Wednesday, June 28, 2017

what's up Wednesday



Happy Wednesday!  I'm linking up with Shay from Mix & Match Mama and friends for the writing of this post.

What we're eating this week:

I am always "off" during the summer, it seems, with cooking dinner.  Either it's too hot, or I forget to have all the ingredients, or I just don't feel like it.  I'm trying to be better, though, starting this week.  So Monday night we had what Jonah requested: it's a chicken/ritz cracker casserole that they all love, with rice, and green beans.  Last night we ate with my mom-in-love, and tonight we're having taco soup.  I'm making some for a friend recovering from surgery, so if I'm making dinner once, I'm only making it once.  It sounds so good to me, though, so I'm excited.  Later this week, grilled chicken is on the menu.

What I'm reminiscing about:

Having last week all to myself.  It was lovely!

What I'm loving:

Quality time with Jonah and Noah.  Since the older two have been gone so much, we have had some really great time and conversations.  I love them so much!

What we've been up to:

They've been playing obsessive amounts of the X-Box One game Forza.  I've been watching.  "Watching".  They're telling me about all these cars, and how fast they go, how much they would cost in real life, and all kinds of other little interesting details.

What I'm dreading:

Nothing, at the moment.

What I'm working on:

Organizing and cleaning things out a little at a time.  And cleaning areas that never get cleaned, like the corner of my room beside my nightstand.  Jonah has been on an organization kick, and we've worked on drawers, closets, and the underneath of cabinets.  I REALLY need to clean out my closet.

What I'm excited about:

Graham and Drew coming home Friday night and being at home for the rest of the summer.  Also, with that comes teenagers back in my house.  I've missed them!

What I'm watching/reading:

I've been watching Army Wives again, because I needed something that wouldn't freak me out last week while I was alone.  That's comfort tv for me.  I'm currently reading a book my Nicholas Sparks.  It's been a couple years since I read anything by him.

What I'm listening to:

Mainly K-Love, in my kitchen, while I cook and piddle around.

What I'm wearing:

Pajamas in the morning, swimsuit and cover-up when we go to the pool, pajamas again at night.  If I leave the house, shorts and a tee shirt.  Or last week for wedding stuff, I dressed up a lot during the week.  So basically, this varies depending on what our plans are.

What I'm doing this weekend:

Laundry from Graham and Drew being at camp this week, reading, hopefully seeing my mom, and watching fireworks from somewhere.

What I'm looking forward to next month:

Summer stuff, continued.

What else is new:

Hopefully sometime soon, my hubby and I will have a date night.  Maybe even a double date night.  I'm craving sushi (always) and that seems to be our go-to date night thing to do.

Extras:

Today is my sister Lisa's birthday!


Isn't she beautiful?  She is sick today and is going to the doctor later on.  She could use some prayers!


Here is the writing plan for July.  I LOVE the new, simpler look.

Thanks for reading!  Love to all.

Monday, June 26, 2017

the weekend

This was a whirlwind weekend!  I've been looking forward to this weekend for MONTHS and months, and I was so glad that it had finally arrived.

But first, I kicked off Friday with some really sweet time with Jesus.


I was praying for the upcoming weekend, and I ended up in reading a little in James five.  Shortly after my quiet time, I got up to get dressed.  That day I was attending Abbey's bridal luncheon.


It was a beautiful lunch!  The food was wonderful, and the company was entertaining.  I met some really cute little girls (the twins for the second time, and Aven for the first time).


They were the flower girls.  Madelyn, Audrey, and Aven are left to right.  Aren't they precious?  They're even more so in person.

After the luncheon, I came home and cleaned up a little and finished up some laundry to empty my machines for my family coming home that day, and then I took a nap.  :)  When Todd arrived at the church, I went and picked him up, started laundry, then we went to the rehearsal dinner.  I missed meeting my boys, but they came home and saw me before leaving for dinner.


It POURED at the rehearsal dinner, and the roof was moving.  It was a beautiful location for a dinner like this, and the food was amazing.  (I was impressed...that's usually not the case.)

