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Faith Uncategorized

A Confession: I was Angry at God

Oliver and Adeline hiding behind their hands

It’s been so long since I’ve written. It’s been so long since I’ve set aside time to write out my feelings. How can I post on my blog that should be inspiring others with their faith when I was shaken for so long? Thinking about it now… I was dumb and arrogant. It is not me who inspires, it is God. He speaks to you, and He doesn’t need me to do that. Though, it is my prayer that He…

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Faith Holidays Parenting

Loving Lent

Resurrection Eggs with Verses

Fasting and Adding In my previous post I talked a lot about fasting from food. Giving something up for the Lent season is another way of fasting. Here are a few ideas of somethings that could challenge you, and grow you if you are stumped. Tools for teaching the Stations of the Cross to little ones    I have a love for these eggs. They are called Resurrection Eggs. If the DIY package isn’t your thing for $6, then she…

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Faith Holidays

Why Celebrate Lent?

Lent

Growing up Catholic, Lent was a big deal. When I was a child I viewed Lent differently than I do now. The traditions of the Catholic Church were lost on me. I didn’t fully understand WHY we were practicing these traditions. Now, as a believer in Jesus. I understand that Lent is an act of intentional worship and obedience for 40 days. It’s almost like the Whole 30, only it’s the Whole 40 for your relationship with God. You are…

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Marriage Uncategorized

Our MySpace Love Story

Gallant Wedding

Every time I post that Derek and I met on MySpace I get the best comments and direct messages. I usually reply with, “Oh yeah, I wooed him with my customized backgrounds and featured songs.” So in honor of Valentine’s day, I thought it would be fun to share our MySpace love story, of how we came to meet. It starts in Switzerland… In 2003 Derek traveled Europe solo. He met new friends who he still keeps in touch with.…

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Faith Parenting

I Am NOT Enough

Oliver Lincoln Newborn

Derek sent me an article the other day. The title read, “Moms of 3 Are More Stressed Than Those with Any Other Number of Children.” Checks out. I replied. Full transparency, didn’t bother to read the article. I mean, Adeline was complaining about a sick stomach, Oliver needed a diaper change. I didn’t even know where Landon was at the time. I did have every intention of reading it, but in that moment, no time. Later that night I laid…

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Dream Lists Faith

Winter Dream List

Winter Dream List My favorite song to write to is called “Winter Snow,” by Audrey Assad and Chris Tomlin. It’s beautiful. It calms me, refocuses my mind and heart on God’s love for us. With Lyrics like, “You came like a winter snow. Quiet and soft and slow. Falling from the sky in the night, to the earth below”. It helps me to see even more beauty in falling snow this time of year. But, let’s be honest. Winter can…

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Faith

Two Words

Oliver's Joy

At the start of 2018 I had all these plans. Plans to buy a house, hire a new doctor in our office, more time off for Derek, and sleep train Oliver (again). I mean, I had PLANS. Want to know how many of those goals I achieved? ZERO. None. Nada. Looking back, I can see that my plans, they were never in God’s plans. At least not for 2018. I can see that what was in His plans were for…

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Faith Marriage Uncategorized

Self Care isn’t Selfish

Self Care isn’t Selfish, Written by Amanda Leigh Self-Care. It’s a Buzz word. #SelfCare. #SelfCareSunday. #SelfCareSelfie. You name it, there is a hash tag for it.  But does anyone even know what ‘self-care’ means? Self-care is more than getting a pedicure, although, I need those too – I live in California so “suns out, toes out” is the norm. Self-care is deeper than that. It is about deep understanding and care for…you guessed it, yourself.  I am talking about care…

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Faith Holidays Parenting

He Ruined My Life

During the last 14 years, I have fought hard to forgive Landon’s biological father. It’s been a long road. This week Landon wrote an an autobiography for school, and I was asked to edit it. During that process I came across this sentence that made my heart skip a beat. “I never knew my biological father. My mom said that he had appeared in her life, changed it forever, ruined it, and disappeared. So my mom took up the hard…

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Faith Holidays Parenting

3 Gifts

Edda Marie: Tokyo Christmas

Growing up our house was all about Santa at Christmas. And it was magical. Truly. We did go to Mass on Christmas Eve, and we always had a beautiful nativity. Jesus was talked about, and we understood He was the “Reason for the Season.” But man, I loved all the magical Christmas gifts from Santa!! Everything was so magical. And I’m not talking, app creating, phone number calling magic like we have now. I’m talking magic that was so beautifully…

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