The Belt of Truth

I've mentioned on her the Bible Study, The Armor of God and told you all I would try to share what I was learning each week with you all on here.  Ephesians 6: 10-24 says:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

The first part we talked about was the belt of truth, which is the truth that comes from God.  In the book this belt of truth was likened to strengthening your core when you exercise.  If you a have a weak core, it impacts the entire rest of your body.  Coincidently, my husband has been at the gym working with a personal trainer because he's had some back issues.  The trainer is working with him about different arm and leg exercises to help strengthen his core, because a strong core can take aways the pain we feel each day.

The same thing is true about putting on the belt of truth.  We strengthen our understanding of the truth of God by exercising our faith. We do this when we chose to spend time in His word each day, when we pray, and when we show love to others. All of these not only show God that He is important to us, but it strengthens our relationship with Him and our ability to live out the lives He's intended for us too.

Understanding how the belt of truth impacts my life and faith daily. I encourage you to put it on too and let your life be changed for the better.

I haven't gotten to dress up in quite a while, but am going to parent teacher conferences with my long-term sub on Thursday, so I was excited that Shien just sent over this dress, which is only $18! I haven't gotten a new dress since last spring, so I thought it would be fun.  At this price, I thought it was kind of a crap-shoot as to the quality, but honestly, it did not disappoint.  The stripes line up on the sides, it has pockets and a zipper in the back.  The length is also great. I will mention I got a large and I usually wear a size 8, for reference, so if you tend buy a larger size than that, I wouldn't recommend this dress. However, if wear an 8 or smaller, I'd definitely recommend this dress!

Currently Craving

One thing that has surprised me about being home with Hannah is how little I've been reading. I had some pretty big goals to plow through some great titles, but I'm not sure it it's the fact that the last two books I read were not good or if I'm just too tired, but I just haven't been reading. I do however, have some books I really want to dive into, and I thought I'd share them with you all today.

After You A Novel by JoJo Moyers- I read Me Before You and cried like a little girl. It was really good, so I was excited to see that Moyers has written a sequel! Here's the premise:

"How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?
Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.
Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future. . . .
For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await."

 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I haven't read this yet. If you haven't, here's the scoop:

"The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic."

The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike) by Robert Galbriath (aka J.K. Rowling) When word got out that J.K. Rowling was writing again, and that it was a totally different, but awesome read, this series got added to my list. I'm excited to check it out!  Three books in the series are out, here's a look at the first one:

"After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.
Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, thelegendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.
You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this."

 Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah I just recently read The Nightingale and it was amazing, I've heard this one is really great too. Here's a synopsis:

"Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time―and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are."

What about you, what's on your must-read list?

Have I Told You...

Have I told you that my maternity leave is going crazy-fast, it is?

Have I told you that I actually wore this same outfit last year, but didn't blog it?  When it came up on my Timehop I decided to wear it again, and thus not have to think about what I was going to wear that day.

Have I told you I'm amazed at the fact that I've been so content staying home most of the time? Last week we had a few snow days and I saw friends on social media commenting about how they were climbing the walls.  I was very content until about 6:30 when I'd had my fill and left Brian with the kids to run and get Hannah some more pajamas. She's already grown out of a few!

Have I told you that I can't believe how much Hannah looks like Grant? I'm anxious to see how she grows into her face as she gets older.

Have I told you I'm drinking way more coffee than one person possibly should. I can't wait until Hannah is sleeping through the night because I really need to cut back!

Have I told you how hard it is for me to make dinner with both kids?  I don't remember it being so hard with Grant. Hannah always takes a nap from around 5-7 and trying to get her down and make dinner is awful. I'm really anxious about that we'll do once I go back to work. And before you say leaving the crockpot on for the day isn't an option as we're gone too long....

Have I told you I'm more of a perfectionist than I'd like to admit?  I almost trashed these photos because the coloring is so off.  It was still pretty dark when I took them, and when I lightened them they ended up more "drained out" than I'd like. Then I remembered, no one is perfect, this is just an outfit I wore one day, and this is a hobby. So, post, I did!

