Yesterday's post... Wordless Wednesday feautred pictures from a recent trip my mom and I took with the girls to a local market. We let the girls each pick a purple fruit or veggie to have a Purple Dinner.
Madi picked out some purple potatoes, J picked blueberries and K picked... oh wait. K wouldnt participate. Again. Ugh. What to do with a teen like that?
Well, anyways... we made roasted veggies with the purple potatoes, sweet potatoes carrots, garlic, onions, and mushrooms... and then mixed them with some sour cream and seasonings to make something kinda like a warm potato salad. And Madi and J LOVED IT! It was fun teaching them about a new veggie and then showing them that its tasty too. :o)
The we had blueberry lemonade and blueberry parfaits!
Oh... and the horse... was just along the side of the road, so my mom pulled over and started talking to it. She is a crazy wonderful woman.
How do you interest your kids to new foods and expeirences??
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
I wanted to Add...
I wanted to add to my previous post...
After our last miscarriage, the doc said he beleived that if I took progesterone, I should be able to carry full term. At the time it seemed to simple. To much fear had entered my heart and was taking over for me to beleive that something so simple could give us a baby.
After some research, I didnt like the side affects and possible issues with the synthetic progestins that I would be taking.
So yesterday, Mike and I went to our local "crazy hippy store" (as Mike calls it). We are really blessed to have a store that is stocked with TONS of natural, whole foods, guten free products, supplements herbs, and a super knowledgable staff. I know some of the folks in there are NOT christians, but they really do know a lot about all things herbal and natural and organic and healthy. The woman I talked to suggested Chaste Tree in a tincture form. It will actually promote my body to CREATE its OWN progesterone instead of filling it with sythnetic junk.
So I took my first dose today.
Please keep us in your prayers. I can't wait to concieve, carry to full term, and then hold our miracle. :o)
After our last miscarriage, the doc said he beleived that if I took progesterone, I should be able to carry full term. At the time it seemed to simple. To much fear had entered my heart and was taking over for me to beleive that something so simple could give us a baby.
After some research, I didnt like the side affects and possible issues with the synthetic progestins that I would be taking.
So yesterday, Mike and I went to our local "crazy hippy store" (as Mike calls it). We are really blessed to have a store that is stocked with TONS of natural, whole foods, guten free products, supplements herbs, and a super knowledgable staff. I know some of the folks in there are NOT christians, but they really do know a lot about all things herbal and natural and organic and healthy. The woman I talked to suggested Chaste Tree in a tincture form. It will actually promote my body to CREATE its OWN progesterone instead of filling it with sythnetic junk.
So I took my first dose today.
Please keep us in your prayers. I can't wait to concieve, carry to full term, and then hold our miracle. :o)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
2 am post???
Its 2am... and i cant sleep. Not really sure why... but I figured Id take the time to write about the awesome-ness that occurred on Sunday.
(That is also my disclaimer... one tired momma, awake @2 am writing. WHile the story is 100% true... I might sound like a nut by writing it now. Oh well. To God be the Glory!)
As the announcements where being done... I was sitting at the keyboard ready to lead worship, when my backup vocalist/extra keys player leaned over to me and said something that took me by major suprise. This woman has been playing with the other church that uses our building, but I have never played with before and I didnt really know her. She said (paraphrased of course, my memory isnt that awesome, lol!), my husband and I both thought you were pregnant. But then we realized you werent. (She had assumed I was when someone asked how I was feeling... but I had just had a major headache). She said the Sunday before when Mike I were praying together, she saw us and it looked like we were just seeing God like we never saw Him and that He was gazing right back at us. Then that Tuesday at the daily prayer and intercession time, God brought that moment to her mind and she and the others who were there began to intercede for us and cry out and wail to God for us to have a baby of our own.
