My creative outlet

I recently read a post called "You're Not a Big Deal and That's Okay", which is about blogging, and it helped me a lot. This is a very little blog, but it is very important to me. It is my creative outlet.

Bonnie says in her post:

"The truth is, the only thing you've failed at is appreciating what you have. And you have a lot of good things:
- a creative outlet
- a way to improve and showcase your photography / graphic design / computer / writing skills
- a virtual scrapbook your loved ones can appreciate years later - the things you loved, thought, felt, did at a specific time in your life in a specific moment in history
- a way to connect with like-minded people"

For me, blogging is all this. I have learned SO MUCH from other blogs, especially the ones I follow regularly. It is HARD to find like-minded people here in Portugal and it is so much easier to find inspiration for my vocation as a wife and mother through blogs. Plus, I've met one real-life person through this blog (hello Joana!).

Writing is a gift in my talent-set... I still have my first diary from second grade. So writing on my blog and having a place to link the articles I write for other Catholic sites makes me a little happier and helps me express my ideas.

Of course, blogging is also a good way to keep in touch with people far away (hello Harrisons! hi mom!). And I so appreciate the fact that anyone even reads this.

My creativity is appreciated by my husband and Addie, but being able to post it on here motivates me. It helps me be more intentional about what I'm doing and the lifestyle we're having. The pictures above are my Alleluia letters, which I had been dreaming about for some time. I found these little wooden letters at the chinese shop (a dollar store equivalent here) and painted them with some gold glitter glue I found there too. Maybe one day I will add to this Easter centerpiece, but for now I like it just like this. It's resting on top of something my grandmother made.

Thank you for letting me share my creative outlet with you!

Article on CatholicStand

I have a new article on CatholicStand:

http://www.catholicstand.com/motivated-by-love-working-despite-criticism/

It's called "Motivated by love: Working Despite Criticism

Things do happen

Addie has been having an exciting week with all her playgroups. One playgroup visited a naval museum and had lots of kid-friendly activities about boats. The picture above is of her doing "ceramics" at the library with our homeschooling group. And we played musical chairs at our parish playgroup.

We've also tried to counterbalance these activities and other million projects I get into my head with downtime at home. The first picture is of Sunday reading time with my mom who was visiting. We've also done some cuddling on the couch. Some days I feel really tired and the worst is having to chase Addie around outside, pull her this way and that... and even carry her. She's a terrible walker. She walks a little and then has to inspect a rock or go a different direction or just lay down on the floor and yell "uuuupaaaa", which means pick me up. We're trying to work on this walking deal before baby arrives in June.

I keep on trying to remind myself that God really answers prayers and really has my lifeplan covered. I get really frustrated with our life conditions some days, but when I remember to simply ask God for things, give Him all my worries, even though I sound like a whiner, He really does take care of things. It just takes a year sometimes. Or three. But things happen! It's so hard to remember.

Birthday picnic

Today is sweet Addie's second birthday, but we celebrated last Saturday while my mom was still here. We were late to the party we were hosting, and then we started getting rained on and had to move the party home, but it was still fun. Especially for Addie, who was super happy.

I made chocolate chip cookies with m&ms, banana cake with sprinkles and Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Strawberry Nutella cake. As with all of Pioneer Woman's dessert recipes, it turned out amazing. I only used half of the whipped cream and strawberries she called for. It is not an ideal cake to take anywhere, especially to a picnic, because of the whipped cream, but it's delicous.

We were able to do an Easter egg hunt, which I wasn't able to do on Easter day, and that was the highlight of the party for the kids. Addie has to say about her birthday, "Happy birfday choco" and "choco in Easter eggs".

Food for thought for stay-at-home moms (and all moms)

"Part of this daily heroism is also the silent but effective and eloquent witness of all those 'brave mothers who devote themselves to their own family without reserve, who suffer in giving birth to their children and who are ready to make any effort, to face any sacrifice, in order to pass on to them the best of themselves'. In living out their mission 'these heroic women do not always find support in the world around them. On the contrary, the cultural models frequently promoted and broadcast by the media do not encourage motherhood. In the name of progress and modernity the values of fidelity, chastity, sacrifice, to which a host of Christian wives and mothers have borne and continue to bear outstanding witness, are presented as obsolete ... We thank you, heroic mothers, for your invincible love! We thank you for your intrepid trust in God and in his love. We thank you for the sacrifice of your life ... In the Paschal Mystery, Christ restores to you the gift you gave him. Indeed, he has the power to give you back the life you gave him as an offering'.

-Evangelium Vitae, n. 86, St. John Paul II