Clothes! Music!

We have been SO very blessed with so many clothes already! We got gifts from both Karla & Jennie and then we got a box full from Bubbie! Amazing! We love it! Here are some pix of the cute clothes :)

In addition, earlier this week we discovered what music Baby Benitez likes :) So far, she likes: Adel, Ne-yo, Beyonce, Rolling Stones (Grandma Beth would have LOVED to hear that!) and Nirvana. She isnt a fan of Bruno Mars, Rhianna or even Micheal Jackson! Hahahaha! Its amazing to feel her move around when certain music comes on. She certainly is picky already!! More pix to come :)

18 Lessons of Marriage

Howdy Strangers!
Sorry its been a few days since my last post. Busy going back home for Christmas, starting a new (temporary) job and just preparing for baby Benitez. :) For whatever reason, God has put on my heart to really set a good foundation of marriage before the little one arrives. Not to say that our marriage is being compromised by any means, but marriage is never perfect, therefore we should always continually work on it. I find this funny only because you would think I would want to read all about parenting right now! :) Anywho...I stumbled upon a great blog by Pastor Mark Driscoll and his wife, Grace who have been married for 18 years. (Pastor Mark Driscoll is the pastor of Mars Hill out of Seattle...a church in which I LOVE listening to sermons and reading blogs from their website) This was the advice from his wife, Grace, which I thought might be helpful to some of you ladies out there :)

Grace’s 18 Lessons

1. Make time with Jesus your first priority, husband second priority.
2. Be intimate often.
3. Be willing to have hard and honest conversations, and pray for Jesus to make them fruitful.
4. Pray for wisdom often.
5. The enemy is always ready to divide you during trials. Don’t let him; cling to Jesus and each other.
6. Forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive …
7. Don’t enable his sin, but pray for wisdom in timing and words, and be respectful when addressing it.
8. Be a woman of inner and outer beauty.
9. Make your home a place of retreat and rest.
10. Study your husband, appreciate, value and respect him, especially when you don’t “feel” like it.
11. HAVE FUN.
12. Pray against lies. Memorize the truth of scripture.
13. Spend regular, meaningful time together. Invest in the relationship.
14. Don’t let bitterness set in if you are hurt or frustrated; dig up the root and pray it through.
15. Be an attentive and available listener.
16. Be teachable and willing to submit.
17. Set your heart and body toward your husband and don’t let either wander.
18. Repent often and allow trustworthy people to speak into your lives.

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Baby updates!

We are at 27 weeks this week! Its amazing! I am looking bigger and bigger everyday :) Christmas is coming up so that means we have been super spoiled....we had the gift a few days ago (see below) but now we also have a baby swing and New York Giants onesies to add to the mix thanks to Karla, Jennie, Nina and Marcel! :) Feeling super blessed this week and we excited for the next step in the pregnancy. Here is what I look like this week!! Until next time! :)

New outfit for baby Benitez! :)

Courtesy of Karen and Steve....we have our first outfit for the little one! Its SUPER CUTE! We love it and cannot wait to have her wear it! Check it out! :)

Introducing...BABY BENITEZ!

So...Here SHE is! What a surprise THAT was! Jaron and I both went in today thinking we were going to be leaving with pictures of a boy. Well, SURPRISE! Baby Benitez is a girl! Looking beautiful, I might add :) Just as we predicted, she already has a full head of hair! We are SO in love with her! She even opened her eyes right at the camera during the ultrasound! (She takes her mommy's sassy side :)) We are certainly looking forward to meeting our beautiful daughter!

Thanksgiving goodness..

Thanksgiving 2011 was a hit! It was the Benitez family, our friends Bryan and Amy and my dad. We watched football from 9 AM to 9 PM! I was certainly burnt out on football by the end of the day...especially because my niners lost:( But thats ok! It was a great day! Even Cali had a great time!

Cali enjoying turkey

The main event! :)

Stuff Im thankful for...

Thanksgiving is around the corner and I always like to make note as to what I am thankful for. This year...its kinda odd. (I wouldnt lie about this :) ) This year Im thankful for two things: Occupy Wall Street and Tim Tebow. Let me explain:

As my close family and friends know...I studied political science and history in college. I LOVED it! The one thing I took from it is that anything and everything is worth fighting for. I mean, all throughout history we have these incredible American icons that have really put their life out on the line for what they believed was fair. The one thing about this subject in college that always bothered me, is that my generation had NOTHING to fight for. It was kinda sad. I mean, we had our parents (the baby boomers) on either side of the Vietnam War and they also had  the opportunity to fight for equal rights for women and African Americans. Our grandparents witnessed two world wars and amazing inventions were being made left and right. I really felt that our generation was SPOILED. We had everything handed to us with a golden spoon. This year, it really makes me happy that this generation is fighting for something that is for the greater good. Im not trying to say I am necessarily for or against the protest right now...but hey...at least their protesting, right??

Now on to Tim Tebow. In this crazy, hectic, superficial world of entertainment we have idols such as the Kardashian family and Katy Perry to boost our children's inner confidence within themselves. WOW, really? That is what entertainment has come to. Its even worse in sports. With all the trash talking and lock outs with the "who-said-what-to-who"s...its like the guy's version of People magazine. We try to incorporate sports in schools to BUILD children's confidence, not to encourage trash talking of any kind. Then there is Tim Tebow. Now, Im not entirely a fan of his stats or even the "Tim Tebow effect" but there is something about this guy that is incredibly refreshing. Finally a person who can set a GOOD example of what good sportsmanship is like. Not only that, but he is the only self proclaimed Christian that ACTUALLY puts GOD FIRST! What a concept that is! (That was sarcastic, but true!) Tim Tebow really has put me in check about what I do and what GOD ALLOWS ME TO DO. Have you seen interviews for this guy after a game? The commentators will ask how the game went and Mr. Tebow will always give God credit first and foremost. How humbling is that? It is SO good to know that there is someone out there in the world of sports that knows that it really could be over tomorrow...but thats ok cause God is always on your side! Love it!

I told you...those are odd things to be thankful for. But I am truly glad to see changes in the world around me. Its things like these that I am so humbled and thankful for all the little things in life that God has blessed me with. Have a great week everyone!