Research paper and Childbirth class

Dear Faithful readers,

I reflect today on this weekend! What a wonderful weekend it was. Where to start?

It started with the completion of my Research paper... Teaching a Child with Autism... which is mind you 35 pages long and counting... no it is not complete yet. It could be fairly overwhelming to read, so don't feel pressured to succumb to it! This is my new passion, not that it is all that new; to be a strong advocate for Autism. BTW - this is a chapter to my practicum which I plan to work on this summer. If you know of anyone who currently endures Autism in their family will you give them my info. It is exactly this disorder that has encouraged me towards a doctorate. If you know me than you know my subsequent paper will be on preventing Autism. YES! I believe it is possible... To those of you considering vaccinations for your babies... please wait until their bodies are strong enough!

What a relief to know to know that much is complete! So on Saturday, Toby and I spend the WHOLE day in "Childbirth" class. Let me just say this... this time last week I went to bed and woke up in the middle of the night in sweat and crying. I had, had another nightmare of the "epidural." I remember sayin' to Toby, "PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" For some reason, it was my understanding that your birthing partner is not allowed to be there while you get the epidural to hold you. Well... I was so thankful for this class because it put so many fears to rest. I think I had not gained proper information on the epidural process. We all know fear of the unknown is the worst. I had overwhelmed myself with multiple verses of the bible where God reminds us not to worry... however, I still felt inundated with fear. My friends said things like, "Oh you can do it, its just a shot!" and things like this. THANK GOD for Childbirth class because I got the REAL facts. Yes, it's gunna hurt. Yes, I can have my husband there by my side. And Yes, it is safe. Just the thought of doing labor without the epidural is enough. I am so glad I can depend on the epidural if I need it!

Toby and I also got some great bonding time while in this class! We learned what each other needs for "birthing" to take place. It was actually kinda' romantic. I am so blessed to have the greatest man alive! I will never forget this moment in class when we were learning different techniques on how to relax, Toby and I were dancing, you know that type of dancing you did in high school at the dances. LOL. It was so special though. I think it is safe to say, I am going to have an AWESOME birthing partner to do this with. Toby said if I get the epidural and I am doing "okay" he's willing to catch our baby girl in his hands! Nothing brings me greater joy!

It's funny to me how 9 hours of just sitting is enough to ware a seven month preggo lady out! LOL. The minute we got home I hit the couch while Toby grilled up cheeseburgers. It wasn't five minutes after dinner (as Toby said) that I was passed out! I remember waking up at about eight and telling Toby I wanted to go to bed. CAN YOU BELEIVE THAT!? I didn't wake up until 10:00 am on Sunday.

And speaking of BEING WORN OUT... I tried to wake up this morning to do some house cleaning. I made it... I did clean the house, however, I killed over about half-way through because I just had hardly any energy to complete. I don't know where my energy has gone... Perhaps it's this gigantic belly that wieghs far too much to the front that makes me overcompensate. LOL.

Well I decided to keep it short and sweet today. Hopefully I will have enough energy to get on here throughout the week, as I have soooooo much more to share!

BTW - if any of you have tips on how to get my comment link to work, let me know! I am clueless! And I know some of you are interested in commenting!

Forgive my randomness!!!

The things I am thinking about...

...how blessed Toby and I are...
...can't believe how big I am getting...

...better yet, am so excited my baby girl is growing so healthily...
...will she have my color hair...
...or will she have my chubby cheeks...
...will she suffer through my curse of zits...
...will she dance...
...will she sing...
...the intricate imagination of God...
...ie, this baby girl is part me and part Toby... (HOW AMAZING!)
...how much love is she going to have...
...whose going to love her name...
...whose going to hate her name...
...what is it like to share blood with someone you love...
...if my boobs are getting so big, where is the milk...
...could they get any bigger...
...will I be lucky enough to avoid the dreaded stretch marks...
...will I cry as I get the epidural...
...i know I will cry when I hold her...
...i am so excited to meet her...


I am also thinking...
...how thankful I am for my mom...
...without her, I would not be who I am today...


...how thankful I am for Toby...
...without him I would not know the act of unconditional love...


...how thankful I am for friends...
...for whom without I would be boring...

...how thankful I am for forgiveness....
...for without it, I would be homeless in the streets of my heart...