We enjoyed meeting a lot of their families we didn't know, and catching up with people we hadn't seen in a while.

Saturday morning dawned bright and early for me, and I got started on all the camp laundry.


About ten loads worth, though pictured here are about three loads.

Noah brought me home some souvenirs.


I love receiving rocks like these from my boys.  It's been a few years, and I thought it was so sweet that he remembered that they used to do this.

Finally it was time for us to go to the church for the wedding.  We arrived a little early for pictures, and so some of her closest friends could pray over here before she walked down the aisle.


I took advantage of them being all gussied up.

And then, it was wedding time.  All I can say is that this was the most beautiful, worshipful wedding I have ever been to.  It was gorgeous, and I am pretty sure I cried almost throughout the entire ceremony.



The reception was short and sweet, and then they were off.

After church yesterday, my older boys had to pack for another week of camp, this time as counselors and staff.  And then they were off.



They're working at a camp called Royal Family Kids Camp, which is given for foster kids.  I would appreciate if you would help me pray for them throughout the week, that the kids would experience the love of Jesus like never before.

They'll be home on Friday afternoon.

Jonah, Noah, and I met Missy for dinner at McAlister's last night, then we grocery shopped, then we came home and watched the movie Sing.  Todd worked last night.  It was a GREAT weekend.  I'm glad this is our last quiet week, and that things will resume normal again next week.

Love to all!

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

mid-week stuff

I shouldn't be surprised that I've talked to NOBODY from my family since Monday.  This happens all the time.  They leave, then they never call.  I'm actually fine with it, though, because their dad is there with them.  I do miss them, though!

I've been keeping busy.

Yesterday I did some laundry, I took care of three lizards (feeding the bearded dragon crickets was involved), I actually made my bed, I prayed with Abbey, I swam with my mom-in-love, I came home and took a nap, my nephew and sister came over for a while, I went to a birthday dinner, then when I came home, my bestie came over and we watched a(nother) movie!

I told her I love having full control of the remote.

That never happens, in a house filled with guys.

Last night, my friend Kristy posted some really sweet pictures from the Navajo trip that involve Drew, and I thought I'd share them this morning.


Drew was teaching scripture memorization.  I love this!  That sweet friend he's talking to in the green shirt is Diel, and he was there last year when we all went.


This was them in their classroom.  Look at those beautiful faces!  The sweet girl to the right of Drew is Jessica, and she was there the year before as well.  She gave him the scare of his life on Thursday night, but that's another story for him to tell.


This was all of the 4/5 grade class, plus my friend Kristy on the left, Drew, and Allie, the other assistant.  I love how Drewby has his arm around Diel.

I want to go back next year!  I pray that the Lord works out the details for us.

And because the sky was brilliant on my way home last night, I thought I'd stop and take a picture at one of my homes away from home.


The beloved church meeting place we belong to.  I love our cross, and how it stands so tall above everything in the town.

Today I'm spending the majority of the day with my sweet Abbey, and setting up for their reception is involved.  I can't wait!  I'll write more about today, tomorrow...my stepdad will be here soon and I need to get a move on things.

Love to all!

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

all by myself

(Sounds like a song, right?)  ;)

Several months ago, I made the decision to stay behind while the rest of my family went to youth camp.  Yesterday was the day I put them on the charter buses and said goodbye to the boys.  Todd left after church on Sunday with the other tech team guys so they could set things up early and be totally ready when the students arrived.  The reason I stayed behind was so that I could be here for my best friend this week of her wedding.  Abbey burst into tears when I told her my idea of staying here to be a support to her, so I am thankful that I made this decision.

Abbey is the dear one I've prayed with almost every week for the past two years.  We are closer than close, and so very much alike.  Her wedding is Saturday night!  We will be praying throughout the week and doing fun things together before Friday night.

I kinda thought I'd be really sad that I wasn't going to camp, but you know what?  I wasn't!  I was the opposite, in fact, and very excited to have a week at home alone!  It is not often (EVER) that I get alone time.  So what did I do all of yesterday, you wonder?  I'll share with you.

