The Year That Life Got Away....

It has been well over a year since my last post, and so much has happened. Love tested, patience worn thin, friendships tested as well as friends gained. Chapters ending and new ones begun, faith tried and found lacking, challenges I never thought I'd face. Good things and bad things. The bad things however became good things as they rocked my little world and showed me the greatness and sovereignty of God and grew me immensely. 

My family adopted our final three foster girls October of 2012 and May of 2013! It took 18 years, but I finally have sisters! Now granted that there is an 18 year gap between me and the youngest... but who cares! I feel like second mom to them right now, but in time I know they will see me as their big sister. :) 

I have gone through a few months of family struggles and it shook my faith immensely. It led me to question how much I really trusted God. As a result, I dove headfirst into 1 Peter. Can I just say, it's my favorite book of the Bible right now. :) It gave me the faith and the strength to handle the next round of family crisis.
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." (1 Peter 4:12-13, ESV) 
Many people came to me afterwards (wonderful, sweet, and compassionate women in our church) letting me know I could talk to them at anytime about what had transpired, but I didn't feel the need. I was not confused or worried. I was not shaken or frightened. I had total peace that exceeded all understanding and I knew it could have only come from my Savior! How sweet the commune at that time with the Lord! And then came...the holidays.

I backslid. Slowly, and not very far, but enough to put me back where I was in how I dealt with situations. The peace was there, but only a small lingering wisp. The patience I once had with the kids slowly turned back to quick anger and frustration. It wasn't till New Year's Day, as I came back home from being gone an entire day, that it hit me. I was tired and almost dreaded walking back into the noisy chaos that is always swirling like an ever strong hurricane. The Holy Spirit whispered softly in my heart and I knew that home was where I belonged. Right smack dab in the midst of the chaos. I was to be the eye of the storm. I was to be the calm to their wildness; the quiet to their noise. I have been working ever since then to remember that. 

Contentment is something I've always struggled with and being a college graduate with no job to quickly jump into I was left with one option; to work at home for my mom. I have been learning to wake up early (Which for this night owl has been quite a challenge over the years. Just ask my parents.) and to do whatever needs to be done. I have less me time during the day then before and I've discovered that staying up late and getting up early is tough and somewhat stupid. (Only somewhat though.) ;) I read an article though that changed my perspective, if only a little. I felt like I was in the waiting room, just waiting for God to put me on the next path. Would it be a relationship and possibly marriage? Would it be a part or full time job? Would it be to start my own business with all the crafting skills I've gained over the years? What about moving out? Maybe even to another state! Then the article came. It said that we aren't in a waiting room. We're right where God wants us to be. We don't exactly get new paths. We get new twists and turns on our already existing path. It is our job to follow in faith that God knows what he is doing. I felt like Katherine Brooke from Anne of Avonlea. "There's no bend in my road; I can see it stretching straight out in front of me to the skyline." But how can I see otherwise? I am human and cannot begin to fathom the plans God has for me. I now feel I need to learn contentment at home before God gives me my next bend in my road. 

What to do, What to do?

I have a problem here....I'm not posting anything!!!

Time to remedy that! 

Today I did something big...I registered for my two online classes I'm taking this fall! These are the only two classes I will take for my entire degree! *big squeal and happy dance*

And to copy my friend on her blog last week, here is a video that she got me hooked on! I have been listening to it nearly everyday since, and have been trying some of the dance moves...

Thanks a lot Ashley! :-P

 (hehehe)

On another note...I am now 19! 

Yeah...it happened sometime a few weeks back. Somehow I do feel older...or maybe that's my out-of-shape body yelling at me to do something with it.

Now for a moment of pride.

My brother ran last week for the first time ever with his cross country team in Flagstaff. He placed 94th out of 273 and 2nd in his team! Way to go Andrew!!!

Check out his blog here --->  http://inthecornerofthecircle-frombud.blogspot.com/

And now to finish off, a thought provoking quote worth mentioning:

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

~C. S. Lewis~

My first mini vacation and a few promised pics...

