Sun Kissed Sky

Sun Kissed Sky
The sunrise kissed clouds by our house

Sunday, October 21, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 18

I've gotten behind.  My computer decided to die and not restart.  
I finally got it running again.
For some reason I don't like to use my husbands computer
sitting in the office.
I am so glad to have mine running again 
although I am babying it
just in case.
While I've been gone nothing great has happened.
It's been a survival week because 
our car decided to die
just like my computer.
However in typical my birthday fashion
shortly after my birthday everything gets right in the world again.
It happens every year.
Everything seems to fall apart like my having survived another year needs to be
marked by struggle.
I've survived another birthday.
I've entered into a new year of living.
One that was birthed once again with struggle.
I wonder at times if it's just to let me know that I have another tough year ahead 
and it's just preparing me for it.
I also wonder if one year my birthday will come and will not be birthed with struggle but
with a happy day filled with fun and love.
If such a birthday were to happen would that signify that my year would 
actual be a success?
As much as it was a rough week I must say that I am glad that I made it another year.
Yes it's been another tough year.
I've lost, loved, hurt, cried, laughed, and more.
I've got to be with the ones I love the most.
It's a gift whether it's birthed in struggle or not.
This next year I'm going to be looking for the good.  
I can know that once again I'll be struggling.
How?
Well one day didn't change whats already going on in our lives now.
It was another day.
So I'm going to be looking for my blessings while I also look for the ways to enjoy my life.
To live it.
I know I keep repeating these things over and over but remember in the beginning when I 
said I'd heard it all before and knew it but it didn't reach me?
I know that tomorrow isn't promised and so today I want to live and I need to keep drilling it into my head
so that I don't end up in the mundane everyday all day but 
can fill my life with wonderful days.
Days even steeped in quiet peacefulness make me feel full, alive, and happy.

Another milestone reached another day lived.

Blessings,

Mommaraff

Friday, October 19, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 17

Sometimes all it takes to get us to live our lives is to consider our emotions.  
They can really run the show.  
I started tonight unsure about a lot of things. 
 I was down and making myself sick with worry.  
I ended the night talking with a friend and it lightened my load.  
I felt while I was down that I had nothing to offer on here. 
 I'm not really grasping anything I thought. 
 How can I write to live like it's your last day when I am feeling this way.  
I felt like it all day and so I didn't get much down.
  I didn't seize my day or even spend it wrapped up in my children. 
 I spent it just coasting and pouting. 
 It makes me realize that I need to take my emotions captive. 
 I need to try to see that I'm upset and try to do things myself that will cheer me up. 
 I can call a close friend, my husband, family, someone who just by being them cheers me up.  
I don't need to feel like this all day. 
 There are times though that I can't seem to shake off the funk and I think it's ok to give myself the extra break that I need to just relax and recoperate. 
 I suppose part of living is also in the bad days. 
 The days that make us grow.  
Today I grew a little. 
 That's how I lived my day.

Mommaraff

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

31 days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 16

The day started out rough I grasped onto the verse about rejoicing in everything and muddled my way through it. I didn't fair well although I had high hopes that with that verse I could make it and do it so well no one would know how tough it was. I failed though. My house is still messy, I have a headache, I once again am up to late, blogging to late, and I didn't make anything for tomorrows MOPS meeting. We did homework after four and didn't make it to our memory work or flashcards. I did however make a nice potato soup. If today were my last day though I'd say that it was alright. I had pumpkin spice oatmeal for breakfast, I prayed a lot more today (we really do need him on the tough days it shows), at my comfort soup, and I can't say much else but I do feel at peace with most things. I did yell a bit to much with my kids and I didn't get to be silly with them or even cuddle them aside from a few quick hugs. My husband worked and then worked on our car so I didn't see him except for a shower and a good night for the most part tonight. So I am going to keep with the challenge from yesterday and I'm going to try to be more light hearted and remember to be silly. I know MOPS will be fun!


Love,
Mommaraff

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 15

Pumpkin dressed himself to go to church one Sunday.
I didn't have the heart to make him change.  
I want my children to have confidence in the things they do themselves.  
So this is how he went.
What do you think?

