"And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." Deuteronomy 30:6

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
2 Peter 3:18

Thursday, June 3, 2010

200th

Really, I have written that many posts!?! This is my 200th post, and my blog was started in December 2009. How things have changed since then!?! I was trying to think of some cute post to do, but I am just not in a real cute mood the last couple of days. :) I figured I would just do an update today on different things since December 2009.

Janie Beth would be the biggest thing that has happened since I started this blog. I started it to share her story in one place and not have to remember who I had emailed and who I hadn't. Then, it became my journey after Janie Beth, and now it is our family's journey after Janie Beth. There are still hard days. Things can still set me on a downward spiral if I am not expecting them. It still hurts that she isn't here and I won't get to hold her or kiss her again until Heaven. I love her! She has blessed me and changed me and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. There are still moments when I hold her lamb and cry. The hard steps are not over. But, by the grace of God, I take them.

All the other kids have had birthdays. :) We now house a 6, 5, and 3 year old. :) Homeschooling kind of stopped after Janie Beth and we will be starting up a couple days a week in July. The kids are excited to be starting 1st grade and Kindergarten. (They will be doing the same work. :)) Eli exceeded expectations in his potty training and will be in paci boot camp very soon. (He still has one in the bed.) They are enjoying the warmer weather and getting to go outside. Katie Jo still misses Janie Beth, as I am sure the others do too, but she voices it more. She wants the "Go to Sleep" song every night because it has a verses about Janie in it. Janie Bear still travels with us most of the time, but she does have to stay in the car more now. She is in dire need of a bath. :)

We are still job hunting, but we are still in contention with a few churches. God has provided the means to live for quite some time, so the only thing really hurting is our patience. :) I do not know God's plans, but I will stand on the promise that they are for our good and His glory and they will be made beautiful in their time!

Baby #5 seems to be coming along fine. I am 15 weeks now. I do not feel movement every day and I am doing my best to leave it in God's hands. Actually, I don't feel as though I feel movement many days. It is hard, but I am learning to walk by faith and not by feel. :) This baby has not made my Janie Beth journey any easier, in fact in some ways it is harder. I go back to the doctor June 10.

I am working on becoming the wife and mother God wants me to be. It is hard work!! Old habits die hard! It is also hard to find the balance of what is right for your family. Every family can't follow a book exactly. But, God brought me to Psalm 32:8-9 today.

I will unstruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye, do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.

God is going to show me the way. He is instructing me in the way I should go. The key is whether I am listening and letting Him lead me. I find in this verse the I should instruct and guide my children in the way God does me. I found comfort in the fact that God cares enough to take the time to show me the way. I pray that I will not be like the horse and mule, and neither will my children.

So, God has done many things in the our lives over these last 6 months. I am excited to see what He does in our lives over the next 6 months.

7 comments:

  1. You have been such a wonderful blessing in my life since we moved here! I am so thankful for your openness and willingness to share what the Lord is doing in your heart! {{{HUGS}}}

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  2. you have been a blessing to me. your blog is often upbeat or at least attempts to be. you often speak of trusting God or doing your best at trusting God. you remind me that in all of this God is working for the good and this is all part of a bigger picture that i may or may not see this side of heaven. you have been a great encouragement to me! thank you and keep writing!!!

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  3. You are such a strength and blessing to everyone who knows you... I love reading your posts.. It brings me back to where I need to be in the hustle and bustle of life... We love you and are praying for you and your family.. Including baby #5...

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  4. I love you Michelle! This year has been hard, but God has been good!! You rock!!

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  5. I get so much out of reading your blog. Your such an encouragement and such an example to me:). I'm praying your peace will come and that you'll be able to enjoy every moment you get with this new baby. <3 Janie Beth <3

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  6. Schelly-Belly....I Love YOU! You are such and amazing woman, mother, wife, daughter, and child of God (oh yeah, and niece). Thanks for being you and sharing your precious life with all of us! You are always in my prayers. Miss you!!!!!
    PS I am having a wonderful time listening to your music on this blog while I am baking cookies for the baby shower this weekend (at 1 in the morning, yep that's me :-)

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