Life Updates

It's been a busy past few weeks, y'all.  We've been fighting another round of colds (just the kids, no adults this time).  Ugh.  Cold season is the worst.  I think we're past the worst of it, though... especially considering Houston thinks it is now spring.

Lovely. /sarcasm

Taken this week, y'all.  Me thinks the weather is a little confused.

In the mean time, I've been attempting to stay on top of laundry, feed my family, prevent my kids from killing each other (I joke... kind of), and keep my house presentable.

(Note I did not say clean.  Tidy is about as much as I can handle these days.  I mopped my hardwood floors last week -- the whole first floor -- and it completely wiped me out for two days.  Last time that's happening until Baby Boy's arrival.  Whew!)

But basically, I just haven't given much thought to blogging.  Well, let me rephrase:  I've thought a lot about it, but I made a commitment to myself when I started Sufficient Grace that I would never post because I "needed" to.

This blog is an outlet for me to relax and escape.  To reflect.  To allow God to teach me things through my writing and my experiences.  It is not -- and will not be! -- a requirement.

So while I have thought a lot about posting, I just didn't.  Mainly because 1) I didn't have any energy and because 2) I just didn't feel like I had anything to write about.  It's been a boring few weeks, y'all.

On the bright side, I was able to make a list of all my "nesting" projects that need to get done before Asher's arrival, complete with due dates!  I have about one a week from now until April 1st.  And then in April I'm making freezer meals.  Tons and tons of freezer meals.

At least that's the plan...

In any case, last week I finished organizing my closet.  It was a huge project.  When we moved in October, I was right in the middle of transitioning into maternity clothes, so I never bothered unpacking or hanging up the rest of my stuff.  I also threw in all the baby stuff that Hallie wasn't using any more... as well as random odds and ends that just didn't go anywhere yet.

I so wish I had a "before" picture to show y'all!  It was a mess!

Midway point!  Looking better already!

Done!  Not perfect, but I still have to add Asher's things.

And then today, I took everything out of my pantry and reorganized it.  Again, despite my best intentions, I failed to take a "before" picture.  I blame the pregnancy. :|

This poor pantry was pretty disorganized.  Whoever unpacked it, just stacked stuff ev.ry.where.  It's been driving me absolutely crazy, but with morning sickness, two littles, and the holidays, I just hadn't had time to tackle it.

Sheesh!  Who knew I had so much space in there?!

Now everything is grouped together nicely, even if it doesn't look more organized.  Eventually, I want to get everything in uniform containers.  But that is expensive and time consuming and just not something I'm ready to take on right now.

So that's what I've been up to the last few weeks.

What's been going on in y'all's lives, friends?

Did you know...

...there are currently  27 million people trapped in modern-day slavery?

...the average age of trafficking victims is 12 years old?

...every 30 seconds another person becomes a victim?

...99% of victims are never rescued?

Become a voice for the voiceless.

Shine a light on slavery.

Join me in partnering with one or more different 

organizations committed to ending global slavery.  

End It Movement

A21 Campaign

Abolition International

Free the Slaves

International Justice Mission

Love146

Made in a Free World

Not For Sale

Polaris Project

You don't have to give money.  Just give your voice.

And remember...

There are 7 billion people who can fight for freedom!

I'm in it to end it.  

Are you?

Worrying and Sparrows

Tuesday was Gabriel's first day of Mother's Day Out.

I woke up that morning with my stomach in knots.

Seriously... one would have thought it was my first day at "school."

I'd been struggling with our decision to put him in MDO since we first signed him up.  On the one hand, I knew it would be good for both of us -- me having a break from a needy toddler and G. having social interaction and stimulation.  But on the other hand, I was not ready to hand my son over to someone else for five hours, two days a week.

He's only two, people!

Drew asked me if I was okay; I shook my head and started crying.

"What if he hates it?"

I had visions of me dropping off a screaming kid, trying to juggle a second on my hip, while explaining his potty training situation and the teachers not hearing a word over Gabriel's cries.  And then Hallie would start crying, because she doesn't like it when Bubba cries and because she might be next... and she hates the church nursery.

But Drew assured me that everything would be fine and then he prayed over me and Gabriel.

And you know what?  Everything was fine.  I had nothing to worry about.

In fact, when I picked him up, he didn't want to leave.  He tried to take me and Hallie to the indoor playground, finally agreeing to go home only when he realized he was coming back in two days.

Gabriel's art from his first day.  He told me it was yucky.

I so needed him to have a happy experience the first day.  For me.  To be able to let go.  I think letting go is one of the hardest things to do as a mama.

But God reminded me through this experience that nothing is too small for Him.  I am pretty good at remembering to talk to Him about the big stuff; I don't think I've ever thought a problem was too big for Him to handle.  But I am certainly guilty of assuming that things are too small for Him to bother with.

And y'all... that is a mistake!

So, friends, I'm here to tell you:  no worry is too small to take to our Heavenly Father.

Jesus assures us that God knows when a sparrow falls from its nest.  A sparrow!  And then Jesus says,

"So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:31

I've always read that verse and thought, "Well, duh."  But now I see it in a whole new light.  If God knows any time any bird falls to the ground; if He has time to number the hairs on my head; surely He has the time -- interest -- to listen to my seemingly insignificant cares.

And y'all... that just makes me want to weep.  The God of the universe, who created everything out of nothing, cares for what I care about.

Amazing.