A Special Valentine

I know it's a bit late for me to count this as a Valentine per se, but here is one passage that has come to me lately like a Valentine from the Lord. ☺️ It speaks of His pursuing of us in His searching of us and knowing us inside and out. I have read this group of verses so many times, but in this song, it sounded almost like a love song, which it always has been. I was pondering it so differently the other day, though, and realized this reality and I felt so marveled to only, just now, have understood it this way. We spend so much time trying to know ourselves with personality types and quizzes and friends and books, yet He is "acquainted with all [our] ways" even before we can ever know ourselves. I think I had always thought of it as God just knowing everything, but then I realized how personal this was, that it was a song I can sing to Him, and not just David, who wrote the Psalm, and I was, and still am, kind of overtaken by such a grand thought. So, I guess I could come across as sappy, but I don't care. I am just baffled by the fact that the Creator of the universe would care to know all my ways, and not only that, search them out! Such is His Love.

Happy Belated Valentines Day! I hope this sings to your heart the way it did to mine!☺️❤️

Here is the link to the verses and the song that inspired this post.

http://theversesproject.com/verses/133/Psalms-139.1-3

P.S. I was sick this Vday, so I had to stay home, but I was wonderfully taken care of by my sweet husband and kids! I really felt that this was one of my favorite Valentine Days! We spent the day together, minus my missing church, and it was very calm and peaceful! Then the hubby and I ended the night with dessert and Downton Abbey, so I hit jackpot. ☺️❤️

This pic is from a date a few weeks ago. We didn't photographically document today, I guess because I was still in recovery mode. 

Super Easy Real Potato Soup

This is a recipe that I usually do from memory. I learned how to make this in our first year of marriage, when cooking was still an enigma to me. :) I love this recipe because I'm an extremely minimalist cook. I like to use as few ingredients as possible. This recipe really is minimal. When I was looking for a recipe for potato soup as a young bride, I found recipe upon recipe that called for packets of spices that I didn't regularly buy and didn't really want to include in our pantry. This is my tweaked version from a family friend from way back when. Making this brings back memories of when peeling and chopping potatoes and onions with my husband was romantic! ;)  Let me know if you try this recipe and any way you tweak it yourself. I'll try to attach a picture of ours at some point, but until then, here's this! :D Bon appetit!

Super Easy Real Potato Soup

6-8 medium potatoes chopped

1 onion chopped

2 cups cheese

2-4 Tbsp butter

2 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste 

Garlic powder optional

Sour cream, cheese, chives and bacon for toppings

Cover chopped potatoes and onions with water and boil until they're soft but not mushy, usually about 20 minutes.

Drain half the water. Add milk and cook on medium. Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn. Add in butter and cheese and stir. 

Add salt and pepper to taste (I think I do 1-2 T). Enjoy! 

Your First Breath

Today is my husband's birthday and one of the things I decided to do for him this morning, was to write him a birthday poem. He's always such a huge supporter and encouragement to me with my poetry, and I do write a lot of them about him and us, but his birthday is really quite special for me! ☺️ And we actually were delivered by the same doctor just 3 months apart!!! (The crazy thing is that we didn't find out until we were married and I was going to that same doctor when we were told we wouldn't be able to have kids, and then also when we found out we were expecting our first!)

Anyway, Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband whom we love soooo much!!! We love you and are excited to celebrate you! 

Your First Breath

Today marks the dawn of your first breath

You, man of mine, were born.

The first gasp of your sweet life's path

And I'm blessed you breath still more.

Our story is amazing

God really topped them all

When I was caught by the same hands

That very Doctor, held you first so small.

Our lives lived close together

And at times so far apart

He knew us for each other

And brought me to your heart.

You knew from the first moment

But I needed time to see

That you weren't being flippant

With this heart of mine or me.

I've fallen for your spryness

As you navigate our stroll

I am stayed by your sweet kindness

That first wooed my fearful soul.

We love to celebrate you

The one who makes our days so bright

The Husband and the Daddy who

Works so hard and plays so light.

I'm thankful to our Father

Who brought your life to be

That we can celebrate another

Year on earth and through eternity.

Maia Forde

9-26-15

Today marks 14 years!

Today marks fourteen years! 

