tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91415663227533498302024-02-06T21:02:01.266-08:00Making Time 4 HomeMaking Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-78492228192906541342021-10-11T11:38:00.003-07:002021-10-11T11:38:41.236-07:00Those Lazy Saturday Mornings! French Toast Bake <p> </p><p><br /></p><p>I LOVE lazy Saturday mornings, sitting around the table eating fresh made French Toast, and talking about what the day will be like. </p><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately we dont have many lazy Saturday mornings around our home. We are up and going and may be able to grab a quick bite as we jog out the door on our way to various obligations. </p><p>I still want to be able to feed my family a good <span></span><span></span>meal and get out the door on time, so that sent me in search of some quick and easy pre-made meals. I have already mentioned that French Toast is a FAVORITE of mine, and after you try this French Toast Bake it will quickly become one of your go to breakfasts. its easy to prep the night before and you can pop it in the oven while your getting ready for the day! <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>French Toast Bake</p><p>4Tbsp. butter</p><p>3 apples, peeled and sliced</p><p>3/4 c. brown sugar</p><p>2Tbsp. water</p><p>8 slices Italian bread (or Brioche)</p><p>4 large eggs</p><p>1 1/4 C. milk </p><p>2 tsp. Vanilla extract</p><p>1 drop (less is more) Cinnamon Bark YL Vitality Essential Oil </p><p><br /></p><p>Directions: </p><p>Melt butter in a large skillet; add apples and cook for 5 min stirring so they dont stick. </p><p>add brown sugar and water, and cook for 10 min or until apples are tender. </p><p>Remove from heat and add essential oil </p><p>Mix well <br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Grease a 13x9 Baking pan (we use aluminum foil for easy clean up) with butter.</p><p>Spoon apple mixture on the bottom, cover with bread slices. </p><p><br /></p><p>Beat Eggs until foamy, then beat in milk and the vanilla. </p><p>Pour over the bread slices </p><p>Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. </p><p> </p><p>Morning</p><p>take out of fridge and preheat the oven to 375</p><p>Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until bread is golden and brown. </p><p>Let it sit for 10 min before serving to your family!</p><p> </p><p>Enjoy before you rush out the door! </p><p><br /></p><p>Recipe from The Back Porch Light<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVq0_s3b36sV0wjN1eQtmpuNtO8K9CukE03iZe4l3uW1FjiALdEWSlxu9bYQkAUjssXUBaHJOJdHeTTPBWU6ilmpb3TPzpPyBkJbkR_h3qltoAm5lA6cmUW8aIdlkUo166uRhVbJmzZ70/s600/french+toast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVq0_s3b36sV0wjN1eQtmpuNtO8K9CukE03iZe4l3uW1FjiALdEWSlxu9bYQkAUjssXUBaHJOJdHeTTPBWU6ilmpb3TPzpPyBkJbkR_h3qltoAm5lA6cmUW8aIdlkUo166uRhVbJmzZ70/s320/french+toast.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-14447400409251017662020-06-25T09:47:00.003-07:002020-06-25T10:38:11.912-07:00Missing Church<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="4ap3v" data-offset-key="2kl9r-0-0">
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<span data-offset-key="2kl9r-0-0"><span data-text="true">Who else has been MISSING going to church in person? </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="ds2o7-0-0"><span data-text="true">I know I sure have! We have been blessed during this time with leadership who went out of their way to make sure that our church family stayed connected. We had online services, Parking lot Services, facebook groups to help us see/ interact with others, our youth had zoom calls, and we just finished up a month of Wednesday Night Life Groups. The support was amazing. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6aeru-0-0"><span data-text="true">And yet...I still longed to be INSIDE our church. Not because we have to be in a building to feel Gods spirit, but because there is just something about being surrounded with those of like faith, and worshiping TOGETHER in the same place. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="64o1a-0-0"><span data-text="true">After almost 3 months of not being able to walk into our church building, and see and worship with our church family, I was so EXCITED when it was announced that we would be able to go back to church. While we have to adhere to guidelines and things are different, and will be for awhile, it is still AMAZING to be able to physically be there. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="tvv-0-0"><span data-text="true">Before this pandemic, our lives were crazy hectic. I was struggling with a yet to be diagnosed autoimmune disease, which made most days difficult for me to get through with out being burnt out and unable to function. We were in the midst of preparing for an iceskating show that we LOVE, but took a lot of time and effort on our daughters part ( I just drove and showed up), and we were the only caretakers for my FIL who lived an hour away. To say that we were lightning the candle at both ends would be an understatement. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="9v11b-0-0"><span data-text="true">Something had to give...So we took ourselves off the church calendar, we told everyone we were stepping back till the craziness subsided, and while I justified putting church on the back burner "just for this season" It has been something I have regretted. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="1r32d-0-0"><span data-text="true">The last service our church had, I was sick, my daughter was tired and stayed home with me, and my hubby was the only one who made it that Sunday. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="dcm4b-0-0"><span data-text="true">Then the world stopped. We didn't have any excuses, we didn't have anywhere to be...we were in a holding pattern for however long the powers that be chose to keep us there. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="qf5h-0-0"><span data-text="true">It was then that I realized what I had missed. I had missed walking into a church filled with people who loved our family. I missed feeling that quiet hush before the spirit fell. I missed pouring out my heart (yes we can do this at home as well), lifting my hands and just feeling the sweet presence of God flood over me. I missed it all.</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="a0aak-0-0"><span data-text="true">But in reality...we had already been missing it for quiet a while. We had put what was supposed to be our lifeline, on the back burner, even if just "for a season." </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="e9gb7-0-0"><span data-text="true">Being forced to stay at home, has made us realize how privileged we are that we GET to go to church. We GET to be a part of something bigger then ourselves. We GET to be surrounded by our church family and friends. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="77sq2-0-0"><span data-text="true">These three months of being at home, has had its ups and downs...but it has made us STOP and take a look at what is important in our lives. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="1clvq-0-0"><span data-text="true">Last Sunday I was sick. I was tired. all I wanted to do was roll over and just stay home...but then God gently reminded me of the last time I had stayed home for those same reasons.</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="1clvq-0-0"><span data-text="true">I am thankful for His prompting. I am thankful for the blessing and reassurance I personally received by being in church. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="1clvq-0-0"><span data-text="true">Lord, please keep prompting us, keep reminding us of where we have been, help us never to forget what it feels like to not be able to go to church, not because we chose not to, but because we were forced to stay away. </span></span></div>
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Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-85250770135505568632019-12-29T18:33:00.001-08:002019-12-29T18:33:11.826-08:00Five Things I learned This Holiday Season<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCc8LnC3M-BPXsq1p9HpE3NKpC1onmUzIBpaQVTh-yGDPso-PficfiVwU6E7uJZZdQ-AETBQpqInwX9OUVYEHMRYtH4AMSqszzdZY5eKlZgLj1QKOGkOkS_YHMisyIPF1GRtN9TWVJep4/s1600/Gingerbread+Cookie+Recipes+Blog+Graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCc8LnC3M-BPXsq1p9HpE3NKpC1onmUzIBpaQVTh-yGDPso-PficfiVwU6E7uJZZdQ-AETBQpqInwX9OUVYEHMRYtH4AMSqszzdZY5eKlZgLj1QKOGkOkS_YHMisyIPF1GRtN9TWVJep4/s320/Gingerbread+Cookie+Recipes+Blog+Graphic.png" width="213" /></a>This Holiday Season, has been a little bit different for our family. When you are taking care of a loved one, everything else seems to take a back seat, and that is how it should be. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the daily "to do" list and making sure that we are doing everything we can to make our loved ones comfortable, that we tend to forget what is happening around us.<br />
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This year, we put our tree up on one day, and about a week later we finally had the time to decorate it. We did not go all out this year, we only put up the decorations that meant the most to us, the ones that make us smile. It was enough, and exactly what we needed. <br />
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My husband asked when I was going to take the tree down...and I honestly am not sure. It may be up till the end of January since we only got it decorated a few days before Christmas. I keep telling myself as long as its down by Valentines Day, I'm OK lol if its not down by then...you may need to call in a cleaning team and send them my way.<br />
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This season I learned that even in the midst of our crazy life, we can, and did have a wonderful Christmas.<br />
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1) Its OK to stop and take a breath and "schedule" family time. We need to be able to spend quality time with family. We cant take care of others if our own family is needing to be taken care of.<br />
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2) Less is more!! We totally did not decorate like we usually do. We just didn't have the time, or the energy to do what we usually do. But I LOVE our tree, and looking at my Mothers Snowman that are on sitting on the top of the piano, or the nativity that is sitting next to me, as I type. Its small, its wonderful, and everything we have out is special to us.<br />
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3) Just because its Christmas time doesn't mean that everyone is going to be in the Christmas mood, but that we as Christians should ALWAYS strive to show Christ. <br />
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4) Sometimes you have to just say No! Accepting that you cant do everything for everyone is actually kind of freeing. Try it...you will thank you!<br />
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5) Finding joy in small things truly is the key to happiness. A lighted Christmas tree, the smell of something yummy baking in the oven, talking with the hubby about our goals and dreams, a handmade gift that means the world to me...these are the things I treasure.<br />
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These are just a FEW of the things that I have learned during this crazy time of our life. We have embraced this season of our life, and are trying to make memories that will last a lifetime, while still trying to have a somewhat normal home life. <br />
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As the end of the year is approaching, take a moment to breathe and remember that no matter what the New Year brings, you are blessed beyond measure. You have a family that loves you, and a God that will lead and guide you through any thing that comes your way.<br />
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Be blessed.<br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-9376258533285200992019-10-25T14:13:00.001-07:002019-10-25T14:13:17.569-07:00Making Homemade Apple Butter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We LOVE apple butter in our family...the is absolutely nothing quite as lovely as a piece of "secret toast" smothered in apple butter before heading to bed.<br />
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"Secret Toast" is a nod towards one of our favorite movies Nanny McFee, if you haven't seen it check it out..then have some "Secret Toast" for yourself :)<br />
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I wish that I could say I came up with this wonderful recipe, but alas it was not me. The wonderful people over at <a href="https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/" target="_blank">Love and Olive Oil</a> came up with it, and our family will forever be grateful. <br />
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There recipe, that can be found <a href="https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2018/10/small-batch-stovetop-apple-butter.html" target="_blank">here </a>is quick and easy, and tastes simply AMAZING! <br />
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Give it a try, snap a picture, have some "Secret Toast" and let me know how you liked it!<br />
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Picture Video made by the AWESOME Olivia <a href="https://youtu.be/LuWw2lAvUfA" target="_blank">and can be seen here!</a> <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-56640946054626700802019-10-08T11:31:00.001-07:002019-10-08T11:31:24.937-07:00Sometimes showing love is as simple as...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few ways you can show those around you how much you</span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LOVE</span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">them!</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes showing love is as simple as...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">calling a friend</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a quick hug in passing </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">holding your child's hand a few minutes longer </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">EXTRA</span> tuck-ins at night time </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an encouraging text message </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">giving your last piece of candy away (yes, this just happened) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a <span style="font-size: large;">kiss</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">listening to the same stories over and over again </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">choosing to smile and say yes when its the last thing you want to do</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">making <span style="font-size: x-large;">TIME</span> in your day for others </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sitting quietly with someone </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">saying a quick prayer for someone </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">being a bouncing board. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">knowing when to<span style="font-size: large;"> give</span> advice, and when to <span style="font-size: x-large;">just listen </span>to them </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put the phone <span style="font-size: x-large;">down </span>and <span style="font-size: x-large;">look</span> at your friend/family while talking </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ask how they are doing </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">be supportive...no matter what!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lighten their load </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Showing someone you <span style="font-size: x-large;">love</span> them doesn't have to be HUGE all the time. The little things you do will show your family and friends how much they mean to you on a regular basis. It lets them know that you are available and value their friendship all the time, not just on random occasions. </span><br />
