My Journey To Contentment

I have seen that a couple of my friends were reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  I checked out Ann's blog, and after reading just a few entries, I knew I had to read this book.  Desperately needed to read this book.  Why?

Because I am a complainer.  Discontent.  And it flows from my heart to my mind and out my mouth.  It's ugly.  It has imprisoned me in a state of negativity.  The pessimism was so thick, I couldn't see the optimism for the half-empty glasses.

The premise of the book is that it is gratitude that engages us into communion with God.  If we can't be thankful in the little things, we aren't worshipping Him, praising Him, or giving Him glory.  She began making a list of 1,000 things she loved, and in so doing, she discovered that each was a gift from God, and the mere naming of these things was worship.

I started a journal just for my list.

 "Every day, I will reflect on my blessings.  I will refuse to complain.  I will refuse negativity.  I will be thankful.  Even when it's hard, I will find that blessing in the pain, the beauty in the ash heap.  I will be changed.  He will soften my heart.  My mind. And my tongue.  I will learn to be content."

I've only been keeping my list for six days.  But I can already tell a difference.  I am not giving my mind free reign.  The minute a negative thought arises, I find myself telling it, "No, I will not complain.  How can I be thankful instead?"  Some of you may have noticed my thanksgiving posts on Facebook.  They arose out of this.  There are enough bad attitudes and complainers on Facebook.  I don't need to make it worse.

And you know what I've discovered?

People like to stop and be thankful.  They like the positive.  They like not thinking about what is wrong with everything.

#3    Dave coming home every day
#9    Felix's coughing laugh
#17  Bob Ross and "happy trees"
#19  My baby in heaven, only mine for a brief moment, but always God's
#20  The way Felix hold's Milo's hand while nursing or sleeping
#24  A heart that keeps hoping
#26  Having my hands full
#31  Sunshine
#32  Hearing the roll of tricycles on the deck
#37  The Helper who helps me to choose the path of holiness and contentment
#39  Lucy's giggle as she runs back to her bed and me trying not to smile

Wanna join me?

In Case You Didn't Know Already...

I am pregnant.

I am 6.5 weeks currently. I am nervous about it--nervous about losing the baby, mostly. Thankfully, I feel pretty bad, so everything is fine for the time being. I feel better about the pregnancy overall, which is good, but I know there are no guarantees. It's hard to let your heart get excited when you've lost one (or more).

My friend, Dixon, was just blogging the other day about the death of the blog world. I totally agree with him. I find my interest waning. I think it is a combo of little to no feedback and a lack of motivation. I still like to read other people's blogs, but even that can be tiresome sometimes. Now that I am perpetually tired and exhausted, blogging is way at the bottom of the list.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this space. I am not all that inspired, to tell you the truth--four years of this...hate to throw it away. I think part of my problem is that I don't take pictures anymore (because I HATE my camera). I think if I took pictures, I would blog more but maybe not.

How are you feeling about blogs these days?

Irish Soda Bread

I blogged this morning about making food for St. Patrick's Day. I couldn't wait to make the Irish Soda Bread so I made it this morning. I got the recipe from HERE.

Here are some pics from the process:

Mixing together the wet ingredients and setting them aside to thicken.



Mixing the dry ingredients with bits of butter to make a coarse meal. This part was fun. I felt like I was six.



Stir wet and dry together to form a lump (I used my hands).



Knead a couple of times on a floured surface. Form a dome shaped loaf.



Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with flour, and cut a cross into it.



Bake at 350 for an hour.



Cool.



Lunch? Why not?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friends, Old and New

This is gonna be a long one, folks.

I've blogged about my friendship with Angela in the past on my old blog. But, since she is the oldest friend in this post, I'll start with her and refresh your memories.

Angela and I met in the 7th grade at church camp. We discovered that we both had a crush on a boy named Ben. It bonded us pretty quickly. Our friendship began, and the next year, I began to get involved with the youth group at her church, so we saw one another more frequently, and we shared a friend, Tricia. So, there were numerous hanging out opportunities (and chances to talk about Ben).

Ninth grade came, and Angela came to my school. We were in class together and maintained our friendship. We then shared another friend, Allison. We still went to church camp every summer and hung out. She home-schooled after that, but we still saw one another at church functions and sporting events. We talked on the phone from time to time, and I went swimming at her house several times. It was a typical high school friendship.

Then at the end of high school, she moved far away to Washington D.C. and started the adventure of life on her own. We lost touch. And then, about three years ago, our friend, Allison, told me Angela had a blog. I had a blog too, and so we caught up.

Angela is (and always has been) a very encouraging person. She was not a fan of strife in relationships. I can't remember ever getting into a fight with her. She's a peacemaker--and now this plays out in her professional life as a photojournalist. She is giving a voice to the voiceless through her photographs. It's incredible the many places she's gone and the things she's experienced. I am so honored to know her, and I was even more honored to attend her wedding to Craig (not Ben! :). Check out her blog if you want to be inspired to love people because that's what will happen!

