The Story of a Sofa

  

     So, the good news first: we rented an apartment. I have to say, it really feels like this is where the Lord is leading, and that is exciting. I floundered recently in my faith, mostly because I wondered if we had misunderstood what felt like the Lord's direction to move here. It was not a decision we made lightly, we loved Colorado for so many reasons, not the least of which was our wonderful friends and church family. But when we got here and we haven't been successful in our job-seeking efforts (Joel is "under" employed at the moment) which closed the door on our hopes to buy a house, it started to feel like perhaps we had tried to align God's will with our own desires. So, we both went back and prayed, and searched our hearts and waited.

     And our answer was an apartment. Which is not what I was expecting. At all. See, the thing is, we haven't lived an apartment for years. Eight, to be exact. We have never owned our own home, and we have never lived in a single family home, but we moved from a duplex in Texas to a townhouse on Ft. Carson to a townhouse in Colorado Springs after Joel got out of the Army.  That last one- well, in a lot of ways it was the stuff dreams are made of. Lower middle class, blue collar, frugal homeschooler dreams, but dreams nonetheless. It had a *garage*-for my car (just my car, not the lawnmower or the trash can, but still)! And a *basement* (full of randomly duct-taped insulation and creepy spiders) that was a wonderland for storage of all kinds. And a *walk-in* closet-big enough for both seasons of clothes and all of my shoes (don't even ask how many pairs I have). And TWO bathrooms-a first for our little family after living for 7+ years with a single toilet and bathtub. The floor plan wasn't ideal, both the bathrooms were on the second floor, and there was no backyard to speak of, but we had definitely moved up in the world.

    And the house that we were only going to live in for 8 months (we signed our lease at an odd time of year, so they wouldn't lease it to us for a full 12) turned into 3 years. And then we randomly decided to move. So we did. And we shoved an entire family of four's boxes into my parents' shop and garage. Bless them, Lord, for they deserve sainthood. And we dragged our clothes and shoes and various other "necessities" all over their house for the last three months. And we searched for a place to call our own, because no one should have to live with their adult children and their kids for longer than that if it isn't an absolute necessity, right?

    So, after looking at quite a few rental houses (everything was wrong, wrong, wrong-mostly the price tag, but that is the most important part!) it just wasn't working. We went back to square one. An apartment had gotten crossed off the list of housing possibilities for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which that they do not (normally) come equipped with yards. And since my children have run amuck in my mother's neighborhood like island natives for the last three months, that just seemed like cruelty to animals, ahem, children. And also other little things, like not hauling your groceries up *outside* steps. And listening to someone else's music, and smelling someone else's cooking. And don't even get me started on space issues.

    But, one of my most favorite characteristics of God is His humor, and He is definitely laughing over this one. We have ended up in an apartment. I am surprised by how at peace I am with that decision (although I shouldn't be, because He is the one giving me strength, and every good gift is from Him, right?). I lost over 300 sq ft. of living space, not to mention the basement. No yard, and it has a stack unit for a washer and dryer that is so tiny I literally have to wash my sheets separately-and by that I mean I can't put my king flat sheet in with my king fitted sheet at the same time. But it does have a garage, and a dishwasher, even a little window A/C! And the kids are dying to try the pool. So, we are thinking that all is well.

   That is, until the sofa. Now, to give you a little perspective, my husband is above average. Literally. He is 6' 4", and weighs over 250 lbs. So, we don't have tiny furniture. As a matter of fact, we own the longest conventionally manufactured sofa that they made back in 2003, the year we bought it. And it is huge. The thing is every bit of 8 feet long and wide enough that when I sit all the way back on it, my feet don't touch the floor. And I'm not tiny!

