87!

My Dad turned 87 today! He's the same, the exact same as always. Strong, intersting, encouraging, and my Dad!  

Breakfast Out

My favorite meal to eat out is breakfast. I'll take a cozy homey yummy main street breakfast place over a fancy dinner anytime! We went with my parents a few weekends ago after Mass. It was cold and pouring but we had the best time, and I am grateful! 

 

It's Getting There and Thoughts About Blogging

Pre Blog Post Thoughts ~ I think I'd like to blog more often. I actually think it will be easier than once in a while. Let me explain (or let me think it out loud in this space). My blog sort of started to be the "big things" in life

• graduations
• college move ins
• holidays
• vacations

But then those blog posts are b i g  and they are harder to do (more pictures, more thoughts}

But little blog posts of day to day are easy ~ a simple picture of two, a simple thought. 

I think if I think 'smaller' on this blog than big events, big posts, I'll like this space of mine better... so here goes... 

It's Getting There 

We always have a house project going on. I hate the mess but I love the planning, dreaming, and of course the outcome. 

Mother's Day ⬆

Recently I've been craving wallpaper, really wanting it. But Scott does not. Last year he did wallpaper a tiny off the kitchen bathroom for me. I found two rolls of tiny flowered wallpaper at a thrift store. And it looks so lovely in there. But he hates the wallpaper process and even more worries what will happen when I change my mind. (He's right, I do change my mind a lot over the years)

So for this Mother's Day project, he's painting the family room. It's my Mother's Day present. (Each year I get to choose a project we don't NEED to do but my heart WANTS to do) 

I've been wanting to try the 'made in England' Farrow and Ball paint. I chose a cozy color and I love the way it's coming out. 

The walls are done and now he's doing the trim in a buttery color. The room will be totally different and I can hardly wait to decorate for Christmas! I think all of our greens will look so much better in here than the white trim! 

Trim on the left = bright white old trim / Trim on the right = new buttery color trim 

Okay, so I DID it! I did my first, 'it's not a big deal' 'little thoughts', 'who cares about perfect pictures' post! 

Blogging

So I guess I just stopped blogging and I'm not sure why. It seems to be the thing to go first when life is life. Nothing new. Nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps it's the end of school coming. When the end of the school year starts, it feels like there is a lot to do. But not really. It's really just a magical time of year when I can really enjoy teaching the last unit in literacy and math. I really enjoy my class at the end of May and June. 

Could it be that there are a few birthdays right around this time of year? And a big Mother's Day project in our house? 

Could it be that I feel kind of like I'm in two different seasons at the same time. I'm still teaching. It's not summer but it's almost. 

I think that's it. Everything feels out of balance and so what goes? The blog. 

But I so don't want it to. 

So this is my 'I'm back' post.  

Springtime in Our Kitchen

Oh for sure the happiest place in our home is the kitchen. Scott and I both do a lot of cooking, baking, everything making! And I love changing things up. 

I recently took a few pictures and thought I'd post them here! 

I found this area rug at an antique store and I should have taken an up close of it... it's lovely, fun, and adds a bit of comfort and cozy to this space.  

I have a teapot shelf up there above the sink which Scott built for my Mother's Day present last May. 

I love these new cafe curtains with a green stripe! I love most of the all the pleats in them rather than always clipping up dishtowels as curtains. These have so much more a polished look! 

Favorite cookbooks are a must for me. Just seeing them inspires me to plan our meals, bake, and just look forward to special mealtimes. 

A 'new to me' favorite teacup I found thrifting. I drink my tea using this every weekend! 

My jam jar full of jellies! 

This open shelving was another Mother's Day gift built by Scott a few years back. I love changing it up for the seasons! 

And finally this antique basket is a perfect spot for dishtowels and a favorite cozy book! 

Living in Answered Prayer ~ A Reflection from a First Year Away at College

On our drive home from moving her out and bringing her home (that post is back here), Abigail said something profound from the back seat. She said, 

"I'm living in answered prayer." 

