Jewelry and Elizabeth are
not often spoken in the same sentence.
I wear hats more than I wear jewelry.
I have always been a clean & simple kind of girl – from my artistic
style preferences to the say I dress. I
don’t like a lot of frill and bling.
My jewelry box (yes I do
actually have one) is full and messy. I
own a lot of jewelry; I just don’t wear it – odd. I vaguely remember playing with my Mama’s jewelry when I was
young and wearing a few pieces when I was in high school. In college I like international and bohemian
pieces – collected it but again did not often wear it.
Maybe sensitive skin
plays a role in this? I have my ears
double pierced but can’t wear earrings.
Two years ago even my wedding ring started to leave a rash on my
fingers. This is the biggest
disappointment in the area of jewelry.
One thing I do clearly remember is the day my husband gave me my
ring! I loved looking at it catch the
sunlight as I was driving. Even though
I don’t like bling I loved that one! I
still do. I’m sad I can’t wear it
anymore.
My daughter loves
jewelry. My box is a mess because she
pulls her little chair up to my dresser and plays with it. I do love the joy she gets out of going
through the pieces – maybe that is why I keep it all? At least someone is wearing it.
My favorite pieces are my wedding ring, my blue sapphire necklace from
my husband and my orange clay “Arise” necklace. This is a recent one, a gift from a blogging friend who hand
stamped it. I love it because it was
made with the CTMH stamps that I sell and it reminds me of a favorite
song. “Arise my soul, Arise. Shake off your guilty fears. The bleeding sacrifice on my behalf
appears. Before the throne my surety
stands. Before the throne my surety
stands. My name is written on His
hands.”
Day 2 - morning and Day 3 - read
I’ve
never really liked the “getting up” part of morning, but once I am awake I’m
usually fine. Since having kids I have
had to get up early and make the most of my mornings. Two years ago I joined the Maximize Your Morning challenge on
Inspired to Action. Kat is quite an
inspiration to me. Since then I make it
my goal to get up at least an hour before the kids wake up.
The
alarm goes off at 6:00 am. I get out of
bed, make a cup of tea and do my devotions.
Right now I am studying the book of James. If the weather is warm enough
I read outside on the deck or in the back yard. In the cooler weather I curl up on the sofa and read. I spend some time in prayer and then plan
out my day.
I
have really begun to love my mornings now.
Getting up and out of bed is still so hard for me. However, when I do actually get out of bed
there is so much about the morning that I enjoy! I love the house first thing in the morning, quiet before the day
begins. Being able to greet my little
ones when they wake up is such an enjoyable experience as well.
I
also try to check my e-mail and facebook before they wake up. I don’t like to be on long but I often get
sucked in and before I know it the morning is half over! That is something I really want to
change! When the house is alive we all
sit down together to have breakfast before Tim leaves for work. I often clean up breakfast and dress the
kids before we spend time playing together.
I have been trying to spend the mornings playing with the kids. The favorites are UNO, Legos, reading books,
spending time outside or watching a movie.
Sometimes we play video games together – this is the boys’ activity of
choice for sure!
I
want to be more purposeful with my entire mornings not just the time before the
kids wake up. Caleb will start school
in the fall and I know this morning routine will quickly change. I will miss our relaxed mornings
together. For this reason I want to
make the most of every opportunity I have with my children. The days seem so long but the years are so
short – flying by in the blink of an eye.
“Children
are made readers on the laps of their parents.” ~ Emilie Buchwald This is
so true in my life. My earliest
memories are of my parents reading to me and for as long as I can remember I
have loved reading. Most of my free
time growing up was spent lost in a book.
When I got in trouble for not listening to my parents, most of the time
it was because I was reading.
I really have
shown no favoritism when it comes to books or even reading material for that
matter. I love all kinds of
genres. Children’s books are perhaps
the most enjoyable for me but maybe that is because I spend most of my days
reading Sir Maggie the Mighty, Green Eggs and Ham and Flat Stanley. The kids have always enjoyed being read to
and I love that even at ages five, four and two I can sit with them and read
the Chronicles of Narnia. Occasionally
I take the luxury of reading an “adult” book and my favorites recently have
been One Thousand Gifts and Kabul Beauty School.
These days
most of my personal reading is done on the computer. I read blogs, news websites, facebook, and pinterest – although I
am not sure if that is considered “reading”.
I can spend tons of time on-line going from one blog to another. Some of my favorites are Inspired to Action,
Pioneer Woman, {Capture the Moment}, A Holy Experience, A Layout A Day and Ali
Edwards. I also love finding new blogs
and connecting with blogging women over e-mail. My recent friend connection has been A Girl Creative and I very
much admire Diana for so many reasons!
Sometimes I do think an electronic reader would be great to have. However, I love the feel of turning pages in a real book, the smell of a bookstore and the thrill I get every time I walk into a library and come out with my arms full of treasures. As a stay at home mom with three young children I don’t leave the house very often but I travel many places throughout the day in the pages of a book! That is a gift my parents gave me so long ago, I am forever grateful for the love of reading that was passed down to me. Indeed one of the greatest gifts, one I hope to pass on to my own children, is a passion for reading.
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