Jackson Alexander

It is so hard to be believe that my baby boy is about to be a Senior in High School. It literally feels like we just dropped him off at his first day of kindergarten. As I sat at home last night and looked through all of his old school pictures, my heart was full. He has grown into such a strong, handsome, heart of gold young man.

Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs on the face of this earth. Not only are we trying to live our own lives right, but we have to guide and direct our kids to do right. Teaching them to be independent, self-assured, compassionate, courageous, respectful and so many other things can be difficult. With Jackson being such a strong willed, wild, out of control young boy, I never thought he would turn out the way he has.

Someone once told me that giving your kids materialistic things is not the most important thing in life. Materialistic things will only last temporary, and they will be things that will soon be forgotten about. But the best gift you can ever give your children is a true everlasting relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. No, I would never sit here and say my kids aren't spoiled, they are. To an extent. But I do know I can sit here and say that we have provided them and taught them how to be a Christian and how to live their lives as Jesus would. They amaze us everyday with their Christian like values!

As Jackson has grown up people have always loved on him, praised him and told us he was so respectful. We just couldn't grasp it because what we saw at home was a totally different child than how other people described him! Which I know, you always want your children to act better in public or act better with other people, than the way they act at home. With Jackson this statement was very true! Honestly, I think it's those eyes had everyone fooled! 
 

At this point in his life we couldn't be more proud of him! It just warms my heart to know what an impact he is making on people's lives. When Jose and I have upperclassman, from Jackson's school, come up to us and tell us that we have raised a very good young man, I know we've done something right! For a Senior in High School to recognize a well rounded respectful young man and acknowledge it, MAKES THIS MAMA PROUD!

In my daily prayers I pray for my children. I pray they continue on the Lord's path for their lives. I pray they continue to be well rounded children with hearts of gold. And I pray they continue to make a difference in their peer's lives!

No, Jose and I can't take all the credit for our good natured boy. I have to give credit to all those out there who have helped us raise him to be who he is today.....Grandparents, Friends, Family, Teachers, Sunday School Teacher, Church Leaders - Thank you!


God Bless,

To My Husband

23 years ago, when we met, did you ever think I would be the one for you? The one that filled your future? The one that would bear your children? The one that drives you crazy? The one that loves you unconditionally?

Secret be told......Neither did I!

BUT here we are today on our 18th Wedding Anniversary still standing strong. God has provided so much for us. We have had so many trials, struggles, ups and downs, but all those stories make us 'US'. All of our stories add to our strong testimony of what Love is supposed to be. I am so very Thankful that we live our lives and marriage through God. He is the main purpose we are still standing strong in our marriage today.

I couldn't be more happier with life as it is now! You provide so much for our family, and I am so Thankful. You are the Rock that holds us all together! Yes, we drive each other crazy! Yes, we have our bad days! Yes, we argue and bicker! But if in these times, we know in our hearts that the Love will always remain!

Jose....

I love you!

I love our Past!

I love our Present!

I love how Blessed we are!

I love how you complete me!

I love every minute spent with you! I love being married to my Best Friend!

I hope and Pray God continues to Bless us everyday of our lives!

 

Love Always,

Just my 2 cents

Today if you turn on your TV, your radio or even log onto your computer you will hear or read about the Syrian refugees. I have totally been intrigued by all of it. I've been reading, googling and listening to the reports and trying to keep up. I know it is way too much for my little brain to ever comprehend, but I'm trying.  I've been having an inner battle with myself trying to decide if the 'American Way' or 'The Christian Way' is the way I (personally) think it should be handled. As a Christain I have turned to digging into my Bible and asking people I respect  questions and thoughts.

As for me, an American Christian, I  do feel that the Syrian Christians & Non-Radical Muslim Syrian refugees need help. They are basically living in Hell, which Jesus doesnt want for any human. They need love.  They need prayers. The need freedom. But why can't we show them love from right here in America? By setting up organizations, mission boards, support groups that can support them from here.

