Rean's Hope Chest

Side Table REVEALED

2010-07-16T10:32:00.003-04:00

Here is my side table after the decluttering. I left just one decorative item on my table.

You can actually see the beautiful filigree on my lamp now. So much nicer.

I left my photo albums here for now but at least they are in order and I know where to find them.

The yarn basket is empty and I have put it with my other craft items.

My beards are in my "costume box" for when I start teaching school or need one for a skit.

Three of each song book is plenty.

We had bible fellowship at our home recently and no one needed one anyway. But the song books are there when we need them.

Plus it keeps me from cramming stuff in there too. :)

More Emotional Clutter than Physical

2010-07-16T09:55:00.001-04:00

Coming into this project I knew there would be physical clutter and I was ready to conquer it. I don't think I was completely prepared for the emotional clutter I will face. The hall closet wasn't filled with mementos, just jackets and junk. A lot of jackets and junk. I wasn't expecting a little side table to stump me so badly, but I am still more than a conqueror and I got through it!

This is the little side table area closest to the hall closet. It is almost entirely unusable as a side table because of the "decorations."

This side table has a shelf on the bottom too. It has stuff on it as well. Surprise surprise.

The hidden horrors. Although this junk is clearly visible when you first come into the house, I am able to ignore it because it looks fairly decent from the front. Not anymore.

Not too much in this drawer, but we'll see what truly belongs soon enough.

Time to empty this little area out.

All laid out and categorized. It really helps the process when I can see everything. This stuff was all from the top of the side table and from the drawer.

We need the song books for our bible fellowship, but we don't need them all in the side table. I kept three of each and stored the rest with our other research books.

THIS was what was under the table and behind the table and trying to hide in the table. When taking out the photo albums I came across my big find for the day...

Pittsburgh sports paraphernalia. That's Malkin from the Penguins and Polamalu from the Steelers. My husband will be so surprised when he finds these framed and hanging on the walls of the Man Cave later on. I have to find frames but the wonderful black and gold colors match so well with simple black metal frames.

The Polamalu trading card may have to find its way into my wallet...he's such a cutie!!

These are solar landscape lights my wonderful husband got me for our anniversary last month. I'm not sure what I was waiting for to put them out in the yard. They have now been placed in our flower beds and have inspired some changes to our outdoor spaces.

Under the 50 CDs of very excellent bible teachings, I found a bowl full of change. The money is in my piggy bank and the CDs are making their way into the hands of people who need them since I have listened to them already.

This is where my decluttering took a more emotional turn. I am keeping all our photo albums and I can think of no other place to store them right now. I am hoping to eventually have a place for them in my office. The problem is I don't have an office...yet. This is one of the things I am working toward.

The emotion started when I emptied out my knitting/crochet basket

It is not a very full basket. As a matter of fact, it contains only two WIP's (Works In Progress).

The blanket on the left is what brought the emotions.

It is the blanket I crocheted while we traveled back and forth 4 hours round trip to Pittsburgh for fertility treatments. For 2 years. Without success.

It also almost became a blanket for the adoption of a newborn baby boy, but the birth mother decided to keep the child after it was born. I always intended to finish it and save it for the child we would eventually have.

While we have not given up hope, my wonderful husband and I have decided to focus on loving each other and the life we have.

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11

It was time to give up the blanket. But how and to whom? It has such painful memories I can't bring myself to give it to friends or family. I know there are organizations which take blankets for preemies and new moms and I am sure they would love the blanket.

But that would mean researching it and finding one locally and time and more time and some more time. I can't make this decision more than once, I need it to go, I am taking it to Salvation Army. They will find someone who will love it and I won't have to think about it any more.

Sigh.

It's done now. I can always start another one if and when we ever move toward starting a family again and it will be made with joy and not sadness.

OK, no more tears!!! We'll move on to the other WIP. It is much more fun. I made two of them for a skit we did for our bible fellowship. I had to play the part of Daniel. I'm not a man. I don't have a beard. So, I made one. I made two because we needed a King and the other person performing in the skit was a girl too.

Aren't they fabulous?
Oh, yeah, way too sexy!

I decided this was no longer a WIP, I finished them and they can be stored away for our next skit.

Or for the next occasion I need to make the model "duck face" for my blog.

First Closet, CONQUERED!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-07-14T13:42:00.002-04:00

And now for the big reveal!!!!

Here it is, all clean and organized. Only what we find to be useful or believe to be beautiful is contained in this closet.

This bin contains hats and gloves. The number of hats is even smaller now after I went through them with my wonderful husband when he got home from work.

It's positioned on the smallest shelf of the shoe rack. I put it low so we could access it easily. If it was up on the shelf above, we'd end up hanging hats all over the place because it would be hard to put them away.

Empty space for guest's jackets. I removed about 50 hangers from the closet. My brother is using them now for his clothes in his room...well, he will once he hangs everything up off of the floor. :)

There is a folding chair and a step stool on the right. They are no longer buried behind so many coats its impossible to access them. I have used the step stool twice already!

These are our jackets. Basic needs are met, we have warm sweatshirts as well as light jackets and windbreakers. My nice wool trench coat is here as well.

I love the wooden hangers from Ikea!

Do you see the double layer of wood which is the shelf? The second layer used to extend the shelf all the way to the door but that made the shelf too deep for practical access.

It was already in two boards, I just stacked them so the shelf is more shallow now.

The red blob on the left is a neck pillow I like to use for long trips. When we got rid of our Minivan in favor of an extended cab Ford F150 there was no longer storage for it in the vehicle. Now I can reach the pillow and the fleece blanket under it when we leave for a long trip and can stay toasty warm when Hubby cranks the AC.

For several minutes after I finished this project, I sat on our couch reading but left the door open to the closet so that I could glance at it and smile.

I have one kitchen trash bag of Donation Items and one trash bag of trash.

AMAZING!!!

I am so blessed to have started.

First Closet, EMPTIED!!!!!!

2010-07-14T10:55:00.012-04:00

This post will be filled with photos. I'm so excited I've started this journey. I'm enjoying the benefits of it already.

This is my closet in the beginning. Although it doesn't appear to be packed to the gills, it is.

Ahhh, a nice clean closet. I swept and mopped the floor and I cleaned off that shelf.

So nice and fresh and ready to receive whatever I find to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

This is all the stuff which came out of my closet.

The first thing I did was categorize all the items as I removed them. It was easy to decide to be brutal with my decluttering.

This row is simply decorative items. Specifically wreaths and items which were at one time hanging in my entryway.

The kicker is that I have basement storage for each season and these could easily store there. However, I decided to keep only one wreath and donated the rest of the items to salvation army.

The two plaques got homes on walls in other areas of my home.

These are all the bags I found in the closet. Bags I forgot we owned. Some which needed to be given away and some that I want to use again.

And this is where my biggest find was...

That is a Nikon 35mm camera, a $600 camera.

It takes fantastic pictures, but is is heavy and not digital. Although we have taken many pictures with it in the past, we don't use it anymore and are probably not going to use it again.

After discussing with my husband we decided if we can sell it for $400 we can put that money toward a nice Digital SLR camera if we want to. So, for now it can go back in the closet but will be listed somehow for sale.

There are jackets in this pile that have been with us since before we were married. That's over 8 years!!

Now, this would not be a problem if we wore them at anymore, but we don't.

There were over 15 coats here but I cut it down by over half. We have 7 coats now that are worn frequently and we enjoy. Four of them are hooded sweatshirts, but they are useful and we think they are beautiful.

Hats, glorious hats.

A different hat for every day of the month...that's right, over 30 hats!!! Whew!!!

I got rid of many of them, even some Pittsburgh sports team hats, which is a victory in itself!

My husband just laughed as I laid all his hats out for him to see how many he had. He was able to be more decisive because he saw how much excess there was. Its true, if you don't see it, you forget about it. We were able to narrow our hat collection significantly.

I got rid of all the winter scarves I had. I don't really use them and they aren't particularly beautiful to me.

I also got rid of our earmuffs, you know the plastic headband ones, the ones you wore when you were 5, yeah, those.

Paring Down One Closet, Drawer or Cabinet at a Time

2010-07-11T17:24:00.006-04:00

Clutter.

Its everywhere.

I've been living with it long enough!

I am going to start at my front door and clear out every closet, drawer and cabinet. I am going to unearth the underbed "storage" and above cabinet "decorations."

I am going to be brutal in my judgment. I am going to follow the creed

“Having nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” -William Morris

I am going to donate and donate and donate and sell. I will accomplish this in the following way:

I will start at the front door and work my way clockwise around my home.
One at a time I will empty a closet, drawer or cabinet and lay out every item.
I will determine the items' usefulness and/or beauty.
I will not hold onto sentiment. I will be brutal.
I will clean the closet, drawer or cabinet and then place the items I have deemed worthy back in their homes.
I will document every step with photographs for longevity.
I will donate or sell items I discover of little use or beauty in my life.

I am very excited about this journey. I am looking forward to documenting it on my blog.

Now, lets get started!

Anniversary Trip

2009-05-30T09:41:00.004-04:00

I can't believe it has been almost 7 years I have been married. DH and I are in Lancaster, PA for the weekend to celebrate our marriage and to go to an exciting bible fellowship meeting on Sunday.

We arrived late yesterday (Friday) and got settled in our hotel. We relaxed for a bit and then went to the Windmill restaurant so I could have Pork and Sauerkraut over Mashed Potatoes...delish!! I don't get to have that very often because DH doesn't like the smell or taste of sauerkraut. We drove around a little while and enjoyed the country air. I love it out here. I love the acres of farm land just sprouting and the little farmhouses with Peonies blooming all over. We grabbed some Apple Dumplings for dessert back at the hotel and had a lovely evening.

I am so excited for today! We are going to the Sight and Sound Theater and we are going to see the play "Abraham and Sarah: A Journey of Love." On the drive up here we listened to the book of Genesis and heard from the very beginning to the time of Jacob. It is so wonderful to have a husband who respects God and loves His Word. I am a blessed, blessed woman!!

After the show we are going to look around at some of the Amish country shops and hopefully find a wedding ring quilt in our price range.

I will be back with pictures!!!

God Bless

Spring has Sprung!!

2009-05-04T08:27:00.003-04:00

My schooling is almost done for the semester. I am going to be focusing on my home for the summer and hopefully hosting my little brothers for a couple of weeks so my parents can celebrate my Mom's 50th birthday.

There is a lot to do in my home. It has been made even more clear by the current moving project of my dear friend Mary at Turkey Farm Treasures. I was able to help her with a yard sale and saw how much she was condensing her life to the things she enjoys and finds useful.

What perfect timing then that Simple Mom is starting her Spring Cleaning Party this week!! I have Simple Mom's book, Spring Cleaning for Normal People but have never followed through with all the steps. Now is the time! If not now, when?

So, I will be participating in Simple Mom's Cleaning Party with enthusiasm. Here we go!!

A successful first college class!

2009-04-22T09:59:00.001-04:00

I just finished my first college class after 10 years out of school. Out of 1000 available points I got 1010!

There is something to be said for committing My time and energy fully to something.

I am still finishing my second class, but I think I'm getting an "A" in that class too.

I am looking forward to having a summer at home committing my time to De-cluttering my home and making it a haven for my husband and myself.

Titus 2:3-5 Amplified Bible

2009-04-07T18:34:00.008-04:00

I love the Amplified Bible for it's expanded translations of the KJV. It is the first place I go when I want a deeper understanding of the verses I'm looking at. With all the resources on the internet, there is never a reason to miss out on the different translations.

