A Week of Weeks

It feels like it has been much longer than just one week since last I made a post and homemaking goals have not been on the top of my priority list.  Between my husband's grandmother's memorial service, spring pictures, spring wardrobe ordering (I have been saving my money like a miser), lent challenges/pictures, remembering to take time to acknowledge all my families' February birthdays, plus life in general I have been wiped out.  I don't know where to begin.  This post is actually going to contain a lot of confession and strengthening my emotional muscles.

• Mourning-  God's gift to me has been to be married into a family with a lot of love, a sprinkle of awkward, and a dash of crazy.  My own family isn't all that different, but it is nice to know we are not alone.  We all mourn in our own personal way and that became abundantly clear this week.  Grandma Ruth's passing reminded us all of this fact.  I never got to know her as well as I hoped, but am certain she is with our Heavenly Father.  She was loving.  She was genuine.  It was always so beautiful to see her holding great grand babies.  I remember playing cards with her.  I remember visiting her on Halloween to show her the great grand kids costumes.  She will be missed, but is in a better place.  
  
  "I will listen to what God the LORD says; He promises peace to His people, His faithful servants."  Psalm 85:8
• Confession-  I failed semi-miserably on my no sugar fasting.  I had a drop in my blood sugar on Wednesday from eating too much white bread so I over compensated by eating too many cookies.  It was a matter of health but I still felt like a failure.  This is a tricky balance for my reactive hypoglycemia.  Time to make a fresh start today. God's grace is with me.  
• Leaving you with my week in pictures:

LENT

Spiritual Longing- my prayer for Lent Psalm 5:3-8

Forty- for the days of Lent.  Here is our special prayer box with 40 prayers and scripture.

Empty- our envelope for a special offering for Easter with hope to fill it.

Desert- may we all find renewed dependence on God when go into the desert.

Community- (AWANA)  remember those around you and reach out with the love of God.

Place of Healing- the church were we had Grandma Ruth's service had a beautiful stained glass cross so appropriate on a day we all were seeking healing for the sorrow in our hearts.

FAMILY

Sparky Drive-in- cardboard train

Preschool- learning numbers!

School Project

CROSS STITCH UPDATE

Sorry, it looks like a pig taking a whiz but I promise that is not what it is!

Hope things slow down a little bit next week.  I miss reading and cooking.  It is not too late to join me in the Lenten photo challenge.  I would love to see your photos! 

  

Homemaking Takes a Backseat to Lententide plus some Sorrow

In my last post I forgot to mention the Lent season is soon approaching.  So now it is upon us.  I don't want to confuse anyone.  I am not Catholic, but I do participate and highly appreciate the tradition of Lent.  Within the last three or four years I have wanted to do more than just choose something to give up so this year I am having the children join me plus I am documenting it using the prompts from Busted Halo and following as many things on the calendar as possible.  In short, homemaking will make a slow come back but for this update we are talking Lent.

• Menu Change- I am making my meals small and fasting from meat (except fish) and sugar.  On Sunday I will allow myself one cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee only if I have someone to share it with, even if it is with my husband or children.  I will also make an exception for dessert at Pastors' Enrichment Conference in Mid-March.  If you are so inclined please pray for me.  This IS a sacrifice as trivial as it sounds.   
• Ash Wednesday- I took Lucy with me to Mass at the Immaculate Conception mid day service.  It was my first time to receive Ashes.  One thing I feel I gained from this experience the reality of my sins and the need to confess and repent.  We don't talk about that much in my usual sphere.  

 

• Lent with Children- This is the challenge.  I have so many mixed emotions about how to fit this into our lives.  I might be the only crazy mom who Baptist Christian who celebrates Lent and Passover and that may be confusing- oh well.  I am a crazy mom.  I also don't want to try to do everything or overwhelm myself when we fall behind because we will fall behind (most likely).  The easiest idea I came up with was to add Lent to the choosing Bucket and take out Watch TV so when it is picked we will do a Lenten Prayer Station plus ONLY if time and resources allow will we do the activities in this book. 
  
  I figure I am at least doing SOMETHING.  Plus we make such huge deal with Christmas when ultimately our hope is in the resurrection.  We even already did one project! 

  

  Soap Crosses- remind us that Jesus washes our sins away.

  

  Carving the Soap

  
  
•  Journey- I started a spiritual journey.  I am reading Jesus and His World during Lent.  I have been waiting for Lent to read this.  I am excited to see the Bible and Jesus from a different perspective.
  
   
  
  
    
• Fasting-  I just want to remind everyone that you can not have fasting without prayer.  During Lent the three main practices are Fasting, Praying, and Giving.  I do my personal prayers in the morning and as I mentioned I have given up meat (at least on Fridays and of course the exception is fish) and sugar.  This is the one that has taken the most preparation just because my family isn't going to practice I needed to come up with easy meals because essential I am preparing two separate meals at dinner.  Nothing this week has been homemade as a result but I think I will make a big pot of a vegetarian soup and who ever wants to can eat from it can.  The rest will be something store bought or frozen- chicken nuggets, pizza, corn dogs, burritos etc.  Not the best solution but it was the only economical one I could come up with without kids going on a hunger strike.  

