It's a "blog...tweet...blog" kinda world!

Wait... Do you hear that?... Yeah, that right there! Do you know what that is? Well, I will tell you, it's the sound of fingers flying across keyboards and phone keys "clickity clicking". This, my dear friends, is the age of technology! The age of tweets, Facebook status updates, blogs... You name it; if it can be done from a phone, computer, iPad, etc than it RULES this age!!
HOLD ON.... You might be thinking... Um yeah, aren't you. BLOGGING about this? My very honest answer would be, "yes, yes I am!" BUT here is my question for you, do you get more excited about the latest tweet/blog/update or going to your mailbox and finding a letter, not a bill or promotional piece of mass mail, no, a real hand written letter, from a dear friend, family member, or whomever? My answer? I would take a letter any day! What happened to pen pals? Not email or text pals, but pen pals. I was recently going through some things the other day and came across a box. I opened it and inside was a little glass heart filled with the most beautiful thing ever... Red PEI dirt!I had stumbled across one of the gifts from my pen pal, Lisa, from years ago! Believe it or not, I started crying as I remember the fun times and memories and how excited I got when I received a LETTER from a dear friend!
So I guess I would challenge you fellow tweeters, bloggers, and updaters to take some time and write a letter! I guarantee you it will be far more appreciated than your latest technological update, because let's be honest.. There is always going to be a more interesting blog or update or tweet, but every letter is cherished!!!!

Teething toys and tantrums!

We have officially entered the stage of teething toys and tantrums! Monkey Madi has her first two teeth! When she gives her big goofy grin you can see them on the bottom! My sweet little Amber is in the "cutting phase". Her teeth have yet to break through but I have a feeling is any day now! I find it quite comical that I have spent quite a bit a money on teething rings and nuks and the things they would rather chew on are fingers, wash cloths, and wipes cases!!! Isn't that always how it goes? Even with animals.. you buy them expensive toys and they would rather play with a paper bag or plastic bottle! I think I could seriously make a mint on "recycled toys for your children and pets!" 
Not only does teething come with the countless toys, it also brings along a friend! "The endless tantrums!" For anyone who has the misconception that babies are perfect.. you have never had a teether or a "terrible two". I am determined to break my infants wills!!!
But today I am just going to love my babies up! In spite of the tantrums because on this beautiful Wednesday, after a very fun few weeks, MY HUSBAND IS COMING OUT TO NEW JERSEY FOR VACATION!!!! I am pretty anxious to see him and show him how big his little princesses got!!!!

Thank You for the cardinal

Have you ever walked into a glass or screen door and thought, "Crap! I hope no one saw that!" How about walked out of a bathroom with a trail of toilet paper following you? I am going to say guilty on both of those! I don't feel so bad though.. Yesterday morning, as I was trying to rock a baby to sleep, I looked outside and saw the most beautiful cardinal! Its red color was so vibrant! I watched as he hopped from one branch to the next. I then watched as he tried to fly from one tree to another... and that's when I almost peed my pants. That beautifully colored cardinal missed the branch and flew straight into the tree!! As he hopped around on the ground, looking slightly inebriated, I had to thank God for that early morning laugh! See, even the animals do strangely blonde things!! 
So, as you go about your day today... keep an eye out for the "blonde moments" in everything. Maybe God will send you a special laugh.. oh and watch out for those glass and screen doors, and check your pants when you leave a bathroom!!

confessions of a selfish heart

As wonderfully blessed as I am to be a mother to two of the most precious babies ever, my selfish nature still remains. I must confess that this has been a hard summer. Gone are the days of sitting outside, soaking up the sun. Late night bonfires are replaced with early bedtimes, in preparation for 3AM wake-ups. My glorious beach days have turned into all day Disney channel marathons (don't get me wrong, I unashamedly love watching Disney!) But the very real realities of being a mom have settled in. 
Over our anniversary weekend, my husband and I were children free. As much as I missed them, I realized I almost missed the life with no kids more. Exploring Minneapolis, dining at cute restaurants, shopping trips, etc. All without the interruption of a poopy diaper, screaming baby, or spit-up cover clothes. At that point I felt beyond the lowest of the low! God has blessed me with two amazing gifts, when so many others struggle just to have one! 
I have been reminded and encouraged that these thoughts and feelings are completely normal. My life has changed. I am not the "typical" 23 year old female! In this day and age when careers and fun come first, I am instead, a stay at home mom. Now, whenever I find myself slipping into that state of selfishness and self pity, I have to stop and take a moment and remember that God has a plan. A wonderful, perfect plan! Even though this may not have been what I had planned for my life, it is so much more that I could have ever dreamed of!
So with the days of late night bonfires, all day beach visits and hours of sunbathing, cute restaurants, and shopping sprees behind me, I look ahead to the smiles, first tooth, first fumbled step, "mama" and "dada" spoken with love, and thank God for chipping away at my selfish heart!

