Happy Birthday Brooke

Dear Brooke,

You turn 12 today

{that is scary and I cannot believe we almost have a teenager}

Today on your birthday I want to share some things that I want you to never forget. 

As you grow up there are things I want you to know...

• You are beautiful no matter what you look like, you are unique and beautiful. God made you just the way you are. 

• Lady-like behavior is not weakness.  It’s being gracious, kind, and hospitable.  It’s having enough respect for yourself and consideration for others to dress modestly, speak kind words, and maintain self-control even when you’re angry.  It’s difficult to be lady-like in today’s culture.  But, it’s worth it.

• You should never date a man that you already know you shouldn’t marry.  Every marriage began with a first date.  If you know he is bad news, if you know you are incompatible, if you know he isn’t a Christian, don’t go out on a date with him.  Once you fall in love it’s hard to see clearly where your mistakes are being made.

• Make it your goal to be healthy, not thin.  There is more to life than dress size.

• There will be things about your body that you will dislike for your entire life.  Try not to obsess over them.  Just remember that everyone else is too worried about their own bodies to think much about yours.

• Don’t be afraid to love people.  Women naturally feel things deeply, but too much fear of being hurt will keep us from giving ourselves away for the people we care about.  You may get hurt.  Love anyway.

• God made you who you are for a purpose.  He will use your unique gifts.  Be grateful, love Him well, and trust Him to make you a woman with a heart like His.

Above all, remember that your momma loves you so much, I am your biggest fan and I will always be here for you. Spread your wings and fly baby girl. We Love you 

So many great things come in 12s: months in a year, inches in a foot, donuts, eggs, roses, hours on a clock, zodiac signs, members of a jury, drummers drumming, birthstones and, most importantly, you.

I always share my birth story on her birthday, you can find it here

 I was 19 when I got married, Andrew 20, all I ever wanted was to get married and be a stay at home mom... So we decided we would work on that right away, some people choose to wait, we didn't and not once have been sorry!!!

We found out about Brooke in Nov of 2002 and wanted to wait til Christmas to tell our family, well that didn't work out like planned bc I got to sick and my mom was really worried... So we broke the news to her, there were tears of happiness all around....

It was a long nine months... I was sick and still in college, I had to take time of from school and be admitted in hospital, I had kidney stones and was so sick....

Andrew lost his job and we had to move to a new city, at 8 months pregnant and had a time trying to find a doctor, found one I really disliked, he had no bedside manners, I was due Aug 12, 2003.

 I went to see him July 28 and he said I dilated 3 cm and would give birth early that morning, he also went ahead and stripped my membranes, I still really didn't think this was it, sure enough I woke at 630 am and needed to pee, before I stepped out of the bed, my water broke, I told Andrew I had peed my pants, he said no your water broke, ( how was I suppose to know ;)) I had no pain and had no reason to go to hospital, called my parents and told them I was in labor, SO I showered, ate, pack my bag because I still had time to go, my due date was August 12, so why would it be packed ;) we got to hospital around 8 am, they checked me and I am 6 cm dilated, they take me to labor and delivery, they told me to take a shower and relax, I had one of the best showers of all time,contractions were so much easier in the hot shower,  once out of the shower I am 9cm and ready to bring my baby into the world, with only mom and dad there to meet our bundle of joy!

The nurse hurries to get a doctor to deliver my baby, no doctor makes it, she is delivered by an intern at 8:54 am after 15 mins of pushing,and no medications for pain 

Brooke Lynn Grothe, 8lbs 4.1 ounces!! The nurse was so impressed and kept telling me to come back anytime, hahaha. 

I consider myself to be a very blessed mother, I am blessed with a healthy baby girl who is my pride and joy!

Now if you are looking for gifts for the birthday person, there are so many to choose from, follow the link for  Unique gifts.

Remembering Leslie

The one thing I love most about this blogging world is the friends you make, the friends that become like family to you.. such as it was for myself and Leslie. 

I fell in love with her blog about 5 years ago, she has been a daily part of my life, yesterday she became an angel, she is now made whole and at peace and has a brand new heart but knowing her husband is left without his wife, Ainsley and Caroline are without their momma ( they are both under two). 