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Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-50833005427199602502019-09-18T08:24:00.000-07:002019-11-19T12:16:03.628-08:00Anxiety is NOT a Myth<br />
Have you ever stood in front of your front door, hand hovering over the door handle, inwardly saying to yourself " you can do this"?<br />
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Or, have you ever sat in the parking lot at a big box store, gripping the steering wheel, anxiously watching as yet another person is walking into an already packed store. (seriously dont they have a limit on how many people can shop at once) <br />
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Or maybe, just maybe...you are sitting somewhere surrounded my your friends/family, and while you are laughing at all the right times, smiling and nodding your head, and they can see your smile....you know the one that you have been hiding behind. <br />
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Maybe you feel as if you are sitting behind a glass window...you can see everyone, you can interact with them, but its not you. Its just a shell of who you were, and you are just going through the motions.<br />
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*<br />
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Anxiety is real. <br />
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It is MESSY.<br />
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There are tears.<br />
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There are lots of tears.<br />
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I have suffered with anxiety my WHOLE life...it is real...it is hard...and some days it can be soul crushing. <br />
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And when you pass this on to your child....there will be even more tears.<br />
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My heart aches that I cant take her anxiety away from her.<br />
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I would take it on, in a heartbeat if I could.<br />
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But I cant.<br />
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I can't pick her up and kiss this away, like I would a skinned knee when she was smaller.<br />
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I cant wish this away, by blowing on a wish flower.<br />
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I cant....and it breaks this mamas heart. <br />
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BUT...<br />
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I can give her the tools that she needs to navigate through this life as easy as possible.<br />
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I CAN be aware of what she is going through.<br />
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I CAN see when she needs some downtime.<br />
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I CAN remove negative people from her lives.<br />
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I CAN build her up.<br />
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I CAN listen to her....even when she isn't saying anything.<br />
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I CAN be her ADVOCATE in everything. <br />
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I CAN love her for who she is. <br />
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Having dealt with this myself, I know what she is going through. I know there are going to be days that she needs to rest and recharge. I know that sometimes its hard for her to be around a lot of people, and that she HAS to have time to decompress. I know this...because I am the same way.<br />
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**<br />
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So we follow her lead.<br />
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We check in with her, we let her listen to music and draw. we sit and watch cartoons and drink hot chocolate, and laugh at crazy things. We sit with her and let her just be STILL when needed. Its ok if she turns my living room into an art studio with canvas lined up against the buffet and Piano with paint and brushes in varying stages of being cleaned/covered in paint. <br />
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We allow her to feel what she is going through<br />
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We tell her its ok to be mad (even at us), and that everyone has days where they feel crummy and mad at the world.<br />
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We let her show us that she is upset, we encourage her to show her feelings...not to hide them deep inside. <br />
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We encourage her to use her words, and let us know what she is going through.<br />
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We have a notebook that she can write hard things down in, and we can write back to her.<br />
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We keep a line of communication open with her. <br />
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We dont tell her to "suck it up" <br />
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We dont make her be with people who stress her out or cause her to become anxious.<br />
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***<br />
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Now that doesn't mean that she gets a free ride. like everyone else she has responsibilities, she has daily chores, and there are times where she will have to show up...no matter how difficult it may be.<br />
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Because that is life.<br />
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And life is hard, and messy, and sometimes crummy.<br />
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But it is LIFE!<br />
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This week has been rough...and today....well lets just say that I wish we could have a redo.<br />
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We both needed to recharge, rest our hearts, our mind and our souls....We needed to escape to our safe place (our home) and just be with our family.<br />
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Take a deep breath!<br />
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It really is OK to say that you cant be around other people....even though it has taken me years to be able to say it with out feeling guilty, it really is ok.<br />
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Its needed.<br />
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think of your body as your car...if you run on empty all the time, throw in some rattling (anxiety) and then try driving 15 miles over the speed limit...something bad is going to happen.<br />
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Take the time you need to refuel, recharge, slowdown, and work on you.<br />
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You may miss out on some things...you may miss out on alot, but you will never regret investing time into your family and yourself.<br />
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****<br />
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I love this verse from the song "I Am Not Alone" by Natalie Grant<br />
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<div class="M1CzJc PZPZlf MtKf9c kno-fb-ctx" data-lyricid="Lyricfind002-504866">
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You're here<br />
In my heart<br />
You're the light<br />
That guides me through the dark</div>
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You walk beside me<br />
The night seems cold<br />
Each time I fall</div>
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Your arms are there to hold</div>
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You walk beside me<br />
Giving strength I've never known<br />
I am not alone<br />
You walk beside me</div>
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We are never alone. No matter what we go through, no matter what we face...we are not alone. </div>
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-71690660595087247962019-06-18T09:58:00.000-07:002019-06-18T14:07:57.366-07:00Everyone will survive the teen years...we want to Thrive during them. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_JrLROUDRmoxrhLrkS__p0D740Nt3rSA3D6KnvOF-rDLDsa7uGCr5hR0H-1Ho91_tKrgzDjDU9hguaQ6EBalnJHgq-YWggIgbvhRsF3oOAp-Q1NAvP3WhUWP9L2FlFXjudc2FfKKxr8/s1600/ACS_0162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_JrLROUDRmoxrhLrkS__p0D740Nt3rSA3D6KnvOF-rDLDsa7uGCr5hR0H-1Ho91_tKrgzDjDU9hguaQ6EBalnJHgq-YWggIgbvhRsF3oOAp-Q1NAvP3WhUWP9L2FlFXjudc2FfKKxr8/s320/ACS_0162.JPG" width="307" /></a>My teenager....oh how I love her.<br />
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And yet, there are days where I just look at her and say..."Who do you belong to"?<br />
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Stop shaking your heads....you have ALL thought or said those words at some point in your child's life.<br />
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Those moments when they are sassy, acting out, taking their sweet time to do EVERYTHING, looking at you like you have no clue whats going on (lets be honest, most of the time we don't), staying up till all hours of the night and rubbing it in that you have things to do while they can lay in bed on their phones all day and only come out of hibernation when they smell food being cooked.<br />
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Ok its not really rubbing it in when all they are doing is sleeping...but to a mom who has been up for hours, its kind of feels like it.<br />
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Yeah, we have all been there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtf-MM8fm-ox9Fu4Uk5wUg4BAZW9ZBKsjr58-ZpkMw4KS2tfq3bdLe2lF3nackiQDqDkY1c4A_NmW1_KYr-UvZuwpsKCnuZc2HA3vAy0frI4vohoNMmtPHuZExN3Hv0dR0leF4nvlKAE/s1600/IMG_2561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtf-MM8fm-ox9Fu4Uk5wUg4BAZW9ZBKsjr58-ZpkMw4KS2tfq3bdLe2lF3nackiQDqDkY1c4A_NmW1_KYr-UvZuwpsKCnuZc2HA3vAy0frI4vohoNMmtPHuZExN3Hv0dR0leF4nvlKAE/s320/IMG_2561.JPG" width="320" /></a>I was reminded as to why I have to make her do something...even if I get the glare from the bathroom, as she slooooooooooly closes the door to start getting dressed for the day.<br />
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1st off...she needs sunlight.<br />
Even though I know she likes to think of herself as a bat hanging in a cave that only comes out for food and to stay up all night flying around the neighborhood (I jest).<br />
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2nd...she needs to be responsible for her actions.<br />
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You stay up till 4am...you still have chores to do and a dog to take care of.<br />
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OK this might have alarmed some of you...take a deep breath and repeat after me....it will NOT kill your sleep deprived teenager to get out of bed and walk THEIR dog. They may act and sound like it will...but I promise you, they wont actually die.<br />
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3rd...and here's the kicker....they need rules and boundaries just as much as a toddler does. Maybe even more so.<br />
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Our children are being bombarded by the world of what they need to do to be cool ( do they even say cool anymore, uggh I am so old), how to dress, how to act, how to attract people...and the list goes on and on.<br />
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Its our job to make sure that our teens are ready to face this world, and how will they ever learn, if we do not expect them to be the best that they can be.<br />
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By all rights...I have an AMAZING daughter. She is wonderful, smart, a joy to be around, and we are blessed she is ours....and she is also a TEEN.<br />
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Need I say more??<br />
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There are going to be bad days, there are going to be moments of frustration on both sides, there will be tears, and yelling, and slamming of doors (I was a teen too once)...and that's OK.<br />
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As long as she know she is loved, and that we are always here for her no matter what.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoO-zekn19aKXxwgMjc2oUs-jUVEWmriXxiVVnaq2gxXwSQeyrEPfXGwgRkDNwyNKD8vOKxmusy2pAXzoGVSLAbbCwoOmRpdmDnHFYrcwc-0avQRw_lwI_dg4pDMeKeQEwMwIfYJhHns/s1600/JTUN6535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoO-zekn19aKXxwgMjc2oUs-jUVEWmriXxiVVnaq2gxXwSQeyrEPfXGwgRkDNwyNKD8vOKxmusy2pAXzoGVSLAbbCwoOmRpdmDnHFYrcwc-0avQRw_lwI_dg4pDMeKeQEwMwIfYJhHns/s320/JTUN6535.JPG" width="320" /></a>And how does she know this you might ask....She know it by the way we expect her to behave, (you can be mad all you want, but you will speak with respect when talking to an adult), in the way we set boundaries for her (no you can not watch that, because it does not hold up to what we believe in) She know it because we MAKE her get out of the house and do fun things with us, because we ENJOY being around her.<br />
