this is one i made for my friend's b-day.
Monday, December 31, 2007
handcrafted goodies
some cards i made before Christmas arrived. i think they turned out pretty good
this is one i made for my friend's b-day.
this is one i made for my friend's b-day.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
back to bloggyland
we are winding up our whirlwind trip back home to ID from WA. we had a great time seeing family, celebrating Christmas, fellowshipping, eating, laughing, eating, talking, eating, playing games .... did i mention eating? we did alot of that.
so this morning we headed home. the van was packed to the gills with everything we brought minus the gifts for everyone. somehow it expanded somewhere between the 21st and the 29th. who knew?
we decided to drive down towards oregon and cut over. that way we could avoid the pass over the WA mtns. all week long it had been snowing and they were having horrible accidents, slowdowns and general all around messes. i thot it'd be better to avoid the scene.
of course, going south first instead of east added at least 2-3 hours to our already long commute home. then add on a few extra precious minutes winding around portland aimlessly, well maybe not aimlessly, we were looking for the highway that headed east. somehow i missed the exit! who me? yes, i've been known to do that ... sigh. but somehow we got on the right highway and continued on.
when we reached pendleton, the gateway to the blue mtns we had about an hour left of daylight. just enough time to get over before dusk and the ice descended onto the roadway home.
going up the mtns was fine. not great, but not bad. it was still light, the semi's were driving slowly and the roads hadn't iced over yet. so far so good ... but then as we approached the summit, the roads showed signs of recent snow. the spit of rain that had started soon became a constant drizzle of icy waterdrops. up and up we went ... the cars soon became a caravan in the one lane that wasn't too snowy or icy. there were no smarty=pants drivers passing on the left, spraying snow and dirt all over my windshield ....
unfortunately, the semi that was the leader of the caravan drove slower as the roads got worse. finally a suburu outback broke ranks and passed everyone on the left. then another car did it, and another ... for awhile, the roads were able to handle the traffic and those of us in the original right hand lane were fine, but then as the snow began to fall in earnest, my knuckles gripped the steering wheel a little bit tighter ... soon the cd player was turned off so i could concentrate on my driving .... by the time we were able to get off the highway and stop at the city of la grande oregon, i was uttering those words: "this is the LAST time i drive over the mtns in winter again!"
we found a motel, we checked in, we unpacked, we collapsed! ahhhh ....
so this morning we headed home. the van was packed to the gills with everything we brought minus the gifts for everyone. somehow it expanded somewhere between the 21st and the 29th. who knew?
we decided to drive down towards oregon and cut over. that way we could avoid the pass over the WA mtns. all week long it had been snowing and they were having horrible accidents, slowdowns and general all around messes. i thot it'd be better to avoid the scene.
of course, going south first instead of east added at least 2-3 hours to our already long commute home. then add on a few extra precious minutes winding around portland aimlessly, well maybe not aimlessly, we were looking for the highway that headed east. somehow i missed the exit! who me? yes, i've been known to do that ... sigh. but somehow we got on the right highway and continued on.
when we reached pendleton, the gateway to the blue mtns we had about an hour left of daylight. just enough time to get over before dusk and the ice descended onto the roadway home.
going up the mtns was fine. not great, but not bad. it was still light, the semi's were driving slowly and the roads hadn't iced over yet. so far so good ... but then as we approached the summit, the roads showed signs of recent snow. the spit of rain that had started soon became a constant drizzle of icy waterdrops. up and up we went ... the cars soon became a caravan in the one lane that wasn't too snowy or icy. there were no smarty=pants drivers passing on the left, spraying snow and dirt all over my windshield ....
unfortunately, the semi that was the leader of the caravan drove slower as the roads got worse. finally a suburu outback broke ranks and passed everyone on the left. then another car did it, and another ... for awhile, the roads were able to handle the traffic and those of us in the original right hand lane were fine, but then as the snow began to fall in earnest, my knuckles gripped the steering wheel a little bit tighter ... soon the cd player was turned off so i could concentrate on my driving .... by the time we were able to get off the highway and stop at the city of la grande oregon, i was uttering those words: "this is the LAST time i drive over the mtns in winter again!"
we found a motel, we checked in, we unpacked, we collapsed! ahhhh ....
