Author Archives: Erin@thelumpyplace

Day 2: Our House {#write31days}

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If you’re anything like me, then as soon as you read the title for this post, you started singing “in the middle of the street.”

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We bought this house in 2008, and it has been a HUGE blessing. We’ve built our family here–it will be very hard to leave it when the time comes. When I look at these pictures though, I see how much the plants have changed. Before we bought it, there was a large bradford pear tree in the front yard, but an ice storm caused it to have to be cut down. Since we’ve lived there, small bushes have flourished and died, and two other bradford pears have had to be cut down (in case you’re looking at planting a tree, I’d avoid a bradford pear). All this makes me think of Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers, the flower fades, BUT the word of our God stands forever.”  I’m thankful that in spite of any uncertainty or changes in life, I can trust that God’s word is still truth, and He’s on the throne.

 

Day 1: Make a Move {#write31days}

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We MOVE in sixteen days! Sixteen days! {and I’m currently singing Ah, Freak Out!} I’m fairly certain the next two weeks will F L Y by. We will FINALLY make a move. I am, to be perfectly candid, slightly freaking out. The idea that what we have been planning and hoping for for at least a year is finally coming to fruition is scary, overwhelming, and exciting all at the same time. I wrote previously that one of our goals this year was to MOVE! As a “to-do” list kinda girl, anytime I can check something off my list–whether it’s a task or  goal–I get excited!

Over the last three months, I’ve kept Ecclesiastes 3:11 in my mind, and I also kept going back to something I read from @intentionalhome on Instagram :

“Sometimes the time that passes between the conception of a dream and the birth of it feels hopeless….[BUT] the TRUTH is that God’s GREATEST works often happen in the waiting. Maybe not outward ones, but definitely ones of the heart….there is as much purpose in this in-between as there will be when I see it all finally unfold…This waiting room is something He designed. For me. For a purpose. GREATER THAN MY OWN. And I can rest in that. Rest in HIM. And REST IN HIS PERFECT TIMING.”

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 #Write31days is going to be a challenge–and I want that. I want this to be an opportunity to make writing more of a habit. For the next 31 days, I plan on using this space to spotlight real life selling-a-home-packing-moving-making-a-new-house-home tips. {Whew! I’m tired just thinking about all that.} I also openly admit that this will at times become a place of processing my thoughts, possible venting, and maybe cutsie graphics. 🙂

Feel free to follow along and tell me any and all your packing tips and tricks!!! I need LOTS of suggestions as this is the first move we’ll be making with two littles!

Make a Move {#write31days}

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I am joining The Nester and tons of other great bloggers for a challenge to #write31days. I could be absolutely insane adding this to my already full plate; however, I’m eager to use the accountability to increase my writing as well as connect with others across the ‘net.

I thought long and hard about what I could write about for 31 days–and I finally decided that I should just address the current challenge in my life–Making a Move. Our house is {finally} under contract, and we will need to be in a new place in a month! While my initial response is to absolutely FREAK. OUT. I’m reminding myself that God has got this–the birds of the air are taken care of and so am I!

 

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Check back October 1st and the 30 days following to see how CRAZY life can be when you’re making a move and {hopefully} how to survive {and possibly thrive} in the middle of it all!

 

Sometimes he teaches me

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Ever had a bad night? Like a REALLY bad night? Like you actually have the thought that you need to escape the room/house or you may physically harm an animal or dog? I hope that’s not just me….

Bedtime can be an absolute beast at our house, especially on football nights. My boys are generally well-behaved, fun to be around, full of laughs and sweet. However, if Daddy is gone and it’s after 8 pm, it’s like a switch is flipped. I know there are many nights my attitude doesn’t help–by that time of day, I’m DONE. EXHAUSTED. Between, work, house showings, cooking, the everyday runnings of a household, being a wife and mom, I’m just plain TIRED. So when 9 pm rolls around and both boys are STILL GOING STRONG, I start to have a slight mental unhinging. (Also, it never fails, our dog will bark or pace at this point, which usually leads to me spouting obscenities at her–in my head.)

Recently, the hubby was gone to a middle school football game, and bed time came…after 49 minutes of rocking the baby brother, I attempted to just lay down with him. After an additional 20 minutes of literal kicking and babbling, big brother came to join us. The following 15 minutes consisted of a lot of threatening, then moving big brother to his room. Finally, the boys seemed to be calming down, but only after lots of tears and screaming. At long last, around 10:02 pm, baby brother fell asleep, and when I went to tuck big brother in, he looked at me and said, “Momma, I want God to help me take a nap.” Me too, little guy! Me too.

How often, do I NOT ask God to give me grace during what seem to be the small, mundane moments? I have a terrible voice that tells me He has bigger fish to fry, and my boys going to sleep is not something I need to trouble Him. How wrong! He cares about the everyday, mundane acts–the ones that seem so small but can so quickly become overwhelming. I’m hoping and praying that next time bedtime is a beast, and I’m doing it solo that I am reminded of my toddler’s sweet thought that “God can help us take a nap.”

