Jumbled thoughts

Today is one of those days - a day when I have a million thoughts bouncing around my brain. I've been spending lots of time thinking about the amazing blessings in my life - my growing relationship with God, my husband, my sweet baby boys, my warm home, enough food to feed all of us plus some, etc. etc.

We live a very simple life - we're not rich monetarily, but we are rich in blessings.

I've read Trish Berg's When I'm 90 several times lately and it always makes me smile. It reminds me of the simplicity I have now and the simplicity I hope to have at 90, God willing. I heard Trish speak at the Hearts at Home conference in Grand Rapids, MI last year - FABULOUS conference and she's a great speaker. Look around her blog(s) after you read the piece.

He's F-I-V-E!

Five years ago today, at this very moment, I was recovering from an insane natural childbirth experience. My sweet baby boy, Jake Allan was born at 8:56 a.m., on January 22, 2004, weighing 6 lbs. 6 oz. and he was 19 inches long. He was born at 37 weeks, 2 days, which totally threw me off.

My bag wasn't packed, my sitter for Will wasn't available because of timing issues and I just wasn't ready emotionally.

He's an amazing little boy and I'm blessed to be his mama. I've had loads of fun with him over the last 5 years and I look forward to many more years of fun with him. He's brought joy to my life that I didn't know existed. He's been counting down the days 'til his birthday for weeks now and he came running into our bedroom this morning with a huge grin on his face. He said, "Today is my BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!" Yes, my love, it is!

Happy birthday my sweet boy!

A beautiful new mama needs some BIG prayers right now.

Kelly and her husband Scott welcomed sweet baby girl Harper into the world this evening. Harper is having some troubles and they need some prayers. PLEASE, if you pray or even if you just think happy thoughts, please, please, please send them up for beautiful baby Harper and her mama and daddy.

16 things....

Steph tagged me and I'm more than happy to play along. 16 things you may not know about me...hmmmm....

I've been madly in love with Cal Ripken, Jr. since I was 12 years old. I cried like a baby when he got married. Yes, I'm a dork. I'm still madly in love with him though...

I'm a procrastinator - I still haven't unpacked the suitcases from our trip back east for Christmas.

Having natural childbirth (with Jake) was the most empowering experience of my life....graduating from college comes in second to that.

I was an elementary school teacher before I had children - I do miss it every once in a while, but I like being a mom a lot more :)

I believe my husband is the BEST THING that has EVER happened to me. He's changed me in ways that I never knew were possible and they're all very good and necessary changes.

I'd LOVE to be a professional scrapbooker.

I'd also love to be a dolphin trainer - I sound like I'm 6.

I never wanted to have a little girl. While I do wear make-up, I'm the furthest thing from girly and can relate far more to dirt, bugs and baseball than I can ballet, pink and Barbie.

I'm the black sheep of my family, as is my husband.

We're 100% good with that - it feels good :)

I was once a military wife and really don't miss the lifestyle at all.

My favorite song in the world is Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills and Nash.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Detroit Tigers baseball.

and Kitchen Nightmares, E.R., Lost, and the Office.

I'm so afraid of "middle child syndrome" with Jake - I think about that with EVERY decision I have to make for him and about him.

I love tequila and pineapple juice. In fact, I may drink one or seven of them tonight :)

I haven't done one of these in a while - thanks for tagging me, Steph - t'was fun!

Now, it's my turn to tag -

Jodi
Rach
Barb
Sandra

I hope you girls play along :)

On the up and up :)

OK, I'm trying...really, I am.

I had a VERY difficult time coming back to Michigan after our trip home for Christmas. I miss my niece and nephews so very much and seeing them only once or twice a year really weighs on my heart. I enjoy the area where my in-laws live SO much - it's where B and I got married and it's where Will was born. I would love to move back to the area, but it's not in the cards for us right now. I spent a great deal of time (to me) depressed about that, but I'm trying to change my outlook. I'm trying to bloom where I've been planted - the ridiculous amounts of snow make it difficult to bloom, but I'll get there. I suffer from seasonal affective disorder and it gets worse every year (probably because the winters seem to get worse here). Our electric bills are sky high in the winter because I turn EVERY light on in the house - I can't stand dark and gloomy for several days in a row....adds to the depression.

So, here I am. I'm looking at my glass half full. My family is here, happy and healthy - I have a nice, warm house to live in and enough food to feed all of us, plus some. We have warm clothes and safe transportation. We're blessed.

I'm doing a bit of redecorating around here - all suggested by my husband! We bought this house 2 years ago - we negotiated 2 rooms of furniture when we purchased it and they even left some bathroom accessories, etc. when they moved out. It was nice in the beginning, but it's starting to feel like we're living in someone else's house - again, that adds to my depression. I know that sounds dumb, but it bothers me. I want it to feel like MINE.

So, we've purchased new living room furniture - LOVE it! Now, I need to redo the window treatments - that will come eventually. I've purchased some new candles and picture frames for the living room - I want to surround myself with things AND people that I love - I have my little family here, so I'm going to put pictures up of our parents, etc. etc. At this point, it's the only way I can be close to them often. I will be purchasing some new collage picture frames this week - they might be cheesy to some, but I love them :)

We have a built in desk in our breakfast nook - it was always a disastrous mess. B suggested that we stop using it as a desk and start using it for pictures! So, I cleaned it yesterday and now it holds pictures of family - it just makes me smile :)

I got a killer deal on a comforter set at Macy's the other day, so I'll be redoing the stuff in the guest room. My dad is coming to visit next week, so I want to have it ready for him. I'm quite excited :)

I'll be sure to take pictures of finished projects :)

Color me melancholy

We made it back - I still have all of my hair and it isn't gray :)

I'm dealing with some things right now - all internal battles that I've never really experienced before.

If I'm not around, you'll know why. I have lots of reconciling in my head to do.

Say a prayer for me - I need some peace.