Win a Free Date Night

Hurry and Enter- Giveaway Winner Will Be Chosen Tuesday 2/01/11

"Free Date Night", that got your attention didn't it? While I can't take care of arranging babysitting for you, I can offer, with the help of Wanchai Ferry and Macaroni Grill and myblogspark.com, a chance to win two dinner kits and a a $25 Visa Gift Card!
MyBlogSpark also sent me a prize pack to re-create a date night with my hubby! Unfortunately I had to hold onto the dinner kits for quite awhile until David returned from training in Arkansas. So... I was really antsy to make these two dinners when he returned!


MyBlogSpark gave me a Wanchai Ferry Orange chicken boxed dinner kit and a Macaroni Grill boxed dinner kit. I went ahead and made both of these on the same night so we could compare the one we liked best. They were both really good and taste wise they were neck and neck. I found the orange chicken to a little less hassle though with fewer packages to open and less steps. All I had to do was add diced chicken breasts!

These are quick and easy dinners that taste just as if you were going to a restaurant but in the comfort of your own home! Just become a follower of my blog or subscribe to have an entry to win these two dinners and a $25 Visa card. Leave me a comment that you did so.

Thanks to MyBlogSpark for giving my hubby and I an awesome date night in!

Time-Where are you?

A thought crossed my mind today as I stumbled upon (I try to pretend it doesn't exist) the over flowing laundry basket, dirty dishes in the sink, and stack of unpacked boxes. Why does it seem I accomplished more in a day when I worked full time away from the house than it does now that I'm home all day?

The Lord has really been pressing it upon me to get a grip on my time mngt skills or lack thereof. I've been praying, hoping, yearning for years to be at home more and that desire became even stronger after Elias' arrival. I'm now home more often except for the 3-4 five hour shifts I work at the bookstore.

So why do I squander the gift of time God has given me? Why do I often feel pulled in a million different directions wanting to complete a long list of tasks but NOTHING really ever gets done? Why do I find it so easy to shew my kids away and say "In a minute" just so I can get one more seemingly important task done but always feel guilty and unfulfilled? Some of you may be thinking, ADHD which I'm not entirely ruling out, but I know it goes much deeper than that.

So I plan to continue seeking God's Word about how to best use my time and will continually ask for His guidance in putting HIS priorities for me first. In the meantime, I would looove to hear what you all do to keep yourself on track throughout the day and feel free to share your struggles too. I think we could all use the encouragement and to know we're not alone.

Until next time, blessings to you!

I'm back and it's only been over a year!

SURPRISE!!!! I'm back into the blogosphere! I never really left though. I'd read some of my favorite blogs, subscribe to them, check the few comments I received, etc.

I guess after the birth of Elias (15 months ago) I realized what was really important. I worked full time, had a husband unemployed and needed my encouragement and time, a nine year old son, a new baby, church functions and most importantly time with Jesus, my Lord and Savior! I simply did not have the time for blogging. All of the fore-mentioned people or things needed my attention more.

So I got into a routine or the closest resemblance to one and one day went right after the other. Here's a brief overview of our life the past 15 months.

My older son completed third grade and adjusted to well to being a big brother. Elias and I after much trial and error came to a manageable nursing routine even while I worked 40+ hours. My husband remained patient and was humbled by the lack of secure employment. He did what he could handling a few odd jobs and such until the Lord provided him a job at the Dept of Homeland Security in D.C. He worked there away from home for a few months but he was able to fly home and totally surprise me (he's lucky I didn't have a weapon or I would have thought he was an intruder) for our 5th anniversary! However, God in His sovereignty (and maybe a few of my desperate pleas in prayer to NOT live in DC) the Lord redirected David to a job in North Florida working for the Airforce.

David worked at the Air Force Base for three months while I was still home working full time, tending to the kids as we awaited the selling of our home. Just as it was when my husband was away in D.C. the kids and I went into survival mode and we managed. Was my bathroom always clean? Was my kitchen floor crumb free at any given time? Did I ever see the bottom of the laundry basket? The answer is NO, NO and NO!

Like any parent who must do what you have to for your kids and family as a whole I learned to re prioritize my time and just as I did after Elias' birth took another evaluation of the important things. I didn't always have great days and some days, I'll just be honest, I wanted to rip my husband's head off for not being there helping me. He was doing what he thought best for our family and I didn't always trust in his leadership. I did have times though where I prevailed over the temptation to bitter and let stress reign and my husband and I learned a lot about one another!

All in all the past 15 months have been a total roller coaster of good and bad but God had a plan and purpose for each single day however it turned out.

The house still remains unsold but, again with God and His divine plan, He provided me a part-time job at a Christian bookstore here in Florida. This allowed us to cut out over $600 a month of childcare and made it possible for the kids and I to move down here 3 weeks ago.

I love being a part-time SAHM and delight in all the blessings the Lord has given our family. I have learned sooo much over the past 15 months about my mental and physical capabilities but most importantly about the ability of the Lord. His ability to protect, bless and pour out His grace! We have an amazing Heavenly Father don't we?

So gals I look forward to seeing you again on here and for the time being will remain a Simple Midwest Mom but just relocated, lol!


So that's a real

Making His Blog Debut...Baby Elias!

Introducing:

ELIAS MATTHEW ROACH

Born: July 12, 2009 @ 7:22am

8lbs/1.8oz

21 inches long

Loved By:

His Daddy, Mommy and Big Brother Eian

Elias' Birth Story

Oh God has blessed me! Not only did He bless me with this handsome little boy but He also blessed me with a rather quick and complication free delivery.

