3.5 down 86.5 to go!!!!

Wow it has been a few months since I posted anything! Life sure has been one big adventure, especially with Christmas coming up!!!

Christmas is in just a few weeks! As we all know, but maybe don't acknowledge...most of the weight we put on in a year is around the holidays. Eighty percent of the weight americans gain throughout the year occurs in the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's!!! (per the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development). This means that if someone gained weight gradually over several years, they've put the bulk of their weight on during this time!!!! More than half of American adults are overweight!!!! Well with this news I decided to do something about it!!

My mother-in-law joined the Metabolic Research Center (MRC) in Columbus, IN. She started a week or so before Thanksgiving day. As I started to notice a difference in her I became curious. On Black Friday we went and got me signed up at the MRC!!! Since starting two weeks ago I have lost 3.5 pounds (that I know of)!!! I have weighed in two times and will go again on Monday. Not only am I losing pounds and hopefully inches, I have noticed my engery levels have changed. For once I feel like I can tackle this weight problem and desire to eat whatever I want!!! For any of you that know me, I LOVE to bake!! Which on a diet could really become a problem. I love the smell of brownies in the oven, of all the ingredients when making homemade buttercream icing for a cake! It is a simple joy of mine!!! Since starting this diet I have noticed that my cravings have almost completely disappeared!!! I don't feel like I have to munch all day long, and I feel like I am putting my own physical needs first for a change. Along with this my husband has been very supportive and is eating only the things that I am allowed to have!! It also helps that he is doing a Biggest Loser contest at work and wants to win! Since the beginning of November B has lost roughly 25 pounds and keeps losing!!! I am VERY proud of him!!! It has also helped J to eat better as well!!! With me not munching all day, J doesn't either! What a huge change this has already made in my family in just the two weeks we have been doing it!!!

I am looking forward to being able to wear super cute clothes again and never be this size for the rest of my life!!! By September I have a feeling I won't even recognize myself!!! It makes me VERY excited!!!!

If you decide this is something for you, go look into it!! If you do, let them know that you are a friend of mine! They like to know how people came to hear about them!!!

...Bump...

Well, these past few days and weeks we have been going non-stop working with the church and trying to enjoy the beautiful weather, getting things done outside around the house. As we were going about our crazy life we didn't think about the fact that I was "late". When I sat down and started thinking about it I realized that there was a possibility I was roughly 7weeks pregnant. Of course this wasn't part of our plan so to speak. We figured J would closer to 2 before we started trying, and we just kept praying that our plans and God's plans for our lives lined up. I had taken two pregnancy tests that showed up negative so I was giving up on taking another one for now. I knew that when I was pregnant with J for the first seven weeks I tested negative with the at home tests and that could be happening again. I knew that we were pregnant though because I was feeling somewhat the same way I did when I was pregnant the first time. We didn't say anything to anyone because we wanted to make sure that we were 100% sure before we shared the good news!
This past weekend was a very busy weekend. B and I did get a date night on Friday and then I worked on a cake later that night for Saturday. The next morning we woke up early and went yard saling (I know it is so old person-like, but we love that time together doing nothing!). When we got home we had to rush like crazy for B to get to the church to work and for me to get on the road to deliver the cake and get to a bridal shower. Friday night I started have these light pains and thought nothing of it, I just kept going like I always do. Saturday I started to notice some more pains and "spotting". I knew this wasn't normal. I tried not to think about it too much. But as the day went on the pains were stronger and the spotting turned to excessive bleeding and I started to pass blood clots. I knew this was really bad, but still didn't want to think about it. Sunday afternoon after small groups one of the families asked how I was feeling (since we had talked to them about what was going on before) and he confirmed my thoughts...it was a miscarriage. I trust this person since they are a doctor. When we left there we just kept going non-stop until about 9:30ish when it finally hit we lost a baby. I couldn't help but to be in tears over this. It has been a very hard couple of days. I know that God has a reason for everything he does, but it doesn't make it any easier at this moment.
Yesterday was probably one of the hardest days so far. B was gone to Holiday World with the youth and J and I stayed home. I kept feeling the whole day like it was just a bad dream, but my heart was just so broken I knew it was real. Today has been a little better for me, and I think it is because I had all day yesterday to cry it out. B is having a very difficult day today agian. Yesterday he couldn't talk on the phone to me without crying and today he is having a very stressful day at work and started crying the second he got on the phone with me during his lunch break. I don't think B realized how much he wanted another baby until all this happened.

