Welcome

 

 

      Okay.  I know what you're thinking.  Actually, I don't, but yes, you are in the right place!  Just a little new name and new look. 

      Welcome.  I am so happy you are here.  This is a little something I have been working on and waiting to tell you about for some time.  It has been stirring in me and I have just sort of been dragging my feet.  But I finally decided it was time.  So I got in touch with my beautiful friend Lauren Casper at www.laurencasper.com She is pretty much all things awesome, and one of those things is making blogs look great.  I went to her with my idea and here you have it! 

Small talk diary. 

It's meant to be funny really. 

{small talk}: polite conversation about unimportant or uncontroversial matters

This sort of talk makes me awkward.  We are just here for such a limited amount of time that I am not sure why we waste it in the space of unimportant.  I want to live in the important space.  The space where there is meaning.  I see so many people struggle to keep up.  I have been tempted myself....I have done it!  The enemy of comparison.  But truly....keeping up with what?  What my kids are doing, how my house looks, what advent activity I am doing and hashtagging about, what my kids are not doing, what dates my husband is or isn't taking me on, blah, blah, blah.  Things that are unimportant if you ask me.  So here.  This is a space where you don't have to worry about keeping up.  I'll make sure you feel just fine in not having it all together.  I'll still write about our adoption journey because there is so much to share there {new post soon!!}.  But I also want to start writing about other things that are on my heart and I want to introduce you to the women that brave the real talk with me---I will feature one of them every month!

 

And maybe you are new.  Maybe this is your first time here.  Welcome.  I thought the best way for you to know me is to welcome you into my favorite room.  This room has all my favorites in it.  Let me show you around:

 

The Couch: 

      It belonged to Dave's mom and she was giving it away.  I like free.

The Pillows: 

      My amazing friend Nicole adopted two beautiful kids from the Congo and was sewing pillows at the time to fundraise to bring them home!  That's an easy yes.  I support adoption fundraisers.  Some call it an issue.  I call it awesome.

The Table Behind the Couch:

      It is actually a dressing table.  It either belonged to my Grandma Lee or Aunt Peggy.  Either way, those women mean lots to me.  I love things with meaning and memories.  On the table is my whole heart.  My family.  The brick I gave Dave for our 10th anniversary to tell him I am ready to stop being such a wall builder in our relationship.  My girls.

The Wall:

      Maren's first painting * A pic of me and my Dad running the Hospital Hill fun run in 1988 * The numbers 838 to represent our adoption journey * A pic of our dear friends the Wachel's and McKee's who have done life with us forever * My favorite hymn "Be Thou My Vision" * Original Fiesta ware plates from my Great Grandmother's kitchen * Our family photo * My adoption tribe. They are my people and I can't tell you how thankful I am for them * My dearest friend Leah * My girls with their cousins Emery and Jack * A gerbera daisy plate my dear friend Alison gave me * A pic of us on our honeymoon when we were skinny and tan * My kids with their best friends Adria and Isaac and a card from a friend * Cute pen/pencil/marker organizer * A great reminder given to me by a Mom of a young man I had the chance to direct a few years at theater camp * A picture of Africa, where my heart is, with scriptures to think about while I wait given to me by the dearest Tori *

The Tambourine:

      You can't see it but it's on the side table.  This comes from the great Beth Guckenberger.  She spoke at the Created for Care conference I attended last February.  She brought us to Exodus.  Right after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.  When they fled Egypt they took all that they could carry.  They could even take gold from the Egyptians!  But we learn about one item the women had right after they crossed the sea.  Miriam (Moses' sister), she pulls out a tambourine and starts praising God.  She knew that even in the unknown, she was going to be praising God.  She knew it enough to pack it.  Out of all the items she could have packed.  As soon as I got home I got myself a tambourine.  I have it in this room so that every time I see it I am reminded that I want to be found prepared to praise!

The Computer Table:

      This table used to be our kitchen table.  We bought it at Walmart with 4 chairs for $200.  It is gross.  So much food smudge, silverware pounding marks....you know...things kids do to a table.  I got a new table for Mother's Day and this one went to the basement.  But when getting this new room put together I knew I needed a place for a computer.  Maren was starting 1st grade and I knew she would need a space to do her homework.  I remembered that gross table.  I got myself some chalk paint and went to town.  Dave did the amazing distressing and there you have it!  Old has become new.  Gross has become beautiful.

 

I love this room.  We all spend lots of time here.  It just invites you to sit down.  To unwind and unload.  It's where I am writing to you right now.

 

So welcome to this new space.  I hope it invites you to sit down.  To unwind and unload.  I hope it invites you to feel safe and brave to live exactly where you are and how you are. 

I am so happy you are here.