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Happy Birthday to Me
since its my special day, hubby got first born son off to school and let me sleep in--late!!! what a treat!! i absolutely LOVE sleeping in, waking up slowly, lazing in bed .... ahhhh, what a life!
today hubby is taking me out to lunch, i'm getting my weekly massage from hubby (there are a few perks being married to a massage therapist), and tonite we'll do our own Christmas celebration before leaving tomorrow.
since i'll be with family and friends for the next 10 days i will probably not have alot of time (or desire!) to blog, so if you don't see me here, just know we are having a grand time fellowshipping with our loved ones.
love to all, and Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
today hubby is taking me out to lunch, i'm getting my weekly massage from hubby (there are a few perks being married to a massage therapist), and tonite we'll do our own Christmas celebration before leaving tomorrow.
since i'll be with family and friends for the next 10 days i will probably not have alot of time (or desire!) to blog, so if you don't see me here, just know we are having a grand time fellowshipping with our loved ones.
love to all, and Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Monday, December 17, 2007
monday, monday
get ready for a mishmash of thots. sorry that's alli have to offer today.
Gifts: got 99% of my shopping done! woo hoo!!! hubby needs me to take him shopping on wed. got some wrapping done last nite too. i'm ahead of the game.
Travel: on the to-do list---PACK! i like to take 2-3 days to pack so i don't forget anything. probably the only time i don't make a list. we leave on thurs.
Meals: use up the perishables this week. it will probably be alot of creative meals this week.
House: a disaster after the weekend, which is normal. so lots of sprucing up and cleaning before we leave. i hate coming home to a messy home.
Laundry: oh ya! enough said.
Weather: snow and rain in the forecast. praying for dry passes that i have to drive over.
Gifts: got 99% of my shopping done! woo hoo!!! hubby needs me to take him shopping on wed. got some wrapping done last nite too. i'm ahead of the game.
Travel: on the to-do list---PACK! i like to take 2-3 days to pack so i don't forget anything. probably the only time i don't make a list. we leave on thurs.
Meals: use up the perishables this week. it will probably be alot of creative meals this week.
House: a disaster after the weekend, which is normal. so lots of sprucing up and cleaning before we leave. i hate coming home to a messy home.
Laundry: oh ya! enough said.
Weather: snow and rain in the forecast. praying for dry passes that i have to drive over.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Thankful Thursday
today i'm dedicating my blog to my mom. here are a few pics and a few thots of how i'm thankful for her.
here she is with her precious cat, tawny.
joe and grandma at the falls.
i'm thankful that my mom raised me to love the Lord and follow Him. she not only taught me with words, but showed me by her example of godly living. i saw her reading her bible, praying in her bedroom, i heard her singing to the Lord even tho she never thot she had that great of a voice. i saw her serving her family and her n'bors and her church. she reached out to the less fortunate and brought home all kinds of interesting people she met.
my mom loved to read and instilled in me a love for books and words. she read to me and helped me learn to read for myself. she encouraged me by taking me on weekly library runs to fill my shelves with wonderful books to read.
my mom also loved to play tennis and to take long walks. when the family went outdoors she joined in too. she would get her hands in the dirt and enjoyed gardening in our yard. of course, she left lots of weeding for us girls--thanks mom!
i'm thankful that as i grew up, our relationship grew as well. as adults we are not just mother and daughter, but friends. we enjoy one another's company. we talk on the phone, we email, and when we are together we laugh and hug and spend lots of time at starbucks.
i'm looking forward to going home for Christmas and spending time with this wonderful woman i call mom.
here she is with her precious cat, tawny.
joe and grandma at the falls.
i'm thankful that my mom raised me to love the Lord and follow Him. she not only taught me with words, but showed me by her example of godly living. i saw her reading her bible, praying in her bedroom, i heard her singing to the Lord even tho she never thot she had that great of a voice. i saw her serving her family and her n'bors and her church. she reached out to the less fortunate and brought home all kinds of interesting people she met.
my mom loved to read and instilled in me a love for books and words. she read to me and helped me learn to read for myself. she encouraged me by taking me on weekly library runs to fill my shelves with wonderful books to read.
my mom also loved to play tennis and to take long walks. when the family went outdoors she joined in too. she would get her hands in the dirt and enjoyed gardening in our yard. of course, she left lots of weeding for us girls--thanks mom!
i'm thankful that as i grew up, our relationship grew as well. as adults we are not just mother and daughter, but friends. we enjoy one another's company. we talk on the phone, we email, and when we are together we laugh and hug and spend lots of time at starbucks.
i'm looking forward to going home for Christmas and spending time with this wonderful woman i call mom.
