being willingly tortured.

I swear lock-ins are a form of punishment for youth leaders. I have NO idea why we plan one every year. Well I do, and it's because my husband seems to forget that 5a.m. feeling of a kid who wont stop complaining and having to stay 2 hours after it ends to clean up.

Never the less.

We have lock-ins.

In fact every year he says "we're not doing this again". And every summer he goes, "we need to plan a lock in".............imagine my excitement.

This year I didn't have to stay the whole time. we had interns and other adult leaders that helped out which was awesome. so I left about 11 and came back at 7:30 to greet parents and help clean up.

I talked to some of the leaders and they said the night was pretty uneventful. We didn't have to send anybody home, although we all agreed we should have sent at least one home. Usually it's a middle schooler, they get away from their parents and suddenly lose everything they've been taught.

Anyway, It's 2:30 and Brian is still sleeping. He got home and in bed probably about 10:30. He'll be up within the next hour and a half I think.

Over all, I think the lock in was a success. Despite the groan from the middle school boys who they sent to bed for a couple of hours. Everybody was safe. Nobody caused major problems. We had an evangelist come and talk to the kids and an awesome time of worship. Learned what to do, and what not to do for next year. And  We probably had around 50 kids when all was said and done.

I wish I had pictures to show you. But I wasn't the one taking the pictures, so no such luck.

Thats all for now
-j & little boo

13 weeks

Sorry there isn't a picture. I haven't had the energy to look pretty and I've hardly seen Brian this week. But I look like I did last week except with bigger bags under my eyes and greasy hair. 

How far along? 13 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  lost 10 lbs. whoo hooo!
Maternity clothes? no
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: horribly. I've moved to the couch
Best moment this week: getting to spend time with our friends before they go back to work in a couple weeks.
Have you told family and friends: Yes!
Miss Anything? not feeling tired
Movement: Not yet
Food cravings: soup.
Anything making you queasy or sick: the fridge and squishy textured food
Have you started to show yet: A wee little bump so far
Gender prediction: boy, but i think God is going to spite us with a girl
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: sooo moody
Looking forward to: having energy to unpack our things from boxes

I think that's all. I'm technically like 13 weeks and 5 days. But who's counting. Maybe I'll actually post one of these things at the beginning of the week.....doubtful. 

We have another lock-in tonight. I'm sure a good wife post about my youth pastor husband will come out of it. although we don't have curtains for him to destroy this time.

AND if you're thinking that I should be working. I am, but Friday's are a waiting game with the printer. So I'm waiting. AND I'm so awesome I finished all my work for the lock-in. ok

Thats all for now
-J & baby boo

Just beat it

I felt like adding a little MJ to this post. Hence the title, but thats as far as I go.

I've never been accused of with holding truth. If anything I get in trouble for my honesty, and this is one of those times that will probably upset some people. Before I say what I'm going to say. Let me start out by saying. I know this baby is from God. I know it's a blessing. But I only see it as such because it's going to make me more like Christ than ever.

We heard little boo's heart today.

There was nothing magical. We didn't cry. We didn't hug or jump for joy.

I was relieved to know that there was a heart beat. And that was the end of it.

It took all of maybe 5 minutes from the time the Dr. walked in, to when he walked out.

I understand most people are filled with excitement and happiness and thats awesome for them.

I am not that person.


I am not excited. Yes, I like looking at things on pinterest, but really who doesn't.

You never hear this side of the story. Or you rarely do. I didn't know it was ok to not be excited, until I had several people come up to me and tell me they felt the same way. I thought I was suppose to be so excited I never stop talking.

Even my mom, when she found out she was pregnant with me she cried. And not tears of joy.

I know I will love this baby a lot.

For now, I just focus on God getting us through the day. Some days it's easier than others. Some days are bad days.

But Praise the Lord we're healthy and safe. and Praise him for his never ending faithfulness.
thats all for now
-j and little boo

The Poo Storm of 2012

I realized that in the craziness of the storm I forgot to write about this. Now, a lot of you know. But I thought I'd post it anyway....

That and I have to wait for the copier guy to come before I can do anything at work.

