God's Curveball...

God's in control...that's a statement that I've confidently lived by for quite sometime. I mean I grew up learning it, I've taught it to others and I've lived it.

He'll never give us more than we can handle...another statement that I know, grew up knowing, have taught others and lived.


God threw us a curveball last month. A HUGE curveball, but a good curveball.

A month ago, we found out that despite what we were planning for...God has bigger plans for us and our little family.

So....are you ready???

A month ago, we found that Laney is going to be a big sister at the end of September/beginning of October.

Yep...that's right...another Keith baby is on it's way!!!

Call us crazy and laugh that Laney is only 8 months old. It was totally not in our plans to have another sweet little baby so soon, in fact it was not even a thought to have another baby anytime soon. But regardless...God knows best and he has a plan for our family. We are excited about this new life we've been blessed to parent.

Of course we are scared. Of course we have worries. Of course we have NO idea what we're doing... Of course people have called us crazy and said all kinds of things...

But it doesn't matter, we serve an awesome God with big plans and we are blessed beyond measure with the life and the family he has given us! :)

Growing

It's been a while since I wrote a post, it has been a whirlwind around here. We've been super busy just doing life & trying to figure out things since I am staying home. It's been a lot bigger of an adjustment than I thought it would be...not just because I'm not teaching or because we've gone from 2 incomes to 1.

I never thought it would be so hard to stay at home. I love, love, love my Laney and I am thankful to be staying at home with her. I look forward to teaching her new things & being around for all of her "firsts..." I've been doing the home school thing & the Mary Kay thing and they are both great...they give me something to do and keep me busy. But honestly, I miss teaching. I miss greeting my students, seeing them "get it," grading papers (I know...I'm weird), interacting with parents, and just allowing the Lord to work through me to minister to middle schoolers as I teach them English & History. I know that I could easily get a job teaching if I tried to go back right now, but the thought of putting Laney in daycare kills me. I have never felt so strongly about anything in my life. I know it's God's will for me to be staying home with my sweet girl. Matt & I both felt this calling back when we found out we were expecting a year ago. Sure, it's been a stretch for us but we both know I am supposed to stay home.
 This is one of those times in life when I know God is teaching me & really stretching me.

I am so thankful that he's provided a way to stay home & a husband that is receptive to God's will. I've also been surrounded by a lot of great friends that have been home with their kids for a while & their stories of transitioning from work to staying home has been a great encouragement to me. It's so awesome to know I'm not the only one that's ever felt the way I do.


More to come later about what I'm learning...Laney's crying, nap time is over :)

ps- Gotta share a picture of my girl, I'm growing spiritually and she's growing physically!

Random Thoughts This Morning...

I usually only write about 1 topic when I blog, but since this is my online journal I just want to share my thoughts this morning...

I'm feeling VERY encouraged this morning. I had a super turn out at my MK debut last night, 18 people came to show their support for me. Thanks to all who came! I booked 5 parties, possibly 6. I know a lot of you wanted to be here & couldn't. If you're interested in earning some free products, being entered to win a trip to NYC, ordering some skin care, or just hearing more about Mary Kay please let me know. I'm trying to meet a goal by next Wednesday, so if you want to order anything I'm placing an order before Friday.  I'm so excited!

I'm feeling thankful this morning. I have a wonderful mother-in-law & sis-in-laws that came to my debut last night, but ended up taking care of my sick little girl for most of the party. I am so grateful for their support & for helping my Laney as she was dealing with some tummy issues. She's feeling a little better today & hopefully she will feel 100% soon. The awesome thing is my in-laws always help me with Laney, not just last night. I could not ask for a better family to be a part of.  I love them.

Speaking of family...I haven't been HOME since June when my brother graduated from high school. I am so excited to be going to Kannapolis tomorrow to see my family and introduce Laney to a lot of people. Matt's going to a conference this weekend & will be joining us on Saturday night. Then we're going to my sis-in-law's bridal shower in Wingate, NC. I haven't spent 5 days in Kannapolis in probably over a year...so K-town people if you want to see Laney call me & we'll figure it out. I'll be around Thursday evening through Monday morning.

Fall is around the corner & I cannot wait to get out my fall decorations. I asked Matt if I could do it Labor Day and he told me "it is still summer." So I just had to look back at my blog to see when I got them out last year...it was September 25th that I wrote my fall post...so the leaves, sunflowers, acorns, & pumpkin spice candles are coming out soon! This fall will be a little different considering we don't have anyone to watch cheer or play football in Kannapolis, nor did we buy season tickets to ASU games. I'm sure we'll squeeze in some football some where. AND I know we'll be making the trip to the state fair come October. Ah...FALL!!!

Guess I better get to work & to packing. Happy Wednesday! :)

Mary Kay...Really?

Yes...Mary Kay, really! I've recently begun a new journey as a Mary Kay consultant. I know a lot of you are thinking..."Really, Magan?" I don't see you selling anything & why Mary Kay? Well, I have to share the coolest story with you.

I have a really good friend, Beth Senseney, that has been selling Mary Kay for several years & she asked me if I would be interested back in April or May. I was kind of interested because I LOVE Mary Kay makeup/skin care, but I don't know a lot of people in the Raleigh area and I was afraid no one would be interested so I politely told her no. She asked me to attend a skin care class in June to be pampered one more time before Laney was born and I figured I didn't have anything to lose...so I went. That night she introduced me to the director that was leading the class & again I was asked what was holding me back from becoming a consultant...I told her the exact same thing I had told Beth back in the spring. She wasn't pushy & was supportive of the reasons I had given her. That was kind of the end of the "Mary Kay" talk in my life until....