Leslie was always so friendly and bubbly, she was so positive even when she was hurting her self she wanted to make sure that everyone else was doing ok, always asking how her blog friends were doing. 

She was known for her Confessional Friday post that was a fav of my week and she was also known for her fashion, that girl knew her makeup and the latest fashion trend, she was so beautiful in every way.  ( I will keep up the Confessional Friday but now it will be called " In Memory of Leslie Confessional Friday Link up"

Some people probably think I am crazy but I could not sleep last night, in fact I cried a lot when I heard from her sweet sister in law that she had passed, it was a state of shock and I actually asked God why? Leslie and I were more then blog friends, although we had never met in real life, we were friends, she was a part of my every day,  I loved hearing from her via Instagram, Facebook or thru her blog and today after she passed I scrolled thru every message we shared and read and read again. 

Leslie, Thank you for the inspiration you were to me, the many times you made me smile and how you allowed us to be a part of your every day life, there needs to be more people like you in this world, more people to make life sweet. 

Rest Easy my friend, you will be missed. 

#beblessedlovelies 

 #rememberingleslie 

Happy 3rd Birthday to my Blog

Three years ago as I sat at the kitchen table in our new home, I created my first blog post, I wanted a way to keep in touch with family while we lived in a new state about 18 + hours away ... I never thought I would get followers besides family, but thank you my friends.

Blogging is like another family, they are the sisters who you vent to, who you go to for advice, I appreciate the friendships we have over here. 

You guys are awesome and I am so thankful for you.

Raise your glasses and let's toast to another 3 years 

and enter this giveaway to win yourself a $20 Starbucks gift card 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekend Recap

Friday:

Pay Day- have I mentioned how great it is to be working full time and lots of overtime :) 

After work we met Brooke in town because she was out to a movie with friends, we grabbed dinner at the mall... I was going to get my new phone but changed my mind because I do not want another contract and I'm not sure if I want a blackberry or another iPhone, Apple products have been mean to me lately 

After we are we went to Best Buy to look for an iPad case for Brooke, they had nothing that we liked.... So we went to staples to take a look for a case... Her birthday requests were pretty minor so I wanted to get her what ever she asked for.... ( phone case,iPad case and 2 books), we found a gorgeous case at Staples and on clearance, score!!!! A friend text on the way home and said she had a surprise for Brooke... We went and she had made her a Paris theme cake ( her room is Paris theme)  Came home, relaxed, cleaned and watched Netflix 

Saturday: 

Woke up early as it was a busy day at our house ... Birthday Party day 

We ran into town to get her amazing cake made at a cupcake shop, it was a geocaching party, I will let the pictures do the talking

Geo caching cake

She really did love her cake 

Blowing out her candles

I love the look of joy in this picture and the next one

Brooke and her Best friends. 

Her friend Sam came to spend the night- she was working and wasn't able to make the party

She made her a Paris theme cake- Brooke loves Paris 

I am so thankful every day that Brooke has such amazing friends here. 

Sunday: 

Today was a sad day- it is the last service that some of our closest friends will be here, so we had lunch with them, we grilled and had fun

Here is my girl just three days shy of 12 

Check back for two important post this week with a fun giveaway! 

Life Lately

It has been a while since I did a “Life Lately” post so here goes… 

My blog has been silent, just for the summer.. I have a couple new ideas when I am back blogging in Sept.  

I am also recovering from my jaw fracture surgery, painful.. whoa.  second part of surgery is August 19.. this one will possibly be worst for pain then the first one, I don’t know if it can get worst then what it is now :( 

Work is so busy as well, most days are 10+ hour days, there is a lot more work there then we have coverage for… so some of us have been doing a lot of overtime, plus the extra money is sweet

This Saturday is Brooke’s 12th Birthday party- it is going to be a Geocaching party, she has about 7 girls coming over so it will be small but with her best friends. 