Titus 2:3-5 (Amplified Bible)
Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers or slaves to drink. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is right and noble,

So that they will wisely train the young women to be sane and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined) and to love their husbands and their children,

To be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, good-natured (kindhearted),adapting and subordinating themselves to their husbands, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited).

What a great expanded understanding to be gained from this translation. I will go in more depth on each verse as time goes on. I am really enjoying this study so far.

God Bless,

Rean Day

Pursuing Titus 2

2009-04-07T18:13:00.004-04:00

After being a SAHW and part-time student for several months now I have determined I want to further my understanding of Titus 2 and Proverbs 31. I need to put God's Word in practice in my life. I want look at what is expected from the young women as well as the aged because I am getting closer and closer to that end of the spectrum.

I want this first post to be a simple quotation of Titus 2:3-5 which speaks directly to the women of this day and this time. I will be taking some time to research the specifics of this section of scripture soon.

Titus 2:3-5

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh
holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good
things;

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands,
to love their children,

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient
to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

God Bless you,

Rean Day

Exciting News! I'm a SAHW!

2009-01-24T21:38:00.005-05:00

"Cottage Stream" by Sung Kim from Art.com

After long discussions and deep consideration my DH and I decided it was time for me to leave my job as a legal secretary. I have never made such a difficult decision in my life. I am glad I had the support of my husband and my family. It has been a long journey to this point but I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.

There have been several things I have already learned about coming home and I am anxious to share those things, as well as the many challenges I am sure will come in the days, weeks and months ahead.

I am thrilled with the changes going on around here and excited to share my journey with anyone who will listen.

Hold on folks, this is going to be a wild ride!

Purpose Driven Life - Day 3

2008-11-06T15:51:00.004-05:00

DAY 3

Point to Ponder: Living on purpose is the path to peace.

Verse: "You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm
and put their trust in you." Isaiah 26:3 (TEV)

Question to Consider: What would my family and friends say is the driving
force of my life? What do I want it to be?

There are five common driving factors to life.

Guilt
Resentment and anger
Fear
Materialism
Need for approval

It was amazing reading the descriptions of the driving factors. I am driven by all of these at different times. It is so humbling to see how far from the one true God my focus has become. There was a point in the book that I wanted to share.

"Without a clear purpose, you will keep changing directions, jobs,
relationships, churches, or other externals - hoping each change will settle the
confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think, Maybe this time
it will be different, but it doesn't solve your real problem - a lack of focus
and purpose."

Man oh man is this true. I feel like I have been spinning in circles for years now. I long to be a SAHW and eventually be a mother but I am fearful about leaving the workforce and falling into depression.

What's my driving factor for this job? FEAR! But, even if I change my job, my direction, I have to have a focus for where I want my life to be. A deeply rooted focus and purpose. I have not found that yet. I get really excited while I'm reading this book, I look forward to some help with my decision making and focus.

I get a little irritated with the different translations used in the book. I would prefer all KJV references, however, it has been fun figuring out which verse is being referred to and seeing if I can quote the KJV verse.

2008-11-04T11:45:00.003-05:00

Don't forget. Enough said.

Purpose Driven Life - Day 2

2008-11-04T11:24:00.007-05:00

DAY 2

Point to Ponder: I am not an
accident

Verse: "I am your Creator. You were in my care
even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2 (CEV) "Thus saith the Lord that made
thee and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my
servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen." KJV

Question to
Consider: I know that God uniquely created me. What areas of my
personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?

This chapter took a lot of thought. I know God formed, made and created me but I struggle with my weight and have since I was 9 years old. I tend to be very abrasive in conversation and try to focus conversations on me. I need to hold fast to Romans 12:1

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is you
reasonable (logical) service."

I am fearfully (awesomely) and wonderfully made. I can have no condemnation. I can also bring my body into subjection to my mind. It takes a decision to begin to make a change.

Purpose Driven Life - Day 1

2008-11-04T10:43:00.003-05:00

I have been floundering a little with what my true purpose in life is, so I have decided to work through Purpose Driven Life for the next 40 days.

There are points to ponder and questions to answer every day so I decided instead of making notes in one of my many many journals I would document my progress on my neglected blog.

Although I do not expect to agree with everything Rick Warren teaches and the variety of versions of the bible he uses, I believe I have a deep enough knowledge of the Word of God to filter the good from the bad.

DAY 1

Point to Ponder: It's not about me.

Verse: "...all things were created by him, and for him." Colossians 1:16b

Question to Consider: In spite of all the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself?

This chapter was very eye opening. One section of this chapter that blessed me and made me think was the following:

Many people try to use God for their own self-actualization, but that is a
reversal of nature and it's doomed to failure. You were made for God, not
vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for his purposes, not your
using him for your own purpose. "Obsession with self in these matters is a dead
end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life."
Romans 8:6 Message Emphasis mine

Romans 8:6 in the KJV is much more powerful "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." The point is made, however, that I can not focus on myself if I am going to find my true purpose.

It is really difficult to keep myself spiritually minded. I find it hard to let go of certain areas of my life and let God rule. I have a feeling this journey will be very helpful to me.

On the question about reminding myself life isn't all about me, I have been thinking about the amount of things I focus on and the material things in life that derail my endeavors to be a better wife and woman of God.

Advertising suggests that you can buy happiness and health. The reality is that God allows us to steward the material things we have and the bodies we were given.

One area I find television influences me is with shows like "Clean House" and "Clean Sweep." They make it look so easy that when I try to declutter and give things away, I get frustrated with how long it takes and give up.

Hm, how can I fix that? I have the tools to make my life better. What does the Word say? "Let all things be done decently and in order" "Let all things be done in moderation" "I keep my body in subjection to my mind."

Practical application of these keys is where I struggle. Not even the application, it is the consistency of application where I struggle. What does the Word say? "Faithful in least, faithful in much" "Let all things be done in moderation" "I keep my body in subjection to my mind, and my mind in subjection to my spirit."

Well, I think that is enough pondering today. : )

Another Giveaway at Simple Mom

2008-08-25T16:18:00.002-04:00

I think Simple Mom has become one of my favorite web sites. She always has great, practical information presented clearly and with beautiful photos. She is giving away a HUGE gift basket and I have put my name in the perverbial hat. The deadline is tonight (Monday, August 25) at midnight but I thought if anyone reads this abandoned thing they would be able to sign up too.

Have fun and enjoy her site, it is very informative.

Rean

Giveaway at Simplemom.net

2008-06-20T13:40:00.003-04:00

Simple Mom has been doing a wonderful series on budgeting (an area DH and I are always trying to improve on) and today she has posted a giveaway!

The giveaway is for a LIFETIME membership to Pear Budgeting. Pear Budgeting is a very cool, hip interface for your budgeting. One thing I think would be wonderful is the accessibility from anywhere there is an internet connection. So, head on over to Simple Mom and check out the series as well as the giveaway, I'm really excited about it.

Rean

Final test

2008-03-21T16:20:00.000-04:00

And now, a picture from my phone.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Test (2)

2008-03-21T13:14:00.000-04:00

This is just another test to check to see if pictures will post if I attach them to the email.

Spring training means baseball is right around the corner.

Rean Day

Test Post

2008-03-20T17:30:00.001-04:00

Just a test to see if I can use my new phone to post on my (badly abandoned) blog.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Thankful Thursday

2007-08-30T13:22:00.000-04:00

Another wonderful Thursday. I am a very thankful woman today. I am thankful for:

A sweet loving husband who sends flowers because he's "Thinking of me"
A wonderful bible fellowship on Wednesdays that renews my strength for the rest of the week.
A sweet family that opens their home every week for praising, teaching, singing and worshiping. That same family welcomed me to stick around after fellowship to laugh at some pictures and videos. It was so cozy crowding around the computer to giggle and chat.
Blessings and prosperity God continually pours out on me and my family.
Airplanes - so I don't have to wait longer for DH to get home.
Dave Ramsey for his encouragement and directness to help us manage our finances better.
A teaching that reminded me to focus on God and not bring Him down to my level but take my thinking up to His.
All my blogging friends who encourage and entertain.

Thanks to Sting My Heart for hosting Thankful Thursday.

Works For Me Wednesday: Shower Clutter

2007-08-29T09:09:00.000-04:00

So DH and I used to have the constant battle of all married couples where the wife (or husband) purchases every possible concoction to have in the shower. Not enough room on the little bitty ledges to hold all the bottles. (Curse you Bath and Body Works with your big sales!!)

So when I saw this in Home Depot while looking for...whatever it was DH wanted at the moment (curse you Home Depot and your many many aisles) I knew we had to buy it.

DH has the left two (one for shampoo/conditioner, one for body wash) and I have the other two (one for shampoo, one for body wash). I also use the little shelf for my conditioner and shave cream and we hang our scrubbies on the little hooks. I have a razor that came with a wall attachment and that is on the left side of the dispenser.

Having only one container for body wash limits my selection but now I can store my other scents in our linen closet and switch them out when my section is empty. This allows us to buy shampoo in larger containers because we are refilling and don't have to have the bulky bottles on the ledges.

We have had ours for 2 years and if something breaks which has happened twice now, we can order parts from the company.

It really works for us.

Tackle it Tuesday - Kitchen Reorganization

2007-08-28T12:29:00.000-04:00

Ok, so now that DH and I are eating more at home I am seeing in glaring detail the inefficency of my kitchen. We have plans to renovate in the spring but April seems a long way away. I want to post some pictures but seeing as how I can't find my camera cord you will have to wait for an update later tonight. I am employed outside my home so blogging is determined by my work schedule. It would help if I had all of these necessary cords located in one central place but that will be for another Tuesday!

Currently the kitchen has two working counters. One on either side of the sink. However, I have loaded those up with appliances galore and dirty dishes prevail over clear counter space. I have a table which is used as another counter opposite the sink but that is loaded down with junk too. I will be working heartily on this project tonight and I can't wait to post pictures of my progress. I might be biting off more than I can chew here on a weekday night but I'll give it my best!

In lieu of kitchen pictures here is one I thought you might enjoy.

This is Spaz the cat cooling himself by the AC vent. TOO CUTE!! ;)

Here he is saying hi to all our blogging buddies. "Wait, is someone eating a Tuna sandwich while they blog? Gimmie some!"

Menu Plan Monday

2007-08-27T18:02:00.000-04:00

Well, this week will be another simple meal week with some dinners out. DH is away on business all week and it's just lonely little me. I usually go out with friends on weeks like this so I'm not eating alone. DH and I are trying not to eat out as much so I think I'll work on eating small meals at home.

Monday - Chicken Salad Sandwich from Jodi at Deputy Domain. I had some of this over at Mary's home last week and got some delicious apples from her so I will have a sandwich and have leftovers for a tossed salad for lunch tomorrow.
Tuesday - Seafood night at the local bar and grille. I might head over there with a friend for all you can eat crab legs. So fun to have a girls' night out. If not, I will probably have some Vegetable soup my Mother gave to me and some hot biscuits. DH won't eat vegetable soup so if I want to have it I have to eat it while he's gone. :)
Wednesday - Chicken Cheese Quesadillas with salsa. I have my bible fellowship tonight so I need something quick.
Thursday - Beef stew with biscuits. I love walking into a yummy smelling home. I can throw that together in the morning and have it ready when I get home.
Friday - DH gets home tonight but I'm not sure when. I will probably do a cheeseburger quiche because it's one of his favorites and it is easily reheated for when he arrives. Throw a salad with it and you have a well rounded meal.
Saturday - DH and I are going to a minor league baseball game tonight so it will be grilled food that comes with our ticket price. I love going to the AAA games because these guys are playing with some real heart and you can get a great picnic package with all you can eat food and great seats for $17.00! We are meeting some people from our bible fellowship there and it should be a GREAT time.
Sunday - We are having some manly men over to spend the night so I think we may do steak and ~~potatos~~ potatoes with broccoli. Of course some kind of chocolate dessert. I'm not sure yet.

