The last few weeks

I wanted to blog last week and couldn't come up with anything...so I went to bed. :)  A few days later God worked some miracles (at least to me) for us...and I though at life group that night why not blog about it?  I mean, this is supposed to be a blog about an army wife's day to day life right?  So why not...here it goes! :)

Many of you know that being apart of the military is a struggle.  Not with the part about being separated from your spouse, or moving all the time, (which are 2 big struggles...) but I'm talking about the financial struggle.  Some people think that because we get a housing allowance and food allowance that we should be rolling in dough.  Here's an update on that thought: NOT TRUE. :)  While we do get both of those allowances, the amount depends on where Ellis is at the time...not where Eli and I are.  Long story short, when Ellis and I decided he would be going to TX by himself while Eli and I stayed here, we took a pay cut because the housing allowance there is less than it is here.  The few months Ellis was in training we didn't get the food allowance b/c it went the base where he was at...anyway all I'm trying to get at is that our income is never the same paycheck to paycheck.  I'm not trying to complain about money b/c I really have nothing to complain about.  Ellis has a steady job that pays and I am also blessed with a full time job, and that helps to subsidize the housing allowance pay cut.  It also pays for Ellis' apartment while he is in TX... God has richly blessed us this year financially.  Not that we are loaded, but that he comes through at just the right time. (His time)  A few months after Ellis got down to TX, I freaked...we couldn't afford half of our bills and although I was trying to swing it with what we had...it wasn't working.  Many people at church were praying for us, and God heard those prayers!  The following week I was offered a part time job.  One pay period went by and I realized it wasn't enough.  Again, I was doubting how we were going to get through it...and once again He came through for me...and I was offered a full time job!  I did nothing to receive these blessings.  I didn't even have to apply for the job. (that's crazy to me!)  So here we are now, 2 parents, 2 full time jobs, 1 son in daycare, and we are still pinching pennies. Since then, the Holy Spirit has brought to my heart (many times) that we should be tithing consistently...and not just when we have the money.  Sometimes its just so hard for me to do that.  Well, this past week (and here is the miracle I first talked about) I was driving home from somewhere. (those of you who keep up with everything here know that I am go go go all the time!)  I was praying out loud (something I rarely do) and I said "I know you want to me to tithe God, I know its the right thing to do, but if I tithe 10% of this next paycheck, I will only have 50 dollars to get us through 2 weeks! I don't know what to do!"  That was the extent of our conversation at that point.  The next day I go to pick up Eli from the baby sitter's house and I get a call from Ellis.  He sounded almost frantic.  He told me to go check the bank account and call him back as soon as I could.  The first thing that popped to my head was "great, he over drew the account, and now we are in the red."  When I opened the account I saw that there was a counter deposit for $1000!  I called Ellis and asked him what that was from, and if it was really ours...he said that the Army had paid him for going to Colorado, and that was the money!  I was STOKED...and then I remembered my conversation with the Lord..."I don't know what to do!"  Well guess what friend...I don't have to know, b/c HE DOES!

First miracle= God providing and being faithful to me...even when I'm doubting, and not having as much faith as I should!

Onto the second miracle that happened...

Eli (who is now almost 1.5 years old...time flies!) started waking up in the middle of the night lately and screaming his head off. (not literally off, but you know what I mean)  Anyway...he would wake up random times and just cry.  Sometimes when I would go in there he wouldn't even be awake, he would just be crying.  This made for some VERY long nights, I mean mornings...I think one week I went to bed at 2AM almost every day b/c he would cry as soon as I put him down.  So last week, maybe Friday or Saturday, I was watching Netflix (we cancelled our TV...best thing I've done) and I heard him start crying, then it turned to straight screaming.  Not like "I want milk" scream, but "Mommy, I'm really hurt right now" or "I just fell down the stairs" scream...I ran in there to check on him.  He wasn't physically hurt or anything but he was not calming down anytime soon.  I didn't know what to do, I just rocked him in my arms until he was quiet.  Again, as soon as I tried putting him down he would wake up and scream.  I laid him in the crib and started singing Jesus Loves Me.  That usually calms him but this time it did nothing.  The only thing I could think of was to start praying for him...nothing.  Then I started praying out loud...still nothing.  Finally the only thing I could think of (besides letting him sleep on me) was to sing my prayer.  Which I did...I just started singing whatever words came to my head...he calmed down immediately.  He didn't fall asleep right away, but he calmed down, and I was able to walk out of the nursery!  He didn't even cry when I walked out!  He hasn't woken up in the middle of the night since! :)  Praise Jesus!!! 