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Everyone will survive the teen years...We however, want to Thrive during them.<br />
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If you have met our daughter, you know just how warm hearted she is. She has the sweetest heart, and will do anything to help you. We want her to be an adult with those same traits, and as long as we keep pulling her close, and not letting her "teen self" become the center of our home, she will be.<br />
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Before you get upset, I am not saying we shouldn't let them be teens, we should, and we do allow our daughter to sleep in on occasion...but we also expect her to take care of her responsibilities.<br />
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She is allowed to have blah/grumpy days (cause you know us adults have them as well),she has days where she lays around in pj's with her IPAD on the couch covered in blankets. We let her stay up (usually on Fridays) and sleep in late.<br />
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Its all about balance and moderation. <br />
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Make a plan, stick to it, involve them as much as
possible (even if they don't want to be involved), set up boundaries, and don't be afraid to stick to them, and most importantly tell them you love and believe in them often.<br />
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Let them fly....but hold tight to the strings for a little while longer.<br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-16395384741194781302019-06-17T07:22:00.001-07:002019-06-17T07:22:38.389-07:00Rehab We almost lost him...not once, but twice.<br />
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Its hard to even fathom living a life without my husband...and yet I have. when we first came home from the hospital I laid awake watching him sleep, scared that if I closed my eyes, he would be gone in the morning. I would stare at him, trying to memorize what he looked like...just in case his heart stopped.<br />
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Our daughter Olivia would hold her tears in until she just couldn't anymore, and then she would break. My heart hurt so much for her, because while I knew what I was going through, I knew it was different for her. This was the strongest man in her life, Her Nerf gun buddy, the one she watched Marvel movies with, went on daddy/daughter dates with, told dad jokes to with her "pun glasses" on, the one who prayed with her, was teaching her how she should be treated by others, taught her to stand up for herself and others even when it was hard to do....This was her Daddy, and the thought of losing him devastated her. <br />
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My husband is 38 years old, and has had TWO "widow maker" heart attacks, and while today may be his last day AT heart Rehab, it is not the last day of his rehab. He will be in "rehab" for the rest of his life, to ensure that he never has to go through this again.<br />
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We lived through this twice...and I'm not sure our hearts could take a third time.<br />
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So we made a plan...not really a plan, more like a goal for a healthier lifestyle. Our family is exercising together, eating better together, and hopefully getting healthier together.<br />
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Its not about changing our lifestyle, its about doing what needs to be done to ensure that we have a LIFE to share with each other. <br />
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Waiting is no longer an option. Its a NOW or NEVER moment, and our family has decided that we will embrace the hard road ahead of us, and make changes now so that when its time to walk Olivia down the aisle on her wedding day, she will be holding on to her daddy's arm.<br />
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Join us on our journey to health, we will be updating our victories and struggles in the weeks, months, and years to come.<br />
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Here's to the next chapter of "rehab" in our families life :) <br />
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Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-2120699476285214602019-06-03T08:40:00.001-07:002019-06-03T08:44:02.270-07:00Monday, Monday <br />
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Monday<br />
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A fresh start to a new week.<br />
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New memories to be made....and mistakes.<br />
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This day can set the tone for your whole week. <br />
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Slow down, take a deep breath, count to ten, make a wish, start again.<br />
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Take a moment to write your feelings down, to put down a memory you hold dear on paper to revisit.<br />
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Make a plan, stick to it as best you can, but build in time rest and give yourself GRACE if need be.<br />
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Be your authentic self.<br />
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Don't let anyone steal your joy, shine your brightest, not for them, but for YOU.<br />
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Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, to make mistakes, for we learn from them. <br />
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look at this day, as a start to something great, instead of something dreaded.<br />
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Embrace your journey, and be willing to work for what you want.<br />
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Look to the one who loves you so much that He GAVE His life for you.<br />
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Serve Him, hold on to His had, as he guides you through this thing called life.<br />
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Be a friend, be a healer, be someone who speaks into the lives around you.<br />
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Shine your light, and spread your wonder to the world.<br />
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Be blessed on this Monday :) <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-33642843731223079842019-04-25T23:16:00.001-07:002020-01-07T08:17:37.425-08:00Grief The house is quiet, and everyone except for me is sound asleep.<br />
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My faithful dog is resting at my feet,and my hubby is gently snoring next to me.<br />
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I should be sleeping, but I cant.<br />
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My brain has decided that tonight we will travel back and revisit old wounds.Tears that I thought were long dried up have been silently and steadfastly making their way to the surface today.<br />
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Grief can make you feel things you never thought a human could be capable of feeling.<br />
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One moment you are fine, and then the next you are remembering something and all of a sudden you cant catch your breath, and it feels like you are sinking, unable to push yourself back to the surface.<br />
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It can feel as if you are caught in a tidal wave and every-time you feel like you are about to break through, another wave crashes into you, and you are once again floundering in a sea of grief.<br />
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If you have lost a loved one, then you understand what I am talking about.<br />
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If you have never experienced this, then I pray that you never will.<br />
<br />
I do good, most of the time.<br />
<br />
I can hide behind a smile on days that I feel down, because lets be honest, Life does go on. And when you have people depending on you and a family to take care of, sometimes you don't have the luxury of hiding in your room, under the covers with you iPad, binge watching your favorite show, as you wait out the low days.<br />
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No, you have to show up and take care of your life.<br />
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So we smile, and we say everything is fine, and you know what...usually just by doing that, your day does get better.<br />
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What is that saying?<br />
<br />
"Fake it until you make it".<br />
<br />
I kind of like "Smile, until you no longer want to cry", better.<br />
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Why am I sad?<br />
<br />
That's a good question, and I will try to answer it as honestly as I can. <br />
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I'm sad because they are gone..Sad because I can no longer talk to them and tell them about my day, or how well Olivia is doing in her School. I am sad because so much has happened and they missed it. I am sad because they left me.<br />
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OK, I know they didn't leave me. This was not something they chose. I know it makes me sound selfish for even writing that out.<br />
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Full disclosure...I did delete that line a few times.<br />
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But let me be honest for a moment. When you lose someone, you WILL feel as if they have left you. It will hurt like nothing you have ever been through. You wont just be sad, you will be angry.<br />
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But that is OK.<br />
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Its OK to be upset that they are gone. I mean, my goodness...you LOVED them, why wouldn't you be upset, and angry, and feeling lost, and maybe...just a little hopeless.<br />
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These feelings will resurface, even long after you feel like you have put them to bed.<br />
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Maybe that's why today has been so hard for me, Because I am not just sad...I'm upset...and if I am totally honest with myself...I am not mad at them, but I am mad that they are gone.<br />
<br />
I'm mad because I NEEDED to talk to my mom today. I NEEDED to hear my dad tell me everything was going to be OK. I NEEDED them today, and they were not here. <br />
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I don't feel like this every day, and today kind of took me by surprise.<br />
<br />
I wouldn't wish them back to this world for anything. As much as I love them, I wouldn't want them here suffering. They are at peace, they are no longer in pain and I truly believe that they are completely healed and walking on streets of gold. They are where we all long to be, and there is no doubt in my mind that I will see them again.<br />
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What a day that will be! <br />
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Tonight I am clinging to the promise that we are given in Psalm 34:18<br />
<span class="verse-18"> </span><br />
<i><b><span class="verse-18">The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.</span></b></i><br />
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<span class="verse-18">He sees my broken heart, my pain and grief, and He knows what I am going through. It says that he is close to us...to me, to you, to everyone who is suffering a loss. To those who feel as if the world is crashing around them. He is so close to us. </span><br />
<span class="verse-18"><br /></span>
<span class="verse-18">I love the song, "He's as close as the mention of His Name", because sometimes, when we are in the midst of our grief all we can do is Whisper His name. That's all it takes, just whispering the name of Jesus, and He is there. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="verse-18"></span><span class="verse-18">As I come to a close, I am reminded of all the times that my heart has been weary and heavy, and all I could do was whisper His name, and with out fail, He was there to guide me and comfort me in my time of need. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="verse-18">It is not about how you pray, or the words you say...Its about what is behind those words, thoughts, whispers. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="verse-18">He Sees you. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="verse-18">He hears you.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="verse-18">Even your whispered prayers. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="verse-18">If you are missing a loved one tonight, know that you are not alone. Reach out to THE ONE who loved you so much that He gave His life for you! </span><br />
<span class="verse-18"><br /></span>
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<span class="verse-18"><br /></span>Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-23820920844837452642019-04-24T09:39:00.003-07:002019-04-24T09:39:34.938-07:005 truths that I struggled with as a new homeschooling mama, and why I now embrace them. I am in our 7th year of homeschooling... and we have finally gotten in to our groove. let me tell you, it took many curriculum, may tears of frustration from me and my daughter, and MANY tries and errors, but we are here. We are to a point that we know what our end goal is, and we are cultivating the lovely in our home. Here are 5 truths that I struggled with as a new homeschooling mama, and why I now embrace them. <br />
<br />
1. We are not behind.<br />
<br />
I have a background in teaching, so for me it is hard when I feel like we are a little behind in a subject. I have to constantly remind myself that we are right where my daughter needs to be, and we are learning/mastering at her pace, which will lead to a more fulfilled education in the long run.<br />
<br />
2. We do NOT have to have a "set Schedule"<br />
<br />
