Dear Levi: 6 Months

 My precious Levi~

6 months ago you made your appearance in this world and brought so much joy to so many hearts. You were in your mommy and daddy's lives long before that day and you will be in our hearts forever. Today is a hard day for me because i can't help but thinking about all that you would be doing now. You were already trying to crawl at three months so i have no doubt you would be all over the place and getting into everything. I wouldn't mind. You would be eating all sorts of food now and i'm pretty sure your big sister would get into trouble for trying to feed you things you couldn't have because she would want you to do everything she does. My heart aches because more than anything i miss seeing your smile and feeling your quiet spirit. I know that i have never met anyone with such a gentle spirit and because of knowing your spirit, i now understand what the true beauty is that is described in 1 Peter 3. Although i can't help but miss you more than you know, in my spirit i want nothing more than for you to remain with your creator and to forever feel the joy you must be experiencing now. I long for the day when i can feel what you are feeling now and i can do nothing but give thanks that you don't have to experience the heartache and the pain that this world often brings. I hated so much to hear you cry and now you never have to shed a tear again. And it is this that gives me great comfort. 6 months sounds so very short but to us it has been so very long...I try to imagine you crawling around the feet of your father in heaven and getting into His things :) And I know He doesn't mind. There isn't a day that i don't think of you and there isn't a moment that i don't learn from who you are and what you were created to be. Soon it will be fall and i will think about how i would love to take some funny pictures of you with your sister by the pumpkins. I have no doubt you would probably look much like a pumpkin if dressed in orange now :) You are still my little pumpkin and you will still be with us. I love you more than all the stars in the sky...and all the leaves that will soon be falling. Happy half birthday Levi Andrew..

Love Forever from mommy, daddy, and Laila Hope <3

French Toast on Thursday

Thursday i woke up to a sleeping three year old (which is rare) and decided to surprise my angel. Laila LOVES pancakes and french toast, or really anything with syrup and bread. Usually we don't have things like that during the week and she is constantly asking for it, so i decided to make french toast on Thursday to surprise her.

It seems so simple but one of my most favorite things as a mom is the element of surprise :) I like to be consistent, especially with Laila because she often needs it, but i LOVE the look on her face when i do something out of the ordinary. Sometimes i think our babies need to see us as human beings who love to have fun like they do and i think in the end they respect us more for it.

Laila: "You made french toast for me mommy?! Yay!"

French toast on Thursday is the best :)

Stay Joyful,

~Sarah~

A little song on my heart

Wrote this little song a few years ago and its really on my heart tonight...

 Hineni (Hineni means 'Here I am' in Hebrew)

You have called me beloved
In the still of the night
You have taken my hand
Wiped the tears from my eyes

Oh how can i run from your warm embrace?
Or hide myself from your glorious face?
For you are my everything, Oh how i need you
No matter where i am, You always find me..

And you cry Hineni
You say Here I am
You whisper Hineni
Beloved Here I am
You cry Hineni
You say Here I am
You whisper Hineni
Beloved Here I am

Your love is consuming
Every fiber, every cell of my being
I'll take Your hand for I am ready
Lets dance, to the song of Your love

Oh how can i resist you when You're so near?
Feeling Your breath on my soul
For you are my everything, Oh how i need You
No matter where I am, You always find me...

And you cry Hineni
You say Here I am
You whisper Hineni
Beloved Here I am
You cry Hineni
You say Here I am
You whisper Hineni
Beloved Here I am

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying
Whom shall I send?
Whom shall I send?
Who will go for us?

Oh Lord Hineni!
Abba Here I am
Jesus Hineni
Abba send me to do your will!
Oh Lord Hineni!
Abba Here I am
Jesus Hineni
Abba send me to do your will!
Abba send me to do your will!

Here I am,
Send me..


Stay willing as a servant and always joyful,

~Sarah~

Easy Beef and Hashbrown Bake- Yum!

This week i was in a bind and had to make dinner quick and pretty late in the evening. I had come across this beef and hash brown recipe early in the week and bookmarked it, so i decided to try it. OMG this was amazing! I mean, if you want to eat the most wonderful comfort food and possibly gain a few pounds :) Not only was it delicious, it took hardly any time and was soooo easy to prep. And no, i did not manage to get a picture because this casserole went so fast! Here's the recipe:


Beef and Hash brown Bake

4 Cups of Frozen Hash Browns
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 cup water
1 3/4 ounces gravy mix (I used brown gravy mix)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can fried onions
10 ounces fresh mixed vegetables (I omitted these and cooked a veggie on the side)


1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.    Combine hash browns, oil, and pepper in a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Press around bottom and      sides.

3.    Bake for 15 minutes

4.    Brown beef and then drain.

5.    Stir in gravy, water, and garlic salt; boil.

6.    Add mixed veggies, reduce heat, and cook for ten minutes.

7.    Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese and 1/2 can of onions

8.    Place in potato shell

9.    Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.

10.  Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

11.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onion

12.  Bake 5 more minutes.


There you go! Like i said in the ingredients section, i did not choose to put the veggies in the casserole and instead chose to cook veggies separate. I really loved the outcome! This recipe is easily altered to fit what you like so have fun experimenting!