Please be praying for us during this difficult time. We know that it is just another bump in the road and God will see us through it. We trust that He will never put on us more than we can handle!!!

Radical

Lately B and I have been reading two different books, but both about becoming more radical in your walk with God. As I have been reading I am realizing what being a true follower of Christ actually looks like. It is leaving behind security, convenience, money, and family for Him. I am supposed to abandon everything for the gospel. I am SUPPOSED to take up my cross DAILY.
There are people who have to hide just to be able to study the bible or to pray, but they do it because they are excited about what God wants to show them. They sit for hours studying and praying knowing that their lives are in danger, but if they don't learn they will never be able to tell others about how amazing our God really is.

Then there are those who must walk long distances just to get to a church and sit on hard floors with no AC, and no amazing band for worship because they are excited to be able to worship our creator. While we are here in the comfortable United States getting ready for church. We put on our nice clothes, drive our expensive cars to a multi-million dollar building with AC and cushioned seats, to listen to an amazing praise band and a pastor for about an hour and then it is back to our "normal" lives of watching t.v. and being comfortable. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE our church family and the people who lead us in worship and who teach us, but are we too comfortable to see God doing something, anything in the lost and dying world around us?!??!

As I have been sitting and trying to digest all of this I am learning that this is not something I have done. Let's be real, we all get caught up in our daily lives of being a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, church goer, etc. and in the process are focusing on ourselves. Why does it have to be this way?

I sit here and think about the 4.5 billion people (roughly) who have never heard the gospel. Those 4.5 billion people who are seperated from God in their sin and if nothing changes in their hearts will be spending an eternity in hell. While I am here serving my own selfish needs.

God has really been trying to show me that I need to be more intentional about everything that I do. What am I doing to impact the people around me? What does it really mean to impact someone?

impact=a forcible contact between two things

In the book that I am reading, the author was talking to a young man and asked him how he was going to impact the world. He said," I am going to make disciples of all nations." The author asked, "So you are going to impact the world by making disciples of all nations?" "Why not?"

I pray that I can get to this point...why not? Do I believe that in obeying Jesus' command to make disciples that I will impact the world? Do I trust the my God and savior will provide and equip me with everything I need to impact the world with his love and mercy and grace? Like Jesus, all I need to do is revolutionize the hearts of a few people and they will impact the world.

The way that B and I plan to do this....
We have been praying and talking about the city park. The farmers market is there on Saturday mornings and ther are always people flooding that area of the town. We know that some way or another we are supposed to start there. We are supposed to build relations with the people who are going to that area and start pouring into them. Please be in prayer with us as God shows us what exactly we are supposed to do. God has laid the burden on our hearts and now we must be obedient in fulfilling his call.

It is a challenge to become Radical in all that we do, but man is it life changing for everyone involved! Praying that you too will become radical in your walk with God!!!

Birthday fun!!!

Monkey celebrated his 1st Birthday!!!

We went to Hubers Farm to eat with my family. He loved the amazing food there.

We really enjoyed watching him make faces as we gave him new foods to try!

After dinner we went outside to walk around and watch the animals...

He also got to pick an apple off a tree!






Here we are watching Monkey getting excited about feeding the ducks and fish.

He LOVES his daddy SO much!!

They ALWAYS have alot of fun together!

On July 4th we had his party!

He loved all of his gifts!...
Even the clothes!!!

When I tried to take this shirt from him he screamed!!

BUT his favorite part of all....

The boy LOVES chocolate!!!


It was kind of hard for mommy and daddy. But Monkey gets more fun with each day!!! We are excited to watch him become a young man!

Burnt up Motor

Sorry it has been a while since we have posted anything. Life has been a little crazy for us.

For those of you who have been praying about B's trip to Haiti, it was cancelled. The group is going to Puerto Rico instead and B decided to not participate. His heart is with Haiti and would love to one day go. Our church will be planning a trip there sometime in January or February, so hopefully we will be able to go then.

Little Monkey is getting big, and I can't believe that we will be celebrating his 1st birthday this weekend! (will post pictures later!)

