God-Sized Dreams

Behind the Scenes: Bless the Mess

February 4, 2014 by Mel · 26 Comments

I’ve never pretended to be a neat freak.

In fact, those of you who know me, even somewhat well, are laughing right now. 😉

I wouldn’t label myself a slob…it’s just that I definitely flirt with the cluttered side of life sometimes, and I think there are days (weeks? months? YEARS?) that go by when I don’t even notice it. 😉 That might be, too, because it’s so much how my brain is All. The. Time.

Seriously, friends? I feel Sooooooooo. Scattered. Lately.

I can’t believe how much, some days, my head feels like it’s just spinning at a rate I can’t even comprehend.

I even made REAL to-do lists…that’s kind of (mostly) unheard of for this girl. 😉

The other day I was looking at this picture I snapped…the one of the flowers my hubby brought home…and I realized how much MESS there was surrounding what was supposed to be the focal point of the picture.

Ay, ay, ay.

Do you ever feel like this picture?

I have to admit that when I first saw it and took in the mess, I kind of shuddered.

But then…well, I started to see beauty in it.

Beauty like…

…flowers. Well, duh. 😉 Because gerbera daisies are my favorite, and he knows that. I’m loved. And blessed.

…a wipe-off board. One my three year-old is using to practice her letters. Her little brain is soaking it all up. Blessed.

…a sweet photo from Chuck E Cheese. Memories of a day with my girl that was so much more fun than I could have imagined.

…a water bottle from workout a few nights before. I’m healthy, strong, and able to push my body hard. Blessed.

…a stack of books and my Bible. There’s so much out there to learn, so many ways He wants to grow me. Blessed again.

…a winter wonderland outside. Granted, I’ve had it up to my faux hawk 😉 with snow this year…as most of us have. But when I look out and see a beautiful view and am reminded of the blessing God gave us in this home, well…I know I’m blessed.

…a Compassion envelope on the table containing a letter from our sweet, sponsored child in Indonesia, Putra. Thank you, Jesus, for the blessing of being able to pray for him and to be part of His life. I’m the one being blessed here.

And, as I’m processing the millions of blessings I’ve been given?

I look closely and see the words printed on the vase, the one my hubby picked out of the cabinet.

Grateful for simple blessings.

It’s true that life is often messy. Whether the mess covers the dining room table, the living room floor, or just resides in a busy life or dreams that are All. Over. The. Place… 😉

There have been days lately…a lot of them…when I can’t quite figure out the mess.

When I look at my dreams and I have no clue where they’re going or what they look like.

I see them changing in ways I wasn’t expecting.

I see a rough draft that has been almost-untouched for months.

And I wonder what He’s doing in all the mess.

And maybe I don’t know the answer to all of that, but I do know that I can trust where He’s going when I don’t.

There are so many blessings. SO. Many.

Even in the beautiful mess of the unknown.

I need to count them more often.

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Linking up with two of my favorites today!

On Tuesdays, I hang out with some of my favorite friends at Crystal’s place, where she hosts Behind the Scenes.

Behind the Scenes” is a fun link up where we show those photos – but tell the real story behind them. The sneak peek behind the scenes, a look past the edges of the photo to the real life behind it.

And I’m also linking up at God-Sized Dreams, with my favorite dreaming sisters!

I hope you’ll join us for the sweet, sentimental, and silly stories that make up our days…and our dreams.

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My sweet friend, Holley, who has blessed me so much with her heart, her words, her life…she’s releasing her new book today! (And it’s soooo good!!!) Would you join me in cheering loudly for her?! And you can buy it here, too. 😉

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes, being mommy, blessings, encouragement, God-Sized Dreams, just life, Maelie, where I am

Behind the Scenes: On Messes, Hot Cocoa, and a New Bed

January 28, 2014 by Mel · 26 Comments

I admit it: I’m not always that mom. You know, that mom.

The one who will let her daughter create messes with abandon and then dance around the room, cleaning them up after her.

Oh, we have fun…just not the pudding-on-the-walls, glue-all-over-the-table kind.

I try to be messy-fun, I do…sometimes. I even offered to let her finger paint last week and she turned me down.

No joke. 😉

But lately…well, I’ve tried to be better about the mess factor.

She’ll help me make her peanut butter and jelly (or Nutella or fluff) sandwiches or bake cookies.

