My "life-saver"...

Well, I can see that I haven't been on here in almost two months! Ughhhh.... and to think at the beginning of the year I had made it a resolution to blog constantly to help me with my weight loss plight, etc... now the blog has turned into once every so often and is about the family and the new baby on the way (which I really don't mind, it'll just be about weight loss too after Sadie is here! LOL!)

So I thought I'd do a quick update to let you know what has been going on...

Sadie is doing wonderfully, constantly moving around like crazy. Thank the Lord I haven't dealt with anymore morning sickness, etc... We are now in the third trimester and counting down! We had another ultrasound done a few weeks ago and they said that it looked like my Sadie girl was going to be tall! They said for the time frame she should measure approx. 9" or so - she measured 10 1/2"!!! WOW!! Maybe tall like her Daddy? Then I get a phone call last Friday after one of my routine visits (more on this later!) from the doctor saying that they may have my due date WRONG!!!!! Oh my goodness! They think since I have a small uterus and this has caused problems with my fluid levels with my other two children, that I am measuring bigger than my 28 weeks and the only way that should be possible is if I'm further along than expected! However they are perplexed because they are dead set that a very early ultrasound is the best way to detect a due date - that was December 24th - Christmas Eve! Now they say it could be around the 12th! So we are just going to wait and watch, keep measuring for the next few weeks, and then the doctor will decide if he wants to officially change the due date! Good grief! In a way I'm ecstatic because I just want her here and we really wanted to have her home with us and Kenzie and Ty for Christmas, but her coming earlier is making it all the more REAL to me! If that makes sense to anyone! I know it's real and I certainly feel her all day long, but it almost seems as if it will stay that way forever!

Now to the other part of my appointment... Last month at my monthly checkup I was told that when they ran lab work that they had detected some problems... Immediately I think "Problems with the baby?" It's not her... it's me.

I have been diagnosed with Stage 0 (zero) cervical cancer. Now I have to say that the Lord ABSOLUTELY knows what He is doing! And I AM SURE OF THIS! If it hadn't been for me being pregnant with our "surprise baby" this would not have been found at this stage, it would have been a lot worse! Stage 0 is considered "pre-cancer". They have found pre-cancerous cells that if not treated immediately will develop into full blown cancer. We would not have found this if I wasn't pregnant - I hate going to the doctor and would always put it off if possible.

The treatment for this (especially since I'm pregnant right now) is biotherapy. I receive an IV injection of IL-2 once a month (this is basically only something that boosts my blood cell count to fight the pre-cancer cells and kill them before they have a chance to turn into anything else!). It's a slow process (approx. 1 hour or so) and it's a round of IV's for the next 6 months. We should be done with this first round in February 2010 and we're praying that it works the first round so I do not have to continue for a second round!

My first treatment was last Thursday (some of you from our Sunday School class knew this already!) and it went okay during the IV except for my blood pressure going up but I really think it was just nerves and not knowing what to expect! I went to the hospital lab after my regular monthly check up, they took me in, hooked me all up, monitor on the baby and all, and left me there reading a book for about an hour... that part was not so bad! Afterwards they tell me what the side effects are (don't sound horrible now!) and send me home. No sooner had I gotten outside to the parking lot was I vomitting. Ughhhh... Really that was the major thing that I experienced along with flu like symptoms of achiness, etc... They went away within 6 hours or so, so I feel it's a small price to pay for my health and the health of my baby!

The good news is that this will not affect Sadie in any way, since they are aware of it, they will be prepared for it during delivery with antibiotic through and IV for me. Other than that - they say it'll go smoothly! We'll see!

So now we're on the waiting game/count down... just a few months to go and Sadie will be here! I am now being bumped to checkups every 2 weeks and soon will be bumped to every week! FUN!

I want to thank everyone in my family who may read this and our Sunday School class for praying... I love knowing that I have "prayer warriors" behind me and wouldn't be able to do this without all of your support and friendship!

More later!!!

Mercede Faye is on her way!!!!!

"IT'S A GIRL!", Erica the sonogropher said at 6:19 pm on Friday, July 24th! Immediately Mackenzie starts clapping and Tyler folds his arms over his chest and won't speak to anyone!

Joey actually said he could tell it was a girl before Erica even said anything! Sadie (as we are going to call her for short) was an energetic little thing when we first got in the room, rolling around and kicking, sucking her thumb... but we couldn't quite tell if she was a girl or a boy for about 20 minutes or so. She was being shy! Erica kept pushing on my belly to get her to turn around so we could "take a peek", but she wasn't cooperating! At this point I'm thinking, "great, we drove all the way down here and I've been waiting all this time so excited to find out and we're going to have to go home without knowing..."

Erica suggested I turn and lay on my left side since Sadie was laying with her spine in my ribs and her head down, maybe we could catch a glimpse.... so.....

I lay on my side and Joey said he could see Erica find the foot and travel up the leg a few times, and each time she did that, Joey kept saying "it's a girl, it's a girl", but I wasn't quite convinced he knew what he was looking at! I was having a hard time trying to follow on the screen where she was and what she was actually looking at... and then she said ..."I am positive... It's a girl! Congratulations!".

My in-laws were in the room with us and sitting with the kids, Joey was next to me and he said he automatically saw Kenzie's face light up as she said "Sadie!" and Ty's arms go up and crossed over his chest.

