August 2017 Life Update

It is official, we are moving! As many of you know, we have had a few issues with our current rental property, and have been seeking living arrangements elsewhere. Yesterday, we found a new place that is less than our current rental and we will be signing a new lease today! Thank you for all of your prayers and support as we know that without the godly encouragement of our friends and family, the success of finding a new place while growing and learning in our financial stewardship would not be possible. We are not moving far, so keep an eye out for an invitation to help us on moving day ;)

PJ started his leadership courses this month and is very encouraged by the direction of the program. He will take a class each month and have the opportunity to implement what he learns in his store. He also found out that he may have the chance to move to a higher volume store and grow as a manager in new capacities! He is very excited for this possibility and we would appreciate your continued prayers as he prepares for the move. He really loves his team and would be sad to leave them.

We love extra snack times on Disney Days! 

AJ and E are growing quick, as you would expect. They are both teething and seem to be going through growth spurts at the same time. AJ is struggling with patience (as many almost 2 year olds are) and trying to communicate hunger verses pain have also been a challenge. You would hardly be able to tell that anything was wrong with E, she does not seem to share any grumpy tendencies until she is tired. Even if we display unhappiness, she glows with joy.

Jessy has been having a difficult time balancing everything (weight loss, home management, training the girls, and her general spiritual health) lately. She joined a gym in June and may have jumped the gun, since we are moving and have a lot of expenses hitting at once. We are grateful to be in the middle of Financial Peace University with a starter emergency fund (baby step 1), as well as having paused baby step 2 in order to prepare for the move. However, we have decided to cancel the membership for now so Jessy can refocus on her priorities with the girls and embracing her time at home with them.

That is all for now. Thank you again for doing life with us!

<3 The Molina Fam

Life's Encouragements

About a month ago, PJ told me that his district manager wanted him to recreate a panel discussion regarding his store's success at the national conference in Boston for Area Managers for the company. I really wish that my response was, "Oh my goodness, honey, that is amazing! I am so proud of you and the work you have accomplished at your store this last year!" To my shame, however, I responded with, "Well, how long will you be gone?" in a tone of contempt for his accomplishments. I felt the excitement drain from his demeanor and I knew there was no way I could take that moment back.

I was being completely and unreasonably selfish.

I wanted him to say he would bring ME with him. I wanted him to acknowledge how difficult his absence would be for ME. I wanted to feel as needed as I feel I need him.

It is not easy being a full time mommy and housewife. But I think that being a true helpmate and encouraging wife are even harder. As much as I give myself to my precious little girls each day, I have to give my full support and encouragement to my husband each day. That is a lot of work and takes a lot of investment. I want my husband to be successful and I desire him to do well. If I am aligning my life with his, which is what I am called to do, then I need to be more uplifting in my attitude.

Gee, this wife thing is tough, but I am so glad to have this opportunity to love and minister to my husband in this way.

Please pray for PJ as he heads off to Boston tomorrow. There is an ice storm warning in effect this weekend on the east coast and I pray his flight is not delayed or cancelled coming home. He will be flying out tomorrow morning, his meeting will be all day Thursday, and - Lord willing - he will be returning on Friday afternoon.

-Jessy

This is a Tough One

I am 39 weeks pregnant.

It is hot, well, today it is still overcast at 10:40am, so I am grateful for that.
EE is heavy and resting quite low, I can feel her in my lower hips, and she doesn't have much room to move around.

I am extremely hormonal, emotionally labile, needy, and irritable. Everything makes me want to cry, and I am ready to meet this little one. I hate feeling this way and I hate asking for help everyday because I'm having trouble keeping up with my developing walker.

I am prayerful that the midwife will send me straight over to Labor & Delivery on Thursday morning, in the mean time, I am doing everything I can that is safe here at home to encourage my body to go into labor naturally.

I write this with tears because I know the Lord has blessed me and given me so much grace through this pregnancy. I have been able to keep exercising, I have been eating better than when I was pregnant with AJ, and I have been able to spend more time managing our home and reading godly insight instead of giving into many lazy temptations.

I am grateful to be home with AJ to teach and train her. I am so proud of how well she is doing with her schedule and of her independent spirit. She is 11 months old now and she enjoys playing in her room for large chunks of time; has moved up to the toddler room at church early, as it has aided her separation anxiety; she sleeps 10-12 hours at night, waking up at 6:15 each morning; she loves food and will try most new things with a pleasant response, but is not shy about letting us know her preferences; she drinks her milk and water from a straw cup like the big girl she is; and we are so blessed beyond measure that she is our daughter. We cannot wait to see her love on her little sister.

