Go Ahead and Add It To My Wish List

Have you ever created the perfect idea of something in your mind that anything short of that PERFECT something just wouldn't cut it?  Well, that's what I've done.  I think I've doomed myself to disappointment from the moment I laid eyes on THIS:

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L Mayfair Steamer Brushed Steel Trunk by Restoration Hardware - $1695

My husband and I both agree it's gorgeous (well, he may not have used that word) but a little out of our price range.  It might also be just a tad too large for our space, but I'd settle for his slightly smaller and less expensive little brother. : )

The runner up in this love affair would be this guy:

Mayfair Steamer Leather Trunk by Restoration Hardware - $1695

Once again, out of budget and a little large, but he too has a little brother.  As a side note, don't you just adore that lamp?!!

Close third and fourth:

Raffia Trunk by Pottery Barn - $799

Expedition Trunk by Pottery Barn - $1299

I'm hooked on these 19th-century traveler's companions. Talk about bringing character and a conversation piece to a room!  As my wish list grows, these guys are staying pretty close to the top.

Smile When It Rains

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

As I sat on my couch this week, trying to force-feed myself teaspoon sized sips of grape flavored pedialyte, while each tiny gulp felt like little, nasty, razorblade-fingered elves were rock climbing down my throat, I was a far cry from, "This is the day the Lord has made, I think I'll rejoice!"  Instead, I felt VERY sorry for myself, complained a good bit and wanted a cheeseburger.  If I had stopped to realize that this really WAS a day that the Lord had made, just maybe I would have discovered, or rather been reminded, of some things. 

I might have first remembered that there are many in this world who live day to day with pain, poor health, or who are uncomfortable is some way.  Who am I to complain about three days with a soar throat?
 Psalm 118:29 "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." If I had thought of this, I might have also thought to stop and pray for those I knew who are sick or have loved ones who are ill. 

If I had canceled my pity party, I just maybe would have been reminded of the other 360ish days throughout the past year that I've been in PERFECT health! What about those days?  I very much took them for granted.  Thank you, Lord, for all of those healthy days!! Psalm 34:1 "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."   I'll say one thing, the day my throat began to feel better, I felt like a new woman.  I wanted to go do things, and finish projects, and drive downtown, and.....I was all smiles.  Yet, how many days (healthy days) have I sat around the house in a stupor just waiting to be inspired to get something done?  Shame on me!

Did I pray for the Lord to make me well?....You better believe it!! I was praying that prayer about a dozen times an hour.  "Lord, just please, please heal me!!"  It should have been  at those moments when I remembered how LITTLE I prayed for good health when I was welll.  Pray for rain even when it's raining.  Philippians 4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

And lastly, If I would have stopped to think between cups of applesauce, I would and SHOULD have remembered Jesus Christ.  He had no home on this earth, He had no country, He had no family. My sore throat now seems.....hmmm....like a lame excuse to complain.  Matthew 8:20 "And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath no where to lay his head."   2 Corinthians 8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

Among the many other things that should have probably crossed my mind during this interesting week, these last four thoughts DID NOT cross it.  But as a result, I've learned some valuable lessons.  Let's rejoice!

Parting is such sweet sorrow

My husband and I just got back from a wonderful trip visiting family and friends in Washington State.  Here are some things I love most about going to Washington:  Getting to stay in the most comfy, cozy, they-left-the-light-on-for-you house in all the world (Mom and Dad's); going to church at Bethel and seeing all the familiar faces; experiencing Pike Place Market for the umpteenth time; sipping a hot drink from the original Starbucks; watching the Flying Fish; seeing the Seattle skyline; HOPEFULLY seeing Mt. Rainier (when it's not covered by clouds); going shopping with Mom (there's no shopping partner quite like her); seeing all the green trees; catching up with old friends; eating Salmon - really, really FRESH salmon; eating at Chevy's; Chicken Teriyaki (although we past on that this trip).  Of course, these are just to name a few. 

What would life be like if you couldn't visit home and feel like a kid again?  It's funny to see things so differently through adult eyes.  For instance, we drove by the house we lived in when I was three.  It was soooo small and I remember it being soooo big! 

At the end of our week's stay, it was bitter-sweet to get on a plane and come home.  I think I would have enjoyed staying a few more days, but I was really missing my house and all that was familiar to me.  Getting back into a normal routine sounded pretty good, but saying goodbye to my Mom and Dad was no fun at all.  Luckily, our plane was scheduled to leave at 10:00PM and all I could think about was getting on that flight and get some sleep. 

