I'm back...maybe?

Hi, y'all!

Well, it's Sunday morning and last night and this morning I've felt a cold coming on. Swollen feeling in my throat and a slightly runny nose, so I stayed home. But I don't necessarily feel badly, don't want to be in bed. So it's blissfully quiet. There's no toddler to chase, no big girl to entertain, no big man to pick up after. So I'm sipping some hot tea (feels so good!) and I thought about this little blog o' mine.

Hello again!

Ev is back in school so maybe I'll actually have time for this again!
Let's get started, shall we?

Just finished reading The Help. I know: everyone is reading it. Yes, that is true but for good reason. No, it's not pulitzer prize stuff, but it's not mindless either. I adored the characters, laughed out loud and had to share parts with Reed, and it made me think. Ya see, sometimes I really have a hard time with this Sugar Land life. I mean, not my life in general, just living life in this contrived suburb and loving Jesus. The culture here (and everywhere, I know) just makes it easy to believe that you "need" __________. Maybe it's a new lamp, a new bedroom, beautiful curtains, amazing dinners...whatever. Just like those "white ladies" believed they needed help, or polished silver, or needed to be a part of the social elite of the Junior League no matter what that meant.

Sometimes life in Sugar Land makes it easy to believe that my life, or that I, in fact, am better than others. I am more together, more enlightened. Also, like in the book. And it wasn't only the white elite looking down on their black "help", sometimes the maid was actually judging her employer. It is in us.

I pray for God to open my blind Sugar Land eyes. He put me here, wants me here of this I am sure. But I am to be in Sugar Land but not of it. I desperately need Him to guide my priorities, my money, my thoughts, my love, my agenda so that it is not spent making my life look like I think it should to others. Oh, Father, deliver me from that vain emptiness! Give me a to-do list that serves, that loves how He loves, that gives, that saves to give more. Help me to be open.

Hopefully this cold won't go full out on me this week! I hope I can keep it contained and not give it to my whole family!

Have a blessed, restful Sunday!

Making Progress

Hiya.

Just dropping in to say that I'm rethinking blogs. Mine and the ones I follow. God has been pressing on my heart in this area for a while and I'm just settling in to listen. Or obey, rather.

So I've been asking some hard questions like: "why do I want to blog about this? for my glory or his?" or "when I read this blog, what is it's affect on my heart's softness to God?" and the ouchiest: "what could I be doing if I wasn't doing this? is this the best use of my time at this moment?"

So, here's where the rubber finally met the road. This morning I discovered this young lady. Breezy is her name and her wonderful art aside, she seems to have quite a neat relationship with her family and God. From there I was led to her mother and began picking up on a theme of purposeful homemaking. A topic of high importance to me. How to "be a Martha in a Mary way". I like that. From there I found this truly wonderful and inspiring blog and, finally to this one.

My obedience in this area now looks like this:

step 1. I've added these two purposeful (not burdensome) blogs to my list. They inspire me to look to God. To ask myself hard questions, things to ponder and pray about.

step 2. I've deleted several blogs that are burdensome (i.e. they make me feel like I don't measure up) or they cause my heart to lust for more. (Don't worry...all of the ones I got rid of were people I didn't know!!)

As for my blog, I dunno. Still considering that. Still considering what matters to others what will not cause others to feel burdened or lacking? What will encourage and build up? Hope it will look a little more like these ladies I am recommending to you now. We'll see.

Here's to healthier choices. A clearer, more challenged heart and mind.

Here's to making progress toward seeking Him first.

Meal Planning Sunday

Well, I loved the idea of posting our menu on here which I got from Jen. I love reading her meals and have even stolen a couple. This mama needs all the help I can get! It is also helpful to me to have a little cyber accountability to have my meals planned and grocery list made so that the week goes much, MUCH smoother.

So, if you need a little inspiration, here's what we're having this week. And if you want to inspire me and others, please post yours, too!

Monday:

Pasta with chickpeas and garlic sauce*

zucchini with parmesan (one I got from Jen who got it from eatingwell.com)

Tuesday:

Mini meat loaves*
mashed potatoes

green beans

Wednesday:
hmm...not sure yet. I don't do anything labor intensive since we have community group. So either something from my crock pot or lefties.

Thursday:
something with chicken (not sure what)

Friday:
I usually do something a little more "fun" like pizza or something. Evy picked this recipe out. It's a form of a Monte Cristo since the whole sucker is dipped in egg whites, but it is still "cooking light", and it is the weekend, so we're goin' for it with a raspberry smoothie to wash it all down.

croque monsieur*

raspberry smoothies*

Saturday:
sandwiches or lefties since we'll be at an adoption seminar all day

Sunday:
Mother's Day - right, uh, you'll need to ask Reed what we're having on this day!!!


* From Cooking Light and can be found on their website. Always delicious and very pretty on your plate! ...Um...also usually very good with a glass of wine...just sayin'...

