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A Crazy Wonderful Life

Faith

15 Years of Marriage: Together is a Beautiful Place to Be

Edited February 13, 2023

In June of this year, my husband and I will celebrate 15 years of marriage.  I had planned to write a post cataloging all the cool things we have done together over the past 15 years, but, as I sat down to write this week, my direction changed.  Sure, I could talk about all of the amazing trips that we took early in our marriage, but my goal for this blog is to help and inspire others through my experiences. I’d like to share with you what I believe has made my marriage happy and successful over the past 15 years.

1. Biblical Foundation and Prayer

“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:22

“Husbands, love your wives , just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25

I realize that in today’s world of feminism and equality/individuality, these verses seem extremely antiquated.  I am not discrediting the women’s movement, equality, or individuality at all by promoting these verses.  I just want to share with you how my husband and I make our marriage successful by applying these biblical principles.  I do believe that a husband and wife have certain roles that they need to play in order to have a happy marriage.  I also realize that the application of these verses looks different for every couple.

In our marriage, my husband is the spiritual and financial leader of our home.  He loves me as Christ loves the church by working hard to provide for our family and making sure that we are always taken care of. He consults with me about important life decisions, and we pray together about the direction of our lives.

I feel that my role as a wife is to be a constant source of support and encouragement.  I submit to my husband by supporting his decisions for our future and encouraging him to be the best version of himself.  We work as a team, each one of us performing our own jobs according to scripture in order to make our marriage work.  I believe a biblical foundation is an essential component of a successful marriage.

2. Time Together

My husband and I are not one of those couples who need to spend every second together.  I really like the fact that we each have our own interests and ways we like to spend our time.  Since having kids, however, our time spent together has become more valuable to us, and I believe it is one of the major contributors to our happy marriage.

We try to designate at least one night a month as “date night.”  We leave the kids with their grandparents, and we go out together.  We usually don’t go far, and typically we just go grab a bite to eat, but date night is just about us.  I feel that setting time aside to just focus on us, even if it is just for a little while, helps keep our marriage strong.  It’s so easy to get caught up in work and scheduling the kids, but we really make a conscious effort to set time aside to spend together.

3. Hard Work

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” Colossians  3:23

My husband and I work hard every day at everything we do in order to make the best possible life for ourselves and for our children.  I believe that hard work and motivation are also key components in the happiness of our marriage.  We love what we do, and we work hard at it.  I love being a mom, a wife, and a teacher, and I pour my heart and soul into it.  I end each day with a content and satisfied heart because I know that I am doing the work that I have been called to do to the best of my strength and ability.

My husband loves teaching, farming, being a husband, and being a dad.  He proves his love for his life in the effort that he gives to be the best he can be in all he has been called to do.  The hard work and effort that we put forth in our life and relationship have set a firm foundation for the future of our relationship and of our family.

4. Respect

Because of how hard he works for our family, I have a huge amount of respect for my husband.  I know without a doubt that he puts us first, and his goals are centered around what is best for our family.  I believe he feels the same about me.  We have a relationship built on mutual respect that stems from the effort that we put into our relationship with each other and with our children.  We are “equally yoked” in our relationship. We each pull our own weight and work together to make our marriage and family work.

5. Encouragement and Support

The final aspect of our marriage that I believe has helped us be happy over the years is constant encouragement and support of each other.  My husband has always supported my dreams and goals.  He was the one who encouraged me to start this blog!  He still encourages me today to pursue my dreams, and he pushes me to be the best that I can be.

I also try to be supportive and encourage him in anything he does. I may not share all of his passions, but I encourage and support him in his goals and dreams!

Marriage is a team effort.  It definitely takes both people working hard and being willing to sacrifice for the other.  I cannot express how thankful I am that God placed my husband in my life.  I could have never chosen a more perfect life partner on my own.  I hope this post has inspired and encouraged you to either seek out that person who will be your perfect life partner or to strive to make your marriage the best that it can possibly be.  Marriage is a lot of work, but it is worth it!

In your opinion, what makes a happy, successful marriage?  Share in the comments below!  I’d love to hear from you! Go check out this post to learn more about our family.

