7 things about ME!

I got tagged again...I have to tell you 7 things that you don't know about me. This was pretty tough, considering I am not private at all....here it goes!

1. I am not and becoming even less of a risk taker. I hate to fly, I would never parachute (unless my life depended on it), and it makes my stomach hurt investing in anything higher than a savings account.

2. My mom accidently let someone cut 10 inches off my hair in the fourth grade. I sobbed. Even today I am terrified of cutting my hair short.

3. I lived in new york city two summers in a row in elementary school, when my sister and I used to model for Images. We knew all the people at the Hard Rock Cafe, and during certain songs they would let us do the roger rabbit on the tables (completely family friendly, of course).

4. I really really want to be able to run 5 miles in a row without stopping, or collapsing.

5. I LOVE being a stay at home and would not change it for anything but there is a part of me that really misses working. I only worked as an RN for about 8 months, right out of college. I truly enjoyed my job and hope one day when my kids are in school, someone will hire me again at least part-time.

6. I am completely out of touch with the "teenage generation." I remember thinking when I was around 17, that I would never become "uncool". Too late. I don't understand paying $400 for a purse and why we have to have computer cell-phones. I see things in practicality, not style. I love my mini-van! 

7. I desire a pure, selfless heart. I actually have always thought of myself as genuinely kind, giving, and the like. As I seek the heart of Christ, I have been truly humbled and have allowed myself to see the walls of selfishness that have hardened around my soul.

And some random Christmas pictures...

Christmas with the cousins!

Here are a few pictures with Matt's dads side of the family....it is quite interesting....Matt's dad has four brothers, and a sister. There are 14 grandchildren (including married spouses, a few more to be married sometime soon) and I think 7 great-grandchildren, with one more due any day!

From left to right:

Noah age 2, Logan age 3 1/2, Gabrielle age 18 months, Naomi age 2 1/2, Adria age 2, Macy age 4 (with baby sister Lilly due any day),  Luke age 5. 

Still being pretty good....
Other granchildren: From left..Shelby, Bethany, Emily...Gaby is starting to get annoyed!
Ok Seriously...:)
More Christmas pictures to come! 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas with Daddy!

Before Matt left we celebrated our Christmas early...here are a few pictures!

Truth for Tuesday

One Voice

I had the chance on Sunday to go to my "home" church with mom. I say "home" in quotations because it is technically not the church that Matt I go to when we are home, but the church that I grew up in. Southland Christian Church looks more like an airport than a church, it even has huge letters on the outside of the different buildings, that kind of resemble concourses. I started attending Southland in the 7th grade, when membership was around 5000, and now over 10,000. I went on numerous church trips, I loved my youth ministers, I made great friendships, I accepted Christ and was baptized, all while attending Southland. When Matt I were married, we just naturally started going to his church. I learned to love the intimacy and family like atmosphere I found in his much smaller congregation. I hadn't been to Southland in over 6 months and while I have in the past had a few issues with mega-churches, I forgot some of the aspects that I truly loved. I forgot how fluent the senior pastor speaks. God's word flows through him, he never carries notes, or opens a Bible, because he has pretty much memorized the whole thing. I forgot how many volunteers and serving hearts it takes to run that place. I forgot what it sounds like to have people leading praise and worship, that can ACTUALLY sing (my poor Saint Marys Ga church...so sad). Mostly I forgot how beautiful it is to be surrounded by 2000 plus people singing praises to our King. I know that not everyone in the congregation knows Jon Weece personally, but isn't it the relationship with God that really matters? For a moment at the end of the service, when everyone was singing "O come all ye faithful..." in unison, it sounded less like 2000 individual voices, but more like one voice, ONE loud voice. My father-in-law said that is what heaven is probably going to be like on a much bigger scale, millions of voices, altogether as one...singing for one purpose, to glorify our GOD.

Psalm 47

 1 Clap your hands, all you nations;

       shout to God with cries of joy.

 2 How awesome is the LORD Most High,

       the great King over all the earth!

 3 He subdued nations under us,

       peoples under our feet.

 4 He chose our inheritance for us,

       the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

       Selah

 5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,

       the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;

       sing praises to our King, sing praises.

 7 For God is the King of all the earth;

       sing to him a psalm [a] of praise.

 8 God reigns over the nations;

       God is seated on his holy throne.

