truly hurts my heart. This can and does cause cancer not just to the smoker, but to those innocent little people they have no choice. Trust me there's nothing worse than allowing something around your child that ends up being behind why they died. It's a guilt and heartache no one wants.



Day 23: Something that makes you feel better....

Just one thing? Wow....my family is the first, true friends, music/singing, but most of all Jesus. No one can I trust more and know that he loves me and there's nothing better than to know you're unconditionally loved.

Day 24: Something that makes you cry....

Seeing people who I love hurt. Be it my children, my husband, a friend.

October in Pictures

Faith Deployed Give Away!!!

I've never done this before, but I was one of the lucky ones who gets to do a give away! What's really awesome is that I can do TWO give aways of this book, because I already own a copy and want to bless 2 Military spouses, so here's the deal. Every day this week I will post a reminder of the Give Away and if you're interested in winning a copy of this book on Friday I will have my kids draw the name out of a bowl and those 2 spouses will be getting their own copy of Faith Deployed!!!! Later in the week I'll be giving my honest review of this book, so be on the look out, but trust me...you will want to be in the running of being picked to receive this book!! :)

So if you're a military spouse and you don't have your own copy of Faith Deployed.....leave your name AND email address in the comments (no email equals no entry...I have to have a way to reach you, even if you think I have your email, just amuse me!). Also if you have other Military spouse friends who you think would be blessed by this book, send them here and have them comment and leave their name and email!

God's Blessings

Day 20 and 21

Day 20: This Month
Well it's November now and a busy month is upon us! Next weekend we have 3 birthday parties to attend, not sure what we'll do about the 2 that are the same time, right now I'm leaning towards simply dropping a gift over at their place since it's a 1st birthday and well all us mom's know that a big, huge blow out party is often just a lead up to a big, huge melt down for birthday boy, and honestly my kids would have a lot more fun at the other one, since the kids are all closer to their ages. We love the little one turning 1, but it's hard to be at 2 places at one time.
Next Thursday I'm also driving up to Frankfurt to the airport to visit with a friend for a couple hours. She's been working (as a contractor) in Kuwait. Well she's finally done there so her and her two little ones are moving back to the states. She has about a 4 hour layover in Frankfurt so the kids and I will be getting up at what's the crack of dawn to US and plan to be on the road by 6 AM to get there by 8 to have a couple hours with them, before it's time for them to get on their next flight. I'm excited that I get to see her. I haven't seen her in 5 years (since we moved here) and have never got to meet her babies!! She's not met Emma or Noah and Jack wasn't even 2 when she last saw him. Jacob called her his "girlfriend" and he was just 4 the last time he saw her. So it's going to be exciting to see her and all the children being introduced!
We have lots of preparing to do for Thanksgiving. My dear friend Kandice has moved here to Germany and her family will be spending Thanksgiving with us. I'm so excited!! They live aprox. 4 hours from us so I haven't been able to see her yet since she arrived in country! I'm not sure how many days they'll be spending with us, at least Thanksgiving and the night, I'm hoping at least through Saturday.

I'm looking forward to cooking Thanksgiving dinner! I love cooking Thanksgiving dinner (and Christmas). I love the smell of turkey cooking all night long and having it done in the morning when I wake up, and then making all the fixings. I still have to get with Kandice and see what their must haves are and what she wants to contribute to dinner. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is the first Advent Sunday and the beginning of Christmas Markets!! Can't wait.

We also have school to do, homeschool group, AWANA, PWOC, and hopefully a field trip thrown in! Life's never boring, but oh so good.


Day 21: Another Moment

The moment our lives changed in ways we didn't imagine (my first moment was all about Jordyn). Eight days after Jordyn died that moment was finding out I was unexpectantedly pregnant with Jacob. When Jordyn was dying, Chad and I both felt firmly that we would not have anymore children. The heart break was so strong, we had no idea that Jacob was already forming in my womb. That GOD's intention for us was bigger than what we could possibly grasp. I feared I wouldn't be able to love him, that my heart simply was too broken. The moment I discovered that my heart was indeed not too broken, that I could love again, that I could breath again, live again was the moment I heard his first cry. Such a precious and unexpected moment. He was born on my Great Grandma C's 91st birthday. She had wanted a grandbaby born on her birthday all of her life, so when I found out my due date was only 2 days before her birthday I KNEW when Jacob would be born. For the next almost 2 years were some of the happiest of her life, as she had her birthday baby and how she loved him.
I love these moments where GOD shows us he knows far more than we can grasp. Jacob's creation and birth...what a moment!

Day 18 and 19

I've decided to try and catch up a bit, I'd like to be done with this sooner rather than later!

Day 18: Your Favorite birthday

Well I have 2 of them! My 22nd birthday. Jordyn was alive and at that point we thought she was healthy. I don't recall what we did. I know we were stationed in Baumholder, and I'm pretty sure we went out to eat. Life was full of possibilities and full of joy.
My other would be my 30th. I LOVED turning 30 and have loved my 30's since. We were here in Germany where we are stationed now. Chad threw me a surprise party!!! My first surprise ever! He took me to one of our favorite places, Italia's! He invited a few of my friends who greeted us there, he even made me a huge double layer (9x13 size lol) German Chocolate cake (a little useless info....the German chocolate cake is not German, the man who created it, his last name was GERMAN and that's where it's from!! Plus if you have ever had German cake, you'd realize it's so anything but authentic German lol..it's sweet and yummy). I was surrounded by my sweet family and friends and pregnant with Emma. It was so much fun and just a birthday full of joy and celebration and lots of laughter!

Day 19: Something you regret

I'll start and I'm sure I may ruffle a few feathers, but oh well...I can not stand when people say "oh I don't regret anything, it's made me who I am". Ok I think we all know our experiences make us who we are, but that doesn't mean we can't regret things. I absolutely have regrets, actually I have MANY. My biggest regret is ever allowing my parents to smoke even one cigerette around me while I was pregnant with Jordyn and around her after birth. There's now proof that the unborn BABY being exposed to cig. smoke can cause AML leukemia (which is what Jordyn had), and of course 2nd hand as well. I will NEVER forgive myself for that. I always hated their smoking, but never had the courage to stand up to them. I did after she was diagnosed and no one is allowed to smoke around my children or me for that matter. Honestly I wish it was made illegal. It hurts those who do it, it hurts those who are exposed to it...it's so addictive, it changes how the brain works as all drugs do. It breaks my heart that there are some who I love and care about DEARLY continue this addiction, continue to kill themselves, put themselves and others in harms way. It's my heartfelt prayer that they'd quit and others that I know only in passing or even just pass by on the street. THEY deserve better and most of all our children deserve better than to be exposed to those toxins.

So there you go...day 18 and 19.

Blessings,