So We Are Getting Rid of the Chickens

We sold the rabbits today. We are trying to give our chickens away (no we won't eat them- they're not mean ole roosters) and our quail are next. 

Joe has decided he wants to turn our mini farm/homestead into an actual home instead! Haha

We both work too hard all day to have to continue to work. We recently visited a friends house that has their back yard turned into an outdoor child's paradise! He said he wants that for our kids. Somewhere we can host and have all the kids over because right now, our back yard is home to three chickens and that's it. Total wasted space. 

We are also on a mission to redo our floors which means we have lots of crud to move around. I'm making it my mission to continue my dream of getting rid of everything! 

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mt 19:21)

We have too much! We don't need 47 cups! We don't need an entire drawer dedicated to socks. Our closet is packed full and all the clothes we actually wear are sitting on my vanity waiting to be shoved I there. I should just donate everything that's hanging and start fresh!

I've done pretty well at culling the girls room. And I have significantly culled my craft area (I still need more work in that department) but it's coming along. I've started going through our books on the front porch and if joe doesn't take them to the flea market by march, I'm either burning the ones that can't be donated and calling Salvation Army for the rest. (There are tons of old text books and teaching materials that are no longer valid that no one wants. And we like bonfires!) 

Our house is not relaxing. It is not a place of comfort. It is a place of stress for both of us. 

I just wish I knew what to do. I need a to do list. 

Tomorrow, the books on the inside bookshelf are going out to make room for the books we actually want to keep. Right now our shelves are full of books to sell. 

Also I'm going through my clothes again. 

We will start there

My Charlie Ann and Instagram

I realize that not everyone gets to see the totes adorbs pictures of my littles as often as I'm sure you want to. Well, I had forgotten about Instagram! A way to show pictures and status updates without the draaaama of Facebook. 

I'm @scrapbooksara should you desire to follow me. You'll get more cute pictures there I'm sure. Also, you could come by and visit. We are always home and we make the best sweet tea!

Also my last two blog titles rhyme and that makes me happy inside because I totally didn't plan it!

My Maddie Mae and Ferrero Rocher

My girl is getting so big! Sometimes I hold Charlie Ann and think, there's no way Mae was this tiny. Just now I peeked in to make sure she was asleep and her big ole honkin' feet were up on the wall and I am amazed at how big they were. They look just the same as when she was a baby all puffy on top with her little squidgy pinky toe nail. 

Tonight, she was tired and had a brief moment of disobedience and chose to not listen to her mommy repeatedly in front of her father. That earned her a spank and a time out in her room from Daddy. When she came back in and still chose to not listen for the second time, I marched her back to her room for another time out. This time she clung to me and begged me "Mommy sing to me! Sing to me to calm me down!" Well how could I not? So I sat with her on my lap and I rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while I rocked her I sang "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." She then kissed me and we went back to the living room and she was ready to listen. 

Well tonight after her look and find book she chose for bedtime story, she grabbed my hand and looked me straight in the eyes and sang "love you forever, as long as I'm living, my mommy will be." 

And the day melts away. Until I go into the bedroom, and upon announcing that I think I have growing pains in my legs. I say "but I'm pretty sure I'm done growing" my funny husband says "up anyway..." Shortly thereafter I'm being showered with compliments about how good I look and how he knows I'm not growing out. This time I was able to laugh it off, a testament as to how far I've come over the last few weeks. Three weeks ago I would still be crying about it. 

Tonight, I grab an extra Ferrero Rocher. :-)

Happy Valentines day everyone!

Enough

This has been a pretty great weekend if I may say so. Only two big hormonal melt downs (One was husband induced) so I've been feeling on the up and up. Honestly, I actually felt happy today. 

The first time in about six weeks my heart felt happy. Like happy down deep to my toes and I think it was because I got to have lunch with my best friend, her husband, and my husband. I didn't realize how much I missed her. Also how much joy she brings to me. 

Also I've been missing my husband and after Friday when he deeply hurt my feelings and I give him the silent treatment I always remember how truly blessed and lucky I am to have my husband here with me, lying next to me, keeping me safe...even when I'm not going to talk to him because he's being a butthead. He's my butthead. 

Also, I have a faithful friend who has been where I am who texts me every day without fail despite having a baseball team of children with illnesses going around (even sick herself) and she still messages me asking how my day was, offering to pray with me. 

Also, I took a quilt class Saturday and had loads of fun but mostly, I had 4 hours of mommy adult time. Without kids. Without the baby. I missed them but it was SO good for me to get out and not be needed for a few minutes. I love being needed but when it's for their survival, it's exhausting. I love to be wanted, needed is hard. 

How God has used this dark time to show me it's okay to need other people. Especially Him. It's okay to go a little easier on myself. It's okay to have my darling husband put his darling daughter to bed on Sunday evenings so I can watch the Sherlock season finale. It's good bonding time for them anyway. 

It's good to have my whole life group come over, commandeer my kitchen and make everyone lunch. 

It's okay to feel wiped out and call my parents, invite ourselves over, and have them make dinner. 

I do not have to be perfect. 

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin

Would look on me with love and watch me rise again.

I am the daughter of the one true King. I am the wife of a man who loves me more than I will ever know, so he tells me. I am the mother of two incredible, beautiful, angels from heaven who have saved me onced and I know will continue to save me daily- reminding me in their innocence to be more like them. They are the face of Jesus in my house. I strive to be like them.

I am so much more than dishes, laundry, and dirty carpet. I am so much more than forgetting the milk, loosing my temper, and getting hurt feelings over poorly timed comments. 

I am the daughter of the I AM. 

And that is enough

Also, here is a picture of my quilt lesson. I had fun!