The Kite
I have begun to realize a mental picture that I always tend to see whenever I think about my life, trials and spirituality. God gave it to me a long time ago but I have suddenly realized just how much I think of it. I have come to the conclusion that it is my special and very personal connection with my Savior and that he wants me to view this symbol he has given to me, as mine! :)
I am a very visual person. I love imagery. Some of my favorite songs, books, art or movies all tend to be rich in visual imagery, or have hidden meanings. I have many favorite country songs that when I hear them I have certain mental pictures. I love movies with deep color (such as very green grass, or very blue sky). One movie that I saw a long time ago was The Virginian. It is a western and I have no idea what the story line is, but every time I think of the movie I see the deep green grass in this huge open field and the deep blue skies in the film. Someday I want to find that movie and watch it as an adult. Maybe Netflix has it. Anyway, I would like to tell you about my life symbol....the Kite.
From the time I came to know Jesus as my Savior at age 19 until I was about 24 I was a very happy person. I had never felt depressed. Yes, there were times when I was sad or angry, but generally I was very happy. Very happy with my life, family, etc. Then one year a lot of trials started hitting me. I felt as if my life as I knew it had been thrown up in the air and that I was trying desperately to catch little pieces of the happiness I had once known. I would try to catch these pieces and try to fit them together into a puzzle. There would be a chunk missing here, and a chunk missing there that was never to be found, or so I thought and felt.
During this period in my life I felt as if I was flatlining, spiritually. As if my prayers were somehow inhibited, that is if I could even pray with focus, or pray at all. During this time, I had a very strong mental picture that was constantly in my brain. I would think back to when I was a happy person, and I saw myself as a beautiful, colorful, free kite. I always saw myself floating high in the sky and I always for some reason pictured my husband as the person flying the kite, as if it was up to him to bring me happiness. Of course, as you know with flying a kite you occasionally will lose wind speed and your kite can sort of dip down like it is going to come down. At times, if I was sad or angry I know that my kite would dip down, but all of a sudden the wind would whip back up again and I'd be back to flying high. Then, one year my kite was flown right into a tree. With each trial I felt as if someone was pulling me down and I would get stuck on the next branch. With every tangle I felt myself ripping, and the wooden parts of the kite breaking. I couldn't see out of the tree. All I could see was green leaves. I always pictured my husband at the end of the kite, pulling me through all these trials, as if it was all his fault. Every time I hit a branch and ripped, I hated him more. I felt like I would never get out of that tree, and would never see the light of day, again. All I could see were these green leaves in front of me and all these branches below me....(more trials and tangles to fall into....or get PULLED into, as I thought). One day I fell out of the tree and landed under it, in a pile of broken kite...full of depression, anger, resentment, hate, bitterness, ad hopelessness....all ripped, tattered and torn, with no hope of ever being the kite that I once was. Beautiful and happy. Then one day someone picked me up, sat down with me on His lap under that awful tree, and for months that person tenderly sewed and mended the rips. Slowly, carefully and with great love. My wooden braces felt as if someone was strongly tying, at each junction, a cord of three strands. I started to feel as if my flatlined, cold, spiritual life was seeing the light of day again. That, as if two years of Winter were finally turning into Spring (picture The Chronicles of Narnia, here- another favorite movie of mine)! That, color was finally coming into my life again. That finally, I could see a color other than green. As we all know, the color green usually means growth and while I hated that color while I was stuck in that tree, I came to realize later, as I looked up at that tree I had fallen from, that it was actually a beautiful green...the sign of spiritual growth. And I then had respect for that color and I became thankful for it. I also changed my perspective. I realized that the One holding the end of the Kite was my Heavenly Father....that He had been in control of my life at all stages (even getting flown into a tree) and that I no longer had to visualize my husband as the flyer of my kite. That it wasn't up to my husband to make me happy. He never flew the kite. It has always been God, whether I saw it or not.
And so, here we are now, four years later. I feel as if I am even more beautiful than I was before. With all my mended rips and tears. Stronger for it, and with a changed perspective. I know there will be more trees. I know now that I will get through them and I will grow with each one. In between the trees, I can fly high in the sky with the Holy Spirit flying my kite and no one else. It is so freeing!
My life symbol....THE KITE! What is yours????
Monday, February 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Bits and Pieces
Time to post again, though I really am not in the mood to do anything! I hate this time of year; I really do...
However,
+ The hubster got promoted which is our most exciting news from November! It was a very exciting time for him and I was so happy to be a part of his happiness! Zane got to remove his old rank and put the new rank on. It was precious! :) Because of where we were, I couldn't get good pictures but I will eventually post what I have. That is what I hate about blogging...adding pictures....it's so annoying.
+ the bunnies are now litter box trained which is very nice...no more little balls of poop rolling off the newspaper around the garage! :) They are so cute though...and I still don't have pictures of them! :/
+ We had a nice Thanksgiving, with people from my husband's work. I did some of the cooking and my friend Michelle did some of it. We played on their Wii, which was fun, but I wasn't really impressed....I am NOT a video game type of person though I do actually enjoy Farmville on Facebook. :)
+ We are going to Idaho for Christmas. I have most of my shopping done for my side of the family and I am really excited to see everyone, especially my sisters! :) We need to find a round bale of hay for Hope while we are gone and hopefully it will stay warm enough that the bunnies water bottles won't freeze, ...or Hopes water trough. I can't find her tank deicer, so i guess I need to buy another one unless James knows where it is...I hate winter and dealing with animal watering. It's a pain in the butt...
+ Homeschooling is going well....same ole same ole there. I am looking forward to Christmas break, though. Abbie is starting to read which is exciting! She is definitely ready for Kindergarten!
+ It's cold but not as cold as Idaho. I guess they were -8 this morning and we were about 9 degrees here. It's usually about 15-20 degrees colder there. I'm glad I am not there.
+ My friend Michelle and I did the Black Friday shopping thing and had fun! :) We didn't go super early, since we were tired from Thanksgiving, but we did go and it was a nice time away.
+ Our Ladies Bible Study wrapped up last week and we had a tea party later in the week. I had a blast ...I just love those ladies! :)
+ My husband has a few more new horseshoing customers! :) That's a praise! I have been praying that more would come! :)
Well, that is ending on a good note...I haven't had a very good day and nothing is seeming to help, so I am going to get off here and find some chocolate.... :/ God Bless and Merry Christmas!
However,
+ The hubster got promoted which is our most exciting news from November! It was a very exciting time for him and I was so happy to be a part of his happiness! Zane got to remove his old rank and put the new rank on. It was precious! :) Because of where we were, I couldn't get good pictures but I will eventually post what I have. That is what I hate about blogging...adding pictures....it's so annoying.
+ the bunnies are now litter box trained which is very nice...no more little balls of poop rolling off the newspaper around the garage! :) They are so cute though...and I still don't have pictures of them! :/
+ We had a nice Thanksgiving, with people from my husband's work. I did some of the cooking and my friend Michelle did some of it. We played on their Wii, which was fun, but I wasn't really impressed....I am NOT a video game type of person though I do actually enjoy Farmville on Facebook. :)
+ We are going to Idaho for Christmas. I have most of my shopping done for my side of the family and I am really excited to see everyone, especially my sisters! :) We need to find a round bale of hay for Hope while we are gone and hopefully it will stay warm enough that the bunnies water bottles won't freeze, ...or Hopes water trough. I can't find her tank deicer, so i guess I need to buy another one unless James knows where it is...I hate winter and dealing with animal watering. It's a pain in the butt...
+ Homeschooling is going well....same ole same ole there. I am looking forward to Christmas break, though. Abbie is starting to read which is exciting! She is definitely ready for Kindergarten!
+ It's cold but not as cold as Idaho. I guess they were -8 this morning and we were about 9 degrees here. It's usually about 15-20 degrees colder there. I'm glad I am not there.
+ My friend Michelle and I did the Black Friday shopping thing and had fun! :) We didn't go super early, since we were tired from Thanksgiving, but we did go and it was a nice time away.
+ Our Ladies Bible Study wrapped up last week and we had a tea party later in the week. I had a blast ...I just love those ladies! :)
+ My husband has a few more new horseshoing customers! :) That's a praise! I have been praying that more would come! :)
Well, that is ending on a good note...I haven't had a very good day and nothing is seeming to help, so I am going to get off here and find some chocolate.... :/ God Bless and Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
My Personal ABC's of Thankfulness 2009
Everyone is doing one form or another of the ABC's of thankfulness...some are doing a daily status on Facebook, some are doing increments on Live Journal, but I wanted to do them all today and post it here so I will always have it...and all in one place. I LOVE this kind of thing. Soon, I will be assessing my 2009 Fruit of the Spirit, and studying for my 2010 one (which is self-control) and I am really looking forward to it. I always do it in January. For now, I want to relish and hold close to my heart what I am thankful for.