Monday, December 10, 2007
i finished daisy's winter coat
i finally finished daisy's fleece winter coat. after these pics were taken i added some more velcro so it would be a little tighter. it was pretty loose in this shot.
isnt' it cute?
isnt' it cute?
Winter Wonderland
our first real snow came this weekend, with more that came today. we have about 2 inches now and if it stays as cold as they say, we may have some slick ice on the roads tonite and tomorrow.
here are some photos i took.
our porch
hubby sweeping the walkway
these are our n'bors houses, aren't they great?
here are some photos i took.
our porch
hubby sweeping the walkway
these are our n'bors houses, aren't they great?
the Father's Arms
this is your monday seedstory from my archives. my mom is still battling cancer, so pray for her if you think of it.
our daisy is a bit of a scaredy cat. a couple weeks ago she heard something in the middle of the night and barked her head off. she sleeps downstairs by herself, so when she gets scared she doesn't have anyone to run to.
last nite, i heard a big ol truck making a racket driving down the road. it might have been a fire engine .... anyway, daisy heard it too. but instead of barking, she found a slight opening in the door to our room and tiptoed in. she came to my side of the bed and gently put her paws up on the bed. i could tell she was asking if she could come up. so what's a mom to do when one of her family is wanting to be comforted? i let her come up. she immediately sought out my arms and cuddled as close as she could. i wrapped my arm around her and she settled down and went to sleep.
as i was laying in bed, pondering daisy's actions, it occured to me that dont' we do the same when we are faced with a scary situation. we look for comfort and warm arms to hold us. i found out last week that my mom had a suspicious looking mammogram. they have scheduled a biopsy for later this week. we talked for a bit and she assured me that she is trusting the Lord whatever the outcome. she has sought out the comfort of the Father's arms.
i marvel at my mom's peace in the face of another health scare. and yet, i know that it isn't of her own strength, but the Lord working in and thru her. she has followed Him all her life and knows Him as her Father. she is a reminder and a role model for me when troubles come into my own life. i can run to the things of the world for comfort, or i can run to the Father's arms. they are always open to recieve his children. like daisy, i can sleep peacefully while hidden in the arms of my Father.
Psalms 91 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Postscript: August 27th
the results of my mom's biopsy showed 2 cancerous tumors. so now she and the ones who love her get to lean into the Father's arms even more. while we know her ultimate destination is assured, its not always fun to go thru the journey. i am praying for many more healthy years with her, but we are not assured even one more day on this planet.
i thank you for your prayers in advance for my mom and for our family as we walk thru this with her.
reminded again how much i need to rest in the Father's arms, gail
our daisy is a bit of a scaredy cat. a couple weeks ago she heard something in the middle of the night and barked her head off. she sleeps downstairs by herself, so when she gets scared she doesn't have anyone to run to.
last nite, i heard a big ol truck making a racket driving down the road. it might have been a fire engine .... anyway, daisy heard it too. but instead of barking, she found a slight opening in the door to our room and tiptoed in. she came to my side of the bed and gently put her paws up on the bed. i could tell she was asking if she could come up. so what's a mom to do when one of her family is wanting to be comforted? i let her come up. she immediately sought out my arms and cuddled as close as she could. i wrapped my arm around her and she settled down and went to sleep.
as i was laying in bed, pondering daisy's actions, it occured to me that dont' we do the same when we are faced with a scary situation. we look for comfort and warm arms to hold us. i found out last week that my mom had a suspicious looking mammogram. they have scheduled a biopsy for later this week. we talked for a bit and she assured me that she is trusting the Lord whatever the outcome. she has sought out the comfort of the Father's arms.
i marvel at my mom's peace in the face of another health scare. and yet, i know that it isn't of her own strength, but the Lord working in and thru her. she has followed Him all her life and knows Him as her Father. she is a reminder and a role model for me when troubles come into my own life. i can run to the things of the world for comfort, or i can run to the Father's arms. they are always open to recieve his children. like daisy, i can sleep peacefully while hidden in the arms of my Father.