Well, before I start with that, I will say that Graham and Drew got home from the Navajo trip around eight Sunday night.  We rushed home to wash clothes, and then they packed for camp.  I dropped them off at nine yesterday and the buses left at nine forty.


Have you heard of Flat Stanley?  Well, I made Missy a Flat Jen to take with her to camp!

Talk about a whirlwind summer!

Here was my day after that:

My sweet friend Rhonda and I stayed and talked a while at the church.  She is such a dear lady, and her mom-in-love very unexpectedly died a few weeks ago.  God love her, every time she talks to me about this, I cry.  I don't know why, except that maybe it's just compassion for them, or maybe because her son Zach is one of Drew's best friends.  I don't know.  I blubber like a baby every single time we talk about this.  Rhonda is the one who gave me this journal.


Just a funny thing~a few weeks ago I bought a new journal.  I posted about it a few days after about the fact that I loved it, but as I started using it more, I noticed for the first time that the pages were perforated.  They keep tearing, and that drives me CRAZY!

Just yesterday morning, I was thinking of how much I would like a new journal, but I didn't want to buy one, because I had that other one that was new.  And then, Rhonda brought me this!  I started using it right away and will keep the other one for my grocery lists, or something.  I love this so much!

After we finished talking and when she had finished filling out some paperwork, she left, and then Abbey and I went to pray together.  "Our prayer room" was being used, though, so we had to go in a little classroom.

I came home and ate lunch.  I was so hungry because I didn't eat breakfast.

Then I took a nap.  Until Todd called or texted, and I woke up.

#packingmakesmesleepy

I let the dogs out, then left to get my nails done.  As I was pulling in, Mom was pulling in beside me!  It was totally unplanned, but we both ended up getting our nails done and manicures.

That was fun!  I love little unexpected things like that.

I went to the library right after that and took back a bunch of books that I didn't want to read anymore.  They were all kinda the same, and I didn't realize that when I borrowed them a week ago.  I exchanged them for few different authors and one new to me author.  I'm excited to try them.

I came home and let the dogs out, and fed them at four thirty, then went to my mom's at five.  We ate dinner and drank coffee and ate chocolate covered macadamia nuts, then at seven thirty, I headed back home.  I wanted to be home before it got dark, and while the boys are gone this week, I'm trying to leave Callie out of her kennel while I'm gone in short increments of time.  So far she's been alone for up to three hours, and she's done great.  I feel so bad for having to always kennel her when we leave.  She's two now, and I think we need to get her away from the kennel...the problem is that she loves it.  I put a new blanket in there last night for her, and I just leave the door open so if she wants to "get away", she can.

I watched a movie when I got home, then went to bed at ten thirty.  I'm so glad I slept good!  I don't always, when I'm alone.


I love the views at Mom's and Bill's house.

I sang and prayed the whole way there and home (does anyone else do that?) and then when I was back in town, I took my favorite road home.


This is my favorite road in all of Collierville.  I was going to take a couple of pictures of different houses, but I didn't want to be a creeper, in case anyone was watching.  I love scenic drives.  This road is Burrows, off of Poplar, for those of you who are local.

Other things I did included writing in my new journal, listening to Christmas music, crying a little when I thought of Drew, and how he was so exhausted yesterday morning that he didn't want to go to camp.  He did change his mind and went, but he is my one that doesn't like being gone for too long.  And he will be gone for a total of three weeks, when all their adventures are over and done with.  The reason I cried is because I'd been praying for him, for the Lord to strengthen him and encourage him, then I got a phone call from my hubby telling me that he was in Drew's cabin!  I thought that was so sweet, and totally unexpected, but the Lord just took care of the details, once again.

God is always good, but at times, He simply overwhelms me with how He shows me all the time that He hears my prayers and that He takes care of what I pray for.

Yesterday was one such time.

It was a great day!  Today I have more fun stuff on my agenda, but I will write more about that tomorrow.  Thanks for reading!  Love to all.

p.s.  The boys all made it safely to camp!  I know they're having a blast and I don't expect to hear from them again until Friday.  I'm so thankful Todd is there with them!

