Happy New Year and Birthday

Well Happy Birthday to me!

As I sit back and reflect on the year that just passed and make plans for the new year ahead I find myself praising God for His mercy and grace. I am blessed beyond what my human head can comprehend.

My goals for this coming year are rather simple. I wish to put God first. First in my thoughts, actions and intentions. I want to be open to Him so He can use me as a vessel to shine His light in this dark world and do His will.

I want to live and parent intentionally. What I mean is I don’t want to let life pass me by, or let life ‘happen to me’. I want to plan and act with purpose. I want to be an active planner and participator in my own life. I have several things on the agenda to make sure I live in this moment, here and now.

I want the rhythm of my home to be simple and creative. I will rejoice in the frugal, I will create with reckless abandon.

I will find light in the darkness and I will radiate happiness. I will let He who created all shine through me.

And I will blog more….

Yep, I’m that mom

So yesterday Reagan and I had to do some back to school shopping for a needy family at church. Since we live in a very small town our Wal-Mart is not super, or open 24 hours or very well stocked. So armed with sizes and school supply lists we headed to Ottumwa where they have Dollar tree, Target and a super Wal-Mart. Unfortunately we had to go to all 3… I tried to get everything I needed at Target since I love them and try to avoid the other place at all cost but alas the list could not be completed until we made a stop at Wal-Mart.

Shopping for other people’s kids can be hard. Especially if you don’t have them there to try things on. Plus I have never had to buy kid size underwear so I was treading new waters to begin with…and Reagan was getting bored. I learned valuable lessons yesterday.

1. Never give her something to occupy her unless you intend to buy it. Grabbing some random thing off the shelf to entertain her since she had already gotten bored with the things you actually planned on buying will result in a ‘situation’ at the check out where you are unable to pry said object out of her clenched little fists and the check out lady will have to come around and scan it in her hands. No thank you, no need to remove the tag for her…you see that is the part she likes. Ugh, now we have an ugly pony with hair. At least it’s not plastic. Obviously Reagan is smarter than I am. She caught on much faster and thus receive something new at each store. I only realized it when I sat back and reflected on the day.

2. I learned that Reagan prefers to ride in the back of the cart where she can better inspect my choices and where she can discard any she doesn’t agree with. Pitching things over the side of the cart was great fun for her, less so for me. While I was trying to decide on underwear she managed to open the one pack I could settle on…

So I was the mom in Wal-Mart with the baby in the cart saying “Hi” to everyone and waving a pair of little boy’s tighty whities above her head…we got lots of laughs. Ahh memories

Warning

Should you come to my house today you shall find a frumpy wild-looking woman with a clean bathroom. You see my husband is out-of-town and my child woke up at 5:30 am and I just couldn’t be bothered with any sort of beautification today… I am rocking the hobo look.

On a brighter note, my “helpers” arrived today to play with Reagan so I can get things done around the house. It was amazing to be able to scrub the bathroom without having to listen to Reagan scream because she is being “contained”. She hates being in the jumper, excersaucer or play pen. She will play under or around the jumper or exercauser but not in it. I am already planning my projects for when they arrive on Thursday. Hopefully with their assistance I will make progress on the organizing and decorating of our home. Oh and the mountain of boxes in the garage…out of sight, out of mind right?

If you need lettuce help yourself to the lettuce forest growing in our garden!

 

So much to catch you up on!

 

Apparently the person we were pirating internet from moved out of the trailer park taking his free unsecured internet with him. And as you know I can’t blog from work anymore…

OK I am going to try and remember everything I wanted to tell you.

Bad news first, Michael’s father Sonny was admitted to the hospital the day after we arrived with an infection in his foot. He was not released until the day after we left which was sad but he did get to see Reagan and he was so in love. The week after they sent him home he was admitted again. Turns out that infection was gangrene and they had to amputate his toes. He would have lost the whole leg but his circulation is nonexistent in his leg (he is wheel chair bound) and the surgery would have killed him. Thankful all the prayers on his behalf appear to have stopped the infection from spreading. God is very good and we know the last few years have been a gift since we almost lost him several times. Please continue to pray.

So I am juggling the whole working mom thing and I appear to be doing OK. Just very busy and sleep deprived. However the Lord has presented us with a very amazing new opportunity, This last weekend we went to Iowa to try out for the preaching position. Should we be blessed with this ministry I would be able to be a stay at home mom. Not to get my hopes up too soon but it is looking very favorable and we will know the congregations decision on Sunday when they vote. The elder we stayed with is also on the pulpit committee and said he would be very surprised it they didn’t choose us. He hasn’t heard a single negative things and everyone loves us. Which is great because we love them!!! You couldn’t ask for a nicer more spirit filled group of people located in the quaintest little town just perfect for raising a family. Need further proof that it would be perfect for us? The ladies aid meets weekly to make quilts for the needy! AND a large portion of the congregation are farmers…you know how Michael feels about barnyard animals! Plus there are 3 other babies born in September so Reagan would have friends. I am praying earnestly as I would love to have these people be part of my life!

Of course it would mean moving fairly quickly and I would get to finish decorating the trailer…oh so sad NOT.

On the sewing front I am currently tracing and cutting out Reagan’s spring and summer wardrobe. Since the tracing and cutting is the part I like least I figure I would do it all in one whack. Some hopefully soon I will have loads of fun stuff to show you.

As for Christmas, I want to start special traditions that do not revolve around the gifts. SO I hope to keep the gift giving a small part of the holidays…easier said than done, I just realized. I got a little carried away in the local toy store and Target. I may put some of it back for her Easter basket.

I am sure I am forgetting stuff… I should start writing things down. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas with their families. Please take time to ponder the miracles and mysteries in Christ’s birth!

Poor Neglected Blog

Nothing exciting is really happening in these parts aside from the fact that we are FREEZING!

The other day I had a client ask me to hurry with his service as it was so cold outside…he was in Southern Georgia. I offered no pity and had to bite back a snarky remark.

Anyway, Emily and I cleaned up the sewing room so we will hopefully have new projects to show soon.

Oh yeah…It’s my birthday.

I suspect

it is probably too late to tell Santa I want a spinning wheel and a sheep…..Maybe for my birthday!

It’s all about Perspective

Emily and I often listen to musicals while we sew since I abhor bubble gum pop and Garth Brooks and she can only bear so much Christian hip hop. Today while listening to the phantom sound track we had the following exchange. Its struck me a funny so I thought I would share with you….

 

Crys: The Phantom is such a tool

 

Emily: I don’t know, I kind of feel sorry for him. It is societies fault for his behavior since he was treated so unfairly.

 

Crys: I’m not buying that….. Quasimodo wasn’t a jerk and didn’t steal women. Society was just as cruel to him.

 

Emily: You have a point there.

 

At this point we sung along to the music in a very mismatched duet. Emily can sing whilst I make up for talent with volume.

 

Emily: I need to find a Phantom for next Halloween because I really want to go as Christine.

 

Crys: I’ll go as Quasimodo….

  

We are rather random

Random and funny

 

 

 

Yeah….so

Not a lot going on. I am in the mist of my long stretch at work (Boo Hoo). I am playing stash game so I am frantically sewing and trying to get my Christmas projects done. But I can’t show you because it might spoil your Christmas suprise.

IT did occure to me that for someone who loves Gnomes as much as I do, I really don;t have very many. SO if you see and fun, cool Gnomes give me a heads up. I need to add to my colony.

Did you know it is bad luck to not name your Gnome as soon as you get him?

Uncontent

I have very nice birds……

 

But I would rather have goats!