Gospel Tract Witness Oppertunity - Baby Editon

Photo from Beau-Coup.com

So lately I have been thinking of ways I can share to Gospel more. One statistic that has left an impression in my mind is that the average person has to hear the Gospel about five times before they are really even ready to listen. Its like it takes five times for us to even stop enough to think about it. That being said, I think Gospel Tracts are great segues into getting people to think about life after death. The number one way that I usually share the Gospel is with my life as well as the conversations I have with my friends and family to share the Gospel, and for me this is usually the way I see the most fruit.

However, that being said, God doesn't ask us to pick in choose who we share the Gospel with, the Gospel is for everyone, we are merely asked to share. If I knew I had a life saving cure for my friends terminal illness or even a strangers, how much would I half to hate the person not to share it? Thus, my heart has become more and more open to being bold to share the Gospel to more than just my friends.

Here is where comes in my new passion for ways I can share the Gospel. My newest idea came to me when I was making my list of what to pack in my hospital bag for the birth of my second son. I was reading different comments from mothers about things to bring, and one comment left me thinking. A mother commented that a great thing to bring would be a gift for your labor nurses. Our nurses take care of us, so why not take care of them? She mentioned buying them pizza or bringing some chocolate or something small to show your gratitude for their act of service to you. What and awesome idea! Why did I not think of this before, what a great way to put a smile on someones face, to bless someone. Then I got to thinking....why not share to Gospel with them too? Its a very non threatening way to not only say Thank you but that I care about your life. So how am I going to do it? After a little Pinteresting I came up with this recipe for my thank you gifts.

What you will need for 12 gift/favor bags:

• 2 packages of 6 count of thank you cards from the dollar store...or make your own.
• 3 packages of your favorite chocolates. Since I am having a boy I used chocolates wrapped in blue foil. Lindt Truffles, Dove Chocolates, and Cookies N Cream Hersey's Kisses.
• 12 gospel tracts. (I made my own, and tried to pick something baby themed, for example I did a Gospel tract that focuses on how we are special as individual creations of God, and another Gospel tract about how we can be born into a new life with Christ.)
• 12 paper or celophane gift bags (or gift packaging of your choice) You can buy some cute one's here that may be helpful.
• Stapler

To Assemble:

1.  place chocolates and Gospel Tracts inside celophane bag
2. Fold down top of celophane bag placing thank you cards over the top and then staple the bag shut
3. Hand out to your Nurses!

Want another spin on this idea? You can pretty much do any baby shower favor ideas, but I like chocolate so here is another idea.

Take a Hershey's Candy bar, and wrap the bar with your own wrapping over the existing wraping. On one side print a pretty thank you note, and on the inside of the wrapping print your Gospel Tract.

Here is where I got the basic concept to wrap the Candybar from a Pinterest post.

Hope this inspires you to look for ways to share the Gospel in creative ways. How do you share the Gospel?

P.S. I did not receive any compensation from the brands or products listed in the post above, and I am not endorsing them. They are simply products I have used, or thought would be useful for this project.

Landscape my Yard

This is my dream for my vegetable garden, behind my shed someday....

 Chris and I bought our home March 2010 when snow was covering the yard. That spring after the snow melted we found we were blessed with lots of weeds, a tree stump, wild bushes, and large flower beds to keep us busy. We were also blessed with pregnancy, therefore our yard grew pretty wild last year. This year I swore it would be different but with a 5 month old, I am finding that we are still way behind on our yard.

(Said house...in the fall of 2010 before we bought it...notice the front flower bed has been covered with mulch to hide the monster underneath)

Apart from all the manual labor required there is so much more to gardening then I anticipated. The major problem here is "know how." I simply have no idea what to do with my flower beds? How does one clean them up and prep them for planting? How do you keep weeds away? How can I do this cheaply?  I have googled a few different things and found a lot of mixed information. Therefore I am asking you smart people for some help. Here are the problem areas and the questions I have.

Driveway Bed, Problem # 1:

As you can see its a cute little bed but a huge mess. First of all those "landscaping bricks" if you call them that, are falling all about and don't seem to hold the bed together very well.

 So What shall I do here

• Remove the bricks and build a new wall? Materials to use?
• Leave them and go with it?
• How should I maintain the area?
• Suggestions of what to plant?
• What should I do to keep the bushes alive/pruned/looking good?
• Before I re-mulch should I lay landscaping paper? or newspaper? If so, do I lay it over the leaves and weeds as is, or clear away as much as possible first?

this is what the bed looks like after I pulled the Dandelions and raked away the leaves

This is what the bed looks like, with leaves and debris, and mulch on top. Do I keep it like this and just throw some more mulch on top? How do I keep the weeds at bay?

