So now that it’s no longer a secret, it’s official, baby number 3 is coming late July early August!

After the health issues I went through to get pregnant with our miracle Jude, we were anxious about the process we’d go through for this one. We tried for close to a year and I felt pretty defeated, and almost quit on my miracle before it arrived. All that to say, Gods timing is perfect and there’s no way to put parameters on it. Seriously, he will laugh at you. Experienced morning sickness the first couple months and finally just dealing with being overtired. Thankful the boys are in school during the day and I have plenty of time for guilt free napping!

Going in tomorrow for the NT ultrasound, to help identify any risk for Down syndrome as well as other chromosomal abnormalities and some major structural abnormalities. Hoping to also get some feedback from our NIPT blood testing I took a few weeks ago.

Thanks again for all the love and appreciate all the prayers!

After going through some pretty big stuff already in my lifetime, I’ve come to recognize the signs. And I will literally ask myself, how is this setting me up for what I’ve asked for? And 99% of the time that’s exactly how it works out. Gods never testing me for fun, it’s always a set up for the next miracle He’s working on in my life. So yes, the year of infertility, although it’s been heartbreaking, God has brought me through some other really big things this year that I wouldn’t have been able to handle while pregnant. Even my scare with cervical cancer back in 2014/2015, it brought me out with stronger faith than I could have dreamed of. This year my word is “steadfast”, I want to have unwavering faith in what God is doing. I want to still believe in those dreams that I have in my heart, even when it looks like all hope is lost and know without a doubt Gods setting it all up.
Where do you feel God is preparing you? Where’s your highest point of discouragement right now? I’d love to know so I can be praying for you through it.

Hey y'all!  It's been a minute since I've posted and I have many reasons why. Family, work, sickness, all of the above. The biggest has been I really want to make sure I'm posting what you want to read!

I've been over on Instagram and if you ever want to see how or what me and my family are doing please hop over there and check out our ridiculous stories or transparent posts!

What's new?

Well, my word of the year is FOCUS. So that's been a challenge I've felt God put on my heart for good reason. And as always, it's not in the way I thought when the word first came to me. I'm really becoming more laser focus on life and purpose and finding ways to say no. I've been better at saying no to things I know I can't do or that weren't good for me but the things I love to do have been harder to say no to. But y'all know, I'm not superwoman and I can't do all of the things. My husband said it best just the other day, "there's nothing wrong with just focusing on being a stay at home right now." And I don't know why it took him saying that for me to really find the value in it. It also made me realize how I never found peace in that calling on it's own. I felt that I didn't have value in myself unless I was contributing financially to my family. So here's to a year of focus, and y'all get to join the ride on social media! 

Back in October I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, another thing I've shared everywhere but here. I'm gonna get better at that, promise!  At the end of February I went in to have my 3 month labs and it was a really great visit. I have really taken this low carb life to heart and have made a lot of changes in my diet so it was good to see it pay off. My levels on every account were much lower and took me out of the Diabetic and Pre Diabetic range all together. According to my blood work I'm NORMAL. I've also dropped 42 lbs in the last year and that in itself is just crazy. A lot of you have followed me on that journey via Instagram and have messaged me that you want me to share recipes and meal plans and I plan on getting that together soon!  I've learned so much the past 6 months, that's for sure and I don't plan on stopping! It was never about weightloss, it was always about health. I'm 34 and that's too young to have a scary diagnosis over my head that I have the blessing to be able to control and just not control it. That's just stupid and lazy and I won't go out like that, lol!

And then last but not least our baby turned 13 years old. THIRTEEN, y'all!  I started this blog somewhere like 10 years ago as a fun place for my family to come and see updates of our little play doh loving 3 year old and now he has a deep voice and a mustache. It's a season that I'll write a book about someday, but right now I'm just trying to navigate through one day at a time.

But that's my 2019, so far in a nutshell. And please, come visit me on

FB

and

IG

daily updates. I overshare, over-emotion, and over all the other things but y'all seem to love it and I love you for it! Be sure to tell me how to follow you below so we can be virtual buddies all the time!

I hope you're having an awesome year so far, and if not, it's just getting started so let's rock the next 9 months together!

I feel like a broken record.  For the tenth time this month we are arguing over him cleaning his room.  Keep in mind, he's eight about to be nine and this shouldn't be as big of an issue as it is at his age.  Or so I keep telling myself.  Usually, I get frustrated enough that I just complete it myself but this time we have decided, as his parents, to stick to our word and make him do it himself.

