Life....

The past couple of weeks have have been so rough on me. I don't think I have felt this kind of heaviness in such a long time. I think it happens for a lot of reasons. Life is the biggest component. I get so busy doing life trying to keep on with the Jones' and I forget my family is Alderete and that is all that matters. I have been so overwhelmed lately. A lot of big things are happening in the Alderete family. We are planning to move back to the Dallas area for my husbands job. We are then going to have to look for a house to live in for the 5 of us. Yep you read that right we are adding a third little one to our clan. We are having a BOY. So we are moving , finding a new school and having a new baby. All that in conjunction of just trying to live life being a good parent and wife, employee , friend, human being to the world. Life gets hard. I hit my bottom last night feeling like I couldn't do anything else for myself or my family. I am so grateful to have a God loving husband though that prays and listens to God. Having him pray for me last night was the best thing that happened in such a long time. It was something I did not feel I deserved from him. I had treated him so badly these past weeks that I thought the last thing he wanted to do was hold me and pray over me and repeatedly say "Desi I love you" It was like having the arms of the Father around me telling me the same. I get tears just typing that. The arms of the the Father are so precious and I am not sure why so many people run from them when they are in need or trouble or distraught. The arms of the father are what have kept me from doing things that have crossed my mind because of the ugly devil putting dumb thoughts in my head. I have never felt depressed or felt like I Was ever depressed but I had such a heaviness of depression over me these past 2 weeks that caused me to be angry and hurtful to my family. It hurt so bad knowing I was hurting myself but also hurting the people I loved the most. Sure I Was good at going through the motions at church raising my hands but those hands were hands of desperation of Jesus come help me before I can't be helped anymore. But God........ He knew exactly what I needed, when I needed it. Such a sweet Father knowing me to my core. I wouldn't be here today without Him. Life happens. Good and bad things happen. How we react to them is a reflection of our relationship with our Father. There is a song by Casting Crowns called Held and there is a line in it that always blows my mind. It says " When your eyes are on the storm you wonder if I love you still, When your eyes are on the cross you know I always have and I always will."  Amen! Thank you Jesus. Dear reader know whatever you are going through big or small that God's got you. You aren't alone in this thing called life even if you feel like it. He's always near. Rest in His presence.


Love you,
Desi XO

The Mom Life.... got the best of me

You see those shirts for sale that say "I didn't choose the thug life the thug life chose me" Or "mom life the best life" and you get the picture. The mom life. It's different for everyone because well kids are all different. Even our own kids differ from each other and creates a unique enviroment for everyone. Society has pushed so many pictures and DIYs and outings that moms should do that it just creates more stress for us moms. For instance, this year my girls are older now they can choose what they want, more or less. In the past years for holidays at daycare I have always done homemade gifts for every student and every teacher. This year we went the night before and grabbed cards and a gift for just their specific teacher. The next day I felt bad. I felt like I had failed because society pushes on us to do cute juices that say " You're my main squeeze" and getting cuties saying " you are such a cutie". I couldn't even get the right size of plates for my daughters party. IT is what it is though. I let the pressures of this world bog me down where I began to doubt my ability to be a mom and a wife. And the reality of it all Mom Life got me. The good news is God is bigger. He knew what he was doing when he made me a momma at 21. The age that many feel that life begins and they can be free I was delivering a baby kissing my singlehood of just my husband and I goodbye. But that has been the best kiss ever. Being a momma of 2 beautiful girls and 1 naval orange my life means so  much. Sure I wipe bottoms, makes lunches, cook dinners, do laundry most of my time these beings depend on me. That is what makes Mom Life worth it. The beings we have to take care of. So this post might not mean anything to anyone but it was a nice reminder that i am not doing any of this for me. I am doing this for those that depend on me. That make it worth it. And the Once that created those that are worth it is the One that is going to give me strength from day to day to make it. Even if we have to fake it til we make it, we will get through this!


much love
desi

Hi Old Friend

Well I believe it has been a couple years since I last posted on my blog. I always mean to get on but I forget to .... you know life happens. So in the past couple years we have a 6 year old who started Kindergarten! She's totally crushing it too! And we have an almost 3 year old who is a FIRECRACKER but so fun and loving at the same time. I am still working the education world and the hubs is working as a tech for a local cable company. Life is sailing right now. We all know there are always waves though and you can't get too comfortable sailing. With that said we have some changes coming this year. We are not ready to announce because right now we are making sure we are listening to what Jesus is telling us to do. There is a lot of fear in the unknown but I have learned in the past that that really there is no point in freaking out about it because if it is meant to be Jesus makes everything fall into place. So I guess this was a quick reminder just for me ... God is always in control just trust Him.

