Five Things I Learned in February

It’s Leap Day – like a whole bonus day in our year. And it’s Monday, which does leave me wishing we got an extra weekend day. But, you know, I’m always wishing for more time, so I’ll take what I can get!

Speaking of weekends, as a stay-at-home mom who does some freelance work on the side, I’m always surprised with how glad I am for Friday to get here. I thrive on routine, but I’ve really been loving the other days – the ones that break from the usual. So even though I spend quite a bit of time at home during the week, I really love the weekends when all my people are here and our lives don’t revolve around school and work calendars.

1. Spontaneity is good for my Type A soul.

Our best friends had four free extra passes to Winter Jam in Nashville (two hours from our house) and offered them to us the day before the concert. We decided to go, meaning we drove two hours after school for a five-hour concert, and then two hours home. We got home at 1:30 am, and thankfully all three kids slept nearly the whole way home, but they were all up past their bedtimes. Ben did take a nap in an awkward position in his chair while musicians and speakers blared throughout the arena.

I’m so glad we went. The road trip was good for my soul and connection with my husband. (We have some of our best talks in the car!) And we got to hear Lauren Daigle, Sidewalk Prophets, Matthew West, Crowder, and For King & Country (and some bands I cared much less about).

2. Sometimes two books have a message so intertwined you know you were meant to read them at the same time.

That’s how it was with “The Gift of Friendship: Stories That Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments” and “Better Together: Because You’re Not Meant to Mom Alone.” They’re different books with a similar message of we aren’t meant to do life alone because we really are better – stronger, kinder, wiser, funnier – together.

In “The Gift of Friendship,” Dawn Camp has compiled stories from different writers that celebrate and encourage real-life friends. Jill Savage and her daughter Anne McClane offer practical advice and inspiration for moms in “Better Together.” Friendship requires vulnerability and books like these are good companions for the journey.

{Here's a real-life story on friendship from my own life. And here's some mom confessions inspired by a theme from "Better Together" with information on how to get free resources if you order the book before it releases tomorrow.}

3. Colleen Coble is an author I like.

I bought one of her books – “Tidewater Inn”  – when the Kindle version was really cheap several months ago. I needed something recently to keep me company on the treadmill so I started it and was hooked. I immediately continued to the second book in the series and then the third. Turns out, Coble has written tons of books, so that’s good for me.

{Here’s the Hope Beach series I’ve devoured :: Tidewater Inn // Rosemary Cottage // Seagrass Pier}

They’ve been an entertaining combination of romance and suspense set on an island that makes me want to go to the Outer Banks. Plus the characters are likeable and it’s fun to see their stories intertwine. Once I finish “Seagrass Pier,” I’m likely to read the other few series she’s written.

4. RSV is vicious.

I’ve never had a baby get RSV … until last week. Third baby is a charm, apparently. Of course, the other two coughed and had low-grade fevers, but RSV didn’t keep them down like it did Rachel. I knew she was sick when she went a couple days without really smiling. {See an Instagram post about that.} It was sad to have her coughing and lethargic, but I did enjoy the extra snuggles with my baby girl who seems so big some days.

5. I’m having fun planning and designing a new monthly newsletter.

And by new, I mean, one that never existed from me to you!

I’ve been messing around with MailChimp, and I’m excited to launch my monthly newsletter on March 1 {TOMORROW!}. And if you subscribe to my newsletter and posts, you’ll get a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

I have other plans for my email friends – who are likely to receive other free gifts and be among the first to hear news, like when I finally get around to updating my ebook (hello, third child).

I’m grateful for those of you who already let me into your inbox! {The rest of you can subscribe here.}

Happy Leap Day! How was your February?
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I'm linking up with Emily Freeman, like I do at the end of every month. 

{2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. 

{2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. 

July. August. September. October. November. December. 
{2015} January. February. March. April. May. June. 
July. August. September. October. November. December.
{2016} January. 

Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

 "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Why my kids aren't going to watch Fuller House

My kids and their friends have been counting down the days until “Fuller House” premiered on Netflix. In preparation, we have been watching the first two seasons of the original “Full House.”

Well, today’s the day.

While feeding Rachel this morning, I decided to watch the first episode. Okay, yeah, so maybe I was pretty much as excited about the kids. My Instagram post of the show pulled up on Netflix even said: This is happening. Just one episode, maybe. The kids don’t have to know.

Within the first few minutes, I knew my kids – who are 8 and 6 years old – were going to know because I was going to have to tell them the show wasn’t appropriate for them. I didn't expect to have to decide that this morning.

Stephanie needed to put on a shirt that actually covered herself better than the slutty dress she was wearing. She later made a boob joke that referenced Dairy Queen – something my kids would totally have noticed. Jesse said “Damn, we’re still looking good!” and then later made a semen joke. That’s just not a conversation I’m ready to have. Kimmy walked in all Gibbler-like and made a prolonged joke about an acid trip. There were also references to unfaithfulness in marriage and divorce like it was a relief.

Growing up watching “Full House,” I appreciated the banter and situations that were reminiscent of the show set 29 years ago in the same house. I laughed throughout and enjoyed the current episode mirroring the original with the crew huddled around the baby singing “Meet the Flintstones.” I’ll probably watch more episodes – when the kids are at school.

But I didn’t appreciate the content that is inappropriate for kids and didn’t even add anything to the show. Obviously, this show is aimed at my generation and not our kids. Telling my kids that isn’t exactly the kind of after-school conversation I’m looking forward to having – but it’s better than explaining to them what an acid trip is and having to worry if they’ll make boob jokes next time we’re at Dairy Queen.
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Like I said, we've been watching the original show. So if you're looking to introduce your kids to the Tanners, maybe start there. You can get all the seasons in one set on Amazon or buy the individual seasons, although I can only vouch for the first few at this point in my viewing as a parent.

(Season One // Season Two // Season Three // Season Four // Season Five // Season Six // Season Seven // Season Eight)
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I'm linking up with Kate Montaung for Five Minute Friday. This wasn't the post I had in mind when I saw the prompt of MORNING last night. But when I sat down to write this morning, this is what was on my mind. If you don't know about Five Minute Friday, you just need to know this: Kate gives a word and then writers write for five minutes. Then everybody links up together at her place. It's like a writing flash mob, and we'd love for you to join us. 

Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

 "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Mom Confessions from The Week of RSV

The week my baby girl has had RSV and the big kids are getting over colds, so it seems like a good time for some mom confessions. I mean nothing like some sickness to bring real life to the forefront.

“Letting another mom peek in your imperfect life can be some of the best encouragement you can offer.” {Jill Savage in "Better Together"}

So with that in mind, I've gotcha covered ...

1. I bought snacks for a Trades of Hope fundraising party I hosted at our church an hour before it started. It's no secret I don't really bake, but I usually am a little more prepared. (I mean, I had a plan that involved me going to the grocery that morning, several hours before said event, but hello, RSV and two sick girls!)

(And, hey, if you're interested in purchasing some lovely fair-trade accessories and decor and having each purchase benefit our church's adoption fund that provides grants to area families, then you're more than welcome to do so! The party link will be open through tonight.)

2. I made a new-to-us fried rice recipe that was a success and then waited until the next morning to clean up the stove, kitchen floor, and table because day-old rice hardens and is easier to clean up.

Of course, while making the rice, I realized I didn’t have an onion. I called my husband, texted my best friend, and my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law saved the day and brought me an onion. I may have been teary – and not because I was cutting an onion.

3. After picking up the kids from the bus stop Tuesday, I took them to get ice cream. After picking up the kids from the bus stop Wednesday, I took them to get drinks at Sonic. Momma needed a milkshake and Diet Dr Pepper after all this time in the house with sick ones. But, hey, I got cool mom points too.

