Life Lessons: Part 1

Earlier this year, a friend at church blessed us with a wonderful gift. They signed me & Craig up for Intimate Encounters. Intimate Encounters is an 11-week marriage study designed to strengthen your marriage by putting God in the middle of it.

Craig & I have been wanting to do this for quite some time now, but always found excuses. Once we had someone sign us up for it, we no longer had valid excuses.

I'll be honest (as I try to always be here), I wasn't a fan at first. Not that I wasn't enjoying the study, but I felt as though we weren't really 'connecting' with the others in our group. They weren't our 'people'. I pressed on because there was some GOOD stuff.

The major lesson that I learned was where my irrational fear of Craig leaving was coming from. I have had this overwhelming fear that one day Craig will wake up and realize he's made a mistake by marrying me and just leave. It's not that we don't have a good marriage - we do. It's just this fear. Because of this fear, I've really held back with opening up to him. Allowing him to truly be my best friend.

So, what did I learn, you ask?

Before I write my lesson, please understand that I, in no way, am placing blame on anyone. This isn't going to be a bashing of how I was raised or anything like that. It is simply what God has revealed to me.

As I've said before, growing up was pretty rocky. My parents didn't have the best marriage. I can remember several times when I was younger, that Dad moved out a time or two. I can't remember why or the length of time that he was out of the home. I just know that there were several times he was gone. Over time, my relationship with him became one of just tolerance. I tolerated his presence when he was at the house. Eventually, even though he lived at home, I viewed my family as myself, my mother and my 2 younger sisters. I just never knew when/if Dad was going to be home. I didn't really care.

Eventually, my parents did separate permanently. Mom met someone else and decided to leave Dad. While I wasn't necessarily thrilled at the situation, I thought for sure that Dad would move out and that would be that. We would all get on with our lives. That did NOT happen! Dad dug in his heels and refused to move out of the house. Therefore, Mom moved out. Even though I was 21 years old at the time, I saw this as my Mom abandoning me. You have to know, up until this point, she was my BEST FRIEND. She moved out, didn't take us with her, and left us with this man who was a stranger. I was SO angry!!! Not only did she abandon me... she replaced me. You see, the person she met reminded her SO much of me. Being young in my maturity, I saw it as though she replaced me.

The 2 people that I loved most in the world.... Dad was in and out of the house all the time and Mom eventually left and replaced me. I had a fear of abandonment.

I write all of this to say, that while I may have felt alone in my earthly family, my Heavenly Father never left me. He never abandoned me. He will never abandon me. He blessed me with an amazing man who loves me so very much. One that promises that he loves me, 'til death do us part.

It's been a slow process. 39-years of holding things back is a hard habit to break. But with what I've learned in Intimate Encounters, growing closer to God and growing closer to Craig is that some things are worth taking risks for. My marriage is certainly one of those things.

I love my parents and am so grateful at the life they gave me. The foundation that they laid for my walk with Christ.

I am working on myself... I am working on trust. I am a work in progress. Ever changing.

Many blessings,

Where have I been?

I just realized that I haven't blogged since December 2010. I am SO sorry!!!

Life has been crazy for me... Crazy but good.

I started a new job in early February. I am now a 9-1-1 dispatcher for a surrounding county. It's been a LOT to learn & memorize but I've been loving every minute of it. Definitely stretching me beyond my comfort zone. It feels SO good to be using my brain for the 1st time in a LONG time.

Baseball season has begun for Slugger. Due to slacking on our part, he's not on the team we were hoping for, but he's still having a great time.

Songbird has also been stretching her wings. Just this week she has tried out for her middle school football cheer squad AND for the school talent show. Haven't heard the results yet... but proud of her nonetheless.

The Mayor is counting down the days until summer vacation. Don't get me wrong, he loves teaching, but he's ready for his vacation; especially since they missed the multiple days off in February due to snow.

Anyway, I'm in middle Georgia for training (GPSTC) and have 2 exams tomorrow... time to study.

