Wednesday...off topic...

It is Wednesday.

Where has this week gone? A trip to Roanoke to the doctors for the baby boy – two and a half hours actually in the office, plus 2 hours on the road. It was all worth it as he is doing so much better, but I am spent…so instead of a selection of lyrics I am going to share with you a post from my friends over at Just The Girls: Real Beauty Blog.

It is about motherhood – and being a beautiful mother.

I was reading – with the help of a 15 month old – a magazine in the doctors’ office yesterday. There was an article written by a mom, reflecting on ten years of motherhood and the ten lessons she had learned. One of these light bulb moment lessons for her was not to judge other moms.

This photo was taken by Faith,
one of the super talented photographers over
at Just the Girls: Real Beauty Blog

This is a lesson I am still working on. Not judging moms – my own mothering included –is hard. There is a fine line for me as mom; of thinking I am better than another mom and worrying about the safety, well-being of children and sometimes even another mom.  I believe that a great deal of what is wrong in the world today is a direct result of not valuing children – not making our children a priority. So, while I get each mom has her own style and way, and sometimes even a different style and way for each of her kids, I take real issue when people don’t put the safety and well-being of their kids at the top of the list. Children aren’t accessories and parenting is a privilege, not a right.

As a mom, I know that my daughter flourishes with praise and support, and that when she need discipline a big piece of that is helping her learn a better way. Why is it so hard then to take the same approach with grown-ups? Not that I think I should discipline other moms who aren’t living up to my standards, but a little compassionate support and encouragement for a mom who is struggling goes a long way – at least for me it has.

As Ruth points out over at JTG:RBB even the most beautiful of moms have ugly moments, so we should give each other grace.

After all, parenting is a process not a competition.

And we can all be beautiful moms – if we try!

Tuesday Treasures...Trucks!

Today’s treasure is sort of two-fold.

The treasure is officially TRUCKS – in honor of Touch aTruck this Saturday, which the kids and I will be attending. Let me just say that if you are in the Richmond area you should be sure to attend this gem of an event!

Which brings me to the second, unofficial treasure – those surprise moments that turn into lasting memories. The day that you thought was just going to be day and turned into magic! That is what Touch a Truck was for Grace and my folks last year.

We had seen an ad for it and it wasn’t very much to go. It was something for Grace and her Popsie and a chance for me and then teeny Jackson to get some rest and quite. I think the pictures speak for themselves, but they had a wonderful time and are so excited to go back this year and take Jackson!

I mean who doesn’t love trucks, right?

Enjoy the treasury!
And I hope to see you at Touch a Truck!

Made of Monday...Q&A

It was a weekend that had more questions than answers.

Sometimes in life are just like that.

For every answer, there is another question.

Sometime the questions are fueled by uncertainty, sometimes by curiosity, sometimes by doubt, sometimes by orneriness.

Sometimes the questions are fueled by hope.

As we approach the end of law school, there are so many questions about our future. The basics like where will we live, where will my husband work, where will Grace go to school. All of those are part of the bigger question – What does God have in store for us?

When we came here it was beyond obvious that God had something great in store for us here, but in the process of being here I have learned that here is not the ending, it is not where the greatness will occur. Though here has had its moments of greatness, this season of life for us is one of preparation and growth…so now where? And, now what?

When we so clearly saw that here was where God was leading (no, bringing!) us, it is hard to not expect the same glaring neon lights pointing to the next step. So far, though, there has been no giant blinking roadside arrow. I thought there was one – one of those big arrows like you see on the interstate crying, screaming “Stop Here!”  It led someplace unexpected and I had made peace with it in my heart, but it wasn’t our arrow and it left me with so many questions…Why? What next? How to reconcile the peace I felt in my heart knowing now it wasn’t our path to take?

Sometimes I just have to turn the questions off and take the answers that are in front of me and do the best I can. 

Answers or no answers, I am made of questions.

Success this week is surviving!

We were blessed so many times this week – with great fellowship, with support and with food! All these blessing more than make up what I have lacked in motivation this week.

Specific successes this week…

That Accounting mid-term I turned in last Saturday – I got a 94! Success!

I had 3 Etsy sales!

I finished and mailed out Girls Night Out Invites for my mom. I even made an extra set to list on Etsy, so watch for those to be posted soon.

