Currently

Here's where I've been...

PRIORITIES!!!

My priorities are becoming more and more about family and God.  Which is definitely where they should be. Therefore, I haven't worked so hard to get blog posts up for you guys! (Although I have plenty of drafts that will make their way to the blog hopefully soon!) But for now, I'm here to update you all on what's been happening in this life of mine! :) 

Listening to: klove radio station is where it's at! We've been trying to turn the tv on less. Survival mode during pregnancy really made that a habit.

Reading: Bible. A whole lot of Bible. God has continually told me to wake up and spend time with Him before I spend time with others, and so I've been trying my best to get up every morning. This means 5:30 am for me! I love mornings. I love watching the sunrise and how peaceful it can be.

Thinking About: I have been thinking a lot about marriage and parenting. Chris and I know so many people right now who are struggling in their marriages because of affairs and porn and bitterness and it has really become a passion of mine (ours) to start praying for marriages more, as well as really working on our own. 

As for parenting, Hannah has officially hit the terrible twos and oh my word, she is a handful! I've heard people talk about how children behave differently towards their moms and yea...they are right. Hannah can be the sweetest little angel for everyone and then I come around and seem to draw out a little booger head. She likes to scream at me all day long, pinch me, punch me, growl at me, pull my hair, bite me, lick me, push me, pull me over, and grab my legs. Chris and I finally found a disciplining technique that was working for us and for Hannah. Things were going so much better with our little amazon princess warrior, and then it was like a switch went off sometime last week and she all of the sudden stopped listening to us. 

God has been telling me to slow down and stay home more often than not and I am finally doing better at that. My husband's car broke down this week and I had to go two whole days without a car. TWO WHOLE DAYS. I almost died. ...bahahaha... I'm joking. Anyways, my two car-less days were very humbling and yet they were exactly what we needed. I think sometimes we as sahm's are constantly trying to find ways to stay busy and keep our little ones entertained, but that's not really our job. Our job is to slow down enough to love, teach and listen. We have a harder time doing that whenever we're constantly on the road, trying to find stuff to do and people to hang out with.

There's a lot on my mind but I can't seem to write all down. We'll just sum up my thoughts to: parenting, marriage, and God. 

  

Thankful for: I am so incredibly thankful for my husband. He's just the best there is! He is selfless, patient and ridiculously gentle. He has had so much patience for me, dealing with all my craziness of pregnancy, postpartum hormones and new mom of two hormonal craziness. Women are just straight crazy!! Haha...I joke...kind of. 

I am thankful for God's presence. I am thankful for His peace and guidance. I am so happy that my thoughts aren't as clogged as they were a few months ago. I am so happy that I can hear Him clearly once again. I am so so thankful for His grace. Without it, I wouldn't be in this beautiful place I am today.

Where you can find me this week: At home!!! I am trying my hardest to slow down and just BE at home with my little ones. It's very easy to leave home and try to find other stuff to do, but I'm learning that my girls and I need to slow down and take it easy. We're over doing it. So with that said, you can find us at home! :)

So what have YOU been up to these past few weeks? 

It's been FOREVER!

Currently Postpartum

Hey guys! Long time no see...or hear...or read. :) This momma has been super busy being a momma to two little girls!!!

Every now and then I share a post just about what's going on in my life, what I'm listening to, reading, thinking about, wishing for, thankful for, what I am photographing and how pregnancy is going. It's what's currently going on in my life and that's about it! 

Listening to: Let's just say that Sam Smith has an amazing voice, and thanks to my husband, I can now listen to him everywhere I go!

 

Reading: Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I really want to get up early and dive into the Word every morning, but a newborn and a two year old make it difficult. Hopefully it will get a little easier!

Thinking About: Oh goodness...I am SO ready to be back on a routine! Everyone keeps telling me that we probably won't have a routine yet, but so far my little girls are perfectly in sync with their naps and bedtime! I'm praying it doesn't change, at least too much! I'm in planning mode. I'm ready to whip out my planner again and fill it up with to-dos, projects, errands, play dates, photo sessions...etc. I'm ready to get up and get going! I'm so tired of being a couch potato who can't do anything. Let's conquer the world!!! ...after I get some sleep. :)

Thankful for: I am so grateful to God for all the moms he's sent my way! I have so many mom friends right now that are in the exact same boat I'm in! One of my good friends had her second baby the week after I did, and our older children are only three months apart in age! Another good friend of mine is due in just a couple of months, and her oldest is about six months younger than Hannah. I'm so thankful that I have so many women by my side as I go through, what I've been told, is going to be one of the hardest years ever! Woohoo. 

