Life... busy, busy life

Hello All! I couldn't believe how long it's been since I wrote last when I logged in! Life...busy, busy life. That's the reason. Lots going on lately. I have been getting ready for the Pick Pocket Molly Event. A weekend consignment sale of women's clothing. I consign items {this year over 130 items!}for sale at the event but I also work at it with my friend, Alice, who puts it on! Man, she can put on a great event! Check her out here, http://pickpocketmolly.com/.

Also, I got a very part time job. I am an Operations Assistant with Fit2B Studio. It is an online gym with a workout video library of over 50 videos and she also is trying to spread Diastasis awareness. I love that I can work from home and help a friend grow her business while she works from home! And it is nice to contribute to the household budget again. : ) Learn about Diastasis and Fit2B Studio here, http://fit2b.us/.

And then there is all the everyday, in-and-out's of a stay-at-home mommy of two young children. Household chores, gardening to do, birthday parties to attend, meals to cook, friends to connect with, basketball to watch { : D }, church to attend, parties to host, small town parades to participate in, workouts to do, wife to be to husband, sunshine to enjoy. It's a good {and busy} life that I love to be living. I try to remember how blessed I am and not take it for granted. At the end of the day, I may be tired and may not get to lay in the hammock like I wanted but I wouldn't trade it in. 

Whatch ya been doing?

Reflecting on Mother's Day ~ the love and pains

Some were concerned about me yesterday after reading my post. What I want to tell you and what I told them is this - 

First, I am good. Please don't worry about me. (But thanks for checking up on me.)  : ) 

Second, what I said was to not only clear my head so I could regroup and move on for myself but for others who may be feeling that same way. I wanted to be open and honest, especially as a stay-at-home mom, so others could see they are not the only ones feeling that same way. I wanted them to know that even with all those thoughts rolling around in their heads and the feelings in their hearts, life does and will go on and it is still good and lovely. 

Third, I hope that some will read it and realize there is so much more going on inside people than the "I'm good." you get when you ask, "How are you?" We all have stuff we are processing through, not wanting to burden others with every single thing but it is especially heavy on Moms, who not only process through everything for themselves but for their children too. Erin at The Humbled Homemaker wrote about remembering not only Mom but the other ladies in our lives in her post, Rejoicing {and Mourning} with Mothers on Mother's Day.  Erin writes beautifully about the balance between rejoicing with the rejoicing and mourning with the mourning. (Romans 12:15) 

"When I think of my {many} friends who have had miscarriages, friends suffering with infertility–and the mom of my friend who went to be with Jesus at age 17 13 1/2 years ago, I realize this: No doubt, Mother’s Day isn’t very easy for them.

At best, it is probably bittersweet, as some have other children along with those they have lost. But with those around them receiving cards and gifts and corsages and hand claps, it’s likely not a day they can ignore.

And as a Christian, I am called to compassion. Even when I can’t understand their pain, I am called to mourn with those who mourn–even on Mother’s Day.

But should our compassion for those hurting supersede our rejoicing with those who rejoice? For those who can revel in the fact–one day per year–that they have birthed babies and help shape souls daily within the four walls of their homes?" 

Erin goes on and lists ways to love on ALL the ladies in the different stages. It is beautiful and encouraging and grace-filled. On this Mother's Day weekend, I encourage you to consider what I have written and what Erin wrote and see how it might change your heart and mind on how you celebrate not only your Mom but the other ladies in your life. Happy Mother's Day all!

To my Mom ~ I love you! Thank you! for everything I know you have done and the things I don't know about that you have done, Thank you. Thanks to God that you are my mom and my kids' Nana! 

My mom and I in Paris in '09.

To all the other beautiful ladies in my life ~ Those that love on me and my kids like their own, Those that want to some day be a mom, Those that will be mom's soon and Those that have been mom's for little to many years and shared your knowledge ~ I thank God for you. I hope God blesses you for being a blessing to me. I love you all too!

