Currently . . . March 2014 edition

It's been a long while since I have done one of these, so why not? And let's be real. . . while I several "deeper" post ideas swirling around in my head, I don't have a lot of extra time to put pen to paper right now. Or fingers to keyboard I guess I should say. Oh and I start back to work on April 1. And I am speaking at a girls retreat a few days later, on the first weekend of April (and haven't even started hashing out my talk). This could be interesting. . . let's just pretend I am not procrastinating by writing this blog post.
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Loving: Our new little swing set Brandon and his dad put together this past weekend. Clara loves to swing so this is pretty much perfect. And it is pretty perfect for this mamma who still hasn't figured out how to take two kids to the park. Now all I have to do is walk out to our backyard.

 And don't worry. . . Camille just posed in the baby swing for a quick picture. I know she is not quite ready for swing time herself. 

 Clara just chillin and playing it cool. 

Reading: Notes From A Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider . I am only 100 pages in, but this book is so insightful. The whole premise of the book is the idea that we really can live with more simplicity and more intentionality in this crazy, chaotic 2014 culture. We really can make purposeful daily decisions that ultimately help us LIVE out our our values and passions, instead of just always wishing our life looked like x, y or z, or assuming that "someday we will get there." We really can live life on purpose now. Not tomorrow or five years from now. Now. Such a concept, right? (My friend Aja and I got to meet Tsh back in February when she came to Houston as part of her book tour. She is so down to earth and so incredibly nice. Just like you would imagine she would be after reading her blog/books. I will admit that I was a little star struck).

I also start each morning with a short devotional from Jesus Today by Sarah Young (follow up to her first devotional book, Jesus Calling). Such powerful words and corresponding scriptures. Always starts my day off on the right note.

Watching: Dancing With The Stars - I don't normally get into DWTS. I guess I am just not into the whole dancing/production thing. But this year is different because DJ TANNER (Candace Cameron Bure) is on the show! I really admire Candace for several reasons. . . the first being her faith. She is open and upfront about her faith in the Lord, and how that relationship is the basis of her life, family, and day to day decision making. Second, she herself has walked the eating disorder road and now successfully speaks out to other young women about her story, recovery and lessons learned along the way. A celebrity speaking out about her faith and life journey. . . so very inspiring to me.

source 

Listening to: Pandora radio from our living room. My favorite stations are Hillsong United or Colbie  Caillat. I have found that when I have music on during the day for some background noise (as opposed to tv), especially something that brings calmness, I in turn am much more calm, peaceful and able to keep my composure when I feel a meltdown coming on. :) Which can be every ten minutes depending on the day.

Thinking about: God's faithfulness, even in times of personal struggle, heartache and grief. There is so much hurt in the world, some much pain that we all experience, yet in all of this there is also so much good. We are not always able to see the good right away, but there IS good, even when you can't hardly put one foot in front of the other. We just have to keep our eyes focused, so that when God presents us with some of this good, some of His compassion, we don't completely let it pass us by.

Lamentations 3:32 says "Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love." Amen to that.

Looking forward to: I have several get togethers planned with girlfriends this week. This will be good for my soul. Going to a coworkers house to catch up and eat lunch on Tuesday (she also works part time), and meeting up with one of my best friends, Wendi, for coffee on Thursday after we both drop our oldest kiddos off at Mothers Day Out. Yay for some adult time!

Making me happy: My two girls. Yes, the days can feel tiresome, stressful, and (very) long, but that does not mean for a second that I don't love and appreciate God's good gifts of Clara and Camille. I am honored that God has chosen me to be their mommy. Truly I am. He has chosen me to wipe their noses, clean the spilled milk, and change what feels like the 50th diaper of the day. Yet with the mundane tasks also comes so much joy. And laughter. And blessings.

And smiles.

Their cute matching outfits yesterday at church. I never was able to get a pic of them side by side. Oh well. . . I am pretty sure there will be many more opportunities to come.

And a huge thanks to my friend Jess for their cute matching headbands! She sent them to me a while back, along with a sweet note, when she knew I was really struggling with the transition from 1 to 2.  She made my girls several, and they are all so unique and precious. 

I told her she should start selling them! :)

Have a great day!