Tulip Girl

Just for the record, Miss Wiggles did not open her own Christmas presents even though it looks like it here. She is however seriously enjoying all the presents she was bestowed. She's is just the most "amazingest" baby in the whole wide world and soon she won't even be a baby anymore, she'll be a toddler. I don't want to think about that. Today I tried to take a more human pace. I am not taking the frenzied pace that left me sore today. I did however get to the dry cleaners, Target, Wal-Mart then clean my bathroom, vacuum, clean the kitchen floor, spend time with a friend, play with Miss Wiggles, sing with Miss Wiggles, laugh with Miss Wiggles until she threw up (who knew I was a comedian) and do the end of the day stuff like clean up Miss Wiggles' toys, bed time routine, clean bottles, empty dish washer and get the coffee ready for the morning. No dinner though, we're doing left overs thank goodness. I did my prayer time this morning and studie...

Today is going at a much more reasonable pace. I went to the grocery store and dry cleaners already this morning and am about to clean the floors. I think though, writing down what I am doing with every day to share with ya'll helps me stay focused on the job at hand. I could be wrong but since Miss Wiggles comes straight to me when she's poopy, I'm thinking potty training isn't that far away. She gets down in the marriage proposol position, does her business and then crawls over to me. She's a nut. Here is a dovotional I read this morning by Barbara Bush I thought was really good. Regarding 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 It is common to hear women bemoaning their lack of patience as if it were the most difficult gift to pry from God's hand. In fact impatience stems almost solely from our exaggerated notions of what is due us. If we could but lower our estimation of the importance of our time, our plans and our feelings, we would find ourselves almost automatically mor...

What a whirl wind! I just packed all my candles, bathroom items (the ones I'm not using on a regular bases), packed up Christmas, craft stuff, did several loads of laundry (folded and put them away), changed sheets on bed, made dinner, Hubby's lunch, cleaned kitchen, scrubbed stove plates, showered, dried hair, made a necklace, picked music for worship service on Sunday, cleaned out drawers in China cabinet, cleaned up Miss Wiggle's toys from the day, and of course took care of and played with Miss Wiggles. I don't know how I did that and most of it was in the last four hours. Whew! Moving is lots of work I tell you. As I write this my brain is literally slowing down. I'm pooped! It is a good tired though, the "I accomplished something with my day" tired. Before we move into the rental house, we are going to paint first. I've already picked out a basic khaki for the most of the house and a spa green for the dining room I love the color in my MI...

Sometimes a little reinvention is a good thing. I will miss where I am, my house, my church, my friends (fortunately its only a 1.5 hour move so close friendships just change but don't go away, I like that), and that beautiful creek behind my house that has always been the best part of my home (that babbling brooke along with the roosters in the farm behind my house). Reinvention though. I realize that God has been doing some serious molding of me these last two years (when is He not?) and moving to me is a great part of that. I'm not the person I was when I moved to Virginia four or five years ago and I'm different from the person I was two years ago when we moved to Richmond. We've settled into a nice groove and with every passing day those grooves get deeper. Sometimes I like to make new grooves and that is difficult when old grooves are so deep. Of course this move isn't as drastic as all that. Again, 1.5 hours isn't that far away and it is back to the origi...

Christmas is upon us and I am quite excited about that. Presents are under the tree, snow is on the ground, I'm off to get some last minute goodies for my in-laws and friends, and Skype is succesfully downloaded on my lap top that I will still be able to see my family for Christmas. I love Skype. I should shill for them. I haven't been able to talk to one of my nieces very often because she isn't a phone person but with Skype, we recently had a good conversation that lasted more than thirty seconds. Skype is big because my family is hugely important to me. People come and go, but my family, I hold on to them pretty tightly. This may seem crazy, before we move in a couple of weeks, I am working on getting some of the feral cats in my neighborhood fixed and vaccinated. It is free at the SPCA here, so all I have to do is get the cats to them. I will get them tested for Feline Leukemia and HIV. Unfortunately I am almost certain that all the cats have Feline Leukemia. ...

I've had some conversations lately; some reminiscing about back in my single days, some about people's current single days and listening to others talk about back when they were single. I was reminded this morning about being single and wishing it away (not that that is what my friend was doing, I was just reminded of it). I though I would give my married girl of 5 1/2 years view on being single. First of all, I'm not against the longing to be married when your single. I did it, and being married (to the right person) is awesome. I love being married. No, the point isn't to prove one is better than the other but to makes sure every moment of your life is all they can be and not wished away waiting for the next moment. The adventures simply change but there are still adventures. Interestingly enough, it was trying to get pregnant for three years that taught me this the importance of "not spending today waiting for tomorrow". I spent three years single mi...

