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Friday, February 17, 2012

Be Still

I have really been focusing on taking some quiet time every day. When you think of stay at home moms you probably don't think a little quiet time would be hard to come by.....but let me tell you!!!
Mike and I have recently become part of a new small group. I was so anxious and nervous about this. If you have read my blog for any length of time you know how much our last small group meant to us. What an amazing group of people we were able to do life with. I now refer to them as "my chosen family"! They will forever hold a special place in our hearts and will forever be my FAMILY! I prayed A LOT about the group of people God would perfectly choose to place together and boy has He come through. After just 2 weeks we are all pretty comfortable and at ease with one another. We also laugh A LOT and I have already cried once! We have had some great conversations and just started a new study. "The Tangible Kingdom" (primer) I 100% trust that God put the 8 of us together for something great. I have already learned so much about myself and God's desire for me in our two short meetings.
Just wanted to share what God has placed on my heart through readings this week. Please pray that he will begin to reveal more of His calling to me.
1. Time to trade in my plans for HIS plans.
2. "We are passing through this life with a sense of purpose, duty, passion and responsibility for the mission of God." TKP
3. God has spent many years preparing me just for this time. Time to give up the control that I so strongly hold on to. Let go and Let God!
4. I may feel inadequate but I can do anything with Him.
5. Jesus told me in the new testament, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you!" The call to be missional is for everyone not just the chosen.
I have so many emotions running through me as I stand at this crossroad wondering what is coming next. Excitement, trust, love, self doubt, anxiety, fear! It's time to BE STILL, sit at His feet, breathe and take in all He has for me.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Usborne Books and More

I just wanted to share with everyone that I am now part of the Usborne Books and More team. I am super pumped about this venture as I am getting to help Isaiah grow his library with some amazing books. I know the value of spending time in a good book with your kids and I love seeing them learn so many new things. We offer great hostess rewards every month and I promise you, these books are great quality. Usborne believes it too, they offer a GUARANTEE on all their books. If you are interested in hosting a party and earning FREE books for your family just let me know and I would LOVE to set something up. If hostessing a party isn't your thing but you want some GREAT books for your kids, email me and I can get you a catalog or send you my website link to order. I also do baby showers (Mommy to be registers for books and earns the hostess rewards!) What better gift to give than the gift of reading! It's never too early to start reading to your children and it's never too late! Help them learn to love reading! If I can help you find a certain book, please just let me know!
jenny.deangelis@gmail.com

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Happy Birthday Daddy

This weekend we celebrated Michael's 31st birthday. And when I say weekend, I mean EVERY BIT of it was jam packed with birthday festivities. It was so fun and I know it will be a memory we treasure forever. Thursday night I knew that our weekend was going to be very involved so I talked Michael into opening his presents early. Isaiah decorated some wrapping paper (and himself) for his Daddy!



Michael got all kinds of goodies that we have been enjoying this past week. We got him the magic bullet for his protein shakes and smoothies (I have enjoyed using it to chop chicken and onions with as well).

His mom and Pete sent him a flat screen for the bedroom. Our elyptical is in our bedroom (so romantic i know) and we are super pumped about being able to watch TV while we run. Also when Isaiah goes to bed we would love to just curl up in bed and watch a movie (we are showing our age i know). hahaha

My parents got the Kuereg one cup coffee maker. It has been so fun trying SO many new flavors of coffee. Each morning is a new experience!

David and Kristen sent him a Lord's Gym shirt to work out in. He has been wanting one of these forever!

He also got some money from his dad, marianne and his grandma. I'd say he did pretty well....and that was just the beginning of the surprises and fun!
Friday, after he got off work, I surprised him with a babysitter for Isaiah. We then went out to dinner with our friends the Devereauxs' and the Blichers'. We started off at Natalie's for discount pitchers and wings. Again, I am going to show my age, but the table behind us was so loud and rowdy we couldn't wait to get out of there. So after we ate we headed to the Red Door Wine Market to induldge in some craft beers, wine, low key music and fire pits under the Florida palm trees. Now that's my kind of good time!