Weeds, mulch, messy brick, and some plant I don't know how to care for.

 Side of Garage, Problem # 2:

that stump not attached to the ground...I am sure its a home to many an ant or something like that.

This is where all the weeds in my yard got together and decided to breed. What would you do here? No one will really see it, but just knowing that it is a mess back there frightens me. I often stay up at night fretting about it. I have contemplated just spraying the entire area with RoundUp more than once. I really would like to keep the pesticide usage to a minimum. I thought it might be lovely just to grow like a butterfly garden of sorts back here or should I just get some gravel and pave it down. How should I prep the area either way? What are your thoughts?

 Back of House, Problem # 3:

This is the least of my problems but I could use some suggestions. First off, how do I get rid of these pretty but pesky little purple flowers from intruding on the bed. Second what should I do with this bed, what should I plant here? How should I maintain it?

notice our grass is desperately in need of help as well

you can't even see where the grass starts and the flower bed ends.

close up of those purple flowers

Shady Side of House, Problem # 4:

This area is in danger of becoming a marsh in the summer time. It can retain enough water in this area to make the grass lay flat, while also attracting slugs and the like. Currently it has some sort of little white bell like flower growing up, but it looks a little wild here. What should I do to this bed? How should I plant and maintain it?

Bushes, Shrubs and Wild Trees?, Problem # 5:

What in the world do people do along there fence lines? I mean its nice to have shrubs growing to provide a little bit of privacy but its a little crazy here. What do we do with this area?

I have many more spots requiring help, but these are a good start. I would appreciate any suggestions or words of advice. Also if your ever bored I am sure I can think of some way to keep you busy in my back yard.

I hope to have a vegetable garden some day, but before any of that can begin, we need to do some major clean up.

Thanks for looking.

Thats my favorite vegtable too!

 Photo Credit

I offered to watch three of the most precious children today for my dear friends, as their mom was on a mission trip. I was initially apprehensive because I have my little one already to watch and have never attempted to watch 3 others at the same time. I can easily psych myself up to thinking things will be more difficult then they really are. However, God truly blessed me with a smooth moving day, and Isaac even took a 3 hr nap! I have to admit though that my favorite part of the day was over the lunch hour. The little boy I had been watching had been pretty rambunctious all day and the conversation over lunch just shows you why having little boys makes life so precious.

Me: "So Big Sister, what is your favorite vegetable?"
Big Sister: "That's easy, I love carrots."
Me: "So Little Brother, whats your favorite vegetable?"
Little Brother: "Mac n Cheese" (said with a huge grin)
Me: "Why that's my favorite vegetable too!"

P.S. Lets get you caught up.

Ok Chris and I are parents now. We became parents on 12.15.10 after 5 days of labor! We were super happy when Isaac decided to finally arrive.

 Well our not so little munchkin is growing up fast and is getting bigger and bigger each day.

Here he is at 1 month, and 14 lbs.

And here he is at 2 months and about 15lbs.

Finally he just turned 3 months and now weighs 16lbs

Songs for Labor: 1st Edition

Ok, so as I prepare for the marathon ahead of giving birth. I have decided to post some songs/verses/etc...of the things I am preparing to help encourage me through my labor. The following song I have heard numerous times but one day on my way to work this song made me cry tears of joy when I consider how faithful God is and how I can trust in his strength through this journey. I was moved by it in a way I had never been before. So this song is a definite at my birth. Here is the youtube video, and lyrics. Hope you enjoy.



Sweetly Broken - Jeremy Riddle

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of it's suffering I do drink
Of it's work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

Chorus:
In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

(2x’s)
Chorus:

20 Lessons I have learned after 5 years of Marriage

 
Agree or Disagree these are some very valuable lessons that I have learned over the last 5 years of marriage. I may develop on some of these ideas in the future, on how I came to learn these things, but for now here are some things for you to think on. These are not in any particular order...certainly some should have a higher priority than others, but all are equally challenging and helpful for marriage.