This beautiful little dove is a porcelain window piece from way before my time. It floated around my family home (homes actually since we moved quite a bit) and ended up in mine. I love this dove. She no longer helps keep windows locked which I'm not sure how she did that but I just know that is what she did. I used her to display my jewelry on for pictures as you can see and I think I had more fun taking her picture than I did the jewelry. My little dove is now the symbol of my jewelry business. I think I will call her Madeline. Here are some snow pictures Hubby took yesterday of the creek behind our house. Oh how I will miss this creek. Many beautiful pictures have been taken here. What a treasure.

The ground outside is blanketed in a foot of snow, the very definition of a winter wonderland is being lived out in our very own back yard. It isn't expected to melt for a while which is kind of nice. We spent the day in today, well except when Dan had to go shovel the drive. We took pics of Miss Wiggles but didn't go as far as to put her in it. She seems a bit freaked out by it. The jammies in the picture are from Aunt Laura and Uncle Scott. Its her first sort of big girl jammies. The shirt snaps onto the pants. I like that especially since its only three snaps verses the bajillion snaps on baby jammies. I also got the presents wrapped today. No matter how I cut it (so to speak) I am not a good gift wrapper. I love gift wrapped presents better than bags but I'm terrible at those folded sides. I suppose I should add some nice ribbons and that might make up for the sloppy sides. I was also able to get some jewelry stuff done. I met with a customer who wanted to buy some mo...

Cleopatra's palace , thought to have been sunk due to earthquakes in 4 AD. How stinkin' cool is that? I love the idea of a sunken city, lost to human kind deep beneath the sea containing secrets, treasures and a story left hidden for centuries. Now that their is going to be a museum containing artifacts and replicas telling the story, I am going to add this to my list of places I want to go in my lifetime. That little girl in my that loves adventure stories with mystery intrigue and heroism is getting all giddy on me!

I have been thinking this week about all I want for my daughter; to be intelligent, compassionate, great with people, a leader what not. I prayed yesterday about somethings I want her to be in the future; succesful at being able to put anyone at ease from plumbers to politicians, world leaders to children. As I wrote out my list, I felt God prodding me to see that He has His own will for this beautiful little person and it is already in action, has been in action since before the beginning of time. I realized that being her mom means being God's vessel for His will (which is way better than my will I would like to add) in her life. So I give up my will, my list, ambitions and dreams for this beautiful little girl and take up His. I found this link to a 7 day prayer outline. Reading through it, I am refreshed for the task, my focus is realigned (which I need often since I rabbit trail not just in coversation but in life as well). Click on the icon and you can be renewed for the jou...

Over the last few years and now over the last couple months, God has taken me through a process of experiencing grief, loss, and rejection. I walked through it with God by my side and was able to see through it many many important lessons, grew and came away with important truths. The last three sermons at our church focused on giving forgiveness, asking for forgiveness and then learning to allow joy to pour out regardless of whether the pain has been lifted. I am so excited to have been through this because it is walking this path that my eyes have been opened to seeing into the hearts of God's people and getting a better understanding of the hurt that dwells there for many. I am still on that path, but with that hurt, I am so much more accutely aware of how incredibly blessed I am by all the other amazing and wonderful people, experiences and blessings God has given me, many that I have taken for granted until now. Today is a Thankfulness post. I want to share with you what I am ...

Last night was Hubby's business party. It was really nice getting to know some of the cast of characters I hear about every day. Hubby and I have gotten to be good friends of a couple that works with Dan so it was nice to see them again. I also had a great time admiring the attire of the evening. There were everything from sweater sets and skirts to floor length gowns. Some men wore their suits they have for work every day while still others had festive tuxes. I may have enjoyed me super fun purple dress but I don't think I took off my coat for any longer a time than it took to take the above picture. I was a bit on the chilly side. Next year I'm going to have a sweater set. It was nice to dress up. I even made jewelry especially for this evening. I don't have pictures of that though. About the Christmas party though. They actually said a prayer in Jesus' name. Awesome! There were a few hundred people filling up the ballroom of the Hampton Roads Conven...

