A Set-Apart Weekend and Pregnancy Update

This past weekend, I traveled to beautiful Windsor, CO for the first annual Set-Apart Motherhood conference, hosted by Leslie Ludy. It was kind of a mini Babymoon....sans the husband. :) I have wanted to attend several of the Ludy's many conferences and events in Colorado for years, so to finally have the opportunity to go was a major blessing and answer to prayer. Being 34 weeks, I was unsure if I could/should make the trip, but once I was cleared by my OB, I purchased my ticket and began planning and packing. It was an interesting experience, traveling alone in my third trimester to the mountains. I'm so thankful for good health, enough energy, and a problem-free pregnancy that allowed me to go. I came home full-to-the-brim spiritually and with a stronger vision for motherhood than I ever had before. Here are some highlights from my trip.

At Ellerslie, you would never know that you are a 10 minute walk from Windsor. It feels tucked away and secluded. Very much set apart. :) The peaceful atmosphere was beautiful.

This was my favorite view. To wake up with the dawn each morning and walk to breakfast, I saw this magnificent picture. A camera photo just can't capture the splendor. I think I stared out the window every time I was NEAR a window!

Each session was power-packed and practical. I have read many parenting books and blogs and there is an ever-present theme in our Christian culture to just take it easy and survive motherhood. The modern Christian mentality says it's normal for your spiritual life to take a back seat when you have little kids and so just be comforted that God understands you're tired, frazzled, and a complete mess. He loves you anyway. Truthfully, that's unscriptural and so I loved how each and every session was full of Biblical wisdom and commandments. Not about hanging on and surviving motherhood, but thriving - through Jesus - in your parenting and bringing heaven into your home.

The worship was worship. Growing up in music, it's always been one of the quickest ways to move me. I was anxious to hear the music from Ella Powell, but was also curious how the music and worship would be led. Let me just say, it was real worship. And I was so moved by, not only her sweet demeanor, but the songs she has written for her children, which she shared with us at the conference. And on a side note, I highly recommend the music of IrishElkMedia.com

It was a joy to see the two newest little Ludy kids! Via the Set-Apart Girl magazine, I have watched their two biological children grow and have seen the hand of God in the adoptions of their, now, four adopted children. These two little ones came from Haiti and after an intense 29 month battle to bring them home, they arrived the day before the first-ever Motherhood conference. Isn't that just like God? :)

I met Eric and Leslie Ludy once briefly, one month before my wedding when they spoke at a conference in Arkansas back in 2010. But it was an amazing honor to be in their environment and talk with two people whom the Lord has used mightily in my Christian walk. When I was a teenager and got a hold of their testimony and their love story, it opened my eyes to areas of my life that I had never fully surrendered to Christ. What a blessing to be able to thank them for being an instrument the Lord has used to change my life.

P.S. They were absolutely sweet, down-to-earth, and fun to talk to. :)

The conference ended Saturday night and I stayed over and attended the Church at Ellerslie Sunday morning. I receive each week's sermon in my inbox, but to be in the atmosphere and worship with so many like-minded people - it was a sweet little taste of Heaven on earth.

Now that I am home, I am BUSY getting ready for little miss to make her arrival. Only a few very short weeks and we will be a family of five! I'm feeling well overall. I'm uncomfortable and the pregnancy penguin waddle is slowly surfacing, but that just means it's almost over. :) After such a renewing weekend, I'm more than ready to hold my baby in my arms......right after I get the crib put together. :)

Love: As Scripted By God

In a culture whose heroes of love are Edward Cullen or Christian Grey, never has it been easier to see what love is.

...or at least, what has the appearance of love. In reality, what is scripted by screenwriters and published by people who do not know Jesus Christ, what is labeled as love is anything but.

