Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Updates-a-Plenty!

I am just sitting here, as happy as a lark. A dark storm is rolling in, my grass is freshly mowed, my flowers are watered (which was not needed due to the impending storm), my laundry is put away. Ahhh...sure I have 50 pieces of clothing to iron, a sandy and grass scattered floor and a dishwasher to unload but hey, a girl can only do so much.
I love a freshly mowed lawn. I cannot tell you how much. Weird for a girl, I know. I inherited my love of lawn maintenance from my Daddy, who spends hours on his cool daddy mower, taking care of their 3 acres. I mowed with that thing this weekend and let me tell you, if Bobby would buy me one of those, I would start a lawn service in a HEARTBEAT. Oh yes I would. Who cares about the countless hours I worked to pay for grad school, there is something SO soothing to me to watch a task quickly become accomplished by riding a SWEET machine. I would hire workers to weed eat and clean up. Cause I hate that. Really. Anyway, I would post a picture of our lawn but I am still a tad afraid of crazy internet stalkers so you will just have to use your imagination.
I am also FINALLY going to bite the bullet and fix my kitchen wall catastrophe. Our paint color, which we love, was painted by our builder in a flat. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE heed my advice and NEVER paint a kitchen a flat color. It is impossible to wipe down without staining. Our walls look hideous after only 2 years in our home so I finally decided on a color and a few changes. Red is my favorite accent color and I have splashes of it throughout my house. My walls are a deep neutral so it works well I think. But my walls and ceilings are the same color all throughout the house with the exception of AK's room and the guest bath which we painted. But lately, I have been digging some blue. I so love blue and chocolate and creams and whites together. SO coastal and cottage-y. So imagine my glee when I happened upon a great blog with decorating ideas and she had summer-ized her decor by moving things around and she had added blue pillows to her red toile couch. And it was CUTE! So my throw pillows are a watercolor toile that I love....reds, blues with a neutral background. So I am replacing my balloon shade over my sink with more of that fabric, painting my walls a delicious green/blue color called Oyster Bay by Sherwin Williams that is, consequently, the color of our guest bath so it has been introduced into my color palette already! I am going to have a couple of throw pillows made in a coordinating blue fabric and be done! I am really excited about adding a little color. Anyway, probably way more than you care to know.
Finally, on a more serious note, my sweet girl has been talking more and more of Jesus. I pray over her every night and pray that she would recognize Him as her Savior at a young age. I did not update but for those of you that did not follow Lacey's carepage, she passed away last week. On the same day my sweet Granny had a heart attack in the hospital. And I was driving that day with SUCH a heavy heart and my sweet child began to sing..."My God is so BIG so STRONG and so MIGHTY, there's nothing my God cannot do!" It was so precious to hear words of praise from her little mouth. And you know, I believe the sweet Holy Spirit reached into her little brain and called upon that song to remind me that He is big indeed.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Pics!

I so wish I had my makeover before these but here is a sneak peak of family pics we had taken recently! 
http://kellystocksen.typepad.com/ 

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Makeover!



What women does not salivate at this word?  Our church recently announced they were giving away a hair makeover and all you had to do was submit a video or written explanation as to why you should receive the makeover.  I decided to give it a shot NEVER thinking I would win!  So I got an email on Tuesday saying I was the winner and that I would get it done on Thursday and then be announced at our women's event Thursday night.  It was SUCH a fun day.  After 4 colors were put into my hair, it was shaped and styled, I walked out of the salon already feeling 100% better.  I then went to the mall, got my makeup done, bought foundation for the first time and decided it helped my skin a ton!  On Saturday during nap time, I went and got a manicure (just nude color but they look SO much better) and pedicure.  Let me just tell you, I know God says, "charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeing but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."  I also know when we become vain and begin to think our beauty DOES come from outward appearance, we tread on dangerous ground.  But as I put in my submission, after having Abby Kate, staying home full time and a year following 2 miscarriages, I just wasn't feeling too shiny.  I think sometimes we let our feelings reflect in our appearance that being said, I looked and felt tired.  I cannot tell you how much better I feel right now.  Just seeing myself in a new light helps my confidence and perspective soar.  So anyway, here are the before and after pics.  I so wish I could treat you ALL to this kind of weekend.  I will pray God blesses you financially so you could do it just once!  Love you each.... 

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

The journey of faith...

I feel like there are hundreds of subjects I could post on tonight.  I have had such a month overflowing with precious lessons.  Confirming my convictions, strengthening my resolve, deepening my faith, stretching my imagination....
As you read below, this family I asked you to pray for came into my life unexpectedly and grabbed ahold of my heart.  I prayed for Lacie as I would someone in my own family.  This past weekend, every time my phone buzzed with a text, my heart jumped to my throat.  I begged God.  Pleaded with Him to allow her to live.  I prayed things in my heart, and then the Holy Spirit would intercede, bringing greater wisdom and depth to my prayers than could possibly come from mere me.  
Knowing my story, you know God has told me no to impassioned prayers.  I wrestled with this more than I realized.  And I had realized it.  But through praying for a 15 year old fighting for her life, I came to the conclusion that the results did not rest with me.  It wasn't how hard I prayed or how much I believed He would answer what I prayed....It was simply believing without a doubt He could do what I ask, but also trusting His will was greater.  What significant peace rests in that realization.
I also have been more and more convicted on my choice to stay home.  Through this, I watched a Momma sit with her 15 year old daughter with quiet resolve.  She KNEW her girl.  In a stage where it can be hard to know a girl (teenager).  And she knew her to the core.  My Mom was the same way.  She gave me a wide berth when I was moody, but was always there to gently probe.  She was always there to listen and never acted shocked (which she still says is some of the best advice she received).  But above all, she was ALWAYS there.  Both physically and emotionally.  I realized the other day that if you live to be 72 years of age, which seems to me to be an average life span, you are merely spending a quarter of your life at home with your children.  Seems small doesn't it?  
Now please do not here me casting stones at mothers that choose to work.  I know many must.  I know others have husbands that do not support them staying home.  So please hear me say that.
But I will say, this whole experience meeting Leisa and her family has strengthened my resolve to passionately defend my choice to stay home and to encourage boldly others who are considering it.  Living in the world we do, it is amazing that anyone stays home.  I found through my exposure to higher education, it is frowned upon to bow out of the vocational game to raise a family....and that is a field that is a champion of our youth.  I had to defend my choice to a person of high standing as I was getting my Masters.  There is a world screaming at you that your worth comes from your vocation.  Your financial status.  Your beauty....Staying home usually checks you out of the game for all of those factors.  
But just consider, God gave you the greatest gift He entrusts to humans.  What greater could you invest your life in?  And if a tragic illness or accident suddenly took your child, would you have regrets in the quantity and quality time you spent with them?  These are questions even I, who am with my child constantly am asking myself.  Is our time quality?  Am I seeking to KNOW this child God has perfectly knit together?  Am I pointing her to Him with my actions, my words, my treatment of others?   Am I fostering a relationship with her that she can rest firmly in her Momma's love while excitedly exploring her world?