Psalms 91 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Postscript: August 27th
the results of my mom's biopsy showed 2 cancerous tumors. so now she and the ones who love her get to lean into the Father's arms even more. while we know her ultimate destination is assured, its not always fun to go thru the journey. i am praying for many more healthy years with her, but we are not assured even one more day on this planet.
i thank you for your prayers in advance for my mom and for our family as we walk thru this with her.
reminded again how much i need to rest in the Father's arms, gail
Saturday, December 08, 2007
am i a scrooge?
i haven't put up any Christmas decorations. after thanksgiving, i told myself i could take a week or so and recover from the delicious turkey and other scrumptious yummies. plus our first born son had his b-day the day before so we were recovering from his festivities as well.
during this past 10 days tho, i haven't been in a christmas-y mood. i've seen alot of Christmas joy on other blogs and it delights my heart, but i haven't wanted to participate. which is totally unlike me! Christmas is my fav time of year. but i'm still battling the depression that's been lurking under the covers of my life. so while i deal with that, i've given myself permission to not do all the Christmas stuff we (i) usually do. and you know what? it is sooooooooooooo FREE-ING!!! i don't feel the heavy burden to do a "martha stewart" holiday this year. i have no plans for baking a multitude of goodies, i have 3 snowmen i may put up somewhere, i dug out my Christmas cd's and that's enough for me. we've been watching Christmas specials on tv, and i've been enjoying the decorations when we go out and about, but i have no desire to spend time, energy and perhaps money to make my place a showpiece for the 3 of us.
we aren't having anyone over this year and we are going back home for the holidays. so we wont' be here to open gifts under a tree so we don't even have a tree up. my son has special needs and is totatlly fine with this, my husband is vision impaired and doesn't see alot anyway so hasn't mentioned the lack of decorations, and i'm fine with it too. i'm not saying that i will do this every year, but for this year it's OK. it feels weird. but it feels like a load has been lifted too.
with the new found time and energy, i am sewing up little gifties for friends and family to take with us on our trip. i am enjoying the calm bits of time i can carve out in front of my sewing machine. i am not frantic with anxiety wondering if i'm going to get everything done. it is relaxing at my house as i'm not stressing out my husband with my long to-do list.
most of all i'm really glad that this year, our Christmas will be all aboutcelebrating Christ's birth with family and friends we will see, visit, and fellowship with while we are back in WA. a simple holiday celebrating the real reason for the season with loved ones. and if that makes me a scrooge, the so be it! Merry Christmas!
during this past 10 days tho, i haven't been in a christmas-y mood. i've seen alot of Christmas joy on other blogs and it delights my heart, but i haven't wanted to participate. which is totally unlike me! Christmas is my fav time of year. but i'm still battling the depression that's been lurking under the covers of my life. so while i deal with that, i've given myself permission to not do all the Christmas stuff we (i) usually do. and you know what? it is sooooooooooooo FREE-ING!!! i don't feel the heavy burden to do a "martha stewart" holiday this year. i have no plans for baking a multitude of goodies, i have 3 snowmen i may put up somewhere, i dug out my Christmas cd's and that's enough for me. we've been watching Christmas specials on tv, and i've been enjoying the decorations when we go out and about, but i have no desire to spend time, energy and perhaps money to make my place a showpiece for the 3 of us.
we aren't having anyone over this year and we are going back home for the holidays. so we wont' be here to open gifts under a tree so we don't even have a tree up. my son has special needs and is totatlly fine with this, my husband is vision impaired and doesn't see alot anyway so hasn't mentioned the lack of decorations, and i'm fine with it too. i'm not saying that i will do this every year, but for this year it's OK. it feels weird. but it feels like a load has been lifted too.
with the new found time and energy, i am sewing up little gifties for friends and family to take with us on our trip. i am enjoying the calm bits of time i can carve out in front of my sewing machine. i am not frantic with anxiety wondering if i'm going to get everything done. it is relaxing at my house as i'm not stressing out my husband with my long to-do list.
most of all i'm really glad that this year, our Christmas will be all aboutcelebrating Christ's birth with family and friends we will see, visit, and fellowship with while we are back in WA. a simple holiday celebrating the real reason for the season with loved ones. and if that makes me a scrooge, the so be it! Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 07, 2007
Pics from My Archive
since i have no original thots today i'm stealing this idea from alanna over at An Undeserved Life.
my fav pic of my boys.
don't ya just love seeing a boy enjoy his favorite meal?
a cute pic of his new haircut
joe and dad playing on a balmy winter day
last winter. we have no snow here yet, i keep hoping!
