2 Years!!!!

This time last week I was putting my one year old to bed for the last time. It still amazes me that I now have a two year old! When did that happen? Lyla truly has been the biggest blessing in our lives. And I am so loving this stage that we are in. Yes, it does come with some challenges. She definitely likes to push the boundaries from time to time, and I can also say that I don't always feel like I stand my ground as much as I should. I am learning every day, and praying that God will help me to be a Godly parent and choose my battles wisely.

Lyla has become so verbal. That is probably the biggest change lately. She can repeat EVERYTHING! Yes, we are becoming very careful of what we say. It just cracks me up the things she says and does. She can tell you she is "two".

She is also getting potty training down! We still haven't ventured out of the house without a diaper, but even with a diaper on she will tell us when she has to go "pee pee", unless of course she is very busy playing. She stays in big girl panties most of the time at home. We haven't become hard core about potty training, but she is really doing it on her own. Just tonight we were out at Tin Roof watching Daddy sing and she kept her diaper dry the whole time. We went pee pee in the potty 4 times at the restaurant. It will be so nice when she is potty trained, and even nicer when I don't have to buy diapers. On the flip side, she has learned how to take off her diaper and put her jammies back on. This has obviously led to some night time accidents.

Lately she like to "exercise" with mommy. She'll run back and forth on my mat, or do push ups with me. It is hilarious to watch her. She still loves to sing with Daddy and he says she can even match pitch. I'm so proud!

Last week we had her birthday party. Many friends and family came out to celebrate. Lyla had her first experience with a pinata and was so stinkin' cute. She LOVED her candy! She did not want to give it up at nap time!

Here are some pictures from her party....

Serving Self, or Serving Others

This past week my BSF study has been based on Isaiah 58-59. It talked about serving others and not just "going through the motions" with religious activities. Our substitute speaker really hit it home last night when she said that, "Before God will answer our prayers, we must first be the answer to prayer for someone else." Wow! Talk about needing to do a self check. I started thinking about how my prayers tend to be all about me. What I want, what I need, but where am I serving God by serving others. Am I really looking out for others first?

The speaker continued to tell a story about how she couldn't have children and so they adopted, but through the 3 year process she learned that it wasn't about her need/desire to become a mother, it was about being the answer to prayer for the little girl. She said she firmly believes it took 3 years because that is how long it took for God to change her heart from being self focused to becoming others focused.

This is when the sledge hammer hit. Once again I was convicted about the sell of my house. It seems that God has a lot to teach me in this process, so I better start listening. For the past 8 months I have been praying for God to sell my house so that I could move into a bigger house. Do we desperately need to move? Bo. Do I want to move? Yes. And of course my reasonings are valid and not different than anyone else. We need more space. We need more rooms. My sweet little home has served us well for 4 years and it is time to move on. But again, have I ever once thought to pray for the people who will eventually buy my house? Have I ever thought about praying that God would provide the perfect family that needs a little starter home? No! It's been me focused. But last night as I sat in lecture it became very clear. God provided this home to Any and I over 4 years ago when we least expected it. We had no plans of looking to buy, but this perfect little house (which was the only house in Boerne in our price range) just fell into our laps. God provided a home that met our needs with a mortgage that fit our budget. And now I need to pray that he will do it again for someone else.

Now I know what you might be thinking, because Andy said the same thing. Maybe we aren't suppose to sell our house. Honestly, I don't believe that is the case. I believe whole heartedly that God is refining me and my heart through this process. And maybe in the end we won't sell. But right now I hear very clearly to pray for the future owners. To pray that our little home will fall into someone else's laps.

So here I go...being more others focused instead of self focused. I don't need to remind God of my desires. He knows. And I believe there will be a time when he will call me to specifically pray for our future home, but that time is not now. Now is the time to pray for others.

Convicted!

As many of you know, Andy and I have had our house on the market since July. This has been a much longer journey than I ever could have imagined. I really thought our cute little house with the huge kitchen would sell quickly. (Yes I do believe God is teaching me to patient and trust in this process). I have been praying a lot about the sell of our house. I believe God knows that my heart desires a house with more room for storage and another bedroom for family growth. No, I'm not expecting, but would like to have baby #2 someday! I believe God is also trying to refine me throughout this process. A few months ago I was convicted that we needed to be saving more money if we want a bigger house with a bigger mortgage. At the beginning we were so good about putting extra money in the savings and making wise spending choices because we just knew that we would be closing on homes in the near future. Well weeks turned into months and the old spending habits snuck back in.

Just this past Tuesday Lyla and I went shopping with my sweet friend, Kallee. Kallee is getting married in May (yay!!!!!) and Lyla is going to be the flower girl. (And yes, I'm behind on practicing the throwing of the flowers.) While shopping I found the cutest black and white wedges that would go just perfect with the dress I wanted to wear to the wedding. I told myself that if theywere still there next month, when I'm not throwing Lyla's second birthday and celebrating Easter,I would buy them then. But then the shopping bug hit and I went back into the store to by them. I mean the were only $30, what could that hurt?

Well, fast forward to Thursday morning. I was deep in prayer about God selling our house. We had a showing set up for Thursday night and I was begging God to allow these people to be the buyers. Then I heard Him loud and clear, "Aubrey, you want a new home, but you are not being a good steward of your money. What is more important, the shoes or the house?" Wow! Talk about a smack in the face. Now, $30 is not that much when it comes to buying a home, but I don't think that was the point. The lesson was in being obedient to God and being a good steward. So I made Him a deal. Yes, I was still trying to figure out a way to be obedient, but get what I wanted. Here's the deal...if the receipt says full moneyback, then I'll return the shoes. But, if I'm only going to get store credit, then what's the point? Now, I should no better than to make a deal with God. As if the creator of the universe doesn't have the power to change wording on a receipt if necessary. So I checked the receipt, and sure enough....full money back within 30 days. The shoes are now in my car waiting be returned.