Thanksgivings

1) Working in the garden. Endlessly weeding with a boy who seems to be turning into a man child before my very eyes. A man child, asking deep questions, about the eternal and the beginning of time.

2) The first fruits of labor. Broccoli, fresh from the stem - debugged and carefully washed, then gently steamed into deliciousness.

3) A cup of Keurig coffee, steaming hot with just a touch of honey and cream.

4) Morning meditations rediscovered in the words of The Message. Gospels come alive, speaking clearly, reaching across the chasm of cultural differences.

5) Finding a new favorite book - The Secret Life of Bees.

"When you are unsure of yourself," she said, "when you start pulling back into doubt and small living, she's the one inside saying, 'Get up from there and live like the glorious girl you are.' She's the power inside you, you understand?"
Her hands stayed where they were but released their pressure. "And whatever it is that keeps widening your heart, that's Mary, too, not only the power inside you but the love. And when you get down to it, Lily, that's the only purpose grand enough for a human life. Not just love - but to persist in love."

Right up there with To Kill and Mockingbird and I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings. lovely, just lovely.

Thank you.

Catching up

This has been the most glorious spring for birds around here. Perhaps it is because we have had the windows open for a month now, but it seems like I can hear so many more birds this year. I don't know if there is anything better than a quiet cool house and the sounds of birds singing in the background.


Made muffins this morning using this recipe. This time however I used strawberries that were just about over ripe. I omitted the cinnamon and....drumroll please....I substituted the 1 cup milk for 1/2 cup organic vanilla yogurt and 1/2 cup organic milk. Ohhhhhh they are so scrumptious if I do say so myself:)


I am laughing at myself. I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off and yet when I get ready to blog I think, "my life is so boring. I have nothing to share." That was until I just uploaded the May pictures. Wow I will have to do a whole post tomorrow on things to do in East Tennessee.


Right now, as the boys snooze on, I am listening to the quiet chatter of a girl playing in her dollhouse. "Room service...we have spaghetti, eggs,...." The dollhouse was something my grandmother started but never finished before Alzhiemers took over her life. Noone else in the family seemed interested in taking on the project of restoration of the beast and so, my little brood received the honors. Several years ago I began working on the crumbling house for my daughters birthday. You can view the pictures of that project here.



And while we are sharing, let me share our "grown up furniture"!

I have always dreamed of having a red overstuffed couch and chair. Imagine my happiness when I showed up to help my sister price for a yard sale to benefit her family's mission trip to Peru. There sat my dream couch (someone had donated it to the sale). When she told me the price, I immediately called my husband who graciously agreed to come over and see the dream couch. My husband agreed it was a purchase we could make and voila! my dream became a reality.

The new furniture led to an update of artwork above the piano. Excuse the photography (I was using my cell phone). These paintings were done my beloved husband as a project for his color theory class. I just loved them. They really served to change the feel of the room.

Hope your day is warm and full of adventure!

Everyone is so sick of the rain here. But I must confess, I love it. I am content. All is right with the world. I finished my last exam yesterday. Spent today planning meals, grocery shopping, and planting trees in the yard. It has started raining again. I think I might go throw some flower seeds in the ground before I call it a day. Ahhhhhhh.

Tollipop giveaway!

One of my favorite blogs is celebrating her one year anniversary and as a way to celebrate, she is giving away three, count em THREE, of her fabulous prints. As you can see from the picture above, these are the sweetest little ladies on the block. Click here to enter this fabulous contest! Good luck.

Note to Self

Dear Precious Daughter,

You are more than what you do. You are valuable even when your hair is a wreck, your bathroom filthy, your legs unshaved, and your car a landfill. You are more than an A on the last paper, test, presentation. A's do not define a person. What about the P's? Positively present! It is better to be present with the ones we love than doing mindless dribble we will not remember in a year. What is most immediate is not always most important. Some things can slide.

You are lovely, and beautiful and precious. No need to worry. No need to fret. Give away your worries, cast aside your doubts and fears. Release them in pray and meditation. Give them to the Source for He is more than able.

I love you,

ME

Spring Salutations!

Here is some of the Spring/Easter decorating we've been doing around here. We enjoyed several really warm days and now they are calling for snow again! Not to worry, if the ten day forecast is to be believed, the temperature will be back in the 60's by Sunday!

Chicks and bunnies from here.

Spring time mantel.

I love these little bird nests. They are actually napkin rings. I got them last year at my moms shop in Jonesborough, TN.

This was my great grandmother's view master. This card with the little girl in her bonnet just makes me smile:)

And on those pretty days... my little gardeners have been busy. They were all excited about a garden inspired "prop box" I had put together for one of my classes. When I was done with the project they got to play in the box. Thus the hats, gloves, etc:)

Things I am realizing...

• to love does not mean to never experience displeasure with others choices
• to cherish does not mean you always agree with others opinions
• feelings come and go and do not define reality
• ignoring anger, frustration, disappointment does not help anyone and leads to toxic build up emotionally

Feeling very unsettled in a lot of peripheral relationships right now. Trying to sort through. Realizing I have not taken time to meditate on His unchanging truth. Love is patient and kind and long suffering... which does not mean the absence of opportunity to be impatient, unkind, and short tempered (which has been my faulty thinking). If I "feel" mad or think unkind things or want to snap...then I am not loving. What a lie! I am loving if despite my feelings I choose not to snap, not to say the unkind things, or pour out my wrath on the nearest victim. But I must acknowledge and release the emotions or they eat away at me.