1.  Just don't fight
2. Think of ways to serve my spouse, especially when I am pissed off at them, its crucial to try to do an act of service for them when I am irate with them.
3. Schedule times to go to bed early during the week. For chatting and intimacy purposes. ;)
4. Send love notes, texts, e-mails as often as I can think of it
5. Pray for my spouse
6. Ask my spouse tough questions to challenge them in love.
7. Ask my spouse how can I serve you today
8. Remember to tell each other "I love you and am on your side" during a disagreement, fight.
9. If you can't resolve a disagreement before 10:00pm then agree to reconnect on during a scheduled time the next day.
10. Don't spend over $20 without clearing it with my spouse. 
11. Get a google or shared calendar...keep each other in the loop, don't forget to check with them before making plans...you don't belong to yourself anymore.
12. Love God more then my spouse, make sure my relationship with God comes first so I can love my spouse the way God intended.
13. God has always been faithful to provide for His children.God has blessed my marriage, through difficult situations and easy, never forget His faithfulness.
14. Use your time together wisely, and enjoy each other as often as you can.
15. May your marriage be a reflection of God to the world.
16. Stay committed to and serve in your local church together
17. Reassess your the vision/mission of your marriage often, talk about your dreams, and areas that need growth
18. Trust one another, and be open and honest in all things...even sin struggles...give one another grace.
19. Base your standard of beauty off of what your spouse looks like...in other words if he is tall, has curly hair, and a goatee then that is what I am into...that is my standard of physical beauty that everything must measure against.
20. Verbally affirm each other often, Say I love you In ways your spouse will understand everyday...learn their love language if you don't know it in order to learn how to say I love you in ways they will understand.

I am sure there are more lessons I have learned, but these stick out in my mind as the most important, life, and marriage changing lessons I have learned in the last 5 years. Trust me these are things that I myself am still working on. What has marriage taught you? What are some things you and your spouse do to serve each other?

If you don't have anything nice to say...

So today, as I stated on my facebook page, I was thinking about the saying "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" and how more people should practice this. I would equate nice with the word loving..."If you don't have anything loving to say, don't say anything at all." When I think about this phrase as it relates to loving I am thinking about 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 specifically verse 14. How short a verse yet how per found and challenging. "Do Everything in Love." I can definitely think of times when I haven't said things in love. Even seemingly "good" things like an offer of helpful advice. At first I thought I was doing something to help the individual out, but later after reflection, I realized that it may have been better not to say anything at all, and simply encourage them with a hug, or a prayer, or quality time. I am often one who is quick to speak and slow to listen...I want to fix things, make things better. I am realizing that even though I may think my intentions are good, they may not actually be loving and can result in hurting someone. So this is something I am reflecting, praying, and working through. I challenge you with the same.

Can you think of a time when you thought you were being helpful but realized in the end that it wasn't loving?
What are some practical things you do to try to live out 1 Corinthians 16:14 in your life daily?

Submission

I wanted to share some really great words from Elizabeth Eliot today. I have been making it a habit to read an excerpt from her book "Keep a Quiet Heart" each day and like usual I am challenged, inspired, or motivated to work through the various issues that are addressed. I often get asked by women about the word "submission" and how as a wife and such a strong willed women I am ok with the idea of submission. I often wish I could have the right words to explain the things I have learned over the years about how I have come to no longer think of the word "submission" as a degrading word but rather how I have come to embrace and love the idea of submission. However, don't get me wrong, submission is something I still struggle to do and is not always easy for me to embrace as it does often go against my own selfish desires. Therefore, I really think Elizabeth puts it simply, and I thought I would share this excerpt with you. I challenge you ladies to keep working through your struggle with the idea of submission, pray about it, truly seek God on it. Remembering the promises of Jeremiah 29:11 that God does have your best interests in mind, as He loves you so dearly.

What Do You Mean By Submission?
People are always asking me this. What is this business of "submission" you're always talking about? We're not really very comfortable with this. Seems kinds of negative. Sounds as though women are not worth as much as men. Aren't women supposed to exercise their gifts? Can't they ever open their mouths?

I wouldn't be very comfortable with that kind of submission either. As a matter of fact, I'm not particularly comfortable with any kind, but since it was God's idea and not mine, I had better come to terms with what the Bible says about it and stop rejecting the whole thing just because it is so often misunderstood and wrongly defined. I came across a lucid example of what it means in 1 Chronicles 11:10, NEB: "Of David's heroes these were the chief, men who lent their full strength to his government and, with all Israel, joined in making him king." There it is. The recognition, first of all, of God-given authority. Recognizing it, accepting it, they then lent their full strength to it, and did everything in their power to make him--not them--king.


