A Blessing Meal

Wow .... you'd think my body would be used to this getting pregnant thing but apparently it didn't get the memo that I NEED TO FEEL GOOD!  I can't believe how this pregnancy has knocked me off my feet.  Of course, so so grateful but come on ... everyone has a breaking point!  So, all that said (sorry had to vent a moment!) ..... my dear Friend came to my rescue tonight with a wonderful meal!  Now, the obvious blessing of not needing to put any energy of deciding what to make, preparing and cooking it and then the oh so fun part of cleaning up .. all avoided!  but the real Blessing .....

loved .... nurtured .... grateful .... special .... a few of the blessings my Friend gave me and my family tonight by going out that extra step to bring us a meal.  There is something so filling (in more ways than one, pun intended) about someone preparing you a meal.  Food is such a comfort and such a very big part of how we feel about things or remember things ...

of course it was all that better to have the meal since I wasn't feeling well but wouldn't it be so fun to have a friend bring you a meal just because ... just to give you a day off!  Wouldn't it be so great if we did that for our friends!?!  Its something I'd like to try ... in a month or so maybe!  Its so easy to just double your planned meal and drop it by to a friend just to say "I love you" .... "I think your great" .... "I think your special"

Something I've Learned Along the Way

Something I love to do is to create special get-togethers with beautiful decorations, fun favors and yummy food!  I even enjoy the planning process to make it all happen.  My very special Friend celebrated her birthday this past week and so I wanted to host a luncheon for a few friends to celebrate her.  The invitations had been sent ... I had the tablescape all planned ... the meal planned ...  and even an idea for cute little favors for the girls.  My heart was full in planning this day to make my dear friend and our others friends feel special ..... but my pregnant 24/7 morning sick tummy didn't think it was such a great idea.  As I realized I just wasn't going to be able to pull off the party, I considered cancelling.  I was so bummed but then I reconsidered ... the luncheon doesn't have to be what I had planned ... so I replanned our lunch.  Chris went to the store and bought pre-cooked chicken,  bagged salad, and boxed macaroni 'n cheese.  We enjoyed a lovely lunch of Chinese Chicken Salad and the kids enjoyed mac'n cheese.  The conversation was lovely and we all left with "cups" full of love from our friends.  Although I love the fun of making things "beautiful" and special .... some seasons just don't allow it. 

We have some friends that bought a house with the intentions to fix it up.  They so enjoyed having friends over but wanted to wait until the house was fixed up.  Of course they house became a much bigger project and they were really missing having friends over.  They decided it didn't matter what the house looked like but how their friends felt when they came over.  I think it was refreshing for others to come over and see they didn't have it all together.  These friends are living barefoot (I'm so proud)

So, what are you not doing because you can't do it "perfect" or the way you want things.  Or on the other side, what are you doing in your life because its the "right way" or what others expect from you but its killing you in the process?
My luncheon wasn't the beautiful spread I had hoped for but it was lovely and the fellowship was amazing and instead of  being over the top exhausted after, I took a small nap and enjoyed the rest of the day with my family!

Who is this kid?

So a month ago I sent my sweet boy off on an adventure with my parents to Idaho.  Its so hard to let him go and miss an entire month of his life.  Last night I very anxiously awaited his return ..... the strangest thing happened though..... my parents pulled in the driveway and out emerged this "pre-man".  I embraced him and it felt a little awkward.  Who is this kid?  I had missed an entire month of him.  I realized something so incredible had happened that month.  Parker had an opportunity to be the "man" we are teaching him to be.  Of course he was with my parents but they really try to allow him to be "grown-up" when he is with them.  He pays for his own things, he is responsible for all his things, including his schooling, he is responsible for the consequences of his choices.... Parker decided to buy a bunch of candy and eat it in one sitting ..... oh, consequences of a horrible stomach ache.  It dawned on me of what a gift this was. I anticipated the blessings of him getting to go be in the forest and getting away from the chaos of Southern California.  I anticipated the blessing for him having an adventure but I didn't think about the blessing of him getting to go out and try "being a man".  He made some mistakes and we had some great conversations about those mistakes.  He was in some situations that were new and we had great conversations about those.  It was beautiful to see that all our efforts in teaching and guiding him are bringing desired results.  We are raising a great "little man".  I so look forward to the continued conversations that will result from this adventure. It is so fun watching him strive towards independence.  I am so thankful for this time for him to practice being a man in a safe environment.  I am so so so thankful that my "preman" is home!

