To-Do List Tuesday-Before Baby #2

Baby Patten Turner Strauss will be joining the family soon.  Not sure when, but going from previous experience with his big brother, Shea, who decided to mix things up by trying to come 7 weeks early, it could be soon. But if he decided to be like most babies he may not be here until his due date on July 29th. Gotta wait and see.

But there is quite a to-do list to finish before he arrives. I am blessed to say that list is MUCH shorter than it was last week. My dad and little brother came and did some extensive house-prepping and cleaning and detailing the past several days. I cannot thank them enough for all of the love and hard work they put into our house that had bit by bit gotten a little out of hand.

They cleaned out our whole garage and added shelves to store our stuff that doesn't have a spot in the house. That included burning a pile of about 70 cardboard boxes that had accumulated since we moved in a few years ago, and shop-vaccing crawly critters who decided to make those boxes home. As soon as we have our next yard sale we will be able to fit 2 cars in the garage, which hasn't been possible since we moved here.  

The kitchen appliances are sparkling, the windows are clean, the floors and baseboards are scrubbed. A few minutes ago Shea left the living room and headed in the kitchen.  He's supposed to stay in the living room with me. When I asked him to come back he started crying. "I white, I white." I am not yet fluent in toddler speak but I am getting there. I was stumped.  I said, "show Mommy what you want."  He grabbed a dish towel off the stove, ran back in the room, and proceeded to "white" (wipe) the windows.  "I clean, Mommy."  He has learned a servant's heart by watching the people he loves and looks up to.  I think his love language is acts of service like his daddy and my daddy.  So I smiled and thanked him and gave him a big hug because my love language is physical touch.  :)

Paint has been touched up. We could probably sell this house tomorrow if we wanted to.  They left early this morning to drive back to Texas leaving behind a different house than the one they arrived at.  We are truly grateful.  

To-Do List

-Finsh organizing Patten's nursery and Shea's bedroom

-have another yard sale to clear out the rest of the garage

-clean my bedroom and bathroom as well as the rest of the house has been cleaned

-organize my arts and crafts from the studio in my basement (see previous post)

-finish the edging on My brother's high school t-shirt quilt

-make some quilts for my friend from high school

It's done list

-twin onesie quilts

-puppy quilt for Ryder

-photo props for Lorie 

(who happened to have done an amazing job on Shea's one and 2 year old pictures)

Www.lorieallison.com

-a crocheted baby blanket

-and another mermaid wrap blanket

If you are interested in having me make you something, either message me on Facebook or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

I love my crazy life and am so thankful for the help with the craziness.

Today's to-do list includes joining my hubby for lunch at UTC followed by a visit to the doctor to check up on our little Patten...hopefully followed by a nap for the other little one when we get home.

We may not have it all together at the Strauss house, but we are on our way, works-in-progress. And God is using us and molding us and teaching us and humbling us and LOVING US in the midst of the madness.

My verse for today:

If I say "my foot slips," your mercy will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, your comforts delight my soul. Psalms 94:18-19

I was anxious, thinking "how in the world will it all get done? We aren't even close to being ready for Patten. This place is a mess and I don't know where to start. How are we going to afford another one?" But it is getting done. And we have been blessed with resources and help to make life more organized. And God will provide what we need just like he always does. He has brought comfort and joy to my soul in the form of organization and family.  Now that they have headed home, I am homesick but I'm looking forward to a family reunion soon when Patten comes. 

Forget the theme Friday...Happy Anniversary

So I know I have this whole day-of-the-week theme going on, but we'll forget that for now.  You can see some of my latest finished products in the past few days' posts.  There are quite a few of them.  And my hope is that next Friday can be Finished Product Friday and I can show off a teddy bear quilt and 2 baby quilts.  That is my goal. 
For now I would like to make a public service announcement.  Shoutout to 2 of the best parents anyone could ask for.  Happy Anniversary Mom and Daddy! 

Being married for 22 years is no small task.  And you have done it with (MOSTLY) smiles on your faces and more PDA than I would have liked to have seen from time to time.   There were days your gushiness and looks and "inside jokes" that weren't so secret were a bit much. 

But now I am glad I was able to live/suffer through all of that to see what a love story looks like.  And I plan on "torturing" Shea and Patten the same way because I know one day they will thank us for it like I am thanking you now. 

