Just what I needed

       Well, the holiday season is coming to a close and secretly I am relieved. :)  This past week was a crazy one, but that will make it a Christmas I am not soon to forget.  First of all we left all our presents at the house so no one has received a gift from us yet.  But I'm trying to move on past that frustration so next, it almost never snows in Wichita Falls.  If it does it rarely sticks and accumulates but this Christmas Eve was a SNOWY one.  I think they got 8-10 inches of snow.  Therefore, traveling was a huge hazard and even impossible at some points.  They closed the highway between my parents house and my Nanny's house so I didn't get to see the family like I have done for the past 27 Christmas Eve's.  Driving to Clovis took a really long time too, but what can you do but just try to be patient and pray for safety.  Which God obviously graced us with since I am here to tell the story. :)  Despite all that it was a nice Christmas week, exhausting YES but all things considered it was good.
     To change the subject totally, last night I was thinking a lot about how much this new baby is going to cost.  I got the first bill in the mail for the blood work they do on the very first appointment.  Our insurance was better when we had Ansley, not to mention we didn't pay for insurance because our church did.  Anyway, I started feeling very overwhelmed and I said to the Lord.  I know you are God in Heaven and own the cattle on a thousand hills, but I am here in Taylor Texas wondering how this is all gonna work out.  Guess what He did today!  In my time with him it was all about God's providence, which was defined as God's provision for people's needs.  I mean what kind of timing was that?!  One of the verses from the lesson that I decided to claim during this time of change in our lives is  Phil. 4:19.  It says, "And my God is able to meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  AMEN!
       Now, for a cute Ansley story.  Yesterday we were watching one of the Hermie videos that Jay's parents got her for Christmas.  The catepillars were praying to God and God spoke back.  Ansley said, "I didn't know God could talk.  I can't hear him....see."  I told her about how we can't actually hear God, but he speaks to us.  He speaks to us through the bible, and in our hearts.  I told her you know the feeling in your heart when you know right from wrong, that is God speaking to you, and that God could also speak to us through things other people say to us sometimes.  Then she somehow starting talking about Jesus.  She said that one time she went to her grandpa's house (the stories about "grandpa" is a whole other story) and Jesus was there.  I said, "REALLY!" She said, "Yes, he was REALLY there."  I told her if Jesus came back he better take me with him as I kinda laughed.  She said. "You were there too, Mom."  HA!  Oh good, I wouldn't have wanted to miss that.  :)    She is so silly.  Right now she is taking a nap and she got her bible out and put it in bed with her.  She said, "I need my bible so I can read about Jesus."  I said, "good idea!"  :)  That little three year old mind sure is entertaining.

       This one and the one up top is from the WF Blizzard of 09 :)

That CVS card from a couple weeks ago

       Back when Ansley had pink eye I took her prescription to CVS, remember, to get the free $25 gift card.  So now I should tell the world, because I promised, the story about that.  When I got the card I used it immediately on toothpaste, crest Pro Health to be specific, and a pregnancy test.  Jay and I had been trying for a while to have another kid, but we really were happy with just the one we had.  It had been a year but we said we would give it until the end of 09 to make any further decisions on the subject.  I was late, but for some reason I always feel like there is no way I'm pregnant.  I remember feeling that way the first time too.  But sure enough I got home and took the test to find a positive result.  I was excited but still felt like, well, ok, what do I do now? HA! That was right before Thanksgiving and we weren't going to tell anyone until Christmas, but obviously that didn't work out.  :)  It is hard to keep good news to yourself.
       We wanted to tell Ansley first so she would know what everyone was talking about.  She is also the one who told my parents and Jay's parents.  I think she is ok with the idea, but sometimes I think she is not so sure about all this new baby stuff.  She is pretty funny though.  She asked if we could call the baby coconut the other day.  We told her that could be her nickname for the baby.  I was feeling kinda sick one day and she asked why.  I told her when mommies have babies in their bellies it makes them feel a little sick sometimes.  She said, "Then take it out".  HA!  Just this morning she asked me if the baby was still in there.  When I said yes she said the baby must not be done growing yet.  :)  RIGHT!
       I am about 9 weeks now so I still have a long way to go.  To Ansley the end of July is like an eternity away.  This pregnancy so far has been very different from the first one.  With Ansley I didn't feel sick at all, expect for one day I took my vitamin without eating first.  But this past week I have had a lot of sickness.  Mostly, just the feeling not actually getting sick, thank goodness.  Jay, Ansley, and I are very excited about the new member of the family and would love to be remembered in your prayers during this transition time in our lives.  I'm sure there will be lots more baby Reed news in the future.

