Life Lately || Currently

So much has happened since I shared on this piece of internet space. I don't even know where to start. We've had major changes going on in our life, traveled, finished with a busy summer season and moved right into a new season. We'll catch up some here, and look for upcoming posts, I'm hoping to get back into some routine again.

Celebrating - What God has done in our lives. After almost 5 years of trying to have children God did a miracle and now I am five months along. I have a post devoted to that topic coming to the blog soon. But by the grace of God the pregnancy has been easy and Lord willing we will hold our son, Jackson Lee around the end of February. We are so thankful, I am so thankful that God finally said yes to us becoming Mama and Daddy.

Reading - Just fininshed reading Teaching to Change Lives by Howard Henrdicks with my devotions. This was one of our required reading books for a teaching class in college and since then I have tried to reread it every few years. I was again challenged, especially because we work with the teenagers in our church. There are some principles I want to start implicating specifically with the girls I work with. As for pleasure reading, the cooler weather has made me want to curl up with a good L.M. Montgomery book and since I read Anne of Green Gables about a year ago I thought I'd just continue on in the series- so Anne of Avonlea it is. I checked off a bunch of books this year that I started or haven't read in a while, like the Little House series and Janette Oke's When Calls the Heart series.

Playing - At the current moment the soundtrack to Little Women because well, that's relaxing work music for me. And it makes me think of and miss my sisters. "I shall never love anyone as I love my sisters." -Jo March. Lately though I've just enjoyed moment of quiet, silence, except for the noises of an empty house.

Watching- A movie here or there. Mostly the Waltons in the afternoon when Working Man gets home and an Andy Griffeth or two in the evenings.

Trying- To work on some Christmas presents! I actually have a lot of ideas already, so I'm trying to get busy. I've made a few new recipes in the past few weeks also, like Corn Chowder, quick pizza dough, and dirty chai lattes.

Cooking- Turkey and provalone stromboli for supper, and personal pizzas with the kids in my homeschool Cooking Class. I baked salmon the other night that turned out so good I just know it was juicing up my brain cells with it's Omega 3's. But since the weather FINALLY cooled off- all things crockpot-y, soups, chilis, stews, and bread, because all those things need bread to compliment them. At least in my book.

Drinking- The said Dirty Chai Latte, lots of water, and Mother to Be tea.

Pinning - Christmas present ideas mostly. Articles on raising godly boys, oh, and nursery decor ideas for our Little Jack coming this winter.

Crafting - Said Christmas present, of which I will not divulge on here. I also finished a crazy quilt top that I have worked on off and on for years, so it is officially in the quilt frame and I've got lots of other quilt ideas running through my head, along with designing a baby quilt for our little one. I've been thinking about starting on getting a head start on making Christmas cards too. We'll see...

Doing - Not as much this week. Last week was our Missions Conference, so that always involves a lot of running but equal amounts of blessings. I've been teaching the cooking class in homeschoolers this fall semester and loving it! We only have 2 more weeks to go before the holiday break. I'll miss teaching but not the extra running during the week. I also began teaching piano for the first time this fall, with great fear and trepidation I might add. Never having had piano lessons I was intimidated, but music is music, so I am thoroughly enjoying teaching music again.

Loving - Cooler weather, a growing body(even if it is uncomfortable sometimes), fires in the woodstove, and quilting again.

Hating - Hurriedness, Christmas movies on tv already, and the lack of time to read.

Discovering - how Satan can bring the comparison game into pregnancy- I don't have those symptoms, I haven't felt movement yet and I'm already ____ weeks along, That person is twenty weeks and I'm not showing near as much as them. And that can lead right into the fear and worry game, maybe something's wrong, am I eating enough?, Could I possibly even drink any more water? I am who God made me, and my pregnancy will not be like any other person's, just special and unique to me.

Thinking - how my life is going to change, new schedules, a new person, new responsibilities. But also thinking recently, as a result of Scripture journaling I've been doing on the attributes of God, on how much I have in the Lord. On how much I need to slow down when reading and take time to make myself apply what I read to my life.

Hoping- To start painting the spare room for a nursery and to start a Babies R Us registry soon.

Finishing - This post! For those who do not blog, please hear me when I say it takes TIME to sit and write a blog post, especially when you don't feel inspired.

Starting - To remember why I love blogging, I really do enjoy writing and sharing parts of my life, and when I make myself sit and actually write it becomes clear to me again and again.

Life Lately | Currently

Happy Tuesday folks! I thought I'd catch you up on what's been going on around here and why my poor blog has been silent for a few weeks. The merging of spring into summer makes for craziness around here, especially in regards to outdoor work. I've spent hours in the garen planting, weeding, watering, and FINALLY starting to harvest some of my labors. Here's a few more things that have been keeping me busy.

Reading - Mentoring and Modeling with my devotions. Full of good nuggets and information for teaching and mentoring young people. It was one of the required reading books for a teaching class in college and I have read through it several times since. Also reading at the moment In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer. Love Her Books. Period. And looking forward to starting a new book called Passionate Housewives: Desperate for God.

Playing - Not much lately. An Adventure in Odessy or two and mostly podcasts. I'm still working on Revive our hearts series of podcasts on Titus 2, so meaty y'all, but I won't go into that again. Check out my post on podcast recommendations for more info.

Watching- Again, not really a lot. About two weeks ago I was on a Judy Garland kick and was watching a bunch of movies I have of her - Summer Stock, For Me and My Gal, Crazy Girl, and The Wizard of Oz. I'm almost done with a BBC series called Cranford I borrow from my sister-in-law.