Christians--both men and women--recognize first the authority of Christ. They pray "Thy will be done." They set about making an honest effort to cooperate with what He is doing, straightening out the kinks in their own lives according to His wishes. A Christian woman, then, in submission to God, recognizes the divinely assigned authority of her husband (he didn't earn it, remember, he received it by appointment!. She then sets about lending her full strength to helping him do what he's supposed to do, be what he's supposed to be--her head. She's not always trying to get her own way. She's trying to make it easier for him to do his job. She seeks to contribute to his purpose, not to scheme how to accomplish her own.

If this sounds suspiciously like some worn-out traditionalist view, or (worse) like a typical Elisabeth Elliot opinion, test it with the straightedge of Scripture. What does submission to Christ mean? "Wives, submit yourself to your husbands, as to the Lord." Compare and connect.  ~Elizabeth Eliot; "Keep a Quiet Heart"

What has God been teaching you about the word "submission?" What encourages you as you work on this character quality in your life?

We're Expecting

After a long anticipated wait we conceived naturally after 2 years of serious trying.  God is faithful to All his promises (Psalms 145:13) and has answered our fervent prayers.

God's timing is perfect! He gave us our precious gift 6 days after closing on our first house. Quite the surprise! We found out we were pregnant on Easter, April 4th, 2010 and if everything goes as planned we will be celebrating Christmas with our new addition this year. 

So how did we get here?

All I can say is that I have learned that God truly is in control. Chris and I started looking at fertility options back in November 2009 and were supposed to start our first round of fertility drugs in April, but since we were soon to be closing on our house and moving we decided to put those options on hold until this summer so I could focus on moving. I also knew that fertility treatments would mean we would have to miss a lot of work to make appointments. Something we just did not have at the time. God however, had a different plan for us and despite all the obstacles that faced us. He once again chose to show us His faithfulness to us, and how much we could really trust in Him for the desires of our heart. God didn't bless us with a child because of anything we did to deserve it, but because He is good, because He is faithful, because He hears the cries of his children and cares. I don't think I will fully understand why God made us wait, for a child, but I do know that it was worth the waiting. That God had/has a purpose in it, that his timing is perfect and He knows what He is doing. One way God is speaking to me about the perfection in His timing is that, Chris and I had a house before we had the baby, although this isn't a necessary thing, it is a helpful thing as we have room to grow. Secondly, Chris and I found out we were pregnant on April 4th, and this day is so significant to us because it is the same day that Chris and I began courting in 2004, and Chris proposed in 2005. Finally, the baby is due during the Christmas season, and financially this is going to be a huge blessing come tax season. This too, God planned perfectly as He knew we would need this financial help with the blessing of a child. Things in my life have certainly not turned out how I expected or planned them, but one thing is certian; everything has turned out better then I could have ever planned or expected. I could not have asked for better, despite all the trials, God truly was preparing me for what lies ahead. Thank You Jesus! I can't wait to see what other things he has in store. 

Here is our little peanut. 

We are very Blessed

Love,
The Harings

Oh me, Oh my, how time does fly

I can't believe I have been so lazy that I haven't been able to write a post since Christmas. That is really ridiculousness...you can feel free to chastise me for it later in the comment section of this post. Anyways in the meantime I will try to catch up all my many (one, mom you don't count) followers on the happenings and goings on in the Harings household. Well speaking of household that has been the recent most influential change in our life and I really would blame it on the fact that we bought a house that I haven't posted recently but that would be a lie since I really have been lazy.

So Alas here is the new cottage. Chris and I have been looking for houses practically since we got married 4 1/2 years ago. We are so thankful that we didn't rush into this decision. When we were looking back in 2007 we had even put an offer on a house and thanks to the Lord we didn't get the bid. Later that year and in 2008 the market crashed and low and behold we were so very thankful for divine intervention....otherwise we would end up getting ourselves into a lot more trouble then we already do. So we put our house endeavors on hold for awhile to save up more money, get better paying jobs, and wait for the government to offer the $8000 tax credit. Ok, seriously we didn't see that coming either but we are sure glad we waited when that ended up happening.

