Projects

David arrives in Arkansas tonight and I just feel giddy with happiness to see him again after five weeks. I hope Harbor has enough hugs and kisses to last! I know David will want nothing more than to squeeze his little fella!  : )

I've been working hard on getting things packed and transitioning out of my classroom, which is never an easy task. I have a wonderful long-term sub who has stepped in to help me out, and with this past Friday as my last day to teach, I am leaving my classroom with fond memories.

Two weeks ago, my immediate team had a nice dinner at Olive Garden in my honor and presented me with a few nice gifts, one being an enlarged, matted, and framed group picture of our 5th grade team. On the mat, they each wrote a message and it made me cry! I just sat and cried at the dinner table and was overwhelmed to be saying goodbye to best friends, more like sisters for the amount of time we spent together!

On my last day, our entire 5th grade attended our local stadium-seated movie theater to see the new IMAX, African Cats. It cost a small fortune to send over 170 students and faculty, and it means so much to me to have had such a wonderful send off! Our school and a few local businesses paid for all of the tickets and it was such a heartfelt blessing- especially knowing it was in honor of my last day! After the movie, we ate a picnic sack lunch at a local park. I then turned in my keys and bid farewell.

As Monday is now almost over, and knowing I don't have to report to duty, I feel so blessed to have spent six years as a 5th grade teacher. I honestly thought I would teach until I retired, but, alas, God has other plans in mind for our family. I've learned that our human plans can't hold a flame to the life plan Christ has ordained and set in motion. There is such a peace in putting aside worry and fear and just trusting. Simple trust. It is my new motto.

Harbor will be transitioning in Michigan, as well - into a new big boy room. It is a change that has been long overdue, but with the move ahead of us, it just didn't make sense to adjust him until after the movers had us shipped up north. With his new color palette of red, navy pinstripe, black, and white, I have been working here and there on some room projects. One fabric element I have used is a classic black and white houndstooth. With David working on some fun painted room elements, I think the new room will suite Harbor well. I had a few canvases left over from some other projects that I Kilzed with white paint. I decided early on that I didn't have the time to hand paint anything, so I grabbed some scrapbook paper in his color scheme and mod-podged everything down. Using paper, sticker embellishments, die cut letters, and a few metal letters, I think Harbor will enjoy learning about his new home, while not forgetting his old one.  : )

We have had such warm, wet weather lately! All of this rain (and flooding!) we have had will surely produce a gorgeous spring and summer! My little Peter Cottontail took advantage of the sunshine to practice his Easter egg hunting skills.

A friend of mine, Robin, had her baby shower on Sunday and it was so good to see her. Her baby is already here, born just a week or so after the shower, and it was so nice to see her before her baby arrived.

Some of you know that I opted to have a natural birth with Harbor, epidural free, and though it was hard work, it was such a rewarding experience. I remember wanting something for pain right at the end when I was dilated to a 9, but was so relieved it only lasted a few minutes. Having a coach who knows your goals is so helpful in those moments when you are not sure exactly what direction to take. I'm so glad I blogged about that day because it is such a bur now. I gave Robin a few tips the day of her shower, as I know many others did as well, and was so happy to hear she was able to experience the labor and delivery she wanted and hoped for. Robin is an RN for a local surgery clinic, so she was definitely educated and ready for her daughter's arrival.

Pretty burp cloths are essential for fun outings, like church or dinner with the girls, and I know Robin will enjoy having them handy. Congratulations!

These canvases will look handsome paired with Harbor's refurbished bench I recently finished. I finally got it sanded, painted, and stapled with his black and white houndstooth fabric. It is just the perfect size for the foot of his twin bed. These canvases are most certainly handmade in appearance, but I love that they tell a story- the story of our home, our move, and our new beginning. I did end up painting some blue stripes, but using scrapbook paper made the job so much faster! With the total cost under $6.00, it really is unbeatable!

Oh, what fun we had on our local Fayetteville bike path! I miss David on warm sunny days when the bikers are out. It was "our" thing to do on Saturdays and Sundays, so it just seemed natural to take Harbor William out to skip rocks and play. Some of you messaged me and asked about his outfit, and many of his shortalls are from Kelly's Kids or Hatten House.

Mom and Harbor's newest project was a water fall out of two boxes. Harbor loved having his animal friends "slide" down the fall and into the lake at the bottom. With all the rain we have had, it was quite fitting as an indoor activity!

My parents have such a pretty place in Northwest Arkansas. Situated on over two acres, Harbor has plenty of room to roam (and water plants that are already drowning in water! Ha!) He is such a happy helper and I am already missing these large open farm areas. I know in Detroit we will have to visit a metro park to see this much grass in one space! Ha!

My aunt Cathy hosted a very pretty Easter lunch and we enjoyed visiting and egg hunting indoors. Harbor is at such a fun age and each holiday seems more fun now that he is able to comprehend the basics of what and why we are celebrating. We missed daddy, but made sure to call him and wish him a happy Easter, too! It ended up being a rainy Easter, so I axed the idea for a cute skirt and went for something warm. I'm glad Harbor's little outfit was long, as well. It was just so wet and yucky out! His little longall outfit was from Talbot's Kids.

David just called and he is past Indianapolis, Indiana and making good time. We have so much to do here, but I am most looking forward to waking up tomorrow morning as a family all under the same roof!

Have a wonderful week!

He Lives!

Happy Easter, Sunday!

I hope you had a special day, celebrating Jesus and His sacrifice of the resurrection. He lives! How wonderful that our Lord is alive and well, giving to us daily hope and strength to run this race called life. I am nothing without His spirit and have no hope in this life without Him; my heart's desire is to dwell with Him in that place called Heaven where I will be able to hold his nail stained hands. Thank you, Jesus, for what you did and continue to do for someone as filthy and unworthy as me!

