New Leaves

There are leaves everywhere these days. Of course, there are piles in the yard and blown up on the porches. Thanks to Little Brother, there are also leaves and leaf dust tracked throughout the house. I can't seem to win the battle against the leaves!

He tracks leaves all through the house,
but he's so doggone cute!

There are other leaves turning over this fall. We're preparing for Princess Pea Pod to start school outside the home after Christmas. We've enjoyed our homeschooling journey; I would do it again in a heartbeat. However, the local schools are pretty fantastic and she is ready to give it a go. We have done our moving and our settling, and we seem to have made significant progress against her sleep issues. We have prayed, discussed, discerned and found peace in the decision.

This means that, as of January 8, I will take off my "homeschool mom" hat. I thought that might trigger a bit of an identity crisis. Instead, I am turning over my own new leaves. My manuscript will be pulled off the shelf and I'll resume work on it. The book review blogger dream will be dusted off, as well. And, because my family has all the scarves, hats, arm warmers, leg warmers and totes they can stand, I have launched a new shop. Crafted by the Grace of God is finding its legs over on Facebook. Y'all get to support my handicraft habit by ordering custom handmade items, and my family will thank you! It is still in development, but you can check the page out here: https://www.facebook.com/CraftedbytheGraceofGod/ or go to Facebook and search @CraftedbytheGraceofGod. (Not so)Sadly, I don't have pictures of the vinyl work I have done. That means I have to create more decals so I can take pictures for the shop! Those will be added ASAP!

So, y'all, hold on to your hats and don't blow away with the leaves! Let's just watch and see what's under these as I turn them over... and maybe make pretty crayon rubbings... or Mod Podge some on a Mason jar...

That Kind of Stuff Only Happens on TV

Sometimes I get confused. Penny, my beautiful disc bound Happy Planner, manages to keep me in line most of the time. But sometimes I do get confused.

Penny (Me & My Big Ideas Happy Planner)

Such was the case a couple weeks ago. My dear friend's mother had recently passed away. I have known this family since I was in 7th grade and it was a shock that, after winning the battle against cancer, Susie passed away. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I was going to her funeral, and I would be there early to do whatever I could through this stressful event. But Princess Pea Pod had two friends spend the night and both sets of parents had to come before I could leave. I dashed out the door and was quickly brought to a standstill in traffic due to an accident. As it happened, I was running hopelessly late. My anxiety was through the roof as I dashed in (in the most ladylike manner) and signed the guest book, then ducked into the restroom to calm myself.

I walked into the chapel and everyone was already seated. It was silent. And I didn't recognize a soul. Now, we've been friends for a very long time and I know this family. I didn't see any of them. Not one familiar face. Then I looked at the casket and though, "Hmm... I thought she was going to be cremated."

Hello, anxiety. Back again so soon?

There was a lovely portrait next to the casket. It was a portrait of a lady who certainly was not Susie.

No joke, y'all. I went to the wrong funeral. The wrong ding-dang funeral!

I thought maybe I had gone into the wrong chapel, and that I would be late. The fact of the matter is that I was a week EARLY! I called my friend. "You're not going to believe this. I went to the wrong funeral." Let me tell y'all, her laughter made it all worth it. And Susie? Yeah, she would have totally laughed. Totally.

Now, if I can't laugh at my mistakes, then they own me. And I'm not going to be owned by regret or shame. So I laughed with them. I laughed with my friend and her family. I laughed with Hot Daddy and Princess Pea Pod, with my family and my friends. Because, as this friend said when I told her my tale, that kind of stuff only happens on tv... or to me!

Nudges. Or Big, Flashing Neon Signs.

Y'all, I think the Good Lord is trying to get my attention. If there's anything I have learned in all my years, it is that when He's talking I need to get over myself and listen. So, here I am.

Lately I've been told several times that I should be writing.

"Oh my gosh, girl! You're a hoot! You should write a blog!"

"You know, this might be a good time in your life to start writing again."

Do you know why God uses repetition when He's trying to tell me something? It's because I'm too gosh darn dense to just get the message.

"For real?!? I can't even keep my family in clean socks! I don't have it in me to take on something else."

But here I am. Because the Lord is in this and that's the kind of bandwagon I can ride. Because I've felt anxious for days, but just composing this post has brought me some measure of peace. And because clean socks are overrated. Right?