Babymooners

We are four weeks out!

FOUR!

As in if our little girl comes on her due date, we will be holding her in our arms in a matter of a month. It is the most indescribable feeling because I have SO MANY feelings about it. EXCITEMENT. FEAR. JOY.

We know her arrival will be life changing we know things will never be the same, we know they will be better. She is a blessing from God.

However, we also know that having this beautiful addition enter our lives will challenge us in ways that we never thought possible and that raising her will be a grand adventure that requires us to be the best version of ourselves. We know the best gift we can give our sweet Tinley Jade is a home with God at the center and so we pray that the Lord would work in our lives ever increasingly taking our focus off of worldly things and onto the things of Heaven.

Our relationship and how we treat each other will ultimately be one of the greatest ways we show Tinley and the world the Love of Jesus our Lord. We know we must continually invest and pour into each other in ways that speak Love to the other person, because we want our sweet girl to understand we are FOR EACH OTHER just like our heavenly father is FOR US.

This past weekend we were able to do just that as we devoted a whole 5 days to us. From the moment we became pregnant we knew we wanted to take a babymoon we both agreed it was important to spend some serious quality time together shortly before our bundle of joy entered the world. We had heard the advice from many new parents. "For those first couple months its all about baby. You are in survival mode you don't have a lot of "US" time and that can often strain your relationship." Taking the wise advice of those who had gone before we planned a little getaway to Michigan.

Well I guess you couldn't really say planned because uh we didn't do a whole lot of that... we knew we would spend at least one night in St. Joseph and then travel more north just exploring. Yep, those were the extent of our plans the point was that we would spend time together. So, you could pretty much say YELP and Trip Advisor were our best friends.

We had to make a lot of decisions spur of the moment and ended up experiencing some really great things together and lots of firsts for the both of us!

Like a Bed and Breakfast (The Painted Turtle), St. Joseph, Traverse City, Michigan's Coast, Build A Bear Workshop, Silver Beach Pizza, Bread +Bar, Gumbo, Tosi's Cafe, Cabana's, Slabtown Burgers, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Black Beard's Putt Putt Course, cart cycling, Georgina's and Harbor Shores Golf Course!

Of all the places we explored and all the things we did the best moments of our trip were the moments we spent laughing together and challenging each other. Coming home we feel refreshed and excited for this next phase of our lives. We are ready to meet our GIRL! Also, we highly recommend babymoons!! They don't have to be long or expensive or far away the point is quality time with your significant other, make it a priority!

Elaboration

Zac fell deeply in love with Harbor Shores Golf Course and I enjoyed the pretty scenery and being caddy for a day!

We explored the local eateries and have a couple recommendations if you are in the area!
St.Joseph: Our favorites were Silver Beach Pizza, Bread + Bar, and Tosi's Cafe

Silver Beach Pizza: The Pizza and breadsticks were delicious and really reasonably priced!! Plus you got a nice view of the lake!

Tosi's Cafe was a quaint little place in the middle of downtown surrounded by dessert shops! Everything looked delicious but I really loved their bacon corn chowder although, I didn't get a picture of that but here is our main course! So yummy!

Last but, definitely not least was Bread + Bar a more high end restaurant with the flavors to back up the price!! My first time trying filet mignon and Zac's first time trying polenta, everything surpassed our expectations!

Traverse City: Slabtown Burgers and Gerogina's both places on opposite ends of the spectrum but equally yummy with uniquely cool atmospheres. I only got pictures of Slabtown (it was in a renovated old house) so you'll have to look up Georgina's on your own!

You don't appreciate it until you work for it!

I finally feel like I have time to relax and write again now that school is done until January.