 9 The nobles of the nations assemble

       as the people of the God of Abraham,

       for the kings [b] of the earth belong to God;

       he is greatly exalted.

I am totally into Shawn McDonald right now, here is my favorite song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIS1O02t_cU

Overwhelmed

I am sorry I did not do a truth for Tuesday yesterday, the day just got away from me. I honestly am a bit overwhelmed. Matt just left to go out to sea and it is just starting to sink in. And on top of that, nothing every seems to make the transition any easier...

Sunday:

-I went to let the dogs out and there was a stupid cat right outside out screened in porch. It would not move. It took me like 10 minutes to get the cat outside. I was about to just let my dogs out to eat it. The seriously almost caught it anyway...darn:) Just kidding!

-I dropped the girls off at the nursery at church, they sobbed, of course.

-The girls took like 1 hour naps (not nearly long enough)

Monday was ok...

Tuesday:

-Naomi's teacher called me to come pick her up at school...apparently they got out at 10:30 and I didn't get the memo...At least there were 2 other kids there, their parents "forgot" them too! 

-Gabby started this fighting nap thing. She has been the most "perfect sleeper" for most of her life so it is so sad to see her fighting it. First of all we are in the 2 to 1 nap transition...which is not fun. She is usually exhausted by like 11:30, which is a horrible time to lay her down and pretty much anytime I have laid her down in the past 2 days...screaming crying.....like nothing I have ever seen before....At least it is just at nap-time (or so I thought!)

Wednesday:

-I have had a headache all day

-Gabby slept for 20 minutes all day

- It is 8:25 and Gabs is screaming at the top of her lungs in her bed....I have already been in there once....I feel so sad for her but I am also frustrated, because she has always loved her sleep time. She normally willingly goes to sleep right at 8, or a few minutes before, including her 2-3 hours of napping. What to do? I know she would not stay in a toddler bed.

ERRRRR.....

Gabrielle and Naomi...looking back!

Gabby at 2 days

Gabby at 2 weeks

Gabby at 18 months (with food on her face!)

Gabby at 18 months (serious!)

Naomi at 2 days (yes she was a little jaundice in this picture)

Naomi at 2 weeks

Naomi at 18 months (with food on her face!)

Naomi at 18 months (serious...kinda:)

Do you think they look alike?

Christmas Pictures

For the brief moments that I got the girls to stand still and look at the camera....

PS. I am loving how curly Gabs hair is getting:)

Truth for Tuesday

The tug-a-war of obedience

Within the last year or so I have become much more aware of my resistance to Godly obedience. I think as am I am settling into the "mommy" role I am allowing myself to see my faults as my children might see them someday. It is not as if I don't love Christ and desperately want to follow Him with my life, it just that I have never really realized how strong I pull against my transformation. I know that He will ultimately win the "tug-a-war" but is like there are 100 of me on the other side, kicking and screaming as my end of the rope gets shorter and shorter.

I never, even my teenage years, have been that "disobedient." Yes, I had a year or two in high school, where I was a brat, but for the most part, I knew where to draw the line. My issue has always been discipline. I think in about 30 years when I look back on different stages of my life, my twenties (yes a whole decade) will have been about me finally letting go of the rope.

I desire real transformation and I know for this to happen, I have to daily submit to God's authority in my life. It requires me to step out of my complacency and my selfishness and let Him make real changes in my heart.

The main areas that I see God truly pulling my life right now are:

*My time with Him-This has to be my number #1 priority everyday! No excuses. How can I ever expect my children to truly learn the heart of God, if I don't know it. I want to be filled to overflowing, so that every fiber of my being is Christ like, seeping over into their lives.

*My husband-I know Matt would say I spoil him (which might be true), but I don't ever want my selfish desires to come before the most important person in my life

*My children- Yes, I am home all day with my kids...a lot of people would say that is enough. I believe this is completely false. I am so grateful to be a stay at home mom, but how much more of a responsibility does that place on me. I am, for the most part, the sole influence in their lives....their spiritual guide, teacher, doctor, provider....so many roles piled into one! I want to live up to the challenge.

* My home- I want my home to glorify my King (and my family.)

* My health- I truly believe that so many "Christians" let this area slide. I am not placing judgment, just for me God has given me true convictions about my physical body. With that being said, this is probably my biggest area of weakness. I have absolutely no discipline when chocolate is involved.