4. My family rejoices when I make spaghetti. And when I say make, I mean I boil noodles I bought at the store, brown some beef, and heat some sauce from a jar. The husband walked in last night and said, "It smells good in here!" And the kids cleared their plates without a complaint.

And somehow all of those confessions had to do with food and drink. I didn’t even plan that. But I do think I’ll go eat a Reese’s Egg the aforementioned best friend brought me the other night when everything in life seemed overwhelming.

Your turn. Confess away, friends.
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Speaking of "Better Together," I wanted to let you know if you pre-order Jill Savage's new book before it releases on March 1, you can get a bundle of fabulous, free resources, including seven audio workshops from authors & speakers, a bonus video teaching from Jill, a few backgrounds for your phone or computer, and a printable. Learn more at the book's website and pre-order it wherever books are sold, including Amazon. 

“Better Together: Because You Aren’t Meant to Mom Alone” by Jill Savage with her daughter Anne McClane offers practical, encouraging insights to why having a tribe of moms to share life with is healthy and helpful. It officially releases March 1, and it’s the kind of book every new mom should have and one that helps those of us who have been here awhile too. There are ideas for co-ops, encouragement if you’re facing hard times in friendship, an informative Mothering Personality Inventory that may explain some of why you mother the way you do, and Biblical truths of what friendship matters in our everyday life and our faith journeys.

Also, these confessions are inspired by my blogging friend Anna Rendell, who embraces the real-life of motherhood. She posts about this on Facebook and blogs about it too. 

Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

 "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

When Life Changes {In the Middle}

Last week Rachel was sitting in the bouncy seat I bought right after she was born recently. But instead of just sitting kind of slumped over like she did in the beginning, she was swatting at the hanging animals and adjusting her posture. I used to put her down in it and not worry about her scooting out. Now she has to be buckled in – otherwise she may slip right onto the floor.

As soon as she swatted at those animals, I remembered a picture from when she was tiny – not that people are huge at 5 months old. But she seemed huge in that moment compared to a few months ago. So I compared the pictures – the one I remembered and the one I had just snapped to compare. I texted them to my husband and a couple friends with “How did this happen?”

Well, of course, I know how it happened. She eats and sleeps and grows. That’s a baby’s job. But, geez, the time has flown by. I feel like it was just yesterday we met Rachel’s birth mom and started sharing the news that we were going to be a family of five.

At the same time, we waited so long for her. Years, really. In 2012, we started the process to try to adopt a third time. We met Rachel’s birth mom in May 2015. That’s after updating our home study a few times, meeting with two agencies that weren’t the right fit, having situations that seemed hopeful never pan out, and letting go of the pursuit altogether because God told us to.

We weren’t sure we’d ever have a third child, but now we can’t imagine our lives with her.

In the middle, sometimes the waiting grows weary. We get restless and try too hard to make something that’s not supposed to be come true. We doubt God’s promises and wonder if we’re hearing him. (That’s where I was in 2013, especially.)

But sometimes in the middle, time flies. We are delighted in what God has done and want to hold on to every moment. We want to tell everyone of God’s faithfulness that managed to show itself at exactly the right time. (That’s where I am presently.)

What’s your middle look like right now? Regardless of what kind of middle you’re living, snap a photo – even a mental one – so you can look back and see what God has done. {Tweet that.}
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I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta's guest post from earlier this month.

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I'd love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you're not participating in this Lenten project. I'm always so glad y'all are here.

And one more announcement: Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and an all-new monthly newsletter starting in March with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

An InLinkz Link-up

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Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Rachel @ 5 months {and on not forgetting}

This week's Five Minute Friday prompt went along with my planned post about Rachel, so I'm combining them. First up, FORGET for Five Minute Friday. One prompt. Then just write for five minutes. Kate Motaung hosts this writing flash bob. Come join us there. 

Ready, set go ... 

I don’t want to forget.

