Little Blessings (Pt. 33)

April 26, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Just so you know…’cause you may be wondering…I’m doing 100 of these. (I’ll tell you why later, ok?) 😉

Anyway, on with the blessings…

:) Friends who listen and give hugs and let me be a blubbering mess for five minutes. Or longer.

:) Photo shoots with sisters, a blue door, and a no trespassing sign. (Ooooops!) But I can’t wait to show you the pics! There is one on facebook if you’re my friend. More to come.

:) Finding out that Maelie knows the word “breadstick”. Who knew?!

:) 8 pm and bedtime and zero tears. Not one. Can we say, “TI-RED?”

:) Loving that little girl…the same one who says breadstick and who went to bed without crying…to the moon and back. Plus infinity.

:) Bright, hot-reddish-pink toenails.

:) Flowers on the table to welcome “us girls” home.

:) A package of free goodies in the mail…a wallet, a ring, and the cutest vase ever.

:) Two blank canvasses, paint, brushes…and two great ideas. I love painting. Happy sigh.

:) The reminder and Truth…that He doesn’t change. Ever.

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, friends, just life, Maelie

Precious Reunion

April 25, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I love that no matter how much time has passed, we can always pick up where we left off.

I love these two. :)

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, friends, travel

Photogenic Paris

April 24, 2012 by · 1 Comment

Hi there – Tobin here. I was supposed to post these photos on Sunday, but me being me, I totally forgot. Imagine that.

Anyhow, these are a bit overdue either way. Our stop in Paris was less than 24 hours total – as you’ll be able to see from the following photos, our main objective was to see the Eiffel Tower. So we took a lot of pictures of it. We packed in a lot of walking – by our best estimates using Google Maps, somewhere around 6-8 miles as well. It was interesting, but if we were going to live there, I’d have to make a lot more money. :)

Enough of that – you didn’t come here to read what I have to write. On with the photos.

This was our first view of the Eiffel Tower when we walked there from our hotel. I’m not sure anything prepared us for actually seeing it in person – it’s another one of those famous landmarks that I never thought I’d see.

This is the Eiffel Tower again (yes, really!) after we walked under it and across the Seine River.

This is just a picture of us. Nothing extraordinary to see here.

Mel texting a friend in the US. With that same structure in the background again.

This is one of the reasons we walked so far – it looked a lot closer on the map.

This is probably one of my favorite photos of the whole trip. We lucked out on the timing – the lighting was perfect.

I’m pretty sure Mel has documented her adventures with European bread elsewhere, so I won’t say anything more.

So that’s Paris, at least our 20 or so hours of it. Yes, the photos lack variety. But out of the 77 pictures we took there, a full 50 of them have the Eiffel Tower somehow.

Coming tomorrow…I have no idea. But it won’t be me – rejoice!

 

Sig

Filed Under: uncategorized

Hey…and Some Coffee

April 23, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I’m having a mid-afternoon coffee…after my power nap that didn’t really do much. Care to join me for a chat? 😉

Here’s hopin’ the coffee will help. I’m kind of a grump right now. Just being honest. 😉

So, hey from Creston.

Mae and I drove in this morning, and I couldn’t help driving down past the hospital, college, and the other areas that were really hit hard by the tornado.

Oh, my.

No words…maybe that’s how I can describe it?

I crossed the major highway that divides the east and west sides of town, and my jaw literally dropped, and my hand went over my mouth.

No drama, no pictures. I thought I’d want to take one, but I don’t. I think the images are there in my mind for good.

Just sad. So sad…and thankful at the same time. I seriously can’t believe no one died.

So Mae and I hopped over to Iowa yesterday after church. We left around 12:30 and made it to Slater (my church from college) with 15 minutes to spare before the surprise service/party for some dear friends.

It was so fun reconnecting with friends, some I haven’t seen for eight years. (There are pictures…I’ll share later. ;)) It was so good for my heart to see these ladies…I can’t believe how many years have passed. (And how many kiddos were running around at our feet!)

Mae and I spent the night with my adopted parents from college (who the party was for) and then came down to Creston this morning.

We’ll be here for the night and most of tomorrow, and then late tomorrow afternoon we’ll head up to the Des Moines area and then go home Wednesday night. I picked a good night to visit since two of my nieces have a music concert tonight, and grandma is available to babysit. :) Maelie is enjoying some good cousin time with Sofia, even if they are both definitely smack dab in the middle of the terrible twos.

It builds character, right? (For Mae AND Mommy!)

Anyway, it’s a quick trip that seems to go by even quicker…time always flies when there are so many people to see.

