There's a pet alien in a jar sitting next to my computer. I have a model dinosaur in my book shelf. There are squinkies on the stairs. One lone red sock on the coffee table, a stack of misc. cards, a snack cup with crumbs in it. There's one leftover cupcake on the kitchen counter, some flash cards on the island and a stack of library books too.
But that's not all you will find in my house.
You'll find laughter. LOUDNESS. Creativity, encouragement, and celebration. Sometimes tears, and then comforting. Acceptance. Helping hands, Open hearts, and camaraderie.
Most of all, inside these walls, you will find LOVE.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." -John 13:34
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Friday, November 15, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
On Turning 40
I am turning 40 this year. It's no big deal really. I loved my 30's and I don't expect that my 40's will be any different. Some people may jest that I am getting old, but I don't feel all that old. (OK, so maybe on some days I feel older than others, but that's normal.)
If someone were to ask me if I have accomplished everything I wanted to by this age, I would have to say no. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. I had a very different plan for my life when I was 20. I was married and wanted to finish my college degree and teach. My plans were to get established in my career and then start our family. But then after a year of trying to pay for college on our own, we just couldn't afford it anymore. So I applied to a Nanny agency and began to work for two families taking care of their children.
A while later I had a not so pleasant experience with one of those families and my Nanny career was abruptly ended. My husband was working at a church and we couldn't afford for me to be jobless so I took a chance and applied at a bank as a teller. I loved banking so much that once again my plans changed and I thought I could make a career in banking. I took classes and learned the ropes and began to climb the corporate ladder slowly making my way from teller to assistant manager. Life was good. I enjoyed my job and there were still plenty of opportunities to advance.
Then life threw us another unexpected loop.
The church that my husband was working for informed him that they never intended to hire him full time. Long story short, we packed our things and moved to Oregon, hoping for a better break. There I still worked as a banker but life was pretty miserable for my husband. After three months or so, the Pastor of our old church in Washington began to strike up a conversation with him, offering a job for not only him, but me also.
And so my career plans changed again.
We moved back to Washington where I worked as the graphic design artist/Pastor's assistant. The focus changed dramatically from my career to what God wanted to accomplish in my husband's life as a Worship Leader and eventually, Associate Pastor. By now we had been talking about starting a family. We didn't know it at the time, but we had a long journey ahead of us.
There were many doctor's visits, tests, prayers, and unanswered questions. My heart longed to be a mother, but as the months and then years passed, nothing. Finally, when we had almost given up hope, I received the good news from my doctor that I was pregnant. We didn't tell anyone for the first several weeks for fear that I would lose the baby. Once we did announce the news, it was a very joyful occasion.
Finally, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up...a stay at home mom.
I worked as the church accountant for the first year of my baby girl's life. A job to help pay the bills, part time, and we lived on church campus so I could bring her to work with me. During that time I got pregnant with our second child and we knew we did not want to raise our family in Seattle, so my husband started looking for a job in a smaller town with a church as the Worship Pastor.
Almost a year after moving, baby three arrived. 18 months later we had moved to Spokane and baby number four arrived. And two years later, we were blessed with baby number five. We finally had the big family that we had always wanted. And I was right where I wanted to be. An at home mom taking care of my little ones. Certainly not where I saw myself when we got married at 20, but exactly where my heart longed to be at age 33. In fact, CD was born the day after my birthday on Thanksgiving, 2006. It was a special Thanksgiving indeed.
So, have I accomplished all I set out to do by this point in my life? Definitely not. But I have no regrets. Since 2006 we have moved back to my husband's home town and are very happy to raise our five children in this small-town atmosphere. All of our children are in school now and I am working part time for my in-laws. Go figure...I do their banking!
I have plenty of years ahead of me, in fact, my grandmother just turned 100 and she is still lives on her own, and gets around fairly well for someone of her age. If I live that long, I hope I accomplish half as much as she. But for now, I am content right in this place. This season is treating me well and I intend to enjoy every moment of it.
Yes, 40 is looking very good to me right now. I have learned that my plans are not always the best plans because Someone else is looking out for me. He knows my heart even better that I do. For this, I am eternally grateful.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11
If someone were to ask me if I have accomplished everything I wanted to by this age, I would have to say no. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. I had a very different plan for my life when I was 20. I was married and wanted to finish my college degree and teach. My plans were to get established in my career and then start our family. But then after a year of trying to pay for college on our own, we just couldn't afford it anymore. So I applied to a Nanny agency and began to work for two families taking care of their children.
