A Long Way Home

Have any of you heard Stephen Curtis Chapman's 

new CD: "re-creation" ?  

It's WONDERFUL!

I have found a new theme song for our marriage: 

(I realize it was not written about marriage; but a lot of the words really ministered to me this week as I listened to it over and over on my road trip.)

A Long Way Home

I set out on a great adventure

The day my Father started leading me home

He said there's gonna be some mountains to climb

And some valleys we're gonna go through

But I had no way of knowing

Just how hard this journey could be

Cause the valleys are deeper 

and the mountains are steeper

Than I ever would've dreamed

But I know we're gonna make it

I know we're gonna get there soon

And I know sometimes it feels 

like we're going the wrong way

It's just a long way home

I got some rocks in my shoes

Fears I wish I could lose

They make the mountains so hard to climb

And my heart gets so heavy 

with the weight of the world sometimes

There's a bag of regrets

My should've beens and not yets

I keep on dragging around

And I can hardly wait 

for the day I get to lay it all down

I know that day is coming

I know it's gonna be here soon

And I won't turn back even if 

the whole world says I'm going the wrong way

Cause it's just a long way home ..

And when we can't take another step

The Father will pick us up and carry us in His arms

And even on the best days

He says to remember we're not home yet

So don't get too comfortable

Cause really all we are 

is just pilgrims passing through

Well I know we're gonna make it

And I know we're gonna get there soon

So I'll keep on singing and believing 

what all of my songs say

Cause our God has made a promise

And I now that everything He says is true

And I now wherever we go

He will never leave us

Cause He's going to lead us home

Every single step of the long way home

Keep on, we're gonna make it

I know we're gonna make it

We're just taking the long way home

Sunday: Sunshine & So Much More

Here are a few of the things that I was

THANKFUL for on Sunday.

SUNSHINE:

using my air conditioner in October?

SILENCE:

so good to have time for

uninterrupted thinking/processing.

SHOPPING:

had to pick up some cute

baby things for Bridget's little girl,
and of course a couple of books and a CD.

SINGING:

yes.  I sing when I'm alone in the car.

hours and hours of worship music.

STEPHEN CURTIS CHAPMAN:

oh my!  have you heard his new CD?

SUBWAY SANDWICH:

yummm ... just what I needed for lunch.

SEVENTY Miles Per Hour:

this is the 6th time I've made this drive in 2 years.

4 of the 6 times I was pulling a trailer,

and was thus required to drive 55 mph.
(I-5 in California is 800 miles long.
800 miles @ 55 mph takes 14.5 hours.
800 miles @ 70 mph takes 11.5 hours.)

SLIPPERS:

the BEST footwear for long road trips.

SHASTA:

Mt. Shasta and Lake Shasta

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

Yes.

SUNDAY was a beautiful day

for a drive in the SUNSHINE,

while worshiping the SON.

No time with friends on Sunday,

just a day of silence, worship, thinking, & prayer,

and a beautiful, comfy room at the Hilton.

Saturday: The Beauty of Friendship

I was TOTALLY BLESSED on Saturday 

by visits with THREE friends, and 
long phone calls with TWO more friends.  

Oh my!  

So good!  

So  blessed!

I had a few more minutes with 

30-year-friend Debbie & Family,

over breakfast in Centralia.

I left Centralia at 10:00,

and arrived in Salem, OR at 12:30,

just in time for lunch with

20-year-friend Julie.

After a 2 1/2 hour lunch date,

and WONDERFUL visit with Julie,

I filled up with gas and headed south again.


During the afternoon drive,
I had two long phone conversations with a
friend-of-21-years and another
friend-of-16-years.  So blessed.

I arrived at Bloggy Friend Donna's house

at about 7:00, just in time for dinner.

Donna's husband was out-of-town,

so we had some serious

Girlfriend Chat Time until midnight.

Thanking JESUS for precious friendships!!!

Friday: A Record Breaking Day

Thanks for your prayers as I'm traveling.  I've been away from my computer for a couple of days, but am having a GREAT trip.




Yes.  Friday was a Record Breaking Day.  The traffic in the Seattle area was the WORST I've ever been in, and it took me the LONGEST to get through as it ever has.  (not a fun record to break)


We moved North from Puyallup 12 years ago.  We've made the trip back and forth probably hundreds of times.  When we drive mid-day (avoiding rush hour), it usually takes us 2 1/2 hours to go the 150 miles.  The longest it has ever taken was 4 hours.  However, on Friday it took me 4 1/2 hours.  Ugh!


For those of you who know the area ... Hwy. #405 usually takes about 30 minutes to go 28 miles.  It took 1 1/2 hours on Friday.  Then, Hwy. #167 should take about 30 minutes to go 24 miles.  It took another 1 1/2 hours.


