Update On Me {Letter to My Readers}

I am sorry for the break in posts. I am currently a large whale of a pregnant person and I'm due this Saturday! My days are currently being spent walking, eating spicy foods, praying over the birth and the baby, and soaking up my last few days of life with a family of four. For those of you who don't know, I am doing a VBA2C {vaginal birth after two cesareans} and it's quite the process over here in Cali. It requires a lot of faith, growth, and arguing against doctors who think they know it all but are really only looking out for themselves. Staying on track and making sure I finish this journey in what God has called me to do is taking up all my time and energy. 

Once the baby is born, I will most definitely share photos and my birth story! I will also be sharing a couple of guest posts from fellow bloggers to fill space here while I'm washing cloth diapers, breastfeeding, and baby-wearing. We are also moving the first week in June {surprise!}, so I will be one busy mama of three and could use your prayers and support. Thank you, lovelies. I will be checking in throughout all of this. Talk soon!

Wordless Wednesday {38 Weeks}

Every Wednesday, bloggers around the world post a photograph of something, anything, and no description. It's called Wordless Wednesday. 

High Five for Friday

This week was one I won't soon forget. Lots happened, lots still going on, and it could've all been very stressful, but we serve a gracious God and I felt His hand on me through it all. I am so thankful for peace! I'm also super thankful for simple little pleasures that make you smile despite a hectic day. Here are my top fives for the week...

1. I bought myself a little late-birthday gift while I was running errands. Just a small something to brighten my day whenever I wear it.

{it's me and Brian, he he}

2. I got my hair done, and was reminded how therapeutic some time in a salon can be. My lovely friend, Alisha did such a good job. I felt like a brand new woman walking out of there. Ahhhh :)

3. I normally write my weekly menu plan in this frame, but I have been feeling so tired at the end of each day that cooking hasn't been happening. I was feeling so guilty about it until my sweet husband reminded me that this is only a season, the pregnancy is almost over, and it's okay to rest. Instead of my menu for the week, I wrote this simple quote down as a reminder that it's okay to be imperfect.

4. I've been sort of obsessing over bananas lately. My cravings are definitely stronger at the end of the pregnancy this time! I was getting tired of plain peanut butter and banana for a snack, but when I was at Baron's Marketplace I found this.

{Utterly delicious}

5. Those of you who have never been inflicted with puffy-feet-syndrome during pregnancy totally won't get this, but it made me super happy that I could wear my favorite red flats this week! Drinking tons of water, putting my feet up during restful times in the day, and staying away from salt paid off :)

{Baby Hudson is peeking into the photo}

Dear Self {A Letter to Future Me About Pregnancy}

This post is written for Future Me. In the past, Future Me has gotten me into trouble. She is mushy and loves babies, which is how I got into this mess in the first place. And so, Future Me, I ask that you read this when the memories of pregnancy and labor start to fade, Baby Hudson grows into a toddler, and you begin to feel warm with baby fever.

Dear Self,

Right now, you're at the tail end of your third pregnancy- 37.5 weeks. And FYI: you're freaking miserable. I would like to inform you [because I think everyone else in your life is terrified to] that your ankles have vanished and been replaced with elephant calves. You look like a circus freak. You should also know that you're an orb of emotional chaos. Crying over the fact that your favorite OPI nail polish was discontinued? Really? Or how about when the water works started because your poor husband suggested you eat an apple over the pint of Ben & Jerry's? Maybe he was trying an experiement to see if the apple was the cure to those massive cankles. Just sayin'.

You laughed, became annoyed, sneered, and cried all within thirty-five seconds last week. Did I mention that was all geared toward the same person? Oh, and once again that person was your poor husband. Your rage tendencies are out of control. A couple of weeks ago, you threw a sandwich at your dog for farting near you. Then you went into the bathroom and cried over the loss of your perfectly-constructed lunch that was now being enjoyed by the family pet. Did ordering that large pizza really make you feel better? Maybe I should ask your rear, because it seems to have gotten most of it.

