I made some changes to the blog

Well, I had a little free time this morning (aka: I skipped Jazzercise) and spent a little time checking out the blogging options. I have a friend who created a blog so she'd have the right to comment on mine... while I'm glad she started her 100th blog (*tee hee*) it got me to thinking...

So I checked it out and found all sorts of options! So I've added some links to other friends, as well as a list of some of the places I go almost every day, just for fun. I also changed it so anyone can leave a comment, so you can leave a message even if you don't have your own blog. I figured this would give people the chance to set the record straight if I was ever wrong about something. (*ha ha*)

OK, I need to go do some packing... why???? Because it's almost vacation day!!!!!!!

What did I do before crochet?

I was thinking the other day about how much I'm enjoying crocheting, and how therapeutic it is for me. Throughout my life I think I've always done crafts of some sort... cross-stitch, crochet, newsletter writing/arranging, etc. There was even a quilt I started and my mom finished for me, at my request - after it sat cut out in my closet for years! Anyway, I was wondering to myself what I'd been doing for the past few years, and how I could have survived without crochet ;)

Then I remembered H's hair! I looked up a few pictures from this year, but I have even more, going back. The pictures really don't even do them justice. The one to the left here has a zig zag par that looked SOOOO cool. Anyway, I realized that braiding and styling her hair is really a craft for me, one I love and enjoy! So I had to show off some pictures.

5 (more) things

OK, here are *my* 5 things:

1. Book - the Love Comes Softly series by Janette Oake, and all the other books she's written. It is Christian romance, but much more than that. I started reading them in my teens after my grandma said they were good. They introduced me to a lot a life issues I faced, as well as just a glimpse of what really living for and depending on God looked like.

2. Music - In general, comtemporary Christian music is big for me. I first heard the album "Life, Love, and Other Mysteries" by Point of Grace on a late night infomercial type show. I was so drawn to this feeling of community in Christ. It was a turning point for me. But I can't leave this topic without mentioning "Held" by Natalie Grant. This song really captures my understanding of God. You can see the lyrics here: http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/artists/natalie-grant/held.htm
Or listen to the song here:
http://www.nataliegrant.com/jukebox.php

3. Art - What I think of here is a "decoration" our church used to put up at pentecost. It was an oversized windsock kind of thing. It had short yellow, orange, and red streamers attached to it. Each streamer had been signed by a member of the congregation. That was such a visual for me. It looked like fire. Unfortunately I think our congregation is a little more sophisticated than this kind of decoration now... :(

4. Film - well, TV for me - Veggietales. I learned a lot and laughed a lot! Still do!

5. Pop Culture - for me it's contemporary Christian radio.

Thanks, Helen!

5 things

5 things that have helped you on your spiritual journey. I am lifting this post off my friend Helen's blog http://god-parenting.blogspot.com/

Here are T's responses, below (he's home for lunch) and I'll post mine after I get G off to school. We had a great lunch conversation about this!

1. Book - Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey. This book provided a completely different view of God and our relationship with God than I had seen before. Through time God trying to "parent" his people and learning (though that's just a description, I don't really think of God as learning in the human sense) how to parent.

2. Music - the album "A Collision" by the David Crowder Band.

3. Art - "Christ of Saint John of the Cross" by Salvador Dali. I saw this on exhibit at the St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art in Glasgow, Scotland. Am immense painting when seen in person, it's at the Kelvingrove ARt museum in Glasgow now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_of_St._John_of_the_Cross

4. Film - Unbreakable (starring Bruce Willis, directed by M. Night Shyamalan) - when viewed through a spritual lens this shows the concept that each of us is gifted and has the ability to use the gifts if we choose.

5. Unusual Engagement with Pop Culture - hearing the songs of Linkin' Park I'm struck by the sense of urgency for belonging, the cry out from 'pop' culture for something more. I was surprised by that.

Getting Ready to Travel

I'm getting ready to go visit my mom, sister, and other relatives! (You can see my niece and nephew above, wearing hats I made them!) I leave on Saturday, and I'll be gone for a week. I've started preparing my house for my absence. :) I really haven't left like this ever! Once I was gone for 5 days, and T took off work and ran the house, but I took G with me then. This time T's mom will be coming to keep things running. I'm so greatful! But I want to get things in order so she and the kids and T will have a smooth time of it.
While I'm gone, I'll be helping my sister with all the things she's dealing with now. I'll go with her and B for B's chemo, and I'll go to the hospital with my sister when she has a procedure to blast away a kidney stone. I'll also just be helping around the house, and hopefully lightening her load. And when I'm not with her, I'll be haning out with my mom and stepdad and grandparents. I'm just really looking forward to this time away. You can check out B's website
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rebeccab and see her progress.

I'm a Bag Lady!

After making some hats, I decided to try a bag. I messed up on the kind of yarn I bought, but I think it worked out very well! It's about twice as big as it was supposed to be, and it didn't have a handle before, so I made one up! And what's it for? (T asked) well, for carrying yarn, of course!

G is starting dance class in a couple weeks, and she needs to take ballet and tap shoes each week, so I crocheted a bag for her - just made up the pattern, using some fun yarn. Of course, then H wanted a bag. I made a purse for her, as she loves purses. I thought they both turned out really cute. :)
Now I'm working on a hat for J - Christmas present. But again having issues with the yarn. Why can't I just follow the pattern and buy what it asks for? (I suppose because they didn't have cool yarn in sportweight!) J insists that his hat be soft, but not fluffy in anyway, so I'm doing my best. It sure is hard to hold back from the fuzzy yarns, though! :)
In our church bulletin I saw that they were looking for crocheters to help make some hats and afghans to donate. I called and signed up. T is afraid I'm going to make him a briefcase or something and expect him to use it. :) I'm glad I can harness my crafting urges for good!

Up and Down Day

This morning I had such an "ah-ha" moment. I've really been struggling with the idea that we may not foster again, for a while at least, while we devote our time and attention to the kids we already have. I've struggled with this, because *my* plan included me always having a baby to love on. :)

This morning H was actually cuddly, which is pretty unusual. Even more unusual, she saw Z sitting by himself and motioned him over. As I sat with the two of them on my lap, I realized that when they were 16 and 17, we wouldn't really be able to do this anymore. It really hit me that I have my whole life ahead of me, and I'm just really in a hurry to have it all now.

G wandered in, and H motioned her over, too, so here we are, all snuggled together happily on the couch. I think this picture will forever be a reminder to me to be patient!

So now I'll take a deep breath. We had therapy today, and I forgot to take off H's ADHD sticker, so she's wound, wound, wound up, and full of big feelings. I've been trying to settle her to sleep since 8:30, and it's after 10:30 now. :( It's been another evening with her lashing out against me, and I feel battle-sore. T stepped in giving me a break. I changed loads of laundry, and posted this quick. I think I've got to give up trying to understand what God is doing. But just like H wants to hold it all to herself and bottle it up and control it, I have such a hard time releasing things to God. Especially releasing my kids, especially H. Deep thoughts tonight.