tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37403713366273108472024-02-21T07:52:54.240-08:00Ball of GoodnessSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-52378742604587385532013-08-23T09:12:00.001-07:002013-08-23T09:12:39.902-07:00I Wouldn't Let Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So here's the thing. I haven't let go. That is, until a few days ago. If you read my story about the ordeal with Owen, then you are all caught up. He started shaking. I called the Doctor, she feared seizures and sent us to the ER. We waited and waited to see a neurologist and after seeing one we were told Owen was self soothing. All should be better, right? It should. But I wouldn't let go.<br />
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I wouldn't let go.</div>
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I let fear win. I let fear take over my emotions. I let fear disrupt my family. I let fear dictate my thoughts and actions. I shouldn't have. We saw multiple Doctors and had tests run and all came back fine, but I didn't want to believe that. A dear friend knew I was struggling with letting go of my fear and called to say, "Trust. Trust what the Doctors are saying. We prayed for answers and a clear report for Owen and you got that. Now trust it." After listening to that message and thinking about it for the next few days I realized I was choosing fear. Every morning, I would wake up and choose it, and carry it with me the whole day. I would let fear weigh me down.</div>
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God walks us through trials and when we're on the other side, we have a choice. We can rejoice in the Lord and thank Him for bringing us through. Or, do what I did. Choose fear. Hold onto doubt and worry, let anxiousness overwhelm our hearts and minds.</div>
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So today, instead of carrying fear of "What if" I will rejoice in the victory. </div>
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- Grace & Peace</div>
Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-16773639159283760962013-08-07T09:04:00.000-07:002013-08-07T09:04:47.567-07:00Perspective <div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">" I am weary with my moaning; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My eye wastes away because of grief;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Ok- this is what I read this morning. My first response while reading it was " YES! Lord, that's me! That's my life!!! Everyone hates me and everything is going wrong!!!" Then I felt the Lord respond. In one word.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Perspective"</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>Uh, say what? Lord, life is really hard right now, can't you respond with something else? Here is one of the definitions of the word Perspective: "the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance."<br /><br /> It is true. I need perspective. David was a king and had enemies that wanted to kill him. I am just overwhelmed by life. My emotions and fears are not less important to God than those of King David, BUT what I think God was trying to show me is that I am so quick to swing my emotions and feel like my world is ending. But it isn't. I actually told someone last week that I felt like Job. Then I realized how ridiculous that was and said "Except, no one died. And I didn't lose everything." I had to laugh at myself. Things have been intense for us lately, mostly weird sicknesses on our family. The scariest one was thinking Owen may be having Seizures, but after a trip to the ER and an appointment with a neurologist we found out that he was shaking his head to self sooth. By nature, I am a glass half empty person so whenever anything hard comes my response is to cry and feel overwhelmed. Luckily for me, The Lord gently reminds me that I need to keep it all in check and have Perspective. I need to rejoice in the health of my baby boy and believe that God will heal the rest of us just as he did for Owen.<br /><br /><br /> Can I just encourage you to have perspective in moments of chaos or emotional distress Take a step back and let God work it out. He always does. <br /><br /><br /><br />Grace & Peace</span><br />
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Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-49743956788440529352013-07-10T15:40:00.001-07:002013-07-10T15:40:33.097-07:00Bad Idea<div style="text-align: center;">
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CONFESSION: I spent nap time Insta-Stalking other Moms. </div>
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What is "Insta-Stalking", you ask? Well, it means some how finding a friend of a friend of a friends, sisters, next door neighbors, hair dressers Instagram and looking through all their pictures. All the while, comparing your house, kids, style, workout routine, culinary abilities, and hair color with unknown Cyber moms. It's an awful thing to do my friends. Yet, I still do it... All the time. I usually walk away from my phone feeling super bummed at my lack of Super Mom-ness. Today was no excpetion. I stumbled upon this amazing mom with a gaggle of kids, a cute house, cool hair, athletic, and she loved Jesus. So what was I to do after feeling like an uber lame Mom? I know! Lets have a pedicure party! <i><b>BAD IDEA</b></i>. Why did I think painting nails would be a good idea on my 21 month old crazy Olive? She smudged her mint green toes on EVERYTHING, including my wet toes. Ava dropped stacking boxes on the only 3 toes Olive missed and I found myself more frazzled then I could bare. All the while Owen is sitting in his Bouncer like an angel, then I realized he was probably overwhelmed by the nail polish smell! So I scrambled to open every door and window in the house. But don't worry, it's only over 100 degrees outside. Sigh...</div>
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I couldn't help but laugh. I did my best to fix our toes, but they're still a little funky. I was texting a good friend of mine today about how well put together the amazing Mom I found on Instagram was and how she seemed to have it all put together. Ya know what my friends response was..."Yea... lol. Doesn't everyone?" She is so right. I only ever post the BEST pictures of myself, when my house is sparkling clean, and my children are well behaved. I never post pictures of the other 90% of life when I am covered in Spit Up, chasing around Olive who is always half naked and yelling at the dog, while Ava explains to me her deep reasoning on wanting to be a grown up and not a kid. It's funny how filters on a photo editing social media site make me look better, huh? </div>
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So here's my confession:<i><b> I am not Perfect. I get frustrated with my kids sometimes. My house is usually a mess. I haven't brushed my hair in 3 days. And the only fruit or veggie my kids have had in the past 4 days is oranges, because I haven't made it to the store in a week.</b></i></div>
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<i> </i>So if there are any Mom's out there who feel like they aren't the perfect "Insta-Mom" all the time, it's ok, you're not alone. Try not to compare yourself, everyone has hard days. You're awesome, your kids are cute, you are in great shape, you look like an incredible cook, and you seem to be getting a full 8 hours of sleep every night! ;) Ok, the last one may be a stretch...</div>
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Grace & Peace </div>
Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-50962275937972371322013-06-02T08:00:00.003-07:002013-06-02T08:23:02.590-07:00The Sunday I NeedThere is something so magical about early summer mornings. The benefit to your daughters getting up at 5am, is that you get to watch the sunrise and sit outside in the crisp summer air. This morning is especially sweet... Ava and Olive are switching between snuggling with each other and playing in the back yard, Owen is sweetly sleeping in his bassinet and every so often he lets out a deep breath that reassures me he is happy, and I am enjoying the company of my most special Husband. I sat and watched as Daniel and our daughters ran through the yard smiling and laughing. Olive would occasionally yell out, "Runnin! Runnin! Runnin!" with a smile on her face. The sound track to our morning has been a mixture of old John Mayer, Bon Iver, and City and Colour. Here is my favorite (or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7zB6raFCc4">watch & listen here</a> in case the embed below doesn't work):<br />
