Midweek Random Link Up

I am so excited to finally make myself sit down and write this Tuesday night so I can participate on Wednesday. I absolutely LOVE midweek randoms and have plenty of random thoughts myself. I've been following Megan for 2-3 years now and love reading what she is up to. She is who is hosting the midweek random link up, so go check out her blog.

I will start with something that I think is pretty exciting. Today was a big day if you live in Chattanooga, TN. The president of the United States of America came here to give a speech about his five point plan on helping the middle class grow. Raising the minimum wage was huge hit in our town...well...for those that attended the speech. Only Amazon employees and government officials were allowed in. Amazon came to Chattanooga two years ago. Amazon is a HUGE company, but I've heard it is a horrible place to work. America needs more jobs and needs employers who are willing to give people a chance, but I also think they need to be cognizant of how they treat their employees. I don't want to go off on that rant, so I will share my pictures. I did not see in person Air Force One land here in my hometown, but watched on my laptop as I worked thanks to the local news station. Despite how I may feel about our current president, it was so neat to watch THE PRESIDENT and Air Force One land right here in my town. That just doesn't happen every day. They showed all the law enforcement involved and talked about snipers being in place and pointed out the secret service and of coarse showed the motorcade...I got teary eyed. I may not like who is in office, but I do respect the office.

The quality is horrible because it was taken from my phone from the computer. My little town is definitely starting to make itself known on the maps lol.

Speaking of phones, I got me a new iphone. I was really trying to wait until the iphone 5s came out, but mine decided it wanted to quit charging every now and then. I actually went a couple of weeks or so without a phone. It felt odd at first, especially when driving but I got used to it quickly. Now I don't know what to do now that I have one. It was time for my upgrade and I wasn't sure what finances would like in September so I bit the bullet and went for it. I don't notice much difference from the 4s. The biggest difference to me is the weight...the iphone 5 is SO much lighter than the 4s. I got me a good otterbox this time since I dropped my old one pretty bad. I think that is why it quit charging. Soon after it got dropped it would only charge if the battery died completely. Anyways, here is what my otterbox looks like.

I had the otterbox commuter series for my 4s and it really did a decent job of protecting my phone. The casing never cracked...only a couple of knicks on my screen. I like this one better because the phone sits in an actual case and is completely covered and then the outer shell goes over that. If I mess this phone up then I'm just doomed no matter what case I get. I really want to get the life case and have ever since I heard about Matt and Julee Turner. Julee's husband, Matt, died unexpectedly one night. He had the life case in case anything happened to him. On his phone he had written a letter to Julee as his last goodbye. The phone survived a head on collision with a pole I think it was and then a fire. I thought it was a good idea to write your last goodbye on your phone and then have it protected by the case and have wanted one ever since.

Yesterday I noticed our house was warmer than usual. I generally have the air off throughout the day because I freeze. I noticed I didn't need to turn it off yesterday and in fact I was a bit warm. I felt the air and realized there was a problem. It wasn't cold. I went to look at my a/c unit and saw the fan wasn't turning like it normally did and there was no loud noise coming from it...just a humming sound.

I went to look at the thermostat and it was registering 80. The good thing is I rent so my landlord SHOULD fix it, but I had no idea what I did with the lease. I need the lease so I can get the number to call him. Today I spent my break looking for that silly lease and at the very last minute found it. My mom brought over a fan that works wonders until time to go get Maddy. It's 11:42 p.m. right now and I am sweating...I need air!!! Poor Maddy was sweating up a storm too and she was in a tank top and shorts and was laying down. I took off her shirt because it felt like it was creating the most heat and had her take her socks off. She would often go stand in front of the fan...I don't blame her one bit!

The last picture I posted on Instagram :) I have a feeling it will be a week or so before we have air again...please pray for us!

I have more random thoughts, but this post is getting a bit long so I will save them for next time or maybe five on friday. I hope you all are having a WONDERFUL week and hallelujah for hump day :)

What Is Your Assignment?