I've been reminded that marriage needs to have some silliness in it.  
I understand that this is not about marriage but it's one of the big things in my life and a something I'm living my life through so for those that are unmarried please muddle on with me.
I used to do a lot of silly things with my husband 
but since becoming a mom
I've taken myself to seriously in the adult world.
I'm still sometimes silly with the children but I have forgotten to lighten up with the adults.
Yes it was worth the repeat.
I believe some of you may be in the same position.
Part of me living out my days is to get to be me all the way
and a huge part of me is silly.
Not irresponsible silliness that leads down the wrong path but 
just playful and happy silliness.
Join with me 
in rediscovering your silly side.
Do everything backwards tomorrow or dress ridiculous, play a silly game with your children, leave a silly message for your husband just find way to your fun side!

Love,
Mommaraff

Monday, October 15, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 14

I missed yesterdays post.  
I didn't even realize it until this morning. 
I will write two today to make up for it :)
Anyways yesterday was a long day.  My husband has been trying to make some extra
cash working at a haunted house this year
and he's been getting in so late that we are just exhausted.
The boys and I have started going to church on Wednesday nights and it's been a lot of fun.
Monkey has been practicing for a concert on Sunday so we went to that church instead of our normal one (our normal one does not have Wednesday night services)
It was so cute!
They sung three songs before heading back for Sunday school.


Yes his shirt is buttoned wrong....I didn't notice until after lol.  Important thing is that he can button all by himself now right?

After church we headed to my parent's to help my mom work on her mantle she's putting in.  After that we had to run straight to our life group.  It was a good night there but there is a but.
All I can say is it lead to a late night and yet a good conversation
with my husband.
Marriage is work.
Love is a choice.
We have problems but we have chosen to keep working through them and that has brought us closer and although painful at times I enjoy the moments where things really open up
and we get closer.
If your having problems please know that your not alone and if your both willing to put the work into it you can have a good marriage.  This is not for those being abused though.  You my friend need to get out.  No matter what others are saying around you!  
If you want to work it out with them get out and have them go to counseling.  After counseling his counseling then it's time to go to a counselor together.  
While doing counseling together it's also time to date.
You don't just go back please time and again it's done and things revert back.  They need the counseling and you need to work out a new pattern of behavior.
After dating continue counseling as premarital counseling.
Finally leading to moving in together again but don't be afraid to leave again if things have not changed even after all that.  Not everyone will change even though it might seem like they have.
This being said please seek help before even deciding to go to counseling with the one abusing you man or woman.  You might not be safe to even try.

I feel more alive when my husband and I peel back our layers and really look at ourselves and each other.  No I'm not talking clothing layers but our emotional selves and our motives and dreams.
We all have layers and it's wonderful
to find someone and to develop the relationship to be able to peel those layers back.

My challenge today is to have a real talk with your spouse and peel back some layers.  Maybe you haven't spent much time together or are fighting.  I encourage you to get real with them and allow them to get real with you.
It may sound selfish or morbid again but if I go first I want my husband
to miss me.
I want him to mourn for a bit because I'm gone.
I want to have lived so fully with him that he feels my absence.
Of course later I'd want him to move on but I'd like to not be a little bump and he's fine.
That does happen when you drift to far apart.
You forget how much that person means to you.
Try not to let that happen to you or if it has try to go back and remember what it is that you love about your spouse.  If you have to start really really small.  like you love that he has teeth or a smile.  You will build up on it and feel some hard layers come off as you take down some invisible barriers.
Seek your spouses heart and love today.
Live in it.

Love,
Mommaraff

Sunday, October 14, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your last: Day 13


Today was a free family fun day at a local historical mansion and so we brought our children there. The children had a great time too. Our favorite was in the kitchen with a nice women talking with us as giving a historical reenactment of The slaves that live at 
I took several pictures that I will post up tomorrow but tonight I'm too tired I've fallen asleep several times already. I just wanted to bless you tonight!