I personally don't believe America, in a whole, can financially support all of these refugees.  Our country is already in so much debt, we have to have Federal Lay-offs, or Federal Shut Downs where we can't even pay our own hard working Americans.  Logically, we should be taking care of our thousands of homeless Vets, that once fought for our freedom.

Here in America we already have our own 'American terrorists' who cause enough havoc and heart ache daily!  So, why should we allow people into our country that we KNOW have terrorist motives. They have made threat after threat....and when you look back they have followed through with every threat,  that our Government has ignored.  It's time to take things seriously and protect our country.

I know a majority of these Syrian refugees do not believe in the Radical Islamic beliefs. But if you read you will see ISIS has infratrated  these Syrian refugees, so they can migrate in, undercover, as harmless refugees.  With that happening, how can we pin point which ones are sincerely Christian refugees and not members of ISIS. It's basically impossible.  There again, our nation can not afford to provide proper screening of every single Syrian refugee, before they enter our country.

There are so many scriptures that we could look up, pinpoint and reference on these issues. We are called to Love everyone, even our enemies, but we are also told not to be naive in doing so.  We can be compassionate and loving from afar, but be wise in doing so!  Plus I don't believe it is sinful to keep our country safe.

This world is an ugly place. And according to Matthew 24, it says we will witness alot of negativity, persecution and hatred before the end of time. Christians it's time to pray without ceasing. Pray Our God provides the right path for America. Pray for our Government. Pray for the Syrian refugees. Pray for our safety here in the U.S.  and even pray for these ISIS members.

These are just thoughts of mine. I'm not asking for any responses, rebuking,  or feedback. I just had to express my thoughts and concerns on this matter. I hope each and everyone who reads this takes me seriously when I say PRAY! Because at this point, it's the best and only thing, as citizens we can do!

God Bless

Oh my goodness

Well I just had a moment. 

I just decided to look back through our Blog. Man how Blessed we are!! Looking back, I started this Blog in 2008. Tristan was just entering in to Kindergarten and Jackson was entering into 4th grade. 
Man where has time gone?
They were such innocent, small, adorable, God Fearing creatures! 

Now look at them......

......Complete Sass, Full of Strength, Over Grown, Beautiful, Handsome, Charming, Smart,  Blessings From Above!!

Where would our life be without them! 

Thank you God!  



2008

2015



The End Results

WE SURVIVED!!!!

The 7 week Lurong Living Challenge 2015 is officially over. Jose and I made it!  All the clean eating made us feel so good, we are going to continue eating this way.  So, we plan on starting out our new year of being healthy, clean and fit! (hopefully we can keep it up)

Everyone that knows me, knows how hard I am on myself.  So, in my mind I feel like I could have or should have done better when it comes down to my final numbers.  Even though deep down I know I gave it my best, I still get discouraged! 

So with that being said.....here are my final numbers

With a total loss of 6 lbs; 2 inches of my waist and hips; and down 3.8% body fat....I feel like a different person. So I can only imagine if  those numbers would have been higher - 

I might be climbing the walls!!!!!

Congrats to all the other Crossfitters who completed this Challenge with us....Some of you have some outstanding numbers!!! With that I want to give a LARGE special shout out to Darcy and Gio for sticking by mine and Jose's side and being our accountability partners - THANK YOU! 

Those pictures I mentioned last time, well.......I will have to gain a little bit more courage before posting them! LOL

God Bless and Stay Fit,

Festivus Games 2015

I have had a lot of people reaching out to me asking me about the CrossFit Competition that I was in this weekend. Not only what I did, but how I did. So let me give you a few definition and a recap of my day.

CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program consisting mainly of a mix of aerobic exercise, calisthenics, gymnastics and Olympic weight lifting. It is promoted both as a physical exercise philosophy and a competitive fitness sport. CrossFit is Intense!