 This caridgan from Target it one of my favorites and although this buffalo check shirt is old,  this option is just like it and a great price! I ended up getting these shoes on clearance at Target last year, and I'll admit they haven't gotten much wear.  I bought them when it was sandal season, then they didn't fit while I was pregnant this fall, so I'm finally getting to wear them! These are really similar and a great price too.

How to Feel Like Yourself After Having a Baby:

Hannah is officially seven weeks old tomorrow and like I said, we've getting adjusted to our new normal at home. Today I thought I'd share some tips for how to feel like yourself again after having a baby.  

1. Get ready each day. The first priority I made was to shower and do my hair and make-up each day during Hannah's first nap. Even if you don't leave the house, I swear you'll feel better!  

2.  Do something for yourself each day, like read a book, work on a hobby you love, find an outlet other then mindlessly scrolling though Facebook and Instagram each day. Time for yourself is essential!

3.  Try to leave the house each day, even if it's just for a short time. A quick trip to Target or the store can really help break up a long day, and some days will feel really long!

4.  Prioritize things around the house.  The first thing you'll realize about being home all day is that the house is ALWAYS needing cleaned. Seriously. I try to stay on top of dishes and laundry, but everything else gets done as needed. The days of cleaning the whole house on Saturday morning are gone. Pick one priority each day, and know you always have tomorrow.

5. Make quality time with your husband a priority. I know for me once the kids are in bed for the evening I really just want to go to bed too, but try to stay connected with your hubby. There's no way this can happen nightly for me, but a movie night or just spending some time talking, even if it's about the kids, is worth it.  We're planning for first date night in a few weeks and I know we're really looking forward to it!

6. See your girlfriends. You made time for them before, now you might not be able to see them as often now, but a coffee date or a play date could bring some much needed sanity to your life.  In my experience, other mommas are the most encouraging, just when you need it!

7. Remember, no one is perfect. You weren't perfect before the baby came, so why would you be now. Just like you had bad days before, they will happen again, and it's ok. You and your baby get to start fresh tomorrow!

8.  Lastly, get your butt to the gym. I had my doctor's appointment have been cleared to do normal activity. Getting back to the gym will get us out of the house, and it'll give me a bit of time to myself while Hannah is in the gym daycare.  Plus, I know it'll help my energy level!

As for my outfit today, I also love to wear "cute" clothes to the gym and this top, these shoes, and these capris from Tulip Boutique in Kansas city make working out even better! I'm in love with these capris Tulip sent over, they are really high quality and so fun! 

This month I'm taking part in Tulip's "Tulip with a Twist," please take a minute to stop by Tulip Boutique's Facebook page and vote for me! Thanks!!

Perspective

I've talked on here about how I'm doing The Armor of God Bible study, and really loving it. I will tell you those, prior to starting it I was feeling like the "problems" I was facing were other peoples' fault and I kind of had a "poor me" attitude. Through doing this study for a few weeks, my attitude and prayer life have changed.  I also found this post about 10 Powerful Verses for Your War Room that are amazing, and I've been working to pray them daily.

A change in attitude is also do to some pretty awful situations I've witnessed. The superintendent of my school district's son committed suicide.  He was only 15, and believe me when I say that no one saw it coming.  I didn't have him in class, but saw him in the hallways and in all the sports and activities he took part in. My "problems" were really anything but a problem. Seriously. I had gotten some perspective. I can't even imagine what that family and those who were truly part of Reid's life are going through right now.

Then, there was a fatal car crash in my hometown killing a couple who had just gotten engaged. A man ran a red light, and two people's lived ended. Again, perspective. 

We can have such a tendency to play "poor me" and be so focused on ourselves.  However, what I thought were problems were really nothing in comparison. I also realized that my desire for control was the real problem, not anything anyone else was doing.  These situations have caused to thank God that I actually have a family, even when they drive me crazy. It's made me thankful for boy noise, baby cries, scattered shoes, and a dirty kitchen. All of these things are proof of a family I love and who loves me. 

I encourage you to take a look at your own "problems" and see if you can think about them differently. I know it has for me. 