When we started re-looking fall of 2009 we weren't incredibly keen on the idea. We really did love renting, and I had become accustomed to our cute little town of Chaska. Its one of those small towns right on the outskirts of the big city where it still has a main street, a family grocery store, malt shop, and activities in the park. I honestly don't think people lock their doors in the city of Chaska...its a city trapped back in time. However with all the joys of backwards time travel comes a high price tag to go with it. Any house, even the crappiest, dumpiest, "shack" in Chaska was way out of our price range. Therefore we new we were going to have to make the move closer into the big city. Chris grew up a city kid so he didn't mind this as much but I grew up in the country so this is always a struggle for me. Don't get me wrong I love the city when I get there, but the country naturally feels like home. As a girl who moved more than 10+ times before the age of 18 I don't like moving and I don't like change. Thats when Chris comes in and says "for crying out loud woman get a control on yourself" ok just kidding he would never say that, instead its more like "I can't afford to keep up with your expensive tastes so wife were moving to the city" ok I tease he didn't say that either. Instead I pulled up my bootstrapes and did what any red blooded american girl with a slight touch of addictive behavior would do. I scoured Edina Realty and the MLS constantly, feverishly for the perfect house to meet our needs in the big city. Yes I admit it was quite the problem there for awhile. I spent hours and hours and days looking for that perfect house.

Those of you who have ever bought a house in the last 2 years might know who challenging this actually is. Its not "oh cute house lets set up a showing and buy it" instead its "oh cute house, WHAT! its already sold?! Why is it still on the stupid MLS then?"  Not to mention you need a Realtor just to see the house. That's no big deal you say to yourself. "HA!" I say. If your a Harings it is a big deal. We went through at least 4 Realtors trying to find a house just in 2009. You would be surprised how many Realtors expect to get paid just for unlocking a door for you. One example of this is when we had a terrible experience with a Realtor from Remax Associates Plus so I would not recommend this company ever. I was not happy with their service...and I am a pretty forgiving push over of a person. Alas we did find an awesome Realtor which we would with out a doubt recommend to all of our friends and as we have went through a few when you find a gem you treasure it. His name is Mark Reimler and he works for Edina Realty in Shakopee, MN. Look him up for all your home buying/selling needs.

So after we found our wonderful Realtor we had no problem finding a house. He was so on top of things, he helped me with my addictive house searching behaviors by beating me to the punch. He actually showed us houses I didn't find for him! What a novel idea, the Realtor finding houses for you. We finally stumbled across this delightful house and the second we were inside Chris and I knew this was the house that our dreams were made of. Well not really but this was the house our pocket book would allow our dreams to be made of.

After aggressively negotiating with the sellers that we were the best buyers for the house and convincing them that they did want to leave the drapes they used to so eloquently stage the windows of our soon to be new house, we were able to move in on March 15th. Ok we didn't exactly do any aggressive negotiations that was actually all Mark, but we were up against some other buyers on the house. When Chris and I suddenly arrived to our closing after weeks of throwing money around and faxing, emailing, and mailing every ounce of our most precious personal information, sweat and grantee to our first born child if we didn't pay our mortgage we were set to go. No they don't really make you give up your first born, but just about. As Chris and I blissfully listened to the closer explain to us that we were not going to have to pay as much as we thought in closing cost but we would have to pay more for the actual cost of the house we completely freaked. "Opps she said I grabbed the wrong closing package." Good we weren't going to have to pay a mortgage of $3000 a month I was starting to think of all the things I would need to say to Chris about what he had gotten us into after the closing. Instead I turned to Chris and said "whew, she had me scared there for a sec." After she grabbed the correct closing package we proceeded to sign, sign, and continue to sign every page that was put in front of us. The closer basically told us how we were writing our personal rights away and that this is an "ok" thing. Ok we really didn't sign our rights away but we did say that we would pay our mortgage on time. A short half hour and 70 hand cramps later we finally got our keys to our new home!

Chris and I are now completely moved in, loving our new neighborhood and neighbors. We love the convince of being closer to our Church family and two major freeways. It only takes a few minutes to get anywhere now. We are still working on unpacking and settling in but the house already feels like home. I finally have a place to park my van in the garage, and we have enough extra space that right now we have a renter. We don't need a renter but the beauty of having a house is that you can have one to help out a little if you want. One of the reasons we didn't like renting. Our renter is fantastic too, yet another blessing from the situation.

As a daughter of Christ It is easy for me to get caught up in the worries and struggles of every day life. I worry tremendously. I think, what if this doesn't work out, or what if this happens. I can be quite the pessimist sometimes and let myself get depressed easily. This home buying situation is just one of the many ways that God is constantly showing me that He is in control of my life. I can make my plans, and even take steps to make things happen, but as Chris and I are always praying "God if its not your will for us, please don't let it happen." God constantly reveals how faithful He is and how much we can truly rely on him for our strength, wisdom, guidance, direction and peace. So I leave my story of what we ended up buy a house with this dear precious verse to me as it is a constant reminder of how good God is. May it encourage you today, and please come stop by our new house sometime.

