mini-me.

bubble.

I decided to haul out my good friend Prunella today. I can't remember the last time I actually sat down to sew something...which is entirely inappropriate, I should be a sewing whiz by now! Anyways, I wanted to sew something for my friends new niece and once that task was done I just kept going. I had picked up some cute fabrics with summer dresses in mind when James and I were in Fargo and, until today, they had been sitting neatly folded by my washing machine waiting to be cleaned and used. So today I am happy for two reasons: 1} I used some of the fabric to make Amelia a dress, 2} I made my very first (all by myself) piece of wearable clothing! I've been dreaming about this moment for years and years and years. Odd, I know. But when I was in high school I would pass time by sketching fashion designs and I even found that during my year of thrifting I would resort to sketching clothes when I couldn't go and buy them. I probably should have gone into fashion right out of high school...but you live and learn, right? I had been reading another mommies blog the other day when I came across a tutorial for making a little girls bubble dress. It was too cute to pass up, so I tried my hand at it and it actually worked. *happy bria*

I'm already excited to start making more things now that I've overcome my fear of diving into garment construction. I made some mistakes and there were a few things that I wasn't too sure about, but I learnt and next time I'll be that much better. Yay for the bubble dress!

{if you are equally as smitten as i was with the bubble dress

then you can find the tutorial here. }

i enjoy.

This afternoon, as I was brewing myself a cup of well deserved coffee, I started thinking about things that I enjoy. There are many special things that put a smile on my face so I decided to share a few...

*the smell of the peonies in my garden

*baking for people

*when my kids run around the sprinkler screaming

*when i've read a book and feel sad that it's over

*partaking in some wine drinking

*finding time during my day to be a little bit creative

*listening to Scott Nolan

*listening to Blue Grass

*buying my little girl a big ice cream cone, because that's when her smile is the biggest

*eating strawberries fresh from my garden

*having those moments when i realize that i AM actually good at something

*drinking coffee

*having a bon fire with my wonderful friend Jen, especially when it's accompanied by a big bowl of fresh fruit, a can of whipping cream, a bottle of wine, and two packages of Tim Tams (and talking looong into the night)

*seeing how creative other people can be

*taking 32 pictures of something and getting that 'gem' i was hoping for

what do you enjoy?

mr. erskine

now you are twenty six

the house still needs to be fixed

but what can i say?

i love you anyway

so happy birthday from me and the kids!

this is what summer is all about.

friends. bonfires. staying up late. camp outs.

{Oh, and by the way...HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG! You are 150 posts old!}

my life is a blur.

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{i sometimes forget what i did the day before...}

my new mantra.

James and I had the privilege of attending his youngest sisters baptism yesterday morning. Alongside Chelsea there were seven others who shared their testimonies and 'took the plunge' in front of hundreds of people, letting the congregation know that they too were followers of Christ. I've seen numerous baptisms since being brought up in a Christian home and generally accepted this was something that was done when a Christian decided to follow Christ full-hearted, whether young or old. It wasn't until a few years ago that I started becoming emotional during these events, possibly because I had such an incredible experience surrounding my baptism (but that's another story for another post). Regardless of what has triggered me into becoming a blubbering mess during these confessions of faith, I was quite moved by yesterday's service (to the point that I was biting my tongue to keep from experiencing more that just a chin-quiver). Every testimony and baptism was touching and special in it's own right, but it was actually a verse that a young man read that had me the most moved and affected to the point that I was positive it was being read to me. The verse came from John 16:33 and it reads,

"In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart!

I have overcome the world."

It would be no stretch for me to say that since James has been laid off each month has been more financially and emotionally taxing than the last. I am hoping that with James now getting steady work with a good company we will enter into a more restful time, but my nerves are already shot and I'm so easily stressed by the smallest things. However, with all of this trouble whirling around me, I know that God is working in my heart and I know that there have been specific words/books/people/situations that are causing me to think twice and change my attitudes towards so many things. One book that has been a rather unexpected eye-opener is Red Moon Rising by Pete Greig which is an account of how the 24-7 prayer movement began and how it is awakening a whole generation of young people. If you haven't read it I highly recommend picking it up and reading account after account of the power that prayer has. Truly incredible. Anyways, the words that were read yesterday have caused me to stop and re-examine my worry and stress. Obviously I can't rid my life of conflict and trouble, but why not cast my cares on the one who has already overcome the world? There isn't a long enough vacation or large enough pile of money that could bring that much peace to my soul.

When I came back from YWAM in Australia I started experiencing significant twists and turns/highs and lows in my life; some easy to deal with and some...not so much. James gave me a verse soon after I came back which has become my 'recite50milliontimesaweeksoIdon'tloosemymindandgopostal' verse. It is Psalm 27:5, and it reads, "For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." While I LOVE these words and while they've gotten me through many dark and lonely days (and I'm sure I'll still be flipping to them over and over), I think it's time to move on. I feel that God is telling me, through a series of events, to focus on Him overcoming and that I too can overcome, not just hide away. I think it's time to make John 16:33 my new mantra.

And while I'm on that topic, what is your verse or mantra that gets you through?

{p.s. i'm officially done my year of thrifting!}