Allow me to introduce myself...

I am linking up today with my new family from (in)motherhood - an online NEW MOM'S community through (in)courage, an online community just for women!  I am a new mom and failing more often than succeeding but loving every minute of it.

My blog is VERY new but my desire is to encourage women in their faith walk, womanhood, marriage, & motherhood.  I began this blog because I felt God saying He wanted me to minister in this way.  I hope it is an encouragement to all who read.  I really want to get across the point that I don't have it all together and I'm just trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together to make the masterpiece God sees me as.

Here's a little about myself...

I am married to my best friend, Alan.  We were set up on a blind date 10 years ago by his brother and one of my closest friends who were actually dating at the time.  I had been on several blind dates before that were horrible and said NEVER again but after meeting Andy (Alan's brother), and realizing he wasn't a psycho I figured his brother couldn't be too weird either.  After dating for almost 5 months I moved 400 miles away to go to school for 2 years.  It was a true test of our relationship and probably the best thing for us as it challenged us to really make the most of our time together.  Upon graduating and moving back to the area we quickly got engaged and were married July 9, 2005.

I have always wanted to be a mom.  It has been my desire since I was a little girl playing with dolls.  It didn't happen as easily as I thought it would.  We tried for several years before even getting pregnant - even went through fertility testing to make sure everything was okay - couldn't find anything wrong.  Then when I finally DID get pregnant I ended up having three miscarriages before a successful pregnancy.  And again  they have no idea why I kept miscarrying (or still do.  Just had another one over the summer - an "oops" pregnancy but wanted all the same).  So I have a heart for women dealing with different forms of infertility.  It's a long, heartbreaking, process.

We do have a 14 month-old-son, Levi Samuel, our little miracle baby.  And not just because of how long we waited for him but because when I was 20 weeks pregnant we found out he had a heart problem - complete heart block to be exact.  His heart was not beating the way it should where the bottom chambers were not beating with the top chambers like they're supposed to and only beating about a third of the time.  I was watched very closely with weekly ultrasounds to make sure he was functioning fine with the weird heartbeat and not developing heart failure.  With a lot of prayers and trust he continued to grow healthy & strong.  Because of his heart he was born C-Section and had a pacemaker put in the day after he was born, spent a week in the hospital for observation but was (and still is) a healthy, vibrant baby boy!  Today you would never know anything is wrong with him and is ALL boy, getting into everything, causing chaos, and growing strong.

Random info:

• I have a Bachelor's in Social Work & a Master of Arts in Family Ministry
• I've worked in Youth Ministry, both Volunteer and Professionally for over ten years.
• I've moved 10 times in the past 14 years - I'm an excellent packer!!
• My two main food groups are coffee and chocolate.

Things I wish I would've known before coming a mother:

• In those first few months sleeping when they're sleeping is a nice idea in theory but rarely EVER happens that way
• The first few months of sleep deprivation are physically and emotionally painful... but it is SHORT lived and easily forgotten
• Keeping an immaculate house with a Toddler is a lost cause.  Throw in the towel and just keep from looking like you belong on an episode of HOARDERS.  
• Each moment is the last moment you will have exactly like that.  Cherish every second as you watch your child grow.  

That's it in a nutshell.  I hope to continue to be authentic and transparent through this blog.  Again, I don't have it all together, and just going along for the ride as I follow God's leading.