In keeping with my post about perspective I wanted to share one more thought I had on the topic. I am constantly rearranging the way I reorganize things in my house. Each time I get done, I feel I finally got it the way I want it. I can't imagine it working any better any other way. Then a week later, I'm doing it all over again. It's an addiction really. I enjoy it though. Organizing things so that I can work more efficiently gives me some sort of high.
However, so many times as I'm trying to find new places to put things I think to myself how I wish I had a bigger kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, etc. How it would be easier to organize if I just had more space to put things. But then I stop dead in my tracks and realize that I have much more than many, many people around the world. Maybe what I need is less stuff, not more space. It's that whole mentality of "more and bigger is better" that always seems to creep in somehow.
As I've aged, it's begun to get easier to be content with what I've been given. I've begun to appreciate more and desire less. It is a process to think this way. You have to be good at capturing those "more, more, more" thoughts and retraining your brain to think less is better, but I must say it's very freeing and it makes me more happy.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Perspective Part I
Here's some things I've been thinking about lately:
Everyone has something about themselves they'd like to change. Whether it be physical or mental, I'm sure every human alive could tell you something they are insecure about. For me it's my nose. I have inherited my Grandmother's nose. I've always daydreamed about changing it. I've been so insecure about it, in fact, that I let it dictate how I fix my hair, what I wear, and whether or not I wear glasses. I'm always trying to find ways to detract from how it looks.
The other day I was thinking about our heavenly bodies and how they are supposed to be perfect. Then I felt all giddy with excitement of the thought of having a perfect nose. However, the thought occurred to me that my idea of a perfect nose may not be perfect at all. The standard of what is considered beautiful is literally in the "eye of the beholder." What some cultures consider "beautiful" may be less attractive to others. Think of those women you see in the National Geographic magazines who wear multiple rings around their necks in an effort to elongate them because long necks are seen as a thing of beauty in their culture.
So after considering this I realized that my nose, bump and all, to God is probably perfect. It's the way he meant for it to be. I imagine after he created each one of us he looked back and thought, "perfect!" Think of a baby. They come out and we think they look perfect. Do we ever think, oh she needs more color? Let's put on a little blush? It's only as we become adults that our standard of beauty starts to become warped.
So I imagine that our heavenly bodies will be perfect in the sense that they will be free of things such as wrinkles, acne, extra fat, disease, and illness etc. I also imagine that our idea of beauty will be more aligned with God's idea of beauty. Maybe I'll actually be able to look in the mirror at that little bump on my nose and think...."perfect!" So in the mean time, I'm trying to retrain myself to look at beauty in a different light. I am allowing myself to wear hats, contacts, and hairstyles that I otherwise would have steered clear from because of my nose. I am trying to remember that I am beautiful to God...... and that's all that matters.
Everyone has something about themselves they'd like to change. Whether it be physical or mental, I'm sure every human alive could tell you something they are insecure about. For me it's my nose. I have inherited my Grandmother's nose. I've always daydreamed about changing it. I've been so insecure about it, in fact, that I let it dictate how I fix my hair, what I wear, and whether or not I wear glasses. I'm always trying to find ways to detract from how it looks.
The other day I was thinking about our heavenly bodies and how they are supposed to be perfect. Then I felt all giddy with excitement of the thought of having a perfect nose. However, the thought occurred to me that my idea of a perfect nose may not be perfect at all. The standard of what is considered beautiful is literally in the "eye of the beholder." What some cultures consider "beautiful" may be less attractive to others. Think of those women you see in the National Geographic magazines who wear multiple rings around their necks in an effort to elongate them because long necks are seen as a thing of beauty in their culture.
So after considering this I realized that my nose, bump and all, to God is probably perfect. It's the way he meant for it to be. I imagine after he created each one of us he looked back and thought, "perfect!" Think of a baby. They come out and we think they look perfect. Do we ever think, oh she needs more color? Let's put on a little blush? It's only as we become adults that our standard of beauty starts to become warped.
So I imagine that our heavenly bodies will be perfect in the sense that they will be free of things such as wrinkles, acne, extra fat, disease, and illness etc. I also imagine that our idea of beauty will be more aligned with God's idea of beauty. Maybe I'll actually be able to look in the mirror at that little bump on my nose and think...."perfect!" So in the mean time, I'm trying to retrain myself to look at beauty in a different light. I am allowing myself to wear hats, contacts, and hairstyles that I otherwise would have steered clear from because of my nose. I am trying to remember that I am beautiful to God...... and that's all that matters.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Cousings, cousins, cousins part 2
Sunday afternoon we decided to torcher the kids a little while and do a photo shoot at Branson Belle park. It has the BEST backdrops. Can you please say CHEESE?
I miss them already!
Cousins, cousins, cousins part 1
Jody and the kids came to visit us last weekend. We had a blast! Kadyn and Gracy are best buds. They are just a little over a year apart. Jessa loves helping with the little ones, so that was extra nice. Friday we spent the day at Silver Dollar City where we got too....
 | |
| ...try on silly hats |
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| ...ride rollar coasters |
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| Shoot pretend scary things on a boat |
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| pretend to be a criminal |
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| and pose for pictures at the entrance. |
The kids also treated to us to a homemade play that day.