Festivus Games: a competition for the rest of us! It is a Fitness Competition for beginners, and intermediate athletes. Fire breather athlete are not allowed to compete. Festivus Games is about capacity more than a high degree of skill.

There were 3 levels for the competitors:


THE NOVICE DIVISION - an athlete that may be new to CrossFit, or maybe this is your first competition.
THE INTERMEDIATE DIVISION - someone is a regular CrossFit but is up for a challenge.
THE MASTERS DIVISION - athlete who are 45+ and have the heart and fire to compete

Yes, I signed for the Novice Division. Yes, I have been doing CrossFit for over 3 years. Yes, I am up for a challenge. But, in the Intermediate Division you have to be able to do a unassisted pull up - and this is something I am still working on trying to achieve! So Novice I was (even when some disagreed with my choice)!

My start time was 8:42 am and here was what I had to do:

WOD #1 (Work Out of the Day)
20 Calorie Row (quickly)

AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 6 mins:

5 Shoulders to Overhead at 55lbs

10 Ring rows

- 2 minute rest -

Max Calorie Row in 1 minute

(Got to rest for about an hour and a half before next WOD)

WOD #2 - ‘Dead Deader Deadest’
I had a total of a minute and a half to complete as many Deadlifts as possible, at a weight (up to 215 lbs) of my choice.

(Got to Rest about an hour before next WOD)

WOD #3 - ‘IHOP Lose Your Lunch Special’
10 minute Time Cap

12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2

Plate-hop Burpees

Plate overhead reverse lunges (with a 10lb plate)

Sit-ups

Round 1 starts with 12 of each movement of this triplet, then 10 of each and so on

WOD #4 - ‘Maximum B.S.’
Max Reps in 2 minutes of Barbell Back Squats (65lbs)

                                               

By 12:15 I had completed my challenge for the day. I was hoping to have better end of the day results. But I am Happy to say that I completed it all, I didn’t come in dead last, and now I know what to expect for the next competition!

Here were my results:

WOD #1 - I completed 65 Reps and 14 Calories burned in the Max Calorie Row

WOD #2 - I completed 41 Deadlifts with 112 lbs

WOD #3 - I completed in 7:07 mins

WOD #4 - I completed 38 back squats at 65 lbs. 

Which placed me #11 out of 14 in the Novice Female division, out of the competitors at our gym. It was such a fun day! I am so Thankful for CrossFit and all that are always there to help me push myself to new limits! If you need motivation to get your workout done, CrossFit is your answer. Come check it out!

STRONG IS THE NEW SKINNY!

God Bless!

The Life Long JOB, Called Marriage

Marriage - a state instituted and ordained by God for the lifelong relationship between one man and one woman. The most intimate human relationship. A Gift from God and a sacred institution.

Marriage is a Job.  You have to take it seriously, you have to put in a lot of time and effort, you must be fully committed and you most importantly you must place God in the center.

You say wedding vows on your wedding day, do those vows mean the same thing to you today as they did on the day of your wedding?

In our daily marriage walk we have children, jobs, extra curricular activities and with all these things, plus many more, we tend to have lots of stress.  We are always on the GO in todays world.  For these and so many other reasons we tend to lose focus on our marriage. We forget how important our spouse and our relationship should be. We forget the way we are supposed to love. We lose the spark!

When these things happen it's time to Re-group, Re-focus, Re-connect, Re-spark and Re-charge our marriage.

This was our 4th year of placing our time, trust and money into a Marriage Enrichment Seminar at Winshape Marriage Retreat Center. Not only is it an amazingly beautiful place, the time we spend together there is unforgettable. We learn how to center our marriage around God.....How to love more strongly....How to communicate better....How to re-focus on each other....How to be better for each other.

I have to admit I love my husband more and more everyday, but this time we spend away with each other, does nothing but make my spark shine brighter for him!

I AM BLESSED!