Saturday, October 29, 2016

Maintenance of the Heart

     Saturday is a such a lovely day. A day to be home. A day to be busy or not. A day to sleep in and then have coffee and muffins with your love. A day to really just appreciate the simple life we live.
     Luke is up on the roof for what is hopefully the last day of this project. A project that started in May is finally wrapping up at the end of October. I didn't realize just how long this would take, but that seems to be how projects roll. The soffit and fascia still needs to be put on, but that is going to be next summers project....And since I started typing this this morning, Luke has officially finished!
     This past week, we hit the 2 year anniversary of when we bought our house. It sure has been a good 2 years. We have crammed the days full of memories, company, dinner parties, family, house projects, and so much more. Our house is unique in its design, put together piece by piece over the years. Crooked in many ways but so full of character. I have loved how it has become ours and continues to change and morph with each project. And soon it will be home to 3, a place of love and memories.

     My family did foster care for around 10 years and so my Mom had loads of baby stuff in both genders. She brought it to me this summer and I finally got around to looking through it today. I pulled out an entire laundry basket full of baby boy clothes and am getting it all washed up and put away. We have a growing collection for this little guy and I so can't wait to meet him. It is just such a awe inspiring thing to think about this little baby and to feel his little kicks and wiggles. We are so blessed.

    I also spent part of today cleaning the house. Saturdays just seem to be the best time to really tackle that stuff. As I was pushing the vacuum around, I thought about how, in order to keep a house neat and tidy, you have to do regular maintenance. If I fail to vacuum, sweep, or clean the bathrooms the mess starts to build up and be annoying. And so, I take time to pick up, put away, wipe down, and generally clear away the clutter.
      I thought about how the same concept applies to our minds and hearts. They need regular maintenance to stay neat and tidy. And if we fail to do that maintenance things pile up and start to hinder our joy, peace, and sanity.
     Maybe it's some sneaky sin we let in and fail to deal with or perhaps worry or doubt has begun to settle like dust on your soul. We are humans, it's bound to happen. And so, we do maintenance. We need to make a regular habit of clearing out the clutter, wiping off the dust, straightening up the shelves and taking it all to The One who designed us.
    Don't let that worry sit too long on your heart, it will only build up and become a film that clouds your joy. Regular maintenance, it's good for the soul!
Happy Saturday.

"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do...but how much love we put in that action." 
~Mother Teresa 

Saturday, October 22, 2016

A Most Lovely Long Weekend

       It was MEA this week, meaning that I had Thursday and Friday off from school. Such a lovely long weekend. It has included breakfast out with My Love, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, visits with friends, quite a few movies, knitting, and butchering chickens.
      So far, one of the best parts of it was on Thursday. Last week I had my 20 week ultrasound, but Little Mr. Williams wasn't being cooperative and so they didn't get any good images of his heart. So, they called me back in. Since I was there anyway I asked the ultrasound tech if I could have any of the profile pictures she got since they didn't really get a good one last time. She got the required heart pictures and then just began taking fun pictures for me. Once again I was blown away to watch my little guy, in all his tiny perfection, wiggle and move. Such a miracle. He is pretty adorable if I do say so myself.
My personal favorite, sucking his thumb. 


 Snuggling with his hand up by his face

 Little toes

Little legs and feet

 Profile


And the weekend still has one day to go. HURRAY!!! Happy Saturday. 

"A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results." ~Wade Boggs

Saturday, October 15, 2016

IT'S A....

      BOY!!! 

      Yesterday Luke and I went in for my 20 week ultrasound(Half way there!) It was amazing. I knew I was excited to find out the gender and see the baby, but I didn't realize just how cool it would be to see him moving around. His little feet were one of my favorite things because they were so easy to pick out, tiny and perfect. At first we wondered if we would be able to find out the gender because he had those perfect little feet crossed at the ankles. It was pretty cute. According to their measurments he is about 12 oz. That's almost a pound already. Little chunky monkey!
     Afterwards I texted my friend Allison to let her know the gender and she texted me back "How good is God!!!" And you know what, that comment sums it up perfectly. The One who is creating this little baby is beyond wonder. Psalm 139:14-16 says,

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from 
You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought 
in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed
 substance; and in Your books were all written the days that 
were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."

     The other day I was teaching Bible class and we were reviewing the stories of Abraham and Sarah and how they so desperately wanted a child, and God had promised them one, but it seemed to them that God had forgotten. This made me think about the many days I longed for a baby and wondered if it was ever going to happen for us. I doubted and yet God is faithful. And now in just 20 short weeks our baby boy will be here. We are so blessed. 