It's depicted as an all-powerful surge of emotions; something we literally "fall" in to. For many, it is an overwhelming mental obsession; for many more, it is a mad desire to simply jump in bed together. It has been reduced to clever, cushy sayings that are then quoted by the masses on blogs, Tumblr accounts, selfie Instagram photos, and Facebook pages.

It's something we can choose to give up on if it's in our best interest. It's something we can find in many different partners, so long as we are kept happy and comfortable.

May I tell you what love - true, marital love - looks like when it's scripted by its Author?


Love is giving all of you and the best of you, especially when you don't want to.

Love is keeping sacred things sacred (your body parts, your marriage bed, your heart).

Love is the shared glace over the dinner table while your children are laughing.

Love is being held tenderly when your heart has been broken, whether by a hurtful word or a painful loss.

Love is faithfulness even when you're financially broke, emotionally empty, or physically ill. It's the "sticking-togetherness" for better or for worse.

Love is knowing that you are desired, regardless of your swollen, pregnant belly or your inability to put on your own shoes.

Love is trust. 

Love is not wondering where your spouse is or if they desire another. It's not leaving your spouse in search of greener pastures instead of watering your own yard.

Love is doing your spouse good and not evil all the days of your life...whether it's reciprocated or not. 

Love is choosing their happiness over your own.

Love is initiating forgiveness and reconciliation even when it may have not have been "your fault."

Love is patience when your nerves are shot and kindness when stress is at an all-time high.

Love is friendship and all its belly laughs.

Love is being led to the throne of God, even when you're too weak to walk there alone.



Love is many things that are no longer sought after or cultivated in relationships. Instead, it's a weak, feelings-based decision that we can make null and void should we have the urge to. And as a result, there's heartbreak, divorce, anger and resentment, and quite a bit of emptiness.

But if you want a little glimmer of heaven, if you want something with substance and beauty, let God be your Scriptwriter. His stories are the best.

Pregnancy Update. 30 Weeks with Baby #3

30 weeks down! I cannot believe I have 10 weeks - more or less - to go! Considering both my previous children have been born at 39 weeks, I'm minorly freaking out (in a good way!). I have so much left to do but I enjoy nesting and preparing, so I am looking forward to stocking the freezer, washing newborn clothes and blankets, and taking down the itty-bitty baby gear from the attic. It's a fun and exciting busyness that definitely helps keep the nerves at bay. :)

Little miss is doing wonderful. And, albeit sometimes ungracefully, I am doing well too. Pregnancy is not a very dignified state, but it is a beautiful time that I am truly trying to cherish, even during the uncomfortable moments.

My three-year-old snapped this picture yesterday before Church.
He has a little talent, I think. :)

Some updates....

• I feel huge. I suppose every pregnant woman feels huge, especially during subsequent pregnancies. It's not an easy thing to watch your body change so drastically in less than a year. But just like the last two pregnancies, God has been faithful to remind me that His beauty is what is important. I may feel clumsy and heavy, but I have been given the blessing of growing and nurturing another life, and that is worth the sacrifice.
         
• Have I had cravings? Yep. Coconut, avocados, chocolate, nuts, grapes, and apples have been foods I find myself wanting more and more of. I've also eaten a bit more peanut butter than usual too.
         
• Tons and tons of movement! Little miss is beginning to feel a little cramped in there. I love feeling every twitch, every hiccup, and every kick. Definitely the best part of pregnancy!
     
• No swelling, glory be! Like my pregnancy with Selah, I have been drinking lots more water and taking regular Epsom salt baths, which help with swelling. I dealt with that during my pregnancy with Nathan and it.was.horrid.
     
• I've had a lot of hip, thigh, and back pain, which has made it more challenging to exercise like I want. I'm hoping chasing my kiddos from here to kingdom come makes up for it, though!
      
• I'm starting to get a little more tired each day, which is totally understandable seeing how I am growing a person inside my body while raising a preschooler and keeping up with a toddler every day. Praise the Lord for nap time, right? :) When my kiddos go down, I also have been lying down. More often than not, I pass out and get a good nap in. Sleep has become my best friend. 