I lined up a walking buddy! YEAH!!!!

Grace had her first sleep over. It went brilliantly!

Oh, and someone else’s success to share. That special teacher I wrote about in my Made of Monday post for back to school, well she was named Teacher of the Year for her school! Congratulations, Mrs. Johnson!

Free Advice Friday

It’s a rainy Friday morning. I have a to do list a MILE long and a book on my kindle calling my name. 

Motivation, where are you!!!

Taking that Accounting Mid-Term last weekend has me feeling like we are on the downhill side of this semester….BUT….we are NOT!

Finishing a set of these postcards to go out as
 Girl's Night Out Invites
and posting a set on ETSY are on my to do list!

I find myself in one of those unproductive frenzies…so much to do and yet I keep adding things to the list and projects to the stack. I go to make a to do list of the top priority things and I get waylaid adding every detail of every project I have for the next two months.

Now, I am down to brass tacks on at least 4 or 5 things and well…I need to get focused, but of course that involves getting the house in order.

Am I a procrastinator?

How do you get motivated? Focused?

HELP, friends, HELP….

Don’t you just love Free Advice Fridays!

Thursday Round Up

Item of the week this week….check it out! Thanks…

And an extra special post over at Just The Girls: RealBeauty Blog. I wouldn’t be so eager to share, but the guy who wrote it is kind of special.

And ETC! 

My mom seems to have taken to heart my ETC post from last week, as she was very willingly in pictures this weekend. (Thanks Mom!)

These pictures are from a family trip to the park. We packed a picnic lunch (and stopped to by MCD tea…)and went to enjoy a beautiful fall afternoon. This park is probably my favorite of the local parks. It has beautiful old trees, which means shade. The play equipment is big enough to accommodate traffic of various ages, but not so big that I can’t easily keep tabs on the kids.

As I was getting these pictures ready to post and thinking of what made all the pictures I had to choose from either good or bad, I realized a few things. First as the photographer, it is important to be generous to those you are photographing. Even when just snapping family shots, take the time to say “your bra strap is showing”, or “here, let me fix your hair.” Not that ever picture has to be perfect, but if you can why not fix it now instead of hate the picture later.

Secondly, editing, specifically cropping is a beautiful thing.

 And finally, just get in the picture! The more pictures you are in the more chances you have to like one, right?

Don't forget to stop over at The Anderson Crew and check out all the other ETC fun!

Wednesday's Word....Paradise....

I complain a lot.

I am discontented.

I frequently get the “Can’t Help Its”. 

Things are never just so, there is always something out of place or that needs to be done.

So when the chorus of Phil Vassar’s Just Another Day in Paradise, entered my mind, I didn’t even make it to the verses before I started thinking I wish I felt that way. Paradise, yeah….someday.

And then I took the time to look it up :

The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills - overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back
There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it. 
I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things

Well, it's ok. It's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Friday, you're late
Guess we'll never make our dinner date
At the restaurant you start to cry
Baby, we'll just improvise
Well, plan B looks like
Dominoes' pizza in the candle light
Then we'll tippy toe to our room
Make a little love that's overdue
But somebody had a bad dream
Mama and daddy
Can me and my teddy
Come in to sleep in between?

Yeah it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Well, it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

For just another day in paradise
Well, it's the kids screaming. The phone ringing
Just another day
Well, it's Friday. You're late
Oh yeah, it's just another day in paradise

Do I ever thank God that is my life? Some days….but not often, and I certainly never ask for another day just like the one before.

We have our woes and we have our struggles, but we have two healthy kids and a bright future. We have a roof over our heads. We have food on the table and clothes on our backs. We have some nice things, too, and a car to drive. We can’t buy whatever we want, or go where ever we want. We have responsibilities and we have blessings. Just reading the words to this song today reminded me that I should be thankful for this because I wouldn’t trade it.

Sure it would be nice to not have to worry…but I don’t have to worry I choose to worry.

Sure it would be nice if things were easier…but honestly, I am often the one who makes it harder than it has to be.

I could trade it, but what would I get. And what would I lose…it is far too precious to me.

So this Wednesday, I ask God to create in me a grateful heart, a heart that sees the blessing in the mundane, a heart that rejoices in the call of motherhood, a heart that feels His presence in the everyday life of our family.