Rummage sale deals

Awe, rummage sales. The glory of summer.

I spent all the cash in my wallet, so I started digging into SuperDan's wallet after that. The deals were just too good to pass up :) I couldn't resist...

I didn't take any pictures of my glorious buys- sorry about that. All I can think about is this baby coming, so I'm lagging behind in the photography department these days. Although my mind is racing with thousands of photoshoot ideas for when little man arrives!

Here is a list of my gently used merchandise :)

1. Vintage red and white polka-dot dress (um, can't wait to fit into that after baby belly goes bye-bye!)
2. Vintage brown high heels with amber stone by the toes (my feet are too swollen for them now, but soon and very soon...)
3. Brown maternity sweater (I will still need it while loosing baby fat)
4. Adorable black maternity dress (I think it will work as a normal dress too)
5. Baby boy clothes
6. Clothes and a pair of shoes for Sitora (My fav? A Chinese-looking dress! AH! Love it.)
7. Wooden learning toy with all sorts of awesome parts. The top looks like what they have in doctors' offices for kids (with the winding bars with shapes you can move around). The sides are puzzles, a clock, and the old-school style counting sliders. I love wooden toys!
8. Dora movie about being a big sister (Totally perfect for my princess at this time!)
9. Printer (SuperDan got it just to resell the ink cartridge... he's a genius)

My poor sweetheart has pink eye, so we are thankful that little man hasn't come yet. She is recovering, so hopefully by the time he arrives she will be healed. It's so sad to see her wake up with green goopy eyes every morning :( I had pink eye when I lived in Cambodia and I couldn't open my eyes for a week. I'm not kidding. It was absolutely a nightmare. So when Sitora woke up screaming the other night because her eyes hurt, I completely understood her pain. Every time you blink it feels like sandpaper scraping your eyes. Ya, pretty much the worst thing ever.

There's not much left to get ready for baby. I've organized and reorganized the same things I organized a million times. My nesting instinct is driving me insane, because I have no space to nest! I think I'll re-paint my fingernails tonight. I grew them out and french-manicured them so they will look pretty when baby comes. I usually keep my nails short because I play guitar... but when your belly is a bowling ball the good ol' guitar doesn't fit so well on your lap.

I plan on hitting many more rummage sales this summer after we move. Can't wait to start our new adventure and start making a house a home :)

1 Corinthians 13 for Mothers

This excerpt was taken from the book A Mother's Heart by Jean Fleming.  This book has been rocking my world, let me tell you. I am writing up a bible study for moms based on this book and the study questions it gives at the end of each chapter. All moms, please read this book. It is amazing.

1 Corinthians 13 for Mothers

If I keep my house immaculately clean, and am envied by all for my interior decorating, but do not show love in my family- I'm just another housewife.

If I'm always producing lovely things- sewing, art; if I always look attractive, and speak intelligently, but am not loving to my family- I am nothing.

If I'm busy in community affairs, teach Sunday school, and drive in the carpool, but fail to give adequate love to my family- I gain nothing.

Love changes diapers, cleans up messes, and ties shoes- over and over again.

Love is kind, though tired and frazzled.

Love doesn't envy another wife- one whose children are "spaced" better, or in school so she has time to pursue her own interests.

Love doesn't try to impress others with my abilities or knowledge as a mother.

Love doesn't scream at the kids.

Love doesn't feel cheated because I didn't get to do what I wanted to do today- sew, read, soak in a hot tub.

Love doesn't lose my temper easily.

Love doesn't assume that my children are being naughty just because their noise level is irritating.

Love doesn't rejoice when other people's children misbehave and make mine look good. Love is genuinely happy when others are honored by their children.

Our society does not easily identify with Jesus' example of giving up His rights. Instead we assert our rights: "women's rights," "children's rights," "gay rights," "minority rights." New categories are constantly being added to the list.

