Reflections- MUCH BETTER!

Well another week went by so fast! It seems like I was just sitting down to write my reflection from last week and here we are again....crazy! I have to say though....I am glad it is this Thursday and not last Thursday. Last Thursday....I have to say was not a good post for me. It was an "OYE VEY" moment where I dreaded the whole thing. We were to talk to others about our "daily walk" with God. And that definatly convicted me because I had been "really busy" and not getting deep in my daily time with Him just skimming the surface to get by. What I realized though now looking back is how everything seemed very difficult while doing this. Like everything I picked up- I'd drop...or  unloading the dishwasher seemed to take about as much energy to build a small country. I just didn't have my "witts about me" lately and that is because my skimming by wasn't cutting it. I was FOCUSING on everything but the ONE who gives me EVERYTHING!!! After my major conviction I decided to go back to giving myself limits and only allowing myself to get on facebook, watch my DVR(which I currently have 6 shows I haven't watched and I am proud that they are sitting there...looking forward to getting to them but normally I'd watch them as soon as I could and now that is not that case), or do otherthings with out scheduleing my daily time with God. That has been incredibly helpful taking time to make the excuse that I can't do those things because I have an appointment with Him or my bible. Which leads me to my next transformation....Sunday at our church we had a guest pastor because ours was on vacation. His sermon was all about FOCUS on Him! Not on us, or what we need, or what we don't have, but simply and yes SIMPLY on JESUS! See it doesn't have to be difficult, or "churched" up to have your focus set on Him it's simple! I know it's a bit intimidating when you are friends with the one that created you and everything around you but it doesn't have to be. He loves us NO MATTER WHAT WE DO (or don't do). If we don't make the time for Him...that's ok He understands, loves us anyways and is paiently waiting until we do. During that sermon he spoke about how if you read the bible for 15 minutes a day you can read the whole thing in one year. (which I have always wanted to do and so has my husband) So we decided not to set a time frame but to set a goal...and that is every night before bed(when we would be watching our shows, looking on his Iphone at facebook ect...that we would read 15 minutes of the bible before we go to sleep.) My husband has been believing God for a new and better job(and I have been standing firm in that with him) for 5 years next month. I am so proud of his faith but as anyone could imagine....it gets a little wearing in our flesh. So even though we've said time and time again "God...we trust you" (and we do)....we've decided to be at REST so He can be at WORK...and in the mean time indulging ourselves in the word and just FOCUSING on Him, and not on us and what we want, need, have or don't have. Just simply and blatently on HIM. After the first night of reading my husband looks over at me and says "this is good stuff" :) And he is right ....it really is! I have read many scriptures, and even books of the bible but never just sat to read it like a book. We are starting with the new testement....we just felt as though it was relevent for the "season" we are in right now in our lives but we are fully commited to read the old testiment as well too. This "daily" routine has already in 4 nights of reading been such a blessing in our lives. I feel so much more energized(even though I have gotten very little sleep the past few nights with a teething baby) and even though my husband has been working very hard this week we are having a better week. Feeling stronger, and calmer, and more paitent and so much better! I am excited to see what God will do (as He is always doing in our lives even when we don't ask...He is meeting the desires of our hearts) in our lives as we redirect our FOCUS on Him. If I spent as much time on God as I did on other things....I think alot of things would be a lot better. Of course watching tv, facebooking, ect...is fine but there is a balance in life my life that needs to be met and that is CHRIST FIRST and then so on and so on. I am glad to say that I am currently back on track! Here is a few verses I found and am so passionate about because I read them and instantly felt like it was a little personal note from Him(maker of heaven and earth) to me!! (how cool is that)
Matthew 5:5
YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN YOU'RE CONTENT WITH JUST WHO  YOU ARE-NO MORE, NO LESS. THAT'S THE MOMENT YOU FIND YOURSELVES PROUD OWNERS OF EVERYTHING THAT CAN'T BE BOUGHT.

