Perfectly Imperfect

The thing about summer that I am embracing is that most days are just perfectly imperfect.  There are messes, there are arguments, there are tantrums, there are mistakes, there are blowups, there are missteps.  And in all of these, we have the chance and the opportunity to make something beautiful out of something not-so-beautiful.  This summer, I decided on  Proverbs 15:15 to be our theme verse.  The girls and I are all on Instagram (#awesome!!) so we even developed hashtags for our summer verse.  The verse is all about whether you want to choose to be miserable OR whether you want to choose to be cheerful.  Every day, its a choice, And you get exactly what you choose.  The best part is that because of grace,  you can always change your mind.  It's been such a good reminder about the power that we have to take our "imperfectness" and be okay with it.  To recognize when we've hurt someone and ask forgiveness; to realize that we've overdone it in an area and so we make a u-turn; to clean up a misunderstanding with a friend; to show compassion to a family member who might not deserve it.

 Summer is just a short story of the year.  It's story that each one of us is contributing to.  One that is ever-changing and completelly unpredicatable.   It has chapters that are full of adventure, interesting characters, twists and turns, ups and downs.  From beginning to end, it is a story of love, laughter, and most of all the Lord's faithfulness. I'm grateful to be one of the quirkiest characters in our story.

 #choosecheerful

 

 

recap

ENJOYING : time alone AND time with friends 

WATCHING : this movie   - Just such a great one!!

DRINKING: yummy coffee and delicious Sangria.  This was the best recipe!!

DOING: gardening, working in the yard, making a birthday cake, planning a birthday party.

READING : "The Forgotten Seamstress" and "Ordinary Grace"

STUDYING : "Fight Back with Joy"... again.  This study was so wonderful the first time that I did it and I just wanted to ruminate a little bit more in it.  So I bought another book and I'm watching the videos again. It's so worth it.  

EATING : While my family has been gone, I've eaten pasta.  and more pasta!!  It's not everyone's favorite thing around here, but it IS mine!  SO....I cooked it for myself 3 times since everyone has been away :). 

MISSING : All of my peeps.  Truly!  Three of them are on their way home right now, and the big girls have 5 days left on their trip.

 It's been wonderful to have some time "off" but I'm ready to get back to work.   I am meant to be  the mama and the wife, the keeper of the details, the leader of this pack.  It's my calling and my purpose and... turns out it's also my joy.  It's where my heart is, it's where my passion is, and since we've all been apart my heart has grown fonder of all of the little birdies in my nest.  Now it's time to get back together and get this summer party started.   

AND...

Today is our little brown-eyed girl's birthday.  Meredith Grace is 11 today.  She is absolutely the life of our family.  She is funny, bright, has the biggest dreams, and we couldn't be more delighted to celebrate her today. 

Happy Birthday, my darling little one. 

 

a June break

I wasn't planning on having this kind of vacation.  I was planning on going on a short trip to the Sand Dunes for 4 days.  But at the last minute, I approached sweet hubby with the idea that I stay at home while he and the little ones went on our planned vacation, and the big girls were away on their summer vacation.  He very quickly agreed, nodding vigorously, proving to me that we ALL needed a break from each other.

Last Friday, the big girls packed their bags to go to Mexico on a 9 day trip.  Sunday morning the rest of the family loaded up the van with their bags to head to southern Colorado for a 4 day trip.  The pup, the kitty and the mama stayed home.

It has been a much needed few hours of quiet, solitude and peace.  Hours that I didn't really know that I needed.  But with a few days under my belt I realized that I indeed had short circuited my time, my energy, my focus.  I needed to re-charge these batteries and that is exactly what I've done.

I have been spending time outside walking.  I've watched some favorite movies.   I bought some cut flowers that I put around the house.  There have been  bottles of wine opened and  pages of books cracked.  I had dinner with one friend, talked on the phone to other friends, taken pictures, surfed the internet mindlessly and of course I've cleaned.  Scrubbed bathrooms and floors, dusted and straightened up.  I went through all of the piles and I've trashed what needed trashed and recycled what could be recycled. There is a pitcher of Sangria chilling in the fridge that will be shared with a few friends tonight as we enjoy the beautiful garden that is blooming.   AND...

I've missed the kids and the hubs.

Not constantly, but it's been there.  There is a noticeable difference in the noise, in the demands, in the chaos.  

But for 3 1/2 days, it has been so wonderful.

A break that I didn't even know that I needed.

June - the springboard to so many wonderful events and memories and moments.

And here is the plan for the summer for this mama.

Proverbs 15:15

"A miserable heart means a miserable life;

A cheerful heart fills the day with song."

 Every.  Single.  day.  I am going to choose to have a cheerful heart.  Whatever it takes!!  According to the dictionary, cheerful means "noticeable happy and optimistic; causing happiness by its nature or appearance."  This is the plan, folks. I am going to choose cheerful rather than miserable.  It's up to me!!!   Happy Summer to all!!!