I feel the need to remind you of a few things. First, every time the baby kicks you, it's either in the ribs or on your bladder. You have no control and have peed on your couch, your floor, your bed, and even once on your husband's lap. Yeah...so much for a movie and cuddling. Disgusting. And must I remind you of your discomfort level? Every time you've decided to try for another baby, this little detail seems to have slipped your mind. You're keeping Target in business with all the pillows you've bought, and you've nearly given your husband pneumonia with the way you have to sleep with every window open and two fans on high. Plus you're a blanket hog and the poor man is shivering next to you, pillow-less. Why he sticks around during all this is beyond me. You're a jerk when you sleep. You are constantly complaining about back pain. No amount of chiropractic work, pillows, or different sleeping positions has shut you up. Maybe next time you should skip the discomfort and complaining altogether by reminding your husband of all this and skipping the shnick-shnack next time he gets that gleam in his eye. Yeah, that's right. Sex = babies, so knock it off.

Thirdly, I'd like to remind you of what happened during a recent trip to Starbucks with your three-year-old daughter. Your uncontrollable pregnancy gas did its thing and when the couple next to you glanced up in horror, you blamed your kid. That's right... you blamed your adorable little girl for a heinous fart. Classy.

One last thing, the warmth of baby fever is a powerful thing. When you feel it coming on, please, for the love of God and all things sacred, read this letter over and over until the memories resurface. Something tells me this won't really help when the fever gets hot enough, but you can't say I didn't warn you. Don't think about the little coos that will come from the baby once he's born, or the first time he'll smile up at you, or the quiet times you'll share together in the middle of the night... ahh what the heck. Even me, Current Self can't say no to that. Do what you will, but consider this my attempt to save you from the woes of pregnancy.

Wordless Wednesday

Every Wednesday, bloggers around the world post a photograph of something, anything, and no description. It's called Wordless Wednesday. 

The Search for Recognition {Drowning Out the Voices}

Photo Credit: A Thousand Words Photography

by Marissa Sanchez

Every day when I wake up and my feet hit the floor, I have decisions to make. One of those decisions is at the core of my at-home motherhood. Every day, I have to answer this question: what voice will I listen to today? Some days I don't purposefully make the decision, it is made for me as the day goes by. These are the days Satan delights in. He gains a foothold in my day and can slip doubt, fear, frustration, and impatience into it. But when I go to bed with the intention of waking up the following morning with purpose and to guard my heart with prayer, Satan has no power; he has no way in, and he is helpless.

The voices I'm talking about are those of the world and that of God Himself. They are at constant war for my attention, my mind, and ultimately, my heart. When it comes to motherhood, specifically at-home motherhood, the world's voice is harsh and full of spite. It can sound something like this:

"What about your college degree? You worked so hard for that, just to let it go?!"

"You're not going back to work?! But you loved your job! You're good at it!"

"But your kids are in school now... what are you going to do all day?"

"Homeschooling?! Your kids are going to be unsocialized and different. You should send them to [insert reputable local school name here] and help bring in income."

The voices of the world are not always this easy to recognize. Once your initial decision to stay home with your children is made and word gets out, the voices suddenly stop shouting and turn to whispers. They become harder to identify, but they can steal your joy just the same as the shouting, whether you identify them or not. The world's whispers are masked in cliche remarks and little comments like this:

"My, you certainly have your hands full don't you?"

"Wow... two little ones and a third on the way?! Good luck!"

The voices of the world can even be silent- just a condescending look your way at Target when your kids are acting less-than-perfect. They are demeaning, discouraging, and manipulative. But there is another voice- the voice of the One who created each of us and has called us each by name to sacrifice our days in servitude of our families. In turn, we receive joy. His voice is harder to hear in the busyness of the day. This is because He longs for you to seek Him out. He wants to walk with you constantly and side-by-side. As you live your life this way, He speaks to you and it is easy to hear His voice. You ask, He answers. And you find peace amongst the chaos. He is our Ultimate Source of knowledge, wisdom, and discernment. His voice can sound something like this:

After a long, difficult day with little ones, chores, pets, duties, and financial stress, you begin to doubt...

Cast your burden on me; I will sustain you. I will never let the righteous be moved. 

{Psalm 55:22}

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary,and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

 {Isaiah 40:28-31}

Which voice have you been listening to? What do you allow Satan to slip into your days at home? Where does he have a foothold in your at-home motherhood?

[Sneak Peek at Part 4]
Now that we're aware of the different voices and the importance in our choices in which to listen to, what do we do when the wrong voices get our attention? How do we respond to the world's comments?