God really does work in mysterious ways. I knew back in May that my life would probably be changing in the near future. I am pretty sure I am on that journey now and have been since the beginning of July. I wish I could remember exactly when our pastor started talking about this, but it really wouldn't surprise me if it was the beginning of July, although I don't think he was here during that time so I don't know lol. Anyways...our pastor has been talking a lot about our assignment from God. His exact question to us is just what my title asks...what is YOUR assignment that God has given you? He keeps preaching that if you can do it on your own then it's not from God, but if you can't do it on your own then it probably is from God. What I think is about to happen is definitely NOT something I can do on my own. Things are starting to become a little more clear and I get excited but that excitement ends up in fear. These days I've been scared first then excited later lol. When God tells you to do something it is never something that is easy. He wants you to step out on that limb, or out of your comfort zone, and rely on Him for everything. Stepping out on that limb is just so unbelievably scary and I feel as if He has told me it's time to take that leap. The past two Sundays I have left church knowing that I am on my journey for sure to doing what God has told me to do and that what I am about to learn in church I will need to take that leap. I wish I could go into detail about what I mean exactly, but I do know a couple of people read my blog that I do not wish to share this information with for personal reasons, therefore, I am being as generic as possible. If you do happen to read this I ask that you please pray for me as I leap into this journey. I hope you all had a great weekend :)

All Things Disney

I really wish I was writing this because I already had a Disney vacation booked, but that is not the case. I have had Disney on my mind for a while. I knew as soon as I had Maddy that I would definitely be taking her to Disney World at some point. Her first year we didn't take any vacations. I knew it would be extremely difficult to take a baby on a 7 hour drive and I also didn't have finances at the time to take her anywhere. When she was around 18 months I took her on her first trip to the beach. She was ok with the water, but hated the sand. For her second birthday I took her on a cruise to the Bahama's. It was so neat because the day we set sail was her actual birthday. That trip was also her first plane ride. Last year she started talking about airplanes and how she had never been on one. I knew she wouldn't remember that trip, but I do tell her all about it and show her pictures. I also knew that when I took her to Disney, I wanted her to remember it. I've been looking up costs and I might add it will be a VERY expensive vacation when we do decide to go lol. Trying to plan in advance has got me Disney fever something awful. I am a huge Disney lover! I was looking through YouTube videos trying to find the different Disney hotels and stumbled across video heaven lol. This guy, Adam, is a Disney fan as well...he actually used to be a cast mate and has made a ton of videos of his trips to Disney. I haven't quite watched them all, but pretty close. He is quite comical and I really enjoy his other videos that are not Disney related. His YouTube link is here if you want to watch.

I love the look on Cinderella's face as "Miley" shows her a dance.

If you are a Disney lover too then go subscribe to his channel :) If you have any suggestions for budget friendly Disney hotels please let me know. I don't want to spend tons of money on a hotel because we won't be staying in it long, but want some neat stuff at the hotel in case Maddy needs some time to chill out and regroup.

Staycation

Last week I had myself a stay-cation. Let me rephrase that....I was SUPPOSED to have a stay-cation, but ended up working every day except Friday. I had big plans of getting our house cleaned and organized since I never got to take time off when we first moved. I am so tired of our house being a cluttered mess! Of coarse since I was looking forward to this huge task, work kinda got in the way. I kept Maddy home Monday and Friday that way Tuesday-Thursday I could clean. I knew I would have to work Monday, so I got up early to get a start on the day. I woke up around 6 a.m. and Maddy woke up around 9 a.m. Once she woke up I quit work because it's very rare we get to spend real time together. I had plans of taking her to her second movie. We went to see Monsters University. She was SO excited to be going back to the "golf" so she could eat more popcorn. I wish I could get a video of her saying popcorn, but oh well. I'm really not sure why she keeps calling it the golf because the week we went to her first movie I kept saying the movie place with the big screen. My only guess is that in the movie (Despicable Me 2), there is a scene where the minions are playing golf. I guess that scene stuck in her mind and now the movie theater is forever called "the golf." We got us a 2013 bucket so we can get pretty cheap refills. There was an 11:45 a.m. showing so that is the one we went to. I was a tad bit nervous taking her by myself because I wasn't sure if she was so good the first time because she had her cousins and nana and pops to show her how to act lol. Luckily there was hardly anybody there and the people that were there were either moms or dads with their young kids. Once we sat down Maddy got started on her candy. The concession stands were the only part she almost went crazy on. The first time we went my step dad got everybody their snacks, this time Maddy went with me and could see all the goodies that were there. I splurged and let her get some candy to go with her popcorn and drink. She didn't eat much of her candy before she was asking me to hand over the popcorn bucket lol. This time she actually sat in her own seat instead of on my lap half of the time and then the other half she wanted to cuddle up with me. I loved both Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University, but I think MU was my favorite. Maddy did extremely good and she even laughed at some of the funny scenes. I am so happy she loves movies as much as she does...I can tell I will end up broke taking us to the theaters lol. It's hard not to go to every single movie that is ok for Maddy because it's been almost 4 years since I've been to a movie...I feel a little deserving lol. Anyways, after the movie we went home to change because it went from cool to extremely hot just like that. We did some shopping and then went home. Tuesday I worked and cleaned a little. Wednesday I just said forget it lol. I did work a little bit and then went around town with my mom and then church. Thursday I walked a bridge in our town called the Walnut Street Bridge. I really wanted to go the park, but it was flooded and closed. Friday was the only day I didn't log into work. Me and Maddy met up with one of my friends and had lunch at chick-fil-a during their "cow" day. If you dress up like a cow you got a free meal.

