Mothers

Mother's Day was such a blessing. We got to spend Mother's Day with both sides of the family. I feel so blessed to have been raised by such a God fearing woman who instilled the values that I will pass onto my own children. My mom has turned into my best friend and has been a huge support and constant in my life as the past year has brought its struggles and heartache.

Each holiday brings an overwhelming array of emotions, and this Mother's Day was the same. I am celebrating each day and cherishing every second this sweet baby is growing inside of me, but a part of me is still aching to love on our sweet baby boy. The Thursday before Mother's Day I got to fellowship with my Hopeful Hearts Group ladies at Mimi's. We got to talk and celebrate exciting news and talk about open heartaches. I love that I have a group of ladies who understand my path and every emotion, even if our walks are different. Each struggle and ounce of sadness I have experienced makes each day a celebration, and that much sweeter.

At the Village Church, the Mother's Day sermon was exactly what I needed to hear. I love that on a day that celebrates mothers our pastor acknowledged woman who are struggling to become mothers and those woman in waiting. A verse was shared from Genesis that states, The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Genesis 3:20. He spoke about how each woman carries the nurturing spirit of Eve like a mother. And even if a woman is in a period of waiting, they still obtain that motherly spirit. I absolutely loved this! It gave me such hope although my period of waiting is different now, waiting anxiously for each appointment and each look at a healthy, growing baby.

In the same sermon we were working in the book of Romans talking about suffering; Romans 8:17 We suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. In a period where suffering still comes and goes I am able to look back on last summer and see God's mercy in those awful days. We talked about how God's sole purpose is not to make you happy but to give us eternal joy. Sorrow now, but a life of eternal joy. Oh, how I am waiting anxiously for that day, where there is no more sorrow. I loved hearing this, "It is not cruel for God to let something happen to you that destroys your own self reliance. It is not cruel, but an act of mercy." In my lowest moments this may not have been what I wanted to hear, but now it gives such hope. There is such freedom knowing that I am not in control. I am celebrating God's mercy, each day! 

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and mothers in waiting. 

Announcing

 

We are very excited to announce.... 

  That we are PREGNANT

 I surprised Mr. H with the news on our 3 year anniversary. It was the best give I could give him.

3  Balloons for 3 years... (thank you pinterest)

 The sweetest gift :)

 Here is his reaction... PRICELESS!

We are very excited, very anxious about this new journey. Or not so new. It seems so familiar; each step, and the milestones that each week brings for our baby bird. With our first pregnancy our due date was November 17th and this time the estimated due date is November 27th. After our first appointment and upon hearing this news I didn't know how to feel about the similarities between the two pregnancies. Yes there was sweet joy knowing that we were blessed a second time to become pregnant, but the fear and doubt crept in, would this be like the time before? I did not like that the due dates were the same. To be honest, I struggled with this for days. After stressing too much I began to pray about these feelings. God changed my heart and I began to see what a sweet blessing this truly was. No, nothing will ever take away the sadness or feelings of loss on each November 17th. I will always yearn to celebrate that day with my baby boy, but now each year a few days following we will be able to celebrate the birth of our second child. So yes, there will be sadness and tears but just for a little while, because shortly after there will be tears of joy. Yes somedays the similarities still bring the doubt and fear but I am choosing to believe in God's perfect timing, for all things.

So for the now, we are celebrating each day feeling grateful that God entrusts us to grow and love on this baby.  For this story has already been written.

Springtime

Awake, thou wintry earth-
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
Thomas Blackburn An Easter Hymn

I don't know what vernal flowers are... but if they are anything like the flowers blooming in Texas they are magnificent! There is something about Spring that is so encouraging to me. The newness of each day, new birth and all the green. Each day holds new promises and chances.

It seems like anything is possible in the Spring. I definitely was not sad to say goodbye to Winter! Happy Spring Y'all! :)

A Defining Moment

Okay by the title of this post you my have thought there was going to be some profound post but let me assure you this is just the opposite.

So I took this picture of myself right after I died my hair to surprise the hubs. Well needless to say I DID NOT send it due the huge bags under my eyes. An 11 oclock dye job on a Friday following a week long adventure in Kindergarten will do that to you folks.... And staring back at me were the dreaded forehead lines.

Don't act like you don't see them....

It's not just my mid twenties catching up with me, I have had these babies for a while. I show A LOT of emotion in my face. Truly, I have my eyebrows lifted 99% of the day... and it shows! Well this picture was the final straw.... I did it.

I bought my first bottle of anti wrinkle cream. Eeeek!

This is the defining moment I speak of. And my question to Tom, "Can you tell a difference?" And his response.... "Well they don't look as deep!" Ouch! Well I guess I set myself up for this one.

Happy Aging Folks! I will just say that they prove I am a happy person.


(Two posts in the past week... I know. This week's fast is from TV and Movies. So there may be more :)

My Favorite Things

Hola! No time, no posts...

I promise I will get better one of these days again.

I would like to say that our lives have been so busy and filled with lifechanging events to catch you on... but I would only be lying. The truth would really be my life has been filled with night of scrolling mindlessly through pinterest and eating cocoa covered almonds!