AMEN AMEN AMEN TO THAT! Thank You JESUS that in the midst of all my "wants" I am PROUD of what I have and that is nothing that could ever be bought....it is an eternal life with my savior! (and that I am married to an AMAZING man that is also going to spend eternity right there too!!)


Matthew 5:13
LET ME TELL YOU WHY YOU'RE HERE TO BE SALT-SEASONING THAT BRINGS OUT THE GOD-FLAVORS OF THIS EARTH. IF YOU LOSE YOUR SALTINESS, HOW WILL PEOPLE TASTE GODLINESS? YOU'VE LOST YOUR USEFULNESS AND WILL END UP GARBAGE.

Matthew 5:14
HERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO PUT IT: YOU'RE HERE TO BE LIGHT, BRING OUT THE GOD COLORS IN THE WORLD. GOD IS NOT A SECRET TO BE KEPT. WE'RE GOING PUBLIC WITH THIS, AS PUBLIC AS A CITY ON A HILL. IF I MAKE YOU LIGHT-BEARS, YOU DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO HIDE YOU UNDER A BUCKET, DO YOU? I'M PUTTING YOU ON A LIGHT STAND. NOW THAT I'VE PUT YOU THERE ON A HILLTOP, ON A LIGHT STAND- SHINE!!! KEEP OPEN HOUSE; BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR LIVES. BY OPENING UP TO OTHERS, YOU'LL PROMPT PEOPLE TO OPEN UP WITH GOD, THIS GENEROUS FATHER IN HEAVEN

Now that my friends is worth reading! I AM HERE TO BE A LIGHT(that is actually the meaning of our son Luke's name "the bringer of Light" and it is oh so fitting)
My daily walk has increased in one week and it will continue! I will keep you all posted on my daily reading and FOCUSING! I'd love to encourage you to take your eyes off of you(or anything else that may be consuming you more than Christ) and put your FOCUS on Him. He has the master plan...so I'm going to take my eyes off of "calendar" for a while and keep them focused where they should be....things will be a lot "lighter" in my busy life I just know it!!!

