Breaks My Heart

How many of you watched it last night? I realize news of it is everywhere this morning and it's what everyone is talking about, but I can't help but share my thoughts and feelings on it all as well. Especially considering I've kept my mouth shut this long!

I kind of figured it was coming but I think I was still hoping that they might surprise us and say they are going to counseling and will do whatever it takes to make their marriage work.

Literally, it breaks my heart. Johnny would say to me, "Amanda, it's just a TV show." And while I did fall in love with the Gosselin family because of their TV show, they are also real people and this is their life. It always has and it always will hurt my heart to see other people hurting whether I know them personally or not.

I don't know what truth there is to all the rumors and magazine articles, but it seems to me that if the allegations were wrong about Jon and this 23 year old school teacher, that he would've stopped seeing her to prove that there really is nothing going on rather than further the assumptions that there was an affair happening. I'm not taking sides because I don't know who's right and who's wrong and it doesn't really matter. What killed me with last night's episode was how Kate seemed so heartbroken and against the idea of separation, yet forced into it because it was "necessary", while Jon acted flippant and excited about being released into single hood again. It's like he's going through a mid-life crisis or something....earrings, the lady friends, the attitude, the motorcycle (nothing against motorcycles, we have one and I love it), the drinking....it's just so not the picture they painted in seasons past.

Not only am I sad for them, it makes me think about how fragile marriage is. After watching the show all I wanted to do was give Johnny a huge hug and kiss and tell him how much I love him. Because he is halfway across the world, I settled for an email! Jon and Kate at one time were madly in love too and I'm sure they didn't see this coming when they renewed their vows last season. It just reminds me to not take it for granted and that the commitment and vows Johnny and I made can't be taken lightly. Jon and Kate's divorce makes me want to work harder at my marriage so that I never have to go through what they are living right now.

I just read that this season has been postponed in light of their recent divorce filing. Good. At least someone finally figured out that it would probably be a good idea to shut off the cameras for a while. It's silly, but I'm praying for them. I can't imagine what these next few months are going to be like for them and those cute little kiddos.

Prediction: I betcha within the next 2 months, Jon and that girl come out publicly that they are dating and/or pregnant.

Supper Club

This is one of my most favorite things EVER!!

It's something that is near and dear to my heart and something that I look forward to every month. Supper Club started last November as an excuse to get together with my girlfriends, cook up a delicious dinner and enjoy my home with those I love. I had been wanting to start a Supper Club for quite some time....the problem was, was that I didn't have enough friends to actually call it a dinner party!

Last November, Johnny had just recently deployed the month before and I was on the hunt for new friends. Sweet, Christian girls who I could spend my time with. And then I finally got placed in a BSF group (much more on Bible Study Fellowship later!) and met Kristy and Sara and what an answer to prayer they were! So, Chelsea (remember her? The one who hooked me up with Paula Deen??!) and I decided to just pick a date and do it! She invited a few people, I invited a few people and wa-la....we have Supper Club!

So this is how it works. We now have a closed group of the 5 of us (me, chelsea, kristy, sara and shelley - my neighbor) because we didn't want it to get too big. Partly because it gets extremely costly preparing a dinner for a group and we wanted to develop close friendships with each other, not just network like I do on a weekly basis for work. We meet once a month and we rotate from house to house. That person is responsible for picking a theme/menu and preparing and serving the meal. IT IS SO MUCH FUN!!!

My turn is coming up again on Monday night and the theme is "Swanky Summer Feast." I know, totally random, but all the good themes have already been taken! Here is the invitation I designed and sent to everyone along with the menu.

And guess what else? I'm going to use my fine china for the first time ever and I can't wait! Now believe me, Supper Club is not usually this fancy...but it's my turn to host and I can do whatever I want :)

Here are some pictures from Supper Club's in the past.

Mexican Night!

Showing off the aprons Kristy made for us....yes, she never sleeps and I usually call her a "machine."

Pizza and Pajamas! No, I am not 4 months pregnant, thank you for asking.


This was Fondue Night at Shelley's!


Oh, it is just so much fun! Now go and start a Supper Club with your friends!! You'll be glad you did!

Life Lessons by Regina Brett

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret,you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Audience Participation Please!

Out of the following items, which 5 would you be willing to live without if you HAD to.

1. Computer
2. High Speed Internet
3. Land Line Phone
4. Air Conditioning
5. Clothes Dryer
6. Cell Phone
7. TV
8. Car
9. Microwave
10. Cable or Satellite TV

Now share!! Which ones did you pick?

I could live without (if I HAD to) the microwave, a clothes dryer (in Australia we hung all our clothes on a line to dry), a land line phone (don't even get me started on that again!), cable or satellite tv and the plain 'ol regular tv.

It's kinda hard to imagine life without all of those things since we are so use to having each of them at our disposal....but I know I could do it if I had to.

Clarification

I had a friend say they were worried about me and Johnny after reading my last post and I thought to myself, "Why in the world would that make her worried about us?" And then I re-read my post and realized some of you may think that I posted that song because I am in the depths of despair with a broken heart.

BUT GOOD NEWS!

Johnny and I are just as obsessed with each other as we were last month and probably even more crazy, madly in love than we were when we got married :) Are you done throwing up yet?! We couldn't be happier....well....actually...I would be a whole heck of a lot happier if he lived in our home with me and NOT in Iraq, but that's beside the point.

The reason I love that song is because I feel like there are so many people in my life right now who ARE hurting and who aren't able to see the light at the end of the marriage-trouble-tunnel. And my heart breaks for them. I was hoping that the song may give them an ounce of hope so that they could continue to fight for a strong and lasting marriage. Johnny and I fight for our marriage every day, because I don't want to take the chance to "take a day off" and give the enemy a chance to creep in. The divorce rate is steadily rising and quite frankly, I don't want to end up a statistic.

And I just really liked the song...that's all! :)

So, just in case you were wondering, there's no need to worry about us! I'll nauseate you with pictures from R&R soon!

Love is Not a Fight by Warren Barfield

I am currently loving this song that's been playing on the Christian radio station lately. It's from the movie Fireproof and if you haven't seen the movie yet, it really does have a powerful message. The acting is a little weak...so just keep that in mind going into it, but the impact of the movie left me in tears! And there is this incredible devotion/ 40-day marriage challenge that you can pick up at your local Christian book store that I know will bestow blessings upon blessings on both you and your spouse. Whether your marriage is amazing or you are completely out of hope, I hope you enjoy this song. And don't give up. Nothing is impossible for God.

Go HERE to listen to the song.

BTW - I've added a music playlist down at the very bottom of this page, so be sure to pause it if you click on that link to listen to the song. It's also at the bottom in my playlist if you'd rather not click the link to watch the music video to go along with it on YouTube :)

And below are the lyrics....

Love is not a place
To come and go as we please
It's a house we answer in
Then commit to never leave

So lock the door behind you
Throw away the key
We'll work it out together
Let it bring us to our knees

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

To some, love is a word
That they can fall into
But when they're falling out
Keeping that word is hard to do

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

Love will come to save us
If we'll only call
He will ask nothing from us
But demand we give our all

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

I will fight for you
Would you fight for me?
It's worth fighting for