    But our apartment is. So, the guys (my dad, my husband and my brother-in-law) dragged this huge beastly piece of furniture up 11 cement steps and wedged it inside the door. Now, when I say, "wedged", don't think I am exaggerating. It was touching the ceiling at one corner and the floor at the other and the walls on both sides. And no one had to hold it up, either! Due to the strange layout of the apartment, it was stuck. The kitchen "doorway" wasn't wide enough, the sofa was too wide and too tall to turn the corner to fit through the short hallway on the other side to living room. We couldn't flip it, we couldn't angle it, we couldn't remove enough parts to get it in. For well over an hour they wiggled and jiggled, and turned and backed up and eyeballed things. And I prayed. Because for the last three months, my husband's one thing he has missed about having our own home is sitting on his couch to watch TV.

      And in the end, it just didn't fit. I would love to say that they hauled it over the balcony (they considered it, but the 15 feet was just too great a distance) or that they could "pivot" (let me know if you catch that reference) enough to get it through. But it just didn't work. So, our enormous sofa, my beloved's favorite piece of furniture for the last 11 years, was dragged back down the stairs, back onto the trailer. And he never cries, but I am pretty sure there were tears in his eyes.

       And what is the moral of this story? Well, I am learning that. I think that first, just because everything doesn't come together seamlessly doesn't mean that you aren't doing God's will. I think that He uses so many things to teach us greater trust and faith, deeper contentment and satisfaction in Him. I think sometimes He uses little things (like big sofas) to remind us that we may think that we have it all figured out, but He is really still in charge. Sometimes, you literally cannot force it-no matter how bad you may want to. Mostly, I think because of this:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13 NIV

    We love to quote the last verse, but we neglect to pair it with 11 and 12 which really give it heft that makes it a little scary. We love to talk about being content with all we have, but what about what we don't have? What about being content with less-so much less that you are sitting on the floor? We have soooo much further to go before we will see the lack that caused Paul to know need and hunger, we haven't the faintest clue about such matters. But maybe if our bottoms are a little sore, our hearts will be a little softer. 

    I briefly thought about rushing out to "fix" the problem. A little credit card action and we would be back in business with a brand new piece of upholstered seating (and I would be rid of the sofa that I don't love nearly as much as my spouse!). But instead, I have decided to pray about it, and seek that I would truly begin to understand what He is teaching me. Because a 900 sq ft. apartment without a sofa isn't what I was looking for, but just maybe, it is exactly what I need. 

Linked up:
"Thrifty Thursday" at Living Well, Spending Less

No-Sew Fabric Strip Garland

    I plan to post about the "Sunshine" baby shower soon, but first I wanted to show you the garland that I made for the shower. I love the "shabby chic" look it has, and it was so easy to make. My mom and I first saw this type of garland at an adorable craft boutique and it was definitely one of those "I could make that!" moments. I love to work with fabric, even though I don't sew, mostly because I love to mix colors and prints. This garland combines both, and it adds a great textural element, too.

This garland isn't just easy to make, it is pretty inexpensive, too! You shouldn't need much that you don't already have. 

I used:

-6 coordinating fabrics, 1/4 yard each. They were all cut from the bolt, except one, and cost $0.66 each because calico was on sale at Joann's, yay! The yellow chevron is a "fat quarter" which you buy pre-cut in little squares for quilting, usually. It was $0.99, so still pretty cheap. 

-heavy string. You can buy this in a spool fairly inexpensively.

The total cost for this project was right around $5, and it is definitely a decoration you can store and reuse. That makes it worth a lot more in my mind!

   First, if you buy your fabric off the bolt you will want to check for "selvage"- that is the unprinted edges of the fabric. See the white line on the piece above? You will want to remove it, because it won't look nice. Cut those off before you get started, you can even tear them off so that you can start more easily.

     Decide which edge of your yardage you want to start with. I had mine cut to 1/4 yard, so I tore down the "long" side (think of it as a rectangle" so that my strips would have more length. I simply used the width of a ruler to determine the width of each strip, but this project is super forgiving, you don't need to aim for perfection!

     Start each strip by snipping an approximately half-inch cut into the fabric.