On the back of her shirt was a tail...it was just so cute! I snapped a picture of her before she transformed into a cow.

I forgot until I saw my pictures that one of the things we did was got her a Minnie Mouse puzzle. It's a 24 piece puzzle and she can do it all on her own...it's pretty amazing to me.

I forgot to snap a picture of it finished....I will add it later...maybe lol

I have a lot of little random things to share, but will do so in another post. While on vacation me and Maddy had a great bonding time and I still see and feel the affects from it today. It's amazing how my love for her just continues to grow and grow...it keeps on growing even though I think sometimes it can't grow much more. I plan to write about her first movie experience in more detail and some youtube things I've found that I love. I hope you all are having a great Friday and enjoy the weekend!!!

Five On Friday

1. I am so glad it is finally the weekend! I still have 2  hours and 36 min. to work on 
Saturday, but that's ok! 


2. I have been having a lot of fun working on my youtube videos
! I have actually filled up my memory card so it's time to start transferring them to dvd. 
Come check out my channel and subscribe! 
My link is www.youtube.com/suprblndy

3. I am a bit worried about 
Manny. He seems a little different lately and more tired. 
I also have noticed he seems to have lost some weight. I am hoping 
I am just paranoid. 


4. I have a fun toy 
I have been playing with this week. My mom got an ipad for her birthday, so she is letting me use her old tablet. 
My life has been changed! 
I am writing this post on it 
:-) 

My phone lasts a lot longer now because I do most everything on the tablet.

5. I can't seem to get a dream 
I had while on vacation out of my head. I feel certain 
I know the meaning of it and find myself worrying about it. I need to just pray every time 
I worry or stress out. 


Sorry for the boring post but it is all I have lol. 
I am ready to start my weekend now!

Single Mom Connections: Worries

I remember the day I found out I was pregnant. I was in complete shock and disbelief, but still very happy inside. After the shock wore off I found myself worrying about everything. I started off worrying about the IV I would be getting when I went into labor. That kept me up most nights. Then I started thinking about my baby's future. The first things were pretty immediate...her car seat...crib...then daycare. I realized quickly money was a huge concern. I wanted the very best for my baby. I remember stressing out over how I would financially support her and provide her the things she needed. I spent the summer talking to friends and my mom at the pool. I got advice and took the option I thought was best. As I was talking to friends over how I would afford it all I got some great advice. I was reminded about the verse in the bible that talks about how birds needs are provided to them and if birds are taken care of, how much more will God take care of our needs. At the time I found myself saying, "Yeah but you don't understand." It doesn't matter what situation you are in....God will provide your needs. Obviously being a single parent one of the things we worry about the most are finances. If we lose our job, we still have to provide for our children. If we have no job...how would that happen. Our children are not a bill that we can just pay late or not at all...they have day to day needs that are a have to. I often take a look back at where I was before Maddy was born and where we are now. God has not just provided our needs, but even gave me wants,one being our own place. I still find myself looking around at our things and just stand in awe of just how much God has taken care of us. I open our back door and just smile so big as I see Maddy's playground. I remember saying there is NO way I can get that for her, but guess what...God gave her that through my family. I do thank God all the time for everything He has given us. He provided a carseat for Maddy, a crib to sleep in, a pack and play, diapers, formula, wipes, clothes, toys, shoes, food, and so much more. Being head of household is a huge responsibility and whenever I start to worry about this or that I just remember that if God takes care of the birds, He will definitely take care of me and Maddy whom he loves so much more. This would apply to anybody who worries about anything...whether you are a single mom or a married mom or not a mom at all. Every time I start to worry I remind myself that God loves me and He has a plan for me and for Maddy and He WILL provide us our needs. I wish I could say it always took away the worry, but I'd be lying...I am a HUGE worry wart, but I can say it has helped me focus on Him and remind me that He is in charge...not me and it does help me relax some. I have a lot of work to do to stop worrying about things. I tend to hand over my problem to Jesus and then take it back for whatever reason. Obviously as moms we have many more reasons we worry, but the point of this is to remind you that God is in control and He will take care of everything. We don't see the big picture, but thankfully He does. Never did I imagine I would be where we are today, but we are only here because we let God drive...that's the key :)

