Holiday Happenings

"Holiday Happenings"

It is the first day of Brenna's Christmas vacation! Yeah! I will be honest and tell you that I have been waiting for this day since the first day of school!

However...

My house is a disaster zone...

Cookies need baked...

Presents need wrapped...

PJ's need replaced with clothes...

Homemade presents need to be completed...

The FOURTH fight between the lonely brother and his happy to be home sister needs to be broken up...

And I would not change any of it!

Merry Christmas everyone!!
Enjoy EVERY SINGLE moment!!!

Random "happenings" at my home this morning...

I am looking out my window watching the beautiful snow fall! Wow! How peaceful and quiet it looks out there!

Still in my PJ's...(seeing as how it's just 9am on a Saturday, I have at least until 2pm before I have to think about getting dressed!)

Fire burning in the wood burner...

Ginger bread dough is awaiting to be rolled, cut, baked and iced!

Christmas lights twinkling all around...

Christmas music playing...

My kids playing nicely together for...20 minutes now!

"Can we go outside NOW mommy!" just broke the "silence!"

Today I am thankful for...

...hearing the rocking chair creak as Abigail rocked and read
...little boy arms reaching, wanting. . .me
...crinkly cornstalks and wind chimes reminding me that the clouds have been blown away
...husbands home for lunch
...nap time
...rearranging furniture
...sweeping under chairs, oh my, I needed to do that

~ Sarah Jones

Serving Tray

Serving Tray

(As we displayed at MOPS!)

This is a simple and inexpensive gift!

Here is what you will need:

A picture frame (at least an 8 x 10)

Fabric, pretty paper, pictures, quotes, ticket stubs, or child artwork, etc. Whatever you decide to "frame" in your tray!

Mugs (The Dollar Store has very nice mugs and you can get a decent frame there too!)

Hot Cocoa (I bought a large canister of hot cocoa at Walmart for $1.78?!)

Marshmallows

Baggies

Ribbon

Pretty Jar (The Dollar Store is where I bought mine!)

Candy Canes (Yep Dollar Store!)

Holiday straws (This was just an extra touch if there are kids in the family!)

You could also add to your tray a little box of chocolates or cookies or even a relaxing instrumental CD! (I have seen all of these in the Dollar Store, but also in the dollar section at Target!)

Small card or gift tag - to attach to jar to write cocoa directions  Ex: add 2 Tablespoons to 8 oz of warm milk.

Optional: Shrink Wrap

Optional: Felt

What to do:

1. Place what you decided to use as your art work in your tray (frame). Get creative! Add ribbon, buttons, etc.

2. Pour your cocoa in your jar ~ don't forget to tie a ribbon and your tag or card with cocoa directions!

3. Put a few marshmallows is a baggie ~ tie closed with ribbon.

4. Arrange mugs, cocoa, and marshmallows on your tray.

5. Put a candy can in your mugs and straws (if desired).

6. Add a box of cookies or chocolate (if desired).

8. Also you can add felt or cloth to bottom of your tray (frame) to prevent it from damaging furniture!

7. Optional ~ make this gift sparkle and look professional by wrapping it in shrink wrap and adding more of your ribbon

A simple, inexpensive gift from the heart!

" Today I am Thankful for..."

~#1 on my gratitude list today - I am thankful for the MOPS blog!

~ Also, today (Sunday) I was thankful for the wonderful individuals that take the time and effort to play and love our children in the nursery's at church so that moms, dads, and grandparents can really spend the time totally focused on worshipping the Lord. During which time I could really get in touch with the amazing gift of His grace on me once again. And how little I deserve, yet He just keeps giving and giving.

~Kristy Lecorchick

Thankful...

"Today I am thankful for..."

... my daughter's Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. B. It eased my mind greatly after meeting with her today. I feel calmer, I feel that my daugher is safer and cared for in her hands, when she is away from me.

...a new friendship that is becoming dear to me and I can see develop into a lasting one!

... Honey Roasted Peanuts from Girl Scouts (not really). I am thankful that someone made them SO delicious! I enjoyed (over the course of two days) practically an entire 8 oz can by myself! I am not thankful for where that enjoyment will show up on my body!

...a belly laugh I got from my son.

...a request to be my daughter's twin for Twin Day tomorrow at school! We have matching shirts and even though I won't be there at school with her, she still wants mommy to be her twin! Awwh...love those moments!

...my friend Jenn, who seems to always know when I need to vent!

...Audiobooks.com

Thankful...

Today I am Thankful For...