joe at his most gleeful self. he is so fun to have around.
my fav pic of my boys.
don't ya just love seeing a boy enjoy his favorite meal?
a cute pic of his new haircut
joe and dad playing on a balmy winter day
last winter. we have no snow here yet, i keep hoping!
joe at his most gleeful self. he is so fun to have around.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
sick day # 2
the school called yesterday morning. so i went and picked up joe and brought him home. he has a nasty deep cough and a runny nose. he was lethargic until about 5pm. today he woke up with the same symptoms. sigh ...
why does my life stand still when there's a sick child at home? i'm barely keeping up with the laundry, dishes, and putting healthy meals on the table. every thing else is on hold while the man-child is snuggling under the covers watching cartoons.
so until the man-child is on the mend and back at school, the Christmas shoppe, the writing nook, the blogger stuff will all be on hold.
hope all your family members are healthy this day!
why does my life stand still when there's a sick child at home? i'm barely keeping up with the laundry, dishes, and putting healthy meals on the table. every thing else is on hold while the man-child is snuggling under the covers watching cartoons.
so until the man-child is on the mend and back at school, the Christmas shoppe, the writing nook, the blogger stuff will all be on hold.
hope all your family members are healthy this day!
Monday, December 03, 2007
the car wash
here's another seedstory for your monday morning. as i was looking over which one to publish, i chose this one for myself as well as for you, dear reader. my mom is in the middle of fighting breast cancer. she has just started radiation, but has a bad infection that won't go away. that is not good. but God is good, and i need to remind myself each moment that He is sovereign and is in control of the outcome in my mom's life. i have a little saying in my kitchen that reminds me that "God is in control" as i remember that truth, i can pray in perfect peace for my mom and her situation.
we have been saying we need to get the car washed ever since we got home from vacation. finally, this morning we had a moment to do so. daisy, our jack russell was with us. she is still a puppy and we have only had her a little over a month. this was her first trip thru the car wash with us.
daisy is a needy dog. she was found wandering around home depot by my girlfriend and tho we love her dearly, she is a bit high strung. even when we are not going thru a car wash she wants to be right next to us or even on our laps. she doesn't seem to understand that a dog her size on a driver's lap just isn't going to happen.
the workers started to soap up the windshield and soon they were spraying all the windows. daisy wasn't sure what to make of all the water and noise. she crowded close to me and tried to get on my lap. instead, michael scooped her up into his arms and held her tight. she nestled into his arms, trembling as the big machines started to swish the cloth strips around and over our van.
"though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me."
there is great comfort knowing that the Lord is with us thru the valleys we go thru. whether they are scary car washes, stays in the hospital for some unknown illness, or some other unsettling situation, we can draw close to the Father, knowing that He will pick us up and comfort us, walk with us through the valley and that we don't have to fear any evil. sounds good to me!
I Won, I Won!!!
monica over at the homespun heart was giving away a wonderful Christmas garland, i put my name in the drawing, and i won!!! woohoo!!! this is my first win from the bloggy world and i'm so excited. its always nice to get a gift in the mail.
monica is a creative and thrifty gal so hop on over and check out her blog. she has 2 adorable little girls too that will steal your heart.
monica is a creative and thrifty gal so hop on over and check out her blog. she has 2 adorable little girls too that will steal your heart.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thankful Thursday ,,, a day late
is it friday already? where has this week gone?
as is my tradition, i'd like to take a few moments to share my list of things i'm thankful for.
i'm thankful for God's sovereign reign and control over our lives. He has protected and provided for our family in ways i could not fathom.
i'm thankful that we are going to go back to WA for Christmas. we'll be able to spend time with family and friends, enjoy the sights and sounds of the big city and maybe even spend some time at the coast (hint, hint sweetie)
i'm thankful that God made dinosaurs and that we have enough of a record of them to make them come alive for my son, and that they are extinct now, so i don't have to deal with them in my life. except for the plastic type on my living room floor.
i'm thankful for music. the talented singers and musicians who share their creative stuff with us. for the technology that allows me to punch a button and out comes the beautiful melodies i enjoy so much.
i'm thankful for my jack russell, daisy mae, who cuddles up next to me and keeps me warm. who loves to run and play and shows it to everyone around. who can jump straight up and comes up to my chest---she's got springs in her feet!
i'm thankful for the new occupational therapist working with my son at school. aleisha worked with my son several years ago in a private setting and is wonderful with him and he works for her with no problems.