That was it. It made me cry. It was what I needed. I dont know if she actually said God said He would give us one or not, but it gave me hope and made me realize that I have spent 2 whole years living in fear of another miscarriage. And while those years were not wasted per say... who knows... I could have a 1 yr old in my arms right now. I knew it was time to get rid of the fear, but it was time to worship. And we did. Oh man, did God just simply show up!! It was beautiful to just worship Him in spirit and in truth... to truly enter into His presence! AWESOME!
After the service I went up to that woman and thanked her. She reitterated to me what she had said and then said she wanted to pray for me.
I have ALWAYS beleived God could and would heal me. I have wanted it for so long.
When she prayed for me, she put her hands on belly and prayed. And for the very first time I felt something happen.
I truly beleive that I felt God working in me. I could feel something very cold where her hands were. After she was done praying, I could still feel it. I seriously thought to myself, wow, her hands must be FREEZING! So I asked her. They werent. They were actually kinda warm. The cold feeling stayed with me for over an hour.
Make way world... I truly beleieve Baby Matson will be making an apperance in '11! Lol!
Hmm... I just read this post. Maybe I shouldnt write blog posts at 2am. Yea... probably not. :o)
(That is also my disclaimer... one tired momma, awake @2 am writing. WHile the story is 100% true... I might sound like a nut by writing it now. Oh well. To God be the Glory!)
As the announcements where being done... I was sitting at the keyboard ready to lead worship, when my backup vocalist/extra keys player leaned over to me and said something that took me by major suprise. This woman has been playing with the other church that uses our building, but I have never played with before and I didnt really know her. She said (paraphrased of course, my memory isnt that awesome, lol!), my husband and I both thought you were pregnant. But then we realized you werent. (She had assumed I was when someone asked how I was feeling... but I had just had a major headache). She said the Sunday before when Mike I were praying together, she saw us and it looked like we were just seeing God like we never saw Him and that He was gazing right back at us. Then that Tuesday at the daily prayer and intercession time, God brought that moment to her mind and she and the others who were there began to intercede for us and cry out and wail to God for us to have a baby of our own.
That was it. It made me cry. It was what I needed. I dont know if she actually said God said He would give us one or not, but it gave me hope and made me realize that I have spent 2 whole years living in fear of another miscarriage. And while those years were not wasted per say... who knows... I could have a 1 yr old in my arms right now. I knew it was time to get rid of the fear, but it was time to worship. And we did. Oh man, did God just simply show up!! It was beautiful to just worship Him in spirit and in truth... to truly enter into His presence! AWESOME!
After the service I went up to that woman and thanked her. She reitterated to me what she had said and then said she wanted to pray for me.
I have ALWAYS beleived God could and would heal me. I have wanted it for so long.
When she prayed for me, she put her hands on belly and prayed. And for the very first time I felt something happen.
I truly beleive that I felt God working in me. I could feel something very cold where her hands were. After she was done praying, I could still feel it. I seriously thought to myself, wow, her hands must be FREEZING! So I asked her. They werent. They were actually kinda warm. The cold feeling stayed with me for over an hour.
Make way world... I truly beleieve Baby Matson will be making an apperance in '11! Lol!
Hmm... I just read this post. Maybe I shouldnt write blog posts at 2am. Yea... probably not. :o)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
What God is Doing Part 1
SO, no, this isnt the big announcement.
But... I wanted to take a few moments to share what God is doing.
Our house has been so stressul ever since the middle of December. That was K & J's one year anniversayr in foster care. A journey that should have only taken a month... not a year. They had been told many times that after a year, the judge will not be happy with mom and will probably change their goal from going home to adoption. We had never put time lines on things like that, but other had. They also have a lot family members (cousins, etc) that have been in foster care and eventually adopted out. This info has produced a lot of fear and worry for K (who is 13), which makes her irratable, disreceptful, unkind, and makes her think she has the right to do and say whatever she wants and to treat us all like dirt.
