Family

It Is Well

September 28, 2011 Leave a Comment

It has been about a week and a half since last writing and while I’ve missed the creative outlet, I’ve been so busy with the immediacy of the job in front of me and the people around me, time has slipped by quickly.

To give a bit of background…I own my own business, which started from the desperate need to supplement my husband’s salary in order to keep me at home with our kids and has journeyed on creating an income and a great mental challenge for me as I succeed at creating a thriving business.

Jason and I are…how do I say it…entrepreneurs – - maybe. Not in the sense of building big and large businesses but in the sense of starting what is needed to keep our priorities afloat.

Jason is a teacher, he sells swimming pools for some friends who own a family pool business, and he has also owned his own landscaping company since I was pregnant with our 9 year old. All to keep him teaching, as his main job, and me at home with our kids.

Simply Edits, has become more than we’d ever hoped when it was suggested to us by my sister and her husband 2 years ago. They own a very successful photography studio in Atlanta and told me I should start editing…encouraging me with my ability and training me to get me started.

It is a wonderful opportunity, challenges me daily, keeps me very very busy….and most importantly, it keeps me home with our kids. But there are days I want to pull my hair out from the demands that always seem to surround me.

The other immediate need over the last week and a half have been the people in front of me…namely the little people. We have a 9, 6 and 2 year old that are the precious physical reminders, each day, that our Lord loves us tenderly and tremendously.

Gifts they are, challenges they give…and blessed we have been.

This new blog is meant to give me the ability to grow and find my feet as a blogger standing for a few important things…my faith, my marriage and my family. But there will be times that I will find myself not writing because those three things take precedence and priority…sometimes taking away my time to sit and enjoy this little space of mine.

I have always found great comfort in a few old hymns that sooth my soul when I experience them. First, the Old Rugged Cross, which was my grandfather’s favorite and my children each have a copy in their rooms that they loudly sing to on a regular occasion. It makes me so happy to hear them enjoy the music that spoke to their great-grandfather. They KNOW the significance behind the song and they love it just because he did.

Secondly, It Is Well With My Soul, which has always been a hymn that brings me to my heart-knees and reminds me just what this big busy and crazy world is all about.

I have read the history behind this beautiful hymn, about Horatio G. Spafford, a Chicago lawyer born in 1828. Spafford and his wife lived through such tragedy, losing their 4 year old son to scarlet fever and a year later the great historical Chicago fire burning all of his real estate investments to the ground while killing and devastating many of their friends and acquaintances. After the fire, Spafford sent his wife and 4 daughters to England, ahead of him. He received a telegram from his wife with the words “Saved alone” as she briefly communicated her traumatic experience of holding her daughters as the fierce strong water pulled them away one-by-one as their ship sank.

Spafford boarded a ship and as he sailed over the very waters that took his children, he penned the words to the hymn It Is Well With My Soul.

Each time I process through this man’s life, his faith and his wife’s faith to be well and complete, despite their pain, based soley on their relationship with Christ and their faith in God…it brings tears to my eyes and amazes me.

This morning I took a few minutes to finish watching Parenthood and this version of It Is Well With My Soul was played as part of the soundtrack (which, in and of itself, amazes me).

I have never heard this song sung in such a moving rendition and I sat with tears streaming down my face as I, once again, was reminded that despite all the busyness, relationship struggles, child-rearing angst, financial processing and decisions…it is well.

It is well with my soul.

Filed Under: Family, Kids, Leaves me wondering, Tough Days, Uncategorized

A Normal Kind of Tired

September 16, 2011 Leave a Comment

Tuesday morning as I was getting ready I was thinking through the many things that needed to be done and the many things that weren’t going to get done that day. I realized that I am tired, but not because there is anything wild and crazy going on in our lives….just because I am tired.

A normal tired.

A mom-of-three and wife-of-one kind of tired.

A daughter, sister and friend kind of tired.

A business owner kind of tired.

A homemaker kind of tired.

A normal kind of tired.