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Coffee with my Beloved. Joy filled laughter with my daughters. Sweet sounds of a newborn baby. Good music.<br />
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I would call this morning a success. And it's only 8am. Happy Sunday to you! I pray God gives you the Sunday you need.<br />
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Grace & PeaceSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-29301051580074549052013-05-18T23:12:00.000-07:002013-05-18T23:12:53.428-07:00But Am I SearchingIt is still astounding to me how high and low my emotions can get in the matter of minutes regarding my kids. There are times when I am so overwhelmed with love and joy that I feel like I could pop. Then there are also times when I get so frustrated that I want to slam my head into the wall. (You probably think I am over exaggerating about wanting to slam my head into the wall. I assure you, I am not.) My child induced emotional highs and lows came to a head the other day in what I consider now to be a funny situation. However, in the moment, "funny" would have been the last word I used to describe it.<br />
So here are the things that happened. In order:<br />
1- Terrible nights sleep. Owen was like a baby vampire who wanted to eat non-stop<br />
2- Olive woke up on the wrong side of the bed. And by wrong side, I mean, continents away. Galaxies away.... She was ANGRY! She literally screamed non stop, all morning.<br />
3- Ava decided that she would begin her quest of self awareness and all together stop listening to anything and everything I said.<br />
4- My kitchen smelled awful and I could not figure out why. (It turned out to be a rotting Pear that was in the fruit bowl on the counter. YUCK!)<br />
5- We had a weird swarm of tiny little flying beetle bugs that were covering the side of our house and shed.<br />
Here's where it all went down hill... Olive's screams wore me down and Ava's bad listening made me angry. So, when one of the tiny little fly bugs ended up inside I wanted to take my anger out on them. I went outside without a plan, but convinced I could get rid of them by some act of will. As I stomped my feet out the side door and over toward the cluster of them a carpenter bee dove bombed for my face!!!<br />
** Now friends, let me inform you of the terror that is a Carpenter Bee. They are GIANT black bees that fly in an erratic pattern searching for flowers. Meaning, they fly around like maniacs and dive for my head. I hate them. They are awful, and every time I see one I either scream or run.**<br />
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After the bee dove for my head I ran inside and broke down. All out ugly mom cry. Olive continued to scream, Ava kept asking me questions, and poor Daniel was so confused. In that moment when I wanted to bang my head into the wall I asked Ava to sing Jesus Loves Me. I don't know why. I just did. After she finished I started singing this song. " Lord you have my heart. And I will search for yours..." There was something that happened to my spirit when I sang Praises to God. It calmed me.<br />
It wasn't until later that I realized the significance of the song I sang. Those words that I unknowingly professed... God has my heart, and I need to be searching for His. Because when I do, like in that crazy moment of anger, He can do miraculous things. It may seem silly to you that just singing a song can change your whole day, but let me tell you, it isn't silly at all. It is amazing. I wasn't trying to have a deep devotional time with God, or even meet with Him at all. I was just trying to control my temper and keep my heart in check. He met me where I was and used the circumstances of my day to teach me something. Even the smallest gesture, if I reach out for God, He meets me there.<br />
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Grace & PeaceSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-46535193449060480082013-05-12T23:02:00.000-07:002013-05-12T23:02:10.350-07:00I Just Want To Be With YouMothers Day.<br />
As a child, it was a day when Dad was in charge. He planned the day's events, bought the cards for us to sign, and directed us in our tasks to show my Mom how wonderful she was. It is a fond memory. Looking back on those days makes my heart smile. Knowing what I do now, I understand my Dad's deep desire to show his wife how marvelous she was. How hard she worked. How unconditionally she loved. And for a kid, we just thought it was a day to give our mom and extra hug and eat BBQ for dinner. Do I think I undervalued my mom on Mothers Day as a child? Yes. Do I think it mattered to her? No. Because of one thing. There was always one thing she wanted. The same every year, without fail. The days leading up to Mothers Day when we would ask my Mom what she wanted she would respond in a quiet and sweet voice, "I just want to be with you." As a kid, that was the best answer ever. I always feared she would ask for something HUGE. Like cleaning my room. (My room was referred to as the Black Hole. Once something went in there, it was rarely seen again.) Now, being a Mom to three little humans I understand her simple request.<br />
I was reminiscing this morning about my first Mothers Day. May 10th, 2009. One week before my due date with Ava. I spent the day with Daniel preparing for the arrival of our precious girl. Fast forward four years and I now have 3 children who call me Mom. Three little loves that I nurtured in my belly and now they are here. Living, breathing, tiny humans. When I think about Mothers Day and what I want to do, I think about wanting to spend time with my children. It is because of them that I get to be celebrated on this day. It is because of them that I get to experience things like laughing so hard someone shoots milk out of their nose. It is because of them that I get to experience the joy of giving birth. It is because of them that I get to experience the wonderment of learning something new. It is because of them that I get to Mother.<br />
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So here I am years later asking for the same thing my Mom always did. I am sure that in years to come that will still be my answer. And when my children have grown and gone their own ways and I think back on my past I will remember moments like these, when all I wanted was to spend time together. To let life slow down for a while and enjoy my family. And no matter how old they get or where their lives take them, when they ask me what I want for Mothers Day I will quietly and sweetly say, "I just want to be with you."</div>
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Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-78017570246407516312013-05-09T09:59:00.001-07:002013-05-09T09:59:09.461-07:00Learning to love my VeggiesSo here's the thing, I know God uses whatever you're going through to teach you things. However, I find that fact to be even more prevalent through parenting. Maybe it's just because my job as a Momma is to encourage love, correct, guide, support, and teach my children how to Love God and Love each other.<br />
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This evening we had another interaction with our very smart and quite emotional 3 year old. Over the past year as her vocabulary has expanded so rapidly, so has her ability to vocalize how much she doesn't like the food I make for dinner. Let me assure you, I am not exaggerating when I say that 6 out of 7 nights when dinner hits the table I hear opposition from Ava. It doesn't matter what I say or how I compare the food to some other person or animal that loves to eat it, she is adamantly against consuming it. I wish I could just explain to her how important having a good diet is. So this evening when she started complaining about eating her potatoes and veggies I wanted to just throw my hands up and give in. It is exhausting having to battle my child on the same issue 3 times a day. Luckily for me Daniel was there to handle it and talk with her, and I just took a deep breath. Fifteen minutes later as she is still sitting at the table taking mice bites of her veggies I had a thought:<br />
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<i>I wonder how God feels when we continually try to do something that is against his will for us or is blatantly bad for us. Is he sitting next to us at the hypothetical dinner table, coaxing us to eat our "vegetables"? </i><br />