Mothers too, can grasp for their rights, but sometimes they find their capacity to love is dissipated by their firm resolve to protect those rights. A mother in one cartoon is seen tacking up a sign: "Mother goes off duty at 8pm." That seems fair enough, doesn't it? After all, who has longer hours than a mother? Should we perhaps organize or unionize to ensure our right to some time off?

The world urges us, "Assert yourself," "Fulfill yourself," "Liberate yourself," "Please yourself," "Satisfy yourself." But Jesus says, "Die to yourself." It seems like a step backwards. Our lives are to be sacrificed for others, not in some sort of melodramatic martyr complex, but in following the daily challenge of Christ's example. Listen to Jesus' words:

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." - John 12:24-25

Christ commands us to love even as He loves. 

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." -John 15:12-13. 

Love is laying down our lives for others. Just as our Lord Jesus Christ gave His life for us, so we are to give our lives away for others. To love is to die... Each day we have numerous opportunities to live for others and not ourselves. We may serve others and die to self by being dedicated to seeking the good of others.

Paul instructs us, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."- Ephesians 5:1-2

(As you can see, this book is seriously deep and convicting. It's not a "give you a warm fuzzy" kind of book. It's an "in your face" kind of book that deals with the deepest heart issues we face as mothers. I cannot express to you how much this book has meant to me!)

We're moving!

After months of praying and waiting on the Lord, we finally know the next step for our family!

I am excited to announce that we have been hired as the Senior Pastors for New Hope Assemblies of God church in Cornell, Wisconsin! Cornell is located about two hours east of Minneapolis and four hours northwest of Fond du Lac (where we are currently living).

We will be moving a few weeks after the baby is born. We sold or gave away the majority of our possessions when we left Baku last summer, so we won't have much to take with us when we move. We'll be starting all over from scratch buying furniture and household items. We are praying the Lord leads us to the perfect house. We want to host people for small groups, game nights, get-togethers, parties, etc... and hope to find a place with a big living room and yard to hold as many people as possible!

I can't wait to finally be settled and have a place to call home, yet once again. Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement during this time of waiting. The journey Father has brought us on these past few months has been hard at times, but I know the work He did in our hearts will forever change us.

I am so grateful for this new opportunity in our lives to serve Father and others. Our hearts burn with passion to live whole-heartedly for Him and Him alone. Wherever He leads us, we will go! Whether it is in Azerbaijan or America, we are His willing servants.

Now that we know where we will be moving, all I can think about is baby! When will he come? How will labor go? So many things running through my mind. Yet I will continue to trust in Him, knowing He is always with me through it all.

Little girl summer hair

My princess has such long hair that it often gets tangled when she plays outside. Since the weather has warmed up, she loves to play in the sandbox, run in the wind, and play with the dog outside. This equals very tangly hair by the end of the day.

So I've adapted a few "summer hairstyles" for her that are quick and easy for me, but keep her hair out of her face and the elements during the day.

This hairstyle I call the french braid side pony-tail. It's really quite simple. If you don't know how to french braid then you could just take a section of hair in the front and do a regular braid instead. I just like french braids because it keeps her hair tight and away from her face.

1. Part a section of hair in front. Push aside the rest of the hair that you aren't going to braid. 
2. French braid (or regular braid) the front section all the way down the side of the head past the ear.
3. Grab the rest of the hair that you pushed aside. 
4. Make a side pony-tail right under the ear with the extra hair and the braided hair. 
5. Make sure it is tightly secured.
6. Add a flower clip or ribbon for some added cuteness :)

I also do this style on my hair once in a while too!

Um, just in case you are wondering, she wanted to make a "goofy face" for this shot. Silly girl!

If you don't understand my instructions, just comment below. I can make a video tutorial if anyone wants one :)

By the way, I french manicured my toes this weekend. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to do that when you have a bowling ball for a stomach? Ya, probably not gonna try that again. SuperDan laughed while watching me. I commented back, "Do you have any idea how much money I am saving us by doing this myself?" Honestly though, maybe next time I'll just go get a pedicure!

