The Princess' room 2

Here's some video of the royal room! Still pics didn't do much for it! I'm thinking of doing her name in white wooden letters over her bed.




Then she was being her usual cute self, so here's a taste of Little Missy's personality:

The Princess room

I've changed it again! The Nantucket Fog was too bright on the walls and not girly enough. So I repainted it Blue Orchid (still have the second coat to do). I really just want to have it finished for now. So I set out in search of bedding to match the walls and the chair. It's a long story, but the chair has to stay! So finding bedding has been quite a task. I don't want to spend too much at this stage. Later I can go for the decorator room.

There was one I liked at J.C. Penney, but they didn't have it in stock and we went to Target for something else and Princess saw these and fell in love with them... It's not my ideal ones, but I guess it'll do... I know, she's 3, what does she know? But they were inexpensive...

Ideas? Comments? They're a little busy and I don't have anything on the walls yet? I may order the one from Penney's and see how it looks...

Our newest pet

Thanks to Amy for reminding me that I hadn't posted about our newest addition. Troy found him stuck in a rut at the hunting lease and Mama got a phone call asking if they could bring home a new pet. So introducing...... Flash!

Just some interesting pictures!

Shaoey is fascinated with the floor vents in the mobile home. They are an endless source of entertainment for all of us.




And here's my princess looking wistfully out the window. The mosquitoes are SO bad, we can only go outside from about 1-4. She is such a magnet for them!



Can you find all 3 kids in this one?
One of the things I love about being here is how the boys use their creativity to entertain themselves! Here's one of the trees that Gustav took down. I'm having a hard time bringing myself to let Troy cut it up and move it even though it is RIGHT in our view of the river. The boys have turned it into a hideout.

Speaking of view of the river...here's one from the side of the kids' hideout and one from the top of the hill. Our goal is to have the slope smoothed out and build a pier and a place for chairs.
And lastly is just an oddball picture. Our refrigerator is very annoying. It tends to freeze things, too. We have it on a low/medium setting so the freezer will stay frozen, but if you put anything in the back of the fridge, it also freezes. Like this:


Oh and one more, 2 kids sweaty from running around in circles while we wait for dad to come home!

Fall into Reading 2008

Ran across this on my friend Amy's site who found it on Callapidder Days and I can't wait to start.

I LOVE reading, but it tends to be the first thing to go when time is short! It is so refreshing to lose myself in a book. I know I come away a better mommy for having taken a break.

I decided to check my shelves to see what I had to start reading, but after inspecting them it seems that everything is nonfiction, not that there is anything wrong with that, but a girl needs some fun stuff too. So I'm going to start my list with what I have and then go on a fun reading treasure hunt (suggestions welcome). I'll add some more as I come across them.

Non-fiction:
1. Silent Tears by Kay Bratt
2. Be Joyful by Warren W. Wiersbe
3. Charlotte Mason Study Guide by Penny Gardner
4. Home Education by Charlotte M. Mason
5. How Much is Enough by Jean Illsley Clarke
6. Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids by Sharon Jaynes
7. Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs
8. Becoming the Woman God Wants Me To Be: a 90 Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life by Donna Partow
9. Waiting For Morning by Karen Kingsbury

As you can see, none of this is exactly light reading. I am off in search of something to be read for enjoyment... HELP!

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear

I've been having trouble feeling like I was stuck in neutral. The day in, day out grind of kids, cooking, cleaning, clothes, and chaos. Kind of like the movie "Groundhog Day."

This morning's devotion from Daily Focus (Alpha Omega) hit the nail on the head. I am waiting for something BIG to happen in our life (literally) and I am not fully living here...in the miracle of the moment. I am here physically, but my mind and heart are elsewhere. This devotion reminded me to be present. I am a child of God, a wife, a mom, and a teacher and I wasn't giving any of those jobs my present attention. I know I'm onto a life lesson, because a friend called shortly after I read the devotion this morning and when she heard how frazzled I was she offered to pray for me. God directed her into the very core of my heart. She zeroed in on this issue of mine and prayed for me to be present, to not keep looking ahead to "the" day, but to live for now. She nailed it.

THEN, I get in the car and I have a picture of a little girl that we sponsor at PHF on my dashboard. As I went to back out, I saw the reflection of that picture in my driver side mirror. That has never happened before, nor could I make it happen again (I tried and I watched for it as I drove around town today-nope!). What word's did God use in the devotion to reach the writer? Yup, "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear."

THEN, as I was driving to BLR with our 3 kids, I started to have a pity party that went something like this "I'm always the one to tata everyone when things go wrong, when you lose something, or break something, or you get hurt. Well, who's there to tata me??? huh?" (sound familiar?) My brave 11 year old quietly pipes up, almost in a whisper, "God..." He goes on to ask if I've prayed about it. He said "just close your eyes and pray sincerely to God in your heart." OUCH! He was right. My time with God has been dry. I'm there reading my chapter of the old testament, a psalm, and a chapter of the new testament, day in, day out. But my actual time with Him is weak.

Things will not always be this way. We need to take each moment as it is...a miracle from God and live it to it's fullest.

So my quest is to nourish my time with God, I need to be present with Him as well.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

My ebay finds

I had so much fun browsing ebay last night looking for girly dresses! I haven't really done much dress shopping before, but the Princess is liking dresses now. I thought I'd share some of my finds!
3 dresses (Old Navy, Gymboree, and Heartstrings) for $10 including s & h,

a Blueberi jumper and shirt for $9.99 including s & h,

and lastly, this adorable Frances Elizabeth jumper for $18.50, also including s & h!!!
I am so tickled over my finds! I can't wait to see my Princess in them!