Looking forward to tomorrow…dinner at my very favorite restaurant EVER with some friends, and then some sweet sister time with my two best girls. Anticipating a late night and lots of laughs and some good heart-to-hearts.

Will definitely need the caffeine for the drive home on Wednesday!

Happy Monday!

Oh, and you may have noticed something…that there was no blog post yesterday? Hmmm…there IS a story for that one. I’ll give my hubby a chance to share first. :)

Sig

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

Afternoon Tea

April 21, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Golly, I sound so British…tea?!

No, really, here’s the scoop. Afternoon=I-have-tons-to-do-before-Maelie-and-I-leave-tomorrow; Tea=let’s-fight-this-sore-throat.

Though I much prefer coffee, tea it is today.

And a quick chat. Not too long ’cause I’ve got plenty I need to do!

So life is kind of crazy right now, and I honestly can’t believe that I’m carving out time this afternoon to write. I think it’s more for my sanity…a chance to catch my breath. (And not fold laundry, pack, etc.) Maelie and I are headed out tomorrow after church for Iowa. We have about 5 1/2 hours to make a 5 hour trip…and we’ll need to throw at least one stop in there. We could be late, but I’d rather not be.

But I’ll have to tell you why later ’cause…shhhhh…it’s a surprise!

Then we’ll spend Monday and Tuesday in Creston, which will be interesting. I’ve been warned that it’s pretty tough seeing the damage and devastation and that there’s still a lot of cleaning up that needs to be done. Crazy how a storm that lasts for minutes (even seconds) can cause damage that will take years to rebuild.

Then we’ll drive up to Des Moines on Tuesday afternoon and spend the night and part of Wednesday with my two best friends. Oh, good times…I love those two so much!

Then it’s back home Wednesday night…I’m hoping we won’t get in too late, probably 10ish. Which is late enough. 😉

So we’d appreciate your prayers, especially as I navigate the world of road-trips-on-my-own-with-a-toddler. I’ll admit I’m a little stressed about it all…and maybe a little scared. I was reading Jesus Calling and yesterday’s topic was about being strong and courageous.

I guess that includes 5-6 hour road trips alone. We’re in His hand, so it’s all good. 😉

Happy weekend, all! Hugs.

 

Sig

Filed Under: encouragement, just life, Maelie, travel, where I am

Intelligent Conversation

April 20, 2012 by · 2 Comments

As I was getting ready to put her to bed (for the second time) tonight, around 10 p.m.:

Me: Mommy needs to take off her combat boots. Ok?

Mae: Ok! Um, mommy?

Me: Yes, Mae?

Mae: Boots!

Me: That’s right! They’re my boots! Do you like them?

Mae: Um…YES! (It was very emphatic.)

Me: Should I save them for you to wear someday?

Mae: YES! (Again, very emphatic, this time with a cheesy grin.)

A few minutes later, after the obligatory (second round of) cuddles and songs and putting to bed, I had to go back into her nursery to get her laundry that I’d forgotten to grab. As I entered…

Mae: (her head popping up over the top of the crib) Hi!

Me: (whispering) Hi, Mae. Shhh…go back to sleep.

Mae: (plopping her body back down onto the mattress and NOT whispering) OK, Mommy! ‘Night!

Oh. I. Love. Her.

😀

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, just life, Maelie

I…

April 19, 2012 by · 1 Comment

…am listening to silence. Poor hubby, who was at work until 2:15 a.m. and had to be back at 7 a.m., is in bed. I don’t blame him a bit.

…wonder if it’s going to rain during my run tomorrow morning. Part of me really, really wants it to. I heart running in the rain but not what it does to my hair. 😉

…hear the gentle breathing of a dog, asleep at my feet. My sweet Andre boy turns nine tomorrow. Nine. What absolute love he brings to our lives.

…see purple walls. The next time I talk about them, one of you needs to come over here and force me to paint them. Though the purple is almost starting to grow on me. Oy…

…want this pair of TOMS that I really can’t justify. So I am not going to buy them. Someday, maybe.

…smile every time I see my daughter. I just love her so much…the way she laughs, repeats everything I say, finds JOY in everything. I want to be more like her.

…feel like it’s been such a strange paradox of a week. Some really, really low points and some pretty amazing ones, too. I’m still blessed. :)

…worry that I’m impacting my daughter in a negative way. In our Thursday morning Bible study we’re studying a parenting book, and we were challenged to think of the thing we need to change RIGHT NOW. I can think of so many more than just one. Really praying for wisdom…I want to be the kind of person she’ll want to emulate someday.