Happy Monday! Tomorrow is my due date. Come-on baby!!

What to do with anger

Lately I've been searching my heart a lot. Doing a lot of "house-cleaning" you could say. When you are 9 months pregnant and anxiously waiting for a baby to arrive, you have a lot of time to think.

The topic that's been on my mind the most lately has been anger.

Anger is not a bad thing. It is a natural feeling. God felt anger. It's normal to get angry.

But it's what we do with our anger that matters.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV) says, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."

Psalm 4:4 (NKJV) tells us, "Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still."

These two verses have been stuck in my head for many years ever since learning them early on in my faith. I am thankful that I've learned through studying Scriptures that being angry is not a bad thing. If that were the case, I would be beating myself over the head with a book 50 times a day due to guilt from getting angry!

I am not normally an angry-type of person. Usually I have a lot of patience and can hold my tongue. But after getting married and having a child, I've seen how I can become easily angered and react with harsh words or tone. Honestly it has shocked me. It has humbled me. It has shown me how much I truly need to be forgiven- Christ's sacrifice on the cross for my sins has become so much more real. I thought I was a pretty nice person- but then all this yucky junk rises to the surface the older I get and I realize time and time again how much I need a Savior!

My version of "being mean" or "lashing out" due to anger might not be the same as others... I don't throw things or yell or scream or slam doors or stomp off or give the cold shoulder. But that doesn't mean I should rationalize my sin, just because I feel it's "not as bad as others". I shouldn't compare myself to anyone else but Father, and Him alone. If I keep just comparing myself to other people, then after a while I'll plateau in my faith. I always need to be striving to be like Him if I want to keep growing spiritually.

Lately I've been struggling because of my pregnancy hormones (on top of aches and pains) and taking care of Sitora at the same time. What normally wouldn't anger me before, suddenly trips my trigger now and sends bolts of thunder up my spine. My patience level is running a bit on empty these last few weeks of pregnancy. Something simple like Sitora spilling her milk all over the counter and floor (for the third time this week) brings out my frustration immediately. Something simple like when she whines when it's time for a nap or time to leave a play-date. You get the idea. Small things, right?

I've made mistakes in the past where I snap when something happens and say something too harsh like, "What are you thinking?" or "I'm so annoyed right now!" I don't want to scar my children with these words. I know they will remember them forever. I want to stop myself before these words leave my lips. So lately I've adopted a new method of dealing with my frustration and it seems to be working!

When Sitora does something to anger me, immediately I take a deep breath and either look down at the floor or put my hands on my forehead to calm myself. I say nothing. At all. Then I think about the situation. What course of action do I need to take with Sitora right now? Was this an accident, or was she being disobedient? I ask the Lord to guide me and help calm my nerves. Then I take another deep breath and remind myself to speak in a soft kind voice. I might say something like, "We all spill our milk once in a while, don't worry honey. Next time can you try to be more careful? You are a big girl now and I want you to be responsible for your food and drink on the table." Or I might say, "Honey, the way you are acting right now is disrespectful. You are not allowed to talk to mommy that way. You need to say sorry to me, and then change your attitude. Do you want to chose to obey, or disobey? Because you know what will happen if you disobey." Then I look at her and wait for her response. By this time, the initial shock or spurt of anger I felt has started to dissipate and I know I can pretty easily act calmly from this point on.

This quote keeps running through my head, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." This has helped me in my first few seconds of frustration, reminding me not to say something I would regret. Sitora has caught on to my new method the minute I put my head down or take a deep breath. Immediately she sputters, "Mommy, are you frustrated right now?" I am honest and reply, "Yes, I am." "Why?" she asks. I reply, "Mommy is frustrated that you did that. I am thinking about what I need to say." I think my silence and quiet voice have more of an impact on her than angry, harsh words can. She notices that something is bothering me because I suddenly became silent. It's okay for her to know I am frustrated. I am human, and I can't hide that from my child. I can't plaster a fake smile on my face and always pretend I am the perfect mom. I think it's good for our children to see us as parents experiencing all kinds of emotions so that they can learn from example how to deal with them. (Granted, I'm not going to cry my eyes out in front of her when I'm dealing with a hard issue. She has seen me cry before but I will always use caution in how much I tell her or what she sees me dealing with.)

