project: ten for creativity, day two

Day Two: Draw it



Today’s exercise is fun and easy. Name one thing that has been especially interesting to you lately. Find or take a picture of it. Draw it, however you wish. Use pen, crayon, pencil, chalk, marker, charcoal, anything you want. If you don’t have paper, use a napkin or a receipt.

Babies...I want another one.

But since I chickened out on attempting to draw a baby, I decided to draw baby things.

Yes, I admitted that I want another baby. Not just someday, like, now.

I must have truly lost it. Haha

I've tried brushing it off, but the need is persitent. 

Lord, be with my husband!

project: ten for creativity, day one

Okay, here goes! I've accepted a challenge from my good friend, and I hope that some of you will do the same. If you'd like to visit her wonderfully inspiring blog for more information on this creative endeavor, click here. Of course, I'm a day behind, but each day this week I will post the link to the project for that day. Only ten minutes out of your day to stretch and exercise your creativity...we all have that!

Day One. Begin.

“Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.”- John Updike

Today, we’re going to start off with a fun and thought provoking writing activity. Finish the statements. How easy is that?

1. Nothing inspires me more than…

2. I’ve always dreamed of being a…

3. If I had more ______ , I’d be more creative.

4. One new thing that I want to try is…

5. One thing that I am rather proud of myself for doing is…

6. One place that I desperately want to visit is…

7. When I was younger, One thing I loved doing…

8. Today on a scale of 1-10, I feel…


inspired:

creative:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Here are my answers:

1. Nothing inspires me more than…my daughters, their smiles, their laughter. They remind me of the awesome power of the One who created us all.


2. I’ve always dreamed of being a…recording artist of Christian/country music, a missionary, a full-time (is there any other kind) mother of tons of woozles (however many God would give us).

3. If I had more _"me-time"_ , I’d be more creative. (If I'm completely honest, this is probably a cop-out answer because I really don't have a good excuse.)

4. One new thing that I want to try is…using more fresh REAL food to make healthy, yummy and creative meals for my family. (If this interests you, please take a moment and visit my friend Angela's BRAND NEW blog, Food Group.)

5. One thing that I am rather proud of myself for doing is…striving to be the best wife I can be. Yes, I still make plenty of mistakes, but I think I do a pretty good job at least half the time.

6. One place that I desperately want to visit is…Montana. I dont know why I feel drawn to that state specifically. There are plenty of states I could visit out west and see the mountains, but for some reason some magical place in my imagination gets all a-flutter when I dream of sitting on a porch drinking a cup of coffee with someone I love while watching the sun set (or rise) behind the mountains.

7. When I was younger, One thing I loved doing…coloring. I still do.

8. Today on a scale of 1-10, I feel…

inspired: 8

creative: 6

I hope you will take ten for creativity today. Then come back each day this week for a new project. You're worth it!

For a Moment

Today I'm stealing a few seconds just to touch base and say hello in the midst of this crazy wonderful life. There's all sorts of things I SHOULD be doing, but I'm choosing to do something I WANT to do!

I don't have anything clever to say or a poem to share (I've only written one horrible poem in my life & that's only because it was required for school!), but I just want to remind everyone not to lose focus during the day to day. I know things get hectic and good intentions get lost among responsibilities or unavoidable changes in plans.

The dishes may pile up, or you may feel overwhelmed by all you're supposed to be getting accomplised each day. It may seem as though the "to-do" list gets longer instead of shorter, but fear not!

Take time to pause during your day and simply BE in that moment! Take a mental picture of everything around you, yes, even if it's cluttered or not what you imagined the picture of your life would be. Your life is beautiful.

Take a moment and find the beauty in something today. Be it a child's smile or hug, the clouds in the sky, or even just the blessing of sight with which to be able to read this blog. (I don't mean that to praise my blog by any means! Just your ability to see and understand it and the luxury, yes, luxury of internet access.)

Thankfulness 2nd Edition

We had a crazy and wonderful Thanksgiving with my family last week. My grandparents came in from Michigan on Thanksgiving day. This was their first time meeting Addison in person. She gave them her best show of the wide range of her personality, from her new talent of giggling & smiling so big her mouth becomes the size of her entire face, to sleeping like a sweet angel, to screaming as if she hadn't eaten in days. The noise level in my parents' home went from about 15 to 150 with all 4 grandchildren making noise at the same time and 6 different conversations all going at once, but the time together and memories made were well worth it!
The girls and I have been listening to at least a little (usually a lot) of Christmas music every day. I've been really enjoying and looking forward to choir practice at church as we prepare for our Christmas program this year. I love singing my heart out for Jesus and I pray that many lives are touched through the message of our music.
Today I'm thankful for Addison taking a nap, Emma's sense of humor, hot coffee my Mom left in the pot for me, my husband's job, and hugs and snuggles. There are many many more things I'm thankful for but this is just a small list for now. I'm off to do laundry now!

Thankfulness

It has been far too long since I last visited bloggerland (that's what I call this fantastic world where I feel free to speak my mind & not worry so much about what people think or who might get mad because of something I say). In the time since my last post, my life has taken some unexpected, unwelcome & unenjoyable turns. Nevertheless, I'm thankful for all of them because I know God has a purpose & a lesson for me and my family, and if this is what it takes for the fulfillment of His perfect will in my (our) life then so be it.

