Day 14 -- A habit you wish you didnt have

Two things come to mind when I read today's topic. First I wish I wasn't so chained to the computer. And secondly, I wish I didn't care so much what others thought of me. Considering the second one is not really a habit, I have decided to talk about my dependency on the computer.

The computer, specifically facebook, has become such a crutch in my life. I think regularly about shutting down my facebook account. What stops me is the support groups I have there, and my family is in Michigan, and we keep in touch through facebook, especially now with Ethan. I truly do not know if these reasons are legitimate or just a reason to keep myself online.

You see, I don't have a ton of friends in Killeen right now, and the few close friends I do have are getting close to leaving (they will all be gone by November), so my friends in the computer make me feel less alone. If I am feeling any such way, I have someone to talk to. I am apart of La Leche League support groups (breastfeeding), weight loss/healthy living support groups, I have family members, I have high school acquaintances, not to mention my newest group of friends that live apart of my blogging world.

I think that the Internet has become a way to hide in my comfort zone, yet not feel alone or depressed (although writing this blog has suddenly made me feel that I am depressed, lol). On the plus side though, Without Wednesday's bring me one step closer to life outside the interwebs. And each week I spend the day offline, I love it more and more. Who knows, maybe one day, I will be web-free.

So, what is the habit you wish you could kick? I would love to hear.

Day 13 -- My wish for the future

My wish for the future has always been the same. When I die, I want everyone to think/say that.....

 I loved Jesus

that I was a great wife

the best mom possible

My desire is to do all of those things so well, that there is no doubt in anyones mind that those three things are the most important things to me. These are the things that matter....not the money in the bank account, not the job I have, not how clean my house is.

 I want to leave a legacy. I want for generations my children, and their children, and their children to say how great Grandma Kari was. I want for my grandchildren to know that Grandma Kari was always happy, always loving, always spoiling but still strict. That Grandma Kari loved Jesus more than anyone they knew, followed Him to the best of her ability. And not to mention that no ever doubt the love Grandma Kari always had for Grandpa Charlie.

With all the death I have experienced in my life there is lots of talk about "how" certain people lived their life.

I am told all the time that there was no doubt, my dad loved us kids more than anything.
My mom was only strict because she wanted us to grow to be responsible adults.
Grandma loved Jesus and just wanted to go home to him.

However, a long with those great things, I am overwhelmed by the negative that took over their lives (or death).

My dad is more well known for his suicide than for his love for his children.
My mom is currently more well known for the drugs that overtook her life than for the good she did for us.
My great grandmas death created a wedge in our family that is still there years after her death.

My prayer is that more positive things are remembered about me than negative. I don't want to be remembered for my past, the infedelities, lies, divorce. I want to be remembered for the future, my love, my commitment, my parenting.

What type of legacy do you want to leave behind? If you were to die today, what would you be remembered for? Think on that for a little bit today?

Day 12 -- My favorite place

In my husband's arms

 and

playing on the floor making my little guy laugh

I tried to think of literal places to do this blog for but I just could not think of any place I loved more than these two places. What can I say, I am a simple gal.

What about you? Where is your favorite place?

Day 11 -- What I am currently reading

Since I have started "Without Wednesday" I have been able to sit down and read more. In the last month I have finished 3 books, and currently on my 4th. Not a huge accomplishment, but considering I was reading one a year or so (due to laziness) this is a refreshing change. The book I am currently reading, I am two chapters into it, so cannot tell much about it yet, therefore I will also mention a few of my past reads also.

"The Last Sin Eater"

by Francine Rivers

Like I mentioned, I am still at the beginning of the book. Francine Rivers is one of my favorite authors, so I expect it to be good. I gave up reading the back of books for the most part, I don't like plot points to be ruined early, lol. I will keep you updated on how it goes.

My last two books were...

"Blessed Child" and "A Man Called Blessed"

by Ted Dekker and Bill Bright

 The cover of "Blessed Child" promised that this would be the best novel I had read in a long time. It was good, but certainly not the best, and definitely not the best Ted Dekker novel. "Blessed Child" is about a 10 year old boy named Caleb who is a Ethiopian orphan who was raised in a monastery. Up until now he had never been out of the monastery. The monastery gets attack and he is brought to America. Caleb has such a close relationship with God that he is able to do amazing things.

"A Man Called Blessed" is the sequel in which Caleb returns to Ethiopia and rebuilds the monastery. It is believed by some that he holds the key to finding the original Ark of the Covenant and he is being chased to the desert to find it.  

As I said, both books are good, definitely worth reading. However in the scheme of Ted Dekker, the circle trilogy was definitely better....by far.

What books are you reading? Any great suggestions? After "The Last Sin Eater" I have nothing planned. I am considering the Narnia series, but we will see. Once again, "Without Wednesday" is upon us, see you Thursday. 

Day 10 -- My favorite memory

At the risk of repeating stories, I am not going to tell the story of Ethan's Birth or our wedding/proposal. So that leaves me thinking....so I am going to choose to tell you about my Baptism.

On August 28, 2011 our church performed a baptism at a nearby river. After a long consideration, Charlie and I decided to get baptized. It was a 3rd baptism for me. But I felt like it was needed.

sharing my testimony

Charlie's testimony

My first baptism happened when I was young, like 8 or 9. I had no conception of what it meant to be baptized, all I knew at the time was that my friend was getting baptized and I wanted to be with her.

My next baptism was when I was 14. I knew Christ then, and knew what it meant. However, in the next decade I would falter with my walk with Christ dramatically.