A: Abigail. My only little girl. She is precious to me. When I am in her room, playing barbies or My Little Ponies, or helping her organize, my heart just overflows with thankfulness for her. She is a mini-me and it is so fun to watch our similarities. I love her. The only thing I regret is that she won't have a sister, unless we reverse James vasectomy (which we are thinking about....JUST thinking). Even then, there would be no guarantee.
B: My Bathtub....most people probably don't think about their bathtub much but I love bathtubs and I am thankful for mine every time I use it. When you have to live without one, you become thankful for that among many other things.
C: Children. My life is my children. Yes, I have other hobbies but none are as important to me as my children, being their mother, raising them correctly. My home is my life. Most might find it boring or un-fulfilling but I definitely do not. I love it here. I love teaching them here, love being with them. I would gladly get rid of any of my hobbies rather than going out into the workforce. I also would never be guilty of making my own child be the mom. It is MY job and I love it. Some days are hard, but everyday that I learn more about being a better mom, lessens the days that are bad and increases the days that are good. Mothering takes practice. Patience takes practice and there is nothing more fulfilling than conquering impatience, being a great mom, and running a household with order and ease. Yes, no matter what anyone says, to me, children are a blessing. They are highly prized in my book. Now, I don't necessarily like other people's bad-behaving children but I sure do love mine...even when they have a bad day! :)
D: DOD. The Department of Defense supplies my husband with a job, provides for our home and ultimately provides me with my freedom. I am super thankful that my husband is involved in keeping me, our family and yours, free. This country has an all-volunteer military. Isn't that wonderful? Many, many men find job fulfillment in the military because they are involved in something bigger than themselves. Yes, sometimes what the Commander in Chief decides isn't what our men would decide. Sometimes in the military you have to do things that seem like a waste of time (and I'm sure some of them are), or do things that don't make sense to civilians. But it is all, ultimately, for you all. For your freedoms. And I am thankful for these things. I am thankful that my husband isn't a truck-driver, anymore. I am thankful that I get to be an Army wife. I know his job is hard. I appreciate that he decided to come back into the Army. I understand that he may have done it, mostly for me. I don't know. All I know is that if you think being a military wife is hard...try being a trucker's wife. It stinks with a capitol S.
E: In my home-schooling/preschool revolving brain, all I can think about are Elephants...so I need to come back to this one! :)
Yes, electricity! :) I am so thankful for the little things that I, at times have had to go without. Hot running water, lights, refridgeration, and electric heating. I LOVE a wood stove but only for EXTRA heat! :) Someday when we build or remodel a home there will be a wood stove for extra heating and a real wood cook stove. They are so nice to have when the power goes out. Electricity is a wonderful blessing that we have in this country that other countries don't have and we shouldn't take it for granted.
F: Fine Chocolate. I am not an "any-kind-of-chocolate-will-do"girl. It has to be expensive! :) I don't need to explain why I am thankful for this. I think most women know that sometimes you just need a hunk (doesn't have to be big) of melt in your mouth fine chocolate, to make a stressful day seem better. Now, for some reason a handful of milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips will do the trick, as well! :)
G: Grace, from my Lord Jesus. I wouldn't make it through a day of motherhood, marriage, deployment, homeschooling, heartbreak, financial stresses, etc without the grace of God. I would be a complete failure, wandering aimlessly through my life. I thank god for His grace in my life and his mercy, too.
H: Horses. I love horses and even though my life with them is sort of on the back-burner, by my own choice, I will always be thankful that my parent's bought Hope for me. Even though I don't get to ride her very much, my children do get to. They are learning to ride on the same horse that I did. Someday, when we are out of the military, retired and most of my children are gone, I will jump cross-country again, but until then, a ride on Saturdays, in the summer is enough for me! Horses are wonderful. They smell wonderful, too! 8)
I: Internet. It makes Army life easier, definitely! There is no way I could call all of the friends I have left in various places. I need Facebook if i want to keep in touch with anyone. And when my husband is gone, it helps a lot, too.
J: My husband James. You know, there really are jerks out there and he's not one of them. He's not perfect. We clash about a lot of things. Mostly it's because we pretty much had to start our marriage over again, after the three years that we barely saw each other. Both he and I grew in different ways while we were apart, so coming back together has been hard and it has had it's issues. God will be glorified in them, eventually. James is the love of my life. That fact will never change. Even when we were going through hard times (that couples eventually go through), I still loved him. You're naive to think you have a great marriage if you have only been married for 1-3 years, and it's been all smooth sailing. Hard times will come, if they haven't already. But you better LOVE that man, no matter what happens!
K: Kitties. I love my kitty, Katie. She's so sweet to all of us, even the kids. She's a wonderful pet and it will be sad when it's her time to go. She's already seven years old, now. I wish I could have a houseful of cats, but I wouldn't be able to handle the mess. Notice that "D"was NOT for dogs! :) The mess our dog creates is worse than a child, I hate dogs. They are disgusting.
L: Love. I am LOVED by so many people, but especially by my husband. Why, I don't know? Sometimes I say things that I can't take back. He still loves me. It's amazing. I am thankful that the Lord loves me and has great plans for my life. He loves me even when I keep doing the same stupid thing over and over again! My children love me and it seems that they have a better grasp on loving unconditionally than I do. They are so forgiving of me that it amazes me!
M: Meals. Mealtime around my "well-loved" dining room table is my favorite time of the day. I love that table. I will never get rid of it! It's just too precious to us all. Meals shared with our entire family, that I cooked from scratch and labored over when I could have been doing something else, are well worth the effort. Not only do we share a meal, but little tib-bits of news from the day or the latest funny thing, from Sheldon, usually. We share hopes and dreams; we share heartache and hurts. We train our children during meals, in lessons that they probably wouldn't get otherwise. I am thankful that we have three meals a day...and they are well rounded. We are rich in America. There is an abundance of food in this country that some people can only dream of.
N: Natural Medicine. I love natural medicine, especially herbs. God created every herb for our use (in some way). He provided us with hundreds of plants that heal us. I am truly thankful for medical doctors, their wisdom and to the people who discovered antibiotics. I gratefully go to them when I cannot heal myself or my child. They have their place and rightfully, so. But oh, the love I have for the times when I can heal or comfort my child from the plants in God's creation! :)
O: Open pages...whether it is the empty sheet of paper waiting to be touched by the pen in a letter to a penpal, friend or relative, a thank you note or a hodgepodge poem of mine, or the open pages of a book, the soft, crinkly pages of my open Bible or a letter to me, from a friend....I just love them. I love Opening mail! I love it when the envelope spills out little things my penpals send to swap (called FAT mail) such as recipes, bookmarks, tea, friendship books and Slams, stickers or whatever the fad is at the time. Slips of paper with the scribbling of a poem from Bobbi Jo, a magazine article from another, instructions to a craft that looked interesting, pictures, confetti, address labels, or who knows what else. I know....i am very weird, but it's something I love and am thankful for!
P: Piles of Laundry. I never buy clothes (except underwear, socks and shoes) for me or the kids, but somehow we always have plenty and I am thankful for that because clothes are way too expensive...
Q: Quiet. I am so thankful for the quiet after my children have gone to bed. My body refuses to sleep until I have soaked up at least 15 min of it! I relish those times when all is quiet. When I can think, pray and just relax. For a homeschooling mom, the quiet is great! Add a chunk of chocolate and some coffee or tea, a good book or an empty page of paper to fill and a kitty on your lap and that is heaven! :)
R: Rainy Days. Even though I love summer and the warmth it brings, I am thankful for rainy days when I can stay inside and not have to go out much, except for feeding Hope. I like the relaxing sound of rain and the comfort it brings...but most of all, it isn't snow! LOL!
S: Sisters. Sisters are truly a huge gift and I am so thankful for mine! I love it when Sarah calls just to tell the latest funny thing to happen in our family, or at her work. I love it when we call to share recipes. This is called the SRN (Sister's Recipe Network....also stands for Sarah, Rachelle and Naomi). I love getting together with them and laughing. We always laugh and it's usually something that no one else would find funny. Sisters are great!
