Inhale love, exhale gratitude

I absolutely adore this time of year. The chill in the air starts to set in for winter, everyone is busy holiday shopping, and families are getting together for one very special dinner of thanks! It's crazy to think that this time last year, I was already pregnant with Makenna and didn't even know it. Now she's here and I'm able to hold my sweet babe while stuffing my face with turkey this year.
I am so thankful for all that has happened in our lives this past year. I shamefully realize how much I take for granted every single day. Yes my roof may leak when it rains, but it's still shelter from the cold. My car may be in the shop every other month, but I am still able to get around. I may get my yearly sinus infection but for the most part, my family and I have our health. We may not be rich but my husband has an amazing job that's able to take care of us and provide us with an amazing, stable life. When times get hard, I don't always remember how great I really have it. God has blessed my little family with so much and I should recognize and be thankful for all of it every single day of the year.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 

Psalm 95:2-3

With all the hate that has spread all over the news the past few days, this leads me to want to jump into my community even more. To take this relationship I have with Jesus by the hand and bring it everywhere I possibly can. I have been feeling even more appreciative of where I am at emotionally and spiritually today. This country needs love. This world needs love. Why not pour that sweet love we have inside of us to those who so desperately need it most this upcoming holiday season? And when the holidays are over, lets carry that with us wherever we go. There are so many places and opportunities where we can extend a loving and lending hand. I challenge all of you to take time this holiday season to reach out to anyone you may feel needs it.
Life can be made beautiful no matter what hand we are dealt. Focus on what you DO have tomorrow and what others would do anything for.
I pray all of you have a warm and happy Thanksgiving with whoever you may be spending it with. May your belly be full and your heart even fuller.
Much love to you all!

Five more things I am thankful for:

*A place to call home

*Our health

*How much progress Eric and I have made in our marriage

*Date nights

*Grace

The 10 things I like about...me!

Hello there and happy Friday!
For as long as I can remember I, like most humans, have always been my worst critic. I judge myself over everything I do, put myself down and I'm just down right mean to, well, me!
While I'm still pretty hard on myself, I'm growing to love more of the things God blessed me with when He created me. Motherhood has brought this out a lot. A new sense of drive, determination and motivation. A new sense to want to be someone others can look up to; especially my daughter. I don't want her growing up seeing how I treat myself and end up following my lead.
So I'm making a list. A public declaration of 10 things about me that I like. I'm going to write it out and post it where I can view it everyday! A reminder of how fine tuned I am to have been made exactly how God wanted me to be. Here it goes!
10 things:
1) I like how well I've adapted to motherhood
2) I like the singing voice I was blessed with
3) I like my feet
4) I like my ability to love as hard as I do
5) I like my big, brown eyes
6) I like how I play the piano
7) I like how far I've come as a person so far in my 20's
8) I like my cooking
9) I like how I dance, even if I'm embarrassing
10) I like my body and the amazing things it can do

So there it is! Not easy for me to write, especially that last one. Because when I look in the mirror it's hard to be happy. I see stretch marks and loose skin that are the remains of my big preggo belly.
But it tells a story. A story of how I carried life for 9 months. It reminds me that I am beautiful!
It stills gives me motivation to work out and eat right but that's ok. My point is that there is no more pressure to fit back into my size 2, pre pregnancy jeans. It took 9 months to grow my sweet baby and it might take 9 months to bounce back. I'm happy to say that I'm really ok with that!

We all need to cut ourselves some slack. Whether it's about our bodies, upcoming or past changes, a job, parenthood!
My house is a mess, there's dishes in the sink, my bed isn't made and my napping daughter has a foul smell coming from her diaper.
IT'S OK!!!!
I'm doing great and the best I can as a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend and a Christian! I'm going to make mistakes; I have made mistakes. I've hurt people, I've hurt God and I've hurt myself. And I may never fit into those old size 2 jeans but I'm still going to give myself a pat on the back.
Life is constantly a work in progress and it's almost like I'm Gods project. I will take 5 steps forward only to take 6 steps back. But I'm learning. We all are. I've come a long way from a person I used to be so ashamed of. As much as I'm learning to forgive and love others, I'm doing the same for myself.
So whatever it is you're struggling with, on a personal level, it's ok. It will all be ok because YOU ARE GREAT!
How about you write a list? And put it where you can see it, like on your mirror or your wallet. Remind yourself that all the good things about you outweigh the negative.
If you want to share it with me, send in a prayer request or just let off some steam, my email is always open: aljanson819@gmail.com
Smile, you're great and beautiful :)
Much love!