Only a few more weeks left. :)

Our Frog Theme in 3K

A couple of weeks ago, we began a "Frog week" in School where I let Nathan choose a specimen to study and learn about. It has actually become frog month because we have studied them slowly so we can retain and enjoy. It's been a timely theme as our porches have been the home of quite a few frogs lately. Much to my disgust....

Anyway.

We started by going to the Library to pick out a book on frog facts. We chose "All About Frogs" and have loved learning about the differences between frogs and toads, all the different species of frogs and toads, and the cool things each are able to do. Nathan is fascinated by learning how far they can hop and the funny croaking noises they can make.

Thanks to PreschoolMom.com, I found this nifty printable explaining the life cycle of a frog. Nathan liked learning about tadpoles and how they change as they grow - just like we do! He said, "I was a baby...now I'm a big boy. One day, I'll be big like daddy and have a beard!" Yep. From tadpole to toad, buddy. ;)

We also had a frog-themed treat at lunch one day! FYI, this is not a picture of my attempt to make the frog-apple-with-marshmallows-grapes-and-chocolate chips. Mine wasn't near as good. But this is what I was shooting for. And Nathan knew it was, in fact, a frog so although it is probably more along my lines of a Pinterest fail, it was a complete success in his eyes, which is all that counts. :)

photo credit

We ventured outside and found frogs. :) Both Nathan and Selah had a jolly time finding them, squealing as they hopped, and chasing them all over the yard and the porch. Selah finds it necessary to blow on any small critter and then scream at it. Nathan has taken to wanting to smash anything smaller than him. Needless to say, they had to be under some heavy supervision. :)

Getting out of my comfort zone, we also caught a frog. Or, to be more accurate, I caught a frog. I'm a bit disgusted by small critters, but I managed to catch a small frog on our porch and brought it in for a few hours to get a close up look as we went through our All About Frogs book. Nathan loved staring at its legs and had a little too much fun trying to make the small amphibian hop in the jar.

Lastly, we began the Frog and Toad series, which we have all enjoyed reading. :)

I'm not sure what theme will be next. Nathan has expressed an interest in spiders, but I'm not sure mommy can handle that one. Might be a good father/son project to do with daddy.....

Facebook, Pinterest, and the Comparison Trap

Maybe you have thought it in the moments when you're browsing through Pinterest just because you are looking for a new recipe to try out. And as you browse, you see all the "How To's" - from how to decorate the tops of your cabinets to how to have the tightest, firmest body after your second pregnancy. And you feel it. 

I'm not enough....

Maybe you have thought it while skimming Instagram and you see the pictures of that woman who just had her third child two months ago and she looks better than she ever did before! It's got to be the filter, right? Nevertheless, you feel it.

I'm not doing a good enough job...

Maybe you have said it out loud when you are scrolling through the news feed on Facebook, minding your own business, simply wanting to stay updated on your family and friends. And you read about one of your friends who's two year is reading already....and you just wrestled your three year old into a new set of underwear because he forgot he wasn't wearing a pull-up. Again. And here it comes....

I am a complete failure...

You've likely said it. Thought it. Bemoaned your failures while eating the chocolate you have hid in the laundry room. (I have!)

Last week we finally sat down and watched "Mom's Night Out" -- totally recommend, by the way! -- I laughed a lot. I nodded in agreement. And I cried, fully feeling and understanding the things this sweet mom felt.

Those of you who have seen this movie, did this portion of the movie get to you too?




Oh, I found myself in a blubbering mess after that. And I have one of those ugly cries. You know what I'm talking about....

But I felt that truth wrap its arms around me. And it felt so good.