To Be His Bride

I was laying in bed this morning thinking about what I would blog today and I thought my first and most important place in my home is my husbands wife. As I was thinking about this, I realized something .... oops ... my husband is cuddling up to me and I'm thinking about blogging about the blessing of being a wife! So, I let my thoughts go, enjoyed my husband and now I'm back!

So, think about the kind of wife you are? Would you want to come home at the end of the day to you? Would you want to hang with you? Are you fun? Are you critcal? Are you taking care of yourself? Our place as a wife, as his wife, is the most precious and beautiful "role" we have. God created us to be his helper. Do you even know what that means. In Genesis 2:18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Thats you ... his helper! I think that is so exciting! God has a divine purpose for my husband and I get to help him in that journey. The ways I can help him are endless! I get to help organize and run his house. I get to be his confidant. I get to be his playmate. I get to be cheering squad. I get to be his romance. Are you being the wife you want to be? Are you being playful? Are you encouraging? Do you have a positive attitude? Do you choose to see his effforts?

I'm telling you from experience if you are holding your place as his wife with great value and honor .... your life with be full and joyfull! It is a gift to be his wife!

Some practical ideas ...

~ Date- every monday night is date night for Chris and I - all kids are in bed by 8pm, I take a bath to switch from mama to wife and we have a date at home ( my confession - our date night right now consists of watching The Bachelor, I know, but we enjoy our time together so its good)

~ Sex - yes, I said it! Wives, your husband needs sex. Enjoy it, embrace it, and have fun! I know its hard with little ones but with 4 kids in a small house, we manage plenty of time together.

~ Focus on the good - watch for the little things he's trying to do for you. Don't just dismiss his efforts. Focus on the things he does do, not the things he doesn't. If he tries to kiss you while your doing dishes, pause and enjoy his kiss. If he gives the kids a bath but leaves the towels on the floor, thank him for giving the kids a bath and then pick up that towel quietly. Focus on the good!

~ Pray - Do you consistantly pray for your beloved. Think about the pressure that is on your husband every day. The world tells him everyday that he is not enough, that he will fail in someway, that his wife is actually the one that leads his house. He is faced with temptation and sin every where he turns. Pray for Him my Friends! PRAY consistantly!!!!

So, lets talk! Tell me things you do to be the wife you desire and he deserves. Tell me where your stumbling. Be honest, be thoughtful and be ..... barefoot! Love to you all!

to live barefoot ...

to chisel away the extras ... to live simple, connected, raw and real ... to live with purpose allowing space to breath ... to be open to God's path ... to be in the moment ... to have real time for others ... to do things that bring me joy ... to absorb every moment with my children ... to slow down for my amazing husband ... to see the beauty God has created for me and in me ...

I believe God has a perfect plan for each of us. I believe everything happens according to His perfect plan and if I allow Him ... He can do mighty things through me. I also believe that I can't mess up His plan. He knows that I will fail sometimes. He knows that I will stumble but He will pick me back up, dust me off, kiss away my tears and set me on my way again. He can make beauty through me because I am human, because I will fail and most importantly because I am willing.

I feel called to live "out loud", to let you in on my journey. I pray that you feel encouraged, challenged and loved through this blog. Some days it will just be the random things that make me happy, other days you'll watch me fail. You'll laugh at my kids and relate to those mommy moments. I hope to bring light to some things that I value and to share some things that I hope will empower you. In all of this , I promise to be .... barefoot!

Only I can let them steel my JOY!

I am always amazed how God continues to teach and mold me as His child.  I feel overall that I am very comfortable in my skin.  I don't feel I need to justify myself to the world.  I know I do somethings different but I also know that I am not radical.  I know the only ones I am accountable to is my Creator and my husband..... but for some reason I have let others steal my joy.  Something incredible has happened in my life but I have not felt like sharing my little gift with others.  I don't want others opinions and I don't want anyones insensitivity to change this experience for me.  So, I haven't shared my  little secret with many ... until now!  I am 8 weeks pregnant and I am thrilled.  Yes, I just had a miscarriage, my 8th.  Yes, I already have 4 kids.  Yes, I live in a small house.  and Yes, I am living the life that God has called me too and I am so blessed by Him because of it!  As some feel this way of life is odd, I beg to differ.  I believe that we as a society, and even a Christian society,  have gotten so far from how God intended for us to live.  God has called me to live "out loud" and that means that I will share my voice, my experiences, my failures, my successes, my losses and most importantly my JOY!  So, today I share my JOY .... I am pregnant and no matter how long I get to carry this baby, I am blessed because God chose me and I will celebrate and look to tomorrow with JOY.