NotHInG

“Don't be sorry to be nothing”

Don't worry if they see your defects; the offense against God and the scandal you may give; that is what should worry you. Apart from this, may you be known for what you are and be despised. Don't be sorry to be nothing, since then Jesus will have to be everything for you. (The Way, 596)

Wow! So much in these few words! Please, see my faults, they are plenty! In my faults I give way for God to perfect...not that it is achievable in this lifetime, but still a goal.
Worry?! What should I worry about except "the offense against God and the scandal I may give"? Worry is such a constant fault of mine. Rather than trusting in God to care for me and my family, I try to take control and forget that God has much better plans and much better ways than I do.
Blessings,
M

been a while...

Well, it has been awhile...
I know you have all missed updates...things have been going well for the most part. Christmas was such a blessing! We spent it at my parents house with my sisters and brother-in-law. My in-laws came in one day for dinner so we got to see them too...it worked out so nicely.
Caleb had such a great time being spoiled by everyone from mom parents and sisters, to my grandma, aunt and uncle, and cousin who was in from Belgium.
Probably one of the most joyous things over Christmas was being asked to be Liam's Godparents! We are sooo excited! It is so neat to hear Darryl pray each night for Liam and his parents. I cannot wait for this baby boy to be here. (March 15 is the due date...Liam is my sister's baby boy!)
Since Christmas we have been going non-stop...Darryl is still on his surgery rotation and enjoying it a lot! He seems to have found something he loves and for this I am so grateful! I knew God would point him in the right direction "Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4) It may be a long road ahead of us, but God will carry us.
Baby #2 is cooking well...14.5 weeks now! We schedule our US for March 1!!
Caleb is almost 1! WOW time flies! He is taking a few steps daily and does best when hes left alone to do it on his own. He has learned to clap and does it all the time!
This past weekend was the annual scrapbook weekend...it was lots of fun but tainted with food poisoning for me, Courtney, and Caleb...Courtney and I seem to be over it...poor Caleb is just now getting over it...
Other than that we are all healthy and happy! I will post pictures one of these days! We got our new Mac (LOOOOVVVEE!!) but it is hard to have time to transfer files etc...BUT I am wanting to use the Mac to get back into my photography.
Blessings,
m

Parents

Don't have much time...Caleb should be waking any minute now...but I wanted to share this devotion from today...I will update about Christmas etc later!
Blessings,
M
“The enormous importance of the task of parents”
You should be full of wonder at the goodness of our Father God. Are you not filled with joy to know that your home, your family, your country, which you love so much, are the raw material which you must sanctify? (The Forge, 689)
I am moved that the Apostle should call Christian marriage sacramentum magnum ‑‑ a great sacrament. From this, too, I deduce the enormous importance of the task of parents. You share in the creative power of God: that is why human love is holy, good and noble. It is a gladness of heart which God ‑‑ in his loving providence ‑‑ wants others freely to give up. Each child that God grants you is a wonderful blessing from him: don't be afraid of children! (The Forge, 691)
In conversations I have had with so many married couples, I tell them often that while both they and their children are alive, they should help them to be saints, while being well aware that none of us will be a saint on earth. All we will do is struggle, struggle, struggle. And I also tell them: you Christian mothers and fathers are a great spiritual motor, sending the strength of God to your own ones, strength for that struggle, strength to win, strength to be saints. Don't let them down! (The Forge, 692)
Don't be afraid of loving others, for His sake: and don't worry about loving your own people even more, provided that no matter how much you love them, you love Him a million times more. (The Forge, 693)
That close intimacy you have with Christ means that you have a duty to bear fruit. And yours will be a fruit that will satisfy the hunger of men who come up to you in your work, in your day‑to‑day life and in your family environment. (The Forge, 981

Graced & Gifted

So I just finished "Graced & Gifted" by Kimberly Hahn...AAAMazing...she is such a great writer!
So I am starting some New Years Resolutions a bit early based on this...
1) Rise Early
Begin my day with prayer, not just my typical quick little "Thanks for a new day Lord!" But dedicated time...while Caleb is still sleeping, Darryl is either still sleeping or off to the hospital. If I don't do it early in the morning, it doesn't get done, or it ends up being a rushed prayer time. I am making a little bag that has my Bible, Bible Study, book of prayers, journal, and current reading to hang on a chair in the dining room...then when my time comes I can creep into the kitchen and spend some time with the Lord, and easily put it all back...
Saint Josemaria Escriva says "Conquer yourself each day from the very first moment, getting up on the dot, at a set time, without granting a single minute to laziness. If, with the help of God, you conquer yourself in that moment, you'll have accomplished a great deal for the rest of the day" BYE BYE SNOOZE BUTTON! (I am the queen of snooze...just ask Darryl!)
"Let me hear in the MORNING of your merciful love, for in you I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." (Psalm 143:8)
"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lords never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every MORNING; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him." (Lamentations 3:21-24)

2) I will make take for sleep and exercise! I am going to make myself a little schedule (I will post it when I get it done) and those two will be included!
"Health and soundness are better than all gold, and a robust body than countless riches. There is no wealth better than health of body, and there is no gladness above joy of heart." (Sirach 30:15-16)

3) Darryl and I will date at least once a month. God has called us to Holy Matrimony and we need to make sure that we take the time to spend time with each other and really listen to each other...without background disturbances (ie Caleb)...babysitters needed =)

4) I will be satisfied with what I have accomplished each day...whether everything is crossed off the list or not...
"We face an impossible task, if it means that everything has to be finished every night. I do not think we can complete every task every day; God does not ask us to, because he does not ask us to do the impossible. That means this vocation is an opportunity to embrace humility in knowing that we cannot do it all...Jesus yielded his will to his Father. He accepted the limitations of his human body, which needed food and sleep."