i'm thankful for cozy warm sweaters, fuzzy warm slippers, warm flannel blankets and comforters that keep us warm in our winterwonderland.
and i'm thankful for YOU! you who read my blog, and those of you who leave comments. have i mentioned how i love comments? i do! if you have a google account, sign in and leave a comment.
as is my tradition, i'd like to take a few moments to share my list of things i'm thankful for.
i'm thankful for God's sovereign reign and control over our lives. He has protected and provided for our family in ways i could not fathom.
i'm thankful that we are going to go back to WA for Christmas. we'll be able to spend time with family and friends, enjoy the sights and sounds of the big city and maybe even spend some time at the coast (hint, hint sweetie)
i'm thankful that God made dinosaurs and that we have enough of a record of them to make them come alive for my son, and that they are extinct now, so i don't have to deal with them in my life. except for the plastic type on my living room floor.
i'm thankful for music. the talented singers and musicians who share their creative stuff with us. for the technology that allows me to punch a button and out comes the beautiful melodies i enjoy so much.
i'm thankful for my jack russell, daisy mae, who cuddles up next to me and keeps me warm. who loves to run and play and shows it to everyone around. who can jump straight up and comes up to my chest---she's got springs in her feet!
i'm thankful for the new occupational therapist working with my son at school. aleisha worked with my son several years ago in a private setting and is wonderful with him and he works for her with no problems.
i'm thankful for cozy warm sweaters, fuzzy warm slippers, warm flannel blankets and comforters that keep us warm in our winterwonderland.
and i'm thankful for YOU! you who read my blog, and those of you who leave comments. have i mentioned how i love comments? i do! if you have a google account, sign in and leave a comment.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
God is SOOOOOOOOOOOO good
isn't God good? i just love how He works in our lives. just the other day in my quiet time i was bemoaning that the few mom's i know that have a child with a disability are in other states. there is no one local that i have connected with .... at least that was my perspective.
this morning i had an annual meeting at one of the agencies my son gets services from. after we got done with the paperwork, cindy started talking about her son who has a disability. we have known each other for a couple years, but we usually talk business. you know, health issues, therapies, changes within the state and how it affects our kiddos. this time our conversation steered off onto a more personal path. soon we were sharing our struggles, our blessings, our needs and wants. we felt each others pain and joy. we decided to pray for each other right there in cindy's office and committed to praying for each other.
as i left the agency, i breathed a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for reminding me of my friend i have in cindy. a mother who has walked where i have walked and understands some of the difficulties that challenge me.
it is good to connect with other christians who are walking similiar paths, whether we are in the season of small babies and toddlers, empty nests, having teenagers in the house, going back to work in the marketplace or staying at home and tending our home and hearth ....
God knew my need and had Cindy planted firmly in my path even before i realized it. i feel a little like elijah when he tells God that he alone is left, he is alone. and then the Lord tells elijah "no, there are still 400 prophets alive who worship Me" our perspective is so shortsided. like elijah, i thot i was isolated without others like myself. like elijah, God showed me that there are others. thank you Lord!
this morning i had an annual meeting at one of the agencies my son gets services from. after we got done with the paperwork, cindy started talking about her son who has a disability. we have known each other for a couple years, but we usually talk business. you know, health issues, therapies, changes within the state and how it affects our kiddos. this time our conversation steered off onto a more personal path. soon we were sharing our struggles, our blessings, our needs and wants. we felt each others pain and joy. we decided to pray for each other right there in cindy's office and committed to praying for each other.
as i left the agency, i breathed a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for reminding me of my friend i have in cindy. a mother who has walked where i have walked and understands some of the difficulties that challenge me.
it is good to connect with other christians who are walking similiar paths, whether we are in the season of small babies and toddlers, empty nests, having teenagers in the house, going back to work in the marketplace or staying at home and tending our home and hearth ....
God knew my need and had Cindy planted firmly in my path even before i realized it. i feel a little like elijah when he tells God that he alone is left, he is alone. and then the Lord tells elijah "no, there are still 400 prophets alive who worship Me" our perspective is so shortsided. like elijah, i thot i was isolated without others like myself. like elijah, God showed me that there are others. thank you Lord!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Menu Plan Monday
here's my first foray into putting up my menu planning on my blog.