My God is Able

Well my post about a month ago was about my huband losing his job. I thought I would write to update you where we were in this journey. In the span of a month we have felt the prayers of many towards our family. I would be lying to you if I said that  I didn't get discouraged throughout this time. There was about 3 strong weeks that I had until the enemy caught me in my weakness and I began to feel real discouraged about the whole situation and wondering where God was in the situation. I didn't want to be "mad" at God but I was a little. We were finally coming to a point where we had money saved and had money in our checking and we were going to be ok then it's just ripped from under us. I was mad. I loved Jesus more to let that get in my way though and I had to just let it out and I felt like Jesus said, " ok now that you got that out of the way do you feel better?" and I did. I felt like I told Him how I felt and now he was going to tell me what he was going to do. And his plan was to take care of me. Simple as that. no fancy things, no lottery winnings , nothing just, " Let me take care of you." and thats exactly what he has done.

The old me ( I say old me because I feel like I have changed and I have made it a point to change this new year and increasing my faith for things and in Jesus) would totally have been freaking out this whole time and not just the past week. This situation has also helped me be more open with people. Before I would have kept this to myself and pretended everything was ok. Recently I had confided in a few people and I have been able to count on others to encourage me.

To end this I would like to let you know that Jeremy did find a job and is so excited! Jesus worked out every detail and opened doors that were once shut and it has worked out because it was His timing NOT ours. Jesus has surely been our provider through the darkness and on the mountian and we are our grateful.

much love,

 

desi 

I'll Trust You Lord

      So are times in your life when you feel like you're on the top of the mountain. Then there are times that you feel so dark in the valley and nothing seems to feel like it will get better. But can you be on the mountain and still feel like you're in the valley? Sure its about perspective. I think that when you're on the monutain you get a better sense of how close God really is to your situation. You see the bigger picture and realize the the valley isn't really a valley at all but a state of mind.

     The new year started and in my last post I wrote about how much God was telling me to "believe Him" not just "in him." Believe his promises are "yes and amen" not " Ok God we will see how you pull this one off". I wanted to believe that second one today. I wanted to start to worry today about our family situation. We felt like the stool was knocked out from under us and we were holding on to a thread hoping we wouldn't fall and the stool would just stand up again. It's not happening though. And it was easy for me to just start saying "I can't believe this happened"and start complaing with friends. But then I felt God say don't you trust me? Being a believer it's easy to say " yes Lord  I trust you." but its easier said then done. No one really reads so I am going to just write it out theat way I can really write the way I want to. Jeremy lost his dream job today. There was a policy he was unaware of and because of that policy he cannot work ther anymore. He did nothing wrong but because of the strict policy they had to let him go. When I heard my mind starts racing towards our finances and we arent always smart with them. We definitely could not make it on my check alone so hearing the news my heart starts to grow anxious. but then I start to think, " don't you trust Jesus?Havent you always said desi that its ok if were not on the mountain because God is still God and even though in the valley you can feel like your on the mountain?"

      That's when it hit me. I didnt really trust Jesus like I said I did. It stung when I came to that realization. Immediately I started looking for jobs for Jeremy and nothing seemed right. and talking to someone they said just because he's losing this job doesn't mean that there isnt something bigger for him. Yes this was his dream job but that just it. That was his maybe not God's dream job for him. And we have to just trust that there is somethin bigger for him and it's coming and until then I am just going to continue to speak God's praises on my lips and speak of his greatness. No matter the circumstance and the Lord's joy will always be my strength. because it takes WAY more energy to mope and be sadeven though its easier but I know who my God is and I know that he is always on my side. Until then I am believing him for my family. I ask that yall do the same. Whoever reads this.

much love,

 

desi

Hello 2014!