Often I find myself seeing others on Facebook, blogs, and emails and I can’t believe all the things they can accomplish, all the beauty they can create and – shoot – their kids look like they are such perfect little angels with no arguing, fighting, dirt or grim involved. How can they do it? How does it really look in their house or in their car or in their mind or in their heart.

Well, here’s to lookin’ inside mine – there is much arguing, fighting, dirt and grim over here in Flowersville. There are times when it ain’t pretty, ain’t pretty at all.

But….we’re bloomin’. And I guess that’s what its all about. It might mean that I’m tired and wondering how to get it all done but in the end we’re doing it. And what needs to get done is getting done….with a little extra thrown in on occasion.

There is no gloss or shine being shellacked across your screen as you read…but it is certainly a colorful, bright and full hue that you see. Accurate and true – as these Flowers bloom.

Filed Under: Family, Leaves me wondering, Tough Days

Three Bites

September 14, 2011 1 Comment

If you spend any time at all around my family you will quickly learn that I have four picky eaters that I attempt to stuff full of those green, yellow and orange vegetable-thingys along with a few round foreign objects some might call fruit. My attempts are many times futile and leave me feeling like I can’t cook, I can’t appeal to the masses, I can’t I can’t.

But then, out of the darkness, emerges my valiant husband who will brave those vegetable-thingys and foregin objects just for the sake of being a good example for his kids. And do they follow suit? …generally not. But at least I have the big guy on my side.

Now, I want not in my family….I have the BEST husband and kids a girl could ask for. BUT, if I could just want a little something….it would be non-picky eaters. And if I could enjoy non-picky eaters – for even just one day, then I would scour these websites for wholesome wonderfulness and feed it to them all day long.

But, until that dream comes true….I’ll just keep saying “three bites…and then you can be done”. (which by the way, doesn’t keep me from these websites) :)

Enjoy some wholesome wonderfulness…

My sister found My New Roots and has loved pouring over this very informative site.

Filed Under: Family, Green, Kids, Recipes

I miss him.

September 10, 2011 1 Comment

My youngest is such a tender heart and loves her siblings and parents so.

She is very expressive when she misses someone when they are not around.

When Daddy closes the door each morning she often looks at me

and says “I miss him” with a big frown.

This week I was taking a few pictures of her before school and, as she chatted, her Daddy’s name came up.

Instantly her expression changed.

her eyes closed,

she quieted,

her chin quivered,

tears were close,

she looked deep into the camera,

and Mommy told her something funny to take her blues away.

This is the process of facial expressions we go through on the way into town for Mother’s Morning Out.

I look into the rear view mirror and see that little chin quiver expression the entire way as she concerns herself with the imminent separation.

(Mind you, last year when she walked into school with her Bubby there were NO tears and NO concerns at all!)

I hand her over to her teacher with her crying but she always dries those tears within minutes of arriving in her classroom.

When I come to pick her up she is the child with a big grin, running and yelling Mommy’s name as she pulls her teacher to our car.

My sweet tender heart.

Filed Under: Family, Kids

Celebrating the Little Things

September 9, 2011 Leave a Comment

Over the years I have found myself being too busy or overwhelmed to do the kind of celebrating I dream up in my head…big hooplas with fancy decorations matching in color and beautiful in decor. I just can’t seem to keep up with those dreams.

Gradually, over the years, I have found myself finding celebration in the small things…that somehow add up to create the same wonder and fun that the big idea dreams, in my head, do.

We bring out the tshirt blanket, apples, popcorn, crackers and cheese to celebrate having no food in the pantry or fridge to come up with a real meal.

Somehow pancakes every Thursday night celebrates the excitement Friday brings.

A pair of goggles celebrates the end of swimming lessons.

Taking a picture and sending it to Daddy at work always celebrates in the right way.

Chocolate ice cream in bed with the no-bedroom-TV set up in-the-bedroom playing Strawberry Shortcake celebrates the first sleepover.

The camera always shows celebration in the small things. A piece of artwork, a chore accomplished, first day of summer, last day of summer, middle day of summer….

As I type, my husband has run to the store to pick up a slice of chocolate cake and a tub of ice cream…just to celebrate the cool cozy weather and a clean house.

