My Husband Rocks Vol. 14

No husband is perfect and it doesn’t really matter. What matters is how I set myself up to think about him. If I focus on his failures, his annoyances, or ways in which I’ve felt hurt by him, then I will interact with him as a hurt and frustrated and disappointed wife. That makes for miserable living for me and my husband and those around us. But if I focus on his strengths, his potential, and the ways in which I feel blessed by him, then I will interact with him as a forgiving, blessed, and contented wife. And there’s no greater need a man has than to feel respected by his wife. If he feels like all he does is hurt, disappoint, and frustrate, then the same atmosphere and the same actions will be perpetuated. But if he feels that his wife can be happy and responsive regardless of his shortcomings, he feels respected and empowered. Then a positive atmosphere is perpetuated and actions, once destructive, can improve in an environment that is rich for cultivation and growth into deepened respect and intimacy."

(from the From*me Tees Mission Reflection)

 

 

 

This week I am joined by the sassy and talented Ida from Eternity Kind of Love! Check out her post here:

This week we are talking about anything and everything! It's a free-for-all!

This week, I want to take some time and talk about Mother's Day last weekend. =) If you follow my Instagram you probably saw a bunch of photos of our little family at the Cubs/Nationals game! Hubby took me there with Natalie, for our daughter's first baseball game! Technically, this was her oh.....fourth?.....game, because Mike and I went to a few Cubs/Nationals games right before she was born! I thought it was appropriate and a little traditional that we decided to go while Cameron is still inside growing as well! It was a blast and I know Natalie had a fantastic time, even if she did conk out on me during the middle of the game! Here are some photos from the day:

 

Mike is still insisting on buying me a Mother's Day gift, but I have to wait. And he won't tell me what it is, but I'm sure I will tell you all as soon as I find out!

How was your Mother's Day? Did you do anything special for your mom? Did anyone do anything special for you! Link up and tell me about it! =)

 

 

 

 

We want to hear all about the loves of your lives!

<center> <a href="http://thegrowingtreeblog.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Husband%20Rocks"><img alt="The Growing Tree" src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh534/thegrowingtree/MHR200x200button.jpg" height="200"/></a></center>

*Next Sunday*

Jill from 99 WPM will be hosting with me! Topic of conversation will be:

Ten little things that made you fall in love with your hubby/significant other.

* If you would like to participate *

Follow the prompt, or just wing it and blog about whatever you want, as long as it is about the love of your life! Don't feel like you can't contribute if you are not married, this is for anyone who wants to celebrate their significant other!  Then come back here and link up in the collection at the bottom of this post. Please grab the button and use it in your post, or post it somewhere on your blog!

The only thing I ask is to follow my blog and my co-host Ida's  blog via GFC, Bloglovin, Facebook or Twitter (icons at the top of my page - be sure to comment below and let me know how you follow and I will follow you back!) Then, take a look around at the other blogs linked up and leave them some love too!

* If you want to add the blog hop to your post *

If you want to participate in the hop and add the link-up to your post, click here and highlight the first code!

* If you would like me to add you to the advance email OR if you would like to co-host in the future*

If you would like to receive the code for the post before it goes live, or would like to co-host your very own My Husband Rocks Sunday Link-up, send me a message with the subject My Husband Rocks to:

 

See you later lovebugs!



Rachael

On My Heart: Doubts and Guilty Feelings


I will be linking up with Amanda @ A Royal Daughter for today's On My Heart post. Amanda's blog and the way she lives her life inspires me, which is what this post is all about.

 

I'm going to share something today that I haven't told anyone, not even my husband. I don't know how to talk to him about it, and I'm not sure that I won't be ok once everything is said and done, but right now, I have a very strong feeling in my heart.




I don't feel connected to my baby boy who is growing inside me.




When we found out we were pregnant, we were shocked. After the initial blow, we started to get excited. Then we found out it was a boy. While I always thought I wanted one of each, now I'm not so sure.