      Ahhh yes it is FINALLY 2014! Funny story, when I was a kid probably7-9 years old I would go to the restroom at Walmart ( when things were safe and there weren't too many weird people going around) and I would count up to see what year I would how old. I never thought I would end up being 26 this upcoming May in 2016. I thought Jesus would come by 2000. Of course He has other plans. Anyhow like I said I am about 26, Jeremy and I will celebrate 6 years of marriage, we have 2 beautiful daughters who will have 2 milestone birthdays, 1 and 5, and Jeremy starts a new job in a career that is a dream to him. With 2014 beginning and as I reflected on 2013 and what I wanted to try different in 2014 ( not really resolutions because I cn never keep them) I felt like I heard God tell me a few things he wanted to to do in me.

     Yesterday I was talking with a friend (well texting because we both were putting our kiddos to bed) and we were both talking about the particular seasons we were going through or coming out of. I told her I felt like I was finally coming out of my wilderness season. A season where I felt so alone and like nothing was going for me. I mean I tried notto take my job, house, or family for granted but I felt like I was stuck. Nothing was really making me happy. I constantly complained about things and never satisfied. When we moved back to Bryan from Dallas we thought we would have the same friends with their arms wide open for us and we come back to friends that have moved on or away and no longer had the "time" they had for us when we came to visit. This past year we have gone throught he transition of trying to find a church where we could grow in our walk with Jesus as a family, couple, and individuals. I was not reading my Bible or praying at all. Side Note: I heard Francis Chan speak on this and he said peole say " I'm not where I want to be  reading my Bible and praying, and his response was " no stop, you're just lazy." I was not where I wanted to be because I wasn't putting the effort. That was like salt on a wound for me. My Bible is always there and I can always pray but I found other things to occupy that time like, the kids, the tv, my phone and never took time for those 2 very important things for my life. I went for a walk one afternoon while the girls were occupied and Jeremy was able to watch them, and I just prayed. I prayed because I felt alone. I felt like the things closest to me were being removed from my life and it was hurting. I was hurt and alone and no one could comfort me except the Great Comforter. So I prayed and cried and said "Lord what do you want from me?" "Why I am I feeling this way, if i am always telling our oldest You are always there for us?"

     That's when I felt him say, "how's your faith with me?".  I said Lord I believe you take care of us and I know you are always there for us. and I felt him say, " but do you really believe it? Do you believe me?" WHOA talk about a slap in the face. I then read a part of Beth Moore's book Believing God, and she said the same thing! So I felt like it was confirmation. God wants to increase my faith this 2014. I can't say we have been on the mountain top much these days and alot of our time we spend it in the valley and I usually get real sad, depressed because of our circumstances but this 2014 I have decided to increase my faith. I want to really believe Jesus when he says he has blessings for me. When he says he will protect, provide, and be our ever present help in time of need, I want and will believe that for my life and the lives of my family.
 
     THe other night I was telling Jeremy, "I really feel like God is romancing me." I felt this way when I was at Bible School in Dallas. But there it was because I was in a bubble where we sang about his love, prayed about his love, experienced his love and learned about his love24/7. It was a bubble. Now that I am out of the bubble and I am expereriencing it on my own in such a vulnerable time in my life it feels so sweet to be pursued by my one and only and to want to pursue him back. I tuned in to the OneThing conference in December and Francis Chan ended his sermon with a statement that wrecked a lot of people, because they rushed the stage falling to their knees, and he said, " Strengthen what remains and is about to die." Can you say MIND BLOWN! That was me to a T. My spirtual life was to a point of dying and his challenge was to strengthen it before it died! WOW

    Thank you Jesus for that huge realization and helping me understand that he is WAY bigger then I ever imagined. He has been showing me in little ways (that are huge to me) how he remains faithful to always to provide for my family. Even the requests that go unspoken and that are in my heart he has fulfilled. Writing that made me tear up a little bit. He knows my hearts desires. My lover and friend.

     Well that's really wanted to share. Not to boast in anything but God's goodness towards me. If anything this is being written so I don't ever forget his faithfulness and goodness to me.