...how thankful I am for each and everyone of my family members...
...for without each of them, I would not have a will to live...
(sorry if you are a member of my family and are not pictured- doesn't make you less important in my life, just means I couldn't find a pic of you)



Additionally I am thinking... (random stuff)

...how in the world did this "swine flu" become such a big deal...
...will my baby girl be safe from it...
...God tells me not to worry...
...But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
(Luke 21:14 NIV)...
...why can't I get motivated to write this darn practicum...
...do I really know how to write it anyways...
...whats the point in writing a class reflection paper
when they make you fill out a survey any way...
...is Rachel having as much fun getting to know Germany as I would be...
...does Amanda ever think of me...
...will Gracey be around long enough to enjoy the abundance of family Toby and I wish to have...
...what is Heaven like for doggies...
...how can anyone hurt a dog...
...will this wart on my finger ever go away...
...i have had it for 7 months...
...will Roger and Marvel really come back to share our home again (and bring the crib)...
...how come mom hasn't answered my messages today...
...how should I decorate the baby's room...
...will it ever be spring...
...will I get to camp before our baby comes...
...i love camping...
...should we get Gracey another pal to tag along with her...
...does anyone ever really read this blog anyways...
...will Ian ever get married...
...bet Ian never thought I'd never mention him in a blog...
...can I go to So You Think You Can Dance this year...
...will I get to be a great dancer in Heaven...
...will I ever get to me Celine Dion...
...will she ever know I am her biggest fan...
...are the students of FPU as successful as Toby and I have been...
...do you know what FPU is...
...if not see the second previous blog...
...what will i do with a masters degree...
...should i get my doctorate...
...could you see me as a child psychologist...
...hey, it could happen...
...anything can happen, if you believe...
...how long do I have to wait to see my brother again...
...speaking of brothers, will David ever learn how to survive in society...

I TOLD YOU THIS STUFF WAS RANDOM!!!
...how many other woman are pregnant...
...how many are due around the end of July...
...why is facebook so addicting...
...no I am not bored...
...i am just reflective...
...where will I go on my next vacation...
...how are my cousins that are pregnant with me doing...
...hope I never have to do CPR on my baby girl...
...are you bored, have you given up on my randomness...
...does Jac-lyn know how much I admire her...
...does she know how much she reflects the sister I've always wanted...
...how can Toby wake me up this morning and say it's snowing...
...now it is sunny and no snow is on the ground...
...another opportunity missed at the gym...
...should I do the WiiFit...
...do I look as silly as Toby does when he hula hoops...
...what should I make for dinner...
...is this getting inundating...
...i should stop...
...bet Rachel enjoyed this...
...miss you Rachy...

The joy of family! (Titone's Visit)

What a busy time it has been around here! Probably the most enjoyable of this busiest time; our family. Toby and I never forget to thank God for our wonderful blessings in family. We have been so blessed to experience so much love. This is the love that we hope to pass on to our most precious little girl.

Recently, Toby's parents joined us for some well needed time together. It was my first time meeting Toby's step mom, Marvel. There are truly not enough words to describe the joy this woman brought to my heart. We had some very intimate conversations that brought a lot of things into the light of my life. Marvel and I also share a very important passion, to change and greatly impact the lives of those we truly love. Not only did I find a loving mother in law in Marvel, but I found a life-long friend. I can't wait to get to know her more and share so many more stories.

On the less sappy side of this story, I encouraged Marvel to stay in touch through facebook. She instantly fell in love and we are able to stay close in touch. LOL. Toby and I had planned to have his parents out here as sort of a vacation (in between my rather inundating load of masters classes), however it turned into much more than that. We were so blessed at their welcomeness and loving spirit already being poured into our baby girl. And Toby especially had some very special moments with his daddy! Marvel and I just sat in awe, because it was so beautiful to see such a bond being built up.

We know they will be back soon! Not because they still have yet to give our baby girl the crib, (he he), but because they were so enamerated with our love and joy for life and were hopefully inspired.

Toby and I firmly believe that our job as God's children is to lift up our brothers and sisters, but specifically our family. We share a mix of all types! And I have to say, I would not be more honored than to be a part of this whole family (be it the Titones, the Dodsons, the Woods, the Melas, etc.) - I know Toby would agree. So if ever you think there is not someone out there wishing you and praying you the best, think again, because we are!

I share with you the very first video created just for our precious little girl. It can be long, but the good news is it is special. It is special because Marvel and Roger have already taken the steps to invest so much in our family. We will never forget how special this moment was! You will love this story and the prayer after the story. (By the way - reading to baby in utero has been proven to have an effect upon later reading the very same book outside of utero! Very interesting stuff...)

May I leave you with this thought... never forget the power of family... no matter how big or small... family has the power to change ones soul... it has the power to make ones life worth living and fighting for... but it also has to power to do the very opposite...God has given us such blessing within family, don't forget to remember Him in your family...even if they don't know the Lord... they will see the Lord in you...family is thicker than water... (we all know that)... but think about it...your family will always be there for you... they will pick you up no matter how many times you've abandoned them... they will encourage and discourage you... but they will always love you... because God has destined your family to always be there for each other... thank your family, encourage them, love them, and remember them in all you do!


"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1Cr 13:13, NIV)

When you believe...

If you took the time to watch this video (click the title) and listen to the words, truly listen, you will feel what I feel today. Life has always been a sequence of challenges and then "pick me ups." I could write a book on the many miracles I have been blessed to experience in my 26 years of life thus far. However, there is not enough time today to tell you of all of them. But one in particular has touched me beyond belief and I felt that it was only right to share it with you today.

