Big News

Announcing....  Applewood Quilts Etc. real presence on the web!

I took the plunge and now have my own domain & site for my sewing!

I still have a lot to learn with getting a site up and running and all that jazz - but I'm making progress!

Another Chance to Change the World (or at least a small part of it)

A few years ago I stumbled across a blog with a cool name "The Gypsy Mama" (aka Lisa Jo)... how fun and interesting and real she was to read!  She has since stopped wandering as much to keep the moniker she had and even has become a US Citizen!
Today I still read her blog sometimes and follow her on Facebook to keep up - as I'm pretty well beyond the stage of littles that she is living and my focus is shifting as God leads my heart to different things.  But I'm still a mom obviously and my heart cares deeply about 'mom' things.
So today she posted this on Facebook and I clicked through to her blog to read... and immediately clicked further through to be part of something that God is building on the other side of the world.  Because the moms there matter... to God and so to me.  He is the one that provides opportunities for everyday, ordinary people like me (and you!) to be part of enormous Kingdom projects!  Even if only through our prayers.

Photo from Lisa Jo's site

Blessings on the journey~

A Random Childhood Memory & Recipe

A few weeks ago Steve and I were discussing things that we remembered eating fairly regularly as children but that we have never had as adults or fed to our own children.  **Yes - I do realize that this is probably not a normal conversation line for most people but we are not 'most' people.**

One of the items in question was Boston Brown Bread in a can - he didn't remember the can part as he only ever saw said bread on the table but he did remember that it was round and he didn't quite know why.

About a week later J and I were in the grocery store and found it and were compelled to send a photo via text to him just for giggles.

The other day I was reading through a handful of blogs that I enjoy and stumbled on this post about muffins... and in particular THIS recipe.


An actual recipe for Boston Brown Bread muffins!  Yes - I was way too excited about this and vowed to make a batch as soon as I could remember to purchase some rye flour - as it is not something I normally stock in my pantry.
On Monday I finally remembered to purchase a small package of the needed flour and just this morning had the opportunity to bake a batch of the muffins.  I mixed them up according to the HM's directions and even the batter had the same aroma I remembered from my childhood.  Soon the kitchen smelled of molasses baking and even J agreed it smelled good.

After about 15 minutes they were done!

Warm with real butter and ... YUM!

A childhood memory memory made from scratch and so good!  J did try a half of a muffin but was unimpressed.  When Steve gets home from work, he can try them and see if they match his memory and then tomorrow I'll take a few down to my folks when I visit them and see if they remember... I'm sure they will.

Blessings,

A Random Scarf

Back before Christmas I won a blog give-away on this really great blog... I was SO excited as I don't normally win things.  Plus I love reading Eyvonne's posts and I felt more connected when she emailed me personally to find out my choice for my prize.

The prize was a scarf of my choice from this pretty amazing company FashionAble. 
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm pretty fashion-impaired.  I do not do 'styles' and pretty much stick to solid colors and basics for fear of embarrassing myself or my family by looking like a ... well... a 40+ year old woman who doesn't know fashion.  So the opportunity to have something stylish for free - plus knowing it was for a great cause was a definite win-win in my book.

My scarf arrived after the New Year and I was a bit baffled as to how to wear it, thankfully there is a spot on the FashionAble website that explains it! :-)  I love my scarf!  It's a basic black and goes with lots of the tops I own already.  I have even been brave and worn it to church... yes... I wore something style-y in public and no one looked at me strangely! Win!

So... that is my random post for today... now back to packing boxes.

Blessings on the journey~

Prayers from the Pews

I'd seen some posts about this book before the release and then read several reviews after the release as a Kindle book.  I was impressed and intrigued as I've been reading Terri Lynne for a while and always learn something from her writing.  God has used her writing to teach me a lot in fact.


I think it was last week when someone posted on facebook that the book was available for free that day so I snatched it up (or down?) for my Kindle.  (It's only $4.99 now)    And during my morning quiet/devotional time I've been reading it... pondering, praying, absorbing.  This small book is just amazing so far. 

Yesterday I reached 56% done (that is just how Kindle measures things - I have no idea if it translates into real pages or not).  This is the part of the book where it begins to be prayers for our church - God's church - The Bride of Christ ... all based on scripture in the book of Acts.

