a work in progress

i really love my small group. i got a lot out of last night's discussion on the discipline of simplicity from the book we are going through (celebration of discipline). i can't even really articulate what was said but just so so much truth was spoken and encouragement and challenges were passed around. i am so blessed to be among people who challenge me, love me, people i am SAFE WITH. which is not something i run across all the time. i remember the first few times i went i had to take an ativan before i went i was so nervous. being vulnerable, which the group expects and functions around, is necessary for growth. for a variety of reasons i thrive on but fear the most, being vulnerable. it's all part of the healing-of-the-dysfunction that will no doubt be the continual footnote to my life. (and i would venture to say, everybody's life!) anyways we talked at length about how God impressed onto each one of our hearts what we are passionate about and how wrong it is to use your heart as a standard for others, how that can choke people spirit with legalism. what is part of my spiritual relationship with the Lord is just that, mine. He tells me that say, certain aspects of this or that facet of environmental stewardship are where i am to devout my time, effort, money, involvement and how wrong it is to push or pull someone to do the same even if i am utterly convinced that i am "right". "right" is relative in the gray areas of living. it would be wrong for me to do ________ but others can be perfectly harmonious and at not living wrongly by doing the opposite of what i am so convicted of. it give me so much prayer material and opportunity to show compassion and grace, a tiny fragment of the kingdom of God when i am confronted with someone who is completely opposed to how i think. anyways, the discussion was tough and in your face but uhh that is why we go! it's uncomfortable to go deeper, be better, grow smaller, humbler, more of something Else and less of what we Are. know what im saying?

i am a work of progress and i will be until the day i die.

so we've finally pushed ourselves to go down to 60 degrees with the heat at night. gosh a year ago i was still pushing 68-70 and i couldnt fathom going lower, even though i really wanted to/felt it was the right thing to do (for me/us). so flannel sheets, extra & extra thick blankets on all the beds, socks and long sleeves worn to sleep in, and KAPOW we are there without negative residuals. this apartment was built in the 1920s and still it heat's really well despite it's leaky windows. you can close the vents downstairs and get it much warmer upstairs. the person who wakes up with the kids just needs to turn the heat up & open the downstairs vents when they get downstairs. i bet we could go even lower but i won't push it because olive doesnt have flannel sheets and she is a little unpredictable about keeping all of her blankets on her all night.

this weekend was really great. saturday my sister in law brienne and i threw our other sister in law (karen) and my brother jason a baby shower. in january we are all going to meet little kylie (kylee?) kyleigh?) and im so excited! anyways we had a chocolate theme to the party and i thought it went really well. brienne was in charge of the decorations and i was in charge of making all the food. they requested an italian theme so i made lasagna, broccoli chicken alfredo (which hardly anywhere ate bcs OMG IT HAD A VEGETABLE IN IT! haha), regular chicken alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, and a gratuitous salad that no one ate. no one in my family eats many vegetables or fruit except for maybe carrots and canned peaches and pears. but i love them.

then that night the kids stayed the night at my parents house and we went to go see quantum of solace. i thought it was pretty good, albeit a little disconnected. i could have used more daniel craig with his shirt off. :)

sunday i skipped church and went to tiny canary to buy myself birthday presents & stuff for olive for christmas. im done buying for auggie, though i did find him a little shirt. oh i also bought a tiny crafty present because im hoping someone is putting together a *craft/goodie exchange. if no one is who would want to do one for the holidays? SIGN UP! i bought myself birthday presents because i know david is really lax in that department. last year i think i got a card and was RAGING MAD the entire day. of course it won't in any way sub for an expression of love but oh well. i got myself a skirt by amy d (whom i met a few years ago at craftin' outlaws and she thought wee baby olive was so cute she took her picture. still has it!) and a birdie cardigan that was too fug/cute to pass up. i almost bought this skirt but boy am i glad i didnt because it's listed on etsy at $12 and they had it listed at $35! i also ran into a girl who's kid was in augustine and olive's art class. her stuff was SO cute but sadly we are out of the baby stage so they didnt have much i wanted. but i got a small gift for olive and some awesome nursing pads for some future gift.


*if you would like to participate in the exchange my friend is putting one on. sign up here!