thrift a gift..

i heard read about something so super fun yesterday that i had to share with any of your lovelies who might be interested. i follow along with danielle over at take heart, and she posted yesterday about the thrifty love gift exchange. now, i love giving love and gifts of all kinds, but something about a thrifty-themed gift exchange just pushes all of the right buttons for me. on top of that, you buy and send a $10 thrifted gift to a total blogging stranger; which makes it even more fun and mysterious. now to find something that i don't want to keep for myself. :)

the details of the exchange are on danielle's (and all of the other lady host's) blog, but i'll give you a rundown here as well.

the deets:

if you would like to join in on the fun, email carina at punkpumpkinpeanut{at}gmail{dot}com by july 5th. make sure you include your blog and a mailing address (it will only be shared with whomever you're matched with).

you'll get your match by july 10th, and then you can go thrift your heart out for whatever you can find in your $10 budget.

mail your thrifted love by july 25th, and join in on the link up on august 6th with a post all about your thrifty gift finding adventures. 

doesn't that sound like fun?! ok, i'll work on containing my excitement and give you a minute to go send your email to carina.

sweet summer..

it's our first indiana summer, and so far, it's so good.

i'm not sure about all of the meteorological (biggest word to be used on this blog yet) reasons behind it, but there's almost always a slight breeze around these part, and that is the best.

i'm thinking one of the very upsides to this summer is going to be the pool at our apartment complex. ruby's love for that little oasis is growing with each passing day, and i'm hoping it just gets bigger. she's getting braver, but not so brave that she scares the bejeezus out of me whenever we're there. she's the socialist of social butterflies, so it's inevitable that we'll end up making a friend or two during our times there through the summer. aren't kids just so awesome at making people talk to each other?

other than pool goodness, we started the friend and family seeing train off yesterday with a little park picnic with tom and rachel. that'll be followed by more time with them, with some jack and becky loving thrown in, in a couple weekends. then grams and grandpa will be here at the start of july. we'll be in sweet sweet NC for a couple weeks after that, and then back here to get into whatever else we can.

i have to say that hand-in-hand with my little letter to rubes the other day, was a little meltdown to jesus, my hubby, and a sweet friend. it was a good kind of shaking though, and in the past few days i've been really trying to put my gaze towards having a thankful heart. it's so easy to feel yearning for the way i wish things would look in some areas.. but i do not want to wish away a time that i would rather look back on in thankfulness.

so here's to a summer full of basking in what is, and seeking Him for leading in what's to come.

  

dear ruby..

my little lady,

you had me tore up from the floor up today.

sometimes it's as though i can literally feel the raw nerve endings on almost every emotion i have because of you.

one of the toughest and most amazing things about parenting is that i get to know you in a way that no one else does.. it's unique to us, and as thankful as i am for that it's also very trying at times.

you're really coming into yourself these days.

finding your voice, and sometimes it's a voice that i have to ask you to "put away" because it sounds meaner and more hard than i know your sweet spirit is capable of.

you have me so hooked on your unexpected and bizarrely timed compliments (like while i'm in the shower and you tell me that i look "so cute"), that, even though i know you don't really mean it like that, it still kind of hurts a bit when you say, "mommy, why are you wearing that headband? it looks silly on you".

especially on a day like today.

a day when i felt worn and lonely.

like all i wanted was someone who knows me, knows you, and could spend a little time letting me talk through swirling thoughts and emotions that kept stinging my eyes with tears when i least expected them.

a day when i knew that i needed to be more compassionate about your upset tummy from the medicine you've been taking, instead of frustrated that you went number two in your pants while we were far and away from anywhere to take care of something like that.

a day when everything you said and did made me question how i'm going to be cut out to handle having two children - being outnumbered almost constantly.

a day when i felt like it was time to start the morning almost as soon as my head hit the pillow the night before.

but as trying and wearing as being your mama can be at times, i know it's stretching me in a good way.

it's bringing me closer to Him - spurring me toward the Word so that i have the chance to read a reminder like this one.

to remember if my gaze is towards Him, then the gaze that i have on you will be one of more patience and less steep expectations and short tempers.

and then your sweet spirit speaks to mine telling me, "it's ok mommy, you'll be perfect in a little while" after i ask your forgiveness for my impatience and remind you that i love you.

so you give me the chance to assure you that, no, i'll never be perfect at all, but that i'll be trying and loving you as best i know how.

so, thank you sweet baby, for making me a mama and for tearing me up.

<3 mommy.