Sure seems like a lot of dialog for a simple list of meals! LOL, I guess that's what blogging is all about. Last week's menus turned out great. We switched a couple of days around but I'm all about being flexible. DH was so proud of me for having dinner planned and not flailing around at the last minute until we ordered pizza! I was proud of me too!

YEA ME!!

For more wonderful menu plans (some with recipes) head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the great ideas.

Thankful Thursday

2007-08-23T14:37:00.000-04:00

Wow, this one is going to be tough. I had a rough day yesterday and it has been a difficult few months. I know that writing down those things I'm thankful for will help me handle life in the best way I know how.

I am thankful for:

A minister with great insight who lets the love of God show through all he does. His sharing last night really hit home;
A wonderful group of friends and fellow believers to fellowship with and learn with;
A sweet and loving husband who is willing to hear my fears and address them with the Word, no matter how much I resist (I tend to want to mope);
Scriptures that are deep inside my heart that only need a quick reminder (from DH or myself) "Romans 8:1, darling;"
A mother who will take the time to pray with me when DH is in a meeting and God seems so far away;
Fresh peaches, ripe for eating;
A cat who, despite his faults, entertains and snuggles when he senses I need it;
Lungs to take deep breaths;
A reliable car with a radio that blasts when I need to stay alert and awake;
Golden Oldies to sing really loud to;
Thankful Thursday to remind me to breath with those lungs and pray with my understanding and leave the rest in His hands.

Wow, so much deeper than I thought it would be. I think it's just what I needed. Thanks to Sting My Heart for hosting Thankful Thursday.

Tackle It Tuesday

2007-08-21T11:13:00.000-04:00

One way I thought I could get back in the swing of blogging was participating in the great "Days of the Week" challenges I see on others' blogs. Today is Tackle it Tuesday and that means I have to find something undone to finish. I think the only problem for me will be where to start!

Because I have many MANY chores to do at home, I thought I would tackle some run around errands throughout my day today.

Schedule doctors appointments;
Ask for time off for doctor appointments;
Return library books - library is downtown where I work; and
Pick up new contact lenses.

Whew, getting these things done during the day will allow me to focus on my home tonight.

To check out more Tuesday Tackles or to add your own, go to 5 Minutes for Mom.

Menu Plan Monday

2007-08-20T13:29:00.000-04:00

I have been away from the blogsphere for a while, but now I'm back. Here's the Menu for this week. It will be a very busy week so some quick meals were in order. DH will be stopping at a very very delicious farmer's stand on Tuesday so many many fresh veggies and fruits are on the menu for the later part of the week. DH loves tomato sandwiches when the tomatoes are in season so he can have those on Wednesday. I'm not wild about them so I have given myself the hot dog option. It's all about what works for my family. :) Thursday we are having company for dinner so a dessert was in order.

I have also been preparing different sweets for DH to take to work with him. I was inspired to do more of this from Meredith over at Merchant Ships. DH has enjoyed taking a treat to the "guys" at the power plant where he works. The benefit of baking something sweet for him to take to work is I get to taste test before it goes out the door. I get to have something sweet without being tempted to eat the whole tray. :P

Monday: Grilled Chicken Salad, Iced Tea

Tuesday: Deer & Broccoli Stir-fry (with Mini Corn & Water Chestnuts; DH’s favorite), Rice, Iced Tea

Wednesday: Hot Dogs (Me) or Tomato Sandwiches (DH), Potato Chips, Iced Tea

Thursday: BBQ Grilled Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Baked Beans, Brownies or some other dessert, Iced Tea

Friday: Shepherd’s Pie, Iced Tea

Saturday: Grilled Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Salad, Iced Tea

Sunday: Pizza, Salad, Iced Tea

For more wonderful menu plans (some with recipes) head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the great ideas.

I've been tagged - Library meme

2007-05-15T16:05:00.000-04:00

Molly over at Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa posted this meme.

Literary Meme

How it works:

1. grab the book closest to you

2. open it to page 161

3. find the 5th full sentence

4. post the text of the sentence to your blog

5. don't search around for the coolest book you have, use the one that is really next to you.

6. tag five people to do this meme

The book next to me is Paralegal Practice and Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Legal Assistant

The Sentence is "Moreover, to develop your skill requires constant practice, practie and more practice."

That is pretty cool. I have been struggling so much with developing my homekeeping skills. Who knew the answer to my problems was in a book I use for work! LOL

I guess I need to get back at my Amigurumi Chicken pattern I picked up from this site I will show pictures as I move along. I started it the other day but I was using pink yarn and no stitch markers. I'm stuck now because I can't remember where my rounds started and I don't know how to decrease. I will restart the pattern after a quick stop at Walmart. I will pick up some white yarn instead of pink.

An Evening of Game with DH

2007-05-10T16:44:00.000-04:00

For Christmas last year my Mom and Dad got my DH a beautiful chess set. It had been languishing in a box for long enough, I decided to set it up on our coffee table in the living room so Dh and I could play "on a whim."

The chess pieces are soldiers and officials from the Revolutionary War. DH played as the United States and I was England. The most difficult thing about this chess set is the lack of a female "Queen." The box didn't come with labels so we just guessed. DH figured the officer with the bars on his shoulders was the king and made the other officer the "queen." I think on my end King George ended up being the "queen" simply because he was wearing a ~~cloak~~ dress. Poor King George.

I am not a chess master. I dont claim to be one and I really only know how the different pieces move (Even if they are "cloaked" as queens). I figured I could learn from DH how to play and we could have a great time. He was really helpful and showed me a lot. I know more now about chess than I ever did.

The chess match did not last long. I tried to win but...

I just couldn't alter history. America is still free and what remained of Great Britain has retreated. Poor King George.

I guess the Revolutionary War will have to be fought again another day.

Bacon makes anything taste great!

2007-04-29T09:36:00.000-04:00

DH and I had some family and friends over for dinner last weekend. My father-in-love and his girlfriend and his girlfriend’s niece all came to the house on Saturday night for food and fellowship. My FIL loves oysters so my DH wanted to make some oysters wrapped in bacon for an appetizer.

I am not a big fan of oysters. I think they are slimy and gross looking. After confirming that DH would be making that appetizer I put “oysters” on my shopping list.

Don’t they look yummy? You can’t tell from the picture but that oyster on the top of the jar is spinning around uncontrollably! EEWWWW

After DH rinsed out the oysters thoroughly and got the grit out of them he got out the bacon and sliced it in half. Then he took one large oyster or two smallish oysters and placed it like so:

Then he wrapped the bacon around the oyster and put a toothpick through the middle.

The toothpick serves two purposes. One is to hold it all together and the other is to enable easy turning on the grill.

I am proud to say I did the last row of oysters on the cookie sheet! They aren’t so slimy…ok, they are, but I was able to get over it. : )

Then my grill master husband put them all on the grill. That’s a fish pan you see under the majority of the oysters. That comes in handy when we want to grill a nice flaky fish and the grates on the grill are too harsh for the tender fish.

Then when the bacon is fully cooked, the oysters are done too.

Drain them on a paper towel or two and then eat them while they are hot!

I have to admit it, I think I may have been converted! I don’t like them raw and they feel slimy, but they sure taste great wrapped in bacon and grilled!! Of course, everything tastes better with bacon.

Even Spaz the cat thinks so.

Update on DH

2007-04-20T09:57:00.000-04:00

His fever broke at around 3AM. It was as high as 103 degrees. I was in a state of constant prayer for most of the early morning. I was so blessed to see 100.3 degrees this morning. Then, before I left for work, it was 99.7. Thank you Father!! DH was moving around and seemed to be feeling better. It certainly gave me peace of mind heading off to work knowing he was better. I will go home at lunch of course and check on my wonderful DH but I think we are through the worst of it.

It is at times like this I feel such a strong pull to be at home. I am tired from being up all night, my DH still needs me and here I am at a JOB! Sometimes I wonder how I can reframe my priorities and realize I don't need to feel bad for my employers if I leave. I have grown so accustomed to them I would hate to leave but I can feel everyday my priorities are skewed.

I guess I better get back to work and focus my attentions to the tasks at hand. Work heartily as unto the Lord, not men.

Its only half past 12 but I don't care...my DH needs me

2007-04-20T00:08:00.000-04:00

Here I am, sitting at my computer waiting until 1AM so I can check my DH's temperature again. He was shivering and burning up earlier tonight. Once we got in bed I tried to stay close to him so I could help regulate his body temperature. I couldn't get to sleep because he was BURNING UP!! It seemed like the longer I lay with my back to his the hotter he got. He was sleeping really hard but whimpering in his sleep. I started to get really concerned. I prayed for him as well as myself. I could tell I was losing it with worry. I got up and did what any "new" wife would do, I called my Mama!

We prayed together and I started getting more peaceful. She gave me some good advice. Get his temperature (which I hadn't done yet, just the hand on the forehead thing) and then give him some Tylenol. Wait 45 minutes to an hour and take his temperature again. If it hasn't gone down even a little bit, call the doctor. After discussing his symptoms we figure he has the flu. He had a filling done last week and his jaw has been aching ever since. He has been so busy at work he hasn't had the opportunity to get it checked out yet. DH and I figure his bite just needs adjusted but Mama said it might be some infection started there and that could be the reason for his symptoms.

She encouraged me to remember that "by his stripes, ye WERE healed." Past tense. God has already put in great guards in our bodies to fight off infection. He has also provided for medications and doctors if our bodies need a little help.

DH has a temperature of 102. He took some Tylenol and now I wait for another 1/2 hour to wake him and take another reading. I am believing for great deliverance. DH needs his rest but a little peace of mind for me will help me rest better and take care of him too.

On the topic of medical care, growing up we always had 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Aid.

1st Aid - Pray for yourself, if you don't feel better within 10 minutes-6 hours (depending on the severity of your injury) go to 2nd Aid. And of course if it is life threatening, go to the HOSPITAL.

2nd Aid - Have someone minister to you. Sometimes someone outside yourself can see things you can't and can give you some words of comfort and encouragement. This can be via telephone (gotta love technology) because even just talking through your symptoms can be helpful. And of course if it is life threatening, go to the HOSPITAL

and last but NOT least

3rd Aid - Seek medical help. A lot of times I skip right to 3rd Aid because I know what is causing my headache (lack of water) or my tummy ache (indigestion, heartburn). The great thing about our bodies is that we have the ability to sense what is wrong and really, if we lift things to God, he can and does give us the guidance we need.

So, off I go to check on DH and maybe then I can get some rest. I should take some Airborne too, so I don't catch whatever this little bug is.

Dramatic haircut (with Pictures) for Locks of Love

2007-04-11T16:39:00.000-04:00

Ok, this will be a very "picturey" post. My DH is the fabulous photographer for these shots.

After much deliberation and a week of planning, I went to my local hair salon on March 30th and had 12" of hair cut off of my head!!!

Why in the world would someone do this after just learning how to french braid her own hair? This is why. On Thursday night DH and I were laying in bed and all of a sudden I realized I was getting it cut off the following day. "WHAT AM I DOING?!!!" I started to panic. DH was so sweet. He listened and then simply stated that "Hair grows back, but some little girl will have a beautiful set of pigtails because of your great big heart"

I was sold!

