Marriage and How We Deal with Differences

You learn a lot about your spouse living with one another. We dated for 8 years before we got married and didn't live together until we said "I Do". 7 1/2 years later, we still are learning about each other and I love it!

We are reading Sacred Marriage  with our Cell Group {small group} and I know I've said it before, but if you haven't read it and are married or will be, pick up a copy! We were talking about how we deal with differences last night. How you handle periods of anger or frustration with your spouse. Everyone is different and you can learn to respect each other's differences. When the hubs is angry or frustrated, he deals with it differently than I do. He gets quiet and needs some space to breathe and think. He is not one that wants jump into a long discussion right away, like how I used to want to resolve things. He needs time to process. I've learned that in order for a conversation to be productive, I need to allow him that time. Funny thing is, I've become that way too. It works best for us. We both can communicate about a situation better when we've had a few minutes, hours or a day to mull it over and even pray about it. At times we do discuss things right away, but most of the time, we need a little breather.

Figuring out the best way to communicate with your spouse is imperative to your marriage. I'm no expert and we have our flaws, but we strive to have a marriage that reflects Him. And that means we commit to working on it, with each other, daily.

A good marriage isn't something you find, it's something you work for. It takes struggle. You must crucify your selfishness. You must at times confront, and at other times confess. The practice of forgiveness is essential.- Gary Thomas-Sacred Marriage

 I'm thankful for a God that gives us grace, forgiveness and loves us through every situation-good or bad. I want to {and try to} love my husband that way!

Just some of my thoughts on marriage today:)

two in one...

I read these two books in one week! They are both incredible books of true stories so if you haven't read them, please do! You won't regret it!

I did cry in both, so if you are a crier- get a box of tissue.

Heaven is for Real is a touching story of a sweet little boy who experienced heaven, and told of his experience in such detail. It's a story of hope that left me in awe! I read this one in one sitting.

trying not to complain and a good book

I'm really trying not to complain, especially when so many affected by the tornadoes don't have hot water, but I'm just really praying that our hot water heater hasn't gone out. I woke up this am to a freezing cold shower. I had the knob turned all the way to the hottest setting and nothing!


Our house was built 5 years ago. Is it normal these days to have to replace all the "big" appliances this early?! We aren't very handy people, so if anyone has a suggestion on how we can check to see if it's working without us calling a repair person, please let me know!!!


Also, I go back to the doctor on Friday. I took an ovulation kit this past month(actually 2 weeks worth) and it showed that I had an LH surge. But weeks came and went and lots of tests were BFN's so I called the dr and had my progesterone pulled again. Results are in that I'm back to not ovulating (wasn't on clomid last month) so she's going to check me out and hopefully prescribe me another round of clomid.


Husband thinks it's way unnecessary that she has to see me before prescribing when I was only on it one time. Oh well, here's hoping that it's not wasted $$!


I just started another round of provera. It feels like I'm back in march. One step forward, 2 steps back I guess.

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I started reading the book A Praying Life last week. I could have kicked myself after Melodie told me it was a free download on amazon and I forgot to download it. I checked back just a few days later when she mentioned the book and it wasn't free anymore. BUT I downloaded it and am so glad I did! It's an awesome book so far and it reminds us to be childlike in prayer, spilling what ever is on our hearts to Christ

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Paul Miller reminds us to "not be embarrassed by how needy your heart is and how much it needs to cry out for grace. Just start praying!"


At this stage in my life I feel very needy and that's ok. I'm learning to prayerfully rely on Jesus in a new way.


I pray short little prayers, longer ones, but when something comes to my mind or is one my heart or even if I've just talked to someone, I  pray about it. I find my self just praying more. He writes that praying allows our lives to feel more orderly and gives us a peace, even when things surrounding us are chaotic and crazy at times. It's teaching me to lean on Him, because I can't physically and emotionally handle things on my own. Even though we've been taught it year after year, I didn't fully comprehend how much I needed to rely and trust fully in His word until a situation out of "my" control came to be. And yes, we cling harder when life brings it's little trials, but I want to be a clinger all through life and not just when things become difficult. I want to trust and learn every day.

So on my down days, which I have a lot of, I'm spilling out my heart, making known just how I feel. Dirty. Messy. Overwhelmed.



