Meli's world

So unless you live in a bubble, we are all pretty aware of the state of our world right now. Global     Pandemic. I am sure one day we will refer back to this period in time as pre-Coronavirus or post. I actually joked that this time will be referred to as the blip. It was supposed to be spring break celebrating Manny's birthday in Disney with my brother and wife. Instead, everything has shut down from school to my job, and the only person who braves the outside world is Emerald on quick grocery runs or to go to work as he is considered "Essential". Since schools closed and the numbers of positive went up in our county, I quickly realized the gravity of the situation. Perhaps it doesn't sound as bleak when its far from home. Its not like it hadn't been affecting China since December. But having to screen our patients, and hearing stories of those close to us who work in healthcare deal with these patients made it real. All of our sports being canceled mid se...

I always wondered how missionaries felt when God called them to leave the comfort of their homes, families, safety, and churches to go somewhere unknown to preach the gospel. I wondered if they were scared. I wondered what would happen if they resisted and didn't follow the calling placed before them. Four years ago after living with my parents, we were able to purchase our first home. Somehow being a homeowner at the age of 23 gave me a sense of pride. The house was an answered prayer.  A lot of sweat, hard work and tears. This house signified freedom and peace to my family and I. We all went from sharing the master bedroom in my parent's home to having the privacy we wanted as a married couple. And the kids would share a room for now. I remember thinking this was only our starter home. It wasn't in the area we envisioned and at 2 bedrooms, it was also smaller then we wanted for our family. But the numbers worked out. God opened doors and worked everything in our f...

In the past couple of months as Emerald and I were seeking direction as to what is next and how I could pursue the teaching career I felt called to.... we brainstormed, prayed and listened and waited like never before. As we came to a decision, I know that trusting and following God's lead is the right thing to do.... however as we move in to the unknown, fear has tried to settle in and cripple my mind. I have to admit I like to know things will work out. Im a planner, a budgeter, and I like to feel I'm in control.  I'm excited to be moving in another level of obedience yet terrified of not knowing how it will all work out or if we are even doing the wise thing. Today was rough.... with so many things up in the air and me wrestling with my emotions, I don't even think my husband wants to be around me. So I'm listening to worship music and Jesus Culture- Let it Echo comes on. In the comments that I never read.... is a word I felt was straight from God to my heart...

  I tried to write this while we were in Trinidad last week and I was inspired by my surroundings. Mountains!!! Something we never see in Florida. It's funny cause just a couple of days before that I heard Usher blaring somewhere and I remembered what I considered my favorite song at one point ::: Moving mountains. You know the sappy love-break up R&B song???    About 5 years ago I could relate to everything that song was saying. A love gone wrong. The bad taking away the good. lyrics from Usher's "Moving Mountains" Trying and trying and nothing seeming to work. I really contemplated divorce at this point in my life. My husband and I had been married close to 6 years and had a baby boy. We were struggling to make it out of my parents house and everything seemed to be a fight. I don't know looking back I felt a lot of resentment for entering marriage so young with nothing, struggling to find an affordable place where we could feel ...

The above picture was taken in 2011 when Emeli was just 1 month old. It was one of our first family pictures as a family of 4 and also our first date night after having her. I found this picture today while looking for a throwback picture to post on facebook.  I remember being so scared having another baby. She was not in our plans... We were still living at my parents house and didn't have things in order. I was scared of another c-section, of not being able to provide, and of not being able to split myself between Manny and her. Silly fears.... Almost 4 years later, I gotta say looking back at what God has done is one way to remain grateful. I can sing of His goodness forever! The C- section was less painful than I imagined and I went home on the second day. We bought our first home just a couple months later. God has made all the numbers and finances work. There is a love that has been multiplied in my heart for both my Em & Ems. And seeing Manny become a big broth...

For the past 6 and half years, I have worked at an endoscopy center. I work for a group of gastroenterologists who perform their procedures here. Colonoscopies, a scope that looks into the colon and intestines, and Endoscopies, a scope that looks into the esophagus and stomach. Since then, I have learned first hand the effects of what we eat on the body. Indigestion, heart burn, diverticulitis, ulcers, polyps and even cancerous tumors. I rarely think of it since I work up front. I check them in, get them registered and rarely see them as they leave. Most of them are cranky from not eating the day prior or weak from the prep they take to clean their body. Some are scared. Some are nervous. People come for many reasons from constipation to diarrhea, abdominal pain, or bleeding. I have become so used to working here, I rarely think of the people that leave her with bad news. Until yesterday. Yesterday I was reminded the importance of getting your body checked out whenever you fe...

M.I.A is a hashtag trend I've been using on Facebook a lot. It stands for Marriage is Awesome. Last week, I felt the need to put up a disclaimer with it letting people know I am in no way putting it up as if my marriage is the only awesome one, or better than anyone's. My reasoning for starting these series of posts is because I find it so disheartening and discouraging that statistics show less and less people in my age group are getting married or want to be married. And for those that do marry, more than 50% of those marriages end up in divorce. I think a lot of people have misconceptions of marriage and are letting things keep them from entering into one of the greatest relationships and commitment that exist. I know most people will question a 25 year old's ability to speak about marriage and give anyone any type of counsel, but speaking from 10 years of experience, I think I have seen a lot of things I wish I could have done differently and am constantly growing...

  From a young age, I knew that beauty was not just something we exhibit with our outer appearance, but a trait, and a way to describe someone who is nice, loving, kind, and perhaps even generous. In my mind, someone beautiful was that of the likes of Miss America who was not only pretty in the physical, but usually had something like the pursuit of higher education and a talent going for them. As well as have something pleasing to say about world peace or poverty and make sure to be involved in some sort of charity work if she won. Beauty, and the image of it today is more or less the same expectation. Someone who has brains, talent, a charitable cause, and most importantly in the media today makes sure they don't say anything that would ruffle feathers or make anyone feel uncomfortable.   Growing up, Boldness was something I wanted too. I wanted to go against the crowd. Not give into peer pressure or the fads of the time. I wanted to be a rebel, speak my m...

With Memorial day coming up and Emmanuel telling me all about learning about the armed forces and the sacrifices our troops make, I couldn't help but think about what Love does. They say there is no greater love than that which would lay their own life down for another, so for that great sacrifice lets thank all those who are serving and those who have served or lost their life while doing so. Funny thing, is that in the past week I also heard a song about love like no other. About love doing things not for who may see, or what we may get but just because love Does. Love is an action, a commitment, a decision to do and not just say or "feel". Not all of us are called to serve in the military nor will we always have the chance to physically lay our life down for others, but Loving is something we all get to do! Loving in my marriage and as mother, has taught me how sacrificial it ought to be. Even with the man I chose to marry, and the kids that came from my womb a...

This is a question most of us face daily upon opening our social media apps such as Facebook. And exactly what is on our mind... What are we thinking? What thoughts fill our minds daily? Besides the tasks at hand such as working, taking care of family, and all our to-dos, what are you spending time meditating on? I'm sure you've heard it before. The mind is a battlefield, and its true. Think before you speak. And even in  Proverbs 23: 7, we see "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." like the thoughts in our heads, those that no one hears or know are what determines and makes up who we are. Most of the actions, decisions, battles, troubles, start in our minds. Our thoughts determine our actions, our reactions and sometimes our inaction. As I talk to people, I truly discover that the way we think molds who we are and what comes out of us. Lets discover some of the things that infiltrate our minds if we let them. 1) Me- It is a fact, that no one thinks of y...