Resting in His Arms

Today my heart is heavy.

We found out last month that we are expecting another baby!  Even after having 5 children, it is such a joy to see the + on the pregnancy test!  We have been blessed many times over.

But today, we found out that our dreams and prayers for this precious child would not come true here on earth.  Instead of holding this child in our arms, we have had to release him into our Father's arms.  This is our 5th miscarriage, and you would think it wouldn't hurt as much.  Each miscarriage has been hard.  Each miscarriage has been a loss and a hurt to our hearts.  And as we received the same news about this child as we have received several times before....our hearts hurt just as much.

It has been a privilege to hold this child for the past 8 weeks.  It has been a joy to think about what he or she would look like.  It has been nice to think of our family with 6 children.  It has been wonderful to say I'm pregnant.  And it has been a blessing to pray for this child.  A child I will now return to the One who gave him to us.

Blessings,

The Not-So-Frugal Haircut!

Sweetcheeks recently was helping me with a project that required scissors.  She does quite well with the scissors and was a big help with the project.  After we were finished, I went to make lunch.  She stayed downstairs to play (or so I thought!).  When I came to get her, this is what I found.....

SHE CUT HER LOVELY BLONDE HAIR!!

I wanted to cry.... but then I looked at her beautiful face.  I could clearly tell she was struggling with what she had done.  She was looking to me for a reaction and I had to decide what it was going to be.  Would I make her feel worse than she already did by crying and scolding her.  Or would I use this time to lift her up and speak to her out of love?

I wanted to cry.... but I gave her a hug and told her how beautiful she still was to me.  We had a long talk about what is appropriate use of scissors.  We had a long talk about what she did.  Then we called our salon!

Her hair is much shorter now, but she is still the same sweet child she was before.  It is after all, just hair.  It will grow back.  In the whole of life it really doesn't matter that much.  But had I reacted differently, it may have affected her for a long time to come.  This was as much a lesson for her as it was for me.

I need these reminders to show me just what is really important in life and what my relationship to them really is.  It is so easy to get caught up in what I think is necessary or proper or right that I forget what my true goal is with my children.  I need to not only tell them but show them my love for them.  I need to not only teach them what Scripture says, but live it.  I am thankful not only for this opportunity to love my daughter regardless of what she may have done, but I am more thankful for the lesson I have learned.  I am thankful that God has blessed us with this sweet child.

And I love this girl!!!

 I am linking this post up to Esther's homemaking link~up at Our Simple Country Life.  Please join her over there for other great idea's for homemaking.  Have a great day!

Blessings,

My New Favorite Chocolate Frosting

A few weeks ago Stinkerbelle wanted to try out a new recipe for chocolate cake.  It didn't really turn out (notice the cake is not very high!!), and the recipe for the frosting sounded a bit strange to me.  So I went looking online for a recipe that looked good.  We really liked this frosting and it is now my go-to recipe for chocolate frosting!  I found it at All Recipes.com.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

2 ¾ c confectioners sugar

6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

6 Tbsp butter

5 Tbsp evaporated milk

1 Tsp vanilla

Sift sugar and cocoa, set aside.  Cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk.  Blend in vanilla.  Beat until light and fluffy.

**will frost, but not fill a layer cake**

Enjoy!!

Blessings,

Thankful Thursday

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Happy Thursday!  Thankful Thursday!

I haven't participated in Thankful Thursday's for quite some time.  I need to get back on track with this.  It helps my state of mind to focus on the things I have to be thankful for, instead of complaining about what I perceive as something unfair.

I recently read a blog written by a woman who has a child with a medical condition.  She wrote about how her child's condition has led her to some relationships with wonderful people...people she wouldn't have known if it were not for the condition her child has.  Her husband made the comment "Have you thanked God yet for our child's condition?".  This made her stop in her tracks as she hadn't thought about their journey as something to be thankful for.

It made me stop in my tracks also.  We have a son who has numerous medical and emotional conditions.  One of those is autism.  We have had a rough couple of months.  The day I read her post I was myself asking God "why?" and complaining about these things.  Why does our son have to go through so much each day?  Why does our family have to go through this?  Why can't we just have a normal day?  It never had occurred to me to give thanks for what we are going through.

Autism is not a fun journey, but it is one that God chose for us to go through.  While I don't fully understand why (or even need to), I do need to choose thankfulness for this journey.  We have also met some wonderful people through this journey.  We have great doctor's and therapists.  We have learned sooo much.  We have failed often, but get the grace to start each day fresh.

It took a post written by someone who doesn't know anything at all about our situation to open my eyes.  Yes, some days are hard.  But we have someone to lean on during those times.  Our heavenly father has strong arms.  And that's exactly where we should be during the trials and struggles of life.  Instead of complaining about how hard things get, or how much of a struggle it is to get through some days....I need to be thankful.  Thankful for my situation.  Thankful for what it will show me and where it will bring me.  Thankful that God is with me all the way.

What can you give thanks for today?

For more thankful thoughts, please visit this month's host, Laurie, at Women Taking A Stand.

Blessings,

What I See Outside My Window...

God is so good!
Have a great week!

Blessings,