A while later I had a not so pleasant experience with one of those families and my Nanny career was abruptly ended. My husband was working at a church and we couldn't afford for me to be jobless so I took a chance and applied at a bank as a teller. I loved banking so much that once again my plans changed and I thought I could make a career in banking. I took classes and learned the ropes and began to climb the corporate ladder slowly making my way from teller to assistant manager. Life was good. I enjoyed my job and there were still plenty of opportunities to advance.
Then life threw us another unexpected loop.
The church that my husband was working for informed him that they never intended to hire him full time. Long story short, we packed our things and moved to Oregon, hoping for a better break. There I still worked as a banker but life was pretty miserable for my husband. After three months or so, the Pastor of our old church in Washington began to strike up a conversation with him, offering a job for not only him, but me also.
And so my career plans changed again.
We moved back to Washington where I worked as the graphic design artist/Pastor's assistant. The focus changed dramatically from my career to what God wanted to accomplish in my husband's life as a Worship Leader and eventually, Associate Pastor. By now we had been talking about starting a family. We didn't know it at the time, but we had a long journey ahead of us.
There were many doctor's visits, tests, prayers, and unanswered questions. My heart longed to be a mother, but as the months and then years passed, nothing. Finally, when we had almost given up hope, I received the good news from my doctor that I was pregnant. We didn't tell anyone for the first several weeks for fear that I would lose the baby. Once we did announce the news, it was a very joyful occasion.
Finally, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up...a stay at home mom.
I worked as the church accountant for the first year of my baby girl's life. A job to help pay the bills, part time, and we lived on church campus so I could bring her to work with me. During that time I got pregnant with our second child and we knew we did not want to raise our family in Seattle, so my husband started looking for a job in a smaller town with a church as the Worship Pastor.
Almost a year after moving, baby three arrived. 18 months later we had moved to Spokane and baby number four arrived. And two years later, we were blessed with baby number five. We finally had the big family that we had always wanted. And I was right where I wanted to be. An at home mom taking care of my little ones. Certainly not where I saw myself when we got married at 20, but exactly where my heart longed to be at age 33. In fact, CD was born the day after my birthday on Thanksgiving, 2006. It was a special Thanksgiving indeed.
So, have I accomplished all I set out to do by this point in my life? Definitely not. But I have no regrets. Since 2006 we have moved back to my husband's home town and are very happy to raise our five children in this small-town atmosphere. All of our children are in school now and I am working part time for my in-laws. Go figure...I do their banking!
I have plenty of years ahead of me, in fact, my grandmother just turned 100 and she is still lives on her own, and gets around fairly well for someone of her age. If I live that long, I hope I accomplish half as much as she. But for now, I am content right in this place. This season is treating me well and I intend to enjoy every moment of it.
Yes, 40 is looking very good to me right now. I have learned that my plans are not always the best plans because Someone else is looking out for me. He knows my heart even better that I do. For this, I am eternally grateful.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11
Friday, September 20, 2013
My Life in Phone Photos
Time for another "My Life in Phone Photos!" I stole the idea a while back from Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary. These are just a few pictures of what's been going on in our lives lately. :)
This is a billboard that I pass by every day on my way home from work. It always reminds me how awesome our God is. (Even though that's not what it's advertising.) It is also a prompt for me to say my memory verse for the second half of September out loud. "For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the AWESOME God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe." -Deuteronomy 10:17 NASB
This is a picture of my girl LR. She drew this self portrait for open house this week. She loves wolves so that is a wolf on her shirt. I sure do love that girl! The first three weeks of school is a whirlwind of activity and we finished it off with open house for my gradeschoolers on Wednesday night.
This is my girl RL after her first meet. She has joined Cross Country this year. I'm so proud of her for setting goals and working hard to reach them. She ran her first practice in the rain this week and was soaked to the bone but still smiling when I picked her up! Now that's dedication.
Back-tracking to the first day of school. :) Every year I make the kids pose for me so I can get another "first day" picture. Left to right... CD, 1st grade, LR, 3rd grade, BC, 5th grade, JS, 6th grade and RL, 7th grade. They sure are growing up fast!
BC flying off the diving board during our "Tent City" weekend over Labor Day. We always have one last bash with the family over labor day weekend. We BBQ, swim, and play lots of games. That's JS and BC splashing around below.
CD being his goofy self...lost a couple of teeth over the Summer. The new ones are finally starting to grow in. I loved his toothless smile all Summer long though!
So that's us...Coming out of Summer and moving into Fall. Changing seasons, changing lives...I'm excited to see what God has in store around the bend.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens" -Ecclesiastes 3:1
Final picture...Summer changing to fall in my little valley. :)
CD being his goofy self...lost a couple of teeth over the Summer. The new ones are finally starting to grow in. I loved his toothless smile all Summer long though!
