sportin' the sports

Now I get it!

Growing up I played a variety of sports.  My parents used to tell me, 'Great job Amy!  We are proud of you."  As a child, that was fortunately just normal vocabulary to me.  (I blame my adult confidence on them)  Then as a teenager, I outwardly brushed those comments off.  And inwardly relished them. 

The background info is that I knew I wasn't the star of the team.  I think I made exactly zero baskets while playing basketball, screamed when that pitcher threw the ball for me to hit (as if) and track... well, I hid behind the bleachers when the all-county meet came.  I am the first to sign up for an event, the skill part just lags behind my confidence.  And for those of you who feel sorry for my lack of athletic prowlness, don't worry, I eventually found some of it. 

Now I have a 4 1/2 and 7 year old playing stuff.  And I get it!  I am the one yelling "Great job!"  And it hardly matters if it was a great job or not.  Thankfully, the girls got my willingness to join teams, and my hubby's skill at them. 

Claire started her first softball team a few months ago.  Her first game, she jumped in as catcher- never having put the gear on made for a very funny walk.  But that didn't matter, I still took 6,583 pictures.

Hey batter, batter....

O-U-T!

Who's competitive here????

Clarie is all about the gear.  Which is exactly why my husband started playing catcher.   

Can we take a moment and notice the size difference? 

Hi Mom.

Now this is what I remember about softball- dancing!

 And now because I will feel bad if I don't at least mention the second athlete:  Ella is taking a social break from sports this spring... but here's a tribute to her fall soccer days:|

"I will stand right here until I have all of your attention"

Hottest day ever!  EVER!

While it is ubber-important for me to cheer my kids on when I see them out on the field.  I have to reflect on the act of encouraging others off the field. 
Don't you just LOVE how smart God is!  He loves me so much that he allows US to encourage others.  I know 100% some of God's work for me is to build others up.  Some games I am totally in and I am cheering others as I am created to do.  And there are other "games" where I blow it.  I forget who's team I am rooting for.  But thankfully, there's always a game going on where I can get back in it.  And thankfully I have many who cheer me on ... daily sometimes! 

So whether you had this or not in your life, I just want to say, "Great job you!  You are awesome!"

unexpected

The 4 year old is sick today.  Which means I have a day at home that was unplanned.  6 hours!  What do I do!  I put this pressure on myself to do really great things when times like this happen.  I feel like I should paint the entire house or write a letter to everyone I know.  Extra things.

I decided that I would create a visual “to do” list.  Taking pictures of the things I hoped to accomplish would be way more fun than actually doing them.  And maybe inspire me to do them. Pictures of the plants I hoped to get into the garden, grout to be cleaned, the one window ledge to be painted, sports equipment to be organized…. Complete with “after” pictures of course. 

Made my mental list.  Got out the camera.  Ready. Dead battery.  Hmmph. 

While the battery charged, I decided to go to the “normal” chores.  I washed dishes, vacuumed AND moped the house, did 3 loads of laundry, stripped and made all the beds, sorted mail, cleaned the bathroom WITH bleach (nothing like watching your child throw up on the floor to break out the good cleaning stuff), put clothes away, and toys (who will invent a toy that will put itself away?)

Proof:  Can you see the floor shine?

I guess it’s better that the camera didn’t want to work.  My list-making personality is happy because I have a really clean house and it's only 9 am!  So now onto the extra chores, or is it sun basking time?

Happy Spring cleaning!

spring has sprung

So spring officially began March 20th, but I don't particularly enjoy the "in like a lion" part of spring. So I kinda hibernated through that. 
"Out like a lamb" ahh.... we are basking in beauty here.

This tree had no growth two days ago.. See today!

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

So true!  When I was living in big ole' sin, I was ugly.  U-G-L-Y.  I still looked kinda like me, but I didn't like me.  I left my college town the day I graduated because I thought I could escape that ugly. Nope, He had a time for me.  He met me as soon as I came home (literally and figuratively), and beautiful-ied me.  (let's just pretend that's an actual word)  I still have my days, but because of His love, I like me!!!!

