Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Ten on Tuesday (with pictures and regular commentary)

 
 
 
1.
At C's soccer game a few weeks ago.
She loves her daddy.
 
 
2.
Pumpkin carving last night.
Baby L. is a carving master at the tender age of two.
We love minions. 


3.
Showing off her art skills on her new table.
Thanks, IKEA for cheap furniture.
 
 
4.
We had to take a birthday present back
(it kept falling apart)
L picked her own present.
She chose a semi-truck, a Thomas bath toy and a Thomas toothbrush.
Apparently, big brothers are rubbing off on her.


 
5.
I was helping C with his science homework tonight,
and started reading other pages.
Every page mentions God.
Christian Ed: totally worth the tuition payment
No confusion here!
 
 
 
6.
I got the Halloween boxes the other day to see what C was going to be.
Baby L had fun while the boys were in school.
The bow adds a sweet touch,
don't you think?
 
 
 
7.
It's fall.
This is my road.
I love it.


8.
This is how the contractor measures his kids.
By the way, A. is officially 5'3"
Growth spurt.
 
 
 
9.
C's unofficial soccer picture.
He was a part of the undefeated lions.
He won the "super speedy fast" award.
It fits him.


 
10.
This is probably my favorite picture of C.
Perhaps of all time.
It was such a sweet moment.
We were waiting for our friends to arrive from Korea with their new son.
We have been praying for many years for that moment.
C turned to me and told me he was going to keep praying
until he met Andrew in person.
I love his little heart.


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

38 RAK for the 38th bday





 
I turned the ripe old(ish) age of 38 on the 6th of this month.
 
Half way to 76.
 
(Yikes.)
 
 
Anyway, I wanted to do something different than the normal
 
"it's just another day"
 
routine.
 
I once read a blog about how a lady did one RAK for every year she was old.
 
I thought:  genius.
 
 
Then, I read this blog.
 
This is the younger sister of a student who was killed in my high school.
 
Instead of holing up every October, she does RAK's and encourages everyone to do the same.
 
So, I'm going to file this birthday under #AdamsActs.
 
So...38th birthday, here we go!
 
1.  The night before my birthday, I left a gallon of cider and donuts in my friend, Leah's, car. We had just recently had a conversation that about the weather and how it made her want to eat donuts and drink cider.
 
 
 
2- 13.  I made a pan of cinnamon pull-apart bread, put it in individual containers, and brought it to the faculty and staff of our school/church.  The following were recepients: Pastor, Joel, Debi, Anne, Kristin, Ashley, Jennifer, Yvonne, Diane, Ellen, Chris, and Dawn.
 
 
 

 
14.  I sent a Redbook subscription to my mom.
 
 
 
15.  I sent a long-overdue baby gift to our new nephew.
 


 
 
 
 
16.  I gave a little boy 2 quarters to play a claw game.  I was going to tape it to the machine, but he was there checking out the toys, so I thought I'd save WalMart the left over tape residue.  :)
 
 

 
 
17.  I prepared the coffee pot for Dave so when he got up in the morning...well, read the note.
 

18.  I dropped a mum plant off at my friend, Barb's house.  She has amazing gardens, and I just know she will take good care of it!
 
19.  I dropped some peanut butter M&M's off in Melody's van.  I went incognito on this trip...so it was a surprise to her! 
(finger inserted to protect the innocent)
 

 
20.  I dropped dark chocolate covered acai berried off to my sister-in-law.  I didn't go incognito on this one simply because their dog wouldn't have it.  BUT I did get to chat with Marianne and got a birthday hug out of the deal, so I'll call that a win!
 
21.  I purchased a busy bone for Ally.  Dogs need kindness too. 
 

 
 
 
22.  I brought Marie Catrib's to my friend Michelle and we lunched together.  I also introduced Baby L. to the AMAZING chocolate pudding there.  Oh my word.
 
 

 
23.  I dropped off a devotion book to my friend Rach's house.
 
 

24.  I left another devotional book on my friend, Abbie's, car while she was working.  :)
 
25.  I took the carpool kids through the drive thru for ice cream cones on the way home from school.  (I got to be the cool mom today!)
 
26.  I emailed action shots to the other parents on C's soccer team.  (Normally, I would have just deleted them after several months post season...)
 
 
 
27.  The lady that did my last pedicure was GREAT with child and told me she was having a girl.  I dropped of a baby gift to her husband.
 
 
28.  I did a drive-thru pay-it-forward at Biggby.  (Where I also got my free birthday drink.  Mmmmm)
 
 
 
 
29-32.  I filled 4 carts at Aldi with quarters.  Some mama who only has nickels and dimes in her change compartment will silently thank me.  :)
 


33.  I left a cookbook on the front seat of my friend, Sarah's, van.  (This was also an incognito mission.)

34.  I sent two of my favorite coffee flavors to my favorite pen pal in Texas.




35.  I sent Gina a card.  Just because.


36. I stuck a sweet note in A's lunch box.
 
37.  I made C's favorite dinner. (It's literally called C. Casserole because the boy will eat 1/2 of the 9x13 in one sitting.  True story.)
 



38.  I planned a hot date for my husband and me to go out for dinner.  Secured the babysitter, fed the kiddos, made reservations, paid out of my lunch (and grocery) envelope.




Whew!
 
38 RAK's done!

I learned something going through this: doing these RAK's...I felt more and more energized as we went along.  Like they were filling me instead of me filling them.  It made me want to do more and more.


Perhaps that's how kindness works. 

All I know is that the world could use more of it.
 
Pass it on.
 
Pay it forward.
 
Be kind.
 
 

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

  1.  Based on my absence, you can probably tell something's been going on.  Well, your right.  That something is life.  Over commitment, lots of things happening all within the same few weeks. Sleepless nights due to a sleepless toddler and unfinished to do lists.... just a lot.
  2. It's all good, just a lot.
  3. I've discovered that , even though I'm a huge extrovert, I still have some introverted days where I need to hole up and absorb quiet in order to recharge.
  4. I waved my white flag and called my mom to rescue me today.  She came and stayed with Baby L for the entire day so I could get some work done.  I spent 5 hours today working on stuff that would have taken me forever to get done.
  5. My baby girl turns 2 on Sunday.  How is it that she is already 2??   
  6. Is it bad that I'm still surprised that I was pregnant with her in the first place?
  7. It is refreshing when you have an open and honest conversation with someone else and they are of like minds.  Like a breath of fresh air.
  8. I love fall in Michigan.  There is nothing like it.
  9. I just finished reading "The hardest peace" by Kara Tippets.  It's amazingly encouraging.  You can check our her blog here.
  10. I'm in a dinner slump. Please send cheap, great tasting, low prep gf meal ideas my way!  (is all that too much to ask?)

Monday, October 6, 2014

Countng Mine {331-342}

331.  Realizing that Satan is working on you IN the moment- and being able to say, "get behind me, JERK" in the moment... and not after the fact.


332.  Problem solving.


333.  Crisp fall days.


334.  Umbrellas.  Big umbrellas.


335.  Sitting on the soccer field sidelines- in the frigid blowing rain- with only 2 umbrellas. He gives me (and baby) one and the brother the other since he had his winter jacket with hood.  We head to the car (with umbrella).  I look back to the field to see my soccer player on the sidelines wearing his dad's winter jacket.  And dad.... in the cold... in a sweatshirt.  That man.... I'm thankful for that man.


336.  Friends to have lunch with.


337. Phone calls wishing me a Happy Birthday!


338.  Date night.


339.  Small group night


340.  Gluten free pumpkin donuts.  With cream cheese frosting.


341.  Cider slushies. 


342.  A clear countertop.