Wednesday, April 14, 2010

EvriDa < 3

"Each morning the sun shines through my window
Lands on the face of a dream come true"

.... Meet my DreamS come true...
I'm sure he'd LOVE that I shared this pic, but this is my harworkin' man and this pictures shows it. From his dirty face that he chose to ignore so the kids could see the light parade in the freezing cold... to the baby wrapped up in his jacket.
He's loving and kind and gentle and thoughtful when he wants to be.
He can also be the most stubborn, hard-headed, most frustrating man I've ever known.
But he's mine.
And I Love him.


And then there are these dreams come true.
My Saving Grace, My Baby Red Taters and My Sassy Boo!
Words cannot express what they mean to me.
Each one is different, with qualities all their own.
Sometimes amazing, sometimes trying.
But all the time mine. And all the time loved.


"I shuffle to the kitchen for my coffee
and catch up on the front page morning news"


(More likely Creamer with a bit of coffee... and my morning news is best found via the web.
)

"It's ordinary, plain and simple...Typical.
Nothing 'bout it too peculiar."


We raise pigs, and dogs and cats... horses, a chinchilla and a goat.


We go to Church and school.

We sing praises and give thanks to God.
"Oh but I can't get enough... of this Everyday Love"



So, this is my new outlook. I'm starting with the blog changes. No more "Tired Mom". I believe that we make our own environment - at least to some degree. If you believe you're always going to be unhappy, then chances are you're going to be unhappy. If you believe you're destined for failure after failure... you're most likely going to fail. If you go around believing that everything is wrong and it's never going to get better... then it's probably not.
Unless
you do something to change it.

So now I'll point the finger back at myself. If I'm always referring to myself as "This Tired Mom" then guess what? That's the mentality I take on and it starts taking over. I've stopped exercising, stopped caring about what I look like, stopped wearing makeup, rarely visit friends and family, stopped caring about the crap that I've been putting into my body (and it shows)... the list could go on and on.
Basically, for the past couple of years I have been settling into this worn-down, no-energy-for-anything, all-consuming blahness... and I want to change that.

Sure, I have a lot on my plate. Husband, kids, mortgage, school projects, daycare kids, building my crochet business, breakfast, lunch, dinner, cleaning, laundry, bills, landscaping, painting... this list could go on and on, too. But when it comes right down to it... this is my EVERYDAY LOVE!

This is what I always prayed for. My beautiful family. A beautiful home, beautiful children, a loving, hard-working husband. I have to remember that this is what God has called me to do! This is my job! I have to remember that when I get frustrated at the mundane, crappy, everyday chores, discipline and unpleasantness.

I remember, as an emotional teenager... my mom was "ranting" at me about picking up my laundry and doing my own wash... "Do you think I enjoy this? Doing YOUR laundry everyday? Doing everything else for everyone else?"

My snotty teenage response (under my breath, of course) was "Well, it is your job!" Why was she getting mad at me for the life she chose? As a mother and wife - she stayed at home and that was supposed to be her job. She CHOSE to live her life that way.

And then I grew up and had kids of my own... and now I find myself "ranting" at my kids. I hear myself stressing at them... the very same words my mother did to me. Now, though... I also hear my inner spoiled teenager grumbling that same response.

This is the life I prayed and asked God for.
I'm choosing to be aware, and diligent and thankful for this Everyday Love that he's given me!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

i "heart"... thursday 4/8/10



It's been a couple of weeks since I last participated, so I think it's time I jump back in! I have found myself going through my days saying, "Oh, I can "heart" that"! I need to start carrying a pen and pad around with me to keep track because there are too many for me to remember in my noggin'!

i "heart"... that Brooklyn did an AWESOME job on her 4-H demonstration
(with only 24 hours of practice)

i "heart"... having a healthy family - colds and flu begone! (knock on wood)!!

i "heart"... 9 hours of sleep for the past 3 nights!

i "heart"... my coffee creamer

i "heart"... watching Emma jump on the trampoline!

i "heart"... this beautiful spring weather!!!!

i "heart"... being a child of the King!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

i "heart"... thursday 3/11



I am participating in this weeks I "heart"... at You and Me Plus Three. Go there now to add yours and read others!!

i "heart"...(ed) Emma's fantastic birthday party last Saturday!

i "heart"... the beautiful blue skies we're getting lately!

i "heart"... that I got to go to church services last night!

i "heart"... that our church has dedicated meetings for prayer! Prayer WORKS!

i "heart"... the sound of the doggies feet on the wood flooring!

i "heart"... the sound of Emma's pitter-pattering down the hall when I'm still in bed!

i "heart"... tax returns this year!

i "heart"... the $4.98 bottle of creamer I had to buy at the corner store this morning!

i "heart"... my patient, loving Lovin' Man!

i "heart"... this pic so much I can't stop sharing it! =o)


Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Emma Louise

Two years I go, I looked something like this...


... and my insides looked something like this...

Two years ago, on March 10, 2008... this lil bundle of joy made her appearance.

We called her Emma Louise. I remember saying, "I can't believe she's so tiny!"
This is how she slept for the first 8 weeks of her life.


Her mommy and Daddy had NO IDEA how much she would change their lives!

(Her mommy had no idea her freckles stood out this much. =o) )


One year ago, our lil beauty was a-changing!
She developed "to-die-for" eyelashes...
... became Mommy's model for all things yarn...
... was affectionately known as "Boo"
... she drank from her red sippy...
...ate cupcakes on her 1st birthday...


Today, on March 10, 2010, our beautiful girl is 2!!!
My, how she's changed!

... she loves music, and puzzles and animals, and Buzz Lightyear...
...she loves her sissies...


Yes, today, this year, our baby is a fiesty, loving, sassy, adorable, gentle, crazy, sweet, demanding and irresistable 2 year old!

I think this photo says it all!
Happy Birthday, Emma Lou!!!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Stella B Designs Giveaway

I'm doing a giveaway on my Facebook Fan Page for Stella B Designs.

... in case you're interested!

Just click on the button below for more details!


Stella B Designs

i "heart"... thursday 3/4



i "heart"... sleeping barefoot. I won't do it any other way


i "heart"... hearing the sound of my girls' heartbeats through their play stethoscope


i "heart"... driving alone, radio turned up, singing as loud as I can


i "heart"... Brooklyn's sensitive soul


i "heart"... waking up, looking at the clock and realizing I have 3 more hours to sleep


i "heart"... being a mommy


i "heart"... having Grey's to watch on Thursdays


i "heart"... talking with adults


i "heart"... that another Thursday has come and I have so much to "heart".

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Hard.

Today was hard.
It was the kind of day that makes a mommy need that alone time!

Emma has been sick (dx with an ear infection and sore throat). She started running a fever last Saturday but had still been in a pretty good mood throughout everything.

Then there was today.

She woke up from her nap cranky... and it just all snowballed from there! She didn't want up, she didn't want down, she didn't want milk, she didn't want juice, she wanted to eat, but then wouldn't eat, she wanted her momma, then wanted her daddy... rinse & repeat through bedtime!

I don't even know where I'm going with this post, but I just had to get it out there.

Even though this has been a hard day for me the both of us, I know that when she's grown and I'm looking back, wondering "howinthesamhill" time passed us by so quick... this will not be one of the days I remember. This most likely will not be the last day where I feel tried and smothered and at my wits end... but I'm not going to remember those days.

At least not nearly as clearly as I'll remember this day.
And definitely this one!
It is hard to stay "flustered" when I'm reminded of how she is the other 98% of the time.

.... precious?!
OK... my heart has melted. I'm ready for tomorrow...