Who is it blogging back here?

It's been almost a year since I've been writing this blog and I've really loved it.  But as Andrew and I considered our vision for 2014, I realized I had gotten to a place where I felt like I had to be a certain type of person when I sat down behind my keyboard. Without anyone else placing this pressure on me, I had become paralyzed by the idea that everything I said had to fit a certain mold.  Except the mold was one I had created - a fictional mold about what "someone who writes a blog should be like".

And so I'm trying to break out of that, and just go back to being myself when I sit down with my laptop! This blog is a place where Andrew and I really do pray God will use us to encourage others, and so yes, what I say matters.  I want to be honoring to God, and I don't want to waste your time, or mine.  But just like in real life, there are infinite ways to do this!  So the content of this blog may sometimes be serious, sometimes be practical, and sometimes be lighthearted - just like I am!

To go ahead and give these shackles a good shake - I'm just going to tell you some things about me - the girl behind "WHO CAN STAND":

1. The amount of love I feel for Andrew is CRAZY. It motivates me to pray for and encourage my single friends to really seek out the person God has for them, not choose according to their own agenda.
   
2. I love to play board games (our favourites right now are Settlers, Bonanza, Dutch Blitz and Euchre).
   
3. These days, I think about having our baby (did you know its a girl!?) ALOT.  I'm 37 weeks as of yesterday - which means technically I'm "good to go" anytime!  That said, last pregnancy I went over by 14 days (yes a full two weeks!), so I'm trying not to get too excited (but not really succeeding).
   
4. Jacinda from Growing Home is a dear friend of mine and a major inspiration for starting this blog.  I think she has SUCH a gift for writing the truth in love, and that God really has and is using her platform to reach so many, in addition to blessing her family while operating in the role God meant for mothers. Also her blog really is one of my favourites to read!
   
5. I also love The Pioneer Woman blog - it is definitely my favourite source for recipes, and Andrew got me her newest cookbook for Christmas!
   
6. Every night before we go to bed, we peek in at our little toddler just to see how cute he is (and cover him up with some blankets).  I love this part of the day.
   
7. Part of what I'd like to do is share more of the interesting stuff I read online, over on our Facebook page. Between Andrew and I, one of us has always got something to share with the other that we read - so we might as well share the love!  Dinnertime conversations starters for your family! :)
   
8. When we first got married, Andrew said he'd like for our family to sing together - hymns, choruses, or other songs of worship.  I thought this was a bit strange - but now it is one of my favourite parts of the day!
   

So there - now you know some things about me!  Some of those you're likely to find really effect what I write here, and some you might never have known but for this post!  

And truly, I feel that this blog is a two-way platform.  I'd like to know who you are - person reading!  What are you like? Why are you reading?  Go ahead, introduce yourself!  I hope to be around more often this year :)