Yesterday I prayed this page:

"And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart..." ~Acts 4:32 NASB

Lord, we pray our faith fellowship will be bound with one heart - a heart that seeks You, is passionate for You, longs for You alone.  As we grow in one heart for You, fill us with great love and compassion for one another as well.  Cause us to lay down our own agendas, plans, and desires.  Let them be replaced with humility and love that places others ahead of ourselves.  May we be so consumed with loving and serving that people know it can only be explained by You. Amen.

And today was this and it just took my breath away:

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit..." ~Acts 4:2

Lord, we pray that Your church will be filled with the Holy Spirit.  God, that we will be guided by the Teacher and Counselor You have sent to us.  We ask that Your Spirit fill us with the fruit that only comes from You - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.   We pray that , as Your beloved Bride, we will be a radiant picture of Your love for teh world around us.  Keep us, O Lord, from arrogance, competition, and strife between other congregations.  Cause us to walk in one mind, be of one heart, and be ever guided by one Spirit. Amen.

I know that in Christ there are no accidents... nothing passes through my life that is not part of what He has allowed for me.  This book came just now for me because it was the time I needed it most.  Terri Lynne shares her personal journey of hurts and joys in church during the first part of the book and even though I have not walked the same journey, I found much that resonated with my heart and life.  She writes with kindness about difficult things and shares honestly without being harsh at all. 

I look forward to praying through the rest of this book - for my own church body and the Body of Christ world-wide.  She is a wounded and wandering Bride in many places and only Christ's loving touch will restore her and make her ready for the time when He comes to bring her home.

Blessings on the journey~                                                                 Photo credit: raisinghomemakers.com & stock images

Jesus is Never Snarky (or... an apology)

I offer sincere apologies to anyone who reads my Facebook posts and was upset by one post from yesterday (that has since been deleted).  I am truly sorry for my choice of words yesterday and have already had face time with the Lord over it, so now I'm doing the electronic version for anyone who cares.
Yesterday in a snit of self-righteousness and frustration I posted something on Facebook that was definitely snarky in tone and probably rude.  One of those motivations is definitely a sin that I'm continually having to struggle with and repent of and the other... hmmm... have to get back to you on that.
I read an amazing blog post by Teri Lynne and was both inspired and irritated.  You can read the post she wrote here.  She's pretty awesome a lot and I generally find helpful insights in her writing.
So.. back to my response.  I was inspired because God has been really impressing on me over the last year or so that we don't have to be some super-saint or have some amazing talent to be useful for Him.  We just have to be willing and say 'yes' when an opportunity presents itself.  Please note that I do not think that these opportunities arise by accident - GOD is planning all this - it says so in scripture "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10.
I was irritated because I'm struggling with a nasty funk of feeling like there are lots of fat sheep in our churches being only consumers without doing anything or sacrificing anything (Dietrich Bonhoeffer has been in my head lately too).  I'm really sure that Jesus got his hands dirty when He walked this earth and maybe we don't actually have to get physically dirty to serve for His kingdom... but we have to get out of the chairs.  Even in small ways - like Teri Lynne talked about.
So.  I apologize for being snarky and rude. 
But I do NOT apologize for the feelings that I'm wrestling with about how to live a better story for Jesus, and to DO what I say I believe.  I don't want to waste this short life that God has given me (yes - John Piper is in my head too) -  when I can choose to do something that may somehow make a difference.

What will you choose?
Joshua 24:15 "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”


Blessings on the journey~

Hot Cross Buns

I tried something new today!

Hot Cross Buns

I have never eaten a Hot Cross Bun before, but after seeing a post over at The Frugal Girl a few days ago, I decided to give it a go.  Of course in my typical style, I had to tweak it a bit. :-)
I doubled the cinnamon and skipped the cardamon (I don't even know what that spice is!).  I also left out the raisins because no one here likes them.

Actually I doubled the whole recipe and made 3 dozen of them!  So I have a some to give away to the neighbors or maybe I will take some to the Easter breakfast at church.
They are really yummy!  Of course we didn't eat them hot... had to wait for them to cool to put the frosting on them.  The kids all gave them 2 thumbs up!

I will definitely make these again!

