The Grand Unveiling (and my very first giveaway!)

I'm dancing up and down.  With the help of countless friends and loved ones, I've done it.

Happy Homemaker Me now has its very own website, Etsy shop, and Facebook page!

I'm so excited to be able to share this with you, and I truly hope that you will check it out.

I've been incredibly blessed to make so many friends here on Blogger.  Thank you for following me and allowing me to be part of your life!  You are a treasure to me, and I don't want to lose you as I move to my new site.  So many of you have referred me to friends and have helped me get my name out there.  I truly appreciate it!

Which is why...

I'm super, ridiculously excited...

to have my very first giveaway!

I have beautiful, sparkly, festive Christmas Flower Scarves who need new homes this season.

You get to choose which colors you like: the traditional, classic tricolor scarf, or the festive and funky bright red and green.

Any it's so easy to win one! 

No random number-generated selected winner,

No standing on your head and singing silly lyrics 3 times fast.

Simply...

1. Give a shout out to your friends and let them know about my new site, www.happyhomemaker.me

2. Get five friends to join my site (through Google Friend Connect)

3. Email me at bethany@happyhomemaker.me and tell me the names of 5 your friends who signed up, send me your mailing address, and let me know which scarf I can send to you.

Pretty easy, isn't it?

I'm so thankful for all of you, and this is the easiest (and most fun) way I can think of to thank you personally for following me and helping me get my business up and running!

Like one of my other scarves on Etsy better?  I'm happy to send you one of those!  Just let me know :-)

This giveaway will close on Tuesday, November 23rd at 11:59pm.

Smile for the Day

Can I special request this guy to be on my next flight?!?!





So cool :-)

Beautiful Enough to See It

My Mother-in-Love, Momma B, sent this story to me in an email, and it touched my heart today.  Working with children with special needs for the past couple months has opened my eyes to a beauty that so many people miss out on.  When I see others down on the floor, going over and over a simple process to help make a child more independant, I can't help but smile and praise Jesus for giving that person grace, patience, and an eye for the beauty within.

The following story made me think of what caregivers, Special Education teachers, Instructional Aides, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Adaptive PE coaches, Physical Therapists, and Resource Specialists do for the children in their care.  I see it daily.

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man walked by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words on the back. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon, the hat began to fill up. Many more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon, the man who had changed the sign came to see how the boy was doing. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"
The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." "I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it."
Both signs told people that the boy was blind, but the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign reminded people how blessed they were that they were not blind.
Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

There is no beauty in shunning others for their differences.  True beauty comes in Christ-like love, where one person sees another's weaknesses and loves them all the more. 

There are hard days in the special ed classroom I'm working in right now.  Days where we feel we've made no progress--as if we're just banging our head against the wall in vain.  But there are days like yesterday, when a teacher--who had come in last week saying that she felt like giving up on one of her students--came in beaming with pride over the wonderful speech presentation her student had given that day.  That little guy and I worked so hard on that speech.  We had to practice the words he would be saying, we had to practice making eye contact, using a nice loud voice, and standing straight and tall (that cute little guy is a wiggle worm!)  Yesterday was our little victory.  I'm so proud of him for doing so well!

My friend Emily in San Diego called me this afternoon with a, "Well, I was sitting here quilting, and I missed my crafting buddy!  How are you doing?"  We talked for a wonderfully long time, and I caught her up to date on life and work lately.  There was a smile in her voice as she asked questions about the little ones I work with daily, and she told me about Sara's newest victory with the little boy (with Down Syndrome) that she works with as a caregiver.  Apparently, David is a whiz at computers, but has never learned to tie his shoes.  Check out this link to see how Sara worked around that!

Doesn't her love and care for his wellbeing make you smile?!?

 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)  He did not show discernment between those little children who could run freely up to Him, and those needed assistance.  He did not show preference between the little children who could sing His praises and repeat His words and the little ones who simply clung to His hand. 

I love that we have a Savior who reminds us to seek for the beauty in all.  The joy of digging deep enough, seeing little eyes light up for the first time, is a joy worth holding on to. 