She’ll spread her play-doh mess all over the dining room table, and I just smile. (And play along because play-doh really IS fun.) 😉

We set up a whole camping scene in the living room last week with lots of blankets and had a total blast.

And, lately…she loves hot cocoa. LOVES it.

And I sometimes-cringe because the chocolate doesn’t just streak her face…it streaks her clothes, the table, and everything within ten feet. This picture shows a little of the mess, though I didn’t get a really good shot. Trust me…she’s chocolatey. 😉

But the funny thing is that, this past Saturday when she was having her daily dose of cocoa-goodness, I didn’t even think about the mess this time.

Instead, I thought about the fact that she sat at the table, drinking out of a REAL MUG, looking like such a big girl.

She’s growing up.

And then, to crack this mama’s heart just a bit more…at that very moment, Tobin was upstairs putting this together.

Yes, my friends, you are actually seeing this.

Cutie patootie toddler, adorable purple butterfly bedding, and big girl bed. BIG. GIRL. BED.

I am not sure I even know what to do with this, and we’re on night #3. (With couch cushions propped on the floor in case she falls out.)

I so badly…SO badly…wish for a pause button. In fact, I kind of just want to stomp my feet in protest, wrap her in my arms, and never let her go.

Because, you know, THAT will stop the passage of time. 😉

And then I take a deep breath and remember (for the millionth time) that time doesn’t stop, and the best thing to do is just enjoy the ride and live the dreams of today.

Embrace every moment, every mess, every bed jump, every hot cocoa stain…because every single one of them are gifts.

Good, messy, wonderful gifts.

And maybe that’s just a good motto for life…take what comes and embrace it fully, no matter what it looks like and no matter what we wish it could be.

Take every season as beautiful…even the ones that include big girl beds and mama tears that spill over just a tad. Remembering to give thanks to the Giver, too…because the gifts He gives sometimes come wrapped in a bit of heartache mixed with joy, but they’re still good gifts.

Let’s dance through it all, sweet girl…and let’s make a few more messes.

Because there’s no one I’d rather dance with…or mess up the house with…than you.

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Linking up with two of my favorites today!

On Tuesdays, I hang out with some of my favorite friends at Crystal’s place, where she hosts Behind the Scenes.

And I’m also linking up at God-Sized Dreams, with my favorite dreaming sisters!

I hope you’ll join us for the sweet, sentimental, and silly stories that make up our days.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes, being mommy, blessings, family, God-Sized Dreams, just life, Maelie, what I'm learning, where I am

For When Your Dreams Are All Over The Map

January 22, 2014 by Mel · 2 Comments

She splashed around the pool, princess kickboard in hand, two plastic mermaid dolls perched on top.

I watched, smiling, as her three-year-old imagination took off, and soon she and her friends were sailing away for the adventure of a lifetime. Yes, my toddler hasn’t yet figured out that mermaids can’t survive on a boat.

Ssshhh…don’t tell her.

A few minutes into the dialogue — the part that goes beyond her usual, tell-me-about-your-day — she delves into the dreams.

Let’s all sail around the world together! It will be an adventure!

And I continued to watch with what was probably the goofiest smile ever plastered on my face.

Her three-year-old dreams…they were So. Big.

Yet, in her mind, the So. Big. translated to the Completely. Possible.

Oh, the lessons I can take away from an afternoon spent in the pool with my sweet daughter. She was convinced at the time that she could sail the world with those two mermaids if she wanted, and nothing would stand in their way.

____________________

A dreamer too, I was so like my daughter as a child.

I’ve had dreams brewing in my heart for as long as I can remember … ones that reached oceans beyond my small town. And, in my young mind, there was no reason they wouldn’t happen…

Today I’m over at God-sized Dreams, sharing a piece of my dreaming journey. Join me, won’t you?

photo credit: Nicolas Raymond

Filed Under: adventures, being mommy, encouragement, God-Sized Dreams, just life, Maelie, remembering, Tobin, what I'm learning, where I am, writing

Behind the Scenes: Insignificant

January 21, 2014 by Mel · 14 Comments

I’ve shared this photo in this space a few times.

I think it’s cool, and it’s one of my hubby’s favorites, too…in fact, the first time I posted it (the first of about six times…) he commented that he was glad more people were going to see it. 😉

I like it for lots of reasons. Let’s see…I’m sitting by the ocean watching the waves.

I’m in flip flops.

