tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59927966624737781862024-03-05T08:27:01.094-08:00A Cozy PlaceAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-42045919476685066682016-05-04T11:38:00.002-07:002016-05-04T11:38:43.559-07:00Highs and LowsIt has been a long year. It's hard to believe the last time I posted on my blog was right before my son's adoption. So much has happened this year. And yet not a lot at the same time. If that's not real life, I don't know what is. <br />
<br />
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I homeschooled my two oldest kids this year. We started the year in a charter school which turned into a very bad situation very quickly. Then we gave public school a try and that didn't go well either. Not to the fault of the school necessarily but to the fault of my son just not being emotionally ready for school. All of my children were born drug-exposed in utero before we adopted them, and while they have met most growth milestones, we knew education could be where we see some side effects of those drugs. Our daughter was held back to repeat kindergarten. Not a big deal, she is doing great now. My oldest son, however, seems to be struggling more. We started him in kindergarten this year as a 5 almost 6 year old and he was completely unable to do anything the teachers asked of him and this caused great frustration for him and his behavior became out of control. After pulling him out in October, we just focused on him learning his letters and numbers this year. He has made a lot of improvement at home. We also got him some therapy and in home treatment and it did amazing things for his emotional struggles. He is very excited to go back to school in the Fall and he too, will be doing kindergarten again. He will be the oldest in his class I am sure but I know that he needs to be in a class that he can feel successful in. Our second oldest son is very smart and advanced for his age but his struggle has been speech. He will be starting speech therapy preschool in the Fall. Our baby who is now 18 months isn't really talking yet. I am working with him and I hope the words will come soon. <br />
<br />
Having all four kids home every day has been challenging to say the least. I wake in the morning with hope for a productive and fun day...and then the kids wake up. The fighting and arguing and messes and tantrums and crying ensues. Don't get me wrong, there are many sweet moments. A kiss from my toddler, a cuddle with the baby, the sounds of my kids using their wild imaginations with their toys, an encouraging call from my mom. There are highs and lows each day. But overall, it has been a very emotionally draining year. <br />
<br />
Next school year we are making some changes. First off, we just bought a house! Well, technically we are in escrow, but Lord willing, we will be moving in June one town over. It's going to ease up my husbands commute which will help all of us. We are hoping to enroll our daughter in a private christian school that we love for her 4th grade year and we are going to enroll my son in our local public school. Due to his special needs, public school is the one place we can really get the support we will need. I am SOOOO excited for us all to get a little break from each other. I'm excited to be able to go shopping during the week again, with only one or two little ones with me. Shopping with the four is out of the question at this point. I'm also hoping this will help my youngest two sons bond more since they will be together alone more often. We are excited to get plugged into a new church, make some new friends, and try out some new activities. Lastly, I am hopeful to get some time for myself, specifically to try to lose weight and get back in shape. I'm horrible at making myself a priority but in order to be the best mom I can be, I need to be healthy. <br />
<br />
I would really love to get back to writing on this blog and seeking out the truth of God's Word and share the things He is teaching me through motherhood. Hopefully, I will be back soon! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-15803920692771443902015-09-25T13:43:00.002-07:002015-09-25T13:49:03.184-07:00A Long JourneyOne week from today we are going to be adopting our fourth child. I still can't believe it. But let me back up a bit.<br />
<br />
In January of 2004 God brought us our first child. She was the most precious 6 month old girl. The first time we met her I fell in love at first sight. I can't explain it, how it felt, it was the best feeling in the world. She was stinky, caked in baby powder because her foster family hadn't washed her in a while. She had on a pink fleece jacket and pants that was clearly a hand me down of a hand me down. She has on these tiny yellow construction boots. But she had these big beautiful brown eyes that just were searching and waiting for love and I knew I would love her forever. Two years later, after a lot of paperwork and visits and court dates, we adopted her. <br />
<br />
Over the next couple years we adopted two more boys and as a family of three we were very happy and content. That was last year, 2014. We adopted our son that July and when we signed adoption papers they ask if you want to be informed of any future siblings. This doesn't mean you have to take them or adopt them, but it means you get the first call. My husband leaned towards saying No, but my heart said Yes. I didn't think we wanted a fourth child but I rationalized that I just wanted to know if one was born. Didn't think about it again after that until...<br />
<br />
October 2014 brought that phone call. The full biological brother of our youngest son had been born two days ago and they wanted to know if we were interested in fostering him. They gave us two hours to decide. No joke. I called my husband and he didn't answer. So I texted him 911 and he called me right back. We agreed to take an hour to ourselves to pray about it and then talk about it. After a half hour my husband called me and we agreed that our hearts were 100% saying YES!<br />
<br />
Of course a few weeks before that call we had sold ALL of our baby stuff! Crib and all! The baby was in the NICU for 1 week so that gave us a little time to try to gather all the baby supplies we knew we'd need. No baby shower. No fancy new nursery. We had a bassinette I grabbed for $25 from Target, a couple boxes of diapers and wipes, and some sleepers and bottles. Our family chipped in and I found some stuff on the facebook exchanges. It was a whirlwind. On Halloween we got to visit him in the hospital and hold him and take pictures. It was our first meeting and I will never, ever, ever, forget it. I felt the exact same way that I felt when I met my first child. My heart broke open and I promised this little being I would love him forever. I never imagined as a foster adopt mother that I could love my children so much, as if they are from my own flesh. <br />
<br />
So one week from today, our family will be complete. Our adoption of our fourth angel will be complete and I will never have to fear losing my children again. Except to the world of course, but that is what prayer is for. This time we signed the sheet saying we do not want to know if another sibling is born, we just can't. We do not have the capacity to say no and God knows our hands are full right now. But we are thankful. We are blessed. Thank you God for my infertility, so that I could have the blessing of being these four's mom. I wouldn't want it any other way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-43395319628175901682015-09-18T12:46:00.002-07:002015-09-18T12:46:46.675-07:00Not My Ways but HisThis post has been coming for a while. We have been going through some big things lately. It has caused me to look back on my life and see all the ways where God's way were not my ways but they were the best for me. <br />
<br />
The verse in Isaiah 55:8 says,<br />
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD."<br />
<br />
Here are some of the ways of God's that were different than mine.<br />
<br />
After I got married and we started trying to have a baby, my first fear was that I would have a miscarriage. Three months later I did. (It was a chemical pregnancy). Seeing the pink line and having that hope and joy that I would have a baby, to just days later see it disappear was devastating. My way= to not endure that pain. God's way= allow me to have that pain because in hindsight I am thankful to have seen that pink line, if only one time. <br />