Trying- new things. In the past week I have done two new photoshoots that I've never attempted before: newborn and maternity. Newborn is SO MUCH FUN. They'll be another newborn photoshoot in about a month when another new Mama gives birth. You'll see those photo shoots up on the blog soon!

Cooking- Anything and everything grilled. Steak and chicken for Father's Day and that means tonight- Steak Tacos! I also baked russet potatoes whole on the grill- no oven needed!

Drinking- apple cider drink at the moment, with strawberry watermelon stevia drops. And dirty chai affogatos. But a frozen coffee sounds great right now.

Pinning - not a whole lot. It was mostly photography ideas for the newborn and maternity shoots. A few house idea pins and food ideas.

Crafting - cullottes for some girls from another church who is coming to camp, I think I personally am up to my seventh pair. We had a cullotte making party the other day at my mom's and made about 12 pairs. Other than that a few painted signs and still working on a baby blanket for the new niece coming soon.

Doing - a ton of running. Last week was BUSY! My sister-in-law had her baby and had asked me to stay with her some after the birth, so between two full days of that, a full day of cullotte making, photoshoots, and trying to keep up everything at the house I am beat. Trying to slow this week down as we approach youth camp next week. This year we are both going as counselors. Yippee!

Loving - Laughter, creek-wading, and southwest grilled chicken salad.

Hating - humidty. Every part of it, from sticky skin to frizzy hair.

Discovering - God's made a way for all of us to flourish, in whatever soil(enviroment) He's placed us in. You may have grown up in a difficult home situation, like a sandy dry soil, but God has plants that grow and thrive and Bloom in that soil. You can flourish no matter the soil of your life. I'm working on a Bible Study and post on this too.

Thinking - I need to set a scedule once a week to devote to writing blog posts. An actual scheduled time. I have all sorts of ideas, the problem is by the time I sit to write, I forgot what I wanted to write or where I was going with a particular thought.

Feeling - ready for our bathroom remodel to be done. The drywall dust and having to take everything to the bathroom with you is getting pretty old. But we're getting close, I should be able to paint today or tomorrow.

Hoping for - A great week at camp. Strength to endure the long, hot days. Wisdom to seize opportunities to connect with campers. The moving of the Spirit in the lives of the campers. And cooler temperatures would be nice too.

Celebrating - the birth of my new nephew - Andrew. There were a few minor complicatinos but all is well and Mom and baby are learning to adjust. It will be different having a nephew nearby to do Auntie things with.

Smelling - last night it was the wonderful smell of a summer rain and wet dirt. We desperately needed a good soaking rain and the Lord provided it last night. This morning, it's the cinnamon candle I had burning.

Finishing - the bathroom and the last pair of cullottes.

Starting - to pack soon for camp, and planning the food for when our friends from NC come to visit before and after camp!

Considering - all that I need to do this week to be ready for next. I better get a move on!

　

Life Lately | Currently

Hi folks. It's been a few weeks since I've been in blogland. Today I thought I'd give you a peak at what I've been up to. It doesn't help that I'm trying to get a new site up and running along with the when and how to transition over there. I am really excited about many things going on lately though (sickness not included) and taking time to relish the things the Lord has been doing in our life.

This Moment |Life Lately|

It seems life is always in a busy season, no matter what the physical season is, but this fall I've tried to slow down a little, take more time to drink hot drinks, and devour more books. Anyone else get in the mood to read like a fiend when the weather turns cool?

I haven't been posting on here as much as I would like, and we are talking of getting internet at the house, so that would greatly help in the posting department. I have plans to post, ideas of posts, and then days where I think I can sneak off to the library but can't. So it gets pushed back farther. Sorry. So today I thought I'd give a life update, a currently post.

|Listening|

Actually to nothing, the fan is running on the computer,

and I contemplated turning music on but didn't.

|Drinking|

Haha! Nothing at the moment, I plan on finishing my lemon water upstairs

before I head to the Library and heating up some cider with Caramel sauce

to take with me.

|Loving|

My life. I mean there are days where I don't love things about my life,

but in general I am so blessed and love life. But I'm learning that loving life,

loving anything for that matter is a choice and it's all in your perspective.

I love this season of making changes to a home that is ours to change.

I love the mild, gorgeous fall we've been having.

I've been loving the messages at church, the Lord has them right on target.

|Learning|

Have you heard of Coursera? I had heard of it but not until recently have

I actually looked into it. You can take free online (or offline if you download

the videos) college classes on a number of topics. I jumped in enrolled in a

child health and nutrition class. I enjoy it and it doesn't take much time,

only about 20 minutes worth of videos and quiz every week. I've done two weeks

and I'm downloading my next two weeks worth of videos today.

|Enjoying|

Quiet evenings, good books, homey movies, and comforts of home.

And sewing, crocheting, cross-stiching, or whatever else I'm doing at the moment.

|Realizing|

Life moves really fast.

Days turn into weeks, that move into months, that rush into years.

And also that I need to get done here and off to the library.

|Working|

House projects are slacking off because of the cooler weather.

I did paint the stone around the woodstove and it looks much better.

It better have because it took me hours to paint. Longer than it took to paint our room.

And I'm also working on string quartet Christmas music because that's just around the

corner and this piece is more difficult. Working Man says I can do it. Haha!

|Trying|

Stok Coffee. And homemade french vanilla creamer.

To gather my thoughts about a health/nutricious cooking class for next semesters

homeschool meetings.

|Eating|

A double smoked sweet bologna sandwich with mustard and colby jack cheese.

|Making|

I'm not sure for supper. I was going to do leftovers, but there isn't much leftover.

And starting on homemade Christmas presents, slash late wedding gift quilt for

my sister in law. Quilting is a BIG project so I feel like it can count for 2 gifts.