Beauty- a few

-watching a group of high school girls knit headbands to sell. Their proceeds are to support an program to end human traficking in India.

- I love a list with lots of check marks, a true thing of beauty for this task oriented girl

- a house full of giggling 10-11 year old girls, Ann's slumber party is tonight with 8 girls here for the night.

- my baby girl is growing up and maturing. Seeing her with friends, interacting and having fun is a thing of beauty.

- a 14 year old girl growing up, mature beyond her years. Making good choices and dealing with some hard stuff. Watching God mold her is a thing of beauty.

- Joe's interview to lead a trip to Haiti. Seeing how God has brought him out of the pit to leading a mission trip is a thing of beauty.

- watching God lay out a plan for my possible future employment before I even knew it is a thing of beauty.

- seeing God give physical confirmation to a reluctant adoptive parent is a true thing of beauty and their Christmas miracle. http://http//heartheldhigh.blogspot.com/2011/01/our-christmas-miracle.html

Beauty a change of plans

I love how God knows so much more than we do. 

With Joe's job so unstable, a full time job for me may be in order. 

I really have been hesitant to go back to working full time.  I love being a wife and mom and homemaker so much.  I have never been able to wrap my head around doing both.

God had the perfect plan for me. 
Waiting and trusting.

There is beauty in waiting.

Beauty- spoons

We played a family game of spoons tonight. So fun, so many laughs, a thing of beauty!

Beauty-I am way behind

So far behind, that I am no longer put day numbers on them!

Yesterday was Annie's birthday.  She turned 11.  My baby girl is 11.  It seems like just yesterday she was born.  I wouldn't trade the 3 kids in 3 years time, but I am not sure I would go back.  I like where we are.

One of my favorite parts of the kids birthdays is talking about the day they were born and all that was going on in our lives.

Annie had an exciting start to life.  My water broke right before Joe was to start a basketball game against CMA.  A neighbor had to go to the gym and tell him to come home.  As I was cleaning the kitchen up before leaving I looked out the kitchen window and could see Joe running home! We lived right behind Triton High School at the time.
We headed to the hospital after dropping off the kids at my brother's where my mom was living.  She was helping my brother after his wife had died of breast cancer at just 33 the past year. 
Once at the hospital we got a message from the athletic director saying that if we could have the baby before the end of the game, they would announce it! Ha I would do my best, I thought.  As my doctor sat in my room and watched the IU basketball game, we walked the halls while Joe talked on a cell phone with people about the game.  The nurses laughed at us, saying they had never seen anyone walk so fast before.  Stress I guess.
Annie was born at 11 pm, after the game was over!  And after a few scary minutes of her cord wrapped around her neck!  Our sweet little girl 8lbs. 14 oz. and only 19 1/2 inches long. She has always been our best sleeper and our most vocal child.  She says it like it is, and stands up for herself.  She has a passion for reading and for justice.


God has big plans for her!  and I can't wait to see where He leads her.

Beauty - a new morning

Haiti2010

As I lay in bed this morning, I am tired, poor sleep, sick husband, "woe is me"ing.  I stopped and prayed and thought over yesterday.  A self reflection act we learned last night at church.  I really fell short in many ways yesterday.
Thankful for a forgiving God and family, today is a new day.
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

His mercies never come to an end.

They are new every morning, new every morning,

Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord. Great is Thy faithfulness."



Lamentations 3:22-24 says "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

Beauty- kids laughter

There is a "3 Stooges" marathon on tv today. 

Personally, I am not a big fan of these stooges.

Aaron, Ann, and Andrew have been giggling and all out laughing at the tv  on and off all day.

I truly love hearing them laugh!

It is a thing of beauty.

Beauty day 32- menus

I obviously can't count, since I did 25 twice, so now I am a day ahead.

I don't usually do resolutions, but I do try and have goals.

As a family, we sat down and made some goals for this next year.  They involve some trips, so we decided we are going to have to cut some money from other areas of our budget.  Food is one area that I am going to try and cut some money from.  I have been working on this for the past year and have decreased it, but I think I can do more.

Saving money this way involves less convenience foods and more cooking from scratch.  This will take planning on my part, since I work part time and run kids all over full time.:)

Here is  next months menus: 
I am just listing all of the meals that are available, not which night for which meal.

Beef stew in crock pot/ bread or rolls
Spaghetti and homemade meatballs/ garlic bread
Tacos
Beef enchiladas
Beef tips with noodles
Breakfast casserole
Chicken/turkey pot pie
Lasagna
Quiche- ham and cheese
Baked ziti with sausage
Potato soup
Beef and noodles with mashed potatoes
Kielbasa with black beans
Chicken penne pasta
Poppyseed chicken

I am trying a new recipe book out called "The Great American supper swap" by Trish Berg. I found it at half price books and it has some good, easy and kid friendly recipes. The whole supper swap is a great idea, and I have done it with other groups in the past.  My kids were not always fans of other peoples food though.  I would like to try it again.  The idea is that you find 4-5 other families(similar sized families) and swap a meal with them.  You make 4-5 of one kind of meal and bring it to the swap location.  You go home with 4-5 different meals for your freezer.  It is always nice to have food ready made in the freezer.

Saving money and having healthy food for your family on hand is a beautiful thing!