When the Going Gets Tough...

...the tough slurps down some caffeine!

I have never really been the type to need caffeine, and it may be all in my head that I need it now. Life has been so busy still and I don't see it slowing down anytime soon! I can't believe I haven't blogged in over 2 weeks. I try to use my free time to clean or rest, and there's really not a whole lot of free time right now with work and a little one to entertain! Since Andy is pretty busy with work and school right now, I pretty much have to care for Emory for most of the night. Andy usually does make dinner to help me out and I'll try to wait until she is napping to take a shower.

I realized about two weeks ago that my lack of sleep - or inconsistent sleep - was leading to have nightmares again. When I was in college I started having really bad nightmares. They had started up again recently and were very scary and really were bothering me. My sister suggested that I go to bed earlier and try to get more consistent sleep if possible. Since Andy stays up later than I do, he started shutting our door and taking the monitor in case Em woke up until it was time for him to go to bed so I wouldn't wake up if she stirred. I can't explain how helpful it has been! Em has also started sleeping longer stretches throughout the night. Last night...dare I say it?...she only woke up once!

We are, however, both battling a cold right now and it's so awful not to be able to give her anything. Tonight she has been coughing so hard she has been sort of throwing up - sort of spitting up. I'm hoping this is a good sign that all of the mucous is starting to loosen up and maybe she will feel better soon!

On to other issues...

I have really been trying to do some soul searching lately. Andy and I have recently talked about how we really need to study our Bibles more like we did when we first started dating. When we were dating, we did nightly Bible studies and even went through a pre-marital Bible study together, which was great. Life gets in the way and lately things have been so crazy that my Bible studies have sort of fallen by the wayside. Last night I started the daily readings again and I hope to start a study on Lamentations soon.

I picked Lamentations because 1) I saw the book in my mom's bookcase and was interested, and 2) because it seems like as we get older, we have a lot of trials and hard times that we encounter. Lamentations is a book of relentless mourning, but there is immense beauty in the lessons you can learn from the book. I have studied it before in passing, but am hoping that this study will refreshen my reliance on God and my empathy for others.

It seems like everytime I get on Facebook now someone is asking for prayers. Which makes me wonder...when you say you are praying for someone, do you really? Do you really pray that very minute? If so, do you quickly say the prayer and then forget about it and don't pray again? Do you pray constantly throughout the day for those that are in need of it or just once a day? Do you even really pray like you say you do, or is that just to make yourself and the person needing prayers feel better?

I only ask because I have been guilty of this before and am trying to do much better at it. I also find it hard sometimes to talk to God - that is something that I am working on constantly. I find it important to be respectful without being redundant and superficial - God knows what we need and want. I try to put emphasis in my prayer that I only want what God has planned for me - therefore, if it's not in His will to answer one of my desires, I will accept that.

One thing I never fail to do in my prayers is thank the Lord for my beautiful, healthy daughter...a real reminder of the miracles of this life.

Psalms 118:29

"O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever."