Savoring the Days

 Good Morning, Friends!

As I eluded to in my last post, I'm taking things kind of slow around here and trying to just savor the days and the fact that I'm back home, not just house-wise, but in my rightful place as a homemaker. 

Every time I talk about this (to myself mostly) I have a guilty feeling come over me, like I'm doing something wrong by wanting to be at home, after working for 10 months. But that's not right and not fair to the homemaker I used to be and the 30+ years I put in on that job. I need to get over it, right? And I'm trying.

On the other hand, there's a new appreciation I'm feeling as well, for the privilege of being back home. 

Again...all it takes is stepping away from something old, to gain an entirely new perspective on the new, even if you've been there before.

I remember years ago, as a young homeschooling mom deep in the trenches of teaching two boys - all day, every day - and I was starting to experience burnout. Not from my kids, but from the teaching, lesson plans, spending money on curriculum every year and all the time and energy it took to be all things to all the hats I was wearing at the time. 

I would get my favorite homeschooling magazine in the mail and want to hide it, instead of read it, because I felt like I couldn't take one more article about teaching or planning. In fact, I stayed in that mode of burnout for months, just going through the motions, but not finding the joy like I once did. 

I never questioned the calling to be at home teaching my boys, but I had lost the passion, so I had to change things up; step away from all that felt mundane and routine. After a few changes to the schedule, the routines and tweaks to the way we were doing things, I finally picked up my magazines again, started reading and becoming excited and motivated again and never looked back. 

All it took was a break.

Homemaking is the same way. I think it's why some women have a hard time imagining being at home full time and sometimes why homemakers feel like they need to try something new. All the cooking and cleaning and the days and weeks can become mundane and ordinary. But I'm here to say that all it takes is stepping away, living another life for 10 months, to make you appreciate the ordinary days like never before.

That's where I'm at. 

I've been waking up this week, praising God for giving me back my life as a homemaker. In fact, it feels fragile and unreal and yet, so familiar and a part of who I am. As dramatic as that sounds, it's the truth.

So many times in life, we have to lose something to appreciate it. I wish it weren't that way. But in the losing, we often find what we were missing, and yet had all along. I hope that makes sense.

All that to say...I'm so happy to be home again. This is what I was made to do. And I'm thankful that the Lord lets us try things sometimes, because he knows it's what we need, in order to appreciate what he's already given us. 

So I'm taking it slow this week and moving at my own pace. In fact, I may sit at this restful pace for the rest of the month, but probably won't. If you know me, you know I don't sit still for very long. I've got ideas and plans and things to write and meals to create and babies to see and all the good things that life's going to bring. 

But I've got peace and that's the most important thing of all.

Thanks for following along and coming back, time after time. You are treasured, my friends.

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

We Made It! Home Sweet Home (Again)

Good morning, Friends! 

I'm finally back and ready to fill you in on what's been going on since last week. 

The movers came Saturday morning and got all of the big furniture loaded up, but before they got there, David and I had already loaded his truck and my car full of stuff and were just waiting on them to get done, so we could all head to the house, which is about 15 minutes north of the apartment. Once the big stuff was unloaded and both of our vehicles were emptied, we headed back to get more stuff and that went on for all of Saturday and Sunday. Needless to say...we were exhausted. After the last item was taken out of the apartment, David swept (we had already cleaned everything) and locked the door for the last time. 

Our apartment living era was over. 

Sunday night we were able to look around and say "we did it!" and it felt like we were finally home. 

It looks and feels like a whole new house - so different than the one we lived in the first time. But we needed the break from the house it used to be, with it's old carpet and bad memories. And had we not moved out for those months away, we would not have the appreciation that we do now.

I keep thinking of the verse, Romans 8:28, that says "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose." Had we not moved out, had a break from here and a taste of something different, we would not have had the resources to renovate, nor the emotional break we needed from the negative memories we had here. By moving and experiencing living in the apartment, selling a vehicle, saving money for the closing on the house (we were trying to sell it, remember?), there was no way we would be here right now with new floors, fresh paint, and a whole new appreciation for living in our own home. 

It takes all the pieces fitting together to make things happen and even though the pieces and circumstances feel disjointed, from our viewpoint, they make complete sense from God's perspective. We just have to be obedient and not try to figure out all of the pieces before He's ready to put them all together. Because it will never make sense until it does. 

 We have most things put in their place, except for anything needing to be hung on the walls, but that will be a slower process. Normally I am faster at getting things hung, but this time I feel like taking my time. And that's a post for another day 💛 For now, I'm ok with going slow, savoring each day and doing a little at a time. 

Now I'm ready to catch up on all of your blogs and see what my friends have been up to 😊

Much love to you all and thanks for sticking with me through the crazy 😅 I treasure you all.

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

The Natural Rhythms of Life and Seasons

Hello Friends!

It's the first Monday of January and normally I would be chomping at the bit to start something new, because after all...new year, new month, new week...you get the idea. But this year I'm learning something that I've honestly never thought about before and it's really going to change the way I look at time and seasons from now on. 

I (and seemingly the rest of the world), have always looked at January as the time to get our act together, start life again, do better, set goals, resolutions and be a better version of ourselves than we were just a few weeks ago. And you know what? Most of us fail within weeks of all the best laid plans. 

So imagine my wonder when just recently I saw something on Instagram that talked about the seasons according to God, not the world, and it really made so much sense. Now I've seen others talk about it (hi Billie Jo!) and it's changed my perspective in the best of ways.

For years, I would jump on the January bandwagon of self-improvement and fail soon after. I never really got my act together on the new budget, any kind of goal, or cleaning out last year's files, until around March - 3 months into the new year. Every year I felt like a failure for it taking so long to conquer these tasks that I knew were important, but every year I would keep the same rhythm and not get going until March or so. 

What I'm just now discovering is that this is the natural rhythm of life! I wasn't failing; I was reacting to the natural seasons, as God has laid out, with the winter months being slow and deliberately less productive, even regenerative for our bodies and souls.

Imagine a world where you allowed yourself to take January and February to relax more, hibernate, if you will, and slowly live in rhythms that coincided with the seasons. You slowly moved through your tasks, you slowly made plans for Spring, you slowly enjoyed this time of rest and renewal and allowed all of the frantic pace of the holiday season to melt away, one day at a time, by choosing rest over crazy. 

Essentially you would start your year off with renewal and not more stress-induced goals, after having lived through two of the most stressful months of the year. 

For me, this makes so much sense. It explains why I never felt like I was getting anywhere until months after New Years and it takes the pressure off of having to live in a constant state of stress. 

The older I get, the more I think doing the opposite of what the world deems necessary, is the way to live. The world is always striving and stressing; grasping for more. But the rhythm of God's word is that everything has a season and the things that need to happen will happen in due time. 

So now I can move through the next few months without guilt or insane expectations of myself. I can enjoy the slower pace of life without feeling like I'm behind and I can rest in knowing that Spring will bring new energy, new life, new excitement as the world comes to life at the proper time. 

And for me...this will make all the difference in how I enjoy my winter.

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

A Calm and Quieted Soul for the New Year

 

Happy New Year!

I never make it past 10:00 on new year's eve, 

so I woke up this morning and it was a whole new year 🥳

Thank you all for the comments and interaction on my last post.

I know that can be a touchy subject for some, but I'm grateful for all of the 

encouragement and kind words. 

Now it's time to step into a new year with new vision and focus.

I don't do the "word of the year," but I have chosen a scripture

that I want to aspire to live by this year...

Psalm 131:1-2

Lord, my heart is not proud:

my eyes are not haughty.

I do not get involved with things

too great or too wondrous for me.

Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul.

That's my heart for this next year...to have a calm and quiet soul.

If I had to pick a word, it would be 

CONTENTMENT

and that goes along with having a calm and quiet soul.

💙

The candle in the picture above is one that I got for Christmas 

from my kids. 

The whole time we've lived in the apartment I haven't been able to to burn

candles, due to fire hazards, so my kids knew I was missing

this and they put one in my gift basket for Christmas.

I couldn't wait to take it over to the house and light it.

Why am I sharing this?

It's just twofold really...

first off - that my kids knew I missed this, so they bought me one,

and 2nd...

that this represents the simplicity of the life I want this next year.

Not that I don't anticipate challenges (every year has them).

But more so, that I want my heart and soul to remain calm,

even if the challenges arise.

I said it a few posts back and this is my reflection

on this past year...

sometimes you have to give something up,

to realize it's what you wanted all along.

I've missed my home, I've missed my life in my home,

and I've missed the simplicity of my routine on ordinary days.

This is what I want to get back to and the way I want to spend

this new year.

Simple routines.

Simple acts.

Simple meals.

Simple plans.

And a calm and quiet soul.

💙

I wish the same for you, friends.

Until Next Time...

Blessings for a simply calm new year.

Just What I Needed

Happy Friday my friends!

Thank you all for the sweet comments yesterday 💚 You all gave great advice and all the well-wishes just made my heart happy. 

Yesterday was my first day off of this shift and it was greatly needed. I had not bought groceries in almost 2 weeks and I needed to do a big restock of most everything. So I got that done early in the morning and got it all put away.

I was desperate to see all my babies, so Alex invited me over for lunch. When I got there she surprised me by having Morgan and the boys come too! What a blessing! All of my babies in one spot. That made my day!

Alex fixed a spread of sandwich fixings and veggies and dips and it was delicious. As all the kids and mommies left the table, chasing babies, Ted and I got to sit and talk for a bit, which is always nice. I love talking to my boys about business ideas. They always have endless advice and knowledge that sparks ideas in me. 

After lunch, the kids wanted to decorate the cookies I brought over, so I sat at the table and helped them color their cookies. I bought the kit at Kroger that morning and it was filled with cookies that had a design on them and came with food coloring markers. 

 

I think the cookies were a big hit 😀 Afterwards, I finally made it to the living room to visit with Alex and Morgan. Ted brought us all some coffee and it was the kind of afternoon filled with toddlers running back and forth, crawling and walking babies going every which way and women having conversations in between. The cousins all love being together and I was so impressed watching my oldest three girls taking care of babies and boys and just handling it with love and patience. Personally, I think they're all amazing, but I might be a bit biased. 😉

Just as I was about to leave, David showed up at the door. He had gotten home and when he saw I wasn't there, he tracked me on Life360 and saw that I was at Ted's and decided that he needed some grand baby hugs too. After he got all the hugs, he and I headed home with full hearts.

That evening I cooked our first real meal of the week - beef patties, mashed potatoes and corn. We had too much left over and with David's work Christmas party tonight, we decided to run the leftovers to Collin and Morgan so they would be eaten and not wasted. 

We finally settled in for the night, got half way through Shakespeare and Hathaway and it was time for bed. But what a great day. It was just what my heart needed after not seeing the kids all week. 

Again, thank you for all of the sweet comments yesterday! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I'll be back with a recap on Monday.

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Lots of Thoughts for a Thursday Morning

 

Good morning friends!

I know it's been a week since my last post and at the time I had been nursing a sore throat. Unfortunately that turned into a full-blown cold or something, where I missed two days of work and essentially the entire weekend. But...I made it back to work on Monday (coughing more than I liked) and got better as the days went on. Today I feel pretty normal, which is a good sign.

While I was missing work, I watched way too much tv, read a book, worked on a latch hook project and started to feel kind of stir crazy by Sunday, so that afternoon David and I went over to the house so he could hang some light fixtures. The house is almost done, with a few more lights and fans to be hung and then it will be ready for us to move in. 

I'm in a strange limbo right now with getting the urge to start packing things, but with Christmas around the corner, my mom coming that week, family dinners and such, I'm not wanting to fill the apartment with boxes and create messes in our small space, so I'm waiting. And it's hard! 

We have 3 birthdays coming up next week - David's, Morgan's, and little baby Eden, who will turn ONE on Saturday. I can't believe we've had Eden and Sunday (his is Jan. 6th) for an entire year already. It seems like they were just born! It's going to be a busy week!

I've got most of the gifts wrapped and under the tree, but there are still some that are coming in this weekend, so I will be wrapping those and making sure I've covered everyone. I want to make some special treats for the ladies at work too, so that's on the agenda for this coming week. 

I was able to bless someone with a collection of my books this week. A lady that comes to the library several times a week read my book Notes From a Writer's Heart and loved it and she's been waiting to read one of my other books but it's been checked out and overdue for several weeks now, so she has been asking for it every few days. Over the weekend I wrapped up a collection for her and on Monday when she came in I was able to hand her the gift and the smile on her face (and the utter surprise) was such a blessing to ME! When I saw her yesterday she said she was saving the gift for Christmas, which makes me wonder if she has anyone giving her any other gifts. I would love to know her story 💚 Maybe one day I will. 

But these are the reasons I write my own stories and I get more of a blessing out of giving them away than if someone were giving to me. It is definitely more blessed to give than to receive. 

Well, today will be me playing catch up on groceries, office work, and seeing some grandkids. On the weeks I work I don't have time to do anything extra and I'm really struggling with that. But that can be a conversation for another day. 