It might seem as though I'm some sickeningly positive person who's happy all the time, but that could not be further from the truth. Yes, I do TRY to see the positive side of most situations, but I have been through some very dark times personally. I've recently been reminded by a dear friend of mine that even when things SEEM horrible or hopeless, there are ALWAYS things for which we can be thankful. (Thank you, Liv. I love you!) So, here I am to share some things for which I'm thankful right this minute.

1. Friends who pray for me and my family
2. Friends who want to spend time with me & invite me to join them for a fun time at the park
3. Parks & playgrounds
4. The amazing fall colors created by the Greatest Artist of All
5. My beautiful children who have been very well-behaved today

Stuck

I feel like I have so many things I'd like to say, but they are stuck in my head. Stuck at that point right before they become concious thoughts that can be expressed through words that make any sense at all. I can't seem to get them out in any sort of nice neat form, so this is my messy chaotic attempt to make them all stop floating around crashing into each other in my mind. Some of them at least.

Note to readers, please don't take ALL of these as seriously as they may sound. They're not all completely literal.

1. I love my husband & my little girls more than I ever dreamed possible. Just the thought of them makes my heart feel like it's going to explode.

2. I have BIG dreams for my future (& my family's).

3. Some of these dreams scare the crap out of me.

4. Sometimes I feel like the most misunderstood person on the planet.

5. I sometimes feel like I don't have a single friend in this whole wide world.

(See, I KNOW that's not true, but I still sometimes feel like I have no one I can talk to about things.)

6. I want to be more creative in every area of my life.

7. I don't want to work, I want to be a SAHM, and I feel like I should be able to do that.

8. I feel I have the inborn right as a human being to shower at least every other day.

9. I need at least an hour a day for myself- not counting the time I should get for my shower.

10. I never want to learn to change a tire. I'm a girl & I have a husband- let him do it. I know this is silly, but I'm a silly girl sometimes.

11. I hate the way I look & I know I'm the only one who can do anything about it but I don't get any time to invest in doing anything about it. I don't think this is fair.

12. I'd have lots & lots of children if we could afford it & Billy would agree to it.

13. I still feel like a confused/scared little girl sometimes instead of the almost 30 year old I'm supposed to be.

14. I miss laying my head on my Momma's lap & having her run her fingers through my hair like she did when I was little.

15. I wish I had the courage of David to pick up a couple stones & walk up to the giant unintimidated, knowing that one throw would knock him out.
That's all for now. Thank you for your patience. I'm still a work in progress.

Addition of "Woozle Addison"

I love love love being a mom of two precious little girls. That being said, I have never been so tired for such an extended period of time in my entire life. Currently, Emma is on the floor taking her shoes off, trying to put them on by herself, whining when she has a hard time w/it until I set the laptop aside to help her...all to repeat the process 1 minute later. Addison is lying on the couch beside me because I need her close enough to me that I can replace her paci when she undoubtedly spits it our every minute or so without having to actually get up & walk across the room to do it. Billy is sleeping on the couch (I have NO IDEA why he would choose to sleep on the couch instead of our $750 mattresses that are WAY more comfortable) after being awake for about 34 hours straight between his 2 jobs & family stuff. I am, besides replacing shoes, pacis & trying to type, very annoyed by the loud whining puppy in my hall bathroom right now. Billy rescued him after he was abandoned for who knows how long, and we are now trying to find him a home. (Any takers??? Please???)

This is my life on a daily basis with two woozles. I love them with all my heart. Addison is such a precious little baby girl, and a really good, happy baby for the most part. She mostly only cries when she's trying to fall asleep & loses her paci, when she's being changed, or if Mama can't get to her quick enough at meal time. She is 6 weeks old today...excuse me while I cry please. It has flown by! I have to remind myself to take a few minutes each day & just slow down to enjoy my kids. Put the phone down, get off the computer, turn off the tv & just watch them or play w/them or read to them or cuddle them tight because pretty soon I know they'll realize there's a whole great big world out there separate from Mama & Daddy & they'll pull w/all their might to get away from me & experience it.

Anyway, back to life as it is currently. Have I gotten Addi on a schedule yet? No, and the one Emma was on has all but flown out the window. Pretty much the only thing that has survived is Emma's bedtime, usually. I still have to pretty much schedule and reschedule everything around what Addi wants at every single moment. This means that there are days when I feel like a great mom & housewife and I get a great number of things accomplished and I'm wearing a big smile for the world to see. This also means there are days when I feel like a complete failure as a mom, wife & human being in general because I've gotten nothing accomplished and at the end of the day I'm still wearing my pajamas, dirty hair & yesterday's makeup and I hide from the world completely. But either way I know I still have 2 little wonders who love me for me & a husband who sacrifices everything to make sure his family is provided for.

Billy & I are learning every day to lean fully upon our Heavenly Father because He is our source and our strength & without Him there's no way we would've even made it this far. He is Jehovah Jirah our Provider. We are so thankful for the provision of this second job for Billy so I'm able to stay home w/the girls. We haven't seen the fruit of this blessing yet, as he's been there 2-1/2 weeks & doesn't get his first paycheck until this Friday, but we are in God's hands & we know our future will only get brighter.

Finally able to use a computer to post instead of my blackberry so I'm gonna try to add some pictures to this post.

Things I'll be blogging about in the (hopefully) near future include: my determination to lose weight & get in shape so I'm not ashamed of how I look anymore and the planning process for our wedding which is to take place on our 2 year anniversary. Hope someone reads all this someday!