Good Mom, Bad Mom, Good Mom

I received the most appropriately timed blog in my inbox this morning. It was from Proverbs31
(http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/)

Good Mom, Bad Mom, Good Mom
by Lysa TerKeurst

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26 (NIV)

Good Mom?

Bad Mom?

Good Mom?

Bad Mom?

Do you ever feel as though you are the ping-pong ball in a heated match bouncing constantly between feeling like a good mom to a bad mom?

One minute I have a great discussion where my child finally gets it... GOOD MOM!

The next I get an e-mail from a teacher that lists the three parents who have yet to turn in that permission slip and I am on the list for all the world to see... BAD MOM!

I calmly handle the stresses of the morning routine... GOOD MOM!

But then during the afternoon homework session, my child's irresponsibility over a last minute project just about sends me over the edge. I find my neck muscles tensing and my voice rising... BAD MOM!

I make sure they pack something healthy for lunch... GOOD MOM!

The schedule falls apart in the late afternoon and I wind up feeding them sugar cereal for dinner... BAD MOM!

Sometimes I feel like that ping-pong ball mom bouncing from feeling good to bad. Yesterday morning I sat down at the kitchen table after getting everyone where they needed to be and cried. Sometimes having kids is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life. Other days I feel like the task of parenting little people is driving me to the brink of craziness.

Just the other day I was processing some recent family things with my friend, Renee, over the phone. Suddenly a strange theme seemed to arise. I just started laughing. I told Renee that so many of my days seemed to tell the same kind of story... I was on the verge of a breakdown and then I spent time with Jesus and He made things better.

Renee quipped back to me, "Well, isn't that where most of us live every day?"

Not that we are on the edge of a breakdown, but we live in a place of utter dependence on God. I know as a mom, I live in constant need of His love, encouragement, wisdom, perspective, strength, patience, and grace.

Anything I do right as a mom is because of my constant dialogs with God.

Anything I do wrong as a mom is because of trying to do things in my own strength and slap wearing myself out.

That's where grace steps in. And I need lots of grace. God's grace steps in and says, “Lysa, you are doing better than you think. Stop bouncing from feeling good to bad to good to bad. In the good times, rejoice and thank me. In the not so good times, call out to me quickly."

And suddenly it occurred to me; with God I'm never a bad mom. I might be having a bad moment... or two... or seventeen. But a few bad moments do not define me as a bad mom.

God's grace is there to cover me. Teach me. And even in the middle of a bad moment, interrupt me, redirect me, and change me.

Forgiveness is there.

Love is there.

A second chance is there.

You are a good mom my friend even if, like me, you’ve had a few bad moments... you are the exact mom God knew your children needed. Let's live in that truth today.


Dear Lord, being a mom is a great privilege but one that can be so challenging at times. Teach me how to lean on You with every action and every reaction. And when I mess up, please help me to not define myself by my mommy failures. Help me to only be defined by Your love that assures me and Your grace that covers me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
Find a verse today that could help redirect an angry or frustrated response with your kids. There are some good ones listed below in the power verses. Or you can search out one that specifically applies to your unique struggles. When you feel your temper about to flare, have this verse handy and quote it out loud. In that moment ask God to give you a wiser response than your natural feelings.

Reflections:
Do you ever struggle with being defined by your mistakes rather than by the truth of God? Spend some time in prayer today asking God to give you His loving perspective of how He sees you. Rest in his lavish love. If you need to ask for forgiveness for some of your actions, do this and then let these things go.

Power Verses:
Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (NIV)

James 1:5-6, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (NIV- emphasis mine)

© 2008 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Two days ago, my oldest son and I butted heads. It rapidly spiralled downward. It was not pretty. Lots of screaming and crying, DS too... ;-) We both said things we regretted. We made up before bed and all was good, but there was still the guilt over it happening. I was the mom, how could I let it go there?

Compare that with today... We got up, opened all the sunroom windows, felt the gloriously cool morning, and had an EXTENDED time of bible reading. What started out at doing our 24 Family Ways, turned into almost an hour of time discussing obedience of people in the bible and what happened if they didn't obey and what about God's forgiveness and restoration? Which led to why did God have so many "laws" then and not now (answer--JESUS!!!). We finished our schoolwork before lunch and even had time to go sit by the playset in it's new spot while I read a couple of chapters from Alice in Wonderland (we're studying Lewis Carroll this 6 weeks!). Are you getting the picture here? Bad Mom, Good Mom?

I needed to hear the truth of this devotion today and so do you!

You are a good mom, my friend, even if, like me, you’ve had a few bad moments... you are the EXACT mom God knew your children needed. Think about that, let it sink in. Let's live in that truth today.

PRAISE GOD!!

Why did it take me 3 years to think of moving it here? It is an awesome spot!

Our new tree

A couple of weeks ago my wonderful husband and I went to a banquet for A Pregnancy Center and Clinic. It is a non-profit organization helping women and their families who are experiencing an unexpected pregnancy. (http://www.apccforlife.com/) They offer Christian counseling and prayer, doctor's visits, and free ultrasounds. They said they have a 98% success rate of a mother NOT aborting her BABY after seeing it on the ultrasound!

They had a silent auction and a live auction. We bid on a tree, yes, a tree. A 20' tree to be precise. We won and my sweetest of sweet husband whispered to me that we could plant it in honor of our daughters' birthmoms who chose NOT to abort them, but to give them LIFE!

Well, it was delivered today and planted! It looks a bit small next to the others, but it will one day match them. He said it would grow an inch in diameter each year.

Thought I'd share a few pictures:








Our house is behind the trees!

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3