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Bam! Jesus punch to the face! I can't even tell you how many times I'll do something with my own thought process and logic and I am faced with a ton of opposition, ultimately leading to me going to God with a repentant heart for not doing it in the way He would have me to. He is my Father. He knows whats best for me. Unlike me, He never throws His hands up and walks away shaking His head. God is always patient. He loves me with a supernatural love that is interwoven with divine wisdom. I could gain a lot by modeling the way I parent after how He parents me.<br />
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Grace & PeaceSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-30272407895018689062013-04-19T20:46:00.000-07:002013-04-19T20:46:03.602-07:00A Sick Girl and a Tired MamaWhat a week it has been... Oh my goodness. We woke up Monday morning to a VERY sick Olive Grace. She had thrown up everywhere. So sad. And so gross. The rest of the day was spent cuddling, sleeping, crying, but luckily no more barfing. (hallelujah!) Our usually rambunctious girl was out of sorts and very sad. It is the worst thing in the world to have a sick baby! We thought it might be food poisoning, but there's no way to tell for sure.<br />
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She only wanted her Daddy, which made him feel Oh-So-Loved and by Monday evening when she went to bed we were all exhausted and heavy in prayer that whatever she had wouldn't spread to the rest of us. It's been a long week, and a slow recovery for our girl. She is still so tired and uninterested in her usual favorite activities. Ava has been a trooper. She was SO bored this week. We stayed home all week just to be sure no one else was sick and because we didn't want to possibly spread anything. Sharing is NOT caring in this circumstance. </div>
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She got to meet the dog my brother is taking care of for 6 weeks for a friend. This girl is an animal lover! I can't remember the dogs name for the life of me, but Ava talks about it all the time. Mommy fail moment. Owen had a rough few days, maybe because things were crazy around here for a while. But I swear that little dude is getting cuter by the second! </div>
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It was a LONG, emotional week for us. I am glad things have wound down and everyone else stayed healthy and Oli is on the mend. I had a conversation with Daniel at one point this week regarding some nostalgia I was feeling about how my relationship with God used to be. How it was when Daniel and I first met, when I was interning at our church and trying to figure out God independently. I was constantly learning new things and going deeper into the word. As of today, in my life now, with 3 kids, its victory to even find my Bible. Ava likes to carry it around and pretend its her "pretty book" while talking in a British accent. I can't complain, it's outrageously cute. But non the less, my spirit is thirsty for new life and fresh discovery of Gods word. Daniel listened intently to my thoughts and desires and encouraged me to fight for time whenever I could. But something hit me a few days later as I did find a spare moment to read the Word of God. Psalm 51:</div>
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As I read through those verses something stuck to my heart that I thought about for the rest of the week... The thought of God not wanting sacrifice, but a spirit that is broken and needing to be put back together by Him. My relationship with God can not be limited to or categorized by the number of times in a week that I have deep devotional readings and exploration of the Word. And that's not what He wants from me. He wants me to be broken before him. Unable to carry the load of being a mother, especially in difficult times when kids are sick or needy. When I can't find the desire or strength to pick up another toy or clean another dish, lay my sad broken spirit at His feet. Let Him do with me what He pleases. Make me into the mother and wife, the daughter, the friend, He wants me to be. Lucky for me, I have a God that continually reminds me of his Love and Thoughtfulness for me. Thank you God for refreshing my soul with your insights. </div>
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Grace & Peace</div>
Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-30133958076574049162013-04-01T18:18:00.000-07:002013-04-01T18:18:28.764-07:00Owen Daniel <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I would like to introduce you to my son,</div>
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Owen Daniel Horning.</div>
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Born on March 17, 2013 at 12:52am. He was 8lbs 8oz and 20.5" long. </div>
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Owen is such a dream. He is a wonderful addition to our family. Ava & Olive are so in love with their new little brother, They run to his side whenever he cries and shower him with hugs and kisses all day long. My delivery of Owen was a whole new experience for me. Even though he is my third child, he is my first one to be delivered with no medication to induce labor. Both of the girls were induced and I had an epidural. I labored for 12 hours with Ava and for 6 With Olive. My prayer throughout this third pregnancy was that God would let me experience labor on my own and I wouldn't have to be induced. I wanted to know that my body could do it on its own. And here is how the story goes...</div>
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The two weeks leading up to Owen's birth were spent cleaning, organizing, gardening, cooking, and doing anything else that would keep me busy. As my due date began to creep closer my mind would wonder to places of defeat and frustration, I had already given into the idea that I was going to be induced. My hearts cry to God was that I would go into labor on my own and I would pray every day that He would let it happen. Every night when Daniel would rub my feet I would pour my heart out to him and try my hardest to better explain my desire. I felt silly wanting labor so badly. I knew that either way I would end up with a sweet new baby and that I would labor for hours whether with Pitocin or without. </div>
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There was a particular verse that I would say in my mind whenever I would pray about it. " For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) I would meditate on that verse and try to remind myself that God knew exactly how he wanted Owen to come into this world. </div>
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On Saturday March 16, (One week and one day before my due date) my parents came over to help us get some house projects done. Daniel built a fence in the front yard, my dad did some electrical work, I organized in the house, and my mom gardened. At one point in the early afternoon I went out front to see how everyone was doing and sat down on our walk way. As I talked with my mom I began weeding in between some of the Paver Stones lining our walk way. It was really awkward and uncomfortable to lean over my giant belly and get down to those weeds, and I remember looking up at my mom and sarcastically saying, "Well, if this doesn't put me into labor than nothing will!" Little did I know, I was only hours away from the beginnings of labor. </div>
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As late afternoon came around and we had all showered and cleaned up from the days work I was beginning to notice that I was "cramping". They would come and go and were getting stronger each time. I thought it might be labor, so I quietly packed mine and Daniel's bag for the hospital. We went to my parents house for dinner at 5:30pm and I had a good friend who was visiting from out of town stop by to say Hi. As time went on at my parents and the "cramping" continued and intensified I began to wonder if I was indeed in labor. Around 6:30pm I was contracting every 10 minutes. I told my mom what I was feeling and asked if she thought I was in labor. Her response, "Maybe?" Gee, thanks Ma! I was hoping for a little more affirmation. But in the next 45 minutes sitting outside it was evident that the time had come! Daniel and I took our girls home and did their normal bedtime routine, with occasional breaks for me leaning against a wall or dresser trying to breath. We got the girls in bed and I began to gather last minute things and clean the house. Although, looking back I wasn't really cleaning, I was just carrying things around and setting them down somewhere else. My contractions were about 7 minutes apart and getting more intense. Even during contractions I was trying to talk myself out of labor. I was so worried that it was just a false alarm and my contractions would stop. I didn't want to get my hopes up. Around 9:15pm as I was laying down I had a contraction that made me realize it was "go time". I looked at Daniel and told him it was time to go. We excitedly scrambled to get stuff together, my parents came to stay with the girls, and off we went to have our son.</div>
