Jumping back in!!!

Just so you all know, I had given myself a  leave of absence this last week, I wasn't just MIA! I spoke at the home school conference this past weekend so the last week was focused on preparing and unwinding! The actual retreat was wonderful. We were so encouraged by the various speakers and it was a wonderful time for David and I to have some concentrated time together, while being challenged in how we want to raise our children. Speaking was a very new, very terrifying and yet a very blessed experience. Thanks to those of you who were there to support me! I was very encouraged! (For those of you who weren't there, I've covered almost all that I spoke on here on my blog!)

(Ella and Boppa at Applebees on the way home from the conference!)

It has been so fabulous getting back into regular life. I am freshly awakened to how thankful I am for my precious family. These last few days I've been able to spend wonderful time in the Word, reading a book I've been working on and working on a schedule for our summer days. ( I am NOT a scheduler so stay tuned to see how this turns out!).

We've also been having fun in the garden. Good news folks! So far, my garden is doing great! For those of you who remember my May  post, this is a tremendous blessing! Much of the credit goes to my ever incredible husband who declares that he actually enjoys weeding and who has spent many a pleasant evening weeding while I water. I love that guy! As you can see, Havilah thoroughly enjoyed her lesson in weeding as well!

My heart is simply overflowing these days. How could it not be? These two little monkeys came out to keep me company outside this morning. They are both wearing their older sister's boots backwards. Bethany is wearing Havilah sweater inside out and Havilah is wearing Lydia's sweater upside down. I just love these moments!

So anyway, I'm back! I'm excited about blogging again and excited about reconnecting with all of you! If you are new here, thank you so much for stopping by! If you leave a comment it will completely make my day! God bless!

Where Else?

I've never really been a "stresser". I praise God for parents who raised me to rely on the Lord. Their example during my growing up years was invaluable. However, while tendencies are very helpful, they are always put to the test it seems! For some reason this past year has just been one of those years! It can come in many forms and from all different sides. I found my non-stressed resolve crumbling on many fronts. Everything from fiances to overwhelming responsibilities to divided relationships began to pile onto my chest. You know that weighted down heavy feeling that makes it hard to breathe? How about that rock in your stomach when you wake up in the morning? This was all rather new to me! But it wasn't fun!

One day as I was driving home by myself (unbelievable I know!) I began to simply pray out loud. I started out telling the Lord all the things that were bothering me and making me uncomfortable, and went on to tell Him where I would rather be. It was then that I had the feeling of falling out of an airplane without a parachute.  I was scared. I burst into tears. I began to beg my gracious heavenly Father to hold me and keep me safe in His hands.

The thought of "telling God" what He should do terrified me. Completely and utterly terrified. As it should. It hit me like a blow that day, and I hope that the blow never goes away. The only place I ever want to be is in HIS HANDS! Where else could I ever begin to be safe? Where else would ever bring me even a glimpse of true peace?

Who holds in his hands more blessings than we could imagine? Only God. Who wants the absolute best for us, not only for today, but for eternity? Only God. Who has the wisdom to plan just what we need to learn and grow to be useful for the only things that really matter? Only God. Who has the power to accomplish whatever He desires? Only God. What or whom should we fear? Only God.

I love this quote by A.W. Tozer. "With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures."

To rest completely in the Father's loving hands is truly the only place I want to be! What else could I possibly desire?

5 Months Old!!!!

Here we are again! Another month older!

We love her! We love her! We love her!!!!!!

Very near perfection!

Once upon a time there was a young girl who visited a tea house with some dear friends and tried scones for the very first time. They were round, light, moist and delicate. Topped with a bit of cream they were absolutely delicious! Much to her dismay she soon discovered that anytime anyone spoke of "scones" they were referring to hard, dense triangles that brought back not a bit of that old delight.

As you may have guessed, that poor confused girl is me. And while I have come to appreciate the regular scone, and have even had some I greatly enjoy, I still had fantasies in my head of those never forgotten delicacies.

Oh the joy that flooded my heart the other day as I discovered that my dreams could be a reality once more! "British Scones" were what I was dreaming of. Not sure why it took me so long to figure this out. My friends that I learned all of my tea loving times from are very English.

I found a recipe that we are loving so I thought I would share it with you!

Here's how it goes~
Preheat oven to 425'
Mix~  2 1/2 cups flour
          2 tsp. baking powder
          5 Tbls. Sugar
          1 tsp. Salt

Blend in 1/2 cup butter with a fork, pastry blender or fingers.
Gently mix in 1 1/3 cup milk
Add as much flour as you need to get it to a workable consistency.   ( Be careful to not overwork at this point or they will get tough!)

Pat out to 1/2 - 1 in. thickness and cut out with a biscuit cutter or any handy cup you have on hand!

Place parchment paper on cookie sheet and place scones on it.

