Oh those summer nights!

This is where you'll find me if a night at home has gone as planned...

And, actually, it doesn't even really look like that anymore.  It's a work-in-progress, which you are almost guaranteed to see in a future post.  Why?  Because it's a favorite spot right now.  That's why!

For now, I can fill you in on how we got to where we are and where we're going with it.  And then, why I love it so much.

As soon as we moved in, Jeremy went to Cracker Barrel and added three large rockers to our "collection" of one child's rocker.  That makes perfect sense, right?  RIGHT?

At the time, the inspiration was the porch at Sandy Creek Bible Camp and Horton Haven Christian Camp,  where rockers are lined up, facing an open area of the campgrounds.  It's a fantastic spot to sit, rock and shoot the breeze.  The back of our house feels "a little bit country" (complete with screen door), so the concept was perfection.

However.

What we ended up with was a hodge podge of chairs and our little cafe set that has been hauled to every place I've lived in the last 9-or-so years.  There was no flow to the space, since it was an L-shape and the concept was perfect for a rectangle.  So we started with a little space planning.  (Oh, hey, why didn't I think of this earlier?  Seriously, it's not like I do that for a job or anything.  Sheesh.)

So, we defined the space into two seating areas.  This conversation group of rockers...

And the cafe table set.

But back to the coffee table/bench.  How did I NOT tell you about this?!?

I told Jeremy I wanted a bench, like these from {Pottery Barn}.

He flinches a little when the Pottery Barn catalogue arrives.  It's a little like Pavlov's Dogs because of the number of times I've requested him to "just build me a..." piece of furniture out of there.  Seriously, though.  The guy is amazing.  And I'm lucky, cause he's so talented and cause he does it because he loves me.

Back to the story.

So, he suggested we meet the the {ReStore} to find a piece of wood to reclaim.  It was blazin' hot and we scoured the bins of wood, only to come up with nothing.  Until he spotted this gem.

It was a saw bench under an old shed nearby.  They obviously weren't using it anymore and it had been there when the location was a lumber yard before.  So, he asked if he could buy it.  Jeremy always says, "'What's the worst they could say?'  'No, dummy.'"  At first they said it was attached.  He was willing to do the work to get it out of there... and they ended up being willing to let him.  So, for $3, we went home with a beautiful weathered former saw table.  And Jeremy turned it into this beauty in less than 45 minutes.

I think that's a record.  It also smashed my theories about having to multiply by three on the time he says a project will take to find the actually time elapsed.  I.was.proud.

While Jeremy was in Honduras, I purchased this bad boy.

(Thanks, Kelly, for the birthday gift card that went towards it!)

Can you call a "church window" a bad boy?

I just did.

 I think it's amazing.  It's awaiting a companion drop leaf table to go underneath it and to be decorated with some fun accessories.  When said table is discovered and hauled home, bad boy church window will be hung!

Here is a different perspective.  In my mind, there are string lights, some colorful throw pillows, and a few more plants.  Maybe even an herb garden in a window box down to your left right there.  Can you see it?  Can ya?

So, like I said, work-in-progress, but well on it's way to where I want it to be.  AND it's such a great place to be as it is.  What do we like to do out there?

You might find me honing my newly-discovered grilling skills...

(that's what hubby spending 12 days in Honduras will getcha!)

Or indulging in a classy beverage.  For some reason, you have to sip things when you sit on patios...

 like Pioneer Woman's {perfect iced coffee}

or Dish and Dine's {frozen hot chocolate}

...which we thouroughly enjoyed on Saturday night.

Some of us enjoyed it a little more than others!

We have some sidewalk chalks nearby and there are generally all kinds of creations all over the concrete.  Part of me wishes they could stay there forever!

We watch the kids bounce and flip.

and sometimes we put our classy beverages down and join them. :-D

There are games of catch and bubble blowing...

There's always a breeze blowing across our patio and it feels amazing after a hot Houston day.  We like to chill out there when we have friends over, too.

Truly, the best part of our patio is the people I enjoy it with!

If you're in the neighborhood, let us know so we can pour you a classy beverage and we can {sit a spell}!

Spotlight Saturday: Paige

Spotlight Saturday:  Paige

In case you missed it, what's {Spotlight Saturday} ?

Meet my beautiful friend and amazing nanny, Paige

I wish I could tell you some story about meeting Paige, but I honestly don't remember actually meeting her.  I DO remember seeing her as a student around the school that rented our church at the time.  I remember being left with the impression that there was a maturity in her soul that is uncommon in teenagers.

