6.29.2013

Just B...

...Loved

 Guess what? You're special and God created you for a reason. That rainbow you saw the other day after it rained...put there for you.

Your life has purpose.

 It's up to you to find it (but God will help nudge you in the right direction if you ask).



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6.28.2013

Freebie Friday!

Everyone likes coffee right?

Thought I'd give you a free cup this Friday.


Enjoy!

Oh, and if you'd like some real coffee, click on the link to the left for Just Love Coffee Roasters. Not only will you be helping to bring Baby B home, but you'll be enjoying some really yummy coffee!

Coffee with a conscience. Fair trade, organic, deliciousness.

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6.27.2013

Tough Choices

I like to imagine that I am the expert on 'me'. That I always know what my true motives are, what would make me the happiest at any given time, what the best choice would be for every situation that I encounter in life. 

But that would be a lie.

Like most people, I am steaming through life, trying to make the best choices that I can at that point in time. Hindsight, unfortunately, is often 20/20. 

 You see, the way I look at it, the womb is the only stage in our life where we aren't being confronted with choices. Early infancy, still pretty easy peazy lemon squeezy. Not too long after, our choices become more varied and more complex. As we grow, we also come to realize that our choices effect others around us as well. Our words have just as much impact as our actions (sometimes more.)

 Do we care? Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. 

I find that there have been times in my life that I fancied myself being 'the only one' who had experienced a certain emotion/event/tough decision. The one with all of the answers.

Yeah, right. 

 The people we find in our lives may benefit from what we have discovered-or maybe they are there to help us. In fact, my answer might not be the answer that someone else is looking for because they might really be trying to ask a totally different question (if that makes any sense). 

And that is okay. 

What makes my heart sing with joy today is definitely not the same as thirty years ago. Some choices in my life I might have made differently looking back years later. But that's looking back as the woman I am now, not the person I was then. Perspective (age) changes everything.

Do I have all of the answers? Nope. Will I ever have them (this side of eternity)? Nope. Not even close.
 I need to remember that. 

If you have any questions about any big decisions coming up in your life...you can ask me, but you may or may not like my answer. Or, my answer might not work for you because what you find important might be totally different than what I find important. Plus, my answer might change. I'm like that sometimes. Human. Changing. Learning. Growing. Seeing things from my point of view-can you imagine?!

God knows me better than I know myself. He knows the end result, where I'm just experiencing the present (and my own version of my past). He knew that a Cabbage Patch Kid is not a life changing event, and neither are some new wrinkles. Maybe being an eight year old isn't all that different from being a thirty-eight year old? We still have a lot to learn. 

 While each life is unique and special to God, much of our life could be made simpler if we were to park our pride at the door, and allow others to help us along the way

 That's the hard part. Asking and receiving help.

But if we're brave enough to reach out and do it, I have a feeling that it's totally worth it.



And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. ~Romans 8:27,28
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6.24.2013

Thoughts on Waiting

It seems that Monday's are our lazy, just have fun days around here. 

Although I did some of the regular chore 'stuff' around the house this morning, the second half of the day was spent just having fun. Swimming, roasting hot dogs, eating yummy grapes, and a little bit of fishing (Little Man ate fish for dinner!) 


It is still killing me that Baby B isn't here with us. We really hoped that she would be by now. In fact, I am finding that it is more and more difficult to really enjoy my summer without her here. Little Man frequently talks about what we would being doing with his sister if she was here right now. 

It's hard. Really, really, really hard.

But, I know I need try for Little Man's sake. I am his mom too. Each day, I am focusing on being fully present for Little Man during the day, and after he goes to bed, I let myself think about my little sweetie in Haiti.

Each day I try to make time for those things that he will really enjoy. 

Number one on his list? Fishing.

So, guess what we are doing tomorrow morning?

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6.22.2013

Just B...

Simple

There is an old Shaker song that I have loved my entire life that speaks about living life simply. I've never known more than just the first few lines of the song, so I decided to look up all of the lyrics.


My goal is to get my life simplified down as much as possible before I bring home Baby B. Nothing to distract me from the precious moments that I will be spending with her and Little Man (summer is slipping by and she still isn't home).

What things are truly important to me? 

What things can I let go of?

 What expectations am I putting on myself that I need to release?

Simply put, all I want to do is enjoy time with my kids.

Who's with me?