Hips of a mother and God's sense of humor

I truly believe God knew what He was doing when He designed women to have "child bearing hips"! I am saying I necessarily enjoy them? No, not at all! But I would not be able to carry two children without the hips that have been create after childbirth! Sometimes I just think about the creativity of God in all the things He has made! I mean, come on, have you ever look at a platypus?! That takes a serious sense of humor!! So many times I think we forget that God isn't just a serious God. We can look all around us and see that He is creative and truly wants us to marvel and enjoy the things He has created, right down to child  bearing hips! How many of us would have thought to include that if we were creating life?
So today I am going to enjoy the wonder, beauty, and humor of God's creation. I believe I focus too much on the serious nature of God and the state that this world is in, and I forget about all the wonderful things. I am going to enjoy this heat, and be thankful I don't live in Arctics. I am going to smile at the busy little bees and marvel at their hard work. I am going to laugh with my beautiful little baby girls! And I am going to look at these "child-bearing hips" and thank God for making me just the way I am!!

**WARNING** This Post may be controversial!

I was once asked what denomination I was. My answer that I am a Christian. The response was, "Yes, but what denomination are you?!" I was unnerved and upset at the fact that my answer of being a Christian was not enough. Why do we have to have an "extra" title to that answer? When did just being a believer in Jesus Christ become not enough? Why do these "denominations" tear us apart? I have a dear friend who was brought up Reformed Baptist (like me) and she is so madly in love with a dear friend of mine who was brought up Roman Catholic. I know that it has caused some controversy among people because of their different denominations, and it is not good enough for some people that are two young people who are madly in love and more importantly, who both love their Lord and Savior with all of their hearts. I really don't want to start any kind of religious debate. This a place for me to get my thoughts out!
I was recently filling out a job application and one of the optional questions was about denomination. A non-optional question was about my race. What happen to just being a human? No, we have to be politically correct now. Jobs must have a certain percentage or number of women and men, Caucasians, African Americans, Asians, Europeans, Native Americans, etc. Why can't you just higher people who fit the job, no matter what their race or ethnicity? 
All of these things make me wonder what kind of world my girls are going to grow up in. Are there going to be questions in the future about whether you are gay, straight, bisexual, trans gender, twin, triplet, etc.? They call it equality, but is it really equality? Aren't we just creating more inequality by stereotyping people? By asking all these questions? 
Its not just enough to be a human, to be a Christian.. there has to be more. I have to say, this makes me so anxious for heaven when there will be no more political correctness, or equality, where I can just be a person that loves my Lord Jesus Christ!

Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice

As this night comes to a close, that hymn is on my mind. I quietly hummed it my sick baby as she fought sleep and continued to fuss in pain. I thought about the words and rejoiced that I have two wonderful children, despite the illnesses and little set backs. 
This past year has been a year full of surprises and ups and downs. Marriage, pregnancy, labor, first-time parent of two, etc. And yet I sit here and rejoice in the Lord always. Some people may find that odd, or even crazy. They look at professing Christians and cannot understand rejoicing in the midst of hard times. They cannot understand unconditional love. They cannot understand working at a marriage instead of giving up when times are tough. I pity them. I pity their inability to "rejoice in the Lord always!" 
This does not mean that there will not be times of sorrow. God did not say that this life would be easy. He did not say that there would be no hardships or that picking up His cross and following Him would mean fields of flowers and daisies, but He does want us to rejoice in Him, always!
I thought a lot about my grandma this week. I cried and wept at the fact that my daughters will not meet their great-grandma in this life, but Lord willing they will meet her in eternity. Knowing that, I can rejoice in the Lord!! 
So, dear readers, rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoice in the midst of sorrow. Rejoice in the midst of hardships. Rejoice in the midst of devastation. Rejoice in times of plenty. REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS!