Our Big News!

Our family is growing!!!!!

We are very excited to announce here that we are expecting baby #3!!!
This is something we have prayed for and wanted for quite some time and we could not be more thrilled! God is so good and His timing is always perfect! Our due date is July 20th!

Here is a first glimpse at our newest addition......

Baby Miculka ~ 9 1/2 weeks =)

This first trimester has been very difficult but i must say that i am so blessed with an amazing husband who has stepped up and been such a huge help! I don't know how i could do it without him!! Laundry, cooking, cleaning....you name it and he's doing it right now! {sorry ladies ~ he's all mine!!} So....that's what has been going on in our world for the last couple of months! I'm going to try my hardest to be better about blogging because i want to remember everything about this pregnancy and i sure miss all of my blog friends! (hopefully ya'll still remember me!)

Praying you all have a very merry, wonderful Christmas full of love and laughter and all that truly matters!

sister-friend & pretty piggies ~ the 7th

you know how there are girlfriends and then there are friends that are more like sisters that God blesses you with along your journey thru life?? the kind of girlfriend that always says the right thing. knows what your thinking without you saying a word. the kind that you can go weeks without talking to and then pick right back up like you just chatted hours earlier. the kind that you can truly share your heart with without any fear of judgement ~ the good, the bad, & the ugly. the friend that you know is praying for you without even having to ask. i could go on and on but i'm sure you get the idea!

i was blessed to spend this morning with one of those friends. we grabbed coffee at starbucks and then went and got pedicures. it was blissful! we are both in busy stages of life and don't get to see each other as often as we'd like, so it was a blessing to be able to catch up! and the pedicure was wonderful as always! i left her this morning with a refreshed perspective on struggles i'm facing, pretty piggies, and a smile in my heart ~ full of JOY!! i don't take for granted how blessed i am to have several of these sister-friends and all the joy they bring to my life!!

the 6th

the weather here in the florida panhandle has been slightly cooler the last week or so and it has been glorious. i mean...i never really thought that i would say temps in the low to mid 90's w/ only slight humidity would be glorious...but it has been! tonight, after dinner, we decided to enjoy that slightly better weather and went on a walk as a family! i've missed our walks this summer and it brings me so much joy that we were able to do that again! hopefully we will be able to enjoy our walks more and more over the next few weeks and months! here are a couple of pics i managed to get this evening!

{brayden was tired towards the end and asked for a piggy back ride!}

{LOVE them!}

oops...i'm behind!

so...i'm a few days behind on my joyful posts! this will be a quick bullet style catch up! but the thing is that even though i didn't post them, i chose my favorite thing that brought me joy each day. i love how having this joyful september blogging idea in the back of my mind each day really helps me to just constantly find joy. in everything! i think i want a joyful october, and november, and december...you get the idea!

joyful ~ the 4th

college football brought me joy on saturday! i love football ~ its a fun, energetic game to watch and it brings back so many great memories from my middle school & high school days!! you see...i grew up in a small texas town and well....my fall's revolved around football and i wouldn't change a thing about it! and what's even better?? seeing my 3 favorite guys lined up on the couch watching football together and knowing that my hubby's heart wanted to burst as he was living a dream! watching football w/ his sons (as in they are actually understanding the game and enjoying it!) ~ something he's looked forward to for so long!! all of that wraps up into one big package of joy!

joyful ~ the 5th

we hosted a big young married's get together at our home last night and it was a blast!! opening this home that God has blessed us with and hosting family, friends (new & old), church family....that brings me so much joy! a great time was had by all...there was tons of food, babies, a men vs. kids football game (i know...those big boys ought to be ashamed of themselves!!) ;), fellowship....just plain fun and packed with joy!

and today's joyful post will have to wait! its way too early to choose my favorite source of joy for the day!! =) and i'm hoping to blog about my trip to NYC w/ girlfriends back in march too!! i'm loving being back!! i pray you are all having a wonderful labor day holiday!