So that's us...Coming out of Summer and moving into Fall. Changing seasons, changing lives...I'm excited to see what God has in store around the bend.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens" -Ecclesiastes 3:1
Saturday, September 7, 2013
SSMT Verse 17 - Help!
School started this week, and one of the things I always tell my children when they are in school is "if you don't understand something or have questions, don't be afraid to ask for help."
That's good sound advice, right?
It's important that my kids know that it is ok to ask an adult when they need help solving a problem, learning to do something correctly, clarifying instructions and rules, or even getting directions to their next class. (For my 6th grader, who just started Middle School this year.) There is no shame in admitting you need a little help. We've all been there.
Even me...
What's good advice for my kids is good advice for me, right?
Why then, is it so hard for me to ask for help when I need it? Perhaps it is because I expect too much of myself as an adult, mom, wife, homemaker, employee, and daughter. Um, that's a lot of hats to juggle. Maybe it's because I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I see myself as failing in some of those areas above mentioned.
Whatever the reason, I think after this week I have realized that it is ok, in fact, necessary, for me to recruit help managing the several different areas of my life. For instance, the kids are old enough that they can help assemble their lunches for school. And they can even do their own laundry, or at least help with their laundry in the afternoons. They can also help themselves to a snack if they are hungry when they get home from school.
Those are all physical things that help me stay organized and take a little pressure off my daily schedule. Let's talk a little about the spiritual side of things.
I live in a valley, so on most days when I am driving anywhere or even just sitting and looking out my dining room window, I look up to see the beautiful hills surrounding us. They are breathtaking in any season. In the Fall (the approaching season), they change colors. Into Winter, they turn white with fresh snow. Then in the Spring you can see the fields of rolling wheat and rows of grapevines or whatever crop is in season growing new. Even in the Summer when things are dry the hills are a variety of color. I love to watch the change and gaze out into the beauty of it all.
When I was determining what verse I wanted to memorize for Siesta Scripture Memory Team this first half of September, a particular psalm came to mind. It is one that I have probably read again and again, but never taken time to memorize. It is Psalm 121:1-2
"I lift my eyes up to the mountains -
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth."
I have the ultimate helper on my side: the Lord. What a comfort to know that any question, any problem, any sadness or hardship that I come to Him with, He is able to help!
Every time I look at the hills for the next two weeks I will repeat these verses to myself and remember that God is my helper.
When I start to feel overwhelmed, (and maybe a bit sorry for myself,) I will remember where my help comes from - first and foremost, God - and then know that it is ok to ask for help.
The psalmist closes Psalm 121 with "The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever."
He's looking out for me. He knows September is one of my busiest, craziest months. The chaos of it all can often get to me and cause high levels of anxiety. But not if I remember who my helper is. Not if I keep my eyes and my thoughts focused on Him.
Philippians 4:23
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God."
I'm so thankful that He is my helper. How about you?
That's good sound advice, right?
It's important that my kids know that it is ok to ask an adult when they need help solving a problem, learning to do something correctly, clarifying instructions and rules, or even getting directions to their next class. (For my 6th grader, who just started Middle School this year.) There is no shame in admitting you need a little help. We've all been there.
Even me...
What's good advice for my kids is good advice for me, right?
Why then, is it so hard for me to ask for help when I need it? Perhaps it is because I expect too much of myself as an adult, mom, wife, homemaker, employee, and daughter. Um, that's a lot of hats to juggle. Maybe it's because I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I see myself as failing in some of those areas above mentioned.
Whatever the reason, I think after this week I have realized that it is ok, in fact, necessary, for me to recruit help managing the several different areas of my life. For instance, the kids are old enough that they can help assemble their lunches for school. And they can even do their own laundry, or at least help with their laundry in the afternoons. They can also help themselves to a snack if they are hungry when they get home from school.
Those are all physical things that help me stay organized and take a little pressure off my daily schedule. Let's talk a little about the spiritual side of things.
I live in a valley, so on most days when I am driving anywhere or even just sitting and looking out my dining room window, I look up to see the beautiful hills surrounding us. They are breathtaking in any season. In the Fall (the approaching season), they change colors. Into Winter, they turn white with fresh snow. Then in the Spring you can see the fields of rolling wheat and rows of grapevines or whatever crop is in season growing new. Even in the Summer when things are dry the hills are a variety of color. I love to watch the change and gaze out into the beauty of it all.
