Osama bin Laden

I know some of the hype about Osama bin Laden's death is over, but will it truly be over? His name and story will forever be in history textbooks. So, since I haven't blogged in a while, I choose this topic. I know it is a difficult subject for Christians, so my husband and I talked about what we both thought about his death.
First of all; is it really fair to expect God to extend grace to us, but not to someone else who was created to bring glory to God? I know you and I never have and will never will kill innocent people, but what if, what if you had a family member who was a murderer (or did something else horrifying) and they confessed at the end of their life that Christ is Lord and they were extremely sorrowful about the things they have done. Would you also think that God should not extend grace toward them? There are rewards in heaven for those of who have done God's will for most of our lives. And I'm not saying that Osama confessed Christ on his death bed, or toward the end of his life. I'm just saying that it isn't fair, or Christ-like to judge others or celebrate someone's death when God mourns their life here on earth. We should be mourning because we know that he isn't with our Heavenly Father. In an article I read (http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/current-events/op-ed-blog/25463-should-christians-celebrate-the-death-of-osama-bin-laden), the author says we should instead be relieved that he cannot harm anyone else. After all, he was responsible for so many deaths. The author's last sentence is this: "Yet even as our spirits lift knowing that this man will do no more evil, our eyes should burst forth with weeping knowing that bin Laden will likely spend eternity like he spent his life: separated from the true God. " Let us leave justice to our all-knowing, holy God!

P.S. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT read the comments after the article on relevantmagazine.com unless you want to get very angry at some people. I just did. Why do atheist and Christian haters have to comment on things like this?? Im pretty sure that most Christians, or at least REAL Christ-followers would never seek out atheist articles and leave nasty comments on them! I know people are going to disagree in this world because of sin, but can't we all just have respect for each other??

Sorry to get all serious on everyone :) I'll try to make the next one a light-hearted fun one.

January

My cousin Brittany and her new husband dancing

My beautiful little sister

My cousin Christen with Wil

Our friends Kelsey and Micah got married!

Wil is 2 months old!!

Matthew and Uncle Baxter at the airport on our way to Florida for the wedding

Wil Kenneth - Nov 2nd

Birth story to follow soon....

Can't get focused...

"Even in her thinking place, she still couldn't get focused."

Well, I don't want to make any promises, but I'm going to TRY to make an effort to blog more often. Even if it's just once a week, I'd be happy with that! The problem is that my husband takes the laptop to work with him, so the only time I would be able to do it is in the evenings or on the weekends! Not to mention that he's usually using the laptop for his sports things, or lesson plans, or even things for coaching basketball. Then, if he's not on the laptop, I feel guilty for being on it because thats time we could be spending together. Basically the perfect scenario for blogging is if he's playing with Matthew (like right now), not here, or watching something on TV that I'm not interested in. Because, sorry blogging friends - but my husband takes priority over blogging :)

So, if you couldn't tell...I'm having a hard time being focused today. I have this free time to blog since Shaun is upstairs (probably fell asleep since Matthew is now down here, unless Shaun is playing with trains or puzzles - haha) but yet I can not quite figure out what to write about...

Sure, I could write about the fact that my due date for baby #2 was and my doctor wants to induce me on Wednesday, which I'm not thrilled about c

onsidering I'm a huge advocate for natural birth. I almost feel like God wants me to go through the experience of getting induced so that when I'm a doula (taking classes in March), I can speak to other women about it from my own point of view. Wow, I'm really staying positive here, aren't I? I think a little too positive. Part of me want to argue with my OB about being induced, but I know she is the professional and I do trust her. So, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray that this baby decides to come before Wednesday! I do have an appointment again on Monday to test the baby's heartbeat for 15 minutes and test me for contractions too. The most annoying part of not having this baby (besides being excited every time I get contractions then being disappointed when I realize they are just braxton hicks), is feeling like I'm ready for the birthing process one day, then the next day I'm really nervous and scared, and back and forth.

Okay, so maybe I do have a lot on my mind right now, but I'm just kind of tired of talking about the fact that I'm past my due date now.

Anyways,

Because I love pictures, here are some randoms since I haven't posted any lately:

- Shaun and I on our anniversary date in August

Matthew's new fascination - rides like these...he says "coins please" and..."ride?"

