connections. they make it hard. and yet so easy.

So much to say.

So much has happened!

(I think.)

I've been busy being a wife and mom.  And can I tell you, that as soon as I forced myself to make my husband, kids, and home a priority, my attitude has significantly improved!  It's amazing.  When you take Titus 2:3-5 as seriously as you should (or the rest of God's word for that matter) and start putting it into practical practice...your life works.  huh.  who knew?

But here's the latest and greatest...

The first Thursday night in May, the seminary had it's annual banquet.  This year's theme was "Connections".  Meaning:  BBS is a place where you make those connections (with profs and friends) that will last and stand the test of time.  These people will be there whenever you need them most, for whatever the reason.  Those connections that will help make life easier when full-time ministry makes life hard. 

The interns that will be "going out"
 were asked to share the location of our placement
and a prayer request for the year.

Dr. Mappes was the key-note speaker that night.  And that's basically what he spoke on.  I couldn't agree more.  I could **easily** make you a list, super-fast, of all my super-amazing friends/mentors I have from this place.  And hence, the reason behind why leaving is going to be so. darn. hard.

Thomas & Ruth
Fellow 2012-2013 interns.
Our neighbors.
Our dear friends.
Like family.

The next night (Friday) we had our annual "Intern Wives Celebration" (formally known as the "SWF Tea").  My. absolute. favorite.  Do you know how much I love that night?  Well, I love that night.  Like a whole lot.  A lot.  It's a night I look forward to all year long.  It's right up there with date night.  no joke.  This night is pretty much the best.

All the intern wives of that current year, come on back to the area.  #1 for graduation.  But #2 for that night.  We all sit around, eating desserts and drinking iced-cold lime-slice-filled water, and listen to these girls (my friends) pour their hearts out.  They tell about their internships.  The good.  The bad.  The ugly.  And the tears...oh! the tears we all shed!  Tears of shared JOY.  And tears of shared heart-ache.  Tears of shear FEAR (well, for me anyway...seeing as Mike and I are heading out for our internship soon...***gulp***....help?)  Everyone's faith becomes a little stronger.  A little more sure.  A little more real.  You can actually see God working in your lives.  Right in front of you.  Before your very eyes.  You see the Master's hand painting, with precise and calculated brush-strokes, a masterpiece out of a life.  Theirs.  And yours.  And God is so REAL in that moment.  You have full confidence that if you reached out your hand, you could actually touch Him.  I'm not kidding.  Because the fire in your soul gets stirred.  And the flame burns hotter.  And you are reminded of your purpose.  You feel whole.  You feel loved.  And you want to go.  Run.  And drive hard and fast after God's glory.

That's what makes me love that night so much.  And those ladies.  They understand all that.  We feel it.  Together.  A common bond and passion to please God with our lives.  And not just to be satisfied with today.  But to grow greater.  Better.  For the cause of Christ.  The bond that is created in that room is like nothing I've ever known.  That yielding to God and welding of passion is what makes those 'connections' stand the test of time.

And one more of Ruth.
Why?
Because, honestly...
I love her.

I know God has sent BBS and all the good it has done in my life for a purpose.  And for a season.  But it doesn't make this "leaving" thing any easier.  Like I said....it's gonna be so. darn. hard.

My SWF small group: May 2011
(sadly, not all the ladies are represented in this pic)
{can I get a shout-out to group #3!  woot!  woot!}

79°
Thunderstorms predicted.
Warmth welcomed.
Sundresses anticipated.

Today...

...is March 1st.

I'm writing this to you from our computer room (apropos...don't you think? and using that fancy new word I just learned...you like?).  The door is currently shut.  This is so my children don't hear me breathing or the sound of the light taps of my finger-tips on this-here keyboard.  They were born with stealth-spy ears.  (Not sure who they inherited that from...)  They hear anything that resembles a human (specifically, their Mommy) and instantly scream for rescuing from their crib cages.

This is the 3rd day of Annaleigh's potty training. I had it all planned out perfectly.  Then my daughter messed it up.  Because, for some reason, a 2YO can't understand the adult plans of her Mommy (which would have had her trained yesterday).  So....I've had to modify the plan.  And I'm happy to say it's more toddler friendly (specifically, Annaleigh friendly...which means MnMs have to be included in the equation on a regular basis...). She's doing much better today.  So there is hope.  Hope for Mommy to not go insane.  Which creates a win/win for all involved.

This is also they day of our March SWF monthly meeting.  I get to go hear Joanna Arp speak on how to be my husband's cheerleader.  The title says it all, "Get Behind Him!  Cheer Him On!!!"...Joanna is so cute.  So animated.  So lively.  So passionate about the things of God.  It's hard not to have it rub off on you.  I really enjoy these meetings.  A chance to get out.  Without my beloved babies.  Eat dessert.  Drink soda.  Spend time catching up with friends.  But most importantly, have my heart gripped by God.  A.maz.ing.  Doesn't it make you want to be a seminary wife?