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6.21.2013

Freebie Friday

If you'll pardon my murky thought processing today...I just returned from the ER and am pumped up with a couple different antihistamines and a steroid. It seems that my body has decided that it no longer likes the contrast dye that they give me.

I'll spare you the pictures. Let's just say, I resembled a giant Cabbage Patch Kid. Thankfully, I responded well to the stuff that they gave me, and been given orders to 'rest up' today.

I can do that. 

Luckily, I made this freebie earlier in the week. 

Click, download, print, enjoy.

Hope you like it.


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6.19.2013

'Summer School'

I have taken a hiatus for a few days, as I was attending summer school...sort of. Little Man is determined to become a fisherman. Therefore, I am now a fisher-person as well. Since we don't have a boat (yet) I looked online for area lakes that we could easily drive to and catch some pan fish. 


 The first day out, we were really late getting started so I decided to not even bring a cooler or bucket for any fish. After all, it was almost eleven when we arrived there.

 Unfortunately for me, on Little Man's second cast, he caught a keeper!

He was so pumped.


 Sooooo....guess who got to learn how to clean a sunfish last night? 

Yep. 

I will spare you the in process pictures. 



Let's just say it took longer than the 43 seconds that the YoutTube video said it would take.

And I had to have Grandpa help me get started. 

But, I finished it!

Today we went out again for most of the day, but not much luck. We caught fish, but none large enough to keep. On the plus side, I am getting really good at taking fish off the hook. 

Guess I'll have to do a little more reading up on fishing tonight. 

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6.15.2013

Just B...

...Organized

Today was our first Saturday of summer vacation. It felt like we truly kicked it into high gear today for 'summer fun' (although this past Tuesday was my last official day of work for the school year and we've been playing with the cousins for several days).

 Little Man and I are determined to not to waste a moment, but I am a little concerned about two things. First, burnout (if we try to do too much too fast). Second, me (being myself)not keeping track of the time and thereby wasting most of it!

Luckily, I am a lover of lists. So...I decided to make one to stick on my refrigerator, and help me get some things done this summer. I'm planning on laminating it or sticking it under glass so that I can use a dry erase marker on it every day (I'm a bit of a Scrooge about wasting paper.)

This is what my first draft looked like. I've almost crossed off every item (mowing will be finished tonight, bars after Little Man goes to bed) , except for the item on the 'I'd love to' category.

Yay me!


 The things on my 'I'd love to...' portion of my list, HAVE TO be moved to the 'I need to...' section if they have sat there for two weeks. Additional items can be added even if one hasn't been crossed off.

Hopefully, this method will work for me.

 I'd love to know, what methods help you stay on track and organized during the summer?

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6.14.2013

Freebie Friday

I've been frustrated by the lack of art for families who adopt older children. They are total sweeties, but we don't all bring babies home.

This my attempt number fixing that problem.

Want it?

 It's yours.


Let me know what you think of it.

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6.13.2013

Sunny with a Chance of Showers

My immediate family and a couple of friends had a mini shower for Baby B yesterday. It was great. Not too big, no stress (I was feeling very awkward at the thought of having a second baby shower.) 


At the treat area, they had a chalkboard with this quote on it.


My niece liked the quote so much that she decided to make one on PicMonkey .

I think it turned out pretty fabulous for her first attempt at typography (she's going into 4th grade). 


What do you guys think?

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6.12.2013

It's Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum, Summertime!

Guess what?

It's summertime!


I walked out of the school yesterday afternoon, went for my first walk of the summer, fed Little Man a snack, headed to the first summer practice for the summer, and had a summer sleepover with cousins.

Whew.

I know we should try to pace ourselves, but we just can't help it...summer took so long to get here this year.

 Plus, I need to keep busy so that I don't dwell on the fact that we are still waiting for an update on Baby B. Our paperwork has been sitting in one office since May 8th. Usually it takes three weeks to process through to the next stage. It's been five. It's hard because we can't move forward with getting her visa and passport until this stage is completed.

I want my baby home this summer. (And not the end of the summer either.)

 I really shouldn't complain. Every other part of the process has gone quite quickly and smoothly. We just REALLY want Baby B to get home to share in all of our summer adventures.

So, on today's agenda? Keep really busy having fun and keep praying Baby B home. 

She just has to make it here in time for our summer adventures.

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6.08.2013

Just B...

