First Day of School - a tradition

Summer came to a close last week...more like a screeching halt. The kids started school on Wednesday. Caeleb is in 9th and Amber is in 5th grade (did I just say 9th and 5th????).

Yes, I am sad that they continue to grow, but I am more happy that they are competent young people on a good path towards adulthood. That is the end goal!

Every year, I make the kids stand together and pose for a first day of school photo. They know it, and Caeleb doesn't even protest. Traditions like these are important for families.

Room makeover...for under $25

It was time to help my 10 year old daughters room grow from "little girl" to "pre-teen". I almost fought this kicking and screaming, but eventually accepted that she's growing up. Together, we transformed her room on an extremely tight budget...under $25!

We picked out three shades of paint: purple, blue and green, purchased the sample size and spent under $10!

In chalk, we then traced three different sizes of circles (I'd collected cardboard circles) in a band about halfway up her wall. With the remaining paint, we also polka-dotted her lampshade and a monogram (we found for under $2) for her door. 

Amber also wanted to incorporate zebra print into her room. I bought a single yard of it for $6 and a roll of lime green ribbon for $3. With a hot-glue gun, I made a table topper for her bedside table, created a simple window topper by wrapping the header to her blinds in zebra, made a memo board with existing cork board, and a pair of jewelry organizers to hang her growing collection of bracelets and necklaces. 

The room has undergone quite a transformation with the addition of polka-dots a zebra print. While it sounds like a lot...the coordinating colors and patterns have kept the room tasteful as opposed to tacky. We have plans to hopefully add zebra sheets and pillowcases in the near future. Stay tuned for more crafting adventures!

I have a daughter!

I recently rediscovered a box of journals, still packed up from out move south. I love to talk a walk in the past and relive moments. Here's an entry from April 14, 2001:

"I have a daughter! Born Thursday night at 10:07pm, Amber Elizabeth has my heart. She is so perfect. I feel so full, my heart is continually smiling and is spilling over onto my face. We've been home form the hospital for about six hours now. Amber is on her first walk with Mike and Caeleb. Mike is eager to show her off, I think. He's a proud daddy. And Caeleb is a proud big brother. He knows "exactly" what to do. When Haha and Papa told him Friday morning that he had a baby sister, his first reaction was to say, "I want breakfast!" But when he came to see her, he knew just how to hold her and he sang "Happy Birthday" and "Rock-a-bye-baby", gave her kisses, and hummed to her. Seeing him holding her gave me quite an overwhelming feeling, too. My children. My son and daughter."

I love looking back at these moments. My heart was so full of lave and awe... 

What we're watching

Our remote most frequently stops on these shows:

• House Hunters
• House Hunters International
• Property Virgins
• Pawn Stars
• American Pickers
• Sarah Palin's Alaska
• If Walls Could Talk
• Cash and Cari
• House Crashers
• Deadliest Catch

i wonder what this says about us?

i. love. him. :)

I absolutely, wholeheartedly, undeniably love my husband Mike.

I love his sense of humor. He always makes me laugh.

He has an amazing work ethic.

He inspires me.

He loves and seeks God.

He loves his family intensely.

I've witnessed God do amazing things in his life.

He always believes that someone can do and be better...he does not settle for mediocre.

Mike doesn't ride the bandwagon. He's not afraid of being his own person.

I love how he loves our kids.

Mike loves our church and whole-heartedly loves serving there weekly.

He loves people.

He's spontaneous and encourages me to live without a plan sometimes :)

I fit in his hugs just right.

God has been building our marriage piece by piece since the beginning, and I look forward to each new day.  I am thrilled that we are going to grow old together.

The Blitz

Something that I have carried from my childhood into my life with a family now, is the Blitz-a rapid, everyone pitches in, cleaning frenzy, that lasts for a short amount of time.

I have many memories of Scott-family blitzes, with my parents setting the egg timer for 5 or 10 minute spans, where we all ran around the house picking up every possible thing that was out of place.

