Goodbye Waverly Drive

It's been a whirl wind couple of weeks getting our house ready to sell, hiring a realtor, looking for houses and cleaning for showings. Luckily we only had to have 4 showings until we got an offer (at asking price) and signed the offer! We moved in almost 7 years ago after our honeymoon to Maui and have loved every minute of it. We spent this last weekend finishing projects up and running out of the house before prospective buyers were coming. We will really miss this little house and I plan on taking lots more photos and some video before we move on April 19th!!! Hopefully inspections will go smoothly and we will have an easy transition. I've posted some before and after photos for the official farewell.

Beautiful Giving

Do I feel this way every christmas?

This frustration about christmas shopping- not my shopping.

OTHER peoples shopping, they wait to the last minute, get frustrated, or better yet use THE LINE on me.

THE LINE: "It's not really about the giving- it's just being together that matters"

Ok- of course it's the being together- but come on. Once a year you buy presents for your family and friends.

Christmas is the SAME day every year. Your family stays the same or similar from one year to the next- why not plan for it.

I mean budget in the summer and set some money aside.

Christmas DOES NOT have to break the bank.

And really a GREAT gift- doesn't mean you spend $25, $50 or even $100 on it.

I look for clearance things in the fall and set aside things that are beautiful. That's it- things that are beautiful-giving them to people who are special in your life.

Which reminds me: isn't Jesus our perfect GIFT.

Don't we exchange gifts in remembrance of him?

I guess maybe I need to just let it go... some people don't find gifts important, the planning important or the giving important.

I LOVE it all. I day dream about what would be perfect and beautiful for that person.

I have more fun making, looking and planning for others then any gift I get.

I think I have my dad to thank for that- he is the most generous person I know.

He gives and gives and gives.

I guess what I'm trying to say- is stop and reflect on the beauty of giving.

50 books in 2009

I am currently getting a little nervous about my reading goal. I wanted to read 10,000 pages and 50 books this year and I think I'm only at 39 books so far. Here is what I read in October:

-3 Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

-Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

-The Summer I turned Pretty by Jenny Han

-The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

-Birches by Robert Frost

I'm also about 150 pages into "The Time Traveler's Wife" which I am really liking and am glad I didn't see the movie first!

I'm also catching up on my Bible reading (1400 pages so far and on October 17th) which is why I'm not worried about reading my 10,000 page goal.

I've requested some easy and short books from the library for november, so I guess I shouldn't be too nervous. I have what 8 weeks left of 2009? wish me luck!

Indescribable

15 months into it and each day I'm still trying to figure out how to be a great mom. I know a part of it is these little silly moments that no one would think is a big deal: like watering the garden, putting diapers on each others head, reading, trying to cuddle, exploring our neighbors yards and doing fish face all day long. I just hope I'm doing the best I can do, because my little man deserves the best. I can't explain how much I love him. Being a mother is indescribable.

A couple of day ago, I had an amazing thing happen. I was asked to meet with a buyer from a little boutique in our local mall, and show her my Lizzy Brookes collection. She loved the pieces I showed her and made a LARGE order on the spot. Then she told me her ideas of using my pieces as a store front window display, encouraging buyers to support local designers. ME- a a local designer in the mall! I never would have thought 5 months ago when I started my little etsy shop that I would soon be in stores at the mall. I feel so blessed to have been selected and it feels like my hard work is really paying off. So many mornings of setting up the ironing board in the kitchen so I have some workspace, packing up my supplies into the garage everyday.... and here I am: a real clothes designer? I feel MUCH more comfortable with the word- artist instead. But Chris said they are the same thing. Here are some of the pieces the boutique ordered.

That Weird Feeling to Create

I've been crafting, sewing, making things whatever you want to call it... and I get this weird feeling in my stomach until I finish the project! Weird like- nerves or butterflies? It's something I don't like but then again I also feel like I'm in an adrenal rush when I'm creating. I get tunnel vision and all I can think about is the next step, envisioning the finished product and then how I will photograph, title and price it. It's a whirl of activity in my mind and then when I finish. I finish.

I pack up my materials (by the way- I've been feeling real sad that I don't have a studio/work space to create in... I'm trying to get past that) like I said, I pack up my materials and throw away scraps- then that's it. I'm done. Until another wild idea comes that I have to follow!

reflects of my husband's lay off

Usually my son is an amazing sleeper... not tonight. He got up twice with a dirty and a bad diaper rash- which required screaming at the top of his lungs. To say the least- I've been trying to get back to sleep for an hour now.

I etsied, face-booked, caught up on blogs and now have a moment to add to my own.

My husband was laid off of work in February. It's May- he's still at home looking for a job and so close to landing this amazing job at a creative firm- the best part: it's a job he gets excited about. But even with the anticipation of a job so close- I do get nervous. I was laying in bed tonight thinking how we should both start donating plasma and other crazy things.  I want to & do trust the Lord that he is in control. It's scary at times. I want life to get in a groove again- I don't want to feel guilty for buying something or shopping etc. I also want that uncertainty for Chris to go away. He has a look on his face every now and then... one that says "when will a job for me come? will I love it?" 

I absolutely know I will miss him tons and the past weeks have been an INCREDIBLE bonding experience for Chris and Brooklyn. It's just been hard be in limbo. I haven't wanted to see or talk with many friends... because it's been embarrassing to have your husband at home and not at work. I hate even admitted that- I don't want to be embarrassed.  I'm proud of Chris for holding out and not just taking anything. I want him to LOVE his job- to be excited. But the most important thing I've learned through all of this: you aren't your job.  I'm not just a mother, I wasn't just a teacher, or artist. Chris is not a career- he's a husband, dad, son and brother. There are so many aspects and facets to our lives sometimes it's so easy to get wrapped up in our career and see that as who we are in life.

I want to look back and have fond memories of this time at home with my husband- and really haven't I been asking for more quality time? :)