     And pull the cut portion firmly away from the fabric. It will give you the "torn" edge. Don't pull too quickly or you will end up with decidedly uneven pieces. You don't want it to measure 3/4 of an inch shorter at the top than the bottom!  Finish tearing all your pieces. It took me approximately an hour (Measured by two half-hour TV shows! Love projects I can do while catching up on my shows.) You will have a giant, messy pile of pieces. Pull off any decidedly hanging strings, and the hard part is done!

      I folded each strip in half, and stuck the bottom pieces through the loop formed by the top, catching the string in the center and pulling down on the pieces to tie it on. To achieve an intentionally mismatched but not messy look, I followed a pattern of gray, yellow and orange, but didn't pay attention what print.

     Once you have threaded all the pieces on, you are done! My finished garland is roughly six feet long- a terrific length for decorating. I was thrilled with how it turned out! My mom also loved it, she gave it a home on her entry way shelf. She has a similar one in her laundry room. And after the shower, a friend was inspired to make one for her outdoor patio area. It is great for so many spaces-I think it would be precious in a baby's room, too!

  
Linked up:
"Craft Frenzy Friday" at Craft Dictator
"Motivation Monday" at A Life in Balance

In The Midst

   I feel like I haven't been around much-not like I want to be, anyway. I have some posts that I need to work on, but I will be honest: I just haven't felt like it! I hate that I am so temperamental, but that's just the way it is. It isn't any one thing, but rather a whole bunch of things.

   You see, I'm  in the midst. I read stories all the times about people who have "made it through"-tough transitions, job losses, moves and the like, and I try to draw hope from them. But the reality is, to me anyway, that it is easy to talk about provision and God's blessings after you have crossed through a trial and made it to the other side. Hindsight is 20/20, right? The past is all about rose-colored glasses. But I seem to have lost mine, and it doesn't matter much anyway, because I am so focused on the present, and the future.

   I keep trying to remember all the ways that the Lord has blessed our family, all the trials He has brought us through. (A few deployments, a transition out of the military, tricky health situations, just to name a few...) There have been so many! Also, it is not in any way as if my life is bereft of His hand even now-I am surrounded by family and a set of ready-made friends. He has not lost sight of us, not for even a second.

   But I keep losing sight of Him. The clouds crowd in and day-to-day seems frightening and overwhelming at times. I keep second-guessing myself, my husband, and even the Lord. I try so hard not to worry and grow anxious, but it is truly a moment-by-moment battle. Some days, I do really well. I am cognizant of all of His promises: to always care for us, that He has plans, that we are infinitely precious to Him.

   But some days, today being one, all I can see is the seemingly rising flood: my husband's job is tenuous at best, not really enough to make ends meet, no matter how good I am at being frugal. We don't have a place to call our own, and while my parents have been beyond gracious, staying with them was only meant to be a bridge, a temporary resting place on the way to hopefully buying our own home. Well, the door seems to be closed on that right now, and we are trying to rent and even that floats in and out of reach.

   This post isn't to garner sympathy-although prayers are always welcome. I haven't forgotten, no matter how dark the day, that I am richly blessed if the only good thing that had ever happened in my life was salvation in Christ. And I have so much more than that. It is really just to be honest. To say that I am in the middle, wading through the deep, unable to see the shore. I am fighting the current, and I am never alone, but sometimes-when the waves force me under I lose sight of the hope I have in Christ. I am writing to remind myself that when we do finally cross through (because "this too shall pass") that it was just as hard as I remembered it-which will make the relief so much sweeter when it is provided. It is a "memorial stone" in the midst of the waters, a promise to myself that I can trust without knowing. I'm passing through...yet, He is with me. God is good...

Linked at:
"Motivation Monday" at A Life in Balance

10 Do's and Don'ts for Appreciating a Grad

Little bit about me! I'm guest blogging, I'm Clare's younger sister, Kelly. I just graduated from high school on Sunday.

