4 Months Later...

**I don't blog often.  I realize it's been 4 months since my last post.  I just so happended to visit my blog and read my last post.  I've been so blessed in the past four months.  Let's reflect...

I want:

• to be pregnant  - - I am.  Praise God, I am!  11 weeks today.
• to wear cute maternity clothes - - There isn't a need yet.  I can still fit into my regular clothes.  I will consider this a blessing for now.
• to go to bed each night with that slightly excited/slightly anxious "am I going to be good enough" feeling - - Oh boy.  What a feeling this is.  Just the other night I woke up in a panic about driving with the baby in the car.  Excited and anxious doesn't begin to describe it.
• to be a mommy - - I will be...by Christmas.  *tears*
• to look at my husband and tell him that he is going to be a daddy - - That was a good day.  We were cautious after the first test...and the second...but once I went to the doctor, we knew.  *love*
• cherries...as I've wanted them all day today - - no desire for cherries  right now.  Watermelon and oranges do the trick.
• to have a new hair do' (I will tomorrow, after 3pm) - - I've had my hair done a couple times since I posted.  I need to touch up my pink.  Maybe I'll  do that tomorrow.
• a big juicy burger with avocado - - Yep, still sounds delicious.  Better add avocado to my grocery list.
• a pedicure that I don't have to drive 45 minutes to get - - I just had a mani/pedi on Thursday.  It  was 45 minutes away from home, but only 5 minutes from  work.  My toes look pretty!
• to go back to that place where (almost one year ago) my life changed when I said "yes" - - Aww! I love that place.  I love my husband so much.  We went back to our place in February and loved every minute of it.  He is such a huge blessing to me.
• to lose these last 18lbs - - Um...well...that didn't happen.  They say I'm just going to gain weight now.  Eek.  That will be a struggle as I haven't seen the scales go up in over a year.  I've put on 2-3 lbs already.  I know that it is for a good reason...a great reason.
• to be warm - - Warm I am!  It was 80* this week.  Granted, it's only 50* and rainy today, but my bed is warm and that is where I'm snuggled up at the moment.  Sleeping is my new favorite thing.
• to hug my little niece and nephew - - I just spent 10 days with these precious two.  My heart was so full.  I miss them and love them so much.
• to high five an old friend - - I never did high five that old friend, but I have hugged and laughed and cried with some greater old friends.
• my step-daughter to celebrate "20" tomorrow and know just how loved she really is - - I surely hope that this is the case.
• my sister to have a peaceful heart and as much excitement as I did when I had a few months to go - - My beautiful sister  said  "I do" 15 days ago.  *love*
• my momma and daddy to have peaceful hearts knowing that their daughters are full of love and they done good - - I hope they never forget this.  Ever.
• my husband to feel like the man that he is - amazing - - I will always want this.  I will always want him to know how much I love him, cherish him, and appreciate him.
• to be hugged by Jesus  - - One day.   One day.

I Want

I want:

• to be pregnant
• to wear cute maternity clothes
• to go to bed each night with that slightly excited/slightly anxious "am I going to be a good enough" feeling
• to be a mommy
• to look at my husband and tell him that he is going to be a daddy
• cherries...as I've wanted them all day today
• to have a new hair do' (I will tomorrow, after 3pm)
• a big juicy burger with avocado
• a pedicure that I don't have to drive 45 minutes to get
• to go back to that place where (almost one year ago) my life changed when I said "yes"
• to lose these last 18lbs
• to be warm
• to hug my little niece and nephew
• to high five an old friend
• my step-daughter to celebrate "20" tomorrow and know just how loved she really is
• my sister to have a peaceful heart and as much excitement as I did when I had a few months to go
• my momma and daddy to have peaceful hearts knowing that their daughters are full of love and they done good
• my husband to feel like the man that he is - amazing
• to be hugged by Jesus

I've been so busy...

...Being IN LOVE!  I'm married now, y'all!  I documented my Engagement weekend quite a few posts down and then I went scarce between then and now.  In those busy months of picking out flowers and deciphering the true difference in shades of pink, I tried to capture it all here on my "countdown to the big day" blog.  Since we've been home, I've been in holiday mode - full speed.  With a gift making business, this is understandably such a busy time for me.  Between the pottery studio and Little Painted Polka Dots, I will be going non-stop until January. 