Thanksgiving is exactly 2 weeks away!!
I hope that you all enjoyed reading the "Mom Thanks" in the November newsletter. I would like to continue that up until Thanksgiving on our blog!

I truly believe it can be the little things that save our days and our sanity! Those things that may seem so simple that we easily overlook them, don't acknowledge them, may not even realize that the thought, the item, the prayer we shot up quickly, the smile we received, the giggle we heard, the chocolate we ate was our saving grace!
Perhaps if we shared those moments with each other, not only would we become more aware of our daily blessings but maybe we would remember to be more aware of them in our own lives and shoot up a prayer of thanks to the One who gave that moment to us!

If you have one thing that sticks out today that you are thankful for or you have 5, 10, or 15 share them with us! Email them to MOPSUtown@msn.com and they will be posted shortly!

Being moms, what we are thankful for can change on an hourly basis!

Chicken and Tortilla Casserole Recipe | Recipe4Living

Chicken and Tortilla Casserole Recipe | Recipe4Living

Posted using ShareThis

Halupki "stuffed cabbage"

Halupki

Ingredients:
2/3 c water 1 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup uncooked white rice 1/4 cup chopped onion
8 cabbage leaves 1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt 1 can condensed tomato soup
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil, add rice and stir, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil, salted, add cabbage leaves and cook for 2-4 minutes or until softened, drain

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine beef, 1 cup cooked rice, onion, egg, salt, pepper, along with 2 tblsp tomato soup. Mix thoroughly.

4. divide beef mixture among cabbage leaves, roll and secure with toothpicks.

5. In large skillet over medium heat, place cabbage rolls in and pour remaining tomato soup over top. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 40 min., stirring and basting with liquid often.

A Mother's Prayer

Oh give me patience when tiny hands

Tug at me with their small demands.

And give me gentle & smiling eyes;

Keep my lips from sharp replies.

And let not fatigue, confusion or noise

Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.

So when years later and my house is still-

No bitter memories its room may fill.

~author unknown

Grrr! Grrr!


It is a gorgeous Saturday!

A Saturday that I would love to be spending outside in my flower garden preparing it for winter. I find myself, however, in a crabby mood stuck in my house making sure a punishment is being followed.

My kids are anything but cooperative on this gorgeous day. Brenna has spent most of her morning in her room upset (and being punished for not obeying!) because she witnessed the throwing away of dead flowers that our beloved neighbor, Ms. Donna, gave to her. The more I tried to explain to my 5 year old why the flowers had to go and that new ones would be growing in their place in the spring - the LOUDER she screamed and refused to listen. Ethan who is in and out of the house, chooses his "in" times to agitate his sister and make her mood, ever so pleasant!!

As I listened to her in her room (she has now been set "free") sending me a message of frustration (and exhaustion from what I feel a week of ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN can easily do to a child - Grrr! don't get me started...that's a whole other topic!) I could not help but think that her screaming and crying would make for a GREAT backdrop/sound effect for a spook house!

I decided to have some brief "mommy time" and get on the blog! I am so glad that I did! As I scrolled down through older posts I came upon one that has really calmed my frustrations, selfishness, and what I have felt as failures today (on more than one level).

I first want to apologize to YOU SARAH, and to the other moms that have written blogs or commented on what was written! It is 100% my loss. Wow. What amazing things I have missed for not taking a few minutes to read this blog!

Wendy G, I know you related to this blog too! I did. I know know that all of us feel this way on more than one occasion! Sarah I hope you don't mind the re-posting!


Failed

I make plans for myself and my family. Sometimes those plans are verbalized. Often they are unwritten subtleties, unconscious expectations.

These are my enemies-these silent objectives.

They taunt me when unmet. They use names like unworthy and inadequate. On occasion they whip out the really powerful adjectives to titles I already claim: bad mother, loser wife.

Unspoken goals have powerful voices.

All too often I agree. I add my own label: failure. I claim that name for myself, worrying that my husband is disappointed and angry and that my children are being scarred beyond recognition. I carry that weight with me day in and day out till I can no longer stand under the burden.

I cry.

I seek out my husband asking if I am the failure I believe I am. I don't believe his answer. I ask if he is disappointed in me, angry with my performance. I don't believe his answer. I question my mothering listing all the times I could have done things differently. I don't believe his answer.

I pray that this burden be lifted, that I be forgiven for being less that everything, that I be made a wife and a mother worthy of these dear ones in my family.

And I read:

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy comes from God.

