I love this idea. Imagine removing the knife block from cluttering up the counter top!! (It is my least favorite counter item, actually.)
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
1 hour ago
Saturday, September 28, 2019
The Saturday Six
I love this idea. Imagine removing the knife block from cluttering up the counter top!! (It is my least favorite counter item, actually.)
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Friday, September 27, 2019
October Goals
Next week brings about the final quarter of the year, and (at least here) that means the beginning of even heavier list-making so I do my best to make sure I don't forget anything major that needs to be accomplished before the landslide of November and December.
I'm sure I won't accomplish every single thing on this list, but here are some hopes I have, anyway, for the month of October.
* Annual family photos. This one is already on the calendar, but I'm listing it first in case any of you have forgotten to schedule pictures! Ryan and I got engaged in the fall back in 2012, so we had fall engagement photos taken. We've made it a tradition to get new pictures every fall, and we use those for our Christmas cards, too. We'll hope for a decent-to-good weather day on the day of our appointment!
* Find clothes/ideas for said photos. Having the appointment is only half the battle. We need to figure out our clothing scheme for this year and come up with some creative photo ideas. We have a fantastic photographer who always comes to every shoot extremely well-prepared, but I have a little theme idea to throw in the mix this year, so I need to at least met her halfway!
* Organize our bedroom. As you know, we spent the month of September doing a major cleanout of our office. I started it, but Ryan jumped on board and over the last week, he has worked so very hard to go through boxes and piles, throw things away, organize paperwork, and make sure the office looks and stays in great shape. Now we need to take all that cleaning and organization energy and move it into another room! We've declared the bedroom to be the next room to tackle. It's really not in horrible shape - until you start opening drawers. Eek!
* Finish the book of Luke. For my devotions this year, I'm reading very slowly through the Gospels. I counted out my remaining sections in Luke and I should finish the book in October, which will bring me to the very last Gospel! I'm excited for that! (I also need to order my commentary to read along with the book of John. Yes, I just used my blog as a personal sticky note to remind me to do that.)
* Continue my 21 Day Fix workouts. You might remember that about 3 years ago, I did the 21 Day Fix to lose weight. Though we have tried to keep up the eating principles of the Fix, I can't do the workouts every single day of the year. Eventually my body gets used to them and they stop working. So I'll take breaks and come back to them periodically. I just finished up my second week of using them again, and I think I have a few more weeks of doing that series every day before I need to switch up again.
* Plan out all the Christmas ornaments I need to make. I'm adding two trees to our house this year, and for at least one of them, I plan to make all the ornaments. The tree I know I'm DIY'ing will be our office tree, so I want to make ornaments from book pages. I don't think it will be hard to do, but I need to just carve out the time to do it. November is crazy crazy busy, so I need to get this at least planned, if not underway, in October.
* Go on a fun fall outing with Ryan. We have our potential days set aside (since we don't have many free ones to choose from) but we haven't yet figured out what we plan to do. Hiking is at the top of the list!
And of course, there are all the regular things we have on the calendar: leading small group, getting the women's ministry ready for our big fall event, finishing up my participation in women's Bible study, keeping up with life. And maybe somewhere in there: sleeping?
I'm sure I won't accomplish every single thing on this list, but here are some hopes I have, anyway, for the month of October.
* Annual family photos. This one is already on the calendar, but I'm listing it first in case any of you have forgotten to schedule pictures! Ryan and I got engaged in the fall back in 2012, so we had fall engagement photos taken. We've made it a tradition to get new pictures every fall, and we use those for our Christmas cards, too. We'll hope for a decent-to-good weather day on the day of our appointment!
* Find clothes/ideas for said photos. Having the appointment is only half the battle. We need to figure out our clothing scheme for this year and come up with some creative photo ideas. We have a fantastic photographer who always comes to every shoot extremely well-prepared, but I have a little theme idea to throw in the mix this year, so I need to at least met her halfway!
* Organize our bedroom. As you know, we spent the month of September doing a major cleanout of our office. I started it, but Ryan jumped on board and over the last week, he has worked so very hard to go through boxes and piles, throw things away, organize paperwork, and make sure the office looks and stays in great shape. Now we need to take all that cleaning and organization energy and move it into another room! We've declared the bedroom to be the next room to tackle. It's really not in horrible shape - until you start opening drawers. Eek!
* Finish the book of Luke. For my devotions this year, I'm reading very slowly through the Gospels. I counted out my remaining sections in Luke and I should finish the book in October, which will bring me to the very last Gospel! I'm excited for that! (I also need to order my commentary to read along with the book of John. Yes, I just used my blog as a personal sticky note to remind me to do that.)
* Continue my 21 Day Fix workouts. You might remember that about 3 years ago, I did the 21 Day Fix to lose weight. Though we have tried to keep up the eating principles of the Fix, I can't do the workouts every single day of the year. Eventually my body gets used to them and they stop working. So I'll take breaks and come back to them periodically. I just finished up my second week of using them again, and I think I have a few more weeks of doing that series every day before I need to switch up again.
* Plan out all the Christmas ornaments I need to make. I'm adding two trees to our house this year, and for at least one of them, I plan to make all the ornaments. The tree I know I'm DIY'ing will be our office tree, so I want to make ornaments from book pages. I don't think it will be hard to do, but I need to just carve out the time to do it. November is crazy crazy busy, so I need to get this at least planned, if not underway, in October.
* Go on a fun fall outing with Ryan. We have our potential days set aside (since we don't have many free ones to choose from) but we haven't yet figured out what we plan to do. Hiking is at the top of the list!