Oh, and I have a TAN. (Sorry, it’s January in the Midwest…aren’t we ALL dreaming of the tropics by now???)

Anyway, there’s actually a story behind this photo, too…one that I love to think about, especially when I realize that it’s been FIVE YEARS since this photo was taken. Wowza, time flies.

We were living in Indonesia at the time and had escaped the hustle and bustle of the city for a desperately-needed Thanksgiving break at the beach.

Now some of you might think, Oh, Indonesia. Lots of islands. Lots of beaches.

Yes, that’s true…but it doesn’t mean those beaches are easy to get to, especially when you also live in the middle of mountains. 😉 This particular beach was about a five hour drive…with a little stop to fix a flat tire on the way, too. It was also about 80-100 miles from our home in Bandung…how’s that for travel perspective? 😉

Our time at the beach was full of the kinds of things I like to do on vacation…sunshine, swimming, resting in a hammock, reading, playing games, eating seafood, more sunshine.

It was a good few days to just be.

And I remember, as Sunday afternoon rolled around and we faced leaving and going back to life…a life we loved, but also a life that was exhausting…that I needed a few moments to think.

And so I wandered out to the beach by myself, sat down on the (really, really toasty) sand, and watched the waves crash.

I didn’t know hubby was behind me with the camera, and he snapped a few shots of me as I just sat there and thought.

And what I love about this picture is that I look insignificant.

Tiny.

So very small, compared to the vastness of my Father’s creation.

And that’s exactly how I felt that day, too.

He was doing something so big all around me and in my heart. You wouldn’t know it by looking at that picture, but in that season of life, Tobin and I had finally decided to move forward with adopting. It was scary…a dream we were almost afraid to dream.

And as the mongo waves crashed and I sat there, mesmerized by the stunning view of the rainy weather that would eventually roll in…I was reminded of the beauty that comes with soaking in all that surrounded me.

Just being in his presence was the gift at that moment…and it was almost as if He was giving me a hug, reminding me of His greatness...and reminding me that He can do anything.

Just a few minutes later, we packed up the Kijang and headed out for the long and winding drive home.

Occasionally I’ll look at this picture again…or, ahem…post it on the blog. 😉

I’ll reflect on that season with a sweet sadness as I miss what was and what happened and, also, what didn’t.

And, sometimes…well, sometimes I feel small. Insignificant. But then I remember how BIG He is. (<===Click to Tweet!)

And that I can trust Him with my dreams.

And I whisper thanks.

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Linking up with two of my favorites today!

On Tuesdays, I hang out with some of my favorite friends at Crystal’s place, where she hosts Behind the Scenes.

And I’m also linking up at God-Sized Dreams, with my favorite dreaming sisters!

I hope you’ll join us for the sweet, sentimental, and silly stories that make up our days.

Filed Under: adoption, adventures, Behind the Scenes, blessings, encouragement, friends, God-Sized Dreams, Indonesia, just life, remembering, where I am

Behind the Scenes: Ballet Dreams

January 14, 2014 by Mel · 20 Comments

Yesterday I took her to ballet for her first-ever class.

Gotta admit that, even before we stepped out of the house, she’d already melted my heart with her sweet dancing around the living room as she tried out her new, black, sparkly leotard and borrowed shoes. (Amazon decided not to deliver hers on time…so thankful for friends who have danced this road before us.)

Mommy, I’ve always wanted to be a ballerina! Thank you!

Of course, she is THREE.

We’re not signing her life away just yet…but for the last year, we’ve known that ballet was something she wanted to try, and so we patiently waited until she was old enough.

We arrived at the class a little early, and her slight-timidity kicked in just a bit. She hovered back for a second and grabbed onto my leg, so I walked her over to a little bench where she shed her yoga pants and socks and put on those sweet, little pink shoes.

That was all the magic she needed.

It was time, and she was ready to go.

Time to begin chasing her dream of being a ballerina…however long it lasts.

I think back to my own dancing days, and those were over in just a year or two. Not really my thing.

And dancing might not be her thing either…but it might be.

And because we can and because Mondays are open and because we want her to have opportunities, and we want to let her dream…ballet it is.

And as I looked at the mass of pink and sparkles that gathered together in the room in the form of sweet little girls, I thought about how dreams so often start out just as my sweet little girl’s dream did yesterday…

Just that. A day to begin and to chase it.