And I really must end with this:

As I was inside looking for Scriptural inspiration, look what my two cherubs were up to:

God made dirt...

pantry panic

We need to talk about my pantry.  R& I have already remodeled a kitchen.... and we are 2/3s through our second house remodel.  In house #1, I had the perfectly designed kitchen.  I had a huge pantry that I loved.  It had sliding drawers, nice deep shelves for Costco overbuys, an entire cereal section.  It was great. 
So imagine my fear when I realized our current house has no place for a pantry.  Yes, well, that didn't stop us.  We smooshed two cabinets in between a door and a window.  We will eventually add knobs so it will look like one piece of furniture.  Problem is, our last pantry was HUGE, this one is only 12 inches deep.  How in the world will I fit everything in?!?!  Granted we are not completely moved in yet (like I said, no knobs) but I. LOVE. IT!!!!!!
Because it's not deep, I haven't lost a thing.  I know where the kidney beans are.  They can't migrate behind their long-lost cousins- you know: garbanzos.  And it has lots of shelves, which means everything has a place.  None of this crackers-next-to-the-pasta nonsense. 
Ready.....

And closed... white joy!!!

 Did you notice the jars?  Poor Ryan has to reach up every morning to get the coffee beans?  But I love them.  They are a visual delight to me.

Hope you all have some storage somewhere you love just as much.

process with me

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  - Philippians 4:6

On a normal day I'm totally with ya Paul.  I get it.  I will not worry.  I give it to you Lord.  'I am so obedient to God's Word' I think.  That is, until there is something to stew about.  And tonight there's some stewing a brewing.  My brain will not turn off.  My heart wants to turn off.  My husband probably wants my mouth to turn off.  My head, oh my head.  Just keeps turning things around.

I need to break this verse down:

Do not- I really can't misinterpret that.... do not

be anxious- if I replace that with some synonyms it could read:
    Do not be fearful, discouraged, perplexed, upset, uneasy....
Which of course is precisely how my wordly perspective wants me to feel right now.  I need to make a decision about next year and I am thrown.  I thought I knew.  I thought I had a plan, but now I don't, which has caused me to be fearful, discouraged, perplexed, upset, uneasy... you know- anxious.

about anything- yes, even this Amy

but in everything- sometimes I want to categorize things.  Like this pile is the big stuff I am not going to worry about, let God handle it- the kids safety at school, world peace, my own health... but this other pile is so small surely God will allow me to worry about it.  But "everything" is that little pile too. 

by prayer and petition- did you know prayer is a noun?  and petition is a verb?  I thought they were pretty much the same thing.  But I think God is telling me that one requires some action.  So stop wasting my time on the action of worry, and change it to the action of petitioning Him.

with thanksgiving- well now there.... that changes things.  If I look at the idea of decision making as a blessing, it gives me hope.  An antonym for thanks is curse.  Which is exactly what I have been giving myself with my worry. 

present your requests to God-  I am now ready to do so.  Through dissecting this verse, God has cleansed my heart.  Purified me to see Him in the decision making process.  Now I can lay before my beloved my heart. 



This doesn't mean I know what to do about next year.  But the peace, oh the peace that comes with reading His Word is worth more than any answer I could come up with right now. 

Isn't it funny how I printed that verse out for my daughter earlier tonight, but I am the one who needed it.... funny?  Or divine?!?!

Nancy

My first grader has gotten into Nancy Drew stories.... which is a huge upgrade from the Star Wars "stories" we have been reading.  Don't get me wrong- I am a fan of the intergalactic battles between good and the dark side.  But the books have not been a literary delight. 

Enter Nancy.  Last night Clarie's questions while reading were:
1.  Why does Nancy always wear dresses?
2.  What does luncheon mean?
3.  And impervious?

And my favorite: 
4. Do you think Nancy played soccer?

Thank you Carolyn Keene for writing about a girl who is strong and intelligent, even if she had to wear a dress. 

finally...

I have thought for years about blogging... I even created a fake blog on my laptop, or as my mom calls it, my wireless computer.  And after accidentally clicking on a friends post this morning, I created THIS.  THIS.  Who knows if it'll be read, probably by my mom if she can figure out her wireless computer.  I'll stop being self-depricating, which is not natural to me, and DO THIS!

It seems to me that blogs usually have a hook- someone writes about their recipes, their crafts, their kids.... still working on that one.  I suppose that one should create their "mission statement" then "do this"  But that's not my style.  I am a jummer innner..... and yes, that could totally be a word.  I love love love starting things.  And that's about it.  Which is why I wisely married a finisher.  He's nervous to start, so I come in, and DO THIS.

Journey with me as I discover the blessings in life that are worth blogging about.

So this blog is started.... Ryan will be home soon to finish it.