Needless to say, we're all ecstatic, Ty will take some time to come around though I think! I couldn't believe how upset he was that he wasn't getting a brother! He wouldn't speak to me, he wouldn't speak to anyone that night as a bunch of the Alonso clan got together for dinner... if anyone asked him about the baby, he would just look up at them with his arms crossed. He's so dissapointed it kind of makes me feel bad. Joey even promised him bunk beds still... it brightened him up a bit, but not much. I used to get good night hugs and kisses from Ty and he would also give the baby (a/k/a my belly!) a good night hug and kiss and say "good night baby", but not anymore. Not since Friday.

We're praying that his attitude will change quickly, and I know it will... I guess it's just a lot for a little boy of 5 yrs old who had his heart set on having a little brother to share a room and play with. We'll just keep praying and see!

In the mean time, IT'S A GIRL!!!!!! Now I can start planning and buying things and organizing and all the fun stuff that comes along with it! Watch out, Sadie will b in nothing but PINK for a very long time!

P.S. I'm still working on getting these ultrasound pictures to scan to where you can actually see them! I'll post more later!

The unveiling...

So I am so thoroughly excited! For once in this pregnancy things are starting to look organized and up!!!

I've been dealing with insurance companies, doctor's offices, hospital, labs and ultrasound techs for weeks now and finally have it all figured out.... I think! Keep praying of course!

Our ultrasound is set for this Friday, July 24, 2009 at 6 pm - and we will finally (hopefully) know if we are having a girl or a boy!

I have to say a special "Thank you" to my friend Heather for putting me on to these ultrasound techs! They've all been so nice thus far on the phone and returning phone calls so promptly that I'm kind of beside myself with the niceness of it all. Some of you that have babies or are pregnant understand the "joys" of what I'm talking about here! So THANK YOU, THANK YOU Heather! Love ya!

Anyway, I thought I'd also unveil the names that we have chosen in this blog... are you ready???
So after weeks of dealing with my loving hubby and names that I liked and picked out and him saying "no, not that one, I knew a kid in school with that name"... or "there's already too many kids with that name", we've finally agreed on some. Joey has a thing about wanting "T" names for boys and "M" names for girls to keep with the tradition of our kids, Mackenzie and Tyler... so here they are...

If it's a girl - Mercede Faye
If it's a boy - Trevor Allen

Now, you may ask, "Mercede?" Mercedes was Joey's great-great grandmother from Spain. Joey was the love of her life and doted on him like crazy... carrying him around on her hip until he was 6 yrs old or so, never letting the girls pick on him, etc... he was her favorite! We have decided to call her "Sadie". I personally love the tradition of carrying on a family name... actually "Faye" is my middle name, my Mom's middle name, and Joey's Aunt's middle name... so there's a family link there too! I also have to thank Heather again for coming up with the nickname of "Sadie". Joey and I, and Kyle and Heather had gone out to eat in Tampa, one of our fave places "The Columbia" which is an authentic spanish restaurant that's been around for over 100 years I think. We were all talking about names and being in a Spanish atmosphere I happened to ask Joey what his great grandma's name was... and ta-da! We had our girl name... Heather said "you could call her Sadie!!!!" and I instantly fell in love with it... so thanks again Heather!

Now the boy name, Trevor... I just love this name. There are not many Trevor's around here and it's a "T" name as well, so I lucked out when I threw that name out there for Joey to think about! The middle name, "Allen", is Joey's favorite Uncle's (Uncle Paul) middle name... and it just goes together Joey says!

Anyway, thought I'd let you know what names we've decided on. Tune in later this week to find out the unveiling of Baby Alonso #3!!!

Love to all!

It's been a long time... update

Well, it's been FOREVER since I've been on here and updated, so I'm going to try and catch everyone up to speed for those of you who don't see us all the time, or live far, far away!

The end of May we moved back to Wildwood... SO NICE!!!! Love being only 1 minute from our church and 18 minutes from my work (as opposed to 45 minutes one way!).

Joey is the Children's Minister at our church and is the newly appointed Director of our local chapter Youth Center. He works at the Youth Center most days and then the church at night, juggling his schedule like a mad man! I am so proud of him and his accomplishments! He is a wonderful, funny and caring man and I am so grateful for the way he provides for our family!

I am still working at a church in The Villages part time which gives me more freedom to help Joey in the Children's Ministry at our church and more time with our kiddos! And some much needed sleep in the afternoons for me! LOL! Since I've been pregnant it seems I CANNOT get enough sleep! Working in The Villages also allows us to have the kids in the charter school! Such a wonderful blessing to us and our family! The kids love it there and they demand parent participation... it is an EXCELLENT school and we thank God every day for the opportunity for our kids to attend there.

I am 16 weeks pregnant this week and counting! I've had some complications through the first trimester which were.... complicated shall we say! Enough to have me scared and worried, but the Lord got us through and the baby is growing stronger every day. They have changed my due date to Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th... it's going to be an interesting Christmas around our household!

I've started to feel movement and even Tyler felt it over the weekend while he was laying in bed with me watching tv... he had his head on my belly and was talking to me and all of the sudden I felt the baby move and Tyler pops his blonde little head up and says "Mommy, the baby just kicked me!!! I wasn't being mean, I'm just loving on him!" So cute! He's determined it's going to be a boy so he can have bunk beds in his room. And of course Kenzie is determined to have a sister and not another boy in the family! She's feeling out numbered at this point with my little brother Chris and her cousin Devin... only having her cousin Abbie on her side!

Hopefully by the end of this month we will know if we are having a boy or a girl and I am not one for surprises, so rest assured this Momma will know!!! I have to be prepared! It's driving me absolutely crazy to not know this far!!!! I want to start getting things ready but refuse until I know what we're having!