We’ll cheer her on, however long it lasts, even if it’s forever. (Or, more likely, not.)

And if her dream changes down the road, we’ll buy those drums (heaven help us) or set up an area for her to paint pictures, pay for those singing lessons or spend hours writing stories together.

There are so many dreams out there, and I love…LOVE…that the world is wide open to her.

And as long as her heart is open to her Father, there’s nothing He can’t do in her life.

No dream that can’t come true.

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Linking up with two of my favorites today!

On Tuesdays, I hang out with some of my favorite friends at Crystal’s place, where she hosts Behind the Scenes.

“Behind the Scenes” is a fun link up where we show those photos – but tell the real story behind them. The sneak peek behind the scenes, a look past the edges of the photo to the real life behind it.

And I’m also linking up at God-Sized Dreams, with my favorite dreaming sisters!

I hope you’ll join us for the sweet, sentimental, and silly stories that make up our days.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes, being mommy, God-Sized Dreams, just life, Maelie, where I am

2014: Restore

January 1, 2014 by Mel · 35 Comments

Warning: This turned into an intense, heart-spill. Thanks for reading.

Hi, friends! Happy New Year!

And, yes, I’m blogging three days in a row…which hasn’t happened since, like, 2012.

And now that you’ve picked yourselves up off the floor… 😉

Restore. My word for 2014.

I’ll get to that in a minute. It’s one that has caused more wrestling and wondering and tears before I even chose it as my word for the year.

But let’s back up and talk about Dream for a minute.

It was my word for 2013…and, in every way, the safe choice for the year.

I was already part of the God-Sized Dream Team.

Already in the thick of dreaming and surrounded by so many other dreamers.

It just made sense.

Oh, there were parts of it that were challenging, definitely, and I don’t regret my choice at all. In all of the dreaming, and the hard part…doing, God did incredible things…opened doors and opportunities. 2013 was definitely a dreaming journey, one that has changed my life forever.

But, today…and this year, Restore.

It was supposed to be Create.

You see, that’s the word I wanted. It’s something I love. A word I had planned on making my focus for the year because it’s so easy for me.

To pull out the paint and a canvas and splash art.

To pick up my hook and yarn and make something cute that I’d rather not pay $30 for in a store. Or to make a cute hat for a friend.

To frustrate myself through the roof with my Rainbow Loom, but somehow make a cute bracelet. Yes, I bought one. It’s fun. And completely addicting…and, yes, I promise I am 35 years old. 😉

Creating…it comes naturally. And it’s easy.

But God said something different this time…and, ironically, He said it through a painting. (And a whole series of events that make up an incredible account…I’ll be sharing that soon, but not today.) 😉

He said it through this.

Restore.

I will restore you. Your marriage, your heart, your emotions, your confidence, ALL of it.

You see, I paint a word mural in this space.

While I keep it real most days, unless you know me intimately, you don’t know the brokenness that resides in this heart.

Some of it is my own doing, some of it isn’t.

But regardless of the source, there are pieces of me that need to be restored. Not fixed completely…but at least brought back to a place of being able to shine Him again, even if it’s through cracks.

Our marriage…it’s hard. We are night and day, sunshine and rain…and looking for the rainbow. I know it’s there, and I remind myself of that daily as, sometimes, we try desperately to hold on. The Truth is that we are working to make Him first again. I’m not sure how it happened, but somewhere in the last eleven plus years, we became more me-me-me, and less Him-Him-Him.

Pray for us? Please?

My mommy heart needs to be restored and reminded daily of the blessing I have in my precious daughter. Most days I know it and feel it and the two of us dance it out like the crazy, fun girls we are. 😉 And others…the ones when my period is late or I’m cramping horribly…well, I focus on what I don’t have. Will you pray that God will restore my heart? And because I believe in being real…and also because so many of you are my family…here’s the deal. Really.

And I want you to know it.

We’re focusing on us and our sweet girl. There’s no trying right now, and I’m ok with that. We are hoping a few months down the road that we’ll be in that place again, but today, we’re not there. It’s been a source of me needing to let go of my perfect family ideal…which didn’t include kiddos who were four or five years apart. (If that.) And yet, here we are.

And I long to be ok.

And there’s also a deep desire for freedom and restoration of my past…situations that left me broken, empty, and almost unable to go back to the place that was my home for so many years.

The truth is that, right now, I can’t go back without a pit in my stomach, a hardness to my heart, and tears brimming on my eyelids.