Bringing Back an Old Favorite~Double Thick Potato Cheese Soup

It's the perfect day for Double Thick Potato Cheese soup, and I love it so much!
I thought I'd repost the recipe for those of you who didn't know me last year.   Yum, yum!

♥ Crockpot Recipe ♥

2 pounds of baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. cubes


2 cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups finely chopped green onions

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

black pepper to taste


All you have to do is combine the potatoes, soup, 1 cup green onions, garlic powder, and red pepper into the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 4)

Add cheese, sour cream, and milk; stir until cheese has completely melted. Cover, and cook on high for 10 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper. Garnish with remaining green onions. Makes 7 servings.

Jesse and I love putting this in sourdough bread bowls. The bread just makes it even homier. It's such a yummy, chilly evening treat!

Calling All Camera Pros!

I'm so excited.  Jesse and I have been saving up for months and months to get a new camera.  The one we have right now is from my sophomore year of high school, and it's a dinosaur of digital point-and-shoots!

Our family has been giving us money on our birthdays to go toward a new camera, and we're finally there!  We're planning on saving even more by waiting until Black Friday.

Buuuuuuuuuut...we need recommendations.  We really want a Digital SLR, but we have no experience with them and don't really know what to look for.

That's where you come in.  So many of you, my sweet blogger friends, take beautiful pictures that make me gasp, sigh, swoon...you name it, I've done it :-)

I've heard from many people that the Nikon D60 is the one to go for, but other people say the Canon Rebel is just as good (and much cheaper!)  Does it all really just come down to the lens you use?

What do you have?
What would you recommend we look for specs-wise when choosing a camera?
Anything you did that you would do differently if you had the opportunity?

Jesse and I are planning to enroll in a digital photography class in the Spring.  Talk about Date Night!  ;-)
We can't wait for a new camera and all of the new opportunities it will bring!

Send me your wisdom!

You Know You've Been Crocheting Too Much Lately When...

Oh my.  I think I need to put my hooks and skeins down.  It's getting to my brain!

I just picked up an apple, peeled the little sticker off of it, and thought, "Wow, it has its dye lot on it!"

Lol...I might be a little more sane after the craft fair next Saturday.  One week!

If you're in the area, swing on by!

I Really Should Just Open a Bakery...

Today, as I was walking a group of third graders back to their class after practicing their speech with me, one of the little boys came up alongside me.
"Mrs. Brubaker?  I have a question," He said, pushing his glasses up on his nose, "Do you like to bake?"
"Yes, I do,"  I smiled at him. 

It was sort of a random question, but being 2.5 years into this marriage, I had an inkling where his train of thought was going.

"I thought so," He said proudly, as if he had cracked a major mystery, "That's why your name is Mrs. Brubaker!"


Oh, yes...I am Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Bagel, Mrs. Bakery, Mrs. Blueberry, Mrs. Blue Bagel, Mrs. Rude Baker, Mrs. Blue Baker, and Mrs. Cake Baker.  I feel like I must have heard them all by now.  But each one still makes me laugh, and I know that with childrens' creativity, they're just going to keep coming!

A Funny Memory

One of my favorite blogs to read is Amanda Maguire's Married to a Youth Pastor.
She's down to earth.  She gets it.  She knows that being married to a youth pastor isn't all rainbows and daisies.  I go to her site when I need a laugh, and she  always reminds me that I'm not the only one!

This week, Amanda asked her readers to post the time we've had the most inappropriate giggles.  I remembered the first time that Jon came to church with us, and it made me laugh.  I thought I'd share that laugh with you :-)

I grew up in a small reformed church, but when I went to college and married a handsome Lutheran, I became a Lutheran. The first time that my brother came to visit me and come to church with us, it was a communion Sunday. At our church growing up, the elders passed plates of bread and wine across the pews and each communicant member took one. At the church where my husband is the youth pastor, elders usher members up to the altar to receive from the pastor. Since I’m not big about having anyone put food in my mouth, I put my hands out in front of me so that our pastor will put the wafer in my palm instead.



