So while I plow through a mountain of editing this week... I'm going to try and keep things simple and uplifiting...
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it as serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense."
I don't know about you guys - but I totally need to start my weeks out this way!
Happy Monday!
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Taking a lay-low day around here. Both the kids and I have ear infections/strep... so we are dosing up with antibiotics like mad.
Thought I'd pass along a little something for you to think about / enjoy / share yourselves today. Ran across it yesterday on Facebook. What a wise young man.
God's grace is all over him!
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I'm not really sure what to say here. It feels selfish to say "I'm hurt" - when clearly - I'm not a victim, and to say that would be to steal a portion of the betrayal, and scar that those poor little boys paid a heavy price for. Can you really put a price on innocence? On childhood? On safety? On trust?
But I do feel sad, and betrayed. By those who told us to hold ourselves to the highest standard. They built Happy Valley on this idea... yet behind closed doors - did the unthinkable, the bare minimum, turned the other way, and did NOT rise up and practice what they preached.
The news of the Penn State scandal has run deep with me this week. Having been a student-athlete, Lion Ambassador, participant in THON, a member of the Football Recruiting program (which meant I spent a fair amount of time in and around the team, staff and facilities where this all went down), a friend to many of the wives of the coaches/football personnel and a very Penn State Proud Alumna all these years... this is very, very hard to comprehend.
On Monday... I felt compelled to do this... (horrible iPhone photo, I know)
I knew my flag was out flying - as it has been all season - and I felt like taking it down totally. I felt such shame for what has happened. Like, letting it up there would be a symbolic show of ignorance, or worse - condonement.
But then I thought of all the good that Penn State was and is and ALWAYS will be for so many. The lives that have been changed because of things like THON. And even though a well defined lump sits solidly planted in the back of my throat, my pride burns ever still.
So I went half way with it.
The collective culture that is "Penn State" is not to blame - those in the highest seated positions, yes - but the "body of Blue and White believers" - certainly not. And I sincerely feel that what really defines a people is what they DO in the face of hardship. Penn State will rise again, I believe that. I have to.
And I also have to believe that justice will prevail and those responsible for doing the cowardly, and downright deplorable acts that are alleged here - will take responsibility for their actions and dedicate their lives to eradicating other such instances of neglect and abuse in their communities.
I read an article yesterday that I feel like sharing here - written by a pastor at one of the most well attended churches in the area (I used to attend a ladies Bible Study there)...
The statistics of abused children (just in their area) is a staggaring thing to come to grips with... I almost shudder to think what the number is for where I live. I would venture it's about the same as central pa... 1 in 4 little girls...? 1 in 6 little boys...? tragic. Just tragic. As a parent of two little ones of my own - it's the absolute scariest thought I have.
But it's not something you should ignore. I'd rather be paranoid - than complacent, any day of the week.
SO anyway - I'm just gonna take a minute here and be sad... and watch and see how this all unfolds...
and PRAY.
and PRAY.
and PRAY.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11: 28-31)
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My scanner is total crap. Just sayin'
This photo I scanned and cropped out of a scrapbook page from my baby shower when I was pregnant with Macho. Circa 2008.
In the photo are, my mom, my Kathy, and my Raine.
A.K.A. my mom and a couple of my Ya Ya's.
My "Ya-Ya's" are friends of my mom's who were like mom's or Aunties to me growing up. LOVE THEM all. There are a couple more not pictured here... They know who they are...
The middle one there... my Kathy.
Well... what can I say.
My Kathy lost her 15 year battle with cancer yesterday. And while I know she's home safe in the loving arms of Jesus... and free of the bondage and pain she endured in her earthly body... the sting of her departure has cut me up. I just loved her. And I'm sad.
Her son was my very first real boyfriend in the 9th grade. :) I guess I didn't entirely wreck his overall impression of me... his first born daughter (named for Kathy) actually goes by Katie... You KNOW if you have disdain for someone - using their name for one of your children is OUT.
