Update

OK...so I thought I would update all my fellow blog viewers on the status of my sweet interruptions in the middle of the night. Ana has finally graduated from screaming when going to bed and now she just screams at either 1AM or 6AM - she hasn't settle on a preference yet. Nate and I have been taking bets to see who gets it right and whoever wins gets to stay in bed and the other one goes to get her. Needless to say, I'm usually right but I somehow manage to always be the one who finally saves the day. That or I just can't stand the sound of a shreek of a scream. Nate knows I'm a stickler for sound and any loud noises ticks me off - especially at that hour - so I'm up and at em to attend to her and her vocal cords! I still haven't found a solution although the best thing that works is me climbing to the top bunk and sleeping with her. Not only does she fall back asleep but I can too. It works so much better than fighting with her that daddy is not coming in and no there aren't any bugs and yes it is time to go back to bed and yes I will cover you back up...need I say more!?! So, it's been two weeks of this and I'm not sure how much longer it will go on but until then if you wake up at either 1AM or 6AM, know that I'm probably asleep on the top bunk....and no...there aren't any bugs and daddy's not comin' in!!

Cards

OK...A friend of mine has a blog and she's giving away some cards that she's made! They are super cute so you'll want to check it out! If you're interested, her site is http://apieceofpunkinpie.blogspot.com/. Hope you're all doing well! Have a great day!

Money

Yesterday was a great day! A great day for a few reasons. First, Nate and I saw Fireproof at church last night. I just can't get enough of that movie! It is so good and I feel like it sets me and Nate on the right path! Makes us refocus after a long week! Second, not only did I get paid but we got our tax refund direct deposited. Now I know that the love of money is the root of all evil, and people say that money doesn't buy you happiness but I'm here to tell you that it sure does help! On Friday morning I was really bumming out because I was thinking that we were going to have another low budget Valentines Day and it got me mad. I am so frustrated with having low budget holidays and I was having a pity party! I thought that we were going to get paid on Monday but instead our paychecks came on Friday. Hallelujah, Praise God, Thank you Jesus (thank you Toya!). I am so happy that we get to have a fun and enjoyable Valentines Day. I am so ready for this day and I know it's going to be a memorable one! We're going to Chuck E Cheese and then we're getting our new 46"LCD TV!!! One small thing that I do want to mention that I'm excited about is that Nate and I are finally going to get to wear our wedding rings again! Nate's ring is a bit too small and my dad had to use pliers to get it off in the summer last year. He's been without for all this time and I think he's due for another ring...at least a bigger one! As for me, I am trying hard to get rid of this baby "fluff" but it is so tough. Because I am proud of my trips to the gym I'm rewarding myself with a slight extension of my wedding ring! I can always get it adjusted if I lose the 50 lbs that I need to! I just think it's important to get our rings adjusted so we can always have that reminder plus I really miss my ring...it's so stinking beautiful! So to the people that say that money doesn't buy you happiness...for today you can stick it because we're having fun! Hope you all have a fun Valentines Day!

Habits

OK...tonight I decided to write about habits. The reason? I'm sitting here while Ana screams upstairs and I can't think of anything but the habit that we created! While Aiva and I were in Louisville this past weekend, Nate decided to let Ana sleep in our bed. Not once but twice...thus creating the habit. Ever since, she screams bloody murder if she's in her bed. On Sunday night, Nate went to get her out of her bed and put her in our bed but she still screamed. I'm talking about the worst type of scream! The one you want to cover her mouth! Each night she screams a little less but here it is 9PM and she's still at it. My mom said that she needs to scream/cry it out so I'm stuck. I so much want to go up there and give her a little piece of my mind but I know that will create a whole different habit. If she just cries until she falls asleep she'll learn that no matter how long or how loud she cries I'm still not coming up so I'm hoping she'll stop. This habit is getting SO OLD!!! Why is this habit so easy to start but so HARD to stop!!?? For all of my blogging buddies...do you have any other ideas how to stop Ana's new habit?? Any help is much appreciated! OK, quick...time to put my feet up and relax...I think she's quieting down!! Yeah!

Time

OK...I was going to start out this blog with my complaints about no time for nothing but after watching the first 9 minutes of the Biggest Loser I got a good swift kick in the butt! In my last post I talked about being real so here it goes. We have been trying to be better at working out. My parents got us a membership to the Westerville Community Center because they wanted to help us in our efforts! The first & second week I was doing great but as I got into the third week I fell off the boat. Our birthdays were last week and it totally through me all out of sorts! This week is bad because the weather hasn't been great and Nate and I are going away this weekend for an extension of our birthdays. I feel like I really can't get back on the boat until all this stuff is over so I can be dedicated. I know...excuses excuses excuses! So my next excuse was time. The only real time that I have to work out is in the mornings before work. I feel terrible leaving Nate with the girls for an additional hour and a half after I get off work so I'm left with before I go in to work. I then face the problem of having to come home to get Aiva for preschool after I work out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I need to find something that works!