As for me I am trying to be the woman God has called me to be. Trying to be a godly wife and mother to the best of my ability, but realizing that I cannot do it on my own. Trying to do the daily housework and duties of being a mom has been a challenge lately. Monkey is into everything and undoes anything I am working on.

Just when I think I am doing good and things are back in order something like my vacuum motor burns up! As I was vacuuming in my room one day a sock got sucked up (it was under the edge of the bed and I didn't see it). The vacuum started acting all crazy so I turned it off. Immediatley there was a HORRIBLE smell that filled the room. It was so bad I thought for sure that I would vomit everywhere. We had to put the vacuum outside just to get the smell out of the house! At first I was a little irritated, but then God, being who he is, used this moment as a lesson in my life.

We are like the vacuum going about doing our work, then Satan puts a "sock" in our way to prevent us from doing the rest of our task. There are some days that our motors burn up and there is no way we will be functional for a few days. Or maybe there is a horrible smell coming from us that causes others to not want to be around us. Either way we are no longer able to do what we were made to do.
For some this might sound crazy, but this is the way that God shows me different things that might need working on in my life.

Being a stay-at-home-mom there is always something that could cause me to not want to finish my task or that Satan may use to prevent me from being the woman God calls me to be.
As difficult as it may be sometimes I am realizing that I am more blessed than I could have ever imagined. I wouldn't want it to be any other way!!! I am learning to have joy even when things like my vacuum blows up, the toilet seat breaks, a dish breaks, my kid busts his mouth, etc. The only reason I can have joy is because I know that there is something much bigger than just a vacuum, there is a lesson, but only IF I seek God.

Sweet Cup N Cakes....

....WOW!!! What a challenge it is to bake a wedding cake for 250 people with a toddler in the house. I thought doing Wedding cakes while pregnant was a little difficult until this week.


In the next 48 hours or so I will:
~finish baking the 12 cakes
~load up all of the supplies to take to N.A.
~load up an 11 month old and anything to keep him occupied while he is with his aunt
~PRAY that nothing goes wrong
~arrive at the church to decorate the cakes
~PRAY
~drive back from N.A.
~leave for N.A. with B and Monkey to go to the wedding
~PRAY
~set up the wedding cakes
~PRAY
~attend the wedding
~enjoy some of the cake (hopefully)
Then when its all said and done I will have thought to myself... "sweet cup n cakes" that was crazy fun!!!!

Going Bald.....

Well it is official!!!...I am going to pull out my hair!!!!!

I have never done a yard sale before (other than church ones, which I did not organize). Pretty sure this will be our last!!!!

Just going through all of the STUFF that we have "collected" in less than 2 years of marriage is rediculous!!! Never did I think that we had this much in our house. I am not going to know what to do with the extra space once we get this stuff out of here!

This has been somewhat of a stressful event and can't wait for it to be done so I can relax. I am glad that we are doing it and for a good cause... B's trip to Haiti in July! I kinda wish I could snap my fingers and EVERYTHING be in place and ready to go for Friday morning! Just praying that I can stop focusing on all the details and think about why we are doing this.

My 1st Mommy's Day we visited the farm!!!

love my boys!

not too happy about being in the dirt...

... he is slowly starting to like it

showing me the dirt he is Loving playing in now!!!



my kid eating dirt...as my mom told him about how I used to eat dirt with my sis Ash when we were little!!!

Jace and his Daddy walking in the garden!!!

<3>

Jace "learning" about green beans and planting them in the garden!

I could not have asked for a more perfect day!!! I really enjoyed getting to spend time with my mom, dad, and brother in the garden. I loved watching Jace playing on the family farm and being outside enjoying himself! It melted my heart!!!

This wonderful day ended the wonderful weekend perfectly!!!

Friday: Brandon and I had a date night & Jace stayed with Sonja and Rob!

We went to a dinner and murder/mystery for B's work (free! & 1st time for both of us going to somthing like that)

Then went to see Date Night @ the theater in Madison (first time there together!)

Saturday: was our church yard sale for Haiti

went to Indy to the Art Museum so B could write a paper for school,

Keystone @ the Crossing (not all its cracked up to be)

wanted Cheesecake Factory for dinner...but didn't want to wait 4 hrs!!!!

walked around Old Navy, and Carter

THEN finally decided to eat dinner @ Cheeseburger in Paradise...

line out the door and cars parked in the road :(

FINALLY we ate dinner at Panera!!! which is what I wanted ALL day!!!!

