Archive for January, 2011

One Year Ago! SO THANKFUL! (nine)

by admin on January 29, 2011 in Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, Feeling It (Thankful), People In My Heart with 4 Comments
(My Dad and his eldest daughters.)

My family grew by 8 in one day! My sisters found us and with them we gained their husbands and two nieces and two nephews! It all started with the call Kathleen made. Then there was a search on facebook and I spotted a photo of Kathleen and Amber and just knew. We all took our turns contacting one another. Yes we where all a bit stunned but there was also a tone of being thankful; it was time.

(There they are! MY FOUR SIBLINGS! Funny thing about this picture is I am pretty sure Jesse is the tallest of the five of us and he is sitting while the other three try to look like the tallest!)

(ALWAYS wanted sisters!)

Amber joined facebook and as I helped her walk through that we got to know one another more. I still will scroll and scroll back to our very early communications and sit and read in wonder. My heart will probably always swell with thankfulness when I think of their families being part of my life.

(Kathleen and Amber catch up on their big sister duties, poor Jesse…)
(Amber being a bossy big sister… well actually we where playing some ridiculously embarrassing game the first time we got together, to help lighten the mood I suppose! Too fun really!)
(Sibling love, at our first rock concert together! The first rock concert is very important when getting to know family!)

What a wonderful way to be reminded to be so thankful for all the members of your family, even the ones you have always known and had regular contact with. We always knew we where a crew of five kids but to go officially from the three to the five was a dream come true.

Related link RIGHT HERE:)

TTFN

My Clans Women!

by admin on January 26, 2011 in Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, People In My Heart with No comments
(Our 4 generations photo when my eldest daughter was only a few weeks old.)

For many of us it is a shock when we finally realize and must admit we are like our mothers. For others we strive to be JUST like them because of our overly positive perception of the woman who raised us.

I just might be a little unique in my willingness to let my mother and my grandmother inspire who I am, mostly because I have been like this all my life, yes even through my teen years! I had to learn to just be myself when keeping up with my ‘perfect mom ideals’ became impossible and yet I am pleased to see areas where Mom and Grandma Smith have directly added to who I am. My children already are unlike me in so many ways, and like me in other ways. Perhaps my daughters will not be as excited to spend a whole Saturday at formal teas and yard sales with their mom and grandmother. Perhaps they will not be so thrilled to dress in vintage and second hand attire. But then again, perhaps they will like those things.

Stuff is stuff… however, their stuff, my moms and my grandmothers, reminds me of our similarities and I LOVE TO BE REMINDED OF THAT! My house is speckled with stuff that reminds me of them and my heart is as cluttered with memories of them.

(A photo of best friends! My grandmother and her aunt Ruth, taken the summer I got engaged when I stayed with them for a while. I can’t leave Aunt Ruth out of a conversation about my clans women! LINK HERE!)

There is a warm feeling in my heart when ever I wear my grandmothers clip on earrings. I enjoy her cheery yellow bread box and take pride in using her bread bowl to make my weekly batch. Her hands pounded down the dough in that bowl!

The red apron Mom made me is just like the yellow one she always put on and so I feel like a REAL mom when I wear it. I buy my pants from her favorite shop because she is right, they are so comfy and sharp looking! When she tells me it is okay, she made the same errors as a mom I realize there is hope! I don’t remember her screwing up, I have so much grace toward the women in my clan… I pray my girls will be the same.

When I look in the mirror and see my mother I am thankful. I look, hoping, to see my grandmother too… When I say something one of them always said I chuckle and hope that means I am tough and yet feminine like they where.

As much as I have put my own stamp on this families female collection I realize deep down I still like to try and be like my mom and my grandma…

P.S.
For more related links CLICK HERE and HERE and not to leave my mom out of the link thing, HERE🙂

TTFN

Robbie Burns Day

by admin on January 25, 2011 in Bits Of My Personality, My Romance with No comments
HAPPY ROBBIE BURNS DAY!

Not having had too many opportunities in our lives to celebrate our Scottish culture, Garnet and I took the opportunity available to us, this past weekend, and went on a date to our first ‘Robbie Burns Supper’. It was an incredible night of Scottish tradition and culture.I was VERY excited and had unbridled enthusiasm for every part of the evening. Although my man found the bagpipes loud I was carried away by them. The dancers where amazing, from the very traditional, modernized to the folk dancers. There where wee girls up to senior men performing for us. One little boy in his kilt and diaper kept following his older sisters around (they where performing) and he was just too cute to even describe! When the Scottish elders where piped in I was more then into the clapping, then the haggis was piped in and I was bursting while I clapped.

I was honestly looking forward to trying haggis for the first time! Here was my chance to dive into true Scottish tradition! Listening to the ode to the haggis had me grinning from ear to ear… right up until I tried it. It was… alright… not being able to smell apparently was an advantage for me but honestly it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had always imagined. I had assumed you had to have the steal strength and fire-y disposition of a true SCOT to be able to handle it but it wasn’t so bad.