Blogging a Bible Study

Today I am home from church sick with a chest-cold and B is also sick with a cold/fever.  We've done the OJ, toast and a game of monopoly so far...
Now he's under 3 blankets on the couch with a Star Wars video and I'm having coffee in front of the computer and trying to figure out a way to make this morning count for something worthwhile.
So I decided that I'll start a few posts from the new study I'm doing with a great bunch of ladies at our church.  We meet every other Monday and are going to work through Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts together.  I stumbled across a reader's guide for the book that has some questions that I'm trying to go through each time we meet.  So far I've been a flop at actually getting all the way through all the notes I take and scriptures that God has shown me in the process, so perhaps putting them here in my corner of cyber-space will make up for that failing in group.

So to begin.... Chapter 1  "an emptier, fuller life"

Page 13: But these aren't things you need to say anyways.  Like all beliefs, you simply live them.
Page 14: I look in the mirror, and if I'm fearlessly blunt  - what I have, who I am, where I am, how I am, what I've got - this simply isn't enough.
Page 15: Our fall was, has always been, and always will be, that we aren't satisfied in God and what He gives.  We hunger for something more, something other. 
Page 16: If I'm ruthlessly honest, I may have said yes to God, yes to Christianity, but really, I have lived the no.

These are just a few of the lines I high-lighted in the first pages of the chapter... words that struck a chord deep in me and I could identify.  Shamefully... but true.  I first read Ann's book when it came out early in 2011, and since that time God has taught me much and I am beyond grateful to feel that there is some small measure of progress.  If that is not too bold to admit - but I don't say that with any pride, only with humble thanksgiving that He has counted me worth the time and effort to change my heart, my mind, my life.

Readers Guide Question:  "Quote from above pg 16"  What do you think Ann means by this?  Has this ever been true for you?  If you feel comfortable doing so, describe the experience.

My notes:  I think Ann means she has lived as if God is not a good God - that he lets us down or leaves us to twist in the winds of sorrow & pain.  Even aside from the times in my life when I was living far from my faith - 'back-slidden' to use the churchy words for it - I admit that there have been times when I have struggled with holding to God's goodness in the face of difficulty.  Miscarriage, infant death, then divorce, custody struggles, serious medical issues for my oldest child and then ongoing educational struggles for him.  But on the other side of all those things... I can see how faithful God was even when I was holding Him at arms length.  I was living as if He had taken a vacation from watching over me - but I was the one moving away from Him.

How often are we willing to be so "ruthless" with ourselves?  Honesty is HARD at times ... especially when we feel we are questioning God or even act like we are pounding our fists against His chest in our frustration ... or arrogance?   Behaving like children?  Yet the grace pours - our hearts (our storms) can be calmed by the One who calmed the waves - if we make that choice - to let Him... to SEE Him.

Page 17: "His secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory." (1 Corinthians 2:7 NEB)
Page 21:"Just that maybe... maybe you don't want to change the story, because you don't know what a different ending holds."  snip "Maybe... I guess... it's accepting there are things we simply don't understand.  But He does."

Readers Guide Question: During their forty years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites survived on a daily diet of manna (Exodus 16).  It is a baffling substance whose name literally means, "What is it?" - but they eat it, are nourished by it, and even seem to like the taste of it (p. 22).  The author makes a connection between manna and the troubling mysteries of our own lives.  How do you respond to the idea that our questions and the things we don't yet understand may actually be sources of spiritual nourishment?  What do you think it might mean, in practical terms, to "eat the mystery."?

My notes: Ephesians 1:6-10 seemed to speak loudly here for me.  Right now - we are only seeing glimpses - we see grace - we have moments when we 'almost' grasp something that pulls us to Christ or perhaps we just cling desperate because we feel like we are blinded by a situation or circumstance - yet we know there are promises in scripture (Romans 8 - right?) that tell us we are safe in Christ.  So in Ephesians 1, verses 9-10 say: "making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."  This is the mystery - how all this ... the brokenness of the whole world - of hearts & homes - the wounded - and the beautiful... the glorious creation, the laughter, the love - all of it, the grace of a moment and a lifetime.  We cling simply because we must at times - what is the alternative really?  Do we believe we have any more/better control if we reject Christ?  Then it really would be empty beyond redemption and hope... In Christ we have the hope and assurance that at some point - perhaps only in heaven - we will KNOW the mystery.

