Goodnight Dear Void

Y a w n...
I haven't been up this early in quite some time. I woke with so much on my mind and you beloved reader were the remedy.
Sometimes it just feels good to put things out there in the void that is known as the internet.
It reminds of me of You've Got Mail when Kathleen Kelly says, "I don't really want an answer... I Just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So goodnight dear void"  
That was back in the day when inter-webs were so brand new and you literally did put your thoughts out there in the void of the world wide web.
Now we have places, homes,  appropriate social media boxes to put these thoughts or pictures in.
You've got twitter for an ever so brief thought. Instagram for the quick pic on the go of your life. Facebook that's just like one big party 24/7. And of course Blogspot where I have spent a good portion of my life speaking to you beloved reader.  Did you know that my blog will be 10 years old this August? It's true. That's a lot of conversations,story telling, and random thoughts that I've had with you beloved reader.
I bet by now you might be wondering what woke me up around 4a.m.? I'm kind of wondering the same thing myself. It started I think with a bad day at work and then my mind just wouldn't, couldn't shut off.
Do you ever have early mornings like this? Maybe you are having one right now with me. If so thanks for keeping me company.
I have no real point or moral to this story/blog ... just wanted to say that I'm glad you are here, oh and I wanted to share that awesome picture with you.  I took that on my Instagram Shhh.... don't tell Blogspot,  but I tend to spend more time over there now. 
Goodnight... or actually Good Morning dear void. Thanks for listening. 

On Turning 40

Today is the first day of my 40s, and so far I have to say it's going pretty well. 

And just in case you were wondering,

I'm not giving up on ducky lips in my 40's, but I do think I should buy a legit pair of glasses.

Meh. 

Maybe Not!!

No mid-life crisis in sight, unless you consider having ducky lips at 40 a crisis?

But seriously, I know I'm only a few hours into this 40's gig but I have a whole life time of stories to tell you that led up to this moment.

And maybe, just maybe some wisdom even though I don't have the grey hairs to show for it! 

Dammit!!

Where are those grey hairs? 

I may be the only 40 year old woman you know who has plans to put some fake grey hairs on my head and still pull off a damn good duck lip, but that's what I feel the 40's are all about.

There is no rule book on what this is supposed to look like and so with that being said, let me tell you some of my thoughts on turning 40.

I saw this quote on Pinterest the other day and it made me feel a little bit better about turning 40.

I love a good story and if I could only approach this birthday with the attitude that now,

I have 40 years of stories then I think I won't feel so old.

I wonder what the title for this chapter will be?

I think I'm heading into this decade with a few heavy duty life notches under my belt like; getting married, having 4 children, moving away, owning homes, a miscarriage, having surgeries, getting degrees, changing jobs, losing loved ones, greeting new loved ones into the world. 

But, there is still SO much of life that I haven't experienced yet and so I find myself in this in-between stage.

The chapter called the Middle. 

When I look back over my life I realize I really do have a lot of great stories to tell and I'm truly grateful for each and every one of them. 

I have that one story of when I married a Giant man named Moses.

Gosh, I love that story.

It's been over 20 years now that, that story began so over half my life has been spent with him as opposed to without. 

If I had to choose only one person to spend the rest of my life with it would still be My Giant.

But before that story I have 19 years of stories that didn't involve a Giant.
And you can't skip those ever important formative years. 

I have the story of my first day in kindergarten when I cried ever so sweetly because I didn't want to leave my momma's side.

I was kind of a momma's girl.

I still am a momma's girl. 

The older I get the more I appreciate my momma. 

Being a good mom truly is a role that will forever be my goal.

She has led the way of what it looks like to grow old gracefully, and I'm happy to follow in her beautiful footsteps.

I have the story of when I met my first best friend at school. We became friends because some bully's where picking on her, and I came to her side and told her that I thought she was perfect. And I kicked those bullies asses... No, No I didn't! But, I wanted to. I probably didn't say anything at all that eloquent either because I was in Kindergarten,  and I'm fairly certain I didn't even give the bullies a dirty look but man was I ever angry on the inside. 

I love that story because it's still ongoing. I'm still friends with this child hood friend.

Old friends are the treasures in this life that nothing else can quite compare to.

I have the story of waiting outside of a retail store that said they would have the popular Cabbage Patch Dolls in stock, and I thought all my childhood dreams were going to come true, only to have my hopes and dreams dashed by a frenzied crowd that snatched up every doll in sight, and an announcement that they were all sold out.

My dad took me out to breakfast afterward to cheer me up and that's when I realized he would forever be one of my life's heros.

 My dad is still one of my life's heros because he has consistently showed up like that when it matters most.

The simple truth of what it takes to be a good parent is somehow wrapped up in the "showing up"!