Today, with the active lives of my family, sometimes our house gets out of control (insert shock and surprise). Yet everyone in the house knows what it means when we call for a blitz and everyone chips in. Mail and papers get sorted, shoes get picked up, books find homes on shelves, blankets and pillows neatly return to the couches, dishes get loaded into the dishwasher, virtually every surface gets tidied up.

This isn't about cleaning as much as it is about everybody chipping in and picking up. At a quick pace, a great impact can be made...perfect for a family on the go.

"Charlene the Bubble Queen": Cultivating Imagination

Having a creative imagination is important.

My parents culivated the imagination God gifted me with. My mom constantly filled my mind with stories that were woven with fantasy, love, and adventure. I have one particular story, that my mom and a 3 or 4 year old me, put down on paper, about a girl Charlene, who followed a trail of floating bubbles and tinkling music to discover a land of fairies who made her queen.

With a creative imagination, one is never bored. There's always a mystery to solve, an adventure to be had, or a story to unravel.

Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy are all imaginary beings. I believed in them as a child and discovered their true identities at an average age, yet harbor no scars or ill-will having been "duped" by my parents.

As children of God, we are apart of the most wonderful adventure! I think a healthy imagination can aid in one's faith. Faith is descibed in Hebrews 11:1 as: "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." For me, having a strong imagination helped me with my faith, especially when it was new.

I encourage parents, especially in the high-tech, plug your kids in, go-go-go society that we are caught up in, to take the time to let yours and your child's imaginations run. It may seem awkward to let the rules and rigidity of life go. Here's a few suggestions to get you started:

• lay in the grass with your child and find shapes in the clouds
• read "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis
• take walks in the woods and catch falling leaves
• construct a fairy house out of elements of nature 
• play house
• get out a board game and let your child make up the rules
• read the Bible with your child
• fingerpaint
• start telling a story and let your child fill in the details

Let your imagination go!

Journey Group

Also known as a Small Group or Cell Group...whatever you may call it, having a core group of people to surround yourself with and "do life" together is essential for spiritual, emotional & personal growth.

My husband & I are part of a Journey Group. Eight couples meet regularly on Thursday nights to discuss a recently preached, sermon related topic. We are on different steps of our walk with Jesus. We talk about faith, marriage, parenting, politics and what God's word has to say about such topics. Sometimes we debate and disagree. We pray for each other. We are challenged and grown in our personal faith. It is a completely safe environment.

But it's also what happens outside of the parameters of the Thursday night "Journey Group" that makes this group so special, so valuable, so crucial to my relationship with God and with others. These people are my family...the body of Christ. We share in the experiences of life together. We barbecue together. We swim together. We celebrate birthdays together. We bring our kids and pass on the importance of being a part of Christ's family to them. We love to laugh.

I know that I can call upon my Journey Group in times of trouble and they will be there. I trust these people and know I can speak openly and honestly to them and will not be judged. My children have a handful of adults who they can go to for any reason.

Our group is not closed. We invite people to join us at any time. We are established and held together by Jesus and by the life that we receive as a blessing from seeking after Him.

I hope that everyone can have this sort of blessing in their lives. I love my family, my Journey Group.

My Dad

I love my dad. In honor of Father's Day, I want to share a bit about him with you.

• Dad is a rock. He is a constant in my life. He has always been there for me.

• I have never doubted his love for me. Not even when I've disappointed him. He is a great example of unconditional love.

• Even now in my 30's, Dad will still bait a hook for me when we fish together. I love these reminders that I am still his little girl.

• Just last week when we traveled to MA, Dad drove to Boston's Logan airport...a 4 hour roundtrip..twice. He's driven to all-sorts of airports all over New England for us.

• He's a giver of sound advice. Dad's experience and knowledge are jewels to me.

• Since Dad was laid off in January, we've had more opportunities for phone conversations. I'm enjoying connecting with him more.