Many blessings,

Mom2ChelNJustin

Vacation 2010

Day one of our vacation. Driving from Georgia to Orlando. Not going to see the Mouse, just getting away from some relaxation as a family.

Surprisingly, I've been awake for most of the trip. So far, Florida is flat, hot & muggy. ACK!!!

One thing that I've noticed on my family road trip is that the scenery ISN'T family friendly. Every other billboard sign is for an adult store or $tripper club. Makes me thankful that we've invested in a DVD player & DS games. Hopefully my kids haven't taken notice.

As a kid, though family trips were few & far between, we would play the 'alphabet game', using billboards & exit signs for the letters. We would have to wait a while to find the letter x. Letter z wasn't found until we hit Buzzard's Bay.

Yet our trip today, we would have completed the game before letting out of the state of Georgia, thanks in part to X-mart and other adult establishments.

Instead, Craig has taken to 'playing' the license plate game....

Here's to a restful family vacation.

Many blessings,
Allison

Happy Father's Day

How can I let Father's Day go by without blogging about the special Dads in my life.

My Dad, Bob

I'll be the 1st to admit that I did not have a good relationship with my father when I was a child. Honestly, we didn't really have A relationship. We were like ships that pass in the night - except with a lot of yelling and anger.

Because of circumstances beyond my control (and because God knows what He's doing), my father & I were forced to form a relationship when I was 21. I was left to live with him (or I could have moved out). It was very stunted at first. But as time went by, I learned more & more about my Dad. Not necessarily from my Dad, but the knowledge I gained really helped cement the relationship that we have today.

My Dad is my hero. In the past 17 years, I have seen my father humble himself before me, asking for my forgiveness. Really putting an effort into being the Dad that I so longed to have when I was a child.

FIL (father-in-law), Skip

My father-in-law is one of those guys that just kind of sits back and absorbs life. He's not all that quick to offer his opinion on something. But when he does, be ready. He's got a dry, sick sense of humor that the kids LOVE.

Skip has been serving his community for decades as a VOLUNTEER fire fighter. He's a 3rd generation fire fighter, working through the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief (2x) & Chief (2x). I love the dedication to his service. He doesn't do it halfheartedly like some of the fire fighters. He doesn't get paid to run into a burning building when everyone else is running out. It' s just in his blood.

Craig, my beloved

I have been blessed by being married to Craig for almost 13 years. He is an amazing father to our children, one whom is SO loved & adored. He is our daughter's protector and our son's hero. We may have 2 children of our own, Craig has touched the lives of hundreds of others through teaching & being a small group leader at church.

Craig followed in the footsteps of his father by joining the volunteer fire department while we were in NJ. He chose a career, while not monetarily rich, that is VERY personally rewarding. He has become my best friend - the way God intended us to be.

We have seen a lot of ups & downs in our marriage, but have finally put God in the center of our marriage. He strives to be a wonderful husband (which he is) and a terrific father (which he is).

These 3 men have a tremendous impact on my life and the lives of my children. Ultimately, these men will have an impact on the world because they give us just a glimpse of what our Heavenly Father's love is all about.

To our 3 super Dads - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

Many blessings,
Allison

Introducing.....

Many of you have been following me for quite some time. Occasionally, I'll post pictures of my off-spring, but RARELY will I post a picture of myself. Why? Because I'm usually the one BEHIND the camera (and I kind of like it that way)

My online friend though I hope to meet her one day in real life, Lynnette challenged her readers to post pictures of themselves being themselves. Well, being that I'm usually behind the camera, I don't have any really goofy pictures to show you. But I can assure you, those that actually know me can attest that I am GOOFY!!!

So, I present to you, my family!

Me & the "mayor"

Our princess

The boy

As for an update, things have been going pretty well. My in-laws have come & gone. It was a nice visit. The kids had a blast with them. Not that Craig & I didn't, but let's face it, the in-laws come to visit the grandkids!