To be honest, I kind of feel like he's going to steal time from Natalie and I. I have always always wanted a girl. And now that I have her, and she's getting to such a fun point in her childhood, I don't want to share her with anyone. I don't want my time divided.

This makes me sad, because I feel like I don't love this little boy at all. I know that will probably change, but I had such a traumatic experience with Natalie, that she became all that more precious to me. I WANTED her. I feel like a terrible mother for not wanting Cameron too. And it's not even that I don't WANT him, I am excited and happy that we are pregnant. I just wish I had more time before Natalie isn't my only child anymore.

I keep thinking of all the things that I want to do with Natalie by herself before her brother gets here, and I know that I don't have time to do them. A lot of those things will have to wait until her brother is older, and it makes me sad.

I don't know how I would feel if he was a girl. I probably wouldn't feel the same, but maybe I would. I honestly don't know. I hope, then when he is here and all is said and done, that I feel differently.

I guess maybe a lot of it stems from the fact that I've never dealt with a boy baby. I've never changed a boy diaper, or bought little boy clothes.(except for my nephew - but that's different) I was excited for my sister to have a boy, but now that my turn is here, I find myself almost wishing he was a girl. Why am I doing this to him?

Please, someone out there tell me I'm not crazy. Tell me I'm going to fall in love with this little boy. Please tell me I have enough room in my heart and my life for both of them. Please tell me that Natalie isn't going to miss her "only child" status and is going to be a good big sister.

I'm not ready to be a Momma of two. I hope I can get ready - and fast.

 

 

Until later lovebugs,

 

Rachael

My Husband Rocks Vol. 13

Before we begin, I just want to say Happy Mother's Day to all my momma readers! I hope you had a great day and you are spoiled rotten with sleep, food and love!

I also want to personally apologize to Vicki and all of the MHR readers for not getting this posted on time today! I thought I had it set up to automatically post, but apparently that was not the case! I'm so sorry!

No husband is perfect and it doesn’t really matter. What matters is how I set myself up to think about him. If I focus on his failures, his annoyances, or ways in which I’ve felt hurt by him, then I will interact with him as a hurt and frustrated and disappointed wife. That makes for miserable living for me and my husband and those around us. But if I focus on his strengths, his potential, and the ways in which I feel blessed by him, then I will interact with him as a forgiving, blessed, and contented wife. And there’s no greater need a man has than to feel respected by his wife. If he feels like all he does is hurt, disappoint, and frustrate, then the same atmosphere and the same actions will be perpetuated. But if he feels that his wife can be happy and responsive regardless of his shortcomings, he feels respected and empowered. Then a positive atmosphere is perpetuated and actions, once destructive, can improve in an environment that is rich for cultivation and growth into deepened respect and intimacy."

(from the From*me Tees Mission Reflection)

 

 

 

This week I am joined by my fellow nail polish enthusiast Vicki from My Vickilicious Life! Check out her post here:

This week we are talking about your favorite place to go on a date!

Ok, so I know we have pictures somewhere,  but I can't seem to find them, so this photo is going to have to be sufficient. And even though we looooove going to sporting events together (in fact that's where we are going today! Mike is taking me to a Cubs baseball game for Mother's Day! Super excited) our favorite place to go on a date has NOTHING to do with sports.

Usually, any time we have a baby-free night we find ourselves at the movie theater to see a movie! The latest time that we went was last weekend when we went and saw Iron Man 3. (AWESOME by the way) He also took me to see my very first 3D movie and it was a girly movie too! Usually it's the big blockbusters that we go see: Thor, The Avengers, Iron Man, Batman. We've seen them all. And there is nothing better than watching an awesome movie on a huge screen.


 

 

 

 

We want to hear all about the loves of your lives!

<center> <a href="http://thegrowingtreeblog.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Husband%20Rocks"><img alt="The Growing Tree" src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh534/thegrowingtree/MHR200x200button.jpg" height="200"/></a></center>

*Next Sunday*

Ida from Eternity Kind of Love will be hosting with me! Topic of conversation will be:

FREE FOR ALL - write about anything you want!

