A Day In The Life...

Eva decided to let the full moon effect her and she was up from around 1am-2:30am.  she played very nicely, and Danny was good enough to get up with us so I wouldn't feel like the only one taking care of her... although I would have liked for him to be rested enough to take care of her this morning so I could sleep in, but why split hairs?  She hasn't done this for a while, so I guess I should be grateful, but I'm totally exhausted!  Why does sleeping have to be such an issue for babies... parenting would be so much easier with adequit sleep.  But no... we have to make descisions that effect another life while feeling drugged and sluggish because we're so tired.  Thanks God, thanks alot... In your perfection and sovignty you'd think you could have just made all babies want to sleep good.  =)  Ok, i'm done ranting.  Please forgive this post for any miss spellings or grammar errors.  Must change diaper now.

    So, I'm a pretty open and honest person... here's my deal.  For many years now I have struggled to find my "giftings" (aka: tallents, skills, heck even just hobbies).  I feel destined for more then just your average, run of the mill sort of life... but what can I do?  I'm a bit of an introvert, I like to read and watch movies (very singular things), I like to dance, but the opportunity rarely presents itself anymore.  I may bake a mean chocolate chip cookie, but I really don't feel like I'm particularly great at anything. 

I'm great at massage therapy, but I hurt my hand/wristI keep a moderately clean house
I disliked school
I like to sing (but am not great at it)
I like to dance (but am not gifted)
I can bake 3 things well
I used to cook but Danny is far better at it
I love Eva, but I'm not a super mom
I'm not athletic
I enjoy listening to music, but can't play
I love reading, but I'm slow
I like being around people, but not for long periods of time
I can sew, but not well
I am detailed, but only about certain things when I have the time
I like to think that I'm actually a pretty good wife (on the average day)
I love to travel to different countries but can rarely afford to
I love sex, but that's not really something that I can use to better man kind (except for one man)

I know I'm not so bad.  I'm pretty quirky but I'm a nice person, I get along with most people.  In every personality test I've taken I'm pretty even tempered, mild mannered across the board, nothing really sticks out.  You may ask, "What did you want to be when you were a kid?" I wanted to be a princess.  Or "If you could do anything, what would you do?" I would travel to every country and live in huts and sleep on the floor and absorb the different cultures, and I would bless and love as many people as I could come into contact with.

I think that part of my frustration stems from the fact that I have a very obviously talented husband, he can sing, play music, build anything with wood, fix anything, he was athletic (before he blew his knee out), he's an excellent speaker and writer, he was pretty good in school, as it turns out he's really great at cooking too, he's a great husband, wonderful daddy, impeccable communicator.  Here's the kicker, he is confident in his ability to do everything.  His flaw is that he has to many dreams, to many possibilities.  Neither of us want me to get lost in his shadow. He wants me to forge my own dreams that he can support me in.

Sorry, this is just a rant/vent.  I'm ok, really.  I do good for a while and then I get frustrated, explode, then I'm good again.  I just want to find my niche.  It's doesn't have to be anything glamorous, just me.

It has been so pretty here that I just had to get some pictures.  My MIL also took the picture of Eva and Danny, I can't believe how much they look alike in this picture, they're making the same face and everything.  She has just been way to cute walking around everywhere.  Hope you enjoy!

Sorry this is so long but I was tagged by kikifitz and a girl's gotta do what a girls gotta do

