Sunday Night at the Moment…

May 6, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Thinking about sleep and how wonderful it will be tonight. Road trips kinda drain me, and I can’t really sleep in the car. The Dodge Caravan makers did nothing to help that situation, either. Two thumbs WAY down for the headrests! Also about how bad that gas station coffee was today. Blech…and shudder.

Wishing for long chats with friends. And coffee dates. And a really, really BIG slice of cake with lots of frosting and two forks. It’s a good thing we don’t have any cake in the house right now!

Wondering how God is going to answer some pretty big questions right now. Struggling to trust, but knowing that He’ll give what we need.

Loving on my girl. Golly, she’s cute and huggable. She is not a roadtrip rockstar, but her sweet smile and general adorable-ness force me love her to the sky and back despite the sleepless hours spent rather un-quietly.

Drinking tea. (Getting over a cold.) Out of my Scotland mug from a friend. Scotland, tea…it works. :) It’s wild berry, and I put not-enough honey in it. Oh, well…I’ll conserve my energy and drink it as is.

Eating nothing. I wish? I were eating chocolate. But chocolate is better with a friend. So I’ll wait. 😉

Remembering a couple weeks back to a night that I laughed harder than I’d laughed in a long time. Happy memory. Thinkin’ we should all laugh more.

Stressing over not much at the moment. I really try to not think too far ahead, which could be good or bad, depending on who you are. The crazy of summer will be here fast enough…I’ll enjoy my last few weeks of chill.

Fighting myself on submitting something to a blog. It’s daring, it’s SO out of my element…and I think it could be really good. Need to be brave and give up the fight.

Looking forward to putting up Mae’s swimming pool and celebrating two and dates to the park and walks with friends and early-morning running around the park and all things sunshine and summer and wonderful.

Listening to the nightly episode of Blue’s Clues, interspersed with the sweetest little voice letting out a little giggle or sharing what she knows. So good.

Watching a computer screen. 😉 Obviously nothing since Blue is dominating the screen. Thinking about a tear-jerker of a chick flick and snuggling under a blanket once the girlie is in bed. The Notebook, anyone?

Singing a lot in my head. Nothing aloud at the moment, though this is most definitely a favorite lately.

Regretting cruddy days and swollen eyes and words that ruin moments we can’t get back.

Thanking Him that there are such things as forgiveness and grace and that tomorrow is full of new mercy.

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life, where I am

Little Blessings (Pt. 34)

May 5, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

:) Sunny days, just-a-little-pink shoulders, and flip flops.

:) Catching up with friends I don’t see often…but friends who will always have a special place in my heart.

:) Afternoon naps when it’s dark and stormy outside.

:) Caribou Coffee.

:) Cuddling and seeing the sweet smiles of my precious nephew…the one who had to have heart surgery when he was just a week old. So incredibly thankful that he is here with us.

:) Family time and my favorite dessert ever. (Ask me about it…I’ll gladly make it for you as long as you share with me. ;))

:) The cool ways that God answers prayer.

:) Having good memories of a place that used to be home.

:) A huge AHA! moment…one that you will probably be hearing about very, very soon. 😉

:) Sleep…eight hours of it coming my way.

G’nite, friends. :)

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life

Five-Minute Friday: Real

May 4, 2012 by · 1 Comment

Today I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo at The Gypsy Mama for Five-Minute Friday.

Join me!

The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, or overthinking. Just write.

Today’s Topic: Real

I am a person who doesn’t typically have a problem being real. I’ll tell you the details of my day, laugh over the crazy things that happened, cry over what hurts, and just generally give you what’s on my heart. It’s how I connect, how I love, how I’m real. 

Sometimes I think it bothers people when I truly open up. Maybe, as a general rule, people are comfortable with NOT knowing everything. I could, in fact be one of those rare finds…because I want to know about what’s going on in your life…

So I can know you, pray for you, love you by caring about you.

I’ve found…in the many places life has taken us, in the midst of the unpredictable, in the thrills of this life that is a roller coaster…that being real is what creates the deepest, most long-lasting friendships.

Being real is what brings life and love to relationships.

I know there will always be days when I share too much and am a little too honest. It’s just how I am.

But I love that can be real in this community…and so I’ll choose that.

What’s real with you? I’d love to hear. :)

Sig

Filed Under: barefoot, blessings, Five Minute Friday, where I am, writing

Sara’s Story

May 3, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Last September a friend of mine passed away. I’d been faithfully reading her blog for quite awhile, and she was truly one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever known. Even if I never met her.

