When I started this blog, I told myself that I wasn't going to be one to not blog often. I was going to blog every other day at least. Well, that obviously hasn't happened. I would love to blog more, but either time or computer issues prevent me from doing so. For whatever reason I feel like I need to put pictures up to keep my blog interesting. Since I can't do that from my computer, I just don't blog. My goal is to overcome that and blog regardless!

So, today I don't have too much to share. Just that I think I am obsessed with vacuuming. I vacuum most every day. Sometimes 2 times a day. I know, i know. Stop the madness! Blame it on having 2 cats. Blame it on having a child with allergies/asthma. Blame it on having this fabulous vacuum (thanks to a gift from a friend and a coupon). I honestly enjoy it.

Hello, my name is Allison and i'm a vacuumaholic...

I'm sitting here this morning with a cup of coffee watching the snowflakes float to the ground. One of my favorite things about living here in Franklin is getting to see it snow more often. Rarely is it enough snow to bring things to a hault for a few days, but my favorite part is just watching it fall. It's so peaceful, so beautiful.
I don't have much to write about today. I'm just grateful that my family is well and things are back to normal. Since I don't have much to write, head over to http://www.conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com/. Boothe is a mere acquaintance of mine here in Franklin, but I enjoy reading her blog. She lost a baby at the end of last year to trisomy 18 and often writes to share her struggles of figuring out what life looks like after such a painful loss. I love her honesty and vulnerability. She is a very talented writer. Check her out if you get a chance.

8 Days and 7 nights...
sounds like a description of some fabulous vacation getaway, doesn't it? Well, not quite. That's how long we were battling the stomach bug here at the Stephens. Mitch had it for just one day, but the kids had it for a week. Thankfully mommy was spared:) It has been quite a long week for us, but we are so grateful that it's behind us. And in light of all that sickness, the whole no sweets thing has been really easy!

I was reading a friend's blog the other day and read this quote which was very helpful for me:

Don't judge God's love by your circumstances, but judge your circumstances by God's love.

Just hours after I read that my car didn't start and, long story short, we had to pay a lot to get it fixed. I struggled all day because they money we used to pay for my car was the money we were going to use to buy our new computer at the end of the month. I was really trying to be grateful that we had the money to pay for the car, but inwardly mourning because I so wanted that new computer. Really bad. Really really bad. I had a choice here: to believe that God didn't love me enough to let me get that computer OR to beleive God loved me enough to provide money for our car without us having to go into debt to fix it. I chose to dwell on the latter perspective. To be honest here I must share that money is one of the main trust issues I have with the Lord. There's a song that opens with the line, "I have faith in the bank, and money in my heart." I wish that weren't true of me, but sometimes it is. The "faith in the bank" part is what I struggle with most. If we have enough money in savings, it'll be okay. If we have enough money for a nice down payment, then we will be able to get a pretty good house. Sometimes my mentality totally takes God out of the picture, but at the end of the day I realize how lonely that place is and I am brought to my knees asking for forgiveness and for the faith to trust in Him alone, not in a figure I read on our monthly statement. I am so grateful that this life isn't as good as it gets. So grateful. Oh, how hard (and depressing) life would be without the promise of eternity with Him. "Better is one day in his courts than a thousand elsewhere."

Welcome to the world, little girl!

My sister Jen and her husband Chris welcomed their new baby girl on Friday, Feb. 1. Anne Thomas Simon was born by c-section Friday afternoon and weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs. 9oz and she was 22" long. Anne is Jen's middle name and Thomas is my mom's maiden name. Jen was suprised by having a c-section, but the baby had turned and the doctors were unable to get her in the proper position for delivery. Both baby and mom are home now and are doing well. I will post some pictures this weekend.