Please pray for us as we continue to await the arrival of our little girl. That we would be prepared and grateful for this time we have. That I would not be anxious or push myself beyond measure for my preferences and desires when we bring her home. For a safe delivery and short hospital stay. For my parents as they take time from work to take care of AJ while we are in the hospital. That AJ would not be overwhelmed, and the transition will not be too difficult for her. Also, for PJ, that he is able to prepare his store well before he goes on leave starting this Thursday.

Thank you, friends and family, for your prayers and support. We would not be able to do this without knowing we had such an incredible community around us!

I Have a 4 Month Old!

It is so overwhelming to say that I have a 4-month old daughter. She is beautiful, smart, active and determined. I know already that she is going to be a mobile baby that will not let me hold her if she can help it. We have a very energetic little one and I love watching her grow.

Her favorite things to do are:

-flip from back to belly

-play in her safari bouncer

-eat the raddle on her Bumbo play set

-swing the monkey on her baby gym mat

Our AJ is so precious and independent (at 4mos, that's a nice way to describe how stubborn she is). 😜 She loves to look around, has to know what is going on around her, and adores the attention she receives on a daily basis from mommy and daddy... Of course there's Grandpa & Nonna, Lolo & Lola, GPop and Gg... Yeah, first grand baby and great grand baby 😳 It's a good thing this girl has a cousin on the way this summer!!! 

We have our days, sometimes mommy has her tough moments where she wonders if there is any more patience left in her, and the Lord provides. Prayer is my greatest resource in this new season ('new season' is a relative term, since having a little one means every season is new). 

I cannot neglect to give my hubby so much love and appreciation right now. AJ is such a daddy's girl, and I pretend to be jealous, but I love watching them adore one another, it is one of the most precious parts of my day. The first thing he does when he comes through that door is kiss me, change and take over for daddy time! I love having a few minutes to relax before starting dinner. After he gives her the last feeding and she's done playing for the night, we relax ofcn the couch together and catch up on budgets and shows. 

I am so blessed and I love our life! I do have to say I'm nervous to have another baby, since AJ is the best sleeper ever! Yeah, dropped our late night feeding last week and we're up to 9 hours of sleep at night 😃🙌

Almost 10 Months

PJ and I have been married for almost 10 months now, and our little one is due in just a day! How incredible the blessings of the Lord and His faithfulness? 

PJ's work is going so well! He is ahead with the schedules for his store, preparing his staff for his vacation/family leave, and he has just been so much more encouraged lately. It has been so nice that he's been able to come home on time most every night and seeing him in a better mood. There are still difficult customers and slow floaters, but the store is in a good place. 

These past 2 weeks have been the longest out of the last 9 months! AJ is due tomorrow, mom has been encouraging me that she thought she would be early, and now I'm just exhausted and uncomfortable. We also found out that our neighbors are expecting, too! She is due around Christmas. In my looney state of mind, I had a dream that she had her baby before me and he was perfectly healthy. 

I felt like Rachel from FRIENDS when she has Emma and she is in labor for hours upon hours and mother after mother keep coming into triage and leaving for delivery, "I've been here longer!" 

Please be praying for a safe delivery, hopefully one without being induced next week, but if that does happen, pray that AJ still comes safely. Thank you all for your love and encouragement and prayers. 

:)

AJ

I wanted to wait. 

If I did not get to wait to find out

I wanted to wait to post 

We all know that I cannot keep my mouth shut

That I am bound to let anyone who asks

know the gender and name of our first child

Originally, I did not even want to know myself

I wanted to learn there in the delivery room

With my husband standing by my side 

Holding my hand 

Tearing up as our little was placed in my arms

I am glad that we did not wait

That I get to plan ahead

That we have the chance to use their name 

when we feel them moving inside my belly

I hoped, though, that we could put this off

Posting everything online

Having everyone know

Insisting that they knew themselves

I guess this is the way it's going to be

My family are too excited 

They can't keep from posting 

and tagging 

and bragging

I love them

But you see why I have such a big mouth! 

This fall, PJ and I are expecting a little girl. 

We are so excited and cannot wait to meet her. 

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. 

Thank you for the ways you want to love on us 

and our growing family. 

As a precaution, I am not going to post her full name anywhere, but I am calling her AJ. I still cannot wait to share pictures with you all!