Sheldon. I have to add him on here! He is extra special to me. If you read his birth story on my blog, you'd know why. Not that he had a miracle birth or some type of amazing story like that but just the fact that God knew I needed him at the time he came, even though it seemed like the worst time! Sheldon is sunlight, a whirlwind and just absolutely, wonderfully, precious! :) Ask Donna Neale. She says he is D-lish! :)
T: Tea. Whether a cup of steaming green tea in the morning or Chai with Organic Sugar and a ton of half and half, it soothes my soul. I never forget my HUGE pink mug with white polka dots when I go to church, or bible study. I love trying new tea. I love coffee, too, but I will usually choose tea over it. Anyway, tea is awesome.
U: The United States. I know I am getting redundant BUT we are blessed beyond belief in this country and I am so thankful that God chose me to live here! :)
V: Victory in Jesus! I am SO thankful that I have victory over my personal sins, habits and tendencies. I am so thankful that it is richly available to us. If we would just take the time to see it, to realize that it is there for our use, and use it. So many times we try to conquer things on our own strength when victory is right at our fingertips. I wish I would remember that more often! I want to live my life for Christ. I know He can give me victory over the things in my life that seem like they will never change. It's right here for me (and you), and I overlook it so often!
W: Well Water. I love the clean, sweet taste of well water! :) I am thankful we have it!
X: UneXpected eXtra money. Usually in the form of a gift, or a new horseshoing client. We are ALWAYS thankful for a little extra!
Y: Yard. Our yard is big and it is a place we have gathered with family and friends to just have fun. We have a trampoline, BBQ, fire-pit, hottub, picnic table and more ideas to come, that make it wonderful for our family! :)
Z: Zane. I am so thankful for this first child of mine! Where Sheldon is a whirlwind of activity, Zane is my calm, steady, kind, obedient child! It's amazing that the two are so different, but that they compliment each other so well. When I was pregnant with Zane, the ladies at my baby shower laid hands on my tummy and prayed for our son. Everything they prayed has come true. They prayed he would be sweet, obedient and that he would come to know the love of Christ in a personal way. They prayed that he would do great things for God, and his father and I are waiting to see what they will be! :) Most of all we are thankful that he KNOWS God, at such an early age. It is apparent everyday that the Holy Spirit dwells in his little heart! What a great place to end! :)
I know there is so much more I could be thankful for, but I will save them for next year! Happy Thanksgiving!
A: Abigail. My only little girl. She is precious to me. When I am in her room, playing barbies or My Little Ponies, or helping her organize, my heart just overflows with thankfulness for her. She is a mini-me and it is so fun to watch our similarities. I love her. The only thing I regret is that she won't have a sister, unless we reverse James vasectomy (which we are thinking about....JUST thinking). Even then, there would be no guarantee.
B: My Bathtub....most people probably don't think about their bathtub much but I love bathtubs and I am thankful for mine every time I use it. When you have to live without one, you become thankful for that among many other things.
C: Children. My life is my children. Yes, I have other hobbies but none are as important to me as my children, being their mother, raising them correctly. My home is my life. Most might find it boring or un-fulfilling but I definitely do not. I love it here. I love teaching them here, love being with them. I would gladly get rid of any of my hobbies rather than going out into the workforce. I also would never be guilty of making my own child be the mom. It is MY job and I love it. Some days are hard, but everyday that I learn more about being a better mom, lessens the days that are bad and increases the days that are good. Mothering takes practice. Patience takes practice and there is nothing more fulfilling than conquering impatience, being a great mom, and running a household with order and ease. Yes, no matter what anyone says, to me, children are a blessing. They are highly prized in my book. Now, I don't necessarily like other people's bad-behaving children but I sure do love mine...even when they have a bad day! :)
D: DOD. The Department of Defense supplies my husband with a job, provides for our home and ultimately provides me with my freedom. I am super thankful that my husband is involved in keeping me, our family and yours, free. This country has an all-volunteer military. Isn't that wonderful? Many, many men find job fulfillment in the military because they are involved in something bigger than themselves. Yes, sometimes what the Commander in Chief decides isn't what our men would decide. Sometimes in the military you have to do things that seem like a waste of time (and I'm sure some of them are), or do things that don't make sense to civilians. But it is all, ultimately, for you all. For your freedoms. And I am thankful for these things. I am thankful that my husband isn't a truck-driver, anymore. I am thankful that I get to be an Army wife. I know his job is hard. I appreciate that he decided to come back into the Army. I understand that he may have done it, mostly for me. I don't know. All I know is that if you think being a military wife is hard...try being a trucker's wife. It stinks with a capitol S.
E: In my home-schooling/preschool revolving brain, all I can think about are Elephants...so I need to come back to this one! :)
Yes, electricity! :) I am so thankful for the little things that I, at times have had to go without. Hot running water, lights, refridgeration, and electric heating. I LOVE a wood stove but only for EXTRA heat! :) Someday when we build or remodel a home there will be a wood stove for extra heating and a real wood cook stove. They are so nice to have when the power goes out. Electricity is a wonderful blessing that we have in this country that other countries don't have and we shouldn't take it for granted.
F: Fine Chocolate. I am not an "any-kind-of-chocolate-will-do"girl. It has to be expensive! :) I don't need to explain why I am thankful for this. I think most women know that sometimes you just need a hunk (doesn't have to be big) of melt in your mouth fine chocolate, to make a stressful day seem better. Now, for some reason a handful of milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips will do the trick, as well! :)
G: Grace, from my Lord Jesus. I wouldn't make it through a day of motherhood, marriage, deployment, homeschooling, heartbreak, financial stresses, etc without the grace of God. I would be a complete failure, wandering aimlessly through my life. I thank god for His grace in my life and his mercy, too.
H: Horses. I love horses and even though my life with them is sort of on the back-burner, by my own choice, I will always be thankful that my parent's bought Hope for me. Even though I don't get to ride her very much, my children do get to. They are learning to ride on the same horse that I did. Someday, when we are out of the military, retired and most of my children are gone, I will jump cross-country again, but until then, a ride on Saturdays, in the summer is enough for me! Horses are wonderful. They smell wonderful, too! 8)
I: Internet. It makes Army life easier, definitely! There is no way I could call all of the friends I have left in various places. I need Facebook if i want to keep in touch with anyone. And when my husband is gone, it helps a lot, too.
J: My husband James. You know, there really are jerks out there and he's not one of them. He's not perfect. We clash about a lot of things. Mostly it's because we pretty much had to start our marriage over again, after the three years that we barely saw each other. Both he and I grew in different ways while we were apart, so coming back together has been hard and it has had it's issues. God will be glorified in them, eventually. James is the love of my life. That fact will never change. Even when we were going through hard times (that couples eventually go through), I still loved him. You're naive to think you have a great marriage if you have only been married for 1-3 years, and it's been all smooth sailing. Hard times will come, if they haven't already. But you better LOVE that man, no matter what happens!
K: Kitties. I love my kitty, Katie. She's so sweet to all of us, even the kids. She's a wonderful pet and it will be sad when it's her time to go. She's already seven years old, now. I wish I could have a houseful of cats, but I wouldn't be able to handle the mess. Notice that "D"was NOT for dogs! :) The mess our dog creates is worse than a child, I hate dogs. They are disgusting.
L: Love. I am LOVED by so many people, but especially by my husband. Why, I don't know? Sometimes I say things that I can't take back. He still loves me. It's amazing. I am thankful that the Lord loves me and has great plans for my life. He loves me even when I keep doing the same stupid thing over and over again! My children love me and it seems that they have a better grasp on loving unconditionally than I do. They are so forgiving of me that it amazes me!
M: Meals. Mealtime around my "well-loved" dining room table is my favorite time of the day. I love that table. I will never get rid of it! It's just too precious to us all. Meals shared with our entire family, that I cooked from scratch and labored over when I could have been doing something else, are well worth the effort. Not only do we share a meal, but little tib-bits of news from the day or the latest funny thing, from Sheldon, usually. We share hopes and dreams; we share heartache and hurts. We train our children during meals, in lessons that they probably wouldn't get otherwise. I am thankful that we have three meals a day...and they are well rounded. We are rich in America. There is an abundance of food in this country that some people can only dream of.
