Some miscellany coming

Today is Isaac's 4 month appointment. We haven't weighed him since his 2 month appointment, so I'm not sure where he'll fall. All I know is that I love my little turtle durdle and he seems rolly polly healthy enough to me. :) I'm guessing he's around 16-17 lbs, but that may be way off!

Unfortunately he'll be getting shots too. I hate seeing my little man cry.

Tonight we'll be going to visit my friend Abby . . . in the hospital! She had her daughter last night at 37 weeks, due to pre-e. She had to do a 24-hour sample and thought that at the very worst following her appointment yesterday that she would be put on bedrest . . . or being sent directly to the hospital. To top it off baby girl was transverse, just like Isaac was for quite some time, so they were going to attempt a version before inducing this morning. I'm assuming it was unsuccesful because at 8:00 or so last night we received a text that Brynna Jean was born! She's just beautiful and I can't wait to see Abby as a Mom!

Following that we'll be going to my soccer game . . . and then, I'm going to make these.

Oreo Fudge Bars from . . . And a cookie for desert!

They are AHHmayzing. Honestly, I wouldn't mind eating my weight in them. While they obviously aren't guilt free, who am I kidding?, I have successfully made them with Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk without losing any taste.

The reason for the bars? Because we're going to the cabin this weekend! Tony's friend Scott's family has a cabin on a lake in Wisconsin. Traditionally the college group goes twice a year and it's a fabulous kick back time . . . even if I'm usually the only one who didn't go to their alma mater.

Last year I had to hide out and avoid drawing attention to the fact that I didn't tube, water ski or drink because I was just shy of 6 weeks pregnant. This year I'll probably still be avoiding the aforementioned, but only because I won't want to put my baby down! :)


Gratuitous shot of the hubs in a wet suit. :)


Sadly, I don't think he landed this!


Allie loves the cabin! We have a dead dog every night!




From '07 . . . do I dare take my rebel in the boat to get better pictures?


Um, yeah. I didn't stay on. HAH!


Yes, I really am that white.

It'll be interesting to say the least with Isaac and Allie, but we're looking forward to good friends, food and fun!

Four Months Old

From my precious newborn:


To my alert one month old:


To my smiling two month old:


To my inquisitive three month old:


I now have a big four month old!





Tony in an attempt to help washed a battery operated toy by actually running it under the water. Note to self: remember that men are literal. So here he is breaking it apart so that it could dry off more quickly!




Isaac and Ton watching who knows what on the Discovery Channel. A week or so back I overheard Tony telling Isaac that he's "way ahead of other babies, because Bear just taught you how to escape a sinkhole," while watching Man vs Wild.


My dark blue eyed boy no more, Isaac clearly has inherited his Dad's hazel eyes.

• Who can bring his hands together.
  
  
• With a mighty effort, raise his chest, supported by his arms, when he lies on his stomach.
  
  
• Baby can roll over from tummy to back.
  
  
• Reach for objects.
  
  
• Likes to stand.
  
  
• Babbles incessantly, much to our delight!
  
  
• Laughs out loud, even though it's more of a huh-huh teenage boy laugh. :)
  
  
• Squeals when he's happy.
  
  
• Smiles spontaneously.
  
  
• Focuses on very small objects.
  
  
• Turns toward the sound of a familiar voice, especially when playing "Where's Momma?"
  

Wedded Wednesday

<br /><center><a href="http://marital-bless.blogspot.com/search/label/Wedded%20Wednesday"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/Leum20/weddedwednesday.jpg" /></a></center><br />

Many thanks to Kpapa for her design!

Wedded Wednesday is a collaboration
of married bloggers sharing their inspirations,
anecdotes, struggles and thoughts regarding
the amazing union of two separate people, as one.

Let life's experiences draw you closer together.

When shaping a vessel, potters exert equal pressure with their hands on both the outside and the inside of the clay to prevent it from collapsing. After the clay dries, it is glazed and then placed in a fiery kiln. The intense heat perfects the clay by removing blemishes, strengthening it and enhancing the paint colors. The once wet piece of clay is finally transformed into a beautiful and useful piece of pottery.