I met Gregg & Kayla for coffee in Puyallup ... and visited for 1 1/2 hours, trying to avoid getting back onto the ugly freeways.  I left Puyallup at 6:00 for the 1 hour (55 mile) drive to Centralia ... which then took me 2 hours.  Seriously.


Funniest thing about the day ...


I was so nervous about getting into a fender bender in the crazy traffic.  I've never been in one. I never worry about it.  But, this time, I was driving a car that I am selling.  I could not imagine anything happening to the car, on my way to sell it.  So ... I was probably the nicest driver on the road that day.


"Anyone want to change lanes?  Oh yes.  I'll slow down and let you in.  I'm in no rush.  I really don't mind driving 8 hours for what should take 4.  No problem.  Just stay away from my car."  


I was, seriously, so mellow.  All I wanted was to make sure my car stayed nice, clean, and  without dents ... which it did.


After the extraordinarily long drive, my 30-year-friend Debbie served me dinner when I finally arrived.  Then, we had a 3 hour visit.  

So good to be with friends.  

So good to visit.  

So BLESSED to have this time with friends.

Country Baskets

I have always loved baskets.

However ... I have very few.

I have loved them when I see them

in other people's houses.

I have loved them when I see them

in little country stores.

I have loved them when I see them

on sale at Michaels Craft Store.

However ... 

I have never just gone out and bought baskets.

Why?

Probably because ... 

I "couldn't afford it" ...

I always had "better things" to spend $$$ on ...

our house wasn't really "country" style ...

our house wasn't really any style ...

While I have always thrown in a few country

decorations and pieces of furniture hear and there,

our house has always been more ...

"hand-me-down" style ...

utilitarian "what-do-we-need" style ...

crowded "we-have-12-people-living-here" style ...

After 29 years of marriage,

Papa and I are having FUN with

our re-decorating / re-organizing project.

Oh. My. Yes.

I am being very purposeful in each and every purchase.

God has BLESSED us with some amazing new pieces

of furniture through our Craigslist shopping,

and we have paid for EVERY piece by

selling more on Craigslist than we've bought.

Now that the furniture is all purchased,

I am having fun with the decorative touches

and organizational strategies.

This week, baskets are 50% off at Michaels.

So, I headed there with a plan.

This basket is on one of our new bookshelves

in the living room.  The little sign is one that

I already had; it's not attached to the basket.

This basket is the perfect size for Mama's Paperwork ... 

the paperwork that is usually stacked on the

kitchen counter or dining room table.

This way, the paperwork is always handy,

and can be organized in file folders in the basket,

and Mama can get it out to work on it any time,

but it will not be just randomly stacked.  Yea!

The green matches the Sage Green of the kitchen,

and the fabric matches the Taupe wall (behind it)

that ties the dining and living room together.

I LOVE the little Country Button details.

This is ...

Mama's New Kitchen Desk.

It used to be the phone desk and the

pile-stuff-as-high-as-you-can desk.

It held plastic cups, lids, old cell phone charging cords, etc ... 

It was the anything-and-everything counter top.

Now ... it is the phone desk, the iPhone charging station,

the computer modem, and Mama's Calendar Desk.

Mama's Calendar used to be stacked on top of

or under Mama's Paperwork stacks

that were on the dining table or kitchen counter.

This cute little basket is Mama's In-Box.

It will hold Mama's Mail and

Mama's Bills To Pay.

I'm going to tie some raffia around the top of

a canning jar for Mama's Pens & Pencils.

This tall cupboard is next to the refrigerator.

Only tall people can reach the top of this cupboard.

Therefore, it became the catch-all place for unnamed

tall people to put things that didn't have a place

(bbq lighters, bags of chips, cookies, etc...).

Mama decided to fill this catch-all space with a basket.

If unnamed tall people want to stash something up there,

they will have to take down the basket, and the

item(s) will have to fit into the basket.

No more messy area that Mama can't reach to clean.

This cute basket has a little blackboard on it.

I need to find a piece of chalk and then label this basket.

How about ...

"Tall People's Junk Basket"

I bought one more basket today.

It's a brown basket, with a fabric insert with

green and taupe criss-crossing lines.

It fits perfectly under our new living room End Table.

No pics of this new basket,

because BOTH batteries died on Mama's Camera,

and I can't find my battery charger.

Oh dear.

What to do!

More pics coming soon ...

...  the Plum & Taupe Living Room

...  the BEAUTIFUL New Bookshelves

on either side of the fireplace

(w/ Papa's funny story about

the mantel falling off the wall)

...  the New Plum Curtains with 

"Shabby Chic" Taupe Sheers

...  the Taupe & Sage Green Dining Room

w/ Plum Curtains and the

New Oak Hutch

...  the Sage Green Kitchen

...  the Taupe Hallways

...  the Plum Hallway Portrait Collage Wall

...  the Stairwell's New Look

Do any of you decorate with Baskets?

What rooms?

What do you use them for?