I hate that it’s that way. Hate it.

And I know that ONLY HE can Restore it and somehow glue back together the pieces that fell apart so long ago.

I mean it when I say that it’s almost become easier to live broken than to live Restored.

But I long for it…and He has spoken it.

Now, I need to obey it.

So, Father, please Restore…whatever it is that needs to be restored in me. Make my heart new, make it long for You, make it shine You again. I know You can and You will.

God gave me a verse recently…and, ironically, it popped up as the verse of the day yesterday. But maybe it’s just another little whisper from Him that He’s got this.

This…THIS…it’s my prayer.

My hope.

My promise from Him for 2014.

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)

Restore 2014. He Will.

And, thank you…to each of you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being willing to walk this journey with me.

That makes you my friend, and I love you for it.

***Linking up at Circles of Faith and the One Word 365 community today.

Filed Under: barefoot, being mommy, encouragement, family, God-Sized Dreams, Maelie, marriage, Tobin, what I'm learning, where I am

God-Sized Dreams: Looking Back at a Year

December 31, 2013 by Mel · 22 Comments

I’ve gotta admit something to you, my sweet and faithful readers.

I have procrastinated this post up and down and all around. I have known for weeks…weeks…that it needed to be written. I’ve had days in those weeks when I could have easily taken an hour, gotten comfy on the couch under my awesome sherpa blanket, and pounded out the words you are about to read.

At least, I hope you are about to read them. (I still have to actually WRITE them. Ahem.)

😉

It isn’t that I don’t want to…it’s because when I look back at this year, I almost don’t know where to start.

Except at the very beginning, so here goes. Please stick with me? Thanks a bunch.

It really began in 2012, on a cold (and early!) November morning when I was sitting at the table, eyes a bit glazed over, hand clutching my first cup of coffee, making my bloggy rounds. (The list was a lot shorter then.)

I found myself at (in)courage, really the site where it all began for me. I love that sweet space so much and drop by several times a week for the wisdom, laughter, and love these precious sisters share with their readers. That particular morning, I found myself clicking around more than usual, and I landed on a post written by my sweet and now-dear friend, Holley Gerth.

An invitation, really.

She was putting together a God-Sized Dream Team…and would I like to be part of it?

Of course I would!

She was accepting 99 women, and oh…Oh. How. My. Hopes. Flew. Way. Up. Beyond. The. Clouds.

I quickly filled out the application, sharing that my dream was to publish my book.

And when I sent in that application, that’s what I thought. That the heart of my dream was to write a book. Publish it. Maybe be famous, too.

A few weeks later, I received the e-mail that sent me on a little happy dance across my living room. (I really do happy dance. Often. You should try it sometime.) 😉 I’m thrilled to let you know that you’ve been chosen as part of the God-Sized Dream Team!

And what followed in those six months, which turned into a year and now more than a year…

There were gifts like intentional time to find my strengths and pray through how God can use them. (For a non-organized person like myself, this was a good thing. My focus often needs to be narrowed down.) I also learned the importance of carving out that time to pursue book-writing, and I faithfully visited Starbucks (SUCH a chore ;)) weekly to pound out as many words as possible on the rough draft.

In just a few months, I had completed my rough draft and handed it to my first friend.

Dream definitely on its way to being realized.

Yes?

Or, maybe…the dreams were just starting to grow.

Over the course of a year, a little piece at a time, He began to show me that it wasn’t just one dream. While there’s definitely a book in there (and oh, how I can’t wait to share it with all of you!!!) there’s so much more.

SO much more.

Dreams like being the best possible wife and mommy…a dream that I have to daily place in His hands and pray through.

Dreams like someday working on a medical ship as a family. (Yeah, this one’s BIG.)

Dreams like traveling to Uganda to help clean the jiggers from the feet of little children and give them shoes. Shoes that will save their lives…and tell them about the Jesus who saved them, too.

Even dreams that I didn’t know were in my heart…You see, I’d been so used to writing…just writing. Not really connecting, just sharing words and rarely going beyond my little online space.

And then, somehow, God took a group of 99 women and built a family. These women? They’re my sisters. I’ve had the privilege to hug many of them in real life…but all of our hearts are connected.

photo credit: Melissa Aldrich

And then, He took a few of us, and we formed a smaller Mastermind group…and from that, the dream of a brave sister became a new site for dreamers, one that launched yesterday.