Ok, so I'm a only-every-two-months kind of blogger...

#feelingextremelysheepish

To make up for my long absence, I present to you...

PHOTOS!!!!

First up: My bestie and Sister in Christ, Ashely! Isn't she just gorgeous!!! 

(And the equally spectacular Grand Canyon behind her of course!)

Next is my brothers and Robbie, Ashley's younger brother. 

(He's the one with the Angry Birds t-shirt)

All four of us at the Grand Canyon. 

L-R: Robbie, Me, Ashley, Andrew (my brother)

(not the best pic, I know, but we were all looking at the other cameras)

Robbie...being his usual goofy self.

All four of us wearing the awesome (and matching!) duct-tape wristbands Andrew made for us!

The entire B family!!!

So pretty much, they arrived on Monday evening of the 21st. We had a blast with just Ashley, Robbie, and Mrs. B at the Sea Life Aquarium in Tempe on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, we just hung out with friends of ours (the P family) in Mesa. 

(and ate some pretty darn good bbq chicken!)

Thursday, we drove up to Williams where we stayed. It was colder than we expected, and was pretty windy!

Friday, we drove up to the Grand Canyon, and WOW!!! It's beyond spectacular!  I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I would have liked since the elevation change didn't agree with me, but HEY!!! Who cares! It was the Grand Canyon! 

On Saturday, we drove down to Prescott and stopped there to look at some of the shops.

OHMYSTARS!!!! 

They had an entire store chock full of notebooks, pens, and the like.

I was in heaven!

(For those who don't know, I have this obsession with notebooks, and a mild one with pens)

Then we drove a bit further south to Humboldt to visit our friends the K family!

Ashley and I with the two oldest K girls.

Esther (L), and Emily (R)

We stayed the night there at the K's house and had a small bible study the next morning before heading out again.

This time, it was home to Phoenix!!!

Mr. B had to leave the next morning unfortunately, due work, but the rest of the family stayed a few days more. 

The rest of the days a kind of a blur, but I remember it ending at the airport on Wednesday afternoon.

I willed myself to not cry since it would dry out my contacts and I had no cleaning solution to rinse them out with, but I cried inside.

Every time I see the B's and the visit must end, I always think of that song from The Fox and the Hound.

Goodbye may seem forever

Farewell is like the end

But in my heart's a memory

And there it will always be.

Umm...Yeah.

Self prediction come true: It's been over 2 months since my last post. I'm back simply at the request of a friend, and because I have good news! My bestie is coming down from Tennessee!!! (and the happy dance commences) 

This is us back in 2010.

I can say that not much has changed physically for both of us, but we both have grown immensely spiritually and personality-wise.

Ashley and I have been best friends since 2001, and we have become to each other the sisters we never had. 

Back in 2007 they moved to Seattle from here in Arizona, and we were devastated. I felt as if a part of me was missing. (There still is.) We have tried to see each other at least once a year, but unfortunately it has been a little longer than that. The last time I saw her was in October of 2010. I went up for her Sweet 16th, as her birthday present. We spent two days in Victoria, Canada, and had a blast. :) 

Then, earlier this year, her dad got a new job in Nashville which is much closer to Pensacola, Florida, where Ashley will be going to college at PCC.

Two weeks is the countdown till her arrival, and I hope to post at least once more before then.

(And afterwards, of course, with pictures!)

Blessings!

Back Again!

See! I told you I wouldn't post that much! :)

Right now, life has been throwing all sorts of curveballs at me. I had the fantastic opportunity to go to Ireland, yet it didn't come through. I had the opportunity to serve in the 8-23 month classroom at our church last Sunday, and I got sick. We have had perpetual illness in our family of 9 since before Christmas. 

Yet God has been faithful. We have become closer (due to not being able to leave the house!) and have learned an insane amount of patience. 