(Oh!  Maybe I haven't told y'all this... sorry!  My degree is in Youth Ministries and Biblical Studies.  I worked in Youth Ministry for close to ten years before I started doing what I do now.  All that to say, I love teenagers.  I've spent a lot of time with them.  :) )

Back to Paige.  So what inspires me about Paige?

She has a super genuine servant's heart.  Paige started babysitting for us about three-ish years ago.  In the summer of 2009, I asked her to nanny for us full time.  I needed the help, but I had no idea how blessed I would be by her!  I mean, she just sees what needs to be done and she gets involved.  It's humbling to tell you all the ways she helps me manage this house-laundry, dishes, errands.  I'm very lucky to have her!  A couple of weeks ago, she offered to jump in and help me with my weekly {home blessing hour} while Jeremy was in Honduras.  I totally appeciated the help, but I think her comment "That was really fun!" afterwards is what really stuck with me.  She's always asking if there's something she can do to help me while I'm at work.  She loves to help people and she's very good at it.  I'd definitely list service among her spiritual gifts.

Paige has a passion for growing.  We talk a lot.  She shares what's going on in her life with me.  No matter what is going on with her, she's never satisfied.  She always wants to improve herself.  It's a healthy balance, though.  She is comfortable with who she is today and yet wants to change for the better.  Lately, we've had fun texting back and forth with some inspiring quotes that I subscribe to... I think it keeps us both on track!

Lest you think she's all work and no play...

She's a spunky little kid at heart.  You should hear the rambunctious play in the game room and on the trampoline with my kids.  Last night, they busted out the sleeping bags to sled down the staircase.  My kids adore Paige and Paige loves them!



"A pink yeti, a ballerina, and a bumble bee...
this is either the beginning of a children's story
or the first line of a joke."  ~Jeremy

She loves to take them places, play with them, guide and teach them right and wrong, giggle with them, chill with them, and snuggle with them.  As a momma, I couldn't ask for anything more.  A couple of evenings, Jeremy and I have gotten home from work about the same time to find the three of them sitting on the rockers on the patio, just talking and laughing.  It's fun to watch.  Then, it's fun to turn on {the kids' current favorite song} on the speakers outside, just to catch them offguard.  They always jump up and run inside.  But it's so sweet to see them there, just enjoying each other.



Waiting for their daddies to return from Honduras...



Paige, I love ya, girlie!  I don't think you'll ever know what a blessing you are to me.  I can't wait to see the amazing things God does in your life... I've already seen Him working.  And I'm humbled that He's allowing me to be a part of that-both as a friend and as someone who is blessed by you daily!

 

{Spotlight Saturdays Archive}

What's the haps? a.k.a. While You Were Out

So, Jeremy spent 12 days in {Honduras}.

I'll let him tell you a little about the {work they did}.  Enjoy the snippet of the "Party Bus" they enjoyed one day on the trip!

We stayed busy.

just a little!

While Jeremy was away, the kids enjoyed:
...a trip to the zoo with Paige and the Childrens' Ministry at church
...a playdate to catch "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" with Phoebe (who subbed for Paige) and friends
...two Preschool Play times for Lexi, one of which took the kids through The Tabernacle Experience
...Justus and Paige enjoyed The Tabernacle Experience
...a trip to Congregation Beth Messiah with Paige and the Childrens' Ministry at church, where they learned about how modern Jewish Christians worship
...Justus worked at the fourth grade watermelon stand at The Tabernacle Experience to raise money for Hope for Haiti
...football practice, pictures and a game!

...{PixOs} that my mom sent were a hit!

 PixO Creations!

We made some popcorn and watched a movie together the first night.

We managed to get in our annual {Father's Day photo} for Jeremy's office~better late than never!

We enjoyed some smoothies while we waited our turn for portraits.

We had some friends over a couple of evenings.  Vanessa came for a dinner inspired by Char House Grilled Chicken one night and Kaitlyn came for homemade pizza another.  I got pretty excited about the Chicken and Dumplings I made, too.

Believe it or not, this picture is from our Bible Class.

 We're doing a study on Putting Possessions in Perspective.  If you live in the area, it's good!  You should come! 

I got to catch up with an old friend from college, {Mari}.  We brought our families and met at Fuddruckers for dinner.  It was fun to chit chat and see where life has taken us!

I got to take the kiddos on a evening playdate to see Cars 2 with friends and mommas

(I love that Lexi sits and snuggles on my lap through the whole movie!)

I had a pretty big event one evening at work...

Paige was sweet enough to make sure I still got my date nights, even with Jeremy away.  I enjoyed some time out with girlfriends that even included a concert and a fashion show!

We learned that I can grill.  And I was deemed "better at chicken than Daddy", so apparently I have a new job.  Jeremy should have feigned more disappointment at the loss of title.  I'd feel better about the win that way.