A Happy Heart

       Well tis the Holiday season.  We had a good Thanksgiving visiting all our family, but that 8 hour drive to Clovis is a killer.  UGH!  I am so glad to be home.  However, on the car ride home I was once again blessed my sweet little miss.  Our sermon Sunday was about putting more of Christ in Christmas and not being so caught up in our "Americanism".  Derek said in his message that we feel like we have to buy all this stuff to give our family a Christmas they will never forget and then we do it all again the next year, so is it really working?  Probably not.  So my daughter while watching Madame Blueberry boiled it all down for us.  She said, "She doesn't need all that stuff.  She needs a happy heart.  Right Mommy?"  My heart melted just a little and I said a prayer that she will always hold to that truth.
       Today, we had to go to the store because after being gone for several days we had no groceries.  Ansley sang the Madame Blueberry song the whole time we were shopping.  I feel the need to post the words here so we can keep this in mind during this hectic time of year.

     Because a thankful heart is a happy heart
     Be glad for what I have thats an easy way to start
     For the love that HE shares as HE listens to my prayers
     Thats why we say thanks everyday

Thank you Lord for the life you've chosen for me.  Help me to be ever thankful for all you do for me and all you have given to me.  I know I am entitled to nothing, but because of Christ I am an heir of the God who created everything.  May I long for more of Christ in this season and all year through.
 

Pink Eye

     Today Ansley had to leave MDO because they were afraid she had pink eye.  She woke up from her nap with red puffy eyes that were a little bit goopy.  I was SURE it was just allergies so I brought her home and gave her some allergy medicine and hoped for the best.  I kept asking Ansley if her eyes hurt or if she felt bad because she was so sad and wimpery, buy she insisted she was fine.  I finally got out of her that she was so sad because she had to leave school early and she didn't get to play with Makayla on the playground.  HA!  My child is the little socialite that is for sure.  Anyway, an hour after I gave her the medicine she said mommy I feel so much better look at my eyes now.  Well they did look better but they were still red and goopy so we went to the doctor.  He said "It is really just a guess, but my opinion is that it IS pink eye".
     We took the prescription to CVS instead of Walmart today because you get a $25 gift card for starting a new prescription.  (More to come at a later date about what I spent that gift card on)  The prescription is eye drops.  Now, you have to understand my child is SUCH a happy girl, however, she is SUCH the drama queen as well.  For example, just yesterday Ansley had a speck of glitter on her face.  I noticed while we were putting her to bed and so you know I was gonna have to get that off.  You would have thought I was trying to rip the hair out of her head because of the following meltdown.  She had in her pretty little head that the speck of glitter was gonna hurt  like the dickens to get off and during the flailing that ensued it just fell off on it's own.  You should have seen the priceless face when she realized it was off and she didn't even feel a thing.  I guess you can probably see where this story is going because now we are having to put drops in each of Ansley's eyes.  We talked really calmly to her about what was going to happen and even showed her what it would be like by me putting eye drops (not the prescription of course) in Jay's eyes.  It didn't help AT ALL!  Jay had to hold her down with her arms pinned back and I had to force her eye open enough to put a drop in them.
     All I can say is, neighbors, I promise we weren't abusing our child.  We were only trying to make the infection in her eye go away.  The exciting part is that we get to do this 4 times a day for a week. :)