Friday, June 16, 2017

Friday Favorites


Happy Friday!  I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals and friends, for the writing of this blog post.

It's been a week!  It's looked nothing like I thought it would look like, but I am thankful we're on this side end of it, and that God has provided for us, and that I've had quality time with Jonah and Noah while Graham and Drew are on the Navajo mission trip.

To start with all this, I need to start with one week ago, from last Friday night, when I attended the bachelorette party of one of my best friends.


This was such a fun night.  We ate dinner at a Mediterranean style restaurant, and then we went to a place called Board and Brush and made really cute wood signs for our homes.

I love stuff like that, and though it was pricey, it was fun to splurge for a fun night with this sweet and favorite bride to be.

I'm glad I had this night, because the rest of the weekend went into a downward spiral, as we found another huge leak and then another leak that got worse all of a sudden.  We had two plumbers out in three days, and hundreds of dollars later, we had the leaks repaired.  Thankfully, we had that money!  We will be reimbursed for the biggest costing one, but it'll be a few weeks.

Home repairs and problems are NOT my favorite things, but thankfully, the Lord is our Provider.


When I got home later that night, the boys had gotten me this cute little pop socket as a surprise!


Surprises that are unexpected and unwarranted are my favorite things.  Also, I love all the colors you see in this picture.




Snapchats and pictures like this one above have been some of my favorite things from this week.  Graham and Drew don't call that much, they don't text, and I never get pictures.  So when they Snapchat, I take screenshots of them, and then I borrow photos that my friends either post or share with me.


My friend Laurie sent this one above to me yesterday afternoon.  She said their mom needed a picture of them, and this is what they did.  Crazies.  I miss them!


Freshly laundered and folded beach towels are one of my favorite things.  Also my favorite, is the fact that even after they've been washed and dried, they STILL smell like sunscreen.  Sunscreen is my very favorite smell of summer.


On Monday morning, when my heart was a little overwhelmed, I settled in to read these truths out of Psalm five.  I'd written them down months ago, but when I was looking for a blank page, my eyes kind of just settled here for a bit.  I love these words!  He listens to our words.  He considers our sighing.  He hears our voice.


I caught Crash doing this Wednesday, and it's my favorite picture of the week.


Reading has been my favorite past time this week.


In a week, I've finished two and a half books.


Swimming is another favorite past time of the summer, and this was a really nice afternoon we spent with my mom in love on Tuesday.

Wednesday and Thursday were both really lazy days, when all I did was read.  I did the minimal dinner prep and we ate simply both nights.  There was no church on Wednesday (which is NOT my favorite) and Todd came home later than normal those two nights.  He leaves Sunday after church for camp to go and set up, then the boys leave on Monday morning.  Graham and Drew get home Sunday afternoon/early evening sometime, and I'll be busy washing clothes for them.

I'm looking forward to next week!  I'm not going to camp, but I'm staying behind to help my friend Abbey get final touches ready for her wedding on Saturday night.  I am so excited for them!

Thanks for reading my blog!  Love to all.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

previously unpublished pictures from my phone

I am always taking pictures on my phone.  I post about half of what I take, usually, maybe even less.  I thought I'd share about those today, because it's Wednesday, it's hot, I'm tired still, and I don't know what else to write about.

Last Wednesday was a rough parenting day.  All the kids at my house that day were fighting over stupid things (x box), and I might have kicked them all out.  As in, I made them turn the game off and go outside to play basketball.  Graham was about to be going to the church, and I made him take them all with him.  Jonah stayed here to decompress a bit, then Drew came home and joined us.

Later on I took him and Drew to the church (Drew didn't want to drive his truck), dropped them off, then pulled around to the shade in back of the church and sat in quiet.  In those moments, I prayed, asking God to show me if it was ME, or if it was the kids, and He did reveal to me a few things.  After about fifteen minutes of quiet, I drove back around to my normal side that I park on, and went in for a meeting.  I felt much better.

Meanwhile, this was where I sat and how I felt about my mom skills that day.