Just decoration ... or organization?

I would LOVE to hear about YOUR baskets!

Also ... what is your Decorating STYLE?

Country?

Shabby Chic?

Modern?

Hand-Me-Down?

Utilitarian What-Do-We-Need?

Help! We're Crowded!

Woo Hoo! It's Road Trippin' Time!

Mama gets to take a "little" Road Trip ... and Mama is EXCITED!!!


A week or so ago, I "advertised" the sale of my little Ford Focus on my blog.  Well ... turns out ... one of you sweet Bloggy Friends decided that was just what you needed.


However ... you happen to live in San Diego ... 1300 miles away.


No problem.


Mama to the rescue.


Mama happens to LOVE to take Road Trips.


Mama happens to have friends along the way that she would LOVE to visit.


Mama happens to be in need of some "quiet down time" ... and a few days in the car with Jesus and some Worship Music sounds absolutely WONDERFUL.


Papa happens to be out of work right now, so he can hold down the fort, the kids, and the homeschooling.


Mama won't be starting work at the bookstore for another week or two.




So ... do you all think these things "just happened" to happen?


Oh.  My.  No.


God is the AMAZING orchestrator of each and every one of these details.


Mama will stay with a dear long-time friend on Friday night (after lunch with Gregg, and hopefully Kayla).


Mama will stay with a Bloggy Friend, who has become a dear real-life-friend over the past couple of years, on Saturday night.


Mama will have a quiet night in a hotel on Sunday night.


Mama is hoping to spend much of Monday and Tuesday with a Bloggy Friend, who has become a sweet "Little Sis" over the past couple of years.  Mama will spend the night with her family, and meet her sweet new baby, on Monday night.


Mama will meet up with Car-Buying Bloggy Friend in San Diego on Tuesday evening, and hand off the car keys.


Mama got a steal of a deal on a room at a waterfront hotel in San Diego for Tuesday night.


Then ... Mama will fly home on Wednesday.


Mama gets a much-needed VACATION.


Bloggy Friend gets a GREAT little car.


Papa & Mama's bank account gets a nice little shot-in-the-arm, while Papa is unemployed again.


Looks like a Win-Win-Win Situation all the way around.




If you happen to live near the I-5 Corridor anywhere between Canada and Mexico ... and you would like to meet up for coffee or a meal in the next few days ... just pop me an email and I'll see if I can make it work.  (I will be starting the trip less than 5 miles from Canada, and ending the trip less than 10 miles from Mexico ... with a whole lot of Washington, Oregon, and California in the middle.)




Please keep me in your prayers over the next 6 days, as I hit the open roads ... just me, and Jesus, my worship music, and my iPhone (for safety, gps, and conversation).

More Than Just a Coat of Fresh Paint

Papa has done MUCH painting this past week;

but that's not all that he has been working on.

For the past couple of years,

our Front Entry has been filled with books ...

lots and lots of homeschooling books and supplies ...

with bookshelves on every wall.

Now, however, with our new School Room,

we were able to clean out the Front Entry.  Yea!

We have a very uniquely shaped house, 

with hallways off of hallways off of hallways

on the main floor.  Therefore, choosing colors

for the hallways is a major task ... not wanting

to use just one color, and be overwhelmed by it.

So, we chose 3 colors for the 3 hallways,

using the same 3 colors we are using in our

"L"-shaped kitchen, dining, and living rooms:

Aroma Garden (Sage Green)

Treaded Grapes (Plum)

Naturalist Stone (Taupe)

The Front Entry was chosen to showcase the Sage Green

of the Kitchen.  However, Jim thought that 3 full

walls of Sage Green might be overwhelming (whereas

the kitchen walls are covered with white cupboards).  

So, I suggested that we put up some wainscoting.

Oh my!

We are so pleased with this decision.

We are hoping to create a bit of a "Country" feel

with our re-decorating project,

(which is difficult in a plain, boxy 1980 built home)

and I think this wainscoting was just the right

touch for the Front Entry.

Still pondering what to put on the walls,

but this is the "view" when you walk

through the Front Door.

I just LOVE the crisp White trim and wainscoting!

Here's a pic of the Front Door.

The Red Door is the same color as the 

Red Shutters that we put up outside.

I really like how the Red & Green complement each other.

See the dark brown trim around the window?

That dark brown trim was everywhere,

until just a couple of years ago when Jim put the

crisp white trim throughout our 3400 sq. ft. house.

Jim is now going to paint the trim around

the window the same red as the door.

Sorry ... crooked picture, not crooked front door.

When Jim put up the white trim throughout our house

a couple of years ago, he and a friend also put up

wainscoting in our Red, White, & Blue Master Bedroom.

This is Jim's first wainscoting job on his own,

though, and he did a WONDERFUL job!!!

Do any of you have wainscoting in your house?

What rooms?

What colors on the walls above?

3' or 4' wainscoting?