Reformed Grits

Itchy

I have the sewing bug.  It's the LAST thing I need right now.  I don't have fundage to be buying cute, cute fabric.  I want to sew for my little girls, but honestly I'm currently itching to actually try to sell some simple dresses.  There are so few dresses that I could actually make to get my "money's worth" but the pattern I came up with for Bee's snowman dress is so quick, doesn't take a ton of fabric, and is CU-UTE!  (If I do say so myself, I mean...). 
Why can't there be more hours in the day?  Ugh, no seriously, it seems I can't ever complete a task.  I'm CONSTANTLY cleaning the kitchen.  I'm about to enter my "zone" of gearing up for the crazy season at work, which will be helped by the fact that they are hiring help for me, but I will still have to train which will be time-consuming.  I am looking forward to it because I know they will hire someone I get along with which will make it fun.  But I would love to sit for hours at a time in front of piles of adorable fabric sewing my heart out.  I'm thankful for my "other jobs" ( you know, like laundry, cooking, and educating my children...) so I suppose it boils down to selfishness.  I want to do what I want to do. 
I suppose I just need more love.  I mean, if:

...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us...  Romans 5:8

I'm sure it's wasn't what gave Jesus the warm-fuzzies.   Dying for dead, filthy sinners.  Ew.   But He set aside Himself, out of His boundless love for us, and died for us.  Motivated by love. 

So I pray for more love.  Love for my sweet husband who serves me so selflessly.  Love for my precious children who amaze me everyday.  Love for the opportunities to care and nurture my family.  Love for the life I've been given.
Yep.  This is an itch I think, by God's grace, can be scratched. 

Even though we love them,

... no one cares what the boys wear.  (sorry!)

So where HAVE I been?

I have gotton some nice comments, calls and emails about where I have been?  Well, frankly not here:

or here:

or even here:

I've been dealing with this:

And doing this: 

And making my girls' Easter clothes, bookkeeping for the school, trying to keep up with this diet and feeding my crew, doing by "beginning of the month" shopping, getting our Scotland support letters ready to mail, getting ready for Resurrection Day, getting ready to go to my sister's house tomorrow night, chauffering, soccer, and basically trying hard to keep my head above water. 

That's why my house looks like those pictures and why I haven't been around. 

You asked!

Sugie's purse

Sugie turned 4 today.  Where did my "tiny" 9 lb 14 oz baby go?  It's hard to believe I've registered her for 4K this fall.  Time flies, to be sure. 

She still loves all things Dora, so in that spirit I made her a some-what cheesy purse that I hope she enjoys.  I am NOT a lover of "character" clothes and accessories (although I will make allowances for PJ's!) but considering I was able to pull this gift off for her for about $4 I thought I'd go for it.  I need to get it monogrammed of course, but her birthday being at the end of the month-- well, it will just have to without!  Sorry for the not-so-great picture but the better lit one was actually fuzzy so oh well, -here's her little purse:

The dresses

Here are the dresses.  Meg got them today and seemed pleased, so here they are:

Are YOU depressed yet?

Ok, so it's a lot easier to take a minute to blog if you drink a margarita first.  I'm just sayin'.  Also, I'm writing this Thursday night and posting it Friday just so there's somethin' new for you to read.  So here's what I have to say...

-  We had another planning meeting for our trip to Scotland this summer in July.  I can't tell you how excited I am, and how already the Lord is changing ME in preparation.  Up until this point I had felt, unnecessarily, like a majority of the planning was up to me since I had been there before.  One of the things shared during our last meeting by Mark Wallace was 1.) not to overplan because you are essentially not leaving God any room to work.  Now I know that sounds very Saddleback and Seeker but let's just go with the thought.  You see the intent, right?  God can do whatever He wants despite overplanning but the point was well-taken.  I want to prepare and be ready but the other thing he said was, 2.)  make sure you have no personal agendas.  It wasn't so much that I had a personal agenda as much as I thought that if I don't do it, no one will.  Well, that's not true.  There are lots of WONDERFUL folks going on this trip who are just as called and JUST AS CAPABLE.   I told my awesome friend, Lisa who is going (hi Lisa!!) that I'm taking a week to do nothing in preparation but pray.  That I'm going to pray that God will help me release my grip and for HIM to lead.  My other awesome friend, Katie (Hi Katie!) who went last time with us but can't go this time because she married some ol' boy and moved to Louisiana sent me a portion of Scripture that is very important to me but I printed out and placed on my desk this particular verse, which is Ps 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  Thanks, Katie!  I can attest, that if I try to do it myself it will not be excellent.  But GOD alone, is excellent.  I'm going to let go and let HIM receive the glory.  Way to go, Kim!  :-)  And if anybody wants to help send me there to be used by Him, make your tax-deductable donations to Evangel PCA... hahaha... 