I'm thankful for the sweet and special lovin' I've been getting from my two-year-old, Hannah. She wants my attention so badly that her cuddles have been, seriously, at their best!

I am super thankful that pregnancy is over! I'm so happy to feel normal again! Pregnancy with a toddler was rough! It's no joke!

Where you can find me this week: Well, I know my baby isn't even four weeks old yet but I am so tired of being couped up! I am at home A LOT but I have definitely been getting out! I've been going to my mom's Bible study, to church and to play groups! I can't wait to start getting outside more! ...but I am definitely, mostly at home. 
 

So what have YOU been up to these past few weeks? 

It's been FOREVER!

Currently and a Bump Update

Every now and then I share a post just about what's going on in my life, what I'm listening to, reading, thinking about, wishing for, thankful for, what I am photographing and how pregnancy is going. It's what's currently going on in my life and that's about it!

Listening to: I'll be honest, I really haven't listened to much lately. Except for Frozen. I'm almost certain that I can now quote the entire movie. I have never seen this girl zone out before, but when it comes to Frozen...oh man! That's two hours of peace I won't get any other way!

Reading: I am trying to be purposeful in diving into the Word every day. I've been so busy and pregnancy makes me so scatter-brained that I get distracted easily. It's getting easier though. I find myself really wanting to pick up the Bible at random times of the day. I was reading in 1 Samuel and in Luke, but I had a few slow days and when I picked it back up I felt the desire to read in Psalms, which has been sooo encouraging to me this week! I am wanting to make reading every day a new life habit. 

Thinking About: I'm definitely still thinking a lot about fixing up Hannah's room and some other areas of our house. Chris and I just recently purchased some paint and plan to paint our kitchen chairs a charcoal color. I'm also daydreaming about how to brighten up my fireplace and mantle. It's so dull and dark and I like BRIGHT! :)

Other than house stuff, I can't stop thinking about what it's going to be like having TWO little girls in just a short few months. I have no idea what I'm going to feel! I've felt the love of one little angel, what will it be like to have two little angels in my care? I'm terrified and thrilled!

I've got lots of personal things or convictions that I need to work on, but that's a topic for another day!

Thankful For: My husband. Seriously. He has been so amazing these past few weeks! He's always amazing but he has really been outdoing himself lately! Cleaning the house every single day to the point it looks like a picture out of a magazine! Getting up with Hannah without complaint. Serving me every day by his own willingness and servant heart and most of the time I don't even ask. He has bought me flowers, candy, and pizza this week on different days. He continually surprises me and I hope to really bless him right back. He's a great man for loving me through this chaos of toddlerhood and pregnancy! Goodness knows it does a number on people! His love for Hannah grows every day and I see it! It's a beautiful thing and I am so happy that this is happening right before me!

I am so thankful for Hannnah, too. Her heart is HUGE! She is so loving and caring! Anytime I'm sleeping, she will come up to me and gently play with my hair and give me kisses all over my face, head and sometimes my arms! She loves to care for me and for Chris. It's kind of crazy, but oh so beautiful! She loves it when I lean into her so that she can put her arm around my neck and hold me close to her face. She'll pull us in just to hug us and kiss us. She won't let us go, either. She'll just sit there, holding us and giving us kisses! Her heart is so wonderful! Some of you may know that I went through a phase of depression and in that depression period, Hannah was seriously acting out. (Post here.) However, she has definitely changed now. That's not to say she won't go through another phase, but this sweet, gentle, loving child is such a blessing to me right now! I often get frustrated because she can be so demanding and exhausting but lately my heart is so warmed by her. She brings me so much comfort. We cuddle so much right now and she covers me with kisses. She loves to tell me all that she knows and loves to see me smile at her. She seeks out my praise every single day and it is such a wonderful thing to see! I see the joy on her face when her daddy comes home from work and she's showing off for him!

I could go on. My life is by no means perfect, but oh man, it is beautiful!!! I am so in love with my sweet little family! God has blessed us with love and joy! 

Don't get me wrong, we have disagreements, small arguments and fights regularly, but by the grace of God we are learning how to become more selfless, more caring and more forgiving! For THAT, I am so grateful!!! God is good!

