God can answer your prayers

I thank the lord, that he has answered my prayers.  Yes there are still unanswered prayers, put it is not time for them to be answered yet.  Just keep the patience, and trust in the lord, he can do anything, and is always waiting, and loving you no matter what you have done, what path you have taken.  God can and will deliver you out of any situation.

God has healed my husband of his anger issues, he is a completely changed man.  He is truly living for God, and allowing him to lead, rather than trying to trudge through life on his own. He is finally being a living Godly example to our son, and all those he sees through his work.  Thank you lord that he living for you and you alone.

God has gave me direction, I was struggling with what God wanted me to do, and having a Godly purpose in the life.  God has answered my prayers, and put me back in school to be a preschool teacher.  Though this is tough, I stand firm on the foundation of God. That he will provide for my family financially, that we will not be burdened with finical debt for me going back to school. That God will open the doors for me to have the job that he has called me to be. Through that job I will bring many souls back into the house of God.

When we were extremely in debt God opened the door for us to move into our home that is based upon our finances. God came in just in time, and provided for us, he has many times over. Though our credit is high currently, God is in control. I no longer worry about how we are going to pay any of our bills, or needs for our home. For they are all already bought and paid for through the blood of Jesus Christ.  I trust that God will heal our credit card debt.  God will provide a bigger, and better vehicle, that we desperately need. God will open doors for my husband and myself, for our job directions.  God will help our son, to be the little man he has called him to be. Our son will no longer need an IEP through school. 

God has always will provide, and will answer our heart felt prayers. Thank you lord for all that you have done, in my life, and in my families life.  May we as we go throughout this Thanksgiving day turn back to you lord, and keep our focus on you.  Just be so thankful for all that you done and provided.

I am most thankful for God's forgiveness and I now, and forever stay a true follower of him.  I am also most thankful for my husband, son, and all of our combined family, and friends.  Yes the things of life I do enjoy, but truly I enjoy time with family and friends the most.
What are things that you are most thankful for?

Children and blessings

As I am sitting at home without my son and my husband fast asleep. I am so thankful for the ways that God shows me that he cares for me each and everyday. It is by the little things, and if we don't try to look for them we will miss it. I am so thankful that God shows me he loves me through my son, in the mornings, if he wakes up on his own, he walks into my husband and I bedroom smiling from ear to ear and jumps up and bed with me and gives me a hug. What a wonderful gift of child's love it so pure and innocent. If we could only love others especially our spouses and family members with that kind of devotion, no matter what we look like or what we have done so far your child loves you without question, and will do whatever they can to show that they do love you, and get your attention and affection in return. 

The things that breaks my heart, and use to up to recently make me angry:

If parents that flat out ignore there children, where there child has to particularly scream in there face just to get them to look at them. 

Or a parent that can't wait to be rid of there child for the day, and when there child comes home there mood goes to be instant sore. Because now the parent cannot focus on what seems to be most important to them, which is there self. 

It is very disheartening, when parents, force there children to go outside, and not even try to look for them unless it is time for them to go inside. 

Or the single parent, now I am not saying all parents are like this but this is the case for my neighbors on where I live at. The single parent will be outside and even play along with there child but as soon as there girlfriend/boyfriend arrives, their child becomes an after thought.

My only plea is if you have a child, play with them, interact with them. No matter how old they are they are all yearning for a parents love. A child desperately needs a father and mothers love. Children are God's little blessings, I cannot count how many times my son has brought me joy when the world gave me none. My son is such a little blessing. Now he is far from perfect, but we have to look past there imperfections and just see them as a whole being in this imperfect world. Just focus on the good and joyous things they have done for you.

God loves you for who you are and not for what you have or have not done! :)

Achievements

I will start this off with questions. Also this just my rambling thoughts so if there is any typos I apologize.

What do you do before you feel you have made an achievement? What goals do you strive for yourself to do day to day? Do you feel like you have a lack of self worth if you do not achieve said goals? Do you feel unsuccessful because of you are not making as much money as you would like?

I have recently had an awakening, why is it that I get so excited over the little things my son achieve but yet, I do not feel any accomplishment unless I finish something enormousness. So I put a challenge on myself to just get excited over every little thing I achieve for that day. I have to say, that my day felt much brighter and way less stressful. It is amazing to me how we get so caught up in what we are doing, or what we are not doing that we lose perspective. Yes, I would love to not have this certain debt that we have, yes I would love to own my own home, and have a vehicle that is 4 door, and have 2 of them in fact and would that both have working a/c's. 