When I was determining what verse I wanted to memorize for Siesta Scripture Memory Team this first half of September, a particular psalm came to mind. It is one that I have probably read again and again, but never taken time to memorize. It is Psalm 121:1-2
"I lift my eyes up to the mountains -
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth."
I have the ultimate helper on my side: the Lord. What a comfort to know that any question, any problem, any sadness or hardship that I come to Him with, He is able to help!
Every time I look at the hills for the next two weeks I will repeat these verses to myself and remember that God is my helper.
When I start to feel overwhelmed, (and maybe a bit sorry for myself,) I will remember where my help comes from - first and foremost, God - and then know that it is ok to ask for help.
The psalmist closes Psalm 121 with "The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever."
He's looking out for me. He knows September is one of my busiest, craziest months. The chaos of it all can often get to me and cause high levels of anxiety. But not if I remember who my helper is. Not if I keep my eyes and my thoughts focused on Him.
Philippians 4:23
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God."
I'm so thankful that He is my helper. How about you?
Friday, August 23, 2013
Phone Photos and Company Girl Coffee
Well, I figure if Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary can take time to post with the week she had, so can I! I haven't had any major crisis or life changing events this week, just been busy getting kids ready to go back to school and winding down the Summer. Here are a few pictures from my phone to re-cap our week. (Please excuse the quality, my phone camera isn't that great.)
Enjoy and have a great weekend!
Enjoy and have a great weekend!
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| This is a small section of my grapevines. They span the entire length of my deck. Though they are beautiful to look at, I learned this year that the more leaves you have, the less fruit they will produce. Next year I will prune them as the Summer progresses. I think that there might be a life lesson in there somewhere. I'll save that post for another day. |
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| My two youngest kiddos (CD 6, and LR 8) playing on a neighborhood playground that we stopped at while out for a bike ride the other day. |
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| This is my oldest (12) taking a break when we went out for a run this week. She's joining the 7th Grade Cross-Country Team this year. Although I haven't run in years, I am determined to help her train, and maybe get back in shape myself! |
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| JS, who is going into Middle School (6th grade) this year! I can hardly believe it. Where has the time gone? |
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| And that's BC hanging from the monkey bars...he'll be in 5th grade this year, only 11 months younger than his brother. |
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| Some of the scenery from one of our runs this week. I really do live in a beautiful valley. Too bad my camera can't capture the awesome details of it all. The sheep, the vineyard, and the surrounding hills...just BREATHTAKING! |
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| On Wednesday, I had the unfortunate bad luck of hitting a stray S hook/belt (you know, that is supposed to hold stuff down in the back of a truck) on the highway. I made it home before my tire went flat though and my husband, who is my hero, put the spare on so I could make it into town the next day to get it checked out. Turns out we needed a new tire. Thankfully, we were saving up for two new rear tires anyway. This just sped up the purchase. God always seems to provide for us right when we need it. |
Thursday, June 13, 2013
A Question of What Matters
This post is an entry from my hand-written journal on 6/6/2013...
This week Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary asked a question that I happen to ask myself quite frequently... "What Matters to You?"
When I started my blog "Seven Matters," I came up with the subtitle "What Matters Most to this Family of Seven." I started out by writing about the Small Things challenges that Rachel Anne would give us to create sanctuary in our homes each day. From there, I began to expand into the different activities, memories, and other fun things that come along with having such a big family. It became a "journal" of sorts. At the time I had 5 small children and I was still a full time at-home mom. Life was busy, but I always still somehow found time to sit down and write. I've always loved to journal, so this was a new and fun way to do just that.
Fast forward six years or so and I am in a totally different stage of life. I would say that most of the same things still matter to me in the areas of being a wife, mother, and homemaker. Now that all of my children are in school though, I have added titles like part-time-working mom, classroom volunteer, and taxi driver! I am finding it a little harder to sit down at the computer to write, so I've gone back to writing in a notebook when I find a minute here and there.
My youngest, age six, is finishing up kindergarten. Kindergarten! I can hardly believe it! I still remember the shy, reluctant boy that clung to my hand the first day of school, unsure of what to think. Every school day this year he has wanted me to wait with him in line outside the door until the bell rings and his teacher comes to lead the children inside. (As I type this, I did that for the last time today, and boy was it hard!) When it was too cold to wait outside, we would sit in the car reading until the bell rang while my other children would play in the gym. He's grown a lot more independent this year but I will cherish those moments together for many years to come.