Because that’s how this works…I feel like I know my sisters and friends through the things they write. Even if we never actually get to exchange hugs in person.

Last weekend, as part of the (in)RL conference, (in)courage featured Sara’s story…the story of this sweet friend. They have graciously made it available to everyone because they believe…and so do I…that it’s something everyone should see.

It’s a bit lengthy…around 30 minutes…but I promise you. I PROMISE. You won’t regret it and it WON’T be wasted time. I think it’s life-changing. (But, I warn you, have tissues ready.)

Enjoy. :)

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, friends, remembering, writing

Bless This Mess of Mommy-ness

May 2, 2012 by · 2 Comments

Oy.

All the coffee in the Starbucks on 31 could not make up for today.

Oy.

Oh, I already said that.

So, Maelie has been battling a nasty cold/cough this week. We’ve been home all week except for a quick trip to the doctor yesterday, and this morning I decided we just needed to get out. No fever, just a runny nose and cough. Armed with tissues and a sippy of juice, we ventured to…where else?

Target.

I hadn’t washed my hair for over two days…and it had been at least that long since I’d completely removed my eye makeup, too. Not sure what I was wearing, but I’m pretty sure I looked rock-star quality…ish.

But I needed a couple things and wanted to look at the Target on Randall for something I couldn’t find at the one on 72.

Ooooohhh…I think to myself as I park the car. I forgot this one has a Starbucks. I sure could use one today.

:)

Since we’ve been trying to be more careful with money, I don’t go to Starbucks anymore. Still…I thought it would be kind of fun to get a frappuccino (a light one) and share it with Maelie. The barista was nice and even put part of it in a little cup with a straw just for her.

So off we went through the red and white aisles, sipping our Bux together.

Yes, I realize I am giving my daughter caffeine…there also wasn’t that much in there. I just want to clear that up…thanks. 😉

However, I failed to remember that when I’m sick, cold things tend to make me cough more, and it was no different with Mae. No sooner had she started drinking this glorious, chocolatey concoction when the cough flared up. Badly. Fail.

She was hacking so loudly that I pulled out a tissue to kind of muffle the sound and/or catch whatever might be flying out. Poor sweetie.

People looked, and I tried my best to ignore them.

But there was that one lady…oh, I let her get to me. She stopped her cart five feet away and stared me down while Maelie coughed and coughed.

I could feel the judgment burning.

Everything in me wanted to look her square in the eye and tell her that I had taken my daughter to the doctor and, though she sounded bad, she was really fine. I wanted to and I should have…but I didn’t.

I didn’t stick up for myself, and I think that was my second epic fail of the day.

I hurried through the aisles, desperate to get out of the store as quickly as possible, feeling like an utter failure as a mommy, and to top it off, I wasn’t feeling pretty. I know, I know…but it DOES help when your hair and makeup are actually done well.

I made it all the way to the cash register before the tears fell. They’d been brimming the whole time, and something about how the girl said, How are you today?, made them course down my cheeks.

Thankfully she was willing to listen to this poor, first-time, feeling-like-a-disaster, mommy pour out her heart over something that wasn’t nearly as big a deal as she was making it. She was sympathetic…more than she needed to be, but I sure did appreciate it.

We headed home and had some lunch, played a little, read some stories. I was incredibly ready for her naptime…mostly so I could start checking things off my extremely lengthy to-do list before we leave tomorrow night for Minnesota.

Guess what?

No nap. She. Didn’t. Sleep. A. Single. Minute. All. Afternoon.

I got a few things done while she protested (loudly) and finally gave in and got her up. I’m thinking that the caffeine might also qualify as an epic fail…perhaps?

How many is that for the day?

Tobin got home with, thankfully, enough energy to play with Mae for awhile so I could go run off two-point-something miles of steam, and I got home, we ate dinner…all was good.

Until…bathtime.

Tob was outside mowing, and I took her upstairs for her bath. I plopped her in the tub, she was playing happily, and I turned my back for a second.

A second. Seriously.

And then I heard the splash.

She’d taken the 64 oz. cup we let her play with sometimes, filled it with water, and poured it over the side of the tub.

By now I’m sure I was saying much more than Oy…

I mopped up the mess, got her into her pajamas, and very gladly passed her on to my hubby.

Confession? I don’t feel like I was a good mommy today. At all.