Second miracle=  God has helped Eli stay asleep and calm during the night...and he has helped me be able to get sleep! :) 

So, that was what I wanted to blog about...God's goodness to me.  Now only if he could get me out of my speeding ticket. :)  That's right...I got my VERY FIRST ticket yesterday.  Supposedly the cop said I was going 60, even though I had just checked it and I was going 56...in a 45mph zone.  Either way I was speeding, and either way I think that its fair I pay the ticket.  I'm hoping to find out how much it is today, I guess I can look online somewhere, but I haven't found it yet.  Lesson learned from that experience...only go 5mph over! LOL  I'm kidding! :)

I hope you have a great rest of the week, I'm gonna get workin now.  Take care and God bless
-b

4 Months!?!

I cant believee 4 months have FLOWN by!  As I read through my last blog post I never did do that bridal show!  (so if you know anyone who needs stuff for a wedding...please let me know!) :)  I will give you all a quick update on our life...

Eli, what to say about that little man?  He is a crazy, fun-loving, energetic, little boy.  He has learned to say many things these last few months and I love hearing them!  He recently got in trouble for trying to hit me, so after one quick swat to the butt, he sat down for a time out.  I looked him in the eye and told him that hitting is not okay, that hitting hurts people, and b/c he tried to hit me (in the face I might add) he had to sit in time out.  He looked at me with those big brown eyes and in the sweetest voice possible said "okay mama".  As I got up and quickly turned around, I couldn't help but smile and laugh under my breath because he said it as if he knew it would make my heart melt.  I went into the bathroom to finish getting ready for work.  2 minutes later I called him, I called him a second time, and a third time.  When I poked my head out of the bathroom I saw him sitting in the same exact spot with his hands in his lap.  He realized I was there looking at him, he turned to me and said "all done mama?"  (again the melting heart thing...)  I said, "yep, all done Eli, time to get ready for the day" and he said again in the sweet voice "okay mama".  Children are such a blessing, and I am so thankful that God has blessed me with this little boy.  Every day after work when I go to pick him up, he smiles and runs to me with arms open ready to be picked up.  I often compare myself and God to Eli and me.  Every time I feel God there I want to run to him with my arms wide saying "Here I am, pick me up! Pick me up!"  There are so many times when Eli runs to me crying because he bumped his head or has fallen down and I think to myself that is exactly what I do with God.  I think God created children for that purpose. (maybe not, but I'd like to think so)  He blessed us with Eli so we could be reminded on a daily basis that he is our Father.  He wants to help me and bless me just as much as I want to help and bless Eli...if not more!  So anyway...that's the catch up on Eli. :) 

The catch up on me and Ellis?  Pretty much the usual.  I haven't learned any new words, I haven't spit out any food, its just the same old me.  I guess there are a few updates now that I really think about it. 

Update #1:  We (Eli and I) are flying out to California this summer for my brother's wedding...and we will be making a stop in Disneyland. :)
Update #2:  Ellis will be deploying to Afghanistan sometime this spring. (Please keep him in your prayers)  As far as we know (or been told) he will be gone for about a year...give or take.
Update#3:  God has provided me with an opportunity to go to Ghana on a mission trip this August with our church choir.  He has provided child care for Eli for the 2 weeks, he has provided me with time off work (as far as I know) now all he has to provide is the finances, and I know he will! 

That's pretty much it...I'm sorry I haven't blogged for so long, I cant make any promises that I will blog every day, or every week...but I sure will start trying to! (the every week one, not the every day one!) :) :)

Alright friends, I must be off...blessings on you and your families.

Wedding Fever

I totally have wedding fever right now...even though I don't know if "wedding fever" is real and even though I'm already married.  Let me tell you friends, I LOVE weddings!  I love everything about them.  From the brides shoes to the flowers on the cake, I love it all.  I love planning weddings, I love making favors for weddings, I LOVE WEDDINGS!  Okay...with all of that said, I'm in wedding planning mode for a few months because I am doing a bridal show in January! :)  I'm super stoked to be coming up with ideas for new products that I can sell.  I'm into the lace/applique veils right now and am looking into different styles.  I'm so excited, I cant contain it!  Along with the veils, I plan to sell some (of course) peacock pieces, jewelry pieces, and I have a few different ideas for party favors.  I'm already collecting supplies I think will go great with different items I'm making so stay tuned for pictures! (as soon as I figure out how to put them on here) :)  Everything else around here has been pretty smooth sailing.  My dad is visiting right now from Washington, and I'm very blessed that he is helping me do some home renovations.  We (aka my dad) has replaced the back door and the door frame, cut a new hole in the ceiling for a hatch, put up a new mail box, added eye holes in each door, the list goes on and on! :)  He is headed to my brother and sister-in-law's house here pretty soon, and he will be missed.  Thankfully my younger sister is planning to come out and visit with her husband soon.  Ellis is planning on being here for a few days at the end of the month to pick up his car and head out again.  We are hoping/praying to save enough money so we can get him home for Christmas.  We already have Eli's Halloween costumes, I couldn't decide on which one to get...so I got two. :)  Again...I'll post pictures as soon as I figure out how.  :)  I better be going, Thursday night is choir night and I still have to get Eli changed and ready to go.  Sorry this post is kinda all over the place, but that is how my brain is feeling right now. :)  Talk to you all soon!

