Productive Rest

Last weekend was a whirlwind, but we made it through to the other side.  If you remember, I was blogging from a coffee shop on the front side of a majorly over-scheduled weekend.

God has always been faithful to speak to my heart when I'm in the throes of parenting, to fill my cup and feed my spirit when I've had babies in my lap or young ones running around my chair.  Nowadays the "distractions" are more like thinking through logistics, answering a pressing question, or working on something that I didn't realize would be on my agenda today.  I'm faithful to spend time with the Lord in the morning every day, even when those things press in and try to derail me.  However, there is something about getting away, just me, to listen and read and journal and pray.  

The birthday party was a smashing success, with this "hat bar" at the top of the list for activities I've ever done with the Blossoms and their friends.

How cutesy are these personalized trucker hats?!!!

Blossom3 was thrilled with all the fun at her Sweet 16 and it made my mama heart so happy.  Their gratitude means a lot to me, but if they forget, I do what I do to serve the Master.

Shout out to the other 3/4 of the Blossoms who managed the party prep on their own while I carted Blossom3 and her friend and fellow State Project Ambassador to a day camp an hour away.  The party would not have been possible without our Blossom Bunch.  I was so thankful for their hard work and willingness to make her party nice.  I was impressed at how many things they remembered and accomplished that weren't on my to do list.  They were excellent hostesses as we came sliding into the driveway with twenty minutes til folks were set to arrive.

After staying up wayyyyyyy too late, Blossom3 and Blossom4 headed out the next morning for Gatlinburg, TN.

They relished the sunshine and warmer temps as I deeply embraced my homestead mama persona and fed animals on days that were -10*.  Honestly, as brutal as that was, I'm just grateful they had this opportunity to see some new sights and relive some of my childhood memories.

They did several hikes and enjoyed good quality time and several inside jokes with Grandma and Grandpa.

Meanwhile, after tackling all the housework and random projects that have been bothering me, I retreated to a local coffee shop in a greenhouse.  This is GENIUS in winter time.  

The sound of the running water,

the green of the plants around me,

the colors of the blossoms,

the warmth of the magnified sunshine,

the time with an old friend,

and a dirty chai.

Later in the week, I headed into town to find some books for a grad school project Blossom1 is doing.  Being that she's teaching all day in school, it makes it difficult to get to an actual library to get materials.  I was glad to be able to serve her in this way.  I texted her a pic of all I borrowed for her with the caption, "Never doubt that I love you."  Then, I decided that a better caption would have been, "Love is books."  

Then, I treated myself to a trip to the thrift store.

Blossom3 and Blossom4 returned home with this thank you mug for me and I am thrilled.  I think I'll go put the kettle on again.  It was a pleasant mix of productive rest this week.  I'm grateful that my little birds are safe in the nest again.

Dominique

Frigid and Beautiful?

Did I mention we're having subzero temps here in the Hollow lately?  And that's after the 12-15 inches of snow that fell from the heavens on Sunday.

I thought the sleigh mug was appropriate for the weather, because choosing your mug in the morning is "choosing your vibe."  It's a small thing but savoring the small things truly helps me savor real, everyday life.

Who knows what the Blossoms were ogling here, but there were all sorts of cutesy comments.  I love this.

(That's Blossom4's signature slime being stretched there.  I'm currently wondering if she will be an entrepreneur that builds a business around this. In the meantime, I won't tell you how many random containers of slime are all over our house.)

What a perk of homeschooling!  Blossom3 and Blossom4 were in between subjects.  It's a snack and a furry snuggle time sort of break.  

I don't have to understand how it works to know it helps to build healthy humans.

Blossom3 passed her learner's permit test!  Afterward, she sipped her celebratory Dunkin' frozen matcha and we took a few minutes to chat about anything and everything.  It was such a busy day that day, but all day long, we came back to relishing the victory of surpassing that milestone.

Celebrate the milestones.

With words.

With a matcha.

With a smile.

With a hug.

A dear friend from our church family passed away last week and we organized the funeral meal.  I got a kick out of our three instant pots all lined up, cranking out delicious homemade refried beans.  

There was something so beautiful about being together all day, working toward the same goal, problem-solving, and remembering Melvin.  Remembering how he was always serving in the background and loving people.  

Involving our children is something near and dear to my heart.  

This is how they learn to serve.  

This is how they learn to spearhead and conquer events like this.  