<br />
As we continued to try to get pregnant, my fears grew that I would never be able to get pregnant. That fear came true. I have never given birth to a baby, nor have I ever seen another pink line on a pregnancy stick. My way= a natural pregnancy. God's way= Adoption of four of the most beautiful and wonderful children in the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you Jesus for not giving me my way. <br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After the adoption of our first daughter, we decided to take on the risk of fostering to adopt. This process is not for the weak. Nothing has strengthened my faith in God more than trusting Him through an adoption. My biggest fear was falling in love with a child, and then essentially losing him/her to the system or birth family. When you start the process, you know the risks, but you have to be willing to risk in order to get the reward, an adoption. Well, my fears were once again realized and our first foster child did return to his birth family after four months. My way= a seamless adoption process that led to our goal. God's way= for us to love and care for this sweet child who was in transition to the next home God had for him. I won't lie. It was hard. But we knew that with fostering, all you can do is love the child while you have them, and continue to pray for them if they leave. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Soon after that little boy left, we got another little boy, 15 months old. We were very hopeful this match would lead to adoption. However, it was still wrought with challenges. Our boy was was still having visits with his birth mom and each week would have horrible night terrors on the night after his visit. It would take a few days for him to return to normal. Over time, the visits stopped and we were able to adopt our sweet first son. My way= a smooth and easy adoption process. God's way= a challenging and stretching process that really stretched us in every way imaginable. We had to lean on God and trust him more than ever.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With our first adopted son, the challenges continued. He immediately bonded with my husband. My husband was the first male in his life to show him love and affection and he just soaked it up. The connection was not as strong with me, his mom. I understand that I was his third mom. He had a birth mom, and then a foster mom, and then me. He didn't really understand who I was to him and I think that the word mom lost some of its love from the experiences he had with his first moms. It took about a year for him to tell me he loved me and almost two years for him to really express that love with hugs and kisses and just that look of love that kids give. This was extremely challenging for me, as someone who dreamed of having children and wanted that close bond. I had to give him the time he needed to trust me and know that I was not going to leave. He is almost six now and he still asks me about once a week if I still love him. I might have to reassure him forever but I will do whatever I have to do so that he knows I love him and will never leave him. My way= instant connection and love with my foster/adopted kids. God's way= a HUGE learning process, a very long lesson in patience, and persistence. Little did I know God has been preparing me for more challenges with this sweet boy through these early on days to help me be prepared for the current struggles we are facing.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After this, our first son's birth mother had two more babies. We were blessed to have two newborns over the next four years. This was such a blessing. I never even allowed myself to dream that I would have the opportunity to have 1 newborn, much less two! I also didn't imagine that we would have FOUR children, after everything we went through to try to get pregnant with no success. God is so good!! I love having a big family (is a family of six even considered big anymore?) and although it stretches me to my limits literally every day, I can't imagine it any other way. My way= Be thankful for your two kids and don't allow yourself to hope for more so you aren't disappointed. Also, I had given up hope of having a newborn, wouldn't even let myself think about it. God's way= BLESSING upon BLESSING! Two newborns and the big family I always dreamed of! His ways are so much better than ours and He does hear our heart and wants to bless us.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The next challenge I have faced as a parent is the school decision. I have been pretty undecided on this and we have tried a few different things. Thankfully my oldest daughter is very flexible so she is no worse for wear. She has been in a charter school, public school, private school, and a homeschool environment. It sounds crazy but each place had a purpose and reason for it. As a former school teacher myself, education is extremely important to me and I only want the best for my kids. Each school option has their pros and cons and I think each parent has to weight what is most important to them. Last year we solely homeschooled and it was a really great year. It is very self-sacraficing to homeschool and that was my biggest struggle. I longed for a break, some breathing room to read for pleasure, to run errands with less children. But the spiritual and intellectual growth in my daughter last year made it all worth it. My way= the easy way. God's way= the hard, yet blessed way. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This year our first son started kindergarten. We already knew going in that this was going to be a tough year for him. Remember how I told you about all the challenges we had with him his first years? Well, they have continued. After being kicked out of two VBS's and 1 preschool we decided to have him assessed. He was 3 at the time. They couldn't put their finger on what exactly was "wrong" with him, but they did acknowledge that he was emotional and intellectually delayed about a year and a half. They agreed he needed special help and he was enrolled in a special education preschool for about a year and a half. Last winter, we pulled him out of that preschool because he started learning more negative than positive behaviors. We keep trying to put him in social situations, hoping that with age, maturity will help him make better decisions. So far, this is not happening. The opposite is happening actually. He has been politely asked not to return to Awanas both last year and again this past week when we gave it another go. We decided to enroll him and his sister in a Charter School/Homeschool program. They are schooled at home two days and go to school three days. We enrolled our daughter too, hoping it would give our son more peace of mind knowing she was there too. It has basically been a disaster. Our son's behavior has become out of control and he has absolutely no ability to even finish a task. Having so many kids in one class is overwhelming his little soul and he is acting out. I have had meetings with the teacher and many phone calls trying to find a way to help him. It's not working and it's getting worse. We have come to the conclusion that school is not a good atmosphere for him and next week will be his last week before I start homeschooling him full time. This may be the most difficult decision I have had to make yet. However I feel God calling me to this new challenge. There is a verse that says, "You were created for such a time as this." (Esther 4:14) I feel like God has been preparing me for this for years. My teaching experience, the fact that he gave me this specific child with his specific needs, my years of patience and trust building with him. These are the skills God has given me to raise him, to teach him. I am scared to death because it is going to be hard. But I believe God will give me the strength to handle each day. My way= Never, ever homeschool my most difficult child, let the professionals handle his needs. God's way= Homeschool my most difficult child because he needs me, he needs to know he is loved even if he can't keep up. He needs to know he can and will succeed when given time. He needs to know he is made in God's image and that he is not ruined or flawed because his birth mother made horrible decisions when he was growing in her belly. This is not his fault. He is going to be okay. God wants what is best for him, and right now I am what is best for him. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let's be clear. God's ways are not easy. They are not always rainbows, butterflies, and happy endings. But they are good. And they are good for us. They challenge us, stretch us, and force us to rely on HIM instead of ourselves. God's ways help us to grow, to mature, to become the people He created us to be. It's easy to do the easy thing, but the result is rarely as sweet as when we do the hard thing. It's in the hard things that God's grace and love shine through, where we get to see Him intervene and guide us along the bumpy trail. I will thank Him for every bump in the road because I know it's one step closer to seeing Him. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Are you facing a situation where God's way seems to hard and you want to do things your way? Take a moment and remember that He will be with you every step of the way. The risk is always worth the reward when it comes to trusting Him.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Blessings,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jamie</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-57230578592767895262014-01-22T21:09:00.004-08:002014-01-22T21:30:47.494-08:00DREAMWell, it is January 22nd and I am just getting to writing down my Banner Word for the year. For a few years I have read about people who come up with a word for their year to reflect on what God is doing in their life. This year I have been praying over a word. The one that keeps popping up in the books I'm reading, conversations with friends, the sermons I am hearing, and basically everywhere is the word, DREAM. It doesn't seem very spiritual to me and so I've questioned if this is really the word God has for me for this year. But it keeps coming back to me so I have decided to embrace the word and start pursuing the dreams that God has already put in my heart, and the ones He has yet to put in my heart. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4YUiDfQdnxKRfiWE9ddvwowTRN1q9Bhyphenhyphen2fBg1xmwknc_c5amwgDGQkgvAfR6VR51DrEJL5N7X7nstY1T2_ZkYnEyWVnlZxv6MIxCMjqfFdaJB2X2GrDKFepQQY5uOaHsBY6CjeN5A0c/s1600/chairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4YUiDfQdnxKRfiWE9ddvwowTRN1q9Bhyphenhyphen2fBg1xmwknc_c5amwgDGQkgvAfR6VR51DrEJL5N7X7nstY1T2_ZkYnEyWVnlZxv6MIxCMjqfFdaJB2X2GrDKFepQQY5uOaHsBY6CjeN5A0c/s1600/chairs.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Psalm 38:9 says, "You know what I long for Lord; you hear my every sigh."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
My longings and my sighs are my dreams, my secret heart desires that only God knows about. I have been pondering what my dreams are and realized that there a varying degrees of dreams. There are the universal dreams: the dream to be happy, healthy, and prosperous. Everyone has that dream. Then there are the physical dreams for a nice home, nice things, etc. I have spiritual dreams, dreams about doing amazing work for God's kingdom, making Him proud of me and how I spend my time. <br />
<br />
I have gone through a lot of changes recently. We discovered that my middle son has a few special needs that needed a full time parent to be present to help him so I had to quit my teaching job to do this. It was a very hard choice. I really loved teaching and I really loved the students that God had blessed me with this year. Walking away from a job I adored, where I felt appreciated and fulfilled was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I had been a stay at home mom for 6 years and I will admit that I was a bit burnt out on it last year, so when I had this dream teaching job placed in my lap, I was very excited for a new challenge, a new adventure! And boy was it! Managing a classroom and my 3 children was one of the hardest things I have ever done. But sometimes hard is a good thing, and for me it was. I loved it. So when God changed my course, I was confused, frustrated, but open. Wherever I am, I want to be in the center of His will. <br />
<br />
So with this new change to being a stay at home mom again, I think God is calling me to DREAM some new dreams. Something beyond teaching and also beyond changing dirty diapers. He is always working in our lives, sometimes in obvious ways and sometimes in not so obvious ways. My prayer for 2014 is that He will shape my dreams to be His dreams and that those dreams will come true.<br />
<br />
Ephesians 3:20-21 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever."<br />
<br />
My dreams are small. His are big. Mine are limited by my own insecurities, fears, and experience. His are wide open, immeasurable, and bigger than anything I can imagine. Yep, I want HIS dreams for my life!! I can't wait for Him to reveal them to me this year!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-21133293912347479462014-01-01T19:11:00.001-08:002014-01-01T19:42:06.882-08:00My Book List for 2014<span style="color: purple;">I have seen a few blogs posting their book lists for 2014 and thought it was a great idea. I am not big on new years resolutions but I am into reading books and I hope to read more this year than I did last year. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;"><b>Here is my list so far:</b></span><br />
<br />
1. Women Living Well by Courtney Joseph<br />
<br />
2. Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst<br />
<br />
3. 15 Minutes by Karen Kingsbury<br />
<br />
4. Victim of Grace by Robin Jones Gunn<br />
<br />
5. Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson<br />
<br />
6. <span class="product-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400205573/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World</span></a> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">- Tsh Oxenreider</span><br />
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">7. </span><span class="product-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1433538881/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full: Gospel Meditations for Busy Moms</span></a> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">- Gloria Furman</span><br />
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">8.</span><span class="product-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400206200/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages</span></a> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">- Darlene Schacht</span><br />
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">9. </span><span class="product-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800722442/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">Million Little Ways, A: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live</span></a><b> </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">- Emily P. Freeman</span><br />
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">10. </span><span class="product-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071475001/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family</span></a><b> </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">- Karyn B. Purvis</span><br />
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">11.Parenting With Love And Logic (Updated and Expanded Edition) - Foster Cline</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">12. Balancing It All: My Story of Juggling Priorities and Purpose - Candace Cameron Bure</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">There are probably more I am not thinking of but this is a great list and I am excited to dig in and see what God wants to teach me through these pages. Happy Reading!!</span></span><br />
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span class="creator" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: blue;">What are you going to be reading this year??</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-86475210788974357712013-10-24T21:06:00.002-07:002013-10-24T21:06:54.822-07:00Stay at Home Mom TeacherI have been MIA from this blog because I got a full time job as a 5th grade teacher in August. After 6 years of being a stay at home mom, it has been a HUGE adjustment to go back to teaching. The actual classroom teaching was pretty easy to transition into but the grading, field trips, extracurricular activities, science experiments, class projects, spirit weeks, enrichment activities, and did I mention the grading have been a huge life adjustment. My house is a mess, I miss my kids every minute of every day, I haven't worked out in 11 weeks, and have eaten more times that I dare to admit. However, God is still good. He is still strong. And he is working through my weakness to some amazing things with my students.<br />