Monday: sour cream cheese enchiladas, salad
Tuesday: steak (on sale shelf!), potatoes or rice, salad or vegies
Wednesday: homemade pizza, canned fruit
Thursday: crockpot roast, potatoes, vegies
Friday: leftover roast sandwiches/maybe french dips, jello, carrot sticks
Saturday: chili and cornbread, salad
laura over at orgjunkie.com started this fun. go over to her blog to see the others who also are participating.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
knitting and other craftiness
i've been really enoying getting back into my card making mode. this is one i made a week or so ago and sent off to my mom. do you know it costs an extra 17 cents to mail something that has a bulge, such as this button, on the card? i was shocked. i love to add embellishments but i will be thinking twice if i am going to be mailing it.
this is a hat, really, it is! since this photo was taken, it has been finished. you knit it like this and then hand sew it to make it into a hat. this is the 4th one i've done. the first one for hubby came out fine, a little loose, but fine. the 2nd and 3rd were too small, don't know what i did wrong. i've already taken one apart. and now this one. i think its time to move to another pattern.
i started knitting again a couple years ago. i first did scarves, then graduated to dishcloths, which was fun. slowly i've been learning how to do more and more, but i haven't tackled anything in the round yet. and i'm itching to try knitting a pair of socks. hence the yarn ... in a burst of optimism i bought this skein of sock yarn. who knows when i will actually start tho ... stay tuned.
and my latest project on the needles: a winter doggie coat for daisy mae. she gets so cold in the winter. i figure this will allow her to be more comfy when she goes in the car with me on errands, which she insists on doing or going for walks in the park. so far, so good. i've made a few errors but i dont' think she's going to mind. when i finish it i'll post more photos.
Friday, November 23, 2007
ARRRRGGGHHH!
so there i was, trying to figure out how to update my blog and give it a more personal look. and with one touch of the finger, i lost all my cute little sidebars i had worked on for the last several weeks!!! aaarrrggghhh!!! can you feel my pain?
who knows when i will find all the lovely sidebar items again so don't hold your breath. and on top of that i still haven't figured out how to add the pretty wallpaper and photos and cute fonts that i want to add.
edit: hey, i don't know what i did, but i just got all my old stuff back! yay!!!
who knows when i will find all the lovely sidebar items again so don't hold your breath. and on top of that i still haven't figured out how to add the pretty wallpaper and photos and cute fonts that i want to add.
edit: hey, i don't know what i did, but i just got all my old stuff back! yay!!!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Tomorrow is the Big Day
today is the last day for josiah to be 9 yr old. tomorrow he will graduate to the double digit years. he will be 10!! how can that be? where did those 10 years go? why did they fly by so fast when i remember falling into bed exhausted after chasing him all day wondering what he would be doing, how he would look when he was 5, 10, or older? now i know what he is doing, what he looks like, who he is at 10 yr old. i'm still fall into bed exhausted, but now i feel exhausted and OLD! how can that be? i was young -(ish) when i had him 10 years ago. now, not so much!
a package came in the mail from grandma and grandpa yesterday. joe's gifts from us are wrapped and ready to go. i made him a stamped, handcrafted card to go along with his gift that has crocodiles on it. which he will love.
i still have a cake to bake, after i pick up groceries including eggs. can't bake a cake without eggs in this house. joe's fav italian food, PIZZA, is on the menu for tomorrow night at the local pizzeria. this has become a yearly tradition for his b-day.
even tho i would love to return to those days when he was just a babe in my arms, even just for a moment, we cannot go back in time (no matter what star trek may do in tv land!). we can only go forward and enjoy each moment we have. i plan on enjoying joe's celebration tomorrow and every day afterwards that the Lord gives us together.
give a kiss and a hug to your loved ones and enjoy them! i know i will.
a package came in the mail from grandma and grandpa yesterday. joe's gifts from us are wrapped and ready to go. i made him a stamped, handcrafted card to go along with his gift that has crocodiles on it. which he will love.
i still have a cake to bake, after i pick up groceries including eggs. can't bake a cake without eggs in this house. joe's fav italian food, PIZZA, is on the menu for tomorrow night at the local pizzeria. this has become a yearly tradition for his b-day.
even tho i would love to return to those days when he was just a babe in my arms, even just for a moment, we cannot go back in time (no matter what star trek may do in tv land!). we can only go forward and enjoy each moment we have. i plan on enjoying joe's celebration tomorrow and every day afterwards that the Lord gives us together.
give a kiss and a hug to your loved ones and enjoy them! i know i will.