Having people visit is usually very stressful for me. I want to be the perfect hostess, then I wind up not doing ANY hostessing because it's too overwhelming for me. I did maintain my abstinence while my in-laws were in town though. It was tough - I won't lie. I had to have some snacks hidden because they were just TOO tempting. I am blessed that I have family & friends who are so supportive of my journey.

There you go, my family & an update. We may be a small family compared to most, but we have hearts as big as mountains!

Many blessings,
Allison

The story of Buddy

Sunday marks my son's 10th birthday. I can't believe my baby is going to be 10. Double digits - really, truly a tween.

The birth of our son was TOTALLY different than the birth of our daughter. He was a planned c-section. My mother came up from North Carolina for the birth - her birthday is May 22nd. My dad took the day off of work and hang out at the hospital too.

I remember hearing his cry for the first time. That was something that I didn't get when our daughter was born. The best was when our daughter (22 months) came to the hospital later that day to meet her new brother. As soon as she saw him she said 'Hi Buddy. I'm your big sister.' Talk about a melt-your-heart moment.

Here we are, almost 10 years later, they're still pretty good friends (as long as the planets are in alignment).

Happy Birthday Buddy!!!

2005 2010

Many blessings,
Allison

Meet Pablo

I often blog about my family; husband, children, sisters. I've yet to blog about another important member of our family - Pablo. He's the 5th member of our family.

We adopted Pablo in 2004, shortly after we moved to Georgia. He had such a sweet face & was SO excited to meet us. Little did we know.....




Many blessings,
Allison

Because of Love

For several years now, I've been wanting to participate in some kind of walk. My interest has been breast cancer because my paternal grandparents BOTH had to have mastectomies. I've been toying with either joining the 3-Day with Susan G. Komen OR the 2-Day Avon Walk. However, the thought of being responsible for raising $1800 - $2400 has scared me. I am responsible for the remaining balance, if I do not raise that money. I don't know about you, but I am NOT in the financial place to agree to that.

After talking with my youngest sister, Jessica, I decided to research walks for Lupus. Our middle sister, Christa, has been diagnosed with Discoid Lupus. Who better to walk in honor of!!!

So, I did it! I signed up. I made my own team & set my own fund raising goal. I'm hoping to get more people to join my team - so I can walk with people I actually know. Either way, I just cannot wait until May and I can get out there and WALK!

My guess is I should probably start training.. not sure how long/far the walk is. Doesn't matter. I'm happy just to be doing it & raising awareness. Winds up that Lupus hits close to home on many levels.. My best friend from high school has Lupus and just yesterday I found out that another childhood friend has been diagnosed with it as well.

Please keep this in your prayers as I prepare for this walk. I know its still 4 months away, but I want to treat this just as serious as I would anything else. Wait - ok, I've got to keep this serious.

Many blessings,
Allison

Are we too rigid?

I'm not quite sure, but I almost think my parents may have had an easier time raising me than we are raising our own children. I mean, there wasn't any online to worry about. If we weren't home, they knew where we were. You better believe we were home shortly after the street lights came on.

But today... man, today - what's a parent to do?

Our biggest fight with our 11 year old right now is to Facebook or not to Facebook. Yep, that IS the question at hand. It's hard to keep saying no when her friends have Facebook pages. Heck, some of my son's friends have Facebook pages (and they're only 9 or 10 years old)!

Facebook clearly states on their Registration & Account Security page:

#3 - You will not use Facebook if you are under 13
So, why do WE come across as mean parents when we REFUSE to lie about our child's age just so they can chat with their friends???? Are we being too rigid about this rule? Should we just suck it up & let them have accounts?? Wouldn't sucking it up teach our children that lying is acceptable? We've tried to use that reasoning and I think it worked for a week or two. But now, I think they'd rather we lie.

Craig and I are going to stand by our convictions and continue to be the 'mean' parents that we are... constantly reminding them that we love them.

