Anniversaries and Birthdays*

We recently celebrated our 2 year anniversary!!! yay!!! :) and also Shelden's birthday! I love my husband so much and it feels like we have been together longer than 2 years (in a good way!). He listens to me and respects me, he goes out of his way to make sure that I feel loved. It's crazy that we are celebrating our 2 year anniversary with a 3 month old baby. Micah is an added joy to our life! He is getting so big, so fast!

I am so glad that God put me and Shelden together. We work so well together and he brings the best out of me. He is a great example of putting God first in everything that he does. I am excited to see where God takes us in the next few years. We have vowed to each other to not get complacent in an ordinary life, where we work, come home, eat dinner and watch tv, go to bed and then only go to church on sunday. We want to live a life where we are pushed to our God given capacity. It won't always be easy and not everyone will support us but we aren't promised an "easy and comfortable" life. We want to live life to the fullest!
Jesus said, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10

I love my life with my hubby!

 Our date started at the yummiest mexican restaurant Las Cazuelas

 then we sat on the swings at avila beach and waited for our appointment at Sycamore Springs

 we got our own natural hot spring spa tub called "enchantment"...it was so relaxing and romantic

if you are married and live near avila beach I recommend hanging out at Sycamore Springs! ;)

 we are trying to teach Micah how to roll over...he gets as far as getting up on his forearms

so stinkin' cute!

 Daddy trying to teach Micah how to roll over

Happy Birthday to my man!!! owe owe!!

time to Process*

Isn't funny how God likes to meet you where you are at? Or how he likes to bring things up even though we put it to the side thinking that we will deal with it a little later. Even though in the moment I get frustrated or upset because I don't want to deal with it, a little later I will remember that God brings hard things up because He loves me that much. He loves me that much to make me push through the tough stuff so I can become a better woman.
This morning I woke up insecure. Anything and everything I put on was not fitting right and I felt drab, I did not have time to finish doing my hair the way I wanted  it done nor did I have time to put on make up. Being on ministry teams on Sunday usually puts us in front of everyone to pray for others or whatever we are needed for. So Sunday I like to be a little bit more "put together" because we are representing the church. But not today! I decided to worship in the car and pray against the insecurity. I was feeling a little better I stepped into church. Pastor Sean was preaching today and guess what he was talking about....IDENTITY! Haha...oh God, you know exactly what I need to hear don't cha?! A little perfect huh?
Well going back to last month at this time I was at the Godchicks conference in LA. They talked a lot about who we are in Christ. Sheila Walsh who is an amazing speaker and has an amazing testimony asked us a question, "Who are you?" She said there was a point in her life where she could not answer that question. I kind of thought it was a silly question...but as she kept talking, I thought okay then Michelle, who are you? And I drew a blank...

I could not answer that question. I read my Bible and I can say what I am supposed to say who I am in Christ. But I have been living my life not really believing who God says I am. Umm...this is kind of a big deal! I have been a "christian" pretty much my whole life. I know the Bible and I serve in a leadership type position at my church...and yet I can't tell who I am in Christ. Woah! Something is not right here. Another speaker at the conference, Christine Cain...this woman is legit! She asked the question, "What is it that is stopping you from believing who you are in Christ?" That's an honest question. I don't have this great answer, I don't have a super traumatic thing that has happend in my life that I need to work through. What is stopping me from believing who I am in Christ is...myself. My selfish desires and fear of man. Selfishness is the root of insecurity. I am looking at me...not at God. If I was to look to God, I wouldn't be insecure. Of course I am going to be insecure if I look at myself, I am nothing, I am worthless, I am broken beyond repair. But that is how great God is! He makes me something, he makes me worthwhile and he can heal my brokeness! Now, the question is, am I willing enough to lay down my selfish pride so he can work through me?

I think it will take a little bit of time to really nail it in my head who I am in Christ. I can already see a change with how I think. God has spoken to me while I am looking in the mirror, He has called me beautiful and told me that I am perfect. I need to believe him when he speaks.

Who am I?

I am his masterpiece

I am his bride

I am perfect

I am free

beautiful

his daughter

his favorite one

good enough

adored

loved

honored

cherished

lovable

i am woth it

blameless

chosen

wonderfully made

sought after

made in his image

capable

elegant

confident

precious

flawless

I am his beloved

Tuesday*

Our little man is sick! :( What a bummer for him, I was holding him and then next thing you know there is snot hanging out of his little nose! Poor little guy, coughing and feeling like poop! We had tuesday off together...wooo whooo!!! So we thought we would go to the Healing Rooms and get our little man prayed for. The Healing Rooms is where they pray for anyone and everyone, you show up and they have live worship then they call your name and you go into a room and they pray for you. There has been miracles that have happened there...so whynot take our little sickie-poo! I felt kind of bad because here were a bunch of people that I am sure were going through some tough stuff...and Micah is crying and being a little bit of a distraction. Then they were done playing worship and put on some low key, reflective type worship. Don't worry Micah just finished eating so its only natural for him to let out a huge burp! haha...Shelden and I just looked at each other and started to laugh...you know the silent type of laughing because everyone was super quite and waiting their turn to get prayed for. haha..that kid is too cute!
So it was our turn to get prayer for him and the people were so nice! They started to pray for him and Micah loved every minute of it! He was smiling at them and cooing back, he was all about this prayer place! The ladies got a kick out of him and how he loved their prayers! It was a joy to watch him intrigued by these prayer warriors...and I believe in my heart that Micah already knows what God's presence feels like!
If you live in Santa Maria, I firmly suggest that you make a visit over to the Healing Rooms, its not a wierd, crazy place. It is a place of faithful people who love Jesus and want to see people healed from physical and emotional struggles.You should check it out! Why not get prayer? Jesus said all you got to do is ask! :)

http://www.healingroomssmv.com/ check out the website for times! :)