N: Natural Medicine. I love natural medicine, especially herbs. God created every herb for our use (in some way). He provided us with hundreds of plants that heal us. I am truly thankful for medical doctors, their wisdom and to the people who discovered antibiotics. I gratefully go to them when I cannot heal myself or my child. They have their place and rightfully, so. But oh, the love I have for the times when I can heal or comfort my child from the plants in God's creation! :)
O: Open pages...whether it is the empty sheet of paper waiting to be touched by the pen in a letter to a penpal, friend or relative, a thank you note or a hodgepodge poem of mine, or the open pages of a book, the soft, crinkly pages of my open Bible or a letter to me, from a friend....I just love them. I love Opening mail! I love it when the envelope spills out little things my penpals send to swap (called FAT mail) such as recipes, bookmarks, tea, friendship books and Slams, stickers or whatever the fad is at the time. Slips of paper with the scribbling of a poem from Bobbi Jo, a magazine article from another, instructions to a craft that looked interesting, pictures, confetti, address labels, or who knows what else. I know....i am very weird, but it's something I love and am thankful for!
P: Piles of Laundry. I never buy clothes (except underwear, socks and shoes) for me or the kids, but somehow we always have plenty and I am thankful for that because clothes are way too expensive...
Q: Quiet. I am so thankful for the quiet after my children have gone to bed. My body refuses to sleep until I have soaked up at least 15 min of it! I relish those times when all is quiet. When I can think, pray and just relax. For a homeschooling mom, the quiet is great! Add a chunk of chocolate and some coffee or tea, a good book or an empty page of paper to fill and a kitty on your lap and that is heaven! :)
R: Rainy Days. Even though I love summer and the warmth it brings, I am thankful for rainy days when I can stay inside and not have to go out much, except for feeding Hope. I like the relaxing sound of rain and the comfort it brings...but most of all, it isn't snow! LOL!
S: Sisters. Sisters are truly a huge gift and I am so thankful for mine! I love it when Sarah calls just to tell the latest funny thing to happen in our family, or at her work. I love it when we call to share recipes. This is called the SRN (Sister's Recipe Network....also stands for Sarah, Rachelle and Naomi). I love getting together with them and laughing. We always laugh and it's usually something that no one else would find funny. Sisters are great!
Sheldon. I have to add him on here! He is extra special to me. If you read his birth story on my blog, you'd know why. Not that he had a miracle birth or some type of amazing story like that but just the fact that God knew I needed him at the time he came, even though it seemed like the worst time! Sheldon is sunlight, a whirlwind and just absolutely, wonderfully, precious! :) Ask Donna Neale. She says he is D-lish! :)
T: Tea. Whether a cup of steaming green tea in the morning or Chai with Organic Sugar and a ton of half and half, it soothes my soul. I never forget my HUGE pink mug with white polka dots when I go to church, or bible study. I love trying new tea. I love coffee, too, but I will usually choose tea over it. Anyway, tea is awesome.
U: The United States. I know I am getting redundant BUT we are blessed beyond belief in this country and I am so thankful that God chose me to live here! :)
V: Victory in Jesus! I am SO thankful that I have victory over my personal sins, habits and tendencies. I am so thankful that it is richly available to us. If we would just take the time to see it, to realize that it is there for our use, and use it. So many times we try to conquer things on our own strength when victory is right at our fingertips. I wish I would remember that more often! I want to live my life for Christ. I know He can give me victory over the things in my life that seem like they will never change. It's right here for me (and you), and I overlook it so often!
W: Well Water. I love the clean, sweet taste of well water! :) I am thankful we have it!
X: UneXpected eXtra money. Usually in the form of a gift, or a new horseshoing client. We are ALWAYS thankful for a little extra!
Y: Yard. Our yard is big and it is a place we have gathered with family and friends to just have fun. We have a trampoline, BBQ, fire-pit, hottub, picnic table and more ideas to come, that make it wonderful for our family! :)
Z: Zane. I am so thankful for this first child of mine! Where Sheldon is a whirlwind of activity, Zane is my calm, steady, kind, obedient child! It's amazing that the two are so different, but that they compliment each other so well. When I was pregnant with Zane, the ladies at my baby shower laid hands on my tummy and prayed for our son. Everything they prayed has come true. They prayed he would be sweet, obedient and that he would come to know the love of Christ in a personal way. They prayed that he would do great things for God, and his father and I are waiting to see what they will be! :) Most of all we are thankful that he KNOWS God, at such an early age. It is apparent everyday that the Holy Spirit dwells in his little heart! What a great place to end! :)
I know there is so much more I could be thankful for, but I will save them for next year! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
What We Did In October....
Sheesh, I am late posting for October! I will have to post today while we are doing school, when I get a minute here or there. I am using my laptop right now, as my desktop kept crashing and turning off every few minutes (another reason I am late in posting).
The rainy season is here and most of October we got a lot of rain although we've had a week without much of it this first week of November. We will get a lot more, I'm sure. I like it; it's better than snow! :) My mom already got some snow in Idaho and I am so thankful I am not going to have to deal with it, here. I think I have said something along this lines in every monthly post! Ha ha! I really am thankful! :)
I was down with the flu twice in October. It was awful. Before I could get better from the first one, I was sick again. No one else got it, so that was wierd but nice at the same time. Here I was expecting everyone to get it while i was sick and couldn't take care of them. I was wiped out, totally. I should have gone to the hospital for the dehydration but I decided to just drink what I could hold down (small sips of water or juice). I lost ten pounds. Luckily, James was able to get off early one of the days and that was nice. Sheldon got a bad fever, and Zane and Abbie got runny noses but no one got the symptons that I got.
Somehow I made it to AWANA every week to lead, and only missed one night of Bible Study. I made it to church each Sunday. It was the homeschooling that got skipped. We did what we could. God is good, and we were able to somehow catch up. The joy, ease and flexibility of homeschooling...I love it!
We didn't end up going trick or treating. We had a fun Halloween night at church that the kids dressed up for earlier in the week. I was a farmer, Sheldon a cow, Zane a Transformer and Abbie a Princess (Cinderella). It was fun. We meant to go trick or treating on post, but that day James had horses to shoe and came home with three rabbits (one for each kid). They were neglected at this barn and our friend Katie was trying to get rid of them because their owner didn't care about them. We had been wanting to get three girl bunnies in the Spring for the kids, so we ended up getting them early! :) They were free and came with cages and feeders, etc. We made the three cages into one big cage with a nesting box and they are a lot happier. Zane's is named Penelope. She is white-ish cream with copper spots. Abbie's is Rosie. She is white with pink ears and eyes. Sheldon's is named Chloe and she is solid black! My kids are in love with them! We plan to buy a big hutch for them, when we can and put it out in the backyard. Then we also want to put some woven wire fence around the bottom of our trampoline so that in the Spring, summer and fall the bunnies can be out for exercise AND the kids can play under there with them. It will be shady and cool under there and the grass grows really well under there. I had rabbits when I was little and have always liked them. :)
Jimmy went to the e-6 promotion board this month and scored a 147, so we're waiting to see if he gets picked up on December first. We hope so! It will be nice and he deserves it. He has a LOT of promotion points! :) Maybe next month I will be posting that my husband is now a Staff Sergeant! Yippee.
Not much else is going on really. I have just been doing the homeschool thing, the church thing and staying inside a lot, which is fine with me! I'm doing a beautiful, whimsical 1500 piece puzzle of Noah's Ark. It is gorgeous and I plan to frame it for the boys room. I am also reading the Chronicles of Narnia series by CS Lewis and am enjoying that.
OH>>>> My sister Naomi is PREGNANT again! :) She is 7 weeks and feeling really good so that is great news (she is the one who miscarried in August)! Sarah's baby will be born in March and Naomi's should be due around July. So, really it's not that far after Sarah's and they can still have a double baby shower and share baby clothes, and such! :) Great news!
Well, I think thats all for now. I will add some pictures to this once I find some BATTERIES for my camera! Ugh. I don't even have pictures of the bunnies yet!
Blessings to all, Rachelle
The rainy season is here and most of October we got a lot of rain although we've had a week without much of it this first week of November. We will get a lot more, I'm sure. I like it; it's better than snow! :) My mom already got some snow in Idaho and I am so thankful I am not going to have to deal with it, here. I think I have said something along this lines in every monthly post! Ha ha! I really am thankful! :)
I was down with the flu twice in October. It was awful. Before I could get better from the first one, I was sick again. No one else got it, so that was wierd but nice at the same time. Here I was expecting everyone to get it while i was sick and couldn't take care of them. I was wiped out, totally. I should have gone to the hospital for the dehydration but I decided to just drink what I could hold down (small sips of water or juice). I lost ten pounds. Luckily, James was able to get off early one of the days and that was nice. Sheldon got a bad fever, and Zane and Abbie got runny noses but no one got the symptons that I got.
Somehow I made it to AWANA every week to lead, and only missed one night of Bible Study. I made it to church each Sunday. It was the homeschooling that got skipped. We did what we could. God is good, and we were able to somehow catch up. The joy, ease and flexibility of homeschooling...I love it!