Where this woman's heart and mind are at at this moment......

sad                            depressed                     joyless         

      

heart-aching                  lonely                    hurting               

unmotivated 

  

angry                 overwhelmed                  tired

         

I want to cry                I want to yell                    

I want to curl up into a ball with a blanket and movie and not be bothered                          

I want to scream out my every thought about every thing on my mind with no care what other people think

                          

I want to do nothing                    

I want to actually enjoy something                     

I want peace                            I want to feel joy                                      

I want to feel beautiful                                 

I want to feel needed                             I want to feel appreciated          

 I want to be respected                       I want my soul to be on fire               

I want to accomplish every thing I dream about doing and enjoy it                          

I want to be a good mommy                       

I don't want to screw up my kids                                                      

I want to be 'that' good wife                                   

I want to not feel all of this at the same time, all the time, every day                                       

I want to stop complaining about my great life and be able to truly appreciate what I have                                      

I want to be joyful                   I want to be happy 

I want to unabashedly love and be unabashedly loved back

Television Wisdom Wednesday

From the show Duck Dynasty:

Phil Robertson - "It's just been my observation that in the end the old school ways, they always seem to work out.

One of my friends shared the following quote today (from here) on Facebook and it made me think of what Phil Robertson said on Duck Dynasty.

Do you think this is what Phil Robertson means by the old school ways? If so, I am trying to raise up my children to be old school. I think the old school ways are lacking these days. Maybe we all should start up a revival of the old school ways! : ) Happy Mid Week Friends and remember to Be Old School! 

Showing signs of Summer-itis

On these rare, warm, blue sky spring days in the Northwest, I tend to get Summer-itis. 

I lay in the hammock in the back yard and stare up through the Curly Willow tree at the sky. I daydream about harvesting goodies from my (hopefully) full veggie garden boxes while the kids play in the splash pool. Of warm days running errands with the windows down and the wind blowing the kids' hair. 

I daydream of the smell of the strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries that I hand pick with the kids at my local farmer's. The birds chirp, the wind gently rustles the tree leaves while parents teach their children how to find that perfect berry. 

Yep, I have caught Summer-itis. Big time. I know this warm, spring weather won't last so I try to enjoy it while it is here. And I am thankful and excited for what is to come with summer. So, what do you daydream about when you get Summer-itis? 

(musings on) Hurting Hearts and Hope

Some horrible things happened last week where many died or were seriously injured. A bombing, a fertilizer plant explosion, a big earthquake in China - just to name a few. That doesn't even include the every day happenings that are closer to home and just as horrible. People killing each other, kids hurting other kids, children never given a chance a life because of abortion, all kinds of abuse, addiction, and natural disasters. Many start questioning the point of it all; the point of this life. With all this going on, many start losing hope. So I ask you, Where is your hope right now? Mine is in Jesus Christ. Jesus asked us to follow Him. 

Mark 1:17 & 18 - And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 

Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. He asked and they followed. There was no big, long discussion on what He expected of them. He said, "Follow Me." Are you willing to leave your current life behind and let Him guide you? We strive so much for success, a comfortable life, a grand purpose that you will be remembered for but these don't bring hope to us like a life lead by Jesus. 

John 10: 25-30 - Jesus answered, " I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." 

I want to have hope. I want to be His sheep, to hear and listen to His voice. I want to leave behind my old life and follow Him to where He wants my life to go. I love these lines from the song, Hosanna by Hillsong United. They say it so well.

From the song Hosanna

"....Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like You have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks Yours

Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity"

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hillsong_united/
YouTube video of Hosanna by Hillsong United here   

Earth Day 2013

How will you

Ducks swimming in a pond in Seattle, WA.

Baby ducks taking a break from swimming the Kenai River in Alaska.

 get outside

Variety of color on the blooms at the Woodburn Tulip Festival in Oregon. 

Sunset in Maui, Hawaii. 

 and enjoy

Perfectly calm waters and big, beautiful mountains in Alaska.

New growth after a wildfire in eastern Oregon.

 God's wondrous creations

A beautiful show by a Peacock. 

        

A waterfall off the Hana Highway in Maui, Hawaii.

this Earth Day 2013?

A river runs through the evergreen covered hills of eastern Oregon. 

A bright red tropical flower on the Hana Highway in Maui, Hawaii.

What wonders the eyes see, the skin feels and the ears hear in this big, beautiful world that God created and that we get to enjoy the very short time we are here! And what wonders await us when we get to be with Him again.......