Does it stay or does it go?

I did a pretty good job getting rid of stuff before we moved. It is really, really hard for me to part with some things but I cleaned out stuff we hadn’t unpacked in the two years we lived there. Seriously, if I hadn’t opened the box, did I really need it? Nope. I was feeling pretty good about the stuff I had gotten rid of……

until my mother dropped off some boxes from “home” last weekend. Oh no! So, it was perfect timing for RevGalBlogPals Friday Five challenge on clutter:

1. What things do you like to hang on to? pictures, stuff from when I was a little girl (ie. a necklace my grandparents gave me) that I might give to a daughter or granddaughter at some point in the future

2. What is hard to let go of? most anything with a memory attached to it: camp journals, frogs, a wooden box made by an ex-boyfriend that’s beautiful, books even if I haven’t read them but I think I may want to one day

3. What is easy to give away? hmmm. clothes? but I keep telling myself after I lose baby weight I’ll do the big give away, my 6th grade band trophy (why did i keep it in the first place? I don’t even play the instrument anymore!)

4. Is there any kind of stumbling block connected with cleaning out? Yes! I sit for hours reading through things I find. I think about who was at the event, camp, or school year and what was happening in my life. It’s also really hard to bring up some of those memories again.

5. What do you like to collect, hoard, or admire? The only “collection” I claim to have today is to collect nativity scenes from around the world. What happens when you go through things carefully? You find one of the missing nativity sets! I have found the one I purchased in Mexico years ago– happy times!

I much prefer the de-cluttered look and feel of the house. It’s figuring out how to responsibly store some of this stuff now too. How can I save the important things without saving everything? It also has me thinking about what of my son’s will I save in the future….

Now, back to finishing that sermon and cleaning out more boxes!!

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Double Trouble…

Yesterday, Brittany and her girls came for a visit! It was so great to see them, show them our house, and hang out for a while. The twins are growing fast and wanting to see lots of things these days. They immediately wanted to know what the “coolest” thing to do in our new town. Well, I had to admit to these cute girls– there’s not much.
We did decide to take them to the Peach farm I’ve discovered. This is probably the last week they are open which makes me so sad! I love my fresh peaches. The girls wanted to try out the peach ice cream so naturally, Brittany and I agreed to eat the majority of it.

The girls wanted to try out the white rockers, get their pictures taken as official “Georgia peaches”, and flirt with the boys who worked at the farm. Yes, at such a young age they are already catching the attention of boys. Watch out mom and dad!!

We brought them back to the house and they enjoyed playing with Jovi. Kitt decided it was time for her beauty sleep and although Garet needed some too, she refused. Here’s a video of her trying to convince Jovi to play instead of napping!

We had a great time! I miss them already… but I must admit, I was exhausted and ready to go to bed at 8 pm last night! I think I even heard Jovi snoring 🙂

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Baby Johns update…

Well, I’m in my 28th week and things are still going well. I have a new doctor in our new town and we really like him. We’ll start rotating through the practice at our next visit to give us a chance to meet the other doctors too.

I had an ultrasound at the end of last week. We were checking up on something that was seen at the 19th week ultrasound. It turns out it’s not a problem anymore. We discovered baby Johns is currently breech. Of course, it’s still early enough for him to flip but this makes more sense with where I’ve been feeling him move lately.

He’s weighing in at 2 lbs., 6 oz. My question is… if he’s so small, why do I feel so big? 🙂

We had a shower this weekend given to us by Barry’s aunts and grandmother. It was so sweet to see many of Barry’s relatives that I haven’t seen since our bridal shower. Several of my friends who live in the area were able to come as well. We received lots of wonderful gifts. I can’t wait to start going through them all!!

The conversation at the shower turned interesting when I opened my first cloth diaper. Yes, we’re going to try using cloth diapers. I had seen them featured on other folk’s blog but when I helped out Brittany and saw how easy they are… I was sold! Folks at the shower “didn’t understand” how they worked. I attempted a tutorial but finally relinquished to say… “I’ll show you when the baby arrives!”

It was a wonderful weekend but exhausting all the same! We’re starting birthing classes this week so it should make for some interesting stories.

Oh, one more thing! I passed my gestational diabetes test… wahoo!! I have to say I was most stressed about this. My husband, the Endocrinologist was curious to know the actual score. It was pretty good!

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Oh to be a Child again….

My friend Meg reminded me that children have a way of helping us see the beauty in life. They also have this way of creating beauty that we lose somewhere along the way to becoming adults. It’s sad really.

I was recently gifted with a beautiful gift created by a child and I thought I would share it with you.

Leaving my neighbors who quickly became friends was probably the hardest part of leaving California. I miss this guy especially.

As part of my going away gift on the last day we saw them, he gave me something he had made.

I treasure this gift because it was made by Yoav. He created it (with the help of his mom) and painted it. To anyone else, it has little value, but to me it is priceless. His gift reminds me of all the fun times playing together in CA.

When was the last time you suspended your own judgment and created beauty, even if it was not perfect? As an adult, I get caught up too often in my own fears, judgments, worry, shame, perfection to just let myself be free to create.

May we be more like children…

“It is the creative potential itself in human beings that is the image of God.” – Mary Daly

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