That's How She Knows...

Confession time here.  There's a tiny part of me tucked away down deep that will always love Disney songs.  I just can't fight it.  "Be Our Guest" will always make me want to dance and "Part of Your World" will always make me want to cry. 

The other day I found myself singing along on Pandora to Enchanted's "That's How She Knows".  You know, Giselle is singing and dancing through the park, Edward is being stampeded by bicycles and we are all relieved that Robert is taking in some advice (even though we know he is falling in love with Giselle.  But come on, who doesn't love Giselle?).



As I was singing along, it hit me.  These very words I'm singing are exactly what gets me in trouble day after day.  The catchy lyrics are filled with sage advice like,

Well does he leave a little note to tell you you are on his mind?

Send you yellow flowers when the sky is grey?

He'll find a new way to show you, a little bit every day.

That's how you know, that's how you know he's your love!

My husband has never once sent me yellow flowers when the sky is grey.  How could he not have thought of that?

Well does he take you out dancing just so he can hold you close?

Dedicate a song with words in just for you?

He'll find his own way to tell you with the little things he'll do.

That's how you know, that's how you know he's your love.

My friend's husband once dedicated a song just for her.  Has mine?  Never.

Because he'll wear your favorite color just so he can match your eyes.

Plan a  private picnic by the fire's glow.

His heart will be yours forever, something every day will show.

That's how you know, that's how you know he's your love.

Somewhere along the way (I really can't blame Enchanted!) I adopted the mindset that if my husband really loves me, he will show me.  Not just in any way, but in ways that make me feel loved.  To be honest, a lot of days have passed that it feels like he hasn't "shown" me that he loves me.  Sometimes it feels like he hardly does at all.

I've spent countless pitiful hours moping about how my husband must not really love me because he doesn't show me the way I expect.  Wasted, wasted hours.





To be honest, even after almost eight years of marriage, we are still learning every day how to love each other.  I hope we will continue to until the day we die.  As hard as it is for me to understand, I'm not as accomplished at showing him love as I think I am either. 

If I'm looking for proof of his love in candlelit dinners, dancing in the rain or foot massages, I will most likely be sorely disappointed.  But my husband has other ways of showing me that he loves me.  Like getting up for work every morning with a positive attitude and coming home from work every day with a kiss and arms to hold all six of us girls.  Like being completely honest with me and making choices and decisions that allow me to completely trust him.  Like listening to me endlessly and trying his hardest to understand how to love me.  Like praying for me and leading our family in a way that honors the Lord. 

That's how I know my man loves me.  And that how I know he's my love!



Sneak Peak

What's this???

That's right! It's new summer tea flavors coming soon to gracenotes.biz !!!  Mmmmmm!

Baby #2

Eleven days late but worth the wait, Mary finally had her baby!!!

Jonathan Steven Domes was born May 17.  An adorable ten pound baby boy!

Yesterday I got to spend all day playing with Caleb (big brother!) and snuggling this sweet little man.  I fall more in love with being an auntie every single day!

Two baby cousins born, two more still to come!!!

Pinterest Update

So I wrote awhile back about how I had joined Pinterest.  Well, I have actually tried some of the never ending wonderful ideas I found on there and I thought I would share a few of my favorites.

For Ella's two year old birthday I made the Rainbow cake.  My girls and I loved making this one and the surprise when it was cut into.

Then of course we tried the tie-dye cake which was even better because I had gotten some of the gel food coloring which is out of this world bright!

For the party for my sister, my dad and I, I tried some different cupcake ideas.  Blueberry,  German Chocolate, and Red Velvet Cheesecake.  (The Red Velvet were the BEST!!!)

I haven't taken any of my own picture (probably because we eat them so fast!!!) but another favorite have been these pretzels.  We've made them over and over and over.  Sooooooo good!

We've also tried different craft projects, like these homemade water color paints.

and these photo boards.  I love having these pictures hanging in our hallway.  Makes me so happy!

And Pinterest actually got me sewing on my own for the first time in seven years!  I've made little projects for each of the girls like this jumper and her head band.

And now that I got my ears pierced, I was in need of a place to keep my slow growing stash of earrings.  With an empty frame, a bit of lace and some super glue,  I'm loving my new earring holder!

I wouldn't say I'm addicted.  Not by a long stretch.  But I have enjoyed the inspiration and can't wait for the next great ideas to come my way!

Baby #1

Remember how I said I had four neices or nephews due this year?  Well, the first one was born!!!  She sneaked in three weeks early and took the place of first arrival even though she was supposed to be second!  Sweet Tirzah Marie was born to David's brother Jonathan and his wife, Laura.