<br />
Today I had 14 parent teacher conferences, and although I am always nervous beforehand, I am always blessed at the kindness and encouragement of the parents. It is exciting to hear how my teaching is making a difference. Sometimes in the day to day, it is hard to see how God is working through you. It is so encouraging when you can step back and look at the bigger picture, look past the dirty laundry, look past the piles of paperwork, the stress, the early mornings...and you see the changed hearts. The students who have a teacher who they trust and know loves them and wants them to succeed. <br />
<br />
When I was offered this position, I wasn't ready. I wanted another year or two home with my babies. It was such a hard decision. I love teaching SO much, but I love my family more. But yet, God opened up this door and kept showing me that this was the path he wanted me on. Also, I really felt like there was a student or students in this particular class that needed me to be their teacher this year. That God specifically had me in mind to be there for someone. I forgot about that until today. Today, God showed me who that child is and why I am there. This year. Not next year. God's plans are always bigger than our plans and His ways are never our ways. Isn't that the truth?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-47730659860521735222013-06-02T22:05:00.001-07:002013-06-02T22:05:13.208-07:00Summer StudyTomorrow I am starting the Good Morning Girls bible study on the book by Jennie Allen called "Anything." I read this book a year ago and loved it and am excited to read it again, along with pre-planned scripture reading, to get really deep into it. <br />
<br />
If you are interested in joining in, here is the link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/">http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/</a><br />
<br />
I am excited to spend this summer getting deeper into God's word and discovering His plans for my life, for my family's life. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-60264257940963089872012-09-27T16:50:00.000-07:002012-09-27T16:50:17.821-07:00In Memory of Lucky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mfTvvkpb_AJgovi9Meml_XGkrIQIRr_0nDpzpCxLliD3235a7YtRoQ__PGEPIWJQjKLdSks7cAPOTrrLk-ndZH9IRBb8kJ9s72vuO_AtkgsEptLMJiv-b0sylezjpcIqFoKfgZh3gaU/s1600/Lucky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mfTvvkpb_AJgovi9Meml_XGkrIQIRr_0nDpzpCxLliD3235a7YtRoQ__PGEPIWJQjKLdSks7cAPOTrrLk-ndZH9IRBb8kJ9s72vuO_AtkgsEptLMJiv-b0sylezjpcIqFoKfgZh3gaU/s320/Lucky.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Last Saturday on September 15th we put our beloved dog Lucky down. We got Lucky when we first moved to Murrieta 7 year ago. I had just started teaching at Calvary Chapel Christian School and another teacher put out an email with a picture of this cute Jack Russel Terrier asking if anyone would like to have him. I immediately called Andy and we told her that we would love to have him. He has been the best dog we have ever had. He absolutely loved us both right from the start. We have been through multiple moves with him and he always adjusted easily. With every child we brought into the home, he was at first suspicious but then very loving. Our cat Sundae and him took a few weeks to get acquainted and became friends quickly after. She would slide up to him and lick his fur. He seriously would look at her like she was crazy but let her do it anyways. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">He was our scrappy dog. He loved table scraps and any food the kids would drop for him. When we lived in Temecula we hung out a lot at our neighbors house and he would come and eat all the scraps off their floor too! Sometimes they would even call us and ask if Lucky could come over and clean their floor! He got into chocolate more than once and thankfully never had an adverse reaction. If there was any food out his little sniffer would find it and eat it. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">He hated and loved baths. The actual bath he looked miserable but as soon as you dried him with the towel he would get this huge burst of energy and start running like a crazy dog! It was awesome!! We would yell, "Go Lucky Go!" and he would take off. The kids and all of us would fall over laughing. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">He also loved to roll around in dirt. (which coincidentally led to more baths). Over and over again he would show up at the back door covered in dirt and with this huge happy grin. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">He was our little guard dog. Every time we would open the front door he would bark. Anytime someone rang the bell he would bark. It was annoying at times but I always appreciated that he was looking out for us. He never ever bit anyone or was aggressive. Many people were scared of his bark though. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">He slept in our bed for years. He was so small that he would fit right between Andy and I. In the early years he would even crawl under the covers all the way to the bottom of the bed and then halfway through the night he would crawl out panting because he was so hot. It was funny because he'd do it all over again the next night. In the past few years he started sleeping in the kids rooms on their beds. They loved it of course. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">A few weeks ago Lucky started having trouble holding his urine. Andy was putting him out sometimes three times a night. Then he started peeing blood. We took him to the Vet and they said it was either Bladder Cancer or Bladder Stones, both of which are life threatening. We waited a little bit but he was getting weaker and weaker and bleeding more and more. It was such a horrible time because we love him so much and didn't want to see him in pain but we knew we would miss him so much. We made the decision to put him down and then bury him in my parents backyard (next to their cat Coal who had just a passed away a month ago, they were buddies too). We got a really special little grave marker and said our goodbyes. We will always miss Lucky. I hope and pray he is now healthy and running around Heaven. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br />
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioabOBXFtrMk6X9BBxpoj8_CCUZFd_juHNu5-1JyY6XBu1DFsJXaBuu3bo3RkEAngLkycSDnDGMkm8msIuGdC9IF8awTljYd62qAakc1h2J9dwG3-BHX4qQ8sQF8FnMEIGQkIUArD2bGs-/s1600/luckygrave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #6699cc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioabOBXFtrMk6X9BBxpoj8_CCUZFd_juHNu5-1JyY6XBu1DFsJXaBuu3bo3RkEAngLkycSDnDGMkm8msIuGdC9IF8awTljYd62qAakc1h2J9dwG3-BHX4qQ8sQF8FnMEIGQkIUArD2bGs-/s320/luckygrave.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="240" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-7141247229086144752012-08-31T18:31:00.003-07:002012-08-31T18:32:20.861-07:00Just what I needed to hearJust read this blog post and it was just what I needed to hear regarding yesterday's post. <br />
<br />
Maybe it will encourage you too!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/2012/05/i-cant-do-this/">http://www.thebettermom.com/2012/05/i-cant-do-this/</a>
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-61991960093255671752012-08-30T15:18:00.001-07:002012-08-30T15:18:04.435-07:00Disappointing GodI have been an emotional mess this week. I don't know what is going on with me. There has been some stress at my husband's job and the transition of my daughter starting school but that is not what has me in tears. <br />
<br />
I sometimes feel like I disappoint God. Like a naughty child who can't seem to follow directions or see right from wrong, I feel like God is looking down at me saying, "oh, Jamie, not again." I mess up a lot. Sinful thoughts, sinful actions. I want to honor God with my life but I find myself choosing to do the wrong things over and over. I am stuck in a pattern of sin and struggling to get out of it. I know I am not alone. No one is perfect, not even close. When you accept God into your heart magic fairy dust does not fall on your head and prevent you from ever sinning again. It is truly a daily and sometimes moment by moment decision to choose to do the right thing. <br />