And of course, there are all the regular things we have on the calendar: leading small group, getting the women's ministry ready for our big fall event, finishing up my participation in women's Bible study, keeping up with life. And maybe somewhere in there: sleeping?
Thursday, September 26, 2019
The Perfect Fall Day
I have really enjoyed writing for these fall blog prompts. It's gotten my heart all ready for fall, and it's been fun to have some writing direction each week! Today is the last prompt in the series, and it's about the perfect fall day.
At first I planned to write about things that would make up my ideal fall day, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I've lived some of those days right out loud before. During the last couple of weeks, I've learned of the deaths of a couple of young friends - friends who had a lot more perfect fall days to live in the dreams of their hearts, but the Lord called them Home to Heaven. (And let's face it: ALL the days are perfect there, so I can't mourn anything for those people, because every single day is perfection for them now. But for those who wanted to share perfect fall days with them here on this earth, that reality is fresh and painful, and it has reminded me of the importance of making the most of those opportunities with our loved ones while we have the chance to do so.)
So in the spirit of celebrating the perfect days I've had a chance to live, let me share a few of the highlights with you! (I tried to pick one from each year we've been together, including the year we were engaged.)
* Our Day-Trip to Brown County. If you're not from Indiana, then Brown County likely means nothing to you, but if you're from here, and you hear Brown County and fall in the same sentence, you know it means BEAUTIFUL LEAVES! The day after Ryan surprised me with an on-air proposal, we both took the day off work and drove to Brown County to spend the day hiking, looking at pretty leaves, and planning our wedding. It was an absolutely gorgeous day (until the end when we got drenched in a downpour) and when you get to combine a vacation day, an all-day date, pretty leaves, AND wedding planning all in one occasion, that may actually be THE perfect day.
* Apple Orchards and Pumpkin Carving with Friends. We had been married about 7 months when we headed to the Chicago area for a weekend to spend some time with one of my friends from college. She (and her husband and two kids) hadn't met Ryan yet, so we drove up, stayed with them, and had the best time enjoying all that fall has to offer. They took us to their favorite orchard (photo props galore!!) and then we had a pumpkin carving contest. Even though pumpkin guts gross me out and I'm quite terrible at carving, it was SO MUCH FUN. We took pictures of our carvings and put them on Facebook for people to vote. The combo of friends and fall made it a winner of a weekend!
* Work Days at Home. WHAT?! How is that a perfect fall day? Well, I'll tell you. This memory comes from back in 2014, when Ryan and I were exhausted double-commuters. We were never home, because we were always either at work or in the car. (Separately.) Days at home were absolute gold, and they were about as rare as finding gold, I might add. This day was gorgeous where the weather was concerned, but it also included sleeping in, getting to spend the day together, accomplishing much, eating outside, and being oh-so-grateful for a husband like Ryan to share some of these chores that would nearly undo me in my single days. (There was a giant spider involved.) It may be a different kind of perfect day, but it still was perfect!
* New York in the Fall. In 2015, Ryan and I took a giant vacation in the fall. We started out in Virginia and then made our way north to New York before coming home. It was SUCH a fun vacation in a billion different ways, but our time in New York was picturesque for sure. We spent a day in Letchworth State Park, which was stunning in all its fall foliage glory. And then we spent a full, full, full day at Niagara Falls. I'd been there before, as a child, but it was Ryan's first visit. And I had no idea that the beauty factor goes up tenfold when you visit in the fall. WOW. If you've never gone there in the fall, DO IT.
* Christmas Pictures and County Tours. If you're new here, you might not know this, but Ryan and I are on a quest to visit all 92 counties in our state and do something fun while we're there. As you can imagine, when we get to see counties in the fall, there's the potential for much beauty! Back in 2016, we visited Delaware County (which is where Muncie and Ball State University are located, if that helps you have a point of reference). We happened to have our annual Christmas photos taken there that day, in this beautiful nature area, and then we ate at a delicious restaurant full of character, got to see some unusual things in the city, had donuts from a great bakery, and of course: coffee. We both loved that day so much!
* Corn Maze and Apple Orchard. We took another long weekend trip in the fall of 2017, and we knocked three more counties off our list while we were gone! All these were in northwest Indiana, up by Lake Michigan. To this day, we maintain that for whatever reason, that trip was one of the most relaxing times away we have ever enjoyed. We hiked dunes, we shopped, we slept in, we had so much fun. But one of the last minute additions to the trip was a stop at an apple orchard and corn maze that we hadn't even known about when we went on the trip. We spent a whole afternoon there, and it was so much fun! And those donuts...
* Hiking with Friends. Last fall was SO HARD. We had an insanely busy season on our own anyway, and then late October was when we found out about Ryan's mom's brain tumor, and then she had surgery, and then she lived with us for a while, and then we were busy visiting her in hospitals and out at her house...it was quite a lot for one fall. But smack in the middle of it all, we had one day that we were able to sneak away (and we each took a friend) and hike a GORGEOUS state park here in Indiana. I wrote about it here, here, and here - because I had way too many pictures for one post. It was kind of a chilly day, but we adored the chance to be away, be out in nature, be with our friends, and sort of talk through life. We both loved this day.
And so we have yet to make a proper fall memory this year. We'll get there! (Fall is just starting to arrive, weather-wise, so we will be sure to do something fun and memorable.)
I am so grateful for each of these days from each of these years. I am grateful for a husband who loves to make memories with me, and I'm grateful for friends who add to the joy, too!