Really, not remembering is one of my fears as a mother. That’s why I document – in scrapbooks, on social media, in notes on my phone, and in school and birthday books. I want to remember all the moments – the good, the bad, the hard, the surprises, the laughter, the trips, the slow mornings, the meals at the table.

Most of all, I want to remember what God has done. My greatest personal testimony of God’s faithfulness in my family of five. There’s the redemption that’s come in our marriage – a relationship I’ve taken for granted more times than I care to admit. There’s the story of how God made us a family in a way I never expected. Adoption built my faith and made us a family.

Those are the highlights, but God’s faithfulness is woven through our everyday moments. I want to keep seeing it. I want to remember what he’s done and what he promises to still do. 

I don’t want to forget.

(And in the spirit of remembering, here’s some documentation of my baby girl at 5 months …) 

People look at her pictures or walk by us in the grocery and say, “She’s just the happiest baby.” And she is, really. I know I say this every month, but, goodness, we’re blessed to have this girl as our third child. It’s amazing to see God’s plan come together for her and for us.

And the fact she’s so happy and easy going makes it all even more delightful.

Of course, she’s still trying to cut some teeth, which she isn’t always happy about, but her fussing about it is short lived and can be usually be cured with some Oragel or Baby Mum Mums. I can tell her gums are irritated in two places. I blame the teething for her more unpredictable sleeping habits that lately have involved waking up – at a varying early-morning hour – to eat. Let’s be honest, y’all know I’m not a fan of the sleep regression.

But she’s even happy once I rescue from her crib at 4:40 a.m. – a time I firmly believe was meant for sleep. Here’s to hoping we can start the smiling fests at 6:30 a.m. or later.

Any other time of the day, Daddy and Ben get the quickest smiles, but she’s generous with them. She especially loves when people talk to her. She also loves Johnny Jump Up, chewing on stuffed animals and blanket tags, and naps in her swing. She still enjoys eating every 3-4 hours, hence the rolls on her thighs that are going to be adorable in the swimsuit I recently bought her and why I’m trying to incorporate cereal and applesauce.

And speaking of rolls, she has been easily rolling from her belly to her back for a while, but she conquered going from her back to her belly yesterday – on her last day as a 4-month-old. She manages to scoot short distances on her back.

She wears size 3 diapers and is mostly in 3-6 month clothes, although she’s outgrown some that have been mailed to get cousin Roslyn, who is 2 months old.

We’ve loved these first five months of Rachel’s sweet life and are looking forward to what’s to come!
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Look back on Rachel’s growth :: One month. Two months. Three months. Four months.

I'm linking up with Kate Motaung for Five Minute Friday, a place to write whatever it is that comes to mind, like a flash mob. But, let's be honest, I MUCH prefer words to dance moves. 

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Note to Self

I type blog posts and other ideas in my phone notepad while I’m feeding Rachel or waiting for the big kids at the bus stop and then email them to myself. I copy and paste texts into emails because once the notification is gone, I may not remember. I use Post-Its and a paper calendar. I make lists of where I need to go.

“Note to self” is a regular practice around here. (Those before and after photos above are my real where-to-go list from last Wednesday.)

Like I wrote about last week, life is lived in the middle. And, for me, that means life isn’t compartmentalized.

I’m a mom and writer and vacation rental property manager and wife and sister and daughter and aunt and friend and … the list goes on, depending on the day. Sometimes I’m more a chef and less of a chauffeur. I’m the grocery shopper and clothing provider. I do the laundry and dishes and home management schedule. I make appointments and plan outings. And many moments I’m wearing more than one of those hats at time.

Life in the middle overflows from one responsibility and adventure to the next. It’s nearly impossible to separate my roles as I go about my days.

But that’s exactly where God has met me. He’s shown up when I’m frustrated and offered inspiration when I didn’t have any. He’s reminded me of what matters when I’m overwhelmed by the to-do list that can wait.

