i sing because i'm happy...

Good morning friends.  The sun is streaming in my windows as I write this.  It's a new day.  A day to finally get out of my jammies and put on some make-up...woowoot;)  I wanted to pop in here and let you know we are all fine.  The storm didn't affect us as much as they thought, and when we woke up yesterday morning we rejoiced in the fact that our power didn't even go out!  That's a miracle!!!  It goes out during a thunderstorm...so yes we felt your prayers.  It seems there was a little bubble over our area.  So so grateful:)




Others of course didn't fair so well and it's been heartbreaking watching the news.  Seeing their homes washed away.  Seeing the mess they have to dig out of.  I always wonder to myself what would I do?  What if that was my little family?  How would you know where to begin?  Where would you go??


As I was watching a family in New Jersey survey their area with a tv crew on their heels it made me completely choke up when they just stopped in the flooded street and embraced each other and said "We have each other.  We all made it alive.  That's all that matters".  Chills!  Isn't that the truth.  When faced with storms in life, when it all comes down to it...all that matters is that we have each other.  All the other stuff is just stuff. 





I've had a song in my heart over the last few days.  The birds feeding at my feeder are a constant reminder to me of how God takes care of us.  How He provides for our every need.  Sing with me...

 

 

 

His eye is on the sparrow...

 

 

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

**Update on my Grandma.  My mom and dad said their goodbyes and headed home yesterday.  It was incredibly hard for my mom.  Probably the last time she'll see her sweet momma.  Thank you again for all of your prayers.  You stand in the gap for us.  I can feel your prayers.  I really can...beyond humbled that you care.

Be a blessing.

838.  unbelievable happy mail for my big chick
839.  power!
840.  gorgeous sunshine streaming in my windows today
841.  the texts, calls and emails from friends
842.  a wonderful last visit for my mom/grandma



the perfect storm

I'm sitting in my office...the twinkly lights are soft and mellow circling the ceiling.  I keep glancing out the window to check on the wind conditions.  We are in wait mode.  "The perfect storm" is en route.  And even though it's not going to hit us directly there is a bit of fear that settles in. 


This hurricane stuff is still new to us.  Growing up in the Midwest we'd watch the news.  We'd see those poor weathermen all decked out in their rain gear getting beat to death by the wind and waves, and we'd kind of laugh to ourselves...thinking what an idiot;)  Boy do they make it dramatic for people!  But this time the hype seems a little more scary than normal.  They keep calling it this hybrid storm.  Something they've never seen before and I can't help but feel nervous. 

I think fear stems from the unknown of course.

Fear ultimately comes from feeling out of control. You can be chugging along and then bam! There it is...the perfect storm. It's ready to swoop in on you without much warning and turn your life, your comforts upside down. It's incredibly inconvenient. It makes you irritable and stressed. It wreaks havoc on your diet;) The conditions were all right for it. You were in it's path.

And then there's the not being ready that really strikes it in a person. This time, with this hurricane, we are as ready as we can be. We bought a generator after the last storm. We have batteries, food and water. Everything is put away and secured. We have a plan.

The fact is we are all going to have a perfect "storm" at some point in our lives.  It's inevitable.  We will have to deal with the ugliness, the pain, the pressure that surrounds it.  Will we be prepared?  Will we curl up in a ball and call it quits, or will we turn to Him and trust that He'll take care of us?



Wish I could say I've been relaxed and worry free about this storm coming.  Wish I could say I just gave it all over and trusted him from the beginning.  Not so much.  I'm a worrier sometimes.

I guess a storm gives me a lot of time to practice trusting.  It definitely makes me draw closer.  It makes me realize how small I am and how incredibly almighty HE is!  That's a good thing.  A very good thing.  Oh and so is getting in my Little Chick's birthday party before it hit.  Thank you Jesus:)

**Praying for all of you who are getting ready to deal with this perfect storm thing.  This inconvenient, scary hiccup in life.  Praying safety over your homes and families, and peace to cover you from head to toe.