<br />
I have kids. Three of them. Sometimes they act like perfect little angels and sometimes like perfect little devils. I love them when they are angels and I love them when they are devils. I try to help them stay on the angelic side but it is pretty much impossible to accomplish one hundred percent of the time. I think that God loves me in a similar way. His love for me is not dependent on how "good" I am. Of course he wants me to choose the good things and act in a way that honors him but he doesn't love me any less when I mess up (even over and over again). <br />
<br />
I get so tired of messing up though. I am so thankful that He is more patient with me than I am with myself. I often find it is easier to accept God's forgiveness than it is to accept my own. I have to forgive myself too. Will I ever be healed of my sins if I continue to be hard on myself? I have to let it go, move forward, accept when I fall, pick myself up and move forward again. <br />
<br />
Philippians 3:12-14 says, "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."<br />
<br />
Forget what happened in the past. When I ask for forgiveness I need to then forget that sin and change my focus. Focus on what is ahead, a life without that sin. Visualize it. Plan for it. Move ahead without looking back, and then what God has planned will be made known. <br />
<br />
Because God cares so much about us, I believe He can be disappointed with us. But His love for us never changes, and for that I am very thankful.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-25255629520522673982012-08-19T20:47:00.000-07:002012-08-20T16:11:04.152-07:00The Journey beginsThis week my Sunny Girl is going to be starting Kindergarten! I am experiencing a mix of emotions. I am so excited for her to learn new things, especially the joy of reading!!! There are so many fun adventures in books! I'm also just happy to see her growing up and growing in her knowledge of God. The Kindergarten she is going to is only a 1/2 day program thankfully so she won't be gone too long each day. I really debated about putting her in public school versus homeschooling her. If I didn't have Sporty Boy and Sweet Baby my definite choice would be to homeschool her. I am a former teacher and I miss it so much some days but with 2 attention needing little one's I just don't have the time or energy to do it right now. We are going to take it a year at a time in our school decisions for our kids. This year I am going to supplement her public school education with a bible curriculum we can do at home to continue her character building and bible study. <br />
<br />
Stepping out in faith is something God calls us to do often to keep our faith strong. It may be stepping out into the unknowns of public school or stepping out into the unknowns of homeschool but when you don't know what the future holds it takes faith to keep moving. <br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;">"You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it." From "We Bought a Zoo" </span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;">**Addendum**</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;">Today I went to see what class Sunny Girl is in and found out that the school put her into First Grade instead of kindergarten. She is 6 years old so we debated whether to put her into K or 1st. Last year she did Kindergarten the first semester and then PreK the second semester. Instead of fighting it, we are going to go with it and see how she does. If it turns out to be too difficult than I will pull her out of the school and homeschool her the rest of the year. But she might do amazing, so we are going to give her that chance. Once again stepping out in to the unknown. God knew this was going to happen so let's see what His plans are going to be! :)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-54904503323668923432012-08-03T09:58:00.002-07:002012-08-03T09:58:44.226-07:00SurrenderedI did it, I prayed the prayer that I have been afraid to pray. Anything. I told God simply and plainly that my life is His to do anything He wants with and that I am open and willing to go anywhere and do anything He wants me to do. I want my life to be His completely, surrendering all of my ideas of what I want for my life to Him so that He can write my story. Of course my heart and mind are filled with wonder, what will God call me to do? Anything is possible! It's both scary and exciting! <br />
<br />
So this morning I woke up in anticipation, what part of my life is God going to want me to change first? Adopt more kids? Move? Do a type of ministry? Reach out to someone in need? My heart is ready and bursting to see God move through my life and my family. But instead of a bold new direction I felt God whisper something to me. Stop complaining. What was that Lord? Stop complaining. Oh..... <br />
<br />
It is true that I complain. A lot. Probably more than I am even aware of. This morning my baby boy woke me up at 5:30 and as I sat in the rocking chair I grumbled to myself about how tired I am, how I miss sleeping in, etc. Later God convicted me. I should have been sitting there thanking God for this beautiful baby that I am blessed to be caring for instead of complaining about sleep. <br />
<br />
It's not surprising when I think about it. God is all about our character, our heart, our intentions. He is going to have to start changing my heart before he starts changing my circumstances. <br />
<br />
Phillipians 2:14 "Do all things without grumbling or questioning." Let's take this one step at at time :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-81398283774641882742012-07-29T15:42:00.001-07:002012-07-29T15:42:25.197-07:00AnythingThere is an old Steven Curtis Chapman song that sings "There is more to this life, than living and dying, trying to make it through the day..." That song runs through my mind at least once a week. It is a reminder to me that this life that I am living here is short, temporary, a breath. It has gone by so fast already and I know it will continue to speed on. I am consistently convicted by what I am doing with this life that God had given me. Am I living it for Him, for His glory, or for myself and my own glory? <br />
<br />
I am reading a really challenging book called "Anything" by Jennie Allen and I love and hate how much it is challenging me. It sat on my coffee table for a month before I began reading because I just had a feeling it was going to push me out of my comfort zone. Lately I have been way too comfortable in my Christian faith. Just going through the motions. I have been feeling that longing, that desire for something more. I want Christ to feel alive in me, I want to feel like He is working in and through me. More than anything, like a child wanting to make her daddy proud, I want God to be proud of me. I want my life to count for something. In the book she talks about living this life for that one moment, that first unforgettable moment, when you will see Jesus face to face. That moment is coming. It could be today or it could be in fifty years but it is coming. I want to feel nothing but pure JOY and to know in my heart that I lived this life on earth that He gave me to honor Him. The book is about opening up your heart and life to him in the most drastic way possible by saying Anything Lord. That He can do ANYthing with your life, he can take anything, he can change anything, he can shape your life into Anything that He feels is best. I have not yet prayed that prayer. To be honest, I am just not there yet. I sooo want to be but I am still holding on to many fears of the unknown that are crippling my trust. <br />
<br />
Jennie says, "We press through the doubt and fears and we trust because God is trustworthy, and he know how life is best lived. The more we jump and see our God come alive around us, the more we jump without fear--and the bigger the cliffs get." The more you jump when God asks you to, the less scary that jump is and so then he will give you higher cliffs to jump, bigger challenges because He draws us close to him through these risks that we take. With each page of this book I am getting more and more excited about God and what He wants to do in my life. I hope to say Anything to Him soon. Have any of you said Anything to him?? All I know is that to those that do, their lives are never the same.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-27940596772598080992012-06-14T08:37:00.001-07:002012-06-14T08:37:40.544-07:00How deepHow deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that left Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
