Finisher!!!!

I ran in the biggest 10K in the world!!! And it was AWESOME!!! I'm getting there, slowly and surely, to better health!

Thanks most especially to your cheerleading and prayers the last 2 years. THANK YOU.

I did it!!

Hey! Take a look at my blog site (not just on reader). I finally created my own banner LOL! I changed some of my colors around. HA! This is a big deal for me. What do you think? I snapped that picture in 2011 after losing our house and my husband getting so sick.

The blog header is a rather rough crop of this picture:

I was at our dear former next door neighbors house letting the children play together. I happened to look up and see these leaves, clinging to the branches in the cold wind. It was way past all the other leaves falling to the ground in the neighborhood. They were holding on in spite of the wind, the weather, the climate, everything. And, they were glowing in the sun's rays.

I TOTALLY knew how they felt.

I was one of those leaves - vibrant, shimmering, yet clinging for dear life in the wind. I snapped a picture on my phone.

I will cling. I will hold on. I will shine. This was what I was meant to do.

I will cling to the vine.

Thanks for your prayers!

Small Successes "I'm TIRED" Edition and Thankful Thursday

I'm so tired. I'm writing this before bed Wednesday, so it can auto post so I can do the "Small Steps" Lenten edition "Pray/Fast/Give today (Thurs). I'll share it with you (actually blending two days, since I got off a day):

Fast: After you complete any essential morning tasks at the computer for the first time today, turn it off.  Do not return to the computer today unless it is essential for the running of your household or care of your children. 

Pray: "The silence is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear. The tongue moves in prayer but does not speak" (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta).

Give: "It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving" (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta).  With every "gift" of service you give today, give a smile too.


The other one I'm doing:

Fast: What is standing between you and greater holiness today? Rip it out. Throw it away.

Pray: Kiss your crosses. Find something small that annoys you. Embrace it. Give it to God.

Give: Make your husband's favorite dinner tonight, Serve it with candles and tablecloth.

Want to join me on some of the above?

As for successes:

1. My 40 bags/40 days has been in hyper gear and going SO well. I'm learned so much in the cross of doing it, and my tiredness, but my soul is singing.

2. The laundry is caught up....for now!!!

3. I'm doing a pantry clean out - both to save $$, use up items we have, and sacrifice some faster, more tasty meals. So far, I've stuck to it.

BONUS: I have an 11 month old today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!! Love you sweet Gift....

How are you doing?

Thankful Thursday
This week I'm so thankful for...

1. naps.
2. my bed.
3. clean sheets.
4. my pillow.
5. the gift of sleep - so fleeting and rare.

Blessings, and MUCH love!!!

Small Steps - Lenten Prompt for Today

Today's "Pray" Lenten Prompt for Small Steps (located in the Companion Journal) was:

"Move your wedding band to your right hand. Every time you notice the difference today, pray for your marriage. Listen to God's answers."

We've been married almost 10 years. In that time, I've only taken my wedding band off for certain meal preps or damaging jobs. I never had to take my rings off for pregnancy! So, when moving my wedding band to my right hand (which has been very cool today) I've been left with a second reminder - a mark on my finger where my band used to be:

I find myself feeling VERY proud of that indention. I love my marriage. I love my wedding band. In 10 years it's barely been off my finger for more than 30 minutes at a time. In 10 years I have barely been away from my husband. While we are FAR from perfect, and have left "indentions" and "marks" on each other in good AND bad ways, we have stuck with it -  the work involved to grow in love and sacrifice. I'm extremely grateful for those indentions on my heart and on my finger.

I'll be praying today for my marriage - and your marriage too. Always.

Much love....!!!

Small Successes and Thankful Thursday - "Germs Please Leave" Edition!!

Well, I have had a unique week. The sick germs that have been plaguing us off and on since Christmas are still rearing their ugly heads and infecting us. Currently, I'm the last one really standing (Lovely is too, but is tired this week/emotional - so her body is probably fighting it off). So, this leads to a unique view of "small successes".

1. I have been doing really well with 40 bags/ 40 days. Last year this Lenten sacrifice of time and treasure didn't go so well. This year it has been great. My garage is becoming the collection ground for the bags marked for donation, and lots of trash from the attic and closets or the garage itself has been tossed out. For example - here are bags of clothes ready for donation, and I'm still not done!

2. I read something yesterday for Lent that really stuck with me. Please read it too! It takes a few seconds. Thinking about "It is good that we are here" is so true - even when my successes include IGNORING this pile of clean laundry when I have other, more precious, matters to attend to in my house of sick loved ones.

And...not sure if any of you do Elizabeth Foss' Small Steps reflections and button meme (when reading her and Danielle Bean's book) but I have one for today - March 24th - under the "Pray" prompt that fits the above picture(s) so well in how I feel about my messy house.

Today the "Pray" prompt said: "Sometimes I am guilty being unhappy if my house isn't perfectly tidy and my life perfectly orderly. Forgive me! A life that is ordered towards you won't always please my senses.  Um. Wow. Pretty profound. I needed to read that today.

3. So, my last success is taking care of my brood and staying well (Thank you God!). Here were my two sickest of the week. I got permission from Hubby to share it. He actually liked the picture because of his little buddy next to him. It's been a hard week.

How is your week?

Thankful Thursday
This week I'm thankful for...


1. my daily Small Steps book.
2. my Small Steps companion book with the Lenten Meditations in them.
3. my little black book for Lent.
4. medicine.
5. sick days.
6. patience.
7. best friends.

Praying for you!!!! Blessings!

Small Steps Together - "No complaints"

A while back, Elizabeth posted the above button so people could share their journey of "Small Steps" along with the book Elizabeth co-wrote for moms. I've been meaning to do this. Today seems the perfect day.

Today's fast (not to be confused with their Lenten version of Small Steps fast today) is to "fast from complaining." With everything going on in Japan and the Pacific ring of fire today, I will be doing just that. I will also offer up my trials today for the utter devastation. I can't imagine.

Prayers for Japan and the Pacific. God carry you through this....may the world come together for you as we should do everyday, not just every tragedy.