Be a blessing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

833.  a home to hunker into

834.  candles

835.  a generator!

836.  knitting, good books and board games to occupy our time

837.  that we can join together through this or any storm 

 

 

 

 

the beautiful blur

Okay friends this is the last of PNW pics.  I hate to even say that.  I've so enjoyed going through all my memories, because to be honest while I'm there it's a complete blur.  From the minute I step off the plane my friends scoop me up and take me from one beautiful fun adventure to the next. 


I saved this one for last because it was kind of the perfect Lissa day.  Knowing my friend she had thought about this day for months...wanting the weather to be perfect...for the market to be open.  I'm sure she planned out the ideal lunch spot and the exact course of our walk.  She knew just what to make me for dinner to make my eyes roll to the back of my head.  I know she did...cause I know her.  And that's what friends do.  They want to make life special.  My girls did not fail me.  They blessed me to my toes, and this trip is one I will never forget.

We hit the farmer's market.  Which I might add is just a short little walk from Lissa's house...can you say spoiled rotten??  Oh and while we were there we just happened to run into her entire family and most of her church congregation!! I have to say that made me really happy for her.  What a luxury of having her people close by...of running into those who know your name...know your story....who love you.  I miss that.

I got the most fragrant melon you have ever ever smelled!  I picked it up to kind of mock Lissa and I was like OH MY WORD... I must have this melon.  It was hilarious.  Needless to say this sweet little melon found it's entire being in my belly later in the day;)

 

After the market we walked to lunch and then down to the beach.  She lives right on Puget Sound.  She has a beach she can walk to!!   Can you imagine??  We did nothing but act like dorks and took a million pics of each other on the gorgeous driftwood.  It was really fun...and laid back.  As a matter of fact peace is the word I would use to describe the day...FULL OF PEACE.

 

 

Then we came home and I sat in her kitchen...I kid you not...for 6 hours.  Sounds dreadful right??  To sit in one space for 6 hours...NOT dreadful in the least.  I was mesmerized while she cooked for me.  I love to watch people cook.  LOVE it!  It's weird because I don't like to cook at all.  Not even a little bit.  Strange. 

 

 

 (this is the recipe she made me...SO SO GOOD!)

 

 

Lissa however loves to cook.  It's how she blesses and loves on her people.  I was more than happy to oblige this deep seated desire in her;)  I was happy to let her fuss over me, and to make a meal that seriously did make me moan just a little. 

 

 

I had good company.  I had magical light.  I had Oscar;)  What more could I need??

The day...the entire trip...it truly was a beautiful blur:)

 

 

 

 

 

Be a blessing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

828.  from the soul...food

829.  friends that are truly family

830.  peaceFULL days

831.  sand, surf and all things beachy

832.  the blur of too many good things

 

 

never forgotten

I've had the word forgotten mulling around in my brain lately.  I'm in a transition state.  My honey has taken a new job.  Yes, another job!  And it's a good thing.  A God thing.  I believe with all my heart we moved here in a round about way for him to take this position.  Only thing is...it's not here.  He's commuting to DC for part of the week...and no we are not planning another move.  It's going to be our new normal.  It will be fine...better than fine.  There's just that initial change.

And with that change comes some new quiet time.  Quiet for me to think about what's going on in my own life.  Quiet for me to just sit still.  And to be honest I'm not used to quiet.  I fill my time with phone calls and IG banter and playdates with friends.  I don't know how to be alone and not feel a little forgotten. 

And I know that I know I'm not forgotten.  I'm not sitting useless.  His words...His promises remind me of that in Psalms 139.

You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

 

 

 

I'm precious to Him.  I'm one of a kind.  He made me fragrant and beautiful.  I just need to walk in that truth and run to Him when I feel lonely.  Run to him instead of my phone.  Run to him instead of going down that self pity path.  He's the only one that can fill any feeling of void.  I'm never alone...never forgotten.  And neither are you...

