thinking of thanking

[[I snagged this post from THIS lady, who is awesome!]]

1. Who do I appreciate? My husband, my kiddos, my parents, my Savior, and my sisters (and brothers too, don't feel left out).

2. What material possessions am I thankful for? Our house, the money to do projects on our house, my sweater collection, and my toothbrush.

3. What abilities do I have that I'm grateful for? I am grateful for the ability to drive. I get my "mommy time" when I can drive off and run some errands. I am grateful that I can sing, because during these away times, I BLAST some tunes and sing as loud as I can!

4. What about my surroundings (home/neighborhood/city/etc.) am I thankful for? Our fabulous friends, Gabe and Kari, just moved in like five blocks away! I just wish we weren't moving away now...horrible timing.

5. What experiences have I had that I am grateful for? All of my life experiences led me to where I am now. I have met the man of my dreams, only because of all the roads that I took before that led me to him. I have two lovely children, and they are experiences of their own! I am thankful for my time in basic training and tech school where I really learned a lot about myself. I am thankful for the people I have met through all these experiences, because people really make life one big, beautiful experience.

6. What happened today/yesterday/this week/this month/this year that I am grateful for? I am grateful that Tom is starting a job in a few days that is so in line with what his life dreams are. It makes my heart happy to see that his dreams are something that we can make happen!

7. What opportunities do I have that I am thankful for? I am so very thankful for the opportunity I have each day to shape and mold my children to be little Christ-like kiddos. I am also super thankful for the opportunity to share my thoughts via blog!

8. What have others in my life done that I am thankful for? I am thankful for my parents opening their home to us in this time of transition. I am thankful for the women in my life who have spoken truth to me, even when I was not listening. I am forever thankful for the patience that my husband gives me every day.

9. What relationships am I thankful for? I am thankful for SO many relationships, but mainly right now, what comes to mind, is my relationship with my husband, my mom, and my sisters/soul sisters.

10. What am I taking for granted that, if I stop to think about it, I am grateful for? Our furnace, my pillow, our shower.

11. What is there about the challenges/difficulties I have experienced (or am currently experiencing) that I can be thankful for? (e.g., What have I learned? How have I grown?) Raising kids is ... CHALLENGING. But I am so thankful, because it is forcing me to grow up. I have realized that I have some beliefs that I don't follow through on because I lack the discipline to carry them out, but having kids that will be always looking to me as an example forces me to be the person I want to be, the person I was created to be!

12. What is different today than it was a year ago that I'm thankful for? I am married! And significantly less round in the uteran region :) HAHAHA. (But super excited to get pregnant again!)

13. What insights have I gained that I am grateful for? I have gained so much insight about relationships. About how to treat others. About how to truly love. About how to mean it when I ask for forgiveness and about how many people I owe apologies to. About sacrifice. About what is not ok to sacrifice. About patience. About baking. About HUMILITY. About mother/wifehood.

i don't think he's an optimist...

I think God is a realist.

When I think about God, I would like to think that He sits in a field, smiling at daisies, laughing a big belly laugh. But I think that if I really thought about who God is, it would be more of a realist...but a joyful realist.

I think He smiles and wishes that every situation would be rainbows and jellybeans, but He knows that it's necessary to weep and to war. He knows that there is a time for serious contemplation and tough action. He knows there is a time for justice and a time for discipline. Also, I am so sure that He laughs, smiles, sings, and dances.

I have a hard time feeling like 'optimism = joyfulness'. I think reality sucks. But the reality of that attitude is that it's a lie. There are starving, dying, sick, sinful, lost people everywhere. I need to be aware of that. I can't write that out of my optimistic world. I can't pretend that this isn't a fallen world, deeply in need of active warriors for Christ, out fighting the good fight.

Sometimes, the sadness of it all is weighty. SO weighty. It sits on my heart like a greasy cheeseburger. And I want to forget about it. I want to have ignorant bliss. But we are called to serve, we are called to action, we are called to help the hurt and lost and broken. The widows and orphans and helpless.

And we are also called to be joyful in the knowledge of God's unfailing faithfulness, His vast promises, His gracious gift of salvation and eternity. So, this realism, this new attitude...it has to be balanced with an abiding joy in the absolute perfection of the plan that Christ has for each of His lovely creations. He takes all the broken, mixed up garbage in the world and turns it around to glorify His worthy name!

What an amazing God we love!

the horrible, nasty, mean things that i think...

The view from Monkey Bear Falls

I'm back!!! Hello!


So, over the last few days I have been thinking on the fact that I have some pretty skewed views. I have some attitudes, habits, and opinions that are way more worldly than Godly...and I would like to explore these things in a little mini-series.