Be Where Your Feet Are: Life With a New Baby

Hello, friends!  I know it has been a LONG time since I’ve posted anything.  The truth is, I’ve been doing what the title of this post says.  I’ve been where my feet are.  Before I elaborate on what I mean by that, allow me to catch you up on what’s been going on with me and why I haven’t written in several months. We have been adjusting to life with a new baby!

Surprise Baby!

Shortly after writing my last post, I found out that I was pregnant with Baby #4! (Baby #3 is an angel in heaven.)  My husband and I were completely shocked and overjoyed!  We never thought in a million years that we would have another baby, but God had bigger plans (as He always does)!  While battling morning sickness (let’s be real, it lasted all day for 14 weeks), extreme fatigue, working full-time, and being mommy to my precious three-year old boys, I found little time to work on writing for this blog.  My priorities were elsewhere.  I started this blog as a creative outlet for myself as well as motivation and inspiration for anyone who needed it.  However, during that season of my life, my family needed me.  I apologize to any of you who were following my posts.  I didn’t quit.  I just took a temporary leave of absence.

In early July, our baby GIRL surprised us all yet again by arriving four weeks early.  I have spent the last ten weeks soaking up every minute that I can with her and my boys before I return back to work.  I have been where my feet are.

Be Where Your Feet Are

What do I mean by that?  “Be where your feet are.”  I ultimately mean live in the moment and be totally committed to what you are doing in that moment and who you are with.  I have heard this life philosophy in one form or fashion my entire life, but it really resounded with me when school started back in August.  I had planned to take the first nine weeks off from school to stay home with my baby girl and to recover from another C-section delivery.  Even though I was looking forward to this time with my kids, I was anxious about not being in my classroom with my new students at such a crucial point in the year.  I was expressing my anxiety to my husband one afternoon when he gave me a piece of advice that changed my outlook.  He said, “I support you no matter what, but whatever you decide, you need to be where your feet are.”

That statement from my ever-so-wise husband helped to solidify my decision to stay home with my kids during this special time, and it has also helped me to take advantage of every minute that I’ve been able to spend with them.  Has every minute been awesome and sweet and perfect?  Of course not!  My boys are three, and the terrible two’s and three’s are absolutely real!  It all may not have been pretty, but it has all been special. I know that when I return to work in ten short days, I will not regret a second of the time that I’ve been able to spend with my kids.

My advice to all of you is to be where your feet are.  When you’re with your kids, be with your kids.  When you’re with your spouse, be with your spouse.  When you’re at work or at church, be there.  Soak up every minute you can with those you love and be the best you can be wherever you are.  Don’t waste your life wishing you could be somewhere else with someone else doing something else.  Be absolutely and whole-heartedly where your feet are.

With love,

Shaley

What sage advice have you been given that has positively affected your outlook on life?  Share in the comments!

What Feeds Your Soul? Tips for Self-Care During the Holidays

 “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” Phillipians 4:8

The Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons are my favorite times of the year. I love the food, the decorations, and the time spent with family. I also love the meaning behind both holidays. During Thanksgiving, we give thanks for where we have come from and for all that we have. During Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Savior, without whom we would have no life at all.

Even though these holidays bring great amounts of joy, they can also bring great amounts of stress. It is so easy to lose sight of why we celebrate and get caught up in the hustle and bustle of grocery shopping and gift shopping.  I feel that during this time of year, it is so important for everyone to take time to reflect on why we celebrate and to also take some time to relax and do things that feed our souls and promote self-care.

How Do You “Feed Your Soul?”

What does it mean to feed your soul?  I think it means to do things that help you get back to the person you want to be; things that help you grow closer to your friends and your family and most of all your Savior.  I have made a list of five things that I do that feed my soul and promote self-care during the holidays.  As I share my list with you, I encourage you to think about things that feed your soul.  What makes you feel closer to God, family, and friends?  What helps you become the person you want to be?  During this holiday season,  take some time for self-care and do some of the things that feed your soul.  I guarantee that you will get more joy out of this season if you will take some time to rest and do things you enjoy.