Even in the midst of the busiest days...when my feet hurt, my eyes are strained, my fingertips are cut and/or covered in paint, I know that I'm blessed beyond belief.  I serve the most amazing God and I realize it more and more everyday.  I am so in love with my husband and surrounded by big, BIG love from family and friends.  I'm thankful for each new day and I encourage you to find the good...even on the gloomy days.

Crappy Bloggers Unite!

I am a crappy blogger.  Have you noticed?  I come and go as I please.  I post what I want, what interests me, what I feel like sharing.  Somedays I want to blog and I roll through numerous blog posts in my head and rarely find the time to actually write them down.  I also find myself wishing that there was an app for life - a SNAPSHOT app! 

Have you ever been in the midst of something, camera-less, and just wished you could speak the words to have a photo taken?  I sure do.  Like the other day when I was mixing the new vat of blue glaze at the studio...oh what a sight!  I had my jean capris rolled a bit higher.  My pink toenails against my tan feet and sparkly brown flip-flops.  Jiffy mixer in hand and I was attacking that glaze.  Well...it attacked back.  In a flash splash, I was covered with blue.  Slippery, wet, blue.  There was a monster of a puddle at my feet and the coolest, abstract splash marks up my legs and even grazing the cuffs of those jean capris.  It was funny to me. I didn't see a mess.  I saw art.  I'm a little twisted like that. I could have cursed and threw my hands up, but instead I wish I would have been able to use my snapshot app to capture this mess...this silly, messy, beautiful blue mess.

Do you ever have moments like that?  Moments beyond the usual "I forgot my camera" moments.

Free Stuff AND A Great Blog

What could be better, folks?  You get a great new blog to stalk AND she is always giving away free stuff.  I love this girl and I love her blog.  I know ya'll will do.

So what if she is giving away a gift certificate to my store.  I'm not biased!  Lol!  Check it out...you'll be happy you did.

http://www.thetuckerstaketennessee.com/2010/04/200-followers-giveaway.html

Every Monday Matters - Wk 6

GET RID OF JUNK MAIL!

That is the "action" for this week. I am going to link you directly to the site because there are some great links to follow from there to take action. Before I do that though...some interesting facts...
**Junk-mail deliveries surpass the U.S. Postal Service 1st class mail—over 100 billion pieces of junk mail are sent annually.
**Even though 44% of all junk mail is discarded without being opened, people will still spend 8 months of their lives opening junk mail.
**Only 2% of junk mail gets a response.

**Over $350 million taxpayer dollars are spent annually to dispose of junk mail that does not get recycled.

**100 million trees are needed to produce the annual supply of bulk mail—that’s the equivalent of deforesting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every four months.

**5.8 million tons of catalogs and other direct-mail advertisements end up in landfills annually.

**The average person receives only 1.5 personal letters each week, compared to 10.8 pieces of junk mail—over 500 pieces of junk mail per person per year.

**Paper is predicted to take up 48% of our landfills by 2010.
Read more about how junk mail affects our lives: http://everymondaymatters.com/6/

Every Monday Matters - Wk 5

Week 5 - EAT HEALTHY!

Read all about it here: http://www.mygreatretreat.com/showthread.php?tid=4897

What are you going to do to live a healthier life? 

For myself, this is something I have been working on for what seems like my entire 29 years on earth.  I am the one who does the grocery shopping and also the one who does the majority of the cooking.  Therefore, I need to vow to prepare only healthy meals.  There are many delicious and healthy meals out there and I will make it my goal to prepare them.

Every Monday Matters - Wk4

Prepare for an emergency!
FACTS
* On average, 1,300 tornadoes are reported annually in the U.S.
* The average twister path is 660 feet wide and can be as long as 50 miles.
* 40 states are considered at risk of an earthquake.
* More deaths occur due to extreme heat and cold than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined.
* Because of contamination, clean water is harder to find than food after a flood.
* A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when the speed of its winds reaches 74 mph.
* 91% of people surveyed agree that it is important to be prepared for emergencies, but only 55% said that they had taken any steps to prepare.
* September 11, 2001 will always remind us of the reality of terrorist attacks and the damage they can cause.