Of course, Angela and Tricia introduced me to Allison. Allison is funny. Very funny. But she doesn't mean to be. That's what is so great about her! Alli and I became very good friends very quickly. We both shared a heart to know God. Our times at church camp together were so very special and holy. Alli was one of the few people in high school who spurred me on to love and good deeds. She was a constant source of encouragement and friendship. She was very good at accepting me, warts and all. I have so many wonderful memories from high school with Alli.

One of my favorite memories is riding around in her purple convertible singing Fleetwood Mac tribute songs at the top of our lungs. We studied God's word together, we watched a lot of "Dawson's Creek" together, and we spent entirely too much time arguing about how I didn't wear enough makeup and why Alli would only eat Snackwell's cookies instead of Oreos. I wore her down on the Oreos eventually.

We lost touch briefly after college, but we soon reconnected. I am so glad I know Allison. I'm also so proud of her as a wife and mommy. I was so glad we got to spend an entire evening hanging out before the wedding. It was so good to be with her again. She married a funny man, and she has an adorable, wide-awake daughter. I'm so proud to call her my friend.

I had to put a pic of Lucy in here. She was such a good little traveler. She rolled with the punches, slept when she could, and had an overall sunny disposition. But then again, that's my girl. Isn't she pretty in her party gown?

Joanna. Sweet Joanna. I met Joanna through my friend, Carrie, who just said, "You have got to look at her blog. Her pictures are awesome, and she's a believer!" That's what I did. I went to her blog, began commenting on her thoughtful and beautiful posts. I can recall many days when I would read one of her posts, and it would edify me to no end!

We began messaging back and forth, and I knew she was a kindred spirit, a bosom buddy, a soul sister, whatever you want to call it. I so wanted to go to Angela's wedding, and what an added perk when I found out that she had asked Joanna to be her photographer (they met through my blog)! We were going to meet!

It was arranged. We talked on the phone for the first time, and even though I was at a baby shower, I was so excited to talk to her, that I hated to get off the phone. One night, we chatted on the phone for a couple of hours. It was awesome. It was like we had known one another forever. And it felt so special, because I know how she hates talking on the phone (ahem...I LOVE to talk on the phone).

When the time came for me to finally meet her, I got nervous. I had wondered if she would like me as much in person as she did through the blog or on the phone. I worried it wouldn't be the same. And it wasn't. It was better.

We hugged instantly, and it was like two sisters who hadn't seen one another in a long time. She had warned me that she might be kind of funky because her mind was on the wedding. She was delightful. I totally and completely loved her even more.

She sweetly carved out time to hang out with me the morning of the wedding. We had breakfast in the hotel restaurant and chatted about our families, our lives, and God. She photographed Lucy and me for a little while in the hotel lobby (pics--and a humbling and incredibly kind post about me--can be seen on her blog). She set me so at ease in front of the camera. I have NEVER liked pictures taken of my profile, but the one she took is so good! She says I'm photogenic, and I say she's an amazing photographer!

It was such a gift to be able to meet Joanna. I do hope we don't have to wait until eternity to meet again. And, it's nice to be able to say that I've finally met an internet friend (and I'm still alive).

Joanna was not the only internet friend I had the pleasure of meeting while I was on my trip. I also got to meet Katie. Katie and I met through xanga (though I'm not sure I remember how). As I read her blog, I realized we were cut from the same cloth. Here are the things we have in common:

We were both English teachers.
We both have stair-step children (though she has four and I have three--for now).
We both had our kids in this order: boy, girl, girl (and then she has another boy--which I'm hoping for us!)
Our third child is a girl and they share the name Lucy along with lots of hair and a sunny disposition.
We're both anal.
We are both opinionated.
We're both a little clumsy (sorry Katie, but it is true).

I know the list could be longer. Katie lives outside of Baltimore. When I booked my flight, I realized I had a layover in Baltimore on my way home. So, I gave her a call, and we set up a meeting at the Baltimore airport. She had to cancel because her son was scheduled to be baptized that Sunday. I was so sad, but I couldn't really expect her to miss that to meet me!!! :)

Then, due to the heavy rain, they had to reschedule his baptism (they baptize in a creek) for another week. I was thrilled! So, when we met, it too was like old friends coming back together. We had a nice chat at Starbucks for a couple of hours. We talked about books, schooling, our kids. It wasn't awkward or weird (at least for me!). It was wonderful to meet Katie and see her face to face. She's everything I knew she would be, and I hope we get to meet again.

Friends are a gift from God. I have a brother, but no sisters. I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends who are like sisters to me. Our Father knows what we need, and I'm grateful for the many women He has supplied me with in my journey.