Much love,

 

desi

Lord Teach Me

I always thought I was a pretty humble person, meek and all. I guess when that's when you have to check yourself because you're probably none of that. My heart has always longed for my generation and the one behind me. I has always wanted to be able to get troubled teens off the street, help them get on their feet. When I met Jeremy and we started dating we would talk about what we felt we were suppose to do in the ministry. And lucky us we had the same vision. We wanted to have a place teens could come and hang out and be in a safe atmosphere We wanted to call it "Impact Now". Jeremy was already attending a ministry called SOS : Save Our Streets Ministries. They take the word to the streets and people' from all walks of life come together from Doctors, teachers, businessmen, former drug dealers, and ones still searching for the one we already call upon Jesus. When we moved back from Dallas, after attending Christ for the Nations, we started attending SOS. I began working at a charter school that was located in the SOS building. I began to see first hand the community that surrounded our school in a different light. I saw that they weren't just people wanting handouts but people wanting to know how to get back on their feet, how to function in society, and how to call on the one that we already did, Jesus. Oh the name of Jesus , as much as I wanted to rant off on this post I was lead to write about how people are seeking the one we already call upon and how despite the feelings I have about things no matter what I do people are still searching for Jesus and I can help somewhere even if its not exactly what I wanted to do. Jesus has a way of putting us in the right place at the right time and all He asks is that we become available to him. Sometimes we don't want to do what he asks and if we don't do it he will find someone who will and we lose that opportunity to be used by him. I don't ever want to miss an opportunity to be used by Him. I am not perfect, by all means I am SO FAR from it. I still have issues that I need to work out daily and Im learning daily that my mouth can hurt so many if I am not careful. I am learning that I need Jesus so much more then I thought and I want my daughters to see Him in me and want more of Him because of me. I don't Yesterday I wasn't feeling well and I asked my oldest daughter to pray for me. What she did next blew me out of the water, she said " Mommy give me your hand and close your eyes. She prayed Dear Lord thank you for healing my mommy. thank you that her tummy wont hurt anymore and she will feel better so we can go to SOS. Thank you that she wont be afraid anymore and if she pukes she can use my blankie. I love you Jesus, your name AMEN." Talk about feeling better instantly. To have a faith of a child and to believe that because we are praying to Jesus about it He already did what we asked for it is fulfilled is AWESOME!

Speechless

Two posts in one day, a little much one would say but I felt that this needed to be separate from the "family update."

     In February SOS, a local ministry that Jeremy and I volunteer at, is having it's annual Girls Retreat. They take their teenage girls to Still Creek Ranch and love on them and show them how much they are loved by their Creator. This year will be my second year going with them. The only difference is that this year I am going to be 6 months pregnant....... so wish me luck.

     After last year's retreat I haven't stopped talking that 2013's retreat needed to be different for these girls or we were going to lose them. A little background information on me: i love youth ministry. They may get on my nerves, make me cry, laugh, and want to pull their hair out but I LOVE THEM. My heart has always wanted to see a generation want Jesus whole-heartedly with no reservations. I believe that there are tons of youth ministers with the same vision but do they really believe it? DO they really want that, or in the back of their minds do they think," we can try but, we all know these teens are in too deep." That's what the enemy wants us to think. I think a lot of parents push their kids in to church in hopes of "saving " them but in reality that just makes their hearts harder towards Jesus , and it won't be until THEY decide they need to change that they will. How do we get them there? Prayer, love, and a LOT of patience.

     As I have been thinking about how this year's retreat could be different I have come up with a broad but such a profound subject these girls need to learn. They know that they are "God's Princesses." We all know that but do we all understand what that really means? Do we understand that with this title comes some stipulations but no requirements that would defile us as women or embarrass us to our core being? I believe these girls have been told by the world you can be a princess, but you need to please me when I want, you need to be a size 2, wear the less clothes the better, no one really cares about you they just want your body. and Love? What is that? only something that the world makes you think you get when YOU lower your standards. These girls have heard princess stories all their lives, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Little Mermaid ( my personal fave), and Cinderella. They see a relationship of a man a woman that is pure with obstacles but in the end they live happily ever after. That's what they grow up wanting , until the boy in 7th grade runs up and grabs her butt. Then Everything is shattered. Her dreams of being valued as a human being slowly start to slip away. Now she sees herself as just an object.