Human

Okay, maybe it's just me, but sometimes I find myself lamenting the fact that my life isn't more perfect.  You know, perfectly cleaned home. Child who never says or does anything embarrassing. 

Who am I kidding! Myself, never doing or saying anything embarrassing. 

Perfection is an impossible standard to live up to. Thankfully, Little Man doesn't have the burden of perfection being modeled for him at home. I am so far from perfect, it would never cross anyone's mind to use that word to describe me.




My house looks like we are getting ready to move. This spring, I was going to be part of a community garage sale. Then I got sick the week of the sale and so the stuff has sat. I hope to get rid of the stacks once our summer vacation starts. 

If you know where we live, please don't come over without calling. 

Seriously.

Our flower beds are still untouched this year. The crop of weeds is lovely. We have some awesomely tall dandelions. (We measured one this morning, it was 32 inches tall!)

I am a tad cranky and fatigued some days trying to get all of my school 'stuff' done for the end of the year. Sometimes that means I'm a little short tempered with Little Man. 

But I always apologize.

 I want Little Man to know it's okay to make mistakes. It's okay not to be perfect. Life is not about perfection. It is about allowing yourself to start over. To say you're sorry and try again. To even chuckle over those silly, daily mistakes that we all make. To love each other anyways.

I think Little Man and Baby B should learn that lesson well. After all, they are going to grow up watching the master. ;)

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6.06.2013

Could anyone lend me a little bit of willpower?

I am a stress eater. 

Today was a stressful day. 

Although it was meant to be a day of great fun in our school (and there was plenty of fun going around) there was also some great stress for myself and my son. As in, I thought I was going to have a complete emotional break down in front of my entire school. 

Tonight Little Man and I have a lot to talk about.


After school I found out that someone who was a close family friend (and far too young) had passed away. I am completely and totally emotionally exhausted. Bags of potato chips, Cheetos, and chocolate are calling my name.

 So far, I have resisted, but my will power looks kind of like the paint on this door right now-a little bit weathered and flaky.


This school year I have lost twenty pounds pushing a cart around (I am a 'traveling' teacher....next year I get a room. Although some of the kids are surprised that I am qualified to teach in my own classroom!) I had put twenty pounds on after finishing chemo. Twenty pounds that I had never known in my adult life. I would kind of like for them to stay gone. 

Today is making it a little hard for me to resist the comfort of junk food. It's just so yummy, and mind-numbing. Thankfully, I don't usually have any in the house. Plus, I am starting to recognize that I hate the way I feel when I eat loads of junk.

All that's left is to find a replacement activity for my stressed out moments.

I'm considering Pinterest as a replacement addiction. Do any of you have any other ideas?


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6.03.2013

Book Review!

I recently had the chance to preview the book Bosley Goes to the Beach (English to Spanish) by Timothy Johnson. The book has attractive illustrations (always important to me), is written in a bedtime story format, and has a good message.


My nine year old niece enjoyed the book, and felt that she could really start to learn some Spanish if she were to study the text. There were Spanish labels for several objects/people throughout the story, as well as text in both English and Spanish.

One thing that could be tricky is if the parent reading the book did not already have some experience speaking Spanish. (Words could definitely be mispronounced). This is just a basic, beginners intro to Spanish geared towards kids.

That being said, I would recommend the book for parents who feel comfortable with the Spanish language but may need a refresher to teach their children (ie they took it in college or high school, and know general pronunciation rules for Spanish). 

Mr. Johnson also has books in the Bosley series to help learn German, Italian, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, and French. I would love if there was a Bosley book with English to Amharic or English to Creole (hint hint).

Interested? Click on the link below to check it out on Amazon!


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6.01.2013

Just B...

Resilient
Adjective
(of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

Life can be rough.  Loved ones can let us down, health can fade, we can lose our jobs, our homes, our friends and family. People may treat us poorly. We fall down. 

The important part is that we get back up again.

I am grateful for my life. But, there have been times where my only response to the pain of life was to drop to my knees at the weight of what I had been handed to deal with. God has always been faithful to get me through. I consider my scars (both the visible and internal ones) badges of honor. With each one, I am brought closer to God. 


Adversity does not mean God cares any less for us. God is there through it all, quietly waiting for us to lean on Him, while he helps us through the rough patches.

Things happen that can feel like they are going to crush us.

But, you know what? Seemingly crushing pressure is how a diamond is formed.

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