At first I planned to write about things that would make up my ideal fall day, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I've lived some of those days right out loud before. During the last couple of weeks, I've learned of the deaths of a couple of young friends - friends who had a lot more perfect fall days to live in the dreams of their hearts, but the Lord called them Home to Heaven. (And let's face it: ALL the days are perfect there, so I can't mourn anything for those people, because every single day is perfection for them now. But for those who wanted to share perfect fall days with them here on this earth, that reality is fresh and painful, and it has reminded me of the importance of making the most of those opportunities with our loved ones while we have the chance to do so.)
So in the spirit of celebrating the perfect days I've had a chance to live, let me share a few of the highlights with you! (I tried to pick one from each year we've been together, including the year we were engaged.)
* Our Day-Trip to Brown County. If you're not from Indiana, then Brown County likely means nothing to you, but if you're from here, and you hear Brown County and fall in the same sentence, you know it means BEAUTIFUL LEAVES! The day after Ryan surprised me with an on-air proposal, we both took the day off work and drove to Brown County to spend the day hiking, looking at pretty leaves, and planning our wedding. It was an absolutely gorgeous day (until the end when we got drenched in a downpour) and when you get to combine a vacation day, an all-day date, pretty leaves, AND wedding planning all in one occasion, that may actually be THE perfect day.
* Apple Orchards and Pumpkin Carving with Friends. We had been married about 7 months when we headed to the Chicago area for a weekend to spend some time with one of my friends from college. She (and her husband and two kids) hadn't met Ryan yet, so we drove up, stayed with them, and had the best time enjoying all that fall has to offer. They took us to their favorite orchard (photo props galore!!) and then we had a pumpkin carving contest. Even though pumpkin guts gross me out and I'm quite terrible at carving, it was SO MUCH FUN. We took pictures of our carvings and put them on Facebook for people to vote. The combo of friends and fall made it a winner of a weekend!
* Work Days at Home. WHAT?! How is that a perfect fall day? Well, I'll tell you. This memory comes from back in 2014, when Ryan and I were exhausted double-commuters. We were never home, because we were always either at work or in the car. (Separately.) Days at home were absolute gold, and they were about as rare as finding gold, I might add. This day was gorgeous where the weather was concerned, but it also included sleeping in, getting to spend the day together, accomplishing much, eating outside, and being oh-so-grateful for a husband like Ryan to share some of these chores that would nearly undo me in my single days. (There was a giant spider involved.) It may be a different kind of perfect day, but it still was perfect!
* New York in the Fall. In 2015, Ryan and I took a giant vacation in the fall. We started out in Virginia and then made our way north to New York before coming home. It was SUCH a fun vacation in a billion different ways, but our time in New York was picturesque for sure. We spent a day in Letchworth State Park, which was stunning in all its fall foliage glory. And then we spent a full, full, full day at Niagara Falls. I'd been there before, as a child, but it was Ryan's first visit. And I had no idea that the beauty factor goes up tenfold when you visit in the fall. WOW. If you've never gone there in the fall, DO IT.
* Christmas Pictures and County Tours. If you're new here, you might not know this, but Ryan and I are on a quest to visit all 92 counties in our state and do something fun while we're there. As you can imagine, when we get to see counties in the fall, there's the potential for much beauty! Back in 2016, we visited Delaware County (which is where Muncie and Ball State University are located, if that helps you have a point of reference). We happened to have our annual Christmas photos taken there that day, in this beautiful nature area, and then we ate at a delicious restaurant full of character, got to see some unusual things in the city, had donuts from a great bakery, and of course: coffee. We both loved that day so much!
* Hiking with Friends. Last fall was SO HARD. We had an insanely busy season on our own anyway, and then late October was when we found out about Ryan's mom's brain tumor, and then she had surgery, and then she lived with us for a while, and then we were busy visiting her in hospitals and out at her house...it was quite a lot for one fall. But smack in the middle of it all, we had one day that we were able to sneak away (and we each took a friend) and hike a GORGEOUS state park here in Indiana. I wrote about it here, here, and here - because I had way too many pictures for one post. It was kind of a chilly day, but we adored the chance to be away, be out in nature, be with our friends, and sort of talk through life. We both loved this day.
I am so grateful for each of these days from each of these years. I am grateful for a husband who loves to make memories with me, and I'm grateful for friends who add to the joy, too!
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
It's All Random
If today's post were a Jeopardy category, it would be "Potpourri for 200, Alex." I present to you, in no particular or coordinating order, the randomness of my brain.
* Yesterday morning I worked on archiving some old blog posts, and I've entered into the posts from early 2010. They are particularly intriguing to me, because I know in the ones I'm reading right now, I had just officially entered into my relationship with Isaac, but I never blogged about that in real time. I see my giddy grins and know I was crazy happy, but I also know the hard fall of lost love is about to take over those posts. I didn't blog about that in real time either, so I'm interested to see if I succeeded or failed in keeping an even tone in blogging while my personal life went through its biggest upheaval ever.
* And speaking of old blog posts, I found one from early 2010 where I posted a picture of myself and commented that I seemed to "suddenly looking 40." Hey there, Baby Bekah. Calm down with the 40 trash talk. It's not so bad! (Here's the photo.)
* For the last couple of evenings, Ryan has been cleaning out his side of the office, which, by the way, has given him the same sort of glee that cleaning my side gave me earlier this month! Anyway, he found all the old paperwork from when I first bought our Marion house. He was still almost 10 years away from being part of my life, and I was terrified. I told him to keep everything - just for nostalgia's sake. That way when we "suddenly turn 80" we can sit around and drink (decaf) coffee and comment on when we were whippersnappers and houses were cheap.