Vacation is August 1- we are doing a couple staycations this year because December will be our big family holiday, we are going home and my sister and brother will be there, first year since I got married that we are all home ( siblings) and grandchildren, I am so excited for Christmas, I may be wishing for Winter. 

Last night we had a very surprising visit with friends from home, they are older but they hold a special place in our hearts. 

9 THINGS MARRIED COUPLES SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SEX…

1) Sex is a gift from God.
2) Sex was created to be good not bad.
3) God designed sex for married people. 
4) Good sex begins when your clothes are still on … early in the day.
5) Communicate your sexual needs, likes and dislikes.
6) Sex is fun … have it … enjoy it.
7) The only time to withhold sex is by mutual consent. (1 Cor. 7:3-7).
8) Make sex and intimacy a priority not a chore.
9) Say “yes” to sex more than you say “no.”

Weekend Recap

Friday
I did go back to work but was in a lot of pain as I had my jaw surgery Thursday, but I worked anyway .. still on fluids only til lunch time, then look out ;)
at 6:30 Daddy took Brooke to town with a friend for ice cream and to get pizza because I was at home preparing for her surprise party- her actual birthday with her school friends is the 25th, actual birthday is the 29th but some of the girls from church wanted to have a little party for her... here are the pictures

Some balloons 

cake the youth pastor made - we love it and so tasty 

Surprise Brooke- she had no idea 

Momma got her shoes- off course 

Some friends

Outfit from Youth Pastor

Dress from mom and dad

Paris wall decor from Samantha 

money in the shape of a heart from Brooke T- the words in the card made me tear up, so precious. 

She had a great party- Samantha also stayed over the night. 

Saturday:

We all pretty much slept in as the girls were up late and well I just sleep in anyway on Saturdays 

Then we went to town to market, ran some errands, got some groceries, I may have bought some new shoes 

it is a very real problem my friends

We met up with my sister and her family for ice cream, good chats and laughter followed. Came home, watched Confessions of a Shopaholic- such a cute movie. 

Sunday:

I missed Sunday Am service due to a pain from my surgery- 

I slept most of the day and I went sunday PM and then we went to dairy queen after service to hang out with some people. 

Off to a new week. 

The Good, The Bad and the Grace of God.

When I saw this book, I thought of the popular show- Duck Dynasty and happy, happy, happy. 

Truth be told, I have never watched the show ever, in fact it isn’t my type of show at all, lots of friends watched it though but every married couple, or dating with the intent to marry should read this book. It is real life, real challenges that happen to married people. 

Jeep and Jessica opens up and shares their struggles together but how they come thru it together which is what marriage should be, in it together.

I was gifted this book in exchange for my honest review

JESUS, BREAD, AND CHOCOLATE

I was disappointed in this book, i thought it was going to be more like a devotional, but it is more a biography of Thompson’s life- at least the first few chapters

In JESUS, BREAD, AND CHOCOLATE: CRAFTING a handmade faith in a mass market world, John J. Thompson takes the reader on his journey into artisanship through bread, chocolate, coffee, beer, gardening, and music-making. 

Rather than seeking to tie the faith to trends in the culture, it shows how trends in the culture are already very close to the organic kind of faith that could reenergize the church and bring countless young and middle-aged people into a saving experience of Christ.

I was gifted this book in exchange for my honest review.

Miracles from Heaven

Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl, Her Journey to Heaven, and Her Amazing Story of Healing. 

By: Cristie Wilson Beam 

As i opened this book, my heart hurt for the parents in this book,their daughter got sick with stomach problems at the young age of 4, they finally after months of searching got a diagnosis of pseudo obstruction motility disorder--an incurable medical condition in which the muscles of the stomach and bowel don't work normally.

 I cannot imagine my daughter being inside a tree trunk and no idea how you could get her out,  for her to be ok when they finally got her out of the tree was a miracle.

 In a remarkable true story of faith and blessings, a mother tells of her sickly young daughter, how she survived a dangerous accident, her visit to Heaven and the inexplicable disappearance of the symptoms of her chronic disease.

This book not only tells the story of the little girl, but shows how a family can stick together thru a scary time of sickness and the accident.

