Don't Go Away!!!!

You are reading the right blog!

I decided to change things up.  I can't even remember when I last changed the layout of my blog....it's been years for sure.

I checked and this is my 639th post (give or take a couple of unfinished or non posted posts).

Several things led me to revamp the blog.  The biggest one being that I feel that I am a completely different person from when I started blogging. My first post was in August 2007.  Over five years ago.  I was 26 years old. I had a 5 year old and a 3 three old.  We were getting in the groove of homeschooling. We had been married six years. Wow...we were babies! ha  ha!

  My life has had a makeover.  The past three years, especially, have refined and produced a stronger, more faith-filled, spirit led, and submissive individual.  When we began the journey to create a family of five, almost exactly three years ago, we had no idea what kind of journey we would be taking as a result of that decision.  And every step in our lives from that point on has urged us to a place of complete surrender. Surrender of our plans.  Surrender of our goals and means.

It is a wonderful place to be.  And it has taught me the meaning of time.  Time is fleeting.  As the mom of a ten year old, three years seems like one night's sleep.  As the mom of a very energetic 18 month old, every day feels a lifetime long.

There are things I want to do! Take the kids to hear an orchestra. Hike to a waterfall. Get a passport. Make homemade pasta!

So often the day, week, month, or year, goes by, and I realize that so many things I intended to do were never done.  Sometimes it's because it wasn't the right thing for me to do.  More often, it's because I never planned and actually took a step in order to actually get those things done.


I never intended to become a stay at home housewife.  My "plan" was to do the whole working thing, and "maybe"  adopt "one day." But....God had other plans and when the reality of leaving them every day to spend hours,days,weeks.... with a bunch of other kids sank in...well, my heart changed.
I felt freedom like no other as I loaded my classroom into my car during post planning that last year. It's the job I never knew I always wanted.  Being a mom is easy to fall in love with.  Being a housewife...eh..not so much.  For me anyway.  All the rest that comes with the package (housework, meal planning, housework, laundry, budgeting, organizing, did I mention housework?)  is hard for a scatter brained, unorganized, easily discouraged person like myself.

I want to embrace the role and see what happens when good intentions meet good planning!

We have a fresh start in our lives right now. It's the perfect time to develop better habits, try our hand at a simpler life, and hopefully become more intentional with every single day. To look back in a year and be able to not regret all the things we  never got around to doing, because the list of things we DID accomplish is so bright! :)

Now I know what it means to plan and things not turn out the way you want.  I've learned that lesson!  But,I am convinced that being intentional with your actions, the days and weeks that turn into years, with some standards and goals, is a totally different thing than having a "blueprint" for how your life is going to turn out.

Perhaps I can (un)intentionally turn into Donna Reed?  Someone who has it together and not just looking from the outside in.

Stranger things have happened!

Our Three Gift Christmas

Christmas this year is definitely going to be different!  Last year, (the year of the tornado) was the last year in that house, though we didn't know it at the time.  This year will be in a different, very cozy, new place, and some slight changes in the traditions.

We are still going to be doing our three gifts.  But, I came across a blog post earlier in the season that put a new spin on the three gifts.  I love the way she explained what they do.  We always had done three gifts in the "idea" of Jesus receiving three gifts, but now they will be based more on the meaning behind the actual gifts that Jesus received. 

The first gift will be a "gold," gift.  In other words, something that is worth a great deal to the recipient.  "Fit for a king."  This translates perfectly into our "something they want" gift from the past.  

The second gift will be a "frankincense" gift.  Frankincense was burned in the temple as part of worship.  This represents a spiritual gift, something to help them in their walk with the Lord.  This one will be the biggest change, from our usual "something for the family to enjoy together" idea of the past.  Honestly, I was struggling with ideas for this now that Ruby is around...there aren't very many things that we can ALL enjoy together, specifically as far as a physical gift to open goes.  We could have done the zoo, etc, but there are only so many ideas for that now.  So instead, we will replace this idea with the spiritual walk gift.  You can see some examples in the post I linked, but I won't give away what we chose for them until after Christmas. (Katie has been known to read my blog! ;)

The third gift is a "myrhh" gift.  Myrhh was used to anoint the body before burial.  Wonderful symbolism in the first Christmas.  But...not so much for kids, ha ha. However, it's EASY to get something for the body as a gift.  Our "something they need" gift almost always ended up being something for their body (clothes, etc) so that's the theme for the third gift now and replacing that particular gift idea we used in the past.

I love that our three gifts have even more symbolism now, in tying directly in with the three gifts from the Magi.  Oh, and last year we got new stockings for the family that are NORMALLY sized, so that will be new and different as well.  And a little more *under control* ha ha.

Looking forward to the new and old this year! Old traditions with a new spin.  The same family and love in a new home. Getting together with old friends with new stories and fun memories to make!