A Room With A View

We've finished our living room. Sort of. I did find one spot of trim that I missed. We have a new floor thanks to our neighbors Tom and Deanne, who were kind enough to offer us the new laminate flooring that had been installed incorrectly in their home by Lowes. Lowes was replacing with hard wood, and we now have a beautiful floor! The paint color, which is called Vine something or other, was chosen by Garrett. I was going to do a neutral beige, but he wanted a little bite to his room. And since this is actually where the kids hang out.. and sleep...and live... I thought it only proper to let them have "some" say!

The window coverings were not my first choice, but were $4.oo per window at Wal-Mart and I couldnt pass that price up. The little love seat was $10.00 at the thrift store, as was the rug, and the Paris and Eiffel Tower art I have had forever.

It may not be exactly what I wanted, but it is Soooooooo much better than it was before! So.. I'm happy : )

Negative Ions, Positive Love

I love autumn, I really do. Its my absolute favorite time of year. I love the leaves, the sky, the color, the frost. I am awed when I walk out my door and see the intense display of beauty close enough to touch.

But I have to admit, I am missing the Gulf right now. In Naples, the weather is just turning a rosy shade of perfect. The days are in the 80's, the nights warm and drying out from the summer rains. In Florida, the Gulf was my refuge when life got crazy.

At present, I am dealing with some pretty heavy anxiety . Why? I have absolutely no idea. It just decided to show up uninvited and take residence beneath my breast bone. It is exhausting, haunting, and very very unwelcome. What I want right now is to walk along this beach that I know so well. I want to be bathed in the negative ions that surround the water. Funny thing, that negative ions should be called negative when they do absolutely positive things for our bodies and minds.

Here, in Kalispell, I don't have white warm sand to cradle my feet, or the sound of the gentle waves of the gulf to calm my overstimulated nervous system. Here in Kalispell I have come to find something far greater. I have Jesus Christ. My constant. My companion. The balm for my soul.

I remember when I was so very sick and in the hospital. I was so sick that I thought perhaps I wasn't going to live. I lay in that hospital bed and had my fear replaced with a peace so precious to me, so vital to my memory and my life, I will never forget it. As I closed my eyes, I rested my head at the feet of my Lord. I could feel the hem of his garment brush across my hair. I could feel his hand on my head as I lay curled, safe, content and at peace at his feet. I remember reaching out taking hold of the hem of his robe. I was a small child, safe in the knowledge that her Father had her life in His hands. Safe in the knowledge that He would watch over me, that He would never leave me. Ever.

That is my wash of negative ions. That is my peace. I no longer need a designated place to find rest for my soul, no matter how weary or anxious it is. My peace is Jesus Christ, and I fall on my face in greatfulness that I am blessed with the knowledge of his love.

Little LuLu with my fall composition. What a tiny monster she is! It amazes me, what humans have done to these poor animals, M'Kayla and I often say, "she forgot to have a nose!"

Autumn makes me smile

Here's a few of my favorite things. Knitting, eggs from my girls and a coffee pot. Of course I don't make my dark drink of love in THAT pot...but someone did... some time.

When I was knitting this yarn, I was amazed at the perfect replica of fall it became as I knitted the scarf together. I could hold it up to the street that I live on, and it was the exact color of the world around me! Awesome! I was SO in love with the airy feel of the spun wool, and amazed with the scarf when I finished it, that I had to give it away : ) It was a birthday present for my awesome employer, Julie, at Julie's Center Street Cafe.

Is It August Already?

August. Already. Wow. And I said I would try to write more often. Looks like not!
Well, great things have happened in my life. Number one is, I am no longer sick. God, in His magnificent grace has healed me. I have been enjoying this summer as a relatively normal human being.
I have been working as a waitress on the weekends, and making lots of tips : ) Growing my garden, tending my flock and enjoying life.
I have also become mama to a very adoreable baby named LuLu. This is her to the left. Lucinda, Lulu for short is my one year old rescued pug. Oh my, she is a handful! She bonded instantly and permanantly to me, I should have named her gorilla glue.
LuLu has a vet appointment today, and she may need medication for her severe seperation anxiety....oh is it ever severe.

We've gone to the fair and rodeo and had a wonderful time. Garrett is contemplating a Youth With a Mission Discipleship Course and still working full time at Lowes. M'Kayla is working at Taco Bell and brings us lots of yummies : )

Mike is doing window cleaning and gearing his mind for the coming change of season. He doesnt handle winter well, but i have a feeling that this winter will be awesome.

Well thats all for now folks. I rally hope I come back here before Christmas lol.

Spring and Chickens, but I'm not a Spring Chicken.

Wow. Four months. Which makes it seem as if winter were just a few days long, just a small thing, coming in to blow beautfiul snow around my world and then leaving on tiptoes so as not to wake me.
Wrong.
These past four months have been WINTER. Snow and cold, biting winds and temperatures so cold and brutal we thought it would never.ever.end.

But today is April. It is 60 degrees out and the sun is shining in promise of warmer days to come. Thanks be to God.

Its been a long winter in more than just weather. It seems as if the cold wormed its way into my bones and aggravated every inch of my Lupus. Aching, tired, weary and weak...one thing after another.

It was a long winter in the chicken coop too. We lost Lucy, or black Bantam Silkie to frozen feet : ( Poor little Luce. It was awful beyond words and thanks goes to my dear husband who put her down for me, what would I have done without him.

But spring is here. So I slather on the sunscreen and head out doors. Just to breath in the sap and soil is a gift. Mike is building a new coop for the girls. Elsie, Polly and Mae are laying away and enjoying new freedom in a run he has added on to the old coop in the meantime.

Seven weeks ago Mike brought his sad aching sick wife home a present. A box full of peeping noises. When opened, I found the peeping noises connected directly to three day old baby chicks. Oh my mothers heart! What a blessing they were. Tiny little cotton balls with beaks!

I've been raising them in an appliance box in my kitchen. Its been a true delight to watch them grow. As soon as the weather is temperate enough, out they go! Its almost time for these babies to truly fly the coop.

I really hope that I update more often. What with my memory, its the only way I am going to remember having done anything at all!