Psalm 40:5
"O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them."

~Hugs from The Harings

Merry Christmas!

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

"My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever." ~ Luke 1:46-55

Sometimes it's just nice knowing

photo by flicker

So yesterday Chris and I played hookie from work so we could get some important things taken care of. Most importantly the reason for us taking work off yesterday was so that we could both be present at the much anticipated doctors appointment where we could discuss fertility options (for those of you who don't know, Chris and I have been trying for a baby for one year now). Chris and I really wanted to work with The Center for Reproductive Medicine on the U of M campus because our good friends had so much success working with them to conceive their baby boy and they come very highly recommended for women who have PCOS. We unfortunately do not have the ability with our strict work schedules to drive back and forth between down town etc... for the numerous tests that would need to be preformed. Therefore we have been researching for a great OBGYN in our area. With prayer we were able to find Western OBGYN that actually is a satellite clinic for one of the doctors that works at The Center of Reproductive Medicine! This is very exciting to us because this means we will be able to get the same care, if not better, closer to home.

The appointment yesterday was a preliminary appointment where they went over our medical history and discussed options that would best suit our needs and concerns. Chris and I are looking at the beginning stages of infertility treatments and have thought, and prayed long and hard about how far we are willing to go. Our doctor thought it would be best for us to have some preliminary test taken to rule out some probable causes for us not being able to conceive. This would include getting Chris checked out to make sure he is not a contributing factor for our inability to conceive. It would also mean getting my glucose levels checked as well as getting an x-ray and ultrasound done to rule out tubal blockage, and endometriosis. Getting an ultrasound done will be beneficial for my doctor as well because then she will be able to determine what shape my ovaries are in (scaring, cysts, etc...).

My doctor believes that, pending the lab results, the best option for Chris and I at this time would be for me to start taking a prescription called Clomid, to assist my body in ovulation. She believes that my body is probably having trouble producing enough estrogen to ovulate completely. This is her speculation and she will know more after the test results come back. She may also decide to put me on a combination of Clomid and Metformin. Metformin is a diabetic medication that helps with the control of insulin resistance. If she determines that I am insulin resistant combining the meds will help my body have more chance to ovulate as too much insulin can cause hormonal imbalance.

Chris and I will be going into the clinic the day after Thanksgiving for our lab tests. Please be praying for us just that we can have wisdom and peace with the many different options and tests that we might be faced with. Also be praying for our finances because fertility tests can be expensive. I have a $3000 deductible so that has to come out of pocket before any insurance kicks in. Then insurance will only cover up to so much for fertility tests.

Its a nervous and exciting adventure we are embarking on because on one hand it makes us excited to know that we are getting closer to having a baby, and on the other side we are nervous for all that it entails, not just the "having" or "raising" of a baby, but the "trying" for the baby is a bigger worry for us because of the financial, emotional, and spiritual toll it can sometimes take. We decided to go see a fertility doctor to put our mind at ease, sometimes it is just nice knowing what is going on if we are able. There is no guarantee we will find out what is going on but for peace of mind we decided to try. Any encouragement and prayer you would like to give us is greatly appreciated, we are comfortable being open about what is going on.

Chris and I are very happy where God has lead us thus far in our marriage. We are a joyfully blessed family just the way we are, just the two of us. We relish our time together, and I often think about how much different our lives would be if we had a child, and am truly grateful for the time we have just Chris and I. Its not that we feel like we need a baby, or are unhappy without one, no matter what we want to be in God's will. Wherever, God wants us to be that is where we want to be. Yes, we truly have the desire on our heart to raise godly children one day, and at times this can be emotionally difficult, however our hope is in the Lord and His good promises, and to that end we stay encouraged with our infertility. Oh the great and wonderful plans the Lord has for us, plans to help us succeed, to become strong, to flourish and not to harm us, but to give us hope and a future.