When we walked up and knelt at the altar that day, I motioned to my brother (who had never experienced communion this way) to put his hands out like I was. When the pastor came by with the bread and saw Jon’s outstretched hands, he went to put the bread in his hands. I’m not sure what Jon thought his hands were supposed to do, because he opened his mouth and followed Pastor’s hand trying to eat the bread all the way down to his outstretched palms.  He looked so ridiculous trying to eat out of Pastor’s hand that I went into full, body-shaking laughter.


Up at the altar.


In front of 300 people.


I couldn’t compose myself and had to walk back to our pew still gasping for air.


Siiiiighh….what a great first impression of the new Youth Pastor’s wife!!!!

Election Day

This is a conversation I heard at school today that made me laugh:

Teacher: Alright, class, time to go to lunch!  Please get your things quickly; I need to run out during lunch and vote.
Second Grader: Are you going to vote for yourself?
Teacher: No!  I'm going to vote for the candidates.
Second Grader: Oh.  My daddy nominated himself for governor!

Happy November!

It's November already!

Now, how did that happen?!?

Can't believe how quickly October flew...but, ohmygoodness, so many exciting things are coming up!

First of all, I've been doing the happy dance for the last couple of weeks because I have plans.

Big plans.

Plans that include a website of my own and an etsy shop.  I can't wait to get them up and show you!

For now, though, want a sneak peak at a few of my newest creations?  (and some of my wonderful friends!)
Pictures compliments of my amazing sister, Kate.

Stay tuned!

Midnight Randomness

Jesse and I are old fogeys these days.  We're rarely up past midnight.  We got home from the church's Harvest Festival around 11pm, though, and I'm still hopped up on sugar.  My handsome man crashed on the couch about half an hour ago.

I was researching rib fractures when he fell asleep.  I have no idea how I may have done it, but I think I cracked a rib.  Maybe it's just bruised (although, there's no black and blue!) I don't know...it just hurts.  It's been hurting all day.  I don't know what I did to it.  I'm a klutz, and I run into things so often that I don't even notice anymore.  But this is a pain I haven't had before.  Not sure what's up!  But there's really nothing a doctor can do (besides charge me for an xray and then say, "Yup, you sure did!")so I'm not really worrying about it.  We'll see what happens!

The Harvest Festival was a lot of fun tonight.  I got to meet Jesse and Matt beforehand for dinner at Baja Fresh (yay! love that place!) and then at the Harvest Festival, I got to help man the cake walk with some good friends, and Jesse got to be in the dunk tank.  It was a great night (minus my pain...not sure what to do about that!)  I wish I had pictures from Jesse in the dunk tank.  It was so much fun to watch him!  He is so lighthearted and jovial; it was clear that he had a great time.  And his youth group kids loved getting to dunk him! 

I thought of something funny that happened on Tuesday that I forgot to tell you.  We had Matt and Emily over while we were housesitting, and as they were preparing to leave late that evening, we were commenting on all of the Halloween decorations around the house.  Seriously!  That house has soooo many Halloween decorations.  I don't think I've seen a house so decked out before.  Now I want to see their house during Christmas!

Anyway, we were enjoying their decorations, and I pointed to a green foam jack-o-lantern.  "I've never seen a green one like this," I said as I tapped the green pumpkin.  It must have had a touch-sensor in it, because as soon as my fingers tapped it, the jack-o-lantern's eyes glowed red and it bellowed in a deep voice, "Mwa ha ha ha ha ha hah!"  I just about jumped out of my skin and screamed like the girliest girl around.  Ha!  My heart was pounding for a good ten minutes afterward.  Oh well, maybe that scare helped me burn some calories :-)

Blech, I hate being startled!

I'm Back!

Sorry that you didn't hear from me much this week!
We were house sitting Monday-Thursday for some good friends of ours.  They have a gorgeously luxurious home, and we enjoy being there.  But there's nothing like home sweet HOME!

I'm so happy to be back.  Back to my little yellow kitchen, and my winding staircase herb garden, the den with its cozy wooden vaulted ceilings and warm little red rug, and our own little bed.  Isn't it funny how little and lost you can feel when going from a queen size bed to a california king?

