10 Things Tuesday

It's Tuesday! Time to pause and be thankful--

1. We had a wonderful weekend in Little Rock and Searcy, but I am GLAD to be home today!

2. We had a potluck at Ladies' Class today....boy, do I love me some potluck food. Especially what the older ladies bring. Those gals can cook, kids!

3. I am so grateful for the ladies who are kind enough to watch our babies while we meet and discuss our bible lessons each week. It is such a blessing to have a little quiet time with friends and to know that our babies are being loved and cared for.

4. I got to see Brother Winston at the church building today. That is definitely where he belongs. Praise God for his healing! He is such a gift to our church family.

5. John Mark took a loooooooooong nap this afternoon. It did not help his grouchy mood too much, but it did help mine!

6. I received a very unexpected phone call from an old, old friend today. It was good to catch up and talk about life and faith and Harding gossip and American Idol.

7. We had pancakes for supper. I love pancakes any ol' time, but supper is the best.

8. It was Neil Diamond night on American Idol. Sadly, no one sang "Cracklin' Rosie." This is not really something to be thankful for, necessarily, but Neil looked pretty dang good for someone who's gotta be pushing 70.

9. I paid bills tonight and there was more than enough money in the bank to cover them all. While the news talks about skyrocketing food and fuel prices, I really am grateful that we don't have to make choices such as whether we will buy medicine or food, pay the mortgage or the electric bill.

10. It is just 10pm and I am done with all my tasks...off to do a bit of reading. I am so very thankful for good books!

Sewing Projects

I think I am finally on a roll of finishing some sewing projects rather than just starting them...or, you know, just buying the fabric and then stuffing in in a drawer. This week I made a little dress for our friend Bella, who will be turning 2 in a few more days! It's a simple peasant dress with puff sleeves. I made a matching diaper cover, 'cause a girl can't be going around with her undies showing (unless they match, and, in that case, you definitely should be showing them).

I think next time I use this pattern, I will make the sleeves a tad longer. Anyway, in case you cannot tell, the main fabric is brown gingham. Jamie found this precious accent fabric. She has a great eye for that kind of thing, which is why she is my favorite crafting partner!

I also finished a simple skirt for myself. I fell in love with this fabric and bought it without knowing exactly what I would do with it. I think this will be pretty for summer with sandals and a simple white top, which I sure did find at Gap for $9.99. I decided to line the skirt, which was not called for in the pattern. Some nifty online tutorials gave me all the info I needed. I also did my first completely solo zipper on this project--even my mom was impressed!


My goal for next week is to actually sew the stack of shorts I have cut out for John Mark's summer play clothes. I am recycling a couple of Michael's old button-ups to make the shorts. After that, it's Mother's Day gifts. I'm really excited about those this year--I'll be sure to share the final product with y'all.

Have a great weekend! We're off to Searcy and Little Rock for some hospital business and some q-time with my brother and sister-in-law.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I have been having this strange urge to work in the yard this spring. Specifically, to grow flowers. This is somewhat odd since, to put it nicely, I do not have a green thumb. I don't even attempt to keep houseplants, because the only ones hardy enough to withstand my poisonous touch are also the kinds babies can't eat. And we still eat everything around here.

However, all winter I have thought about clearing out the leaves, trimming up the bushes, breaking up the soil and planting some happy little bursts of color in my yard. Maybe it's some sort of latent motherly drive: Must grow. Must nurture. Must cultivate. Must cut and display in cute vases around my house. (Okay, that last one is more Martha Stewart than motherly, I'll admit.)

So strong was this urge that I actually did something very uncomfortable: I went to the garden store and asked for help. I did not attempt to pull my little wagon around and pick up plants as if I was a seasoned gardener; nor did I eavesdrop on other shoppers' conversations about gardening to glean information. When the friendly sales person said, "If you have questions, let me know!" I latched on to her as if she were my only hope. She was probably expecting to answer questions like where are the begonias? or could you suggest a good fertilizer?, but I lit into her with my list of yard woes. We have too much shade. There's this shrub we have that's hideous. Our soil doesn't drain well. I have no idea how to take care of plants. It was like free therapy! She was incredibly helpful, and maybe just a little pitying of me in my ignorance. She suggested some beautiful flowers that were, quote, "impossible to kill" and told me exactly what to do to keep them looking nice. I have plans to find this same lady next week when I attack the back yard and milk her for more information.

On the personal growth front, this was huge for me. Not the planting flowers part, just the willingness to ask questions part. I love to learn--I would be a full-time professional college student if it were up to me--but I hate, hate to admit I cannot figure something out on my own. I took a B in one of my literary criticism classes because I could not bring myself to ask the professor to explain the reading assignments to me. I will not go to a running store to buy new shoes because I don't want them to see that I'm barely classified as a beginning runner. I throw away sewing projects when I can't get the zipper in straight. My mom says I was even like this as a child: If I could not do something right on the first try, I would just walk away and conclude I couldn't do it at all.

At the ripe old age of 31, I realize there is too much I still need to know about marriage, parenting, discipleship, friendship to keep pretending that I already have all the answers. I want to be humble enough to admit I can't do everything right on the first try. I want to be curious enough to ask questions. I want to appreciate the wisdom and experience of others. I want to be passionate enough to risk looking foolish. I want to learn.