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My name is Mel and I am the Author of Attitude, the Ultimate Power, aka Monday Morning Power. I blog because I am passionate about happiness and living in the moment. I want to spread the concept that we are in control of our own lives and can choose how we act and react. My site is focused on the Pursuit, Capture, Care and Feeding of a Positive Mental Attitude. One of my most representative posts is “Happiness Vs. Human Nature.”
I am Max and I offer weekly articles on MAX. Why do I blog? I do it because I want to share my thoughts with you guys. I present a new and interesting way of transmitting philosophical thoughts: funny, engaging and intriguing! My funniest, yet intriguing, post is "Don't you just love People?"
I am the Great and Powerful Baba Doodlius. My 100% factual blog The Thoughts and Sayings Of Baba Doodlius is intended to educate all of you curious readers about the Truth behind the Great Secrets of the Universe. I have the Truth! Can you handle the Truth? For a sample of my powers of enlightenment, read my Revelation of the terrible secret of Bigfoot, aka Don't get stepped on.
My name is Amelia and I am the Author of Amel's Realm. I blog because I need to voice everything in my world so that I won't explode. My site is all about thoughts, experiences, fears, problems, misadventures, hopes, and dreams of an introverted tropical girl in a foreign land (Finland). One of my most representative posts is On Trust and Relationship.
I am Geoff of Geoffandcarley.com and I blog for reasons as diverse and as fickle as my moods. Mostly I blog because I'm firmly convinced I've figured a few things out and that the world will benefit from my experience the same way I've benefited from others' experiences. One post that I feel captures my emotional involvement and my ire (but not my humor as much) is Decision time.
My name is Judy and I am the Author of ~~Sugar Queen's Dream~~. I blog because it's cheap therapy and I have something to say. I feel my most powerful post is called “The Myths of Smoking......”
My name is Sindi and I have written a blog entitled Life is a roller coaster!. My blog is based on the ups and downs of everyday life. I started blogging because I was going through some hard times and I wanted to meet new people to talk to. I like to write and was hoping people might enjoy reading what I have to say. I think the most inspiring post I have written to date is We Effect So Many.
People call me the Midgetmanofsteel (although I’m neither a midget, nor made of steel). I am the sole author the blog Mental Poo: a mostly true and humorous account of things that have happened to me, are happening to me, or are just filling my head and taking up valuable space where images of women should be. You can get a sneak peek into my mess of a brain by reading “Raisins are People” – a true account of my son’s first field trip.
My name is Sandee and I have a blog called Comedy Plus. My blog is just for fun, and I started it to poke fun about everyday life. My reason for blogging is to have fun and meet new friends. I have done both beyond my wildest dreams. I have posted lots of jokes, but when ask what my favorite joke is, I always pick Anger Management.
My name is Lynda. I blog to as a way to expose my writings and to spread my knowledge on the subject of love. My primary blog (I have 15) is lynda's loft. My favorite piece would be I LOVE..... I have over 300 original poems and posts dealing with the wonderful and painful world of love. I love love!
My name Adrian, although most of you probably know me as the Mighty Genie King. I am the author First Time Dad. I started blogging as a way to document my growing up pains as my wife and I raise our daughter. I hope that one day my daughter will be able to look at this and get an idea what life was like "back then". Now I blog about everything but the main focus is still the same! One of my favorite posts is Goodnight Sweetheart! Hello Basil! Eh...Who's Basil...
Hello, my name is Ann and I'm the author of A Nice Place in the Sun. I blog because I care about people and want to make them happy. My site is focused on humorous, inspiring, and nostalgic posts about life, children, and memories. My most representative post, or the post where I'm most myself is "The Craziest Experience Of My Life."
We are a team of writers, and everyone calls us NAFA, so that would be our name. We are the proud authors of NAFASG©™ - United And Dedicated Behind You™. Blogging, to us, is a form of spreading useful information and sharing our knowledge to every part of the world in order to contribute to the betterment of our global community. The post that we feel would be representative of our blog and the global community at large is The Sociological Interaction.Hola!
This is Mariuca and I blog because writing is what makes me whole. I write about anything under the sun from life, love, friends to cats and work. I tend to write best when under pressure and my personal favourite post from Mariuca is Love in Disarray.
My name is Susan and I am the Owner of ~~Wake up America ~~, which is a political, right leaning blog. I blog because I believe we need more voices out there to separate fact from fiction, to support our troops and to high light the lack of ethics from journalists today. I feel my most powerful post is called "Are You Proud to be an American......""Here I am :-)
My name is Mauro and I'm the author of 1 Million Love Messages ... maybe the biggest love challenge in the blogosphere. Why I blog ??? Because I believe that bloggers can make a difference in the world. That's my challenge! My favourite post it's (for sure) Adam Donkus & Lizzie's Love History."
Hi there World I am Aussie, the author of Little Aussie Cynic and I want to Breathe among others. I was recently asked:"Why Do you Blog?" this takes me back to the beginning... I started blogging in an attempt to get people thinking, using my cynical humour as a tool to make people laugh, think and at times get the blood pumping.... Each of my Blogs takes in a little peice of my varied personality but the one which discribes me best would have to be There is Always a Natural Way the latest edition to the Aussie Cynic Family...
I am Zubli Zainordin, in Total Happiness, I organize the Book Project blog and co-author Santa's Community Blog and Hall Of Fame Blog. I blog with the purpose of documenting about my self for my own reference, my future generations and friends who prefer to know me. I also share vital and valuable information entirely on total happiness. I believe in Santa Claus and I share the Spirit of Christmas within this Blog World. In addition I promote bloggers, their blogs, and invite them to share their blogging experiences, and together with Shinade, I review their blogs and award them with the Zubli and Shinade Recommended Read awards. Those who continuously show continuous blogging improvements shall be residence of the Hall Of Fame blog.