• Dad is a wealth of knowledge...in a no-so-scholarly way. He's a big reader, but never makes you feel like he knows more than you.

• He's pretty handy too. Dad can handle quiet a bit, and he knows when to ask for help.

• Dad's very patient. He rarely shows it if he does become impatient.

• He's extremely helpful. His needs are second when someone has a need. Dad would go to the end of the earth...

Dad is a great example of our heavenly Father's love for us. I love my Dad and especially honor him on this Father's Day.

In my head...

I've got a ton going on in my life and bouncing around in my head these days...so, I'm going to share a bit:

• Action Week, Oak Leaf Church's version of VBS, is NEXT WEEK!!! With two sessions to choose from and rotations called Connect, Create, Challenge, & Chow, kids are going to have a blast making connections to adults who genuinely care about them and desire to see kids meet Jesus on their level.
• On Friday, my family & I fly home to Massachusetts. We'll be burying Mike's grandparents who passed in January, visiting my grandpa's grave, hanging with family and catching a Red Sox game.
• You know that magical feeling you get when you walk down Main Street, USA at Disney World and see Cinderella's Castle? Well, I get that feeling when we walk out into the stands at Fenway Park (and I'm not even a die-hard baseball fan), but something about the Red Sox, Fenway Park and the history of it all catches my breath.
• I've run into waaaaaaay too many people who can't pronounce Massachusetts, even educators....so I'm going to break it down for you: Mass-uh-chew-sets. Really, it's not that difficult. Please practice this a few times.
• We have ants in our house. Ew, I know. It frustrates me to no end.
• I'm an introvert. Meaning that people wear me out physically. Just being around people in group settings for periods of time drains me. (Don't get me wrong, I love people). I am learning to identify these situations and find alone time that will fill me up again.
• The Georgia Barbecue Classic starts today! My husband, brother-n-law and a team of friends are entering for the first time. Their team is Backside Barbeque and they are really clever, talented, funny, guys who sure can smoke a butt (pork, I mean).

Lots going on, lots to pray about. I love how different the seasons of life can be!

BBQ for a Great Cause

My husband, brother-in-law, and several of our friends have formed a team and are taking on the Georgia Barbecue Classic, a major fundraiser of the Good Neighbor Homeless Shelter in Cartersville, Georgia June 4 &5, 2010.

Come out and support these guys as they smoke it up all night long in hopes of claiming a victory in categories such as "sauce", "ribs", and "pork".

Backsidebarbeque Team Page - http://www.backsidebarbeque.com

http://www.georgiabarbecueclassic.com

http://goodneighborshelter.org

Mom

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I love my mom so much...here are just a few of the many reasons why:

• she loves me...no matter what. i have never doubted her love.
• mom has a great sense of humor. and a really funny laugh. when mom, my sister Naomi & I get together...watch out! there will be hysterical laughing.
• mom is smart. really smart. she reads a ton. i always thought she'd make a great contestant on Jeopardy.
• she is wise. i know that mom will give me sound Godly advice when i need it.
• she loves Jesus with all her heart and seeks after Him
• Mom loves my husband and my kids :) she is an awesome Haha (grandma) and she has a real relationship with Mike
• her tender heart.
• mom is still in awe of God's creation...and its contagious. She has a way of causing you to stop and really admire & appreciate the world around us.

Happy Mother's Day Mom. Thank you. I love you.

Her children rise up, and call her blessed. Proverbs 31:28

Riding along in your automobile...

...with your kids beside you at the wheel...What do you do?

Most parents with school-aged kids spend significant amounts of time driving...to school, to practice, to friends' houses...What happens in your car during these times? Do you pop in a DVD? Talk on your cell phone? Tune out? Listen half-heartedly to complaints & bickering?

Or do you value this time as precious?