In fact, I feel like a greasy-haired, smeared-makeup, sleep-deprived, mess.(Except I washed my hair after my run so I can’t play that card anymore. ;))

I just sat down again after going upstairs for a cuddle, a song, and a prayer…necessary things even though he was the one who put her to bed tonight.

And despite the day we had together, I am still so completely, madly in love with my daughter.

So, tomorrow, we’ll wake up, try again, and hope for a much better day full of laughs and memories and things that bring joy…and no caffeine. :) I’ll love her even more than I do right now, though I always wonder how it’s possible…even though it always is.

Because that’s what blessed, mommy-messes do.

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, just life, Maelie, where I am

Let’s Talk

May 1, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

About…well a lot of things.

There’s a lot that’s gone unprocessed in this heart. Not sure how much I feel like sharing, but hey, we can at least start. :)

I really like coffee. Like THAT is news to any of you! So, yes, though it is late-ish, I am most definitely sipping the brew with some yummy cinnamon creamer. Happy, contented sigh.

Poor Mae has been fighting a cold all week. My momma heart was so sad for her, especially yesterday, when she was so clingy and looked completely miserable. I took the safe route and took her to the doctor, sure that she had bronchitis because her cough was so bad.

Nope. Just a cough.

It always happens that way, doesn’t it? Had I not taken her? I’m sure she’d have pneumonia.

I guess it’s better that I took her and made my wallet $30 thinner. At least we know and she’ll be healthy for the weekend road trip.

We’re jetting…well, technically, Dodge Caravanning…outta here Thursday night to head up to the Twin Cities to see Tobin’s family. And, of course, squeezing in some friend time. And, I think, a mandatory visit to Cafe Latte, even if it’s just for a slice of cake with two forks. Mmmmm…that is most definitely on my trip-to-Minnesota wish list. Along with dinner with some of our close friends, including Maelie’s middle-namesake. We can’t wait to hug them. :)

There will be lots of good grandma and grandpa time, and then we’ll make the drive home on Sunday, probably leaving sometime in the morning.

Though I love seeing parts of our former lives (golly, that sounded weird. sorry ;)) it is nice to be home. There’s a little slice of my personality that revels in the normal and familiar. That COULD be a shock to some of you. It certainly is to me!

So you know how I raved about the book, The Hunger Games? Three of my friends are finally reading it (two have finished), which means…………..yaHOO! People who will go see the movie with me! I think we have a tentative date for sometime next week.

Pretty exciting stuff!

In all of Mae’s sickness :( and clingy issues in the past few days, we’ve spent far too much time in front of the TV, cuddling. This mommy, who totally loves her girl, can still only take so much Sesame Street and Blues Clues and even Little House on the Prairie…true. (So we did lots of story reading, too!)

But when we were (both) sick of all of that, we resorted to watching You Tube clips…there’s a lot out there. I enjoyed some nostalgia as I browsed through old favorites. In keeping with my daughter’s love for Sesame Street, I’ll share this one with you.

Oh, how much I love this song. It was a sweet reminder of childhood…the days pass too quickly. :)

Thanks, y’all for stopping by the blog tonight! Love you bunches.

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, coffee, friends, just life, Maelie, travel, where I am

(in)RL: I Heart Community

April 30, 2012 by · 4 Comments

I’ve talked about (in)Real Life a lot lately. And I’m going to talk about it again. :)

Just today. Promise. :)

It’s just that it was SO. SO. Incredibly. GOOD.

Here’s the thing. When I signed up for it ages ago, I was pumped to meet fellow (in)courage readers and bloggers…and just make some new friends. That’s totally the ENFP in me. Truly all about relationships.

But I also knew I couldn’t host a meet-up, though I did consider it. Too many factors weighed in on that one, and to top it off, I had committed to leading a workout that morning just a few hours before it kicked off. I watched the meet-up lists for weeks, sure that one would be happening at least somewhat close to me.

It didn’t happen, and I was disappointed. I knew that if I attended one of the closest ones to me, it still meant more than an hour of driving one way, and I didn’t have it in my day.

Instead, I mentioned it to a friend.

I’ve got an awesome community of girlfriends here. Oh, they’re like coffee with extra-yummy creamer on a gloomy, rainy day. They just make my life better, sweeter, and more alive. But the one thing we don’t have in common is blogging. Some of them enthusiastically read my blog, and I so value that they show their love to me in that way. But they don’t follow other blogs, and so I knew they didn’t completely understand what a huge part of my life this place called (in)courage is.