These years have been short and long, mostly good but sometimes rough, happy and sad and grueling and bliss! Some have been easy, but that was never a whole year. ☺️ Nothing of worth comes easily and I have thought about what makes things stick, other than the grace of God. I will say I have fought for us and I fight for us. Everyday. All uphill some days, downhill others, but with ALL of my heart. The battle to give myself, to be available, to be vulnerable, to be honest, to be the safe place, to be the soft place, to be the helper, to be the lover, to be the best friend, to be the one who defends my man. And sometimes it has been only me. And sometimes it has been everyone but me, but only for a moment, and then, by God's grace, I have pulled close again and bowed my heart to the Lord to tuck myself back under his heart, right by those ribs. Some days are rough, and I have wondered if he's so mad that he doesn't want to forgive me or be forgiven, but I'm so thankful to God for giving us the grace to forgive and be forgiven by Him and one another. The "funny" jokes about always being right are so off target from where we are and must stay daily. I fight for us! He fights for us, and I hope we continue to fight for one another as strongly as I have seen we are so far. I love my man, and I'm so glad that we look to Jesus together to keep our hearts together! I will continue to pray that God keeps our hearts in Him. Counting our years together is more fun than a birthday! ☺️ I love you and I love us!

We had a boy!!! Again!!!

Yes! You read that correctly! We have added another child to our family since the last blog post! I haven't posted since Harbor was born. I'm really disappointed in that, because I really do enjoy blogging, but I hardly find time to update my Facebook status these days much less blog, so hello again. Our youngest sweetheart is Koa Gage. He was born in November 2013 and he was 9 pounds 4 ounces, 22 inches long and he has been the best sleeping baby of the bunch from literally day one! He is 15 months younger than his big brother Harbor. Harbor surprisingly loves him to pieces! He was a very attached baby, and I was quite concerned that the transition would be very hard, but the LORD has given us grace in the fact that Koa has slept at least 5 hour stretches most nights since the night he was born. We are still sleepy, however, but mostly of our own doing! I'm a night owl, and I am doomed to sleepiness because of how much I cherish these quiet nights to myself. 

There are some exciting new things in our family! 

With our newest addition, we upgraded to a new mode of transportation. We are now the owners of a 15 passenger van. The kids love the new ride, and it's not as hard to drive as I had originally feared. The Lord is gracious to us in His constant provisions and His consistent answers to prayers. 

 We now have a 4th grader, a 3rd grader, a 2nd grader, a pre-kindergartener, a pre-schooler, a toddler and an infant! Whew! We are enjoying our curriculum and happily trekking our way through school. We recently changed Math curriculum for our oldest girls and they are actually saying things like "I love Math" like their younger brothers! I am so excited about their newfound love for Math and the fact that they actually come to me and ask if they can do their lesson for the day! Even with the new baby, we are on track to have a summer break. I'm praying that things can continue as they have been! :) 

 I have also recently become a distributor of Young Living Essential Oils and we have been enjoying including them in our family learning! There is so much to learn, but I am loving how much fresher our home already is because of the diffuser, and how much healthier we have been! Even when the kids catch a cold or tummy bug, they have recovered much more quickly! The oils are just amazing! I may have to post a blog about them very soon! 

 Well, I'm praying that I can really get to blogging again! I miss it too much and I have too much to share to lose track of time again. Blessings! Maia 

We had a BOY!!! :D

Well, I am a month behind in the announcement of our son! Harbor Crag was born 8-15 at 7:17am in our room at home!!! He was 10lbs 4ozs. And 22 inches long! We had 5 attending midwives and our other 5 kids were sleeping in their beds during the calmest labor and birth I have had! :) It was such a blessing to have a home birth, and I really need to write down my birth story while it's still rather fresh! :) Our family was hit this week with the stomach flu this past week, and we're still in recovery, but I will try to blog my birth story! I have SIX to write out now!!! Uh... just a bit behind! ;)

33 weeks and counting

Crazy we're already at 33 weeks! That means I have about 6 1/2 weeks (since we're actually 33 wks and 3 days) before our due date! I think I'm more ready this time than I was with my last babykins, Eden! :) I have lots to get from our list, and lots to decide, but my home is readier and readier by the day! I have some sweet friends to thank for this readiness! They came and helped me organize the homeschool room and unpack my bedroom in 4 short and sweet hours!!! We are so thankful for our church family! They are such a blessing!
We went in to get a sono 28 wks to see why I was measuring big, and it turned out baby was breech. Baby flipped before our 30 wk appointment, so all is great, but I need to show my sweet sonogram pics of baby' face! I can't figure out if this little face looks boy or girl, but it's soooo cute! ;)
We are all counting down the days! :)

Encouraging note I received!