Proverbs 15:1 (NKJV) says, "A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger." Why do we as parents sometimes think this verse does not apply to us? Why have I thought in the past that it's okay to get raise my voice in anger at my child? Of course this doesn't apply to situations where she could get hurt or hurt others, like running out in the street or holding a lit match! I'm talking about raising my voice because I'm angry about something and can't control the feelings before I speak. If I don't want my daughter yelling at other people, then why would I do it? I don't want her yelling at her younger siblings someday either, passing on a legacy of angry words.

I have been praying about this and asking the Lord to help me in this area and give me grace in the years to come when we have more children. I want to make sure I work on this issue early in my parenting years. I know I will mess up, I know I will make mistakes. But I will repent and get right back on my feet again and start anew.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NIV)  "Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools."

Lord, help me to always turn to you with my anger and frustration. May I always act in a way that is pleasing to You!

G Family Photoshoot

Psalm 127:3-5 

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Casual messy-bun hairstyle

Let's face it. We don't all have time to do our hair fabulously every single day. Sure, we have our days when we are going somewhere special and we schedule in "hair time" with our curling or flat iron, hair spray and all. But for the days when you just need to get up 'n go, this is the style I chose!

1. Depending on your hair style, you need to figure out how you want the front to look. I am growing out my bangs, so I pin them back with a slight poof. I use blonde colored bobby pins. If you have bangs you can style them as normal. 
2. Pull all your hair back into a pony-tail. Make it loose and slightly messy. Sometimes if I feel the pony-tail is too tight, I'll just gently pull at the roots to loosen the hair up a bit. You can let wispy hairs around your face and neck fall down- it adds to the casual look.
3. Once your pony-tail is secured, take the ends of your pony-tail and start weaving them through the pony-tail elastic. This is also called a "messy bun". 
4. I secure the messy bun with a few bobby pins here and there just to keep it in place. 
5. I added a cute flower clip for fun :)
6. Spritz a bit of hairspray and TA-DA, you're done :)

Here is a video tutorial of me showing you how to do it...



I do this hairstyle on my daughter as well, except I do a french braid in the front of her face instead of pinning it back. You can alter this messy bun pony-tail in so many ways, the possibilities are endless!

Now it's time for me to get some work done. This is definitely my "work" hairdo. I totally kicked back yesterday doing a whole lotta nothin', so I'm getting back in gear today :)

Happy Tuesday!

P.S. Today I am exactly one week from D-Day. Sitora was born exactly a week before her due date, so I was hoping there was a chance this time. Don't think so. Little man is quite content inside his little cocoon. *sigh* I am not enjoying this waiting game!

hello

Hello sparkly shoes. I almost didn't see you due to that baby bump of mine.

Hello darling girl. You make me laugh. This makes me want to take an airplane ride with you again across the ocean blue.

Hello water. You are seamless, calm, and still. I want to reflect my Savior the way you so perfectly reflect the cloudless sky.

Hello stream. I'd like to splash and play within your rocky waves like a child. Why must we act so grown-up all the time?

Hello trees. Your branches reach up to the sun, as if craving it's light. I squint and smile. You are majestic and mysterious.

Hello world. It's cold and windy while I am warm and snugly under my blanket. Sitora is sleeping and I hear nothing but the clicking sound of the keyboard. Little man is kicking me a bit but I think he's too squished to move much these days.

Today I stopped to smell the roses. I played with my princess. I sat on the ground like a child for our snack, tickled her while playing hide-and-seek under the covers, and giggled about nothing of importance. I offered my love a back massage and asked him how he's feeling today. I listened to Joyce Meyers and searched my heart. I read a good book and looked outside my window for inspirational thoughts.