Mommaraff
****Update****


Pumpkin making his stick and leaf puppet.



   
Pumpkin and Mr A. making their stick and leaf puppets 









Monkey looking at a picture of the mansion in the butlers pantry and informal dining area.

Butler's pantry.  This is our tour guide.

Picture of the mansion inside one of the rooms.

Fire place inside the more formal dining room

This is our reenactment lady.  She was portraying Sarah the head slave.  She was a lot of fun and full of information and spunk.  Mr. A is off to the right in this picture he had a lot of questions for her.

'Sarah' again.

The stove in the kitchen.  She said it was unusual to have the kitchen in the house so it was nice.  However the stove is a smaller one than was originally in the house.  The one that used to be in there was a hotel sized one.  They had nine kids and Their slaves to feed they needed a big stove.



Brown package is how the sugar used to come

White pillar is the opened sugar and they would scrape the sugar off of it.

Mr. A and Monkey checking out the stuff on the table and the kitchen tools in the background with the grain bowl.

Chandelier in the Main living room

Mirrors in the main living room.  These are originals they were to heavy for removal and so the family and the soldiers all left it.

Even the tops of the windows matched the chandeliers and the mirror.

Almost full length of the living room which had two mirrors, two chandeliers, and two fireplaces.

Door knob to the living room.  I really liked it.



Picture of the doctor who owned this house.

Stairs on the porch there is a set to each floor of the porches. 

Pocket windows are through out the house as a form of air conditioning they have the windows and ducts in the walls that led up the house to the very top which you will see.  On a hot day it stays 80 degrees in there which is tolerable before ac came on the scene.  Now a days they have ac in the house.  The windows are big enough to step out on to the porch with just a tiny duck for me.

Angels on the chandelier in the upstairs bedroom.

The chandelier with the angels

A wheelchair of the time period.

Nice toilet seat huh?

A view of the slave quarters from the fourth floor also known as the children's floor.


This is the very top of the house it's the window spot you can see in the house pictures.  This is where the ducts led out too to help cool the house.  The stairs to it are on the children's floor.
 This is where the family wanted to keep the trunks on the children's floor.  Well the children decided it was a stage and built stairs to it from the carriage building.  Sounds like fun to me :D
An example of the children's room.

The flooring on the second floor or main floor.

We had a lot of fun learning about the house and the time period.  We really enjoyed 'Sarah'.  I would say this was a worth while visit.  If you'd like to visit I'll leave you with the website so you can go read up on it and plan a trip.



Friday, October 12, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 12

Wow.  Today was emotional and tiring!
We showed up and
showed support!
It was beautiful and heartbreaking yet heart strengthening too.
I can't believe how many people showed up!  
This soldier gave his all and we showed up to support and 
give back to his family.
That's what community is about. 
I'm so proud
of our community we really
stepped up.
I have a few pictures I'd like to share there is one that's beautiful of him being 
driven to the church by horse and carriage with
his flag wrapped casket but 
as much as I'd like to share I think it's to personal for the family.
It's what made me tear up.
It made me solemn.
It's a respectful site a sad one but beautiful at the same time.
Dignity and honor come to mind.
He gave all.

Here are some photos that I can share.

My brother and sister's support shirts they made.

My family all ready and waiting at the church. (this is after walking ten blocks oh and I'm taking the picture but I am there and in my red shirt and blue jeans!)  This is my brother, sister, and mother with my three little guys.

The Patriot Guard lined up and ready for action at the church.

The Patriot Guard at the church.

Some Buffalo Soldiers with our leader the woman in the middle she set up this human wall.

The sea of read white and blue.  This went on for quite a ways.  It was a great turn out and many of the mourners thanked us for being there as they walked by.


A poem someone in our group posted.  I think it's appropriate.


I think today we seized life.  Yes it was a bit different but with our breathes we should be thankful for those that have breathed their last protecting us.

Love,

Mommaraff

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 11

Putting together the final preparations for tomorrows show of support.
I am excited and yet 
nervous.
I hope that this is so peaceful and beautiful.
I hope those people
are a no show.
Please pray that tomorrow goes without a hitch!