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Once arriving at the hospital they took me to what they call the "Prove It" room, where they check to see if you're actually in labor. I was at 7cm. Go time!!!! They put in an IV and rushed me off to a labor and delivery room. After getting situated in our room and finishing all our paperwork around 10:30pm my nurse came in and asked if I wanted an epidural. And there it was, the million dollar question! I hadn't decided if I wanted one or not. I knew I wanted one if I had to be induced, but to my surprise I went into labor on my own. I turned to Daniel and asked him what I should do and he lovingly said that it was up to me. I looked at my nurse and told her I wanted to wait and see how far I could make it on my own.... Little did I know there was no turning back!</div>
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My contractions intensified quickly. In between contraction my nurse repeatedly complimented Daniel on his glorious beard and reminded me while in pain more than once that I had a hot husband... It was funny, but very true! By 11:15 I was doing the crazy lady moaning with each contraction. I remember looking up at Daniel and the nurse Jewel and apologizing for being one of those weird ladies you see in the birthing videos. They both laughed. By 12am I thought the world was going to end. My contractions were so intense and so close together I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. They lasted for over a minute but were only 45 seconds apart. It got real crazy real fast. In those last 52 minutes of labor, when I was at my weakest, in the most pain of my life, I leaned on Daniel for physical and emotional support. He was incredibly kind and reassuring in the moments when I felt like I couldn't go on. He reminded me that if I could just keep going I would get to hold my son. He was right, and it was so worth it. At 12:52am Owen Daniel was born. He was perfect. </div>
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Daniel and I don't name our children until after they are born because we want to see them first. Naming our son was the most difficult of our three children, but so special for me. I knew I wanted him to have Daniel's name, because of how wonderful he was to me during my labor and delivery. </div>
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Owen means "Well Born" and Daniel means "God is my judge".</div>
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I didn't plan on it and I don't know if I could do it again, but having a natural delivery was an incredible experience. Being that aware of what is going on is both excruciating and invigorating. Owen's birth story is unique and new to me and I wouldn't change it.</div>
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Grace & Peace</div>
<br />Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-82766379248238242232012-11-19T10:28:00.000-08:002012-11-19T10:28:20.979-08:00Benched Player I started reading through Acts recently and in the first chapter something stuck out and I haven't been able to shake it. In Verse 12 it tells the story of finding a replacement for Judas. Verse 21 is where it gets interesting<br />
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I had to read it a few times to sink in. But what they are doing is looking for someone to replace Judas that has been with them the whole time. The WHOLE time. From the time John was baptised to the time Jesus ascended back into heaven. They ended up picking Matthias.... He was a benched player! Matthias was there the whole time, he saw all the miracles Jesus performed. He heard all of Jesus' teachings! But he was never one of "The 12". Then, after all that time of following Jesus and seeing all those signs and wonders Matthias gets called up into the Big Leagues!! He is one of "The 12"! So here is the thing, Matthias put in the work. He put in the time. The discipline of following someone he believed in without receiving anything in return! He went to every "practice" and sat on the bench handing the team water, hoping that there would be a time he could get in the game. Then his time came. He was ready to be called into the Big leagues because he put in the time needed before hand. </div>
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Conviction hit. Lord, how often am I upset because I feel like I didn't get the recognition I deserved. Or how often do I feel entitled to something just because I have served in the past? God, fix my heart! Help me to learn that without spending time seeking you and preparing my heart I will never be ready to do big things for you! </div>
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It's a scary thing to ask God to teach me something. I never know how that's going to play out... But I know God is showing me this because it is something he needs to teach me. So Lord, prepare my heart for the lesson you need to teach. Help me be ready to receive it and put it into action in my faith.<br />
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Grace & PeaceSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-3382361565951289122012-11-15T09:56:00.000-08:002012-11-15T09:56:03.008-08:00ThankfulThis morning started out a bit crazy. Our girls are early risers. Like, 6am early risers. So today, when they slept in until 7:11am Daniel and I were both blessed and crazy confused. Up we went to greet the morning. Our Olive Grace wakes up every day asking for breakfast, she is ready to get down to business! Daniel made her three, yes I said three, scrambled eggs. (Girl can eat!) Ava then decided she was ready for breakfast, cereal and milk for her. Daniel made coffee. Thank you Lord! After Olive ate most of her eggs she asked for more, she wanted what sissy had. She ate a small bowl of cereal as well. All the while the clock is ticking, Daniel had 6 minutes until he needed to be at work and we haven't even poured our coffee yet. A perk to waking up early is that we don't have to hustle through our morning. We can enjoy each other, eating breakfast together, asking each other how we slept, but most importantly I share coffee with my Beloved. As Daniel ran to get dressed I poured his coffee into a to go cup and mine into my favorite mug. Kisses for all and off Daddy ran to work. Within the first 35 minutes of Daniel being at work I accumulated a pile of laundry larger then any basket could contain, a messy kitchen, a pile of cloth diapers that needed washing, an insane dog that was trying to eat his tail, and my sweet Olive had dumped my coffee all over the floor...<br />
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Needless to say, I felt defeated by today at 9am. But then, the Lord did something. He reminded me of something greater then coffee. More pressing than the pile of laundry needing to be folded. I am <i>Blessed</i>. I looked at my sweet girls and was overwhelmed by there beauty and joy. And my precious husband came home to give me his coffee. I didn't take it... because I love him more. ;) </div>
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So today, even though we had a rough start, I am blessed and Thankful for the gorgeousness that is my life. My ridiculously handsome husband. And my precious daughters. Thanks Lord. </div>
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Grace & Peace</div>
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<br />Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-54622763667049743552012-05-11T21:14:00.000-07:002012-05-11T21:14:57.192-07:00Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit. It's something you hear spoken about on the regular at Church. Or by your parents. Or in songs. But what is it? What does it mean for me? How is it something I am able to attain?<br />