It’s in the middle where we’re changed and redeemed and pressed but not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). {Tweet that.}

Jesus lived in the middle. His days on earth were spent in the middle of God’s will, knowing where he’d been and where he was going. He stopped in the middle of his journeys from one town to the next to have conversations and meet people wherever they were. That’s where he encouraged and healed – right next to wells, while people were eating meals, on the roadside, during a wedding reception, and while he hung between two criminals on a cross.

Because Jesus lived – and died – in the middle and then rose again from the grave, we can have life. That’s a note worth writing to myself over and over again.
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I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta's guest post from earlier this month.

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I'd love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you're not participating in this Lenten project. I'm always so glad y'all are here. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Friendship is a gift because we are better together

“I’m putting out a call to be brave. To embrace the sweetness and the depth of real friendship. To hold ourselves to a higher standard than silence. To become the kind of friend we pray our daughters have. This kind of friendship isn’t easy. It’s hard and messy and can come with real heartache. But it can also come with richness and love and someone to really do life with too, and it is so worth it.”

{Anna Rendell in “Gift of Friendship”}

As soon as I read the paragraph, I snapped a picture and texted it to a friend.

It’s true, friendship is brave. {Tweet that.}

It’s where we let people in – to our sometimes messy houses and lives. It’s where we walk into other people’s stuff – which isn’t put away in a tidy closet. It’s when we make time for each other and choose to do life together. And, along the way, sometimes friendships hit bumps we don’t expect.

That paragraph reminded me a friend I met when Cate was 4 months old, just as I was becoming a stay-at-home mom. We quickly clicked and started hanging out even when our moms group wasn’t meeting. We lunched together, spent hours preparing meals for our freezers, went to the pool and one another’s houses, and celebrated birthdays and holidays.

And then our kids went to school and getting together became harder logistically. Our schedules were very different. I had one in school and one in preschool who was with me the majority of the time. She was homeschooling two.

We still touched base in texts and visits, but those became fewer as we settled into this new season that revolved around the school calendar. More than once, I cried about missing her, even though she only lived a few miles away. Sure, we said we missed each other, but we didn’t let our actions reflect those words.

And then we did.

We decided it’s worth saying: You matter. Even if getting together requires thinking outside the box. Even when seasons change and calendars are crowded.

Earlier this year, she reached out in an email. She told me about where her heart was. At the same time, Facebook was showing me near-daily memories of when we used to spend multiple times a week together with our babies who turned into toddlers who turned into these big kids.

We talked about what had changed and discussed ways to reclaim some of what was lost.

Her birthday was soon after this conversation, so I reached out. “What day could I bring you lunch from your choice of a restaurant?” I asked in a text. We settled on a date, and then I took her lunch, my lunch, and my baby to her house. We sat in the living room sharing a meal and once again sharing our lives while her kids worked independently on school. Turns out, our daughters are actually using the same math book.

What do multiplication, measurement, and division have to do with friendship? Well, as her daughter worked on that day’s lesson, I realized mine would be doing it soon. In other words: For as much as things changed, there’s still plenty of shared ground on which to keeping building our friendship.
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“The Gift of Friendship: Stories That Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments” is of full stories by different writers that prompted me to reminisce on moments I’ve shared with my own friends. Community is worth celebrating and that’s what this book does beautifully. There are stories of heartache redeemed, surprise friendships, and everyday community that reinforced my belief we really are better together.

In addition to Anna Rendell’s timely essay, editor Dawn Camp has compiled stories from Holley Gerth, Jennifer Dukes Lee, Jennifer Turner, Mary Carver, Lisa-Jo Baker, Liz Curtis Higgins, Crystal Paine, and many others.

This beautiful 224-page hardback book officially releases today and is available on Amazon and most anywhere else you like to buy books.
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I’ve also recently read “Better Together: Because You Aren’t Meant to Mom Alone” by Jill Savage with her daughter Anne McClane. This book offers practical, encouraging insights to why having a tribe of moms to share life with is healthy and helpful.