But I opened it up anyway, asking if any of my friends would like to join me.

And two of them did!

Our day looked different from most (in)RL meetups. We already knew each other.

But we still brewed the coffee, ate some awesome food, kicked up our feet…

And something happened that day.

We walked away knowing each other’s hearts better. Because let’s be honest…we all have joys and sorrows and need those people to love us and pray for us and just be there for us.

I’ve been so thankful for this community of love that God has given me…but I’m even more thankful now.

As we watched stories unfold…

…like incredible ways God answered prayer for dear sisters-in-Christ

…and how God used a woman who was willing to be obedient to reach many, many women in Kenya

…like the reminder that we were created exactly as He wanted us to be…and WE. ARE. BEAUTIFUL.

…and listened to the beauty of blended voices as women from around the world read Truth together

…we laughed together, we let a few tears drip together (ok…that was probably more me ;)), we shared our hearts, we loved a little deeper.

We were community. We still are.

The day didn’t end up looking at all like what I had originally thought it might…but I have no doubt that God was in it, and He worked it out exactly as it should have been. He knew what I needed more than I did and met me exactly where I was. As He always, always does.

Thank you to my beautiful sisters at (in)courage for giving us this incredible weekend! I want to hug you all! What a blessing you are…and will continue to be…in my life.

Oh, I heart community!

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, friends, what I'm learning, where I am

A Memory

April 29, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

…because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
1 Thessalonians 2:8.

Just remembering today. :) And giving thanks.


Sig

Filed Under: blessings, Indonesia, remembering, where I am

(in)Real Life

April 28, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I spent part of today tuning into an online conference with two of my good friends.

I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time. This blog is one of my favorites, and several months ago when they announced the conference, I knew I wanted to “attend”. What made it different from other blog conferences is that they were structuring it so people would meet up with friends in their own area. No plane tickets and hotel reservations required. :)

Just some coffee, food, and good friends. I can always handle that. 😉

I really, really loved hanging out with Alison and Amanda, two friends from my Monday workout/Thursday Bible study/church. We watched a few sessions, discussed them, and had some good heart-to-hearts…which we all need now and then.

It was a great way to spend the afternoon, and it left me feeling very (in)couraged. (Ok, I’ll admit that was corny.) 😉

At the end of our time we tuned into the last session, a virtual community Bible reading, which I was completely blessed to participate in. It was emotional and inspiring and just COOL seeing people from all over the world reading the same Scripture and hearing our voices blend. I wish I could post the link here, but I’m hoping to at least have it on DVD in the next few weeks so I can share it with friends who are around here.

And even though I blogged about it yesterday, the conference made me more thankful than ever for community. Because we all need that place to belong, that place to just be. Thanks to each of you who have given me just that.

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, friends, just life, where I am, writing

Five-Minute Friday: Community

April 27, 2012 by · 4 Comments

Today I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo at The Gypsy Mama for Five-Minute Friday.

Join me!

The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, or overthinking. Just write. :)

Today’s Topic: Community

The morning I stepped into that foreign room in a place that made my heart pound, I had no idea that it held the friends who would become my community.

The place where we’d dig deep, share, laugh, sometimes-cry, always-love.

They made me feel so welcome from the first moments…this new girl struggling through the harsh realities of relocation once again, new-mommyhood, and mega identity-crisis. The perfect combination. 😉

It took a few weeks, but slowly the walls started to crumble, I allowed the tears to fall, and my heart began to soften. And as my story…and their stories…began to intertwine, I knew that God had given me a gift in this group of women.

In this community.

Thursday mornings are a cherished part of the week for me. Whether we study for the entire hour and a half or we talk first for the first hour, that time spent with these beautiful sisters is so good for my soul and my heart.

Because despite differences and preferences, we can all come together and love, laugh…and just be.

Which is so, so important in community.

They make me feel valued, loved, appreciated…and I hope I make them feel that way, too.

I just love them. So much.

This community…is so much my life. And for it, I am thankful.

And…this is what I’m doing tomorrow. It’s still not too late to register and tune in! For a cool $10, they’ll send you a shirt, a pack of greeting cards, and you’ll get access to some pretty incredible sessions and speakers. A friend and I watched the Friday sessions this afternoon, and they were great. Think about it if you’ve got a few hours to spare tomorrow! :)

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, church, encouragement, Five Minute Friday, friends, just life, where I am
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