This was in an email my grandpa sent us today!!! Very encouraging! <3

Comfort for Christians!
By James Smith

"As your days--so shall your strength be!" Deuteronomy 33:25

Here is a precious promise for a trying day! It belongs to every Christian who is traveling to the Celestial City. It provides for every part of life's journey; for every day--as each day may require.

It is especially suited to the dark days, the wintry days, and the trying days--when all our earthly props fail us; the days when our fellow man cannot help us.

Fellow pilgrim! Are you dispirited, depressed, and cast down? Are you looking back upon the past with sorrow--and forward into the future with fear? Cheer up! The Lord will not lay on you more than He will enable you to bear--nor will He allow any other to do so.

However weak you may feel in yourself,
however rough the road you may need to travel,
however heavy the burden you may have to carry--
God will supply you with sufficient strength for the day!

He has never allowed you to be crushed yet, though you may have staggered under some heavy burdens. He who has helped you in the past--is still your helper today. He will also help you in all the future. "As your days"--be they as troublesome as they may--"so shall your strength be."

Whether your day brings life or death, joy or trial--it does not matter. God will send you exactly what you need to pass through it! Do not look at your trials, do not dwell on your inability--but lay hold on the promises of God and seek His grace to exercise faith in Him.

Then let Satan suggest what he pleases, or the flesh object as it may--you will be able to say, "I will not fear; for as my day--so shall my strength be. He who has promised--will also fulfill His promise."

Blessed Lord, I praise You for this precious promise! Help, oh, help me to trust in it; and day by day as duty or trials may require--enable me to look to You and expect sufficient strength from You!

"On the day I called--You answered me; You increased strength within me!" Psalm 138:3

Our busy Spring Break

Hubby took a week off, so we scheduled our school Spring Break for the same week so we could get in some good Daddy time! Boy did we! We jammed so much into last week and I was exhausted on Monday when he went back to work! :) Haha! The HUGE project that was accomplished is that the family room was sanded and painted! We still have to finish priming and painting the fireplace, but I have some super before and after pics! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Today was one of my favorite Mother's Days! It was so low key and relaxing! I'm so thankful for my sweet kids who call me mommy and a husband who teaches them how to make me feel special!!! :) It was a day to remember! :)

We get Daddy for a week!

Yay! It's finally here! We are enjoying having my hubby home this week!!! The big announcement that I meant to announce months ago, like in January, is that we are expecting baby 6!!! We're super excited, but this makes a stay cation all the more exciting since we have lots of organizing to do before baby, and this is the last whole week Lee will get before the baby is born! He has sanded the wood paneling in our family room all the way, and now we have two bookshelves and a very narrow wall, to finish up along with the baseboards and crown moulding! They got to swim yesterday too! Fun days with Daddy!

A favorite meal of ours! :D

I just searched my blog for this recipe for a friend and realized I had never posted it, so here is a favorite meal at our house! Delicious and easy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Whole chicken deboned and shredded
1 large onion cut up
2-3 cloves garlic chopped or minced
7- 8 carrots chopped
6-7 stalks of celery
4-8 oz can of Green Chilis or Rotel
1 T cumin
Cilantro
Lime
Sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil chicken then let it cool and debone and shred. Save broth and add the cumin, 1t salt (more or less), all of the veggies, green chilis or rotel, and chicken back to cook on med high. Let it cook for about 20-30 minutes more.
Fill bowls and add cilantro, lime, cheese, tortilla chips and/or sour cream (or whatever you love) on top and serve!
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try it! :)

Happy 2nd Bday to Eden!

Today is Eden's 2nd bday! I cannot believe how fast time has flown! She is such a joy and we are so thankful to have her in our family! We'll be having her party when the hubby is off work, but we still had lots of fun celebrating her today!!! ;) We painted the girls fingernails, took pics of Eden outside, had yummy oatmeal cookies, and hugged and kissed her way too much! ;) Love you Eden girl!

