Aunt Amanda

Well, the baby is napping so I have a few minutes to myself. I'm in the middle of the big tax ordeal. I'm still waiting for one of my W2s. I just made some awesome Sweet and Sour Chicken for a friend and I. It was gooood! I'm still trying to change some things around the house. One of my best friends is having a baby in February. She is also my brother's girlfriend, so, this little baby is going to be my third nephew. She's busy getting her house ready. They live next door. I'm excited. I just went through the whole baby thing 9 months ago, so I'm really excited to be able to help my friend with whatever I can. Well, I better go. I have to get cleaning!

Wow! Motivation is great when it finally kicks in. I got my living room cleaned up and some old baby stuff put away. I have chili in the crockpot. Now, I am completely able to enjoy the basketball game I'm going to tonight. It's Covington vs. Milton. I live in Covington but I'm from Milton. Hmmm! Who do I cheer for? I'll let ya know who won? For now, enjoy your weekend!

God is good!

Hello and good evening! I can't write much for my daughter is trying to get into everything but I wanted to keep in touch. I saw my hubby today, so excited. I miss him so much. Anyway, God is working in our family and I'm so thankful. I've prayed so hard that God would work in our family and He's doing it right before my eyes! Praise God! Well, I shall be going! God Bless!

So...tired!

Another day of house work. I woke up so motivated, then my brother came over and we decided to visit my mom to see how she's coping with her friend's death (he was her only friend). Now, a couple hours later, I am so tired and I don't know why. I need to out laundry away and I just want to crawl in bed with my baby girl and take a long long nap.
I'm still missing my husband. He will be gone for a few more weeks. It's hard on us but God is helping us. He's also helping my husband. He called me and asked if I would fast with him today so that is what we are doing today. It's amazing how fasting even though we are apart can bring us closer together. God is so awesome! I pray that God will continue to make me the wife and mother he wants me to be. I am His for the molding! Well, I must put Kara down for a nap. Until next time...

A family tragedy!

Today, we found out that a family friend of over 20 years was found dead on his couch at 4:30am this morning! His wife was trying to wake him up but he wouldn't. He has a son just over a year old. The man's name is Jeff Wilson. All he ever talked about was his son. They loved each other so much. It breaks my heart! Please pray for this family! My mother was very close to him. She's taking it pretty hard. They've known each other for years.
This weather is horrible. My van will not start. MY battery is toast. Thankfully, I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. It's just too cold to be outside working on cars. Brrr!!!
Please pray for me and my family. God knows what's going on. My husband needs me but we can't really get to each other right now and it's extremely hard. God is still good and I believe that He still reigns.

A diaper change and a bowl of cereal!

Monday Mornings! Kara made sure I remembered it was Monday morning by waking up with a horrific atomic bomb explosion not only in her diaper but on anything she was sleeping on or around. Glorious! Thank God for washing machines! Most mornings, she will play with her toys until I get her cereal ready! No, not today! She stood by the couch and cried and cried as if I hadn't fed her since last night...;) Well, after a diaper change and a bowl of cereal, she's happily playing with her toys as if nothing ever happened.
God has been to good to us. It's so easy sometimes to forget our blessings. Isn't it just like him to reach down and pull us up when we are at the bottom of life's "cereal bowl" shivering and helpless, ready to give up? Yes, it is! He's so gracious! My goal is to be more like Him to others in my life, no matter what circumstances I'm in. I want to be a better helpmate for my husband, a better mother for my daughter and a motivated Christian example to both and others around me.
Well, I hear some whimpering from the other room, so I better get going. Thanks for spending this moment with me. Come again!!

0-3 months clothes...GONE!!

Good Morning, America! God is so good. I've had a pretty good weekend, considering certain circumstances. My husband is away right now which is pretty hard on my daughter and I, but God is taking care of us. I found out last night that Kara got her fourth tooth. I can't believe it. She's almost 9 months old. Where did the time go? I still remember bringing her home from the hospital. All those 0-3 month clothes...gone! Now she's wearing 12 months. I will get some more pics on here soon. Right now, I am in Belle Center, Ohio staying with some of Ryan's family. It's a nice little vacation. The ground is white and they live in the middle of nowhere, so theres a lot of white. Kara is crawling around here somewhere, I hear her talking to herself. She keeps me busy. We both miss her daddy very much. Please keep our family in your prayers. God Bless!

My Blessed Family

Happy New Year! I would first like to announce that on January 1st, 2009, I rededicated my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. He's been so merciful to me when I was running! I'm so thankful that He still loves me and wants me. He's blessed me with a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter, Kara. I also have four wonderful step-children. Let me tell you about them.
First, there is Paul. His father's mini-me. He's almost 16 years old and he leaves a lot to be proud of. He play high school football for the Bellefontaine Chieftains in Bellefontaine, Ohio. He's pretty good. He's buffed up in the last year with all his weight lifting. He funny. We make each other laugh a lot, especially when we're picking on his dad. He's been dating his girlfriend, Celeste for a while now. She's a sweetheart. They're so cute together.
Then, there's Becca, 13, and she LOVES monkeys. She's a riot. She's the punk of the group. Becca can squeal when she doesn't get her way but she's so cute when she does it. Oh, and she likes Elmo. I think she will always love Elmo. I've known Becca for over three years and she's grown up alot, unless you try to make her eat her carrots. It's just not happening!! I'm very proud of her, too.
Kaylien is the little blonde hair, blue-eyed, booger. She's so sweet. She loves me to death and I love that about her. She's very clingy to me and that makes me feel good. She's always drawing me pictures and things, I'm running out of room to hang things up. Kaylien is 8 and very much into computer games and DS. She's spoiled but it hasn't gone to her head yet. She is really into High School Musical right now so it was easy to shop for her this past Christmas.
Draven is going to be 6 next week. He has blonde hair and blue eyes also so Paul and Becca have brown hair and brown eyes. He's a sweety, too. He's just recently been staying at our house on a regular basis. At first, he was shy and didn't know the boundaries and standards of our house and rules. After a few visits, the true 5 years old boy came out and he tested those boundaries. haha. That didn't last long. He knows what he can and cannot do now. So, now our visits are more enjoyable. He's really into Hot Wheels Cars and race tracks. His favorite cartoon is Ben10. He has a lisp and it's the cutest thing. He's really smart. He's in kindergarten this year and he can already read. He's a sharp kid.
Lastly, there's Kara. She's almost 9 months old. She is everything to me. She is my first biological child and she's absolutely beautiful. Kara has big blue eyes and blonde hair. She brings me joy every day. She just had her third tooth break through. She's growing so fast, I don't know where the time is going. I love spending time with her. I'm trying to teach her to pray. We pray before our meals and we say our prayers at bedtime. Right now, she doesn't understand what we are doing so she tries to pull her hands away. She'll get it.
Ryan, my husband, is a good man. He loves his family more than anything on this earth. He puts nothing earthly ahead if his family. He's very compassionate to those less fortunate and he likes to take care of others when they are unable to themselves. He's been down on luck in the last 5 years due to a work injury in 2002. We've hit some hard rocks, but we've made it though. I believe that God has a plan for us and our family. Right now, Ryan is unable to be with his family due to some unfortunate circumstances but he is well loved and prayed for daily. 2009 is the year that God changes the Shough family and cleans out from the inside out.
Well, that's all for now. Kara wakes up rather early these days. God Bless!