Sparking People to loose the weight

I wanted to take a second and share with you a little news story that was done about the website I am using to track my food journal, weight, fitness etc... all in an effort to help me lose weight. SPARKPeople is a great website and very user friendly. Check out the video at:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/video/fox_video.asp
If you wanted to check out the website yourself just go to SPARKPeople.com

South Beach Diet Chronicles

So Chris and I have been trying to get pregnant for about a year now with no avail. We have done steps to find out what is going on and one of the major factors is that I have something called PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which in laymen's terms means I have trouble ovulating due to blood sugar in my body throwing my hormones off balance. So how do you solve this? Well you have a few options, go on birth control pill to help with the hormones...um did I mention we are trying to get prego?, or you can take Clomid to stimulate ovulation, or 3rd and usually combined with the use of Clomid, loose weight! Simple Right...not exactly. One thing my doctor recommended was going on the South Beach Diet because it really does help with blood sugar stabilization. I have struggled with my weight much my life, and both Chris and I have the desire to live a more healthy active lifestyle so we thought we would do it. We started on Monday, November 2nd and I have already lost 8 pounds! You can visually see it yet, as I am sure much of it is water weight but something is happening! There is no doubt...this is super exciting for us so I thought I would post what we have been doing so far:


Ok here is my meal plan thus far:

Day 1

Breakfast: 8:30-9am
2 Hard Boiled Eggs - you may eat the yoke!
1 or 2 Cheese Sticks (usually 1 but depends on how hungry)
1 5.5fl oz V8 Juice (for veggie, this has a little sugar in it from the carrots, but is aloud on the SBD Ph1)
1 Snack Cup Sugar Free Jello (I like this because I can't have fruit on phase 1, you may also make your own sugar free jello at home to save a little $ and then poor in travel friendly sizes, you are supposed to limit "sweet treats" to 75 calories a day, usually a jello snack pack is only 10 calories)
If I am still hungry I can either have more eggs or have some sort of raw veggie like : Cucumber, snow peas, celery, broccoli, green peppers or a salad...but usually I an not that hungry. If you want to you can have black beans or some sort of legume to go with your eggs this is ok too.

Mid Morning Snack: 11:30-Noon
a salad or veggies and dip

for the Salad on Phase 1 you must look for Salad Dressing with out Sugar! this is hard so I usually like Newman's Own Oil and Vinegar dressing...there is no sugar in this so its a safe bet, you may also use his Balsamic Vinegar Dressing...it does have a little sugar but if you use sparingly he says its ok to use on the diet...not light...usually light dressings have more carbs so always go for the Regular.

For the Dip you can buy Ranch Dressing or Dip season packets and mix it with low fat Sour Cream....you need to watch how much dip

Lunch: 1-1:30pm
Homemade Chili: 2 Cans Crushed Tomatoes (no sugar), 1 bag of dried kidney beans prepared (canned kidney beans have sugar),Zucchini, jalapeno pepper, green pepper, 1 pound Extra lean Ground Beef or Ground Turkey, Spices: (make sure they don't have sugar in them) onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, 1 or 2 cups water to help the broth.

Afternoon Snack: 3:30-4:00pm
More veggies and dip or salad, cheese stick, or sugar free jello cup, chicken or turkey (no sugar) - (Chris and I grilled an entire bag of Chicken on Saturday so we could have plenty of chicken for the week for snacks etc... makes it easy)

Dinner: 5:30-6:00pm
Mustard Curry Chicken : Take as many frozen chicken breasts as you would like rise them season with curry powder, and coat with mustard of choice (no sugar). Throw in oven around 375 until done...sometimes I turn up the oven near the end to 400 to get it extra done...the way I like it.
Side Dish: Black Beans and cilantro - throw in mini crock pot or pan and simmer canned black beans with cilantro and garlic
Additional Side: Frozen Green Beans

Evening Snack: 7:30-8:00pm
Sugar Free (No Sugar Added) Fudgesicle

Beverages:
Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, to flush out system it helps you loose water weight too! you will pee a lot at first but your body will stabilize. (That's 2 Nalgeen 32oz Water bottles full a day)
V8 100% Vegetable Juice - Not V8 Splash or Fusion
Crystal Light or Sugar Free Drink Mixes
Diet Soda (drink sparingly)
Coffee - No sugar added, Black
Tea - Sugar Free
No Alcohol as it is high in Sugar
No more than 1 caffeinated beverage a day!

Most importantly it says if you are hungry you need to eat!!! Not eating slows down your metabolism, so I eat pretty much every 2 hours even if I don't feel super hungry...and thus I have not had that crazed starving hypoglycemic feeling. I make sure I don't eat at least 2 hrs before bed but if I am really hungry after trying to drink water and other things...it probably means I didn't eat enough at snack time or dinner time and then I will have some low cal snack...but try not to eat at least 2 hrs before bed.