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The past few weeks I have thought over this topic repetitively. Reading scripture, praying, and trying to just wrap my head around it. The crazy thing is, my whole life prior to the past few weeks I've never thought twice about the Holy Spirit. It's like, " Can you please pass the Ketchup. Oh yea, the Holy Spirit, it's part of the trinity." Ok, maybe not in that order. But none the less, it has been a well comprehended biblical aspect my whole life. For some reason though, as of late, It isn't good enough to just know it's there. To just have this power sitting in my pocket and not doing anything with it. I'll just go to battle and bring a bazooka, but put it in my pocket and not use it. I would prefer to fight with a harmonica. What?!? That's so dumb. It's there. It's real. And it's unused.<br />
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Being a worship leader I "feel" the spirit often. I quoted the word feel because It's not a feeling like when you high five someone and there is tangible touch, it's more of a sway in my soul that feels different. I know I'm not making a lot of sense now. Moving on.... Feeling the spirit in the room while leading worship or when praying is awesome but not what I'm searching for. I know the Lord is with me. Present in my life always. I know he is around. What I am searching for is how do I<i> attain</i> the Spirit of the Lord....<br />
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Here is what I think God is showing me-<br />
In the new testament when It talks about tongues of fire falling down on the heads of the disciples, it says they were "filled" with the Holy Spirit. Meaning, it was dwelling in them. It being, The Holy Spirit. Say What?!? They were all sitting together waiting on the Lord to do something and He filled them with his Spirit. Ok, so how do I get it? Is there a line? Like at the post office when you walk in and grab a number? "Excuse me sir, I think I was here first..." So as I am reading over this story and wondering how to get it I feel like the Lord told me something big. "Is there room for me in your spirit?" I sat there for a minute wondering if there was, until I realized there wasn't. My spirit was full of worry, pride, selfishness, and contentment. I had been praying for the Holy Spirit to fill me and move in me like He did with the disciples but I wasn't giving God room to do it. My Spirit needs to be ready for him. I need to regularly check and clear out my spirit so that there is room for the Lord to fill me. To use me.Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-27818668669258987932012-03-17T21:24:00.000-07:002012-03-17T21:24:48.032-07:00Lazy Saturday Well, It's Saturday night, the girls are in bed and the house is quiet. Best feeling ever. Daniel and I were just talking the other day about the sense of peace that just lands on us once we know the girls are asleep. Just knowing they're warm, happy, and resting feels so good.<br />
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Today was an incredible day. Ava woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6:15 this morning... and we were dragging. Hallelujah for Coffee! One of my good friends Josh came over this morning and took some pictures of us just living life. Let me just say I am usually very uncomfortable getting my picture taken, but when the person taking it is your best friend from grade school it is a lot easier! It was awesome to have Josh spend the morning with us. Go take a peek at his blog (<a href="http://blogallgoodness.com/">http://blogallgoodness.com</a>) and see just how awesome he is. Here is a photo Daniel snapped while Josh was here this morning. He and Ava became fast friends.<br />
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All in all, I would chalk today up as a win. We got some awesome family time today. Thank you stormy weather! Usually when Saturday rolls its lazy self around we are consumed with projects and chores that suck the minutes out of our hands. Such a bummer. Don't get me wrong, we LOVE doing projects and making our home exactly how we want it, but sometimes it's nice to have a breather. I can't tell you how often Daniel and I will look at each other on a Sunday night and say, " Where did the weekend go?" It was so windy and chilly outside today we were forced to batten down the hatches and hang out inside. It. Was. Awesome. Just look at them... Seriously. The cutest ever. </div>
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And real quick, Veggie update! They are officially planted in there raised beds. However, the day after I planted them we had a mad crazy wind storm that beat them up. I lost a few, and am still nursing the rest back to life. But we are hopeful that they will flourish!</div>
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Grace & Peace</div>
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<br />Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-74160046079884765192012-02-28T09:15:00.000-08:002012-02-28T09:15:14.259-08:00Life Lately Our little Oli Boli has a very fun new trick. She is starting to sit up on her own! Yay Olive! Daniel and I were trying to remember when Ava started doing this, but couldn't remember. There are a lot of milestones! Haha! I think Olive just wants to play with her sissy. And Ava LOVES that Oli is starting to sit up, she also loves to cheer Oli on when she does it. It's pretty funny to watch.<br />
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I mean, come on... Look at that cute chunky baby! I just want to squeeze her! I am so in love with Olive's joy. She is the happiest girl in the world. I just took her to the Doctor yesterday because she has been sick and seemed to be getting worse, and the Doctor told me she had a double ear infection! So sad! But even though she is sick, she still loves life. She is full of joy. </div>
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Ava is learning new things at the speed of light! I feel like I can't keep up with all the new things she is absorbing! She remembers things from months ago and brings them up in conversation. For instance, when we were down in San Diego last November my sister in law Jen gave Ava and her daughter Zoe a little princess lip gloss/make-up thing. And yesterday as I was getting ready for Church Ava wanted to wear some of my make-up, but I said she was too little. She looked up at me and said, " But I can wear my princess make-up at Zoe's house." Say what?!?!? It took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about since I had forgotten all about it. She is so smart. I love my little one. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN18RdUjpqc3rgG5U4jz8EqVRDik0lAF_CucESMUjsK2B5qHAYGlsNug0Pr4xH_FN23g8cv1yNj3TUUGcPj7hWxAsg_ezGm7ruVDG-bhr8GLVRY86TKoqbwm-5sBj1DwF1kKfqj6Mz342B/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN18RdUjpqc3rgG5U4jz8EqVRDik0lAF_CucESMUjsK2B5qHAYGlsNug0Pr4xH_FN23g8cv1yNj3TUUGcPj7hWxAsg_ezGm7ruVDG-bhr8GLVRY86TKoqbwm-5sBj1DwF1kKfqj6Mz342B/s320/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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I took this picture of Ava when we were enjoying a gorgeous spring-ish day in our back yard. It makes me swoon every time I see it. I can't believe how big she is! Tear..... Ok, Ok, enough sappy Mom stuff! </div>
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I have been itching to do some fun new stuff to our house, So i painted out dining room table. I like how it came out, but I still have more to do.</div>
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We also painted our bedroom a Burgandy, red-sh, purple-ish color. Just one wall. We're going for a morrocan eclectic feel in our bedroom. I'll share pictures when it's all done. </div>
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We also started our garden. Daniel built me 2 of my 4 raised beds this weekend and I am going to start planting this week! </div>
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So far I have, Scallions, Butterleaf lettuce, Spinach, Tomatoes, Strawberries, Carrots (from seeds), and Artichoke. When I get the other boxes I want to have Zucchini as well. I can't wait! We're planning a whole garden retreat area that I will show more in detail in the next post! But until then,</div>
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Grace & Peace</div>
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<br />Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-26240803225685792932012-02-20T10:19:00.000-08:002012-02-20T10:19:20.867-08:00I love food. To say that I love food would be an understatement.. I am IN love with food. Food brings people together, makes you happy, is necessary for life, and it is so much fun to make new delicious things. Which is exactly what I did this morning. I was feeling super sluggish, so I wanted to pack a punch in my breakfast and here is what I came up with...<br />