Here's what I've found:

• You have a captive audience when you are in the car together. Don't take this time to "lecture", but converse. My daughter always opens up about what's going on in school. See this time as a chance to find out what's going on in their lives. I find out more about Amber's life during car rides than I do at any other time.
• Listening to the music your kids listen to connects you. Let them select the station/song. You may not particularly enjoy the music, but this is about connecting. Don't cut yourself off from your kids' world...share it. I will listen (and sing along) to many of the finds on my 13 year old son's ipod.
• (side note: do not attempt to be "cool"...you will never succeed in your middle-schoolers eye!)
• Allow for a quiet ride. No music...just quiet.

My heart aches when I see the same mom, day after day, in the car-rider lane at school, on her cell phone, with the dual DVD players on in the back...

Parents, you have the most influence on your child...every moment counts!!!

An email from my 8-year-old

The following is an email my 8-year-old daughter sent me today.

Hi,MOM

i jest wanted to tell you that i love you and that i am so glad that God put us together.If we were not together then i would be so sad and my hart would jest break.When ever you were gone i would always look at a picture and cry because i always had fun with you and you were jest gone and i still do that and i will always do that even when i am in colege.When ever you come home and i hug you and you hug me my hart would be pounding with joy because you came home to see your family.I jest wanted to tell you that so you could keep us together,but i know we would always be together.I love you so much.

LOVE, your best girl Amber

Christmas Traditions

I'm a sentimental gal. I love traditions and rituals and warm, cuddly, heart-felt moments. That's one of the things that I love about the Christmas season. There are random things that have become traditions in our family unintentionally that I wouldn't trade for the world.

• Choosing our Christmas tree as a family. When we lived in Massachusetts, we would gear up and trek around at the snow-covered tree farm (sometimes for an hour+) looking for the perfect tree. Mike usually is the most particular about the tree, the kids usually end up running around, and I try and help Mike visualize the tree decorated. Of course, here in Georgia, there's no tree farm, but we still go together as a family to select the tree and bring it home.
• Lights and decorations. This too, is a family event. I'm the one with the patience to string the lights and then it's game on and the decorating begins. We usually have a fire and Christmas music playing...perfect.
• Bon-bons...or buckeyes...or chocolate-covered peanut-butter balls. Call them what you want but I will make these with either my mom or my sister at every Christmas possible. I love baking with them.
• 25 Days of Christmas...movies that is. Gotta love watching the oldie-but-goody Christmas movies like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Frosty the Snowman. These classics are a part of every season.
• Yankee Swap. Some call it White Elephant. It goes by many-a-name, but this game of gift exchange has always happened at my large family Christmases. Upon moving to Georgia, we haven't been able to attend those family gatherings and have introduce our version to our southern friends...and the fun continues...
• Christmas morning....everyone must be awake and together we go to the living room. No late sleepers or early peekers.
• Driving around town at night looking at Christmas lights. Some are crazy, some are over-the-top, some are reserved and tasteful.
• Reading the Christmas story in the Bible. We all know the story, but I love to reread it every year. And every year God reveals something different to me. Through reading the scripture and listening to the message at church, God shows me more of Him and why He chose to humble Himself and come to earth. Oh, what an awesome love!

Pittsburg, NH

Waaaaaay up north, at the very top of the state of New Hampshire, bordering Canada, is the town of Pittsburg. It's almost 300 square miles, with a population under 1,000. Most of what you see is mountains, trees and lakes. God's Country, some people call it. The closest movie theater is an hour and 15 minutes away. You shop at Young's store or the Trading Post. Tourism is beginning to take over, as people flock to Pittsburg for fishing in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter. But the Pittsburg experience is much different for me.

My father's family owns a small cabin on Back Lake and I have spent time there almost every summer of my life. We call it "Kamp Komfort". It is small & rustic with exposed 2x4's, homemade furniture, and hardly any modern comforts. We have to boil water on the stove and then fill a watering can with the hot water to hang in the shower. We have an outhouse. I remember as a child pumping the water out of the well into a bucket. I am often woken in the middle of the night to the sounds of the mouse trap snapping and falling to the ground. The black flies, mosquitoes, and deer flies leave you covered in welts...sounds like fun?