Here is the before shot of my ponytail.

Here are some "during" shots. You can see my eyes are closed in these pictures. I was praying. I was praying for the child receiving my hair and the organization that provides this services and I was praying that my hairdresser would be able to make me look presentable! LOL, I'm glad I have such a personal God!!

12 inches ready to be sent off.

Here is my after shot. I am still getting used to styling short hair. I have never had hair this short before. I have to get a "round brush" and thankfully Mrs. B has shared some advice on her WFMW

Dyson Giveaway

2007-04-03T11:47:00.000-04:00

Over at 5 Minutes For Mom they are doing a Dyson Slim Giveaway. This would be awesome to win but I am just happy they are making a lighter, smaller Dyson. The others are so expensive and huge I just haven't even contemplated them. If you want to, go an enter at 5 Minutes For Mom

A Package From Jodi Deputy!!!

2007-04-02T16:34:00.000-04:00

I have been gone long enough. After all the hustle and bustle in our house from the plumbing I have been neglectful of my little blog. I missed you all so very much!

A while back Jodi over at Deputy Domain did a contest for her 200th Post and I won!! I was so excited as I thoroughly enjoy her blog and it is always a long pit-stop on my internet travels. Shortly thereafter I recieved a big ol' box in the mail, she was very timely on sending it out...I unfortunately am not as timely blogging about it. When I opened it up I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely card nestled right on top.

I started tearing into it and these are the wonderful books I found.

This magazine is LOVELY! I was so excited to realize I can find a nice teapot and cups without spending a fortune. Some delicious looking recipes as well.

I haven't cracked the spine on this book yet, although I did flip through looking at the bright, inviting pictures.

I just started this book. So far it is sad and humbling. I am only on chapter 2 though and I am sure it cheers up as the main character has a wonderful spark about her.

What could be under this beautiful handkerchief?

CANDY OF COURSE!!!!

What a wonderful gift to receive.

THANK YOU THANK YOU JODI!!!

I still haven't received my package from Mrs. Wilt for the Procrastination Challenge. I certainly hope everything is alright.

God is Good...ALWAYS!

2007-03-08T11:42:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share how God has blessed my DH and me during this whole plumbing nightmare.

When we first found out how much the emergency repair would cost we were concerned. Where was the money going to come from? Where did we need to cut back? How would we take care of this without going in DEBT?

God answers prayer.

We did our tax return in February. We got a sizable refund only a couple of weeks later. We paid off a credit card and were saving the rest to pay off our last credit card when DH received his end of the year bonus. Normally we would receive that bonus at the end of March. For some reason (GOD) we found out we would be receiving it this week. We had specific plans laid out for that money. We were going to 1) pay off our last credit card, 2) put a down payment on my braces and 3) buy a flat panel TV for our family room. One need and two wants (my teeth aren't THAT bad, it was basically for cosmetics and because I clench and grind my teeth at night).

Even with the plumbing situation we still have enough to pay off our last credit card and we have not gone into debt to fix the emergency!

Sometimes it takes a little deep breathing, intense believing, and some renewing of the mind to see where God is during difficult times. How blessed we are to have our own home. How thankful we are for God's great timing. The devil may be in the details but GOD is in the deliverance! Praise GOD!!!

I John 1:5

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Psalm 84:11

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

I Am Making Progress

2007-03-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I got a lot accomplished. I did my routines (was up early and everything!) and even got some extra housework done. Here's a picture of my stars...

I did really well on Monday as well, although I don't have a picture of that one. Tuesday and Wednesday are a different story all together.

On Tuesday I decided not to take a shower that night because I was too tired. When I woke up on Wednesday I was so mad at myself for skipping that item on my routine. DH gave me a "free pass" on the laundry because of the plumbing situation but I ruined my "star power" by skipping my shower. So silly of me. So here I was on Wednesday, mad at myself for "failing" and giving up on the day because "the month is ruined anyway."

Can you say PERFECTIONIST!!!!!!!

Last night I was moping and pouting. DH wouldn't let me get away with it for long...he knew why I was pouting, I wanted him to say "it's ok about yesterday, go ahead and put your star on, it's been a rough week...etc." How childish and immature I am!!! Well, I renewed my mind and cut up some leftover steak for stirfry. I made dinner and got a load of laundry started. DH cleaned up the kitchen (unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher) and gave me a big hug. He reminded me I didn't need a "month" of stars, I need 30 days of consecutive stars. That is my goal. It was time to refocus and get back in gear.

This morning I had a dentist appointment at 8:00 A.M. I could have given up on my Morning Routine because "I don't have time this morning" but I DIDN'T.

I got a load of laundry started and I got the dishwasher unloaded. I have bible fellowship tonight so dinner will be quick and easy, maybe another stirfry, maybe some fast food. DH will be working late so he will probably grab a bite on his way home.

I am making progress but bad habits (and attitudes) are really hard to break! I am so thankful my DH knows me so well and is willing to lovingly reprove me with the Word when I am wrong! *Happy sigh* I am such a blessed woman.

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Terra Cotta - Great for Pots, Not for Pipes PART 2 (or Why I've Been MIA)

2007-03-07T13:05:00.000-05:00

OK, so this week has been REALLY rough. If you will refer to this post you will be up to date with our situation.

OK, so they flushed the pipes and came back to see what the problem was (they couldn't see for all the "gunk" last time). In one month we were completely backed up again! I was so discouraged. Here is the whole tale.

The plumbers came out and put in their camera to take a look. After ~16 feet they were to the NEW back up. The plumber took his little "find the camera" thingy (like a metal detector) and went outside to find the camera. I watched from the basement door. He paced out about 16 feet and started looking in an arc to find the spot of the problem. The arc got closer and closer to our home. (at this point I am praying "not in the house, not in the house, not in the house") When he came back to the door he said, "well, we're in the house."

"NNNNNOOOOOOO!!!!"

He searched in the basement and found the spot. In our family room. IN our family room!! IN OUR FAMILY ROOM!!!

We scheduled the excavation (read: jackhammer 8 feet of our floor and remove the "contaminated material" and busted pipe) for the next day (Tuesday, March 5th). I took the day off of work, my bosses were very understanding, and stayed at home to "supervise" the work. (read: Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray. Oh, and pray)

At the end of the day there was a big hole in the floor of our home and more bad news. The pipe INSIDE our house is collapsing (read: $5,800) and we need to fix it soon. The pipe OUTSIDE our house is collapsing (read: $6,000) and we need to replace it. After spending almost $4,000 on this emergency repair I was a little shell shocked.

I have been very dejected from all this. DH has been working so hard during this outage and I have been handling all the communication with the plumber. I was mortified to find out that we needed $11,000 worth of work done. I was scared and depressed.

DH came home yesterday and gave me a big hug. We talked about the situation. The inside pipe can wait for a while. The only pipe they were talking about was from the floor drains in the storage side of the basement and the laundry sink. (NOT all the plumbing in the house) The inside repairs can wait. (Praise the Lord) As for the outside repairs, we will get a second opinion. DH has received a reputable plumber's name from one of the guys he works with. This co-worker was born and raised in this community and his family is very involved. He is a GREAT source for recommendations.

For now, we have the emergency fixed, the pipe has been replaced and the hole has been filled with new concrete. We can use the "facilities" as well as the dishwasher and laundry. We can wait until we get a second estimate for the outside work and save for the rest of the inside work.

I am so much more peaceful. I was trying to stay my mind on the promise of God "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28. I love God, I am called, I must trust in Him to work things together for good.

As I was digesting that the family room carpet would have to be torn up for the jackhammer to get in there I thought about the fact that I was so disappointed when we couldn't re-carpet the basement when we first moved in two years ago. We have this harsh RED carpet in there right now. There is NO padding left and it is cold because of the concrete beneath it. Now I see the "work together for good" in that situation. We would have had to tear up the new carpet to fix this problem if we had gone in debt to put the carpet in the family room. "Thank you God, you knew this was coming and made it less painful by 'working together for good'."

Well, I will post on my weekend later, including pictures, but for right now I am going to listen to some calm music and thank God for His love and care for my family.

"Success Breeds Success"

2007-03-03T12:16:00.000-05:00

This is what my mother would say to me when I would complain about having to do some little chore around the house when there were "bigger" things to be done.

Success Breeds Success = Faithful in least, faithful in much

That's right ladies...TWO stars now! And today has started off strong. DH said that on the weekends as long as I am up before 7 A.M. and get the rest of the things accomplished I can consider my Morning Routine successful. I was up at around 6:30 and have been running ever since. I took a break for a little while and watched "Nanny McPhee" on TV. So cute, it's like Mary Poppins with a little "umph."

Now I have more chores to get accomplished and some errands to run.

DH is working today and this week is going to be rough for him. He is the Engineer at a Natural Gas & Steam (called Combined Cycle) power plant and they are having an "outage" right now. Basically, they shut everything down, open things up and then they deep clean, repair, modify or overhaul everything and get everything up a running again. A LOT of long, hard days lay ahead and I know I will need to be on top of my game (so to speak) to keep everything peaceful. DH said there were three things he would like for me to focus on this week.

• Peaceful & Tidy Home
• Laundry Done
• Iced Tea ready when he gets home

He would also like simple meals that can be reheated if necessary. I think this week will be a time for cassaroles. I only have ONE in my repetoire (Shepherds Pie) so I guess I better do some digging. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

This is going to be a great week for me to work on my Husband Keeping skills :)

Ultimate Blog Party

2007-03-03T12:08:00.000-05:00

I added the Ultimate Blog Party banner on my blog. I didn't read up on it to see if I have to do something specific or just invite y'all over to my blog and introduce myself.

My name is Rean Day. I am a non-denominational Christian, born again of God's spirit and working to live my life according to his matchless Word. I live in SW PA and have been married to a wonderful Mr. Steady for almost 5 years. DH is an Engineer and is always helping me see the logical/practical side of things. I have always dreamed of being a SAHM but so far DH and I are childless. I would love to be a SAHW but I am having some struggles with leaving the work force. This blog has become almost a journal of my progress and decision making "sounding board." I love the community that I have found online. I am meeting so many woman who have the same desires I do and are leading as examples. I would love to get to know more and more of you as the days go by.

I guess that is a little about me. I will have to take a tour of the "Party Scene" and say hey to all of you too!

Pleased to meet you.
Rean Day

My Routines

2007-03-02T14:33:00.000-05:00

As I stated yesterday, I am focusing on establishing routines in my life. This is something I learned but never implemented from Flylady but was further encouraged by an article on Survival Basics by Large Family Logistics.

Here is my Morning Routine:

This is what I am to get accomplished before I leave for work at 8:40 A.M. One thing that has made my "Read the Word for 15 min" easier is this program. It really helps to have the definitions of words right at my fingertips. I enjoy reading my Bible in a big comfy chair, but sometimes I need more focused study in the mornings.

Here is my Evening Routine:

This routines starts when I get home. It is mainly a list of things I need to do before going to bed. I may expand on these routines at a later time but for right now they are posted on my bathroom mirror where I can see them everytime I go in that room.

You can see the reflection of our shower curtain in the mirror. The wallpaper is really bold 70s but I've tried to "go with the flow" and keep with the green/yellow color scheme until we can redo the bathroom.

My goal is complete my routines (both Evening and Morning) everyday for one whole month with no skipped days! So far March is looking good.

Can you see the sparkle? Here's a close-up.