We didn't end up going trick or treating. We had a fun Halloween night at church that the kids dressed up for earlier in the week. I was a farmer, Sheldon a cow, Zane a Transformer and Abbie a Princess (Cinderella). It was fun. We meant to go trick or treating on post, but that day James had horses to shoe and came home with three rabbits (one for each kid). They were neglected at this barn and our friend Katie was trying to get rid of them because their owner didn't care about them. We had been wanting to get three girl bunnies in the Spring for the kids, so we ended up getting them early! :) They were free and came with cages and feeders, etc. We made the three cages into one big cage with a nesting box and they are a lot happier. Zane's is named Penelope. She is white-ish cream with copper spots. Abbie's is Rosie. She is white with pink ears and eyes. Sheldon's is named Chloe and she is solid black! My kids are in love with them! We plan to buy a big hutch for them, when we can and put it out in the backyard. Then we also want to put some woven wire fence around the bottom of our trampoline so that in the Spring, summer and fall the bunnies can be out for exercise AND the kids can play under there with them. It will be shady and cool under there and the grass grows really well under there. I had rabbits when I was little and have always liked them. :)
Jimmy went to the e-6 promotion board this month and scored a 147, so we're waiting to see if he gets picked up on December first. We hope so! It will be nice and he deserves it. He has a LOT of promotion points! :) Maybe next month I will be posting that my husband is now a Staff Sergeant! Yippee.
Not much else is going on really. I have just been doing the homeschool thing, the church thing and staying inside a lot, which is fine with me! I'm doing a beautiful, whimsical 1500 piece puzzle of Noah's Ark. It is gorgeous and I plan to frame it for the boys room. I am also reading the Chronicles of Narnia series by CS Lewis and am enjoying that.
OH>>>> My sister Naomi is PREGNANT again! :) She is 7 weeks and feeling really good so that is great news (she is the one who miscarried in August)! Sarah's baby will be born in March and Naomi's should be due around July. So, really it's not that far after Sarah's and they can still have a double baby shower and share baby clothes, and such! :) Great news!
Well, I think thats all for now. I will add some pictures to this once I find some BATTERIES for my camera! Ugh. I don't even have pictures of the bunnies yet!
Blessings to all, Rachelle
Monday, September 28, 2009
It's Fall!
MY BEAUTIFUL HORSE20 1/2 YEARS OLD HERE
MY HUSBAND AND JACKSON ATTHE UNIT FORMAL
THE KIDDOS ON HOPE
FRIEND SARAH, ABBIE, SHELDON
AND ZANE THROWING GRASS! :)
HOPE IS SO SWEET TO THEM!
FRIEND SARAH, ABBIE AND SHELDON
JAMES AND RACHELLE AT THE 2009 FORMAL
BEFORE THE FORMAL, LOOKING SASSY!
"I DON'T WANNA DO SCHOOL"....LOL!
~IT'S FALL ~
I feel so bad that I haven't been able to blog but once a month, but I just haven't felt the desire to pour out my heart online much these days. Mostly, that is because my husband is home now and I can pour out my heart to him when I need to! :) Still, I wish I could post more often and not just my monthly report, but something with more depth and feeling...hmm...maybe this winter!
What a glorious season Fall is, especially in Washington! :) It's warm during the day and cool at night. I love it! Mostly I love it because I don't have to worry so much about surviving horrid winters, here, like I had to in Idaho.
Well, we've been doing school, doing the church thing and we started AWANA this month. I am now the Sparks Director and it's a hefty job, so please pray for me as I go about this endeavor and ministry! I am NOT a good speaker and like Moses, I feel inadequate. Maybe you all could pray about that when you think of me. It's a very big responsibility and there is a lot of weekly preparation, so it takes time and much studying and prayer, on my part. I need it though. I love children's ministry, so it should be even better for me than when I was a Color leader for Sparks. I need to grow in the Lord and this is a way for me to come out of my shy shell (shy when it comes to presenting the Gospel, anyway). I have SO many color leaders, though! I am so blessed with their willingness to serve God and to help me. Our Sparks team lacks organization, so I am definitely thankful for these willing members of our church, in this whole thing! I have more than enough leaders, so I think we'll have a great year!
Church is going well...we are SO INCREDIBLY blessed at McKenna Community Church!!! I cannot say it enough. Each Sunday I am blessed, filled to overflowing, taught, drawn out, and just happy! I love our church. I'm so glad and thankful to God that he has led us to this particular one. What a LOVING, KIND, CARING and ALL-KNOWING God we serve! WOW! I have made so many good friends, too, many of which who have become dear to my heart already.
School is going smoothly! :) Zane is doing very well and I get better each day it seems. Homeschooling takes practice and I know it will be a few years before I reach my potential, at this whole thing!
Our Unit Formal went well! I will post pictures of that! We had a great time. The food was wonderful and the ceremony meaningful ( especially so soon after Terry's death). We enjoyed watching the drunk people. It was hilarious. We will probably go again next year. I had fun and felt like a Princess!
Oh, the first week in September my husband's Grandfather and Step-Grandmother came for a visit, while on their RV trip across the US. It was great to see them and give them a nice home-cooked meal! The kids enjoyed seeing them and they enjoyed meeting Sheldon for the first time.
This past weekend I got to meet a facebook friend that I've known for a little over a year but never got to meet. Amy and Sean and their little girl, Sarah came over for dinner and we saddled up Hope for them. They seemed to enjoy it and I just loved meeting their family. They are an Army family, too, and just got stationed here at Lewis.
My Ladies Bible Study group starts tomorrow night! I am so excited to have some one on one time with my girlfriends without the children around. :) I think James might be doing the Men's Bible Study (at the same time) but they have child-care at the church, so that will be great.
Really not much else going on to report about. I stay super busy doing all the things I do around here! :) I do want all of you to know that I think of you often, love you and care about what is going on in your lives! Let's keep in touch! <3
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us".
If you are a believer, never forget what Christ did for you....where he pulled you up out of....that he saved you when you were still in sin! If you aren't a believer and have never been converted, know that God cares, that He loves and that he saves the lowliest of sinners along with the little child who has hardly sinned yet in his/her lifetime...we have ALL sinned and we have all fallen short of His Glory.
Rachelle
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
August
Terry...a follower of Christ, a soldier, a husband, a father, a friend...loved,
respected and honored by the many who knew him. Missed by all.
r
Abbie riding Hope
Me leading cousin Carson on Hope
Us Girls in the kitchen! Left to right: Ashley, Me, Cierra
Playing in the hot tub
At the Seattle Aquarium: Left to right Zane and I, James and Sheldon
Cierra, Clayton with Abbie, Ashley and Emma
Sheldon, Emma, Abbie and Zane
Abbie and Sheldon (with a blackberry face)
Daddy and Sheldon
Stair step kids! Sheldon looks to be catching up to my petite
Abbie
abbie and I
The first week in August brought much of James's side of the family for a small family reunion. We had my mother in law Sherri, my father in law Jim, my SIL Ashley and her two children as well as one on the way :), my BIL Clayton and his wife Cierra. It was a great time! We visited the Seattle Aquarium, the Pacific Science Center, The Space Needle, and The Museum of Flight. The guys all went Golfing twice and one of the times, Zane went along with his own Junior Golf set and apparently he has a great swing! :) Us Girls (and Clayton) all went to the Pike Market and had a glorious shopping experience! I bought, some very nice Lavender, Egyptian Geranium and Vanilla Bath oil, some Organic Muscle Rub for James, many things to taste :), candy for the kids and a few other things! :) Sherri surprised me with some AMAZING raw Blackberry Honey! I love honey! My dad was a bee-keeper when I was a baby. Once he joined the Army, he had to let that go, but he always had MANY flavors of honey in the house! :) It was hard seeing everyone leave and knowing that it will be awhile before we see them all again!
I have many pictures to share from the reunion so I'll get those posted as soon as I can.
The next two weeks in August I spent being very down with Migraines that were so bad that it felt like I had the flu, plus a cold that was mostly a cough, and other "things" to complicate the matters. Then a bad eye infection. I was perfectly miserable and became very behind in my housework.