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Meet my delicious Spinach, Onion, Gouda, and egg white breakfast wrap. De-lish! It is so easy to whip up, here's what you need:</div>
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- 1/4 c. Egg Whites</div>
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- 1/4 c. Frozen Chopped Spinach</div>
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- 1/4 c. Chopped Onion</div>
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- Light gradeing of Gouda cheese</div>
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- Whole Wheat Tortilla</div>
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I try to keep my freezer stocked with frozen veggies. I've heard that frozen veggies pack more nutrients because they are picked at their peak of freshness. So grab your frozen spinach and toss it in a pan with a few tablespoons of Olive Oil. Then add in your onions. Let the onions saute while the spinach softens and breaks apart. Once the spinach and Onion are done add in your egg whites. Salt and Pepper to taste. Warm your tortilla then put your egg mixture in it. Grate a small amount of the cheese right on top of the eggs and the cheese will melt. I add some Cholulah on top as well for a little kick. If you don't want the carbs from the tortilla slice some fresh tomatoes and put them on top of your eggs instead. Super tasty alternative. I love the cold tomatoes on top of the warm eggs. </div>
Hope you enjoy!Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-23176813412323368162012-02-15T08:43:00.000-08:002012-02-15T08:43:51.813-08:00Valentines Day - And Unfair Expectations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh Valentines Day. How I love thee! It's another reason for presents, date nights, and chocolate. I think there should be a Valentines Day once a month! (wink, wink) Let me just say that this year was exceptional. And not because it was the biggest celebration with the most expensive gift. It was the one filled with the most love.<br />
Feeling nauseous from the lovie dovie? Just wait... There's more!<br />
Daniel has been at a conference for his job for the past few days, and in planning for Valentines day a few weeks ago we decided to just move the celebration to this up coming Saturday. We also decided not to get each other anything because we want to spend all our extra money finishing our backyard. So when we woke up yesterday and my sweet Hubs handed me not one, but THREE cards I was pleasantly surprised. He had gotten a card for each of the girls to give me and one from Him. Cute head. After he left for the conference I was in the Valentine mood and I decided to have Ava make some Valentines Day decorations that we could put up and have until Saturday. So my darling Ava Zsofia spent the morning gluing hearts and coloring Valentines. While we were making our cards for Daniel I thought it would be fun to make a scavenger hunt for him to go on when he got home. But you can't go on a scavenger hunt unless there is treasure at the end, right? So we bought him a present. Oops, we broke the "no gift" rule. Oh well! We got him a gift certificate to a Luthier. (A luthier is someone who works on and repairs guitars) Daniel had his electric repaired by this same guy and loved how it turned out, and his Taylor needs some love! Then I realized you can't go on a scavenger hunt and not have a tasty dinner afterward. So I decided to make filet mignon with Bearnaise sauce and mushroom risotto. Yum! To my surprise Daniel came home early! Woo Woo! He loved his scavenger hunt, he loved his present, and he loved dinner! I kept telling him not to feel bad about not getting me anything because I broke the rules and got him something when we weren't going to. But he didn't seemed bummed about it at all, which kinda bummed me out. Reverse wife mind games! Even though I told him not to worry, I did want him to feel a little bad..... I'm so lame.<br />
Then Daniel said he had a little something for Ava, and he pulled out a box of chocolates from See's candies! "What?! That's my favorite! Where's mine!" I am such a loser face. He smiled and went and grabbed an even larger box and handed it to me. See, 3 years ago on Valentines Day Daniel got me a box of See's chocolates that he picked out. Every truffle was different and I loved it! Ever since then I continually reminded him about how awesome that was, In hopes that he would get me more! Well he did, because he loves me.<br />
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As we were falling asleep last night I realized how super lame I was for being upset that Daniel didn't feel bad about not breaking the rules and getting me a present. When in actuality, he did..So lame. My poor husband! It is not fair for me to have expectations of Daniel that contradict what I tell him. "No, you finish that last piece of cake" when really, I want him to give it to me. Believe me, he is gonna eat that cake and not think twice! Because that's what I said, and he isn't a mind reader! This is like wife 101 here, you think I would have caught on sooner! I need to work on this nasty little habit and tell Daniel what I want and not expect him to read my mind. I am so blessed to have such an awesome husband who get me chocolates even when I didn't ask for them! Love ya dude!<br />
I hope you had a great Valentines day! How did you celebrate? Am I the only one who sets up emotional mind traps for her husband???<br />
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Grace & Peace<br />
Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-41413124404818151802012-02-12T22:28:00.000-08:002012-02-12T22:28:14.537-08:00Weekend Madness<div>
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Look! I got a Two-fer!</div>
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This weekend has been jam packed full of home improving fun! Tons of projects getting crossed off our list, Hallelujah! Today we ran down to Lowe's (my favorite store) and when we got out of the car, guns blazing, ready to tackle our giant list of things we needed.... We found two very cute sleeping daughters. I super love them. I thought I was going to explode with mommy love in that moment. If you look closely you can see Oli's hood over one eye, she is a tiny gangster. And what you can't see is Ava covered from Head to Pink booted toe in graham cracker crumbs. And let me just tell ya, I'm not exaggerating here people... She seriously dusted the top of her head with crumbs as if it were pixie dust and she was hoping to fly! I love that little weirdy. I told Daniel it was a two-fer, because both of them fell asleep at the same time (which never happens!). </div>
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It has been such an awesome weekend, and one of the best parts was at Church this morning. I love my Church, everything about it. And this morning as Daniel and I were leading worship I had this awesome God moment. You know, the kind where you break out into an ugly cry in front of your entire congregation trying to explain something God is showing you? Oh... You have no idea what I mean? Let me explain. While we were singing "Came to my Rescue" I had an image in my mind of a swimmer way out in the ocean who all of a sudden is terrified they may drown. The swimmer then looks on shore to see the life guard there, watching, ready at any moment to rescue. It seems obvious, doesn't it? But God blew me away. He wants to rescue me. When I am at my weakest and feel like I can't keep going, I can throw my hands up and He will run to me. And save me. Every time. Why? Because I am so awesome? Nope. It's because He desires relationship with me. And even in my long seasons of not pursuing relationship with Him, He waits for me. Ready, at any moment to rescue me and woo me back into relationship with Him. Insane. Seriously, blows my mind. So this morning, while on stage, I explain this to the congregation and i bust out my ugliest cry. But hey, the message I was trying to get across was more important then my composure, right? Definitely. So there ya have it. Just let that sink in. God is more then good. So incredible. </div>
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Grace & Peace </div>Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-91423439380033181172012-02-07T08:53:00.000-08:002012-02-07T09:19:25.482-08:00So SweetCan I just tell ya how sweet my life is? Mega, Ultra, Super sweet. Worlds greatest (and hottest) Husband, two insanely gorgeous daughters, a life giving Church, awesome extended family, Wonderful friends.... The list goes on and on. I can't even believe how great this is. Like, seriously great. Just look at what I mean -<br />