Tyler will start Kindergarten next month and is done his t-ball season for the year! He's hoping to make All-Stars this next year and wanting Daddy to coach again! He still loves playing video games and driving his sister crazy!

Mackenzie will start 2nd grade this next month!!! Oh my goodness, my baby is growing so fast! I cannot believe that once the new baby gets here Kenzie will be almost 8 yrs. old and Ty will be 6 yrs. old! Kenzie is taking a break from dance over the summer but wants to start back in the Fall... Mommy is still trying to figure it all out with schedules and school and a new baby by Christmas! She loves her ballet, tap, and jazz classes and wants to be on the "Golden Girls" squad (her school's cheerleading team) this next year too! Ambitious little girl!

We're working now on our church Kid's Camp which is next week... pray for us! We have a few other churchs joining us this year, which is wonderful to see this ministry grow... but along with that comes added preparation and stress! Especially with Joey working two jobs right now!

Needless to say, our house is one crazy one, with coming and going, kicking and screaming (kids part sometimes! LOL!) and sleeping (my part all the time!)! We can't wait for the baby to be here and to find out if we have another girl or another boy coming so we can start planning and shopping!

It's so amazing to see what the Lord has in store for us next! Life is full of surprises!

I've really got to get better about posting more regularly so I don't have 3 page posts!!! LOL! It's something else to add to the list of "to-do's"!

More later! Love to all!

I'm What?????!!!! Happy Mothers Day!

Well, I guess it's time to update my blog!

I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!! Crazy I know! It's official as of Monday, April 21st - the doctors have said I am prego with baby #3!!!

AND THE BEST PART OF ALL!!!.... I'm due DECEMBER 23rd!!!! Talk about a surprise Christmas present!

The kids are ecstatic, each wanting their own... Kenzie wants a girl, Ty wants a boy. Ty of course went to school the day after we told them and told his teacher and his class that mommy was having twins!!! Can you imagine!?! You see, we have a wonderful friend at church, Hannah, who just had twins... 1 boy and 1 girl, John & Whitney. So Ty thinks that this is automatically the way babies come - one of each! And therefore that satisfies both him and his sissy! WRONG! We've had to explain to him multiple times that it does not often happen that way and Mommy is only having 1 baby! It has been confirmed!

So Joey and I are taking some time to get used to all of this!... as you can well imagine! I mean, we weren't planning on having any more kiddos! Ty will be 6 YRS OLD by the time this one comes along! My mind has still not completely wrapped around the concept!

Anyway, even though most all of you that follow or take a peek at my blog now and then already know this information, but for me (even though I'm not as faithful as I vowed I'd be!!!) this is my journal of sorts. A way to remember things.

And I have to add this tidbit (and Carrie if you're reading this... please forgive me, but I think it's fixing to be out anyway!) my sister Carrie has just found out that she is pregnant too!!! Her due date is January 5th! Boy oh boy... isn't it crazy! My mother said today that the Lord wouldn't give us more than we could handle, but he sure was going to test how much she could handle! A grandma again twice over in a matter of a couple of weeks! We're just hoping we don't go at the same time! (Although it could be a ton of fun, except for the location problem of the hospitals we've picked!)

Anyway, just wanted to share.... Love to you all! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

To train, or not to train...

That is the pending question of today.

So it's been a couple of months since I've blogged (I've been trying to keep a written journal instead, but I'm on the computer so much, it just makes more sense to do this!)... anyway...

Today I was asked by a dear friend that I work with to train to run in a 5K race. It's the Rock 'N Run at Disney World this coming September.

My first reaction was, "Are you crazy woman!?!" I couldn't believe she wanted to do it and then that she wanted me to do it with her!!!! So she knows that I've been running since the first of the year, however I don't really think I'm anywhere near ready for a 5K yet!!!!!! I'm definitely NOT on that level. So I told her I would think about it and pray about it and let her know.

I know it's not until September so I guess it's possible. The one upside is I'll have a goal to work towards for running and working out! LOL!!!

Anyway, just thought I'd share! I'm still in shock... Just think how I'll be if I agree to do it! LOL!

"Pause Before Reacting"

The devotion below is one that I received by email today from Proverbs 31 Woman. I receive a daily devotional via email from them and you can also sign up with them to get the same for free! It's a wonderful ministry and you'd be surprised the times that it seems like the day is just not going well and you open your email account to check those countless emails and BOOM!!!!! Just what you needed is right there in the emailed devotional... I can't begin to tell you how many times that has happened to me! Just like today! So I had to share it! Please read it... it will bring tears to your eyes! It did mine! Love, Kim

Pause Before Reacting
19 Feb 2009
By: Lysa TerKeurst
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

