Day #157

May 29th

Grace Race Time!  Has been a great event for the last 7 years or so and this year was no different.  All the benefits go towards Feed My Starving Children.

Luke, Joel, Tobe and Brianna signed up for the Pirate Adventure run! I think that everyone had just a little bit of fun!

Followed by the Jensen/Moine Memorial Day Picnic!  What a fun day filled with lots of people time and being on the go...I think it makes me appreciate more the 10 minutes I get to sit on the couch before I call it a night.

Day #156

Sunday we had planned to be a day at home.  However, God seemed to have a different plan.  We served on the parking team for both services...and followed that up by Lunch with MoJo, Greg, and Ben.  

By the time we arrived home around 5pm...we were tired...but the sun was still shinning instead of the foretasted rain.  So we went outside to mulch, and work on the downspout drains.  We got some work done before we decided it was time to go inside as the rain was imminent. 

Wind/rain/down pour/hail...Our street flooded BUT our basement was dry!!!!

Day #155

May 27th

Some days are packed full.  Yet, they are still great days.  Today was one of them.  From 6am till 8pm were on the go, but at the end of the day...when you look back...you feel full from investing and being invested in.

I am a hard person to help.  I love helping people, but finding ways to serve me is difficult.  Spent the morning brainstorming and talking about ways my friend can serve me when I have the baby and before hand as we prepare to welcome Baby Jensen.  Time, spent conversing with a good friend is refreshing and restorative.  Not to mention trying a new restaurant in Ohio City...Flap Jack's.

We spent the rest of the day with Greg and Duane at the Indians game.  I love when people are willing to rotate seats...we played musical chairs which means you always get to talk to someone new, no one is always on the end and left out of the conversation.  Even though the Indians lost the game, we had a great time!

Day #154

May 26th

When you are walking through Aldi's and you see these...

And you decide it is wise to text your husband...

Day #153

May 25th

Our friend Missy, gave us a bunch of gender neutral clothes!  A fun night to go through all the clothes. and put them away.  We are truly blessed and thankful.  I had told Luke if we have a girl, we will have to go get some girly clothes because all our friends have boy clothes to give us.  Well Missy said if we have a girl she has a TON more clothes for us.  SO BLESSED.  Here are our 2 favorites.
Mine is the elephants and Luke's is the whales!

I met the last midwife on the team yesterday.  So, I now have met all of them and I am officially ready.  LOL.  She did say little Baby Jensen is facing forward instead of backwards...so she gave me some exercises to do to hopefully have the baby flip.  Explains some of the back pain!

Day #150

May 22,

Just what a Monday needed...Worship Night with a focus on Missions.

• Haiti
• Matzalan, Mexico
• Chad, Africa
• Philly
• L.A

This summer Grace will send out multitudes of students, college age, and adults to these hard places. I was excited and sad all at the same time.  It has been 2 years since I have gone to Mexico City or on a Mission trip.  God is working on my heart and what is next for me, and for the family...Stay Tuned!

Here are a few of the people that were there last night who are going on a trip this summer!  Loved being able to gather in small groups and pray for these locations, communities, people, and relationships!

Day #149

May 21

Today was a rainy day outside.  Our big plans of finishing the yard and possibly seeding were well delayed!

So we had a dance party, dinner, and by the time dessert rolled around it was nice outside...so we HAD to go get some Ice Cream!!!

Great way to spend a rainy afternoon/evening!

Mr. Divots had Rootbeer again!  

Day #144

May 16

LOVING our No T.V. Tuesday.  One of my favorite days of the week.  My heart and soul requires the slow down and change of pace.

Luke tends to prepare dinner on Tuesdays.  I give him the main idea of dinner, last night was a vegetarian wrap Mexican Style.  He decided on the veggies and the seasoning and whipped up a very tasty wrap with a side of guacamole.
As a side note, Tuesday's are my growing days...Growing because I realize that I need to let things go and the way I would do it isn't the best way or the only way.  I wanted the zucchini in long strips and peeled he quartered it and left the skin on, I would have used a different seasoning instead of the chile lime, I would have put garlic in the dish, etc.  Dinner was Luke's expression, and it was good.  I am thankful that the Lord allows these growing opportunities to just, "Let it Go" so I can experience other people's creations and realize my way is not always the best way!