And my dream of being a contributing writer came true. The one I’d been so afraid to speak aloud.

I feel humbled, blessed, and honored to even be part of it.

So when I look back at this year of dreaming God-Sized Dreams???

I see blessings…almost too many to even count.

A finished rough draft. Even a meeting with an agent. (I still haven’t written about that, have I?!) 😉

Hugs and heart spills with friends…those in real life and those online. The gift of community is precious.

Prayer times and Google Hangouts.

Voxer and the laughter, love, and sometimes-embarrassment it has brought to my days.

Allowing my heart to bleed even more for what God is doing all over the world.

Learning to take His hand each day and trust Him with my dreams.

And the reminder that sometimes dreams come in the everyday, extraordinary…like this. And there’s nothing small about these kind of dreams, either.

So how do I wrap up a year?

I don’t.

This journey isn’t over. In fact, I’ll be sharing tomorrow what’s next…or, at least, what I think is next.

This year…oh, He’s shown me just how much MORE He can do…beyond what I could have ever hoped or dreamed. He’s SO Good.

And I am so, so thankful. Praise Him for all of it.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

And today, friends?

We’re linking up at the new God-Sized Dreams website! I hope you’ll stop by, read the stories of other dreamers, and even share yours, too! And thanks to each of you for sharing your lives and being a part of mine. You bless me more than you will ever know.

Filed Under: adventures, blessings, community, encouragement, friends, God-Sized Dreams, remembering, where I am, writing

When Dreams Come True

December 30, 2013 by Mel · 14 Comments

I’ve written this post in my head about 636 times. 😉

It’s so funny how things that are so big, so life-changing, so amazing to my heart…are sometimes equally difficult to write about.

And this one? Well, I want to do it justice…because it’s all about dreams. God-sized Dreams.

And I’ll be sharing more tomorrow about how God took the ones in my heart and grew them beyond anything I could have ever imagined. ‘Cause He’s awesome like that.

But today, I want to share this brand new space with you.

It’s the dream of a sister and friend, Christine…she bravely stepped forward and obeyed when God said, Yes. Do this. I’ve got it. All.

And we have certainly seen that He does have it all…down to every last, even often small, detail. As we’ve prayed over this space…and shed a few tears before praying some more…we’ve seen Him move and guide.

And now there’s a beautiful place for dreamers to connect.

Today her dream becomes a sweet, beautiful, reality, and she’s invited me, along with several of my sisters, to be part of the journey. And that means that my own God-sized Dream of being a contributing writer comes true today, too. Squeeeee!

Dreams all over the place are comin’ true, I tell ya! 😉

I hope you’ll take the time today to stop by and leave her some sweet encouragement and comment love…she has such an amazing heart for God-sized Dreamers, and I know her words…and her heart behind them…will bless you.

Filed Under: adventures, blessings, community, friends, God-Sized Dreams, where I am, writing

Just a Chat (with Coffee)

December 20, 2013 by Mel · 4 Comments

It’s one of those mornings…oh, don’t misunderstand me. I love a good Friday morning. (Especially when it comes with coffee, and it always does.) It’s just the kind of morning where throwing out confessions feels freeing.

Don’t judge...sometimes it’s just good for the soul.

Confessions like, I haven’t vacuumed the kitchen floor in two, give-or-take, days. (Black kitchen, golden retrievers, you do the math.)

Ahem.

Or, that for about the thirteenth time this week, I jacked up the heat three degrees and am sitting on the heating vent in the kitchen, snuggled under the most amazing, sherpa-lined blanket ever, thanks to a fantastic Christmas party/gift exchange. I’m a sucker for an awesome blanket…I kind of never want to crawl out from under it. 😉 (And, while we’re talking about blankets and heating vents, I am fully expecting a heating blanket for Christmas…that’s kind of a serious confession. And maybe a little hint.)

