It's been long enough

Mom, where's dad? Is he downstairs making a fire? Elijah asked me that this morning as we were waking up. I smiled, and had to say no. He wasn't downstairs making a fire. He's on a trip for work with Uncle Martin. It's Wednesday night and in 24 hours he will be home. Home. Our home is definitely not the same with out him. Our home isn't a home with out him. We miss him terribly. Today I was so excited because I was able to tell the kids that  "guess who comes home tomorrow? Daddy!" This has been our first encounter with a "dadless" week.

I am in no way complaining, Lord. I am praising you. Praising you for the wonderful man that you have blessed us with. A wonderful husband and father. The past 5 days have been good for us. I have always appreciated and loved him but it's made me realize how blessed and how much God truly loves us and takes care of us. It's helped me realize that community is so important. Not only a husband to commune with but when said husband is gone, family and wonderful friends step in to ease the intensity of his absence. To keep us going, to make the 5 days seem like 5 hours. Thank you Lord.

To Tim. You are more than loved. Love you like crazy.

Navale...I think it's French for naval. We will be painting it on our walls soon.

Finally, we have come to a place where we are going to be putting some effort into fixin' up "mom and dad's room". Finally. It has totally been worth the wait. I am getting so excited. AHHhh!! The color is called Navale, by Mythic paints. We went this afternoon to the Ecohaus store that they now have in Bellevue, right off of Northup Way. This time we only had one child, so we had more of a chance to look and kinda wander or meander if you will. I was really excited to be there. There are so many, better for you and everyone, alternatives out there. And what is sooo stinking crazy, is that the alternatives are no more expensive. Did you hear me. I know that is what stops people from even considering it. Some even cheaper. For example their Green Fiber insulation made from recycled paper. Cheaper than your typical fiber glass insulation, who knew? It makes me want to shout it from the roof tops. I try not too, but I think it naturally permeates from deep down with in my soul. Just do it.

environmentalhomecenter.com

Who am I going to marry?

Many of you have heard the response Fiamma gives when presented with that question. Who are you going to marry Fiamma? "Daddy tell me" is her response. I am sure some of you think that is cute, but unrealistic and depending on how well you know me might not realize I am not being cute or joking. I/we are being very very serious. By the grace of God, daddy plans to never leave his baby girls. I will always be speaking into there lives and I wonder why so many are taken back by the fact I expect to be part of this decision. The best example any of us have on how to be a father is from God and he is not silent on any decision let alone whom we are to marry.

So tonight, as I was tucking Fiamma in, getting ready to pray for her I noticed she is getting so big. She is only two, but I was so aware in that moment that she is every day by the grace of God closer to getting a husband. So Fiamma and I did what we should do... we prayed for her and her husband. We prayed he would be a Godly man above reproach and that he would lead her well toward and in the Lord.

I figure at this rate if Fiamma is praying for her husband every night the first question she will ask about a boy is, is this the boy God has prepared for me? I want her, fifteen years down the road, when some idiot boy comes up to her asking her out, to load both barrels and fire. Always knowing God, a lot of times through daddy, will protect and take care of her.

So who is she going to marry? I guess ultimately God will tell her... through his word and mommy and daddy, the stewards God has given her too. May He keep her path straight.

My ladies are getting so big. There is so little time. God give me the grace to be diligent in preparing them for a life lived for your glory.

Cloth diapers.

Love them. They are a life saver. Really. I think of how much it would cost us to have the kids in diapers right now and all that comes to mind is second mortgage on the house. AHHH! Not really, but it does save so much. Granted Elijah is potty trained and Fiamma is too. She still wears em to bed but if I had Gratia in disposables all day and night,wowsers, that would have a definite impact on our bank account. I remember when I first researched cloth diapering. I had an arrogance about it all, really. That I was above it. I was beyond it all. It was inconceivable for me to even really consider it. I am glad that the birth of our Gratia made us think about some changes. The change took place after I had read a book, a book by Dr. Greene on Raising your baby green. I saw an advertisement for it in a "green" magazine called Kiwi at the Dr.'s office. Great book. I recommend it or any other like it. Hence why we bought new mattresses, and started painting with NO VOC paint. Yo Lo to be exact. Great paint. Same price. Mattresses were no more expensive either than the popular ones on the market.  If you really looked into what you slept on you might consider doing the same. So really, it came down to what do we want to expose ourselves to? Not just ourselves, but mainly the little ones that we were bringing in and up in our home. Now when we renovate a little bit here or a big bit there, we consider things like where things come from, are they locally harvested, and the fumes they will emit during application and over time. Even down to the caulk we are going to use to re-caulk our shower.  And I might add, there are tons of great uses for vinegar and baking soda. If I only knew that clorox or 409 are sooo unnecessary.