Singles Connection

Two posts in one night...I'm on fire lol. Not really, I just had these two things on my mind so I posted one, worked out, and now posting the other one. In years past my mom talked a lot about the singles ministry and how she feels that has been put on her heart. She actually wrote a book about her own experience being single and remarrying. At the time she talked about this hot and heavy I was single myself and yearning for a mate.  My heart has always been geared towards children, and still is, but is expanding to include singles...mostly single moms because that is the journey I am on. I remember years ago when all I could think about was the fact that I was single and how I wanted God to send my mate so we could start our family. I was lonely. I actually ended up marrying someone I never should have and told myself I can make it work out. Guess what....I couldn't and it ended in divorce. God gave me every opportunity to not marry and I chose to ignore them all and demand I get married. Those were some very dark days in my life. You think you can't feel any lonelier when you are single, but I can promise you you can feel much MUCH worse if you are in the wrong relationship. I myself have asked, "How do you become content being single?" I think as a single person who so desperately wants a relationship, that is a common question that is asked. Saying the answer out loud is very easy, it's getting yourself to that point that is the hard part. After I got divorced I was single for five years. I became interested in a few guys during that time and I prayed and prayed that maybe they would be the one God had for me. Turned out they weren't and during that time I just didn't understand. Looking back at that time now, I can see perfectly the reason why one of them didn't work out and I am just so thankful for those so called "unanswered prayers." I'm not doing a great job, but the point I am trying to make is during those five years of singleness I was still begging for God to send me my mate. I was still lonely. I still wanted children. I could say with my mouth that God is all I needed, but I couldn't live it. I don't know the scripture or the exact wording, but the bible does talk about how we have to be satisfied and content with what is in our cup before God will give us more. You have to be a good steward of what you have as well. I truly believe that you have to be content being single before you can ever be content being married. The question still is how do you do that. There is no step 1, 2, and 3...it's just something you have to get yourself to. It took me years obviously...five is quite a long time. I will never forget right before I met Maddy's dad. I had been struggling still with being single and I tried and tried to give it to Jesus, but I kept grabbing it back. One morning at church it just clicked and happened. I prayed about it and I instantly felt peace. I don't know what happened and why it took so long, but after that morning at church I was truly okay being single. I was truly okay if God wanted me to be single forever and I never had kids. Just three short months after that moment I met someone. I'm not saying that once you give it to God that He will just instantly give you a mate....this is just my experience. I also want to remind you that even after you do become content being single and you find a man standing before you, don't assume it's from the Lord. I should never have assumed the person I met was from the Lord. I should have kept my guard up and paid attention to the red flags both me and my mom found before I even started dating him. To wrap this all up,there is no one way to becoming content being single...it's a journey. Each journey is unique and how I got there will not be how you get there. I know the days and nights can feel lonely, but just keep praying and make sure you are praying from your heart and not just what you think you need to say. Keep giving it to Jesus and one of those times it will be for real and you will find an unexplainable peace inside of you. I highly recommend if you are female to read books from Michelle McKinney Hammond. I hate to read, but I was able to read her books and loved them.

I don't have much time to do "me" things anymore (and I am BEYOND okay with that), but I would like to start reading her books again. I don't think I've read either of these books, but I have read Sassy, Single, and Satisfied. I am not a "diva" but as I read her books I certainly felt more sassy and more diva-ish. They are really great books.