I'm reminded of one of my favorite verses in the Bible...

"But Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. She thought about them over and over." Luke 2:19 NIRV

And I'll also share a thought that has been with me all week as I've thought about moving and jobs and other things in life...

We most likely already had what we wanted, when we prayed for something else. We go down the road only to realize that what we're now praying for is what we already had. 

Just ponder that for a minute.

Are you praying for something you already had?

I'm a big believer in the idea that God allows us to experience things as a way to show us what we do or don't need in our life. 

Just a few deep thoughts on this Thursday morning. Who knows? Maybe someone out there needs to think on these things.

Well, time is going fast this morning and I need to get myself going as well. I hope today finds all of you in the Christmas spirit, healthy and happy and where you need to be. 

Have a blessed day and a wonderful weekend!

Until Next Time...

Blessings!

Oh! And P.S........

Check out this beautiful song about your life's story.

Happy Thursday, My Friends!

 Happy Thursday my friends!

It's cold and rainy here and supposed to be that way for the rest of the day. The town Christmas tree lighting was cancelled due to the park predicted to be a muddy mess after all the rain we've had. But inside, we've been cozy and warm.

I've been nursing a sore throat this week, but lots of vitamins and hot drinks have helped a lot.

Even with the sore throat, I've managed to get a lot of stuff done before heading back to work.

Monday was freezing and rainy, but David called and said I had to go to Home Depot for some supplies the flooring guys needed at the house. UGGG! I did not want to get out and get wet, but I was their only option, so off I went. I got the supplies then headed to the house, which is about 12 miles up the road. When I got there, the entire crew was at lunch, so I had to unload the rolls of plastic myself. Another UGGG! By the time I got home, I was cold and wet, which didn't help my sore throat. 

On Tuesday I had a grocery pick up and I needed to make a run to the health food store for some supplements that my DIL recommended that would knock out a cold. After all of that running around, I was so ready to stay inside and hibernate for the next day and a half, until I had to go back to work.

Well...that was short lived, because on Wednesday I had to get back out to take a check to the flooring guys. UGGG! 

But, even with all of that back and forth stuff, I was determined to get all the Christmas gifts wrapped and my list organized so I would know what I still needed to buy. I accomplished that, made a pot of chili, did the budget, and made some breakfast items for the freezer for the days that I work. So all in all, I managed to get everything done that needed to be done, which made me feel much better.

If I'm learning anything from having to work outside the home, it's that everything has to be done ahead of time and you have to be organized so you aren't living in chaos. Chaos and I don't get along.

So this is stretching me in a good way, but it can be hectic trying to stay way ahead of the game, each week. 

In other news...

The house is coming along and as soon as we get the rest of the flooring, the guys will be able to finish the floors. David and our boys will be hanging light fixtures on Saturday and then the house will be ready to move back in, whenever we are ready. 

We had all the nasty carpet removed and got new flooring throughout the entire house, except the bathrooms. This and the fresh paint on the walls and ceilings, has made it look like a brand new house on the inside. We still have some fans to replace and a few light fixtures to change out. Everything in the house was top notch when it was redone in the 90's. But now it's all outdated and some fans don't even work right. 

The only way we were going to move back in was to update those outdated things and make it feel current and clean. I think we've accomplished that in good time. 

I suspect December and January will not only be filled with birthdays, Christmas and more birthdays, but also many trips back and forth, hauling small loads of things as we can. I really can't believe we're doing this again! 

It's reminding me of many years ago when my BIL and SIL discovered they had mold in their house and had to move to an apartment for almost a year. That's what this feels like. Sometimes life takes a side road and it's not the end of the world. It's just a detour. The main thing is that you get back on track, right?

The house is going to look beautiful once everything is done and I will share those pictures with you soon.

For now, I've got to get ready for work, pack a lunch and set out to help people find the books of their dreams 😁 On rainy days, you never know if everyone will stay home or come to the library for more books. It's really a toss up. Either way, I'll be there! 

I hope you have a wonderful day, my friends.

Stay warm and cozy ☕

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

The Last of November's Pictures and a Reminder to Testify

 Happy December and Happy Monday!

I got a little giddy yesterday when I realized that this month is starting on a Monday! All months should start on a Monday, don't you think? 😅 Yep, I'm one of those "start on Monday" kind of girls, so a new month on a Monday just seems right. 

Today I'm just sharing the last of my November pictures in random order, just for memories sake. So here goes...