Marriage can be viewed as a similar work in progress. Like the clay, you and your spouse will constantly face various pressure from life - job changes, financial stress, parenting responsibilities and the list goes on. To prevent your marriage from collapsing, you must respond to any external pressure with the internal pressure of a powerful relationship with the living God.

Just as clay is fired in a kiln, so will your marriage go through periods of intense heat. But remember that your heavenly Father is using these times to remove imperfections in your relationship and make it stronger and more beautiful. Face the difficult times together, and let the Lord mold and perfect your marriage, lifting you to higher levels of intimacy with each other and Him.

O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8

From the book Married for Life.

Please share your Wedded Wednesday posts:

One Year Ago Today

A year ago we found out about this:


And celebrated with friends here:


Without fully comprehending that in a year, we would be blessed with him:


With a smile like this:


To make our family complete . . . at least until the next one. :)

Clara Mae

A few weekends back I was able to visit my old teammate/roommate Cassie. She and her husband decided to wait to find out the sex of their child and very happily welcomed little Clara Mae into their family!



Look how much hair she has, just like her Mama!


She is just a peach!


Visiting with her it was so hard to think that Isaac was actually smaller!

It also made me realize that I can't wait to be pregnant again. That my friends is sick. In a good way, but sick regardless!

Sweet Friend

This is Kierstan.


I've known her since she played soccer. It was a long time ago, for those of you who were guessing. Like this long ago. {actually longer, this was the only high school pic I had on the comp}


We run together now, although actually, on second thought she's only run with my husband.


She defected to Iowa, but we still love her anyway.Because of dip, like this.


And mailing fabulous items with Isaac soley in mind like this hand made train set.


I love my Kier.

And for good measure Nancy too.

Everyday is a Battle

Leaving Isaac: Yes, it's still hard. Just like every mother told me that it would be. It's definitely at a lesser degree, but still very prevalent. I just called to talk with my Mom and it was like a dagger to my heart to listen to her laugh at his antics.

Being Faithful: No not to my husband, but to the promise that God will take care of us.

Trying to be Healthy: My running has definitely been curtailed the last few weeks. At the peak I was running around 23 miles/week (10 mile, a couple 5's and a 3), but I noticed a severe affect to my supply. I need to be at peace with my body, because if I work it too hard right now or cut back on calories it doesn't just effect me, it's detrimental to Isaac.

My Boobs: To that end, I feel like I'm working 2 full time jobs right now. Everyday I pump for 3 - 30 minute sessions in order to feed Isaac the following day. This means that I work 30% less than my co-workers and yet am saddled with a hefty body of work. So far I have been able to maintain a satisfactory production level, but I'm worried for the day that I slip. Additionally, it's taken quite a bit of work to up keep my supply. While the first two weeks were atrocious {literally biting my lip in pain to get through the initial latch on}, I'd heard that a lot of women start drying up between 3-4 months when working . . . and it started to happen to me too. So I've been supplementing with fenugreek and have also enlisted on AJ's recommendation lactation cookies! This is my first week with the lactation cookies and the yeast definitely seems to be helping, even if the other ingredients are only additional calories to up my intake!

Keeping House: Now that Isaac is so much more animated, I just want to play with him all night . . . which means the house has seen better days!

Inaugural Wedded Wednesday

Welp, there's no button quite yet to make it official, but please input your blog information if you choose to participate in Wedded Wednesday today!

I look forward to reading all of your marriage related writings!

Thoughtful Tuesday | Wedded Wednesday

On the suggestion of Johanna, Thoughtful Tuesday will be moving to a new day, with an updated concept!

Please join me on Wedded Wednesday, by posting your thoughts, devotions or similar posts on the subject of marriage.

I would like to set up a clicky link in order to host those participating next week, so keep your eye out! Additionally, does anyone want to try their hand at making a button? Please email me with ideas at: mrsleahmaria@gmail.com.

What do you guys think?!

Thoughtful Tuesday

Never get too old to hold hands.

It starts with a tiny fist wrapped around a mother's finger. It continues with a young hand held gently in one much larger. It endures through puppy love, adolescent relationships and courtship. And if we are wise, it extends into marriage, through middle age, beyond golden years, to the very end of life.

Holding hands is one of the most intimate expressions of love between two human beings.

Don't ever let this beautiful act slip away from you. It's so much more than a gesture of affection, so much greater than a mere symbol of connection. It's an incredibly meaningful communication, a deep connection in and of itself. It requires no words; in fact no words can convey such a profound message.