Determined*

I got a flyer/invitation in the maill to participate in a half marathon or marathon for a luekemia cure. At first I was like no I won't do that. But then I started to look at it and I thought, it acutally is a good idea to run for a cause. I hate running! I am learning to love it as my husband is a great cross country runner and loves it. Since I had Micah, I have been trying to hit the gym as much as possible to get rid of this extra belly. I am determined to fit in my pre-prego jeans! I am not going to buy jeans that fit me because I don't want to settle into those jeans. It's not that I am not confident, I just want to be in the best shape that I can be in. I don't want to settle for living a mediocre life and feeling tired and unhealthy. So this half marathon would be a goal I could look to. It is always easier having a goal to look to when I am trying to loose a couple of pounds. I got all excited for this half marathon and signed up and then realized its on a date that I am going to be out of town for a wedding! Big bummer!!! But now I have a found a new motivation for hitting the gym. I know that my body is capable of so much (having a baby proved that!). I just have to put my mind to it. I have to convince myself that I can do a half marathon, and one day a marathon! But for now I need to train to be in the best shape possible, for my own health, to honor my husband and because my body is God's temple. My body is God's dwelling place...why wouldn't I take of something so important.

:) time to go to the gym and zumba it up!

The Beach*

We took Micah to the beach earlier in the week, it was his second time there but the first time that he got to put his feet in the sand and ocean water! :) It's so fun playing mommy and daddy! The weather was beautiful and mommy got to tan a little bit...very much needed on her part! I miss having a job where I get to be outside in the sun all day long and hanging out with kids...aka Hume Lake.
Being back at work was an easier transition than I thought it would be. It really hasn't been a big deal leaving Micah with his grandma during the day while I go to work. And he has made an easy transistion with it as well. He is laid back like his parents...hopefully he will stay that way! God is so good! Shelden is doing awesome at BMW and I like my job at Coasthills. We are saving up for a house, so hopefully we will find one for a good price! :) I am excited to see what God is going to do!
Have a great weekend!!!

of course we took a little video to capture the moment ;)

yes, dad has an awesome farmers tan

and micah liked the water after we put his feet in a couple of times...he just had to get used to it.

im pretty sure he will love the beach like his parents do!

mommy and daddy

 he is so cute when he smiles!



the recent trial*

I think its really sad how many thousands upon thousands of people have become passionately involved with this recent Casey Anthony trial. I haven't been following it too much, just hearing what the news reports about it. It made me sad to see how mad people were about the verdict of "not guilty". I mean people were very upset about it. There is even a facebook group about how people think the verdict was wrong. Why do we as humans get so involved with stuff like this? I think it is because we naturally want justice. I firmly believe in justice but it has become so twisted in this world. It's twisted due to the fallen world we live in. It is just so interesting how we get so involved with one person, and get wrapped up in the drama. I do not know if she really is guilty or innocent, only God knows. And he is the ulitmate judge of this. He is the ultimate judge of us. If we are so disgusted with what most people are convinced with what she has done, we should also be disgusted with ourselves. Every sin weighs the same. There is no sin that is greater than another. To go even further Jesus tells us that even if we hate someone in our heart that is the same as murdering someone! Woah!
Jesus loves this woman and died on the cross for her sins at the same time as all of ours.

If we as humans want justice so bad we should open our eyes to what is really going on in this world. Why don't we get passionate about the sex trafficking that is going on, the millions of girls who are being bought and sold as sex slaves?  Why don't we get passionate about the thousands of kids who are being taken away from thier families and beaten until they become child soliders? Why don't we get passionate about children dying everyday due to not having clean water?  Instead we get so caught up in one woman who may or may not have done something that weighs the same as the wrong things we do everyday. If only we opened our eyes to the things going on in this world, instead of sitting on the couch getting wrapped up in drama and then yelling at the television because something didn't happen the way we think it should happen.

Maybe thats what Satan wants? He wants us to be distracted by the things that leave us on the couch and complacent. What if we all got up and spoke up for the masses? What if we lived a life where we let God truly live through us?

Just a thought.

back to work*

Today is my last Friday that I get to be with my baby. I can't believe it is already time for me to go back to work. I am excited because I get to get out of the house and have a little bit of a routine but I am going to miss my Micah! He is laying on my chest asleep as I write...I am going to miss these times during the day. But thank God that both of our families live in town. Shelden's mom agreed to watch him while I work. It's cool that his both sets of grandparents will have an influence in his life as he grows up. And both grandparents love Jesus and will be good examples to him. That is rare these days and that is something I need to remember to be thankful for. It is amazing that I have a son and God has entrusted me to raise him. I can only pray and hope in God that he will grow up to be a man after God's heart.

Micah is 11 weeks old today! woah!
its so much fun watching him grow and learn new things. He has been cooing back like he is talking to us. It makes me crack up because sometimes his face gets so serious when he talks back to us.I love this little guy so much! :)

so serious!