Luke's Helmet Appointment

Today we went to Chicago to Luke's helmet "casting" appointment. We had to leave at 730am in order to get to our appointment by 11:00. Lane came with us today and both boys were absolutly angels in the car. Luke slept alot and Lane watched movies, colored, played trucks( I saved certain trucks for over a week and hid them telling him I didn't know where they were so they would be special when he got restless in the car and at the doctors office and IT WORKED:) He was very happy to see them!) I was so proud of our 2 year old for waking up and 15 mins later being put into a 3 hour car ride then have to be "tame" and behaved in a waiting room, and doctors office, then back in the car immediatly after! He was PERFECT!! We did stop at the outlet mall in Aurora on our way home (but he was then confined into a stroller immediatly so that was just more sitting!!) Finally on the last strip of the mall and out to the car he walked holding our hands(they got sweaty fast) and he was on cloud nine! Kicking his little feet saying "wee" and swinging and enjoying his partial freedom! Then...back in the car!! And he STILL did great:) Then as soon as we got home it was lots of playing catch and rough housing for 45 minutes until he settled down! :) We love our little mister!! Ok now on to our little helmet guy:) The people at the office were SOOO NICE! We got there early and said we'd go take a walk if they weren't ready but they were fine with us being there and got us in fairly quickly. While I was waiting to check Luke in I saw an adorabe little girl(probably about 5-6 montths old) in a purple butterfly helmet! She was such a cutie. Then we met a mom with a just turned 3 year old(who brought a car and a truck with him and Lane and him were instantly buds) and her 8 month old son Dylan who had a helmet on. The way Dylan laid in her womb made his head misproportioned and neck weak so he is wearing one for a few months. He also looked soo cute. She said her son Quinn asked for one for his 3rd birthday!! (So he got a bike helmet instead:) When we got in to the room they did lots of messuring and he explained that Luke would be wearing it until his next appointment with Dr. Reid (which is in Decemeber so Luke will wear it approximatly 5 months). He was VERY impressed by Luke's healing and ecspecially his scar. He couldn't believe he had surgery only 7 weeks ago!:) :) :) We LOVVEE to hear that ecspecially from people that are in this field and are very knowledgeable in his situation. So the room (of course) was bright colors, had toys, mirrors, fish posters ect...so Lane was in heaven and wasn't even effected by the 3-4 minutes of crying from his brother. He did look over at him a few times but I quickly distracted him and he didn't think a thing of it! Matt had to hold Luke down wearing just his diaper as they put vaseline all over his neck(to prevent any of the soft fiberglass from sticking to his skin), then they put a white stocking/panty hose over his head. It looked exactly like the black one they use in movies for robbers or something like that with the little knot on the top of it. IT WAS SOOOO CUTE. Of course he hated it but he was so adorable....it pushed his little nose up and his eyes look Chinese and with all his rolls he looked just like a sumo wrestler. I so badly wish we could have taken a picture!!!! Then they wrapped a few layers of that wet soft fiberglass mesh on his head and then he pressed on his head in certain areas helping it mold...then he had to sit there a couple minutes. Then he cut off all the material and I got to swoop him up and make it all better:) We wiped all the vaseline off him and we got to pick out the design on his helmet. Matt picked Camo for our 1st pick ( I think a little army man for his first halloween may be in order:) and then a white one with race cars and trucks on it for the second pick and blue race car/truck one for our 3rd pick. Guess we'll see what we get:) We didn't have as many options as I expected....well actually there was alot of designed options just not alot that were our taste. And the only solid color I think they offered was white.(Which we could have done with stickers but I thought that'd get pretty dirty:). They then told us that they would send it to our insurrance to see how much they will cover and let us know. It should be ready in about a week or two and then we will get to go to naperville to retrieve his helmet and continue our appointments there. It sounds like he will need it fitted every week at first and then later on every 2-3 weeks. We are just thankful that they have a naperville office and that will take a good hour(and lots of sitting in traffic) off of our time:) PRAYING that we will be able to see him on Mondays(Matt's day off). The guy we saw today said that Tom in Naperville who we will be seeing is actually his boss and specializes in the helmets amongst all of the other equipment they deal with. So that was very encouraging and good to hear we will be working with the cheif of this situation. During the adjustments it sounds like they will be shaving off areas of the helmet(from the inside of course) to make it tight in the areas it needs be(his temple area) and expand the other areas that need to grow. He said that he will be cutting out the area above his ears because he wants that area to expand to let it catch up with the protruding temple spot. They ensured us that kids have no problems wearing these helmets. They don't usually ever seem bothered by them and sleep just fine. He will need to wear it 23 hours a day(the other hour is for batheing him and cleaning the helmet). We will get to work up to that 23 hour a day mark the first week of having it here...an hour on and hour off two hours on two hours off ect.... Here are a few pictures of the day....

Here is the boys on the way to chicago...Lane watching a movie and Luke just chilling. :)

Here is Luke after he pulled his carseat canopy down so he could look out the window at the busy traffic:)

Lane being a good big brother staying seated in his chair as wait for the casting to begin

After the casting....his little arms were soo pink from Daddy having to hold him so tight and still! Everyone did a great job:) He's soo cute:)