Sunday we got to go to the butterfly palace where Bren got her very own lady bug and safari hat to tour through the exhibit with. She was in seventh heaven and felt very special since she was the only one in our group able to ride it.
Later we got to go to Andes frozen custard. Bren THROUGHLY enjoyed her custard as you can see.
First fruits
It's a glorious thing people, picking your first fruits. All plants are doing exceptional, except my pepper plants. I had a bad fight with some aphid colonies and almost killed my plants trying to get rid of them. I used dish soap and water (that I read about somewhere online) as a more natural approach to try to kill the pests. When I went to Garden my neighbor was instructed to use the spray if he noticed any bugs on the plants. Instead of looking for bugs, he just smothered them in the spray. Then I overrwatered them. Needless to say, they weren't real happy with me. I'm happy to say they are recovering and looks like I may have some blooms in the next week or so. Unfortanetly, three pots of flowers are toast thanks to those aphids. I have resorted to killing the little bugs by hand off of each and every leaf of the pepper plants simply by squashing them. There are WAY too many leaves on my flowers to do that! My basil plants are just about ready for their first harvest too. I heart fresh produce!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Day Two
We are on day two of starting a new infant at daycare. She is 8 weeks old. She already has many admirers. The girls are head over heels for her, and little man likes her too. They sit by her singing too her in their cute little girly voices, trying to imitate my baby talk, petting her head, and commenting on how "precious" she is. Bren called her a "cooty pie" this morning. Kadyn ran into my bedroom squealing in excitement that she winked with one eye and then the other. Day one the baby was here before the girls even woke. Today she showed up later and they were concerned when she wasn't here yet.
Kadyn asks to hold her and feed her. She is more than willing to help me out. The baby seems to be just as fascinated by the girls so it is a win, win situation for everyone. She seems to be adjusting fairly well. She wasn't a big fan of taking a bottle, but she is quickly learning that if she doesn't try to eat from the bottle, she will be hungry. Needless to say, after only one day, she is much better at taking one. I didn't really want to have an infant in my daycare as it's hard to be mobile with one around, but I'll take this "cooty pie" any day over the chaos that I had a couple months ago. I don't feel comfortable taking an 8 week old outside because it is super hot, so I think after I get her on a little more consistent schedule we will venture outside during her nap times so I don't have to worry about taking her out in the heat. I'll have a baby monitor close by just in a case and her Mom has given me approval to do so. I don't want to short change the bigger kids on summer fun just because I have a baby to look after.
I will be starting another new little man when school starts. He will fill Kadyn's spot as Kadyn will be going to school. His mother is a teacher. He will be 1.5 when he starts. So it seems 4 is my number for home daycare. It is what I feel the most comfortable with and is a gives good balance of playmates for everyone.
On a different note, I had a garage sale and made $132 last weekend. My goal was to make enough money to buy an above ground pool which I did. It's not gigantic by any means, but it is certainly more substantial than a baby pool. It is about 10ft around and goes to about mid thigh on me. My hope is that I can teach Kadyn how to float and get Brennan more comfortable getting her head wet. Since I am homebound each day because of the daycare, taking my girls to swim lessons is out of the question so this seemed to be a good fit. Also, it will be nice to be able to get in with them instead of sitting in a lawn chair and roasting.
Counting down the days until Chicago. We are very excited! I think the girls will enjoy having more Baba and Bama time too! They love their grandparents.
Kadyn asks to hold her and feed her. She is more than willing to help me out. The baby seems to be just as fascinated by the girls so it is a win, win situation for everyone. She seems to be adjusting fairly well. She wasn't a big fan of taking a bottle, but she is quickly learning that if she doesn't try to eat from the bottle, she will be hungry. Needless to say, after only one day, she is much better at taking one. I didn't really want to have an infant in my daycare as it's hard to be mobile with one around, but I'll take this "cooty pie" any day over the chaos that I had a couple months ago. I don't feel comfortable taking an 8 week old outside because it is super hot, so I think after I get her on a little more consistent schedule we will venture outside during her nap times so I don't have to worry about taking her out in the heat. I'll have a baby monitor close by just in a case and her Mom has given me approval to do so. I don't want to short change the bigger kids on summer fun just because I have a baby to look after.
I will be starting another new little man when school starts. He will fill Kadyn's spot as Kadyn will be going to school. His mother is a teacher. He will be 1.5 when he starts. So it seems 4 is my number for home daycare. It is what I feel the most comfortable with and is a gives good balance of playmates for everyone.
On a different note, I had a garage sale and made $132 last weekend. My goal was to make enough money to buy an above ground pool which I did. It's not gigantic by any means, but it is certainly more substantial than a baby pool. It is about 10ft around and goes to about mid thigh on me. My hope is that I can teach Kadyn how to float and get Brennan more comfortable getting her head wet. Since I am homebound each day because of the daycare, taking my girls to swim lessons is out of the question so this seemed to be a good fit. Also, it will be nice to be able to get in with them instead of sitting in a lawn chair and roasting.
Counting down the days until Chicago. We are very excited! I think the girls will enjoy having more Baba and Bama time too! They love their grandparents.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Picnic weather finally
We have a clear week this week finally, but now it feels like a sauna. I'm confused. Is it spring or summer?
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