Things I want you to know as a mom.

Things I wish you knew

As a mom you constantly feel judged by your decisions. Everyone did it their way, but feels you need to do it their way too. That's just not how I'm raising my child/children. There are reasons that things have changed and for a lot of them it's because they are safer. I want you to know I mean well, I'm trying to do what's best for my son, not what's best for you. It's hard making your decisions as a parent and having people disregard them because it's not what they did. I'm sure that you felt the same way when you were raising your children so remember that. 

1. Some parents may be okay with you sticking your fingers all over their child, I however am not. If yoi wouldn't go touch every adults hand, don't do it to a baby, especially their face!

2. Just because my son looks at your food or reached for it, does not mean he wants to eat it. He reaches for everything, that's what babies do. He's breastfed, he knows that's his food,  he has no clue that what you are eating is something he will eventually be able to eat. 

3. I will breastfeed as long as I choose, it's what's best for MY baby, and not your choice. 

4. If I want to hold him at an event and not let anyone else that is my 

Becoming a first time mommy. ♡

On March 31st we welcomed our precious Noah into the world, forever changing our lives. 

These are some things I have learned. 

1. I felt a love that I had never felt before,  an overwhelming feeling of emotions from caring so much it hurts, being scared, anxious, nervous, but most of all love!

2. Breastfeeding is one of the hardest yet most rewarding things I've ever done. No one tells you how painful it can be, so here I am telling you,  but it does get better! Everyone kept telling me it would and trust me, at the time I wasn't so sure of that! It was more painful than my birthing my child completely naturally but it is SO incredibly with it!

3. Your life completely changes, simple things like running to the gas station to get a drink become planned out tasks, feed the baby, change the diaper, get the baby in the carseat, in the car, out of the carseat to go in and get your drink, then back in the carseat, so you decide to just stay home and cuddle your precious baby because that's worth much more. 

4. It is very overwhelming trying to go anywhere, so you decide to just stay at home most of the time until you are officially out of groceries.  

5. I have HORRIBLE anxiety, I avoid getting Noah out of the carseat when we are in public because I have such bad anxiety attacks over what might happen to him because I love and care for him so much it hurts.  

6. It is hard to balance breastfeeding and going places, I feel like a terrible person when someone just gets to start holding Noah and then it's time to feed again. 

7. You will feel so much love for your significant other than you've ever felt before when you see them holding your babe. You may also feel resentment or jealousy at time when you look over during that 3 AM feeding or diaper change and seem them passed out in a deep sleep, I miss sleep but I don't miss not having my baby in my arms. I love that he needs me because at some point he won't need me at 3 AM anymore and I will miss it. 

8. I try so hard to be a good mommy, I'm not perfect by any means and have had my fair share of tears in the past few weeks. All I want is to raise a happy healthy boy into Godly man/husband someday who will still love his momma when that day comes.  

9. The tears, oh the tears,  I cried more in the first few weeks home than I did during my entire pregnancy,  it was rough, but it does get better. 

10. Everyone will have advice for you, some good, some bad, take the bad with a smile and move on. 

11. No matter what anyone tells you, you can not spoil a baby by holding them too much because the time to hold them and snuggle them will soon pass so enjoy it while you can. ♡ 

12. Love them, love them so much that it hurts. ♡♡♡

Becoming a Francis

Becoming a Francis

Ephesians 5:22-33

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Every girl dreams of her wedding day, but not only that, she dreams of what her future family will be like. Will they like her? Will they treat her like family? Will they even love her as their own?

We all hope and pray for a family that we will mesh well with, a family who we will feel as comfortable in as our own, and fortunately I was blessed with that.

I first met my husbands parents when we were in middle school at a family event that both of our families attended. I had no idea at the time that they would be my future in laws. When you live in a small town everyone knows everyone in one way or another. The fact that I had previously known them made it a little easier to feel comfortable, but it sure didn't keep me from feeling extra nervous for the first time I "met" his family as his girlfriend. 

I remember it very vividly, we were at Happy Joes (where he ironically proposed 5 years later) for his cousins birthday and I was scared to death to even eat. I'm not sure why I was so nervous seeing as I had already known them, but I guess it's just one of those things. 

I never imagined where things would go from there, these people became my other family. I don't remember a single school event that my father in law didn't make time for, even events that were just for me. That stuck so strongly in my head because it meant so much to me. I always appreciated seeing people out in the crowd to cheer me on. 

Then there is my mother in law, who I can honestly say is probably one of my best friends, and unfortunately not many women have that kind of relationship with their mother in laws. I know I can always be open with her and she won't judge me for it. 

I have some awesome brother in law's as well, I actually have a better relationship with one of them than my own brothers even. I can't wait to see them as uncles, even though the youngest keeps telling me that he's going to teach Noah how to use matches as soon as he meets him. ;P

As for my husbands extended family, I feel just as much a part of the family when I'm around them as I do my own family. Sometimes I think they even forget that I haven't been around forever. ;) 

One of the most important things to me in finding a husband was finding a Christian husband and the fact that he has a Christian family as well was even better. When you are raised with the same beliefs it makes life a lot easier, and I am so very thankful that God guided me to this family. 