I have been reading and re-reading Genesis. It is packed full of so much stuff, I have to read it over and over again to soak in all its goodness! As I have been reading about Abraham, I am totally taken back by his willful obedience. I want a heart that yearns to please my King, to never question His authority over my life, to rise early to meet Him, and to trust my life to Him completely.

Abraham and Sarah waited a hundred years for Issac...even many years after God promised them a son.

Genesis 22:1-12

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about. Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you. 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

The "booty" dance

At first Naomi told us she learned this from Jesus...later she confessed she learned it at school! Now I am wondering what kind of school she is going to?:)

Naomi's First Haircut!

I finally talked Matt into letting me trim Naomi's hair. From day one, Matt has stood firm in his position, to just let it grow. I agree, we both love long hair, but it was totally time to cut off the dead ends.....and he let me do it! Crazy I know! Here are some pictures! 

Gabby was sleeping through this monumental time in Naomi's life....I had to get a sleeping picture in. 

She woke up during all the picture taking...I think she was thinking, "seriously, mom I think I am the one who needs the haircut?!?" Hehe...our girls have the best hair:)

Gabby's 18 month check up

Gabby is 18 months...where does the time go?

Weight- 26 lbs 8 oz (75%)

Hight- 32 1/2 inches (75%)

Head- 18 6/8 (75%)

She said that she looked great and growing perfectly....she also said like so many others to just be "consistent" when it comes to dealing with her stubbornness! 

She got one shot...and it went pretty well!

I am falling behind

OK my truth for Tuesday is seriously falling behind. Lately we have had a lot going on...I promise in the next few weeks to get back on the bandwagon.

Anyways Naomi recorded a video for her cousin Noah the other day...I am just now getting it up! 

We love you Noah and hope you had a GREAT 2nd birthday!

Matt, Allie, Naomi, and Gabrielle

Suggestions.....PLEASE!

OK...so our sweet little Gabs has a serious issue with any type of restraint. I love her crazy spirit but she is beginning to test my patience. I consider Matt and myself pretty flexible, patient people. Gabby seems to have inherited neither of our personalities...which is ok, but sometimes makes it hard for us to know what is best for her in certain situations. 

Our major issue right now is that she HATES being restrained...

Strollers (walks are pretty much out of the question)

High Chair (at home or even worse out to eat)

Bath seat (yes I know she is getting a little old for this but it is hard to bathe two kids under 3)

Grocery carts (disastrous)

Car Seat (by far the worst...which makes going anywhere dreadful)

I realize that she is getting older and probably sees what Naomi does, and wants to copy her. I have let her sit in the bottom part of the grocery cart with Naomi, and sometimes she does ok.....I try and get the car grocery carts that both kids sit in the top of...and Gabby still hates to get in them. The bath seat... like I said I know she is getting a little big for it....but even against by wishes I have tried to put her in the bath with Naomi and she refuses to sit down. The stroller isn't even worth the effort....We tried to put her in a booster seat but she most of the time won't stay seated....

The car seat is by far the worst...which Naomi has the exact same car seat right next to her. She throws her legs out straight and stiffens up her back and then throws her head back...it seriously takes all of strength to push in at her stomach to get in the car. Then she screams and cries for like 15 minutes until she finally gets over it. The grocery cart is the same scene except once I have her in it she flails around hitting her head on the back of the metal seat part, screaming at the top of her lungs.....you get the point with the high chair, stroller, and so on.

Ok my disclaimer...I do about half of the time end up giving her some type of food at the grocery just to get her to calm down so I can get my shopping done. I know I am kind of giving in. Secondly, in the car we have a pull down tv that plays dvd's. Once Gabby is the car she will point to this, if I turn in on, complete silence fills my car. Let me say that seriously up until this whole issue started we hardly ever used the car dvd player...only on trips longer than an hour...also Gabby wants NOTHING to do with tv at home, she will hardly sit still for 5 seconds let along any amount of time watching tv. 

So I guess my questions are:

What should I do?

Should I just continually give in to the crackers/cookies and tv for sanity purposes?

Should I not give in at all, but allow my child to get bruised in the process either from my pushing her in something or her hitting her head/body on metal objects?