      There is a story in Ezekiel that depicts Jerusalem as a woman in the story.  It starts with a baby in a ditch with blood and the cord still attached to her. A man finds her and takes her in.He clothes her and cleans her up. He adorns her with jewels and shows her love. She becomes of age to be married and she and the man marry. They make a convenant to a each other, a promise to one another to love each other. ( What a love story huh) As tijme goes by she begins to slip away. she builds brothels for herself and pays lovers to come see her. She has the biggest most lavish brothels and as the Message Bible puts it makes it a place for her whoring. Her husband finds her and shows her everything shes done. How she's broken the covenant between them and given herself away after everything he has done for her. The best part is the end. He meets with her and says ( my paraphrased version of course) " I have made a covenant with you and you broke it. I promised to love you and you threw it away. I come before you now to say I want to make a new covenant with you. It will be a covenant where you will remember your past, you wont forget what happened. but with the new covenant , after I make atonement for you, ( after he fixes her problem cleans up her mess which is AMAZING by the way) you will speechless." The End

     Can you imagine that for jus a second? Imagine every wrong you have ever done and how you have hurt God by your words and actions and how at times maybe you have turned away from him because you didn't feel him "near", imagine him cleaning up YOUR mess and saying hey, I am going to take it  upon  me to fix this for you and leave you speechless on what a change it will be. Which is EXACTLY what happens when we decide to live for him. He takes our world and turns it around and the change leaves in awe of what our Creator can do for us. I a couple that we met while at CFNI who you would never guess that they were at the bar everynight and weekend they got. They would leave their kids with family just to be able to drink and smoke. They couldn't give a rip about their kids. When we met them of course God had already taken over and this couple LOVED..... no no no ADORED is a better word, they adored their kids and if they would never have told me about their past..... I would have always thought they loved Jesus and lived for him all their lives. SPEECHLESS. It left me speechless. They remembered their past but saw what God did for them and their lives left speechless. HOW AWESOME!

     That's what I want to do this retreat. I want the girls to understand were all going to have a past. Were going to have bad parts in our lives we want to forget and never relive, but once we let God atone it for us, or take care of it for us, our lives will forever be changed and be left speechless.

     Maybe I needed to hear it more than the girls do but it's something on my heart that I couldn't hold in anymore This world has left woman old and young to think they have to be something that theyarent and all our Creator wants us to be is loved and cherished for who we are. No matter how hard it takes us to believe it ourselves. Were worth it.

much love,

 

desi

Oh What a Year it Will Be!

     Welcome to 2013! I know it's a little late...... but life sometimes gets a little busy and blogging doesn't become that priority in my life that I wanted to make it. Hopefully this year with everything that is going on I will blog more so I can remember events through the beautiful chaos.

     What is the beautiful chaos happening this year you might ask? Well, in September 2012 we found out we were going to have another addition to our beautiful family. It was something we had been praying and waiting for. It took a lot of self control , and friends reassurance to trust that God would do it in His timing and when He saw we were ready. Bam! It happened just like that too. Since we got pregnant in September, we are due at the end of May. Which is perfect because we are both in the education field and get the summers off so we both get to enjoy this new bundle of joy along with her big sister, Ava. This is a big deal for us because we always have prayed that if we had a baby it would be at a time where we both could work together and see the baby more instead of switching off baby duties while the other goes to work.

     We found out in January that we are having another little girl! We can't decide on a name yet. We just want something that is timeless yet a little different. Who knew it would be so hard :) We have a few ideas but still nothing is set in stone I am sure when it is everyone will know.

     As for Ava, oh my word, she is the coolest kid right now! She says the funniest things and the wittiest. She has a heart of gold when she is content, but when she's having a rough day its more like a heart of white gold :) No really she has grown to be such a cool kid. she has a loving heart and awesome attitutde and she just wants to be a kid. She doesn't want to be grown or act like the big kids she just wants to be Ava. Thats the best thing I could have asked for. She loves being in church and being around people who love Jesus. I didn't think she could tell the difference but she knows when a person loves Jesus and when they don't. I seriously am overwhelmed at what the Lord has done in this little girls heart. I can't wait to see the plans he has for her either. I'm being a sappy mom but seriously.