Many blessings,
Allison

My earthly father

I grew up in a home torn apart by PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). My father served in the army during VietNam. Only recently have I been able to attempt to comprehend the horror that he saw there.

I'd love to say that he was my hero growing up, but we didn't have a relationship. We lived in the same house, had the same family members, but that's about it. Hanging with other VietNam vets was a big part of our lives, but I still didn't understand. I wasn't proud of him. Actually, I didn't think much about him.

Here I am, 30 years later loving my father more & more each day. Because of circumstances in my early 20's, we were forced to establish a relationship. I was resistant at first, but now I cannot imagine my life without him.

On his last trip to Georgia, Dad gave me a book written by his Lieutenant. From chapter 14 on, I was able to read about the experiences (the watered down versions) that my father had in VietNam. It gave me a greater understanding of him.

Today my father called me to tell me that he & his unit will be awarded with the Valorous Unit Award - the second highest unit decoration which may be bestowed upon a U.S. Army unit. This award is equivalent to the Silver Star. I am SO proud of my father & his Army unit. Amazing that after 35+ years, they are being recognized for their heroism.

My father & I still have a LONG road ahead of us, but our relationship is one that I never imagined was possible. Of course, with God all things are possible. I can only credit God for opening up our hearts so that we can have the relationship that I always wanted as a kid.

Thank a vet today... I know I will!

Many blessings,
Allison

Darn it

Oh well.. so much for blogging 365 days. That doesn't mean I'm gonna stop blogging. Hardly!

Sorry I haven't updated recently. It's been a wonderfully busy weekend.

Friday, as always, was our couples Bible study. I love getting together with our small group. Right now, we're small but we have become great friends. We've split up - men & women - doing separate studies. The women are studying Ruth & Esther. I would LOVE to recommend this book, but we're not enjoying it. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if we didn't know ANYTHING about Ruth or Esther (I'm an Esther junkie - thanks to Ginger Garrett).

My youngest sister, Jessica, & my niece came for a weekend visit. My kids LOVE spending time with their cousin, Jasmine. I think they watched TV and played Wii all weekend. My middle sister, Christa, came for dinner with her boyfriend. Then it was off to Wild Wings to meet up with Christa's friend for drinks, wings & music. Of course, I was the designated driver for the night - which I didn't mind. I actually find that I have more fun when I'm not drinking... always get to laugh at the drunks.

Jessica, Christa, Allison

Sunday was church and the dinner with my sisters. Baked ziti made by Craig - YUMMY!! I love his cooking. Then we followed the meal with homemade chocolate shakes made by Brian, Christa's boyfriend.

It was sad to see Jess & Jazz go home yesterday. I wish there was just one more day. Honestly, if I had one more day, I would have wanted another one. Darn it - they just need to move to Georgia. :)

Today was a lazy day, spent resting from the weekend. Hopefully tomorrow I'll actually accomplish something.

Many blessings,
Allison

Christmas with Mima

We got a surprise visit from my mom this week. An impromptu gathering. We didn't do much - no sightseeing or marathon Wal-Mart shopping. Mom just needed a quick getaway.

Because we won't get to see Mom during Christmas, she opted to bring the kids Christmas gifts with her. We never said a word to the kids - if we did, you KNOW they would have been driving us nuts as to when they would be getting them.

Sneakily, she brought them into the house, wrapped them & hid them behind our tree. I don't think they noticed until AFTER dinner last night. Of course, THEN they couldn't wait.

Both kids LOVE their gifts. Chelsea got a super cute pair of black boots. Had to break them in for them to fit, but now that they are I don't think we'll ever get them off of her. She wore them to school today with her skinny jeans. VERY CUTE!!!

I think even Craig approved of them - no heel, not trashy looking. Mom did a GREAT job!!!