Why is it that everything you planned to do as a parent changes once you actually are a parent?

What can I do to make her not so upset during times she has to be restrained?

Should I just never leave my house and let my kids run around to eat and never bath them...so she is never "restrained" again? 

I know there is probably not an answer...and that really it is just taking time to daily submit to God's authority in my life. I know He entrusted these two precious girls into Matt and I's care, but sometimes....I just wonder if we are doing it right?

Thanksgiving Pictures

My grandparents with all the grandchildren (mom's side). Matt would not get in the picture and the girls were napping! 

My cousins...they really did not want to take pictures so what better reason to put them on my blog....From left: Kelley 19, Eli 17, Olivia 14
The fam...the girls were not very cooperative:(

I am thankful for...

Sorry I did not have a truth post on Tuesday. I just didn't have time and I figured this week would be a little different since it is Thanksgiving. Happy Turkey Day! 

I am thankful for:

1. Jesus...He rocks! 

2. My husband-I love this man more and more everyday.

3. Naomi Reese-My beautiful, loving, tender, reserved, compassionate almost 3 year old.

4. Gabrielle Harman-My beautiful, spirited (and I don't mean bad), courageous, active, funny one and a half year old. 

5. My parents-I am eternally grateful for the wonderful selfless people that I am honored to call mom and dad. 

6. My in-laws- I live in the minority of people who would not trade their in-laws for anything. I love them so much and am also grateful for the amazing man that they raised:)

7.  My siblings and extended family-My sister Tracey (incredibly smart and passionate), my sister in law Stephanie and my brother in law Dillan (who are wonderful parents to their two little boys.)

8. My nephews...seriously cute and funny kids. Logan is 3 and Noah is 2 (well almost..Dec 1st)

9. My friends... Jenn, Katie, Jill, my bible study girls...and the list could go on and on...I have the best of friends.

10. My house- What a great privilege and responsibility it is to own our first home. 

11. Matt's job security- There are numerous things about the military life that I could complain about but we seriously are counting our blessings knowing even in economic crisis our pay checks are steady. 

12. Our health and our kids health-I am sooo grateful for decent genes and a healthy family.

13. Sunshine- I do feel somewhat spoiled that somedays in November get close or over 70 degrees.

14. Free healthcare-Military healthcare definitely has its kinks...but seriously, it is free!

15. Freedom

16. Education-I hope someday when my kids are in school, that I can put my college education to use.

17. Babies-I love me some babies!

18. Dogs-Marty and Cheyenne sometimes drive me crazy but what would I do without them.

19. Clean house- makes me more sane!

20. Exercise crazy friends- I am grateful for this because I know without them, I might be a bum! 

Others: Chocolate, Coffee, Vacations, Fisher Price Nature Wonder Swing (life saver), Epidural's, Diet Dr. Pepper, Chick-Fil-a, mini-van's, military discounts, Kentucky and Kentucky sports, Target, Apple computers, Canon camera's, other mommy's....and much more! 

Seriously...smart kid!

Out of the blue...Naomi started spouting off the Pledge of Allegiance! 

*I did not realize how messy Naomi's hair was when video taped her saying this...she really does have pretty hair most of the time:)

*NOTE: Apparently the time on my posts are off by like 4 hours....NO I did not put this up originally at 5:41 am! That would be crazy!

Dishwashing FUN!

I really hate UNLOADING the dishwasher. I really don't mind any other part of the process, but unloading...yuck! So I have discovered that it is not near as horrible if I let the girls be involved. The process now goes...Naomi is the distributer (don't mess with her dishes or she will get mad). She has to get each plate (bowls, cups..etc) out and put them all in their individual piles and then hands them one at a time to Gabby. Gabby is the transporter. She takes the dishes from Naomi and brings them to mommy. Mommy is the deliver. I put the dishes where they need to go. It is a great system and makes the dreaded unloading of the dishwasher..somewhat FUN!

Naomi was at school during this video...so Gabby got to do both.

PS. Dad, I promise there were no knives! 

