One year

One year ago today my dad's life on earth came to an end and he started his new life in heaven.

This has been a rough year. In ways it has gotten easier as the months went on, in that I do not cry at the drop of a hat every hour of everyday but it is harder in that as the boys grow it really hurts me that they do not have my dad around as that strong Godly influence in their lives.

Birthdays have been the hardest. Whether it is mine knowing that I wasn't getting that phone call that day or it is my kids birthday knowing how much they have grown since dad has gone.

I had this whole post planned where I would tell you funny stories of my dad and quite frankly there are a lot. But I can't think of a one right now. I can't even concentrate on anything.

So instead I want to take the time to thank you all for all the sweet comments, encouragement, and prayers over this year. They really have meant a lot to me.

Thank you all so much!

I did want to share with you one story that a friend of mine emailed me after dad's celebration service.

The Lord placed a young homeless man in my life Friday night Dec. 4^th. My family put him up in a hotel, and fed him a meal. I got to sit and talk with him for a while. He is 19 and living on the street. The Lord is really going after this one. The next day, the Lord impressed on my heart to take him to the service for Ted. I had no fear in doing this because I knew it would be a celebration of a life well lived and that this young man needed a Godly example of a man. We were pulling up to church and he says to me “I have been to this Church before. I visited and missed my bus and one of your pastors took me back to where I was staying.”

We get into the service and it was awesome! The number of people celebrating Ted’s life and ministry, even in the personal pain of missing him. I miss him.

About halfway through, this young man looks at me and says, “That’s the guy that gave me a ride!” Of course it was…

In an unsurprising act of service, Ted opened a door for the Lord to use. By his life, the Lord showed this young man what a legacy is and what a man who loves Jesus looks like. By his homecoming, the Lord brought the circle closed in this young man’s mind that the Lord loves him and is showing His hand and plan in his life. I used that door to let this young man know that the Lord is screaming his name.

I pray that Mr. Genius and I can continue this legacy my dad left with our boys.

I am back and a winner

To find out the winner to the winterberry cottage giveaway. Please go to my giveaway page.

Here

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Holy Moly am I exhausted!

Let me give you a run down of where we have been.

First we went to Disney.

Where we had a blast with my family.

I am of course taking the picture.

We sent the boys to boot camp with the toy story army men.

That would be cousin Griffin with Wild Man.

We got excited in anticipation of meeting characters.

And even more excited when we got to touch them.

We rode rides.

That is my brother Andrew with my mom (aka JJ) and Wild Man

Saw lots of shows

It was in one of these shows that Wild Man fell in love...

with Ariel.

We stood in LOTS of lines.

Had so much fun with our cousins.

Romeo with Cousin Griffin

Cousin Eli.

We stayed up WAY past bedtime so we were all a little slap happy.

and then just crashed.

From Disney we flew straight to TN to see even more family for Thanksgiving. 

Then of course we had to go shopping on Black Friday...I got half my Christmas shopping done...thankyouverymuch.

We finally got home at 9:30 last night.

I am one pooped momma. 

For those that have order the glitter letters and vinyl nativity scene. I am almost done with it. For some reason my kids still wanted to eat today and it seems that every single article of clothing that is in this house needs to washed. 

This Thanksgiving was an emotional one considering this time last time was the last time I was with my dad. The last time I got to hug him was the Sunday after Thanksgiving of last year right before we got on the plane to come home...unknowing to us we would be flying back just 3 days later to go to his funeral.

So that is how my Thanksgiving went, crazy busy, a riot, exhausting, and emotional. 

Sounds like a normal Thanksgiving.

Glitter Glass Letters

We are doing last minutes things around the house to get all ready to leave!

But I wanted to show you my glass glitter letters that are on my tree right now.

The names of God that I chose mean and meant the most to me this year.

You can chose whatever name that have meant the most to you this year. I think it would be a great reminder for this season what it is really about.

Almighty- 

Revelation 1:8

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Comforter- 

Jeremiah 8:18

You who are my Comforter in sorrow,
   my heart is faint within me. 

 The way and the truth-

John 14:6

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Lord of lords-

1Timothy 6:15

which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

The big letters are around 4" in height and will be $2 per letter.

The small letters are around 2" in height and will be $1 per letter.

