Big Sister's thoughts...
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I guess rock bottom has a basement…
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My Mama Taught Me
I love to bake, like absolutely love it! My mama taught me all my baking skills and I loved being in the kitchen with her. Any time there is an “excuse” to bake (like we ever really need on right!?), I always offer. There are a handful of things I haven’t made though because Mom has perfected them. Why even try when her’s turn out perfectly? Cheesecakes, stuffed frech toast, candies, angel food cake… The list goes on. This morning I tackled Angel Food Cake from scratch. Growing up, there was rarely a box mix for anything baked in our house. So of course, for this special day, this cake…
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Anniversary of a Tragedy
We were sitting in bed watching TV a little after midnight . He leaned over and kissed me and said quietly, “Happy Anniversary,” with an understanding smile. But it was so very hard fo me to say the words back. I think I only whispered them. I knew that the next morning was ‘the day’ but I wasn’t prepared for it right then. There aren’t words to describe the physical feelings that my heart and stomach did when he said ‘happy anniversary’. Or the thoughts and emotions that flooded in with absolutely no warning. My eyes instantly filled with tears and I choked them back as best I could. Today…
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Bury the Castle
I watched an online sermon today by Preston Morrison about the power of our words. It hits home in several areas. The message is that our words can build up or tear down another person. They can heal or they can hurt. He talked about how, if we let God use our words to heal others, we will never regret it. I have thought about this all day. At one point, I told my daughter about it (obviously in kiddo language) and now she puts more thought into how she speaks to her little brother. The reference to how our words can bring about healing in another person really stuck…
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Just a Little Extra Protein
My husband and I are starting a medical weight loss program and I am pretty excited about it! We got blood tests done to see where all our levels were at, like you would in a typical physical. These tests were the last step before scheduling our first meeting with the doctor and moving forward with a plan. A few days later, my results came back early in the morning and I scrolled through them while lying in bed. And there it was… “pre-diabetic condition” and I just kind of froze. Why don’t we just pile on ONE MORE THING right now! I thought as the anger began to rise.…
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Here It Comes
St. Patrick’s Day is approaching… here it comes… and I’m greeting it with so many mixed emotions. It blindsighted me yesterday because I haven’t really let myself dwell on it yet. My parents have a digital frame in their kitchen that all of us kids send pictures to. As I was gathering up my kiddo’s belongings to take them home, pictures of our St. Patrick’s Day celebration from last year started popping up, and I just wasn’t prepared for it.There was an immediate emotional disconnect to the smile I saw on my own face. I was sitting in one of our favorite bars next to my hubby and we were…
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The Woes of Homeschooling
I have always said I wasn’t cut-out to be a homeschooling mama… and to be honest, I’ve felt inadequate since the beginning. Put me in a chaotic office and I can run it. Give me a project with a fast-approaching deadline and I’ll nail it. Show me a picture of a craft with no instructions and I’ll recreate it. But teaching?! (insert smacking forehead here) I just can’t seem to pull it together. Thus, my tales of the woes of homeschooling ensue. Back in the Day… My mom homeschooled nine of us like a rock star. We were awake, dressed and at the kitchen table for breakfast by 7:30AM. We…
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A New Friend
The Lead-Up to a New Friend I had no idea what to expect… to be honest, I barely remembered what the mom looked like! Tall and blonde was what I remembered. We had one conversation at my sister-in-law’s house amidst a group of people. The next thing I know, we’re exchanging phone numbers for a playdate! We scheduled a date within 24 hours as I was thinking, “This chic is aggressive with this playdate stuff.” After rescheduling the playdate four times, for legitimate reasons, the time had come to face my fears. The time had come to make a new friend. I should proabably point out that I had never…
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A Learning Moment
Sometimes a learning moment can be a really tough one… for moms! My daughter lost her bracelet tonight. We had just made it and was so proud of it as she showed it off to her aunts. She took it off, “So it wouldn’t get messy while I’m eating,” and then forgot it. I went back into the restaurant as my teary-eyed 6 year old sat in the car. I questioned the waitress and even got down on the floor to look for it. But… No luck. The bracelet was gone. I told her we could make another one but she said, “That’s just not possible, Mom! That was the…
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There’s a new, tiny red stocking hanging by our tree Something I never thought I would see Another loss, another grief It’s not what I imagined this year would be So many questions without getting answers Explaining death to our children and trying to define heaven Watching grief overwhelm one so young and Navigating my own confusion as the tears stung Grateful for the blessings we have And the mercy that’s been shown But sometimes grief has a mind of its own Taking up this small moment in time When celebrating should be the focus Its moments like these when we just have to let our faith grow us There’s…