My neighbor tonight was in a car accident and has some pain.
Please pray that she is alright and feels
better quickly.

So much going on.
Always this flowing in and out.
I'm reminded yet again and every day just how 
much life is not guaranteed. 
Hug your loved ones 
and make your list.
Remind yourself to be in the here and the now.
Take the time away from
the business
and envelope yourself in your passions.
Lay outside in the grass (where there are no red ants I have come to hate them since moving here lol)
breath in the sent of the grass and stare at the tree tops and clouds.
Remember what it was like to be a kid and just embrace life.
Tomorrow I want you to get up with the goal of breathing in your life.

I'm going to be breathing mine in with a grateful heart to our military and one soldier in particular.


Love,
Mommaraff

Thursday, October 11, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 10

Three soldiers died in a suicide bombing. It gets me thinking about how much they give up to fight for us.  Not just the ultimate sacrifice of their life but of the living that gets sacrificed.  We don't hear about that to much.  I have a lot of military friends and family and that's one of the things they talk about.  They talk about the pride and the waiting.  They prepare things for their spouses to come home too and count down days with their children.  They also talk about the loneliness and how much the spouse is missing.  They give birth, rejoice over school plays, send children off to school for the first time, patch up scrapped knees and wounded hearts, watch their children get married, lose a family member, end up in the hospital, and so much more all alone.  They are the brave frontier holding down the fort while their significant others are off fighting for our freedom.  Like the war or military or not you must at least respect these brave men and women, sons, daughters, wives, husbands, cousins, and more.  They belong to someone and those numbers being posted are a loved one lost.

This brings me around to my topic tonight.  It's about the three soldiers and how much their families along with them have given up.  When a soldier dies we thank them with a bowed head and a moment of silence at least some of us do.  We forget those soldiers I just mentioned that are on the home front.  We forget the breaking hearts when they hear the news that the one they love is gone.  We forget the little girl walking down the aisle without her daddy.  We forget the little boy at his football games without dad to cheer him on.  Lets take some time and remember them.  Lets remember all our soldiers at home and abroad.  Lets remember those that have passed on whether in battle or later.  Lets think about all the living and all the loving that goes on in those families even though they may be apart.

Let me say that unlike some certain people think God does love our men and women in uniform.  He loves them more than anyone else and he does not hate them.  He may hate a sin someone committed but he does not hate his people.  Those that pass on the message of hate are only going after their own agenda and not God's heart.  I needed to say that I need you to understand that just in case you've heard it and think either God hates our men and women in the military or think that God is hateful.  God is love.  God does not hate his people but loves them and his one goal is to win them over so that we may go and live with him.

On Friday I go to stand in love for a fallen soldier and I will block out the hateful messages of one group of people.  I will shield and support these soldiers here at home and the one who has returned to us in body only.  His sacrifice is not in vain and we will show them that we care.

Thank you for being here with me.  Do not post messages of hate on here I will delete them.  You may disagree but do not be hateful.

Be blessed today and my you have not a happy day tomorrow but a joy filled one.

Mommaraff.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 9

I spent my day looking up educational songs for my children
to do some memory work.  
I did their school work with them and then began the search until
my husband got home.  
Yes it was a long search
I began to ache and yet there were so many things to look at!
 Good thing the kids were sleeping!  
I cooked dinner and we ran out to football practice were
I left Hubby and Mr. A to be picked up by my brother and
I dropped the other two off with my mother.  
Then I headed out for our homeschool mom's support night.  
We had a great speaker
She is actually the owner of Apologia along
with her husband.
I'd tell you more about that but honestly I'm just to tired. 
Her message was about joy I will tell you that much 
and that I really enjoyed it!
I
just 
lived 
today
as
it came
that's the truth of the day
I hope you were about to live out some things on your list. 
I suppose going to the mom's support night is on 
my list because making some good friends is 
on that list and 
I'm really hoping to cultivate some real friendships from this group.
Joy
is what I leave you with
Where is it that you find your joy?  