(REPEAT)
This song gets me every time. It has been running through my head this morning. I have been having a tough time with my kids and just life in general. This song grounds me and reminds me to be humble, accept his forgiveness, and trust in his promises.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-89479541310420222402012-05-05T18:03:00.001-07:002012-05-05T18:03:26.843-07:00Good newsThe blessings have been overflowing here lately! We are feeling so overwhelmed by God's exceedingly abundantly great work in our life. First bit of good news is that we now have a baby! Our soon to be adopted sons' birth mom had a baby a few weeks ago and we were blessed that the County chose to place him with us. He is a beautiful angelic little boy. I am so in love :). So far it is looking like his case will be moving to adoption as well so we are thrilled.
Secondly my husband got a JOB today!!! Praise the Lord! We have been praying and waiting and hoping for this day for months. He starts this Monday and the job is perfectly suited to his gifts and abilities. We are pretty happy :)
Romans 12:12 is a verse that God gave me the day we got our new son. It says "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.". These are the words that have gotten me through the last few weeks and will get me through the months to come.
Did I mention that God is good? :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-79779426931658843052012-04-10T19:31:00.000-07:002012-04-10T19:31:33.691-07:00Life is HardI have discovered over the years that life is very hard at times. This is one of those times. Again. My husband and I have moved seven times in the past eight years. He has had ten different jobs in those years as well. We have had eight years of infertility and two miraculous adoptions. It has been a rough, rocky road, with some fun turns but a lot of potholes that have left us clinging to our God for hope and perseverance. I still believe He has a plan for our family. Over the years I have often clung to my two favorite verses:<br />
<br />
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will carry you through."<br />
<br />
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future."<br />
<br />
We are in a place of trust once again. My husband started his own consulting company last fall and immediately acquired three great clients. We were doing better than ever. Than out of nowhere all three clients quit in March. We couldn't believe it. My husband has been relentlessly trying to find a job ever since. As most people are aware it is really tough out there. My consistent prayer has been for stability. Stability in a job, stability in our church home, stability in our home/location, just plain old stability. Stability is the one thing we have yet to experience in our marriage/family. <br />
<br />
If you are reading this and could spare a prayer for us we would appreciate it. Also if you know of any job leads we would gladly love to hear about them as well. Right now we are completely open to anything. <br />
<br />
I am just so thankful that our faith has remained stable after all this time. We know that God loves us and is working on things that we can't see. We want to be faithful to Him above all else. Because he has always been so faithful to us.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-87824254868034450572012-03-27T15:03:00.002-07:002012-03-27T15:03:51.291-07:00Amazing<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">This past weekend I went on a women's retreat with my church and it was amazing! And now I definitely know why Satan didn't want me to go.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">The first night there God blessed me to be able to help a 52 year old woman discover why she needed Jesus in her heart, and I got to witness her open up her heart and life to HIM! She accepted Christ and almost immediately you could see the scales fall from her eyes and her heart fill with peace. We laughed and cried and rejoiced! It was amazing. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">During the next two days God used me to share, console, bless, encourage, exhort, and love on about 7 other women. He put me in the right places at the right times and gave me the words to speak. I felt God living and moving within me for the first time in months, maybe years, and it was awesome. Usually people go on women's retreats to see what God wants to teach them. God ended up bringing me on this trip to be there for others. It felt so good to be used by Him, I felt like I was right where He wanted me to be. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">I want to feel like that everyday. I want to live IN His presence. I want to feel that my life is an act of worship, not just the songs I sing. God really impressed it on my heart that I need to serve, I need to be aware of the needs of the people around me and do whatever I can to help meet those needs. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Andy and I both have been going through a sort of spiritual transformation over the last few months. It's like that verse Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared IN ADVANCE for us to do." I feel like God is preparing us for something that he wants us to do as a family. Whether that is a ministry, a mission, or church leadership, we don't know yet. But our job right now is to allow God to work on us, shape us, mold us, so that we can be in the right place to be used by Him when that time comes. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">I am so glad I squashed all those fears over going on this retreat. God is sooo good and I can't wait to see what else He has in store for our life :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-22267364839500965002012-02-17T09:45:00.000-08:002012-02-17T09:50:13.417-08:00Black, Gray, and WhiteThe past month or so I have been praying about taking my faith to the next level. The one area of my life that I haven't given over to God completely is the TV shows that I watch. Every week at church I come away feeling like God wants to me to let go of this area of my life and let Him guide what I watch. This past Sunday our pastor talked about not letting even a hint of immorality into your life, which includes laughing at coarse jokes. Well, we all know that TV is chock full of coarse jokes. Even some of the most innocent shows have parts of crude humor. I have been talking to my husband about this and he agrees but is also struggling with completely letting go of some show that we have been watching for years. It's like being in the middle of a book and having to put it down and not know the ending. It's not exactly easy. So we decided to put the shows we like into categories. Black shows are the ones with very blatant sexual themes or characters that have anti-Christian beliefs. Gray shows are the ones where the story line doesn't revolve around sin but there are small amounts of sexual content or violence in side stories within the show. White shows are plainly just shows that we feel comfortable watching with our kids in the room. We decided to completely remove the black shows, keep the gray shows only on the TV in our bedroom and the white shows on the TV in the family room. It sounds easy enough but it is not. It has been one week and we have already cheated and watched a few of the black shows. The goal of course is to watch less TV, spend more time with my kids and husband, read more books, and grow more in my walk with God. I think most people's black, gray, and white lists might be different based on your struggles and what God lays on your heart. I am sure you are wondering what is on our lists and I am happy to share a few. <br />
<br />
Black shows: Grey's Anatomy, Modern Family, Mike & Molly, How I Met Your Mother, Glee, 2 Broke Girls, anything on MTV.<br />
Gray shows: Mentalist, Hart of Dixie, Pretty Little Liars, the Bachelor<br />
White shows: American Idol, Survivor, Amazing Race, HGTV, ESPN, Pioneer Woman, Once Upon a Time<br />
<br />
