It is well.

It's a Thursday night. That time between Christmas and the new year when you think about the things you want to let go of and the things you want to grasp. Ready to start but not quite ready to let go. This must explain the pizza for dinner.....but I digress. My son is a few states away with my parents to visit my grandmother. I pray the memories he has this week he will carry for a lifetime. So needless to say, the past few days, I've been a little lost. Not having him here has left me wondering if I hear him saying "mama" at any given time, or needing to check on him. But it's also given time to get a few things checked off my list. The Christmas decorations are all packed away and newly labeled to make things easier next year. The new toys have yet to be organized, but that is a must do before he returns home. But right now, I'm sitting on the sofa listening to the sound of a hand sander. My husband is in the basement sanding down my piano to refinish it this week. It's ironic that this piano is one of my fondest memories of my grandmother growing up. Oh how she could play that piano so beautifully by ear. I can still see her arthritis worn fingers gracing those keys. She is so talented. I majored in music in college with a primary in piano....but I have never had the sweet presence on those keys as she has. The sander has such a monotone sound, yet as I was listening, I began humming a hymn. It has always been one of my favorites. Not only because of the history and story behind it, but the words themselves. It is well. Sometimes, MOST times, the Lord speaks to us in the smallest ways...in the most mundane times.

Tonight, while listening to the sander, I am at peace and full of joy.

"My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my Soul!"

Ready for 2019

I am one of those "sticklers" for a new year. There is something about a new year that is truly motivating to me. An easy way to shed the old and water the new. It reminds me of a buck who sheds his antlers each year. God designed him to let go of the tattered, battle worn, dirty antlers and regrow fresh, strong ones. That's how I feel about every new year. It's a little stronger this year, though. This past year, I went back to work full time. I continued my photography business, my little one started school, my oldest started college. It was a year full of changes for me.

I found myself dropping so many glass balls. Have you ever heard the story of the glass balls? We all have glass balls and rubber balls. Glass balls are those things which are most important to us: Our faith, family, health, etc. Rubber balls are those things that are not as important: hobbies, how we spend our free time, etc. When we hold a lot of balls in our arms, they get too full; we must drop some. The rubber balls, when dropped, will bounce back up to us and we can catch them when we are ready. The glass balls when dropped; however, will break. It is important that we protect and cherish the glass.

I tried hard to turn my selfish "rubber balls" into glass. I found myself dropping a few glass balls trying desperately to hold on to the others. I found myself putting more emphasis on things that don't matter and less emphasis on things that do. I am ready for a new year. The list I have forming of goals and timelines for 2019 gets me excited. 

So with that, I have chosen my "word of the year". I have done this in the past and almost forgotten about it within a few months. Honestly, the last few years, my word has been somewhat selfish or for business reasons. This year, I am taking a month at a time and working to grow the important things in my life. Faith, family, and health are at the top of my list. I know I will have to take a step back on other things in my life and honestly, that scares me a little bit. But isn't it true that you must walk through the valley and climb the mountain before you can see the magnificent view from the top? My prayer is that God will allow me to easily let go of some things that I keep dragging along, that he will guide me through each step this year. This is my prayer for you also. Do you pick a word for the year? I am so ready for the changes that God has in store for me and my family this year. My word of the year is....RESTORE.

Christmas morning | simplified

Over the past few years, Christmas morning has been a chaotic morning filled with 10 rolls of wrapping paper, a million bows, one stressed out mama, and a little boy who we had to beg to open his last few gifts. The same with the girls. Being from a blended family, they receive twice the presents and are so tired of opening by the time they are finished. So this year, we took a different approach. Over the last year, I have been trying to simplify many areas of my life. My mind, my home, my time - just to name a few. So this Christmas as my little boy turned five, we decided to simplify his Christmas. He had four gifts to open and two from Santa. I can honestly say, he had the best Christmas. He was more excited than I've ever seen him and he is still playing nonstop with his toys weeks later. This was an eye opener for me and completely solidifies my thoughts on my journey to minimalism. Here are a few sunrise photos of my boy on Christmas morning.

Ty's Fifth Birthday!

It's so hard to believe my boy turned 5 years old December 9th. The past five years have flown by so quickly. I wish I would have sat down to write out a post full of amazing memories the past five years. But here are just a couple of snaps from his big day. I love my boy.