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The top picture is Olive discovering her Daddy's face, Bottom left is a sleeping Oli, bottom right is my Ava Zsofia showing off her sparkling clean teeth!)</div>
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Both of my girls are fighting a cold at the moment. So sad. I wish I could make them feel better! Ava hates blowing her nose and Olive hates it when I wipe her nose. Needless to say, there is a lot of yelling going on in our house. </div>
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You can't see it in the picture (thankfully!) but they are both covered in snot. I love Olive's angry face! She is so much fun! </div>
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In non sick related news, I am so antsy for Spring! I am ready to be outside! The girls and I have a serious case of Cabin Fever. We are making a very long list of all the projects we want to do outside once it warms up. Including a huge garden! I'm so excited! </div>
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Lots of new things on the Horizon!</div>
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Grace & Peace</div>
<br />Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-78215903840368312272012-01-23T09:25:00.000-08:002012-01-23T09:26:36.129-08:00Back in the saddle.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> To say it has been a while would be the understatement of the century. Ninetine days after my last post I was blessed with the sweetest new life. Olive Grace Horning was born at 12:24pm, 8lb 6oz, and 21 inches long. Since that moment I have been solely focused on understanding and adapting to life with two sweet daughters. Olive is the most joyful baby I have ever met. She loves everything and everyone. She laughs and smiles all the time and loves to watch her big sister play. Ava Zsofia is quickly approaching her third Birthday! What the Heck!!! When did she grow up? She is learning new things every day and pushing her boundaries regularly. It can get pretty exhausting at points but her overwhelming cuteness helps. :) So now here I am, a Mommy of two and I think I have reached a point that I am able to venture back into the world of writing. Am I crazy? Maybe, but lets just embrace it...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> I am thoroughly looking forward to getting back in the swing of writing and sharing my heart. I feel like God is showing me some huge things, and I'm ready to share. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Grace & Peace</span>Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-9110670832054964232011-08-22T15:22:00.000-07:002011-08-22T15:22:07.570-07:00It's been a while...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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... Life has been so cray cray for us Horning's lately, that I haven't had a spare minute to think. Let alone blog. Let's see, we got keys to our first house at the end of June! Woo Woo! We love our home, it is exactly what we need and we know it's the one God had for us. We have been remodeling and working on projects for the last month, the largest one being our kitchen. Holy Cow. Don't ever remodel your kitchen, it's so intense! My Dad, Uncle, Brother, and the Hubs did all the work and it is gorgeous! Exactly what I wanted. We still haven't even finished hanging pictures yet, but we're almost there! We did our big family photo wall which helped make it feel like it was really our home. (pictured above)<br />
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In other news, our newest Tiny Dancer is almost here! I am almost 38 weeks pregnant! What the?!?! How did that happen? Can't believe how fast time has flown, but I am so ready to meet this new girl and figure out what her name is! :) Just a few days ago we took some pretty sick family pictures and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out. Here are some of my favs:<br />
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This is the first time we have ever done real family pictures, and I am so in love with them. The one of Ava in the tutu is almost painful! She is so Cute! I can't believe my family is growing. Soon we will have two little girls in tutu's to chase after. Life is pretty great. I'm trying to be very intentional on spending quality time with Ava, not only for her sake, but for mine as well. Once this baby comes my attention will be split and I want to make sure we savor this time we have. It's so special to me. I find myself trying to imagine what it will be like to have two children in need of my attention. Very overwhelming thought. My hearts desire it to always be available and able to give each child what they need when they need it, however, I know that isn't always possible. So I find myself asking God to help me not freak out (because if i think about it too much i will) and to show me the best ways to parent my girls. I know I wont be perfect, but I can try my hardest. And knowing how excited Ava is to meet her new baby sister also helps ease my worries. I can't wait to see Ava meet her sister. Oh frick. Getting a little emotional just thinking about it.... Moving on now! </div>
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All in all, life is wonderful. I'm so excited for this new season in my life and I can't wait to share all of the ups and downs. </div>
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Grace & Peace </div>
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<br />Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-10873409902886595292011-06-28T11:39:00.000-07:002011-06-28T11:39:05.493-07:00Sweet Baby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTY1DLnxchOzkn6L6U0m_apdC7o54h0nYlGHklabFABZBdR1GZPSlQZ5Kmm4xSjmuhIis_-mAAWabLgilYXlgzSy8YIs1ysmlCLRPll7JUULC6U-fdEtumleD-nMj3-Z96UOneKO_x_gcj/s1600/262282_10150244761359271_763894270_7049230_6835966_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTY1DLnxchOzkn6L6U0m_apdC7o54h0nYlGHklabFABZBdR1GZPSlQZ5Kmm4xSjmuhIis_-mAAWabLgilYXlgzSy8YIs1ysmlCLRPll7JUULC6U-fdEtumleD-nMj3-Z96UOneKO_x_gcj/s320/262282_10150244761359271_763894270_7049230_6835966_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> <br />
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At 5:37 this morning my Sister-In-Law Jennifer gave birth to her second daughter, Jubilee Lania. Oh what a precious girl she is. When we got the text this morning with her sweet picture, tears welled up in my eyes. I wanted to badly to be there with my family and celebrate this incredible miracle of life. Living 300 miles away makes it difficult to just hop in the car and drive down to the Hospital to join in the celebration. We are hoping to get down there soon to meet her, i only have about 4 weeks left that I can travel so we need to go soon! :)<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">All morning I have been day dreaming about Jubilee and what she will be like. Her favorite color, or food, the little funny sayings she will have, what she will look like when she is older.... All exciting things. </span><br />
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Then my mind wondered to my new sweet baby. Feeling her kick around in my tummy, I can't help but wonder what she is thinking. "Mom, it's too crowded!" or "Hey! Ava, play with me!". I day dream about my new little life all the time. One thing i haven't had much time to dream about is her name.... Well, I take that back. I have had time, and I do think about it a little, but there still isn't a front runner. We wait to name our babies until we see them. We have a list of names we like that we can pull from so we aren't going in totally blind! With Ava we had a huge list of names we loved, probably 20 first names and 10 middle names. But with this tiny dancer, we have probably 5 names we are thinking and praying about. Very different experience this time around. But I am loving every second of it. I am 30 weeks pregnant tomorrow, so we still have a little time left to figure out some more names!<br />