MIA for a while

I have been meaning to blog again for some time, but I just don't sit down at my computer much these days, so I was super excited to find out that they made "an app for that"! Yay! I need to go back and see where we left off so I can see what I need to catch you up on! :) I'm thinking it's our move that I last blogged, but there have been 6 Bdays, Christmas, a big family announcement and Easter since then! Well, I have a lot of typing to do! :D
Here's to hoping this app will keep me blogging! :)

Um. 60 posts behind, maybe

Oops! So much for keeping this New Year's Resolution... :) Hahaha! Okay, I'm fine and soooo thankful to be able to say that the reason I have gotten so behind is because we finished up last years school year, started house hunting and then moved. :) So, my last post was in March, that would make me about 60 posts behind... Eek. :0 I think I'm going to just go from here. We have been in the new house for about 3 weeks now and still have not found the silverware, but we are loving the space. This is our first home to own. We are so blessed.
To name a few things:

1. it is over twice the size of our last one! We went from 1,065 sqft to 2180 sqft!
2. We have 2 bathrooms now, not just one. Thank You, Lord! :)
3. I have a DISHWASHER! Yay! I love it!
4. The Homeschool Closet has upgraded to the Homeschool Room!
5. We have gained a fire place, which I have always wanted!
6. There is a wonderful laundry room!
7. A living and family room, plus 2 dining areas. :D
8. I have a green sink, stove top and oven that are original to the house, which I LOVE!
9. All the bedrooms are soooo roomy. :)
10. Oh, and we also got a pool with the house! :) It's been great with the 100+ weather we've been having! Whew!

I wake up and just look around and feel so blessed to live here. I am so grateful that we didn't buy the 3 other houses that we actually made offers on. This is the one that fits our family. It has everything from both of our lists in it and more. I really hope that this blog doesn't come across as bragging. I have actually never lived in a house that my family actually owned, since my family bought their first home after I went to college, so this is all so exciting to me. :) I will post some pics! :)








So, there are a few pics of the house! :) I have many more, but it just seems to take a little bit to get them on and I MUST sleep! :) Happy Saturday! :) Looking forward to this coming week because the hubby is taking off from work to help get things in order! We're having a "staycation" as they say! ;) Yahoo! I can't wait to find the silverware, the Phonics curriculum, and the pet net hooks! :/ Hahaha! Blessings!

No Sugar/Flour

Last week I decided to cut out all sugar, flour and major starches and did so successfully. It was a dedicated week. I did this with my last two pregnancies, but this was the first time to do this diet when I'm not preggo! :) This diet made me realize how much we're addicted to bread, pasta and sugar! Hahaha! Everything seems a little harder to make that the convenient "normal" things we eat, not to mention the grocery trip at Central Market so that I'm not as tempted to cheat... So, I did great! I am glad that I prepared well for it before hand, though, because I was planning to do the same diet the week before and failed because we didn't get to the store for me to do it, so last week it was. :) I started out thinking "what will I eat?". I quickly remembered several meals that I loved when I was preggo, and jotted them down. It went well, and I did lose 2 pounds, so I guess that was the goal, not to mention I felt better this week as well! ;)

One thing I used to get me through was Agave Nectar, and I'm hearing/reading some controversial info on it! If anyone has any info good and bad, I'd love to know! Thanks! Just trying to use it in moderation right now, but I definitely want to be healthy and if it's not that, then I don't want it! ;) Anyway, I thought I'd post a few pics of some of my yummy meals! :)

Plain Yogurt with vanilla extract, agave nectar and sliced apples



Cottage Cheese with fresh sliced pears


Lentil and Sausage Soup with carrots, celery and onion


Fajita Salad with marinated fajita meat from our butcher


Spinach Noodles with meatsauce


Quinoa with tuna, olives, olive oil and green onions



Homemade Frozen Vanilla Yogurt with almonds and dried cherries


Also, wanted to show the little specials that the hubby and I picked up at my first trip to Anthropologie for my sister's bday! She had been wanting me to get there for forever, and when I walked in I was amazed. :) I decided to get something practical, that way I wasn't getting something that would just clutter my house, but something that I can use and actually needed.
So, here are the pics of my new measuring cups and spoons!





And now, last but NOT least, some pics of the crew. ;)








"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!"
Psalm 34:8

Thankful for
1. My sister doing the diet with me this time, from 1 1/2 away, but together all the same. ;)
2. Encouraging friends and family (including the kids) for this diet
3. Bible time with the family at night before bed.
4. First words, teeth, cruising... spelling words :)
5. Hearing my two year old say "Thank you Mommy" and then getting to teach him "Thank you God"! :)

Photo Op. :)

This will have to count for last week...? I know. I'm making the rules! ;) So, today I'll just post a pic and then another time this week I'll actually blog! :) Here's to posting, though! :)