Kathy was 6' tall with great hair and skin. Proud. Beautiful. Opinionated. Tough. Utterly dependable. She was there for my mom and for me on numerous occaisons over the years.
And so very strong. She battled and battled and battled.. and stil kept on smiling, taking care of her family and making the very best of things. Amazing, really.
She was so proud of her kids and made a point of saying so when I would see her on visits home. Proud of the adults they have become. And the beautiful grandbabies they gave her.
I'm praying for them now. I really can't imagine how they must feel. Sad and empty, I guess. Relieved that she's not suffering any more perhaps. Then back to sad and empty again.
It may be a 6 hour drive... but I'm going to go home tomorrow and give them all a proper hug and tell them how much I loved her and that I'll really miss her.
And I'm going to hug my own family nice and tight and tell them all how much I love them too.
You should do the same.
xo
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Around here things have been pretty wild.
Mimi has been here helping out a ton while Clark's away. Here she is over Memorial Day weekend with my niece. This is the most recent pic I have of her... Mimi just loves her some grandbaby time...
Well... unless of course she's been at my house with my two kids for over 7 days... then she's happy to pack up and peace out to her much quieter, much cleaner house.
Head for the hills Meems!!!!
Around here Macho has been cooling off cowabunga style in a radical "baby pool" I picked up at Tar'jay.
Around here baby burritos have been made...
Around here... all the cool kids play soccer with their 84 year old great grandmas...
How dope is that, right?
Around here the little missus is soooo curious about everything.
and in my expert estimation is about 3.5 days away from fully crawling in hand/knee syncronization. Right now she's just up on all 4's scooting a bit.
Around here this same little missus turned 7 months old on Saturday but mommy was away photographing a wedding and didn't capture our benchmark monthly mugshot. After all that clicking - my clicking finger was just pooped out. Bad mommy.
Also - I should note - that this little missus has begun a new phase I like to call...
"Sleeping through the night is for wimps."
Oh - how I wish she were an utter wimp in this case. Again - I'm no expert - but I'm thinking it's her teeth that are bugging her every night around 3:30...Echk.
Around here bedtime is just plain hard all around. This is me peeking through the door into Macho's room at like 11pm... Snuck out of bed - reading on the beanbag. Little stinker. Just like his mamma was. Total night owl.
Speaking of mamma... Around here - she is trying to fit work time into nearly every nook and cranny of the day just to keep her head above water. We are managing - we are having fun... We are all loving eachother very much and that's really all that matters.
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days (of my life) were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them." - Psalm 139:16
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I was thinking about my 33@33 list now that we are in June and half the year is in the can. I've crossed off 9 things so far... Not bad.
No. 11 on my list reads... "create paper goods for sale"
I guess, in a way I do this already. I sell prints to my photography clients... but what I really meant by this item is something paper for sale - that's beyond just the click of the shutter...
Something more like this.
A nice combination of my words with my photos.
I jotted this note down the other night, just before I turned off the light.
When I found the scrap of paper in my day planner yesterday, I thought it would make an ideal first print... A nice "goal statement" to help me with my 33@33 goal.
I'm offering them printed 5" x 10 " with a nice woven texture from my professional lab.
Available two ways... mounted on 2mm styrene... so you can simply lean it somewhere without a frame like this... (my favorite!!)
or unmounted so you may frame it any way you wish.
So... here again are the deets...
"My Goal" 5x10 Fine Art Print with Embassy Texture
Unmounted - $15
Mounted on 2mm Styrene - $25
Shipping - $5.50 to the US
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Thought I'd share a photo from the weekend. We spent time with our families up in Pennsylvania, laughing and eating and sharing together.
Both of my babies were baptized at my home church Sunday. What a wonderfully blessed thing it was. I had a hard time choking back the tears watching Pastor Scott lovingly hold them and wash them with God's unending love. I was just overcome with joy.
On a funny note... As I was thanking Macho yesterday during our seemingly endless car ride home, for his patience in being such a big boy, enduring his carseat so long and telling him I love him, etc. etc. - he replied...