Saturday morning we were up and at it again. We headed up to Lakeland's annual PigFest with our friends the Parmers' and the Churchs' where we induldged in some of the best bar b que I have ever had. And this is coming from a Memphis girl! We sampled ribs, bar b que nachos, pulled pork, redneck salad (homemade french fries smothered in nacho cheese, pulled pork, jalepenos and bbq sauce) and a pulled pork eggroll (stuffed with slaw, pulled pork and bbq sauce). It was FAN TAS TIC ! We washed it all down with an Arnie Palmer (sweet tea mixed with lemonade).





After we left PigFest we loaded up the car and Isaiah was passed out before we left the parking lot. We had an errand to run which ended up taking a little longer than I thought so we decided not to interrupt Isaiah's nap and we drove out to Plant City to find the country's best strawberry milkshake at Parkesdale Farms. Slap ya Mamma cuz this thing was A MAZ ING ! There must have been something in the air because we ran into the Garmon family and later discovered Stephanie had taken Carson for his first shake that same day!






After we stuffed our faces and rolled ourselves home we relaxed in our pj's for a few hours. Around 630 our small group and the Fazios came over to watch the UFC fight (of course the girls hung out in the living room). It was a fun time!
Sunday morning we were up and headed to church to thank the Lord for all His blessings. And boy oh boy do we have lots to be thankful for! After church we just kept on going! We headed to Orlando to take advantage of our annual Sea World passes. Isaiah had so much fun watching the shows and copying the animal sounds. We saw sting rays, dolphins, whales, sea lions, sharks, puppies, cats, birds, pigs, baracudas and polar bears. We even got super brave and sat in the splash zone at the shamu show. Isaiah didn't think it was as funny as we did, but he was a trooper.








After a full day at Sea World we headed to downtown disney for dinner at the TRex Cafe. It is all decked out with prehistoric creatures on the inside. Every 15 minutes the animals come to life. It is awesome....almost as awesome as the coronarita we shared!





It was a great weekend. I felt like we had been on vacation. It was so nice to make some memories with two of my favorite guys. Isaiah even wrapped up the long weekend by sleeping in until 10am on Monday morning. THANK YOU ISAIAH!
Michael, I hope you had a wonderful 31st birthday and I look forward to many more celebrations. I LOVE YOU!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

What Did He Say?


I always wondered what it would be like when Isaiah started talking. I never knew a voice could be as cute and perfect as his is. He has SO MANY words to use. He talks and talks and talks and talks (that is until someone he doesn't know talks to him then he clams up) hahaha! Here is a list of all his words at 15 months!
Mommy, Daddy, buddy, puppy, juice, baba (bottle), cheese, eat, done done (all done), outside (his favorite place), Macey (Mason), Jacey (Jason), froggy, book, light, own (on), off, gasses (glasses) dance (when he wants me to turn on my phone and let him dance: favorite song is Cee Lo Green "forget you" ooooops), dis (this), see (and he points.....at EVERYTHING), ar ar ar ar (sound the sea lions make at sea world), woof woof (dog), uh oh, bath, teeth (when he wants to brush his teeth), ko-bay (we aren't sure what this one means yet but he says it all the time), hot, movie (when he wants to watch a baby einstein movie), blocks, boat, NO! (I'm not such a fan of this one but he definitly hears it a lot so it's no wonder he says it back), bite, sock, shoe, paci, monkey, raaaahhhhh (sound of monster and dinosaur), bunny, cat, bye bye (and he blows kisses), head, nose, ears, toes, weinie (and he grabs it and laughs....all boy), booty, ball (as in the kind you play with, meatballs and anything else that is round and looks like it rolls), car, tuck (truck), baby, up, and he tries to repeat just about anything else we say. I'm pretty sure he has a lot more words but these are the ones I hear daily and can remember off the top of my head. Loving every minute with this sweet boy!

Give Thanks!

Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with song, And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Over the holidays one of my girlfriends hosted a get together for some friends. Of course we had some great food and wine and no Christmas party would be complete without an ornament swap (dirty Santa style)! What set this party apart were the moments of reflection and thankfulness. We shared about the highs and lows of our year. We looked forward to 2012. We prayed for one another. We cried together and laughed together! It is truly something I look forward to doing every year. As a gift, our hostess made us notebooks. "365 things I'm thankful for in 2012" She challenged us to take time out every day to find at least one thing we are thankful for. Here is what I want to tell you: this has truly changed my attitude. Do I still have bad days? YES! Do bad things still happen? YES! Am I handling them a little differently than before? YES (for the most part...I'm only human!) I really feel different on the inside. I feel better at the end of the day when I reflect on all the amazing things I have to be thankful for. Some days are simple and sweet, others are profound! Each month I will be sharing mine through this blog. So here I go.......