I'm only on chapter 5, but I think this book will be one I read multiple times.


One of my favorite quotes from the book so far...

"Learning to pray doesn't offer us a less busy life; it offers us a less busy heart."

Thankful for this book this week... It's a dirty, messy, overwhelming week!

Next read...

I'm really looking forward to this next book for book club! I follow her blog and enjoy her recipes. I think it will be a great read!

What have been some of your favorite books?

New Year's Goals

 I went back and looked at the goals I posted last year and I can pretty much put a giant FAIL next to all but one and half! We did join and get involved in a church here in Keller and I didn't read a book a month, but more than 1 every other month. That counts for half, right?!?!

So here are a few things I really want to achieve this year:

Menu planning every week. I started this towards the second half of the year, but stopped after only a month or two. As of today, I have the first 3 weeks in January planned!! Thankyouverymuch!!

I did try to read one book a month last year and it pretty much consisted of the books we read for book club plus two. 2010 reads:
 The Help (Awesome read, probably my fav for the year)
 29 Gifts
 Ender's Game
 Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Me Talk Pretty One Day
 One Day (only read half)
Deliver This (no, we aren't expecting. I read this as more of an educational book that discusses the many different ways to birth a child. Very interesting!)
and in the middle of 3 or almost finished with others!

My intentions were good, but  didn't quite meet my 12 book goal. So for 2011, I'm aiming for 15 books! YEP! I can do it! Starting book number 1 tonight for Book Club. Heart of the Matter  by Emily Giffin{I actually checked out the audio version on this one, but I am counting it anyways}  Also, I just found out that Fort Worth library branches now have eBook checkouts!!! I'm so excited that I can check out and download books to my Sony Reader with out every going to the library.

Of course it wouldn't be  new year's with out trying to commit to go to the gym more regularly. Trying for 3 times a week again! I'd like to be 10lbs less.

I have other goals for 2011 and as a couple we have more, but these are just a few to share with my 1 reader! :)

helping me with my new years goals...

I'm so very thankful for all the birthday celebrations I had with all of my different families. We enjoyed a Hibachi dinner with dad's side, Chinese and strawberry shortcake with mom's side and dessert with the in-laws.

Thank you for making me feel special!

I was super excited to give my brother a drawing of a picture that mom took of his puppy laying on his cowboy boot. He loved it and I so enjoyed making it for him. I am by no means an artist, but love to draw! Those were always my favorite classes to take in college. I've only taken still life drawing classes and definitely find drawing living things very challenging. I looked everywhere for my drawing pencils and couldn't find them anywhere, so a regular pencil had to do. {I've since then been given money to invest in some new pencils!}




of course I had to modify it a little to my drawing abilities, but still pretty proud of it! {ps it looks better in person than in the picture. I feel like I'm displaying kindergarten work haha}


I think he appreciated it:)



I was also very excited about one of my gifts. It should help me keep one of my new years goals! Mom gave me a Sony reader!! And Matt gave me a gift card towards books!



Let me start off by saying that I will continue to frequent book stores and of course, buy books! There's just something about the experience that I cannot give up! Plus, I want to continue to support them and keep them in business.

I do love my reader! I finished my first book of the year and picked up my reader for the first time yesterday to start book number 2, The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks {one of my all time fav authors}

It's super easy to use and can store 19492551936 books. Not really, but it does hold a lot! Mine came with a book-type case that makes it feel like I'm holding a book. I definitely recommend it:). Just as long as you too, vow to keep supporting the good ole book stores!!

Now off to my reader while I wait for the hubs to finish a meeting. Then, it's off to the gym for the first time this year!

FREE reads?!

I found this thru Fantabulously Frugal! She is a 20-something who posts about deals, steals and giveaways. If you haven't checked out her site, you definitely should. She has posted about some awesome deals!

Random House is giving away a few new books, while supplies last, as a "read it forward" effort. They are hoping that you would request a copy of a book, read it, then pass it along to someone else to read. You can only have one entry per email address. I just signed Ricardo and I up and hopefully our books will be here soon. I don't think he will read them, but I sure will!

How neat is that?!

Click here for your FREE book!