On the 20th I got a phone call early in the morning from LaNette. She's a good friend of mine that I knew before I was married, and got to know even better while James and I were stationed at Campbell. Her husband is retired Army. At the church we went to, we got to know Gina, an Army wife who's husband worked with my husband. She is LaNette's best friend and a good friend of mine. Anyway, LaNette called to tell me that Terry, Gina's husband had been killed during a training exercise in Colorado, when his Blackhawk crashed. It was a very, very sad day/week/two weeks for everyone who knows them. It was just so untimely, so unthought of, so horrible....and so unexpected. It was Terry's last trip before retirement, having served for over 22 years (I think). He left Gina, their son, Braden (8) and their daughter Emma (5). His children are so young and they had already sold their home and were planning to move to Kansas. Terry had, had his retirement party as well. He always dreamed of owning his own ranch and Gina was looking forward to their new life outside the Army. They were more than able, financially to make his and her dreams come true and all came to a screaching halt. Three other soldiers were killed, as well. Prayer is appreciated for all of them. James knew all of them. Very sad...
Terry and Gina were members at the church we attended, while stationed at Campbell. Terry was devoted to Christ, his family and to the Army. He was honored with two memorials and his funeral. He was one of the best pilots in the Army, and will be greatly missed by the whole Grace Bible Church family and his affiliated Unit in the Army. If you would like to listen to the message that Pastor Mark Totten gave at church, the following Sunday go to: www.gbctn.org Go to Messages and search for "When Life Throws You a Curve". It was AWESOME! It is a great sermon for anyone. It will help you learn how to deal with the unexpected or just with things that don't make sense. I encourage you to listen!
So, I think we all had a hard time functioning, initially. I imagine it will take a very long time for Gina to.
We bought all of our hay for the winter. A load off of our minds. Hope is nice and fat this fall, so I'm sure she will do especially well this winter.
The children are doing well in school, so far. Zane started his first grade and reading is about 1/2-way clicking! I cannot wait until it fully clicks for him, so he can enjoy it more. Abbie is doing preschool again, this year. She turns 5 in April, so she will start K next fall. In some subjects (Math, Phonics, Science) she'd be ready right now for K, but in others (Reading and Writing, she isn't ready. I think waiting until next fall will be best and I bet she will fly easily through K! :) She is very, very intelligent and a very fast learner! :) Sheldon is doing a little preschool. I am working mostly on colors, shapes, numbers and letters. He has a very short attention span and causes a little disruption and distraction for Zane so, we are working on a play schedule for him and Abbie. What I have been doing this week, is he and Abbie have a playtime in their rooms alone, and then later in the day they have a play time together in Abbie's room. I use these times to help Zane with Reading and Math, when he needs the quiet. I am still not too fond of Art, and am doing it once a week again but plan on doing it twice a week in a little while. I just don't have the patience for Art. I love the idea of it, but when it comes down to it....ugh....I just don't enjoy it. At least they are getting it once a week and the projects are meaningful! :)
My friend Amy is getting stationed here and will be here in the middle of September, which is very exciting! :) She has a three year old little girl who doesn't talk well, so I think she and Sheldon will really hit it off, since he doesn't talk either! LOL!
Oh.... :) My friends at church! I am so happy with our church and the wonderful women I have met there! They are all treasures and I am learning from them each time I am with them! :) We are all starting our Ladies Bible Study on Sept 29th! It's a Beth Moore on Esther! I am SUPER excited! I love that book of the Bible, so I am excited to get started. I always become a lot closer to the women in our churches when I participate in the studies! :)
We have a lot of Blackberries this year, so I made some Jam and some homemade Icecream with them! Yummy! :) Our garden has done really well, although I am sick of cucumber, and no one likes the summer squash but me. We got about 12 gallon freezer bags full of corn. I blanched it all and it is super good! I also blanched a lot of green beans and the other day I saw lots of new beans starting, so I should get a lot more!
My little sister, Naomi (who was pregnant at the same time as my middle sister Sarah) miscarried this month. She was 6 weeks pregnant, I think. Everyone was so excited and looking forward to the double baby showers and just the fact that both sisters were pregnant at the same time. It was so sad for her, since it was her first pregnancy and everyone was so thrilled. I talked to her a few times on the phone to give her some support. I know how hard that type of thing is and people forget very quickly how hard it really is. :(
Naomi did say that she wants to try again, so Lord-willing she might be pregnant with Sarah again, after-all! :) A new pregnancy is always a healing balm after miscarriage, so I hope it is God's will!
I have a feeling that Sarah will be having a girl! :) I hope I am right! She wants a girl really bad since she already has a boy and only wants two children! Keep your fingers crossed!
Well, I don't think I have much else to report on. James is doing fine at work. He's trying to get ready for his Board in October and Lord-willing again, maybe he will be promoted to e-6. He already does the job of one and really deserves it, so we are praying for that!
Have a glorious fall, everyone! And I'm sure all of you can understand how happy I am for winter to come! I'm sure it will be an easy one here in Washington! I feel so much better about it! God Bless!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
~ Rachelle's Housecleaning Secrets ~
*Would anyone else care to share some of their housecleaning or time management secrets? Would you like to add anything to mine? You can be a working woman, a working mom, a homeschooling stay-at-home mom, a mother of preschoolers, a stay-at-home wife without kids or even someone who isn't married! I would love to hear from you! :) Just leave a comment(s). *
This summer I have pretty much been stuck at home. We don't have a lot of money left over for me to be driving around all over and when I drive around I end up spending money at thrift stores, yard sales or whatever. I am pretty much limited to church on Thursday and Sunday and grocery shopping twice a month.
So, this summer I have been doing a lot of cooking, cleaning and sorting. It's been nice to be able to sort and get rid of things on Freecycle, since we just moved here. I've been wanting to post a few housecleaning secrets on here. Sometimes housecleaning becomes too important to me, so I have to be careful. I also know that having a clean, comfortable and uncluttered home is a good thing, too...so...about 90% of the time my house is clean, picked up and running smoothly. I have a few secrets for all the people who ask me how I do it with three kids! :)
I remember working for a little while, while I was pregnant with Zane and I know it was harder to keep my house clean. We lived in this rickety house that was infested with mice. It was horrible and I was so glad when we moved out of it! That was the only time I think my home was gross...
When I lived in the camper for 18 months I kept it really clean, too, though it was hard. I had to de-clutter every month and I had to clean twice as much (or more) as I would have had to do had I been in a normal home. It was concentrated mess! :) I sweep once a week here, whereas in the camper I swept twice a day. Living in the camper with three children showed me that I can live in any size home and run that home, smoothly. So, here are some of my secrets for keeping a clean, uncluttered home:
1) PICKING UP THE HOUSE: My biggest secret, is really something very simple indeed! The kids and I pick-up (not to be mistaken with clean ) the house every night before bed. The whole house must be picked up before bed, including the yard. Why is this my biggest secret? The reason is because, in the morning I can clean. I don't have to deal with the discouragement of having to pick up messes, so I CAN clean! :) I get up and I can vacuum after breakfast. I can even vacuum the kids rooms if I beat them in there, before they start playing. There is nothing better than waking up to a picked up house every morning! :) There is also nothing better than being able to go out and mow grass in the morning and not have to waste my time and energy picking up toys in the yard. This is my biggest time-management tip, ever, I think!
2) CHILDREN: Kids MUST clean up their own mess. My kids have been trained to clean since they could walk and now it doesn't take them long to get it done. I have a bit of trouble with Sheldon. He knows how to do it, but thinks since he's little he can get away with playing, while the others clean. I have watched him clean, though, and I know I trained him well, (and the same as the other children) because he knows where everything goes. Every so often (maybe once every two months) I go through the toy boxes and containers and put misplaced objects in the right places. Usually things get put away in the wrong places when kids come over to play and don't know where things go. I must say that organizing the kids toys has helped them immensely to get their cleaning done quickly. For a very long time I would keep large diaper boxes and certain toys would go in certain boxes. You can line them up in closets or along a wall. It's best if they are in a closet because they don't look very pretty. If you can afford to buy organizing boxes that would be nicest (I finally do have some, now). Anyway, trains in one, Barbies in another, baby dolls in one, doll clothing in another, army men in one, cars in another, etc....you get the picture. We have one toy box for misc toys. We have one larger toybox for all manner of swords, indoor balls, very large trucks and construction trucks, play guns, etc. What I am getting at though is that EVERY toy needs to have a place. It doesn't take long to teach a child where they all go. My kids have come to me before with a piece of trash to throw away or a new toy without a home, and told me they didn't know where to put it. This works very well! I rarely clean up my kids messes. If they want to watch a movie they have to clean the livingroom, or if they have made a huge mess elsewhere they have to clean it up, before they can watch a movie! NO slumming allowed!!! I don't know why it bothers me so much when they watch a movie and they are surrounded by their mess. I can't stand to watch a movie amisdt my own mess, either. Anyway, they know the rules about movie watching. My house usually has toys scattered all over it, all day long. It doesn't bother me; as long as they are cleaned up before bed.