Which leads me to a few of my favorite things. (Really just an easy post to get me back in the blogging world... so bare with me. :)

1. What is up with this Texas weather?!? 80 degrees in the middle of February? Now I absolutely LOVE being able to workout in shorts again but if you remember this time last year we were living through Snowmageddon 2011. A week off from school would be so nice! The beautiful weather may be a curse for this housewife this weekend. The words "cleaning out the garage" have been thrown around.

2. I really have found a new love. COCOA COVERED ALMONDS. Now, I usually avoid the bulk aisles at Sprouts... yeah you know what I'm talking about the barrells of pure goodness! Most of them are filled with little to nothing Paleo friendly so I try to steer clear. But after my first day of fasting through lunch, my cart made its way down that aisle on Monday. I stumbled upon COCOA COVERED ALMONDS! I think angels sang when I popped one of those stinkers in my mouth. You really should treat yourself.

3. I may have a crossfit girl crush. Juli from PaleOMG is so stinkin' funny! Her ability to rock an awesome headband and love for nut butter is purely amazing! I so badly wish my head was shaped to hold onto a workout headband like her. This girl is an amazing athlete and makes delicious mouthwatering paleo recipes. You will never know you are eating healthy food. She is histerical and I may have facebook friended her and I have never met her. But the good news is she accepted.... haha. Go check her out!

4. PINTEREST! Ohmygoodness. Since they accepted my request this summer I have been mildly obsessed with Pinterest! I mean I reference its name multiple times in conversations throughout the day. I definitely have a problem... but you can find anything on here. I am getting some great ideas for my Kinderbabies on here. Week 3 of Lent at our church calls for fasting from social networking. This will definitely be harder than this week of no lunch. How sad Katie.

4. Take a look at this little pretty!

I got her after my last $6 purse fell in the rain puddle when the strap snapped. Yes, that was fun. But on my next excursion to Target later that day :) I found her! It just screams Spring. I love it! I know Spring isn't here yet but with this weather it might as well should be.

P.S. I'm no longer a blonde! Now Tom would tell you, no amount of hair dye would change that but I beg to differ. I finally got brave and box died my hair. I needed a change... this is what I got. Light brown for me means red! I like it.

Love y'all!

All is calm, all is bright

First off... Merry Christmas y'all! Hopefully I still have some blog readers after a few month hiatus from the blog world. Between school, getting ready for the holiday (and let's be honest) pinterest ... I have been quite busy.

This holiday season has been very different for me. After passing Baby H's due date in the middle of November Thanksgiving was a difficult time but I don't think I was prepared for the emotions that emerged during Christmas. This would be baby's first Christmas... There would be 3 Hruskocys... Our son would be in the annual Hruskocy cousin picture... There were a handful of moments where my heart sunk and I couldn't force a smile thinking about what we are missing without our baby.

Earlier this season during one of the Hopeful Hearts meetings the discussion turned to "joyrobbers." During a time of loss or suffering they run wild during holiday seasons. Anger, bitterness, envy and jealousy... I would be lying if I said I was not feeling these, infact every one of these joyrobbers have resided in my heart at one time this Christmas.

My heart is sad and envious of mothers who are kissing their babies goodnight and are starting new Christmas traditions with their families. Joy has been absent from my heart.... for months really. True joy, not a smile or a laugh, but I have not felt true joy for months now. It makes me really sad, I consider myself to be a very happy person.

So I have decided that now and definitely in the New Year, to choose Joy. I believe that choosing Joy is a choice. And even though I have been craving that happiness as it has been absent from daily life, I have not made that consious choice to choose joy. Although my heart is aching to hold our baby boy I am blessed beyond measure here on this earth. This past year has been a year of suffering and struggle for our family, there is no ignoring that, but I am choosing to find the joy. We were able to buy our first home, and I have fallen in love all over again with my husband through our hardship.

I have found great comfort in the story of Job. A faithful man who never sinned against God was struck with every hardship and yet he rejoiced and praised the Lord. He showed his faithfulness to God and God blessed him...

God will let you laugh again; you'll raise the roof with shouts of joy. Job 8

God is faithful and I choose joy.

When these "joyrobbers" put a feeling of sadness in my heart I rejoice in the fact that our God's love for me is bigger. Instead of our baby celebrating his first Christmas with us, our baby boy is celebrating Jesus' birth in Heaven! Can you imagine that birthday party?!?!

And that vision, will put Joy in anyones heart... especially mine.

31 Heroes

"On August 6th 2011, 31 of America's bravest warriors gave their lives in defense of our freedom. While we'd like to leave the responsibility of announcing their names to their families & the DoD, for now we will honor them by mentioning their roles in our military. They were 17 Navy SEALs, two Navy EOD Technicians, three Naval Special Warfare Combat Support Sailors, two Army Avaitors, three Army Aircrew, three Air Special Tactics Operators, and one Military Working Dog."

Grapevine Crossfit, along with hundreds of other Crossfit gyms across the US honored these fallen soldiers and their families with a Hero Workout. It is just a small sacrifice we can make for 31 minutes of our weekend to show our appreciation for their service.

"31 Heroes WOD"

AMRAP 31 Min- Partner WOD

8 thrusters 155M/105W

6 Rope climbs or Pullups

11 Box Jumps

While one partner completes above, the other runs a 400m run with a Weight Vest

I am proud to be a member of the Crossfit community that honors soldiers, fallen and currently serving, like my cousin Chip. Sporting his Grapevine Crossfit tshirt while serving overseas. Love you Cuz! :) God Bless our Troops!