While I like having some structure for our school days, I do realize that we are NOT doing school at home...we are homeschooling. Sometimes we need to stop and move on to another subject before my daughter gets burnt out on the subject, and then there are days that we throw out our schedule and focus on something that she is inserted in. Being able to stay with something that is interesting to her, and that is pushing her to find more information on her own is one of the reasons we choose to homeschool. We don't have to be chained to a specific schedule everyday.<br />
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3. Its OK to have lazy days, as long as its not every day.<br />
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Sometimes we need a break from work...how many times have you heard " I need a vacation from work". I have actually said those words...its the same with kids. They get overworked and need a break. We have started scheduling in lazy days. I let her sleep in, she can be in jammies all day and we just rest! I Love these days, it lets us recharge and stay on track!<br />
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4. Not all kids learn the same.<br />
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This was a hard one for me, but thankfully I have learned my lesson, and I now know how my daughter learns. My daughter does not learn like everyone else. She can remember anything if she has SEEN it. She can "write" beautiful stories...as long as the "writing" is done by using her IPAD's speak to text app. Math is not a strong suit...but by identifying the tools that she needs, switching up her curriculum and working with her in small time increments, she is progressing much faster then before. We needed to tailor her education to her and her learning style, and it was life changing.<br />
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5. I don't have to be a perfect teacher.<br />
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I have been asked so many times why I feel like I am "qualified" to teach my daughter. 1st of all, lets put aside my education...because I really don't need my degree to be able to teach my child. I am her parent, therefore I want the best for her...which means, I am going to provide opportunities, give her access to information that sparks learning, and set her up to be whatever she wants to be. I want her to be able to follow her dreams, and I will work towards her goals more then any other person ever would (besides her family). she wants to learn about robots...we do classes on coding. She wants to be a fashion designer, we go out and get her a sewing machine and fabric...She wants to work on animation...we buy the app that allows her to spend hours creating cartoons. all of theses things have been done in our home over the last few years. Right now she is into painting...which means her room has paints, paint brushes, and canvas' propped up all over the room that are in various stages of being done. She leads, and we put opportunities in front of her. <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-7294045156195142742019-04-22T18:58:00.003-07:002019-04-22T19:05:32.158-07:00It was just one cookieI slowly closed my eyes and savored the taste of the cookie I had just sunk my teeth into. As I was reaching for another one, there was a nagging voice inside my head saying "you just blew your diet!"<br />
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I inwardly groaned, and pushed the cookies across the table, eyeing them with that hunger only someone on a diet can feel...you know what I am talking about right? That feeling of starvation that feels as if there is an animal inside your stomach clawing to get out. Well at least that's how I feel when I am dieting.<br />
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As I sit at the table fidgeting, my "diet voice" starts to talk to me. (you all have a diet voice too right???or is that just me?)<br />
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"Go ahead, eat another one...you already blew your diet for the day!"<br />
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"One more isn't going to make you gain too much weight."<br />
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"why do you even bother dieting, you blow it EVERY TIME!"<br />
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"this is why you are fat...you have no will power"<br />
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"doesn't matter if its a cookie now or chips later...you know you are going to give in"<br />
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"You are a failure."<br />
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It goes on and on....and while I didn't reach for another cookie, I dealt with the disappointment that I had ruined my diet all day. I carried that guilt around and it effected everything I put in my mouth. It made me feel like a failure.<br />
<br />
Have you ever felt like that...One thing...it was just a cookie...ONE COOKIE...but it ruined my whole day.<br />
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I'm sure you are asking how One cookie could ruin my day, and I will tell you.<br />
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It ruined my day because I LET IT!<br />
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I let the guilt and disappointment of one act, follow me around all day and eat away at me.<br />
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I was going to bed and as I sat and calculated what I had eaten, I realized that even though I had "messed up" my diet wasn't ruined. I made a mistake, but it did not mean that I was a failure. on the contrary, I worked harder because I didn't want to make another mistake.<br />
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Its amazing how God chooses moments like this to teach me a lesson. While I was worried about my diet, God was showing me something more. How many times have we made a mistake and thought "oh well, I have already messed up doesn't matter what I do now."<br />
<br />
Sin sometimes slips up on us, and we don't realize that we are sinning until the moment has passed. (Now I am not talking about intentional sinning, I am talking about gossip, envy, white lies, etc). How many times have you caught yourself in a conversation that has turned from just talking to gossiping? I will be the 1st to say that this has happened more times then I care to count. I am blessed with friends who hold me accountable (and vice versa), but I have had to stop conversations and say "I am sorry, that was wrong of me to say."<br />
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How many times have we caught ourselves saying "Man, I wish I had their car (house, money, looks)?<br />
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Or have you been shopping, and get to the car and realize that you forgot to pay for something. Do you stop and run it back in, or do you laugh and place it in your car, patting yourself on the back because you got a "discount" at the store? (check out my response to this <a href="http://makingtime4home.blogspot.com/2016/11/honesty-and-hotdogs.html" target="_blank">here) </a><br />
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You are probably wondering how any of this ties into me eating a cookie and "ruining" my diet...well just like that one cookie did not ruin my diet, one sin can not ruin your walk with God.<br />
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Even when the devil whispers in your ear that...<br />
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"You are a liar"<br />
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You are a thief"<br />
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"How can He still love you"<br />
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"You are a failure"<br />
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"no one will ever love you" <br />
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We are human, which unfortunately means that we are bound to make mistakes, we are going to fail, and we will sin.<br />
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But we do not have to dwell on it. Our God is a God of grace and forgiveness.<br />
<br />
Micah 7:18-19 states...<br />
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<span class="text Mic-7-18" id="en-KJV-22683">18 Who is a God like unto
thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the
remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he
delighteth in mercy.</span> <br />
<br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"></span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"></span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">19 He will turn again, he
will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou
wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">Do you know what that means for us sinners? It means that once He has forgiven our sins, he will not remember them. He is not sitting there, waiting for us to sin again, so he can call us out and say " remember when you did this exact same thing." </span><br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"><br /></span>
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">No, He has FORGIVEN us. </span><br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"><br /></span>
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">Its us who dwell on our sins. We refuse to forgive ourselves and we get caught up in the guilt of what we have done that we are unable to move on from the "failure" that we see ourselves as. </span><br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"><br /></span>
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">Im not saying that we should not feel guilty over sinning, I think that if you are sinning and not feeling guilty about it, then there might be a bit of a problem. </span><br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"><br /></span>
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">What I am saying, is if you have asked for forgiveness, give the sin to God and allow His grace to cover you and your sin.</span><br />
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<br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">G</span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">rab tight to His mercy, and allow your self to accept His forgiveness...then forgive yourself. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">Easier said then done...Trust me, I know. </span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"></span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"> </span><br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"><br /></span>
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"></span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"></span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">When the devil reminds you of your past, Remind him that you are a child of God, and that he has forgiven your past. </span><br />
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<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">Don't let the devil drag up your past. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">I can just see him...pulling up a chair, sitting back with his feet propped up on the memories you have stored away in the depths of your mind, just so he can bring up every moment that you have failed or sinned in your life. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">The devil is a liar. </span><br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"><br /></span>
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">And he has already been defeated!</span><br />
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"><br /></span>
<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">Its time for us to take the Mercy and Grace that God has extended to us, and allow ourselves to move forward in our life. </span><br />
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<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">Just like the cookie didn't ruin my diet, something you did 5, 10, 15 years ago will not ruin your walk with God. </span><br />
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<span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684">We are a walking, living, and breathing testimony of the Grace of God...Its time we start acting like it, and make up our mind that even when we fail, we are NOT Failures! </span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"></span><span class="text Mic-7-19" id="en-KJV-22684"> </span><br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-1459009525840593742019-04-22T16:58:00.001-07:002019-04-22T18:10:55.961-07:00Let me be a reflection No I am not perfect...not even PRACTICALLY perfect.<br />
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I am a hot mess, wrapped up in a tornado of chaos, who is just trying to make it to appointments no more the 10 minutes late.<br />
<br />
There...you now know the truth.<br />
<br />
I have great intentions of leaving the house 30 minutes early, of making sure that the gas tank is always full, my phone is always charged, and that my purse is stuffed with things to do such as books, word puzzles, and maybe even some kind of snack.<br />
<br />
In reality, my gas is ALWAYS on empty (seriously I drive with it BELOW the orange line, its a wonder I haven't ran out of gas),I am constantly struggling to get anywhere on time, and if I do manage it..it is truly a minor miracle. My phone is constantly in need of being charged, and my purse is so full of old receipts and things that my family have thrown in there that there is no longer room for my beloved books.<br />
<br />
Oh, and snacks....if I dig deep enough there might be a flattened mini Three Musketeers left over from Halloween. Of course the last time I found one...it tasted like the oils it had settled next to, and it was not a pleasant experience at all.<br />
<br />
Did I mention that I was a HOT MESS?<br />
<br />
Thankfully, God doesn't care that I am running late (well maybe when it comes to church, he might prefer that I was on time), that I need to put some gas into my faithful car, or that my phone is almost always about to die. <br />
<br />
No, He doesn't care about that stuff at all.<br />
<br />
What he does care about is the way I portray myself when I am in these situations. Am I laughing at the craziness that is my life, and shaking off it off and continuing on with my life, or am I screaming at everyone around me because I have let the chaos sap all the joy from my life.<br />
<br />
Am I showing Christ to those around me, are they feeling His love when I talk to them...or are they looking at me thinking " My life is already crazy enough, so I Don't want what she has?"<br />
<br />
Am I being a reflection of who is with in me?<br />
<br />
I learned a long time ago to embrace my craziness and just go with it. I am clumsy, and if something is going to happen, it will probable happen to me, just ask my husband...and I'm truly ok with laughing at what happens.<br />