My other kids are going into 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th grades next year. I can't believe I will have TWO Middle-Schoolers next year! Talk about independent. It's a whole new world, the pre-teen years. They start to question the rules a bit and no longer just follow along because mommy said so. On the flip side, they are developing more responsibility and character. Their actions become their own and they are, in my mind, great kids. The most exciting part for me is watching them grow in their own faith and trust God more and more every day.
So what matters to me? Family. That sums it up in one word. I can't make time stand still. My children will continue to grow and have birthdays and move on each fall to the next grade level of school. But one thing doesn't change. I am, and always will be their mom. And I love them more and more every day!
"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him." Psalm 127:3 NLT
This week Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary asked a question that I happen to ask myself quite frequently... "What Matters to You?"
When I started my blog "Seven Matters," I came up with the subtitle "What Matters Most to this Family of Seven." I started out by writing about the Small Things challenges that Rachel Anne would give us to create sanctuary in our homes each day. From there, I began to expand into the different activities, memories, and other fun things that come along with having such a big family. It became a "journal" of sorts. At the time I had 5 small children and I was still a full time at-home mom. Life was busy, but I always still somehow found time to sit down and write. I've always loved to journal, so this was a new and fun way to do just that.
Fast forward six years or so and I am in a totally different stage of life. I would say that most of the same things still matter to me in the areas of being a wife, mother, and homemaker. Now that all of my children are in school though, I have added titles like part-time-working mom, classroom volunteer, and taxi driver! I am finding it a little harder to sit down at the computer to write, so I've gone back to writing in a notebook when I find a minute here and there.
My youngest, age six, is finishing up kindergarten. Kindergarten! I can hardly believe it! I still remember the shy, reluctant boy that clung to my hand the first day of school, unsure of what to think. Every school day this year he has wanted me to wait with him in line outside the door until the bell rings and his teacher comes to lead the children inside. (As I type this, I did that for the last time today, and boy was it hard!) When it was too cold to wait outside, we would sit in the car reading until the bell rang while my other children would play in the gym. He's grown a lot more independent this year but I will cherish those moments together for many years to come.
My other kids are going into 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th grades next year. I can't believe I will have TWO Middle-Schoolers next year! Talk about independent. It's a whole new world, the pre-teen years. They start to question the rules a bit and no longer just follow along because mommy said so. On the flip side, they are developing more responsibility and character. Their actions become their own and they are, in my mind, great kids. The most exciting part for me is watching them grow in their own faith and trust God more and more every day.
So what matters to me? Family. That sums it up in one word. I can't make time stand still. My children will continue to grow and have birthdays and move on each fall to the next grade level of school. But one thing doesn't change. I am, and always will be their mom. And I love them more and more every day!
"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him." Psalm 127:3 NLT
Friday, November 30, 2012
Our Magical Trip
How does one begin writing again when it has been so long? Do I condense two months of fullness into one blog post? Or perhaps, I re-start and introduce myself anew. There have been so many times when I have wanted to sit down and record the amazing things that are happening around me. But life is moving so quickly right now that I have had to set my writing on the back burner. Sometimes I wish I had a special camera that would turn our stories into writing for me. You know, one that would sort of record life exactly as it was happening, on paper? But I digress...
Now that Thanksgiving has gone by, (but thankfulness remains) I can put into motion preparations for Christmas. My husband came home Tuesday and decided it was time to put up the tree. It was a joy to watch him work with the kids to put it all together and decorate it. (Yes, we have a fake tree.) This weekend all I have to do is put out a few more decorations around the house and we'll be good to go!
Speaking of decorations, I don't think I could forgive myself if I didn't at least record a little blurb about our trip to Disneyland this month. We spent 7 wonderful days in beautiful CA the second week of November. LR got to spend her 8th birthday at California Adventure. :) We spent two days there, one day at Universal Studios, and two days at Disneyland. (With one down day to rest and recoup in the middle.) They start putting up Christmas decorations at all the parks there Nov. 1, and it is BEAUTIFUL! They also have the Christmas parade at Disneyland every evening. Plus, they turn the Princess Castle into an ice castle at night and then it snows down Main Street! The kids LOVED that!
It really was a magical trip. The kids' Nana, an Aunt, and an Uncle all came along for the ride and it was pure fun. We've been saving up for this trip for three years now so that we could pay cash for everything. I have to say, it was worth the wait! Our kids were all at the perfect ages. They range from 6-11 and they all had a blast. Even our youngest only had a couple of rides he couldn't go on and he was a trooper to go on all the "big kid" rides with us. It was worth the trip just to see their reactions to their first time flying.
I could go on and on, but AMAZING pretty much sums it all up in a nutshell.
