I read an article today that really disturbed me…a 5 year old girl, in California, was suspended from school due to sexual activity, performing oral sex on two little boys in the restroom and in the play yard.

This story breaks my heart… it made me wonder about what/who this child has been exposed too.  It also made me so much more aware of how important it is for us as parents to guard what our children see, who they are around and what they listen too.

This situation has prompted me to pray.  Pray for our children, parents, guardians, households, schools and communities.  Please join me in interceding and asking God to keep a hedge of protection around our children…and also for us as parents to be their protectors.

Please send all prayer requests to : themommydiaries03@yahoo.com.  I will be praying daily for you and your families!

Happy Belated Valentine’s Day!!! I hope that this special day was enjoyed by all, especially my married mama’s!!!
This year, was a little different to say the least.  I think that my hubby and I are still in “new baby” mode and celebrating Valentine’s Day was not at the top of either of our to~do lists!

Since Baby Majer was born on 2/4 and I have barely left the house since coming from the hospital, I decided to write my hubby a letter.  It was a sincere expression of my love and done in my best form of communication~Words.

That night after he read my letter he decided that our special V~day celebration would take place next month…after my 6 week check-up.  I’m cool w/that but I have decided to have some post V~day goodies for the family w/Sunday dinner.  I’m thinking heart cookies and strawberry ice cream!

The one thing I can say is that I’ve learned that I shouldn’t wait on a specific day to express my love, everyday should be Valentine’s Day!!!

**My Four Valentine’s**

One of the most difficult things for me to do is to slow down and accept help.  As of a little over a week ago, we are know the proud parents of 4 children!
Being a SAHM I am the main caregiver and with that role comes everything that has to do w/the home and kids~my official title is “Home Manager”.
I’m used to doing everything and w/baby Majer being here, I don’t want to miss a minute w/him! But to be honest, I’m tired…my back hurts and I just want to lay in bed for a few hours at a time throughout the day. But I feel sooooo bad doing so.  Do any other mother’s feel this way?
Well today, I’m going to take advantage of the help that is available to me.  My mother~in~love is here for 2 weeks and she has just given me instructions to go to bed! Although I feel weird doing so when my baby boy is up, I’m going to be obedient and take this time to rest, read and be restored! 
It won’t be easy to take a time out but I realize that I need it.

So, to all the mommy’s…how do you feel about accepting help?  Is it hard for you or do you recognize your limits and go w/it?!!

It is official! We are now a

family of six, my hubby and I are the parents of four!  

Majer Elias-Andre’ Boyd was born on February 4, 2013 at 8:33am.  He was 7 pounds 6 ounces and 21 inches long.  He is absolutely gorgeous and our entire family is completely in love.  My water broke at home around 1am (after the Super Bowl) the day after our oldest daughter’s birthday.  We got to the hospital around 1:30am.  My labor was very intense but throughout it all, I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit kept bringing my focus back to him and the gift that would be soon be given to us!

We are home now and things are going well.  We are all adjusting to each other and I know that soon enough Majer will be sleeping through the night and we will all be on one schedule.

 Until then, I’m enjoying the moments.  I love to see my husband’s face light up when he’s up feeding him.  I love to watch our older kids watch him.  I love to love my family…life is great:-)

Today is the day!!  I am officially 38 weeks preggo and that means that the finish line is just 2 weeks away!!!!  

This was a busy week for me as far as doctor appointments go…we had an ultrasound on Wednesday and found out that Baby Boyd is 8 lbs!!!  The 3D pictures are so cute~his cheeks are chunky and so is his belly!  Then on Thursday we found out that he is still up high and I am still at 1 centimeter dialated.  So the name of the game is still patience for me!

Throughout all of this I am just thankful.  Thankful for my family and friends.  Thankful that God has chosen me to be a mother.  Thankful for His Word and a true, deepening hope that everything is okay and that in the end it will all be well.

So, could all of my Mama’s out there do me a favor???? Please keep my family and I in your prayers that all that is going on will bring God glory.  Thanks!!!!  

Blessings

So, as of today I am 9 months pregnant (36 weeks and 2 days to be exact)!!!  And then there is the looming question, should I make a birthing plan or not?  It seems quite simple but for some reason or another, it’s not.