Saturday Collin, Morgan, Asa and Sunday came over to the house to help us do a few things. But of course, we had to take a little time to swing in the back yard. I've always loved swinging and still do. We look like we were in serious conversation, but we are always laughing together, so this was just a moment with serious faces 😁

Sunday we went to church with the kids and then brought the big girls home with us. They love to play on my tablet and use this Barbie fashion app to create outfits. Here Ella was creating an outfit for Morgan and had Emmy take a picture of it and send it to Morgan for approval 😀

I snapped this picture of Asa after church. He loves his class, but he was happy to get a sucker afterwards. I'm loving his cozy sweater! 

Ok, this is my new exercise device. A coworker told me about it after she bought one and it sounded like something I could use, so I got one too. Then I talked my mom into getting one 😅 (of course I'll have to call her today and walk her through how to turn it on 😂). It's great for circulation, draining the lymphatic system and many other things. It's called a vibration plate and they have many models to choose from on Amazon. You only use it for 10 minutes at a time, so that's perfect for the kind of "athlete" I am 😂

One of my favorite things...when David and I just turn pretty music on and sit and read our books. I'm so glad I have a husband who enjoys books as much as I do. 

Here's Asa helping David put the new doorknobs on. He loves to work. David was letting him hold the drill. 

And here's what I saw when we got to the house on Saturday. Our painter friend had left a "little Jesus" in the window. He put it in this huge acorn cap we found in the yard last week. What a sweet and fun surprise 😀

In other news...

Yesterday at church the pastor asked several people to give testimonies. I love hearing testimonies and I don't think we do this enough any more. There were so many amazing testimonies of God showing up in the hardest moments of people's lives. 

Some talked of financial needs being met, cancer being overcome, addiction recovery, an instance when God's "NO" was a blessing and a protection for the future. There was even a man who testified to being shot in a home invasion and the doctors said he would never function again, but he was there, on stage, testifying to the miracles of God. 

We've seen our own big moments with God this year, when David had a reaction to some medication and we experienced the scariest night of our lives. God was there with the people he sent, the revelation of the medication, the fact that I could remember the address in the middle of the night and so many other little moments and details. Then weeks later he lost his job and there we sat, in that big house with health issues and no income.

But God kept showing up in ways we never anticipated. We clung to God with everything we had during that time. And, as my sons put it...it was a time of grace that we needed. David had time to recover from the health scare. God got him out of a horrible job and somehow we were able to sell some big items and put money in the bank, even without an income. 

When I look back on that time, which is still extremely fresh (this time last year), I see God's hand everywhere. Yes, some things are confusing and yet I can see how all the things worked together for our good. 

These are the times that increase your faith. Because the truth is, if our faith is never tested, then how strong is our faith, really?

As my son Ted testified yesterday, you have to bring your circumstances up to meet your faith, not your faith down to meet your circumstances. And that's so true. 

We have to keep close to the Lord by prayer, his Word, knowing his character and remembering how far he's brought us. Our faith has to continue to grow so that those trials, when they come (not if) don't break us. Because God will redeem what was lost, in some way. 

This is part of why I love writing and telling my story and encouraging others to tell theirs. Especially these days, when everyone's life is so perfectly curated on social media. We need to hear stories of redemption, rescuing and what God has done in other people's lives. This is what spurs us on as we endure our own hard times. 

So, all of this to say...share your hard times with people who love you or even someone going through their own hardship. These are the moments that show our humanity. These are the moments that give reason to why we need a savior. We can't make it through this life without Jesus. Oh, some will try, but they will always feel empty. I know. I've been there and I'm never going back. 

So on this first day of December, with an entire year almost in the rearview mirror, where did God show up for you this year?

Wherever it was, take today to thank him and praise him for how far he's brought you to this point. He loves you and will fight for you.

Until Next Time...

Blessings!

A Post-Thanksgiving Day Report

 

SHHH! Don't tell anyone how much I ate!

Good morning friends! 

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with family and great food.

Ours was filled with 2 babies (as seen above), 2 three year olds running wild,

3 girls who are getting older by the day,

6 grown ups and so much delicious food.

Of course the table was set to perfection

(which I failed to get a picture of),

but...

We had...

turkey

ham

chicken and dressing

mac and cheese

corn casserole

green beans

broccoli salad

rolls

pecan pie

apple pie

chocolate delight

and we were stuffed!

The guys watched football, which is a Thanksgiving tradition, for sure. It reminds me of  being

a kid and the men always watching a game and then going outside to throw the ball around

in the yard. 

