Changing Perspective

Playdough on the floor...stuck in carpet

Dog hair everywhere

Breakfast thrown on the floor

Yelling, screaming, crying, fighting over a toy

Picky eaters

Basket of DVDs dumped on the floor

Dishes to clean

Tired

Playing, creating together

Kisses from Bella, a steady faithfulness from a dog

Full bellies, growing limbs, getting older

Learning to live and love together, even when it's hard

Knowing what they love to eat

Anna teaching Oliver how to clean up

Ah...my dishwasher

Blessed

Thankful

Thanksgiving.

I asked Anna yesterday if she knew why we celebrated it...

she said it was about stuffing and giving gifts to people.

Um...kind of right sweetie.  Do you hear a word in Thanksgiving?  Thanks?

It's all about being thankful.  What are you thankful for?

Well...I love the stuffing.

We then proceeded to discuss all of the many things in our life we have been blessed with...

feathers in our hair...

little brothers who adore you...

crazy Bella...who we love...

being with family...

beautiful works of art...

special relationships...

Does the list end??

Reminding myself to be thankful for the big and the small this Thanksgiving and always.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.          (James 1:17, NASB)

A Handwritten Note

Anna and I finished our next project on The Happy Day Project schedule.  

Today we had some time to each write a special person in our life a handwritten note.  

She chose her sweet Sunday school teacher. :)

I am incredibly thankful for the wonderful friends that God has placed in my path.  

It seems that at every new season in life, He reveals his faithfulness 
by giving me friendships that are exactly what I need.  To do life together.  
To share our hearts and our funny stories...to share our worries and our fears.  

To be real with each other.

No better investment than finding the time for friendship and the courage to be real and the humility to say we are sorry...Ann Voskamp

The Happy Day Project

When I read about The Happy Day Project from Jess I was so excited to do it!

It is so easy for me to get wrapped up in our schedule, our needs, our life.

I forget about the people right outside my door.

We have only finished Monday's project (we made some chocolate chip banana bread for our neighbors who are expecting their first baby) but my goal is to finish by the end of the month! :)

Here is the schedule:

The other cool thing is that there are links to free printables to make the gifts even cuter!

Check out Joy's Hope for more information!

Let's make someone smile! :)

I Finally Did It...

Yes...I started a blog!

After years of reading others, always saying I would start my own someday

and some encouragement from new friends (thanks, Billie!!), the day has arrived!

Hello! I am Carrie...thanks for stopping by! :)

My life has changed in the past few years.

I vaguely remember watching The View everyday or sleeping in until

I felt like dragging myself out of bed. Listening to my favorite music in the car

and going shopping for a whole day seems like a very distant memory.

Instead, my life has been filled with

caring for these two precious little ones

Anna and Oliver...the two blessings who have turned my life upside down

and gave the word love a whole new meaning.

And this...

is my partner on this journey, their daddy and my best friend.

We keep each other sane. :)

And although it looks very different then it did five years ago,

we never knew our lives could be so full. Full of life, love and laughter.

Full of giggles, hugs, baby dolls and cars. Full of little voices calling 'Mama',

bubble baths and singing.

We couldn't be more thankful to feel so full.