(Due to my camera being old, it died after only a couple pictures so this is the only picture I got of me. I am in the van, eagerly waiting for my man to lock up so we can go. We both dressed up and looked great, only wish I had a picture of us together.)

The highlight of the whole evening was when the folk dancers asked for volunteers. I had tried to get my man out dancing to one of their events only weeks before and it hadn’t worked out. He had a look of horror while I had a look of joy… here was my chance! I jumped out of my seat and had him on the dancing floor before he knew what hit him. They call out the instructions very clearly so although it was the very first time we had danced together in public we did alright. I learned to avoid his toe crushing feet (he needs to work on that for my sake) and he learned to guide me… I laughed so hard when he ran me into another lady (whose husband was as nervous as mine) and I told him ‘you are supposed to lead dear.’ his look of surprise told me we really where TRUE amateurs at this! Oh but we both laughed as we did our best. He had to admit by the time we where done that it was great fun. I found it purely romantic to dance and laugh so heartily with my Scottish man.

(My good friend’s Dad giving the toast to Robbie Burns.)

Are we going next year? You bet! Are we going to dance together again? Totally! Especially once we get some lessons!

TTFN

Childhood (eight)

by admin on January 25, 2011 in Feeling It (Thankful), Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Mama Heart Mushings, People In My Heart with No comments

I was trying to get a nap in after a very busy weekend when I opened one eye and spotted you fishing from the couch. Totally in another world, your world, you where very determined and dedicated. Apparently the blue paper fish was a real fighter for you struggled and complained ‘Come on, come on!’ as you reeled it in. The fish appeared to be crying as you took it off so you smiled at it put it back on the string and returned it to the water. This game went on and on and you where oblivious to my gaze so I had time to find the camera and snap away. Many of the pictures captured your concentrated pucker expression that I love and all caught a piece of this little moment of beautiful childs play.

I have the chance to watch you grow and to enjoy being part of the world of a child again thanks to you. Thank you Jesus that my kids have had many years to just be kids!

TTFN

Robbie Burns Day

by admin on January 24, 2011 in Bits Of My Personality, My Romance with No comments
HAPPY ROBBIE BURNS DAY!

Not having had too many opportunities in our lives to celebrate our Scottish culture, Garnet and I took the opportunity available to us and went on a date to our first ‘Robbie Burns Day Supper’. It was an incredible night of Scottish tradition and culture.

I was VERY excited and had unbridled enthusiasm for every part of the evening. Although my man found the bagpipes loud I was carried away by them. The dancers where amazing, from the very traditional, modernized to the folk dancers. There where wee girls up to senior men performing for us. On little boy in his kilt and diaper kept following his older sisters around (they where performing) and he was just too cute to even describe! When the Scottish elders where piped in I was more then into the clapping, then the haggis was piped in and I was bursting while I clapped.

I was honestly looking forward to trying haggis for the first time! Here was my chance to dive into true Scottish tradition! Listening to the ode to the haggis had me grinning from ear to ear… right up until I tried it. It was… alright… not being able to smell apparently was an advantage for me but honestly it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had always imagined. I had assumed you had to have the steal strength and fire-y disposition of a true SCOT to be able to handle it but it wasn’t so bad.

(Due to my camera being old, it died after only a couple pictures so this is the only picture I got of me. I am in the van, eagerly waiting for my man to lock up so we can go. We both dressed up and looked great, only wish I had a picture of us together.)

The highlight of the whole evening was when the folk dancers asked for volunteers. I had tried to get my man out dancing to one of their events only weeks before and it hadn’t worked out. He had a look of horror while I had a look of joy… here was my chance! I jumped out of my seat and had him on the dancing floor before he knew what hit him. They call out the instructions very clearly so although it was the very first time we had danced together in public we did alright. I learned to avoid his toe crushing feet (he needs to work on that for my sake) and he learned to guide me… I laughed so hard when he ran me into another lady (whose husband was as nervous as mine) and I told him ‘you are supposed to lead dear.’ his look of surprise told me we really where TRUE amateurs at this! Oh but we both laughed as we did our best. He had to admit by the time we where done that it was great fun. I found it purely romantic to dance and laugh so heartily with my Scottish man.

(My good friend’s Dad giving the toast to Robbie Burns.)

Are we going next year? You bet! Are we going to dance together again? Totally! Especially once we get some lessons!

TTFN

Dad and Fire

by admin on January 23, 2011 in Feeling It (Thankful), People In My Heart with 1 Comment

Picture three older fellows, early 60s, standing in the village post office, side by side, hands connected in a firm manly shake. All three have cancer, two of the three are no strangers to it, and they are blood brothers as well. The fellow with the snowy beard and fiery spirit is encouraging them though he is the newest member of this club called ‘living with cancer’. They are on hospice, look it up, that means the doctors are done. These men are making a pact of hope and faith, that they will have this same meeting all together a year from then…

And they shall…

Many times have I heard my Dad talk about the concept of passing through the fire… he was often talking about the day of judgment but we all know we pass through fires in this life too… pain, struggle…

My Dad’s cancer has gone into remission. After the operation there was talk of another lump but when he came down for his latest check up it was gone… GONE… I keep my write ups about my Dad short… my Dad and his cancer even shorter… there is only so much one can say… PRAISE JESUS is in order.