…cry when I think of the people I know who are hurting right now. I’m praying that God will hold them close and heal their hearts.

…laugh when I think of praise team practice tonight. A special thank you to those who made it so entertaining and…um…oh-so-memorable. So thankful for friends, music, and Moroccan scarves. :)

…miss sleeping in on Saturdays sometimes. And then I think of the trade-off, and I don’t miss it anymore.

…say that I don’t drink as much coffee as I really do.

…dream BIG. I always will, even when people laugh at what I say. You know what? I really, really, really want to be a regular contributor for a certain blog out there. I think I’d be a good fit, and I’m not afraid to tell them that. :)

…try to go to bed early every night. (Early, as in by 10:30 p.m.) Almost every night, I fail. Miserably.

…am thankful for my hubby and how hard he works to take care of us. It’s one of the qualities in him that I admire the most.

…am praying tonight for a lot of things. A lot of people. A lot of hurts. A lot going.

…rest in His promises. Jesus, I am resting, resting in the JOY of what thou art. I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart!

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life, random, where I am

Little Blessings (Pt. 32)

April 18, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Oooh, and this time, you get pictures! Today’s your lucky day. 😉

:) A sunny, not-too-cold, morning run and two cups of coffee.

:) Heart spilling and a morning where I can bask in new mercies.

:) Being able to pray for others.

:) A new book. I started Crazy Love by Francis Chan, which I was ever-so-fortunate enough to nab free for my Kindle a week or so ago. I can tell it’s going to be good. Really trying to fill my brain with things that are worthwhile.

:) This…my hubby saw one and made me one. (That’s even better.) Should you want one, too, let me know. He’s already making two more for people who saw it and wanted one. I’m totally cool with sharing my awesome jewelry hanger with the rest of the world. 😉

:) Ice cream dates and smiles.

:) Going to bed early because I can.

:) Road trips and a chance to see friends I haven’t seen in a very. long. time. Will be fun. :)

:) This. I’m really looking forward to it…two friends are even joining me! So incredibly thankful for community…both in real life and online.

:) The way God answers prayer through simple things…encouraging words, a chat with a friend, a smile, a laugh with my girl. He is so Good.

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life

A Heart Spill

April 17, 2012 by · 2 Comments

I just started a pot of coffee. (It’s 9:15 p.m.)

It could potentially be a long chat tonight. (And if it’s not, hey…hubby will have iced coffee in the morning. ;))

So for the last few days…I’ve kinda fluffed my way around the blog. I didn’t really write junk…I just wrote things that didn’t make me think too hard. The fact is, I’ve been thinking a lot lately.

But putting those thoughts into words on a blog is much more difficult than the actual thinking. (I write some pretty great bestsellers in my head!)

I’m not sure how to process this…so I may just let my thoughts spill and see where they go. I apologize, in advance, if you hopped over here for Mel’s witty take on life. Maybe tomorrow. :)

By the way, you may have noticed that the blog is different? Yeah. I’m in the middle of updating some things and figured…if I can’t change the past, at least I can change my blog!

So I really hate those nights when I KNOW I need to share something. (Or a million somethings.)

It has been a really discouraging week. I can’t count the number of times that uninvited tears have overflowed and made my eyeliner run all over the place. Or how often I’ve felt so exhausted and drained that doing anything has felt impossible. Or how often, out of sheer exhaustion and impatience, I’ve raised my voice at Mae.

On Saturday (following several days of this), Tobin and I knew we needed to get out of the house, and the three of us went to Menards. Mae did fine for the first part of the trip and started to get fussy toward the end. While we were waiting in line to check out, I gave her a tiny sip of my coffee to calm her down. (Judge me now. Enough people in line were doing it.) I could feel their eyes burning at me, and to make matters worse…that one sip only made her want more. She started screaming, Coffee! Coffee! Coffee! After a few seconds, when it became apparent that this wasn’t going to stop anytime soon, I picked her up, took her outside, and carried her across the entire parking lot to our van while she continued her rant.

I could feel people staring at me, and it only reiterated the thought that I’m a bad mommy.

Lie.

Add to it the fact that for some reason, Indonesia keeps coming back to me…and not in good ways.

Here’s the thing. We loved it there. (Most of the time.) But we also struggled, and it was no secret to anyone that we were ready for what was next. I don’t believe we left on bad terms, though I do know that God definitely had something else for us and that He moved us on at the right time.