I have the story of my first kiss that was actually stolen from my lips from a skater kid named Mikey.

That story still makes me angry. What a shit bird that Mikey was.

Girls, don't let that first kiss be stolen or any kiss there after.

Be mindful of where your affections are given. 

Shortly after that, I remember the story where my life would be forever changed by the Lover of my Soul. That story hands down, is my favorite because it has made every story there after better, richer, deeper, and more eternal. 

Make sure your life's story is building for a better eternity.

I have the stories of High School where I lived in the Choir room. I was that geeky choir student.

If my life where the t.v show Glee I was most definitely Rachel, maybe not as snooty, and probably not as confident.

I didn't care that it wasn't cool to be in choir back then because "singing loud for all to hear" was and still is my favorite. 

In this life you have to do what makes your heart sing, no matter what.

I remember that one time I changed my hair color and got tattoos that was a fun chapter. 

I'm kinda over the chapter of caring what people think about me and as I've gotten older it's been easier to live my life for an audience of ONE.

Live YOUR life, there will only be ONE.

I have had the chapter of little people who depended on me for everything. 

To cloth them, feed them, bathe them, and tuck them in at night.

Where every word was repeated and every moment was precious. 

Now I have big little people

who are so independent and capable that it's almost frightening sometimes. 

And every moment is still precious, but the words ...

well they have a changed a bit is all I'm gonna say about that!

Words are important, use them wisely.

I woke up thinking that turning 40 is so strange because in many ways 

you are too young to be old 

and 

too old to be young anymore.

It's an in between age.

Here's to the in between stage of life!

Thanks for sharing it with me beloved reader.

HEY YOU GUYS!!! (a giveaway)

   Goonie fan's is this not THE most amazing picture ever? Does that even need a question mark?

This past summer we got to visit Astoria, Oregon the town where the movie the Goonies was filmed. We had SO much fun and can hardly wait to go back. The town is as cute as it is quaint. And I'm pretty sure we went around all over town shouting...
HEY YOU GUYS!!!
Thank you my Astoria Oregon living friend Tasha for your visit and for this T-shirt, and to Solomon for making my day with your FACE!! Man that kid can make this momma smile SO big.   Now that I have your attention lets go beyond this epic pic.  I want to take this opportunity to say that I truly am so grateful to you beloved reader.  You make this blog here come alive, and I know that although most of you never leave a comment... ahem... I know you are reading, and that makes writing that much more fun. Tis the season to give back, and have gratitude, or say thanks, and I want to say that I am thankful for this space here that I get to share life with you. And although I call you beloved reader all the time I don't ever want you to forget that to me that is not just a term I use to butter you up. 
I really mean to tell you, every single time I write, that you are BELOVED.
And not just because you choose to read here, but because you are loved by the Creator of the Universe more than you could ever know.
Thank you for always listening and especially for chiming in with your own life experiences when you can relate.  I appreciate you, and so because I'm in the Christmas giving spirit I want to give you something....

  An apron I made from a vintage pillow case. You can buy one here; No Dots Shop OR you can enter the giveaway below to receive this package of love completely FREE!!

These aprons are my most favorite creations.

I take old vintage pillow cases, and turn them into something so cute, and so functional in the kitchen or for crafting, and then I hope I get to see people wearing them :)

That's where you come in, if you want one of these beauties enter as many times as you want below.

Thank you beloved reader

and 

Have Fun.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Halloween 2014

Oh Goodness!

These two middles make my heart skip a beat. 

They are 14 and 13.

That's what their birth certificate says.

But somehow,

my mind and my heart has them stuck at around 3 and 4.

When and How and Why and Where does it happen that before you can even blink you have a full blown Pop - eye the Sailor Young Man on your hands?

Or a Baby Doll that might be "too sweet" for American Idol but not for this Momma?

Oh Goodness.

Oh Gracious.

And that Strong Man on the right... Well he has strong-armed his way into just about every heart that meets him!! Hope you and yours had a very Happy Halloween this year. Now on to some  P I E  =

H4Y

Hello There Beloved Reader,  and a Happy Fall Wednesday Morning to you!
I am beyond giddy to share some photos with you today. Have you ever been SO excited over a photograph that you literally wake up first thing in the morning with nothing else on your mind (except coffee of course) but posting a picture for the rest of the world to see?
No. Huh? That's strange.
Well, that was me this morning and you are the world to me so you get to be the lucky ones to see what I'm talking about. But before we get started with the roll of film that awaits can I just tell you something you may not already know? My Giant and I every Wednesday get the privilege of hanging out with some amazing young people.

Here are 4 of those young people and 1 of those pictures that I couldn't wait to post. Seriously, the moment I took this picture of these beautiful young ladies my heart went pitter, patter. That doesn't happen to you? Hmm.. So strange.