So. The Poo Storm. -- If you get sick easily, you probably don't want to read this.

The second week in may my whole family (7 people) planned to come to maryland for my Graduation/Birthday. The house is big enough so everybody was allowed to have their own room.

Tuesday night, the night before my parents flew into town the toilet is plugged.

I mean. It's plugged. I mean. The water in the shower was rising and we could hear it gurgling when we plunged the toilet.

How does one person have THAT big of a doo doo.

Well, we couldn't do anything about it. Mark was going to stay home from work and Him and B were going to rent a snake in the morning....

*MORNING*

B gets the snake. They start snaking. Mark has the brilliant idea to take off toilet from the ground.........................................................................................


at this point I was running around trying to gather everything to go to the airport...... when I hear a

"GET A TOWEL"...... "GET ALL THE TOWELS"

. Panic. Shear Panic.

After grabbing all the towels and handing them to B, I start seeing water..... Oozing out of the hole in the floor where my toilet once sat.

"JUST LEAVE, GO GET YOUR PARENTS"


...................................................

After I have my parents in the car with me and I am driving back to the house. Brian calls.

"Why dont you take you're parents out for lunch, try not to come back.... You dont want to come back.... Its really bad"

The saga continues with lots of tears and not going to get lunch but stopping by the house. Followed by more tears and gags when we opened the front door to which the hole house smelled like.... YOU GUESSED IT> POOP!!!

Well what had happened was.

The City sewer backed up. For the whole neighborhood. Every toilet on our street was plugged. The man holes, were up to the top with sewer water.

We and when I say we I mean Brian and Mark, released the pressure for our street. So ralph's poop, Scotts poop, Christina's lettuce from the compacter ended up in our basement.

Please understand when I say our basement I dont mean the unfinished part of the house you dont go. I mean our bed is 6 feet away from the bathroom door.


Sewer had completely covered the basement floor. We lost some furniture, all of our bedding, some clothes. It seeped into the back room where all of my craft supplies were.

People in Hazmat suits came and carried away my belongings as I'm eating dinner that night.

It's been two months. They came, cleaned, deodorized, decontaminated, cut out carpet, drywall, took away all my things, painted, laid floor, carpet....

And this week we finally slept down stairs.


At least it was just our house and not the whole neighborhood otherwise I wouldn't be living down there yet.


So thats it. It wasn't funny then, not matter how many jokes my brothers tried to play. All though I have to say if my family hadn't have been here I would have fallen apart more than I did. It's kind of funny now.

Although every time I poop I cross my fingers and say a prayer...

Thats all for now
-j & little boo

12 Weeks

Warning. This blog post will contain Gag worthy pregnancy things.  If you wish not to see them..... then dont. 

How far along? 12 Weeks

Total weight gain: Last time I went to the Dr. I Lost weight.
Maternity clothes? Not yet
Stretch marks? Not yet
Sleep: minus the fact we're sleeping in a smaller bed - sleep is the same, just weird dreams
Best moment this week: getting to move back down stairs
Miss Anything? A nice tall fountain Coke
Movement: nope
Food cravings: Baked potato soup... and it's like 90 degrees outside.
Anything making you queasy or sick: still the thought of opening the fridge
Gender:  Dont know yet
Labor Signs: Nope.
Symptoms: Sleepy, and SUPER cranky... My poor husband
Belly Button in or out? out
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: moody, totally moody
Looking forward to: When all of our stuff is unpacked and not in piles on the floor


Sorry about the poor quality photo's. I cant find my camera and my iphone isn't cool enough to take good pictures. Maybe among the plethora of moving boxes is my lonely camera. And even then it's 4 years old. So if you're looking to support a poor pregnant lady, you can buy me a new camera! HA!


... No But Really.... The Lord is leading you too.




Anyway I'm 12 weeks and a handful of days. I go for another Dr. Appointment next Tuesday. I hate those things. It's always traumatizing when I go. They are poking and prodding me with all sorts of scary sharp objects. The first time I gave blood I cried. No, Not Kidding. The lady taking my blood looked at me and said "How are you suppose to have a child if you can't handle this"....... I not so calmly or nicely said "I WASN'T SUPPOSE TO HAVE CHILDREN".... She's been nice to me. I think she's afraid I'll punch her. I'm serious. 