Things That Feed My Soul

1. Quiet Time– As a full-time working mom of twin toddler boys, I have very little time for myself.  I make it a point, however, to get up most mornings before everyone else to drink my coffee and spend some time with Jesus.  I may read a few chapters in my Bible or read a chapter in a devotional book.  I believe that it doesn’t really matter how or what.

The point is that I make time to spend some alone time with my Lord.  He speaks to me through His word, and I speak to Him through prayer.  I can tell a huge difference in my attitude for the day when I am able to spend some time with Jesus before my day even begins.  Spending time with Jesus feeds my soul.  If you don’t have a regular alone time with Jesus, I strongly encourage you to carve out a few minutes of your day for Him.  I promise you won’t regret it.

2. Reading– I am a huge book nerd.  Probably the nerdiest part of my book addiction is that I am a thirty-three-year-old mother who loves to read young adult fiction; specifically young adult fantasy fiction.  I love fairies, witches, wizards, vampires, and werewolves. The further away from reality something is, the more I like it.

Since I started back to work (school) in August, I haven’t had any time to read for fun, but over the summer (during nap time), I read five or six books.  I love escaping from reality and going on epic quests with amazing characters, even if it’s just for a little while.  Reading for fun is one way I practice self-care.  It helps me to think outside the box and see things from a different point of view.  Reading also inspires me to do the next thing on my list.

3. Writing– Since I was a young girl, I have always believed that writing was one of my special talents.  However, after high school, I didn’t write anything just for fun until I started this blog.  (Sad, right?)  Don’t get me wrong.  I absolutely loved writing papers in college.  No, really, I’m being serious!  I loved the challenge of getting a topic, researching what other people have written about it, and forming my own thoughts and opinions.  Sometimes I couldn’t write my words fast enough. They just seemed to spill out of me onto the paper or into the computer.

After I finished my master’s degree, I didn’t write any at all.   Before I started this blog, it had probably been five years since I had written anything.  Now that I’ve started writing again regularly,  I can say with confidence that writing is a form of self-care for me, and it feeds my soul.  It gives me the ability to create something unique that I can share with the world.

My prayer has also been, recently, that God would use the ability that He’s given me to touch someone’s life.  That is my prayer each day for this blog; that something I write will touch someone and lead them to Christ.  Writing is a way for me to become the person and Christian that I’ve always wanted to be.

4. Spending Time With Family- I’m just going to say it.  I have the absolute best family in the world.  I am so blessed to have parents and a sister who still like to hang out with me on an almost daily basis.  I also have the sweetest nephew, the greatest kids, and the most wonderful husband on the planet.

My favorite thing to do when I’m not working is to spend time with my family.  It doesn’t matter if we are going on a trip, going shopping, going out to eat, or just hanging out at home, if I am with my family, I am having the time of my life.  Spending time with my family feeds my soul.  That is my favorite part of the holiday season.  I could do without the gifts and the hustle and bustle.  Just give me my family and some good food, and I’m set!

5.  Introducing My Kids to New Things- My boys are at the age where everything amazes them.  They get so excited when we do something new.  For example, my family and I took them to a Halloween event called Boo at the Zoo at the Chattanooga Zoo in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  I have never seen them so excited about anything.  They were practically running through the entire place laughing and gasping at everything they saw.  It was one of the best times of my life.

Seeing them experience new things and the excitement it brings them fills me with joy.  I can’t wait to experience Christmas with them this year.  They will be blown away by the tree, the lights, and the stockings.  Seeing their joy when experiencing something new feeds my soul.

During this holiday season, take some time to reflect on what feeds your soul.  What brings you joy, brings you closer to God, and causes you to be a better person?  Take some time during this busy time of the year to do those things that bring you joy and promote self-care.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season filled with love, laughter, and wonderful experiences.

With Love,

Shaley

What feeds your soul?  I’d love to hear from you!  Share in the comments below. Also, check out this post to find out how I started this blog.