My husband's family has been hit with some hard spots this last year and we are currently awaiting an open heart surgery for my father in law. I love seeing all of the family come together as support as well as the community, it just shows how awesome my in law's are and how many people care. Everyone's prayers are greatly appreciated! <3

Until next time. <3

Things I've learned About Marriage

14 Things I've Learned About Marriage

1. No matter how hard you think marriage is going to be, it will be harder.

2. Purchasing a bigger comforter does NOT mean you will have more blanket in the middle of the night, your spouse will just burrito themselves even more. 

3. You will eat more frozen food than you probably ever imagined, because sometimes cooking a four course meal is just not fun after a long day of work.

4. Your spouse may still lock you out of the bathroom even after almost 7 years of being together. 

5.You WILL pick up a lot of clothes off of the floor that your spouse somehow only managed to make 2 inches away from the laundry hamper. 

6. Men miss the toilet, A LOT and you will clean it up on a regular basis. 

7. My husband is macho until it comes to him being sick or hurt, then he becomes a big baby.

8. You will baby him. 

9. Buying a coat rack and shoe rack does not mean they will use them.

10. Your spouse will surprise you and do things around the house that you wouldn't think about like cleaning the hair out of the drain, yes he does that! 

11. My husband cooks dinner, that's right he cooks!!! The menu may only consist of Grilling, spaghetti, and ramen noodles, but he cooks!

12.You will catch them picking their nose or passing gas at an opportune time and you just have to laugh. 

13. The moment you find out that you created life together will be one of the most amazing moments. There is nothing quite like the rush you get. 

14. No matter how much they may annoy you, you will proceed to do anything and everything for them because you love them. 

Until next time. <3

How it all began.

The Beginning

It all started in 2008, I remember it so vividly. I had just recently moved back to my small hometown from Pennsylvania, I was a Freshman in high school and in the last quarter of the year. I had second hour painting class and sat next to him along with one of our friends. We had known of each other for years as he'd been best friends with my cousin who lived down the street from me. We got along so well as we both had a sense of humor that messed great, and he was so sweet but I wasn't interested in him more than a friend at the time. 

In May we had spent a lot more time together hanging out with mutual friends, I suddenly started to realize I really had an interest in this guy. We ended up beginning our relationship on May 12, 2008. That day I had no clue where things would go from there. I remember people doubting our relationship so much, even being shocked that we were together in the first place. Something you should know about me is that I had never intended to just date around, I believed that when I started to date someone I wanted it to be because I was interested in them as a potential husband, not something that is usually on a 15 year old's mind, but I was never thinking of things most people my age were. My intentions were good as I wanted to save myself for my future husband and I didn't feel that having several relationships was something that I personally needed. 

On October 5th, 2012 we went out for dinner for my birthday, I had my suspicions that Justin may be proposing soon but didn't know when or where. We got out to the car and he told me he had a question for me and proceeded to hand me an amazingly gorgeous engagement ring, and without question I kissed him and said yes. Wedding preparations began and we wed on April 13, 2013. Most of the day was a blur but I distinctly remember the moment when I walked down the aisle and the man that I had began I relationship with 5 years prior was going to become my husband. The look on his face as it got flush and he held back tears full of emotion. I'm sure a lot was going through his mind in that moment including being scared to death that he was vowing to spend the rest of his life with me. ;) 

April 15 was when our lives really began, the first day we moved in together and began get our house together. Now trust me when I tell you, marriage is not easy and it will test your patience. There are many days when I just want to scream but there are also many days where I just want to hold my husband and thank him for all he does. I was very fortunate and married into an amazing family who loves me and cares for me as they do their boys, not everyone can say the same and it's truly heartbreaking. My in laws have been so supportive of everything in our marriage and be there when we need them. 

Marriage is a struggle at times but when we said "I do" we also said "until death do us part" meaning that through those struggles we will stick together and be each other's shoulder to cry on when needed. There will be days where we really don't like each other, but we love each other. There will be days of piled up laundry, dishes to do, animals to take car of, food to cook, and rooms to clean and I feel so overwhelmed and wonder why he's not helping, but then I look at the fact that we have a beautiful home, food in the fridge to make those dishes dirty, clothes that need to be washed, and animals that need to be taken care of and the fact that he works his butt off to provide for our family. He goes to work in unbearable outdoor conditions and does some very dangerous jobs at times. 

On July 14, 2014 our lives would forever become different, we found out that we would be expecting our first child after a year of trying to conceive. God had given us an incredible gift, the miracle of life. That day I loved my husband more than I ever had, it was a bond I would only share with him. On October 31st, Justin's 23rd birthday we had our first ultrasound and found out that we were expecting a precious baby boy. We were joyed! It is truly an amazing feeling that I get to give such a gift to my husbands family as well, the gift of a first child, a first grandchild, a first great grandchild, a first nephew. What an amazing thing to be able to give. <3 

<3<3<3

               

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