This is day nine that he's been asked to clean the same messy room.  Two hours go by and I check out his room and his definition of clean is no where near my definition or really anyone's definition of clean.  He's spent more time reading things he found, making LEGO creations or just fooling around then actually cleaning.  At this point, I am taking this much more personally than I thought I would.  "If he spent his time picking up instead of messing around this could be done.  After all I do for him, how dare he just not care enough to keep his room tidy.  Does he know how much his father and I sacrifice for him to have all he has or for him to do all the things he gets to do?  This is inconsiderate, how could he be so Graceless?"  Then I start thinking about the surprise Disney trip that we've been planning and how much I don't think he deserves it now.  I'm getting really upset, more than I should have in retrospect, and I just tell him to forget it and just go to bed.  I walk into the living room and just start sobbing.

It's at that moment that my best friend texts me and we start comparing our "kid stories".  I go into mine and telling her about how upset I got and how I just am feeling overwhelmed and out of options.  It's then that she texts me back and says, "I remember when you were just a few years older than he is now and you getting in trouble for the same exact thing.  How your parents would get on to you about cleaning your room and they'd find you in the floor looking at pictures, reading notes or just singing to your CD player."  OUCH.  I know it wasn't her intention to sting me, but those words did.  And it wasn't because they were mean or malicious, it's because they were true.

The same exact issues I've been getting on to my son about, are the same exact issues I had as a child.  I remember being so easily distracted and genuinely feeling really bad when so much time had gone by and I had barely made a dent in my room.  In that moment, I realized, who am I to not show him a little Grace?  Grace: undeserved mercy.  He's trying, he's made many efforts, he's actually stayed in his room for two hours trying to clean just to please us as his parents.  And all I can give him is harsh criticism?

How can I not show my son the same Grace that God shows us every single day?  I mess up, I fall flat on my face, I don't measure up to all the potential God has placed on me, but does he make me feel bad about it?  Does he point out my flaws?  Or does he embrace me?  My God loves me, unconditionally, he shows me Grace.  And I am so thankful for that Grace because I'm hard enough on myself, I couldn't carry that burden too.

So, as I recollected myself and preached a little to myself  I went back in his bedroom turned on the lights and just hugged him.  I told him I was sorry for being so hard on him and that I recognize how much work he put into his room and that I understood what it meant to be distracted.  I told him after school we would work on it together.  I won't do it for him but I will help guide him.

I am writing this for the overwhelmed mom, the mom who feels like her kids just aren't getting it, the mom who feels like maybe she failed somewhere.  Being a mom is the toughest job on the planet, and we are so hard on ourselves and sometimes we mirror that onto unrealistic expectations for our children.  Remember to give a little Grace.  I'm a mom, I'm human and sometimes I get it wrong.  But there's something beautiful about finding a message in the mess you make. 

Let me start off by being completely honest.  I don't read.  Well, I don't read a lot.  I'm actually quite envious of my mom friends that are avid readers.  I often fantasize what it would be like to have enough time in the day to read a book cover to cover.  My fantasy includes a hammock, maybe a screened in patio with a couch, a snuggly sweater or blanket and of course a big cup of coffee.  As you can see, I've thought about it, A LOT.  Maybe if I spent more time actually living out said fantasy instead of dreaming it up I could get through a chapter of one of the many books on my shelves. 

Any who, every now and then I get a book that completely sucks me in, in the best way possible and I am able to distance myself from my cell phone and the internet.  This months book just so happened to be Lysa Terkeurst's "The Best Yes".  I follow Proverbs 31 ministry avidly and had been counting down the days until I could own this book.  I read everything she posted about the book up to it's launch and knew I just HAD to read it.  I stayed up a few nights in a row completely engulfed in her words that set me free of my overwhelmed life.  To fill you in, this book is about making wise choices in your life so that you will be empowered to make the BEST decisions in the day to day details of your life.

Lysa TerKeurst

 is the New York Times bestselling author of Made to Crave and Unglued. She isn’t shy about admitting what a mess she can be. But in the midst of everyday “growth opportunities,” she’s been learning God’s lessons and sharing them on her blog (

www.LysaTerKeurst.com

) and in her books. Lysa is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and writes from her sticky farm table in North Carolina where she lives with her husband, Art, five kids, three dogs, and mouse that refuses to leave her kitchen.

A little background on me, I'm a yes girl.  I can't even deny it, people know this about me and sometimes even take advantage of it.  I want to help everyone and really try to say no when I know my plate is already too full but somehow my no comes out yes.  I would like to believe there are other women out there that are suffering from this same thing.  When I think about how many things I say yes to, on a weekly basis, that I know I should have said no to, it's a bit overwhelming. 

