To (not) Take Paper Flowers

These flowers have been lovingly sitting in my bedroom for about three years.  On occasion they may even sit in the dinning room.

I love these flowers.
Rose made some of them for me on a previous Mother's Day and some for my birthday.

Even though they are paper, they are beautiful.  I treasure them.  It reminds me of the precious little girl that God has placed in my care.  ...my responsibility to train her up in the ways of the Lord, to be a loving example to her, to lovingly guide her.

But as we are preparing to move and are sorting our 'stuff'  I realize that it is just not practical to pack and move all our stuff, like lovely paper flowers.  ...as, we will have limited space.   So that prompted me to take a photo of this item that has been part of my life, part of my daily beauty for years.

I don't want to forget that this season in my life of caring for and loving this little girl is only here for a short time.  It is a precious time.

I have always dreamed of being a mommy to a llittle girl.  Being a wife and a mom has been my dream job since I was a little girl myself.  Now that it is here, I try to be purposeful in enjoying it and savoring it.

I have had lots of other jobs along my journey to being a mom.  I got to thinking of the different jobs I had along my path.  So I decided to write them down, for the fun of it.
Here are actual paying jobs that I have had (in no particular order):

• Lifeguard
• Babysitter
• 1st Grade Teacher
• Tutor
• Preschool Teacher
• Salesperson
• Cake Decorator
• Middle School Special Ed Math and Science teacher
• Insurance Agent
• Youth minister
• Mail Room
• Marketing Executive
• Dorm Cleaner
• Melaleuca Director
• Substitute Teacher
• Summer Missionary
• Farm Help
• Personal Educator
  
• Nanny
  
• Brokerage Accounts Rep
• Pampered Chef Consultant
• Handwriting Letters for Companies
• Camp Counselor

At least those are the ones I can think of.
Ahh, nothing even comes close to what I do now.


So, how many of you have paper made gifts sitting in places of honor in your home?


 

Someone special turns 7

I can not believe it has been seven years. How wonderful it is to have this precious girl in my life.

Well, she designed her cake this year. She wanted stairs with 2 candles on each stair, representing her 6 previous years. Then a seven on top. She wanted it all chocolate. She drew a few pictures for me to go by and seemed happy with the final product.She requested her birthday party be at grandma and grandpa's so her cousins could come. So we had her party while we were in KY about a week before her actual birthday. At the last minute she requested to wear her PJs during the party, so she could be comfy.She was pretty excited over her presents.Tori decorated for the party and ran the "pin the tail on the donkey" game. How nice it is to have a sweet niece take over some of the party responsibilities!!

On her actual birthday we were back home, and the birthday girl got to pick where we ate supper. Can you guess where she picked? Yep, Chuck E Cheese.

She had one more birthday celebration. She was able to take one friend to the American Girl bistro for lunch about a week after her birthday. Mannayah joined us for lunch and for a ride on the carousel.

Here they are with their appetizers.They had little seats for their dolls.Eating their entrees.And then the dessert to share! The waitress came over and sang happy birthday to Rose and put a candle on her brownie to blow out.The man running the carrousel gave them an extra ride when he found out she was celebrating her birthday!

I just had to share these pretty vintage wrapping papers that Grandma Anderson sent her presents in. Aren't they dreamy!

On the farm

Rose and I enjoyed two weeks in Kentucky for spring break. We spent most of that time on Grandma and Grandpa's farm. Rose played with her cousins and the animals from morning to night. We missed Chad dearly but he had to stay home and work.

It is always so nice to be at my parents. They are very sweet, loving and fun. And it so BEAUTIFUL there! It is a wonderful place to enjoy Gods creation. Plus my sisters come over often and my nephews and niece. It is great being around everyone. We also were able to visit a couple of my aunts while we were up, which is always nice.
It is a very peaceful place.

Tori and Rose relaxing on the back porch.

Rose holding Buttons
Rose and Tori up in the barn.
Rose bottle feeding a baby goat.
I got to fed a baby goat as well. They really are so cute.
Rose holding Buttons.....again. She played and played and played with Buttons ....for hours. That is one tame and patient cat.
Tori letting Rose brush out her hair one night.
Grandpa got two tadpoles and two salamanders out of the pond for Rose. Gma and Gpa even let her keep them in their living room for the remainder of the visit.
On the drive up and drive down we got visit Lilly Kate in TN. Here is Lilly Kate and Rose playing on the see-saw :0)

Good ole silly fun

Thankfully Rose has a such a good nature daddy! (He really is the greatest guy I know!)

Rose thought it was hilarious to "sneak" and put bows in his hair. She thought he couldn't tell what she was doing while he was working on something.I love her expression in this one.

Sometimes mommy can be pretty silly with her as well.It is fun having a six year old.

I keep telling myself...she is only little once! I better enjoy each age and stage while I can. She changes and seems to grow so rapidly. I really do want savor these years!


I am so thankful to God for allowing me to be a wife to Chad and a mother to Rose.

Becoming A Titus 2 Woman

I read this post over at 'A Wise Woman Builds Her Home' and thought I'd share. Since it was a reminder to me to buy the book "Becoming A Titus 2 Woman" by Martha Peace. I had heard about this book some time ago and was going to read it.....but it totally slipped my mind.

I loved "An Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace and I highly recommend it! I am looking forward to reading this book as well!

********************

The Tender-Hearted Mom

It is not uncommon to see a mother grab her child in anger in the grocery store or in the church. Even mothers who are normally easy going and tender-hearted can be exasperated beyond belief. Of course, they never have an excuse to sin before God and to sin against their child but they do need help. The older women are to lovingly hold them accountable to be kind and tender-hearted instead of mean and and hard-hearted. Another way the older women can help the younger women to love their children is to remind them to be wise like God.

"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. ( James 3:17-18, emphasis added)

..House rules are often a point of conflict between the children and mothers. They are certainly necessary but it is critical how they are enforced. Sometimes young mothers become like marine drill sergeants at boot camp. As a result, the rules are enforced in a cruel and hard-hearted way through threats, screaming, yelling, and name calling. It may result in an outwardly compliant child who remembers to make their bed and take off their muddy shoes, but it is also likely to produce a child who is likewise cruel and hard in their heart. Gentleness and mercy are more important than external rules.

Help the young mothers to be consistent with enforcing house rules but to do it in love.

If they must err, it should be on the side of mercy since "...mercy triumphs over judgment"

(James 2:13)

-Martha Peace, Becoming a Titus 2 Woman

**********************************************

Thank you to 'A Wise Woman Builds Her Home' blog for this post!

Gentleness of Voice

Another great post from a fellow blogger. Training Daughters, Teaching Wives

A Tone of Voice

Posted By Miss Jocelyn on July 27, 2010

It’s not so much what you say

As the manner in which you say it;

It’s not so much the language you use

As the tone in which you convey it;

“Come here?” I sharply said,

And the child cowered and wept.

“Come here,” I said-

He looked and smiled

And straight to my lap he crept.

Words may be mild and fair

And the tone may pierce like a dart;

Words may be soft as the summer air

But the tone may break my heart;

For words come from the mind

Grow by study and art-

But tone leaps from the inner self

Revealing the state of the heart.

Whether you know it or not,

Whether you are mean or care,

Gentleness, kindness, love and hate,

Envy, anger, are there.

Then, would you quarrels avoid

And peace and love rejoice?

Keep anger not only out of your words-

Keep it out of your voice.

Author Unknown

- I found this post via A Wise Woman Builds Her Home