It might seem weird to most people, but to me, this Christmas seems very different. I can't really explain it. I'll take the rest of this post to elaborate and talk through why I feel this way....
I'm reminded of the day I gave my life to Jesus. It was a warm June Day in 2010 and I was at an all-time low. When I prayed to Jesus, I remember crying to Him saying, "I have nothing to give you except my broken heart, but I know I need you and I want you here." This past Sunday, the band was singing a rock version of The Little Drummer Boy and the line "I have no gifts to bring (pa rum pum pum pum) That's fit to give our King" made me lose it! I'm humbled how God took a broken, bruised heart and redeemed it into a loving heart full of joy. Only God could have done that, and it never would have been possible unless He gave his only Son to be born into this imperfect world to die for my sins....
Since Bobby and I are in the adoption process, this Christmas could be the last one we celebrate as just "us". Our anniversary is tomorrow and a few days later, we will be celebrating our 2nd Christmas together, but first "real" Christmas. Last year, we were still getting settled and wrapping up our elopement chaos. This year, we have our tree, family, new traditions, etc. that we got to experience and create together. When our child comes into our life, we will be creating even more traditions. The anticipation of getting our child makes me empathize with Mary, Joseph, and the people waiting on the prophesy to be fulfilled. They were waiting in anticipation for the Messiah to come. Little did they know it would come in the most humble of places...
The Christmas Spirit is all around us, turning Scrooges into Saints and Grinches into Givers. My heart is so full and soft that I never want this feeling to leave. I think this is the first time (in a very long time) that I'm excited for Christmas and the magic it brings.
If I don't get to talk to you before the 25th, Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
The Stockings were hung on the bookshelf with care...
...in hopes that my sanity will soon re-appear! HA!
I sent out the Christmas cards and the shopping is done. I think. I keep forgetting that my anniversary is coming BEFORE Christmas, and coincidentally, it is the same day the world is going to end. Awesome!
Please know, I am not paranoid at all about December 21st. I find it funny that the world is freaked out... Just like y2k....
I have 100% peace in my heart that Jesus is going to come back when HE is good and ready, and not a day sooner.
So back to Christmas.
This is also finals week for my online menagerie of Grad classes. I have four papers due within the next, oh, 5-48 hours. Do I have any of them started? Nah. I work well under pressure. :P
Christmas this year is taking on a brand new meaning. I was in the wonderful Wally World and found a recordable story book and stopped to look at it. Long story short, it was a Disney Christmas book that rhymed and was super cute. It goes through their "Christmas list" and had corny things like "I want something warm this holiday, so I want your warm hugs..." yadda yadda yadda... so at the end, I start crying because it goes on to say that more importantly than anything else, I just want to spend Christmas with you.
Cue the waterworks.
I'm so ready for children. I can feel it. I know once the homestudy is started and completed, it will not be long until we have a special someone to bring home. I'm getting impatient.
I sent out the Christmas cards and the shopping is done. I think. I keep forgetting that my anniversary is coming BEFORE Christmas, and coincidentally, it is the same day the world is going to end. Awesome!
Please know, I am not paranoid at all about December 21st. I find it funny that the world is freaked out... Just like y2k....
I have 100% peace in my heart that Jesus is going to come back when HE is good and ready, and not a day sooner.
So back to Christmas.
This is also finals week for my online menagerie of Grad classes. I have four papers due within the next, oh, 5-48 hours. Do I have any of them started? Nah. I work well under pressure. :P
Christmas this year is taking on a brand new meaning. I was in the wonderful Wally World and found a recordable story book and stopped to look at it. Long story short, it was a Disney Christmas book that rhymed and was super cute. It goes through their "Christmas list" and had corny things like "I want something warm this holiday, so I want your warm hugs..." yadda yadda yadda... so at the end, I start crying because it goes on to say that more importantly than anything else, I just want to spend Christmas with you.
Cue the waterworks.
I'm so ready for children. I can feel it. I know once the homestudy is started and completed, it will not be long until we have a special someone to bring home. I'm getting impatient.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Craft fairs... GALORE!
We started Craft fair season. We are doing two to help get the word out about our adoption. First one didn't go so well, but the one yesterday was FANTASTIC!!
This was our table yesterday. I only brought home a few of those jars in the front (Cookie and Brownie mixes in a jar) and a store nearby is consigning a dozen of our clocks for the holiday!