SOOooo, after watching The Biggest Loser I came to the conclusion that I have to make time for this. Whatever I have to do I have to make time for it. So here's my plan:

Monday - after work
Tuesday - before work
Wednesday - after work
Thursday - before work
Friday - before work

I'm going to start on Monday b/c I have this weird thing about starting on a clean slate so on Monday Feb 2 I'm going to be kicking it in gear!

OK, working out isn't the only thing that's going on. Nate and I are having a fun weekend this weekend. It's all going to start on Friday. I took the day off and my parents are watching our kids from Friday afternoon until Sunday night. Nate and I have been missing out on our date nights so we've decided to have a date weekend to kick things back off! We were going to go somewhere but we decided that we liked our bed so much that no other bed could compare! We're going to do tons of fun stuff that we just don't do now that we have kids. We're both movie buffs so we're going to see a few movies, go bowling, paint pottery, go to Gameworks and who knows from there. Actually, I forgot...we're going to sleep-in one day. I can't even remember the last time that I've slept in! I'm due at least one day!

Next on the list is our new bible study that we're doing on Monday! We're starting the new Esther study by Beth Moore. My Monday morning bible study has been so great. I've really enjoyed getting to know the girls in my group plus it totally helps to know that other women (mom's) have the same struggles as I do. I am amazed that time and time again I'll be struggling with whatever... finances, TIME, marriage and while I'm go through whatever it is I am, another girl in the group is going through something similar. Just to know that you're not in it alone is HUGE! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!

OK...I think that's it for now! Time to get back to The Biggest Loser! I hope that whoever reads this has a GREAT week and that you stay warm with this yucky weather! Bless you all!

Real

OK...I'm finally taking the plunge. I'm officially going to make my blog public. I can't believe I'm going to do it but I am. I just got home from a Women's Retreat at my church and it made me think a lot about who I portray myself to be. Not that I'm fake or I put on a plastic mask all the time but I need to be more real (if that's a word) in my day to day life. Real...what is real? According the the dictionary, "real" is defined as:

*being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory; "real objects"
*real(a): no less than what is stated; worthy of the name; "the real reason"; "real war"
*not to be taken lightly
*actual: being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
*of, relating to, or representing an amount that is corrected for inflation; "real prices"
*substantial: having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary

This is what I want to be. "Occurring in fact or actuality". This blog has been very real to me and my thoughts and opinions are just that...MY thoughts and MY opinions. I've wanted to hide my blog for awhile because by displaying it and making it open for everyone to read means that I have to be vulnerable. Well, as a woman, and a Christian one at that, I need to put myself in a place where I have to be vulnerable. I need to tell others that "Hey, I have problems...I have issues." Everything is not OK and yes, I do get upset and angry with people. I'm not perfect but God has been good and is good and He works everything out for the good of those who love Him. So, if you're new to the blog, read with caution. I'm saying that as a disclosure. I've learned so much about myself by blogging and have grown in my faith by leaps and bounds. If you read something and disagree with what I've said, please remember that this blog includes my thoughts and opinions. I'm not writing them to impress anyone but to get it out there...sort of like a prayer. I'm looking forward to the next chapter of my life...our life. God has great things in store and I can't wait to find out and write what God has planned. As soon as I know...you will!

Christmas

The Jacobus Family Christmas rhyme of two-thousand-and-eight is heresent live and direct from our house and it’s filled with great cheer!So much to catch up on from the year that has pastwe’ve had us a good one, in fact it was somewhat of a blast!Let’s start with Aiva, now just over fiveis quick with a smile and loves to dance a jive!She is in Pre-school to all who knowin school and in life, she continues to grow.This year was a year of firsts, oh yes
Gymnastics & Power Lab VBS.
Ana, is next, she continues to grow
But still her hair won’t hold a bow.
This year she turned two and though she’s a little shy
But I can’t lie because every answer ends in “Why?”
Ana is at such a cute stage,But is more of a challenge than others her age.She pushes the limits, & usually knows when to stop,What might push with Mom, she won’t push with Pop!I’m proud of our kids and I say that with pride, but still there are days that I just want to hide.She’s yelling at her, she’s tattling on himthere are days their survival seem pretty slim.Lot’s of changes have happened for myself and for Nate,
We’re both happy that this is the end of two-thousand-eight.
With a job at Kroger that didn’t quite turn out right,
To a decision about disability that brought us all some light!
When it came time to sell his truck we found out some news,
Toyota bought it back and we could’ve gone on a cruise!
Though we didn’t but instead
We got a Honda CRV in Nate’s favorite color, red!
Though some of this year has not been “purty”,
One thing’s for certain and that’s that Meggan turned thirty!
I started working back at church full time and thing’s have been great,
What a way to end 2008!
I’ve been busy with studies from “Captivating” to “Can We Talk?”
It’s been so great to have Christ by our side as we continue to walk!
From the blizzard of 2008 to just now getting out of debt,
There’s really not much that we regret!
So we bid you great things from our corner of Sunbury,We wish you the best for two thousand eight and that your Christmas be merry!
To friends old and new, we wish you the best,to those who have kids, we wish you some rest!I leave you with one thought, a challenge that’s mine,in 2009, let your light shine!