I'm Holly from Mama Pajama. I am a stay-at-home mom to my two year old son, Cameron. He is such a joy in our lives. I just stumbled across blogging after watching a television show. I wish I had found it sooner, as it has been so much fun meeting people all across the globe. It's my own place to share about my family, interests, likes, dislikes, etc. I love that I've found my own little circle of blog buddies that will read the stuff I have to say....as mundane or silly as it might be! LOL It's fun leaving others comments, and knowing that something I post or comment just might make someone smile that day. I'm already having a hard time turning off my computer at night, so I'm hoping to keep this blogging addiction under control. My favorite post so far is Lucky Girl.I'm Kathleen of Invisible Keepsakes.
Well, I blog because if I don't, I'll go mad and get very hard to live with. I need a tableau for my creative endeavours. I write poetry. That is to say, I am a poet. I'm not a great poet; nor am I a deep poet, but I love wordplay and creating images and entertaining people with my ideas and interpretations of events and news and random topics. I've written quite a lot of poems, some have even been published, but I think the one I would have you read is Bad Dawg #7 because I feel so strongly about it.
I am Beth or Skipper - whoever you are most comfortable with, and I author My Life Starts at Forty Two. I am really trying to turn my life and myself around - and become the best me that I can. It is not always easy with family, illness, etc, but I refuse to give up. This is my journal of journey. One of the best posts that I can use to describe me is The Decision.
I am Delirious the creator of Lifeonalimb. I always wished I could have my own little newspaper and write all of the columns myself. But since I probably wouldn't make enough money to pay for the paper to publish it, I decided to go the "free route" instead. I don't think this is my best post, but probably one that most people would enjoy; death-defying Stop in, check it out, leave a comment, then go get therapy.
I am Bridget from "And Miles To Go Before We Sleep" I am a stay at home mom of five young children, ages 1-12, three of which have special needs. Two of my boys are afflicted with Autism so it is a very busy household. I started bogging because our family moves around a lot and we ar very far away from our families and this was a great was to stay in touch with them. I met so many great people through blogging and I enjoyed it so much that I now feel like it's another job (one that I enjoy). My favorite post so far has to be The Old Tree In The Middle Of The Dry Desert.
My name is Winsome Gunning and I am an artist who started blogging about `The Creative Process’ and `The Power of Listening to Silence’ on Winsome Gunning Art Walk. From my own listening to silence came A New Green Earthmy personal voice for green change. About DioxinAbout Simple Ways and A Green Earth are also my voices for green change. On these two blogs I publish contemporary green news from around the world.
I am the wily Blogolope, and I blog for fun and to get things off my chest and hopefully be funny.I created Blogolope because I thought it would be fun, simple as that. Blogolope to Assist Santa, Elves if a funny post. is an example of the issues about which I have felt compelled to write.
Hi, My name is Janice Ng & I'm the miracle mum from "This is a miracle". I started to blog to document the foot steps of my 2 boys : Amos & Zachary. With this blog, they are able to look back what they have been through: their joy, excitement, laughter, fighting, crying, screaming... etc when they grow up. One of my favourite post is "The loving brothers" on how the 2 brothers showed they tenderly care through a piece of strawberry cake!!
My name is Stine, a Norwegian mother of 6, and I blog at Mother's Home!. I have recently created another blog/site, Mother's Got A Dot Com. Why? First, for my own enjoyment. I've gotten to "know" so many lovely people since I started, and blogging has become an addiction (Sound familiar?) Second, I'm continually amazed that I can actually earn a little extra doing what I enjoy so much... I also get to let out some steam sometimes, as in Stage Mums.
My name is Misty Dawn, and I blog from the middle of nowhere, at My Dogs Keep Me Sane. I began this blog at the advice of one of my best friends. It's purpose was to give me a place to talk about the frustrations of moving to another state and moving away from my family and friends. Now, it has become so much more than that. Blogging has become an addiction for me. I now use my blog to earn income; I have met so many fabulous friends; I share my writing and my photography; I share my stories, whether they be funny, serious, or sad; I can share my frustrations and my emotions without worrying about being judged for what I say... There are no words to encompass what blogging and the people of the blogosphere mean to me... and that is why I blog. My favorite post would have to be Rough Tough Farm Gang because it is a fun post that will make people smile. I'm not saying it is my best or most thought-out post, but it is my favorite.
My name is Tammy and I'm Mom Knows Everything. I don't pretend to know everything, but I tell my kids I do. I started blogging when a friend suggested it. I have found that not only is it a great way to relieve stress, but also a great way to feel better about myself. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I think my favorite post would have to be My Dad And John Wayne. It may not be the best post or the one that got the most comments, but writing this post really helped me deal with the death of my father.
My name is Carrie and i am keeping busy raisig my four children and trying to keep two blogs on the go. Rantings of a Woman and Jabber Jaws. I first got started with blogging when I was seeing how much fun my friend was having and to be honest the money was really starting to sound nice. Now it has become so much more than money with all the new friends I have been making. A couple post that I find myself thinking back to is first Baking Cookies with my 3 year old son, sometime it's the little things that matter the most and Helping a Friend, she is so dear to me and I would do anything to help her out. Kim you've got my vote! My name is Suzanne and my blogs are Miss Kitty Fantastico and The Synergizer's Journal. (I'm working on coming up with better names!) I started blogging back when it was called journaling. I was a newly wed and needed an outlet for my thoughts and feelings. Later, I became hooked on comments and started meeting a lot of new people. One of my favorite things about meeting friends online is that you get to talk to people who you probably wouldn't meet in real life. Now, I'm a working mom and have started blogging for money to help make ends meet. My favortite post (at least in recent memory) was a Mama Talk column I wrote about my husband for Father's Day. It's called Priorities change when husbands become fathers.