Love,
Mommaraff


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 8


31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day: Day 8

1. Have movie nights (I remember being curled up on the couch with my boys, some popcorn, and our dogs)
2. Have board game nights (I remember when we did this and we all had so much fun)
3. Read aloud a few books a month and in your best voices possible.
4. Don't forget to get on their level and really let them know how much you love them and your husband.
5. Have a play date with the rain.  How much fun we had as children splashing around in the puddles and trying to catch the rain.
6. Make pancakes with the kids and let them flip them.
7. Hold my breath as long as I can with them since this is one of their favorite games I might as well join them!
8. Take a walk with the family.
9. Go see the fall colors
10. Show my kids that their father and I love each other by making us a priority and having a date night.

What did you add to your list?
Love,
Mommaraff

Sunday, October 7, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 7

Pumpkin getting his soccer trophy with his coach far right.

Monkey getting his trophy :)



I didn't make my list yet did you?  
I woke up with a munchkin in my bed and an urgency to get ready for church.
Pumpkin not feeling well so he stayed home.
Up fed and out the door still arriving late for church and yet enjoying it.
Home for lunch and then off again to go downtown for a festival with my family and Mr. A while the boys slept.
Then in the sudden pouring rain picked up and rushed off to soccer for the trophies and cupcakes.  The boys were feeling better....until afterwards.
Both boys now have fevers and we are home with dinner cooking a good soak in the shower and jammies all around then dinner and a cuddling with a movie.  Brushing of teeth and then off to bed.
Another of those good but simple days.  
My body is starting to ache and feel a bit feverish I'm thinking of all that I have to do.
Not only schooling of the kids, feeding their always hungry growing bodies, cleaning, laundry, bill paying, and more but now I must also live like it's my last day.  
I wonder who thought of this and yet I remember that it was me. 
Me sitting here thinking about my cousin leaving us so soon.  My uncle's, grandpa, sister, and more.
Me thinking about my friends daughter fighting the leukemia and my blogging sister who lost her husband and is working with her two young sons to find their new normal.
I thought of this.
I wanted to be prepared.
What drove me?
Am I afraid?
I am.  
I'm afraid that I haven't done enough or been enough.
I'm afraid that they won't know how much I love them.
Is that what we all fear when we think of our own ending?  Do others think of their ending or find it to morbid?
I've heard that so many times.
 "Why are you talking about this now it's so morbid."
or
"Why do you think like that you have plenty of time"
but
I may not.
You may not.
Shouldn't we face it all now?  Even our fears?
Shouldn't we try to find out what means the most to ourselves and our families? 
I know we have our life insurance in place for a reason.
I've heard that's morbid too.
Let me tell you it's not.  It's a life saver.  Maybe not your own but for those who you leave behind.
One day maybe not for a long time but one day they'll need it and be thankful.
I'm about to stop making sense with this headache and fever pressing in on me 
so I'll leave you with this
are you afraid?
Do you think this to morbid?
If you look at the other end of the last day I'm asking you to live.
I'm asking you to grab your life and lead it.
Let me know what you are doing.  Let me know that you to want to know when you go that you were really here and that you lived out your moments.
That you did the things that were important to yourself and to those around you that you love the most.