Bake for 10-12 minutes

This batch made 15 scones (Sisters Rachel and Anna are over!!!)

We ate ours with whipped cream, lemon curd and strawberry jam.

*Lemon Curd*

Mix in double boiler and cook on medium heat~

3 eggs

1/3 lemon juice

3/4 sugar

After approximately 10 min. it will thicken. ( Use a whisk if you don't want lumps!)

Remove from heat and stir in 4 Tbl. butter until melted. Add 1 Tbl. lemon zest. Cool

I now LOVE lemon curd!!!

A beautiful cup of tea. A delightful light, flaky and moist scone, topped with whipped cream and lemon curd making for a creamy, sweet and slightly tart flavor. Ahhhhhhh! Just about as good as it gets!

Something I am or Something I do???

I read a beautiful article about this earlier this morning and it really has got me thinking. Is being a wife and a mother some I am or something I do? Or does it even matter?

I am a wife. I became one the day I said I do. I am a mother. I became one the day my first child was conceived. But that really says very little about me. With that way of thinking I could be a wife and never speak a word to my husband. I could be a mother and never spend a day of their life with my child. In thinking that being a wife and mother is something that I actually do or don't do brings with it serious and even grave implications. 

Why serious? Why grave? Because if it is about something I am doing, that means it is either something I am doing well or something I am doing poorly.  My husband is a contractor. But he is either a poor contractor or a skilled contractor. He is not admired and appreciated simply for being a contractor but for the diligence, skill and hard work that he puts into his work. He is a master. Not because he has his contractor's licence, but because he has learned, practiced, developed and used his skills in a masterful way.

I wrote recently about what the heart of a mother needs to be, but the most noble and devoted heart is no good if it is not put into action. Here is where I constantly fall. I'm ever drawn to the path of "convenience".  Cooking, cleaning, resting, playing, decorating, dreaming, learning, exploring. They are all more easily done on my own. How often have I snapped at my girls for interrupting while I'm blogging to you all about loving your children?  My desire to be a godly wife and mother is often drowned out by my selfish desires, or even more often, my lazy desires.

There is a reason the Bible instructs us as wives to be "busy at home". We are not talking about being stressed, overwhelmed chicken's with our heads cut off. We are talking about wisdom, diligence and self-control. My most stressed moments come directly from my own laziness. My most peaceful and beautiful days come from being faithful to the things the Lord has called me to.

James 4:14~"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

We only have one shot at this. One chance to do things right. Not for our own merit or reputation, but for the Lord's. Today I cannot go to the amusement park with my friends because I have a nursing baby. I can't go on a canoe trip for the weekend because I have small children who would fry in the sun. I can't go out to eat whenever I want to because we have six mouths to feed every day. But I also will not have small children forever. They will grow. All of them. Much sooner than I realize, I will not have a baby of my own. I won't have little girls to crawl onto my lap. Little children to ask me questions about every area of life. Will I have done my job well?  Am I being faithful with what the Lord has blessed me with? Am I the wife and mother that the Lord wants me to be. When I stand before Him, will I have run my race well? I decide that today. And tomorrow. And the next day. By God's grace and only by that, will I strive and fail and strive and fail and continue striving to truly be and do all that will bring Him glory! Come strive with me!

6

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day. My hubby snatched me away to the coast for a day of shopping, seafood and the gorgeous Oregon coast. I am so in love with this man I can hardly believe it. The last six years with him have been amazing. I love living every day with him and can't wait for many, many, many more years to come!

(For those of you who noticed, yes, I did just get glasses. I have needed them for a very long time, but it is taking some getting used to!)

All mushy and time crunched!

Tomorrow is our anniversary and today I am filled with thoughts of my amazing husband. Did I say amazing? I mean, AMAZING!!! I met him when I was three years old, fell in love with him when I was thirteen, married him at eighteen and have never doubted for one moment that he is the most incredible man alive and that he was created perfectly for me. I wanted to write out our whole story but then I remembered, "Oh yeah! I did that last year!". I was then going to scan pictures from our wedding but, you guessed it, I did that last year too! So, with great feeling and warmth I say, go read our story here. And for pictures of two kids who were madly in love look here. Everything I felt then, I feel now, just 100 times more!!!   

It's June, and you know what that means!!!!

I Love LOVE LOVE,June!!!!! I would have to say it is my favorite month. Not only is June a beautiful month with flowers, veggies, and sunshine, it also holds some very special days. Our anniversary, my husband's birthday and Father's Day all fall within a few weeks of each other. Get ready for some hubby bragging coming up! We girls look especially forward to these times of spoiling "our man".

But, now to what we've been waiting for........The winners are...............................


Signing Time~ Staci !!!
Little House in the Big Woods~  Grace!!!
Tracing books~  Season !!!

I must say, I truly wish I could give a prize to all of you, I'm so appreciative of you stopping by here. More giveaways will definitely be in the future so come visit again soon!