Stay Joyful,

~Sarah~

Ingredients 4 cups frozen hash browns 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 pound ground beef 1 cup water 1 3/4 ounces gravy mix 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1 cup shredded cheddar 1 can fried onions 10 ounces frozen mixed vegetables See Timeless Grilling Tips Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine hash browns, oil and pepper in a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Press around bottom and sides. Bake for 15 minutes. Brown beef and then drain. Stir in gravy, water and garlic salt; boil. Add mixed veggies. Reduce heat and cook 10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 can onions. Place in potato shell. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onion. Bake 5 more minutes.
Read more at http://www.recipelion.com/Casserole-Recipes/Beef-and-Hash-Brown-Bake/ml/1#upVVLYDyYK1YfArM.99

Pilates!

So recently I started doing pilates to get some exercise in and some Me time. I was pretty sure i would enjoy doing pilates from what i had heard but i didn't realize just how much i would love it! It's so similar to dance which is what i truly love and it's super relaxing in a similar way to yoga. For all the moms out there, one of my very favorite things about this, is that i can manage to do it with Laila around because its so slow and interruptions don't quite matter as much. I LOVE feeling my body work in ways it hasn't in years since i was in dance and it really gives me time to think about strength and purpose in life.

I also have been contemplating the idea of our bodies being a temple and what that means in everyday life. Most of our focus as Christians is guarding ourselves spiritually and making sure we are spiritually pure and connected with our savior which is unbelievably important! Recently i have been really convicted about the physical aspect of this concept because I don't always take the best care of my body, especially when i am depressed or tired. If our bodies are given to us by the creator to do His will in this life, shouldn't we take the best care of ourselves that we can?! The amazing thing about this is that when i am keeping my body strong, my mind and my spirit tend to follow. As i stretch my muscles to their limit I am reminded of what i am capable of both spiritually and physically with the strength of Christ in me. Wonderful and amazing!

For those of you wondering, the program i have been following is called BLOGILATES and its a free website with a ton of inspiring videos and schedules.

What ways do you strengthen your temple? (Especially with little ones around!)

Stay focused, beautiful, and always Joyful,

~Sarah~

Encouragement

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."- Isaiah 41:10

I really have been encouraged today by this verse and thought i would share. Whether you lose a job or lose a child, life is rough...If i didnt have hope in Christ, I don't know that i would be able to bear it. I LOVE that in this verse God is saying 'do not be dismayed, for I am your God'. Just the fact that He is our God is enough! Because of this we have nothing to fear or to worry about. Every moment of every day is held within His hand, and nothing can happen that is outside of His will. This is so very comforting. We may not know His plan, but we do know that His plan is better whatever it is.

This has been my favorite song lately and I hope that it will encourage you like it has me.

Stay Joyful,

~Sarah~

Only for a little while...

Today we went to church at Watermark (we have been visiting) and the message really was perfect for where we are right now. God truly knows what we need most and the words found in John 16 spoken in today's message really spoke to both Josh and I. 

  

"Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." (John 16:20-22)

In these passages our savior is telling his disciples (which includes us) that this world is full of pain and suffering! We WILL have to endure grief and in fact, most of this life will be painful because we live in a world ruled by darkness. At first this seems discouraging because we are being told that if we follow HIM we will endure much pain and suffering and that for those who follow God, this life is not meant to be one of comfort. But this is truly meant to encourage us. This life is painful and rough because our lives are meant to be used to bring others to Christ. We will endure many hardships so that others can see the glory of the most high and turn to Him. I love the analogy of the woman giving birth. This speaks to me of course having gone through natural child birth. This life is just like the birthing process. Just like the pain of giving birth this life seems sooo very long and painful and like it will never end sometimes. But we have hope! Just like a woman forgets the pain of child birth because of the overwhelming joy at the end, we will one day forget the sorrows of this world as we experience the glory of the next. 

This really spoke to me because so often our perspective is distorted. We view this world as a place for us to find pleasure and comfort and most often our actions are guided by what we want. But truly in these words we can see that we are not here just to enjoy life. We have a mission on this earth! We were sent here as warriors for our savior, to bring others to his kingdom with us. Everything that we must endure is for that purpose. And Jesus (Yeshua) tells us that the time we have to endure this world is very little compared to an eternity with Him. This gives me much hope. I would much rather have to endure the pain of this world for a short time and spend an eternity with my Father than to enjoy this life for a short time and spend an eternity in Hell. 

If we have to endure trials for a short time on this earth so that others can enter the kingdom of God, than it is ALL worth the cost. And specifically with me...God is really working on my heart right now and in my spirit i really reached a new level of peace today. I know that Levi was given and taken for a purpose and that his short life will be a witness to many. Knowing this, if having to live without my baby for this life (just a little while) will bring others into eternal life in Gods kingdom, is it not all worth it? My spirit is telling me that it is. As much pain and heartache as i have had to go through and will continue to experience, i am learning that the trade is worth it. And besides, we are promised that we never have to go through this alone. How amazing is that?! 

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Take heart! YOU are never alone and as dark and dim as it seems sometimes, our God has overcome the world! Darkness has not won, is not winning, and will never win. The pain is for a little while, but Joy is forever.

So Stay Joyful my friends,

~Sarah~