Veterans Day

     In honor of Veteran's Day I want to thank everyone who has taken part in maintaing the freedom's we have in America.  Today I was reminded to do my part in protecting those freedoms by handing down my spiritual heritage.  In the past, people have thought it so important that they gave their lives for me to worship the Lord freely.  Not only do I want to honor their sacrifice but I am commanded to pass it on to my children.
    Lately, I've been really trying to think of ways to show Ansley how important walking with the Lord is.  Because Jay is a youth minister (and Ansley's MDO is there) we are at church all the time.  I don't want her to think lightly of that heritage just because it is just where we go.  I guess the best description is like comparing it to going to the grocery store (because we go there A LOT too). I don't want her to think we just have to go to church like we go to the store.  I want her to know it's a choice and to appreciate the reasons WHY we choose to always be there.  On the other hand, I am so grateful that for now my child LOVES church.  I pray that it will always be a place she desires to go and as she grows hopefully the reason for that desire will be her hunger for the Lord and a heart that longs to please Him with her life.     

    Kind of on the same note as spiritual heritage and passing things on, Ansley helped fill her first shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. She helped pick most of the items out.  When I picked things out, like soap and wash rags, it was such a cool experience to tell her why we were packing this box.  At night we pray that our family could  be a blessing to others and maybe she can understand the concept of being a blessing by helping fill this box.  She was so good about realizing these things were not for her even though she picked things that she would enjoy.  When we were finished she asked when we were going to take it to the little girl.  I loved her heart of wanting to deliver the items.  Obviously, I had to explain how we just fill the box and someone else will deliver it for us.  One cool thing Kathleen told me about today was that you can pay your shipping for your box online and it lets you print out a label that will be scanned so you can track your box.  I think we will do that so we can show Ansley on a map where our box went.  At MDO they gave the kids a page to color and include in their box.  After Ansley colored her picture of Veggietales we wrote a note on the back for the child who opens the box.  It talked about how old Ansley is and what she likes to do.  Then we talked about how the picture was of Veggietales and  Bob and Larry always say God made you special and loves you very much.  The picture above is of Ansley, her picture, and her shoebox.

Old friends

Angie and baby Colt (7 mnths) with Christin and baby Lauren (5 mnths)

Well, these friends are by no means old but rather these are friends I've had for a long time. I love them so much and it is so fun to see them. I wish we had the chance to get together more often. We went to Christmas magic in WF, and that was quite an experience with three strollers. HA! Hey and just to let you know Jay loved the famous fudge. That stuff was delicious and I didn't even really like fudge. :)

My first blog!

I decided to blog today because recently everyone keeps telling me I need to write stuff down, and I know that will never happen. Maybe if I type it I can keep up with it. Also, today the Lord was showing me some stuff and I thought a blog would be a good place to report His goodness.

We were talking about Elijah today and how he had a time of discouragement after the Mt. Caramel experience and he ran from Jezebel. I thought of so many times I could identify with Elijah's lonliness and disillusionment. What hit me most was the way Elijah snapped out of it was obviously meeting with the Lord but THEN he picked himself up and kept obeying the Lord. I can look back on times in my life when I felt discouraged and wanted to throw a pity party and say why is this happening to me, and the Lord in his gentle compassion waits for me to get all that emotion out. Then he says, if you're done, lets get back to work now. He picks me up and says just keep following me, Jamie. Remember I am with you and I am in control!

We also talked about Ahab who also experienced the Lord in a time of need, but Ahab responded with rebellion and selfishness and it ultimately caused his destruction. Seeing this contrast between the two was interesting. We have the choice to respond with obedience they way Elijah did, or respond in selfishness like Ahab. (if you want to, refer to 1 Kings 19 and 20 for the whole story)

I am so thankful that I am not at a point of discouragement right now in my life, but I have been so many times. I think writing this down will help me remember to refer back here next time. Keep your eyes focused on the Lord and not yourself and your emotions.