Defining Moments Part 2

Defining Moment 3: Career

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” -Steve Jobs

Ever since I accepted Jesus as my savior and realized that He had a plan for my life, I felt called toward three roles: a teacher, a wife, and a mother.  I know those do not sound like earth-shattering, mountain-moving aspirations, but I truly believed and I still believe that the Lord was leading me to pursue these positions.  He had already placed my future husband and soul-mate in life, so the next goal I needed to achieve was to become a teacher.  My desire to become a teacher no doubt came from the Lord.  I had a desire to help people, and I wanted to make a lasting impact on the world.  What better way to do that than to teach kids? Becoming a teacher would definitely be a defining moment for me.

Making My Dream a Reality

I finished college in December shortly after turning twenty-three.  For those of you in education, you know that a December graduation is not the best time for job hunting in education.  Instead of getting a job right out of college, I had to apply to be a substitute teacher.  I also began working on my master’s degree.  Being a sub caused me to question my decision to become a teacher.  I’m just going to say it.  Subbing sucks.  Students do not respect subs, and they think sub day equals free day.  For those of you who sub on a regular basis, my hat is off to you.  I admire your patience and your strength.

I subbed at several different schools over the course of a few months, and in my free time I was visiting schools, dropping off my resume, and applying for jobs online.  I interviewed at several schools over the course of those few months, one of them being a very good school about twenty-five minutes from where I lived.  I felt that my interview went well, but I wasn’t holding on to hope that I would get the job.  The school was in an excellent school system, and I was sure that they would want someone with more experience.

A few days after my interview, I received a call from the principal who offered me the job of seventh-grade English teacher and JV cheer coach!  I was over the moon!  Looking back on that defining moment eleven years later, I can see God’s hand moving and creating a way for me to follow the path He set out just for me.  I have been teaching at the same school, in the same classroom for ten full years.  I am blessed to be a part of what I believe to be the best staff a school could possibly have with the most amazing students.  Most days I can’t believe that I am able to do what I absolutely love each day and get paid for it!  Being a teacher is not easy, and it is definitely not for the faint of heart, but it is the most rewarding career I could ever hope to have.

I went into education to make a difference in the lives of my students, but I never realized that God put me in education because He knew how much of an impact my students would have on me.  Without even knowing it, my precious students have helped me through some of the most difficult times of my life.  Their love for me and their energy for life inspires me each day to be the best version of myself.  I read a quote somewhere that said, “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.”  This quote speaks truth to me.  I genuinely love being a teacher.  It’s more than a job to me; it is a huge part of my life. A defining moment.

Defining Moment 4: Infertility

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore–

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over–

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Having settled into the first two roles that I felt called to (wife and teacher), I was then ready to assume the next role that I felt the Lord was calling me to, the role of being a mother.  My husband and I had been married for two years and had taken two amazing vacations when we decided we were ready to start trying for kids.  Everything else that I had aspired to achieve since I graduated high school had come fairly easily, so I just assumed that this would too.  I had big dreams of having two kids by the time I was twenty-eight, thirty at the latest.

A Dream Deferred

However, God had other plans.  After two years of trying for a baby with no success, I talked to my doctor.  Some blood work and an exploratory surgery later revealed that there was no medical reason that was preventing me from becoming pregnant.  We continued on with life, all the while hoping and praying that this month would be the month. We were met with disappointment time and again.  A few months after I spoke with my doctor, he referred me to a fertility specialist.  After more tests, I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility.  He recommended a low-tech procedure that included taking some prescription hormones that would boost my chances of getting pregnant.  We did this low-tech treatment six different times with no success.  After years of fruitless trying, test after test, and now several unsuccessful attempts with the use of fertility drugs, I was beginning to lose hope.  I wanted to be a mother so badly.  I just knew deep down that I was meant to have children.

I dreamed about being a mom and having a family.  This was a dream that I could not let go of.  I read a poem in college entitled “A Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes.  I thought of this poem often.  What happens to a dream deferred?  Does it dry up, fester, sag, or explode?  I felt that if this dream I had didn’t happen or go away that I might explode.  I began having extreme anxiety to the point of having panic attacks.  The pain and longing of wanting to be a mother but being powerless to make it happen were more than I could bear.  Had it not been for the support of my husband, family, friends, and my students (even though they had no idea what was going on), I don’t know how I would have dealt with it.