<br />
Because that is who I am. I am a crazy, twirl in my chair, run down the hallway and slide (usually crashing into a wall)with my socks on, singing Christmas songs in Walmart in the middle of July, tripping on my own skirt kind of girl...and I embrace it. Just like I embrace the uniqueness that is each and everyone of you.<br />
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But what I want more than anything is to be someone that you can look at even in the midst of my craziness and say "she will pray with me and for me." <br />
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I want to show Christ in every situation that I am in. If I am running late, I can choose to yell, and get upset with those driving slower then I would like them to be, Or...I can respond like my daughter does and say " God must have a reason for us to be late".<br />
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She has such faith and is wise beyond her years. I want to be like her when I grow up.<br />
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I will let the chaos win sometimes, because I am only human. But its at that moment where I can choose to either continue to let the chaos win, or I can choose to let the person who defeated Chaos shine through me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenrql2nmKvPV39wd_p8lHql_V__cOrx6NndIVJgmc7-1mtbfM4Sod5BF-pzIirnjgN6BSSHzWB7iX-DJpNWTksvJLQEocBR9Rgc1YyFLbBeu-H7YpcnAQhNEnhIm_VycS0mUhHehjcCo/s1600/e7ca5caed8ae81f5c56b68e836fdc4c4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="1026" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenrql2nmKvPV39wd_p8lHql_V__cOrx6NndIVJgmc7-1mtbfM4Sod5BF-pzIirnjgN6BSSHzWB7iX-DJpNWTksvJLQEocBR9Rgc1YyFLbBeu-H7YpcnAQhNEnhIm_VycS0mUhHehjcCo/s320/e7ca5caed8ae81f5c56b68e836fdc4c4.jpg" width="250" /></a>Its my choice.<br />
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...and yours! <br />
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Someone is ALWAYS watching.<br />
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our friends,<br />
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our family,<br />
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our children,<br />
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the haters,<br />
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Don't give them a reason to question WHO and WHAT you believe in. <br />
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Lord let me reflect YOU in all I do. <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-38852934987679320572019-04-16T16:45:00.001-07:002020-02-14T11:04:45.431-08:00Sitting in the stillness.Last night I stayed up late...OK it was only 11:30 but I thought I was big stuff making it past my 9pm bed time. I made myself stay awake, because I was going to get to sleep in for the 1st time in for what seemed like forever.<br />
<br />
And then this morning comes around and my body decided that..Nope, you my friend are going to get up at the same time you usually get up...and you will not be able to fall back asleep!<br />
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Sometimes I wish we could just slap ourselves, and say behave...or go back to sleep at least.<br />
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Instead of kissing my half-asleep husband and daughter goodbye, I got to spend time this morning talking to my husband before he went to work. <br />
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Instead of grabbing a granola bar and eating it as I walked out the door, I got to have breakfast with my daughter.<br />
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I got to take time to really clean my home (anyone else Spring Cleaning?) <br />
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Sigh...I got to spend time in my home. <br />
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I am a homemaker at heart.<br />
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I love making our home clean for my family. I love having the laundry done, and the beds made, and food on the table when my hubby gets off work.<br />
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I love spending time just being quiet, and letting the stillness sink in.<br />
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I have been so busy, for so long, that I had forgotten how to just rest in the stillness around me. I have not practiced the art of taking time to just relax and be at peace. It use to be something I did every day.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyqQ9R_5DOd4kMejRJFTu45BOvqXK_8TkD-yEkJI_ipJenPvurk6U6Kj5Ul_10kcJ0RH2dfHq_7bM2MvDyPf5U4wLq3t8_rk_AwGDmQUqQ3ihu2aGqYdEXBrdx-PI7CI_LxpcIfNxras/s1600/iisYW_L29Y9u.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="620" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyqQ9R_5DOd4kMejRJFTu45BOvqXK_8TkD-yEkJI_ipJenPvurk6U6Kj5Ul_10kcJ0RH2dfHq_7bM2MvDyPf5U4wLq3t8_rk_AwGDmQUqQ3ihu2aGqYdEXBrdx-PI7CI_LxpcIfNxras/s320/iisYW_L29Y9u.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Oh, how I have missed it.<br />
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Just being still, and quieting the clutter and chaos that is my mind.<br />
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I stopped making time for it when things got busy and hectic in our life, but now realize that I need it to be the best person that I can be.<br />
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A quiet and still mind, is so much better then a mind that is running from one thing to another trying to accomplish 50 million things at once.<br />
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Breathe, relax, listen.<br />
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Repeat.<br />
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As I sit here typing this, my daughter is snuggled up on the couch, resting and playing with her phone. My hubby is almost done with work, and I can hear him in the back room getting ready to shut everything down for the day, and my dog, who has not been far from me all day, is keeping my feet warm :)<br />
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I have prayed for this...<br />
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I have waited for this...<br />
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This is my calling... and God answered in His time.<br />
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I don't know how long this chapter of our life will be, but I am going to soak it all in, and make the best of the time I have at home now, for this is where my heart is. <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-83984347049883519812019-04-15T19:43:00.001-07:002020-02-14T11:02:24.218-08:00Old<br />
Worn<br />
thread-bear<br />
favorite <br />
loved<br />
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That describes a piece of clothing that my mother gave me years ago. something that can no loner be worn, but for some reason I just cant let go of it. I tried to do so today, I actually told my self that I was being silly, and that I no longer needed the actual item, to remember the memories associated with it. I quickly tossed it in the trash, and after starting at the trash can for a full min. I reached back in side and took it back out, gently folding it and placing it back in the bottom of my drawer. It isn't the prettiest thing anymore, but when it was first given to me, it was beautiful, and I was so excited. now it is tired, worn out, and not looking all that great. It has stains on it, and is a little faded, and yet I still love it. <br />
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Does feel like your heart is like an old piece of clothing...something that is tired, and worn out. it may not be as pretty as when you first gave it to God, in fact it may be stained. Have the cares and toils of this world have made your heart heavy? Are the stains of sin turning your heart an ugly black? do you feel like God has just tossed your heart out with the trash?<br />
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I know our hearts are nothing like clothes...but just like I lovingly took out the item my mom bought me, God is the same way. He looks at our broken heart, and all he sees is how beautiful it is. He sees how worn it is and still tucks it under His arm. He LOVES it. It doesn't matter how ugly and stained, or broken and tired it is, He will never get rid of it. He will never give up on what you could be. His love is never ending and all encompassing.<br />
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Bring Him your worn out, thread-bear heart...and let Him restore it in into something beautiful again.<br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-72272914681407354322019-04-15T04:35:00.001-07:002019-04-15T04:35:10.273-07:0004.15.19<br />
<br />
04.15.19<br />
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Today starts a new adventure in the Gregory home. I am coming home to be a full time Homschooling mom after working outside of the home part time for the last two and a half years.<br />
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Its time.<br />
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We know this is the right move.<br />
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The last few weeks have been filled with the awesomeness of Gods provision. Huge things being taken care of, that could only have happened by Gods plan.<br />
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In my heart I have Peace about coming home. I have been so excited, and
have literally been counting down the days to when I will be a Homemaker
again. I have nothing against moms who work outside of the home, you
are awesome and deserve awards, but my heart, my joy is in being a
homemaker/homeschooling mom. It always has been. <br />
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And yet....<br />
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I struggle with the what ifs.<br />
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What if we don't have enough money?<br />
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What if this is a bad decision?<br />
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What if....fill in the blank...I am pretty sure I have though about it.<br />
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I have spent countless hours running numbers in my brain and trying to figure out how we can make this work, thats how my brain works.<br />
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Then there are days like yesterday, where I feel complete Peace with our decision. Both services at church seemed like they were tailor maid for me and my family. I KNOW this is where we are supposed to be. I KNOW that we will be taken care of, and I KNOW that my God is bigger then any "What if" I happen to think up.<br />
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My hubby has been reminding me that "Where God leads, he will PROVIDE."<br />
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That's a truth bomb if I have ever heard one! God will not lead somewhere with out providing a way for us. <br />
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So, instead of being stressed (OK, we all know there WILL be moments of stress/panic, I am only human), I am choosing to step out in FAITH and TRUST that my God will take care of us, as long as we are faithful to Him.<br />
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I am choosing to say...<br />
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What if...He Blesses us beyond measure.<br />
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What if...this is the begining of something far greater then we could ever imigian.<br />
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What if...God is using this time to build our faith.<br />
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Those "What If's" don't look so bad. <br />
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Today, I will spend my last day in an office filled with people I have grown to love. I will say good bye, and I will close the door on this chapter of my life.<br />
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It is sad. I will miss my friends (thank goodness for FB). I will miss the interaction I had with them daily.<br />
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All good things come to an end...and the next chapter of my life is already calling...and I cant wait to answer it!<br />
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Subscribe to my blog for daily updates on this life we lead :) <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-39430702441924383922019-01-19T08:52:00.002-08:002019-01-19T08:54:45.301-08:00This Is Me<br />
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Are you ever afraid that people will see the real you and want to run away? Do you find yourself trying to be a "little less" then your true self, because you know that you walk/dance/skip/move to your own beautiful beat of music? If you answered "yes" to either of those questions then this post is for you.<br />
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My circle of friends know, and this is important, GET ME! I can be crazy, do stupid stuff and no matter what I look like they will STILL love me. its the people outside my circle that I worry about.<br />
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I worry that if I say something crazy, like I ALWAYS tend to do, that the people who don't know me, will think I'm kind of crazy (who am I kidding, we all know I am), and then write me off as someone they don't want to get to know.<br />
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This has happened to me in the past....and it did crush my spirit.<br />
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Over the last few years I have grown into myself, I have learned to trust my feelings, and to pursue the dreams that I have. I have walked down many hard paths and found out that I am STRONG enough to do anything I set my mind to.<br />
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It was with that knowledge that I realized...I don't need EVERYONE to like me. I don't have to change who I am to make someone WANT to hang out with me. I mean....who wouldn't want to hang out with someone who is always cracking up, falling over herself, AND making memories!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjp_-S_oCD-bAs9qLAHehaWA_KTNy9jJoB_DjloRboXFgjBj0BO9-yOFxJ5bsxgiVBi329E33EdpIPi4NL4YGju0Ek0ObT_FD-s0Trkn22bZdO7QKCRiK3Q6Xl3hqNqk71IZ4NzhrcfBo/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjp_-S_oCD-bAs9qLAHehaWA_KTNy9jJoB_DjloRboXFgjBj0BO9-yOFxJ5bsxgiVBi329E33EdpIPi4NL4YGju0Ek0ObT_FD-s0Trkn22bZdO7QKCRiK3Q6Xl3hqNqk71IZ4NzhrcfBo/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a>Don't get me wrong...I can be serious, and I can turn down the volume (do personalities even have a volume control?), and I can sit still....unless I am in a chair that swivels :)<br />