Not my best day.  #keepingitreal

I am thankful it got a lot better, and after some of that quiet, I realized I was in a bad mood.  I have to say here that there are always kids in and out of my home during the summer, and sometimes, I just need it to be us.  I love having their friends here all the time, but sometimes that can be a LOT of testosterone in the house, and words fly, and moods can change really fast.  We've actually had this happen in the past and two times, it resulted in fighting.  (Physical fighting, between one or two of mine and one extra.)  I try to be observant and catch it quick, so that doesn't happen again.


My friend Marissa posted this a couple days ago.  This is part of my family on the Navajo reservation.  I love these people and really wish I was there with them.

Next year.


I've resorted to taking screen shots of the boys Snapchats.


(Drew in the bus with some of the kids on their bus route.)


I caught this perfectly amazing picture of Crash yesterday when I was talking to one of girls from church.  He's twinning with the dog in the background.


I went outside to read for a while on Monday.  I was so cold, and it was a beautiful day.  Right after this, I thought I felt a spider on me, and started itching and went back inside.  It was nice while it lasted.


Todd and Noah went to some yard sales Saturday morning and found this cross for me.  Isn't it pretty?  Well, I ended up using it yesterday, to bury a cat for our neighbors, whose three cats Jonah and Noah are watching.  My stepdad came to town to bury her, and we used this as a grave marker to show them where she was.

It's been a week!  From multiple leaks and repairs in our house, and hundreds of dollars spent on repairs, to the unexpected death of a neighbor's elderly kitty, I feel we have run the gamut of emotions this week.  I am looking forward to an easy going day, a good dinner, and another family night at home.

Also, I miss my older boys.  I finally talked to both of them yesterday and after last night's conversation with Drew, I almost cried.  It is still really weird and strangely quiet minus them and their ever-present friends.

Thanks for reading!  Love to all.

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

show & tell Tuesday (real life struggles)

I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals for this blog post.

I'm going to start this post by saying that I love being married.  I married my very best friend when I was a mere nineteen years young, and we are currently in our twenty first year of marriage.  I've been married to Todd for more than half my life now, and I thank God for him.  And for the most part, our marriage is really, really good.  I've learned that the older we get, the better it gets.  (I literally was writing that, he had me do him a favor, and then he got irritated with me when it came out wrong.)

 #keepingitreal

It's not all hearts and flowers and bliss.  It takes work, it takes commitment, and sometimes it takes us remembering that love is also a verb and a choice.

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending my first ever prayer dinner for a couple who is about to get married.  I had never even heard of this before, so I thought I'd share with you how the night went and what we talked about.  I hope to someday bless a young couple in this way.

It's a dinner, so as the couples arrived, flutes of sparkling cider were handed out, and we mingled.   Once everyone had arrived, we prayed, blessing our dinner and the night that was to come, and we sat down to eat.  Dinner plates were served as we waited.  I will say here that this is something you don't want too many people at, and you invite only the people whose marriages you might look up to.  There were nine couples invited that night, including the couple's family members, where three marriages were represented.  Family sat in one area, and friends sat in another area.  We ate dinner and after about thirty minutes, phase two of the night started.

The ladies and the men split up for this part.  In our area, we sat in a circle, and we showered Abbey with advice.  It could be serious, silly, or it could be scriptural.  I would say that in our conversations, we had a good mix.  Todd said on the men's side, it was more serious.  I have to stop here and tell you about the dear couple that hosted the dinner.  Mrs. Theresa is the mom of my friend whose house the dinner was held at.  This dear lady has been married upside of forty something years, and you should see her bible!  It is literally falling apart.  Here is the back page of her bible, though, that she used as a reference for this portion of the night.


I did ask for her permission before I took this picture, and yesterday, I asked her daughter if I could share it on this blog post.

It's kinda hard to read, so I'm going to write out what all this page says, adding some other advice I heard that night of the prayer dinner.

1.  Women are the emotional barometers of the home.  The old saying is true.  "When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."  If you walk around miserable in life, your family will do the exact same.  If you walk around joyful in all things and circumstances, chances are your family will reflect your attitude.