2 Corinthians 3:5

And He speaks.

And I rest assured that in spite of my shortcomings, in spite of my weaknesses, in spite of my inadequacy, He will care for my family. For He loves them more than I ever could. He created them just as He created me. He knows that we together are but dust. In His love for all of us--husband, wife, children--He will make me adequate for this call to motherhood.

~This blog was written by Sarah and original posted in April of 2009.

Dreams & Nightmares…and Imagination!

My youngest, Ethan 3, has been experiencing nightmares lately. Not fun.
Last night his crying sent my heart in full panic mode! I rushed to his room to see his arms fully extended waiting for me and I when I got to him he squeezed me so hard and just cried and cried.
“What’s wrong buddy?”
More crying. No answer.
“Ethan why are you crying?”
More crying. No answer.
“Did you have a scary dream?”
Even as his up and down motion of the head confirmed my suspicion, I still do not think he understands what is going on with dreams. So, if he can’t even comprehend (which lets face it, it’s a hard thing for even an adult to understand) it, how can mommy explain it and then fix it?
I dislike nightmares very much. The unconscious mind of children should be a happy place!
I have prayed with him when this happens and that does seem to help. We pray for dreams filled with footballs, puppies playing, racecars, balloons, and pizza!
The one good thing about nightmares in a child is that they are, forgotten by morning. It’s only in adulthood that they stick with you longer! However, I have begun to wonder if those cranky dreams make for a cranky little boy? Hmmmmm? Will I ever know any of these answers?

What is so amazing about the imagination of a child, however, is the pure power of it! Conscious or unconscious, the imagination is a wonderful thing! You cannot tell your child that what they are doing is just “pretend.” When their imagination is working on overtime you better prepare yourself to “step only on the island (carpet) so you won’t sunk” or watch what or who your try to toss in the garbage “NO don’t throw the princess away! (a Kleenex tied with a string!)”

Ethan woke up in the wee hours Thursday morning calling for me. Another nightmare? I didn’t hear fear in his voice. Down the stairs I go and as soon as I reach his room, he begins to tell me all about this really tall and really cool bean stock.
“I think you had a dream buddy!”
He replied very sleepily, “NO it’s real mommy. I will show you.”
“Okay Ethan. Where is it?”
When he didn’t respond I looked down to see that he had fallen back asleep. A few hours later when it was time to ACTUALLY wake up, I had forgotten about the bean stock and I thought he had to.
We were walking out of our front door to take Brenna to school and Ethan stops and looks down our little road. I could not help but notice the very confused look on his face and watched him adjust his head as if to get a better view.
“What do you see Ethan?”
“Mommy!! The bean stock is GONE!” He explains pointing.
“Oh!”
“It was right there on the road mommy. It was really big and tall.”
I waited to see what reason he would come up with for the “disappearance” of the bean stock.
“Some one must have moved it.” He concluded.
Obviously.
As I was loading him in the car, I said, “Maybe the bean stock was just your imagination?”
He looked up at me thought for a minute put on his cutest face managed a little giggle and said, “Yeah, it was just my magination mommy.”
As I closed the car door and went to walk around the car, I glanced back to see his face pressed against the glass and his eyes searching!
I just love imagination!

Thankfuls

It's Friday! What are you thankful for this week?

Kiddy pools and bathing suits that make me comfortable
Letting the dog play in the pool after we're done
Irrepressible giggles from a three year old watching her dog play in her pool

A van cleaned while children play
A porch swept before lunch
Dave Ramsey on Hulu while finishing the ironing

Baby smiles and tiny coos
Six hours of sleep
NUMB3RS for company during late evening feedings

Mom

Thursday Thirteen

You know your a mom when

1. You keep catching a whiff of spit-up but can't quite figure out where it is coming from. You suspect it is you.
2. You go to the store without changing your shirt while suspecting that you are wearing spit-up.
3. You can have two conversations at one time.
4. Fingerprints appearing on freshly cleaned windows doesn't surprise you.
5. You can recite a variety of books from memory.
6. You get a dog so your kitchen floor can be clean.
7. You aren't embarrassed when a child starts singing a song about poop in the middle of the store.
8. You don't realize the composer is your child because you started tuning out her voice when she started talking to her imaginary family.
9. You consider telling her to stop singing about poop, but know you will then have to have a conversation about poop in the store. And since you make it a point not to discuss poop in public, decide that a song about poop isn't the worst thing in the world.
10. Nap time is your second favorite time of day following bedtime.
11. You know what an "Ebay Day" is and feels like.
12. You understand why it is dangerous to get between a mama bear and her cubs.
13. Even in the middle of an Ebay Day no one dare hurt one of you little ones for there is nothing better than the "I love you, Mommy," of your child.
    