* Yesterday I printed all my monthly calendar pages for 2020. I'm so excited about it! Planning ahead is, as you know, one of my love languages, and I already have a few things to scribble in the squares of 2020. I have them all hole punched and in my binder, and I'm ready to get a full set of Flair pens again so I have all the colors I need to properly color-code.
* We haven't yet had a fall fire pit extravaganza, and I'm itching for a s'more. In all of our yard sprucing up, Ryan wasn't sure he even wanted to keep the fire pit, because we don't use it regularly. But I feel a bit more complete as a homeowner with a fire pit in the back yard, so I convinced him to keep it a little longer. Hopefully this weekend will be a perfect weather moment for just such an occasion!
* Ryan told me that Life in Pieces was canceled, and I'm sad. That was one of our favorite shows.
* Speaking of TV, we were so exhausted last night that we fell asleep on the couch after dinner and woke up to the Andy Griffith theme song whistling away. Ryan said, "Well, I guess we're the people down the street, now." When we take evening walks, there's a house down the road that ALWAYS has the Andy Griffth show playing and the windows open. We've never seen the people who live there, but apparently we're becoming them.
So there you have it! Not exactly a life-changing day of posting, but I would like to take credit for more content than the day back in 2010 when I posted to say I had nothing to say.
True story.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Miss Pheebs the Cuddler
Fall is officially here!! (Maybe not in weather, depending on where you live, but it's here on the calendar!) We're celebrating its arrival with a fun fall Q&A! It's a fall this-or-that, and we're weighing in with our personal favorites. Hope you enjoy!
Miss Phoebe came to hang out with us this weekend. She absolutely cracks me up. This is absolutely her second home, and she doesn't even hesitate when she waltzes in the front door. I love it!!
As usual, we turned into the Barones, with blankets covering the couch, and she'd pick among red, tan, and blue every time she jumped up. This picture was during the red blanket visit.
Trying to take a picture in motion is easier said than done. I should have turned on the live feature. :) We started out on our evening walk and about a block into it, she was ready to go back home, but we convinced her to finish it, and by the end, she owned that walk!
We went to visit Ryan at work on Saturday. She cheered up a few people and then we came back home!
Lunchtime naps...
We had dinner plans that night, so we took her back to her house to hang out while we went to our friends' house. (We try to give Braeya breaks from hiding from dogs whenever we can.)
On the way home, we had to make a Lowe's run, and she loved visiting the Christmas section. (That is my chosen interpretation of that visit, thankyouverymuch.)
She went back to her house for a little bit on Sunday while we went to church and then she crashed HARD with me all during the Colts game. I was the worst fan on Sunday!! I was so exhausted and absolutely could NOT stay awake no matter what!!
Phoebe's people came to get her right before dinner, but we sure loved having her for the weekend! Puppy snuggles and cuddles for the win!
Miss Phoebe came to hang out with us this weekend. She absolutely cracks me up. This is absolutely her second home, and she doesn't even hesitate when she waltzes in the front door. I love it!!
As usual, we turned into the Barones, with blankets covering the couch, and she'd pick among red, tan, and blue every time she jumped up. This picture was during the red blanket visit.
Phoebe's people came to get her right before dinner, but we sure loved having her for the weekend! Puppy snuggles and cuddles for the win!
Monday, September 23, 2019
A Husband's Grace
Friday I told you about the grace of my high school chemistry teacher. Today I have another grace story for you, and it features my very favorite person: Ryan.
I tell this story partly because I love telling people the wonderful things he does, but I tell it also because a very small gesture made a very great impact, and I think we need to hear of those moments we can take every opportunity to make them happen for others!
Money.
Boy, that's a subject in just about every marriage, isn't it? It's actually never been a big deal for us, and when I say that, I don't mean that we have an unending supply and never have to worry about it. We've certainly had our share of financial blessings and hardships, but it's not a subject we fight about. We're both interested in saving as much as we can, and neither of us leans toward being the last of the big-time-spenders. We know what we have, we know what we need, we give, we save, we spend, and we don't have secrets from each other about what we're doing with money. (Other than gifts FOR each other, of course.)
We don't have his-and-hers money. We have our money, and that's what works for us. Maybe it works differently in your house, and if that's what works for you, that's fine, too!
In our current life situations, Ryan works outside our home and brings in 99% (+) of our income. My income ebbs and flows with writing assignments and speaking engagements. This working arrangement of ours is what we feel called to in this season, and Ryan never makes me feel inferior in the times when I'm not bringing in much income.
(That's all background you're going to need to know in a moment.)
Because I'm not out and about all that much, I rarely need cash, but Ryan tries to make sure I always have at least a twenty on hand just in case I need or want it. (Then I proceed to play a self-induced game of seeing how long I can make that twenty last!)
A couple of weeks ago, he'd given me a new twenty, as my previous one had given up its final ghost at a Goodwill sale. I began my new game of seeing how long I could make it last, and I was happy as a little lark. (Out of curiosity - how happy are larks, anyway?)
We had a busy week and Ryan asked if I would have time to mow the yard for him, because he just didn't have enough daylight hours to get it done that week. Of course! No problem. I was happily buzzing through the yard when I heard a MASSIVE grinding sound and bits of green plastic went flying everywhere.
Uh oh.
I forgot to go around and pick up the drain pop-ups before I mowed. The grass was tall enough around that one that it had blended right in, and I hadn't even seen it.
