Moving yet again!
Yes, it is true.
You may find my new site, still called Seeking Faithfulness, just a click away.
I am so technoignorant, that when I set this place up I changed the names around so many times and ended up with a url and site name that didn’t match up. According to my wordpress search site, people have been having trouble finding me because of this…(what did she call that place again?) and so hopefully homogenization will help. 
Anyway.
I have imported most of the archives over there – and look forward to developing that place futher as time passes. For those of you who just got around to adding me to your blogrolls, please forgive me. I will try not to mess you up again. I will get around to blogrolls at the new place, as soon as I can. I will leave this site up for a few weeks, to catch stragglers.
What are you waiting for? Hop on over and see me!
Things you don’t want to hear them say…
My 12 year old strolled past as I worked in the kitchen today. He casually called back over his shoulder, “Oh, Mom…if you happen to see a really Large, Dark Green, Thick, Slimy…..”
My ears leaned long to hear him…
“Bullfrog…just let me know.”
And he left the room before I could shriek – “IN THE HOUSE?”
He popped his head back around the corner to say, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “Yeah. I had him in a jar, and didn’t realize he would jump out.”
Well, now he knows.
At least it wasn’t snakes. He brings me about 7 of those a day.
It’s a baby shower!
Come Right On In!
This is one shower that I am thrilled to take part in, along with my friends from the olden days at Choosing Home.
Following the loss of her first son, and then subsequent years of infertility following the birth of her daughter, our dear friend and former web mistress, Jenna, is expecting a baby. Jenna’s daughter, who is five years old, used to pray for another little baby every night. God has heard her cry, and those of her Mommy and Daddy, and has sent this new little one who is still growing on the vine. Isn’t God MARVELOUS! I am still just breathless at it all.
If ever a woman deserved a party – Jenna does.
It is just a joy to reunite, one more time, with the other gals from Choosing Home, and celebrate the Lord’s goodness to our dear friend.
Think of this as a multi-roomed party. Dawn kicks things off over at Choosing Home. Lynn will be sharing some recipes there as well. Molly shares some of Jenna’s story, Dawn gives Jenna (and you) some wonderful gifts of decorations for baby’s room and favorite books for little ones, Ann V. delights us with scripture, and me? I’m posting some of my very favorite links, custom assembled for Jenna.
Dive right in, enjoy the fun – and feel free to leave Jenna congratulations and prayers and well wishes in the comment section below. We love you, Jenna and family!
Jenna, Here’s a good link for baby names and their meanings. Isn’t it so much fun to search for just the right baby name?
And here’s my favorite place to buy maternity clothing. You can find ANYTHING here.
Jenna loves to work with yarn – so here’s a BUNCH of free patterns for baby items. And here’s some more. There are so many incredible yarns out there that are a pleasure to work with. Hey…that gives me an idea…. 
While we’re making something…how about the directions to make a wrap to carry baby in? It doesn’t get much more simple than this! Jenna can make just about anything with her hands.
And although this site is meant to help women who carry breech, this site taught me so much about how a baby lies within the womb, and how to help it get into position for birth.
Here’s a link to Super Baby Foods by Ruth Yaron – which is one of the things I’m going to be sending to Jenna while she waits on the little bean. It is THE BEST BOOK hands down on the issue of feeding a child for ANY mom!
Last, but not least…this is the neatest site about saving money and making homemade diapers out of just about anything. It’s called Frugal Diapering…and some of them are so cute!
Speaking of CUTE, you need to head over to Jenna’s site to see the ultrasound pictures of her ….well, go see for yourself! They are just posted today.
Thank you Jesus, for the work you are doing!
Delighting WITH all of you -
Holly
What then should a mother read?
I suspect the world is divided into book lovers and non – book lovers.
It is something we don’t seem to be ambivalent about. We either have a stack of books piled upon the side table or in every nook and cranny – or we could care less about reading and find fulfillment in other ways.
What SHOULD a mommy read? Should she even BE reading? I mean…there’s so much else she should be doing. Maybe she should feel guilty when she IS reading.
There’s lots of different thought on this. Some feel you aren’t intellectual if you aren’t reading. Some say you can’t read fiction. Some say you can only read if your house is spotless and you have a month of freezer meals tucked away. I have a friend who only allows herself to read in winter. Summer is for industry; winter is for reading. (Her home is always spotless, kids perfectly behaved and she’s gorgeous to boot. It stinks having her for a friend, let me tell you.)
Karen Andreola (author of the Charlotte Mason Companion) says that reading is vital to a mother. She says you should always have three books going on. (At least, Karen!) One should be to challenge you, perhaps dealing with meaty doctrinal subjects. The second should be an easy read….perhaps a biography. The third should be simply for pleasure, a book to transport you away.
If you like to read, I believe this is good advice. Even when you are a busy mommy.
Charlotte Mason advised replenishing the soul with a continual supply of ideas. “Never be without a good book on hand….Do not think this is a selfish thing to do, because the advantage does not end with yourself.”
It is not written anywhere reputable that in order to be a good mommy you must not take the time to read. All things in balance, you know. I’m sure there will be days and seasons where you are not able to read much…we all go through times like that.
But in general, when a mom tells me that she “loves to read, but just can’t find time” I feel a little sad.
Reading is the best way to keep from feeling that your intellect is rotting. When you crave adult conversation after days at home with the little people – a book is there to help you join in the “great conversation” of life. Some of you have mentioned sharing books with your husband. It gives you something to talk about. I like Karen’s advice on how to balance the reading. I’ve been thru phases where I’ve only read fiction. I’ve been thru phases where I’ve only read medical type books. Phases for current events, biographies, topics…
I’ve had days where the only reading I’ve been able to do have been while brushing my teeth before bed or a paragraph on the potty. Whatever works.
If you are neglecting your children and feeding them absolute junk so that you can read; then yes, you have issues that you need to deal with. J But otherwise – don’t feel guilty for a 10 minute break to feed your mind. You ARE what you read!
p.s. Disclaimer. For those who need to hear me say it…OF COURSE the Bible is the FIRST book you should be reading. That goes without saying. :)
Too cute felt crafts
I ran across these books for making felt items. Felt miniatures are just so cute, and so easy to make.
Last year my daughters loved making little people from beads and pipe cleaners, then had just a blast dressing them up in felt clothes and accessories. You can see examples here, at Hope Chest Legacy. Fun, fun, fun!