Anyway, I'm back.  And this weekend is going to be a busy one!  It's the Harvest Festival at church tonight, then tomorrow we're having a pumpkin carving contest with our high school youth group, and on Sunday, Jesse and I are hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner for our small group friends for after church.  That will be so much fun!

It's going to be a great weekend!

What will you be up to?

Far Away

If you've known me long, you know one thing:

I love the sea.

(these photos were all taken by my friend Julia...at the beach where I grew up and Jesse proposed to me in 2007)

A little bit of me dies realizing that I'm so far from my beloved coastline these days...that I don't live in my upstairs bedroom with the island view in my parents' house...that I can't just walk to the beach to collect sea glass whenever the whim hits me.  Sunsets just aren't the same when they have smog as a backdrop.

I miss my ocean.

But I love my husband, and he is the only reason I am here!  I love him enough to trade coastal breezes for sweltering inland heat (even in October--how ridiculous is that?!?); I love him enough to deal with smog instead of fog, and I love that my handsome inland man loves me enough to take me back to my ocean whenever we have the opportunity.

But every once in a while, when I'm sticky from the heat and itching from dry skin, I play "Far Away" by Ingrid Michaelson and slip back to the coast.



One hot day this past summer, Jesse came in while I was brushing my hair and singing along "...on our island in the blue bay."

Jesse smiled and wrapped his arms around me.  "Aren't you glad I'm not a lobster man?"

"If you were, we'd live by the ocean," I teased.

"But... I'd smell like fish," He faltered, surprised by my counter.

"You'd smell like the ocean, and I could breathe that in every day for the rest of my life!"

Not sure if a lobster man is going to be Jesse's future career choice.

But Ocean, have faith.  If it can't happen until we retire, so be it.

But we will live near you again.

I'm counting on it.

Bonus Fries and Lots of Smiles

On Saturday night, we picked up my college-student sister, Kate, on the way home from Jesse's softball game.  Kate needed to use me for a photo shoot she's doing for her senior gallery show, and we haven't seen her in a while, so we took her home with us for the night.

On the way home, we treated Kate to her favorite donut shop.  Jesse and Kate got scrumptious looking donuts, but I was super hungry and knew that sugar would only give me a headache right then.  Dinner was waiting for us at home, but it was a 30 minute drive and I was hungry right then!  So we popped by McDonald's to get some fries. 

While we were on the freeway, Jesse asked if I had won anything from the little Monopoly pieces they put on the french fry containers.  I hadn't even thought to look.  I peeled them off, and, SURPRISE!  I won free medium fries!  Jesse and Kate were both so excited that Jesse pulled off at the next exit with a McDonald's.  It felt so silly to go to two McD's in 10 minutes when I try to be so good about us eating out at all in the first place, but we were all so surprised and excited that we did it anyway!

I'm sure we looked ridiculous to the lady at the drive-thru when she saw the McDonald's bag and the container of fries in my hand.  Jesse and Kate happily shared the free fries while I finished off the first container.  We bought three ice cream cones, too, and made a fun treat out of it.

Don't you love that McDonald's has 69 cent cones?  And aren't they scrumptious?  And don't fries taste so great mixed with the sweetness of ice cream? (don't call me crazy til you've tried it...)

Anyway, that's what put a smile on our faces that night.

I'll Be Seeing You

We're nearing the end of our year of "firsts" after saying goodbye to Papa Chuck last Christmas, but the first birthday without him is a pang in my heart.    He would have been 86 today.  The first year without him is so hard, because every memory of last year has him in it.  There's a Papa-shaped hole in our family now. 

My life is full happy of memories of him, and for that, I am thankful.  I'm always seeing something that reminds me of him, finding something he fixed for me at one time or another, thinking of something that would make him laugh.  I'm so thankful that he was my grandfather, and that I have so many wonderful ways to remember him.  I love him and miss him so much!

I don't know what the songwriter was thinking of when he penned these lyrics, and I've never seen the musical it premiered in, but whenever I hear Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby singing these words, I think of my Papa Chuck, and all of the memories I hold close in my heart.

I'll be seeing you

In all the old familiar places

That this heart of mine embraces

All day through.

In that small cafe;

The park across the way;

The children's carousel;

The chestnut trees;

The wishin' well.

