A Heart Full...

My Heart is Full. Not heavy... But full.

I see my life happen in Seasons. I seem to even name the Seasons in my life as I look back? Do you do this also?

This is my Season of Motherhood/Learning.
I have learned so much about myself as a mom. As, I am sure all of us do that walk this road.

My heart is full right now of overwhelming thankfulness, amazing wonder, and incredible thoughts of love for many I know.
So many I know are hurting. Hurting in a way that I cannot fix.

This is one thing that I have come to see about me. I tend to be a "fixer." I always have been. And I always will NOT be. Why?
Because, this is not my job - it is God's.

I see hurting friends, strangers, loved ones, and I want to fix their pain. I take it on. I am learning that my heart can be full of love, prayer, sympathy, empathy, and helpfulness, but, when it comes to fixing - I am not even close to being able to help in the way that my Heavenly Father can,

He has shown me to step back. Step far back. Let Him heal, let Him mend, and I follow when He leads. Not when I see it as best.
Just when we think we are doing a heart full of good, we sometimes can be doing a job that we weren't meant to do.

In my daily Bible reading the last few weeks, I have come across a word that I KNOW the Lord was giving to me to hold onto.
A word that I have filled my heart with.
And so, now I have a heart full of COURAGE.

Here are some of the verses:

Psalms 27:14 - "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, wait, on the Lord."

Psalms 31:24- "Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord."

I am waiting on the Lord. My heart is strengthened. I will cast all my care upon Him, and help carry other's burdens.

But, He is doing the fixing! Phew'!

Character of Our Lives

"The Character of our lives is in all of the little moments."

If I am "shaken" in life, what comes out of me, is what is really inside of me.

Our Annual Trip to the Pumpkin Farm. More pictures coming soon! Gotta love Fall fun!

Telephone Voice

"Hello McCarthy's, This is _______, How may I help you?"

Every family answers the telephone in a different way.
This is how we answer.
We also get a lot of compliments on our children being polite, and respectful when they answer the phone.
I do not say this in a boastful way - please understand that I am not like that.
This is just an area that we have trained our children to meet a standard of being polite, and they are not allowed to answer the phone until they are able to do this.

I journal this why? Scenario:

Phone rings .... I am speaking to my children in a not -so - nice voice, the middle of a conflict, and the children hand me the phone... I go from a hearty-conflict voice, to a sweet-soft "Hello McCarthy's, How may I help you?"

THIS IS OUR TELEPHONE VOICE... Changed in an instant from frustration, maybe anger, ungodly speech.. to a "sweet, hello - how are you?" Voice.
Not so good.

So when I am training my children to use their telephone voice, it is understood, that we not ONLY answer the phone sweetly, respectfully, and politely for others to benefit,,, but we are called to remember Scripture - and our speech should exemplify this all of the time.
"Pleasant WORDS are an honeycomb... sweet to the soul, health to the bones."

May we teach our children, by example, in WORD and DEED, to use our telephone voices ALL of the time.

Stone Soup

Ava discovered rocks this week.
So, what did I do?
Took her picture, of course.

( and I didn't make stone soup... sorry)..

It's a Party- Join Me!!

Isn't this the prettiest blog button?
I borrowed it from my friend Lynnette.
It is my favorite time of the year- and so I am joining in this Harvest blog party, and hope that you will too!
You don't know what to do?
It is SIMPLE!

It's a Get to Know You Party-If you don't know enough about me yet- Here are Some Silly Questions and Some Silly/Weird Answers..

AND then.. Just click on the very pretty Blog Party Button above to visit my friend Lynnette, and more bloggers as they join in the same fun!

Lynnette has the greatest ideas , doesn't she?

OK--- Here are the questions that I answered top help "re-introduce" myself.

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging?

Hmmm..... I love chewing gum. I am sure it is an annoying habit.. in fact, when my children chew gum, it annoys me,, but I do chew gum while blogging.

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?

I suppose this question could be spiritually "deep," or ridiculously shallow.. soo..I could not live with out my refrigerator. There,, that was easy.

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?

I would definitely say Farm. We live in the country,, near the Farms, and although I LOVE the beach,, I love living here.

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?

Cleaning the refrigerator. Hate it. I pay my kids big "bucks" to do this. LOL

5.. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam?