20 week baby bump

Little Mr. Williams' face

Front view

 Profile

"A new baby is like the beginning of all things--wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities."
~Eda J. LeShan

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Family, Weddings, and Road Trips

      Last week, My Love and I hit the road after work on Thursday. My youngest brother Mick, was tying the knot with his fiance Payge and so we were headed for a weekend with my family. We had decided to head out Thursday night and stop at Luke's sister Anna's to spend the night. We pulled in late and as we were doing so, Luke began to notice an unpleasant sound coming from the car.       Unfortunately, the axle was just about broken, fortunately, we were at Anna's house. So, Friday morning Luke and Travis(Anna's husband) took the car to the local mechanics and they set to work on fixing it. It ended up taking a lot longer than we hoped and so we didn't make it to the rehearsal like we had planned. I am thankful that we were with people we loved however, because if we had had to wait around with nothing to do all Friday, I may have gone bonkers.

We checked out a local coffee shop. Gregory, Bea, and Anna
 Bea
 Margaret 

    We missed the rehearsal, but we did make it to the dinner. After the dinner my family loaded into our various vehicles to head to my parents home a half hour away. We were cruising down the highway when we were suddenly thumping and bumping. Luke pulled off to the side with dismay. We had blown a tire. Thankfully, my parents were right behind us, so they pulled over as well and Dad helped change the tire. We realized the irony of all this car trouble happening to the newest car we own, the one that shouldn't have problems. Oh well. 
    Saturday morning we got spruced up and headed to the Church where we hung out, took pictures, and spent time with family. All of my siblings were there(something that rarely happens) as well as both sets of my grandparents and 2 sets of aunts and uncles. I quite enjoyed it. 

My brothers. Mick(The groom) Jesse, and Jordan

My daddy, looking all spiffy, and myself

Mick and his new wife Payge...Or Mr. and Mrs. Shearer(Photo credits to my dad Rohn)


Mick and Jesse(Jesse was the best man)

My Dad and Mom...Rohn and AmyJo(Photo credits Aunt Janelle Shearer)

Mick, Payge, Grandma Shearer and Grandpa Shearer(I have no idea what was so funny, but I love this picture. Photo credits to Aunt Janelle Shearer)

Grandpa and Grandma Shearer and Lydia

Jordan and I

Luke and my Uncle Dan

    Not only did I get to see my family, but my dear friends Amanda and Emily were there with their families as well. It is always great to see them. They are my oldest friends(Meaning, our moms were friends before any of us were born and hours of our childhood were spent together) and we don't see each other nearly enough. We took a group picture and I'm so glad we did. It made me think of another group picture we have from when I was like 13 years old. 

2016
Amanda, Lydia, Emily, me, Jesse, Mick, and Jordan

2003(ish)
Back row: Amanda, me, Lydia, Emily
Front row: Jesse, Mick, and Jordan

    At the reception they had a s'mores bar. However, instead of going to said s'mores bar, Jordan decided to roast his marshmallow over the tea candles on the table. It required a lot of concentration. 


 Lydia and Claire(Emily's daughter), me, Amanda, Jordan and Emily

Claire and I. 
Emily and I discussed how awesome it would be if my baby is a girl. Because, Baby Williams and Claire will be just about exactly as many months apart as Emily and I are. A true friendship in the making. 

Speaking of Baby Williams, he or she is getting quite big. Tomorrow is my ultrasound and I can hardly wait to find out if it is a boy or a girl. I've also started to feel some occasional kicks and it puts a smile on my face!

Happy Thursday!

"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you as you are to them." ~Desmond Tutu



Saturday, October 1, 2016

Happy October

     Happy October! Today is full of Autumn's beauty and goodness. Fog hangs low over the ever changing trees with a touch of coolness in the air. Leaves litter the ground and the trees are just about at their peak of color. We started a fire in the stove last night, and had tea and muffins for breakfast. Really, I do believe that Fall and Saturdays were made for each other.
     Life has been good. School is settling into the swing of things, the roof is still in progress but getting closer, and friendship abounds. May your day be lovely!!!

Mr. Ephraim is on the move...


And cute as can be!


The red barn is such a nice pop of color in any season's photo.


And this awesome guy continues to steal my heart. I am blessed indeed. 


"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the Autumn tree." ~Emily Bronte