Green Smoothies

So I found a new blog, The Lazy Organizer. Her family eats very differently than my family. You will have to read to see.

Anyway one of the things she makes is green smoothies. They sound gross, BUT I tried one today. And it wasn't gross in the least. OK the color is semi-unappealing, but the taste is really rather good.

So what is in a green smoothie you ask. I will share.

• A handful of spinach
• Some fruit fresh or frozen
• Milk to make smooth (it is a smoothie after all) **She uses water instead of milk, but I am a dairy lover.
• Ice if your using fresh fruit (I left the ice out as I was feeling lazy and the children were screaming.)

Blend and drink.

Seriously, I know drinkable spinach sounds like yuck, but it wasn't at all.

What do you like in your smoothies?

Thankfuls

Quiet time.

Sleepy children.

The plural of child.

Pink rhododendrons.

Fragrant lilacs.

Posting from the porch.

Failed

I make plans for myself and my family. Sometimes those plans are verbalized. Often they are unwritten subtleties, unconscious expectations.

These are my enemies-these silent objectives.

They taunt me when unmet. They use names like unworthy and inadequate. On occasion they whip out the really powerful adjectives to titles I already claim: bad mother, loser wife.

Unspoken goals have powerful voices.

All too often I agree. I add my own label: failure. I claim that name for myself, worrying that my husband is disappointed and angry and that my children are being scarred beyond recognition. I carry that weight with me day in and day out till I can no longer stand under the burden.

I cry.

I seek out my husband asking if I am the failure I believe I am. I don't believe his answer.
I ask if he is disappointed in me, angry with my performance. I don't believe his answer.
I question my mothering listing all the times I could have done things differently. I don't believe his answer.

I pray that this burden be lifted, that I be forgiven for being less that everything, that I be made a wife and a mother worthy of these dear ones in my family. And I read:

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves,
but our adequacy comes from God.
2 Corinthians 3:5

And He speaks.

And I rest assured that in spite of my shortcomings, in spite of my weaknesses, in spite of my inadequacy, He will care for my family. For He loves them more than I ever could. He created them just as He created me. He knows that we together are but dust. In His love for all of us--husband, wife, children--He will make me adequate for this call to motherhood.

Fankful Fridays

A fenced yard for the dog
A little girl who can dress herself
The outfits said little girl dresses herself in
Sleeping little man

Laundry folded and in baskets
A made bed
Cereal instead of oatmeal
Leftover lasagna for dinner

Bottle sterilizers
Movies that don't scare little girls
No plans to go anywhere today
Rain preventing me from feeling guilty for not planting anything

Today's devotion:
Cease striving
Know that I am God;
I will be exalted in the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.

Living peacefully with the to-do list.

What are you thankful for today?

Doctor's Visits

Tuesday I went for a doctor's appointment. I've hit the weekly stage. There is plenty of time to think waiting at the ob/gyns. Thought I'd share (possible TMI).

Basic Observations

1. Peeing in a plastic cup the size of a shot glass becomes increasingly difficult as your belly grows increasingly larger. I would like a cup with handles.
2. Jerry Springer though conversation inspiring is not what the majority of women waiting want to see.
3. Drug reps who walk right in after I've been waiting half an hour beyond the time of my appointment frustrate me.
4. The group B strep test is birth control.
5. So is the hour and a half waiting at the office when the appointment takes all of two minutes and involves a tape measure and doppler machine.
6. I've been with a clinic before where I had my choice of four doctors and to physician assistants. They are no more on-time than a one doctor, one physician office where I know who will deliver my baby.

For the Doctor

1. Making a me wait with no pants on for 30 minutes guarantees you a frustrated woman.
2. Asking me about a lost pregnancy every visit because you haven't read the problems drives me crazy.
3. I truly like my doctor. I truly dislike being pregnant (though I am thrilled with the outcome and our ability to have a baby.) It is a love hate relationship I have with you.

For Women

1. The man you choose to bring will embarrass you. Not because he means to, but because he doesn't want to be in the ob/gyn's office and he gets bored with daytime talk. Even I want to throw bits of rotten food at Rachel Ray and the Ladies of the View. (Guess what time my appointments usually are.)
   