Well, I should be going for now. I've got lots of things on my to-do list. I hope I'll be able to get back to blogging more again, but I make no promises. Funny, when my kids were small I used to think I'd have MORE time when they were all in school. It doesn't seem to have worked out that way, but it sure is fun!
Have a blessed weekend!
-Melissa
Now that Thanksgiving has gone by, (but thankfulness remains) I can put into motion preparations for Christmas. My husband came home Tuesday and decided it was time to put up the tree. It was a joy to watch him work with the kids to put it all together and decorate it. (Yes, we have a fake tree.) This weekend all I have to do is put out a few more decorations around the house and we'll be good to go!
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| Our Beautiful Tree |
It really was a magical trip. The kids' Nana, an Aunt, and an Uncle all came along for the ride and it was pure fun. We've been saving up for this trip for three years now so that we could pay cash for everything. I have to say, it was worth the wait! Our kids were all at the perfect ages. They range from 6-11 and they all had a blast. Even our youngest only had a couple of rides he couldn't go on and he was a trooper to go on all the "big kid" rides with us. It was worth the trip just to see their reactions to their first time flying.
I could go on and on, but AMAZING pretty much sums it all up in a nutshell.
Well, I should be going for now. I've got lots of things on my to-do list. I hope I'll be able to get back to blogging more again, but I make no promises. Funny, when my kids were small I used to think I'd have MORE time when they were all in school. It doesn't seem to have worked out that way, but it sure is fun!
Have a blessed weekend!
-Melissa
Friday, August 17, 2012
Summer Moments
It seems my blog has turned into a once a month thing. While I don't mind that it has taken a seat on the back burner this Summer, I do miss sitting down and writing once or twice a week. When I started my blog it was to share the Small Things that I do on a daily basis to create Sancuary in my home. I still partipate with Rachel Anne and other Company Girls over at Home Sanctuary. I am encouraged on a regular basis by Rachel's posts and the comments that I read there. Like today... I stopped in for Company Girl Coffee, and I was happy to be greeted by a photo of Flash, the Donkey, just hanging out enjoying life.
Sometimes, as I have witnessed this Summer, life just seems to move along at a pace so steady that you don't have time to stop and do the things you love the most. Although this won't be the longest blog post ever, I'm taking a tip from good old Flash and Simply Live in the Moment. Or, if you'll allow it, maybe several moments. I want to share a few of my favorite pictures from this Summer so far.
Thanks for stopping in for coffee. Have a great weekend!
Sometimes, as I have witnessed this Summer, life just seems to move along at a pace so steady that you don't have time to stop and do the things you love the most. Although this won't be the longest blog post ever, I'm taking a tip from good old Flash and Simply Live in the Moment. Or, if you'll allow it, maybe several moments. I want to share a few of my favorite pictures from this Summer so far.
Thanks for stopping in for coffee. Have a great weekend!
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| Watching the gang play "Peanuts" at the Larson Family Reunion...crazy! We "camped" at Camp Kawanis for 4 days and spent time getting to know extended family members making great memories. |
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| The kids with my mom in front of her house in Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island |
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| Me with my 98yr old Grandma. She still lives on her own...I just love her spirit!!!! |
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| The kids climbing the stairs up to the top of the light house at Ft. Casey |
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| On the beach at Deception Pass State Park. I was born and raised on Whidbey Island and have crossed that bridge too many times to count! |
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| Climbing at West Beach |
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| Playing in the water |
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| JS's 10th birthday and MUD! |
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| RL's 11th Birthday Breakfast |
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| Swimming...LOTS of Swimming this Summer!!! |
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Just A Few Thoughts
Is it the end of June already? My how time flies! Too much has been going on to tell it all here. How about a re-cap of the last week? This past week I was...
Blessed... with a visit from my mom and sister. We've lived here for a year now and this is the first time my mom has been able to come out and see our new home and the Dollar Plus store. I was so excited to have both of them here and thankful that my sister would make the trip only a day after she finished up teaching for the year. The visit ended all too quickly.
Encouraged... by a quote that I read in my "Praying God's Word Day by Day" devotional. It read "Walking consistently does not mean walking perfectly. It means we may stumble, but we will not fall." When I lose my footing, the Lord is sure to come along and set my feet on solid ground again.
"I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." (Psalm 40:1-2)
Frustrated... that my dog keeps digging out of our yard and I now have to keep him on a chain when he is alone. Remember that story, the Pokey Little Puppy? That's what my dog reminds me of. He just has to get out into the wide wide world and see what's out there!