* If you would like to participate *

Follow the prompt, or just wing it and blog about whatever you want, as long as it is about the love of your life! Don't feel like you can't contribute if you are not married, this is for anyone who wants to celebrate their significant other!  Then come back here and link up in the collection at the bottom of this post. Please grab the button and use it in your post, or post it somewhere on your blog!

The only thing I ask is to follow my blog and my co-host Vicki's  blog via GFC, Bloglovin, Facebook or Twitter (icons at the top of my page - be sure to comment below and let me know how you follow and I will follow you back!) Then, take a look around at the other blogs linked up and leave them some love too!

* If you want to add the blog hop to your post *

If you want to participate in the hop and add the link-up to your post, click here and highlight the first code!

* If you would like me to add you to the advance email OR if you would like to co-host in the future*

If you would like to receive the code for the post before it goes live, or would like to co-host your very own My Husband Rocks Sunday Link-up, send me a message with the subject My Husband Rocks to:

 

See you later lovebugs!



Rachael

52 in 52 Update: May

I last updated on April 12, 2013. You can view the full list here.

1. Blog at least twice a week. I think I accomplished this again.
2. My Hubby Rocks posts each Sunday. Go here to view them.
3. 52 in 52 updates once a month (3/12 )
4. Post Desire to Inspire posts once a month. Here and here (3/12)
5. "Little Miss Natalie" posts twice a month. Here and here (3/12)

24. Get a meal planning system going. Haven't gotten this finished yet. We did one week of it, but then kind of fell off the wagon. We will get started soon.

30. Update baby book monthly. Ha. I'll get to it eventually.
32. Finish 0-6 month scrapbook. Haven't touched it. Hopefully will have some time soon.
37. Bump shots weekly starting at 18 weeks. I've been pretty good at this. Missed a few weeks. I'm trying to remember! lol


45. Have a set bedtime and wakeup time and stick to it, even on weekends. I've got weekdays down pretty good, just need to stop sleeping in on weekends.

49. Read 25 books. (1/25) Read: Fifty Shades of Gray
Currently: Fifty Shades Darker

That's it for now! Looks like a good start to me. My next update will be June 13!

Until later, lovebugs!



Rachael

Desire to Inspire - I Am Beautiful

 

When I saw this link up opportunity on Lena's blog a few weeks ago, I knew I had to join in. Body image is something that I think every girl struggles with at some point in their lives, and I have also dealt with personally for a good chunk of my life. There have been times when I have done something about it like pick my lazy butt up and get to the gym, and there are other times where I did nothing more than cry into my pillow when yet-another-stupid-boy called me fat or ugly.

 

Now that I have a daughter, I feel like it's even MORE important to feel comfortable with myself, just the way I am, so that I can lead by example for Natalie. Now, while I'm not currently "doing anything about it" I already have plans in place to get back into the gym, start my Waist Watcher Wednesday posts, remain accountable, and shed that baby weight. Then following that, get down to a place that FEELS healthy on the weight scale. I'm not SO worried about weight, more how I feel in my clothes and in my skin.

 

Also, at the same time I want to be ok with whatever point I am at in my weight loss. I want to feel confident and I am working on that. I am hoping that I will be successful in helping Natalie to have a positive self image as well. I don't know yet how exactly that will happen, other than to love her and tell her how beautiful she is, which isn't hard because she really is the most beautiful little girl to me!

 

On another note, more recently I have seen this great video that I am going to link here call the Dove Real Beauty Sketches, where girls describe themselves, and then a woman (or man) who has just had a brief conversation with them individually sit down with a sketch artist. The drawings are then placed side by side, and....well....just watch. It's amazing, sad, and revealing all at the same time.

 

 

Moral of the story:

 

 

You are more beautiful than you know. Embrace it. Live it. Flaunt it.

 

BE YOU, because you can't be anyone else.

 

And above all else:

 

See you later lovebugs,

 

 

 

Rachael