     Family updates:
     We have 2 weddings , 4 babies, and a graduation happening this year ALONE! Crazy right! In August we have 2 weddings, one that Jeremy and I are standing in with the Bible. We feel so honored to be asked to give this to the newly wed couple as they start their journey as a married couple wanting to know the ways of the Lord. The second wedding Ava will be a co-flower girl. She's pretty stoked about the position and I think she's at the right age now she can finally shine as one of those sweet girls walking down the aisle. The summer is full of babies for our family. I am due in May my cousin is due in April and another cousin is due in July. My sister in law , whom PRAISE the LORD is pregnant is due in June. Just a little backgroud information, my SIL was told she could never have a baby on her own ever again due to a condition she had. She would only be able to concieve through invitro. Well look here DOCTOR, we have a DOCTOR of DOCTORS and she and my brother conceieved with OUT invitro and are expecting the bundle of joy in JUNE! BAM! We are so excited for them. She thinks she steals my thunder because she got pregnant with my neice when I had Ava as well but I wouldn't want it any other way. Who cares, I LOVE being pregnant with other ladies. It helps me know I am not alone :)

      That's it for now I just wanted to document some things before I forgot. Life is good and God is always good! What a great combination.

much love,

 

the alderetes

Walking at the Park Pays Off

Who would have thought walking around the track at CFNI 2-9 months pregnant I would have gotten everything I prayed for. I know prayer changes things and calls things to existence. I have seen it happen through our 3 year old. When we lived in Dallas and attended Christ for the Nations (CFNI) I was in the stretch of my college career there and was about to have our 1st bundle of joy. I would walk the track and pray for the one who was inside of me and for her future to come. I saw the world as it was then and knew that it was only going to get worse. I prayed over her for peace and love to surround her. I prayed for her to make good decisions as she grew up and she would know the difference when she wasn't sure. I prayed that she would change the atmosphere when she entered the room. That people would feel peace when she entered the room. That she would brighten the room up with her sweet presence. As the years have gone by I have seen those prayers come to pass and she's only 3! Can you imagine what is going to become of her as she continues to grow in the Love of the sweet Lord and His Presence. I get teary eyed thinking of the times I have seen her raise her hands and close her eyes with a smile up to the Lord. How does that happen? PRAYER, leading by example, a good church family, and last but not LEAST the covering over her life that Jesus has on her. None of this is to boast, because I only boast in what the LORD has done not our own doing. He has been so good to us and I know as long as we decide to follow him and his word he will continue to cover us. I never want to be without his covering ......

All of this to say, prayer works and is real and a living way to get in direct contact with Jesus. If you need him prayer is the best way to contact him. Not facebook, instagram, twitter, or text but on our knees, in the car, or walking around the track at CFNI He hears you. Be encouraged

Love,

the alderetes

Vacation

The Alderetes havent been on a vacation in a very long time. That is until last week. We had so much fun! We went to Port Aransas, Texas and stayed in a beautiful beach house with the people we love the most, family. Though we would come home from 5 hours on the beach and walk around a sandy house we enjoyed every minute of it being around those we love the mostest :) Ava had never really been to a beach and played in the sand and salty beach , but this trip she wasted no time. She was in the sun almost the whole time we would be at the beach unless she was hungry, in which she would say , "Momma i Hungry." WE had a luau friday night where the family got together and we celebrated our cousin Jonathons birthday. Thursday was Jeremy's and I Anniversary, 4 years of marital bliss :) We had our brother and sister in law watch Ava and we went out to eat at a local seafood restaurant and walked the local shops. We then took a little stroll on the beach and reminicsed on our 4 years together. I love that man, Jeremy is a great father to Ava and a hard working husband for our family and I don't know where I would be if I didn't have his help. I don't know how single parents do it. I can barely do it with a partner , so if anyone reads this and is a single parent more power to you! We are now home and we are
going full  force for the next few weeks. We have our church's 7th anniversary services this weekend, we have school starting in about  a month, and we are planning Ava's 3rd birthday party. crazy! All in all we are enjoying life and learning along the way.