2.  Make it hard for your hubby to leave every morning, and make sure he looks forward to coming home every evening.  And look forward to him coming home!

3.  Welcome him home gladly.  Food helps this.  (I know for me, I always have dinner ready or simmering on the stove when Todd gets home.)  Greet him with a kiss and good smells.  Don't jump on him the minute he walks in with complaints or issues, give him time to get in, and to decompress a little.

4.  Celebrate your differences.

5.  Encourage him in his hobbies, and do not try to guilt him out of doing something he loves, or manipulate his time.  (Without ever having thought of this, I do this for Todd with his second occupation as a volunteer of the Sheriff's department.  He loves working shifts each weekend, and I hardly ever say no to him doing that.  My friend who gave this advice has a husband who hunts all the time.)

6.  Pray for him without ceasing.  (Be his safe haven, allowing him to speak freely to you.  And then if he vents about a really hard day, pray over him.)

7.  Endure.  Some days are just hard.  Don't ever, ever, ever joke about divorce, or throw around that word.

8.  Study him, learn what makes him happy, and work on that.

9.  Tithe.

10.  Join a church and be faithful in attendance.  (Todd and I have never viewed church going as an option.  We just go, faithfully, having a good reason when we miss.  Our kids know this, and now that they're older, they actually WANT to go all the time.)

11.  Entertain regularly!  Having company over forces you to do things around your home that otherwise might not have gotten done.

12.  COMMUNICATE.  I cannot stress this enough.  Our husbands are guys, y'all.  They are not good at reading minds, and don't assume that they "know" what you mean, or even what you'd like as a gift.  Most men need it laid out clearly to them, in black and white.  I think simple, short, and sweet is the best way to describe a good way to communicate your needs, or even what's going on.

13.  Read The Five Love Languages.  Figure out yours, figure out his, and both of you love each other in the ways the other needs to be loved.  Here are the five different love languages: physical touch, words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time, gift giving.

14.  Laugh!  And sometimes, agree to disagree.

15.  Don't let the sun go down on your anger.  (Ephesians 4:26)  Try to resolve your argument before you go to bed, but if you cannot do that, sometimes it's okay to sleep on it.  Just kiss, tell one another you love each other, and then agree to continue in the morning.  Things always look better in the morning light, and lots of arguments happen when we're exhausted.  (Lamentations 3)

16.  Make your family the most important thing in your life, aside from God.  If you're in ministry, your family should always come before anything else.

17.  (This is one of my biggest pet peeves, and something I was once called out on by my dad.  I am so glad he did that, because I've not done it since.)  Do not ever talk bad about your man.  (We are all human, and of course we sometimes think not so nice things about the ones we're married to, but it is best if we keep that to ourselves.  And when you think it, confess it God, and ask Him to forgive you and to change your heart.)  Don't talk bad about him to your girlfriends, your mom, or anyone else.  Don't hang around with friends who talk bad about their husbands.  Bad company corrupts good character.  (1 Corinthians 15:33)  Do not belittle him in front of people, do not make him out to be a "baby" to anyone, do not even ever joke about him in a negative way in front of others.  Do not do this.  DO NOT DO THIS!!  If you talk about him at all in front of people, make sure it honors him.  Build him up with your words about him (or TO him), brag about him, encourage him.  (Ephesians 4:29)

18.  Be subject to your own husband.  (Ephesians 5:22)  I know this one gets a really bad reputation, but the bible tells us wives that we are to submit to our husbands.  We are to let him lead us, and he is to be the spiritual head of our house.  If your husband is not doing this, do not nag him, or guilt trip him into being this way.  Just pray for him.

19.  When you're wanting to have a heart to heart, pick the time carefully, and be wise in your approach.  If you know he is tired, that may not be a great time to talk.  Chances are he may not remember it.  And don't come into the talk with guns blazing.