I am not a party girl, although we are always entertaining here. What a dichotomy! BUT--- I do LOVE having fun... here or away!

6. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night?

I always remove my make-up at night. I am an Oil-of - Olay girl! Haven't you seen me in their ads?

7. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?

I have no hidden talents. None at all. I have always wanted to learn calligraphy though- Will someone teach me? Pleeasse!

9.What's one strange thing you're really good at?

I am really good at Story-telling. Presentations to Children and Teaching. Is this like a boastful question/answer ? Man, I hope not... that was so hard for me to say that I am really good at something.

10. What first attracted you to your spouse?

His hand-shake. Long-story. Another post. Heehee..Got you wondering, huh?

11. What is something you love to smell?

I love the smell of Fall. I also love the smell of my husbands after-shave or cologne. Mmmm..

12. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.

Wow,, this would take too long. Heehee..

13. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it?

I spend it on my children or husband. ( Or an Iced-Caramel Latte - I am not hard to please you see?)

14. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?

I am not a silent laugher. ( BTW- my spell-check said this is NOT a word- laugher!!).

Maybe my laughing out loud annoys people? Would you even tell me if it did? lol..

15. Where is your favorite place to shop?

Target. Target, and Hallmark Store.

16. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?

Read, and Cross-Stitch. Maybe, visit with my friends more? Oh.. wait--the question said ONE thing! Ooopss!

17. Are you a big spender or frugal?

I pretend to be frugal. I try to be frugal, and I am just not very frugal.

18. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real)

Probably Anne - Anne of Green Gables

19.. Would you want to be famous?

Nope... I would not. Would you?

20.

I skipped a # on Purpose- It is My Favorite Number. That is my Last little Thing About me.

Did you notice which #?

Wow-- That was fun! Leave me a comment, and join the fun! Thanks for stopping by!

I am posting My "Where do you Live" pics tomorrow! See you then!

The Other Woman

After I wrote that title- I thought,, that probably doesn't sound too good. It's not what you think..

Don't get too uptight. (grin)...

Today's post IS about the Other Woman... the One that I see when I am out and about, that I am not. And probably will never have time to be.

This is me:

Waking up to a little one's face in my eyes next to my bed,, asking me for breakfast. Jumping into a cool shower, because my teens used all of the hot water, and heading downstairs to get some pancakes going for all of the hungry mouths waiting to be fed.

Changing diapers, pull-ups, combing curls, and cleaning faces,, almost ready to jump into a morning full of homeschooling, corralling toddlers, and following a crawler.. we are almost to 8:30 a.m.

School accomplished - kinda -

Heading to the gym...

This is me:

Gym time allowed for my day- one hour. Taking baby and girls into nursery area//

Throw on whatever clean "gym apparel," I can muster to find, and head to the stair climber to exercise ( literally work my butt off.- hope I didn't offend any one here... just the truth of it) :)

Sweat bullets, and run back to locker room to throw a sweatshirt over my sweaty clothes.

Load babies into van, and off we go to pick up older kids at bus stop.

This is me:

Homework help, making dinner, preparing lessons for Church, answering toddler questions, laundry, baths, and of course trying to find a genuine smile for my husband when he gets home.

Teens talking with us till late hours, cleaning up house before bed.

(And this was an abbreviated version )

The Other Woman? Where does she fit into all of this?

This is when it hit me. I was shopping at Sam's Club today, loading the cart for our big family, and I was observing all of the different people around me.

The Other Woman:

Click, click, click... I could hear her heels coming up behind me. In fact, I didn't even have to turn around and see her, because I could now smell her very pretty perfume right behind me.

She passes with her fashion bag on her shoulder, and her slacks from the dry-cleaner presses neatly down the seams.

I am guessing that she had just returned from getting a french manicure, and her make-up was flawless.

I am guessing that she looks like this every day. It is amazing. To me at least. Even the nails would be a nice option once in a while.

In her cart, this is what she has...Go Lean Bars. Dove Hand Soap Pump, Kleenex Tissue with Aloe, and Salmon Fillets, and Dasani Water bottles.

( My cart - 2 Huge Super-Size packs of Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, 10 #'s Mozzarella Cheese, 3 #'s Chocolate Chips, 10 #'s butter, and more.)