Harbor is growing by leaps and bounds, acquiring new skills every single day. I really have my precious mother to thank for that. She has taught him to read, though sight words, and he can spell and loosely write his name alone. At 29 months, he amazes even the likes of me! She does a lot of creative play and they create art, much like this, almost every day. After drawing it out together, they discuss the colors, numbers, and names of their pictures. Harbor is just a sponge, soaking it all in.

Another example of their creative play is their ability to turn everyday objects into exciting works of art! My mom will cover cereal boxes with butcher paper and create store fronts. She and Harbor decided on the "menu" and cut out tiny little plates complete with lunch. Mom said she and Harbor spent a few hours serving "lunch" and enjoying it with their animal friends. Harbor's creativity has just skyrocketed and we catch him having imaginative play with everyday objects quite frequently now. Such fun to witness as a mother and teacher!

Rachel is such a fun, God-fearing young woman. The older she gets, the more I confide in her and, often times, seek her council. She is someone I admire greatly, and though we were both raised as only children at home, I feel such a warm kinship with her. We may be almost a decade apart in age, however, she knows me like no other! She is my sister, soul to soul!

 

Someday soon, I'll trade my work pumps for my house flats and spend every moment raising and training up Harbor William in the way we would have him go. I'm sure he will enjoy wearing flats, too. Who wouldn't? Those heels are killers!  : )

Childhood is meant for happiness, play, and exploration. These are truly the days to remember!

David called me this day to let me know that he had awoke in Detroit to a few inches of snow covering the ground. I laughed and informed him that in the south, it was already in the 80's! Later that day, Harbor wandered into the backyard at my parents' house. He promptly plopped down and hunted for ladybugs. I know the change in weather is going to be a bit of a shock for us, but I am looking forward to snowmen, hot chocolate, and rosy red noses and cheeks. With faces pressed to glass windows, waiting for daddy to pull into the driveway will fill our home with warmth! But, we will always look forward to hot, muggy summer visits to Arkansas, where April brings swimming and sunscreen.

Harbor has really fallen in love with a few movies as of late. He adores Richard Scary and "Busy Town." He also loves any movie with music, including the musical "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." With blanket in tow, he likes to hunker down in pillows and sing along.

Sweet, sweet summer, how we have missed thee! Spring seems like a mysterious stranger in the south in Arkansas. We have a long, hard winter, two days of spring and bam! It is summer in the 80's! Strange weather! We were out of swim diapers, but when a fluke day in the 80's popped up, we took full advantage!

Innocence can be found in these little feet. As his mommy, I know where he treads, I know what he does, I know his every need. How I pray, as his mommy, that I will still be a close friend as he grows older, knowing that his feet trod in places that will fill him with righteous, holy things. That is my prayer!

David and I recently celebrated a decade of marriage. Ten years has come and gone, and while they have been full of hardship and trials at times, I am proud of our commitment to remain true to our vows. Marriage is the hardest work I have known. It takes deep compromise, unselfish acts of kindness, and a prayerful heart to make it a lasting and fulfilling commitment. I know that Satan would love nothing more to convince us that life apart is what is best, but I have hope in the Lord that this marriage has been ordained by Christ and that by living for Him, we are living under His grace.

We married young- I was only 19 and David was 20 by only one month, we waited eight years to have Harbor, have bought and sold four homes, built a home from the ground up, and have started and finished two bachelor degrees. We have vacationed, experienced parenthood, and shared many nights on our knees, seeking God's wisdom. It is hard work, but it is my most proud accomplishment. In a day when people seek their own agendas, there is something powerful in sticking to a person, for better or for worse, promising to seek God's face.

Living apart has lent itself to some gracious gift giving! The beginning of this past week resulted in a fresh white bouquet of hydrangeas, my favorite flower and a flower used in my wedding bouquet, sent to my classroom.

A few days later, a love poem, stolen by a famous poet (grin!) was mailed, handwritten on notebook paper. Though he is an Engineer and not an English major, David has written to me in this way a hundred times before and while he may not always have the perfect words, Shakespeare usually does!

And to top off the romance of the letter and flowers, a beautiful ring was given to me on the very day of our anniversary. Such a special day, despite being states apart! When I wear it, I am reminded that my vow has meaning and when I honor it, I honor my God, by being obedient to my promise to Him.

Today, we attended a joyful Easter Sunday service with family and had a nice family lunch afterwards at my aunt and uncle's home. She had the table decorated so pretty with pink place mats, flowers, and vases full of pastel eggs.  Our conversation naturally turned to Detroit and David, alone, on Easter. This experience has matured my heart- only seeing David three days out of the last 56 has made me realize that family is all that matters in this life, apart from salvation.

Life is not about what happens, it is who you are with when it happens that makes all the difference. I have always been very independent, but I truly have a softer spirit and a more tender hearted approach to David. I miss him and value our time. I'm looking forward to him coming home in seven days! I have one last week in the classroom, but am packed and have removed my personal effects. I am ready!

As a small side note, I have added a poll in the upper right corner of my blog. Feel free to participate! I have realized, from talking to so many of you, that almost half of my blog following comes from those who have no blogs! These are coworkers, family members, and friends in the community who follow, but who have no way to comment, and as we are preparing to move, I wanted to explore the option of adding a few "comment" changes. I also know I have a few hunderd lurkers, but that is okay with me. I lurk on several blogs and am usually too in awe to comment, though I think I may be brave one day and gush at how much I admire several families! Ha!

Have a blessed week! Remember, Jesus lives just for you, and if He had to do it all again, He would suffer and die on the cross, shunned by the world, just for you. Amazing love! Do you know Him?