So, graduation season is here!!! Yay, right? But if you're sitting there thinking, "Darn, I need to buy a grad gift or card." Don't fret! The just graduated is here to help you out!

For your own reference, every grad is different. My tips may not actually help you if your grad is not like me at all. But if they are, well lucky you!

Do:
1) Do give the grad something. Maybe you're strapped for cash, but grads like cheap stuff. Give an inexpensive card ($.50 cards from the dollar store rock.) and some stickers inside. Most kids my age still get crazy excited when the dentists offers them a super hero sticker for being good at the appointment. If you wanted you could buy a pack of movie tickets from a club store (Costco, Sam's) and throw one in. I got some and I loved them!

2) Cash is always perfect, no grad will ever turn down money as a gift. Don't be scared to stick 2 bucks in that dollar store card! Or what about a roll of quarters-perfect for vending machines! For those of you rich 'uns, more is always better. ;)

3) Gift cards are AMAZING! Buy the grad a gift card. Most grads love to eat, McDonald's is a perfect choice. But nobody minds pizza either... Or consider what they really love: one of my favorite gift cards? To Ulta, because I'm a make-up junkie! Or Redbox credits...love a movie!

4) Canddddyyy! Buy the grad a "100 Grand" candy bar and call it good. Or stuff a bag or tiny box full of the grad's favorite candy. It will be one of their cooliest gifts.

5) Lastly, put the gift receipt in the bag. If you did, wonderfully, buy the grad an actual gift they may need to return it.

Don't:
1) Give the grad nothing. Even if you just give some good advice, something is better than nothing. Trust me, we notice and feel sad.

2) Don't give the grad one of those weird things they sell in all the stores for "Grads". They're super weird and nobody really wants them. Stuffed dogs you can autograph? Smiley face balls that have on caps with tassels? Umm, if your four year-old would love it, probably you should skip it!

3) Don't tell the grad that you forgot they were graduating. It's awkward... Just let it be. If you forgot, move on. The grad doesn't want to have that awkward conversation.

4) Talk about how lame graduations are. Grads are tired, stressed, and ready to be done, don't exacerbate their stress by making them feel bad for receiving accolades.

5) Tell the grad how great you were in high school. This is their big day, let them have it. It might be tempting to throw in a "When I was your age story". But they're just creepy... You're not their age. Let that go and just celebrate them. Save the stories for 2 weeks later when the grad is rich, happy, and carefree ;)

Hopefully some of those helped you out! Be sure to give me a shout out to let me know which tips were great :) 

Now, go celebrate that grad!

From Clare: Thanks for sharing, Kelly! I'm so proud of you, I know you have worked so hard and this is a big accomplishment. There are a couple things I would add:

Do:
1. Write your return address on the envelope. Even if you aren't mailing it, do it anyway. If that seems strange, here is why: it makes "thank-you" notes so easy! The grad (or at least his or her mom) wants to tell you how great your gift was. This makes it easy!

2. Ask the grad's parents for ideas. If you want something more unique than cash or a gift card, ask the student's family or friends about their interests. You may end up giving them something they will cherish! They can tell you their favorite candy or their tee shirt size.

3. Consider a gift of "time". Perhaps you could arrange a movie date, or meet the grad for coffee or ice cream. They can tell you about their plans, or just take a few minutes to relax after all the finals craziness! Even just grabbing half-price drinks at Sonic is a cheap, but thoughtful way to say, "I'm proud of you"!


Don'ts:
1. Don't infer that every grad is going away to school! I know that with the ever increasing costs of education, many students are staying home for their first few years (or all of them!). Those grads wouldn't need gifts like laundry bags or towels, because mom already has them covered! Also, remember your manners: a community college education is a valuable asset-everyone doesn't need to go Ivy-League to get a solid foundation!

2. Don't assume your $5 gift won't be as appreciated as the $50 one. Grads (high school or college) are more mature than you probably give them credit for. I was shocked that one of my sister's favorite gifts was a handmade jewelry pouch (she got some nice "swag" as the kids are calling it these days!). She loved the thought that was put into the gift, and the time. It isn't all about price tag.