2. Your children could fall off the spinning doctor's stool if you let them play on it because every other method of distraction has failed.
3. The beautiful women in the pregnancy magazines are professionally dressed, professionally made up, and air-brushed. And no store in Uniontown sells those cute dresses.
4. You will gather more information from and give more information to the other women (and their men and children) than you thought possible. Even when your plan is to read something you have been wanting to read for weeks.

A Bonus

1. Drinking in order to be sure you are prepared for the required bathroom visit before you leave for the appointment only assures your discomfort as the wait alone is long enough to fill your bladder.
   

Sunday Night

My house is always a mess Sunday night. Always. I don't know how to fix it, but after the weekend and the ways weekends free me from the regular routine, disaster is sometimes not to serious a word.

Then Monday comes and groceries and miscellaneous necessities find their way into the . . . kitchen and by Monday afternoon, I am

1. making dinner around a great multitude of stuff waiting to be put away, or
2. putting away the stuff and peacefully making dinner (wait that is in my dreams), or
3. putting away stuff and near tears asking to go out for dinner.

Does anyone else have this dilemma? If you don't, what is your secret?

What's on Your List?

Thursday Thirteen

What's on your to-do list today?

1. Dishes out of the dishwasher
2. Shower
3. Library for storytime
4. Target for milk
5. WAlk the Dog
6. Fold laundry
7. ANother load in
8. Dress Abigail
9. Make beds
10. Purge Abigail's toys
11. Organize Abigail's toys
12. Read my Bible
13. Take a nap (yes, I'm pregnant and Abigail was in our bed at 4:00 this morning, a nap belongs on the to-do list.)
    

Thankfuls

God blesses us, So the ends of the earth may fear Him. Psalm 67:7

How often I have read over this without catching it. May we shout His blessings so the ends of the earth may fear Him.

I'm so blessed:

Dog Obedience Classes
Cuddly Girls
Kicking Babies
More Time than I Need (even when I don't always feel like it)
A Forgiving Family
A Forgiving God

My Current Life

I won't do this often. My goal was to never do it, but if I want to post anything here today this is the only way it will get done.

Check out the catch-up list over at A Lettered Legacy today.

Thankfuls

It's Friday. How was your week?

In the midst of the craziness what are you thankful for?

bitter apple anti-chew spray keeps George from beating up Abigail

Abigail's dear sweet heart caring for those around her

Valentine's gifts that allow children to buy their own toys and plan for others

Grandparents who invite child and her dog to spend the night

rain boots and rain coats

working sound stuff in the computer

the promise of a night with my hubby without interruption

Dr. Kevin Leman's Have a New Kid by Friday

.."oops" Moment

hello everyone!

want to first apologize for the mix up you see!! haha. Riley and I attended the MOPS day out today...bowling at manor lanes. haha. i know, it is really tomorrow. well, i know that now! it was a total "oops!" moment...but not until I was already home a while! we had a lot of fun though! i work tomorrow or i would join everyone then as well. (i must have made a mistake writting down the date originally.) i hope that tomorrow is a great turn out and that you all have a wonderful time!! i am attatching some pictures of today's adventure!

~ Julia

ps...can't wait to see everyone on thursday night at applebees for MOMS night out!

Five Minute Tasks

One day in my fervor to get things accomplished, I decided to use the time it took to make tea to be productive. Instead of say reading a few blogs and getting so distracted, I forgot about the steeping tea till it was cold and bitter and found half an hour wasted for which I beat myself up the rest of the day.

Anyway, I have been thinking about time, probably too much, lately and I was wondering what kinds of things can be accomplished in a 5 minute time period. Or other short period of time often written off as too short to accomplish something.

In the time it takes to make old-fashioned oatmeal. These are ors.
Make my bed and straighten our room
Clear out the dishwasher, all but the silverware
Reload the dishwasher
Get dressed and wash face (I haven't tried the toothbrushing at this time because brushing your teeth before breakfast just defeats the purpose)

In the time it takes to make a cup of tea (waiting for the right amount of water to boil, not the amount necessary for pasta to cook). These are ands.
Put away the adults' underwear (who wants tea when the children are awake?)
Fold the blanket from my nap
Design a fabulous housekeeping series for a blog
Review my memory verses from the Mega Memory Month (I didn't make it. Currently blaming the child developing in my womb for stealing my brain cells.)
Get the mail and toss it in the mail area.

In 10 minutes. These are ors.
Pick up Abigail's room and the living room
Dress myself and do those little personal hygiene tasks to prepare for the day
Wash the dishes that don't make it into the dishwasher and wipe the table and counters
Write a post.

