blogging

What in the world is going on around here anyway?

~ Christie ~ 8 Comments
via
via

Well hello, dear readers. I felt like before jumping head first into the week that I would stop and talk about what is going on with this blog.

Expect no chronological order, sense or sensibility. I’m just chatting about what is going on.

You may have noticed that the appearance of the blog has changed. I warn you, it may keep changing. I’m not really content with the look, but currently lack the skills or time to make it something I would be permanently happy with. Every now and then I go to WordPress and try out different themes; sometimes I change it to see how I like it for awhile. If this bothers you, in all seriousness, would you mind telling me? I have in my mind that it doesn’t really matter, but I certainly don’t want to irritate anyone if that is not the case.

Next, I have not been blogging as much, which is kind of a good and bad thing. Bad, because I dearly love and enjoy it; good, because I am trying to be more productive at night, because I’m able to spend more time with Paul, and because I’m trying to go to bed earlier.

The content I have almost ready to go right now is short, practical thoughts about pregnancy. Not very exciting, but rather what’s in my brain right now. Also, not written yet, but I have a few ideas about spring and spring cleaning.

The posts that I most want to work on or publish are longer ones about topics I think about often or am personally working through. I often don’t even start to write these because the inspiration for the right words isn’t there, or it will be annoying to be interrupted, or I wonder what’s the point of me writing stuff like that anyway. I read an article last night that I thought was really encouraging. (read it here) Anyways, based on that, I am going to try writing more even it’s just a few sentences here and there and still doesn’t become final for months. I would love to be able to publish one of these of month???

I need to write a post about the Edith Schaeffer book, The Hidden Art of Homemaking. Another thing I keep putting off because it feels like it will take a long time to write.

Of complete unimportance, sometimes I think about trying to monetize this blog. I was planning on trying to get an amazon affiliate link when I read somewhere that it was no longer available in my state. So I have not checked into it further. Although I’ve read about how to make money with blogs and thought about it, I just don’t have the space in my brain or the desire in my heart to make it happen right now. Though I want this blog to be a blessing to my extended family and friends and hope that it will be an encouragement to those who read, it’s primarily just an outlet for me. I would say creative outlet, but that feels like a stretch. I enjoy writing about what’s going on and having to produce content or manage any kind of finances regarding the blog would be a stress I don’t need right now. Along with that is the motives of my heart. My husband works really hard to provide for our family and I find a lot of security in trusting my provisions to be given by God through him. At a different time it might be wise or good to use this blog for other things, but for right now I’m happy with how things are.

One thing I want to get better at is taking pictures consistently of the girls to post for family and friends.

That’s all I can think of for now. I would love to hear if you have any questions or comments.

Oh, one more thing. WordPress now has something worked out with Getty Images where we can use their photos for non-commercial purposes. The easiest way for me to use it currently ends up with a big Getty Images label under the picture which I really don’t love. I’m trying to decide if I should keep using them anyway or find something else or use my own shots (not the greatest quality). Anyways, just a heads up if you see newer pictures around here.

Thanks so much for reading whether this was your first visit or your one-hundredth. Every comment or “like” is so encouraging and so fun. I’d love to hear what’s going on with you!

Christie

31 days of training my kids: less blog, more mommy

~ Christie ~ Leave a comment

IMG_2379As I thought about writing for thirty-one days in a row, I was so excited about all the stuff I could write. Funny things the girls say, episodes of training, good ideas from others, books I love…

But as October 1 approached, I began to be burdened that this not be primarily a blog project. This is what I need to concentrate and re-concentrate on!

I’ve watched myself write less and less and do more and more. Though not great for the blog, it’s been great for me. I’m falling into bed exhausted at night from full days of caring for my family.

Busy days have been training days, too, even though it’s more of the work-as-you-go flavor.

More than anything, my awareness of the girls is growing; as is my desire and burden to love and teach them in a way that will glorify Christ.

So I guess what I want to say tonight is, thanks so much for reading and following along as I’ve worked my way through this thing.

Less blog and more mommy is a pretty good less is more.

{Israel recap} Official introduction: Taking care of four little girls alone (while my husband goes on an amazing study trip to Israel)

~ Christie ~ Leave a comment

Hello dear friends, family, and readers! I hope that you all are doing well on this lovely day.

Unfortunately, my computer screen is not behaving; fortunately, I’ve been wanting to rerun the Israel series (since it occurred before I had told most of you that I was doing this).

Starting today, I’m going to rerun all of the posts. And hopefully by then I’ll have my computer working again. If you want to see a few other related posts to the Israel trip, you may check them out here and here.

****

Hello and welcome to my first series: staying home alone with four little girls (while my husband goes on an amazing study trip to Israel.) For fun, I’ve included pictures from Paul’s trip. Israel is a truly beautiful land.

