I’m going to make this blog short and sweet because I don’t really have much to say about it because it is so devastating and heartbreaking to continue to think about and speak on but sad to say that once again someone has taken the lives of innocent people and this time it was 6 and 7 year old students and a adults.

We live in a crazy world and it seems like we aren’t safe hardly any where that we go.

On the day that it happened these were my exact thoughts…. “I couldn’t even bare to watch the news for more than 10 mins! I have been in Prayer today for these families and for my very own. This is another tragedy in America and all we can do is Pray. I teach Madison to pray at night for God to protect her. They may have taken prayer out of the school but it is our responsibility to teach our children to pray and allow them to see us praying in our home. Also, I don’t know a lot about Mental Illness but what I do know is that people have to start taking it serious. Even if you have a child or family member that suffers from it. Make sure they take their Meds, are in counseling, and have regular Psych Evaluations.”

I pray for those families in Connecticut that lost a child or loved one on 12/14/2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I pray that God will strengthen them and give them a peace that surpasses all understanding. I pray that each day (even though it probably feels impossible) they will find the strength to make it.

Someone sent this to my husband and it really encouraged me and I hope you are encouraged too!

Responding to the Tragedy in Connecticut:

Our hearts are broken for the families whose children were slaughtered in the Connecticut grade school on Friday. There’s nothing more heart-rending than the death of an innocent child. David wrote about wicked people who, “shoot from ambush at the innocent man; they shoot at him suddenly, without fear”. (Psalm 64:4)

I can’t think of anything more evil than for someone to gun down a defenseless, terrified kindergartner – let alone an entire classroom! We can understand why Jesus warned if anyone harms one of these little ones it would be better for him if a millstone was draped around his neck and he be drowned in the depths of the sea. We can only conclude that the young perpetrator of this horrible deed was mentally deranged.

Let’s really pray for the parents, the grandparents, the brothers and sisters of the slain children – they are experiencing unspeakable grief. Let’s pray that God brings a special comfort to those who mourn in the depth of their souls tonight.

Let’s be sure to do our part to protect our own children. Insist that your children’s school has proper protection. There is really no totally safe place, but we have an obligation to protect the lives and innocence of our kids the best we can. In 1849 Robert Winthrop stated, “Men…must necessarily be controlled, either by a power within them, or by a power without them; either by the Word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible, or by the bayonet.” Having scoffed at the Bible and removed it from our classrooms, we are left trying to restrain the carnal nature of man by force.

Let’s understand the times and be ready for the Lord’s return. The Apostle Paul predicted, “There will be terrible times in the last days….evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse….” (2 Tim. 3:1 & 13)

Jesus prophesied the final days would see an increase in anarchy. “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man”. (Matthew 24:37)…. In the days of Noah, “The earth was corrupt in God’s sight and full of violence” (Gen. 6:11)

I am convinced we are in the final stages of history and are witnessing the unraveling of a society that has rejected God. The increase of violence and mass shootings is just one of a number of signals that the Lord’s return is eminent. Just as salmon instinctively swim upstream, God’s people should be looking up, sensing their redemption is drawing near.

Let’s make a concerted effort to train our children to know the Lord and respect Biblical standards of truth. They aren’t going to be taught right and wrong in value-neutral schools. They are bombarded with anti-biblical messages from violent video games, popular music, and vulgar movies. Christian parents must be proactive. Read the Bible to your children. Discuss spiritual matters when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

In the movie Shawshank Redemption, Andy, a banker who has been imprisoned for a double murder he did not commit, tells Red, a man he befriends in prison, “Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free”. Let’s be courageous enough to live with hope and not fear. The Scripture admonishes us, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer…. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)

God has not promised us exemption from tragedies or death. But He has promised to be with us through whatever happens. Let’s rise to the occasion and be strong and courageous and joyful in all circumstances. This is no time to hunker down in our homes and refuse to go to any public place for fear some madman with an automatic weapon may unload on us. Our children and our neighbors need the inspiration of Godly people who are fearless.

Revelation speaks of those who overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Our kids don’t need to see us biting our nails and sheltering them from all risks. They need to see that our faith in Christ is genuine and that, “we will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day” (Psalm 91:5) because “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

The Apostle Paul went on to write, “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

-Bob Russell

First let me say I am definitely proud of myself for seeing a craft on Pinterest and being determined to do it and complete it.