Why would two people ever stop holding hands? Perhaps it seems silly, somehow undignified, when we're older and have been married a long time. We may begin to think such things were meant only for young lovers and newlyweds. That's far from true! Besides its many other purposes, holding hands helps satisfy the basic human need for physical touch, a need we never outgrow.

Hold your spouse's hand throughout your life together; don't ever let it go until the day when you've fulfilled every marriage vow and finally release it from your grasp, placing it lovingly, trustingly into the hand of God.

I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Psalm 73: 23-24

More of my lil man.

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Smiling a lil half smile, just like his Daddy! :)

Thoughtful Tuesday

I've been thinking about doing this for awhile and finally just decided to get on with it. Tuesdays around here at Marital-Bless will now feature an encouraging and provoking post from the book Married for Life. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

You only get out of marriage what you put into it.

A young entrepreneur starts with an idea for a unique, new product. He carefully lays plans for a start-up business, calculating revenues and expenses. He meets with consultants, accountants and attorneys. He works hard to sell the concept to banks and investors to raise capital. In time he leases space, purchases equipment and hires employees. Finally he is ready to begin. He works hard, pouring himself into the business, determined to make it succeed. And it thrives.

But does he now merely sit back, relax and enjoy the fruit of his labor? No! He works harder than ever, while conjuring up ideas for improving efficiency, bettering customer relations and bolstering profits.

If a marriage is to last a lifetime, it requires the same level of devotion and energy. Both partners must give 100 percent. Each must be available to the other when needed, fully present, ready to listen, to talk, to act. Both spouses must pour their heart and soul into this enterprise, making whatever sacrifice necessary to ensure success.

Yet, what an investment! The payoff is a rich, healthy, loving relationship that lasts. And everyone involved reaps countless rewards.

Sound good? Devote time and energy to your marriage.

Whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
2 Corinthians 9:6

Taken from: Married for Life

Well that was a doozy!

What a weekend. Friday was such a mess. Between a heavy work load, finalizing details with Gina and the hotel and having to get out of the office at 2:30 because of a 5:30 wedding, I was definitely looking forward to a few days off! {Which BTW, we still have not confirmed with the hotel if we will still be charged for the 2 additional days . . . the billing department has yet to call Tony back.}

It was great to see friends Friday night at the wedding. Sad to realize how old we are, although we'll gladly take it. The first dances were just getting under way at 9:30 when Tony and I packed up Isaac to go home. Nursing in public is growing increasingly more difficult, as Isaac hates to be under the blanket. He just gets too warm after 5-10 minutes and will repeatedly break his latch, only to pop back on. His flailing arms aren't to be messed around with either lol!

Minnesota has been unseasonably cool recently, so the rush of warm air and humidity Saturday morning produced a pleasant early morning thunderstorm . . . although it did push out my planned run. This crazy girl attempted to complete a 9-10 mile run in the high humidity and 87 degrees at 12:00 noon. I finished out 5 miles, made a deal with myself that I would do 6-7 that night and called it a day.

Upon returning home to my two lounging boys, Tony got up and mowed our monstrosity of a jungle . . . while I did 2 loads of laundry, put away 4 loads of laundry, did the dishes, put away the dishes, swept and vacuumed. You better believe Tony got the evil eye when he only noted that I vacuumed lol!

My plans to run again were foiled by Tony's desire to lay some extra sod that my father in law had given us. I made peace with the fact that I wasn't going to run and we made plans to use the gift card my Mom gave us for our anniversary. The 3 year anniversary is apparently either crystal or leather and my Mom loves to put a little spin on the traditional gift. She opted for a gc to T-Box Bar & Grill, as a gift card for a meal would be easy on our wallet {leather}. :)

We headed out a little later than we wanted, but got to Ham Lake around 8:00 or so and opted to sit out on the patio. The flowers they had were so beautiful! Tony was a little anxious about the rain clouds coming in, but I thought for sure that they would only produce a drizzle, if not missing us all together. As they got closer they grew more ominous and we agreed that we would move inside at the first rain drop. Within minutes our plan was acted on and we moved into the restaurant.