I'll be seeing you

In every lovely summer's day;

In every thing that's light and gay.

I'll always think of you that way.

 

I'll find you

In the morning sun

And when the night is new.

I'll be looking at the moon,

But I'll be seeing you.

I'll be seeing you

In every lovely summer's day;

In every thing that's light and gay.

I'll always think of you that way.

 

I'll find you

In the morning sun

And when the night is new.

I'll be looking at the moon,

But I'll be seeing you.

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise."

Luke 23:43

An Old Picture

I love this picture my dad took so many years ago.  I love how Jon, Kate, and I are fresh out of the bath, wearing our favorite pjs, sharing a book so happily and enjoying being together...while our baby sister rolls off under the bed with a string in her mouth.

I don't know what it is about this picture, but it makes me smile and laugh every time.

I loved our childhood!

Just thought I'd share a peak into my life as a little girl with you :-)

Hope you've enjoyed a lovely Saturday!

♥

A Stay in Bed Day...er...Week...

It's been such a perfect week.

Each morning, I've awakened to the sound of rain, felt the cold bite that lingers outside of the blankets, and drawn closer to Jesse's warmth.

"It's such a perfect day to stay in bed," I whispered to Jesse after hitting "Snooze" for the 4th time this morning.

"I know, Cutie, but you have to get up for work." He snuggled into my hair and pulled me closer.

"I don't want to go to work! I want to stay in bed. Let's cancel today. We can make it a National Stay in Bed Day and everyone can just stay home in their favorite pjs and curl up in blankets and drink tea. Isn't that a good idea?"

"It's a great idea," He whispered sleepily, "Except...that's been your great idea every day this week. Now, go get ready for work!"

And with that, I'm out in the cold.

But wouldn't that be such a great idea?!?

The Perfect Day for Stew

Oh, little dutch oven, so bright and cherry red...I was thinking about you all day!

It was so cold and drizzly today...I didn't even want to leave the house this morning.

Afternoon inspiration told me just what I wanted to do with you...

Something yummy!

Something perfect for a cold, rainy night!

Stew!

♥ 3 lbs. chuck or rump, cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes

♥ 1 cup of sliced onion

♥ 2 beef bouillon cubes in 4 cups of water

♥1 tbsp. parsley flakes or fresh, cut up

♥1 clove garlic, minced

♥ 1/2 teaspoon salt

♥ 1/2 teaspoon pepper

♥ 1/4 teaspoon thyme

♥ 1 bay leaf

♥1 cup of corn

♥ 6 potatoes (quartered)

♥ 6 carrots, peeled and sliced

♥ 2 tbsp. flour

♥ 2 cups of Bisquick

♥2/3 cup of milk



In a hot dutch oven, brown beef cubes well on all sides. Remove and set aside. Add onion and saute until tender. Return beef to pan. Add parsley, garlic, salt & pepper, bay leaf, thyme, and bouillon cube mixture.  Add a little bit of red wine, if you want to!

Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. Add vegetables and simmer covered for about 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, skim off fat. Mix flour with about 1/4 cup of the broth from the stew. Stir into beef mixture. Simmer about 10 more minutes until slightly thickened.

To mix the dumplings, pour 2 cups of Bisquick into a small bowl.  Add 2/3 cup of milk, and stir until well mixed. Spoon by the tablespoon all over the top of stew and let cook about 10 more minutes until dumplings are cooked.

The perfect rainy night dinner!

Can't wait for leftovers for lunch tomorrow :-)



Happy Homemaking!

♥ Beth

Socks!

I'm excited.

Tomorrow is the beginning of Red Ribbon Week at school.

I'm not excited about Red Ribbon Week (how can one maintain one's pride when it comes out "Red Wibbon Week" or "Wed Wibbon Reek" nearly every single time?!?)  I don't have an impediment.  You try saying it 5 times fast.

I'm excited because the kick off to Red Ribbon Week is Crazy Sock Day.

!!!  I love SOCKS  !!!

I don't know what it is about socks...they just make me so happy.

I think it stems from the fact that I hate wearing shoes.  At least if I have to wear shoes, I can wear some fun socks to go with them.