We should look at every little thing we do as an accomplishment. From changing diapers, to paying the bills, or whatever you do. Every single thing that you do is an accomplishment. For you do not have to get up, you do not have go to work, you do not have to take care of your home, or raise your children or any other little thing. But we chose to do so, why because we love our family and our home, and we want them to grow, and want them to not have to take on our debt as well. So please try to not look at your checkbook, and feel so overwhelmed or unsuccessful. For money can not buy happiness, nor a family that will love and accept you for who you are, go out there be who you want to be. 

Lastly I have to say that I am sure in the past I have been my far share of a nay-saying.  Now I am trying to be the opposite, I am trying to encourage others, whether they want to even speak to me or not. I am trying to be the best I can be and be the person I want to be rather than trying to either force others to be the way I want them to be or trying to be whom I think they want me to be. (note: I have done both neither will work in your favor) To those of you out there that do read this go and try to strive to be an encourager, rather than hindrance to others. 

May you see the blessed in all that you do.

Testings to Delays to Development

For those that do not know this my son has a speech delay, a major one at that.  My husband and I suspected for sometime, but finally decided to talk to my son's doctor about that, when he was about 15 months old. She advised us to go get his tested through developmental program through our local health system. After he was tested they suggested we go through a program that is for toddlers to age 3, which was Help Me Grow. He had to get tested again before he got into there program. I learned some helpful skills for my child, and if we ever have another child to help along with there speech. Now I know everyone child is different but they teach you do the activities they love to do already along with them and just add words in that appropriate with what they are doing. Now it does seem like an obvious thing but once you have a child whom is having problems, sometimes your mind seems to shut off, at least my case it did, and only focused on his problem rather than a solution and a way to help him grow. Now I see him as special child that he is, and see that his delay is not a hindrance but a blessing, in many many ways, but I will get into that at another time.

I have also learned that the way to help children really grow is to have them around other children often, at least once a week if not once a day if it is all possible. Time flew by more and more development, granted it was very slow, because at the time my son did not have that many children in our neighborhood that would play with him, nor at our church in nursery, there is not that many children that attend regularly. Time flew by more and he was almost three, it was time for him to get tested for our local school preschool programs to see if he still need extra help. Will he got into there program to help his speech, during the school year he would be seen by a speech specialist, it is only for around 10 minutes at most a week. We as a parent are the ones that are to be there mentors and teachers. Our children do watch our every move and every word. There are some words and phrases I wish I could take back around my child, for I do slip up from time to time. But I try to everyday spend time with him playing a certain activity trying to get him to repeat with words what we are doing. It is a slow and grueling process at times. But it is worth it. I have to say though once my son was in preschool, his speech flared, and his potty training did as well. Now that it is still summer, he is still growing and learning more. He talks much much more, and I can understand a lot more of his words, and others can start to actually understand his speech as well. Which is a major goal, I want him to be able to play with others without me having to tell them what he is trying to say. I hope everyone does not misunderstand I am not ashamed by him I am thankful for him, and all his faults. It has helped open up a new understanding to those with various delays, and maybe one day help those in my similar situations. 

My challenge is to those out there with children that have various delays, seek out programs out there that are for children with those delays, and seek out other parents that are going through your similar situations, so they can help give ideas, on what they have done, and what programs they have done. There are many programs out there that will help you with payments, where you will have to pay little to nothing depending on your income in most cases. Also try to do an activity a day that your children love, and something whatever they are have a delay in. You will begin to see an improvement. It may be slow at first but they will grow and get better. 

Lastly I believe that children can only develop if you first give an interest and pursue it. I hope that what I have said helps you, and helps inspire you. Help you see your children regardless of the situation, and/or delay they are special, and they are amazing and unique.

Hold onto your children, for they are vessels, of your love, of blessings, and show you how to love unconditionally.

Food Stamps vs college

This all just my way of venting I am sorry if I have offended anyone it was not my intention

I think that it is completely biased the way they have food stamps set up at least in the state of Ohio. Did you all know that if you go to school and are married, you are ineligible to receive food stamps, but if you are unmarried and go to school you still are eligible. 

I do not understand there way of thinking behind this whatsoever. Apparently when you are married your education is supposed to already be in check along with your fiances, by at least the food stamps standards. I do not how else to put a spin on that. How is that even legal to have that standard, I would like to know how and why they came up with that crazy standard. Once I am enrolled in school we will be kicked off, and I know I will not get answers from the workers, even if I try a hearing, for it seems nowadays they don't seem to know a lot of standards we were founded on let alone actual rights. Now I could understand if we made too much money, but going to school does not mean we are making more money, we have more debt. I do not see how this is fair, we still are making the same amount money towards the home. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will find a job in the field I am pursing, so we will be able to afford to buy food for our house. Due to our credit debt that is currently a vicious cycle. Which is a whole different story. 

