I Love My Body

(Baby) Onesie: Carters // Headband: Target 
(Me) Headband: Buckle // Sweater: Target // Earrings: Down East Basics // Jeans: Destination Maternity

I have been completely MIA from this little blogging space of mine. Not only because I am a full time Mommy (which is crazy busy), but since having Olivia I have wanted to just devote my full time and attention to her...and it's been so wonderful. 

I have missed the blogging world and have especially missed posting a few times a week being able to document my life and all the memories that I want to look back on and cherish forever.

For the past couple of months, I have been SO self conscious about my body image and that is why I have refrained from posting any pictures of myself on my blog or on my Instagram. I have felt like I have to be the weight that I was (135 pounds) to post any fashion posts or just posts in general picturing myself. The weight has been very difficult to get off. I have really been watching what I eat and started drinking Isagenix shakes every morning. In less than a month, I have already lost 11 pounds. So I am getting there and I am proud of myself for the weight that I have been able to lose so far! I have also heard that women who have c-sections, that its a lot harder to get the weight off. Don't know if that is true or not??

For the past few days I have been really thinking and praying about my body image and about this body that God gave me. I woke up this morning looking in the mirror at myself and felt like a million bucks. It doesn't matter if I am not 135 pounds like I was before having Olivia. It doesn't matter if I have a little pooch tummy that sticks out a bit. It doesn't matter if I am still wearing maternity pants and tops. It doesn't matter what others think of me. None of that matters. I am grateful for this wonderful body that I have been blessed with and even MORE grateful for this body that gave me my sweet beautiful daughter that means more than anything to me. So poochy tummy, cellulite, stretch marks, surgery scar and flat butt I will embrace you because I have her. I am still going to work it like it's nobody's business!

I am back to blogging once again!

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OLIVIA || TWO MONTHS OLD

On Saturday our baby girl turned 2 months old! I can't believe how two months has come and gone so quickly. She is now over 8 pounds, drinking 3 oz. every feeding, and sleeping 7-8 hours every night like a champ! We love her smile, her little noises she makes and how she loves to cuddle all the time. Our love for this little soul is so indescribable and we feel extremely blessed that she is ours. She brings so much joy into our lives. 

Double Blessing

We are so happy to announce that this precious little girl that we have been fostering since April of last year is finally part of our forever family!! Her court date was on June 8th at 3 p.m. and then just 4 hours later baby Olivia made her debut into this world also. Two wonderful blessings in just one day!! It will definitely be a day that we will never forget. The miracles of God are nothing short of amazing! He is so good! Our hearts are so overwhelmed with gratitude and love. We love this little family of ours more than anything. ❤ {birth story to follow soon}

For All You Mama's Out There

Motherhood is such a gift. It's a sacred responsibility and calling unlike anything else. I am grateful for the blessing of being a Mother to a sweet precious girl that we will be adopting in June and to baby Olivia who will be making her grand entrance in July. When I was trying to get pregnant I had a lot of sleepless nights, doubted the Lord at times, thought there was something wrong with me, and would compare myself to other women who found out they were pregnant for the first time or pregnant with their second, third, fourth, or fifth child. It was a struggle to say the least, but I wouldn't change my feelings of heartache, doubt, and fear for anything. I prayed like I never have before and my relationship with my Heavenly Father grew so much. I have come to realize time and time again that his timing and his plan are so perfect in every way. We just have to learn to trust him and his will for our lives. So to those who are waiting or mourning: I am so sorry. I am so sorry for the pain you are going through or have gone through. So sorry for the waiting, the agonizing, the questioning, the crying. So sorry for the frustration and anger. I’m sorry for the struggle to try to choose joy and gratitude in painful circumstances. I know, there is always hope. Always. Hope. But I don’t want to deny that there can be pain too. I've been there and I know how it hurts. Even though great miracles might be in store for your life or great lessons might be learned along the way, that doesn't mean that pain and weeping aren't a part of the journey beforehand. So I shed lots of tears with you and I send you the biggest hugs that I can send.

I pray that you will be blessed with the gift of peace today and tomorrow and through the days and years ahead. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” {Psalm 34:18}

I pray you will feel this closeness even in your deepest of heartbreaks today and always. Cherish today. This is your day! 

Magical

"Mama. You are so magical. I love you like a BIG heart!"

These sweet words from her little lips gave me chills up and down my body as my eyes started to swell up. I instantly grabbed her little body into my arms and hugged her ever so tightly. It touches my heart deep to the core knowing that in her eyes she believes I am magical. It makes me feel as if I am doing something right and being the best Mama I can be for her.

It's moments like these that I grasp and hold onto so tightly. I wish I could bottle each and every single one of these moments up and seal them forever. Sometimes I feel like these moments will eventually end or I will fail to recognize them and they will slip right through my fingers.

The truth is, moments like these are everything to me. They are something to cherish and always remember.

Motherhood is such an amazing journey. Truly a gift from Him above.

Motherhood

Motherhood is more than just a stage-its a lifelong gift and calling from God. With it He gives us hearts that love more deeply, hands that serve tirelessly, and vision to see His blossoming image in the precious entrusted to our care.