Revamping my home!

My new hobby is my home. Funny, but true. As a military wife, it's hard for me to set up a new home somewhere and really make it feel like it's mine. Those in the military know what I'm talking about! You get somewhere, maybe you rent or buy a house, and then you put some work into trying to make it yours, but then you get orders and you gotta leave and start another one somewhere new. Hard. I think if I had some great pieces that I could put up wherever I go so that it always feels like home, I wouldn't mind moving so much. That being said, I am revamping my home! Yay! I am super excited, and I can't wait to get started. Actually, Nathan and I have already started together. Surprised? I know! Two weeks ago, we sat down together after the kids were in bed and wrote up our Family Mission Statement. I am stoked that we have one now and as soon as I can, I am going to type it up and frame it so I can hang it. It will be something that is always on the wall and I can take wherever we go. Also, I came up with a list of our household habits that I am going to do the same to. That way, we always have something that is lasting for the rest of our military career and life. And the kids will grow up reading it as well and hopefully learn to appreciate it! Along with that, I have decided that I don't have nearly enough pictures hanging as I would like to have. This week I am going to finally buy ink for our printer so that I can print out the thousands of pictures we have stored on the computer that are going to waste not being used.

So I have also decided that I am tired of every piece of furniture looking so worn and old in my house! Okay, I should say I am tired of my dining room table looking worn and I'm so done with the finish on it. So I decided I am going to revamp it along with all six of the dining room chairs. HUGE job!!! I am looking forward to doing it so that I will be happy with it but I am not looking forward to the work that is going to have to be put into doing it. I really want my home to be a place that is comforting, restful on the eye, and just peaceful. I know that in order to achieve these things it's not just about revamping the material items we own, which is why I think the Family Mission Statement is a great idea. Just knowing that I signed a piece of paper like a contract has already changed a lot of the ways I handle situations in my house!

Here's my list of things I would love to have done by the end of the summer: (that's right, summer)!

1. Hang our Family Mission Statement

2. Make curtains for the windows

3. Revamp the dining room table

4. Get pictures hung in our house

So that's it! Hopefully I can accomplish this. I'm not a sewer by any means, but I'm hoping for a sewing machine for mother's day!
I will post before and after pics of everything I do:)

One New Years Resolution

I started 2011 with an almost two year old and a two month old. My son was born in Oct. 2010, and he has been such a little blessing to our family. He is so sweet, and quiet. Big sister absolutely adores him, and I'm fairly confident that they are going to be great friends growing up! A mother always likes to see their children get along, and already I am not witnessing a whole lot of jealousy or resentment toward the baby from her. She is the most precious little girl who is very helpful and very talkative!
This new year, God has been placing a very important matter on my heart. I wasn't going to make any New Years resolutions, but because of Him, I have made just one. It's a matter I feel is top priority no matter what, and that is the importance of family and the connections to those you say you love and care about. I was reading a mother's blog last night about her 20 month old twin daughter that had died in her sleep. (Thanks Jenna)! Needless to say, my heart was broken for this mother, this family, her twin that will have to grow up without her. My daughter is practically two years old, and just the thought of somehow losing her brings me to tears. I know that my children aren't mine, they're God's, but while I have them, they sure feel like they're mine. Something that only a mother knows, is that as a mother, you open your whole heart and lay it out there for your children. Mothers are so vulnerable to heartbreak; they anguish over their families, they hurt when their children hurt, cry when their children cry, laugh when they laugh. A mother feels everything. Growing up, I feel that I had the best mom a girl could ask for. My dad passed away when I was fourteen, and my mom was there for me. She didn't push her kids away in her own grief; she embraced us, loved us, let us talk to her, she talked to us, and I honestly believe she is an angel in disguise here on this earth. She taught me the importance of family.
I was talking to my husband last night; having a late night discussion. We were going back and forth about our dreams that we had to set aside because of the kids. At one point he asked me if I had it to do over, would I? As hard as being a mother is, and as hard as opening my heart so wide, yes, of course I would do it again. Family is about sacrifice. I am sacrificing what I want to do so that my children can have a stable future. My husband is doing the same thing, although he still gets to do fun things in the army! I would never want them even for a minute to think that I regret having them because I don't. I would gladly give my life for theirs if it came down to it.
I am so blessed to have parents that understand the importance of this subject. My step-dad is a hero, although that sounds so cliche. I was fourteen when he came into my life, and he accepted me and the rest of my siblings as his own. He stepped up to the plate and became the father figure that I needed, and that my own dad was not. Being together as a family is important to him, and to me, that says a lot about a person.
Last night, our daughter had a cookie in her hand that she was munching on, and she was trying to get up onto the couch to sit next to my husband. He told her to go into the kitchen to eat her cookie, and so she got down, and walked to the kitchen holding her little head down. My heart of course broke for her because she just wanted to sit by her daddy and eat a cookie! I told him later that some rules can be broken! I guess my point is, you never know what the future holds and some matters aren't as important as keeping the ties and bonds between you and the ones you love. I don't know if today is going to be the last day I have with any of my family. I don't know if my husband is going to get into an accident on his way home from work tonight, or if something is going to happen to one of my precious babies, or if I'm going to get a phone call from one of my family members far away. For that reason, my New Years resolution in the year 2011 and hopefully far beyond, is to take one day at a time to cherish and love my family with my whole heart. Even if waking up every three hours to feed my son is tiring, I want to look into those eyes every chance I have. And even if I do get tired of hearing "mama, mama, mama" when I just want a break from it. I know that I would want to hear those words over and over and over if I knew I couldn't at some point. I can't take back the things I said and did yesterday, but I can make a fresh start today to love and adore my family.