I tent to internalize things like this. Since MIke works late, I am the one who takes the brunt of her garbage and I have to deal with the kids argueing and allt he hurt feelings she creates in the younger two. That combined with some health issues left me battleing depression. After MIke and I went away for a few days on our anniversary, we made some major decisions about things. That combined with some intimate time with Jesus and the changes we had already started making have helped me climb out of that hole.
On the church front... we have been leading worship about once a month or so. Mike does sound every other week, and I sing backup on occasion with other leaders. Another thing we have been doing is leading worship for the Spanish church that uses our churches building. That has been a great thing for us... it stretches me and makes me rely more and more on God becuase I dont fully understand what is being said when the pastor speaks or someone prayers. We have been making some amazing friendships with people at church.. as well as with old friends. Im hoping to start going to a Bible study with some of the women at church, but its been canceled due to snow or bad roads for 3 weeks now... and this week, I was in a lot of pain and needed a morning to relax.
As far as my business... Igave it to God and asked Him to do HIs will with it and He is blessing it!! I have had a couple shoots already this year... and some are very different than your typical family shoot. I have done one shoot for a womens ministry's website, and am doing another one this weekend. I also am photographing a whole womens conference in 2 weeks! Woot Woot! I know I will be blessed getting to hear what is being said at the conference as well as then being paid to do something I love. Perfect!! :o) I also just booked a wedding where I am being paid in WEBSITE! Lol. The groom has a web design business, so he is working on my very own site right now! Oh, it makes me so excited!
Behavioraly... Madi is doing much better now that we are away from all the stress of the holidays. She still has her fits and moments, but she is improving all the time. Emotionally, Madi is at a standstill with recognizing what emotion she is feeling beyond happy sad and mad. But Im not pushing the issues to much... we have just been trying to remember to talk freely about what we are feeling in hopes that the dialog and communication helps her to see that its ok to talk about emotions, its ok to feel them, and to decipher the different ones.
I think thats about it for now. I am going to leave you today with a few more pictures:
But... I wanted to take a few moments to share what God is doing.
Our house has been so stressul ever since the middle of December. That was K & J's one year anniversayr in foster care. A journey that should have only taken a month... not a year. They had been told many times that after a year, the judge will not be happy with mom and will probably change their goal from going home to adoption. We had never put time lines on things like that, but other had. They also have a lot family members (cousins, etc) that have been in foster care and eventually adopted out. This info has produced a lot of fear and worry for K (who is 13), which makes her irratable, disreceptful, unkind, and makes her think she has the right to do and say whatever she wants and to treat us all like dirt.
I tent to internalize things like this. Since MIke works late, I am the one who takes the brunt of her garbage and I have to deal with the kids argueing and allt he hurt feelings she creates in the younger two. That combined with some health issues left me battleing depression. After MIke and I went away for a few days on our anniversary, we made some major decisions about things. That combined with some intimate time with Jesus and the changes we had already started making have helped me climb out of that hole.
On the church front... we have been leading worship about once a month or so. Mike does sound every other week, and I sing backup on occasion with other leaders. Another thing we have been doing is leading worship for the Spanish church that uses our churches building. That has been a great thing for us... it stretches me and makes me rely more and more on God becuase I dont fully understand what is being said when the pastor speaks or someone prayers. We have been making some amazing friendships with people at church.. as well as with old friends. Im hoping to start going to a Bible study with some of the women at church, but its been canceled due to snow or bad roads for 3 weeks now... and this week, I was in a lot of pain and needed a morning to relax.
As far as my business... Igave it to God and asked Him to do HIs will with it and He is blessing it!! I have had a couple shoots already this year... and some are very different than your typical family shoot. I have done one shoot for a womens ministry's website, and am doing another one this weekend. I also am photographing a whole womens conference in 2 weeks! Woot Woot! I know I will be blessed getting to hear what is being said at the conference as well as then being paid to do something I love. Perfect!! :o) I also just booked a wedding where I am being paid in WEBSITE! Lol. The groom has a web design business, so he is working on my very own site right now! Oh, it makes me so excited!