How often do I pass all these beautiful things by in the name of time? I want to soak it all in some more, please.

My Bobs shoes

I am not normally one of those "follow the fads" type of people. I have my own style and I stick to it. I only buy stuff if I really think it's cool, not just because someone else is doing it.

But it just so happens that a recent fad (Toms shoes) has actually caught my eye. 

For a few weeks now I've been contemplating buying some Toms shoes. (Click here for more info). I wear leggings way more than pants these days, and some comfy slip on shoes that don't give me blisters would be a relief. But I just couldn't justify the price. My husband and I are both thrifties at heart- it's hard for us to spend much money on... well... anything! So I carefully laid my Toms shoes dream aside and forgot about it.

Today we were blessed beyond belief. Someone who cares about us deeply wanted to buy as all shoes. All of us. Even junior here (and he's not even born yet- lucky guy!) It's hard being on the receiving end of things. Our personalities are wired to just give all the time to everyone, so when someone else wants us to receive, it's pretty hard. But we have been unemployed for some time. Money doesn't grow on trees. New shoes are just not a priority right now.

Tears filled my eyes today when we were given this opportunity. When I stepped into the shoe store, I had no idea what to look for. I feel like I have everything I need. I have enough shoes to get me by. Sure we gave away or sold the majority of our possessions in Baku last summer, but we feel that what we kept was sufficient for us.

I walked down the isles wondering what shoes I would pick.

I saw these.

They aren't Toms, but they are almost exactly like them! They even have a great name- Bobs! And the best part? Skechers is the brand selling them and they are doing the same thing Toms shoes is doing.

"Buy a pair of BOBS and Skechers will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need through Soles4Soles." 

Awesome. 

 

So I get a pair of ridiculously adorable and comfy shoes, and someone in need will also get a pair of shoes? Double whammy.

So whether you are for Bobs or Toms or Dicks or Harrys, I don't care. The point is that these organizations are giving to others in need and I like that. 

After receiving a bag full of like-new baby boy clothes already this week, I am feeling humbled after receiving shoes as well.

He knows our needs. Even the silliest ones. They matter to Him.

That makes me happy.

Eggs and more eggs

A few days before Easter I was listening to Christian family radio. They were interviewing Phil Vischer, the creator of VeggieTales. They asked him how parents can sift through the Easter bunny and Easter eggs in order to teach children the true meaning of the holiday- The Resurrection. He explained that many Chrstian parents can tend to throw out the "baby with the bathwater" so to speak, and refuse to have anything to do with the more materialized side of Easter. He went on to show how bunnies and eggs really can be connected to the Resurrection, and he gave a history of the early believers and why they used these symbols to teach their children about the Lord! I was so excited to hear about this. (And no, I'm not one of those people that insists you call it "Resurrection Sunday"... I think that's great if someone else wants to call it that, but I think it's rude to push it on other people.)

Why are these traditions so ingrained in Easter Sunday, you ask? And what do they have to do with the resurrection of Jesus?

Spring symbolized new life and rebirth; eggs and rabbits were an ancient symbol of fertility. When Christianity came to Europe, the new believers used these symbols to teach their families about the resurrection. In Spring time families used to "hunt" for eggs in real life, for protein! So that is where that tradition started. Then the believers took it a step farther and started painting eggs to symbolize different aspects of the resurrection for their children to understand (i.e. the red colored egg symbolized Jesus' blood). I explained all this to Sitora the day we colored eggs.

(Sitora was so excited to see the Easter bunny. I thought she would cry her eyes out, but she didn't!)

First of all I felt blessed this Easter season that Sitora was already able to watch our church's Easter play twice! She asked millions of questions both times. She clapped and laughed and sang along with the choir members. Tears filled my eyes when Jesus rose from the grave and ascended into heaven! How wonderful for Sitora to see this at such a young age! I prayed for her over and over that it would deepen her understanding and relationship with the Lord.

