Confessions from a Mom on a Tight Rope

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Importance of quiet time

Over the past 5 years, I have learned it is imperative that I spend time with the Lord every day. And I have to do it before my day starts. If I don't then my day easily spins downward and I allow satan to whisper lies in my ears all day. For the last few months, I have been reading Jesus Calling and it speaks truth to me everyday. Today's devotion was a great reminder of why quiet time is so important. I just wanted to share it with my readers...

May 15
Spending time alone with Me is essential for your well-being. It is not a luxury or an option; it is a necessity. Therefore, do not feel guilty about taking time to be with Me. Remember that Satan is the accuser of believers. He delights in heaping guilt feelings upon you, especially when you are enjoying My Presence. When you feel Satan’s arrows of accusation, you are probably on the right track. Use your shield of faith to protect yourself from him. Talk with Me about what you are experiencing, and ask Me to show you the way forward.Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to Me, and I will come near to you.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. “For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”
—Revelation 12:10

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
—Ephesians 6:16

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
—James 4:7–8

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

It's a....

GIRL!!!!

Introducing Selah Grace

Born May 6 at 6:39 am

6 1/2 pounds and 19 1/2 inches

I would like to document how my girl made her entrance into the world.

It started around 6:00 pm on Saturday, May 5th. I had been feeling sick all day but really was pushing through and enjoying my time with Finn. Before dinner I noticed contractions coming every 8 minutes. But that was nothing new - I had been having contractions off and on for 14 days. We went out to eat (Moe's of course for the $3 burrito deal). And at dinner, I noticed the contractions getting worse. We finished up, went to store, and by the time we got home I was really hurting. I tried taking a bath, a shower, then ended up laying down. By 10:00, the contractions were 5 minutes apart and lasting 1 minute and 30 seconds. We decided better get to the hospital. Once we packed up, got my mom over, and got admitted - it was midnight. I asked for my epidural immediately. Thank goodness, because when the doctor checked me I was already halfway there. I had to wait about an hour til I got the epidural. That was a LONG hour. Once the epidural set it, the rest went super fast. And she came out very easy.

When G announced it was a girl, I cried. I am so excited for so many things. God has truly blessed us with an angel. And I could not be more ready for this challenge of raising up a woman in this broken world. So grateful! Below are a few pictures...lots more to come!

Just got my epidural and I'm happy!

It was so cold in our room. Plus the IV fluids were making me shake because I was so cold on the inside. So we snuggled up - couldn't sleep. We were too excited to find out who this baby was...

Seeing Selah's sweet face. She looks JUST like Finn.

Welcome to our family Selah!

Finn meeting his sister just a few hours after her birth.

Friday, May 4, 2012

A blessed decade!

Today I turn 30 years old. Hard to believe I've lived 3 decades. And I don't feel 30, I still feel like a teenager some days. But as I was reflecting back on this past decade I realize a lot happened. So I wanted to make a little list of it all. It started with college and ended with a wonderful marriage and 2 kids. WOW! God has really changed me in these 10 years. So very grateful...

Attended college at Kennsaw State University
Attended college at Reinhardt College
Declared my major as Business Entrepreneuship
Met Natasha and her mom (here's where the path turned)
Met Gregory
Graduated with honors - Bachelors in Business Entrepreneurship, minor in Accounting & Management
Moved to the big ATL and worked at Van Michael
Realized I didn't like working at such a big salon
Moved to Alpharetta and lived on my own for the first time in an apartment
Got a job as an account executive at Beneficial
Started management training
Got engaged to my soul mate!
Gregory graduated college and we got married 2 weeks later on the beach that I grew up going to with my grandparents every summer!
2 months later we bought our first house
For 3 months we watched our home be built then we moved in!
I decided to leave the corporate world
Was offered a job at North Point
Joined a mentor group that would really grow me as a woman (thanks Regina)
Got to be a matron of honor to my life long best friend
Went to Cambodia for the first time
Got pregnant
Had a healthy sweet little boy - Finn Wallace
Started attending Birds on a Wire group
Changed jobs to work for North Point Resources
Lowered my hours to focus on family
Ran a half marathon with G
Got to be a matron of honor to my sister
Celebrated 5 years of being married to my soul mate on a cruise to Bermuda
Went to Cambodia again
Got pregnant again
Now just waiting to deliver another sweet baby!

I praise you Lord for all the blessings I have. I also praise for all the difficult times as you have simply pulled me closer to you through each one of them.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Wordless Wednesday

Monday, April 30, 2012

The importance of mother/son time

On Saturday, April 28, Finn and I participated in a "Mother-Son Date Knight" at Chick-fil-a. It was so much fun. We were treated like royalty - table cloths, food on plates, served by a waitress, and much more! Overall, I was just so grateful I got to take Finn. Being 39 weeks pregnant you never know what you will get to do since I'm like a ticking time bomb that could go off at any time.

Today I want to write about how important this time was with Finn. First of all, children need their love tank filled up just like adults do. When I told him we were going on a date, he was so excited. G got him all ready and had him take care of everything just like the man would on a date. Finn held on to the ticket, opened my car door for me, and told me I looked "pretty." While on the date, I made sure to ask him questions and have him ask me questions to keep him engaged. These mother-son dates will help prepare him for the dating world when he's older. Gasp!

Being a mom of a son is a very special bond. I pray for the mate that God has created for him everyday. And I pray that I can prepare him to treat her like a queen, just as his daddy has treated me. So if you have a son and you haven't had a special date just the two of you...do it! You won't regret it. Last night was an etched memory for me.

What a precious little son I have :) Thank you God for this blessing!

He's saying "Are you ready to go, Mommy?"

Love my lil' knight!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Shower #3!

We have been SO blessed this pregnancy. So many friends and family wanted to celebrate this sweet baby on the way by doing showers. Last week, we had an awesome "sprinkle" shower at G's school. Thrown by the fabulous Ashley and the 3rd grade team - we got really LOADED up with diapers and wipes. When I say loaded, I mean stocked up! The whole closet in the nursery is full of diapers and wipes. I keep going in there and standing in front of it...I swear I keep hearing the hallelujah song. Again, we have been SO blessed. Thank you friends, family, and God for taking care of us!

Here are a few pictures...

The amazing diaper cake!