Some things I don't want to forget about Ava:

-She likes to get on her portable potty and yell, "Ladies and Gentlefam, al the boys and girls , now its Ava singing twinkle, twinkle little stars, (or here is freshbeat band, or here's ava)
- everything is a "great idea"
- she carries her babies around changing them and feeding them and saying the baby wants tea or dr pepper...... sounds kinda suspicious to me :)
- she is a care giver she hates to see people cry and wants to fix it as fast as possible
- her favorite shows right now are: wordworld, clifford, dora, and the bird movie a.k.a Rio
-she practically potty trained we just have the occasional accident and need to work on night potty training.
until then,

much love,

the alderetes

Quick Post so I won't forget

So If you don't already listen to SPOTIFY you so have to! It is so awesome, some would say better than Pandora. Yep I said it, it's better than Pandora. Anyway here you can listento any cd you want and it streams INSTANTLY! Awesome right? Well I posted in the last post that God has been up to something in my little family and I don't want to become one of those annoying bloggers that blog ALL the time and bore you with nonsense, but I established this at the very beginning this was more for ME then for YOU. Anyhow one of the members from my church a.k.a my BFF posted a song that seemed fitting for what our church is experiencing and so I looked up the CD and it's AWESOME! So get on SPOTIFY and look up ECHO by Free Chapel it will rock your socks! Ok  until then.....

much love,

the alderetes

I am gonna miss this Ava

"Mommy I'm not a baby I'm a BIG GIRL"
This has been Ava's favorite statement lately, and I am not sure how that makes me feel. She doesn't want to be held anymore like a baby and she wants to carry her own purse. It's all too much for me. Jeremy has said it before and I am feeling the same way, " I'm gonna this Ava." She may have times when she feels independent and wants to do things on her own and then there are days when she comes and wants to cuddle and love on us. She is in the stage of pretending and making voices. Everything is an exciting process for her. Ahh to be her age again , the only worries being if her  sippy cup is full and if she has enough WordWorlds to last her for awhile. Having Ava has definitely helped us see how God sees us. Everytime we correct Ava or teach her a life lesson I feel God always whisper in my ear," that's what I would say to you." When I lift her up from falling, comfort her when she cries I hear God say ," Beloved this is how I care for you, this is my love for you." Having a kid definitely changes things in your life. Some see it like a cap on their independence and see it as they can;t do anything anymore. Other's embrace it with arms wide open and run full force with their kiddos. I am not going to lie I was definitely the first rather then the latter when we found out we were pregnant, but the life lessons I have learned with Ava have been totally worth it.

Sometimes as a parent you have those proud moments, when you see the fruit of your labor. Lately at church Ava has totally made me one proud momma. When we found out we were pregnant ( and i promise I wont always compare my situations to this ) Jeremy and I sat in class worried that we wouldn't be good parents. We worried that Ava wouldn't want to love Jesus like we did and wouldn't know what to do. We have been really blessed to have found a church that loves Jesus and allows Him to move regardless of the time or the schedule of life. Ava has seen us love on God and she has also felt the love of God in her and I believe our church has a lot to do with it. SO LSWO thank you :) at church yesterday we were singing a song and Ava held her turtle and had her little hand raised singing the song along with the others. It was the sweetest thing ever. I really feel she is being sincere and loves to love on Jesus. She makes me love on Jesus a little more after times like those.

The Alderetes definitely are preparing for a great summer. We feel God is up to something and we are preparing ourselves so we are ready for the unexpected and we are waiting on God. Jeremy has been having doors open for him in different ministries, I have been hearing from the Lord to go for the things that have been on my heart and we have been waiting with expectant hearts. Lets see where it take us. until then...

much love,

the alderetes

And so it begins...

