Lately I've been...

Lately I've been...

-Looking forward to the day when Baby M. makes an appearance. Whether we have a little he or she to love on, this little one has already filled a special place in our hearts. Some days the thought of parenting seems oh, so overwhelming and scary, but other days (like today), I'm just really excited. Of course, most-things-baby are on my mind these days so I've been working on a registry, prepping the nursery and doing that thing they call nesting. Hello, thorough cleaning and organizing. I can only imagine how much worse it will get in the next 3 months! But my house & hubby might thank me. :)

24 weeks, my most recent picture :)

-Loving that springtime is finally here (some days!) That means planting flowers, decorating with bright & springy decor, and sitting out on the front porch again. Oh, and garage sales. I've been out most Saturday mornings recently trying to snag some deals for baby and the house. It's always fun because you never know what you're going to find.

Most recent DIY project- a boxwood wreath. Loved how it turned out!

Porch decor

-Enjoying some good books again. Recent favorites have been Hands Free Mama: A Guide to Putting Down the Phone, Burning the To-Do List, and Letting Go of Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters! by Rachel Macy Stafford.

You can read more about it here. I was so challenged by this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who desires to live a more intentional, people-focused life. It's written from a mother's perspective, but can certainly be applicable to anyone.

Another fun book has been DIY Succulents: From Placecards to Wreaths, 35+ Ideas for Creative Projects with Succulents by Tawni Daigle.

Succulents have often intrigued me and this book provides some great info on caring for such plants (for someone like me who needs a little help) as well as adorable craft and decor ideas for the home.

What have been some of your favorite spring activities lately?

A Thankful Heart

The Thanksgiving season has come and gone already. It's one of my favorite times of the year! Sure, I enjoy Christmas also, but there's just something special about reflecting and giving thanks for our many blessings from above.

Here are just a few of my thankful highlights from November:

 We held a ladies seminar at our church recently. 

It was a great event filled with rich teaching, good fellowship, and...

wonderful food.

We hosted about 90 ladies from various backgrounds 

and denominations, which was exciting.

 We enjoyed the wedding of good friends last weekend. 

Yay for dressing up and celebrating marriage! :)

 It was special to host my hubby's family for Thanksgiving.

I had fun decorating- simple, but festive.

And for the record, brown craft paper is a genius way to serve multiple purposes:

-mess-free tablecloth, 

-names for place settings can be written directly on it,

-& it fits the season!

Cheese and cracker appetizer which was gone in no time!

Today's reasons to be thankful: decorating for Christmas, catching up with dear friends, and fun games/snacks! What are you thankful for today?

Home: A Place & Culture of Rest

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

Psalm 62:5-8

Since stumbling across these verses again the other day, I’ve been meditating on them often, asking myself where I’m dwelling. Am I dwelling in the rest and assurance that is found in my Jesus alone? He is my rock and my fortress. Time spent with him enables me to face the storms of life. How important it is to pour out my heart to him on a consistent basis, baring my soul before the One who made me.

I am incredibly thankful to have been given the opportunity to change my work status to part-time. It has been very right for me and our sometimes hectic schedule. My dear husband was very supportive in my decision (read more here) and has been my encouragement all along. He has admitted to me that he has noticed a real sense of rest when he enters our home at the end of his workday. My simply being home more often has aided in setting a culture of rest here that we did not have before. If I’m honest, the transition time was more difficult than I expected it to be. Yet the Lord brings changes into our lives and sometimes asks us to surrender our agenda through those changing seasons.

As I mentioned earlier, consistent time with my Father is so vital in setting the tone of my day and ultimately, the tone of our household. The joy of the Lord is a very real thing and joy is found in spending time with Jesus. Another challenge is this-

via

There are days when I’m at home cleaning and doing laundry and I find myself wishing I was doing something of more importance. Those things just feel mundane after awhile. But then I remind myself that joy is a choice. When I choose joy, my spirit is lifted and I have a reason to sing.

May His unending joy be your strength and your song today!

Home Sweet (First) Home

They say home is where the heart is. I’d have to agree completely. We enjoyed our first home, a rental, for one year before purchasing our current home. I’ve been meaning to share a few snapshots of our “log cottage in the woods.”

Through the seasons:

  Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

Room by room (minus a few):

I loved our spacious entryway room with my piano.

We also loved our little breakfast bar. It was perfect for a quick morning bite-to-eat!

Our comfy living room

I loved the cheery yellow walls through most of the house, including our bedroom.

This gorgeous mantle is probably what I miss the most. Although we didn’t use the fireplace, I thoroughly enjoyed decorating the mantle with the seasons.

All in all, we have many treasured memories of our first house. God blessed us abundantly. Now we are excited to create new ones in our new home! What's your favorite feature or memory of your home?