The mailbox proved interesting while he was gone!  Marcia sent a package with a field guide for how to use my camera.  She's trying to keep me in check on the {50 Things in 365 Days}!  I changed my mind about the color of camera bag Jeremy and his parents got me.  When the yellow one arrived as a mustard instead of canary yellow, I determined that pewter was the way to go.  My J <3 D necklace I got myself for my birthday finally arrived, too!

 

I also bought a church window.  Cause really, who DOESN'T need a church window?

and worked on getting Bella's stuff organized

...more on those later!

For now, I'll just leave you with this funny pic of Lexi and me getting pretty for Jeremy to come home.

Culture

culture (ˈkʌltʃə)
~n

1. the total of the inherited ideas, beliefs, values, and knowledge, which constitute the shares bases of social interaction
2. the total range of activities and ideas of a group of people with shared traditions, which are transmitted and reinforced by members of the group

I have a theory.

It's not fully developed, so bear with me.

I've been thinking about and observing the dynamics of the culture of groups for about two and a half years.  It's interesting to me how the culture of a group impacts it's members subtly, but tremendously.

I was initially drawn to the topic by my then-new job.  When I first arrived, I was told that our company had a "Safety Culture".  Little did I know how true that is!  Everything we do at work is soaked in safety.  We talk about it, we measure it, we live it, we breathe it.  The "safety culture" is very intentional.

Cultures in groups happen whether they are intentional or not.  We fit together with other people because we have common values.

(I'm getting to the theory.  Promise!)

It hit me the other day, that while a group may ascribe to an infinite list of values, reality is that there is a limit to the number of values to which we can truly hold.  Much like your eyes can only focus on a limited amount of visual data, our hearts can really only esteem a limited number of values as the highest.

Maybe a word picture will help.  After all, that's how it came into my head!

I imagined a table, like a coffee table, and strewn across it were magnets with words written on them.  The words were values people hold.  I saw, as my eyes went across the table, that there were good attributes in every value I saw.   This is an example of what some of the magnets could have been...

family     intelligence     friendship     security     comfort     children     reputation     marriage     activities     success     attractiveness     popularity     effectiveness     accomplishment     fun     education     wealth     fame     respect     love     health     parents     power     spirituality     safety     career

I envisioned that my task was to choose the most important values and move them to a magnetic board or a refrigerator.  I generously limited myself to 10 values.  (I say "generously" because, I don't know about you, but I find it difficult to focus on 10 items at one time!)

Every group has a list of the top values of the group.  Generally, it isn't formalized, but it's very real.  These values define how a group spends it's time and energy and resources.  What makes it unique?  What continually rises to the top as a priority?  What is chosen repeatedly over another value? 

And then it hit me, as much as we'd love to be able to pick every value in the correct portion and perfect harmony, it cannot work like that. 

Sometimes it's good.

Sometimes it's bad.

It really seems to be an issue of which values are chosen over the other possible values.  The values that rise to the top really direct the environment of a culture.  Sadly, sometimes the values that are sacrificed can be very telling about what really matters to a group.

Some examples of the bad:

A minister expresses to the leadership of his ministry that his marriage is struggling.  They respond by demanding to know how he will meet the needs of those in his ministry.

(healthy ministry is given preference over a healthy marriage)

A friend gossips entrusted information about another person with another friend.

(popularity is given preference over privacy or respect)

A company assures it's employees that no layoffs are anticipated, while knowing that layoffs are in the works.

(security and peace are given preference over honesty)

Some examples of the good:

A father declines a promotion that would ensure him no time for his family.

(family is given preference over career)

A friend is offered physical assistance during a tumultous period in life.

(friendship is given preference over comfort or ease)

So, what now?

I guess the first thing I see as needed is to raise your awareness of how the circles you run in see life.  Do the things people place emphasis on line up with what YOU WANT to emphasize?  I have a group of friends that place a high value on family.  In little ways, they are peer role models to me every day.  What values do the cultures you live in hold?  Are they more concerned about having fun than about safety and responsibility?  Are material possessions worth sacrificing other important things for?  This can play out in hundreds of different ways.  Just tune in and see what your people rank highest.

Second, evaluate.  Does their ranking line up with who I want to be?  You likely run in more than one circle.  The one you most closely associate with has the most potential to shape you.  Pay close attention as you evaluate that one.

Lastly, correct, if needed.  If no correction is needed, thank God for the incredible blessing He has given.  If not, you have two options:  influence the culture if you can, or line up with a different primary culture.  Make sure you're involved in a culture of people you want to be like.

I'd love your thoughts and feedback on this!