I properly destroyed that little piece of plastic. It never felt a thing. I picked up all the shards, threw them away, removed the REST of the pop-ups before continuing and mowed the whole yard. When Ryan came home for lunch, I confessed my mishap, and while he wasn't angry by any means, he did grimace a little. I thought that was kind of strange, so I said, "Well how much do they cost?"
He said, "Oh about twenty dollars."
TWENTY DOLLARS!?!?!!?!? FOR A LITTLE GREEN PIECE OF PLASTIC????
I should add that in addition to the one I had just destroyed, our cement workers had destroyed two more on the other side of the yard. You see how this bill is rapidly adding up here, don't you? I figured they cost maybe five to seven dollars each, so with the other two, we were looking at no more than twenty dollars TOPS. Not twenty dollars EACH.
Gulp.
After he went back to work, I went to my wallet and pulled out my beloved twenty and laid it on Ryan's nightstand.
When he came home and saw it, he said, "What is this?"
I told him I wanted to pay for what I destroyed. He said, "It's all our money anyway. You don't have to give me this. Just keep it."
I said, "I will be certain to be more careful in the future if I donate my fun money to the pop up drain fund." (I am a great self-mom.)
He never said anything else, and we went on about our day.
The next day I had to look for something in my wallet, and when I opened it, I found my twenty with a pink sticky note that said, "I love you."
I may never spend that twenty. I may frame it and hang it in my office to remind me of my husband's great grace.
It's not about twenty dollars. It's not about his money/her money/our money. It's that he saw my guilt and set me free.
I love how he teaches me grace.
I love him, too!
I tell this story partly because I love telling people the wonderful things he does, but I tell it also because a very small gesture made a very great impact, and I think we need to hear of those moments we can take every opportunity to make them happen for others!
***
Money.
Boy, that's a subject in just about every marriage, isn't it? It's actually never been a big deal for us, and when I say that, I don't mean that we have an unending supply and never have to worry about it. We've certainly had our share of financial blessings and hardships, but it's not a subject we fight about. We're both interested in saving as much as we can, and neither of us leans toward being the last of the big-time-spenders. We know what we have, we know what we need, we give, we save, we spend, and we don't have secrets from each other about what we're doing with money. (Other than gifts FOR each other, of course.)
We don't have his-and-hers money. We have our money, and that's what works for us. Maybe it works differently in your house, and if that's what works for you, that's fine, too!
In our current life situations, Ryan works outside our home and brings in 99% (+) of our income. My income ebbs and flows with writing assignments and speaking engagements. This working arrangement of ours is what we feel called to in this season, and Ryan never makes me feel inferior in the times when I'm not bringing in much income.
(That's all background you're going to need to know in a moment.)
Because I'm not out and about all that much, I rarely need cash, but Ryan tries to make sure I always have at least a twenty on hand just in case I need or want it. (Then I proceed to play a self-induced game of seeing how long I can make that twenty last!)
A couple of weeks ago, he'd given me a new twenty, as my previous one had given up its final ghost at a Goodwill sale. I began my new game of seeing how long I could make it last, and I was happy as a little lark. (Out of curiosity - how happy are larks, anyway?)
We had a busy week and Ryan asked if I would have time to mow the yard for him, because he just didn't have enough daylight hours to get it done that week. Of course! No problem. I was happily buzzing through the yard when I heard a MASSIVE grinding sound and bits of green plastic went flying everywhere.
Uh oh.
I forgot to go around and pick up the drain pop-ups before I mowed. The grass was tall enough around that one that it had blended right in, and I hadn't even seen it.
I properly destroyed that little piece of plastic. It never felt a thing. I picked up all the shards, threw them away, removed the REST of the pop-ups before continuing and mowed the whole yard. When Ryan came home for lunch, I confessed my mishap, and while he wasn't angry by any means, he did grimace a little. I thought that was kind of strange, so I said, "Well how much do they cost?"
He said, "Oh about twenty dollars."
TWENTY DOLLARS!?!?!!?!? FOR A LITTLE GREEN PIECE OF PLASTIC????
I should add that in addition to the one I had just destroyed, our cement workers had destroyed two more on the other side of the yard. You see how this bill is rapidly adding up here, don't you? I figured they cost maybe five to seven dollars each, so with the other two, we were looking at no more than twenty dollars TOPS. Not twenty dollars EACH.
Gulp.
After he went back to work, I went to my wallet and pulled out my beloved twenty and laid it on Ryan's nightstand.
When he came home and saw it, he said, "What is this?"
I told him I wanted to pay for what I destroyed. He said, "It's all our money anyway. You don't have to give me this. Just keep it."
I said, "I will be certain to be more careful in the future if I donate my fun money to the pop up drain fund." (I am a great self-mom.)
He never said anything else, and we went on about our day.
The next day I had to look for something in my wallet, and when I opened it, I found my twenty with a pink sticky note that said, "I love you."
I may never spend that twenty. I may frame it and hang it in my office to remind me of my husband's great grace.
It's not about twenty dollars. It's not about his money/her money/our money. It's that he saw my guilt and set me free.
I love how he teaches me grace.
I love him, too!
Sunday, September 22, 2019
The Shafferland Shuffle
Morning!!! Happy Sunday! Hope you're having a great morning! We are knee deep in refereeing Braeya/Phoebe interactions, but I thought I'd pause the shenanigans to fill you in on our week!
* Last Sunday, Ryan and I went to "Church in the Barn" and loved it! It was a service in an actual barn - and we got to meet up with friends we see a few times a year when I speak at their church. Great morning! We took log afternoon naps and ended the day with the Colts game (viewed on a delay here because of the aforementioned church and subsequent dinner).
