A new day

Today was such a fun day. Jubal was in a good mood and was very good today. (That's not unusual). We went to the library for story time and played at the playground afterwards. It was such a beautiful cool day and it was nice to be outside. Then we ran a couple errands afterwards and headed home. After Jubal's nap, we read books, played outside and did a few little chores. Jubal enjoys helping us around the house and we want to instill in him the value of work and having fun while doing it. He loves helping us gather wood and kindling for the woodstove. He puts the wood in his wagon and pulls the wagon to the front porch and unloads it. Yes, he really does those things. He loves it. It's amazing how valued he feels when he gets to help. He is a good helper and Stephen and I really appreciate that about him.

I also got some much needed things done. I worked on some pillows and baby crib ties (for Quilt Baby), made bread, and a batch of granola. Mmmm.... our house smelled so good. I love doing stuff like that. It's amazing how much money is saved when making things from scratch too. I am so thankful I have the time to do that kind of stuff. I will post some recipes on my blog in the near future for those that may be interested.

Well, that's all for now. I hope all of you had a wonderful day like we did.

Getting my way

I am currently reading a book called "The Language of Love" by Gary Smalley and John Trent. It's a great book so far and I am really learning a lot. I have been learning about word pictures and how to use them in enhancing communication in relationships. I thought I would try one out today because my son demonstrated one so well for me, as he does almost daily.
Jubal wanted to play with something that I didn't want him to and when I told him no, he fell on the floor and cried like it was just breaking his little heart. I felt bad and really wanted to give in but I knew that would not be in his best interest. Instead I lovingly explained to him that it was not a toy and we need to take care of it. After some more tears he left it alone and 1 minute later he is fine. God really used that for me as a huge lesson. There have been times (and still are) in my life where I have wanted something so bad that I literally think about it all the time. When I am told that I can't have it or it's not time, I have my little temper tantrums. I can just picture God kneeling down beside me to comfort me and to tell me lovingly, "Not right now, Rhonda." or "No, Rhonda. This is not in your best interest." Those moments are hard to accept but after a while I put it God's hands and trust that He knows what is best for me. I have realized today that when I don't get what I want, it's okay. It's not the end of the world. I need to be thankful for the many blessings that I do have and partake in. God knows the bigger picture and He is in control.
As Jubal gets older, he will be able to discern more about what he can have or not. He will understand more what my desires for him will be. The same is with me and Christ. The more mature I get and the more I get to know Christ, my desires will line up with His.
I am so thankful for these valuable life lessons. They can be hard but in the long run, they make me stronger and more like Jesus. That is what I want more than anything.

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! I sure have a lot to be thankful for. So, I thought I would blog my thoughts. I am so thankful for where I am in life. I have a husband who loves me and is willing to work through all the kinks to make our marriage reflect Christ. I have a wonderful son that is so precious and a joy to be with; he is truly a miracle to our family. We have an adorable little house that Stephen has been able to make into our comfortable little home. I have 2 wonderful parents that are healthy and doing very well. My brother is happily married to a beautiful, godly woman and has 2 great boys. I also have fantastic in-laws that love me for who I am and that I feel very comfortable with. I guess I could go on and on but those are the first things that come to mind. I will spare any of you who might be reading that long list.....
God is so good and I love Him so much. Even though I fail so many times and get bumped and bruised with life, He is never-changing and His love for me never lessens. He is my hope and the Giver of all that I am thankful for.
I hope all of you have a lot to be thankful for as well. If you have a moment, I would love to hear. Thanks for reading!