Truth for Tuesday

This has nothing to do with my post but I always have to throw in a picture of our girls! They are enjoying a after nap "picnic snack" on the back porch! Long Love

I lugged the kids out the house a few weeks ago for a dreaded trip to the post office. I dislike doing the “fast errands” with both the girls, because what of what should be a 5 minute trip turns into a 45 minute nightmare. After putting both girls in my giant double stroller, I walk up to the door, to a little old man who is holding the door open for us. I can’t help but be polite and graciously thank him, apparently giving him the go to pour out his entire life story to the girls and I, as we are still standing in the doorway. He tells me about his wife Elizabeth Grace, who he was married to for 60 years before she died of a heart attack, of their life together, about their son who lives in San Diego, his time in the Navy, and back to his wife. He told me that she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and that she had jet-black curly hair. He told me to hold on a minute and he ran to his car and brought in this frame that was about 20 x 20 with 4-5 pictures of his wife and few of him and his son. We probably spent 15-20 minutes of our post office time talking or listening to this man. After I finally got my package sent out I piled the girls back in the car and headed home. I couldn’t help but think about all the years that this little old man spent in love with his wife. It makes me a little sad to think about how love after the newness fades loses its luster in our world. We only get excited about the beginnings when it’s the all the time in the middle, and the endings that really matter. The longevity of a life given to someone else is what makes it beautiful.

So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

Genesis 29:20

*Sorry this post is a little late, I finally got my hands on "The Shack" and could not get it out of my hands:)

Play Date at the Park!

A few weeks ago we had our play date at the park in down town Saint Marys. Our town is kinda lame in a lot of aspects, but the waterfront park, is very pretty and quaint. The weather here also has been awesome. 

Naomi going down the slide...over and over again!

Amy, baby Walter (who is not so much of a baby anymore...tear) and Gabby in the background.

Gabby with a really dirty face. She thinks sand tastes good. Wait...she thinks everything tastes good!
Ryker (Lori's little boy) in the tunnel.
Naomi in the tunnel
PS. Gabby went to the doctor yesterday and has a double ear infection. Poor baby:(

Truth for Tuesday

I have been tagged again:) 

I have to tell you six things that make my happy and then tag six people to say six things that make them happy. I don't normally feel obligated to do these, but since it is Tuesday....here it goes.

First off I think I must make a disclaimer. Only listing six things that make me happy is like saying I only like six deserts...which is crazy. With that being said, I feel compelled to make my six things, really important, since so many things make me happy.

1. My husband-I know this is a gimme, but seriously I fall more in love with Matt everyday. Matt used to tell me I was way out his league. Over the past five 1/2 years I have learned the opposite is true. I sometimes feel so undeserving of the self-sacrificing, loyal, honest, patient, and loving man that I go to sleep next to every night. (Well at least the nights that he is not in the middle of the ocean.)

2. Watching my children learn God's truths- Naomi knows 4 Bible verses by heart now. She says them every morning and night. We read a chapter of Psalms out loud almost every morning.  Matt took her to Lowes the other night and she saw a Nativity scene (never seen one that I can remember) and said "look daddy it is baby Jesus and God." Seriously precious. Gabby loves her little pink Bible, she carries it around with her all the time.

3. The inner skinny version of me- I know that there is a skinny 120 lb Allie dying to get out. The hopes of one day meeting her makes me very happy.

4. Accomplishment- I love at the end of the day when you know that you have lived worthy of God's calling on our lives. I remember in my one 8 month RN job when I worked in the ER. Every day there was exhausting, but at the end of usually 14 hours, I felt like I had done something. That makes me smile.

5. Old people. I seriously love old people. I think I must have it written all over me because every where I go, they flock to talk to me. I seriously think I spent at least 30 minutes last week in conversation out random places with total "old" strangers.

6. Kentucky. In every aspect. My family is there, the weather, the scenery, the people, and of course the sports. Although sometimes like last Saturday, just the opposite of happiness happens. Boo Georgia.

Well thats it. I promise to have a more thought provoking Truth next week. I tag Jenn, Sarah, Stephanie, Omar, Katie, and that is all for now. I know it is only 5. I am sure a few of these people won't do this, but oh well. 

Gabby reading her Bible:)

One of my favorite "old" peoples.  My papaw. 

Flower girl Pros

The first two are from my cousin Trevor's wedding (the one where Naomi threw up 10 min before the wedding.)

The last two are from Marni's wedding on Honeymoon Island. It was the first beach and Jewish wedding I have ever been to. We had a lot of fun. Gabby kept taking her diaper off:)