* I knocked out so much work in the office this week, starting with some podcast editing on Monday. Love my new little setup in that room. Ryan and I had to run some errands that evening, so we stopped by Starbucks for coffee on the way. (We've been so busy enjoying gift cards to local coffee shops that we hadn't been to Starbucks since JUNE if you can believe that!) I also found the Christmas tree section of Lowe's and was in the happiest possible place.
* Ryan had THREE lunch meetings this week, so I was a lunchtime widow most of the week. On Tuesday I hunkered down with my lunch and Matlock and pretended like he was there anyway. Ha! And then someone showed up for dessert. She was so hopeful. She did not win. We hosted small group at our house that night - almost a full house! We had a great time and were so glad that so many hung around after it was over to talk!
* I spent some time writing in the office on Wednesday, and before I went to Bible study that night, Ryan started spray-painting another piece for our office! (I was so glad my friend Amber suggested the paint job, because it was pretty boring-looking before that.) Our Bible study that night was about Jesus being the Bread of Life, so our leader made bread and brought it. It was so pretty!
* We are repairing our yard from all the damage done by the construction workers when we had our projects this summer, so Ryan began his Thursday by spreading straw over the newly planted grass. (I proceeded to entirely soak myself in the sprinkler when I went out later to move it to another direction. Sigh.) It was therapy week at Ryan's work - and they had ice cream sundaes to celebrate that day! AND!!!! I got pretty new fall flowers for my table that night!
* Phoebe came to stay with us starting Friday, and we had fun taking her on a walk that night. (She was done with the walk about a quarter of the way through it, but I convinced her she could persevere and she did.) My favorite part of the walk? WE GOT TO SEE A REAL DEER!!!!
* Ryan worked yesterday, so Pheebs and I went to visit him. One of the patients asked me if Phoebe was a therapy dog. Well, no, but she would make a good one! After Ryan got off work, we had dinner with some friends, and it was SUCH A FUN NIGHT! I fear we may have overstayed our welcome, but we loved talking with them! (And they make delicious food!)
* Last Sunday, Ryan and I went to "Church in the Barn" and loved it! It was a service in an actual barn - and we got to meet up with friends we see a few times a year when I speak at their church. Great morning! We took log afternoon naps and ended the day with the Colts game (viewed on a delay here because of the aforementioned church and subsequent dinner).
* I knocked out so much work in the office this week, starting with some podcast editing on Monday. Love my new little setup in that room. Ryan and I had to run some errands that evening, so we stopped by Starbucks for coffee on the way. (We've been so busy enjoying gift cards to local coffee shops that we hadn't been to Starbucks since JUNE if you can believe that!) I also found the Christmas tree section of Lowe's and was in the happiest possible place.
* Ryan worked yesterday, so Pheebs and I went to visit him. One of the patients asked me if Phoebe was a therapy dog. Well, no, but she would make a good one! After Ryan got off work, we had dinner with some friends, and it was SUCH A FUN NIGHT! I fear we may have overstayed our welcome, but we loved talking with them! (And they make delicious food!)
Saturday, September 21, 2019
The Saturday Six
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Friday, September 20, 2019
A Teacher's Grace
If you've ever heard me speak, there is a chance you've heard me talk about my high school chemistry teacher, Mr. McBride. And if you've been reading here for a few years, you've read about him too, though you might not remember it. You can read the link for the fuller story of why he made such a huge impact on my life, but the quick version is that I was not brilliant in chemistry (or, if we're being honest, even on the strong side of stupid) but he had magnificent grace on me. Because he did, I am not still sitting in that classroom trying to pass his class, which was required for graduation.
I had no idea what ever happened to Mr. McBride after I graduated. I presumed he retired at some point, but I never heard anything more about him...until this week.
Apparently before he came to teach at the school Ryan and I attended, he had taught in another nearby school, and they posted this to their Facebook page this week: Administrators had the pleasure of celebrating Norman McBride with the presentation of a plaque, naming high school classroom 609 in his honor. Norm taught as a science teacher here from 1967-1981. He said he truly enjoyed his 14 years here and was both surprised and flattered that he had left such an impact on so many students, so many years ago. One particular student, Jeffery Cochran, chose to purchase naming rights to room 609 in dedication of Mr. McBride being an exemplary science teacher.
And then this photo.
He looks exactly the same as I remember him, except back then he wore glasses.
My heart was so happy to read this, because indeed he deserves to be honored. I read through the comments and found words like these (some from people I knew and some from those I did not):
Mr. McBride is one of my favorite all time teachers - his kindness and belief in me made such an impact!
Mr. McBride was one of my very favorite teachers. He taught me a lot about chemistry but also about humor, and ALWAYS treating others with honor and respect.
Awesome teacher. I had him for three years. He made learning fun. He was so dedicated to his students. He used to come in on Saturdays to provide extra help for those who needed it. Kids would show up to school on Saturdays because they respected him so much. Great teacher but better man.
One of the kindest men I've ever had the pleasure of knowing!
And this was my personal favorite, and I actually do know the girl who wrote this one:
The teacher of the class where I hung up a test on my fridge where I got a D because it was so hard and I was proud it wasn't an F.
Preach. It. Sister.
My brain never did bend in a physical science direction, and I would still probably stare blankly if you put me back in that classroom today. But Mr. McBride was (as a teacher and I'm sure still IS as a man) full of grace, and because he was, some of us got a D when we deserved an F - and a LOW F at that.
As you can see from the other comments, he is remembered as a great teacher, but he is remembered more for his character, and I think that's just how it should be for all of us, regardless of occupation.