Faithfulness

Faithfulness is an attribute that means a lot to me. Over the past 9 or so years, it has been an area that I have struggled in, questioned over, and grown in.
Last night, Stephen and I watched the movie called Evan Almighty. The movie is a modern day story of Noah and the flood. A congressman, named Evan has lots of money, a huge and magnificent house, and a beautiful wife and 3 boys. One day things "randomly" start happening. A box of antique tools arrive at his door, Gopher wood starts being dropped off in his yard, animals in groups of 2 follow him everywhere he goes, and so on. Then, God shows up to have a talk with him. He asks Evan to build an Ark. Evan thinks he is going crazy and questions God why he was chosen to do something that seemed absolutely ridiculous. Eventually God (Morgan Freeman) answers, "Because I love you.".
This is a lesson that I have been learning about for so long and will continue to learn as long as I am on this earth. There have been times in my life that I have wondered why I have been chosen by God to do some things that just don't make sense. I still don't have all the answers but I do know that God loves me. He wants what is best for me and He wants me to bring much deserved glory to Himself. Being faithful to Him isn't always easy and we don't always know the end result. Those that do what God calls them to do may even be made fun of and told that there are other ways to live. Yet, in the end, God is sovereign. He knows what is best for His children. His plans are so much bigger and better and He wants us to be a part of that. How incredible! The God that made this world, who miraculously created us, wants us to be part of His design and purpose. I feel so privileged and humbled to take part in that.
The life Noah had on earth is pretty incredible. He listened to God and put it to practice. He had enough faith that God was going to do what He said He was going to do. Think about it; God asked Noah to build an Ark. Noah had no idea what that was because it never rained where he lived. Yet, Noah did it. It took him quite a few years to finish it too. The people around him made fun of him, yet he was convinced of who God is. Then God made the rest happen. In the end, Noah's family was spared death and they saw the work of God in their lives. I pray that my faithfulness will be like Noah's. I may not ever have to build an Ark, but I want my love for and faithfulness to Christ to be strong enough to build an Ark if He told me to.

Our Local Parade

Saturday was our local holiday parade and we were able to attend. It was really fun. Stephen was a Bike Marshall in it (the cutest one in the whole thing) and Jubal and I were spectators. Jubal was so excited. The last time he was at a parade he slept through it all. He was about 1. So this year he got to enjoy it. He got a kick out of waving to all the people on the floats and he thoroughly enjoyed getting candy from the participants. There were some creative and festive floats. There were also some floats that really displayed the diversity of our community; belly dancers, anti-car groups, Green Community groups, and our local drum circle. There were a lot of kids in it too. They were really cute. From Jump rope clubs to Unicycle classes.

There were a lot of people that showed up to support the parade and those that organized it. It was cool to see them come and cheer everybody on.

Trusting A Toddler

Today was a funny day. We are celebrating Stephen's birthday this weekend. So, Jubal and I got his cake and present ready today to celebrate a little early. Here's how it went....

After I picked Jubal up from preschool, we endeavored to make the cake. It was hilarious. Jubal could not put the spoon down. I literally had to take it out of his hand because his tongue appeared to be stuck to it. Because of the load of chocolate intake, my son was wired. It took him a while to settle down for his nap. (Good one, Rhonda!). After his nap, we proceeded to ice the cake. Instead of helping me ice it, Jubal kept sticking his finger in the icing and licking it off. Then it became 2 fingers and so on. Before long he had a nice amount on his hands and face. NICE!!!! All of this chocolate eating confirmed why we limit Jubal's sugar consumption. It sure was fun though. He had a blast. Poor kid is so deprived....

Then we wrapped Stephen's present: a nice pair of cycling wool socks. I kept telling Jubal periodically that the cake and present were a surprise and to keep it a secret. I thought we were set.

Stephen got home and right when he walked in the door, Jubal started singing Happy Birthday. It was adorable. Then about 2 minutes later Jubal said (in front of Stephen), "Mommy! Can we give daddy his socks now?" Oh man!!! I tried to cover it up but to no avail. There goes that surprise. At least we still have the secret cake. As I was getting dinner ready, it was very quiet and I could hear Stephen and Jubal whispering. I walked in our bedroom and Jubal was showing Stephen the cake. Oh man! Oh well. I always have next year. It was fun while it lasted.

