violated

October 2011  .  Lakeview Drive Inn  .  Memorial Ride for Dad

We took our first annual (maybe we will have more, not sure? .. and maybe now for dad and Joe) memorial ride - classic car cruise from the Lakeview in Winona to Rudy's in LaCrosse.  This was a fun trip with the three of us sitting in a bucket seat truck.  Joe did his best to make sure Andrea didn't feel violated when he was shifting.  The blanket she sat on is still in there. 

This is actually getting a little harder - but I have heard that things get harder before they get easier... Like this one time, when I was little and had a bad ear infection... My dad took me to the doctor and I got a wick put in, which throbbed for a long time.  He said it would hurt real bad for a while before it got better... and it did, eventually, get better.  I think it is just going to get less hard - it will always be hard, but not always as hard...

For sure when I have my baby I will go down to posting once or twice a week instead of daily.

39 weeks - yowch.... I'm looking forward to meeting her but not going through the work of her getting out... It will be so worth it, I know - but you know, fear of the unknown - right?  I'm going to make some scripture cards to get me through tough times... I'll share with you so you can be saying them with me (if you know when i go in that is ... )  I'm going to try to use memorization and reciting as attempts of distraction, plus they are great words.

I'm sure I have shared these before because they are my favorite, but, well, now you get them again !:)

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 41:10
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.

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

I have also been trying to work on memorizing the 8 Celebrate Recovery principles and their beatitudes, they are super - read them, take them in, think about them in accordance with your life.

1. Realize I am not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." ~ Matthew 5:3

2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." ~ Matthew 5:4

3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ's care and control.

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." ~ Matthew 5:5

4. Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." ~ Matthew 5:8

5. Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." ~ Matthew 5:6

6. Evaluate all my relationships.  Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I've done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." ~ Matthew 5:7
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God." ~ Matthew 5:9

7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

(Blessed are those who Celebrate Recovery!)

8. Yield myself to God to be used to bring this good news to others, both by my example and by my words.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." ~ Matthew 5:10



Baby's now the size of a watermelon!Baby's brain is still developing rapidly, and her skin has taken on a paler shade thanks to a thicker layer of fat around the blood vessels. (Don't worry; she'll change color again soon after birth.) She's now able to flex her limbs, and her nails might extend past his fingertips.