Hey Y’all … I missed you this week.Really, I’ve thought about sharing with you several times but each time I put the brakes on.I didn’t want to break my Wednesday post schedule….as it’s the ONLY thing I’m consistent with in my life right now….that and brushing my teeth …. well sometimes I slip through the cracks on that one.
In all the striving I find peace. I find rest in the midst of the motion of life that surrounds me. This is a shocker to me. I had no idea I would be in this place.
I’m sure you’ve been there…so busy your head is spinning and you can’t figure out which task to pickup next or why you can’t get 37 things done at the same time. You know I have this entire house to go through …inch by inch…drawer by drawer…closet by closet.
I'm getting way thrilled, to say the least, about this wild journey ahead we've fittingly coined "The long way home" (seems to be the best way to describe it as we'll be finding our next home somewhere along the way.) Read here. Or watch the YouTube video here.
planting, watering and growing...in this life...all around...now begins the adventure
(I wrote this a few days ago while nearing the end of our little Texas Spring Break adventure…read on.)
Talk about a long way home....Last Thursday evening about 5pm...after a brief discussion of what we'd do on our upcoming Spring Break we decided to load up the Land Rover and set our sails for Texas (16 hours away) to visit family and friends. Within literally 2 hours of packing we were on our way.
And here I am....once again at the farm where I spent as many summers as I did
at the stables....cherished memories I’d love to share with my boys. I
need video of my GrandDad and time is running out.
The
battery’s registering under 20%.
Space
on my wee iPhone memory is on warning mode.
Oh
boy!
sweet little old farmhouse looks a bit consumed by those bushes....I could help with that when I go back:)
I did manage to capture a
few videos so I hope you can find time to watch.
Excuse my....ummmm.....well
.....‘I just don’t know what the heck I’m doing’
behavior I seem to easily exhibit, I’m sure I’ll get better at this.
So much revelation was
flooding my heart during this trip and I thought I was articulating my process
quite well....that is until I see the videos for the first time since recording
them....oh boy!
What a blessed lady I’ve
been in my life to experience so many
cultures, worlds unbelievable adventures....one of which is having
spent my summers on this farm. Going back is so much more meaningful to me now
that I have kids of my own. I want them
to experience all the goodness that comes from learning hard work, safety,
peace on the farm, freedom and yes, as always, adventure starting with the
apple orchard and organic garden.
these unusually soft farm kitties have been following me all over today, which included a short nap in my rental car (them not me:)
Mom actually rented a moving truck to get this back to Texas. She has memories of riding in the back while the grain poured over her. Check back for the day 4 post to see the video of her telling the story
I don't remember ever seeing that ladder. When I talked to my mom she said because it was always behind the hay...we'd start piling it along that back wall. I would love to preserve this old barn & turn it into something unexpected...I have my ideas:)
GrandDad, as you’ll see
here, is a PRO! He’s a pro story teller who also exudes total freedom in speech
and worship, with or without a camera on him.
I look up to this remarkable man of faith and hope to share with my boys
some face to face memories they’ll never forget! And if they do I’ll just replay the
video. You see why I need to go back to
Iowa.....so many stories to be told, memories to be had, lessons to be
learned. I need about 73 more videos of
him.....get me back up there, is what I say.
I actually used to drive these big tractors...more for fun than anything:) I think I was 13 when I learned. I asked Mom how old she was and she said FIVE!!!! I hope I caught that story on video...you'll have to come back to Day 4 to see for yourself.
I bet I could re purpose this feeder...whatcha think? The colors are perfectly vintage....and check out my scarf...I coordinate with the farm feeders!
always a good day for a little silliness:)
don't take yourself too seriously, that's my lesson in this picture.
hope you enjoyed the pictures and maybe even made time to see some videos. I know it's a LOT for one post:) Hope it's not irritating.
One more thing before you go, assuming you're still here, have you thought about what Living Decorated means to you? I'd love to hear a bit about what makes you the special you God created so perfectly beautiful.
Ok so we're only on day 3 of
the 5 day adventure composition set in the rural mid-west (at least I think
Iowa is mid-west....I just wanted to use words other than corn, farm
& small town) you get the idea though because you, my friends, are smart
cookies (we balance each other quite well).
Oh boy, have I sure missed YOU!?! Life hasn’t slowed down & certainly if I’m
to once again Live Decorated I’ll have to make some serious adjustments....mainly
to FINALLY get moved out of this house.
Tomorrow will be ONE full week since Operation Adorable Small Town
MoveIn began.
Still with me? If you have no idea we were in the middle of an adventure head back to 3 Summer Me's and catch up...then you'll be ready for what's in store.
My journey to Iowa was nothing short of life changing. After the 5K and our community 5K breakfast I made a run to Walmart (the only store in this tiny town) for some panties. In my mind's eye, supported by the fact that I don't have a watch, I figured there was plenty of time before the wedding so I took a farm road adventure in my little Fiat. I've always loved back roads and since I learned to drive here I knew them pretty well.