20.  Be considerate of him and his feelings.

21.  Be humble, kind, gentle, patient, and loving.  And forgiving.  Always, always forgiving.  (Colossians 3)

22.  Always consider him before making plans.  I never agree to any plans without first making sure Todd is okay with it.  It's not exactly asking permission, but it is similar.  Some nights he wants me to stay home.  Some nights, he encourages me to go out for dinner with a girlfriend.  Some nights he's okay if we eat dinner without him, if he's running a little later than usual.  Last night he let me know that he wanted us to wait on him before we ate.

23.  Look for ways to serve him, and do that gladly!

24.  DON'T NAG!  Several times the night of the prayer dinner, this verse was quoted: "Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging wife."  Proverbs 21:9  Nagging has never in a million years accomplished anything.

25.  Do yourself a favor and make your husband your second priority.  The order should be God first, spouse, kids, everything else.  Also, don't try to make your husband God.  He is a person, and he will fail you.  The Lord will not.  It's not fair to place unrealistic expectations onto your husband, I promise you, he is not able to live up to them.  And we cannot live up their unrealistic expectations of us.  It does go both ways.

Most of these came from the pages of Mrs. Theresa's bible, but I did add some others that we discussed that night.  I'm sure there's lots more, but these are good to ponder when being married is a struggle.

As for the rest of the night, then we prayed over Abbey.  We were given index card with scripture printed on them, and a prayer was beneath the verse.  You could pray what was prompted, or you could pray something on your own.  I thought this was good for people who may not be totally comfortable praying out loud.  The cards were collected, then presented to Steve and Abbey in a decorate box, to be looked at throughout their married years.  After that prayer time, we met back up and enjoyed dessert and coffee, then people were free to go as they pleased.  It was a LOVELY night, and one I know all of us will always remember.

Thanks for reading!  Love to all.

Monday, June 12, 2017

the weekend

The highlight of my weekend was on Friday night, and then on Sunday night.  This is one of the ones I wouldn't mind forgetting, except for the two things that I'm about to mention.

The first was on Friday night.  It was Abbey's bachelorette party!  At five o'clock, we met at a Mediterranean style restaurant nearby, and had a delicious dinner.  We showered her with gifts, the kind that are far more personal, and we laughed and laughed.  Her sister Ashley planned the whole thing, and the pictures you see are the ones that she took.


Besties!  I love her so much, and I'm so thankful I was able to attend this special night!


Here's all of us at the restaurant.  I've never been to this place before, and I loved it!  I had some sort of dish that was chicken, rice, and veggies.  I'd like to go back and just order appetizers, though.  I had a taste of pita bread and hummus, and loved it.

After dinner, a handful of us went to a place called Board and Brush.

And then we got to make really fun signs that we chose beforehand.


I had sawdust, stain, and paint all over the place, but it was such a fun night!


Here we all are after our signs were done.  I'm not sure where I want ours to hang yet, but I really like it.  It was such a fun night.

All of Saturday was spent at home.  We found a(nother) massive leak, and this was substantial enough to warrant Todd turning off our water line.  We survived the day without water, though, and by Sunday afternoon it was fixed.  Thankfully this one required a hole being cut in our pantry, and it won't be obvious.  Soon after the plummer left, though, another leak that we were watching got a lot worse, and Todd had to make another hole in our ceiling, this time, near the computer desk.  He's talking to the insurance company this morning, to see what we can do about all of these leaky pipes.  I'd love your prayers for favor in that area!

Last night I spent the evening poolside with a bunch of teenagers.  I've missed being with them!  I'm glad to be starting community groups back up for the summer.  Summer means swimming, and that makes me happy.

I'm spending today doing laundry and trying to figure out what's for dinner tonight, and what the rest of our week will look like.  Jonah and Noah need haircuts, and we could use a few grocery items, too, so I'm sure at some point, I'll make a grocery run.

My older two arrived at the Navajo reservation early Saturday night.  Due to the strong winds last year and the fact that several tents bit the dust (Ha!  Literally.), there were not enough sets of tents for all the people there, so my two plus four more, offered to sleep in the back of the Penske truck the leaders of the trip drove down in.  This is genius, because in the day time they can shut the door and their stuff will stay dirt free.  Well, hopefully.  Today is their first day of bible school, and it'll start around four.  Please pray for them, if you think of it!