Your story may not be the most traditional one...boy meets girl, boy marries girl, boy and girl have a boy or girl or 2 or three, and they all live happily ever after.  Yours had some bumps along the way but you got there...to the 2 girls and the boy and the happily ever after.  And those bumps made me who I am today, and brought with them their own set of blessings.  Your not so picturebook story helped me find my story.  And my forever.  And my happily ever after. 

I just pray that 18 years from now, when Brian and I have been married 22 years, our boys can thank us for our love story, too. 

I love you both and wish you were not so far away. 

Inspire Me Monday

As I begin the adventure of starting this community art studio, I have made plans on how I can stay connected to all of my little Scrappers (see FAQ if you tilted your head to the side and made a funny face). I have created a tentative schedule to keep all of you posted on this little blog that I home to spruce up in the near future. Sorry it's not too easy on the eyes yet. The new schedule is as follows:

Sunday Showcase-introduce artists selling their work in the studio and make you wanna buy their stuff

Monday-see above

To-Do List Tuesday-the project I've pined to my Pinterest Page that I can't wait to do in the studio

WIPs on Wednesday-for all of us crafters this is works in progress

Thanks for the Scraps Thursday-a shoutout to devoted Stashers who donate to the studio and help this vision 

Finished Product Friday-art and handmade goods created in the studio whether for sale or for keeps

Meet a Scrapper Saturday-an artist who uses the studio, who they are, what they're about, and some of their art

This Monday Jordana Jaffe at www.embarkability.com inspired me...

I stumbled upon her blog when I found this image on Pinterest

This quote is very encouraging to me. It is exactly what I am planning to do.

What inspired me most was her honesty. She reflected over her year and laid it all out there...the good, the bad, and the ugly and shared what she wished next year to look like. So I will lead by example to show you just who you will be making friends with should you chose to make use of the studio. So here are the milestones that happened in my life between last December 30th and today...

1. January 5th-began volunteering at McKamey Animal Center where I helped shelter dogs find their forever homes like my terrier Roscoe and my pit bull CindyLu did. It has been a pleasure of mine and I made many friends in the process. With the new business and the new baby my volunteer days have been few and far between but that shelter, those dogs, and those people have a special place in my heart.

2. January 29th-painted my first pair of converse shoes and began to see the diversity I could use in my art. 

3. March 17th-finished preparing the nursery for my baby boy.

4. April 4th-I was a bridesmaid at my best friend's wedding

5. April 15th- went into preterm labor at 34 weeks but was able to stop it with bedrest

6. May 4th-decided if our little boy was born on the day of Kentucky Derby we would make his middle name the name of the winning horse...but only if Frackdaddy or Itsyourluckyday won...I was pulling for Shea Frackdaddy Strauss...Shea didn't come that day.

7. May 6th- Shea Elijah Strauss was born at 5:12pm three weeks early but healthy as could be

8. May 30th- got semipermanent blue ombré highlights in my hair...not a big deal...but seemed significant to me

9. June 27th- took a 14 hour drive to Texas to see my family...with an 8 week old...it was easy...he slept almost the whole way

10. End of July- beach trip with the fam

11. August 8th- my first day back at work and Shea's first day of daycare

12. End of October-flew to see my husband's family in California

13. December 6th-Shea's first visit with Santa

14. Shea's first Christmas!!!

Looking back it all seems like flowers and rainbows and for the most part it was. I have been so blessed this past year by the joys of motherhood and falling even more in love with my husband. But there were many tears too. Most of them were shed over the realization that I only have so much impact on my high school students as their teacher. I can teach them and love them and discipline them and encourage them all day long at school. But when they go home they go to an environment that is opposite of the one I try to instill at school. This led me to the vision of the community art studio. I want to create a positive environment for students and families to create things that build their confidence and develop their sense of creativity. I feel I can touch people so much more out of the confines of public education. I see it's value and have no complaints about the way things are done I just want to change the culture the students have after they leave the school.

I have also struggled with doubts about the studio and whether I can make it happen and still be a good mother and wife. But this is a calling from God. Of that I have no doubt. And over and over again God has reminded me that what he has started within me he will see through to completion. For every door that has been closed that brought with it doubt, he has opened one I wasn't even searching for. I have to continue to pray for confidence in my dream and the ability to be the wife and mother I was called to be first. Not to be cliche but I know that with God all things are possible, and I know he will provide.

New Years Resolutions-

1. God first, family second, studio third

2. Be more productive with my time.

3. Touch at least one life in a major way.

4. Broaden my creativity.

5. Help others find value in their individuality.

Happy Almost New Years, friends! 

What are your resolutions for 2014?