“Better Together” doesn’t officially release until March 1, but it’s the kind of book every new mom should have and one that helps those of us who have been here awhile too. There are ideas for co-ops, encouragement if you’re facing hard times in friendship, an informative Mothering Personality Inventory that may explain some of why you mother the way you do, and Biblical truths of what friendship matters in our everyday life and our faith journeys.
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And there's a giveaway! 

One of you will win a hardback copy of “The Gift of Friendship: Stories That Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments,” thanks to publisher Revell Books. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents through Monday, March 28 and a winner will be randomly selected on March 29. Use the Rafflecopter below for various ways to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I received free copy of "Gift of Friendship" and an advanced PDF version of "Better Together" to review in exchange for helping promote them. These opinions are my own and I'm thinking it's likely I'll mention both books around here again. Revell Books also gave me a free copy of "Gift of Friendship" to share with one of you.

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Limit {a Five Minute Friday post}

I saw this week's Five Minute Friday prompt last night and had absolutely no thoughts about what I would write. When I came back to it this morning, I still wasn't sure what I was going to write, but I started the timer anyway. 

LIMIT. Five minutes. Just write. And then link up with Kate Motaung and her crew.

Ready, set, go ...  

For far too long I’ve limited God with the box in which I’ve housed him. I made plans and wondered why God was interrupting them. I set expectations that wouldn’t bend with life’s changes.

And then I learned that’s no way to live.

I mean, I learned it in my head. I still work on learning in my heart.

But I know limiting God is pointless. I know when I stopped pursuing adoption the third time and started seeking the One who makes families, he heard my desire and fulfilled it in his time – which was years after when I thought it was best. But I would have missed other people and places He’d called me to if I had a baby a few years ago. And that’s just what I know about through my limited view of the world.

God’s got a wide view and somehow manages to see it all – from then to now to what is to come.

An old friend found me on Facebook today and when we were messaging about our lives I told my life looks nothing like I expected but I love it anyway. The life I had planned surely would have limited God. Here I am, aware of my human ways, but wanting the Limitless One to take over. I want to hold on to Him tightly and everything – even my marriage and kids – loosely so I don’t limit what God wants to do in us and through us.

And stop.
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Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Noticing The Middle

When I think about the middle, I think about ...

... my son, who is perfectly suited to be between my two girls.

... landlocked Kentucky, where I’ve lived my whole life. It’s not the geographic center of the USA, but it’s there in the middle of two oceans.

… the half time of a basketball game.

... the best part of a sandwich.

... the best part of a batch of brownies.

... where characters are developed and action happens in books & movies.

... where messes are made in the middle of living and doing and making and cooking and playing and creating.

... where the conversations happen after the hello and before the see you later.

The idea that the joy can be found on the journey is true because most of our time is spent in the middle, between the beginning and the end, between the mess and the perfection, between here and there. The middle is the process, where we make decisions, surrender our stubborn ways, and take leaps of faith.

Sometimes the middle seems mundane. I don’t always want to expend the time and energy to empty a sink full of dirty dishes or help the laundry find its way from the dirty piles to being clean in people’s drawers once again. I don’t always wait to wait on spring or for that much-anticipated email to arrive. But waiting comes in the middle, and it’s not wasted time. In the middle, we learn and grow and experience. It’s in the middle where we serve and love.

I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Life is more than a series of before and afters; life is lived in the middle – preferably with a gooey Ghiradelli brownie. {Tweet that.}
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An InLinkz Link-up

Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta Lafont's guest post from last week. #ThreeWordWednesday friends, I'd love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you're not participating in this Lenten project. I'm always so glad y'all are here. 

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Surprise Snow Day! {aka Happy early Valentine's Day to me!}

I woke up, realized my son was sound asleep cuddling with me after waking up much too early, and glanced at my iPhone clock: 7:09.