It is all in the small things. Doesn’t have to be big and spectacular…although that is fun sometimes…but these little celebrations bring such joy to my family that it inspires me to keep looking for the opportunities to celebrate our bounty, our triumphs, each other and the lives we’ve been given. Such reason to celebrate!

Here, my youngest and I are celebrating my son’s triumph – staying on green all day at school. Snippet of a movie made in about 30 seconds and sent to his Daddy’s phone to show him our celebration in the small – er, BIG – things…

Filed Under: Family, Fun Ideas, Kids

Bare Feet & Bonnets

September 5, 2011 Leave a Comment

Today being my daughter’s 9th birthday, it seems fitting to create a post detailing her birthday party a YEAR ago. :) Yes, I never posted it so this is for you Mandi D if you are reading. :)

Our nine-year-old is an avid avid reader. As in…we cannot keep up with books for her to read. It is a wonderful problem to have! She read the same set of hardback Little House books I collected and read/reread many times as a young girl…except she read them in Kindergarten. :)

So it was only fitting that she requested a Little House birthday party when she turned eight and I was all too happy to have fun and oblige! I pulled in the expertise and love from both of her Grandmothers and my sister.

We invited four little girls, three of which were able to come, and asked them to all bring their American Girl dolls and wear a simple white shirt as we were going to supply some additions to their attire.

First up, we braided each little girl’s hair, along with her doll. Then we put a few freckles on each cheek and gave them a bonnet and prairie skirt (lovingly made by my daughter’s Minnie). The girls were so excited and were beginning to get really excited to see what was ahead.

After getting dressed my sister taught the girls how to roll out dough for little mini pies and I helped them with the apple pie filling. We put these cute little pies in the oven and let them fill the house with their delicious aroma.

While the pies were baking Caroline’s Minnie gave the girls a little history lesson on quilting and helped them create their own little quilts. Each step required the involvement of the girl’s mothers to help them complete the skill they were learning.

After the quilting lesson my Mother helped the girls make little paper girl dolls that she helped my sister and I make when we were little girls. Again, all the moms jumped in and helped their daughters make the sweet little dolls.

Next was lunch….homemade bread sandwiches wrapped in cloth, carrots and a sugar cookie along with a milk glass full of cold milk. They all ate on a quilt in the backyard and the Mommies were able to sit and chat for a bit.

After lunch we enjoyed presents and my daughter’s friends showered her with the sweetest gifts. We ended our fun party with dessert….the apple pies the girl’s made with a cookie option.

When the girl’s went home they took a small slate with chalk and eraser cloth, their lunch pail, and apple pie pan. Such fun unique Birthday Favors to remember their special morning with their Mommies. One thing I would have done differently…I completely forgot to get a picture of my daughter with the three important women who helped make this day possible. Other than that one wish-I-could-do-over, it all went so smoothly!

My sweet girl was so happy and enjoyed every minute of her 8 year old party…which was my goal all along. The memories will last forever.

This story was lovingly captured on camera by my sister, Katie Torres.

Filed Under: Family, Fun Ideas, Kids

Moving slowly but surely…

September 5, 2011 1 Comment

It is taking me a bit of time to adjust to the idea of embarking on this whole blogger thing. I have had our personal blog for years and have enjoyed every minute of it…but have always dreamed of having a creative outlet that I could dive into. Now that I have the opportunity I’m a little gun shy. So I’m posting for awhile with no one looking…just until I feel a little more confident in this decision.

Today the kids and I burned off some energy in the yard with some bubble wands from Grandma and Grandpa.

Filed Under: Family, Kids

September 3, 2011 2 Comments

This weekend my siblings brought their children together to spend 24 hours playing, relaxing and bonding at a hotel halfway between our homes. My parents loved every minute seeing their 6, soon to be 7, grandchildren as they ran around, giving kisses, hugs and lots of laughter. Besides enjoying the company of my family I was also reminded of how important it is to invest in the relationships of my siblings, our children and our parents.

Too much bounty to ignore!

Filed Under: Family