YEA!!! I am so proud of me. One thing I am able to shift from Evening to Morning is the "Put laundry in dryer" I can do this before I leave for the day, then I just fluff them in the evening and put them away.

I am blessed I am making these routines work for me.

Focus and Shining Stars

2007-03-01T10:16:00.000-05:00

I wish I could remember where I got this little picture. It really blesses me. If anyone recognizes it, please let me know, I want to give credit where credit is due!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shame on me for taking so long between posts!

I have been under the weather this past week. I believe I came down with the stomach bug so many people were talking about. I am grateful to be feeling much much better today.

Work is going ok. I have been so unfocused lately. I know part of it is because I have not been putting my full heart into my job. As much as I want to be home full time I know I have a responsibility to my Heavenly Father to represent Him in ALL that I do. Yes, even my full-time, away from home, mentally exhausting, secular, exciting, rewarding job.

DH and I talked last night about my lack of focus at work and my desire to be home full-time. We decided that until I get my Morning and Evening Routines down for a month I shouldn't even think about quitting to come home. I need to set myself up for success and establishing those routines is the way I can do this. I will do a separate post on my routines. I have silver stars I will be posting on my calendar at the end of every day to show myself I am accomplishing my goals.

I am so very thankful to have a problem-solving, sweet and loving supportive husband.

I feel all shiny inside!! It's time to make my calendar shiny too!

Presidents Day - A Day of Focus

2007-02-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

Well, I was planning on doing this post yesterday but I got too wrapped up in the day.

I am always so thankful when I have a day off of work when DH will be working. I am able, on days such as this, to feel connected with my home and see it in a new light.

I was enjoying my lunch in the basement family room while I watched a show which had been recorded on TIVO and I lifted my eyes to see sun shining through the little half window above the couch. I suddenly realized I had never noticed the sun in this room. I am working so much I haven't even had the joy of seeing how the sun hits the upright piano on a sunny afternoon. I cried, both for joy and for sorrow. I am so out of touch with my home I don't even know its inner workings. I am so blessed I was able to witness this moment of clarity and enlightenment. It reminded me of one of my favorite hymns.

Open My Eyes

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.

Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.

I was able to focus on my home yesterday. I threw open the windows in the master bedroom and the bathroom. Opened the door from the kitchen to the screened in porch (much to the joy of Spaz who ran out immediately and basked in the sun rays on the porch swing) as well as the front door to let the light in. I put on a sweatshirt to keep myself warm from the cool air coming in and put myself to work.

I cleaned the bathroom in detail, so nice to have a shiny bathroom.
I washed a load of laundry as well as dried and put away.
I emptied ALL trash cans for the garbage men to haul away (they don't have Presidents Day off)
I cleaned out my fridge
I loaded my dishwasher
I shovelled my front porch and driveway
I read Little Homes and Big Heart
I made dinner
I greeted my DH who came home at 3:30 to pack a suitcase for his trip
I prayed with DH for a safe drive and profitable week
I closed up the windows, lit some yummy candles;
Took a nice hot shower in my nice clean bathroom and snuggled into my freshly made bed to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.

After all I accomplished yesterday and the eye opening fact that I CAN accomplish things at home all day I am much much closer to deciding to come home to stay. I have established routines for my daily life now and can see the benefit of being a SAHW. I am becoming more convinced I can overcome the fears and apprehensions I listed before in this post.

I am excited to see the progress I am making.

Terra Cotta - Great for Pots, Not for Pipes

2007-02-13T15:28:00.000-05:00

DH and I had noticed an "off" smell in our home. As soon as you walked in the door, it smelt as if I had broccoli sitting in the closet, just waiting to be found. After you left the entryway it disappeared and only reappeared as you opened the door to head down to the basement family room and laundry.

I have searched for 2 or more weeks for the source of the smell. I cleaned throughout the house. Found my nephew's lost car and my nieces Christmas gift (don't ask) but no broccoli, no dead animal, no "foreign objects" anywhere.

In deep frustration I spoke to my dearest friend and her family. They suggested the possibility that something had crawled in my heater vent system and died. Eeek! I was going to call the duct cleaners when the smell disappeared last week. I thought we were home free. DH was out of town last week and things were nice and quiet. On Friday I did a load of laundry and left for work. When I arrived home the smell was BACK!!! "Oh for heaven's sake!!" I exclaimed to my befuddled husband who had just arrived home from a loooonnng drive. I had wanted the house nice and fresh with the laundry done when he came home.

Long story longer, we have terra cotta pipes running from our home to the sewer line and they have shifted and collected "gunk" along the way. Doing laundry was the culprit. After $600.00 worth of "Hydroscrubbing" (read pressure washing) we can now do our laundry, take a shower and run the dishwasher among the other normal activities. We cannot, however, leave the terra cotta in the ground the way it is. We have another appointment with the plumber to determine how much time and money it will take to replace the pipe so we aren't seeping into the soil around our home.

I guess I will have to plant my tomatoes in Terra Cotta pots instead of in the ground this year. It's a good thing terra cotta is good for pots!

Full Week and a Fun Weekend

2007-02-11T20:18:00.000-05:00

I have been out of the blogsphere for a about a week now. DH was out of town for a week so I was enjoying a little down time from the internet as well. I have been focusing on my current job as well as working on my home. I found I was so focused on wanting to be at home, I was shirking some of my duties at the office. I decided that "Whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord" applies in ALL situations so I took some time to commit to the office. It is difficult "serving two masters" but I need to remember to do my best in both arenas until I make the decision as to becoming a SAHW.

I have also been working on researching and journaling my desire to be a SAHW. The resources everyone provided for me to utilize in the comment section of My Passion to be a SAHW post. I was avoiding posting until I could post some of my notes from my study. I realized I was procrastinating and decided to just post!! : D

DH got home Friday night and we picked up his niece (11) and nephew (9) on Saturday. We spent the day at the Science Museum and enjoyed a Laser Light Show that night in the planetarium. They spent the night and DH's Brother and Sister-in-law came to pick the kids up today. We had such a fun time. We played "Guitar Hero" on the Playstation 2 and had fun with Yahtzee too. I made sweet cream biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast and had hot dogs with macaroni and cheese for lunch.

What a fun time. I love having kids over. DH and I love to spoil them and laugh with them and teach them while they are here. When we were playing Yahtzee, which neither of them had played before, we were able to talk about math and decision making (as far as whether to use a three-of-a-kind or go for the Yahtzee).

I have been doing really well with a Morning and Bedtime routine. I will do a separate post on the progress I have made. Just know I HAVE MADE PROGRESS!!! Yay!!

I'm a WINNER!!

2007-01-30T13:04:00.000-05:00

I feel so blessed to have accomplished so much this past week. I did my daily check of my favorite websites/blogs and guess what?!!

I WON!!

I was surprised to see that Mrs. Wilt pulled my name out of her lovely straw hat and I was chosen for the Monday Anti-Procrastination challenge winner.

I was astonished to find out that I was also the GRAND PRIZE winner!! I am so blessed.

Honestly I am more blessed about the exposure my last post might get from winning. I am so looking forward to hearing from you wonderful ladies and getting some great resources for my journey back home. I have already met so many new "kindred spirits" that I am just tickled pink!!

Thank you Mrs. Wilt. Thank you for your encouragement and cheerful attitude. I am believing to accomplish many more tasks which I have been procrastinating for far too long.

God Bless each and every one of you lovely ladies who have already provided such encouraging comments and offered your beloved hand of friendship.

Too blessed for words,
Rean Day

My Passion to be a SAHW and a Request for Help at the End

2007-01-29T16:19:00.000-05:00

For a very long time I have longed to be a wife and mother. I have never had an intense desire to have a career. I attended college for 2 semesters and the best thing that came from my college experience was meeting my DH online.

DH proposed about 4 years later and I accepted. We were married in 2002.

Before our wedding, we learned DH had the opportunity to take a job in SW Pennsylvania, close to where his family lives.

We were moving! We moved almost one month after we were wed. I was raised in a military home and was used to moving. I was truly excited about the prospect of a new, fresh start as husband and wife in a new town.

DH had a good job and financially I didn’t need to work. FINALLY my time had come. I was going to be a SAHW and certainly, within a couple of years, we would be bringing our first child into the world.

As is so often the case, life did not go as planned. That first year I stayed home and expected to know EVERYTHING I need to take care of DH and our home. I expected to become my mother when that ring went on my finger. I was disappointed in my inability to focus on our home and our inability to have a child. I was unable to take care of my home, uncaring about my appearance, and downright FRUMPY.

It was hard not knowing anyone nearby. It was hard only having one vehicle, which husband took to work. That first year at his job he was working 80 hours a week. He was exhausted when he came home and I was miserable. After talking it through we decided I should try to find a part-time job, just to help me get out of the house and the ever present funk I was in. We bought a second vehicle and I put in for any part-time secretarial position I could find.

Flash forward 4 years. I am working 40 hours a week. We have our own home now and I have matured greatly from where I was 5 years ago. And now…

I WANT TO COME HOME!!! I want to be a SAHW. We understand it will take more financial and emotional effort to have a child (due to fertility problems). We understand it may never happen. I am willing to accept that (for now). I don’t have the empty feeling inside anymore. I know I am to be FIRST AND FOREMOST a helpmeet to my husband.

I am anxious and I need to be sure about my decision. DH will support me either way. He understands my desire to be at home and truly, I think he would prefer it. He does not, however, want the old frumpy wife again. Thus, I need to be sure about my decision.

We talked about it about a month ago and DH had some valid points. This is what I am working on right now.

These are the components DH has witnessed I need in my life to be happy and productive.

• Social interaction;
• Sense of purpose;
• Accountability;
• Being a contributing member of society; and
• Being challenged by my work.

I have all these things at my job and DH wants me to figure out how I will be able to find them at home or, if I can't find them, how will I supplement them.

I need to reason it through and identify where these components will come from. DH can’t provide a lot of them because he works ~ 12 hours a day.

I need to study each component in the Word to see where biblical women got these things.

Thanks so much for reading this. It was more about putting it in writing than anything.

I am not looking for counsel. I want to make that clear. I know that this is our family’s decision.

I am simply looking for the right avenues to research. I want to be able to make a decision on this by summer of this year and I just thought I could get some good resources from you all.

I have a wonderful woman who is our Fellowship Coordinator’s wife. She is wonderful to bounce thoughts off of. I just thought I would take advantage of the on-line community and any input you might have about books or simply records to look at in the Bible. I am currently reading through Ruth and noting (where I can) where Ruth received her support and all of those things listed.

Thanks so very much.

Anti-Procrastination - Monday

2007-01-29T10:07:00.000-05:00

First off, let me say I have truly enjoyed this challenge. This past week has been very productive and has really blessed me. I love meeting all the ladies who are also participating in the challenges and I love how we encouraged one another this past week.

Just so everyone knows, I did finally get my laundry put away. It is nice to have so many clothes to choose from and also very eye-opening. I have A LOT of clothes. It might be time to reduce the number of clothes I have in the closet. We almost ran out of hangers with all the clothes clean and put away!! LOL

So, my mission for today, Monday, January 29th, 2007 is...Work on the post that has been in my head and drafted for some time. It is a difficult one to articulate but I need to have it in writing. Especially if I want to get some advice from you wonderful SAHWs and SAHMs.

Hopefully I can get that done after lunch and tidy up the Living Room before DH and I have to leave for our Biblical Research class tonight.