This is how they learn to show love. 

I once heard a comedian say something like, 

"Drugs were a big part of my upbringing.  

I got drug to church.  I got drug everywhere."

I can attest to this, and I hope you can hear my humor when you read this.

I got drug along to serve.  

I got drug into raking leaves all day at a camp.  

I got drug to outreach events to man carnival games and serve food.

I got drug into baking hundreds of cookies for campers.  

I got drug into washing tons of dishes.

I got drug along to clean the church.  

I got drug along to serve right along with Mom in whatever she was currently doing,

and guess what, it was good for me.  

I can now (and many times, then too) attest to the joy, fellowship, and beauty of serving together.

Dominique

Figuring Out Supper

For many of us, what we're having for supper is the decision that haunts us all day.  

It seems we've developed a bit of a routine over the years.  My brain needs its energy to countless other innumerable challenges - 

from helping Blossom2 access her online learning platform when for some reason, it just won't link despite all the access codes in the world... 

to tackling slope and y-intercept challenges with Blossom3 when my brain is still absorbing my morning cuppa tea...

to helping Blossom4 remember to oil-pull for the health of her tonsils...

Oh wait, and supper?  Did you say supper????

My tried and true method is this:

Decide on supper when you're dealing with breakfast, 

the very first meal of the day.  

When the Blossoms filter in after devotions and chores and I'm puttering about in the kitchen with them... I decide on supper.

(I do realize that moms of littles probably aren't puttering about the kitchen; they're scrambling about the kitchen.)  

But you're in the kitchen, so decide on supper.  Don't worry about what you're in the mood for.  Don't worry about what sounds good.  Look at the time that you have for preparing supper.  Look at the menu you made before you went shopping.  

Decide.  Just decide.  

Then, pull the meat out of the freezer and put it on a plate to thaw all day.  

Good job!  You conquered that decision!  

New Mug

I've been eyeing up this mug at Dollar General for a while now and I finally grabbed it the other day, probably on a random run to pick up a jug of milk.  

What is done in love is done well.

Everything I do for Jesus and, correspondingly, for my family, 

if it is done in love, is done well.

My day is full of mundane tasks, important emails, tiny details, various conversations, and logistics, logistics, logistics.  

Have I done these things in love?

My heart is convicted.  

Did I do everything today in love?  

"What is done in love is done well."

Lord, let love drive me today!  Let Your love influence every part of what I do.

Amen.

PS - The Blossoms are terrific barristas!  That Caramel Chai Latte was magnificent!

More Reasons?

Once I started writing down reasons to be thankful for work, the Holy Spirit brought more and more reasons to mind!  I was very surprised at the number of reasons I can be thankful for work!  

~ I can watch for the Lord's return while I work.  

The fact that the Lord is returning and can return at any moment is something that gives me so much hope.  I don't want to be complacent.  I don't want to get too comfortable here on Earth.  I don't want to become too wrapped up in Earth life that I forget about His Imminent Return.  He's given me work to do.  I will do it and while I do, I will watch and be ready.  

~ The Lord calls those who are working.  

Do you remember the story of Elisha?  He was plowing a field when God called him.  He was working in the place where God had him.  He was blooming where he was planted.  God saw his faithfulness and called him into something bigger.  

Lord, I'm gonna keep bloom-bloom-blooming right here.  
You can see my faithfulness and line up whatever else You have for me to do!  

~ If I've been given much, much is required... and more will be given.  

That means there will be more work.  I'm not here for more position or more recognition.  I want to be doing God's will.  PERIOD.  Whatever that means.  Whatever He wants.  So, whatever He leads me to do, I will obey and He'll reward with more.  And that, not surprisingly, will probably mean more work.  It's interesting that we rarely connect those dots, but I know He will ALWAYS give me the grace to do His will.  

~ The rest day will come.  Today is a work day.  

"Six days shall you work." Then, we rest on Sunday.  We faithfully hold to this principle.  Even God rested after His work of Creation.  So, we rest.  But today, we work.  I'm thankful that this day of work was made by the Lord and I will be happy in it.  Then, I'll be happy in the rest day when it comes.  

Do you feel your perspective on today's work shifting?  I know I do.

And I Asked Myself

I idled on my swing, savoring the fresh and peaceful morning.  I pondered what needed to be done today.  Sometimes, I dread the work.  Sometimes I slay the work.  Either way, the work still needs to be done.  And I asked myself, 

"But can I be thankful for the work today?" 