Ambition?

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I’ve been mulling over something Mark Bearden said recently at our church, ANY goal, plan, or ambition that is not driven by the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom is selfish ambition. {I’ve paraphrased, as I don’t remember his exact words.}

This REALLY hit home–how often do I make plans, dream of the future, and not give any thought at all to the advancement of God’s Kingdom and HIS ultimate glory? Instead, I focus on what will bring me the most personal fulfillment, pleasure, praise or monetary gain.

I have dreams of operating a successful photography business, dreams of an Etsy store, dreams of being a SAHM/WAHM, dreams of gardens, and *gasp* maybe even a couple chickens and a compost bin. Are these things that I want to do for ME or will they bring God glory and honor? Will I advance His Kingdom and make His name known?

Will what I do MATTER in eternity?

Perhaps an update is appropriate…

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This will probably end up being a rather lengthy, random, catch-all post of sorts….perhaps I’ll find the time to add pictures later.

Summer is over. {Insert sad-face emoji here} I had some rather good intentions about blogging over the summer, but chose instead to ignore those intentions and focus on putting our house on the market. We spent June “playing”–zoo trips, parks, walks, play dates with friends, VBS, Jim Thorpe game, cleaning, decluttering, more cleaning, more decluttering. On July 1st, we met with a realtor, and by July 6th, our home was listed online with photos. Ever since, we’ve had a s t e a d y stream of showings along with one offer (the buyers backed out within two weeks of offering though). Unfortunately, things don’t seem to be moving very quickly. I’m learning more in this time than ever before to just trust God’s timing. He holds the world in His hands, so I’m pretty sure He can handle the selling of our place. Also, since football season is in full swing, I’m not too keen on someone buying it *NOW* because I’d end up doing 90% of the packing, searching for a new place, and the stressing. Oh and  Mom and I have less than a month before Junk Hippy, so there’s that….

Basically, life is busy, overwhelming, and I’m having to DAILY choose to meditate on Isaiah 26:3-4, “You will keep {her} in perfect peace, because {she} trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting rock.”

Well, poop.

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Almost four years ago, I was expecting my first child. With that came certain expectations–in all honesty, I wanted a girl. I wanted a dainty, precious, tender-hearted sweet girl who would sleep on a schedule, never get into anything dirty, play with dolls, and paint nails. God has a sense of humor, and at times it seems a little twisted to me. Four years and two boys later there is nothing dainty about our house, and there is LOTS. OF. DIRT. See this precious face….would you guess that this face has to be washed EVERY night because it’s usually covered in dirt, snot, food, and who knows what else?

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That sweet face, well, he ate poop. The hubby and I were sanding and cleaning off the siding on the house in an effort to get ready to sell (whole other post), and the boys were playing at their sand table. I glanced to do a check and make sure they were still getting along somewhat peacefully. I was puzzled when I noticed H was chewing something with a rather disgusted look on his face. Immediate panic set in when I crammed my fish-hook finger in his mouth to scrape out what he was chewing…poop. Dang dog poop. In four years we’ve had our fair share of poop encounters, but this was the grossest to me…my child was eating poop. I debated googling what to do, but figured that would just end in the assumption that he was going to die from it, so cringing, I broke out the water hose, did my best to scrape any remains of feces out of his precious mouth, and let him guzzle water.

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Thank you God for your sense of humor, precious boys who eat dirt and poop, but thank you most of all for letting them survive it! Also, if my little guy ever argues with me about trying a new food, I’m going to remind him that he was willing to try dog poop, so he sure as heck can try anything!

 

Kids Were Here, Vol. 5

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I love this image because it reminds me of how my little guy is becoming a bit of a “neat freak,” (you’ll not hear me complaining). Every time he finishes a drink from his faithful Camelbak, he puts the straw back down…unlike his parents or older brother.

Head over to Charity’s blog to see her latest Kids Were Here post!

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Three Point Five {on my baby being three and a half}

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T I M E   F L I E S

Last night, he walked out of the garage to follow his daddy and “help” mow. I reminded him about staying off the street because of “fast cars,” and he immediately replied “I’ll be fine” with a thumbs up. I laughed on the outside, but mostly in an effort to avoid crying.

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Everyday he says something clever, new, and I am amazed at what a spectacular young man God has given us. I worry (waaaaaaaaaay too much) that the influences of the outside world, other people, and media will harm him, but I MUST remember that our Heavenly Father loves him infinitely more than I can even begin to imagine.

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He admires his Daddy, me, and by the Grace of God, we’ll do our best to show him Christ’s love and help him learn that his greatest calling is to glorify God, love Him and love others.

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Having him look at me with his 3 and half year old wisdom and say “I’ll be fine,” was a heavenly reminder that God is in control and the plans He has for my little man are greater than any I can think of.

DSC_6775He is a fierce lover (and sometimes fighter), passionate, assertive, creative, intuitive, and just plain fun! I can’t wait to see what the rest of “three” is like!