Love,
Mommaraff


31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day: Day 6

        Last night after my post I went and crawled into my bed tired but remembering the good time I had with my family.  Shortly after my head hit the pillow my friend and neighbor called needing to borrow my breathing machine.  I got it ready and handed it off to her then I waited for it to come back.  I got it and curled up in bed again.  My eyes drifted and I began to fall asleep when suddenly I was jarred by a loud smacking sound.  I heard a car alarm and was worried that a car accident possibly involving my own had just occurred.  It wasn't a normal car crash sound.  There wasn't the long lasting sound of brakes squealing, glass shattering and then raining on the pavement, there wasn't shouting or a horn sounding.  It was just a smack.  A few blocks up people came and were saying that it sounded like a loud gunshot.  It was strange.  I looked outside and there was my car safe and sound.  
       Across the street people were all over the sidewalks it was hard to tell who had been in the two cars that were crushed one in the front and one at the trunk.  I ran in for my glasses, shoes, and phone.  I saw others calling 911 so I called my husband who was at my parents hanging out with my brother just to let him know what had happened and that we were okay.  The story is probably still being investigated but the couple was inebriated with something and they were both taken to the hospital with matching neck braces.  The truck had hit the older car so hard it hit the car in front of it sending it across the four lanes into another parked car and damaging it.  
      After it had quieted down and just us neighbors remained I asked if anyone needed a ride and one neighbor did.  I needed to be up to take her at eight and it was two thirty by the time I got in the house and it would be three the last time I looked at a clock.  It was a wild night with little sleep.  Just before seven thirty the neighbor came knocking on my door to tell me she had a ride and I didn't need to get up...I was up now.       I laid in bed for awhile with two of my boys (how Pumpkin and when he got in my bed I'll never know) eventually drifting in and out until just after eight when I got us up and ready for football.  I had to tell you all this because I kept looking at their cars and thinking how lucky we all were that we were not on the road when this couple had come barrelling down it.  How lucky it wasn't a person laying in the street but a bumper.  How lucky the couple was that they were even alive and whole.  If it were their last day would they think it was great?  Would the fun of the evening have been worth it? 
      I haven't lived their lives so I'll never really know but I'm guessing that it wouldn't have been.  There would have been so many things they would have liked to have done or done better just like the rest of us.  It gets me thinking is there really a day that would be great enough to cover the fact of losing out on the rest of life?  Can I really live intentionally enough that I would be ready to go should a freak accident or anything else takes me?  My thoughts are now on that.  
      The last few days I have done some things that have felt complete and happy and I've had a few bad days but not one of them felt like I was done.  Like the, 'Okay now I have reached the goal and I'm ready' kind of moment.  It hasn't reach it because maybe it's not really reachable.  Maybe I'll always be striving for more.  I'll always want more of this life and more of my family.  I can't see them being full enough to being okay with less of me and not having me. 
       31 days to live like it's your last day is a big step.  It's a big goal and may be unreachable.  If I was terminal what would that look like?  What would it look like in your family?  I'm going to write down a list sort of like a bucket list but not an extravagant one maybe I'll have an extra list for those but just to see what I'd really like to do because to be honest I feel like I am just trying to have good days instead of being as intentional as I wanted to be.  I hope your still with me and will join me in writing your list. 

With Love,

Mommaraff




Saturday, October 6, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day: Day 5


           I'm up posting this late.  I had a good night and enjoyed it so fully that I just got home a few minutes ago.  It's almost still day five so it counts right?  We had a great day at co-op, playing at the park, and then going to my family's house.
          I went grocery shopping with my mom and then had some stew at her house.  Afterwards we roasted some marshmallows around a fire outside where my two little guys fell asleep.  Mr. A was up playing with his uncle and that's where he was when I left him.  Once in awhile it feels good to stay up too late with the ones you love and today was that day.
          If today was my last day I am so glad I spent it with family and in a memorable way.  I was going to take pictures but apparently I need to empty my card...I have over a thousand on it so I'm a little behind yikes.  So tonight I posted a picture I took of the moon a few months ago.  I hope your day went well and your learning to really live even in the everyday.
         P.S. Some of my friends today shaved their hair off and donated it or donated blood in honor of my friends little girl who is battling leukemia I wish  I didn't live across the country and could have been there to support them but I just wanted to give them a shout out and let them know that I love them and they are just awesome people!


