Respecting a Respectful Husband

That is a chapter in the book I received at our last MOPS meeting of the year yesterday {boo hoo!} ...Moments Together for Intimacy, Devotions for Drawing Near to God & One Another. One of the first topics covered when I joined MOPS five years ago was about respecting your husband, and I've always remembered it and the importance of it. But following through on it and applying it have not been so memorable! I'm not sure why I find it so hard, but just ask Dan! I do think I've made more of an effort to tell him how much he is appreciated and how thankful we are for his hard work to support us...but I could be wrong!

Anyway, here it is again...Respecting a Respectful Husband...something I must still need to work on!

Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33

Sometimes I even wonder how do I respect my husband? I mean, I do the laundry, make dinner, clean the house and lots of other things to maintain our home and family...isn't that enough? I know...apparently not! The book mentions how one way to show respect for our husbands is to consider and understand the weight of his responsibilities as a servant-leader in the home.

Another way to communicate respect to your husband is to accept his schedule {is the author talking directly to me...because it sounds like it!} Dan has been on lots of business trips and has some late-night dinners and meetings to tend to...and I always think of how it's going to affect me! {guilty}

He's going away again in a couple of weeks, and also on another trip in a couple of months...but talking to him last night made me realize it's not easy on him either! A lot of husbands struggle in their jobs and don't want to bring that burden and stress home with them...but last night I got a good sense of what he truly deals with on a daily basis. Let's just say, I respect him all the more for working so hard so that I can stay home and clean the house and fold the laundry! I used to feel that when he went to work and the kids were babies...he was getting a break! And when he came home...it was his turn to take over my responsibilities! Let's see...Alex will be seven this summer and Emily is five...it's only taken me until a little while ago to realize that he surely has not felt the respect around here! {oops!} It's easy for us to look at our husbands and see what is wrong {guilty again} instead of right!

Respecting your husband means noticing him, showing you regard him, honor him, prefer him and esteem him. From a negative point of view, not showing respect means to be insulting, critical, nonsupportive or passive towards him and his needs.

Wow, that's not always easy...especially when I keep finding a trail of grass clippings through the house after he's mowed the lawn! But that's why I love that I can be reminded of how to show respect and to specifically pray about it, to ask God for a better understanding of Dan's needs so that I will be able to express my respect for him! {And be thankful that he loves to maintain the Manor grounds, and keep it looking nice!} Thanks, Dan! I love you and how hard you work for us! It does not go unnoticed!

And speaking of respect...Carey over at Life in the Carpool Lane has awarded me {and all her other bloggy friends!} this ever-so-prestigious award!

Thank you so much for recognizing me! But please go visit Carey and learn how you, too can be more green and help respect our Mother Earth! She has helped make me more aware of what I can do to reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Wordless Wednesday {Alex's 1st baseball practice}

Let's Get the Party Started!

Last year at this time, we were looking at this...

...and this...

And Alex & Emily didn't miss a minute of it...








This year, we are grateful to just jump right in...




...and get the party started!




We were so worried about the investment, safety and time that goes with having a pool and wondered if it was the right decision...but I think these pictures make it all worthwhile! We are blessed to have these memories and great times with Alex & Emily and the fun that they share together! All day Emily was calling Alex "Best Brother" and it made me smile and warm my heart to witness these tender moments!
And we love sharing these moments with others...just don't forget your sunscreen!

"Not Me!" Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and so many others have not been doing this week!
Seriously, is it Monday already? What happened to the weekend?
I hear the weekend was not just absolutely gorgeous, but I wouldn't know...we did not spend the whole weekend at the ice rink for Emily's first Ice Show...
I did not love this super-cute outfit for her show on Thursday...
...but feel that yellow was not one of my favorite colors by Sunday! {Really, I do love it, and she did awesome! Are you not sick of hearing about it?! Sorry, I can not help it!}

{Congratulations, Emily!}

And, she was not super-thrilled to have Grandma & Grandpa, aunt, uncle & cousins in the stands to watch her final performance!

{Alex & cousin Kendall}

I did not find a chewed piece of gum stuck to the container of wipes, which were in my bag...getting everything else sticky! {grumble!}

I do not feel booby-trapped every time I go into Alex's room! He does not have his lights hooked up to the Clapper {Yes, he actually asked for this for Christmas!} which he has set to go off with motion or noise! We were not reading his book the other night when the light suddenly went out...Alex did not suddenly let out a scream to make it come back on! {My heart did not jump out of my chest before I realized what was happening! Crazy kid!}

I do not eat chocolate-chip cookies at 10pm and watch Desperate Housewives!

I do not have trouble saying no and meaning it! Emily did not get out of bed saying she was hungry...I did not say "No, go back to bed!" She did not get up again...I did not give in...she did not go back up to her room with some yogurt... end of story!

"You're Gonna Miss This...Moment" One Proud Mama

Emily skated her heart out last night in the first performance of the weekend Ice Show! It made us feel so proud! I could just feel her energy and excitement as she stepped out from behind the curtain, the spotlights were on her and the crowd "awwwwed" and clapped and smiled! It was too cute!

During most of the practices and at the rehearsal, she skated her best, but lagged a little behind...but last night, she must have felt that being in the spotlight was her chance to shine! She was moving that little 'wooden' leg of hers right out to the center and was leading the other smaller girls in the line!

She wanted to wear make-up, too so that we could see her face when she was out there on the ice! {She put on her sparkly eyeshadow and some of my lipstick and blush! I know it's hard to tell, but c'mon...I'm no pageant mom...yet! hee hee!} I thought she was adorable!

The moment I'm going to miss are these special first proud moments that we have! Emily is extremely proud of her performance, and I'm exceptionally proud, as her mama! Her gracefulness will come later...but if it doesn't...we couldn't be more proud of her confidence, determination, motivation, wanting to do her best...and her cuteness!
I know there are more moments coming that will make us proud! But we are most proud of our little girl and her first Ice Show right now! Great job, Emily! {But, don't 'break a leg'! That's stage talk! Right, Mimi!} Good luck, on the other 3 shows, Emily! You're already a superstar!
Now head over to Pam's and see what other moments are going to be missed one day...and don't forget to tell us your special moment, too!

Ice, Ice Baby

Today marked the start of Summer fun at Martin Manor! {I know, didn't Spring just begin?} It was a beautiful & sunny day...a great day to get the chair cushions out, turn up the music & swim! Swim? Well, the temperatures were only in the 6o's and the pool was like ICE...but Alex & Emily didn't seem to realize that!

{Um, can we go swimming?}





{brrr...that's a little cold!}











{c'mon, Emily! It's not that cold!}

{Yikes! That is cold!}

That still wasn't enough to stop them!


After a brief dip in the arctic water...it was time to get ready for Emily's Ice Show rehearsal.


She is in love with her yellow outfit and tells everyone how sparkly it is!




She cracks us up because she looks like a little penguin when she's skating! She has a great time, and I think she enjoys being in the spotlight! The girls all look so cute in their outfits! The show is this weekend and will run Friday through Sunday. The weather is calling for 80 degree temperatures this weekend...aah, perfect for swimming! Oh wait, we'll be on ice! The ice rink, that is!