Now we're those people 😀

Morgan, Alex and I talked while cleaning up the dishes,

chasing babies, making sure the boys weren't jumping on the beds 😅,

listening to the girls tell stories,

fixing little kid dessert plates,

and trying to get one good picture of the three of us.

Alex, Morgan, Me

These girls are my favorites 💗

I didn't even get a picture of the men,

but they were there,

as were all the bigger kids.

Sometimes it's nice just to be in the moment and not

worry about grabbing pictures of everything.

I'm trying to do that more and not worry about having my phone in my hand 

at all times. 

📸

Today David and I will be venturing out to order the flooring 

for the house renovation.

The painting has been done and now we will be

doing little things like putting on new door knobs,

hanging light fixtures and fans,

and waiting on the flooring guys to get started.

I have to say, we're getting really excited about 

getting into a house again.

Stay tuned for more updates.

🏡

Well friends, that's the post-Thanksgiving update.

We're all full-speed-ahead into Christmas now

and between work, house reno, and figuring out 

what to eat for dinner every night...

this month is going to fly by! 

Oh, and did I mention we have 3 birthdays in December?

😅🎂

Whew! 

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Eat good food

Thank God for all the blessings you have

Hug your hostess

Say a prayer over your meal

Take a walk 

Swish your feet in a pile of leaves

Watch some football

Yell for the losing team 😉

Indulge in another piece of pie

Put cozy pjs on

Sleep tight

Until Next Time my friends...

Many blessings to you and yours! 

A Saturday Catch-Up

 

Happy Saturday, friends! 

I've been slow to post this week because there really hasn't been anything too exciting going on. But I thought I would give a quick house update, so here goes...

🏡

We have been meeting with the painter, who has already painted almost the entire interior of the house. He still has some trim to do and then it will look like a completely new house on the inside, as far as the walls go.

We are expecting to meet with the flooring guy soon, which will be the other big thing we have to do before moving back in.

When we moved in last year, we were under a deadline, because David's mom was being released from a nursing home to come live with us. So we only had a certain amount of time to update the house. Therefore we left a lot of things as they were, which everything was outdated. This year we have a better opportunity to change some things to make it more appealing, as long as we meet the 60 day deadline of moving out of this apartment. 

We will be replacing light fixtures and ceiling fans and lots of door knobs, but all of that will be done after the bigger things are completed. 

🏡

Now...other than dealing with the house...the week was fairly normal. I spent the first part of the week Christmas shopping and cooking before having to go back to work. 

I made Lasagna Soup this week and put several containers in the freezer. I hope it freezes well. I also made a Chicken Pot Pie, which was so delicious. I hadn't made one in a long time and it's just good comfort food, you know? I was able to put some of the filling in the freezer for a small dish for another time. I'll probably use biscuits for the crust on that one. 

🍜🍲

I went back to work on Thursday, worked yesterday and I will work half a day today. I'm starting to tear down all of the Fall decor and getting ready to put up Christmas decor so that the library looks Christmasy on December 1st when we open back up after Thanksgiving. 

I have two bulletin boards to design and decorate and then several key areas to decorate with wreaths, Christmas themed books and whatever I can find in our holiday stash. Hopefully I'll have time to get started on that today, if we are not busy. 

📚

In family news...both of my sons put out new songs this week, which is always so exciting. 

Collin re-released a song he wrote a few years ago, when he and Morgan were going through a personal loss. It's a beautiful song called All Things New about how the Lord restores things after loss. You can find it on Spotify or YouTube and other platforms. 

Ted released Touch of Heaven which he put on a special project he's been working on this past year. You can watch the video on Youtube or find the song on Spotify and Apple music. 

To say I'm proud of my boys is an understatement. Yes, they are talented, but it's their heart I'm most proud of. They love the Lord and everything they do comes from that love and devotion to Christ and that's the greatest gift a mother can be given. 

I hope you'll listen to their music 😊

Well, that's about all the news I have for the week. I'm looking forward to next week and only having to work two days and then cooking for Thanksgiving. I will be busy wrapping gifts this weekend and making sure I'm finishing up the Christmas shopping. I know once we eat the turkey, the days will fly by after that, so I need to stay in motion to stay caught up. 

In the meantime, I'm reading a good book, listening to good music and getting "night-night" videos from Asa and Sunday every night. I mean, life is good 💙

Take care everyone!

Until Next Time...

Blessings!