I'm going to stop here for now... this is way longer than I thought it'd be!  Breaking it up should make for a bit easier reading, and typing! 

Pray

Kat from over at Inspired to Action had this amazing post today.
It comes on the heels of a conversation I had with J & B yesterday.  God's timing is always so cool.

I was talking to them about how I pray for them... and that I had recently come to realize that if ... and it's a BIG IF... but IF I had to choose between them being happy, healthy & having all their dreams come true... OR them following Jesus, I would choose for them to follow Jesus.  That is not to say I want my children to be miserable... but I know that true joy comes from Christ - not from the things of this world and especially not the things the world will tell them will make them happy.
Of course I pray for them to be safe, for God to bless them and guard & protect them in all ways (physical, spiritual & emotional).  But my most fervent prayers for them are to follow Christ...sacrificially...completely... sold out to Jesus with every beat of their hearts.  The way that I want to live... the way I struggle to live.

We clicked through from Kat's blog and watched this video of this song... it took my breath away at times.  Watch it intentionally... THINK... FEEL the depths of the words ringing into your heart.  I so hope that someone prays this way for me.

And the beginning of Francis Chan's sermon after the song has me intrigued... I'm going to see if I can scout up a link to that as well to watch/listen.  If I can find it I will try to come back and add it here later.

UPDATE: Found it!  Go here and scroll to the sermon "Power" by Francis on 7/6/08.  We are listening to it while J does her Algebra test (at her request).




Blessings on the journey,

Kisses From Katie

Oh my heart....
A dear friend sent me a link to this blog (Kisses from Katie)... J & I watched the video on the sidebar (Katie's story) and my heart ached to be like this amazing young woman!   It is the same ache I had last year when I read the book Radical by David Platt.  J was immediately fascinated with the story.

I have wish-listed Katie's book.  I'm sure my parents will not be happy when J reads it.... her heart is already soaring to other lands when she reads missionary biographies. God is going to send my girl someplace...I'm certain of it.  This is just the sort of story J loves... and I think... the story she dreams of living for Jesus.

Worth sharing

I read many blogs... too many blogs sometimes... it takes time and I'm trying to cut back.  I use an RSS feed to sort through and try to pick & choose things that seem to jump at me.
I'm really glad I read THIS today and would encourage you to do the same.  We need to remember that there are no guarantees in our job description as mom.

Blessings on the journey~

Change of Focus

What do you see in focus here?

How about here?

In January of 2011 I read Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts and it started something... something that my kids and I have continued through the year.
We began counting the gifts God gives - not every day, but taking the time purposefully to notice the things God gives us each day that we appreciate... or even the things that are HARD but help us to grow as people and to lean heavy on the One who holds us in His nail scarred hands.
As of yesterday we finished 2011 with 1111 gifts counted.  I hadn't really thought much about that number until early this morning when I wrote this on the top of a fresh page in our journal counting book:

Praying that we will continue to count the gifts that 

God allows in our lives each day.  

Welcoming 2012 with the full expectation 

that we can see God's fingerprints in our lives

each day when we remember to look for them.

Then I began the counting numbers on the page: 1112
That is the first number for our new year on the first day of 2012.  I smiled.

When I went outside with the dog this morning I saw the clothesline on the deck in the sunrise - laced with icy drops.  If I only look at the drops on the line - I can see in the background -hazy - the sunrise firing the dawn through the trees.  If I look past the drops glittering I can notice the leaves of orange still clinging to bare branches and the haze of moisture between the dark tree outlines.  Beautiful in either focus really.
Like my life.
Some days I focus on the drops, the daily routines & errands and 'to-do' lists.  And other days I have the glimpses of how God is using the drops to frame the beauty of His light shining in my bare spots to fire a new adventure.
New Years is a time of reflection and of looking forward.  I wait anxiously to see what new things God will show us this year.