About Dwight

Hi, Friends. It's been a while...blah, blah, blah.... ;-) I want to tell you about a man named Dwight. I don't remember his last name. Reed and I and a team of Crossbridgers met Dwight, oh, about 3 years ago when we went to Brownsville for a mission trip. We stayed in a bunkhouse of sorts. Two big rooms of bunks and a big bathroom on either side of a large common room with tables and a kitchen. Dwight and his wife, Connie, came every morning and she would make our breakfast and prepare our lunches to pack with us. Then Dwight drove us across the border into Mexico in his rickety old car. That thing ran on fumes but yet we never questioned whether or not it would get us there. It was just one of those things where it was clearly old but dearly loved and depended on so it kept on chugging taking Dwight and whoever was with him into the poorest places of Mexico and back again. To the people he loved. Day after day. Yes, very much like Dwight. He was old. I mean - o.l.d. Didn't really matter how old. But old. As soon as you met him, though, you knew he was dearly loved and that you would love him, too. You knew he was dependable and good and even more so because of the many miles he'd traveled. He'd come in to the center every morning, plop down on a chair, take off his hat and one of us would cheerily greet him, "Good morning, Dwight! How are you?" To which he would always respond with some peculiar response like, "Well, I woke up this morning, so I'm still here." He would very matter of factly be sure to tell us things like how to get where we were going because he "might die and not be there to get us back." It sounds gloomy but it was anything but. It wasn't depressing at all, in fact, it was exactly the opposite. I've never met anyone before or since that wanted to be in Heaven with Jesus more than Dwight. So, when he woke up every morning, it was like he was disappointed that he had to wait another day. So when we got the news last week that Dwight was in hospice, his body riddled with cancer, I was actually happy for him. Yep. I know of no one else that is more excited to meet his Maker than Dwight. Now he's very close, my friends. So I might shed a tear for losing the example this gentle and wonderful man would give to so many, but what a delight that his joy will truly be made complete very soon. God, thanks for giving us Dwight.

A Typical Day with Hollis

She likes to be outside. She loved this, her first swing experience!

Posing in my new jammies!

Oh, the personality!

She's a busy girl! This is her music making machine!!

After a bath

Did I mention she is an active multitasker? Note that both feet are kicking toys while both hands are grasping at other toys. Wow.

She smiles. A LOT!

She really likes mealtimes. She's not the only one.

If you leave her in the room, even for a second, you never know where you'll find her...

...or what she'll be doing.

She doesn't sit still.

This is why we had to get rid of her bouncy. And her swing.

And we got her this. Quite predictably, she LOVES it!

As I said. You can't leave her. But look how happy she is!

She really enjoys her bottle. In a lap. With Daddy.

She plays hard. She sleeps hard. Thank goodness!!

A Moment

I have found myself past the suddenly a new momma phase and we've settled in pretty well to life with a six year old and an infant. Maybe settled in a little too much. Maybe I've let the fog of surviving each day/ each weekend overcome my wonder at this new, beautiful baby. But sometimes the clouds part for a while and it hits me. Of course, I write today (to as many of you as still read this now sparse blog of mine) because one of those moments struck me in a big way today and I was overcome.
I am not a black Friday shopper. Never have been. So we were home today destroying the house taking down the multiple stored Christmas boxes from the attic to bring on the red and green, glitter and wreaths, laminated fingerpainted ornaments and ribbons. Besides the tree, Evy was most excited about getting the stockings hung. So being the typically patient six year old, she tore into the boxes to find the stockings. She "awwww"-ed when we pulled out the slightly smaller one that is embroidered "Baby's 1st Christmas". I smiled at the thought of getting to use it again! It had already occured to me that this is her first Christmas before but it came to me again. (It's so different with Baby #2, huh?) Anyway, then she pulled out hers, Reed's and my stockings - matching but unique. Then she pulled out the fourth regular sized stocking. Yes!
I explained to her again, as I have for a few years now, that that one is for her sibling. When I bought the stockings now six years ago (wow!) I knew that we would have another child. Never would have imagined how or how long it would take, but I never even questioned buying that fourth stocking. I had them all embroidered with our names. They never could get MaryEvyn's name right, though they sent me three stockings where they tried. I finally ended up buying a blank one and having it done myself! Still makes me laugh! Mom sarcastically told me to "get used to it". But that fourth one stayed blank all these years.
Now, my friends, those of you who listened and prayed and cried with me for our second child, I have a name for that fourth stocking. My sweet Hollis.
Evy had no patience for my weighty moment, nor did she note my stifled tears and sniffles. She just wanted those stockings UP! So we hung them.