3. Don't give "generic" gifts- if you were planning to do that, just give them an equivalent amount of cash, no matter how small. I still remember the stack of books I got at my graduation: quote books, "Chicken Soup for the Grad's Soul", boring devotionals. I knew that the giver had grabbed a stack at the closet discount store and handed one out to every grad they knew. It did not make me feel special and those went straight to Goodwill! Same for mugs (travel mugs are an exception!) or ceramic plaques. Would you still use those in your home? If not, it probably isn't an ideal gift.


     I was really surprised at some of the things Kelly mentioned when we were discussing this topic, so I am so glad she was willing to share her insights with us! It all boils down to thoughtfulness-really think about what the recipient would love when you are giving a gift and you can't go wrong, no matter the occasion.


Linked up:
"Thrifty Thursday" at Living Well, Spending Less
"Pin It Thursday" at Sweet Bella Roos

Goodbye Bags

        I realized that when we moved recently that this was the first "major" move for our kids. We had moved in town, but not out-of-state. (We moved several times before Josie was two, but of course she doesn't remember that!) It is a tough thing! The place where we had lived for seven years, made wonderful friends and lots of memories, would soon be nothing but a memory itself. You aren't really prepared as a mom to watch your kids crying over the only friends they have ever known!

   You can't really erase that sadness, and for many families (especially the military!) moving is just a fact of life. However, I wanted something that my kids could do to make it a little less "blue".  So we put together these "goodbye bags" for them to give to all their friends! We decided to go with a blue theme-it was just too perfect!

   The great part about this is that if you are the friends being "left behind", you can still use this idea! The poem would work either way. So, if you are moving, or know special people that are, fix them up a little goodbye bag to make the parting a  little sweeter!

Here's what we put in:
- blue pencil
-blue whale eraser
-blue bouncy ball
-blue Pixie stick
-blue taffy
-blue Hershey's kiss (this is the cookies and cream flavor)
-blue gumball
-blue polka dotted bag

      I bought everything at Party City (something *I* am missing, since we do not have one in our new town-that makes me want to cry!) because you buy the items individually and can choose the colors. The candy was all $0.05-$0.10 per piece, the erasers, balls, and pencils were each $0.25. The bags were 20 for $1. This kept the cost for each bag right around $1 each. However, if you do not have a Party City there are still places (Walmart, Target, etc.) where you can choose party favors individually, for the same type of concept. You don't have to use the same exact items, just make sure everything is blue. I chose things that I felt would be appreciated by boys or girls, and be somewhat useful, not just clutter. My kids always seem to need pencils and erasers!

   We loaded everything into the bags except the pencils. I came up with a poem and typed it out in Word and then printed it onto 2x4 Avery labels. The poem says:

"Don't be sad or blue",
good friends will always be true!
But if you are missing us,
here's some fun things of that hue,
to remind you we will always love
you!"

    I printed mine on the sticker labels, but for you I made printables! Yay!

Right click on the image to download/save and then choose "print" from saved location.

You can easily glue or staple the labels to the bag of your choice. You could also punch a hole and tie it on with ribbon.

   I then folded down the tops of my bags, laid the pencil on it and then stuck my label over the pencil, to hold it on and keep the bag closed. My kids loved handing them out to their Bible study friends, and it helped to distract everyone from pitiful, tearful goodbyes. Now my kids have much happier memories of their last time at study!

     Another great way to use these would be to give them to someone who is leaving, perhaps filled with blue items for their road trip or plane flight. You can have your child add his or her name to the bottom of the label or printable to personalize it, too! You could even use this for adults, and maybe put in blue items that they could use in their new home. Then when they see their "blue" items they will have fond remembrances, not just sadness!

Linked up:
"Motivation Monday" at A Life in Balance
"Pin It Thursday" at Sweet Bella Roos