FINALLY

OHMYGOODIEBOY...as my friend Melis used to say :)  After all the planning and waiting and changing directions, Ms Emma's room is finally D-O-N-E!  So excited!  Not that it's all that, but with how much time I spend in there, it was driving me a little nutty seeing it 'almost done' for so long!!

yes, I'm a background story girl, so you will NOT just simply be seeing pics of the room.  I will talk you through it :) 

So, I had found the 'perfect' bedding early on in the pregnancy, but the price tag scared me away :)  After serious hours of online searching (hey, I was working only part time!) I decided that I just couldn't find anything else that I liked better...too many animal themed sets, which I'm not to crazy about.  Marty had given me some great ideas on how to 'boy it up' if that's what came, but now that we know Emma is a she, I was thrilled to be able to do 'up' the purple and have this bedding!  

Like I said, it was pricey, SO I was waiting for our 'completion' coupon from Babies R Us to be able to at least get it a little cheaper, then Marty was going to get the set for us as our gift, and she brought to my attention that it was 'not available'...it was on back order for 3 months, and it continued to get pushed back (the ETA date), so I decided to give up on it.  I was super sad :(

HOWEVER, the Friday before I was baptized, I was at our pastor's house going over the meaning and basis for baptism...and since they were preparing for their move to Ohio, they were having a garage sale...AND I found a purple and white bedding set for $10 :)

Since we moved Emma in to her room 1 week after she came home, and her crib a couple of weeks after that, it had been our 'for now' bedding :)  BUT I loved the simplicity of it, just a gingham print, purple and white only.  Nice and plain, which I love!

so you'd think we would have been done by now, right?!  Well, then we had to wait for all of the pieces to fall in to place, and our creative little minds to come up with low costing ways of decorating :)  

...here it is!

...you can barely notice the blanket over the crib and the quilt on the glider...(handmade) gifts from Grandma Burton...they help tie the room together nicely!

this casting is something we purchased at an auction 2 years ago.  We'd been waiting to get pregnant and be able to use the gift certificate for it!  We had Tyler's hand on the side of my belly for it to be able to capture all three of us (thank you for the idea Mr Michael Mendonca!).  

 We had this casting done just 3 days before my water broke!  Since I never got belly pics, it's the ONLY reminder of my belly, just less than a week before Emma was born (can you tell how thrilled I am about it and the timing?! :) )

 So this is her ballerina wall :)  Like I said, not too excited about all the typical baby room stuffs.  I decided on purple ballerina as the primaries...there's a rug under the crib that brings in pink and other colors (so we're not just a purple melting pot!)

 Everything I found online to purchase for wall hangings was seriously at the least $50, but the ones I liked were more along the lines of $150...cracks me up, I'm always about getting the cheapest things and when it came to baby stuff I seem to be going for the pricier ones!  ANYWAY, I must have felt rested last week because my mind finally worked and thought "IDEA" get images off the internet and change the colors to purple...and print them at home!  Tyler had gotten these black vinyl frames, so it all worked perfect!


Got the pointe shoes on ebay for super cheap, and the tutu is the one my sister Diane made for Emma's shower decor

 and what she wore home from the hospital!  

...back to the room...

 While what goes on the shelves I'm sure will work itself out in time, the verse underneath was something we'd picked out basically as soon as we got passed the 12 week mark and were excited to know we'd be welcoming a precious gift from God after much, MUCH, prayer :)

 and since I described the bedding so, here's a close up :)

...so there you have it!  You'll have to bare with how much of a big deal it is to me that it's done.  It makes me smile :)  ...one more thing off my to-do list!! 

Wordless Wednesday

Siesta Scripture Memory

As many of you know, I really enjoy learning from Beth Moore. She just has a passion and fire that runs right in to my veins and gets me going :) I much appreciate her for that, and God for giving her that gift. I know she encourages so many women.

She has a scripture memory plan for the year, and well, she's written out all the answers to ?s that one may have. I struggle so much with memorization and I think this little boost may assist in my efforts. As always, just wanted to share! And let me know if you decide to join in on this for accountability!

Siesta Scripture Memory Instructions

Christmas

Christmas feels like it came so quickly, and it's already in the past :( ...We started off with decorating our tree and house about 3 weeks ago, wrapping gifts, making some treats and deciding how we'd share Christ with others throughout the month.

...then...BAM, celebration #1 - Boyd's Christmas last Sunday... 

 had to get a few shots to fit Grandma Boyd in with all of her great-grands :)

...and Brandon was the lucky one to hold Ms Emma!

 Ryan and Tyler and Dylan and Emma doing some kind of karate fighting :)

 isn't this a nice photo of the lovely couple?:)  We very much enjoy our time with Aunt Kim & Uncle Mike :)

 Before we headed home, Emma rode the horse!!

