A little of what's been going on

Things have been really busy around our house lately. Nothing major going on just lots of little things. Sat nt I hosted supper club. A and the girls went on to Red Springs since it would be so late when we got finished and it is a long drive. I really needed some time go get some things done as well. I am so thankful for Aaron recognizing when I need that time and taking on our responsibility alone for a day!

I do not think I have shown any pics of our dining room since A painted it. He painted it in March so I am a little late but I took a pic while my table was decorated for supper club. I love the color for so many reasons! First of all, I love color! Especially since we do not own this house, paint is an easy inexpensive way to make it have that special touch that makes it feel like home for us and the owner does not care if we paint, second A told me a while back he was not painting anything else in this house! He painted the girls bedrooms a couple of years ago and one of the bathrooms last summer. He does not like to paint at all!!! That actually is an understatement! I finally talked him in to painting the dining room, mainly because the walls were so beaten up. So, I love it because he did it for me! Last of all, the color is mocha and well you know how much I love a mocha! The color is so warm and homey and relaxing (just like a mocha!). I would love to use this color in the next house we have. And again... Notice the chandelier. When we moved into this house I thought it was hideous! Now they are so popular and I love it. It had crystals on it and I took those off and got the shades at Fred's to put on there for under $20 total! We also have one over our bed which I thought was even more hideous but it has grown on me as well. It still has the crystals on it and no shades. It will stay that way because we don't have much longer here.
Here you can see the color a little more up close. I love when the table is set! Not something that happens often at our house. I love my fine china and over the past few years have used it more than I ever thought I would.

Grandy and Nanna gave Lizzie and Millie this kitchen for their birthdays and they love it! We have had at least 3 plastic play kitchens since Ell was little and they all end up tearing up. My girls can tear up things worse than any boys I know! So, I decided this time to go with the nicer wooden kitchen set and I am so glad I did. It is big and sturdy and the girls love it! Oh, in case you are wondering about the headband, Lizzie found this in a bag of hand me downs from our sweet friend Elizabeth and she loves it but this is the way she wants to wear it! She looks like a hippy! Oh well!!!

Better shot of Hippie Lizzie baking cupcakes!
Believe it or not, sometimes the girls play with trucks and front end loaders! My sister Connie gave several of these things to me to pass along to any little boys I knew might want them. The girls loved them (because we don't have anything like this!) and I decided just to keep them here for when boys come over so they don't have to play with all girl toys!

A started back to class last week and is in full force! I feel it! We all do! I just keep telling myself that we can endure anything for 8 more months!!! I just don't know how he has the energy to do it all. Well, yes I do. It is all from the Lord!!!

We start back to school on Monday. We are busy trying to play a lot this week! It is nice to get out and do some things while schools are back in session. Everywhere is much less crowded!

I want to end on a note about encouragement. I have really been struggling with some things lately. Life is just hard sometimes. I reluctantly say that because so there are so many people all over the world with so many issues to deal with that I do not feel worthy to say that but it is just the truth that I have been struggling emotionally. Life feels a little overwhelming right now with the anticipation of it getting more overwhelming soon and I just am not dealing with it well. I am working on it but sometimes I just want to throw up my hands and say I can't do it all. I know you have all been there. There are days when I just long for help! God has blessed me with a wonderful husband who is so much help to me but it is also hard for me to place more on him so sometimes I just wish we had a little help! I know there are so many of you who read my blog and are far away from family and you feel my pain! When I stopped working at the Seminary and came home to be with the girls, my office gave me a glass jar filled with notes from all of my co-workers and a Target gift card. I greatly appreciated the gift card but those notes of encouragement will last forever. This morning I was sitting on my bed and I noticed the jar which 2 plus years later still sits on our dresser and I got it down and I read every one of those notes and it made my day. They were all so encouraging and it reminded me of that time of transition and it reminded me of people who cared and still care so much for me and it meant a lot to me over 2 years later and I know that over the years those notes will always mean a lot to me. So, to my old co-workers who read the blog-you encouraged me today and didn't even know it! This also made me realize how important it is for me to be an encouragement to others. Another thing it reminded me is to keep notes of encouragement we receive and when life is tough, read them, and be encouraged!