REFLECTIONS.....OYE

Well....so much for doing my "reflections" last Thursday like I said I was going too. :-/ It is quite discouraging when I don't do it, and not because everyone else is bumbed about pidly ole' me not blogging about it but because I truley enjoy it. I LOVE reading my good friends Kim and Brittnay's awesome blogs every Thursday and it's so encouraging to read them AND write! (If you haven't read theirs YOU NEED TOO.... http://www.mauneyland.blogspot.com/ is my Friend Kim's blog and http://daughterwifemomsis.blogspot.com/2012/07/live-it-out-reflections.html Is my friend Brittnay's blog! They are such great amazing "pastor's wives " and are such encouragers. Ok so today I will "bundle" my blog session with last weeks reflection and this weeks. Last weeks was based off an amazing message Kim's husband did from the book of James (and it was an encouragement on "DOING" in life) and this week's was to update others on your daily walk with God. Ok....YIKES I FEEL AS THOUGH MAYBE I HAVE NOT BLOGGED FOR A REASON. Because honastly.... my "doing skills" and "walking skills" have both been challenged. Anyone else ever feel the same?? I have a million excuses...2 kids in less than 2 years(need I say more? lol no really it's not that big of a challenge that is where the problems lyes....but I'll get back to that), my husband, my clients, cleaning, cooking, changing kid's rooms around, having a cold, trying to find time to excersize, catching up on my DVR, my dog, seeing my family, checking in with friends, the loss of my husbands great grandma and grandpa and many other things. Are they all valid? YEP. Do they all matter? Yep. Do they need to be excuses in life? NOPE. Here is the thing that I feel like I gained from Josh's message(well I gained ALOT of things but....) WE NEED TO MAKE EXCUSES! YES YES YES WE DO. But not excuses do NOT do something but excuses TO DO something. We are always making reasons why we can't do something but never finding the time do something....well what if that was flipped? What if we couldn't find the time to do the things we shouldn't and always made an excuse for the things we should. I know I'd get alot more done.  Here is where the problem lyes...excuses! Having 2 kids in less than 2 years is obviously eventful but is it so time consuming I can't even take 20 minutes to blog each week and keep another aspect of Godly encouragement in my life...absolulty not! I find time to "facebook" or watch my DVR or do all those other things(which is fine ) but then I say "oh I've been soo busy with this this and this so I haven't had time". Well that is bull! I've had the time...haven't made the time. That leads me into this weeks reflection....updating others on your "daily" walk with God. Well here is the moment of TRUTH.....Oh wait I already told you... I'm really busy and don't always get my perfect amount of daily time in with Him...and that is ok right? because I have valid reasons for it??!! NOPE...I dont. And not because HE is mad at me that I didn't spend enough time with Him but that I am Mad at me, not because it makes me feel guilty because of the type of God He is because that's not Him either....He is a loving God and the same God today as he was the days I was on my knees and face crying out to him in despair....He loves me the same. But I feel better and NEED a daily time with Him. Ever heard "Start your day with God...It'll end better" Well It's the Truth!! Yes God wants us each day to speak to him in a relationship; requests when need be "PLEASE LORD", shout outs "THANK YOU GOD OR PTL", or watching sermons on tv or podcasts on the internet...yes all of those things are GREAT and should not be stopped...but what about making the excuse to "DO SOMETHING" everyday for yourself with God? We drop everything to get our work out regimine in right? We often postpone things with people until that is done, or our daily "reading of the FB wall" but what about that "daily, habitual time with God." I will be honast ....alot of days I do spend that time with him but alot of days I don't. I often feel as though if I read my daily Joesph Prince or Beth Moore or Joyce Meyer devotional then that is good enough....and is it good? yes...but is it enough?? NO...not for me it's not. I remember that one time when I was watching a sermon on tv Joyce Meyer said "It's great that you are watching this and hearing the word of God from me....but if this is honastly the only time you're going to hear from Him today then turn the tv off right now and meet with Him" and that is so true. It needs to be a daily habbit like brushing our teeth. I find that seeking him FIRST in the morning is best for me. It makes my whole day go smoother...yes I still enjoy watching those things, listening to praise music while walking or running, and talking to Him at night but DAILY making the habit to talk to him, read his word, pray, whatever it may be is what I like to do in the morning before my kids are awake.

Mark 1:35
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

So updating people on my "daily" walk with God....it hasn't been so good...and honastly I have found myself too busy to get those special times in with Him. and My DOING is obviously effected by my priorities so I can't really update everyone on that. So reflections for this week and last were a major REALITY CHECK FOR ME!! And a much needed one! This is why I blog! And this is why I love my friends that blog on the same topic...it encourages me to get back to "doing" and spreading the good news....so that is my goal for this week. Next weeks reflection I will be joining my friends in reflection on the same topic that we all admitted we could be better at and will let you all know how I do with my daily walk!!

