Finding my Place

Over the years certain things have defined me:
College student, chemist, baker, cake decorator, youth group leader, worship planner, administrative assistant, the fixer, organizer.
More recently I have been defined by a few new ones: Pampered Chef consultant, stay at home mom, boy mom.

In the midst of everyday life, the noise and crying and chaos that naturally ensues while caring for 3 little boys, it is hard to hear just what your call might be in life. The immediate call is to keep your children fed and breathing. But me, without them, what is my call? How can you tell when doors are opening to new opportunities? Or maybe there is a window slightly open to escape from something that just isn't quite working. But how do you know?

When there is no clear sign that I shouldn't do something, I jump right in and do it. There are usually challenges that pop up once I agree to something, but I am slowly learning and trying to remember that God never leaves us and will not give us more than we can handle. And that everything lasts for a season. All of these things that I get to be part of for a season, are helping to develop who I am, my character, my story that I get to share with others in the future.

So in the midst of living and surviving and trying to figure out God's plan, the challenge is to find joy. The little blessings or things that make you happy and bring a smile to your face. Like making cookies. Or finding a love in taking pictures for people. Or blessing people with gifts they don't expect. Or having everyone eat the meal you made for supper. Or seeing your kids being nice to each other or picking up the toys you asked them to. Or just getting a full nights sleep! Or being able to laugh when more juice gets spilled, the little one plays in the toilet again, or a pull-up ends up getting "washed" (the later is really not pretty!)

So I'm hoping this blog will be a happy place to tell my story of raising 4 boys and the everyday adventures that come with being a boy mom. And to tell you what I'm doing to look for the joy's in life!

Turning Over A New Leaf

I need an outlet. To express who I am and what I'm feeling. I'm a some what blunt person, I tell you what's on my mind and I'm surrounded by people who are too weak to just understand that's how I'm feeling. It's not meant to hurt you, it's just how I feel about it. And I like to talk. But many people get lost just after 5 words are spoken and they give up listening. I need a best friend, and then as soon as I say that, I'm reminded that God is my best friend. Always has been, and will continue to be, the one that is always there, ready to listen. And I'm constantly reminded that I'm not perfect, as a parent, a wife, a friend. I need His help and guidance daily. I expect too much of people, I expect that if you say you're going to do something, you follow through with it. I try hard to do that for others, but God knows we aren't perfect. He wants us to be perfect; He is right there to pick us up again when we are not. I need to remember this as I hold others to high standards. I don't do well with disappointment. I often see the negative when things don't work out.

So this will be my outlet. Writing. Hopefully to keep me more focused on the good things in my life, the daily small mountains we climb and successfully reach the top. I don't want to be a negative person. I want to be the person people come to for wisdom about situations, how to handle things, quiet and reserved, with a little bit of mystery as to what is really going on inside my head. I don't want all my words to hurt feelings. I want to be like characters from my favorite books.

I have a whole list of dreams that I'd like to accomplish before I die. Many things I want to see. And I'm excited to see how God decides to unfold my future.