It's always a lot of fun to go back home and visit for awhile, but what a feeling to step through the door of your own house and smell the familiar smells and see all your favorite things and just collapse onto your bed, tired and ready for a nap. Ahhh.....

A Beautiful Set

My WONDERFUL husband bought me a brand new set of dishes that I had been coveting for the past few months.  For some reason, we always agonize over purchases like this because we want to still be in love with what we bought twenty years down the road.  I had been wanting to get a set of dishes for company and when we saw these for the first time, both of us thought they were perfect.  We still waited awhile to buy and we're glad we did.  They are beautiful!!  The best part about our purchase was the 20% off coupon we had.  GREAT deal!

We set them up when we got home this evening because, guess what?, we are having company tomorrow!!!  Yea, we get to break those dishes in and see how yummy they make my cooking taste. : )

Gotta love a chance to be creative!

My friend, Amber, and I just finished a VBS bulletin board for our church.  Aside from seeing the end result, the best part was our trip to the DOLLAR TREE.  We spent $18.00 and got almost everything we needed.  You really have to be creative when you are getting everything from the DOLLAR TREE.  Don't you just love that place?!!!

Yesterday was spent tracing and painting characters for the board.  Then today, we spent three hours putting it together.  We fell in love with it more and more after each item we put up.  All the hard work paid off because the final look was just perfect.  So MUCH FUN!!

The treasure chest was the most difficult to figure out.  It started out as a box with a separate lid and we cut it down until it had just two sides.

We used styrofoam for bubbles

Precious memories; how they linger.

I took a walk down that beautiful but sometimes tear-jerking path we call memory lane TWICE today.  I played the piano for our high school graduation this evening and couldn't help but think back to the time when I stood on a similar platform amongst my peers and turned the proverbial page to the next chapter in my life. Only thinking about how excited I was to be done with school, I didn't realize how precious the memories I was making at that moment would be to me years down the road.  Graduating and leaving home was leaving one life behind and entering a completely new one where there would be no turning back time.  It's a vapor, this life and there is only one chance at any given moment to make a memory.  I'm glad I have a whole host of amazing ones to look back on and laugh, or sometimes cry, over.

Trip two down memory lane was a short but sweet one.  I was talking on the phone to my mom tonight.  We talked about everything and nothing.  Somewhere in between, we talked about Grandma.  The worries and emotions that always accompany having a loved one who is getting up in years seemed to weigh heavily on Mom's heart tonight.  Immediately, I thought of last summer.  Grandma was able to make one last trip out to Washington for Mom's birthday.  We had a wonderful time just Grandma, Mom, and me going to Mt. St. Helens.  Grandma bought me a little Mt. St. Helens Eruption flip book that I still have.  I love it! We took all kinds of pictures....including about a dozen where the camera was set on video instead of snapshot, so each video is about 5 seconds of us just staring at the camera smiling.  I'm laughing and crying just thinking of it now!! I'm so glad thankful for those precious memories.  I don't know how many more I'll be able to make with my Grandma, but those I will never forget.

We do not remember days; we remember moments.
 ~Cesare Pavese, The Burning Brand

Let The Sunshine In

My husband and I just moved into our new home a couple of weeks ago and everyday I find another reason why I absolutely LOVE living out here in what I like to call the "semi-country".   It's just far enough outside the city limits to feel like you should own a tractor or build a barn and raise farm animals.  I always enjoy a little "awww!" moment when I drive past the pasture about a minute from our house full of mommy sheep taking care of their little lambs. Rustic and cute!! 

With spring around the corner, I'm eagerly searching out every fresh bloom I can get my eyes on.  The Dogwoods are beginning to awaken and little buds everywhere are starting to blossom.  Imagine my surprise when one morning I walked outside our home and saw dozens of gorgeous yellow, WILD daffodils scattered all across the right side of our yard.  One of the few areas that wasn't excavated when they cleared the land to build our home, this part of the yard is covered in bushes, briars and trees, but those little bits of sunshine are so colorful and beautfiul they make me smile.  I've always dreamed of being able to cute fresh flowers from my yard and bring them inside.  Here are my first ever!....and I didn't even have to plant them.