My Babies

My Babies

Monday, February 22, 2010

Just blossoming!

Hey Y'all,

I am posting a picture of my sweet Erica. She is in week 15 and now little "plummy" is officially a naval orange! She has really blossomed over the last week. It is hard to tell in this picture but she really is showing. I told her I am keeping a photo log of her pregnancy because later she really will want to see herself at each stage. She is feeling little flutters from time to time. The few times she has Blake comes running to place his hands on her tummy and tells her, "I don't feel anything!" They are so cute. So far she feels pretty good just very tired. I hope that passes soon. She will find out what the baby is at the end of March and I cannot wait. I hope little Sunkist (sounds better than "orangy") cooperates.




Erica 15 weeks



Bless Y'all

Cindy

Friday, February 12, 2010

Putting on my armour

Hey Y'all,

This has been the first full 5 day week of school that we have had since Christmas! We have either had a workday, holiday or a snowday. They are calling for more snow tonight and for Monday. Where is Global Warming when you need it??? I have been freezing for so long and the forecast is for cold, cold and more cold. I love summer more and more! The kids at school have been super crazy with today being not only "Valentime's" Day it was also the 100th day of school. Yeah! Eighty to go. My dear friend Tracy has been talking alot lately about how Satan is giving her a fit with one issue after the other. He is relentless. In talking to some other friends at work and around she is not alone. He is prowling around like a voracious lion all the time. All The Time!!! What does a lion look for whenever he hunts? He looks for the weak, the distracted, the injured and the young. This week in my Bible study it spoke on putting on the full armour of God. The Bible plainly asks us to daily put this on. Key word...daily. This gives us the impression that as the day goes on I am dropping it as I go. By the end of the day it has either all fell off or I have taken it off and laid it down. Each morning I need to put it back on and prepare to meet the lion that is stalking me. Sometimes he gobbles me up before I even get out of my own home but then on some days he only gets in a few bites and scratches. I try to watch for him and his evil, ugly attacks but it is hard. Really hard. Life is just hard. We are never promised an easy life with Christ but we are promised that He will never leave us and will fight the battles against the lions. In my study this week we were asked to examine generational strongholds and things that we pass on that keep us in bondage. I never really thought that through very deep until this week. I have heard it said many times, "Oh that is just the way she is, or he is just like the rest of his family." I am sure you have too. But that is a big fat lie that Satan wants us to believe. Hey, remember he isn't very smart but he uses what works and brother, does it ever work!! I can, with Gods' help, change the things that seem to pass through my own family. We need to be aware of what is at work around us. It says in 2 Corinthians 2:11 "In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." He is out to tear us up and keep us bound. John 8:31-36 tells us that Christ sets the captive free through truth. John 8:44 Satan sets the free captive through lies. What am I allowing Satan to hold me captive to? What lies am I believing him for when I need to stand on the truth of Jesus in faith? It is so easy to believe the lies that the enemy heaps on us...so easy. That is the operative word. Easy. How simple it is to believe the easy. How much harder it is to stand and believe on the truth of Christ in faith. We all want answers now. We want our answers like we want them too. But how then do we develop the fruit of the spirit? Do I want to be a shallow believer? With little or no fruit in my life? Let's keep looking towards the heavens with a stronger faith as we put on the full armour each day.

Bless Y'all,
Cindy

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

It's Valentimes Day!

Hey Y'all,

Working at an elementary school is sometimes the funniest place in the world to work. Young children are so funny! In the next week they will be exchanging Valentines in their classrooms. Most of the kids call it "Valentimes Day". Some of them are very serious with little boxes of candy or a single flower for their "sweetie". Way too young for this kind of stuff...I mean seriously parents?! Each year I get several from the students. I even once got a blue rock and a marriage proposal from a little boy in kindergarten. So sweet. I still have the rock at school and the little boy is now in the 7th grade and I am sure he has a few more rocks to give out in his lifetime. It is a sweet time of the year and I am sure that next Monday I will hear, "Happy Valentimes Day Ms. Cindy!" about 600 times. Some of the little girls get so gushy when they show me the cards they get from certain little boys. It is amazing that Spiderman and SpongeBob causes their hearts to flutter, but they do. Little boys show me their Hannah Montana and Barbie cards and pretend they don't like them or the little girls that put them in their bags. Young love....so cute!

Bless Y'all,

Cindy

Friday, February 5, 2010

Beauty Stuff I love!

Hey Y'all,

I have been over in Kelly's Korner and today she is asking for us to show her our beauty hints. Lord knows I should look 8 months old with all the creams and potions I have slathered on my face. Here goes:

First Kelly, you really must have a cleansing regimen. Not only does this help in keeping your skin supple, smooth and just plain pretty. Even without any make up at all I think women's skin should be pretty. It does take work and commitment but after a couple of weeks it is pure habit and you will wonder how you ever went to bed with makeup on or without washing your face. I slept with makeup in for probably 20 years...big mistake. These are the products I use;

1. I like Mac Cleansing Oil to remove makeup
2. I use Neutrogena Sensitive Cleansing Lotion for after removing my makeup
3. For moisturizer I use Roc night time at night and Rare Minerals Night treatment
4. For daytime I use Rare Minerals moisture lotion (so light!)
5. For make up I use Bare Escentuals....period. I really love their stuff. So clean,light and super easy and workable.
6. I love Manipulator hair wax for a cute spiky look and to seperate layers.
7. Freeze it hairspray is great but my hair is short so lots of sprays work.
8. I have discovered Nubian Heritage soaps and they are terrific. So good on my dry sensitive skin. Very healing if you have any irritations.

You are a beautiful lady Kelly. Mostly because the Holy Spirit shines through. God makes us all beautiful because He can strip away the ugliest of stuff that covers the beauty He designed for each one of us girls. But remember, any old barn looks better with a fresh coat of paint!

Bless Y'all,

Cindy

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Jellybean update and other stuff

Hey Y'all,

Erica had her second official doctor appointment this morning. She is doing really good and according to thebump.com jellybean is officially a "Plum". This is a site that stems (no pun intended) from theknot.com and thenest.com They are all really cute and very helpful. You can post updates, registries, pictures, stories etc... Go to them and check them out...so fun. They compare your baby to a piece of fruit to let you in on the size. Erica and Blake's' baby is now plum-size. The doctor told her she had to chase the little plum around to listen to the heartbeat. Plummy will be a.d.d. like its' sweet daddy! This is day 5 of being snowed in and I am ready for spring!!! I love snow and it's quiet, serene beauty but it is raining today and that makes ugly snow. Very ugly. All this time indoors has made me go from working like a madwoman to eating like I am preparing for hibernation. I am in the process of redecorating Erica's old room to move Megan into and like a goofball I forgot to post any before pictures. So I will post some mid-work pics and some after pics. I really want to get her a new comforter set but Megan loves the one she has on her bed. It will so not match!! I am turning her old room into a nursery for little Plummy so I will be sure to take before and after shots. Being cooped in has caused me to catch up on my devotional emails and my Breaking Free homework. One devotional particularly struck a chord. It was all about being still before God and truly allowing the Holy Spirit to interceed for you when you truly cannot express your prayers. It asked you to just say, "Lord, this is a mess." over and over. God doesn't need or require my help, advice or my manipulation. He knows I have a mess in my home right now. He knows I am in a mess. He is the Messiah. He alone can smooth out this mess. I just need to back off, be quiet and be still and allow Him to work. His time is surely not my time. I do not have a clue what the future holds for my dysfunctional family but God does and He is totally functional.

Bless Y'all

Cindy