A few years ago, Art and I hit a rough place financially. Some investments we'd made went bad and we lost nearly our entire life savings. I was knee deep in 3 small children at the time and hadn't a clue that financial danger was looming on the horizon.That is until Art came home one day and the look on his face spoke of utter defeat. How could we have lost so much? He'd been wise with our finances. He'd done his research. He was a faithful saver. I stood stunned in our foyer that day, as Art told me the news.There were many different directions my reaction could have gone in the minutes that followed. I was upset. When Art first talked of mak ing these particular investments, I shared with him that I didn't have a good feeling about it. But, in the end, I let him make the final decision.So many times in my marriage, I've chosen the wrong words - words that were tainted with bitterness, words that were emotionally toxic. But I'm so thankful the Lord had been working on preparing my heart for this moment and instead of reacting immediately with what would have been a disastrous response, I paused. I allowed the Holy Spirit a few seconds to interrupt my natural flesh feelings.Then, because of God's Spirit working in me, I was able to wrap my arms around my husband and speak life-giving words into his weary heart. "I love you Art. I loved you yesterday when we had everything. I love you today when we have nothing. I love you for who you are, not what you have."A few years later, Art and I were on Dr. Dobson's Focus on the Family radio program. On the show Art was asked, "I know you and Lysa had a r ough start to your marriage. But what happened that made you know you'd stick by her forever, no matter what?"Without hesitation, Art recounted my reaction over the lost investments.I cried.Had I been left to my own flesh reaction that day, it could have set us on the road to marital disaster. But, because of God's response being stored up in me, this situation wound up bringing us closer together than we'd ever been.I realized how crucial it is to always be aware of God's preparation in our lives. Because He stands in our yesterday, today and tomorrow, He sees all. And He knows the perfect way to prepare our hearts for every situation.When we embrace His preparations, even a girl with firecrackers in her blood like me can have reactions that honor God and breathe life into relationships.

Dear Lord, remind me to pause before I react. Sometimes the stresses of life pull at my emotions, which cause me to have reactions that tear a t my relationships. Please forgive me for poor reactions in my past. Thank You for second chances. Thank You for the way You prepare my heart for everything You see that I'll be facing today, tomorrow and in all my tomorrows to come. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:Come hear Lysa speak in Dallas, Texas at the National Christian Book Expo. For more information, click here.Visit Lysa TerKeurst's blogCapture His Heart by Lysa TerKeurstThe Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained by Lysa TerKeurstApplication

Steps:Part of embracing His preparations are to pray prayers that make God my focus rather than my circumstances--- Here are a few I've been inspired to pray:God, despite my circumstances, I will find reasons to praise You. God, even when I feel disappointed by what life brings, I will trust You to bring good out of bad. God, no matter what, I will hold on to You and Your truths. God, my deepest desire is for more of You in me. And if that is the desire of my heart, I will never be disillusioned.

Reflections:When hard situations arise, do I tend to react out of my emotions or out of a well-prepared heart of love? How might pausing help me to react better?

Power Verses:Proverbs 15:4, "The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." (NIV)John 15:4, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." (NIV)
You are subscribed as: kcalonso@cfl.rr.comProverbs 31 Ministries616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road, Matthews, NC 28105877-P31-HOME (877-731-4663)

Prayers for friends...

It seems like the world is going absolutely crazy right now... There are so many people sick and hurt right now.

Our friends at church, their stepbrother was in a horrific car accident and now in a coma in the hospital. And even though it's horrible what happened and tough to see, we're all praying that this is a life changing event for him in that he sees how his life has been in the past and is willing to change.

And then yesterday I got an email from a friend of ours who now lives in TN. She is 19 week pregnant with their 3rd child, a little boy that they decided to name Wyatt. She had a normally scheduled ultrasound on Monday and they were told that Wyatt's torso and body seemed to be the right size for 18-19 wks, but his limbs were only measuring to approx. 12 weeks, and that there also seems to be some problems with the spinal cord and bladder as well. They were going back this morning for another ultrasound and a second opinion to try and figure out what is going on. I still have not heard from her today, so I'm not sure what the outcome was yet. They say that it could be dwarfism, but are not positive at this point. Danielle is scared out of her mind right now and she and her husband could use your prayers. Her husband is a Marine in the Reserves and is gone quite a bit. To top it all off, today of all days to have another ultrasound, was their 1st child's birthday... Happy 3rd birthday Ansley! I have been praying all day that God's will be done in this, but you also can't help but have a selfish prayer in this case that his will actually be a good outcome. All of this reminds me so much of my sister Carrie when she was pregnant with Aaron, that it kind of scares me, and Danielle mentioned the same thing, that it seemed to be so much alike...

We'll just keep on praying...

His will be done!

It's V-Day!!!

So on a lighter note from my last post...

What's everyone doing for Valentines Day?

I have to tell you that Mackenzie was so cute this year. She decided at Scrapbook Crop Night that she wanted to hand-make all of her valentines for her classmates this year. She is so into scrapbooking and thanks to Mommy, Daddy, Grammy and Aunt Carrie, she was totally outfitted to start scrapbooking on her own (actually, she almost has more stuff that I do! And let me just say her bag is definitely bigger than mine! :-)

So anyway, she goes through and cuts them all attaches these foam glitter hears to them in the center and starts writing away. About the last two that she's doing I notice that she has been writing "form: Mackenzie" not from!!!! She was so devastated and wanted to start over at first, then she looks up at me and says with her little diva attitude "Oh well! They're all the same age as me and can't write very good yet either so they'll know what I mean!!"

The only thing was, she got very mad at me that I wouldn't let her write the names of her classmates on them. My first thought was, I'm not sure of all their names and even though she may know them I have no idea of the spelling!!! So I promised her we would do that part later. Well, I emailed her teacher for a class list, and got told that we weren't allowed to put the kids names on them!!! Go figure!!! The teacher wants it easier for her to just dump them in they're little mail boxes and not have to look at each one for a name! I have to admit I was kind of surprised and Kenzie is not very happy about it either! Oh well, did anyone else's teacher do the same thing? Kenzie loves everything to be personalized, so I won't be surprised if she gets these kids names on here in between time and hands them out herself!!

Anyway, just had to share!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentines Day!