Last weekend Matt & I were going over our finances & budget, not really worrying over the HUGE pay cut we had taken with us deciding for me to stay home because we know the Lord is going to provide...but we were simply just figuring out how things were going to look now that we only have his income (and the little bit I'm making from teaching home school classes once a week...which really hasn't panned out quite like I expected as far as the number of kids go...but at least I'm getting my teaching fix). Anyways...somehow Mary Kay came up & I mentioned to Matt that I'd really like to be a consultant but that I didn't know how successful I'd be because I don't know a lot of people. WELL...Beth was at a training over the weekend and had been praying that God would show her the person to call to invite to be on her team. That night she sat down with her director & my name came to her. She KNEW I was the person God wanted her director to call and talk to...so, they called. She explained that they were training & that her director wanted to ask me a few questions. She told me her story of how she became a consultant and it was pretty much MY SAME STORY! I knew right then God was calling me to become a consultant. It would provide a little extra money for our family & give me the opportunity to do something I love, help women feel good about themselves! Not to mention be a part of something God totally ordained.

So still...why Mary Kay over any other business? Well first of all, Mary Kay herself was a Christian. She believed in faith first, family second, and career third. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the product. The skin care line is cheaper than any other department store product and it actually works really well...not to mention the make-up is wonderful! Also, I get to pamper women & get to know some pretty awesome ladies.

I'm not going to lie...I'm nervous. I really have no idea what I'm doing & I'm still worried about the fact that I don't KNOW a ton of people in this area...and will people really buy the product? I mean, I love it and I know a lot of people that love it...but will people take me seriously? So many questions, but the good news is...God has all the answers. I'm excited...I really am, to see what God has for me through all of this newness in my life.  So...if you are interested in getting some FREE pampering, get some girlfriends together & give me a call! :)  In the meantime, check out my website www.marykay.com/magankeith

PS- If you book a party between now & December you could WIN a trip to NYC!

When All Else Fails...

It's the end of the month & Matt and I have had sort of a game going to see if we could make it to the end without going to the grocery store. It's kinda gotten a little ridiculous, but it's been fun. We'd already reached our budgeted amount for the month, so we were trying to spend as little as possible...at first it wasn't a big deal and we had PLENTY of stuff so we didn't need to go to the grocery store for anything. And honestly, we could have gone to the store but it became more fun not to.

At the end of last week I ran out of milk for my coffee and lately I've needed my morning coffee. I went Sunday & Monday without, but yesterday I just HAD to have my coffee so Matt got up early and went to get some coffee for me. He was trying to be so good and surprise me, but he got coffee WITH no cream & sugar. He wasn't thinking about the fact that the reason he was going to get me coffee was because we didn't have milk, he was just thinking he was going to surprise me with coffee (which we have plenty of here). So he comes home to surprise me & I ask for the cream...which he forgot. So I politely tell him thanks and decide that I'll just drink it black....not a big deal (gross...but I was going to do it because he had been so sweet to go get me coffee). I then remembered we had this in the freezer:


Yep, Cool Whip. It's just whipped cream...so why not. I tried it & honestly, it wasn't bad. It almost made a cappuccino like drink for me to enjoy. I liked it so much that I'm drinking it again this morning. I will be heading to the store today & I will make sure that I get some milk for my coffee...but it sure is good to know that Cool Whip can save the day if I ever run out of milk again!

New Adventures

I'm not sure how much I've written about my new job. Tomorrow I began a new adventure & I must say...I am REALLY REALLY nervous. Tomorrow I will begin teaching 2 classes at New Life Camp for homeschool students. I'm used to teaching over 100 students a day, every day of the week & I'm going to be teaching a class of 6 and a class of 3...1 day a week. In the past I haven't been able to share my faith with my students, in this job I get the privilege of leading students in devotions & have been asked to incorporate Jesus in every lesson I teach.

I worry, will I be good enough?...as if I don't know what I'm doing. I've been teaching for 4 years & I act like I've never taught before. I have jitters about dealing with homeschool parents vs. dealing with public school parents. Will my students out smart me? Will they think I'm a horrible teacher? Will I disappoint the New Life staff that hired me, the parents that have paid for me to teach their kids? Will I make a complete fool of myself? I am really struggling with all of this...

I plan to take today to just pray through this new adventure God has given me. Being a stay at home mommy & working 1 day a week has been a HUGE adjustment for me. I knew I would love it, but honestly...it's been hard. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Laney and we can't imagine life any other way now. But...I'm so used to working on school work all of the time & living my life with what's left over. Now I live my life & do school work in just a few hours a week. I'm being pretty vulnerable here...letting out my fears on the web. Will you pray with me? Pray that God will calm my nerves & give me the confidence I need to be the best I can be tomorrow & every Thursday for this school year. Pray that I will continue to adjust to being a stay at home mommy, that I will make the most of it & enjoy being home with my little Laney.

God has reminded me this week of why he put me at home & why I'm not returning to public school...I'm so thankful for the new adventures he has blessed us with, now to make the most if it!

We're Alive!

Well...there's no need to explain why I haven't blogged in over a month...almost 2! On July 10th, 2011 our lives changed forever when we welcomed this sweet little girl into the world.

(Thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law for this great picture of the 3 of us...check out www.morgankeithphotography.com)

The past 5 weeks has been a blur & I think...fingers crossed, we're starting to get the hang of our new life. I have so many things going through my head that I don't even know where to start writing so stay posted for more fun & exciting posts about Miss Laney...including one about her dedication this coming weekend :)

(Another great one by my wonderful sister-in-law!)