My pain and anguish culminated in a moment of complete and total surrender one year on Mother’s Day.  I was a few days “late”, so I took a pregnancy test.  I waited impatiently, hopeful that I wouldn’t have to see that negative result once again.  After the recommended amount of time, I checked and it was negative once again.  In that moment, I fell on my face on my bathroom floor and cried out to God.  I begged Him to either give me a child or take away my desire to be a mother.  After four years of unsuccessful trying, I could no longer deal with the pain of wanting something so badly that I would never have.  Looking back on things now, it seems to me that God was just waiting on me to completely give my situation to Him.  Once I stopped trying to control everything, things started to fall into place.

My husband and I received a bigger tax return that year, so we had some extra money in savings.  We had spoken with our fertility doctor about the possibility of IVF, but the cost was so high that we decided to forgo that option.  However, one day on our way home from work, my husband suggested checking into IVF one more time.  We called the next day, set up a meeting, and eventually met to discuss options.  After our meeting, we realized that we could in fact afford the cost of IVF, so we decided to go for it.  I began IVF treatments at the age of thirty, six years after my marriage to my husband, and four years after actively trying to have a baby.

Defining Moment 5: Becoming a Mom

When we began our IVF treatments, our doctor recommended transferring two fertilized eggs instead of one due to my age and the fact that we had tried to get pregnant for so long with no luck.  I had always loved the idea of having twins, so I was up for it.  Also, I really didn’t expect that both eggs would make it, and I wanted to do what was necessary to have at least one child.  A few weeks after the procedure, I took a pregnancy test, and it was finally positive!   I could not contain my joy!  I was dancing and singing all over our little home.  I couldn’t wait to tell all of our family and friends!   After years of heartache, my joy was complete.  I was finally going to be a mom.

We went to the doctor a few weeks later for my first ultrasound.  During the ultrasound, we saw that both eggs had in fact made it.  We were having twins!  I’m pretty sure my husband went into mild shock.  He couldn’t process much for the rest of the day. We were both so happy, excited, and completely terrified!  Thirty-six weeks later, I gave birth to the two most perfect little boys in the whole world.  I finally felt that I was exactly what God had called me to be; a teacher, a wife, and a mother.

Being a twin mom has been the hardest and most joyful experience of my life.  I love my precious boys with a love that I never knew existed.  God was faithful in all that He had planned for me.  All I had to do was turn it all over to him.

Thanks for sticking with me through these defining moments of my life.  I will be sharing more stories about my life as a wife, teacher, and twin mom.  I hope these posts have inspired and encouraged you.  I would love to hear about your defining moments!  Please share in the comments below.

With love,

Shaley

Please check out my previous post to read about my other defining life moments!

Defining Moments Part 1

Defining Moment 1: My Salvation Experience

For a Christian, one of the biggest defining moments in life is the moment you experience the saving grace of the Lord Jesus.  Everything else in life flows from this moment.

Unfortunately, because of fear and anxiety, I did not heed the calling of the spirit as early in life as I should have.

Held Back By Fear

As the granddaughter of a Baptist pastor, I was brought up in church.  Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, revivals, retreats; you name it, I was there.   I remember several moments throughout my young life when I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but I never went forward because I was scared. One night at church when I was very young, I did gain the courage to go down and pray.  I do not remember feeling any tug from the spirit or even remembering what I prayed.  I told everyone I was saved and got baptized.  To the world, I was saved, but I wasn’t truly. I played the part, though.  I was a member of the youth group, very active in the church, and I proclaimed Jesus to all that I came in contact with.  I prayed, sang, and read my bible, all the while wondering if I was really saved.

