Love these People

Love these People
Originally uploaded by findingcontentment

Booo. Still no pictures from me so I'll give you some pictures of others.

Courtney told me about bighugelabs.com which is a really fun waste of time! You can create these great photo mosaics with your flickr photos or others flickr photos. I chose some of my favorite photos that friends have taken and here it is!


1. Sojourn Music 028, 2. Kate and Neil lead the discussion, 3. Good friend Jamie, 4. i love this. esp. how ruby is all :D, 5. maternity (3).JPG, 6. Brian&JoJo, 7. Trying to read the paper series, 8. big bite!, 9. Gettin registered

Much thanks to Bobby G, Tom B, Alex O, Leesa, and Courtney for these beautiful photos of these beautiful people I love!

I can't find the charger for my camera, when I do I'll be able to load up my pictures.

Until then. What did you think of LOST?!?!
Last seasons finale I knew "he" was in the coffin. But then I changed my mind and didn't think it was him, and now we know it is. I have a theory I like but I never like hearing others theories so I'll spare you. The only show we have left to finish is Battlestar Galactica. Yes I know that sounds nerdy but it is a total science fiction soap opera that we are seeing through 'til they find earth and the last cylon.

Come back for pictures soon!

I am loving this age. Dorothy has such a personality, but it is very busy chasing after this kid... and she is not even walking yet:)

Welcome to my blog, again. Again.

Dorothy's nasty cold is over. We threw a baby shower for some of our dearest friends. If you want to see them play some music, here it is (if you watch the overview video you'll notice my very own husband [wearing a hat and plaid shirt] playing guitar!) . I also sewed a lot, cleaned a lot. Spent some quality time with friends, family, and my loves Mike and D.


Best of all, I am getting back into the swing of spending time with God. It has been quite a challenge. I really struggle with prayer time and reading the bible as just a thing I check off my list. Lately though, I have been able to move beyond that a bit and really just try to be, actually enjoying prayer and bible.
I think as a new mom a lot times we feel guilt when we don't check that "quiet" or "devotion" time off our list everyday. But as a couple of me friends had advised me my prayer time has moved from a sit down time to prayer throughout the day. When something pops into my head I try to pray for that. Before, I would think, "Oh, I need to pray for that later". When someone is on my heart, I can really turn my time thinking about them into a time of worry, and where does that get me or them? So my new approach has been to take that moment to pray for those needs, focusing on that scripture I always talk about:

Philippians 4:6-7

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (bold type emphasis mine)

So I guess I want to say, let's do this together. Next time we are tempted to worry about something let's net be anxious about it, let's present our request to God, and his peace which we can't fully understand will guard our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus.

See you tomorrow faithful friends and readers!

Come back soon...

I'll post more again soon: some makings and pictures of our wee one. She is sick and I am spring cleaning...I'll get back on track. See you soon.

Praise God:

Lord I thank you that we are in a country where I can freely worship you and thank you for all you give me.

*Fried Green Tomatoes and Garlic Parmesan Mayonnaise from Lynn's

*Hand me down clothes and toys from friends and family

*Dorothy's cold is just a cold (I pray it stays that way)

*Our Church is helping take care of people

*My husband loves me well, and that's not just he sent me flowers though I am thankful for those too

*In less than a month both sets of our parents will live just across the river again

9 months

Thanks Emily, Bret, and Jennie for telling me why you visit. That was so encouraging!

So, Dorothy is now 9 and half months old. I have taken these pictures almost every month. I think I missed month 4 and 8. I've said this before but I try to take a "month" picture with the same quilt and teddy bear (which were the presents we gave D when she was born, I the quilt and Mike the bear)... Anyway each month I get her doing something that she couldn't do the month before. This month her trick is not holding still :)

I am posting just because I really attempting to post every weekday. I have nothing to say and so much to say. I suppose I am just worn out. Also I am noticing that so many more are visiting this site and that is encouraging but it makes me wonder, who are you all? I love this blogging world and I am blessed and inspired by many blogs I read. So I ask you, why do you come here? I am curious. Peek out, don't be shy.

Cultivate Beauty: Homemade baby food

Check out this cool site: Gourmet Baby Food. Some recipes are intimidating/ridiculous but I think I'll try some of them. Dorothy can now run her fingers through her hair, can you tell?


Oh and this is my one hundredth post!

And the first winner is...

...Alice Huff. My Aunt Alice! She won this medium sized shoulder bag that is a version of the beach bag I made for Melinda's show! It is made with two decorator fabrics, lined with interfacing, quilted straps and a magnetic snap.

Thanks for everybody's comments and keep them coming! All who were left in the drawing will go on to the next drawing. You can post as often as you like.

Cultivate Beauty: Mother's Day

A sweet day.

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Check back later today to see which of you won the first drawing AND what you won!
You still have hours to post and participate.

Cultivate Beauty: A game of Red Rover

Red Rover: A game to entice her to crawl. So far it's been working!


Don't forget to comment to be a part of the drawings! See my last post for details!

Cultivate Beauty 2

We bought a lawn mower and I think I'll kinda miss our fuzzy dandelions.

I'm keeping the fuzzy dandelion in the back though, you know the one wearing pink polka dots.

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In other news...I have many faithful readers but few who post. Ceece is of course my most faithful poster, but sometimes she's my only one. Sooo, guess what! If you start posting then I'll enter you in a drawing for something handmade! Starting today, anytime you post I'll enter your name into a hat that I will periodically draw from and award you with a prize! I think this first drawing will be a purse so you better get posting!!!
I'll announce the winner next Monday, May 12 (Hey that's Carrie and JQ's anniversary)


My rules are this:
1. This month comment, on cultivating beauty, ie. what are you doing creatively to worship God
2. Make sure to put your name so I know who you are!

Cultivate Beauty

This is one of my favorite parts of spring, our annual Cultivate Beauty Festival/Kill your TV at my church, Sojourn. The whole idea is to challenge everyone to make space for beauty in our lives by turning off our TVs and cultivating beauty around us. God is creator of all things and he has given us the ability to be creative ourselves. It is a way we can worship God by enjoying in his creation and being creative.

I personally have the goals/inspiration to watch MUCH less TV and spend MUCH MUCH less time on the Internet. I am planning on sewing, gardening, be more creative in playing with Dorothy, and reading more. I am also trying to learn how to use our camera beyond snapping pictures, but really taking care to take nice pictures. Hopefully you'll see evidence of my photography here.


So I challenge you to cultivate beauty, turn your TV or computer for example, just take a break from whatever keeps you bound up and not engaged in creativity.
Draw, write, sing, bake, garden, take pictures, go for a walk, go see a game, write a hand written letter, sew, paint... anything! Just cultivate beauty and thank God for all his beautiful creation.

Graditude on Fridays...

Dorothy is 9 months old today!
Here she is as we take her home the hospital at 5 days old.

God I thank you for...

• Mike's safe travels...
• Clothes to wear, bed to sleep, food to eat...
• The option to eat healthy is getting easier around town...
• Dorothy dancing to anything that has a beat...
• A sweet but very protective dog...
• Good friends...
• That our baby girl is growing healthy and strong and is 9 months old today!

OK, this is D back at oneish month (I think). I can't seem to get a picture of her currently making this face, but this is the face that she makes when surprised or concentrating. I blog about these things as a way of remembering. There are so many cute things she use to do that seem to have faded from her repertoire :( I will miss them so I write about them and you can read about it or just look at cute pictures of my awesome kid. :) you choose!