  

  Throwing away the sugar

   

Family Update: This is the sorrow part of my post. My husband's Grandma has gone to be with Jesus.  She lived a long life and many loved her.  Thank you for your prayers and support.  The cry of our hearts is to be else where.  We were not suppose to have death, but everything will be made new in Christ. 

Three Gifts That Were Plan Bs

I am not a planner.  I like to think I am.  In fact, I use to walk around with a planner like it was attached to me, but the only reason I did that was to try to act responsible.  And as I got older I noticed people had VERY specific plans while mine were vague and basically just wishes, but my inner gut pretty much told me to be ready for anything.  I like to think of every possible out come of situations but that doesn't mean much if I don't take action.  Any way... this Joy Dare was especially challenging for someone who doesn't really have a Plan A to begin with.  But these were the ones I came up with.  Sorry if they are not deep enough for you.

 
Living in Oregon had kinda been a plan B.  My original sorta plan was to go to college in Oregon and either go to California or back to Idaho and become a teacher.  I really didn't think much about the how or why or what.  I had assumed I just wasn't sticking around after college.  No one I knew did unless they had family around.  But now I can't imagine being any where else!  I LOVE Oregon.  I met my husband here.  I got married and started my family here.  Plus I always thought Oregon really fits my personality.  It has its traditional moments but is totally crazy and quirky in its own way- just like me.  And it is just the most friendly and helpful place I have ever been.  If I have a say in it I don't think I will leaving any time soon.

I thought about putting a picture of my pile of old school loans, but I think this visual is even better.  I don't think anyone's plan B is to count pennies.  It is hard to live pay check to pay check.  I know there are more people than myself doing this and I don't want to bring any one down if I can help it, but the reality is I DO have to count pennies at the end of the month sometimes or just to have enough money to buy a birthday present at the dollar store so that my kids have a present to give someone at parties or for diapers.  We never go hungry- praise God.  I try to keep it in perspective and God keeps me humble.  It reminds me of my total dependance on Him and now I can say thank you for the pennies.

Okay, this is where it gets a little silly.  Coffee is my Plan B because my parents drank a lot of coffee.  I thought it was gross.  My plan was to not do anything like my parents so Plan A was drink hot cider or hot chocolate.  But then I discovered how wonderful it is and now I know why parents have to drink it- to keep alive.  Also this particular coffee maker is also a Plan B because my wonderful husband keeps buying French Presses and I keep breaking them.   I will just stick with this one for now.  The gift of coffee- it truly is a gift. 

A Lot of Stuff Happened Week

I always have a hard time with titles for my entries so that was all I could think of because it is true.  A LOT happened this week or at least it feels like a lot because I have never been quite so consistent before now.  By now I would have abandoned the blog and tried to add something else to my already busy life.  By now I would have retreated into myself and let the kids run the show.  By now I would be so self-conscious and overwhelmed I would probably have given up and be wallowing in guilt.  I think it is weirding me out a little bit.  I feel all grown up and *gasp* responsible.  I like it, but it almost feels unnatural at least for me.

Highlights:

• Nephew's birthday- yup, another one.  Malachi turned 8.  He is a smart and optimistic boy with big plans for the future.

  

  CAKE!

  

  Hammer Time! -sorry I had to

   

  

  Cute Cousins

  

  Malachi

  

  Grandma and the Babies

  

  Proud Parents

  
  

  
  

Rough Week

This week went by so fast.  I did nothing even remotely homemaking related.  Last weekend I was privileged to join the women of our church for Ladies Prayer Day.  Then our family had a great time in Portland at the Winterhawks hockey game.  We don't get to things like that very often so it was blast.  I was so tired though that I didn't take any pictures.

None of the dinners I made this week are worth mentioning.  It was all just grilled meat with a side of mashed potatoes and some kind of vegetable.  Last night I didn't even cook- *gasp*.  I got "Chinese" food from Safeway instead.  Between getting coughed and sneezed on all week plus my husband being gone for a couple days and battling a heavy heart as Grandma Ruth is preparing to meet Jesus, it has been a rough week.  This is the time where I wish I could say something spiritual and/or lighten the mood, but that was all just to say I am pretty sure I am coming down with a cold.

So I hope I didn't disappoint too much because the only thing I got around to was Preschool Tuesday and all the kids have their Valentine's ready for school- so that is something.  Usually I am pretty behind on that so I had to brag a little.

Now for a little echinacea and Little House on the Prairie.  The weekend can't get here soon enough...

Three Gifts Found in Writing

The ability to learn how to write is a great gift.  My three beautiful girls are all in different stages of learning this skill.  These are the gifts I found. 

Hermione- age 7

Ariana- age 5

Lucy- age 3