The Cat's out of the Bag!

We found out on Wednesday (1/9/08) that my "stomach bug" is actually a baby. WOW!! What a surprise. What a wonderful, wonderful surprise. So, baby Floria #4 will arrive sometime in early August. (9th or 10th) What an amazing God we serve! With all three of our older children we never had a sonogram done. So actually seeing this little one was pretty amazing. Both Bram & I cried the whole time. I think we even made the nurse cry. How precious is that. When we told the kids, they absolutely went bananas! It was so fun to watch them get excited about it. They could hardly sleep that night with excitement. Better than Christmas. The next morning they could hardly wait to get to school to tell their friends. It's been quite and exciting few days.

Reality has also set in quickly, as well. We realize that this news changes everything about who we thought we were as a family. Time for re-thinking and re-evaluating. We're confident that God has a plan and a purpose, we just don't know what on earth it could be right now. We also realize that we have nothing (did I say NOTHING) for a baby. So, I'm sure, the next few months will be filled with gathering, and shopping and buying everything baby we'll need.

So...stay tuned. The saga of this Princess is only getting more interesting with time. No telling what God will do next.

Just had to post this picture...

I love my family!

2008...To Resolve or Not to Resolve

My oldest daughter asked me the other day if I was going to make any New Years Resolutions. I told her (emphatically, I might add) "NO". I used to, but then (around mid-February) I always begin to wonder why I did it in the first place. I am quite prone to guilt and I spend the rest of the year trying to get myself on track and then beating myself up when I don't. Don't get me wrong, I think resolutions can be a good thing, if you are able to keep them AND they're realistic. I think that was my biggest problem. Too unrealistic. You know, lose 15lbs by March, exercise everyday, cook a healthy dinner for your family every night. Just to cook every night would be a HUGE thing at our house. Somehow our schedule doesn't always allow for that.

I suppose there are things I'd like to be better at in 2008, things I'd like to do more of.
~I'd like to Worship more. I really do want to spend more time worshiping Jesus and not just talking about doing it.
~I'd like to pray more in 2008. I mean really pray! Intercede for others.
~I'd like to spend more time with my children. Not just in the car going to and from school or activities, but real time with them. Playing, talking, reading, laughing, listening, snuggling. What could possibly more important than that?
~I'd like to have more conversations with my husband. Not just the kind that ask, "How was your day?", but the kind that leads to other conversations and memories and plans and the like. The kind of conversations I remember seeing (as a kid) my grandparents have sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. I've often wondered what they were talking about...now I believe it was just about "stuff". I think they just enjoyed the sound of each others voices.

So, maybe (just maybe) these are resolutions. I'm still not so sure I believe they are...just the ramblings and hopes of a princess on a journey to be more like the King Who created her.

Christmas Day at the Florias

I am so blessed to be the Mom to three amazing kids. God is good! Today has been filled with hanging out, squealing over gifts. (video is a wonderful thing), eating waffles cooked on my new waffle iron, drinking Christmas Tea, hauling wood to the bonfire pit for a Christmas Evening bonfire with friends, riding in the back of the pick-up and just generally enjoying the day.

These are my two favorite boys. They've been working on Lego Star Wars ships and playing with Cade's new BB Gun. Does life get any better than that?

My Marriage has been "Confirmed"

Recently I joined Facebook. A lot of my friends are on and it's a fun way to keep up with each other. We've been "poking" each other and sending smiley faces and various other things. I've realized I could spend WAY too much time on Facebook if I'm not careful. One of the funniest things happened just the other day. I was editing my "Personal Info" when I updated my marital status as "Married". Bram is also on Facebook so I was sent a message that I'd have to wait for that relationship to be "confirmed by Bram Floria" before it could be posted. I waited... No confirmation. I waited some more, when finally I received and notice that the relationship had been confirmed by Bram Floria and that I am (in fact) married to Bram. Our marriage was "confirmed". You can imagine my relief.

I think there are many days when we're in need of confirmation from those we love. My prayer for you today is that you will spend some time confirming your relationships and affirming those you love.

Happy Day!

Lessons I'm learning from some Godly Women...

I spend Tuesday nights with some really godly women. One of the ladies husbands calls us the "Jesus and Gals Club". I love that! We eat chocolate and other yummy things and talk about what God has been showing us that week through the book we've been reading. The book is "Captivating" by John & Stasi Eldridge. The book, itself, has been great and I think I'm learning some really valuable stuff from it. However...the best lessons I've been learning are from the women I'm doing the study with. I'm learning that to really be beautiful and captivating, I have to let others get close to me. For some of us, that's been a difficult process. But, I'm also finding it's well worth it. I'm also learning that being beautiful isn't about how many people think I'm beautiful, but I just am beautiful because my heavenly Father loves me and tells me I am everyday. I have also learned that the more I pray for others...the more I learn of my need for prayer. As difficult as change may be for many, it's a beautiful process to watch happen in these women. They long for change, even welcome it. I've never liked change and so have usually fought against it. These women have taught me that "if God is in it, it's ALWAYS worth the effort and discomfort".

God has been so good to use these precious women to teach me and encourage me. I'm so thankful for each of them and their wisdom and insight. Insight into their own lives and into the lives of others. I love you Jesus & Gals Club you're the best!

"Be Still"

Many of you know that I have been "laying up in the bed" for about a week now with an injury to my back. It has not been easy for me, but because of the prayers of faithful friends, I know God has given me the strength to do it.

Do you remember, as a kid, your mom or dad telling you to "be still"? You start to get that nervous feeling; worried you're not going to be able to? I've never been a very still person. It's hard for me to do. When I try to be still, I'm always thinking of things I need to get done and pretty soon I'm up and going again. I'm more of a Martha than a Mary. (Luke 10:38-42) I've always wanted to be more like Mary, but it's so hard for me to be still.

This week, a lot of people have been telling me to "be still". My husband, my family & friends are saying, "be still". The Dr. said, "Be still and rest your back". Frankly, I haven't had much of a choice with an injured back. I'm not completely sure how I injured it in the first place. I think that's why all of this has been so frustrating. It even seemed God was telling me to "BE STILL!" I read in Ps 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God." I prayed, "Lord, don't I know that?" "Do You think I'm not aware that You ARE?" Then I come to realize that He's not being "king of the obvious" here. He just wants to be with me. No distractions, no interruptions. He wants me to know HIM. What an amazing thought. Ps. 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an abundantly available help in trouble." I love that! Another translation says, "a very present help in time of trouble". He's not some far off, unreachable god - He's very present and abundantly available. It's my Father God that is a very available and reachable God that wants me to be still and know Him. It's my Father God that sits on the bedside while I rest. It's my Father God that that wants to know me. "Help me, Father, to sit at your feet as Mary did. To listen to Your voice and know YOU."