Following Christ

In my junior year of high school, I started dating a boy whom I had been friends with since freshman year.  I made some poor choices in my relationship with him and found myself in a situation that I didn’t know how to get out of.  I wanted to end the relationship, but I felt guilty and did not know what I should do.  I felt lost without guidance or purpose.  Then one night, my mom, sister, and I had gone for a walk on a walking track at a local park.  While walking, my mom told this story of a man who went to the doctor for a stress test.  While on the treadmill, the man had a heart attack.  He fell and started screaming, “Help me!  It burns, it burns!  Please, save me!”  The doctor realized that this man was in the process of dying and that he was experiencing the fires of Hell.  The doctor quickly began telling the man about Jesus and explaining to him how to be saved.  The dying man cried out to God, and at that moment, he was saved.  After working with the man, the doctor also saved his earthly life.

While my mom was telling this story, I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me.  I knew that if I died right then and there that I would go to Hell.  As soon as we got home, I went to my bathroom, fell on my face, and asked Jesus into my heart.  At that moment, I was saved by the grace of God!  After that, I started experiencing the Holy Spirit moving in my life and leading me down a new path.  I found the strength to end the relationship I was in, I began actually enjoying church instead of just playing a part, and I found myself in situations where I could share my salvation story.  God was using me to help others.

An Ongoing Battle

I was seventeen when I truly accepted the Lord Jesus as my personal savior.  Over the past seventeen years since, I have continued to struggle with my faith (in large part because I struggle with anxiety on a daily basis), but now I have a moment I can go back to.  A moment where I know without a doubt the spirit of the Lord convicted me and then saved me from my sins.  If you are struggling to find your way, think back on your life.  Do you have a moment that you can go back to?  A moment where you know without a doubt that the spirit of the Lord rescued you and saved you?  If you don’t have this moment, I encourage you to read the Romans Road scriptures for salvation  (link from teenmissions.org).

As I said before, everything in a Christian’s life flows from the Holy Spirit.  I found my true purpose and path for my life once I accepted Jesus as my savior, the most important defining moment of my life. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, and your experiences are most likely totally different from mine.  However, I wanted to share my experience with you in hopes that it will help you to gain purpose if you have been struggling to find it.  After I found my purpose, God set me on the path for the life He had designed just for me, and soon after I was saved, I came to realize that the man (boy at the time) that God wanted me to be with had been in my life since I was a child.

Defining Moment 2: My Husband

“Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favorite.”

Our Beginning

My love story with my husband began many years ago.  It all started on the playground at our middle school.  I was an eighth grader; he was a seventh grader (yes, I am older than my hubby).  I told my cousin that I liked this boy and that I thought he was cute.  She took it upon herself to go up to him and ask him to be my boyfriend.  I was shocked to hear that he said yes!  We began what I look back on now as my first true experience with that kind of love.  He was so cute and athletic.  I would just melt when he smiled at me.  I also loved to watch him play basketball.  He was so good at it!  Also, his cheeks got all red, and his hair did this cute little flippy thing when he ran.  I was absolutely smitten.  He was the first boy I had ever held hands with, and he gave me my first slow dance.  We “dated” for almost an entire year in junior high, which is a really long time for a young teen relationship.  But, like all good things, our sweet relationship came to a bitter end.  Since this was back in the dark ages before texting, direct messaging, or Snap Chat, there was very little way for us to keep in touch outside of school.  I was about to move on to the high school, leaving him behind at the middle school, so we broke up.

The Restart

During high school, I dated a few guys here and there, but I never experienced any feelings that ever measured up to what I felt for my junior high boyfriend.  He came to the high school one year after I did, but we drifted apart.  We were friendly with each other, and we flirted on Beta Club trips, but nothing came of it until the end of my junior year.  We were both participating in the group talent event at state convention for our school’s Beta Club.  I really believe now that this was God’s plan in action, but somehow we were partnered together in the dance routine.  Spending that time together reignited our old flame, but there was one problem.  I was dating someone else (remember the bad relationship mentioned above?).

As I mentioned above, everything in a Christian’s life flows from the salvation experience.  Once I was saved, and the Holy Spirit began moving in my life, my path became clear to me.  I ended the bad relationship that I was in and began “talking to” the boy who had stolen my heart when I was just a child.  On our first date, he poured his heart out to me and told me how amazing and beautiful he had always thought I was, and he knew that we were meant to be something special.  Our love story picked back up on that night.