Spent some time outside soaking in the Sun and God's word as we prepared for our discussion on the Chapter 1 of Mark

Went for an ice cream/Whip break at Mr. Divots...Because Rootbeer Whip is my FAVORITE refreshing summer treat!

Put some items away in the Baby's room and we were in bed by 8:30pm.

Sometimes you need nights where it is simple, there isn't a lot of heavy work involved physically or emotionally and where you can attempt to get more than 6 hours of sleep!

Day #142

May 14th
A Day filled to the Brim.
Awoke to do Yoga and work on the Baby's Room...This deer was right next to the swing while I worked in the baby's room...Although by the time I got my camera, it had made its way towards the woods.

Skyped with Luke's parents.  Always great to catch up with them and see how they are doing.  AND wish Jacquie a Happy Mother's Day.
"Went" to Church
Celebrated Mother's day with my Family and his Family!

What do you do on Mother's Day?  You have a drawing contest.  Who can draw the best Fairy tale...Go...

Caution Creative minds at work!  

day #139

May 9

Today I am 38.  I spent from August of last year till this year just saying all the time that I was 38 or going to be 38 and I totally missed out on 37.  On Monday, I decided I would not do that again.  This is the year, the entire year I am 38...There will be no mention of the next number until my Birthday.


Flowers delivered to work, with a Poem, that mad me cry.  Homemade Black Cherry Ice Cream Cake.  And we aren't even celebrating my Birthday today.  I had to work late, and since we never know what LATE looks like we decided Friday we would celebrate together.  However when I got home after 6, I didn't need to do anything inside the house it was all straightened up and Laundry was done.  So I was able to enjoy being outside and do a little reading!  When he got home at 8...we had cake!

Day #137

9 years ago my Cousin told me about LifeSkills...She said you have to take it.  Being the obedient one...LOL...I said okay.  I went to her graduation and heard people talk about LifeSkills.  I was very hesitant and intrigued all at the same time.

I signed-up for the 26 week course and started on a journey of transformation...After the class I was very much like KristinA...in that I shared with everyone that they needed to take this class!!!  8 people have taken me up on the challenge/suggestion to take the class.  Every single one of them has said they were glad they spent the money and time on this class.

Tonight Luke graduated from LifeSkills.  Last year he signed up after we attended the graduation of a couple of the girls in our life group that I suggested they go through the class...I was very surprised he signed up.  He has learned a great deal about himself, and about me through this process and our future children.
We are both thinking of taking the 26 week course again in the fall.  I KNOW that our first year of marriage has been a lot easier than most in a LARGE part to LifeSkills!

A study was done.  That a house that sits abandon for a year that is in perfectly good condition will remain untouched.  However, a house with a broken window that is abandoned in a week will have all the windows broken out and the house stripped.  LifeSkills is about recognizing the broken window and repairing it so that you are not robbed of the JOY of life.

http://lifeskillsintl.org/

Day #136

May 6th

What a Blessing.  Our hearts were filled with JOY.  Four wonderful ladies threw me a shower today...It was an AMAZING shower... Decorations, food, drink...all to the 9's.  They went all out!
It was wonderful to have his sister Lily in town for a short trip.  We have definitely been blessed with a great village of people.  We know that God had blessed us with this child but we also know he has blessed us with an abundance of people who love and care for us and in turn our little one too!

After our shower...we headed to his grandparent for the rest of the afternoon evening.  A fun time catching up and eating their favorite Marie's Pizza!

Day #135

May 5th

Sometimes life is recognizing the small things.
I arrived home as people were leaving our house from watching the CAVS game.  Another victory in the bag.  But at 10pm I started putting away groceries, putting away the party food, and washing dishes.  Luke would and does gladly do these things and a majority of the time I get told to just go sit on the couch and relax while he does it...(which doesn't happen often...the part about me sitting on the couch that is...I just hate sitting down while someone else is working)
Tonight, I am thankful that he didn't pressure me to sit down, he didn't even ask.  He let me help clean up and put stuff away.  I know that he was tired, I know that he would have rather been sitting on the couch relaxing and talking and just clean up in the morning. It is the small restraints and sacrifices that make a big difference

Day #134

May 4

My hot drink options have been pretty limited lately with no caffeine.  I am not the biggest fan of fruity tea and that seems to be the most common decaf tea.  I came home today to a box of decaf black tea!  I think my husband is swell!!