Monday, November 19, 2007
seed story monday: to sleep or not to sleep
here's your seed story for today. i'm posting this one cuz its one i need to be reminded of myself. while battling the funk that hovered over me these past few weeks, my daily bible reading and prayer fell off sharply. i know that is one of the attacks of the enemy as well as my flesh. so reading this again was good for my soul. enjoy!
our son, who has a genetic disability, has a problem getting to sleep and staying that way without the medications we give him. even with the meds there are nights where he wakes up and won't go back to sleep or takes a couple hours to get to sleep. this means one of his parents (usually me!) is up with him, as he can't be left alone unattended. this past month of december has seen more than its share of sleep disturbed nights.
so it was with great joy and anticipation that michael and i got away for a weekend without our son. michael usually wakes up early, but that next morning we both slept in. it was heaven! that night we stayed up late and again slept in longer than before. what a sweet gift.
i was pondering on the effects sleep and lack of sleep have on me. when i get a good nights sleep i'm renewed, energized, and ready to tackle whatever the day holds. when i am sleep deprived, no amount of coffee or sugar will energize me. i go thru the day in slow motion, yawning constantly. every action an effort that drains the few reserves i have.
i have noticed a similar reaction in my life when i don't have my time with the Lord. i made it a higher priority this past year to read the Word and have some structured prayer time in the mornings. when i did have that time with God, my days were focused, energized, and alert. i had a strength that did not come from within me. but on those days that i forgot, or skipped that time with the Lord were harder to get thru. little things would trip me up during the day. i didn't have as clear a focus as i wanted and i certainly didn't have any extra strength or energy. just as a person can't live an effective life being sleep deprived over the long term, i don't believe a christian can live an effective life without the Word of God and consistant prayer time with the Lord God Almighty.
tho the hard seasons the Lord has brought me thru have drawn me closer to Him and given me a greater desire to spend time with Him, i still struggle. and knowing the flesh and blood body i inhabit, i imagine i will probably always stuggle in this area. but that isn't a reason to give up and quit fighting. no the struggle shows me that this is worth fighting for. no matter how long i struggle to be consistant in this area, i will fight, i will press on, i will endure. just as i go to bed every night hopeful for a solid 8 hours, every day i will anticipate my time with the Lord. one gives me physical strength for the day, and the other .... oh how much more!
our son, who has a genetic disability, has a problem getting to sleep and staying that way without the medications we give him. even with the meds there are nights where he wakes up and won't go back to sleep or takes a couple hours to get to sleep. this means one of his parents (usually me!) is up with him, as he can't be left alone unattended. this past month of december has seen more than its share of sleep disturbed nights.
so it was with great joy and anticipation that michael and i got away for a weekend without our son. michael usually wakes up early, but that next morning we both slept in. it was heaven! that night we stayed up late and again slept in longer than before. what a sweet gift.
i was pondering on the effects sleep and lack of sleep have on me. when i get a good nights sleep i'm renewed, energized, and ready to tackle whatever the day holds. when i am sleep deprived, no amount of coffee or sugar will energize me. i go thru the day in slow motion, yawning constantly. every action an effort that drains the few reserves i have.
i have noticed a similar reaction in my life when i don't have my time with the Lord. i made it a higher priority this past year to read the Word and have some structured prayer time in the mornings. when i did have that time with God, my days were focused, energized, and alert. i had a strength that did not come from within me. but on those days that i forgot, or skipped that time with the Lord were harder to get thru. little things would trip me up during the day. i didn't have as clear a focus as i wanted and i certainly didn't have any extra strength or energy. just as a person can't live an effective life being sleep deprived over the long term, i don't believe a christian can live an effective life without the Word of God and consistant prayer time with the Lord God Almighty.
tho the hard seasons the Lord has brought me thru have drawn me closer to Him and given me a greater desire to spend time with Him, i still struggle. and knowing the flesh and blood body i inhabit, i imagine i will probably always stuggle in this area. but that isn't a reason to give up and quit fighting. no the struggle shows me that this is worth fighting for. no matter how long i struggle to be consistant in this area, i will fight, i will press on, i will endure. just as i go to bed every night hopeful for a solid 8 hours, every day i will anticipate my time with the Lord. one gives me physical strength for the day, and the other .... oh how much more!
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