Sometimes, because of social media and even because of certain people, we build up expectations of ourselves that are nigh impossible to attain. And we work so hard (so ridiculously, incredibly HARD!) to measure up those expectations. We run ourselves into the ground trying to please everyone, ourselves most of all, and forget that we are not called to see that our children are academically advanced at age three or that our homes look like a page out of Pottery Barn magazine. We are not called to do all we can to achieve a body that bears no marks of childbearing or to serve gourmet dinners to our husbands every single night. We are not expected to be a Pinterest wife or mom, nor should we compare ourselves with a status from someone on Facebook. Our worth and security is not found there, but only in the Person of Jesus Christ. Simply serving Him and doing the best we can with the gifts and strengths that He has given us is enough.

Where does your security lie? Is God your refuge, your hiding place, you stronghold, your shepherd, your counselor, your friend, your redeemer, your Saviour, your guide?
If He is, you don’t need to search any further for security.     
Elisabeth Elliot

So to all of you out there who find yourself logging off feeling less than victorious about your role as a wife or a momma, let that encourage you today.

Where Joy Is Wednesday #20 and a Link-Up

Welcome to
 Where Joy Is Wednesday!

Things have been quite busy lately! I have finally reached the third trimester with baby #3! I'll save the pregnancy update for another post, but all is well and baby and I are both healthy - and growing!

Along with baby prepping, we have been enjoying the end of the summer weather, the beautiful cooler mornings, 3K school, and working on odds and ends around our home. I am already in the holiday spirit and anxious to start decorating for Thanksgiving and Christmas! My little ones are growing by leaps and bounds! Our son is loving all the things he is learning in school, and our daughter is showing an interest in potty training. Being barely 19 months, I'm very pleased with that and so we will be seeing if the interest sticks in the next few weeks. :)

While preparing my home and my children for another little life coming soon, I have been taking time to prepare my spirit. One Scripture has resonated with me for weeks:

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

One of my favorite songs is "Great is Thy Faithfulness." The above verse has been repeatedly reminding me that each gift from God is good and it comes from a Savior who is faithful and true and does not change. No matter what each morning brings, his mercies are new and enough. The fears that try to topple over us or the change that rattles our security - it's all perfectly packaged from a wonderful, faithful Father.

May you see His faithfulness today. :)

Our Favorite Preschool Apps

Though we are using lots of books, notepads, printables, and dry erase books, I have been utilizing my iPad for some of Nathan's education. He loves learning through interaction and so today I am sharing my favorite Apps that we currently use in our 3K schooling. :)

Bible for Kids

We love this app. This is probably Nathan's favorite game to play. It's full of Bible stories and is very easy for him to use. He loves listening to the narrator tell each story and the touch-activated characters and animals. I highly recommend getting this on your phone and your tablet! :)

Abby Monkey Basic Skills

This preschool game is among our favorites for matching skills, counting, shapes, colors, and patterns. Nathan loves making a train with the correct patterns and I love that it is both fun and super educational!

Counting 123

This is a very simple app that teaches toddlers to count from 1 to 20. They use everyday things your child sees like animals, food, and toys to engage them and keep them motivated. 

A5 Tracing

I'm using this app a lot more now that we have officially started 3K. This tracing app is wonderful in teaching your child how to properly write his/her upper and lowercase letters, their numbers (1-10), and over 20 basic shapes. It's very cute and very easy to use. Nathan absolutely loves it.

Fun Spanish

We want our children to learn Spanish and there is no better time to start than early on! Fun Spanish came highly recommended and I have been pleased with it thus far. It's designed for kids ages 3-10 and includes lessons, games, and music. Nathan has loved it and I'm learning some things as well. :)

iBooks

Though I am not a fan of  reading books without actual HOLDING a book in my hands, iBooks has been a huge help in those times when our library does not have a certain book we want to read. Currently, we are reading Frog & Toad Are Friends and we are using iBooks to do it. It's been very beneficial and we will most likely continue to use iBooks in the future -- especially since we don't have to worry about crayon markings on the pages!

What about you? What are your favorite preschool apps? :)