Joyful... because my kids had so much fun at VBS this week. They came home singing all kinds of fun songs and telling stories about what they learned. It was a great experience for them. They made lots of new friends and learned many good lessons from the Word.
Weary... from a long month of events, travelling, and excitement. I anticipate a busy July, where the fun will continue. Many parents pack the Summer full with sports, swimming lessons, camping, and other events, but not me. We plan one major trip (in August) and the rest of the Summer seems to fill itself up without my help. We have company coming next week for the 4th of July and there are 3 birthdays and a family reunion plus our anniversary in July. I try to take advantage of every moment of down time!
Reflective... because we have been here for almost exactly a year now. It has been a good year. The kids love their school and have made a lot of good friends. I am so thankful for this house and for the family that lives here. Over all, we are very blessed.
I guess that brings me full circle to blessed! I hope that you also feel blessed by the Lord in this journey of life.
~Melissa
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." -Ephesians 1:3
Blessed... with a visit from my mom and sister. We've lived here for a year now and this is the first time my mom has been able to come out and see our new home and the Dollar Plus store. I was so excited to have both of them here and thankful that my sister would make the trip only a day after she finished up teaching for the year. The visit ended all too quickly.
Encouraged... by a quote that I read in my "Praying God's Word Day by Day" devotional. It read "Walking consistently does not mean walking perfectly. It means we may stumble, but we will not fall." When I lose my footing, the Lord is sure to come along and set my feet on solid ground again.
"I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." (Psalm 40:1-2)
Frustrated... that my dog keeps digging out of our yard and I now have to keep him on a chain when he is alone. Remember that story, the Pokey Little Puppy? That's what my dog reminds me of. He just has to get out into the wide wide world and see what's out there!
Joyful... because my kids had so much fun at VBS this week. They came home singing all kinds of fun songs and telling stories about what they learned. It was a great experience for them. They made lots of new friends and learned many good lessons from the Word.
Weary... from a long month of events, travelling, and excitement. I anticipate a busy July, where the fun will continue. Many parents pack the Summer full with sports, swimming lessons, camping, and other events, but not me. We plan one major trip (in August) and the rest of the Summer seems to fill itself up without my help. We have company coming next week for the 4th of July and there are 3 birthdays and a family reunion plus our anniversary in July. I try to take advantage of every moment of down time!
Reflective... because we have been here for almost exactly a year now. It has been a good year. The kids love their school and have made a lot of good friends. I am so thankful for this house and for the family that lives here. Over all, we are very blessed.
I guess that brings me full circle to blessed! I hope that you also feel blessed by the Lord in this journey of life.
~Melissa
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." -Ephesians 1:3
Sunday, April 29, 2012
The Playroom!
We have this little room above our garage that immediately became the kids' playroom when we moved in last Summer. Because it is not heated, it got a little neglected over the Winter. Every time someone would go to put something away, it would just get tossed in there instead of put back in its place. That's how it ended up like this...
For the past two weekends I have asked the kids to give me an hour a day to work on the mess. At first, it was really hard to know where to begin. With some loving direction, they sorted, organized, threw out trash, and finally got it all clean. Now it looks like this...
I'm so extremely proud of my kiddos for a job well done! Just in time to enjoy it with company next weekend! Way to go!
I could still use one more set of shelves in there for storage, but that'll have to wait. Garage sale season will soon be upon us and I'll keep my eye out for just what I need.
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| Before |
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| You can see the floor! |
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| Games, Craft Supplies and Puzzles |
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| Reading and Drawing Corner |
I could still use one more set of shelves in there for storage, but that'll have to wait. Garage sale season will soon be upon us and I'll keep my eye out for just what I need.
Friday, April 20, 2012
April Flowers
.JPG) |
| FFA Wa-High Greenhouse |
Today's Small Thing over at Home Sanctuary is to celebrate your history by finding an object in (or around) your home that brings a sweet memory to mind.
The above picture is what came to mind when Rachel Anne talked about sweet memories. It's been 25 years since we closed the doors to our store, but the memories will remain in my heart forever. Now I have children of my own, and I love to take them with me to our Dollar Plus store. They help out in any way they can and we are making memories of our own. I hope that one day, they will look back and smile on these days with fond memories of us building something together.
Why not join us for Company Girl coffee today and share some sweet memories of your own?
Blessings,
~Melissa
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Rainy Day Fun
The sun did not shine.
It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house
All that cold, cold, wet day."
-The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
Here's a little of what happens at our house on a rainy day...