3) CLUTTER: I think we all know that clutter is the biggest enemy, when it comes to keeping a clean home. The reason is because you have to move it, to clean, and it wastes so much precious time and energy. Mail needs to be sorted daily....open it...throw envelopes and flyers away...file the statement...put the bill portion and sending envelope wherever you keep your bills...and throw out the junk mail. Or recycle it. Join Freecycle.org to get rid of larger items or just take them to the Goodwill. I took so much stuff to the Goodwill when we first moved here, and got rid of an old washer, and two tv's on Freecycle. Don't make piles! I have one designated area for pile-making. I puts odds and ends, papers, lists, etc, on one place on my island and before bed I try to sort the pile. You could also use a basket. Having a designated area for your pile works really well. A lot of the clutter I have seen in people's houses is trash, plain and simple. Just throw it away as soon as it becomes trash! :) Get after your kids BIG TIME for leaving candy wrappers or whatever somewhere other than the trash.... If you don't, they won't learn to throw things away. If you have major issues with clutter, a good website is: www.flylady.net I've never had to use this, per-say, but I like what she has to say on there, and she has good steps to take! :)
4) MEAL CLEAN-UP: Somehow, I got into the habit of cleaning as I cook/bake. After I am done, it doesn't look like I even made anything! :) There are just dishes in the sink to load in the dishwasher. Some people are REALLY good and load the dishwasher as they cook, but I'm not that good!
My dishrag is my best friend, ever. I use two a day usually, cleaning up my kitchen as I cook.
5) LISTS AND SCHEDULES: If it helps you, make a cleaning schedule for the days of the week. Such as: Mon:bathrooms, Tues: Vacuuming, Wed: Dusting or Windows (I've found that these need done every two or three weeks and so I alternate them, accordingly ), Thurs: Mopping, Fri: Mowing/yardwork/clean Garage, or whatever your unique needs are. Do dishes, laundry, picking up the house, bedmaking, etc, everyday. Make a list of things you can do monthly and bi-monthly, and every so often pick one of them to do. Some of the ones on mine are: Washing all the sheets, Vacuuming the car out, washing walls (if you have any that need it), my husband's shower, organize the Tupperware cabinet, organize the bathroom cabinets/ drawers, Refrigerator/freezer, wash doors and doorways. I also have a yearly list that contains: mini Blinds, window frames inside and out, clean behind stove, fridge and washer and dryer, etc. You will have specific things that are unique to you. My summer house cleaning list is different than my winter list. No gardening or yardwork. A daily list helps, too! :)
6) LAUNDRY: Do all your laundry everyday. I do one or two loads a day and that's it. I wash it, dry it and fold it. I fold it right out of the dryer and set the piles on the washer and dryer. I leave the piles there (usually three days at the most) until I have enough to put them away. I hate putting away laundry so this is a way I can skip out on it. Plus, the piles are not in the way of anything. They would be in the way if I folded on my bed or on my couch, which is what I used to do. I would end up moving the piles to the dressers or wherever and I wouldn't put the clothes away. By putting them on my washer and dryer, I can go for three days without having to put them away, but also not having them in the way. You can sometimes find loop-holes for your procrastination! :) This is one of mine! I have a rack above my washer and dryer with hangers on it for shirts, too, which I would never use if I folded on the couch. So, I get to use them now, since I fold in the laundry room! :)
7) MORNING ROUTINES: I get up with my husband, pack his lunch, eat a snack, read my bible and work out, check my email, and go back to bed (usually). When I get up the second time, I make my bed, gather laundry from every room and put a load in. I eat breakfast, shower if it's hot, and start my daily cleaning. The rest of the day I have free, pretty much, except for meals and dishes. My kids have to make their own beds, too. When school is in (we homeschool), I still have the same morning routine, and that free time I would have had is when we do school. Your situation will be different from mine. Some days if it's busy I stay up in the morning after my husband leaves and sometimes I don't. During school time, I won't be doing that. In fact, I may have to start getting the kids up earlier.
8) CLEANING SUPPLIES: Why clutter up your shelves and under your sinks with things you use to clean with??? That doesn't make sense! As a stay at home mom and an Army wife, I can't really afford to buy all the latest cleaning innovations, but my house is still clean! I have found a few products that I really like. I have ONE (I repeat ONE) shelf that has cleaning supplies on it and none under any of my sinks besides dish soap and automatic dishwasher detergent. My favorite is Windex Multi-surface. I use a bottle of it every month, on every surface. My other favorite is Mr Clean Magic Erasers for walls, crayon, and smudges. The only other cleaning supplies I have are: Scrubbing Bubbles (we have hard water, otherwise I wouldn't use it, but I need it for the tubs and sinks), a bleach based cleaning spray which I use on many surfaces (I actually use the Walmart brand Great Value), bleach for doing the white laundry, concentrated Carpet Cleaning solution, Murphey's Oil Soap for cleaning my linolium floors and Comet for cleaning toilets. And that's it! If you don't have an oven with an automatic cleaning cycle you would need oven cleaner, also. But why collect all kinds of cleaning supplies when you only need basic things. All the things I listed besides the carpet cleaning solution, I use for multiple things. Take Murphey's Oil Soap. It is CHEAP and concentrated and I use it to dust, clean floors and polish furniture. Minimize the clutter but get the job done nicely! :)
9) TRACKING: Dirt gets in from animals, kids, adults, the breeze, etc. I think we all know that taking shoes off helps, but i go farther in the summer. The kids don't come in unless they have washed their feet off at the spicket. I have big beachtowels on the floor at each doorway (and we have 4 doorways) and the kids wipe their wet feet on that before they go on the carpet. When the dog runs in the house (which is ALL day long) he ends up wiping his feet on the towels as he runs in. It really helps. It looks stupid to have these beach towels all over but it really works, so I don't care! If you care about color coordinating, you could buy towels to match the decor. I use towels rather than rugs because they are easier to pick up and wash because I wash them every week.
10) PRAYER: I pray that I will do in the day, what God would have me do...HIS agenda. Not mine. God wants our homes to be comfortable, not stressful, overwhelming and depressing. At the same time, He also wants us to be nurturing our children. Spending time with them in the best ways possible. We need to be making healthy meals for our husbands and ministering to them at the end of the day. I wouldn't have the energy if I worked like a mad woman all day long. Neither would I be able to function and enjoy life with a house that looks like a tornado went through it. There is a BALANCE!
No excuses, no blaming it on the kids or lack of space (we have a big house now, but we have also lived in camper, so none of you have an excuse!). No blaming it on your husband, too much yardwork, not enough money, not enough storage space, not enough time, not enough organizational skills, or whatever it is. You can do it! :)
Anybody want to add to this???
This summer I have pretty much been stuck at home. We don't have a lot of money left over for me to be driving around all over and when I drive around I end up spending money at thrift stores, yard sales or whatever. I am pretty much limited to church on Thursday and Sunday and grocery shopping twice a month.
So, this summer I have been doing a lot of cooking, cleaning and sorting. It's been nice to be able to sort and get rid of things on Freecycle, since we just moved here. I've been wanting to post a few housecleaning secrets on here. Sometimes housecleaning becomes too important to me, so I have to be careful. I also know that having a clean, comfortable and uncluttered home is a good thing, too...so...about 90% of the time my house is clean, picked up and running smoothly. I have a few secrets for all the people who ask me how I do it with three kids! :)
I remember working for a little while, while I was pregnant with Zane and I know it was harder to keep my house clean. We lived in this rickety house that was infested with mice. It was horrible and I was so glad when we moved out of it! That was the only time I think my home was gross...
When I lived in the camper for 18 months I kept it really clean, too, though it was hard. I had to de-clutter every month and I had to clean twice as much (or more) as I would have had to do had I been in a normal home. It was concentrated mess! :) I sweep once a week here, whereas in the camper I swept twice a day. Living in the camper with three children showed me that I can live in any size home and run that home, smoothly. So, here are some of my secrets for keeping a clean, uncluttered home:
1) PICKING UP THE HOUSE: My biggest secret, is really something very simple indeed! The kids and I pick-up (not to be mistaken with clean ) the house every night before bed. The whole house must be picked up before bed, including the yard. Why is this my biggest secret? The reason is because, in the morning I can clean. I don't have to deal with the discouragement of having to pick up messes, so I CAN clean! :) I get up and I can vacuum after breakfast. I can even vacuum the kids rooms if I beat them in there, before they start playing. There is nothing better than waking up to a picked up house every morning! :) There is also nothing better than being able to go out and mow grass in the morning and not have to waste my time and energy picking up toys in the yard. This is my biggest time-management tip, ever, I think!