I was in Dallas this week for my best friend's wedding. If you know anything about Texas you know that in the middle of June 3 days after summer starts it's going to be hot as hell outside ( not that I would know or do I wish to know but Texas is the closest I ever want to get to the feeling of hell) ...... All to say it was beautiful. As we were there for the weekend the bride's mom suggested I start a blog. She said as her 3 kids were growing up she would say "oh this is too cute to forget. I wont forget they said this when they get older." In the end she did forget, and being around Ava, my 3 year old she said, " Start a blog Desi, even if no one reads it you will be able to keep the memories of the quirky things Ava did while she grew  up." I am not good withe keeping up with things. I lose things a lot and I probably would lose my head if it wasn'.t attached to my head. As a kid I kept a journal and filled them up pretty fast. I guess a blog is like the new age journal, and if you don't tell others about it it stays pretty private. Sort of. So the adventure begins. It may not be the most adventureous adventure you have ever been on but this is more for me then for you anyway.

"Mommy what is this"?
     I work for a charter school in the area right now. Summer has begun but I am still in the office. Rather then paying the sitter we decided I would bring Ava to work with me. The good thing about it all is that where the school takes place it is also a church so they have a play room for kids. I took Ava to the room because, poor thing she was getting bored in mommy's office. She is in that stage for pretending to be other things is fun. So she's cooking alot for us. She brought me a bowl and asked the robot a.k.a. mommy what is was.
Ava: Robot what is this?
RoboMom: That is a bowl
Ava: Mommy what is this?
Mommy: Baby that's a bowl.
Ava: That's what the robot said

I laughed so hard when she said that. She looked at me in a way saying " Mom I didn't say a joke." But to me it was the funniest thing ever.

"I forgive you"
When I was pregnant with Ava I would walk the track around the park alot and pray for her. I would pray that she would change people's lives, be a compassionate person, change the atmosphere of any room she walked in that when she would step into a place people would instantly feel at peace and have an overwhelming joy.  For the most part most of that has happened and she is going to barely be 3. And not to brag any but I think it also has to do with how the parents raise their kids as well. Jeremy and I are pretty compassionate people. Jeremy is always filled with joy and cane make you feel better in an instant when you're in the dumps. we strive to show love to everyone and live 1 Corinthians chapter 13 out daily. Verse 5 of the chapter says, " ...It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs." Ava is the real life picture of the verse. She is the sweetest kid, right now (because I know she is going to have her diva stage, and is so forgiving. I guess I say "i'm sorry" alot because Ava says it after she messes up doing something. She was in the kitchen playing with the letters on the fridge and I came around the corner and tripped over her.
Mommy: Oh Ava I am sorry baby. I didnt see you.
Ava: It's ok Mommy
Mommy: Are you ok?
Ava: Yah mommy, I forgive you.

Talk about wanting to start bawling. Wow a not even 3 year understanding the concept of forgiving. That's a lesson that adults still have a problem with these days. I just looked at Jeremy and about wanted to start bawling my eyes but Ava was around and I didn't want to scare her. Ava just kept  playing. It was definitely a proube moment.

"Mommy said no Ava!"
Ava has been "Testy Tina" lately. She tries to push her limits as much as she can and sometimes she pushed them too far. This was one of those times. She had found a lolipop from her Daddy's Father's Day bag and wanted to eat it before dinner. I had said "No Ava wait til after papa" which means food in our house. I put it on the stereo in our room and went on getting ready. I then hear push her mattress against the dresser and say "Shh hurry hurry hide." She gets in the guest bed under the covers and she tries to start eating the lolipop. I run into the room and see her and grab the lolipop out of her hands, and put her in her highchair. I tell her she gets no dessert and drinks water instead of juice for dinner, and no TV the rest of the night. She cried a little because she no longer had her lolipop but after that she acted as if she knew exactly what had happened. She didn't ask for juice but once and she responded to my no by saying ," Awe man ok", and didnt ask again. But man oh man after she did that I didnt even know how to deal with her because I was so upset. I was kind of hurt too because I felt disrespected . I really wanted to cry too I was genuinely hurt. Once again her loving spirit made me feel at ease after awhile.

Closing Statements....
My posts probably won't ever be this long again but these were some of the things I didn't want to forget. Jeremy says this all the time and I am finally feeling the same way, " I am gonna miss this Ava." She's soaking everything up makings things up on her own and doing this she porbably won't do again because she will be getting older. I am though with age come funnier things to post about. We will see! Until then .....

much love,

The Alderetes