Happy Marker Day

So, today marks some milestones for me. See my cute hubby over there? We've been married for ONE MONTH TODAY! Happy Anniversary honey...


It's also Mother's Day today! This marks noticeable areas of growth for me. This Mother's Day, I saw growth in asking for what I want and having faith that I would receive it. It is truly amazing what God can do with mercy and time. I was reading 1 Peter 2:10 this morning and it spoke to me about how God transforms us. Before Him, my life was marked with a craving to fit in, to belong. Because of my insatiable desire to belong, I looked to many places in and outside of myself...most of which were not good. After Him, it's taken time to see things differently - a lifetime of growth opportunities, but once the choice was made to follow Him, I was enveloped with His mercy. It's totally changed me...even when I did not realize that His mercy was there waiting on me to receive it. This did happen not overnight but over time, through disappointments, from mistakes, after 2nd, 3rd & 4th chances, ended relationships, and even more mistakes - I've survived my to-date growth spurts. All of my experiences have marked opportunities for growth and today I can see how I've grabbed hold tight and am happier with who I am. I've been a mom for almost 9 years and I am a different mom than I was when I first ventured out of the parking lot of St. Mary's Hospital (in Madison) back then. [By the way, I still think it's crazy that they put you in a car on the road with other drivers - after having given birth...BIRTH, two days before - who don't really know you have a new, new life in the car and send you home to "figure it out". I've already put in my vote for bringing back the "Baby on Board" window signs.] That mom was incredibly tired, selfish and controlling. Wait, bad example, I still struggle with those things. But, I have changed. Today, I can see this change being marked in asking for what I want knowing that what I've already received from God in His mercy & grace is plenty, but that I can ask and be faithful and trusting that the people in my life truly want to be a part of my blessings.

This year for Mother's Day (the best ever!), I asked for some girlie/alone time at the mall, flowers, a nap and for a spa like bath in our never before used upstairs bathtub (yuck, it hadn't been cleaned out once since we moved in)...I got all of it.


The waiter dressed up and wore his nametag, "Waiter Dylan". He helped his Dad serve me wine and cake.




Wine, cake, candles...they also brought up the stereo and played one of my current faves ("She's Royal") on repeat. It was so cute to hear their whispers as they got into their plans to make it extra special.




I won't complain about our tub anymore, they transformed it into something extremely magical.


With all of their efforts, I experienced a joyous gratitude for the men in my life. I laughed and teared up while enjoying this spa night. The grin was plastered on as I felt God embrace me with His love, I clapped like a giddy little girl. I received joyfully and that marks it as a special day of growth for me...it just happens to be Mother's Day.