We were abundantly blessed to get to see them only a week after she was born as they haeded through our part of the woods on their way south for the summer.

She is gorgeous.  Absolutely stunning.  They graciously allowed me to take some photos of her which thrilled me to no end.  I've never taken newborn pictures before and it was so much fun!!!

We love you Baby Tirzah!!!

My Cure-All

On our website we sell a product called All Better Butter.   We use it ALL of the time.  Diaper rash, bee sting, itchy skin, sun burn, chainsaw wound (seriously!), it all gets the All Better Butter around here.  And the stuff works!!!  It is our skin's "cure-all".

I  have a personal cure-all.  I know I've talked about it many times before here, and rest assured I will many times more because when I applied this powerful principle to my life, things changed. 

My cure-all is called.............  Thankfulness.

My friend who just became a new mom wrote on facebook recently something along the lines of,  "How to I be an adoring wife, a loving mother, a thrifty spender, a immaculate housekeeper and everything else ALL at the same time???".  My reply?  You guessed it!  Thankfulness.

Obviously, we can not do "it all" all of the time.  In fact, it is vitally important to remember that really we can't do anything without the Lord.  Think about it.  If I can do nothing to ensure that my heart keeps beating, what makes me think that I could ever be in control of the "having it all together" in my life?

So the answer to my friend's question really is, you can't "do it all".  But the best tip I can give in making sure you are doing your best in life is,  Be Thankful.

When I am thankful for my amazing husband and all that he does every day, not only to provide for me and keep me safe, but also to show me love and to live in a way that allows me to trust him completely, it motivates me to honor him in the way I speak to him and about him, to dress and care for myself in a way that pleases him and to look for new and fun ways to show him how blessed I am to be his wife.  Thankfulness makes me a better wife.

When I'm thankful for my beautiful children, for their priceless smiles, their sticky kisses, the unmeasurable joy they bring to our home, it motivates me to take the time for the extra snuggles, the words of encouragement, the patience during the hard times, the effort to really solve their problems and not just pacify them.  Thankfulness makes me a better mommy.

When I am thankful for the home I live in, the ample space we have, all the things that make our lives so comfortable, it motivates me to take better care of our possessions and to keep my home in a way that is honoring to the Lord, my family and to everyone who comes to my home.  Thankfulness makes me a better keeper of my home.

Thankfulness helps me to make better meals, to shop smarter, to encourage others, to work harder in my garden, to smile more, to exercise regularly and so much more without any of it feeling like a burden.  It makes me excited about life and all that it brings with it. 

Thankfulness is my cure-all for life.  And I am always in need of it.  Try some today and see how it can motivate you to serve the Lord, not from duty but from praise!

Distraction

So I set out one beautiful evening, to watch my wonderful husband till my garden.  I thought I would take some pictures showing you all our garden space, and how we will be planting.  Alas, sun flare and an adorably cute, chubby baby completely drove my plans out of my mind and my camera was instead filled with pictures of said baby.

Personally,  I like these pictures much better than any garden ones.  I hope you agree!

I am comletely smitten with this little girl!

Birthday Fun!!!

Spring is upon us and around here, spring means birthdays!!!  I think I have been the most blessed woman when it comes to the timing of eachof my pregnancies.  The most pregnant I have ever been during the heat of summer has been six months.  Three out of five of my babies have been born in the beautiful spring time.  (Now this year we are adding two new cousins to the springtime birthdays!)

Havilah and Lydia's birthdays are exactly two weeks apart, so we almost always do a joint family party for them.  This year we included my Aunt Cheryl who is also an April birthday.

What is more wonderful than celebrating people we love with people we love?

I did it!!!

Scared as I was,  I took the plunge and after almost four years of blogging I actually changed my template.  Please be patient and kind with me as I figure out the quirks!  Hope you still feel welcome here even with a new look!  Any (gracious!) tips would be much appreciated!

Look forward to getting back in the swing of blogging this summer!  Can't wait to see more of you all!

Catching Up!!!

Last time I wrote I said I was behind.  Now I must be woefully behind.  I so want to come back and cover these topics in more detail, but for now I'll give you a quick glance at what has been going on in our lives!


These days we are.......

Growing a year older!!!



Eating tie dye cake!!!

Or just eating daisies while Daddy tills!

Playing in  piano recitals

Or playing with a beautiful new cousin!

Just chillin' out

And just growing up!!!