Thanks for reading!  Love to all.

Friday, June 9, 2017

Friday Favorites, Little Bit of Everything Edition


Happy Friday, my friends!  I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals and friends, for the writing of this blog post.

What a week!  It's been partly slow, partly fast.

I started off this week celebrating one of my very favorite people~my bestie, Missy.

We met and got our nails done, we went to lunch, and we went to eat cupcakes.  It was so much fun, and a great way to start our week off.


The bottom left one is the one I ate.  Chocolate cream.  It's my newest favorite food item.  I told Missy after we ate, I came home and fell into a two hour sugar induced coma.  I'm not even kidding.  I took a nap that was so good, with my house so quiet, that when I woke up a couple hours later, I had forgotten the day of the week.

Those kinds of naps are my favorite.


Seeing "life" happen all over our house is my favorite thing.  I walked into the kitchen Monday morning  and found this scene happening on the table.  Jonah bought this basketball with his birthday money a while back, and it has never touched the ground outdoors.  It's an indoor basketball, and it was quite expensive.

#hismoney


On Tuesday, I went to my favorite place with another one of my favorite people: my mom in love.  This is her neighborhood pool, and when we first got there, we had the whole thing to ourselves!  I love when that happens.

I came home a few hours later, and I found this in the mail!  (Happy mail is my favorite.)


I have three favorite authors, and I love them all equally and love their different writing styles.  Karen Kingsbury is one.  Robin Jones Gunn and Neta Jackson are the other two.


 I couldn't start that book, though, until I'd finished this one.  Reading has been my best and favorite past time lately.

This was one I scored from the library last weekend.

On Wednesday, I had to make a Costco run, and I got to do that with one of my other best friends and her daughter.  It was a fun, and unexpected day together.  We went to the store, came home to drop something off, then got back in the car, rolled the windows down and cranked my summer playlist on Spotify up and proceeded to drive around town and look at houses.


Times like that are some of my very favorites.  I love Annalise's doggie riding in the nook in my backseat.  I also got a car wash on this day.  BONUS!  I love having a car that is spic and span.

Wednesday night church was awesome this week.  It was missions focused, and we learned about several different parts of the world people had been to on mission trips.  My favorite portion of the night was when we gathered all around the team going to Navajo that left today.  I cannot do that type of thing without bawling.


This planner is still my favorite thing.  It's not that full during these lazy days of summer, but I still decorate it up to make it pretty.  I love using it, and it's kinda my lifeline and how I keep things organized in my head.

I wrote all about this in yesterday's post.


I bought a new journal last weekend.  Isn't this adorable?  New journals are my favorite!  I love starting them out.


This picture CRACKS me up.  Todd and I were having a "growth opportunity" last night, and I asked him to hold my hand while we talked so we would be kinder.  His finger was all he would give me.  It's okay, though.  It worked.


This morning at six, the team going to the Navajo reservation in Arizona left in fifteen passenger vans.  They'll drive thirteen hours today (give or take a bit), stop in Amarillo, Texas to spend the night, and then drive nine more hours tomorrow, arriving at this beautiful place tomorrow evening.

Would you be willing to help me pray for them?  Here is how you can pray, if you answered yes:

For Jesus' name to be made much of, for His good news to be spread and for them to be His hands and feet, for divine appointments, for the Lord to use them and for boldness, and for good health and safety the whole trip there, the seven days, and back.  Last year, tons of people were really sick because of dehydration.  (Not from my family, but all around us.)

I so appreciate your prayers!  They will return NEXT Sunday the eighteenth, sometime in the early evening.

Well, that's about all I've got for today, friends.  I'm looking forward to seeing my dad for lunch today, and catching up with him.  Thanks for reading my blog!  Love to all.

P.S.  Follow me on Instagram at allfiveboys to see more day to day posts.

third Tuesday check-in

  Happy Tuesday, friends! It's time for the third Tuesday check-in, when I'll share a very honest assessment on how life is going in...