Grateful Acres

I recently attended an old friend's wedding. How cool to watch her experience the dreams of the childhood we shared: truly, like a disney princess! I had a pretty discouraging day today. My husband and I are deeply seeking God's will for the direction of our family, specifically in regards to our business. As I laid my head in my hands against my desk, the tune playing on my laptop was an old hymn, " Teach me some melodious sonet, sung by flaming tongues above..." That's right where my heart was. I had been praying for some sort of encouragement, something to lift me and direct me. Then my mind wandered to that wedding... and then back to my wedding. These are a couple of my favorite pictures of my husband and I on that day... do you see the "melodious sonet" in our hearts that day? Here's the "melodious sonet" God sent me for today: My husband and I are still deeply in love! We have been through so much in the last 5 years... horrible dea...

I have so many rich blessings to express thankfulness for this Christmas! ...just a few: {Henry's sweet, goofy little smile. He crinkles up his nose, shrugs his shoulders, and squints those blue, blue eyes. His smile is a slice of heaven! {Jonathan's wild, little-boy laugh. His laughter wipes away the stress of each day, it's charm re-focuses my heart to what really matters. His laughter is a slice of heaven! {My wonderful husband Josh's warm, consistent embrace. I'm so grateful for the peaceful love we share, and for the comfort of his arms each night. His embrace is a slice of heaven! {the Christmas cards we've been getting in the mail, from friends that are sharing this season of the early years of family life. Each card I opened had a photo of dear friends and their spouses and children gathered around... what a gift! {the WONDERFUL straightener my husband bought me for Christmas!! {the expressions on my kids' faces when they opened their stockings and g...

I had one of those moments today. I was sitting in a cold, empty church all by myself, tuning a piano. {This particular piano is my Achilles heel!} My brain began to make a downward spiral that went something like this: I felt like I got up and went to work today, which feels odd/not good odd- I would never go back to work full time unless extreme circumstances forced me to- the only extreme circumstances I can think of are if my husband died-wow it would be terrible in so many ways if my husband died- what would I do? how would I still be home with my kids? UNNECESSARY MENTAL CRISIS! {my family has experienced an unusual amount of loss through death in the last few years, which is I think why this became so emotional for me} After some time attempting to wrestle my brain back to logical logic, I called my husband and told him I love him. I hoped that would end my downward spiral, but down, down I went again! As I was test-playing the piano, my fingers wandered back to the hymn I play...

Mommy does always win! ...if that's the approach she takes. I've been working to refresh my resolve to always win, to expect and nurture towards high standards, even in little ways. {I'm also making an effort to be sure I'm not working to be nagging, picky, or set unrealistic expectations...} I had heard the phrase "creating a monster", and always thought I wasn't doing that- however, when my 2nd little boy came along, I began to make some consistent exceptions to my own rules. I thought I was doing that to protect my sanity {life has been in the fast lane!}, but recently I have come to a screeching halt, realizing that I was encouraging bad habits in my little boys- making my job harder! Most of the changes I've made are in their sleeping habits. Jonathan always went down well, but would play in his bed for upwards of an hour each night. Henry went down after much rocking, and liked to have a fan, be in his own bed, in his own room. I'm sure you...

{Nearly three years have gone by! I clicked on this old blog of mine today, and as I looked at it's single post I was flooded by what has come, gone, and stayed with me over the last [nearly] three years! A few dear loved ones have gone, Jonathan and Henry [my wild, sweet sons!] have come, and my gentle, funny husband has stayed wholeheartedly by my side. What rich blessing I have experienced! {I want to change as time goes by. Change means growth, learning, and hopefully wisdom! In 2008 I experienced intensely the parallel between God & us, and me and my first son, Jonathan. I understood, in a small way, why God chose to throw all of life in existence out of balance and order, just to love us! ...I would do the same for my children, in a heartbeat. In 2008 I felt joy, grace, and blessing. {Change doesn't always come by feeling happy feelings, though. 2009 has brought growth by a different means. I was challenged and stretched in that year. My husband and I gave up our liv...