Ahhh, yes. And I can't wait to head up there for a few days this summer. The sunrise every morning and sunset every night over the lake are truly a sight. "Jesus painted a beautiful sky," we say. The smells and sounds of the woods and water are fresh and earthy. With all that nature and very little man, the night sky is huge and brilliant. We feed ducks and watch the babies grow. We walk along the "tricky path" and try not to stumble over the roots. We spend hours in the small boat waiting for the fish to bite. Sometimes coming back with nothing, other times with a stringer full of fish. We catch trout and bass, clean them in the woods, and have them for dinner. Evenings are filled with card games. It's said that on rainy afternoons, the mattresses curl, and you just have to lay on them to hold them down. We've paddled in the paddle boat, kayaked, and sailed in small sailboats. We drive along route 3 in the evening looking for moose. We pick bouquets of wildflowers and nap in the hammock.

Life slows down and God's creation is amplified.

I can't wait.

A Smile

I think it's quite amazing that when God created humans, He gave us the ability to smile. So much can be communicated with one smile. When my son Caeleb was just nine months old, we were shopping at a mall, just a couple of weeks before Christmas. That time of year, people hustle around, quite harried and stressed. We sat on a bench together and watched individuals rush around, annoyed at the crowds, the lines, the noise... Everyone looked so unhappy. Caeleb, sitting in his stroller, big blue eyes looking all around, began flashing pudgy faced baby grins at anyone who came near. And the effect was amazing! Most everyone who caught his smile, slowed, softened and smiled in return. His smile was a gift to them. In the craziness of life, as we all wander to and fro, doing all the things we have to do, I try and remember how easy it is to make even a small effort at brightening someone's day...with a smile.

12 Years

Caeleb turns twelve on Saturday. I celebrate him and stand amazed at the person he has grown into. He has become a young man, full of his own preferences and ideas. We will soon be entering the years when I will stand back and watch him make decisions, mistakes, and successes. We will mentor and guide him, and we will pray the whole way that he follows Jesus. I can honestly say, I think he'll do alright. By the grace of God.


Every one of his birthdays is a real milestone and time of reflection for me. Caeleb changed my life. I was only 19, having just completed my freshman year at college. My life was confusing; I didn't know who I was. What came as a surprise, became a turning point. Mike and I made a committment to each other and our baby. The transition to motherhood was quick and easy after the initial shock and adjustment. And, oh how I love being a mother. My heart will never be the same. It has been stretched and it's capacity for love and emotion is so great; I know this love is now from me but from Him who is love.

I whole-heartedly threw myself into being a mother and wife. But it hasn't always been easy for me as an individual. I sometimes feel like I have never really discovered who Emily is. What are her hobbies, interests, passions? I am now at a point in my life of growth and self-discovery.

I don't mean for this to sound whiny or pathetic. Becoming a wife and mother, and trying to do it my way left me empty and grasping. When I fully surrendered to Jesus, and agreed to do things His Way, the joy in my life increased. I am happy and recognize the many blessings in my life. I am just now at a point of growth.

It's been 12 years...and I wouldn't change a bit.

God's Plan

Moving to Georgia was quite a jump for us. As we started exploring the possibility of it, my prayer simply was: God, if this is meant to be, please show us. And He did. It was something that we had discussed, but we didn't have to move. The whisper in our hearts just became louder. Everything went so smoothly with the buying & selling & moving. Not to say there wasn't stress, but knowing that God was for this somehow made it easier to bear the burdens.

Then my prayer became, Please God, please help us adjust. And He answered that too. We are rooted here after such a short time; we have an amazing church that we call home and are involved in, we are part of a small group that we feel so very connected to, we have friends and are involved with them and their lives, the kids are succeeding in school, have friends, are involved in the church, and participate in several activities. Life is rich and blessed.

We do miss our families and friends in Massachusetts. There's no doubt about that. But distance and time cannot sever hearts that have been knit together.