See, I am doing a new thing!
   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
   and streams in the wasteland. ~~Isaiah 43:19

Blessings on the journey~

Braiding Bread

A while ago I found this lovely post at Good (Cheap) Eats, with an embedded tutorial video.  Sometimes these things are strange (not this site personally - but in general), but this was short and easy to follow - perfectly helpful!
I've made Challah Bread before and even attempted to braid the loaves, but they often come out lopsided and strange looking.  Which doesn't impact the taste at all, but I like pretty bread. :-)
So I decided to try this new recipe and follow the video directions and see how it would come out.

 Here is the bread prior to baking.

The braiding wasn't difficult and it seemed to come out pretty even.  I brushed the top with a egg white wash prior to baking.

Here is the finished bread.

Given that egg bread is pretty dense and has a fair amount of sugar in it, I categorize this as a 'sweet' bread.  I cut this round into quarters and then sliced it to make french toast for dinner one night.  Marvelous!

Blessings on the journey,

Link Love

This post from Teri Lynn was awesome!

Third World Symphony and Compassion

Over a year ago I stumbled on a blogger trip sponsored by Compassion International.  Basically they choose a handful of bloggers - take them someplace in the world to witness what Compassion does first hand and let them share their experiences with their readers.  Pretty cool.  Pretty radical.
You can't know how someone will react to what they see.  You can't know what someone will write in response to what they experience.  But from what I've seen over the last year or so, it's pretty phenomenal how God is using this specific means to reach people to expose them to a way they can be Jesus' hands and feet in releasing children from poverty through sponsorship with Compassion.
I know - we are part of it now.  And because we are part of it, my parents are now part of it. And only God knows for sure where it will all go further from our two homes and the handful of kids we sponsor between us.
Anyway - on that first trip, and the ones since then that I've followed, there is this guy - well sometimes more than just one guy - but this particular guy is unique.  His name is Shaun Groves and he is pretty interesting and talented and funny... and best of all, he really shares his heart for God and these kids in amazing ways.  The fact that he is a home schooling Dad gives him extra points too. :-)
I started reading his blog.  He makes me really think, he cracks me up a lot - he has kids, he is genuine in his faith and honest beyond belief about his life, struggles, and what God has done and is doing with him and his family.   It's a peek into someone's real Christian life... and I'm just nosey enough to be fascinated.
A while back Shaun put out this idea of making an album and invited his readers to support his project financially - for our efforts (and prayers) we would get a free album!  Woohoo!  Who doesn't love to be part of something really cool and out of the ordinary like a music album?  And get free music?  Add the extra "hoo!" and count us in!



Shaun's new album Third World Symphony arrived the day before Hurricane Irene was set to hit New England and J promptly ripped it into iTunes for our listening pleasure.  It is completely awesome!
Even the 13 year old agrees!  She loves this album and is hoping that Shaun may eventually make some sheet music available to aspiring musicians who live in our house (J-girl plays piano and B-boy is learning to play guitar) *hint*hint* (just in case Shaun actually sees this - which I doubt - but you never know what God can do on the internet! *S*)
Now Shaun is doing a blog tour with video clips, Q&A interviews and various other cool stuff.  I follow him on facebook and have been reading all sorts of neat blogs because of this 'tour'.   There are some pretty cool and creative people on this web-thing.  And the really amazing thing is reading the hearts of all these people that have been touched by Shaun's music and his heart and  his work with Compassion International.  All these stories of how God is working around the world just blow me away!
People - ordinary people.  Moms with minivans and sticky counters, people with little to spare in their budget and people with more, guys with kids and without, people with words and stories and hearts that God is using - changing the world, reaching the world for Christ.  It's amazing, humbling, and almost too exciting to be able to wrap words around.
Shaun's music on this album, Third World Symphony, is so real.  It is music that has looked into the eyes of hurting and hungry people.  It is cries and praise to the only One who can save (John 3:16-17), the One who is the giver of every good gift (James 1:17), the One who never wastes anything (John 6:12). 
You should go to his album website HERE and listen to the music... buy a copy... let God use these amazing songs to change you in some small way. 


I'm so thankful that God allowed us the opportunity to be a small part of this project.  We all have a part to play in the symphony that God is writing. 
What is your part?

Another Addition to Our Family

Guess what happened today?
God did something cool!  Okay...so He does that all the time - everywhere - every moment.  But today He did something cool HERE at my house, for us.
There is a Compassion Blogger Trip going on right now in the Philippines.