First and foremost I wanted to thank everyone who prayed for me these last couple of months as I struggled to make it through a class I really didn't enjoy. Math has never been my thing but when you throw in constructions its a recipe for disaster and it was..... but to be honest I had this mentality going into it that wasn't all that great either. I kept telling myself get through it this isn't your thing, your not going to remember anything, and you won't enjoy it but, just do it. So I did my homework got my A's and then when it came to the tests did awful I won't beat around the bush. Quickly realizing working at this pace wasn't going to cut it and if I didn't muster up some kind of something I wasn't going to get the C+ I needed, I buckled down. First I asked everyone to pray for me and then I got to work studying. I had a C+ in the class but with the final being a third of my grade and my test history of two C's and an F I knew I was going to have to work extra hard. I needed a C+ on the final to keep my grade and from how I had done on the other two tests I was pretty nervous at first wondering if it was even possible. To be honest I'm just not used to studying and I usually don't, except when it comes to math and I think I found out why. I have to work at it and actually apply myself. Putting that extra effort in isn't enjoyable or pleasant when I could be doing other things like spending time with my friends and family.

Something changed though as I studied for my test as I kept working at it learning more it got easier for me to keep studying over the weekend. The more effort I put into it the more effort I wanted to keep putting into it. Studying for probably a combined total of four hours over the weekend the stress started to melt. As Monday afternoon rolled around I was a little uneasy but I knew going into it that I was okay with whatever happened because I had worked hard and I had learned and taught myself the material I hadn't previously understood.

After taking the test I was a little nervous but, was pretty sure I had gotten at least a C+. Waiting for my grade to come in seemed like ages. When I finally saw the results though it made me love math a little :). I had gotten a 77% C+ on my final. My hard work paid off and I was so happy. I learned so much from this experience. The reason it made me love math is because I realized how much more you appreciate the things you have to work towards earning. It has inspired to apply this in every aspect of my life and I can't wait to see the rewards it produces. When I returned to look at my grades tonight I had a "B" and I feel so blessed. God was definitely working behind the scenes growing and teaching me. I am so thankful that he blessed me and gave me the motivation to study.

Check Canoeing Off

Zac and I woke up bright and early around 7:15 and got ready and headed to Jalapa a small town around Marion. We met our friends Eric and Brooke and dropped the truck off so we could ride with them to pick up the canoes.

We rented the canoes out at Riverbend and had them in the water by 8:30! Then we began our five mile journey down the river. It was such a great time I really enjoyed being outside. The scenery was beautiful the green trees against the relaxing ripple of the water made me want to start every day with canoeing. We laughed and ate candy and enjoyed the company of each other. Besides the BIG OLE rock that bumped Zac straight off his seat and right into the middle of the canoe the trip was as smooth as can be. Well we did have to walk once but that was only for a very short time like maybe two minutes. And thankfully the night before I had with the help of Zac sought out the appropriate river walking shoes. It only took four stores Dollar General, Walgreens, Marsh and then finally CVS came through. Best shoes ever so comfy. They aren't the cutest though but let me thoroughly recommend ( DOGGERS)!! I jokingly told Zac I might where them more often then I should he gave me a look and I smiled.

Zac said his day was made when we saw our first ever bald eagle!It sitting on a branch right in front of us. I had to admit that was pretty cool! Ironically Eric had just mentioned them only ten minutes earlier. For me the birds and the wildlife were only a small part of what made the day so great it was peacefulness I felt out there with no distractions just us and nature cooperating as we glided our sometimes awkward canoe away from the rocks. It was a good feeling to know that besides minor disgruntle we were a team

At one point we even stopped off at this little stream that broke away from the water. We took about ten minutes on foot to walk through part of it. It was really neat and I was thankful we got the opportunity to do that. It was mainly in the woods and although the water was much shallower it was also much colder. We saw little fish and overall it was just really pretty seeing how the rocks were perfectly shaped to let the water glide over them.

We got out of the river around 11:30 and the boys pulled our canoes up a really steep hill and then through a very crowded with weeds, brush, and trees trail. That was my least favorite part of the trip going through a wooded trail with only small footpath and lots of mosquitos didn't get me very excited especially when the boys couldn't tell us if it was the right trail or not. It was ! We made it out and I'm excited for our next canoe trip!!

Five Minute Friday : Broken

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

5 mins of writing on a set topic.

Then linking up at Lisa-Jo Baker's blog.

Prompt: Broken

START-

When we look at or see the word BROKEN a negative connotation immediately follows. What if though, we began to look at our broken moments differently. What if we realized their potential to encourage growth and saw how they could change us drastically into the people God desires us to be. Wouldn't our lives be sweeter and our hearts more accepting.