A well-deserved award for a kind and grace-filled man. Congratulations, Mr. McBride.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Fall Home Tour
Do you decorate your home differently for every season? I don't do it for every season, but I am trying to be more intentional about purchasing décor that is long-lasting and timeless so I can make each purchase an actual investment.
And of course, that means doing most of it on clearance, so I'm always working for the next season. Today is the fall home tour on this link-up, and I thought I'd show you some of my best fall finds from the years and why I love them so. (Fall is one season I decorate for rather thoroughly, mostly because I can make it last for almost three months, so it's worth the work!)
My apologies for photo quality today. The day I took the pictures was not a bright, sunny fall day, so I had a terrible time getting the lighting right. (aka I did NOT get the lighting right.) So these aren't all that they could be, but hopefully they're tolerable for you today.
I'm actually still working on our front porch décor. I have part of it done, and earlier this week we found some pumpkins at a great price. But I don't have the straw or the mums yet, so it's just a half-done corner right now. (It didn't want its picture taken, I'm quite sure.)
I do love our front door wreath, though. I got it a few years ago at the end of the season at a good price, and it has been serving us well ever since.
I also really like the foyer table, which is filled with fall pieces I've owned for several years. And I am still madly in love with my typewriter, which is an attic find from my parents' house. It used to be my dad's actual, working, every-day typewriter.
I also love this gigantic thing, because in one fell-swoop, it decorates an entire piece of furniture. Doesn't even need fluffing! I found it at Hobby Lobby (back in my single days, I think) after the season ended, for twenty dollars. I believe it was originally $100. (Which we all know it shouldn't have been, but doesn't it sound great for reporting a sale?)
I used to put it on the fireplace, but that now holds all our TV and internet stuff, so it's been relocated to the cedar chest.
I also love this little corner of assorted treasures, gathered throughout the years. The monogramed tray was a 40th birthday gift from my friend Amber (she did all that artwork on it herself!) and the little picture was a gift from my friend, Kari. It's Ryan holding his mom's hand while she was in ICU prior to her death.
I also love this little corner. That's a Lindsay Letters canvas that she gifted to me when we visited her storefront a few years ago. I adore it and think it will always be one of my best-loved art pieces in our home, because the portion of Scripture about being delivered from the wilderness into the Promised Land has such personal significance to me.
Mom gave me this vintage cake plate this past Christmas. It belonged to her, so bonus points for sentimentality, and when I'm not using it to serve food, I make it a decoration pedestal.
I didn't have a ton of things to put in the kitchen, but I do have a few fall mugs that I add to the area above the cabinets. I pretty much keep that area decorated with standard stuff throughout the year and just intersperse a few seasonal things. Makes it easier.
Since I'm still building my fall collection, I also don't have many fall things in the bedrooms, because then they can't be seen by the people who come over. But I do have this little pumpkin on my dresser in our bedroom.
And this free printable from Pinterest graces the guest room:
And I love this little area on our porch coffee table. The metal tray was a gift from Ryan's mom a few years ago. The metal vase (which you can't really see too well here) also belonged to her, and Allen gave it to me back at Mother's Day. He brought me a rose in it and told me if I'd like to keep it and use it to decorate, he'd like me to have it. So of course I said yes. I wasn't even thinking at the time how perfectly it would match the tray she'd given us. I got those flowers at the dollar store (shhhh) and the little plate was a gift from Lynne back when I worked at the station. It's the perfect fall collection for that table.
So there you have it! Our fall collection - the foundation edition. If you need me at the end of the season, check the Hobby Lobby clearance aisles. ;)
And of course, that means doing most of it on clearance, so I'm always working for the next season. Today is the fall home tour on this link-up, and I thought I'd show you some of my best fall finds from the years and why I love them so. (Fall is one season I decorate for rather thoroughly, mostly because I can make it last for almost three months, so it's worth the work!)
My apologies for photo quality today. The day I took the pictures was not a bright, sunny fall day, so I had a terrible time getting the lighting right. (aka I did NOT get the lighting right.) So these aren't all that they could be, but hopefully they're tolerable for you today.
I'm actually still working on our front porch décor. I have part of it done, and earlier this week we found some pumpkins at a great price. But I don't have the straw or the mums yet, so it's just a half-done corner right now. (It didn't want its picture taken, I'm quite sure.)
I do love our front door wreath, though. I got it a few years ago at the end of the season at a good price, and it has been serving us well ever since.
I used to put it on the fireplace, but that now holds all our TV and internet stuff, so it's been relocated to the cedar chest.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Treasuring and Pondering
Ryan and I are leading a small group through Erica Wiggenhorn's study Unexplainable Jesus. Last night we had Christmas in September, because we studied Luke 2 and 3, about Jesus' birth and boyhood.
If you study the Bible much, you might know Luke 2:19, which says, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
Maybe, like me, you've always had an idea of what you thought that verse meant. I wrote about it when I wrote my Advent study years ago. To me, it's always meant that Jesus' birth was so sacred to Mary that to write about it or speak of it would in some way violate an intimate trust. Those moments were hers and hers alone, and she treasured them.
I still think that is probably true for many moments Mary lived alongside Jesus, but Erica had an additional angle of thought on this that I'd never considered. She said, "We have no reason to believe anyone accepted Mary's claim of an angelic appearance at this point...The term treasured up is the Greek word syntero. Mary attempted to perpetually keep these things in the forefront of her thoughts. She intensely guarded these memories."