She actually looked like she was enjoying this trip to Sam's, and leisurely strolled through the aisles, comparing prices, and checking nutritional labels, etc.)

I passed by her twice, and she thankfully she wasn't distracted by my toddler's singing Jesus Loves Me in her sweet (loud) voice. Her smile was genuine, and she didn't have any stress - lines around her mouth, or spit - up on her sleeve.

This is the Other Woman:

Different life. Different clothes, different agenda, thoughts, meals, and shopping habits.

Not wrong or right. Just different.

I will never be this other woman.

This is me:

A mom thankful to have time for a hot shower, a minute to open my eyes and think before the race begins.

A mom working hard to balance life- meals, exercise, health, and love.

A wife striving to put her husband first, and make a happy home.

A woman who would be incredibly awkward, uncomfortable, and silly in heels.

A woman who might like to try the nail thing once, but knows that changing diapers would just not be good for acrylics.

A woman who loves style, design, and always is drawn to the most expensive clothing, yet still throws on sweats, t-shirts, and simple running shorts for the gym.

This is me:

Content. Happy. Thankful. I could never be the "Other Woman."

I might enjoy watching this, but I was not cut-out of that cookie cutter mold.

If you ever see me out and about without any children, heels, and a cup-of Starbucks in my hand...turn me back around, and show me the "way home."

Our Baby Turns One!!!

Can it be true that One year ago today, I delivered a beautiful baby girl- with almond-eyes, and a head full of dark hair?
Happy Birthday to our baby! We love your hugs and kisses, your love for chocolate munchkins.. your dislike for baby food, and your unique crawling style!

We love you Ava! Happy Birthday to a spunky-beautiful baby!

Caramel Corn Craze!!!

Every year we host an annual Harvest Day at our Home. This is such a beautiful time of year in Upstate New York. This is a formal invitation to all of my blogging friends to join us next year!

Perhaps you can get an idea from my pics today some of the fun we had!

ALSO--- I am going to share my frequently requested CARAMEL CORN recipe. It is super easy,, and wonderfully delectable! I would make you some personally, but I don't want to "rob" you of this "harvesty tradition!"

Let me know how you like it! We have been making this recipe for 21 years! Phew-- Did that just give my age away?

Soo, before I post my Harvest Pics and Share my recipe,, please tell me this:

Have you ever:

*Told your child while you were driving down the road, that if they didn't stop misbehaving they would have to go their room? ( Uhhh.. Mommy, we are in the car???)

*Your little one didn't want the rest of their cookie and so while pushing them in the cart at the store, and you have no place to discard the already in the mouth piece of food, you decide the best solution would be for you to finish it off? ( baby saliva and all!)

*Paid someone to do your ironing?- yep, I did just say that!

Ok.. Moving on, I guess. But, hey, IF you have done, said, or thought these things, let me know that I am not alone! Heehee... Or maybe this is something that I don't want to know!!

Drum Roll.....................

Caramel Corn - From your blogging friend, September

6-8 quarts popped corn
2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter ( do not use margarine or any substitute)

1/2 cup light Karo

1 teaspoon salt

In a 2 qt. pan, - BOIL for 5 minutes - stir constantly. Then add & stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla AND 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Pour over popped corn in large/deep container. Stir to coat well. Do quickly.

Spread onto 2 greased cookie sheets, and bake at 200 deg. for 1( one) hour. Flip caramel corn every 15 minutes for one hour.

Remove from oven, and flip out onto wax paper. cool. Break apart after cool. Store in air-tight bags.

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Just to let you in on a secret... I am going to "HOST MY FIRST BLOG GIVE- AWAY" VERY SOON! I am so excited about this. If you have any friends that you want to share in this fantastical event.. let them know!

HAPPY CARAMEL CORN MAKING!

My Elisabeth

October 12, 1990

One year after exchanging our wedding vows, one miscarriage, and another long - painful pregnancy, we held our beautiful baby girl - alive. One hour later, she was in the Arms of Jesus.

Her name - Elisabeth Jayne.
6 #'s 6 oz. 21 1/2 inches long.
Light brown hair, Dark blue eyes, Looked Just like her daddy.
Perfect. In every way.

Today, 19 years later, my husband and I had a long - overdue outing. We went and ordered the Memorial Stone for the cemetery, with her name, and the names of her twin brothers.

