Party Panic

Hi, sweet friends! Just a quick hello to tell you that we are in full party-planning mode this week... it will probably be a little quiet until I get this Rapunzel party behind me! Lots of details to share next week, I'm sure! Have a great week!

Ways I Am NOT (or Refuse to Admit but Probably Am) Like my Mother

Just the idea of this post cracks me up, because if you know me and/or my mother, you have probably started a list just from seeing the title. I'm linking up with Hearts at Home again this month, and would love for you to join in!

Truth be told, I am probably a lot like my mother. And I think I have finally passed the age when I didn't want to admit that. I would like to think that the biggest way in which I am like my mom is that of her faith. My favorite 'picture' of my mom is the image in my mind that I have from 15 years ago, the morning after our world was rocked to its core. I awoke after tragedy to hear my mom playing the piano. Singing praise songs to a God Who was still the same, even after everything as we had known it had changed. She was singing the words to an old song called 'Bless God' that goes something like 'Bless God for all he's done, Bless God for Christ his son. Let us magnify him, for he's holy.' I want a faith that remains unwavering, even when life is anything but steady. Her faith legacy is something that I want and hope to also instill in my little people.

I AM crafty like my mother. She is one who flips things inside-out in the store and says 'I could make that' often. I have this same phrase in my arsenal. She has bin after bin full of random craft supplies, fabric, and other things that 'could be' something else if worked on a bit. I have quite a supply of materials, myself. You just never know when you might need a truck load of pipe cleaners...

I AM a bit of a pack rat, if left to my own devices. I am a collector like my mother and tend to store up things that 'I might use eventually'. Now, don't get me wrong, we aren't (YET) on the path to the show Hoarders, though she is closer than I am to that point. I am married to a man who hangs on to nothing, so I am leaning further away from this trait every year. But the tendency remains...

I AM NOT a crazy dog lady. Mom has a tiny little fluff-ball of a poodle named Phoebe, who she has recently taken to carrying in a sling. Yes, a baby sling. She even went so far as to take a bike ride last week with the dog in a sling. I fear she may get picked up by circus people.

I DO NOT wear colored eye shadow. This one makes me laugh just typing it. My mom has forever been one who likes to 'put her face on' before going out. I am definitely not that way. I am a Burt's Bees and maybe mascara on a fancy day kind of girl.

I DO NOT eat broccoli. Enough said.

I DO NOT play piano. This is one I wish I could do... mom started playing when she was very young and still plays. I started lessons, but like many things in my childhood, I quit.

I DO love a good tea party, or just a reason to get people together in general. I grew up with many regular reasons to get out the pretty dishes, whip up a fancy dessert and entertain. And let me just say, any day truly can be a good reason to entertain. I can remember open houses, basket parties, Bible studies, and many other occasions that we would somehow manage to stash the mess under the beds and have people over. Just for fun. And I think this has a lot to do with my love for get-togethers now.

So are you like your mom? I can't wait to see the other posts!

Calling

Want to know God's calling on your life? I can tell you! (Sounds like the crazy beginning to an infomercial, doesn't it?!) Love God. Go & Love Others. Make Disciples. Sound over-simplified? Because I don't really think it is... this is what He's called each and every one of us to. (Check out Matthew 22: 37-38 and Matthew 28: 19-20) And what I'm realizing is that we (totally speaking to myself here!) spend so much time pacing the floor begging God to reveal His 'calling' to us, that it's just like shuffling our feet ignoring what we know He wants us to do. This is it!

Now 'how' we do this is as wide and varied as a day is long... but I'm beginning to think that even that isn't as tough as I make it. What has he made me gifted in and passionate about? In my case, I have a deep passion for ministry with mothers. So it's pretty natural that I am going to lean towards doing life with other mommas. That's why I teach the Bible with a group of local moms, and that's why I'm going to Uganda & Ethiopia next year, to love on some sweet babies and their families.

What I'm also realizing is that in this process of doing life and growing with God, I end up serving others in the places of my deepest need for work and healing. The healing begins and continues when I pull from my pain and weaknesses to help others. I can speak to areas that affect other moms because I've walked through them. Paul said to the Corinthian church (2 Cor. 12:9-10) "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." I most often talk with other women about their struggles with hurt, self-image, forgiveness issues, and in walking with them through their pain, God brings healing even to my own heart. It's amazing that God can use our challenges this way, but when He is glorified all the more, why would I mask the things that show Him stronger?

This question of calling is perhaps the one that I have most often heard in Christian circles and have most often asked myself. But I truly think I was over-complicating something that God has made pretty clear. And the things in me that are part of who I am are exactly the keys to figuring out the 'how'. So how has He wired you? What are you passionate about? Do you find that the ways in which you feel led to serve are also the things that are the most healing for you? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Her

This is my beautiful Halle. And if you follow me on Facebook or twitter, you know a bit about her. She is something. No words can quite encompass all that is this sweet and perfect gift. So I document the things she does, as she does them. Because no one would believe me otherwise. 

~This most recent picture is her saying "I'm not going to school ever never." because she has to use the potty if she wants to go to school. Literally an hour later she decides to use the potty before bed. Just to mess with me.

~Yesterday she tells me I'm not her best friend. I replied that 'I don't have to be your best friend. I am your mommy'. So she then asks 'Where do I go to make you not my mommy?'. Most almost-three year olds would say 'Then you're not my mommy', but not my girl... she realizes there will be paperwork involved.

~Also yesterday, when given the choice to be kind or go to her room for timeout, she says "I will choose to be kind, but only because you are making me. It's not like I want to."

~Last week as I tucked her in, she whispers in my ear "Do you know who loves you more than me? Only Jesus." That might have been the sweetest thing ever. And I may have teared up a little.