Love,

Mommaraff


Thursday, October 4, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day: Day 4

     

                                        Mr A, Monkey, and Pumpkin on the beach




        I am not full of inspiration today.  It's one of those days that are just so so and if it were my last it would have been a fine day but not a great one.  Yesterday was a great day.
       After MOPS and naps it was time for football practice where Monkey played while I sat with Mr. A on the sidelines while he read.  Afterwards we went to Wednesday night church at a church we used to visit but haven't been back to since just after Christmas last year.  They have a new children's pastor and she greeted Mr. A and I in the hall.  We wrote the boys birthdays on her birthday calendar and talked for awhile she was really friendly.  She has some African objects from her trip there and says she would love to talk with us about Africa.  I think I know what country we will be studying here soon!
      After church we stopped at the store and got a few groceries and come home to have sub sandwiches and laugh together around the table.  The night finished off with my husband and I enjoying time together.  I'd say a good successful day.  It makes today in all it's uninspiring slowness seem fitting.  Tomorrow we will be off again to go to Co-op and my parents house so I'll soak in this relaxing and enjoy it.  If today were my last day I'd like to have enjoyed the simplicity and just being together with my boys without an agenda.  What are you doing today?  Leave me a comment let me know that your here.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

31 Days to LIve Like it's Your Last Day: Day 3

      Today started off rough.  I woke up excited to be going to MOPS.  A friend had offered me a ride late last night and so I hadn't told the kids yet.  They were all in my bed when I opened my eyes.  I was a little surprised but told them all to get dressed we were going to MOPS.  They were so excited and scampered off to get dressed.  They put on button ups and nice shorts then meet me in the kitchen.
       This is where I found out one of our dogs had pooped in their kennel in the night and I had taken him out to go just before I went to bed.  He had also peed.  The smell was awful.  I took the dogs out while my son tried to clean it up a bit then I gave him the stinky dog to bathe while I hosed out the kennel and cleaned up.  Gross.  If this was my last morning I'd want a refund :P the rest went much better though.  I made pancakes and we got ready on time then off to MOPS.
        For those that don't know MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers it's where moms get together and talk, have speakers, eat some breakfast/snack, do a craft, and relax.  The kids go in to their classes and have a lot of fun.  I so appreciate the ride and they will be trying to come get me for everyone at least until we get a second car!  I love these ladies we have a lot of fun and today we made fleece blankets for the Linus Project which brings them to children who have been in a trauma, have been abused, are ill, and they bring them to fire departments, newborn babies (although not the fleece ones they need some that have batting in them), and police departments.  We did the same thing last year and I really loved it.
        If today were my last day aside from the dog mess it would have been a good one.  What is it that you feel you need to have or do to make your day worth it?  I feel like once we figure that out we can figure out a lot of things in our lives.  It will help us pick our jobs, treat our children the way we want to and should, do more things that we love, and love those that we really do l love.  That's my challenge for you today.  Figure out what it is that would make your last day worth it and I mean do some serious thinking and get to the heart of what you want after all the extravagant things. and see what it is that makes you happy and keeps you ticking.  It's what will fill your cup and lighten your spirit.
         If you haven't already guessed mine these last few days it's family, friends, and people in general.  God has given me his heart for His people.  I'm not perfect and I don't always show love but it is what brings me joy as only he can.

Have a great day 3 see you here tomorrow!

With love,

Mommaraff

Here's the website for MOPS so you can read more about them and also find one in your area to get connected!  http://www.mops.org/

A picture of my boys making some homemade tortillas a little while back :)

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last: Day 2

31 days To Live Like it''s Your Last: Day 2

The last few days have been trying with my sons.  I haven't been in the enjoyment mode.  I'm in the lets just survive today and maybe tomorrow will be better frame of mind.  Today they seem to be a bit better.  We are still struggling but the load feels lighter.  I'm sitting here thinking about how I can't go through another day like I have been.  I can't keep up this pace I'm losing my sanity.  Now here I am writing about what would I do if it were my last day today.  Is this who I want my children to remember me as?  Is this how I want them to think on me for years?  Do I want them to think that they had made me so upset that there is no way I could love them when I passed?  Yes I am upset I'm roaring like a lion and I'm making them spend time in their beds.  I'm hoping a resting time will answer their unrest but I don't want to be roaring.  I don't want to upset them.  So if this was my last day how can I salvage it?  How can I grasp it and live it even though it's tough?