2) CHILDREN: Kids MUST clean up their own mess. My kids have been trained to clean since they could walk and now it doesn't take them long to get it done. I have a bit of trouble with Sheldon. He knows how to do it, but thinks since he's little he can get away with playing, while the others clean. I have watched him clean, though, and I know I trained him well, (and the same as the other children) because he knows where everything goes. Every so often (maybe once every two months) I go through the toy boxes and containers and put misplaced objects in the right places. Usually things get put away in the wrong places when kids come over to play and don't know where things go. I must say that organizing the kids toys has helped them immensely to get their cleaning done quickly. For a very long time I would keep large diaper boxes and certain toys would go in certain boxes. You can line them up in closets or along a wall. It's best if they are in a closet because they don't look very pretty. If you can afford to buy organizing boxes that would be nicest (I finally do have some, now). Anyway, trains in one, Barbies in another, baby dolls in one, doll clothing in another, army men in one, cars in another, etc....you get the picture. We have one toy box for misc toys. We have one larger toybox for all manner of swords, indoor balls, very large trucks and construction trucks, play guns, etc. What I am getting at though is that EVERY toy needs to have a place. It doesn't take long to teach a child where they all go. My kids have come to me before with a piece of trash to throw away or a new toy without a home, and told me they didn't know where to put it. This works very well! I rarely clean up my kids messes. If they want to watch a movie they have to clean the livingroom, or if they have made a huge mess elsewhere they have to clean it up, before they can watch a movie! NO slumming allowed!!! I don't know why it bothers me so much when they watch a movie and they are surrounded by their mess. I can't stand to watch a movie amisdt my own mess, either. Anyway, they know the rules about movie watching. My house usually has toys scattered all over it, all day long. It doesn't bother me; as long as they are cleaned up before bed.
3) CLUTTER: I think we all know that clutter is the biggest enemy, when it comes to keeping a clean home. The reason is because you have to move it, to clean, and it wastes so much precious time and energy. Mail needs to be sorted daily....open it...throw envelopes and flyers away...file the statement...put the bill portion and sending envelope wherever you keep your bills...and throw out the junk mail. Or recycle it. Join Freecycle.org to get rid of larger items or just take them to the Goodwill. I took so much stuff to the Goodwill when we first moved here, and got rid of an old washer, and two tv's on Freecycle. Don't make piles! I have one designated area for pile-making. I puts odds and ends, papers, lists, etc, on one place on my island and before bed I try to sort the pile. You could also use a basket. Having a designated area for your pile works really well. A lot of the clutter I have seen in people's houses is trash, plain and simple. Just throw it away as soon as it becomes trash! :) Get after your kids BIG TIME for leaving candy wrappers or whatever somewhere other than the trash.... If you don't, they won't learn to throw things away. If you have major issues with clutter, a good website is: www.flylady.net I've never had to use this, per-say, but I like what she has to say on there, and she has good steps to take! :)
4) MEAL CLEAN-UP: Somehow, I got into the habit of cleaning as I cook/bake. After I am done, it doesn't look like I even made anything! :) There are just dishes in the sink to load in the dishwasher. Some people are REALLY good and load the dishwasher as they cook, but I'm not that good!
My dishrag is my best friend, ever. I use two a day usually, cleaning up my kitchen as I cook.
5) LISTS AND SCHEDULES: If it helps you, make a cleaning schedule for the days of the week. Such as: Mon:bathrooms, Tues: Vacuuming, Wed: Dusting or Windows (I've found that these need done every two or three weeks and so I alternate them, accordingly ), Thurs: Mopping, Fri: Mowing/yardwork/clean Garage, or whatever your unique needs are. Do dishes, laundry, picking up the house, bedmaking, etc, everyday. Make a list of things you can do monthly and bi-monthly, and every so often pick one of them to do. Some of the ones on mine are: Washing all the sheets, Vacuuming the car out, washing walls (if you have any that need it), my husband's shower, organize the Tupperware cabinet, organize the bathroom cabinets/ drawers, Refrigerator/freezer, wash doors and doorways. I also have a yearly list that contains: mini Blinds, window frames inside and out, clean behind stove, fridge and washer and dryer, etc. You will have specific things that are unique to you. My summer house cleaning list is different than my winter list. No gardening or yardwork. A daily list helps, too! :)
6) LAUNDRY: Do all your laundry everyday. I do one or two loads a day and that's it. I wash it, dry it and fold it. I fold it right out of the dryer and set the piles on the washer and dryer. I leave the piles there (usually three days at the most) until I have enough to put them away. I hate putting away laundry so this is a way I can skip out on it. Plus, the piles are not in the way of anything. They would be in the way if I folded on my bed or on my couch, which is what I used to do. I would end up moving the piles to the dressers or wherever and I wouldn't put the clothes away. By putting them on my washer and dryer, I can go for three days without having to put them away, but also not having them in the way. You can sometimes find loop-holes for your procrastination! :) This is one of mine! I have a rack above my washer and dryer with hangers on it for shirts, too, which I would never use if I folded on the couch. So, I get to use them now, since I fold in the laundry room! :)
7) MORNING ROUTINES: I get up with my husband, pack his lunch, eat a snack, read my bible and work out, check my email, and go back to bed (usually). When I get up the second time, I make my bed, gather laundry from every room and put a load in. I eat breakfast, shower if it's hot, and start my daily cleaning. The rest of the day I have free, pretty much, except for meals and dishes. My kids have to make their own beds, too. When school is in (we homeschool), I still have the same morning routine, and that free time I would have had is when we do school. Your situation will be different from mine. Some days if it's busy I stay up in the morning after my husband leaves and sometimes I don't. During school time, I won't be doing that. In fact, I may have to start getting the kids up earlier.
8) CLEANING SUPPLIES: Why clutter up your shelves and under your sinks with things you use to clean with??? That doesn't make sense! As a stay at home mom and an Army wife, I can't really afford to buy all the latest cleaning innovations, but my house is still clean! I have found a few products that I really like. I have ONE (I repeat ONE) shelf that has cleaning supplies on it and none under any of my sinks besides dish soap and automatic dishwasher detergent. My favorite is Windex Multi-surface. I use a bottle of it every month, on every surface. My other favorite is Mr Clean Magic Erasers for walls, crayon, and smudges. The only other cleaning supplies I have are: Scrubbing Bubbles (we have hard water, otherwise I wouldn't use it, but I need it for the tubs and sinks), a bleach based cleaning spray which I use on many surfaces (I actually use the Walmart brand Great Value), bleach for doing the white laundry, concentrated Carpet Cleaning solution, Murphey's Oil Soap for cleaning my linolium floors and Comet for cleaning toilets. And that's it! If you don't have an oven with an automatic cleaning cycle you would need oven cleaner, also. But why collect all kinds of cleaning supplies when you only need basic things. All the things I listed besides the carpet cleaning solution, I use for multiple things. Take Murphey's Oil Soap. It is CHEAP and concentrated and I use it to dust, clean floors and polish furniture. Minimize the clutter but get the job done nicely! :)
9) TRACKING: Dirt gets in from animals, kids, adults, the breeze, etc. I think we all know that taking shoes off helps, but i go farther in the summer. The kids don't come in unless they have washed their feet off at the spicket. I have big beachtowels on the floor at each doorway (and we have 4 doorways) and the kids wipe their wet feet on that before they go on the carpet. When the dog runs in the house (which is ALL day long) he ends up wiping his feet on the towels as he runs in. It really helps. It looks stupid to have these beach towels all over but it really works, so I don't care! If you care about color coordinating, you could buy towels to match the decor. I use towels rather than rugs because they are easier to pick up and wash because I wash them every week.
10) PRAYER: I pray that I will do in the day, what God would have me do...HIS agenda. Not mine. God wants our homes to be comfortable, not stressful, overwhelming and depressing. At the same time, He also wants us to be nurturing our children. Spending time with them in the best ways possible. We need to be making healthy meals for our husbands and ministering to them at the end of the day. I wouldn't have the energy if I worked like a mad woman all day long. Neither would I be able to function and enjoy life with a house that looks like a tornado went through it. There is a BALANCE!
No excuses, no blaming it on the kids or lack of space (we have a big house now, but we have also lived in camper, so none of you have an excuse!). No blaming it on your husband, too much yardwork, not enough money, not enough storage space, not enough time, not enough organizational skills, or whatever it is. You can do it! :)
Anybody want to add to this???
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