Seventeen years and two beautiful children later, I look back on that night with so much fondness.  Our forever began on that night.  God placed him in my life when I was a child, but I didn’t realize he was my soul-mate until I accepted Jesus as my savior.  I am so thankful that God gave me so many chances to get things right, and that He placed the perfect man in my path when I was so young.  My husband has been responsible for many of the other defining moments of my life and has helped me through some of the harder ones.  Continue to stick with me through a couple more posts as I share three more defining moments from my life.  I hope my experiences will encourage and inspire you.

With love,

Shaley

If you enjoyed this post, check out my previous post entitled “A New Dream.”

I would love to hear about your salvation/spiritual experiences!  Please share in the comments!

A New Dream: Finding Myself in the Midst of Motherhood

There I sat on my couch in my beautiful new home.  At the age of 33 years old,  I had been blessed with everything I had ever wanted out of life.  I had an amazing husband, two wonderful, crazy little boys, a beautiful home, and a job that I love.  I had arrived.  Or had I?  Did I need a new dream? As I sat there on my couch drinking my coffee, getting ready to crack open my new devotional book, I found myself feeling stuck.  I also felt guilty for feeling stuck.  My life was wonderful!  How could I possibly feel anything but ecstatically happy?  A scene from one of my favorite Disney movies kept running through my head.  In Tangled when Rapunzel realizes that she is about to experience what she has been dreaming of her entire life, she thinks out loud,

“What if it’s everything I thought it would be?  What do I do then?”  The ever so wise Flynn Rider (Eugene Fitzherbert) replies, “I guess you get to find a new dream.”

Looking Back

For as long as I can remember I have valued forward motion in my life.  I set goals and took steps to achieve those goals.  However, sitting on my couch that morning, I realized that I had stopped setting goals for my life.  I needed to go out and find a new dream.  With that in my mind, I opened my new devotional book and began reading.  This book was entitled She’s Still There by Chrystal Evans Hurst.  At the end of the first chapter, Chrystal challenges readers to think back over their lives and choose some defining moments.  Moments that have shaped who they are.  This inspired me so much.  I needed to reflect on where I had been in order to decide where I needed to go next.

I have been working my way through this book for a few weeks now.  Not only has it helped me to reflect on what has brought me to this point in my life, but it has also helped me to set new goals and pursue dreams that I had set aside.  This book inspired me to start writing again.  Writing has always been a passion of mine, but I haven’t written anything in years.  I had been too busy pursuing my other dreams that I had forgotten about something that feeds my soul and allows me to express myself in a creative way.

After reading the first chapter of this book, I wrote down the big moments from my life that I felt shaped who I am and led me to where I am today.  One of the goals I had set for myself years ago was to write a novel.  I told myself that I was waiting for inspiration, but in reality, I had pushed that dream aside.  Sitting on my couch that morning, I felt that little spark of inspiration.  I could write a book about my defining moments!

On our way to work later that morning, (yes, my husband and I teach at the same school), I presented my idea to my husband.  He was super supportive, as always, but he pointed out that with a full-time job and two toddler boys, I would probably not have much time to work on writing a book right now.  Then he made a suggestion that put me on a brand new path.  He said, “Why don’t you start a blog?”  I had never even entertained the thought of blogging, but when he said that to me in the car driving to work, I knew that this was what I should do.

This was my new dream.  In that moment, A Crazy Wonderful Life was born.

Defining Moments

In order to honor the moments of inspiration that led me to start my new dream of this blog, I am going to write a series of posts about some of the defining moments that have shaped the direction of my life.  The five moments that I have chosen to share with you are:

  1. My salvation experience
  2. My relationship with my husband
  3. My career
  4. My struggle with infertility
  5. Becoming a mommy

I hope you will stick with me over the next few posts, and I hope that my experiences will encourage and inspire you to reflect on your life.  If you are stuck, think about what has brought you to this point in your life and where you can go from here.  What can become your new dream?

What are some moments in your life that have defined you?  Share in the comments below!  I look forward to hearing from you!

With love,

Shaley