Hebrews 10:24, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Thank you, friends, for a lovely weekend I will never forget.

The Things I Saw There

The main purpose for going to Norfolk was to attend Angela and Craig's wedding (heard them referred to as "Crangela", and I haven't stopped chuckling about it!). I briefly got to see Ange on Thursday night, and she looked like a radiant, slightly stressed bride. There were so many people to talk to, mingle with, and details to remember. She did her best making her way around the room.

It's weird because I haven't seen her in probably about 10 years. So, my only communication with her has been over the last three years in the blog world. I became enthralled with her new life in Africa, and I enjoy reading her blog and seeing her pictures. She has changed so much, but when I saw her again in person, she was still Ange.

Her wedding was BEAUTIFUL. I loved how Jesus was the centerpiece of their ceremony. I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit hovering in the sanctuary. It was really amazing. She looked so gorgeous. Her dress was killer. Go to Joanna's blog to see pics from the wedding. It was so fun to watch Jo in her element running around snapping pictures. That was a gift in itself!

I felt so many beautiful moments that weekend, and the wedding really stood out to me. Even the reception was so holy to me. I saw everyone dancing and celebrating, and I couldn't help but think of how someday, the church will have her wedding day, and there will be a great celebration!!!

Craig was very nice. I'm so glad I got to meet him. He is perfect for Angela. I love their shared vision and the way their hearts are entwined on many levels. I snapped a couple of blurry photographs at the reception during the first dance. They are an amazing-looking couple! My pictures are poor, but I needed something to remember that night.

The kiss during their first dance as husband and wife. I kind of like the blur for this.

Flash really can ruin a picture! They're still great looking.

I also really enjoyed being in a harbor city while I was in Norfolk. I didn't realize there would be ships everywhere. They were pretty cool. I was wishing the whole time that Dave and the kids were with me. They would have loved seeing the big ships.

I took this at sunrise the day I left.

This one too.

This one was a daytime pic on my first day there. I love how industrious it looks.

It was so fun to be in a place with a different culture and landscape. It is on my list of places to return to someday with the family. There's so much history there, and it is so fresh-feeling.

Next post: my friends, old and new.

A Trip for Mama

Since I don't get monetary compensation for the work I do at home and with the kids, I relish opportunities to get away once in a while. I'm flying out tomorrow to go to my friend's wedding. Angela and I have known one another since junior high. We shared a couple of best friends, Tricia and Allison, as well as a crush on a boy (or two). I'm very excited to see Ange marry Craig on Saturday (as well as get to see her family and our mutual friend, Allison and her NEW baby!).

Well, it turns out, Ange and I also share an internet friend. If I'm correct, it went something like this:

My friend Carrie told me to look at Joanna's blog. I became friends with Joanna who, in turn, ended up on Ange's blog. Ange loved Joanna's photography, and when she and Craig got engaged, she asked Joanna to be her photographer.

So.....not only do I get to see some old friends, but I get to meet my internet friend!

I will let you know how it goes...

No clever title...apologies.

We had a sweet reunion. I even got butterflies in my stomach on the way to the airport. It was SO good to see the man I love.

I'm so tired right now. All three of my beautiful children decided to get up at six this morning. Thankfully, I only got up with Lucy once last night.

I didn't tell you, but she is getting TWO teeth! She hasn't been too fussy, but she has been more restless at night. That makes me sleepy. I also trimmed her hair in the back. She had a nice little rat-tail goin' on. I had to make it disappear. I kept all her hair and put it in a ziploc. I've never given a baby their first hair cut at 5 months before! At five months with Sam and Maryn, they were bald from rubbing off their skiff of hair. Lucy still has a full head of hair with a little rubbed off on the back of her head.

We have to take Sam to the doctor today. He has a bunch of weird bites on him. He's the only one who has them too--I'm guessing it's not something too gross since it isn't contagious. My first thought was flea bites, but Woodrow didn't miss any treatments, and if he has fleas, I ALWAYS get bitten. And I haven't, so I bet it is something different. Spider bites are usually more disgusting and large. Even Dave was baffled, so hopefully, Dr. M will be able to point us in the right direction and get this child some relief from the itching (hydrocortisone cream isn't even helping much).

I showed the house to two couples this weekend. I would love to sell it to one of the couples (not the other one--I got some bad vibes from them). We'll see if we hear anything. :) We're praying about what our timeline should be and what kind of help to enlist in selling our home. We're not panicking. We have a realtor in mind if it comes to that. We know God has a buyer for our home; we just have to wait for that person to come!

Well, I am off to get some caffeine in my worn out body. In light of that, check out this post on Gwyneth Paltrow's blog--GOOP. I thought there were some interesting ideas there.

Ciao!