My name is Kristine and my blog is Fitzsimmons Family Adventures. I started blogging as a way to keep family in the loop. We have family all over that we don't see on a regular basis and it's a great way to let them know what's been going on with us. I've met a lot of great people and I love reading about their lives as well. I'm a stay at home mom and when I was introduced to blogging for money, I was pretty excited about the opportunity to supplement our income. I post LOTS of pictures and videos of my son Jackson. It's an addiction. One of my favorite posts is from March of this year because it captures so many of his great expressions.

My name is Joy or thejoybird  my blog is A Day In the Life...  I started blogging to help me get through the day.  I am a first time mom and although I have the most beautiful, wonderful 13 month old daughter I still feel like pulling my hair out on a daily basis.  I wanted some place where I could vent and connect with other moms and also make new friends (who aren't moms).  Now I'm also trying to get into blogging for money, but first and foremost, I'm doing this for me. I think that my favorite post is My Response: , I like to talk about things that may be taboo.
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For anyone who might be interested, here's the scoop about what we're going to be up to. It's broken into two different letters that Danny and I wrote.  The first is our Newsletter that brings everyone up to date on what has happened in the last 10 months for us.  The second is our Support letter which gives more details as to what we will be doing.  sorry it's so much to read but I haven't written much in the past 3 weeks, so just pretend that it's spread out more.