As for my outfit, I got this cardigan from Pink Blush and it's is my favorite thing. Seriously. It's sold out, but they have a ton of cute options here. Also, about a week ago I went through my clothes and got rid of a ton of stuff, including about 20 pair of pants and jeans. Now, I am well aware how crazy that is to be able to get rid of that many and still have a few left, but it needed to be done. I had a bunch of dress pants that were not longer in stye, some capris (yes, I still had some in my closet, oops), some khakis (again, yes, some of these left) and a few pair of jeans that just didn't fit well. I was however, excited when I found these jeans. Since I literally hadn't worn any of my pants or jeans for nearly I year I totally forgot about these. They are Banana Republic and I (kind of) remember getting them at Goodwill last year.  They fit perfectly and feel new! Score!

Life Lately

Here's a look at life lately with some pictures I shared on Instagram!

I actually left the house a few times last week, it's a miracle! I wore this to Bible Study last Thursday. This cardigan is sold out, but from Pink Blush and I found these jeans in my closet when I was cleaning. It's funny what you forget about when you can't wear them for a year!

Getting Real: #momfails

I recently saw another (very successful) blogger post about how she felt like a failure when compared to other moms as she scrolled through Social Media.  I immediately encouraged her that some Instagrams are purely a business and super staged pictures, and many bloggers also do it as a business too, and sometimes only wear the clothes for the pictures and the money.  This "staged perfection" is anything but that.  Social Media lets people show what they want to show and in a sense become who they wish they were.

It got me thinking, I know I'm anything but perfect, but I have had quite a few people comment since I've had Hannah that I look like I have it all together. Yes, there are days that are great. However, there are also days that are anything but great. Days when I feel like I've failed or when I totally lose my cool with Grant.

It's true that things are going pretty well with Hannah, and I feel like we are getting to know her as a baby, but that really took some time. We had a few really rough weeks in there!  I think it all started with her being a Christmas baby and having her first week of life be kind of chaotic with people in and out of our house like crazy. I also became super sensitive to the noise of our house-specially the fact that Grant hasn't had to practice being quiet at home-ever. The noise made me angry, especially when I was trying to put Hannah down to sleep.

On top of that Hannah did not seem to be happy, ever. Brian even commented that there aren't a lot of "happy snuggles" with her. Putting her down for a nap, especially in the evening when everyone was home was horrific. I was doing what I thought I should, cuddling with her, and putting her in her crib when she was almost asleep.  Only to have her wail the second her body hit the crib. I'd then pick her up and repeat the process-sometimes for an hour. Brian tried to help, but it was exhausting. Hannah would get so worked up she'd want to nurse again, then over eat and wail louder.

One night Brian left for the gym, as he had an appointment with a personal trainer. Hannah was crying when he left and continued for pretty much the entire time he was gone. After about an hour I put her down in her crib and walked away. I came out to the living room and cuddled with Grant for the next ten minutes while Hannah cried.  Then, when I was calmed down, I went back in. I barely patted her to reassure her and she was asleep.

I. Was. So. Surprised. In the coming days I found out that when Hannah wanted to sleep, she wanted to be left alone, not snuggled with like Grant had. Suddenly Hannah's disposition improved. She was no longer over-eating and wailing, she was getting more sleep, and was just happier. I was so relieved, but I felt like I had been such a failure for the past few weeks. I was doing what I thought was right, only to realize I didn't know what my baby really needed or wanted.

So, the moral of the story, we all fail, but it's what we do after the failure that matters. This situation has caused me to be more of an observer, than someone who swoops in with the right answer. I know I'm not perfect, and that's ok. It's also reminded me that God is good. I had been praying like crazy for peace in our home and for Hannah to feel safe and loved. I know he heard my cry for help. I'm so thankful for that!

As for my outfit, last week my mom was nice enough to come watch Hannah so I could go get a pedicure.  It was such a treat. I got to wear real clothes and leave the house alone! I haven't worn my vests much, since I don't leave the house often, so it was fun to break it out. This sweater was a thredUp find last year and I love it! Use this link for $20 off your first purchase.