From the Message, Matthew 5:4 You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you, Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

A must read

While I'd like to say I've begun reading Bonhoeffer.....No that goal is still on list but I am finishing up another extraordinary book right now. (Peace Making Women). My eyes are wide open. I see. I recommend it if you desire to see too.

What do I see? I see the the lies I have believed about relationships and I am beginning to understand how those lies can be restored with, peace. I'm not finished with this book yet but, I know its an excellent read for anyone willing to receive biblical knowledge about solving real life problems with those people we have to talk to everyday, those people we need to talk to everyday. Humans and their relationships are ever changing but if we presume to keep our relationships peaceful, one thing must remain constant, LOVE.

God is Love having said that the foundation for all peace-filled relationships is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the great quotes I got from the book: On the last day. Jesus will not ask about our IQ, social status, health, or wealth. He will ask how our relationships were. And the chief characteristic of a good relationship is love. ~ Alfred Poirier

Plain and simple their are just a few insights I must share with you, they are life changing and totally useful for this generation. As they have helped me to preserve in my convictions and inspired dramatic change in me.

Loving a person despite how they treat you is a reflection of who you are and your heart not about who they are and whether or not they deserve your love.

Forgiveness too? Your probably thinking. and the answer.... OH YES. Yes yes yes.

But what about sacrifice? That can't be the case with it after all those pinterest sayings I've read about not making someone else your priority when they only make you an option. Well my friends according to the Bible we have been deceived. Sacrificing for others is more about us than it is about them. It a reflection of our ability to be selfless or lack thereof.

I'm so thankful for the insights of Tara Barthel and Judy Dabler wwho coauthored Peace Making Women and pray God uses this book to radically change my heart and mold be into a peace making woman.

something worth sharing

October 14, 2012

I was having an unusually bad night. I kept thinking to myself unhealthy thoughts and thoughts that would normally fuel a relapse in my eating disorder. I wanted so badly to feel confident in who I was and what God had so graciously blessed me with but... to be honest, I just didn't. I sent up a short prayer for some sort of help particularly mentioning and thinking about confidence.... and then in that moment I decided I wouldn't lay in my bed a second longer.

I got up and went to the next room over, where my bible and green journal lay. Two items I hadn't touched in about a week. Hoping to find some sort of solace in writing to God a heartfelt prayer, I opened my green Pslams journal to the next clean sheet and to my amazement there on the opposite side of the page lay a verse and a title. They read: My Heart Is Confident in You. and verses 57:1-3 and 57:7-11 followed. I remember even to this day almost a year later how warmed my heart was. Here I was thinking I was going to write down some desperate plea for help and my Savior was ready for it, for whatever need I might have. He had written me the most beautiful words I could imagine, life giving words.

Upon reading Pslam 57:1-3 Be good to me, God and now! I've run to You for dear life. I'm hiding out under your wings until the hurricane blows over. I call out to High God, the God who holds me together. He sends orders from heaven and saves me..... God delivers generous love, He makes good on his word. AND Pslam 57: 7-11 My heart is confident in You, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing Your Praises!... I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank You, Lord, among all the people. I will sing Your praises among the nations. For Your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May Your glory shine over all the earth. Instantly my heart brimmed with joy and the tears were gone.

Seeing God is such a vivid way forever changed my life. He is always with us and caring for us but we must seek him if we are to find him.

Five Minute Friday: Present

On Bloglovin, I noticed my friend Eva over at Snappeturtle was doing this Five Minute Friday Prompt. Basically you write for five minutes on the Friday prompt and don't worry about grammar or perfection and then link up over at Lisa-Jo Baker's blog were everyone shares what they wrote . It sounded like a pretty neat idea so I thought I'd give it a try this week's prompt: Present.

Present being in the moment and aware of your surroundings. Is it just me or has technology made this a pretty hard thing to do in this day in age?

Sometimes it can be really frustrating when you want to talk to someone and they are just completely glued to their phone and not even acknowledging you. Especially when its your friends and I know I am equally guilty of this but, I am definitely gonna take extra effort to be aware and not do that when I'm with other people no one likes to be thought less important than a phone and I certainly don't want anyone else to think that I value my phone time more than my time with them.