It's a fairly small restaurant, so the the bar and it's two tv's were plainly visible to all patrons and it was acutely obvious that we were in for more than a drizzle. Basically the whole central portion of Minnesota was under a tornado watch, which turned into a warning within minutes. Simultaneously the whole restaurant asked for their checks and boxes. We headed out the door as the sirens were blaring. Tony and I were both speaking with our Mom's trying to decide whether we should attempt to make it home or sit it out. We finally decided that a tiny ground level restaurant with good sized windows on all sides was not where we wanted to sit the storm out.

As we whipped down 65 we were unknowingly headed straight into the thick of the hook echo, the worst possible area we could be. I kept checking in with my Mom and she updated us that there were funnels that had touched down, as I impossibly tried to scan the dark clouds for a twister. I authorized Tony to run 3 red lights at intersections that were devoid of vehicles and we roared on home, all the while I was wishing I could do more to prep Isaac for the rush inside.

We finally made it home, just minutes before the hook was to travel over our house. We somehow managed to secure Isaac, the cats and the dog, a flashlight, weather radio and situate ourselves in front of the treadmill tv. Both of us were thankful that we had decided to turn the air on for the first time in months, as there was no need to scramble and close open windows. We settled in and waited for the impending hook, as it was honestly just minutes between our arrival and it's.

Unfortunately my mind played tricks on me for those 120 seconds, as I focused on the grill just outside the window. I kept waiting and envisioning it moving in the wind I felt sure would come.

And then it was over. And nothing happened. Remarkably, all of the touchdowns were minimal and there were no reported injuries. It took us awhile for our nerves to calm, but we finally ate our boxed meals around 10:00 or so and had crazy dreams that night!

Yesterday we went to our new church again, celebrated Tony's sister's birthday and our anniversary at my in laws and then made it home to complete our first family run! We kept toying with the idea of running a shorter distance, but finally decided to go full out and completed a 5 mile run with Isaac on his first jog! My brother even ended up joining us! It was pretty challenging, but Isaac did amazingly well.

After our family run, we joined my Mom for some dinner and had a great conversation. All in all it was a pretty fantastic weekend!

I'll have a picture post of Isaac to follow shortly! :)

Such a ball of stress!

Thank the Lord for Gina. She had a trip planned to Colorado in October and was able to transfer 2 of the dates, now we're just working on clarifying our responsibility to the hotel as there is no longer any reservation under our name.

Such a mess, but hopefully will be resolved with minimal pain!

Thanks for your prayers you guys! And for you Gina!

Punched in the gut.

Tony's sold a job with a payout to us of $100 so far. Our mortgage isn't looking good.

He also just called to cancel our hotel reservations in Colorado and has been denied. They are non-refundable because the travel agent booked through Expedia or the like.

I don't know know what to do or what my options are.

We don't have $700 dollars to pay for a hotel in Colorado when I'm worried about paying my mortgage next month!

Oh ladies . . .

*There's already a pending update. Please Lord, let this work!

3 Year Anniversary

In the past three years we have lived in three homes {Stillwater, St. Paul, current}, including crashing at my in-laws for 6 months and purchasing the home we have lived in for the past two years. We have had 6 job changes, at 3 a piece. We no longer have the vehicles we started our marriage with, actually we are still down one as Tony drives a work vehicle. Our pets have decreased in number as well, since the loss of Bridgit last fall. We became an aunt and uncle, in addition to Momma and Daddy. We have welcomed new friends and said goodbye to old. So much has changed in the past 3 years, except for two things: our love and our faith.
In college my friends wrote me off as a hopeless romantic, but there was nothing blind about my faith in marriage. At the hand of my parents divorce I became so much of a realist that there was no choice but to abandon myself to believe. That belief could never prepare me for the man that God called to be my husband. God's faithfulness abounds and for that reason, I walked to my husband to the tune of Amazing Grace.


Another important song in our ceremony was Third Day's Offering. I knew that this song would prove to be like praying for patience, if you ask for it God will deliver. Our marriage has been a great testament to God's provision and our dedication to our relationship.

I love watching Tony as a father. He has never given me less than his full heart and yet, he still has more for Isaac. It's amazing and beautiful. He is truly my other half and as we wrote in our vows "my truest blessing."

Click here to view our highlight video, by Moments in Time.