TOGETHER

Good afternoon everyone! Happy Friday! I hope that everyone is looking forward to a fun & relaxing weekend. I am praying that everyone gets over the sickness that has made it's way into our home. Adam has been a near zombie for three days now. I think he has been awake for about 10 hours all together. He seems to be feeling slightly better today. However, Brandon came home from school early with completely different symptoms. Ugh! My poor men. 

Thank you all for all of the kind words & prayers that you have said for my family this week. It is with much sadness that I share with you that my potential "positive" was just a big fat negative. My very rude & unfriendly visitor showed up unannounced, early, & unwelcome. We were certain that we were preggers this month. I have been very blessed that with all three other pregnancies, I have gotten pregnant on the first try. This was our second month of trying without luck. We said going into this that if we didn't get pregnant we would know that God was trying to tell us loud & clear that this wasn't the time. Especially since it has been so easy in the past. We couldn't have done anything different, we were very by the book. We are extremely disappointed, but we trust that God knows what is best for us.

We have a HUGE family reunion that happens every two years in PA. It is a week long & we look forward to it from the day it ends until the next one, two years later. The last time that everyone got together we were only able to go for a day to drop off the kids because we had little Kayleigh in the hospital. We basically left the hospital at 10pm, drove to PA, dropped off the kids, slept, stayed for about 24 hours, & drove home the 10 hour drive. Thanks to the GPS lady, it was 12 hours on the way back. LOL If we try to get pregnant again this month we would be due at the same time that we should be on vacation. I think our families would kill us. I can't be a good mommy if I am not here. :)

We aren't going to "try" this month, but we aren't going to stop practicing either. God is in control. I am convinced that He likes playing games with me. This upcoming summer will be our first summer living at the beach & I am going to have to wear a tablecloth for a bathing suit. Hey, at least I will make the heads turn! I told Adam that when I am at my largest, I am going to get a t-shirt that says, "My husband is a personal trainer!" HA! We didn't want to share the sad news with you all until the end of the 14 day challenge. You all are like our extended family & we didn't want our disappointment get in the way of your final lesson. I had my day of sadness, depression, & feeling sorry for myself, but now I am good. Just keep reminding me that God is in control. I do have to say that with that 10 pounds I gained since Adam & I reconciled, I was looking forward to wearing my maternity jeans again!

Ok, moving on.....I want to let you all know that I have felt so very blessed the past 14 days in writing this blog. There have been so many moments that I have felt God take over. Thank you Lord! I couldn't have come up with some of my "advice" without you. He has helped me to answer some of the most difficult emails. Sometimes I will just sit here, staring at an email, not knowing where to start. Before I know it, boom, & I think, "Man! That was good!" It amazes me every time. I will read back my response before I send it & I know that it was our Lord, & not Aimee Freeman.

You all (Notice I never say Ya'll....Ick! I am a northern at heart.) have been sending in some great feedback & testimonials. I love love love hearing them! Keep them coming. If I have enough I will post some over the weekend, even though I won't be blogging any new content. Since next week is a holiday week, I am planning on blogging Mon, Tues, & Wed on the Love & Respect series. I could probably do this every day for a year. I will take Thurs-Sun off & then I think we will start the 31 day/prayer challenge. I certainly need help myself in this area. I will still use material from Love & Respect as well. I can't say enough how much this series is responsible for changing me & my marriage. It is my passion & I will share it until I am blue in the face. That series is why this blog was even started. Praise God!


Here is a quote for the weekend & for everyday. I hope that you enjoy it, live it, & love it. "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today? Today is a gift that's why they call it the present."


Today's first testimonial - 


Aimee,

Thank you so much for starting this blog. My husband was gone for 14 months (Afghanistan). I was thrilled that he was home and we were getting along great. But, little things were starting to get on my nerves - as much as I had promised myself that they wouldn't. (You know, messes, loud TV, etc.) It was hard to go from being entirely in charge to sharing responsibility and allowing him to be the man again. (I won't even tell you how long it took or how hard it was for me to get that to begin with!) Also, I know that I was getting on my husband's nerves even though he was being perfeclty nice to me. I have very much enjoyed the daily lessons. The results have been awesome. We are both happier and more loving. I can't help but laugh at the results I poined out his muscles! Too adorable. I wanted to pinch his cheeks like I would our kids, but I held back! My stuggle to deal with the little things is gone. I appreciate him more than ever. Thank Aimee. I am grateful.


Testimony #2 - 


These last 2 weeks have been so much fun!!! My husband and I weren't having any major problems - just minor ones. But every little bit adds up, right?

I can tell you that for us, he started noticing from day 1 of the challenges, that I was changing. I'm in bed by the time he gets home from work at night - so meeting him at the door wasn't going to happen. I decided to change it around a bit, and when he got into bed that night, I gave him a big hug and a kiss and told him I was so glad he's home b/c I missed him. His response was - "Are you Okay?" LOL!!!!!!

From there on out, each challenge brought a different response. By the time we got to the 8th challenge I think it was - where you ask him about something that interests him - my husband was asking me to explain what has happened to me over the past week or so ;) He mentioned how he noticed me doing things I'd never done before (or since we've been married). And he certainly wasn't complaining. He even said that maybe he could learn a thing of two from me and become a better husband and father!!!!! His response was nothing less the perfect!!!!

At that point I emailed Aimee personally, and she suggested I tell hubby about the blog and challenges. She also said that Adam was available for my husband to email, should he want to do some challenges. So...I told hubby all about it! I'm pretty sure he's been emailing Adam, but I told him not to tell me. However - he has been doing some little things that I've noticed he'd never done before...whether that's help from Adam, or just hubby doing his own thing - it doesn't matter. My change helped hubby to change, and for that we are both the happiest we've been in a very long time. :)

Thank you Aimee for this blog! You and Adam are such an inspiration to me and my husband!!! I only hope my story can help others as your story has helped many already!!!!!

Now...off to make a list of the many things I respect about my hubby :)


Thank you for sharing your story ladies! I appreciate it so much. TOGETHER, we can help each other. TOGETHER, we can help ourselves & TOGETHER, we can do so much in so many other marriages. I need all of you. TOGETHER we are strong! 


"Lord, thank you for giving us the last two weeks. Our husbands are happier, we are happier, & our children are happier. You have given us a new outlook on life & we are grateful. Father, please help us to have an amazing weekend as we prepare for the upcoming holiday. Let this Thanksgiving be the year that we can be thankful, more than ever before that our husbands chose us to be their wives. I have never been more proud to be Mrs. Freeman. Thank you for my husband & thank you for allowing me to work on being the best wife that I can be for him. Amen!"