I'm going to start by getting off of here.  I'm going to go in their room and help them clean it up.  We are going to enjoy breakfast together even cook it together because we love to cook together.  I'm going to spend some time curled up and read them some more of Treasure Island and I'm going to break through their disobiedience by loving them through it instead of roaring.  Today I'm going to be proactive and not reactive.  I can do this with the strength of God as my shield I can change my behavior today and we can work through this hump.

Are you struggling today?  Lean on God with me.  He can get you through anything.  I know my struggles are small compared to some but no matter the size of your mountain God is there and will lead you.  Your faith in him can move mountains of any size.

I'm off now please leave me a comment letting me know what you are doing today.

With much love,

Mommaraff



My boys with their chocolate almond milk moustaches :)


Update:  It's 12:38 and we are done with our brunch now, the room is clean and we are heading into nap time.  We kept our cool and their behavior is much better!  Pumpkin is exhausted for some reason and I hope he takes a good nap.  After nap time we will be reading our book.  I'm so glad we are working on this!

Monday, October 1, 2012

Pruning

Off and on for the past week I have been pruning the rose bushes in the back yard.  They have beat me up!  I am scratched, poked, and tired.  The rose bushes are looking pretty beat up themselves but way less wild and much smaller.  I can't wait to see the completed end result.  There was so much dead stuff under the roses I actually have put in a cumulative 7 hours into the rose bushes and I am still not done.  The weather keeps preventing me from completing them. 

As I was pruning and found all the dead stuff I thought about myself as a person and how God is constantly having to prune me.  At some points I had to cut away living stuff because it have grown wild and the rose bush had entangled itself into another one and I was unable to get to the dead stuff underneath.  They were killing each other not allowing any sun to the others.  There had also began some rot on several branches and some roots.  I cut off the dead branches and pulled out the plants with the rotted roots.  Isn't this just what God does with us?  He prunes us of our bad habits, actions, thoughts, and sometimes he even pulls out the parts that are living sometimes because they are over extending us and not allowing us to focus on what we need to or sometimes even not allowing someone else near us to shine.  I do believe that sometimes we take on to much and God says woah pull back some because he knows we need a break and he has the perfect person to take over.  I think that in all things we need to relax more and when things come along or are taken away from us we need to look to God because everything comes from him.


(I just found this post hiding out in my drafts section from over a year ago. I'm just posting it in it's rawness and leaving it as it is.)

31 days to Live Like it's Our Last Day

Day 2I've noticed that people in the blogging world are doing a 31 days series this month.  I was trying to think of something I could do for the month and decided to take my new life theme and be intentional about it this month.  It's not going to be easy but I hope you'll come along with me.  This is 31 days to live like it's our last day.  I'm not going to be extravagant I am going to be doing meaningful things and little things that add up in our hearts.  Today is day one :) so be thinking about what you might want to do as I challenge you this month.

Mommaraff.


31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 2
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 3
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 4
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 5
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 6
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 7
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 8
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 9
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 10
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 11
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 12
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 13
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 14
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 15
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 16
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 17
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 18
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 19
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 20
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 21
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 22
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 23
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 24
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 25
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 26
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 27
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 28
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 29
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 30
31 Days to Live Like it's Your Last Day:  Day 31


I wanted to add a few links to some of the blogs that are doing a 31 days that I will be following come join us!

http://www.4tunate.net/31-days-of-simple-outdoor-adventures-for-boys/

http://studiojru.com/2012/10/01/31-days-of-grace-through-trials/

http://kaysepratt.com/2012/10/31-days-to-humility-a-necessary-journey-of-tongue-biting-and-pride-squashing.html

http://lisajobaker.com/2012/09/31-days-write-story/31-days-lisa-jo-baker-3/

http://thepenningtonpoint.com/2012/09/31-everyday-ways-to-connect-with-your-child-day-1-2/

not 31 days but worth it http://ichoosejoy.org/2012/09/25/its-coming-monday-are-you-ready/

Check them out and enjoy your next 31 days!

My boys just got their faces painted for Team Unity Tailgating for their football teams.  Pumpkin is the house divided hehe.  Headband was only for paint drying purposes!