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Grace & PeaceSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-9213415620713365502011-05-23T15:26:00.000-07:002011-05-23T15:26:03.627-07:00Keeping My Fingers Crossed...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71KKVyhlxqLugxBM4zqBWUveRusZOgfCGGM9sSzdNp7HOvK_yKd1589kidKQMAsgnsD9lH-_l1nqTTtehvxxw1EAu__jqwiEJWwidvZgStpklCi0Hnl3RvVRPN5jJ8WHKs2K57_82fiWs/s1600/avasinvite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71KKVyhlxqLugxBM4zqBWUveRusZOgfCGGM9sSzdNp7HOvK_yKd1589kidKQMAsgnsD9lH-_l1nqTTtehvxxw1EAu__jqwiEJWwidvZgStpklCi0Hnl3RvVRPN5jJ8WHKs2K57_82fiWs/s320/avasinvite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Well, as you may have read in a previous post we are looking for a house. To our HUGE surprise, we almost have one!!! By almost I mean, we are in contract, starting the inspection and funding process. But this is the closest we have ever been!!!! It's a great little house in Boulder with a huge back yard for Ava to play in, Lots of potential and loads of charm. I have found myself getting a little nervous that something is going to go wrong and we wont get the house. To be this close and then to lose it would be a tough pill to swallow. We are leaning on Jesus though, trusting that if this is the right house and the right timing that He would let the whole process go smoothly.<br />
In other news I am 25 weeks pregnant with our tiny Button. I'm feeling pretty good and surprisingly not letting myself get too stressed over the house stuff. Ava's new favorite thing is to sing songs to her baby sister. Her favorite one to sing her is an old Hymn that goes like this... "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. There's just something about that name." It's so cute to hear her singing, let alone that she is singing to my belly. Cuteness overload! <br />
And the most exciting news of all, Ava is almost 2!!!!! Her birthday is on Thursday! How the heck did that happen? I feel like she just turned 1. I have been having a blast getting everything ready for her Minnie Mouse themed Birthday party. She is so excited to play with her friends, eat Kuh-Cakes (cupcakes), and get Prizes (presents)!!! Cute thing!! I am trying to soak it all in, I don't want to miss a thing! <br />
I have been reading out of Proverbs and there are a few verses that really struck me. It's talking about wisdom, and how crucial it is to have it. So as these big things are going on in our life I have been constantly praying for God to give us wisdom on each specific situation. Here are the verses...<br />
"So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed. Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don't squander your precious life. Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day's work.<br />
Proverbs 8:32-34<br />
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So, please keep us in you're prayers, we definitely need them!<br />
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Grace & Peace<br />
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(picture is of Ava's Birthday invites I made with my Mom)Samantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-89701078104916694162011-05-02T10:56:00.000-07:002011-05-02T10:56:11.161-07:00House Hunters...Horning Edition Oh Lord have mercy. Trying to buy a house is probably the most exhausting thing I have ever done. Over the past 3ish months Daniel and I have been on the hunt for our first little home. We started out with tons of excitement and energy and now we are dragging our feet. I think we have put in about 6 offers. Now a few of those are duplicate offers on a single property, but still lots of offers. We fell deeply in love with one house and didn't get it and now were still being just a little "emo" about it. We are going to look at a few more this week, pray for us! The hardest part in this whole Home Buying process is really trusting that the Lord has a perfect house at the perfect time. My brain is so quick to work out details that I think fit perfectly, but every time I do I am reminded that God is weaving His details together much better then I ever could.<br />
In other news, we started our <u>Name List!</u> There are quite a few very cute possible names for Tiny Dancer #2 on there! Can't wait till she is here and I get to squeeze her. T-minus 4 months and 5 days.... Well, till my due date, but going off previous experience it will be about a week after that.<br />
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Grace & PeaceSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-8171100275255329892011-04-20T09:49:00.000-07:002011-04-20T09:49:28.996-07:00Mustard Seed Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYUCUslPbWY9Yc65wgRL5sGmT0PjrcwPes2HOlAixgBwZzsqQY_XBOfq57sjUua5S2hr9X_VNmSbefoKTwQM8I768lTgwNz0DHaLSVlHCQQPGSlo7osB7qXlJ1GRNEjEwdVbCbqXeghop/s1600/belly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYUCUslPbWY9Yc65wgRL5sGmT0PjrcwPes2HOlAixgBwZzsqQY_XBOfq57sjUua5S2hr9X_VNmSbefoKTwQM8I768lTgwNz0DHaLSVlHCQQPGSlo7osB7qXlJ1GRNEjEwdVbCbqXeghop/s320/belly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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This morning in my Bible I read Matthew 17. The whole chapter is amazing, but I read over a very familiar story and it encouraged me in a new way. Verse 20 says this:<br />
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" He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you"<br />
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Every time I have read that scripture or heard it in a sermon it was used as an encourager to have more faith and you can do more for God. I mean, that was the basic gist of it. But today as I read it I was encouraged as a Mother. I know it may seem a bit cheesy, but it's true! Daniel and I found out yesterday that we are having another little girl, and my biggest concern with having 2 children is giving them each enough love and attention. I am not worried about how to manage two kids, or go to the grocery store, or run errands, or even about finances! I just want to make sure they both feel loved enough. And as I was reading that verse I felt so encouraged and relieved, like, "Hey, I can do this!"<br />
I know the key to it working is having enough faith, and even though it is a struggle sometimes to not doubt God or try and fix a problem on my own, at least I know that it is possible. If I just have mustard seed faith that God will help me, I know I can do it. I want to have Mustard seed love for my babies. If my faith is the size of a mustard seed and I can move a mountain, imagine how much mustard seed love could do.<br />
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Grace & PeaceSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740371336627310847.post-25669512398808397162011-02-24T14:59:00.000-08:002011-02-24T14:59:11.279-08:00Fallen Before The Ark I've been on a bit of a Blog Vacation. Spent some time thinking about other things that are going on and devoting more of my free time to being a better Wife and Momma. Now that I feel like I have a better handle on things I am back in the Blog-saddle.<br />
Something super awesome that I have been doing lately is reading through the book of 1 Samuel. Whoa. Talk about gnar gnar! I am only 10 chapters in, but let me just tell you, there is some crazy stuff happening in there! Something that really struck me is in Chapter 5, here's some super cool God knowledge for ya...<br />
The Israelites were in battle against the Philistines, and they were losing. So the Israelites sent for the Ark of the Covenant, thinking that if it was with them in battle they would surely win. Wrong. The Philistines CRUSHED the Israelites, and when they did they stole the Ark of the Covenant. WHAT!?! Who does that? Who steals someone else's God? Any way- moving on. They brought the Ark back to their city and placed it in "Dagons temple", that was there God. Ok here's the rest....<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-7323" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">"3</sup> When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-7324" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">4</sup> But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-7325" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">5</sup> That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Uh... Can you say, AWESOME! When I read this, I giggled.... Out loud. It was just a cool moment for me. Reading about the power of my God, and how He made other stupid little statues bow at His feet. So cool.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It was encouraging because I realized that God can and still does do that. When I feel like darkness is closing in on me or I let fear creep in, God makes it cower at His feet. He is bigger and stronger then anything or anyone else. I am glad He is on my side....</span><br />
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Grace & PeaceSamantha Horninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305056406433170812noreply@blogger.com1