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| A little 3-D entertainment |
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| Monster Cars and Lincoln Logs |
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| Our very own book fair |
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| Reading Time |
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| Squishies vs. Ninjas |
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| Ninja's Prevail! |
Friday, February 3, 2012
Spilled Oatmeal, Humble Heart
This morning, as the kids were getting their breakfast, LR spilled her entire bowl of un-cooked oatmeal on the floor. Normally I would respond to that in frustration and shortness. Today I was actually surprised at my own reaction. As tears flowed down her face I reassured her that it was going to be ok and that I knew it was only an accident. I grabbed a roll of paper towels and started to mop up the mess on the cabinets and floor and then I noticed some of it was on her little feet and I began to wipe them gently until the oatmeal was gone. Immediately the story of Jesus washing His disciple's feet came to mind.
When he was done washing their feet He said to them, "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." (John 13:13-15)
I don't always respond with the love and tenderness that I did this morning. I often forget about the tiny eyes that are watching me, waiting for my reaction. So what made the difference this morning? I can only give the credit to the One who has washed my feet. He came to earth as a humble servant, and I will do my best to imitate His humility in my life, just as His Word instructs in Philippians 2:5-8.
"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!"
After this morning I will be more aware of little watching eyes. I am thankful that where I fall short, there is grace and forgiveness. For these children are my precious gifts from God and I love them with all my heart.
Blessings,
Melissa
When he was done washing their feet He said to them, "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." (John 13:13-15)
I don't always respond with the love and tenderness that I did this morning. I often forget about the tiny eyes that are watching me, waiting for my reaction. So what made the difference this morning? I can only give the credit to the One who has washed my feet. He came to earth as a humble servant, and I will do my best to imitate His humility in my life, just as His Word instructs in Philippians 2:5-8.
"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!"
After this morning I will be more aware of little watching eyes. I am thankful that where I fall short, there is grace and forgiveness. For these children are my precious gifts from God and I love them with all my heart.
Blessings,
Melissa
Friday, December 30, 2011
Humor Matters
Hello everyone! Happy Early New Year! I hope that everyone had a marvelous Christmas. Our home was filled with family and we had a great time making memories together laughing, opening presents, sharing meals and playing games. I really enjoy having a nice big home that we can offer up for family events.
Christmas Eve we went to a candle-light service at my in-law's church. Afterwards we spent time at their home for an informal dinner. We arrived home at 9:00pm and tucked the kids into bed because we knew it was going to be a long day. Before doing so, I wanted a picture by the tree with our "best dress" on. I handed my brother in law the camera and hoped for the best. Everyone was tired so they kind of just cooperated "for mom." We got at least one that was decent, but there's one that stands out from the rest as my favorite. It really shows the light-hearted nature of our family. We sure do love to laugh!
From our home to yours, wishing you all joy, love and laughter in the year 2012!
~Melissa
Monday, December 19, 2011
Very Merry Christmas Cookies
To start of our Winter break, we made Christmas Cookies on Saturday! Everyone got to help with the fun. DH mixed and rolled out the dough. The kids took turns with the cookie cutters making fun shapes. (We even have an Easter bunny or two in there.) Then when they cooled we frosted and decorated them. There ended up being plenty to share with neighbors, employees, and the girls at the bank! As for the rest...well, I'm sure we'll figure out something!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Happy Holidays
One more hour left until the kiddos officially hit winter break! I can't believe Christmas is almost here. It's certainly been a wild ride in 2011! I look forward to seeing what 2012 will bring. One thing that I know for sure. This year has really brought our family, and extended family closer together. Between moving and opening a new store, we've really bonded. In all the chaos of change, we've hung on to what matters most...strong family ties.
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| RL-10, LR-7, CD-5, BC-8, JS-9 |
May your homes be filled with Peace, Love and Joy this Holiday Season!
~Melissa & Family
Friday, November 11, 2011
Birthday Joy
Happy 7th Birthday to my sweet little LR!
Your smile is contagious and your boundless joy brightens our lives!
We love you!
We love you!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
My Trunk or Treators
We took the kids trunk or treating last night in a safe, well lit, monitored parking lot. It was at my in-law's ACE, put on by the Milton-Freewater PTA. I am so glad my kids don't care that their costumes were mostly homemade, and they didn't complain that they didn't get enough candy. (There were only a little over a dozen cars participating.) It was fun enough for them that we were all out together having a good time and there were even a couple of games set up for them to play. When we were done we went inside to store to say hi to their Papa. I love being in town with family!
*Not pictured here: JS*
*Not pictured here: JS*
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| BC the Pirate |
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| CD "Bones" |
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| LR the Good Witch |
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| RL the Cat |
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