Today, I also started the herb supplement called Fenugreek.  For all your nursing mamas (past and present)...you just may be familiar with such a concept.  Let's just say JD is always hungry and this little mama of his is having trouble keeping up...we'll leave it at that.

March 1st is also the first day of Ann Vonskamp's March Joy Dare list.  (So apropos that it begins on the 1st...hmmm?  Man, I just LOVE that word, don't you?  I even got to use it TWICE in one post.)  It goes along with her book (and philosophy) One Thousand Gifts.  I read the book in 3 days.  It has literally changed my entire. life.  And so now I can't help but participate in it.  Today's gifts?  3 gifts at 3PM:  a 2YO happily sitting on a potty, a baby boy's smile, the start of some alone time.

And today was the day I realized that it's not selfish of me to crave, desire, and yearn for relationships with others.  It says in Genesis 1:27, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created him; male and female he created them."  That not only means the obvious...but it means that because God is a triune figure...they experience relational intimacy with each other.  So if I am created in that image, I would have a God-given desire to want relationships.  To want to be loved.  And accepted.  And gushed all over with affection.  Maybe that's a reason I blog.  Because I crave the friendships I have out here in the blogosphere.  I love my readers.  Some of you I know personally.  Others, only through thoughts which have become realized.  Either way...the yearning is there.  I'm really glad you stopped by to see me.  Thanks for reading.

Today's weather:  38°.  Rainy.  Cloudy.  (surprise, surprise...welcome to NEPA)

why should i love my children? and how?

"Older women...teaching...the younger women...to love their children."

Titus 2:3-5

Younger women need to be taught to love their children because it's not something that comes naturally to a mother.  If it did, the Scriptures would not mention that the younger women need to be taught.  God understands this and is the reason for such a command.

:::

To read the rest, click HERE, to be directed to the post I wrote today, for the SWF website. 


:::

Linked up with Darlene today.

self-control & love {among other things}

My friend, Sarah, and I showed up at the SWF Christmas meeting wearing the same thing!
{It wasn't even planned}

So last night I went to our December {Christmas} Seminary Wives Fellowship meeting.  And Joanna {our speaker} was at it again:  being used of the Lord to allow Him to convict my heart.  She spoke on self-control. Which, at first, I thought "oh...I got this.  I'm pretty good at self-control."  But soon, as she dove into God's Word, I was eating my words {along with my Christmas cookies}.  It's almost laughable to even think I thought such a thing.  Self-control is definitely an area in which I need the Lord's help!

December 2009

November 2011

Tomorrow will be a day filled with cupcakes, banners, and fun games.  My daughter will be having her 2nd birthday party!  Where has the time gone?!?  Wasn't she just born?  Wasn't I just holding her in my arms, with tears welling in my eyes, at the miracle and beauty of her newborn little self??  Now she constantly talks, jumps around, and knows how to make me laugh with her adorable antics!  I'm doing my best to savor her and hold onto each moment of joy she brings to my life {and believe it or not, sometimes that's hard for me to do}.  It can easily be missed among the busy-ness of life.  On that note, I'll be busy today attempting to make tomorrow super-special for her.  I want smiles to pop(!) from her lips all day long!  The theme, you ask?  Why, Lightning McQueen, of course.  Would there be any other theme for a 2-year-old little girl??  I think it's safe to say she would marry McQueen if we'd let her....

April 2011

In other news, we are praying {fervently} for a internship placement.  {Internship would begin Summer of 2012, for us.} The Director of internships at the seminary can't even nail-down any prospective places for us to go.  yikes.  And where do we want our internship to be?  In New England, of course. That's the area of which our hearts are most burdened.  And we'd like to get back to that area, sooner than later.  But the problem is, there aren't any churches {that we know of} that would be a good fit.  There are some basic requirements of which a church must fulfill for it to qualify as an internship placement.  And we don't even have a contact.  Doesn't that say something to you?? It does to us.  DOCTRINALLY-SOUND CHURCHES ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED in that area of our country.  And it makes me that much more homesick {I was born and raised in Massachusetts}.  As we drove around my hometown over Thanksgiving, I yearned and longed to come back soon.  Not to be near family {although that's a bonus}, but to start a church and reach people for the gospel.  To reach a people who haven't a clue that they have a deep need for Jesus.  Please pray with us.  We know God has a plan.  Praise the Lord, He's proven Himself to us, already, during our 6 years of marriage.  And He's lead us down roads we never dreamed of {both good and bad}.  So, we are willing to travel down the road He has for us.  We are just waiting for that road to materialize...

P.S  John David loves his Gramma....

Happy Friday!

his grace is our basis

Why should I love my husband?
Why should I love my children?
Why should I be sensible?
Why should I be pure?
Why should I be a worker at home?
Why should I be kind?
Why should I be subject to my own husband?

Why?

WHY?

Why???

To have those questions answered, you can go HERE.