Crazy Days

Oh my goodness.... this is totally one of those days. I got up, and since that moment life has NOT been easy....
The puppy keeps growling and biting me, the baby REFUSES to go down for a nap (I have been in her room about 10 times to correct her and put her back in bed), and I feel like this baby is about to fall out of me......  :/
Just a minute ago, I was thinking to myself, "I would REALLY like some peace and quiet right now, just so I can get a few things done around the house".... HAHAHA! YEAH RIGHT. Instead I am holding my little non-napping girl (who is singing loudly in my ear), listening to a puppy cry, and realizing in just a few weeks I am going to have ANOTHER little baby to care for... and you know what??!?!?!! I AM CONTENT with that... maybe feeling a bit unnerved, but completely content!! :)
THIS is what life is about: raising your children through both the easy and the hard times! Life should have nothing to do with me and everything to do with my family. :)
Even if it ends up being 4 o'clock when I finally get to get a shower.... then so be it! I guess I will look HORRIBLE when my Caleb comes home, but at least he will know I was loving on our girl all day. I am going to enjoy every minute I can with my little ones (and my so handsome husband), and by Jove we are going to make memories together! :)
Well, my lesson learned for the day has been shared with you... don't let the small things overwhelm you in life! Embrace those crazy moments and just laugh at them! :) They will be gone before you know it.
Love you guys!
Em

DROWNING

It is a feeling you cannot control, you are filled with panic but also with an acknowledgement of what is about to happen, and all you can do is hope that this is not the end.
There are times I feel like I am drowning in a big black hole, and I don't know which way to turn to get myself out of it. This is the moment it seems when I finally and completely turn to God for an answer (and not rely on my SELF like usual)... and then I get a HUGE slap in the face from what He says to me....
This is what I got TOLD this morning:
Emily,
Life here on earth is a whole lot of NOTHING unless you are living fully and completely for Me.
The things that you worry about... THEY are not important, and in the end they will pass away. I will provide you with what you need and you just need to trust that and live for what is important.
(I was reading in Ecclesiastes... ALL IS VANITY).......

After being slapped in the face, I remembered that my God has NEVER let me down. Sure, there are times that are very rough... but if life was perfect and easy then I would never fully rely on the Lord and follow His ways. God has given me sooooo much... a WONDERFUL (and absolutely drop dead handsome husband), a sweet and precious Caydence (eventhough she is a bit independent at times, like her mama), another precious little girl (who I will meet face to face in 8 weeks or so), a lovely home where we keep warm and safe, the cutest puppy ever, and amazing family and friends that surround me each day....
THANK YOU GOD for such amazing blessings. Help me to look at the positive everyday and not the negative. Help me to hope and rely on You and not let the things of this world consume (drown)my soul. I want to be consumed with love for You.

WoW!
What a week! Even when there are no plans for the week, things just EXPLODE into mayhem! ;)
The crazy decisions I made this week include, but are not limited to, getting a 6 week old puppy, potty training this new puppy, and putting my 16 month old daughter in a toddler bed.
On top of all this craziness, this week marks 30 weeks of pregnancy (and I am feeling about 52 weeks pregnant). Haha. People probably think I am STUPID making all these decisions at once, but I think I work WAY better when I am crazy busy and have a million things going on at once, than when I just have one thing to do.
Anyways, enough about my week... just wanted to drop in and give you guys some encouragement from my experiences.
Recently, I have felt the need to change some areas in my life, like mainly the ORGANIZATION part. Normally I am a bit of a procrastinator and completely unorganized.. I have started making little changes in my life and I am seeing a HUGE difference in every aspect of my life.
Just take little steps at a time and everything just seems to work out and become part of your daily life. DO NOT try and do it all at once, or you will just overwhelm yourself and then go back to your regular chaotic self.
There is a song that I used to sing when I was a kid, and I think it was written by Ron Hamilton (aka: Patch the Pirate), and it goes like this:
Little by little, inch by inch,
By the yard it's hard, by the inch what a cinch.
NEVER stare up the stairs just step up the steps,
Little by little, inch by inch!

My favorite verse (just for fun):

Growing in Christ takes work everyday,
Reading your Bible, learning to pray,
Build godly habits, seek help divine,
Great things are done one step at a time!

Growing, little by little,
Em

"Just Keep Swimming"

Overwhelmed... Yes, that is my "go-to" word for the day. I was trying to think of "when life gets you down" quotes, and the only one I can think of is from Finding Nemo: "When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming!" This is so so true.

I find myself on the internet a lot these days: trying to find coupons, working on my business, surfing the latest Pinterest pins, trying to find encourgaement from a blog, or even just information on a virus my daughter has... day in and day out my mind and heart are bombarded with these amazing mom-models that I see (you know; the ones that make amazing breakfast in the morning, have their houses completely organized and perfect, are super crafty, feed their family all organic food, are super cute and trendy, and have like four kids), and I think to myself about how far away from perfect I am!
Hi, my name is Emily and I am the "last-minute mom" who sometimes works on memory and my android calendar alone. I am the mom who rarely remembers to set the coffee-pot timer so my sweet husband can have a cup-a-joe in the morning, the mom who trys so hard to be organized but keeps finding that my house has exploded into a 16-month old's toy bomb, the mom who thinks that pulling out the glue-gun is getting crafty, the mom who feeds her kids non-organic veggies and meat, the mom who sometimes (shhh) wears work-out pants to Walmart (don't tell Stacy and Clinton), and the mom who only has one baby (another on the way) but seems not to be able to conquer the world like most.

Ok Emily, is this what life is really about? Being the perfect mom??? My mind wants to scream yes, but my heart knows the REAL answer. NO.
Ok then! What is the purpose of your life here on earth?
I hang my head in shame, because I know the answer and it is not what I always live by.
The answer is this, the purpose in life is to glorify, honor, and live wholeheartedly for my Savior... NOTHING hindering or in the way!

Right now, my desire to be the "perfect" mother/wife is in the way of what I really need to be doing.
I know that once I put my all my effort into the ONE thing that is important in life (my relationship with my Savior), that then EVERYTHING else will fall into place.
I may not EVER be the "perfect" mom or wife, but I will strive to fear the Lord and let my priorities fall into place from that point on. J-O-Y: Jesus and others and you... what a wonderful way to spell joy!!!!!

Oh my, a lesson that I continue to learn over and over and over again.
Sorry Lord, I am obviously a slow learner.... so just keep on teaching me!

And my advice to any one else that may be struggling with this same thing (sometimes I feel like the only one)... My dear friend and sister: JUST KEEP SWIMMING!!!!!

Love,
Emily