Anti-Procrastination - Saturday

2007-01-27T22:44:00.000-05:00

DH and I had a Biblical Research class to go to this evening but before we had class DH took me out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants Don Pablos. It was so nice just having the time to eat together and share how our week went. Then we went over to Borders so I could do one of my favorite things...browse for books. DH stayed in the van and took a little rest. He was blessed to get some rest before class and I was blessed because I got to look at some books. Then we had class. We sat next to each other and shared little glances when something taught caught our attention. It was really a blessing.

I am so blessed to have a DH who loves God with his whole heart!!

Mission (sorta) Accomplished

2007-01-27T22:34:00.000-05:00

Ok, Laundry is in process. I have all but one washed, dried and folded. I just have to put them away. I can finish that tommorrow. I did however sort out the clothes which had been thrown on top of the closet. It seems the shelf only collected summer clothes that were not being used (since it's winter). I folded them all up and put them in my BIG L.L. Bean Bag for storage. If DH has to go out of town to someplace warm this winter, all I have to do is pull that bag down and pull out the clothes. So, I did get something accomplished.

Here's another cute picture of my kitty Spaz and his favorite place to rest...MY COMPUTER!!

Awww, isn't he cute (the rascal).

Anti-Procrastination Challenge - Friday

2007-01-26T10:15:00.000-05:00

Well ladies, I am proud to say that I have been very faithful to maintaining those things which I have already accomplished. I have not been very faithful to this one thing...which is why it is my mission for today.

Today's mission is...

LAUNDRY (DAH DAH DAHHHHH)

Our laundry room is simply a part of the basement. Also in the basement is our family room. DH and I have TIVO and I have some programs saved from November that I would like to watch. DH is out of town today, I'm not sure exactly what time he'll be home. I will take the laundry down and enjoy my programs while I process the laundry. It should only take this evening. Maybe a little of tommorrow. We have a Biblical Research class this weekend and next week too so tonight is my only real opportunity to get the laundry done.

The nice thing about doing it this way is that I will be able to tidy up downstairs too. Two-for-one today!!

Thursday Mission - ACCOMPLISHED

2007-01-26T09:54:00.000-05:00

Not only did I put all the presents and decorations where they belonged, I also dropped off a box of old magazines to the Middle School near where I live. I dropped off some a few months ago and called the librarian again and asked if they would want more. She said the teachers LOVED all the home decorating magazines I gave them. She definately wanted the other ones I had to give away. She was so excited!! LOL, I was happy to get rid of them in a better way than the trash or recycling bin.

So, I finished up the box of presents. I was coming around the corner with my camera to take a picture of the empty box...but there was something (someone) in it!!

Mrs. B - your comment was RIGHT ON.

"I bet the kitty is thinking....'I wish she'd empty this box so I could sleep in it!' LOL (o;"

Well, I got everything put away and I kept the dining room table clean and I processed the mail as soon as I walked in the door. This anti-procrastination thing is pretty cool.

Procrastination Challenge - Thursday

2007-01-25T10:52:00.000-05:00

So todays Anti-Procrastination Challenge is to get the holiday decorations and presents put away. We brought all of our presents back from Tennessee (where we celebrated the holidays) in this box:

We have shifted stuff around in this box, taken things out of this box, put them back into this box...it is time to put everything in its rightful home.

Even Spaz (our kitty) is tired of looking at this box.

Any comments on what he could be thinking?

Wednesday Mission Accomplished

2007-01-25T08:10:00.000-05:00

I was going to just add on to my original post but I decided not to. I worked very hard yesterday to get everything straightened out. Following is a picture "diary" of my process.

I started out with 3 files...

I worked for a while and then broke for lunch...Salmon and salad...Yum-O

After I finished eating...I finished sorting.

Does anyone else see which file is DRAMATICALLY more full? Sheesh, I could have prevented much torment and procrastination if I had just thrown out the JUNK!!!

Now the mail was gone but the dining room table was still a mess.

So, I cleaned it up too. Yay ME!!!!

WHEW...all done, that feels really good. Now I can move on to Thursday's Challenge.

Procrastination Challenge - Wednesday

2007-01-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

Ok, here is my Anti-Procrastination Mission for today.

Todays mission is to (drum roll please...) SORT THE MAIL!!!!

DH gets paid once a month and we have automatic bill payment through our bank. We do our budget once a month and then edit it by using our on-line banking. Due to the fact that our bills get paid automatically, we tend to just pile up the mail and not even look at it. This is something I know we need to change. We need to find some sort of "filing" system for our incoming mail. I have tried separate file folders labeled "TO DO", "TO READ", "TO FILE". but they didn't get used. I'm not sure what we need to do in the long run, however, I KNOW I need to go through all the junk mail, bills (which are already paid but they still send us paper copies), magazines, and tax information.

Whew, that is going to be quite a bit of work if I actually file things away where they need to go, which I am planning on doing. Plus I have my Financial Peace University class tonight. I guess I better plan on going home for lunch so I can get started on this mission!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I went home for lunch and after making a delicious salad, heating up my chili (Yum) and eating it all up I didn't have time to work on my mail...I did, however, take a before picture.

OH THE HORROR---THE SHAME

I decided that I would be quite honest with these challenges. I need to be accountable and who better to be accountable to than my fellow Procrastinators!! LOL I can't wait to have an AFTER photo!! Something to strive for.

Anti-Procrastination Challenge - Tuesday

2007-01-23T15:32:00.000-05:00

Today over at Sparrow's Nest, Mrs. Wilt started an Anti-Procrastination Challenge. I have so many things that need to get done in my home that I KNEW I could do this challenge.

Today's challenge is to hem my DH's pants. He has two pairs of jeans and one pair of pajama bottoms that need hemmed and I know I can take 2 inches off those pants! Really, how hard can it be? I need to remember to allow for the folded in edge at the bottom of the jeans. I guess that means I need to cut off 1 & 1/2 inches and fold over 1/4 and then 1/4 again. If there are any ladies who read this and can confirm or deny that this is true I would appreciate it.

Do I need a special needle in my sewing machine to sew jeans? Hmm, something else to think about. No matter, it needs to be done and therefore, it is my Anti-Procrastination mission today.

I must remember to stay focused on that particular task and not get sidetracked. I think that in itself will be a victory!! LOL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EDITED ON 1/24/06 TO ADD

Ok, I got the two pairs of jeans done. I still have the pajama bottoms but I will get those done this evening. DH was soooo proud of me. They don't look professional or anything and I only broke one sewing machine needle (I knew I should take the pins out as I went) but they are finished and I saved us $12.00. (That's how much it cost to get them hemmed before ($6.00 each).) Life is good. I accomplished something I have never done before!! Yea ME!!

Here's a Picture of the finished product:

A Change of Scenery

2007-01-17T09:52:00.000-05:00

The title obviously refers to the changes I have made to my Blog layout. The rest of this post is titled:

A SWEET REMINDER OF WHAT IT IS TO BE LOVED

This past weekend I was really blessed to be a part of the “Couples Advance” with my Bible fellowship. There were 8 couples at different stages of their relationships (some just dating, some engaged, some married under 5 years, and some over 20). It was really fun learning about what the Bible says about the marriage relationship.

I think the best part of the Advance was the activities we did. I received permission from DH to share some of our findings.

One activity was to Write down 5 things you would like to do with your spouse. This was an eye-opener for both of us because we really agreed on these five things:

• Focus on activities/attractions available in our area during “date night” (instead of just meals and movies)
• Visit/fellowship more with friends
• Focus on healthy meals/exercise together
• Spend more time with family – build stronger relationships
• Spend more time on home improvement projects together

This was cool because when we got to the third one DH suggested it. I am so excited that he would like to do this together. I have been talking about walking together after dinner or on the weekends. Just being more physical in our activities instead of just “dinner and a movie.”

That activity we worked on together and got the five things together. This next activity was one we did individually and then shared what we wrote. This was so awesome because DH and I got the exact same answers in the exact same order!!!! Talk about being like-minded.

List 3 things you are thankful to God for in your relationship.

• Our communication
• Our true FRIENDSHIP
• Our family ties, the fact that we have great relationships with our families.

Isn’t that AWESOME!?

DH and I had a really fun time. It really opened up a lot of opportunity for discussion in our marriage. We truly love each other and most importantly we love God and His Word above all else.

Truly I am a blessed woman.

A Rough Start to A Happy New Year

2007-01-11T14:53:00.000-05:00

I know it is a little late, however, I wanted to wish everyone HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

DH and I started our new year with an unfortunate event. DH's Grandmother passed away on 12/31/06. The first week of the new year was spent with family, mourning the loss of a dear dear woman. One of the nicest things said that week was that it didn't matter if you were family, friend, or stranger; Grandma Day was Grandma Day to everyone.

DH and I talked about so many of the fun times and fond memories we have of Grandma. He remembers picking blueberries at her farm to make jam or pie and eating more than he brought back to Grandma. He spent a couple weeks every summer with his Grandparents and he fondly recalls events, meals, stories and love from those times.

It made me realize that it wasn't uncommon for grandchildren to go for a week or two in the summer to visit with grandparents. How times have changed. It seems such a chore to go anywhere anymore, let alone plan a week-long vacation. Children are so involved in activities that they don't have a free weekend to visit an Aunt or Grandmother.

DH and I have decided to put ourselves out there more for our nieces and nephews (and my brothers). We are being much more vocal about our desire to have the kids over for a weekend. I think (in general) many parents view their children as a burden to lay on someone else to handle, when truly they are a JOY!! DH and I spent Thanksgiving with a house FULL of children and we had SO MUCH FUN.

In July my parents are celebrating 30 years of marriage. After the party, DH and I are planning on keeping my brothers for a WHOLE WEEK so my parents can go on a second honeymoon!! I can't wait. I love having my brothers around. In February we are watching our niece and nephew while DH's Brother and Sister-in-law spend some quality time alone. Again, I can't wait.

Hopefully we will be able to convince our family (and friends) that DH and I truly do enjoy "babysitting."

Pictures of Spazmanian Devil (Spaz for short)

2006-12-21T19:01:00.000-05:00

Isn't he SWEET!!! Now here's one of him in all his glory.

Kitten's new name

2006-11-30T10:15:00.000-05:00

Well, our little girl kitten who turned out to be our little boy kitten has finally had a name change. Originally named Kharisse (Greek for grace) he has been renamed to Spazmanian Devil or Spaz for short.

This name comes after much deliberation and many possibilities. One name which was in contention was Chewy. Such a name was a very proper description of his horrible habit of chewing on things. (Shoes, couches, people...etc.) However, it was determined that due to the fact he is still only a few months old and we believe he will grow out of this habit, the name would not make much sense.

Spaz was originally determined by my brother Michael (Chewy was David's preference) but the full name of Spazmanian Devil was discovered by Suzanne, a wonderfully creative young woman who was staying with us for the weekend.

This proclamation is to officially name "Little Boy Cat" to "Spazmanian Devil."

SO PROCLAIMED!

You know you are the talk of the medical community when...

2006-11-17T10:51:00.000-05:00

I have, what appears to be, your average ordinary head cold. Normally I could handle the weary, congested, light-headedness of it all but here is why its getting to me so hard...

Approximately 3 weeks ago I went to the doctor. I wasn't feeling particularly bad, except for the fact that the entire right side of my face was swollen! My eye had been swollen shut every morning for at least a week before I went to see the doctor. Following is the conversation which transpired:

After feeling around my ear and eye, "Your lymph nodes are swollen, have you ever had the mumps?"

"No, I had the shot when I was little though"

"What about Mononucleosis?"

"I had that when I was 12 years old, really bad case too. I missed the whole summer because of it."