😉

Or, I could somewhat-embarrassingly confess that I don’t want to wash my hair today because the faux hawk my stylist gave me a couple days ago is awesome. (Though I rock it nowhere near as well as the beautiful Crystal.) 😉 And yes, I am posting a selfie. I promise I am not one of those people…I just am today. 😉

Or, that I completely feel like a Christmas shopping failure. Even though I’m finished. I have managed, TWICE now, to buy the wrong size in a certain gift for my hubby. The first time, I guessed the size wrong, and the second time, I bought the right size. (Or so it was marked.) Got it home…and, WRONG. Can I just tell you that I really don’t want to go back to the mall? Ugh. (No picture…we need some actual surprises in our house on Christmas morning.) 😉

And though it might not fall into the confession category exactly, I’m gonna take a little bloggy break until after Christmas. I want the next days of this beautiful season to be spent with my little family, my church family, and my friends…focusing on the real Reason we celebrate. I have to admit that it brought tears to my eyes today as I watched my daughter acting out the Christmas story with her little people. Such sweet, precious moments, and I don’t want to miss any of them. Oh, she melts my heart, even on the super silly days.

Golly, I love her.

But be sure to stop back by around the 30th because I have something cool…or maybe more than cool…to share with all of you.

I kind of can’t wait…I’m so thankful to God for all He’s doing, and I can’t wait to tell you all about how one of my big dreams is coming true. Now I know you’ll come back…haha! 😉

Until then…

Merry Christmas, sweet friends!

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, coffee, family, God-Sized Dreams, hair, just life, Maelie, where I am, writing

Behind the Scenes: The Day We Shared Life

December 17, 2013 by Mel · 26 Comments

She sends me a facebook message to let me know she’ll be in town, and I count down the days because I can hardly wait to hug her neck. Yes, we just saw each other at Allume in October, but you see…she’s my community.

My sister.

My friend.

And from the first minutes of the ride back from Schaumburg, it’s like old times. Or, in particular, old timE…because this is only the second time we’ve been in real life. There have been countless Google hangout prayer times and a few other chats, connecting over blogs and Twitter and dreaming…and all of these things have made us old friends.

She does life with me that day…we stop at church and I get to introduce her to a few of my favorite people. We deliver bread to the daycare I visit every Friday. Maelie and I take her to our favorite little restaurant for lunch, and then it’s back to my house, where I put on my yoga pants…the ones I promised her I’d be wearing when I picked her up, and then I showed up in skinny jeans. (Sorry.) 😉

And we make hot chai, kick our feet up on the furniture, and heart-spill.

It’s wonderful.

At one point, we even pull out the Nutella and two spoons…making up for what was supposed to happen at Allume and didn’t. I find that, after trying it for the third time, I actually like it…and I double, then triple, dip. Good friends can do that, you know. 😉

And though we promise not to check the clock, we watch the hours, then minutes, tick slowly toward the five, and we know it’s almost over…the seven hours of in-real-life sisterhood we were privileged to share.

We snap a few selfies and even share one on Facebook with our dream team…and I really should have turned off the flash, but I didn’t, and it’s ok. We’re just really bright and sparkly…which is kind of how our hearts felt that day, anyway. 😉

Too soon, it’s time to pack up and take her home.

The traffic is a little pokey, and for once, I don’t mind. Let it crawl, let it crawl, I pray.

There are moments we want to hold on to…and this past Friday was one of them.

My sweet sister, Mandy, came to my house, sat on my couch, and shared life with me. It’s kind of been a dream for a long time…and it was every bit as sweet as I thought it would be.

And it would have been, even without the Nutella. 😉

Here’s to sisterhood and the blessing of community…a gift I can’t even put into words.

**************************

Happy Tuesday, friends! Today is the day when I join some sweet friends at Crystal’s space for Behind the Scenes. We’re sharing the silly and sweet and sometimes-tear-jerking moments that happen behind the camera lens…I hope you’ll take some time and pop over to read some great stories.

Social media and online relationships can make us feel like everyone else has it all together. We’re edited, proof-read, Pinterest-perfect versions of ourselves (or so some might think!) when – in reality? There is an unfinished pile of laundry around the corner. That cute toddler smiling for the camera just had a massive meltdown seconds ago. That yummy breakfast-for-dinner you just showed us on Instagram? It’s because the cat licked the chicken that was supposed to be for dinner.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes, blessings, community, friends, God-Sized Dreams, just life, Maelie, where I am

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Behind the Scenes: On Messes, Hot Cocoa, and a New Bed

For When Your Dreams Are All Over The Map

Behind the Scenes: Insignificant

Behind the Scenes: Ballet Dreams

2014: Restore

God-Sized Dreams: Looking Back at a Year

When Dreams Come True

Just a Chat (with Coffee)

Behind the Scenes: The Day We Shared Life

Mel

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