See you at church on Sunday!

It's been a long time a'comin'

Isn't that from some old folk tale or something? It's very familiar to me and that is all I can think that describes my last few weeks.

I've had to deal with many things in my life these past few weeks and am praying for the strength to renew and grow my personal relationship with the Lord, to be a godly example to my kids and the kids that I teach and come in contact with at church, to grow my relationship and become closer to my husband and kids, my family and so much more.

These weeks have been hard, and the journey I'm sure will still have it's rough patches, but I am excited about the outcome.

I know that we all have our own things that we deal with and I just want everyone to know that I am praying for you all likewise... and I'm asking for prayer support from my friends as well. It's the only thing that will get me through and I've learned that.

If anyone has any Bible studies that they'd like to suggest, I'm game. I've been wanting to have a good Bible study that I and others can go through together. Even if we cannot meet but once a month with everything that we have going on in our lives, ball, church, personal things, work, etc... we can at least catch up via the web! LOL! Maybe create a forum, or just do it through the blog and meet somewhere for coffee or something just once a month. I don't know how to work out the logistics of it all right now, but I may not know about you guys, but I need it! It helps to have some one to be accountable to, and to have someone to talk to as well.

I'm so excited to start the Secret Sisters in our Sunday School group, not only is exciting, but it is a great way to form relationships with someone that you may not have known too much about! It's wonderful that we have so many new faces in the class, but I'll admit, there are some that I don't know too much about, and I think that this gives us a huge opportunity to do so... plus it will be so fun in the end to "let the cat out of the bag" so to speak!

All in all, there's so much to do and so little time, but I know now that I have to make time and am striving to do that!

Please let me know if anyone else is interested in a "web" and once a month coffee Bible Study!!!

"You Can't Stop the Beat"...

what a song...

that's about what life feels like right now too! LOL! We're back from our cruise and boy was it wonderful... I could have stayed on the boat a bit longer though! Joey and I went snorkeling! (Yes, I actually got in the water and snorkeled... is that a real word? LOL!) We had a great weekend...

...and now it's back to reality! Things are crazy at work and not looking to up anytime soon... Joey and Ty are so excited T-ball is fixing to start, so we'll have practices and games to start throwing into the mix! But we're excited! Ty loves to play and we have alot of our old players back this year! Hooray!

So as for my diet and exercise? Well lets just say that my exercise on the cruise for the weekend was walking the multitude of step since it took to long to wait for an elevator... and diet... well, let's just say... floating buffet! Although both of us were pretty good about watching what and how much we ate over the weekend! I really need to get back out and start running or maybe walking/running the track at the ball fields while the kids are practicing. And I'm excited that I finally got my "Zone Pilates" stuff in the mail so I get to start that and hopefully lose inches baby! Between that and the Jillian Michaels workouts it should kick me into high gear! Hopefully!

There's so much to do and so much going on... but loving life and striving to keep my joy! Only living for today! The Bible says not to lend your worries to tomorrow... no need to borrow trouble or worry. Live in the moment, this is what makes those wonderful memories of your family and friends.

Keep the joy!

P.S. I'm trying to get all my cruise pics downloaded and figure out how to get them on here! So hopefully they'll be up this week!

I'm cruisin' baby!

Woo Hoo!

I'm done with work for the week, finally home and working on packing, cleaning the house, packing the kids, cleaning out the car... you know, all of the normal vacation stuff!

My mom-in-law always picks up the kiddos from school and tumbling and t-ball on Thursday's so I got to come home w/ the hubby and get some stuff done this afternoon before they get home tonight. There's still alot to do though.

So I pray that everyone has a great weekend and stays warm! Pray for us while we're gone so the boat doesn't fall apart, sink, nobody gets seasick, we don't miss the boat, etc... all those crazy little things keep going through my mind! Ughhhh!

I'll have to figure out how to get pictures on here when I get back!

Whirlwind week in the making...

... and boy, don't I know it! How is it that even though the holiday's have past that everyone is still crazy with their schedules!!

I really had thought that things would settle down a little after Christmas, but boy was I wrong! We still have something going on almost every night and every weekend! Church, revival, special singing engagements, dance practice, karate, t-ball, and our cruise this weekend! Woo Hoo! So that means a little extra laundry, cleaning, packing, sorting, etc... the list can just keep going on and on and on and on and on and on.... LOL!

I'm thinking that before the week is over I may need to hire someone to start keeping my schedule and cleaning my house and I can't seem to get it all done anymore!!! LOL! Geez!!!

Anyway, I'm still thanking God everyday for my family, friends, work and sometimes crazy, crazy life. He is in control!!!!!!! And I am working so hard on my attitude towards things and not letting anyone or anything steal my joy, day by day! Yes, I may slip one or two times, but the fact that I realize what's happening when I do it means I'm growing! YAY!

Joey and I were really excited that this past Sunday we were able to get back into our Sunday School class. With starting the new service last February and a new band, etc... we had so much to do and put together and things to coordinate for the band that we just hadn't felt like we could step back yet... but we were beginning to feel like we were completely removed from all of our friends, so we started praying about it. Finally the Lord gave Joey a peace about the situation with the band, and Joey made the decision that he would just "let go, and let God!"!!!! It was great to be back in class! We are so blessed at our church to have people in our age group that we can talk to, hang out with, cry with, laugh with (we do alot of this one!!), and so on... we love our little group and everyone in it!

So basically I'm on "Cloud 9" this week and trying to stay that way!!!! Keeping the Joy in 2009!