After referring to his textbooks for a couple of minutes. "Any fever or vomiting?"

"Uh, no. I feel fine except for the fact that my head is swollen and I can't see straight"

"We could test you for Mono again...you could have reactivated it somehow."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Fine, test me for Mono. That still doesn't explain the swollen eye though does it?"

"They could be entirely unrelated. You could just have pink eye."

"Dude. Are you telling me that I could have contracted 'reactivated Mono' and 'pink eye' at the same time?"

Chuckling, "It is entirely possible. It still doesn't add up though. Have you changed anything in the last month or so? New laundry detergent, soap, diet?"

"Nope. Pretty consistent with all that stuff."

"Hmmm"

"We did get a cat about 6 weeks ago but I'm not allergic to cats."

Eyes as big as teacup saucers, "Reeeeaaaalllyy. How old is the cat?"

"Maybe three months old. Why?"

"Frisky?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your cat, is it frisky? Scratch and bite and all that?"

"Of course, basically looked like a Med school drop out was practicing stitch techniques on my arm."

"Your right arm?"

"Yeah, pretty much only my right arm, that's the one I use to play with the cat."

*Deep chuckle, pulling out his prescription notepad* "Ok, we'll test you for Mono but I'm 98% sure you have Cat Scratch Disease." *Chuckle Chuckle*

"WHAT???!!! Like the song?"

*Chuckle Chuckle*

"You're saying I have Cat Scratch Disease, Conjunctivitis, and possibly 'reactivated' Mono?"

*Chuckle Chuckle* "Yep, you're a regular smogasborg of interesting diagnostics" (no doubt referring to my x-ray noted in my ABC Meme)

So I left the Doctor's office with a prescription for some strong antibiotics, a new found distate for my innocent little kitten, and a Ted Nugent song circling around and around my head.

Two weeks later they called to tell me that I do indeed have "reactivated" Mono and that I should avoid any situations where I would be punched in my stomach. I guess I won't be taking those cannonball gut shots I was so looking forward to.

AND NOW...A HEAD COLD!!!!!

They should just put me in the hospital to research how many diagnoses one human being can actually have in one month. Sheesh

ABC Meme

2006-11-15T14:38:00.000-05:00

Emma from Diary of a Young Wife posted an ABC Meme a long time ago. I was reading her archives and I thought it looked fun. So, "drum roll please" here is my first ever Meme.

Accent: I was a military brat growing up so I wasn't in any one place long enough to pick up an accent! Then DH and I moved to the Pittsburgh area. Now I guess I have a little Pittsburghese going on.

Bible book I like best: The Epistles: Romans through Thessalonians. They really lay out the heart and desire for God's people in this day and time.

Chore I Don't Care For: Dishes. Thankfully, DH likes to take care of them. He likes them because they are a quick chore (we have a dishwasher). I just don't like them, I don't know why.

Dog or Cat: Cat. Kharisse (Greek for Grace). At least that was "her" name until we found out that "she" was a "he." Now we have to figure out a new name for "him."

Essential Electronics: Laptop and Cell Phone. I simply don't know what I would do without my cell phone, didn't I always have one? LOL

Favorite Cologne(s): Omni by Bulova. Although I can't wear it because my DH has such bad allergies to cologne. We haven't found any cologne that he can tolerate.

Gold or Silver: Gold, the color of my wedding band and the predominant color in my favorite time of year...Autumn.

Handbag I carry most often: Vera Bradley - Petal Pink - Betsy Bag. It matches absolutely NOTHING and therefore it matches absolutely EVERYTHING!! I probably need to find a nice Autumn/Winter purse but I just can't imagine puting my Vera Bradley away. Maybe a new Vera in a different color...I will have to see.

Insomnia: It depends on whether I had caffine after 1 P.M. If I did, then I absolutely have insomnia. If not then no I don't.

Job Title: Legal Secretary - Awesome bosses but I would much rather be a full-time homemaker. However, I tried that and I was a horrible failure at it...This is the current enigma in my life, is the grass actually greener on the other side or do I just imagine it is. Am I cut out for being a stay-at-home wife? I just don't know.

Kids: No, we are believing for them. Until then, we are just enjoying each other and our recently adopted kitten.

Living arrangements: A sweet little (at least by outward appearances) Cape Cod style home with 4 bedrooms (2 of which are HUGE); 2 Bathrooms; Livingroom; Diningroom; Kitchen; Screened in porch; Full basement, 1/2 finished and a decent little postage stamp yard in the "Burbs." Recently purchased (about a year and a half ago) and in the process of redecorating/refinishing. Thus the desire to be a stay-at-home wife...there is A LOT to do.

Most admirable trait: I am a good listener. I have been told I have a very patient and loving attitude.

Naughtiest childhood behaviour: Lying. I was a horrible liar. It is not something I am proud of, but it is true. I still struggle with lying, its the little things that get me sometimes.

Overnight hospital stays: None other then when I was born.

Phobias: None really. I don't like being alone. Not to the extent of a "phobia" though.

Quote: "This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is important, because I'm exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil; success, not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for it." Robert E. Eberly (1918-2004)

Religion: Non-denominational Christian.

Siblings: 3 brothers (Mike, 16; Timothy, 12; and David, 9)

Time I wake up: 6:45 or 7:45, depending on how tired I am (usually dependant on what time I went to bed!)

Unusual talent or skill: I can cross one of my eyes without crossing the other (all of my brothers can do this but neither of my parents can).

Vegetable I refuse to eat: Asparagus. We have a love-hate relationship. I know its really good for me, and I try it everytime it is served (not by me!), but I can't handle the texture.

Worst habit: Not finishing what I start. For example. I own a high quality banjo and took lessons for almost a year...it is now residing in my coat closet. I took a book binding class and really enjoyed it. I have all the supplies to make my own books but have not made a single one! I took a beginning sewing class. I loved the class and could see myself sewing a skirt for myself to wear...I have not touched my sewing machine since the class. I have probably 25 journals of different sizes and colors...I have not written in any of them. And so on and so forth.

X-rays: Many. My most memorable was the one I had when they thought I had something seriously wrong with my digestive tract. Then the x-ray showed I was just "backed up"! LOL, my Dr. got a kick out of that one, so did my DH. I was just thankful it wasn't something more serious. At least now I can laugh about it...at least a little bit.

Yummy stuff I cook: Lemon Rosemary Salmon (that's my favorite), Shephards pie (that's DH's favorite), Baklava (I cooked it once while learning it from DH's Aunt, it was excellent...another "unfinished" project), Choco-nut dainties (a tradition in my family for holiday cookies)

Zoo animal I like most: Pygmy Hippopotomus. It is such a oxymoron of a name. Plus on the first date with my DH, we went to the zoo and had a lot of fun putting voices to the animals. One of my favorites was when we say the Pygmy and there was a beautiful storklike bird on the rail near the hippo. He kept switching legs and DH kept saying "look what I can do...I'm way more interesting than that ol' hippo, it's not even a REAL hippo..." I guess you had to be there, but that is why.

And now you know more than you ever wanted to, I'm sure!!

Femininity Challenge

2006-11-14T10:03:00.000-05:00

Emma at Charming the Birds from the Trees Posted a Femininity Challenge on her blog on Sunday. I thought it would be fun to see what I can come up with to be more feminine.

Today I wore a skirt and a soft sweater. I will braid my hair (when it dries a little more...VERY thick hair) and then I will take a picture to post here on the blog. That is my feminine effort today. This should be fun.

EDITED TO ADD: Ok, DH wasn't home to take my picture and I don't have a full-length mirror to do a self-portrait, so you will just have to believe me when I say...I looked mahvolus.

I've been thinking...

2006-09-07T10:21:00.000-04:00

I realized today that I check other people's blogs multiple times a day and yet I don't update mine regularly. I think this is the same situation I have with watching Home & Garden television and my home & garden are in disarray. I am always looking at what other people are up to and not focused on myself.

This concerns me!!

I have a lot to offer in this life and I seem to be focused on others instead of my own life. It reminds me of Rise & Expansion in the book of Acts. When there was RISE in people's lives, there as EXPANSION for the movement of the Word. What am I doing to RISE in my own life?

Starting today I am going to comment on the books I read, the Word I have studied, and the movies I have enjoyed. There is a lot going on in my life not anything CRAZY, but still, I am busy doing something and I can write that stuff down here. That way I can check my OWN blog multiple times a day and see my own life from a different point of view!

Sounds like a plan.

My Vacation

2006-07-25T13:42:00.000-04:00

Ok, I thought of something else I could Blog about. DH and I went on a cruise in May. It was AWESOME. We went to Costa Maya, Mexico; Grand Cayman Island; and Jamaica. We were "unplugged" for 7 days. That was so nice! I think Grand Cayman Island was my favorite for the beaches.

Yes that is me in the distance, very tropical nes' pa? Not a very good "beach" but this was the original docking station for the pirates and the water is beautiful! When we were at the actual beach we were to much in the water and not taking pictures!!

Jamaica was my favorite for the enviroment.

Mexico was my least favorite but it was still great for...TEQUILA!!!
Yes that is a whole store dedicated to different kinds of Tequila. We might have bought one of everything! (not really)

Ok, so there are some highlights from the ports of call. The ship will have to be a totally different entry...I'll just say, AMAZING!

Rean

Long Time No Blog

2006-07-25T13:38:00.000-04:00

Rean's Hope Chest

Well, I suppose since this is my own personal blog I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do...kinda.

Life has been hectic around here. DH is working very hard and some long hours (12-14 hours/day). My job is very busy too. It seems there are a lot of people who need legal help! It makes me need MENTAL help!! LOL

It is nice to have summer here after such a weird winter. At least summer is predictable (hot, hot, hot). Unfortunately our plans to work on the outside of our new home have not come into fruition. Our "landscaping" is pitiful. I trimmed our buses out front and that has helped but weeding should be a priority.

I want to learn more about plants and the like, I just haven't taken the time to try anything. We bought some hanging plants for our screened in back porch but I wasn't faithful to water them and they are dead. No, dead isn't the right word...they are dust!

In my previous post on My Morning Focus I talked about getting up earlier in the morning. Well, I did pretty good for about a month and then fell back into old habits. I have started getting up in the morning now when DH gets up (around 6AM or so) and then I go do Yoga.

Holy smokes, I forgot how painful that can be! I have to do a lot of modified poses because of my weight but at least I am doing it. I have done it for 3 days now (Thursday, Friday, and Monday). I had to skip this morning because DH didn't get up until 7:15 because he had a breakfast meeting in town and I stayed in bed with him. My Yoga takes an hour and I wouldn't have time to shower and get ready for work at that point. I still got up when he did though! :)

Well, I guess that's all I have to say for now. We just got DSL service at work so I don't feel bad using the Internet on my breaks. I might post more often now, but who knows, I might not! LOL

Interesting Quiz

2006-03-23T15:33:00.000-05:00

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.

Emergent/Postmodern

71%

Fundamentalist

68%

Modern Liberal

61%

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

61%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

61%

Reformed Evangelical

43%

Neo orthodox

29%

Classical Liberal

25%

Roman Catholic

What's your theological worldview?
created with QuizFarm.com

It says what I thought it would. I am pretty much even keeled. Of course, just taking a quiz won't put me strictly in one catagory or another. It was interesting to see that my results were all pretty close. I guess I am an accepting individual!!

