I Am Still Alive

Sweet!
I'm back.
I have been gone and shut down the blog for while because I was having some posting issues.
Like couldn't access my account issues.
#autologinissues

However, I figured those issues out and can post again!
And.... am posting from a real deal, big girl laptop. What you may not have known is that for over a year now I have been without a laptop or home computer of any kind.
I miss that.
I like word processing documents and have a bit of a love for a good excel worksheet.

News!
Big News!!
On September 29th we officially adopted Aubry!!
Her birth certificate arrived yesterday and I cried.
Yes!
The 1,053 days she was in foster care we considered her ours,
but when we stood in that courtroom 
and the judge said it'd be as if we had given birth to her, 
that she'll be a full heir to our inheritance.
We cried.

It was real. 
And permanent.

When her birth certificate arrived with OUR NAMES ON IT-- I cried, again, and hugged the lawyers secretary, who I'd never seen before.
Finally.
No more court dates and visitation.
No more I have to do this or that.

Aubry fell and got a decent knee scrap and I didn't have to call one. single. state. agency. glory!
I stopped documenting coughs and sneezing and I can leave the state, county and country on a whim.
#canidothatsoonplease

I can now tell her full story and it's something I hope to do.
Her fiery furnace beginning and her week stay in the NICU, her miraculous life- truly a gift and blessing from her Creator God.

In other news:
I've deleted my Facebook and stepped away from Instagram and twitter for a whole year; and it's been one of the best decisions of 2014 for me.

1 whole year.
Best decision, 
however you all now have to deal with hashtags that lead no where, simply because of this love affair I have with them.

If this were a newspaper this next news would be a headline:
I've turned 40 years old,
....
ditched some dead weight people in my life,
downloaded all of Taylor Swifts albums,
came in second place in a hola-hoop contest (I think that 11 year old cheated),
have gotten rid of 80% of my wardrobe
and sadly not had the time, opportunity or desire to create pallet signs lately.

Oh and I have dived back into studying God's Word. 
When we eat good food again we crave it more and more. 
Oh how I love the Word of God, rich and filling, sharp 
and deep-breath-life-changing.

What about you guys, who even reads this thing anymore?
Give me a shout out please!! I'd appreciate it.

Until next time, I'll be eating chocolate cookies my mom left and trying to wean myself off of sweet tea, and I promise to start posting more pictures.
xoxo

My Heart Is Really Smiling

Sept 2014

Wow

I can't believe it, what a fast summer. 

After spending 4 weeks in NH followed by a week in the GSMNP I wasn't sure how life would be back here in FL. 

You know the life with dishes and vacuuming, husband and cleaning. 

Yea that life. 

I must say it has been a tough season. 

For whatever reason my entrance back into FL life was a hard challenge. 

My self talk got real negative and words like "hate" entered my vocab. 

What? Hate? Even I know I don't like that word.  

Needless, I'd begin to come out of it and then choose to step back into it. As if I deserved what I was thinking. It was a tough transition. 

But that is not where this story ends. 

No. 

It ends with a listening to the Holt Spirit;

It ends with a trip over The Stumbling Block. 

It ends at the beginning. 

The beginning of a change in mindset,

A change in self talk. 

A turning my 

eyes, 

heart, 

head, 

thoughts and words 

to Christ and the Truth that is the Word of God. 

I actually ran across one of Steve's college books from one of his Master's of Counceling classes at Liberty University (yes my man is a nerd, he just works construction for the love of it); anyway the book is "Telling Yourself the Truth" - so far good stuff. 

And

Good stuff that is challenging me to change my talk to reflect what God says about me. 

I believe this season has been an attack from a loosing enemy. 

An attack before a victorious season because Christ lives in me and I am a Royal Priest. 

Well 

Until next time

And let's hope my next time involves me typing this from a computer instead of...

...on my iPhone,

...on Aubry's bed,

...well past bedtime in the dimly lite room we all call ours. 

-hehe

And I say to you all: peace and love 

Kind thoughts

Scripture meditation

Xoxo

-m

Back in the Saddle Again

So I've somewhat settled back into the real world.
You know the one with a house to manage and jobs to be done.
Truth be told I prefer summers in NH. The weather, the woods, trees and carefree evenings with family.

Not that I don't like Florida, I mean I've lived here for 13 years, it's just NH will always be a part of who I am. When I'm there I feel a little more in my place on this earth, summers in Florida remind me of how my fair skin and light eyes were not made for the intensity the southern sun has to offer.
Of course send me to NH in January for a month and I very well will be singing a different tune.

So we're back.

Adoption should be complete by October, upcoming weddings and a 40th birthday celebration await us in the upcoming months.
Until then I will be sticking close to home. Living on a farm in small town New England for a month reminded me of how I love a life at home.
Simple.
Quiet.
Home focused.

And blogging-- perhaps I will blog more. I know once the adoption is final I will have the freedom to share more of Aubry May's story.
I had the privilege of being highlighted on my friend Doris' blog; go and check her site out- it's very encouraging and will surely touch all who read her writing. http://dorisswift.com/2014/08/06/welcome-to-the-blog-hop/

Anyway- patience as I can only blog through my sad, dying iPhone, as all technology at some point in time always seems to rise up against me in revolt and quit working--- talk about Rise if the Machines :)

Happy Thursday
for Thursdays...
are just a fun days!!!

Anyone else enjoy my movie and music references?? They made me smile.

Flowers and Acorns, Pine Needles and Trees

We stop and smell the flowers a lot.
What should be a 10 minute walk becomes a 15-20 minute one; simply because we took the time to stop and smell some flowers.
Or watch and inchworm,
Collect pine needles,
Grab a rock for our rock collection,
Whatever the reason we tend to enjoy the life that is right in front of us.

I mean don't get me wrong, I rush around some days, many days??-- but mostly I try my best to enjoy what's on my current plate.

Our flower smelling, and picking, makes us late often
But allows for conversations to be had, lessons to be learned and memories to be made and that's what really matters.

My BFF from hs has two little sisters, one of them told me yesterday in regards to the third sisters suicide 17 years ago that she has chosen to "keep on living. Some people loose someone very close to them" she said, "and they hold on so much that they don't live. I chose to live life." I love that!! She is choosing to: Live. Right. Now.

What happens has happened and what is right here right now is what matters.

While I often wonder if my flower picking time schedule, which often makes us late, I wonder if that in it's flaw is disrespectful to the people and things I arrive late at?
Idk
But what I do know is that flowers make pretty centerpieces and a bowl of acorns makes my heart smile. So we'll continue to stop and smell the flowers.

I'd encourage you to do the same and share it in a comment here or on FB.

Oh and one last tip, when slowing down and smelling the flowers, take a breath, breathe it in. Actually smell the flower- then in the wise words of Aubry May "it smells good"-- God is good.

Taste and see The Lord is good.

Happy days,