I put to much Parenting pressure on myself sometimes. I mean when I think about it I know I’m not alone but I hate the pressure. lol

Here are a few examples of when the “pressure” comes in………………………………..

1. If I don’t play with them for a long period of time– I mean what is the actual time limit that you should play with your kids? If I play with them for 10 mins right before bed time or earlier in the day I feel like a failure b/c I’m doing it just to please myself to make myself feel like super mom and if I play with them for more than an hour I get frustrated because Madison ALWAYS tells me what to do and how to do it and oh my goodness, the whole lets play barbie drives me nuts with the whole play talking and walking. 
2. Giving in to all of their “wants”. Mallorie wants me to hold her all the time or she just wants to be under me 24/7. I mean I try not to give in to all of her wants but I hate to hear her cry and it gives me a headache  so I give in ALL the time. Madison always wants something out of the store no matter where we are. Shoot we could be at a car wash and she’s going to say she wants air freshener. Lol… I think you get where I’m going with her but yeah. I’m working on not giving in so much. Well, not as much as I should but I want to:)
3. When I have that I’m tired attitude with them and I’m just so frustrated. After the king has gotten on my nerves about not helping out sometimes or I have heard “mommy” way to many times. My mommy dearest starts kicking in and I feel like I’m having an outer body experience because of all the things that’s happening around me so I am really trying to work on the whole being frustrated thing but ummmm its so difficult. 
4. I hardly ever take them to the park b/c I think creepy people hang out at parks and I think that maybe someone is watching me or something. Weird I know but hey don’t blame it on me blame it on Criminal Minds and Law & Order: SVU… HA!

Lately, a lot of my time has been put into crafting AND I absolutely LOVE it!!!! I have enjoyed it quite a bit too. It all started last year. I decided I wanted to start making my daughters bows because it is definitely cheaper than buying it in the store. My love for making bows started to grow into wanting to experience crafting with other things.

So far I’ve made Bows, a tutu, our fall wreath, and Breast Cancer Ribbons for all the women at our church. It has definitely been a great experience and it also shows me that I have more to me than I thought.

Sometimes we limit ourselves to one thing or we think that we are only capable of being wives, mothers, friends, or to do that one thing that everyone has boxed us into doing but I learned just through my experience with crafting is that we have so much to offer this world. We forget about our creative side and what we could actually do if we just sat down and learned.

Hey, Being a SAHM has its perks:) I have been able to do a lot and I can’t wait to do more!

Follow me along for the Journey,
Martina

Baby girl is approaching her 1st Birthday and I am having mixed emotions. The sweetest baby in this world is  growing up right before my eyes. The crazy thing is that since she’s been teething these last few weeks I have been able to cuddle with her and rock her to sleep. It seems as if she’s a baby all over again and I am enjoying every bit of it.

I am not letting these precious times and memories pass me by, I am soaking it all in and enjoying every minute of it. I keep telling Mel that I just had her last year and now she’s talking, walking, getting attitudes, when she can’t have her way and she’s eating anything she can put in her mouth on.

I love her with everything in me and I am so excited about the years to come:)

I have so many party ideas… Pretty in pink, An Owl theme, or a Fall “non-scary” Halloween 1st Birthday. I just can’t seem to make up my mind but whatever I do, I will definitely post pictures.

I LOVE YOU MALLORIE VICTORIA:)

I was going to title this blog “I’m Back” but I already have 2 of those so I decided to blog, like I never stopped. I’ve been gone for 7 months  and I have definitely missed blogging! So much has happened so I’ll start with this one.

As you can see on my last post in March I created the a SavetheDate with Shutterfly for our vow renewal. The day came on July 14th and it was the most stressful, adventurous, happiest days of my life. Me and Mel were married on June 22, 2007 but we eloped and never had an actual ceremony and decided to have one on our 5th year wedding anniversary. It was simply amazing…. There were some things that I wasn’t satisfied with or should I say didn’t turn out the way I wanted it too but overall it was really the best day of my life. Our colors were Platinum, Ivory, Yellow, and Black. It came out perfect. Simply Beautiful. I will post pictures to let them speak for itself. To top it off we wore yellow converse for the reception and everyone loved it. Mel wore charcoal gray and I wore an Ivory Galina Signature gown from David’s Bridal. The collar on my dress was “killa” HA! Below you will see pictures of our day…. Enjoy:)