Around the second week of November, Toby and I learned that I was pregnant. As you can imagine, all types of emotions began to pour out. I was unsure of what kind of mother I would be and I was unsure if we were going to really be able to give our baby what he/she deserves etc. So in those times of thinking, I began to realize that Toby and I were not prepared financially for a family. We were selfishly spending money on ourselves and unaware of the situation we had gotten ourselves into. I was only working part time to bring in a little income for extra things, however it was not enough to pay any significant bills.

It has been a long time dream of mine to be a mother, but now I was forced to see that my selfish actions were not a place to bring this blessing into. I began to lose hope. I knew early December I had to consciously make a decision for our little baby growing inside me. I wrote a dear friend of mine who was my mentor when I first came to know the Lord. She is full of wisdom and unconditional love. I knew she would have something to say. As Carol has always done, she encouraged me first by reminding of all the blessings that I have or had and that they were gifts to honor the challenges/trials I had overcome. Then she began to tell me that if I was "that" concerned about our finances than I should attend with Toby this workshop that was going to be offered in January. The workshop was called "Financial Peace University (FPU)." You might recognize the name and know that Dave Ramsey is the creator of this marvelous and life-giving idea.

As you might imagine, I was a little weary because I hate church events in which they try to tell you how you SHOULD be living your life. But MY FATHER is much greater than that... so I began to pray with great intent. I knew that if I decided to attend this it was going to be a commitment unlike one I had ever made. Well, guess what, I decided it was the only thing that was going to bring me hope for our situation, so we joined. Our initial investment was only 100$ (for materials), but our product was over 20,000$ (and still growing!).

Now some of you are curious to know how such a difference of a class could make such a difference in Toby and I's life. But we had no choice but to believe it would. To put it in simplest terms, it was truly a miracle for us; this FPU class. I believe for you to understand this miracle that took place you'd have to understand our circumstance.

Toby and I had a B-E-A-UTiful wedding in August of 08. And even better an unforgettable, once in a life time, honeymoon. Unfortunetly, we put most of our expenses on credit; which was well over 30,000$. Not only did we together bring this burden into the marriage, but myself brought a 16,000$ car loan and 80,000$ worth of student loan debt. Yah, many will tell you this type of selfishness is doomed to ruin a marriage. But let me put them in their place, because I tell you, this type of selfishness actually made (is making) Toby and I much stronger. With the initial responses to finding out I was pregnant, I knew I could no longer do what I was doing (job), so I quit. This added another burden for Toby and I. We were going to have to try to make it on just Toby's income. It's possible, right, well when you have the kind of debt we have, it's not. At least not when you want the best for your baby. And that is why FPU was our miracle.


FPU follows a simple "seven baby steps." Are you ready to hear how simple they are?

1. Step one : Save 1,000$ for an emergency fund
2. Step two : Pay off all debt except the house using the "debt snowball" (smaller debts first)
3. Step three : Save 3-6 months of expenses
4. Step four : Invest 15% of your household income into Roth IRA's and pre-tax retirement plans.
5. Step five : Save for college (your kids)
6. Step six : Pay off your home early
7. Step seven : GIVE and build wealth!

Today, Toby and I are barely to step two, but the information we gained in this class was priceless. It was life giving and such a relief to know that "peace" was easily attained. And here is the miracle (or at least one), the miracle is the will and strength that God gave us to follow these steps with true intent. And the other miracle, not only were Toby and I able to save OVER 1,000$ for our emergency fund, but we were also able to pay off my car, all 16,000$ worth. We were blessed with a financial gift in order to make this happen. We put that gift with our tax return etc, and we our now without car payments! Oh! You have no idea what a relief this has been to us and our marriage. Plus there is nothing like having enough faith in God and believing HE is going to answer the desires of your heart. We believe we should have our credit debt paid off within the latest two years. It is at that point we will be able to start paying off my student loans.

With great trust in the Lord and hope, we will continue to feel blessed by our change of life. And if you're thinking we'll never be able to enjoy our vacations as we have in the past, you are wrong. FPU also teaches you the tools you need to save for these type of things (vacations, Christmas, entertainment etc.). We have learned so much. We have learned about finances in every way (from saving for emergencies to saving for retirement and nursing homes, etc)! We have learned about faith! We have learned that God truly will always answer the desires of your heart if they are to be blessed.

It is now that I look and reflect on this miracle in hopes to encourage other miracles in our loved ones hearts. FPU is truly what this country and world needs. Everyone should consider such a blessing. It will change the future of our generation and the next. That's a bold statement, right, well, I believe so conciously in this program that I will stand by that comment until the day I die.

May you experience this type of miracle for yourselves. And may you always know that we would love to share with you what we have learned.

"Miracles can happen, when you believe..."

Love Passionately,
Autumn-Rose