Day #133

May 3rd

Luke and I frequently talk about how we want to spend and invest our time.  For the most part that means our house is not the cleanest.  And usually I am okay with that...it is a sign of a life well lived.
However...

Sometimes I just want to cry when I see the pile of dishes in the sink or the clean ones waiting to be put away, or the pile of mail on our desk we have yet to go through, or the mountainous pile of clean clothes that need put away or dirty that need washed, because we have chose to go help someone, or meet someonefor coffee, and we are often just dropping and running.

I read today that we can't fully live and give of ourselves when we are exhausted, overwhelmed, or discouraged by the state of our home.

Here were a few of the tips they shared!

1. Give thanks for the chaos makers.

See those socks on the floor, six inches from the laundry hamper? Thank God for the person who wears those socks as you pick them up for the seventh time this week or as you call in the culprit to put the socks in the hamper. See the dishes piled on the counter? As you wash each dish and place it back in the cupboard for the next meal, praise God for the food He provides and pray for people you love who eat off of those dishes every day. Messes are an opportunity to show gratitude for what you have and restore peace as you love and care for the people under your roof.

2. Create special clutter-free corners.

When your entire home looks like a tornado went through, pick one corner in a frequented room to be a clutter-free oasis. Remove what doesn’t belong, toss or repair anything that is broken, and donate what you don’t like. Dust everything off so it smells clean and fresh. Now every time you pass by the corner, take a deep breath and enjoy the peaceful view. That little area just might inspire you to create a few more clutter-free corners!

3. Establish calming daily rituals.

When household tasks feel like chores, every day is a drudgery. But I find that my attitude towards tidying my home changes when I have a few daily simple routines I actually look forward to each day. As I pull up the covers on my bed and set up our pillow shams, I consciously think about how I feel more prepared to maintain a peaceful and orderly ambience that day. Quiet time and prayer during my morning coffee starts my day off on the right calm and grateful note. Throwing in a load of laundry every morning keeps me from feeling overwhelmed by my to-do list before the day even begins. Wiping off the counters after a meal is a signal to me that my day is done and I am ready to spend time relaxing with my family or husband. Each little task during the day can be viewed as a dreaded chore stealing our time, or we can view it as an opportunity for more peace and joy in our home.

4. Declutter, declutter, declutter.

Clutter is stuff you don’t even need or like, or things you need that were put in the wrong spot. The more stuff you have sitting around that you don’t love or need on display, the more stressed you are going to feel in your home. Give yourself the gift of a peaceful home by getting ruthless about ridding your home of clutter and excessive stuff. Put things away so you can find them when you need them. Only have out what you love and enjoy seeing in your home!

5. Set the tone.

While disorder and clutter can add to the chaos, a sour attitude and grumpy disposition will definitely make everyone in the family feel on edge (even in an orderly home!) Bring more peace to your home by setting the tone for gentle words, gratitude, and loving actions.

From 5 ways to have a peaceful home by: Melissa Michaels

Day #130

April 30th

The sun was shining, the birds were singing and we were digging.  Spent the day moving dirt and digging trenches!  Mowing the grass and trying to get the yard in decent shape after waterproofing the basement in the fall.

Paused in the work day to spend time with other Life Group leaders talking about building momentum and casting vision for the summer!

This was the end of our day...

Speechless...Scared...I just don't understand!  
LoL Greg came over after our Life Group Gathering for a backyard picnic...I guess he thought this was proper attire???

Day #129

April 29th

A good way to start off the morning...A breakfast burrito with homemade horseradish sauce.  Thankful for my friend Laura, who makes it every year for me.
Spent the day working on cleaning the basement and going through some spring cleaning of our bedroom.  Nothing like cleaning and organizing!!!  It was a long day and one that required us to end our day reading and soaking our feet!