Be a blessing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

833.  new opportunities to listen

834.  reminders that i'm never alone

835.  a new job for my Honey

836.  peppermint mocha creamer

837.  psalms 139

 

 

oh the places you'll go...

 

When I started blogging almost 4 years ago I had no idea the places I would visit...the people I would meet.  People I've only seen on the Internet have become real flesh and bone friends. I'd read about Kim Taylor...seen her in a magazine or two.  We had friends in common, but I'd never had the chance to meet her.  Until this trip, when Lissa casually mentioned taking me out to her house.  EEEKK...UH yes please! 

 

 

I'm not sure if you remember this about me, but I have a dream.  A dream to own an airstream camper.  A dream to fix her up all cute and travel around.  Maybe take a few months and just do the camper thing.  It's a crazy dream, but the little seed is planted.  Anyway Kim has a camper and her name is Mabel. I die.

(wishing i would have taken more pics of her house...lovely)

We weren't there very long.  Just long enough for Miss Taylor to charm my socks off.  Her house was warm and inviting.  She had cupcakes.  Really rich decadent cupcakes!  Her decorating represented her perfectly I thought.  Warm and cozy.  Elegant and sophisticated...yet casual.  


Then there was her yard...complete with critters and most importantly chickens.  Again...I die!  Y'all know I want me some chickens.  I'm trying really hard not to covet!!!  It was a highlight.  I met someone I'd heard so much about and she was sweet, warm, down to earth...real.

 

Fast forward to a few days later when the circle continued on, and I got to meet my dear blogging/IG friend Tracy. She lives out in California and I knew...just knew one day our paths would cross.  Lissa and Tracy had become great friends, so when she said she was flying in for a wedding the same weekend I was planning my visit to Seattle my head just about popped off. 

 

 

This girl is precious!  She's good to the core.  Funny!  There is some kind of magic surrounding her that makes you want to be best friends.  Some people just have that thing...the ease thing.  They make you feel good when you are around them.  That's Tracy.

 

 

 

 

I wish I had a picture of all of us together.  We were able to meet up on the day I took off for home.  We hit Pikes Market and ate at the famous Crab Pot.  We walked the streets of downtown Seattle laughing and shopping like we'd been friends our whole lives.  Sticking gum on walls;)  It's amazing how small the world really is.  How if you open yourself up to meeting new people it kind of just happens.  The doors fly open....now if these girls just lived in VIRGINIA!;)

 

Have a blessed day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

823.  long distance friends

824.  crab with warm butter

825.  new experiences

826.  my ridiculous new orange sunglasses

827.  chickens;) 

completion and shop news

 

I grew up in a really old farmhouse.  We didn't have heat upstairs and in the winter some mornings snow would even line my windowsills.  Sounds crazy right??  Kinda like camping, but not!  Because of the cold our pipes froze to the upstairs bathroom when I was little.  Like maybe three or four years old little.  So for all those years we only had one bathroom...downstairs.  No biggie except that the doors creaked, the stairs creaked and there was NO HEAT!  Oh and never mind that when there's no bathroom you have to get up at least 10 times a night right;)??   


Anyhoo this summer when I went home I finally got to see the bathroom restored.   It was bliss let me tell you.  BLISS:))  I spent as much time in that room as I could.  The window was cracked open to the countryside...a cool breeze coming in.  I'd soak in the tub and reminisce.

I thought about when I was a little girl and took baths up there.  I thought about the chigger bites on my legs my momma put cream on.  And that was about it.  I can't remember anymore because it's been SO long that bathroom hasn't worked!!  I do however remember my mom and dad talking about getting it fixed FOREVER. 





My dad...God bless his soul...is probably the biggest procrastinator there is.  He's slow.  He's deliberate.  He really doesn't know what to do to fix something, so he puts it off...and off and off.  And for as long as I can remember my mom has nagged him about something needing done.  I grew up hearing that banter.  I grew up seeing my dad rarely finish a project, and something resolute set in me.  I knew I didn't want to be that way.  I wanted to finish what I started.  I didn't want to put things off.  I wanted to be a completer!