Happy New Year!!!!

Fall Recipes:)

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

2 Tbs olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt/pepper to taste
1 lb. (the average weight of 1 package)chicken breast tenders, diced
4 cups chicken stock
egg noodles

Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat. Chop carrots, onion, and celery, and add to the pot as you chop. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add bay leaf. When veggies have cooked down, add chicken stock and bring to boil. Add your chicken and cook about three minutes until cooked through. Add as many egg noodles as desired and cook til soft. Serve and enjoy:)

This is a really chunky soup, so add more broth if you like.

CinnaSpin Cookies Courtesy Betty Crocker

1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbs ground cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix cookie mix and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir in butter and egg until soft dough forms.
On piece of waxed paper, shape 1 tablespoon cinnamon into a line about 5 inches long. Using floured fingers, shape 1 tablespoon of dough into a rope 5 inches long. Press one side of dough rope into cinnamon.
On ungreased cookie sheet, coil dough rope tightly, cinnamon side facing center, into cinnamon-roll shape. Press end of rope into roll to seal. Repeat with remaining dough. Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. ENJOY!!!

These are seriously my husband's favorites and so easy to make! They are really yummy with a steaming mug of hot cocoa as well:)

With Autumn comes Changes!

Fall is undoubtedly my favorite season. Well, after summer that is! I love fall because of the may changes it brings and the warm feeling I get when I look outside the window and see the beautiful reds, yellows, and golds on the trees. So far, Autumn in Oregon has been gorgeous. For the past week, I've woken up to overcast skies, sometimes foggy and wet. But as the day goes on, the sun somehow manages to show itself and the birds come out from their hiding places to sing and fill the air with their melodies. My fall decorations are in place and the house smells of cinnamon, pumpkin, and spices thanks to my candles! Around this time I always want to make good old comfort foods like huge pots of chicken noodle soup and fresh out of the oven pot-pies. Foods that fill me up with warmth. I start making more homemade cookies and sweets. My husband's favorites now are the cinnamon roll cookies I bake during this time. Fall also reminds me of family and with that comes the anticipation of the holiday get-togethers that are right around the corner. I absolutely adore this season!
With fall upon us and the many changes that are happening outside, there are also many changes that are happening for me as well. The baby is due in four weeks and my body is really gearing up! Sleep is a foreign word at this point, and I'm constantly thinking about what it's going to be like raising two children. (My mom raised eight and did an amazing job so I feel like I have big shoes to fill)! My adorable daughter is almost two years old now, and let me just say, she acts like it! Being pregnant and having to keep up with her has proven to be a major challenge. Like the changing colors of the trees, it seems as though I have undergone some subtle changes as well. And not in the good way. Maybe it comes from being tired all the time, but I have really been impatient with everyone lately. The other day, my little girl slapped me in the face because she wanted my attention. My reaction was quite the opposite of how I should have reacted, and I ended up feeling horrible and, after I asked God for forgiveness, I apologized to her over and over. That little episode got me thinking about change. How do I deal with it and is it in a way that glorifies God? She is going through a lot of personality changes; my body is going through changes as well. My temper is shorter; she wants my attention constantly. My body aches everyday and she wants to play, play, play! When she tests me I don't always respond in a way that brings honor to God. The changes (even the subtle ones) can be so overwhelming and yet, they're coming. I can't stop them. Just like the autumn season that is turning everything into beautiful colors, I want the same outcome in my life. Just because things get hardeer to deal with, or I'm lacking my "beauty" sleep, doesn't mean I can't greet the changes in my life with grace. I realize I need to be looking up during the hard times and not concentrate on myself because then I am able to focus on the positive things and not the negative things. I believe God sends change to test our true character and to show Him and ourselves what we're really made of. Do I accept gracefully or do I lash out and do and say things I regret later? Everyday I pray that I can be found to have a character that is not only pleasing to God, but one that others can look up to.
Fall is here, changes are all around us and I'm going to enjoy this season to the fullest!