TAKE ACTION TODAY
* Develop a family communication plan by selecting a person outside your local area for everyone to call in case of an emergency. Carry it in your wallet.
* Ensure every member of your family knows the phone number and has coins or a prepaid phone card for calling the emergency contact. Cell phones often get jammed due to high call volume during disasters.
* Designate a primary and secondary meeting location.
* Create an emergency supply kit with a 3-day supply of basic items such as: fresh water, food, first aid, towelettes, garbage bags, a flashlight with extra batteries, local maps, a whistle, dust masks, tools, a can opener, and cash. Check and rotate supplies every 6 months.
* Prepare a plan for your pets during an emergency.

YOU MATTER
Disasters are never planned, but they will happen. They are inevitable. Being prepared is the only thing you can do. Having proper supplies and a well thought-out plan can make all the difference in your survival. Readiness will also reduce fear, anxiety, and potential losses. Prepare today … for any kind of tomorrow.

Every Monday Matters - Wk 3

Monday #3 Challenge
(Facts and text taken from the book)

FACTS

• AMBER stands for “America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response” and was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, and then brutally murdered.
•  76% of abducted children who are murdered are dead within 3 hours of the abduction, 88.5% are dead within 24 hours, and 99% are dead within 7 days.
• 443 children have been reunited with their families because of AMBER Alerts.
• Nearly 100% of cell phones are eligible to receive Wireless AMBER Alerts as text messages.
• 100% of computers can have the AMBER Alert ticker downloaded onto them.
• AMBER Alerts are active in all 50 states.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Pay attention to AMBER Alert signs on the freeway or on TV.
• Sign-up to receive AMBER Alert text messaging on your cell phone.
• Download the AMBER Alert Ticker onto your computer.
• If you see or receive an AMBER Alert, don’t take it lightly. The perpetrator might be closer than you think.

YOU MATTER
Protecting children from abduction and locating those who have been abducted is the twofold purpose of AMBER Alerts. They increase the number of people who can help locate an abducted child or deter predators, and they have caused perpetrators to release the abducted child after hearing or seeing the AMBER Alert. Remember, those first three hours are everything to that child and his or her family. Your eyes and action could mean the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

__________________________________________________________

It's a heartbreaking reality.  Children go missing.  Bad people are out there. Watch your children.  Please. I've added the ticker to my blog, and like the EMM book said, it only took a minute to do.  I encourage you to do the same.

Every Monday Matters - Wk 2

Monday #2 Challenge
(Facts and text taken from the book.)

FACTS
* 99% of all homes in the U.S. have at least one TV—50% have three or more.
* 68% of all 8- to 18-year olds have a TV in their bedroom and 49% have a video game player there as well.
* A person watches TV an average of 40 days per year.
* Children spend nearly 2,000 hours a year in front of a TV, playing on the computer, and playing video games, compared to 900 hours in school.
* 200,000 violent acts, including 16,000 murders, will be seen on TV by a child before their 18th birthday.
* Roughly 70% of all shows include some sexual content, with an average of five sexual scenes per hour.
* 57% of parents admit to having some degree of difficulty in getting their teens involved in meaningful conversations; and, 74% of parents are not sure their teens are even listening when they talk.

TAKE ACTION
* Turn off your TV today. Tape the “No TV” sign to all TV screens so that you don’t turn it on out of habit.
* Designate certain TV-free times throughout the week to reduce viewing hours.
* Remove TVs from bedrooms, the kitchen, etc.
* Make a list of activities to do besides watching TV―activities like reading, biking, swimming, walking, gardening, or socializing with friends. Then start doing them.
* Avoid using TV as a reward―this only increases its power.
* Be more selective about programming―choose history, travel, cooking, home repair/design, and other educational themes.

YOU MATTER
70% of people say that no matter how hard they try, they never seem to have enough time to do everything they need to do. Are you part of that 70%? If you gave up TV for just one day a week, you could exercise the recommended weekly amount necessary for healthy living, read over 20 books a year, or spend more time with your loved ones. Instead of watching reruns of Friends, go make some.

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I turned off the TV today.  The same TV that only gets left on in the daytime for background noise.  Yep, that's right.  I only did it to save electricity.  TV is not my vice.  Sadly, it's the computer.  I tried hard to turn that off today too.  I succeeded.  I failed.  I succeeded. I failed.  This is something that I have to work at daily.  I am glad though that I don't have the TV  AND the computer as issues in our house.