This is it!

yesterday ryan and i had a great day....we hung out with the girls, went swimming in the pool with them, while ryan put up our rock border in the back yard....i was able to lay out in the yard while they played very well together. brighten was napping. amazing! this is probably the first time in all their lives that i just relaxed, inside as well.
i let them be.
i was.
no agenda.
just dwell.

it was freeing! ryan has been encouraging me to have this mindset every day.
this is it!
this is what we are going for!
enjoy!
live!
love!

love is a huge goal of mine lately, i've been reminded of the love passage in 1 corinthians 13:

⁴Love ^K)">is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not ^M)">arrogant,

⁵does not act unbecomingly; it ^N)">does not seek its own, is not provoked, ^O)">does not take into account a wrong suffered,

⁶does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but ^Q)">rejoices with the truth;

⁷^R)">bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

a new perspective i had is: don't ponder how to be these things, just know Who is and live in that!

i just got back from my weekend away!!! oh man did i have a blast with my mom. we drove to Philadelphia and went to my cousin's wedding....it was beautiful!! then the next day we went to see some friends in Philly and they took us to my favorite store Lush!--i actually had never been to the actual store before, i was just an online customer...it was amazing!! you'll be really amazed at the soaps and bath bombs....go ahead, take a look!!

i've also been having a hard time re-adjusting to life back as normal, and i believe it's more spiritual than physical. ryan really put it clearly in his blog...so take a look. www.peopleonahill.org. i didn't realize the lies (or spirits) that i've been living with until i came back...do you know what i'm talking about? it's like the oppression on the land that you live, when you leave you feel amazing...when you return you feel like crap and can't move! so i'm struggling and fighting for freedom in my home...so i can be free to love and live and move freely!! i didn't realize what i was dealing with until i came back! oh it's hard! so please pray that i would be free to have love, power and a sound mind!! thankyou!

man! i've been out of it! yup- the sacrifice of raising 4 wonderful children, leaves me out of certain areas of society...like the airport! so as i am there today, (all by myself) i get caught up in people watching,( i am so prone to it and enjoy it thoroughly!) and looking at all the updated airports.. and here are several things i've noticed/experienced:

--in the charlotte airport...when did they get bathroom attendants that you tip?
--in the JFK airport--when did they get amazing bars and computer bars to check e-mail?
--when the bathroom attendant told me to have a nice flight, i replied "you too!"--what? nevermind....haha!
--flying jetblue, everyone has their own personal cable TV/radio screen infront of them, headphones only $1!-no cash. no cash? how weird--only credit/debit cards!
--nobody talks on planes anymore, nope, nobody.
--tv is really trashy these days.

but i made it to my parents...i'm glad to be here, already got some new clothes! yippee! it's about time i bought a belt....next on the list! :)

this pic is one my mom took...she's really really good at it!

simplify

ryan and i just had an amazing conversation that freed me up to do the things i've dreamed of doing!! to live life and love my children and to do things i've always wanted to do...like can fruit or pick strawberries and make jam, store up for winter,...etc! i've always wanted to do these things, my mom has done them and she inspires me. but the past 3-5 years i haven't been able to do these dreams of mine....why?--we were in a different season.... we are in a new place now of simplification. it brings much rest and peace to my soul, wow! i am free to do these things now! really? yeah, really! i feel free and i am just now learning to embrace this season of rest! also i am eager to experience the Lord in these things. hallelujah! i'm so thankful for this season...more than i realize...more than i know!

Big high Five Friday!!
here's some things i love! what do you?

1. i love cappucinos!
2. watching girlie movies with my girlfriends!
3. the movie "27 Dresses!"
4. love it when my husband helps out, oh what a helper he is!
5. love to eat, oh yes i do!--esp my hubby's cooking! :)

Talk

i watched movie two nights ago, "Man on the moon"--yeah, a bit depressing and those childhood years bug me, pretty good movie. the "man on the moon"-line in the movie is all about telling the man on the moon all your troubles, give him all the pieces of the puzzle-so that while you sleep he can put it all together, when you wake up, it's all better! but i am hearing the Lord speaking to me! woohoo! all because i had a dream the next night...in the dream my dad calls me...and his ring on my cell phone was this old version of batman and he says "Talk"--i excuse myself and start to talk with my dad on the phone....end of dream. So, i hear the Lord telling me "talk"! Talk to me! tell me your heart, tell me your woes, dreams, hopes, everything! so i'm working on being more open, honest and real with the Lord...even if it has to be out loud! i don't have time to write it all down...so as weird as i feel talking out-loud...i'm trying! i know He is all knowing, but it's relationship building that i believe i'm working on, engaging my heart and mind with Him, and to Him. He is good, and that's what He wants!!

ivory

Adia

rye and i

just thought you could use some more pic updates!! enjoy!

new schedule

Our little household is adjusting to a new schedule. it's great~! today is the first wednesday where ryan doesn't have a "day off"...we've moved his days off to the weekend! here comes the adjustment! what the heck do i do today?? adjustments are necessary and good, especially for us now- we are in a waiting season...and daily i'm praying for a purpose...anything to do or accomplish really. how do i spice up my mundane? how can i revive my little heart/or protect it from being lukewarm? i could use some reminders right about now......anyone?

i like cute aprons!

i just discovered that i enjoy looking cute while i clean my house! i only discovered that after my great friend jenn gave me this really really cute apron that she ordered for herself on etsy, she didn't like the way it fit her, so she passed it on to me! i've had non-stop compliments when i wear it, from random people who happen to stop by the house while i'm wearing it! --and let me just tell you--it makes my day! "oh! i look cute? i'm cleaning, wiping butts, and trying to keep my sanity! cool!" feels great! i think i need to invest in more cute aprons now...maybe one for every day of the week! sounds like fun to me!!

so, the other day i was in world market, (my absolute favorite store!) and they had these really cute pink rubber gloves on sale/clearance and i had to get them...so cute! put it all together and wham-bam!-cute cleaning outfit! yay! fun times...way to spice up the mundane if you ask me! what do you do to spice up your day?

Brighten Joel turned one! --may 1st we had a little cake to celebrate his birth!
it's hard to believe one year ago everything changed! yep...and still changing...the most different year of my life. i cannot relate it to anything i've experienced yet. so much to be thankful for and look forward to--the unknown!
happy trails to you too!