-  I have finished one of Meggie's girl's dresses and have put together the second; now I just have to smock it which is the FUN part!   I do need to try to get something for my OWN girls to wear for Resurrection Day this year, though I suppose!  I am going to take pictures before I ship them to her but won't post them until she sees the dresses herself so she can give her stamp of approval. 

-  Pray for my sweet, wondeful overworked husband.  He is so stressed out.

-  I am considering weaning Bee a wee bit early.  I usually nurse past the one year mark if possible, but if I do that I would be missing the opportunity to go with Sister on her class's trip to Washington DC in May.  Mr. Grits went last year with Jojo, and with our trip to Scotland which will take 7 vacation days, that would only leave him with 3 more days to use the rest of the year with the whole family!  I really don't love the idea of weaning my forever baby early but I do have a whole family to think of here.  Ok, and selfishly, I'd really love to go and get away with her!  That would really be wonderful!

Must attend to the pots on the stove, but at least you have a blog to read now!  I'm still here!   

 

What I loved about today

So what did YOU do today?  I'm not thinking on the lines of was it a good day or bad day, but along the lines of examing and observing the GOOD things about your day.  In no particular order, here are 10 things I loved about my day:

10.  I had the particular joy of baking bread with Sugie.  She is really growing up and loves to help.  We had nice conversation as we cooked.  And as my sister will attest, she talks incessantly. 

9.  We got to school early and the kids all had good days.  Everything with school is not perfect and we have some issues to confront but my kids are receiving a stellar education and they are having to work for it.  Today they just happened to enjoy their work. 

8.  Jojo and Sugie have a really special bond.  Their age and gender difference removes a lot of natural rivalry/competition and they love each other in a really fun way.  It usually involves lots of piggy back rides and "sit by me" at lunch.

7.  The bread I made with Sugie was the best I've made yet.  It was so good.

6.  And I was able to give a loaf away to my sister today who came over to learn how to make purses.  She stayed with Sug and Bee while I ran to go get the kids from school, and actually had lunch ready when we got back!  Woohoo!

5.  All the kids' rooms are clean tonight!  I mean cleaned, vacuumed, and sparkling.  Not perfect but I'm satisfied which says something. 

4.  JD was able to write for a bit in his blog today which gives him great pleasure and pride.  I'm so thankful he likes to write. 

3.  I was able to encourage one of my children's teachers which is always nice.  They do so much for our kids, then go home to their families.  I don't know how they do it... and with excellence. 

2.  Since I had pulled out the sewing stuff when my sister was here, I was able to find the time to pleat a bishop for Bee.  I can't wait to start smocking again.  I also blocked a smocked lace collar that I had done years ago for Sister and I never got around to finishing.  I hope I will get it done and find something for Sug to wear it with.  It's just a matter of the neck binding, finishing the back edges, and putting on buttons.  That's the easy part. 

1.  My beloved will come home soon with a head full of theology and will want to set and veg out with me as we talk about our day and the fullness and goodness of our lives. 

I could go on and on.  It was a good day. 

So how was YOUR day?   

My latest

Baby Bee is getting baptized Sunday.  I wanted to make her something pretty yet simple but not white.  So this is what I came up with.  It's just a sweet light pink linen "apron" dress (that's what it was called... an "apron."  Why? I don't know!) with ecru lace and a small amount of smocking between the collars.  The sleeves are also smocked as you can see from the close-up.   

2 Christmas presents done Yeah me!

What I DID do today

I finished Sugie's  Christmas outfit.  Thank-you-very-much I designed the pants myself.  They are long pants but you really can't tell since they aren't on her.  And one leg looks  longer than the other but it's not.  It's the way it's hanging and I didn't realize until too late.

Back to lurking.  By the way, I need strokes on this so comment me.  Thanks! :-D