We also used the resurrection eggs before our candy hunt to teach Sitora and her 7 year old aunt the true meaning of Easter. Every egg had a small prop that symbolized something different with the resurrection. SuperDan read the story and explained each part.

Then it was time for the Easter egg hunt! We put jelly beans inside the eggs for the girls and also some small bags of candy were separately hidden. I think Daddy had more fun hiding the candy then the girls did finding it!

I wore a vintage outfit for Easter Sunday and loved it! I wish we could go back in time and wear the clothes my Grandmother used to wear when she was my age. The hats, the gloves... I'm in love.

Happy Easter from us :)

Good Daddy

*sigh*

Isn't he such a good Daddy?

A pregnancy allegory

It's a little ironic. Don't ya think?

You know. How us women bear a child for 9 months, going through many aches and soreness and inconvenient symptoms. Then we go through excruciating pain to bring this child into the world through hours of labor. And yet it's all in the name of love. We know there is something beautiful and amazing and wonderful and mysterious on the other side. The gift of having a child is so worth it. The pain lasts for only a season, but the benefits last a lifetime.

And yet I feel the same way about our Savior. He knew that He would endure pain for us, that He would suffer on this earth for a little while. But in the end He knew it would bring the ultimate gift- reconciliation between God and man. It was all worth it to Him. The scoffing, the torture, the sins of the world He would bear upon His shoulders. 

It was all in the name of love.

The ultimate sacrifice.

(Photo from the Fond Du Lac Reporter online)

A few things actually

Lots of things have happened this past week! In no particular order...

• After seeing this idea on one of my favorite blogs here, I was determined to do it myself. I was at Goodwill one night (might I add the 50% off day!) and found this adorable wall hanging! It was perfect for the craft and just what I was looking for. It's a house-shaped shelf to hang in Sitora's room (once we move into our own place... someday...) and it can display small knick knacks or toys! 

I grabbed my scrapbooking pages and cut them out to fit in each shelf. It was a bit tricky to cut out the odd shapes and glue them in, but it worked. Now there are lots of fun cute designs and not just the plain brown wood in the back.

• Sitora loves wearing this adorable Big Sister shirt. I wish I had it when we were announcing this pregnancy, it would have been the perfect way to tell people. But we have it now, and it suits it's purpose perfectly :)

• The princess also learned how to shoot a BB gun for the first time! Her Grandpa taught her and she was thrilled. She's been talking about going hunting with her Daddy to "shoot some deer" ever since hunting season last fall, so this is the beginning I guess :)

Yes, she closed her eyes for one of the shots. I believe she still hit the box though!

Going to check out the hole she made...

Some other funny random things from the week are...

• Sitora and I were in the kitchen eating dinner when all of a sudden we heard a loud noise outside. She was totally serious when she asked, "Mom, was that a man? Or was it a muppet?" (For those of you who have seen the new Muppet movie, you will totally understand this.) I laughed my head off. It was hilarious. 
• I gave my 17 year old brother-in-law his first piano lesson. He already knew the names of the notes so we quickly moved on to learning chords. For those of you who know piano, you will be amazed at this. He learned almost all the major/minor chords, and I taught him Amazing Grace. He learned chords like C/E and Dm7. For his first lesson I was so proud of his progress!
• SuperDan ordered me a sewing machine! I learned how to use one in junior high home economics class, but totally don't remember a thing. I can't wait to try new projects on it!
• SuperDan surprised me with a Canon Speedlite external flash for my camera! Now my indoor shots will be more crisp and clear. I jumped up and down when he handed it to me and gave him a gigantic hug. I've been practicing on people like crazy trying to figure it out. It's way awesome.  I love it because many times I want to capture our family moments at home, but it's often dark outside and I can't rely on the natural light coming through the windows. Here's an example of an indoor photo with the new flash:

 

• I'm feeling my Braxton-Hicks contractions more frequently then ever now... I'm hoping little man makes his appearance in the next 2-3 weeks!

The last few days have been happy. How about yours?