I wondered this.  I often chronicle things I'm thankful for in my journal, but today, I wrote reasons I could be thankful for work.  

~ Through work comes provision.  

This is often how my Father, Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, works.  He frequently provides through work.  It isn't always a surprise check in the mail, though those miracles have happened to our family!  And, my work looks different and unique from others' work.  Today, that means, I'm thankful to weed, plant, and mess with the garden.  That means I'm thankful to stack the wood and oversee the wood-splitting.  Today, that means, I'm thankful for preparing and cooking food.  I'm thankful to be hanging clothes on the line.  I'm thankful for clothes to rotate and organize.  All this work reminds me of the ways that God continues to provide for our family.  I'm thankful for the daily work He provides!  

~ Through work comes order.

God is a god of order.  This is why a neat and tidy home lends itself to refreshing us and our families.  The disorder of this world came in at the fall of man and the toil and struggle are now a real part of our everyday life.  So much of my work is helping to bring about order again (and again and again).  Remembering that through what I do, order is brought about, helps me to be thankful for the work.

~ Through work comes character.  

Much is said in the book of Proverbs about the virtue of work.  Not only does my daily work build character in me, it also builds character in my children.  I am grateful for this.  I want to grow more Christ-like every day and a big part of that is doing EVERYTHING I do as unto the Lord and not just for people!  Do it with all your might!  Do it all for the glory of God!  What character can develop from this attitude daily!  That puts an entirely different spin on the work that the Blossoms and I must do today.  

I needed this reminder, friends.  More thoughts to come soon, I hope.

It Was Only a Straw

It was a straw that broke that poor camel's back...

Not a load of bricks.

Not a burden of stones.

A straw. 

Just like a million small things seem to be what overwhelms a mama.  

And my latest philosophy is:

"Do what bothers you."

All the little things snowball and lead to loads of discouragement.  And when I'm discouraged over the insurmountable tasks that need to be done, I tend to waste time avoiding them.  (I know, it really doesn't make sense.)

Lately, I (re)send the girls off to do what they are supposed to be doing, and I do something that's bothering me.  

Even if it's only the five minute version of taking care of what's bothering me. 

If you think your house is loaded with cobwebs, at least start with knocking down that one that you can see out of the corner of your eye while you're grading math.  

If the dusty baseboards are bothering you, at least wipe down the ones in the bathroom that have been tormenting you while you do your business.  

If the wash seems like it's out of control, at least throw in the load with the jeans your daughter needs for Bible Quiz practice tonight.  

Maybe it doesn't seem like much, but I've found that it snaps me out of my overwhelm and helps me see that the journey of a million miles truly begins with a single step.

Now, I'm back to sipping my tea and doing a few things that bother me. 

Dominique

Photo Credit to the Blossoms. They were wielding my camera up at Grandma's house up on the mountain.

A Little Tea Time

It's funny how fancy tea time looks, but it doesn't take very long to brew a pot and get those pretty plates out of the cupboard for sweet goodies and savory bites.  

It's the perfect way to catch up with a friend, share burdens, or reorient with the Blossoms.  Sometimes when I stumble across these snapsnots, I remember how easy it is to use tea time as a healthy reset.  In busy or stressful times, tea time is a tool.  Tea time is healthy.  Tea time is fellowship.  Tea time is love at work.  I'd better go put the pot on now...

Dominique

My Latest Acquisition of Sunshine

We had a blast at a friend's yard sale last week.  Blossom2 made whoopie pies, which sold really well, of course.  All the Blossoms made dog treats to sell.  It was refreshing to have the younger Blossoms fully involved with the dog treat baking process... and I do so "enjoy" the smell of whole wheat flour baking.  

The day began at the crack of dawn it seemed, but it was full of sunshine and good fellowship.  We moseyed around the neighborhood with friends, scoping out the yard sale scene.  

We discovered that Blossom3 has a fabulous bent for negotiating prices.  The rest of the Blossoms took to handing their merchandise and money to her so that she could haggle for them.  We'll certainly keep that in mind for her future career.  

I was thrilled to find these china plates for my tea party collection.  The sweet little handles on this one are so unique.

I do have a thing for dainty florals, for sure!  

I just enjoy putting delicious homemade goodies on vintage plates.  They are like a ray of sunshine!