Why we waited for so long, we don't know. It wasn't as if we weren't emotionally ready, nor did we not think about it.
It just wasn't time.
Today was.

Our Elisabeth's life was a real living testament of how believers rally together in prayer, encouragement, and sustaining one another in burdens.

I was 4 months along in my pregnancy with this little baby girl, and a Dr. ran an ultrasound determining that she was missing her kidneys. He said, "you're baby will not live."
I had a dear friend with me that day, and all I remember is seeing her face, and hearing nothing as she kindly led me to her car, and drove me home. I can remember like it was yesterday, driving along, looking at the other people in their cars, and thinking.. This isn't real. This cannot be real. Everyone is still moving along... and my baby is going to die.

***Learned...When others experience trials in their lives.. life isn't seen thru the same eyes as we are moving about our days with. Still the same truths, the same God, and the same daily tasks,, just seen thru different eyes.
Remembering to treat others in trials with understanding, and not judgement.

I had very little amniotic fluid while carrying Elisabeth. ( the kidneys make the fluid, and she had no kidneys.) The Dr.'s wanted us to induce labor at 4 months. She was incompatible with life.
We chose to carry her. Carry her with knowing that she would not be with us forever.
Each movement was a little more painful as she grew. She was growing and moving, and the lack of fluid caused her movements to feel like I was being bruised.

Did I question my ability to carry this baby till term - emotionally, physically?
Yes. I did.

***Learned- When others are experiencing trials, and they make decisions, or are struggling with answers - do not judge this process. It takes time, it takes prayer, and it takes God's strength to come to His plan. CLINGING onto His Hands is the only way to make these hard decisions. Give people time. Let them work thru their decisions.

At night, I would lay next to my husband, and after he fell asleep, I would get up, and walk and sing, and pray. Many, many nights. I would pray and pray that God would let her know how much I loved this little baby girl moving inside of me.
She was so restless at night.
After singing, and praying she would sleep. She slept, and I prayed.
God gave me this time with her. Forever imprinted on my heart.

As I worshiped in church, I can remember feeling loneliness and despair/anger at times. I remember standing there singing, and Elisabeth would move, and remind of the life that I carried. No one else around me felt that. Did any one really care? Why did I have to be the one to feel this pain? And why were the people I thought cared, shying away?
Were these things really happening?
No. Maybe a little. Maybe a lot.

***Learned- When others are experiencing trials- they can make one of two choices... to let God's strength and love be the ONLY thing that sustains them, and the ONLY thing that really truly matters. Because man will fail them. Not all man, but, as a rule, we do fail others, we fall short.
OR,, they can wait on friends, family , and others to fill a spot that they cannot. These expectations will only allow for anger, and bitterness to fill those spots saved.
Sometimes we do not know were are making the second choice. We may be making a fine balance of both.
Problem.. There is no room for bitterness when it comes to healing.
***Give others unconditional love. They may not see your actions, attempts, and love, and they may never see it. God knows.
Love with expecting nothing in return. Because it may not happen.

A very special friend of mine offered to help me shop for a special blanket, gown, and pretty cap for our Elisabeth. I put her off, and put her off. She gently pushed me to make these decisions.
Being my first baby, I had no idea what to expect.
These offers were so helpful to me. I had another friend who drove me to appointments, and she sat with me and even asked all of the important questions that I didn't/couldn't think to ask.
There were prayer chains set up all over the country for this little baby of ours.
God's people were doing there work. I was numb to much of it.
That's how it is sometimes.

***Learned- Practice what God allows others to minister to you. When God brings you through a difficult time, ALWAYS remember what HE has done. HELP those that come to you in the future, and do not turn them away. Feeling as if you cannot bare to remember those moments, or thinking you do not know what to tell people because there is so much to tell, is turning your back on a gift that God gave you. Ministering to others.
Almost every morning that I wake up - I think this:

"To Whom much is given, Much will be expected!!"

God not only has since blessed me with many children, but more importantly, He carried me thru those trials. THAT was what HE gave ME!"

Elisabeth's birth was very, very difficult. I delivered her breech, with no fluid, and as she was placed in my arms I remember saying, "Oh, thank you Jesus!"
My husband and I spent that precious hour with her. Together. With family. With His Angels around us.
I knew the Holy Spirit's presence that day. Real. By my side. With Comfort and Peace.
A Peace that I could never explain.
A Peace that Passes all understanding.