There are a few more but I can't remember them now. It is so easy in our lives to just let things slip in and have an influence over us without even realizing it. Many of these shows seem so innocent but they really do impact the way you think and view the world. I want to live a life that pleases God, and often time that will require sacrifice. If I have to sacrifice a few TV shows to get there, it is definitely worth it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-28075525050958746782012-02-17T09:09:00.000-08:002012-02-17T09:09:35.507-08:00Bargain Furniture MakeoversSo as you know I have recently gotten into upcycling old furniture pieces to make them more modern and fun! Last weekend while my husband was painting the tallest wall in our house a beautiful blue I was doing some painting of my own. Over the past few weeks I found a child size rocking chair and a "phone table" from the sixties at Goodwill and a garage sale. I also found an awesome end table on the side of the road. I sanded them and painted them and they are like new! It is so fun to transform something unwanted and distressed into something beautiful! :)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Rocking Chair (before):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80BZG024IXzXjzn8BEaT_bpAK8P5XphBmB1NR_dPKWxAir0GfrUnwsdK22s4oaeSUK7sg9n7dbNnFwLfl3p-GS8peRIKpqscxbyDQN-VTBx5EWTzr5UA0tjfQsdJEFwoBYvUYb6baZMs/s1600/January-february+2012+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80BZG024IXzXjzn8BEaT_bpAK8P5XphBmB1NR_dPKWxAir0GfrUnwsdK22s4oaeSUK7sg9n7dbNnFwLfl3p-GS8peRIKpqscxbyDQN-VTBx5EWTzr5UA0tjfQsdJEFwoBYvUYb6baZMs/s320/January-february+2012+050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Rocking Chair (after):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvciOZDNNR36e73icRuxNjAMrBEjKauQZ0ytUM06gmkgcny3E_S-wnhTOyQ1br-keXCDv8XlFkCIC-D-ha_b-QM6J7sEiqSn8CaNLyxZY6u0_t_a1ruHRatC0y1NsOVXMc8VcMkTMYCxI/s1600/January-february+2012+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvciOZDNNR36e73icRuxNjAMrBEjKauQZ0ytUM06gmkgcny3E_S-wnhTOyQ1br-keXCDv8XlFkCIC-D-ha_b-QM6J7sEiqSn8CaNLyxZY6u0_t_a1ruHRatC0y1NsOVXMc8VcMkTMYCxI/s320/January-february+2012+052.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Phone Table (before):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuGFYHaF1ASZrptCqCD-9vI-njcsc50p5q91J3W_oycyrPCzFBOLOVh8uyFf7xxTP-lr2yGeNg2Mw6AvReqBt1uATGaWDklxCau1w2LNgSJJO-VqarLdDCkWXEksv9lrdvo6FGp9tgwA/s1600/January-february+2012+058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuGFYHaF1ASZrptCqCD-9vI-njcsc50p5q91J3W_oycyrPCzFBOLOVh8uyFf7xxTP-lr2yGeNg2Mw6AvReqBt1uATGaWDklxCau1w2LNgSJJO-VqarLdDCkWXEksv9lrdvo6FGp9tgwA/s320/January-february+2012+058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Phone Table (after):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUByAPjR1r5k_-zayHSoZI976jPFM4kSgMFEGECPD4MbGDXhkszHK6G1oOD4fX4LRRoOmvp1a692U4Cutw4v_34uDblI7q6BJlkQvQnHRkZvUWXv0BBMczef4en79_xTliW_7XIr9DmU/s1600/January-february+2012+060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUByAPjR1r5k_-zayHSoZI976jPFM4kSgMFEGECPD4MbGDXhkszHK6G1oOD4fX4LRRoOmvp1a692U4Cutw4v_34uDblI7q6BJlkQvQnHRkZvUWXv0BBMczef4en79_xTliW_7XIr9DmU/s320/January-february+2012+060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">End table (before): This is the only pic I took. It had green legs and a wood top.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMaJG2s5IxfvxyEWDbtuaANO4dXTPgHpI7gdmuLHQlVVnsAeRMCPOfz9Nc1fEVAKRU7OSJHQx0k0QLtW5pa7BzGPK2j084iRp4H-GD0EOUCiVDVB3mvWYZdDUFCjQlx4VyoR-N6CJLRA/s1600/end+table+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMaJG2s5IxfvxyEWDbtuaANO4dXTPgHpI7gdmuLHQlVVnsAeRMCPOfz9Nc1fEVAKRU7OSJHQx0k0QLtW5pa7BzGPK2j084iRp4H-GD0EOUCiVDVB3mvWYZdDUFCjQlx4VyoR-N6CJLRA/s320/end+table+before.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">End table (after): </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0SKgr4m-ztXGgYIBq2PQuJDqDlU9BFvbZk_4PiorHYLyXObgAAingOQNwOzSoWkKHX1MBMXJbTu201UAAiFESxUR5l1tjYu8wYPYFJ_EJaJAMvvLSMnMiEtxD3JyWtBfdZlV8_ddw5w/s1600/end+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0SKgr4m-ztXGgYIBq2PQuJDqDlU9BFvbZk_4PiorHYLyXObgAAingOQNwOzSoWkKHX1MBMXJbTu201UAAiFESxUR5l1tjYu8wYPYFJ_EJaJAMvvLSMnMiEtxD3JyWtBfdZlV8_ddw5w/s320/end+table.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>I absolutely am loving these little projects! If you have an old piece of furniture, don't give up on it!! Give it a new coat of paint and you might just find it will become your favorite piece!! :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-1433055931893616952012-02-06T11:31:00.000-08:002012-02-06T11:31:31.215-08:00February, already?!Hi friends,<br />
I apologize for my absence from the blog world. The Christmas season, although wonderful and full of blessed memories, was exhausting! January has been my month of recuperating and figuring out what kind of year I hope 2012 to be. More than anything I want this year to glorify God. Our family started going to a new church at the end of last year and we have felt ourselves being challenged daily to consider how our actions, thoughts, motives, and hopes reflect God's will for our lives. It's exciting and difficult at the same time. Seeking God daily means being continuously accountable for your actions. I have been struck lately with just how quickly this life is going to go by and how important it is to live every single day for HIM and not just myself. At the end of each day I have been reflecting on what went well and what can be improved upon, it is a constant journey that will never end. This week in particular I am potty training my 2 year old and PATIENCE is definitely the first thing on my to do list. If you have ever potty trained a child, you know exactly what I mean. And if you haven't, well, consider yourself blessed :) <br />
<br />
In other news, I have been exploring the idea of opening up my own little etsy shop! Over the last year I have really gotten into restoring old furniture and making it look vintage, shabby chic, or just colorful. I have quite a few pieces I am working on now and will hopefully start selling in the next month or two. I will put a link to my shop on here once I list them. I'm also making and selling those Alphabet magnets I posted on here a while back so let me know if you are interested in a set. I do all colors and they are SO cute :) I will be selling those on my etsy shop too soon.<br />
<br />
I hope that all of you are having a good beginning to 2012!! Time sure does go by quickly! Make the most of every opportunity and ask God each day what He has in store for you! I will be back soon!<br />
<br />
Many Blessings,<br />
JamieAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-87344439231380823182011-12-31T20:18:00.000-08:002011-12-31T20:18:59.051-08:00Kitchen Chair ProjectThis year we decided to host our first Christmas party with some friends! We were excited but there was one problem. Not enough seating. Our table only sits 6 people and we had invited 10 for a sit down dinner. I knew I could buy a card table from Target to extend our table but what do about chairs? Lucky me, as I was driving home one day I saw that someone had set on the side of the street four kitchen dining chairs! They did not look good and when I asked my husband to throw them in the truck he looked at me like I was crazy! But he knows me and he went along with it. I saw something that I liked about the chairs, the etching and cut out of the wood. It was really unique and pretty. The chairs were painted a dirty orange-yellow-cream with some antiquing paint that looked as bad as it sounds. The chair seats were covered with old fashioned floral prints from the 80's. No bueno!! But I had a vision. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUz5VIFjoGquZgJulO9_xSEU-_lkyAZNQfASuAf6sMFBMG3o-RQX9SkfVSwknnYQN3ZhiFV7WF98vNQbLQQno6gHWrp-zVeLQE4KI-npQalJz-gzFe8zVCDL2NGAwI7FopTqPuW2uvFM/s1600/December+2011+weekend+1+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUz5VIFjoGquZgJulO9_xSEU-_lkyAZNQfASuAf6sMFBMG3o-RQX9SkfVSwknnYQN3ZhiFV7WF98vNQbLQQno6gHWrp-zVeLQE4KI-npQalJz-gzFe8zVCDL2NGAwI7FopTqPuW2uvFM/s320/December+2011+weekend+1+024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYc7vj4SsG8ItosmBw6bjoLCSS5EraPoO_a-TGdqLvmsfCOigsjwTl1lRQVPuaudWKcLbRtArnWv8AK4atAlU4g3fbpDn7gZ8RritOz2ecZdd7Fmrb576UHzFtklRDd5P9a7MheCJRXs/s1600/December+2011+weekend+1+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYc7vj4SsG8ItosmBw6bjoLCSS5EraPoO_a-TGdqLvmsfCOigsjwTl1lRQVPuaudWKcLbRtArnWv8AK4atAlU4g3fbpDn7gZ8RritOz2ecZdd7Fmrb576UHzFtklRDd5P9a7MheCJRXs/s320/December+2011+weekend+1+026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> First thing we did was go to JoAnne's Fabrics and pick out new fabric for the chair seats. We have a beautiful navy and tan rug in our kitchen area so we found a print that was a deep blue with very small white dots. I liked the blue color but I also like that if the kids spill drinks or food on them it won't be too noticeable. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBN7DCVinWn202bQBIDGThteBJ0KKc7yEuhwtUAqk1hHmTC5Ynmla4OcCd8ZE4gB2cLfaoHF6gSa7i3PiRNF4lIYvSkvmWmI11IlnDpbfWebRdAD04ak9XY0o9TY444auuVz8m9fwyO-4/s1600/December+2011+weekend+1+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBN7DCVinWn202bQBIDGThteBJ0KKc7yEuhwtUAqk1hHmTC5Ynmla4OcCd8ZE4gB2cLfaoHF6gSa7i3PiRNF4lIYvSkvmWmI11IlnDpbfWebRdAD04ak9XY0o9TY444auuVz8m9fwyO-4/s320/December+2011+weekend+1+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-BjqL6uKmGCBQPZvJJfxt3eR9xRZxX449uTVlV2XzaiF_0F_9Gs3nCv67Xwc4QAXj2y_ph_q4qn6j29rtVsyNBWkyGiFifpDkwCO8WtKxVBcwKb8vqNjptAu8SI1pamGHkgrdIo5RWg/s1600/December+2011+weekend+1+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-BjqL6uKmGCBQPZvJJfxt3eR9xRZxX449uTVlV2XzaiF_0F_9Gs3nCv67Xwc4QAXj2y_ph_q4qn6j29rtVsyNBWkyGiFifpDkwCO8WtKxVBcwKb8vqNjptAu8SI1pamGHkgrdIo5RWg/s320/December+2011+weekend+1+033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Then we went to Lowe's and picked up white primer and spray paint to repaint all of the wood of the chairs. I have to admit that my husband was the one who did most of the work from here on out. I was busy cooking and cleaning and shopping for our party! He did a great job! He first painted all of the chairs with two coats, one primer and one paint. He took the chair seats off, cut the fabric, and then stapled the new fabric over the old. We figured it would give the seats a bit more cushioning. My husband also did some reinforcing of a few of the chairs so they weren't so squeaky and lose. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7bW7lKo0cYI0jJQvqXxgZUtK7k4qHpKw7NTcJXQQzxzfJTUXgi12u5PezbQeFm3U4GxXdccEmJq0FBuSEWxxv08wBoqaGmxJ4LvqfVw077U635BtCO8NgJ0QqMxnSgwRRIxluhoT6Ms/s1600/December+2011+weekend+1+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7bW7lKo0cYI0jJQvqXxgZUtK7k4qHpKw7NTcJXQQzxzfJTUXgi12u5PezbQeFm3U4GxXdccEmJq0FBuSEWxxv08wBoqaGmxJ4LvqfVw077U635BtCO8NgJ0QqMxnSgwRRIxluhoT6Ms/s320/December+2011+weekend+1+034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEPF19hunm18WcYiS9QyXadEpQM5V6kLIzMKxahy83xYsfWoA9yF-l_IanoI3M4X9PFI3ZBm51zA6cqgb6so2idMS-IvL1mHAdZybyyM9PDVYTfUsQMU7ihh70zqm0B79woUh2dy55G8/s1600/December+2011+weekend+1+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEPF19hunm18WcYiS9QyXadEpQM5V6kLIzMKxahy83xYsfWoA9yF-l_IanoI3M4X9PFI3ZBm51zA6cqgb6so2idMS-IvL1mHAdZybyyM9PDVYTfUsQMU7ihh70zqm0B79woUh2dy55G8/s320/December+2011+weekend+1+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapcOWVluWax06HhsjOOZS_H3ZI1GuwhGtjW8hWpIVQQUUZoZ0t1I1a0lJWce8n7gnbwxzLgbQbiYsiQ_B6GWbUpJytQC2o7wKD5xFWo5eXyCYVN7YlE56MLcwmiv_s4oG7B2LON6zw5A/s1600/December+2011+weekend+1+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapcOWVluWax06HhsjOOZS_H3ZI1GuwhGtjW8hWpIVQQUUZoZ0t1I1a0lJWce8n7gnbwxzLgbQbiYsiQ_B6GWbUpJytQC2o7wKD5xFWo5eXyCYVN7YlE56MLcwmiv_s4oG7B2LON6zw5A/s320/December+2011+weekend+1+038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
They turned out amazing! They look like something out of a designer furniture store but they cost us less than $50 for all four! Oh and our party turned out great!! We ended up with only 6 guests so we didn't need the chairs after all but we used them and put our older ones away. This was one of my favorite projects so far! What do YOU think?? :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-34711652920378666102011-12-24T15:03:00.000-08:002011-12-24T15:03:41.111-08:00December: 25th Day of Giving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_8vRXltL0p3iAXI-OJlvgwTzWN6WZm-RqAAnsMj7VXJh5tW_0MNCnTYZvgMMd0Y3oJHJ4hn2nL805ggDMO3Qk0DE6oZnDs9SofyWzBIYskwYEASMIPhrsWK6aawUlHbIlXV2mXuJprI/s1600/kinkade_nativity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_8vRXltL0p3iAXI-OJlvgwTzWN6WZm-RqAAnsMj7VXJh5tW_0MNCnTYZvgMMd0Y3oJHJ4hn2nL805ggDMO3Qk0DE6oZnDs9SofyWzBIYskwYEASMIPhrsWK6aawUlHbIlXV2mXuJprI/s320/kinkade_nativity.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!<br />
For today's giving we are sharing gifts with family. I can't believe we have made it through these 25 days of giving! It has blessed my family so much to do the things we did this month and I feel like my kids got a sense of what the true meaning of Christmas is. It's not about what you get, but what you give and the heart with which you give. It is also about Jesus, who gave us the greatest gift of all! He came to earth as a tiny baby and lived and died so that we could have a relationship with HIM! The best gift in the world. <br />
<br />
From my family to yours, May you have a very Merry Christmas, may the Peace of God be in your hearts, and may the Love of friends and family make this a day you will cherish always.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-74153154836681042042011-12-24T14:57:00.000-08:002011-12-24T14:57:21.950-08:00December: 24th Day of Giving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsu0WLsQW4jmUCjBcp4qFQ7FnIqXdjV8hS6xpYbrTzmGoYkhKP6clsPfM8OPSk9_Qe6fXK_tUfFBnMp5odHGodbNw72MCiQOlza1l8sG2CMs39kkRW9WNAFeaZdZhozWeIWNGQZC2W0ug/s1600/dollar+store+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsu0WLsQW4jmUCjBcp4qFQ7FnIqXdjV8hS6xpYbrTzmGoYkhKP6clsPfM8OPSk9_Qe6fXK_tUfFBnMp5odHGodbNw72MCiQOlza1l8sG2CMs39kkRW9WNAFeaZdZhozWeIWNGQZC2W0ug/s320/dollar+store+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Today we went over to the Dollar Store and hid 5 one dollar bills in the toy section for those last minute shoppers to find and be blessed by! My daughter had so much fun finding places to put the money.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-55352273494189341352011-12-23T16:09:00.000-08:002011-12-23T16:09:38.235-08:00December: 23rd Day of Giving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjok4Stz6aCpiieK__gPxKWp6AehX0fLg7BE26pLww3XwTflUJBfmry1kdQAGDlr3H60sriew8mgz6JxuEkWGBJ5bSnfrWEJZB6qxRYDjHZS8Onhrh7UZZK1IsMauq2tak2BxrTvPKTk/s1600/2011-12-23+09.55.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjok4Stz6aCpiieK__gPxKWp6AehX0fLg7BE26pLww3XwTflUJBfmry1kdQAGDlr3H60sriew8mgz6JxuEkWGBJ5bSnfrWEJZB6qxRYDjHZS8Onhrh7UZZK1IsMauq2tak2BxrTvPKTk/s320/2011-12-23+09.55.54.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Today was really fun! We went down to the Fire Station and took them some cookies in tins and wished them a Merry Christmas. They were super nice and let the kids take turns sitting in the fire truck. We got some cute pictures and the firefighters seemed genuinely grateful for the goodies. <br />
<br />
Afterwards we still had two small bags of cookies so I just prayed that God would lead us to who needed to be blessed with them today. The first bag we gave away at the Lakeshore Learning store. We gave it to the lady checking us out and she was so happy it was super sweet. After that we were driving home and I saw an older lady with three young children waiting at the bus stop. We pulled over and my daughter ran up to them and gave them the cookies and wished them a Merry Christmas. You should have seen the lady's face. She was in shock and so grateful. I couldn't believe how big her smile was, you could tell it meant a lot to her. What a blessing! My daughter came back and said to me, "Mom, that felt really good." Ahh, she is getting it! Giving makes you feel good inside!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992796662473778186.post-76846194495571728172011-12-22T15:40:00.000-08:002011-12-22T15:40:28.707-08:00December: 22nd Day of Giving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuDjx1mig0TRshGL_1ts9CG3gUArLUpA72qHqKnBMeMbZoKLzsIGGwza0KOA9ktTE7FVdpWV9fcLNACsdIeTa4UPzOOVuNx_RhZhiRboydZ0K0I7MwYAKDEySiMub-Yh_kdV218NhQRE/s1600/2011-12-22+14.02.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuDjx1mig0TRshGL_1ts9CG3gUArLUpA72qHqKnBMeMbZoKLzsIGGwza0KOA9ktTE7FVdpWV9fcLNACsdIeTa4UPzOOVuNx_RhZhiRboydZ0K0I7MwYAKDEySiMub-Yh_kdV218NhQRE/s320/2011-12-22+14.02.30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Today we baked a TON of cookies and put together gift bags to give to our neighbors. We are going to be giving to the neighbors we don't know as well. The kids are so excited!! Who doesn't love Christmas cookies? :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07156434384992021508noreply@blogger.com0