Lately I’ve been seeing pictures on facebook and hearing stories of how great my former students are doing…and I’m filled with questions and, often, regret. Don’t misunderstand me…I completely loved them and am thrilled that they’re thriving. But it makes me wonder…

Did I do enough? Did I love them enough? Did I let them know how much they mean to me? Was I a terrible teacher?

More lies.

Tobin and I have been through one of our more difficult seasons of marriage recently. The details don’t belong here, we’re working through things, and we really are ok even if there are tough days. But there are also those times when I look around the house and see a total disaster…a sink full of dirty dishes, clothes thrown around the bedroom, a nursery floor covered with books and toys or we exchange less-than-kind words…and I start believing that I am bad at this wife thing.

You know, the lies are really starting to get to me.

It’s been a silent week. The kind where friends are busy and plans don’t happen like I thought they might. My phone has been pretty quiet and my social interaction pretty limited. For an extrovert who thrives on being busy and social, this is possibly the worst kind of week. And even though I know it’s not me, I start to believe that my friends don’t want me.

I’m ready to squash satan’s lies.

Really.

The fact is that I know, as a mommy, I have my days. We all do. But I also have DAYS…the ones when Maelie and I have the best time ever together and we laugh all day long and have adventures and soak up every moment of this precious, mother-daughter bond. We make memories that will be etched in my mind forever and, hopefully soon, in hers.

That’s truth.

It’s also fact that, though Indonesia wasn’t perfect, it was still time that wasn’t wasted. While we don’t know the kind of impact we had, we know that we were impacted and left there feeling completely blessed for having the chance to be part of what God is doing there. We got to love some pretty amazing students and grow with some incredible friends.

More truth.

I believe with everything in me that satan will try everything to destroy a marriage. Tobin and I aren’t perfect and we’re fully aware of that, but we love each other, and we love our Father. We’re both guilty of letting things like a dirty kitchen and selfish moments take over our days…but at the end of those days, we love each other and we’re committed.

Complete truth.

And while I’ve had a lonely week, sometimes I forget that being alone isn’t necessarily a bad thing. One thing I don’t do well is be still…and maybe that’s a lesson He’s trying to teach me. To take those times I feel alone and let Him fill that void. My first instinct, rather than to grab my Bible, is to grab my cell phone. He always meets me exactly where I am, with exactly what I need for the day.

He is Truth.

I guess I share all of this to ask you to pray for me. Please pray…

…that I’ll be able to throw regret out the window and live fully in the present.

…that I’ll choose to ignore satan’s lies and walk in Truth.

…that I’ll strive to live a life that pleases Him every single day. 

He’s Good…and His Truth is just that.

True.

Thanks for listening. :)

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, encouragement, friends, Indonesia, just life, Maelie, marriage, prayer, remembering, Tobin, what I'm learning, where I am

Today’s Creation (That I Borrowed) :)

April 16, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I made these today.

No-bake energy bites. They look kind of gross but they’re not. Promise. 😉

Seriously, I could eat them all in one sitting.

No, not really…because I won’t let myself. I’ve just been looking for recipes that are healthier than the tasty treats I’ve come up with in the last couple weeks.

Like these.

And these.

Neither of which I’m sure are classified under healthy. 😉

They. Are. Good.

And a HUGE thank you to whoever brought them to our Bible class yesterday ’cause if you hadn’t, I might have gone my whole life never knowing of their existence. That would be sad.

Now you won’t need to be sad, either. (I think I’m bordering on dorky tonight…)

Here’s the recipe. I adapted it from here. (By the way, she’s a new blog discovery for me…I’m intrigued, just by this one recipe. Will definitely be reading more!)

No Bake Energy Bites

1 c. dry oatmeal
1 c. coconut flakes (I used a little less coconut, a little more oatmeal. As long as dry ingredients equal out, you’re good.)
1/3 c. honey
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. ground flaxseed (I only had whole…it still tastes fine, just adds a little extra crunch.)
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients well and chill for an hour. Form into balls. (I’m keeping them in the refrigerator.)

I could eat them every day…and probably will. They’re a good alternative for a chocoholic like me who canNOT and will NOT cut chocolate out of her diet even if I am watching what I eat. 😉 They even taste like dessert…really, what’s not to love?!?! So I made a double batch. (And froze half of them because, well, we WILL eat them all way too quickly!)

Oh, and here’s my little helper. Her “helping” consisted of standing on the chair, watching me, and about every thirty seconds begging for a bite of “Cookie! Cookie!” Hey…if she spends her whole life thinking this is a cookie, I’m ok with that! Was too cute not to share.

G’nite, friends!

Sig

Filed Under: food, just life, Maelie
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