Excited!

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately.  There hasn't been too many exciting things going on in our lives....except my dad is coming to visit!  He'll be here tomorrow.  And then 2 weeks from now Ellis is coming home!  He'll only be here for a week, but I'll take what I can get!  I will update you all with pictures and more in a few days when I actually have time to sit down and write.  But for now...onto laundry!  LOADS and LOADS :)  I hope you are all well.  Take care and God bless!
-B

Poor Baby!

So the last two days have been anything but sane.  Last night starting around 5:30, Eli started throwing up.  Now many of you may say, "oh, babies spit up" but this was no spit up.  This was "let's soak mommy in our dinner" throw up.  I have never experienced that before, but at the time I did happen to keep my cool.  Anyway, I thought it may have just been the fact that he didn't like it or he was just a little too full.  That was until he threw up a second time at choir practice.  I had given him a bottle because he kept reaching for my water.  He had 2 ounces, just 2!  One of my friends from choir held Eli while I went and cleaned up my shirt and jeans for a second time.  Maybe about 20 minutes later...he did the same on my friend.  At that point I was thinking "Could this night get any worse?"  I should have turned my brain off right before that because it got worse.  We got home after choir and all Eli wanted to do was cuddle.(that wasn't the worse part)  The worse part was the fact that he wanted to cuddle to 2:30 in the morning.  I didn't fall asleep till around 5:00.  I figured if he had a good hard sleep he would feel better so I just let him sleep.  He finally woke up around 2:00 this afternoon.  I made him a small bowl of oat cereal and fruit and he wolfed it down.  I thought that he was good to go.  About 20-30 minutes later he crawled up beside me and fell asleep.  Not even a half hour later he was awake and threw up again all over me.  I figured it may be time to take him to the doctor.  I called and asked what I should do and they said to bring him to the Urgent Care that was closest to me.  After an hour of waiting there, they told me to bring him to the ER.  We headed to the ER and waited there for about 2 hours...While we were there they gave Eli some meds to keep food down, pedialite, and crackers.  Really?!?  That's it?  Needless to say I was a little more than upset.  I asked them if Eli happened to throw up again when we were home, they told me to take him to his doctor...oh wait, his doctor said bring him to you guys!  Arg....anyway, Eli is now sleeping, and I'm praying that he feels better in the morning.  I dont know if I can be puked on again.... 4 times is one too many for me. :)  The joys of motherhood! :)


On a brighter note...our vacation to California was great...more to come! :)

God bless you.

Photos

Okay blogger friends...I need help!  Please enlighten me on how to upload pictures to my posts!  I have tons of cute photos of Eli and the family and no where to put them! :) 

So here's how our trip has been going so far...AHHHMAZING!  It has been so great to spend time with my DH, not just regular time...but QUALITY time.  It's so nice to hold hands while we watch TV, or poke fun at him when I whooped his butt at the Wii. :) (love you baby!)  I really took for granted while he was with us in Virginia.  It's so nice to see him, to smell his cologne, to see the way he interacts with baby Ellis...its just AHHHMAZING. :)  Anyway, it's getting late and we are getting up early tomorrow to go to 6 Flags!!!  Can I get a Whoop Whoop!?  :)  God bless my friends!
-B

Rockin 1st Party

We had such a BLAST on Sept. 18th.  That was the date of Eli's first birthday party.  Our friends, Natalie and Eric, let us have his party at their house.  Eli had over his friends, I had over my friends (parents of Eli's friends) :) and we had great food!  A close friend of mine, Beth, made both of Eli's Sesame Street cakes.  The big cake was chocolate with chocolate butter cream, and vanilla with butter cream.  Eli's personal cake was Cookie Monster's face with 3 cookies in the mouth.  Eli reached for his cakes as soon as he was close enough to touch them.  When we sat him in the high chair and placed the cake in front of him, he knew exactly what to do.  He wolfed, inhaled, scarfed down his cake.  He looked like a smurf by the time he was done eating it.  I forgot to mention the cool gifts he was given!  Eli is truly blessed!  He has had a blast playing with all of his new toys.  He's already worn some of the clothes, and the rest are packed for our trip to California. 

We are headed out tomorrow at 11:00 AM.  We have 3 layovers on our way to Ontario, California.  We will be there for about 2 weeks.  We are planning to see my brother Cody along with the rest of Ellis' family.  We haven't seen some of his family since our wedding!  We should be arriving in Cali around 8:30.  I may or may not be taking a facebook break for the next 2 weeks...not quite sure on that one yet. :)

I should get back to packing, that's right...still haven't finished, and yes, it is 2:30 AM.  For those of you who know me, this (procrastination) is nothing new. :)  I'm not gonna break the cycle tonight, but maybe some day I will. :)  Good night my friends and blog followers.