I had false labor just three days before I actually delivered Elias. So it made it difficult for me to really determine if I was actually in labor. My true labor started around 1:00 am Sunday (the 12th). I noticed menstrual like cramps when I got up to use the restroom but they felt just like the false labor did a few nights before. I had vowed I would not be fooled again!!! So I tried to ignore them and get some sleep. They were mildly uncomfortable but allowed me to drift in and out sleep. I finally had to get up and move around simply because I had that "burst" of energy you hear about. So I tidied up the kitchen to keep my mind off what I hoped was happening and timing them about 5 minutes apart. This lasted through the early am until around 5:30 staying consistent at the 5 minute mark.

David woke up and asked me my status. I STILL was unsure if I was in true labor or not because they were not becoming more painful like I was told they would. At this point they were very manageable. However, right about that time I felt a strange vibration "down there" almost like a swift kick from the baby. I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom checking to see if my water broke, but nothing.

David and I decided to go ahead and go in just to be safe. So I changed clothes, put on socks and tennis shoes and low and behold... a big gush went down my leg all the way to my shoes! I was forewarned from my doctor that I would most likely deliver quickly once my water broke because my older son was that way. So the race was on to get to the hospital before we had to resort to my husband scrubbing up!

We got to the hospital shortly after 6:00. We don't live far from and in fact my husband timed himself as getting us there in 7 minutes! In those 7 minutes I had three very strong contractions and so the nurses wasted no time getting me to the delivery room. I was 95% effaced and dilated to 4cm at around 6:20. It seemed like an eternity but in less than an hour and only 3 pushes later our little guy made his entrance into the world!

It was a wonderful bonding experience with my husband as I had to lean on him for comfort from the pain. I hoped to go without the use of pain meds but I went so quick I would not have been able to get them even if I had wanted to. David was great though. he was constantly running to get me ice chips or wet my wash cloth and encouraged me the whole way. I would not change a thing about Elias delivery if I had to do it all over again. Elias is such a wonderful addition to our family. It' hard to imagine our family without him!

Our New Family of Four Pics

Okay so I probably teased some of you making you think I've had the baby! Nope, 10 more days or so, although there are several; "bets" at work that I won't make it through this weekend! Wait and see is all we can do.

I wanted to share some great pics that my modest friend Margaret took. She loves photography but I think feels more comfortable with non-human objects so I'm so grateful she was willing to come out of her comfort zone for me. I had always wished I had more pregnancy photos taken when I was pregnant with Eian and with this child I am even more in awe of God's miracle that I wanted it captured!

I think Margaret did a great job don't you? She picked a great setting too and one I wouldn't have thought of on my own. It's actually our Historical Museum which is really and old home of one of the town's founder's. It's closed for remodeling so it was very quiet and peaceful. You would never know from the pictures that we're pretty much right in the middle of town would you?

My plan is to get some of these in black and white and sepia and get a large one to go in the living room. Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged last. My brain and body just doesn't function like it used to therefore making it harder for me to multi-task which in turn leaves less time for extra little things I enjoy like my blog. Anyway, I'm glad I made the time to share these with all of you. Hopefully the next photos I post will be of the baby himself!

God's gift to parents

So David, Eian and I we were driving to church today. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the morning. David had the Sunday morning radio program on we usually listen to and I, as always, was running behind and so therefore putting my makeup on in the van. Don't worry, David was driving!

Halfway through our route I heard a faint murmur coming from the backseat. I turned around to see my son with his Bible open, his hands folded and laying in the Bible, his head was bowed, and I could see his little lips moving. I gently nudged David for him to peak in the rear view mirror. It was the sweetest sight that my eyes instantly welled up with tears of joy. Neither David or I made a big fuss or drilled him about what he was praying for.

It wasn't until this evening when Eian and I were alone that he told me what he prayed for. He admitted that he had been questioning his salvation for awhile and wondered if he really knew what he was praying for back when he was four and claimed to have been saved. The intent and sincere look on his face told me this was a big deal to him, which just touched my heart even more. So he was asking the Lord for forgiveness again and re-committing himself to live for the Lord, just in case he didn't really mean it when he was four. Too sweet!

It provided a wonderful opportunity for to discuss ways in which we can demonstrate our love and devotion to Christ in gratitude for dieing on the cross. We both shared practical ways in which we can live for the Lord every day. It was one of the most precious conversations I believe I've ever had with my son. God's so smart too because while I'm training my child in the way he should go (Eph 6:4) the Lord's teaching me as well!

Prego Pic... Finally

I had my 34 week check up yesterday and everything is normal as can be according to the doctor. My weight gain is normal, my blood pressure is where it should be, and my belly is measuring right on target.

Speaking of belly.... many of you have been asking for me to post a prego pic. One of the girls at work likes to take belly shots of all the pregos in the office. She takes them once a month in the beginning, then twice a week, and she'll then take one every week during the last month. She only sent me this current week's though (week 34). So here it is!

I'm starting to think maybe I should have bought more maternity clothes. The shirt in this photo is just a loose fitting shirt that I was hoping to be still to wear after the baby's born. I don't how long it will be covering the tummy though!

The girls at work had a baby shower for me this past weekend and I will post some photos later this week. They went all out, especially with food! It was super thoughtful.

Enjoy the rest of your week,

Stef