I’m TURNING 34 this Sunday! Starting to feel like I better do all the athletic things that I want to do in the 30s, and bracing myself for the years where everything aches and i no longer care to take fitness risks. So, for my 34th birthday, I planned a BIG BEAR snowboarding trip. Went straight to Big Bear Mountains deal and found myself a $269 dollar package that includes 2 nights in a cabin (2 miles) from the Snow Summit/Bear Mountain, plus 2 weekday lift ticket.

I’m a planner, I like to map things out and plan it ahead of time. However, as much as I can plan my events, I cannot stop my family from getting sick! Much like Valentines day, my husband is sick and cannot come on the trip with us. It’s Thursday and Eman has a small cough. This morning, I  called into Big Bear to see if I can reschedule. Luckily they are flexible.

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STEP 1: Plan a unique Valentines Day for my husband

STEP 2: Be really excited when he’s surprised

STEP 3: The Best Valentine’s Day EVER 2013

So step 1-3 was my plan, but as we all know, plans don’t always pan out. Hair done. Check. Nails done. Check. Cute dress. Got it, check. My husband would be so surprised to see my dressed up in my best all beautied up! I picked out a restaurant, Nik & Stef’s in Downtown LA, an inexpensive Happy Hour to start off our date. Then we would be off to see Backbeat, story about how the Beatles got together as a band. Our Valentines date would be  perfect… To top it off, I would surprise him with a night at a beautiful hotel in Downtown LA with a view. Everything was working out perfectly in my mind, my anticipation ran high.

4 days before Valentines day, I’m sick. My son gets sick. My husband gets sick.

Back to the drawing board… don’t book the hotel, probably no dinner and we’d be lucky if we could watch the show. Then came the day of celebration, my husband had to miss the show.

When things don’t go my way, I’m not in good spirits and the glass half full girl, starts getting a little negative! But thankfully, my amazing husband was still being cheerful, playful and trying to comfort me by telling me to make another date of it. It also helped to turn my focus on God and be honest with my feelings (though they were not good feelings). I prayed and let it go.

So, on actual V-day, we went to our favorite local restaurant Scardinos for dinner, which our table for 2 turned into 3 because babysitting fell through, so we had our son with us. It was not the Valentines day I expected, but I’m grateful for my husband, my best friend and the rock of my life. His kindness is one of the reasons I love him. That night at dinner, he showed a little act of kindness to someone else, and it made our Valentines Day memorable.

My Valentine’s Day card from my husband, he wrote,

“To a beautiful and amazing wife, I love you.”

And in returned at dinner, I let him know “I’m so glad that I’m married to you.”

Thank you God for blessing me with the gift of my husband…. humbling me to remember that my plans are not always the best plans.

Marriage.

Do you think fairy tale wedding day, honeymoon, romance when you think of marriage? Or do you think living life together with another person who has as many flaws, distrust, brokenness as you?

Broken person + Diamond Ring+ Broken person = Happiness?

God’s formula –

Broken person + Christ redeeming sin + Broken person = Joy in marriage

So this morning, SEEK! I’m so fortunate that after attending a MOM’s CAFE (a version of the Moms of Preschooler’s program- MOPS) at Journey South Bay Church, located in Redondo Beach, CA, I met a wonderful woman Susan who is now mentoring me. She had no idea what she signed up for when she agreed, but I’m sure she is finding out now that I’m a MESS! I needed more sanity in many areas of my life ranging from setting priorities, marriage, parenting, personal growth and focusing on Jesus. But our first meeting was about marriage. She gave a great handout with many many words on it. It was overwelming, but when you disect that it’s saying, there is so many treasures in it.

Well, to start, God has a lot to say about marriage and little did I know, there are tons of passages on it. I took some time and cut and pasted a bunch. I hope this will be helpful for many women who have the same questions as I do about marriage. I will be digging to the Word, what will I find???

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