Happy Birthday, Honey!

My bikin' husband

My husband, Stephen, is an avid cyclist. No, his bike doesn't have a loud engine and radio to listen to. His bike is powered by his own legs and the music comes from his occassional outbursts of singing. He has been cycling ever since I have known him but he has gotten into racing just this year. I have to say, I really admire his perseverance and dedication to this sport. Last Sunday, he was in a race about an hour away and it was really fun. It started later in the morning and it was way out in the middle of nowhere. The temperature was in the low 30's and it was a beautiful day. Jubal and I bundled up and waited for the racing to begin
Throughout the race, Jubal and I drove to different stops to see Stephen go by. Cowbells in hand we cheered him on and helped with whatever Stephen needed. Jubal is so cute too. He is such a big helper and gets a kick out of seeing his daddy. I love it!
After about 4 hours, we headed back to the finish and waited for my incredible husband to come through. After an hour I saw Stephen riding through the woods on his way to the finish line. Jubal and I screamed, rang our bells, and acted pretty ridiculous as Stephen approached. He finished! I was so proud of him. During the awards ceremony, we found out that Stephen won 9th in his category; singlespeed. (A singlespeed bike is one that uses only one gear instead of many different gears. So, he uses the same gear going up hill as he does down and on flats. Pretty wild, huh?) He really enjoys the challenge. What a great day. We all had so much fun and enjoyed being outside in God's creation. What a wonderful way to end this season of racin'. I am definitely looking forward to next year.

Playin' in the Leaves

I finally got the ol' rake out and made a nice pile of leaves for me (yes, me!) and Jubal to jump in. He has been asking for a few days now and I keep waiting for the weather to warm up a little so we can enjoy it without freezing our noses off. It was a lot of fun. Jubal kept jumping up and wiggling like a worm saying, "I'm crunchy, I'm crunchy!" As Jubal jumped in, I kept thinking something was different. Then it hit me.... we didn't have as many leaves as last year. Then a lightbulb came on; Jubal is quite a bit taller than last year. It wasn't that there weren't as many leaves, it's that he is bigger than last year. Duh! Ya know, it's crazy how fast he has grown over the last year. I know that's part of life but sometimes it's hard to let go of the baby days. I don't know if it's a mommy thing or what but seeing my child grow up is kind of bitter-sweet. It's so cool to see them talking more, reason more, and becoming more independent. Yet it's sad to think that time has just flown by. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past 3 years and I really need to cherish the years ahead. God has really blessed me and Stephen with a wonderful son and I am so thankful for that. I am looking forward to many more leaf jumping days. I am also challenged to hold dear the present days of our energetic lil' fella.

Bye Bye Clothes Line!

During the spring and summer I love to hang out our laundry on the clothes line. Not only does it save money and energy, it also makes our clothes smell so good. Today as I was hanging up the clothes in 40 degree weather, I realized that my clothes line days are coming to a temporary end. Thanks, clothesline for another good season of drying our clothes!

My Own Blog

Hi, my sweet husband got me my own blog, so here goes!!!!
I am really excited about this Blog. It's going to be fun to enter this new realm.
To introduce myself, my name is Rhonda and I am married to my wonderful, witty husband of
9 1/2 years, Stephen. We have a 3 year old little boy named Jubal. I am a stay at home mom and I love it (thank you for working so hard, Stephen). I enjoy gardening, sewing, cooking/baking, hiking, mountain biking, and spending time with my family. I also work very part time for a friend of mine, sewing for her modern baby bedding business called Quilt Baby. I am currently a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and a big dream of mine is to one day become a nurse (LPN or RN). For a big portion of my life, I have always had a love for birth, babies, and helping moms with their newborns. I pray that one day I will be able to put that passion into practice.
Hopefully I will be able to blog a little here and there and I am looking forward to it.
Until then...Bye!