Thursday, May 29, 2014

Summer To-Do's

After a week away from my beloved and our cozy, little home I am ~so~ thankful to be back in my recliner sipping water and munching on homemade goodies. Last week my family and I crowded into two cars and drove cross country twenty-one hours to Tucson, Arizona. Whew! What an adventure. :) We made the grand trek in order to celebrate my younger sister's wedding! Allie and Wade were soon engaged after Dalton and I and it was so special celebrating their union with them.

But now that I'm back home I've begun writing my to-do lists with fervor. After browsing through Angel's Summer Bucket List I've decided to scratch up my own wish list of summer activities.

Lately, I have been feeling lost; before marriage I was busy with two jobs (off and on), school full time, helping at home, and being a Sunday school teacher. Since our wedding day I've released many of those roles and have felt that because I wasn't "busy" I was being lazy or neglectful. Feeling this way has led to many ridiculous rendezvous; take yesterday for example--I spent two hours nervously chewing my finger nails to the bone because I had asked for an application at a crowded, small Thai restaurant which badly needed a cook. As soon as the scrawny, eager waiter requested for me to come back within two hours I knew I was making a mistake. I didn't want to fill my schedule for the sake of filling it; and for heaven's sake! I just quite a five year long job working as a cook and was rather enjoying not spending every moment chopping, dicing, and steaming my hair with boiling pasta water.

So I am going to calm down or as my dear husband says, "Wait. God will bring you something; just wait for it."

(Isn't he so smart?)

So, without further ado, here is my summer bucket list

 
 
Clean/wipe down the Sunroom
 
Start and Complete One Rag Garland
 
Develop and Hang Pictures Throughout the House
 
Make (and Take!) Cookies to Neighbors on both Sides of House
 
Complete and Send Out Thank-you Letters
 
Finish Application for College
 
Begin and Maintain Regular Bible Reading
 
Stick to Weekly/Monthly Cleaning Schedule
 
Visit a Zoo :)
 
Visit (two!) of Jeff City's Many Lakes
 
Take D out for Steak One of These Days :)
 
Mop Basement Floor
 
Create and Make "Emergency Basket"
 
Apply for Substitute Teacher Allowance
 
Finish Bringing Items from Mom and Dad's House ;)
 
 
And I do hope to blog about some of these endeavors; what do you have on your summer to-do list?
 
God bless you!!
Frannie
 
 
 
 

 

Monday, May 19, 2014

How to Say Goodbye to Your Husband Box

My sweet baby sister marries her beloved in four days. Eee! This means my severL of my family members have dawned our traveling gear, stowed away an amazing amount of luggage and odd tidbits into two small cars, and have begun the twenty plus hours of driving to the state of her union--Arizona. 

My sweet husband stayed behind and is manfully toughing his way through our first week apart all by his lonesome. It's only been one day but it has been really hard being away from my dear man! 

Before I left I made a little box of goodies for him.


It's my "I Love How Box" and  in it I wrote a special note for each day detailing a special something I love and appreciate about him.


I doodled a little picture going with the card's theme. Some ideas were "I love how you encourage me in The Lord" and "I love how you help me around the house." 


Little things but in reality they are quite big. Sometimes I forget to verbalized my thankfulness for all he does to bless my life. This was a fun, easy project to make and guess what? He LOVED it! 


Especially when it was topped with a $1 package of sunflower seeds--a favorite snack of his! :D

What are some cute ideas you love to use to encourage the special people in your life? I'd love to hear it...you may even spark some inspiration! :)

With love, 
Frannie

Friday, May 16, 2014

The Happy, Rich, Little Woman and Her Pocketbook

 
"All of the riches in the world which sparkle with the best
Hold nothing but a candle to the beauties of the rest.
 
A strong, warm hand to guide my way,
A home to house my stay,
A few small coins to buy my bread
and work to fill my day
 
An ocean strong, a gentle brook
Some yarn, some paint, a favorite book
A loving family all near by
and the joy of fish caught on the hook
 
These are the riches which hold my eye when the world tries to dismay
For memories, love, and contentment keep the heart lovely as the month of May."
 
 
Hello, sweet friends. Summer is creeping upon us begging for windows to be open, kites to be flown, and memories to be made. Life is lovely here in our lovely little place--how Dalton and I treasure these early days. We spend much of our time walking the city, visiting Farmer's Markets, working on our house, and enjoying each other's company.
 
A lesson I am currently learning is to trust in the Lord ... with all my heart ... and the beauty (and joys!) of contentment. Like many newly weds (and not so newly weds) money can sometimes be tight and it is so tempting to despair and let needless shadows cause our smiles to become frowns and our minds to fret. D and I have been experiencing some of this. What, with an unexpected flat tire, traveling expenses (for my dear sister's wedding!), and other minor purchases it is easy to begin grumbling about our pocket books. But these wishes and grumblings and fears only cause heartache and bring unwelcome hardships.
 
This is why I wrote the above poem. Whenever I am tempted to pine over Country Living's beautiful home decorations or weep over the beautiful items on Etsy I want to remember how rich I really am.
 
I know and love and am loved by the Creator of this world. I am healthy and have many good, upcoming opportunities for advancement in school and my personal goals. I've been munching on yummy bread I recently made with the Kitchen Aid and other utensils we were given for our marriage. There is a lovely rose bush preparing to bloom outside my window and herbs growing in my wee garden. I have clothes hanging on the line outside and dishes soaking in suds and bubbles ready to be washed. Louisa May Alcott is currently entertaining my quiet moments and I am packing to visit my dear sister for her wedding. I have a unique, gentle husband who loves me very much; he brings me coffee in bed, makes me laugh, and blesses me with his great desire for loving the Lord and bringing joy to others. I have work to keep my mind and hands busy and ways to bless others and family who bring me joy through phone calls and letters.
 
Oh, yes, I am a very rich young woman.
 
And I am so very thankful.
 
What are you thankful for today?
 
With love,
Frannie
 


Friday, May 9, 2014

My Mom

My Mom is an amazing woman.
 
 
 
She is a wife, a bride. A mother. A soon-to-be grandmother. A daughter. A sister. She is a teacher. A college student. A boom operator in the Alaska Air Guard. She is a keeper of her home. A secretary of the greatest kind. She is a quilter. A (most wonderful) cook. A listener. A binder of wounds. A lover of God's Word and all things family ... oh, and a lover of Silver Dollar City, too.

 

 
She is full of grace and humility. And Love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control. She is full of Christ and it radiates from her works and eyes.
 
 
 
She taught me of Jesus and my ABC's. She read countless books aloud to my siblings and I. She has jumped out of airplanes and traveled the world.
 


She is my dearest friend and oldest one too.
 
She is precious.
 
And I love her.
 
Happy birthday and Mother's Day, Marm!
 
Always your Franniegirl

 
 

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