DIY #1 ~ Done?

Remember this?

and this?

 

Well, the new carpet finally came and was installed yesterday (because of course the kind we picked would need to be back-ordered).  It's a "shades of gray berber" with specks of other colors as well -- including blue.  So now, the room looks like this:

Remember, this is a teenage boys room.  Nothing too fancy.  No "frills" as it were, although Son did like his dad's idea of a sideways "castle wall" pattern on the one wall.  It's better than a straight-line-transition between wall colors, don't you think?  I had a few ideas too, but when I made suggestions, I heard a lot of "no, not really" and "no thanks."  What can I say?  The boy doesn't like a fuss - especially from his mama.  And, this mama is s-l-o-w-l-y learning to M.H.O.B. when it doesn't really matter.  We really tried to make this room all about our son, and put our own opinions aside.  He was very involved in the process, and I think he's more appreciative of the end result because of that. 

So.... here's the complete transformation, along with a newly constructed desk.

I bought the new bedding on clearance, and it totally matches.

It was purchased without my son's input, but he did approve.

(And he didn't mind that navy throw that I bought for him either.

Everyone in this house is a sucker for a cozy blanket!) 

 Love it that the nightstand already has teenage clutter on it.

Thank me later for moving the dirty laundry out of the picture!

Nothing on the walls yet. That's not MY department...

unless someone asks for my opinion or help. 

 Now to finish the bathroom.

It's been a slow DIY season around here,

so don't look for a post on that anytime soon.

Just sayin'... 

Gentle Nudgings & Lessons Learned

My mom called last night to tell me about a friend who had entered heaven, and about a lesson she'd learned...

Have you ever had a friend in need?  I'll bet you have.  Did you ever ache to help in some way, but were at a loss as to how to go about it?  Did you ever feel that others (with specific gifts) were filling your friend's needs, and so you stepped away (or never even stepped near) so that you wouldn't be in the way?

I think if we're honest about it, we'd all admit that this has happened to us at least once before.

Recently, my parents decided that they needed to be available to a family in need.  They had a plan to go to the hospital, not knowing if they would be permitted to visit, or what other family members might be present to visit with.  They felt very strongly about helping out in some way -- and so they went, and sat at the hospital -- even when they saw signs that said "immediately family only" and saw nobody that they knew for a long period of time. When they were almost ready to leave, they saw a familiar face.  Someone that asked them to make a phone call.  And then, another familiar face that asked them to sit with a child -- and all of a sudden, they were needed.  They made themselves available, and God used them.

How often does God call us that we do not respond?  I guess you can ask that question on many levels.  Right now, I'm just thinking about the day to day kind of stuff that we can let slip by us so easily.  My parents would be the first to tell you that they didn't do anything difficult.  Basically, they sat and waited.  They made a phone call.  They sat with a child. The point is - they were available to do those things.  If they had not been there, those same things may still have gotten done - though, perhaps with more difficulty by a grieving family.