Today, I was thinking about how justified I feel in my harsh responses toward my husband and my kids. I make every kind of excuse as to why it should be alright for me to be quick to anger.

Some examples, you ask?? How about when it's "that time of the month" and I rudely push my husband away? How about when I am trying to listen to someone talk and Hunter makes an obnoxious noise and I angrily tell him to be quiet? How about when Adalia woke up from her seven second nap, when I really wanted a break, and I pull her out of her crib with a crappy attitude? How about when I have been up for two hours with the kids, and my husband wakes up still feeling "tired" and I sit there thinking to myself, "What a prick...HE is tired...he has NO CLUE what tired even is"?

I bet some of you readers are thinking...."You are a horrible person. I am never reading your blog again. I don't think those things; you have some major issues." Probably true. But stick with me. I am trying to be honest in hopes of sharing some of the beauty of God with you.

My ugliness comes from a sinful nature that is so deep in us that sometimes I think my bones are made of a desire to sin. That being said, I am a new creation, made COMPLETELY complete in the blood of Christ. And I strongly desire to be Christ-like in all that I do. Those thoughts, those attitudes, those actions, they are coming from a place in me that I fight. The world, satan, and our lazy sinfulness would tell me that I am completely justified in my frustration. But, I believe that God has something else to say about it.


2 Corinthians 5:14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!


Rather than blaming my attitude on the circumstances around me, I want to take responsibility for my wrongs and try to change. I want to always respond in love, in gentleness, with kindness and understanding.

Do you ever blame your attitude on your circumstances? Is this an area that God is trying to work on your heart?

"let me pour you a glass of white, so you forget all of my lies"

(Title quote from Elenowen)

Sorry for being so absent as of late...

We are finishing up our house projects so that we can put our home on the market! I will add some pictures later, but I have to email them to myself from my phone first.

Today, we are heading up to Grand Forks to look at three houses...two of which I think may be our future home!!!! I am so ecstatic...I cannot even put into words how important it feels to me. I am so ready to have a home, settle into it, not live out of a suitcase, have more babies there, raise little farm animals, and try desperately to build up my character and the character of our kiddos! (I am not waiting to work on that last one till we have a house, just in case you were concerned!)

Also, I have a small mountain of work to get done so I am registered for school in the spring!

Anyway, with that being said...I have way to much to do to be blogging, so forgive me if I am short and absent...I shall return!!

Well wishes from me!

"as the winter winds litter London with lonely hearts"

(Title quote from Mumford & Sons)

We spent a few weeks at my inlaws house while they had to be out of town. They own a fishing resort on Rush Lake. We had a sweet time there and got some great pictures on one of the chillier days where we could bundle up in cute winter stuff!



This girl is so stinkin cute!



Daddy and baby!

Our big boy, Hunter!

So, yesterday, we returned to Moorhead and got unpacked. Then we invited some guests over for dinner! My brother, Christian, my friend, Courtney, and our friends, the Irvis' and the Dion's! It was so great to see everyone and their kiddos! Adalia and Hunter had a blast with all the extra kiddos running around!

I can't wait for Thanksgiving! We are going down to visit my sister and her family down in Minneapolis! For those of you already planning a menu, here is my favorite turkey rub recipe!

The Most Delicious Turkey Rub EVER
1tbsp garlic powder
2tsp seasoned salt
1tsp poultry seasoning
1tsp paprika
1tsp salt
1/2tsp pepper
1/4tsp cayenne pepper
1/4tsp basil

Mix dry ingredients. Make some sage butter, rub butter under skin of turkey and all over around the outside. Then, generously apply the dry rub under the skin and all over the outside.

good pizza and better friends

So, just a super plain quick message....we had a blast having dinner guests tonight! And I will blog tomorrow. I am off to bed!

aren't we so quick to judge?

When we see someone prettier, thinner, more put together, a working mother, a family out with terribly misbehaved children.

Or even when we read someone's words.

We are so quick to judge. We think, "She must not eat well if she is thin" or "She must be ok with daycare since she works" or "She must not care about her baby as well as I care for mine if she uses formula" or "She must have a perfect life" or "She ..."

Why is our first instinct to judge rather than understand? Why do we assume the worst rather than the best? Why isn't love our default setting on how we treat others?

I am just as guilty, or more so, than anyone else. I desire so strongly to live as an example of understanding, of love, of sisterhood! I want to band together with other women, loving them, supporting them, sticking up for them, protecting their reputation. Its an epidemic, because too often, after we are hurt, we turn and do the same to others. We need to all work together to change this trend of betrayal and hatred and judgement toward one another.

Is this an area you struggle with as well? Will you work on this with me?