This book is so inspiring and heart-felt. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down in order to find out what happened to Annabel. I connected with this family in a way that I can’t explain, and I finished the book with a new appreciation for God, Heaven, and His mysterious ways. This book will challenge the way you see and experience life, and will leave you knowing that prayer truly does matter. I highly, highly recommend it, and hope it gives you the boost of faith that we all need.

I am sure if you read this, you will fully enjoy. 

Confessional friday

I really love Confessional Friday with Leslie 

Today I am sharing some confessions:

1) I came thru surgery yesterday on my jaw- I had a fractured jaw line, talk about pain... OUCH! 

I am so thankful that is done and over with, I slept the entire day away yesterday, my husband is totally amazing, he cleaned house, took care of me

2) I am addicted to buying summer sandals, I have far to many shoes but summer sandals are so cute. It is a bad habit to have ;) 

3) So thankful for my baby girl who has been keeping house cleaned, and even made dinner this week while I have been working long days. 

4) I need a vacation, I do not want to wait til December but I think I have to, I would love to go home to Newfoundland for my birthday but not for sure yet, depends on the cost of tickets to fly. It is so expensive to fly from here to home. 

5) I have taken a mini break from Wife talk on the blog, it will resume in September, I also have a new idea I am bringing in September, one you all will like. 

Wolfe Family

Hi Friends, 

Today I want to share one of the most awesome people I have had the pleasure to find because of blogging, and social media.. I have fallen in love with this family and they also Periscope, we can ask them questions, they will answer, it gives you a feeling of being right there with them. 

This family can be found here 

Blog:

Instagram 

Facebook

Addie has multiple issues that contribute to the health problems she is currently facing. For starters, when we first had our 20 week ultrasound and found out that Addie had a Sacrococcygeal Teratoma. Not only that, but we were told Addie had a translocation of chromosomes 1 and 5 (one from each pair swapped with each other). Her translocation is imbalanced and chromosome 1 has a duplication (so a little extra of some) and chromosome 5 has a deletion (part of it is missing).

Adie is  now home from the PICU for the last three weeks, she spent the first 10 months in the hospital, she went from the NICU to home, then back in to the PICU, she has the most amazing parents though, her mom has not left her side at all, she was a teacher and they decided for her to stay home and take care of Addie. 

This family has a special place in my heart and I want to do whatever I can to help them out, so this go fund me account right here- http://www.gofundme.com/zhjy58 is because We want to get Addie and Stephanie a Tula baby carrier so they can be closer and experience all the benefits that baby wearing has to offer.

Please help me get this item for them, this would help with Addie's head balance, allow her to be close to her mom for shopping etc. Having a sick baby is tough, you never know how it is until you go thru it, which I hope you never do. I went thru it with Brooke ( she had a health scare while my hubby was away and I could not reach him, so I am in the ICU with Brooke who is on oxygen because of the H1N1 virus that she had caught, talk about scary), my sister's 3 year old was born with a hole in her throat, she has gone thru many surgeries, now she is in speech therapy, and finally at 3 years old, she can speak some, she isn't clear yet but it is hard and very expensive.) 

I want to do what ever I can to make Addison and Stephanie and Mathew out, they are an amazing family and I love them so much. 

So please give towards this gift. 

Wife Talk

is taking a little Summer break 

Will resume in September. 

Weekend Recap ( short version)

I already did a weekend recap but my blog crashed and I lost it, so here it is a short version

Friday:
I hosted a baby shower for a beautiful mom to be

One of her most loved presents- this was made by a older lady in our church, it was all handmade 

Some of the guests 

Saturday:

Went to a friends Summer cottage

(My Entire world) 

I was so relaxed sitting here over looking the St John river, I am not one to relax much so it felt good to sit here with no cell service or electronics and just enjoy our friends 

Sunday:

We had church, I helped in the nursery again, it was fun. 

We had a leadership meeting after morning service, then came home, Brooke went to a friends house... 

I napped, then went to PM service, then after service about a dozen of us went out for Italian food, I love that place so much. 

What did you do this weekend?