Lastly why is our government systems that are for the poor, because yes, we are still considered poor, set up in such a way to help those the are unmarried, but once you are married, it is like you have to go through all these venues just to even get considered. I will not get into right now, the number of times they tried to prove we made more than what we were saying which was false. Or get into the fact of how outdated medicaid is, I do not think they updated the budget of how much you can make to be no longer on there in years, for at least licking county.

*Please note that I am not against single parents I understand you have needs as well. I am just saying that married people generally have the same if not more financial burdens. Nor do I think that we should stop trying to help those that are single.*

recipes

Here are some of my recipes, that are fairly easy to make, and are not too costly either, for those that are watching there budget. These are all summer based. Feel free to change the amounts to your liking, most of it is a rough guess because I don't use measurements that often.

Yummy Tuna/chicken salad
   1/2 medium tomato diced
   1/4c onion diced (whatever onion you prefer works)
   1 stalk of celery diced
   1 can of tuna drained
   1/8c mustard
   1/3-1/2c mayo
   1/4 c sweet relish
   10 baby carrots diced
   1/4t garlic salt
   1/4t lemon pepper
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, and my favorite bread to serve it with garlic bread, generally I have it was regular saltine crackers, or white bread.

Yummy Trail Mix
   1 box of honey nut cheerios
   1-2 cans of mixed nuts (16oz total)
   1 bag of butter pretzels broken into bits
   2 bags of mixed dried fruit
   2 bags of yogurt covered raisins
   1 bag of cherries
   1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
   1 bag andes mints baking bits
   1 bag peanut butter chips
Mix this all together in big bowl and cover, try to put in a place that doesn't get to hot or too cold.  


Hope that you enjoy these recipes, and all of you out there that are looking for cooler meals to make during this extremely hot summer.

Dieting and BMI's

I understand that there has to be some kind of standard out there. But honestly I try not to follow the BMI for myself or my son. Because, I am short and stocky, and my son is tall stocky, very muscular for his age, and has a big head. None of these things that i have mentioned is a factor on decided a BMI. I think it is crazy how little weight range I have from my height, I get it in a way. But honestly if you have any muscle mass, and have curves you will be overweight. I get when they are younger why they have such a small range for healthy weights, I understand it is a helpful tools to politely tell patients that they should start losing some weight. There are cases like my son where those standards are meaningless. My son generally only eats one and half to two times a day on his sizes meals a day. Is active at two if not 4 hours of the day, yet he is still overweight, actually currently obese. He is not by any means round, or pudgy even. The only thing with a little pudgy is his belly. Here is a recent picture of him, that is all his body. So you can also be the judge.

Just to appease his doctor and wic office, I strated dieting. Also maybe make a legit case next time I go there, and say I am feeding him healthy foods. Such as instead of american cheese for a snack he has an apple, or popcorn. He still is around the same weight, his diet has barley changed, but I think we will see some improvement. 

Dieting it good if you like myself and put on extra pounds over the holidays and still after months kept of slowly gaining. I however do not believe in most of the fad diets, because once you lost said weight, you have to start going back to your old eating habits, and food you avoided, like with certain diets. The way I do it is eating in smaller portions, and drinking more water, also most importantly exercising. Yes with my way of dieting you can still have carbs, you can still have sweets, just not as much, at least in my case, and well I think it is all over a healthy and more enjoyable way a dieting. I understand for you out there that need that extra help. But with more will and faith anything is possible. I will try to post my progress, so far these past few weeks I have started to lost a little weight. Since I do not have a scale at my own home, by postings will not be all that often but hopefully by summers end I will have made so legit progress on my weight loss

and found healthy meals, that do not take hours to prepare. 

I have an old blogger account, but do the changes they are making on there site, I just decided to open up a new one, through a different email account.
I have to say that my birthday was yesterday, and despite, all the crazy things that have happened, from driving around like a mad woman, my husband taking our only car to visit his grandma taking a turn for the worse, and having to have my niece still on my lap so I can get back home with my son. I still had a decent birthday, though I am sorry I was not at the hospital with them, at least my husband could be there. My prayers go out to them, I know that whatever happens, it is Gods hands and good shall come out the bad, it always always has, and always will. I myself have witnessed this first hand time and time again. Though sometimes we have to look for the blessings God has laid out for us they are still there. I am going to post a link to a song that can help anyone that is going through grief.
Here is a link to the live version of song, that is really good, for dealing with grief, it is called blessings by Laura Story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGmKC34UZ68

May you all be blessed in all that you do and never forget that we are never alone.