However, thats all the baby talk I can handle for one day. I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight all.


thats all for now 
- J & little boo


p.s. NOT taking name suggestions, I feel fine, and I want a boy. -- for those of you who are interested. Oh and you might want to pray for my ever loving and faithful husband..... Poor thing, I'm super crazy.

Just for Laughs

I believe God likes a good laugh. I really do.

So for anybody who has ever held a conversation with me knows how I feel about children and babies. Like, don't ask me to help out with VBS or the Nursery because somebody will end up crying by the end of the day. I could probably offend you with all my opinions, so I'll just leave the conversation here.

Moving on.

Do you know what you get when you start praying? You get answers to prayer. My prayer has been that God make me into the woman he wants me to be.......

Do you know what happens when you don't take pills as directed.

You get pregnant.

Yup.

Nope.

Not Kidding.

SURPRISE! 


So yes. We found out on Fathers Day. I'm 12 weeks. 


For those of you who suck at math. We didn't find out until almost 8 weeks and even then it was a "naaa, but just in case" ........I could go on that show "I didn't know I was pregnant".


And again. For those of you who suck at math, (which I am one. *hello Bible College*) I am due in the beginning of February. 




I'll have pictures and all that cute, gag worthy stuff that pregnant people do when they are pregnant. But for now, you'll just have to settle with out. Besides, I'm not really showing anyway. 


Thats all for now....
-j

Warning. It might break your heart.

"Like almost every country in the world, Morocco has difficulties concerning sex and marriage. However, Morocco's "little maids" have an especially difficult situation.
        Most of Morocco's unwed mothers are poor, illiterate women from the countryside who started working as domestic servants, "little maids", as young as seven. Handed over into enslavement by their families because of finical need, the girls spend long hours cooking and cleaning for better-off Moroccans. There fathers take what little money they make. After years of this, many girls will have sex with any man who is kind to them and promises them marriage. Countless others are raped (being the "property" of the man of the house).  Those who get pregnant often end up on the streets-- or worse. About half the women who get pregnant out of wedlock have been promised marriage. Other common causes of unwanted pregnancies are prostitution (14%), as well as rape and incest (7%).
       A woman is suppose to be a virgin when she marries, and needs to have a "certificate" of virginity. NOt being a virgin  brings shame on the family. Since extramarital sex is the ultimate culture taboo, unmarried mothers are ostracized, harassed and even threatened with death by their own families. So- called "honor killings" are illegal and rare in Morocco, do not occur, unusual for a young women to live on her own, and it is difficult for her to find a job to provide for herself and her baby. Sone turn to prostitution and about 40% of the unwed mothers abandon their babies anywhere they can, even in garbage bins, toto avoid social ostracism. According to one woman, "if I were to abandon my build, I would have as a zombie: alive but dead inside." An unwed mother can be persecuted for adultery or fonication and sentenced to prison for up to sex months (though this punishment is not often carried out). Some mothers leave the hospital right after birth without receiving proper medial care for fear of being prosecuted.
    Some believers in Morocco care for single mothers, helping them keeping their babies and finding employment for them. "

These girls need to know the Love and Grace of Jesus Christ! </3 it breaks my heart that they are lost in a religion that their god doesn't love them.

This month is the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Brian and I are fasting for the whole month from T.V. that might sound trivial to you, but it's a pretty serious sacrifice to us (especially because the olympics are on this month). Lots of people don't seem to understand why I find it so important. I'm not celebrating Ramadan. My heart is BROKEN for the Muslims. So many in our country have hatred and prejudice against them. I have such a desire for them to come to the Messiah that I am more than willing to sacrifice trivial t.v. for 30 days if it means they can spend eternity with me.

My prayer is that Christians will have boldness to share the gospel with local Muslims. And Missionaries will also have the same boldness. Muslims are most vulnerable during this time.  Please pray for these girls, that their fathers will care more about the health and safety of their daughters rather than their families social status. Pray for them. I hope your heart breaks as mine does.