“Ben, I’m going to have to take you to school because we’re going to miss the bus!” I said as I bolted out of bed.

I heard the shower running, so I opened the door and asked Greg, “Did my alarm not go off?” It was a weird question to ask because it’s set to “boing” at 6:30 a.m. each weekday. I’ve been known to forget to turn off the automatic setting when we have a planned day off from school.

Turns out, my husband, who was up with teething Rachel at 5:20 a.m., realized other area schools were cancelled and my kids’ small private school would probably cancel too. So he took my phone and silenced the alarm, just as the “Snow day!” text came in from the school principal. I guess he put the phone back beside my bed before he got in the shower.

I slept through it all.

Well, I heard Rachel at 5:20 a.m. and thought I would have to take over the early-morning feeding because Greg usually has Bible study at 6 a.m. While I slept, he cancelled that too.

Greg has known me for 18 years. We dated for 4 ½ years and have been married for 13 ½ years. (There were the times during those early years of dating that I broke up with him, generally because of my own insecurities, but we don’t need to discuss that saga right now. BUT you can read about our first meeting and our first-date day.)

He knows me.

He knows I like flowers, but I really love when he gifts me tickets to a concert so we can go together.

He knows I like to ask questions, but I really do like surprises too.

He knows I value sleep, and he definitely knows I’m not a morning person.

So, happy early Valentine’s Day – which we affectionately like to call First-Date Day – to me because I got a surprise snow day! As a momma, especially one with a newborn, this kind of surprise is rare, but I’m so grateful Greg and I are a team in this life.
_____________________ ‘Tis the season for love! But yesterday I also was reading through “Team Us” by Ashleigh Slater before I packaged it with another marriage book – “A Lifelong Love” by Gary Thomas – to mail to a newlywed friend. In the note I included, I told her marriage is hard, especially in the early years, but it gets better with time. With a baker’s dozen of years, I can say that a mean it. We’ve had hard times, and I’ve done more than my share of crying and yelling. But I’m a better person because of my marriage, and I’m grateful we’re not the same people we were when we met or when we said “I do.”

Read reviews of some of two books :: “Team Us” // “A Lifelong Love”
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Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Focus {a Five Minute Friday post}

It's been almost a year since I've joined the Five Minute Friday crew to write. So here I am. The word this week is FOCUS, so I set my timer and focused on this for five minutes. It's straight from my mind to you. And I'm linking up with others at Kate Motaung's place. 

Ready, set, go ... 

{FOCUS}

The week after Christmas break, I had trouble settling back into a routine. Then we had some snow days, and I blamed them the following week for feeling unsettled. And now, here I am, at the beginning of February and I’m still feeling unfocused.

Except I see God working. I’ve been reading some valuable books and having meaningful conversations. Greg and I have been dreaming together and waiting to see how that unfolds. We’ve been soaking in time together as a family in the evenings.

But I get distracted. I want to solve people’s problems, but know I’m not in control of much. But I keep thinking about the friend I know who had to decide whether to terminate her pregnancy because her baby’s brain isn’t developed; the friend whose adoption is suddenly messier and harder than expected; and the friend fighting cancer.

So this unfocused feeling I’m feeling? I think it’s God reshaping some things, shaking up some priorities. The to-do list never ends, but that’s okay. I have more ideas than time. But I’m confident God has me where he wants me. I believe he’s working in my life, even when I can’t seem to get a grip on my day. I’m blessed with people to do this life with me.

Perhaps I should focus on that – and stop blaming the school schedule and the weather.

{And stop.}
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Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

In The Middle

You know sometimes you hear an idea that just makes sense and gets you excited about participating? Well, that's how I was when my blogging friend Britta LaFont told me about her Meet Me In The Middle Project. I like it so much, it's going to be the theme of my posts on Wednesdays for the next seven weeks — that's starting next Wednesday with Ash Wednesday and continue through the Lenten season. 