"Come, Holy Spirit"

A few weeks ago, Pastor Ken challenged us to pray a simple prayer each day..."Come, Holy Spirit". When I pray this, I get such a peace and I hope that the rest of our community will remember to pray it as well!

Today, er...yesterday, was my due date (the 26th) - My new prediction/s...Well, Friday would be nice because Shaun would have the whole weekend to be with us, then a whole week off, plus another weekend - But, I'm thinking November 2, 2010, will be the day. Why? well, only because on the 3rd, my OB would like to induce me. I'm hoping the baby will take that as a threat and come out before hand! Preferably labor would start anywhere from 9am till noon and maybe have the baby around 3 or 4, because it would be really nice to have the morning to relax and then have the evening for visitors to come! Hey, I can dream, cant I? :)

Things I want

Well, we found a house to rent and we are hoping to start moving our stuff over next week. Here's some inspirations I would love to use to decorate:

Love this bedroom. Its so clean and simple but yet elegant and somewhere you want to be. Very relaxing!

left: perfect decor for fall! We don't really have a foyer, but I was going to put the couch so that there's a 'walk way' behind it when you first walk in the front door.

left - a mirror I REALLY love from Target.

above - IF IF IF this next baby is a girl, this would be the perfect room! I LOVE purple and its got great accent colors and designs!

Right - a pillow I really love from Wal Mart!

Okay, well I don't want to spend all day on here daydreaming about things I can't have (yet). Shaun says that AFTER we move in and get settled I can start buying a few things at a time that I like. I guess I will just have to be patient :)

changes

So many things going on in life...I'm more excited than overwhelmed right now, but I feel the stress starting to creep up.

1) Shaun got a full-time teaching job for the fall!!!!!!!!!

- for those of you who don't know us personally, we got married in August of 2007. My husband was in school still but I decided not to waste my money on school if I didn't know what I wanted to do as a career (I now know I want to be a doula). So we got married knowing we would only have one person's school debt to pay off instead of 2, plus my husband has always been very good with money. He had saved up enough from his high school/ early college years that we could afford to get married and also had a good paying part time job. It was a little difficult, Id be lying if I didn't admit that, but well worth it. Anyways, he graduated December 2008 (4 months after our son was born). He worked 3 months (March-May) at an urban school in Cleveland at an after school program (along with his previous part-time job). When he didn't find a job that coming school year he got offered the job as the head teacher of the after school program. He did that for a year (still, along with the part-time job at Progressive Insurance). It was really tough for him. The kids were very disrespectful and he felt like he was babysitting more than teaching. So when school ended this year, honestly I was a little worried he wouldn't find anything again, or at least not something he would really enjoy.

-How he got the job for the fall:

I was at a baby shower sitting by 2 girls I've met before but did not know very well. They both teach (or taught) at a Christian school kind of in the middle of nowhere. They were saying that the only male teacher at the middle school was moving up to the high school so the school was looking for another male teacher. They got Shaun in for an interview which went pretty well. Even though Shaun (or should I say 'we') have promised to use the gifts God has bestowed on us for His glory, teaching in a Christian school just wouldn't be Shaun's passion. He would really love to use his career as a mission field. There are a lot of kids out there who have really hard home lives, or are just searching for something Greater than themselves. I'm not saying he's going to be preaching in the classroom, but actions speak louder than words and if any of the kids find out he's a Christian all he has to do is show by his actions that living for God instead of yourself is well worth it! Anyways, At the interview at the Christian school, there was a man there who is on the board (of Agape Christian) but is the principal of a public middle school, again, out in the middle of nowhere. He liked Shaun so much that he asked the Christian school if he could interview Shaun for a position open at the middle school and he called Shaun. I am so amazed how God worked all of this out! The principal called him, and Shaun didn't even apply to that school, plus - he doesn't even have a degree for the position they needed to fill (Technology teacher)! They had an interview and Shaun said he was willing to take some classes and the principal said Shaun can work along side the math teacher and social studies teacher and maybe even take over one of those if the position eventually opens up. So, they offered Shaun the job yesterday and he said YES!!! Like I said its in the middle of nowhere. I mean NOWHERE! Amish country. All they have there is a giant cheese factory.

okay, I'm going to have to finish this post later. Enjoy what's here so far!