Letters

Today, I had an epiphany.  It was ne of those moments when you realize certain things must change or that they already have and you missed it.  Letters.   Remember those?  The absolute joy you had the very moment you opened the mailbox and found a letter addressed to YOU?  I do.  I still have most of them.  I L.O.V.E.D getting letters.  My stepfather traveled a lot.  He would send me post cards from everywhere he went.  My Mamaw and Papaw lived in another state...she would write to me.  In high school I would write to friends who were stationed overseas.  Letters.  Gone is the day when we would send a weekly letter home to momma or grandma.  When my Mamaw passed away 7 years ago, one of the things I received was an envelope of the letters that I wrote to my Mamaw.  Letters from a little bitty girl all the way up to letters about the boyfriend at that moment and wondering if he was indeed "the One".  Recently I was blessed with a email that contained the transcriptions of almost 90 letters that my Great Great Grandfather Allen Livingston wrote to his mother in the late 1800's.  Simple letters really, that had little tidbits of his daily life.  It occurred to me that my children will not have this experience.  They are of the "email" generation.  That generation that can text in a language I can not understand.  The first generation that does not remember "Stationary" or typewriters.  What can you do about that you ask?  Well, write letters.  Today I wrote a letter to a Great Aunt I have not seen in 15 years, a card to my first boss, a card to a sweet lady who used to work for me, and  a letter to my Momma.   I had my girls write a letter to their best friend's in Texas.   Next weekend we will do it again, and again the following weekend.   We will begin writing letters.  Would you like to receive a letter from my children?  Would you be willing to write them back?  The only way to keep the art of letter writing alive is to do it!  I challenge you today...to write a handwritten letter to someone.  Remember that joy of opening the mailbox and seeing a letter?  Give that joy again!

A letter from my Grandpa Mutt in 1987



Its been awhile

Listen in:  the perfect quiet of the morning
Plans for my day:  continue researching homeschooling
Dinner: homemade Lasagna
Happiness in the small things:  ice cold Dr. Pepper in my favorite cup!

So, its been awhile since I found my way to bloggyland.  It has been kinda busy in our lives.  Brent is working a lot and loves it.  I am finding my niche in the my new normal.  Getting used to being a real stay at home mom has definately had its ups and downs.  But, I am getting it figured out!  The girls are doing ok in school here but they are NOT happy.  That being said we will be homeschooling them next year.  It has been decided and decreed.  Now I am in the process of making a curriculum for them.  I will post more about that at another time.   We are making friends.  I met  a great lady right across the street and she and I hit it off.  I am so glad to finally have a girlfriend.  She would fit right in with my beloved ya-ya's.  I miss my ya-ya's : (  Life in Georgia is good though.  I am happy.  Very happy!

Photo Happiness

As I sit here

So we are firmly planted in our new home and new routine in Georgia. As I sit here thinking, I see how silly all of my fears were! It's beautiful, they have Dr Pepper and Blue Bell, and we are slowly making friends. All of us! Our church is amazing and we have a great small group. Life here is good and I am so Greatful for all of my unexpected Blessing in life!

The Gentleness Challenge

I am excited to participate in the Gentleness Challenge...to become a better mommy

Georgia on my mind...

Listen in:  Pages turning as Meg reads yet another book
Plans for the Day:  Explore Newnan with the kids and a trip to the library
Dinner:  hmmm...good question...bc I am not feeling the whole ribs thing
Beauty in the common things:  B coming in with his pacie (no judging), blankies, and asking to please snuggle with his sissy. 

So... drumroll please.... we, as a whole, love Georgia.  I am shocked.  Amazed.  Blessed.  And totally realize that has everything to do with God and nothing to do with luck.  All of my previously mentioned fears have been relieved.   There are still some hurdles to overcome and we are working on that.  BUT, we love it here.  It is simply beautiful.  The people are kind.  The schools are HARD.  We had planned to homeschool...then after much prayer and more prayer...we decided to send our kids to public school.  Oh my goodness.  Who had any idea it was going to be so hard on them.  Not the new school...the huge learning gap they have to overcome.  Even considering that...they love it here.  Praise God.  We found an amazing church with a great teaching Pastor.  We love it.  The kids love it.  We go as a family.  I struggle with that.  I am so used to making sure things run smoothly at church and prepairing lessons, and making sure classes are covered and have what they need... I feel a little bit lost.  In our 11 1/2 year marriage...this is the first time we have been able to attend church as a family.  I know that God has these amazing plans for us and we are exactly where he wants us to be...in his timing.  As long as we are together and put God first....all the rest will come. 

One of  my favorite Bible verses...from The Message. 

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
Philippians 3:12-14

Some of the Georgia beauty I have found....such pretty colors. 
Just don't find that in Texas

Menu Plan Monday...but posted on Tuesday : )

I have vowed to start menu planning.  I love to do it...yet I have horrible follow thru skills.  Bad ones.  But, I am a full fledged stay at home mom now.  My laundry should be done, house clean, and menu's planned.  I'm working on the last one first!

My Menu:

Week One
 To Die For Pot Roast (I added veggies to my crock pot)
Chicken Noodle Soup (I used a roasted chicken I had left over from the grocery store and made my own broth), and crackers...those delightful mini Saltines.  LOVE those
Crock Pot Pasta Sauce and some sort of fun noodle, "THE" Bread, and a salad
Pioneer Woman's 16-Minute Burrito's with mexican rice and chili beans
Pioneer Woman's Frito Pie  Comfort Food....YUM!
Chicken Tortilla Soup and corn bread
Pioneer Woman's Meatloaf with Roasted garlic mashed potatos, and green beans

Week Two
Crock Pot Ribs- Meal for the Diva  , Crock Pot Mac and Cheese and a salad
Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons and maybe some sort of salad
Pioneer Woman's Beans and Cornbread
Thanksgiving with Family
Mama Blair's Cheesy Enchilada's found in the Mops Cookbook
Chicken Tacos, maybe homemade tortillas, and  mexican beans...maybe these
Crock Pot Baked Potato Bar with left over meat, beans, and etc

Maybe I'll even let you know how the recipes turned out.  Not sure yet. 
Enjoy!