Miss Wiggles has succesfully wrapped me around her little finger. She makes me laugh like a child, make faces like a crazy person, worry like...well, a mother. So far in her nine months she has spiked a significant fever, one 105, the other very near it. Both came back with a false postive for a UTI, both had evidence in testing of an infection somewhere. She is fine now, happy as a clam. Miss Wiggles did get an ultra sound though and while everything looked like it was flowing smoothly, the kidneys while both in the normal range were different sizes. One was smaller than the other. So, in January, we are off to see a Urologist (did I spell that right? I'm so not McKMamma in all her precise medical date). In six months or so, we will have to go in for another ultra sound to see if both are growing at a normal rate. Its all just normal and fine but, boy, that doesn't stop a mom from worrying does it? Mommy guilt and Mommy worry are as much my constant companions as my ...

I'm still trying to work through some new perceptions, a new way of looking at things. God is working on changing my perspective. I think with all the financial limitations this season for many, we are getting a shift back to the real meaning of Christmas. I've noticed that many people feel Christmas is less this Christmas because of money. Christmas was never about money. God gave His son to us. Jesus humbled Himself to come to earth to be with us and die for use. This gift is marked by sacrifice and humility for the purpose of forgivness out of unconditional love. We are so used to, I think, spending money for Christmas that we forgot the reason we give it; to take the opportunity as Jesus did to show those we love we love them and to bring Jesus message to the world. So lets get back to that. First of all, money doesn't have anything to do with showing a loved one you love them. That is a good place to start. There are four other love languages besides gift don...

I heart Skype . This Christmas I won't be able to be with my own family as it is Hubby's year to go home. That is awesome by the way 'cause I like is family quite a bit. I am already homesick for my family though, one SIL is pregnant so I'm missing the belly. I love Skype because when everyone gets together, I will be able to talk to them and see them at the same time on Christmas Day. This is quite exciting and is a balm to my homesick heart (dramatic yes, but well, its true :). I have great nieces and one of them, A, even inspired a necklace I sold last weekend at a craft show. I am excited that a middle school girl will be getting a necklace sort of cola berated with A, a purple and electric green necklace with a purple quarts pendant. Neat. Miss Wiggles is cruising by the way. Super cool to watch. At the moment she walks around saying baby or just b sounds many in a row that end in baby. Its fun to watch her combine her sounds she can make. Well, the d...

I wanted to follow up to my Monday Question because I have a burning question related to it. One of the comments related back to a verse, Romans 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Just so you are forewarned, this could be a trail of conciousness so just bare with me. During the Thankisgiving to New Years stretch, most people will encounter family, possibly family they are succesful at avoiding all year long or are the recipients of another trying to avoid them all year long. Whatever the case may be, uncomfortable encounters lie ahead tarnishing the festive spirit of the season just a bit and distracting us from Christ's message. You know, I wanted to know, just wrote out the question and then looked back at the verse and realized my answer to what do I do when it isn't up to me to keep the peace. I think I'm getting it. First of all, this verse does not say for me to make sure all are at peace during the Christmas gath...

That whole simplify December challenge? Remember that? Yeah, ~heavy sigh~ derailed. Oh, well, we'll try again next year.

Today I heard a sermon that had some pretty awesome truths regarding our judgement in relation to forgiveness . Generally we have a tendency to judge others by their actions while we judge ourselves by our intentions. Ouch. That hits home and is so so true. A while back Hubby and I had a conversation about this but this really clarifies the point. So question #1 when was the last time you had to eat humble pie and seek forgiveness for a choice that hurt someone else no matter even if it was unintentional or the result of a miscommunication? Do you need to now? I doubt I'll get many responses on this but I'm hoping you'll surprise me. I will write my response in the comment section so you won't be alone. If you are not quite ready to confess on that one, then tell us, what TV show character would you like to be for one episode?

I am taking up a challenge. I am going to simplify. I will simplify this month right down to making it about Jesus. There have been a couple different blogs that have challenged me to do this both to simplify how I celebrate Christmas so it is more about Jesus less about the hubbub and another that has inspired me and encouraged me to turn to my Abba King for rest as this year winds down. I think I really like that idea. I want this last month of the year to be a preparation for the new year. It is easy to save January as the recovery from November and December. Instead I think I will make my December the cool down walk after the run. There are some major changes for my family happening this month and next but I have a feeling God wants the major happenings to be there as a tool to help me be purposeful in this endeavor. I don't know exactly what all this will look like but here is how I imagine it to be as told be C.S. Lewis. "If one could run without getting tired, I don...