Well here I am all these years later.  And I can say that up until recently I've been that way.  I've never been one to procrastinate.  If there was something to be done I didn't dilly dally.  BUT I've seen a shift in me, and I don't like it.  Laundry can sit in baskets folded for a week.  Just because I don't like putting it away.  My bathroom can be disgusting.  And what would take 2 or 3 minutes to remedy can annoy me for days.


It's seeped into my work as well.  I've gotten to the point that I put off custom painting because it's not what I want to do.  The desire to paint something specific...something other than what I want, makes me not want to even begin.  I know there are reasons for the shift.  Have I become lazy?  Am I afraid to start??...wanting it to be perfect.  There is always a reason.  And as for my dad I'm sure it was probably overwhelming because he didn't know exactly what to do...so he did nothing.

I'm thinking that for me it's more than just laziness and the strive for perfection.  I've had a project on my heart forever, and I haven't really known where to begin.  Then other things keep me distracted and busy and, and, and...I just never begin. 


So I'm carving out time.  I've felt led to close my shop down December 15th and I'm leaving it closed until Feb.  I'm hoping this little break will allow me to focus.  Oh and I'm no longer doing custom house paintings...eeek!!  It's time to move on.  All that to say...if ya want something...a cuff, necklace...something made just for you.  Let me know now:) 


I've got a few coupons out there.  My friends Tiffini and Carissa have one going and there will be a couple more.  Thank you so much for supporting me.  I promise I'll reopen.  And hopefully I'll have some exciting new things in the works:)

Have a blessed weekend.

 

 

 

 

817.  my little chick's 9th bday...more pics to come




818.  the privilege of motherhood
819.  donuts
820.  new tennis shoes
821.  knitting;)
822.  mom and dad going to AZ today...praying they get their final goodbyes in

a truly special spot

When I was in the PNW Lissa would ask me what's your favorite thing we've done so far.  And I would get quiet and rack my brain trying to think...cause trust me we did so many amazing things it took some thought.  But as I went back through my pics I have to say this place is special to me.





And this girl is precious to me.  I met her through blogging many years ago and she was a completely different person.  I've watched her heal.  I've watched her "morph" into such an amazingly talented person.  She's found her passions.  She's using her gifts and she literally shines.  She loves Jesus with every ounce of her being...that's what I love about her most.  HE makes her shine;) 

We went to this place the last time I was there for a visit. It's a beautiful rural nursery (Christianson's) that oozes charm...every turn is a photograph. I love the light. I love the life growing there. I love that we can casually walk around and it's peaceful and serene.

I love that every step is a crunch of gravel under our feet.  It smells of dirt and sun mingled.  The air feels damp on my skin.  It's lovely.

Then we found an old rusty truck out back and it took on a whole new level of special!  The first one of me is trying to get brave...there was a big spider.  THERE IS ALWAYS A BIG SPIDER!  What's the deal with that??  We took a ton of pics here.  I won't show them all.  That would be indulgent...but at least now you know where I was for my new profile pic;)

They have a beautiful empty gift shop.  It's like a quaint french boutique...kind of old and rusty...but overflowing with pretties everywhere you look.  Have to admit I love that every time I've been there no one was in the store.  We could go in and try on silly hats.  We could touch things and take pictures and not feel guilty.  Heavenly:)   It was like a giant play store.

So this is one of my favorite places in all the world...thanks for letting me share.  I have more...lots more to show you.  Do you have a special spot that speaks to you??

 **Oh and thank you for all the prayers and letters concerning my Grandma.  We've all been there.  We all know.  I drink in your comments and feel your love.  I do:)

Have a blessed day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

811.  prayers from strangers

812.  rusty old trucks

813.  friends that enjoy doing similar things

814.  giant pumpkins

815.  moss

816.  alone time with my girlies