For the love of seasoned stoneware

When the house burned in 1999....as we began sorting thru the rubble of what once was our very small, yet warm, home-y kitchen, I kid you not, one of my first thoughts was-----how in the free world will I cook without stoneware!?!

I quickly called my pampered chef consultant and said "how quick can we throw a party together?!"

And within a week, we were hosting a party in my awful rental house! 

Who cared about bare walls and hand-me down furniture?!

I needed a pizza pan and I needed it STAT. 

My poor Mason was eating his dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets from the microwave, and well that is not acceptable :)

So. 

Fast forward to last night. 

And you can realize my horror when I went to cook dinner and pulled my baking dish out to use and it had this hideous crack in it!

Gasp!!!!

What in the world?!

Well. 

It lasted 13 years. 

I've had it longer than I've had my youngest child. 

But I love it that much too :)

So----the moral of the story----anyone wanna come to a Pampered Chef party?!

How can I do both?!

Tears rolled down my face as I watched him walk away. Back towards the dorm. 

And then just as he got a little closer to the dorm. 

He never looked back. 

But the walk turned into a skip. Almost a run. 

How can I be so sad. 

Like a punch in my stomach. 

And he's so excited?! 

So ready for this future. 

So excited and ready to dive head first into college. 

Sometimes it's so exciting to watch, but at the same time---this sux. 

It takes a village...

This is what it looks like. 

The village. 

In our schools. 

As the end is here, I am truly thankful for the teachers that have loved my boys. 

And so today, we thanked them. For their role in Mason's academic adventures. 

And although its not much, we baked them with love. 

We packaged each one. Tied the ribbon and added the tags. With love and thankfulness. 

Yes, he helped. That big boy senior of mine. And he gets it. 

He delivered 199 of these little beauties today (only because I kept one for the photo!!)

Starting at the elementary school. Moved on to the intermediate school (although this school came after his time, many of these teachers were his teachers, principal, etc)

Then to middle school, junior high and finally the high school. 

This includes teachers, office staff, janitors, lunchroom ladies and more. 

Atleast 199. Because I'm sure someone was left out. And I'm sorry for that. 

We are thankful for the village. Because of it, he's one smart cookie! 

runDisney weekend packages

Look for the helpers....

Today, as we watch the news of the Boston Marathon explosion unfold...
There is so much truth in this message.

There will always be evil. There will always be nay-sayers. There will always be hate amongst us.
But---look for the helpers. Look for the workers.

They don't have time to complain, or speak evil, or do evil. They are busy loving on people and meeting the need of someone.

Right now, in this situation there are runners that finished the marathon, and ran,literally, to give their own blood.

Always....in every issue-at-hand....
Look for the helper, and there my friend, will you find the love of Jesus, and the good in the world.
After the dust of this settles, and life returns to a new normal....lots of lives will be better off because of the helpers.

The evil of one or two, cannot survive amongst the good in the world, if we rally for the good. And quinch the spirit of the evil. It will always exist, but it doesn't have to win.

He tells us in His word to "count it all joy".

Thank you Mr. Rogers. I guess I needed a friendly neighbor today :)

and baby makes 4....

So, Scott and I have the absolute joy of teaching a Young Couples Class in Sunday School (lovingly, at our church, called Life Discovery)

Anyways, we have been teaching that class for maybe 5 years now.

We have had the joy of a few of our couples getting married, but most of them enter in, already married.

We have seen them go from a young couple, to baby number one, and then some of them, onto baby number 2 and even 3.

But....as a mother of 2, I always feel it so very strong, when they are anxious to go from a family of 3, to a family of 4.

It seems un-nerving.

And so, a blog post seems fitting, as my sweet friend Ashli, has these very feelings tonight.

Now, let's back track.

Ashli, was one of our sweetest students, when we taught 7th&8th grade Youth, during our dating months and right thru our wedding and first years of marriage!

I feel like I have truly had a hand in raising this sweet girl.

And now a mother of 2.

What in the world?!

Anyways, I digress.

So, tonight, here are my thoughts, as I think back to those months in December 1999.

---------------
How in the world will I love another child, especially another boy. I already have a boy that I love so much my heart can't even express?!

How will I take care of big brother and let him know that we still love him so much, while we are so busy devoting so much time to the new baby?

How can I possibly handle 2?!
1 takes up every single little second of every single little moment that I possess.

And I'm already exhausted!

How will I ever make time for my husband....with all of these kids running me crazy :)


------------------

Well, the truth is, God, and his fabulous grace, will give you all of those answers.

And then some.

The truth is....you will love this new baby, like you never knew possible!
You will love her, for all of the things that she does JUST like her big sister!
And you will love her, for the way she is nothing at all like her big sister!

You will love her little personality. From the minute you hold her the very first time!

You will love her features that look just like her daddy. And you will love that your mom thinks she looks just like you when you were a baby.

You will love the grin on her face when she dreams while she sleeps.

You will love those little tiny socks that slip right off of her feet because they are too big when she is first born!

You will love her.

You will know exactly how to hold her, and kiss big sister...at the same time.

You will say over and over, "don't hurt the baby...be sweet to the baby...be careful near the baby" and then you will feel AWFUL because you think you are being too "over protective" and then you will LOVE to watch her as she is so very gentle with her baby sister.
Why?
Because you taught her to be.

That's ok.
 If you don't teach her to protect her baby sister, who will??

And the minute she is born.......you just created the set of Best Friends, that you didn't even know you were growing for the past 9 months.

You are gonna love this!

You are gonna be the best mother.
Even when one is in the tub, and the other is starving! And Dad isn't home, and dinner isn't ready.

It's ok.

Even when the house is a disaster. And someone unexpected drops in. It's ok. You live there. You play there. You are creating your family there. It's ok!!!

Transition from 1 to 2 is difficult.

And anyone that tells you it isn't...well, they are a liar, or they are WAY better at motherhood than the rest of us.

Life is hard.

But God trusts you.

And so, tonight, as you lay down, sweet Ashli, don't go into it with worry, or anxiety.
God tells us in His word to worry about NOTHING, but in all things, to trust Him.

Don't spend tonight anxious.
Savor those last few kicks and tosses and turns.
This is the last night that you can "hold" her selfishly, all to yourself, in that safe belly of yours.
Tomorrow, she enters this world...this mean, cruel world that we call home, for now!

But...she enters into one of the sweetest families that I know.
And she will be fine, and she will be loved, and so will you!

Happy Birthday tomorrow, sweet Avery Kate!

We all can't wait to meet you!!!

Giveaway winner

Hey, Karin!

Congrats! You are the winner of the  Artisan Big Game giveaway!

Please email your address to me:
scottorbsmith at gmail dot com