 We went on a trip to the mall to have Isaiah take some pics with santa...Emma watched from the outside :)

 ...as you can see he wasn't too terribly interested :)

The Aguirre fam celebrates on Christmas Eve...to allow for everyone to do their own thing on Christmas day, so we got to host again :)

 Paige, Shirley and Crystal listening to Tyler read about Jesus' birth to start off the evening.

 Teremama got a mug with her FAVE picture on it of the Calabasas :)

this is the photo on the mug:

 why 'calabasas'?  In Spanish, it's pumpkins.  ever since the halloween photo shoot we did with the pumpkin, the kids have had the nickname of calabasas :)

Isaiah's fave gift was this ball!

 As you may have seen on the video, Emma really liked tearing the wrapping paper :)

Christmas day, we were able to skype with the fam in Indiana.  It was so nice!  We got to feel like we were sitting in the living room with them opening gifts :)

 We got silly and too tons of pics of Emma by the tree :)

If there is one thing we're the most grateful for is the gift of little Emma that we were blessed with this year.  We just can't get enough of her!!  

Emma's First Christmas

Shot with my new Flip Video Device. (Thanks Emma!)

Renewed Spirit within me

Psalm 51:10 (King James Version) ¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10 (Amplified Bible)¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.


Psalm 51:10 (Contemporary English Version)¹⁰Create pure thoughts in me and make me faithful again.

So it's been a little while since I've shared what was on my mind, what I've been learning about, what got me excited in my quiet time...and take a wild guess as to why?  ...you have nothing to share when you're not seeking and learning.  The week following Thanksgiving started the 'I'm exhausted' kick that I've been on.  Not staying up after Emma's 4:45am feeding, barely getting myself up at 7/7:30 when Emma wakes up only to throw some breakfast and lunch together for Tyler and feed Emma.  I was barely rolling through the days, not making time to spend with God.  Praying a little, but that was about it.  My attitude got super grumpie and grumbly.  I've been a whiner.  And I'm wondering why I can't 'hear' God's answers to my prayer requests.  Hmmm.

Yesterday I downloaded the 2 video sessions I've missed from not attending Bible study for the past month.  Yesterday's session made me cry.  hit the spot.  Made me admit to a few things that have been coming to mind from my past.  Things I've never shared with anyone, let alone admit to God and ask for forgiveness.  Yesterday was a slight breakthrough in that sense.  

Last night we had the Prices over for dinner and part of our dinner conversation just really was God speaking to me through them.  They brought up some interesting points of view on some things we're praying about right now, which made me see things a bit differently - I know I'm being vague.  I may share eventually.  I'm still processing.  And of course want to share with my husband before share with everyone else.  

Then this morning.  I had another morning of 8 hours of sleep.  Tyler woke up on his own (again; usually I'm his alarm clock) and I wanted to sleep for the remainder of the morning without interruption.  But I didn't.  I chose a bit of a different attitude this morning.  Once Tyler was off to work and Emma was down for her AM nap, I started the second video.  And oh my...

let me just tell you all the things my mind's currently spinning off of: 

• Philippians 4:5, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”...this is what started it all this morning.  It was a part of this post.
• I've studied quite a bit on pruning this year.  With emphasis on cutting off the dead and ugly branches.  Have you thought of pruning on the GOOD in your life?  so you can be even MORE fruitful?  The areas where you are being effective and really doing well in needing to grow and reach more people, so there's a snip here and there?!...Isn't that what pruning actually is?
• what about convictions coming from ungodly people :)  That was an 'ouch' when Beth Moore said, "how can I feel convicted, they're not godly".... I've never thought about convictions and little reminders coming from people that couldn't even know that's what they're delivering...
• Have you ever felt that you heard God's voice so clearly on something, then it fades so you figure that may not be something for you anymore so you begin to pray about it as well as quit doing this thing?  Why don't we continue to follow this previously clear word until you're given another one?!  Why do we feel we can just quit without hearing just as clear of a 'stop' as we did 'start'?
• patience...we live in such an instant gratification culture right now.  Galatians 6:9 (The Message) ^9-10So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
  we can't just wait for the time of harvest; wait for the blossom's perfect time to bloom.  We start off praying hard and long for something...then we forget and grow weary...then we remember again and pray a little more...we forget that things take time, no matter what it is.  seeds need to be planted, watered, perhaps a little pruning until it grows to it's full size and is ready to serve its purpose

We each have a purpose to serve in the body.  We must reach out for our daily mana so that we can continue to be filled day after day, so that we will be able to accomplish that purpose...no matter when it is to come to light.  And we are to be fruitful all the days of our lives. 

I just felt the breakthrough during my time this morning and I finally feel right with God again.  Thank you for the prayers whether or not you knew what was going on with me.  I always appreciate them.  

After my wonderful morning, I definitely felt a renewed spirit within me.  So, here I am again rambling!  I pray to be able to continue sharing my thoughts with you...because that means I'm having them :)