I am already a regular reader of a few of the bloggers on this trip, so I thought that was pretty cool when I found out they were going on a trip with Shaun Groves to spread the word about Compassion International.  I've followed two prior trips like this, one to Kenya & one to Guatemala and as a result we sponsor two children through Compassion.  Get it?  2 trips = 2 kids that God has given to our hearts.  Makes sense right?

Fred is our first sponsored child and he was chosen after many tears over blog posts and quite a bit of time poring over photos and bios on the Compassion site.  He has grown a lot since the first photo we had of him!

Next came Blanca in Guatemala whom we only were blessed to sponsor for a brief time as she left the program due to school pressures.

Then God sent us Fernando - in a part of the world where Christianity is beyond a minority.  He is the same age as B and we hope that they will eventually become friends & pen-pals.

So... to the cool thing God did today for us.
I've been reading posts and trying to not get too involved... I've been feeling a bit maxed out emotionally lately and was afraid of the raw feeling of life in places of desperate need that is always right at the surface of these blogger trips. 
You try and keep arms-length when you read posts like this, and this, and this.  I dare you!

I'd already been feeling God tugging me about sponsoring a third child - a girl - J's age (like Blanca had been).  We have three kids at home, we should have three kids out there.  Makes sense in my head & heart.  But I've been putting that feeling aside - not wanting to stretch the budget a bit more just yet.

Today's mail brought an envelope from Compassion with a letter that told me how they have over 1,900 older children waiting for sponsors - and their definition of 'older' means 10 years old or more.  Not exactly OLD.  Seems lots of people - bless their generous hearts - are taken with the photos of little ones, and no one faults them one bit!  They are some cuties!  But the older kids are often overlooked.  Compassion serves these kids amazingly and you can read more in Shaun's post here.

So on a whim (who knew God used whims?), I clicked over to the Compassion site and did a quick search (female, waiting more than 6 months for a sponsor, birthday in the same month & year as J).  Nothing too demanding, didn't choose a country or anything other than those 3 criteria.  Guess how many girls popped onto my screen?

Just. this. one. 
Isn't she beautiful?

Her name is Diosenie.  She lives in the Philippines.  Right where those amazing bloggers are traveling this week.  I know that isn't a coincidence.

So that is my really cool thing that God did today.  Won't you prayerfully consider sponsoring a child in Jesus' name?  There is a special one that God has chosen for you.  I just know it.

Blessings on the journey,

Wednesday Rain

It rained!
I suppose that may not be reason enough for a real celebration, but given the SERIOUS lack of water here lately.  I was more than happy to thank God during my prayer time this morning for sending us some rain.
I'm working to get back on track with life now that my computer is fixed and a nice rainy/gray day is a good day for more of that.  I still have lots of school-related files to re-create, but I'm making progress.
I've also started working on a 'home notebook' which includes a complete inventory of my pantry stock-pile and will work on inventory of the freezer either today or tomorrow.  I also need to go through my spice cabinet and that will be at least a half-day project.  Sometimes it amazes me how long seemingly simple tasks really take.
The idea for the home notebook came from this very cool site: Organized Home. 
So I used one of those small binders and inserted some pretty scrap-book paper for covers and printed out some forms/pages to get started.  It's a process and hopefully will make life a bit easier as I work towards being more organized and a better steward and keeper of my home.
Blessings on the journey~

Range of Emotion

I've been reading this site for a while ~ Holy Experience.  Ann makes me think, reflect, often cry.  God uses her words to strike deep chords that resonate.
Some people have such a gift with words.  There are so many words rushing about cyberspace and not all of them are worth the time to read, but Ann's words are worth the time and then some. 

A Giveaway!

Yesterday I posted about the awesome new site I found - via the lovely Sarah Mae from Like A Warm Cup of Coffee.  Today they are doing an awesome giveaway!  You have to check it out HERE.

I am also going to spend some time perusing the sponsor site at Franklin Springs.

Blessings on the journey everyone!

An awesome new site!

I just discovered an awesome new site!
http://raisinghomemakers.com/

As a mom who strives to be a Proverbs 31 woman/wife/mother... this is a site I am anxious to follow as I raise J.