It reminds me of my favorite passage of scripture.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

~James 1:2-4~

I have been finding that patience it not the only part of my faith being tested. It's my faith in my faith, so to speak. How much do I really trust God? Is he all that I trust? I am a pleasure seeker. I run to entertainment and to something I know I enjoy, such as crafts. This has proven to be a real challenge when it comes to serving my family, studying diligently for a CLEP test, or setting time aside for God. I have never been very consistent in reading my Bible, or in prayer. But I aim to change that. I have embarked on a month long journey through Colossians, and I pray that I build a habit of running to the Word, instead of music, movies, or novels. I ask for prayer, as a sister in Christ, that I may make Christ the lover of my soul.

And now I ask you...  

how has the Lord been testing your faith lately? 

My newest WIP...

A Work In Progress that is. My latest novel happens to take place in my favorite era: The American Civil War. 

So I'm going to do what my friend Mirriam does. (hehe. Stole your idea!) I'm going to do a character intro along with a photo of an actor I think could play my character. 

First up...my first Main Character. 

Keith Grahm (played by Kiefer Sutherland)

This character was inspired by a dream. No joke.

(I think I've been watching way too much 24 on Netflix!)

Keith is a Union Captain. His entire brigade died in battle, yet by some miracle he survived. He now no longer carries the visible wounds, but the internal wounds are destroying him. He lives with guilt and despair. His only joy is found in his wife Loretta and her twin nieces Evaline and Jacqueline. He is 42.

Loretta Beaufont Grahm (played by Daniela Denby-Ashe)

Loretta is Keith's wife and proud of it! She is a fragile woman in body, but strong in spirit. Her strength has helped Keith over the 15 years of their marriage. Being so frail, she has failed to carry all of her 8 pregnancies to term. Now she is 8 months pregnant. She has a nagging fear that she will not survive childbirth, yet she never tells Keith. Her cousin, is Louise Talcott by her mother's sister. She is 36.

Evaline and Jacquline Beaufont (played by Maggie Elizabeth Jones

These twin girls are a delight in the Beaufont home. Keith makes it his special duty to keep them smiling and giggling. They take a special liking to Marie. They are 8.

Marie Amos (played by Liv Tyler)

Marie is a young, sweet Northern girl who has spent the last 4 years in the South on her late grandfather's farm. Gentle and kind, she took up the responsibility of teaching the young slave children. Her father freed them when he inherited the farm and encouraged them to stay as hired help.  When her father, Samuel, and her two older brothers, Joshua and Daniel, enlist in the Union army, she is left with the Talcotts. Their "hired hands" are free to go North or to go looking for their families. At the Talcotts, she and Louise are always fighting and exact opposites, but when it counts, they are there for each other. She is 19.

Louise Talcott (played by Keeley Hawes)

Louise is a very determined flirt, not to mention quite ditzy. She is very naive and every inch a southern belle.

When she arrives in Baltimore, she instantly develops a crush on her Keith and makes no effort to hide it. Shamelessly she openly flirts with him and totally disregards any efforts of others to deter her.

She is 18.

There are more key characters, but that is all I have time for right now. 

I can't wait to really dig into it!!!

So...Yeah.

I've been lazy... to a certain extenet.

I've been studying like crazy for my Introductory Sociology CLEP (which I passed!) that at the end of the day, all I've wanted to do is to crash on the couch with the family and my buddy Netflix.

So I've come to the decision to not limit myself on what I'll be posting. I tend to be a procrastinater, and so I'll be lucky if I get two blogposts a month! (insert sheepish grin here)

So for this post, I'm advertising!

What am I advertising?

Neckwarmers!!!

 These lovely neckwarmers are now available custom made for $22.95. (Your choice of yarn and buttons)

Since it is very lightweight, shipping shouldn't be more than $2.

I ship only in the U.S.
I will be putting up an Etsy shop in the near future where I'll be selling some stock neckwarmers for about $19.95.

On another note...I also make...Ponchos!

(extra detail on the collar.)

These I have no price for...I'm actually just showing it off! :P

As for a movie...I just have to say I can't wait for THE HOBBIT!!!

The trailer on IMDb was awesome!!!
I've never had a trailer get me so worked up before!
(hehe)
And now I must go to work on my mother's Christmas present...