I have socks for every occassion.  Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Spring, Summer, Christmas, you name it.  I love them.

So...the question is, which ones should I wear tomorrow?

My polka dots...

Cute valentine hearts...

Funky monkey socks...

Pink, black and grey argyle...

Knee-high shamrock socks...

Froggy socks!

I couldn't find the partner to either of these socks (which is extremely ironic, considering a story about the pink one that I need to write down someday!)

Daisy socks...

More preppy argyle...

Handsome, pink-and-fluffy photograher waiting patiently while I put on a new pair of socks...

More knee-highs...

and more!

Choices, choices!

What do you think?

Hairpins

I usually put a couple of pins in my hair to keep it out of my face.  It's funny how a supply of about 80 hairpins at the beginning of the summer can dwindle down to a meager four or five. I often forget to take them out before I fall asleep, and then when I wake up, they're gone. I don't know where they go. They just seem to disappear.

I was sweeping our bedroom floor tonight (a chore that has been done few and far between these days) and was surprised when I swept under Jesse's side of the bed. Out came a million hairpins! At first I was confused: were they really falling out of my hair in my sleep and landing on his side? But reason and a warm tingly feeling of love swept over me at once as I realized that there was a pile of hairpins on his side because my Handsome Man takes them out at night after I fall asleep on his chest.

I've always hated being the last person awake...even back as far as my little elementary sleep over days. It feels like as soon as I realize that I'm the only person awake, that thought keeps me awake. I feel sorry for myself as I look around the room at everyone else sleeping peacefully.

Jesse has never laughed at my silly quirk, or acted as if it were an inconvenience at all. He simply cradles my head on his chest, wraps his arm around me, and reads to me until he knows I'm asleep.
Knowing he does that has always made me feel loved, but tonight, after seeing all of the hairpins he has lovingly and carefully taken out of my hair so that I would be more comfortable, I just love him even more.



What a guy ♥

My Laugh for the Day

Today, I was writing a word problem on the board in preparation for the two third graders I was expecting in a few minutes.

Three students walked six blocks to the craft store...

As I copied the problem from the teacher edition, the SDC teacher walked in, read what I had written, and laughed.

"Oh, Bethany, only you would write a 3rd grade math problem about a craft store!"

I had to show her the textbook before she believed me.

Isn't it funny that I don't have to be somewhere for more than a few weeks before my reputation as a craftaholic comes out?  :-)

Whispers

God has sent little whispers to my heart.

By the time I got to church yesterday, I was feeling overwhelmed.  I locked myself in Jesse's office when he took the jr. high kids for youth group time, and just sat in his chair and cried. 

Aside from my love for Jesse and my desire to care for him and make a happy home for him, I feel unfulfilled in life.  I miss the feeling of belonging somewhere.  I belong at Jesse's side, I belong in our home--and I'm truly happy there--but I don't feel like I belong anywhere else.  It's been over two years since I had a job that I loved--where I felt called to be and where people were happy to have me.  It's lonely floating around from one thing to another...and as relieved as I am to have a position right now, I know that it's not what I want for my life.  I don't feel needed, and I don't feel fulfilled.  I didn't need to go to college for five years to get this job, and when I look at all of my studet loans and realize I'm not making enough right now to be able to take care of it, I get stressed. 

Being a substitute teacher for the past two years has just torn at my soul.  It's such a lonely thing to fill in for someone else but to be a "nobody" at the same time.  I started to feel transparent--like I didn't expect anyone to pay attention to me because...why should they?  I find myself acting like that where I am now, too, and I hate it.

I feel guilt for not being able to pull my weight for the entirety of our marriage.  I worked full time as a preschool teacher through college, and I looooooved it.  I was so happy there.  But pursuing elementary teaching has been one hopeless thing after another.

Jesse doesn't want me to worry.  We've always agreed that he would be the bread-winner.  We don't want to depend on my earnings so that some day, I can stop and devote my days to being a mommy.  But that's not where we are yet, and I want to be doing everything I can to help us out in the meantime! 