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What I am saying, is that for a long time I hid away who I was, because I didn't want to be judged. It really is OK to be you.<br />
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God made us in HIS image....we are NOT a Mistake. We are WONDERFULLY made. He made us this way for a reason.<br />
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I may be the "crazy" lady walking through Walmart singing Christmas songs with my daughter in mid July, and I am ok with that.Because I know that making a memory with her is more important then the stares we may get. and to be honest we have had a few smiles as well :) <br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEJd2RyGm8Q" target="_blank">This is Me! </a>is one of my favorite songs from "The Greatest Showman", and my
daughter and I have taken it on as our anthem. We are who we are, and we
don't need to apologize for that anymore.<br />
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Make an impression on the world, be beautiful on the inside, be kind to
everyone, make a difference in the lives around you, love your family
fiercely, Show Christ to everyone you meet, and JUST BE YOU! Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-63242509911210021352018-11-11T19:24:00.002-08:002018-11-11T20:01:11.046-08:00 Why watching "Whatever the Bleep you want" is not always the best idea. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love to set back and relax while watching a movie. Sometimes you just need to escape and <br />
not have to think about anything, and watching a movie in the comfort of your home, curled up on the couch with your family is just the thing, especially after a long day. Wouldn't it be nice if you could find a movie that the WHOLE family could watch. A movie that you don't have to worry about fast forwarding scenes, or pushing the mute button (always a few seconds AFTER the swear word has been said). How nice would it be to pick a movie, pick out what you want to see in that said movie, and watch without a care in the world? It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?<br />
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Enter Vid-angel! A service that can do all that and Much more...their catch phrase "Watch whatever the bleep you want" is catchy, and makes you want to try it out.. Read on to get my opinion on this popular filtering service. <br />
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I was so excited to try this out. not only was this app going to let us watch the movies we liked, but it was also going to open up a whole new world of movies and TV shows that we had previously stayed away from. We are a pretty conservative family when it comes to what we watch/listen too, so you can see why this would be great for our family. For those who don't know what Vid-Angel is, let me explain. Vid-angel is an app with a paid subscription, that allows you to sync with your paid streaming subscriptions such as Prime Video, Netflix. You can download the app to your phones, smart TV's, laptops, and tablets. You can then pick out what show you want, and set the filters. It allows you to filter out any and everything you can think of. For instance you can filter out kissing, sex, nudity, swear words, graphic content, and the list goes on and on. SERIOUSLY...the filter list is amazingly long...they even have sub filters! I was really impressed with the filtering system. You can pick and choose to get rid of everything, or you can use the sub filter to break it down even more. If you put a filter on for swearing, they will edit the word and there will be a silent moment where the swear word was. if you have edited kissing/sex/nudity, they cut the scenes out completely. It will just seem like a small blip in the show. <br />
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After searching and reading up on Vid-Angel, I obviously had to have it. and even better, they were offering a free month. Ummm yes please, where do I sign up! All I could think about was how many shows we could watch as a family now. I made a list...yes I know it sounds crazy, but I haveseen so many previews of shows that looked like it had a great story line, but because of the rating would never watch it. <br />
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I signed up and eagerly set up the app on all the tablets, phones, and laptops in our home. In hindsight I was a little over eager and should have tried it on one tablet first.<br />
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Here is where it gets interesting...at least for me.<br />
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I don't have a lot of time to actually watch shows, which I seemed to temporarily forget when I was making the list of MUST see shows. We lead a pretty busy life between work, homeschooling, and running our business...throw in church, ice skating, and other obligations, and I am lucky if I get to sit down and watch a full episode of a show on Netflix...let alone find time to watch the long list that I just made.<br />
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I kept rationalizing that it was still going to be great...even if we we were only able to watch a few shows a week it would still be worth it. We would't have to worry about questionable scenes, swear words, or anything else we decided to filter out. It was going to be great!<br />
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Or so I thought!<br />
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I picked out a show...set my filters...and was about to start watching it when I looked at what I would be watching and hearing. Vid angel has this neat little comparison bar that lets you see a line of what scenes and words you have filtered out with the new running time compared to what you would have heard and seen if you had just watched it unfiltered.<br />
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What a neat idea....they want you to see what they are editing out for you.<br />
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The only thing was...by the time I put all the filters I wanted, there wasn't much left of the show. It cut out over half of the show. <br />
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Which made me stop and think...Why would I want to watch/support something that needed to be so heavily edited. It was at this point in time, that my husband and I talked about how/if we would use this service, if it was worth the money every month to watch something that we would have to filter so heavily. We both came to the conclusion that this was NOT something that our family had to have. While it is awesome that this is an options out there for Christians, and I applaud the fact that they have made this available. We just don't feel like it is something worth putting our money, and more importantly our TIME into. This does not mean if they add new shows that can be filtered (like more then only one season of NCIS) that we wouldn't try it again at some point. It just means at this time in our life, it is not a need for us. <br />
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This is my PERSONAL opinion, and I know quiet a few people who Use and LOVE this app. This is not meant to dissuade anyone from trying this filtering service (if you are wanting to try it, they have 30 days free trial going on now, check it out and see if it is something you and your family can utilize), it has some great points, and I can see where the appeal is.<br />
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At this point in our life our family is striving to "cultivate the lovely" in our home which means, less electronics/TV and more reading as a family, more game nights, more hanging out with friends and families, and most importantly learning how to see Gods work in our everyday life. Asking each other questions such as... <br />
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"How have you been kind today?"<br />
"What was the high point/low point of your day?"<br />
"Did you read anything interesting today?"<br />
and most importantly...."Where did you see Jesus today? "<br />
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These are the types of things we want to hear about, and cultivate in our family.<br />
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Not..."what did you watch today?"<br />
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I LOVE this quote by Charlotte Mason, and it is one that I am taking to heart with my own child.<br />
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"<b><i> An observant Child should be put in the way of things worth observing." </i></b><br />
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What a wonderful thought! What do we, as parents, want our children observing? Nature, the beauty that surrounds us everyday, great works of literature and music...these are the things I want my daughter to observe, and what we are striving to accomplish in our own home. <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-21393052370566276482018-05-19T19:34:00.001-07:002019-08-23T08:45:51.979-07:00Embracing The Messy loving to write, and actually having something to write about are two different things.<br />
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I have sat down and stared at a blank computer screen, wishing that all the thought swirling around in my head could come together into something cohesive that you would want to read. and yet nothing would come.<br />
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Oh I have a TON of thoughts, a ton of new ideas, and a ton of lessons that I have learned in the last few months, that I could have written about...but none of them were what I wanted to write about. nothing that would inspire anyone to change, or lift someones spirits.<br />
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Sigh...<br />
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So what do you do, when you have nothing that you want to say?<br />
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Me, I try to dig deeper. pull out the broom and sweep away the cobwebs that are cluttering up my mind and heart. Ask the Lord for Wisdom, and then sit back down, and try again.<br />
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My 1st goal when starting a blog was to be transparent, to let my raw emotions be available in case someone else was walking the same path we were, and needed to know that they were not walking alone.<br />
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so here goes...<br />
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Life is hard.<br />
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Life is messy.<br />
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Life NEVER goes the way we plan it.<br />
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Life can get hectic.<br />
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Life is GOOD. <br />
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The past few months, to say the least have been hard, messy, hectic, and NEVER went the way I planned it.<br />
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I was working a part-time job, trying to run a business, homeschooling, attempting to shop for grocery's and keep the home looking halfway decent,and trying to make my family a priority...all the while telling myself to "keep it together."<br />
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In reality I never had it all together. I was constantly playing catch up in one area of my life or another. <br />
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I was a mess!<br />
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but like so many other perfectionist out there, I thought I could handle it all on my own. I didn't need any help, because what I needed to do, could only be done by me.<br />
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Yep...I was that crazy.<br />
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1st of all, that's not how life works. God gives us a helpmate in our spouses, they are here to help lessen our loads. They are also wise and tell us when we should let something go. In my case, my hubby tells me when I have too much on my plate, and that I need to figure out what is important and work on that.<br />
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Which can be hard for me, since I think EVERYTHING is important and needs to be worked on all at the SAME time!<br />
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Did I mention that I "might" be a perfectionist?<br />
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When I look around the house and see that while the house is "clean" its just not "My Clean", which is basically means it wasn't done the way I would have done it. This means that I need to let go of the idea that my home will ever be perfect, after all we do live/work/school here! And as hard as it may be, I have to learn to be thankful that it is just cleaned...no matter if I would have put the books back a certain way, and there may be a a little clutter left on the coffee table.<br />
<br />
I need to learn to be content.<br />
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Content in my crazy life!<br />
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Content in the fact that I have a home and a family that loves to laugh and spend time together.<br />
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I need to realize that a game night is more important then making sure the house is spotless.<br />
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I need to embrace this messy life that is all mine.<br />
<br />
I'm setting out on a journey that will allow me to embrace my own crazy, without going crazy.<br />
<br />
Letting go of clutter, and living in the moment. <br />
<br />
So this is me....making a commitment to be real, to be raw, to live in the moment, and allowing myself to be messy :)<br />
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Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-49277696726569059942018-04-18T13:35:00.001-07:002018-09-18T12:52:17.737-07:00 In my Dreams....My home is SPOTLESS <br />
<br />
<br />