We have raised enough for half of the home study. I'm super excited to see how the rest of the crafting season happens. We've been fundraising for about 3-4 weeks now and God has truly blessed this whole process!
Bobby and I will take this process one day at a time. I want this whole process to glorify Jesus and the blessings He has given us. I want this story to be a testimony to win souls for the Kingdom.
No doubt it's been hard (already!!) and I've been very overwhelmed with all the paperwork. I'm really praying for patience, the ability to focus, and perseverance to keep running this marathon.
The lady from NDSAN (National Down Syndrome Adoption Network told us we have our choice of SEVENTEEN... yes 17 children! Seven of them will be born in the spring, and ten of them are wards of the state. We would just have to raise the money to travel there and pick them up. Private adoptions are a lot more expensive. We're completely open to anything at this point.
Please keep our little family in your prayers. :) We will sure take them!
-Sheri
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
I'm so excited I could burst!
I am SO SORRY I haven't posted in forever.... 3 months to be exact, but you get the idea.
Bobby and I are embarking on a new journey... ADOPTION!!! Not just any adoption though: We are planning on adopting a child with Down syndrome!
I'm a little nervous, but very excited to do this.
We are fundraising to help alleviate the cost of the adoption... Here's how we're doing it!
Me- In case you didn't know, I'm a Mary Kay consultant. I've been teaching women (and men) about skin care and color cosmetics for 4 years now. I've never really had a "reason" for doing my business, but more "seasons" of selling. I was either paying for a wedding, or needing money to pay a bill... but I never had a real "reason" for working my business. Until now. All of my profits from my facials, parties, or my personal website will go straight to a savings account for the adoption process.
Bobby- I love my husband. I say that all the time, but I REALLY love my husband for this fundraising idea. He is making clocks. Yes, clocks... out of vinyl records! How fun is that?!?! Here's some pictures to help you understand what he's doing:
Yes, he made a clock out of Duck Hunt! And it looks awesome!
He has a page on Facebook called Rock around the "clocks" that shows all of our new clocks and ideas to make clocks. We'll be doing craft fairs and online selling for these items.
Our neighbors completely surprised us by setting up a fundraising website for us. The fundraiser is going from now until January 31, 2013 and you can look at it here. Once I figure out how to do a widget, I'll add it to the blog. Wooo hoo!
I think that's it for now. I will try my hardest to be more consistent. That seems to be my downfall lately.
-Sheri
Bobby and I are embarking on a new journey... ADOPTION!!! Not just any adoption though: We are planning on adopting a child with Down syndrome!
I'm a little nervous, but very excited to do this.
We are fundraising to help alleviate the cost of the adoption... Here's how we're doing it!
Me- In case you didn't know, I'm a Mary Kay consultant. I've been teaching women (and men) about skin care and color cosmetics for 4 years now. I've never really had a "reason" for doing my business, but more "seasons" of selling. I was either paying for a wedding, or needing money to pay a bill... but I never had a real "reason" for working my business. Until now. All of my profits from my facials, parties, or my personal website will go straight to a savings account for the adoption process.
Bobby- I love my husband. I say that all the time, but I REALLY love my husband for this fundraising idea. He is making clocks. Yes, clocks... out of vinyl records! How fun is that?!?! Here's some pictures to help you understand what he's doing:
He has a page on Facebook called Rock around the "clocks" that shows all of our new clocks and ideas to make clocks. We'll be doing craft fairs and online selling for these items.
Our neighbors completely surprised us by setting up a fundraising website for us. The fundraiser is going from now until January 31, 2013 and you can look at it here. Once I figure out how to do a widget, I'll add it to the blog. Wooo hoo!
I think that's it for now. I will try my hardest to be more consistent. That seems to be my downfall lately.
-Sheri
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Sweeter than honey
Recently, I've been thanking God for the blessing of my husband. He truly thinks of me before himself and showed that this week. My 89 Camry, appropriately named "Old Faithful" died and we decided to get a new car. Jesus blessed us with a much newer vehicle that is not only fuel efficient, but perfect for when we start our family!