As long as I can remember, in fact even when we were young youthz(say that like Schmidt on the TV show NEW GIRL)My Giant and I have been helping out with some kind of youth group. I suppose we kind of really enjoy youthz... unlike Schmidt.

Would you just look at that bunch of world changers up there?  How could we not totally LOVE each and every one of them. Ok, in fairness 4 of those youthz are our own... but the rest... Although, I did not birth them (thank GOD) in my heart I feel a love for them that can't really be described.
Something else I really can't describe is the joy this picture brings me.

I couldn't tell you why the young man Jeffery on the right is laughing SO hard, but I have a sneaky suspicion it has something to do with that Giant in the Orange Sweatshirt. LOL. Seriously.
Every single one of these young men, young youthz(sorry I just can't help myself) will grow up to be our teachers, doctors, firemen, bus drivers, lawyers, tattoo artists, pastors, fathers, husbands...etc I suppose that's what so exciting about working with young people, ya know kinda like Whitney Houston sang about. We get the privilege, the great honor to teach them well. I'll take a double portion of that please!

  With a slice of goofy on the side!

Love Yourself

Good Morning Beloved Reader.

Let's start this blog off on the right foot, or I guess if you prefer the left foot that's fine too, but let's start by talking about a quote shall we?

 “If you put a small value on yourself, rest as- 

sured that the world will not raise your price.” 

I absolutely love the above quote.  It makes me think of this scripture;
"Love your neighbor as you LOVE yourself"
We will come back to that later, because It also makes me think about those two beauties in the above picture.
Why? You ask.
Well,  I have noticed something, I'm not sure when it happened but my girls have turned into young women, and not just ANY young women. They are young women who walk around with a healthy dose of value, self worth, confidence, and wisdom.
It seemed like only yesterday that they were playing with dolls and giving each other rides around the house in the laundry baskets.  And now they look like this;

The one on the left is only 14 people.  FOURTEEN!! The one on the right ... well let's not mention how old she's going to be in a few months!
Back to the one on the left...
I'm pretty sure I'm not going to let her wear that red lipstick anymore. (Insert emoticon with a straight face and eyes wide open)  Ahem...  I'm also pretty sure I want her new favorite accessory of choice to be a brown paper bag with only the eye sockets cut out!! It's a good thing her dad is a GIANT named Moses or I'd be really worried.   But, you know I'm really not that worried because back to that quote up there this girl, my girl Chloe, has a high value for herself that I'm fairly certain will keep her from most things that most moms would worry about with a 14 year old daughter that looks like she's  TWENTY TWO!!
Yes, I'm raising two beautiful girls that not only value themselves but they truly are wise beyond their years. I know with complete certainty that this value and wisdom comes from their personal relationships with Jesus so I'm not about to take credit for it.
  But I also know that this world works night and day to try and de-value them. The world and it's message to these young women is working over time to tell them they aren't skinny enough, pretty enough, athletic enough, rich enough, witty enough, smart enough,  enough. enough.  enough.
I tire so quickly of that message.  In fact every new day I need a new message.  I need to hear that I'm loved, valued, appreciated, honored, treasured and so on and so forth.  I know that my girls need to hear this as well. And I would bet my 1966 vw buggy named Lucy Blue that it's a message YOU need to hear as well!
This message raises the price of my value by immeasurable numbers.  This message is one I can find readily available to me at any given moment.  It's also where I have read over a thousand times' "Love your neighbor as YOU LOVE YOURSELF"
A few weeks back my friend who also happens to be a Pastor and a really great teacher, he spoke about loving yourself. It struck a chord with me because I think that for me it's easier to love my neighbor than it is to love myself. I don't know about you all but sometimes I need a healthy dose of self love. Not to become conceited and narcissistic but just to bring back into line my true worth. I really do think that ONLY after I receive that self love message am I able to truly go out and love my neighbor.
Did you know that you beloved reader were purchased with a price?

Raise your price today.

Love yourself.

Listen to the message that says this;

1 John 4:9-11 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Everyday Jesus sits waiting for us to listen to HIS message for us. 

He tries to speak to us in the trees of bright yellow, and the birds taking flight.

He tries to tell us that he made all of the beautiful things on this earth for us to enjoy and be filled with joy. 

I wonder, are we listening?

Traveling Well

Hello There Beloved Reader

Please give me a minute while I dust off the cobwebs from this here bloggy poo. 

We hit the ground running as the school year wrapped up for my Fab 4. There was the usual end of the school year fanfare with graduations, concerts, award ceremonies, birthday parties etc...blah blah blah

And then it was time for the long awaited trip to the PNW.

This trip was like the trophy after a long tiring marathon that my Fab 4 earned this year as they transitioned from living in Redmond, Washington to Reno, Nevada.