After much deliberation and prayer, we have decided to go back into working with Youth With A Mission. We are super excited. The last time we were both really happy and at peace was when we were in missions. I'll be posting more details soon. If you have any questions please ask away.

Catch you on the flip side.

If any of you are the praying type, we could really use it.  Danny just got laid off today because of lack of work.  It was a total surprise, but such is the electrical business when you're just a trainee.  I realize that there is never a really good time to get laid off, but now is a REALLY bad time. 

He isn't waisting any time... he is out right now turning in resumes everywhere and we've already turned in an application for unemployment just in case nothing turns up right away.  I realize that the 4 years of electrical school will really pay off in the end, but the first year is a killer.  It's not like he's getting paid much and we have mucho bills.  I'm praying he winds up with an even better paying position.

Danny is sooo amazing!  He hasn't hit the point of despair and started freaking out yet, and he has really poured all of his energy into finding a solution.  He has excellent work ethic and I appreciate that he hasn't pressured me into finding a job, although I have been looking. 
I LOVE HIM!

So it was about 10pm when I started baking a loaf of bread.  I've never done this recipe and I thought that I read it really thoroughly.  I thought that I didn't have to wait for an hour or two for it to rise before I get to bake it.  And then it bakes for 30 minutes.  I am such an idiot!  It's been forever since I baked with yeast.  Anyway, part way though the mixing process Eva decides to wake up for 20 minutes.  So here I am it's 11:40 and the bread just started to rise, but may take another hour or so.  I'm totally tired.  So the question is this:  Do I stay up for another 2 hours?  Or, do I go to bed and set my alarm for 1am so I can be up for another 30 minutes for the bread to bake.  All this, because I'm crazy and like to bake, and fail to read directions properly.

Ug!

I'm going to bed!

*Update* I over slept the alarm and the bread flopped anyway... now I'm tired and I have nothing to show for it.

This is actually a recipe for bread, but I put it into a cake pan and it turned out fine (it's a heavy cake).

Mix together
1 C.          Pumpkin puree
1/2 C.      oil (or applesauce)
1 1/3 C.   sugar (but I only used 2/3 cup sugar)
2               eggs

Our camera takes crappy indoor pictures, but here are some that I got of Eva stuffing her face.  =)

I'm putting some of this post behind the cut for any men out there who might be shy hearing about fem products.


On a completely different note... Danny just called and said that he can get Saturday off!!!  WooHoo, yippie skippy and all that.  I can't even tell you how happy that makes me.  I mean, if we can't really do anything at least we can be together.  I got Blades of Glory through netflix so that should be fun.

After some reflection on what birthdays mean to me, I think that the reason that I think they are such a big deal is because it's the one day of the year to really celebrate that you're alive.  I think I need to do a real change in my way of thinking though, because the way my parents decided to do birthday parties was that it is a party others put on for you, not one that you plan for yourself (kind of like your wedding... Mel, joking).  Breakfast in bed, the whole nine yards, that's how my parents did birthdays (and all with a very limited amount of actual money spent).  Anyway, I can't expect for everyone to just do it anymore.

I want to be proud of my years even when I'm 40+.  I love the attitude that my Grandma had when she turned 80, she had a big banner made that said, "Life Starts at 80"

Oh for the days when I lived with my parents and birthdays meant something and the parties were grand.  I miss those days.  I haven't had a real birthday celebration since I moved out when I was 18.  Here I am, turning 25 on Saturday and it turns out that Danny has to work Saturday and Monday (Labor Day).  I admit the money is needed right now, but still...  So, another year, another day.  No party for me, and no party for Eva.  Her birthday is on Thursday.  Danny said he was going to throw us a joint party at our favorite Thai place and invite our friends to join.  As far as I know, we have no reservations and none of our friends even know about it.   *sigh*  Please don't mind the hint of frustration in my voice, I knew when I married him that he was not a party planner; I have no right to feel disappointed.  At least he remembered this year!  Maybe I should be counting my blessings.

