What Makes Me...Me

Each Wednesday morning I am blessed to spend two hours with an amazing group of women in a bible study at my church. We are all various ages and in different stages of life, but all are moms (some new and some experienced). They all have such wisdom to share with me whether it is regarding parenting, home life or God's Word. They inspire, encourage and challenge me on a weekly basis.

Grayson loves Wednesday mornings as well because he gets to play with his friends in the nursery. The people who take care of him are wonderful people and they love him so much! Every time I go to pick Grayson up he is hesitant to leave and wants to show me all of the toys he has found. One of the workers comes in early every week to tie balloons onto the ceiling fans. Needless to say, Grayson LOVES this extra touch and comes home with a balloon in tow most weeks.

We are studying Ruth this time, and I have been surprised how much I have learned from this well known little book of the Bible. Ruth was such an amazing woman, and there is much she can teach us. Many of us are new (or newer) to our group, so we have been sharing a little bit about ourselves. We were asked to bring a bag with 4-5 things that describe where we are in life right now. As I prepared my items on Tuesday night, I ended up having the kitchen counter covered with items. Adam helped me downsize, but I still couldn't get it to 4-5. Oh well. I was nervous to share since being in the spotlight isn't my thing. It was such a good way to learn about each other though and I'm really glad I did it.

Here are my items in no particular order (minus one...I forgot my item to talk about being a Mama! Oops! That's a fairly good size part of my life right now! Ha! I also added a couple items as well.)...

1. Matryoshka Doll- This represents two things. One, is my love of travel. I love traveling and having adventures. This particular doll was from my first trip to Russia. Secondly, this doll represents my passion for missions.

2. Nature Photo- It's hard to see, but this is a picture from the cabin. This represents my love for photography. I am trying to learn more about the capabilities of my camera. Some of the women commented that they thought the photo was a postcard at first, so I guess I am learning some things!

3. Sunset at the Lake- Everyone should have a place where they feel completely relaxed, without a single care in the world. A place that soothes the soul and leaves you feeling refreshed. For me, this place for me is the cabin.

4. Family- Part a. is a quote about family. Here is a closeup:

It says, "Write it on your heart that the ones you love are life's most precious gifts". This is certainly the way I feel about family. They are so important to me, and I feel so very blessed that so many of them live nearby.

Part 4b. is a picture of my family. At bible study I brought several other pictures of my family to share with the group.

5. Nana's Brooch- As I said, family is very important to me. I like filling my home with family items that are special to me. I have a duck hand carved by my Papa Dick downstairs, books from my Nana over the fireplace, a harmonica from Papa Ron in the dining room...I have little treasures all over my home. This particular brooch was my Great Grandma's, I called her Nana. Each item is special for one reason or another, and I think they contribute to making our home feel uniquely "ours".

6. Crafty Pine Cone- This item is representative of my love for nature. I love being outdoors whether it's time spent on the deck of the cabin, going for walks and hikes or working in the yard. Nature is such a clear image of God's creativity and His love for us.

7. Candles- I want to have a home that is warm, cozy and inviting. I love having candles lit. With the candles I also talked about turning our new house into a home. I have enjoyed the process of slowly finding homes for our things and purchasing new things to make our home a "home".

8. Wedding Cake Topper- Adam and I have been married for about 5 1/2 years, and this was the cake topper from our wedding. This item also represented my business, Bluebird Signature Events. I have been blessed to coordinate weddings for some very special families. It is truly a gift that I am able to have a job that I love while still staying at home with Grayson. A blessing indeed.

9. Measuring Cup- I love to cook and bake! I love trying new recipes and trying new things. Adam is always a good sport, and has almost always liked all of the trial meals with exception to one night when I attempted Mushroom Soup. Ugh! At least I thought it was awful too!

10. Crafty Card- This card was the last crafty project I did. It represents my love for...you got it, crafting. I love making crafty things, and there is no better place to find inspiration than in Blogland!

11. Verse- This is my favorite verse these days, Zephaniah 3:17. "The Lord your God is with you, He is might to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.". I have several of these verse cards around my house because I have been convicted that I need to memorize for scripture, and focus on it throughout the day. These little cards are helpful reminders.

12. Music- The shuffle represents music. I have music playing in my home every day. Music is powerful and incredibly meaningful. A song can trigger a memory or stir an emotion or just downright make you want to dance. I love all types of music, and I adore that Grayson already loves music as well!

13. Serving Tray- I love to entertain. I want people to always feel welcome in my house, and always feel comfortable and "at home". Mi casa es su casa.

Invisible #14. Pacifier Wipes- Being a mom has been an incredible blessing and a huge adventure so far. I feel blessed to be raising such a sweet little boy. My life has been turned upside down since he has been born, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

So there you go! That's what makes me me.