"I love you too mommy. Thank you for the bath ties. I'm so proud of you."
Re??? Ooooohhhhh...
Bath ties = baptize.
I get his thinking... he got wet.. We were all saying "baptize" all weekend long preparing him for Sunday morning - and he thought, wet... bath... bath ties. Ok, I follow.
What a priceless child-like translation of the events.
Anywhoo... onto my 4th Thankful Thought...
I'm thankful for ::
the boys in my life... for madras plaid shorts, for worms and fishing poles, for cousins and catfish and Gator rides. for late night talks with old friends, for the blessing of safe travel for all, for wonderfully, and lovingly prepared meals, for the welcoming of my beautiful babies into the body of faith... we are all God's beloved... what a wonderous thing. Praise the Lord!
"Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. "
Hebrews 13:15
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Thought I'd share a few things I'm loving right now. Click on any of the photos below to be taken to the links!
Except I'm doing it at bedtime... (the house is a lot quieter and more settled)
Little guys with lots of energy...
Essie nail polish in "Master Plan"
(*scored this image from Google - this is not my hand... my nails aren't anywhere this nice."
My TOMS!!!! - Got my eye on THIS PAIR next!!!
One of these from the freezer around 3pm when the kids are napping and mamma needs a little extra sugar to get through the afternoon...
Chubby little girl toes...
Adler... a fun vintage typewriter font.
To unwind in the evenings... this is my K-cup of choice.
New gear...
Nikkor 24mm 1.4G... wide angles baby.
Cute new strap from etsy...
Clark's handywork in the playroom. A cork floor. It's so NOW (again). Easier to maintain with dogs and people going outside from two exits in this room than carpet - yet still soft enough for littles to play on and crawl around. Thanks Mom and Dad for the sweet hookup! xo
Utterly delicious smelling hand soap/lotion duo Cucina Lime Zest & Cypress at my kitchen sink...
Welcome back y'all.
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I'm immensely thankful for the blessing of 5 heartbeats under my roof.
I'm thankful for the hugs and kisses that I routinely get (and ask for!!!).
I'm thankful I can recognize and participate in the kind of unconditional love in my daily life that only comes to me through God himself.
I know that it's a FACT that the better Christian I am, the better mommy, wife, daughter, sister, friend, businesswoman, and artist I can be, and I'm thankful that I "get" that concept.
I'm so thankful that when the kids are driving me batty, I can look at it as an opportunity for God to refine me. Patience, child. And - yes, by child, I mean ME.
So many blessings - enjoy them. Be humbled by them. Rejoice in them.
On the heels of Mother's Day, I thought I'd partake in an occasional series that Ali Edwards has begun and invited her readers to join in on.
A photo and a few thoughts. We'll see how they begin to accumulate. I'm thinking they may just end up in a small 4x6 Kolo album... Photos on the front... and maybe thoughts on the back with the date... ?
Ali has created these nifty 4x6 photo overlays along with a rounded corner photo mask that you can very simply and easily pop a photo in Photoshop or Elements.
To join in on the fun - click here to begin downloading your set of the overlays.
And a belated Happy Mother's Day to all. Hope you were pampered just a bit yesterday!
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First - the giveaway for :
Ok - so the Random Number Generator first spit out #11.... and that commentor was actually my mom.... and since I planned on giving her a copy anyway... and since she would argue that although she often participates in my giveaways, technically she should be exempt as a family member.... I decided to pick another.
Whateva.
SO the winner of the Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers giveaaway is....
Commenter #9 - Jackie D!!!
Congratulations Jackie! Email me at katiepegher (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your loot!
Also - today I wanted to share a little something with ya.
Teee heee heee....
My big TV debut is up and running.
The boob has made it to the boob tube.
How hilarious.
I do very much hope my 2.3 second appearance will inspire you to order new window coverings.
From Next Day Blinds and from no other manufacturer.... that is.
Without further ado
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