To My Ministry Friends...

To all the pastors wives and women in ministry:


(Sounds so formal...)


Here's a link to a online conference that I signed up for called JustONE.  It looks like I'm going to LOVE it.  And I think you might to.


If you sign up, and did I mention it's free, then let me know so I can "chat" with you about what you think of it.


Go check it out HERE for more information.


I'm all about learning from other ladies in the trenches.  Well sometimes ministry feels like the trenches.  And other times...an older gentleman in your church gives you a hard time about how dirty the inside of your crock pot is (because you brought it to mid-week church to make hot cocoa in for the Bible Club Kids and he cleaned up afterwards) but he's only teasing and you don't care because really someone SHOULD clean the thing.  But he ends up feeling guilty about it so at 8:15 PM the next evening he drops by a ginormous ham for your family...as a peace offering.  And I like ham.  Ministry is GOOD!


*please note, you should read that entire last paragraph in one breath, because that's how I would say it if we were chatting in person.*


Long live the run-on sentences!


Now go register...I hate going to things by myself.

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Blogging Has Changed

I've been thinking about how different blogging has become, since I started four years ago.  Back then, I was able to join different sets of blogging communities, so to speak.  Of moms, of pastors wives, other Christian women.  And within those little networks there was community.  We read each others posts, commented, followed along in life.  Became friends.  


Over the years, some of them stopped blogging.  And others, like myself, became less diligent at it.  Many kept on keeping on, and I just became totally lazy about commenting.  (Plus, we were friends on Facebook and I can keep up with them that way ;) And my google reader grew.  And grew and grew and grew until I couldn't keep up with all the blogs I wanted to read, let alone comment.


So I became an observer.  Many I check in on whenever there is a new post, but rarely do I comment.  I just observe, and quickly head on to the next thing.  No wonder I ADORE Pinterest.  I get to look at people's AWESOME stuff, and benefit from their AMAZING tutorials, all the while never stopping to say, "Hey Lady, you're genius!"  


Shame on me.


I'm going to do better.  Probably not great...but better.


The End.


PS - It's a snow day here.  The first this year.  Theoretically I would be enjoying having all my kids home, and we would play board games and laugh together.  In reality, they can't stop bickering and are eating me out of house and home.  And Lucy won't take a nap.  Life is hard.  *cough*  

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This One Thought...

Lots and lots of stuff on my mind this week.  Lots of stuff that can't be placed on a blog.  


But this one thought...


That those speaking the loudest..who seek to have their opinions voiced, regardless...are often heard the least.


It turns people off.  True story.

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For the Love of Glitter

Three boys.

And then a girl.

Totally entertaining for me. 

I've heard Dr. Phil say many times, that the most influential person in a child's life is the parent of the same sex.  Our family would be text book Dr. Phil on that point.  

My boys love me.  But they most definitely do not want to be like me.  From the time they were little, they were mimicking daddy...regardless of the fact that they spent all day long with me.  

I'm cool with that.  

Lucy is a whole other story.  She says words in the same tone I do.  She looks around for her purse before we head out the door.  She takes care of her babies all day long.  And sister can dust with a diaper wipe, like none other.

And most importantly...she understands that glitter shoes go with everything.

Notice she's talking on her cell.  Multitasking at its finest.

Glitter is a new favorite at our house.  Thank you Target.

I buy Lucy's squeakers at a cute little shop locally.  They're leather and only $15 there!  You can also get them online here.  This is her fourth pair and we obviously love them. :)  (the squeakers can be removed easily too.)


Glitter is the best.


Then End.

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Remodel Update

It's been forever since I've told you about our remodeling project going on here at the parsonage.


I tried to go back and find the last post on it, so I wouldn't repeat myself.  Turns out someone needs to label her posts better, sheeesh.  I couldn't find much.  Someone also needs to update their blog more often.  Annoying.


In September it looked like this from the outside:

The inside of the addition was just bare bones.


Our main builder/deacon works for a farmer, so the project sat on hold for a few months while they harvested.  Which was totally ok, it gave us all a break from construction for awhile.



But Marlin is back to work and it's so much fun to see progress!

This picture is at the top of the stairs (2nd floor) taken from the old part of the house.  We refer to it as the "old house" and "new part"...we'll likely still be saying that ten years down the road...because that's how we roll.  


Until recently, when it was all insulated, the guys have been crawling through that little attic door every time they went to work out there.  

And now it looks like this!  Straight in is the master bedroom, and to the left inside the new doorway will be Lucy's new room.

  

The hubby has been helping when he can too.  And Jake thinks it's great fun to sweep up the drywall dust.
This is inside the master bedroom.  The walk in closet door is on the right...