We all couldn't wait to see sights like this...

Sigh.

The above photograph was taken at Cannon Beach where the classic 80's movie The Goonies was filmed.

So we of course had to take our own Goonies epic photograph.

Aren't my Goonies, I mean my Fab 4 so cute?

I read this quote shortly after we arrived home from our trip, it says;

"It is better to travel well, than to arrive."

Buddha

It resonates with me because often times I can just be all about getting somewhere instead of just enjoying the ride.

As any parent I'm sure can attest, you really do just want to get there sometimes when you've been stuck in a car for umpteen hours with kids.

But, when we arrived here, my friend who lives in Astoria Oregon said to me, 

"Don't Rush!" 

Her comment stopped my vacation pace in it's fast paced tracks, and I thought to myself... yea Don't Rush man, Er... Yer on Vacation Dammit !!

Breathe deep this view.

That is one, of the many things I appreciate about driving old VW's, is that they cause you to slow down and enjoy the view.

And what a great view I have.

My view on this trip was not only filled with beautiful scenery that the PNW always provides, but it was overflowing with the people that make any and all places on this earth worth the trip.

Cousin Alison, Cousin Jeananne and the whole Pellant crew,Vita, Tia Andre, Promise, Samantha, Niki, Jentry and her girls, Uncle John, Amoure and Kalie, Tasha, Papa Russ, Gramma B, and Great Gramma... that means YOU!!

From my oldest to my youngest...

To my middles in between ...

There was nothing but breath taking views on this trip.

We had a wonderful time in Portland, Astoria, and Medford Oregon, and then of course our old hometown of Redmond Washington and Seattle.  It was SO great to see family and friends and how life has changed over the course of this year in the PNW. There were memories made that I will treasure and I know my Fab 4 will too, as we head back into the busy months of the school year.
And I can't say thank you enough to all who made this trip so special; Cousin Alison, Cousin Jeananne and the whole Pellant crew,Vita, Tia Andre, Promise, Samantha, Niki, Jentry and her girls, Uncle John, Amoure and Kalie, Tasha, Papa Russ, Gramma B, and Great Gramma.
We love you all so much.  You made the PNW view that much grander. 

9 more months

In 9 more months I will turn 40 years old. 9 months is a significant amount of time. It's enough time for the average pregnancy. It's enough time for a school year to be complete. It's about the amount of months it takes a baby to look this cute.

40 years, now that is certainly a significantly larger amount of time. That is half an average lifetime. It is a number that meant a lot to some Israelites thousands of years ago as they wandered the desert in search of the Promise land. Seriously, I can't believe they wandered for 40 YEARS!?! I'd be like,  "Excuse me but does somebody know where we are going, cause I gotta go pee?!!"
It's a very long amount of time in a marriage. Most marriages, more than 75% never reach that number. And it's a heck of a LOT longer than this little guy has been on the planet. He's got 39 and 1/2 more years to go to catch up with me.

If I'm fortunate enough to have another 40 years I will leave this world thinking some of the same things I am thinking today.
Did I live my life to the fullest possible measure that I could have? And the answer will be the same as it is today. No, I haven't and No, I didn't.
It won't be for lack of trying, but simply because there is only so much one life can hold. I'm okay with knowing now at almost 40 years old that there are some things in this life time I was given that will just never come to pass for me. I was told once from a very close friend who was diagnosed with Brain Cancer that if you live like every day was your last you very quickly go crazy.  So I just determined to be o.k. with the present moment. I mean to be really o.k. with where you are and what you are doing, even if you want to change some things, there is just so much freedom in this.
But these beauties they have the whole word ahead of them. I hope at least to live long enough to see these lovely young women grow to be amazing older women in their 40's.

I think this train of thought is the reason for many a mid-life crisis.  All of sudden we hear the clock ticking and we freak out on the inside just a bit, and then freak out on the outside a whole lotta bit!! I'm thankful that somewhere in my heart I have peace about turning 40. I'm not saying that I don't think mid-life cray cray thoughts from time to time, but I'm just able to keep that crazy in a bottle until it passes. This lil guy is CRAZY CUTE!!  Don't you agree?

I have started to ask a different question.
The question I am asking myself today and one that I will ask myself on my dying day is... But, did I leave the world a better place? That's all any person can ever hope to accomplish in one lifetime. Making it a little bit better for the ones they leave behind.
Because I'm a mom of 4 kids I think about the future generations on a regular basis and I wonder things like... What will it be like for my children when they are 40? Will I still be here? Will there be flying cars? Will the world look so unfamiliar that it will frighten me ?
What I know about the future is only this, I will have to leave this earth someday and I pray my footprint is one of faith, hope, and love.  Here's to almost turing 40!