That's how we came to the decision of using cloth diapers. And a load of other choices. We consider everything now, not just the cost of something, but where did it come from, what is it made of, who made it, can I buy it second hand, is it REALLY necessary, really?!? There are tons of things that I can have, but I know now that a simpler life is a fuller life. A steward like life. I am not only trying to do what is in our best interests, but also keeping in mind that right now I have 6 eyes watching me at all times. Not just listening to what I say and how I say it, they are really good at repeating you, but also watching the importance that I put on "things" and having said "things". I want them to take away what is really important. Not necessarily cloth diapers, but taking the responsibility of being biblical stewards and applying that to every aspect of their lives as they grow and get older. It's not ours, it's God's.

I am a steward. A steward of everything in my life. My children, our family, the creation....it's all God's. I am just a steward of it for the moment.

To God be the glory forever and ever, Amen.

truly, the most blessed mother in the world.

Shepherd the Flock of God

1 Peter

5:1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, [1] not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; [2] not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

re-toastin' crackers

So my mother has always been very good at keeping family traditions alive and passing them on. With that said, the kids and I, on a cold and rainy day this week, practiced a tradition that my mom was taught by her Grandmother Roxie (yes that is her full name..awesome I know) We re-toasted our stale crackers AND tortilla chips. It was the most liberating, fabulous, invigorating, life changing moment I have had in the kitchen in a long time. All those times when I had chucked the wee bit of leftovers at the bottom of the bag or in the end of the cracker tray. No more my friend. No more my friend. I say re-toast those babies. Part of the reason this was spurred on was because Tim asked me if we could make it until the 14th to go grocery shopping. Like a major grocery trip. For anything other than milk and eggs kinda trip. I looked at my cupboards, they honestly looked pretty bare. I thought the chances were slim to none. I told him I will try my best. Since then, we have re-toasted crackers, made some kick butt spaghetti sauce, almond butter cookies, banana bread, and chicken stock. And our cupboards are full. Oh, and I have a spaghetti squash cooked and ready to make some spaghetti squash pancakes. I have no idea what the outcome will be, but it's what we have and what is in season, so I am trying to be as creative and yummy as possible-all at once.

Proverbs 31. Love it and trying to live it.

I'm talking to God, Dad.

No God wait, come back, I have one more thing to tell you. Mom, can I play tea party with God? No He doesn't want to play tea party. I think He wants to play blocks. No God just told me He wants to play race cars. Yea, we are going to play race cars. I was startled. Not scared. Heavens no. I was just waiting. Anxiously waiting. Waiting for the moment when he would just start chatting with God. He knows He is everywhere, because He is. He is. And I am so thankful for that. I hope God was smiling. Getting a good chuckle.

Elijah was pretty serious. They had just had a conversation at great length, about God staying and playing with Him. He was in his room just having quiet time, reading some books and Tim over heard him talking, talking loudly. Tim peaked in, and instantaneously Elijah said, Dad I am talking to God. You can go now. Tim quietly shut the door. Who wants to disturb a conversation with God? I then came up to just stand at the door so I could too witness this. Every mom wants this for their children. It's pretty amazing. Witnessing the innocence of it. So sweet and organic. Yes, I said organic. I hadn't asked him to pray. We weren't having any prior moments of chaos. He did it on his own. Knowing that He would be there to listen.

I pray that he never stops talking to God. Including Him in his every day stuff. Even the times when he plays race cars. Or blocks or a tea party.

The possibilities are endless. God is always there; listening.