Sleepover Weekend!

We are gearing up over here for a slumber party tonight!! So, the past few days, I've just been busy getting things ready. Madison is turning 10!!!!

She just invited her 3 best friends (and her friend's little sister). The invites we found that she liked, were hot pink with zebra trim, so we just went with that for a theme. We decided to make cupcakes this year, so that we could use zebra cupcake holders and hot pink icing. I hope they turn out looking okay! I found a cheap little cupcake tier thing, and I glued hot pink zebra ribbon to the edges of it and put some boa stuff on top to make it look cute. And we found some hot pink zebra goody bags too.

Today, Lily also has her open house at preschool to meet her teacher before school starts on Monday. Please say a little prayer for her. Yesterday, was her 4-year checkup/shots at the doctor and she had to get 4 shots! Last night, she had a fever and was all stuffed up and I'm hoping when she wakes up she'll feel like going to her open house! We are all battling this stuffy nose stuff. :( It is not fun!

So, I plan to "recover" from the sleepover on Saturday (LOL!!) and then Sunday is my birthday! I was looking at some old posts from this time last year and saw where I had written last year that I hated my birthday because it just reminded me that my Mom is no longer here. Well, after reading that, I realized I hadn't even thought about that this year! I am truly loving life right now. I have really been realizing that life is all about family. I kept praying for the Lord to show me what I was supposed to do and I feel He has very clearly told me to stop worrying about it, and focus on where He has placed me right now, and that is to be the best Mom and wife that I can be. Because of my personality, and just the way I grew up and am wired, I could very easily shut myself off from the rest of the world, even from my family. I could spend my time doing other things, like volunteering or serving, which would be great things to do, but right now, at this stage of my life, my family needs my undivided attention. Being a Mom is a full-time job, that is for sure!

I spend my time worrying and feeling guilty about a lot of things. I wonder way too much what people think of me. I let people's ideas of what they think I should be doing, influence what I do. I feel guilty for not serving, even though I don't feel it's the Lord telling me to do things, but it's people or maybe just my own idea of thinking I'm just not doing enough. I fill my life with things that don't matter and people who don't really care. Well, that is beginning to change. Looking back on my life, I realized that the one thing I loved is that no matter what happened at school or work or with my friends, I ALWAYS had home to come to and feel safe. My goal is to make our home a safe place, a sanctuary, where my girls can always feel loved and just can be themselves, no matter what. I want a home where my husband can come home from work and relax and feel like what he did all day matters to us.

Anyways, birthdays really aren't a big deal to me and never have been. I'm still here and that's what matters because it just means God's plans for me are not finished yet! Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!