Evy stopped, actually stopped rifling through boxes, and stepped back. She clasped her hands behind her back and admired the view before her. I did, too. I picked her up and we enjoyed the scene together. Then she kissed me and was off. I lingered a little longer and let my fulfilled joy overtake me. Then I went into Hollis' room, picked her up, held her and cried. I thanked God once again with all the gratitude in my heart for this amazing girl. For hearing my prayers, for giving me the desire of my heart, for doing it in His way, according to His plan.
Every year my Christmas wish list shrinks a little. This year, man, what else could I ask for?

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

Which one is your fave? I can't seem to pick just one! (But I'm a little biased, y'know!)

P.S. Yes, these are the same I posted on facebook, but some people aren't on fb, soooo....

Just for Fun

No Applause, Please

Wow. August was my last post. Crazy.
Anywho...
I wanted to write to you about an opportunity. What I think is a wonderful, amazing, hands on, needed opportunity. I have taken my own sweet time to write to you about it because I do so not for your praise - it is nothing to me since I have the worthiness of Jesus and because the work is praise in itself! In fact, my goal was to do this work without anyone's knowledge.
However, 2 things have happened. 1. I'm drawn to share because it is such a special ministry that so many could enjoy and how can I keep that to myself. 2. I've been asked to find a "back up" person in case I'm unable to do it one week.
So here we are.
Every Tuesday morning since, gosh, July, I guess, I've been loading up the girls along with a pretty plastic tray (with sturdy handles) and two small coolers and heading over to the Sugar Land Community Center to gather 11 meals to deliver to some of the sweetest people you'll ever meet! It's called Meals on Wheels but it's so much more!
First off, the training that I did was at the Richmond Senior Center which is the coolest, most organized thing ever! I am excited to go out there sometime with the family and just hang out and play Bingo with those hip seniors! At their center they deliver meals and bring seniors to the center (or some come on their own) to eat their meals together because they have the space to do so. The one in Sugar Land does not.
The staff is very well organized and there were a TON of opportunities for any group, any age. Very exciting. But since my focus was Meals on Wheels, I got my badge and got signed up and passed on to Isaac.
Isaac runs the program at the Sugar Land Community Center and he's awesome. Knows all of those routes like the back of his hand. He took me on my first run and showed me around and introduced MaryEvyn and I to the people to whom we'd be delivering. The next week we were on our own.
So, I show up anytime between about 8-10 (during the summer it was closer to 10, now it's closer to 8!) and I give them my coolers for them to fill. One for cold stuff, one for hot. I deliver 11 meals to 6 or 7 houses. That's a typical route. Then Isaac helps put them in my car and we're off. We head out to Fifth Street and Staffordshire to deliver.
During the summer, Evy would help me load up the tray and then hop out and walk to the doors with me. Boy, did they all miss her when she had to go back to school. One of them still asks me about her. I can't wait to take her with me again over the holiday! I miss her help, too! Now, I leave Hollis in the car while it's running (I'm never out of sight) and she's napping (mostly) and I take the meals to the home.
It takes me about an hour and half from my front door and back again.
Now let me tell you just a few reasons I love it!
* The people. There is a man who would surprise Evy every now and then with a dollar! Once a woman gave her a sweet little angel ornament because Evy is "such a little angel"! Then there's Mrs. Acevedo who speaks Spanish to me...always about MaryEyvn! The sweet lady who takes care of her grandaughter and opens the door and calls me, "Honey". It makes me feel so young!
* The need. I love that this fulfills a real need. If I wasn't delivering this meal, either Isaac would spend his whole morning doing it himself or the organization would pay a hired driver to do it. I'm not just doing little "touch ups" of work, this is the nitty gritty. These people need this food.
* My soul. Sugar Land/First Colony give me an insatiable desire for more, bigger and better. Newer, faster, easier. For me. When I do this, every week my soul is actually fed a steady diet of gratitude. Not out of pity -gosh, no, sometimes I think these people are happier than I am! No, it's the house right off Staffordshire that has no AC and 7 people living in it. It's the neighborhood I wouldn't be in after dark (though I feel completely safe when I'm there for meals). As I drive home I am so very content.
* The lesson. I hope you didn't dare think that Evy happily hopped out of a safe, clean-smelling, 70 degree car to walk through gravel/dirt/mud in the 90+ degree heat with the air that somehow smells like dog poo and conquering her major fear of flying insects with a "happy heart" each week. Oh, no, no! We had many discussions and lessons on why we do it, our attitude, how it heals our soul. I didn't teach her to do it for thanks or to receive blessing or to be a "sweet little girl". I told her sometimes serving is just hard and we talked about how Satan likes to keep it that way. And, friends, I can tell you that on the rare occasions that I actually had to MAKE her get out of the car to walk to the door with me, it would be that very person that would affirm her work with some sweet words or gift. Sometimes that's all she needs to really drive the message home. God is good like that.
So, there you have it.
If you are interested in doing a route yourself look here: http://www.fortbendseniors.org/
If you are interested in riding along with me one week and just being an available back up. Then let me know.