Justin's gift required prior approval. Hahahaha!! Mom decided to get him a Red Ryder BB gun - you know the one. "You'll shoot your eye out kid!" Yes, the one from 'A Christmas Story'. Justin cannot wait to get outside & shoot at something. Thankfully, Mima AND Craig schooled Craig in weapon safety. Last night, he went to bed reading the Red Ryder comic book that came with it and tonight he is reading the owner's manual. TOO FUNNY!!!
My sister, Jessica, sent her gifts to the kids too. Chelsea couldn't help but be excited at her gift. Jessica hit the nail on the head with it! 3 makeup bags LOADED with nail polish & lip gloss (prior permission given). Justin got a new Indiana Jones Wii game & a pair of finger-less gloves that turn into mittens.

I am so thankful that our families respect us enough to ask about certain gifts BEFORE giving them to the kids. I hear horror stories from friends and remember how blessed we are.

Pictures will follow of the gifts in use. I'm sure they'll get LOTS of use this weekend.

Many blessings,
Allison

Give me a call....

A few years after moving to Georgia, we opted to get rid of our home phone & only use cellphones. Craig & I both have one. 99% of the time, if my MIL wants to talk to the kids or something, she calls Craig. I could probably count on 2 hands how many times she's called MY phone since living here.

That is until recently.....

My mother-in-law has FINALLY entered the 21st century! She got internet at her house which came with a FREE laptop. NICE DEAL - right? SURE. However, because of my background in IT/computers, I have become my MIL's personal IT guru.

Not sure how to open up an email? Give me a call.

Not sure what SPAM is? Give me a call.

Have 4 friends 'peeking' on you? Give me a call.

Want to bookmark a website address? Give me a call.

Are you seeing the theme here... GIVE ME A CALL.

I don't mind helping her. It's kind of funny actually. Trying to figure out what she's looking at while I'm 6 or so states away is a challenge.

Here's a typical conversation:

MIL: What does it mean that 4 friends peeked at me?

ME: Umm, not sure. Where do you see that?

MIL: On my email page.

ME: Is it IN an email?

MIL: No, just on the page. Oh, and I have 1 online friend. I think it's you.

ME: Yep, it's me. (Go on to explain yahoo IM/email feature).

MIL: So, should I see what friends are peeking at me?

ME: No, I don't think they're really friends.

MIL: I'm gonna look.

ME: I wouldn't. Wait... is it a little box at the top of your email page with a picture of a random person?

MIL: Yes, do you know them too?

ME: NO!! It's just an ad. You don't know them. TRUST ME!!!

I have a feeling I'll be hearing from her a LOT more frequently now. Just tonight, she had to go because she was getting another call... which means she'll call me back.

Ahhh... the benefits of knowledge.

Many blessings,
Allison

Christmas traditions

As a kid, I didn't fully appreciate the traditions of Christmas. The one that sticks out in my mind the most is one that we did at my paternal grandparents' home.

My grandmother, Jean, was Polish. I was teased growing up because of this. You know, Polish people are stupid. Anyway, one thing that HAD to be done before we were allowed to eat was the breaking of the Christmas wafer (oplatek) and wishing each person health & happiness in the New Year. I know I would try to sneak pieces of oplatek prior to breaking it with family members. Just to tick her off!
It's been several years since I've spent Christmas with my grandmother and she has since passed away. No more oplatek to break at Christmastime. Now I would like to come up with our own tradition.

I would like have a Red Velvet Cake on Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of Christ. You know - a birthday cake for Jesus. Why Red Velvet? I've read that the red cake signifies the blood He shed on the cross. The white icing signifies that our sins are washed as white as snow because of this death & resurrection.
Will we do it this year? I don't know. If we do, will it stick with my children & mean something as they grow up? I don't know. But I do hope that one day they can look back on it and remember the tradition fondly & long for those times once again.

Do you have any interesting & unique Christmas traditions?

Many blessings,
Allison

Mommy moment

I've been helping out two friends who needed some babysitting. It's been an interesting time. It's been a while since I've had a baby around, let alone TWO!