My joy...

Hooray! I woke up this morning and decided to not let anything or anybody steal my joy today, and I suceeded!!! Woo Hoo!

I had a great day. Relatively quiet at work, got really caught up and alot done, practiced the hymns that I have to play on Sunday since our pianist will be gone, pampered myself and got my nails done and did a tiny bit of shopping. After that I met up w/ the hubby and in-laws, picked up the kids from t-ball and tumbling at school and we went to Outback for dinner! YUMMY! We had a great relaxing, talkative dinner!

We've just gotten home and I'm reading blogs and emails and got wonderful news that Hannah & Wes' twins are doing better! YAY! We're still going to keep praying that they continue to thrive and get to come home soon!

I just want to say that I appreciate the comments that some of you have left, and I love all my "girls/DIVAS"! We all seriously need to get together soon! So in need of a girls night!!!

Well, we're just one week away from the day that Joey and I sail away on our cruiseship for our Anniversary! Woo Hoo! We need the time away! We're both looking forward to it so much! I just know somehow though I'll end up feeling guilty for being away from the kiddos and church, even though it's just 3 nights and 4 days!

Well, it's time to get off of here and get some things done around the house! ;-) I think I might go dig out the suitcase and my dresses for our dinners! Woo Hoo! Woo Hoo! Woo Hoo!

Feelings, nothing more than feelings...

...that was a great "oldie" but a goodie!

So I've been having a lot of "feelings" lately and I need to get them off my chest. Alot has happened over the past few months and we haven't really shared alot of it.

Back in the very beginning of November we found out that I was pregnant with our 3rd baby! We were so happy... after the initial shock since we weren't trying! But Joey took it really well, got very excited about it and started making a lot of plans. He even picked out names! Now I know that sounds really silly, but you have to understand the background behind it...

We got married, we had Kenzie, found out that I was pregnant w/ Tyler when Kenzie was 9 mnths old and needless to say... young, only married a couple of years, a 9 month old on our hip already and saying I'm pregnant again was overload for him.... for both of us to tell the truth!!! I waited a long time before I even told him!! So that didn't go so well. He pretty much shut down, didn't want to talk about it and didn't really have a whole lot to do with the pregnancy... until Ty came and even then it was absolute craziness with 2 kids under 2 yrs old! We went through alot those first couple of years of marriage.

Anyway, Joey had decided that he wasn't going to act like that this time, that he wanted to be part of the pregnancy and everything. He got so excited about it!

Then the second week in December, I had some complications and lost our baby. I was so upset, but then felt like it all wasn't really real since I wasn't that far along in the pregnancy. So I've been dealing with all these issues and I know it's not like losing one after 4-5 months or more, but to me it was completely devastating. Even though we were trying to figure everything out, I was still excited!

So we haven't really talked about it w/ alot of people. We had decided not to tell anyone that I was pregnant until the 3rd month, etc... but some people figured it out. I was so sick, not like w/ my other two angels. Joey's sister was the first to figure it out, then his Mom and Dad, and a few people at church had their suspisions too!

Anyway, I never even told my parents or Carrie and Kurt about being pregnant until after I lost the baby, and afterwards I felt terrible having to tell them that I was and had lost it... but I didn't know what to do! I felt guilty somehow that I was pregnant not even trying and Carrie and Kurt still want to have one after losing Aaron last year... and I really didn't know how my Mom would handle it either. Then to have to tell her that way, it literally broke my heart when I told her and she said "Well, we have 4 grandchildren now." ... and it took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about.

So anyway, it's been a crazy few months for us and with everything else going on, even crazier!!! I know that there is a reason for everything ~ the Lord's reason, but sometimes it's so hard to see. I'm having alot of medical problems now and have had a ton of doctor's appointments and I'm just trying to focus on the good of this situation and stay busy as to not think about it so much. And then there's all these extra things going on that keep me crazy like old business stuff, my new job, children's ministry at church, the kiddos activities w/ dance and karate, etc... school, play, etc....

I just needed to "share". I don't even know if anyone will ever read this. But it feels alot better to get it out somehow.

UGHHHHHH.... Again...

ughhhhh... I'm so tired of all this old stuff from my old company popping up all over the place!!!! People need this and that, and for some reason, even if it wasn't something that I had dealt w/ I sure have to deal with it now!!!!!!! I just got more info that I need to dig up a ton of info for some old files!!!!! UGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I can't wait until the cruise! But the problem is this old stuff is mucking up my joy and stealing it away from me. I have to do all this before I can leave! UGHHHHHH!!!!

Sorry, I just have to vent to somebody! It's so agravating!

All this stuff coming up is stealing my joy from alot of things right now! My walk w/ the Lord and prayer life, my diet and daily work out, my relationship w/ the hubby and kids and my excitement for the upcoming cruise. I've gotten so aggravated w/ all this that I'm taking out on my poor family by yelling at them and staying uptight!

I need to look to the Lord and let it be, but I've had a hard time doing that so far!

We just got back from church, AWANA and choir practice. We got news that Hannah and the babies were on their way to Orlando! We're praying for you all girl! After I hear things like this I feel so petty about some of my piddly stuff that gets me down. I wish it wasn't like this all the time.

I'm getting excited about...

our upcoming Anniversary trip! Woo Hoo!

The hubby and I are leaving next Friday on Royal Carribean to go to the Bahamas for the weekend in honor of our 7th anniversary - and glory of all glories... my in-laws are keeping the kiddos! Woo Hoo!