Happy Fall Everyone!

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

-Maria Robinson

A Masterpiece from God

My husband and I recently moved across the country. Driving from North Carolina to Oregon with our one year old daughter, our dog, my teenage brother, and a U-Haul pulling a trailer was quite the experience. It proved to be very stressful at times, and on certain days I broke down and cried from pure exhaustion. My patience ran thin, my blood got to a boiling point, my character was tested beyond measure. I had to rely on God so many times to pull me through.
Driving through however many states we did, I was amazed at the vast difference each of them held. I imagined the United States as a large canvas and God Himself forming each individual mountain, grass pasture, and canyon. Sometimes there would be wildflowers growing on the side of the road in all their splendor. They were so beautiful and perfect, that my brother would say "we're driving through a Van Gogh painting." In one state massive waterfalls were seen cascading down the sides of rocks and greenery. In another, miles and miles of flat land, as far as the eye could see. It was amazing to me how each individual state was different, yet they all collaborated to form America. Witnessing the beauties of creation, I was humbled at the imagination that God has, and the kindness He has to share it with mankind. However, there were also times when I beheld a more powerful God. In Nebraska, we came upon a ruthless thunderstorm. This thunderstorm wasn't the kind that you wanted to be driving through, especially if you were me. I had never seen bolts of lightening strike down so mercilessly as they did. The rain came down in bucketfuls so hard that I was forced to go about five miles an hour. I have never clutched the steering wheel like I did through that storm, nor have I ever prayed that hard in my life! I had to completely put my trust in the Lord at that time, and give Him the steering wheel while wincing at every strike of lightning that bolted out of the clouds. It also reminded me that in all His kindness and love that He bestows upon me, He is still in charge and in control of everything.
Now that we've been in Oregon for a couple months and things have finally settled down a bit, I still need to be reminded to let Him have control of my life. When things get crazy like they have been, I think about our trip across the country and remember that a God who created all of the beauties of creation and who shows His power through a crazy lightning storm is more than able and willing to keep me in His arms if I just let Him.

A Slice of Humble Pie

Last night I fell asleep pondering what it is to truly be humble. This morning, I woke up with an answer.
God has been leading me to this revelation now for two years, but just in the past few weeks have I been searching my own heart and asking Him to give me a spirit of humility and humbleness. I've always been a stubborn, very prideful girl. My family will testify of that because I always had to be right growing up. It was my way or the highway and so many times I would find myself in trouble because of it. When I was seventeen, my knowledge of the Lord grew, but that only fueled my self-righteous attitude. When I served in Peru, my understanding of the Lord became more clear, and I became humbled but only for a time. Even after my experience there, I came back to the United States with a bigger world view, but eventually my old ways set back in and I went back to a self-righteous state of mind. My relationships suffered, not just with the boys that I dated, but with my family and friends as well. I became a hypocrite in every sense of the word. I used people, deceived people, and all this to make myself look good. To hide from what I really was inside. Then two years ago, everyone close to me found out that I really wasn't all that and a bag of chips. The Lord unveiled who I was, and although it was embarrassing, it still didn't truly bring me to my knees in complete humility. I made things right the best I could, and I was very ashamed and sorry, but God wanted more of me. I still wasn't acting in complete humility to Him. I was humble to everyone I had affected, but I didn't have the slightest idea of what it meant to submit to Him on a daily basis. For the first year and a half of my marriage, I clung to my husband when I should have been clinging to God. Then, he was involved in an accident and almost died and I realized that people can evaporate in a second, and who am I to wholly trust my happiness to someone besides the Lord? It was during that incident that God really revealed to me my flaws, my mistakes, myself. I fell to my knees. I didn't want to put my trust in someone that could so easily slip away anymore. I had no choice but to give everything to Him, including my marriage. He brought me under His subjection, His rule. It's been a daily struggle ever since then to not go back to my self-righteous days of making myself look good. I have to turn to Him every single day for help, and some days I still fail. So last night, I fell asleep pondering all of this, and wondering if I had finally reached a state of true humility in my own life. I drifted off searching my heart and questioning the Lord. Sometime during the night, I received the answer. Maybe it was in a dream that I don't remember, I don't know. All I know is that when I opened my eyes early this morning, this thought came into my mind: Do not be concerned about being humble. Be concerned about letting God change and mold you every second of everyday, because that's where you first begin to learn humility, is on your knees, looking up.
So many of us think that humility is serving others, submitting to others, yielding to others. And while yes, that is humility, true humility is first serving God, submitting to God, and yielding to God. We can get so carried away with self-righteous acts of service that soon that's all they become. Acts. By first humbling ourselves before God, we are admitting that He comes first, He is in control. And we relinquish our sense of power, our pride, our domineering selves.
Now, I can honestly say that I know what it is to be humble; to act in humility. It's a lesson that took me so long to learn, and yet, was so simple.
I write this blog out of complete humility in the hopes that whoever is reading, may learn what I have and maybe won't have to go through the things that I had to in order to learn this valuable lesson. The way of the cross is hard, but the way of self is harder in the end and leads you down a much more dangerous road.