When I do have the two girls, I pretty much stay in the house until it's time to drop them off. You see, one is 5 months old and the other is 11 months. Diaper bags, bottles, & what not - WOW! I haven't had to worry about those in about 7 years!!!

Today, my beautiful daughter calls from school to tell me that she forgot her math homework and would I please bring it to the school. Um... really? Seriously? You want me to try to leave the house with 2 babies all alone? She graciously said that I didn't have to; she would take the zero and the silent lunch. That was fine with me.

Or was it? NOPE! I felt horrible. This is my daughter & she's asked me for help. To make matters worse, math is one of the subjects that she struggles with. She worked really hard on that homework last night and there was no way I could let her take a zero because I wanted to be LAZY!

So, I packed up the girls into the minivan, called Chelsea back & headed over to the school. Not thinking clearly, I managed to prop one on my left hip & the other on my right, crinkling the homework in my hand. Oh the looks I got!!! Some people were even nice enough to offer to hold one of the girls for me. Being that they didn't belong to me, I wouldn't let them leave my arms!

Let me tell you - it was WORTH IT! Never do I want my children to think that something or someone else comes before them. That is the furthest from the truth.

I hope that my daughter knows how much I love her. Not just because I brought her homework, but just because I really do. She's is my precious gift from God.

Many blessings,
Allison

Hmmm... what to say?

It's been one of those days. Not much went on so there's not much to say. For the first time in a LONG time, we are spending Thanksgiving with my mom. Honestly, I can't remember the last time we spent Thanksgiving together. Heck, I can barely remember the last holiday we spent together.. Easter 2007 I think.

Craig & I (mostly Craig though) packed up the van & headed to North Carolina. We won't be spending a lot of time in Charlotte, just 3 days. We've got the dog with us, so he can't sit still long.

It should be a nice holiday. My youngest sister & her daughter live here too. It's always FUN to watch the kids spending time with their cousin, Jasmine. Justin is a GOOFBALL with her.

My middle sister is on her way too. Bringing her new boyfriend, Brian. He seems like he fits in the family already - which is a good thing!

I'm looking forward to the food - YUMMY - but more importantly spending time with my family. I just wish my father wasn't alone in NJ working for the holiday.

I'm sure pictures will follow!

Many blessings,
Allison

So much to be thankful for...

In celebration of Thanksgiving, I've decided to list a few reasons that I'm thankful.

1- I am thankful for a loving husband, Craig, who does a wonderful job supporting his family and being the head of our household & spiritual leader.

2- I am thankful for my amazing daughter, Chelsea, who has got the biggest heart I've even seen in a pre-teen.

3- I am thankful for my super son, Justin, who LOVES to read just as much as I do.

4- I am thankful for my beloved family. We certainly put the FUN in dysFUNctional!

5- I am thankful for my husband's family. They've welcomed me into the family with open arms.

6- I am thankful for my AWESOME God, who sent His son to die for me. Talk about LOVE.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Many blessings,
Allison

Family Trees & God's plan

I'm not really into genealogy, though through a movie (Everyone's Hero) I learned that one of my mother's relatives used to play for the New York Yankees. I think someone on my dad's side played pro baseball too.

Anyway.....

Our pastor began a 5-part series titled 'An Unexpected Christmas'. He began the Christmas story with Jesus' lineage from the book of Matthew. Check it out! Most people skip over that part of Matthew because its just a bunch of names. I know I have. Something Andy said though made me understand WHY Matthew began his 'book' that way. He was trying to prove to the Jewish people that Jesus was the Messiah by showing that His lineage was through the line of David & all the way back to Abraham. Fascinating!

One thing that is really unique about Jesus' lineage recorded in the Bible is that Matthew felt it necessary to include a few women. That was unheard of back in those days.