New Furniture

2006-03-17T22:01:00.000-05:00

Rean's Hope Chest

I am sitting, this very moment, in a nice big comfy chair, feet on an ottoman, typing on my laptop in my living room. This is a wonderful day because: 1) we were sitting on a futon which was rather awkward (we had to prop pillows up behind us just to not be laying down!) and 2) we did it without going into debt! We saved for a while for furniture and were almost there when we found out we were getting some big $$ back on our taxes (I guess that's what you get when you buy a house on 20% down). I am so syked!

I will have to take a picture and post it here.

We also have a dining room table (we were eating off of a fiberglass folding table covered by a picnic table tablecloth), 6 chairs and a buffet with lots of storage for linens and candles and such! We got these from our wonderful fellowship coordinators. They were moving their office into the room they had been using as a dining room. They decided they eat all their meals at the kitchen table anyway so they are going to convert that area into an office. They offered the furniture to us for FREE!!! Isn't God great!! We are so thankful to them for their generosity. I have so much to learn from them.

My DH's job has settled down a bit and life is easing back from its breakneck speed to a more reasonable pace.

Before I go into a long dissertation on work I should tell you I am a legal secretary in an office with two attorneys. Ok, now this will make more sense.

Work is better. One of my bosses took an Assistant District Attorney job a few months ago and ever since then it has been hectic, manic, craziness!! Well, he went and resigned today stating the "part-time" job was requiring full-time hours and he wasn't willing to give up his private practice for a low paying county job.

I am so proud of him. He really loved that job but they were totally abusing him. He had no time for his clients which meant yours truly had to field all the calls and questions. Boy, I am glad he will be in the office more often. I have to admit the quiet times I had the place all alone were great but now maybe I can get some work done on his files.

Well, I gues that about does it for today. I am enjoying my early morning workouts and cleaning sessions but I am still thinking about asking for part-time hours at work. Even just one day or a couple of afternoons off would help me immensly (I think).

Until next time...

Excuses and My Morning Focus

2006-03-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

Life as usual has been busy. I will have to make time to blog a little more. I am working hard and trying to stay on top of our home. DH has been really focused on his job because they have been keeping him REALLY busy. It is times like this that I just want to be at home taking care of my DH and our home.

Sometimes I just want to walk away from the office and never go back. Not because the office is a horrible place to work, as a matter of fact this is the most wonderful desk job I have had. My bosses are so patient and kind but they still push me to be my best.

I guess that is part of the reason I haven't blogged in a while. I started this blog while I was at work and I just made a committment to spend less time online and more time focused on my work. Then, when I get home, there are so many things to catch up on that I am exhausted by the time 10 P.M. rolls around.

I have started getting up with my DH when he leaves for work (around 6:30 or so). When I was Way Disciple I had a lot of problems getting up at 6 A.M. and studying the Word. I always considered myself a night person.

Recently I have been looking at the Proverbs 31 woman and trying to emulate her focus and drive. That is when I had an "Ah Ha" moment. In the Word God makes many many references to rising while it is yet night and rising early to pray and get focused on the spiritual needs of the day before the physical needs overwhelm it. I have decided that even though I consider myself a "night person" I am going to push my believing and rise up while it is still early.

So far, three days in a row!!! Yeah me.

The mornings have become more productive as the week goes on. On Monday I only made the bed and put clothes away, on Tuesday I got distracted by a book I have been wanting to finish and only made the bed (and finished the book) :). This morning, however, I got up and made the bed, ate breakfast and walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I am so proud of me.

I want to improve my body and my mind but I am going to have to make it a point to read the Word in the morning. Maybe I could put my bible right by my bed and then I could read it while I was fully waking up. (I won't be doing any major studying, just reading for enjoyment.)

Thanks to SJ, Elizabeth, and Kristen for encouraging me to continue blogging. The little bit that I do has really helped me get focused on what I want for my life.

Until next time...
Rean

Photo Test

2006-01-06T15:35:00.000-05:00

This is just a post to test my ability to post pictures to my blog.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2006-01-06T15:17:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

What a wonderful year 2005 was for me. I am so thankful for all that I was able to accomplish and all that I have learned about myself. It has been a rough year as well but how encouraging to know that all of the problems from last year don't have to follow me into this one!! I am looking forward to a new year and new attitudes.

At bible fellowship last night my fellowship coordinator shared about planning and goal setting. He feels the same way I do, I HATE resolutions. They are short lived and unattainable without a plan. I can set reasonable goals and set up activities to help me accomplish them that way they are not unattainable but something I can strive towards. I will be working on my goals and I think I will post them here as well.

I also found this web site (we'll see if I can post a hyperlink *my first ever*) 43 Things. It is very cool. I am still exploring and only found it yesterday but so far I have a couple of things. I only get 43 so I have to pick carefully.

Ok, so I have to post this to see if the hyperlink worked and then I am going to work on my goals. I am really excited about using this blog as a way to track my goals and the progress I can make on them. This truly will become my Hope Chest!!

See ya!

Rean's Hope Chest

A new year on the rise.

2005-12-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

Well, 2005 is almost done and I will have to get used to writing 2006 on all of my checks! What a wonderful life I have that getting used to writing 2006 is the worst part of a new year.

My Christmas was wonderful. I had a great time with my family in Tennessee. The drive was rough because we headed out so late. We had to stop halfway for the first time ever and stay the night in a hotel. My mom was freaking out about the cost of a hotel room for us. It was so funny. My husband and I both have very good jobs and my mom was concerned about a $90 hotel room! LOL I guess mothers will be mothers.

Everyone loved their gifts and I actually saw my mother relax for the first time in a few months. I wasn't sure how this Christmas was going to be after my Grandma died, but the family handled it in good stride. I think we were all dealing with it in our own little way.

I had a grin plastered on my face just thinking about all of the years I was able to spend Christmas Eve ripping open packages on my Grandmas carpet. She was there in memory and in each one of our eyes. I know she will always be a part of us but I am a little scared of the moment when I can't remember what she looks like without a picture or what her kitchen smelled like on Sunday afternoon. Or the sound of her laugh, the way her cheeks wrinkled up when she would smile. I guess I will have to deal with that when I get there. Right now I will cherish the memories and the traditions she left behind.

I suppose this is the first of many firsts that will take place since her death.

Love you Grandma, thanks for the good times. *kiss*

Tree time!

2005-12-16T09:27:00.000-05:00

The discussion of real vs. fake came up in my house last night. I really wanted to have a tree but having a real tree just wasn't feasible. We are going to be gone most of next week so it just wasn't going to be practical to have a real tree (fire hazard) sitting alone (fire hazard) in an empty old house (fire hazard). My DH was absolutely against a fake tree early on but last night he conceded. We decided that we would have a real tree and a fake tree on alternating years. The years we will be in Tennessee we will do a fake tree and the years we will be home we will do a real tree! What a great compromise. In all reality the house isn't decorated for Christmas and I would have felt awful if, for our first Christmas in our first house, we didn't have at least a tree.

So the next job was to find a tree. I decided to go with a Martha Stewart Tree from Kmart. I hate shopping at Kmart but I guess I have been brainwashed to believe Martha doesn't put her name on a product unless it is high quality. Boy wouldn't she lose my viewership if this tree totally SUCKS!!! LOL

Speaking of trees...I have been trying to get in touch with someone to remove a big blue spruce that is in our back yard. It is half dead and out of place. It was planted 50 years ago by the man we bought the house from and I think it was their first Christmas tree. He said that he just couldn't bear to take it down even though he knew it needed to be done.

How ironic that today of all days the tree removal people called back and said that they could take it down today. It makes me a little sad to think of someone's history being torn down and thrown away. I know all the facts...the tree is too big, too close to the house, to dead, too everything... but it was someone's CHRISTMAS TREE!!!! Maybe it is just the cycle of the house. New owners, new tree.

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

2005-12-14T16:08:00.000-05:00

Well, I am finally feeling "Christmassy." There is snow on the ground and I have been listening to holiday music all day today at work (by choice if you believe that!) and I think that my DH and I will get our Christmas tree tonight or Friday!! I am so excited. We just bought a house in May and this will be a first for the both of us.

I only wish we had better news about children. It is so wonderful to watch the parents having fun at the holiday celebrations in town and at their homes. I have to admit I am more than a little jealous of them. We have my brothers and nieces and nephews to buy for but it just doesn't have that magical impact on me without children around. We are going to Tennessee for Christmas and I am really believing to have a great time with my family out there. I love getting up Christmas morning to Mom's cinnamon buns and overflowing stockings. I am not sure what this Christmas Eve will be like because my Grandmother always had it at her house. Even when she was so sick she had everyone over on the 24th. I hope we still go to her house even though she is gone so that my Grandpa CD feels loved and knows that we all still love him and he is still a part of this family.

I have to work on my teaching for fellowship tomorrow night. I am teaching on Ambassadors for Christ: Given to Hospitality. I love the subject because there are so many wonderful examples in the Bible of people who were hospitable (Abraham entertained angels unawares) and there are so many practical applications for this teaching in today's day and time. I just have to figure out which way I want to go with it.

I have been going to other blogs and reading what others say. I have wanted to say hello and leave a comment but I just don't know the etiquette on that. I suppose if there were someone reading what I post I would love to have them say hello. I guess I could just say "Hey, I'm your blog neighbor, just wanted to say hello."

Sad News

2005-12-01T16:30:00.000-05:00

Well, as much as I have to be thankful for in this wonderful life there are a lot of things that force me to dig deep to be thankful. My maternal Grandmother died on Friday November 18th. My DH and I got in the car that day and drove to Tennessee (a 7 hour trip which we made in less than 6...can you say lead foot?). My grandma was 70 years old and has been fighting cancer for the last two years. Over the last few months she has had complication after complication and finally she said she was just tired. She told my mother (who was her rock and strength) that she was ready to be done fighting and that she was just tired. She told the doctor to either fix her or not but none of this back and forth crap! It is so hard to hear how much pain she was in and that she had finished her fight. I always picture my Grandma so strong and this just doesn't seem like her.

So I have three little brothers (16,10, and 9) who were taking it really hard. My family moved to Tennessee after my dad retired from 30 years in the Air Force so that they could be closer to family. That was 3 years ago and they have been loving every minute of it. My parents are both from the same small town in East Tennessee and all my Aunts, Uncles and the like are right there in that area (except the few in Florida). My brothers had a really close relationship with my grandma and I was so greatful that I was able to know her as an adult and not just as her "grandkid". My DH and I travelled to Tennessee many times just to visit with my side of the family so I was able to spend some quality time with her. She was an AWESOME woman! I am so thankful to have had her in my life...

Ah ha...that is what I can be thankful for. I guess God was right when he said to be "thankful in all things" NOT for all things but in all things. I am not thankful she is gone but I am thankful that I had her to begin with. I guess this entry has been helpful for me to see the positive in one of the hardest things I have had to face this past month.

Here's to a thankful month and a great holiday season!
God Bless

Some hopes are further away than others.

2005-11-15T14:04:00.000-05:00

My husband and I went to the doctor yesterday and received some sad news. The only way that we will be able to have our own child is through IVF (invitro fertilization). What a blow to my hope of becoming a mother. For a little background (because I haven't posted that yet) the biggest thing I wanted to do with my life is to be a wife and mother. So far I am a GREAT wife but the mother part has eluded me for over 3 years. I guess it is time to do some research on IVF as well as adoption.

Cherry bustin'

2005-11-10T19:46:00.000-05:00

I guess I am at a point in my life where I need some kind of record to validate who I have become and where I want to go. I tend to start something and not complete it so I suppose this is another way to see if I can be successful at one aspect of my life. Hopefully I will be able to contribute to the world by bettering myself a little each day. Here goes nothing!!