What can you do in a few minutes? And do you?

Honestly, I squander a large amount of my spare minutes. If you visit, you can tell.

The Simple Things

Abigail calls them our thankfuls. The time we spend as a family giving one thing we are thankful for during the day in preparation for prayer. We can't skip them. Actually I don't think we would even for serious infractions. Today I will share my thankfuls.

• A quiet house
• Coffee and a donut
• Genuine kindness
• (not the grit your teeth because God wants kindness from His people kind)
• Walking at the mall
• Good naps for mom
• Planned overnight babysitting
• Bin of picked up toys
• Meat thawed for dinner

What are your thankfuls?

No Excuse

Alright Ladies,

For those of you who claimed more than one love language, there is a handy-dandy little quiz right here.
The 30 Second Assessment. Incidentally, there is a quiz there about your apology language here.

The 5 Love Languages Quiz

and just for good measure, in case they are in conflict,
GreaterQuest-5 Love Languages Quiz.

Check it out and I expect reports :).

Revisiting Resolutions

In my thoughts throughout the first part of the year, I wanted to develop some rhythm. I didn't want simply routine. I wanted something more than a schedule.

I fumbled throughout January. Trying to find that thing called rhythm without routine and schedule. I fumbled.

Toward the end of the month Rachel Anne at Home Sanctuary had me start thinking about that schedule and perhaps the wisdom of routine.

What about you do you have a housekeeping schedule? Do you keep time with you schedule or just have a general to-do list for the day?

Baked Pork Chops

Baked Pork Chops
SUBMITTED BY: Neely Bender

PREP TIME
30 Min
COOK TIME
1 Hr 30 Min
READY IN
2 Hrs

6 pork chops
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp seasoning salt
2 egg, beaten
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
4 tblsps olive oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup chicken broth or stock

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk and chicken broth in a medium bowl. After the pork chops have baked for an hour, cover them with the soup mixture. Replace foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.

Tonight's Meeting

So ladies, did you have as much fun with the Pop's Panel as I did? What insightful answers answers and honesty!

I was so impressed with the bit on leadership and being able to give up the control once the conversation has been had. How difficult will that be? But I need to give it a try with lots of prayer, hunh?

What was the most relevant thing you got out of the evening?

Nifty Net Items

Some things in blog land I thought you might be interested in, or rather that I find interesting.

Mega Memory Month hosted by Ann Kroeker is just what it says, a challenge to memorize more than you normally might during the month of January.

At Home Sanctuary, RachelAnne inspires us to do one Simple Thing a day to create a sanctuary in our homes. You can join her Company Girls and earn points for the simple things to receive prizes. Who doesn't love a prize?

Finally there is Bloggy Giveaways, a blog dedicated to giving stuff away to people willing to look at the merchant and to post a comment. Again who doesn't love a giveaway?

If you have any great sites, let me know.

Resolutions

So, I was reading yesterday about year naming at Holy Experience. (I really like her blog, really, really.) She talked about giving this new year a name, sort of a focus. A way of numbering our days, ordering the time before us. She is far more poetic than I am and I encourage you to read her words on the subject.

What name would I give this new year?

I have so many things I want to do, changes I want to see occur in my life. Is there one defining focus, a unifying point of reference in all the jumble? A name that if given to this year would beautifully package and enable all the questions and heart cries I have during this time of newness.

There are many words I have been mulling over in this middle ground of end and beginning:

order, routine, peace, discipline, present, rhythm.

I will name 2009 Rhythm. More than order and routine, rhythm implies presence and peace, discipline and joy. Rhythm is a word to be shared as this year is time to be shared. Rhythm hints at the sacred.

Do you have resolutions? Do you have a name for the year?

Happy New Year

Six days late. My resolutions still linger in my mind, scattered words scratched in notebooks and journal. Still marinating in the process of planned change. Really how much change can I plan. Maybe that is the point of marinating in the ideas--praying, writing, waiting for God's plans to come to words, to express themselves in ways a mortal can understand.

I have some ideas about relationship and including and new life and completed tasks and this week I choose to finish things and to find a routine and rhythm to our lives. Like the gift of sunrise and sunset, of breathing in and breathing out, routine holds the promise of newness in each new task.

What about you? Did you make any resolutions? How are you doing six days in?

I've been reading Holy Experience as I think and plan and process.

Today

I realize how behind I am.

And today, I don't want to be a mom anymore.

Can anyone relate?