There are so many unknowns these days...and sometimes my fears for the future cloud out my trust in God.  I reeeeeeally need to work on that.  How can I be a loving, supporting wife if I don't trust in God?  There's no way that Jesse and I can do this ourselves!  How can I say that I'm a child of God if I don't hand Him everything as faithfully as I handed my troubles to my parents when I was a little girl?

Last night at our young adult Bible study, Jesse opened the Bible to 1 John 3.  These verses really spoke to me:

1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure.

I need to remember that I'm a creation that is not yet complete...God is forming me and shaping me everyday.  Someday, I'll probably look back on these days and understand why they were needed.  Until then, I'm just praying for peace, patience, and a whole lot of trust!




This came in my email today from my friend Sarah (who used towork at the preschool with me) It's a simple reminder, too.


ABCs you should always remember:


Although things are not perfect


Because of trial or pain

Continue in thanksgiving

Do not begin to blame

Even when the times are hard

Fierce winds are bound to blow

God is forever able

Hold on to what you know

Imagine life without His love

Joy would cease to be

Keep thanking Him for all the things

Love imparts to thee

Move out of "Camp Complaining"

No weapon that is known

On earth can yield the power

Praise can do alone

Quit looking at the future

Redeem the time at hand

Start every day with worship

To "thank" is a command

Until we see Him coming

Victorious in the sky

We'll run the race with gratitude

Xalting God most high

Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...

Zion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

 

A Shadow Day

I hate feeling weak...I hate feeling helpless...I hate being discouraged.  There's nothing earth-shattering going on in our lives right now (don't worry!).  It's just one of those days.  I wish I could pull the covers over my head and curl up with Jesse and stay safe in our own fluffy, vanilla-scented, little world.

Maybe only people who are church workers know how I feel today; maybe anyone who works closely with hundreds of people would.  I don't know.  All I know is, somedays, it sure would be nice to get a hug from God.

Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for Heav'n and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
A constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches over me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me 

His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me (He watches me)
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me (He watches me)
He watches me (I know he watches me)

"Let not your heart be troubled,"
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth
But one step I may see:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted,
Whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing,
When hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him,
From care He sets me free:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He cares for me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He cares for me.

Oh, Yum...

Why, hello, new challenge!!!

I finally got to get my craft store fix yesterday.  Hooray for being finished with my challenge in time to enjoy the Columbus Day Sale!

Don't you love saving as much as you spend?

Mhmmmmm :-)

These will whip up into some pretty scarf/hat sets for the November sale...and some cute little ornaments and doilies and things.  So much fun!

What's your newest project?

Happy Homemaking!
♥ Bethany

I Conquered My Challenge!

Last month, after looking around my house and realizing that I had more than enough craft odds and ends to keep me busy for a long time, I challenged myself to make 25 things out of what I already have before I allowed myself to walk into a craft store again.

It was a pretty difficult thing to do, considering how Michael's AND JoAnn's went on huge sales the week after I made the challenge.  That was painful!

I stuck to it, though, and after counting my things up yesterday, realized that I had surpassed my required 25 things!  I had a few projects stashed in one room, a few in another, some in this closet, some in that bag...story of my life!

But here I am, with about 30 beautiful newly created items that I can put on the table on Noveber 13th when Momma B and I do the craft fair together.  So exciting!

I'm not going to post pictures of all 25+ things that I made, but here are some of my highlights!

I made lots of bracelet/earrings sets...and this is one of my favorites!  I love the whimsical dragonfly clasps and matching earring dangles, and the way they compliment the pretty blue and green glass beads from my collection.

I found this cute dog button and pawprint ribbon on the same day and was determined to have some fun with it :-)

I love these yarns together!  My first ear-flaps baby hat.

I love these little flowers and had fun finding lots of ways to use them!

I put a small button on this one and added a bobby pin--such a sweet and easy accessory!

Super soft hooded sweater

I was sooo excited to be able to find these adorable little mother of pearl heart-shaped buttons to match the pink flecks in this litle sweater.  I love accessorizing :-)

That's a snippet of what's been keeping my busy for the last few weeks...

I'm excited for new things now!

Happy Homemaking!

♥ Bethany