gratitude for the everyday

This past week I’ve been focused on giving thanks for the common, the everyday…

 

 

such as ::

little fingers, so small, curling around my own

numerous notes from a certain 6-yr old writer, warming my heart

food in the freezer, the pantry and on our table

a hard-working spouse, making sure our family’s needs are met

smudges on my mirrors from the hands of small ones

laughter!  that daily dose of good medicine

laundry to fold :: never-ending it seems, but grateful for it anyway

phone calls and emails that encourage

 

photo credit

gratitude for the everyday

relief for a nation

May I encourage a gift to help with the relief in Haiti if your family has the means to do so? 

Today my heart is overwhelmingly burdened for the children :: the many, many children who already suffered in this nation and who now have less hope than before.  I pray & cry out for~

the orphanages that have been offset in their mission of providing safety and a place of refuge. 

the little ones who cannot find their parents

children whose bellies will not be filled today, tonight or anytime soon

for the masses of innocent ones who are scared…so scared, and who do not understand

Oh Lord, be near. 

January 13, 2010 :: the presidential palace in the capital of Haiti, where my grandfather worked in his lifetime

relief for a nation

settling in to the new year

First, thank you very much for the prayers :: our family members in Haiti were finally able to contact my mother yesterday, all are well! Homes have collapsed, life must restart afresh in a country that is devastated…there is a lot for them to take in. We rejoice in the news that they are safe!

Last week I finally decided to embrace the new year by moving out of vacation mode and gearing up for another season of fullness in our family. Inspired by the cookbooks recently checked out of the library, preparing and putting away some foodstuff for the upcoming weeks was top on the list. No pictures (at least not mine), we were too busy! We being my 11-yr old girl and I who worked away with a determined focus; lots of fun and memories made.

photo by beauty that moves

Here’s what we accomplished~

• granola (recipe blogged about here)
• in the VitaMix blender we made applesauce, almond butter, pureed butternut squash for the baby, and ground wheat berries for flour
• the flour we used to make lots of orange cranberry muffins, loaves of pumpkin bread and dozens of oatmeal raisin cookies
• the crockpots were bubbling with a few roasts and chicken was cooked and shredded for future use
• oh, and we made samosas~just because (I used the recipe from Extending the Table cookbook, but there are many recipes on the web)

The whole plan began with the idea to make some soups to freeze, but as you can see, that didn’t happen. Hmmm…think I got distracted?

settling in to the new year

please pray

Today’s news of the earthquake in Haiti is difficult to process…

I think of my mother’s extended family who live around the capital city, where headlines continually scream out the news of its devastation and utter collapse. Have any survived :: are they there?

Are there words for a time like this?

Please pray. For my Mom, for our family.

Thank you.

please pray

happy belated

New year that is.  Yes, it’s seven days into twenty-ten, but happy new year anyway.  I hope you’re off to a better start than I am!

Oh, don’t worry it’s really not that bad.  I’m just off to a really slow beginning, trying to accept that vacation mode is over.  I’m not quite there yet, though I need to be—see my dilemma?  In the back of my mind are the wonderful days surrounding the holidays; days where we slept in, roamed around in pajamas until mid-afternoon (seriously), played games, had little to no structure and overall had a blast!  The last two weeks were relaxing.  Being home and soaking in the comforts of all that represents was true bliss.

And now?

Now I need to get moving and fast!  So yesterday, I decided to check some fresh cookbooks out the library.

                                                photo by salt & chocolate

What?  Cookbooks have nothing to do with getting organized and doing my work?  Well, you’re most likely right…but they were the motivation needed.  Knowing I wouldn’t sit to browse through those books until some projects were completed, my plan worked perfectly.  The boys’ room is decluttered, laundry is being washed, meals have been thought through and I’ve actually cracked open the lesson planner to find out exactly what we’re supposed to be doing for homeschooling in January.  Oh, I still really need to get ‘in the zone’…really.  But at least it’s fun along the way.

So, happy belated new year!

happy belated