This is inside the closet.  EEEK!  I'm so excited about that closet.  I need to show  you what mine looks like right now...so you can be as excited as I am. ;)


Ok, now I'm taking you back downstairs...

This is looking into the new kitchen, from the old kitchen.  

Today they're putting up drywall on the ceiling.  They're standing in the dining room now. :)


And tomorrow, we go look at kitchen cabinets.  For real.  

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Christmas

Let's play catch-up, shall we?


I am not the best at living life purposefully.  I should be, since I've read enough books on it...but given my own nature, I tend to live fairly haphazardly.  It actually works pretty well for me, except when it doesn't.


In order to not miss out on anything in the month of December, I decided to be purposeful about our celebrating of Christmas (as purposeful as I get, anyways.)


I made lists.  Hundreds of them, mostly to-do, to-buy, to-bake etc.  But the most important one I made was a sort of bucket list of December.  Specific things to do by myself and as a family before the season was over.  The overall encompassing part for me, was to enjoy the moment of each thing.  Suck the marrow out of every single second, because there is one thing that 2011 taught me...a new moment is never guaranteed.  


The List (parts of it)


#1 - Go chop down a real tree.  

Their faces say it all.  After about 3.2 minutes the boys kept saying "Pick a tree already, they all look the same!"  I made them linger awhile, just for good measure.  After all, I'm the mom, it's my job to do my best at searing this experience into their memory.


#2 - Picture With Santa

We don't even do Santa, but they certainly need a picture with him. :)  Lucy is 19 months here.  She was totally willing to sit on him since he gave her a candy cane.  

#3 - Be Amazed

I miss so much sometimes, because I'm looking for the big things, and ignoring the amazing in the simple things.  Lucy was amazed.




#4 - Enjoy the Hodge-Podge Christmas Tree

Little Miss couldn't help but mess with the ornaments.  We reached an amicable agreement by just leaving the ornaments on the top half of the tree.  


#5 - Family Date Night/Driving Around to Look at Christmas Lights


We went to a favorite pizza joint.  The waitress spilled the entire, enormous glass of ice-water right on Ben's lap.  We laughed so hard.  She ended up giving us our appetizer for free.  The boys congratulated their Dad for "taking one for the team."  We'll likely remember that for years to come.  Afterwards we drove around eating home-made treats and admired peoples Christmas lights.  


#6 - Bake Stuff

Boy did I.  I got a new mixer for my birthday/Christmas.  It just makes baking so much more fun. I tried a bunch of stuff from Pinterest.  It was a Pinterest Christmas for sure.  One of the favorites was home-made cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.  New tradition.

#7 - Church

Our church family is just that...family.  We spent time on a Sunday evening after church, putting up the quirky decorations, eating brownies with peppermint frosting, drinking hot chocolate and laughing together until my sides hurt.  It was one of my favorite parts of this season.  





Also on my list this year was not planning the Christmas program.  A good friend volunteered and did an amazing job.  

#8 - Take Group Shots

I failed miserably at this last year.  In the moment, it's such a pain to make everyone gather around and do it, but it's so worth it later!

So, you get the idea of what some of the list was.  There were several things on the list that didn't get done,  but this year that was by choice...rather than forgetfulness.  It felt good.


I'm in the process of making one for the rest of winter, spring and summer too.  I don't want to forget these moments. 

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Just Thinking...

I'm sitting on the couch, watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.  I'm so cool that I don't have a clue as to who most of the performers are.

But I'll take this New Years Eve, because it's simple.  Easy.  Uneventful.  That's boring to some, but to me...it's joy.

Last year, I spent New Years Eve with four of my dear friends...at the hospice home.  Our friend's 9 year old son, Tate, had been transferred there late that afternoon.  We all knew he didn't have much time.  None of us knew what to do...how to offer support...so we just went there, and sat in the "family" room, while their family came in and out of his room.  We laughed and cried and tried to help support and distract them, for just a brief moment...all knowing there is nothing that can distract.  

What a year it has been.  

Today on my six mile run, I listened to this song.  Tate's mom shared it not long ago.  It was written by a young man with AT, which is the genetic disorder that Tate (and his sister Tessa) both have.  Brad Paisley put it to music, and all profits from the download of it go to AT research.  

It came on my ipod at about mile 5...I thought I might hyperventilate.  I keep it on my running list to remind me of the gift I've been given; the ability to run.  And to remind me that Tate, now in Heaven with his perfect body is running all over the place...like he never could here.

The message of the song...well, I think it's one of the best ways to start out the new year.  

Bring on 2012! :)

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