Until I did this study (along with the Gospels study I'm doing all year long) I never really thought about it before. In the crowd of people who did daily life with Mary and Joseph, did anyone besides Zechariah and Elizabeth ever really believe their story? At least until after the resurrection...did anyone stop to consider they might actually be telling the truth about this Baby? I have a feeling that on most levels, no matter what Mary ever said or did, she was probably always the good-girl-turned pregnant-teenager who gave birth to a fascinatingly odd child.
Treasuring was probably better than sharing, because it all mattered to her. And if no one around her was going to believe her - or worse, if they ridiculed her for her words - why would she share them?
Today marks 31 years since my little nephew - the one who made me an aunt in the first place - bypassed life on earth entirely and went straight to Heaven. He was stillborn in the early hours of a Sunday morning, and I have written about him many times on this blog and shared about him often in my speaking.
I do it because his life matters. I do it because his life marked me. I do it because his life shaped my faith journey.
I probably won't ever stop talking about him, just like I don't stop talking about his sister, who was born just over a year later. Her life matters. Her life has marked me. Her life radically shaped my faith journey. (And she has the cutest little girl of her own now, and they both live way too far away for my liking.)
But I will tell you something. Losing Ryan's mom earlier this year has also marked my life and shaped my faith - and my grief - in new ways. There is something about grieving a person whose life linked with yours through marriage that is far different than grieving a person whose life linked with yours by blood. The feelings of hurt and loss are no less intense, but the feelings of freedom to share those thoughts are far different, because she belonged to others more closely than she belonged to me. And I often feel that the open sharing needs to be reserved for them, and I shouldn't take over out loud.
So I don't. I write the thoughts down. I treasure and ponder them in my heart. (And my heart includes my journal.) They're captured and preserved, but not in the same way.
In her study on Luke, Erica also said, "The shepherds only witnessed the wonderful. Mary had become wounded while carrying the wonderful."
The legacies of my nephew and my mother-in-law are wonderful, each in their own unique way. I honor and remember them in unique ways. I treasure and ponder them in unique ways. And I have been wounded in unique ways while carrying the wonderful that their memories provide. If you've ever grieved, you know what I mean.
So today I treasure and ponder. I'm grateful for all the lives - those still moving around me and those who have been stilled here on this earth - who have shaped me. I'm grateful for all the lessons they've taught. And even though some of the wounds are still fresh, I'm grateful for the wounds and scars some have left (accidentally and on purpose) because they, too, have shaped me.
If you study the Bible much, you might know Luke 2:19, which says, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
Maybe, like me, you've always had an idea of what you thought that verse meant. I wrote about it when I wrote my Advent study years ago. To me, it's always meant that Jesus' birth was so sacred to Mary that to write about it or speak of it would in some way violate an intimate trust. Those moments were hers and hers alone, and she treasured them.
I still think that is probably true for many moments Mary lived alongside Jesus, but Erica had an additional angle of thought on this that I'd never considered. She said, "We have no reason to believe anyone accepted Mary's claim of an angelic appearance at this point...The term treasured up is the Greek word syntero. Mary attempted to perpetually keep these things in the forefront of her thoughts. She intensely guarded these memories."
Until I did this study (along with the Gospels study I'm doing all year long) I never really thought about it before. In the crowd of people who did daily life with Mary and Joseph, did anyone besides Zechariah and Elizabeth ever really believe their story? At least until after the resurrection...did anyone stop to consider they might actually be telling the truth about this Baby? I have a feeling that on most levels, no matter what Mary ever said or did, she was probably always the good-girl-turned pregnant-teenager who gave birth to a fascinatingly odd child.
Treasuring was probably better than sharing, because it all mattered to her. And if no one around her was going to believe her - or worse, if they ridiculed her for her words - why would she share them?
Today marks 31 years since my little nephew - the one who made me an aunt in the first place - bypassed life on earth entirely and went straight to Heaven. He was stillborn in the early hours of a Sunday morning, and I have written about him many times on this blog and shared about him often in my speaking.
I do it because his life matters. I do it because his life marked me. I do it because his life shaped my faith journey.
I probably won't ever stop talking about him, just like I don't stop talking about his sister, who was born just over a year later. Her life matters. Her life has marked me. Her life radically shaped my faith journey. (And she has the cutest little girl of her own now, and they both live way too far away for my liking.)
But I will tell you something. Losing Ryan's mom earlier this year has also marked my life and shaped my faith - and my grief - in new ways. There is something about grieving a person whose life linked with yours through marriage that is far different than grieving a person whose life linked with yours by blood. The feelings of hurt and loss are no less intense, but the feelings of freedom to share those thoughts are far different, because she belonged to others more closely than she belonged to me. And I often feel that the open sharing needs to be reserved for them, and I shouldn't take over out loud.
So I don't. I write the thoughts down. I treasure and ponder them in my heart. (And my heart includes my journal.) They're captured and preserved, but not in the same way.
In her study on Luke, Erica also said, "The shepherds only witnessed the wonderful. Mary had become wounded while carrying the wonderful."
The legacies of my nephew and my mother-in-law are wonderful, each in their own unique way. I honor and remember them in unique ways. I treasure and ponder them in unique ways. And I have been wounded in unique ways while carrying the wonderful that their memories provide. If you've ever grieved, you know what I mean.
So today I treasure and ponder. I'm grateful for all the lives - those still moving around me and those who have been stilled here on this earth - who have shaped me. I'm grateful for all the lessons they've taught. And even though some of the wounds are still fresh, I'm grateful for the wounds and scars some have left (accidentally and on purpose) because they, too, have shaped me.
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