5) I will be a better Homemaker
I will be a keeper of the home, guarding the precious treasures within. Each task will become a response to the Lord. HE is the one asking me to finish the laundry, vacuum, pick up the crying baby, feed the mouths...
I want our home to be a safe haven from the world, a beautiful place we all love to come to, a peaceful shelter where each member knows they are loved and precious!
"I am not the unpaid maid. I am the queen of the realm, the heart of my home."
"Like the sun rising in the heights of the LORD, so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home" (Sirach 26:16)

To Be Continued...
Blessings,
M

~Precious~

Today I had a dr. appt and got to hear the baby's heartbeat...it is just so miraculous! I just LOVE it! What a gift! God has so blessed us! Everything is good so far...just have to keep an eye on my blood pressure again this time around...

On another note...I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT CHRISTMAS! I don't know why...I guess because I am still a kid at heart...but I just LOVE Christmas time! I have so many fond memories. I was actually reading in this book "Graced & Gifted" by Kimberly Hahn (great book for mommies!!), and it sparked one of my best memories about Christmas...
My parents were so good about having anyone and everyone to our house for Christmas dinner. Dad always made a delicious and huge meal! (well, everyone pitched in, another fabulous memory: everyone in the kitchen!) The table was always full, not necessarily with family, yes, family was there, but so were people who had no family. Mom and Dad just took everyone in! What wonderful examples! "Finally, we may never know fully the consequences of extending hospitality by including people at our dinner table. The writer of Hebrews urges, 'Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares' (Hebrews 13:2)"
I hope you take the time to enjoy this advent/Christmas season...
Blessings,
M

Maybe Yes?!

BIG BRO!

Darryl and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary and got to go out on a nice date! I love him sooo much!

Ok...so now I really don't think I will have spoke too soon...Caleb is FINALLY!! on a good schedule! We are both loving it! He gets out of bed at 0730...if he wakes up before that he plays in his crib, talking to himself and enjoying his morning. We eat breakfast and play all morning! At 1000 he goes down for his morning nap until 1130ish...then lunch time and playtime again! 3-5 nap again! 8:00 Bedtime!

It is such a blessing! I know when I can and cannot do things, and he is happier with his rest! It is so nice to hear him cooing and playing in his crib and not screaming! =)

Things are great otherwise!

Darryl is busy with his surgery rotation...

Work keeps me busy...and of course the little man! He is constantly on the go!

AND....Our latest blessing....We are expecting #2! So that keeps me busy as well...I am tired all the time and have been feeling mostly ok...With Caleb I threw up atleast once a day...this time not so much, just the nausea part, hanging over the toilet for a few minutes, then good to go! We had an ultrasound last week and got a due date...July 15 and we got to the little heart beat! What a miracle! I go to the DR. on Monday! Keep us all in your prayers!
Sometimes I stilll am in awe that God has chosen to bless us with another little miracle! I had a friend from church tell me it was a promotion from God, that he was trusting me with another little soul...what a HUGE promotion!

Hope everyone is having a blessed Advent season preparing for our Lord's birth! And a happy feast of the Immaculate Conception. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful mother, Mary for an example! (And I'm blessed to also have MY mommy as a wonderful example too!)

Blessings,
M

Not So...

Well, I guess I spoke too soon...Caleb is not so babywise...but we are still working on it! Sleeping through the night is not a problem at all...its getting up too early! He wants to get up at 6:30 and I am still trying to get myself up and get a few things done...I am trying to make him wait until 7:30. So lately he has just been crying in his crib for an hour...TERRIBLE! I feel like a terrible mother, but I know it is what is best for him! Eventually he will wake up happy and play in his crib! We are working on our schedule throughout the day, but when he gets up at 6:30 it throws everything off...its a work in progress and I am trying to not get frustrated or upset. He also has this new habit of waking up after 30 min or 45 min. Ha! That is NOT a nap Caleb! So I try to comfort him and give him his pacifier and put him back down...usually he is not having it and will cry for the rest of his nap time...We are also working on the moral part of babywise. He has learned to not put his fingers in his mouth at the table, "we don't play with our food." Other things he continues to try out despite instructions not to...the computer cord!

I was reading in a new book I started, "Graced & Gifted, Biblical Wisdom for the Homemaker's Heart" by Kimberly Hahn and thought I would share this quote for all you super-moms out there!

" Does God intend for us to complete every homemaking task every day? No, it is not humanly possible. If it is not possible, then it is not God's will for us. Embracing the humility that comes from incomplete daily work is one of God's gifts to us through this calling."

Recently Darryl and I go to to the a Ranger's World Series game (thank you daddy!!) with my dad, sisters, and brother-in-law. We left Caleb at home!! (Best decision EVER!) It was so much fun! We truly enjoyed ourselves!

Darryl is on his last day of VA outpatient and will be back to inpatient next week (on-call every fourth night...) We had a good time for his birthday/halloween. It was low key, but fun! I am so blessed to have him in my life! What a good man!

We are going to "the country" this weekend (my parents lake place). Kind of a spontaneous decision! I am running the Dallas Half Marathon on Sunday, so we will leave C-man with my parents go by ourselves!

Have a Blessed Weekend with your Loved ones!

m