Joyful ~ the 3rd

My hot lover boy....oh i mean...my hubby was off work today and it was so much fun to spend the day together! We didn't do anything special ~ dropped the boys at school, went to the case lot sale at the commissary {which for my non-military readers means stood in line to score deals on various items in bulk!}, paid the rent {yes it was late..don't judge! ;)}, did yard work....you know...we did everyday life. but we did it together and doing any task with him by my side is just better. funner. somehow easier. its one of the best parts about marriage in my opinion ~ to have someone to just do life with who actually makes everyday more enJOYable! today my hubby and our nothing special but special to me day was a huge source of JOY!!

and ps...i'd love to hear from y'all! tell me one thing that brings you joy. it can be anything!

Joyful ~ the 2nd!

There are several things about this picture that bring me joy!

*my girlfriends bring me so much joy! i know i share alot here about how much the friendships god has blessed me with mean to me. these girls {along w/ a few who couldn't be there!} are a sure source of joy in my life!


*2 of these girls are pregnant w/ babies we have all been praying for....JOY! so much JOY in that!!


*right before taking this picture, we were all drinking coffee and chatting and those are two things that each bring me joy! combine the the two and its like a joyful jackpot! ;)

Joyful Sept. ~ Day 1

today i was overcome w/ joy during brayden's dinner blessing. the part that plastered a smile on my face went a little something like this....

"and ummm, pwease make it a wonderful food. amen."

geez i love that kid! and his big brother! i had to seriously try not to giggle uncontrollably and i sure hope he thought it was a wonderful food! =)

Joyful September

i'm back! the last 6 months have been full of trial and struggle for our family and my energy & focus needed to be elsewhere for a while! but you know what?! there has been so much growth, joy and love in the midst of all we have been facing and for that i am grateful! and i'm excited to be back to blogging!!

my friend ginger, who blogs over at the small moments, shared that she is going to spend the month of september being more intentional about focusing on the joyful things in her life. and each day she will share in some form or another one thing that brought her joy that day. and she invited anyone who so desired, to join in! i have learned more in the last 6 months than i could ever begin to share here but one of those things is that no matter what life throws your way, there is always joy to be found. there is always good mixed in with the bad and if i choose to focus on the joy, the good, than it makes all the difference in the world in my everyday! so i am joining in on joyful september with ginger! i hope you enjoy my joys this month!! =)

ps...i will also be back tracking a little to share some of the life that has happened while i've been away from blogging!

pps...y'all know i love my reality tv....is anyone watching big brother?!?! thoughts??

Girlfriends & Goodbyes

thursdays are my only weekday that i don't work out. {mostly, anyway} because on thursday mornings? i have a standing date w/my girlfriends. we all meet at a local coffee shop and spend a couple of hours chatting, sharing our hearts, encouraging, laughing, and just being real. real women, wives, mommies, sisters in christ! girlfriends are such a cherished blessing!



but goodbyes?? they aren't so fun. unfortunately, as a military wife they are all too common. one of the absolute hardest parts of this lifestyle. i am thankful that God continues to bless me with the ability to open up and let new friends in, knowing from the start that our time together will be short. it isn't always easy and at times everything in me wants to close and protect my heart, but then i would miss the beauty these friendships bring to my life!

Jen~ you have been such a blessing and i know that our friendship does not end here, even though our physical time together does. I will miss your smile, your laugh, your energy and the sparkle in your eye! The way you share your heart and are such an encouragement to me ~ always there to listen, to pray, to give the BEST hugs! You live big, you love big and i love you! Praying God's best for you as you guys continue on your adventure!! {let brandon know i'll miss not talking to him at the gym! ;)} you are already so missed....

helping hands

i have quite the little 4 yr old helper on my hands.

brayden loves to help me in the kitchen!

that stinkin' sweet little voice....

"momma, can i stir stir?"

"i wanna do it myself momma!"

"can i spread momma?" {he love pb&j!}

and my reply? {most of the time...}

"yes monkey! come help momma!"

and while it takes a little longer and may not be as pretty or perfect as i may like,

i know that all too soon i will miss those sweet little requests to help.

that sweet little voice that melts my heart every time!