Behavioraly... Madi is doing much better now that we are away from all the stress of the holidays. She still has her fits and moments, but she is improving all the time. Emotionally, Madi is at a standstill with recognizing what emotion she is feeling beyond happy sad and mad. But Im not pushing the issues to much... we have just been trying to remember to talk freely about what we are feeling in hopes that the dialog and communication helps her to see that its ok to talk about emotions, its ok to feel them, and to decipher the different ones.
I think thats about it for now. I am going to leave you today with a few more pictures:
My beautiful old house. It doesnt look so old.. but it was built in 1782!
And this is the view from my side porch. Those words.... oh man. God has been wispering them to me in a million ways lately!!
PICTURE TIME!
Its been SO LONG since I have posted any pics of my gorgeous girl, I thought I would treat you all to some!
These are photos from our most recent mini photo shoot. I am so blessed to have such a beautiful (and willing) model right under my roof!!
For our 6th wedding anniversary, MIke and I went to the (cold, cold cold) beach for a few days. It was a wonderful time away. Mike has been learning more about photography so he can be more of a help/assistant to me. I think he did a great job... I love this picture of me!
He is so cute! :O)
We really had a chance to talk in a way we hadnt had in months. To really work out some tough things we have been facing and to make some really big and difficult decisions.
We are actually planning another trip away for a few days in March to make sure we keep those deep communications going.
And just for one more level of cutenes... Madi and her great-Grandma on Christmas day.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
School Update
I have been negleting my blog a lot. Sorry! lol! :o)
Madi is doing so well in school! This new program is perfect for her. Its a book-based course through our local school district. Her and I do the school work and then we go to the school once a week to make sure she is on track and to explain anythign I am having trouble explaining to her. Its only the 4 core subjects, which leaves me free to add in Bible, music, art, gym or whatever else we want... how often we want. They are also letting us work at our pace... so if she is having a bad week where she cant seem to get much done... its ok. If she is having a week where she is super motivated (doesnt happen often... but hey, a momma can dream, right?) we can work ahead because we are simply following the text books. She is motivated... and she is LOVING her teachers. She has always loved teachers... and this program lets her be home with me, bonding with me, and yet still get the interaction and attention from other adults.
We have made a big major decision. Im not ready to share it yet, but we do feel its God will and have been praying hardcore about it!! Please be praying that we are able to stick with it and walk it out in the most Godly-way possible.
Madi is doing so well in school! This new program is perfect for her. Its a book-based course through our local school district. Her and I do the school work and then we go to the school once a week to make sure she is on track and to explain anythign I am having trouble explaining to her. Its only the 4 core subjects, which leaves me free to add in Bible, music, art, gym or whatever else we want... how often we want. They are also letting us work at our pace... so if she is having a bad week where she cant seem to get much done... its ok. If she is having a week where she is super motivated (doesnt happen often... but hey, a momma can dream, right?) we can work ahead because we are simply following the text books. She is motivated... and she is LOVING her teachers. She has always loved teachers... and this program lets her be home with me, bonding with me, and yet still get the interaction and attention from other adults.
We have made a big major decision. Im not ready to share it yet, but we do feel its God will and have been praying hardcore about it!! Please be praying that we are able to stick with it and walk it out in the most Godly-way possible.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Great Quote
When my foster child is taunted on the schoolyard with "You don't have parents," it is spiritual warfare; delivered from a cruel world that only reinforces everything his abusers have always told him.
And when he prays to God and expresses his thanks for his foster family, it is his own battle cry; telling the world that he is loved and ...that the war . . . is about to turn.
Just read this and loved it!!!!
And when he prays to God and expresses his thanks for his foster family, it is his own battle cry; telling the world that he is loved and ...that the war . . . is about to turn.
Just read this and loved it!!!!
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