Email me at impatientlypraying (at) gmail (dot) com to place your order.

Thanks

My Christmas mantel

My mantel is finished!

Although it took more time to think about what to do then to actually do it.

I went much simpler this year. I decided that I wanted to put a little more focus on the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Here she is all Christmafied.

Hum, after posting this picture...I noticed I really need to wash my mirror.

Since I am so short I can't actually look into the mirror, so from way down here. It looks clean.

Sorry guys!

Anyways, back to the mantel.

I have found a new love this season...GLITTER GLASS!

I just love my glitter letters!

 

I didn't put our stockings on the mantel this year because I thought it took away from the words.

Once I am done with my tree, I will show you that too. I made glitter glass letters with the names of God that mean the most to me. They are so special.

So now for my new venture.

When I told some of my friends here that I was planning on making the names of God in glitter letters they told me I should sell them... So I am going to see how it goes.

So people I will try to get the names of God glitter letter up tomorrow so you can see how they look.

But I will be selling the big letters (the ones on the mantel) for $2 a letter and the smaller letters (you will see tomorrow) for $1 a letter.

You will have your choice between red and silver glitter.

Shipping will depend on where you are.

Just email me your order at impatientlypraying (at) gmail (dot) com with the title of the email being order and I can get to it promptly.

Since I will be going out of town this weekend I won't be able to ship any out til after Thanksgiving.

But that is still plenty of time to decorate your house!

Remember I am the rare weird one that is already decorated.

I am posting to these parties.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Boy we are busy over here.

I have been painting and sold a bed side table.

That went from this...

To this...

Then I painted and sold an Ethan Allen bed.

I did a quick change to Christmafy my little green cupboard.

Just a little red and white paper in the back gives just a touch of Christmas with out being to much.

And because I decorate everything including my kids for Christmas, I made Christmas tie shirts for the boys.

When it gets dark around here at 4:30 it is hard to take pictures when it is light outside. So sorry for the dark picture. And I apologize in advance for more dark pictures until the spring.

Then I have also been working on something else that I will show you later.

We have also had some friends come by to visit us that have a fun 3 year old and sweet 6 weeks old twins.

My boys were so excited to be with and hold those little girls. It was really sweet to see them actually be gentle and loving to someone without me having to remind them or threaten them to do so.

But do not worry, we are quite content with our family of 4 at the moment...so there will not be any of those announcement over here.

Also among everything else, Mr. Genius and I are secretly trying to get all of us ready to go here!

Disney World!!!!

I just cannot wait to see Disney through my boys eyes. We are meeting my mom and both brothers and their family.

Over the past 5 months, since the trip was booked, I have been getting the boys to watch all the disney movies that I can find. So when they see the characters they would recognize them. In return Wild Man has been asking about every other day when he gets to go to Disney.

We are going to tell them on Saturday before the flight down there and we will definitely be recording the response. I am kind of excited about how they are going to react. I love surprising them.

I have rented a stroller through Orlando Stroller Rentals where the stroller has storage, made to hold older kids, and they deliver to your hotel room! But we will see in the end how it goes.

Anyone of you expert Disney World travelers with kids (ages 2, 3, 3.5, and 4) have any pointers while we are there?

It's Craigeasy!

I do realize that this will not come to a surprise to anyone. But...

I LOVE CRAIGSLIST!!!

I will shout it from the rooftops...I am not ashamed to tell anyone!

I don't think I have bought a piece of furniture the past year that hasn't been from craigslist, oh wait just one. But still... I have gotten A LOT of furniture from that beloved site!

When I look on craigslist I really only scroll down to see which one has pictures, so when I heard about CRAIGSEASY will only show you the pictures from your craigslist search...I was all WOOHOO!

That will save some time!!


This is what is free in Chicagoland as we speak that Craigseasy showed me!

 

A twin bed and some law books!

Neither are close to me so not planning on getting out to get those today, but you get the idea that you can only see the posts with pictures...which most of us only look at anyways.

Go and try Craigseasy..You will not regret it!

Oh and the best news of all is..it is FREE!!

Don't forget about my giveaway going on right now!

Winterberry Cottage Giveaway

To find out about the winterberry Cottage Giveaway.

Go to my giveaway page, here.