I just love old barns. It makes me sad when they're in this condition but it takes a lot of work to maintain a farm
Aubrey wakes me up....HELLO....the
5K starts in 45 minutes!!! Are you serious!???
I had planned on having
at least an hour in prayer to prepare myself for this ridiculous
challenge. Why did I sign up for this thing again?
My look today: pig
tails, yoga pants, leg warmers (I bought
3 years ago and just opened the package) and a cute swimmers shirt and jacket I borrowed from Aubrey. Despite the freezing Iowa wind I was
sweating bullets.
Kneeling at the foot of
the bed crying out (in a whisper) to Jesus for grace to do this thing...He gave
me the scripture "you will rise up on wings like eagles, you will run and
not grow weary and you will walk and not faint" (wish I knew the
verse to share with you). Ok, that’s a good one God, thanks.
PEACE
I looked in the mirror
before heading downstairs: lo and behold.....I LOOK LIKE A RUNNER! No,
really, if I didn't know myself I'd say I was a runner. But I Do know me
and I couldn’t be further from it.
Walking down the stairs
of my Grandma Barb's house that morning for the zillionth time in my life I had
peace....a strange peace that I had to fight for in the midst of great fear.
As soon as everyone saw me the chuckles commenced. Huh, why is
everyone laughing....
5:30 start to this wild ride adventure:
Well I made it on the plane after a little oopsie with my full water bottle....duh! Had to leave and walk all the way back to the front guzzling my water all the way. Then back through security once again....no biggie, everyone was wonderful to me. Go American Airlines!!!
huge vintage suitcase art in the San Antonio airport
This one’s a bit
deep....ya think you can handle it? Here’s the heart probing question of
the day:
Have you ever found
yourself in a pile on the floor asking God to change you? To forgive
you? To make something of your life so you won't be such a MESS?
Last Tuesday I had this
moment. My boys were just down for a nap and every part of my being
wanted to crawl into bed to crash! The weekend before was terrible!
I was sick to my stomach, I missed T's soccer game and lay in bed all day
Saturday. With NO energy I muddled through the busiest Sunday we had had
in months. Monday I was lifeless!
I was at my end.
(I think maybe we have
to come to the end of ourselves to run with our whole being into the arms of
our loving Father, repent and surrender our entire world to Him because He
cares for us. I think 1 Peter 5:7 says it all for me right now)
Back to that afternoon:
I want sleep! Something, disgust I think, rose up in me. I
made my way to the living room, grabbed my Bible and even though not one
ounce of me felt like it I dropped to my knees. I cried out to
Creator God: “I can’t go on like this anymore: God I give you ALL of
me...please use me for something great!”
That afternoon on my
living room floor something happened.
I’m about to embark on a
journey. A journey northward to farm country.....Tipton, Iowa to be
exact.
While leaving one of my
famous 5 minute messages for my cousin, Aubrey I had a
realization. I have 3 me’s when I’m back in Iowa. In
order to understand the 3 me’s let me start by saying I spent my summers in
Iowa for most of my childhood, if not all. Who can remember all the
little detailsJ
So my summers were split
between 3 places:
1.At the farm: my mom's parents
raised cows, pigs, grew corn & hay and about every other fruit or veggie
imaginable. This was a place my sister I spent hours and days running
through pastures, climbing, driving tractors, helping bail hay, work the corn
fields and muck through the huge mama pigs pen.
2.in town: my dad’s parents had
a cute white house just blocks from the city park & pool so this was a
really fun place as a little girl. We could walk just about anywhere in a
matter of minutes. I spent teenage summers rollerblading, riding bikes,
adventuring, sneaking out (let's not talk about that) and even midnight running
in the rain with my girlfriend Julie.
My cousin Melissa leading me around at the stables before I could walk perhaps
as you probably can tell I haven't been too hot on updating our blog....but if you do want more current updates please follow me on Instagram @LiveDecorated or Twitter @LiveDecorated or even one of my new favorites YouTube where we shoot random, spontaneous snapshots into our ever evolving world of joy & adventure.
I hope you'll join us......for now here's a little update for you from my sweet Insta-friend.
First you have a road trip adventure we took through some Texas small towns....i LOVE a good road trip!!!!
Here's a snippet from our small town Texas findings and the next place I want to pick when the picking budget increases:)
Capital of Texas Zoo is a hidden little gem outside of Austin
it's a must see....just be warned...they don't have any place to throw your trash:(
Here's a video from the zoo
Happy Valentine's Day....sad that the LAST cookie (and not even the prettiest) was when I remembered to take a memory shot of them....missed the polka dot one
My Honey planned a sweet picnic surprise under the huge oak trees for me & the boys
a client celebrated their grand opening for a community center they built. I was blessed to help select all the surfaces
including exterior selections.
my sweet Nissi kitty was literally folded into our blankets for a wee nap:) silly goose kitty
More fun to come this week as I overcome this sickness funk that seems to have taken my voice. Whispering across the house to a 4 and 2 year old has its challenges. Hopefully my voice returns before worship rehearsal tomorrow night:) thanks for your prayers and love.
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