I did make a cake for Eva's first birthday.  It's a low sugar pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting,  I'm going to put a big #1 candle on it and some cute flowers.  I want to get her some sort of birthday hat and stuff so it will all look real cute for the pictures.  I'm also planning on taking her in to get her pictures taken soon, so that will be good.   I guess it's better for Eva if we don't have a bunch of people over in the evening, it gets a little over stimulating for her.  Hopefully at least our friend Brandon can come over... I'll call him tomorrow.  Our apartment really is to small to have more then about 4 people over anyway.

I really miss my family during days like this.  I wonder what free babysitting is like?  I really want to see Balls of Fury, it looks hilarious!

Ok, I need to clean the kitchen and shower before I go to bed.

Eva has been waking up for a 12am feeding and I have such a hard time going to bed before then because I just lay there knowing that I'll get woken up soon.  I can't wait till she drops the night feedings.

I was tagged by  thesynergizer
The rules:
1. You have to post the rules before you give the facts.
2. You must list one fact that is relevant to your life for each letter in your middle name. If you don't have a middle name than use a name that you like.
3. When you are tagged you must write a post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your post you must tag one person for each letter in your middle name. Don't forget to comment them telling that they are tagged and to read your post to get the rules.

M - Muncher - grazer, snacker... I eat lots of little meals throughout the day

A - Adventurous - I'll try just about anything once or as Danny would say "don't knock it till you rock it"

R - Random - I say some of the most random things, and when I talk it's very scattered.

I - Introvert (except with friends) - I get refreshed by chillin' at home with my hubby and/or close friends

E - Even keel - I'm pretty steady (not to be confused with consistent)

By the way, my first name is Joy


PS  Sorry about that thesynergizer silly me (I was just reading kikifitz 's latest entry and I got mixed up).

Well, here I am.  Eva is awake watching her BabyPraise video.  She's been up for the past 30min.  I can't keep her down... I'm so freaking tired.  I think she has really bad gas that is keeping her awake.  She sounds like a littler puter butt.  I love her but she drives me crazy.  I'm going to be so waisted tomorrow... I mean later today.  I'M nev?ER /HAVing another baby!  HA ha< I ALWAYS say tHAT WHEN I'm TIRED AND CRAnky.  BY THE WAY< EVA is helPING me tyPE.

I finally got to see "300".  It was super bloody and had some tata scenes, but if you think of it more as a graphic (sort of like a realistic comic book), it was pretty amazing!  I'm not sure how historically accurate it really is, but it was really entertaining.  It's not a movie for the faint of heart.

I had such a great day yesterday.  We just took the entire day off.  Danny took Eva out on a date for a couple hours and I worked on deep cleaning the house.  Eva is afraid of the vacuum so this makes detailing really complicated.  So here's what I got done:

Vacuumed the whole house
Cleaned out the couch (vacuum, sunned the cushions)
I cleaned the kitchen
Washed down the kitchen cabinets
Separated all of Eva's clothes that she has grown out of now
4 loads of laundry


It has only been 24 hours and it looks like an A bomb dropped in the house.  How does this happen?  I guess it's still clean, it's just not tidy.

I had such a good time last weekend with my family in laws.  It was a little crowded in our little apartment with 4 more people in it, but all the fun and love made up for it.  I miss living close to family.