Luke's Appointment

Well I was hoping to keep my blog up a little better than I have in the past 3 weeks but obviously that hasn't happened!! First of all Luke is doing FABULOUS! He is sooo cute and so fun and I CAN NOT believe he is going to be 5 months old this Saturday. The first months before the surgery seemed like they took forever and now his surgery was a month ago and that post surgery month was the fastest month of all. It's so hard to believe it was a month ago. Luke is right on track for his age. He is rolling over both ways and even sitting up for a few seconds at a time by himself. He will pull himself up and stand on our laps just by holding our hands and he is a GIGGLE BOX. Laughs all the time!!! He is nawing on everything in site and eating cereal on a spoon in the high chair twice a day. It is fun that he can play in his excesaucer and toys like that because Lane loves to join in and show him how they work and Luke LOVES to watch him do EVERYTHING!! So excited for these 2 boys to grow up together. They are both so wonderful in their own ways and I already see their personalities shining through and reflecting on how they are the same and different:) It's alot of fun. Yesterday we took Luke to Chicago to meet with out plastic surgeon. He was so happy when he saw him and said he "looks fabulous". He said his forehead and right side of his head looks exactly as it should but the left side of his head still protruding a bit to far so he will need to wear a helmet(which we kind of expected and are totally ok with...most children do wear helmets for a few months after such a major reconstruction). Here is a few pictures that really show off the spot on his head that needs the fine tuning.....

These pictures kind of show the gradual decrease in how the bump

has gone down on its own but the plastic surgeon said it's just best while the bones are soft to form it into 100 % perfection! Which is fine by us. We are looking foward to having his head be perfect and preventing any issues in the future by being proactive. The surgeon said he would guess that Luke will only need it for 3 months but he will leave that time frame up to the Orthotist. We go in a couple weeks to have his head casted then we will go back a week or two later to get the helment then it sounds like we will be going back every week-three weeks old to have it fitted and adjusted(sounds kind of like braces for your teeth). So it will be lots of driving and doctors appointments but we are SOOO THANKFUL Chicago is filled with amazing people to help us and that it isn't that far away.We are sooo happy with the results on his surgery and we give all the glory to God for his amazing and quick healing. His head, his incission, the scaring EVERYTHING is better than expected GLORY BE TO GOD!! And on top of that Luke has been doing wonderful and Lane is so wonderful and handles everything with a grain of salt!! Good ole' Lane has been through alot the past few months with having a new brother brought in his life, parents that shed alot of tears(even tho they tried to keep them from him), extra visitors, lots of  play time with ammy and poppy while mommy and daddy went to appointments, staying in Chicago at a different place, learning to be paitent, learning to share(his stuff and ecspecially his parents and now his ammy and poppy and aunt jessie and uncle j because Luke came into the picture and his new baby Cohen), he went to his first visitation for his great great grandma and was quiet and very good boy, and so much more. He is TWO and yes there are moments and I do understand where the "terrible two's " stemmed from however I am focusing on Mark 11:22-24 and believing I WILL HAVE WHAT I SAY....... and I am saying Lane is going through the "terrific two's" with moments in between;) We are now onto transitioning him into a toddler bed which we will be doing here soon in the next week or so, and are working on potty training still, and limited pacifier time, and he is doing so great with everything. We are just so proud of him!! So here is a picture for a shout out to his wonderfulness....

And Last but NOT LEAST.....MY AMAZING HUBBY!! He is doing GREAT....BETTER THAN GREAT ( I can't even find the words). He has just been so incredibly wonderful this past month helping in everyway he can with both boys, house work when needed, ect.... He has made this month so wonderful as Luke was healing and we were adjusting!! He has lacked in sleep so many times to try to make me Lane and Luke rest. He is just beyond amazing and through this all I could not be more blessed to be even closer to him. He is simply wonderful and I give God so much thanks everyday for him!!
LOVE HIM.....

Thank YOU again for the love prayers and support for our family !! Will work on blogging more thorughout the helment processes and uploading pictures of his cuteness!!!!!!!  and I'll be back tomorrow blogland to link up with my great friends on "reflecting" :)