I dreamed I had a maid...not a maid, but a fairy, one that came into my home, sprinkling magic cleaning dust all over my home. This magic fairy, then folded all my clothes and placed the gently into the CORRECT drawers. The towels were folded correctly and placed one by one into the linen closet. My kitchen floors were somehow swept/mopped and there was NO mystery residue left for me to find early in the morning as I walked around, still half asleep, with no shoes on. No it was SPOTLESS!<br />
<br />
with all the work done, and no one around I was free to sit and relax and get lost in a book.<br />
<br />
Sigh....I could live in this dream forever.<br />
<br />
and yet...<br />
<br />
the sound of birds chirping woke up up way to soon from my wonderful dream (seriously thinking about changing my alarm tone). As much as I wanted to snuggle under my covers and return to my restful dream, I remembered that while I had remembered to start my laundry...I had failed to swap it to the dryer, which meant that my work shirts were not going to be dry.<br />
<br />
I jumped from my bed, stubbed my toe on the dog carrier and ran to the kitchen to throw just my shirt in to the dryer in hopes that it would be dry before I had to leave for work.<br />
<br />
I stopped to gulp some orange juice and looking around I can clearly see that the cleaning fairy did not, in fact pay me a visit. The clothes are still waiting to be folded, my foot is partly stuck to the floor, and there are homeschooling books laying all over the kitchen table and as I peak in to the living room I see even more. My daughters Ice skating bag has taken up permanent residence in my living room, and her shoes are where she kicked them off. <br />
<br />
As much as I wish I could wake up and my home be spotless...I know that this is a season, one that in the future I will long for. The books, and toys left where she stopped playing with them. I will long for the homeschooling days, and teaching her long after she has graduated from college.<br />
<br />
My home may not be spotless, but it represents where I am in this stage of life. I am a mom, who takes care of her family the best she can while juggling a home business, a part time job, and homeschooling.<br />
<br />
It is lived in and if you stop by at any given moment during the week, you will see a ton of books, toys and even a pile or two of laundry (on some days).<br />
<br />
And that's OK :)<br />
<br />
If you ever do find a fairy with magic cleaning dust, please feel free to send her (or him) my way! <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-86688597785023354912018-04-11T18:24:00.002-07:002018-04-11T18:48:14.818-07:00It's been a long week!<br />
How can it only be Wednesday? I feel like I have lived a month in the last few days. I think distress, worrying and spending time in a hospital will do that to you.<br />
<br />
And to think it all started just a few days ago.<br />
<br />
Monday was a perfect morning (OK, it was colder then cold and I wasn't able to wear sandals, so it wasn't so perfect). When I hugged my daughter goodbye and gave her a kiss, I yelled out to
my hubby that I thought she had a fever again, and she would need some
more medicine and I went on my way. She had been fighting a fever/cough
for a few days and we had been praying that she was on the tail end of
it. I hopped into my freezing car, and headed to work.<br />
<br />
That was the last thing that was normal about my week.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHiiQcgXl1lv81NzCmUxRzFvAuRe5KLy3kzT0UedhtvJja8tqxkyM_UPKi5XRTaMrtvPtY01NQfK6Qzaf-ZsgZcJTV48ZXXoymZUfpJfBaxuP-ZddXh0fMejKe9SHWcnqFLyp4s6ClLo/s1600/30185257_10216672380541032_447063008_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHiiQcgXl1lv81NzCmUxRzFvAuRe5KLy3kzT0UedhtvJja8tqxkyM_UPKi5XRTaMrtvPtY01NQfK6Qzaf-ZsgZcJTV48ZXXoymZUfpJfBaxuP-ZddXh0fMejKe9SHWcnqFLyp4s6ClLo/s200/30185257_10216672380541032_447063008_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the ER</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Ever have those days where one thing can set into motion a tilde-wave where you feel like you are on a ride you NEVER wanted to be on, and you have no idea where you will be forced to get off.<br />
<br />
My work day started off like normal, and then it turned into not so normal. Sometimes no news is best, while other times news is hard to swallow and you have to put on a smile and tell yourself that no matter what happens God has already been here..He knows the outcome and He works for OUR GOOD. So that's what I did. I smiled, I laughed with my co workers, and I told God that I knew he had this. <br />
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And I believed that. For the most part, that is. Every now and then I would let that moment of panic slip in. I would shed a few tears and let myself dwell on the what ifs. I am only human.<br />
<br />
Then I got a text from my husband saying Olivia was feeling worse. <br />
<br />
When I got home Olivia was ready to go to prompt care. I took her "knowing" it was probably just a cold and nothing else. They would give her some meds and she would be good to go in a few days.<br />
<br />
Not the case.<br />
<br />
A nurse took her vitals then left the room, then came the doctor and a new nurse hustling in, asking questions about her heart and our family's history of heart issues. We were then told that my daughter heart rate at resting was 140 and that they thought she had a block in her heart valve (let me pause to say this...she does NOT have a block in her heart valve, and the cardiologist at the hospital confirmed that the prompt care doctor should never have even mentioned this to us), which freaked not only me out, but my 12 year old as well. I had to ask the doctor to reassure her that she was not going to die.<br />
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We were given instructions to call our PCP and follow up with them for her "heart condition" as soon as possible.<br />
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While checking our and getting her meds filled, Olivia starts having shortness of breath and feeling like she was going to pass out, and on the advice of her PCP we take her to the emergency room. <br />
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7gKjFPBpiol78iZCReqVPewRQ0C5DXtx6wXWmiN4zvtJpDdAYWauJ813mPxQzVxYw4aK7Ms9AE5iDpjon67uptie2NvFEa6F4R4qU1o2RZROrdQsuF0xAIwLaum2tWt7ELHcwNaKQxE/s1600/30180008_10216672380061020_326882303_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7gKjFPBpiol78iZCReqVPewRQ0C5DXtx6wXWmiN4zvtJpDdAYWauJ813mPxQzVxYw4aK7Ms9AE5iDpjon67uptie2NvFEa6F4R4qU1o2RZROrdQsuF0xAIwLaum2tWt7ELHcwNaKQxE/s200/30180008_10216672380061020_326882303_n.jpg" width="150" /></a> Where her heart rate continued to fluctuate from 120 - 160, even shooting up to 170 at one point. She had a fever, was dehydrated and light headed and feel dizzy even when laying still.<br />
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Thankfully, the ER staff is wonderful and they try to make her feel as comfortable as possible. She was admitted to the hospital to make sure she did not have a heart problem, and to keep an eye on her elevated heart rate.<br />
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Tears, needles, an I.V, itchy hospital blankets, more needles, even more tears from both mom and my girl, questions without answers...this was our night.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3rxJDA6YrqtKpE8ETP2zaGjC7x0rQrya34sXPbJB1DcksxIylBGd78BQeO0YdtbJ-wpUcsw1q7Jp-9cPeqwRCXjGfkJcNqcZdwFL1pY0uF9gu1EXjR75EZYNBhP8X2WQaprJ7rAGda0/s1600/30120346_10216672379541007_1070991406_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3rxJDA6YrqtKpE8ETP2zaGjC7x0rQrya34sXPbJB1DcksxIylBGd78BQeO0YdtbJ-wpUcsw1q7Jp-9cPeqwRCXjGfkJcNqcZdwFL1pY0uF9gu1EXjR75EZYNBhP8X2WQaprJ7rAGda0/s200/30120346_10216672379541007_1070991406_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">she named her I.V. pole Ivy :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Through all the questions, tears, and all things related to hospitals (she did like the food), we were surrounded and lifted up in prayer. family and friends were calling and letting us know they were praying for our baby girl. Her friends, and youth group sent her text messages and marco polos to let her know that they were thinking of her. Our pastor and his wife came to pray for her, and in the ER with a nurse standing by to take vitals, we stopped everything and we prayed. We prayed for healing, for peace for Olivia, and for answers.<br />
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In the midst of the unknown, there was a peace.<br />
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Prayer changes things. there is no doubt in my mind that it does, and
even though I had "mama moments" of panic, it didn't take long for me to
remember that we were covered. That even if something was wrong, we were where we needed to be. God confirmed this over and over again, through text messages and phone calls from friends, and yes even a random facebook post. <br />
<br />
When she would cry out in the night in pain, we would pray. when she was shaking while walking we would pray. When they couldn't get the blood and had to stick her over and over again, we prayed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykVzmq5rbVdrkOuixj9pCzQcbgvcA5VfhUNKJT1GY6Wq2dw0qmm35p6USMN7GYp0W3sYUDAuLgJlfK7650npkL2n9sCRqzSvCebNmhMRRwD5I_d4fV7__hPP6nbBjObkYfGcWwdsZC7g/s1600/30550560_10216672379421004_441785989_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykVzmq5rbVdrkOuixj9pCzQcbgvcA5VfhUNKJT1GY6Wq2dw0qmm35p6USMN7GYp0W3sYUDAuLgJlfK7650npkL2n9sCRqzSvCebNmhMRRwD5I_d4fV7__hPP6nbBjObkYfGcWwdsZC7g/s200/30550560_10216672379421004_441785989_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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We were worried it was her heart, since we have heart issues on both sides of the family, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as that. While her heart is beating faster then normal, it was the RSV virus (who know a 12 year old could get this) that was causing her heart to work so hard.<br />
<br />
She is in for 2 weeks of quarantine (not going to lie, she HATES having to stay home for 2 weeks) and meds to keep her comfortable. It will take a while for her to get back to normal, and we still have to figure out why her body is telling her heart to beat faster, but that is a question for her cardiologist, and another day.She is home, she is not 100 percent, but she will be soon. We are taking it one day at a time. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3u0yomWa69Todc7FFSRUzyugsUzhtqVn1_iE_vrfrbjEbj29zUbnwJxAjfYxRmZEsOMi_0J2_l5ZzH7q4qjxUa3Nn9FgyhNPLBnvWhaMRR3puEj1kp1pwfPIkcS0PJDIfZnavrlnkk6U/s1600/30174414_10216672397941467_269823674_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3u0yomWa69Todc7FFSRUzyugsUzhtqVn1_iE_vrfrbjEbj29zUbnwJxAjfYxRmZEsOMi_0J2_l5ZzH7q4qjxUa3Nn9FgyhNPLBnvWhaMRR3puEj1kp1pwfPIkcS0PJDIfZnavrlnkk6U/s200/30174414_10216672397941467_269823674_o.jpg" width="200" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for daddy to come pick us up outside the Children's Hospital </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The last few days felt like we were in a storm...and yet....sometimes in the storm there is clarity... my tidal wave started before we took Olivia to the ER, and while in the midst of all that chaos and uncertainty, God made it clear what we were supposed to do. The moment we made the decision, there was peace again. Even though I have no clue what the future will hold, I do know the One who HOLDS my future, and therefor I know everything will be OK.<br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-53694443735235168002018-03-01T20:52:00.000-08:002018-03-01T21:22:46.599-08:00Monday Musings....on a Thursday<br />
<br />
Its been a Monday of a Thursday.<br />
<br />
Today is day 7 of sitting and keeping my leg elevated in an attempt to let it heal...let me tell you something, sitting around and doing nothing is not all it is cracked up to be. you could say it is downright BORING!<br />
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I mean, seriously how many Netflix shows can you watch without going stir crazy? <br />
Turns out for me it's only FIVE!<br />
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Sitting also makes it hard for you not to take stock of everything around you...like the dust that seems to be waiving at you from your piano...I know it's saying " look at me, I'm just sitting here and you cant do anything about it."<br />
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I think it will be saying something different tomorrow when cranking up "The Greatest Showman" soundtrack and give my daughter a dust rag and set her loose in the living room!<br />
<br />
Does dust talk??<br />
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Anyway...I digress.<br />
<br />
I think the issue is that I can't stand idleness...I have become so accustomed to being busy all the time, that I can't stand being still. the thought of doing nothing actually overwhelms me.<br />
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and yet, REST is good for the soul.<br />
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It says so in the bible.<br />
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<b>Psalm 46:10</b><br />
“<b>Be</b> <b>still</b>, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><b>~Exodus 33:14</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"> My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;"><b>~Psalm 62:1-2</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">and <b>Jeremiah 6:16</b></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Thus says the LORD:”Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">God WANTS us to find rest in Him. but how can we find rest, if everything around us is going at 100 miles an hour? If I cant see what is around me because I am running around like crazy, then maybe I need to slam on the brakes and just sit and be STILL. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This week has taught me that even if I am unable to be busy it's not all that bad. I am getting to spend extra time with my family and even if it is the last thing I want to be doing, I am learning how to be STILL.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Which surprisingly very hard for me to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">for now I am going to focus on diving deeper into my bible reading, spend more time being silly with my daughter (she has made me laugh so hard this week), spend time working on my oil business, write more in my journal, and start chapter 11 of my book, and just rest. Rest my leg, rest my body, rest my brain, and rest my hurting heart. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Just Rest...which has been good for me, even if it has been hard. but it has also let me realize that I am blessed beyond measure. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">I have a wonderful family, who loves me even if I am going crazy and I "may" whine every now and then. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">They bring me cupcakes when I have had a bad day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">They keep me smiling even when all I want to do is cry. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">They make it harder for me to have a pity party, for which I am thankful. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Being still has opened up my eyes as to all my family does for me. My hubby has become the cleaner, short order cook, chauffeur for my daughter and a human crutch for me :) he has helped me more then I think he knows, and it has made me LOVE him more. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">So that's it for my Monday musings on today which is a Thursday. </span><br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-39007420012559384732018-01-29T17:05:00.003-08:002020-02-14T10:56:27.552-08:00For Better or For Worse<br />