We wrapped up the day with a few hours in the pool, cooling off.  Then, it was home for sloppy joes and baked potatoes.  

Summer fun!

The Music Room!

Blossom2 wanted to take a before picture.  I would rather not, as our basement is quite the utility storage area.  We do not have an attic.  Alas, Blossom2 snapped them and in the interest of real life, I feel I must share  ~ embarrassing though it may be.

Our basement houses our freezers, all the accoutrements for burning wood in our wood stove, homestead work gear, toys that are currently out of rotation, coats that are waiting to be grown into, scads of homeschool materials and records, and items on their way to be donated or disposed of.

What possessed me to tackle this???!!!!

Blossom1 has started accepting new piano students! I knew she would need a space to teach without disturbing the rest of the household rhythm, as well as the Rugged Mountain Man's work day.  

Additionally, all of the Blossoms are growing in their musical pursuits.  I knew they would enjoy and often utilize a music room.  

There were so many evenings I would go down to the basement and stand and stare.  I had no idea where to start.  It wasn't like the organizing shows were I could empty the room into the yard and then get it done in one shot.  The accumulation of dust from years of enjoying wood heat was enough to make me want to quit before I'd even begun.

I prepared myself to complete this project in the evenings or little snatches of time over several weeks. Much as I prefer to tackle and complete a project in one fell swoop, it's simply not practical for us and our schedule most days. 

We focused on cleaning as we went, wiping down walls, using the shop vac on the entire "delightful" popcorn ceiling and wearing out magic eraser after magic eraser.  The Blossoms were truly a force to be reckoned with.  Let me tell you, a good cleaning is as effective as a coat of paint!

We purged along the way.  I took loads to the thrift store as often as I could, so that we weren't tempted to change our minds on things we were willing to let go of.  We also took a load of junk to the landfill after we completed this project.  It was long overdue and boy, did it feel good!

I gradually relocated items and focused on making room for the piano.  That was the first big piece of the puzzle.  Once the piano was in, I worked on making way for the keyboard and drums.  As I tackled each area, it slowly took shape.  Eventually, we were able to move on to decorating.  Some records from the Rugged Mountain Man's childhood now double as trendy wall art.  

Perhaps you'll recognize some of our favorite Kinkade puzzles from these posts.  The Blossoms and I are loving the dramatic effect of all the princess pieces altogether.

Blossom1 and Blossom2 learned how to use the stud finder and mounted these inexpensive guitar hooks for the mandolin, guitar, and ukulele.

I searched for a low cost, yet fun BRIGHT light for the cathedral ceiling area.  This rustic industrial cage light was a steal for ten bucks.  I'm leaving a great review because I'm so tickled with it! With the vintage Edison bulbs, it's pretty sweet and banishes that dingy basement feeling that plagued this area for so long.

We did drop cloth curtains in here.  You can't beat ten bucks for each 6x9 ft. panel!  I spray painted old curtain rods as we were really going for a budget kind of makeover.  The curtains also add a surprising amount of sound deadening.  I find sliding or folding closet doors so annoying, so these are a great option for hiding gear we still need quick access to and cutting back on the noise.

We hung several layers of a black felt banner behind the keyboard for a fun decoration and for more sound deadening.  Initially, I was going to paint a quote on the felt, per some Pinterest inspiration.  However, everyone here has a different opinion on what music quote would work best, so I picked one and chalked it on.  Now, they can change the quote whenever they want.  They can also have their friends sign it and write fun comments on it.  

This station will house a Keurig, once it comes this week.  I can't tell you how many times I've meant to grab a cup of tea before we head to piano lesson and I've forgotten it in my rush to marshal my troops out the door.  This way, piano student parents can take a breather on the couch and have a hot cuppa while they wait.  The Blossoms are also really looking forward to disappearing down here with friends.  Tea and hot chocolate are great for those sorts of hang out times!

The table needed to stay, since we use it for various and sundry homestead projects.  Additionally, since many of Blossom1's students come from homeschool families, it's not uncommon for a student's siblings to need a place to do schoolwork while they wait.  The Blossoms thought they might like to play board games down here as well.  Yes, there is storage underneath.  That stuff had to stay, so that's where it is... for now. The denim table covering is tough and totally works for me.

We are totally thrilled with our new space!

AND, the Blossoms were practicing piano when the Rugged Mountain Man was on a conference call the other day.  He never even noticed.  Now, THAT'S success.