These two give me reasons to feel beautiful and wonderful everyday! ❤️

The story of our miracle baby

Our little pastry chef, haha!

"For this child I have prayed." -1 Samuel 1:27
Happy two months to my sweet baby girl, Makenna! I cannot believe it has been two months already but at the same time it feels like she has always been in our lives. It amazes me how I cannot even imagine what life was before this little girl took over our hearts. I was thinking, to celebrate her being two months today, I'll tell you the background story of how Makenna is our miracle baby :) It's officially one of my favorite stories to tell.
I had always wanted to be a mom. I love children and my first job was working at a place called Party Playhouse-we threw birthday parties for kids and I had a blast working there!
When I met and married Eric, I couldn't wait for us to have a baby. About 5 months after we were married, we started to try for our first. We were both pretty nervous and excited at the same time.
Fast forward to a year later and we still weren't having any luck. I went to the doctors and had a check over to make sure I was healthy and everything checked out ok. I was getting nervous because I knew what the year mark meant. Problems.
After rattling my brain and much research, I decided it was best I faithfully followed the Gluten Free diet that I needed to follow, due to Celiac Disease. All the arrows were pointing to that being the problem so I disciplined myself and eliminated all gluten from my diet.
The next 10 months after that was truly a test of my faith. And for a majority of it, I failed. I watched friends get pregnant and others have their babies with envy. I would cry myself to sleep wondering what was wrong with me while Eric kept insisting it was him, even though we both knew it wasn't.
I knew in my heart it was because of the Celiac Disease and me not following my diet for so long. I was trying all I could to make it right and I felt like a failure for not being able to give my husband the gift we longed for.
During this time Eric tried so hard to keep my faith up; telling me it just wasn't our time yet and it will happen in Gods time, not ours. I just grew more bitter. At the end of November 2013, I watched a few more friends post their happy pregnancy announcements and lost all hope for us. I once again went to my husband for comfort and instead of telling me it'll be ok, he grabbed my hand and prayed for us. Something we SHOULD have been doing all along.
Two weeks later I felt compelled to make an appointment with an OBGYN and see what fertility options would be available for us. I was able to get in that Tuesday with the physicians assistant and went with my mom and Eric. The doctor checked me over, took some blood work to check my thyroid and said she would call me with the results. She wanted to do an ultrasound the following week to see if all was ok there. We left on happy terms knowing that we were finally doing something to help ourselves have a baby.
The next morning I was leaving for work and literally just locked my front door when my phone started ringing with the doctor on the other end. When I asked if everything was ok she had told me we didn't need to go ahead and look into any fertility treatments. I was so confused and the first thing that ran through my head was that it was over; there was no chance for us. After asking her why, she told me the news.
I was already pregnant!
Happy wasn't the word for it and I couldn't stop crying! At the ultrasound that next week, we discovered that I became pregnant around the second week of November. Finally! It was our turn to become parents. Eric couldn't believe it when I told him the news. We were both just so happy!
God had a plan all along to bless us with a child. He just wanted me to be healthy and to fully rely on His timing and plan, which we did when Eric finally prayed over the situation that November night; when I was already pregnant!
After 9 months, 22 hours of labor, 20 minutes of pushing and Makenna ending up in the special care nursery, we had her. She is the result of a miracle. I grow more in love with her everyday and I am so blessed to be her mommy. It was the wait and every tear. I couldn't thank The Lord more for making us parents.
While it may not be a baby, I know there are a lot of you waiting for something. Do not give up hoping and praying. God hears you, I promise and is waiting till He knows you're ready for whatever
blessing He wants to throw your way. He wants good gifts for His children and all you have to do is have faith. I pray for you each of you that has something in your heart that you're waiting for.
I'm here to pray with you over anything! If you have something to share please send an email to aljanson819@gmail.com!
Miracles happen everyday. I am so thankful for mine and I know you will be for yours.
Much love!