That is one day on the South Beach Diet - I can give you more ideas if you would like. 4 Things I recommend if you go on the diet

1. Buy this book as it will tell you all the food you can and cannot have: South Beach Diet Good Fats/ Good Carbs
2. No need to buy the SBD cookbook Check this website out for recipies! And SBD tips: Kalyn's Kitchen
3. Check these websites out for other SBD tips and support: South Beach Diet Plan & South Beach Diet 101 & just Google it lots of sites come up with ideas and tips.
4. Check out Spark People to track your SBD success for free!

Ask me if you have any more questions! I am not a dietitian or Doctor so you will want to talk with them first but I would be happy to share some tricks and tips I found useful!

Prayer Request

It has been awhile since I have posted anything, but I wanted to let you know that a very dear friend of mine is battling a very rare form of cancer called DPAM. Chris and I have been very busy trying to serve her and her family during this time. Below are two websites that we have created to help the family during this difficult time. Please feel free to check out Dana's CaringBridge website to learn more about what our friend Dana and her family is going through. This will also give you an idea of what whe have been up too lately. Thank you for all your prayers and support for the family. I will be updating the blog soon with some more info about our recent weekend away.

Dana's CaringBridge Website













Dana's Lots of Helping Hands Website

Hugs,

Chris & Joy

A Family of Two | MarriagePartnership.com

A Family of Two | MarriagePartnership.com
We didn't choose to be child-less, but we've discovered some great things about our marriage because of it.
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Evoclin is my friend

So I have been prescribed the acne medication Evoclin for my face and I have to tell you I am so happy I finally went to a dermatologist and stopped messing around with over the counter meds. Not to mention that I didn't mess around when it came to finding a quality dermatologist. I highly recommend Crutchfield Dermatology...they are not the cheapest route but they are no BS if you know what I mean and they have a great staff that really listen to your needs and explain things. anyways...so after a few months of using Evoclin...it is rare if I get a breakout. Usually the only time that I get a breakout is after wearing makeup which is horrible for your face anyways. If I do get a breakout I dab a little of my convenient Evoclin foam on my face and vola overnight it is GONE! I love this stuff...but let me tell you it does have a hefty price tag. If your insurance doesn't cover it to buy it would cost you $299. Luckily Crutchfield knows about this and will help you get an insurance discount card so you can easily afford the medication. I was lucky enough to have my appendix out this year so my prescription deductible was meat so it didn't cost me anything...I guess we will see what happens when my insurance renews, but until then I am getting a free refill and using sparingly. Hope this encourages those out there that know the angst and pain of dealing with painful adult acne. Remember I am not a Doctor so Evoclin may not be right for you...check with your dermatologist for the best option. (I know, I sound like a prescription drug commercial)

Made an Offer!

Chris and I made an offer on a house last night! This is the picture that is up on the MLS right now, unfortunately there are no inside pictures right now. We could be up against some competition on this house. This is ok, because we don't have a lot of wiggle room for our price, we are firm, therefore if we don't get it its just meant to be. Please pray that if it is Gods will for us to have this house that we will, and that if it is not that we would not be able to get this house. This house is a ranch style home...not the style I tend to gravitate too as I enjoy the wide open spaces of most split entry homes. However I have to say that this house is very cute! Not to mention my favorite part is that it has a LARGE kitchen! Plus they have done updates throughout. Finally it is really close to my church family which would be a huge blessing. I will be sure to keep you all posted!

DIY Garden Pots

photo credit: Carly Hennigan/ Istock
I have always wanted to start a container garden on my deck/patio, as I live in an apartment and do not have land to start my own garden. One problem, containers can be so expensive and the cheap ones break really easy after a few years. So I have been bound and determined to find a solution to my gardening container needs and thanks to HGTV I have finally found that recourse I needed. Here is a video that explains how to make your very own containers from practically any old container you have laying around. These containers look great, and when I finally get the chance to test this awesome gardening recipe out I will post my findings! Hope you enjoy.

DIY Gardening Pots by HGTV

NEW "New Moon" Trailers!

Click here for the latest trailers for the November 20th release of New Moon!

Meet Jacob Black










Picture thanks to Summit Entertainment

Expanded New Moon Trailer thanks to the VMA awards!









Picture thanks to Summit Entertainment

Its just around the corner!