"What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God" -Monica Baldwin

The Adventure I'm Invited to Join

My husband and I just celebrated our two year anniversary, which started me thinking a lot about our love and reasons that I love him and choose to spend my life with him. It's been hard to pin-point exactly what made me choose him over anyone else, but I think I have finally figured it out. Of course there are many reasons I absolutely love my husband. I love that he has a wild side; that he is still such a kid at heart. I love how he can be serious one minute and the next minute have me rolling on the floor laughing. I love that he doesn't have all the answers, but pretends to on a daily basis. I love how compassionate he is and how, under his sometimes hard-to-get-to heart of his, I find that it really is a heart of gold. He is so independent, adventurous, crazy. You can't get to know him and who he is by just having one conversation with him because there are so many sides to him. Although there are so many amazing things that I adore about him, the one thing that made me choose him above anyone else, is that he invited me along for the adventure of a lifetime.
We have started reading the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge together. Although it's a book mostly directed to men, he also writes to the women who are reading as well, and I am surprised at how accurate he is about both men and women. It's a book that not only speaks to me, but also to my husband, who will rarely pick up a book unless it has something to do with war and killing. Go figure. So after dinner last night, we got comfortable on the bed and read the first chapter. And this is where I finally found my answer. Why did I choose him? The answer was in one paragraph. Eldredge writes:
"So many men make the mistake of thinking that the woman is the adventure. But that is where the relationship immediately goes downhill. A woman doesn't want to be the adventure; she wants to be caught up into something greater than herself." (16)
After reading that paragraph, it suddenly dawned on me that that is why I married the man that I married. Of all the men that I have ever known, and the boys that I have dated, he was the one that invited me on an adventure with him. He didn't want to just get married and settle down. He wanted to create an adventure that would last a lifetime. His dreams and aspirations spoke to me and included me, and no one had ever invited me to go along or even shared in my dreams and goals. Although our timeline has changed due to life itself, he still sits me down every so often and asks me what I want to do and if my dreams have changed. We talk about ways to get where we want to be, and keep the dreams alive. It's sometimes harder for me because I am a stay-at-home mom, but he comes to me and talks to me and lets me know that our dreams are tangible and we won't stop pursuing them. He challenges me to do things that I am passionate about even though life does get in the way. He supports me and backs me up one hundred and ten percent when it comes to me reaching my own personal goals. I know that God knew what He was doing when He sent him my way, and although the circumstances at the time we married were a bit crazy, I know that God knew I needed my husband to remind me that as dull as life can sometimes be, there's always an adventure that needs to be sought after and you just can't let life get you down. In so many ways he has shown me God's heart and by inviting me along and joining him in the journey of life, I have opened up my heart more to the even bigger journey that God is calling me to with Him. I am so grateful we have made it two years, but I am more looking forward to the many more years I have to spend with my husband to grow closer to him, learn from him, and together, continue in our adventure that God has called both of us to.

"My lover is mine and I am his..." Song of Songs