High Five for Friday

Friday's here again, and I'm ready for it with my favorite five from this week!

1. Our cat Libby {who's more commonly known around here as Weemo- don't ask} had her kittens on the 14th. We've been keeping away and letting her do her thing with them until this week, when they opened their eyes and started moving around a lot. Brand new baby kittens- too adorable for words.

2. Leeland does this thing every time he sees something that shocks or amazes him. I can never seem to pull my camera out fast enough to capture the face, but this week, while waiting for my tire to get fixed, I got it. A huge semi drove by while my camera was already out... yessssss.

3. I am always grateful for a good laugh. I love it when your day is going less-than-perfect but then you come across something that makes you laugh out loud. This did it for me this week.

4. My 25th birthday was this week, and among a relaxing night with family and lots of goodies, I got this little guy from my mama, who now sits on my desk and makes me extra happy when I'm writing. Thanks, Mom :)

5. I am 37 weeks pregnant today. I am now considered full-term and can begin trying to get this baby out! I am doing a VBA2C {vaginal birth after two c-sections} so prayers that labor begins before 40 weeks are much appreciated. I can't wait to meet my precious Hudson and have him join our family!

Wordless Wednesday {yes, I know it's Thursday}

Every Wednesday, bloggers around the world post a photograph of something, anything, and no description. It's called Wordless Wednesday. 

High Five for Friday

Is it just me, or did this week fly by? I feel like I got nothing productive done; I just stayed afloat with life at home and now, it's Friday again! Oh well, it was still a good week.

Here are my five favorite things from it:

1} I began my new series here on the blog, The Search for Recognition. This series has been bubbling up inside me for some time now, and I am so blessed to be used by God to shed a little light on this topic. Part three is coming on Monday, so if you haven't read the other two yet, go ahead and catch up! Here are the links: Series Intro & The Before & After Effect.

2} Normally, I wouldn't put having a tire pop on the freeway on my favorite five list. But when I was stuck on the side of the freeway, this super cute at&t guy pulled over and changed my tire for me ;)

{after reading your comments, I think I need to clarify... this is my husband! Hahaha}

3} Bella has been taking ballet classes for a couple of months now, and she's been the wild one in her class. She's really energetic, so she has a hard time focusing and being disciplined in class to do only as the teacher is instructing. However, this week she did great! She listened so well, she followed all of the teacher's instructions, and danced beautifully, making me one proud mama. She also got a sparkle for doing so well, which made her beam with pride. 

4} Leeland is all boy. He's normally very independent and doesn't let me love on him to much. He's super playful, curious, and busy. He likes to be on his own. But this week, for whatever reason, he became very lovey and clingy to me. This was such a sweet little blessing! I love that he kept putting his arms up for me to hold him. All he wanted to do this week was sit in {what's left of} my lap and give messy little boy kisses. Love!

5} I got flowers from Brian this week- apology flowers. Although the need for apology flowers does not thrill me, arguments are a part of marriage and I'm keepin' it real here, yo. I love how quick Brian is to get to the root of a disagreement and he is so willing to sit with me and talk it out. I also loved seeing him walk through the front door with these in hand. Cheesy or not, these made things better. 

Self-Introduction {akwardly written for the UBP12}

I'm very excited to announce that I'm participating in the Ultimate Blog Party 2012! As part of this, I've been asked to write a self-introduction post on my blog, and include a photo {awkward}. It feels a little funny because, as I share my heart with my readers regularly, I feel you already know me pretty well, but here goes...

I'm Allie, and I'm the wife of my very best friend, Brian. We have {almost} three littles- Bella {three-years-old}, Leeland {one-year-old}, and Hudson {due next month}. Here on my blog, I write about my journey to faithfully walk with Jesus, my sweet Savior, and striving to become a Proverbs 31 wife and godly mama. I'm pretty real and I share my heart. I don't put out a false facade because that would defeat the point of this blog. God has sprinkled the word purpose into my life from its beginning, and I really felt Him speaking that over me once I became a wife and mother. And so, I've become The Purposeful Housewife, because I have chosen to live each and every day on purpose, with purpose, and living in His purpose. 

Thanks for dropping by! I hope you stay :)