I, of course, had to pick up my Bible and verify. As I scanned for the names, they started popping out at me. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth... These were everyday women that God used in such a BIG way. In fact, our pastor pointed out one more woman in that list.... she's not mentioned by name though. She is simply called "Solomon's mother had been Uriah's wife". Not much of a title is it?

If you know your Bible - which I thought I did - you'd know that Solomon's mother was Bathsheba, who was formerly married to Uriah until King David saw her & wanted her. David then planned to have Uriah killed in battle so that he could have Bathsheba. Who knew!?!?

What am I getting at?

Many of us struggle with God's plan for us. Questioning whether He knows what He's doing. Wondering if He's pushing us just a little TOO far. Debating as to whether God could really use us in His story.

The truth is, He can & He is. God used 'tainted' women like Tamar, Rahab & woman-formerly-known-as-Uriah's-wife to be a part of one of the greatest stories ever told. He also used an amazing woman, Ruth, in that very same story. I know I am happy about that!!! If God can use that assortment of women to tell His story, then He certainly can use ME too!

I may never have a book written about me... I may never be famous or talked about for generations to come (well - my family might). But I am a little part of the greatest story ever told. HIS STORY!

Many blessings,
Allison

And baby makes 19!

I've been waiting with baited breath for the most recent Duggar announcement - they are expecting child #19.

With that announcement, brings the question "How many is too many?"

Who are we to say? Honestly, do YOU want to be told you are only allowed 2 children or 10 children or no children?

Personally, I think 19 is too many for me. Heck, some days 2 are too many for me. But as long as the Duggar family is able to support themselves on their own, I say 'God bless them'. Who is to say how full IS a quiverful?

I would LOVE to have more children. I would have a houseful if I could. But God had other plans and while I accept those plans, there are days where I wish things were different. Yes, I can still conceive, but at what risk to myself or a baby. I would love to adopt, but that costs money - LOTS & LOTS of money. Then there is fostering, but I know my heart and know that I would get TOO attached and would become heartbroken if/when they were to be reunited with their families.

Back to the Duggars... so #19 is on the way. I'm interested to see what 'J' name they come up with next. Not to mention the fact that their eldest son's wife is expecting too. Should make for an interesting playdate!

Enjoy YOUR quiverful!
Allison

Jon & Kate plus WAY too many....

(way too many is referring to the media, not the number of children they have).

I should be the last person to talk about another couple's marriage, since mine is far from perfect, but since they've decided to put their lives on TV for the world to see here I go.

Unless you live under a rock (or in a cave), you've heard about the TLC show 'John & Kate plus 8'. This show follows a husband and wife & their EIGHT children (twins & sextuplets). While I LOVE some reality shows (American Idol, Survivor) I am not a huge fan of any that involve 'pimping' another family (Jon & Kate, 18 & counting, etc).

This show is supposed to be about a typical American family trying to raise their 8 children, but there is NOTHING typical about this family. First of all, they have EIGHT children (2 sets of multiples). Next, they seem to not have to work - this show is their cash cow. I guess Jon used to work, but doesn't any longer. Finally, they manage to get a slew of vacations & freebies (b-day party for the twins at American Girl in NYC). Doesn't happen for me!!

Rcently, there has been a HUGE media frenzy over Jon & Kate's marriage. Who's cheating on who; who spends more time at home while the other is out & about. Typical stuff that happens yet this family has the unfortunate 'luck' of living their lives in the public eye. Life is anything BUT typical for these kids. They've got cameras following their every move; showing every argument their parents have.

My heart breaks for this family... they're about to start their newest season. They should be focusing more on making this marriage work instead of continuing to 'expose' their family to the circus that is the American media.

As much as I would love to sit & criticize Jon & Kate, I think I'll just lift them up in prayer. I pray that they realize their mistakes & take the time to work on their marriage. Not just because they made those vows, but because of the 8 beautiful children that they have brought into this world as a couple. Jon & Kate ~ if you read this: focus on your family!!! Step away from the media and regroup as a couple.

Many blessings,
Allison