It made me remember...

~~~~~~~~

Several years ago, my sweet hubby was in the hospital for an extended period of time. Family and friends rallied around us, and supported us in every way possible.  It was during October and November, and while we lived at the hospital and at my parents' home, all of the trees in our yard shed their leaves.  Now truly, hear me say that our yard full of leaves was THE LAST thing on my mind.  As in NEVER gave it a thought.  But one day, a friend called and said this, "Is there anything else we can do?"  When I was at a loss, he continued: "We would like to have a Sunday School picnic in your yard.  All of our class members will come with their families, with everything we need for lunch, and with yard tools.  We'd like to rake up all of your leaves, and do any other work that needs to be done in the yard. Please let us do this.  You don't even have to be home.  If you need to be at the hospital, we understand."

Well, we did spend part of the day at the hospital.  When we arrived home, our driveway and street were filled with cars.  Our swing-set was filled with children.  Our yard was filled with friends, and a grill (that somebody brought in their pick-up truck) was cranking out burgers and hotdogs  for all of the volunteers. Not only did they remove the leaves from our yard, they helped our neighbor finish cleaning up his yard as well.  They never set foot in the house (except for a few pit stops), and they cleaned up everything when they left.

Needless to say, that was the end of the yardwork for our yard that season.  I was so thankful that something that hadn't even been on my radar was now crossed off our to-do list!  Interesting that it was something that I wouldn't have thought of - but it probably would've been at the top of my hubby's list!  Now it was one less thing for him to have on his mind as he recovered.

All because somebody was not hesitant to be available for us.  Somebody listened when God called.  Someone was even ready with a list of things he/they could do, in case this numb and scatter-brained wife couldn't come up with one request.

I want to be like that!  Next time, perhaps I won't hesitate when I feel a nudging from God.

Thanks Mom, for sharing a lesson learned!

An Autumn Treat

Today, we enjoyed a blast from our past.  We took the kids to a restaurant that my hubby and I used to visit on a more frequent basis when we lived/worked on that side of town, and were young & single, -and then- married & without kids.  The restaurant is lovely, but that's not really the draw for us.  What draws us is one of my hubby's all-time-favorite desserts -- Apple Pie - served with... (wait for it) Cinnamon Ice Cream!  Oh yes, you heard me.  Quite the combination, as you can imagine!

We inquired about the ice cream brand, since my hubby is always on the lookout for the cinnamon-flavored treat.  We've found cinnamon ice cream a few times over the years, but in recent years have had no success.  Turns out they use Pierre's Ice Cream.  Pierre's is an Ohio-based ice cream maker, and the cinnamon flavor  is only available from September through December.

Try it.  You'll like it!

A Good Day on Chocolate Street

How could a day involving this be anything but good?

Did it involve actual chocolate?  Well, wouldn't you like to know.  But, yes it did.  A rather yummy sugar-free mini-assortment, in fact.  Don't ask me how they make chocolate sugar-free, and still taste good.  I'm pretty sure I shouldn't know.  However, it seemed like a good choice at the time, so we'll just go with it - okay?

And then,

  

 Yes, obviously.

Of course, I don't know if they'll want us to come back.  It looks like somebody tried to find out the company secret.  Can't you read the sign, little girl?

Remembering

Where were you?  I know you remember.
Who were you with?  You'll never forget.
How did you feel?  If you're like me, you'll watch the remembrances, and feel it all over again -- and remember.

Looking back...

Tuesday, September 11, 2001
My dear hubby left for work, just like any other day.  I woke the kids up, and we started our homeschool day.  Our children (ages 7 and 3) were seated at the kitchen table doing school work.  I suppose it was some time after 8:30 when the phone rang.  It was my hubby, calling from work to say, "turn on the t.v.  What's happening?  We're hearing that a plane crashed in NYC."  IN NYC?  That could be bad.

I had no idea.   I turned on the t.v.  Time-lines now say that the first on-air reports began around 8:49.  They were on by the time I turned on the television, and I was unprepared for the sights that stopped me dead in my tracks in the middle of our living room.  (Today, our daughter -now13, told me that she remembers me standing in the middle of the living room crying.)  Of course, the t.v. was not on for long.  I had impressionable children, and could not let them view what was being shown.  At the same time, it became the subject of our day.

Once my husband knew that we were safe (and vice versa), we hung up.  He reminded me that it was not likely that we would be able to speak to one another until he came home that evening.  Phone lines were jammed.  When the kids were entertained at various points during the day, I snuck peaks at the latest breaking news reports.  It was horrifying. Eventually, the FAA banned take-offs of civilian aircrafts.  We live near a small airport.  I never realized how often we heard airplanes until there were none.  The day was silent.

I wondered what I could possibly say to our kids to answer their questions without scaring them. Sparing most details, I explained about the plane crashes, and that most people thought this was all done "on purpose."  I believe the innocence of childhood is put in place by our loving Creator.  It's such a gift that he allows children only to take in what they can wrap their little minds around. And then, they often put their own "spin" on it anyway!

Fortunately, whatever words he gave me to say to the kids must've sufficed.  The following day, I asked my son to write in his journal about what we now know as 9/11.  His words? I'll never forget them.

"I think the pilot turned too far right."

(and God told me not to argue the point.) 

Whatever we do today, however we choose to remember, let's HONOR those whose lives were lost that day.