It was the days to come that were painful. Recovery. Emptiness. Struggling to trust.

***Learned- Let people heal. Don't force the issue. Give them God's Words. Let them know you are there. At all times. Remember that they may shun you. Be there.
Talk. Visit. Be there. Do not turn away from them. We do not always see the healing process as it is that- healing. It is usually felt as a survival mode.
That's ok. The body of believers are meant to uphold one another.

Today was a good day. How can I say that? Because I am able to look back on all that I learned.

A memorial Stone is important to me 19 years later. But, more importantly is the place in my life that she was meant to fill.
That place is filled with grace, mercy, and love- for My Heavenly Father - Who NEVER failed me, and Who Kept me in His Grip- even when I wasn't paying attention.

Kreative Blogger!!!

This is my first Blogger award passed on to me! I am so excited. I hope you will take time to read my friend Linda's blog. She has been such an encouragement to me, and she writes beautiful poetry, and I am blessed to have met her in this big blogging world!

THANK YOU LINDA!! (click on her name below and visit her blog)

My friend Linda over at http://truthfultidbits.blogspot.com/ gave me this and asked me to pass it on to 7 of my "Kreativ Blogger" friends.

Here are the rules:

Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.
Copy and paste the award and post it.

Tell seven interesting things about yourself that people might not know.

Pick 7 Kreativ Blogger Friends to pass on the award to, link to them, and ask them to list their 7 things and to pass on the award to 7 of their friends, and to link back to you.

OK- So here we go:

Seven Things that you "might not" know about me:

1.)I am an overly empathtic person. I tend to feel the pain of others, and my heart goes out to any one experiencing a difficulty.

2.)I like to paint the rooms in my house frequently. ( ok.. some of you may already have guessed this.)

3.)I have a heart for unsaved children, and lead a children's ministry in our Church. Someday hoping to see my own children have the privilege to lead others to the Lord.

4.)Had a pretend "Candy-Land" under my bed when I was a little girl. My poor little brothers were convinced that I had a factory, miniature people, and candy under my bed. ( that was cruel of me, wasn't it.. lol!!)

5.)I am living the life of my dreams. Maybe I am dreaming?!

6.)I am addicted to espresso/lattes. ( But, I don't need help, thank you very much!) ( like my addiction. heehee)

7.) I collect doilies and tea cups. I love old things.

~~~~~~~

Here are the 7 blogs that I would like to share with you. I hope you will enjoy linking to them as much as I enjoy reading there blogs. Just click on their names, ok?

Kami @ My Beautiful Day

Kate @ Called Out One

Erica @ Sweet Millie's

Paige @ Praise Him in This Storm

Kari @ p.s. love love

Angela @ Eternal Outlook

Stephanie @ NieNie Dialogues

Have a Wonderful Weekend!!

My Lil' Pumpkins

With love & kisses they grow!

Just had to Share...

A Little Elbow Grease

This Fall has brought out the Cleaning, Re-arranging, and Painting Re-Do's in my home. I love progress!

Love it.. Love it... Love it!!

Even if it takes three weeks to get my hardwood floors re-sanded, stained and polyed... with all of my dining room furniture crammed into my kitchen! Not to mention bucket loads of dust everywhere!!

How is it that we can "tolerate" this when we know there is going to be a finished prodcut worth the patience it takes to live like that for weeks?

And then,, I decided to turn my boring, plain - jane dining room, into a work in progress, by painting the brown walls, into 2 -tone soft pink, and ivory. With pearl trim, and accessories to come soon.

But the topper, and a bold move for me at that... was my front door!

It was a nice Victorian burgandy, and I decided that blue was going to be the new color. So,,, here is the new - blue! I love it. It looks even better in person!

Could I leave it at JUST the door? Nope. Not me,, and so today we are spraying my white porch rockers the same blue to tie it all together. I hope this looks ok. I am so in love with my porch. It is my quiet place. Where I can retreat and entertain.

So the rest of the week brings painting a bathroom, all the trim in living room, and a new white finish on the bedroom doors,, to spruce them up a little.

So, What are YOU working on right now? Painting, Decorating? Cross- Stitch.. etc? Let me know.. inspire me more!