Wherefore art thou, oh winter?

Winter is my season to hibernate.

To stay home... cuddle with a book and blanket in front

of the fire place... stay in my pajamas all day.

How in the heck is this winter half over and I haven't been able to do any of that?!?

We have been running here there and everywhere and to

be very honest, I don't like it.

BUT.

I did get some crafts done.

I love me some good crafting time!

This is what I made my hubby for V-day.

Love that man.

The kiddos' Valentine cards for their friends.

I got SO many compliments on these.

I made this for our bedroom.

Please note that inside the frame is a piece of fabric, not a piece of paper.

A piece of fabric that I sewed to look like a piece of paper.

Sewed. SEWED!

I broke out the sewing machine that I have had for over a year and never used.

I was pretty dern proud of myself!

Made some cute poofs for Miss Adie Jae's room.

And that concludes this round of

"Sarah is way too addicted to Pinterest and obviously

has too much time on her hands."

I can't wait to show you the awesome things my hubby has been doing for the house!

Who loves Pinterest?

THIS GIRL loves Pinterest! I love the ideas, the recipes, and just feeling inspired. My poor husband probably gets tired of me saying, "Honey, I found this thing on Pinterest that you could totally make me." Good thing that man loves me :)

Here are some of our latest projects that were Pinterest inspired:

My new jewelry boards. Love, love, love!

{Please note the curtains. They cost us a whopping $3 for both on clearance. AND they're shower curtains. :) The white candle holders were $0.25 each on clearance too!}

Adie's new bed

Our newest wall decor. $1 per letter at Hobby Lobby totaling $11 and then a can of black spray paint. Totally doable!

There ya have it. If only you could see the list of what's to come :)

2012

2011 was all in all a good year for the Graber family.

2012 is gonna be even better. I can just feel it.

We rang in the New Year with our kiddos after spending some QT with some of our extended family. It was a New Years filled with lots of laughing, eating, drinking, and more laughing.

That’s how we roll, ya know…

(I promise it's grape juice!)

I am terrible at making resolutions. I mean I can make them, but I never follow through with them. You would think my competitive spirit was all for nothing. I decided that I wanted to commit to a word for the year 2012.

My word for 2012 is

trust.

I am a person who likes to do things all by herself. I like to be in control.

This year I want to trust people to carry out tasks and to not watch over their shoulder or try to take over the task. Trust.

I want to trust what is said to me.

I want to trust in the Bible, not just read it and hear it.

I want to place even more trust in my hubby.

I want to not be afraid and to trust that things will turn out how God has intended, not me.

My verse of the year to go along with trust is

Psalm 56:11

In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?

Yup. Gonna plaster that all over my home, head, and heart.

And who am I kidding? I did make a resolution then.

I resolve to run five 5k races this year.

Yup... 5.

I did two last year and I barely trained for those. I can totally do 5.

I already have 3 of those planned.

Totally attainable.

Big girls don't cry...

... until their little one starts school :(

Yesterday my little Jack Jack embarked on a huge adventure - his first day of Kindergarten!! He had been waking up every. single. morning. asking if it was a school day for the last 2 weeks. To say he was excited is a huge understatement. So yesterday morning came and I could finally say to him "yes, today is your first day of school" and he was ready to go in a flash.

What about momma you ask? Yeah, momma wasn't as excited. Don't mind the fact that I had been crying to myself for a few days prior to him starting school. I made a smart move and took the day off of work because, let's face it, no one wants to bring their sick selves in to a snotty nosed, puffy eyed receptionist. Seriously. This was a really big moment for me even more so because on Brodie's first day of kindergarten, I was MIA due to hiss little sister being born. Didn't really have a choice on that one and I was always so bummed that I wasn't able to be there for his big day.

So Jackson and Brodie were up and at them in a heartbeat and ready for the bus approximately 30 minutes before it was time leaving them plenty of time to pick on each other and ride their scooters.

And then before we knew it, the bus was here. And he was gone.

And momma lost it. So Adie and I went in and cuddled for a little while and during that time she promised me that she wouldn't grow up and she would always be my baby. It's in writing, folks. She can't go back on it!

Jackson buddy, I pray that you always love school this much and that you put 100% into everything you do. I can't wait to see the friendships that develop over the years and I already love hearing all of your cool stories. Kindergarten is only the beginning of a life full of learning!

P.S. I can't guarantee that I won't be crying on the first day of school every year... :/

Things my kids said | Volume 2

*To the babysitter*
Adie: Mary, go down the slide.
Mary: I don't think I'll fit Adie.
*She goes down the slide*
Adie: See, Mary! You went down the slide! Your butt isn't too big!
YAAAAY, Mary!



*While Aaron was pinching Jackson's nose*
Jackson: Let go! I can't smell!!
Who cares about breathing...



Me: Brodie, hurch is not a word.
Brodie: Yes it is!
Me: Fine, use it in a sentance.
Brodie: I'm going to hurch you!
I love that kid and his crazy mind!



Adie: Daddy, you're a PUNK!
Thatta girl!



Me: Jackson, do you ever miss Brennemen? (His preschool)
Jackson: Yeah, Mom, I do. Every time we go past it I get a tear in my eye and I get sad.
Well then why do you hafta grow up so fast?!?



Brodie: I heard that tens live in Tennessee.
Daddy: What??
Brodie: On the Suite Life they said that a girl must have lived in Tennessee because she was the only ten they see
Daddy: Brodie that's a pick up line.
Brodie: Oh. Daddy, is Sarah a ten?
Daddy: Oh yeah!
*Blush*

Mercies, not trials

This song breaks me down so watch me break it down!

Blessings by Laura Story


We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family
Protection while we sleep
We pray for healing
For prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand
to ease our suffering


I pray for all of these things every. single. night.

And all the while
You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things


That last line really gets me and as a parent, I finally GET it...

Cuz what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know you’re near
What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?


I will say with 100% certainty that God does heal through tears... many, many tears

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near


I have cried in anger many times... and every single time I've been wrong. He's been near.


We doubt Your goodness
We doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough


Why isn't it enough? Seriously, Sarah...

And all the while
You hear each desperate plea

So thankful!

Lord, that we’d have faith to believe

Cuz what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know you’re near

Then bring on that thousand...

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us


They do... it sucks...


When darkness seems to win


Or when I just seem to "let" it win


We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not
This is not our home


I can't wait until my "home" includes all of my children. I am so thankful that this world is not the end!

Cuz what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know you’re near

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?


I have found that there is SO MUCH that this world can't satisfy


And what if trials of this life
The rain
The storms
The hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise


I often forget to give praise in the hard times. I get so caught up in me and my pain that I don't look for the lessons I'm being taught. Looking back now, I can see that the trials I have experienced thus far in my life are nothing compared to what some deal with. My trials are my life lessons and my MERCIES that GOD has given to me!

7 years ago today I experienced the worst day of my life. While the memories of that day aren't as sharp as I wish they were, the emotions are still so real. I don't hurt as bad as I once did and I can honestly look back now and see SO many of God's mercies given to me during the hardest period of my life. I love knowing that I WILL see Zachary again some day. That alone gives me so much hope and I am thankful to serve a God that promises me an eternity with ALL of my kiddos!

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