When discussing this baptism, I waivered back and forth quite a bit. I knew I did not need another baptism to be saved and accepted into heaven when I die. However, I also was starting a new life. I was newly married, I was pregnant with Ethan. I believe baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision. As Charlie and I were beginning our life over, and he was going to be baptized, I decided it would be a great way to start our marriage out.

So we approached our pastor and asked him if he would baptize us. He readily agreed. And as the day approached we were getting more and more excited about the concept.

What makes this one of my fondest memories is that as we went up to be baptized, the pastor said he would first baptize Charlie and after he had been baptized, that he would be able to then baptize me. So not only were we able to start our marriage off on the right path, following God and expressing our love for Him, but my husband, my dearest love, was able to perform the act for me. It was one of the most meaningful moments we have experienced as a couple (of course right behind the birth of our child, and our wedding). I love that my husband and I have that between us.

Day 9 -- Mood = Song

When I miss my mom, and feeling sad this song always helps me. Who am I to question the creator of the universe? I shall always praise Him in the storm.

When I am feeling happy or want to be. I promise that singing this song to my little Ethan always makes both of us smile. No way to be sad or grumpy then.

Going on a road trip.

orrrrrr

Lovey Dovey song

Reminds me of High School

or

How about you? What song sparks certain emotions or sets a mood? Trip down memory lane? I'd love to hear.

Well this has been fun, and maybe one day I will add to this, but for now, its time to finish the movie I am watching with my man. Peace Out.

Day 8 -- My favorite vacation

How often do vacations not live up to the expectations that were set out. You were promised sunshine, got rain. Needed a stress free week, and somehow things could not have ended more stressful.

Well last July my boyfriend and I went on a trip to California. A trip that promised me to see the Pacific Ocean, Sequoia National Forrest, a trip to visit my cousin in LA, and biggest thing, to meet his mom and sister. I knew I had to make a good impression. I wanted them to like me, after all, I held the newest member to their family in my womb. So like me or not, we had a future together.

We drove to California, and made it with little complications. Met everyone, things seemed to be going good. Was let in on inside jokes, visited things I had never seen before. It seemed like this vacation was not going to be a let down, it was actually going pretty well. Then on our second to last day there, we drove to LA. This is where my simple trip to California started out good, then turned great, and later would turn to the best vacation ever.

Charlie, Jamie Jean (my cousin) and I did the star walk of fame in Hollywood. It was fun. We had gone to Ripley's Believe it or not Museum, saw tons of fun stars (on the ground, lol), walked past a premiere of "Captain America". Then we realized it was getting close to our time running out at parking so we started to head back. Charlie, at one point, stopped at a blank star and asked me to take his picture at it. Then...he proposed to me. It was absolutely perfect.

When we had gotten back to his mom's house, the idea of getting married on the way home got brought up. We could take a small detour home and get married in Las Vegas. That sounded great to both of us, but the problem was, we were leaving in a day. Neither of us knew if we could get it all coordinated in a day.

Needless to say, we did. Everything fell into perfect place. The price, the times, the marriage license. And on July 21, 2011, the tail end of my first vacation west, Charlie (who started out the trip as my boyfriend) became my husband. I was Kari Rose Hache. Life was perfect.

This vacation not only lived up to, but succeed all possible expectations and wants. The perfect vacation.

What is your favorite vacation? How did it surpass all your expectations?

Day 7 -- My hobbies

My current most important and enjoyable hobby, is playing with my son. I never would have guessed that making a fool out of myself, just so my 4 month old will laugh could bring me so much joy. But it does, being his mama is the best hobby/job I have.

However, when Ethan naps, and especially on our "Without Wednesdays" I like to read, I want to get back into make my hemp jewelry, and obviously, I like to blog.

My reading is not anywhere nearly as often as it has been during some stages of my life. I truly love a good book, I just get to trapped in the internet to pick it up. I enjoy a good romance book, but not anything higher than a PG-13 in book form. I used to love mystery novels, but I haven't read a good mystery novel in a very long time (have any suggestions?). But lately most of my books that I am reading are Christian fiction. Either Christian Romance, or Christian Mystery. A good author can write a novel, with christian undertones, or blantly christian, and you not feel like its a bad story or that religion is being shoved down your throat. See Ted Dekker, and Francince Rivers for example.

A couple years ago my aunt brought me to a music festival called "Wheatland" and they had little workshops there where they taught you how to make/do things. I went to the one that taught about hemp jewelry and fell in love. For the next year I made tons of necklaces or bracelets for my family and friends. But then I just kinda, stopped...I recently bought the stuff to get back into it, and I did make one bracelet for Charlie, but I just haven't really committed yet.

I don't know what has gotten me so into blogging lately. But I am enjoying it. I don't have a very high volume of readers that follow (I hope that changes) but I still enjoy it. As long as blogging doesn't start to take away from my responsiblities as a mommy or a wife, then I am keeping on.

I am always interested in trying new things and expanding my horizons, do you have any hobbies that may be interesting?

Day 6 -- Quote of the day

I decided to just put out a bunch of quotes and enjoyable things to read. Hope you enjoy.

Day 5 -- My favorite book

Oh this answer is by far the easiest of all the "favorites". My favorite book is "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. This book will make you bawl your eyes out within the first couple chapters and continue throughout the entire book. Its a love story that metaphors Christ's love for us. It is the best book I have ever ever ever read.

In a close second and third would be, "The Time Traveler's Wife" and "Dear John". These were both made into movies, but the movies do not even come close to comparing to the books. If you enjoy reading and love a good love story, then these books are a must. And please do not take the movies as a correct representation of the awesomeness that is these books.



I love reading, so if you have any book recommendations, I would love to hear them. Also, remember, tomorrow is "Without Wednesday" so no blog, but I will be back on Thursday.