With our first daughter, Virginia, I was adamant about my birthing plan:  I was going to have a natural birth, no pain medication whatsoever.  Yes, I was overly hype from watching all of the episodes of TLC’s The Baby Story and reading  so many books, but I really thought that I could do it!  I went into labor and was trying my hardest to hold out.  Then I decided to get meds through the IV.  Not a great idea for me!!!  Yes the medication took some of the edge off of the pain but it was so irritating!!!  I got so sleepy but then I couldn’t go to sleep because of the constant contractions.  Eventually, about 12 hours in, I got the epidural.  Within the next 2 hours our little 7 lb 9 oz princess was born!

With the twins it was totally different.  From the jump I knew that there was a very good chance that I would have to get the epidural.  Ashlynn, aka Baby B, was breech.  My Doctor informed me that the epidural would be just about non-negotiable because she would have to either be turned manually or if push came to shove, a c-section would have to be done.  I was totally shocked, and content, that I was able to hold out on getting the epidural until the very last minute, the contractions were manageable.  Thank God, as soon as Asa was born, Ashlynn turned into position by naturally and she was delivered 13 minutes after her brother.

So, with baby #4 I’m not too overly pressed about the birthing plan.  My goal is to go without any medication just because the IV meds made me sleepy and the I absolutely loathe how heavy and numb my legs felt due to the epidural.  But the difference is that I know that regardless of how  my baby comes, the biggest deal is that he and I are both healthy.  And I wont feel any less of a woman if I resort to anything other than my original plan…if things happen to go other than I plan, it’s ok…although the process may change the outcome will be the same~a beautiful baby boy!!!! 

Today was almost one of those days…the day where I woke up in a funk b/c I didn’t sleep well and it seemed as if my alarm went off when I had just drifted off into a sweet slumber…
My initial reaction was to say “no I’m not going to church and I will attempt to get the kids ready but if they are looking/acting at a little off, people will just have to understand that I’m nine months pregnant and I didn’t quite cut it with the morning routine”.
But then truth kicked in…I don’t have to go by my feelings.  I can choose to have a better attitude and just be thankful for another day and time to be w/my family.
So that’s what I did…choose the latter.
I choose to get ready for the day w/joy and appreciation.  There are some that really want family, faith, and love but don’t have it…who am I to be unappreciative of all that God has given me?  Therefore I choose to live in the blessings and not the ALMOST…

Happy New Year!!!!  I’m hoping that everyone is enjoying their New Year and taking the time to reflect, plan and achieve…I have been seeing so many posts/tweets about people’s goals for this new year~and to say the least, I am impressed and ecouraged!!!

Earlier this afternoon, I was getting ready for my doctor’s appointment and I was talking to God and thanking Him for this new year.  And the one thing that the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart was, “Play Your Role”.  This phrase got me to thinking…thinking about me and what roles in life God that has given me…

In the past I have taken these roles lightly:  Follower/Learner/Disciple of Christ, Wife, Mother, Writer, Minister/Encourager of Women, Intercessor etc.

 I can honestly say that there have been times when I have shied away from these roles b/c I was afraid of what people would say/think, I spent too much time comparing myself to others, I doubted that I was good enough to help anyone, and I didn’t want the responsibility that these roles came with them.  I let so many things, fears and negative emotions keep me from doing and being everything that God has called me to do.

By no means will I say that stepping out is easy but what I will say is that is possible and it is so worth it!  My husband reminded me tonight about how much courage it took for us to get married.  Our families thought that we were crazy when we told them that we were getting married after only courting for six months.  But even in the midst of all of the drama, I knew w/o a shadow of a doubt that my future was connected to this specific man..Even, now seven and a half years and one month shy of four children later, I see clearly that…Courage helped me to say Yes, even when it would have been easier to say No.  The role of being Mrs. Boyd was already ordained for me and all it took was for me to accept it and Do it.

So what role(s) has God given you in 2013?  Some may be new and others might just be waiting for you to get in the game and no longer sit on the sideline.  Whatever they are, be strong and courageous…step out w/confidence and let God shine His spot light through you in your biggest stage appearance ever…Life.  Blessings~