Hot Cofee

My coffee cooleth on yonder black oak desk...

As I sit my mind doth wonder,
the next awaiting task my brain doth ponder

Shall I switch the laundry wet?
Or shall I thee the frozen supper get?

Though dust doth surround this dim lit room,

the task at hand may be to vacuum.

All this to be done while the sweet ones rest,
for I the clean freak mother of this nest
want a clean house, though my husband protest.

What futility it will seem when life's end comes,
to be worried and busied by the so easily undone.

But for now I will sit and drink my coffee...

Simple Things

Kids teach us so much about what's really important in life. To play, to laugh, to run and jump and have fun. This is a very old picture of my son Josh when he was not quite 3yrs. He decided to grab my husbands fishing pole from the storage room and "go fishing", in our yard, in a puddle, right next to the house. Glad we caught the moment! Keep it simple...love life and live in the moment.

Coat Check

It's always interesting the little things ya learn along the course of a day. Take for instance my day. (At least indulge me anyway...) It was indeed a regular day with all of the hustle and bustle we cram in here--get up + have everybody ready to head out the door by 8:30 to get to school on time, a morning of grocery shopping (which to me is never a picnic on the best of days), an afternoon of cleaning, playing and more cleaning, supper, helping out at our church's kids club and after all that to come home to yet more things to do.
Now, a little history so you understand; I take our older two children with me to kids club and my husband stays at home with our 2 yr. old. It's a great outing for the kids and I and some great time for Daddy and "our not so much a baby anymore", Becca. Would you concur with me then that maybe, just maybe the supper dishes might be put into the dish washer (which was indeed empty) or that maybe, just maybe a sandwich or two might be prepared for school lunches tomorrow, or maybe, just maybe the valentine's Grandma sent that are strewn about the floor might be picked up or the socks or the pieces of a game, etc. You get the idea. Not that we live in squalor but on a busy day things can fall apart a little.
Now my carnal self is thinking, "why do I have to be the only one always doing this? Is it not clear these things need to be done? It's not rocket science! Does my husband need a map of the kitchen and an instruction manual of How Tos?! If he really loves me he'd do the dishes!"(how absurd) And that my friends, is exactly when the voice of my Jesus says, " Wow Dawn, that's a lot of expectations. Especially for a guy who just finished a day of busting his butt teaching a whole lot of little people (who are draining even at their best). " And so in my repentative state I began cleaning the kitchen and doing all the things needing to be done all the while thanking the Lord (rather sheepishly) for reminding me about the expectations I sometimes connect to home life/marriage. My husband does love me and does help out...quite a bit when he's not totally drained. And even more so when I don't breath down his neck all my false expectations of him.
It's interesting when we check our expectations at the door, so to speak, it may cost us a bit of something. Just like when you check your coat at a fancy restaurant or when at the symphony. Sometimes $2 or $5 per coat or sometimes a little more time spent cleaning up your kitchen. Thank you Lord for the reality of love and for sometimes humbling me.

Sisters...

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Lord teaches us through our kids. My daughters Sarah (4) and Rebecca (23 mos.) have all sorts of fun together playing games, making crafts, dancing and the usual kid stuff but it seems their favorite thing to do together is playing pretend. They are posing for this picture but more often than not, Becca looks to her older sisters example, whether good or bad. Even at her young age, she already wants to dress like Sarah, play like Sarah, eat what Sarah eats, and heaven forbid if Sarah receives a gift or treat and Becca doesn't. She wants so much to be like her sister, adding her own personal touch. Becca naturally emulates her older sister because she loves her and spends so much time with her. How much more would I emulate my Saviour if I spent more time with Him, laughing and talking together. Thank you Jesus that you never give up on our friendship even when I don't take the time to sit down for a good heart to heart. And thank you all my friends out there who don't here from me often but have the patience enough to pick up where we've left off. Praise God for little ones to learn from!

Old Dogs and New Tricks

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, well this old dog is sure going to try. As I stand on the cusp of my 30th birthday I wonder why I am just now blogging to journal my daily experiences and thoughts. And not that 30 is old anyway, but having known about blogging for quite some time now you'd think I would've started something by now. I guess the allure of cyber-navigation has finally caught up with me. Thank you Talena Winters. Blogging has indeed sparked my creative interest in that I will have the freedom to voice my opinions and concerns however I choose and to whom ever will read them. And to be able to journal my life via the net and share with people I may not otherwise meet is certainly intriguing. So sorry to any of you pro-bloggers out there if there should be any blog incorrectness here, like I said it's all new to me. woof woof