Right at the peak of our excitement, Satan started his little tricks again by feeding me lies. Don't you love it when Satan tries to rain on your parade? He started saying things like, "you don't deserve him"... "He's too good for you"...and a whole bunch of other lies that I had to counter with the blood of Jesus. :)
Bobby is so good to me, and I know the way he treats me is rooted in the relationship he has with our Heavenly Father. Since Bobby never really had a dad growing up, he relied on other men to look up to. He accepted Jesus as his Lord when he was a teenager and learned to accept godly council from an early age. I am so thankful Jesus has molded him into the man he is today.
I think the reason I have so much trouble with how good he treats me is due to a poor track record of other men in my past. Before I gave my life to Jesus, I chose poorly, wanting a man to fill a void in my heart that only God could fill. In those decisions, I chose men that hurt me rather than uplift me, and I grew accustomed to the rejection and crap that came with those relationships. It's so sweet to my heart how Jesus has redeemed my life in so many ways. He prepared my heart for Bobby when I was more than content with being single.
This post is for Bobby. And for all the other men out there that treat your women like gold. The Bible states that women are to be submissive, but men need to LOVE their wives like Christ LOVES the Church. Sometimes I think it's harder to love me through my crap than it is to submit to his authority, and that makes me want to respect him even more. His heart just loves me... because he loves me. And I'm really ok with that. :)
-Sheri
Right at the peak of our excitement, Satan started his little tricks again by feeding me lies. Don't you love it when Satan tries to rain on your parade? He started saying things like, "you don't deserve him"... "He's too good for you"...and a whole bunch of other lies that I had to counter with the blood of Jesus. :)
Bobby is so good to me, and I know the way he treats me is rooted in the relationship he has with our Heavenly Father. Since Bobby never really had a dad growing up, he relied on other men to look up to. He accepted Jesus as his Lord when he was a teenager and learned to accept godly council from an early age. I am so thankful Jesus has molded him into the man he is today.
I think the reason I have so much trouble with how good he treats me is due to a poor track record of other men in my past. Before I gave my life to Jesus, I chose poorly, wanting a man to fill a void in my heart that only God could fill. In those decisions, I chose men that hurt me rather than uplift me, and I grew accustomed to the rejection and crap that came with those relationships. It's so sweet to my heart how Jesus has redeemed my life in so many ways. He prepared my heart for Bobby when I was more than content with being single.
This post is for Bobby. And for all the other men out there that treat your women like gold. The Bible states that women are to be submissive, but men need to LOVE their wives like Christ LOVES the Church. Sometimes I think it's harder to love me through my crap than it is to submit to his authority, and that makes me want to respect him even more. His heart just loves me... because he loves me. And I'm really ok with that. :)
-Sheri
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Long time no see!!!
Hey Wives!!
I am so sorry I haven't updated this in a long time. After we moved into our apartment, we lived simply for the first six months. Now that I have internet again, you should be seeing a lot more of these posts that hopefully will offer encouragement and tips to help strengthen your marriage and your home!
In February, I quit my job to be a homemaker. At first, I was elated! I get to cook, clean, and FINALLY unpack all the boxes that were still piled up. The first month was great...and then routine set in. It was no longer fun or enjoyable to do a load of laundry... until today.
I was searching facebook and found "The Homemakers Creed" which really inspired me to keep doing the best I can. This lady's blog is very motivational and has a LOT of tips to keep a tidy home and honor Jesus at the same time.
To get your downloadable print, go to : http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.ca/2012/07/homemakers-creed-free-printable.html
I printed it out, signed it, and have it right in front of me in the office. I even put a copy on the refrigerator to keep me accountable.
Hope this helps!!! Can't wait to start writing again!
-Sheri
I am so sorry I haven't updated this in a long time. After we moved into our apartment, we lived simply for the first six months. Now that I have internet again, you should be seeing a lot more of these posts that hopefully will offer encouragement and tips to help strengthen your marriage and your home!
In February, I quit my job to be a homemaker. At first, I was elated! I get to cook, clean, and FINALLY unpack all the boxes that were still piled up. The first month was great...and then routine set in. It was no longer fun or enjoyable to do a load of laundry... until today.
I was searching facebook and found "The Homemakers Creed" which really inspired me to keep doing the best I can. This lady's blog is very motivational and has a LOT of tips to keep a tidy home and honor Jesus at the same time.
To get your downloadable print, go to : http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.ca/2012/07/homemakers-creed-free-printable.html
I printed it out, signed it, and have it right in front of me in the office. I even put a copy on the refrigerator to keep me accountable.
Hope this helps!!! Can't wait to start writing again!
-Sheri
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