SO glad that we got to spend some amazing time as a family and with our parents!!!!

Moments ONLY A Parent Would Appreciate!!!....

As more time goes on and our "Little Monkey" learns to do more things I have noticed that my husband and I get excited about the smallest and most insignificant things. The things that only another parent would understand and appreciate!

Today that thing was our Little Monkey laying on the changing table as I got him ready for bed and discovering his private area. Now this is not something that is new. He had discovered it once before and I was glad that he forgot about it...or at least I thought! As I took his dirty diaper off he reached down and grabbed it!!! Apparently he thought that was funny, because he kept doing it and laughing. Of course, it didn't help that I kept laughing and asking him if he found his "pee-pee"!!! Five minutes later I FINALLY got a new diaper on him. As I went to get his pjs out he attempted to take his diaper off by himself, almost in an attempt to continue the "game" he was just playing with mommy! As much as I pray that we don't experience this again, I sure do love times like these. The little moments that melt my heart when my baby boy laughs like that...no matter what he laughs about.

It's A God Thing

Last night we had the opportunity to hear the hearts of the amazing team our church sent to Vietnam. WOW!!! What amazing stories and things God showed them and had them share with us. I couldn't help but cry at some of the things (much like I am doing now as I think about them again). As we were listening to all of the God Things that happened I looked over to see my husband wiping tears from his eyes, which made me melt more.

I started to think about my husband and how he is going to Haiti in July. It has been somewhat of a struggle to trust that God will provide the financial side of this trip. Just when I was thinking that, Sam started to tell us of how God provided for her. She saw all of the God Things that only God would have done! She saw her mom stop smoking and put $5 a day aside for her. She saw God provide above and beyond for her trip. At that point I had to pray and trust that God would provide and do His Thing if that was His will for B to go to Haiti.

The thing I have learned is that we MUST trust that It's A God Thing for B to go to Haiti. That the money will come along with the prayers. Worrying causes worry.

Trust is Only a Challenge IF YOU Let It Be...

Trust has always been something that has been a challenge for me. Mostly due to situations in my life that cause me to want to push people away. However, lately God has been trying to show me what it really means to truly trust that no matter what he will provide.

When I started staying home to take care of our son the "Little Monkey" we knew that we would have to trust God in providing and allowing us to have all that we needed. Now as we are preparing our hearts, lives, and finances for B's trip to Haiti we are realizing that we are going to have to trust God even more. We recently had our student auction at church, which allows students to auction themselves off or work the event in order to raise money for camp or mission trips. Every year it is pretty successful, but this year the auction brought in over $9,000!!!! Talking about Trust!!! All involved had to TRUST that God would bring the people with a right heart and that God would provide the money. Each kid who worked is getting roughly $100 not counting the money that they were auctioned off for.
Now there is some faith and trust in God that he will do what he needs to do when he needs to do it!

Now B and I must trust that no matter what happens it is God's will. We also must trust that no matter what everything will work out, maybe not the way we want it to or thought it would but God's plan is ALWAYS much better!

Off to trust that God will get not put on us more than we can handle!!!

My Life Has Really Changed!!!

WOW!!! These past few months have gone by SO fast!!! I have been realizing that "Little Monkey" was getting bigger, but today it really hit home.

I miss those days when he would just cuddle with me for hours. Now he can't even sit still long enough to drink his bottle. He is constantly moving!!! He is for sure 100% boy!!! He is curious about everything, wants to eat anything you put infront of him, climbs on or up the craziest things, and is more interested in a plastic cup than the toys family spent so much money on!

It feels like just yesterday my hubby and I got married, then shortly after discovered we were expecting. In July Monkey will be 1 year old!! In October we will be celebrating our 2nd Wedding Anniversary! So much has changed since getting married and having a baby. I realized what a true friend was, and those who claimed to be a friend really were not. I've discovered that trusting God NO matter what happens in life is better than trying on your own.

I have been SO blessed to have an amazing man of God for a husband. To have such an adorable son, who I love more than I ever thought I could, and our family...without our families we would not be where we are today! You never realize how much they are a part of your life and help until you grow up and have a family of your own!

Off to more adventures in the Wild life of the Mills Family!