Our first ever vacation w/out the kiddies!!!!! We only had a very short honeymoon in Orlando and gave up our cruise so that we could get right back and move straight to South Florida for Joey's internship as a Junior High Youth Pastor at a huge community Church in Stuart, Florida... after that we had Mackenzie and then Ty came along... and here we are, 7 years later, every vacation w/ the kids!

So I'm really excited! Not that I don't love the kids and spending time w/ them... but the thought of the two of us having a few days to ourselves and being able to snorkel, swim, go to shows, and stay out late w/out having to worry about if the kids are tired, bed times, meal times, being safe on the beach, etc.... just thrills me..................WOO HOO!

Izzie Grace Blog Backgrounds are great!

This site is totally cool and easy to upload and download!

Hooray! I finally figured out how to change my backgrouds! I'm invincable now! LOL!

Now I've got to work on uploading pictures!

to my friends...

To all of my friends who may stumble across my blog...

I started this blog for myself as a way to document my weight loss and my goals for this year. I have not started a blog for the family yet, but they are mentioned plenty of times!

This is a way for me to hold myself accountable and to have a "diary" of my journey.

It's great that everyone has started a blog as a way for us to stay in touch!!!! Sometimes I feel so distant from everyone now, now that we haven't been able to attend Sunday School and we're back in the Children's Dept on Wednesdays.

I'd love to start a Bible Study on Sunday nights instead of just regular service... I'm having Joey talk to Bro. Craig about it to get his approval. So I was just wondering if anyone else would be interested? I know that Sundays are a time to get ready for the upcoming week, especially after we've been at church all morning... but I spoke with Betsy about it and it made sense to have it on a Sunday night because then we'd have child care that we wouldn't have to set up.

So just drop me a note and let me know if anyone is interested!

Love to all!

ughhhh.

Well it's been forever since I've been on here! We've been so busy with church activities all weekend... and now I've been sick and in bed all day! Ughhh...

Haven't worked out at all the past few days, eating has been okay I guess.

I've got to get back in the game of eating well and working out!!!!

Pray for me!

Here's to tomorrow!!! Not looking foward to it... work is going to be hectic the next week or so... ughhhhh... my old company stuff is still haunting.... ughhhhh...

The only good thing I have to look forward to is going on our anniversary cruise next weekend! Woo Hoo!

... but I've got to survive this week and next week before we can leave... ughhhhh.....

Geez!

Oh geez! I forgot to blog yesterday! And I didn't remember until this morning when I got up and it was like it hit me - DUH! As my 6 1/2 yr old daughter so greatly puts it!

So here I am, I've just gotten to work... it's quiet for once and only me here until about 9 am so I have some time to get some things done and caught up!

Well yesterday, Tues the 6th, wasn't too bad! I had people still calling and pestering and threatening me re: my old company... which made me really angry the way this one woman worded some of her emails accusing me of things. Anyway, it was really busy at work too, kind of crazy actually!

My daughter had dance practice right after school so I picked up my hubby after work, then went to pick up the kids from school, then off to dance practice! After dance we grabbed something to eat, went by my in-laws to see their new truck and then finally got home around 6 pm. So at least we'd already eaten and I didn't have to cook dinner, but as soon as I got home I just wanted to collapse! I've been so tired the past few weeks and I don't know what my problem is! Anyway, the hubby went out for a bike ride - In the Dark! and I sent the kids to clean their rooms and play while I got on the computer to put all of our stuff in order so that we can go ahead and do our taxes and get our refund a little early. Anyway, needless to say I was on the computer and the phone for a couple hours, watched some tv, read a chapter in my book I've been working to read since Christmas and then I was ready to hit the sack!

So.... I didn't work out yesterday and I've yet to work out today... but hey, it's still early today, although today is Wednesday which means I leave work, pick up the kids from school and go straight to church where I give piano lessons all afternoon until church starts and then we're stuck there until way after 8 pm, so I'll probably not going to want to do anything when I get home again either, but I'm going to try to make myself do something!

I've been doing well on eating, just fish last night and a grilled cheese for lunch, that's it, so not too bad.

I think I've been doing pretty well on the high-strung, no yelling, patience and servant's heart towards my hubby and kids as well. It's def a work in progress!

Hope today goes well and I'm trying to stay in a "happy" mood!

More tonight, hopefully! Signing off for now!

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday everyone!

I got up early and had a relatively good morning with the kids getting up easily and getting ready for school, watching cartoons until I was ready to leave and then getting the kiddos breakfast and out the door. They were early to school and I even had time to stop and check the mail and still make it on time to work.

Work was a bit crazy today, the Monday after having time off for the holidays! Anyway, I've been aggravated a bit today because some of the old customers from the company that I used to run keep calling and witching at me about old files, wanting titles, and refunds, etc... I'm getting so tired of it!

Anyway, my fam and I went to Walmart and Sonny's for dinner - so now we're home, the kids are playing, I've done my grocery shopping, been to the post office, and the bank, etc... my husband has decided to get in shape too this year and is planning on getting up w/ me and the kids in the morning so he can help me out by getting the kids ready so I can work out before I leave for work and then once we leave he is going to ride his bike and work out. So kinda a trade off... therefore, he's working on tuning up his bike, airing the tires, fixing the seat, etc...

It's a wonderful life!

Talk to ya tomorrow!

Hello, my friend, Hello!

Hi again! I actually remembered today that I needed to blog!

