porch project & thank you

This week I decided to finally scrape our porch ceiling.  I've been living in denial and ignoring the hanging peels for about five years.

It was time.

I've been working on it in one to two hour increments because that's the way I roll these days.  Or I stay up late and work for a four hour period of time.  Anyway, it's all scraped and primed and ready to go.  Daniel gave me a hand and that's the reason for my progress.

Home improvement thrills me.  Seriously.

Before.  Notice I already have a Pinterest-approved porch ceiling fan.  Just had to remove a bird nest from it. ;)

So I want to go for this look:

rug
boston ferns
(which I've had every summer. . . from Lowe's. . .
because no matter what happens to your plant
if you take the container back to them they will replace it.
My kind of store.)
black planters

color pops
porch swing

real furniture outside
flowers
white white white

I'll keep you updated.

And the kids and I made these tonight:

I have this strange complex of justifying really unhealthy things by adding whole wheat flour.
I present:
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Pretzels

Really they are just these from Taste of Home.  With w/w flour.

Yum yum.  Lots of easy hands on steps and easy for kids to make.  They loved helping.  :)

A flurry of tornado sightings, sirens, weather alerts and phonecalls sent us all to the basement tonight.  If Daniel is here I never care but alone I want to error on the side of too safe; so down we trucked; toting pillows

and blankets

and water

diapers

wet wipes

flashlights

tennis shoes.

And down there in the basement I look at my little pile of self sufficient items and smile.  Really?  This will keep my babies safe and protected? 

Mmmm. . . no, I know better.  The power of these storms could sweep us away.  But I trust a God bigger.  The awfulness of losing a child has given me a strange confidence and peace when I am faced with fear and worry.

He will carry and He will provide. 

And in the back of my mind I always remember that one of my children is already safe.

We came upstairs and knelt on the couch, leaning to look out the front window at the sheets of rain.  I fought the feeling of frustration at having my evening interrupted, my van-packing derailed and my laundry undone. 

But then I see their little faces and I just want to freeze the moment (which is why I love Instagram right now) and forget the laundry.

So I snuck out to the kitchen and peeked in the sugar cone box (there were three left -  it was a sign) and dug some mint chip ice cream out of the freezer and the three of us ended up having a pretty special time.

Cambria:  "Mom, you're nice." 

(Do I live to hear this?  Yes.  Sometimes, yes.)

I make them little beds (away from the windows) on the living room floor, their flashlights set on the coffee table and let Eli sleep in the big chair. . .

and the laundry gets accomplished.

dishes get washed.

things get packed.

life will happen.


*   *  *

I just want to say thank you for all of the sweet comments you all have left lately. 

I haven't ever blogged to get followers. I deliberately ignore the get a following tips like "respond to every comment!"  However I don't want to seem unappreciative of the time you take to let me know that you're reading.

It is so super encouraging to hear from each one of you.  Each comment leaves me very humbled and very wowed that anyone actually reads.  So thank you.  Thank you so very much.

If you are here reading I hope that you are encouraged to love Jesus and love your family. . . if that is accomplished than I am so grateful to God.

Ok.  I gotta get some zzzzzzzzzzz's.