I've been in such a funk this week.  I got so much done around the house last week it was awesome.  But Eva has not been sleeping well this week.  Also, my husband was honest with me about something that I didn't think was that big of a deal at first, but it just feels like the info has festered and rotted my mind since then.  I talked to him about it last night, just to let him know how I was feeling.  A lot of insecurities that I thought I was over have started coming back up.  I'm struggling with my weight, and I think my body is starting to finally make the switch from mommy to wife again (So this is probably all hormonal drama).  I know I'll get over it, it's not like he even did anything horrible, it just turned out that it made ME feel horrible.  Why can't I just be perfect and not struggle with anything?  All in all I think that I'm a pretty good wife... I LOVE sex, I keep the house fairly clean, I'm a good mom, I'm supportive of all of Danny's crazy dreams (which I do believe in by the way), I sacrificed a lot to help him get his big ass truck (which we can hardly afford), I respect him, and I love him like crazy.  I know, I'm practically perfect, right! 

Ok, I'm over it. 

I was tagged by kikifitz

I looked up my name in google images and here's what came up.



I wonder if they have Joy Rides there too?

Also, let us not forget the opposite of me...


Joy from "My Name is Earl"

Eva has not been sleeping well the past week, but last night she nearly slept through the night (knock on wood... he, he, I said "wood").  Anyway... last time I said that she stopped sleeping good for almost 2 weeks.  Will I never learn?

On another note, I am so proud of myself.  I've been trying really hard to get my house clean and decluttered this week.  I understand that I can't do it in a week, but I think I made some good headway.  Danny's sister's family is staying with us in our little apartment this weekend.  I'm very excited (cause I love them), but it also inspired me (by necesity) to get our house in shape.   So here is what I have managed to get done so far.

Thoroughly clean out the fridge
Organize the cabinets
Thoroughly clean the counters
The sink is empty
I mopped the floor
Dusted the living room
Cleared 3 boxes of crap out of Eva's room
Boxed up baby things that Eva grew out of but the ones that I want to keep, and blankets too
Organized Eva's room
Went through all the misc. papers that keep stacking up
Collected and put in a box all the things that we want to e-bay/craigslist/get rid of
Folded the laundry that keeps piling up
Washed our duvet
Cleaned the bathroom

And all of this during Eva's nap times.  Ah, it's amazing what I can do when I kick myself off the computer.

Anyway, I think that we are all consumed by our mortality, we seam to think that life here on earth is all that there is because it's all that we know and understand.  But, life is just a glimmer, a dull reflection of the life we have here-after.  It is just a flash and then it is gone.  How do we know that between the time we die and eternity that people are not given a final chance for repentance?

I think that there are only a few things that we do in this life that truly matter; the way we love one another and the way we love/trust God.

Case and point: My husband only makes a whopin' $13/hour and I still manage to be a stay at home mom and we live in CA!  Yes, things are very tight and it gets very annoying not having cute clothes or getting to hire baby sitters very often... And before this, we were missionaries and lived on whatever God put on people's hearts to give us (not an easy thing by any stretch of the imagination).  We dream of having an international construction company some day who goes all over the world and blesses low income communities with homes, schools and hospitals... All the while, we want to have a ranch here at home with several guest houses so missionaries or just anyone who is weary can come and rest and be refreshed.  This is part of our of our dream.  We want to help people find who they are and release them to live their God-given dreams.

Life is short, why waste it doing things you don't love to do?  Easier said than done, but I try and remind myself every day that what I do now will impact the future.  I want to live for Eternity, not just the daily grind (although, sometimes you have to do that for a while to get to the eternity stuff).

Ok, enough deep thoughts for the day... Be free to live.  "Throw off everything that hinders... and run the race marked out for you."

So, I (thejoybird) was recently part of a community here on LJ (which will remain nameless); What a bunch of jerks!  I'm sure they weren't all mean, but you could have fooled me.

Here's what happened,  I posted a short , simple question, no big deal,  but right as I finished typing Eva started hitting buttons and I thought that she deleted it.  Later that day, I checked and didn't see my post, so I reposted.  The next day I found about 15 comments about me having posted twice and what an idiot I am and seriously calling me names and all kinds of rude stuff.  I'm sorry but I'm still kind of new to LJ and I don't know all the protocol, or how to do everything the "right" way.  Needless to say, I was really pissed and promptly quit the community. 

It was just one of those experiences that left a bad taste in my mouth.  Ick!