I went on another 3 mile run today - Woo Hoo - 2 days in a row! Now the trouble will be trying to figure out how to get it in everyday. I know Wednesday's will be next to impossible to do since we have church until late and I won't run after dark. And I don't get to come home in between work and church - so I'll have to figure something out.

I've been doing well on some of my other goals as well. I've definitely been watching what I eat and trying to cut out my sweet tooth! I've also been trying to have a servant's heart w/ my hubby, and not flying off the handle and yelling at the kids. I've been trying to have patience.

We had church today and we had to decorate for our theme night this Wed. night for AWANA so I've been busy all day and will be busy all week.

Just wanted to check in and blog for the day! Good night and I'll be typing again tomorrow! :-)

Woo Hoo!

Okay, I know I've posted today already, but...

I just got done a 3 mile run in the neighborhood! WOO HOO! I'm so proud of myself! Now just to keep it up everyday!

I took my IPod and listened to what I call my "power music" - it's mostly girl power old 1990's music like Salt 'N Peppa, etc... stuff I remember from being a teenager!

Anyway, I'm lovin' the way I feel right now!!!! WOO HOO!

Just had to share! :-)

My Goals for 2009!

Here are my goals for 2009!

However, I am not going to type all of them in here because some of them are a bit personal! LOL! :-)

1. Bible Study
2. Lose weight & tone up
3. Co-write a song (music & lyrics!) with my hubby
4. Kiss my hubby everyday and tell him I love him
5. Stay organized and on top of everything
6. Take care of myself
7. Me time
8. Budget better
9. Try not to be so high-strung & not fly off the handle
10. No more yelling
11. Practice/play the piano at least 2x's a week
12. Have more patience
13. Devise a timeline for cleaning the house weekly
14. Devise house schedule for homework, practices, reading, etc...
15. Relax more/spend time w/ the hubby & kids
16. Plan ahead
17. Blog everyday

So those are just a "few" of my goals that I'm going to post! Let's see how many I can accomplish today!!!! ;-)

Already...

I've already forgotten to blog one day!!!! I forgot yesterday! Actually, I did remember earlier in the day but then thought I'd wait until the evening to blog after the day was almost through, and then I completely forgot!

So this one is for yesterday!

Yesterday was okay. I went to Hobby Lobby with my mom, sis, brother and my baby girl! We also went to the party store. We were looking for craft things and decorations for our monthly theme nights that we have in our Wednesday nights AWANA kids program. This month's theme is Grand Prix racing, so we needed checker flags and the like. We also picked up some stuff for our Royal Princess Breakfast that we are having for all the little girls in our church next month.

We also went by my in-laws yesterday to see the new camper that they bought. They also bought a new truck to pull it! Kinda funny that my in-laws did that all in the past couple of days... they are not spontaneous purchasers by no means! Anyway, that got my hubby on the band wagon about buying a pop up camper. They're all in the mind set that it's cheaper to have a camper and go in the woods, to the mountains or to the beach in a camper instead of paying over $100.00 a night for a hotel room. They also think that we'd always have something to do on a weekend ~ if there was ever a weekend we were bored with nothing planned to do!

Anyway, that was my day. I did do a lot of walking in the stores and such, but I never got in a full work out or never went for a run. I was good though with my eating.

I've also registered on Self.com's diet website (it's free!) and it calculatesc calories you've eaten during the day and tracks your weight loss, etc... pretty cool sight, if you ever want to check it out.

So yesterday, I did make some progress toward my goal of being healthier and happier!

I'll see ya again today for today's post! LOL! :-)

What are you doing New Years, part deux!

Well, I just remembered at 8:45 pm that I hadn't blogged yet today! GREAT! Another one of my resolutions that I almost forgot!

Last night was nice... ordered in Chinese food with the kiddos & hubby... let the kids stay up late, they went to bed around 9:00 and then the hubby & I watched two brand new movies that are out until almost 2 am. We had fun... I got chocolate truffles, eclairs and nachos (some of our fave things) to snack on, but only ended up eating one truffle! I'm kinda proud of myself for that self control!!!

But I have to say that today, New Years Day, Jan. 1, 2009 - that I feel kinda crappy and bloated. Haven't really eaten anything horrible, but just feel blah! For one thing I'm stuck in the house since the entire family is sick. We didn't get to go to my hubby's Aunt's house for New Years Day w/ the family, I didn't get to go to my family's New Years with my Aunt who is here from GA either! We just stayed home all day... I surfed the net, watched tv, administered medications, picked up the house, went to Taco Bell to get dinner and now it's almost 9 pm and there's nothing on tv and nothing to do!

I've been acting like a butthead to my hubby cause I kinda feel like it's his fault we had to stay around the house all day since he's the one that's sick and whiny! I've been taking it out on him all day. Yesterday I was upset we couldn't go out for New Years Eve and then I realized I was being pathetic and decided to buck up and put my big girl panties on and deal with it and we had a really great night! But today.....

I don't know, I'm just feeling blah today, pessimistic, horrible, bloated, bad, cranky, crappy, all of the above....... and my hubby has been horribly nice to me all day! Almost patronizing! "I love you honey!" "Do you need a hug honey?" "What's the matter honey?" Even now, he has just come out here to see if I want to watch a movie and is still being nice to me and all I want to do is stick my tongue out at him and tell him to leave me alone!

I'm being horrible and pathetic and I've got to get out of this slump!!!

I'm going to try and work out tomorrow!! That's an upside.... I want to get motivated! So here goes nothing! Hopefully a good nights sleep will help my outlook and I'll be better tomorrow! Here's to hoping!