JANUARY

1- Today I am thankful that Christ will one day return for me, His bride! Thank you, God, for paying the ultimate price for my salvation. Thank you for TBA church and for moving us 800 miles from home just to bring us back home to You!
2- Thankful for a family fun day with Mike and Isaiah as we enjoy Daddy's last day of vacation. These special days make my heart smile.
3- Thankful that nothing is too difficult for the Lord! Giving all the self doubt and insecurities to Him.
4- Isaiah slept through the night! Until 830 this morning! The Lewis family. It was so nice to have dinner with them and help Steph work on her photography dream.
5- Thankful for police officers who protect us every day. Thankful to share in Mike Lewis' special day as he was sworn in to LPD. Thankful God is present with the officers and they aren't afraid to make that fact known!
6- Thankful for the Garmon family. Love our family play dates.
7- Thankful for the Tres Dias community, friends that pray with us and for us, music and how excited Isaiah was when we picked him up from the sitters house.
8- Thankful for quiet time and lazy days.

9- Good friends and fun times! College football! ROLL TIDE 2011 national champs BAMA vs LSU 21-0

10- Thankful for play dates and girl talk with Tara. God knew exactly what He was doing when He blessed me with this friendship. I am thankful to have a true friend to share this parenting journey with.

11- Thankful for girl talk with Windella. Clean clothes (laundry day)! The little things!
12- Thankful for old friends that stay dear to our hearts. Had a blast visiting with the Baes family in Disney.
13- Jen Stiverson, walks, starbucks and caramel lattes.
14- Thankful for the women in Tres Dias who openly share their stories.
15- Thankful for TBA church. Thankful for a great place to go sing praises to God (and a worship pastor that ROCKS!)
16- Thankful for my husband. He came home and is giving Mommy a much needed break (must have been one of those long days...hahaha) Family walks!
17- Thankful for God's answered prayers. So looking forward to future projects. "greater things are yet to come. Greater things are still to be done in this city"
18- Being able to stay at home with my sweet boy. Rainy days. Humidifiers for runny noses. Face Time with the GP's (aka grandparents)

19- Thankful for a husband who loves God more than he loves me. Oysters on the 1/2 shell!

20- Thankful for bonds I made with my students when I taught. It was so nice to see them all today and still have them get excited and ask for hugs. Some days I miss teaching.
21- Thankful for my sweet friend Jen. Spending time with her makes me so happy! She truly helps me focus on the important things in life. Oh and the pot of coffee we guzzled was pretty yummy, too!
22- Thankful for Sunday lunch with friends (as wild and crazy as the DeAngelis/Garmon end of the table was) Thankful Isaiah is FINALLY asleep (what a day)
23- Moments of silence
24- Thankful for walks around Lake Hollingsworth with my precious friend, Jen. Her friendship, wisdom and love for the Lord mean the world to me.
25- Thankful for Gods calling to begin serving in new and challenging ways. Thankful for a relaxing and quiet morning with my sweet friend Joni. We even got some work done! :)
26- Thankful for a new friendship with Jenny G. New opportunities and clear revelations.
27- Thankful for the safe and healthy arrival of Miss Alice Layne Hopkins. Babysitters!!!! Thankful for our sweet friends who are taking part in Mike's birthday celebration weekend. A good heart to heart with my most favorite loon, Karen. I love her so much and pray for LOTS of blessings her way in 2012. She knows how to make me laugh like none other!
28- Pig Fest, strawberry milkshakes and an amazing group of people who helped make Mike's birthday weekend absolutely perfect!
29- Thankful for my amazing husband who brings so much joy and laughter to my life. What an amazing weekend we had celebrating his 31st birthday. Thankful for Sea World passes!
30- Publix and BOGOS Chicken noodle soup and coffee

31- Beautiful weather. Thankful for Dad's who invest and get involved with their kids. It warmed my heart to see Mike and Andy take time from work and spend their lunch time at the park with the boys and us.


I know that was a lot to read but WOW I have so much to be thankful for. And so do you. I really encouarge you to go through your day and find the things to be thankful for. It really might change your attitude! Smiles are contagious people!!!