I invited Britta to come share about the project here, so that's what today's post is. There's absolutely no pressure for you to participate in this project, but if you want to, I'd love for you to link up both here and at her place. And, even if you aren't joining in The Meet Me In The Middle Project, you're always welcome to link up here for #ThreeWordWednesday, and nothing that that changes. Honestly, I'm excited to have a focus for the coming weeks, especially throughout Lent. 

So, welcome, Britta, and I hope the rest of you get as excited as I am. 
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I remember walking up the stairs and seeing her at the computer, out of the corner of my eye. She was muttering to herself and shaking her head.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?"

"Mom, I just want to hurry up and get all my work done, so I can have some fun," fumed my homeschooling sixth grader.

Everyone likes to have fun, but my child always loved school too. What had happened? Instantly, I knew where she learned that way of thinking and it stopped me in my tracks.

I was the one always rushing, Let's get our reading done, so we can have recess. Let's try to finish early, so we can meet our friends at the park. Let's hurry up and do our work, so we can bake.

I turned around and went downstairs. I repented of my haste. I explained to her that most of life is work and if we can't see any value in it, we are missing our calling to honor the Lord in all we do.

Do you ever find yourself rushing ahead, wanting to get to the next place, to move straight from Before to After without spending time in the middle? That day on the stairs, I realized that I was constantly chasing the "After" and missing the Middle. And it got me thinking...

Most of us dread the workout, but want to look great in our jeans. We don’t enjoy cleaning, but we love the shiny, sweet-smelling endpoint. We don’t like waiting, We want results, and we want them fast. We don’t want to wait for anything.

What if…we realized that most of life is lived in the Middle? That most of life is work, sweat, and tears?

What if…we saw a Before & After and did not covet the result, but admired the effort exerted?

What if…we acknowledged that every “Big Reveal” pales in comparison to the biggest reveal of them all — the Resurrection?

— The Meet Me In the Middle Project, A Lenten Curation

YOUR INVITATION!

Won't you join me in celebrating the middle places that we sometimes miss, because we want so badly to get to the After? It's a small commitment, but I think it could be really fun! We are calling it a Lenten Curation of Before & After pictures. We want to repurpose those Before & Afters and show how they point to the gospel.

WILL YOU MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE?

1. Create a before/after collage
2. Post it (on a blog or Pinterest or Instagram)
3. Tell how the story of the pics is a gospel story (can be a few sentences)
4. Hashtag #Meetmeinthemiddleproj
5. Link up Wednesdays Feb10-Mar23 (You CAN link up with the permalink from the Pin or the Instagram post!)

Sign up! Then link up at meetmeinthemiddleproject.com. In all, it is just seven before/after collages! Easy peasy! Here are some examples:

A furniture refinishing Before & After can remind us that Jesus promises to complete the work He began in us (Phil 1:6, ESV).

A garden Before & After reminds us that The Holy Spirit is an imperishable seed placed in us, that we will yield fruit even if our hearts look like fallow ground now (1 Peter 1:23, ESV).

The Before & After graphic design creation below is from a tutorial, where you can learn, step by step, how to create a tachometer that begins as a simple line. The website responsible for the images generously shares expert knowledge, offering FREE tutorials, using FREE (professional quality) vector graphics software. The everyday kindnesses represented in this Before & After remind me of how Jesus lived and taught, "Think of the kindness you wish others would show you; do the same for them” (Luke 6:31, VOICE).

We start next week. Link up first here, at Three Word Wednesday. Then hop over to the Meet Me in the Middle Project and join us there!
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Britta LaFont is a sojourner. She was a military kid and is a military wife. She lives in the hot, hot desert of Arizona far, far away from her New Orleans family. She gratefully homeschools two of her most favorite people on the planet: 12-year-old Gracie and 10-year-old Josh. Britta and her husband Scott recently celebrated their 21st anniversary and foresee a happy ending to this military life in the very near future. Find her online at her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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An InLinkz Link-up

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."