Caesarea Maritima
Caesarea Maritima

This series begins on the day that he left, after working until six o’clock the previous night, spending the evening with the girls, deciding to start packing at 11:22 pm, running to Walmart at midnight, and finally going to bed… oh, about two.

I possess a strange set of emotions; most of the time they kick in way after the fact. I’m saying this because I really had no idea how I was going to react to him leaving. Would I cry? Be scared? Try to remember every detail of his face in case it was the last time I saw him? Not feel anything at all? Act tough? Act wimpy? What would the girls do?  

Two weeks before he left, I went through several days of wondering if I was going to survive. Like literally, survive. He’s gonna die; or I’m not going to make it; or something… I’m pretty sure life as I know it is over. 

Thankfully, with the next week came some hormonal straightening out and I began feeling nothing. This is cool. We’re going to be fine. It’ll be so fun to have the car (for the first time in months). 

I began to wonder if something was wrong with me for not feeling more sober or anxious about it.

Planning my grocery list and menu for the week he would be gone gave me the first feeling of true nervousness in my stomach. All right; so I am normal. And yeah, this is going to be okay, but it’s also going to be hard and sad and lonely. 

When Paul got home from work the night before he left, the sadness hit hard. That’s it. There’s nothing between him and this trip now. 

The theatre at Caesarea Maritima
The theatre at Caesarea Maritima

I loved the girls reactions to him when saying good-bye on the morning he left.

Hope began truly crying, “You’re going to be gone for such a long time!”

Sophia smiled at him excitedly, “Are you coming home for lunch?”

And what did I feel? Excitement for him. I’m sure some mental compartment noted that him going down the stairs that last time meant I would be on my own for two weeks, but all I could think about was how much he was anticipating this incredible opportunity.

So there you have it. The next post will start with our first day on our own (while Paul got stuck in airports for hours, had flights canceled, gates changed, and ate a lot of Five Guys.)

Official introduction: Taking care of four little girls alone (while my husband goes on an amazing study trip to Israel)

~ Christie ~ 28 Comments

Hello and welcome to my first series: staying home alone with four little girls (while my husband goes on an amazing study trip to Israel.) For fun, I’ve included pictures from Paul’s trip. Israel is a truly beautiful land.

Caesarea Maritima
Caesarea Maritima

This series begins on the day that he left, after working until six o’clock the previous night, spending the evening with the girls, deciding to start packing at 11:22 pm, running to Walmart at midnight, and finally going to bed… oh, about two.

I possess a strange set of emotions; most of the time they kick in way after the fact. I’m saying this because I really had no idea how I was going to react to him leaving. Would I cry? Be scared? Try to remember every detail of his face in case it was the last time I saw him? Not feel anything at all? Act tough? Act wimpy? What would the girls do?  

Two weeks before he left, I went through several days of wondering if I was going to survive. Like literally, survive. He’s gonna die; or I’m not going to make it; or something… I’m pretty sure life as I know it is over. 

Thankfully, with the next week came some hormonal straightening out and I began feeling nothing. This is cool. We’re going to be fine. It’ll be so fun to have the car (for the first time in months). 

I began to wonder if something was wrong with me for not feeling more sober or anxious about it.

Planning my grocery list and menu for the week he would be gone gave me the first feeling of true nervousness in my stomach. All right; so I am normal. And yeah, this is going to be okay, but it’s also going to be hard and sad and lonely. 

When Paul got home from work the night before he left, the sadness hit hard. That’s it. There’s nothing between him and this trip now. 

The theatre at Caesarea Maritima
The theatre at Caesarea Maritima

I loved the girls reactions to him when saying good-bye on the morning he left.

Hope began truly crying, “You’re going to be gone for such a long time!”

Sophia smiled at him excitedly, “Are you coming home for lunch?”

And what did I feel? Excitement for him. I’m sure some mental compartment noted that him going down the stairs that last time meant I would be on my own for two weeks, but all I could think about was how much he was anticipating this incredible opportunity.

So there you have it. The next post will start with our first day on our own (while Paul got stuck in airports for hours, had flights canceled, gates changed, and ate a lot of Five Guys.)

Series coming soon: Taking care of four little girls alone (while my husband goes on an amazing study trip to Israel)

~ Christie ~ 35 Comments
lempacreative.com
lempacreative.com

THE FACTS:

1. We have four little girls ages 4,3,2, and 1.

2. I take care of them all day while my husband works full-time to support us and attends seminary classes at night.

3. You could say this is somewhat taxing.

4. I do get relief when my husband comes home at night and I get to exercise my mind with the theological concepts he relays.

5. But it’s all going to end… for two whole weeks.

6. Because he’s going to Israel.

7. And I’m staying here.

you better believe I’ll be blogging about this one