Where you can find me this week: At home. I'm trying to drive a little less since we were never at home during the holidays. Also, we're all needing a little down time and some relaxation time. It doesn't help that this flu and bronchitis stuff has been floating around! We're trying to rest up because we've all caught a tiny bit of it! Another thing to be grateful for: We haven't gotten full-blown flu or bronchitis sickness yet, and hopefully won't! 

Pregnancy Update: I am officially 29 weeks pregnant!!! We're almost there! Eleven weeks to go! Next week will be only 10 more weeks! Oh my goodness! I'm seriously freaking out! What am I going to do with TWO little girls??? EEP! 

Baby Charlotte has done A LOT of growing this past month! This is her growth in December alone! Wowza! I don't remember such a quick growth spurt with Hannah. Do you remember going through this with your little ones?

I've gained some, but I haven't gained even 20lbs yet. My appetite is definitely not what it was when I was pregnant with Hannah! It's crazy how very different these pregnancies are! With Hannah I craved everything I thought of and everything in my sight, but with Charlotte I've had a loss of appetite and it's never really picked up. Food kind of grosses me out this pregnancy.

I have the WORST heart burn and it hurts so badly. I can't wait for it to go away. I'm also constantly sore. Charlotte is so low that I almost always feel like I'm just recovering from labor! I'm pretty sure that's not too good. I'm realizing that I need to really take it easy these next couple of months so that I don't push it. I don't want to encourage an early labor. Hannah was never this low, not even towards the end!

Charlotte has gotten extremely active but I can almost never catch her in the act! She is constantly running in place, punching, kicking and rolling around! I see her jump all the time. She's so quick, too! She seems so hyperactive! Haha! I am so interested to see what her personality is like as she gets older!

I'm definitely getting to that point where I can say that "I'm definitely pregnant". You know what I mean? I've got the preggo stance down to an art already. The preggo walk is not quite present yet, but I feel it whenever I'm tired. The preggo back ache and sore feet are definitely starting to kick in at the end of each day. Yep. I'm definitely pregnant. Haha!

Now, what about you? What have you been up to these days? Are you reading anything good that you'd like to share with the rest of us? Are you listening to any new favorite artists or songs? What has been occupying your mind this week? What are you thankful for today? Where can I find you if I wanted to spend some time with you?

 

Currently

Listening to: Oh my goodness, I've been killing me some:

Hillsong's SCANDAL OF GRACE

YOU MAKE ME BRAVE sung by Amanda Cook (My favorite right now!)

FOREVER sung by Kari Jobe

GLORIOUS UNFOLDING by Steven Curtis Chapman

and COME TO ME sung by Jenn Johnson!

Worship has seriously been surrounding our house lately. It's been GOOD!

Reading: I would still love to be reading more books, but right now, the Bible is good enough for me! No, seriously. It sounds to corny and clique saying it that way, but, it has been far too long since I've spent some for real quality time in the Word. I shared in a recent post (you can read all about it right here) about my convictions; one of them being to wake up early to dive into the Word. Well, I've been doing just that! Or trying to!

It's getting cold, though. For reals yo.

Thinking about: Let me tell you...I am SO EXCITED about fixing up Hannah's room into a girl's room, especially now that the little one in my belly has turned out to be another girl! I have so many ideas!!! I could ramble on about how I want to paint their room gray and possibly put white or gold polk-a-dots on the back wall and make Hannah a tent slash reading nook area...but that might bore you! ;) Instead, let me share with you my inspiration for the moment!!!

Wishing: I am truly say that I am not wishing for much right now. I am content. Of course I'd love to go pick out a couple of new little girl outfits but that can wait! :)

Thankful for: This cooler weather, these windy days, good friends, great husband, my adventurous little girl and this new little princess on the way!

 

 

Where you can find me this week: No where! Haha! One) I have been so stinkin' tired lately that I've been falling asleep at eight every night and Two) We're on a spending freeze! I don't want to get out and tempt myself to spend any money, haha!

Eating: Huh. Such a good question. I've been eating a lot of grilled cheese and bean burritos. French toast has definitely been on my breakfast menu a few times this week, which is possibly one of the simplest breakfast treats ever! Hannah has been eating peas and beans, eggs, peanut butter sandwiches and leftover chicken and dumplings! Today she had boiled eggs for breakfast and she loved them!!

Photographing: It's picking up the pace once again, but a mommy's schedule is forever changing! I have many more sessions coming up this month and next, so hopefully you all will be seeing more from Strasburger Photography in the near future!

Until next time!