Ten on Ten :: An April Sunday

So lately I just haven't felt like taking pictures.  I haven't wanted to lug around a heavy camera on my neck.  I was feeling a little tired of viewing things through a little square on a black box. I was taking a break.

I missed a lot of beautiful moments... our first spring walk, the last Classical Conversations day, a winning egg protector, some fun times at the water park, really cool trains.  I'll just have to remember them in my mind.

But, I also got to be in the beautiful moment.  I was fully there and I enjoyed myself.

I wasn't sure how I was going to break out of not bringing my camera along until I realized this.



  I have wanted to participate in this photography project for a few months now and this month I didn't miss it!  To join in all you need to do is take ten pictures (one every hour) on the tenth of the month.

So here it goes (these pictures may not be that beautiful but they are my life):

8:00am.  Breakfast cutie

9:00am.  Cleaning the bathroom and getting ready for church.

10:00am.  Going in.  Doughnut time. 

11:00am.  Church shoes.  (Trying not to be too distracting during worship time.)

12:00pm.  Husband at his job.

1:00pm.  Oops, I forgot.  Too busy getting lunch on the table.
  2:00pm.  Company lunch mess.  Guest mess is always the best kind of mess.

3:00pm.  The rhubarb is growing!  I'm dreaming about dessert!

4:00pm.  Playing at small group.  (My girls are super tired)

5:00pm.  Small group.

6:00pm.  Waiting in the car for dinner.

So there you have it.  This was really hard.  Today was dark and gray.  Humid and and then cold.  It didn't feel very natural to have my camera and to take pictures on the hour.  But I think that I will try again next month.

See you soon!

This Moment :: My Boys

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

~SouleMama

 

Yarn Along

Joining Ginny again!  (a day late...shhh... don't tell)

 So I had this birthday money from my mom.  I was hanging onto it wondering what I should do.
Yarn?  Bird feeders? 

(I know, I'm weird)

I really wanted to make myself a sweater from the book I talked about last time.  BUT, I think that they are just too involved for me right now.  And I really wanted to make something that I could wear this spring.
  I picked this.

 I stole away to the yarn shop to find something I could afford.  I just yesterday learned what "Superwash" means.  I bought  Cascade 220 Superwash sport.  It is actually very soft.
I had to add this picture here because the yarn looks so cozy:

 

 I messed up though.  I was supposed to get DK but I ended up with sport!  The pattern already calls for thin yarn to be knit on larger needles.  I went up a size larger than called for and I am still a little off gauge.  

So I was wavering on the size I should knit.  Should I go on the smaller size since the fabric is going to stretch a lot or should I go with the larger since I'll be knitting up something just a little smaller then the pattern calls for?  What do you think?

The book in the first picture is a homeschooling text.  It is so well written and fun to read.  The girls are really remembering the stories from it. (and so am I)  Did you know that Justinian the Great's wife grew up in a circus, became a famous actress, found Christianity and became a wool spinner?

Giving thanks

Just popping in to give thanks for the many blessings!  Things don't always go as planned and one can get all hung up and cranky that one doesn't get one's way.

I'm choosing to see the good. So here we go:

14. Some serious outside time.

15. Snow that holds together! (usually too cold and the snow is powder-ish)

16. Shedding coats.

17.  The crab apple tree is still (mostly) standing. (hoping that it will still bloom)

18. The bright spring sun and how it reflects off the snow and shines in my house!

19.  Eager kitchen help.

20. Mister Rogers play clay.  I use the second recipe.

21. A van full of kids.

22. A friend willing to pick me up!

23. Sisters

I pray that you are looking on the "bright" side of things.

Loved

Everyone deals with pain in a different way.  As a little girl I remember my father brushing my hair.  I would scream out (believe me I was a drama queen.  I'm sure I screamed out more than I needed to - wonder where my girls get it from....) and my father would say, "That doesn't hurt!"  Other times when I would fall he would say, "That's ok, you are fine, get up, it doesn't hurt, come on."

That's me

And not only physical pain.  In my family we ignored the emotional pain too.  Stuff it down, don't cry, you are strong and if you ignore it long enough the pain will eventually subside and you can forget.

I've done that all my life.  And I've done that with God.

You see I've been doing so well lately.  I've been able to rest in my heavenly father's love.  I've been able to believe it, to know it, and to be free in it.

But

life has also been going fairly well.  Spring is finally here and the snow is melting.  The workload hasn't been that overwhelming.  I've had a little more fellowship.

And then

  I found out that my grandmother's health is failing.  We live so far apart and there is nothing I can do.

  This hurts.

How do I respond?  What is my reaction?

My first reaction: cry.  Wow!  This is good, I've so often in life just got distant and said, "That is sad." and went on with my life.  Crying is good!
But then I had to go on with my day.   I had meals to make and kids to take care of.  As the day went on and on I could feel my heart getting cold.

I put up my wall.  I protect myself.  I start to feel that God is not on my side.  He won't answer my prayers.  His thoughts toward me are indifferent.  He doesn't really care.

sunset taken by my daughter

A good friend asked me yesterday how she could pray for me.  After I told her she asked me what was I going to do.
 I told her I was going to repent.

God has not changed just because my grandmother is getting weak.  God did not stop caring for me.  He did not stop loving me as his precious daughter.  He did not stop answering my prayers!


I am still his child.  He is still my shelter.  He is still my heavenly father!
  I will choose to praise.  I will choose to hurt.  I will choose the truth.

Choosing to thank Him.

10. I have a shelter in Him
11.  In ministering to others I am encouaged
12.  Anne Steele
13. My Heavenly Father loves me.  He really does.

Five Minute Friday :: On Waiting

The Gypsy Mama's Five Minute Friday is underway.  I wrote this and then decided that I didn't want to post it and then I changed my mind again.  There is so much I want to say I'll just have to do another post.

Waiting...

Yesterday morning I slip out of bed.  I sleepily get my daughter off to school and when she passes through the doorway out into the world, I sit and read.  I open my email.  Some junk (always the junk) and then I am bolted awake.  There is a message from my father.

My father never emails.  He never calls.  We live states apart.  My grandmother, his mother, is not doing well.  

The last visit I had was last spring.  The once robust woman was now small and frail and quiet.  Afraid of not seeing her again I have been praying that she would make it until our family vacation in Aug.  Waiting until August has been hard.  So many things to miss.   

I remember standing on the field and showing her where she will watch me graduate college.  "If I make it till then..."  She always said that and it sounded ridiculous.  I am now 36 with 5 children of my own.  She definately made it for my graduation.  

Oh grandma, please make it till August.

Stop 

silly girls!

Three Down and None To Go

Yay for another yarn along over at Ginny's. 

This blogging thing (although in theory is so much fun) when it comes down to it is a discipline.  I'm so very happy for things like this to keep me going.  AND not only in blogging but in knitting and reading as well!

This week - actually just now - I finished my third "In Threes" cardigan.  The first is here and the second is here.  This one is for my three year old.  As I was knitting it she shouts out, "For ME!  So I can wear on Easter!"  Well yes Bethany, you can wear it on Easter.  As long as when we get the dresses out of the hand-me-down box there is one that matches this lovely shade of purple.  

I still have to block it and weave in the ends.

New England knits... I think that I will be making myself something next.  I'm pretty sure this will be my first knitting book purchase.