Love Thursday

Let me preface by saying it's been unseasonably HOT here for the past week. We went from highs in the 60s to highs in the upper 80s and 90s, which, honestly is fine with me. I like the heat....especially because our AC keeps the house from becoming unbearably hot.

A couple of days ago, the girls (and friends) beat the heat by setting up a "splash pad" in the front yard with a couple of sprinklers. Even Mark took his turn running through after he got home from work. While wearing his work clothes. Which the girls thought was absolutely hilarious!

And, really, what goes better with a hot day than watermelon?! (and lemonade, which the girls already had outside)

See what we found inside?

A 100% nature-made piece of love. (The heart was all God's doing too.)

Love Thursday - Love despite the mess

You may remember awhile back when I wrote this post.  When you have young children, life is full of messes.  That's just the way it is, and it's easy to get overwhelmed by it all.  Yet, each time I find one of these hearts in the midst of life's mundanities, I feel like God is reminding me anew how precious this time is that I'm sharing with my girls.  The importance of a mother's work may be overlooked by many, but it isn't by God (and, just to get this out of the way, I'm pretty blessed that my husband and family appreciate my efforts as well).   

Now, believe me when I say that I'm not smiling at all of the messes life (and my children) throw my way.  On the contrary, I usually get rather frustrated by the lack of order and that never ending clutter.  Nevertheless, I cannot despair when God shows me again and again that He appreciates the work I'm doing in my home, that this work is the most important job I have at this moment.  

Amid all of the sickness this past week, I found this on my shirt after making pizza from scratch the other night.  Yes, that would be homemade pizza sauce.  Can you see the shape?  

**Please ignore my terribly dry, cracked hands.  It's from all of the nose blowing and subsequent hand washing I've been doing for the past week.

  

Yep, there it is.  No, that's not just pizza sauce, my friends, it's also a little piece of God's love, letting me know that He's always here with me, walking me through the mess.  

Love Thursday (AKA: Why cry over spilled milk...?)

...when you can take a picture of it instead?"

We discovered this the other morning while clearing the breakfast dishes from the table.  The girls were enchanted with the heart of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, while I went running for the camera to capture the unique moment.  Finding love and beauty in the ordinary, messy things in life is what keeps us stay-at-home-moms going some days.  :-)   

Love Thursday

On this Love Thursday, I want to introduce you to the first Christmas tree ornament Mark and I received as a married couple.  It was handmade for us by my good friend, Cindee (who also happens to be married to Mark's best friend...Mark and I met at their house, but that's for another blog entry...or not).  It took us 3 years before we got our first Christmas tree to hang it on.  Every year, I make sure to place it in just the right spot.  Each ornament we have holds a special memory for either Mark or I.  Several are his from boyhood, a few are mine, many are handmade, and some are ours, but this was our very first ornament.    

Happy Love Thursday!

Shutter Sisters - Love Thursday

This pic was taken a few weeks ago after my husband found a four-leaf clover.  I should mention that he happened to find not one, but TWO four-leaf clovers in a matter of a week.  This is my favorite shot of the ones I took.  He also got a few good pics from his angle.  

Love Thursday (Shutter Sisters)

Finding hearts in nature always reminds me of God's love for us.  

I should also say that today (Love Thursday) happens to be our 9th wedding anniversary.  Love you, Mark!  

Love Thursday (Shutter Sisters)

On this, Love Thursday, I remember that 10 years ago today my husband proposed to me.  We were at the Olive Garden, which is where we went on our very first date.  He was so nervous, and I had just taken a mouthful of salad.  Then he asked, and I was sure I hadn't heard him right, so I made him say it again!  I'm giggling now, just thinking about it, but it was perfect.  As of next month, we will have been married for 9 years, and I couldn't be happier, amidst the craziness, of course.  

I took this picture last summer on our motorcycle trip to Door County, WI (my first motorcycle trip).  We had a great time, and we only really got rained on once!  Thank goodness our room at the B&B had a cozy fireplace!