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In just a few short days I will have been married to my best friend for 17 years!! The last 17 years have flown past us, and I find myself drifting back and reminiscing about our life together. This man, that I have given my heart to, that I look up to, that leads our family, that LOVES me for who I am....he is mine.<br />
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For better or for worse :)<br />
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A brief summary of our life together just so you can know how awesome he is.<br />
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On our 1st date, I collapsed and wound up at the ER with Meningitis. He stayed with me in the ER and then came over EVER day to read to me (This is when I fell in love with him). When I wound up dehydrated and had to go get fluids, he went with me! When I freaked out because they needed to take more blood, he held my hand (pretty sure I broke some fingers...I am TERRIFIED of needles)<br />
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He stuck with me.<br />
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When we got engaged and I turned into a bridezilla...Ok maybe not that bad, but I was super stressed, he just said: "whatever you want."<br />
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He stuck with me.<br />
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When I went into preterm labor at 22 weeks, and we almost lost our baby and I was a basket case. He was there for EVERY doctor's visit. He prayed for my peace and held me and our baby up in prayer.<br />
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He stuck with me.<br />
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When we brought our baby home from the hospital and I would cry because I didn't "feel like a good mom" and I was afraid I was doing everything wrong...he would hold me close and say "you're doing everything right"<br />
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He stuck with me.<br />
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When we lost our babies due to miscarriage...and my world shattered each time, when I was so deep in my own sadness...he was there, holding me when I cried, letting me vent when I needed to, making me smile. Reminding me that we already had our perfect baby and that one day we would be ok.<br />
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He stuck with me.<br />
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When my parents passed away, and stepping outside into a world without them was so overwhelming. he took my hand and led the way. He didn't let me lock myself away like I wanted to. He is still helping me manage my grief.<br />
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He stuck with me.<br />
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When I was was unlovable he loved me. For better or for worse, He stuck with me.<br />
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17 years of laughter, hugs, being each other sounding boards, best friends, confidants, acting silly together, making memories, raising a family, and loving each other.<br />
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17 years....it seems like such a LONG time, and yet it hasn't been long enough. I look forward to spending the next 17 years, and more with this man by my side.<br />
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When you are spending your life with your BEST friend, it makes for the BEST life ever!<br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-53103377928688416212018-01-24T12:45:00.001-08:002019-07-03T06:13:21.062-07:00It's Time To ChooseMaking Time For Home is the name of this blog....and yet sometimes I find our life so hectic and busy that I don't actually have time for my home.<br />
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And I don't like it.<br />
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I LOVE being at home and taking care of my family, but this past week I feel like I haven't been able to so what I love. I looked around today and this is what I saw.<br />
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1. The mountain of laundry is getting higher even though I have a load in the washer and the dryer<br />
2. My daughter is sick, and camping out in the living room, so the Living room is filled with blankets, toys, books etc<br />
3. I STILL have to unpack the totes sitting by the front door from our Vendor Event we had last Saturday.<br />
4. Shoes are PILED by the front door<br />
5. My bed has not been made today (not going to lie, it probably won't get made today)<br />
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In the midst of all this chaos, my home, the place that is meant to be a refuge, looks more like a tornado came to an end and dropped everything into my home.<br />
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I want the perfect home, the clean space that everyone could come over and I would not be embarrassed for them to walk through my door.<br />
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That is what I want... it is not, however, what I have.<br />
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My home reflects our life, we are busy, we are messy, and while I wish I had a maid that was only here to keep my home clean, that is not going to happen anytime soon.<br />
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I am working part-time at a job I LOVE, my hubby and I are building our business, and I homeschool our daughter. This is why our home and our lives can be a little haphazard and from the outside may look overwhelming. But it is the season that our family is in.<br />
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While I could sit here and lament the dust, or get frustrated about the toys I have tripped over AGAIN, I won't.<br />
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Instead, I will strive to manage my time better. to look at the season we are in with fresh eyes because it truly is just a season. all to soon there will not be toys to step over, our business will no longer be in the building stages, and I want to look back on this time and smile over the memories we made, not regret the fact that I was overwhelmed by my home.<br />
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I am choosing to make my home a refuge...even if it's not the cleanest refuge :)<br />
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I am choosing to let people into our life/home without worrying what they will think if we have school books on the couch.<br />
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I choose NOT to set unattainable goals for myself.<br />
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I am choosing to put what is important first.<br />
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Peace<br />
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My Family<br />
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Building a business with my husband/best friend <br />
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Nowhere on that list is dusting my whole house every other day (is it ever at the tops of anyone's list?).<br />
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Let's choose to be free from our own self-imposed expectations.<br />
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Join me in choosing what is important, to you and to your family. <br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141566322753349830.post-76045257120535713642017-11-20T12:46:00.001-08:002017-11-20T17:08:18.313-08:00What I am THANKFUL for this year :)Can you believe it...its almost Thanksgiving!<br />
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Thanksgiving people...How did that happen?<br />
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Was'nt it the beginning of summer just a few days ago (lol ok it was more than just a few days ago).<br />
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With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I have seen numerous posts on social media on how thankful people are, and I have put a few on there myself. I actually got on here to write a post on what I am most thankful for and I came up with the usual family, friends, church...and while those are GREAT things to be thankful for, and I truly am, this year I wanted to post something deeper. Something that I may not say I am thankful for on a daily basis.<br />
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So like any other person, I started looking around to "find" what I was deeply thankful for. I looked at my home, which we rent and I LOVE but it was not what I wanted to write about.<br />
I looked at our vehicle, and while we have two, one is not running at the moment...so nope, can't write about that. <br />
Thought about writing about my new position at work, which I LOVE by the way, but even that wasn't what I wanted to write about. <br />
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I wanted to write about something that moved me. Something that when I thought about it would bring me to tears. Something that I didn't want to live without.<br />
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I was sitting here just thinking about what that "special something" was and in walks my husband, and all I could do was smile.<br />
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This man....I would write about him!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1ND5fhnR2iO9sR8IrWgDNVAHis7gQ4E3BcKamNuyYOgiz09n9QgXFmjewFyqXEsD6ZHBjgKizku9MUMsgHCsajs5abd9T8NY_8Dw5wwYpMrji7DrKtM6l1SkUg-IwrbV570snCD5gvA/s1600/12722412_10208150648185967_1597513563_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1ND5fhnR2iO9sR8IrWgDNVAHis7gQ4E3BcKamNuyYOgiz09n9QgXFmjewFyqXEsD6ZHBjgKizku9MUMsgHCsajs5abd9T8NY_8Dw5wwYpMrji7DrKtM6l1SkUg-IwrbV570snCD5gvA/s320/12722412_10208150648185967_1597513563_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Most people who see me and my husband, probably think that we are the "crazy couple" and don't know which one of us is the more mature of the two (ill give you a hint-its, not me).<br />
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I am taller, he is not as tall :) I shoot off my mouth and regret things later, and he takes the time to think things over before he speaks. I am the mommy, and he is the perfect daddy for our daughter. I am the planner, and he is the spontaneous one. I am the cleaner, and he is...well he is not the cleaner lol. I am the singer, and he is my piano player. I am the homeschooler, and he is the breadwinner. When I am weak, he is my rock and protector. When I need to cry or vent, he is my sounding board. When I wake him up in the middle of the night scared, he holds me and prays for peace. When I am acting crazy and people are staring at me in Walmart, he starts dancing to some imaginary tune. He knows all my movie quotes and laughs at them anyway. He is the leader of our home, and I love to see how God is working in his life. He is my best friend. We are two peas in a pod, and I wouldn't change it for anything.<br />
He is Everything to me, and sometimes I FORGET to tell him how thankful I am to have him in my life. <br />
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7 months ago, on a normal uneventful day, our world almost came to a crashing halt. My husband, best friend, love of my life, almost left me. <br />
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I still see it when I close my eyes. <br />
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Me standing by the hospital bed, my husband grabbing his chest and looking at me with fear in his eyes. I can hear my voice screaming for a nurse as I watched his body seize up while having a heart attack.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_87btGIcQUzo2lyN2WA29gKT6bdpmZbexOQwrVdBvrdYHQgrQHx2fiF5dOkYztoLPzKA_L-rqBdKv9KaMl4XXQwGFWSEhEm2M8vfveLRhrrjwkR-2fZdCJTpH3V28s_M-RRnRkcsqxo/s1600/IMG_4314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_87btGIcQUzo2lyN2WA29gKT6bdpmZbexOQwrVdBvrdYHQgrQHx2fiF5dOkYztoLPzKA_L-rqBdKv9KaMl4XXQwGFWSEhEm2M8vfveLRhrrjwkR-2fZdCJTpH3V28s_M-RRnRkcsqxo/s320/IMG_4314.JPG" width="240" /></a>Everything happened so fast, but in that moment it was as if time slowed down. The nurses running in, my husband reaching for my hand, my bag dropping to the floor...all of it stuttered to a stop....and there I was standing in the middle, not able to think, not able to pray, not able to do anything, but watch as my world was ending. <br />
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It was only for a split second, but it felt like it lasted forever. Thankfully my world, though forever shaken, did not crash. Even when I couldn't pray, God knew what we needed before we needed it. He met me in my moment of need. He protected my Husband, and I will forever be thankful for that. <br />
So this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my Hubby. I am thankful that he is still here with me. I am thankful that we can be together at church, that we can be goofy together, and share old movie quotes together. I am thankful for the new memories that we will be able to make, and for the extra time, we were given.<br />
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I am blessed...and for that, I am Thankful every day. <br />
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This <a href="https://youtu.be/09yWHi-xZ1c">song</a> pretty much sums up our relationship...Love ya, babe!<br />
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<br />Making Time 4 Home http://www.blogger.com/profile/15565846385712208153noreply@blogger.com0