I'm a mom, so I have to say yes to my husband and my child.  I'm a family member, so most of the time I feel inclined to say yes to anything they need from me.  I'm a friend, almost anytime I say yes, if you need me I will find a way to be there.  I'm a volunteer, there's openings, you need help, I will probably say yes.  Chances are I'm always saying yes.  Now, the hard thing I struggle with is if I feel these are all things God has called me to do, how do I know which ones to say no to?  Isn't that silly?  If I would just stop and re-read that last comment.  How will I know?  Maybe I need to just stop trying to figure this all out on my own and pay attention to what God is really trying to say.

As I read Lysa's book I started realizing it's okay to say no.  There's something healthy that develops in saying no.  Now I can't wake up tomorrow and say, "Nope, not packing your lunch.  No, not taking you to school.  Nope, not making dinner."  I mean, I could and the world would go on but that's not using my no's the right way.  I know I need to honor God, and that means honoring my family first and foremost, that's my job and I can't become a no tyrant.  But, I can say no to a friend that needs help with her kid so she can go to meeting at work, when I know I have 4 blog posts that need to go up and photos that still need to be edited from last weeks sermon at church.  I have to know what's healthy for me and being overwhelmed isn't that. 

The disease to please, wow.  Yep, I have that.  Do you have that?  I bet a lot of you reading can own up to that one.  Without giving it all away, I want y'all to know that this book will set you free.  It will have you back on the path of really listening to God in these decisions.  As Lysa says, "Never is a woman so fulfilled as when she chooses to underwhelm her schedule so she can let God overwhelm her soul."

As a special treat Lysa Terkeurst sent me SIGNED copies of her book "The Best Yes" for two lucky readers.  To Enter please post "YES" in the comments below and then Instagram or Tweet the picture below with the hashtag #TheBestYes and the website www.thebestyes.com.  Also, make sure you mention or tag me (@theplayfulmom) so I can find your entry. For extra entries share this giveaway on any social accounts, i.e. Facebook/Twitter. Giveaway ends on October 22nd at midnight and winners will be notified via email. Once we choose a winner we will give you 12 hrs to respond and then we will go to who's next in line. Good luck y'all!

And if you just can't wait to win and need a copy in your hands ASAP, purchase it at www.thebestyes.com

This past year has been a year of growth for me in many facets.  I'm now a married woman and I've grown in my Faith.  This past year I have put Jesus at the center and decided that I want to make sure everything I'm doing is organic to me and glorifying God.  This will start with myself, and becoming less scheduled and enjoying life as it comes at me.  I'm using the extra time to reflect and realize where God really wants to use me.  I will also be working towards a revamping of my blog to make sure that I'm doing less "fluff" and more things that are real to me and my family.  Which are actually the posts that my readers seem to be reading the most, which is a huge compliment to me!  Thank you!  Don't worry, I will still be doing honest reviews and giveaways!

With that being said, I'm turning 30 on October 4th and when I sat back and thought on how I wanted to start this new decade of my life I knew I wanted to start with serving others.  My heart, at the center, loves to help others in any way I can.  I started an event on Facebook and invited close friends to do Random Acts of Kindness through the month on October with me.  I've set a goal for myself to do 30 acts in the month of October.  Some say they believe random acts shouldn't be posted and that's fine but from where I stand I think it's a beautiful thing to see others inspiring others to serve their community and that requires posting about it.  I would love to invite my readers to join in on this movement with us!  I'd love to hear what you and your family are doing to serve others!  I've set up a hashtag that we can use on all social media platforms, #randomactsoctober (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) I am really looking forward to this!  A great calendar to inspire you with ideas is

HERE.

With my birthday right around the corner, friends and family have begun asking, "What do you want for your birthday?"  My usual answer would be a giftcard to Marshalls or Sephora.  But this past couple of weeks I've had something heavy laying on my heart and I feel like God is calling me to help in any way I can.  Brandon and I are a part of a wonderful Couples Bible Study Group and the couple that runs it is in the process of adopting and have began fundraising.  Ever since I heard about their story I've been racking my brain with all kinds of ideas to help them fundraise.  They're such a wonderful couple and I could really spend all day going on and on about how amazing they are and how they're great parents searching for their child(ren)!  When I thought about what I wanted to tell people to get me for my birthday there was no other thing to say but to ask people to donate.  So, if you're planning on getting me a gift I ask that you use the money towards a donation to their fundraising efforts.  Whether it's $10 or $100, every little bit helps.  If you would like to read their story, you can do so,

HERE

.  If you'd like to donate in my birthday honor, you can do that,

HERE

.

"

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

" 

Deuteronomy 15:10

There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be a great year, and an even better decade.  I'm so excited for what God has planned for my family and I.  Thanks for all your support!