~She asks why I drink coffee if I don't like to cough.

~She also closes her eyes when she sings so she can 'sing to Jesus like mommy and daddy'.

~She calls 'dessert' 'DeZurg' because of the villain on Toy Story 1 and thinks that every other meal is called breakfast. She repeatedly asks during the day if we've already had breakfast, and some days I begin to doubt whether or not I actually fed them!

~She always needs to know if things are boys or girls and then insists on calling them 'he' because she 'likes it better'.

Just a few Halle-isms to commemorate almost-three... We love this Curly Girly of ours to pieces!!

Small

I wake up some mornings and just feel like the tiniest, insignificant stone.

We're all rubble, aren't we? Broken. Some of us smooth and some rough. Some large and some small. But all pieces of things that used to be something else. Some even blown to pieces that are nearly dust, but they survive. Different. But therein lies the miracle~ that God can take all these mismatched bits of other things and build. His Kingdom.

For the past several Sundays, our pastor has been teaching a series about vision. We have been planted in Nehemiah, and the story of the Israelites rebuilding the wall is rich with lessons. But this week he said something that deeply snagged my attention: Archaeologists have said that the wall was 'just a gathering of rubble'. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of years since that wall was built, and it remains. Lasting. A gathering of rubble. And that is what we are!

Remnant of Nehemiah's wall

We come from different places and bring different baggage. We were formerly something, someone else. And in choosing Christ, we abandon the things that we used to be and the old ways that accompanied them, and we walk forward. Perhaps shattered, but together we can become again. Something. This is an amazing picture of the Body of Christ, isn't it? This morning I am so thankful that I am allowed to be a piece. Only a small, insignificant stone in a great big wall... but this wall protects and secures. And I am thankful for each blow that got me to this place, even the painful ones. Because He builds.

Monday!

Happy Monday, sweetie pies! We had what felt like an insanely rushed weekend, but thankfully things will be slowing up a bit. Linking up with the lovely Carissa if you want to join in!

~The Cake! So it turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself. The only thing I had to go on was that the birthday girl liked purple and flip flops, so I just went with that. My customer said that it was the hit of the party and that (perhaps more importantly) it tasted great, so I deem this a success! 

~Free Time~ This week is a big one for me and Trace. Today after a short trip to the local waterpark, Trace is taking the littles to spend an entire week with his parents. He's dropping them off and heading home so we can have some child-free time before he and the youth team leave for Canada on Saturday. I'm excited to be able to have some date nights and maybe even go to a late movie or something out of character for us. (I know, we are real party animals, right?!) The kids are so excited and have been constantly talking about eating junk food and water fights... hopefully they'll limit the junk food, but I know they'll have a great time.

~God speaks~ A pastor friend from Nashville came as a guest speaker at our church this weekend. It was awesome to have someone come and spend time just taking in all God is doing here and also to encourage us. At one point we were having a prayer time, and he spoke into my heart some things that only could have come from God about who I am and where I need help. I am so thankful that God is gracious to give and that others allow themselves to hear and speak words that God entrusts to them. I feel wonderfully understood and loved by a Savior that cares for me as an individual.

~Time Out~ An update on the potty training front... not going so well as it started. On Thursday I took my girlie to the er after she didn't go (potty or otherwise) for over 12 hours. We were nervous about her getting or having a UTI, so we wanted to get her checked out. Of course she went in a diaper as soon as we got checked in! So we took a few steps back... all along we've said that she would initiate the whole thing, so we're just going at her pace and seeing what happens.

So what are you up to this week? I have several brunch/coffee dates planned in the time while Trace is working, but other than that, I'm thinking I'll just be lazy. I'm hoping to get in some writing time and just be quiet with God. Rediscovering what free time is...

Miscellany Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday, y'all! I can't seem to get my act together on Mondays... I'll use yesterday's holiday as my excuse this week, but in truth it shouldn't count because we don't really celebrate it. But whatever. I hope you had a terrific Monday off. We were able to hang out with some good friends over the weekend and yesterday. We splurged and bought the littles an inflatable pool, (of which I've yet to get any pictures) and now we begin the task of watching it carefully to make sure the insane dog posse doesn't poke holes into it. I am so over these dogs and the mess in my house.

This week is starting to look pretty busy. We have a few playdates planned, and I've been commissioned to make a cake. I'm a little nervous, as this is my first cake that's not been for a close friend or donated for a church event. The best/worst part is that the woman who ordered kind of gave me a lot of freedom to do what I want. She gave me a color idea and one theme idea, but other than that said to do whatever. This planner would much prefer 'coloring inside the lines' and wishes she had given me a clear picture of what she wanted. So we'll see how it ends up...

Also in other 'miscellany' news is that the Divine Miss Halle is wearing panties today! I know you were really concerned about this, and I know that all you mommas out there will appreciate the enormity of this development. I'm not holding my breath... cautiously optimistic that we'll be done with diapers very soon. As with everything she does, I'm certain that my girl will do it in her own way (likely with her hands on her hips) in her own time.

So what's in store for your week? See you soon!

Coming of Age

I knew my boy would grow up. In a family of rock stars (self-proclaimed, of course!), there comes a time when a young rocker needs a rocker hair cut. More specifically a mohawk. It's just what rockers do. So Tuesday was that day for my sweet boy. Truth be told, Halle wanted one of her own, but I just could quite let her shed the curls yet. Remy has been asking for a mohawk for a long time, but instead of Trace's coarse curls, he was born with my baby fine locks. It takes a lot of product, this hair, but he is oh so happy.

And just for good measure, here is the first picture of Trace with Halle. His 'hawk at that point was about 7 inches tall and bleached blonde on the tips. Is it any wonder Remy wants to follow that act?!