And I want to grow flowers.

Ten Things Tuesday

I am so not putting the picture up today. Just not worth my trouble. But it IS worth my effort to be grateful for the many blessings I have...

1. Today I managed to get ahead of schedule and JM and I had such a fun morning while we got ready for bible study. Mama did not have to say "I can't read right now" or "Hurry! Hurry!" once.

2. We had a small group at Ladies' Class and we had a wonderful discussion about discipline and helping our kids develop a relationship with God. It was just what I needed, plus...

3. My friend stopped by after class with some recommended reading. Oh, do I love some parenting books! I will even read books I completely disagree with, just for heck of it.

4. The brief rain showers today made for a very peaceful naptime (for Little Guy, not me--well, it was peaceful for me in a different way). It was nice to enjoy some quiet time, listen to the rain and enjoy a cup of coffee.

5. Got to go to TCBY with one of my favorite people today. He is one of my "old" youth group kiddos, and I adore him. He always makes me laugh, tells me about the latest in the artsy world and suggests TV shows I should check out.

6. Baby Halle arrived safely today to meet her parents Mark & Jamie. Praise God!

7. MG moved the brokedown TV off our deep freeze and we discovered a motherlode of frozen food--still very much in-date. We had parmesan-crusted Mahi-mahi for supper. Yuuuummmm. And I did not have to crust it myself. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

8. It was Andrew Lloyd Weber night on American Idol. And I did not have to listen to Kristy Lee Cook. (That almost deserves its own spot on the list, people.)

9. My husband gave me a "time-out" when the baby and I got into a war over a diaper. Sounds harsh, was actually so thoughtful and much needed. :)

10. I finally finished the little dress I've been working on for our friend commonly known as The Bell-bell. It is pretty darn cute, but I'm not completely sure about the sizing. Don't tell the hubs, but I am going to try it on JM in the morning.

WTnotthebadFword Wednesday: My Day brought to You by the Letter F.

Flying solo.
Field trip (to museum).
Fabulous friends (came with).
Frolicking (much).
Following (toddler).
Fighting (mean schoolchildren).
Flat shoes (bad choice).
Feeling uncreative.
Freakin' Tired.

Good night, dear readers! If you love me, you will send me more fodder for F musings :)

Ten Things Tuesday

It's Tuesday, kids, and we all know what that means! I'll start by saying that I realized tonight how blessed I am to know Who to thank for all the wonderful moments in my life. On that note...

1. I am thankful for the neighbors who keep their yards and flower beds looking so nice. I enjoy the budding trees and blooming bushes every time I look out my window!

2. My husband did not kick me out of bed last night when I woke him up coughing about 14 times. He did not even sigh loudly and flop over in the bed (the usual reaction when I do something annoying during the night). A hopeless romantic, that one.

3. Diet Dr Pepper. Even if it does give me brittle bone disease one day.

4. MG and I have resolved to eat healthier and I am proud of the choices we've been making. Having kids really does make you want to invest in your health.

5. John Mark loves my friends, and that absolutely thrills me. I want him to grow up knowing many adults that he can depend on and look up to.

6. We went on an hour-long walk this afternoon, which gave us a chance to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and visit all of our puppy friends around the neighborhood. (We really do stop and talk to every dog along the way!) It also helped me stave off the afternoon munchies.

7. My sweet, sweet friend came over to eat supper tonight and it made me so grateful for friends that are more like family.

8. Mariah Carey was on AI tonight, which prompts me to be especially thankful that a) she is not always on AI, and b) her stylist does not choose my clothes.

9. My husband just called to say he made it safely to Chicago.

10. I am going to get one last wear out of my flannel PJs since my dear husband is not here to keep me warm. LOVE my flannel jammies with the snowflakes! :)

It was just a matter of time...

I was tagged by my dear friend Danielle, who I miss ever-so-much! I am supposed to list 7 random things about myself, and I am nothing if not random. So here goes.....

1. I sweep my kitchen floor every day. It still looks nasty.

2. This is the first season of American Idol I have actually watched. I always choose a song for myself to go along with the theme for the week--you know, just in case they call me in at the last minute to compete.

3. I bid on junk on Ebay and then spend all day thinking, "I really hope I don't win that." I never bid on the stuff I would actually use.

4. I love Dawson's Creek reruns. When I worked, I did my morning routine around their airing on TBS. If I did not feel guilty about having the TV on all day, I would still be watching them. However, DC will never replace 90210 in my heart.

5. I put decisions off to the last minute. Any decision. Every decision. It's not that I am indecisive, really; it's that I love options so much I don't want to rule any out. I think this makes me flexible and adaptable. My husband says it makes me infuriating.

6. I hate my voice. Not my singing voice, but my speaking voice. It's kind of deep and coarse and I'm pretty sure my volume control was broken a long time ago. Also, I could never call a boy without his mom or roommate or brother knowing exactly who I was--even if we had only met once.

7. I always wanted to take dance classes. Technically, I guess I have done this: MG and took ballroom dance, which was fun. But I wanted to take ballet or jazz or tap. I did learn some dance basics in my gymnastics days, and I still practice them in down the hallway in my house. I will officially be old when I stop doing this.

I don't know if I have seven people to tag! I will have to add them later....Bebe calls!