Living in answered prayer, 

Living in answered prayer, 

We reflected on all of the ways God answered prayers this year: 

~ from having friends, wonderful new friends who all love Jesus with their whole heart

Living in answered prayer, 

~ friends who gave her pre birthday gifts with Bible vereses written in them {Abigail went to a public high school and longed for friends with the same values, ideals, and connection through faith} 

Living in answered prayer, 

~ friends to share her heart with, to grow closer to God with, to worship with

Living in answered prayer, 

~ a college dedicated to beleiveing in teaching their students to go out into the world and make it a better place for the Lord

Living in answered prayer, 

~ classes like 'The Life of Jesus' 

Living in answered prayer, 

~ a safe place to have fun, study, learn, grow, push herself

Living in answered prayer, 

Oh I know it wasn't all butterflies and perfect. There were some really tough days. 

It was tough to be away from home and her family especially when she was in pain. {Abigail has a digestive disease that can cause her severe pain}, to rely on the emotional support of friends when she didn't want to burden them and just wanted us.

It was tough to work through EoE, ADHD, OCD in a new enviornment, under new circumstances. 

It was tough to eat a a college cafeteria when she was allergic to most of it and had to stick with the no options allergy area only. 

Oh how we prayed and prayed for her, with her, tried our best to carry the burdens and challenges she faced sometimes away at college. It wasn't always pretty. There were times when we pulled out all that we could, our best prayer books, brought her homemade soup, called and talked to her any time of day or night. 

But she learned, she grew, and she came out of all of it proclaming, 

"I'm living in answered prayer." 

Oh yes you are sweet girl. 

Living in answered prayer, 

Living in answered prayer, 

And you've got our prayers, support, emotional support, listening hearts for the rest of your life.  

May you always look back at this freshman year with gratitude knowing that Jesus was right there with you. May you remember how much fun you had. May you continue to be blessed by good, sweet friends. May you know always know your faith is everything. May you continue to follow in the plan God has for your life. Dream big, God's dreams for you.

We are so very proud of your first year. We are thrilled that you are home. And we look forward to what will be in the next three years of college. 

Living in answered prayer, 

Living in answered prayer. 

Move in Day: 

Fall

Winter

Spring 

Almost Summer 

Other Posts: 

Her college decision 

Move in Day

Coming Home 

A Simple Mothers Day

We had a simple and lovley Mothers Day. I was showered with love, appreciation, affection, and tenderness from my darling daughters and my husband Scott. 

"I have no greater joy than to know that my children are walking in truth." 

3 John 1:4 

It was everything I needed to fill my heart. I spent the day thinking about how very blessed I am to be Anna and Abigail's mama. So very blessed indeed. 

I've written a lot about my motherhood over many years on this blog. From the days when I was home for 13 years with them, to toddlerhood, to letting them stretch their wings away from me in just little bits as they started elementary school, all the way through high school. I've written about how I'm never done, how I want to hold their hearts, their dreams, their feelings all of my days. 

Oh I have dreams still as a mother. I have read (and rearead and reread and reread)  every book from my favorite motherhood author, Sally Clarkson. I listen to her podcast. I belong to her membership. I identify with her having ideals as a mother. 

I still plan how to reach my daughters hearts, how to lead them still toward Christ in every part of their lives (even though they love the Lord with all their hearts already), how to listen to their feelings, how to strive and try to understand their place right now in the world. 

I believe in a lifegiving home and lifegiving words. I still plan on what to say I can say to them, how to give them words that will build them up, affirm them, filling them with my love and my heart. How to walk beside them, listen to, and be in their saddness, their stress, and their joy. 

They may be 22 and 18, but they are my daughters and I am not done. I will mother them forever. It is my prividlige, my honor, my heart, my life. Nothing is more important than that. 

And to have one whole day to celebrate that, to reflect on that, to be thanked for that, well that is just wonderful. 

Here are just a few pictures from our beautiful day together: 

Other Motherhood post you might like: 

Tiny But Big Motherhood Lessons 

Servant Motherhood Moments 

Motherhood Monday (oh my I just reread and it's so my heart still, even now 💕💕💕)

Motherhood and a Nurturing Home 

Motherhood is Divine