I wish the blessings of a long life of walking through those fires with victory, in Jesus, for my Dad.

Dad quotes:

“The Lord has been able to give me grace toward a lot of people who don’t know how to deal graciously with me having cancer. Especially those from the church.”

“It is only a miracle because it doesn’t happen on command or very often. My cancer is in remission and I am hopeful to get the three score and ten years the Lord spoke of in his word. Anything after that, even one day, cancer or not, is bonus. Now if you will excuse me I gotta go fishing.”

TTFN

Dad and Fire

by admin on January 21, 2011 in Feeling It (Thankful), People In My Heart with No comments

Many times have I heard my Dad talk about the concept of passing through the fire… he was often talking about the day of judgment but we all know we pass through fires in this life too… pain, struggle…

My Dad’s cancer has gone into remission. After the operation there was talk of another lump but when he came down for his latest check up it was gone… GONE… I keep my write ups about my Dad short… my Dad and his cancer even shorter… there is only so much one can say… PRAISE JESUS is in order.

I wish the blessings of a long life of walking through those fires with victory, in Jesus, for my Dad.

TTFN

The Story That Sums It Up

by admin on January 21, 2011 in Feeling It (Thankful) with 1 Comment

So much of what I have been studying lately pushes me to own my part in the world and then to accept Christs mercy… to not waste time with blaming, admitting what I don’t know about the big stuff in life… This story came to my attention AGAIN and it so simply sums up what I am chewing on.

“When the TIMES invited several eminent authors to write essays on the theme “What’s Wrong with the World?” Chesterton’s contribution took the form of a letter:

Dear Sirs, I am. Sincerely yours, G. K. Chesterton

Chesterton here combined wit with a serious point – that of fallen human nature and humility.”

May I take this idea as a jumping point and not be so angry about things that come my way but to think beyond myself, having empathy for others and trust in Christs ultimate goal. May I live love here and now, with the understanding that it isn’t a perfect world but the perfect way to prepare all of us for the perfect world to come. I feel like this is a big step on my road to being a woman of thankful heart, a woman who is not in denial about how hard life IS but has happiness in her Lord through its ups and downs.

TTFN

Keep Warm:)

by admin on January 20, 2011 in Bits Of My Personality, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Little Things, The Pet with No comments
(My Baby Boy and his cousin, mesmerized by the record snow fall we got this year!)

I have been running all week, break neck speed, to get all my errands done and now I am happy to awake to a -40 kinda day so I can stay home, guiltless! There is an endless list of things I need to do at home today…

  1. Timtams waiting to be filled with coffee and then devoured.
  2. Strong coffee waiting to be perked on the stove.
  3. Bread dough rising and waiting to eventually be baked and eaten.
  4. Endless laundry baskets full of clothing waiting to be folded.
  5. A cinderella story movie waiting to be watched by my babies and I for the first time.
  6. A couple books waiting to be read just before I fall asleep on the couch come nap time.
  7. All this done while I enjoy my kids, enjoying the company of my dog, enjoy my home and make a real effort to look at the bright side of winter, it makes you more appreciative warm places with people you love.

Blessings to you all on this winter-y day. May you find things to smile about and be warm enough that when you smile your lips do not freeze to your teeth!

P.S. It is supposed to warm up soon I hear! Perhaps even later today!!

TTFN

Thank GOD for Mercy! (seven)

by admin on January 17, 2011 in Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, Feeling It (Thankful) with 1 Comment
(Who are those two kids with their first kid!!??)

We all develop emotional habits that effect our behavior. Certain situations create emotional reactions in us and those emotions can lead to other emotions and it can all become a nasty habit.

I have been a person who reacts to much in life with anger, in an attempt to keep down and protect my real feelings. I later reprimand myself to the point of depression for angry outbursts. I was SO THANKFUL to listen to a message today that once again directed my attention away from the I to the HIM. I am writing this out in hopes that the simple yet brilliant truth that hit me during the message will remain, stick, that I will GET IT.

We can learn so much from our babies… children come sign sealed and delivered with the ability to accept love and the wisdom to not turn away mercy.

So I get angry, so I am not perfect, so habits seem so strong they threaten to define me… I loose sight of all the Lord has to offer me through my bad behavior, MERCY being the biggest gift I forget about and then squirm about receiving. Mercy comes in and I need to get over myself. It doesn’t matter how rotten I have been I need to ignore my prideful pull toward making it right and being good on my own and let the Lord clean me up, forgive me and grow me into something beautiful. It isn’t about how much I screw up, it is about how much he loves me.

When I brought my babies home I loved them because they existed. I loved them into growing. No matter how rotten I can be the Lord loves and that is the beauty of mercy. Jesus Christ loves me into growing.

P.S. Here is the link to the sermon I heard today, RIGHT HERE… I hope to go through it again as my kids where pretty noisy for a large portion so I feel like I missed out… the mommies reading this aren’t surprised by that at all, he he he.

TTFN

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